I know tapeworms are technically hermaphrodites and have both male and female sex organs, but wouldn’t it be nice to think of it as a boy?

A son.

Our little family.

We could name him whatever we please.

What do you think of the name Finneas? I suppose we have time to think and pick out the most perfect name for our child.

I can hardly contain my excitement.

It’s what I’ve wanted my whole life. I hope you’re happy, too.

I’m sure you are.

I’ll be on Instant Messenger later tonight. We can talk about names and everything else then.

Thank you for everything, my love.

Thank you for making me a mother.

INSTANT MESSAGING CONVERSATION BETWEEN AGNES AND ZOE

08/15/2000

[<crushedmarigolds> has entered the chat]

[<agnes_in_wonderland_76> has entered the chat]

10:09:12 <agnes_in_wonderland_76> You’re going to be a mother!

10:09:18 <agnes_in_wonderland_76> Can you believe it?

10:09:30 <crushedmarigolds> Are you happy?

10:09:48 <agnes_in_wonderland_76> How can you even ask that? You already know I’m ecstatic. Over the moon.

10:09:56 <agnes_in_wonderland_76> Do you know what I did today?

10:10:03 <crushedmarigolds> What?

10:10:12 <agnes_in_wonderland_76> I sang

10:10:14 <agnes_in_wonderland_76> In public

10:10:19 <agnes_in_wonderland_76> People were listening, and I didn’t care

10:10:26 <agnes_in_wonderland_76> I feel wonderful. The best I’ve felt in years. All because of you

10:10:34 <crushedmarigolds> What did the doctor say?

10:10:39 <agnes_in_wonderland_76> He prescribed me some meds

10:10:45 <agnes_in_wonderland_76> I’m not going to take them, of course

10:10:49 <agnes_in_wonderland_76> They want to kill our child

10:10:59 <agnes_in_wonderland_76> I don’t even want to go out anymore

10:11:05 <crushedmarigolds> Why’s that?

10:11:09 <agnes_in_wonderland_76> I want to be with you and our baby

10:11:16 <agnes_in_wonderland_76> The three of us together

10:11:22 <crushedmarigolds> But what about….

10:11:29 <agnes_in_wonderland_76> Yes?

10:11:38 <crushedmarigolds> What about when your body finally passes the tapeworm?

10:11:44 <agnes_in_wonderland_76> That’s not going to happen

10:11:49 <crushedmarigolds> It’s not?

10:12:02 <agnes_in_wonderland_76> I’m going to carry our child forever. He’s going to always be a part of me.

10:12:09 <agnes_in_wonderland_76> That’s how it’s going to be, isn’t it?

10:12:14 <agnes_in_wonderland_76> I’ll always have a part of you inside me

10:12:19 <crushedmarigolds> But that’s not the way it works

10:12:24 <agnes_in_wonderland_76> What are you trying to say?

10:12:35 <crushedmarigolds> Eventually it’ll pass

10:12:46 <crushedmarigolds> You can’t play the “gracious host” forever

10:12:57 <agnes_in_wonderland_76> Are you not happy?

10:13:05 <agnes_in_wonderland_76> I thought you would be

10:13:09 <crushedmarigolds> Of course, I’m happy

10:13:17 <crushedmarigolds> This is what you wanted, after all

10:13:22 <crushedmarigolds> But I don’t want you to be hurt

10:13:29 <agnes_in_wonderland_76> I know you’d never hurt me

10:13:37 <crushedmarigolds> When it leaves you

10:13:44 <agnes_in_wonderland_76> It’s not going to leave me

10:13:49 <agnes_in_wonderland_76> I’m going to keep it forever