This choice: Catarina Benedetti, a rich socialite. • Go Back...Chapter #10Catarina Benedetti, a rich socialite. by: Wassel   "Come again?" you asked, on hearing his reply. Pretty sure he'd just said some girl's name.
"Catarina Benedetti," the doctor again repeated. Proving to you without a shadow of a doubt that he really had said that. He had said a girl's name.
Naturally you were taken a-back. Stunned even. Expecting to still be a guy at least. Being no way prepared for this. "I'm... I'm a woman?"
"That is correct. Catarina Marie Benedetti. 47 years old, Italian born citizen. That's who you are... Who you were."
Although you had no reason to doubt him. Recognizing now the strong Mediterranean accent as you spoke, as well as just how feminine your voice sounded, you still weren't yet ready to believe this. It seeming so wrong on so many levels. You wee a guy. You were Tim Connors. You couldn't be a chick. You couldn't...
"No. It... It can't be. I can't be a woman now!" you squealed. Trying in vain to get up. You're body still being far too numb from the drugs to move.
Calming you as best he could, Kerry was quick to point out the fact that you'd always been a woman. Reminding you again that you weren't really Tim, you just thought you were. Having spent nearly half a century as this other person. Which unfortunately didn't really help make any of this any easier to swallow. Having absolutely zero knowledge of being Catarina. As far as you were concerned, you were still Tim. You thought and acted like Tim.
Sensing that this was the case, Kerry then asked you, "Would it help if you saw what you looked like now? Perhaps it might help you accept all this a bit more readily."
Though a part of you desperately wanted to say "no" and carry on pretending like this was all just some sick joke they were playing on you, you couldn't not see. Nodding then and watching as he picked up a small mirror off a nearby table and brought it to you. Feeling a growing sense of trepidation as the shiny surface came closer. Terrified of what exactly it was you were going to see.
Oh God. It's real! you squeaked on catching sight of your new reflection. I really am her! Finding that there, staring back at you, was an attractive, dark haired woman with slightly olive skin. Looking just as shocked as you were. This... This is insane! It was. The woman in the mirror being a complete stranger, more than three decades older than you were. Her long brunette locks slightly matted and disheveled from the surgery. Her sultry brown eyes red and puffy. While a series of small stitches decorated the top of one eye. It being utterly bizarre and surreal to realize then that this woman... This mature, 47 year old Italian woman was actually you. You were Catarina Benedetti.
"As you can see, there really is very little sign of any external damage visible to the cranium," Dr. Kerry explained, while you continued to stare slack-jawed into the mirror. "We even managed to preserve your hair using a rather new and highly advanced, non-evasive surgery technique that I patented myself." Not that you were really listening. Being far too mesmerized by your reflection. It being the most surreal and down right disturbing sight you'd ever witnessed.
In the end though, you just had to look away. It being way too freaky to deal with. Asking him then, "Who.. Who is she? Who am I?"
"Well, unfortunately I don't have all the details to hand," he replied, "but as far as we've been able to discover, you were born in Naples, Italy. Worked as a model over there for a few years and then moved to the states with your husband and..."
"Whoa... Wait a minute... "Husband"? She's... I mean, I'm married?!"
"Yes, to Dr. Benedetti. He's a very successful cosmetic surgeon. One of the best in the world in fact."
Holy shit! You'd never even had a proper girlfriend before and here you were now married to some dude. This was too much.
"Anyway, I'm sure he'll be able to fill you in on the exact details. Though Dr. Saunders and I theorize that you'll most likely find subconscious things from your old life coming back to you from time to time. Which should help you to adjust."
"Adjust? What do you mean adjust?"
"As I mentioned before, this process was permanent, and seeing how the real Tim is perfectly fit and well and will no doubt be heading home with his family tomorrow, we feel it's for the best that you do the same."
"You want me to go live with this Benedetti guy?" you shrieked, realizing what he was saying. "I don't even know him!" Your Italian accent really coming through now.
"Not anymore, no," Kerry replied. "But unfortunately there really is no other option. No one else can know about what happened here. The legal ramifications alone are far too complicated to consider, never mind the media attention something like this would bring. That is why you have to be Catarina. Just as you've always been. This side effect of this procedure has to remain a secret."
While you could see his logic and had no aspirations to become some freak who's face was plastered all over the TV, you still weren't going to take this lying down. Telling the doctor, "This is insane! You seriously expect me to forget about my life, my family and pretend to be some old married woman like it's nothing? I won't!" How could they even suggest something like this? You were a 16 year old boy for God sake.
"Tim, please. Be reasonable," Dr. Saunders finally chimed in. Looking incredibly perturbed by this whole thing as he tried to convince you it was in everyone's best interest. "As far as your friends and family are concerned, you don't even exist. This version of 'Tim' doesn't exist. Finding out about it will only make their lives and yours much more difficult."
"Don't you think it'd be better to just accept whats happened and move on?" Kerry added. "Make the most of this second chance you've been given. You were technically dead after all. And besides, being Catarina won't be so bad. It may take some adjusting but Mr. Benedetti assures me you'll be well taken care of. In fact, he wanted to speak with you once you were awake. Perhaps he'll be able to convince you."
You doubted it. You doubted that anyone could. Especially not some complete stranger who you'd never met before.
"Anyway... For now you need your rest. We'll be back in a while to check on you. Once the drugs have worn off."
And with that the two doctors turned and left, leaving you to lay there and contemplate everything they'd just told you. Finding it virtually impossible to actually get any rest. Not know that you knew what you were... Who you were. Even tearing up at one point as you stared blankly up at the ceiling. This whole thing being so unfair. Why did it have to happen to me? Why couldn't I have been the other Tim?
In the end, you did finally manage to get sleep somehow. Waking up later to find...
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