Chapter 3

I sat back and tried to relax as the jet winged it's way across the ocean, idly listening to Nonna and Gina chatter, feeling the weight of the ring on my finger and smiling.

Life was indeed beautiful. But I knew it was just a dream. I'd wake up soon to my lonely little life in my lonely little condo, smiling at the dream.

I did sleep, and my dreams were filled with visions of a home in surburbia and the patter of little feet.

After peeling Nonna off the window we deplaned. There was a driver waiting for us, holding a sign with my name on it. I was walking toward him when my new assistant stopped me. I looked around to see Nonna and Gina surrounded by a small mob. Apparently someone knew we were coming.

I apologized to the driver. After checking to make sure I would be driven to our hotel eventually, he took Julie, the new assistant, and left, smiling. He asked if Mr. Carrelli knew that I was Italian. Gina laughed and rattled off something to him. I asked her what she said.

"I told him you were marrying into the family. That you were an Italian in training. A work in progress."

Five hours later we were delivered to our suite.

Exhausted, we all retired early. I had scheduled us to arrive a couple days before I had to actually work, and Nonna had a full program for us to keep. Her great nephew Carlo had a small van, and he was designated official driver.

She had us up at six, fussing around, checking her dress, her hair, our dresses, our hair, until she drove us to distraction. Julie tried to stay behind but Nonna made her come too.

We went to a small cafe for breakfast, owned of course by relatives. It was packed, all family.

Julie was considered a relative by association and had a bit of culture shock, being kissed and hugged relentlessly.

"My cheeks are raw and my ribs feel bruised. Are they all like this?"

I smiled. "They're actually taking it easy on you. You get used to it."

After that it was rounds of houses and cafes, until the evening.

I'm sure she'll have tales to tell, especially about the nightlife. Nonna decided to spend the night with her first cousin, and the younger generation took the rest of us dancing. We didn't get back until almost four. I was kind of protected because I was engaged, but Gina and Julie got thrown to the wolves. They both had silly grins on their faces when we got back, and Julies' blouse was misbuttoned.

I slept until noon, and then Julie and I went over the account while Gina went to meet Nonna.

No one was exactly sure what offended the Italian CEO, and the situation was getting time sensitive. If they didn't iron it out the German affiliate would be in danger of hostile takeover.

The CEO had been vacationing in Monte Carlo, sulking, in my opinion.

He was tanned, relaxed, but not the least bit apologetic. He still wouldn't say what he was angry about, just that until he got an apology there would be no moving forward.

"Please, Mr. Carrelli, this is a good deal for your company. German engineering, Italian innovation, American manufactured, this is a match made in heaven. Think of the future, think of the employees that will suffer if this falls through."

He grudgingly agreed to a private meeting before they went into another round of negotiations. I hoped I had enough magic in my hat to pull it together.

On a lighter note, he asked about the family I had brought with me. I told him they were my future in laws and showed him the ring.

"Ah, a good Italian boy?"

"In spirit. He was raised by his aunt and uncle with a lot of help from his grandmother. His name isn't very Italian. It's Campbell. His paternal side is Irish."

He frowned.

"Isn't Campbell a Scottish name?"

Brian had told me a little of his Irish history.

"Originally, yes. But in the eighteenth century the British decided to bring some Scots into Ireland. The thought that mixing the blood would calm both factions down."

His curiosity tweaked, he asked if it worked.

"Not exactly. The best analogy my future husband could give me was killer bees. Are you familiar with the term? Well, some scientists thought if they crossed European bees with African bees they would get better honey production. That aspect proved correct, but the mixture made the bees much more aggressive and territorial. They swarm harder and are a little more toxic, and will attack far past the range of either species on their own. That's what happened when they mixed the Scots and the Irish. I've seen his temper once, not directed at me thank goodness, and I can understand it."

He laughed and said he was looking forward to meeting him.

"But until then, I insist you bring your family to dinner tonight, around seven. I'm sure my wife would love to meet them."

I couldn't refuse. Julie begged off, seems she and one of the cousins hit it off, and she wanted to go dancing.

"Be careful honey, these Italians are addictive."

We dressed to the nines. Nonna knew of a dress shop that had been around for generations, and we got some custom tailored dresses for a very reasonable price. They had a wedding dress in the window, beautiful beyond words. Nonna said something to the shop owner. Gina took several pictures for future reference.

Mr. Carrelli welcomed us, saying his wife was delayed and would arrive shortly. She came rushing in, apologizing. She stopped and looked at Nonna.

Time seemed to stand still.

"Maria?"

"Margarita?"

Suddenly they were hugging, babbling like schoolgirls and crying like babies. We all watched in wonder.

Seems they were best friends from the time they could walk until Nonna left at ten. Sixty three years and they still recognized each other.

It changed from a quiet dinner into a celebration. Seems Nonna knew Mr. Carrelli too, although he was a couple of years older. It was hard to believe he was seventy five.

We ended up looking at family pictures and getting a story with every one. Soon it was late.

Nonna ended up staying, Margarita wouldn't let her leave.

I had talked to Brain twice on Skype, and missed him terribly. We still had over two weeks to go.

The meeting went well the next morning. Apparently Nonna had chewed him out for forcing me to have to come to Italy, then hugged and thanked him. Mrs. Carrelli had weighed in, and the thought of two angry women made him a bit more reasonable. The German apologized and that was the end of it. I don't think the German even knew what he was apologizing for.

I told the girls since I was done so early I was gonna do a little work on another project and spent four days in Switzerland.

I had no business to attend to except personal. I went to the best ranked clinic in the world to schedule sexual reassignment surgery, spending the days in consultation and mental evaluation. I had a tentative appointment for six weeks.

It scared me, and I had a million questions, the main one being would I still enjoy sex.

"We've made massive strides since we first began doing the procedures. Chances are, If you liked sex before, you'll like it as well afterwards. Of course it takes almost three months to fully heal, and there are exercises you have to do to assure completion, but it will be a whole new world for you. I see from your chart you're engaged. Are you doing it for him?"

"No and yes. I wanted to have it done for years, but I'm afraid of pain and I had heard so many negative stories. Meeting him brought it into focus. We want children doctor, and I don't want to have to explain why I'm different from other mommies. I've been a woman mentally for many years, now I want the physical to match the mental."

I came back to Italy in a much calmer state of mind. We packed up to go home early, but Mrs. Carrelli insisted Nonna stay with them the remaining week. Gina didn't want to stay, so it was my turn to help peel a woman off her boyfriend. Julie had fallen hard for a local. She sniffled all the way home.

...

I spent three glorious days with Brian before I had to go back to the office. I told him about my procedure being scheduled. He had three weeks of accumulated vacation and could take another week for family surgeries and emergencies, and he was going to spend the entire month by my side.

We made love, a lot. I told him I was trying to give him enough to hold him over until I was healed. He laughed and told me it wasn't possible but he was glad to let me try to prove him wrong. We played in the park with the children. I showed the mothers my ring and they made appropriate noises and welcomed me to the neighborhood.

The restaurant was having a welcome home themed lunch. Nonna still hadn't returned. Aunt Rita nearly squeezed the life out of me.

"Gina can't stop talking about the trip. I'm afraid you've ruined her."

I hugged her tighter.

"She'll get over it. Believe me, Dorothy had it right. There's no place like home."

I put my condo up for sale, completely moving in with Brian. My favorite doorman got a hug, an invitation to the wedding, and a card good for a years' worth of coffee at the Starbucks round the corner. I also gave him a recliner I never sat in and had no room for. I think he actually had a tear in his eye.

Aubrey got a momento of her missed trip, designer shoes with a four inch heel.

She pretended to be angry.

"Julie told me all about it, the family, the food, the dancing, the hot Italian guys. The one time I don't go with you, and you actually had fun. You'll pay for that one, Missy."

I talked to my boss. I had six weeks of vacation and a month of sick leave built up.

"I don't intend to take it all if I can help it. The doctors say I can probably go back to work after six weeks, but it may take longer."

I had his blessing, but upper management wasn't happy. When he told them I had the time built up, and it wasn't a vacation but surgery, they relented. They asked what kind of surgery and he was deliberately vague, saying it was a woman thing. I busted my ass for the next month, trying to get ahead of schedule.

Once again there was a tearful goodbye at the airport, but this time when I got on the plane Brian was beside me.

I was past scared, I was terrified. They let Brian hold my hand right up until they wheeled me into the operating room.

I stood naked in the bathroom in front of the mirror for about an hour the night before, saying goodbye to my equipment. I actually stroked it a few times, remembering. But they weren't exactly taking it, just rearranging things a bit. Then I sighed and committed myself all over again.

I woke up hours later, terrified and disoriented. Luckily they had secured me to avoid movement.

Brian was right there, holding my hand and rubbing my cheek. I gradually calmed down.

The nurses said he didn't leave my side or let go of my hand once in the seven hours it took me to wake up.

I tried to look down, but all I could see was my gown and a mass of bandages, with a catheter.

They kept me mildly sedated for almost a week to keep me still. Then they slowly brought me out of it, releasing the restraints and allowing me to move. I could sit up, but I wasn't allowed to walk yet.

"Day after tomorrow" they said.

I was extremely sore. When he finally let me see, it was a mass of bruising and ugly red lines. But I could see the shape emerging, and it made me proud.

We both had to go through counseling. What to do the first few times, the care I needed to take. I was embarrassed when the doctor asked for measurements of Brians' cock.

"Want to make sure It's a good fit. Don't want it too loose or too tight. When you do start to make love, take it slow and be gentle. You don't have a hymen, but you'll still be a virgin. Make sure you use plenty of lube, remember you can't manufacture it on your own. You also have no natural elasticity, so if you don't do the cylinder exercises, you'll shrink, making intercourse very uncomfortable or impossible.

This was the part I hated. I had to insert a perfectly matched cylinder inside my new vagina and leave it for periods of time. I was very tight at first and we had to use graduated cylinders to reach the correct size. Brian tried to joke about it, calling them training vibrators.

It took five weeks before they would release me. We flew home and I rested for another week. I was all right to work if I took it easy and moved slowly. Aubrey took advantage and mothered me unmercifully.

Finally, we got the all clear report. I had flown back for a checkup, leaving on Friday and coming back on Sunday. He held a camera so I could view

his work on a flat screen monitor. It looked amazingly natural.

"You're cleared for sex. Take it easy, remember the instructions, and it will become a very pleasant experience. There will be a little pain at first, just like any virgin. Here is the name and address of a doctor in your area. I want you to have regular checkups, every three months. Consider him your gynecologist. And this is important. If at any time you feel unusual pain, anything at all, schedule an appointment right away. Understand? Good. Now, go make your man and yourself very happy."

The doctor was right, it was painful for the first few minutes. We drank a little wine and did a lot of foreplay before I was ready. I hadn't allowed Brain to see me yet, I wanted it to be a surprise. I kind of wanted to wait until our wedding night, but we were both so horny I knew we wouldn't be able to wait another three months.

I had on a new nighty with matching thong, see through but not quite transparent.

I made him lay on the bed and did a little strip tease.

When I dropped the nighty he could see my mound through the thong. I thought about being hairless, but decided on a small strip, just to remind myself I was an adult. He seemed to appreciate it.

I cupped my thirty four B's and shook them at him.

"I thought about having an upgrade while I was in the clinic. How would you feel about a pair of thirty eights?"

I was surprised at the passion in his voice.

"Don't even think about that! You gave them to me, remember, and I fell in love with them just as they are. Thirty years from now they'll still be perky while everyone else will be saggy. I intend to still be playing with them then and for years afterward."

I glowed with pride and teased him a bit.

"If they're yours, how come I have to carry them around?"

"Because they look so good on you."

I walked to the bed, trying my best to sway sexily.

In a voice full of emotion, I asked him if he would like to unwrap his present.

He slowly reached out, running his hands over my hips and bottom, lightly stroking my new vagina through the wisp of silk that covered it. I was trembling with excitement.

He eased the panty down slowly, stopping to admire me every few seconds, until it was off.

Pulling me onto the bed, he started kissing me, twirling tongues, until he broke and started on my ears, my neck, my breasts, all the way down to my belly button, while his hand stroked the hair on my mound, getting closer and closer to his target. I had made sure I was prepared, literally dripping with lube, and a tube on the nightstand, just in case.

He slipped a finger in, then two, lightly stroking me. It felt heavenly and soon I was humping up to meet his fingers. I pulled his head firmly back up.

"Do it now, honey. Take your woman."

It was everything I imagined and nothing like I thought. I felt pain at first, because I was a lot tighter than we anticipated, but as we progressed I opened up. Soon I had my legs locked round his back as he steadily pumped into me. He was being careful, but I wanted more.

"Pound me! This pussy is custom made just for you. Use it!"

That was all he took and soon he WAS pounding me, while I held on squealing and crying. I was almost embarrassed. I felt my climax building until it burst loose. I screamed with the unfamiliar sensation and it sent him over the edge. He filled me and I reveled in it.

How long did we last? No idea. If it was five minutes or fifty it was so intense time meant nothing. As he collapsed on me I was surprised to see him crying. I snuggled to him, asking if he was all right.

"It was so beautiful! You altered your whole body

just for me. How could someone love another that much?"

I kissed his tears.

"I did it because nothing in this world is as precious as your love for me. And it was for me, too. It finally completed me, made me what I was meant to be."

I lightened the mood, being playful.

"Now, I expect you to use your present often. Not right now, I'm pretty sore. But I have alternative ways of pleasuring both of us, and I intend to use them all tonight."

I'm proud to say I wore him out. I slipped down his tummy, nibbling and licking until I captured my target. He tried to get me let him wash, but I refused.

"That's your love and mine I'm tasting. Be still."

I tried to make it the absolute best. I think I succeeded. Two hours later I was grinding into him as we spooned. He asked groggily what I wanted.

"You've got one more spot to satisfy, mister. Get to it."

Soon he had me on all fours, pounding into my ass as I babbled in estacy. When we collapsed he passed out right on top of me. I enjoyed his weight for a second before I wriggled out from under him.

I got a warn washcloth and washed him thoroughly while he slept, and damned if he didn't start getting another erection!

I was completed sated, so I gave it a loving kiss and spooned back into him.

I set my phone alarm, and when it beeped softly I lay there, enjoying the memories, then slid under the covers. He was completely down my throat before he became fully awake. He touched my head and groaned.

"Babe, you're killing me."

I raised up and smiled at him. I grabbed his balls and hefted them.

"I intend to keep these empty and you exhausted. That way you'll never look at another woman."

He pulled me up and kissed me hard.

"Babe, since I met you, other women ceased to exist. But you started it, now finish it."

He pushed my head back down. Have I ever mentioned how attracted I am to self confident, dominant men? Correction, man.

I bounced up when I was done and took a shower.

I shook him lightly after I dressed.

"Don't sleep too long. I'm leaving, I have to help fix lunch. Don't you dare be late."

When I got there, Aunt Rita and Gina took one look and grinned. I had told them this was the week I was cleared by the doctor.

"Have a good night, dear?"

"The best, Aunt Rita, the best ever."

Nonna came bustling out of the kitchen, grabbed my cheeks and gave me a kiss. She acted ten years younger since her trip.

"You're going to be a beautiful bride" she said, in Italian. I blushed, then realized I understood what she said. I guess the experts were right. The best way to learn a language is to be totally immersed in it.

I drove Aubrey crazy, because every time I got aggravated I started cursing in Italian and waving my arms.

"You're still in America, dear. Speak the language."

Brian was almost late, looking a little worse for wear. All the women giggled and he blushed.

I looked around as I held the newest member of the family, four month old Maria, and couldn't believe my good fortune in finding Brian and this family.

Nonna gave me my wedding present early, the bridal gown I had admired in Verona, fitted to my exact measurements. I cried for four hours.

We went to counseling with the Catholic priest that was to marry us. I made sure nobody knew my secret but Brian. It was between God, Brian, and me.

He kind of frowned when we told him we were living together, but the possessive way I was holding him made it clear we weren't going to be separated. The wedding was getting closer and I was a bundle of nerves.