A plan comes together

Victoria watched the little red car speed away before leaving the windows and moving into her kitchen to sit down at her laptop where she had left it. Work life balance had always been a bit of a struggle for her. She knew if this plan was going to work Aiden would need a new resume. She quickly opened up Microsoft Word selecting the most basic resume template. She began by writing a cover letter. In that she wove a yarn about a dishonest and rough past with a current desire for improvement due to hitting rock bottom. A story not too far from reality. She put an emphasis on dedication, discretion and a willingness to do anything that was asked of the applicant. When she got to the work history, she left most of it blank, Aiden’s one real job was worthless and even if it wasn’t she would leave it off. Not just because it would be irrelevant to the job he would be applying for but it would be thrown out after it was checked. Aiden needed a work history though so she went back about five years and wrote down nanny for work history. Her sister Heather had a few kids and thought she may be able to vouch for a past work history.

Tapping her nail on the table Victoria thought about her sister. She really needed her help to pull this off but didn’t think it would be a hard sell to get her on board after everything the asshole had done.

Vicki: Hey sis, I have a favor to ask.
Heather: You want to take my little monsters for a weekend?
Vicki: That would be doing you a favor
Heather: Don’t you want to help your sister while getting to spend quality time with your two nephews?
Vicki: I was thinking more along the lines of when you promised you would do anything to help when I got divorced.
Heather: I offered to have someone but his balls in a vice, but you said no.
Vicki: Call me when you get a chance.
Heather: Sure, gimmie a sec

While Victoria waited for her sister, she went back typing up Aidens new resume. She added an entry into education as a GED. The idea of Aiden just having a General Educational Development degree to show highschool equivalence amused her, the man was proud of his two degrees and she definitely wanted to strip away his pride. She was sure she could get him to take the test here in a couple days to provide some kind of proof of education. His college degrees would now be useless, at least for the job she was planning on getting him. Finally, she added her and Heather’s names as references with their contact information. Just as she was finishing up, she got a text message from Heather confirming she can talk now. Finally Victoria added a name to the top of the resume but it was not Aiden J. Arwain. Instead, it read Amber L Aurum. Once she finished an evil grin grew on her face, the last name meant gold, it would pair nicely with Max’s last name Argyris that meant silver. The smile still on her face as she considered her she called her sister.

“Hey Heather. I was wondering if I could call in that favor.” She then began explaining her plan to get her worthless ex a job at her firm as the newest personal assistant.

“Oh.My.God Vicki! You are so evil!” Heather laughed after hearing her sister's plan. “I love the idea of destroying that bastard. Do you really think he will go for it?”

“He doesn’t have a choice. No one outside of McDonald’s is going to hire him with all the marks on his record.” She was much less certain that she sounded, but if she couldn’t get her the way she wanted, she could always just send him off to live in that tiny car she supposed.

“I mean you're not wrong, and he was never exactly the biggest guy.” Heather said thinking back to the lean little man that her sister married.

“Oh, you should see him now. It looks like he hasn’t worked out in months so what muscle he had is all gone, and honestly he kind of has a fat ass. He probably has only been able to afford fast food and sitting around.”

“Okay, okay. I can probably make him or I guess her up a new birth certificate. Do you think he can pull off being born in ninety-seven or ninety-eight?” Victoria thought for a second, hearing Heather’s husband yelling at one of the children in the background.

“I mean that would make him what, twenty-five? With his fair skin and enough makeup, we could probably make it work. Why?”

“Well around that time a lot of hospitals in New York stopped making paper copies of birth certificates and went all digital and then they would print them off fully filled out. Due to glitches and user errors from when they first rolled it out it’s’ not uncommon that a few birth certificates just can’t be found so we have to make a new one. That way I could create a new one and it won’t stand out. How do you feel about your ex-husband becoming younger than you?”

“Oh, then he can totally pull it off! Getting him a fake birth certificate is exactly what I needed to getAmber Lynn Auruma job. I have no problem with her being younger than me.”

“Two things Vicki. One this wouldn’t be fake, this would be going into real government databases and could be used to get a social security number. Second is that I could get into real trouble. So you have to be sure you want to do this. I mean… I will do this for you, but wouldn’t it be better for us to head over to the hardware store together to find just the right vice to put his little pecker into?” Speaking with Aiden had brought up a lot of feelings, even as she planned her she felt the desire to take one of the pills her therapist prescribed to ease her anxiety, but she just hated how dull they made her. That was kind of the point of them with how much of a mess she was when her world fell apart a year ago, but right at that second much of the anxiety in her came out as she started to laugh. Just thinking about Aiden being tied down as the two of them tightened a vice around his manhood was too funny.

“Jokes aside, I do want to do this.” Victoria nodded as she looked down at her laptop screen, seeing the name she typed at the top of the resume.

“I’m behind you, but I gotta ask. Where does a crazy idea like this come from?”

“Honestly? It is the plot of an episode for some sitcom I watched when I was younger. Something that was filmed in Australia, Whitehaven Shores or something like that. Though what I have in mind will last a little longer. Also, sis what’s your bank info I want to transfer some money into your account to pay for all your trouble.”

“You're so sweet! But I can’t ask you to do that!”

“It’s no trouble really Heather, it will be coming from Aidens account. You are helping him achieve his dream of becoming a female secretary. Well maybe his nightmare.” Victoria giggled a little at her own joke.

“Well, if that’s the case then who am I to say no to a windfall.”

Heather gave her bank info to Victoria as they concluded their phone call. She then opened up a web browser going to the website for Aiden's bank. She used to handle the household's finances when Aiden and her were married and took a stab at logging in.

“Of course,” She said as the site let her log in, not even a little surprised he hasn’t changed his username or password. Victoria knew he was a creature of habit, got him into a routine and he would stick to it. Seeing his information she was a little depressed to see that he had just over eight-hundred dollars in his bank account and only a couple hundred left on his bank credit card. She quickly transferred three hundred dollars into her sister's account, leaving the rest for later. The last thing she needed to do was give this new girl an email address. A smile crept across her face as she created an account for [email protected]. Adding the email address to the resume was the last step before submitting it to her office for an entry level PA position. The position was updated from time to time, but it consistently stayed up on the job postings, Mega Corp always had openings for personal assistants. She then took out her phone and dialed her coworker, Howard. Howard was a little older, about forty-five, and just a sweet middle-aged man. He was a little pudgy and he wasn’t the most confident but he was sweet and always willing to help.

“Good evening Victoria. What’s going on?” Howard's upbeat and innocent voice came through the phone.

“Hey Howie! Do you have a second or two? I need a favor.”

“Um. Sure, I can try to spare a few of my precious seconds for you.” Victoria knew the man would answer, but also knew she couldn’t keep him on the phone long. He was much better at keeping work at work and away from his personal time.

“Well, I have this friend, she’s more like a little sister. Anyway, she recently divorced her husband and lost everything in a nasty divorce. I just talked her into applying for a job as an entry level PA with us. I passed her resume through but she will need to meet with a member of Management and I was wondering if you could interview her?”

“I me..I mee, I mean I guess I could but Max or Jackson usually do…” he stuttered nervously

“They would eat her alive, Howard. Please! I would owe you so much!” Getting one of the people he mentioned to do the interview would be okay, but Howie was always a soft touch and wanted to make sure the bastard got the job.

“Yeah. Ok I will meet with her Wednesday morning at ten.”

“Her name is Amber Aurum and is spelled A U R U M. Her resume is in the system now. I owe you so much! You're the best Howie!”

This plan was coming together too perfectly for Victoria. She got up and turned the music back on she was listening to before going back to her laptop to sign Amber Aurum up for a GED test, the first available was Monday evening at a local community college. She was about to start shopping for what she would need when she heard a knock on the door. Getting up, she opened the door for her ex-husband, seeing he only had two bags.

“Hey Vicki, thanks again for this” he said as he entered the apartment. Victoria just glared at him with her arms crossed, knowing she would have to be firm.

“Remember our deal...cards please” she extended her open hand as Aiden dug out a debit and credit card, reluctantly handing them to his ex-wife. “Thank you, now go put your things in the spare room.” She said, tossing the cards onto a dish that was near the door, mostly full of loose change. “Then you can eat, and I can tell you the news.”

“Oh yeah what’s up” Aiden responded as he went into the guest room to deposit his bags.

“I got you an interview Wednesday”

“What! You have to be kidding me! How! Already? No really how did you do that?” A sudden emotion of joy flooded Aiden’s’ body when he heard that news. So happy he rushed up to the woman he still loved wrapping his arms around her in a hug.

“Well, it’s a lower-level position, so you will not like it.” She said awkwardly as he hugged her.

“I don’t care, I will take anything at this point!” He broke off the hug, but not before taking a whiff of her perfume. He loved how she smelled like warm vanilla.

“I’m happy to hear that, but remember you said it when you hear what the job is. Because the position is for a personal assistant.” He looked at her with a look of confusion and concern.

“A secretary? Really I can’t be a secretary, that is a women's job.”

“I am going to stop you right there.” She cut him off “You came to me begging for help. You literally were on your knees begging. You were… no you are and I gave you a place to stay. I stuck my neck out for you at Mega Corp to get you an interview. I had to call in multiple favors to make this happen. I’m risking my reputation for you! After what you did to me I should slash the tires of your car and send you on your way!”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry… Your right” Aiden quickly backed down. She was right. He was one step from living in his car and she took him in. She got him an interview after he had zero success in that department. It also helped that she was so hot when she was angry. She really was a wonderful woman and his guilt for losing her began to wash over him. At this point he knew having a job was the goal, but he wasn’t really sure how someone with his experience and education would even really be considered for the role, but he guessed that is where the favors she called in helped.

Victoria told Aiden they would talk about it more after he put some food in his belly. She warmed up the dinner she hadn’t touched either, opened up a bottle of red wine, slipping one of her anxiety meds into the glass she gave Aiden. Hoping it would mellow him out for the conversation.

Finishing the last bite of chicken, Aiden downed the last of his second glass of wine. He felt much more calm and relaxed than he had in what felt like forever. Just the idea there was a real job prospect had helped, that and being able to look at the woman he loved sitting across from him again. “Thank you so much for this… Could I maybe borrow some money to get my suit pressed for Wednesday.” He asked, looking over at his debit card sitting her bowl remembering that he had agreed to practically allow her to control his money.

“Oh, that won’t be necessary”

“It won’t? It’s been in my duffel bag for a week. It really needs to be cleaned and pressed”

Victoria blinked slowly as she shook her head, wanting to savor this moment. “No. What I meant was, you don’t need a suit for your interview” Aiden looked at her confused “You're going to need a dress.”

“Um what?” Aiden responded even more confused.

“Women are expected to wear skirts or dresses and heels at my office.” She said, enjoying herself as she drew this out. No trickery to get him to do it, she was just going to lay it out there for him to choose her path or one where he lived on the street.

“I get that part but I am not a woman.” Aiden ran one of his hands through his hair, trying to figure out what she was talking about. It felt so disconnected that he would think she had a stroke if she had any slurred words.

“Yes, Aiden, you are not a woman. All the women you slept with over our many years together could attest to that, but Amber Lynn Aurum is.”

“Who’s Amber Lynn Aurum?”

“She is the person that has an interview at my office for an entry level PA position Wednesday morning. You are going to be her.”

“What! No! No way I can’t crossdress. I’m not some fag, besides no one would believe that I am a woman!” He was putting emphasis on his words, but he hadn’t felt the strong indignation that should accompany such an insult, in fact he still felt rather mellow.

“Oh really?” Come with me!” She grabbed him by the wrist pulling him into her bedroom and then in front of a full-length mirror that went from floor to ceiling, moving so she stood behind him. “Look at yourself. We are the same height, and basically the same build. Most of your muscles have melted away. Hell, your waist is still a little smaller than mine! With the right help you could be the perfect little office girl! Come on, look at your ass!” She spun him around, so his butt was now facing the mirror. It wasn’t overly large, but it was pretty plump. Due to his lack of exercise, he now had a nice layer of fat covering his once firm muscular butt. “Imagine that in a pencil skirt.” He couldn’t help but picture the ass of the last woman he slept with, Tabitha. The bitch that got him to this point, standing here even listening to this crazy idea. Thinking of the long haired blonde while standing here with Vicki brought a blush to his cheeks as he looked away.

“You can’t just put me in a dress and expect me to get that job. That isn’t how things work. It isn’t like I can just hand over anything that says I’m this made of person!” His thoughts felt sluggish but was starting to think this was just some way for her to humiliate him before she kicked him out, she had set a timeline for just that after all.

“Already done. I reached out to my sister, Heather says hi by the way. You remember her. Pretty gal, great smile, one of the few people you didn’t sleep with. Well she works at the county clerk's office and is going to do a little magic to make a birth certificate for your new identity, in a few days we will get a piece of mail with your new name. Oh, I also have you scheduled to take the GED on Monday to give you some kind of schooling. No one is going to hire you if you don’t get at least that after you dropped out of high school.”

“Dropped out? GED? What about my degrees?” Aiden thought the glasses of wine had hit him much harder than they should have. He had lost a good deal of weight, and hadn’t had much to eat he reasoned with himself as his mind felt foggy. It was enough that he questioned if he had heard Vicki correctly.

“Aiden went to college, highly educated, but that didn’t make him a good person. Amber, a sweet, sweet girl, but she dropped out of highschool at seventeen and married an older man at nineteen. Until she cheated on him and got thrown out. She has a strong labido, something the two of you share I suppose. Thankfully she has a good childhood friend who can take her in and get her a job.” Victoria pointed to herself with a satisfied smile.

“What are you talking about?” Aiden blinked a few times feeling lost.

“That’s your new backstory sweetie.”

”I can’t say I have been married for almost ten years!”

“Well actually closer to five years. Is that really the part of the story you have a problem with? Well it made getting the documents for you easier if you were twenty four or five-ish.”

“I don’t know if I can do this Victoria. No, no I won't do this. I just don’t think I can pull it off.” Aiden rolled his head. This is insane, I can’t believe I even considered this for a second.”

“Listen Aiden I know it’s scary” she said facing him now and sweetly grabbing him by the shoulders. “But you need to do this or else you're going to end up in the streets and listen.” She spoke sweetly even as she threatened him. “Even beyond the cheating my biggest issue with our relationship was your lack of willingness to commit and due the hard work.” She gave him a small pout.

“Think of it as a way to better yourself and prove to me that you're willing to do that. Maybe it could repair some of the damage to our relationship.” Aiden perked up a little at those last words. Does she still care for me? He wondered. He began to feel hopeful that this crazy idea may bring them back together. She had never been one to push him to do things in their relationship. Vicki had always let him lead, when he said he didn’t want kids, she relented. He knew she wanted to have children, she had names picked out for at least two kids when they were back in college, but he didn’t want to be a father. If it happened by accident he would have relented, but he was also sure if that happened he would be a worse father than his own. This could all still be a trap to bring him lower, but he wasn’t sure he could tell her no to anything.

“Now that I am thinking about it, do you even have a choice here?” The friendly tone to her voice was gone, but she still kept her hand on his shoulder. “If Amber doesn’t show up to the interview it could cause problems. Mega Corp researches why people don’t show up to improve our hiring process and if they find fraudulent documents, like you we are submitting for you then it will raise all kinds of red flags. I don’t want to imagine what would happen from that” It was true one of her job duties was to find out why someone didn’t show up for an interview, or why they didn’t take a job offer, the rest of it was total bullshit.

That was a scary thought for Aiden. Could he wind up going to jail? Would him not going through with this send the police looking for Vicki?

“Well then I guess I better go to the interview” He said feeling defeated.

“Oh, Aiden, I am so proud of you!” Victoria declared, wrapping him in a big hug. “Now let’s get to sleep. We have a busy day preparing Amber tomorrow.” Aiden didn’t like the sound of that, and wasn’t really sure he understood why he agreed, but the idea of sleep on a mattress that wasn’t sitting on the ground sounded wonderful.