I could see as we approached it that Nicole Dunne's house was large. There seemed to be many additions and renovations to the original design. I didn't know it then but it had all been made possible through inheritance, hard work and also her "counseling" fees. The work had been performed by out of town builders. She had paid them extra for the job to ensure that no questions were asked and some of her special modifications were kept secret. Tom pressed the door bell, recessed into the brass plate.
Mistress Nicole smiled as she closed the door to the games room. She grabbed a startling blue kimono off a hook near the door and wrapped it around herself. She walked up the stairs and closed the door behind her. Walking up the hallway she looked at herself in the mirror.
'Ooops,' she voiced as she saw her hair was tousled after the flogging she had delivered to the new boy. The doorbell rang again. She grabbed a nearby brush off the hallway stand, and quickly brushed her hair.
She opened the hallway door to see a man and a woman standing there. They were wet from the heavy rain, which was really pelting down.
'The Creighton's I presume,' said Mistress Nicole smiling in a disarming way.
'Yes,' replied the male.
Nicole looked out beyond them to see how they had traveled.
A navy blue sedan was parked in front of her neighbour's house.
'Your car?' she asked.
'Yes,' he replied, 'is that a problem?'
'Next time leave it down the street further in that empty lot and walk here. Okay?'
'Sure.'
'Come in and sit down in my office,' said Mistress Nicole, gesturing with her hand to the room nearest the front door.
The couple stepped into the office.
'Take off your coats, you find it is quite warm in here. Leave your keys in the bowl on the desk'
The couple took off their coats and sat in large leather and wood chair opposite the desk. Tom reached forward and dropped the keys into the bowl. On the desk facing Mistress Nicole was a computer monitor that she reached over and switched on. She hit a few keys, smiled briefly and then turned to face them.
'You are Tom Creighton?' asked Mistress Nicole.
'That's right, ...ummm what should...?'
'Tom, as we have spoken about you and your situation over the phone, you may both call me Mistress Nicole from this point on. It is permissible to shorten it to Mistress, but nothing else will suffice. Whenever you are in this house, and your house, if we graduate to house calls and over the phone and via email it is always by that title. Any breaches of this rule will be deemed punishable. It is the first rule. Clear?'
'Yes Mistress Nicole,' said Tom.
'What about you Susan?'
'I'm not sure why I'm here?' I replied looking defiantly at Tom.
'Mistress Nicole got up from behind the desk, walked swiftly around and slapped her on the face.'
'What the fuck did you do that for?' I cried out, now alarmed and outraged. I began to wonder what she had agreed to. Tom had told me they were going to visit a relationship counselor. This was nothing like that. I was angry that Tom had deceived me, and worried about where this was all going. The slap made my eyes water and my cheek was stinging with the strength of the slap.
'What was the question?' asked Mistress Nicole in a firm voice, her eyes glaring at me, one hand placed on my shoulder to stop me from rising. I felt nervous, and fearful all of a sudden. She never once glanced at Tom who was staring, anxious, wanting to say something, but the tone of her voice prevented him. Mistress Nicole looked from me to him.
'Let me help you out a little. What do you call me at all times Susan?' asked Mistress Nicole.
'That hurt,' I spat out. My hand rubbing the red hand prints on my cheek. She surprised me then by tenderly rubbing the back of her hand up my neck to my ear.
Like a cobra the arm swung and a loud slap stung the other cheek of my face. The loudness of the slap in the quiet room made Tom jump a little as well. He wondered if he had overstepped the mark in his relationship. Still it was Friday. The weekend was ahead of them.
'Ooowwwww, but...wait... its Mistress Nicole, just stop hitting me,'I uttered as I wiped the moisture from below her eyes. I looked at Tom for help. He was looking at Mistress Nicole and her glance and a shake of the head told him that he couldn't offer any help.
'Now we have that sorted out Susan may we continue sorting out the details?'
'Yes Mistress Nicole.'