The double

“You got what you wanted, didn’t you?” Clara crossed her arms, watching Mark stand in front of the mirror — now looking exactly like her. “Finish getting dressed, pick a nice outfit. The one underneath is already decided.”

Mark swallowed hard. The lace bra felt a bit tight, the garter straps tugged gently at his thighs, and the long hair kept falling into his face with every movement. It still felt like some surreal dream.

“Clara, I…”

“You told me to accept my boss’s ridiculous offer,” she continued, clearly annoyed. “You said that if you were in my shoes, you’d take it without hesitation. Well, now you are in my shoes. And if everything goes well, you’ll come back with my promotion — and I won’t have to humiliate myself.”

Mark turned slowly, wobbling slightly on the high heels. His hands — now small, slender, unfamiliar — wrapped around his arms in a nervous gesture, trying to ground himself.

“Come on, Clara… I was joking.”

“Joking?” She scoffed. “You practically called me a coward. Said I was throwing away a golden opportunity out of pride. So now you get to dress up, smile, act charming, and put up with the stares and condescending compliments. Go ahead — show me how easy it is.”

“I didn’t know you were actually going to… do this to me. It was stupid. I’m sorry.”

Clara stepped closer and gently took her husband’s delicate hands in hers. Her expression softened.

“You’re forgiven. But today, you’re going all the way like this. Because unfortunately, I can’t undo it. And maybe now you’ll finally understand what I go through. What it’s like to have to prove yourself while being treated like decoration. To deal with all the unspoken rules that come just from being a woman.”

Mark nodded slowly, eyes downcast. There wasn’t much left to say.

Clara smiled with a trace of irony and pointed to the wardrobe.

“Now go. Pick something decent. The meeting’s at three. And remember — you’re me. Represent me well.”