![]() TRICKED- Flash fictionA Story by Stephanie Daich![]() The trick Vincenzo plays on Carla and Georgia goes beyond magic.![]() Of course, I look
stunning. I don't care what any y'all think"you hyper woman with your smooth
skin and youth. You are like a Styrofoam Christmas ordainment, all sparkly on
the outside but full of air on the inside. I will not let being seventy-five
stop me from swooping in and stealing your man. If you don't think I can do it,
then you haven't seen the September Issue of Fitness Forever. They did
a puff piece on my incredible body at my age. I hate the tagline that people
always throw in. You look great, "for your age." But, whatever. I
have won the Nationals in Body Building for my age group for the last five
years. "Carla, don't do
it," my baby sister Georgia says. She is seventy-two, and she looks every
bit it. She has the tight, curly-do of an old maid. Her body is soft in every
place. She is just envious of me. I look over my dating
profile one more time. It is perfect"the picture of me looking off into the
sunset on the beach. From my backside, I look eighteen. "What are you going to
do when a nineteen-year-old shows up and finds great-grandma at the door?" "I will deal with that
when the time comes." I hold out a massive wad of cash and fan myself with
it. "Basically, you are
pimping yourself out?" Georgia says in disgust. "You'll see. I will be
married in a year to a hot pool boy." "Why would you want
another man in your life? I loved Alfred, but I would never want to marry
again. I love the freedom of being single." "But you miss
Alfred." "Yes, with every fiber
of my soul. But some stupid man is not going to bring Alfred back, so I prefer
to stay alone and enjoy the last years of my life traveling with friends.
Delete your phony account and go to Greece with me next week." I look at Georgia and then
at my profile. I press enter. "Too late! It is done.
I am going to be sought after so hard that I won't have time to go to Greece
with you." "You are
pathetic," Georgia says. I have a date set with
Vincenzo within hours of publicizing my dating profile. He is a little older
than I had hoped. Thirty-two, but he will do. He has an odd profile. -A
magician who does children's parties. He sounds like a loser, but man-oh-man,
he is Italian-hot! I insist on driving my
Porsche to win him over. We fly down the winding
road, and I drive like I am in the Indy 500. But the elephant in the car I must
address. "So, are you sure my
age doesn't bother you?" I ask. When I first met him, he smiled
pleasantly. I had watched his eyes closely, but he didn't look disappointed. "Oh, no. Age is fine.
Mature women don't play games. I am done with games." Oh, he has no idea. I am
filled with games. Everything feels perfect.
Vincenzo lets me do all the talking, and I talk. I sum up seventy-five years
over dinner. He holds my hand as we walk places. He is a gentleman who opens
the door. Does he want to go out with me again, or will he change his number? "I had good time,"
he says, kissing me on the cheek. He looks sincere, but the real test will be
if he answers my call tomorrow. "How about I come
tomorrow night to your house and do magic for your sister you told me much
about." A rush of elation and
disappointment fills me. I am ecstatic he wants another date. But why does my
sister have to be a stupid third wheel? "How about I invite her
a different time? I want to get to know you better," I say as I
twirl my hair. "Sister must be there.
That is how trick works. With sisters." I had no trouble convincing
Georgia. She wants to see if a young guy likes me. So, we sit in our living
room as Vincenzo sets up two pine boxes in the middle. "Okay sisters, Georgia
in left, and Carla in right." "This is
exciting," I say. I step into my box, and
Georgia steps into hers. I can hear Vincenzo saying magical words. "Come out," he
says, and we do. "Carla!" Georgia
screams. I look at her and scream myself. She looks amazing! Vincenzo gave her
a body like mine. Georgia hasn't looked like that since…well; never. Even her
face appears at least fifteen years younger. I must look extra hot if he could
do that with Georgia. I run to the mirror and
scream. It's my face on Georgia's
body. I look ninety. "I hate this
trick!" I go back into the box. "Switch us, now!" I demand. "No can do. I give you
what you deserve," Vincenzo says. "Please," I beg. "I don't mind staying
this way," Georgia says. "Okay, I have idea. I
do final trick." He leads me to the couch. "Sit by sister," he
says to Georgia. He drapes a silky red blanket over our faces. "Count to hundred, then
remove cloth," he says. I count as fast as I can and
then throw the blanket off. Our bodies haven't changed. I look to Vincenzo, but
he is gone. And so are his boxes. The last trick was his disappearing. "No! This is wrong.
This isn't fair," I whine. I search for Vincenzo but
never find him. After a year of my new
reality, I accept I have a body of a seventy-six-year-old. I let go of all of
my vain ambitions, which feels refreshing and gives me a freedom I've never
experienced. And, I have a blast in Greece
with Georgia. © 2024 Stephanie Daich |
Author![]() Stephanie DaichSLC, UTAboutBio- Stephanie Daich writes for readers to explore the soul and escape the mundane. Publications include Making Connections, Youth Imaginations, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Kindness Matters, and others.. more..Writing
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