09

Chapter 5

When Cathy and Helena awoke, it was to the smell of coffee.

"Good morning, lovely ladies."

Cathy and Helena groaned in unison and asked what time it was.

It was around eight. Cathy popped up, saying "I had completely forgotten. Today is Monday, I have a patient at nine."

Rob left them as they began their coffee.

He got a coffee for himself. Finding the morning newspaper by the front door, he went to the living room, opened the curtains and started reading the newspaper and sipping his coffee.

Soon Cathy came downstairs, now businesslike in a conservative, gray dress and shoes with quite low heels, a huge contradiction to the vamp she'd been in the evening.

"I promised you another session," she smiled wicked. "Completely forgetting I have work this morning. We can postpone it or you wait here to be spanked again later today. It's up to you, Rob. By the way, I didn't thank you for last night." She leaned down to him, pressing her lips sensuously to his. "Thank you so much, dear. I really needed it. If possible, I want more, from you and from Helena."

Helena answered. "I heard that. So you want more of me too?" She was wearing a satin nightgown and a bathrobe borrowed from Cathy's wardrobe.

"Yes, today if possible, that is, if you're willing."

Helena grinned at Rob. "She wants us, she has abandoned her inhibitions".

"And tomorrow and the day after tomorrow and all next weekend!" Cathy's eyes were lustful.

"Ha, not a chance! I want him a few days for myself. Maybe today only?" Helena looked at Rob.

"Cathy wants to do another session, I don't know if I am ready for more. My inner thigh still hurts. I have to think it over."

"Don't you be such a sissy," Cathy said defiantly.

"Those are among the best words to make me leave right now."

Cathy immediately apologized. "I'm sorry Rob; I know how sensitive you are on this subject. But it's exactly the reason I want to do a repeat of yesterday. We can skip the spanking, or most of it, but you really must work on anger control."

Rob looked to Helena for support, but he saw from her face she fully agreed with Cathy.

"And what shall we do in the meantime?" he asked. He was still grappling with the anger one word had triggered.

"I have a perfect idea. Marion reminded me about the theatre shop. I think I'm going to buy you the perfect sissy outfit." Helena tried to keep a straight face, but burst out in laughter when Cathy did.

That word again! Rob got even angrier. "I've had enough. I'm leaving. Cathy, it's no longer clear when I'll see you again." He grabbed his coat and left the house.

Totally astonished, Cathy looked to Helena. "I didn't expect this; I thought he had learned at least some resilience."

"You saw last night when he got angry. You're right about anger management. But I suspect many small doses will be necessary, not one big immersion. Sorry, I overstepped and thanks to my slip he blames you too. I'll try have him back this afternoon. If not, I'll give you a call." Giving Cathy a quick kiss, Helena took her coat and went out after Rob.

Rob stood in the street beside Helena's car, looking at his phone.

Helena took a stern tone. "Rob, don't you think you overreacted? She and I were just teasing you. You really must try to stay cool when you're insulted. This is a main reason we're here. As soon we're home, you, Marion and I shall do a play session, not severe, not like yesterday, but just some spanking. I want you to react properly when you enter our playroom. Both Marion and I will be dressed as Mistresses.

"I wasn't joking when I said we'd go to the theatre shop and buy you sissy clothing. One day soon I shall want you in our playroom, wearing your sissy clothing so you just prepare for it. Now, you must apologize to Cathy; she didn't deserve to be treated this way. Go back in, tell her we'll return to her this afternoon."

Rob had no intention of wearing wear sissy clothing. It was not to his taste. It overplayed the foolish idea that just because he liked some women's clothing necessarily made him a sissy. He decided against replying. On the drive to Helena's house he would tell her why a session as soon as they returned was not going to happen.

He remembered Cathy had warned him she intended to push at his anger. Letting himself back into the house, he found Cathy in the kitchen. "I owe you an apology. Your intent was to do things to help me. I took it personally. You made it clear you would try upset me. You were, um, quite effective."

With a smile, Cathy gave Rob another kiss. "Apologizes accepted. Will you come back this afternoon Rob? Be warned, if you come back we're going to repeat the sissy thing, because you must learn to let words be said during a session. That's the whole trick. And maybe, afterwards..." She gave him an impish smile.

"My last appointment for today ends at one o'clock so arrive a bit after. You come into my office at half past, you alone. We have things to discuss. Helena can join us in the funhouse, but not before two; she'll have to wait in the living room while we talk. Have we got a deal?"

"Yes." Rob had no hesitation.

"The first time I saw you, you made no impression on me. Now I know you better, I can understand why women so easily grow fond of you." She kissed him again. "Make me proud, Rob. Make yourself proud. You can tell Helena we'll have dinner together, here again. And of course you'll stay overnight again. I'd really like you to stay. Now, my patient will be here soon. Find yourself a nice outfit at Bridgett's, otherwise you wear must the pink dress again. I'll lay it out for you on the bed. Hm! I think I have another costume you would like even less."

Rob went back out to find Helena waiting just outside the door. She was curious. "You took a long time."

"We're to come back after one o'clock this afternoon." He took Helena back inside to dress. They were soon in her car driving away.

"She wants to do a sissy training again this afternoon, the anger management thing. Maybe it's better I go alone to be insulted. It'll be easier to bear without you there to witness it. I imagine there will be fun for you afterwards."

Helena chuckled. "So we go to buy you a sissy costume?"

Rob answered sharply. "It won't be necessary."

"Oh, but it is. Like I said, you shall get the same treatment from Marion and I. I just phoned her, she was relieved to hear she had nothing to do with your fainting. She agrees about the sissy thing, she's looking forward to bring it in a game. It serves a purpose, teaching you to keep your temper."

"Hmm," was all Rob replied. He was thinking he could walk from the theatre shop to the train station and return to Oxford by train. When Helena first came out to him, he'd been looking up whether a motor coach ran near Cathy's little village.

"I have the address of the shop, on the way I want to find a place for a light breakfast. Because of your stupid behavior we haven't eaten."

"Helena, I'm very sorry."

"It's understandable, but you must deal with your temper. Cathy is a good doctor. After such a short conversation, look how much she knows about you."

Rob grimaced. "And she fancies me."

"It seems when women get to know you, they fall for you. Do you realize how difficult it will be to live with you when it happens?" Rob could tell she was serious.

"Yes, it's a problem. Exactly why I won't do anything without your permission."

"And if I say no?"

"Then no it is." He said it with no hesitation.

Helena smiled; she knew she could trust Rob on his word.

He was thinking Helena could limit the problem by limiting how many women she sent to him. These women knew him because she made the offer. Few had asked her and none had asked him. He added an important reminder. "But be prepared to hear me say no if its gets to be too much. When I say no, it is also no."

"There should be a pub in just a bit. Stop there, dear," Helena said.

An old pub was set well back from the road, a row of large trees between the roadway and the car park. It looked inviting, with lights making the place bright despite the low clouds in the sky.

Rob found seats, then went up to the counter to order. He saw a face he recognized. It was Bridget, the owner of the theatre shop; he went to her. "Bridget, what a coincidence, we were just on our way to your shop. Hello again."

He could tell from her handshake she was hesitant. She remembered him well, but pretended not to. "Hmm, we met a few months ago?" she asked.

"Yes, in your shop, looking at costumes, you gave me your business card, asked me to check in with you later." He gave her a wink. He was aware at least a few people were watching curiously when he shook hands with Bridget, he didn't want to be to plain.

"We're sitting just over there, I'm with my friend Helena. After I make my order I'd like to introduce you to her. Can I get something for you?"

Bridget declined, Rob placed his order for two breakfasts then escorted Bridget back to his table. "Helena, this is Bridget, the owner of the theatre shop. She's also a 'colleague' of Marion. Imagine meeting her at a country pub."

Bridget turned to him with a quizzical expression. "This is not the same woman from your last visit."

"No, I separated from Jenny shortly after we visited your shop." Rob offered no detail.

"I understand. Well, hello Helena. I understand you were on your way to my place? You were lucky to find me here. The store is closed today; I have some business to attend to in Manchester this afternoon, I decided to leave the place locked. So much of my business is by appointment."

She saw the disappointment in Helena's eyes. "Were you looking for something special?"

Helena looked around, to see nobody was listening. Bridget noticed and raised an eyebrow.

"Rob had a bad experience in the playroom, well, a set of experiences. We must cure him of some misunderstandings about trust. He connected Jenny betraying him to the S&M scene where it took place. Of course the S&M had nothing to do with the betrayal. We're learning he cannot contain his anger. He's been short-fused and when he goes off he can break things. Our friend Cathy was shocked when he broke something just yesterday."

Bridget raised her eyebrows. "Cathy Mahan, the doctor?"

"So you know her, yes. Anyway, to make a long story short, we require a sissy costume for Rob. He must be humiliated until he learns not to not lose his temper. We're doing it for his own good, so he can grow. Who knows what will happen when he goes out 'en femme,' if he is challenged, made a fool? He can't make a fool of himself at such a time, he must learn to keep his head and walk away."

Rob, stone-faced, said nothing. Going out in women's' clothing was absolutely not an option. In addition, the problem with Cathy was she wouldn't let him walk away.

"You know, I believe I have exactly what you're looking for. When you've finished here, we can drive together to the shop."

Helena smiled happily. "Oh, splendid. Thanks so much!"

Rob spoke, glum about the prospect. "I should have ignored Bridget, pretended I didn't see her, so her shop would be closed when we arrived there."

Helena didn't know what to make of his words. "I never know whether you're serious."

Bridget understood what was going on. "He is serious. He doesn't care to be a sissy."

"Yes, exactly! It's not my style, so why bother?" Rob didn't see why this should be debated.

"Bridget, let's go to your shop. Don't mind Rob, he'll get over it."

Soon they were served, they made small talk as they ate. Bridget knew a lot about what was going on in theatre and film across most of England. She even shared some gossip about a new BBC series in production. When they finished eating, they left the pub with Bridget. Following Bridget, they soon reached her shop, parking in the alley behind.

When Bridget opened the rear door and switched on a few lights, Helena was amazed with the size of the shop.

Rob decided he wasn't going to help Helena shop and set out to browse on his own. He made a point of going first to old-fashioned formal suits for men.

Helena shrugged. "Leave him be. He knows he has a difficult day in store. Cathy has plans for him."

Bridget nodded. "I should tell you I asked Rob to visit me for a session, when he was visiting the shop with Marion and the other woman. He hasn't responded so far. I wonder if he isn't afraid of all these mistresses wanting a piece of him. It can become a wonderful experience, but you don't know until you've made it through a few sessions. People always think of us as bringers of pain, but it's only part of the story. Of course you understand that already." She sighed. "A sub who becomes a soulmate is very hard to find. A lot of subs expect pain and humiliation, all unpleasant. It can be such a game when played from love, two people who trust each other completely give and surrender to each other."

This didn't make much sense to Helena. She frowned, began to speak, but Bridget cut her off. "Before you say anything, Helena, the mistress has to know everything about her sub, the do's and the don'ts. She must set a playing-field with rules for the game. Think of it as a story to be acted out, with a storyline and a timeline. It's not a game of 'you've been a bad boy; I'm going to punish you,' not at all. When you're in a committed relationship, the mistress makes commitments too."

Helena was silent.

"Even after you know each other well, you continue to learn while you play. You go back and re-test old limits, explore, find new things to try. It can be strange, it's sex play but sometimes there isn't even sex. Then the game is just about two people who play together and afterwards just kiss and hold each other. This is what I mean with finding the right sub and soulmate. What a combination. Isn't it the reason Marion was so devastated? She found her treasure in John, then lost him. You're playing a dangerous game to play with a man you want to keep by your side.

"Did Rob say Marion is living at your place? You are a remarkable woman to share love so freely. I'm a bit jealous of you, Rob and Marion. There must be an enormous amount of love between the three of you."

"Four, it appears."

"Four. Four?" Bridget was amazed.

"Yes, I asked another to join us so it's now four."

Shaking her head in disbelief, Bridget led Helena to show her options for what she had in mind for Rob.

They reached all kinds of childish costumes, made for adults.

"What do you think of this?" Bridget asked. She showed Helena a frilly Alice in Wonderland costume, pale blue under a pinafore.

"Wonderful, it would be perfect. Is it the right size?" Helena asked.

"It should be large enough for Rob." She smiled, with a mischievous expression. "We can have him try it on."

The dress was a two-layer light-blue costume, of satin with an overlay of tulle. The bodice was sheer tulle in white, with white lace visible under it. The puffed sleeves were of the same, two-layer material. The skirt of the dress fell to the knee and was covered by a starched, white lace pinafore.

"These are included with the dress," Bridget said, showing her two petticoats, one in white and one in pale blue. Each had lace decorating the hem.

"I also have matching shoes, if you know Rob's size," Bridget pointed at various white ankle boots, with laces. The heels were not too high so Rob could easily walk in them. Helena knew they were not shoes he normally would choose to wear. She grinned; anticipating his anger when she told him to dress in this. It would be necessary. It might well be great fun.

"I see you like this set, for him." Bridget was amused.

"I have visions of Rob fuming as he dresses in it. He'll get angrier as we mock him for wearing it. I hope he won't tear it to pieces." She smiled. "Well, I might like him in a torn dress. Still I'll have to introduce this carefully." Helena's sense of fun faded to caution as she imagined how it might go.

"You might humiliate him in the game, but only in the game, absolutely not outside. Please make it very clear to yourself, for him to understand, you must understand! More than the costume, worry about your relationship being damaged. Tell him he is brave to wear it. Make it clear the humiliation is only within the scene. Never, ever laugh at him outside the scene, not even before the scene begins. It might be enough to drive him away. Make sure your friends understand: when he is dressed a costume like this, compliment him until he's in in the playroom. The moment you're done playing with him, then praise him again for his courage. Then he'll understand." Bridget grimaced. "Helena, few things cause as much trouble as humiliating a man in real life. Even committed lifestyle submissives struggle with this and Rob does not strike me as one of those."

"I shall treat him with care, love and understanding. He knows I'd never make a fool of him before people who who aren't already his friend. It's only human to smile when you see him wearing this, but he can have no sense of humor. I do never mock him in real life, I couldn't, so no worries on that account."

"Good, I just wanted to make it very clear, as a friend and fellow mistress."

"You are indeed a friend. It's strange Rob never mentioned you," Helena said.

"I met him just once, here in my shop. He may even have left feeling intimidated. But, of course, it's what a mistress does to a man, isn't it?" They shared a quiet laugh.

"What do you have for me, as domina? I have a leather costume, some PVC clothes, nothing special."

Bridget winked. "I can show you my favorites. This way, please."

The ground floor and first floor of Percivals contained costumes and theatrical supplies. At the top of the main stair, Bridget led Helena to a curtain, discreetly hiding another door. Unlocking, she led Helena to the uppermost floor of the building.

When Bridget switched on the lights, Helena understood the secrecy. Not only costumes, but also whips, paddles, floggers, bonds, masks and all kinds of equipment, used in the S&M scene.

"Amazing!" Helena reached out to touch the flogger nearest her. "I feel like a kid in the candy store."

"Yes, I know. The main business is the theatrical trade, but I actually make just as much in turnover up on this floor. People from the scene pass it to others in the scene and without advertising I get many customers. People come here from Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, all over Europe."

Bridget showed her a black faux-leather coat with long sleeves and open breast. The matching corset supported the breasts, presenting them through the coat. Bridget showed Helena over-the-knee boots, with spike heels, to match.

"The coat covers the boots, so when you make your entry into the playroom, wearing the coat over everything but displaying your breasts, you make an impression." Bridget pointed to each item as she explained. "Then you take off the coat: there you are revealed in your splendor. I daresay Rob will be drooling, ready to do your bidding." She gave Helena a wicked smile.

Helena nodded. "Yes, I like it. I like all this. Can you pack it together with the blue dress, please and take care Rob does not see any of it."

"Of course. It will be a lovely surprise." Bridget winked.

Helena looked around thoughtfully. "We're just getting started on a new playroom, quite large and well equipped. I'm sure Rob will be back, I'll send him. For now this will do. Let's go back down, see what he's up to."

"Let me set aside what you've chosen, I'll follow you down in a moment."

After a bit of searching, Helena found Rob, of course, looking at dresses and long gowns in forties and fifties style. "Hello dear, did you find anything yet?"

"I'm not sure, I can't decide. What would you like me to wear?"