The Prodigal Son - Part 8 - The Wedding Guest

Ray stood in front of the mirror in his boudoir, feeling utterly foolish.

He was wearing a pink gown, made of silk, encumbered with many flounces, frills and lace edging. It was embedded with glittering sequins. The gown was off the shoulder and designed to show off the wearer's shoulders, back, arms and lower legs. Ray wore a pair of matching high heels.

He had had a complete makeover the previous day that had included waxing, eyebrow shaping, moisterising and nail art. There was not a stray hair on his body and his skin felt as smooth and soft as that of a young girl. His bare, shapely legs were on show for all to see.

"You look quite lovely, Ray" said his mother, a mature woman who wore a tuxedo, as all of the female participants in the wedding did.

She took one of his hands "Ray, come with me. I have a gift for you". Without waiting for a response, she gently pulled Ray along after her to her own bedroom. The house's "Mistress Bedroom" as she liked to call it, as she owned the house and the family business.

Ray noted that his mother's bedroom was more like a gentleman's study, dominated by an antique desk upon which sat a powerful computer terminal, and bookcases filled with books, not just about business management, but also art, history and classics. Ray had never known his mother to be so erudite.

His mother opened a drawer in her dresser and pulled out a walnut case. She handed it to him. "Go, on" she prompted "open it!"

Ray obeyed and found inside a diamond necklace, choker, tiara and matching earrings. These, he knew, were the family jewels passed down from one generation to the next.

But, usually, they were passed from mother to daughter. Not mother to son!

"Ray, as my eldest son, you should have these. In earlier times of course, they would have gone to Emma...but, society has changed so much! They are no use to me anymore, so I thought it was time to hand them onto the next generation. When you have a son, you should give them to him when he comes of age".

Ray looked at the jewellery collection with mixed feelings. There were no two ways about it. In addition to the various other feminine roles he had had to play over the last few weeks, he was now the equivalent of "eldest daughter" in the eyes of the women of his family. He was also touched at the generousity of his mother and the attendant intimacy between them, almost like a mother-daughter relationship.

But he was also ashamed. His masculinity was being broken down and eroded by degrees and this was another step on the road to the feminine existence that society seemed to want him to live, in stark contradiction to the role he had been brought up to play.

His mother could see the conflict going on within him and laid a hand on his arm "I know all this must be hard for you. You were brought up as a boy, after all, and now you're the one who has to be pretty and feminine. It will get easier, you'll see".

Tears welled up in Ray's eyes.

"Here, let me help you put on your jewellery. You should wear it for the wedding". Mother proceeded to put the necklace around Ray's neck, put his tiara in place and clip his earrings onto his lobes.

Ray felt nothing but shame, but submitted to the indignity of being decked out with the jewellery traditionally worn by the women of the family.

"You look very pretty!" said his mother "Come with me, Guy wants a quick chat with you". Mother took one of his hands and gently pulled him along to another room.

As they entered, Ray saw a tall figure dressed in an ivory wedding gown. From the back "she" looked like just any bride, but Ray knew his cousin, no matter what he was wearing.

Head down, he approached his cousin "Hi Guy" he said.

Guy turned around. He looked rather attractive. His face had been coated with expensive cosmetics and his hair styled to frame his rather feminine features. He wore his lace veil up at present.

His visage was marred by the sulky expression on his face.

"Hi Ray. Well, here I am, the beautiful, blushing bride to be! What the hell happened to us men that on my wedding day, I'M the one who has to trip down the aisle in a gown and veil?"

Ray shrugged. He had been locked away from the world for the last ten years.

But Guy had not been expecting an answer "Every girl's dream is for a white wedding, only nowadays, in this female utopia, it's us men who have to wear the white gowns! That bitch Gloria! Just because she earns more than me she gets to tell me what I can wear!"

Ray remained silent.

Guy wept. Ray started forward, to comfort him, only to be brushed off. He backed away.

"Once I'm married" Guy said in a whisper "I'll be her slave in all but name. I used to be an IT Manager, did you know that Ray? An IT Manager. I used to earn 100K a year, but then they got rid of me. For a woman. In the name of the equal representation act. I landed another job - after nine months of trying, and at a lower level and a lower salary, but whilst my career was going down the pan, Gloria's star was rising. From bank cashier, to supervisor, to assistant manager, to manager, then area manager and then a directorship. She earns four times what I do, and that's before her bonuses. In reality, it's ten times more!"

Ray was mystified "Then why are you marrying her?"

"Because she is seriously rich and getting richer with every passing moment! If I have to be a housewife, at least I'll be a housewife for a successful woman. Yep, I'll be a housewife in all but name. Cleaning, sewing, doing the shopping, ironing and laundry, and then, when the kids come along, I'll become a nursemaid too!"

"You wanted to talk to me?" Ray reminded him.

"Oh, yeah. If you can, avoid all of this feminine bullshit. I hate every moment of it! High heels! Make Up! Thongs and bras! No man should have to wear such things! But most of us have no choice!"

Ray's face went red, for he was wearing a lace thong underneath his dress.

Ray considered this. He could turn his back on all of this. His criminal credentials could earn him a position as a gopher for someone like Vince Reardon and he could dress as a traditional male. He could regain something of a masculine existence. This seemed quite appealing for a while until Ray recognised that, sooner or later, he would get caught and end up in prison again. Or end up like Doug, a marginalised man desperate to pull any deal going.

But he would be on his own. His mother and sisters, who held all of the wealth and power in his family, would say "Fine. Be a real man. But you'll be one without any help or support from us". He would end up in some grotty accommodation, living at subsistence level and trying to avoid the police. It was no longer a life that appealed to him.

Ray realised with shame that he was becoming not only used to being treated like a princess, he was becoming dependant on it. He had a lovely bedroom, a wardrobe bulging with gorgeous dresses and exquisite lingerie He wanted for nothing. Except masculinity. As shaming as having to dress as a girl was, it was infinitely preferable to the alternative.

Besides, weeks of feminisation had taken their toll on his natural masculinity. It was impossible for him to be masculine dressed as he was. His personality and instincts were becoming more feminine.

Ray and Guy were interupted by the entry into the room of Ray's mother and sisters, all wearing tailor made tuxedos "Ah, there you are Ray. With the blushing bridegroom! How pretty you both look!"

The men shuddered.

"Oh, come on now. You do look pretty! It's nothing to be ashamed of. Guy, you look adorable in your lace veil and Ray, your dress fits you very well. Come now, Ray, we should take our places".

"Remember what I said" Guy whispered to him "Become a man again before it's too late!"

Ray sat with his mother and sisters and watched the wedding ceremony. Ray guessed that, underneath his veil, Guy's face was a picture of misery. He was attended by his brothers, dressed in cream bridesmaids' dresses. The bride, Gloria, stood confidently in her tuxedo, in complete control.

Beside him, his sisters giggled "Gloria showed me the dildo she intends to use on Guy tonight!" said Heather "It's the biggest one she could find. A real monster! Poor Guy!" The girls collapsed in a fit of giggles.

The ceremony was lovely but marred for Ray by the persistent buzzing coming from his mobile phone. Thankfully, he had had the sense to put it on vibrate rather than have an audible ring tone. Ray knew it was Doug and he dreaded having to call him back.

The party moved on to a hotel, which had been booked for the reception. Ray was asked to dance by several of the ladies present, including the bride. Gradually, the party began to wind down once the bride and groom had left. Heather had imbided too much wine and had fallen asleep, curled up on a couch. Mother was nowhere in sight. Emma was looking green and unsteady.

"I'm not used to drinking so much" she confessed "I'm off to the ladies. Look after my briefcase" she told him. She bolted off rapidly. It was clear that she was on the verge of being sick.

Emma had insisted bringing some of her work with her. She was a workaholic. Ray looked at the smart black briefcase and suddenly it dawned on him that it could hold the vital information he and Doug needed. Moving slowly and carefully, so as to avoid waking Heather, he opened up the briefcase and rooted around inside.

He found a notebook with Emma's scribblings all over it. Something about a marketing strategy, although most of it went over Ray's head. Some typed documents about revenue and expenditure. A book written by a world renowned billionairess about how to succeed in business. And a very small notepad. The notepad contained Emma's password for her workstation and her PIN numbers for her numerous bank and credit cards.

Ray grew excited. The password for the safe must be in here! He was only a page or so away from finding it! But he stopped himself. What on earth was he thinking? He was robbing his own family! He immediately put the notepad back in the briefcase and put the briefcase back where he had found it.

He was shaking when Emma returned, looking more like her usual self "What's wrong, Ray? Did you have too much wine too?" Ray nodded.

Emma woke Heather "I think it's time we all went home. Come on sleepyhead! Time for us to leave".

They rode a taxi home. On the way, Ray had come to a decision. He would have to tell Doug that he was pulling out of the robbery. He had managed to send a text off to Doug with words to that effect. Oddly, there had been no reply.

The mobile phone remained silent the over the next few days. Ray was puzzled. He had expected Ray to have fired back an angry response. But there was nothing. Maybe even Doug had realised that the robbery was a non starter. Ray shrugged. As far as he was concerned, it was not his problem anymore.

Monday came around and Ray went into work in his usual secretary outfit of blouse, short skirt and high heels. He was proud of the job he had done with his make up. He was becoming very adept at wielding brushes and lipsticks.

The morning passed quickly. After lunching with the boys and catching up on office gossip, Ray returned to his workstation. He was typing a letter for one of the female managers when his phone rang. It was reception. Malcolm, the pretty blonde currently manning reception told him he had a visitor and he needed to come down to reception to sign him in.

Ray was confused. He was not expecting any visitors. He took the lift and rode it down to the ground floor. He emerged from the lift to a shocking scene. Malcolm, a petitely built boy, was being held at gunpoint by a man wearing a skirt and blouse.

Doug.

If the situation had not been so desperate, Ray would have burst out laughing, for Doug looked ridiculous. He had made no effort at all with his presentation. He had merely donned a skirt and blouse. He had hairy legs and arms and he had clearly not shaved that morning.

"Ray! Help me!" Malcolm begged him. Then he swooned and fainted. Doug let him fall to the floor.

"Bloody soft little pansy!" Doug spat.

"Doug, what do you think you're doing?" Ray asked him.

Doug gave him a hard look "Doing? What does it look like I'm doing, you stupid bitch? I'm robbing this place!"

"Are you crazy? I thought we agreed to call the whole thing off!"

"No, you called it off. But I haven't. I'm desperate for the money". Doug pointed his gun at Ray "Now, bitch, you been no use to me so far but you'll make a decent enough hostage". Doug jammed the gun into Ray's back and steered him towards the lift. Doug made Ray select the floor where the safe was. In his sister's office. He was leading this nutter to his sister, but there was nothing he could do about it. Not with a gun in his back.

They got out of the lift. Doug shouted "I've got a gun! If anyone tries to stop me or tries to call the police, this bitch gets blown away, ok?"

The staff were shocked and offered no resistance. Ray led Doug to Emma's office. Her secretary's position was vacant. He must be elsewhere in the building, thankfully, thought Ray. Emma was absorbed in whatever she was reading on her workstation and did not sense that she had company until she looked up at the last moment and saw her brother being held at gunpoint.

Emma jumped up from her chair "Ray? What's going on?"

Doug said 'Open the safe, bitch, or this other bitch gets blown to kingdom come".

Emma said "Ok, ok. Just don't hurt him, please!" She moved to the safe and opened it up to reveal a large quantity of banknotes.

"Oh, yes!" said Doug, smiling "Come to Daddy!" He pushed Ray roughly aside and moved towards the safe to collect his loot.

To his surprise, the gun was suddenly kicked out of his hand by Emma. Emma then followed up her high kick by raining a series of blows on Doug. Doug was no match for this onslaught and, realising this, he bolted, knocking over Emma's secretary as he returned from whatever errand he had been running. The mini skirted boy crashed into a wall.

Emma gave Ray a hug "Are you OK? That must have been terrifying for you!"

"Where did you learn to fight like that?" Ray asked her, impressed by her martial prowess.

"I did kickboxing and proper boxing in my early twenties" Emma explained. "I was pretty good at it too, as you just saw!"

The secretary had, in the meantime, picked himself up, smoothed down his skirt and blouse and came into the office "Do you want me to call the police, Ma'am?"

"Yes, please, Phil". The boy went to pick up the handset when, from outside, there was the screech of tyres, the sound a vehicle makes when trying to make an emergency stop, followed by a dull thud.

Emma and Ray looked out of the window. Emma turned to her secretary, her face set in a grim expression and said "You'd better call an ambulance instead, Phil. The robber has just run into the path of one of our delivery lorries. It's not a pretty sight".

Ray looked at the body of his former friend, still clad in the blouse and skirt he had worn to infiltrate the building. Doug was not moving. Ray realised he was dead.

An ambulance and police car arrived. Doug was indeed pronounced to be dead. The police took statements from everyone who had come into contact with the robber and concluded that it had been a random robbery made by a desperate man. The police were aware of Doug and his money problems.

Emma gave both Phil and Ray the rest of the day off to get over the shock. Ray was saddened by Doug's death, but also relieved that he had not been implicated in the robbery. With Doug dead, nobody would ever know of his involvement and he could get resume his life.

He went down to dine with his mother and sisters. The incident was discussed briefly, but Mother had an announcement to make.

"Ray" she said "You're to marry Lindsey Moore. Her mother, who runs her own business empire, wants a merger with Al La Mode. A marriage is the best way to cement this".

Ray was bewildered. Marry? He had never even met this Lindsey Moore!

"But...I don't want to get married!" he said.

Mother's face became stern "You'll do as you are told. Lindsey is a very successful girl. You'll make her a good little house husband. In the old days, we women were married off to men we did not know, against our will, for the benefit of men. Now it's your turn!"

The women began discussing wedding arrangements. Ray listened in horror as they talked about what gown and jewellery he would wear. Who would be his bridesmaids. Ordering his veil. And he knew he would have to go along with it. He would end up as a blushing bride and then a pretty, submissive little housewife in all but name.

It suddenly dawned on Ray that he had left one prison only to enter another.

The End