Tabby and Tim

Tim had it all planned perfectly. The way he figure it, he had two problems to solve: one was that his sister wanted him despite it being wrong for a brother and sister to love each other that way, and two, Tim did not reciprocate her feelings. That’s why he had to get this one right.

It had been easy when he gained his mother into his harem, which he was beginning to accept was what he had. She had been in a relationship that was good and proper. He just took that. It has solved both problems, making their relationship work, and making him want it to work. With Tabby, though, it would be a bit trickier.

Tabby was single. There was no relationship to take. That’s why Tim had to be clever.

What he needed were options.

If he found a place busy enough, he would be sure to find a solution. He might have to do two trades rather than one, but he was sure that Justice would hook him up. After all, she owed him one, didn’t she? After he’d gone down to Florida, she had seemed grateful.

Okay, maybe he’d already gotten the good end of that deal, having walked away with a boat-load of respectability and two new girlfriends, but still, she had told him that she had his back.

So what Tim was looking for was a woman that he could imagine himself with, one who definitely wasn’t related to him. Simple trades, perfect solution. If experience told him anything, he was sure to lose some parts of his remaining masculinity, but with so much lost already, Tim was unsure whether it mattered.

And that’s why he had brought Tabby to the off-campus pub Gary had told him about, The Tipsy Corner, for a drink. Before Gary had become the unattractive man he was after his trade with Tim, it had been a regular hangout for the young man, not because of the food, nor the drinks.

Because of the women.

“You’ve gotta see this place,” Gary had bragged on a walk with Tim one Sunday afternoon, prior to any supernatural intervention in either of their lives, “not only are the waitresses hot, but almost every night I go there I pick up a different girl!”

And while Gary had enjoyed more luck with women than Old Tim, Tim had thought his friend was exaggerating. How could Gary have had that much success? It just wasn’t possible.

That said, just in case he had been telling the truth, Tim was too nervous to check it out himself. If Gary found it that easy and Tim still struck out, Old Tim might not have been able to handle the blow to his already minuscule self-esteem.

But now Tim was full of self-esteem. More than that. Tim was full of self-esteem and purpose. If Gary’s stories were anywhere close to reality, The Tipsy Corner would perfectly fit Tim’s needs.

“This place?” Tabby said in an uneasy tone as she stepped out of their mother’s car while Tim held the door for her.

“Have you been?” Tim asked.

“No,” she answered, “My friends warned me against it. Total pick-up joint. Lots of ‘Ladies Night Specials’ to bring women in, lots of creepos, too.”

“If it’s too much, we can leave. Let’s have one drink and see how it is.”

The place was almost full, but they were able to find a small table for two near the bar. Gary hadn’t been lying about how many women there were, with almost two-thirds of the patrons being female, and more than half of them being attractive enough to hold Tim’s interest. Not only that, the attractiveness gifts he’d gotten from Justice were working out, feeding his magically induced flirtatious nature, as every female eye has been on him as he walked into the pub with Tabby.

“I feel like the cat who got the cream,” Tabby said with a grin, then caught herself and looked more serious, “I mean, because these women don’t know that you’re my brother, they think that you and I… not that I think that we..:”

“It’s okay,” Tim reached one small hand across the table and held hers, “I get it.”

It was strange being smaller than his sister. Before his world got turned upside-down, they had been the same height. One of the things Tim had sacrificed along the way to gain the life he now has his size. Looking at his hand on hers, his being smaller and daintier than hers were, was still a mind-blow.

“Can I get you two lovebirds something to drink?” A small Asian waitress in a plaid, pleated skirt and black tank top with the name of the pub emblazoned over her breasts stood next to the table, smiling. She was exactly what Tim was looking for. Hot, and in no way related to him. He wasn’t sure what he’d lose in the trades, but he was sure he’d be able to get what he needed.

“I’ll have a rum and coke,” Tim answered, “Tabby?”

“Same, I guess,” she said.

The waitress thanked them, then walked to the bar to get the drinks. Tim realized that he was still holding his sister’s hand. She was staring at it, blushing. It was as good a time as any, so he decided to get it over with.

“Justice?” He called out.

“Justice?” Tabby asked, “Is that, like, the waitress’ name or something?”

“Justice!” Tim called again, ignoring his sister, but the immortal didn’t appear. He ran his memories of his last meeting with Justice through his mind. What was it she had said? That she was never too far? If that was the case, where was she?

“Two rum and cokes,” the drinks appears in the table, delivered by their waitress, who then asked for payment. Tim pulled some cash from his purse and handed it over, did a brief check of his makeup in the compact mirror he kept in the purse, then continued to worry. He took a sip, as did Tabby. They sat in awkward silence. It wasn’t as if he didn’t want their outing to go well, but he wanted it better. So much better! And for that to happen, he needed Justice!

Then he remembered that Justice wasn’t the only immortals he knew.

“Lust! Desire!” He called out, his high pitched voice sounding a little squeaky.

Suddenly, the din of the pub ceased. Tabby held her drink to her lips, but no liquid poured into her mouth.

Time has stopped.

“You called, sir?” Lust said, on her knees, next to the table.

“How can we serve you?” Desire said, on her knees next to her, adoration in her eyes.

“Well, you can start with…”