Chapter 14: 14. Clarified

Monday morning I was up before seven o'clock just out of habit. I left Kelly asleep in bed and hopped in the shower. Kelly had a few of her things there and I used her soap, shampoo, and conditioner again. Normally I'd have shaved at this point too, and I found myself standing in front of the mirror for a few awkward moments trying to figure out where I was in my morning routine.

I was about to toss the razor and shaving cream in the trash, but realized I might still need them for my legs. I bent over and ran my hands along my shins and calfs, but my skin was as smooth as it had been Friday night when I first found myself in this body.

Either I was just naturally hairless, or maybe it was some fae thing. So the shaving stuff went in the trash, along with all the mens toiletries.

Then I went back to the bedroom and quietly dressed. Today I went with the blue skinny-jeans, purple sneakers, and a little black t-shirt. I had one of the sports-bras on, but I still wanted to buy some more proper ones. Maybe we could get to the discount-mart today, if I managed to avoid another meltdown.

Finally around eight o'clock I put the coffee machine on. About fifteen minutes later I was sitting on the sofa with my coffee when Kelly got up. She emerged from the bedroom in her night-shirt, looking beautiful as ever.

"G'morning babe," she muttered as she went to fix herself a coffee.

I smiled, "Good morning Kelly."

We wound up just sitting quietly, cuddling for now on the sofa. We were both on our second cup when my phone started ringing at around nine o'clock.

I dug it out of my purse and sighed. It was work of course. I put it on silent and set it on the coffee table. A minute later it started buzzing as work tried to reach me again.

Kelly gave me an apologetic look and said, "You'll probably want to get a new phone, or at least a new phone number, under your own name. Same as everything else."

I sighed. "It's like the old me's died, isn't it? I can't just keep living the same life as before, but as Tegan. He has to die and disappear, and I have to start over from scratch..."

"I'm sorry babe. I really am." Kelly put an arm around me and gave me a comforting squeeze.

"It's not your fault," I shook my head slightly. "Thanks for sticking with me through all this, Kelly. I don't think I'd be able to cope without you."

Eventually she got herself showered and dressed as well. Work tried calling twice more while I waited for her, and they left a couple messages.

I started to think about my parents again. I realized there was no way I could get through a conversation with them without my old name being mentioned a dozen times. Combined with what Ms. Connolly said last night, about having to use magic to help smooth things over with them, I knew I just wasn't ready to face them and deal with that situation at all. Not yet.

Once Kelly was dressed and ready, the two of us wound up going to that breakfast place again since we still didn't really have any food in the house. I was ok driving today, and I got some more of those little flutters as I had to adjust the seat and mirrors. Kelly had changed it all yesterday, and it was another reminder how much smaller I was compared to her.

I didn't feel like anything big and fancy, especially considering I hadn't been able to finish a single meal yet. I asked the waitress if I could order off the kids menu, and she said yes. It left me feeling weird, but it was cheaper and meant I wouldn't be wasting food, so that's what I did.

I wound up with two little chocolate-chip pancakes and two strips of bacon, and a small glass of orange juice. Kelly got a grown-up sized order of french toast with a side of bacon and a large juice.

As we started eating, she asked softly "How are you feeling, Tegan?"

I didn't answer right away. I thought it through as I chewed on a mouthful of pancake and syrup.

Finally I half-whispered, "Happy. Terrified. Numb. Confused. In roughly equal parts." I added, "Sometimes one after the other, sometimes all at once."

I had another bite, then said "Last week if someone told me to order off a kids menu, I'd have been angry. Now it's like... I realize it's stupid to pay full price for a meal that I'd end up throwing half of it out, and I'm kind of glad she let me get a kids breakfast. I'd probably even take it if she offered me a toy or something, just for the silliness of it? But..." I frowned as my voice trailed off.

Kelly watched me as she ate a piece of her bacon. She swallowed and asked "But what?" She sounded concerned again.

I sighed, "I guess I'm starting to wonder now, if I'm even really still me? I mean, at first I was digging the whole 'cute' thing? I thought it was an act, I was getting into character, right? Now I know this is permanent, and I wonder if I'm still just acting, or if this is really who I am now. If who I really am has changed, and I'm just in denial about it."

A thoughtful frown appeared on her face, but she didn't respond right away.

It was another minute or two before she finally said, "I've known you nearly fourteen months now. So I think I'm in a good position to judge that? And from what I've seen? You're still you. Just more."

She had a sip of juice then tried to explain, "You've always had a playful side, I think. But you seemed to keep it in check before. Like you said about shopping the other day? You wanted the cute things but you felt they weren't for you. I think you wanted to be playful and fun, but you felt that wasn't appropriate. Now you feel it's appropriate to be cute, and to be playful, so now you're letting yourself indulge in those desires."

That gave me a lot to think about, and I was silent for the rest of the meal. Which I actually managed to finish for a change.

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Kelly paid for breakfast again, for which I was grateful. And this time we did manage to make it to the discount-mart.

I was a lot more mindful of my spending, but I couldn't avoid the fact that I needed some more things. I wound up with a couple night-shirts, some cute pyjamas covered in little black kitties, and three proper bras. I got one pink, one purple, and one black. And I picked up a jacket and a hoodie.

I also stocked up on some toiletries in girl-appropriate scents. I found I liked fruity rather than floral, and wound up getting strawberry-scented everything. And finally, we picked up some groceries.

We were back at my place by eleven, and I got to work replacing the contents of my closet and dresser. Kelly started stuffing the guy-clothes into bags while I put away my new purchases. We had that all wrapped up by noon. Just about everything of 'his' was in a couple big bags by the door so we could drop them off at the local Goodwill.

I only kept three things from before. There were two t-shirts that had sentimental value, and a hoodie that was almost brand-new. It was crazy-big on me now but I thought it looked cute. It made me look even smaller, and I liked the way I kind of disappeared into it.

Kelly and I were sitting together on the sofa, just finishing a light lunch when her mom turned up. She'd got a ride over with Keira, who didn't bother to stay long enough to say hello.

Kelsey pulled the chair over from my little desk in the corner to sit facing us across the coffee table.

"Time to discuss those financial details," Ms. Connolly stated, and I felt myself growing anxious again.

She explained, "Changelings are normally the responsibility of their fae parents, once they've come of age and their true identity has emerged. In your case Tegan, since Kelly found you and uncovered your true self while your origins remain unknown, that makes you Kelly's responsibility. Which means you're my responsibility. And ultimately, it makes you the responsibility of my father, as he's the full-blooded fae in our family."

I just listened quietly as she continued, "I've already sent him an email explaining the situation, and let him know that I'm taking care of things. He may turn up at some point, or he may decide to leave the matter in my hands."

Kelsey asked, "With your permission, I'd like to take a picture of you and send it to him, on the off chance it might help him identify your real family."

"Oh..." I wasn't sure I wanted to meet the people who'd messed up my life then abandoned me, but I figured in the long run I ought to at least find out who they were, so I agreed. "Ok, I guess."

She obviously noticed my hesitation and commented, "There's no guarantee my father will be able to figure out who you are. And it's not likely to be something that will happen right away, regardless. It could take months, years, or never. So don't worry too much about this right now Tegan."

I nodded quietly as she dug out her phone. The picture was just a standard head-and-shoulders shot, but before she sent it off she asked "Is that your natural hair colour?"

I blushed, "I have no idea, to be honest. It looked like this from the start though?"

Kelly added, "She hasn't dyed it, and her other hair's purple too, so yeah I think it's natural."

I blushed a little deeper as Kelsey just nodded, "Good to know."

She spent a minute tapping out some details then sent my picture off to her dad.

Finally Kelsey said, "Back to the matter at hand. Thanks to my father, our family is rather wealthy by human standards. We're careful not to flaunt it, nor do we live ostentatiously, but we are all quite comfortable. As I said, you are currently our responsibility Tegan. So I will help you out financially, just as I'm doing with my own daughters."

I was kind of floored at that point. I mean, I knew neither Kelly or Keira worked. I knew their parents were paying their college tuition. I guess I never really thought about how they could afford that nice apartment in the luxury condo tower, or their car, or anything else.

Before I could come up with any actual words, Kelsey glanced from me to Kelly and suggested, "If the two of you feel like moving in together, I can arrange a nice place for you both." She continued, "And as I suggested last night Tegan, rather than trying to update the particulars on your current car, we'll just go and find you something else and put it under your real name. You should also set up a new bank account in your real name in the next day or two, and when that's done I'll arrange to have a stipend deposited monthly so you needn't worry about work."

By that point I think my brain may have needed a reboot. I just stared at her, overwhelmed and shocked. Lurking under the surprise though, I was excited. I loved the idea of Kelly and I sharing a place. I just hoped she'd be as keen on it as I was.

Kelly seemed just as surprised by the suggestion of us moving in together. She asked her mom, "You want me to move out of my and Keira's place?"

"You and Keira will be moving regardless," Ms. Connolly stated. "I've decided to separate you two, after these recent shenanigans."

She sighed, "I'd originally worried the two of you might feel lonely when I shipped you out here for college. That's why I wanted you to share an apartment. Now I see it's made your and Keira's competitive streak even worse. I've already spoken with a real estate agent, I'll be listing your condo for sale shortly. Right now the options are, you and Tegan get a place together, or I put you somewhere by yourself."

Kelly stared at her mom in shock and said softly, "Oh... Who gets the car?"

"I'll be selling that too," her mother stated.

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