{"id":646,"date":"2010-02-10T01:00:09","date_gmt":"2010-02-10T06:00:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www2.takealemon.com:8080\/story\/?p=646"},"modified":"2010-11-09T19:52:44","modified_gmt":"2010-11-10T00:52:44","slug":"77-a-question-of-truth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.takealemon.com\/story\/?p=646","title":{"rendered":"77 A Question of Truth"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cJennifer Marsha Steen!\u201d Mom exclaimed when Dad told her what he\u2019d learned. \u201cYou lied<\/em> to me?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

I went rigid at the accusation. My eyes rapidly scanned the wall of the study behind her while I tried to think of a way to answer the question. Obviously, I hadn\u2019t<\/em> lied about the experiment or Tyler, but if I claimed I hadn\u2019t, Dad would call me out for lying. I tried to think back to all the things I had told her since break, what with trying to keep it a secret. <\/span>I<\/em> <\/span>must<\/em> <\/span>have lied to her about <\/em>something<\/span> in that time<\/em>, I decided, so I cringed and nodded, \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Mom.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

She sighed. \u201cI\u2019m not really sure what we can do to punish you, young lady. You\u2019re grounded for the rest of this weekend, of course, but we can hardly enforce that when you\u2019re back at school. And it\u2019s not as if you seem to be going out a lot, anyway. You do understand how disappointed I am in you, I hope?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Mom.\u201d I deserved that, I guess. I wonder what would have happened if I had told her the truth the first day.<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you think it was funny<\/em>, getting me worried about you like that?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Mom.\u201d<\/p>\n

She put her hands on my shoulders and looked me straight in the eye. \u201cDo you realize how disappointed I am right now, Marsh?\u201d<\/p>\n

I nodded quickly. I knew I had messed up, badly.<\/p>\n

Suddenly, she pulled me into her arms. \u201cHoney, I\u2019m sure you didn\u2019t mean to be deceitful, but you really shouldn\u2019t be pulling pranks like this on your parents. Don\u2019t you remember the story of the \u2018boy who cried wolf\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n

I murmured, \u201cMm hmm\u201d over her shoulder.<\/p>\n

\u201cDaddy and I are here to help you; please don\u2019t pretend to be really upset when you\u2019re not.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMm hmm.\u201d I said again. Of course, I had<\/em> been upset \u2013 it hadn\u2019t been an act \u2013 but I didn\u2019t see any way to make them believe that, now. At least I couldn\u2019t think of a way without somehow getting them to believe in the experiment, and I still wasn\u2019t sure that I wanted to do that, even if I could. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re such a good actress, honey; I don\u2019t want to have to start taking that into consideration the next time you start crying.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI understand, Mom,\u201d I told her.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m really, really sorry, Mom.\u201d I pushed myself away from her, reluctantly. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Daddy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOK, Princess,\u201d he said, hugging me. Then he kissed the top of my head, and I automatically started to snuggle against his chest, until I realized what I was doing. Eyes wide, I forced myself to wait a few seconds before gently pushing away. He was smiling, and so was Mom, so it appeared that the worst was over.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to go spend some time with Tina and Tara,\u201d I ventured, and when they nodded, I fled.<\/p>\n

My sister and cousin weren\u2019t in our room when I checked, so I changed from my \u2018photography\u2019 dress into a blouse and skirt, while trying to figure out why Dad being affectionate was having that effect on me. It was the second time in as many days that I had turned girly when he cuddled me.<\/p>\n

I found Tara and my sister in the TV room, watching Enchanted <\/em>on DVD. I\u2019d really enjoyed that movie \u2013 it was corny, sure, but it was a real movie musical, with a great sense of humor. I\u2019d taken Maddy to see it, back when we were still enjoying being together.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat was it this time?\u201d Tina asked as I joined them on the coach.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I\u2019m grounded for the weekend,\u201d I told her with a shrug.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat did you do<\/em>?\u201d Tara asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not really important,\u201d I replied, definitely not<\/em> wanting to push the \u2018hoax\u2019 angle any further than Dad already had. Tara stared at me, wide-eyed and admiring.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBoy, you don\u2019t talk much of a game, but you\u2019re a serious bad girl<\/em>, aren\u2019t you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

I gaped at her, while Tina choked with laughter between us.<\/p>\n

Tara looked confused. \u201cWhat? What\u2019s so funny?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the idea of Marsh as a \u2018bad girl,\u2019\u201d Tina laughed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think you\u2019ve sort of misunderstood something,\u201d I added. \u201cI was grounded for\u2026 well, something kind of tame that I would rather not discuss.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd what about that guy\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, please. I told you, that was just another misunderstanding. I didn\u2019t do anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOK\u2026\u201d she said, not looking particularly convinced. It was as if she didn\u2019t want<\/em> to be convinced. I\u2019d have to find time to ask Tina what Marsha and Tara\u2019s relationship had been like. At least she didn\u2019t pursue the matter.<\/span><\/p>\n

We watched the movie for a few more minutes before Tara looked at me again, and said, \u201cI just remembered what I wanted to ask you, Marsh. Do you remember a girl named Sarah Harrison?\u201d<\/p>\n

The movie had gotten to the part where Giselle sings. \u201cHow Does She Know You Love Her?\u201d with random Central Park goers, to Robert\u2019s consternation. It\u2019s one of my favorite scenes, so I wasn’t really paying attention to Tara, but when she mentioned the name, I suddenly remembered a girl I\u2019d known slightly when I was about ten or eleven, so I nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were in\u2026\u201d I started to explain, when I suddenly realized where I though I knew her from and my heart skipped a beat. Impossible<\/em>. But I finished, \u201cum\u2026 in something together.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGirl Scouts, right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUm\u2026 sure,\u201d I agreed, causing Tina to swing around and stare at me.<\/p>\n

Tara, of course, was oblivious. \u201cShe\u2019s my boyfriend\u2019s big sister,\u201d she explained, \u201cand when he told me they used to live in Rosemont, I asked if they knew you guys, and Sarah said she remembered you. Were you close?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUm, not\u2026 not all that close,\u201d I muttered, heart pounding. Tina was still staring at me, and I really wanted to talk to her alone, but Tara showed no sign of conveniently leaving the room.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I think it\u2019s pretty neat,\u201d Tara went on. \u201cI mean, what are the chances that you\u2019d know my boyfriend\u2019s sister from when you were a little girl?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh\u2026 I\u2019m at least as surprised as you are,\u201d I told her. My ability to concentrate on the movie was shot now, and I really, really<\/em> needed to talk this out. What in the world was happening to me?<\/span><\/p>\n

I tried watching the movie, forcing myself to be calm. I was not<\/em> going to do another freak-out and have my parents come down on me again. I was <\/span>not<\/em> going to call further attention to myself if I could help it. But I really needed Tara to leave for just a few minutes. <\/span><\/p>\n

Then I had an idea. \u201cHey, anybody want a drink?\u201d I asked, suddenly. The other girls nodded, so I ran to the kitchen for a big bottle of soda and three glasses. It took until nearly the end of the movie, and I actually had to use the bathroom before she did, but Tara eventually asked us to pause the movie so she could answer the call of nature.<\/p>\n

Tina turned to me as soon as our cousin was out of the room. \u201cGirl Scouts<\/em>?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAll I know,\u201d I answered, \u201cis that when Tara mentioned this girl\u2019s name, I suddenly had this memory of her wearing a Girl Scout uniform, and there were a lot of other girls around wearing the uniform, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know. Maybe I was just hanging out with them for some reason, you know, as a guy. Maybe it was some kind of combined Boy Scout \/ Girl Scout thing. I mean, I was<\/em> in Boy Scouts. But what if it was a Girl Scout meeting and I was one of them? What if I\u2019m remembering part of <\/span>Marsha\u2019s<\/em> life? What if I have some of her memories?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat would be\u2026 kind of weird, wouldn\u2019t it?\u201d Then she tilted her head, trying to think it out. \u201cWait, don\u2019t<\/em> you have some of her memories? Isn\u2019t that how you\u2019re able to sew?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, all I have is her reflexes \u2013 I think. All my actual memories are my own, as far as I know. At least they have been. Memories of being Marshall. It\u2019s going to be weird if I also remember parts of her life. What if her memories start replacing my own?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2026 I don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I keep acting all girly around Dad. I don\u2019t like this, Teen.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know what to say, Marsh.\u201d<\/p>\n

I looked at her carefully. I was almost afraid to ask her, but\u2026 \u201cTeen\u2026 you know\u2026 if her memories do all take over\u2026 you\u2019d have Marsha back. You wouldn\u2019t have to deal with\u2026 well, me. Wouldn\u2019t that makes things easier for you?\u201d<\/p>\n

She looked away and started fidgeting. \u201cThat\u2019s\u2026 I\u2019m not sure how to answer that, Marsh. Marshall. I mean, I was really upset when you started acting all strange, and said you were a boy, and all, but\u2026 I mean, you\u2019re my si\u2013 my sibling. I don\u2019t want to lose you. Sure, I\u2019d love to have Marsha back, but…\u201d She turned to face me. \u201cMarsh, please don\u2019t put me on the spot like this. I don\u2019t know what I\u2019m supposed to say.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t either, Teen. I don\u2019t either.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n \n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cJennifer Marsha Steen!\u201d Mom exclaimed when Dad told her what he\u2019d learned. \u201cYou lied to me?\u201d I went rigid at the accusation. My eyes rapidly scanned the wall of the study behind her while I tried to think of a way to answer the question. Obviously, I hadn\u2019t lied about the experiment or Tyler, but […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-646","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-section-5-a-family-affair"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.takealemon.com\/story\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/646","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.takealemon.com\/story\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.takealemon.com\/story\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.takealemon.com\/story\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.takealemon.com\/story\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=646"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.takealemon.com\/story\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/646\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":648,"href":"https:\/\/www.takealemon.com\/story\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/646\/revisions\/648"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.takealemon.com\/story\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=646"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.takealemon.com\/story\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=646"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.takealemon.com\/story\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=646"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}