I strolled through the maze of stores, observing the world around me. The air was filled with the scent of fresheners and the distant hum of chatter.
I noticed a family—a mother and her three children. The mother, a woman in her early thirties with tired but kind eyes, was holding the hand of a little girl, about five years old, who was tugging at her arm, clearly needing to use the restroom. Behind them trailed a preteen boy, maybe twelve or thirteen, pushing a stroller with a baby girl inside.
As they approached the restroom. “Come on, Emily,” the mother said to the little girl, her voice gentle but firm. “Let’s get you to the restroom. Jason, stay here with Mia, okay? I’ll be right back.”
Jason, the preteen boy, nodded reluctantly. He adjusted the stroller and stood awkwardly next to it, his hands shoved into the pockets of his pants. The baby, Mia, was quiet for now, her big eyes taking in the world around her. The mother hurried off with Emily, leaving Jason alone with the baby.
For a moment, everything was calm. But then, as if on cue, Mia started to fuss. Her little face scrunched up, and soon she was crying, her tiny fists waving in the air. Jason’s eyes widened in panic. He leaned over the stroller, trying to shush her, but it was no use. The crying only grew louder. Her tiny cries grew louder, and Jason's face shifted from boredom to mild panic.
“Uh, uh, uh… what do I do?” Jason muttered to himself, looking around as if someone might come to his rescue. He checked her diaper, but it was dry. “Dry… okay, not that. What else? Uh… food? She’s probably hungry.”
He rummaged through the diaper bag hanging on the stroller, pulling out diapers, wipes, and a few toys, but no bottle. “Oh no,” he muttered. “Mom must have the bottle in her purse. And she’s not here. What am I supposed to do?”
I watched from a distance, a small smile playing on my lips. This was the perfect opportunity for a little… intervention. I snapped my fingers, and in an instant, Jason’s body changed. He didn’t notice it at first—no one did. To everyone around him, including himself, it was as if he had always been this way. His chest now bore a pair of breasts, the same size as his mother’s, and they were already lactating just like his mother's, ready to feed the hungry baby.
Jason, still flustered. "Okay, okay, I guess I can... feed her," Ethan muttered, his voice tinged with uncertainty.
Looking around, he spotted a secluded bench near a potted plant. He hurried over, sitting down and cradling Mia in his arms. Without really thinking, he pulled up his shirt and positioned her to feed. The sensation was strange—warm, tingling, and oddly soothing. Mia latched on immediately, her crying subsiding as she began to nurse. Jason’s face flushed red, but he couldn’t deny that it felt… right, somehow.
A few minutes later, his mother returned with Emily in tow. She looked around, her eyes scanning the area. “Jason? Where are you?” she called out, her voice tinged with worry.
“Over here, Mom,” Jason called back, his voice a little shaky. His mother hurried over, her eyes widening as she saw him feeding Mia.
“Oh my goodness, Jason! I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to leave you with her for so long,” she said, her voice filled with guilt. “I didn’t think she’d get hungry so quickly. I should’ve been here.”
Jason shrugged, still feeling a bit awkward. “It’s okay, Mom. I figured it out. She was hungry, so… I just… did what I had to do.”
His mother smiled softly, patting his shoulder. “You’re such a good big brother. I’m proud of you.” She paused, then added, “But, uh, we’re going to need to get you a bra. A nursing bra, specifically.”
Jason’s eyes widened in horror. “What? No way! I’m a boy! Boys don’t wear bras!”
His mother chuckled, though there was a hint of sympathy in her eyes. “I know, honey, but… well, you’ve got breasts. And if you don’t wear a bra, you’re going to have shoulder pain from the weight. Plus, your shirts will get wet from the lactation. Trust me, it’s not fun.”
Jason groaned, his face turning even redder. “This is so weird,” he muttered.
“I know, sweetie,” his mother said, rubbing his back. “But we’ll figure it out together. And don’t worry, we’ll find one that fits. And don’t even think about borrowing one of mine. Even though our cup size is the same, our band size is different, so you can’t borrow mine. We’ll get you your own.”
Jason sighed, clearly not thrilled about the idea, but he nodded reluctantly. “Fine. But can we at least finish shopping first? I don’t want to go bra shopping right now. It's... embarrassing.”
His mother laughed. “Of course. Let’s get back to it. But we’ll stop by the lingerie section before we leave, okay?”
Jason groaned again, but he couldn’t help the small smile that crept onto his face. As strange as this all was, he couldn’t deny that he felt a sense of pride in being able to take care of his baby sister. And as they walked back into the bustling mall, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of satisfaction.