Prodigy - Exclusive - sneak peak

1 

It’s too easy. Perhaps Isabella should be worried. Or maybe, she should trust her instincts. Isabella choses the latter. 

“So when you play the Bach next week, I’ll be looking at your fingering, and also your pacing,” Miss Nichol says. 

“Yes, Miss,” Isabella replies. She places the violin and bow in its case and closes the lid. 

Miss Nicole smiles. “I’ll be listening for crisp, clean notes.” She looks down at Isabella and smiles. “What else will I be listening for, Izzy?”

“Allegretto, Miss.”

“And what is allegretto?”

“Fairly brisk.”

Miss Nicol smiles. “Good girl.” Her smile broadens when the doorbell rings. “And that must be Dad. Perfect timing!”

On the way home, Isabella sits in the back of the car in a child-seat. It occurs to her that she’s never sat in the back of their car before. She holds the 3/4 size violin on her lap and looks at the back of her husband’s head. 

Arthur catches her eye in the mirror. “So, how’d it go?”

“Perfectly,” Isabella says. She drums her fingers on the violin case. 

“Nichol wasn’t suspicious?”

Isabella laughs and then frowns. Her voice is too high, to match her too-small body.  “Completely fooled,” she says.

Arthur nods. “You certainly looked the part.”

Four feet, four inches. 70 pounds in her underwear. Isabelle glances down at her outfit; white blouse, grey skirt, tie from the local primary school. Why would anyone doubt that she was ten years old? 

“I made plenty of mistakes,” says Isabella, “I didn’t show off.” She gives a little snorting laugh. “Even though I wanted to.” She shakes her head. “Wanted to blow her mind, right there.”

“Glad you didn’t,” says Arthur. “Would’ve spoiled the plan.”

Isabella brushes her brown hair out of her face. It’s much too long her for her liking. “Oh, she won’t see it coming. She didn’t say one word about the recital, so I know she doesn’t think I’m any good. No, she’s sure bloody Rose is going to win it for her again.”

Arthur winks at her in the rearview mirror. “You’ll show her. Next month. Probably fall out of her chair.”

“Probably!” Isabelle giggles, and she can’t remember the last time she was in such a good mood. 

TWO

But the shower is important. Isabella stands under the hot spray, warming her body as she gets bigger, older. She was warned about the sensation. 

Like you’re covered in ice. It can rather take your breath away. 

The shower helps. After six minutes, the chilling sensation subsides and she turns off the water, dries off and wraps her paisley print dressing gown around her thirty-five year old body. A grown-up pleasure, after spending the whole day as Izzy, to go downstairs as her true self. 

Arthur grins when his wife enters the living room. 

“There she is.”

Isabella walks up to him, allows him to plant a kiss on her mouth. “Much better,” he says. “I missed you.”

She rolls her eyes. “It was just a few hours.”

“Still.” He wraps his arms around her waist. “Try not to make a habit of it.”

Isabella pouts. “What’s wrong? Wasn’t I a sweet little girl?”

Arthur laughs. “You were perfect. But I like you better this way.” And he puts his hands on Isabella’s bottom, pulls her against him. 

And yes, Isabella decides. She likes herself better this way too. 

Full story coming this Tuesday...