"Oh, see, this is a nice place," Sonja says as they drive up to Miriam's house. "Look at the size of this! She's got forest on every side... no neighbors... you could have one hell of a party here. You said she's the director at your office?"
"She's quitting," Ellie says. Ellie is in the passenger seat. Sonja is driving.
"But she's a C-level, yeah? Something like that? She must be loaded... Jeez, I wanna be here. When I win the lottery, this is the place I'm getting. Someplace just like this."
She parks, and checks the time. Ellie said she was supposed to arrive at precisely ten in the morning, and they have a few minutes, so she switches the engine off, and they wait. "You've been seeing her for...?"
"Just over a month."
"And how old is she, exactly?"
"Forty-nine," Ellie says. "But she looks much younger. She's very beautiful." She blushes. "From behind... She has beautiful dark hair. It comes almost to her waist when she lets it down. From behind she can pass for nineteen."
Sonja drums her fingers on the wheel. She is Ellie's housemate, and has been since Ellie first moved to the city, more than a year ago. For her, Ellie and Miriam's relationship has been something of a puzzle. She hasn't met Miriam, or seen a picture. She only knows what Ellie has told her, which is barely anything.
She knows Miriam is a smart, efficient business executive. Always immaculately attired -- Ellie admires and envies the way she dresses. She knows Miriam is petite, and beautiful, and extremely fit. She would have to be fit. She and Ellie spend enough time in the gym together.
Sonja also knows that Miriam is a high-maintenance partner. Ellie drops everything when she receives messages from her. She'll even interrupt a workout to text back, which, for Ellie, is absolutely insane.
Ellie seems happy, at least. Bright and bouncy, physically fulfilled. Most of the time. But also, occasionally, red-faced with anxiety and stress.
For Sonja, the age gap is the real puzzle. Ellie is twenty-three, Miriam more than twice that. What's the attraction? It could be the money...
"Okay, you have to tell me, honey. Is she good in bed?"
"Yes, oh yes!" Ellie says, quickly, almost without thinking. She makes eye contact with Sonja, and then looks away guiltily, clasping her hands together anxiously in her lap. The expression on her face lapses into vacant bliss. "She's... I've never..."
It doesn't look like she's going to finish her sentence.
Sonja giggles. Well, that pretty much covers it.
It's thirty seconds to ten. Ellie steps out of the car.
"Love you, honey," Sonja says. "You need anything, call me."
*
Ellie knocks at exactly ten. Miriam told her that it didn't matter what she wore, which of course made it agonizingly difficult to decide what to wear. In the end she started from her boots and worked up. Black felt ankle boots with three-inch heels, which were Miriam's gift to her. Then long, bare legs, and a short, high-waisted leather skirt, and a black T-shirt tucked tightly into the skirt. Some eye shadow, a few rings in each ear.
She didn't wear any underwear. At first. Then she changed her mind and put on her good bra and panties. She was halfway through changing her mind again, taking her top off, when Sonja walked in and told her it was time to head out.
"You're the one who said she'd be mad if you were even one second late," Sonja said. "You're the one who said you were too nervous to drive yourself."
"Okay," Ellie said, T-shirt wrapped around her neck and forearm. She pulled it back down, and stood up and looked down at herself, fizzling with uncertainty. "Okay."
"You look amazing," Sonja told her. "Look at those legs. Holy shit."
Ellie works out. She is never not working out. She is a paragon of feminine muscle, and her legs are amazing. But she still gets self-conscious.
"And that top is so good," Sonja goes on. "It looks like if you flexed hard you could split it open. Honey, that is a basic cotton tee, and it's so tight I can count your abs! If she doesn't love it, she's an idiot. I love it."
Now, standing at her domme's door, Ellie is becoming increasingly sure that she made a mistake. She needs to go home and change. Into something more casual. Or more formal. A summer dress. Different shoes. Or just not come back at all. Oh God.
Miriam flings the door open.
"Young lady," she says, beaming. She looks Ellie up and down, admiringly. "Right on the tick. I like that very much. Are you well? Are you ready?"
Ellie gulps. Miriam is wearing a long, flowing, floral-print dress. The dress has long sleeves, but plunges in front, showing off the deep cleavage between her abundant breasts. Her hair cascades down her back, in slow waves of black silk. A casual, sunny, colorful look. She wears strappy sandals. And, as always, a thin silver necklace.
Ellie clutches her small bag in front of her, defensively. She is ready. "Yes, ma'am! You look wonderful."
Miriam smiles, then glances past her. "Is your friend okay?"
Over in the car, Sonja is recovering after choking on her water bottle. Not that she thought Ellie was exaggerating, but Miriam is a bona fide babe. Her tits alone!
"Alright, honey," Sonja says to herself, fully getting it now. "Fucking get in there."
Miriam waves at her. She seems to be gesturing for her to come and join them.
Sonja shakes her head, but Miriam is insistent. Ellie seems uncertain. Sonja sighs. She sets her bottle down and gets out of her car.
Sonja is Ellie's age, medium-short, with a stocky, pear-shaped body. A very generous figure: big boobs, very big legs and a massive ass. Unlike Ellie, she didn't think twice about her outfit today. She's dressed for chores. Gray sweat pants and a pink tank top, with her shoulder-length brown hair bundled up with a scrunchie. She wasn't planning to come in.
"Miriam, this is my housemate Sonja," Ellie says, awkwardly. "Sonja, this is... Miriam. My, um. Girlfriend."
"Great to finally meet you," Miriam says, warmly.
"Yeah," Sonja says. "You too."
"Would you like to come in for a minute? I was just about to make some fresh orange juice."
"Sure."
*
Miriam points Sonja toward the kitchen, then she and Ellie follow her. As they walk, Ellie taps Miriam urgently on the shoulder.
"Ma'am," she whispers, "you're not going to--?"
"Be quiet," Miriam says.
Ellie last visited Miriam's house at night. In daylight, the open-plan kitchen/dining area is very brightly lit, with huge windows showing the expansive garden out behind the house. While Sonja and Miriam take seats at the dining table, Miriam directs Ellie to the kitchen area, where there is a large bowl of fresh oranges, and an empty glass jug. "Ellie, would you juice those for us? I just picked them."
Ellie looks around. "Do you have a juicer?"
Miriam smiles, absently. "I don't believe so."