Rules of BDSM Manor - safety, respect, and consent.
Note to reader: You will get more from these characters if you read the stories in order, but it's not compulsory.
Tess-O'Meter -- Green.
-X
Despite trying to leave work early it was late into the afternoon by the time I reached home. So much to sort out prior to two weeks leave.
"Bend over pain slut, I've only got a fiancé for another few hours and I want to fuck him hard," I yelled into the quiet apartment.
Alex appeared suddenly hushing me, looking both amused and embarrassed, "Sssshhh, sorry we've got a guest," he said, blushing.
He turned the corner, "I'm so sorry, that was a little blunt," I heard him say.
I hung my jacket and followed him, as a woman with an Australian accent reassured him, "Please don't worry on my account, a wedding is exciting," she laughed.
I walked into the room and smiled at the woman. She looked a little familiar, but I couldn't place her.
"Apologizes," I said, "I'm a little over excited about marrying this wonderful man tomorrow."
"It's no problem, I have bad timing."
I looked for Alex to introduce us, he seemed flustered.
"Er, this is. Well, ummm," he faltered, looking at me with concern.
"Allow me," the woman said, as Alex smiled in gratitude and moved to my side, his hand warm on my back.
"My name is Lesley Harris," she said, "I'm your Mother's sister."
I flashed cold in frozen shock.
I was speechless. My mothers' sister was believed to have taken her own life, two months after my mother had married.
She hadn't been seen in over forty years.
Alex, his hand on my arm to retain contact with me, reached down for a photograph on the low table.
"Lesley brought this," he said quietly, his arm slipping around my waist.
I looked at the picture. Two young ladies in untidy school uniforms grinning at the camera.
One was undoubtedly the teenage version of this lady. The other-
"It's my Mum," I whispered.
Alex gave me a squeeze, watching me carefully.
Suddenly, my wits returned. I looked at Lesley, my heart sinking, but before I could speak, she raised a hand.
"I know," she said gently, "I arrived at lunchtime. Your lovely young man very kindly explained about my brother and sister." She shook her head, "I'm so sorry. So sorry that you lost them so young."
"I'm sorry too," I said, seeing the fresh grief and pain in her eyes. Then I softly kissed Alex, "Thank you."
He smiled, still looking concerned.
"Lesley's husband is at their hotel, only twenty minutes away. I think he should come. I'll order in, and he will be here before the food."
Determined he turned back to Lesley, "Having lived in Oz all these years, you must like Vietnamese?"
She smiled and shook her head, still standing, "No," she began.
Alex interrupted her, "Okay, Italian?"
She laughed, "I mean yes I like Vietnamese, but no I can't stay." She looked at me as if for assistance, "It's the night before your wedding, and I've busted in here and given you a huge shock. I should go."
Alex just looked at me.
I shrugged and gestured towards the couch, "Vietnamese it is then, why don't you sit back down and give your husband a call? I'm going to go open some champagne, I'll be back in a tick," I continued as Lesley sank weakly onto the couch.
Alex cheered, "We're having champagne?"
"I've just acquired an Aunt," I said, "Of course we're having champagne."
Lesley summoned her husband and pulled herself together a little as Alex and I gave her a couple of minutes.
She was still a little damp eyed when I sat back down opposite her, having passed the bottle for Alex to deal with. She jumped at the pop, then laughed.
"Are you okay?" I asked her.
She nodded, "Yes, Yes. It's a lot. For you as well."
I huffed out a breath and agreed, "Yea, it sure is."
I studied her but couldn't think how to ask my questions.
Taking the glass from Alex she looked at me.
"You're not asking any questions, that's odd," she stated.
I grinned briefly, liking her straightforward manner.
But then, "Why did you do it? Mum lived her whole life thinking that you had gone into the river aged fourteen. She never knew why. All they ever found were your clothes."
Alex sat next to me, his hand on my back again, an indication that he thought I still needed support. I glanced at him and realized that he already knew what she was going to tell me.
And I wasn't going to like it.
Lesley took a couple of breaths, then looked straight at me.
"Once your mother married, she was safe. She never knew that our father had been abusing me since I was six years old. He never touched her," she said quickly, seeing the horror and question come into my eyes.
"He never touched your mother, or my brother, just me. Once she was safe, I could leave."
She took a too big gulp of champagne, then looked back at me.
"You have no reason to believe me, but had I known that my brother and sister had passed, and you being so young, I would have come for you. I would have come to support you and Sadie. I would have come," she stopped, unable to continue.
Without thinking I moved to her side and pulled her into my arms, "I'm so sorry that happened to you, that you had to run away. I'm so sorry, and I believe you, that you would have come."
I rocked her as she sobbed into a tissue that Alex handed her and waited until she had calmed a little.
She sat up, "Okay, that's out of my system now," she declared with determination.
"Oh my God," I looked at her.
"What?"
"I'm so sorry, I just grabbed you like that, I shouldn't have," my apology died as she cupped my cheek and then leaned back against me.
"I'm not that fragile," she said, "and your lovely Alex had exactly the same reaction. Pulled me straight in for a wonderful big hug."
Meeting Alex's eyes over her head, I mouthed another thank you. He grinned and then jumped up at the knock at the door.
"Did Alex tell you that I was named for you?" I asked my aunt gently.
Her eyes misted again, "Yes he did," she nodded, swallowing hard, cupping my cheek again. "Leslie."
"I got the fuck teased out of me at boarding school," I complained, and made her laugh boisterously.
Her husband and the food had arrived at the same time, so Alex dished the food out as Lesley introduced him to us.
He was Sidney, from Sydney, and we chatted as we ate.
Lesley told me some things about Mum when she was dating Dad. It was bittersweet, they had been gone more than half my life, but it was both brilliant and painful to hear her stories.
We talked about work. Lesley and Sidney had recently (mostly) retired from running a leisure club Down Under.
I told them about my London and New York based business and ever-increasing property portfolio.
Alex embarrassed me by talking about my charity work and philanthropy.
They were fascinated by his work, as people who readily admitted knowing little about computers often are.
I very carefully mentioned that by rights, the family money should have gone to Lesley, at least in part, and received the expected response from both of them.
Not interested, don't need it, perfectly happy thank you very much.
So, I floated the idea that there might be some causes they would like to add some support to, and that we could meet when I was back from my honeymoon to discuss it.
They agreed to think about that, but then Lesley raised the awkward question.
"I asked Alex about the estate, but he seemed not to want to talk about it," Lesley said, in what I had already discovered was her zero-bullshit manner.
"Ah," I hesitated, running a hand over the back of my neck.
Alex, however, seemed less hesitant; I had noted the intensity with which he had been studying them.
"I told you that Leslie and Sadie run a business there, with Sadie's partner."
"Yes, and then you clammed up," she countered.
He looked a little sheepish, but when I started to speak, he stopped me.
"Actually, do you mind if I take this? Can I show you something?" he asked them.
We all nodded, me in relief from the reprieve. Alex disappeared and came back with a soft pouch, sitting on his knees on the floor between the three of us, his hands on the table.
He smiled at me, and I sat forward with interest.
"Are these our rings?" I asked.
He nodded, "Yea," he looked at my aunt and uncle, "Leslie agreed that I could sort out our wedding rings."
"I've been dying to see them," I admitted, "but you said not until tomorrow."
"Well, now it's a special occasion," he said, and tipped the two rings into his hand. They were a soft, warm gold and had engraving on them.
"Despite my lack of accent, I'm actually Welsh," Alex told them, "and Leslie has Welsh heritage as well."
My aunt nodded in agreement, taking one of the rings he offered her.
"So," he continued, "I decided to honour that. They are Welsh Rose Gold."
"It's pretty," Sidney said, looking at the ring he held, "and what's this? Elvish?"
Alex cracked up as Lesley jabbed him with her elbow, "It's Welsh you awful man."
They handed the rings to me and I studied them, feeling excited that they represented the new life that was starting tomorrow.
"The final word is different," I said, handing the rings to Alex, "Explain."
He held them so we could all see, his finger under the carved words.
"This says 'Love'. This is 'Cherish'," I stopped him there, so I could kiss him gently, making my aunt hum in happiness.
"I'll love and cherish you always," I promised.
"I'll hold you to that," Alex grinned, then turned back to the rings.
