At Thanksgiving dinner, Steve’s flirtations with Ian were blatant. The burly man openly admired Ian’s developing figure and kept complimenting him on his cooking skills. Ian blushed, but Julia seemed pleased with the attention her husband was getting. She even teased him about his ever-growing curves. 
“I told you those pills would do the trick, my love,” she said. “And I’m sure you noticed they’re affecting more than your figure.”
“I have. I mean, my...emotions seem a little more…present.” Ian replied, absent-mindedly rubbing his sore chest.
When the pumpkin pie was finally eaten and the dishes cleaned up, Steve put on his coat to leave. Ian sighed with relief. Hopefully after this ordeal, Julia might consider his penance paid and let him return to his old life.
“You know,” Julia said, “This was so much fun. Steve, would you like to come over for Christmas dinner?”
“I’d love to,” Steve replied. “But I don’t want to intrude if you’d rather have a more...intimate night.”
Julia looked at Ian, whose eyes were wide with horror, and smiled. “Who said it won’t be intimate?”
Steve grinned, accepted the offer, and thanked them both. Before leaving, he turned to Ian. “By the way, I think it’s wonderful that you’re becoming your true self.”
When the door closed, Ian turned to his wife in a rage. “Wait, you told him I wanted this? Are you insane?”
“I may have implied it, yes. But I thought you liked him. You kept looking at him all evening.”
“Because he kept looking at me! Because of what you made me wear! I... I don’t like men. I’m a man!”
“Oh, now you’re homophobic and a cheater?”
“I’m not—” Ian sighed and shook his head. “Please, Julia, let me go back to my old life. It’s not too late.”
Julia crossed her arms. “Actually, it is too late. Because now I’ve seen who you really are.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing bad. I know I’ve been hard on you, but you broke my heart with your cheating. But I wasn’t being sarcastic when I said I like this version of you. More than that, I think you like it, too.”
“I don’t want tits!” Ian cried. “I like my body the way it is.”
“You know, you’re not very convincing. Maybe the reason you were such a cheater is you wanted to be caught. You wanted me to catch you, hate you, and divorce you so you could become something else.”
Ian’s lower lip trembled, but he said nothing.
Julia stepped towards him. “You don’t think I noticed? That wasn’t the first time you stole my lingerie, was it?”
Ian’s stomach dropped. Julia had known all along. “It was only occasionally… And it’s not because I… I…want to be a…”
“It’s okay,” she said, “I’m not mad anymore. Now, it’s time for you to embrace who you really are. Or—if that’s too hard to accept right now—who you could be. I think you’ll make a beautiful woman, Ian, if you’re willing to try.”
Ian gazed into Julia’s eyes. He was exhausted from the emotional rollercoaster of the past few months, but that didn’t mean he should give up on returning to his old life. Right? But then, what was he fighting for? If he was being honest, he’d despised his cheating, philandering self. Maybe it was time to let that part of him go and become… Well, something new, anyway. “All right,” he murmured. 
“Good girl.” Julia kissed his cheek. “And you won’t lose me, I promise. But I would like some...masculine energy in the bedroom and Steve seems like a good man. I’ll think you’ll enjoy the new dynamic. Oh! We’ll have to pick out a holiday outfit for you to wear for Steve and me. It can an early Christmas present for the both of us.”