The Surrogate Ch. 04

Chapter Four - A Fresh Start

Mila was glad when Sarah returned from her holiday. Sarah had been to Bali with two other Redhaven spinsters and came back fit and tanned.

"Sit here and tell me all about it," Mila insisted when Sarah turned up for work.

"But Mrs... but Mila, there is so much housework to do; I've been gone for so long," Sarah complained.

"Oh pooh to the housework; it can wait. I want to hear about what you and your girlfriends got up to in Bali."

So Sarah told Mila about how she and her friends, drank, danced and fucked their way around Kuta for ten days.

"Isn't that kinda against the rules or something?" Mila asked when Sarah told her.

"Rules? What rules?" Sarah looked perplexed.

"The Sons of Jehovah rules, the tenets, whatever?"

"I'm not married Mila."

"Yeah I get that but what about future Pairing. Won't any prospective partner be put off by... you know?"

"All Sons of Jehovah parishioners get eight weeks holidays a year during which they may travel outside of Redhaven. Obviously married couples go together and will often go with other couples. In case you haven't noticed Mila, Redhaven can be a bit like... what's that movie with the gopher... Groundhog Day!"

"I work six days a week Mila, so I need my breaks."

This was the first time that Sarah had spoken ignominiously about life in Redhaven.

"So when we spinsters go on holidays, we let down our hair and relax the tenets a little."

"So is it sort of like Rumspringa?" Mila asked.

"No! Nothing like that really, but to an outsider, yeah you could say that." Sarah guided the conversation away from further discussion about the SOJ tenets.

Mila was living a similar lifestyle in her own way. She took a break every couple of months in LA with Steven, but not always. Sometimes if Steven was busy Mila would go out and about in LA by herself. She had found a few clubs that were LGBTI friendly and soon discovered that there were men who frequented those places just so they could hook up with special girls like her. Mila being so stunning she could take her pick and sometimes did.

She and Peter had been living in Redhaven amongst the Sons of Jehovah for over a year. They were never fully assimilated, they both knew that there were secrets that the SOJ would never divulge, nor did Steven and Mila want desperately to know. Although Mila's interest was piqued after the incident at the cattle ranch she decided to let sleeping dogs lie.

They both knew that there were strange goings on in Redhaven and Mila knew that Peter knew a lot more about how the SOJ garnered its wealth and distributed it to the congregation than he was letting on. Peter was obviously not just some smart corporate businessman and lawyer. He was an expert in finance, markets, hedge funds, private equity, venture capital, basis points, real estate and bonds; but all this stuff could be learned. Peter apparently had some niche abilities that the SOJ valued enough for him to be allowed to live among them.

Not that Mila was complaining too much. The money was great. No... the money was fabulous. No... the money was everything! The money was the reason that she could tolerate living in Redhaven; a town far divorced from the real world.

Except for having all the trappings of a modern society, it was almost like 1950's suburbia and with the restrictions applied by the church the women were almost like Stepford Wives, right down to the way they dressed, behaved and were subservient to their husbands and to men in general.

Mila knew that the Sons of Jehovah owned vast business interests including ranches, lumber, a very well respected furniture manufacturing company, a string of outlet malls and had coal seam gas interests. All the men and women in Redhaven were employed by the SOJ because the SOJ owned and ran every business in Redhaven including the utilities, municipal and domestic services.

But if that wasn't strange enough there was this undercurrent of sexuality and promiscuity. The sexualising of the girls when they come of age, the Pairing, the way women were required to dress. But it was more than that. The Sons of Jehovah tenant that men and women should enjoy each other's bodies whenever they felt the urge seemed to be practiced to the extreme.

Mila would walk into a coffee shop or a restaurant and see a woman sitting in a man's lap while they kissed and canoodled in public, the man blatantly putting his hand up her skirt. The patrons seemed less interested in the couple than they were in the menu. Overt sexuality was almost a norm, albeit curtailed as soon as any outsider, including Mila was around.

She had once rounded the corner in the back alley behind her hairdressing salon and caught a man fucking one of the hairdressers against the wall. The couple had just smiled at her and got back to business. Women and men kissed each other passionately where a peck on the cheek was the societal norm, and more disturbingly, some men kissed other men's wives a little more affectionately than decorum would dictate. And of course there was the incident with Jim Benson and the maid Angie at their welcome party.

Mila had tried to bring up the subject with Sarah but even though she spoke openly about some aspects of the SOJ tenets, there were some she would not discuss.

But Mila was in turmoil herself. She had been living as Mila for so long now that all vestiges of Miles Frances had disappeared; nothing of his spirit remained. Mila was committed to her gender identity and sexuality and had no wish to return to her old life, even when she eventually left Redhaven.

This was a discussion that she had to have with Peter; it would be only fair to include him. Besides which, she and Peter's relationship had developed into an allegiance. There was an attachment and genuine tenderness between them now, being forced to live together under the same roof, indeed in the same bed, as husband and wife had become more than a ritual. They trusted each other and she had to admit, they liked each other. Peter had become a better person living with Mila in Redhaven.

They were like shipwreck victims clinging to each other surrounded by the flotsam of the Sons of Jehovah.

"I'd like to become Mila permanently," Mila said to Peter when they met in the privacy of their bedroom at Mila's insistence.

"You already are," Peter looked a little quizzical.

"I mean like forever; even after we leave Redhaven and go our separate ways," Mila replied.

"Seriously? I thought it was all about the money with you. I knew you were enjoying being a woman, playing the woman's role when you have sex, but I honestly thought it was just something you were toying with."

"Ok, it's not new, nowadays people change their gender all the time but it will be a bit drastic chopping off your junk and then finding out you've made a mistake," Peter said a little indelicately.

"I'm not chopping off my junk Peter! My junk is staying right where it is; I like my junk. I'm having the veranda remodelled, so to speak," Mila smiled at him.

"Wow! Great! Good idea! Get some double Ds honey and let me play with them, we can tell those SOJ assholes that I paid for the boob job," Peter teased her.

"I'm not getting double Ds; I'm getting something that I like and that is appropriate for my frame and even though we are married you do not get to play with them," Mila leaned in and kissed his cheek.

"Ok Mila seriously, I'm happy for you. You are a better version of Mila than your twin sister ever was, and probably better looking and more feminine too," it was Peter's turn to kiss Mila's cheek.

"Ok stop the bullshit honey. For obvious reasons I can't get the work done in the US but I don't have a passport. Is that something you can fix for me?"

"Sure, I have someone who can fix that."

When Peter returned from his latest business trip he gave Mila a passport.

"Thank you so much Peter," Mila squealed when he gave it to her, running into his arms and kissing him.

Peter hugged her and returned the kiss but then it just got awkward and they disengaged.

"Ahem. I've found a clinic in Manila that does good work. I'll be gone for ten days."

"I'll cover for you Mila. Let's get our story straight and then we can tell Sarah that you're heading off on another holiday."

"And I bet the news will get to the beloved Reverend before you even go back to the Supreme Temple," Mila hissed.

"You still think she's spying on us? I thought you and Sarah were friends?"

"Oh she is a dear friend but surely she can't afford to go to Bali for two weeks on a maid's wage? She's getting paid a lot extra for something and I think that something is to watch us and report back."

"Mila, you know I rarely talk business with you but let me tell you this. Sarah's wage as a house servant in Redhaven is equal to that of a doctor in LA."

"How is that Peter? How can they afford to pay her so much money?" Mila asked.

"Well it serves a number of purposes, some I know about and some I'm speculating. First off, everyone in Redhaven is paid by the SOJ because they work for the SOJ, so there is no limit as to what the church can pay their employees."

"If you want to keep your congregation happy and want then to live in relative isolation with archaic, misogynist, dogma then you better give them some incentive rather than just the promise of the afterlife."

"So everyone is paid ridiculously high wages and everyone gets eight weeks holiday a year. That would make things tolerable right?"

"Also have you noticed that the women here not only don't complain about being made to dress like 1960's fashion models and be openly subservient to men, they actually seem to like it?"

"Every private party we have been to, we have always been the first to leave, in fact we have been asked to leave, usually on the premise that the other partygoers are going to perform some religious right that we cannot witness."

"Well that's true," Mila speculated.

"Even though they are usually well and truly full of booze by then," she continued.

"So what do you think? Oh my god! You think they are having orgies or something?" Mila squealed.

"I think a lot of wife-swapping goes on at least. You've noticed how some of the men are very handsy with other guy's wives," Peter confirmed that Mila was not paranoid, he saw what she saw.

"But going back to the money. Every wage-earner in Redhaven, with the exception of yours truly of course, is tithed ten percent of what they make. The church withholds ten percent of those ridiculously high wages but counts it as a donation so it's tax free income."

"So if you put it all together: the three Orders within the church, the Pairing off and marriage at an early age, no single men allowed, the banishment of those who do not wish to live the SOJ tenets, the willing subjugation of women who exist to pleasure men and bear children, the extremely high standard of living and generous vacation time so people can blow off steam... it's not a bad way to keep your congregation happy but also control them at the same time," Peter summarised his hypothesis.

"But how hasn't his got out? Why isn't it the lead story on FOX News or Sixty Minutes?" Mila asked.

"I don't know and I don't want to speculate to be honest. I just take the money and keep my mouth closed."

"The Sons of Jehovah and Redhaven itself is not exactly a secret but no one, except for us as far as I know, has ever been able learn too much about them. They are a closed society."

"And why is that Peter? What special skills do you have that allows us to live like we do?" Mila asked.

Peter paled and looked earnestly into Mila's eyes.

"That's something you're better off not knowing."

"Are we safe?" Mila asked for the first time since they had arrived at Redhaven.

Peter gently pulled her into his arms and brushed the bangs out of her eyes.

"I'd never let anything happen to you. You've kinda grown on me," he kissed her softly on the lips.

"You kinda need me for your cover story," Mila grinned up at him.

"You should talk about cover stories! Anyway, go and get your new tits, you've earned them," Peter released her and patted her playfully on the buttocks.

When Mila went downstairs there were a hundred questions she wanted to ask Sarah but she didn't dare.

*****

Mila came out of her anaesthesia in a private hospital ward in Manila. When the doctor showed Mila her new breasts she was delighted; they were a perfect B-cup, almost exactly the same size as Mila's 'chicken-fillet' falsies. They looked amazing although they were a little tender and swollen from the surgery, she liked the heft of having real breasts on her chest.

She stayed overnight at the clinic and then moved back into the Makati Diamond Residences. She was surprised to find Peter waiting for her in her suite. He had a huge bouquet of flowers and kissed her cheek softly, holding her gently, aware that she might be in some pain.

"What are you doing here?" Mila asked as she arranged the flowers in a vase.

"I wanted to see your new tits."

"No, not really. I was due a vacation anyway and we haven't been away together since we arrived at Redhaven and I don't want the Reverend and his cronies getting suspicious."

"So it's not that you wanted to make sure I was well after my surgery."

Mila was standing near the sink with her back to Peter. She was surprised when he lightly placed his hands on her shoulders and gently nuzzled her neck.

"Look I know I'm an asshole but something has changed. Living in Redhaven, living with you, I think some of your decency had rubbed off on me."

"Shut up Peter, if you keep talking like that I might begin to like you," Mila fiddled with her flower arrangement.

"But I still wanna see your tits," Peter smiled.

"I might let you; if you're a good boy. You can take me to dinner tonight, I'm starving, I have hardly eaten a thing for two days."

"Sure. Are you bringing your new tits too?" Peter ducked when Mila threw a teaspoon at him.

"Asshole!" she chuckled.

Mila and Peter made a holiday of it, shopping in the Green Belt, drinking San Miguel beer and Tanduay Rum, dancing and singing karaoke at the local bars and sightseeing around the city.

On the day before they were due to fly out Mila had the last of her dressings removed and the doctor told her that the fine scars on the underside of each of her breasts would fade and eventually become almost invisible. For now they were two very small pink lines that no longer caused her any pain. Peter had accompanied her to the doctor and he took her out for a farewell dinner to celebrate. Neither of them was particularly looking forward to returning to Redhaven but the practicalities of life and the garnering of a secure income were paramount.

Back at the Makati Diamond they had a last drink in the lounge room that interconnected the two-bedroom suite they were sharing. Mila actually curled up on the couch, resting her head on a pillow on Peter's thighs as they watched TV.

"We're almost like some old married couple," Peter joked.

"Hey! A bit less of the old, buster!" Mila thumped him playfully.

When Mila started to doze, Peter picked her up and took her into her room and laid her on her bed. He showered and went to bed, feeling tired himself.

He was awakened an hour later when something disturbed his bedclothes. He held his breath as Mila climbed under the covers and snuggled up to him, spooning. She was wearing some exotic perfume that intrigued him.

"Is this ok?" she whispered.

Peter nodded; he was more than a little confused. The feel of Mila's warm soft body clad in her negligee felt good against his bare flesh, Peter only wore his briefs to bed. Mila nuzzled his neck and wrapped a leg over his; he could feel that she was wearing nylons. Her new breasts pressing into his back were both comforting and arousing.

'Who wore nylons to bed?' he was thinking.

He turned to face her and saw that she was also wearing full makeup.

"What's going on Mila?" he whispered.

"Don't you want to see my new tits?" she whispered back, her eyes rife with mischief.

"It would be churlish of me not to because you went to all that trouble to bring them over here," Peter jested.

"I was going to send them by themselves but because I've only just got them I wasn't sure that they would find their way home," Mila replied.

Peter turned on one of the spotlights over the bed. Once again he was struck by how beautiful Mila was and wondered why it had taken him over a year to realise it; maybe because he was grappling with her being a transgender woman or because he was too busy with work.

Mila held her negligee open and showed off her pert bosom and smiled proudly.

"Nice. Can I touch them?"

Mila nodded.

Peter touched Mila's breasts, softly feeling the heft of them, then he stroked them with his fingertips and Mila shivered.

"Am I hurting you?" Peter sounded genuinely concerned.

Mila shook her head and smiled at him, putting her hands over his, directing his fingers to her nipples. They hardened to his touch.

"Do I repulse you?" Mila asked, searching his face for any sign of deception.

"I was just thinking to myself how foolish I've been not see that the most precious possession I have has been living under my roof."

Mila was about to reply when Peter put a finger to her lips to silence her.

"Look it's always been about the money, I get that and it still is. But I'd like to turn our marriage of convenience into a marriage of convention."

"But only if you want to too."

He took his finger from her lips so Mila could reply.

"What about me being transgender? I have no intention of purchasing the matching designer vagina to go with my new tits," Mila bit her lip.

Peter frowned.

"I don't need you to do that. At least I don't think I do. All I know is I want you; I want to make love to you. I think I might have some idea how to do that but I'm willing to let you to teach me. I don't want to hurt you or to..."

Mila silenced Peter up by pressing her lips on his.

She reached out to turn off the light but Peter put his hand over hers to prevent her from doing so.

"I want to look at you. You are so beautiful; I want all of my senses to appreciate you."

This time Peter kissed Mila and pulled her close. She wrapped a leg over him and opened her mouth so he could put his tongue to her. Peter slid a hand down to her leg and stroked her shapely thigh clad in the gossamer hold-up stockings.

"Do you always wear nylons and makeup to bed?"

"Do you always ask stupid questions when you're supposed to be making love to the person in bed with you?"

Mila quietened him again by kissing him.

Peter let Mila take the lead. They kissed passionately for a long time, taking the time explore each other's bodies. She kissed his chest and licked his smooth flesh all the way down to his belly. He reciprocated and when he took Mila's nipple into his mouth and suckled it she gasped and cradled his head, it was a wonderful feeling. Peter spent some time caressing, licking and sucking her breasts and Mila appreciated it.

She was erect inside her flimsy panties but she didn't know if Peter was ready to touch her there yet. She took him in hand and squeezed his quite substantial cock, then caressed it with featherlight strokes using her fingertips, listening to him moan and kissing him when he encouraged her to stroke it harder. She resisted and instead went exploring his body again with her lips and tongue but this time continued down his belly and took him in her mouth.

She suckled his cock and squeezed and stroked his scrotum. Peter was leaking copious amounts of precum which she greedily swallowed. She froze when Peter's hand grazed her cock through her slinky panties, not sure if it was intentional.