Introduction: Randi fills Charli in on what has been going on. Needless to say she is beyond happy. Tommie has a very pleasant surprise.

This story is another addition to The Cynthia Chronicles. Cynthia (Cindy) Brewer has graduated from medical school, and is well into her residency. The Wizard has difficulty remembering exactly where she is in her studies. Randi Lewis at age 18 is starting work on her Master of Science in Chemistry (read Randi and the Professor), and Charli Brewer will soon be a freshman in pre-med at UConn. Bobbie Anderson is setting the golf world on fire having now won tournaments on the PGA in addition to her many victories on the LPGA. This story takes place a year before Bobbie and the Glass Ceiling. If you are not familiar with the stories that make up the Cynthia Chronicles, you might want to go back to the beginning with An Incremental Journey. There are references to Cynthia and the Reluctant Girlfriend and Charli and the Girl Cave. If you don’t remember what happened in those stories, you might want to go back and read them again. This story also takes place just a few months before Cynthia and the Queen of the Knight.

This work is copyrighted by the author and any publication or distribution without the written consent of the author is strictly prohibited. This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance of the characters to persons living or dead is coincidental.

Chapter 4

“Randi, it’s tough being a witch. There’s all this responsibility. I’m going to have to make a decision about those three guys that tried to kill me. I’d rather just forget about them, but that can’t be. I think 500 years being locked up in a bocce ball set is too much. As much as they wanted to, they didn’t kill me, although I understand Pilonetti probably did kill some other people. Luca had probably been in on it. Danny Malpais was just a wannabe crook and child rapist. I think I’m going to ask His Wisdom to give them a ‘do over’. Maybe he can find a place for them. It might not do any good, but we could try. Maybe the way they were was due to environmental factors. I think I’ll ask him to start them over in some nice families where they get a lot of love and some good discipline.”

“I’m sure he’ll listen to you, Charli,” Randi replied. “He’s been talking about that new project he wanted us to help him out with. He said there is a good chance for two transitions and two new witches. He said it looks very good. He also said there will be several sent all the way back to the womb. He could probably take care of your three nemeses at the same time.

“Speaking of wombs, Cindy told me she and Bobbie are going to try to get pregnant early next year. They don’t see any reason to wait any longer.”

“I think I knew that, but what will that do to Bobbie’s golf goals?” Charli asked. “If she doesn’t stop playing immediately, she’ll be pregnant when the Masters comes up.”

“She told me it wouldn’t affect her game that early. She’s about ready to retire, anyway.

“Okay, I have something more important to talk about. Have you had any luck trying to find your cousins?”

“It took some doing, but I’m pretty sure I found the orphanage where they were taken. But the problem is they say they didn’t take in any orphans that fit the age description around the time our parents were killed. I’m almost sure it’s the right place. It’s been more than fourteen years and they may have just misplaced the records. I suppose if I went out there I could do a little mind reading. The other problem is Charles Donizetti is dead. Charlene Michelle Donizetti Brewer isn’t related to Elaine or Tommaso Donizetti. I don’t really have any official reason to be looking for them.”

“And, The Wizard won’t help?” Randi said smiling a bit.

“Right,” Charli answered. “He says he has too much on his plate right now. This big project we’re going to be involved in this fall is taking up most of his time. For a man who can be in two places at once, I don’t think I understand it.”

“Okay, look at these pictures Cindy sent. She wanted you to see them. She thought they might answer some questions you have.”

Charli looked at the picture Randi had brought up on her phone.

“When was this taken? I never had an outfit like that. That had to have been taken two or three years ago.”

“Take a closer look. That picture was taken just this year. That’s not you. Think about it. You reacted as if you were looking in a mirror. She parts her hair on the other side. I have a feeling she might be left handed, too.

“Now take a look at the next picture.”

“What a cute little girl. What a shame about that birthmark.”

“This is going to get interesting,” Randi replied. “That’s an eleven year old boy who’s currently transitioning with his entire family’s approval. By the way, the older girl, his sister, is fifteen.

“Take a good look at that birthmark. Have you ever seen one like it before?”

“Not that I remember. Wait! My cousin had one similar to that, but he’d be fifteen now. I remember my aunt and uncle talking about trying to get it removed. That little boy is how old?”

“Eleven and the girl is fifteen, like I said. Would you like to know their names?”

“Sure, for whatever good it would do.

“The boy is Tommaso Antonio Donizetti DiMaggio, and the girl is Elaine Floria Donizetti DiMaggio. When they were adopted, their new parents kept their old names and just added their new surname.”

“What? How? That has to be them, but they’re too young.”

“You’re not thinking clearly, not that I blame you. His Wisdom went to the orphanage, did his little time travel thing, altered the records a bit and your two cousins were suddenly four years into the future and four years younger than they should have been. I’m sure he arranged things so that the DiMaggios would adopt them.”

“So, what’s he going to do?” Charli said a bit overwhelmed by the moment.

“Apparently nothing immediately. He’s dumped the whole thing into Cindy’s lap; as if she didn’t have enough to do. She’s going to have to work out how this whole thing is going to be resolved. When she has it all figured out, I’m sure he’ll step in and do whatever he would have, regardless.”

“Well, I’m going to have to see them.

“Willy, wake up.”

“Huh, what?” the giant cat muttered. He’d obviously been napping.

“We’re going to visit my cousins.” Charli exclaimed.

“Hold your horses girlfriend, sister-in-law. This is Cindy’s show. We’re going to have to see what she has in mind. She just wanted you to stop worrying about your cousins. We know where they are.”

“Where are they?”

“I’m not telling. You’re just going to have to wait until Cindy’s ready. Don’t spoil it for her. You know that things are going to work out.”

“Lainie, look, I have boobs!”

“Wow, where did those come from?” Lainie said looking at two small but very definite AA breasts. “It’s a good thing that school will be over this week. You’ll not be hiding those much longer, and they look just right on you.”

“I don’t know where they came from. They’d been getting kinda sore and itchy for the last few days. The doctor said they would. I thought I saw something yesterday. Well I know I did, but I wasn’t going to make a big deal out of it. Then I got up this morning, and there they were. It really is happening. Come Saturday, I’m going full time. The boy clothes are gone forever. Then we have all summer before going to my new school. I don’t think those nuns would be very accepting if I had to go there another year.

“I’ll just deal with it when I get to the middle school. Most of my friends knew what was happening. They’re cool. I’ll just be another girl to everyone else.”

“Let’s hope so. You gonna tell Mom?”

“Of course, as soon as the nurse serves Mom and Dad’s breakfast. She doesn’t need to know quite yet. She thinks I’m a girl, well I am, anyway.”

The DiMaggios had been home for more than a week. The trucking company, true to their word, was paying for everything including a full time nurse. The lawyers were still working out the details; however, things were going to work out very well for the DiMaggios. Well, considering the pain and agony they’d gone through, it would be difficult wipe out what had happened with a check.

The trucking company wanted to avoid a law suit at all costs. Actually, their insurance company was the one deeply interested. It had turned out that the driver had forged several documents indicating he was physically able to meet DOT requirements. The company’s lax controls had allowed him to drive when he shouldn’t have. If they were unable to reach a settlement, they might be brought to court. If they were found criminally negligent, their insurance wouldn’t cover them. At this point, the company was essentially admitting guilt without admitting guilt.

Business at the hotel had always been good. They had a good occupancy rate, and their restaurant attracted many additional customers. They didn’t actively pursue the business crowd; however, they frequently hosted small business groups in their relatively small business facility.

When Elaine and Tommie arrived for breakfast they found their parents in a deep conversation with the business manager. She was an attractive woman, married to one of the local fishermen, John Lagasse. Maria and John had five children, with another on the way. All five had ‘grown up’ at the hotel. As far as the DiMaggios were concerned, there never would be too many children there. Maria was discussing business with their parents.

“As you know, we don’t get much call for the business facilities on weekends. The downside is that is the weekend you wanted to use the room for Tommie’s birthday party.”

“I think we can move the party to another weekend.

“Would that be a problem,” Tony DiMaggio said turning to his soon to be ‘official’ daughter.

“No, besides the invitations haven’t gone out. I guess we could have it the next weekend. The best thing is that I will be attending as Tommie, rather than Tommaso.”

“Fine,” Maria said, “I’ll respond to their email immediately. A phone call might be a good idea. It sounded like there would be around 30 in attendance. There should be plenty of space available.”

As soon as Maria and the nurse were out of earshot, Elaine spoke up. “Tommie has something to say. Daddy, cover your ears.”

“Tony, please get a cup of fresh coffee for me. This one’s cold. Besides, you need to walk.”

Tony DiMaggio wasn’t going to question his wife when it came to ‘girl’ things, and he had a pretty good idea that was what this was about.

“Go ahead, tell her,” Elaine almost giggled.

“Mommy, I got boobies. They just sort of appeared.”

“Well, I guess we have some shopping to do on your first full-time day as a girl.”

Tommie has a very interesting and strange at the same time visit with her doctor. Matilda tells her about her sister’s plans.