Eric or Erica? Pt. 01

I don't remember much, I do remember Tina bathing my forehead with a damp, cool washcloth and her gentle voice trying to soothe me. I also remember vomiting, more than once. Each time Tina was there to catch it in a stainless-steel dish. I don't remember passing out; I do remember waking up, every muscle in my body aching. I turned, and Tina was asleep in the chair next to me.

"T-Ti-Tina." I barely managed to rasp out. Her eyes fluttered, she looked at me and smiled.

"You had a rough night last night, girlfriend. How are you feeling?"

"I feel like nine miles of bad road." I croaked. "How do I look?"

"To be honest, you look like nine miles of bad road!" she laughed to take any sting out of her words. I laughed with her, although it was a dry, dusty laugh. "Can I get you anything? Although I'm probably limited in what I can bring you."

"Some Ibuprofen, extra strength if possible! And maybe just a little bit of fresh fruit. I don't think I could keep anything else down."

She loosened the restraints. "Please don't try to get up until I get back. I won't be gone long."

I gradually began to sit up. I was weak but was able to throw my legs over the side of the bed and just sit. I tried to stand up but that wasn't happening! I flopped back down onto the bed and waited.

Tina returned shortly. "Bad girl! You tried to get up, didn't you?"

I smiled and nodded weakly. Tina gave me my OTC pain meds and a small glass of ice water to wash them down with. She had brought a bowl of cut up melons: watermelon, cantaloupe, honey dew, casaba and a couple I didn't even recognize. They were all delicious. In addition to helping sate my hunger pangs without making me nauseous again, they also helped to rehydrate me.

"You stayed with me all night, didn't you?" I asked.

"Yes." She said it simply and matter-of-factly. "I was not going to leave you alone. Best case scenario? You would have woken up with vomit all over you. Worst case scenario? You wouldn't have woken up because you would have choked to death on your own vomit."

I reached out my hand and clasped hers as tightly as I could. "Thank you." The tears began to flow. It had been a long, long time since another human being had cared for me without expecting anything in return.

Tina bent down and hugged me to her, rocking me gently. "It's OK, babycakes. Cry it out. Tina is here for you." I sobbed uncontrollably, overcome by the emotion of everything I had just gone through, overcome by the emotion of this guardian angel choosing to go through it with me, not leaving me alone.

I cried myself out. "Can I take a shower?" I asked.

"I'm not sure that's a good idea. I don't want you possibly falling down in the shower. I'll run a hot tub for you so you can take a bath. I'll help you into and out of the tub."

"I'd like that. Thank you."

Tina came back in a few minutes and helped me stand. She helped me out of my clothes and into the tub. The tub was full of bubbles, lavender bubbles. I had to laugh. I luxuriated in that bath for as long as I could. Tina helped me out and helped me towel dry. She held me while I brushed my teeth and gargled with mouthwash to get the taste of vomit out of my mouth. She led me back to bed.

There was a crimson satin chemise and matching crimson French cut panties on the bed. I put them on without hesitation; I put them on without complaint. Tina tucked me into bed, kissed me on the forehead and said, "Sleep well. I'll see you in the morning, beautiful."

Just as I was getting ready to doze off, it hit me. Tina had called me 'girlfriend,' 'bad girl,' 'babycakes,' and 'beautiful' all in the span of the last couple of hours. What the fuck was that all about I wondered but I passed out before I could come up with anything resembling a rational answer.

I slept all day and all night. When I woke up the next morning, Tina was already inside my room, waiting with the breakfast cart. "Nothing greasy this morning girl. I've got some hot oatmeal for you along with some sliced bananas and hot tea. You'll get your appetite back soon enough, let's take it easy with this first meal."

It was then that I noticed a man standing over her shoulder, peering at me intently. Tina didn't look behind her. "Erica, this is Mr. Z. Mr. Z, this is Erica."

I looked at Tina quizzically. "Eric. Tina, you know my name is Eric."

She looked down in Mr. Z's direction, she wouldn't look him in the eyes. "I'll leave you two alone while Erica finishes her breakfast." She backed out of the room, head still down, eyes still averted.

I looked at Mr. Z closely for the first time. He was difficult to categorize. He wasn't a big man; he wasn't a small man. He could have been anywhere from 5' 11" to 6' 2" tall. He could have weighed anywhere from 185 pounds to 205 pounds. He could have been anywhere from his late 30's to his early 50's. He defied description.

One thing that couldn't be hidden was his Mediterranean good looks. Dark complected with curly black hair and hazel eyes, his teeth were so white they almost sparkled. Mr. Z looked at me just as closely, if not closer, than I looked at him.

"Good morning, Erica. I am Dimitrios Zarkos. You may call me Mr. Z. Actually, if you're going to continue to stay here, I insist on it. Tina tells me you had a very rough night two nights ago. I am glad to see you are feeling better. You probably haven't noticed, but you've been moved to a different room. The room you were in was for our early guests. Tina believes you might be staying for a while."

"That depends." I said.

"Depends on what?"

"I'd like some answers. Tina keeps calling me 'girlfriend' and 'Erica'. You called me 'Erica' just now. My name is Eric. I'm a man. What the hell is going on?"

"Erica, because you are still so new here, and because this is our first conversation together, I will allow you this one breach of etiquette. But I must tell you. Don't ever swear at me, don't ever swear around me. Ever. Again. If you do, I will have Daniel immediately take you back to the ghetto doorway where he found you. Do you understand?"

"Y-ye-yes, I understand. I apologize for my vulgarity. I'm just so confused. Why is everyone calling me Erica?"

He smiled. "That is better. You may or may not have noticed, there were no mirrors in the room you first stayed in. That is by design. There are mirrors in this room. Go to the bathroom and look at yourself. Then come back and we'll talk some more."

I did as Mr. Z suggested. I went to the bathroom although I felt more than a little self-conscious in my crimson nighty and panties. I looked into the mirror. "Holy sh--." I stopped myself. No swearing around Mr. Z. Eric was looking back at me but, but, but it wasn't the Eric I was used to seeing looking back at me from the mirror. This Eric was softer, rounder, curvier, more feminine than anyone who had ever looked back at me before.

I ran back into the main room. "Wh-what have you people been doing to me?"

"Technically, you have been doing it to yourself. In addition to your vitamins and minerals you have been taking female hormones along with an experimental hormone accelerant. I think it works very well, don't you?"

"Why? Why would you do this to me?"

"Erica, let me be blunt. I have found that a good number of the people who have suffered from the issue you were dealing with had gender identity issues without realizing it. I believe you to be one of those people. If I'm wrong, you can certainly leave at the next opportunity. The hormone accelerant will quickly disappear from your body. The hormonal effects will also reverse themselves relatively quickly. The old Eric will be back before you know it. No one is going to force you to stay here."

He stood up. "I am going to dismiss you from this afternoon's participation in the stretching and feminine toning exercise session. I know you have a lot to think about. I will also dismiss Tina from her duties for the rest of the day. She can, how do you say, 'just hang out' with you this afternoon and this evening." He turned and left without another word.