While Jessie was in her room playing with some of her sister Beth's old dolls, her mom, Sherry, looked at the Chronivac screen and thought about going back to being a man. She was ambivalent. She hadn't particularly enjoyed having a male body, although the strength was nice, and having a penis did nothing for her. Eating like crazy had been fun, but not that big a deal. Yet there was something she had liked about manhood that seemed to be driving her back. She remembered what she had done in her brief male phase. What had been so great about it?
She thought of the waitress at the cafe. Being able to look at her, at her pretty breasts and cute backside, to flirt with her. Being able to look at women. Memories came flooding back to her, of coaching her daughter's cheerleading squad, of her own school days. Feelings she had tried to drown with a ceaseless round of exercise, motherhood and community activity. Why had sex with her husband always been so unexciting, despite both of their best efforts? Why had she not dated once after his death?
"I'm a lesbian." Sherry whispered, looking around to make sure no one else was in the room "I like women." she said again, somewhat more loudly. "I'm one of those women." She swallowed hard. "I'm a dyke."
Her fingers began to move on the keyboard. A younger, more athletic body, a short haircut, a double-bladed axe tattoo on the back of her left hand. She hit enter twice to save the changes.
She heard Jessie's voice and turned to see that her new daughter had silently entered the room. "You look different, mommy." "Oh honey," Sherry replied. "A lot of things are going to change around here."