Allie sat on the couch and perched Andrew on her left thigh while she went through her purse on her right to find the envelope with the final payment. Andrew reached out with his hand and brushed the side of Allie’s cheek tentatively with his tiny fingertips as she took the envelope out of her purse and handed it to Krystyn. Then she turned back and smiled at Andrew’s attempt to stroke her face, saying, “You know, I think I will rename him. There was the nicest college boy who used to live next to me who just up and left about three weeks ago. His name was Andrew Dremer. He was such a gentle and sweet boy like little Jimmy here. There’s something in Jimmy’s face that reminds me of Andrew. I wonder what happened to him. One day he was there and the very next day his place was empty. I never heard him move out. It was almost like he had been whisked off by some magical power. I was a little hurt that he didn’t say goodbye to me. He didn’t even leave a forwarding address. Even though he was too young for me to date, I liked him a lot. He seemed so helpless most of the time he was around me that he made me feel like his mother. I hope he’s alright wherever he is, he was so innocent and lovable. Just like little Jimmy here. I think I’ll call Jimmy ‘Andrew’ in memory of that sweet young man who so desperately needed a woman to take care of him. Maybe he found his perfect love and went off to live with her.”
Krystyn smiled crookedly and said, “Somehow, I have the feeling that he did.”
Allie’s face brightened as she asked with maternal tone of hope in her voice, “You really think he did?”
Krystyn grinned broadly and said, “I’m sure of it!” Krystyn’s face became more businesslike and came to the point as she said, “The final adoption papers will be ready next week along with the name change. What would you like to call him?”
“Well,” Allie temporized, “Let his middle name be ‘James’ and change his first name to Andrew, he’ll have my last name of course, so for the records, his name will be ‘Andrew James Elder’. I’ll call him Andy.”
“Good choice,” Krystyn smirked evilly, thinking what an odd coincidence it was that Andrew’s next door neighbor should be the one to adopt him. From what Allie had said, she had been half-mother to him already before he had been transformed into an infant. Even more coincidentally, she had decided to rename him and give him back his original first name. Obviously, these two were meant to be mother and baby together. Krystyn got up and handed a blue diaper bag to Allie, saying, “This is my gift to the two of you. It’s got a bib, a couple of pacifiers, several bottles of formula, a jar of baby food and a spoon, clean diapers, a package of baby wipes and two clean T-shirts inside. Did you buy the infant auto seat the way I asked you to before you came here? You know you can’t legally transport an infant without one.”
“Oh yes, it’s already mounted in the backseat of the car!”, Allie answered.
“Good! I wouldn’t want you to get a ticket on the first day with him. It might ruin your whole day. Why don’t the two of you go buy a stroller and go clothes shopping for him,” Krystyn suggested, “You have everything you need for a shopping trip in the diaper bag. You can buy him as many outfits as you like since you don’t have to worry about him outgrowing his clothes. He’ll always be this size and age.”
“I know, you explained that to me before I came over,” Allie said with a sad note in her voice, “It seems such a shame that such a beautiful baby boy will never grow up to be a man.”
“I’m sure that there are reasons for Andrew’s condition that are beyond the understanding of mere mortals,” Krystyn said disingenuously, “Take him shopping! Make him feel like he’s yours forever! He is, you know. He’ll never leave your side. Find the cutest, most adorable baby clothes you can find to show off your spanking new baby boy. Buy him bright toys to divert his baby mind and soft fabrics to caress his tender baby skin. You can eat at the Mall, there’s formula and baby food in the diaper bag. The two of you will have a ball together!”
“You’re right,” Allie admitted, “Shopping sounds like a wonderful idea! I guess I’ll need to get a stroller first. I have his nursery all ready, but that was one thing I forgot.”
Krystyn nodded sagely and agreed, “There’s always something that’s forgotten in making one’s plans.”
Krystyn saw them out the door and began making plans of her own. That boy that was over at her house the other night with Amber, pondered, “What was his name?”
“Ahh, yes,” she said to herself, “His name was Brad. Well Brad, I’ve rarely seen anyone who is as perfect for my collection of baby portraits as you are. Those tapes of you and Amber were most revealing. You’re as infantile a male personality as I’ve seen in a long time. From the way you looked at my portrait on the wall, you seem as interested in meeting me as I am you. Hmm,…I’ll need to call him, preferably from a pay phone so the records can’t be traced. What will my excuse be….Let’s see, I could tell him I found a man’s money clip on the floor next to the couch and that since he’s the only man whose been in the house for months, it must be his. That should fire his imagination and his libido at the same time! I’ll tell him I got his number from Amber and if the meeting falls through, everything will check. I need to deposit this money anyhow and since I’ll already be out, I’ll pick up a cheap flashy money clip to show Brad and give him a call. Something in fake gold I think, to match his false smile and his obvious lack of character.”
She got her purse and the envelope and went out to make another conquest for her business. Usually she consulted with Becky over who she choose, but this was different. For some strange reason, she felt impelled to make this decision on her own. Besides, she was a big girl now and didn’t need Mama Becky looking over her shoulder and telling her what to do every minute. She didn’t need Becky’s help to transform her victims. She knew the spell as well as Becky. Becky was just another control freak who wanted to run her life for her. She had every right to choose who she regressed into infancy.
While Krystyn was out implementing her nefarious plans, Allie and Andy went shopping at the Mall. Allie had wisely stopped first at WalMart and purchased a Fisher-Price stroller, then had taken Andy to the Mall for an extended shopping expedition. Before she took him out of the car, she took one of the T-shirts out of the diaper bag and slipped it over his head and worked his arms through the sleeves. Then she unfolded the new stroller, strapped him into the seat and put the diaper bag in the rack underneath. As Krystyn had promised, they had a ball. Andrew accepted his fate with Allie with enthusiasm. She was his dream mother come true. As long as he had to be an infant again, he was happy as long as he was Allie’s baby. Every so often, he’d look up at her and flash her the most charming, ingratiating grin he could. Of course, the charm he exuded was slightly tarnished by the solid sheet of spit that covered his chin and dripped down to his chest, but Allie didn’t care, it was obvious he adored her. Allie made so many purchases that they had to make several trips back to the car to put them in the trunk so they could continue.
