I wasn’t anywhere close to having the house where I wanted it when I heard the crunch of tires on gravel in the driveway. Vince and my family had been gone for over three hours. They must have gone for a walk or maybe shopping after lunch.

It was such a strange sight seeing the four of them walking from the car to the house. It felt surreal. I opened the door for them, waiting patiently and closing it behind them.

Vince looked around the room. Partially empty boxes showed signs of progress, but I clearly had a lot of work ahead of me still.

“Not a bad start, maid.”

Vince was clearly in good spirits, having just enjoyed relaxing with my wife and kids as I worked to put his belongings where mine used to be. I sighed softly in relief.

He was about to go take a tour of the house when he paused, turning back to me as I was about to start working again.

“Not a fan of what you’re wearing though. You have clothing more fitting for your role, right? I thought we talked about this.”

“Umm… yes, Sir, but if you recall we discussed it might be safest to wait a little while so that there isn’t quite so much change for the girls all at one time…”

He looked at the girls. Six-year-old Maddie was drawing a picture for him. Four-year-old Mary was laughing and tugging on his arm.

“They seem to be taking it all pretty well.”

I mumbled incomprehensibly, realizing I was probably the only one who wasn’t ready.

“Umm... yes… well, I will see if…”

“Maid, you will change into your new clothing now.”

I scurried down the stairs to escape, deciding there was no point in protesting further.

I locked the door behind me, but there was no escaping my situation. I pulled open the top drawer and got started.

The white lace panties felt delicate as I pulled them up. The solid black stockings came up to my thighs, gripping my shaved legs tightly. I went to the small closet and chose one of my three dresses; dark blue, long sleeved, with a conservatively cut front. The bottom of the dress fell just below my knees. It took a minute to get the apron tied and adjusted comfortably. A pair of black flats completed the outfit.

I looked at myself in the mirror. Completely ridiculous. But maybe also kind of sweet and harmless. An over the top slutty French maid outfit wouldn’t be appropriate around children, but this attire made it unmistakable that the wearer was responsible for domestic chores while still maintaining modesty.

I waited with dread for a long time at the door leading back to the upstairs before building the courage to walk where everyone would see me.

I finally swung it open, stepping very softly into the hall between kitchen and bedroom. It felt very strange having nothing but air between my bare thighs under the dress. Despite being fully covered, I felt very exposed.

Giggles all around. Well, maybe not from Vince.

“Why are you wearing a dress, daddy?”

Oh god.

“Well, sweetie… err… I mean, Miss Mary… I am, umm…”

Kate saved me.

“He is our maid now, girls. See? There is a lot of important work around our house that has to be done every day, and that’s what maids are for!” Her voice had confident, cheery enthusiasm. “And a dress like the one he is wearing is perfect for maids.” She twirled her hand a couple times. “Spin around for the girls so they can see how it works.”

I reluctantly rotated twice. Vince was holding back laughter as she continued, “The apron will get dirty from all the cleaning and cooking, but it’s white so it can be bleached and gotten all clean again!”

The kids stared, giggling, trying to figure it all out. Kate didn’t save me from this moment. It was all mine to drown in. I felt so silly as I turned to Vince.

“Sir, if you approve I’ll go back to unpacking your things for you.”

He stepped a little closer, looking at the outfit.

“Kind of boring, but I get it. You may go back to your work.”

The pang of humiliation from being given such direct orders in front of the kids was going to take a long time to get used to.

“Yes, Sir. Thank you, Sir.”

I spent the rest of the afternoon running around the house, trying to keep up with the mountains of work left to finish. Kate was helpful in her own way, occasionally checking in to help me decide where I should put Vince’s things. She had spent a lot of time on her makeup and hair. She looked so tantalizing in the short dress she had chosen for Vince’s moving in day. Her tight thighs begged to be groped, and the way her ass made the dress bounce was enough to drive me completely crazy when she walked into the room.

“Isn’t this exciting sweetie? Err… maid, I guess?” She giggled sweetly. “Remember when this was all just crazy fantasies we had with Vince? It’s hard to believe it’s actually happening.”

She sounded so sweet… so innocent and adorable. God, I wanted to fuck her senseless. Instead, I stammered and awkwardly held Vince’s box of cups and mugs, awaiting her instruction on what to do with them.

“What is it hon… are you okay?” She put her hand on my arm. I winked away a little tear.

“Yes, Miss… I… its just harder than I thought… the way you’re looking at me with him moved in… the way they’re looking at me…”

“Aww… yeah… it's a lot at one time. I get that.” She brushed her blonde curls back from her face. “Maybe I should get Vince to take it a little slower?”

As if by some metaphysical trigger Vince appeared in the doorway. “Everything okay?”

Kate gave my arm a friendly little rub. “Maid is just working through the transition. It’s not quite like you imagined, huh?”

I shook my head, looking at the floor.

The dynamic was so different the instant Vince was present.

“Tell me what you need, sissy.”

I knew what he meant. He was probably right, I just didn’t feel like going through it. He waited for me though, letting the silence hang over my psyche.

I turned to fully face him, setting the box down and putting my hands together politely in front of my apron. I kept my head lowered as I spoke.

“Please, Sir, if I could bother you for a quick whipping Sir. It would… I think Sir, it would help me accept my new place.”

We had discussed this kind of possibility, and as I said the words I knew it was going to be the unpleasant medicine my sissy brain needed.

“Get the cane and wait in the bedroom.”

——-

Good disciplinarians know that punishment is all about psychology. Vince didn’t rush to the bedroom. Instead, I had time to go to the basement and get the acrylic cane, feeling its weight as I carried it up the stairs.

I had plenty of time to get into appropriate cane position, with my panties pulled down and my dress pulled up, my hands leaning on the bed as I held myself in a bent over position with legs spread slightly and back slightly arched. I had plenty of time to hold still and allow the dread to build. It felt like an eternity before the door finally swung open behind me.

It wasn’t the first time Vince had disciplined me, but it was the first time my punishment was serving a direct purpose other than just humiliation or to turn Kate on with a display of authority. This time it was the housemaid being given a dose of discipline by the master of the house. This was to help me become a better servant.

The cane stung like hell. Vince was all business, delivering accurate strike after strike. He started at the bottom of my ass and worked his way up, making sure I was properly striped and welted. I took it like a good maid, keeping my sissy ass in position for him, my legs quivering with each slice of the cane.

I cried, but I was desperate for the kids not to hear me. I squelched my sobs and clenched my teeth, determined to be quiet. I knew Vince could have been harder on me and made it impossible to stop myself from squealing. I was grateful.

When I was allowed to stand, I thanked him, partially out of decorum and obedience, but also with a lot of sincerity. I was a properly beaten maid. The searing burn that I felt as I pulled my panties back up reinforced that. I would have a sore ass all afternoon as I worked to remind me that I was in my proper station now.

I went back to the kitchen, where Kate was taking a bunch of my favorite coffee mugs out of the cupboard.

“All better now maid?” She asked, reaching up high to pull down a mug I had gotten from a co-worker at a Christmas party. Her dress barely covered her ass as she stood on tiptoes and extended her arm.

“Yes, Miss. Thank you for asking.”

“Oh good,” she said, putting the mug into a plastic grocery bag.

“Here, take this downstairs to the trash. We need to make room for Vince’s mugs.”

I hesitated. “But these are… they are kind of special to me… I really don't…”

She pointed to the basement steps. “In the trash. We don’t have space for them. This cupboard is for Vince’s things now.”