Scene 39

Sitting at the bar Jacqueline gave Lincoln a light kiss, just a little peck on his cheek, sitting here in his lap while he sat on the barstool, she felt happy. This was the same place they went for their first date, a date that had been just for show in order for their coworkers to see them together. She gave him a playful smile, thinking about how the fact that she had practically blackmailed her best friend into pretending to be her boyfriend. Maddy teasing, saying how she would never have the confidence to just pick out a man she liked and demand that he be her boyfriend. Here Jacqueline was, sitting in that boyfriend’s, her fiancé’s lap, someone that she had done that exactly too.

Tonight she wore a black asymmetrical dress with white around the edges, the dress long enough to hide the decorated welts of her stockings when standing, leaving them a bit exposed when she sat down like she was now. Like the location the outfit she had on was the same as she wore on their first date, or close enough to it. Back then she hadn’t wanted to go on the date at all, had complained to her sister that no girl had ever wore stockings on a date with her before. Maddy had countered by saying Jacqueline was the type of girl that liked being sexy, looking sexy, feeling sexy and even made her say those exact words. Jacqueline bounced her head slightly from side to side, able to admit the word exact wasn’t a good fit, but it was close.

The bar was crowded, people gathered to celebrate her engagement, her promotion, Lincoln’s promotion and Dunn’s. Looking past a group of people Jackie was able to see her big sisters talking with Callie and had to admit that the pushy, opinionated, headache inducing woman he had grown up with was right. She did enjoy feeling sexy, feeling desired. It was a hard thing for her to admit, even to herself. The world seemed to have warped to push her down this feminine path and it had given her an ocean’s worth of new experiences, almost all of them she had been dragged through kicking and screaming, at least mentally. It had allowed her to move from an underpaid intern with no prospects to a not so glamour job as the personal assistant to an executive, but her salary had jumped. She went from needing to cash those checks her dad sent to being able to ignore them like Maddy. Jacqueline remembered once saying something about needing her sister’s help to be made into a woman so that she could be a man and stand on her own.

Jacqueline’s older sister had done just that, but over the course of her time in heels she had found herself not alone. Gaining friends, pretty friends that she crushed on a bit. Growing closer to her sister, the pair had always been close ever since they were abandoned by their mother, but now that bond between them was stronger and then there was her relationship with her best friend. They had started out as coworkers and now she had an engagement ring on her finger, the feel of it, the weight was still new, but it felt nice, comforting. That night had been magical, and confusing and she knew that there wasn’t actually a white dress in her future. This was another show, just like their dating had been. That had evolved… the feminized man’s mind lingered on that word evolved.

‘All of this is fake… I made Linc start to date me to keep men away and then I ended up being with him.’ The way he looked at her didn’t feel fake, the way he told her how he was in love, that they would always be best friends. Her plan, their plan was for her to go back to being a boy. It wasn’t going to be something that happened quickly, thanks to Mega Corp and what those butchers… doctors did to her body. A body she saw had an effect on men, made people feel attracted to her and giving Jacqueline a small rush of power. It would all be gone in the future, where she could get back to her old life. Her manly… simple, lonely life.

Taking in a deep breath Jacqueline glanced over to the full wine glass on the bar and almost reached for it. She had made a promise to herself to stop drinking, a promise she had broken more than once and was determined to do better. Determined to not become some alcoholic that felt like they needed it to help cope. She also felt determined to enjoy her life, to be happy in what she had, for however long she had it. That voice in the back of her mind hadn’t been as pressing as it once had, the happier she was the less the self-doubt rattled around. ‘Tonight is supposed to be a happy night, come on girl, have some fun.’ She told herself leaning in close to the man she sat on to whisper in his ear. “This is kinda like a dream, I mean… I never really thought about getting married, and not a white dress, but… the more I think about it.” She paused for just a second. “It sounds fun and this feels real, ya know?”

Putting his beer bottle back on the bar top Lincoln wrapped the arm around his girl’s waist. “Funny how dreams can become a reality, even ones you didn’t know you had.” He said back to her, his heart swelling with joy to hear her talking about not being able to even dream of her desires, how they weren’t possible and now with him they were becoming real. “I’m betting you will look ravishing in a white dress.”

Jacqueline laughed and gave her friend a brilliant smile. “I look ravishing in anything and everything.” She said playfully. Her own comment feeling a bit wrong, not that she was wrong in the opinion, but wrong because it shouldn’t be true. Ignoring that self-doubt she reminded herself that she was going to have fun and once more resisted the urge to sip or even gulp down her glass of wine, stead pushing it out of her own reach.

“Yeah you do.” Lincoln’s hand slipped from the girls back, moving to her thigh, his fingers brushing along her stocking covered leg. “Much as I would love to do just that with you now, I think we do have to mingle a bit.”

Nodding she agreed, this party was being paid for by their boss and she needed to show off the ring on her finger to Trip the man at the top so the old man could feel secure in knowing the next executive was a stable family man. She rolled her eyes at the old fashioned idea, but looking down at her finger she still couldn’t a smile playing at the corner of her lips. It was when she was getting down from Lincoln’s lap when someone came up to them. “Abe! You came!” Jacqueline said looking at the tall man that she had become friends with.

“Hey.” Abraham said, fighting back his natural instinct to hug the pretty girl, wishing he could do that and give her a kiss hello, but that time had passed. “Sorry I haven’t seen you around.” He then adjusted his glasses slightly before holding out his hand to the still seated Lincoln. “Jacqueline has told me a lot about you. I’m Abraham and I guess you will be my supervisor soon.” It felt like salt in a wound to have to play office politics with the man in front of him. Lincoln Hatch, the controlling boyfriend had talked Jacqueline into marrying him and somehow talked Dunn into promoting him in the largest leap from one position to another he had ever seen. ‘This man is a snake.’ He thought shaking the man’s hand.

Abraham hated this, hated he lost two members of his team when he had played ball with Dunn. It felt worthy at the time to save the gorgeous girl from his clutches. Just thinking about her soft brown eyes, her mascara covered lashes fluttering as she looked up to him and knowing his boss, their boss was taking physical advantage of her had sent him into a rage before. She was safe from that now thanks to his efforts and compromise, but in doing so he felt like he lost an important battle. Protected the girl from one monster, only for her to be kept captive by another. The extra workload from a smaller team meant more work, more hand holding of clients and it meant he didn’t have the time he needed… the time he wanted to spend with the blonde that now had an engagement ring on her finger.

Getting to his feet Lincoln shook the larger man’s hand, wondering if the man that was just muscle and glasses knew how hard his own handshake was. It gave himself a bit more motivation to keep hitting the gym, a task that was hard to stay motivated to do. “Yeah, I guess I am. Hard for me to wrap my head around honestly.” Lincoln stretched his neck to the side to try and work out a kink he just felt. The pop as things realigned gave him a little bit of relief, pulling his hand back. “You head up the sales team from what I understand, Jacqueline has been wanting to work under you for a long time what I understand.”

Turning his head slightly Abraham squinted, wondering how open Jacqueline had been about their relationship. He didn’t think a controlling asshole would be able to stand her trying to leave him for someone that would actually treat the young woman right, make her feel like the princess she deserved to be and dismissed the idea that he knew entirely. “I have a few openings on my team, I would love to have her under me.” He said with the double meaning.

“Ahh.” Lincoln sucked in some air through gritted teeth. “Wish I could do that, but she is going to move with Mr. Dunn.” He rolled his hand in the air. “Just like the email said, but I have worked it out so that is just temporary. Once he is settled in she will be with me, I would put her on the sales team if I could, but that is beyond me at the moment.” He said wishing he could make his friend’s wishes become real. She had been incredibly persuasive in that supply room on their first day back at the office together. Saying how she would rather work as his secretary till things could change. Lincoln wasn’t’ sure exactly what she meant by things changing, best he could figure she meant till after they got married. He wasn’t able to talk their boss into changing things, at least not right away, he had already made everything official, so the woman he loved would have to wait to transfer because the company frowned upon people bouncing around from one department from the next. Thinking back to how persuasive she was Lincoln gave Jacqueline a small grin and making a mental note to have the closet deep cleaned when he took over the area.

Abraham nodded wishing **** could solve his problem, positive the way Hatch said she will be with me was a claim to the girl like she was property. Him making claims that there was nothing he could do, when they both knew it would take one phone call to get Jacqueline in the place she wanted to be. ‘Controlling dick.’ He thought resisting a primal urge. “I’m sure in time I can help her be where she wants to be.”

“That.” Lincoln started to say, feeling like the taller man was saying one thing, but meaning more and he just wasn’t catching what it was. “I’m sure Jacqueline would appreciate that. Right?” Instead of finding the pretty blonde paying attention to the conversation, he found her engrossed in another conversation with one of the receptionists that worked the front desk, Lilian he thought her name was. Looking back to the man he was having a conversation with Lincoln gave him a small shrug and an expression that he hoped conveyed “What are you going to do?”

“We will see.” Abraham said, thinking he still had a chance to help the young woman. Trying to not think of it as saving her, she wasn’t helpless even if she did probably feel stuck. Looking at Jacqueline in her tight dress he wanted to help her now, but tonight wasn’t the time. He had a chance, but let work get in the way. “Hey, Jacqueline.” Abraham said raising his voice a bit, and continuing when the bottle blonde looked his way. “Want to come over for another home cooked meal sometime soon?”

Already nodding Jacqueline smiled at her friend, half whispering. “He is an amazing cook.” The beginning of an idea forming in her mind. Thinking about how happy and bubbly Lil was, and how down to earth Abe acted while still not being a stick in the mud like Linc could be at times and imagined the two hitting it off. “That sounds great count me in!” She said the smile on her face flashing brighter before turning back to her work friend. “You are going to love eating his food.”

Sipping on her cocktail Lilian gave her friend a quizzical look. “He invited you.” She then looked just over Jacqueline’s shoulder wondering just what kind of relationship the two had that an invite like that was okay.

“Would you date him if you could?” Jacqueline asked, stepping to the side and back so she could be shoulder to shoulder with Lilian, watching the tall man walk away with a bounce in his step.

“Ahh yeah!”

“Then I’m betting things can be worked out.” She said imagining inviting Lil around for the night, having her show up with a bottle of wine and her sending a message to Abe that she couldn’t come, leaving her two friends alone together.

Lincoln pinched the bridge of his nose, he knew Jacqueline was friends with the man, but it felt like he was asking his fiancé out on a date right in front of him, the way Abraham locked eyes with him when Jackie said yes, felt like it was a challenge. ‘Am I reading too much into this?’ he asked himself, not having a lot of experience in things like this to be sure. His own insecurities made him read the worst into situations at times. Turning his back to Abraham as he walked off Lincoln tried to keep a confident grin on his face, he had asked her to marry him, and she had said yes. ‘How can you be insecure knowing that?’ No plans had been made, but the conversation about a white dress and dreams tickled his mind as he looked at Jackie with her friend. “What are you two discussing? You look thick as thieves.”

“I’m not sure.” Lilian admitted.

“Talking about love.” Jacqueline responded, getting an even more curious look from Lilian. The feminized man had never set anyone up on a date before, but the idea of her machinations being the reason a couple go together gave her a thrill. ‘I am a god damned superhero. Saving jobs and fighting for love!’ The thrill that ran through her hit a bit of a speed bump when Jacqueline realized that doing this would mean taking the bubbly girl off the market. ‘Stop that!’ She told herself. ‘Live in the moment, today we are happy, I am happy. I’m Jacqueline Hart and we are celebrating.’

Mingling continued, much of it going by in a blur, but when Jacqueline interacted with her sibling next the memory of it would last a lifetime. “Are you having fun?” Jacqueline asked her sister, looking around her to see where the gorgeous blonde bartender that had been at her side all night had gotten off to. “Where is the love of your life?”

“Really?” Madison rolled her eyes. The two had gotten a little more serious, but she didn’t feel ready to commit and really didn’t want things to move in fast forward like she heard some girls do when they become official. It was a running joke that lesbians moved in together almost right away when they became an item. She didn’t subscribe to that belief and still wasn’t sure if in the long term if she wanted to settle down with a man or a woman, but she did know that Callie was a lot of fun to be with. “She had to go, her boss.” Madison motioned to a man behind the bar that was mixing a drink. “He asked her to clock in and help even though she is here with me and tonight is a night off. So she told him no and then told me she needed to leave.”

With a small shrug and a nod of her head Jacqueline understood. It was like worlds colliding, if she worked then Callie would more than likely feel bad for abandoning her date and not clocking in and staying would cause friction with her boss. “You didn’t want to go with her?”

“Contrary to what you may believe I am cable of not running off to go fuck every chance I get.” Madison said putting the empty glass she had in her hand onto the bar before turning back to her sister, trying to keep her back towards the front door.

“Gah! I wasn’t… I don’t want to hear about that!” Jacqueline bunched her arms up, forming loose fists and purposely made her body shake, wishing Maddy hadn’t said that.

“Okay.” Madison smirked, looking to the man that hadn’t left her sister’s side. “How about you? Do you want to hear more about… Callie… Me... Sex…?” She said drawing out the last few words.

“I…” Lincoln started to speak before feeling an elbow hitting him hard enough to leave a light bruise. “No, no… not something I would even want to think about.” The interaction caused Madison to laugh. “I swear you are trying to get me in trouble.”

“Trouble? Noooo” She shook her head, glancing over at someone walking closer to the group. “I might be in trouble, but I’m hoping I did a good thing here.” She said pointing behind the two, at her and Jackie’s father. The reason she had stayed with her date had to leave. She had kept her sister a secret from their father, at first. The two still exchanged handwritten letters and he had begun to worry about his son. No word from Jackson, no text messages returned, no phone calls answered and no checks cashed. Her sister seemed to have her life going in the right direction, the direction they wanted for so long, but just couldn’t… didn’t feel safe enough to speak of. She knew her sibling, at least now she was positive she did and understood just how terrified they were of abandonment. Jackie hadn’t spoken to their parent because she was afraid of that happening, not being accepted. Telling him could be considered a breach of trust, but she also trusted their dad and took the risk. As the couple turned, she slunk away, moving to the other end of the bar wanting to watch her dad meet the daughter he never knew and wanting to give some distance in case things didn’t go well. Madison had hope, but she also felt like a coward as she put distance between herself and her family.

“Ja… Jackson?” Mr. Hart said as he took in the sight of his youngest child. He could have walked by the person he saw standing in front of him a dozen times and never thought it was his baby boy. Jacqueline, the name Madison had said Jackson was using now looked so much like their mother, but so did Madison. He never considered how much the two looked alike, not identical by any means, but them being siblings… sisters was obvious. His eldest had shared pictures to help him prepare, but nothing could prepare him for the young woman in front of him. “Jacqueline.” He said in a softer, somber voice.

“Dad!?” The room around Jackson fell away, his dad was here. He was here in the bar seeing him wearing a dress, high heels and a face covered in makeup. The man that raised him… that was there when he grew up had shown up to a party that at least partially was happening to celebrate his engagement to his best friend. Even if this wasn’t a real engagement, he didn’t think there was any way to explain why his son for all the world looked like a big breasted woman.