“We’ll figure things out, dear,” Lalita promised, running her fingers through Maurice’s hair.

“I don’t know what to do,” he sobbed.

Maurice clutched tighter to his girlfriend. His life was in shambles. He couldn’t hold down a job and his family wanted nothing to do with him. It’s not like he wasn’t trying! But medication was expensive and scarce and it was hard to focus on one thing at a time, let alone find the motivation to keep getting out of bed every day.

He didn’t deserve Lalita. He knew that her folks thought as much. The Narang family was well-known as one of the most successful business families in this part of the country. Even Lalita was destined to inherit a small corporation with three subsidiaries when she finally got her doctorate.

“I would take you in if I could,” Lalita promised.

“Your mother would never let that happen.”

“I know. And she won’t just let me write you a check every month, either, or I’d do that.”

“It’s not fair,” he moaned. “I’m trying, but even when I have the opportunity–”

“You don’t have the support you need,” she finished, rubbing his back. “I promise: I’ll find some way to get what you need.”

It took a while for Maurice to calm down. Once the sobs had been reduced to sniffles, though, he realized that he actually had something of a headache. Lalita stood up to get him some painkillers. It was remarkable how out of place she looked in this ratty little apartment. She only wore designer clothes and the last time Maurice hadn’t bought something store brand was when he was in college.

“I have to go. There’s a dinner party tonight,” Lalita told him when he took the medicine from her. “But call me if you really need me, okay?”

“Okay, I will.”

Maurice took the painkillers, then took a lot more whiskey than he needed to so he could get to bed early that night. He promised himself he’d start sending out applications for a new job in the morning. Naturally, he slept right through the entire day and didn’t wake up until the evening sun was streaming through his window. At that point, why even get up?

He almost didn’t look at his phone to see who was calling, but he was glad he did.

“Hello?” Maurice croaked.

“Hey, do you mind if I come over?” Lalita asked softly. “I have good news. Or, rather, it could be good news, depending on what you think of it.”

“Sure, I’ve got nothing better going on.”

Lalita was there within an hour. They hugged at the door and headed to the small kitchen table. She had correctly guessed that Maurice hadn’t eaten yet and brought some fast food.

“If this idea works out, this’ll be the last cheap garbage you have to put in you,” she said.

“Don’t knock it until you try it,” he replied. She just crinkled her nose in response. “So, what’s the news?”

Lalita explained, “My family needs to hire a couple new maids. So, I had an idea. You’re kind of… small and soft, right?” Maurice’s heart began to sink. “If we dress you up as a girl, then you can pose as a new maid.”

“Lali…”

“No, this is a good idea,” she insisted. “You’ll have a place to stay for free and an income. It’s just until you can support yourself on your own again. Please, Maurice. I’m worried about you.”

He groaned, “This seems a little drastic.”

“It is. But I can’t bear the thought of you slipping through the cracks, priye. What other options do we have?”

Maurice sighed.

“Has it really come to this?” he asked.

“It doesn’t have to be forever. And you’ll always be close by. Imagine getting to see each other more than once or twice a week.”

“...There’s no way this will work.”

“I promise you: it will.”

Maurice didn’t say anything more. He continued to eat his burger while Lalita waited in silence. Outside, a car alarm started blaring. It continued for over ten minutes while Maurice chewed quietly.

Once he’d finished eating, he looked down at his lap and said, “Alright. I’m out of other ideas.”

Lalita stood up and warped Maurice in a hug.

“I promise that you won’t regret this.”

It was another two weeks before they could actually put their plan into action. On the day of, Lalita picked Maurice up in her car. He felt out of place in the passenger seat. Maurice probably didn’t have the net worth necessary to fit into the trunk.

The Narang manor was on the wealthy side of the city outskirts, on top of a big hill. It must have housed well over two dozen-people once all the staff was included. When Lalita parked the car, Maurice pulled his hood up and stepped outside with his head down. Someone took the keys from Lalita and she hurried Maurice in through a side door.

They went through several hallways before ending up in a rather nice room. Two four-poster beds occupied most of the space, and there was a dresser on either side of the room. An open door revealed a private bathroom. There was a small TV and a few gaming consoles set up as well.

Waiting for them was a woman in a black and white maid uniform.

“Is this her?” she asked in a faint eastern European accent.

“Him,” Maurice corrected.

“Relax, Maurice. She’s a friend.” Lalita explained, “This is Anna. She’s going to be your mentor while you’re getting used to the role.”

“I have all the supplies,” Anna said, gesturing to a large foot locker resting by one of the beds. “Let’s get started.”

“You’ll be posing as a girl,” Lalita reminded Maurice, opening the chest. “So I put some women’s clothes in the dressers for your days off. Now, get in the bathroom.”

Lalita and Anna dragged Maurice to the tub and forced him to strip. At Maurice’s insistence, Anna left the room, but once he was in the water she returned carrying a small case. From inside, she pulled out a bunch of shaving supplies.

“How am I going to hide my facial hair?” Maurice asked, sinking into the water.

“Let us worry about that,” Lalita insisted. “Now, let’s see your legs.”

“Do I have to?” he whined. “I’m going to be wearing a long dress and stockings all the time, right?”

Anna said, “It’s important that you’re fully immersed in the experience. Trust me on that.”

He was shaved down and his eyebrows were plucked. While there were still tears in Maurice’s eyes, Anna started washing his hair with shampoo. At Lalita’s request, he started rubbing himself down with some kind of nourishing body wash.

“We won’t use a wig,” Lalita said. “A few snips and you’ll look just like a short-haired girl.”

Maurice sighed.

It took most of the morning, but Maurice was finally out of the tub. He looked at himself long and hard in the mirror. He looked… androgynous. His frame was still masculine, but his skin and hair were all soft and feminine. It made him uncomfortable, but not as much as seeing himself naked normally did.

“Now, let’s get you dressed!” Anna chimed.

When Maurice stepped out of the bathroom, given the dignity of at least wearing a robe, his stomach bottomed out. Laying on what he assumed was his bed was a whole maid uniform, complete with a lacy bra and panties. His whole face was warm.

Lalita and Anna stood off to the side while Maurice walked slowly up to the bed. Hands shaking, he picked up the panties and held them up. He whined. Did he have to do this? His heart was racing hundreds of miles an hour. With a gulp, he knelt down to slide the panties up his legs.

The sensation made his breath catch in his throat. They were so soft. He pulled them up and a tingle ran through his soft skin. Maurice couldn’t help it: he moaned. A soft chuckle from across the room made all the heat rush to his face.

Lalita placed a hand on Maurice’s shoulder and whispered, “Let me help you with the bra, priye.”

Maurice allowed her to remove the robe, exposing his tender skin to the cool air. He shivered. Lalita slid the bra through Maurice’s arms and walked around him to finish hooking it closed. It hung a little loosely on him, but Lalita picked up a pair of pads and slid them into the cups, being sure to keep close eye contact with the blushing Maurice.

“You look delicious,” she assured him.

Anna approached and began helping Lalita get him into the rest of the uniform. Maurice stood perfectly still, insides squirming. When everything was done, a bonnet was placed on his head and he was sat down for Lalita to place a pair of low block heels on his feet.

“You’ll have to learn how to put on your outfit on your own,” Anna said. “But it is adorable to see you so helpless.”

Maurice whined impotently, but Anna only chuckled.

“Now I’m going to do your makeup,” she said. “Watch carefully, for when I teach you how to do this on your own.”

Sitting still while someone applied makeup to him was a strange new experience. Lalita sat next to Maurice and held his hand, softly assuring him that he was doing really well. When Anna finished, she helped Maurice to his feet and he shuffled over to look in a full-length mirror.

It was…

Wow.

He almost looked like a girl. Like… yeah, if someone knew what to look for, he was obviously a boy, but he could see people being fooled. Lalita was right about him being somewhat androgynous to start with.

“I am amazing,~” Anna chimed in a sing-song voice. “You look perfect!~”

“All she needs is a name,” Lalita said.

“He,” Maurice protested weakly.

“You may want to avoid talking,” Anna said. “At least until I can train you to control your voice better. Don’t worry. You’ll just be taking orders; nobody will care if you’re shy.”

Maurice grunted in acknowledgement.

Cupping Maurice’s cheeks in her hands, Lalita asked, “How do you feel about Emily?”

“It’s… whatever.” It actually made his stomach turn from anxiety. “It’s only temporary, right?”

“Then I think we’re done,” Lalita said. “Anna, I think you can take it from here. Emily, be good, alright?”

Maurice nodded, not looking up. Lalita gave him one final long hug and departed. Once they were alone, Anna adjusted Maurice’s bonnet.

“Let’s meet the head of the house, then,” she said.

His stomach dropped out.

“Do you mean Lalita’s mom?” he asked. “Shanti?”

“Missus Narang, to you and me,” Anna corrected him. “And it’s Miss Lalita, or Miss Narang to her face.”

Maurice shook his head, saying, “I’m not going to do that. She’s my girlfriend, not my owner.”

Anna gave him an unamused look, but simply said, “At any rate, Missus Narang is expecting to meet all the new maids.”

She led Maurice through the house. This was the first time that Maurice had really seen the inside except in Lalita’s photos. It was utterly gorgeous. He was expected to keep this place clean? It was so big and everything here looked so expensive that it was probably a liability for him to be breathing the same air. They passed huge oil paintings, gold-lined wallpaper, vases and furniture from who-only-knew what century. The hallways and rooms were so open and spacious and yet full of stuff. And it was all spotless. The rich certainly lived in an entirely different world.

Finally, they entered the entrance hall where a tall woman stood in front of a grand staircase. Four young women wearing identical maid uniforms to Maurice’s were standing in a line in front of her. As soon as Anna and Maurice entered, Missus Narang’s head snapped in their direction. Maurice could see the other maids trying to look without turning their heads.

“This is the last one, Ma’am,” Anna said, stopping to bow.

“Very good,” Shanti drawled. “Take your place.”

Maurice gulped and stood at the end of the line, trying to be as stiff and straight as he could.

“Welcome to Narang Manor, or known by its formal name: Pushpmukut. If you can’t already read and pronounce Hindi, you will be able to soon. In addition to making up for public education’s abysmal attempts at linguistic literacy, I expect that all my staff have comprehensive knowledge of the subjects that apply to their lives. You will be taught all about the architecture of this house, the science of cleaning, the history and traditions of serving households, as well as the dietary, exercise, and basic medical knowledge you need to stay fit.”

Maurice’s head was already spinning. Lalita had made this seem like a standard maid job. How was Maurice supposed to focus on finding another way to support himself if he was expected to keep up with so many other things?

“In addition, the Narang family has always believed in giving back to the community. In exchange for three years of service, you will receive a full scholarship to whatever college of your choice for a full degree at whatever level you need.” She smirked. “Of course, you’re free to continue working with us for longer, if you so chose.”

He thought his eyes were going to pop out of his head. A full scholarship!? To any college? His dinky little associates degree wasn’t getting Maurice anywhere in life and the debt he was still paying off made the idea of any further education laughable. But a full ride to anywhere he chose? Even in three years, he’d still be pretty young; his whole life would be ahead of him. Could he possibly maintain the charade that long?

No… There’s no way that would work. He needed to get out of this so he could go back to dating Lalita as a man. How could he have even entertained the idea of sticking around? What kind of self-respecting man would he be if he pretended to be a girl for any longer than absolutely necessary?

“I just know that you’ll come to love it here very quickly,” Shanti continued, giving them all a toothy smile. “And I assure you that it will not be as hard to adjust as you think it will. And there are plenty of amenities. In addition to your salary, you will receive a small monthly stipend to spend on personal items for your rooms and wardrobes, all of which you get to keep should you choose to leave. There is also a dedicated game room, gym, and indoor pool for the staff, though do be kind to your fellow associates and time your visits to avoid crowding each other.”

There had to be some kind of catch. There always was. Every employer tried to hype their employees up with promises like this. But they were going to be worked twelve hours at a time or something ridiculous like that to counteract any goodwill that the family might otherwise have earned.

He opened his mouth to say something, then closed it again.

Shanti had noticed.

“Yes, dear?” she asked. “You’re not on duty yet, so there’s no harm in asking questions.”

Maurice felt a bead of sweat running down his face. If he opened his mouth, the game was up. What was he supposed to do!?

Linguistic literacy. Shanti had mentioned public education. And Maurice did have one secondary language to fall back on.

Holding up shaking hands, he signed, “How long are the hours and how strenuous is the work? How much time in a week are we going to have off? And how much do the amenities detract from the pay?”

He could swear he saw a twinkle in Shanti’s eye before she replied, “I’m sure you’re aware that, with our high standards for hiring new employees, the Narang Conglomerate can afford to spend a little extra on our employees, especially those living on company property. We secure loyalty by offering more for the value of labor, rather than trapping needy people in a cycle where they cannot escape. Positions within the family businesses are highly sought-after, of course. Even you, Miss Emily, would not have gotten here without a referral.”

Oh, shit. What did that mean, exactly? Had Lalita faked a referral for her? What was “Emily’s” backstory even supposed to be? Did that mean Lalita was going to get in even more trouble when this inevitably backfired?

“To answer your question,” Shanti continued, “your records indicate that you struggle with motivation due to a lack of appropriate medical access.” Jeesus fuck, how much did this woman know about him!? “As such, you’ve been placed on a cycle of two days of six hour work, followed by a day off, followed by a day of four-hour work, then three days off. Our analysts assure me that this is to help reduce the buildup of stress and prevent burnout. Once the family doctor has you on a regimen that suits your needs, we can adjust your personal schedule to more closely match the twenty-five to thirty hours per week required by the position.”

God, this job sounded amazing.

“Thank you,” he signed.

“Of course, dear.” Addressing the rest of the line, Shanti continued, “Are there any more questions?”

Maurice wasn’t really listening. His head was spinning. He’d been barely scraping by for years and there was a whole separate working class who had all their needs taken care of. And it sounded impossible to break into without already having connections. He was pissed.

“If that’s everything,” Shanti said, clasping her hands together, “then please follow Miss Anna here to the theater where a small introductory film has been prepared for you. It will help ease you into the expectations of the job.”

Anna gave Maurice a small smile before turning to lead the group down several more hallways until they reached a nondescript doorway. Inside was a small movie theater, about half the size of a normal public theater but way more homey. After instructing them to sit down, Anna disappeared into a small booth. The group spread out, save for one pair who sat right next to each other.

A film projector sputtered to life from the booth. Wait… did they really use film? Who did that anymore? But just as Maurice was contemplating it, a soft sound crackled to life from the surrounding speakers. Projected onto the screen was Shanti’s face, her slow, monotone voice coming softly from the speakers as she explained the job to the new maids.

Maurice started to relax in his seat, but… something was off. Every now and then there would be a flash on the screen and Maurice thought he was supposed to be reading something. Sometimes a loud snap would fill the room and he’d feel like he was sinking. He tried to focus on what Shanti… on what Missus Narang was saying. Was he tired? He didn’t feel tired. He didn’t feel… couldn’t feel…

There was a loud clap and Maurice jolted awake. The movie was over and Anna was standing in front of the screen. Maurice glanced around and everyone else seemed to be waking up as well. At least he didn’t have to feel embarrassed, even if he didn’t get to see the movie. He was in the same boat as everyone else.

“Alright, that’s all for today!” Anna declared. “You may all return to your rooms and get some rest. Most of you are scheduled to work tomorrow and I know you’ll do well.”

Maurice stood up and started heading toward the exit. For a moment, he was surprised at how easy it was to walk. These heels weren’t so hard to move around in, after all. What were women even complaining about all the time?

He felt a hand on his shoulder and stopped.

“I just want to check in,” Anna said softly. “Are you feeling alright?”

“Fine. A tiny bit overwhelmed, but nothing I won’t get used to.”

Anna nodded, replying, “That’s good. There is, though, something I want to check.”

“What’s that?”

“I’ve let my games shelf in the room get a little disorganized. Miss Emily, organize my games alphabetically by console.”

Maurice Emily started to frown, but then all the muscles in his her face relaxed. She stood up straight and bowed, not really thinking about it. Anna was smiling, so Emily smiled.

“Right away, Miss Anna.”

“Good. Then take the rest of the day off.”

“Yes, Miss Anna.”

Emily could just feel that she was going to do good at this job.