Hey folks - Once again, Bobby and I have put together another AP-AR story for all to enjoy. We hope you enjoy this one and we are currently working on our 'opus' called 'The Curse' which we hope to have to all of you sometime in June which will be the longest and most detailed story we have ever written, but for now, we hope you enjoy 'Time Shift'. Comments are welcome!
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TIME SHIFT
By Merlin & Bobby

Harry and Kristal were two middle-aged scientists surviving on small grants and loans from their lab, which was located in their home. They had been working for years on a device that could make folks younger, as they knew the potential for billions of dollars were at stake. However, after over 20 years of working on the problem, the device they had come up with would only work to make someone younger if they had someone they could place the discarded years upon. Their data also showed that no other species could be substituted in place of a human. Worse yet, they had not been given FDA approval to experiment on humans, as the FDA thought they were crackpots as well.

Looking at the device they had created was impressive. Two large glass chambers with the operation panel in between them. Harry sighed. 'So sweetheart, what are we going to do? Who is going to want to buy the patent for a youth machine if you have to age someone in order to get your youth back?' Kristal looked at her husband lovingly. 'I know darling. I am sure there is an answer to be found, but it could take us another 30 or 40 years to find it without testing the chambers. If we had some test subjects, we could probably find the solution in just a couple of years'.

Harry pondered the problem for a moment and then smiled. 'I have an idea, but it could be dangerous' Kristal arched her eyebrow in curiosity. 'OK, out with it then.' 'What about the kids?' Kristal's eyes grew wide. 'Are you crazy? Nuts? We can't use our own children as guinea pigs!' The couple had two children, Darcy, which was their own child and Michael, who were adopted. Darcy was 10 while Michael was 9 years of age.

'Look, it would only be for a few days to see if the machine worked, then we switch back the years with them, we would only siphon off a few years from each of them, nothing traumatic, and then we can complete our project! Sweetheart, think of all the years of hard labor we have put into this and also what we can do for the security of our kids for college and such. We need the money badly and you know it.'

Kristal listened to Harry intensely, truth was she was about to make the same suggestion but with Harry going first, it allowed her to seem the moral victor in this case and she enjoyed that feeling as it relieved the guilt. 'All right, but the kids have got to agree to it as well.' 'No problem, lets go talk to them now'.

Harry got the kids together and sat them down and explained the process. 'Cool, you mean I will be older than I am now,” exclaimed Michael. 'Only a couple years older, don't let it go to your head, and it will only last over the weekend too. So you both all right with this?' Michael nodded his head excitedly yes, and Darcy thought for a moment then nodded as well. She was a child prodigy in science and understood the risks as well as what they were asking, she couldn't turn them down. She stroked their cat Miss Kitty while she agreed to the experiment.


As they gathered in the lab, the two kids had stripped off their clothes and put on robes, while their parents remained in their lab outfits. 'This thing takes an awful lot of energy, so we will put it on remote control and do the switch all at the same time, agreed?' Kristal agreed as they sit the age chronometer to 4 persons at 2 years each. 'Hmmm, that will make me 38 instead of 40 and you 37 instead of 39, how does that sound?'

Kristal laughed, 'Hey, I have been 37 for the past two birthdays or haven't you noticed!' As they set the countdown for 10 seconds they placed the kids in the chamber on the left while they got in the chamber on the right and shut the door. 'All right everyone, close your eyes tightly as there is a very bright ultra-violet light that hits us when it turns on and it could hurt your eyes if they are open.' Everyone shut their eyes tightly as the machine began to count down and the loud roar of the machinery began to grow in intensity. Just as the countdown reached 3 seconds, Miss Kitty jumped up on the control panel and walked across the keyboard and the chronometer instantly reset itself to 30 years each instead of 2.

Suddenly, the machine burst into action as light filled the two chambers and bathed the two children and two adults in a glowing light. After a moment, the light subsided and the machine was quiet once again. Everyone opened their eyes and looked at themselves and each other, but no changes were yet evident. Harry opened up the chamber he and Kristal occupied and stepped over to the kids' chamber, letting them out as well. After they all took another moment to examine each other for any differences in appearance Michael said, 'I'm sorry, Mom and Dad, I guess it didn't work.' He and Darcy looked down at the ground in disappointment. They both knew how important this project was to their parents, and how much they needed the money. 'Don't give up hope yet, kids, sometimes it takes a moment for something to happen,' said Kristal. She sounded more confident than she felt, however. Usually the changes happened almost instantaneously, but still nobody looked or felt any different. Harry was thinking the same thing. Why hadn't anything happened? He knew the only thing that should affect the length of time of the age transfer was the amount of years involved, since the greater the number of years transferred, the longer it took for the machine to process all the information. Two years wouldn't make a huge difference in appearance, but they should have been able to detect something. 'I wish that's all it was, dear,' said Harry. 'But there's no way it should take this long to process. I think we need to do some retooling before we can continue.' He and Kristal looked at each other and their children could see the pain in their eyes. All that time spent and they had made so little progress. Kristal had been so sure that this experiment would work; she knew deep in her heart that their machine was fully capable of handling such a small transfer.

Darcy absently scratched her arm when she felt a slight itch. Her other arm suddenly began to itch, followed by her chest and thighs. Soon her whole body was itching like crazy and she was scratching herself all over; it felt like a thousand fleas jumping all over her skin. 'What's going on?' she asked out loud as the itching intensified into a slight burning sensation. 'I don't know but I'm really itchy!' Michael said. Darcy noticed that he was also scratching all over his body. 'Mom? Dad? What's happening here?' demanded Darcy, who thought her voice sounded a bit different that it had a minute ago.

'I-I don't know, dear,' said Kristal as she stared in disbelief at her daughter. Darcy was growing taller by the second. The machine was working! But Kristal's initial joy was quickly overcome by powerful dread; it looked as if Darcy was in her early teens, well past the two-year limit they had set on the machine. She glanced at Michael and saw he too was considerably taller than before. She turned to Harry and as their eyes met each knew what the other was thinking. 'Kristal, I know I set the machine for a two year transfer, I double and triple-checked it!' Harry ran around to the front of the control panel and froze. No wonder the changes had taken so long to begin, the machine's display was set for 30 years! 'Oh my God, this can't be! I know I didn't enter 30 years in here.' As he spoke, both Harry and Kristal began to feel tightness in their skin, as though it were pulling in on itself. 'No, no, no! This can't happen!' Harry said, pounding the control panel in frustration. He stood with his head in his hands, as despair set in. Suddenly, the cat jumped up onto the control panel and started walking around, and Kristal quickly picked her up. 'No, Miss Kitty, stay off of this, you'll...My God, Harry, that's it! Was Miss Kitty down here the whole time?'

'Yes, Mom, I'm sorry,' said Darcy, clutching her robe around her growing body. It had been pooled on the floor when she first put it on, but the hem was already above her ankles. 'I forgot to take her outside before we got in the machine.'

'Oh, this is great!' said Harry. 'We can't stop this now. Do you realize what this means?' Michael did, as he noticed that his father's bald spot was filling in quickly and the few gray hairs that had sprouted on his head had disappeared.

'You mean I'm going to be...40?! A 40 year old woman?!” Darcy said as the color ran out of her face.

'I'm afraid so, Darcy. Michael will be 39 and your father and I will be...' Kristal swallowed hard before she finished, '10 and 9.'

The four of them were in shock as they stood and watched each other change. Darcy had reached 15 and was on her way to 16; she could feel the heat coming off of her skin as it expanded to accommodate her rapidly growing body. She could feel weight on her chest as two small breasts took shape, and her dark brown hair tickled the back of her neck as it grew down to her shoulders. She held her hands out in front of her and watched her fingers grow longer and more slender.

Michael was also checking himself out. He could feel peach fuzz on his chin and his upper lip, and felt a growing sense of power as his once nonexistent muscles underwent their accelerated development. A handsome teenage boy stood in place of the scrawny 9-year-old from a few minutes ago.

Kristal was feeling a strange combination of anxiety and anticipation. Although she was very nervous about what was happening, she could feel her energy level rising as she retreated through her early 30's. Her auburn hair was regaining its youthful fullness and luster while the weight she had steadily gained after Darcy was born was melting away like ice cubes under a heat lamp. Her figure was more defined with each passing second.

Harry was likewise heading backward toward 30, and he could feel his potbelly shrinking under his hands. His bald spot was completely gone now, and his hairline was reclaiming the territory it had lost the last few years. The tired lines on his face were fading fast while his pants were loosening as his waistline decreased. 'We'd better hurry up and reset the machine so that we can change back,' he said. He worked quickly, his fingers flying over the keyboard. He knew that the more years he and Kristal lost, the more difficult it would be for them to remember what to do with their machine.

Darcy's robe was above her knees. Her body's transition to adulthood was in full force; her lips were much fuller, her freckles had all but disappeared, her formerly toothpick-thin bony legs and arms were acquiring a very womanly shape, and her impressive breasts were clearly evident even through her terrycloth bathrobe as the now large nipples presses tightly against it. Her formerly toothpick legs were now long ad shapely and very erotic. She would reach 21 years of age in a matter of seconds. Her mind was also changing as well, her perspective on things were slowly altering. 'Kris-I
mean, Mom, isn't there any way to stop this?' Darcy asked in a mature voice that shocked her, it was a good two octaves lower than before. It was getting hard to hold her robe closed as her body filled it out more and more as she felt her hips expanding as her body took on an hourglass figure. She could feel her mind slowly shifting, her thoughts rearranging themselves.

'I'm sorry, Darcy, we'll have to wait until this phase is over before we can reverse it,' Kristal said as she re-entered her late twenties.

'This is so cool!' Michael said, smiling broadly. He was busy flexing his arms and feeling his ever-stronger muscles bulging through his robe. 'Hey, watch that! Cover yourself!' shouted Harry, pointing at Michael's robe, which he had let fall open. 'Oh, sorry.' Michael blushed and quickly pulled it closed. He was turning into quite a handsome man, with broadening shoulders and chest. Whiskers were spreading and thickening across his jaw. He had also gained several inches in height, much taller than either Kristal or Darcy, and was almost as tall as Harry.

Kristal noticed with some chagrin that the transfer was speeding up. She ran her hands through her thickening hair and watched her daughter approach her in age ever more quickly. Darcy was well into her 20's now and was every bit a full-grown young woman. Kristal looked down at herself and saw that her breasts had slid up her chest and become pert and full again. Her hands no longer looked worn and the veins that had started to show through were gone. She slid her hands around her waist and could feel the indentation of her waist above her full hips; she hadn't seen that for a long time. She felt her thighs and could tell they had lost quite a bit of fat and were once again slim and shapely. When she looked up again, Darcy was standing in front of her, smiling.

'Well, Mom, or should I call you Kristal,' Darcy said in a tone that made Kristal a little uncomfortable. 'We look like sisters now, in fact, I could be your older sister.' Kristal realized as Darcy was speaking that she had gone from looking slightly down at her daughter to eye-level and now she was actually looking up at her. 'Don't be silly, dear,' said Kristal, trying to sound more at ease than she felt. 'You know I'm still your mother.'
'That's funny,' Darcy said, looking down more and more at Kristal. 'You don't look like anybody's mother now.'

As Darcy was speaking Kristal noticed fine lines appearing around Darcy’s eyes and mouth, as well as across her forehead. And were those gray hairs popping up here and there on Darcy's head? Even her voice was getting a bit deeper as she spoke. Darcy looked as if she was in her early 30’s now a very mature adult woman. There was no sign left of the little girl that once was. Darcy laughed a very womanly laugh 'You can't be more than 20 years old.' Kristal looked down again and gasped when she saw how loose her lab coat and clothes had gotten.

Harry was getting worried. Time was running out and he still had quite a bit of work to do to reset the machine. He was already having trouble remembering certain key sequences and it was getting harder all the time. 'Damn, was it this one and then this one, or the other way around? Think, Harry, think! Kristal, do you remem...Kristal?' Harry's jaw dropped when he saw that his mature wife was now a teenager. Her long straight auburn hair flowed down her back and she was trying to keep her coat and pants from dropping to the ground. 'Yes, Harry?' she asked in a girlish voice. He had never seen her this young, they hadn't met until just after college, and he was struck by her beauty. Her face was so fresh and smooth; he couldn't take his eyes off her. 'What is it, Harry?'
'Um, um,' Harry began. He coughed when he heard his voice crack, he must have gotten something in his throat. 'Do you remember how to reset the machine?' His voice seemed a lot higher than it was before for some reason. Kristal walked over to the panel, stepping out of her loose shoes on the way. 'Wow, Harry, I don't remember this at all,' she said, staring blankly at the buttons and switches. She was trying desperately to think; she knew what was at stake here, that they would all be stuck like this, but try as she might, nothing was coming to her, and everything looked more foreign to her young teenage mind all the time. Harry found he was spending more time staring at the cute girl next to him than he was thinking of how to fix their dilemma. As they continued to struggle with their fading memories, the transfer slowed and stopped as they both passed back through puberty to childhood again.

A shadow crossed their field of vision and the young children looked up to see a very adult Darcy and Michael towering over them. They look so big and grown-up, thought Kristal. 'So,' said Darcy with a mischievous smile on her face. 'What do we do now? It looks as if things have changed a bit, haven't they?' She leaned over so her face was level with Kristal 's and Harry's and said, 'I know this was just supposed to be for the weekend, but I think Michael and I will need a little more time, is that OK?' Harry and Kristal were speechless.

Their cute 10-year-old daughter was so big and adult now, and they were so small, they didn't know what to do. Darcy swept the graying hairs away from her face and said in a low, sultry voice, 'Then again, why am I asking you? You're in no position to make any decisions. In fact, you're going to be our children from now on, since we can't operate the machine. How does that sound, Michael?' Darcy asked, turning to Michael, who had grown into a tall, husky 39-year-old man. He stood next to Darcy and said in a deep voice, 'I think that's a terrific idea, Sis, I mean, honey.'

'You can't do this to us, this is all a mistake!' said 10-year-old Harry. 'It was just s'posed to be a coupla years, that's all. We didn't mean for anything bad to happen!' Kristal shook her head vigorously in agreement with Harry.

'Oh, but I'm sorry, honey,' Darcy said. 'You see, now that we have these grown-up bodies, we need to make the most of them. I'm sure you understand. After all, you were just like us a little while ago.' She turned to Darcy. 'Of course, Kristal, you're body wasn't quite as impressive as this one. Wouldn't you agree?' She slowly ran her hands up and down her sides, and Kristal had to admit to herself that Darcy did look pretty sexy. Her robe had stopped at mid-thigh, and although she was showing her age of 40, she was still quite attractive, with a full figure and long legs. Her large 36D breasts were not as firm as they were when she was younger, but they were protruding impressively from the robe. She had aged through her high school years, college years, young adulthood into middle age, but was still a knockout. Michael was also a very handsome, middle-aged man with salt-and-pepper hair and a square jaw.

'But perhaps it might be better for all concerned if you two were a little easier to handle.' Darcy smiled and looked at Michael who nodded in agreement. 'What are you talking about Darcy!?' Kristal said with a bit of dread. Suddenly, Darcy grabbed Kristal while Michael grabbed his now young father and they threw them both back into the chamber and locked it tight. They pounded on the door in vain, their voices muffled behind the thick glass. Darcy walked over to the control panel, 'Now, if I remember the sequence correctly, and I believe I do then this should do the trick' she turned the controls on and typed the code sequence into the keypad and set it for 8 years. 'I understand that this will make them 8 years younger and just infants, which is cool since we can control them real easy that way, but what about us? We will be 8 years older, I mean I enjoy being an adult and all, but won't this make us a bit too old to enjoy it?' asked Michael.

'Only for a little while sweetheart' purred Darcy as she put her adult hands around Michaels now large waist. She was feeling stirrings of something inside her that she had never felt before, adult feelings that were rushing through her as her hormones were playing catch-up with her now adult body. After all, Michael wasn’t really her brother, only an adopted one. Michael too was feeling things he did not understood but was really enjoying. Feeling Darcy's large breasts press hard against him sent waves of excitement through him as he felt his manhood begin to grow inside his robe, which confused yet excited him.

Darcy moved in closer and gently kissed Michael on the mouth, as they both hesitated for a moment, they then fell into a deep long, sensual kiss that seem to last forever. In the meantime, the two parents were too shocked to even react at what they were witnessing.

As Darcy finally pulled back she smiled and whispered, 'I think I am going to enjoy being an adult' Michael nodded in agreement as he gripped Darcy's waist wanting to explore more of these feelings. 'But first darling, 'said Darcy, 'Lets deal with these two children, huh? Oh, and as for being too old, I have an idea that should take care of that nicely too.'

Darcy turned the controls on and took Michael by the hand as the countdown started and lead him back into their own chamber and shut the door. They had also put Miss Kitty outside just in case.

The machine roared into action again as the light engulfed both chambers. After a few seconds it stopped, and Darcy opened the chamber door. She and Michael stepped out and Michael quickly unlocked and opened their chamber. This time, since the total amount of years being transferred was much less than the first time, the changes were already evident. Kristal's and Harry's clothes, already much too large, were growing on them as their bodies began to retreat back toward early childhood. Kristal was a 7-year-old on her way back to 6, with Harry just a year older. 'Darcy, how could you do this to us? Please, you have to stop this now!' Kristal cried, but Darcy only smiled as she bent down to Kristal's level and said, 'You know, Mom, it's funny, but I'm starting to feel like YOUR mother now, and I think I like it. In fact, I do like it, so it looks as if things are going to be different now.' While Darcy spoke, Kristal had regressed to 5 and Harry 6. Kristal's hair had shortened and was starting to curl, and her face and limbs were becoming chubby with baby fat. Harry held his hands in front of his face and watched them getting pudgier before his eyes. 'Please, Darcy, we'll do anything you want, just don't make us little kids or babies, please!' Harry pleaded in an ever higher and childish voice, but Darcy and Michael offered no help or reassurance. They just smiled at their increasingly young parents and watched them become toddlers again.

With the last remaining bit of her dwindling intelligence Kristal could see that both Michael and Darcy were well into their middle-age years. Michael's hair was much more salt than pepper and his flat stomach had developed a distinct potbelly. The lines on Darcy's face deepened as slight bags appeared under her eyes as the dark brown color of her hair was replaced by more and more gray. Her impressive large breasts were sagging more now and her shapely legs were now more worn, as was the rest of her body. She took on a more matronly look. She hated to admit it, but she certainly felt older too, as did Michael.

'Pweethe, me no baby, pweethe!' Kristal cried. Her face looked confused, as her legs started to feel wobbly, almost like rubber. Why couldn't she control her legs? It was getting harder and harder for her to stand, and she was getting frustrated. When her weakening legs finally gave out and she plopped down on her butt, her frustration gave way to flat out crying.
The fact that she somehow couldn't even form words anymore didn't help her feelings, either. Harry, who at a year older could comprehend things a little more, quickly joined her but he felt no better about the way things were going.

Darcy knelt down and picked up her infant mother while Michael grabbed 2-year-old Harry. They took the children upstairs and found some blankets to wrap them in, since there were no available diapers or baby clothes. 'There, there, Kristal, don't cry, Mommy will take very good care of you, OK?' Darcy said softly to her fussy infant mother. She held Kristal close and a wave of maternal feelings swept over her.

'Hey Darcy, what should we do? I don't know the first thing about taking care of little kids,' Michael said as he tried to prevent Harry from latching onto his nose. 'Don't worry, darling, I've already thought about that,' Darcy said with a sly smile.

She shifted Kristal over to her left arm and picked up the cordless phone. 'Let's see, I know Kristal had the babysitter's number programmed in the speed dialer...Yes, here it is. I will give her a call in a moment and put my plan into action” she looked over at Michael and smiled, “So Michael, are you feeling more comfortable in that handsome new body of yours?' she said mischievously. Her voice was low and smooth; it had picked up just a hint of raspiness with the last 8 years added to her age. Michael smiled and said, 'Well, I do feel a little more comfortable, but I could sure use some help getting adjusted.' Darcy's knowing gaze sent a new rush of excitement through Michael's body and he felt the same stirring he had felt in the basement. His feelings intensified when he noticed that Darcy's robe had slipped open a little more and from his line of sight he could see a portion of her generous cleavage and the soft curve of her breast. His appreciation must have shown on his face, because Darcy glanced over and quickly pulled the top of her robe together. 'Michael, shame on you, there's plenty of time for that later!' she admonished, although she was secretly getting just as excited as he was.

They brought the children upstairs to the master bedroom and proceeded to look for appropriate clothes. Darcy selected a knee-length skirt, a sleeveless blouse and pair of flat shoes. Michael found a pair of Harry’s jeans, a polo shirt, a pair of white socks and sneakers. Digging through Harry’s dresser, Michael found a pair of briefs and slipped them on. As he pulled them up, Darcy sneaked a peak and felt herself getting warm and tingly as she blushed. Being grown up was a lot more interesting than she had originally thought. In the meantime she was putting on a pair of panties and a bra she had found in Kristal’s dresser. Although she felt weird when she first started, in a matter of seconds everything came to her naturally and it felt as if she had been doing this every morning for years and years. Putting on the bra was like second nature as she placed her large breasts in the cups. She was surprised that she and Kristal were exactly the same size. The bra fit perfectly although her breasts appeared to droop a bit, but she knew that problem would be fixed shortly.

Suddenly she felt powerful hands reach around her waist as she felt Michael beard rub up against her neck, she tingled with excitement. “What are you doing young man?” she purred as she closed her eyes. “I am not a young man anymore sweetheart and I think it I time we do something about it” Michael’s hands moved up to her breasts and began massaging them, the feeling was unlike anything she had ever felt. She began to feel moist between her thighs and somehow she knew what that meant. ‘Well then” moaned Darcy, “I suppose we should not be the oldest virgins in town, huh?” She turned around and kissed Michael hard. They groped each other passionately as they began disrobing each other. Michael found unhooking Darcy’s bra was not as difficult as he thought, revealing her large womanly breasts, he suckled on the nipples as his hands moved down her thighs and slid her panties down her long legs revealing a full bush to his waiting hands. Darcy was going insane with pleasure, it was as if she had stored up the passion for a middle-aged adult woman in her late 40’s and was unleashing it all at once. “Oh god, I am so hot!” screamed Darcy. Michael instinctively moved his mouth down her supple body to he bush and proceeded to pleasure her. Darcy exploded in a wave of passion as sweat now glistened off her adult body, she grabbed her salt-and-pepper hair, which was now grayer and then brown and arched her back. “Michael, I need you inside me NOW!” she moaned as Michael laid her on the floor and mounted her. As he penetrated her, she bit her lower lip, as the pleasure was almost too much for her to bear. As they began to rock back and forth in a rhythmic motion that seem to come naturally, the passion grew and grew until finally they both exploded and climaxed together, as Darcy experienced multiple orgasms that made her scream with delight.

After lying in each others arms exhausted, Darcy looked over at Michael lovingly. “That was the most incredible feeling I have every experienced darling” Michael looked at her longingly, “Me too sweetheart” he paused, “I love you Darcy”. Darcy felt so fulfilled at that moment. As se turned and looked into the full-length mirror though, she saw the reflection of two very middle-aged adults with gray hair and sagging bodies. She winced as she saw the deep lines and wrinkles on her face, and as she cupped one of her large breasts in her hands she felt the age of them as well, they were not the firm breasts of a young woman.

“I know I do not want to go back being a child again,” sighed Darcy, “But I do not want us to be this old either. Just imagine how good this sex is if we were younger!” Michael grinned at that thought. “Ok, so how do we solve this little problem?” Darcy smiled back and kissed Michael gently. “Just wait and see darling” And with that, Darcy got up and walked over to the bathroom to take a shower. Michael watched her walk away, aroused at how her hips gyrated as she walked. Her ass was not as firm as a young woman’s, or her long legs as shapely as they were during the initial transfer of years, but he was aroused by this mature adult woman that was once a little girl and as he noticed her large breasts swaying as she walked into the bathroom, he felt his own manhood grow and he walked towards the bathroom now as well. “Hey sweetheart, the kids are asleep at the moment, why don’t we….” Michael’s voice trailed off as he closed the door. Darcy giggled as she turned around and saw Michael’s expression.

Two hours later, Darcy was dressed and hit the speed dial button and winked at Michael when she heard the phone start to ring.
'Hello?' answered a teenage girl's voice on the other end.
'Yes, hello, is this Brenda?” asked Darcy.
“Yes, this is Brenda.”
“Hi, Brenda, this is Darlene Campbell. I’m Kristal Rogers’ sister and my
family is in town for a while visiting. Mrs. Rogers tells me you baby-sit
her kids quite often.”
“Yes, Mrs. Campbell, that’s right. I baby-sit for Mr. and Mrs. Rogers
almost every weekend,” replied Brenda.
“Well, I know it’s short notice, but I was wondering if you might be able to
watch my two children while the four of us go out to a movie this afternoon.
We’ve been cooped up in this house so long without getting out anywhere, and
it would really be a godsend if you could do it.”
“Well, gee, Mrs. Campbell, normally I’d be happy to, but right now I’m just
getting ready to go out myself,” said Brenda. “I’m really sorry, I’d like
to but I can’t.”
“Oh no,” said Darcy dejectedly. “We were counting on this so much, isn’t
their any way you could help us out?”
“I’m so sorry, Mrs. Campbell, I just can’t do it today. I have a friend
over and we already have plans. Maybe there’s someone else available,”
Brenda suggested.
“Well, you come so highly recommended by Mrs. Rogers that I wouldn’t dream
of asking anyone else,” said Darcy, adding with a long sigh, “I guess we’ll
just have to make it another time. Maybe the next time we’re in town.”
“How long will you be here?” Brenda asked, and from the tone of her voice,
Darcy knew her play for sympathy was working.
“Actually, we’ll be leaving tomorrow. That’s why we were hoping to go
today.”
“Oh,” said Brenda. There followed a long pause, during which Darcy offered,
“Brenda, I know it’s not the same as going out, but why don’t you being your
friend with you?”
“But Mrs. Rogers doesn’t let me have friends over when I’m babysitting.”
“I understand, but I’m sure in this case it would be no problem at all.
Right, Kristal?” Darcy asked, winking again at Michael. “Mrs. Rogers says
you’re welcome to bring your friend over this time. And I’ll tell you what,
if you do come we’ll even spring for pizza and sodas for both of you. What
do you say?”
Brenda thought for a moment, then said, “Okay, Mrs. Campbell, I’ll come
over. When are you leaving?”
“Oh, thank you so much, Brenda, you’re an angel!” Darcy said gratefully.
“Could you be here in half an hour?”
“Sure, I’ll see you then.”
“Okay, Brenda, and thanks again. See you soon.”