This choice: Your little brother's girlfriend, Claire. • Go Back...Chapter #5Your little brother's girlfriend, Claire. by: Wassel   "...It's your brother's girlfriend, Claire."
You gasped. "Claire?! You... You can't be serious! Claire's in my mom's body now?" It not quite seeming real.
"I'm afraid so, son," Dr. Saunders said. Gently placing a hand on your shoulder for comfort. "It was the only way we could save both her and the baby." Your mother having also been around seven months pregnant at the time of the crash. Which of course made this whole thing all the more horrific. Your little sister was now inside Claire. Inside your brother's 14 year old Emo girlfriend, who he'd brought along to the game too. Listening then as the two doctors explained what exactly had happened and how this brain transplant procedure they had previously mentioned actually worked, while you just lay there crying. Being unable to hold back your tears. The loss of your mother hitting you hard. Real hard. Not being able to image a world without her in it. Having always been so kind and caring and full of life. The realization that you would never get to speak to her again, never be shouted at for not cleaning your room or for staying out too late being just too horrible for words.
Once they were finished with all of the scientific techno-babble and you had wiped the last of the tears from your eyes, you again had to ask, "So... So Claire is my mom now?" Needing to be certain that what they were telling you was true and this wasn't all just some horrible drug induced dream you were having.
"In a manner of speaking, yes," Dr. Kerry nodded. Indicating that it most definitely wasn't. "She still has a part of her own brain of course, but most of it is now made up of your mother's. It was the only way the procedure would work."
"And... and she's okay?"
"Yes. Better than okay actually. She's in perfect health, as is the baby." This being good news at least. The doctor informing you then that she should actually be well enough to leave in a day or two, as would you. There apparently being no reason to keep either of you here any longer.
"And then what happens?" you asked him. "What happens to her? What happens to us?" Having no idea how any of you were supposed to carry on after something like this. With having walking talking reminder of your mother's death carrying around your little sister. Not to mention what it was actually going to be like for her. Going from a 14 year old girl to the 41 year old, heavily pregnant mother of her own boyfriend. None of you being exactly able to just slip back into your old roles. That being nigh on impossible after this.
This question however made both doctors pause. Looking at each other awkwardly for a moment before Dr. Saunder again spoke up. Fiddling somewhat nervously with his hands as he did.
"Well, that's, uh... that's the thing I'm afraid, Tim," he started. Clearing his throat. "The surgical procedure we used was very much experimental. It's never actually been performed on a human being before, and to be honest with you, its not even strictly legal. Given any other option of course we wouldn't have done it, but sadly there was no other option. It was either perform a brain transplant or let both her and your baby sister die." Almost appearing to be looking for validation then as he asked, "You do understand that don't you?"
"I guess so," you nodded. It being like something out of a horror film sure, but if it had really been the only way... And I guess it's what Mom would have wanted too. Having always been selfless like that.
"Unfortunately because of this," Saunders then continued, "if word of what we did here ever gets out... well it would be bad news for everyone. Dr. Kerry and I could very well go to prison and I'm sure you can imagine the sort of media circus something like this would create around your family. It's very likely none of you would ever be able to go out in public again. Not to mention the legalities of Claire actually being someone else."
"Which is why we all agreed that its best this stay a secret," Dr. Kerry interjected. "That it must stay strictly between us. Which in turn would mean..."
"...We'd all have to pretend like Claire really is my Mom." Finishing this sentence for him. Knowing full well, that as disturbing an idea as it was, this really would be the only way to prevent anyone from ever finding out.
"Exactly," the small, mustachioed doctor replied. "It's not ideal I know, but it really is the best outcome given the circumstances. At least that way she'll have a life. You'll all have lives."
Yeah, but what kind of lives? you wondered. Especially Claire. She's be the one having to actually pretend to be someone else. She'd be the one actually having a baby.
Sadly, it didn't seem like either of you had much choice in the matter. Your father, as well as Claire's parents having both already agreed. Your brother and sister too. And so you reluctantly did the same. Signing an non-disclosure agreement the two doctors then handed to you, before taking their leave. Sending your family into see you as soon as they were gone. The three of them being glad to see that you were alive, though were obviously (just as you were) completely devastated by the loss of your mother's. Your dad assuring you however that you'd all get through it together, telling you to be strong. Especially for Claire, who would need all the support she could get. Assuring him that you would try your best, as daunting as prospect as seeing her like that might be.
As for your little brother, David (who's girlfriend she actually was), you couldn't help but notice him remaining deathly silent while talked. This obviously hitting him much harder than the rest of you. Looking incredibly perturbed by the mere mention of her name, which you guessed was pretty understandable. Claire having been his first ever girlfriend, and even though the two of them had only being going out with one another for about three months, they'd been pretty much inseparable ever since. Following her around like an excited little puppy and having fully embraced her hardcore Emo lifestyle. Going so far as to dye his hair black and buy all new clothes. Basically molding himself in her own image. That fact then that she was now in the body of his own mother obviously unnerving him greatly. Especially after having also talked to her before you. Claire having apparently woken up as well, and while she was understandably freaked out, she was apparently taking things quite well... considering. At least, this was what your father had surmised. Claire not really being much of a talker truth be told. At least not to any of you. Having only ever exchanged the odd word here or there when you'd seen her in the hallways. Which usually consisted of little more than a grunt. Her face half hidden beneath her short dark hair, with it's pink and purple highlights. While her clothing was almost always black.
Though you didn't really know her all that well and your interactions were always fleeting, you hard heard rumors that she had a bit of a wild streak and had possibly even been leading your little brother astray. Dragging him out to parties and places you knew your parents would never approve of, as well as getting in trouble at school. These were only rumors of course and you'd yet to actually see it yourself. Instead having always just thought of her as David's 'weird girlfriend' and nothing more than that. Though you supposed now that was all going to have to change. You were going to have to think of her instead as 'your Mom' (at least in public). As unpleasant an idea as that was.
* * * *
After the visit from your family, the next few days were a bit of a blur. What with both them and the doctors continually coming and going, as well as a rather sombre car journey home once you were finally discharged. One moment standing out amongst it though; the first time you actually saw Claire. Every single fiber of your being screaming at you that this was your mom. This was actually your mom standing there. Knowing full well however that it wasn't. The woman standing awkwardly before you, dressed in your mother's maternity clothes, looking extremely uncomfortable in your presence. Purposefully avoiding your gaze as she shared her sympathy over your loss. The fact that she did so with your mother's soft, sweet voice making the exchange seem all the more surreal. Telling you that, "Your mom was really cool" and that she'd always been nice to her.
On returning home with Claire in tow, you were greeted by her parents. Finding the two of them waiting outside, wanting to be there to see that their daughter was properly settled. Deciding that while they did that, you would take your leave and hide out in your room for a while. Needing some space from all this and not really wanting to get in the way.
And so the next few days played out very strangely indeed. With nobody really knowing what to say or how to act around Claire, while she kept mostly to herself. Even David keeping his distance. Still finding it incredibly difficult to cope. The turning point surprisingly being her 'funeral', a week later. Which, although a very trying time for her and extremely weird for all of you (having to go through the motions of burying her even though you knew she wasn't really dead), it did actually cause your little brother to open up to her once more. Discovering the two of them not long after, sitting on the couch while David did his best to comfort her and tell her everything was going to be alright. Clearly realizing that despite the fact that they could no longer be boyfriend and girlfriend, it didn't mean they still couldn't be there for one another. That they still couldn't be friend's. Which you, your father and Tabitha were all extremely glad of. Your brother appearing to be the only one who could actually make her smile. Watching as, for the first time since the accident, she did just that.
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