Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 73013 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73013 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
The thought made no sense, of course, given that the New Modesty had sent her—apparently in some kind of ‘sponsorship’ role—to make me feel at ease… something she had pretty spectacularly failed to do. Still, I had grasped at this straw, the idea that Rick and I could live here on my terms, and I clung to it. That would mean having April Dennison as a friend, and friends did everything possible to help friends feel comfortable.
We had turned into the parking lot of the lovely little shopping center. I saw our destination: New You Day Spa. At first glance, it looked like any other storefront. Then I noticed a discreet sign in the corner of the front window.
New Modesty subsidized intimacy services offered here
CHAPTER 26
Mandy
April hadn’t responded to my question, and the silence had started to get a bit uncomfortable. She pulled the Mercedes into a parking space and turned the key to stop the engine. When she turned to me, I realized that I had drawn back into the depths of the bucket seat’s rich-smelling leather. I bit my lip as I shifted my legs and felt beneath me the soreness from my husband’s old-fashioned lesson, my face going hot at the embarrassing reminder of the previous night’s shameful scenes.
“As your sponsor,” April said, “it’s important that I tell you about my own experiences as Scott’s obedient wife, so that you feel more comfortable sharing what’s happening between you and Rick. I think you probably got punished last night, and Rick probably used you afterwards…”
I swallowed hard, resisting the urge to cover my ears and shout at her to stop talking. I could feel how haunted my eyes must look to April across the scant three feet between us in the car.
April nodded, her own face troubled and her cheeks still glowing pink.
“That takes time to get used to,” she said. “Talking about it that way.” Her face brightened, then, and a shy little smile played on her lips. “You do get used to it though.”
To my astonishment, she giggled.
“Hey, look at me, being the wise sponsor. That’s just what Joan said to me… you do get used to it.”
For a moment I looked at her, trying not to stare as if she had just arrived from another planet. April looked at me with slightly raised eyebrows, as if hoping I would share the joke with her, take pleasure in her stepping up to serve as my sponsor.
Sure, the brat in me said, I’m definitely tickled pink that you’re apparently authorized—mandated, probably—to talk to me about how my husband punishes and uses me.
“Um,” I tried again, not getting anywhere fast, mentally speaking. “Um… I…”
I remembered my resolution about what I would do at the day spa. I took hold of it like a drowning sailor grabbing the side of a life raft.
“I’m not comfortable with the thing Rick, you know, mentioned—I mean, may have mentioned or whatever—last night, and I’m just, you know, going…”
At this point in my stream of consciousness babble I actually felt fairly proud of how many words I had managed to string together. I could see a puzzled expression starting to appear on April’s face, however, and I realized with a flash of heat in my cheeks that really I probably wasn’t making any sense.
“I mean the thing Rick mentioned about what kind of, you know, appointment they had made for me here…” I jerked my chin toward the windshield and the New You day spa, and I saw understanding come into April’s eyes, followed an instant later by a compassion bordering on pity that nearly froze my word train in its tracks.
Sheer momentum carried me forward for another sentence, nevertheless.
“And, you know, I’m just going to have…” I realized I had almost said, Do you think it’s alright if I just have, and I patted myself on the mental back for avoiding the terrible weakness that would have shown. “I’m just going to have a mani-pedi, you know, because I’m sure they can do that here, right?”
April just looked at me for a moment, that sympathetic smile on her face. Then she said, “They had to come get me in the car, for my appointment here. I cried. I begged Joan not to let them do it, and I hated her for just watching while they carried me in and took off my clothes and strapped me down in the chair.”
My heart had started to pound wildly in my chest.
“But…” I said. “That’s not… I mean, you… they… can’t!”
April nodded slowly.
“They can, Mandy. You signed a contract to obey your husband’s wishes. In a New Modesty jurisdiction, that includes aesthetician services according to what Rick requests.”
I felt my jaw go slack. I heard my breathing coming much too fast between my lips.
“I know how embarrassing it seems the first time,” April said. “But almost all the men in Rocky Falls have the same rule in their households. I just told you that Scott makes me come here for a wax once a week—and I’m going to have mine right next to you, now, just like Joan did with me, once they had gotten me undressed and into the chair. You don’t want that, Mandy, do you? I would have to tell Rick, of course, just like Joan told Scott—and Scott whipped me so hard that night for disobeying his wishes for my private parts.”