Workman: Chapter Five - Part Seven

Rasheed didn’t look happy at all; but he looked confused – which of course he would. He didn’t know me at all.

“Who are you?” he said sullenly, putting me immediately on the back foot.

“Uh, Alison. Who are... Who are you?”

“I’m Rasheed. Is Sangeeta here?”

All I could do was play dumb. “Who?”

“Don’t pretend you don’t know who she is. I followed her here last night when she left the pub.” He pushed past me into the hall.

“Hey!”

I went to the lounge doorway and looked inside. “Are you his girlfriend or something?”

“What? No! Hey, you can’t go in there!”

He disappeared into the kitchen but as I started after him he reappeared. “Who are you then?” he said.

I hated the way he was being with me but he was a lot taller and broader than I was in this silly woman’s body – really intimidating. It was abundantly clear that he could do anything he wanted to me and I wouldn’t be able to fight him off if he tried. I’d never felt so aware of my vulnerability in my life. I didn’t want to try standing up to him in case he got angry. I’d never been any good at being assertive and the sudden loss of my masculine attributes made it worse.

“I’m... Geoff’s sister,” I said.

“Well where is he?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know.”

Rasheed looked up the stairwell. “Are they upstairs together? I know she spent the night last night.” He started up.

“Wait,” I said. “You can’t just go up there. This is private property.”

He ignored me and went out of sight, leaving me alone in the darkened hall.

I hated the way he was making me feel in my own house. He had no right to be here. I considered calling the police. Then I felt the ring in my pocket and considered my other option. I knew as Geoff I’d be able to see him off easily. I was easily bigger than him as a bloke.

The tromp of his footsteps went over my head in the master bedroom.

I took out the ring and put it over the end of my finger, immediately getting the tingle of first contact.

But if I kept putting it on then where would it end? I might not want to take it off again and each time I wore it I became more and more manly. It might reach the point where I’d never want to take it off again. Though right now that felt like it would be a good thing. It felt weird being a woman and when I was a man again, nobody would be able to ever push me around.

His footsteps went back towards the top of the stairs. It was now or never or else he might catch me half way through the change.

I pushed the ring down to the first joint. My skin crackled, eager for the strength and power to return to my limbs.

I took it off again completely and put it back in my pocket.

I wasn’t going to change. I couldn’t solve all my problems by becoming a man, and I didn’t want it to take over my life. I wasn’t going to change again.

At least for now.

Rasheed started down the first few steps of the staircase then stopped, freezing in the same way I did when the doorbell went again.

“Bloody hell,” I murmured. “Who now?”
 

But I already knew of course. Who else could it be? And how much worse could my night get?