Getting to know yourself.

The next day you are woken early by a porter bringing you a light breakfast and a change of clothes. You eat mechanically not really tasting the bland cereal as you reflect on the strangely vivid dream. You have never been a spiritual guy but you can’t help feeling you have Katie’s blessing somehow. You still feel uncomfortable with the way your breast shift about under your gown but you are starting to think of them as your breasts not just as Katie’s.

“Progress I suppose” you grunt.

Only halfway through your bowl, you start to feel full (a consequence of having a smaller stomach you assume) so you set it aside and pick up a coffee.

"Mmm, coffee how I've missed you," you say taking a moment to savour its rich aroma.

Before your illness, you had pretty much lived on coffee while you were sick it was on the long list of things you couldn't have. Carefully you take a sip of the scalding liquid only to gag at its harsh bitter taste.

"What the fuck” you complain “what's wrong with this coffee? It tastes like crap.”

A second cautious sip confirms it, the coffee is horrid, completely undrinkable but not because there is a problem with the drink itself. It's perfectly normal coffee, not the best you've ever had but still pretty much as you remember it. The problem is your new taste buds, they rebel with every sip. It seems you no longer like coffee, yet another unexpected side effect and not the last you are sure. Denied your morning cup of Joe you are **** to fall back on fruit juice and your recently acquired youthful energy.

You know the doc has a bunch of tests scheduled for today so you figure you should hurry and get ready. You strip off the hospital gown intending to try and ignore your new body as much as possible but you can't help getting a good look at yourself as the gown falls to the floor. You blush furiously as your eyes linger in your perky breasts and smooth thighs. You chide yourself for being so ridiculous this is your body now you can't go through the rest of your life pretending not to notice it. Best to face things directly, that has always been your policy. So, you take a deep breath fold your gown and place it on the bed. Naked you walk to the mirror.

You have to fight back a wave of vertigo as Katie steps into the frame instead of the slightly overweight middleaged man you still subconsciously expect to see.

Still feeling like a voyeur you **** yourself to examine your new reflection in detail. You take in your long slim legs the thatch of red hair covering your crotch. The way your thighs don't quite meet at the top leaving a triangular gap that seems to emphasise what is missing down there. Twisting you check out your ass. It's the kind of butt you've always appreciated. Full enough to have a bit of bounce to it but still firm and tight. A slim waist, flat belly, pert breasts that that don't sag at all. Her face pale and drawn but still undeniably beautiful.

“Damn. I'm hot" you mutter completing your inspection

You aren't sure how to feel about that. You are glad you didn't end up fat or ugly but you are also all too aware of how the world is going to see this body and the prospect is a little worrying. You push thoughts of being catcalled by construction workers to the back of your mind resolving not to feel sorry for yourself. Instead, you focus on the positive. For a start, you feel great. Not only are you not sick anymore but truly healthy in a way you haven't felt since you were a kid. You smile at your reflection and the girl's face lights up. You can easily imagine boys making fools of themselves for that smile, more than a few girls too for that matter.

“Oh boy” you giggle “I'm going to be quite the heartbreaker if I'm not careful.”

Your confidence growing you run your hands over your smooth skin and feel your nipples harden. The feeling is like a faint echo of your lost erection. You touch them carefully gasping as your exploration brings an answering tingle from between your legs. Your wife always seemed to love it when you played with her tits and you are beginning to understand why. One hand strays to the source of the tingling. Your fingers pushing through the thatch of curly red hair to find the tender folds of your sexy. Even that first tentative touch is enough to make you bite your lip. Tingling grows into a hot ache as touching escalates into enthusiastic rubbing. You whimper and your knees tremble as your probing fingers grow sticky from your excitement. You close your eyes your breath coming in shallow gasps. You feel like you are on the verge of something. But just when you feel you are about to tip over the edge the feeling reaches a plateau. You keep rubbing but the sense of being on the brink slowly fades. After a few minutes, the pleasant sensation of rubbing yourself gives way to an almost painful sensitivity. Finally, you are **** give up your exploration with a frustrated grunt.

“Serves me right for being a dirty old man," you say,l feeling a pang of guilt for giving in to your urges so quickly “I'm sure I wasn't given a second chance just to diddle myself silly.”

Feeling a little guilty at your behaviour you resolve to have more restraint in the future you try and focus on just getting ready without getting distracted again. You wash up and brushing your teeth like you usually would. Use the bathroom, not quite how you normally would but you are just going to have to get used to that. Then, you dress in the clothes provided. They’ve given you some plain cotton panties and a matching bra. You aren’t crazy about wearing girl’s underwear but it proves surprisingly comfortable. Over that, you wear a pair of sweatpants and a grey hoodie top with the hospital’s logo stitched on the chest. The baggy fabric hides at least some of your girlish curves and helps you feel a little more normal.

You sit back down on the bed and wait to see what the day has in store for you.