Chapter 21: The Truth and Nothing But

"Now?" I squeaked nervously. "Don't you think we better talk about this first?"

"No," he said firmly. "Peppermint, these are our friends, and they have to know. Besides, we should tell them before we screw up really bad." He looked at me. "How many times have you almost said something you shouldn't?"

I frowned. "More often than I'd like."

"Right. That's why they really have to know." He saw my anxious glance toward Wendy, and gently said, "You won't lose her. She loves you."

He directed Wendy to sit beside Linda and Julie on the couch, while we sat in chairs facing them.

"What we're going to tell you might weird you out," he began, and then saw the puzzled looks on their faces. He turned to me saying, "See how easy it is to slip up, Peppermint?" He grinned, a trifle nervously I thought, and then turned back to the others. "Anyhoo, we don't want to overwhelm you, so after the basics, we'll just sit here so you can ask questions, if you want."

"And I'll start by introducing myself." Einstein said. "I was born on June 21st, 1958, and I died on August 31st, 2003." He looked into their shocked faces, and continued, "My name, when I was born, was Patricia Ann Johnson."

Their mouths literally dropped open while Wendy's hand flew to her mouth, their collective gaze switching to me.

I was surprised. In all our conversations, birth dates had never come up, not that we had had many chances for long or deep conversations, but damn! I guess I had figured that the reason we could switch was because we had both been in the same hospital at the same time in 1974 and we had both died on the same day in 2003. I knew we were the same age now, but had never thought to ask Einstein when his birthday was!

This solved one part of the puzzle that had bothered me since discovering that Einstein and I had switched bodies. I died early Monday morning, September 1st. Einstein had died late Sunday night, August 31st. Now I knew why. I had been born June 22nd 1958!

This was no cosmic fluke. The hand of the Goddess was clear in this!

"And I," I said after shaking the cobwebs loose, "I was born June 22nd in 1958, and died September 1st in 2003. My name at the time of my death was Patrick Charles O'Donnell."

And Wendy fainted. Oh God, what will she think of me?!

Julie fetched a damp washcloth while Linda held her legs elevated on her lap. Oh God that should be me holding her! Julie then gently bathed her face. Einstein watched until he saw her stirring, then got cans of soda for us all. I just sat nervously on the edge of my seat; I didn't mean to hurt you! Feeling tears well. I wanted to go to her, to hold her, but I didn't dare (dared not!) until I knew if I still held her affection.

When Wendy was sitting up holding a can of soda, Einstein went on. "Well, now you know who we are..."

"Or used to be," I interrupted.

"... Do you have any questions? Peppermint and I haven't figured out all the consequences yet, so we're sort of making it up as we go along."

"You two," whispered Wendy, "used to be each other?"

We looked at each other for a moment, and I saw the shake of his head almost before it started.

"No," I said turning back to them. "Not exactly. I'm still me, it's just that I used to wear that body." My lips stretched in the ghost of a smile. "And it was pretty much worn out when I had it!"

Einstein laughed. "Well, mine wasn't much better!"

"That's why!"

We all looked at Wendy.

"That's why you know so much about each other!" she said.

"That's right, Sweetheart. But really, we only know about each other's past. That guy there," I said, indicating with my thumb, "I really don't know him. He's kind and smart and giving, and the guy I used to see in the mirror was none of those things. He'll really do something with his life."

"You're not doing too bad yourself, Peppermint," he grinned.

"So, are you a boy or a girl," Wendy asked Einstein.

"Oh, a boy, definitely! Right, Julie?" he kidded.

Julie went bright red, and then chuckled. "No wonder you knew where everything was," and giggled again.

"Yeah, well let me tell you, everything feels different from this side!"

"That was really your first time with a woman?"

"For real. I may have been curious a couple times, but the right time never happened."

Wendy turned to me, saying, "I know you're a girl," then blushed cutely. "What did it feel like, being a man?"

I stopped to think for a moment. "You know, that's a funny question. I remember what it's like being a man, but I'm forgetting what being a man felt like."

"God," said Julie. "How old were you, Patti? When you died, I mean," and then shook her head trying to decide which one of us she should be asking.

Einstein took a sip from his soda, and then slowly answered. "I was 45 when I died, though I don't remember dying. I was under anesthesia for surgery and a wicked storm was brewing. I remember the nurses talking about it before I went under. Then I woke up in a different place, in a different time and in a very different body."

Julie looked at me.

"Heart attack, I think. I was just getting the needle, same storm and the last thing I heard was 'He's crashing.'"

"And you didn't freak when you woke up as Patricia?" Linda asked.

"Hell no!" I laughed. "What woke me up was this dufus," I pointed at Einstein, "screaming 'Who took my body!' I figured that the way he was being treated, I better keep my mouth shut."

"I remember that," said Linda. "The nurses in recovery were talking about it before he got sent to Peeds."

"I didn't take it very well," said Einstein. "If Peppermint hadn't found me and slapped some sense into me, I'd probably be in the psych ward today."

"The only thing that we know for sure," I said, "was that, while we didn't meet the first time around, we were both in the same hospital, same wing, in September 1974. I don't remember nurses or anything like that, but I do remember what happened afterwards and the way my life went. I'm really glad that because of what ever it was that happened, that life will never exist."

"That goes for me, too," said Einstein. "Peppermint has done more with my... her life in three months than I did with the rest of mine."

"And Einstein has done more as a real human being, than I did in the next 30 some odd years," I said.

Einstein and me spent the next hour fielding the questions you would expect after delivering a bombshell like we had.

How did it feel to be a male, female and such. Did our physical abilities return with us or were we normal teenagers?

We laughed at a lot of the questions, not because they were dumb questions, but mostly because we were still discovering a lot about ourselves.

"Look," said Einstein, "I have absolutely no idea of what it's like growing up as a boy. At this age, I was fairly competent in the kitchen as a girl. I can tell you what it was like growing up as a little girl, but I don't have a clue about what a normal, hormone driven male feels or is supposed to feel at this age."

Julie laughed. "Well, you certainly performed well as a male earlier. I thought you were very well educated in how to please a woman, but now I see that it's because you know what turns a woman on."

"Actually," said Einstein, "I wasn't sure that I did." He had a sad look on his face so I put my arm around him. There was no need to tell everybody about the path her life had taken the first time.

"That's why I knew that Einstein would be a good donor," I said. "At this point, I know his medical history better than he does. And, I understand more about his needing someone to teach him how to make love. I was lucky. After the hospital, I met Wendy, and I fell in love with her." Wendy flashed me a smile.

"I was still pretty much thinking like a man and I latched onto the idea that I could only love women. The thought of having a man touch me really repulsed me at first, but then my body started taking over. I really didn't have much of a clue as to how to make love to Wendy either, cause the truth is, as a man, I wasn't a good or considerate lover. But things have been changing. I love Wendy to pieces, but I'm also willing to just give a man a try, just to see how it would feel, though I am far from the point where I'm ready."

Much of the rest they could fill in themselves. Wendy recounted my experience with my first period and how now she could laugh at it. Julie said it must have been scary for me, and I said it was horrible. Einstein laughed at this point and said he was glad that he didn't have to worry about menstruation this time around.

"I still can't figure out why you two came back as each other instead of yourselves," said Linda.

"That's why I believe that God is responsible," I said. "Einstein and me were both pretty poor excuses for people and neither of us got on well with the opposite gender. Hell, I didn't like other people much at all. But now, it never happened, and we're not going to let it happen again."

"But what about the loved ones you left behind?" asked Julie. "Didn't either of you have a family? Aren't you bothered by how they must feel now that you're gone?"

I saw a momentary sadness pass across Einstein's face, then he said calmly, "Neither of us had anybody who mattered anymore, Julie. Anyway, it's a moot point - you're forgetting that we died in that other future."

"Isn't the future constant?" asked Linda. "I mean, aren't things going to happen anyway that you two already know about?"

"On the large scale," I said, "I suppose that most things will happen as they did before, but just by being here, we've already changed some things that hadn't happened at this time."

"Like what, Pete?" asked Wendy.

I laughed and told them that St. Ursula's didn't get a real sports program running until it went co-ed some time in the 80's. I wasn't sure exactly when, because as a male, I hadn't been very interested in school athletics and by the time the school went co-ed, it was just trivial news. "And I certainly would have noticed, 'cause I watched the Saturday cartoons all the time. Patti never went to St. Ursula's, never joined up for any team sports, and certainly didn't teach the Saints volleyball moves from the 2000 Olympics. I was just being selfish, Wendy. I wanted you alone and naked in the showers, and the best way to do that was to keep you in the gym. I'm sorry, Baby, I hope you don't mind."

Wendy laughed. "Mind? Are you kidding? I used to be that fat little Wendy Miller the Mennonite bookworm, and now I'm Wendy Miller the athlete!" She came to clasp me to her bosom. "Honey, if you were being selfish, it's going to be fun if you set out to help someone! And I would have showered with you anyway, Pete," she said with a blush.

The hardest part to explain was how Einstein and me were changing into the genders we had been given, especially as we didn't understand it ourselves. As every day went by, he became more masculine in his mannerisms and attitudes while still keeping a feminine side in his brain, and I was turning into a full-fledged girl, complete with the emotions and feelings that belonged to the body.

Linda and Julie were curious about the future, naturally, but as we explained to them, with the exception of some sporting events such as who won the World Series or the Stanley Cup, we had only been 14 ourselves the first time around, and as such we had only paid attention to those things that concerned us. We really had been typical teenagers. "The only thing I can tell you for sure, right now, that will help you in a few years is to start buying silver dollars," I said. "Silver bars would probably be easier, but it would also draw suspicion."

"What do you mean?" asked Linda.

"In 1974, you can still buy silver dollars from the bank," I said. "Not the collector ones, but regular silver dollars. There's not that many in circulation, but enough that you should be able to buy 20 or 30 each every week. Between the two of you, that's at least $50. Put it aside. Invest some money in a fireproof box with a good lock on it and keep collecting. In a year, you should have $2500 stashed away and more if you can afford it. Make friends at different banks and get them to hold any silver dollars that come in. Most people don't want coins that big, so it should be no problem."

I laughed and looked at Einstein. "Wait till they meet the Loonie!"

"And two Loonies make?" he laughed with me. Some things we just couldn't explain yet. Shouldn't explain yet.

"And how long do we do this?" asked Julie.

"About three to four years," said Einstein, as the light went on for him.

"That's nearly ten thousand dollars not collecting interest," said Linda. "That's a lot of money!"

"Trust us, Linda," I said. "It will be worth a lot more in a few years." The silver monopoly scandal of the late 1970's was a part of history both Einstein and me remembered.

"Oh. Yeah. I guess there are some things that won't change after all," she said.

Of course they all wanted to hear more, but I insisted that Einstein and I had to discuss this a bit more. I told them we had told them the truth, and nothing but the truth, but knowing too much about the future might not be such a good thing.

"How can that be?" asked Wendy

"That's easy," said Einstein. "See how easily Peppermint got caught tonight when she asked how it felt for me to be with another woman, when I was supposed to be a virgin? It just slips out when you least expect it."

"Or," I said, "you'll want to change something, and you just can't do it without either being locked up or accused of something. Let us talk it over first and just clue you in on things to come as they come close or if we think it will have some special meaning to your lives."

"I understand," said Julie. "It's like what you said about Elvis, isn't it?"

Einstein looked at me. "You told them?"

"It came up," I said, and shrugged.

"And it's a perfect example," he said.

"So, now fess up," I said to him. "How did you enjoy your first lesson?"

Julie blushed, but Linda was obviously very interested as was Wendy. I laughed.

Julie started by telling us that she had expected Einstein to be clawing and groping like the boys she had dated when she was younger and was pleasantly surprised with his gentle manner and slow approach. "Of course I didn't know at the time that he had some of the same experiences," she said.

"Julie was trying to be very educational about it," said Einstein, picking up the story. "She undressed and asked if I had ever seen a woman naked before. I told her that I had, but that it was a long time ago, which is the truth. I thought that it really wouldn't affect me, but this dick stood right at attention," he said. "It got so uncomfortably hard that I had to get my own pants off just to ease the pain."

"When he slipped his pants off," said Julie, "I was surprised to see how hard he was! He could have chopped down a tree with that tool! I told him to join me on the bed and we would begin with the basics. I just wanted to see what he knew, and what he needed to know." Julie blushed again. "I wanted him to understand the need for a woman to be lubricated and aroused, but he already had his hand on my pussy, stroking it ever so lightly. I was getting turned on and I wasn't talking anymore. Then he kissed me! And Linda... This boy really knows how to kiss!"

"Well, you weren't bad either," chuckled Einstein. "We just laid on the bed for about 10 minutes kissing while I stroked her pussy and she slid her hand down and grabbed hold of my cock. I told her to be careful cause I had been hard as a rock from the minute she had taken her clothes off. Julie thought that was funny and squeezed my cock and slowly stroked it a few times and I blew a load right across her stomach!"

Julie was laughing now. "I didn't know that he was that close," she said. "If the quality of his sperm is anything like his quantity, Linda, you might end up with triplets!"

It was good fun to watch as Einstein blushed, stealing a glance at Wendy.

"So," continued Julie, "it felt good just kissing but I wanted to wipe up and I swear to god it took five tissues before I got it all! As I was wiping him off he got hard all over again! I was amazed at how fast he was ready to go again. He was still stroking my pussy and then he put his lips to my nipple. You know how much I like that, Linda, and I could feel myself getting wet. I thought for sure that I would need to use some lubricant before I could get a man inside me again, but he was really turning me on. Now of course I understand why, but at the time I didn't and I started to tell him how to position himself and not to put all his weight on me, and the next thing you know, I'm guiding his cock in."

"It felt really weird," said Einstein. "I've been on the receiving end before, but never on the other. When Julie slipped me into the folds of her pussy, the sensations were amazing! I never realized just how sensitive the cock head is to little things like pubic hair. I thought I was never going to last long enough to get inside, but when I did, and Julie was really wet at this point, it just felt like I had put my cock into a really soft glove. I could feel her vagina squeezing my dick, and I didn't want to blow another load right then and there, so I started to take really long strokes in and out of her. It felt so fucking great! Took my mind off of the sensation of coming again because there were so many new experiences for me to feel. Then Julie started to squirm under me, and I remembered how I used to like to feel a cock in me, so I shifted my position a bit so that I could slide my cock across her clit on every stroke. Then I kissed her again and she climaxed. That felt so great, knowing I could make her cum that I let myself feel the clenching of her muscles and I had another climax myself."

"All that in half an hour?" I asked.

"Yeah," said Einstein, "I think Julie was surprised that she had climaxed, and remember, we started off rather technical like so she was naked right away. There was no real foreplay this time."

"What do you mean 'this time'?" I asked.

"Well," he said. "We kind of figured that it would be best for me to practice a bit more on some of the other things. I know that Julie loves Linda, but think about this, Peppermint. If I can make both of them happy, and it's a diversion for them for a while, then by the time you and Wendy are ready to try, I should be a really good lover."