Bringing Back Isabell free porn video

Bringing back Isabell The story was on all the news channels but James liked to watch the cute anchor on Channel 9. During the whole ordeal, Channel 9 had treated him the fairest and avoided the story's most sensational aspects. "IT APPEARS THE PROXY BATTLE AT CYRUS INDUSTRIES ISN'T GOING TO BE DECIDED TODAY. JAMES CYRUS, THE FOUNDER AND CEO OF THE COMPANY, APPEARS TO HAVE WON BUT THOMAS MILLER, THE FORMER ACTING CEO, HAS ASKED TO HOLD OFF THE FINAL VOTE UNTIL MONDAY. OUR EXPERTS ARE SAYING THE DELAY IS AN OBVIOUIS ATTEMPT BY THE OPPOSITION TO GAIN SHAREHOLDER SUPPORT OVER THE WEEKEND. WE WILL GIVE MORE DETAILS AS WE HEAR THEM." James turned off the television. The last few weeks had been rough but as he explained to Thomas at the beginning, he'd made the shareholders rich and they were going to side with him. That didn't make the battle any easier. He hired most of the company's senior executives but their memories had grown short in his absence. Thomas took over the day-to-day operations and made changes to the way the company did business. When James returned, he reversed many of Thomas' initiatives but the biggest point of contention was the changes he made to the bonus structure. It lost him the support of upper management but it was the right decision given the direction the stock had taken in his absence. He listened patiently to their arguments but no one knew better than James how to run this company and he asked them to trust him. James really thought his old friends would understand. After all, he built the company into a billion dollar enterprise. It wasn't like the industry changed in the past year and like he told them, he liked some of the changes but they crossed the line. In hindsight, he realized he could have approached the situation a bit less ham fisted but without Isabell's counsel to temper him he only knew one way to act. When his management opposed him on every new initiative, he felt he had no choice but to go to the board and propose reorganization. That's when the battle started in earnest. James didn't blame them for running the company as if he'd never return. It hadn't been that long ago that James wasn't sure if he was ever going to return. When Isabell got sick, he made her a promise that when she got better, they'd spend the rest of their days together. When they weren't in the hospital or seeing specialists, they spent their time planning a dream vacation without an end. Unfortunately, that dream died with her. The company was all James had left and he wasn't going to give it up without a fight. *** James had met Isabell a few years after he graduated from college. He had gotten his MBA from Northwestern and met her when his company needed a model for an ad shoot. They hit it off and for the next 35 years, he thought they made the perfect team. Success in business came easy to James and it brought him more money than a hundred people could spend in a lifetime. Isabell guided his social calendar and he couldn't have found a better partner. Together they were the toast of Wall Street, invited to all the parties, and brushed shoulders with all the important people. James found most of the events insufferable but he went anyway as he knew they were important to his continued success. Isabell thrived at these events and most times, James sat back to watch her as she worked the room. She funded most of her charities at events like that and he knew he could use her help in the current fight. Why did she have to get cancer? Disease doesn't care how rich you are when it strikes. After the diagnosis, James focused all his attention on fighting it but it was in vain. Isabell was dead within a year and having little else that gave him pleasure, James decided to go back to work. *** Most days, James felt like he was going through the motions. To lift his spirits he started going to psychics in an attempt to reach Isabell in the hereafter. Many people thought him a fool but he was too old to care. After the start of the proxy fight, someone in the company leaked his obsession to local reporters, which sensationalized the story and moved it from the business section to the front page and evening news. In the month since the story first ran, the number of people approaching him claiming to be able to reach Isabell numbered in the thousands. Instead of running from the story, he embraced it and even recently appeared on a local television show where the host claimed to be able to reach the dead. His advisers pleaded with him to stay away, but he knew what he was doing. His tear-filled exclamation of love for his wife got great ratings but the public missed the most important part of his plan. The next day the business report on channel 9 peppered James with a series of questions asking why any shareholder would trust him with their money after an appearance like that. There was no running from the allegation and he gave the calm answer that it was an innocent hobby meant to help him accept the loss of his wife. He then went into detail of his vision how he planned to restore the company's stock price since it had tanked after his sabbatical. He knew his performance was masterful and would win over most of the undecided voters. James knew from the beginning that he could manipulate the press but the rush he got after the interview was still sweet. Even sweeter was the hope given to him by an unexpected visitor after the taping. As he made his way to his car, an older lady approached and said in a heavy accent, "I have heard about your problems and I can end search. These people you meet are frauds. I can get contact with wife." James wasn't lying when he told the news reporter that he was skeptical if any of these people could help. He also wasn't lying when he said that the act of reaching out gave him solace. It was better than sitting at home living in the past. "How can you help me?" "The process is simple. Come to my shop and bring many items of wife. Pictures, clothing, purses, makeup, rings. Anything that she had touched and loved. These help contact spirits." James agreed to meet her and hadn't given it much thought during the week but as he drove to her shop Sunday morning, he had a smile on his face. The woman lived in a simple house outside of town fronted by a sign that said "Madame Zhanna, Mystic". A dozen cats rubbed against him when he entered and the woman ran to the door. "Don't pay them no mind. They just happy for company." James looked around the house and saw pictures that you would expect in a place of this sort and thought about walking out when he saw the crystal ball in the middle of the room. "I know you are thinking I am fraud but you are wrong. This is mostly for show as I have power and I can help you. You will see your wife." James missed Isabell but was getting tired of charlatans using him for his money. "How can you help? My wife is dead." "I can bring her back." James scoffed, "That's impossible." "I can bring her back so you can see her every day. You will be able to talk to her too." James shook his head. This woman's claims were too good to be true. James would have given millions to have just one minute with Isabell. This woman claimed he could talk to her every day but he couldn't help himself, "What do I need to do?" "How badly do you want to see her?" "I would give away everything to be with my Isabell again." The madame nodded, "Put those items on table and look into ball. Then you see." James stared into the crystal ball. For a long time he saw nothing but as Madame Zhanna's chant grew, he saw an image of a woman walking towards him. As she got closer, he saw Isabell. She was younger than he remembered but it was definitely her. "That's my Isabell! How am I seeing this?" The woman looked proud, "I contacted her." James smiled as he looked back to see Isabell still walking towards him in a flowing gown. Her walk was deliberate and he asked, "She looks so young." "That's her from before you met. It is common for the spirits to use a vision of their younger self. None of us like to look in the mirror and see old person." That made sense. "What is she saying?" "I can hear but voice is weak. We need to strengthen her ties to this world. As you were the closest to her, you are the key." For the first time in months, James felt himself get excited. After all, he could actually see his wife, "What can I do?" Madame Zhanna picked up Isabell's items from the table and set them to the side. "Tell me about her." James thought through his memories. "It's impossible to describe her in words. She was beautiful and spirited and gifted and kind. She was my center, my adviser, and my best friend." Madame Zhanna nodded and her eyes perked when she touched the purse. "Do you mind if I go through it?" James shook his head. Madame Zhanna spread the items on the table, "Your wife sounds like a great person and you brought some interesting things. I see a dress, some letters, and her purse." "That's the dress that she wore at our last public event. The letters were from me to her when we were dating. The purse is as she left it. I never opened it." Madame Zhanna picked through the purse's contents. It looked like any other woman's purse. He saw keys, lipstick, a hairbrush, a small compact, a small bottle of perfume, some kleenex, a nail file, some feminine products and an unopened pack of cigarettes. James asked, "Can these help?" "They are of great help. They are things she treasured, touched, and carried with her but I have to ask. I remember seeing on the news that your wife died of lung cancer." This was something that James didn't like to talk about. Isabell smoked until they took her to the hospital the final time. "Yes. She found it too hard to stop." Madame Zhanna nodded, "Let's try again only this time we touch items too. You hold my hand and see if we can't hear voice." James looked in the ball and Madame Zhanna started chanting words he didn't understand. He held her right hand and noticed that her left was clutching the pack of cigarettes. Her chants grew louder and James saw Isabell shouting to him but he couldn't hear the words. "What is she saying?" The madame gave him a sad look, "You still can't hear?" "No." Madame Zhanna shook her head, "That is too bad. She is saying she is sorry she left you all alone and wants to come back." Madame Zhanna's expression changed and the colors in the ball grew dark and James watched his wife started pounding on the glass that separated them. "Wife is frustrated you can't hear her." That didn't sound good so James asked, "What do you mean?" "She thinks you still mad and won't talk to her." This comment actually made him mad, "Why would I be here if I didn't want to talk?" "She says your anger is blocking and there is something you need to know. It is urgent." The crystal grew darker and James could barely make out Isabell's huddled form but she appeared to be crying. In a flash, her image disappeared. James jumped from his seat. "What happened? Did I do that?" Madame Zhanna smiled, "You need to understand your wife." James started to panic, "I'll do anything to speak with her." "She said she was glad you brought some of her favorite items. Maybe if you try to understand better you can hear. Read letters and try to understand love. Try on perfume and clothes." "You want me to wear my wife's clothing?" "Yes but there is more and it is most important." Madame Zhanna picked up the cigarettes and started chanting, "Main block coming from here. I do what I can but you need to do the rest. You blame wife for cancer and you need to feel reason why she found it hard to quit." James wasn't sure he heard correctly. "Are you saying you want me to attempt to be her? To literally put myself in her shoes?" Madame Zhanna nodded, "How do you expect to break barriers between worlds? I have the gift. You do not. If you do this, you will hear. If you do not, you will not. I can do no more. It is up to you." *** James looked that the pack of cigarettes sitting on his kitchen table for over an hour. He didn't smoke. His wife was the reason for this predicament. She was the smoker in the family. He had begged her to quit for years but she never listened. James sighed. "What was it the witch said? He had to get in contact? He had to understand?" He awkwardly opened the pack and placed one in his mouth. It felt foreign sitting there and he was glad no one was looking as he felt like a fourteen-year-old girl doing something he shouldn't. He found his wife's lighter and lit the tip then watched in silence for a minute as the end burned. He wasn't sure what to do next. The smoke rose in the air and the perfumed smell of her brand brought back memories of her tobacco-scented kisses. The smell of the smoke reminded him that it is impossible to be married to a smoker and not grow accustomed it, as over time the smell becomes part of your sense memory. The thought of kissing his wife relaxed him and before he knew it, he felt the slight draw of the cigarette as the hot smoke entered his mouth. He exhaled as fast as he inhaled and a large plume of smoke rose in the room. James laughed. I am a leader on Wall Street and I feel like a child. He watched the smoke dissipate and grew anxious at the thought of trying it again. He swallowed. The residue from the tobacco smoke had coated his mouth and he tasted a much stronger version of what he remembered from his wife's kisses. The thought that in some way this was linking Isabell to him steeled his nerves. "I need to do this." He put the long thin cigarette to his lips again but this time sipped as if he was taking a drink from a straw and felt a small amount of smoke enter his mouth. His first instinct was to blow it all out but he calmed himself. He pursed his lips slightly and felt the pull of the smoke as it went further to the back of his mouth. Encouraged by this success, he drew it a bit more but felt tightness in his throat and his lungs responded with a violent coughing fit. When he regained his senses, James eyes were watering and he felt nauseous as he tried to catch his breath. Looking at the smoldering cigarette in his hand, he was afraid to try it again but the words from Madame Zhanna rang in his ears. "You must walk in her shoes to make contact." He put the cigarette to his lips again and drew in another wisp of smoke but before he could even begin to inhale, he felt his throat tighten and his gag reflex kick in. The coughing was even worse this time. Frustrated, he stubbed out the cigarette and decided to try a different tactic. *** James went to the bedroom they used to share. He hadn't dared to disturb it since his wife's death but he knew there was no place Isabell loved more and he knew exactly where to begin. The house originally had a stand up shower but Isabell insisted they replace it with a large whirlpool tub. Her baths became part of her routine much like his weekly golf outings. Whenever he'd return he was sure to find her in the tub, covered with bubbles, and reading a book. James had always thought her process a waste of time but she always loved it. Once the tub was full, James undressed and got in. The warm water took the chill from his bones and soothed his aching muscles. Shelves with oils, soaps, and shampoos surrounded him and he poured a good quantity of each into the water and turned on the whirlpool jets. Bubbles formed and a smile came to his face. He had admit the tub did feel good and said to the empty room, "Isabell, if you can hear me, I was wrong." He heard no response and felt a little sad. He really missed her. He lay in the warm soapy water for a lot longer than he expected as the jets rolled over him. His eye caught the sight of one of his wife's old razors and a grin appeared on his face. Isabell shaved her legs all the time in this tub. Could that help him get closer to her? He started with his face then moved to his legs. Ten minutes later raised them out of the water to make sure not a single strand of hair remained. He laughed at the absurdity of what he had done and shivered as the cool air felt different on his skin. James used the sprayer to wash what remained of the hair on his head then got out of the tub. As he considered what to do next, he sat at the dressing table and closed his eyes. He took a deep breath and the smell of his wife's apricot shampoo in his hair brought back memories but something felt off. He grabbed the pack of cigarettes and lit one without thinking. He took a deep inhale and felt the hot smoke enter his lungs followed by a violent coughing fit. When he recovered, he put the cigarette on the nearby ashtray, picked up the lipstick, and applied it expertly. When he finished, he looked in the mirror and shook his head. "What am I doing?" He jumped out of the chair and rubbed his naked legs. Had he contacted his wife? Was she trying to help him? He called out, "Isabell? Are you there?" No answer. His lungs felt like they were on fire and this time the feeling wouldn't go away. He put his hands to his breast and took a deep breath. The feeling was hard to explain and the best description he could think of was an ache inside that needed to be sated. He looked the cigarette smoldering in the ashtray and his anticipation rose. Did he want to try again? He put it to his lips and inhaled a small amount to the top of his lungs. He held it there for as long as he could then watched in the mirror to see a small wisp of smoke come out of his mouth as he exhaled. James felt a sense of accomplishment and shouted, "I did it!" to the empty room. James didn't cough this time and noticed that while the longing seemed to be sated, the burning sensation in his chest was as strong as ever. He thought about taking another drag but his stomach felt a bit nauseous so he put the lipstick-covered cigarette back in the ashtray and turned to the mirror. All sorts of tubes and plastic containers covered the dressing table in front of him. He had no idea what to do with but that wasn't the point. He started with the creme he knew his wife used first and spread it all over his face. It was easy to see that he used too much as it made his face look like a clown but he didn't bother to fix it. He tried to apply eyeshadow, but it was a tougher than he figured. His eyelids now looked like the women he remembered on TV in the 60s. There was a reason the bright heavy makeup of that era never made a comeback and his reflection in the mirror showed why. Undaunted, he tried to apply mascara only to poke himself and make his eyes water. He didn't fare much better with the eyeliner and when he looked in the mirror he thought he looked like a pasty faced raccoon with glowing eyes. No wonder Isabell spent so much time on her makeup. This was much harder than he ever realized. As he worked to put the finishing touches on the makeup, he took small puffs on the cigarette. Looking at the finished product in the mirror, he celebrated by trying a little bigger drag then stubbed the cigarette out in the ashtray and reapplied his lipstick without thinking. He stood proud that he had done what he could to be closer to his wife but he knew something was missing. He went to the bedroom and found a pair of her panties and then put on a bra that was a close fit. Next was the closet and a large dress that barely fit then he squeezed into a pair of her sandals. Another look in the mirror showed just how ridiculous he looked. He was a 60-year-old man wearing make-up, a dress, and a bra. He called out to the empty room. "Issy?" Still nothing. The sadness returned. An item on the nightstand reminded him of something he wished he could forget. When his wife went through chemo, she lost all her hair and by their bed was the long blonde wig they bought to hide this loss. It was easy to put on and when James returned to the mirror, he could almost see his wife in the reflection but she still didn't answer. The day was almost gone so he grabbed the love letters and went into the bedroom to read them. He tried to smoke some more but knew he had pushed it too far when he couldn't stop coughing. He was encouraged that he didn't feel as nauseous though the warm feeling was worse than ever. As he drifted off he said to the empty room. "Issy, I love you." The thought of reuniting with her made him cry and a thought popped into his head that his tears combined with the makeup would ruin the pillows. He smiled. That definitely sounded like something Isabell would say. *** His dreams felt different. He could see Isabell but he was standing behind her as she relived moments in her life. She was a shy child with an absent father who struggled to make friends. She was an awkward teenager sitting with a bunch of social outcasts smoking cigarettes. She was a model taking her first steps on the catwalk and he felt her building confidence as she realized she now had a career. She was a self-assured woman who was excited to meet James for the first time. She was all these things and they drifted through his mind as he relived a scene he had relived many times over the years. The only difference was the viewpoint. When he felt penetration, he started to scream as bells went off in his head. The bells didn't stop and he cried out in frustration as the vision of his younger self faded until all he saw was darkness and heard the ringing of an alarm clock. He looked on the bedside table. It was 6:10am and he needed to get up to go to work. "Dammit!" That dream was just getting good. *** James shook himself in an attempt to clear his head as he took his morning shower. He watched as the remnants of the color from the makeup washed down the drain. Isabell had never spoke much about her childhood but the dreams seemed so real. He laughed at the absurdity then coughed, as his lungs still hadn't recovered from their first exposure to cigarettes. The burning sensation still hadn't gone away and when he took off the bra it revealed a chest that was red and tender from the straps. As he finished his shower, he knew he was being stupid. It was dumb to learn to how to smoke but the mere thought of a cigarette made the feeling build. As he jumped out of the shower, he grabbed the pack and lit one. He took a deep breath and held it in as the chemicals swirled throughout his body then exhaled a long stream of smoke that seemed to fill the room. He reached down to the dressing table and squirted a little perfume on himself to cover the smell. He shook his head. He'd seen his wife do the exact same thing a million times. "Isabell! I know you are there. It has to be you. Why won't you talk? I'm really trying to reach you." There still was no answer but it wasn't possible he was doing this all on his own. He was late for work so he covered the smell with cologne, hurriedly dressed, and rushed out the door. *** That morning at work was a whirlwind of activity. Everyone was hurrying to finalize the presentation to the stockholders and most people seemed to avoid him. He did notice many people gathering in groups, looking at him, and whispering in hushed tones. This wasn't unusual as he knew most everyone at Cyrus Corp was worried for their jobs. He made a mental note to reassure them after the shareholder's meeting. As usual, he ate alone in his office while making the final changes to his speech. The nagging ache in his lungs had grown all day and he couldn't ignore it any longer. He grabbed the pack of cigarettes from his briefcase and went to his private bathroom. He'd instituted a no smoking policy decades before but being in charge had its privileges. He lit it, took a deep breath, and closed his eyes as the tobacco coursed through his bloodstream. He took another quick drag and repeated the process until he threw the lipstick-stained remnants into the toilet and flushed it to hide the evidence. He immediately squirted some cologne on himself but it smelled different than he remembered. The warm feeling in his lungs grew hot and as he started to grab for another cigarette, pain shot through his body. It felt a little like a heart attack but the pain was higher and on both sides of his chest. He took off his shirt to reveal a bra underneath. He didn't have time to give this new information much thought as the pain made it too difficult to think. He pressed his hands against the area that hurt the most and it seemed to help but he could not stop the swelling as flesh filled his hands. When the pain got to be too much, he passed out on the bathroom floor. *** James woke to sound of someone pounding on the door. "Are you ok? Your meeting starts in 15 minutes and Thomas wants to see you." James sat up. The pain was gone and he felt good. Really good. In fact, he couldn't remember feeling this good in years. That feeling only remained until he looked in the mirror and found that he didn't look like himself anymore. There were subtle changes all over his body but the biggest change was on his chest. The bra hid mounds of flesh that bounced as he turned from side to side. A voice came from the other side of the door. "Sir! Mr. Miller is insistent he talk to you." "In a minute!" James thought his voice sounded different but he figured that was due to the raw feeling in his throat from the cigarettes. His bigger concern was the dress shirt lying on the floor next to his suit. He had a confused thought, "Did I wear that to work today?" He had to admit that it matched his suit quite nicely but it was obviously one of his wife's pink blouses. With no other choice in sight, he put it on and saw the pleats accommodated the new growths under the bra quite nicely. He covered it with his suit coat though he found buttoning the top button difficult. After tying his tie and reassuring himself that no one would notice, James entered his office. Thomas was sitting in a chair by his desk with a smirk on his face. He asked, "Have you been smoking?" James tried not to appear defensive. "No." "I swear I smelled cigarette smoke when I entered your office but I know you don't smoke. I know Isabell did though." James wasn't used to someone speaking to him like this but he knew the truth would sound crazy so he lied. "I don't know what you are talking about." Thomas just smiled. "That's quite a scent you are wearing today. What is it?" James didn't remember what cologne he was wearing so he just shrugged. "....and that shirt. A fine choice." James shifted nervously in his chair as the silk blouse and panties under his suit felt smooth against his skin. Thomas threw a series of pictures on his desk and James saw the grainy photos of him wearing Isabell's clothing and smoking a cigarette. Thomas gave him a look of disgust. "You need help James." "It's not what you think Thomas." "I don't care. These photos have already been given to the board and to key members of the press." James shook his head. He knew Thomas wasn't messing around so he tried to negotiate. "Maybe I can hold off on some of the restructuring." "It's way too late for that James and you know it. You should have never returned and you are sitting in my chair." James stood and looked at his watch. There was five minutes until the meeting. He needed more time to fix this. "I'm calling off today's meeting to respond to these slanderous allegations." "You know that isn't true James. You should walk away while you still can. It's only going to get worse from here." James ran from the room as the urge for another cigarette built. He tried to be as inconspicuous as possible as he made his way to the elevator but the bounce on his chest made it difficult and he could not help but notice the bemused stares of his co-workers. As he rushed from the building, he saw that Thomas' leak had already gotten to the press. They hounded him with questions as he ran through the door. "MR. CYRUS, IS IT TRUE YOU ARE UNDERGOING A SEX CHANGE OPERATION?" "JAMES? IS THIS A DESPERATE ATTEMPT TO GET CLOSER TO YOUR WIFE?" "THIS IS CHANNGEL 7 NEWS, HERE ON THE SCENE WHERE ENTREPRENEUR...." James slammed the door on the chauffeured car and they drove off. Television trucks had surrounded his house so they returned to the city. He gave his chauffeur the rest of the day off then hailed a cab. He knew only one person could explain what was going on. *** Madame Zhanna's cats met him at the door. The ache in his chest was overwhelming and the mystic greeted him with a smile. "James. You're back. Looking good." James noticed Madame Zhanna sounded different so he asked, "What happened to your accent?" "Like most of what you see here, it was for show. It makes people more comfortable." "What are you doing to me?" She laughed, "Why don't we talk to your wife? I bet she knows." The madame sat in from of the crystal ball and pointed to the other seat for James. After a few arcane words, James saw Isabell almost immediately. She shouted through the glass, "James. Don't listen to her! It's a trap!" James saw Isabell's worried look as she began to cry. "I don't know what's happening honey." "This witch trapped my spirit and is forcing my essence on you. I'm really sorry." James' mind struggled to understand but he smiled at the thought of talking to his wife. "It's good to see you, Issy. I really missed you." "You don't understand James. There are things about me..." The crystal ball went dark and James jumped across the table at Madame Zhanna. "What did you do to her? I'll kill you if you hurt my wife." The mystic laughed, "Think about who you are threatening. There many things I could do to you with a mere thought. Since I trapped your wife's spirit, I could torture her forever or end her existence. Do not threaten me as it will end badly for you." "What did you do to us?" "Just a few simple spells. Someone hired me to discredit you and the recent press about your company alerted me to the bond you shared with your wife. Your link made it easy to spell the cigarettes to turn you into an eighteen year old version of her." What the witch said sounded insane and it took James a second to respond, "What? Why?" Madame Zhanna smiled, "For money of course." James started to get mad. "Is Thomas behind this?" "We didn't exchange real names but it makes sense that someone from your work hired me." "If you undo this, I will pay ten times what they are paying you." "That's not possible. Once I accept a contract I finish it." James shrugged, "So what does that mean for me?" "It really depends on you. By looking at you I'd guess you've smoked five or six of your wife's cigarettes. Do you feel that tightness in your chest? That's what your wife felt when she tried to stop smoking. You literally can't stop and every one you smoke will change you a bit more from the sixty year old man you were to the eighteen year old version of Isabell." James realized there was a hole in the madame's plan, "So what if I stop smoking the ones you spelled? If I understand you correctly, the changes will stop if I don't smoke them." The mystic gave a confident look, "Do you think I would actually tell you what is happening if it wasn't already too late. You aren't thinking this through. All I needed to do was discredit you enough so you lost the proxy fight and I've done that as the shareholders will never trust you now. You've become an even bigger media sensation than before and that isn't going away no matter how qualified you are for the job. For the rest of your life everyone is going to refer to James Cyrus as the Transvestite CEO. I'd expect the talk shows to joke about it for weeks. That doesn't even account for the actual changes that have occurred to your body. As I 'm sure you noticed, the changes centered on your breasts but that's because of their close proximity to your lungs. Do you remember how your wife died? Can you feel the cancer growing?" James shrugged his shoulders. Madame Zhanna was right. He was beat. "What do you suggest?" "Finish the change. Embrace it and you might find you like it. You said yourself that you'd give all your money to be with your wife. I promise I will never tell my employers what I did and they will never find you. Think of this as an opportunity to live your life over. You might not realize it now but I'm being kind. I've done far worse to other clients but the tears you shed on TV for your wife won me over. I may live to regret it but I hope I can trust you. Many would pay their entire fortune for the gift I am giving you." Thoughts raced through James mind, "Can I go home?" "You probably have tonight but the people that hired me didn't seem patient. I wouldn't stay there long as their people and the press are sure to be watching. I suggest you make plans." James was having trouble breathing but reached for the pack of cigarettes. "What about my wife's spirit?" The witch's face looked sympathetic, "I promise to release her as soon as you've left." James nodded agreement to Madame Zhanna's terms and lit a cigarette as walked to the waiting cab. *** He snuck through the back of his property then made sure to pull the curtains closed on all of the windows. He grabbed a beer from the refrigerator and drank it in a few gulps. It had been a rough day. He could think of nothing better to help him figure his next move than a long soak in the tub. He avoided looking in the mirror for as long as he could but as he waited for the tub to fill, he had no choice. The changes were subtle in most places but striking if you knew where to look. The area that everyone would notice was his chest but other things had changed as well. His salt and pepper hair had grown out about an inch and it looked like he'd gone to a salon to have it dyed. The wrinkles in his face were gone too and his skin felt smoother than he ever remembered. The biggest change to his face was his lips. Someone that didn't know Isabell might not notice but he recognized his wife's pouty lips immediately. It felt like a bee had stung him and made them grow to twice their normal size. He could not help himself as he re-applied some lipstick then smacked his lips together and laughed at the difference from the rest of his face. The laugh made him cringe as it reminded him that his voice had undergone the most dramatic change. That wasn't surprising considering it came from an area with direct exposure to the smoke. As he looked at himself in the mirror, he could only image the captions if reporters saw him like this. He pulled off his suit coat and hung it on the door. His chest protruded from beneath the blouse and he could clearly make out the outline of the bra underneath. He shook his head. No wonder the people in the office were avoiding him all day. He hadn't even noticed. He unbuttoned the blouse and put it on a hanger, then removed his trousers as well. He stared at his near naked body, glad that no one could see him. His whole form had shrunk but he couldn't take his eyes off his chest. He had felt the pressure underneath the bra all day but as he reached behind to unfasten the clasp, his breasts sagged from his chest. That wasn't the end of the indignity. Pulling off his wife's underwear, he saw that his penis had shriveled to half its normal size. That settled it. No one could ever see him like this. He had to go through with the change. James reached for his cigarettes, got into the tub, and inhaled deeply. He felt the rush of the chemicals as they coursed through his body and the warm feeling return to his chest. His body moaned in welcoming thanks though a part of his mind railed against what he was doing. The other part screamed, "Wine!" Yes. I always drink wine when I take a bath. He ran to the kitchen and got one of the best bottles from the rack, then opened it and returned to the bathroom with a large wineglass. He filled it about halfway then took at drink. As he swallowed, he remembered that that he'd never drank in the tub before. In fact, before yesterday he'd never even been in the tub. Were Isabell's thoughts intruding on his own? Is that what his wife meant when she said the witch was forcing her essence to change him? As he smoked the second cigarette, he waited by the mirror to see if any other changes occurred but nothing happened. It was odd. All he felt was the burning sensation in his chest that wouldn't go away. Two more cigarettes in succession didn't affect him at all and in fact felt good. He lit another and got into the tub. He took another drink of wine and then a few more until he had to refill the glass. This process wasn't working how he expected so before he got too drunk he lit another cigarette. It amazed him how readily he took to the habit. The cigarette already felt comfortable in his hand and he barely felt any resistance in his throat as he chain-smoked his fourth in a row. The pins and needles feeling rose again only this time he felt the familiar pain from earlier in the day though it didn't seem as bad this time. The changes radiated out from his chest and as the whirlpool jets rushed warm water across his body, he watched as his breasts slowly rose from the water. He placed his hands on top of them and marveled as they seemed to fill like a pair of balloons. This time the burning sensation spread further but since most of his body was under the water he watched as his fingernails grew a quarter inch in under a minute. When they stopped he shook his head only to feel the flop of wet hair on his back. A thought occurred, "Why didn't I put up my hair? That's going to take forever to dry." As he touched his face, his skin felt even softer. That didn't keep his attention long as the burning intensified below his waist. Something was happening to his legs but he barely noticed as the pulsing grew and his whole body started convulsing as waves of pleasure shook him to the core. He had no idea how long the feelings lasted. He only knew that that it felt a lot better than anything he'd ever experienced and heard his new voice say, "I need a cigarette." It always bothered him when his wife used to say that after they had sex. He watched as his hand reached for the pack and he held it with long delicate fingers just like her. He poured more wine and he marveled over his perfectly manicured hands. They barely looked male anymore. As he finished the cigarette, James smiled and decided it was time to 'check the equipment'. He reached beneath the water and found that his manhood had shriveled to the size of a peanut and was unresponsive to his touch. Reaching lower still he found an opening and got an electric jolt as he rubbed a familiar area he'd explored many times with his wife. It felt odd to get physical feedback from this exploration and as he continued to massage himself, the pressure grew until the waves of ecstasy started to roll over him. A voice cried out, "If you must do that, get my vibrator out of the bottom drawer and do it right." James stopped and called to the empty room. "Isabell?" A voice laughed in his head. "Yes it's me." "I can't see you." "That's because I'm in here too. The witch released me to this body as you left the building. The last change allowed you to hear me." "Why didn't you say anything?" His wife laughed, "I wanted to see what you would do next. Men are so predictable." James felt self-conscious. "I was just curious that's all." He heard Isabell's voice. "I understand your curiosity. You don't think I only got this tub for reading did you but we have better things to do with our time. For instance, I agree with the witch. We need to get out of town as soon as possible." "Don't we need to finish the change?" "That would take too long and besides, you aren't thinking clearly. We need to use the spell to our advantage." James felt the hunger building for another cigarette. "I don't think I can hold out that long Isabell. I really need another cigarette." "There should be another carton of unspelled cigarettes in the bottom drawer of my dresser but we need to hurry. Grab the travel suitcases out of the closet and put as much stuff as you can into them. We need to get out of here as soon as possible for my plan to work." "You have a plan?" "Yes I have a plan. I've been bound to you for the last day with no one to talk to so I had a lot of time to think." James stood in the tub and watched in the mirror as his new breasts bounced in response. The whole idea of being in a woman's body was foreign and he couldn't help but touch himself. His breasts were fuller and softer than earlier. "JAMES!" "Sorry." "Let me take over. You are too distracted." "You can do that?" "I'm pretty sure I can. The witch's spell forced me to suggest things to you ever since she spelled me yesterday morning. All it takes for me to take over is for you to allow it." "What happens to me?" "Nothing. You are still here but I will be moving things." This idea was freaky and James started to panic. "I don't know Issy." "JAMES! We don't have time for this." He recognized his wife's 'I will not be denied voice'. He'd learned long ago that it was easier to go along with her when she got like this. Thankfully, it didn't happen often. "OK Isabell. James watched in amazement as his body began to move without him. He awkwardly grabbed the railing, then pulled himself out of the tub and grabbed a towel from the nearby rack. His wife dried their body and stood in front of the mirror. His face had many aspects of a man in his forties but everything below had altered dramatically. He couldn't take his eyes off of his breasts which an hour before had hung like two deflated balloons. Now they were much firmer though they still pointed down. His wife read his mind. "I forgot how big I was before the breast reduction." James had always teased her after the reduction that he needed to find another big boobed woman to keep him happy. Isabell always laughed at his joke and encouraged him to go for it as she said she'd love to take half of his assets in court. James couldn't remember, "Just how big were you Issy? It feels a lot different when they are attached." He heard his wife's laugh. "You'll find out soon enough." James had missed hearing Isabell's laugh and he felt happier than he had in over a year. James looked below his waist where his penis barely poked through his pubic hair. "It still kind of looks like me." "Yeah and that's a good thing. We need to hurry." James didn't interfere his wife as she pulled the trunks from storage and started throwing things inside. He watched as dresses, bras, panties, bikinis, wigs, jewelry, and half the items from the makeup table were hastily packed. He always knew his wife was a clothes hound but he couldn't believe how much she pulled from the closets scattered throughout the house. He didn't dare interrupt as it seemed she knew exactly what she wanted. An hour later, she spoke as she locked the past piece of luggage. "Is there anything you need? We aren't coming back." James shook their head no. "What's the plan? What's going on?" "I will explain on the way but I need you to get your laptop, the passports I made for our vacation, and everything from the safe. Get everything from the gun safe too but please hurry as we don't have a lot of time." James smiled as he was beginning to understand. After gathering everything, he slid a finger on the laptop's security device, which still recognized his print. He heard his wife's voice, "That's good. I was worried that our fingerprint had already changed. That would be hard to explain to the police." *** After a few detours, they were aboard one of his yachts headed at full power into the night sky. After James input the coordinates for the boat, he watched as his wife scattered many of her clothes through the ship then inflated the raft they'd snuck on board. When everything was ready, his wife took off the blonde wig he'd worn and threw it on to the bed. She grabbed the spelled cigarettes and smoked as she grabbed the straight razor from the bathroom. James didn't expect this part of the plan. "What are you doing?" "This has to be convincing." "Do we have to do this?" "We need give the police as much evidence as we can to make sure they stick to the easy answer." Fear paralyzed James and he cried out. "I can't do this." "I can." James watched as his wife pulled the blade across his wrist and the blood streamed all over the wig and the bedspread underneath. When the area was covered, she used pressure from a towel to stop the flow and ran to the railing and into the waiting raft below. Neither said a word as the small motor took them away from the yacht that was already starting to settle due to the small explosive they'd set off below the waterline. They smoked in silence on their journey north and soon James felt the familiar tingling in his body. Before they reached their destination, he saw that his arm had repaired itself though the scar remained. They reached shore an hour before daylight and entered the seedy hotel where they'd hid what remained of their worldly possessions. James collapsed on the bed then winced as he landed on his chest, which had grown even bigger. "Ouch." "That smarts doesn't it." James thought that it wasn't as bad as a shot to the balls but it hurt just the same. Pain must be nature's way of reminding a body's owner to protect its important parts. That was funny because similarly to the way he never thought much about his balls until someone hit them, he didn't notice the increased wobble on his chest on the walk from the shore. James massaged his breasts in the hope that it would make the pain go away. He heard his wife's laugh, "Are you ever going to tire of that?" "You know me. I didn't tire of it for the 35 years when we were married. What makes you think I will change any time soon?" Isabell replied, "You might be surprised how quickly you grow bored of them when they are part of your body." James wasn't sure how to respond so he asked, "So what do we do now?" "Well, as you know, we went through another change on the boat on the ride here." Something had bothered James about that. "Issy?" "Yeah?" "Why didn't the scar disappear?" His wife didn't answer for a few moments and when she did James noticed the voice didn't have its normal confidence. "I was hoping you wouldn't notice. I really don't want to talk about it but I wasn't always the woman you knew. I made some really bad decisions as teenager." The thought of being a teenager again scared James. "I'm not sure I'm ready for this Isabell." "It's a bit late for regrets and besides, it isn't so bad. You'll see." James felt the desire grow in his lungs and he knew he couldn't stop himself even if he wanted to. "I can't believe how much I need to have a cigarette. I'm sorry I yelled at you for not quitting." "No, you were right. I should have quit years ago but smoking always gave me confidence. I know it seems silly and if I knew what was going to happen I would have quit years ago. Besides, the cravings I had weren't this strong. The witch told me that one of the side effects of having two souls in the same body is that you feel everything twice as much. Do you feel that urge in the pit of our stomach?" James had a bad feeling about what Isabel was suggesting. "We are getting very horny." James cringed, "Oh God." "Don't worry." James heard his wife's laugh. "I know what to do." James hands shook as he smoked the last of the enchanted cigarettes and like before the power radiated from his chest. He put his hands underneath his breasts and couldn't believe they were growing even bigger. He laughed and bounced them in his hands until the strands of blonde hair cascading past his eyes stole his attention. As he lay back on the bed, the few remaining age spots on his legs disappeared and his arms seemed to lengthen, as his fingers grew even thinner and longer. His eyelids felt heavier and he felt his lashes touch his brow as he blinked. All of that was minor compared to the feeling between his legs as it felt like he wet himself. In some ways, it felt like an erection as he felt the blood pounding in that area and he unconsciously moved a hand to investigate further. Parts of his new anatomy moved without instruction and he felt himself get warmer as his finger probed the area. His other hand reached inside the bedside table and he started to protest but the feeling of the vibrator soon stopped any reservations. He rocked back and forth, as the device continued and tension built as he felt his body let go and start a series of contractions. His nerve endings felt on fire and he found it hard difficult to continue as every part of his body felt so sensitive. His wife had none of his hesitation and he heard her screaming voice as she continued until the pulsing finally stopped. James sat up in bed and unwrapped a new pack of cigarettes. Sweat covered his body and he looked to his breast, which stuck out even more prominently. He heard his wife's voice, "Congratulations James. You just had your first orgasm as a woman." "I thought I had one yesterday." "Yesterday was closer to foreplay but it can be even better than that. It's best with a man you love." "Ahhh. Really?" "Yes dear." James heard his wife's voice continue but he ignored the words as he stubbed out the cigarette. He basked in the afterglow of the experience and could tell he was about to fall asleep. After all, deep down, he was still a man and had a lot to learn about his new body. *** When James woke, he saw that Isabell had already gotten up and was working on the computer. "Issy?" "Oh good you're up." "This is so weird. I feel like an alien in my own skin." "I'm sure there will be an adjustment period. I was out of it for a while when the witch moved me here. It's gotten a lot better but I'm not sure if it's because the form is so familiar." James saw their fake passports laying on the table next to the computer. "What are you doing?" "I'm working on getting us out of here. People are going to start looking for you when they realize you've disappeared and I want to be out of town as soon as possible so we don't leave any trail." His wife had always been better with paperwork. His forte was managing people and turning ideas in to profit. A picture of Isabel from her modeling days was on the screen of the laptop. "How much longer?" "Almost done." She hit send and the email on the screen disappeared. "Who'd you send that to?" "An independent contractor I've used before for some of my charity work. He works for cash and specializes in helping create new identities for abused runaways." "Is that how you created the fake IDs for the vacation we planned?" His wife nodded their head. James looked at the passports on the table. One passport said "Belle James" and the other said "Russ James". It wasn't the most clever cover story but at the time they were only using them to hide from reporters while they were on vacation. Now that that it was to be their permanent identity, he hoped it was enough to let them disappear. "Belle James? I'm not sure if I can get used to that name but why did you use a picture from your modeling days? Isn't that risky?" His hand pointed to the bathroom where he saw his wife's makeup kit and a digital camera. "I took that picture 5 minutes ago." James stood and looked in the mirror. His wife wasn't kidding. He felt himself start to fall and then steady himself. "Easy there. Let me do things." "This is a lot to take in." "I bet. The cab will be here in about a half hour. After that, it's just a quick stop to get the updated passport then a boat ride out of the country. Just lay back and let me take care of everything." She turned on the television and a news flash came on screen. "THIS IS CHANNEL 9 NEWS WITH AN UPDATE TO THE CYRUS CORPORATION PROXY BATTLE. YESTERDAY WE HEARD THE SHOCKING ALLEGATION THAT JAMES CYRUS' OBSESSION WITH HIS WIFE HAD GONE TO A NEW LEVEL. NOW WE HAVE LEARNED THAT IT MAY HAVE ENDED IN TRAGEDY AS DIVERS HAVE FOUND THE WRECKAGE OF HIS BOAT, TWO MILES OFF THE COAST. SO FAR THEY'VE GATHERED A FEW ITEMS THAT BELONGED TO BOTH JAMES AND ISABELL BUT OUR EXPERTS DOUBT THEY WILL FIND MUCH ELSE BEYOND A FEW FINGERPRINTS AND MAYBE SOME DNA. CHANNEL 9 HAS OBTAINED THIS FOOTAGE FROM THE SECURITY CAMERA AT THE MARINA WHERE A PERSON MATCHING JAMES' DESCRIPTION CAN CLEARLY BE SEEN GETTING ON THE BOAT AND TAKING IT OUT TO SEA. IT IS DIFFICULT TO TELL IF IT IS ACTUALLY JAMES AS THE PERSON IN THE VIDEO IS WEARING A WOMAN'S OVERCOAT AND A BLONDE WIG. ONE POSSIBLE CLUE IS THE WIG LOOKS VERY SIMILAR TO THE ONE WORN BY ISABELL AT HER LAST PUBLIC APPEARANCE AND POLICE SOURCES HAVE INFORMED US THAT THEY HAVE THE WIG IN THEIR POSSESSION. THE CYRUS FAMILY HAS BEEN A BIG PART OF THIS COMMUINITY FOR YEARS AND IF OUR FEARS PROVE TRUE, THIS IS A SAD DAY FOR US ALL. The reporter's last comment reminded James of his wife's sense of ease when they first met. He always envied her confidence and knew she always attributed it to the days she spent traveling the world as a model. Until today, he never realized just how much she struggled before leaving home but she had made it and so would he. The person on the television didn't know it but they were only part right. James Cyrus was dead but it wasn't a sad day. James had always considered the day he met Isabell as the best of his life. He wondered if someday he'd look back at the past few days and consider their reunion as his second best. There was no doubt that he needed her more than ever. He watched as his wife continued to work on the laptop. He called to her, "Thanks Issy." She looked up from the keyboard and smiled in the mirror. *** Belle took a long drink and finished her margarita. She looked for the bartender but instead caught the eyes of a couple of guys staring at her through the mirror behind the bar. She wasn't expecting this and shyly turned away. James heard his wife's voice. "Don't do that. You'll only encourage them." "Sorry Isabell, this is all new to me." He heard a laugh. "Do you remember when we first met?" Of course he remembered. Isabell was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. It seemed odd to see those same eyes staring back from the mirror. "Yeah." "You were such a dork but I fell for you just the same." "We did ok." "We'll do better this time." Two men approached and stood nearby looking for an opening to start a conversation. James called to his wife. "Isabell?" "Yes James." "I don't know what to do." "I can take it from here." James felt Belle's body turn and he heard her speak as she tossed the hair from her left shoulder, "Hello boys. Care to buy me a drink?" The two men raced off to the bartender with hands raised. "See how easy that was?" "Was I that easy to handle?" "Easier dear." Isabell had set up an account in the Caymans under their new identities and had already given money to the right parties to make sure no one would question them. James smiled as he watched the two men argue as they bought the drinks. He knew they'd be fine. The money his wife had been able to move out of their estate was enough to live comfortable in perpetuity but he knew they'd eventually get bored. She'd made some discreet inquiries and found a local witch that was on the lookout for a coma patient looking for a miracle. The parameters they'd given were pretty limiting - male, over 6 foot tall, smart, good build, between 18 and 25, no criminal record, and came from a good family. The witch complained it could take a while but they paid her a nice retainer, which seemed to satisfy her. Besides, they had time on their side. The only question was who was going to shift into the new body. James assumed it would be him but despite his insecurity, he was really starting to have fun being Belle. Isabel recently asked if she could be the one to shift but the thought unnerved James as he wasn't sure if he was ready to do this on his own. The two men were back and both placed drinks on the bar. They shuffled in anticipation waiting for Belle to make the next move. She pulled a cigarette from her purse to ease her nerves and both men jumped at the opportunity with lighters in hand. James heard his wife's voice. "I thought we were quitting!" "It calms me." Isabell laughed, "Well you need to quit soon." They'd recently divested all their money from Cyrus Corp and James smiled as he thought of the look on the face of the Channel 9 reporter as she read through the documents he'd mailed. There was more than enough information to ensure a housecleaning in senior management, as he knew better than anyone the dirty deals that had occurred after he left. His employees deserved better and he wouldn't abandon them completely. Part of him regretted this drastic measure, as it would certainly hurt good people but sometimes in life, you need a massive change to jump-start the future. Belle blew cigarette smoke away from the two men and took a sip of the fruity flavored concoction. She felt her body start to sway to the rhythms of the music and looked at the bigger of the two, "Care to dance?" The man nodded eagerly. Belle smiled. Yep. Things were going to be just fine.