I knew that my marriage of eight years was most likely over right then. After a rather heated argument, which I was at fault for, my wife turned me into her maid. I had to dress like one at home, serve her meals while eating and sleeping alone.
During this time, I kept a clean, neat house for which she frequently complimented me on. It was no hardship, and some of it had been fun, but mostly the whole experience had been a nightmare. Still, I loved my wife; otherwise, I wouldn't be in my current situation. I thought allowing this punishment to play out; she would calm down and forgive me. It seems I was wrong.
This evening, my wife's announcement went way beyond the pale after ambushing me in the kitchen while cleaning up from dinner.
Putting away the leftover food, I sat at the kitchen table. "I have a few questions, Alice, to make sure I heard you right."
Ignoring her frown at not being called Mistress, I contemplated for a moment before asking, "So, I am no longer welcome in our...."
"My"
I tried not to sigh. "Your bedroom?"
"No, of course not. You obviously need to come in and clean it like you have been doing. And we will share a bed on occasion. Otherwise, you have your own room."
"Our guest bedroom where I have been sleeping for the past six weeks."
"Well, yes, as I explained before, we will make it more your room. I am sure some cute pink curtains, sissy it up a bit, some nice...."
"No."
"Excuse me."
"I said, no thank you, I have no desire to sleep in a room looking that way. It's my choice, right?"
She looked confused for a moment, uncertain, then that familiar anger returned. "Of course, it's your choice."
"And this is to become permanent, right. And the whole taking up a boyfriend thing. Does this mean you want an open marriage or a divorce?"
The divorce, maybe the rest was a nonstarter, but I wondered.
"No, of course not, but I'll divorce your ass if you cheat on me." She angrily replied. My wife then promised me I was her only love, but she wanted a real man in her life.
Yea, as I thought, "But it's OK if you cheat on me."
The smile she gave me was a bit unsettling. "No, if anything, I will be cheating on Eric but not you, Erin."
I was pissed. Nodding, I stood up, took my apron off, and started to walk out of the room.
"What aren't you going to eat dinner?"
I wanted my wife back, but it seemed that agreeing to her many and somewhat humiliating demands had been a mistake.
"Lost my appetite."
Alice found me a few hours later in my office. Not bothering to knock, she cheerily announced, "I'm going to go to bed, and I want you to join me. I even bought some new toys."
Well, as I mentioned earlier, some of this had been nice. We enjoyed a active sex life, although a little vanilla, until six weeks ago. Toys were fun, and Alice even started calling me her lesbian lover, not that I minded; however, tonight, I wasn't in the mood.
"Sorry, I have work to do." I didn't bother looking up. "It's getting close to tax season, and I still have a bunch of things to do tonight."
Now that must have surprised her. I had never turned down sex, even in the middle of my busiest time of year.
"What."
"Oh, before you go. I won't be home until late for the rest of the week."
"Who's going to make me dinner?"
Looking up, I shrugged. "You can eat out or make your own, your choice. Also, don't bother waiting for me."
"Whatever." She turned around, slamming the door behind her.
"Not that we eat together anyway," I whispered, then finished up an email to my real estate agent. I had asked for our other house to be taken off the market. It seems I might need a place to live.
A couple of years ago, my mom passed away after a long fight with breast cancer. This whole dressing as a maid thing started when we went through my mom's old belongings. It was then my wife discovered Erin.
My dad had disappeared from my life when I was still in elementary school, running off with some woman from work. So, growing up, it was just my mom and me. A couple of Halloweens after he had left, I proclaimed I wanted to dress as a Princess Peach from the Mario Brother's game.
Pretty sure if dad had been around, it would never have happened. My mom thought it would be a lot of fun. Then one day after work, she found me in one of her dresses, high-heeled shoes, and attempting, I might add badly, to put on make-up. I told her that tonight I was Erin, her daughter, instead of Eric, her son.
Speaking to a counselor, the lovely lady informed my mom that it might be the way I was coping with my dad leaving. I insisted that I felt like a boy some days, while other days I felt like a girl.
I had only dressed as my other self once since I got married. Erin visited my mom in hospice before she passed, making her day. Otherwise, the last time had been the summer before I graduated college. Unfortunately, Alice came across several photo albums full of pictures of me dressed in fem that I didn't even know existed.
She was beyond furious.
I tried to explain my past to her. It didn't matter. I had lied, and she was correct, so I decided to take my lumps. That's when my home life went to shit.
The following day had come way too early, leaving before the sun came up; my wife would have to make her own breakfast.
"Janet, you late," I commented as my tardy employee entered the office.
My newest associate was a friend of my wife's, which might be why she had been pushing things these last few weeks. Since I caved into my wife's demands, Janet felt she could also push. I imagine the two of them had been talking. I really didn't want to fire her, but I would.
"I can't have you come in late this time of year."
She could only nod, obviously more than a little surprised if not frightened.
