Finally married - part 12-17

Part 8-11: https://www.patreon.com/posts/finally-married-107860674

Collection: https://www.patreon.com/collection/715538

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Part 12

"Oh no! Idiot! You idiot, how dare you cry?! Crying about such nonsense! A man does not cry!" I shouted angrily and was about to tear all the lipstick and makeup from my face, when I felt something inside me was stirring, as if there was a cold snake curled up inside me. 'Why on earth should I care?! I'm fucking beautiful woman now and my makeup is gorgeous! Nothing's wrong!' I stopped in confusion, feeling my anger go away as quickly as it came.

The next moment my phone rang and, turning my face to the side and hiding the fact that I had been crying, I quickly snatched the phone from the kitchen table. 'Who is it?!' I wondered, then looked at the display to see who was calling me and smiled broadly, when I saw the name.

"Claire, sweetheart, what's up?! I'm so happy to hear from you!" I exclaimed as if I was very-very happy to talk to my friend wife with whom I never even talked before this day. "Of course! Okey, okey... yes, sweetheart... of course I will! Gosh... Claire, you're so sweet! By the way, I'm making cookies today! They're my signature cookies, my dearest," I licked my lips while pressing the cell phone between my ear and shoulder and, then, smoothed out my eyebrows with a grin and laughed happily at Claire's words.

"Oh, Claire, stop it! I'm not sure that Sammy ready for that!" I objected loudly and excitedly, taking out the ingredients for the dough from the fridge and, starting to giggle and smiled like crazy. "But you know what... I have ideas, yes. And, sweetheart, listen... uhm, is Alice Marsha there? Let's do a video conference? Okey... uhmm, listen, the Internet is acting crazy... It's a pity that I'm not with you in the USA now, but... okay! So sorry, not really... I'm baking cookies for dear husband and I want everything to be perfect. Of course! Video chat on Friday! My girls! Tons of kisses! Love you!" I hung up the phone, still smiling, and felt so excited and satisfied.

'How am I supposed to wait until Friday now?! I should tell Samuel to give me his iPad for video chat! Cute, oh, sweet.... damn... what?! Oh shit, this thoughts in my mind!' I couldn't control myself and let out a loud laugh and put on a kitchen apron. 'I need to concentrate and focus!'

I threw the knife on a cutting board and began to prepare the dough for the cookies. 'It's too fucking weird. I don't understand, why the hell am I behaving like I'm a damn Disney housewife! It's creepy! Clair? Seriously?! Sarah's slut friend? And...'

I finished cutting the chopped walnuts and added them to the flour mixture and made a loud and relieved sigh. 'That's better... much better. Hubby will be so happy when he gets home and smells the cookies... Oh! No! Damn it!' I shivered and hugged myself in fear, as if frightened by my own thoughts. "Oh shit! God... Damn it! I'm baking cookies for my husband and I was talking on the phone like a... like a girly-girl?! Is it really happening to me?! Why?! WHY?!" I grabbed my forehead and panicked. 'God, I want to die...'

Part 13

After panicking again and crying a little bit I, oddly, felt relieved and calmed down again as if my sudden mood change was completely normal. The smell of cookies in the oven was unbelievably good and I smiled widely without even realizing it.

"Soooo... what should I do next? Should I iron or polish the floor? " I asked myself, glancing around the kitchen and putting my arms on my hips. "What a mess, Jerilyn! If it really my kitchen then I definitely need to clean it up! I need to mop and wash the floors..." I muttered as I picked up a cleaning rag, a mop and a bucket of water and started cleaning the kitchen.

It turned out to be so interesting that I didn't even notice how time passed and before I knew it the floor and the shelves in the kitchen were shining as if they were just bought yesterday. Feeling extremely proud, I smiled and nodded approvingly to the reflection of a woman in the mirror, feeling satisfied. 'Wow, I made such a good job, Jerilyn! Good girl, keep it up and the hubby will smile, then pat on your ass!' I blushed and slapped my ass myself and giggled awkwardly. 'Ugh, this fucking weird and dumb thoughts, like if I really like it! Thank God that this is not true and these are just jokes... isn't it? ...'

I suddenly realized what I had done during this time and that I enjoyed it! No, no, no! I hated doing housework! Always! It's woman's job! 'Damn it, stop, Jerilyn! Stop! You're not like that, are you?! No, just no! I don't do it at all! I'm not a woman, I'm not Jerilyn, I am... I am... damn it! Jerronimo? No, I like Jerronina better, it sounds more sexy and attractive... NO!'

"I need to go back to that store again! Why didn't I think of this right away?!" I exclaimed as if waking up from a bad dream and picked up my purse and cell phone from the table. 'Damn, how could I forget about this?! Why the hell did I wipe the floor and bake cookies instead of-'

"Cookies!" I gasped and rushed to the oven to rescue the cookies before it's too late. 'Whew... thanks God! Phew... So close, right?' I sighed and put the cookies in a beautiful patterned box, and then closed the lid. Then quickly texted a short message to Samuel saying that I was going to the market and that I had baked cookies, 'Hurry up, hubby, come back from work! Just imagine the cookie scent! <3 <3' and proudly made her way to the exit.

Stopping at the exit, I turned around to check everything, once again experiencing another surge of pride for how clean everything was and how the air smelled of cookies, but again the realization that all this is some kind of bullshit that should not be happening to me, made me bite my lip and take a deep breath in anger. 'Damn it, again... so fucking annoying! Jerilyn!!! What are you doing?! Hubby?! Cookie scent?! I'm a man, damn it, not a woman! Man doesn't waste his time on such nonsense... right?'

I had to go, I was afraid that again I might decide to "do some stupid" things and hurried to run away from there, then take a deep breath of the fresh air of the street and headed to the mysterious store.

Part 14

As I walked the streets, my heels clicking on the pavement in a rhythmic beat, I couldn't believe how much had changed in such a short amount of time. Just a day ago, I was a man traveling with his girlfriend in Italy. Now I was a woman married to that man, Samuel, who used to be Sarah but after my last wish she apparently forgot about everything and thinks she has always been a man named Samuel.

The city around me was bustling with life — couples holding hands, children playing, men and women going about their business. I caught a few glances from passersby, and each time it sent a shiver down my spine. Their eyes lingered on me, on my body, as if I were just another beautiful woman they admired. And the worst part that a part of me, a part of Jerilyn... or maybe me? I liked that thought and this attention... a lot!

The scent of fresh flowers from a nearby vendor caught my attention, making me want to stop and admire them. 'No! Focus, Jerilyn!' I mentally scolded myself, but my pace slowed slightly as I glanced at the vibrant blooms. 'They would look lovely on the kitchen table,' a voice in my head whispered, and I had to shake it off.

I quickened my pace, trying to ignore the enticing sights and sounds of the bustling city around me. But as I passed a store window, I caught a glimpse of my reflection. The woman looking back at me was beautiful, undeniably so, with long hair pulled back neatly into a ponytail, a perfect face with just the right amount of makeup, and a body that was both tempting and toned.

For a moment, I was distracted again and forgot about everything, actually admiring the reflection in front of me. Then reality hit me like a cold slap. “That’s not me!” I thought in horror. “I’m not her! I… I’m supposed to be a man! Not… that beauty.”

"Beauty!" man's voice somewhere around me made me smile instantly. In this situation it seemed completely natural. I turned my head slightly, the motion delicate and practiced, and saw a handsome man in his late twenties, looking at me with a warm smile. His gaze made my heart flutter, something that would have horrified me just a day ago. But now, as Jerilyn, it felt… normal.

Part 15

I forced a small smile in response, trying to ignore the conflicting emotions swirling inside me. “Thank you,” I said quietly, my voice sounding so unfamiliar, yet so unmistakably like mine.

He took a step forward, his eyes studying me with a mixture of admiration and curiosity. “Are you lost? You seem… distracted.”

I hesitated. The old me, the person I used to be, would have brushed him off with a rude response or simply walked away. But now I found myself wanting to intervene, to explain the confusion I felt. “I… no, I’m not lost. I just… have a lot on my mind.”

He nodded, still smiling. "Well, if you ever need someone to talk to, I’m around. My name’s Marco."

I swallowed, my throat suddenly dry. "Jerilyn," I replied, the name slipping out so easily, as if it had always been mine.

"Nice to meet you, Jerilyn," Marco said, his voice smooth and reassuring. "You should smile more often. It suits you."

I blushed, feeling the heat rise to my cheeks, and quickly looked away. "Thanks," I mumbled, suddenly overwhelmed by the situation. Without another word, I hurried off, feeling Marco's eyes following me as I went and waving him goodbye.

'Damn it, why did I even talk to him?' I thought as I quickened my pace, feeling the warmth still lingering in my cheeks. The way Marco had looked at me, the way I’d responded—it was all so alien, so wrong. I needed to get back to that store, find the statue, and undo whatever it was that had twisted my reality so completely.

But even as I hurried through the crowded streets, I couldn't shake the feeling of discomfort that came from within. A part of me had enjoyed the attention of this stranger. It was a part that seemed to be growing louder and more insistent with every passing moment. And it was really scary.

The closer I got to the store, the more I felt a strange mix of excitement and dread. Although I kept telling myself to forget all these thoughts and emotions as soon as possible, something was saying that I'd never be able to come back to my old life, no matter how much I wanted it.

Part 16

As I approached the door to the store, I hesitated. 'What if the statue was gone? What if the old man wasn’t there anymore? And worse, what if I couldn’t undo this? I'll look like a fool!' I touched the handle of the door nervously with slight hesitation and felt a strong shiver throughout my body... What if I make it worse?

I swallowed hard, my hand still resting on the cold metal of the door handle. I took a deep breath and pushed the door open, the familiar scent of aged wood and old books. The same music was heard as before and I immediately caught an unsettling twinkle in old man's eyes, he seemed to read me and I didn't like it.

"Ah, the beautiful lady returns," he said, his tone filled with a mixture of warmth and humor. "Did you enjoy your wish?"

"You knew this would happen, didn’t you?" I asked, my voice trembling slightly. "You knew that statue... is nothing but a curse."

"Oh, no, child," he said, shaking his head. "Curse... no-no-no. What kind of bad thoughts are in such a beautiful head? This is a gift... It grants what’s truly in your heart, even if you don’t fully understand it yourself."

"No, no! I want to go back," I blurted out, my voice trembling. "I want to be myself again. This… this isn’t right."

The old man tilted his head, his smile never wavering. "Are you sure, my dear? Tell me, dear Jerilyn, why did you feel the need to come back here? To confront the change, rather than accept it?"

I faltered, unable to answer. The truth was, a part of me was terrified of what would happen if I left without trying to undo this. But another part of me, one I didn’t want to admit existed, was drawn to the idea of staying. The idea that maybe, just maybe, this new life wasn’t as terrible as I was trying to convince myself it was.

"I…I don’t know," I whispered, feeling tears prick at the corners of my eyes. "I just want things to be normal again."

The old man sighed, standing up slowly and making his way around the counter. "Normal is a relative term, Jerilyn," he said softly. "Perhaps this is your new normal. And perhaps, in time, you will come to see that this is exactly where you are meant to be."

Part 17

I pulled away from his touch, my mind reeling with confusion and fear. "But…I don’t want to be a woman. I’m not supposed to be like this. I’m not supposed to feel these things, to think these things…" with weakness in my voice and trying to hold my feelings for my mind and pride. "I didn’t ask for this! I was happy with who I was. I don’t want to be… her."

The old man chuckled, tilting his head again. "Happy? Are you certain, Jerilyn? Think about it. Are you really telling me you are happier as a man?"

"Enough!" I shouted, my voice echoing off the walls of the small store. "I want to reverse this. I want to go back to who I was. I want my life back!"

The old man sighed, his smile fading into something more somber. "Wishes are not so easily undone, my dear. But… if you truly believe this life is not for you, if you truly wish to return to the way things were, then perhaps…"

He reached under the counter and pulled out the statue, the same one Sara—or rather, Samuel—had bought the day before. It looked exactly as it had, though now it seemed more sinister, as if it held the power to change my life once again but in a worse way.

"You may make another wish," the old man said, holding the statue out to me. "But be careful. It's last one. If you regret this... There is no coming back."

With a trembling hand, I reached out and took the statue from the old man. It was cold and heavy in my hands, the weight of it pressing down on me like the gravity of my decision.

Holding the statue tight, I felt like I would collapse at any moment. Could I trust this? Could I risk another wish? What if it made things even worse? But the alternative, remaining in this strange, foreign life as Jerilyn, was too much to bear. The thought of being trapped in her body, living a life that wasn’t right, made me feel sick to my stomach. "I wish..."