Recycling a cheating husband

Chapter 1
Recycling Will

Recycling a cheating husband

by

Groblek

Tabitha looked at the photos one final time, using the images of her husband and his lover to strengthen her resolve as she arranged the instruments of her revenge. Three little candles laced with spells and moulded to guide the power locked inside. One shaped like a little boy, one a mother nursing her baby, and finally a woman alone, belly swollen with her unborn child. She waited until she heard his keys in the door to light the first candle, that of the little boy.

***

William opened the door to the house he shared with Tabitha, mentally rehearsing his account of the “business trip” he’d supposedly been on for the past two weeks. Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he opened the door.

“Hello?” He called, confused to find the lights off in the living room. Tabitha should be home by now. He set down his suitcase and walked to the bedroom, smiling as he noticed light coming from underneath the bedroom door. “Mmm, I see someone’s got a surprise waiting for me.”

As he reached for the door handle, Will felt a tingle run through him, and pulled his hand away, startled. “Ow! Damn dry air, this place is full of static electricity.” He reached for the knob again, not noticing the way his sleeve hung more loosely on his arm. He swung the door open. “Hey there, baby, did you miss me?” Will smiled as he saw his wife sitting on their bed clad only in a nightshirt, then frowned at the pictures she had pinned to the wall behind her. Will’s blood went cold as he recognized himself naked in Rowena’s bed, with her astride him. A lit candle on top of the dresser burned brightly, illuminating the pictures and as he looked at it, Will felt another electric tingle.

This time, his shoes fell off shrinking feet as he stepped forward, and Tabitha smiled mirthlessly as he stumbled.

“So, home from your business trip are you, Will?” The venom in her words was like a slap across the face, and Will felt another tingle as the room seemed to grow larger around him. She stood from the bed and stepped forward. “I know what you’ve really been doing, you two-timing bastard!”

“Baby, I can explain!” Will said, trying frantically to think of a way out of the situation. He reached up to wipe his sweaty forehead and stared at his hand in shock. His sleeve was hanging in loose bunches of fabric, and his hands were those of a child. “What? What’s happening to me? He said, and his voice broke as he asked the question.

Tabitha stepped next to Will, towering over him as his body continued to change. The light from the candle dimmed as she reached down and pulled away his now baggy clothes, then picked him up in her arms as though he were an unruly child.

“I’m changing you to a form more suited to your behavior, my childish former husband.” Tabitha said, holding him up so that he could see his reflection in her mirror. The face that stared back at Will was one he dimly recognized from his own preschool portraits, and he looked up at Tabitha in shock.

She laughed at his confusion. “I made the candles on the dresser to teach you a lesson, Will. When I saw the photos from your last “business trip,” I decided that you needed a chance to grow up again, since you obviously missed some important lessons the first time. As the candle burns, your body changes into the one I sculpted into the candle. When it burns out, the changes set and I have a new Will.” She set him down and reached for one of the unlit candles on the dresser. "That last one was you as a toddler, but I think you need to go a bit farther back to learn your lesson."

“What? No, you can’t possibly!” He watched the flame of the first candle gutter and dim. “Please, make this stop, baby. I’ll be good, I promise.”

Tabitha shook her head and reached out to light the second candle, the mother and baby, from the guttering flame of the first one.

“Oh no, Will, you’re not going to get off that easily. You’ve already demonstrated that I can’t trust any promises you make, so I don’t intend to negotiate, baby. I’m remaking our relationship into one that better suits your immature nature.”

Will felt his body tingle more, and stared in horror as his hands shrank even more, fingers turning chubby with a layer of fat.

“No, you can’t! I’m your husband, dammit!” His voice came out a high-pitched shriek as he looked back up at Tabitha.

“No, Will, you’re not.” Tabitha said, bending down and lifting Will’s wedding ring from the pile of clothes surrounding his dwindling form. “You’re nothing but a baby now.” She said as she dropped his ring into her jewelry box next to her own.

Will’s legs wobbled, suddenly unable to support him, and he found himself crawling on all fours towards the table with the candles, desperate to stop the spell.

“Pwease! I don’ wanna be a baby!” He struggled to form the words as the last of his teeth retreated into his gums. A moment later, he skidded to a stop as his arms grew too weak to crawl. “Wha? No! No, no, no! Don… Ga? Goo? Waaaaaa!” Will screamed in frustration as he lost the ability to speak coherently.

Tabitha unbuttoned her shirt and pulled it open, revealing her ample breasts. Will found himself calming at the sight of her breasts, frustration replaced by a deep need that frightened him.

“I know what my baby needs right now. You need some of Mama’s milk, don’t you?” Tabitha said, taking Will in her arms and lifting him to her breast.

He tried to resist as she pressed a nipple to his mouth, but a drop of milk forced its way into his mouth anyway. It was sweeter than anything he’d tasted before, and awoke in him an aching hunger for more. He drank and drank, until finally the flow of milk slowed and he realized his stomach was full.

“There’s a good baby.” Tabitha said, holding him close.

As she shifted him to face her other breast, Will saw the candle begin to flicker as the flame reached its base, the mother and baby now a pool of wax. His blood ran cold as Tabitha reached for the final candle and he truly noticed how it was shaped.

She held it up in front of him, just out of his reach. “Just one change left to go, baby. Are you ready?” Then he saw her eyes flick over to the photos of Will and Rowena in bed together, and her smile turned vicious as she paused, the wick scant inches from the flame. “Hmm… On second thought, I think this one can wait a little while longer. I have a better idea for how to use it.” She said, lifting the candle away from the guttering flame.

Will watched as Tabitha unwound the length of her red hair wrapped around the candle, then placed it in her top drawer. He let himself relax when the other two candles finally went out. This was bad, but he was sure that last candle would have made things much worse.

***

Morning found Will clinging to the bars of a crib, trying desperately to pull himself up on legs that refused to bear his weight. Through the bars he could see his reflection in the mirrored doors of what had been their guest room’s closet. During his time away, Tabitha had transformed the room into a nursery, complete with changing table and all sorts of baby accessories. He glared at the onesie he was wearing, pink with ruffles like a little girl would wear, and he felt the crinkle of a diaper on his bottom as he moved. Will grimaced. A wet diaper at that, as he seemed to have lost his bladder control along with his speech. His hand slipped and Will fell onto his bottom with a squish. Before he realized what he was doing, Will let out a baby’s wail of anguish.

The sound of hurried steps came from the hallway, and Tabitha opened the door a moment later, still wearing her pajamas and looking as though she had just woken up. She scooped up the still-fussing Will in her arms and laid him down on the changing table.

"Someone’s got a full diaper, I can smell it." She said, stripping him of clothes and diaper. The wipes were cold against his skin, and Will wailed anew as she cleaned him. Finally, Tabitha fastened a clean diaper around his middle. “There now, that’s better, isn’t it?” She smiled down at him. “I’ll bet you’re hungry, aren’t you?” She asked, unbuttoning her top and allowing it to fall open before Will could respond.

Will tried to resist, but as he saw his wife’s breasts, he felt the same hunger that he had felt the night before. Tabitha leaned over him, letting her breasts dangle just out of reach, and he reached for them with too-short arms, suddenly needing them more than anything.

Tabitha relented and picked him up in her arms, sitting in a nearby chair before settling him in position to nurse. “There you go, baby. Mommy’s got all the milk you’ll ever need.” She cooed to him as he nursed, her breasts hot against his face.

Will was torn, he wasn’t her baby, dammit! But he needed her milk, so he didn’t protest as she sang a child’s lullaby to him while he drank. After a while, the flow from her breast slowed, and Will whimpered, still not satisfied.

“Don’t worry, there’s more where that came from.” Tabitha said, switching him to her other breast. “You’re much cuter this way, Will. Don’t worry though, you won’t be staying like this for long, just a day or two.”

Will gurgled excitedly at her words before going back to nursing. She was going to change him back! He knew she couldn’t have meant to make him a baby permanently, no matter how angry she had been last night. Finally his hunger abated and Tabitha set him back in the crib where he drifted off to sleep once more.

***

The sensation of being picked up woke Will from his sleep, and he opened his eyes just as Tabitha pressed him against her front and strapped him in place. She bounced lightly, testing the straps of the carrier, and Will saw their reflection, a young mother with her baby strapped across her front. He looked up at Tabitha, who grinned down at him.

“We’re going for a walk around the neighborhood. I’m going to show you off like this today, and tomorrow we’re going on a little trip. Count yourself lucky that none of your friends will recognize you - unless you’d rather them find out that you’re spending time as a baby?”

Will shook his head frantically. This was bad enough, but if anyone found out… He would never live down the embarrassment.

“Good.” Tabitha said, reaching for the door. “Be my little baby for the next two days and I’ll finish my revenge for your infidelity.”

Will nodded, wanting to get this over with.

***

Tabitha’s “walk around” turned out to be an all-day excursion, with her stopping to chat with as many people Will knew as possible. He cringed at each of these encounters, fearing that someone would recognize him, but to his surprise none of them even questioned why Tabitha was suddenly carrying around an infant.

“Hi, Tabitha! Is this the little guy? He’s really grown a lot in the last two months, hasn’t he?”

Will turned to stare at the speaker, recognizing one of Tabitha’s co-workers. Her words made him freeze in shock. Whatever she had done to him couldn’t possibly have fooled everyone into thinking that he was really her baby, could it?

As the woman drew closer, Tabitha unbuttoned her blouse and sat down on a nearby park bench. As soon as he saw Tabitha’s nipple, Will found himself unable to concentrate on anything other than his sudden need for milk. He was dimly aware of the two women chatting while he nursed, but the world didn’t come back into focus until his hunger had been sated, and by then the other woman had left.

A little while later, Will suffered the indignity of being changed on the grass in the middle of the park, his bare bottom on display to the world until Tabitha finished refreshing his diaper. She took her time about it, and Will was certain that she worked slowly intending to embarrass him. Strapped against her once more, he sulked against his wife’s breasts until he fell asleep as she walked home.

***

“Night-night, baby. Sleep tight in your crib. Mommy will be in her room if you need her.” Tabitha said as she set Will back in the crib.

Will watched Tabitha as she closed the nursery door, glad that this crazy day was finally over. One more day, that was all he had to endure, and then this would be finished. He almost regretted ever getting involved with Rowena. Almost.

***

Will strained against the straps holding him into the infant seat. Traveling like this was awful; he couldn’t even tell where Tabitha was going, not with the seat turned backwards as though he really were the infant he appeared to be. He watched as the town receded into the distance, wondering just where she thought she was going. Tabitha didn’t know anyone out this way, did she? He racked his brain for ideas, but drew a blank.

After a while, the car stopped, and Will felt a sense of dread build as he began to recognize landmarks. She couldn’t possibly be planning what he thought she was! His heart sank as Tabitha opened the door to unbuckle him and he realized that she had parked in Rowena’s driveway.

“I thought I’d take you for a little visit, to let you see your little lady friend one last time before I’m finished with you.” Tabitha said as she strapped a struggling Will to herself. “Besides, I want to meet the woman who could steal you away from me.” She pursed her lips thoughtfully. "I may have to think of an appropriate punishment for her as well, depending on how this visit goes."

Will let out a wail. This was bad, no, worse than bad. He’d never dreamed that Tabitha would actually take him to meet Rowena! He shivered at the thought of the ways this could go horribly wrong as Tabitha knocked on the door.

“Hello? Do I know you?” A short, dark-haired woman answered the door, a puzzled expression on her face as she looked at Tabitha and Will. Will cringed as he recognized the other woman in his life, pleading with any deity who might be listening that she not recognize him.

“Of course you do, Rowena! It’s your old friend Tabithatha! I know we haven’t seen each other for a while, but you remember me, don’t you?” Tabitha spoke, and Will heard her voice take on a strange deep resonance that vibrated to his core.

Rowena’s eyes glazed over briefly, then her expression became one of delight. “Tabitha! It’s been ages! Come in, come in!” She smiled at Will. “You didn’t tell me that you had a baby!”

Tabitha followed Rowena into the house. “He’s a recent addition to the family.” She said, taking a seat on the couch and looking around as Rowena hurried into the kitchen for a couple of glasses.

“Will water be all right? I’m afraid I wasn’t expecting company today.” Rowena’s voice called from the kitchen.

“Water will be fine.” Tabitha answered as she unstrapped Will from his carrier. A minute later, Rowena came by with two glasses, taking a seat next to Tabitha on the couch.

Will tried to hide as the two women made small talk, but he could feel Rowena’s eyes on him the whole time. She didn’t seem to recognize him, and Will began to relax. Then she made a comment that made his blood run cold.

“You have such a beautiful baby there, Tabitha. I’m jealous, you know. Will keeps telling me that he isn’t ready for a baby yet, but I’m getting desperate.”

“Really? How long have you two been together?” Tabitha asked, trying to sound casual. Will tried to make himself smaller, as though he could hide from the answer Rowena was about to give.

Rowena raised an eyebrow at Tabitha. “Oh, that’s right, you had to miss the wedding. We’ve been married for six years now, so I’m starting to get a bit impatient.”

“Six years?” Tabitha said thoughtfully, and the glance she shot Will told him that he was in even more trouble than he had imagined. “Well, it took me eight to wear down my husband, so there’s hope for you yet.”

“God, I hope you’re right.”

Tabitha gave Will a knowing smile. “Trust me, Rowena, a baby will come along for you. I’m certain of it.”

Will squirmed in her grasp and let out a wail. He had to get out of here somehow! But Tabitha’s hands held him fast.

“Calm down, little guy. Mommy knows what you need.” Tabitha unbuttoned her blouse, and once again the sight of her breast drove away the outside world. The women continued to talk as he nursed, but Will couldn’t focus on the conversation, and wasn’t sure he even wanted to. By the time he got his full awareness back, his wives were laughing together like the old friends Tabitha claimed they were.

“Oh Tabitha, I’ve missed your company! I’m so glad you stopped by! We should get together more often.”

Tabitha nodded. “I agree. You’re not that far away, so maybe I can come keep you company again while your husband is on his trips.”

“That would be lovely.” Rowena replied, and Will squirmed in Tabitha’s arms.

“Here, would you like to hold him?” Tabitha asked, and Will froze in place.

“I’d love to.” Rowena reached out and took Will into her arms, staring down into his face without a hint of recognition.

They sat like that for a while, Will’s panic slowly receding as his second wife played with him like the baby he appeared to be. This was bad, and embarrassing, but he could get through this. He tried not to think about what Tabitha might do to him now that she knew just how long he’d been leading a double life.

After some time, Tabitha stood up. “Here, I’ll bet that he’s in need of a diaper change by now. Can you show me to your bathroom?” She asked, taking Will from Rowena’s arms.

“Of course, it’s right this way.” Rowena said, leading them down the hallway.

***

Once the bathroom door had closed behind them, Tabitha looked down at Will, holding his gaze with her own. “Oh, William, you damn fool!” She exclaimed quietly. The smile she now gave him was predatory, her grin one of sharp-edged amusement. “You were so busy deceiving us that you never thought about whether we’d get along, did you?” She laughed, amusement written across her face. “I’d intended to revenge myself on your mistress, but despite everything, I like her. I can’t really hold it against Rowena that she was taken in by as pretty a pack of lies as you ever gave me.” She leaned close, the smile getting sharper. “And so, as you think over your fate in the years to come, think about this. If you had asked to bring Rowena to our bed, if you had been honest with me from the beginning, I’d have welcomed her into our partnership. Instead, you didn’t just have an affair, but went so far as to marry the woman without once even asking whether I’d consider opening up our relationship.” She shook her head once more. "You blew it, former husband. Remember that and do better when you grow up again.” Instead of checking his diaper, Tabitha strapped Will into his carrier again, then turned to rummage on the counter, obviously looking for something.

Dumbfounded at her words, Will almost missed Tabitha triumphantly pull a bunch of Rowena’s jet black hair from a hairbrush. He did not miss her pull the final candle from her purse and wrap the hair around the candle’s base. Will let out a brief wail of protest as she finished and admired her handiwork.

"There. I think it’s time to light this one, don’t you?” She paused to grin at Will, and he screamed louder, suddenly very afraid. “You don’t? Well, that’s just too bad, isn’t it?” She said, pulling out a lighter.

Will lunged forward, struggling to escape the straps holding him to Tabitha’s chest as she lit the wick, then set the burning candle on the bathroom counter. She straightened up and reached for the doorknob.

"Now we’re ready to give Rowena the baby you’ve been denying her all these years.”

***

Rowena sat doubled up on the floor, wincing in pain. "Owww! Something’s wrong, I need to get to a hospital!”

Tabitha’s voice took on the deep tone Will recognized from when they’d come to his second wife’s door. "Nothing is wrong, Rowena. You’re going to lie back and let me put your baby inside his mommy’s womb where he belongs. Then everything will be normal again.” She unstrapped a squirming Will from his carrier as she spoke.

Rowena’s eyes glazed over and she lay back, no longer showing any pain as she removed her panties and spread her legs wide, hiking her skirt up above her waist. Will wailed as he was lowered towards the curly black hair of her pussy, but it did no good. His whole body tingled with the candle’s magic, and a whitish cord sprang from his belly button into Rowena’s depths. As the umbilical settled into place, Will’s screams ceased, his lungs no longer under his control as Rowena’s body took over their function. He tried to push away as Tabitha fed him feet first into Rowena’s birth canal, the muscles that he’d once enjoyed now inspiring terror as they dragged his entire body inside the smaller woman. His efforts came to naught as her body easily overpowered his own, and soon he was staring up at Tabitha’s mocking smile, encased up to his neck in her rival’s vagina.

"Goodbye, Will. You’ll have plenty of time to think about what you did wrong while you wait to be born." Tabitha said, covering his face with her hand and pushing Will the rest of the way into his new mother’s body. His world became dim, warm, and wet as he was forced through Rowena’s cervix and into her womb. He tried once more to escape as her cervix sealed behind his head, but his fingers were too weak to stop the process. As the light faded to a rosy red color, the tingling in Will’s body finally stopped.

***

As his changes finished and Will settled into place as Rowena’s unborn baby, he felt her move around, then her voice echoed through his world. He strained to understand her words, or the reply from Tabitha, but to no avail. Rowena sounded calm, as though nothing unusual had happened. The conversation continued for quite some time, and Will finally fell asleep with the two women still talking.

Inside Rowena, Will quickly lost track of time amid the sounds of her body. He occasionally tried to get her attention, to communicate with her somehow, but she seemed unaware that he was anything other than her own child. Eventually, he gave up. His memories of the world outside began to dim, and Will began desperately calling up as many as he could, trying to hold himself together, to fight the spell that was trying to make him a baby in truth.

Just when Will thought that he would lose his grip on his very self, his world began to shake. Soon, he found his head being battered against Rowena’s cervix as her muscles contracted around him, and he realized that he was being reborn. As the light of the outside world came closer, Will did his best to speed his passage through the birth canal and back into the world. Finally, he emerged into a wet pool, and hands lifted him from the water. He saw Tabitha’s face as she cut his umbilical cord, and he shivered in fear. To his relief, Tabitha left the room after handing him to his new mother, blowing Rowena a kiss as she left.

“I’ll leave you two to get acquainted. Call if you need anything.” Tabitha said as she closed the door.

Will wanted to say something, but his body was filled with a deep hunger, and something nearby smelled amazing. He turned his head, looking for the source until Rowena pushed something against his lips. As his mouth opened to take it in, Will recognized her nipple as the source of the smell. Before he could react, the sweet milk hit his tongue, and Will was lost in the sensation of nursing from his new mother. He suckled eagerly from Rowena’s breast until he fell asleep, body needing to recover from the trauma of being born.

***

He awoke in Rowena’s arms to find her looking down at him with a smile. They were no longer in the birthing room, and Will recognized the bedroom that he had shared with her during their marriage.

“Hello, little one. Is my Will still in there? If you’re still there, wave for me, honey.”

Relief flooded Will at her words. She knew who he was! Maybe she would keep him safe from Tabitha, find some way to change him back! He lifted one of his tiny hands and waved it in the air. He watched as her smile widened, then a chill went through him at her next words.

“Oh good. Tabitha wasn’t sure how much would be left of you when you came back out. There’s no point to keeping you awake for this part if our former husband isn’t in there anymore, after all. But since you’re still with us, it’s my turn for revenge.”

Rowena sat up in the bed and reached for a small mirror. She held so that Will could see himself clearly and her expression softened, a wistful look in her eyes. “You’re just the way I’d always imagined our son would look. My eyes, his father’s nose, the two of us blended into a beautiful new person.” She said, pointing out the way his body had changed to look like a mix of her features and those he remembered having. Then she put down the mirror and reached for something else. “It’s a shame that you wouldn’t give that to me; that you denied both Tabitha and I the families we wanted so that you could betray our trust more easily. So now I have a different vision for my baby, and Tabitha’s going to help me make it real.”

Will’s eyes opened wide as Rowena held a candle up for him to see. He flailed, trying to knock it away, but she held it just out of reach of his tiny arms. She turned it slowly, letting him see the figures sculpted into the candle. It depicted two women, one embracing the other from behind, their hands interlaced over the slightly rounded belly of the woman in front. A tuft of red hair stuck out from her head, while some of Rowena’s dark hair topped the rear figure. Several strands of Tabitha’s red hair were wound around the base of the candle, with a single strand of Rowena’s woven through them. Once she was certain Will had seen it, Rowena set the candle down on her nightstand. She continued to hold Will tightly against her as she lit the candle, then stood up and walked to the door.

“We’ll tell everyone that Tabitha and I got my brother to donate sperm for us, but you know what’s really about to happen.” Rowena said, carrying a struggling Will into the room where he had just been reborn hours earlier. This time, Tabitha was the one naked in the birthing tub. “Tabitha and I are going to make a family together, and you’re going to be our baby. Both of us blended together in our daughter, with nothing much left of the fool who betrayed us.” Rowena said as she removed the clip Tabitha had placed on Will’s umbilical cord. The stump itched, and Will could feel it changing, growing longer as he was lowered into the water between Tabitha’s legs.

“Hello again, William. You’ll be staying in me for quite a while longer than you spent in Rowena. Babies develop their sex very early, so you’re going to need to get a lot younger for me to change you into our little girl.” Tabitha smirked, then inhaled sharply as Will’s umbilical grew into her. "Time to go, baby. I’ll see you again in seven months or so.” She began to pant as her belly rippled with contractions, the magic of the candle readying her to receive Will.

Rowena smiled down at Will one last time. “Goodbye Will.”

With that, she plunged Will under the water, pushing him headfirst into Tabitha’s greedy birth canal. For the second time that day, Will was squeezed and crushed by a woman’s innermost muscles as Tabitha pulled him into her womb. This time, the space around him seemed to grow even as he filled it, and Will felt his body change still more. His senses slowly faded from awareness; first his eyes sealed closed, leaving him in darkness, then even the sounds of Tabitha’s body faded away to nothing. Next, the smells and taste of his world disappeared. Finally, even his sense of touch changed, until all he could feel was his face cradled in the warm liquid surrounding him. With so little input from outside, Will’s consciousness fragmented and faded away as he dwindled into a tiny fetus, only a few weeks away from conception.

***

Slowly, senses began to return to the baby in Tabitha’s womb. The awareness of her body was the first to return, and with it came the sense that something about her had changed. She was different, she could feel it, but exactly what had changed was a mystery to her. She shifted around for a while, fascinated by the feel of the fluid swirling around her as she moved. After a time, she fell asleep once more.

***

Some time later, the baby began to notice the taste of her surroundings, and the associated smells. The liquid tasted… Salty! The word came to her mind along with the taste, and she kicked in delight. She knew this taste, and soon noticed others - spicy, sweet, sour, bitter. A whole array of names came to her, and for a time this kept her awake. After the initial rush of discovery, she became bored with the monotony of the tastes surrounding her, only perking up when something new came into her world.

***

A rhythmic noise marked the return of the baby’s hearing, and she recognized her mother’s heartbeat in the soundscape around her. The words for breathing and digestion came to her as she listened to the sounds of her mother’s body. She kicked excitedly against the walls of her world and was rewarded by a new sound, followed by a second one! Speech, that was it! Her mother was talking to her! The baby frowned at a second voice, much softer and less all-encompassing than the world-shaking sound of her mother speaking. She knew that one, she was sure of it! It was… Mommy? The word didn’t seem to quite fit, but after a moment, the baby grew more confident. The big voice and the small voice were both her Mommies. Patterns flickered through her mind, but the baby couldn’t understand their meanings and gave up trying after a little while.

The voices changed, and the baby heard her mother’s heart and breathing speed up. Her world shook, and her mother’s voice boomed wordlessly through the baby’s world. Then everything relaxed, and the baby heard her other Mommy’s voice speaking softly. She knew something had just happened between her Mommies, something good, and the baby felt a warm glow of belonging spread through her. She lay quietly, listening to the sounds of her Mommies talking until their voices soothed her into sleep.

***

Light filled the baby’s world as her eyes opened for the first time in months. The light was dim, and... Rosy, that was the word! She looked around in wonder at her cramped surroundings, mentally naming the shapes she saw as the words came to her. She flipped over to look at where the cord attached to her belly disappeared into the wall, and heard her mother’s big voice echo through her world. Patterns flashed through her mind, and this time the baby recognized them as pictures, pictures of... her mother’s face! And her other mommy, too. The baby closed her eyes for a moment and focused on the memories. She had called them something else once, but those words were lost to her. Her world swayed gently as Mother moved, and the baby opened her eyes. She was immediately distracted by the shape of her own arm and the swirling motions she could make with it. She spent the rest of her waking time staring in fascination at her hands and feet, watching how they moved, until she grew tired and slept.

***

The world suddenly grew smaller as Mother’s womb squeezed tight against the baby. She pushed back, unhappy with the reduction in her already cramped space. The walls relaxed, then squeezed tight again, pushing her down against something soft behind her head. After a few cycles, she felt that something give, and her head was squeezed into a narrow tunnel. The baby kicked out, and one more squeeze pushed her into a brighter place, full of new colors and smells. Mother’s body pushed out the baby’s feet, and she was lifted up into the arms of a dark-hared woman. Mommy! The baby recognized the woman’s face as hands cut something from her belly. Then she was handed to another woman, who smelled of Mother, and of… Food! She reached eagerly for her mother as Mommy settled her against Mother’s breast. Soon, the baby had nursed herself into an exhausted sleep.

***

“Hello, baby. Are you still in there, William?”

Mother’s voice woke the baby from her sleep, and she opened her eyes to see both of her mommies staring at her expectantly. The baby stared back at them, blinking a few times as she tried to understand the words. That name, it meant something, she was sure it did…

“I think he’s gone, Tabitha.” Mommy said, reaching a hand out to stroke the baby’s face. “You did say that it was unlikely for Will to remain himself through my time pregnant with him, after all. And you had him for twice as long as I did.”

This time, the name brought back memories. The baby’s eyes widened as she recalled a different womb, Mommy’s womb, and something before that… Will, that had been her, hadn’t it? She wiggled in her mother’s arms. Maybe? She couldn’t remember much before Mother’s womb, but there was something… Aha! Memories of nursing from Mommy surfaced and the baby reached out to the other woman’s bare breast, suddenly hungry again.

“I think she wants to see if you’ve got milk too, Rowena. She’s even greedier this time around.” Mother said as she handed the baby to Mommy.

The baby latched on to Mommy’s breast and was rewarded by a jet of sweet milk that sparked other memories. She’d tasted this before too, and it comforted the baby. She suckled eagerly even as her Mommies kept talking.

“You might be right about Will, though I think there’s something of him left in there. You saw how she reacted when you said his name.” Mother continued.

“Hmm… I wonder..." Mommy said thoughtfully. "Baby, do you understand my words? Is there anything left in there? Squeeze my finger once if you do.”

The baby thought frantically, the words setting off a cascade of meanings in her head, but after a moment, she reached out and grabbed her Mommy’s finger, squeezing once before letting go. Mommy’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Really? Do you remember me?”

Another squeeze, and the baby went back to nursing. She felt a light touch on her cheek, and looked up at Mommy without stopping drinking.

“One more question, baby. Do you remember being my husband? Squeeze once for yes and twice for no.”

Husband? The baby paused. That word sounded familiar, but the meaning escaped her grasp. After a moment more, she squeezed Mommy’s hand twice and buried her face in Mommy’s breast.

Mother chuckled. “Well, that’s interesting. I think we’re going to have a precocious child on our hands, don’t you?”

The baby felt Mommy’s body shake with laughter, and snuggled close. It was good that her Mommies were happy, wasn’t it?

“Yes, I think we are. Welcome back to the family, daughter. I think we’ll name you Hope Catherine this time around.” Mommy said.

Hope reached up and squeezed her Mommy’s hand once as Mother snuggled close to them both.

 

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