James Calloway had never been a man to back down from a challenge. As a widower and single father, he'd tackled everything life threw at him with stubborn determination.

But when his daughter Ginny’s wedding was called off and the non-refundable bridal salon appointment became a wasted $3,000 expense, he decided---like any rational man---to take the appointment himself.

The exclusive salon Belle Élan had tried to talk him out of it.

"Sir, this is a six-hour experience tailored for brides---"

"I know what I signed up for," James had snapped. "And I expect every single service. No skipping anything."

And so, whether he realized it or not, James was about to embark on the most transformative experience of his life.

Unlike his daughter Ginny---who had inherited her late mother’s full-bodied, curvaceous figure---James had always been thin and wiry.

His narrow frame had never carried weight, and at his age, it never would.

But Belle Élan didn’t believe in limitations.

Ginny had ordered it all, and James would receive everything down to the last detail.

The Subliminal Conditioning Begins

From the moment James sat in the plush, white salon chair, a soft, soothing melody played over hidden speakers.

It was barely noticeable, just a backdrop of harp strings and ocean waves.

But beneath the relaxing tones, something else played---a whispering voice, too low for James to consciously perceive.

"You are a beautiful bride."

"Brides are graceful. Elegant. Serene."

"You feel radiant. You feel feminine. You are the center of attention."

James didn’t hear the words. Not consciously. But as the hours ticked by, his mind absorbed them, layer by layer.

The "Honey Bliss" Transformation

First, his hair.

Pierre, the lead stylist, examined his graying brown locks and held up a golden swatch.

"This, my dear, is ‘Honey Bliss No. 7.’ It’s what your daughter selected for her big day."

James scoffed. "Looks like regular honey blonde."

Pierre gasped dramatically. "Sir, this shade was crafted for luminosity, elegance, and bridal perfection."

James grumbled, but two hours later, his hair had been lightened, lengthened with extensions, and styled into an intricate updo secured with layers of extra-hold spray.

Pierre stepped back, nodding. "This will stay flawless for days."

James didn’t argue. He just admired the way the light caught the soft golden strands.

"Brides deserve the finest beauty," the whispering voice reminded him.

The Bridal Hands & Unbreakable Nails

Next came his hands.

A technician examined his fingers, shaking her head. "Too short for a bride. We’ll extend them just a quarter inch past your fingertips---elegant but practical."

"Just keep them short," James muttered.

She giggled. "Oh, sweetheart, brides need beautiful hands."

As she applied the indestructible false nails, the soft background whispers continued:

"A bride’s hands must be delicate. Refined. Soft."

When she finished, James flexed his fingers. The nails wouldn’t bend. They wouldn’t chip, wouldn’t break, wouldn’t come off for several days.

James sighed. But a part of him felt pleased at how polished they looked.

The Full Waxing & Brow Shaping

Lying on the spa table, wrapped in a towel, James barely had time to protest before---

RIP!

He grunted in pain as the aesthetician waxed his chest, arms, legs, and back.

"Brides must be smooth and touchable," the whispers cooed.