Daddy's Girl
by Melissa Blake
Andy Haugen sat quietly at his desk in his office doodling on his
notes from a recent staff meeting as he tried to pass time until his lunch break.
Cubes and swirls dotted the margin as he stabbed his pen into the holder at
the head of his desk. Looking around his office, he admired the plaques and
awards on his "I love me wall". Fraternity pictures and an army guidon stuck
out most while his eyes scanned the room. It was Thursday, and a three day
weekend to boot. Staring at the clock on the wall, revealed that his day was
almost over and the trip home would soon begin. Wadding the doodled paper
up, he stepped back and in pro form, laid a jumpshot into the trash can.
"nuttin but net," he said quietly with a smug look on his face. He
gathered up his briefcase and blazer and headed out the door. The office was
already starting to empty out as men and women in power suits chatted
briefly about their plans for the weekend and how many would be back on
Monday with a serious hangover. He waved to his buddies as he passed the
rows of cubicles dotting the well-lit building. Walking past the glass
conference room doors, he fixed his hair and watched himself stride past in
the reflection. Reaching the receptionist's desk he spotted a buddy of his
parting at the same time.
"what's up there Andy?" shouted his close friend Dan.
"man, I'm telling ya, I'm just glad to get the hell away from here this
weekend. " he laughed.
"where you headed to?"
"I figured I go see the parents back home"
"ooookay" said Dan sarcastically.
"naw man, it's my birthday and my mom and dad wanna take me out.
Guess they still deny that they have an empty nest."
"aw no shit, happy birthday dude."
"Thanks Dan. Watcha up to Saturday?"
"Just a lil day on the links and it's off to the lake with Rena for the
rest of the weekend."
"Well bub, I gotta get going but tell your wife I said hey."
"no prob, hey take it easy cause you look like shit" roared Dan.
"damn, thought I was getting more good lookin every day," smiled
Andy as he made his way to his car on the upper parking deck. Lighting a
cigarette on the way, he thought about how much he needed to relax lately.
"Christ," he thought." I'm 27 and feel like a fucking ole man." Long hours at
the office were taking a toll on Andy as he trudged up the steps to the second
deck. His job in sales for an office machine company had not been all that it
was cracked up to be. He enjoyed the pay and his coworkers but the days and
the constant stress of competition was getting to him. He had always felt that
his heart was not into sales and that if he had to do it over again, it would be a
different story.
Andy, followed in his father's footsteps. Charles Haugen had been a
legend in the company for nearly 30 years and it was this that made him stay.
The fear of disappointing his father had always hung in his head and leaving
the company, in Andy's mind, felt like failure. He had always enjoyed the
business world, but he felt from the very beginning of college, his fate was
sealed. He longed for the kind of job where imagination meant more than
numbers or quotas, the kind of job that his participation made a difference.
The youngest of three children, Andy felt that he caught the brunt of his
father being overbearing. His two sisters made good careers for themselves,
but his father wanted a son to follow in his footsteps. "A little Charles" he
mumbled as he climbed the last set of steps of the parking garage. "Four
years slaving over textbooks to deal with this crap" he thought. Failure was
not part of his father's vocabulary and Andy knew it all too well. High school
was torture as his father berated him after his football games and would not
be satisfied with his son until he was awarded an athletic scholarship to
college. It was only then that the torment stopped. When Charles Haugen's
son tore his knee apart during his junior year at school. His father found a
new outlet with Andy, and that was academics. The same fraternity, the same
school, the same classes. Andy's life had been planned out for him from day
one and he resented the fact that he was never given the opportunity to have
his life to himself. A comforting Mary Haugen could only listen to her son's
grief over the phone from far away and knowing that any intervention in her
son's collegiate life would only end up with her head laying on a tear-soaked
pillow from Charles Haugen's temper.
He found his car at the end of the row on the upper deck and keyed
off the alarm as he approached the BMW. Laying his briefcase in the
passenger seat his started the car and made the winding drive down the decks
to freedom, even if for a couple of days. The cd player sang an old Billy Joel
tune as he turned onto the freeway headed north. Traffic was unusually heavy
as he glanced at his watch. The drive to his parents was about an hour away
but would take longer due his little delay. He was glad to get out of the city
and the trip to the suburbs seemed like a nice getaway. His drive had taken
longer than expected and pulling up to his parents, he noticed only a single
car in the driveway of the eloquent brick home. He sighed a bit "figures",he
said. Taking his small bag out of the trunk, he headed up the steps to the
front doors and walked inside. Andy set his bag down and glanced at the
foyer of the house as he took in the potpourri scent eminating from the living
room. "Home" he thought.
"Andy? Is that you honey?" called his mom from upstairs.
"Ya mom, it's me" he shouted. He walked into the kitchen and
opened the refridgerator and grabbed a beer from the bottom shelf. Leaning
on the counter he sucked down the cold drink as his mother appeared from
upstairs.
"Hi honey" she said as she gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Traffic
pretty bad?"
"Yeah" he said and then paused. "Dad's not gonna make it, is he?"
His mother with hurt look in her eye turned to Andy. "No honey,
something came up in Memphis. He left about an hour ago but would call as
soon as he got to the hotel" she explained.
"Same ole shit every time with Dad" shaking his head.
"Hush! You know he would have been here if it hadn't been so
important."
"Yeah, like every other goddamn time in the past 27 years I've been
on earth, huh?" His mother could only stand there and look pitifully at her
son. He stood in the kitchen for a moment in silence and turned back to his
mom.
"Sorry?I didn't mean to snap at cha mom. It's just, works been hell
and that damn traffic will do it to ya," he said as he smiled a bit.
"I know sweetheart. You're home, sit down and relax, sounds like
you need it." She moved closer to her son and gave him a big hug.
"Tomorrow's your birthday Andy, Brent gave me the afternoon off to spend
with you, so you could spend time with your dear ole mother."
"Greeeat" he groaned as he winked at her.
"I got dinner in the oven, so don't go anywhere for awhile."
"Hey, I not movin off the couch any time soon."
He plopped down on the sofa, drinking the last of his beer as a
college game flickered on the television. He was home and the fact that his
father wasn't home upset him at first, but then relieved him as he knew that
conversations about work and football would be spared for the weekend.
After dinner, he wandered up to his old room and quietly opened the door
that once used to be his only sanctuary. Inside, pennants and sports pictures
filled the room. He sat down on the bed and picked up and old football that
lay in the corner. He brought the ball to his nose and took in the smell of the
leather. His fingers wrapped around the laces as he pump faked and thought
about the fall at college and the fans. The girls, the cheering, the feel and
smell of the grass. Placing the ball on the bed, he moved to the dresser and
picked up a picture of him and his sisters when they were young. "Yall got
off easy" he thought as he laid the frame back down and closed the door
behind him. Moving through the hall, he passed his father's hunting pictures
of him and Andy. He stared at the young boy in the woods and took pity on
him for he was not able to understand what the next years of his young life
would be like.
Andy made his way downstairs to grab another beer when he met his
mother at the foot of the staircase.
"Andy, it's bridge night with the girls so I'll be gone until about 9.
There's more beer outside, so help yourself. If I don't see you tonight, why
don't you meet me at my office at about 12 so we can go have lunch?"
"Sounds great mom. I think I'm gonna retire early tonight."
"You got your ole room" she said with a smile."See you tomorrow
sweetheart."
"Thanks mom."
He watched as her car backed out of the driveway and sped away.
Andy headed toward his father's study and opened the liquor cabinet in the
corner. He poured a glass of scotch and sat in the high backed chair. Stuffed
mallards adourned the walls and an elk head stood watch over the room from
above the door. He let his mind drift as the bottle of Glenfiddich soon became
empty. His mind was made up, after being in this house and leading a life
that was not his, he would leave the company and explain to Charles Haugen
that his son wanted something different and for once be in complete control.
In his drunken haze, Andy worked through all the details about how his
conversation with his father would go. Granted, he thought he was superman
in his mind, ole Glen had helped with that one. Satisfied with his plan of
attack, he wondered about the possibilities that lay before him. He set the
empty bottle of scotch on the bar and stumbled upstairs to his room.
Struggling with his shoes and slacks, he managed to make it into bed in one
piece. It wasn't too long after getting the spins, that Andy passed out in his
childhood bed and would not remember the thoughts that ran through his
head earlier that evening. He would never confront his father or quit the
company as so he thought.
Waking to a splitting headache, he rolled out of bed around 10
cursing that he would never drink scotch again. He pulled himself into the
shower running his head under the cold water to wake himself up. After
soaking for 30 minutes he finally emerged to groom himself. Shaving was
out of the question and he combed his hair and threw on an oxford shirt and
khakis. He grumbled as he found the bottle of advil in the kitchen. Setting the
glass of water down, he noticed the note on the cutting board. His mother
had left him a note wishing him a happy birthday and that just to meet her at
the front entrance of her office. He still felt slightly buzzed as he drove down
the congested streets that led to her office. He hadn't driven down these roads
in what seemed like ages. Passing the riverfront, he felt the cool air enter the
cabin of his plush sedan. Through the lights he raced as he was already
running late, weaving in and out of traffic. The tires of his car screeched as
he whipped into the parking lot to find his mom already waiting for him. In
her hands, she had a small package with a bow on top.
"what's that?" he said as she opened the car door.
"Oh just a little something for you birthday boy, but you can't open it
until we get to lunch."
"You gonna make me wait huh?"
"Be patient dear, you'll see."
"Where we going?" he asked.
"That bistro on the corner over by the mill."
"Hmm. Never been there. Food's not gonna kill me is it?" he said
laughing.
"Very funny, no it's really good.
"I'll take your word for it."
They made their way down the street to the very chic restaurant that
sat overwatching the river. The two sat next to the window that gave an
incredible view of the land below. They chatted about Andy's job as he tried
to cover being distraught over the situation. His mother complimented on
how nice he looked and that his sister's had called her at work to tell her to
wish him a happy birthday. He asked how his sister's were and felt bad
because he never called them. They had always felt distant to him and wished
he had more time to spend with them.
Andy and his mother sat and continued to talk through lunch and
finished up with a cup of coffee each. Mary reached into her purse and pulled
out the package that he had seen earlier.
"Happy birthday sweetheart," she said as she handed the gift to him.
Andy smiled and proceeded to tear off the paper around the small
box. Lifting the lid, he found a beautiful metal bracelet at the bottom. Picking
it up, he could see the incredible amount of etching in the design. In the
center was a small black stone and on opposite sides of the stone were
engraved a male and female lion.
"Do you like it?'
"Oh mom, it's awesome. Where on earth did you find this?"
"Amy brought it back from Africa for you. She said that it was
blessed by some tribal holy man and that she thought you'd love it. Look,
there's an inscription on the inside" as she turned the bracelet over.
"What does it say?"
"Well there should be a translation in the box."
He picked up a faded piece of parchment and read aloud. "to the
wearer of the lion's cuff,
A change to your life. "
"hmmph. Just what I need in my life" he smiled and put on the
bracelet.
"I'm glad you like it honey." she said as she held his hand.
"Thanks mom. I love it."
They sat and finished their coffee and talked all about the bracelet and
the serengeti plain, and how much they'd like to visit someday. Andy could
feel his gut rumble and held his hand to his abdomen.
"What's wrong honey?"
"Must be the food, told ya it'll kill me."
"Pretty funny, Andy."
His upset stomach continued to worsen as he tried to make
conversation with Mary. He figured he'd better use the bathroom before
leaving.
"Mom, if you'd kindly excuse me, I have to use the restroom."
"You okay?"
"oh it's fine. Just feels like my stomach not agreeing with my lunch.
Be right back." Andy set his napkin on the plate as he got up and weaved
through the tables to the back of the restaurant. As he turned the corner, a
sharp pain made him bend over slightly and stop in mid stride. He thought
he'd better make it to the toilet quick. Nearly barging down the door, he ran
to the last stall and shut the door. Grabbing at the toilet paper, he lined the
seat and turned back to face the door. All of a sudden as he went to unbuckle
his belt, he felt a mounting pressure on either side of his hips. Looking
down, he couldn't believe his eyes. The legs his slacks were becoming
tighter and tighter around his hips. Another wave of discomfort filled his
body. His rear began to cramp severely as he bent over. Again his slacks
began to tighten as the seat of his pants began to fill out and lift higher on his
body. He sat down on the edge of the toilet on the lid and bent over. The pain
continued to worsen as he grabbed at the belt and tore his pants down. He
gasped at the sight of his legs. Each of his legs was slender and hairless. He
pulled at the waistband of his boxer's and yanked them down to sit on the
seat. Andy, reaching between his legs to relieve himself, froze dead in his
tracks as his hand grazed a flat, dark triangle patch of hair between his legs.
Panting heavily, his eyes bulging out of his head, he shot off the seat lifting
up the front of his white oxford shirt. His right hand flew to his crotch to find
an empty void. He reached back further and cried out as his hand spread the
two folds of flesh. He watched as the sides of his waist pulled in like an
hourglass, his hips widening even more. Bending down, he pulled off his
shoes and socks and kicked off the slacks and boxers only to stare and a pair
of feet half the size of his own. Staring at the shapely legs and small feet, he
noticed out of the corner of his eye, dark hair falling around his face.
Reaching up, his hand felt a mass of hair on his head. Sobbing
uncontrollably and panicking, he tried to unlock the door to discover that it
would not turn. Frantic, he pulled on the top edge of the door to find it
jammed shut. Intense cramps filled his lower abdomen, he was losing his
balance as he fell to the floor. Looking down, he gasped as the front of the
shirt began to expand outward. Andy reached up and tried to fumble with the
buttons only to find that on each of his fingers was a gleaming inch long nail.
He sobbed as he held his hands in front of his face to gaze at his slender
fingers and thin arms. He ripped at his shirt and tore open the front as buttons
spilled over the tile floor. He couldn't breath as he stared at the two mounds
of flesh jutting from his chest. His nipples expanded as he grabbed at his
breasts. He cried out in an unrecognizable voice. His body burned as if on
fire as he writhed in pain on the floor. He could feel the bones in his body
cracking and shifting as it continued to transform itself. His face felt crushed,
his eyes and throat burning. The weight of his body seemed to melt away as
it became smaller and lighter. Through his blurred vision, he could make out
the long locks of hair strewn around his head on the floor. As the pain
subsided, Andy pulled his body up and leaned on the porcelain. Lifting his
head up he found himself naked on the floor. Looking around, he couldn't
find his clothes. Raising up, his sculpted hand unlocked the door. His feet
met the cold tile as he walked toward the mirror. Nearly collapsing on the
counter, he steadied his body and peered into the mirror. Staring back at him
was a beautiful, dark-haired woman. His shoulder length hair framed his soft
face as his eyes stared at the figure. He felt bile in his mouth as he vomited in
the sink. Hunched over, he cried. Wiping his hand in the cool water, he
cleaned his face up and peered at the mirror. His eyes widened at the sight.
His dark hair had been pulled back and set in a french twist, a single lock of
hair strewn down in front of his face. His face was made up, long lashes
extending from his doe eyes as he blinked. In each earlobe was placed a small
gold earring. He brought his hands to his mouth and noticed that each nail
was a deep shade of red. Stepping back from the counter, he scanned the
restroom for his clothes but to no avail. On the far end of the countertop, sat a
stack of clothes. His naked form crept to the counter and picked up the
clothes. His only option next to streaking the restaurant was this. Andy
trembled as his put on the underwear and struggled into the bra and tights. He
wriggled the tight, dark turtleneck carefully over his head and gulped as his
breasts jutted from beneath the fabric. He pulled on the short skirt as his
delicate hands shook as he zipped the waist. At his feet sat a pair of heels.
With his knees shaking, he stepped into the stacked heels and looked around.
He prayed that another guy wouldn't find him here. Turning back to the
counter, a sleek, black leather jacket and purse appeared where the clothes
had been. Oh my god, he thought. Andy threw on the jacket and slowly
picked up the purse.
By now he wanted to search frantically for his mother. He grabbed at
the door and hurried out running into an older woman trying to reach the
bathroom. He watched in horror as the woman made her way past him into
the restroom from which he just emerged. His eyes locked onto the opposite
door across the hall. The one that read "men's room". His heart leaped into
his throat as he tried to run in heels towards the dining area. As he reached
the tables, his eyes scanned the room. His eyes locked onto the woman
sitting by herself next to the window. Andy darted in and out of the tables on
his tiptoes for fear of breaking an ankle in shoes he could hardly wear. He
stopped 10 feet from her and stared. As she glanced away from the window,
Mary caught sight of him. She smiled and motioned for her. Andy crept
toward the table cautiously. Then she spoke.
"Jeez child, I thought you fell in."
Startled he could hardly speak. He swallowed hard and stood in front
of her.
"Well, aren't you going to finish your coffee?" she asked.
"Wha.." he stammered.
"Katie??Katie??Honey are you okay?"
Andy stood in front of his mother in a daze. He could not hear
anything except the fading voice of his mother. As the darkness enveloped
him he could not stand any longer. He found himself lying on his bed in a
darkened room. As he opened his eyes, his mother hovered over him with a
damp washcloth.
"It's okay sweetheart, I brought you home."
Groggy, he lifted his head off the pillow.
"Mom?mom.."
"shhhh, baby."
"mom?wha happened?'
"you passed out at the restaurant dear"
"I did?.?", he whispered, suddenly cutting himself off.
"Mom? Where..where am I?"
"I brought you back to your apartment honey. It was closer to bring
you here than our place."
"But mom, I don't live?close?" he said suddenly noticing the pitch
of his voice.
Andy shot up in bed and whizzed around. The long strand of hair
dangled in his face. The room was unfamiliar to him. The furniture was not
his nor was anything else in the room. He desperately looked for a mirror.
Flying out from beneath the sheets, he spotted a full-length mirror in the
corner of the room. Running towards it, he caught sight of the young woman
that made his every move. He collapsed in front of the mirror onto his knees
and buried his head in his hands.
"Oh no, oh god no." he sobbed. "How can this be." He reached out
and touched his hand to the glass, running his hands along the image's face.
Mary ran to him and held him.
"Oh, sweetheart. It's okay, all this stress over next weekend has
gotten the best of you. Come on, I'll fix you up some tea."
"Mommy, what happened to me?" he cried
"Katie baby, looks like you almost had nervous breakdown" she said
laughing softly. "Hold on honey, I'll be back in a minute. shhhh. Just calm
down."
As Mary left the room, Andy lifted his head up and surveyed the
room. This was definitely someone else's room. As he got up and walked
around the room in his stocking feet, he noticed pictures of the person he
looked like, with girlfriends, men, dogs. It was a woman's room. He peered
at pictures on the dresser of this woman and his two sisters, then in shock as
he found one of this woman and his parents. His eyes locked onto the purse
on the end of the dresser. Peering inside, he found the usual makeup and
pens ,change, and to his fear tampons. Reaching down, he pulled out a navy
blue wallet. Unsnapping the closure, Andy dumped its contents on the
dresser. Lying face down on the surface was a driver's license. Picking it up,
he turned it over. The picture was him. Looking over, his breath felt knocked
out. His name, birth date, address, all spelled out for him. Katherine Sims
Haugen, age 29, sex female, height 5'7'', weight 130, 1224 Autumn Crest
Ct. #E6. "oh my god, I'm. I'm her?daughter". All of the credit cards had
her name on them. Checks had her name on them. Her. A ton of bricks fell
on him at the realization that not only was he a woman, but a daughter. "My
god, my name is Katie" he whispered. He turned around to view himself
again in the mirror, putting the face and body with the name. He saw the
reflection of his mother come in the room and faced to meet her.
"Here ya go darling" she said.
"Mom, I. I think I'd like to be alone."
"you sure?"
Andy nodded as Mary rubbed his arms and hugged him tight.
"Please call me if you need anything, okay?"
He nodded again.
"Get some rest honey"
"I will" he said softly.
Andy sat down on the edge of the bed as he heard the door close
behind his mother. Slowly, he got up and stood in the room. "all this is
mine" he thought. He peeked into the hall from the bedroom and made his
way into the living room. He couldn't believe his eyes of the magnificence of
the apt. As he wandered around the apartment he stopped by each picture
glancing at the woman whom he now was. He explored his new place
confused and bewildered by what had just occurred. His body ached terribly.
Staring down at his chest, he cupped each breast in his hand and felt the
weight on his chest. He held his hands to his waist and felt how small it was.
He stared at his wrist. The bracelet was gone. Andy scurried all over the apt
to find it but with no luck. Then the realization set in. "the bracelet doesn't
exist because, oh god I never existed" he gasped. "oh christ, I've?always
been Katie" he blurted. He remembered the baby pictures on the wall, the
photos of him as a little girl. It was as if Andy never existed. Andy was now
a woman without the memories of her life. He again pulled out photo albums
without any luck and stopped when he passed by the fridge. It was a picture
of a man with her. He was kissing her on the beach. Andy stepped back
away as mind rejected the thought. Another picture on the wall of him,
another and another. A framed picture of the two on the wall. His stomach
was churning. The thought of him with another man frightened him to the
bone. He ran to the bedroom and peered at the dresser opposite from his. His
worst fears would ring true. Opening the top drawer revealed boxers and
socks. He felt sick. Opening the closet door, he found suits, men clothes.
He curled up onto the bed and rocked back and forth in the fetal position. He
was living with a man, a boyfriend.
He wiped the tears away from his face as he lifted his head from the
tear-stained pillow. It was seven o'clock on Friday. He looked at his driver's
license again and noticed that his birthday had changed too. Not only was it
in September, but he was two years older. The stranger staring back at him
was the middle child in a family of three girls. He reached back and unzipped
the skirt and pulled it off. Getting up, he made his way towards the bathroom
and turned on the light. Inside sat a vanity and a large countertop. He stared
at the amount of stuff she had on the vanity, and he cringed to think that he
would have to use all of it. He sighed at the sight of the birth control pills on
the counter top. The well lit room let him take in the full effect of his body.
Andy reached up and pulled out the pins in his hair, letting it fall around his
head. With one good shake, his hair settled onto the tops of his shoulders.
He removed the backings from his earrings and set them on the sink.
Reaching down, he peeled off his tights and turtleneck. He stood there in just
a bra and panties, gazing at the beautiful woman in the mirror. Twisting his
arms behind his back, he felt the hooks release from the bra. Stepping out of
his panties, it was the first time he had seen himself naked since the change.
Walking into the room, he positioned the mirror in front of the bed and sat
down on the edge across from it. Staring at his form, he spread his legs
slightly. In disbelief, he examined the new equipment between his legs.
Bending slightly over, he could smell the aroma that signified his gender. He
sat amazed as he stared at the two folds of skin that encased his birth canal.
He whimpered, as his fingers traced his labia. His nail found the opening to
his vagina. As his finger entered his body, he shuddered from fright at the
new sensations. Andy quickly sat up and stared at his body. The thought of
man between his legs caused him to tremble. It was then that he realized that
he would never use the toilet the same, that he would menstruate, that his
body could carry a child for nine months, that he would go through
childbirth, that his body would be more hormonal than ever, that being
female would be harder than he ever imagined. It would take time for him to
get used to all of the new feelings, physical and emotional, and that he would
have to learn to live as a woman, to live as Katie.
He explored his new bedroom cautiously. Opening each dresser
drawer slowly revealed much about the woman he had become. He gulped as
he opened the top drawer. Its contents made him queezy as he brushed apart
the intimates. A peek in the closet let him know that her personality was
definitely very feminine. Rummaging through the shelves, he found an old
pair of jeans and a cotton t-shirt. He neglected the bra that lay on the
bathroom floor and opted for a more less constrictive feel. He jumped as the
telephone rang from the kitchen. It rang more than ten times before he
worked up the courage to pick it up.
"hel..hello", he stammered.
"Hey good lookin" replied the voice on the other end.
Andy couldn't speak.
"Hello? Katie"
he responded to his new name.
"yeah."
"Honey? You alright?"
"who.who is this?" Andy asked softly.
"It's me silly."
"who?"
"um, Mike, your fiancee."
His eyes widened as a gnawing feeling overwhelmed his body as he
tried to speak. "oh my god no" his mind screamed. "I can't be?I can't be
engaged! Oh, oh shit."
"uh sweetie?"
"yeah?" he forced.
"I'm about to seal the deal tomorrow, so I should be home late
tomorrow night, okay."
"uh, sure" Andy managed.
"okay baby, I love you."
Andy hung up the receiver as soon as the young man had finished the
last syllable of "you". He sat curled up on the floor rocking back and forth
sobbing uncontrollably. As he tried to wipe his eyes, he noticed a gold
reflection from underneath his left hand. Turning his trembling hand over, he
let out a wail. At least a carat diamond setting sat on a gold band on his
finger. He clenched his fist and wrapped his arms around his knees. His
mind raced as he cried. He was engaged. Engaged to be married; to be
married as a woman to a man. The young man in the pictures, Mike, was his
fiancee. Andy spotted the bar at the other end of the room. Picking himself
off the floor, he poured the gin into a tumbler and drank it straight up, not
letting the liquor even touch his taste buds. His head sunk low, he retreated
into his bedroom for the night. Pulling off the jeans, he crawled underneath
the comforter, brushing the hair away from his face as his head lay on the
down pillow. The thought that he would have sex as a woman with a man,
and that one day he would be pregnant by this guy, terrorized him. He lay
awake for hours wondering what had happened to him, wondering if he
would remain like this for the rest of his life.
The light from the mid morning streamed into the bedroom as he
woke for the first time in his new life. Swinging his legs over the side, he
stood up and stretched his arms out. His body still ached as he made his way
to the bathroom. The sensation of using the bathroom sitting down, would
take getting used to. He missed the fact that having his old plumbing allowed
him to go anywhere. Stripping off his clothes, Andy stepped into the shower.
The hot water streaming over his form felt wonderful as he washed the soap
from every crevice of his body. After drying off he sat down at the vanity and
surveyed the area. He would need to learn how to make himself up from now
on. He pulled the towel off his head, reaching for the hairdryer. It seemed to
take eternity to blow dry his hair. After fighting the tangles on his head with
the brush, he picked up a picture on the dresser of her in casual attire. He
studied her hair as he sat the picture on the vanity. He recalled watching his
sister's ritual every morning and tried to mimic her actions. Fingering over
the collection of makeup on the counter, he found the foundation and started
to create her face. It took him more than two hours to finally get it right as he
sighed in frustration. Tackling his hair next, he was able to look remotely like
her. Satisfied, Andy removed his bathrobe and got dressed.
Looking out the window, he wanted to explore his new world.
Throwing on a pair of keds, and without thinking picked up his purse and
walked out the front door. The chilly fall morning startled him and he strolled
down the walkway of his apt. Looking around, he recognized the complex.
He was living in an upscale part of town, he thought. Opening the purse, he
dug down and found the car keys. Not knowing which one was his, he
peered at the emblem on the key chain. BMW. He searched for the car and
not a second later found the red 320 ten yards from him. It was the exact
same make and model he had driven. "you've got to be kidding me," he
moaned.
A morning spent driving around, situated him to the area again. He
made his way back to his place and scurried up the steps. Reaching for the
door knob, he found it locked. He fumbled for the keys, trying every one.
Andy heard a metallic click as the door knob turned. Stepping back, he saw
the large door swing open. Standing in front of him was his fiancee. Trying
not to panic, he stared at the 6'2'' frame in the doorway. "it's him?" his
mind screamed. The young man smiled as his eyes met Andy's.
"where'd ya go?" he said laughing.
Andy continued to remain motionless as his purse dropped to the
concrete.
"You sure you're okay? You sounded like shit on the phone. I left
early to see if you were fine."
Building up courage to speak, Andy began.
"I. I went to the store for cigarettes." He lied.
"well, aren't cha comin in?"
He picked up the purse off the ground and glided around Mike
through the door. Standing in the middle of the living room, he stared out the
window. Suddenly he felt Mike's arm wrap around his waist. Terrified, he
froze. He felt tiny next to him. Mike's lips kissed the back of his neck as his
eyes closed tightly. Remaining calm, he dealt with the situation. Pulling
away, he turned around to face him.
"you going to your mom's today?" Mike started
"for what?" Andy thought to himself.
"um?" he wanted to get out of there quickly. "yeah."
"Well, tell your parents I said hey."
His heart raced as he stole a look at Mike from across the den as he
made his way out the door. Moving like the wind he sped to his parents
home, the thoughts of Mike filling his head. Smoking cigarette after cigarette,
he passed the front entrance of the subdivision. Upon reaching the house, he
ran through the door trying to find his mother. He caught glimpse of her in
the back yard on the patio. Running out the back door, he found his two
parents sharing a drink on the deck. Mary rose to meet him as his father
turned around to notice his presence. Andy ran into his mother's arm,
squeezing her tightly.
"oh mom. I missed you"
"Katie dear, I just saw you yesterday."
"I know mom, but?"
His father got up out of the wicker chair to hug his daughter.
"hi kitten" he said as he embraced Andy. Charles called his daughters
kitten all the time, he thought. He held his father tight, returning the hug. His
father had rarely ever given Andy hugs and the gesture made him want them
even more.
"hi dadd?daddy" he replied. It had been years since he had called his
father "daddy". It felt more natural to him now.
"well? You wanna try it on honey?"
"Try what on mom?" he asked looking puzzled at Mary.
"Your dress silly, it's back from the alteration shop."
"oh?"
"let's go upstairs, it's in your room on the bed."
Nervously he made his way upstairs, led by his mother's hand as she
guided him into the room. This had been his boyhood sanctuary. As the door
crept open, he noticed the cream colored walls, covered with pictures of
friends and prints of Monet. Cheerleading pom-poms lay in the corner by the
dresser and poems of girlhood hung on the walls. Amazed, he turned his
attention to the large plastic bag draped over the center of the bed. Mary
turned and smiled at him as she carefully lifted the bag off the bed. She
unzipped the bag and pulled the gown from its sheath.
"I'll let you get undressed, just call me when you're ready for me to
button you up."
Staring at the dress, he could hardly speak. He looked at his mother
and nodded slightly. Mary left the room and closed the door behind her
leaving him alone with the gown. Andy walked to the edge of the bed and ran
his fingers across the dress. It was a traditional dress, floor length with a
long train. From below the waist, it flowed outward around the carpet.The
satin gave way to sheer mesh around the chest and back to satin around the
high neck. The embroidery was exquisite as he touched the beaded long
sleeves. Small buttons lined the back of the gown from mid back to the top of
the neck. He removed his clothes and laid them at the foot of the bed. In just
his bra and panties, he gathered up the dress and stepped into the waist.
Pulling the gown up, he gently slid each of his arms into the tight fitting
sleeve. Adjusting the neck, Andy called for his mother. Mary proceeded to
button him up as she adjusted the dress. Walking into the closet she emerged
with a shoe box and handed it to him. Inside lay a pair of white satin pumps.
Hovering over the floor, he stepped into the shoes and turned to face his
mother.
"oh Katie, it's perfect.
Turning to face the mirror, his heart stopped as he found himself
staring at the image of a bride in front of him. For minutes, his mother made
sure that all the adjustments were correct. Laying her hands on his shoulders,
she kissed him gently on the cheek and unbuttoned the back. She placed the
dress back in the bag and hung in back in the closet. She left him alone in the
room to get dressed as she closed the door behind her. Andy noticed a small
cream colored envelope on the edge of the dresser and opened the contents.
Inside was the wedding invitation. Our daughter Katherine Sims Haugen to
marry Michael Andry Edmunds, read the announcement. He laid back on the
bed and held the invitation in front of him, staring at the words. In two weeks
on Saturday, he would become Katie Edmunds.
As Andy drove home, he was sitting at a stoplight when all of a
sudden a migraine headache forced him into a gas station. Sitting in the car,
his head suddenly filled with memories of her. Faces and names of people he
did not know before appeared in his mind, memories of a little girl playing in
the yard, vacations at the beach, his college life, all appeared to him.
Stunned, he sat in silence. He was remembering Katie's life. A wave of joy
filled him, as he was able to finally start figuring out the person he was. He
started the car and peeled out of the parking lot. As he drove, the memories
continued to overwhelm him, revealing his life to him slowly.
He ran into the apt and found that Mike wasn't home. He felt
relieved. He lit a cigarette and poured a drink and he pulled the photo albums
off the shelf. For hours he sat placing events in his head with places and
people. The framed pictures on the wall told their story to him. Satisfied with
his progress, he got up and strolled to the kitchen. On the countertop were
documents of all sort, memos with his name on them. The letterhead at the
top read, McCormick and Hudson, a prominent advertising agency in the
city. His head pounded as the visions kept entering his mind, soon
discovering that Katie worked at M&H. Vague clues gave him any insight
into his career. He only knew that he would begin work at his new job
tomorrow.
Mike appeared at the apt around seven returning from his weekly golf
game with his buddies. The two made small talk as Andy tried to avoid
conversation. He had discovered that Mike worked for a contractor and that
he'd been in Greenville to ensure that his company would land the big deal.
He glanced over at him and studied him closely. His physique was of an
athlete, powerful and built. Andy felt weak next to him, once being an athlete
himself. He had to admit that Mike was handsome. Andy sat and asked Mike
all sorts of questions, trying to pick his brain. He needed to find out who this
person was and what made him want to marry him. Andy began to make
dinner as it was the first time he felt hungry in two days. He was whipping
up a meal in no time when he stopped suddenly. "I've never been able to
cook" he thought to himself. "My god, I'm. I'm becoming her?"
Andy and Mike finished their meals as Mike stated to him that he was
going jogging. He nodded gently as his first reaction was to clear the table
and do the dishes. He was inheriting her traits slowly and he feared that being
with Mike would eventually lead to all his fears. In the bedroom, he sat and
watched tv as he flipped through a women's magazine. Mike appeared after
about 30 minutes and walked through the room to the bath. His body was in
full view of Andy as he stripped down and took a shower. He kept his head
buried in the magazine. Emerging from the shower, his eyes locked onto
Mike as his heart stopped. He stared at his naked form from the bed. He
noticed how well endowed Mike was and how chiseled he looked. Andy
gulped as he turned over on his side. It was late and they both decided that
they needed to get an early jump on the day. He felt Mike's arm drape across
him as he snuggled up.
He sat in bed and thought about his situation. His preference had
always been women and his situation now tore at his heart and mind. He had
never wanted to be with a man and now he was confronted with the fact that
he was about to become a married woman. The mental image of Mike on top
of him entering his body gripped him with sheer terror. His honeymoon in St
Thomas loomed in the background of his head. He would have to give in at
some point. "hold out for as long as you can Andy" he thought. "hold out for
as long as you can."
The alarm clock buzzed loudly in the darkness. Reaching over he
switched it off and crawled out of bed. Switching the light on in the bathroom
he took off his nightgown and stepped into the shower. He took his time as
he washed his hair and body. He learned that shaving his legs and arms was
a time consuming event. Turning off the water, he wrapped a towel around
his body and head. Throwing on his bathrobe, he sat down at the vanity and
started getting ready. To his amazement, he was able to get everything right
the first go round. He admired himself in the mirror at the job he'd done.
Andy made his way to the closet and scanned the line of dresses and suits.
He found a dark pinstriped suit and laid it out on the chair. As he rummaged
through his dresser, he pulled out some underwear. He picked out the
jewelry and got dressed while Mike slept. His legs shimmered in the dawn as
he smoothed out the hose under the slip. He finished getting dressed and
checked himself in the mirror. The suit hugged his body as he turned each
way in the mirror. His heels clicked across the tile as he picked up his purse
and left for his first day at work.
Driving in a skirt in heels was more work than he thought it was
going to be. Lighting a cigarette, he roared down the highway trying to keep
his legs together, well aware that truckers had a bird's eye view of him.
Fighting the traffic was always a mess and getting to his office could let alone
give someone a coronary. Turning and twisting through the streets of
downtown, he finally managed to find a parking spot close to the high-rise
that his company worked from. Andy paid the fee, threw the purse strap over
his shoulder and made the walk to the front door. Bits and pieces of memory
gave him assurance that he'd be okay for the first couple of days. Stepping
out of the elevator on the 16th floor, he made his way to the glass doors of
his office. He had practiced the previous day learning how to walk in heels,
so falling over wasn't an option. With every high-heeled stride he made, he
noticed that his hips seemed to sway more than before. Passing the front
desk, he noticed an attractive young receptionist working there.
"Good mornin Janice," he said as he passed by. Andy suddenly
realized that without thinking, he made the gesture to her. The same thing
happened again as he passed down the hallway greeting his coworkers as he
saw them. A feeling came over him to stop and turn to the right. Looking
through the doorway, he saw the large desk and name placard, Katie
Haugen. "thank god" he thought "I found the damn thing." Sitting down, he
made an inventory of the room and turned his attention to the laptop computer
on the desk. As he moved the mouse, he clicked onto his email and
discovered that his daily schedule was sitting in front of him already planned
out. The dayrunner on the corner gave him a list of associates and numbers.
The headaches started again as soon as he turned away from the computer.
Everything that Katie had learned in school and at her job replaced the
knowledge of his old career. Andy was unable to remember working at his
job only days before. His mind ran wild with thoughts of advertising and
using his imagination for once. Picking up the manilla folders on the desk left
him dizzy for a moment. Everything he touched of hers left him with her
knowledge. Accounts and clients filled his head, plans of attack and clever
ideas of commercials. Coworkers came in and chatted with him as he craved
more memories. He would just nod at their conversations as he reached to
recall who they were and what they were like. This is how much of his
morning was spent.
Andy was feeling more confident than ever after the afternoon
meeting and phone calls by clients. He felt powerful, he realized that Katie
was one of the top people at the place. Her friends seemed to like him and
that seemed to calm his initial uneasiness. He made his way to the restroom
as he left his office. A young woman fixed her makeup as he stared at her
making his way to the stall. It was the first time since his change that he'd
been in the bathroom with another woman. It felt weird to him, almost like an
intruder. He quickly looked away after realizing that he was staring at her.
Closing the door behind him, he peeled down his hose and hiked up his skirt.
As he bent over to pull down his panties, he gasped at what he found. Andy
had begun his period. Feeling embarrassed, he pulled of the underwear and
threw them in the wastebasket. Digging into his purse he found the tampon
and sat down on the toilet. Inserting it into his vagina, he realized that with
every day he was taking a bigger step into womanhood and this was his first
one, and for another week and a half he could hold off the second one.
He enjoyed the first day of a new career as he drove home. He loved
the fact that he was in control and that Katie had definitely made an impact on
the office. "she was a fast-tracker," he thought. "she's movin up in the
world?fast". He kicked off his heels as he walked through the front door
and noticed a package on the table with a note.
"Katie, your mom brought this over for you today at lunch. Love,
Mike" Andy peeled off the tape and parted the tissue paper. Reaching in, he
lifted up the contents. Inside lay a beautiful white beaded boustier and
matching lace panties. "this is for the wedding" he said quietly as he
examined the lingerie gingerly. Putting it back in the box, he brought it to the
closet and got undressed. Then Andy exploded. "jesus christ, I'm gonna half
to wear heels for the rest of my life, bleed for the next 20 years, in almost
two weeks, I'm gonna have to get into this get-up, wear this heavy,
expensive ass dress, say " I do" to some guy I don't really know, and to top
it all off, let him stick his dick in me and want me to be the mother of his
children?and I don't even like men! What the fuck is happening to me
goddammit! I can't remember my job, my old life, my dog, my school, my
old girlfriends. All I can remember is something turned me into a woman,
and is giving me the memories of a life I haven't led!"
He plopped down on the bed and pouted. The memories of his old
life were slowly being erased as a continuous flood of new ones poured into
his mind constantly. Only his inhibitions and male brain blocked his body
from completing the transformation to becoming Katie. The struggle in
Andy's head pained him. In his mind he could not back out of the marriage.
The idea never crossed his mind, his heart would not let him let down his
parents or friends. He felt he was either obligated or that in time he would
learn why Katie loved him.
Andy learned to live with Mike for the first week of his new life. He
loved his job and the freedom he felt. His monthly friend helped him keep
Mike away for awhile. The week was here. Mary played phone tag with him
all week about the arrangements and appointments. He was beginning to
stress over what was going to happen on Saturday. The caterers were ready,
the flowers good, the reception was set, the church perfect. All he had to do
was freak out. He would find out that his girlfriends were going to drag him
off downtown that Friday night for his bachleorette party. He cringed at the
thought. For some reason he didn't enjoy the fact that Mike's lil shindig was
also going to happen that night. He felt protective of him and the idea of
having Bambi's big tits in his face worried him slightly. Mike didn't talk to
him much during the week thinking that Andy was already under enough
stress and that his teasing would push him over the edge.
Andy returned home on Friday afternoon and found he had the
apartment to himself. He tried to unwind a bit before the girls came over at
eight. Throwing on a jazz cd on the stereo, he made a gin and tonic and fell
onto the couch. "well man, here ya go." He said to himself as he lifted the
drink. "Tomorrow Andy Haugen, you can kiss your ass goodbye, cause yer
gonna be Andy Edmunds" he said mocking himself. He tried to laugh as it
seemed unreal to him. He smoked several cigarettes before he decided to get
off the couch and get ready. He had no idea what was the plan for the
evening, so he pulled out a pair of jeans and a nice sweater. He stared at his
engagement ring and shook his head. "christ man, you definitely got yourself
into some shit this time." Finishing up in the bathroom, he heard the doorbell
ring several times. A horde of young, screaming women flew through the
door as they almost tackled him with hugs. Kelly, Katie's best friend and
matron of honor, was the first to jump up and down on him. The girls piled
into the kitchen and unloaded tons of liquor onto the cabinet. As they pulled
out the blender and started concocting drinks, Kelly pulled him aside.
"oh Katie, I'm so excited! We're gonna have so much fun it's sick!"
Andy managed a weak smile at his friend.
"whoa, that's not the crazy girl I know. And girl what is this you're
wearin?"
He didn't notice that all of the girls were decked to the nine to go out
tonight. He felt suddenly stupid in his LL Bean get-up.
"Come ere you. Let's go get you something to wear" exclaimed Kelly
as she led him into his closet. After rifling through the racks, she pulled out
an outfit for him.
"Here, take this and I'll back in a sec with a drink for ya.
"thanks Kell" he said as he hugged her. "I'm sorry I've been such a
dud lately. The wedding and everything."
"ahh Katie, don't worry about it hun" cutting her off.
Andy went to the bathroom and pulled his hair up and improved his
face. He reached into the dresser and pulled out a black bra and thong.
Reaching over he picked up the black, flared, stretch pants and low cut shirt.
Pulling on the pants, he noticed how flat his crotch looked, the curves of his
hips, and how nice his ass felt. After throwing on the shirt, he zipped up the
boots and met the girls in the living room. They hooped and hollered when
the saw him, giving him a cat call as they whistled. Kelly handed him a
margarita as they proceeded to get plowed and rowdy. They all sat around
and talked about how great they thought Mike was and the trip to St.
Thomas. He tried to laugh to himself when he thought about the name of the
islands. "Virgin islands huh? Greaaaat. That's a fitting name" he thought to
himself. After his third drink, he was feeling pretty good. The girls were
about ready to go out as Kelly gave him a drink for the round.
"Where we going?" asked Andy.
"oh, to have a lil fun" she said with a huge, shit eatin grin.
They all piled in their cars as Andy sat in the front seat with Kelly. He
could tell they were headed to the bar district and he knew he was in for a
night of partying. They stopped at a cool little club at the end of the street.
Making their way inside, they scoped out the place and took a table next to
the dance floor. Kelly bought him round after round of drinks as they sat and
screamed at each other over the thump of the dance floor. All of a sudden
Kelly looked at him and winking, grabbed his arm and pulled him out of the
chair.
"what are you doing you?" he asked.
"I wanna dance, so let's go!"
"I, uh, well?dunno"
"oh you're comin out here and dancing your ass off Katie."
Kelly dragged him to the middle of the floor and proceeded to get her
groove on while he stood there. Looking around, he searched for the girls.
He felt his feet start to move to the beat as he watched how Kelly dance.
Mimicking her moves, his hips start to gyrate as he became more comfortable
dancing. Kelly watched her friend in amazement as she had never seen him
dance like he had before. She watched as he laid one arm behind his head and
the other on his thigh as his hips moved to the music. She laughed in delight
as she studied a girl move behind him and press her body up against his,
moving with his every rhythm. Startled he pulled away from her with a look
of contempt on his face. The alcohol moved him, as he felt alive. His body
brushed up against the crowd and felt the heat of his movement flow through
his system. After an hour of non-stop grooving, he sat down at the table and
took a break. Smoking his cigarette, Andy took another tug from the
margarita and knew that it was time to start pacing himself, but he had
forgotten that he didn't have the tolerance that he used to. Taking one more
sip, he strutted back onto the floor.
He awoke with a pounding headache in his childhood bed the next
morning. He couldn't remember how he'd got there or most of the night.
Rolling over he noticed the time, 10 o'clock. "ah my head" he mumbled as he
dragged himself outta bed. Throwing on a robe, he walked down to the
kitchen to find Mary and Kelly at the kitchen table.
"well good morning Grizelda. Don't we look good for a night like last
night" laughed his mom."you need some advil?"
"uh huh" moaned Andy.
"You were quite a sight last night Ms. Haugen" cracked Kelly.
"oh great, that good huh?"
"let's just say that you had a pretty good time last night."
"aw hell, what did I do last night?" he wondered as he swallowed the
advil.
"Why don't you go take a hot shower sweetheart" interrupted Mary.
"yeah, I'll be up there in a sec Katie" said Kelly.
Andy trudged into the bathroom and noticed all the bags and makeup
kits strewn around the countertops. He climbed into the shower and let the
hot water run over his head and body as he leaned on the wall. After thirty or
so minutes of getting the headache out of his system, he lathered himself
from head to toe, scrubbing every inch of his body. He spent 10 minutes
alone shampooing his hair. Drying off, he walked into the bedroom and
found all of his accessories from home on the bed. Kelly looked over the
stuff as he sat down on the chair.
"you got pretty wild last night."
Andy stared at her confused. "what do ya mean?"
"well, the way you danced with that guy last night for starters."
He sat shocked. Kelly recalled the night for him as he sat and listened
in silence. "oh my god, I, I was with a guy last night?" he thought. "I must
have been just blitzed? I danced with a guy?"
"then there was the whole dancing on the bar and pouring shots into
every guy's mouth thing."
"oh my god" he said.
"yeah, you were pretty much in rare form last night dear."
"I, I danced with a guy?" asked Andy.
"uh, yeah a couple" she said sarcastically.
"shit"
"Katie don't worry, consider it your last hurrah."
"yeah I guess."
"Well, we brought you here last night after we stopped at the apt and
got all of your stuff. Geez, thank god Mike wasn't home. He would have
laughed his ass off."
"oh thanks Kelly" Andy said.
"Laura's coming over in about thirty minutes to do your hair and
makeup and nails"
"she is?"
"don't you remember silly? God, you did drink a lot last night."
Andy remembered she worked at a salon and that Katie had always
gone to her for the past ten years. They sat and talked about the whole plan
with getting to the church and when all her wedding party was to show.
Kelly started getting all of his bags together as he picked through the
suitcases. His heart skipped a beat as his found all the lingerie that the girls
had bought him for the honeymoon packed in one of the bags. Andy fingered
through the sheer teddies and garter belts nervously. Kelly stole a look at him
and grinned.
"Boy, yall are gonna have a good time this weekend huh?" she
laughed.
"oh yeah" he said sarcastically.
Laura arrived on time and kissed him on the cheek as she sat him
down in front of the dresser. She gave him a french manicure as she talked
his ear off. He held his hands out and admired her handiwork as she did his
makeup. Laura suggested that he would look exquisite with his hair up, and
Andy gave in. After sitting patiently for what seemed like hours, she had
finally finished. He turned to look in the mirror and stared in the awe of the
reflection. Touches of baby's breath adorned the edges of his hair. His long
lashes seemed to fill up his face, and his heart shaped mouth looked full and
soft. Kelly and Laura sat over his shoulder staring with him into the mirror.
Mary sat in the corner and praised her daughter's beauty, almost crying.
Charles stood at the doorway with a look of absolute joy. He carried all of the
luggage to the car as the girls gathered up all of Andy's stuff and headed
downstairs. Mary carried the gown to the car as he pulled on a t-shirt and
jeans for the ride to the church.
Andy rode with Kelly to the church while Charles and Mary rode
together in their Buick.
"you nervous" asked Kelly.
"yeah, a bit" he replied. That was a understatement. They pulled up to
the large church and drove around the side and parked the car. As they
brought all the stuff into the church, Andy caught sight of his two sisters.
They ran towards him and hugged him tightly trying not to mess up his hair
and makeup. He felt wonderful to see them even if it was like this. They
helped carry his belonging into the rooms and laid out all of his clothes.
Charles left and made small talk with the pastor while the girls got everything
ready for Andy. Mary helped him out of his t-shirt as the other girls stepped
back and sat down to watch their friends transformation to a bride. His
wedding party talked to him, soothing his nerves as he undressed. Mary
gently picked up the lingerie and handed the underwear to him. He walked
around the clothes blind and stripped down. He stepped into the lace panties
and pulled them up around his legs and let their high cut rest on his hips.
Picking up the boustier, he wrapped it around his back and hooked the
eyelets together in the front, pulling the zipper shut, and adjusting his breasts.
Andy walked around front and sat on the chair in front of the sink and felt all
of the eyes in the room upon him. Taking the pair of hose from his mother,
he pulled them out from the package and let them dangle in front of his legs.
Ever so gently, he gathered up the sheer white legs and slipped into them,
one leg at a time. After pulling the control panty around his waist, he
smoothed out his shimmering legs, running his hands down his legs
checking for runs. Mary gathered up the long petticoat and fit it around him.
She looked at all the girls in delight as she picked up the dress. Andy stepped
into the dress as his mom held the front. Lifting his arms into the sleeves, she
pulled the gown over his chest and pulled the back shut. With care and
precision, she buttoned up the back and adjusted his neckline. He stretched
out his leg, as Kelly pulled the garter up his thigh with its blue bow set in the
middle. Mary placed the pearl earrings her mother had given her as a child in
his ears as Kelly handed Andy her sister's antique ring and placed on his
right hand. He pulled the satin shoes from the box and sat down as he slipped
each stocking foot into the three-inch heel. Mary stood behind him as she
pulled the veil from its box and pinned it to his hair. She spread out the sheer
mesh and satisfied, lifted the veil over his head in front of his face. Taking
his hand, she helped him up and stood in front of him. Andy could see Kelly
and his friends as they tried to hold back their tears. His mother held her hand
over her mouth as she tried not to cry. Andy turned to the left and almost
fainted when he saw the incredibly gorgeous bride staring at him from
underneath the veil. Picking up the bouquet of flowers, he glided across the
room as the train of his gown rustled beneath him on the carpet. He practiced
walking with the weight and felt comfortable. All of the women held their
breath as they watched him. He could see from the window that the parking
lot was full and that only one or two people milled around outside.
"are you ready sweetheart?" asked his mother.
"I think so" he said nervously.
All of the girls hugged him as they filed out the door to take their
places. Charles came in and lifted the veil gently kissing his daughter on the
cheek.
"you look wonderful pumpkin. I've waited for this day since
the day you were born. I love you so much." He whispered almost choking
up.
"thanks daddy, I love you too"
For the first time in his life he felt close to his father and loved him in
a way that he couldn't before. The monster that was Charles Haugen ceased
to ever exist. He was about to walk his daughter down the isle to give her
away. Andy could hear the music of Canon in D play in the background as
the party made their way to the altar. He wrapped his arm around the inside
of his father's as they took their place in the back of the church. As they
entered the church, the organ sang as he peered down the isle at Mike. His
black tux fitted him perfect as his eyes met his. The pews were adorned with
white bows and flowers, and Andy noticed the petals strewn across the floor
left by his niece. Charles gave away his daughter as they stopped in front of
the altar. Andy stood beside Mike and gazed into his eyes. He was nervous
and a peaceful feeling lightened his head. They gazed at each other as the
pastor read the ceremony to the congregation.
He turned and faced Mike as the vows were about to be read to them.
Mike repeated the vows first. Andy blocked out all of the words except
Michael's answer, I do. The pastor turned to him and asked him to repeat the
vows.
"Do you, Katherine, take Michael to be your lawfully wedded
husband, to love and to cherish, to have and to hold, in sickness and in
health, for as long as you both shall live?"
Andy answered, his voice shaky. "I do."
The pastor explained the symbolism in the taking of the rings as the
congregation focused on the young couple in front of them. Asking him to
look at Katie, the pastor read the ceremony for the rings. Mike took the ring
from his hand and held it and the tip of Andy's left hand. As Mike slid the
ring down his finger, something inside of him was happening. All of a
sudden he felt a wave of electricity flow through his body. The energy seem
to connect his mind and soul in his body.