© 2017, by Susan J. Charles. All rights reserved

Sara lifted her leg out of the bath water and inspected it closely. She raised razor and shaved the last remaining hair on her otherwise smooth leg. Satisfied, she rinsed the leg and climbed out of her bathtub. The bath oil she had used enveloped her with its sweet scent as she gently toweled her smooth, hairless body. Then she examined herself critically in the full-length mirror on the bathroom door.

What she saw pleased her to no end. Standing there at 5’8” was a beautiful redhead with soft shoulders and smooth arms ending in dainty hands. Her nails were gently shaped ovals extending about a quarter inch beyond her fingers and covered with a soft pink polish.

On her chest were two perky 36C mounds. Below were a flat stomach, narrow waist and widened hips. Just above the beginning of her long, shapely legs was the vertical slit that still gave her a little thrill to see, even after a year and a half. She was a hot girl and she knew and appreciated it.

Sara closely inspected her eyebrows and decided the last shaping she’d done two days ago was sufficient. Then she applied her makeup, keeping it understated so that it accented, rather than overpowered her natural beauty.

She added just a few touches of perfume to complement the scent the bath oils had left on her, and walked into her bedroom. There on the bed was the white lace underwear she’d last worn exactly a year ago on Christmas Eve. She fastened the garter belt around her waist and pulled up her panties, then attaching the sheer silk hose to the garters. She fastened the strapless bra in the back and settled her breasts into the cups. The pushup bra made for an impressive cleavage.

She smiled as she struck a pose and looked at herself again in the mirror. Jim didn’t stand a chance.

Finally, she stepped into the white, strapless wedding gown and zipped it up. It still fit like a glove, a testament to all the work she’d put into staying exactly the same size she’d been last year.

She brushed her hair and put her diamond combs on the sides. Then she added dangly earrings, a necklace and a tea bracelet. Finally, she stepped into her white heels and was ready.

The meal she had spent most of the day preparing was ready to pull out of the oven as soon as Jim was ready. The table was set with their fine china and silverware and the candles were waiting to be lit. All was prepared for Sara and Jim’s first wedding anniversary.

Naturally Jim didn’t disappoint her. He arrived home with a huge bouquet of roses. Tall and handsome, he swept her into a long, passionate kiss the minute he walked in the door. She reveled in his smell and touch. Jim could be so gentle and tender while retaining a man’s strength. He had demonstrated his love for her so much that she had been willing to do anything for him and had. After years of hormones, which had shaped her into the lovely woman she was, she had still been undecided about taking the final step.

Of course, when she and Jim started to get serious, she had to tell him her secret and hope upon hope that he would not leave her. He hadn’t. “I love the person, not the package,” he had told her. “Although I really like the package too.”

As he had kissed her then, she knew she would do anything for him, including taking the final step so she could give herself fully to him as a woman.

Although Jim had told her the surgery wasn’t necessary and he didn’t want her to take any risks, she had been determined after so long being undecided. He had been with her throughout the entire trip, surgery and recovery. She had awakened from the operation to find a diamond ring on her left hand. “That is, if you’ll have me,” he’d said shyly.

They’d waited until she had completely healed to have the wedding. She had chosen Christmas Eve, because she was giving herself totally to Jim. Her parents, who had supported her throughout her long journey, had been thrilled to celebrate her wedding. They had long accepted the fact that they would not be having any biological grandchildren and were only happy that their daughter was happy.

And tonight was the celebration of one year of wedded bliss. It had been so much more than she had even dreamed to hope for. She was so very happy to be the woman and wife for her man.

Dinner was everything she hoped it would be, but both ate lightly in anticipation of what was to come. As she stood up from the table, Jim had swooped her up in his arms and carried her to their bedroom.

Once there, she had turned on the music she had prepared, and performed a lengthy striptease for him. When she was down to her bra, panties, garter belt and hose, she walked seductively toward him and had proceeded to perform the lap dance she had studied on YouTube. She slowly undid his tie, unbuttoned his shirt and peeled his coat and shirt off before kissing his hairy chest. A pressure on her seat told her she was having the desired effect.

She reached down to gently stroke him through his pants. As soon as she touched him, he took her hard nipple in his mouth and began to roll it around on his tongue.

Soon they were both naked, enjoying the taste of each other.

At long last, anticipation grew to the point where Sara rolled onto her back and spread her legs so Jim could take her. She guided him to her vagina and lay back as he started to enter her. He filled her and the range of feelings and emotions were incredible. They moved into a pattern of movement as the two became one. Together, their love entwined, merged and moved them both to a higher level. Their very souls joined into a shining beacon that shot out into planes unseen by most, yet very visible to some. As they climaxed, their love became a shining point in the universe.

They finally lay back exhausted, drinking in the afterglow of their lovemaking. “I love you so much,” they both said simultaneously, looking into each other’s eyes and seeing their very being. They both began to gently laugh as they continued to caress one another.

Finally sleep began to overtake them. “Merry Christmas and Happy Anniversary,” Sara whispered.

“Here’s to hundreds more,” Jim sleepily replied.

Just before she drifted into dreams, Sara felt one tiny bit of regret that she could not give him the children he so deserved. Then she fell asleep to dream of a little girl with shining hair.

She had been searching for so long, she had almost given up. She’d observed thousands and thousands of candidates and none had been the right fit. She was becoming so discouraged.

Then she felt a great stirring in the energy of the universe. She looked up, with her equivalent of seeing, to observe a huge, brightly shining pillar filled with the love that is the very foundation of the cosmos. She was drawn to it, pulled by it. She couldn’t have resisted it if she had wanted to.

At last! The perfect match. Exactly what she had been waiting for, longing for, for such a long, long time.

She moved to it and down it, to the merged soul which had created it. She knew she had a limited time to set things in motion.

Moving into the vaginal canal, she began surveying the thousands of sperm moving around in it. Trusting her instincts, she let herself be drawn to one containing an “X” chromosome. She examined it closely, finally swapping out a few bits of DNA for better ones in a neighboring sperm. Once these were merged into the X, it was perfect.

Then she starting looking for the egg. Where was it? She couldn’t find the egg. Something was seriously wrong! How could that be? She’d been drawn to the perfect couple, what had happened?

She finally determined that there was no egg, so none of the other sperm had had anything to fertilize. She’d just have to make do. She reached for a cell in the lining of the vaginal wall. What was this? It was a skin cell. How had a skin cell gotten there? They had way too short a life span for what she needed. Then she noticed the cell contained an “XY” combination. What was going on? How could her future mother have cells with XYs in them?

In an instant, she decided she would have to make do. She reached into the hipbone to retrieve a stem cell and discarded the “Y” piece. Again, she studied the “X” chromosome and replaced some of the DNA with more optimal material from a neighboring cell.

Then she brought the stem cell and the sperm together, and started the process of merging. As that started, she looked to guide the newly merged cell to the uterus wall.

Now what? There was no uterus. Had this woman had a hysterectomy or what? She expanded her awareness. No ovaries or fallopian tubes either. This would never do. The ovaries would be needed to supply the proper amounts of hormones at the right times during the coming nine months. She’d have to improvise.

First, she triggered a surge of melatonin, so that the body would fall into a deeper sleep and not be awakened by the changes she was about to make. Then, she gathered a few more stem cells and locked them into growing into the parts she would need. She released a flow of energy that increased the growth rate to incredible speeds. Growth that should have taken months, if not years, was accomplished in minutes. Blood supplies, lymph channels and other necessary connections were made.

When all was ready, the tubes were attached to the new uterus. The entire new system was complete. As she moved the merged and now dividing zygote gently into the uterus and fixed its connection to the uterine wall, she had another thought. A quick scan showed her that all of the other body cells were “XY.” This would never do. She set a program into place that would add the missing pieces of the ”Y” chromosomes. As the cells converted to “XX,” the tissues they supported would be modified into the “XX” template, including widening the pelvis for an easy natural birth.

Finally, as almost an afterthought, she set a program into place that would avoid most of the morning sickness a pregnant body usually experienced.

Then, she settled back to monitor the progress of her programs and correct anything that might go wrong. She wanted the perfect environment!

Sara shivered nervously as she waited for the doctor to come in. The thin paper examining gown with its open back didn’t provide much warmth. Finally Dr. Bradley and his nurse appeared.

“Mrs. Lewis, I’m Dr. Bradley. I don’t think I’ve seen you before.”

“No, I usually go to Dr. Snyder. But he’s on a trip for Doctors Without Borders and his office referred me to you.”

“Well, they didn’t send your file over yet, but I don’t think that should stop me from examining you. What seems to be the problem?”

“Well,” Sara paused, gathering her thoughts. Without her files, how much did Dr. Bradley know? “I’ve felt a little different for weeks now. I can’t exactly describe it, but something has changed.

“Also, I’ve had spotting on my panties that I never used to get. And it’s not like the leakage I get after Jim and I have made love. That’s usually gone in a day or two. But this seems to keep on coming. It’s not a lot, but it’s there and it’s new.”

She was about to tell him about her special circumstances, but he cut her off.

“Well, why don’t you assume the position and we’ll take a look. After I see inside, I’ll be in a better position to talk with you about everything.”

Sara dutifully lay on the examining table and put her feet into the stirrups, opening herself up. That was another thing she still wasn’t used to. Or the cold, hard speculum the doctor slid into her vagina. Why couldn’t they at least warm those things up a little?

She felt a pressure as he widened it and pointed his light to illuminate her insides.

“Oh, I see! Now I understand. Carol,” he said, gesturing to his nurse. “Come take a look.”

Both doctor and nurse stared into Sara and she suddenly became very nervous. “What’s wrong?” she stammered.

“Wrong? Nothing,” Dr. Bradley said. “It’s perfect. Nothing to worry about. You have one of the most beautiful, pregnant wombs I’ve seen in a long time.”

“Womb? Pregnant? What are you talking about?” Sara asked, confused. “I can’t be pregnant. I don’t have the equipment.”

“I beg to differ,” Dr. Bradley said. “After 35 years as an OB-Gyn, I think I know what a pregnant womb looks like. I’d say you’re about three weeks along. Have you had any morning sickness yet?

“I’ve…I’ve been feeling a little queasy some mornings, but nothing too bad. But I can’t be pregnant.”

“You are, dear,” the nurse said, patting Sara on the shoulder. “And you’ve come to the right place if you’re interested in Natural Childbirth. I’ll go over our whole program with you.”

Dazzled, Sara lay back as the doctor poked around her abdomen and breasts. “I’ll give you some skin cream to use as your breasts swell. And you and your husband will want to schedule the classes as soon as possible. Nine months seems like a long time, but you’ll find time flies when you’re expecting.”

He headed for the door, stopped and turned back. “By the way, congratulations. From your condition, I assume it’s your first.”

“I’ll say,” Sara replied.

“Come, dear,” the nurse said. “Get your clothes on and then we’ll have you spit into a capful of Drano. It will tell us if your child is going to be a boy or a girl.”

“Impossible,” Sara murmured. Yet, she did feel different than she ever had before. But what the doctor and nurse had said couldn’t be. Was she dreaming? Then, her brain kicked into a “Mommy” mode.

“Until I get this straightened out, I’d better act like it’s true,” she thought. “It can’t be, but this guy is supposed to be the expert. I don’t know what’s happening, but I need to act as if I were pregnant until it all goes away when I wake up.

“No more alcohol. Organic food, vitamins. Of course I’ll want Natural Childbirth. I will want to feel every last part of childbirth. This dream is letting me really feel like all the other girls.”

And, of course, she was going to have to break the news to Jim.

Jim and Sara started attending church regularly after that. They continued to give thanks for such an incredible miracle.

And the soul of the little girl settled back to wait for the next nine months. Later, she’d astound the world with her instinctive feeling for how cells work that led to her discovery of the cure for cancer. But for now, she would enjoy being surrounded by the love and protection of her perfect pair of parents.