Improvised Marriage

The Great Shift was insane. At the company party, nobody understood what had happened. When the lights came back on, half the people were in completely different bodies. The news confirmed it later: it was a global phenomenon. People switching bodies with strangers, changing age, gender, country… total chaos. The “lucky ones” ended up in bodies similar to their own. The rest — like me — weren’t so lucky.

I used to be a married man, with kids, a stable career. Now here I am, in my boss’s fiancée’s body, wearing white lace lingerie, a garter on my thigh, and magazine-worthy makeup. All this to keep up appearances and avoid canceling his wedding with Sophie — who, according to rumors, is now somewhere in Germany in the body of a sixty-year-old.

I agreed to go through with the

improvised ceremony, while scientists scramble to figure out how to reverse this nightmare. But seeing myself in the mirror today... that hit different.

Edward sighed, sitting in front of the mirror, gently pulling the veil that draped over his shoulder, when the door creaked open.

— “You sure I can’t just stay in the corner?” Chad — his boss, now his fake husband — asked, peeking in with a hesitant look.

— “No, Chad,” Edward replied, crossing his legs, trying to ignore the strange feel of silk against his skin. “It’s already been awkward enough.”

Chad walked in, adjusting his shirt collar, that familiar smirk playing on his lips.

— “Come on. If it was just awkward, you didn’t have to go all out with the getup. That lingerie’s fancier than a runway bride.”

— “The salon people insisted! They said it had to be a full shoot for the album to look real…” Edward tried to explain, clearly uncomfortable.

Chad squinted, enjoying himself.

— “Uh-huh. And when the priest said ‘you may kiss the bride,’ you swore it’d be just a peck. But you stayed there forever. Looked like you were actually enjoying it.”

Edward went silent, face flushing red as he stared at the floor. Chad chuckled, grabbing a pillow and tossing it onto the couch.

— “Relax, sweetheart. Monday we’re back at the office. You, as my assistant... in heels, of course. I’m actually getting used to seeing you like this.”

Edward huffed, pulling the veil over his face like it could somehow hide his embarrassment. This was only the beginning.