The Deal

by Jennifer White

 

"I wish I was a woman. I wish I was a woman."

Bert repeated his wish every night. Ever since he had been a boy, he had wished that he had been born as a girl. He couldn't explain why, but he did. He wasn't attracted to other boys, he only got aroused by girls. Yet something inside him told him that he was trapped in the wrong body.

"I wish I was a girl. I wish I was a girl."

Now thirty years old, his inner desire had not gone away. It wasn't just a fluke. It wasn't just a phase. It was a part of him, permanent and immutable. He made his nightly wish, and drifted off to sleep as he always did. But tonight, something was different. Something special. His dream was about to come true.

 

It was four in the morning, and Bert woke up with a start. Why was it light in his room? He looked up, but the light fixture in the ceiling was off. But the room was aglow in a warm yellow light. He rubbed his eyes, as a swirl of sparkles appeared in the middle of the room. The spun like a slow motion tornado, growing in size and shape. Now they formed the outline of a person. Bit by bit the person started to appear, to materialize right in front of his eyes!

Bert pinched himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming. He felt the pain. So this wasn't a dream. This was real. He was amazed as the sparkles calmed down, revealing a bearded man standing before him.

"Bert, you have made your wish every night, and I have heard you" said the man.

He seemed old, older than time itself. Yet he moved with the grace of a young man, and the twinkle in his eye was one of inner youth.

"Who are you?" asked Bert.

"My true name is not pronounceable by a human tongue, but you may call me Rafnur. Your children's books might call me a wizard, but I am far more than that. But let us not waste time on such trivia. You have a wish."

"Yes sir. I wish that I was a woman."

"Why?" said Rafnur.

"I don't know. I just do. With all my heart, with all my soul, I wish I was a beautiful young woman."

"If I were to grant this wish, you realize that your life as you know it is done? You would become what you desire, but you would be in another life. It would be too much to change the entire world, for them to think of you as having been a girl all your life. You would move into another woman's life. And she would move into yours."

"So she is real? We would switch lives?"

"Essentially, yes. But I grant your wish on one condition. At some point in the future, I will call on you to perform a service for me. It may not be something you like, or want to do. But you must agree now, that whatever I ask of you, you will do to repay me."

"I agree" said Bert.

"Very well young man. You shall have your wish. You are about to become a young woman named Lauren Hall. This is your last chance. Give the word and I shall begin the spell, or I can go and leave you as you are. If you do this, it is of your own free will."

There was no doubt in Bert's mind. This was what he had wanted all his life.

"I wish I was Lauren Hall" he said.

"Very well" nodded the old man, giving a wink. "Prepare to become a young woman."

Bert held his breath, unable to contain the excitement he felt inside. He was completely aroused, his manhood standing stiff, at attention. He was about to become a girl! This was the best day of his life.

 

The old man took out a wand, which began to glow with a cool blue light. He mumbled something in a language that Bert could not understand, and the tip of the wand changed to a pink color. He held the wand up in the air, then pointed it right at Bert. Bert became bathed in a bright pink light.

Bert felt nothing strange, but his clothes suddenly all turned to dust, and fell off him. He was standing there, completely naked, his manhood still hard as a rock. He always felt uncomfortable undressing in front of guys. Now here he was naked *and* aroused, being seen by the old man. But he was not able to move. All he could do was to stare straight ahead into the mirror.

Now Bert felt a tingle. The transformation was starting! The first thing he noticed, was that Rafnur seemed to be growing in size compared to him. He realized it was because he was shrinking. He was well over six feet tall, but most women are shorter. His size was just adjusting down to hers. It felt weird shrinking. It made him feel powerless and in control of the old man. But he could hardly contain his excitement as the other changes started.

First, Bert became almost sexless. His secondary male sex characteristics started to disappear. The overnight stubble of his beard pulled back in, and disappeared. The hairs on his chest and his shoulders (and the few on his back) become lighter, softer, and far fewer. Soon, all his body hair was just soft, fine, and all but invisible. His pubic hair disappeared too, and his manhood was rapidly shrinking. Even the sack of his scrotum was getting smaller and smaller. At this rate, they wouldn't be around much longer. His strong muscles were fading, his broad shoulders shrinking.

He looked more like a young boy now. In fact, he noticed that he was continuing to shrink. He *was* becoming a young boy. Younger and younger, smaller and smaller. His face was becoming chubby now, as the baby fat returned. He estimated that he was about two years old, and continuing to shrink. Soon, he was a toddler, and finally, a baby boy. Yet somehow, he was held up in the air, so that he didn't fall over. And somehow, he still retained all his knowledge and understanding of thirty years. But he was in a baby's body.

Bert continued to shirt until he thought he was going to disappear. Was he going all the way back to being a fetus, or beyond? He lost vision as he shrunk down to just a collection of cells, not formed into a person yet. Then he was just 16 cells. Then 8. Then 4. Then 2. Finally, he was a single male cell.

Then it happened. The change. Bert became a single *female* cell. And he split into 2 cells. Then 4. Then 8. Then 16. Then 32. In moments, he had reformed into a fetus. He was still too small to have a visible gender, but he kept on growing rapidly. Now he was a six month old fetus, and it was clear that he in deed *was* female.

Soon he was a baby, then a toddler. He kept on growing in size, seeing himself in the mirror as a very young girl with long curly hair. He noticed that the surroundings were different now. He was in Lauren's house, in her room. He was becoming her, and entering her life.

Bert was very excited, as he continued to develop. He became a ten year old girl, then thirteen. Now came the onset of puberty, and his transformation continued. Now came the exciting part. His face had lost its baby fat again, and was clear, smooth and pretty. It was breathtaking to see a pretty girl's face in the mirror, with the lovely long hair. But now, he was starting to develop! At first, it was just his nipples that seemed larger, as they started to bud. But then, his breasts started to swell.

He could feel the pubic hairs growing out above his *female* genitals, but it was the rapidly growing breasts that held his attention. They were small and perky, but kept swelling up, larger and larger. He felt his rear end getting rounder with slightly more padding. The curve in his hips became more and more pronounced. He was getting taller too. And all the while, his breasts kept expanding.

The rate of change was slowing down. He wanted to cry he was so happy, as he looked into the mirror and saw an amazingly beautiful girl staring back at him. But his vision was just a little blurry. He realized that he needed glasses. He saw a pair of cute ones on the table next to the bed. Those were *his*, now that he was Lauren.

He wondered why he was still glowing. He was complete now. Why was he still bathed in the pink light? Why was he still changing? He looked closely in the mirror, and was upset to see that he was getting fat in the middle. Did Lauren get fat, so he was getting fat too? That didn't seem right!

His back started to ache in a way he had never felt before. His legs felt uncomfortable, and it seemed to him that his ankles were getting quite swollen. He felt heavy and bloated. He was putting on more weight in his thighs and his rear. And his belly kept swelling. So did his boobs. It was only after seeing his belly start to really poke out that he realized what was going on: he was pregnant!

It was a shock to him. He hadn't adjusted to being a girl yet, and here he was, pregnant! His tummy kept swelling up, and it seemed like he had a soccer ball inside or something. He was huge! His skin was glowing, making his face even more pretty than before. But he was really showing his pregnancy. He was going to be a mommy.

Oh no! How could he do that? He didn't know anything about babies! He wasn't ready for all this! He needed time to adjust to being a woman! How could he be pregnant?

"Your due date is in six weeks" said Rafnur.

"But I'm huge! Aren't I due sooner?" said Bert, shocked by the sound of his female voice. Even after seeing and feeling his transformation, it was still a shock to hear a female speak when he moved his lips. God, he really was a girl now. But this wasn't what he had expected.

"I'm afraid not Lauren. You have six more weeks. Now let me tell you about your life. Your boyfriend Pete, who is the father of your child, just left you for another woman. You now live alone in this small trailer. You quit your job when you reached your third trimester, but since Pete left you, there is very little money. Your old job replaced you, and they will not take you back. You never went to college, and have only worked at low paying jobs all your adult life. I'm sorry that things are so bleak, but if Lauren had a perfect life, I doubt she would have wanted so much to leave it."

Lauren must have felt like there was no hope. That was why she agreed to switch with Bert to make his wish come true. Now he was stuck. He was an uneducated woman, pregnant, poor, and alone. It was all too much for him to take, between the shock of his transformation, the first taste of female hormones in his system, not to mention the hormones flowing through him from his pregnancy. He broke down and cried. He laid on the bed, and curled up into a ball.

"Good-bye Lauren. I will call on you one day to perform a service for me. Until then, enjoy your life."

With that, Rafnur was gone. Bert was Lauren Hall now. He was a woman. And *she* was alone.

 

* * *

 

Bert didn't know whether to laugh of cry. He was a woman, as he had always dreamed of. But he was a very pregnant woman first of all, and that limited what he could do. How could he try on pretty clothes, if he couldn't fit into any of the dresses or tops hanging in the closet? He was limited to the maternity clothes he found.

How could he put on sexy heels and admire his legs, when they were so swollen, because he was retaining so much water? Not to mention that the shoes seemed small on his feet, and got very uncomfortable quickly. He was free to wear makeup, jewelry, and carry a purse. That was all really cool. But he was in no way prepared to live in a pregnant body. He couldn't seem to find a comfortable position to sit in, let alone when he laid down to take a nap, and felt awkward, no matter which way he laid.

"Just six or seven more weeks" he said to himself, pleased to hear his pleasant female voice. This was so wonderful being a woman. And he was about to have the ultimate feminine experience: he was about to give birth, in just a few weeks. He had so much to learn in such a short time. Fortunately, Lauren had bought several books on babies, so there was a lot of material for him to read.

But first, he had to take care of the economic situation. He lived in a single-wide trailer, so rent was low. But he discovered from the account statement, there was very little money in the bank. And he didn't have a job. The money would run out soon, so there was no choice. Lauren had been relying on her boyfriend to support her, but he had run out, at this critical time! What a rat. Bert was glad that he was a woman now. How could men be like that? How could they be so hot to have sex with a girl, but run when she gets 'knocked up'? He had never understood that. He was so glad that he was no longer one of *them*.

 

Lauren owned a car, but it was broken, and there was no insurance. So Bert needed to find a job within walking distance. When you are pregnant, and due in six weeks, that is not a very large distance. But fortunately, he discovered a bus stop nearby. He took a ride up the street, to see what might be there, after dressing up for the day and doing his hair. He would need practice to get it right, but he looked pretty anyway, with the glowing aura of impending motherhood. The cute little glasses actually added to his face, and made the world visible again, in sharp focus.

The bus bounced hard whenever it hit a bump in the road. When it hit one particularly hard bump, Bert felt something terrible: warm and wet. He had just leaked out a little bit of pee from taking the hard bump. He felt embarrassed, but there was nothing he could do. Not that it was visible or anything, but still, it wasn't something to be proud of.

Bert got off the bus at the corner. It was only two miles from home, so perhaps he could walk this distance if he could find a job. He started going up and down the block, until he found a nice little diner with a "help wanted" sign. He took the sign from the window, He walked up to the counter, feeling so self conscious about being out and about as a woman. He felt like everyone was staring at him.

"Can I help you honey?" said the young woman behind the counter.

"I sure hope you can. I'm interested in a job."

The woman looked at her suspiciously, especially her large tummy.

"When is the blessed event?" she said, smiling. It took Bert a few moments to realize what she meant. The birth of her child. It certainly would be a blessed event for a woman.

"In about six weeks" replied Bert.

"Oh, that's so wonderful. I've got three children, and they are the love of my life. The best thing to ever happen to me. Why don't you sit down so we can talk? I'd offer you a coffee, but I know an expectant woman like yourself has to lay off the caffine. How about decaf?"

"That would be wonderful" said Bert, suddenly going over the list of foods he had eaten since he became Lauren. Had he eaten anything that would effect the baby? He hadn't remembered that: he was eating for two. Anything he ate would effect the baby as well.

"My name is Marla" she said, as she returned with two steaming hot cups of coffee. "Cream and sugar?"

"I'll take cream" said Bert. He poured two of the little white containers of creamer into his coffee, and stirred it in with a spoon.

"Now listen honey, I know that you may need money, but I really don't think you want to work right now. You've only got a couple of weeks to prepare for your baby. You won't like trying to work on your feet all day. Trust me, I've been through it three times."

"I understand" said Bert. "But I really need a job. This is close to home. Walking distance. Just two miles. And I really *have* to find something."

"After a day on your feet, you're not going to want to walk two blocks, let alone two miles" said Marla.

"Then I'll take the bus" replied Bert.

"You are really that desperate honey? Okay, I tell you what. I'll let you start today, and see how you like it. If its too much, then you can quit, and no hard feelings."

"Really?" said Bert, excitedly. He needed this job, and now it was his. Of course, working as a waitress was not his ideal career choice, but for a woman with no college education, and limited by location, it was better than nothing.

"Go to the back, and pick yourself out a uniform. The old waitress was rather heavyset, if you know what I mean. I think a skinny thing like you will fit in her outfit, even with a baby in your belly."

Everything kept reminding Bert, whether he wanted it to or not, that he was a very *pregnant* woman. But that was okay. Being a woman was what he wanted. And this is what women did. They became mommies.

"This is Dee. She will train you today, then the two of you will be working together" said Marla.

Dee walked over. She was young, pretty, and slender. Everything that Bert would have been, if he wasn't pregnant. She smiled, and put her hand on Bert's tummy.

"I can feel him kick!" said Dee.

"How do you know it's a he?" asked Bert.

"I don't know. Just a feeling."

"Well, he is quite a kicker. He does that all the time."

"He can't wait to get out" she said, laughing. "It's nice to meet you. I'm Dee."

"Lauren" said Bert. It was *hard* to think of himself as someone else, with a different name. It would take some time to fully sink in. When you're used to turning your head at the sound of 'Bert' for thirty some years, you can't just change that in an instant. When would 'Lauren' elicit the same response? He hoped it was sooner rather than later. Part of him still thought of himself as Bert, just in a different body. As much as he hated to admit it, part of him still had not accepted his femininity. He was still party a man inside.

 

The day went fast, and Bert learned all he would need to know about his new job. It got hectic a couple of times, but Dee had been very helpful. When his shift was done, he discovered that Marla had been right: he was in no condition to walk home. He had to take the bus, spending some of the tip money he had earned.

When Bert arrived back home, he collapsed on the couch. What a day! He hurt all over, but particularly his back, his feet, his legs. He normally would have poured himself a good stiff drink, but after Marla's talk about what he ate or drank effecting the baby, he knew that it was not a good option now. He decided that he needed to take a aspirin or something, but he had to first look it up in the baby book, to see if that was okay. He had much to learn about being a mother!

Bert's concentration was broken when the phone suddenly rang, startling him. He froze up for a moment. Who could be calling? He didn't know Lauren's friends and family. What if he didn't recognize their voice, and they were offended? But the phone kept on ringing, so he picked it up.

"I knew you were hiding from me, not answering the phone" said a man's voice. "You've got some nerve. Just because I took off, you think that you don't have to return my things?"

Bert was stunned. This was Lauren's boyfriend. The one that got her pregnant, then took off. He was the lowest form of scum bag life on the earth. He was the source of all Lauren's troubles. He was the reason that she was so desperate, that she didn't want to even exist anymore. He was slime.

"Don't ever call me again" said Bert, the rage showing itself by the tremble in his voice.

"I want my stuff" said the guy.

"What stuff?"

"In the box under the bed."

"I threw it all out" said Bert. "Its in the trash, where it belongs. And you are trash too. I'm getting a restraining order. If you ever call me again, if you ever do *anything* to contact me, you'll find yourself hauled off to jail. Is that what you want? Huh?"

There was silence on the line. If Lauren had a flaw, it was that she was too quiet and too shy to take charge and let loose on someone. She had been so passive and so desperate for attention, that she had been willing to go along with him on almost everything he demanded in the past. It was like he was talking to a new Lauren.

"I didn't think so" continued Bert. "Now go away, and leave me alone!"

He slammed the phone down onto the receiver. That was it. The guy who had tried to ruin Lauren's life. At least Bert had a small measure of revenge on him. He decided to look under the bed to see what was important that this scum bag would have called about it.

He had a hard time lying flat on the floor, in order to reach under the bed. Another simple task made hard by having a baby inside! He felt fortunate that it was only going to be another few weeks. He didn't know how he would have been able to put up with this for months on end!

There, under the bed, was a box. Bert pulled it out, and had to catch his breath. Sitting up too fast had made him dizzy. So he sat on the floor, and looked inside the box. Most of it was junk. Porno magazines, a souvenir book from a rock concert, a small jackknife, and an envelope. Bert opened the envelope and looked inside. There were five crisp new hundred dollar bills. The jerk was hiding money on her too! Five hundred wasn't a fortune, bit it would help with the impending medical bills, the time he wouldn't be able to work, and all the baby supplies that would be needed.

From reading Lauren's books, Bert realized that he'd need clothes, diapers, a baby bed, a baby carrier, a baby carriage, toys, a playpen, pacifiers, and more. He had already decided to breast feed, in order to save money. That meant he'd need a special bra that let him feed the baby without needing to undress. And all that was just for starters. Five hundred would not go very far.

Bert put the money into his purse, and then threw the rest of the junk into the trash. There. Now he hadn't lied. He *had* thrown it out. Well, most of it anyway.

 

* * *

 

The next day at work was even busier for Bert. But he and Dee made a great team, and they got through it somehow. After work, Dee invited Bert over for dinner. They finally had a chance to sit down, talk, and get to know each other. Bert loved it how as a woman, it was so easy to befriend another woman. As a man, he would have never been able to just approach Dee and start talking. She would have thought he was making a move on her, and she would have kept her distance. But now, after just two days, he could tell they were destined to be good friends.

"So why are you working?" said Dee. "You should be taking Lamaze classes, and getting ready for the baby."

"I have to work. I'm broke, and I need the money."

"What about the father?"

"He left me. He's a total scum bag. He won't give me anything. I'm on my own."

"Wow, that's rough."

"Tell me about it."

"I can't believe guys are like that" said Dee, shaking her head. "They have no consideration for other people's feelings. They're so driven by wanting sex, that they promise you everything. Then they take off on you, or stop treating you so nice once you let them have you. You know what I mean?"

Bert knew what she meant, but he had never experienced it yet personally! But she was on a roll, and he didn't want to stop her.

"Oh yes" he said. "Men are so awful."

"They want us to do all the housework for them, they want you to cook and clean for them, and then they want you in bed *every* night. You tell them that you're having a period, and they think you should at least go down on them! I just can't understand them at all."

"Why do you hate men so much Dee?" asked Bert. "I mean, I agree with everything you've said, but it sounds like you've had bad times."

Dee went on to tell him how badly she had been treated. Men flocked to her because she was so pretty. But she never ended up with a 'nice' guy. It was always someone who wanted her, did what he could to get her, then lost interest right away. Now she was more than gun-shy, she pretty much had given up on ever finding a good man.

"Don't give up Dee, I'm sure there's someone out there for you" said Bert.

"But what about you Lauren? Would *you* be willing to date a man, if the right cute guy walked into the room right now?"

Bert's heart beat fast. He had always wished that he was a woman. He had always longed to be a girl. But there was a nagging fear in the back of his mind: he only felt attracted to women. Now that he *was* a real woman, would he still feel that way? Would he actually be able to love a man? In his heart, he just didn't have the capacity to ever love a man.

"I don't think so" he said.

"Then you know how I feel" said Dee.

Dee was sitting very close to Bert now. She put Bert's hand into hers, and squeezed it tight.

"I know I've only known you for two days" said Dee, "but I can tell that you are a kindred spirit. I can tell that you're like the sister I never had. I feel a bond between us already."

"Me too. I'm glad to call you a friend" said Bert.

"And the same for me" replied Dee. "I know we barely know each other, but when I get a feeling on something, I've learned to go with it. So I'm going to take a chance. Lauren, would you consider moving in with me here? We could share everything in our lives together. We could both raise the baby. I've always wanted one, but I've given up on men. This will be perfect. Just you, me, and the baby. What do you think?"

Bert was too stunned to know what to say. In his state of being overly emotional, he wasn't too surprised when tears welled up in his eyes, and he started crying.

"I'd love to move in with you" he said, smiling and sobbing at the same time.

Dee gave him a big hug, and she had tears in her eyes too.

"We were meant to be together" she said.

 

* * *

 

After several weeks of being together, Bert finally relaxed a little. Things were so perfect for him here! He only had to work a few hours a week, and would be able to take off whatever time he needed for the baby. Marla was supportive, and promised to that he'd still have a job when he returned after maternity leave.

Dee was so nice too, helping him whenever he needed it. Now he had a *real* woman to learn little things from, like tips on dressing, makeup, hair care, and the millions of other details that we women take for granted, but a man would struggle to know or understand.

As the two women grew closer, Bert noticed that Dee was getting more and more familiar. They way her touch lingered on Bert's hand. Or the way she looked at him. He started to wonder if Dee had feelings for him. He knew that he was starting to develop feelings for her. He was a girl, but he was falling in love with another girl. That made him so happy. It got rid of his dilemma about wanting to be with a man.

In Bert's mind, he had thought that once he was a woman, everything would be all holidays, lollipops, rainbows, and happiness. But he had found out the hard way that when you are a woman, you're still a person. You still have a life. There is still hard work. You can get depressed. You can be upset. Your life is never perfect.

And there was so much work that he had never thought about. Just little things. As a guy who wanted to be a girl, the idea of shaving your legs sounds exciting and sexy. As a real woman, having to do it all the time (especially when you're pregnant!!), it becomes a chore, something not to be looked forward to. Rather, it is something that has to be done.

Or the long hair. Bert had been so excited by long hair, and the thought of feeling it on his head. But when you're a woman, you have to take care of your hair to keep it looking nice. And long hair means more work. At first, he had done pretty much what he did as a guy (very little!). He ended up with a tangled mat of messy greasy hair. He had to learn about how to wash it properly. He had to start using conditioner. He had to brush it more often. He remembered something about a book where a girl brushed her hair one hundred strokes, every night to keep it nice. He didn't go to that extreme, but with thick long hair, you need to do a lot of work!

He wasn't prepared for other things, like how it costs $15 for a men's haircut, but a women's haircut takes three times as long, and costs twice as much! In fact, everything cost more as a woman, it seemed. Clothes have less fabric and are a smaller size for example, but they cost a lot more! It hardly seemed fair. Not to mention how much cosmetics cost, and all the other little things you need day to day when you're a woman.

But there were so many advantages though, that he would never consider going back. And he was looking forward to the near future, when he could start doing the things he had dreamed of, like wearing sexy clothes, going out dancing with Dee, sharing a romantic walk with her, kissing her....

His contemplation was cut short when he felt *it*. A sudden sensation inside. He had read all the books. He knew what it was. It was time. The process of childbirth had started.

 

They waited until it was about an hour between contractions before the two women left for the hospital. Bert checked in, and was checked into a room. The doctors and nurses were abuzz with all the activity in the maternity ward. Bert was scared, but seeing all the other expecting mothers was comforting. If they could all do it, he could do it. But nothing could prepare him for the actual experience of childbirth.

As much as he had learned, no matter how many women's stories he had read, the actually *feeling* was beyond his ability to describe. They don't call it labor for nothing. You *work*, hard! You get sweaty. You feel the pain as you struggle to push. But when it is all over, and you hold your baby in your arms, all of the difficulties of the entire pregnancy and childbirth don't matter. It all melts away, and all you feel is the sudden joy of holding your baby.

"Congratulations, its a boy" said the doctor.

Lauren held the baby close. She was so proud to be a mommy. Her baby boy was so beautiful! She loved her son with all her heart. Not a male thought remained in her head now. They had all been shed during the process, just as with the placenta. She was a mother now. And she was fully a woman inside too, as she joined the long ranks of mothers since time immemorial.

 

* * *

 

Dee and Lauren were so happy together. They took turns working, tending to the needs of little Tommy, and getting on with the business of life. There were the typical moments of any couple with a young baby; getting woken up at the worst times, the mess of diapers, the work you needed to do in order to keep up with your baby. But it was all worth it for them both.

They had grown even closer together now. And they both knew it. They were in love. On Friday's they would get a sitter (Dee's Aunt, who they could trust with their most precious possession in the world!), and they would go out. Lauren was finally able to dress up in sexy clothes, although she lamented the fact that she had gained twenty pounds during the pregnancy. And it didn't just melt off instantly afterwards. It would be a struggle to get back to her old slender self!

But over time, she lost a little here, a little there, and it all started to add up. She was so proud one day when she was able to fit into the little black dress that had been hanging in her closet! Friday would be so fun when she got to wear it, so she could show off her sexy body for Dee.

 

But then, one day, there was an unexpected turn of events. Lauren had just put Tommy to bed, and was reading Glamour magazine, when she noticed that the room was getting brighter. She saw the same sparkling lights swirling around that had heralded the initial appearance of Rafnur. Rafnur! She had forgotten about him!

 

"So Lauren, is being a woman everything you dreamed of?" he said.

"Yes!" she replied. "Thank you *so* much for everything. I am so happy! I've never been this happy in all my life in fact. Dee and I are in love, and we both love little Tommy. Everything is perfect."

"Lauren, do you remember that when I granted you your wish, I told you that one day you would need to perform a service for me?"

"Oh yes" said Lauren, recalling her oath. She was ready and eager to pay back the old man.

"Good. Today, I am here to collect."

"What do you want from me?" asked Lauren.

"As you know, I am in the wish business" said Rafnur. "There is a young man, who is going to turn eighteen tonight. His wish is that he wants to make love to a beautiful young woman. And that woman is going to be *you*. You will go with me now, appear in his room, and make love to him. Then you can return to this life, and I will never bother you again."

Lauren wasn't very happy with this. It went against everything!

"I did make a promise to you" she said, "so I guess I'll have to do this. But I want you to know that first and foremost, I love my baby, and I love Dee. I feel like I'm betraying Dee by being with someone else. Isn't there some other way I can do something for you? I would just feel so awful inside doing this. Can I at least tell her?"

Rafnur smiled.

"Don't you want to discover what it feels like to be with man?" he said.

"No. I have my love already. I only want Dee. She and Tommy are all that matters to me."

"Lauren, you really are a woman inside now, aren't you?" said Rafnur, sounding somewhat surprised.

"Yes" said Lauren. "I am. Completely. I don't even really remember my old life. It's like a distant fading dream."

"Normally, I never make exceptions" said Rafnur. But you aren't trying to get out of your promise because of fear, or shame of being with a male. You are resistant because of the love you feel for Dee."

"Exactly!" said Lauren.

"Lauren Hall, I hereby release you from this service, or any future service. You are a free woman now, and may do as you please."

"Oh thank you Rafnur!" she said.

He smiled, and started to fade away into nothingness. Lauren took a deep breath. She was free now, of any obligations in the world, except for the obligations of love she felt for her family. She and Dee had found the close relationship that all women dream of having one day. They would be together for as long as they both lived. They would continue to raise Tommy together. They *were* a real family.

Lauren smiled. Her wish had turned out better than she could have ever imagined.

 

The End

  

  

  

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