His Idol Part 8 (Early Access Story) (Patreon)

His Idol Part 8

The receptionist gives me the most bemused expression. It strikes the fear of being caught deep into my soul. I really should have thought about this early, but with mom giving me a makeover, I just forgot in all the excitement!

“Sweety?” the receptionist says curiously. “I didn’t think telling me your name would be such an issue.”

“Oh sorry,” I reply heavily, feeling myself begin to freak out. My eyes dart around the lobby, desperately trying to find inspiration.

My chest rises and falls hysterically as I feel the anxiety building up. As she gawks at me like I’m an idiot, all I can think is she knows I’m a boy. She thinks I’m a freak!

“Paulene…?” Mom says softly, interrupting to save me. “Are you still not feeling nervous?”

Terrified, I look at my mom’s loving smile. Just having her on one side eases my turbulent mind. Wiping the nervous sweat from my brow, I nod.

The receptionist smiles wide as she starts typing on her keyboard. “That’s ok Paulene. Starting a new job is hard for everyone. Lucky you’ve got Miss Green to look out for you…Eh?”

I nod again. I guess I’m Paulene now. Not a name I overly like. Too close to my boy’s name.

“I’ll look after her,” Mom says happily to the receptionist.

After a few more questions about myself, the receptionist hands me a pass attached to a lanyard. Pleased the Spanish inquisition is over, I awkwardly put it over my wig and around my neck. Being allowed to pass by the front desk towards the elevators, Mom reaches behind me to pull out the hair trapped under it.

Leaning closer to me as we walk, Mom whispers in my ear. “That was tense. Gotta be more confident, sweety.”

I got bright red. “Sorry. I am just nervous. I don’t really know what I’m doing.”

As we approach the elevators, mom presses the call button, and we stand side by side. I can’t stop my brain from whirring away, thinking everyone is staring at me.

“Just be yourself…ok,” Mom instructs, nudging me playfully as we wait.

“Myself…?” I question, biting at my nails as I give her a wry smile.

“Yes.” Mom replies instantly as the elevator pings and the golden metal doors slide open.

A flurry of people spills from the elevator as we wait to go inside. I can’t help but shy away and look at my feet as they do. I don’t want any of them to look me in the eye and see the fraud that I am.

“Paulene…” Mom says, having already entered the elevator. “Are you coming?” She asks, looking back at me confused.

Scurrying inside to the sound of clacking heels, I can’t help but again feel silly. It’s just everything right now! The hair, the pinch of my heels, wearing a bra and makeup. I feel like such a fraud, just waiting to be laughed at for trying to be different.

“You’re doing great,” Mom says, reassuring me by putting her arms around my waist.

Just as I give Mom a tense smile, the elevator doors begin to squeak, and slide closed. Two men then rush to the doors, desperate to catch it before it goes. Sliding themselves inside the elevator before the doors close, me and Mom make room for them both.

They are both well-dressed in very smart suits. One of them is much younger, likely my age. Still, I can’t bring myself to look either of them in the eye, so I just stare at the metallic wall and the glowing floor buttons.

“Ah… Melissa,” says the older gentleman, in a rough but gentle voice. “How are you this morning?”

“Very well Mr. Goldman,” Mom replies, with I a clear hint of nervousness in her voice. “How are you?”

Having never heard my mom’s voice like it, I can’t help but be fascinated. She’s standing completely to attention for this man.

“Great work on the Felix account,” Mr. Goldman continues, adjusting his tie. “Oh, this is my new intern. Say hello to Miss Green, Oscar.”

The younger man or I guess boy, reaches over to my Mom with his hand out for her to shake.

“Hello ma’am,” he says, giving us both a big smile.

“Hello young man,” Mom replies, shaking his hand.

After a handshake that is a little too long, Mom steps back and holds her hands out toward me. As they both look intently in my direction, I feel the nerves coming flooding back. This is a nightmare!

“This is my intern,” Mom says gleefully. “Paulene, this is Mr. Goldman, the owner of the company, and Oscar.”

The owner of the company!? No wonder Mom is so nervous!!

“…H-hi……,” I manage to squeak, shaking as I extend my hand to shake theirs, terrified I’m going to make an awkward situation even worse.

Mr. Goldman grabs my hand tight like a vice as we shake. “Nice to meet you, Paulene. Melissa’s interns always seem to get prettier every month. You’re not the exception.”

My eyes bolt open as he lets go of my hand. “T-thanks,” I mutter bashfully, unsure how to take such a compliment.

Oscar then reaches out his hand for a shake. “Hello,” he says confidently.

I reach out again and he grabs my hand just as tight. At least his skin is softer the Mr. Goldmans! That felt like shaking hands with a cheese grater!

“H-hey,” I say almost intimidated by him, giving him a very limp shake back.

Oscar doesn’t take his eyes off me as we shake. I glance up for a second to see him smiling wider than the Cheshire cat. Does he know!?

When Oscar finally lets go of my hand, the elevator door pings. With a creak, the doors slide open, and the light of freedom from this hell shines in.

“This is us,” Mom pipes up, putting a hand behind me to usher me out.

Exiting the elevator, Mom ushers me quickly down the corridor towards her office. I’d only been here once before. It’s just how I remembered it. Lots of people working at their PC’s and the hum of monitors and florescent lights

Reaching the safety of mom’s office, she struts over to her desk and leans against it. She looks a little stressed I hope that’s not because of me!

I stand in the middle of the room, not sure what to do with myself. So I decide to close the door behind us, to give her some privacy.

Mom looks over at me and uneasily smile. “Well, that was nerve-wracking…wasn’t it?”

I nod. “I didn’t make us look stupid…., Did I?” I ask, worried my nerves had got the better of me. I’ve never been good in social situations. I never know how to act as people want me to.

“Are you kidding!” Mom laughs. “Neither of them could take their eyes off you. That was a very surreal moment for me just now.”

“It was?” I ask timidly, worrying I’ve done something wrong.

“Oh, don’t look so worried Paulene,” Mom giggles. “You did great. Sorry, I didn’t mean to think out loud like that.”

Starting to feel a little at ease, I start looking around my Mom’s office. She sits at her desk as I look at the pictures on her wall.

I point up at the several photos of me and her. There’s even one of me and my dad together. “Lots of photos here of me,” I remark, turning to look at her with a terrified expression. “That makes me more nervous.”

Tapping at her laptop, Mom shakes her head. “You’ve just met my Boss, Paul.”

Mom gasps and puts her hand over her mouth. “Oh sorry,” she says, gently laughing. “I mean Paulene. You just met the big boss, and we got through it. That was the biggest test so I’m sure everything else today will be a breeze!”

“Y-yeah…?” I ask, encourage by that.

“Yup!” Mom grins. “Right, first things first. Can you go down and get us both a Latte?”

“On my own!?” I squeak anxiously, reminding her of how I look.

“Sweety,” Mom replies with a motherly tone. “Yes, on your own. I’ve got work to do. Please be a good girl and go get your new boss…. a latte. She really needs one!”

Dropping a shoulder, I give her a suspicious look. “Mom—" I moan.

“Miss Green,” Mom interrupts to correct me, giving me a cheeky smile.

“Miss Green,” I sarcastically correct. “Have you really just got me here to get you coffee?”

Mom doesn’t instantly answer, she clicks on her mouse and looks at her screen in frustration. Throwing her hands up in annoyance, I can tell it’s not the time to push her.

“Two sweeteners?” I ask, contemplating wandering around my Mom’s work in heels and a skirt.

“Please,” Mom answers, not looking up, but feverishly typing away on her keyboard. “It’s on the second floor at the end of the main corridor.”

“O…kay,” I say slowly, concentrating on my feminine walk by walking as she instructed earlier.

As I start turning the door handle, my brain won’t stop worrying about every single thing that could go wrong!

Tripping over in my heels. My wig falling off. My voice is too masculine and worst of all, being recognized by one of Mom’s colleagues. I shudder and start to shake. I can’t do this!

“Paulene……,” Mom says, breaking my focus on my inner turmoil.

“Yeah,” I answer, looking back at her staring at me from her desk.

“Remember sweety,” she says in a reassuring tone. “Be yourself and don’t be afraid to let your femininity show! I know I’m your mom and it’s my job to say this—but you genuinely look so pretty! Just try and enjoy this experience for what it is and try not to worry about me and my work!”

“Okay…. Mom….,” I reply with a small smile, trying not to let her know how thrilled I am that she called me pretty. “

“Great!” she replies, looking back at her laptop. “Once you’ve got our coffee straight back up here…ok?”

“I got it.”

“I know… it’s just my prettier interns, like you, always gets hit on in the cafeteria,” Mom continues, but still taps at her keyboard. “So, please don’t get chatting and forget about me up here working my socks off!”

“H-hit…. on?” I gasp.

“Yeah, so don’t forget about me. Mommy needs Coffee!”

Reluctantly, I open her office door and hear the bustling noise of her busy office. I brace myself!

I can do this………… I think.