The big moment

Your sleep is dark and dreamless. In what seems like the blink of an eye you feel yourself resurfacing again. You hear distant voices getting closer and closer. You feel like you are under water or pinned under a heavy blanket. You are warm all over.

You hear your aunt's voice. "What do you mean she's shorter? That's impossible. The bone structure should be mostly uneffected."

Lucy responds. "Well...she is and it isn't. I'm just telling you the data. You can tell just by looking at her. She's smaller. Muscles too."

Peg's voice is puzzled. "What the hell?"

It felt like you were covered head to toe with some sort of wet towels. You have a hazy memory of the gooey square patches in the tray. They must be covering you right now. Thankfully your mouth and nose are open.

In a croaky yet familiar voice you say in a harsh whisper. "Is...everything okay? Did it work?"

Peg hesitates just a moment. "Um...yes. Yes it did. Just a few unexpected things." She pauses again. "Jesse, I was going to wait and give you the choice of revealing yourself to everyone at once but...um...maybe we should just take a look at you now."

"No." You whisper. "I want everyone here...please." You desperately wanted your family to share this once in a lifetime moment with you.

There is a moment of uncertainty from her. "Very well. Just..." She takes a breath. "...if things didn't...um..."

You wet your lips. "I know you did your best Auntie."

She sighs. "Okay. Just relax, I'll go get the others."

You hear as she leaves the room. You lay their, your senses coming back to you slowly but surely. You feel as Lucy removes a few of the hoses and sensors. You hear the heart monitor get turned off. After longer than you had expected you finally hear your family enter the room.

Your mother gasps. "Oh my baby, is she okay? Why is she covered in that stuff?"

"I'm okay Mom." You whisper. "Thank you for being here everyone."

The bed's back is slowly raised, bringing you up to a semi-sitting position. The moment of truth was at hand. Your aunt asks. "Ready?" You do your best to nod.

Slowly and carefully your aunt peels back the two gooey patches covering your face, chin and neck. You open your eyes and squint at the light, it wasn't particularly bright but your eyes were sensitive right now. To your horror you then hear a startled gasp go through the room.

Looking at your family they are all staring at you with wide eyed surprise. They were stunned, taken aback at what they were seeing. They couldn't believe their eyes. Your mother and El had their hands to their mouths in shock. Fiona and Chloe look at each other then back to you with a sort of concerned WTF look. Your aunt is the most stunned among them. In their shock and surprise none have yet approached you.

Peg says incredulously. "What the hell? This just isn't possible. This doesn't make sense."

Fear consumed you. These were not the expressions of people seeing a beautiful new you.

"I want to see!" You cry.

Lucy, who had been at your side with a large hand mirror, has kept her cool. Stepping forward she points the mirror toward you.

You turn and see...