Operation Rescue - The New Co-Ed; Chapter 10 free porn video

Operation Rescue: The New Co-Ed Chapter 10 - The Big Day A young man gets in trouble and loses his scholarship. It looks like his dream of college to escape a poor future is doomed - until he sees an ad recruiting 'surrogates'. Tommi's pregnancy is progressing, and so is the semester. Tommi has new issues to deal with. [email protected] ********************************************************************** Tommi put her phone down and sighed heavily as her head drooped. Her expression echoed the pain in her heart. She slowly shook her head, as she began to cry. Soon, tears were streaming down her cheeks. "It's not fair!" she exclaimed softly to herself over and over. A knock on the door barely registered with Tommi. When the knock sounded a second time, even louder, she called out, "Come in." She barely moved from her position, sitting on her bed, her knees drawn up and her chin resting on them as her tears dripped from her cheeks onto her slacks. "Hi," Mel said in a chipper tone. Then she noticed Tommi's posture. "Is this a bad time?" Tommi looked up at her friend as if she'd barely comprehended Mel's words. "What?" Mel flinched at the sight of Tommi. Tommi was crying about something, and judging by the redness and puffiness of her eyes, she had been for quite a while. "Are you okay?" Her voice was instantly sympathetic and concerned. Tommi stared at Mel for a few seconds, tears continuing to trickle down her cheeks. "No," she finally said. Mel's demeanor changed instantly. "Do I need to get you to the clinic? Is everything okay with the baby?" Tommi shook her head slowly. "It's not that. It's Sara, my little sister," she managed to say between sniffles and sobs. Mel tensed. Tommi's health and that of the baby were paramount, and concern about her physical and mental state was a frequent topic of discussion among Mel and her close circle of friends. They also knew that Tommi and her sister had gotten very close; Tommi spent hours every week on the phone with Sara. If her sister was in some sort of trouble, it could seriously affect Tommi's pregnancy. Mel eased down on the bed beside Tommi and put her hand on Tommi's shoulder, pulling her into a hug. "Is everything okay? I know how excited you were when she was accepted to come here next fall." Tommi wiped at her tears in a futile effort.to dry her cheeks. Almost as soon as the old tears were wiped away, new ones trickled down her face. "She's not coming," Tommi sobbed. "But ... why not?" Tommi shook her head, and the tears came faster. "She didn't get enough financial aid. She can't afford it." "Oh, I'm so sorry," Mel said soothingly as she hugged Tommi more tightly. "What's she going to do?" Tommi shook her head sadly. "Same thing as everyone else stuck in that damned little hell-hole - get a job," she said bitterly. She wiped her tears again. "She said she'll save up until she can afford college, but it won't work that way. She'll end up getting married just to get away from Ma, and then she'll have kids and be stuck in a dead-end life." Tommi buried her head in Mel's shoulder; her body wracked by sobs and her crying audiblet. "Oh, Tommi," Mel cooed as she gently rubbed Tommi's shoulders. "I'm so sorry." "And I can't help her," Tommi cried. "I want to help her get away from there, but I can't afford it, either." Mel had a thought. "Maybe she can ..." Tommi knew where Mel was going. "I already checked the rules. She's only seventeen, and not eligible for the program." "Oh, Tommi," Mel said softly, "I'm _so_ sorry!" ********** Tommi wore a determined expression as she strode purposefully into the clinic. Her gait was that of a pregnant woman. She was almost seven months along, clearly showing, and the increased mass had changed her center of balance and given her the characteristic 'pregnant woman waddle'. Sometimes, as now, her hands gently cradled the bulge in her abdomen, accentuating her pregnancy. She barely noticed any more and didn't really care. Suzie looked up as Tommi came in. "Hi, Tommi," she started in her normal chipper voice, but as soon as she saw Tommi's expression, her tone changed. "Are you okay?" Her fingers were already moving to the phone, to page Dr. Tina or Rachel if needed. "The baby is okay," Tommi reassured her quickly. "I need to talk to Rachel if she's in." Suzie glanced at her computer. "She's in a meeting for another fifteen minutes or so, but then she's free." Suzie looked back up to Tommi. "I'll wait," Tommi said firmly. Tommi glanced at Suzie again, and felt a twinge of envy. Suzie had given birth to her baby. _Her_ baby! Unlike the others who hosted surrogacies, Suzie now had the responsibility of caring for her own infant. If pregnancy made some women glow, the joy of motherhood made Suzie positively radiant, if also a bit tired. "Okay," Suzie replied automatically. She knew something _big_ was troubling Tommi, but it wasn't her job to inquire - unless Tommi volunteered something. "You know where the snacks and coffee are if you'd like." Tommi nodded. She hadn't been thinking about eating or drinking - only about Sara. But when Suzie mentioned the refreshments, Tommi's stomach began to remind her that she'd missed lunch. "Thanks. Maybe I will get a bite." The refreshment center was a decent-sized room off the main lobby, strategically located where it wasn't obvious to those who didn't know of it. It had been designed specifically for the clinic's clients. The massive refrigerator always held an assortment of healthy salads, fruits, and vegetables for snacking. Several varieties of fruit juice and caffeine-free soft drinks filled one shelf, and a coffee machine always had fresh hot decaf coffee. Tommi selected a pre-mixed fruit cup and poured herself a cup of coffee with hazelnut-flavored creamer. She eased herself into a chair and peeled open the snack. Before she knew it, the fruit cup was just an empty plastic container. Tommi hadn't realized how hungry she was, especially after spending most of the morning laying in her bed crying. Tommi was contemplating getting another snack when Suzie poked her head around the corner. "Rachel is free," she announced. "She's expecting you." Tommi nodded. "Okay." She awkwardly levered herself up from her chair, picked up her coffee cup, and waddled out of the refreshment center toward Rachel's office. Tommi was no longer surprised by how pregnancy made some motions difficult. Some days, she seemed to be fatigued by even the simplest of things, like getting into or out of a chair. Rachel's door was open; when Tommi peeked in, she saw that Rachel was busily at work on her computer - as usual. At least Rachel wasn't pregnant; she'd given birth to her baby a few weeks ago, and was quickly regaining her figure. Tommi cleared her throat, which caused Rachel to look up quickly. "Oh, hi, Tommi. Come in." Tommi eased into a chair, sighing with relief as she got the weight off her feet. "Oof," she sighed. "I never realized that carrying a baby would be so tiring." "And you still have a couple of months to go. It doesn't get easier," Rachel commented knowingly. Tommi nodded, a glum expression on her face. "Yeah, I know. You and Dr. Tina have told me and told me. And told me." "You can't say we didn't warn you of what was coming." Rachel looked past Tommi's fatigue and glum expression. "You're getting that radiant look, you know? Even when a pregnant woman is tired, there's a certain ... something ... about her looks. You're getting it." "Great," Tommi snorted. "All I need is for people to tell me I'm 'glowing'. It's not bad enough that strangers think they have the right to feel my pregnant belly." Rachel shrugged. "It's annoying, but it's part of the game. How are things with that young man you keep talking about?" "Brian?" Tommi snorted contemptuously. "It seems like he's _always_ around, always wanting to talk about stuff, always wanting to help carry my books, like I'm totally helpless! He practically worships the ground I walk on!" She sighed. "I was hoping that he'd see my pregnancy as a sign that I'm not some kind of pure and innocent goddess and leave me alone." She shook her head. "But now he thinks I'm selfless and noble, and he seems to worship me even more! He just doesn't get it that I'm not really a girl, and I'm not interested in him - at all!" Rachel fought the impulse to laugh at Tommi's predicament. "You didn't have to tell him it was a surrogacy. Then he might have just thought you were a naughty girl." "Yeah, I realized that," Tommi complained. "About ten minutes after I told him." Rachel sat back in her chair. "You didn't come here to talk about him, did you?" Tommi shook her head. "No." "What, then?" Tommi winced as she contemplated her request. "I ... my sister ..." "Sara?" Rachel interrupted. "She was accepted as a freshman, right? So she'll be here next fall?" Tommi shook her head. "She was accepted, but she didn't get enough financial aid. She ... can't come." There it was again - the stab of pain at the news. Tommi felt her eyes starting to water - again. Tommi felt like she'd lost the sister that she'd only recently gotten close to. "Oh. I'm sorry," Rachel answered. "I was wondering," Tommi began hesitantly, "is there anything you can do? Could she, you know, join the program?" Rachel shook her head sadly. "You know the rules, Tommi. We can't enroll her since she's only seventeen. She hasn't taken the tests, so we don't know if she'd even pass. And she has to volunteer. You can't be the one to sign her up." Tommi sighed, dropping her head. "I know," she said sadly. "I had to ask." She wiped at the tears. "It's not fair," she complained bitterly. "She deserves better than being stuck in loser-ville." "I'm sorry," Rachel repeated sincerely. "There's nothing I can do. And I know you were _so_ looking forward to having her join you here on campus. It's been just about all you've talked about lately." She sighed. "Having Sara come was a very bright ray of sunshine for you. We could see a significant change in your attitude; it's just about all you've been talking about since her admission application was accepted." Tommi looked up at her words. "Was it that obvious?" she asked tentatively. "Yes," Rachel responded without having to think further. "It was _that_ obvious. Having a close sister has really been helping you adjust to being ... a woman." Tommi's face got a slight frown. "I'm not _adjusting_ to being a woman. I'm _not_ really a woman, and I won't be when this is done," she snapped. She saw the startled reaction on Rachel's face. "I ... I'm sorry. Too much stress, I guess." Rachel smiled sympathetically. "I know. And I guess I'm sometimes a little careless about thinking of you as a natural woman. I'm sorry." Tommi shook her head as she wiped at another stray tear. "It isn't fair," she complained, changing the subject from what would turn into _another_ uncomfortable discussion of her difficulties being a guy in a pregnant woman's body. "Isn't there anything you can do? Maybe find her a job in the office or something?" Rachel shook her head again. "No, Tommi," she replied softly. "It's company policy that we reserve jobs for our clients first. Even if that weren't policy, I don't have any openings. I'm very sorry, but there's nothing I can do." Tommi let her head slump forward as she accepted the inevitable. Then suddenly, she froze. Rachel could almost see the mental gears turning in Tommi's mind. Very slowly, deliberately, her head lifted. Tommi's lips were pursed, and her eyes burned with determination. For several seconds, she breathed steadily. The determined expression on her face was unnerving to Rachel. Finally, Tommi spoke, softly, but with the firmness of iron. "There is something that _I_ can do," she said. Rachel's eyes widened. She was suddenly afraid that Tommi was going to do something rash. "What ... what are you talking about?" she asked nervously. She'd seen patients do desperate things before, and Tommi was clearly desperate to help his little sister. "I'll do another one," Tommi said firmly. "What?" Rachel wasn't sure she'd heart Tommi correctly. "I'll do another baby." Tommi repeated. "If you can help me get the money to Sara without her knowing, I'll sign a contract for another baby." She paused as more mental gears shifted. "Maybe some type of special grant, or a sponsored scholarship or something - you know - like the one you helped me get from the corporation?" Rachel measured her offer. "You've been remarkably frugal, and can probably pay for the rest of your education from your first contract. Are you sure you want to go again?" she asked. "You know what this means, don't you? It'll delay your transition back. And you _have_ been having some ... issues ... with the adjustment." Tommi nodded firmly. "I'm sure. I'll do _anything_ for my little sister," she responded. "She's all I have left of my family. I have to help her ... somehow. Any way I can. And this is only way I can think of." Tommi looked evenly at Rachel as tears started streaming down her cheeks. "Unless you have another idea." Rachel slowly shook her head. "No, I don't." ********** The bubbling of the fountain, surrounded by budding and blossoming trees, was a very tranquil setting. Tommi sat on one of the benches, enjoying the warmth of the early-morning sun. For the moment, she was ignoring the students scurrying around her. She was off her feet, resting, and talking to her mentor/friend Julie. Nothing else mattered - at least for a few moments. Soon enough, she'd be back to the normal hustle and bustle of campus life, and the self-conscious feeling of being a visibly-pregnant co-ed. "You aren't going home at the end of the semester, even for a brief visit?" Julie asked, almost incredulous that someone wouldn't want to go home. Tommi sighed. "I guess I never told you, did I?" She shook her head sadly. "Ma and my older sister Liz kind of hate me for leaving home and coming to college. They have some notion that I should have stayed home and gone to work in the mine." "Wow!" Julie exclaimed softly. "I never knew that. That's got to be tough." Tommi nodded. "Even if they weren't against what I'm doing, well, it wouldn't work." "Why not?" "You know the stereotype of West Virginia being a redneck, hick kind of state?" Julie nodded. "Yeah, but that's just a stereotype, right?" Tommi shook her head. "It's an _understatement_ for my home town. If I were to spend time there, it would be a major scanda, an unwed pregnant girl, visiting my Ma's home. People would immediately assume that I got a girl knocked up, and that she was visiting my Ma in a get-to-know-the- family sort of way." She sighed. "And if anyone knew the truth ...." She shivered involuntarily. "I can't go back." Julie whistled softly. "I'd have never guessed that it would be like that. So are you going to Florida?" "No," Tommi replied quickly. "I'm staying here for summer school. As far along as I am and given my circumstances, Rachel and Dr. Tina would prefer that I not be far away. Just in case..." "Yeah, I know how they can get," Julie agreed with a chuckle. "Don't you kind of feel ... alone sometimes, though? Like this summer, when everyone else will be gone?" Tommi's eyes got a far-away, sad look in them. "Yeah, I guess," she said softly. "I hadn't really thought of this summer, though. I suppose it's going to be tougher than most of the time." She forced herself to smile. "I guess I won't have many distractions from my classwork." Her eyes widened suddenly and momentarily. Julie grinned. "Except for a baby kicking from time to time?" Tommi nodded. "Yeah. I suppose I should be getting used to it, but I'm not. The baby is bigger, and it's kicking more." Julie nodded sympathetically. "I know the feeling. I really hate it when the baby kicks me in the bladder." Tommi glanced at Julie's very large belly. "How much longer do you have?" Julie absently rubbed her belly. "I'm due any time now. If I don't start labor soon, Dr. Tina is going to induce Friday morning." She smiled. "If I don't have to have a C-section, I should be back in class Monday morning." Tommi noticed that Julie had a sad, wistful look in her eyes. "Is it hard? I mean after the birth? Knowing you carried the baby, but that you'll never see her again?" Julie gulped suddenly, and tears started streaming from her eyes. She looked down as she nodded mutely. Tommi suddenly felt bad for bringing up the subject. "I'm sorry," she said quickly. "I didn't mean ..." Julie shook her head. "It's okay. You're in the program, so you'll understand." She looked past Tommi to the bubbling, spraying fountain. "Yeah, it's hard. Sometimes, I wish I could keep the baby. But I know that's not practical, and it's not what I signed up for." She shook her head as her cheeks moistened. "I know that the center is very careful screening the families that will adopt the babies, so I know my baby will go to a loving home." She wiped her tears and stared past Tommi into the fountain. "You'd think that after two, this one would be easier." Tommi reached out her hand and rested it on Julie's. A silent unspoken message of support and sympathy flowed between the two girls. Tommi knew the feelings that she was developing toward the baby in her womb, and knew that Julie had to be feeling the same, and Julie knew only too well the sense of loss that Tommi was going to experience in a few weeks. Julie abruptly changed the subject. "It looks like you're following your fitness program pretty well." She laughed even as she wiped at the vestiges of tears on her cheeks. "I know one girl who didn't follow the program, and she had about forty pounds to lose after her baby was born." Tommi laughed. "Dr. Tina keeps threatening to incarcerate me and force- feed me healthy foods if I don't stick to the diet." Julie looked over Tommi's figure. "From my non-professional view, it looks like you're doing pretty well. You've got the trim basketball- under-the-shirt look, not the bloated whale look." "Yeah, I'm trying to keep from getting too big. Except there's one place I can't stop growing. Or rather, two places." Julie laughed. "It happens." She glanced down at her own bosom. "They'll be about a cup size bigger, and then your milk will come in and they'll seem even bigger still. But for most women, they go back to normal after they quit producing milk." Tommi winced. "They're already big enough," she complained. "But Dr. Tina said mine won't go down much postpartum, because I'm still a "growing girl." She said I'm going to be stuck with D-cups ... or bigger!" "I know girls who'd _kill_ to have D-cups." "They can have mine, for all I care!" Tommi retorted. "That's the one part of this that bugs me the most. I'm not really a girl, but I've got bigger boobs than most _real_ girls!" Julie nodded. "Having boobs was the thing that took me the longest to get used to." She glanced briefly at Tommi's chest. "Although, I'm not as ... blessed as you are." Tommi sighed. "It's the one thing ... two things ... that I'm most self-conscious about." Julie nodded. "Well, it'll be over soon. You're due in July, so you should be ready for reversal surgery in late August - maybe even before school starts." Tommi looked away suddenly; her lip was trembling. "I'm .... not ..." she started. "I'm going to ... do another one." Julie's jaw dropped as she considered the words that she'd just heard. "You're serious? Why? You've been pretty frugal with this one, and saved a lot, so you really don't need the money." "It's personal," Tommi replied softly. "Promise me you won't tell anyone." She saw Julie's confused expression. "I want to tell them in my own way. Please promise you won't spoil it?" ********** Tommi suppressed a groan when she saw Brian waiting for her as she walked toward class. It was becoming almost a ritual, and she was getting quite nervous about the young man. He was obviously smitten with her. Tommi wondered if he'd be as smitten if he knew the entire story. "Good morning," Brian said cheerfully as he fell into step beside Tommi. "Morning," Tommi mumbled. Brian noticed her mood. "Are you okay?" "Not a good night," Tommi replied. "I didn't sleep well. About every time I got settled down, the baby would move and make me uncomfortable again." Brian winced. "That's got to be tough." Tommi nodded unenthusiastically. She did feel exhausted. Fortunately, it was Friday; after a checkup and a workout at the clinic, she had the entire weekend to catch up on her rest. "Men don't know the half of it." She cringed as she realized that her response had been stereotypically female - like her entire brain was slowly changing to match her body. She shuddered involuntarily as she continued waddling down the sidewalk, her hands absently under her belly for support, and her book bag slung over one shoulder. As a pregnant co-ed, Tommi felt very self-conscious as she walked about campus. "You know," she observed, "everyone is staring." Brian shrugged. "No big deal. It's not like you're the only pregnant girl on campus." "Yeah, but they probably think that you did this to me," Tommi replied, her voice a bit angry. "It feels very awkward." Brian thought for a moment before answering. "You're probably imagining it because you're tired." He tried to calm Tommi. "I'm sure no-one thinks that you and I are ... well...." He flinched, knowing that Tommi was probably right, and that he didn't have a good answer for her. Tommi ignored his feeble words. She knew what some of the Betas had been saying, in words spoken just loud enough that she'd overhear. They called her a slut, a whore, a tramp, and worse. "Look, we're just friends, right?" Brian continued. "So there's really nothing there." He looked at her, hoping that she'd disagree, that she'd say that they were _more_ than just friends. Tommi sighed. "Yeah, whatever." She really didn't feel like talking much. "You look uncomfortable," Brian observed, changing the subject. Tommi shrugged. "Guys will never know _how_ uncomfortable it can be," she observed. "But it's what I chose to deal with." Brian knew he wasn't getting very far with the subjects he'd tried. "What are you doing for the summer?" "Staying here. I'm due in July, and the doctor wants me close to the clinic. I'll go to summer school. What about you?" Brian breathed a silent sigh of relief. Tommi was conversing, not just giving curt annoyed answers. "I've got a job with a small IT company in my home town. I'll be working with network and router setup and configuration and troubleshooting." Tommi frowned. "That sounds ... boring." "Nah," Brian retorted. "It's great experience. Real-world work, not the theoretical stuff like in classes. It''s a high-demand field, and it's good pay." "So what exactly will you be doing?" "For the existing customers, I'll be in charge of remote diagnostics and trouble-shooting of their networks. If I get to help with new clients, we'll do surveys of the customer facility, then we'll design a network, buy the equipment, and configure and install it." Tommi nodded. "It still sounds boring." "No, it's ..." Brian's voice trailed off. He suddenly realized that, to someone who didn't live and breathe IT and networks, it _was_ boring. He chuckled. "Yeah, I guess it does, compared to some other jobs." "And _that's_ why I'm not going into EE or Computer Engineering," Tommi added. "Bioengineering seems a lot more varied and interesting." She realized that her words could be taken as snooty. "At least to me." ********** As usual, Tommi and Katie's room was the get-together spot, and the small circle of friends was all assembled, taking a break from studying. Katie gave up trying to work when they all piled into her room. "I'll be up late tonight trying to finish my term paper, you know," she chided the girls, "and all because you feel chatty." Erica laughed. "You think you're the only one in the dorm getting an early start on studying? Finals start in a couple of days. We've _all_ been hitting the books pretty hard. We _need_ a little time off." "Yeah," Linda chimed in. "You should give yourself a little break, too. We've all earned it - we survived the semester." Katie frowned. "Almost," she added. "If you blow your finals, you won't have survived." Ashley set her soda on Tommi's desk. "I'm going to be here for summer school," she announced. "You've told us," Linda reminded her. "That's the _last_ thing I'd want to do - spend the summer doing more studying." "So what are you doing?" Mel asked of Linda. "Same thing as last summer. Lifeguard in a water park," Linda informed the group. "I got a summer internship at Disney," Christina boasted. "In one of the parks?" Ashley asked, sounding almost in awe. Christina shook her head. "No, in the marketing department. I want to work there when I get my degree, so this fits perfectly!" In turns, the girls explained their summer plans. Erica described the work she'd be doing in her dad's business. Kim's news that she was spending the summer in Europe elicited envious comments. Compared to that, Mel's plans for working at a summer camp seemed boring. And Dianne was planning to just hang around at home and help watch her younger siblings. The only ones who hadn't announced their plans were Katie and Tommi, and everyone knew Tommi's plans. "So, what are you doing?" Christina asked Katie. "Summer school, too?" The girls all laughed; Katie was easily the most serious student among them. Katie shook her head. "I'm taking the summer off," she announced. "I'll be working with a youth group at home." Tommi knew all eyes were on her. "I'll be sticking around for summer school, too" she said simply. "Dr. Tina wants me close when I have my baby." She suddenly flinched as the baby kicked. "Oof! I'll be glad when _that's_ over!" "Are you going to come down to Florida after that?" Katie asked hopefully. "You'll need some time to rest, and Mom and Dad would love to see you again." Tommi nodded. "Yeah, I know." "At least I'll be around to help you," Ashley said hopefully. "At least until ..." Tommi flinched again. "Ugh! Right in the bladder!" She pulled herself up. "Be right back," she explained as she waddled toward the door. As the door closed behind Tommi, Christina sighed. "This isn't much of a party, is it?" Erica shook her head. "What do you expect? After finals, we're not going to see Tommi again, are we?" She wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. "Ashley will. But the rest of us won't," Christina replied, her voice melancholy. The unspoken fear had been spoken. The sense of foreboding and gloom that had been hovering around the fringes of the room descended fully. Linda nodded glumly. "She'll probably have the _other_ surgery before summer is over, too, so she won't be ... one of us." "It's going to be ... weird," Kim agreed. "I mean, how are we going to deal with a ... guy who was a girl and who lived in our dorms? Someone we shared intimate _womanly_ secrets with? And who's seen us ... well, _au_ _natural_." By the time Tommi returned from the restroom, all sense of fun and frivolity was gone. Tommi had no sooner stepped into the room than Linda leaped up and pulled her into a tight embrace as she shed tears on Tommi's shoulder. Tommi was taken aback by the sudden display of emotion. "What's going on?" she asked, confused. "I guess it kind of hit us," Erica said sadly. "Next week is goodbye." Tommi eased out of Linda's tearful embrace. "It's not like it's forever," she said. Christina shook her head. "I know we'll all be back next fall," she said sadly. "But, well, it just won't be the same." "Yeah," Kim added. "How can it? It just ... won't work." "But ...." Tommi's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. "Oh! You're talking about ..." Mel nodded sadly. "It won't be the same. I don't see how it can." Tommi glanced at Katie. "Why not?" Linda glanced at Mel, and then looked back to Tommi. "How can it? I mean, after your ... um ... operation ...." She shook her head. "I'll be back in the fall," Tommi said simply. "And I hope I'll have the same roommate, too." "But ... after you have your ... surgery ..." Even Katie was dumbfounded. Tommi smiled. "I'm not having that operation, at least not for a while. I'll still be one of the girls when we all come back next fall." Erica's eyes widened momentarily, and she practically leaped to Tommi and hugged her tightly. "That's great!" she exclaimed, tears of joy welling up in the corners of her eyes. The other girls squealed with delight, taking their turns hugging Tommi. Eventually, the girls drifted back to their own rooms, a fact which Katie appreciated. "Now I can finally get this paper done." "Trying to push that A to an A-plus?" Tommi laughed as she sat on her bed, leaning against her pillow. Her feet and her back were very tired. "I'd give just about anything for a back rub," she sighed. Katie laughed. "Careful what you wish for. I know at least one young man who'd probably give you three back rubs a day in exchange for one date." Tommi groaned. "I could have gone a long time without having _that_ thought stuck in my brain." "So, what gives?" "About what?" Katie scowled. "About not having the reversal surgery." She looked evenly at Tommi. "I haven't roomed with you all this time to _not_ have learned something about you." Tommi shrugged. "Surgery was tough. I figured it'd be best to wait a while after having my baby before I went through that again." Katie shook her head. "I've heard your complaints about guys looking at you, about women's clothing, about your periods. I _know_ you're struggling with fitting in as a girl when your brain is still thinking like a guy. I know you're unhappy with the way the Betas act toward you, and having to deal with Shelly the Bitch. So what gives?" Tommi sighed. "It's kind of personal." Katie started to ask again, but she stopped. Her gaze narrowed as she frowned. "This is about Sara, isn't it?" she asked, her question sounding more like a statement of fact. Tommi looked down, away from Katie's gaze, and shook her head. "No," she lied quickly - too quickly, she immediately realized. "You're not fooling me. It _is_ about Sara," Katie affirmed. Realization of Tommi's plans slowly dawned on Katie. "You're going to carry another baby to help her pay for college, aren't you?" Tommi's reaction confirmed what Katie suspected. Tommi looked up, her eyes pleading. "You can't tell her," she begged. "Please promise me that you'll never tell her. She'll feel like she owes me something! Just like Ma and Liz would always do. They never let me forget a favor, and they'd use the favor as a kind of psychological blackmail. I _can't_ let Sara think that I'm no better than Liz or Ma! Please, please, please promise me!" ********** Tommi squirmed in the chair, feeling quite uncomfortable. There were several factors bothering her. First, it was summer, and therefore hot and humid, and the air conditioning didn't completely compensate. Second, because of her swollen belly, Tommi had to sit turned awkwardly to fit in the chair. And third, the baby was quite active today. A sudden sharp pressure, like a massive cramp, took Tommi's breath away. She held her breath, wincing at the pain. Tommi knew it was a contraction, and a strong one. Tommi had had a few of them before - on her first minor contraction, she'd rushed to the clinic out of fear. After a few hours of observation, Dr. Tina determined that it was false labor. She counseled Tommi on contractions, false labor, and on the signs she needed to watch for. Dr. Tina told her these initial contractions were changes in her uterus to prepare for labor, and that she'd be giving birth soon. Since then, Tommi had only experienced a few more mild contractions. "Are you okay, Miss Wilson?" Tommi slowly recognized the voice as the pain began to subside. "Huh?" she mumbled. "Uh, yeah, I'm okay." The professor frowned. Anyone could see Tommi's obvious pregnant state. "Are you sure?" Tommi nodded, aware that she was suddenly the center of attention of the class. "I'm okay," she insisted again. The professor raised an eyebrow at her as if questioning her judgement, but then he shrugged and turned back to his lecture. Tommi knew that the other students were staring, and some of the girls were whispering, but she forced herself to turn her focus back to the lecture. After a few minutes, the whispering and staring died down. The next contraction hit Tommi just as suddenly, and with a little more force. She couldn't help crying out a bit as the wave of pain washed over her. "Hold my hand," a strong female voice said from beside her. "Take my hand and squeeze if you need to." Tommi managed to turn her head, and saw that an older woman, in her mid- thirties, was squatting beside her. Tommi recognized the woman as a school teacher who was getting some continuing education credits during the summer. She grasped the woman's hand and squeezed firmly as the pain continued. Tommi gritted her teeth, trying not to cry again, as the contraction continued. The woman waited patiently until the pain had subsided some. "I think class is over for you," she said calmly. "Those two were about twelve minutes apart. You're going into labor." "I'm _okay_," Tommi protested. She felt confused by the fuss. "I had a couple of false labors already, so this is just..." The older woman smiled knowingly. "I've had three of my own, so I think I know a little more about labor and childbirth than you do," she said. She looked at the students who were starting to circle them. She picked a couple of the girls. "Can you help me get her to my car? I'm going to take her to the hospital." The professor nodded, visibly relieved, while the two girls nervously hurried over to Tommi. "Can you stand?" the woman asked. Tommi thought for a moment and nodded. Carefully, aided by the two girls, she stood up. "Okay," the woman directed gently, "let's walk out to the elevator, and down to entry. You can rest there while I get my car, okay?" Tommi nodded. "Okay." Flanked by the two 'volunteer' assistants, Tommi waddled out of the classroom, knowing that all of the students were staring at her, and not really caring what they might think. "My books," Tommi said as they waited for the elevator. "I've got to get ..." "I've got them," the older woman replied quickly. "Do we need to take care of your car, too?" Tommi shook her head. "I live in the dorm." "Do you have an overnight bag ready?" Tommi shook her head. "My friend, Ashley, will bring it to me. She's kind of expecting to have to help me." The elevator arrived and the ladies stepped in. "Okay. When we get in the car, you can call your friend, okay? Does your OB have a preferred hospital?" Tommi shook her head. "No. I need to go to the Morris clinic. That's where my doctor is." The older woman raised an eyebrow in surprise, but otherwise said nothing. The two girls helping Tommi, on the other hand, were confused and also didn't speak. The doors opened onto the ground floor, and the ladies scurried out. The older woman was periodically checking her watch. She led Tommi and the two girls to the building entrance, where there were a few benches; Tommi sat down. "I'll go get my car," the woman explained. "If they're twelve minutes apart, you're going to have another contraction in two or three minutes, before I get back." The two girls blanched. "What ... what do we do?" one asked nervously. "Just keep her steady, and let her hold your hand. She's going to be in pain, and might squeeze kind of hard, but she'll be okay. It'll only take me a few minutes to get the car." The woman thought for a moment. "On second thought, take her to the restroom so she can sit down. If she's having contractions, her water might break, and it'll be less ... messy." She turned to the other girl. "Get a cool, damp, paper towel to wipe her forehead." She squeezed Tommi's hand reassuringly. "I'll be right back. Don't worry." "That's easy for you to say," Tommi muttered as the woman exited the building in great haste. Tommi _did_ have a contraction while the woman was getting her car. The two girls with Tommi were very tense, but managed to help Tommi through the pain. As soon as the contraction was over, one stood by the building entrance watching for the car. When she saw the older woman pull up to the curb, the two girls helped Tommi to her feet and helped her waddle out. Both were very grateful when the woman told them that she had things under control, and they could go back to class. ********** "Okay, you wait here, and I'll go get someone with a wheelchair." The car was stopped at the emergency entrance to the clinic. Tommi nodded. "Okay." The woman needn't have bothered. Before the car came to a halt, a nurse hurried out to meet it, pushing a wheelchair. As Tommi was being taken inside, the duty nurse said to the older woman, "We've got her now. You can leave if you'd like. Unless you're on her visitor list, though, we can't let you see Tommi. Privacy laws, you know," she added apologetically. "I understand," the woman acknowledged. "I've got to get back to class anyway." As she started to get back in her car, but paused. "Interesting clinic," she observed. "I especially like the guard gate to the emergency entrance." Her words carried more than a touch of sarcasm. "Not everyone agrees with our position," the nurse replied. Since this is such an emotional issue, and the sides are pretty well dug in and not likely to change their minds, we have to take precautions to protect the privacy - and safety - of our clients." The woman considered her words for a moment and nodded. "I understand. Well, I hope everything goes well for Tommi and that her delivery isn't as ... challenging as my first one was." With a friendly wave, the woman got back in her car and drove off. ********** Tommi lay in the bed, her face contorted in pain from yet another contraction. As it eased, she glanced over at the nurse. "Is Deb here?" she gasped through the last remnants of the pain. The nurse shook her head. "No, she's got the evening shift. If you're still in labor, you might see her in a few hours. That is, if she gets assigned to you. We're kind of busy today." "But ... Deb has been kind of like my private nurse through all of this," Tommi protested weakly. The nurse ignored the unintended slight. "Well, you get the pleasure of my company today. I'm Beth, by the way." "When will Dr. Tina be around to check on me?" "Tina is in the OR doing a procedure," Beth explained. "Dr. Phillips is also covering labor and delivery today." Tommi felt almost ill; not only was she having a baby, but she was alone, without any friends or her usual nurse or Dr. Tina. Beth recognized her uneasy look. "It'll be okay," she said reassuringly. "You're among friends. We'll take good care of you." Dr. Phillips' arrival couldn't have had better timing if it had been scripted. She walked briskly into the room, her short legs a blur of motion to keep up with the pace she kept. Dr. Phillips was shorter and a bit stouter than Dr. Tina. She came immediately to the bedside, still reading from the electronic tablet she carried. "Ah, Tommi Sue Wilson?" Tommi nodded "Yes." "I'm Dr. Phillips." She consulted the pad. "I see you've been here twice with false labor?" "Correct," Tommi answered formally. She was quickly taking a dislike to Dr. Phillips. Whereas Dr. Tina was happy and delightfully informal, Dr. Phillips seemed quite distant. "Okay, let's have a look." Tommi reflexively put her legs in the stirrups, and the Dr. Phillips began the intimate examination. "Um, hmm," Dr. Phillips said mostly to herself. "She's starting to dilate, so this is the real show." She looked at the nurse. "Get me the ultrasound cart, please. I want to see the baby's position." After the ultrasound, which was interrupted by another contraction, Dr. Phillips helped Tommi sit up. "The baby looks good - in the right position for a normal delivery," she pronounced simply, "Since this is your first, it's probably going to be a few hours before you're fully dilated and ready to deliver." "Hours?" Tommi asked plaintively. "Hours?" Dr. Phillips nodded. "First deliveries usually take the longest." "So what do I do?" Tommi grumbled. "Just sit here and suffer?" Dr. Phillips tried to smile, but failed. In Tommi's judgement, her bedside manner was sorely lacking. "You've got a few choices. You can lie in bed. You can sit in one of the chairs. You can walk around a little." "Walk around?" Tommi said, astonished. "Are you kidding?" "No, I'm quite serious. Some women find it therapeutic - and distracting - to walk. Gravity and walking motion can help the baby move down the uterus. Some patients claim it shortens labor." "But it hurts!" Tommi complained. "I know, dear," Dr. Phillips said, patting Tommi's hand in the first gesture of humanity that Tommi had seen. "If it gets too bad, we can get you an epidural. But I'd really prefer to try to hold off as long as you can." "Why? If it hurts ..." "Because when you get an epidural, it will decrease the pain, but evidence shows it also tends to increase the length of your labor and significantly increase the possibility of a C-section - especially in your case." "Oh." Dr. Phillips frowned at Tommi. "You should have known that. You _did_ take the classes, right?" Tommi nodded sheepishly. "Yes. But I guess I wasn't completely paying attention." "I hope you're paying more attention to your college professors than you did to your doctors and nurses." She smiled at Tommi. Tommi considered that she might have misjudged Dr. Phillips. The doctor had obviously taken time to learn of Tommi's history and background. "Is there something you can give me, besides the epidural, that will, you know, take the edge off the pain?" "I can get you something," Dr. Phillips began, "but I think it would be better to see how long you can go before you really need something. The sooner we start on pain relief," she explained, "the more we may have to do later." Tommi gulped. She hadn't considered _that_ angle. "Okay," she answered nervously. "I'll try." "I know you're nervous," Dr. Phillips continued. "But I know that you'll do just fine." Dr. Phillips patted Tommi's arm and smiled. "You don't have anyone with you?" Tommi shook her head. "Ashley is going to come as soon as she gets out of classes." "We don't want you to be alone, so Beth will stay here with you," Dr. Phillips added. "She's here to take care of you, so if you need anything, ask. Okay?" Tommi nodded again. "Okay." "I'll be back to check on you periodically," the doctor explained before she turned and left the room. Beth helped Tommi sit back on the bed. "You had the tour," she began, "so you know what we've got. Do you want to try walking around? Maybe a warm shower on your back?" Tommi sighed. "Part of me wants to rest. Part of me wants to do whatever it takes to get this over as quickly as possible." Beth laughed gently. "I know the feeling. _Every_ woman who's been through a childbirth knows the feeling." She got a pillow from a small closet, fluffed it, and eased it behind Tommi. "Would you like to watch something on TV?" Tommi frowned. "I don't really watch much TV." "We've got a good selection of movies," Beth added. "Chances are if you want it, we've got it." "How about _Airplane_?" Tommi asked hesitantly. Beth's nose wrinkled in distaste at Tommi's choice. "I can check," she said, barely hiding her dislike for the movie. Tommi laughed. "You should have guessed, with my background, that I'd like movies like that." She glanced at the clock and cringed - another contraction would be due in a few minutes. "I really don't want a movie I have to think about," Tommi sighed. "Just something to take my mind off the contractions. Maybe, like _Galaxy_ _Quest_?" ********** Ashley halted mid-stride, her eyes wide with surprise, as she came around the corner and nearly ran into Beth and Tommi. "Hi," she stammered, quite obviously confused. "I got here as soon as I could." Tommi smiled and opened her arms to hug her friend. "Thanks," she said, sounding both relieved and quite tired. "How ... how are you doing?" Ashley asked, glancing at Tommi's still- pregnant belly. Tommi was clad in a hospital gown. "It's ... different from what I was expecting," Tommi sighed. "Harder. Longer. Not like the movies." Ashley paled. "How long ...?" she tried to ask. "Oof," Tommi winced. "Another one." Her face contorted as she fought the pain of the contraction. In a practiced move, Beth guided Tommi to one of the many chairs lining the corridor and helped ease her down. Ashley watched, fascinated and horrified at the same time, as Tommi began her practiced breathing as a way to distract herself from the pain. After what seemed an eternity, but was really only slightly over a minute and a half, the pain eased, and Tommi sank back. "Don't know how long this will take," she answered Tommi. "I'm an amateur, remember?" she added with a half-hearted grin. "Do you want to sit and rest a moment longer? Or should we go back to your room?" Tommi sighed. "Let me rest a minute, please." "You're the boss," Beth replied with a pleasant smile. "I need to go to the nurse's station for a moment. You'll be okay, right?" Tommi nodded, her eyes still closed. "You're doing just fine," Beth said reassuringly. "I'll be back in a few seconds." She looked at Ashley. "She'll be okay, but if you need anything, yell, and we'll come running." When Ashley nodded nervously, Beth stepped quickly down the hall. "How is it?" Ashley asked, curious about Tommi's experience. "Are you doing okay?" Tommi nodded. "I'm okay. They're taking good care of me. But it's not what I expected." "What does it feel like?" "Contractions hurt. At least for me. It's like a giant cramp in my abdomen," Tommi explained. "When they're happening, it seems like they take forever." Tommi sighed. 'You should have been here a while ago for all the fun when my water broke." "Oh," Ashley paled a bit. Tommi glanced up at Ashley, saw the expression on Ashley's face, and laughed lightly. "I'm not trying to scare you," she quickly added. "I know how much you want to be a mother, and that's why you're so curious." Ashley winced. "I ... I didn't think it was obvious. I mean, I hope ... someday ... that I'll have my own children. But ..." Tommi smiled. "And you'll do fine. I mean," she added in a hushed voice, "if I can do it - a former guy - then as a natural girl, it should be a snap for you." Beth scurried back, carrying a small bundle in her hands. "Okay," she said to Ashley, "Tommi is in room fourteen. Why don't you take her things - and your purse - down there, and change into these?" She handed the bundle to Ashley. "Once we get into delivery, you'll need to be in scrubs anyway, so we might as well get that out of the way." Ashley nodded and turned down the hall toward Tommi's room. Beth smiled as Ashley walked down the hall. "She's more nervous than you are," she commented to Tommi. Tommi laughed lightly. "She's a very nice girl. A bit young and naive, but a very good friend. And she wants to be a mother so bad." She glanced up at Beth. "That's why she's so curious." Tommi sighed wistfully. "I hope that someday she meets a really nice guy who'll sweep her off her feet, treat her like a queen, and help her raise the family she wants." Tommi lurched forward in the chair and began to lever herself back to her feet. "How about another warm shower? My back is hurting a bit." Beth smiled. "Good thing we don't charge for hot water, the way you love that shower." Tommi smiled. "You guys put it in, so I figure the least I can do is to use it to show my appreciation." ********** Suzie wiped the cool washcloth across Tommi's forehead, while Ashley stood on the other side of the bed holding Tommi's hand. It was late in the evening, Beth had gone off-shift, and Deb had come in to replace her. After work, Suzie had come by to see how Tommi was doing, and she had decided to stay for a bit to help out. She did, after all, have a certain kinship with Tommiand knew what Tommi was going through. "Just like you practiced," Ashley encouraged Tommi. It hadn't taken her long to learn from Suzie and Beth how to coach Tommi. She was breathing along with Tommi, taking shallow breaths to model for Tommi. "Come on," she urged, "breath with me." Tommi winced in pain, trying to follow Ashley's example. "It hurts!" she cried between breaths. Deb nodded. "You're doing fine," she encouraged. "I want this baby to be born," Tommi complained loudly. "I hate this!" Suzie winced at Tommi's comment. She knew, from her own experience and from helping others, that labor caused a woman to say strange things, most often, things she didn't mean. "You're doing fine," she cooed. "It'll be over in a little bit." As the pain of the contraction faded, Tommi sank back against the pillows. "It's been forever!" she complained. Deb nodded sympathetically. "Do you need the epidural?" she asked softly. Tommi glanced up at her, then at Suzie. Finally, she glanced up at Ashley. "It hurts!" she cried softly. Ashley reached out and stroked Tommi's cheek. "You're doing great," she said soothingly. Tommi stared at Ashley for a few moments, seeing the encouragement in Ashley's eyes. Finally she glanced back at Deb. "I want to try to make it without the epidural," she said hesitantly. "Are you sure?" Deb sounded very uneasy with Tommi's decision. It had been a long rough labor so far. Tommi nodded. She turned and glanced up at Ashley and smiled. It was clear to Deb that Tommi's smile was forced, but it was also clear that Ashley was great moral encouragement to Tommi. Tommi turned to Suzie. "I really appreciate you stopping by, and I know you want to be helpful," she said softly, "but you have a family at home. You have a little girl that needs you." Suzie's eyes widened in surprise. "But ..." Tommi smiled and shook her head. "I'm in good company," she said reassuringly. "Go take care of your family." She glanced at the clock. "It's late, this has been going on for quite a while, and you need some sleep so you can work tomorrow." Suzie squeezed Tommi's hand. "Are you sure?" Tommi nodded again. "I'm sure." After giving Tommi a quick hug - an awkward maneuver with Tommi lying on the bed, Suzie walked to the door. She paused and glanced at Tommi. "Good luck." She left, only to reappear in the doorway a moment later. "The doctor is coming back to check on you again," she announced. Then she disappeared again. As promised, a doctor did show up almost at once. To Tommi's relief, it was Dr. Tina. "Hi, Tommi," she announced cheerfully as she came into the room, reading the notes about Tommi on her electronic tablet. "I see you've been busy for a while." Tommi nodded. "I figured if I waited long enough, you'd get a chance to help me," she said with a smile. "Okay, it's been a while since your progress was checked, so let's have a look. Your last contraction was ..." "About three minutes ago," Deb answered promptly. "And they're about how far apart?" "Four to five minutes." "Okay. Let's see." Obediently, knowing the drill, Tommi bent her legs, pointing her knees upward and planting her feet on the bed a couple of feet apart. Dr. Tina quickly conducted her examination. "You're fully dilated, and the baby's head is engaged," she announced. "I think it's time." Tommi's eyes widened as she comprehended the fact that she was on the final stretch. "Okay." "Deb," Dr. Tina ordered, "please put up the screen." In response, Deb began to erect a surgical screen around Tommi's chest, just below her breasts. She saw the puzzled look in Ashley's eyes. "Normal procedure," she explained calmly. "But ... her baby?" Ashley started to protest. Tommi shook her head. "Sorry, Ash, but it's normal procedure. Neither of us will see the baby. It's supposed to be ... easier for me afterward." Her voice had a slightly sad tone, as if she just realized that she wasn't going to see the results of the miracle in which she was participating. "Okay, when you get your next contraction, I'll need you to start pushing," Dr. Tina coached. "About time," Tommi groused. "I've been fighting the urge to push for hours!" "Well, it's time to push now. Remember the classes - push, and when you breathe, try not to relax your abdomen. Try not to let the baby slip back." "Okay." The onset of the contraction startled Tommi, despite the number she'd already experienced. With Ashley's coaching, Tommi pushed, pausing to take a very short shallow breath before pushing more. "The baby is crowning. The head is starting to come." Dr. Tina's commentary and Ashley's coaching were reassuring to Tommi. And then the contraction was over. Tommi let her head drop against her pillow, and Ashley wiped the sweat from Tommi's brow with a cool washcloth. "Try not to relax your abdomen. We don't want the baby to slip back," Dr. Tina prompted. That set the pattern. Tommi pushed during her contractions, Dr. Tina urged her on and reassured her, and Ashley coached, held Tommi's hand, and cooled her forehead between contractions. And then, without warning, in the midst of a major contraction, the pain and pressure eased, and Tommi felt the baby moving from her. "The head is out," Dr. Tina said needlessly. "One more should do it." Tommi nodded. "I should have taken the epidural," she gasped. "Too late now. Besides, you're almost done." It took two more contractions, not the one that Dr. Tina had predicted, before Tommi felt the pressure end. She knew she'd given birth. As if to confirm it, she heard the sound of a newborn baby crying, and Deb suddenly became busy as she dealt with the newborn baby - swabbing the eyes, cutting the umbilical, taking the Aptgar score, etc. "Can you please give me one little glance?" Tommi suddenly felt herself saying. She _needed_ to see the baby that she'd just delivered. Dr. Tina shook her head, a sad look in her eye. "I'm sorry, but you know the policy." Tommi nodded sadly, a tear suddenly welling up in one eye. "I just ...." Deb glanced Tommi's way, looking over the screen. "I know, dear," she said sympathetically. "I know it's not the same as seeing the baby, but I can tell you that you're giving a family the gift of a very healthy little girl." Tommi glanced at her, then at Ashley. For some reason, she suddenly couldn't control the tears that started pouring from her eyes.