Performance Improvement Plan - Chapter 10

Francesca grunted, straining against the resistance of the rowing machine.

She’d never really felt comfortable in her body. She’d shot up like a weed as a kid, holding at least an inch or two over every boy she went to school with, often more. She hunched and slumped so much that she’d had to wear a back brace all through college, and still had to exercise active discipline to stand up straight. At the same time, she was as thin as a stick figure, lanky and awkward. She knew that plenty of women were jealous of her skinny frame, but she hated it. It made her feel… delicate. 

She didn’t like feeling delicate.

Unfortunately, nothing she did seemed to help her put on weight. She had the appetite of a small bird, and trying to up her food intake just led to upset stomachs. She’d been hitting the gym nearly every day for ten years now, and while it certainly showed—her arms and legs were tightly toned, and she had the hint of a six-pack—it had done nothing to help her bulk up. She didn’t know if she needed to use more weight, or consume more protein (ugh, those “shakes” are disgusting), or… well, at this point, she just kind of figured that it was genetic, and her body just wasn’t built to be anything but tall, gawky, and delicate.

She didn’t like feeling delicate because, frankly, she was a lot more like Beth than their friends realized. Or at least, a lot more like how Beth used to be—Francesca grimaced, grunting just a little bit louder on the next repetition. Francesca felt just as awkward and uncertain around other people, had the same kind of low-level anxiety anytime she was forced into socializing. She was just better at burying it. Instead of fidgeting and stammering, she just sort of partially shut down, going still and quiet. With her resting bitch face and “elegant” figure (another grimace, another grunt), people read her as aloof and self-assured, instead of vaguely anxious.

So, when she’d looked into what was happening to Ted, she’d started to wonder if Dr. Becker might be able to help her out. Help her feel a little more relaxed and comfortable socially, and maybe even… I mean, if she could take away someone’s muscle, then maybe she could do the reverse, right? But, no matter how many times Francesca ran scenarios through her mind, she just couldn’t see herself actually asking for something like that. The embarrassment if she was wrong would’ve been too severe. So, instead, she suggested Beth give it a try.

It’s not like she was trying to use Beth as a guinea pig or something! It’s just, well… you know. Beth probably needed the help more anyway, right? Francesca was a little unhappy with herself but she got by just fine, while Beth was so anxious that she bordered on non-functional. So, really, it was a kindness to recommend Beth give the doctor a call.

And it had certainly paid off. Francesca had noticed right away that Beth was inching up slowly, stuttering less when she spoke, holding her head up a little higher.They hadn’t spoken about it at all, but they shared the occasional knowing smile. And then, when Francesca got back from the holiday break, she’d been floored. Beth had not only grown nearly as tall as her, she had really filled out. It was like she’d had a second puberty. Was that… something she’d asked for, or just a side effect?

Francesca had no idea, because Beth wasn’t talking to her. She wasn’t being unfriendly or anything—those knowing smiles kept coming—but their interactions hadn’t extended beyond that all week. She’d been too busy with Joyce, and Ted, and Laura.

Francesca yanked the handle of the machine a little too hard and it slipped from her fingers, sucking rapidly back into place with a loud CLANG. Freezing for a moment, she quickly got up and toweled the machine off, then briskly walked toward the locker room, pointedly avoiding eye contact with all the people who’d picked their heads up at the noise.

“Thank you, Francesca!” Would it have really been so hard to say that? Beth could’ve told her about the experience, maybe Francesca could’ve opened up about wanting to try it too, get the same kind of encouragement back that Beth had given her. They could’ve gone out for drinks alone again, maybe continued talking about it while they went home together, maybe even…

Francesca winced, stuffing her gym clothes in her bag as she slammed her locker shut. She’d been the first one to go out on a limb for Beth, and yet she seemed to be the last person Beth cared about talking to. She was too busy with… whatever fucked up three-way relationship she’d cajoled Joyce and Ted (fucking Ted!) into, and with trying to find a way to break down the steel blast door Laura had slammed down between herself and the rest of the office ever since Beth just blurted everything out in front of her. And after months of Francesca working to keep a lid on Joyce!

Fucking Beth. Fucking Joyce and Ted and Laura.

Obviously, the blame was a little bit on Francesca, too. She could initiate something, ask questions, try to get a conversation going. But, well, that was never her strong suit to begin with, and she had to admit that something about Beth just seemed… unapproachable now. You know, she’d been pretty before, but that therapy had turned her into a god-damned smoke show, and, maybe it was something about her boosted confidence, but Francesca couldn’t help but feel like there was something a little intimidating about her. The same energy that had pressured Joyce into sharing Ted with her. 

Frustrated, Francesca loaded onto the train and opened up a dating app on her phone. She swiped “no” on every portrait it offered her, often without even really thinking about it, and it wasn’t until she’d nearly reached her stop that it hit her: she was rejecting all these people because they didn’t remind her enough of Beth.

***

“Laura, you’re thinking about this all wrong.”

Laura sat in the break room, sipping coffee, eyes locked straight ahead, refusing to look at Beth, refusing to respond; she’d already made her position abundantly clear, and there wasn’t anything more for the two of them to discuss. Ever. Beth and Joyce had both done the one thing, the one thing, that Laura could never possibly forgive. They knew full-well how she’d feel about it, and they went and did it anyway.

So now, they could live with the consequences.

Beth sat down across from her. Laura didn’t move to avert her gaze—even that would be acknowledging Beth’s presence more than she wanted to. Instead, she just let her eyes unfocus, staring straight through Beth while she continued to sip coffee through tightly-drawn lips.

“Laura, you know me. I hate Ted too.”

You certainly have a funny way of showing it, Laura didn’t say. She didn’t even actually think it, because to think it, she would’ve had to pay attention to Beth’s words, which she certainly hadn’t.

“This isn’t… Laura, we’re not like… this is revenge.”

Oh I’m sure he absolutely hates you rubbing those new tits of yours in his face, Laura didn’t reply or even think. The small growl in the back of her throat must have just been a reaction to how hot her coffee was, because she certainly didn’t acknowledge the existence of a backstabbing child spouting nonsense at her.

“I own him now. I mean, me and Joyce both kind of do, but I don’t think Joyce really gets that yet, she just thinks he’s kind of, you know… subby.” There was a faint crinkle as Laura squeezed her paper cup just a hair too tight, for no particular reason. Surely not because someone actually had the audacity to start talking to her about Ted’s sex life.

Surely she didn’t know anybody who was that stupid.

The double-image of Beth in Laura’s vision sighed, and sat back. “I’m not going to apologize, Laura. I’m happy that I did what I did, and I’m going to keep doing it. But I will find a way to make things right between us.”

You can’t.

“What about… What about if I convinced Ted to step down, and let you take over as the manager of our team? You know, like you’ve deserved to be for years?”

Laura’s eyes focused up on Beth for just a moment before, cursing herself, she willed them to unfocus again.

Not good enough. Way too little, way too late. The little shit can choke on the job for all I care.

“What if… What does Laura want…” 

Beth’s voice had a sing-songy, condescending cadence to it. If Laura had been paying attention, which she absolutely was not, she would’ve had to hold herself back from lunging across the table and strangling her for talking to her like a toddler.

“What if Ted didn’t just step down? What if he agreed to take an even deeper demotion? I mean, he’s such an eager little worker bee these days, I bet he’s much better-suited to being, say, your personal assistant? Someone who you have complete and total authority over? Someone whose life you could make a living hell, and who won’t say a peep in complaint because both of his girlfriends will dump him if he does?”

Laura’s attention drifted toward Beth’s eyes, and Beth grinned in response.

“You’re not gonna say anything right now. You’re too proud for that, and honestly, good for you. I’ve always respected how hard you stick to your guns. But I bet that idea has some gears turning in your head.”

Whatever. It’s not like you could make good on that offer anyway. He’d never do it.

“Just leave it to me.”

***

January 5th, 2025 - Dr. Joanna Becker

DR. BECKER: So, Beth, how are you feeling today?

MS. GRANGER: I’m absolutely fantastic, Jody. I’m sorry again for interrupting your holiday like that, but it was a massive help, truly. 

DR. BECKER: I’m glad to hear it. But, I do want to talk to you, Beth, about possibly… adjusting the treatment I’m giving you.

MS. GRANGER: Oh, no thank you! I’m very satisfied, you can just keep doing what you’re doing!

 DR. BECKER: If you’ll recall, you weren’t very satisfied two weeks ago.

MS. GRANGER: That didn’t really have anything to do with the treatment, though. I was just… having a hard time navigating a difficult situation, until you helped bolster my confidence enough to figure things out! That’s the whole point of the treatment, right?

Something to note as I continue to see Ms. Granger: I remember fully intending to push back harder on this in the moment, but finding it difficult to do so. I’m satisfied with the conclusion we reached, but I do have to remember for the future that Beth has gained an extremely high amount of charisma and influential ability as a result of the treatment. Failing to remain mindful of this could, potentially, lead to her taking advantage in the future.

DR. BECKER: Well… yes, that is the point. However—

MS. GRANGER: I’m really sorry that I worried you, but I don’t think we need to do any “adjusting.” I want to keep going on this path!

DR. BECKER: Beth… When you came to me, your concerns were your anxiety, your lack of self-esteem, and your small physical build. Those issues all seem resolved at this point. You’re clearly much more confident and self-assured, and… well, frankly, you’ve made more physical progress than I thought possible. You’ve grown an entire foot taller in only about a month’s time. 

Despite everything, Beth’s accelerated growth cannot help but entice my curiosity. She’s grown as much in one month as Ted Murphy shrank in six.

MS. GRANGER: I told you, it’s ‘cuz I say my mantra to myself all the time. “Become more, grow, grow, grow!”

DR. BECKER: I was skeptical, but something has to account for the speed of your progress. You may very well be right. But, we’re getting off-track. My point, Beth, is that… haven’t you already gotten everything you wanted out of this treatment? Why do you want to continue?

Ms. Granger smiled and shook her head, sputtering for a moment before answering.

MS. GRANGER: I… I don’t understand the question. Why would I want to stop?

***

Ted could feel his heart starting to race as the elevator rose to Joyce’s floor.

He shifted the bag of groceries he was holding from one hand to the other, a tangled knot of emotions filling his mind as he considered how much relief he felt in his shoulder as soon as it was unburdened by the weight. He didn’t even have that much; a box of pasta, a couple jars of sauce, a pack of ground meat. His strength had atrophied so, so much in the past six months. No matter how many times he threw himself at the gym, he just didn’t seem capable of committing to it the way that he used to. It made him feel frustrated, weak, helpless. Pathetic. 

But… well, people generally seemed to like him better this way. Not Laura, obviously—just thinking about her made him start hyperventilating now. But Joyce certainly did, and now Beth did, too. He… he definitely missed being tall and strong, but… was there really all that much there to miss? He felt less comfortable around his work friends, he spoke with them less and less all the time, but he’d also found himself in the first steady relationship he’d had in… God, he couldn’t even remember how long. 

And he’d nearly ruined it.

Thinking back to that day with Beth sent a hot pulse of shame through his body. Why hadn’t he been able to refuse her? She was gorgeous, obviously, she always had been, and in the past month, she’d undergone a stunning transformation. One that was, almost the exact opposite of his own. Wasn’t there something odd about that? Why…

His thoughts were interrupted suddenly. The elevator must have lurched or something, because he felt a sudden rush of vertigo. What had he been thinking about?

Right. Beth. She was sexy, there was no doubting that, but there was something more, too. Something about the way she spoke, or the way she looked at him. He couldn’t say exactly what it was, but there was almost a sort of… aura to her, some invisible projection of force that he was powerless against. When she told him to do something he found it impossible to refuse, no matter how much he wanted to. It had happened that day in his office. It had happened on Christmas, when she called him out of the blue and told him to come “keep her warm.” The weekend after, too, and New Year’s Eve.

And, he suspected, it had happened to Joyce, too. Not in the same way—Ted didn’t… think they were sleeping together—but he’d been watching them ever since Joyce had forgiven him. He saw the way his bubbly, exuberant girlfriend clammed up around Beth now, the way she made herself small, the way she avoided eye contact with the taller woman, the way that despite her discomfort she never seemed able to tear herself away from her. In some ways, Ted felt a bit relieved that he wasn’t the only one who Beth could ensnare.

Tonight was the first night that he’d be spending with both of them together, and he didn’t really know what to expect. He’d been missing Joyce like crazy; the soft warmth of her body, the endless flood of affection and affirmation she gave him, it was one of the only things that seemed to quell the near-constant neurosis he experienced these days, and without it, the past few weeks had been miserable. He was dying to see her again… but he still held a lot of lingering guilt about cheating on her, made all the worse by the fact that the woman he’d cheated with was going to be there too. They’d both largely left him alone this past week, telling him that he wouldn’t be forgiven until he cooked for the two of them tonight, and that had given him all the time in the world to fret about what their relationship was turning into, and not even Dr. Becker was helping him navigate it.

***

January 4th, 2025 - Dr. Joanna Becker

DR. BECKER: I’m very sorry Ted, but I think it’s time we concluded our relationship.

MR. MURPHY: What? But, why?

[Hearing about what happened with Ted and Beth over the holidays has made it clear that I’ve let this go too far. I’m playing with fire, and if I ever had the ability to balance my legitimate research against my baser impulses to toy with Mr. Murphy, that ability went out the window as soon as Beth was added to the equation. I need to distance myself from Ted immediately. I’m going to attempt to find a different path with Beth tomorrow, but if I can’t, I’ll have to cancel our relationship as well and start over with “uncontaminated” test subjects.]

***

“Ted.”

Joyce shifted awkwardly from one foot to the other as she answered her door. Her boyfriend—or, whatever he was, now—looked up at her pleadingly.

God dammit. He really was adorable.

“Hi, Joyce. I just wanted to thank you again for the opportunity to, to apologize, and try again. I’m so sorry about what I did.”

Joyce tried to stay mad, tried to keep the barrier up, but she could feel herself thawing with every moment.

“It’s… we can talk about it. How about you come in?”

Joyce’s apartment wasn’t big—her rent paid for the location much more than the space. She took a seat at the small kitchen table, and watched with a sad smile as Ted headed over toward the stove. She suppressed a snicker as she noticed the little grunt of effort that escaped him when he lifted his little grocery bag up onto the countertop.

Yeah, yeah. He was too cute to stay mad at.

“Teddy, I—”

“Knock knock!” Both of them jumped at the sound of Beth’s voice. The kitchenette seemed to warp around the six-foot-tall woman—even taller in those heels, which clacked authoritatively against the linoleum tile. It was as though she was a black hole, that the world around them was deforming, dragged directly toward her as a gravitational center.

And neither Joyce nor Ted were escaping the event horizon.

***

January 5th, 2025 - Dr. Joanna Becker

MS. GRANGER: This is the best thing that’s ever happened to me! I wouldn’t trade this for the world!

DR. BECKER: Well, Beth, I’m very glad that you’re so pleased with the treatment, but… Well. If somebody has a broken arm, you don’t keep the cast on after the break has healed. You’re cured, you don’t need anymore treatment.

MS. GRANGER: I don’t understand. Have I done something wrong?

DR. BECKER: No! No, no, not at all Beth. It’s just… well. It did seem, the last time we spoke, as though the treatment were having a negative effect on your impulse control.

MS. GRANGER: I handled that situation poorly, I fully admit that. But it’s solved! And not just solved, it worked out better than I could’ve imagined! 

DR. BECKER: Beth, I’m happy for you, I truly am, but—

MS. GRANGER: I mean, I don’t really understand why you want to stop, anyway. This is what you’ve spent your whole life working on, right?

DR. BECKER: What?

MS. GRANGER: I mean, yeah. We looked you up before I came here. I know that you’ve spent, what, fifteen, twenty years developing this treatment? And no one believes you. You’re… probably the single best psychologist in the world, and they treat you like you’re crazy.

DR. BECKER: Well… um. That really doesn’t have anything to do with…

At this point, Beth reached out and took my hand.

MS. GRANGER: Jody. You’re a miracle-worker. You’re absolutely incredible. Why don’t we keep going with this? Why don’t we see just how far we can take it, see just how wrong we can prove everyone who’s looked down on you? 

[Reviewing this transcript, I can see how it might read as though Beth is attempting to exploit a weakness in my own psychology to get her way. However, if you refer to the recording, I really don’t think you can dispute her authenticity.]

MS. GRANGER: I am a willing, enthusiastic participant in this experiment, Jody. If you need me to sign some more waivers or something then I will. But I want to keep going. And I want to see you get the credit you deserve.

DR. BECKER: Well…

***

Beth threw her arms around Joyce, squeezing her so hard that it actually hurt a little, though she let go before Joyce could say anything.

“Hey, baby!” Beth said, voice dripping with honey as she bent down to kiss the top of Ted’s head, draping her arms over his shoulders and swaying. Ted looked like he was about to explode, his face a mix of utter bliss and utter fear as he looked at Joyce, who just watched, jaw clenched. Beth smiled at her, resting her chin on Ted’s head, and seemed to be silently daring her to say something.

Joyce swallowed, and tried to will her muscles to relax. What was there to say? Ted was… he was Beths’ boyfriend as much as he was Joyce’s now, right?

“This shirt doesn’t fit you very well, Teddy. We might need to take you shopping.”

“Oh, yeah, heh. I um… I have to shop in the… the kid’s section, now, and… those sizes don’t always fit that well…”

“Oh my God, tell me about it. I remember having to do the same thing. It really sucks, doesn’t it? I mean, bleh.” Beth stuck out her tongue and briefly crossed her eyes for emphasis. “Doesn’t it just make you feel so… humiliated?”

Ted’s faced burned a shade darker. “Um. Y-yeah.”

“Luckily, I don’t have to deal with that anymore, Beth said with a wink. “So, whatcha makin’ for us?”

“Oh, just um… I got some spaghetti, and—”

“What? Just a box of pasta and a jar of sauce? You’re not even making any of it from scratch?”

“W-well, I mean, I got some ground beef to make meatballs…”

“Teddy. You’ve never made meatballs before, have you? They take hours.”

“O-oh.”

Beth clucked her tongue, looking back toward Joyce. “This is not a very impressive effort, Teddy. Doesn’t seem like you’re working that hard to make it up to us.” Beth had made it clear that, in her opinion, Ted had wronged both of them—Joyce by cheating on her, and Beth by not telling her about Joyce and putting her in such an awkward position.

“H-hey,” Joyce sputtered, the first word she’d managed to get out since Beth had walked in. “Lay off him. He’s trying.”

Beth cocked her head to one side. “I thought you were mad at him?”

“W-well, yeah, I am, but… You don’t have to… You know. He’s trying,” Joyce repeated.

“You’re such a softie,” Beth teased. She released Ted, ruffling his hair before she came over and slung an arm around Joyce’s shoulder. “Well, it’s up to you. Why don’t you give me the tour while he works?”

“Uh… sure.”

There wasn’t much to show; a living room with a sofa and a medium-sized TV, and a bedroom with a queen-sized mattress beyond that. The walls of both rooms were lined with shelves of plushies, which also spilled out onto most of the couch, and even a bit onto the floor, their invasion held back only by a handful of houseplants.

“I didn’t expect your place to be so messy, Joyce. You need to clean up before the next time I’m here.”

“Excuse me?” Beth had some kind of, like, zone of power around her ever since the holiday. Joyce felt bashful around her, struggled to tell her no. I mean, she was sharing her fucking boyfriend with her! But having her barge in here and start slinging judgments and orders? It was starting to raise Joyce’s ire, enough that she was about to drag her by the arm to the front door and shove her through it if she didn’t get an apology, immediately.

…At least, that’s how she felt until Beth turned her attention back to her, capturing Joyce’s gaze with those crystal blue eyes of hers. Beth’s brow furrowed just a hair, enough to express disapproval, and it instantly blew all of the anger and resistance straight out of Joyce’s body.

“I said, you need to clean up before next time. Understand?”

“U-um… yes…” Joyce’s face burned red, and she couldn’t tell what made her feel more ashamed: her own spinelessness, Beth’s disapproval, or the fact that both things were having a roughly equal effect on her.

“Good. I’m sure you won’t disappoint,” Beth said with a smile. It finally sank in that she hadn’t gone home and changed before coming over. Joyce was wearing a cozy turtleneck and hip-hugging jeans, while Ted was in his ill-fitting slacks and button-down, but Beth, Beth was in the same blazer and skirt that she’d worn to work that day. An outfit that did nothing but exaggerate the power she projected, even moreso now that it stood in such sharp contrast to Joyce’s own clothes.

“You weren’t kidding about how much you like stuffed animals though, huh?” Beth said as she picked up a toy—Joyce was pretty sure it was a Pokemon, though she had no idea which one, she just thought it was cute—and ran her thumb across its soft, plush surface.

“Um… y’know. Yeah. I… I like cute stuff,” Joyce mumbled. Beth grinned, dropping the plushie back down onto the couch.

“It really suits you. I mean, you’re probably the cutest person I’ve ever seen, Joyce.”

Joyce felt a decidedly distinct strain of embarrassment bolt through her. “W-what?”

“I mean it! I mean, you were, like, stunning the first time I saw you. Everyone was; for all his faults, Ted has pretty good taste in women. But, ever since… I’m sure you’ve noticed, I had a little bit of a growth spurt over the holidays, and now, looking down at you…” Beth took a step closer, and Joyce trembled as the larger woman delicately rose a hand to her cheek.

“You’re absolutely adorable.”

“WhyDon’tWeSeeHowTed’sDoingInTheKitchen?!” Joyce blurted, separating herself from Beth as quickly as she could.

***

Jody sat in her chair, studying Beth, who was deep in a trance on her couch.

Today wasn’t going the way she’d planned. But… maybe that was alright? Or maybe it wasn’t. Jody wasn’t certain, and that alone felt like justification enough to pull the plug.

But then… how long might it take to find someone as willing as Beth? She had a point: this was a major opportunity. Beth was, in many ways, the perfect candidate for her research.

Other than the part where she verbally coerced her boss into sex, because of the number you’ve done on both of their heads.

She needed to put a stop to this. Beth was under, Jody could immediately start undoing the treatment, start untangling this entire mess. 

…But she couldn’t stop thinking about the fact that Beth was growing faster than her expectations. There was something here that her current understanding of the science didn’t account for. Didn’t she have a duty to explore it?

“...Beth, can you hear me?”

“Become more,” the entranced woman muttered. “Grow… grow… grow…”

Jody slowly covered her mouth. She wasn’t supposed to be able to do anything but respond to Jody’s commands in this state.

***

Red-streaked plates were stacked in the sink, and Ted sat on the sofa, sandwiched between Joyce’s thick, plush body on one side and Beth’s statuesque figure on the other. It was funny; less than a year ago, he would’ve been taller than both of them—well, Beth would probably have him beat in those heels—and now, the two women towered over him, even sitting down.

“How short are you now anyway, Teddy?” Beth asked.

“Um… F-four ten, I think.”

“Oh my god!” She squealed. “That’s even shorter than I used to be! Gosh… Joyce, you’ve almost got as much height on him as I have on you!”

Joyce just buried her face in a glass of wine. Ted wasn’t used to seeing her so embarrassed, she’d barely said two words the entire time they ate.

“Can I admit something?” Beth asked, eyes sparkling. “I’ve never really done something like this, before. You know, like… a ‘throuple.’ I mean, I’ve only had a couple of boyfriends before this.” The playful tone in her voice sharply contrasted the nervousness her voice seemed to convey. Suddenly, she turned, raising up to loom over Ted, who instinctively cowered against Joyce at the sight of huge feminine beauty staring down at him.

“You’ll be gentle with me, won’t you Teddy?”

Ted just sputtered helplessly as Beth smiled down, breathing a sigh of relief when Beth turned her attention toward Joyce.

“Joyce, sweetie, I don’t want to get wine stains on your sofa. Why don’t you give me that.” Beth reached out and gently pulled away the wine glass that Joyce had been clutching like a security blanket, setting it down on the coffee table.

“W-we’re not a… we’re not a throuple,” Joyce muttered under her breath. “You and me aren’t… we’re just sharing a boyfriend. It’s not, that’s not the same thing.”

Beth gently wedged a knee between Ted and Joyce, slowly pushing them apart so she could work her way between them. Still on one knee, she leaned forward to loom over Joyce, the same way she had Ted.

“We could be, though.”

“W-what?”

“Together. You and me. And Teddy.” Ted couldn’t see around Beth, but he could imagine the flustered expression on Joyce’s face, the one Beth was giggling at.

“Joyce, I know you’re still mad about what happened. I know you’re feeling a little conflicted about me being here. But… it doesn’t have to be that way. I’ve seen the way you’ve looked at me ever since… well, maybe even a little before that. You had so much fun dolling me up, didn’t you? Hey, hey, don’t look away.” Beth settled back into the sofa, enough that Ted could watch as she used a hand on Joyce’s cheek to gently but firmly force her to look at her. “I had fun too, Joyce. But were you really just looking at me like a friend, or was there something else there?”

“You… you were cute…”

Beth giggled. “I was, wasn’t I? You’re the one who made me appreciate that about myself, Joyce. You and Francesca, you both started to help me to actually like myself, in a way that I never had before. But you know something?”

“What?” The question was barely a whisper on Joyce’s lips.

“You…” Beth slowly leaned in closer. “Are much.” Closer. “Much.” Her lips just barely brushed against Joyce’s as she spoke. “Cuter.”

Ted watched as Beth suddenly stopped, holding perfectly still mere millimeters from Joyce’s face.

A moment longer, and Joyce couldn’t wait any longer. She embraced Beth and pressed her lips into hers.

***

January 5th, 2025 - Dr. Joanna Becker

MS. GRANGER: I’m so excited to keep working with you, Jody.

DR. BECKER: Um. Yes. I’m excited to keep working with you to.

MS. GRANGER: I want you do know, I really believe in this project, and I believe in you. That’s why you don’t have to worry about me saying anything about you breaking Ted’s doctor-patient confidentiality.

DR. BECKER: …What?

MS. GRANGER: I’m saying, I know that you did that with my best interest at heart, and I really, really appreciate it. So you don’t need to worry that I’ll report you for it. I would never even think to do it.

[Shit.]

DR. BECKER: Um. Well… Thank you, Beth.

[Why the fuck did I tell her about Ted!!!]

MS. GRANGER: I mean, I’d sort of like to think of us as, you know, partners, from here on, so it wouldn’t really make sense for me to report you, right?

DR. BECKER: Right… sure.

MS. GRANGER: And, since we’re partners, I actually have a suggestion! Something to test whether the mantras can have an effect outside of hypnosis!

DR. BECKER: …What’s your suggestion, Beth?

***

Joyce kissed Beth passionately, straddling both of her partners at once. Teddy was sitting on Beth’s lap, crushed between the two women, kissing and nibbling at any bit of flesh he could reach as Joyce did the same for Beth.

God. She hadn’t realized how badly she’d wanted Beth until this moment. She… had wanted Beth all along, right? That wasn’t just… I mean when Beth said it out loud like that, it certainly felt true. Then again, a lot of things Beth said felt true… 

Oh, who cares. She felt amazing right now, and that’s all that mattered. She threw herself against her two lovers with renewed vigor.

Suddenly, Beth’s hand gently pushed her away.

“Joyce. I wanna see how cute you are. How cute every. Last. Inch of you is. Show me.”

Joyce’s breath caught in her throat, golden curls contrasting sharply against her flushed face.

Beth’s smile deepend. “Don’t make me tell you twice.”

Swallowing, Joyce backed off, rising to her feet, leaving Ted alone on Beth’s lap. After a few beats of uncertainty, she slowly started to peel off her turtleneck.

“Oh, Joyce. Look at you. You’re perfect! Isn’t she perfect, Teddy?”

“Y-yes.”

“Y-yes?” Beth parroted back, mockingly. “Come on, Teddy, you can do better than that. Joyce won’t take her bra off for us if you can’t give her better compliments. Will you, Joyce?”

Joyce blushed, crossing her arms over her bulging bra. She felt ridiculous; she probably had the most active sex life of anyone in this room, and yet Beth was reducing her to a flustered schoolgirl.

“Y-you’re… you’re gorgeous, Joyce. Like… Like a dream come to life.”

“Aww! My goodness, who knew the little guy could be such a charmer? But he’s right, Joyce. You’re absolutely stunning. Now keep going.”

Piece by piece, more and more of Joyce’s clothing hit the floor, each one accompanied by another wave of compliments.

“Ravishing.”

“S-so soft…”

“Exquisite.”

“I-I… I never feel better than when you hold me.”

Joyce stood completely nude, her pale skin flushing all over from the neverending onslaught of attention.

***

Beth cooed appreciatively at her new girlfriend’s curvaceous form. She hadn’t been certain she’d have the guts to go through with this tonight… but then, she had the guts to do just about anything, these days.

“Do you like being complimented like this, Joyce?”

“Um… I guess so…”

“You ‘guess so?’ I asked you a yes or no question, gorgeous.”

“...Yes…”

“Good! I’m glad. But you know, Joyce… There’s one person here who I think hasn’t been paying enough attention to you. You.”

“...Huh?”

“Show me and Teddy how Joyce… shows appreciation for Joyce.” Beth’s eyes flicked between her legs and then back to her face, to drive home her meaning. 

Joyce blushed even more deeply. “Oh, I-I… I don’t know…”

“Joyce.” Beth dropped her voice into something low and sultry, deeper than she ever could’ve made it before she started growing. “I wasn’t asking.”

She felt Teddy shiver on her lap, and watched with glee as Joyce did as she was told.

“The only thing I want you think about right now, Joyce, is how beautiful, how sexy, how cute you are.” As she spoke, she slowly slipped her hand underneath Ted’s waistband, and started gently stroking him in rhythm with Joyce. “Say it for me, Joyce. Say ‘I’m cute.’”

“I-I’m cute.”

“Louder.”

“I’m cute!”

“Say, ‘Beth thinks I’m cute.’”

“Beth thinks I’m cute.”

“‘I’m not just cute, I’m the cutest.’”

“I’m not… I’m… Oh, God, Beth…”

“Say it, cutie.”

“I’m… I’m not just cute, I’m cute… the cutest.”

Teddy squirmed in Beth’s lap, her hand on his cock picking up speed in time with Joyce’s hand on her clit.

Beth thought back to her conversation with Laura earlier this week. She’d said she hated Ted, that she was just doing this for revenge. Was that really true? Certainly, he’d made her life a living hell last year. He would’ve driven her to the point of a nervous breakdown, if not for Jody’s intervention. But now, thanks to that wonderful therapist, he was so docile, sweet… cute, even. Maybe even cuter than Joyce. 

She hated Ted Murphy, she was certain about that. But Teddy… Teddy, she was quickly growing fond of. And it seemed to her that the best revenge against Ted Murphy was to fully embrace the man… the boy he’d become.

Which brought her to her next order of business tonight. Sitting on Beth’s lap like this, he was roughly the same height as her, and that just simply wouldn’t do. She rested her chin on his shrunken shoulder and nibbled at his ear while Joyce continued to finger herself, muttering affirmations of her own beauty and cuteness between increasingly labored breaths.

***

January 5th, 2025 - Dr. Joanna Becker

MS. GRANGER: Why don’t you tell me what Ted’s mantra is? The one you use to shrink him.

DR. BECKER: Beth, I don’t—

MS. GRANGER: You’ve already broken his confidentiality to me. What could it hurt? If I’m wrong about it working outside of a session then it shouldn’t have any effect on him, right?

DR. BECKER: I just… I’m not sure if—

MS. GRANGER: Jody. Let me help you. Tell me his mantra.

***

“You enjoying the show, baby?”

“Y-yes.”

“Good. I’m so glad. It’s very important to me that both my new partners feel good tonight. And y’know, Teddy, I can’t help but notice, you just seem so nervous all the time. Why is that?”

“Um… Um… I don’t know.”

“Could it be because you’re not used to being so… small? I mean, even Joyce—who’s soooo cute,” Beth said, raising her voice and directing her attention back to Joyce, “she towers over you, sweetheart. You’re so little now, so delicate. So weak. Is that scary?”

Ted whined, struggling to form words as Beth continued to pump him. “It. It, it, sometimes… Sometimes it is….”

“Oh, you poor thing. But you don’t need to be afraid, because you’ve got Joyce and me to look after you. In fact… I think you should make your weakness a point of pride. I think, you should embrace weakness.”

“H-...Huh?”

“Why don’t you repeat that for me, sweetheart? Just like Joyce is repeating all the things I told her to say. ‘Embrace weakness.’ Go on.”

“Em… Embrace… ssss…. W-w-w….”

“Teddy. I’m not gonna let you finish if you can’t say it.”

“Embr-br-brace weakness.”

“Again.”

“Embrace weak…” he gasped loudly as Beth ran a finger over his tip, slick with precum. “Embrace weakness. Embrace weakness!”

“Shrink, shrink, shrink.”

“Shrink shrink shrink! Shrink… Embrace weakness, shrink shrink shrink! Beth, Beth…. Please…”

“One more time.” Her tempo picked up as she slowly built to a crescendo, Joyce doing the same for herself.

“Em. E-e-... Beth… Mmmm…”

“Come on baby, you can do it!”

“Em… Embrace…” Teddy’s eyes rolled back in his head as he was driven delirious with pleasure. His voice was rasping and ragged. “Embrace weakne—AHHH!”

He came, violently, his load washing over Beth’s hand and soaking into his underwear. The sound of his cries seemed to push Joyce over the edge, and she quickly followed him.

Beth smiled, removing her hand and wiping it on Teddy’s pants.

She was certain that he’d gotten just a little bit lighter.