“Become a woman that can give ultimate pleasure to her man.”

Your jaw drops. Your eye feel like they might pop out of your head.

“That witch said I need to… what?!”

You… $Myles Teague…

Must learn to…

“Please a man?!”

“Not just please a man. Give him the ultimate pleasure.”

You growl at him but Nicholas raises his hands in a shrug.

“Her words not mine. And I think that’s what makes this more complicated than, say, giving a man a –“

“Don’t even say it!” you scream, shooting to your feet.

This couldn’t be happening to you. You feel rage mix in with the despair and humiliation you’re already feeling.

“How dare that… that bitch! She doesn’t even know me, but she’s judging me for doing my best to protect my daughter!”

“Maybe that’s part of the problem,” says Nicholas. “You think all men are these sex-crazed monsters… and yet I’ve been nothing but a gentleman with you, in spite of having ample opportunity not to, right?”

You turn to him, ready to object, but…

But…

He’s not a bad guy.

You feel that odd tingling in your groin.

He’s been… so helpful.

You shake your head, try to snap out of this daze.

“That’s not… I mean, yes you’ve been…” (Amazing.) “…fine, but most men aren’t like that.”

“I don’t disagree. But my brother isn’t like that. And maybe some of your daughter’s suitors weren’t like that.” Nicholas holds up a hand. “All I’m saying is that this may be why the witch put this kind of curse on you.”

“And how does that help me exactly?” you whine. “I can’t exactly change my parenting style when I look younger than my daughter!”

“Changing how you parent Helen may be the end goal, but it has nothing to do with ending the curse,” says Nicholas. “I think what the witch wants is for you to experience that which you unfairly denied her.”

“M-my Helen shouldn’t be out there pleasuring men!” you shout, stuttering in your anger.

“Again, I’m just telling you what I think the witch wants.” Nicholas begins to speak slowly, as if to a child. “Let’s be logical here, Professor. You can still follow along with logical premises, even when you look like a Barbie doll, right?”

“Wha -?” You splutter again, caught between indignation and embarrassment. “I certainly can!”

“Then listen: the witch is the one who made the curse right?”

“Yes.”

“And naturally she made it in a way that would get her what she wants, right?”

“That’s sound.”

“So if we can’t find another way to remove the curse, then you should want to give the witch what she wants, right?”

Your mind is beginning to feel fuzzy. “I – I think so…?”

“So if she made it so that the condition for lifting the curse is to become a woman that gives her man the ultimate pleasure, then you should become that, right?”

“I…” Become a woman. “I…” Give a man pleasure.

“Otherwise that would mean you don’t want to lift the curse. Which would mean you want to stay a girl.”

“I don’t!” you shout your object. “I hate being this way!”

“Therefore, logically, that means…”

Become a woman.

Give her man pleasure.

You rub your temples. It’s getting so hard to think.