People don’t take trips, trips take people - Antoine 10

Parking up around the corner from the restaurant, Monique turned off the engine and turned towards Antoine who had been sat silently thinking throughout the journey, “we’re here”, she announced cheerfully, “are you hungry, Zara”?

“uh-huh”, Antoine responded, agreeing but not sure if he could actually eat with the feeling of butterflies in his stomach.

“Well, I hope so, because this place is supposed to be delicious”, Monique replied, “let’s go and find Lily shall we”?

It was only a short walk to the restaurant, but it was slow going for Antoine as he struggled to keep pace with Monique feeling very unstable and uncomfortable thanks to his new footwear that were causing him all types of problems.

Up until this point, Antoine had thought he'd been adjusting well under the circumstances, having plenty of practice walking around on his ramped wedged shoes over the last 24 hours, but these new platform pumps, with their extremely tall and unstable stiletto heels, were a completely different kettle of fish.

With his head down to avoid making eye contact with anyone on the busy Parisian street and dreading the inevitable reunion ahead of him,  Antoine took his time, making sure to plant each foot carefully, before each wobbly step, curling his toes to grip as his shiny nyloned feet slid around inside his hellish heels, threatening to send him toppling over on to the hard pavement below.

Out of breath and exhausted, Antoine and Monique turned a corner and saw the restaurant in front of them with its eye-catching façade, but Antoine as Antoine battled with his skirt, which was threatening to blow up and reveal his feminine underwear,  the flashy looking eatery where the last thing on his mind as he spotted Lily sat on a wall by the side of the building.

Lily looked beautiful that evening having dressed up for the occasion and under normal circumstanced, Antoine would have felt excited seeing her looking so pretty and feminine, in her short white dress with a floral design, and high wedge shoes. But that evening, as he slowly minced his way towards his loving girlfriend, his heels clicking loudly announcing his arrival, Antoine was finding hard to think of himself as her man, feeling completely humiliated and emasculated in his own fancy evening dress and towering heels as Lily stared back at him with a bewildered look plastered on her face.

(See image 16)

“Hi Lily, sorry we’re late, darling”, Monique cheerfully announced, rushing ahead to greet her daughter, "have you been waiting long"?

“No problem Mama, I’ve only just arrived”, Lily replied standing up and hugging her mother, as the whole time her eyes remained firmly locked on Antoine standing awkwardly behind her.

“Hi Zara”, Lily said stepping forward to hug her feminized boyfriend, very surprised to see him in a dress but also amazed by how good he looked wearing it.

“Hi, Lil”, Antoine quietly replied, his blushing red cheek hidden under his thick layer of foundation.

“Is, Brie not with you”? Asked Monique.

“No, she’s running a little late, but she’s still coming, she sends her apologies, and will meet us inside when she arrives”. Lily replied releasing Antoine from the hug.

“Ok, that’s fine, I guess”, Monique replied, “Well, girls, I don’t know about you, but I’m famished, shall we find out table”?

Lily linked her arm through Antoine’s who was still looking a little shell-shocked with everything going on, before guiding him towards the restaurant.

“Good evening madam, do you have a reservation”? Asked a handsome looking man just inside the door.

“Yes, it’s under Charpentier, but please call me, Monique”, Monique replied in a flirtatious voice and playing with her hair.

Lily shook her head in disgust and rolled her eyes, seeing her married mother blatantly flirting with a man half her age.

“Ah, yes here we are, a table for four", replied the smiling Maître d, "I’m afraid your table isn’t quite ready yet, but you are welcome to wait by the bar”? 

Monique breathed in, her cleavage lifting and becoming a little more prominent, through the deep V of the silk designer dress she had worn that evening, "Yes, the bar will do just fine, perhaps you'll join us for a drink...Jean", she replied reading the nametag on the man's chest.

“Can I use the bathroom”? Lily asked to break up the awkwardness.

“Of course, madam, just past the bar area on your left”. The Maître d replied grabbing a few menus from beside him, “ladies if you’d like to follow me? I’ll show you the way”.

“I’ll come with you, Lily" Antoine announced, arriving at the bar area as Monique located a spot to sit and Antoine and Lily broke off, heading towards the restroom. 

As Antoine once again focused on his foot placement, he again got a feeling he was about to do something wrong. Since the whole cross-dressing charade had begun, he had tried desperately to avoid using the women's bathroom as much as possible but having held off all day if he had tried to hold on any longer, he would have wet his panties. 

But with the bathroom being right next to the bar, he didn't have long to dwell on it as Lily ushered him through the door. After checking they were alone, Lily turned to face her boyfriend, “Oh my god, Antoine, you look so beautiful, I can’t believe you're wearing a dress, and those shoes, wow”.

Antoine shook his head, seeing his girly reflection in the bathroom mirror, “it’s your mother, Lil, she won’t listen to me, I know she thinks she’s helping, but this situation has gotten way out of hand, I feel so weird being here and dressed like this".

“I know, I’m so sorry, baby, but she’ll be gone in a few days and then we can get back to normal, promise", Lily replied reassuringly, "Try to think of it as a unique experience, you know, not many men get to find out how the other half lives”.

“I think I’ve already had enough experiences to last a lifetime", Antoine replied animated "today was awful, Lil, I was so embarrassed in all those shops, and when we entered that beauty salon, I thought I was going to have a heart attack”. 

“But you survived”, Lily replied smiling, “and they did a great job on that old wig, it looks so natural now”.

Antoine looked down at the floor, catching a glimpse of his shiny legs and shoes emerging from beneath a designer black dress, which even after an hour, still shocked him, “it’s not a wig”, he mumbled quietly.

“What”? Lily asked, not understanding what he had said.

“It’s not a wig, Lily”, Antoine repeated louder, “they put all this hair in my hair and…”, he said trailing off as he started to feel quite emotional.

“No way, you got extensions, no wonder it looks so good”, Lily replied completely stunned, before stepping forward to get a better look.

“I couldn’t stop her; you know what she’s like”? Antoine said in a sad quiet voice.

“Hey, don’t worry, baby, it’s not a big deal, we’ll just get you a haircut once Mama goes home, you’ll be back to your old self in no time", Lily said in a soothing voice, " And you know this might not actually be a bad thing”, she paused running her hand through Antoine’s newly extended hair, “it will actually make thing easier to conceal your identity"

“Nothing about this is easy, Lil”, Antoine replied staring her in the eyes.

Lily leaned forward and gave him a little peck on the lips before stepping back and flashing him a heart-melting smile, “Well, it’s tough to be a girl and to look beautiful, perhaps in future you’ll be a little more grateful for all the things I go through just to look pretty for you”.

Antoine smiled back, “I can definitely see that now”, he replied feeling slightly guilty for all the times he had taken her for granted.

“That’s better”, Lily announced, “try to relax and smile a little more, you look really pretty when you smile, now go and sort yourself out, then we’ll get back to Mama, Ok”?

Antoine nodded, again not liking that people kept telling him he was cute and pretty, but feeling the pressure pressing against his bladder he quickly tottered into one of the cubicles to relieve himself.

Later at the table, looking nervously around the elegantly designed room and seeing all the people in their designer outfits, smiling and conversing, Antoine felt out of his comfort zone, having never been able to afford to eat in such a fancy restaurant in the past, but feeling encouraged after the conversation with Lily in the bathroom, Antoine decided to try and relax and just go with the flow, In the belief that if he could just get through the next few days, everything would go back to normal and he could have his life back.

As the appetizers arrived, Antoine's eyes lit up as he saw a selection of delicious-looking dishes placed down in front of him by a smiling waiter. Smiling back at the waiter, Antione tried to push the thoughts, that he looked ridiculous and stupid, to the back of his mind, which was easier said than done, sat there in the fancy restaurant wearing a silky dress and hosiery, very conscious of the fact that no-one around him seemed to think he was out of place, sat with the three women on his table, wearing similar girly outfits.

“So, how is the business going, Brie”? Monique asked as the waiter placed a dish in front of her.

“Well, It’s been pretty tough trying to start a brand and make a name for myself but I’m going to work hard and make it a success, even if it kills me”, Brie answered enthusiastically.

“I can imagine how tough it must bee, but you keep going, these things take time, and I have a feeling that with your drive and passion, you'll make it a success”, Monique replied sincerely.

A huge smile crossed Brie’s face, “thanks, Monique, that so nice of you to say, Lily’s been a massive help too, it’s just a shame she can only help out on her days off”.

Monique fell silent for a moment, as though she was deep in thought before looking across the table, her eyes resting on Antoine who was ignoring the conversation and staring down happily at his food.

“Brie, I’ve just had an amazing idea”, Monique announced proudly, “You need some help with your business, right? and Zara is looking for work at the moment, you two could help each other out".

Antoine’s head shot up at lightning speed as he realized what Monique was implying, and with his eyes wide open and his blood pumping loudly in his ears, he waited on with bated breath for Brie to respond.

(See image 17)