© 2022, All rights reserved -- mimaster
Christina returns home, but to an uncertain reception.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Early Monday Morning, May 26th
Ashley slowed down, taking the curve gently that led into the Edwards gated oceanside community. It was 4:30ish in the morning, and it had been a long drive from Las Vegas. Not in terms of the actual distance, as they'd made really great time traveling in the middle of the night. It was the emotional journey she and Christina had been on.
In a lot of ways, Ashley had been playing therapist, dealing with a patient that had endured an unbearable trauma. For all intents and purposes, Christina was a kidnap/hostage victim. At least that's how Ashley was looking at the situation. For all she knew her new friend was experiencing Stockholm syndrome. She'd had to tred carefully early on to draw her out of her shell. Mainly because Christina was shell shocked.
That gradually changed the last hour or so. Christina had something to eat, and that greatly changed her disposition. She was still unnerved by the prospect of having to go to rehab, but she came to realize it was the right thing to do. She needed to put the time in to get healthy, and talking to an actual therapist would likely do her a lot of good. Alex as well. They were going to have to reconnect, and then figure out where they wanted to go with their marriage. The aftermath of her ten days away from him and her family wasn't going to be pretty at first, but she was determined to do whatever she needed to do to move forward. That first step was beyond the gate she was looking at through the windshield.
Ashley navigated the speed bump, and stopped at the guard shack. The rubber hose stretched across the entrance just beyond that safety barrier alerted the person inside that someone was approaching. He were in the back of the cottage style building, watching televison. He got to the window at roughly the time Ashley stopped the Toyota.
"Hi. You must be Ashley," he said with a warm smile.
"I must," she giggled, handing him her driver's license. "Sounds like you've been expecting me."
"Yes, and her," he chuckled as he bent down a bit to look through the drivers window. "Good morning, Mrs. Edwards... wow! You're a blonde now. Nice!"
"Thank you, Jody. Good morning to you too."
"How was your vacation?"
"Feels a bit like I've been through a time warp."
"I'll bet. Let me get Ashley in the system. How did you want me to enter her. Mr. Edwards didn't say."
"Special list, please. Frequent visitor with privileges."
"That sounds fun," Ashley laughed. "Is that kinda like a friend with benefits?"
"It's
exactly
like a friend with benefits," she winked. "You're welcome to come over any time. Your boyfriend is already on the list, but he never visits."
"Well I'm definitely going to ask him to fix that."
"Ask?" she snickered.
"I know your interactions with me have been anything but normal. I'm a sub."
"I know."
"Well, I'm not usually the aggressor like I was with you. Jack is my Dom. I follow his direction. But I do have a voice, and he listens."
"Damn," Jody chuckled. "I knew you had cool friends, Mrs. Edwards."
"Please Jody... call me Christina. Billy does. You're not going to get into trouble. I promise."
"Okay," he nodded. "This is Kalinda's vehicle, right?"
"Yes," Ashley smiled.
"That's fine. When you come with your own vehicle I'll have get it in the system."
"Happy to. Is there anything else?"
He handed her the license back and hit the button to open the gate. "Nope. You're good, Ashley. And Christina?"
"Yes?"
"Love the outfit," he winked.
"Ha! I bet you do."
"I have to admit, when Ashley said she's a sub, it made me wonder
if you
were the Domme."
"I was going to be. Thankfully, plans changed. Oh shit! That makes me think! I need you to remove someone from that list!"
"She's already been removed. We've also filed a restraining order. If she's spotted within a thousand feet of the community we'll call the police and she'll be picked up."
"Really?"
"Billy took care of it. You're safe here. I promise."
"Thanks, Jody."
"You're welcome. Enjoy your holiday."
"Holiday?" Christina said to Ashley as she drove through the gate.
"Today's Memorial Day," she replied.
"Is that true?"
"I don't lie, Chris. I hate people that do."
"Yeah. Me too," she said thinking of her former friend.
They pulled into the driveway a minute later, Christina feeling emotional when she saw the house.
"You okay?"
"I honestly wondered if I'd ever see it again. I know that seems preposterous, but."
"Not really. There had to be moments for you like that. C'mon. Let's get you inside."
They didn't quite make it. They were stopped on the front sidewalk. The door opened, Alex standing there, naked. His hand went over his mouth, and he welled up. But his body had a mind of it's own, as of it was somehow conditioned. Seeing his wife as Venus in person for the first time had a startling impact on him. He'd seen her only in videos, having hot, nasty sex. It was like his own personal porn star had shown up at his home, and with the way she was dressed, his cock instantly grew to it's full size. It seemed bigger to Christina, who smiled through her tears, loving that he reacted the way he had. There was a part of her that actually wondered if he'd ever look at her the same way after everything she'd done. It seemed entirely possible that he'd look at her as undesirable.
He didn't care that he was undressed. He'd become so used to it that it was natural to be that way, and he stepped out the door and off the large stoop, walking to her as he tried to hold himself together. He did a poor job of it, letting go and full out crying as they hugged. She joined him.
Ashley looked at them, but then to the door. Maggie was there, her arms crossed with her right hand covering her mouth. She too was naked, and she was crying. They were more happy tears than the ones of relief the Edwards were sharing. She glanced in Ashley's direction, who offered a silly wave. It made her snort.
When Ashley nodded and opened her arms, Maggie raced to her. That too was a natural response. She needed someplace to let her own emotions out. Ashley hugged her lovingly, stroking her soft red hair.
"It's okay. Let it out, Mag. Let it all out," she whispered.
Alex held his wife for at least ten minutes, the two of them letting it all out themselves. They'd stopped crying halfway through that time, but neither wanted to be the first to let go. It was Christina who finally acknowledged the length of time they'd clung to each other.
"I guess you do still love me," she said in his ear.
He pulled back and kissed her deeply. Her lips tingled from the heat she felt in that moment. It was on the edge of passion, like he was testing the waters.
