You have that look about you. You’re up to something and is as pleased as punch with yourself. I cannot imagine what it is that has you looking like a cat who got the cream.
“I’ll be back in a bit,” you tell me as you bolt for the door, “there’s a letter for you on the hall table. You’d better look at it, it looks important.”
“What’s it about?” I yell to him from the bedroom where I’m changing from the day’s toiling garb into something more relaxed.
“I don’t know. It’s addressed to you and I didn’t open it.” And the door shuts behind you.
“Damn! Damn, damn and damn!” I wander out to the hall, still partially dressed – well, underwear, anyway. I pick up the letter. Nice stationery, a heavy manila paper, cream colored, but it contains no return address. “Hmm,” I say to myself as I tear open the envelope and unfold the letter it contains.
It reads: “At 5:45 tonight, your doorbell will ring. Get in the car. The driver will take you where you need to be. Master.”
A big smile appears until I look at my watch – I have exactly 12 minutes. Dropping the letter, I dash for the bath, shedding my remaining clothes as I run. I turn on the water, and give up grabbing the scrubby and ducking into the still-cold water. A lick and a promise will have to do. I’m out of the shower and mostly dry with eight minutes left. “Damn!” I know Master will not tolerate my being late. For anything.
At the closet, I grab a dress, ruffle through the drawers looking for pretty underpinnings – just bra and hose – then back to the closet to get shoes. Four minutes. “Double damn!” Ruin one stocking – find another and get it on.
Back to the bathroom to do something to the hair, back to the dresser for earrings and a dinner ring. I go to the hall closet for a coat at a dead run, getting there just as the bell rings.
I open it, and there stands a stranger who hands me another cream envelope. I open it and read the card inside. “Get a book you haven’t read. Go with this man. Master.” I grab my bag, find my current novel and put my coat on as I walk out the door, locking it behind me. The man ushers me into the back seat of the car.
“Where are you taking me?” I ask the chauffeur. There is no response. “Damn!” I’ll just have to wait and see. In the interim, I fuss a little more with hair, fix my stockings more comfortably, get my nipples pointing in the same direction, check for makeup – the things for which there was no time. Then noticing I’m being watched, settle back, close my eyes and give in to the feeling. My pulse and breathing accelerate, as they always do when I think of you. My hand starts to stray to my heating and increasingly damp center, when I remember the eyes in the rear view mirror. I relax, folding my hands in my lap. Whatever you’ve planned is in motion.
The car stops for longer than a stoplight and I hear the driver exit his door. I sit up and the door opens. The chauffeur hands me out. We’re at the airport. I look around, but you’re nowhere to be seen. A young man walks up to me, hands me another envelope. I open it: “Follow this young man. Master.” All right. But I’m not prepared to be anywhere. I have work, I haven’t packed anything, and..... Master says. Okay. I follow the young man through the airport, and my eyes scan everywhere for you. I see only strangers. We arrive at a gate, the flight is scheduled for Los Angeles and is already boarding. The young man hands me my boarding pass. “Where’s Tommy? Mr. Thomas?” I ask him. He says nothing, turns and departs. I hesitate, looking for you until the flight attendant asks if I’m going to board. Thinking you’re probably on the plane, I board. Shortly after I get on, the door closes and the plane is pushed back from the gate.
I stand and survey everyone and don’t see your familiar face or your hair. After we’re airborne, I make a trip to the bathroom and look for you. You’re not on the plane. A small thrill of panic runs through me. I’m decidedly nervous now. During the flight, I read the magazines, watch the in-flight movie, and doze. It seems to be only a short time before the plane is landing in Los Angeles. Great! Now I’m here, and there’s no clue about what to do next. The flight attendants, burble their “Buh-byes” at the door to the plane. As I’m almost out the door, one hands me another of the envelopes.
In the concourse, I open the envelope and read the instructions. “Go to Gate 56E. Board the plane. Be there by 8:40. Master.” I look at my watch. Less than 45 minutes and this is LAX.
I ask the gate attendant where gate 56E is. She tells me it’s in the next concourse and I’ll have to take the tram. “Damn! Damn, damn, damn, hell and damn!” I follow her instructions to the tram, walking as quickly as possible. I’ve given up looking for you. You’ll show up when you’re ready and I don’t have time to lollygag.
Again, I get to the gate, but this time there’s a line for a passport check. I don’t have my passport with me, but you did say gate 56E. I’ll ask for you at customs. Maybe you’ll be there and are just bedeviling me. The customs agent, before I can ask anything, says, “Thank you,” and hands me a passport and a boarding pass. I look inside and it’s mine! And now I’m boarding a plane for somewhere, but I was in such a hurry I forgot to look where. Another quick look around for you. Mexico, I think. But why wouldn’t we just fly direct? Why LA?