Filing for a Change

"Hey, Jackie. Rachel called me," Louis said, leaning over the edge of Jordan's cubicle wall, "Told me about your idea. I think it's great. A little risky, but I told HR to go for it anyway. It's all done."

It was difficult not to crack a smile as Jordan looked up at him with a look of utter confusion. Louis would have been confused too had his boss just done the same thing. He could imagine what his cousin was thinking. What idea? What's done? It was all too perfect.

The plan hadn't come from Rachel, or even Louis. It was becoming standard practice for Rachel to submit a transcript of events after Jordan left for work. The files would be sent to think tanks, strategists, and universities around the globe for analysis, progress tracking, and direction would be given to the 'front-line', those tasked in the day-to-day implementation of The Mission. Soon cameras and audio equipment would be installed in the apartment that would provide live-feeds to 24 hour-a-day staff who could watch for problems that might arise, but in the meantime, reports from Rachel had already proven to be quite useful.

"What do you mean?" Louis' cousin asked, "I don't remember an idea."

Louis looked Jordan in the eye and pointed at her, "She said you shared an article about the new tax reform bill. The HR department is going to be busy today with gender classifications to provide to the IRS. Rachel said you two could really get ahead if both of you were included in the tax break."

"You mean," Jordan asked, shock in her eyes, "The government will think that I'm a woman?"

"It's a once-in-a-lifetime chance to change your registered gender, Jackie," Louis said, trying to stay calm, despite hearing the words out of Jordan's mouth, "Your take-home will go up by at least a third. You two could get out of that crappy apartment and into a real house, move up in the world."

"I don't know," Jordan sounded uneasy. Her psyche profile that had been provided to the front-line team had indicated that she might put up resistance when shifting into 'grey areas' morally, "Won't we get in trouble?"

"I don't think so. We could just tell them it's an honest mistake if anyone makes a stink," Louis used a dismissive tone, "And there's, like, a hundred million forms being submitted in the next week or two. Nobody's going to be looking that closely. Besides, yours is already done and submitted. Ethel from HR told me she sent yours in the first batch. She said she wished she had a connection at her husband's work like you did, so she could do the same thing!"

Louis chuckled at the anecdote, one of a few small stories the team of Hollywood writers had send him a few minutes earlier that he could reinforce the normality of the change.

"Geez," Jordan muttered, "I kind of wish you'd spoken to me first. Maybe I would have..."

"Woulda, coulda, shoulda, Jackie," Louis didn't let her finish the thought, "What's done is done," then he started to walk away, paused, and turned back with a wink, "Congratulations on becoming a lesbian, by the way. Maybe we should have a coming out party this weekend!"

As Louis left, he could hear a groan from Jordan's cubicle. It would take her a while to process, but it was for her own good. She needed to realize that she was a woman, start living like it, and be happy about it. It would all work out in the end. One day soon, she'd be thanking Louis for being so supportive. She'd never know about The Mission, but she'd know that her friends and family were there for her every step of the way as she changed her life for the better.