Father's Day
By circe
The house was still as the sun set over the garden, casting long shadows
across the flagstone patio. Inside, the only noise was a deep male
voice, softly reading at his son's bedside. John sat on the cartoon
bedsheets, the book of Greek myths and legends open on his lap as his
son, Jack, fought off the tiredness he so keenly felt.
"Finally, Pandora could stand it no longer," John read, his voice rich
and soft in the darkness. "When she knew Epimetheus was out of sight,
she crept up to the box, took the huge key off the high shelf, fitted it
carefully into the lock and turned it. But, at the last moment, she felt
a pang of guilt, imagined how angry her husband would be and quickly
locked the box again without opening the lid and put the key back where
she had found it. Three more times she did this until, at last, she knew
she had to look inside or she would go completely mad!"
"What did she do?" Jack asked nervously.
"Well, she took the key, slid it into the lock and turned it. She took a
deep breath, closed her eyes and slowly lifted the lid of the box. She
opened her eyes and looked into the box, expecting to see fine silks,
gowns or gold bracelets and necklaces or even piles of gold coins."
"What was inside?"
"You'll just have to wait until tomorrow," his dad said with a glint in
his eye. "Good night." John lent forward and kissed him softly on his
forehead as he stood, taking the book with him. He was about to close
it and leave it on his son's bedside table when he noticed the next
story in the chapter: Oedipus. Maybe one to skip, he thought to
himself. He left the book and reached under the shade to click off the
lamp. At the doorway, he glanced back to see his son drifting off to
sleep before closing the heavy wooden door behind him.
In his study, John poured himself a generous glass of Scotch into a
thick heavy glass and turned on his computer. He took a sip as he
scanned his inbox, deciding which emails he could safely ignore until
tomorrow. With a sigh, he opened one email and its Word attachment and
set to reading the 40-page case notes document.
His mobile phone buzzed on the leather top of his desk.
Strange, he thought, checking the time at the bottom right of his PC
screen. Hopefully nothing serious. He answered the call, noting the
blocked number on the caller ID. "Hello," he said.
"Darling!" A woman's voice, girlish and playful. "I hope I'm not
disturbing."
"You're very disturbing," he replied without missing a beat. "That's
not bad, you sound like her."
"What are you doing?" she asked, ignoring him. "Hard at work?"
He looked away from his computer screen to the two photographs on his
desk. The smaller of the two showed him and his son, the boy sitting
and laughing on his shoulders. The larger picture was of a beautiful
young woman, smiling and laughing in her wedding dress. He picked up
the photograph of his wife and laid it in front of him.
"You know me. Always working."
"You work too hard. When can John come out to play?"
"The question is when can Suzy."
"Whenever you want darling. I'm all dressed up and nowhere to go."
"You are?" John asked with surprise. "And what exactly are you
wearing?" He purred, taking a sip of his scotch and leaning back in his
office chair.
The woman laughed. "I see you haven't changed. Do you want to know
really, or is this a fantasy phone call?"
"Let's go with fantasy."
"Then I'm just wearing the white satin teddy you gave me for my
birthday. Well, that and a smile."
"And really."
"The same. But no smile."
It was John's turn to laugh. "Seriously," he said, taking a drink. "I
want to see. You sound just like her."
"What do you have in mind?" Suzy's voice asked.
- - - - -
Andy and Zoe lay next to each other on the double bed, crowded round the
cordless phone. They both wore sweatpants and t-shirts and both their
faces were slathered in face cream - Andy's pink, Zoe's white.
"I know a great hotel room," John said through the phone. "I'm sure you
can remember."
"Hotel room? John, you've never taken me to a hotel since we've been
married," Andy replied in his best Suzy voice - more soprano than
Mandy's alto.
John sighed. "You know what I mean. You don't want to meet here do
you?"
"I don't think Jack's quite ready for that, do you?" Andy countered.
"But do you really want to take me to the same room you take all your
whores? I'm your wife. I deserve better than that."
The line went quiet and Andy and Zoe looked at each other with concern.
Perhaps he'd gone too far.
"No, sorry, you're right." John said reproachfully. "How thoughtless.
All right, if you want to play, let's play. Next Saturday night, I'll
be waiting for you where we had our first date. I'm sure my wife will
remember where that was."
"Oh darling, how romantic," Andy said, miming an exaggerated shrug
towards Zoe. "It's a date. Goodnight my love."
There was a beep as the call disconnected and Andy dropped the handset
onto the thick duvet.
"Any idea where that is?" Zoe asked with a smirk.
"No idea," Andy said, collapsing heavily onto the bed.
* * * * *
A small antique bell tinkled delightfully as Mandy and her daughter
pushed open the shop door. Billie Holliday sang quietly as they closed
the door behind them, the soft female jazz a perfect soundtrack to the
baroque lingerie store they had entered. The shop was empty. Mandy
looked around for the shop assistant, but she was nowhere to be found.
"Sorry, we're closing," came a disembodied voice which Mandy realized
emanated from under the dark wooden counter that sat in the middle of
the shop.
"I have an appointment," Mandy replied, her voice rising at the end,
questioning herself.
"Mandy!" The woman behind the counter sprang up, her ruby red lips
curving into a wide smile. "And little Emma. How are you sweetie?"
"Fine," Emma replied, hiding behind her mother's grey pencil skirt.
"Do you want to do some coloring in?" the woman asked. She fished in a
drawer for a moment and pulled out two sheets of paper and a box of
brightly colored crayons.
Emma nodded and ran to meet the woman, who walked round the counter and
bent down to give the materials to her. The girl took them gladly and
sat down on the floor next to a gold and black velvet chair.
"Lucy, you look gorgeous," Mandy said. She meant it. Every time she
had visited her shop, she had been impressed at both the curvy woman's
style and ability to wear fantastic outfits that flattered her. Today
was no exception. Mandy marveled at the black dress with white polka
dots that Lucy wore with a full and lacy underskirt.
"Thank you," Lucy replied with a smile. "Have you just come from work?"
Zoe had inadvertently introduced the two women a few months ago: the
bra that Mandy wore now came from here, not to mention the breasts it
was currently supporting.
"I'm afraid so," Mandy replied. "Is it that obvious?"
"Not at all," the glamorous woman replied, giving Mandy a tight
squeezing hug. "You're here to pick up your order?"
"I am. Are they ready?"
"They are. Just wait a moment," Lucy disappeared into the room behind
the counter, returning a few moments later with a large round pink
hatbox, the Booby Trap logo emblazed on the side.
Mandy removed the lid and peered inside. A small, perky and creamy pair
of breasts nestled inside among the pink and white tissue paper. "Lucy
they're beautiful," she said, touching one breast tentatively with her
finger.
"Do you want to try them on?" Lucy asked, rounding the counter to stand
in from of Mandy. "Check the fit. Maybe try on some underwear," she
added with a smile.
"I'd love to," Mandy said, lost in thought as she gently caressed a dark
and puffy nipple. "But I can't," she added, snapping out of it and
rolling her bright eyes towards her daughter, scribbling on the floor.
Satisfied, she put the round lid back onto the box.
"That's too bad," Lucy pouted. "Well, make sure you try them on soon
and let me know how you get on."
"I will, I promise. Emma, say thank you to Lucy, we're going. We
really have to get to the market."
"Thank you," the little girl trilled, picking up her barely-started
drawing,
"You're welcome sweetie. Come again soon?" Lucy asked as mother and
daughter left her shop.
* * * * *
The kitchen and living room of Mandy and Zoe's house was spotless. The
cushions had been cleaned and plumped up, the coffee table polished and
all the toys put away into a wicker basket. The house smelt wonderful,
the result of furniture polish, herbs and spices, and Mandy's perfume,
which cut through the air like a knife. Inside the kitchen, five women
sat around the table. Mandy and Zoe sat opposite each other, with
Alison and Emma next to them. Molly wriggled her legs in the high chair
at the top of the table.
Molly had already been a big hit, with Alison arriving with the little
girl strapped to a harness against her chest. Emma was fascinated with
the baby, smiling and chatting and playing with her while the adults
were introduced with pleasantries.
"So how long have you and Mandy known each other?" Alison asked Zoe.
"You seem really close."
"A long time," Zoe grinned at her friend. "Mandy and I went to school
together."
"That's a co-incidence," Alison said, before stopping herself with a
glance to Emma, who was obliviously eating her dinner.
"She's my best friend," Mandy agreed. "We've been though a lot
together."
"I can tell," Alison smiled, swallowing a mouthful.
"And what about you, how are you enjoying being a mum?" Zoe asked.
"It's really hard," Alison said. "But it's getting easier. It's fear
and practice mainly."
"She's really beautiful."
"Thank you."
"Mandy struggled with Emma to begin with."
A silence descended over the meal as they ate.
"I meant after... oh Jesus. This is ridiculous," Zoe put down her
cutlery with a clang. "Emma, why don't you run up stairs and get your
doll to show Molly?"
The little girl pushed her chair back and gleefully ran away from the
table, her nice party frock swirling as she ran.
"Hi," Zoe said, extending her hand towards Alison. "I've known Andy
since he was born, and Mandy since she was at school with me. He's done
a wonderful job being a great mum to Emma and I love him, um, her, to
bits. You seem lovely. Mandy's told me all about you."
Alison giggled, stood and walked round the table where she wrapped her
arms around Zoe in a big hug. "Hi, it's nice to meet you," she said.
"Andy's told me all about you and how wonderful you are. And I can see
it's totally true."
Mandy sat opened mouthed, watching her two friends. Slowly, her lips
curved into a smile.
"I don't know what you're smiling about," Zoe said. "It's your fault we
have to talk in code."
Their laughter was interrupted by Emma, banging down the stairs and
bursting into the living room trailing her doll by a twisted plastic
leg. She stopped abruptly when she entered the kitchen. She looked at
the three women in turn as they hid their amusement.
"What's funny?" the little girl asked suspiciously.
"Nothing darling," Mandy said, hiding her lips with a slender hand.
"Sit down and eat your dinner."
* * * * *
Mandy pinched off a piece of theatrical putty and rolled it between her
fingers, deep in thought. She stared again at the photograph on her
make-up table and nodded to herself, turning around and bending down
over the bed - and over Alison's waiting face.
The girl lay stretched out, naked except for a pair of white fluffy
towels - which were draped over her from knees to chest. Her pink hair
had been pinned up and gathered under a nylon wig cap. It must be
pretty great living with a beautician, she had decided, having already
had her legs waxed, a back massage and her skin scrubbed and exfoliated.
Alison felt a million dollars.
Mandy added the small pea of clay to her nose and gently smoothed it
down into place. Satisfied, she gave the girl a quick kiss on the
forehead and turned back to the collection of photographs on the table.
"If you're going to keep doing that every time, this is going to take
forever," Alison said out the side of her mouth, careful not to move.
"Sorry, I can't help it."
"I mean, it's sweet: but I have to be somewhere in three days, you
know?"
Mandy laughed. "Stop moving."
Alison pursed her lips together with a stern look.
The bedroom door creaked open. Zoe stuck her head around. "How are you
kids doing?" she asked.
"Fine," Mandy replied, in unison with a hum from Alison. "It's slow
going, you know how it is."
"Is it going to work?" Zoe asked, coming into the room and closing the
door gently behind her, so as not to wake the two sleeping children next
door.
"I think so," Mandy said as she added another tiny ball of putty to the
girl's face. "Come and see."
Alison watched as Mandy and Zoe stood over her, both appraising her
face. Her eyes darted between them, searching for a sign. She watched
as Zoe screwed up her face, squinting down at her and then turning to
look at the collection of pictures on the table.
"Yeah," Zoe said eventually, drawing out the word. "Yeah, I think it
might work."
Alison sighed and lay still as Mandy resumed her deliberate work. It was
going to be a long weekend.
* * * * *
Andy worked while the house slept, jacked up on caffeine and adrenaline.
Alison had fallen asleep hours ago, relaxed from lying down and from
Zoe's beauty treatments. Next to her on the bed, Zoe snored loudly -
her face peaceful and her mouth open.
The mask Andy worked on was almost finished - a record, even for him.
This had been much harder than the others. It was much thicker, but
then the two faces had very little in common. He realized, as he
meticulously punched another eyebrow hair into position, that he was
actually pretty good at this. Maybe when this was all over, he'd ask
Lucy if he could put a card in her shop.
Sunlight had begun to creep into the room under the curtains. Andy knew
that the girls would be waking soon. He still had at least an hours
work to do on the mask, but also desperately had to sleep. He was also
aware that, having removed his Mandy mask, boobs and padding, Emma would
wonder who this strange boy was in her house.
Since confessing the truth to Alison, he had been spending more and more
time as Andy - taking Mandy off at night when Emma was in bed, to talk
to Alison over the phone before they went to sleep. It felt wrong
talking to her as Mandy, not that she seemed to mind. In fact, he
thought with a smile, she had hinted on at least a couple of occasions
that she wouldn't mind spending some quality time with his female alter
ego. The thought both excited and worried him: the boundaries in his
life - so clear-cut just weeks ago - were collapsing.
"How long can you keep this up?" she had asked him one night, deep into
a phone conversation. "Until Emma's ten? Sixteen? What's your plan?"
He had muttered something about her not being ready. He'd know when the
time came, but the truth was he had no idea. He had started this for
her, but he would have to end it for her too. The truth was, he
realized, moving onto the other eyebrow, he become Mandy as much for his
own enjoyment as for his sister's protection. He had become her because
he would be better at it than she was. His younger self had hated her
so much - for neglecting him, for not having any self-respect and for
being beautiful. He wanted what she had and he had taken it.
In the last few weeks though, he had seen another side. He had been
leaving Emma with Zoe more and more, going out on his own more and more,
and realizing that he enjoyed Mandy's life as much without Emma as with
her. That he loved his sister had not changed - if anything it had
grown stronger over time - but what had changed was his realization that
his mother was not the devil. He cried then: shoulders silently shaking
as wordless tears fell in the darkness.
* * * * *
Andy woke with a start. He sat up, momentarily surprised that his chest
didn't have its usual comforting weight. Suddenly very awake, he ran
his hands over his face - he wasn't wearing a mask. He didn't remember
going to bed and had no idea how he had gotten here. The alarm clock on
Mandy's bedside table read just after nine.
The door to his en suite bathroom was open a crack, the sound of running
water escaping into the bedroom. He pulled back the thick covers and
swung out of bed, brushing back his long blonde hair with one hand as he
stood. Naked, he moved over to the bathroom door and opened it a little
wider. The bathroom was warm and filled with steam - the large mirror
opposite the door was misted up completely. Alison stood in the shower,
facing away from the door, her naked body wet, slick and glistening.
Andy watched her with a mixture of lust and envy. She was beautiful,
uncomplicated and easily feminine. He couldn't believe how lucky he was
that she was so accepting of him: So happy to be with him. He wished he
had a body like that - curvy and sexy without all the props and padding.
She bent over then, to squeeze some more shower gel onto the buff puff
she was using, pushing her round backside towards him.
"You gonna stand there and watch all day or do you want to come and give
me a hand?" she shouted over the trickling water.
Andy grinned, stepping into the bathroom and closing the door behind
him. He stepped into the shower behind Alison, kissing her neck as he
pressed his body against hers and wrapping his arms around her middle.
She pushed her bottom into him, tilting her head and exposing more of
her neck to his willing lips. She felt warm and slippery to his touch.
She tasted of Mandy's shower gel. As he kissed her he cautiously slid
one hand off her tummy and up to her breasts, cupping and squeezing the
enlarged boobs he had admired so much. He closed his eyes and for a
moment imagined those breasts were his, that it was his neck being
suckled, that it was between his round derriere that a cock was swelling
with lust.
He felt her nipples harden under his slippery fingers. He slid his
other hand down her front, stroking her small thatch of public hair with
his own slender feminine hand. He felt her squirm as he snaked his
fingers between her thighs, finding her warm and slippery as he slipped
a finger insider her. Alison brought her hand up to her breast and laid
it over Andy's, squeezing gently as he stroked her.
Andy moaned, his voice a soft alto hybrid of his own and Mandy's.
"Hey," Alison said, slipping from his grasp and pulling him out of his
fantasy. "Who am I in the shower with?"
"Sorry," he said as she turned and kissed him.
"Why sorry?"
Andy was about to answer when she kissed him - first with exploring
lips, then fuller, opening her mouth and pressing herself against him.
He felt her breasts squeezed against his chest, his hard cock flattened
against her. She pulled away and gently took his cock in her small
hand, stroking it tenderly. "Were you thinking of what it was like, to
be me?" she asked, placing Andy's hand on her breast and stroking
harder. "To have my boobs, my bum?"
"Yes."
"My pussy too?"
"Yes."
"What about my face?"
"God yes," Andy said, shuddering as he came into her hands.
"I know you were," she smiled, kissing him again as the water bounced
off their bodies. "It's cool. I was wondering what it's like to have
one of those."
* * * * *
The concierge stood at the desk, enjoying the peace and quiet of a
Sunday afternoon to take the time to read his newspaper. The foyer was
empty. The last of the weekend guests had checked out hours ago. Maids
and cleaning staff were almost finished their sweep and the kitchens
were closed - the lunchtime rush now a memory. He looked forward to
these moments of peace. He concluded reading the article and turned the
page, scanning the newspaper for any interesting stories.
On the periphery of his hearing, he was aware of the squeak of the
revolving door as it groaned into life, followed by the cutting sound of
high-heeled shoes striking the marble floor, accompanied by the rumble
of a trolley case. Air hostess, he guessed without looking up. From
experience, he knew the distance from the door to the desk would take
twenty seconds. He read to the conclusion of the paragraph and looked
up, just as the woman approached the desk. She wore a figure-hugging
white dress that left little to the imagination, clinging to her like a
second skin. Her breasts bounced as she walked, tottering on
ridiculously high heels. There could be no doubt as to her profession.
He smiled to himself.
She wasn't alone, he noticed. She stood next to a very well dressed
man, his suit and tie as expensive as her dress was cheap. As they
approached the counter, his nostrils filled with the overwhelmingly
sweet odour of her perfume. He turned to face the gentleman. "Can I
help you sir?" he asked.
"I have a reservation," the woman said, causing the concierge to turn
his head. "In the name of Hamilton. John Hamilton."
"Of course madam," he looked down at his computer screen.
"Miss."
"I do beg your pardon," he said, glancing up to smile an oily grin. He
found the reservation - for one night only. He would be surprised if
they stayed the night. He handed over the keycard and was again
surprised that the woman signed for the room. The gentleman, so far,
had said nothing.
"Enjoy your stay."
The woman flashed a brilliant smile as she took the card, swiveled on
spike heels and tottered away, trolley case in tow behind her swinging
hips. Her companion stayed behind and leant on the counter, both men
watching her go.
"Can I help you with anything else?"
"Uh, can you send up some champagne," the man said, his voice deep and
monotone.
"Of course sir, no problem."
"Thanks." He took a step back from the desk and stuck his hands in his
pockets, following where his partner had gone before. She waited
impatiently by the elevators, her arms folded under her bosom. By the
time he caught up to her and slapped her playfully on the bottom, the
elevator had arrived. The escort and her client calmly walked into the
elevator.
"Jesus," the concierge muttered to himself as he turned back to his
newspaper.
* * * * *
The large polished brass doors of the hotel elevator closed. Both
occupants waited until the lift lurched upwards before dissolving in
fits of laughter.
"That was fun," Mandy giggled, tugging down the bottom of her ridiculous
dress to try and preserve what was left of her modesty.
"This is amazing," the man who looked like John said. "I can totally
see why you love it!" The face was a perfect likeness, created with
care after pouring over hundreds of photographs. The voice, on the
other hand, was unmistakably Alison's.
Mandy turned to face him and wrapped her arms lovingly around his neck,
lifting one foot girlishly. Her eyes sparkled as she leant in, kissing
his slightly too plump lips hungrily. Through her padding, she felt his
hands squeezing her tightly. She smiled as they kissed.
The elevator pinged and the door slid back to reveal an elderly couple.
Mandy and John didn't even look up, continuing to grope and kiss each
other unashamedly.
"Are you going down?" the elderly gentleman asked.
Mandy broke off the kiss to grin at the couple. "Not yet," she said, as
the doors closed once more.
The hotel room was exactly as Mandy remembered it. She had worried she
would be scared, or cry, when she came here again, but she felt none of
those things. She was excited and she was horny.
John closed the door as Mandy swung the trolley case onto the bed,
quickly unzipping it and flinging it open. She took out a video camera,
tripod and her digital camera, leaving some clothes and make-up inside.
As she extended the legs of the tripod, she felt John's hands around her
middle as he pressed up against her behind.
"So, uh," he said, his voice thick and deep and totally false, "do you
come here often?"
Mandy giggled as she turned around in his grasp. "Oh darling, it's a
good thing there's no talking in this video." She looked him up and
down. "You look awesome though."
"So do you darling," he replied, causing Mandy to bite her lip to stifle
the giggles. She reached out to touch his face, her delicate fingers
running down his stubbled cheek and onto his flat chest. "Is it really
uncomfortable?"
"I feel very... secure," he replied in Alison's voice. "It's cool. I
guess I know how you feel now," he added, moving to reach under Mandy's
micro dress.
"Hey! Save it for the tape."
They were interrupted by a knock at the door.
"I ordered champagne," John explained to Mandy's quizzical expression.
He pulled away from her and reached into his jacket pocket, pulling out
a very girly black sequined purse.
"They'll add it to the room," Mandy called as she set up the tripod.
John opened the door and stood back as the bus boy brought in the ice
bucket, a bottle and two crystal glasses. "Over there please," John
said, causing a small giggle from Mandy. The boy set up the bucket,
looked at Mandy, the video camera and John before heading for the door
with his head down. John rushed after him, purse outstretched. "Hey,
don't you want a tip?"
"Nah man, you have fun!" the boy replied, grinning and placing the "Do
not disturb" sign on the outside doorknob.
"Well, I guess everyone knows what we're up to," John said as he took
off his suit jacket.
"That's sort of the idea," Mandy replied, attaching the camera to the
stand and checking the viewfinder. "Are you ready?" she asked,
straightening up and tugging her dress back into position over her
curves.
John caught his reflection in the mirror and tilted his head, his eyes
flickering over his unfamiliar face. He pouted, blowing himself a kiss.
"Absolutely."
* * * * *
It was late when Mandy got home, tiptoeing into the house with her heels
in one hand, the trolley case in the other. Mandy decided to leave the
case in the hall and deal with it later. She stuck her head around
Emma's door. The nightlight illuminated the little girl's bedroom and
cast long and weird shadows over the dolls and toys. Mandy stood there,
watching, for an age as the girl slept. After what could have been
hours, she crept in and kissed Emma gently on the forehead, causing the
sleeping child to moan softly.
"I love you darling," Mandy whispered.
She closed the door behind her as she left and knocked on Zoe's door -
noticing the light leaking underneath the frame. A muffled "come in"
was heard from the other side. Mandy deliberately pushed down the
handle and slowly opened the door.
"Hey," Mandy said closing the door behind her, walking into the room and
sitting down on Zoe's bed, next to her housemate.
"Hey yourself," Zoe replied, putting down the book she was reading.
"How'd it go? Hey are you okay?" she asked, noticing the red marks
around Mandy's neck.
"Oh, yeah I'm fine," Mandy laughed. "Sorry it took so long."
"That's alright. Emma and I had fun with Molly. We drew you a
picture."
"Thank you for... everything. You're wonderful, you know that?"
"I actually do know that, thanks," Zoe grinned.
"I mean it."
"I know you do. You don't need to thank me. I meant to say, Alison is
lovely."
"She is," Mandy nodded. "I'm surrounded by lovely girls." She bent
down and kissed her friend, squeezing her through the duvet. "I'm going
to tell Emma."
"What? When?"
"This week. I've decided."
"Are you sure? I mean, it's a lot to take in."
"I have to, I think. I ... I just hope she forgives me."
"Forgives you!" Zoe sat up now. "Listen to me Amanda Scott. She has
nothing to forgive and you have nothing to apologize for. I'm here for
you too. I hope you know that."
"I do," Mandy smiled, swinging her legs onto the bed and lying next to
Zoe. "I'm a lucky girl."
"So," Zoe said, lying back and staring at the ceiling. "Do you know
where Suzy's meeting John yet?"
"No clue," Mandy replied. "He told me once that they met at law school,
but ... Oh, of course!"
"What is it?"
"I need to look at the pictures again, but I think I know where they had
their first date." Mandy giggled. "Oh, that's quite romantic really."
"Are you sure about all this?"
"I think so," Mandy replied, her brow creasing. "I thought I liked him,
but I don't. I like the attention, that's all. He scared me. He can
ruin me. I need to take all that power away from him - that's what I'm
doing. After that... we'll see what's left."
"I hope I never piss you off. I'm not sure I want my twin running
around doing bad shit."
"Who says I don't already have a Zoe mask?" Mandy smiled sweetly.
"Oh, that would be so handy!" Zoe laughed. "I could be at work and have
a day off."
The two women lay next to each other: one above the covers, one
underneath.
"You don't do you?" Zoe asked after a while. "Have a mask of my face?"
"No. Scout's honour," Mandy lifted up her hand and drew a cross over
her chest.
"Good."
Down by her side, next to her hip, Mandy uncrossed her fingers.
* * * * *
The working week crawled by slower than Andy hoped. Every day in the
office was quiet, with little to do but type up notes and answer the
phone. He was bored and impatient. If he was honest, he was excited -
looking forward to his "date" with John and trying Suzy on in public.
Every night Mandy had picked up Emma from school and found one excuse or
another not to tell her the truth. Having made up her mind that she was
going to, the right time had never presented itself. They played
together as they always had, Mandy always on the cusp of saying... what?
That was the problem. How do you even start to confess that you're not
the person someone thinks you are - let alone to a child?
He called Alison every night, talking with her until late about Emma,
the weekend that had passed and the weekend to come. She had been
bitten now by the bug and wanted more: she wondered who else she could
be. The possibilities were endless and exciting. He joked with her
that he had created a monster. As he lay in the bathtub on Saturday
morning, he knew that he had.
He had lain floating in the warm perfumed water for half an hour, eyes
closed, trying to calm the butterflies in his stomach. Weeks of worry
and preparation had led to today - it had to go to plan. He ran through
his mental checklist again: there was so much to do. Thankfully he had
the house to himself: Zoe having taken Emma to work with her this
morning. With a sigh, he wrapped his pedicured toes around the chrome
plug chain and pulled, letting the water slowly drain away around his
pink naked body.
The boy pulled himself out of the bath and reached for the large white
cotton towel that hung over the radiator nearby. He patted his skin dry
and went through his usual routine of applying baby oil, rubbing it into
his skin, before wrapping the towel around his chest and stepping out of
the bathroom.
His make-up table mirror was covered in the now-familiar photographs of
Suzy - laughing, smiling and pulling a variety of facial expressions.
Bottles and trays of make-up lay on the table, many of them new and
unopened. At one end, a polystyrene head held a short auburn wig. Next
to it, Suzy's face lay flattened against the table surface, staring up
at the ceiling with an eyeless gaze.
Andy sat at the make-up table, tugging on the towel and squirming to get
comfortable. He removed his shower-cap and let his long blonde hair
spill over his bare shoulders, before gathering it up and pinning it
tightly and carefully to his head. He took a nylon wig cap and snapped
it over his hair, careful to cover all the loose strands he could and
tucking any errant hairs under the dark brown elastic band. The cap
bulged with the volume of hair underneath.
Next, he unscrewed a large tub of moisturizer and scooped out a generous
helping, smearing it over his face, neck and chest and working it into
his flesh with delicate fingers. He then wiped off the residue with a
wet wipe and patted his face dry.
Andy leant forward, intently studying his face in the mirror. Working
automatically, he opened the bottle of adhesive and began to apply small
patches to his face with a brush - on his forehead, his cheeks, his nose
and chin. Carefully, he picked up the Suzy mask and leant forward into
it, aligning the nose, mouth and eyes with his own. He patted it gently
into place and tilted his head back, examining the fit in the mirror and
gently tugging the mask into place. He lifted the edges and applied
small amounts of adhesive underneath where needed, smoothing down any
wrinkles. In his head, he counted down from one hundred.
It already felt different from his Mandy mask - tighter, with different
weights on the cheeks and nose. Suzy's nose pinched his own tight with
little padding, but her cheekbones were much higher and larger. Well
practiced, he reached for the tube of liquid latex next to the adhesive
and went to work blending in the feathered silicon edges of the mask
with his own skin. In under half an hour, his face was unrecognizable.
Once the face had dried, he opened a new tube of liquid foundation -
much lighter than Mandy's and a different brand. He held it up to his
new nose and took a deep breath. The faint odour was different too. He
squeezed some make-up onto a triangular sponge and went to work,
applying it to the face in the mirror, followed by a light dusting of
powder to set. Her complexion was almost translucent. A light brown
eye shadow was painted onto each eyelid. His eyelashes were curled with
a chrome eyelash curler - no inserts for Suzy. Liquid black eyeliner
was carefully applied, followed by a volumizing mascara. He looked at
the photographs - no blusher. A dark red lip liner was carefully drawn
around his full lips - fuller than Suzy's, he realized, but nothing to
be done about that. He took a small brush from his make-up kit and
opened a dark red lipstick. Carefully painting the lipstick over his
plump lips. He rubbed them together and kissed a tissue, throwing away
the kiss into the nearby basket.
He studied the face in the mirror, turning this way and that and
smiling, practicing her smile with painted lips, showing straight white
teeth. Her teeth were different - larger in the front and with pointier
canines. He glanced down to one of several small plastic containers.
Later, he decided.
Leaving the wig for now, he stood, unwrapping himself from the
voluminous towel and folding it neatly over the bedroom radiator. He
wiped down his chest with a tissue, removing any lingering cream and set
to work with the glue again, covering from below his collarbone to the
bottom of his rib cage. Working quickly, he opened the Boobytrap hatbox
and carefully removed the breast prosthesis within -a single vest of
skin-colored silicon. With a well-practiced motion, he unrolled it down
his front, after lining up the top of the garment with his shoulders.
He pressed it hard against his chest, wriggling it a little until he
felt the small raised bumps on the inside of the form that was supposed
to line up with his own nipples. Leaning back, he lifted up the edges
around the garment and applied more adhesive, sticking it firmly in
place.
He lay down on the bed, closed his eyes and waited, resisting the
temptation to give his new bust a squeeze. It felt strange, having worn
Mandy's - well, Zoe's really - large and drooping breasts for so long.
There was almost no weight on his chest at all. Unable to resist, he
slowly brought one hand onto his chest and traced his new contours with
extended fingertips, surprised at the new dimensions his body had taken
on.
He opened his eyes and began to sit up, letting the adhesive take the
weight of his new assets. He smiled, unable to resist enjoying the
feeling of difference in his face and his chest. "They're pretty," he
said, trying Suzy's voice for the first time. He swung his legs around
and stood in front of his mirrored wardrobe doors. The head and
shoulders in the mirror were definitely a young woman's. Her breasts
were small and perky, with large and dark areola.
He was already feeling different - less like Mandy. The feelings and
sensations of the mask and chest prosthesis made it easier to remember
who he was supposed to be. He was sure that would get easier the more
he did to transform. Already, he knew, he liked being Suzy.
As he had done with his face, he worked with liquid latex to blend the
feathered edges of the silicone of his breast prosthesis, taking care to
make sure it was smooth and flawless. He studied his chest in the
mirror as he did so, enchanted by Lucy's good work in making it - small
freckles and blue veins dotted the surface, adding extra realism. She
did excellent work.
Andy padded over to the bed where he had looked out his underwear.
Nothing fancy for this afternoon: a simple white cotton bra set, with a
matching pair of high-leg panties: and it was these that excited Andy
most of all. Suzy's shape was much more slender and boyish than his
mother's, so Andy was able to forgo the girdle that so dominated his
life as Mandy. Instead, he had made a new pair of pads and sewn them
into the cheeks of these panties, giving him a fuller and rounded bum
and slightly wider hips without the constraint of the girdle. With a
barely disguised grin, he stepped into the shaped underwear and pulled
it up his smooth slender legs, tucking his manhood away as he did so.
Another strange sensation, with the padding sitting weirdly on his
boyish behind, he turned and examined the effect in his wardrobe
mirrors. His silhouette didn't taper as smoothly as it did with the
girdle, but it was certainly girlish. He felt his cock twitching in his
new underwear.
"There's no time for that," he said, trying out Suzy's voice again, this
time sounding clipped and exasperated. "I've got so much to do today,
you wouldn't believe." He repeated the phrase again, trying a different
inflection. "Hello, I'm Suzanne," the young woman said in the mirror,
jutting out one hip as she regarded her figure. "I'm Suzy," she
repeated, less surprise in her voice.
The young woman turned and reached out onto the bed, picking up the
plain white cotton bra that lay there. Quickly, and without ceremony,
she slipped her arms through the straps and fastened the hooks behind
her back, tugging it down over her small boobs and reaching into the
cups to plump up her nestling tits.
She swayed over to the table again and sat gingerly, testing her new
bottom against the hard wooden chair. Suzy smiled as she felt the
padding softly spread under her. She opened the first of the plastic
cases and took out a green-tinted contact lens, balanced it carefully on
her index finger and inserted it into her large clear eyes. She blinked
and checked her eyes in the mirror - one now bright green, the other a
bright blue. Suzy took out the other lens and inserted this into her
other eye, batting her eyelashes as the plastic disc settled into place.
Another plastic container contained an upper arch of teeth, made
especially at almost the same expense as her breasts. She pushed the
caps into place over her own teeth, enlarging her front teeth and making
her eyeteeth pointier. She smiled again and again in the mirror,
checking her teeth against the pictures surrounding it. Suzy's grin was
almost predatory. How fitting, she thought.
The wig was next, brushed out on the polystyrene head before she placed
it over her wig cap, working from the front to back and tugging it into
position. The bright red hair felt strange and heavy. The wig was
sleek and expensive, with subtly different colors of hair forming long
streaks down to her chin. A long strand curved across her eye, which
she brushed behind her ear. She searched for the sewn-in clips at the
edges of the wig and carefully clipped it into place.
The face in the mirror focused on the photographs surrounding it,
furrowing her brow as she mimicked the poses she saw: laughing gaily,
smiling sexily, pouting moodily. She brushed out her hair again, taking
her time with long languid strokes, getting used to the feel of it on
her head. Her eyes sparkled with excitement.
Suzy pushed back the make-up chair and stood, taking great care to keep
her knees together and pushing her derriere back as she did. She opened
her wardrobe door and took down a new pair of skinny blue denim jeans,
checking them for any tags left behind. She unzipped the fly and
stepped into them, wriggling and squirming the stretchy denim up her
legs and thighs. She tugged hard on the waistband, jumping up and down
and bouncing them over her padded ass before zipping them up snugly on
her crotch. Another new sensation - Mandy never wore jeans.
A white blouse was next, buttoned at the cuffs and to the top of her
cleavage. She then pulled on a purple tank top with a scooped neckline
and fussed with it and the blouse until they sat comfortably together.
She fluffed her hair in the mirror again and turned, checking out her
preppy outfit, and cute rear. Finally, she slipped her toes into a pair
of black leather ankle boots, tucked the jeans into them and zipped them
up.
She had just finished with her boots when Mandy's phone vibrated on the
make-up table. She sat back down and looked at the number before
answering: it was Alison.
"Hello," Suzy answered, keeping her voice girlish and in character.
"Mandy can't come to the phone right now."
Down the phone she heard Alison scream with delight. Suzy had to hold
the handset away from her ear until it subsided.
"Oh my God!" Alison said eventually. "You sound amazing."
"Thanks," Suzy replied, picking up a long gold earring and fastening it
to her right lobe. "It's really hard."
"Dude I bet. You're like a master of disguise. How's it going?"
"Good," Suzy swapped the phone to a different ear and fastened the other
earring. "It's all weird and different, but yeah, good. Almost
changed."
"Wish I was there with you. You sound hot."
"I wish you were here too," Suzy said. "I'll see you soon, I promise."
"I'm scared," Alison said. "About tonight. If he ..."
"I'll be fine. We've thought of everything."
"Call me, when it's over."
"I will."
Neither of them spoke for a minute, dead air on the phone. There was so
much to say and yet, no need to say it.
"Hey, I've been thinking," Alison said eventually.
"Oh?"
"I want you to make a mask of me. My face."
"You do?" Andy said, losing Suzy's voice and character in an instant.
He swallowed. "Really?"
"Yeah," Alison said, elongating the vowel to breaking point, "if you're
a good girl."
"I'm always good," Andy said, struggling to regain control.
"Just... take care alright? Call me. Bye."
Alison hung up before Andy could respond. Thoughts of becoming Alison
flooded his mind as he fought to regain control of his Suzy persona. He
was acutely aware of his cock, swollen with promise in his tight jeans
between his thighs. Focus. Suzy. He leant forward and stared at the
reflection in the mirror, taking deep breaths and reminding himself of
his outfit, his body, his teeth and wig. He reached down and opened a
new bottle of Chanel and sprayed it on his neck and wrists, taking a
deep breath at the new scent - Suzy's perfume.
"I'm Suzanne," the young woman said, her lips curling upwards into a
natural warm smile as she spoke. "I'm Suzy. I'm Suzy."
* * * * *
The antique bell tinkled delightfully as the shop door opened,
announcing the arrival of another customer. The shop was busy on this
Saturday afternoon - or busy by its standards, with three women of
various ages alternatively browsing, trying on underwear or paying at
the desk.
Lucy looked up automatically at the new customer - a young woman in her
early twenties in jeans and a tight purple tank top - before turning her
attention back to the elderly woman in front of her, who had just
purchased a fifties style red and white-striped bathing suit. She
concluded the transaction and stepped around the desk, approaching the
young woman as she examined an antique lace bra.
"Can I help you?" Lucy asked.
"Just browsing, thanks," the woman replied with a genuine smile. "You
have a lovely shop," she added, looking around to emphasize the point.
"Oh thank you," Lucy gushed. "Well, if you need anything, just ask."
"Thank you, I will," the woman replied, turning back to the lingerie in
hand. "Actually," she said after a moment, as Lucy began to walk away,
"could I try this on?"
"Of course. The changing rooms are up at the back. They're both free
now -take your pick!" Lucy looked down at the bra in the woman's hand
and glanced back at her chest. "When was the last time you were
measured?"
"Not for years. Why?"
"Do you have time just now? I'll just deal with this lady and be right
with you."
"Sure, okay."
Lucy watched as the woman walked towards the now-vacant changing room
and returned to her counter, ringing up the two matching sets the lady
in the changing room had bought. She folded the lacy garments and
wrapped them in purple and pink tissue paper before carefully putting
them into a thick cardboard designer bag, the Boobytrap logo clearly
displayed. The lady paid in cash. Lucy snuck a business card into the
bag while she was counting her notes.
"Thanks, bye!" Lucy said, picking up her tape measure and smiling after
the lady as she left, walking past the remaining customer. She had
already asked if she wanted help, and she had nervously and politely
refused. She knew she would eventually leave without buying anything.
Reaching the changing rooms, marked by a thick velvet curtain, she
simply slipped inside with a practiced movement, revealing nothing of
the interior to the shop.
The young woman was already topless, her blouse, tank top and bra
carefully folded on the nearby gold-painted chair. She stood quite
unselfconsciously, arms down by her sides as she smiled in the mirror at
Lucy's arrival.
"Right, let's get started," Lucy said, unraveling the measuring tape.
She glanced at the woman's breasts and stopped, tilting her head
slightly as she took in their size, shape and large dark areole.
"Is something wrong?" the woman asked, a smile playing on those lips.
"Have we met before?"
"Do you want to check the fit now?" Suzy whispered in Mandy's voice.
"They look great Lucy - thank you."
The curvaceous shop-owner stood open-mouthed, her eyes flicking between
the young woman's bust and her face. "Mandy?" she asked, her voice a
surprised whisper.
"I'm Suzy," the young woman said, extending a slender hand. "It's
lovely to meet you."
"Suzy," Lucy said, as if trying out the name. "Oh my God!" she
exclaimed, taking the young woman's hand, her gaze never leaving Suzy's
face. "That's amazing."
"Thanks," Suzy said smiling, causing dimples to show in her cheeks.
"Oh sweetie," Lucy said, reaching out to touch Suzy's face, "I think
we're going to have to become very good friends."
* * * * *
The sun was starting to set on the late summer's evening, casting long
orange shadows over the stone steps of the library. The building was
still open, with the occasional student emerging or entering with
bulging backpacks. John sat on the third bottom step, sharply dressed
in an expensive suit and silk tie - his dress completely incongruous to
the young men and women around him.
The University hadn't changed much since he and Suzy had been students
here. The old stone buildings were the same, although adorned with
different posters now for shows and bands and student elections. They
had met in a tutorial, and argued constantly. He had thought she had
hated him, but, thanks to a mutual friend knocking some sense into him,
he had asked her out, and had been shocked when she had said yes.
He looked up again at the clock tower of the building opposite, then to
the expensive Omega watch fastened around his wrist. It was almost
nine. From his vantage point, he could look across the whole square and
see anyone approaching. The quad was almost empty, aside from an older
gentleman walking a spaniel and two young lovers kissing their goodbyes.
This had been their first date. He had met her on the library steps
after their last class, and he had taken her to a simple Italian
restaurant. They had drunk too much, laughed too much and talked until
dawn on the carpet of her student flat. He had surprised her by taking
her picture when she arrived - late, breathless and with a backpack full
of books. It had become his favorite picture of her. He wondered if
Mandy had found it, and put two and two together.
John reached into his suit jacket pocket and removed his mobile phone,
checking the time again on the screen display, looking for any messages
or missed calls. Unsurprisingly, there had been none in the two minutes
since he last checked.
"Hello handsome."
The voice came from behind him and he recognized it instantly: Suzy.
John calmly put his phone back in his pocket, steadfastly not turning
around to look. "You're late," he said.
"You should be used to that," she replied.
He felt her presence behind him. He smelt her perfume. He closed his
eyes and took a deep breath.
"I've always loved it here," she said, her heels clicking on the stone
steps as she descended next to him. "It reminds me of our college
days."
John was aware of her sitting next to him on the step. He opened his
eyes, taking a deep breath and stared straight ahead.
"You look nice," she said. He both felt and heard her move towards him
as she kissed him lightly on the cheek.
He turned to look at her then and she saw him recoil instantly, fear and
surprise written all over his implacable face. His eyebrows raised and
his mouth opened in shock.
"Suzy?" he asked, his voice a breathy whisper.
She watched as his pupils darted over her face, examining her eyes,
nose, mouth and then down to take in her dress as she sat, her posture
upright.
"My God," he said, turning away - unable to look at her.
She reached out a hand towards his, but he recoiled at her touch,
standing suddenly and walking away briskly - not looking back.
Suzy sat there on the step alone, looking around the college square and
absently rubbing her hands together.
"Well," she said to herself. "That wasn't what I expected at all."
* * * * *
John slammed the door of his BMW closed as he sat down heavily on the
dark leather seat. He sat, both hands on the steering wheel, for an age
- staring straight ahead, not looking out of the windscreen, the car
keys in his hand. He licked his lips, realizing he was crying, tilted
his head forward and began to sob.
What did I expect? Not that. Not that!
She had been perfect - exactly as he remembered her. Every detail was
written over her face, her voice - those eyes! His dead wife had been
brought back to him.
Christ I miss her so much. He sniffed, wiping his face with his coat
sleeve and blinking back the new tears forming. Now what?
Suddenly, he felt the vibration of his phone in his suit pocket. He
took it out and looked at it: Amanda calling. Who was it really? He
pushed the button to answer.
"Hello?" he asked, surprised that his voice was steady.
"Hi." Suzy's voice echoed around the car. "I just wanted to make sure
you were all right."
"Can you not..." he started. "Don't do that."
'Is this better?" Mandy's voice asked.
"Yes. No. I don't know, whatever."
"Don't get angry with me," she said, her voice dropping to a whisper.
"You asked for this. You threatened me."
John said nothing, still reeling from the shock of seeing Suzy so
perfectly in front of him. It's not her. It's not Suzy.
"Can we talk? I want to talk," Mandy said. "Hello?"
"Yes. Yes," John replied, swallowing. "I booked a restaurant. Oh fuck
we can't go there."
"Why not?"
"It's where I took... It'll kill me. Where are you?"
"Look in your mirror."
John looked up into the rear view mirror and saw his wife standing
behind his car, her mobile phone in one hand, her other hand on her hip.
Her brown polka dot dress billowed in the breeze as she lifted a hand
and gave a little wave. "I know somewhere we can go. Get in," he said,
reaching over to open the passenger door.
She hung up. He watched her walk towards the car. Her walk was
perfect, hips gently rolling as she placed one high-heeled foot in front
of another. She reached the door, opened it wider and stepped into the
car, smoothing her dress under her as she sat and turned to face him.
"So," she began in Suzy's voice.
John leaned over and kissed her, silencing her instantly as their lips
met and he hungrily pressed them against her, forcing her mouth open.
She felt his strong hand on the back of her head, pushing her towards
him. It wasn't a kiss it was an attack.
He released her, leaving them both gasping for breath, as his wild eyes
looked her up and down. "Astonishing," he said, reaching behind him and
locking all the doors. "Just astonishing." The car roared to life as
John tugged on his seatbelt.
"Where are we going darling?" Suzy asked sweetly as she fastened her own
belt and hugged the bag she was carrying.
John ignored her and drove on into the dying light.
* * * * *
The journey had been made in silence, Suzy deciding that John would talk
when he was ready but that moment had never come. As the car turned off
the highway, she realized the destination almost immediately. She
shifted uncomfortably in her seat - this was one outcome that she hadn't
anticipated.
The large BMW growled to a stop across the street from John's house. It
was dark now and a light was clearly visible from the living room. A
young woman was walking inside, talking on a cordless phone. There was
no sign of Jack, but Suzy knew he was there.
"Shall we go in?" John asked, breaking the thick silence.
"I don't think that's a good idea, do you?" Suzy replied calmly.
"She never met him you know. You never met him."
"I know."
"Sometimes," John sniffed. "He wants a mother. You know? He asks."
"I'm sorry."
"Let's go in," he said, unclipping his seatbelt. "Just for a bit."
"No," Suzy put her hand over John's, shaking her head. "This game.
This is between you and me."
"Bullshit," he spat. "It's no different than you and Emma."
Suzy took a deep breath. "Excuse me?"
"How is it different?" John asked, turning to face her for the first
time since their journey began. "You're just pretending to be another
dead mother. You're pretty good at it."
Before she knew what she had done, she slapped him hard across the face.
He raised his hand and she flinched, instinctively waiting for the
retaliation that never came.
"That's not a denial," he said, rubbing his face where it was red. "I
get it. I mean, I don't get it. But I can see why you'd rather be a
mother than a father."
"What?"
"I guess you have your own personal reasons, but you're Emma's dad
right? Amanda's old boyfriend or whatever? We didn't really talk about
her home life when I knew her."
"I..."
"We can drop the games. I know, it's fine."
Suzy sat in her seat open-mouthed.
"So, here's the deal. Every second weekend, you dress up like that," he
gestured at her dress with a wave of his hand, "and spend some time with
Jack. And then, I won't tell anyone what's under your skirt. How's
that sound?"
"For how long?" she heard herself asking.
"I don't know, as long as I like. You can still dress up as Mandy -
maybe we could have another go at that date."
"No," she said evenly.
"Pardon?"
"You heard me. No. No, I'm not dressing up as Jack's mother, or as
your whore, or as anyone else you want me to be. Fuck you."
"You've changed your tune. I remember you quite happily sucking my cock
not that long ago."
"I was confused. I thought you were nice."
"I am! There's not many people out there who are this tolerant of
freaks like you. I just want to use your skills. I thought you'd be
happy."
"Fuck you," she said again, unclipping her seatbelt and reaching over to
open the door.
"Wait."
She unlocked the door and opened it, stepping out into the cool evening
air.
"Here," she said, fishing in her bag and pulling out a DVD. She threw
it at John. It hit him hard on the chest. "You come near me or my
family again and I'll give this to the police. Why don't you watch it
and think of the possibilities."
"Amanda!" John shouted, getting out the car and shouting at the young
woman walking away. "Suzy! Whatever! Come back!"
Suzy walked away into the night, head up and shoulders back as tears
streamed down her perfectly made-up face. She turned the corner and
stopped, fishing in her bag for her compact and checking her face,
carefully dabbing under her eyes with a tissue. She snapped it shut
with a sniff and dropped it into her bag, swapping it for her mobile
phone. She selected Alison's name from the contacts list. The phone
rang only once.
"Are you alright?" Alison asked, panic in her voice.
"Yeah," Andy said, his voice a contradiction to the young woman who
walked along the suburban street. "It's over."
* * * * *
John sat down in front of his computer, switching on the desk lamp and
bathing the keyboard in its narrow yellow light. He was confused and
angry...
He slid the DVD into the computer's slot and waited. A video popped up
onto the screen and he hit play instantly, irritated at having to watch
its contents. The movie faded up from black to show a bed full frame,
with some expensive bedside furniture and fixed lamps. The location
seemed familiar, but he couldn't place it.
Moments later, Mandy walked into frame. She was dressed in a skin-tight
white dress and tottering on unsteady heels. He remembered the outfit
instantly, memories of previous trysts coming back to him in a flash.
He watched as she sat on the bed, slowly taking off her trashy shoes and
running her hands theatrically through her hair.
She was talking, but he couldn't hear. He turned up the volume on the
computer and realized that there was no sound on the video. Why had
she...
John's eyes grew wide as he watched himself sit down on the bed. When
had she taken this, he wondered. He didn't remember there ever being a
camera.
The couple began to kiss and grope each other, falling backwards onto
the bed laughing as John on screen pulled down her top, freeing Mandy's
breasts.
Wait, he thought. That's not me. That's not Mandy. What is this?
He watched for another five minutes as the couple continued their
passionate play, kissing and rolling around on the bed. He was about to
turn it off when, suddenly, John on screen smacked Mandy hard across the
face. And again. She was crying now, scrambling backwards as he lunged
at her, tearing her dress and grabbing her hair.
"Oh my God!" John said, watching his on-screen doppelganger assault this
woman. The man onscreen took a fist full of Mandy's blonde hair and
pushed her head back, smacking it off the headboard. The beating
continued, getting more and more violent as John's mouth opened wider
and wider.
With a deep breath, John ejected the disc and snapped it in half,
throwing the pieces into the trash. The meaning was clear: She could
destroy his life too.
* * * * *
Andy's knee bounced nervously as he sat on his living room couch. He
wore jeans and a t-shirt, his long hair tied back in a ponytail. It
felt strange to be sitting here without wearing a skirt, or hose. Even
though he was in boy's clothes, he still sat with good posture, his
thighs pressed together.
Alison held his hand, smiling while they waited. Molly gurgled from her
nearby basket and the young girl stood and walked over to check on her.
Andy watched as she took the baby from her basket and cradled her
softly, shooshing the little girl back to sleep.
He heard the key enter the front door and the sudden sound of Zoe and
Emma chatting outside. He swallowed.
"You'll be fine," Alison said, smiling at her boyfriend and laying her
baby back in the basket.
The door burst open and Emma ran in, casting her oversized school bag to
the ground and shrugging off her summer raincoat. She stopped abruptly
and looked up at Andy, tilting her head to one side. Zoe walked up
behind Emma, fastening her bag as she replaced her keys and laying a
hand onto the girl's shoulder.
"Hello," Andy said, kneeling down in front of Emma.
"Hello," she replied. "Who are you?"
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Love to L Satori and Vic for proof reading and encouragement.