Family Meeting

Your mother gives you another kiss then gets up from the bed. "Everyone has been so worried." She says.

Moving to the door she opens it and calls out. "He's..." She bites her lip and looks at you with a sympathetic gaze. "She's awake everyone!"

After a few moments you hear movement and talking coming up the stairs. Your mother sits once more at your side as your sisters, your aunt, and your cousin file into the room to stand around the bed. Everyone in the room but you and the doctor wearing different versions of their long loose dresses.

Doctor Tremblay stands and goes to stand in the hall as you have a family moment. Your aunt takes his chair.

Your Aunt Peg's eyes are red from crying. "I am so sorry Jesse! This was never supposed to happen. Don't you worry, I won't rest until I can fix this!" She takes your hand and breaks down crying. Her daughter Chloe rests a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Your mind was reeling. You didn't know what to say, what to ask, what to make of any of this.

"How..." You couldn't believe the change in your voice. "...how long?"

"It's been a week dear." Your mother answers. "Noone outside this house except Lucy knows yet. We...uh...we're not sure what to do about this."

As you look around at the faces of your beloved family members each had a different expression, with the exception of Peg who was sobbing into your hand. You look from left to right. Chloe looked annoyed, likely deeply disappointed she never had a chance at you before the transformation. Elsie had a gentle kind smile, but something had changed in her expression. She looked at you differently though you couldn't tell why. Jealousy perhaps? Fiona looked uncomfortable in this emotionally charged family moment, her usual sarcasm and bitchiness having no place here. There was genuine concern in her eyes but also something else, something a bit unsettling. Your mother looked at you with unfiltered love and affection. She strokes your face gently.

"Isn't she beautiful?" She asks. The rest of the room mumbles to the affirmative. "Don't you worry Jesse, we'll make this work somehow. Won't we girls?" Again they nod and agree.

Your Aunt looks up, tears flowing. "I will make this up to you Jesse. Anything you need, you let me know. Okay?"

You nod at her but are still so confused. You are despondent. You want to comfort her but you were the victim here, you weren't sure how you felt yet.

Aunt Peg turns to the others. "Can you guys give us a minute?" She sniffles. "I need to talk to Jesse."

The others come up to you one by one and give you a hug and a kiss on the cheek and give you supportive words before making their way out. Your mom gives you another huge hug and a big kiss. "I'll be just outside, if you need anything." She says.

As your mother leaves she closes the door behind her.

Your aunt takes your hand and looks you in the eyes. "Both Lucy and I are absolutely devastated by this. We'll find a fix, we'll do what we can." She swallows hard and sniffs back some tears. "I realize your whole life is about to be thrown upside down. I'm not sure what you'll do, you might need a whole new identity. Whatever you need to get by you just let me know okay?"

She clears her throat. "Um...I know this will sound...so very selfish...but..." She is tearing up once more. "If we could keep this in the family, as another secret, until I figure things out..." She looks away from you in guilt. "If this got out...I'd be ruined. The company would make a billion dollars, but my days as a working scientist would be over. I'd be ruined and I'd never be able to have the facilities to work on a cure. Could you...keep this quiet? Please?"

You are silent. This was simply all too much to take in. You lay your head back and close your eyes without responding. The last little while had already been so crazy after finding out about your weird family, but this...this was just too much to bear.

You are only half listening to her, lost in your own thoughts, as she continues. "Okay, please think about it." She squeezes your hand. "Also, I really need to warn you. Thanks to the formula you are currently not just a woman, you are like the pinnacle of womanhood right now. Your hormones, your pheromones, your fertility, they are all completely off the charts right now. They will be for some time until things equilibrate."

"Are you listening Jesse?" She keeps going. "Listen. You are going to get horny Jesse, really horny, and you are going to make others feel that way too. Please be careful. Use protection, you could get pregnant so easily right now. After the fundamental and total change in your body and it's chemistry and systems we have to be extra careful with you. It's going to take a few months before before you can use birth control or...um...undergo other alternatives in case of an accidental pregnancy. You are in a very delicate time right now."

She squeezes your hand harder, grabbing your full attention once more. "For the love of God Jesse, just be careful, okay?"

"Yeah...sure." You say in your soft unfamiliar voice. "Sorry, can you give me some time. I just want to be alone right now."

She nods. "Okay Jesse. Again...I am so sorry." She gets up and leaves your room, leaving you alone with your thoughts.

(Author Question: Should we get a new name for Jesse? If so, any ideas?)