I would’ve never expected the Hawthorne’s to be so inviting! It turns out Beatrice was just the really, really bad egg in the family. Ada said that people like her snake better than her. Now that’s just sad. Sure, the family always appeared nice and charitable to the public, but I just assumed that was a facade, like most businessmen and rich people do so the common people don’t burn down their thousand dollar mansion while they sleep. But well… none of the Hawthorne’s really hesitated to take me in when Reginald and Max said I was part of the family.

Mrs. Hawthorne and I ended up filling out that entire book together, and you know what she did? She wanted her, I, and Max to sign the inside of the book and insisted that I sign my name at the very top. I was so flattered, and it was cool to know something with my name on it was inside the mansion of the richest people in the country. My name will always be hiding somewhere in Hawthorne Mansion. I bet when someone finds it a hundred years later, they’ll be scratching their heads and wondering where the hell “Aven Murphy” falls on the family tree.

I started actually going over to their house every other day just to have something to do while Max was gone doing whatever errands she had. It beats just sitting around all day and waiting for her or Reginald to come home.

“Are you sure you have to go already?” Angel asked.

“I’ve got to get back to the house to help Max with some chores,” I insisted with a meek chuckle. “Don’t worry, we can bake the cake tomorrow though.”

“You’d better not break that promise!” she jokingly fussed.

“I haven’t broken one yet!”

After waving goodbye, I dashed down the street as fast as I could in my dress and shoes. How in the world are women expected to get anywhere in a timely manner when it’s faster to just hike up your dress and carry your shoes?

On my way back, I noticed that a small bakery had a little sign out front; they were trying to sell off baked goods before they went bad. I had never gone in that one before, but well… I couldn’t help myself. I walked in, purse in hand, and awkwardly approached the man at the counter. It looked to be a single-employee shop, manned by an old man smoking a pipe.

“Ahem,” I coughed, getting his attention.

“I saw ya when ya walked in,” he nodded, speaking with a painfully strong accented twang. He still wouldn’t even look at me. “What do ya want? Pick out whatever yer stomach’s hankerin’ for n’ I’ll give ya a free one.”

Silently, I nodded and pointed to a few things, which seemed to annoy the man. I wasn’t about to start talking though, since that was a surefire giveaway that I wasn’t some normal woman. The best I can do is try to pass it off as a sickness or chronic illness like usual, but it doesn’t work on everyone. By the way this guy was looking at me though, he was more of a no-nonsense type.

“Speak up, missy. I can’t hear yer head rattle.”

I just pointed to one of the sweets again, and he just sighed and got a bag together to put in whatever I gestured to. His annoyance seemed to fade after a minute of talking at me.

“Ya know, I got a grandmissy just like ya down south where I’m from. Little girl got a bad case o’ the mutes. Ain’t ever said a word to me n’ she’s got twelve years on ‘er. Ain’t that a wonder?”

I just nodded my head, pretending to understand half of what he was saying. Eventually, he set the bag down on the counter and counted up the total. The moment I paid, I ran straight out of that bakery. Call me paranoid or naturally distrusting, but I’d rather not stay alone with strangers.

When I had almost made it home, I slowed my pace, hoping Max didn’t come back early or something. As I walked up to the house, my stomach dropped. A woman was already standing right outside, blocking my way in. I assumed it might’ve been Max, so I got ready to have to explain the bag of food. That’s when my stomach took a dive through the ground. It was her. Beatrice Hawthorne. And I couldn’t avoid her.

Part of me wanted to run away and hide, but I thought that maybe I could just quickly get inside and lock the door behind me or something. I composed myself and approached her, clearing my throat and making her jump. She had apparently been too deep in thought to notice me.

“Beatrice? Uh, are you looking for Reginald?”

“Eh?” she said, furrowing her brow.

“You’re, uh, standing right in front of the house,” I pointed out. At this point I was regretting my plan and wished I had just gone back to the Hawthorne mansion or something. “If you’re looking for Reginald, he’s not usually home until 5. I can let him know you stopped by if you want.”

“No, I don’t want to talk to him,” she said with her trademark snobbish tone. “I want to see Max.”

“Oh. She’s not home either,” I said, relieved. Maybe she’d give up and go somewhere else if Max wasn’t here. “She’s out running errands.”

“Errands?” she asked in a voice that sent shivers up my spine. “Mind telling what errands?”

“I’m not sure,” I said honestly. “She doesn’t tell me, and it’s not my business to ask.”

“Or you don’t want to tell,” Beatrice hissed. The butterflies in my stomach were going crazy from how anxious I felt. “Where were you then? Hm?”

“Oh… Just at the shop…” I said, my voice dropping to a whisper. “Um… Can you move so I can go in…?”

“I want to know what you’re hiding,” she demanded, standing right in my way.

“It’s personal-”

Beatrice snatched the bag from my hand anyway and pried it wide open. Her face immediately contorted into an expression of complete disgust. 

“Food?” she scoffed, thrusting the bag back into my arms. “Best not be eating that all in one sitting. You’re going to make yourself sick.”

“…I’m aware…” I mumbled. “Can I go inside now…?”

“I’ll be joining you,” she said matter-of-factly, her snake wrapped around her shoulders like a fancy scarf. “I have… important matters to discuss with Max, shall I say?”

“Uh… Alright…” I said lowly. I would stop her from coming in, but let’s be honest. Nothing short of Reginald was going to stop her from doing whatever she wanted. 

She let me go in first and slithered her way in behind me. I made an attempt to run upstairs and wait for Max to come back, but Beatrice screeched from downstairs when I tried to.

“Ah, ah, ah!” she taunted from downstairs. “Get back down here.”

I slinked back down the stairs and leaned against the stairs railing. What did she want? And what was she going to do with me for her own amusement?

“Where’s your men’s clothing?”

“Uh…” I coughed. That was a question that took me completely off-guard. I didn’t even have any anymore since Max and I threw them out. “I don’t really have any.”

“Then I’m sure Reginald has something old you can take.” Beatrice marched right to Reginald’s room, which I tried to stop but had to back off when she threatened to use the snake. A minute later, she came out with some of Reginald’s clothes in her arms. “Put it on. I will not sit around and see you wearing that dress.”

“B-but-”

“NOW,” she howled. I felt so terrified that my body couldn’t even budge. No way I could wear clothes like that. Not again. I was about to raise my voice before she balled her fists and put on a snarl. “Oh, for fuck’s sake!”

She stomped over to me, and before I could react, she started trying to yank my dress off! I could hardly put up a fight because of her constant threats to use her snake on me. When Beatrice finally yanked the top off, I yelped and tried to cover myself with my hands.

“Oh stop it,” she snarled. “You don’t have any breasts to cover because you’re a man! Act like one!”

The next few minutes was a tussle between Beatrice trying to put me in a waistcoat and me trying to get away from the madwoman. She just kept yanking my arms and forcing my body into obviously unfit clothes… When she was done, I couldn’t help but start to tear up while she proudly looked at her work.

“There! This looks better. You could stand to lose the gut so you don't look like you're going to pop a few buttons, but this will do for now,” she smirked, putting her hand to her lips for a moment. “At the candy store, I read your name as Adam. Is that your legal name or not?”

I kept my lips tight. I didn’t want to talk to this woman anymore. I just wanted her to leave me alone. The small act of defiance made her lips tighten and knuckles turn white.

“Is it or not?”

“…M-My name is Aven-”

In a flash of motion, Beatrice slung her hand across my face in a barbaric backhand slap that sent me reeling. I could feel my face tingling as I caught myself on the kitchen table. When I gazed into her eyes, I could feel the fire-and-brimstone fury directed entirely at me.

“I’m NOT in the mood for games.”

“I-It’s legally Adam…” I choked out, trying to calm my quivering voice in fear that it would make her angrier.

“Then that is what I will call you,” Beatrice growled cruelly. “I will not be feeding into your delusions as everyone else does. Now go sit down, and you will stay seated until Max comes home. Do I make myself clear?”

I just nodded and sat down, staring shamefully down at the table. I hoped Reginald would come home early and put an end to this…

“Stop looking down like a lost dog,” Beatrice sighed, rolling her eyes. “You look pathetic.”

“S-Sorry…”

“Honestly, you’re overreacting.”

“B-But y-you forced my c-clothes off-”

“That’s what this is about?” she groaned. “Get over yourself. You may not be a woman, but you’re certainly not impressive for a man.”

“I-”

“Shut up. The last thing I want to hear right now is the voice of a man as pitiful as you. Don’t worry, I assure you there’ll be plenty of conversation when Max gets home.”

*   *   *   *   *

“Aven?” I heard Max giggle as she opened the door. She sounded rather happy, which was a shame for what was waiting here for her. “If you’re trying to paint again, I-”

“Well, well, well…” Beatrice giddily taunted, punctuating every word with a click of her heels across the floor as she emerged from the room over.

Immediately, Max’s face dropped as she saw Beatrice parading around the house paired with me in one of her husband’s suits. She looked ready to break her sister-in-law into pieces.

“Beatrice, ma’am,” she addressed with disdain.

“That’s correct,” Beatrice smirked, scratching her snake under the chin. “So, mind telling me where you were?”

“I was out running errands,” she said simply.

“Mhm. Sureee,” Beatrice glanced over at me. “Where was she, Adam?”

“I-I don’t know…”

“I don’t know, MA’AM,” the woman screeched, getting right in my face. She was so close I could feel drops of spit splash onto me.

“I don’t know, m-ma’am,” I trembled.

“Hm. I’m sure my brother knows of your errands, correct?” she asked, turning to Max with a monstrous smile. It only took a moment of hesitation for Beatrice to leap onto the subject like a predator. “I’ll take that as a no? And would these errands happen to explain why you’re dressed like a man? I must say, it does suit you much better than a dress. Maybe you and Adam should crossdress together!”

“You know what? I think you’re just jealous of us!” Max barked, shaking her fists at the woman. “At least I’ve got boobs and an ass! And Aven actually has some nice hips! Every man just sees you as a bitchy 2x4 front and back!”

“Do you want to tell my brother that when I let him know your secret?!” Beatrice threatened, completely on a power trip. It was enough to make even Max give in, because for the first time, I saw her hang her head low with a complete loss for pride.

“Please… don’t tell him…”

“Oh, but why shouldn’t I? I knew you were up to no good the moment I met you! And I’ve been trying to convince my dearest brother to ditch you, but he won’t listen. So here’s my chance!”

“Please,” Max asked again, shaking her entire body.

“Hm…” Beatrice grinned, rubbing her chin to probably try and think about how to completely and utterly humiliate us both. “How badly do you want me to stay quiet?”

“I’ll do anything…”

“Beg. I want to see you on your knees, begging at my feet,” she smirked, clasping her hands together. “And maybe then, just maybe, I’ll consider keeping your little secret.”

I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Max actually got down on her hands and held her head low before uttering a few small words out of her lips.

“Please… Don’t tell…”

“What was that?” Beatrice mocked, leaning her head down. “I couldn’t hear you.”

“Please…” Max mumbled. “Please don’t tell him…”

“Good girl,” the woman giggled. She used her shoe to lift Max’s chin to stare her in the eyes, probably taking pleasure in Max’s gritting teeth. “Maybe you can be trained.”

Just then, Reginald pried the door open and walked in on the… unsavory scene unfolding. I don’t know what he was most appalled by. Me and Max in his clothing? Beatrice looking down at his wife on her hands and knees? His sister in general? He looked at a total loss for words before managing to finally force something out.

“Max?” he asked before turning to his sister. “What are you doing?”

“Putting her in her place,” Beatrice shrugged with a smirk.

“Get off the floor, Max,” he told her, helping his wife up and staring, confused at her attire. “Why are you dressed like this?”

“I-” 

“I made her,” Beatrice interjected. I think the fact that she was defending Max as opposed to throwing her under the bus was even more unnerving. “I thought it suited her quite well since she’s got a man’s body just like Adam.”

“Adam?” Reginald asked with a furrowed brow. It just occurred to me that I had never told him my old name. I think he could figure it out anyway though, because that moment was one of the very rare times I’ve ever seen him actually angry.

“So you’re telling me that you came into my home to put my wife and Aven into clothing YOU thought was suitable?” he asked, his voice swelling in volume. “AND made Max beg at your knees?? What the Hell, Beatrice!?”

“They deserve it,” Beatrice scoffed. It legitimately baffled me how she thought doubling down on her actions was the way to go here.

“Get. Out,” he said, slowly and heavily. “I will not have you coming here to torture my family. Out. Now.”

It impressed me how Beatrice walked out without another word. I wish that could’ve happened before I was forced into a suit.

“Max, change yourself and Aven out of those clothes,” Reginald said, sighing in frustration. “Get yourselves something more appropriate.”

“Alright,” she nodded, squeezing his arm. “And what will you do?”

“Write to father about this,” he sighed, walking straight to his study.

“C’mon hun, let’s get you out of that,” Max sighed, leading me to her closet.

“Is she going to… you know…” I mumbled. “Going to leave us alone?”

“We can only hope,” she said nervously. “I wouldn’t count on it though… Beatrice wouldn’t just sit on blackmail. She tried to sell me one time.”

With that lovely comment, I nervously gulped and let her lead me into the closet. I hoped Beatrice wouldn’t decide to show up while nobody was home and try to sell me off to someone. I have no clue who would buy me, but I wasn’t interested in being unfortunate enough to find out.