An Unforgettable Sissy Summer

The Shoes

That weekend Chloe returned from her holiday. She was beautifully tanned and was positively glowing at breakfast on Monday before starting back at the bridal shop with her mum and brother.

"So, did anything happen last week? How did it all go?"

Michael choked slightly on his cheerios as his mum started answering, nervous that she'd tell Chloe about the photo shoot.

"No nothing too exciting. We had some new dresses in so a photographer came and took some photos. We managed to find a great model". Claire gave Michael a quick wink and a cheeky smile which he didn't appreciate.

"Ok cool", replied Chloe, barely looking up from her phone.

Perhaps there was nothing to worry about, thought Michael. Nobody would know it was him. Chloe wasn't asking any questions. Everything was good.

The three of them arrived at work and everything proceeded as usual. Chloe shone in front of the customers, and was getting lots of compliments on her tan. Michael retreated into himself slightly as his mum expected, and started hanging around out the back doing inventory as he had done in the first week.

It pained Claire to see this. They had such a good time the previous week and they had bonded so well. She loved Chloe of course she did, but Michael needed this job much more than Chloe. She was a social butterfly and completely out of her shell. She knew who she was and who she wanted to be. Whereas Michael was lost. Last week was the first time she'd properly connected with her son. It was also the first time that he'd shown some self confidence.

But how could Claire ask Chloe to stop working for her? She'd have way too many questions. 

The next morning however a solution presented itself. Chloe woke up with a terrible fever. It must have been some bug she caught whilst on holiday. As painful as it was to see her daughter sick, Claire was secretly pleased that she could spend the day bonding with her son. Michael seemed just as pleased, as he was much more chatty in the car ride to the shop than the previous day when Chloe was there.

In the shop he was just like he was the previous week. He was engaging with the customers. He was smiling. He was definitely staring wistfully at the dresses Claire was sure of it. The two of them shared some jokes and chatted constantly throughout the day.

It was during a quiet period in the afternoon when Claire heard a crash of boxes from the storeroom. Michael was nowhere to be seen so she went back there to investigate. She saw Michael on his knees having just fallen over.

"Oh darling are you alri-..." That's when Claire noticed what was on his feet. Michael was wearing a silver pair of strappy heels. They were 6 inch stilettos and most women would have struggled walking in them. Claire didn't know what to say, so she offered up some sympathy.

"Are you hurt, are you ok?" 

Michael was red in the face and clearly horrendously embarrassed. 

"I'm fine mum, I'll clear up the boxes just go back to the store".

"You know it's fine baby don't know... there's nothing to be embarr-"

"I said I'm fine Mum please. God".

Claire returned to the storefront, not quite sure what to do with herself. When she had asked Michael to model those dresses, she thought that would be the end of it. Sure she'd noticed him eyeing up some of the dresses since then, but maybe he was just daydreaming thinking about that day. Now the shoes though? This warranted a more serious chat.

He returned to the storefront with his trainers on, and his head down. Claire wasn't sure how to broach the subject, so simply asked...

"Is there anything you want to talk about darling?"

"No not really" mumbled Michael.

"Quite ambitious to go from kitten heels to 6 inch stilettos", maybe humour would be the way to get through. 

"Well actually, I was just trying to help out the customers so thought i'd get to know the products a little better..." retorted Michael.

"You know darling, there's nothing wrong with wanting to try new things. If you wanted I could find you an easier pair of heels to practice in?"

Michael was silent for a moment. He looked as if he was about to say yes but then the door opened a customer entered. By the time Claire looked back around Michael had disappeared to the back room.

He didn't speak much for the rest of the day, and the car ride home was painfully silent. When he got back home he went to his room and didn't come down until breakfast.