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Part 9 - Finite (cont.)

The shimmer in her radiant blue eyes as she met mine, despite the uncertainty on her face and the embarrassment fading from her cheeks, warmed me. I told her, "Greg is fine. I can assure you of that. Very embarrassed and confused about the situation but he's alright."

The faint lines of tension faded. Her eyes widened and her mouth dipped open. "You're sure? You know? Greg...Greg's okay? Did he become my double and go to BlizzCon? Was that it?"

I flashed a little smile. "You're very quick and astute, Lina. Yeah, Greg is okay and we've spoken but I expect he will need a lot of time to recover from everything that's happened this past week. I can relate."

Lina took a deep breath, which quivered in her throat. She took another, as though she just realized she could. With the next, her eyes scrunched and she chuckled faintly as she shook her head. "It's...oh my God...It's Greg. It's okay. I'm okay. I knew it. I'm Angelina Rose Owlswatter. I'm...okay. God, thank you." 

She clasped her hands together in front of her, as though in prayer, and took a long, comfortable breath before continuing, "Oh, John, you don't know what it means to hear that. This week has been so crazy. It messed with my head and oh God...I am the happiest...the most relaxed in my life since...well, since ever. Not even when I finished one-hundred-percenting Mega Man 10 or other stressful stuff. I'm okay...I am Angelina *FUCKING* Rose Owlswatter! Yeaaah! Wooo...oh gosh, there are probably still people sleeping around here..." She placed an "oops" hand over her mouth as she looked around in all directions. Thankfully, it was just the two of us to be surprised by the loud swear that slipped out of her gentle, lovely lips.

And she was, same as I was Barbara Finnacker. It was strange to think about now. Even stranger were all the feelings I had for her. In a way, she was my friend Greg, and likely would be him again soon. In another, she was the girl Babs had conflicted emotions about because she replaced her man. And now, she was the woman I *wanted*...so badly, for everything about her. As Babs might say, I wanted to fuck her into next week.

But it was...complicated. And, with original Babs and Lina surely on their way back to Frostwell and so many challenging questions ahead, things looked to get crazier. But I enjoyed the little respite as Lina grinned and rubbed her bracelets together.

Of course, the respite only lasted as long as it took to realize how much time we'd spent chatting. Lina frowned and inquired. "Do you have your car? I took a cab. Should've done the ALPH but I wanted to get here fast."

I led her over to it. She sighed. "I'm gonna be so glad when I get my car back. Greg took it to the airport, so I hope he still has it safe and sound." I offered up a shrug but encouragement that, "I'm sure that will work out. Meanwhile, I promise to be your driver for wherever you need to go." Shame my car was an embarrassment.

She looked around in the passenger seat and remarked, "Wow, being turned into a bum really did a number on it." Nope, that was just normal me. I had cleaned it before for our failed date, but it lasted less than a week in that state. 

At least she had a comfortable area to sit and set her bags down. but any other passengers were going to be frustrated. Turning onto the street, I asked her, "Did you have breakfast?" I noticed her chest shifting as we went over a bump but I did my best not to stare. 

She shook her head and reached into her scrub pocket. "I was thinking of making something for Babs or using some leftovers but I wasn't sure. She took care of me the whole week, better than my mom. I already made breakfast for her the other day and it turned out okay. Maybe it would've helped to do it again but I dunno. I just really hope she's okay and nothing bad happened."

From her pocket, she pulled out the golden hairpin and clutched it tightly. I remarked, "That's really pretty."

She nodded to herself. "Babs got it for me when we went shopping earlier in the week. It means a lot to me. We had a great week but something happened last night and...Babs just changed. It was like her fire and energy suddenly quit. I wanna know she's alright."

I assured her, "Babs is a tough lady. She kicks butt all the time. She can make it through whatever comes her way. Don't you worry."

Lina nodded with a faint smile and slipped the pin in her hair to hold her drifting lock in place. "I know. But it still feels scary. However, this is my Triforce of Courage, a symbol of all the strength Babs showed me. With it, I can be strong and brave like that too."

She took a deep breath and repeated softly, "Let me be brave. Please, God, let me be brave..."

I added, "Your own fire and energy is really sexy." She flashed her teeth. "Awww. Thanks. I'm working on it little by little."

My stomach gave a bitter, angry gurgle as I returned to the issue, "So, breakfast. I'll pick up some Chick-Fil-A on the way. You just tell me what you'd like."

She looked over at me then away. "Uhh...anything with eggs would be fine. Not too much meat. I haven't really been to them but whatever they have with eggs and veggies."

I hadn't really been either. The nearest was a weird one because, according to the local paper, some guy made a bet he could open one in the area. He lost the bet, but the company still brought him on and he eventually made it happen like he vowed.

Naturally, it was hard not to mull on the consequences of lost bets with Lina sitting beside me. I lived as Babs for nearly a week. Why? What did it prove? She filled in for the other Babs. She worked hard. She had some fun. Then, she poofed into me with just this odd set of memories. Lina was next and Greg would know the same. What were we supposed to do? Was there a lesson in all this with how the forces responsible for the bet played it out? We had deferred the consequences to them, so it was their decision. A few profane sentiments from Babs bubbled up in my thoughts.

The drive-thru was busy, even with two lines. I rested back against my seat, glanced at her, and noted, "It definitely makes me think of a Triforce. That's cool." 

Lina smiled with her head bowed. "Thanks. As I remember, the first thing we talked about when Greg introduced us was Zelda. I was looking forward to Breath of the Wild and I just rambled for like an hour about it. When I played it, unfortunately, the game felt a little soured from thinking of you. But I feel a lot better now!"

I still apologized to her but she waved her hand, assured me, and smiled. While we crawled up, Lina took out her phone, the same cheapie one she bought earlier in the week, and tried Babs a few times. She even searched for the Finnackers upstate and back in the Southwest but came up empty.

I got Lina a hashed browns scramble and the Greek yogurt parfait along with some juice. For myself, I chose a breakfast sandwich and some coffee. She offered to pay me back after hearing the price but she accepted, without concern, when I told her it was fine. 

Deb was already loitering outside the OWL when we pulled up. Crap. We would be opening late. Her wide eyes watched us the whole time, like a meth-addicted bird.

With delight before breakfast, Lina revealed the contents of her bag of handhelds. I listened diligently as she explained what she had been doing all week with loaners. I made all the appropriate signs of curiosity to give the impression this was a first reaction. She rolled through the joys of each game she'd picked out. Then, as we were eating, she regaled me with stories of Babs' home-cooked food. 

I got in a few appropriate laughs and she avoided the meaty preoccupations I knew so well from her mentor.

Babs was still foremost on her mind as the doors unlocked and the first patients walked through. She raised her head to every flash of red or woman in heels, glasses, or business attire.

I had to steel myself to the fact I was situated behind her and could often see her bending over and crouching.

The sexiest woman I could imagine and I had to survive a whole workday with her so near I could almost taste her lavender body mist. I avoided going for Babs' hand cream.  I'd already run through so much of her supply.

My only refuge was the distraction of calls. The ladies at certain offices used a higher pitch than when talking to Babs. They gave me softer answers as to whether something would get done in time or they had a copy of a printout. I pressed them with mixed results. Some acted like saints but others still fought with me as much as Babs. On the whole, I got about the same amount done. Unfortunately, my handwriting still had that annoying slant I'd been trying to kick since fourth grade compared to Babs' impeccable script.

Deb haunted me during the lulls. She peppered me with little questions about Babs which I honestly didn't have time for because I was still a productive co-worker short. In a moment of annoyance, I flattened my mouth, stared at her blankly and recited, "They know, Debra. They know...about you. They are watching." Then, I calmly turned my head back around and resumed work. She prodded me with harsh words about taunting her.

I wore my regular face. I spoke with a steady calm that I had no idea what she was talking about. Did I say anything to her just a minute before? Don't be ridiculous, Deb. I was too busy working for silly stuff like that.

I couldn't say she bought it but Greg's still-empty office and the mysterious absence of Babs made her retreat to her area and pace for a while.

Good enough for me to get a little peace.

Deb didn't bother Lina. I wouldn't let her. 

Lina just loaned out her games to whoever wanted them and beamed warmly as people played. Geez, she was so hot all the damn time, even when just sitting there or standing with her hands in front of her. 

Her figure, with her subtly-rounded, defined backside, showed through her scrubs. But, clearest of all, I saw the skill at her job and cleverness in each task she wielded with an infectious smile. 

If I were given a definite, supernatural choice right at that moment between keeping her permanently or restoring the status quo, it would have been unbearable.

At the same time, if someone else decided that I would stop existing and Babs got a twin as feisty as her then I would've screamed that I wanted to live. I wanted to be here. I wanted to exist. No degree of being flooded with the reality of a sexually-ravenous but strongly-maternal redhead made me want to cede myself. There were plenty of interesting and educational memories inside me but that was enough.

Still, I wanted to do all the things with Lina I'd done several times back in college with full-figured, also-ravenous Colleen. I wanted to make up for lost dates and lost opportunities. I wanted to make her feel good.

But it wasn't as simple as what any of us wanted. Babs figured that out too. Every bet is finite but every bet has consequences, whether you win or lose.

Lina worked hard but always had kind words. She greeted those she recognized from earlier in the week by name. No Lily or that boy but still plenty of nice people who treated her as a friend. There were a fair share of morons and jerks, but she handled them coolly. 

When lunch hour arrived far too quickly, Lina brought the last of the paperwork over and asked, "Do you know where Greg is right now? I wanna give him a big hug, rib him a lot, and see if he at least took a bunch of pics of the Con."

Deep breath. "I do but he wouldn't want you to see him in his current state. Too many worries. A few concerns but he'll be fine soon."

She held onto a skeptical squint but nodded. "I guess. Wow though...For a week, I had a twin sister. But I never got to meet her. He's always been my closest family. And he got even closer. Although, if he got everything...totally everything...from being me then that's kinda embarrassing, like having all your private thoughts mind-read. I could see why he'd want to take a breather. He can purge all my weirdest thoughts from his memory, heh." She added a flutter of a blush.

Yup. All the phallic feelings Babs left me? Definitely too much info there. However, I offered, "I doubt he'll be able to retain everything. Plus, he's an honorable guy so anything he picked up from being a duplicate of you would certainly remain private."

She plopped into the other office chair. "Kinda heady to consider. He thought he was me. He lived as me. He went across the country as me. He probably scored some sweet swag as me. He lived a faux life and now it's over. Remembering all that and it being gone would be trippy. But I hope he remembers lots of good stuff, even umm..." 

Lina gulped and nodded slowly while correcting, "...You're right. He needs time. I can't imagine what he's going through but please tell him he always has my love and gratitude, when you get the chance to speak to him again."

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