Richard remembered everything that happened in the past few weeks so clearly. 

 

Nicole happily insisting that he live with Anais for an unspecified "while". His sons suddenly and mysteriously disappearing, and their own mother brushing it off whenever he brought it up. His room becoming emptier and emptier until nothing remained of him in the Watterson house. The house and room he lived in with Anais becoming more and more like some sort of weird prison... Or a solitary confinement chamber for the both of them. The divorce that was finalized a few days, despite his protests. 

 

And, of course, the marriage ceremony. 

 

A marriage to another wife, a wife he loved with all his heart, but couldn't bear to be married to. 

 

"Good morning, Richie... Heehee, it's so weird saying your first name, daddy. But we'll get used to it as we spend the years together! I think I'm gonna love being Mrs. Richard Watterson!" 

 

Richard was dreadfully uncomfortable with hearing Anais say those words. 

 

"Baby... I don't think this , uh, 'marriage' is legitimate..."

 

"Why not?"

 

Anais cheerfully laid on Richard's belly, hands on her face. You're so adorable, sweetheart, Richard thought, but this is just messed up.

 

"It's not legit because... I didn't mean it when I said 'I do'... Can I please go back to being married to Nicole?"

 

"Aww, you're just saying that because we've only been married for one day. Cheer up, daddy! It took a long time for you to decide you loved and wanted to marry Nicole, right?"

 

"...Yeah, but-"

 

"But it's the first day of school, so we gotta hurry before the bus comes!"

 

"That's not what I-"

 

"C'mon, Richie! Time to get out of bed, sleepy head!"

 

Anais excitedly jumped up and down on the bed, although this didn't help Richard decide whether or not to get out of bed. She rubbed his belly and tickled his underarms, making him giggle. 

 

"Hehe, stop it, honey!"

 

"Not until you get out of bed, hubby! It's show and tell day, so I want you up and at 'em!"

 

"Heheh, wha, show and te- ahaha!"

 

Richard was always a ticklish lad, and Anais knew exactly where to strike to make him squeak like a child. 

 

"Get outta bed! Get outta bed! Get outta bed!"

 

"Heehee! Hahah, I will, I will! Please just sto- ahahaha!"

 

Anais, clad in her pajamas, wasted no time in getting up and putting her clothes on. She pulled the zipper down on her cotton pajamas as Richard sat up on the side of the bed, knowing that he would have a nice, clear view as she took them off. Wearing only a pair of thin panties that just barely adequately covered her genitals, she bent over, presenting her hardly-covered bubble bottom to her husband. Then she turned, showing off her flat chest and bare nipples. 

 

"Heehee, let's get dressed together, daddy!"

 

Richard was suddenly thrust back into the dreamy nightmare he was living out. This was his own daughter - and he was ten times her age. He wasn't going to undress in front of her. That was sickening and illegal. 

 

"N- no!"

 

He closed his eyes, covering them with his hands. 

 

"I don't wanna do this anymore! I'm gonna open my eyes and everything will be back to normal!"

 

"Awww... Richie... Why are you doing this to me?"

 

He peeked out through his fingers. Anais looked like she was about to cry. 

 

"Richie... I did all of this because I love you, I really, really do. I just want to love you beyond the dad and daughter dynamic we had before... I guess you don't love me..."

 

She sniffled, and a tear streamed down her face. Richard felt incredibly guilty. 

 

"I... I'm sorry, sweetheart..."

 

"You are? Will you show that you are? Can we dress each other?"

 

Richard had an overwhelming desire to say no, but he couldn't say no to his own daughter, especially since she looked so heartbroken. 

 

"Well... I suppose..."

 

"Yaaay!"

 

"But only today, ok?"

 

"Ok, daddy!" 

 

Beside the bed was a dresser that Anais was standing in front of. The top shelves were Richard's clothes; the bottom shelves were Anais'. Richard pulled a lower shelf open and grabbed pieces of Anais' classic outfit - an orange, frilly dress and long cotton socks. He looked away from Anais' bare body, making sure the dress was facing how it should before putting it on her. It was always cute, seeing Anais pop her little bunny head, ears and all, through the neck hole. Anais put the socks on by herself, telling Richard that she only wanted him to put her dress on. She smiled at him, ready for the day. 

 

"Now let's see how you get dressed, daddy- I mean, Richie!"

 

"Eh... Well, I am your daddy... Can't daddy have a little privacy? Please?"

 

"Aww, you didn't see me asking for privacy when you dressed me. C'mon, Richie, you gotta be more transparent if you want our relationship to stay healthy!"

 

Richard, confused, checked the room clock. Anais' bus was due any second. 

 

"Ah, okay, sure!"

 

He peeked into his dresser, grabbed his normal clothes and hastily put them on, feeling the stress of being rushed for school all over again. Anais didn't even have time to stare at Richard's undies. In a flash, Richard was all dressed and ready to go. Anais was impressed. 

 

"Wow... You got ready so quick, Richie!" 

 

She rubbed him on the back of his thighs. 

 

"Today we're having a show and tell at school, and I-"

 

*BEEP BEEP!*

 

"Ah! That's them! No time for breakfast!"

 

Anais ran out the door, Richard behind her to see her off. Thank goodness we moved into a one story house, he thought. I'd be a total mess coming down the stairs if this were the old house. When they came to the sidewalk, Anais stepped on the bus, then stopped and turned. 

 

"C'mon, Richie. Let's go!"

 

"...Huh?" 

 

"I said, let's go. You're my show and tell buddy today!"

 

"Uhh... Well..."

 

All the others on the bus were looking at him. He could hardly think with all the eyes trained on him. 

 

"Okay, baby."

 

"Thanks, daddy!"

 

Richard hesitantly got on the school bus, walking with Anais to an empty seat. It was surreal. All the other passengers he could see were girls. Young girls. Around Anais' age. He started to think when Anais took his hand.

 

"You know, daddy? I think you should listen to me more."

 

"Huh- uh, yeah, I should..."

 

"I mean, I don't think you do a good job of listening to me and doing what I want you to."

 

"But the things you want me to do are weird and messed up-"

 

"Richie, listen to me." 

 

She grew a sad frown. 

 

"I know you're not comfortable with all this, but I know what's best for you. Mom knew that, too. That's why she wanted you to live with me from now on."

 

She held Richard's palm with her hands. 

 

"I know it's hard. But change is hard. And you'll get used to it."

 

She smiled, looking in his eyes. 

 

"Okay?"

 

Richard returned the smile, still anxious, but finding some sense in his wife's words. 

 

"Okay."

 

*KSHHHH!*

 

The bus stopped. It was time for school. Richard looked out the window. 

 

Banana Barbara's Preparatory School for Girls... I had no idea this place even existed. 

 

Anais saw the confusion in Richard's expression. 

 

"I don't think we visit this part of town often. But anyways, ignore the preparatory bit. This school's for girls of all ages, and I found a perfect spot for myself here during your divorce!"

 

"Oh... Well, that's nice..."

 

Richard saw girls standing outside that he recognized from Gumball's school. Penny, Teri, Sarah. Molly. But there were others - a blue girl with rainbow hair. A cactus girl. A girl with horns. Wait a second, he thought. All of these girls are from Gumball and Darwin's middle school. Did their parents all decide to switch to this place? That's a crazy coincidence. 

 

"Riiichieee, time to gooo!" Anais said in a singsong voice. 

 

"Oh, coming!" replied Richard. This was all such an unreal experience as he walked out of the bus. Immediately, all eyes were on him, the girls staring at him like some sort of exotic animal at a zoo. Anais had to drag him through the crowd, as all he could do was blankly stare back. 

 

The inside of the school was relatively fancy. Glossed tile for the floors. Pompous decorations. Flyers celebrating the first day of the school year. This was all so morbidly fascinating to Richard as he looked around like a bewildered child, his wife taking him by the hand and dragging him to the cafeteria. The cafeteria was spacious, dotted with standard hexagonal tables and the sorts of chairs one would expect from a school. Anais sat Richard down at an empty table. 

 

"We're lucky this place serves breakfast! I'll get something for the both of us, just wait here a bit."

 

Anais left for the breakfast line, leaving Richard to twiddle his thumbs by himself. He sat there for a minute before he noticed someone - no, two girls - approaching his table. Penny and Teri, he thought, Gumball's school friends. Maybe they know what happened to my boys. The two girls sat, their breakfasts various degrees of finished, on opposite sides, with no one beside Richard. 

 

"Hiya," said Penny. "If I recall correctly, you must be... A mime!" 

 

The girls snickered; Richard half-heartedly laughed along. 

 

"Eheheh, uh, say, do you know where Gumball and Darwin went? They've been missing for weeks. I'm worried sick about them."

 

The two both went "oh," and looked back over at each other before smiling at poor Richard. 

 

"They're absolutely fine," Penny said. "Darwin's living with me now." 

 

"And Gumball with me," Teri continued. "And yeah, I can vouch for that. Sometimes me and Penny swap Gumball and Darwin, we live with each other for a few days. That's good fun! Gumball said to tell you hi. Here's a picture!"

 

Teri pulled out her phone and showed Richard a picture of the two boys. It was taken just over the weekend. They were smiling, Gumball giving Darwin the bunny ears. It didn't matter that turning up the brightness would reveal a splotch of brown on Gumball's tongue, or the subtle shadow of Penny's hand near the very top-left. The mere confirmation of his sons alive and well made sweet, cathartic relief wash over Richard. 

 

"Oh, thank you two so much! I could kiss you! My beautiful boys..."

 

His voice broke up, and he began to cry from the sheer joy. Penny and Teri were both put off by the sight. They both gave their best smiles as they got up. Penny just left, but Teri stayed for a moment, if only to pat him on the back. 

 

"It's ok, don't worry."

 

"I'm not, I just... I'm just so happy!"

 

"Oh, hey, looks like Anais is coming with your food! Bye bye!"

 

Teri sped off before Richard could compose himself, and just like she said, along came Anais with their food. She saw him smiling, tears streaming down his face. She set the trays on the table. 

 

"Richie, hubby! You okay?"

 

Richard sniffled, gasping. 

 

"I... Yeah, I'm fine, baby... Your brothers are totally fine, too."

 

"Wha-? Oh yeah, great!"

 

Richard was too busy getting himself together to notice Anais' blasé reaction. He used the napkin in the plasticware wrapping to dry his tears, then chowed down on the daily breakfast. A sausage, egg, and cheese biscuit with hash browns. Not great, but eh. It was better than nothing. When they finished, the bell rung. Classes would start any minute. Anais and Richard were first out the cafeteria doors, beating the rush and finding Anais' classroom quick. Anais dropped Richard off in the classroom. 

 

"Stay here, I'll be right back!"

 

Anais left Richard by himself for another minute. He looked around the room. There was a whiteboard rather than a chalk board, not that that was a bad thing. There were no desks aside from the teacher's desk, just a collection of mats. Must be for younger students, he thought. Then someone entered the room - but it wasn't Anais. It was Penny's little sister. She gasped, surprised at seeing a boy in a girl's school. 

 

"Wow! The teacher got us a real boy!"

 

"...What?"

 

"You haven't met our teacher yet? Miss Watterson! She's really nice and teaches all sorts of neat things about our bodies!"

 

"Huh... I think I have."

 

"Yay!"

 

Excited, Penny's little sister sat down on the mat conglomerate, staring intently at Richard. Richard himself was more than a tad creeped out, but he was optimistic. 

 

Nicole must be the teacher. I can tell her our boys are alright! 

 

As the seconds passed, the room started to fill with girls around and even under Anais' age. Girl after girl filled the mat space on the floor until the whole classroom was stuffed with them. A little tiger girl, a little banana girl, a little fox girl, all sorts of girls were in this one room. Some of the girls chatted amongst themselves, while others whispered about the big boy in their classroom, and whether or not he was supposed to be there. Then, the door opened once more. Finally, it was Anais, carrying a few rolls of paper. 

 

"Good morning, class!"

 

"Good morning, Miss Watterson!" chimed the class. 

 

"Happy first day of school, everyone! Now, I'm sure some of you remember me from our back to school program a few weeks ago."

 

Anais set the rolls of paper on the desk, then wrote her name on the whiteboard, along with "Treating Boys Well".

 

"And if you weren't there, just know that we're all in for a year of fun, excitement, and most importantly, learning! I hope you're all ready for the big lesson for our first day!"

 

"Yes, miss," said the class. 

 

Richard was totally blindsided. Anais wasn't a student at this school. She was a teacher. He barely had time to register it when she smacked his butt. 

 

"Today, I brought along a special treat for everyone! Meet my new husband, Richard Watterson!" 

 

"Hi, Mister Watterson!" said the class. 

 

Richard was well and truly embarrassed. 

 

"I... I'm her dad! This isn't normal!" 

 

The class merely oohed and ahhed at this revelation. The fox girl raised her hand. 

 

"Missus Watterson, does that mean he's your daddy husband?"

 

"Yes it does," Anais said. "And you can have your own daddy husbands too! Just make sure your mommies are okay with it!"

 

Richard was confused out of his mind. 

 

This can't be real. I can't be here. This-

 

He felt someone undo his belt. 

 

"Good job, Petunia! Now take it off and roll his pants down."

 

He looked down. Penny's little sister was unraveling his pants, pulling them down. The class oohed in delight as they gazed on his crotch, covered only by his undies. He crouched, then sat down, his back against the desk. He was scared, breathing hard through his mouth. 

 

I... I think I'm gonna be sick... 

 

Anais grabbed his hand again, like on the bus. 

 

"Richie, sweetie... You're gonna be fine. Everything's gonna be alright. We're just gonna do some show and tell, and we'll have some fun doing it. Okay? Baby? Speak to me?"

 

"Uhh..." 

 

It was a weak, sickly moan that only heightened the class' interest. Anais ran her hand down Richard's belly while he felt several hands grab around his undies. 

 

"Just listen to me for once, Richie... Let us play for a while."

 

Just then, Richard was... Outside. Outside, looking through the window. That big pink thing molesting those poor girls inside... That wasn't him. He was outside. Viewing the flowers and shrubbery. The girls inside were laughing. They were taking off their clothes. As well as that pink thing's. Not his. He was outside. Looking at the pretty flowers and shrubbery. He felt warmth all around his body... The sun's warmth. Pretty flowers. The girls looked like they were having fun with that pink thing. Not him. He was outside. Pretty flowers...

 

"Richie? Richieee? It's time to get of the bus."

 

"...Eh?"

 

Now he was on the bus. They were home. He didn't remember school days being this short... 

 

"Richard. It's time to get off."

 

Anais was looking cross. Richard, fatigued, stood up. 

 

"Ok, Anais."

 

He and his wife got off the bus and entered the home. His clothes were a bit dusty, but nothing too bad. He sat on the couch. He was drained. 

 

"Anais... I'm tired..."

 

"I know, baby. Sorry for being rude a moment ago. We had been on the bus for a full minute."

 

"Oh? Oh, yeah, ok..."

 

Richard was really out of it. The taste of a biscuit sat in his mouth. Anais was rubbing his arm. 

 

"You did amazing with the girls today. We took pictures and videos. I love seeing their adorable little faces when they find out new things. I admit, you kinda worried me for the first couple minutes... But it looked like you took it really well. I hope we broke an old taboo there, eh? Oh, and I guess that means no sex tonight, right? Poor Petunia, the look on her face when she got a face full of..."

 

Anais went on. Richard tuned her out. He was done with today. He closed his eyes, laid back, and began to fall asleep. He felt Anais settle on his belly, her orange dress gone, her socks rubbing against his abdomen. 

 

"I love you, Richard... I really do, honey... I hope we can be husband and wife forever and ever..."