Shipping Clerk Ch. 02

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Going Home

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At the end of his day, Andy closed his laptop with satisfaction. He had accomplished a lot, and tomorrow was a new day! He gave Abby's picture a smile and said to it, "One more day, and one more dollar closer, honey." As he said that, he realized that it was truer than ever before. On Friday, his paycheck was going to be deposited directly into his own personal bank account. Being an adult was awesome!

One of the many post-pandemic reforms was a change to legal adulthood. In the bad old days before the pandemic, absolutely everyone became a minor adult at age 18 and a full adult at age 21. The differences were very small, though, mainly access to alcohol and tobacco. But now things were different. People still became minor adults at age 18, but there were a lot of restrictions on what they could actually do. For Andy, the biggest impediment had been the inability to sign legally binding contracts without the consent of his senior spouse or legal guardian. As a result, he couldn't have opened his own bank account or rented an apartment without Lina being a co-signatory.

When Andy moved out upon achieving majority at age 25, that was one of the first things he did. He went and opened his own bank account. And now, his employer was going to deposit his money into it! Instead of surviving on Lina's allowance, he would have full control over his own money for the first time in his life. It was a heady feeling. It was even better that he knew that Lina would have no idea until Friday, when the Stotts Trucking payroll department sent his money to him!

Andy paused. He was exiting the Finance Dept. and Payroll was on his left. La'Shawna, the payroll clerk, had gone home for the night and her cubicle was dark. An evil plan formed in Andy's mind. He would come in early on Monday morning. When La'Shawna arrived, a giant-ass cupcake from Cupcaketopia would be on her desk. She would have no idea why it was there. Andy smiled the evil smile of every Evil Overlord everywhere as he contemplated...

"Andy, shouldn't you be going home now?"

Startled out of his Evil Overlord reverie, Andy looked up. Both Ms. Stotts were right in front of him. Ms. Marilyn Stotts was the CFO of Stotts Trucking. She was his direct supervisor. Ms. Katheryn Stotts was the CEO. Both were tall, blonde women wearing expensive skirt suits and heels. They had clearly just returned from a formal business meeting of some sort. They were holding hands. They were sisters... or lovers... or spouses. No one really knew for certain. Or if they did, they weren't talking. Post-pandemic marital relationships are incredibly flexible.

"Oh, uh, I was thinking of buying La'Shawna a present!" Andy informed them enthusiastically. "So umm yeah, a cupcake, from Cupcaketopia."

"This is the one you were telling me about?" asked the CEO, while looking Andy over.

Andy froze in place. The CFO Ms. Stotts was powerful and intimidating, but she had nothing on the CEO Ms. Stotts. One of the many lingering effects of the ten-year X-virus pandemic was severe damage to X-chromosomes. Only about 40% of women were capable of bearing children. Andy's mother had been one of the "fortunate" few... and it had killed her. Katheryn Stotts was completely different. The damage to her X-chromosomes had made her tall, broad-shouldered, and dominant. The demise of the Patriarchy had left women like this in charge.

Katheryn calmly approached her fear-paralyzed employee and gently lifted his ponytail. "I assume this is the boy you were talking about?" she asked again. "This really is lovely hair."

Andy didn't say anything at all. He thought that was best.

"Yes, I think we can get him better situated," Ms. Marilyn replied, "He's clearly in an abusive relationship, and we need to put a stop to it. I would say "nip it in the bud", but this has been going on for years right under our noses, and we just need to end it."

"Agreed. Grab your bag, and we'll head out"," replied Ms. Katheryn crisply.

Ms. Katheryn was behind Andy now, pulling the hair tie off of his ponytail. She didn't ask permission, she just did it. It was one of Abby's favorites, the one with the green plastic turtles. Juliet hated it because it wasn't "classy" enough. It was merely cute. Lina was extremely prestige-oriented and apparently, plastic turtles weren't prestigious. Andy disagreed with her and had won that particular parenting battle. It was one of his few victories against Lina, and he remembered it fondly. This morning, Andy hadn't anything else to use on his new hair, so he used that.

Katheryn floofed Andy's now-unbound hair and began to re-tie it. "This really is lovely hair," she murmured. "Please don't let anything bad happen to it."

"I won't, Ma'am, it's my mother's hair," he replied. The unconsented-to touching was both disturbing and comforting, given how gentle it was. He hadn't been touched like that in years. As his marriage slowly broke down, Lina first turned cold, then indifferent, and then found somebody new.

The woman behind him chuckled appreciatively. "What did she say when you sent her a picture of it?"

"She passed years ago, when I was 14. In childbirth."

"I'm so sorry, sweetie, I didn't know. We've lost so many. Marilyn was only able to give birth once, and just barely. We've been barren ever since."

"It's okay, Ma'am, it was a long time ago and I've been..." Andy paused. He was suddenly conscious of the fact that he was talking to his boss. Not just his boss, but his boss's, boss's, boss... or something like that. The words died in his throat, the vast gap between their stations in life shutting him down hard.

"It's all right, honey, I overstepped," she said as she finished tying his ponytail back up and came around to his front, casually trailing her nails along his shoulder. Andy shivered. "Fertile women are a rare and precious commodity these days, and every loss is a tragedy. But we tend to forget that it's even more tragic for the relatives left behind."

Her voice exuded compassion, and Andy nodded. He wasn't willing to talk about his mother to this woman. She was being kind and considerate of his feelings, but he wasn't about to bare them to her.

"Just so you know, honey, we have a very generous maternity package here at Stotts Trucking. You'll be going into heat sometime in the next four months and I want you to know that we will move all mountains in our path to ensure that you get the very best medical treatment, do you understand?"

Andy did understand that... intellectually. But he wasn't ready to accept it emotionally yet. Shifters had a four-month heat cycle. Although the S-virus was still relatively new, and misinformation was pervasive on the Internet, he had been able to find that much out. About four months from now, he would go into heat. For about four days, he, or rather she at the time, would be stuck in her female form, highly aroused sexually, and extremely fertile. If she had sex with anyone with any motile sperm at all, then she was approximately 100% likely to get pregnant. It was a frightening thought, and he was impressed and gladdened by the fact that his boss had thought ahead about it and tried to put him at ease.

"Yes, Ma'am," he replied, then tried to change the subject. "What flavor of cupcake do you think I should get for La'Shawna?"

"Strawberry mocha, she'll probably orgasm on the spot when she takes the first bite," said Ms. Marilyn as she walked up behind Andy.

Seizing the distraction, Andy enthusiastically replied, "Oo! I saw that one, but Abby wanted vanilla raspberry and I only had enough for one," Andy told her as the three of them made it out the door and headed toward the pickup zone.

Once again, Ms. Marilyn opened the door for Andy, although it was Ms. Katheryn who placed a possessive hand on Andy's lower back as they went through the door. He still wasn't sure how to think about this strange inversion of the chivalric code. Was it because they now perceived him as a young, female breeder? That wasn't how Andy viewed himself, but he could see how they could make that mistake.

At the curb, the trio stopped. Andy saw that the Stotts' car was coming for them. He looked at his phone with a sharp, dissatisfied sigh and stepped off the curb, heading for the main road. Lina cut off his phone again because he wasn't picking up. Now he couldn't call a car. Andy trudged down the drive with his backpack. As long as he kept up a good pace, he should be home by 8:30. The extra calories from the Pasta Garden luncheon were about to serve him well. When he gained control over his own finances, he was totally getting his own phone. He wondered if they would let him keep the same number?

The Stotts' private car pulled up beside him and the door swung open.

"Andy, get in the car"," came a crisp, authoritative voice from within.

Andy got in the car. He had gone back to his usual withdrawn mode and there wasn't much the Stotts could do to bring him out of it. After a few attempts at conversation, they decided to ride in silence.

Katheryn's polite smile became more and more forced as they approached Andy's neighborhood. The population decline had a greater impact in some neighborhoods than others. This was clearly one of them. They passed a number of eerily-abandoned buildings. Andy was glad he didn't have to walk past them today. Anyone could be in there, doing who-knows-what.

They pulled into Andy's apartment complex to drop Andy off. Andy was a bit surprised when both women exited the car with him. He just wanted to go up to his room and be alone right now. It had been a sorely trying day. And he still had to call Mrs. Moskowitz with his female measurements.

"This is where you live?" Katheryn asked, her lips wrinkled in distaste.

"Yes, Ma'am."

"I'm not sure I like the look of that park we just passed."

"No, Ma'am, that's where the drug dealers hang out. I don't bring Abby there. We use the park near my wives' house."

"I see," Ms. Katheryn responded. "Tomorrow morning, I will pick you up and you will ride in with me. Be ready at 8:30. See you in the morning, Andy."

Andy trudged up the stairs, avoiding that weird drippy spot, to the third floor. Half of the apartments he passed were empty and boarded up. It wasn't a great place to live, but it was affordable.

Once inside, he flopped onto the couch. Mrs. Moskowitz told him to call her right away once he arrived, but he didn't feel up to it. Andy checked his phone, it was still turned off. He was emotionally drained from his big day. At least he hadn't had to walk home. He could shift into his female form anyway, though. He had spent the entire day yesterday avoiding it, so he hadn't really had chance to really examine himself... or was it herself? This was all so confusing.

No, he thought, looking around his bare-bones apartment with the dumpster-find furniture. It just didn't feel right to him. Women needed to be respected and cared for. Because of his financial constraints, he could barely care for himself, much less his girl-self. Plus, not only did she need and deserve nicer surroundings, girl-Andy needed and deserved some freaking clothing. He... meaning SHE... wasn't going to sit around the house wearing tatty old t-shirts and cargo pants. One of the websites he went to the day before recommended that shifters try thinking of their new-gender self as a separate person; perhaps a friend or relative of their original-gendered self. Andy couldn't do it. Actually, he could, he just couldn't see her in this environment. It hurt his heart just thinking about allowing a woman he loved to live here. He needed to find a better place to live before he was willing to try being girl-Andy. It didn't require a lot of thinking because it just felt right.

The decision was made. Andy wasn't going to be girl-Andy at all until he had finished moving out. That meant gaining control over his income and using it to find a better place to live. And some clothing, preferably including a nice flannel nightgown like his mother used to wear around the house. "It might take a few weeks, then we'll see," he thought.

Andy checked his phone yet again, saw that it was still turned off, and took his bag into the kitchen. Tonight, he was feasting on his uneaten lunch and he was going to make some noodles. He set the teakettle on high heat and began dicing some bologna slices and an onion to add to the noodles. As he was doing so, he heard a key rattling in the lock. The door opened and it was Lina.

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Psychopathic, Gaslighting, Manipulative Rant

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Author's Note -- THIS IS THE TRIGGERING PART. Do not read! You were warned.

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He sighed. Of course it was Lina. He had to give her a key to the apartment as a condition of their separation agreement. To his knowledge, she had never been here before. Was Ms. Stotts right? Had all of this been a set-up? The concert tickets, the friendly girl who "happened" to have the seat next to him? Who also "happened" to be a shape shifter? Was this all part of a conspiracy?

"What do you want, Lina?" he asked.

"Nice greetings for your spouse. Help me with my bags," she demanded.

"No, I don't want you here. I moved here to get away from you," Andy replied, returning to his dicing.

"Why do you have a knife? Are you brandishing that at me?" she asked incredulously while waving her phone at him. "Because I will call WPS right now and they will come here and have your nuts of!"

Andy sighed again. It just never got any better. "No, Lina, I'm making food. I said that. What do you want?"

"What I want is for you to be a gentleman and help me with my fucking bag," she snapped. "What I want is for you to be a father to your daughter who cried herself to sleep last night because you weren't there to tuck her in. What I want is for you to stop being so selfish and come home right now."

Then, abruptly realizing that berating him wasn't working, she changed tactics. Her tone of voice became pleading. "Honey, Rochelle and I still love you in spite of all the hell you've put us through. We really do love you and care for you and want you to be happy. You need to stop trying to be independent. It doesn't suit you, it's not good for you. You've never been very good at it. Remember when we first met at your freshman orientation? You looked so lost and alone. My heart went out to you then. I still feel the same way. Whenever I see you, I still feel that way."

"I'm sorry, Lina," he lied without remorse or inflection, "my mind's made up. I'm staying right here." As soon as he saved enough for a deposit, he was going to move to a nicer neighborhood with fewer gangs, graffiti, and drug dealers. Where that might be was none of her business.

Once Andy finished dicing, he just had to wait for the water to boil. He stayed exactly where he was, with his hands on the counter, looking down at them. He refused to engage with her any more than the bare minimum. He didn't even look at her. There was a fascinating series of cigarette burns in the linoleum counter between his hands. The previous tenant must have enjoyed smoking while they cooked. That was much more interesting than anything Lina had to say.

"Look, Andy, I know you're in trouble. I know you became a shifter over the weekend and this isn't a very safe neighborhood. Anything could happen to a girl living alone and I want you to be safe. Can't you see that? I even brought you some clothes to wear, isn't that generous of me? Can't you see I want the best for you?"

"There it is," thought Andy, "the admission of guilt." He turned his head and looked at her for the first time since she had entered the door. He smiled a delightful, wicked smile that even the Grinch would have envied. "And how do you know that, did you send her?"

Caught in the lie, she went on the offensive. "How dare you imply I had anything to do with Mina being there! I had nothing to do with it. She works at our law firm! I had no idea who had the other free tickets. I came here to help you, and you attacked me with your lies and insinuations. This is unacceptable. You need to stop being so stubborn and let other people help you. I'm looking out for your best interest. This neighborhood isn't safe, especially for a young breeder living alone. That's unacceptable to me and I just want to help you get out of this predicament you've forced yourself into!"

"Now," she said calmly, switching personas and tactics in an instant. "I want you to shift to your true form and put on these clothes so we can leave. The rest of this junk can stay here. I'll have a moving company come in and toss it all back in the dumpsters you got it from. It's disgraceful. You were never much of a man, but at least you were one. Now you're not and you can't keep living here alone. It's not safe and I don't want to read about you being attacked in the morning news broadcast. I love you and want you safe. Will you please come home with me where you belong? Abby misses you so much and she'll cry... again... tonight if you're not there to give her a goodnight kiss. You've caused enough heartbreak already."

The kettle was hooting by now. Taking measured calming breaths, Andy turned away from her and poured hot water into his noodles. Then he slowly and deliberately added the diced onions, bologna, the spice packet, and a few glurks of hot sauce. Although he was long accustomed to Lina's tirades, sometimes he needed a distraction to re-center his roiling thoughts and emotions.

Andy moved to one of the two chairs at the table and stirred the mix thoughtfully. He needed more information. "What's my motivation?" he asked.

"Your motivation is to be the spouse and father you promised to be! But I can see that's another one of your lies!" she snapped bitterly as she stood over him.

"Here," she said, pulling a letter out of her purse. "This proves that I'm trying to help you, since you won't take my word for it. This is a job offer at my law firm, it pays twice as much as you're earning now, and it comes with benefits. You'll have a carfare allowance, a clothing stipend, gym membership, a salon account, everything you could ask for. If you work hard and prove yourself, one of the senior partners might even let you move in with them as a mistress or something. Isn't that what you wanted? To be free of me, after everything I've done for you? This will give you that. Just sign it and we can go."

Andy kept his head down over his dinner. He didn't want her to see his face. Even though he knew Lina, even though he had been forewarned, this felt like an arrow in the gut. It was all true, every word of what Ms. Stotts and Mrs. Markowitz told him. How could people even operate this way? How could they look at themselves in the mirror each morning?

Lina pulled the offer letter out of the envelope and pressed a pen into his hand. "Just sign here, honey, and I'll take care of everything," she coaxed. It was a very nice pen, the kind of pen a lawyer would carry for signing important documents. It was heavy, too, thought Andy as he flipped it around in his hand as though he were crazy enough to sign that devil's contract.

Andy set his dinner aside and reached for the offer letter.

Smiling victoriously, she gave it to him.

Andy handed her expensive pen back, folded the unsigned document, and stuck it in the cargo pocket of his khakis. "Tell you what..." he told her calmly as he leaned back in his chair, meeting her gaze for the first time. Now he was calm. Now he was in control. The lies had been revealed and it was actually a relief. "...lemme think about it and I'll have an answer for you sometime this week. I'll need my phone turned back on, though, so I can call you and give you my decision."

"Ridiculous! You have 48 hours, and not a minute longer!"