On the way we would stop by a small coffee shop on the corner, where Victoria would get us something for breakfast. By nine in the morning we would be at "Victoria's Bridal". We spent most of the day organizing dresses and various clothing that she had in the store, with the occasional customer coming in. Victoria would introduce me to them as her niece: Jessica. At first I did not think anyone would believe her, but once I took a good look at myself in a mirror, I realized that with these clothes, makeup, pink ribbons in my hair, and my small body, I could easily pass for a pre-teenage girl.
The strangest thing was, that since I did not know any of the people that came into the store it was natural for me to assume the role of Jessica. And as long as I played the part Victoria was very nice to me. Over the week it became easier for me to be Jessica than Jason. At one point I even began to help Victoria with the customers.
During that whole week I saw very little of Jennifer. She only stopped by once, on Wednesday - three days after I had arrived in New York. She seemed to be in a real hurry. She walked into the store sometime after lunch. Victoria was in the back, with a customer, and I was sitting right by the door with a box of panties that needed to be organized by size.
"Hello Jess," said Jennifer, and patted my head.
Having not seen her for a few days, I almost forgot how incredibally tall she was.
"Where is Aunt Vicky?"
"She is in the back with a customer," I replied, trying to avoid making eye contact.
"OK, I see you have been getting used to things," she smiled as she looked at me from top to bottom.
"Look," I said, trying to be serious, "I know that this is suppose to be a joke and all, but shouldn't we get ready for the wedding? There are only three days left."
Jennifer smiled, and nodded her head: "Yes, Honey, yes there is. But you just worry about doing your part and I will take care of the rest. OK?"
"But I don't even know what my part is," I said.
"You will find out when the time comes."
At that moment Victoria came out from the back of the store and greeted Jennifer.
"Hello there, where have you been?"
"Well, I have so much planning to do it is crazy. I see you have been taking excellent care of our little Jessica."
"Yes, everything is working out great."
"OK, I will drop by on Friday then." The two women hugged, and Jennifer walked out.
I wanted to ask Victoria what that was all about, but she gave me a cold sharp look that instantly made me feel small and helpless again.
Just the thought of her being mad at me had me ready to cry.
Somehow over the past three days this woman had managed to strip me of any confidence and manliness I had.
When she was around I turned into a helpless little girl, ready to do anything to please 'Aunt Vicky'.
The next few days were not any different from the first three; other than I was becoming more and more comfortable in the role of Jessica. I learned to speak in a very high-pitched voice, so that the customers would not get suspicious of my appearance. I also noticed that my face became smoother, probably because of the creams and makeup Victoria put on me every morning.
By the time the wedding day came I was so used to being Jessica, that I could barely remember who I was less than a week before.
The day started earlier than usual with all the preparations. By 8am, Victoria and I were in the store. At around 8:30 the bridal party arrived. It consisted of seven women, most of whom I had never seen before, with the exception of Rob's mom Mrs. Moore. The other women were from Alice's side: her mother, two sisters and a couple of aunts. Just as before, I was introduced as Vicky's niece.
For a second I thought maybe Mrs. Moore would recognize me, as we had met before, on numerous occasions; but instead she looked at me and turning to Vicky said: "Oh, she is a princess. Just like her aunt."
It was my job to help the women put on their dresses. So for the next two hours I saw and touched more naked women than I had ever done in my entire life, up until that day.
To my surprise, and despite the fact that some of them were quite attractive I did not have a single sexual thought during the whole process.
At around 11:30 Alice and Jennifer showed up. At first, I did not even recognize Alice. She was fully made up, and her face looked very different to what I was used to, but very beautiful none-the-less. To my surprise she did not recognize me either. She looked right at me and said: "Hello Hon, and who might you be?"
I was in shock. All I could say was "It's me, Jason"
Suddenly, her eyes widened as she realized that she was talking to her future husband's Best Man. It was obvious she was trying to hide her surprise.
"What do you think?" Victoria joined the two women.
"We promised you it would be perfect!" added Jennifer.
"Unbelievable," exclaimed Alice. "Do they...?"
"Nope, they have no idea!"
"Wow."
They were obviously talking about the bridal party who had no clue who I was.
"Time to break the news to them," said Jennifer.
"Go ahead, we need to get ready," said Victoria leading Alice away. Probably to prepare the wedding dress.
Jennifer went into the back of the store, and with a surprisingly real look of worry on her face, began talking to the women in the bridal party. "Ladies," she said, in a tone that immediately claimed their attention. "We have a situation! We have just lost our flower girl."
The women reacted as if Jennifer had announced that the whole world was coming to an end. A short woman, who was a little older - probably Alice's mother, reacted first: "Oh God. What happened?"
"Well," replied Jennifer, "Rob's second cousin just came down with the flue."
"That is terrible. And we only just found out today?"
"Yes, we have to find someone else as soon as possible."
All the women started talking at the same time. Suddenly, Mrs. Moore looked at me and screamed: "Yes, of course, Victoria's niece. Look at her, she will be perfect." I froze in place, unable to make a sound.
"But she is too old," said one of the women.
"Yes, but look at her." Mrs. Moore walked up right to me and pinched my cheek between her fingers. "She is absolutely adorable."
As I stood amongst all these women discussing how adorable I looked, I wanted to scream out to them that I was not a little girl, but a grown man, who in reality was supposed to be the Best Man. But letting them know who I was now - after spending all that time with them; helping them get dressed, brushing their hair, and even helping with their underwear, would have been an even bigger humiliation. I figured my only chance to get out of it was to play the role.
In the highest pitched voice that I could possibly manage I said: "But I am too old to be the flower girl!" For a second I thought I would convince them, but Jennifer was not about to let me ruin what they had obviously planned for so long. She walked up to me, and lifted me up into the air as if I was a plastic doll filled with hot air.
"Of course you are, Jessica, but we do not have anyone else. It would really be a great help to all of us." As she said that, she cradled me easily in her gigantic arms, and held me helplessly in mid air.
"Of course she will do it." this was Victoria who had just come out of the back room.
"And I have the perfect outfit for her." She walked up to Jennifer and took me from her arms.
Once again the two amazons reduced me to feeling like a helpless child. And all this was done in front of complete strangers. I felt weak and helpless and once again ready to cry. Victoria held me in her arms, the same way that she had held me for the past six days.
I could smell her perfume; feel her large body next to mine, and just as before, I suddenly felt safe and warm. I wrapped my arms around her, and hid my face from everyone.
