Surprise Offer 2: is a direct continuation of the story about Lily and her ‘brother’ Lance. Can she find acceptance and her place in the world as Lily instead of Lance? Emotions run high as Lily’s new best friend and ‘adoptive’ family members move things forward at lightning speed. Can she handle it all? How will a surprise just before Thanksgiving change everything? Lily and Sammie are back, ready to take on the world with pigtails and dancing, in a way only ten-year-old little girls can do.

Previously:

“Too soon for that. I hope the lab can be done with it by tomorrow night,” Dr. Webster paused for a moment while trying not to show how concerned he was. “Lily, I’ve got pictures of your insides, but I also need to look at your private parts on the outside. Can you please remove your panties and put your feet in these stirrups after lying down?” 

Lily looked over at her Mommie, who was smiling at her and nodding in approval. Reluctantly, she followed the doctor's instructions, and the little girl was soon lying down and putting her feet in the stirrups. 

After putting on some gloves, the doctor adjusted the stirrups to expose the girl’s crotch. “The first glaring thing I see is that there is no scrotum sac or testicles.”

Mommie looked at Lily, shocked. She didn’t know this fact. She had washed the child multiple times but never paid attention to that part of the body. Usually, that part was buried underneath the bathwater. Lily, on her part, just thought that was normal. Having not looked at other boys to compare it with.

Doctor Webster then pointed out, “Size-wise, the penis is less than a quarter of the size I would expect a ten-year-old to have. This is the part where I get up close and personal with you, Lily.” He felt the penis and said, “This is not a penis, the top isn’t shaped like one, nor does it feel like one. Do you pee through it?”

Lily responded, “Through it? No, urine dribbles down the side of it. I never understood how other boys could use urinals. I always sit down. You mean pee goes through it in boys?”

“Yes, with a penis it would. I'm not sure what it is, but it’s not a penis,” Dr. Webster stated as he felt her crotch. “I don’t feel a cavity.” 

When he was done with the examination, the doctor put Lily’s legs together and helped the girl sit up. “Lily, you may get dressed.” 

While taking off his gloves, the doctor turned to Mommie, ”I will inform Doctor Kendrick of this visit and have her make a certification that Lily is biologically female. You will probably want to get a lawyer because there are so many things that have to be changed from Lance, the male, to Lily, the female.” 

Mommie just nodded at this information.

After informing them that the anti-itch cream could be gotten over the counter at any pharmacy,  Dr. Webster focused his attention on the person who looked both confused and worried, “Lily, what you have is a very dangerous situation. You are actively in your period, but since there is no way for the blood to get out, it is pooling inside your body. The ultrasound shows that a large amount of blood has already collected in there. We have to get that blood out of your body. I am sending you to Pratt Children’s Hospital, where they can do that.”

Dr. Webster then turned to Mrs. Vanderbilt, “You are to take your daughter straight to the Pratt Children’s Hospital, door three. I can not stress this enough: go straight there. This is a dangerous, life-threatening condition. I will state it again, go straight there. I have already called them, and they are expecting you. Do you have any questions?”

“No,” to be honest, Susan had a ton of questions, but couldn’t get her mind cleared enough to think straight. She knew the next step. She had to get her baby to Pratt Children’s Hospital immediately after leaving here.

Before leaving the room, Dr. Webster turned back to the little girl sitting on the exam table, “It was nice meeting you, Lily.”

While Lily was putting Lance's clothes back on, Mommie was trying to process everything that had just been said. Her baby was biologically a girl, and he/she had a life-threatening condition that required immediate … surgery? When Lily turned around fully dressed, Susan’s heart dropped. Her baby girl was dressed up as a boy about to go into the hospital for surgery. Mommie came over and hugged her daughter. She then took a brush out of her purse and turned the boy's hairstyle into a girl’s hairstyle.

The two Vanderbilts headed to the car for the 30 to 45-minute drive to the children’s hospital. As soon as they were on the road, headed for Pratt Children’s Hospital, Mommie called Daddie and told him that his daughter was getting admitted. The call was short and sweet because there were a lot more calls to make.

Mommie said to the car, “Call Jefferson Elementary.”

“Jefferson Elementary. Fran speaking.”

“Hello. This is Susan Vanderbilt, mother of Lance Vanderbilt, who is in Mr. Collins's class.” 

“How can I help you, Susan?”

“Lance won’t be back today, and he might be out for a while. The doctor has admitted him to the hospital.”

“Can I know what hospital and what for?”

“Oh, we'd rather not say. We request no visitors for the time being.”

“How about schoolwork?”

“Sammie Berger, from the same class, can receive any schoolwork.”

“Please keep the school informed.”

“We will, thank you.”

She hung up the call and immediately said, “Call Alison Gilbert at work.”

“Gilbert’s Costumes, Alison speaking.”

“Alison, it is Susan.”

“Hello, Susan.”

“They will be admitting your granddaughter into Pratt.” …

“With what name? What for?”

“As Lily. You remember Sunday when you said your granddaughter was moody like Hanna was during her first few periods?”

“Yes?”

“That was because she was having one of her first few periods. She is still having that period.”

“But … but … but, she shouldn’t have a period.”

“She has all the internals. Apparently, working internals, too.”

“Does she even have a way for the menstrual fluid to get out?”

“No, that is exactly why they are admitting her and probably doing surgery today or tomorrow.”

“Is this what the doctor's appointment today was about? You were quite vague yesterday.”

“Yes, I was a little vague yesterday for a reason. We didn’t want you to worry.”

“You would rather have me worry about it today. How bad is it?”

“They say it can be life-threatening.”

“Who do I ask for when Hanna and I get there?”

“Vanderbilt is safe. I’m not sure what first name they will admit her under.”

“When do you want us?”

“We aren’t there yet, and we don’t know what they are going to do today.”

“I am assuming my granddaughter is there?”

Lily called out, “Hello, Granny.”

Granny said, “How are you feeling?”

“Extremely scared. Constipated and have been since it started. Sammie and the nurse put stuff on my chest to stop it from itching. The cramps and headaches aren’t as bad as they were, but they are starting to get bad again.”

Granny responded, “I had to ask a loaded question, didn’t I?”

Lily giggled, “Yes, you did, Granny.”

“Love you, Lily. I will see you later today sometime.”

“Love you, Granny. Thank you.”

“Susan, take care of my granddaughter.”

Susan responded, “I always do. We will talk to you later.”

“Talk to you later,” Granny said before hanging up the phone.

Mommie immediately started to call Mrs. Berger. She informed her that Lily was being admitted to the children’s hospital, and she would tell them later who to ask for. She also let the neighbor know that what they suspected was definitely true. The parent then called in to work to take tomorrow and the following Monday off due to her child going into the hospital.

Mr. Collins told his class, “Welcome back from afternoon recess. I have been informed that Lance will not be returning today and may be out for a while. They admitted him directly to the hospital from his doctor's appointment.”

Sammie didn’t look too surprised at that information. That lack of surprise didn’t go unnoticed by the rest of the Girl Scouts. Amanda gave Tina a suspicious look.

“The family has not given why he was admitted. They also request no visitors for the time being,” said Mr. Collins. 

Sammie did look surprised at that. She couldn’t imagine not seeing her best friend for a while. But if the Vanderbilts didn’t want visitors, she would pout but not complain.

Mr. Collins continued, “Sammie?”

“Yes, Mr. Collins.”

“I am to give you Lance’s schoolwork,” Mr. Collins said. “Please see me before leaving at the end of the day.”

While smiling because this meant they expected her to see Lily, Sammie responded, “Okay.”

Tina gave Amanda a suspicious look this time.

Once the Vanderbilts got to Pratt, the two of them walked up to the desk inside door three. Mommie let the lady know that Lily or Lance Vanderbilt was here. The lady picked up a phone, and almost immediately, a nurse appeared. The nurse said, “I am Nurse Kate. Have a seat in this wheelchair, Lily, and we will head to your new temporary home.”

After Lily sat down, the three of them headed to the fourth floor. Mommie was directed into an admission room with instructions to join them in Lily’s room later.

Once in room 416, Lily was asked to strip entirely and put on only what was on the bed. The nurse pulled the curtain before she left the room. The young girl turned and, after stripping, found a pink hospital gown with various flowers on it. She didn’t find any panties. She guessed she was going commando. She also found pink compression socks to put on her feet. Mommie soon joined her and helped tie the straps behind her.

She jumped on the bed to wait for the nurse to return. She looked at the whiteboard in the room. It said her name was Lily Vanderbilt. Underneath that was written, “Records name: Lance Vanderbilt.” It said her gender was  F(I). Underneath that was written “Records gender: M.” She guessed that the F stood for female, and M stood for male. But she wasn’t sure what I stood for. Her current nurse was Kate. It contained some vital information, but much of it was left blank. Her concern was listed as Vaginal Atresia and Hematometra. She had never heard of atresia, but based on what her doctor had said earlier, she was going to guess it was a medical term for blocked. As for the other concern, she hadn’t a clue what it was. Mommie was listed as her parent. The allergies section was also currently blank.

The nurse soon returned and put a hospital bracelet on her wrist. The young girl looked at it, and it gave her name again, with Lance after the name in tiny letters. It gave her room and provided various other information. The nurse said, “We are going to get your weight and height before I continue.”

Lily was directed out of the room to a scale near the nurses' station. After a quick weight and height check, the young girl was directed back to her room. Once back in the room, she was told by the Nurse, “The last thing before your first appointment is a blood pressure check.”

Once her blood pressure was recorded, the young patient was told, “We are going for a little ride to the MRI room.”

Lily watched the world go by as she was wheeled to the MRI machine via the elevator. The MRI tech aligned her crotch and lower torso just right with the machine before telling the young girl that they were going to take a detailed look at her female reproductive system. Fifteen minutes later, they were traveling back to the hospital room. 

Mommie welcomed her back when she returned. The girl was directed to lie down in the bed. An IV port was then added to her arm before a bag of saline was attached to it. Four pads were finally connected to her chest. The young girl found them cold.

Lily could see that the vital information, including no allergies, was filled out on the board. The nurse hung the four-pad transmitter and the saline bag on the IV pole on wheels. The young lady was told she had probably an hour or two before her first surgery. She was allowed to walk to the playroom. But she was to have help getting in or out of bed. 

Lily said, “Nurse Kate? Mommie?”

“Yes, Lily?” The nurse asked.

“In all the confusion, I haven’t had lunch.”

The nurse looked at Mrs. Vanderbilt, who was nodding her head before responding, “Let me check if you are allowed to have a snack before your surgery.”

The nurse soon returned, “The kitchen will run you up a small lunch after your surgery.”

“Thank you, Nurse Kate.”

“Such manners. Now, if the rest of the kids could follow your lead.”

The nurse helped the young girl off her bed before Lily went to the playroom. She found a few editions of ‘Girl’s Life’ and a book named ‘Mandy’ that looked interesting. She asked the room attendant if she could bring them back to her hospital room. After getting approval, she returned to her room. Mommie helped her back into the bed. 

Sammie got into her Mommie’s car, “Lily never came back. Something about being admitted, and they said they wanted no visitors.”

“Yes, but Samantha, you are not included in that bit. We are headed to Pratt right now,” Heather Berger told her daughter.

Sammie smiled big time. She was seeing her best friend.

When Sammie entered the room, Lily had finished the first of the five magazines. The patient exclaimed, “SAMMIE!”

“LILY!” the best friend said back. She continued, handing the new girl a medium-sized pink teddy bear and some pink flowers, “This is for you.”

Lily smiled to see her best friend, “Thanks, Bestie!”

Sammie handed the homework over, “This is also for you.”

Scrunching her face up and sticking her tongue out, Lily complained, “I take the thanks away.”

Even though the new girl complained, the two girls did their homework. Lily had to have Sammie explain a few things because she wasn’t in class for most of the day. Once done, Lily returned to her magazines, including sharing them with her best friend.

She was done with the second magazine when a male nurse entered the room, “It is time to take you to surgery. Can you give me your name and date of birth?”

“Lily Vanderbilt. March 27th, 2005,” the patient answered.

The guy said, “Great, I am going to inject this in your IV, and you are going to be sleeping by the time we get to the surgery room.” 

True to his word, Lily was soon sleeping.

Author's Notes: Comments and questions are always welcomed -- Thanks Becky

This story is complete, though we’re wrapping up the proofreading process chapter by chapter as they get posted. I plan to post a chapter every Wednesday.

Four of the six short stories featuring side characters are already finished and will be released as we reach their places in the timeline. I’m currently writing the fifth side story while continuing to proofread this one. Plans are also in for a sixth side story and a final chapter for KA.

Christmas has got here before the completion of the Katie Ann Universe Christmas Story. I will be postponing it until Christmas 2026.

As for Surprise Offer Book 3, the research is done, but I’m planning to take at least one story break from the series before starting it.