Chapter 9

The next two weeks passed in much the same way. Erin spent a lot of time at work, and Hugh spent all of his time at home, usually on the phone coaching Erin. They had got through the first week together without any major embarrassments, and no one had seriously questioned Erin's authority to be Hugh.

"But how could they," Erin reasoned. "Physically I'm perfect in every respect." Any curiosity about High's new personality at the office was written off as love-sickness - after the dinner with John, rumors quickly spread around the office and it became an easy explanation.

Things became much easier for Hugh. He generally took up projects that Erin gave him, such as settling the details for the new office space (the office had chosen, by vote, the space closest to Hugh's condo, which was great), researching potential customers, reviewing contracts, even writing some software. Hugh realized that he was having fun: It was a huge relief not to have to be responsible for employees' performance anymore.

For convenience, Hugh and Erin now referred to each other using the names of the body, rather than the name of the person. After a day or so, this turned out to be much easier. After all, Erin looked like Hugh, Hugh reasoned, so it just makes sense that I call her Hugh. And, by most anyone's definition (certainly everyone in the office), she was Hugh.

'But where does that leave me?' He wondered. 'Or her, for that matter? Who am I? I feel like Hugh, I remember growing up as a boy, I remember college in Boston, I remember starting this company. But now, I'm a different person. Am I still Hugh, even though everyone calls me Erin? Or am I Erin, now that, in every physical sense, I am her?'

Or maybe, he thought, a bit perversely, I'm both?

Fortunately, Erin was there to discuss this with. It was during these discussions of identity that Hugh realized just how compatible they were. Everyone else he knew, with the exception of John and a few buddies from college, thought that discussing existentialism was a waste of time. Hugh, however, felt his whole philosophy on life changing dramatically, and he had to talk it over with someone.

Since Erin spent 12 hours at the office every day, and since Hugh was mostly at home just answering phone calls, Hugh had decided to be the best host that he could. He restocked the groceries, cleaned the laundry, took clothes to dry-cleaning, and generally kept the place nice and neat.

Somehow, with Erin sharing the condo, Hugh became much more aware of what a slob he had been. Of course, Erin didn't say a word, and was always polite and appreciative. But with another person watching what he did, Hugh became much more careful about keeping the place clean.

For example, he always washed the dishes right after they ate. Before, he would have left the dishes to sit and pile up and then he would do them all at once. Of course, Erin also did dishes, but in the mornings she was always rushing out to work, and in the evenings she would be working on business or talking with John on the phone, so generally it was Hugh who did it.

Breakfast was another routine that they had fallen into. Hugh, when he had been a man, had never eaten breakfast, with the possible exception of bagels on the weekends.

Now, however, he woke up very early (usually 6AM, and sometimes earlier) and always woke up starving! At first he discounted it as being just jetlag, but now he had to admit it was unlikely to change. It must be this new body, he thought to himself. Now, I'm a morning person. Boy, if anyone in the office knew, they wouldn't believe it.

So, Hugh would get up early in the morning, have his shower, and then don a fluffy bathrobe over lacy panties. Then he would pad to the kitchen in slippers and make breakfast. And since Erin was always still sleeping, Hugh would make her breakfast too, so it would be ready for her when she woke up.

So now it was Friday, just under three weeks since they had first met, and Erin had decided it was time for a fancy night out. They were too tired for any real entertainment, but a good meal at Chez la Mer seemed in order. Erin even made the reservations.

This delighted Hugh, since it gave him the opportunity to wear one of the fancier cocktail dresses he had purchased. This one was totally classic, a one-piece shift, high necked, a hem line which ended just below his knees, and with a light cream linen jacket. It was the fabric that was most incredible. A dark green knit fabric, with glittery threads woven in. It caused the entire dress to shimmer as he walked. Underneath, he went very simple: just matching bra and panties. The shoes were high-heeled (4 inches), silk, and dyed to match. A pair of simple pearl dangles as earrings, makeup, perfume, and Hugh was ready.

Erin, when he saw Hugh, gave a low whistle, slipped her arms around Hugh's waist and gave Hugh an intimate hug.

"What???" Hugh gasped. "Get up off that floor!" he hissed.

"No," Erin replied, earnestly. "I will not get up off the floor until you take this ring, and then give me an answer, either yes, or you'll think about it."

"Alright then, here, give it to me. I'll think about it." Hugh snatched the engagement ring from Erin. It was a gorgeous 1.5 carat diamond. "Now get back to your seat. I'm so embarrassed." Hugh tried hiding his head. Others in the restaurant were looking on and grinning at Hugh's reaction. Some of them applauded.

"You know, if you had just acted pleasantly surprised then it would all be perfectly normal."

"Normal? Normal?!" Hugh hissed. "This is anything but normal!! I'm the guy here. I'm the one who's supposed to be proposing to you!"

Erin chuckled, and then said with a leer, "you are definitely not the guy."

"Yes I am. Things are just all confused, that's all. And you can't do this yet! We've only known each other for a couple of weeks!"

"Almost three weeks," Erin corrected, "and I am already as sure about this as I have been about anything."

"But how can you be? And which you is proposing to me? The Erin who is Hugh? Or the original Erin?"

"Whichever. It doesn't matter," Erin was serious.

"What do you mean, 'It doesn't matter?'"

"What I mean is that I want to marry you whether I'm Hugh, or Erin. God willing, we'll switch back in a month, and then I will be your wife, assuming that you want me."

Hugh's heart skipped a beat. He looked at Erin and saw the real Erin in Hugh's expression. Somehow over the last couple of weeks Erin had become pretty seamlessly integrated with Hugh's body.

"Do you love me?" Hugh asked.

"Yes, very much. More than I have loved any other person in my entire life. Do you love me?"

Tears spontaneously sprung to Hugh's eyes. He couldn't help himself. It was as if Erin's expression of love had uncorked a bottle. The emotions overwhelmed Hugh's inhibitions and he sobbed shamelessly.

"Oh Erin," Hugh sniffled, "I love you too." Hugh had said it without any thought or analysis. The truth had just bubbled up and he realized consciously, for the first time, that he was very deeply in love with her.

Erin gently rubbed Hugh's hand. "I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have sprung this on you so suddenly. But I need the security of knowing that we are committed to each other."

Hugh settled his breathing and wiped away his tears. "I understand..."

"No, you don't, Erin." Erin put an affectionate emphasis on calling Hugh by his new female name. "I have another surprise for you. Are you ready?"

"Yes," now what?? Hugh's mind was in wild turmoil now.

Quickly, so she wouldn't have time to get nervous, Erin blurted out, "I think you're pregnant."

Dead silence.

Hugh instinctively put his hands on his tummy. "Pregnant? What?!? Are you sure?"

"No, I'm not. But my period was supposed to have been three days ago, and I'm never late. Further, I don't use birth control anymore, it's against my religion."

Hugh was gasping for air, breathing heavily in and out. "So that's why we didn't have wine with dinner."

Hugh's shocked mind was now a total blank. At last he blurted out:

"But, what are we going to do?"

The first thing they did, of course, was rush to a pharmacy and get a pregnancy test. And then another. And then a third. And then a fourth.

And when they got home, each and every test, from 4 different companies, all turned out positive.

This time it was Erin's turn to cry. "Oh Hugh!" she sobbed, "We're pregnant! Oh, I never meant for this to happen, but now that it has, I think it is as wonderful as a dream."

"What do you mean? How could you never meant for this to happen?"

"Our first night together, I never meant for us to have intercourse, but somehow I became entranced."

" ... but I thought you were causing the trance?"

"I started singing, a song which my mother taught me when I was just a baby, which I thought would help sooth you. But then you started singing along, and I just sort of ... well ... lost control."

"Me too," Hugh said, apologetically.

"Anyway, the next day I realized what had happened, that I, or you ... or whatever, were unprotected. But I counted the days and it was just after the end of my fertile period. So I thought, 'chances are, nothing will come of it', and I figured it would be OK for us to continue to have sex, since at that point I would only be getting less and less fertile."

"I see..."

"And so, I didn't say anything. I figured we had enough to worry about." Erin winced. "I'm sorry. Should I have told you?"

"Oh, Erin, I don't know. I'm such a dummy! If I had just thought, I could have douched or something!"

"Erin," Erin looked at Hugh intently. "I could not have let you do that. I'm catholic, remember? And I'm from Ireland. It's against my religion."

"What, even condoms?"

"Well, that's a gray area. Our priest is more practical than some, and doesn't see condoms as big of a sin as other forms of birth control. He did talk me out of taking the pill, however."

"And premarital sex?"

"I know, I know. That's bad too. I'll probably have to do a million 'Hail Mary's' when I get home, but it will be worth it."

"But then, why not birth control? Or abortion?"

Erin's face blanched and a hand involuntarily covered her mouth. "Don't even think about that! Human life is sacred! Our baby's life is sacred." Her voice hardened, "Hugh, you know perfectly well that that is my body you have borrowed, and I expect for you to care for it as I would. And if I want for my body to carry the child to term, then it will."