Revenge - Chapter 33 – Part 2 of 2

Revenge

By Karen Singer

Chapter 33 – Part 2 of 2

The moment work was over, Ruth hurried out of the building and headed for her car.  She had another attorney to meet.  Someone that she was more than a little concerned about.  What the heck did “well-documented kinky” mean?  Not anything good as far as she was concerned. 

It was a bit of a drive, but the attorney’s office wasn’t difficult to find.  It was just…disappointing after the large lavish building that the Feinbaum’s had.  In fact, compared to that, this place was…tiny in comparison.  She didn’t take that as a good sign either.  She was already planning on asking for her materials back as soon as possible so she could begin searching for someone else to handle her case.  The only thing good she could see out of this so far, was that the three cars in the parking lot meant that someone had to be there.

Ready to just put this new attorney behind her and get out of there as soon as possible, she went inside.  She found a large desk dominating much of the small waiting area inside.  The moment she entered, a woman stood up from behind that desk. 

“You must be Mrs. McGruder,” the woman said with a welcoming smile.  “I’m Andrea.  Melissa’s assistant.”

Pleasant enough, Ruth thought.  “Yes, that’s me,” she replied.

“Please come straight back,” Andrea told her as she moved out from behind her desk.  “Mel’s waiting for you in her office.”

Her office.  At least it wasn’t another of those tiny meeting rooms like she endured with Wolford.  But with ten million dollars on the line, it better not be!  She followed Andrea down the short hallway to an office door that was open on the right.

“Mrs. McGruder is here,” Andrea announced, then she moved out of the way.

Ruth got her first look at Mel’s office.  At least it was large.  Very nicely furnished too.  And somewhat feminine.  Something that she appreciated.  There had been something overpowering and uncomfortable about the masculine way that both those Feinbaum lawyers had decorated their offices. This one actually felt more like a breath of fresh air.  She noticed the woman behind the desk standing now.  Middle aged.  Somewhat good looking.  Hair and nails perfect.  Expensive dress!  Very expensive!  And her few bits of jewelry…no way any of that stuff could be real!

“Mrs. McGruder,” Mel said as she stood and came out from behind her massive clutter-filled desk.  She walked over and shook hands with the woman.  “Good to meet you.  Please, come in and sit down.”  She led her new client to her large comfortable seating area.  “Please, take any seat you like.”

So far, so good, Ruth thought.  But no doubt for ten million she was really being extra nice.  As she sat, she couldn’t help but notice the brushed steel case sitting in the middle of the coffee table between all the seats.  And she couldn’t help but notice that the case was lockable.  Her stuff?  She now noticed the small key on the coffee table too.  “Is that…my stuff?” she asked.

“Yes,” Mel replied.  “Dick Feinbaum had it sent over just a little while ago.  I haven’t opened it yet – purposely.”

That didn’t sound good to Ruth.  Obviously, this lawyer wasn’t that interested.  “If you’re not interested in helping me with what I want,” Ruth flat out told her, then let me have my things and I’ll leave.  I’ll find someone who will.  I have no doubt that ten million dollars will interest nearly any lawyer in the city.”

Mel’s eyebrows went up.  “Ten million?  For sexual discrimination?”

“That’s what I want,” Ruth replied, “and I think with the stuff I’ve got there, that I deserve it.  I thought the Feinbaums were going to fill you in.  And obviously you’re not interested enough to even take a look through what I have in there.  Kindly let me have it so I can go elsewhere.”

Mel shook her head.  “Mrs. McGruder, the case was delivered about an hour ago.”

“Plenty of time.” Ruth countered. 

“And I didn’t open it,” Mel continued, “because I thought you might want to walk me through it from the start.  I wanted to form my own opinions on what you want, as well as what materials you have.  Not Feinbaum’s opinions.  Either of the Feinbaums.  All I got from them were rather vague generalities.  Nothing more.  I need to hear what you have to say Ruth.  It’s your case.  It’s your problem we need to deal with.”

Ruth was floored.  “You’re actually interested in what I really want?”

“That’s what I said,” Mel assured her.

Ruth still wasn’t sure, but maybe this woman wouldn’t be too bad…so far.  She was still concerned about whatever “well-documented kinky” meant.  “If that’s my stuff,” Ruth said, “can we get to it?  I’ve got a family at home that I need to get back to…eventually.”

Mel unlocked the steel case and got her first look at Ruth’s leather case that was packed inside it.  “This is yours, isn’t it?”

“Yes,” Ruth confirmed as she reached for the case.  “That’s it.”

“Where do you want to start?”

Ruth pulled out the three folders and the USB stick that had been in the case.  She had been worried that maybe that USB stick wouldn’t be there, but so far, everything appeared to still be intact.  The folder with the number one on it was on top.  She opened it and saw her list of demands as the top sheet – just the way she had put it in there.  “Here,” she said as she passed the list over to Mel.  “Those are my demands.  That’s what I want.  And I want all of it.  And I do mean – all!”

Mel briefly scanned down the page.  Ten million dollars was the top item.  She raised her eyebrows at the second item, which included a rather lengthy list of things that evidently went with it.  Her eyes quickly scanned the rest of the page.  Oddly, it was things she herself somewhat approved of.  It was just unlikely that any of it was going to happen.  At least as things stood now.  “Okay,” she said, not ignoring what Ruth wanted, but putting it all aside in her mind for now.  “And what makes you think you deserve all that, and what makes you so sure you can get it?”

Ruth noticed two things.  First of all this woman hadn’t laughed or made any comments about her list of demands at all.  The other thing was that it suddenly sounded like she was against her little sexual discrimination case altogether.  “Why do I deserve it?” Ruth asked, somewhat angry that this woman should suggest that she didn’t deserve it.  “I went to a lot of trouble to gather those materials.  Probably far beyond what anyone else ever would!  I think I deserve every bit of it!”

Mel shook her head again.  “Okay, so tell me about it.  That’s all I’m asking.  Tell me your story – from the beginning.  And I mean all of it.  Why are you pushing a sexual discrimination case, when according to Harry Feinbaum, you’ve got evidence here that belongs with the FBI?”

“The FBI?”

“According to him.”

Ruth nodded, actually satisfied with that thought.  “Maybe it does belong with them, but I want it right now – to get me what I want!  All of it!”

“Okay,” Mel said, trying to placate her new client.  “I’m just waiting to hear your story.”

The woman’s patience was a surprise for Ruth.  She had been bothered too much by the men in the Feinbaum office.  Not to mention how much she had always been bothered by the men ruling the company where she worked.  “You’re sure?  You actually want to hear what I’ve been through?”

Mel smiled.  “Isn’t that what we’re really here for?” she asked as she stood up and walked back to her desk.  She picked up her phone.  “Andrea, two coffees please.  And tell my husband I’m likely to be quite a while yet.  Ask him to please wait for me before he goes home.”

She walked back over to Ruth and sat down again.  “Now.  From the start.  How long have you been at that company?”

Ruth took a big breath.  “Six years now,” she explained.  “I was hired as an engineer – at the exact same time as another engineer.  A man.  Steve Harrison.”  She pointed to her list of demands now resting on the coffee table.  “The one I mentioned there.”

“Okay,” Mel replied.  “What happened?”

“At first things were just fine,” Ruth explained.  “I was given projects and things to work on that were, I guess, comparable to what my experience was.  But that didn’t last.”

“And I’m guessing that this…Mr. Harrison that you referred to here was given better things to do?”

Ruth nodded.  “It’s not just that.  It’s the things they gave me to do…along with everything else that I should have been working on.”

“Additional assignments over and above your job?” Mel asked.

“Over and above?  How about far below!”  But now Ruth was beginning to get caught up in her never ending frustrations.  “At first it was little things.  Ruth, someone in the department is having a birthday.  We need someone to buy him a card and make sure everyone signs it.  Ruth, someone is retiring, can you order a cake and pick it up.  Oh and while you’re at it, plan the party too.  Ruth, we need to organize our department’s fund raiser contributions.  Will you handle it?”  Ruth shook her head.  “It was one thing after another.  One stupid thing that I shouldn’t be doing piled on top of even more stupid things – all because I’m a woman and not a man.”

“And you’re sure this is because you’re a woman?” Mel asked.

“Damn right!” Ruth replied firmly.  She quickly realized what she had just said.  “Excuse my French.”

Mel smiled, “No problem.”  But before she could ask any more questions, Ruth was off again with more.

“And then, two years later, they completely moved me out of the department to my own little office upstairs.  And guess what new job they had for me.  Retirement parties, birthdays, fund raisers, setting up the conference room.  Literally handling every odd job that came along that nobody else wanted – just because I’m a woman.  I’m an engineer!  I have a degree.  A good one!  And I am…or at least I was…damn good!”

“I can see where you would be…perturbed.  So why didn’t you leave?”

“Leave?”  But Ruth backed down her tone of voice.  It was a valid question.  “I was pregnant.” She said.  My husband didn’t make much either yet.  I needed the paycheck.”

“I understand,” Mel replied.  “So you have a child now?”

“Two!” Ruth said somewhat proudly.  “Two great adorable boys.”

“Good for you,” Mel told her.

Ruth smiled.  Sometimes, it was nice to talk to another woman.  Only a woman could truly understand the things other women feel. 

“So now,” Mel said, “what makes you think your sexual discrimination case is worth that much money?”

Ruth looked a bit uncertain, but only for a moment.  She picked up the USB stick and held it up.  “I’m an engineer,” she said.  “And a good one.  Where they put me, I’ve been semi-attached to the Human Relations department.  And since I needed to know everyone’s birthdays and other company information, I also got to see everything else on all the employees as well, including salaries, promotions, everything!  I got to see it all.”

“And I take it you saw some…irregularities?”

Ruth nodded.  “That’s putting it mildly.  Did you know, that in the entire company, the entire corporation, as big as it is, there isn’t one single woman in a management, or even in a supervisory role at all.  Not one!”

Mel was surprised by that.  “But according to my research, Hudgens Technology a somewhat good sized company.”

Ruth nodded.  “Almost seven hundred employees total.”

“And why do you think no women are handed that kind of responsibility?”

Ruth picked up the USB stick.  “I’ve got the reason right here.  Recorded.  The director of HR told me flat out himself.  It’s because the company founder, and still president, doesn’t believe in giving women that kind of responsibility.  He firmly believes that men should hold total rule over the women.  In fact, if you look at all those employees, there are only about eight percent that are women.  And they’re all in menial jobs.  Every last one.  Myself included now.”

“I would imagine that’s an awfully low number,” Mel replied.  “But let’s get back to my original question.  Why do you think you personally deserve that much money for what you’ve got?”

Ruth looked straight at Mel for a moment, then said, “That recording I mentioned.  Well, I’ve got more.  Lots more.  Once I had found out what I did from the HR Director and then from our company files, I got curious.  I said I was an engineer.  I was curious about what the company president really might think about things, so I bugged his office at times, and more often, I bugged nearly every meeting in the conference room as well.”

“And that’s how you stumbled on the information that Harry Feinbaum seems to think needs to be turned over to the FBI.”

Ruth nodded.  “There’s some very damaging information in there on the company.  Including some recordings of people talking about things they’ve done to politicians and other people to make sure the company got the contracts they wanted.  And in one of those, they used the word eliminated several times, in a way that might mean that they…murdered someone.  Maybe more than one.”

Mel nodded.  “Ruth, this is serious business.  And murder even more so.  It can’t be just let go like that.”

Ruth nodded.  “I know.  But I want what I want, and I figure I deserve it after all the work I’ve done.”  She pointed to the folders on the table.  “I’ve faithfully transcribed and recorded every single conversation.  It’s all there.  Every word!  Just like they said it.  They’ve slighted me, a damn good engineer.  They’ve discriminated against me, just because I’m a woman.  And…they’ve pissed me off.  And I’m tired of taking it.  And…” she paused for just a moment, “I think the damn company deserves it!”

Mel smiled.  It was all she could do to not say, good for you. 

“I’ll go through it all carefully,” she told Ruth.  “Trust me.  But now, there’s one more thing I’m curious about.  Your second item in your list.  Both Harry Feinbaum and Dick mentioned you had something…odd in there.  And now I see it’s true.  Why him?  Why single out this Steve Harrison?  And what the heck are you thinking?”

Ruth actually smiled.  “It’s because he got hired at exactly the same time as me, for exactly the same job.  Ever since then, I’ve seen where he got raise after raise, while I got either nothing, or the very minimum – all because I’m a woman.  And there’s another thing too.”  She pointed to the first folder.  “There’s a document in here, signed by him, certifying that he burglarized and completely ransacked the apartment of another woman in the company.  He stole jewelry from her, including her engagement ring.  And he’s been responsible for other atrocities against her, and I’m fairly sure many others in the company as well.  Over the years, I’ve discovered just what a despicable vindictive little shit he really is.  And as far as I’m concerned, it’s just what he deserves!”

“From what you just told me, he belongs in jail!”

“Yes, he probably does, but that wouldn’t give me the satisfaction I want.”  She pointed to her list of demands.  “That would!”

Mel picked up the list of demands again and looked more closely at what Ruth had written and shook her head.  But before she could say anything, Ruth spoke again.

“I probably shouldn’t tell you this,” Ruth told her.  “But you know that woman that Steve ransacked her apartment?  Well, we’ve been kind of getting back at him for it, in our own little way.  Since we’ve got his signed confession, he kind of doesn’t have much of a choice…although he did show up with a gun last week with the intention of killing every last one of us.”

Mel was suddenly aghast.  “And you don’t want to send him to jail?”

“No!”  She again pointed to her paper.  “I want…that!”

Mel shook her head.  “And how then, have you been…getting back at him as you said.”

Ruth actually smiled and came close to giggling.  “We’ve had him wearing panty sets, garter belts and stockings to work under his clothes every day.  And now, starting this week, we’ve added a few other touches as well.  And the really funny part of it all is that we’ve got him convinced we’re all a bunch of powerful wicked witches.  And if he doesn’t do what we want, we’ll put a spell on him and make him do it.”

Mel stared, and blinked, and stared again.  “He sounds…awfully gullible.”

Ruth was more serious.  “You would think so.  But in this case, there are things that have been happening that even I can’t explain.  Weird things!”

“Like what?”

But Ruth shook her head.  “Don’t ask, because I simply can’t explain them.”

Mel let it drop.  So you like feminizing him to punish him.”

Ruth shrugged.  “I think there were other reasons to begin with.  Monica…that’s the woman whose apartment he robbed and ransacked.  She went on a date and discovered him wearing women’s underwear when they got back to his place.”

Mel’s eyebrows went up at hearing that.

“And from there,” Ruth continued, “I guess it just seemed like the logical way to go.”

“I see,” Mel replied, not fully believing it.  “So this Steve person is a transvestite or something?”

Ruth shook her head.  “That’s part of the strange things I don’t understand.  I don’t think he is.  Not at all.”

“But he likes to wear women’s underwear?”

“No. That’s just it.  He claims he doesn’t.  He claims he doesn’t know how he got into the underwear to begin with.”

That sounded even more unlikely to Mel.  “So you’ve been punishing him with it.”

Ruth was somewhat embarrassed.  Mel noticed her blushing a bit.  “Something like that.”  Ruth lowered her voice.  “Last Friday, they sent him to one of the biggest clubs in town, wearing a gold party dress and heels – with the goal to pick up a man!”

Mel was shocked.  “And he went?”

Ruth nodded.  “He’s too afraid of us not to.”

“I still find that hard to believe…unless he really is at least a closet cross-dresser or at least gay.”

Ruth shook her head.  “Trust me, I’m pretty sure he’s not.  He’s the biggest womanizer in the company.”

“So where are you and…you said others…going with all this?  What’s your goal for him?”

Ruth shook her head.  “I don’t know about the others.  I want…that!” she said pointing again to her list of demands.

Mel looked at her and considered something.  A theory she needed to test.  She gathered up all of Ruth’s materials and put them back into the leather case.  Then she got up from her seat and went to her desk.  She picked up the phone and waited only a moment before she quietly spoke.  “Sissy, our new client is here.  I need you to come in and meet her.  Then I’ve got another big job for you.”  She replaced her phone and went back to her seat.  “He’ll be just a minute,” she said softly to Ruth.

“Who’s that?” Ruth asked.

“My husband.”

It was less than a minute later when someone entered the room.  Just the initial sight of him was such a shock that Ruth nearly passed out.  It was obviously a man, yet his hair appeared to be long and was pulled back into two pigtails.  There was makeup on his face reminiscent of a girl’s baby doll.  But it was the rest of the way he was dressed that completely took Ruth’s breath away – and kept her mouth wide open in disbelief.  He was dressed sort of like a big doll, complete with a very short wide pink baby style dress, obviously enormous diapers underneath with plastic panties covering them on full display and having some kind of babyish design all over them.  He had short little girl style frilly socks on his feet along with pink Mary Jane shoes.  But when he initiated a very elaborate curtsey and spoke, is when Ruth almost totally lost her sanity.

“Hewwo,” the person said.  “My name ith Thithy.  Whath yourth?” 

Mel smiled and nodded toward her husband.  She looked over at Ruth and saw how shocked she was.  Unmoving, completely frozen shocked.  She held up her hand toward Sissy to tell him to wait patiently.

“Ruth,” Mel said.  “Is that what you and your friends envision for this Steve person in the future?  Is that the direction you think they want to push him?  Or is it possible at all that this Steve is anything at all like Sissy here, and he actually craves this kind of treatment?”  But Mel now saw that Ruth still couldn’t quite comprehend her husband.  “Ruth,” she prompted.  “Did you hear me?”

“Wh…what?” Ruth finally breathed, still unable to look away from the shocking figure that had entered the room.

“Ruth, tell me honestly, is there any chance that this Steve person actually likes this kind of treatment like Sissy here, or are you really sure he’s completely straight?”

Ruth still couldn’t look away from Sissy.  “No,” she finally got out.  “As far as I know, since I’ve known him, he’s always been completely straight.”  Her hand slowly came up and she pointed at Sissy.  “Nobody could like…that!”

Mel smiled.  “He does,” she said quietly.  She looked up at Sissy.  “Sissy, this is Ruth McGruder, our latest client.  Here, come take her case back to your nursery and start working your magic on everything you find in there.  And Sissy, this is all very important, and quite possible dangerous information, so please take extra care.”

Sissy curtseyed again.  “Of courth Mithtweth.”  Then he turned to Ruth.  “Hewwo Wuth.  I’m so pweased to meet you.”  And then he curtseyed again.

“Wh…what did he say?” Ruth breathed.

“He said he’s glad to meet you,” Mel told her.  “He takes a little getting used to, to understand properly.”

Ruth nodded with her mouth still open and still unable to look away from…Sissy. 

Sissy skipped over to them from the door and picked up the briefcase from Mel.  He curtseyed.  “Anyfing ewse, Mithtweth?”

“No Sissy. Get to work now.”

With another curtsey.  He said, “Bye Wuth.  Nith to meet you.”  And he skipped happily out of the room with Ruth’s leather case in his hand.

Ruth was still staring unbelievingly at the door.  “What was that?” she finally asked.

“That,” Mel said with a smile, “was my husband.”

“But you called him…Sissy.”

“Yes.  That’s his name.  At least for the next…um…about three and a half months.  Then he’ll go by his regular name again.”

“His…regular name?” Ruth asked, still staring at the doorway…it…had disappeared through.

“Yes,” Mel replied.  “We go through periods of…play, determined by nothing more than the roll of some dice at the end of each period.  For so many months he becomes my complete toy to play with, and for the next period of months, he does his best to be normal.  Or somewhat normal.  I’m afraid that he has a rather big fondness for…maid’s dresses and feminine things.”

“And that’s…your husband?” Ruth asked, still staring at the open doorway and not believing it.

“Don’t kid yourself,” Mel explained.  “That person you just saw has one of the best analytical minds I’ve ever met.  He’s an absolute genius at looking at things in ways nobody could ever comprehend, and then taking those things apart and putting them back together again in ways nobody ever thought of.”

“Him?”

“Yes.  Him.”  Mel replied.  “And before you wonder even more.  He’s not only my husband, my maid, my cook, and housekeeper.  But he’s also my very best friend, my wonderful amazing lover, my understanding partner, and to be perfectly honest, he’s my everything.”

Ruth’s hand came up and pointed at the empty doorway again.  “But he’s…”

“Yes,” Mel said.  “A sissy.  A big one, who simply craves all the humiliation I can give him.  And I in return, delight like you would never believe in giving it to him.  We not only love each other, we need each other.”

“But…”  Ruth was still having trouble comprehending what she had just seen.

“Now,” Mel said again.  “Is there any chance at all, no matter how small, that your Steve is anything like that?”

Ruth shook her head.  “Not a chance in hell!”