The Gambler's Folly
Belladonna
"Have you lost your mind, Clarence?" Nelson asked his longtime partner
at his law firm.
"I wasn't thinking straight!"
"That's an understatement. If this gets out, it could ruin all of us.
You didn't just screw yourself here; you've risked the rest of us."
"I'm sorry, I..."
"Just shut it, Clarence," Marianna added as she looked down at her
fellow partner as he squirmed in his seat.
"What do you want me to say?" Clarence asked as he threw up his hands
while getting to his feet.
"Say? There's nothing to say," Nelson retorted.
Clarence shook his head as he stared out the window in his office as
the firm's other four partners glared at him. For the first time, the
foolishness of what he had done had become apparent to him. Earlier,
Clarence had tried to convince himself that his actions would go
unnoticed, but the firm's in-house accountant quickly put an end to
that delusional hope.
"Do you know what our clients are going to think if this becomes
public?" Marianna asked, breaking the silence.
Clarence nodded while not saying a word. He knew what they would think.
He had stolen money from the firm's operating account to payoff his
gambling debts to his bookie. While he planned to pay the money back,
he knew that what he had done could result in disbarment. He knew that
such punishment was likely to occur if he was caught. It was only the
frenzy in his mind that resulted from the threats he received that
drove him to do it. He feared the vicious assault worse than he feared
disbarment, but now Clarence knew he had to deal with what he had
done.
Clarence's four partners discussed turning him in before they realized
it would be the end of the firm and could tarnish their reputations by
implication. They knew that while they could reform as a partnership
without Clarence, the stigma of what he had done would hang over the
new partnership. The partners discussed how they believed their
clients' would react to the misconduct and wondered how many they would
lose as a result of it.
The partners agreed to replace the money in secret. Clarence was
relieved that they were trying to cover up his misdeeds, but he was
struck by what they demanded of him.
Nelson put the sheet of paper in front of Clarence. Clarence read over
the terms of the document, which was signed by the other four partners.
A new partnership was to be formed with him as a non-managing partner.
He was given limited authority, and he would no longer be able to
access the firm's expense, client and operating accounts.
Clarence knew the significance of his signature. His authority would be
curtailed. He would no longer be able to fire and hire employees for
the firm. The terms of the contract prohibited him from voting on most
matters since the firm had created two tiers of partnership. He was the
sole partner at the moment that was going to be in the second tier, but
he knew future partners would be there as well.
Glancing at the stern looks on his partners' faces, Clarence knew that
they wanted to get rid of him. He was well aware that he was only being
kept around because his name was part of the firm's brand. He huffed
and put his signature on the paper.
Clarence knew he would have to live with the indignities that he would
likely endure given his actions. However, he did not have much time to
think about it at first since the partners decided to discuss other
business as soon as his signature was on the paper.
With the ink of his signature still wet, the partners agreed to add
three new partners to the firm from the senior associates. The four
remaining managing partners decided to add them as non-managing
partners. The partners feared that Clarence may have committed other
acts that could expose the firm's partners to liability, so they
decided to spread the risk of loss for the firm's debts among a wider
group of people. Clarence understood the reasoning behind the decision
and fully supported it, even though he knew that it would likely reduce
the pay he received.
Clarence found the corresponding change to the firm's office layout was
not as welcome. The partners decided to give Clarence's office to one
of the other senior partners. All of the new non-managing, junior
partners were moved up in the offices correspondingly. As a punishment,
Clarence was given the last partner office, which was located on the
second floor of the building beside the one new junior partner that
remained on the floor, Frank.
Clarence cursed as he moved his belongings down from his third floor
suite to the simple 12 foot by 8 foot office on the second floor that
was previously one of the senior associate turned junior partner's
offices.
As he set up his office on the dark side of the building which was in
perpetual shade, Clarence looked out his office door and noticed that
he stared out into the area where the paralegals sat. The associates
were grouped together towards the other side of the office where they
were able to work together in a large common workspace with windows
that faced the morning sunlight.
Clarence thought about his former office suite as he set himself up in
his new office space. It was much larger and was lit up in the
afternoon by the sun's light. His former office faced the conference
room where the partners met, with a secretary's desk in front of it.
Now, since he was no longer a managing partner, he lost his private
secretary. He was reduced to sharing the ones on the second floor with
Frank, the associates and paralegals.
His former secretary had become Marianna's. She let go of her own
because of her sometimes insubordinate attitude towards her female
boss. With her display of power, Marianna knew that Clarence's former
secretary would be scared into complying with her demands.
Clarence sat down at his new desk and got to work. He could hear the
paralegals talking about what was going on in the firm before the
managing partners sent an interoffice memorandum explaining the
promotion and Clarence's decreased role in the firm.
Clarence's researching and typing was frequently broken up by fantasies
of returning to his status as a managing partner. In his mind, he would
plot his way back to the top and be able to wield power to strike fear
in his underlings.
The fantasy was a stark contrast to his reality. Soon after he was
stripped of his power to terminate subordinates, he realized that they
no longer gave him the same level of deference he was accustomed to.
His underlings seemed to be aware that the remaining managing partners
did not take Clarence's complaints about them seriously.
As such, the associates and the support staff frequently brushed off
his criticisms. They made his requests their lowest priorities and
openly laughed at his attempts to convey his authority over them.
Clarence's professional life was not the only thing affected by his
gambling addiction. As his pay decreased at work, he found himself
increasingly unable to pay his bills given his lack of savings.
The condominium association foreclosed on his penthouse condominium
unit a top a former apartment complex. As a result, he had to move to
an appartment that he located with the help of one of the paralegals
from his office, Melanie.
Clarence was not enthralled with the move. It was a major downsizing
for him. He had gone from owning a three bedroom penthouse unit with
four bathrooms and a great room to renting a one bedroom, one bathroom
apartment comprised of only five rooms. The walk-in kitchen was barely
larger than the island in his prior kitchen.
The marble floors of the kitchen and bathroom he had grown used to were
replaced by the simple ceramic tiles that comprised his new floors. The
wood floors of his great room and bedrooms were replaced by the
inexpensive carpeting of his apartment's living room and sole bedroom.
The penthouse unit was not the only thing he lost. Soon after he moved,
his Mercedes was repossessed. Clarence thought about buying a cheaper
car, but he decided it was easier to take the subway since he no longer
had a reserved parking spot like the one he enjoyed when he was a
member of the condominium.
Each morning Clarence took the subway to work, he would think about
what he had done to his life. He dreamt of fixing what he had done and
improving his situation, but he knew for the time being he was stuck
riding the subway just like the firm's associates and support staff
did.
Clarence also found himself spending more time with the firm's support
staff than his fellow partners because of his proximity to them in the
office. The girls who once had feared him, now, openly walked into his
office unannounced to talk with him.
At first he resented it, but as he realized how isolated he had become
from the other partners, he welcomed their friendly exchanges.
Melanie was the friendliest towards him. He figured it was because she
was the sole paralegal that he had hired for the firm. She was the only
girl he had ever interviewed for the firm that ended up not withdrawing
her application or not getting a second interview.
One day, a few weeks after he started working on the second floor,
Melanie walked into his office and asked, "What do you think of my new
heels?"
"I think they're great, I've got a pair just like them," Clarence said
with a laugh before he put his head down and tried to get back to work.
"Really?" Melanie asked with a smile.
Clarence turned his face towards her and said, "You don't understand
sarcasm, do you?"
"Why I think you would look quite good them."
"I doubt it."
"I think all guys should have a pair of heels."
"Why?" Clarence asked with a laugh.
"So they'd know how hard it is to walk in these damn things," Melanie
replied before she giggled slightly.
"That's what all my ex's said. They said men don't appreciate how
difficult it is to be a girl. They've got it wrong. They don't
understand how hard it is to be a man. We are the ones expected to be
the providers. All they have to do is be pretty."
"Wow, you're so enlightened. I can't believe you're single," Melanie
said before emitting another giggle.
"I'm just saying we have it harder."
"Do you want to bet on that?"
"No. Wait, what?"
"I'm just saying I bet you couldn't last one day as a woman around
here."
"I can't be a woman."
"Well, you could dress up like one."
"I'm not going to do that. Besides it's a stupid bet. I could make it
through a day easily."
"I suppose you're right. How about we make it one of the stakes
though?"
"Stakes of what?"
"A little bet between friends, Clarence."
"So you get me to dress up like a woman for a day if you win, what do I
get if I win?"
Melanie smiled and said, "I'll cook you dinner and clean your house for
a week in my nicest clothes. I play the pretty housewife you think
women should be, minus the sex of course."
"Damn," Clarence replied with a laugh. He started to think about her
offer. He was not one to refuse a bet, even though he was confronted
daily with the reality that betting had gotten him.
"So what do you say, are you man enough to make a bet?" Melanie asked
with a grin.
Clarence leaned back in his chair and said, "What do you want to be
on?"
"How about a horserace?"
Clarence smirked as he thought, 'That's my area of expertise', ignoring
the fact that he lost his bets on horseraces much more often than he
won them.
"What race is on next?" Clarence asked as he went to a racing website
and got the live feed from the track."
Melanie shrugged and remained silent until she saw the feed on
Clarence's computer. Then she asked, "What's the race?"
"It's the sixth race," Clarence answered.
"What horse do you want?" Melanie asked.
"I'll take Behan's Dreamer," Clarence answered, knowing the horse had
not lost in seven races.
"I'll go with the Lucky One. That's sounds like a lucky name," Melanie
replied with a smile. Clarence shook his head, knowing that the 18 to 1
horse had never won in ten career races.
"So what's the bet?" Clarence asked.
"I bet you my horse finishes before yours," Melanie replied.
Clarence smirked and said, "You're on." 'I can't lose', he thought as
the horses were pulled into the starting gate.
The bell rang and the horses came out of the gate. Behan's Dreamer
stormed out of the gate and rushed to an early lead, but the Lucky One
was not far behind. Clarence felt a sick feeling in his stomach as he
watched the horse keep pace with his own.
"Run you bastard," he shouted at the scream as Melanie smiled and shook
her head at him. As the horses reached the last furlong Behan's Dreamer
and the Lucky One were in second and third place. They were neck and
neck, when suddenly the Jockey pulled back on Behan's Dreamer.
Clarence noticed the horse limping as his stomach sank, and the Lucky
One ran across the finish line second, while his horse did not finish
at all. Clarence sat in stunned silence as Melanie clapped her hands
and cheered.
He slowly turned to look at her. She smiled down at him and said,
"You're going to make a great girl, Clarence. Trust me."
Clarence shook his head and said, "You can't expect me to..."
"A bet's a bet. You don't welsh on one, do you?"
Clarence felt sickened as he looked in her eyes. "I guess I can do it
at your place."
"No, you agreed to do it here. I've got just the outfit in mind for you
tomorrow. What size shoe do you wear?"
"An eight..."
"Oh, I'll get you a nice pair of heels that fits."
"But I..."
"Don't offer to pay, Clarence. Seeing you in them will be repayment
enough," Melanie replied with a laugh.
"The bosses won't let me do it," Clarence rushed to reply.
Melanie looked at him and shrugged, "You may be right. I'll go ask the
partners."
"No don't."
"Why not?"
"Umm...don't tell them it was a bet."
"What should I tell them then?"
"Just say that I'm going to come in tomorrow dressed like you to prove
that's it's not that hard being a girl."
"I'm sure Marianna's going to love that reason," Melanie replied with a
giggle.
Not being able to think of a better excuse, Clarence put his head down
and said, "Just please go with that."
Melanie shrugged and said, "Sure." She came back to his office a half
hour later. Clarence peered up at her. Melanie grinned at the
nervousness in his gaze. She let him sit there in silence for a few
moments as he awaited the news.
She then said, "Marianna and the rest said it was fine by them. I'll
see you bright and early, Clara."
Clarence watched in stunned silence as she walked away from his office
door as he grabbed his stomach, which felt as if it had just been
punched by a strong man.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Clarence awoke, fearing what the day would bring. He got of bed and
made himself a cup of coffee before he heard a knock on the door. He
knew that it was Melanie, given their conversation the night before.
Clarence walked to the door and opened it. Melanie grinned at him as
she held a brown paper bag in her left hand and walked right past him.
Melanie looked him over and said, "Are you showered and ready to go?"
Clarence shrugged and said he was. Melanie looked him over and saw the
hair on his feet and said, "Well, did you miss something when you
shaved?"
"What are you talking about?"
"You can't go to work with hairy legs peeking out from underneath your
skirt."
"Why not?"
"Would you tolerate a girl coming in looking like that? Well, I guess
it's would you, if you could still reprimand the girls."
Clarence glared at her for reminding him of his diminished position
within the firm. He then answered, "Sure, I wouldn't have a problem
with it."
Melanie shook her head at his lie as she replied, "So you're telling me
that you'd have no problem with a girl coming in with leg hair matted
against her pantyhose. Do you know how ugly that would look?"
"It wouldn't be that bad."
"Oh, really let's see."
"What?"
"Drop your pants. I've got a pair of pantyhose for you. I'm going to
show you how bad you're going to look in them."
Clarence shook his head before he felt her pulling down on his pajama
pants. Clarence clutched at the front of his boxers before Melanie told
him to take a seat.
'This woman is insane,' Clarence thought as he complied with her
demand. He shook his head and went to stand up, but he felt a strange
feeling that brought a sense of pleasure to him.
Clarence looked down at Melanie as she began to work the black, sheer
pantyhose up one of his legs before she paused. She smiled at the bulge
that was noticeably pushing at his boxers.
"Do you like wearing pantyhose, Clarence?"
"No, it's just the feeling. It's very girly," Clarence said with his
mind clouded by the strange excitement he was feeling.
"You like feeling like a girl."
"No. No..." Clarence replied, realizing that he should not be enjoying
himself.
"Don't worry, Clarence, it doesn't make you any less of a man," Melanie
replied to his disingenuous protest before giggling.
Clarence blushed before Melanie said, "Well, take a look at your leg.
You're going to tell me that you think this looks good."
Clarence grimaced as he saw his leg hair in clumps between his legs and
his pantyhose.
Melanie saw his reaction and said, "That's what I thought."
Clarence tried to respond, but Melanie quickly added, "So that's got to
go. Do you have a razor?"
"I don't have a ladies razor, what do you think I am?"
"No problem, I can arrange a waxing for you this morning. My friend's
got shop near our office. She'll squeeze you in."
"There's no time," Clarence retorted.
Melanie nodded and said, "Give me one second."
Melanie picked up her cell phone and called Nelson. She explained what
was happening. Nelson wasted no time in giving her permission for them
to come in late so Clarence could get his legs waxed. Clarence shook
his head as he heard Nelson's laughter and delight about his situation.
'They're never going to let me live this down,' Clarence thought.
Melanie hung up and told Clarence to hurry up in getting ready to leave
as she made a call to her friend. Clarence walked into his bedroom and
went into his closet. He pulled out a pressed shirt and placed it on
before he put on his suit and walked out to see Melanie.
Melanie smiled at him as she grabbed his arm and said, "We have to
hurry."
Clarence rolled his eyes at her and leisurely took his time collecting
his wallet and keys.
"You're holding me up," Melanie shouted as he looked at her watch.
"Just practicing the whole acting like a woman thing," Clarence replied
with a snicker as he put on his own watch.
Melanie smirked at him and said, "You ready yet?"
Clarence nodded and felt Melanie grab his wrist. She whisked him out
the door and hurried down the stairs with him.
Clarence was surprised by how fast she could move in her knee length
skirt and heels. He was impressed by how assured she was with her every
step and movement.
Melanie's confidence drew looks of admiration from Clarence as they
walked into the subway station. Clarence swiped his card and walked
through the turnstile after Melanie before they made their way to the
platform. Their train came seconds later.
They boarded and Clarence let Melanie take the only remaining empty
seat as he held onto the overhead rail. He smiled down at the single
thirty-two year old woman and thought back to when he hired her almost
a decade earlier.
Even then, he could tell Melanie was self-assured and would not be
rattled by any demeaning comment thrown her way, despite his best
efforts to throw her off her game with insults and inappropriate
complements. While Melanie's youthful luster had diminished over the
near decade she had been with the firm, he still found her alluring
despite the presence of a few wrinkles on her forehead.
Clarence smiled as he looked down at her slender legs that were covered
in black sheer pantyhose. The four inch heeled black pumps with a
sling back on her feet were the kind of sexy shoe he believed that all
professional women should wear.
Everyone in the firm knew that Clarence believed that women should be
ornaments in the office place. Most thought that Clarence considered a
woman's appearance to be more important than her work output. This was
an opinion shared by some of the other men at the firm, but was
resented by Marianna and Nelson, who took their work too seriously to
let a girl skirt by on her looks and a pleasing demeanor.
The train came to a stop and Clarence's mind drifted back to what he
was about to endure. He tried not to think about it as he exited the
train with Melanie and ascended the stations steps to the surface
street.
Clarence followed behind Melanie as she led them towards the first
floor beauty shop that was located a few blocks south of their office.
Clarence saw the neon sign in the window indicating that the shop did
waxing in addition to nails and hair.
Melanie led Clarence into the shop. She walked up to the receptionist
and told her about Clarence's appointment with Karen, the shop's
employee who primarily did the waxing.
Clarence looked around the salon. He had never been in one before.
Unlike other male attorneys, he felt that manicures were too
effeminate. He had loudly proclaimed this in the past, so he knew that
his skirted feminine appearance for the day would prompt some payback
from those he had mocked in the past for mere effeminacy.
Melanie told Clarence to take a seat as they waited for Karen to be
ready to see him. Clarence did what he was told and wondered about how
much abuse he was going to receive for wearing women's clothes with
hairless legs.
After waiting for a bit, Karen came out and said she was ready for him.
Clarence walked into a backroom with Melanie and Karen and lied down on
a table as Karen requested after removing his clothing except for his
underwear.
Karen smiled at Clarence as she began working on his legs. "This is
going to hurt a little," she said.
Clarence rolled his eyes and said, "Yeah, yeah, let's get this over
with."
As the first strip was pulled from his leg, Clarence let out a pained
howl. Karen had to turn away from him as she laughed at his reaction.
"Wow, even I'm not that big of a sissy when I get waxed," Melanie said
through laugher.
Clarence blushed at showing weakness in front of the two women. He
shook his head and said, "It was just a shock that it was so painful.
I'll handle it better the second time."
Karen nodded and quickly yanked a second strip off his leg. Clarence
let out an audible yelp, which prompted laughter from the main room of
the salon where pedicures, manicures and hairstyling services were
being providing. Karen shook her head and said, "We can't have you
distracting the other girls in here, so we're going to have to make a
little modification, Clarence."
Clarence nodded and saw her pull out a leather strap. Clarence thought
back to the bedroom games he played with his ex-girlfriends as he saw
the strap and shook a little. Karen looked at him strangely before she
said, "I just want you to bite down on it. What exactly did you think I
was going to do with this?"
Melanie started laughing as she realized what Clarence was thinking.
Blushing, Clarence took the strap and bit down on it as Karen went to
pull another strip off his legs.
Clarence let out a small audible sound as he winced at the pain.
"That's better," Karen replied.
Clarence felt the same, short term pain with every strip that was
pulled from his legs until they were as barren of hair as Melanie's.
With his legs waxed, Karen looked over his body and said, "You don't
have much hair on your arms or chest, so we don't have to do anything
more to you for you to pass for a day."
Clarence smiled as he realized his ordeal was over. He sat up and asked
for his clothing, but Melanie shook her head and replied, "We don't
have time. I have to get you dressed and off to work. I don't want
Nelson and the others thinking we were exploiting their permission to
come in late."
Clarence shook his head as he got off the table. Melanie clasped his
arm and hurriedly pulled him into the storage room with Karen's
permission. Clarence felt strange as he watched Melanie reach into her
bag and pull out the pantyhose again as his boxers hit the floor.
Clarence lifted his leg as he sat on table and let Melanie pulled the
pantyhose up his leg as he covered his manhood to preserve what modesty
he could. He felt his member growing in his hands as the sensual
feeling of the silky hosiery climbed his legs. He tried to not think
about it, but he knew he loved the feeling. He felt that it seemed to
feel even better than before, now that he no longer had leg hair.
As the gusset reached his fingertips, Clarence told Melanie he would
take it from there. He turned away from her and pulled the pantyhose
over his enlarged member. He winced as he pulled it between his legs as
Melanie instructed. Melanie smirked as she saw the head of his erect
penis pushing at the back of its nylon prison.
With his pantyhose on, Melanie pulled out a black bra and pair of
breast forms. Clarence held the forms against his chest through the bra
while Melanie hooked the bra behind his back. Clarence felt that it was
odd that Melanie had a pair of breast forms. He figured she would just
stuff his bra full of socks. However he did not think much of it. He
figured that she won the bet and was perfectly entitled to frivolously
spend her money on making his as realistically feminine as possible.
Karen looked him in over his bra and pantyhose before she unfolded the
knee length skirt suit in her bag. Clarence looked it over and noticed
there were few visible wrinkles as he placed the black pinstriped
pencil skirt on first before he placed on the beige short sleeve
cotton blouse. He went to fasten the buttons, but he felt they were on
the wrong side. Melanie walked over and gave him some assistance before
she handed him his three quartered sleeve jacket.
Clarence watched as she next pulled out a pocketbook. Melanie removed
his keys and wallet from his pants and placed them in the bag. She
showed Clarence the makeup that was already inside the pocketbook and
told him that he would probably have to freshen up his lipstick as the
day went on.
Clarence shrugged and picked up the black pocketbook in his hands and
looked it over. As he held the pocketbook in his hands, Melanie took
out a pair of two-inch heeled patent leather pumps.
Melanie smiled and said, "I got you a short pair because I didn't want
you to have too much trouble walking around."
Clarence scoffed at her and said, "I could have worn a four inch pair
just like you."
Melanie laughed as she handed the pair of shoes and said, "I'd see how
you do in these before you shoot off your mouth."
Clarence slipped his feet into the black pumps and felt unsure of
himself as he took his first steps. Melanie clasped his arm and said,
"Wow! I'm so sure that you could wear a four inch pair right now."
Blushing at Melanie's condescending tone, Clarence responded, "I guess,
I'm better off in these."
"You sure are," Melanie said as she helped him walk over to a mirror.
Clarence looked at the male head above his feminine body and grimaced.
"Don't worry, we're not letting you leave here looking like that,"
Karen said as she walked into the storage to see how Melanie and
Clarence were doing.
Clarence took a deep breath as he realized how feminine he looked from
the neck down. He could only hope that the Melanie could make him look
so passable above the neck.
Melanie then took out a medium length brown haired wig. She secured it
on his head and took him out in the salon area. Clarence wanted to pull
away from her as he walked out, in plain sight of the girls in the
shop, but Melanie would not let him.
Clarence was seated at a station towards the back wall and Melanie went
to work doing his makeup. Clarence watched as his face became
progressively more feminine as Melanie applied each additional
cosmetic. Clarence followed her instructions as she made him smack his
lips after she applied the pale pink shade of lipstick to his lips.
Finally, Melanie declared she was done. Karen came over and gushed,
"Wow, you really did a great job with this one."
'This one?' Clarence thought as he wondered if Melanie had done this to
another man before.
His mind did not focus on that thought for long as his eyes gazed at
his reflection. He looked at the girl in the mirror and thought about
what he would like to do to her before he remembered that the girl he
was so attracted to was himself. Clarence felt a sense of shame
regarding that as he saw Melanie walk away from him.
Clarence started shaking as Melanie walked up to the receptionist to
pay for the waxing after she tipped Karen. He feared the reactions he
would receive from strangers as he walked out of the beauty shop as a
man masquerading as a woman.
Melanie paid the bill for Clarence's waxing before she escorted
Clarence up the road. Clarence felt uncomfortable being surrounded by
strangers while wearing a skirt, but no one paid much attention to him.
Clarence kept telling himself that as long as he kept moving, no one
would have the chance to inspect him to ascertain for certain that he
was not really a woman.
Clarence held onto Melanie's arm as they walked up the street. He felt
safer holding onto her since he felt unbalanced in his heels. He
believed that that Melanie's steady presence was helping him keep from
falling as she took slow short strides beside him that kept him from
hurrying and not thinking about how he was going to land his feet.
A block before the office, Melanie came to a stop. Clarence looked at
her before she pulled him alongside her as they entered a Dunkin
Donuts. Clarence put his head down as he waited in line next to her. He
looked around to see if people were staring at him. He looked behind
him and realized the woman had no idea that he was anything other than
the woman he appeared to be. Part of him was relieved by that, while
part of him was ashamed that he was not manly enough for people to
notice his true gender.
He walked beside Melanie to the counter and gave his order. The cashier
behind the counter gave no indication that he thought that Clarence was
a man. Clarence felt relieved as he walked out of the Dunkin Donuts
with a brown paper bag clutched by his left hand while his leather
pocketbook dangled from his right shoulder.
Clarence walked beside Melanie as they strolled towards their office
building. A feeling of unease regarding the considerable mockery he
would receive regarding his feminized appearance overtook him as he
strolled through the doors of the building. They entered the building
without anyone noticing them. Clarence got on the elevator beside
Melanie and the casual acquaintances from the other offices did not
recognize him despite their close quarters on the elevator. Clarence
felt a rush of excitement at passing as a woman next to them that
passed as he saw his floor number flash on the elevator's display
panel.
The elevator doors opened to the second floor, and Clarence and Melanie
got off. Clarence looked around as he walked out of the elevator. He
saw faces turn towards him. He saw the stunned faces looking back at
him as he walked through the office common area. He heard a commotion
as his underlings talked amongst themselves and heard people calling
out to hurry up to come and see him.
Clarence saw almost all of his underlings on the floor gather to get a
look at his feminized appearance. He saw the confused looks on his male
underlings' faces that gave way to backhanded, homophobic complements
about his appearance.
He let the girls fawn over him while he stood there uncomfortably
receiving their praise for his girlish appearance. He felt ashamed over
how not masculine he was. That he was so easily passable as a woman,
filled him with contempt for his own appearance. He resolved to start
going to the gym to make himself appear to be more of a man starting
that evening.
While his female underlings gushed about his appearance, Clarence
walked into his office and closed the door, hoping to shield himself
from the gawking and laughter coming from Frank and his male
underlings. Clarence went about trying to work as usual, but he kept
fidgeting with his skirt, which he kept feeling was ridding up on him.
As the morning continued on, he felt a strange pain in his feet while
he typed on his computer. Clarence groaned as he knew that the heels
were already starting to bother him, and it was not even 10:30. He took
off the shoes and placed his nylon covered feet upon the carpeting. The
feeling of the rough carpet hurt his feet a little.
He pulled his feet off the ground and cursed as he thought about how
the female attorney frequently had a pair of flats they wore around the
office when they were not in meetings with clients. 'Think it would
have killed Melanie to get me a pair of flats?' he thought to himself
as he shook his head.
Clarence tried to think of how to handle the situation. He decided to
pick up his feet and put them on his chair as he repositioned himself
in his seat. He leaned towards one side of it, with his knees together
and resting on the chair beneath his body.
He realized how girlish his position in the chair looked, but he felt
safe from any mockery that might result from it because of his closed
door. However, Frank barged through the door after briefly knocking.
Clarence nearly fell over as he tried to strike a manlier pose.
Frank shook his head and told him that one of his clients was coming to
see him. Clarence understood what Frank was saying. Clarence knew that
he had to stay in his office until the client had left to avoid any
confusion about who Clarence really was.
Clarence went back to working, but was constantly distracted by how
good he felt in his clothing. He frequently found himself rubbing the
soft fabric of his blouse against his body since the pleasing feeling
crowded the residual pain he felt in his feet. He felt more sensual
than he had ever felt before as he touched himself. Clarence began to
think, 'The pain of heels is a small price to pay for wearing
everything else that feels this good.'
Clarence started searching the internet for men's clothing made from
the same fabrics he was wearing. As Clarence felt his member growing
erect between his cheeks as he rubbed nylon encased legs while he
scoured the internet, Frank barged in again and told him that the
client was gone.
Clarence clasped his chest as he saw Frank, unsure if Frank could see
that he was doing behind his desks. Frank shook his head at Clarence's
feminine reaction, unaware of the reason behind it.
Clarence caught his breath and calmed down before he decided to take
the opportunity to go to the bathroom. He put his heels back on and
tried to walk in a straight line out of his office door. A paralegal
hurried past as he tried to exit his door. Clarence came to a sudden
stop to avoid hitting her and fell to the ground.
The paralegals and secretaries who could see him broke out into
laughter.
"Not so easy, huh, girlfriend?" Melanie said with a smile as she walked
over to help him to his feet.
Clarence got to his feet and went towards the men's room, but one of
the secretaries stopped him. "We can't have you going into a men's room
looking like that, Clara."
"I can't go to the ladies room, can I?" Clarence retorted.
"Sure you can," she replied as she opened the door for him.
Clarence shook his head, but he did not want to get into an argument
while dressed en femme. He walked into the pink tiled bathroom and
heard his heels clicking upon the floor. The girls in the bathroom
heard his foot steps and laughed as they looked at who was producing
the decidedly feminine noise.
'Why aren't they freaked out that I'm in here?' Clarence thought to
himself.
He reached a stall and pulled down his skirt and pantyhose. As he sat
peeing, it took him a few moments to realize that he did not have to
sit down. He shook his head and thought, 'Clothing must have a kind of
power of suggestion over the mind.'
He pulled his pantyhose and skirt back up. He tucked his blouse into
his skirt and walked over to the sink with awkward steps that were
restricted by his skirt.
He washed his hands and opened up the door. He took a step back onto
the carpet and felt the unevenness of the floor. He fell towards the
wall and steadied himself as the firm's predominantly male associates
looked on at him with amused faces.
He blushed that his subordinates were seeing him embarrass himself. He
decided then to reassert his masculinity. He walked over to a
snickering associate who was sitting down. The man turned his chair
towards him as he heard Clarence shout in the deepest voice he could
muster, "Is there something funny?"
As Clarence charged towards the man, the grin left the associate's
face. Clarence took a quick step towards him and felt the skirt push
back on his leg. Clarence's foot fell towards the side and he lost his
balance. He fell forward with his face landing in the man's lap.
Clarence quickly pushed himself off the associate as the associate
clasped his groin with tears of pain in his eyes. The sound of laughter
filled Clarence's ears.
"Philip, it looks like you've got one eager girl there," one of the
other male associates said.
Phillip who shook his head and said, "I don't like Clara like that. I'm
sorry," he said as he managed to flash Clarence a smile. As pained as
he was, Philip still saw the humor in what had just happened.
Shaken by the additional embarrassment, Clarence's clouded mind thought
Phillip was being serious. As Clarence got to his feet, he said, "I
don't like you that way. I wasn't trying to...you know. It was an
accident."
The associates and the other staff in earshot laughed at his excuses
before he walked slowly away, taking careful steps for fear of falling
again. Clarence strolled into his office and put his head down on his
desk as he thought about what had just happened.
He felt a strange feeling of arousal wash over him. He began to rub his
silky clothing against his skin as he thought about his feminine
embarrassments. 'I'm a bad girl,' he thought before he realized what he
was doing.
'How can I think that?' he thought to himself as he felt disgusted by
his arousal. He looked down at his fake breasts and felt deeply ashamed
that he enjoyed the feeling of the clothing he was wearing. He liked to
think of himself as a dominant male, but he found that he enjoyed being
a humiliated woman. The strange arousal over the role reversal filled
him with self-hatred.
Clarence tried to get his mind back on work and ordered lunch in with
some of the secretaries so he would not have to leave the office. He
took a break from working only to eat beside the secretaries in the
break room who refused to give him his lunch unless they joined him.
Deciding that he did not want to draw anymore attention to himself,
Clarence went along with their demand. He sat beside a group of
secretaries as they kidded him about his feminine appearance.
Clarence tried to not let it bother him as he responded with polite
thanks to their complements. He would complement them back, which
surprised the girls, even though most of them knew that Clarence found
the majority of them attractive in someway.
After lunch, Melanie returned to the office with a plastic bag in her
hand. She knocked on Clarence's office door and said, "I've got a
little gift for my little girlfriend, Clara."
"What is it? Clarence asked.
"You'll see," Melanie said as she gave him the plastic bag.
Clarence pulled open the bag and took hold of the pink phone.
"You got me a phone?" Clarence said with a laugh.
"Yes, it's prepaid. It's good for a thousand minutes in a month. I
think it's more you today than that silly manly blackberry."
"More me?"
"Yes, you look a little strange with bulky black phone. This is more
compact and girly, which just suits you fine, Clara."
"Thanks," Clarence replied as he rolled his eyes.
Melanie laughed and said, "The phone works. I already set it up for
you. I tried it by calling my number so it does actually work in case
you want to make any calls."
Clarence took the pink phone in his hand and laughed at it. He felt a
familiar surge of arousal as he saw the tiny girlish pink phone in his
hand. He felt like one of the girly girl secretaries he had eaten lunch
with.
Melanie noticed the aroused look on his face and said, "It looks like
you like it. Maybe you should replace that blackberry with a nice pink
cell phone."
"That's quite all right," Clarence replied.
Melanie grinned at him before Clarence started laughing and put the
pink phone away in his purse along with the box it came in that was
also in the plastic bag.
"Thanks girlfriend," Clarence added before Melanie walked away after
saying, "You're welcome."
Clarence then back to work typing up a brief. As he worked, he found
himself taking periodic breaks to run his fingertips up under the
hemline of his skirt until he unzipped the back of the skirt. He
reached his hand down the back of it and stroked the tip of his
enlarged member through his pantyhose until the sounds of two of the
firm's paralegals arguing brought him back to reality.
Clarence zipped his skirt back up and put his heels back on. He walked
out of his office and saw two of his female coworkers shouting about a
missing file. Clarence walked towards the girls when one of them threw
open the cabinet drawer. The metal edge of the cabinet drawer snagged
Clarence's pantyhose.
"Shit!" Clarence exclaimed as he looked down at the run in his hosiery.
The two girls ceased their argument and began to laugh at his feminine
reaction. Frank walked by and saw the run. He shook his head as he
said, "I hope you have a spare pair of those stockings in your
pocketbook."
"No, Melanie didn't give..."
"Don't blame Melanie for your lack of preparation. If you're going to
come in here dressed as girl, I expect you to have an extra pair of
stockings for this type of mishap just like all the other girls here,"
Frank replied sternly.
"Well, first they're pantyhose, secondly..."
"Same difference," Frank replied dismissively as he walked back towards
his office door.
Clarence wanted to tell Frank off, but he did not think he could
compete in a display of force with the larger man while he was wearing
a bra and pantyhose. Clarence knew that he would have to wait for
another day to return fire. He then walked back into his office and
went back to work.
As the workday ended, Clarence felt relieved to be able to get dressed
in his regular clothes. He sought out Melanie and asked, "Where's the
bag with my clothes in it?"
"I thought you took it?" Melanie replied.
Clarence's mouth opened a little as he stared at her in disbelief
before he said, "How could you not take it?"
"They're your clothes, they're your responsibility. Don't try to push
this off on me."
Clarence shook his head and said, "All right, I'll go to the shop and
see if they found the bag."
"I wouldn't bother."
"Why not?"
"They're not open on Thursday evenings. It's the one day of the week
they close early."
"How can they be closed, it's got to be the best time of the day for
them."
"Sometimes it is, but a lot of the girls go there on their breaks, plus
this is the day they open early to get the morning birds."
Clarence shook his head as he realized he was going to have to return
to his apartment en femme. He thought about asking Melanie to escort
him, but the peeved look on her face told him not to bother.
Clarence left the office and hurried towards the subway. He was
relieved when a man stood up to give him his seat. Even though Clarence
hated being treated like a woman, being able to get off his heeled feet
was a relief. He thanked the man as he sat down and made sure to keep
his knees together to avoid letting the man sitting across from getting
a view of his gusset.
Clarence got off the subway at his stop and headed towards his
apartment. He took short strides and was very careful regarding where
he stepped. He was determined not to humiliate himself one more time
that day by taking another fall.
He reached his apartment building and headed for the stairs since the
five story walkup did not have an elevator. He started up to his fifth
floor apartment in heels. He walked very slowly up the stairs, careful
to make sure that he was always steady as he clasped the banister
firmly as he ascended each step.
Clarence felt a sense of relief as he saw his apartment door from the
top of the stairs. He walked towards it, noticing that he had left it
slightly ajar that morning.
Clarence shrugged as he pushed the door open. He took a few steps in
before he saw a man in his bedroom from the apartment's living room. He
went to shout but was struck in the back of the head. Clarence
collapsed to the floor as the room went black.
The sound of voices was faintly heard by Clarence as he opened his
eyes. He vaguely heard a man say, "That'll teach the faggot."
Clarence looked around and noticed that his wig was resting beside the
right side of his body. The taste of rubber was in his mouth as he
tried to speak, but he only was able to produce a muffled sound. He
tried to reach for what he was sure was the ball gag he used on many of
his girlfriends over the years when he played the kinky games with them
he was so fond of.
He tried to move his hands to remove the gag, but found that his hands
had been tied together behind his back. He looked down and saw that his
legs had been tied as well. Clarence looked around for a way to
liberate himself from the binds he found himself in.
He saw his pocket book a few feet from his body. The bag had been
ripped apart and all that was left was his makeup and the cheap prepaid
phone he was given that afternoon.
Clarence knew he needed to get to the phone. He wormed his body towards
the phone feeling his silky legs press together as he pushed himself
towards the phone. He used his nose to try to open the phone, which he
did with some effort.
He looked at the phone and pressed his nose against the buttons until
he the last dialed number came on the screen. He pressed the send
button with his nose and prayed that Melanie would pick up.
Melanie answered her phone and said, "Clarence, how are you?"
Clarence tried to shout, but the ball gag muffled the sound of his
voice.
"Clarence, are you alright?" Melanie asked, with noticeable concern in
her tone.
Clarence tried to shout again and started to sob at the futility of his
attempts at speaking. He remembered how often he used the ball gag so
he wouldn't have to hear his girlfriends talk during sex. Now, his
skilled tongue was silenced with it.
"Stay right there, Clarence. I coming over," Melanie said as he heard
his moaning and muffled sobs.
Forty minutes passed before Clarence heard someone coming up the stairs.
He tried to shout again as he turned his head towards the door.
Melanie came through the door and saw Clarence's bounded feet and hands
and the mascara lines running down his cheeks to the straps of the ball
gag.
"Oh my god, what happened?" Melanie asked, receiving only a muffled
answer before she rushed to his side.
She undid the ball gag and asked, "Did you see who did it? What did
they do to you?"
"Nothing, they just knocked me out and tied me up," Clarence said,
hoping that his words were true.
Melanie looked at his face and noticed that his eyebrows had been
removed. The look of fear in her eyes startled Clarence as he peered up
at her.
"What's wrong?"
"They shaved your eyebrows off."
"What?" Clarence screamed as Melanie's panicked hands reached for his.
Melanie looked over Clarence's rear as she untied his hands and said in
a trembling voice, "It doesn't look like they...oh, god, thank you."
"Thank you?" Clarence replied.
"Oh, I'm just glad they didn't, well they didn't that's all that
matters."
"I don't think you properly concerned with what they did do," Clarence
said as he pushed himself upright.
"I know. I know. This just could have been worse. I wouldn't have been
able to live with myself if they violated you."
"Why? You couldn't have known what they were going to do."
"I know, but I dressed you up like this. They wouldn't think to do it
to man, but maybe if they thought you were a girl, well...it doesn't
matter now. Let's get you to your feet."
Melanie undid the rope that bound his ankles together and helped him to
his feet after he pulled off his heels. They looked around the home and
noticed that the burglars had taken everything of value, including all
of his clothing.
"What value could that have?" Clarence asked as he looked at his empty
closet and dresser.
"What kind of brands did you buy?"
"I like certain designers."
"Oh, my god you were born to be a chick," Melanie said with a laugh.
"This is not the time and that's not funny."
"I'm sorry, but that's kind of a girlish thing to say. I guess, though,
the thieves knew what kind of clothes they were because even second
hand they can get a nice penny for designer suits, shirts and shoes."
"What about my underwear?"
"What was the brand?"
"I only wear Calvin's."
"Wow, no wonder you couldn't afford your old place anymore. Did you
ever think about Hanes or Jockey?"
"I like what I like."
"A bitch with expensive tastes, you better find yourself a rich man."
"Stop that."
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry," Melanie replied with a laugh.
Clarence wanted to scold her, but he felt he needed her help. "What do
I do?" he asked.
"You call the cops so they know about this."
"I can't call them like this. What if it gets out that I gave a
statement in a skirt and pantyhose?"
"What other choice do you have? You don't have a change of clothes, and
there's no place around here that's open that sells anything more than
pantyhose at this time of night."
Clarence sighed as he nodded. He knew she was right. He felt week at
that moment. He knew he would have to wait for the morning to shop for
male clothes, and even then, he would be shopping for them en femme and
sans eyebrows.
Melanie noticed Clarence's unease. She did not want to leave him alone.
She put her arm around his shoulder and said, "You should come back to
my place for the night."
Clarence looked at her strangely.
"I don't mean it like that. You could just stay the night as a friend.
I don't want to leave you here with nothing."
Clarence knew she was taking pity on him. He was defeated enough at
that moment to not be shamed by that. He accepted her invitation and
picked up what little he had left and headed out the door with her.
He walked down the steps with the help of Melanie. As he walked away
from the apartment, he realized that he did not have a wallet, a
checkbook or any cash. All three had been stolen. As the realization
that he had no identification and no way to pay for a replacement until
he received his check the next week hit him, Clarence knew that his
life could not get any worse. He immediately called his credit card
company and bank to cancel the checks and his credit cards as he walked
beside Melanie.
While Clarence was able to prevent himself from becoming indebted
because of the thievery, he knew he was completely dependent on others
until he got his next paycheck. He told Melanie about what that meant.
She nodded and said she would help him out until he got paid. She
noted, however, that she only had money to get him to and from work.
She said he could stay with her, but that he would have to get wardrobe
money from someone else because she did not have any savings she could
loan him.
Clarence nodded sullenly as he realized that he might be stuck in the
same clothes for a week. Melanie noticed his sadness and pulled him
into a 24-hour Rite Aid to cheer him up a little.
She went to the cosmetics aisle and picked out a pair of false eyebrows
for him. Clarence smiled at the feminine arches that would surely look
better than the strange absence over his eyes.
Melanie paid for the false eyebrows and handed them to Clarence.
Clarence put them in his purse before he took Melanie's arm and headed
back out onto the street. They walked into Melanie's apartment building
and headed into her second floor apartment.
Melanie pulled out her sofa bed in the living room of the one bedroom
apartment and made it for Clarence as he took a shower.
Clarence exited the bathroom dressed only in the white towel he had
been given. He sat down on one of the chairs at her dining room table
and looked at his skirt and heels on the floor as he told Melanie, "I
can't believe I'm going to have to wear that tomorrow."
Melanie smiled as she looked him over before she said, "Well, you'll
have to wear the heels, but we're about the same size. I can give you
something to wear with them tomorrow?"
Clarence smiled at her. He was happy to not have to wear the same
outfit two days in a row, even if he still had to wear a woman's outfit
and heels the next morning. While Clarence hoped that he would be able
to get someone to lend him money to buy some male clothes, he knew that
Melanie would probably be kind enough to let him keep wearing hers
until he got paid. While he knew that would be humiliating, he was well
aware that it would likely be pleasurable too.
Melanie asked Clarence if he needed anything before she went to sleep.
Clarence asked if she had something he could sleep in.
Melanie nodded and said, "Yes, I got a dress you can wear."
"A dress?"
"Yes, I don't wear pants to bed. They're too constricting. I've only
got dresses and lingerie," Melanie said as she turned and walked
towards her bedroom.
Clarence nodded before Melanie turned back towards him and said with a
smile, "I like you, but I don't want you ruining my good stuff, so
that's why you're only getting a dress. If you want to wear something
lacy, you'll have to spend your own money."
Clarence blushed at her comment. He did not know how she realized that
he was intrigued with the idea of wearing her lingerie. Prior to that
morning, he had never thought about wearing women's clothes, but after
finding how much he enjoyed, he thought about taking it further.
Melanie went into her room and returned with a gray cotton dress.
Clarence gladly took it from her and dressed in her living room after
she closed her bedroom door. Clarence climbed into bed and felt uneasy
as he thought about what had happened to him. While his mind was
troubled, he managed to close his eyes and drift to sleep.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
The next morning Clarence awoke. He shared a breakfast of oatmeal with
Melanie before she gave him a skirt and blouse combo to go with the
tights and bra she was lending him.
Clarence dressed in a pair of black tights and an above the above knee,
straight grey skirt. He placed on a white bra that he secured over his
breast forms before he put on a lavender blouse. After buttoning his
blouse, Clarence put on the skirt suit's matching jacket, which had
princess seams and a shawl collar. He then put an extra pair of hosiery
in his bag to avoid another potential embarrassment at work and headed
out the door beside Melanie.
Melanie paid his subway fare before they entered the subway train.
Clarence took a seat beside her and thought about what his coworkers
would think when he showed up in a skirt for the second day in the row.
He knew that they were anticipating him showing up en femme the day
before, but this time would be a surprise. He wondered how they would
react as the train sped towards their station
They exited the train and headed for their office. They got onto the
elevator without issue again. As Clarence got off the elevator with
Melanie, he saw familiar faces gawking at him. The girls and two men
started to laugh before they asked why he was still dressed en femme.
One of the men hurled a snide comment at him before he could answer as
a number of his underlings rushed over to see what the commotion was
about.
Clarence asked for their attention, which he already had. He then told
them what happened. The laughter subsided as his coworkers asked how he
was. He was asked about the intruders and what he told the police. When
he told them that he did not call the police, he was met with blank
stares and shaking heads.
Frank tried to talk him into calling the police at that moment, but
Clarence said he would not do so until he was dressed as a man again.
His comment provoked strange stares.
"What do you mean?" Frank asked.
"I don't have any money or any way to access may bank accountants right
now, so I'm stuck wearing Melanie's clothes unless someone will give me
a loan until the next payday."
"I'm sorry to hear that," Frank said before he walked away.
Clarence knew from his reaction that he would not be getting a loan
from him. He turned to the associates, paralegals and secretaries and
begged for a loan. The support staff turned him down, each explaining
that they did not earn enough money to loan him.
The associates brushed him off too, each explaining that it would be
unprofessional of them to loan someone who was technically their boss
money. Clarence understood their reasoning and decided to ask the other
partners for a loan or an advance from the partnership.
Clarence asked Marianna first. He figured since Marianna was the sole
female managing-partner, she would be the most likely to take pity on
him. Instead she laughed at his predicament and said, "A week in heels
will do you some good."
Clarence tried to beg her, but she shook her head and replied, "If it's
good enough for me, it's good enough for you. You always said a woman
belongs in a skirt, and with those arching brows and silky smooth legs,
you make a better lady than many women your age, girlfriend."
Shaking his head, Clarence left Marianna's office in silence. He went
to the junior partners and asked them money. They too rebuffed him,
claiming that they did not want to complicate their professional
relationship with him.
With no one else to turn to, Clarence decided to ask the male managing
partners of the firm for a loan or advance. The men gathered together
in Nelson's office to hear him out, but decided against an advance.
The two other male partners then left the office to get back to work
while Clarence began to plead with Nelson to give him a loan.
Nelson looked down at Clarence and said, "I'm not giving you a loan."
"Why not?" Clarence asked as his last resort turned him down.
"Look, Wimpy, I'm not going to let you pay me Tuesday for a hamburger
today. Don't you remember how you got in trouble? You're not exactly
good at paying people back."
"I'll pay. I swear."
"Clarence, well, I suppose we can't be calling you Clarence. What was
the name I heard them call you yesterday? Oh yes. Clara, I'm not going
to be polite about this like the others and come up with some bullshit
reason why I won't lend you the money. Everyone here knows about how
your car got repo'd and how you lost your penthouse suite. No one's
going to lend you a dollar because they know you're not good for it."
"That's in the past. I'm living within my means."
"Then live within your means until you get paid Tuesday. It's only six
days in skirts, it won't kill you. Don't be such a priss about it."
"Don't be a priss about having to wear a dress?" Clarence shouted.
"Clara, get out of my office before I have security remove you from the
building."
Knowing that Nelson was not bluffing, Clarence felt he had no choice
but to comply with his demand. Clarence walked back to the elevator and
took it down one flight.
He walked out of the elevator and went back to work. As his lunch
break came, Clarence ate what Melanie brought him back from her lunch
with a few coworkers.
As he ate alone in his office, he heard a knock upon his door. He told
the person knocking they could enter.
Clarence looked up at Justine's face. Justine was the firm's in-house
accountant. She was a lean girl, who stood 5'9" in her three inch
heeled shoes.
Justine looked down at Clarence and said, "I heard you went around the
office asking people for a loan?"
Clarence smiled as he asked, "You heard? If you could help me out,
I'd..."
"Shove it, Clarence."
Clarence stared at her face with a stunned expression. Justine grinned
at his reaction as she said, "We need to talk about your future."
"My future? You just told me to shove it. I'm going to go to the other
bosses, and we're going to straighten you out," Clarence shouted as he
stood up.
"I don't think so, Clara."
"Why not?"
"I'm the one who alerted them to your malfeasance. I know what you did,
and I know what they did to cover it up. All I have to do is make a
call, and you're all screwed."
The rage Clarence felt dissipated and was replaced by feeling of
despair as he looked into Justine's cold calculating eyes. Clarence
knew that she had him right where she wanted him and was going to press
her advantage, just as he always did when he had the upper hand.
Justine smirked at his nervous tapping of his fingertips on his desk.
Sensing his weakness, Justine said, "Sit down."
Clarence complied, fearing what she might do if he refused her demand.
Justine sneered at him as she said, "I have to say, Clarence, I think
you make quite a cute lady. I never would have guessed it, but I
certainly prefer you this way. It's nice to have another female
professional around here over thirty who isn't a paralegal."
"I'm not a woman," Clarence muttered.
Justine heard his words and laughed. "Why don't you scream that as you
walk down the sidewalk this evening after work. I'm sure the world
would love to know that they've got you wrong."
Clarence shook his head in response. Justine paused to smirk at him
before she continued, "That's right you won't do that because you'd be
telling the world that you're a sissy boy who likes to wear skirts."
"I'm not a sissy," Clarence retorted.
"Agreed, Clara, so we both understand that you're a woman, great,"
Justine responded.
Clarence replied, "You can think what you want, but as soon as I get
paid, this girly shit will be gone, and I'll be back."
Justine laughed before she replied, "Oh Clarence will never be coming
back here, Clara. At least, not as long as I'm around."
"Who are you to..."
"I'm the girl who holds your future in your hands. I know you're
secret, and I have the proof to get you disbarred. And don't think
anyone else in this firm is going to jump on a grenade and take the hit
for you. They all resent you for the position you've put them in."
Clarence glared at Justine as he listened to her words. Justine paused
to look at him. Clarence sensed the derision in her stare. Justine
continued, "I guess you could say I'm playing god with your
professional career. I control your destiny, Clara. That's who you are,
now, and all you'll ever be around here, unless you want to lose your
career. Of course, that's up to you. You do have a choice. You can be
disbarred and unemployed, or you can be Clara, proud female attorney of
law."
Clarence shook his head at her and said, firmly, "This is blackmail,
it's criminal."
"Call it what you will, but it's your word against mine. I'm the sweet
mother of two, and you're the embezzler. You've been in court enough to
know how that plays out."
Clarence clutched at his head, feeling the strands of the hair of his
wig. He tried to figure away out of his predicament, but he felt
trapped. He sensed that Justine was not acting alone. Given Nelson's
treatment of him, he was sure that she was simply his pawn. Clarence
was certain that Nelson was behind her threat, but he had no way of
proving it.
Clarence stared down at his desk while Justine glared down at him. His
eyes peered up at her smirking face.
Justine tilted her head and said, "By your reaction, I gues