Chapter 6

Six

H ollis

“A demon?”

Maple’s mother nods solemnly. “A wish demon.”

I look at Maple, who wears a grave expression on my face. “Come on, Maple. A demon? For real?”

She shrugs in my suit jacket and signs. “A demon is as good an explanation as anything. I did make that wish, and it came true.”

I suddenly feel very naked in this purple nightshirt.

“Okay,” I say, backing up toward the stairs. I’ve got to be pragmatic in this insane situation, whether I believe this is a result of a wish coming true or of us both being clobbered on the head. “I’m going to go upstairs and get dressed. You,” I say, pointing at Maple, “will have to call the board chairman in New York and cancel the meeting today, then call the Birchdale office and give me—you—the day off.”

Maple snorts. “No way.”

“Excuse me? We have to stay here, right here, and figure this shit out. Demons aren’t real. We just have to sit tight until whatever this is wears off. It’s Halloween; no one will care if things are a little wonky today.” I turn to Maple’s mom. “No offense to you or your friend, Mom. Can I call you mom?”

Maple’s mother blinks at me and says, “None taken, and yes, you can. I’ve always wanted a son.”

“Mom!” Maple squeaks, her deep voice cracking and her cheeks blushing. She then brushes off that comment, turning to me. “While we are in a terrible bind here, there’s no reason to change plans.”

“What do you mean?” I ask.

Maple rubs her chin and eyes me with a wry smile. “Now that I’m you, I get to do whatever the fuck I want? Maybe I should enjoy this while I can. Hmmm.”

“Maple,” I warn.

She rolls her eyes. “Oh, relax; I’m not going to do anything crazy. But I did make a wish, and technically, I finished my beer first, so…maybe you should live one day in my skin and see how you like it.”

“Pretty sure I hate it already!” I shout, gripping the banister.

“Oh! How sad for you. Suck it up, buttercup. I’m going to go to New York to meet the board of directors.” Maple smooths down the front of my blazer, looking quite proud of herself.

I will not lose my temper with this woman, even if she wears my suit, muscles, and bone structure. Anger won’t do any good. “I do not agree to this.”

Maple scoffs and looks me up and down. “Fine. You go to New York, see how well they take you being a no-show.”

I’m in this Maple-shaped skinsuit, and even I’m confused. “Nobody is going anywhere. We are canceling everything and buckling down until we figure this out.”

She smiles wider. “It’s only for one day, Hollis. That was my wish. Surely, you can put up with a little chaos until then.”

Nobody else in my life pushes back at me this hard. I might find her resistance attractive if everything was normal. If I was in my right body, and my mind wasn’t under colossal stress. I might love it. The lovely but rigid Maple, who I watched—no, low-key stalked—around the office all week, needs to let her hair down. I objectively enjoy seeing this side of her.

“What if the medicine, or the curse or whatever this is, suddenly wears off in the middle of the board of directors meeting? Then what will you do?”

She shrugs. “I don’t know. What time is the meeting?”

“It’s at noon.”

Her eyes brighten. “Perfect timing. You can go to my pap smear at exactly that time! And if our brains switch back in the middle of the presentation, then no harm done.”

I think I might vomit. “Where’s your phone? I’m canceling this doctor’s appointment.”

Maple blanches, then stalks forward and points a rigid finger in my face. “Don’t you dare. Don’t you dare cancel. If I cancel the same day, the doctor still charges a co-pay, and I can’t reschedule for months.”

I’m frozen, with one bare foot on the first carpeted stair. “What co-pay?”

“Dude! It’s literally your employee insurance plan! That’s how things work! God!” Evidently, what I said made Maple’s head explode, because she’s muttering and stalking toward the front door.

With a pissed-off look, she pulls my phone out of her pocket. “I have your phone. Is it set to face ID?” Maple asks peevishly.

I nod. “Yeah, why?”

“Good,” she says. “Mine is probably in my handbag from yesterday. Also set to face ID. Use it to coach me for the meeting while I’m on the plane.”

I nod mutely because I’m afraid of opening my mouth again and saying something stupid.

“And you can coach me for my…your…exam?”

She smiles. “All you gotta do is keep scooting forward and relax.”

Oh my fucking god, what does that even mean?

Maple gasps. “Oh my, you’re white as a sheet. Have a muffin, get dressed, and get your ass in the car. You’re going to work to do my job.”