“Well, ” I sympathized, “I know how you feel. But killing him-just for doing what comes naturally – hmm… Did you struggle? –
“Huh? What’s that got to do with it? –
“Quite a bit. Maybe he deserves a couple of broken arms for running out on you, but-”
“He deserves worse than that! Wait till you hear. Somehow I kept anyone from suspecting and decided it was all for the best. I hadn’t really loved him and probably would never love anybody-and I was more eager to join the WE. N. C. H. E. S. than ever. I wasn’t disqualified, they didn’t insist on virgins. I cheered up.
“It wasn’t until my skirts got tight that I realized. — “Pregnant? –
“He had me higher “n a kite! Those skinflints I lived with ignored it as long as I could work-then kicked me out, and the orphanage wouldn’t take me back. I landed in a charity ward surrounded by other big bellies and trotted bedpans until my time came.
“One night I found myself on an operating table, with a nurse saying, “Relax. Now breathe deeply. ”
“I woke up in bed, numb from the chest down. My surgeon came in. “How do you feel? ” he says cheerfully.
“Like a mummy. –
“Naturally. You’re wrapped like one and full of dope to keep you numb. You’ll get well-but a Cesarean isn’t a hangnail. ” Cesarean” I said. “Doc – did I lose the baby? ”
Oh, no. Your baby’s fine. ”
Oh. Boy or girl? ”
“‘A healthy little girt. Five pounds, three ounces. ”
“I relaxed. It’s something, to have made a baby. I told myself I would go somewhere and tack “Mrs. ” on my name and let the kid think her papa was dead -no orphanage for my kid!
“But the surgeon was talking. “Tell me, uh-” He avoided my name. “did you ever think your glandular setup was odd? ” “I said, “Huh? Of course not. What are you driving at? ”
“He hesitated. I’ll give you this in one dose, then a hypo to let you sleep off your jitters. You’ll have “em. ”
“‘Why? I demanded.
Ever hear of that Scottish physician who was female until she was thirtyfive? -then had surgery and became legally and medically a man? Got married. All okay. ”
‘What’s that got to do with me? ”
“‘That’s what I’m saying. You’re a man. ”
“I tried to sit up. What? ”
“Take it easy. When I opened you, I found a mess. I sent for the Chief of Surgery while I got the baby out, then we held a consultation with you on the table-and worked for hours to salvage what we could. You had two full sets of organs, both immature, but with the female set well enough developed for you to have a baby. They could never be any use to you again, so we took them out and rearranged things so that you can develop properly as a man. He put a hand on me. “Don’t worry. You’re young, your bones will readjust, we’ll watch your glandular balance – and make a fine young man out of you. ”
“I started to cry. “What about my baby? ”
“Well, you can’t nurse her, you haven’t milk enough for a kitten. If I were you, I wouldn’t see her-put her up for adoption. ”
“‘No! ”
“He shrugged. “The choice is yours; you’re her mother – well, her parent. But don’t worry now; we’ll get you well first. ”
“Next day they let me see the kid and I saw her daily – trying to get used to her. I had never seen a brand-new baby and had no idea how awful they look – my daughter looked like an orange monkey. My feelings changed to cold determination to do right by her. But four weeks later that didn’t mean anything. –
“Eh? –
“She was snatched. –
“‘Snatched? –
The Unmarried Mother almost knocked over the bottle we had bet. — Kidnapped – stolen from the hospital nursery! ” He breathed hard. — How’s that for taking the last a man’s got to live for? –