The Boutique's Unexpected Hire (2/4)

Tyler sighed in relief as he stepped through the front door, dropping his bag by the entrance. After a long summer at his aunt’s boutique, he was finally home. No more skirts, no more makeup, no more "Tina"—just normal life again.

Everything was just as he remembered, and from the hallway, he could hear his mom moving around in his bedroom.

“Oh, hey, sweetie,” she greeted him casually, poking her head out. “I’m just finishing up your bed. Why don’t you hop in the shower? I’ll set out some fresh clothes for you.”

“Alright,” Tyler said, stretching his arms as he headed toward the bathroom. A hot shower sounded perfect after the long trip home.

The hot shower was refreshing, washing away the exhaustion of traveling, but as he stepped out, still toweling off his hair, his eyes landed on something that made his breath hitch. Right outside the door, neatly folded on a small bench, was a black, plunging top and a red plaid mini-skirt.

His heart lurched. “MOM?!” he shouted, gripping the towel tighter around his waist. “What the hell is this?!”

Her voice floated up from downstairs, calm and casual. “Tina’s clothes, of course! You better get dressed soon, sweetheart.”

His stomach dropped. His breath caught in his throat. She knew.

Pulse pounding, he hurried toward his bedroom, slipping inside and shutting the door behind him. He needed to think, needed to breathe—but the second he looked up, his world came crashing down.

The walls, once covered in posters and sports memorabilia, were now a soft pastel pink. The dark bedding had been replaced with ruffles and floral prints. His shelves were lined with perfumes, makeup brushes, and jewelry boxes. The closet doors were slightly open, revealing nothing but dresses, skirts, and rows of high heels neatly lined up like soldiers awaiting duty.

His old clothes—his jeans, his hoodies, his sneakers—were gone. The air felt heavy as he took it all in, his stomach twisting at the sight. What has she done?

He turned back to the outfit outside the bathroom, hesitating only a moment before pulling it on. There was no use standing around—his regular clothes were gone, and his mom clearly expected him to wear this.

Once dressed, he smoothed down the skirt and took a deep breath before heading downstairs, where his mom turned from the kitchen counter and smiled. “Oh, Tina, you look darling.”

Tyler’s hands curled into fists at his sides. “Mom… what is this? What’s going on?”

She smiled, completely at ease. “Oh, sweetheart, I just decided I liked Tina much more than Tyler. So, for now, she’s going to be staying.”

His stomach twisted. “What? You can’t be serious—what about school?”

She sighed. “You can go as Tyler if you really want to. But any other time? You’ll be Tina.”

Tyler barely had time to process that before she unzipped a makeup bag and pulled out a foundation sponge. “Let’s get you looking presentable,” she said, her tone light but firm as she began applying it to his face, blending with steady, practiced strokes. He flinched at first but didn’t resist as she worked, layering on powder to set everything in place before sweeping a soft blush across his cheeks. Mascara followed, darkening and lengthening his lashes, then a touch of liner to subtly enhance his eyes.

The lipstick came last—a soft, neutral shade that made his lips look fuller and polished. As she stepped back to inspect her work, Tyler caught his reflection in the window. The face staring back was unmistakably feminine, not a trace of Tyler left.

Satisfied, his mom moved on without a word, stepping over to the dresser and pulling open a drawer. Tyler’s stomach dropped as she reached inside and retrieved a set of silicone breast forms. She pressed them firmly into place, smoothing his top over them until they sat just right. The weight against his chest made his stomach twist, the pull of their presence impossible to ignore.

Before he could even react, she was already kneeling down, setting a pair of sleek black stilettos in front of him. He hesitated only briefly before stepping into them, straightening with ease. They were taller than what he was used to, but after all the practice he’d had, his balance adjusted naturally, his posture shifting without thought.

Finally, she picked up a black handbag from the counter and placed it in his hands. The weight of it was oddly final, like a silent confirmation that this wasn’t just for today.

His mom clapped her hands lightly. “Alright, let’s go. Hurry along, sweetheart.”

As he adjusted his skirt, he hesitated before asking, “Where are we going?”

His mom simply smiled, as if the answer should have been obvious. “To your job interview, of course. My friend’s boutique in town has an opening, and I knew you’d want it.”

Tyler’s stomach twisted as he followed her toward the door. This was already shaping up to be far worse than summer.