Simon Harper came into the bar and his first order of business was to order a round of shots. The offer was good to anyone in the group who wanted to join the newcomer in a drink. He was just in a happy mood and wanted to spread the cheer by saying cheers with his companions for the night. Most of the gang quickly said yes to Simon’s gesture of comradery. Only Liv Perry quickly turn down the kind offer. The lady was also disappointed by her fiance, Joe Wyant, not joining her in restraining from the shot.

Liv did not approve of Joe drinking hard liquor and the look of disappointment on her face made her feelings on the subject as self-evident as those truths were to Thomas Jefferson. She thought that doing shots was for the people who were out to get drunk as fast as possible. They drank the shot down in one gulp and did not get to savor the taste of the expensive drink they order. It never occurred to her that a group of people getting shots, making a cheer and downing them was a bonding ritual.

Up until three months ago, Liv would not have shown the condescending look for Joe drinking a round was only a little annoying. It might have been childish but having a shot was no big deal. Him partaking in the round was so minor it was not a big issue back then and should not have been a big issue now.

This was before she caught Joe in a dress and jokingly took a couple of pictures with her phone. She was apathetic to the fact but started to make jokes about it. She saw that Joe got as nervous as a teenager taking their driver’s exam when she mentioned him in a dress. She found that reaction funny and would make idle threats about telling others when her man was hesitant to do what she asked. It was just teasing to get underneath her man’s skin but she loved the added results of him jumping to do so. Then when Joe just started to do as he was told without the desire response Liv up the ante by saying she would share the pictures.

Liv felt that her just stating her disapproval would send the message of no more to her man. “Joe, don’t drink any more shots tonight..”

Most of the group laughed at Joe being henpecked about something so small. The downtrodden man swore that Simon set him up. Those two were members of the circle of friends but were not friends with each other. Their lack of closeness was nothing personal for either of them. They just meshed as well as reality did to an intelligent designer.

The perceived immature prank would not have been bad but Joe could not say anything back. He knew better than to one up Simon. The reason was not for he would lose the battle of wit between those two, it was for Liv said she disapproved of those childish antics by Joe. She did not mind them and even laugh when people pull them but she thought of herself and her man as above them. She was not, that was evident by how she did them and used to love when Joe did also. The real reason Liv wanted Joe to stay quiet she would not even admit to herself. She just liked to watch Joe squirm without being able to do anything.

Joe did shoot Simon a dirty look about the shot trick. Simon knew exactly what Joe thought happened and thought that if he was going to be blamed for pulling Joe’s leg he should actually do it. Simon thought it was all harmless fun when he said “Too bad, you can’t drink any more shots tonight, Joe. I was going to buy them the entire night.”

Liv’s ex-boyfriend, Conner Hathaway, could not help but pile on some. He still had feelings for Liv and hated that a man who was timid enough to let her walk all over him had her. How Joe never put Liv in check made her a little unbearable to be around. She knew that she would always be told she was right by Joe.

Connor was a simple man so his teasing was also simple, he repeated whipped a couple of times while covering his mouth with his hand. The simple man did think it was a shame that a woman like Liv wasted her skills in the bedroom on that invertebrate named Joe and wanted Joe to know his disapproval.

Joe wished it was just him being pussy whipped. That would be easily solved by leaving Liv if she ever used the denial of sex to have him submit to her will. Making that wish made him realize that this issue would never be resolved. Joe would always have to do what Liv said He made a decision, he was going to call Liv out on her threats. “Simon, you know what that shot was so good I will take another right now.”

The group gave out a collective ohhh as Joe went directly against Liv’s wishes. She hated that they were making fun of her, she was the type of person who could give it out but could not take it. “Joe honey, I said not to drink any more shots tonight.”

Joe knew this first time he was standing up to Liv would also be the last time if he back down. This showdown was going to be one of their Waterloo. He double downed by ordering a double shot and downing it without even acknowledging Liv when she said as Joe put his symbol of defiance up to his mouth “Don’t drink that or else.”

Joe grinned after giving the sigh of satisfaction which came from a good shot and finally responded to Liv’s ultimatum “Or else what?”

Liv was mad and started to berate Joe “ You don’t want to talk about it here. Just wait until we get home.”

Joe was sick of Liv being cute, and even more so of her talking down to him. Yes, she knew something he wanted to keep private but the woman who loved him should not use that fact against him. Right then Joe seriously started to question if he even wanted to be with Liv. Until tonight she never hinted about telling his secret around others. Now she was“It will be a long wait for after last call here at Chauncy’s I am going to the Owls. Then after the Owls closes it is breakfast at Sam’s Town.”

Liv did not understand why Joe upped the ante. Little did she know her wanting to discuss the disagreement in private was taken as a threat by Joe. She said “We are going home early this evening. We have an early start tomorrow. You know we have to drive to Greenburgh for my nephew's music recital. In fact, you leave with me or else.”

Joe did not want to go to the music recital. A couple of months ago he would have looked forward to it, he loved to hear Nick play the trombone. Also, it was nice to be around his soon to be in-laws. He knew he was blessed how well they all got along. Now he just wanted to stay out late tonight and stay in tomorrow. Ever since Liv caught him embracing his feminine side she was always getting her way those two were always going home early on Saturday night. She always had something plan like brunch, taking a drive to the country or going to Greensburg to spend the day with her parents.

Again Joe ignored Liv and said, “Simon I’m ready to get another shot.”

Joe calling out Simon on joking with him put Simon in an uncomfortable position. He could buy the round and keep on the charade which everyone in the group knew was a lie, or he could not buy the shot and Joe could call him out. Both options left Joe mad at him so he picked not buying the shot so he could stay on Liv’s good side. The choice was simple, he liked Liv better than Joe so he did not care if Liv’s man was mad at him. Not having to interact with Joe was no big loss to Simon. “Joe, you know I was joking about the shots.”

“Yeah, I know you are nothing but a shit stirrer.”

Liv did not like Joe’s comment. In her eyes, Simon was just having a little fun. “Joe, quit acting up or else.”

By now everyone in the group quit joking around with the fake ohs. They knew this was a serious fight between those two and at the beginning were spurring it on. The goading was all in good fun, but that did not change the fact that they helped escalate the situation. The group of friends wanted to make sure they did nothing more to add to the disagreement.

Joe called the barmaid over and ordered another shot for himself. While Beth was getting the bottle of Jagermeister Liv said: “Beth, I think Joe had enough so don’t pour that.”

Beth did not want to get in the middle and said, “Sorry Joe you heard Liv.”

Joe was not going to be denied that shot. The man who was about to be denied service stared right at the barmaid to let her know he was serious said “Beth I did hear Liv and I don’t care what she said. I do care about getting that shot and great customer service.”

Beth knew that Joe was alluding to remembering this denial of service when tip time came at the end of tonight and every night from now on. The barmaid wanted the goodwill of Liv, but Liv’s goodwill was not worth losing a good tipper. Beth also knew she was in the wrong turning Joe down. In listening to Liv, Beth ended up doing what she did not want to, getting in the middle of a couple fighting. Her job was to serve and be friendly to the customers, not to pick sides when her patrons had a personal disagreement. As the barmaid started once again to pour the shot, she gave Liv a look which said sorry and said “Here you go Joe.”

Liv wanted to end this right there as a stalemate. She knew she went too far with the joking about exposing the pictures to their friends but did not want to stop. It was just a good little laugh and after Joe clams down in a couple of days or a week can start revealing Joe’s secret again. “OK Joe you can have that last shot and we will stay out until last call.”

Joe was as ready to compromise with Liv as much as a beagle was willing to quit tracking a scent. He has been giving too much lately in the relationship without receiving. Joe would have added watching the sunrise from Mount Washington on his agenda for the night if Liv would have agreed to his plans “Liv I will have as many shots as I want and stay with my new plans for tonight and tomorrow.”

“Joe, meet me halfway or else.”

Joe was not going to meet Liv halfway tonight, it felt good looking forward to doing what he wanted for once. He heard that threat for the last time. He just wanted to get the fact he was a crossdresser in the open right then and did. “Or else what, you are going to tell everyone I like to wear dresses. You are going to show them the pictures you have on your phone. You been saying you are going to share them to get your way for too long and I am sick of it. Every since you caught me in a dress you never try to find the middle, everything had to be your way.

So, yes, everyone I like to wear a dress. They just feels nice on me. They can be so much more comfortable than shirts and pants. They wearing them makes me feel good about myself.”

Connor was so happy to hear that news. He thought that meant Liv would come back to him, a real man, now. Connor forgot that Liv left him for he never try to compromise with her. “Liv when you are ready to be with a real man I am still available.”

Joe might have been the broccoli on Simon’s plate of friends but he saw nothing wrong with that man liking to wear dresses. To him it sounded like Joe got stress relief from being a crossdresser and that was a good thing. Simmon asked Conner “Why isn’t Joe a real man?”

Connor laughed for he thought that Simon was lobbing a softball for him to hit out of the park. The man was so happy for once he was able to make someone a butt of a joke. Connor wit was as sharp as a circle. While laughing Connor said “Joe said it, he likes to wear dresses.”

Simon in a matter of fact way said “Yeah, so what.”

Connor could not articulate why Joe’s fashion was wrong. So the simple man with a simple mind turned his attention to getting his ex-girlfriend back. “Liv, Joe wearing a dress makes him not a real man. So come on honey we should get back together. It would be just like old times.”

Joe pointing out that Liv quit making sure there was give a take in their relationship along with Connor trying to get back with her horrified his ex. Hearing just like old times was a gut punch to Liv. She left Connor for he would pout if everything was not his way. She got with Joe because that man was the antithesis of Connor. The man whose ring she wore was so open to making sure that they both were happy in the relationship and how did she reward that. She became like what she hated the most in a relationship, self-centered.

Liv knew right then her playful jokes did as much damage as toddlers ,armed with crayons,left unsupervised in an art gallery. “Like Simon said yeah, so what Connor. Joe is more of a man than you will ever be Connor, he understands that both people need to be happy in a relationship. That the only true way that someone get their way in a relationship is if there is compromise and teamwork.”

The rest of the group was as apathetic as a writer who did not care enough to put an analogy here to be better describe their feelings about finding out Joe’s secret. They were more than willing to accept the unspoken agreement which was in all of their minds that they will never speak of Joe’s secret to each other. In fact, with how hairy Joe was they will deny even knowing to try to ensure the image of Joe and his hairy legs in a dress is never in their mind again. They did hope for the love of God Joe shaved his legs when in a dress.

Liv was so hurt when she looked at Joe. She could not believe that he thought she would really tell them about him liking to wear dress. She knew she said made those threats, but they were as idle and harmless as a stoner on a couch. They were jokes meant in good nature. When having her fun at her man’s expense she forgot that words meanings do not change when said in jest. That words can be taken as their meaning and needed to be treated that way She said “How could you think that I would have told anyone about that?”

Joe said nothing and the rest of the group went five feet down the bar to form a buffer zone for the fighting couple. They knew those two needed to have a private conversation in that public area and did their best to give them the space. Liv said “Answer me.”

Joe only said “Or else what? You have nothing on me. You cannot threaten me anymore. I can make my own decisions now.”

The awful truth was beginning to become even clearer to Liv. Those reactions she solisted by joking were not overreactions. They came from her being a safekeeper of something intimate and personal about Joe and using her knowledge to get both a rise from him and her way. She also knew that she never even question how and why she was getting her way. Once Liv used the threat she saw as a joke she quickly forgot she did. She told herself getting her way was from her man being such a great guy and wanting to compromise.

“I am sorry, I thought you knew I was joking. I thought you were just compromising with me. I did not see I was getting everything my way. Come on dear, let’s go home so we can talk more about this.”

“No.”

“We need to talk about this now.”

“No we do not. We need to talk about this when we are both ready to and you are not.”

Liv wanted to talk about the riff in the relationship now because she felt it would start to linger. The bad blood between them would loiter in their relationship and poison it even more. The situation was different to Joe, the bad blood between them had taken up residence and waiting would not cause more damage. With Liv not seeing the unintended damage, she has done since the first time she uttered the fake threat Joe knew it was not time to talk. No matter how much talking those two did, nothing would really be resolved. They both had two different perspectives on the situation to find common ground.

“Joe we need to resolve this right now.”

“It needed to be resolved months ago.”

“You should have said something.”

“I did, you didn’t listen.”

Joe did tell her to stop joking around many times. Each time. Liv did listen but did not take her fiance’s demand serious. The lady who was joking around knew that she would never break the trust between be revealing Joe’s secret. Liv did not not know she was breaking the trust by not respecting his privacy. “You should have been more forceful with letting me know how it made you feel.”

Joe believed that one should be able to scream without raising their voice. How he told her what she was doing was not funny should have been enough. Being forceful to get someone to do something was coercion and Joe would never do that to someone, let alone the woman he loved. Joe also saw using coercion to get your way as weakening the love between two people. He knew so for how he was feeling about Liv after each time she did so “I should not of had to be forceful to stop you from making threats, I said it was not funny. I said stop.”

“They were jokes.”

“Why were they funny?”

Liv said nothing. Her silence was not because she did not know the answer. Joe’s fiancee knew full well why those jokes were funny. Her pride was hurt knowing she was amused by making Joe feel bad. Joe repeated the question and Liv still did not answer. Saying the answer was going to hurt too much. After giving Liv enough time to give a response and not getting one Joe said, “Just leave me alone Liv.”

“Why?”

“You are not ready to talk and I do not want to be around you.”

“I want to talk, we need to talk.”

“Yes but you cannot even answer a simple question so you are not ready.”

Liv did not like that she had to admit the truth. Joe knew she could answer that question. “Fine, it was funny for it made you uncomfortable about something sensitive. Now let's leave.”

“You are still not ready to talk.”

“Quit it, I said it was a joke. Get over it.”

“I am over it. You do not want to take responsibility for your actions. You just gave me another command.”

“I didn't mean it that way.”

“That does not change the results or you turning a blind eye to how your joke was affecting me. You did not ask to leave just now. You would be having the same reaction as me if I pulled that shit on you.”

“No. I would have told you to stop.”

“I did tell you to stop! I would have stopped as soon as you said something. You didn’t. Getting your way and a laugh was more important than my feelings.

I wouldn’t even of joked about something which was so personal and private about you.”

Those words made Liv fully empathetic to Joe’s point of view. They were the truth. She knew she would not have had to make a big deal for him to stop if for some reason Joe joked about a touchy subject. She also knew that Joe would have never even joked about something so private in the first place. “I know you would have and I should have as soon as you said something. No, I should have never even joked that way. I thought with me not caring if you wore a dress made it so you knew I was just joking. Like I said I should not even have joked about it. Come on, please come home. We do not have to talk about it tonight we can tomorrow or whenever you think I am ready. I just don’t want us fighting and upset at each other.”

Joe went to his wallet and put a tenner on the bar. “Let’s go home and finished this talk.”

Liv did not want to wait for them to get at home to start making restitution. Having true remorse about her actions would not be enough, the lady who did wrong knew she had to compensate her man for the pain. She wanted him to know it was done willingly. As they walked out of the bar Liv said, “Joe, we’ll do whatever you want tomorrow.”

To show he knew the offer was in good faith, Joe said “We’ll keep our plans. I do want to go see your nephew recital. I just did not like that I felt like you were forcing going on me.”

Connor hated to see that those two were going to work out the fight they just had. The reconciliation hurt the insecure man’s ego. The woman he wanted to be with was instead with someone he saw as less than a man. The snub got to him, even more, when his group of friends did not agree with his assessment of Joe. Connor was boggled in the fact that they did not care about Joe’s taboo hobby. The jealous man had to try to get the last word in and as Joe passed him Connor said, “Hey Joe, you like to wear dresses.”

Joe was feeling good that his secret was out. Wanting to feel pretty will not haunt him anymore. Also with no real damage to his friendships with anyone he cared about made those words as hurtful as a feather falling on his head. Joe’s good mood and not being in fear of the people closest to him finding out about his secret was conveyed in how he casually responded to Connor with “Yeah, so what.”