One moment, Jeff was lying on his bed, clenching the stone, idly musing how much better it would feel to experience life—any life—away from his own boring existence for a while; the next, he was strapped to a gurney being wheeled into an operating room.
His eyes darting around, disoriented, Jeff barely registered what the excitable doctor walking next to him was saying:
“Jeff, I know it’s taken longer than you hoped, and I’ll admit that I was at first extremely skeptical that we could accommodate your request given your male physiology, but I’m very hopeful about the surgical implantation and after-care nutritional protocols we’ve developed in consultation with your endocrinologist to ensure the fetus receives adequate sustenance. Now, I do want you to be prepared for the possibility of unanticipated side effects and discomfort, but we think you’ll enjoy the healthy, fulfilling pregnancy you’ve always wanted.”
“Surgery!?” “Implantation!?” “Fetus!?” “Pregnancy!!!!??” Jeff didn’t have time for panic to fully set in before everything faded to black.