Honeymoon in Vegas
by Sharon W.
Stacy Robertson grimaced as he glanced through the pile of mail he and his roommate Steve had amassed over the last couple of days. Another letter addressed to Miss Stacy Robertson. This one was from Ed McMahon. Over the years Stacy had learned to live with the name he'd been given; he'd taken some teasing over it in school, and there were of course quite a few misunderstandings along the way. Seeing Stacy Keach play Mike Hammer on television made him feel a little better, and he'd mention Keach whenever someone asked him, 'What kind of name is that for a guy?' He'd never liked fighting, but had his share of them as a youth. Nowadays, he'd decided he liked his name and couldn't care less what others thought. Little did he know that in a few weeks, the name would fit him better than he ever could have imagined.
Steve and Stacy had roomed together during their junior year of college, and it looked as though they'd be spending summer together as well.
"Bills, bills, junk mail, more junk mail, mail for Steve. I never get anything good," Stacy mused. He placed Steve's letter on the counter and settled into a La-Z-Boy in the living room. This summer was going to be lousy. Everyone had gone home to their families, to their friends. Stacy and his girlfriend Christina had parted company for the summer just a few days ago. They'd spent most of the past year together, but Christina wanted to spend time with her family over the summer. Stacy had thought about going along with her, but for one thing, her parents were pretty strict and wouldn't approve of him staying at their house over the entire summer, and for another thing, he just didn't feel ready to get into that sort of a commitment. Why didn't she just stay in town for the summer? He wondered if he'd ever understand women. Stacy had dated a few girls in high school, and several in college before meeting Christina, and he'd never met anyone like her. Still, whether or not he was ready to settle down, he didn't know. Now he'd gone and sent her off alone, and he'd be spending the next two months in front of the tv, most likely. He dozed off.
"Stace, wake up!" a voice called to him.
Stacy came around groggily and saw Steve looking pretty excited and waving an envelope at him.
"Hey, you remember that contest I entered when Jennifer and I were engaged?" he asked.
Stacy frowned. "Not the Honeymoon in Vegas contest?"
"The Wedding Extravaganza in Vegas, to be exact," Steve replied, still excited.
"You didn't..." Stacy began.
"Read this!" he answered.
Stacy looked at the document Steve had handed him. Steve had won a free wedding package. At first glance, it looked as though the prize included airfare, rental car, hotel, the ceremony, bridal outfit and tuxedo, and spending money. It mentioned that someone would be calling to explain everything further. Stacy looked over at the answering machine and saw its red light blinking. "I was just going to check messages when I found you sprawled out in here," Steve said. He started the voice recording. It was a quick message from the contest people, giving Steve a number to call them back at. Steve dialed and talked excitedly with the representative for a few minutes. After a while though, his tone settled down a bit and he started saying, "uh-huh....uh-huh....mmm-hmmm," then finally thanked the representative and hung up.
"So, what did they say?" Stacy asked.
"Everything is included, airfare, hotel, outfits, everything. They gave me the number of the travel agent to call to set everything up."
"Ok, so why all the 'uh-huhs'"? Stacy asked.
"Well, they were going over the basic eligibility requirements.
First, you have to be 21."
"Ok, that's not a problem..." Stacy began.
"Also, it has to be done before the end of next month. That's about six weeks away."
"You should be able to get some time off from work, right?" Stacy asked.
Steve didn't answer. "And...it has to be a bride and groom."
Stacy straightened up. "And you didn't tell them you and Jennifer broke up a month ago?"
"Well we were together when I entered the contest. How was I supposed to know she was going to run off with someone else? We were engaged, after all," Steve replied.
"So they won't let you go alone?" Stacy asked.
"I wouldn't want to go alone anyway. No, they are expecting a bride and groom, Stace. I just told them I had no problem with that."
"Why don't you ask one of the girls at work to go along for fun?"
"Stace, the only one that isn't married hasn't worked there long enough to take vacation time. It's only been a month since Jennifer. Heck, I don't even know anyone else. What am I supposed to do, go to bars this week and try to pick up a bride? "Can I buy you a drink? How about a free wedding in Vegas?" Steve joked.
"Might work, you never know..." Stacy answered, smiling.
Steve sat down to think, and Stacy went back to watching television. Suddenly he heard the remote click and the tv went off. Steve looked over at him.
"When's the last time you took a vacation? You didn't go along with Christina, you've been hanging around here as long as I can remember," Steve said.
"Steve, I don't have anyone to go with either. Neither of us is engaged, remember?"
"Yeah, but that's not what I meant. Maybe we could go together."
Stacy opened his eyes wide. Was Steve suggesting they go to Vegas as a couple? He let out a laugh. "And I suppose you get to be the groom," he said.
"Well, I did win the contest. Besides, you might enjoy it!" Steve replied.
A chill ran through Stacy. As a child, he'd been more than interested in his sister's things. She was two years older than he was, and when she wasn't home he would sneak into her room and try some of her dresses on. He'd never been caught, but he had a feeling his sister knew what was going on. She'd once told him his mom had wanted a little girl, and was set on the name Stacy, no matter what. He'd even seen pictures of him as an infant, in which his mother had allowed his hair to grow fairly long and had put yellow ribbons in it. He wondered if she'd taken him outside like that. After he left home for school, all thoughts of trying on his sister's clothes were behind him, until now. He tensed up a little.
"Steve, I can't do that. It would never work, you know that.
They'd probably know I was a guy right away and embarass us right there at the airport."
"Stace, you don't have to do it. I was just making a suggestion.
"Still, $10,000 is a lot of spending money we'll lose out on..." Steve replied.
Stacy looked back at him. "We'd need about that much, in advance, to make me look passable as your fiancee," he laughed.
"That shouldn't cost much at all, Stace. And your dress will be paid for..." Steve replied, smiling. "I think we could do it, and have a good time in the meantime."
Stacy smiled. "Don't suppose I'll really have to marry you, do you?"
"Why wouldn't you want to marry me?" Steve demanded, joking.
"Aren't I man enough for you?" Steve paused, and thought for a moment. "Let me work on that, ok? Besides, you could always say no at the altar, sweetheart..."
Reluctantly, Stacy found himself agreeing to Steve's plan, and the next morning Steve was off to see the travel agent to set up the trip. Since Stacy wasn't working, they only needed to work the trip around Steve's schedule. Christina called that morning, and Stacy talked to her for a while, never mentioning the trip. He figured he'd have to distort the truth about what they were doing just a bit, with good reason. Steve came home waving a pair of airline tickets at Stacy. "First class seats, Stace! Mr. Steve Thomas and Miss Stacy Robertson." Stacy was surprised he didn't cringe this time at hearing the 'Miss' in front of his name. "We're staying at the Mirage, hey maybe we'll get a room with a jacuzzi! The money is supposed to be waiting for us in a safe deposit box at the hotel," Steve continued. Stacy wondered how he would be able to pass as a woman in just three weeks.
After a few days of trying to figure out where to start, Steve and Stacy were about ready to give up. Steve had picked up some rather unstylish looking dresses from the local thrift shop, and none of them seemed to do Stacy any justice. Their feeble attempts to purchase makeup had been pretty unsuccessful. Stacy had no idea what color would match his facial color. He wished Christina were here, at least she'd know what to do, how to dress him up. Of course, she'd probably dump him in an instant and call a good psychiatrist as well... Between the two of them, Stacy and Steve knew no women other than their moms and sisters, all of whom were thousands of miles away. Their source for help was totally unexpected. Steve had been reading the classified section of the local college paper when he came across an ad that caught his eye. "Serena, Queen of Fantasy" was the woman's title. Among her specialties was "Grooming CD/TV/TS's", and upon seeing that, Steve picked up the phone.
"We're all set. Nothing to worry about now, Stace," Steve said as Stacy came home from a trip out to the supermarket. He looked back at Steve.
"What, did Jennifer agree to marry you after all? Do I still get to be best man?"
"No, you're still my bride, Stace. Check this out..." Steve began. He showed Stacy the ad and told him everything Serena had told him over the phone. "Now I told her we were going to get married in Vegas, so she knows what's up. She wants you to spend a full week at her place, and by the time she gets through with you, she said you may not want to go back to being a guy." That made Stacy cringe a bit.
"And you set this up already? When am I supposed to go?" he asked.
"Tomorrow morning, bright and early. She says not to bring anything with you unless you want books to read. Shall I pack 'The Ugly Duckling' for you, my future swan?" he laughed.
Stacy chuckled, unpacked the groceries and had dinner. They sat in the living room talking for quite a while, nervousness running through Stacy's mind and body.
"Well, at least it won't be a boring summer," he said as he went to his room.
Morning seemed to arrive too quickly. As instructed by Serena, Steve drove Stacy to her house, which was a rather large two story home, very pretty from the outside. Stacy was told to wear only a bathing suit and a towel, and so when he got out of the car and rang her doorbell, it would seem to anyone who saw him that he was there for a dip in Serena's large pool out back. She met him at the door. "You must be Stacy. Come in, young lady," Serena said. Stacy flinched a bit, but entered. Serena had him stand up straight in her living room, which was quite spacious. "First thing I'll need is measurements. Let's see, you are about 5' 6", 130 pounds according to my scale. She took measurements of Stacy's waist, hips, and 'bustline', then scratched some numbers on a sheet of paper. "Steven knows you pretty well. That's close to what he told me on the phone. Now, just so you know, here's an idea of what we'll be doing this week. You'll be living here full time, and starting tomorrow, you will act as my visiting niece Stacy. We will be shopping, going out, on your roommate's expense account of course, and you will be learning to be feminine in every way. By this Friday night, I expect my lovely niece Stacy to be ready for a party I'll be having here. We have a lot of work to do, so let me show you around," she finished. Serena gave Stacy the grand tour, finishing up at Stacy's bedroom, which had a full bath and vanity. It was set up for a young woman; none of the type of junk he and Steve had collected at their place. Stacy sat on the bed and wondered with excitement what the week would be like.
Things began with a long, hot bath, during which Stacy was instructed how to shave his legs without butchering them. He also found himself shaving his chest, underarms, and at the base of his neck and shoulders, where he was rather appalled to discover a few male hairs. By the time the water drained away, Stacy's body was smoother than he could have imagined. Serena decided to try waxing Stacy's legs, and as smooth as they had been before, Stacy couldn't believe how they looked afterwards. Serena gave Stacy a pink bathrobe and pair of slippers, and sent him off to bed. "We have a long day tomorrow, so I want you to get some sleep, ok?" Stacy had been rather aroused by his own body, and thought it would be difficult to sleep, but the long hot bath soon took its toll and he was snoring like a baby.
The day began early for Stacy. Serena left him in bathrobe and slippers, and decided to work on his face first. She'd instructed him to take a close shave, and he hadn't disappointed her. His face felt smooth all over to her. Stacy had always felt lucky that he only had to shave about twice a week; now it seemed a blessing. She wasn't about to give Stacy any mercy, and began by shaping his eyebrows. The plucking was pretty painful, and when Serena finished, Stacy had the arched, sexy eyebrows of a young woman. Next, she distracted his attention, and before he knew it, he felt a quick, burning feeling in both earlobes. Now this seemed permanent. Earring holes always leave a mark, even if they grow over, don't they? he thought. Still, he didn't argue. As he sat there, Serena worked her magic and put the finishing touches on Stacy's face. As she finished dabbing mascara on his eyelashes, Stacy looked up to see a beautiful woman's face staring back at him in the mirror. Serena led him to his closet, where she picked out an outfit for Stacy to wear to go shopping. She handed him something she called a gaff, which would hide his private parts and give him some curves, and although it was a little uncomfortable at first, it did its job. She also provided Stacy with a pair of breast forms. 'Size 36D,' she said. 'They may draw some attention, so you'd better be ready for it! These are masectomy forms, and they will look very real.' Stacy didn't need her to tell him that. They looked amazingly real. He appeared to have some pretty impressive cleavage! Twenty minutes later, Stacy stood in his bedroom looking in the mirror, wearing a pink, low-cut blouse and a denim skirt with a pair of white flats. Serena had fitted him with a sexy shoulder length blond wig. He couldn't believe what he was looking at. After an hour of tutoring from Serena, he was ready to hit the mall. Stepping out the front door was a big step for Stacy, and he was surprised how easy it was to do. He seemed to float over to Serena's car, and he opened the door and sat down the way he'd been instructed to. Serena had decided to visit the busiest mall in the city, and it made Stacy nervous. What if they ran into someone he knew? "They'll never know it's you, Stacy. Now relax and prepare to have a lot of fun!"
Stacy couldn't believe how much fun he'd had at the mall. They must have spent the entire day there. There had been a trip to a manicurist, who spent an hour sculpting Stacy's fingernails, adding a sexy coat of red to the false nails she had glued on. They were about 1/2 inch past his fingers, and Serena explained that they would take some getting used to. There was the beauty salon, where Stacy had his blond wig styled. When he was done his hair now had a sexy wave to it, and came down to just past his shoulders. They went over how to care for the wig until Serena was sure Stacy knew exactly what to do. Next, there were the shops. They'd visited six ladies' clothing shops and one department store. Stacy was laden down with shopping bags filled with Dresses, skirts, blouses, shorts, and jewelry, and he carried a new white purse. He hadn't had any problems trying on outfits, in fact several of the salesgirls had complimented Stacy on his appearance, and suggested other outfits that would look great on the woman shopping with her Aunt Serena. There was a stop at a shoe store, where Stacy found he fit a size 10M quite nicely. Serena bought him five pairs of pumps, two pairs of flats, a pair of walking shoes and even a pair of sneakers. The pumps seemed scary to Stacy; he was asked to stand up in them and try to walk around to see how they fit. Serena had forgotten about this, and instead asked Stacy to hold up her leg and move her foot around to check the shoe size. The heels varied from a 2 inch white heel to a 4 inch pink satin pump. Stacy wondered where the heck he'd be wearing that. 'By the way, did you see the pool in my backyard?' Serena asked, and with that, they'd headed over to a store specializing in swimsuits and lingerie. For now, Stacy would be restricted to one-piece bathing suits, and he found a pretty red and white one, which he absolutely HAD to have. It fit well, although he didn't come out of the dressing room to model it as he had the dresses. But before he could exit, Serena tossed something else over the dressing room door. It was a sexy satin nightgown, a deep red color, and it came down to just past Stacy's thigh when he slipped it on. He grew very excited, and invited Serena in to see. She nearly gasped. "You look amazing, Stacy. Hang on a minute..." She returned a few minutes later with a pair of lace teddies, which seemed to fit Stacy like a glove. Stacy wouldn't stop talking when they finally sat down to lunch in the mall pavilion. 'Stacy, we need to work on your voice a bit, so be quiet for a while!' Serena pleaded. Stacy was too excited, though, and talked Serena's ears off about the clothes he'd liked and how did she think he'd look in them. Already she'd seen a big shift in the attitude of her student since yesterday... On the way home from the mall, they stopped off at the supermarket to pick up a few things for dinner. Serena ran into a friend of hers in the checkout line, and she introduced Stacy as her niece. Stacy smiled and said 'Hi,' then turned to pretend to look at the tabloids. Someone bumped him from behind, and Stacy whirled around to see a man in his mid-20's looking down at him. "Sorry, Miss. Need to watch where I'm going more often," he said, smiling. Stacy smiled back at him and said, "That's ok." He couldn't think of anything else. The man walked over to the woman Serena was talking to. "Mom, I couldn't find your marshmallows, and I nearly killed that woman back there," he said, laughing a little. Before Stacy knew what was happening, Serena had introduced the man to him. "Stacy, dear, this is Barbara's son Greg. Greg, this is my niece, Stacy." Greg took Stacy's hand and shook it, saying he was in town visiting his parents that week. Stacy smiled, saying she was from out of town as well. Barbara and Greg took off, leaving Stacy to breathe a sigh of relief as Serena took out her purse to pay for the groceries. In the car, Stacy relaxed, looking forward to unpacking everything. "So, what did you think of Greg?" Serena asked. "He seems like a nice guy," Stacy replied. "He didn't suspect a thing, did he?"
"Of course not, dear. And he won't on Friday night, either", she answered. "You see, I've invited Barbara and her husband to my party Friday night, and I thought my niece might like to have someone to dance with."
Stacy flinched a bit. "You mean I've got a date for the party?" "Not exactly, no. You'll both be there, that's all. Anything more is up to you," Serena said. She seemed to smile a bit at Stacy, who seemed a little uneasy.
"Well, I'll probably just chat with him like everyone else," Stacy said.
Serena left it at that. Stacy had a big week ahead of her, and she wondered if her niece would be more excited about the idea of seeing Greg again as the week went on.
They arrived at home, unpacked everything and made dinner. Stacy seemed exhausted after he ate, and Serena had about had it as well. Stacy made it a point to sleep in his new red nightgown, although Serena cautioned him not to wear it too often. "Save it for a special occasion, Stacy," she'd said. Stacy began to wonder...
It was a long week, Serena thought, when she woke up Friday morning. Her tutoring was nearly at an end; Saturday she'd be sending Stacy home, ready for her wedding. Her student had progressed faster than she had expected. Stacy's voice had become unmistakeably feminine, her mannerisms and attitudes had been completely female. They didn't spend every hour in grueling training; they'd gone swimming out back together, and even in that skimpy red and white swimsuit, Stacy could pass as a sexy woman. They'd flipped through women's magazines talking about everything from hairstyles to the role of today's businesswoman in society. They'd gone to a tanning salon. They'd gone to several nice restaurants, and Stacy had no problems at all, other than the first time she'd had to use the ladies' room, and was a little nervous. They'd become pretty close friends, and Serena would be sad to see Stacy go. She hoped they'd stay in touch, although she wasn't sure if she'd be keeping in touch with a man or a woman. Last night Barbara had called to talk to Serena about what to bring to her party Friday, and then Greg suddenly came on the line, asking to talk to Stacy. He'd asked Stacy if she had a date for the party, and Stacy had replied, "well, not yet..." in a way that surprised Serena. Stacy had talked to her for hours afterward, asking what to expect on a date with a guy. Serena thought she might wind up delivering some advice in this area. Stacy had gone from 'Well, I'll probably just chat with him like everyone else', to asking Serena how she should act on a first date, and Stacy seemed very excited. Serena shook her head, smiled, and went to wake up her niece.
Barbara Wilson couldn't believe how nice Serena's house looked. Serena and her niece had certainly gone to lengths to make the place spotless, and it looked beautiful. By the time she, her husband Phil, and Greg finally arrived, the party was already underway. She explained to Serena that Greg had taken quite a while to get ready, trying to decide, of all things, which tie Stacy would like the most. 80's soft-pop music was playing, there was a huge food buffet, and although Barbara recognized a few of Serena's friends, she couldn't remember Serena having such a big party...there were people everywhere, outside by the pool, chatting in the living room, dancing in the recreation room. She and Phil wandered off to find Serena. Greg stood alone by the front door, then began to look around for any sign of Stacy. Serena walked up to him.
"Hi, Serena. My parents went that way looking for you," he began.
"Stacy will be down in a minute, you can wait by the stairs, ok?" she replied, and then made her way into the living room after Barbara and Phil. Greg shrugged, and walked along the hallway to the base of the stairs. At least it wasn't crowded in here, he thought. He sat down on the bottom few steps. After a few minutes, he felt someone walking down the stairs. He turned, stood up, and caught his breath. He was speechless as he stared at the beautiful woman making her way down the stairs. Stacy had chosen a strapless pink semiformal dress, which highlighted her sexy figure. Her hair cascaded down to her shoulders, full of beautiful waves and curls, and was complimented with a pink ribbon. She wore a diamond pendant which matched her tennis bracelet, and a pair of pink high heeled pumps. Her smile made Greg shiver with desire. She came down to him, and he kissed her hand and said hello.
"You look beautiful, Stacy. I've been looking forward to seeing you tonight," Greg said.
"Thank you," Stacy replied. "I've been looking forward to it myself," she continued, and took his hand. They held hands as they walked into the living room.
Stacy knew there would be a lot of people at the party, but she was still unprepared for all the compliments she got as she and Greg said hello to everyone. Serena had told her to spend some time meeting with her friends, introducing herself and so on. She caught sight of several older men watching her closely, and she could feel their stares. It was a strange feeling. Finally, she had the chance to say hi to Serena while Greg grabbed a couple of dinner plates for them. Serena smiled when she caught sight of Stacy. "Well, how do I look?" Stacy asked. Serena was speechless. Finally she said, "Stacy, you are the most beautiful woman I've ever made," and she laughed. "You look stunning. Where is Greg?" "He's off getting me some dinner," she replied. "Doesn't he look handsome?"
"He does," Serena replied. "Are you still looking forward to marrying Steve?"
Stacy laughed. She'd thought about that earlier tonight. Steve still seemed like her buddy, her roommate. Greg was something else. Still, it would be over after tonight, and knowing that seemed to make it easier for her to accept. "Tonight, I'm Greg's girlfriend, and I'm really enjoying myself, Serena!" Stacy turned to see Greg approaching. "Remember everything we talked about, Stacy," Serena said. Stacy turned and followed Greg to a table, where they sat and picked at their dinner plates. Stacy caught site of couples dancing in the next room, and smiled. Greg must have seen her; he took her hand and asked if she would honor him with a dance. As they got up, a photographer stopped by their table and had them sit back down. Greg put his arm around Stacy, and they stared into each other's eyes for the picture. Stacy felt mesmerized by Greg, and they entered the rec room. The furniture had been moved earlier to make room for dancing, and there were several couples dancing to an upbeat song. Stacy took Greg's hand when the next song started, and they walked out to the dance floor. Greg held Stacy close. At first, she kept her distance, but soon she relaxed, and before she knew it, she had her arms around Greg's neck as they danced to the next slow song. They stared into each other's eyes again, and then Stacy rested her head on Greg's shoulder. Again, she was grateful for her height. She remembered being unhappy as a young boy, being rather short. Now she couldn't have been happier at 5' 6". With the heels, she imagined herself as a professional model, and someone had even asked her earlier if she'd done any modeling. She would have taken his business card if she'd had a place to put it; she told him to give it to Serena instead. Right now Stacy was happier than she could ever have imagined, looking like a beauty queen and dancing close with a guy who was a complete doll. They danced to a few more songs, then took a walk outside by the pool. They shared an oversized poolchair and talked for what seemed to Stacy like hours. She would be sorry to see Greg go. Before she knew it, she'd promised to go out with him again if they were ever in town again at the same time. Stacy had settled down in Greg's arms, sitting back in the poolchair and staring up at the stars. Just then the sound of Greg's mother came from inside. "Greg, your dad and I are going now. Do you need a ride home?"
"I have a long day tomorrow, I have to get going. I feel like I'm 16 again," Greg said, laughing. "Out on a date with a beautiful girl, more nervous than you can imagine, and now my mother is calling me!"
Stacy laughed, stared into his eyes, and leaned in toward him. "You're nervous too, huh?"
Greg yelled back, "Be right there!" and smiled at Stacy. "I'll miss you, Stacy. Wish we could've gotten to know each other better."
Stacy smiled, put an arm around Greg, and stroked his face. "So do I," she replied, then leaned in and kissed him. As her lips touched his, Stacy wondered what the kiss would be like. It felt good, and soon they were locked in a passionate French kiss. It seemed to last forever, as she returned each of his following kisses with eagerness. Finally Greg straightened up, and Stacy offered to walk him out to the car. Greg's parents were already inside, and they pretended not to stare as Greg gave Stacy a goodnight kiss at the car door. The car drove off into the night, and Stacy stood there watching it go, in a daze for a moment, and then she strode back inside.
After the party wound down, Stacy and Serena spent some time helping to clean up. Serena had hired a few people to take care of the mess everyone left, but they decided to clean up out back by the pool. When they finished, Stacy sat down on a lawnchair. She looked up at the stars, and smiled. Serena walked over to her. "You know, I saw you and Greg out at the car. That was quite a kiss! So you had a good time tonight, I assume..."
"Yes, Serena, it was wonderful. This whole week has been so much fun!"
"Well, I think you're ready to be a blushing bride now, don't you?" Serena asked.
Stacy found herself looking forward to trying on bridal gowns, picking out the perfect one, and seeing herself in the mirror. "I think so..." Serena had gone over the proper way for a bride to walk down the aisle, how to choose what to wear, and how to act. Stacy was ready. Stacy got up and gave Serena a big hug.
"You've done so much for me, Serena. How can I ever repay you?" Stacy asked, tears forming in her eyes.
"Oh, your 'husband' will take care of repaying me, Stacy. I'm going to miss our close friendship, though," she replied. Stacy wouldn't hear of ending their friendship, though, and promised to visit Serena whenever she could.
Steve had a million questions, as they drove home Saturday morning. Stacy made him carry most of her things to the car. He nearly fainted upon seeing his best friend in a tight red slipdress and heels. Stacy looked natural as a woman. He wanted to know everything. Stacy, for her part, didn't say too much. When Steve arrived, she gave him a hug, startled him with her feminine voice, and sent him to her room to get her things. In the car, she did a lot of thinking, but kept mentally changing the subject. She missed Greg already. She was happy to be going home. She wondered if Steve had figured out a way to avoid actually getting married. She thought of Christina, and what she might be up to right about now. She would miss Serena's company. Finally, when they got home, she began to open up, and told Steve all about her week. They didn't have to unpack much; the flight to Las Vegas was the following morning, and Stacy wouldn't be bringing anything a man would need. She just grabbed a book and a Cosmopolitan magazine to read on the airplane, and announced she was already packed. Steve couldn't get over the change in his roommate. She helped him pack for the trip, carefully folding his clothes so they wouldn't wrinkle. The old Stacy would have tossed everything in haphazardly. She offered to make dinner, but Steve had a surprise, Stacy's favorite dish, Alaskan Snow Crab legs. "I figured I at least owed you dinner for putting you through this past week," he began. "Doesn't look like it was torture for you, though." For a while they sat and talked like buddies, but it seemed strange and different to Steve. Stacy was a different person; his roommate was an attractive woman, and she played the part like a pro. Still, they managed to spend some time before bed relaxing in the living room watching the baseball All Star game. After trying to engage Stacy in conversation about the American League pitchers, Steve changed the subject. "Stace, you think you'll be able to go back to being a guy again when we get back from Vegas?" he asked. Stacy didn't answer; she just shrugged, but that question had crossed her mind as well. She left the room for a few minutes, then returned wearing a pink silk nightgown, and said, "well, I'm headed to bed, Steve. Wake me up early, ok?" Her smooth legs were clearly visible, the nightgown came to a few inches above the knee, and Steve was shocked to feel himself getting a little aroused by his best friend. "I better get to bed too, before I start making passes at you," he laughed. He got up, walked over to Stacy and gave her a hug. "Glad you're back," he said. She felt soft in his arms. Stacy said goodnight, and went off to bed. They had another big week coming up.
Stacy woke up around four in the morning, and couldn't get back to sleep. He wandered into the kitchen to find something to calm his stomach a bit. He settled on some toast and hot tea. He found it hard to describe how he felt. Excited, nervous, anxious, afraid...no, not really afraid. He'd become a beautiful woman over the past week, and had breezed through Serena's dinner party Friday night. Their plane wasn't due to leave for Las Vegas for another four hours, but Stacy was too wound up to go back to bed. Las Vegas was going to be so exciting! Staying at the honeymoon suite at The Mirage, the spending money, the luxury car they'd be given to drive around in, the shows, and the wedding... Steve had received a packet in the mail from a bridal boutique located in a fashion mall on the Strip. They needed Stacy's measurements, and were prepared to pamper the bride-to-be, making sure she found the most perfect dress for the occasion. Stacy realized how much he was looking forward to this. He found himself longing to see himself as a bride. He yearned for the feel of the dress, and being the center of attention. What a change he'd undergone since just a few weeks ago. At five, he decided it was late enough to start getting changed. He showered, waxed his perfectly smooth legs, and headed for his room. All of his feminine clothing was in the two suitcases he'd brought back from Serena's, except for the outfit he'd chosen to wear on the plane this morning. Stacy put on a matching red bra and panties, then slid a pair of pantyhose over his legs, enjoying the silky feeling of the stockings against his skin. Next, a half slip, and then a red blouse with a white skirt. He searched through a suitcase and found a belt, then stepped into a pair of white flats. Then it was off to the bathroom to start on makeup. After applying a base, adding some powder, then a touch of blush and a light shade of red lipstick, Stacy went to work on his eyes, using a conservative light colored eye shadow, and expertly lining his lower eyelids with the pencil that he'd nearly poked his eye out with, the first few times he'd tried it. He applied some mascara to lift his eyelashes, which seemed so feminine as they curled outward. He gave his nails a new coat of soft red, surprised at how well he'd done with them. Finally, he brushed the wig he'd worn all night, until he'd found the perfect style. He attacked it with hairspray. He slipped a pair of white pearl stud earrings on, and added a gold necklace with a heart pendant. Stacy stood back, admiring the woman he'd become.
There Stacy stood, an attractive bride-to-be, waiting to fly out to Las Vegas to be married. She shivered a little, stocked her white purse with the makeup and a few other things, and went to Steve's room to wake him. She opened the door a crack and saw him sprawled out on the bed. Apparently his alarm clockradio had failed to wake him. It was playing something by the Bee Gees, and Steve hadn't moved. Stacy shut the alarm off, and sat on the bed next to him.
"Hey sleepyhead, wake up," Stacy said, playfully running her fingers through Steve's hair. "Time to catch a flight!"
Steve stirred, and opened his eyes. "What time is it, Stace?"
"About 8 o'clock, better hurry!" she replied.
Steve practically jumped out of bed, adrenalin flowing. "The flight's at 8:15! We're not gonna make it!" He ran for the bathroom.
Stacy knocked on the door, and walked in behind him.
"Why didn't you wake me up sooner?!" Steve called over the rush of running water.
"Steve, I was just kidding, it's only 6:30..." Stacy answered.
The water stopped, and Steve turned around. "What?" he asked.
"I knew you wouldn't get out of bed easily unless I lied to you!" Stacy replied.
"Just like a woman, wouldn't you know?" Steve muttered.
"I heard that! I don't HAVE to marry you, you know," Stacy giggled.
Steve smiled, turned, and aimed a can of shaving cream at Stacy. She darted out the door and headed for the living room.
"Are you ready to go yet?" Stacy called from her recliner in the living room.
There was no answer from Steve, but she figured he had to be about ready. It was nearly 7:30, although the airport was fairly close by. Steve appeared a moment later, wearing a red polo shirt and white slacks. Stacy's jaw dropped.
"Well, we're supposed to be getting married, right? Why not look alike?" Steve said, smiling. "You look amazing, by the way, Stace." He slipped into the kitchen, downed some milk and grabbed a banana. "All set?"
"I've been ready for an hour now," Stacy answered.
They got the suitcases in the car and headed for the airport.
Stacy sat down to wait while Steve checked their luggage in. She caught a couple of businessmen looking at her from a block of telephones. They smiled, looking a little embarassed. She decided to have a little fun, and walked straight over to them, passing them only at the last second to pick up a telephone and dial her home number. She stared and smiled at them, waited for the answering machine to pick up, and said, "Hi honey, I'm going to be out of town for about a week on, umm, business... Love you, bye!" She looked straight at one of the men, winked at him, and walked over to meet Steve. He'd just returned from checking in the baggage, and Stacy threw her arms around him and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. She turned to see the two men looking utterly shocked. They walked toward the security area, and Stacy noticed Steve looking just as shocked as well. "What was that for?" he stammered.
"Sorry, there were two guys hitting on me back there, and I had to lose them. I'll tell you about it later," she answered. Just a little white lie, she thought.
Steve still looked a bit unnerved. "Ok, well, warn me next time, ok? Remember I've never kissed you before, or any guy, for that matter."
Stacy replied, "Do you see another guy here? Thought you'd need some practice for when it comes time to kiss the bride," and they both laughed.
The flight to Las Vegas was a nonstop four hour flight, and Stacy was pleased to get an aisle seat. No fun to step over people to get to the bathroom, she figured. They had breakfast on the plane, and watched a movie about a woman who falls in love with her fiance's brother while he's in a coma. Stacy was laughing hard at one point, and Steve turned to her, not saying a word. "What, is something wrong?" she said as she noticed his stare. "No, nothing. You even laugh like a woman," he whispered.
"I'll tell you all about my week when we get to the hotel, if you want," Stacy replied. Stacy slept the last hour of the flight, waking up to the feel of the landing gear touching down.
Ah, the joys of womanhood, Stacy thought as she watched Steve struggle to carry four suitcases from the carousel out to their taxi. Finally she couldn't bear it any longer and grabbed two suitcases from him. They staggered out of the airport to their rental car. Stacy offered to drive, having been to Las Vegas once before. She'd become accustomed to driving in heels; it felt natural now. They sped towards the Las Vegas Strip, admiring the amazing casino resorts, the Luxor, a giant pyramid shaped casino with an Ancient Egyptian theme, the Excalibur, a castle-shaped casino with a medieval theme, Caesar's Palace, and then they arrived at The Mirage. Stacy allowed a valet to park the car, and they headed inside in style. They approached the registration area, and a clerk handed them the keys to the honeymoon sweet. "You two look so cute together," she said. "Have fun!" Steve almost got sidetracked a few times by the slot machines, but Stacy grabbed his hand and led him to an elevator.
Their room was up on the top floor, and when they opened the door, they were both speechless. The honeymoon suite was a two room luxury apartment with a bar, jacuzzi, kitchen, living room area and a great view of the Strip. They began to unpack. After a while, they both felt a little exhausted and dropped onto the bed to rest for a while. Lying there, Steve suddenly had a thought. "Stace, there's only one bed in here..." Stacy looked at him, smiled, and winked jokingly. "Ok, I'll sleep on the couch," Steve muttered. Stacy laughed.
The first day in Las Vegas was pretty uneventful. They tried a little gambling, had the traditional Las Vegas prime rib and lobster dinner, saw the Mirage dolphins, and drove up and down the Strip at night, writing down everything they wanted to do. Everything had been planned for the week. Monday thru Wednesday they'd be sightseeing, all expenses paid, and Thursday Stacy would go to have her gown fitted and the arrangements were to be made, and the big day was Friday at 6pm, after which they'd have a weekend honeymoon in Vegas, then head home. By Wednesday night, Stacy felt about ready to collapse from all they'd done. They'd been on roller coasters at Grand Slam Canyon - Stacy had to put an extra hairpin in her wig for the upside-down, twisting ride... They'd visited the Hoover Dam, and taken a helicopter tour of the Grand Canyon. Steve had been scared to death in the helicopter, it seemed, so Stacy held his hand most of the way. Spending time with Steve was no longer like being out with a buddy, it felt more like being on a weeklong date. Still, Stacy thought of Steve as her roommate, and they had a fun week. They'd been to the MGM Grand casino, and visited its theme park. Stacy laid on the bed for a while, and just when she was beginning to doze off, Steve tapped her on the foot. "This better be good..."
"I have show tickets for us tonight, Stace. Better get changed!" Steve replied. He was wearing his double breasted suit, and looked like a million bucks.
Stacy reluctantly got up, and asked Steve what they'd be seeing. "It's a secret," he answered. Stacy changed out of her t-shirt and shorts, and sent Steve downstairs to gamble. She hunted through her things and picked out a blue cocktail dress and matching 3 inch heels. She worked at her makeup, adding a sexy shade of lipstick, then sprayed on some perfume. She chose a pearl necklace and bracelet from her jewelry box, (the inventory of which had been growing since she first met Serena), and styled her hair until it looked perfect. She headed to the elevator to look for Steve. A man in the elevator saw her coming, and held the door. Stacy thanked him, and turned to wait. She looked over to see him smiling appreciatively at her, and she smiled back. "Visiting the city alone?" he asked, sounding hopeful. "I'm here with my fiance," Stacy replied.
"Not too late to change your mind, you know," he returned. They both laughed a little. Stacy found Steve exactly where she thought he'd be; sitting at the blackjack tables. She put her arms around his shoulders, and whispered in his ear, "Guess who?" "Must be my mistress," Steve answered. "Good thing Stacy doesn't know you're here," he joked. Stacy gave him a playful slap on the head. Steve played one last time, hitting blackjack, and coming out even overall. He surprised Stacy by walking with his arm around her, and they headed for the parking area. "You look amazing," Steve said. Stacy smiled, waited a bit, and said, "You still haven't told me where we're going." Steve said nothing, and they took off down the Strip. At the Sahara casino, Steve put his blinker on. Stacy looked up at the casino sign and knew what Steve had in mind. She'd been dying to see this show from the moment they first drove down the Strip. Steve had gotten great seats for Boylesque, a show starring an all-male cast portraying women. They ordered drinks, watching the show from right up front.
"You look better than any of them," Steve said.
"You're just being nice," Stacy replied. "Maybe..." Steve said. Stacy found herself holding hands with her roommate throughout the show, and they left arm in arm. "I saw an ad for a nightclub near here," Steve said. "Did Serena teach you how to dance in those heels?"
Stacy didn't feel like relaying the story about Serena's party yet, her mind was still full of confusing emotions. "I learned a little, yeah," She replied. They spent an hour at a local nightclub, having drinks and dancing. "Quit trying to get me drunk," Stacy said, smiling, as Steve ordered himself a Sprite and her a Long Island Iced Tea. They danced to a few fast-paced songs. Stacy was surprised how easy it was to bounce around on the dance floor in heels. Soon, the music slowed for the last song of the night, and Steve and Stacy shared a slow dance. She put her arms around his neck, and rested her head against his shoulder. "And you said we'd have nothing to do all summer..." Steve said, looking down at his roommate. Stacy looked up at him and smiled.
Steve slid his key through the reader, and their hotel room door opened. Stacy slipped inside, and waited for Steve in the living room. "Hope you enjoyed the evening," Steve said. "It was great, thanks," Stacy replied, not sure where to go from there. She gave Steve a hug, enjoying the warmth of his body. She'd felt very feminine, being held in his arms during that last song. "Guess I better hit the couch," Steve said, smiling.
"Goodnight. Wake me up early, ok?" Stacy asked. Steve nodded, and completely took Stacy by surprise. "Would it seem weird if I asked my roommate for a goodnight kiss?"
Stacy didn't answer, she leaned in toward him and their lips met for a quick kiss. Without a word, Stacy turned and headed into the bedroom. A while later, she lay in her nightgown, wondering how this week was going to turn out.
Stacy could hardly contain her excitement. Today she'd be picking out a bridal gown. She chose a long sundress and sandals to wear to the shop, over her gaff and a long slip to wear under the wedding dresses she'd be trying on. Steve planned to spend the day at the Mirage, hoping to get lucky at the casino's sports book, so Stacy took the car over to the fashion mall they'd been instructed to visit. There were incredibly beautiful wedding dresses in the window, along with other formal gowns. Stacy nervously walked into the shop and approached a woman at the counter.
"Good morning, I'm Stacy Robertson...I was told to go..." she began.
"Stacy, of course! I'm Lynn, and I've been waiting for you. Come with me!" the woman called, heading to the rear of the store. "You must be so excited...are you and your boyfriend having fun with your trip so far?"
"It's been wonderful so far," Stacy answered.
"Well, it's going to get better," Lynn replied. "We got your measurements the other day and have put together a selection for you to choose from. Once you find the perfect one, we'll take care of fitting it for you. Stacy put her purse down and began looking through the gowns. They were all so beautiful. After about fifteen minutes of indecision, Stacy selected three wedding dresses that stood out from the rest. She eagerly took them off the rack. Lynn couldn't help but notice how excited the young woman looked. "Looks like you're on cloud nine, Stacy. Ready to try those on?" Stacy could hardly reply. Lynn led her to a dressing area, where Stacy slipped out of the sundress and sandals. "Let me know if you need help, ok?" Lynn asked from outside. The first gown was silk, had a very long train, and was adorned with lace and pearls. Stacy noticed it had a bow in the back that she hadn't seen before. She stepped out of the dressing room and allowed Lynn to zip up the dress while she held her hair up. The zipper went all the way to the back of Stacy's neck. Lynn stood back, and Stacy walked over to the mirror, admiring the dress. "I can't believe I'm actually standing here in a wedding gown," she thought. Lynn seemed to read her mind. "It's you, Stacy. What do you think?" She worked her way around Stacy, adjusting the long sleeves of the dress, pulling the train out to its full length, and brushing Stacy's hair out a bit. Stacy turned, smiled at the mirror, lifted up the dress a little, then looked over at Lynn. "Goes well with my bare feet, but I don't think this is the one."
Lynn smiled. "I didn't think so either." They both giggled, and Lynn continued. "I think a pretty girl like you should wear a gown with short sleeves - maybe we can add some gloves. And this neckline is much too high..." she went on, as they headed back to the dressing room. The first dress found its way back to the shelf, and Stacy slipped into her next choice without any help from Lynn. This was a sexy, shapely gown, designed not to have a train, but to show off the bride in every way. The back was low-cut, and the neckline was also generous. The dress featured sequins and pearls, short sleeves, satin and lace. Stacy felt comfortable in it, striding out of the dressing room. Lynn made some adjustments, and asked Stacy if she'd like to try out a headpiece with it. Stacy tried two. The first had a veil, the second did not. The second, however, was very beautiful, the flowers were perfect, it looked just right atop her head. She knew she'd settled on at least one thing. Two other salesgirls came over to admire the bride-to-be, suggesting other accessories. Stacy thought she better try the last gown on, before making any further decisions. Leaving the second dress in the fitting room, Stacy stepped into the final outfit she'd chosen.
Lynn was speechless as Stacy emerged from the dressing room. "Oh, Stacy, you look beautiful! Come over here." The gown Stacy wore was silk, short-sleeved, with a low-cut neckline and a six foot train. Stacy seemed to glow in it. The pearls were arranged perfectly throughout the dress, and Stacy couldn't help but smile as the three salesgirls stood there admiring the blushing bride. Lynn added the headpiece and a pair of white pumps. With some minor adjustments, Stacy stood up straight in the mirror, turned, posed again, and looked at an expectant Lynn. "This is the one, Lynn. It's perfect!" Lynn smiled, gave Stacy a quick hug, and walked around her several times. "I can't get over how beautiful it looks on you," she said. At that point, Lynn and another salesgirl, Heather, began taking minute measurements, noting the small adjustments that they'd be making for it, and after a while, Stacy was allowed to go and change. She emerged after a little while and sat down with Lynn in the back of the store. "Now, what I want you to do," Lynn began, "is be here at 1pm tomorrow. Would that be convenient for you?" Stacy had scheduled a makeover and hairstyling at 9am, but figured she'd be free by 1, so she nodded. Lynn began scribbling on a sheet of paper, then handed it to Stacy. "This is what we're going to dress you in tomorrow. The entire outfit is courtesy of the contest and this shop." Stacy felt tears in her eyes from the excitement she felt. "Unless you have something special you'd like to wear, something old, something borrowed, something blue, whatever, we'll put your whole outfit together," Lynn finished. Stacy had to admit she had nothing to start with, so Lynn wrote "The Works" on Stacy's bill, and shook her hand. "Congratulations, Stacy. You're almost there!" Stacy retrieved her purse, thanked everyone and headed back to the Mirage.
That night, Steve and Stacy decided to wind down a bit after her hectic day, and they went in jeans and t-shirts to see King Arthur's Royal Tournament, a dinner show at the Excalibur Hotel, which Steve had been dying to visit after driving past it again and again. Steve had made arrangements for the wedding during the day; the Mirage was sponsoring the affair, so it would be held in the hotel's chapel. It seemed like every hotel in the city had a wedding chapel, but the one at the Mirage was quite beautiful, albeit small. Steve had been fitted at the Mirage for his tuxedo, and had ordered flowers, chosen the organ music, ordered a cake big enough for twenty people, (that was a mystery to Stacy), checked their 6pm reservation, and arranged for a photographer. "Guess you had a busy day too," Stacy told him, as Merlin the Magician announced each of the knights participating in the jousting tournament.
Stacy's phone rang. Finally she felt awake enough to answer, and the hotel's wake up service had done its job. Today was her wedding day. Butterflies swarmed in Stacy's stomach. How were they going to pull this stunt off, should have been her biggest worry. Instead she felt nervous and excited about the makeover, about the dress, about everything! She wondered if all brides go through these feelings, and decided they must. Knocking on the door to the living room a while later, Stacy told Steve not to look as she left the honeymoon suite. He seemed dead to the world anyway. Stacy walked down to the elevator, wearing her comfortable white flowered sundress and white sandals. The Mirage had a wonderful beauty salon, and the contest people had set up a makeover session for Stacy at 9:00. She read the sign on the door, which said the shop was closed until noon today, confused. She walked over to the newsstand next door and asked the clerk why the store was closed. "Oh, they have some special client coming in this morning. Contest winner or something."
Stacy thanked him, smiling, and walked back to the salon. Her knock was almost immediately answered, and before she knew it, three women ushered her inside. Stacy was in heaven with all the attention and pampering she was getting. Her hair was carefully washed, and then one woman began working on her fingernails and toenails, while another got the makeup ready, deciding on just the right shades for the occasion. The blond wig Serena had given Stacy was holding up well. Apparently the stylist had been told it was a wig by Steve, or perhaps stylists can easily tell a wig from real hair. She began showing Stacy several different pictures of how her hair could be styled to look. They both easily settled on a fancy wavy style, that would leave Stacy's hair down and go perfectly with the headpiece. Stacy chose a pink nail color with tiny sparkles, which the manicurist assured her would go well with the dress and make for a nice traditional picture of the bride's and groom's hands. Stacy's hair finally was dried, and brushed out. She looked in the mirror, hardly recognizing herself with the attractive new hairstyle she'd been given. Finally, it was time for a makeover. "Now remember to pay close attention, because you'll obviously need to touch this up today," the third woman began. She applied makeup and powder to Stacy's face, expertly working on her eyes, drawing out the lashes with professional mascara, adding light eye color, working the eyeliner around Stacy's eyes, and then moving on to her cheeks. Adding some blush and a little pencil here and there, the woman walked off for a moment, and returned with a dark tube of lipstick, allowing Stacy to apply the sexy red shade. They added a bit of lip gloss, which made her lips look wet and sexy, and pronounced Stacy done at last. She looked in the mirror and was speechless. She'd never seen a woman so pretty. She remembered Christina for a moment, back home for the summer, and wondered what she'd think if she saw her boyfriend sitting here, looking like a goddess. The women handed Stacy a bag containing everything they'd used in the makeover, for touching up makeup and for future use. Stacy thanked the women, added a tip to the hotel's courtesy bill, and headed out to the parking area. She started thinking about Christina again, for some reason, and wondered if she'd be able to go back to being male again. Did she really want to? If not, would she go to college in the fall as a woman? A married woman? She wondered if Steve really did have a plan. She didn't think you could just say 'no' at the altar, and still walk away with all the free amenities the contest had given already. They might have to get married, or wind up in big trouble. Stacy found herself shaking a little in the elevator, and decided these worries would have to wait, at least until tonight, and she headed out to the valet.
Stacy was greeted a little before 1pm at the bridal shop by Lynn, Heather, and Theresa, and another woman she hadn't met, Denise. The first thing they did was ask Stacy if she'd had lunch. They decided to order out from a nearby deli, and went to work on Stacy. She had been sent to the dressing room to disrobe, and was given only the long slip that went with the wedding dress to put on. She carefully changed, leaving the bra and gaff on, with the slip over it. The girls passed a pair of white lace stockings and a garter belt to Stacy, who began to fill with excitement as she slipped them on, attaching them to the garter belt. Stacy emerged from the dressing room, and the girls had the gown waiting for her in a back room. She stepped into it, and was surprised how it seemed to fit even better than before. Those alterations had seemed so minor, but what a difference they made! They zipped Stacy up, checked the dress over, had her stand facing each direction, making tiny adjustments, and finally allowed her to sit down. Denise emerged from the back room with several shoeboxes. The white pumps were all so beautiful. There were varying heel sizes, as the girls did not know Steve's exact height. When Stacy told them he was a head taller than her, they suggested a four inch heel. That was just about Stacy's limit, especially with the six foot train to worry about, but she went with the girls' advice, and chose a pair of white satin pumps. She stood up and walked around, carefully, the train of the dress pinned up for now. "Next," Lynn announced, "we'll need to get you the perfect accessories." Stacy produced her pearl necklace and bracelet from her purse, and told Lynn they were her 'old and borrowed' items, although they'd really both been gifts from Serena. Heather helped Stacy put them on, admiring her nails. "Hey, your nails look beautiful. Where'd you have them done?"
"At the Mirage," Stacy replied. "They did my hair and makeup too."
"I should try them out, then," Heather remarked. "Got a date tomorrow night - we're going to see the new Splash show at the Riviera." They chatted for a while about Heather's prospective boyfriend, and the shows to see in Las Vegas, while finishing lunch. Stacy practically wolfed down a turkey sandwich. She knew she should have had breakfast today, but those butterflies just wouldn't allow it. "You won't have any time for any more shows, Stace," Lynn joked. "The honeymoon starts tonight, remember?" They all laughed. Stacy settled on an expensive but fancy set of pearl earrings, which had to be returned to the shop after the weekend. They complimented the dress beautifully. "Ok, now, for something blue," Theresa said, smiling, and the other three women broke out into a chorus of 'oooh!'s. Theresa produced a satin and lace garter, with royal blue trim, offering it to Stacy. She smiled, seductively sliding the garter up her leg and into place. Stacy was in heaven. When they'd stopped laughing, Denise went and retrieved the headpiece for the outfit. It had a see-through lace part that came down in the back over Stacy's beautiful hair, giving it an even more attractive appearance. While Lynn set the headpiece in place, the other women left the back room. Lynn showed Stacy a selection of gloves, and although she wasn't sure if she'd wear them or not, Stacy selected a white lace pair that covered her wrist and much of her hand, but left her fingers uncovered, Lynn explained, so that the ring can be placed on the finger without taking the gloves off. Stacy put them on, stood up, and turned around slowly, as Lynn had instructed.
"I think you're one of the most beautiful brides I've ever seen," Lynn remarked. "Would you like me to take a few pictures?" Stacy agreed, caught up in the moment, admiring herself in front of the room's triple full length mirror. From every side she looked like a beautiful, excited bride to be. She touched up her makeup like a pro, especially the lipstick and gloss, which had dulled a bit after the turkey sandwich. Stacy heard giggling from outside the room, and turned to see the four women re-enter, all dressed in pink bridesmaid gowns. "This is something we like to do for all our brides, although we don't always have the time," Denise began. Lynn held a 35mm camera on a tripod, which she set down and adjusted until she was satisfied, then walked over and took Stacy's hand. Stacy was surprised, and very happy. Lynn had her move away from the mirrors, and she noticed for the first time, a wall mural behind her of a lovely autumn-looking forest setting. Lynn offered Stacy a bouquet - Steve had promised the real one would be waiting at the chapel - and she stood posing alone for several pictures. Then, Lynn set the camera timer, and the four bridesmaids gathered around Stacy, two on each side, and Stacy smiled with all the excitement she could muster. She couldn't believe how much fun she was having. They took 24 pictures in all, to finish out the roll to give to Stacy. There were some silly poses, where they all made the dopiest faces they could think of, and one picture that Stacy hoped would come out well, that of just herself with a dark background, in which she was told to look like she was making a wish. Stacy remembered that Steve had mentioned something about a best man, and around 4pm, she had taken Lynn aside. Stacy explained that the two of them were really here on their own, and if Lynn wasn't busy, would she mind filling in as Maid of Honor? Lynn agreed, and Stacy wondered how she would explain things to her new friend if the wedding didn't go quite as planned...
By 5:00, the bride was ready to hit the road. Stacy got a hug from each of the girls, thanked them profusely, and headed out with Lynn to the Mirage. Lynn tried to calm the bride, who was shaking visibly. Everyone's eyes were on the bride, and she received many cries of 'good luck' and 'congratulations' from passersby. "Don't be nervous, brides are a pretty everyday sight around here," Lynn joked, and Stacy tried to calm herself a little. Lynn offered to drive Stacy's car to the hotel, and she was even more glad she'd asked her new friend to be her maid of honor. Lynn still wore the pink bridesmaid gown, and looked very nice herself. They left the car with the valet again, and headed for the wedding chapel.
"Well, if you're going to get married in a casino resort, this is the one to do it at," Lynn assured Stacy. The bride was about ready to crawl into a corner somewhere, after all the stares she'd been getting. At least, everyone seemed to be smiling, admiring her, watching her as she made her way to the chapel. When they finally arrived there, it was nearly 6pm, and Lynn went ahead of Stacy to check on everything. She met Steve briefly, and introduced herself.
Stacy walked into a room with mirrors and a dressing area, and began to do some final touch up work on her hair and makeup. There wasn't much to do, she looked absolutely stunning. Her bouquet lay on the vanity in front of her, and when she picked up the pretty arrangement, a note dropped to the vanity. Stacy opened it up. "Go through with the ceremony," the note read. "I have everything taken care of - it's ok to say I DO", it read, and it was signed "Your darling Steve" with a smiley face. Stacy relaxed. Her roommate had come through, apparently. Maybe they would get through this unscathed after all...
Lynn came to get Stacy, and she dropped the note in a wastebasket.
Stacy heard music playing, hardly believing they were going to go through with this. She felt like a real bride, full of emotion, to the point of tears, as she followed Lynn to the area where Steve, his best man, and the minister stood. Stacy didn't recognize Steve's best man. She shook a little, moving slowly down the aisle, surprised to see a few dozen people gathered in there to watch the wedding. Everyone was standing, and she smiled, recognizing Heather, Denise and Theresa, two rows from the minister, smiling at her and waving. Nobody else looked familiar. She approached Steve, and he took her hand. They faced each other, and the ceremony began. It was fairly short, and nobody had any objections to their union. Stacy had thought Steve might use that route, but he only smiled at her. "Do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife..." the minister began, and soon Steve had said "I do." He turned to Stacy and repeated the question. Did she take her roommate Steve as her lawfully wedded husband? She put her trust in her future husband, and shaking, said, "I do." The best man brought out a box containing a ring, Stacy assumed. Stacy had forgotten all about the rings - had they been part of the deal? What was she going to give Steve? She was relieved to see two rings, a man's and a woman's. She took Steve's ring from the box and admired it. It was a gold band with several diamonds encrusted in it, and she slipped it on his ring finger, playing her part well. "With this ring, I thee wed." He did the same, and she gasped when she saw her ring. It was a sea of diamonds. Stacy considered that Steve might not be such a bad catch after all, and nearly laughed. "By the power vested in me by the state of Nevada, I now pronounce you man and wife," the minister finished. "You may kiss the bride," he told Steve. Stacy braced herself to play the part, and Steve took her in his arms, giving her a kiss on the lips. They kissed for several moments, both of them enjoying the embrace, to the point where the audience began applauding and 'oooh'ing. They walked back down the aisle, and into a small reception area that had been set up. There were pictures galore. Stacy posed alone, with Steve, with the wedding party, until finally she was seeing spots. The cake ceremony was cute; both bride and groom wound up with a face full of cake. Stacy tossed her bouquet, and Heather caught it. "Guess your date tomorrow night could be a pretty big deal, huh?" Denise joked to her. Steve sat Stacy down, and seductively removed her garter, tossing it out into the crowd. The man who got it was more than happy to slide it onto Heather's leg, and she played along. There were even a few presents, which the bell desk had brought up to the honeymoon suite. Finally, the bride and groom bid farewell to the chapel and headed for the room. Lynn stopped Stacy at the door, giving her a big hug and her address, asking her to write or call sometime.
Steve wasn't talking. "Ok, what did you do? Am I your wife, Steve? I put my trust in you, you know." Stacy was getting a little worried. They stepped into the elevator. As it travelled to the top floor, Steve began. "I'll explain everything when we get to the room. We're not married. Did you have fun, though?" Stacy refused to relax yet. "I have had the busiest week of my life, I've been running around in dresses and heels from place to place, and I've just married another man. Did I have fun?" she asked. Steve was silent.
"Of course I had fun!" Stacy exclaimed. "I've had the most wonderful week of my life, Steve. You can't imagine how much fun, how much joy I've had here. Don't know if I want it to end so soon."
Steve put his arm around Stacy, only saying, "I know..."
The elevator doors opened and Stacy and Steve headed for their suite. Stacy was having a hard time keeping up with Steve, having to pick up her dress to avoid tripping. Finally Steve turned to her and stopped. Before Stacy knew what was happening, Steve had her in his arms and had hoisted her into the air. "I forgot about carrying you over the threshold," Steve said, laughing. Stacy prayed he wouldn't drop her or hurt his back. They made it to the door to the suite, and Steve fumbled with the sliding key. He got the door open and turned so that he could get Stacy through the door. Once inside, Steve looked down at the woman in his arms. Stacy playfully ran her fingers through his hair. "Time for me to explain, huh?" he said.
"If you wouldn't mind..."
Steve put Stacy down and led her into the bedroom. Waiting for them in there were Steve's best man and the minister. Stacy was obviously surprised to see them. The minister walked over to them and smiled at Stacy. He shocked Stacy by suddenly removing his mustache, glasses and a skincap/hairpiece he'd been wearing. Stacy found herself staring into Serena's face. "Hello, Stacy my dear. You're the most beautiful bride I've ever seen," Serena replied. Stacy did a doubletake. "Is that really you? God, I never would have recognized you!" she exclaimed, giving Serena a hug and feeling much better now. Serena smiled. "Didn't you read my ad? Queen of Fantasy, that's me, Stacy. Your roommate here wanted to do everything he could to make sure you two could pull this wedding off, so here I am! Just flew in yesterday."
Stacy sighed. "So, where is the real minister? How did you do it?"
The best man walked over to Stacy and Steve. "I'm not a minister, I'm a Justice of the Peace, but I do preside over the chapel downstairs. Your friend Steve here explained the situation to me. I've heard stranger stories around here, but not many, and I've been working here for almost ten years. But, I can understand your situation, so I allowed for a little switch of our own, and let Serena read my lines. What an amazing transformation, Stacy. Since Serena here is not licensed to perform marriages, you two are still single. Unless, of course, you've changed your minds and really want to marry after all. I'm all ears, if that's the case."
Stacy and Steve looked at each other, smiled, and turned to him. "Umm, not at this time..." Stacy answered. "I think I like being a bachelor...ette."
After the justice of the peace left, Serena stayed a while to chat, then headed eagerly downstairs to the roulette tables. Still in her wedding dress, Stacy shut the room door. "Can we relax this weekend?" Steve called from the bedroom. Stacy poked her head in. "Well, honey, we still have the honeymoon!" They laughed. As Stacy slid the wedding dress off, she made a decision. She was going to live as a woman all summer long, and see where things went from there. When classes began again, she might go back to life as a male, might not. She thought of Christina, and decided she'd have to spend the summer sorting out her feelings for her. She'd better ask Steve about living arrangements for the summer, though.
Stacy walked into the bedroom wearing her long white silk nightgown, with the heels and headpiece from her gown still on. Steve had changed into a heavy maroon bathrobe and slippers. She sat down next to him to watch television. Steve took her hand and examined her ring. "I wanted to ask you," Stacy said, "if you wouldn't mind me living as a woman this summer. I could get my own place, I guess, if it's uncomfortable for you."
Steve smiled. "Actually, I was kinda hoping you'd stay like you are now. What about Christina?"
"I've got the summer to sort out my feelings. We'll see what happens when classes start up," Stacy said confidently.
"What will people think, though? Me living with a woman?" Steve asked.
"Well, just tell them we're married," Stacy suggested, laughing. She shivered a little from the cold air blowing into the room.
Steve instinctively put his arm around her. Stacy had felt like a fairy tale princess all week, and getting married was a thrill. Now at last, things had calmed down, and they could relax this weekend before going home.
"Hey, that minister was awfully nice. How much did it cost you?" she said, raising her eyebrow.
"Justice of the Peace, and you don't want to know," Steve answered. "But, we still have some spending money leftover for the weekend, ok?"
Stacy shrugged. "Thanks for making all the arrangements. Serena shocked me!"
Steve agreed, "She was pretty convincing, wasn't she?"
Stacy got up, turned out the lights and television, and opened the curtains to reveal an amazing view of the Strip, all lit up. She stood in the window, her body silhouetted against the lights of the city at night. It was driving Steve crazy. He walked over and put his arms around her, surprised that she didn't resist at all.
Steve began stroking Stacy's hair and face. She blushed a little. Turning to look at him, she nearly lost herself in his eyes. Steve kissed her gently on the cheek, as Stacy closed her eyes. He kissed her neck, and she shivered. Their lips met in a French kiss, growing more and more passionate.
It was going to be a long summer.