"See," Bob Williams said, "your married name threw me off, but," he
pulled a book out from behind his back and slammed it on the reception
desk. It was open to a page with pictures of young people, all of whom
Gerry had once known in high school. It was his year book - Bob's too.
Bob pointed to Gerry's picture and grinned even wider. "I gotcha."
Gerry started at the picture from seven years earlier. He still had
short hair then, cut in a traditional young man's style and the color
was his natural, light, mousy brown. He wore a suit coat and a tie in
the picture. Underneath was his name, 'Gerald L. Wentworth, Jr.,' and
his senior quote, which he'd taken from a pretentious Song by The Moody
Blues, 'Beauty I'd always missed with these eyes before. Just what the
truth is, I can't say any more."
Gerry looked up at Bob Williams, uncertain as to what to do or say.
Bob laughed. "See, I thought I knew you, but I couldn't put my finger on
just how, but it turns out that I just went to school with a relative of
yours. I mean, you are a Wentworth, right?"
Gerry was hardly able to breath, but there was an opening here. Bob
hadn't figured out that the boy in the picture was the woman in front of
him. "Umm... yes, I am a Wentworth." He was about to say that he was
Gerry's sister, but Luckily, Bob spoke first.
"So how is it that Gerry Wentworth has a sister named 'Gerri,' too.
Wasn't that confusing growing up."
"Actually," Gerry smiled, "Gerry and Taylor are my cousins. My father
and their father were brothers."
"Ahh," Bob smiled. "I get it. Now, tell me about this husband of yours."
"Honestly, Mr Williams..."
"Bob," he interrupted.
Gerry took a breath and began again, "Honestly, MR WILLIAMS, I am in a
bit of a rush to get back."
"So, you said that this little girl was your niece, correct."
Gerry sighed and glanced at the receptionist who returned a 'sorry about
him' look. "Yes, she is."
"Your sister's child, you said."
"Yes."
"That's funny, because at the meeting, Taylor Wentworth said that this
was her child."
"She is."
"But I thought that you and Taylor were cousins."
Gerry froze. Think, Gerry, think. "Well... yes, but we were raised as if
we were sisters, so we call each other..."
Bob was shaking his head. "Nope. I'm not buying it, Mrs Morley. Let's
have a chat in my office, shall we?"
Gerry looked at the receptionist who seemed thoroughly confused, then at
the exit, but ultimately just sighed and followed Bob to his office.
"Take a seat, my dear," he said with great amusement.
Gerry sat and looked at Bob, who seemed to be endlessly patient as he
waited for an explanation.
Finally, Gerry spoke. "Look, Mr Williams..."
"Bob."
"I'd really rather stick to Mr Williams."
"Look, Gerry, we've known each other a long time. I know we weren't
exactly 'friends' in high school, but we got along ok, didn't we." Gerry
nodded. "Then call me Bob."
"Alright... Bob... there isn't a lot to tell you. This all started out
as a joke and just steamrolled from there."
Bob nodded. "Are you gay?"
"No," Gerry looked anywhere except at Bob. "I'm married. You know
Stevie, right? Well, she's my wife."
"Whoa!?" Bob laughed. "You've done well, then. She's a healthy looking
woman."
Gerry nodded, not knowing how to respond.
"How long have you been... like this?"
"Not long. A week or so."
"Really!? What about the breasts? I mean, they look real."
"They are, real."
"Huh. Ok, I'm more confused than ever, but let's move on. Is this going
to be a permanent life style for you?"
"I don't know," Gerry sighed, uncomfortable with the conversation. "I
think... maybe... yes."
Bob shook his head. "Well, I have to say, you never did anything half-
way, Gerry. You look... amazing. But - why the pregnancy thing? Just a
kink or something?"
Gerry explained how things developed and hoped he'd be able to leave
soon. "Honestly, Mr Williams..."
"Bob."
"... I need to go. Mrs Wentworth will be furious if I'm gone too long."
Bob laughed. "Mrs Wentworth. She's really got you under her thumb,
doesn't she, Gerry? Ah, well... if you have to go... but I'd like to
continue this conversation." He glanced at the calendar on his desk.
"How about lunch on Thursday. Someplace nearby. Nothing fancy. See if
someone else can take the baby, though."
"I don't know, Mr Williams. I am married..."
"And I am curious. I'll come by at noon on Thursday and either you and I
will be going to lunch together, OR... I'll be telling your mother, I'm
sorry, Mrs Wentworth, that Kirkland-Williams will be looking elsewhere
for our financial needs. How's that sound?"
Gerry looked at the floor. "Very good, Mr Williams. I'll be ready to
go." He stood to go.
"Excellent. Say 'hello' to your mother for me."
"Yes, Mr Williams." Gerry took the stroller in hand backed towards the
door. He curtsied as he said, "May I leave now, Mr Williams?"
Bob smiled. "Ohh, I like the curtsy. Nice touch. Have you ever
considered becoming a maid?"
Gerry didn't even smile. "Have a good day, Mr Williams." He backed out
the door and left.
Gerry pushed the stroller through the office and last reception.
"Have a good day, Ms Morley," the receptionist called, but Gerry was too
focused on getting to the elevator to respond.
He pushed the 'down' button and waited impatiently. Just as the doors
opened, someone grabbed his arm. It was the receptionist, Maureen.
"Are you ok, Ms Morley?" She could see tears on Gerry's cheeks.
Gerry stared blankly for a moment, then shook his head. "No...,
actually, I'm not ok. I feel a bit... dizzy."
Maureen nodded. "Here, come with me for a few minutes. You're too upset
to be walking around on your own with a baby."
XXX
"Stevie. A moment, please," Kate asked as a sales staff meeting ended
and the others were filing out of the conference room.
"Sure, Kate. What can I do for you?"
Kate shut the door and indicated that Stevie should sit. Eventually,
Kate took a seat opposite Stevie and cleared her throat. "I assume that
Gerry spoke to you about our conversation, yesterday?"
Stevie looked a bit surprised by the question. "No. He did mention that
you came by and that you'd had a long talk, but... nothing else, really.
Why? Is something wrong?"
"No," Kate relaxed a bit. She'd shown Gerry a side of her that she
didn't like to show - a softer, mor vulnerable side - and she really
didn't want him telling Stevie or Taylor about the conversation. "The
thing is, Stevie... I... well, I gave Gerry my blessing to live as he
pleases. To be a househusband or housewife, or whatever works for you
and him."
Stevie sat back, crossed her legs and folded her hands in her lap.
"Well... That's very magnanimous of you, Kate, but, respectfully, it
wasn't really necessary. How Gerry and I chose to live our life together
is nobody's business. And, as much as we love you, that includes you."
Kate smiled flatly. "I understand, Stevie, but - also respectfully - you
are mistaken. Obviously, you will make your own decisions, but I know
that my opinion weighs heavy on Gerry. I know that he feels as if he has
never achieved in the same way that Taylor has and that can be tough on
a child, especially one as sensitive as Gerry. Regardless, I just want
you to know that, however you and Gerry plan to proceed from here on, it
is fine with me."
Stevie eyed her mother-in-law suspiciously. "I don't get it, Kate.
What's in this for you? We still don't have a Halloween plan worked out
and you've been alternatively overly supportive and then judgmental of
Gerry since this whole thing began."
Kate looked hurt for a moment. "There's nothing in it for me, Stevie.
What a horrible thing to say."
"Oh, come on, Kate," Stevie laughed, "you see every situation from every
angle and you chose the situation that best suits your needs. How does
having Gerry in dresses benefit you?"
Kate smirked. "Stevie... you do love my son, right?"
"Yes, of course I do."
"Then let's help him to be happy."
"I'm confused," Stevie said with genuine confusion. "I mean, obviously,
Gerry seems to be happier this way than before, but... how does that
benefit you."
"Look," Kate took a breath and continued. "I thought that giving Gerry a
kick in the pants and making him work here this week would make him wake
up and act like a man. I expected that, by Wednesday or Thursday at the
latest, he'd confront me and go find another job. But the exact opposite
happened. He became more... maternal. So much so that his own body
thinks his Mila's mother."
"And you're ok with that?"
Kate sighed. "I shouldn't be, should I? I know that I should be
screaming at him to man-up and be a good husband to you, but... I think
that I accidentally pushed him into being exactly what he's meant to be.
A good wife and mother. As unorthodox as that may be, he is happier than
I've ever seen him, healthier looking, cleaner, dressed so much
better... he's everything I could ask for in a daughter, Stevie. With
Taylor, I have a brilliant business woman to take over my company
someday and with Gerry, I have a beautiful, maternal daughter who will
provide my grandchildren with love and clean, healthy home. What more
could I ask for."
Stevie considered this for a moment. "Ok, Kate... that makes sense." She
got up to leave, but stopped at the door. "And... if Gerry goes back to
living as a man?"
Kate thought about that for a moment. "Is that something you'd like to
happen?"
"I don't know."
"Then let's cross that bridge when we come to it."
Stevie nodded and returned to her desk.
XXX
"Here," Maureen, the receptionist, handed Gerry a small bottle of water
from the refrigerator in the staff lounge. "Drink this and take a few
minutes to calm down."
Sensing that Gerry was upset, Mila began to get anxious and was calling
out for her uncle.
"Oh, don't worry, baby," Maureen soothed her. "Your auntie is just
having a little rest. She'll be ok."
Gerry took a sip of the water and reached for the baby. "Come here,
honey. Everything's ok."
He unstrapped Mila and pulled her onto his lap and 'Shh-ed' her till she
calmed down.
"So," Maureen started the conversation, "you've transitioned, right? So
why not just admit it and move on. Why try to hide it? You look like a
natural woman."
"It's complicated," Gerry said, not looking at Maureen.
"How? I mean it's the twenty-first century, right? People transition one
way or another all the time. My oldest brother used to be my sister.
It's really not a big deal."
Gerry smiled sadly. "It's not like that. I just started... I mean...
this was only supposed to be a temporary thing. Kind of a as a joke,
but..."
"It got out of hand?"
"More than that. I don't know if it's permanent or what, but... none of
that matters. See your company is my mom's biggest client and if I mess
things up between you guys and my mom... well, I just can't let that
happen."
"I see," Maureen nodded. "If you're not... well, why are you pretending
to be pregnant?"
Gerry sighed and told her a thumbnail version of his last ten days.
"Holy Moses," Maureen shook her head. "You've really had a roller
coaster of a week, haven't you!? So... what's the deal with Bob Jr? He
definitely thinks that he's got something on you."
"He does," Gerry seemed surprised by the question. "He knows who I
really am."
"So?"
"So... he could tell people."
"So?"
"So... it could be an embarrassment to my mother's company."
"Your mother's company?"
"Yes."
"Owned by your mother?"
"Yes."
"Your mother who bought you your first bra, a bunch of dresses, had your
hair and nails done and blackmailed you into working as a receptionist
while still being a nanny to your niece?"
"I'm not a nanny," Gerry sighed. "I just take care of Mila because I
love her, but other than that... yes."
"Look, Gerri," she took Mila's hand in hers as she spoke, "there is no
reason for you to hide who you are. You're a beautiful lady with nothing
to hide. If you're going to chose to live like a woman, then you're
going to have to be prepared to make an explanation about your past
every now and then. Don't hide who you were - it diminishes who you are.
Look at you! I'd kill to be as cute as you! Be proud of yourself and if
Bob Jr. tries anything, tell him to go to Hell. Your mother will
understand."
"I doubt that," Gerry shook his head.
"Look, Gerri... woman to woman... Bob Jr is a is handsy creep and you
can't let him think that he's got anything on you or he'll own you.
Unless you want to find yourself on your knees in a dirty men's room
giving him a blowjob, you need to put him in his place right from the
start."
Gerry's stomach turned as he considered her words. This was an aspect of
being a woman, of being small and pretty and vulnerable, that he'd never
considered and one that he was sure his wife and sister didn't deal with
on a daily basis due to their size and strength.
"Are you listening to me, Gerri?" She asked him.
"Yes," he answered, a bit breathless.
"A week or so ago, you may he been able to think of the world as a safe
place, but it's not anymore. You're not just some guy walking around,
anymore. You're a very cute girl in a pretty little dress. You need to
always assume that every male you meet, no matter how young or old, is
trying to figure out how to get into your panties. Do you understand?"
Gerry hugged Mila close and nodded. "I do, Maureen. Thank you."
Maureen sat back, feeling that she'd made her point and that Gerry might
take a stronger position when dealing with Bob Jr. "Are you ok, now?"
He nodded and stood. As he strapped Mila back into the stroller, Maureen
said, "If you ever need someone to talk to, or even just to go to lunch
with, give me a call. Just call the main number and enter extension 432.
It's easy to remember. I'm always here."
XXX
"So," Kate was not a happy woman, "you just told him who you were so now
the entire Kirkland-Williams account is in jeopardy. I swear, Gerry, you
need to make sure that you straighten everything out when you go to
lunch with that man on Thursday."
"What do you want him to do, mom?" Taylor was offering a defense. "We
have always said that Bob Williams Jr was a creep. If he thinks that he
has something on Gerry, then he's going to assert himself to make sure
that he gets what he wants."
Kate folded her arms. "Well, Gerry has no money, so there's nothing for
him to get there."
"If it's blackmail money he's looking for, mom, he won't be after
Gerry," Taylor pointed out. "He'll be after you and the company."
"Oh, good God. We need to figure out how to fix this. Gerry - no matter
what he asks, you give it to him."
"Kate!" Stevie was shocked. "What if he's looking for something other
than money!"
"Like what?"
"Like sex!"
"Well..." Kate left that hanging for a moment. " I guess that would be
inappropriate."
"Inappropriate!?" Taylor was nearly shouting.
"Mom..." Gerry started, but Kate cut him off.
"No, Gerry, I am not 'mom' here. You cannot slip up like that."
"Oh, for crying out loud, Kate!" Stevie strode to the door and called
out to Laura and Erin. "Would you two come in here, please."
Everyone waited as the other two women entered the conference room. Kate
was trying to figure out just what her daughter-in-law was up to.
"Girls," Stevie started, "we need to tell you the truth about
something."
"No, Stevie, there is no need for this," Kate said. "This is a family
matter."
"Not anymore, Kate. Ladies... our temporary receptionist, Gerri, is in
fact my husband, Gerry. He is not a woman and he is not pregnant. He is
however, the caretaker of Taylor's daughter, Mila, a wonderful husband
and one of the sweetest human beings I have ever met. Questions?"
There was silence for a few moments until Erin said, "But... wait... I
saw her breast feeding the baby this morning."
"Yes, he is lactating, so we, as a family, have encouraged him to breast
feed Mila in order to take some of the burden of pumping away and to
allow Taylor some freedom."
The women looked at Gerry, wide eyed. "HE'S lactating?" Laura said.
"Yes," Stevie said, matter of factly.
"How!?"
"He has a condition called Galactorrhea. You can look it up on line if
you'd like, but it's not something that Gerry brought onto himself. It
just happened."
"So..." Erin was deep in thought. "You're a girl on top and a boy on the
bottom?"
"In essence," Stevie said, "but, if you don't mind, his condition is
what it is and doesn't really require constant comment. If you have a
question that can't be answered on the internet please feel free to ask
Gerry in a confidential, nonjudgmental manner and he'll be happy to
answer it if he can, but we'd like to avoid having this be the
overarching subject of conversation in the office. Is that ok with
everyone?"
"Oh..." both women snapped back to reality, "of course."
"But..." Laura said, "why is he pretending to be pregnant?"
Taylor gave them a brief recap of their Halloween plan and her one piece
baby-belt-bra and the outcome of his trying that on.
The women still seemed surprised by the stories, but they agreed that
things were out of Gerry's control and they promised to help him in any
way they could and they returned to work.
Throughout Stevie's briefing, both Gerry and Kate had remained silent.
Once Stevie had closed the door again, Kate shook her head and asked,
"And how is that supposed to help anything?"
"Look, Kate," Stevie said, "if there's no secrets, there's nothing for
Bob Williams to use as leverage. From here on out, no matter how Gerry
is dressed, he is introduced as my husband and your son. If there are no
lies, there's no problem."
"Alright," Kate huffed, "but we need to figure out Bob Jr's motives
before Thursday. Now, let's get back to work."
XXX
At eight thirty, after dinner had been eaten and the dishes had been
washed and put away, Gerry sat on the coach with Mila at his breast
while Stevie and Taylor sat on the porch, enjoying the air and an after
work drink - one a bubbly moscato, the other a ginger ale.
They could hear Gerry quietly singing to Mila as she nursed.
'Being close and being clever
Ain't like being true
I don't need to, I would never
Hide a thing from you
Like some
No one's gonna hurt you
No one's gonna dare
Others can desert you
Not a worry, whistle I'll be there
Demons'll charm you with a smile for awhile
But in time
Nothing can harm you
Not while I'm around'
It was a charming, loving sound and they both enjoyed it as much as Mila
did.
"You think he's going to be ok?" Taylor asked.
"I think he's going to be great. There's no reason for him to hide
anymore. He's happy the way he looks, I LOVE the way he looks, you're
fine with it, Mila's happy... no one else has a right to care."
"Except my mother."
"Kate gave me her word that she'd be ok with whatever decisions we
make."
"Well, good, then." Taylor held up her glass of ginger ale. "A toast to
freedom."
"To freedom," Stevie taped her wine glass against Taylor's tumbler.
They sipped and smiled. Then Taylor said, "You know, as odd as all of
this is, it's all kind of a miracle for both of us."
"How so," Stevie sipped.
"Well, according to what you've told me, your sex life has never been
better."
Stevie laughed and held up her glass again. "Here, here!"
"For Gerry... well, I think he's really found a purpose in life. He
looks so much happier and, well, prettier."
"Again," Stevie smiled, "Here, here!"
"And for me..." Taylor laughed, "... with Gerry producing more milk than
Mila can consume, I should be able to put these babies to rest pretty
soon."
Stevie laughed. "And what will you do to celebrate your departure from
the dairy industry?"
"Well, I'll wear more comfortable and prettier bras, for one thing, and
I'll drink wine again, for another."
"Won't you miss nursing her?"
Taylor made a 'you must be kidding' face and shook her head. "Not as
much as I miss my glass of wine, Steve-O. Not as much as I miss my glass
of wine."
"That's a good girl," they heard from the other room. "What a good, good
girl." Then they hear the sound of gentle tapping and, eventually a
quiet little burp, followed by Gerry complimenting the child, again, and
the sound of Gerry padding softly towards the spare bedroom.
"He'll be changing her, now, then I should take her home and put her to
bed." She held up her tumbler in one more mock-toast and downed the rest
of her soft drink in one gulp, then stood and grabbed Stevie's glass and
said, "you're done with this, right?"
Stevie grabbed Taylor's wrist, laughing, "Oh, no you don't, lady. Not
just yet."
"Damn," Taylor snapped her fingers in a 'curses, foiled again, manner.'
"I almost got away with it."
Stevie joined Taylor as they walked out into the kitchen, rinsed their
glasses and placed them in the strainer to dry.
"Are you a sleepy little girl?" They heard as Gerry walked back towards
the kitchen carrying Mila who wore a pink sleeper with tiny, bright
white flowers speckled all over the material.
"Oh, Gerry, that sleeper is just adorable! Did you pick that out for
her?"
"Yes," he smiled. "I bought it on the way home, today. When I had the
driver stop for groceries, there was a new boutique for children that
just opened next door. Oh, they have the most beautiful clothes, but I
didn't have a lot of money with me, so I only bought her this."
"It's beautiful, Gerry," Taylor smiled as she took her daughter from her
brother. "She's so lucky to have you." She kissed his cheek and said her
goodnights and headed for the door. As usual, Gerry and Stevie waited
outside the front door until Taylor and Mila were safely inside their
townhouse next door.
As Stevie locked up, she said, "There are a lot of nice clothes for Mila
at that new store?"
"So many," Gerry beamed, fantasizing about dressing Mila in many of the
fashions he saw at the boutique.
Stevie saw how badly he wanted to purchase the pretty dresses for their
niece. "Why didn't you buy some?"
"Oh," he shrugged. "I only had about eighty dollars with me and, after
groceries, that sleeper was all I could afford."
"So..." Stevie was genuinely baffled by this, "... why didn't you use a
debit card or a credit card?"
Gerry walked to the strainer and wiped down the glasses his wife and
sister had left there. "I don't know. I guess I didn't want to spend
your money without talking to you first."
"MY money? Since when is it MY money, Gerry. You know that we're
partners. MY money is OUR money, baby. If you want to spend money,
especially on Mila, you don't need to ask me. Were did this idea of MY
money come from?"
Gerry shrugged, but didn't turn around.
"It came from your mother, didn't it?" She came up behind him and hugged
him from behind. "Baby, we're very lucky. We've done well. We don't need
to live on a strict budget. Your mother is just playing mind games with
you." She kissed his neck and felt him yield to her kisses. "We're
partners, baby. Equal partners." She kissed his neck again.
"Understand?"
"Uh Huh," he whispered, enjoying the kisses.
Stevie snuck her right hand up to his right breast and teased his
nipple. "Equal in all things." She nibbled his earlobe, which still bore
the pearl earring he'd worn to work that morning. "Never, ever, ever ask
permission again."
She felt his knees buckle as her left hand touched his left breast, so
she swept her right hand lower and scooped him up from behind his knees
and carried him, Rhett and Scarlet style, into the bed room, where she
gently tossed him onto the bed, his green, silk robe fluttering open,
revealing the lace covered, silk slip beneath.
Gerry caught his breath and turned to see Stevie stripping faster than
he'd ever seen her strip before. Within seconds, she was on the bed, her
hands under his slip, pulling his panties and baby-belt free. She
grabbed his legs, spreading them and pushing his heels towards his
bottom, his knees up in air.
Just the excitement caused by her animalistic arousal was enough to make
Gerry receptive to her powerful, masculine advances, but when she
gripped his swollen, extended organ and quickly devoured it into her
womanhood, he was already close to erupting.
Stevie began thrusting, pulling his manhood deep into her, but looking
as if she were thrusting into him. He may have come right then and there
if she had not suddenly, and with equal parts aggression and gentleness,
bitten down on his nipple through his bra, nursing pad and slip.
Gerry's attention moved from his groin to his sensitive breasts as his
breathing became ragged with desire, but Stevie's attention to his
breasts didn't last long. Without warning, she slowed sat back on her
heels, careful to keep his penis clenched firmly in her vagina. She kept
the slow motion thrusts going as she looked down at the beautiful,
womanly man beneath her. She'd always loved having sex with Gerry, but
lately, he was such a soft, compliant lover and he smelled so good, and
the lace that seemed to always encase his plump, feminine breasts... it
was all just so wonderfully exotic and erotic and wonderful.
"You're so beautiful," she whispered.
"So are you," he gasped. "I love you so much."
That made her smile. She kept a soft, firm pumping going. "You're my
beautiful, sexy, pregnant boy." That made them both smile. "Will you be
my wife?"
Gerry smiled. "I will, if you'll be my husband."
"I will, but," now she smiled, "I'm afraid that my business suits will
all have to be skirt suits. Your mother insists on a specific look in
the office."
"Do you want me to go back to wearing pants?" He asked, thinking he knew
the answer.
"Not on your life, missy," Stevie smiled in a nearly predatory manner.
She picked up the momentum of her thrusts as she spoke. "My little wifey
is the kind of girl that would never wear pants."
"Really?" Gerry giggled as he felt her core grip even more firmly around
his very being. "Why not?"
"Because she lives to be my little woman. My perfect housewife. The
perfect, plump nursemaid for my niece and, someday, for our own
children. She's a soft, weak, feminine goddess who likes it when I do
this." She thrust harder. "And this." She increased her speed and
intensity. "She loves it when I make her scream. Scream for me, baby.
Scream for me, little girl. Tell me I'm your man."
Gerry was nearly breathing, lost in ecstasy and the all too real fantasy
that his strong, powerful, tall wife-now-husband was narrating. "You..."
she thrust and took his breath away. "You're my..." she did it again.
"I'm your what, baby girl?"
"You're my man!" He huffed.
"Louder, sweet thing. Say it louder. Scream it for me."
She thrust again, devouring him completely. Not just pulling his penis
deep within her, but taking it from him. Stealing it. Nearly tearing it
from him as his squealed in a loud, high pitched voice, "You're my man!
Oh, God, yes! You're my man!"
And they came in hot, sweaty, loving unison.
XXX
"Gerri," Kate caught him as he was returning from changing Mila in the
ladies' room, "May I see you in my office for a moment. You can bring
the baby with you."
"Yes, Mrs Wentworth." Gerry felt a flush of fear wash over him. Tuesday
had gone by without incident and so had the first few hours of
Wednesday. What could he have done to have earned a reprimand today!?
There had been a half dozen clients so far, but all had gone well with
them, as far as he knew.
As he followed his mother, he glanced at his wife, who was with a
client, then at his sister, who was on the phone. No support was to be
found.
When he entered, his mother held the door for him and told him to take a
seat. When she'd closed the door, she took a seat behind her desk and
looked very serious. "I've been thinking, Gerri, and I think we need to
make a few changes if you're going to be living this way."
Great. It wasn't a work related talk. This could be bad. "What sort of
changes, Mrs Wentworth?"
"Well," she glanced at her notebook, "I was thinking this morning. You
are planning to to take Stevie to St Thomas in a few weeks, are you
not?"
"Yes, ma'm."
"And how, exactly do you plan to board a plane looking like that?"
Gerry looked at himself and shrugged. "I don't understand."
"Gerri," Kate shook her head, "you will need some form of ID to board
the plane, won't you?"
"Yes, I suppose I will, but I have a license..."
Kate held up his license for him to see. "I hope you don't mind. I took
it from your purse while you were dealing with Mila. Look at this
picture, Gerri."
He did. The picture was of an unkept twenty two year old man with dirty
blonde, scraggly hair and a lame attempt at a mustache. The personal
information read 'Gerald Wentworth, Jr' then his birthdate and a section
that read 'Gender' which was followed by the letter 'M.'
"If you were a TSA Agent, would you allow someone who looked like you to
pass through airport security with this license as an ID?"
"No, I suppose not."
Kate wrote on a Post-It Note and pulled it free, handing it to Gerry.
"You're going to need to take a slightly longer lunch break today to
deal with a few things. First, go to the address that I wrote on that
sticky note and ask for Marion. She's my lawyer and she has some
paperwork for you to sign. She'll take care of getting you an
appropriate license as quickly as possible. You should have it within a
week or so."
He looked at the note. The address was just a few doors away. "Yes,
ma'm. Ask for Marion."
"Good." Kate wrote on another Post-It Note. "After you've done that, I
want you to go to this address. Taylor will meet your there at twelve-
forty-five. She knows what needs to be done."
"What's this all for?" Gerry asked.
"Well, if you must know, it's for your Halloween costume. We have come
up with a novel idea and I'd like you to be measured to see if our idea
will work. You may need to try on a few things as well."
"What's the costume going to be?"
"Now, don't you worry you're pretty little head over it, Gerri. The idea
is a hoot, but I don't know if it'll work or how much it'll cost. Just
go to that address and let Taylor do all the talking."
"Was it Taylor's idea?"
"No," Kate chuckled, "as a matter of fact, it was Laura's idea. I never
would have expected something this creative from her, but... live and
learn! Now, off you go."
"Yes, ma'm." As he headed for the door, he stopped and asked. "Mrs
Wentworth... since Laura and Erin know who I am, couldn't I call you
'mom,' now?"
"Oh, Gerri, I really don't think that would be appropriate, do you?"
"Well, Taylor calls you 'mom' and Stevie calls you 'Kate,' so..."
"Yes, but Taylor and Kate are junior partners, Gerri. You are just a
receptionist. Remember our conversation, Gerri. The world is run by
those with money. I have money, Gerri. Taylor and Stevie have money. At
home, you can call me 'mom,' but in the workplace, I'm afraid that
proper protocol must be observed. While you are here, I will always be
Mrs Wentworth. Understood?"
"Yes, Mrs Wentworth," he nodded.
"That is a very lovely dress you're wearing today, Gerri." Kate seemed
to sense that she'd crushed his spirit more than she'd intended and was
trying to boost his moral a bit. It was a lovely dress, though. A knee
length sundress, white, with moderately wide shoulder straps, four tiny,
pearlescent buttons on the front of the bodice, eyelets modestly placed
on the straps and the belt-region of the empire waist and a wide, soft
skirt with a scalloped hem and a band of a baby blue checker board
pattern that emphasized the pretty scolloping by mimicking it's shape in
the checkerboard design. "You really do have a lovely sense of women's
fashions, dear. I'm so glad that we've discovered that talent and found
a way for you to display it to the world."
Gerry looked at the dress, hiked Mila a little higher on his hip and
tried to determine whether his mother's remark was a compliment or not,
but decided to just accept it as a positive remark. "Thank you, Mrs
Wentworth." He returned to his desk.
XXX
"I'm here to see Marion," Gerry told the receptionist. The address was
just a few blocks away and he and Mila had both enjoyed the walk.
"And your name?" The very attractive thirty-something woman smiled.
"Gerry Wentworth."
"Oh, yes, Miss Wentworth. Marion told me to show you right into
conference room B. She'll be with you in just a moment. Right this way,
please."
The receptionist walked beside Gerry as she led the way.
"You have your hands full, don't you?"
Confused by the remark, Gerry asked, "What do you mean?"
"Well, one in the stroller and another on the way. They'll be Irish
twins, won't they?"
Realizing what she meant, Gerry explained that Mila was his niece.
"Oh, how sweet. Here we are. Marion will be in in a moment."
Gerry unstrapped Mila and pulled her into his lap. Within a minute, a
woman in her sixties opened the door, but stopped and said, "Oh, I'm
sorry. I was looking for someone else."
She closed the door again and shouted down the hall to the receptionist.
"Anna! Where did you put Ms Wentworth?"
He heard the response, "Conference B."
There was a pause, then the door reopened and the same woman stuck her
head in. "Ms Wentworth?"
"Yes," Gerry smiled, but didn't rise because Mila was occupied with the
cloth book he'd put on the desk in front of him.
"Oh," the woman looked a bit confused, "you're not quite what I
expected. I mean, Kate told me that you were her son, but... are you
really a man?"
Gerry shrugged. "I guess. I mean... I was, but now... it's confusing."
"I see..." the woman sat down and opened a folder. "I'm sorry if I was
rude, it's just... I've done dozens of things like this for transgender
people, but... if you don't mind me saying, you're remarkably attractive
for a transgendered woman."
Gerry blushed a bit. "Well... thank you."
"May I ask, who is your surgeon?"
Gerry sighed. "I haven't had any surgery."
She balked at that. "Just hormones?"
"Just the ones that nature gave me," he smiled.
"My goodness..." she shook her head. "Uncanny. It really is. Well, let's
get down to business. I understand that you need a new license that
reflects your new gender choice and that you need it quickly in order to
use it for your ID when traveling. Is that correct?"
"Yes," Gerry smiled, relieved that the topic had changed to his actual
reason for being there.
"And when do you plan on leaving on this trip?"
"November ninth."
"Oh," Marion wrote down the date. "That is tight, but not impossible."
She handed him several papers. "I'll just need your initials here and
here and here and a signature at the bottom."
Gerry followed the instructions.
"Alright," she smiled. "I'll have a judge sign these this afternoon and
I'll call my friend at the Department of Motor Vehicles and I'll have a
license expedited for you. You'll need to go to a DMV Office either
today or tomorrow, depending on when I get the signature, to have a new
picture taken. Ok?"
"Oh, that's all there is to it?" Gerry was relieved.
"Yep, and once the judge signs the paperwork, you will be a female in
the eyes of the the State of a Florida."
"What!?" Gerry felt a rush of fear in his chest.
"I'm sorry. I don't know what you're concerned about."
"You said I'd be a female. You mean... legally... I wouldn't be a man
any more?"
Marion seemed even more confused than before. "Well... yes, Gerri,
that's what the paperwork is for. If you want to travel without being
detained or otherwise bothered by the TSA, then this is the only way to
handle it. There is no 'Gender X' option on a Florida license. Either
you're Gerald Wentworth or you're Gerri-Anne Wentworth. It's your
choice."
His heart was racing. He was thrilled to have been able to experiment
the way he had, but this was all so legal and permanent. "There's no
other choice?"
Marion took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Not unless you want to
spend the rest of your life explaining yourself to every police officer
and TSA Agent you encounter. Ms Wentworth, you... how should I say
this... you present as such a lovely woman... why is this an issue?"
Gerry considered things for a moment. At least a year, maybe more of his
breasts producing milk, then the breasts still being a part of him
unless he had them surgically removed, which scared him a lot... but
he'd never be considered a man again. He'd be, legally, a woman from now
on. "How will this impact my marriage? I mean... will my wife and I
still be married?"
"Your wife?" This seemed to shock Marion even more. "You mean you're...
a lesbian?"
"No." Gerry took a breath. "I'm a man. I mean... I have man parts and
I'm married to a beautiful woman."
"Ok," Marion was getting frustrated, "let me get this straight. You're
transitioning, you've obviously had some sort of breast augmentation,
although you don't seem to want to admit it, and you're afraid that this
little, legal process is a problem? Well, rest assured, same sex
marriages have been legal in Florida for quite some time, so, legally,
nothing will change."
"My breasts..." Gerry looked for the right words. "I'm not taking
hormones, but I have a condition and my breasts... well... I'm... I'm
lactating, so all of this is very new to me."
Marion sat back down, this time next to Gerry and she patted his cheek.
"Oh, you poor thing. You mean, this all just... happened to you?"
He nodded.
"My God, no wonder you're so overwhelmed." She looked at him closely. If
this was recent, then he'd adapted remarkably well. "Gerri... did you
ever, maybe, consider that this is, perhaps, the universe correcting a
mistake? That, maybe, you are meant to be who you are now? I mean,
judging by the way you're dressed, your wife must be supportive, and
look at your little girl. She's obviously not confused. You can see how
much she loves you."
Gerry didn't bother to correct her. Mila may not have been his daughter,
but she was definitely his little girl and there was no question that
she loved him. So, he just nodded.
"If you want to travel, Gerri, if you want to drive a car, if you want
to be able to present your license as an ID for any reason, this is the
best choice to make. I'm sure of it."
He nodded, again. "Ok. Go ahead and do it. I guess it doesn't really
matter."
"Atta girl," Marion said without any sense of teasing, as she stood up.
"Leave it to me. I'll have everything dealt with in about ten days."
"Thank you," Gerry stood, Mila on his shoulder, and he shook her hand.
"You're a beautiful woman, Gerri. Never deny that."
XXX
His second stop during lunch hour required him to walk past his mother's
office and another two blocks beyond. When he arrived at the address, it
was another office building, but he had no indication of what floor he
needed to go to. As he looked around, confused, until he spotted Taylor
waving from the door of one of the ground floor business. He turned
Mila's stroller in that direction and hurried to his sister.
The sign over the door read 'Amanda's Boutique.' When Gerry entered, he
was a bit surprised to see that the store was empty. There were no
displays of any kind to indicate what the store sold. There was a desk
in the corner where an elegantly dressed woman sat and several
comfortable looking chairs. The walls were painted a deep rose color and
the carpet was a thick-pile, beige that looked and felt very expensive.
"I'm so excited," Taylor nearly bubbled as she bent, unstrapped Mila and
put her on her hip.
"What are we doing here?" Gerry asked. "Is there even a business in
here?"
"Of course," Taylor smiled. "Come meet Amanda."
She walked over to the elegantly dressed woman and introduced him simply
as Gerry. The woman shook his hand then said to Taylor, "Will your
brother be here soon, Ms Wentworth? I have someone coming in at two and
I'd rather not have them think that my boutique is a costume shop, if
you don't mind."
Taylor put her free arm around Gerry's shoulder and stood next to him,
pulling him close. "This is my brother, Amanda. This is Gerry."
"This is...?" The woman slowly stood, mouth agape, and she stared at the
person beside Taylor. She was much, much smaller than Taylor, the top of
her head bearly reaching Taylor's shoulder, and she wore a dress that
was decidedly feminine. The dress also showed a great deal of shoulder
and all of her arms. Her shoulders were narrow and weak looking and her
arms were on the pudgy side, but showed no muscle development at all.
"YOU'RE the brother? How? I expected to be fitting a boy, not..."
Realizing she was babbling, Amanda looked at Gerry and said, "I'm sorry,
dear, I'm just very... surprised. Why... you're lovely, my dear. We have
a lot of choices. Let's get started."
She stood and pulled a seamstress' tape measure from a draw in the desk
and guided Gerry to a small platform in the rear of the store that he
had not noticed. "Jump up her, my dear, and we'll get things underway."
For the next few minutes, the woman touched Gerry in ways he'd never
been touched before as she ran the tape over his body, while also
speaking nonstop to Taylor. "Are we thinking something traditional and
full length, or something that shows off these beautiful legs of hers?"
"Well," Taylor thought, "I think we were going the traditional route,
but if you have something that had a traditional look while also letting
us see his knees and calves, I think that might be adorable." Then, to
Mila she said, "Yes, see Auntie Gerri? She's getting fitted for a very
pretty dress."
"I have some nice choices, but let's talk about her bust. Do we want to
be revealing or is some of that padding?"
"No, that's all him, but we don't want to be too revealing. He's a good
little housewife, not a slut."
"Well, you know what they say, 'A good little house wife should be a
slut in the bedroom.'"
That made both the women laugh, but Gerry was just concerned about what
was planned for him.
"Alright, darling," Amanda smiled, "just have a seat and give me five or
six minutes. I think you're going to love what I have for you."
Gerry stepped down from the platform and took Mila, who was stretching
to reach him, from Taylor and they both crossed to a coach and took a
seat. "She has called me a 'she' every time she referred to me, no
matter how many times you said 'he.' Does she understand that I'm your
brother."
"Relax. She's used to working with women, that's all. Besides," Taylor
indicated Gerry's new body, "come on."
Gerry huffed. "Well, I suppose it doesn't matter much. Pretty soon, in
the eyes of the State of Florida, I will be a woman. Legally and
forever."
"What do you mean?"
He explained what had happened at the lawyer's office.
"Wow." Taylor was surprised he'd agreed to go this far. "And you're ok
with this?"
He shrugged. "What choice do I have? I can't use my current license at
the airport and I did all of this to take Stevie to St Thomas for our
anniversary. It wouldn't make sense to throw it all away for the sake of
a little government technicality."
Before Taylor could discuss it any further, Amanda burst back into the
waiting area with several dresses hanging from a rack. "Here we go,
ladies! Come take a look!"
Taylor Rose, then turned and helped her 'pregnant' brother, who was
carrying her daughter, to stand and they went to see what Amanda had for
them. When Gerry saw the dresses, he gasped. "Wedding gowns!? That's the
plan? A pregnant bride?"
Taylor smiled. "That's part of it, but let's see what we have to choose
from."
"Now, this," Amanda smiled as she held up a very heavily beaded dress,
"is a very popular style. It's a bit revealing, but she can certainly
pull that off, and the dress has a lovely, seven foot train." She held
the full length gown out for Taylor to inspect.
"Hmm," she mulled over the gown and its very revealing buts area, "it's
a little... trampy isn't it? We're looking for something that's a bit
more... classic."
"Oh, then look at this one," Amanda bubbled. "It's a true classic. Tea
length, lightly beaded about the bodice, see through, lace straps,
modest, but sexy, and this nineteen fifties inspired , flared skirt with
built in petticoats and matching, very feminine, lace gloves. The back
zips up for a nice, uniform fit, but the zip-track is covered by another
flap that is closed with seventy five tiny, pearl buttons so it has the
look of a traditional gown, but the comfort of an everyday dress -
granted, an everyday dress from the nineteen fifties. Take a look."
Taylor gasped. "Oh, Amanda! It's perfect! Just perfect! Do you like it,
sweetheart?" The last part was directed to Gerry.
"Yes," he was surprised by how mesmerized his sister was by the beauty
of the dress. Usually, she was more interested in simple sheaths and
dress slacks for special occasions.
"Oh, Gerry! Quick, go try it on. I can't wait to see you in it! I'm sure
you'll look just perfect."
XXX
"This one, right here," Stevie told the salesperson. He was an older man
with stark white hair and a finicky little mustache that must have
occupied a good amount of his mornings in order to maintain its thinness
and neatness.
"Yes, ma'm," he smiled condescendingly as he removed the item from the
case. "That's a three carat diamond in a halo setting, designed by Scott
Kay. The band is platinum and the ring has a companion wedding ring that
compliments it beautifully if you and your fianc? decide you'd like to
have that as well."
Stevie smirked at the man's condescension. "Actually, it's for me to
give to my husband."
The salesman seemed confused. "Oh, well, madame, these are women's
rings, you see. The men's wedding bands are in the case over here, to
your right. If you'll step this way..."
"No, I like this one." Stevie insisted.
"But... madam, I'm not even sure if we could size that to a man's
finger."
"I'm sure that won't be an issue. He is a rather... slight man. I know
from experience that his ring finger and my little finger are the same
size. So, if you could measure my little finger and size this ring
accordingly, I would appreciate it."
"Yea, madame, of course, but... I do want to emphasize that you are
choosing a decidedly feminine ring and, since it is priced at forty-two-
thousand dollars, I would hate for you to make a very costly mistake..."
"Well, perhaps my mistake was to come into this store," Stevie stood
taller and made to exit the shop. "If you are willing to lose the
commission on a five thousand dollar sale, then far be it from me to
stand in your way. Have a good afternoon."
She was nearly to the door when she heard the salesman coming around the
counter and chasing after her. "No, no, madame, please, I believe you
misunderstood me and I apologize for my assumptions. I was just trying
to be helpful. Please, do come back to the counter and I will check the
size of your little finger. I'm sure your husband will adore the ring."
Stevie considered this for a moment, then turned to return to the
jewelry case. "Alright... but I expect you to do a bit better on the
price of the wedding ring."
"Oh, yes," the man said with a great deal of nervousness, "of course."
XXX
"Oh, Gerry, it's just perfect!" Taylor praised.
"I'll need to shorten the hem, just a bit," Amanda explained. "I'll
leave a little extra length in the front so her bump doesn't show as
much. If the hemline is even when she's wearing it, people won't notice
the baby bump."
"No, no," Taylor said with a bit more vehemence than she'd intended.
"Let his belly lift it a bit. We want people to see that he's pregnant
and that he's carrying correctly and not wearing a pillow under there."
"Alright," Amanda shrugged as she knelt and began pinning the hem of the
dress."
"You look beautiful, Gerry," Taylor told her brother. "I wish we'd known
how pretty you were before your wedding. You make a delectable bride."
Despite the time he'd spent in dresses, seeing himself reflected back in
the three mirrors near the platform, wearing a bridal dress with the
lace gloves, a wide petticoated shirt, a virginal veil pinned into the
delicate tiara on the crown of his head, made his knees a bit weak.
"Don't you just love it?" Taylor asked.
"It's..." he didn't know quite what to say. "... it's a beautiful dress,
but..."
"But what, sweetheart?" Taylor could not imagine why he'd had any
reservations about the dress or how he looked in it.
"Taylor, I look... I mean... I don't look anything like a guy in drag as
a bride. How is this going to help us win the contest? I just look
like... a bride..."
"A precious, pregnant, little bride, Gerry, and, trust me, this is going
to be great. I really can't tell you the whole plan, but this is just
perfect!"
"Ok," Amanda stood up, again. "She's all set for today. I should have it
ready by the end of the week. Do you need anything else? Shoes? Jewelry?
Lingerie?"
"Yes!" Taylor said, realizing that there were other things required. "I
think some basic, open toed pumps that match would be perfect, and could
we see what you have for bridal lingerie? I want him to have everything
that a real bride should have - even on his wedding night. He won't need
jewelry, though. My mother bought him a gorgeous set of pearl earrings
and pearl necklace."
Then she looked at Gerry and said, "I think mom is arranging to have
your hair and makeup done that day." Suddenly, she actually bounced like
a junior high school girl and giggled as well. "Oh, Gerry, this is so
much fun!"
XXX
By the time Gerry and Taylor returned to the office, his hired car was
waiting to take him home. He knocked on the passenger window of the car
and, when the driver had lowered the window, said, "I'll be just a few
minutes. I need to just grab a few things and I'll be right out."
"Take your time, ma'm," the driver replied.
When they entered the office, Gerry came to a dead stop when he saw a
stranger sitting at his desk. "May I help you?" The pretty girl asked.
She was approximately the same age as Gerry, but she looked athletic
and, even though she was seated, he could tell that she was taller than
he was.
"Umm..." he took a second to evaluate the situation. "This... this is my
desk..."
"Dayna!" Taylor shouted happily. "My mom hired you? That's wonderful!"
The girl stood and came around the desk to hug Gerry's sister and he
realized that she was even taller than Taylor - AND - she was wearing
very tall, very elegant heels.
"Oh, Taylor, thank you so much for putting in a good word for me! Since
graduating in May, I haven't been able to find anything but waitressing
jobs. This is such a Godsend and your mother said that if I do well at
reception, she'd teach me about investing and maybe I could move up to
being an investment councilor in a year or so."
"Oh, that's great, Dayna," Taylor enthused. "I think you'll love it
here. We're a company of women and we support women. Anything we can do
to help you, just let us know. We'll be happy to help."
"Thanks, Taylor. I'm so excited to be here. Look! I still have
goosebumps!"
Taylor laughed. "Oh, how could I have forgotten!? Dayna, this is my
little brother, Gerry. He'll be training you, I guess. Gerry, this is
Dayna. She plays basketball in our women's league."
The girl's eyes searched the reception area for a moment before settling
on Gerry, who held out a hand and said, "Hi."
Dayna blinked in confusion. "Gerry? This is your BROTHER, Gerry?"
"Yes," Taylor laughed. "Long story. I'll explain it all later, but
Gerry's in a hurry right now. He'll start training you tomorrow morning.
Gerry, sweetie, go tell Stevie you're leaving."
"Ok," he said and left the two women to chat.
He found his wife at a filing cabinet, her jacket off, revealing a
sleeveless, white, low cut, silk blouse that somehow complimented both
her strength and female form perfectly. If she didn't have a jacket on,
then Gerry knew that there were no clients anywhere in the offices. If
there were, she wouldn't dare appear in just a blouse and skirt. "Hi,
Stevie. I just wanted to let you know that I was back, but I'm leaving,
now."
"Hi, baby," she beamed at him, "did you find a nice dress?"
"Yes, I guess," he gave out a nervous laugh. Everyone could hear them
and he wasn't sure that everyone was a cool with his new form as they
let on.
"You guess!? Baby, a bride needs to love her dress. I loved mine!"
"Oh, no, it's beautiful and, yeah, I love it, I just wish I knew what
the whole concept was."
Stevie winked at him. "It's a surprise, baby, but trust me - You'll love
it!"
"Ok," Gerry sounded dubious, "but I should get going, now. Love you." He
stretched to kiss her cheek, but she turned and pulled him into a
passionate kiss on his lips. The heat of her lips caused him to close
his eyes and submit to her strength. His arms found their way to her
neck and he held loosely to her as she leaned him back and continued the
kiss.
When, at last, she let him up for air, she asked, "Do you remember how
we became engaged?"
Gerry blinked to regain his senses and tried to clear his mind.
"Engaged? Yes. We were on the beach and I asked you if you'd ever
thought about marrying someone. You said you'd only ever though about
marrying me, so I said, 'let's get married.'"
"Right," she smirked. "Not all that romantic, was it?"
He shrugged. "It seemed to work."
Now, she smiled broadly. "It did, but..." she took him by the hand and
led him to the center or the office. "May I have everybody's attention,
please!?" She called out, causing everyone to stop what they were doing
and stand. Even Kate came out of her office.
"Everyone," Stevie continued, "you all know that Gerry and I have been
together for a while and, well, things have been going great -
especially lately since we've kinda... found ourselves. Well, what you
may not know is that this beautiful man is the most wonderful,
sensitive, feminine wife a working woman could ever dream of coming home
to. He makes my life wonderful and he is the perfect surrogate mommy for
our niece, Mila. I cannot imagine my life without Gerry in it and I want
to make an honest girl of him, so..." she knelt in front of him,
confusing Gerry completely, "Gerry... beautiful Gerry... will you
please, do me the honor of officially becoming my wife?"
She held open the box from the jeweler's and presented it to him. The
sight of the huge diamond and the ornateness of the setting caused
Gerry's breath to get away from him. He gasped and his hand shot to his
throat.
"Well...?" Stevie asked.
"Not knowing quite what was happening and wanting nothing more than to
please Stevie, Gerry nodded and wept a few tears before the words came
out. "Y... yes! Yes, of course, Stevie!" He wrapped his arms around her
neck as she stood and carried him up, off of his feet for a moment.
Stevie took his left hand and removed his wedding ring, sliding the
ornate engagement ring onto his finger. Immediately, Gerry held the hand
at an angle and stared at the ring - a sign of feminine subservience to
a husband-to-be. It was gorgeous and it looked gorgeous on his hand and
he felt so beautiful, so lucky, so complete to just be wearing it! His
heart beat fast and his tears of joy flowed.
Stevie hugged him and whispered, "I'll make you happy, baby. I promise."
Before he could ask what she meant by that, Taylor suddenly pulled him
into a hug and kissed his cheek, too. "Congratulations, sweetheart." She
said.
What was wrong with everybody!? Stevie and he were already married!
There was a lot going on that was confusing Gerry.
Erin and Laura both touched his arms and congratulated him, as did the
new girl, Dayna. Then, the most shocking thing happened, Kate hugged him
tightly. "I'm so glad that you have become the woman you are, Gerry. I
know that you'll make Stevie a wonderful wife."
As Kate released Gerry from her hug, a phone was ringing. Realizing that
there was no one at the reception desk, Erin picked up the phone and
spoke to the caller. "Stevie," she called out, "it's for you! She says
it's important!"
"Excuse me," Stevie said as she left Gerry's side. "Probably Mrs
Fedderman calling about her IRA. I'll just be a moment."
As she walked away, Taylor began an animated description of Gerry's
wedding dress, leaving Gerry to try to figure out why things were
becoming so elaborate. The dress, the ring - and the ring sure felt
real. It had some heft to it, like a diamond in a platinum setting. Not
at all like a hunk of glass with cheap metal. At this point, they must
have spent at least the cost of the hot tub that was the costume party
contest prize.
"Oh, my God, you're kidding!" Stevie said excitedly into the phone,
causing everyone else to stop and listen. "No... I mean... yes, of
course we want it. When can we... I mean... I'm sorry, I'm just so
excited... what do we need to do?"
"Oh, my God," Taylor whispered. "Gerry...!"
Gerry started at his wife. Was this really happening.
"Yes... uh huh... yes, of course..." Stevie was saying, but her face had
a full blown smile on it. "Oh, my God, thank you. Thank you, thank you,
so, so, so, so much!" She said as she hung up the phone.
She turned to everyone, a smile exploding on her face.
Gerry held his breath, looking at his wife and hoping against hope that
she had wonderful news.
"Well!?" Taylor screamed.
"We're getting a baby," Stevie said with great glee and the applause of
everyone. Gerry felt a sense of joy and shock explode at the core of his
being. "There's a girl in St Petersburg who just offered her unborn
daughter up for adoption. She'd been under a doctor's supervision for
the entire pregnancy, no history of drug use or family illness, just a
college student who made a mistake and she's due on December twelfth.
DECEMBER twelfth, Gerry! We'll have her home in time for Christmas!"
"Gerry!" Taylor shouted as she grabbed her brother. "You're going to be
a mommy!"