Keeping Company Ch 04 Revisited

My thanks to Todger65 for the editing of this chapter. Even after all this time many of you have mailed me and told me that this series felt unfinished. I'm sorry it's taken me this long to do just that with these last two chapters.

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Other than Amy phoning me to check that I was going to the cabin after my meeting I didn't hear from any of the girls. The drive up there always seemed to be over in an instant not the hour everyone claims. Some of the Colson's children were playing ball and stopped when they saw the car. Their confusion changed to excited smiles and they waved to me when they recognized my car. I smiled and waved back as I turned onto the road to the cabin.

Mandy stood and watched as my car came to a stop. I was wondering if one of our neighbors had phoned her to tell them I was here. She sank to her knees as I walked towards the cabin. She had never done this around me and it left me slightly confused as to why. I sat down beside her, took her hand and silently bade her to rise. We walked hand in hand to the porch swing Wendy insisted we purchase -we thought she was nuts when she skipped excitedly to the thing when she first laid eyes on it- Once seated on the swing I looked towards her with her own gaze focused on the decking in front of me.

There was no reason for this. Mandy and I had too much history together. I sighed as I asked, "It's that bad is it? You kept me out of the loop for a week and I understood why since it was the family that came to us and asked for our help."

Other than a nod she said nothing for a moment. Quietly and sadly she said, "She is inside, there is so much yet to be said and for you to see. Please promise me that you will remain calm."

That in itself should have sent red flags waving.

I didn't move for a while taking one last look at the view from the swing. The vista still awes me to this day. The miracles that nature wrought, puts all our fanciful inventions and creations to shame. With one last look I stood in front of Mandy and helped her up from the swing. She smiled and quickly remembered herself. Her smile left and her features once again became neutral.

Laurel stood in the middle of the day room. I looked around the room and thought that it seemed much bigger and then realizing that Mandy and the girls had moved some of the furniture that normally resides in the room, out. I quickly put my thoughts about the room out of my mind and concentrated on Laurel. I immediately saw that she had indeed grown from a gangly awkward girl to a stunning young woman over the last four years. Her brunette hair that was perpetually in pigtails swinging behind her as she skipped around the ranch was now shorn and sculpted to highlight her lovely brown eyes and sharp cheekbones.

Her waist slimmed and her breasts filled out and standing proud and firm. Her long thin legs are now toned and shapely. But, for all her physical perfection, the beauty that was the essence that made Laurel was gone. Her eyes no longer sparkle with joy, laughter and innocence. They have been replaced with dark coals of fear and pain. The dark circle under her eyes betrayed her silent suffering. She no longer radiated the confidence that could conquer the world.

She seemed to have curled herself into a ball of misery and self-doubt even as she tries to stand tall and present herself to us. I watch her as she fidgeted with her hands clasping and unclasping; her weight shifting from foot to foot and her eyes steadfastly staring at my chest. She was no longer comfortable in her own skin. Seeing the young vivacious girl leaving for her future had come to this broke my heart and I silently mourned for the loss of that precious little girl.

I looked over at Mandy as she watched me assess Laurel. Once she was satisfied that I was able to take in all of Laurel without her interference she walked over to stand next to her. They both knelt before me with their eyes downcast. We had never done this kneeling thing and it made me feel weird. I stood and waited hoping for good news but I knew in my heart that this will be bad. Mandy's behavior and my assessment could mean nothing else

I stood silently waiting as Laurel struggled to start. She leaned ever so slightly into Mandy seeming to need her strength to continue. She drew a shuddering breath and in a soft whisper, "Sir, this slave has finished her course and is now a qualified vet..."

She stopped and clenched her hands digging her nails into her palm. I silently waited for her to gather herself. She took another breath and gathered enough courage to look at my face. She immediately cast her gaze down and bunched her shoulders as if expecting a blow to come for her temerity to look at me. My anger started to rise as I correctly guessed that she was beaten regularly by some sadistic bastard.

She un-bunched her shoulders and knelt a little taller when she realized I was not going to punish her for her imagined transgression. Mandy discreetly rubbed her hand as if to encourage her. She looked quickly at Mandy and drew herself taller and began again with a stronger voice.

"Sir, this slave has finished her course and is now a qualified vet. Before this slave left college her master removed his collar and set this slave free. This slave can no longer function without her master. She begs you to allow this slave to become part of your life ... to live here knowing that slave Mandy is your primary."

My gaze went to Mandy and she turned to Laurel and said, "Show him."

Both girls stood in unison and began to undress. The contrast between them left me speechless. While Mandy looked straight at me teasing me with her eyes as she slowly and sensuously removes her dress, Laurel quickly removes her dress while keeping her eyes locked on my chest. Though Mandy is physically not Laurel's equal, she displays her body to me proudly knowing that I love her just as she is.

Her chestnut hair cascading down her back, her shoulder thrust back offering her breasts to me. She stands tall knowing I enjoy her display. In contrast, Laurel slouches forward slightly folding her shoulder as if she wants to curl up from me to hide her scars. She drops her head causing her hair to drop before her, hiding her face from me. She continues to fidget. Her hands involuntarily moved to cover herself before visibly catching herself and forcing her hands back to her side.

I slowly silently approach the two and lift Mandy's face to me to kiss letting her know I am pleased with her. I signal to Mandy to step away from Laurel as I step in front of her.

I reach out and lift Laurel's face so she can look into my eyes as I whisper, "It will be okay. You are safe with Mandy and me. No one will hurt you as long as you are here with us. I just want to look at you."

She whimpered a little as she briefly nodded her head. What held my gaze was the skin damage across the top half of Laurel's chest just what the fuck had happened at college.

My question was but one word. "Cigarette?"

The nod was brief, her gaze now rooted to the cabin floor. I even took to walking around them both as I looked at the damage done to this poor girl.

I notice the strikes hit indiscriminately across her back not caring that he could have damage her kidneys or other organs.

"Let me guess, flogger?"

The one nod I got from her said so much.

It was the tattoo across her hairless pubic bone that shocked me the most. 'Mike's Cunt.' leapt at you like a warning sign above a sex shop.

Two words came from Mandy's lips. "Turn around."

Again both turned in unison. The skin damage was all across her back and both cheeks of her ass. Again Mandy's voice pierced the air.

"Bend over and place your hands around your ankles."

Mandy did as Laurel did as though rehearsed. The three piercings became obvious to me. The need to be sick was only outweighed by the need to hurt someone called Mike; it was Mandy's voice that was once again the only voice in the room.

"Let go of your ankles and stand, turn and face your master and then kneel."

The duo did just that and waited once again. Mandy knew me too well; she had anticipated my shock and knew I would be slowly set on a boil. She spoke to inform me and to keep Laurel from feeling as though I was about to deny her, her wish.

"The scars you see are from her master when he punished her for even the most minor infractions. He would change his "rules" on a whim and beat her for failing to meet those rules. The tattoo was on his insistence the week before graduation."

I continued to slowly walk around Laurel as Mandy talked; my mind had counted twenty seven burn marks on her back, sixteen on each ass cheek and thirty four across her chest. On my final walk around I stopped in front of her.

I fought the urge to pull her onto her feet and hug her. Judging from the damage caused by her "master" I can just imagine the damage he's done to her psyche. She would not expect ... or accept ... any signs of affection from me. I could do nothing other than ask her to stand and dress again. She quickly and quietly did so. I smiled and nodded my approval to her. She smiled for the first time all afternoon. It was her old smile that lit the world.

Seeing that smile brought the tragedy of the present into high relief. The next thought that passed through me was perhaps there is hope here after all since she can still do it. But, still...

Just what the HELL have we gotten ourselves into? How did Laurel get hooked up with this sadistic bastard "Mike"? I let out a sigh and reminded myself that the whole Colson family asked us to help with their sister. Seeing the damage done to her now I wasn't even sure where to start. The memory of Hank and our last conversation at his bedside came back to me.

We exchanged stories of all our exploits around the ranch and laughed. Hank got serious as our time together wound down.

He said, "I just want to say thank you for saving our ranch. I don't know what we would have done if you didn't come riding to our rescue. We know about you and your family and we accept you and love you. In fact, I consider you one of my closes friends and your family is part of ours."

He paused as if to think. He stared at me a bit before continuing, "I don't want to impose on you and your family but I need a great favor from you ... I need you to look out for Laurel for me when I'm gone. Would you do that for me?"

I said without a second thought, "Absolutely, there is no greater honor than to be trusted with your family."

Hank sunk back into his bed closing his eyes at peace as if a great weight had been lifted from him. He whispered contently to me, "Thank you my friend. You don't know what this means to me."

We had no idea at that time what he meant by this. I told the girls about my promise and we all kind of shrugged and put it out of our collective consciousness. I blinked hard at the memory. Was this what Hank was anticipating? Was this the reason why he asked? Now wasn't the time to let my friend down. He trusted me with one of his own and I promised to do so. I knew that the girls would do everything in their power to help as well.

No wonder none of them talked to me about their time here when they got back. They knew I had to see it for myself. I needed the full impact of my first impression without their input.

I looked at Laurel and said, "Slave, you have done well and I am proud of you. I know you've been through an emotional ordeal having me examine you like this. Please go lie down and rest while I speak with Mandy."

For the first time since I had got here I saw the real Laurel. Her eyes lifted to look at me with tears of hope in her eyes. She nodded and quietly exited the room to rest.

I walked out of the cabin with Mandy following me. I said to Mandy when I judged we were far enough away from the cabin to keep from being overheard, "Mandy speak to me."

"This slave has been mind-fucked. Mike is a sadistic bastard who used Laurel's needs against her. She was systematically broken down and then rebuilt by him. All the time, though, he had convinced her that she was nothing without him. She was ready to crawl back to him and debase herself further so he would take her back after her un-collaring. It's taken me and the girls days of coaxing before she would open up to us. I believe we've broken through some of her programming. We won't know for sure ... well, we may never know for sure but she told me yesterday that she now feels nothing but shame for submitting to Mike. What I do know is that she is a submissive my master, and she is lost."

I was deep in thought trying to absorb what Mandy was telling me as we continue to walk around the cabin. Mandy walked silently beside me giving me space to come to terms with what she said. I looked over to her and asked, "How did this all start?"

Mandy was silent for a time to formulate her response to me, "Do you remember our first meeting with the Colson's? Do you remember me telling you that I thought Laurel was a submissive?"

I nodded yes, my memories of that day as sharp as ever.

Mandy continued, "Well, she sensed that I was also a submissive at that same meeting. She watched me and you closely over the years and longed for the same thing. She has been pining for you and your relationship with me."

She took a sidelong glance at me and smirked, "I told you, you were irresistible. Even little girls want you."

I groaned at her, "Oh please, don't start this again."

She hugged my arm and giggled a little into my arm. I gave her a mock annoyed glare, "Okay, SLAVE, continue!"

She giggled a while longer before settling down and continuing, "She told me that she was jealous of me because what we had was like heaven to her. She knew that you could never look at her that way so she used her time away from home to look for someone just like you. Who she found instead is that sadistic bastard. She said he was very sweet to her at the beginning then he slowly sucked her in until there was nothing but him."

I stopped and turned to Mandy and reached for her hand before asking softly "Was it this bad when Ginny found you?"

She tried to pull back from me to hide from me but I held firm and drew her into my embrace. We stood there in silence for what felt like an eternity. I felt wetness on my shoulder and her shaking as I continue to hold her.

She softly asked, "Can slut speak?"

I responded, "Of course."

"Thank you. We were never physically abused like Laurel was but I think the emotional abuse was very much alike. Slut never felt worthy of being anything else other than a pin cushion and it seems each time we were used, it only reinforced that self image."

She paused and looked at me through tear stained eyes, "Your wife ... our Ginny saved me. We can do no less than to try to save Laurel. Can ... we ... please agree to take her as your slave on your terms to save her? Can we do anything less in Ginny's memory? Please accept her and make both your slaves happy."

I sighed heavily coming to a decision and we slowly walked back to the cabin to do what must be done.

We walked into her room to see her curled up nude on her bed asleep with her hair falling across her face. My first thought as I watched her for but a moment was that she tries to protect herself even when sleeping. I looked at her and her scars once more before putting them aside to see the whole person hoping to find a spark of what she once was that we could nurture back.

Mandy walked to the other side of the bed and shook Laurel awake. She woke with a start before recognizing it was her friend. Mandy pointed silently towards me. Laurel turned around and started. She leaped out of bed and onto her knees shaking badly. She said tremulously to my feet, "This slave is sorry to have slept so long?"

I looked at Mandy with annoyance. She shrugs helplessly.

"Slave, stand up. I am asking her to speak freely. Tell me now in her own words what she is asking and what she is expecting. Trust me when I tell her I will listen and hear what she is saying."

Laurel nods happily and stands. She looks me in the eyes and once again pauses before she began speaking, "My mom heard from my friends about what they were seeing me go through -they neither liked nor trusted Mike-. She came to my school in my sophomore year to help me get free of Mike and to get me back onto my feet. I was okay for about a year before I fell back under his influence. My parents knew something was wrong when I stopped calling them."

Her eyes took on a vacant look as she recounted her past, Laurel's hands bunched into fists once again as her memories became sharper.

"My dad came for me this time. My parents asked the school for me to take some time off because of a 'family matter.' They agreed and dad and I drove home. My dad told me on our drive that Mike was nothing more than an abuser and that I would never receive anything from him but pain and suffering. He told me to talk to you and Mandy for the truth ... about me. I promised him I would but I never did. I thought you would think I was a silly girl and I still believed Mike was the only one for me."

She covered her face and sobbed, "I was SO stupid!"

Mandy and I silently waited for Laurel to pull it together and continue. She needed to find the strength to finish.

She started again after a while, "I never came to you. I just pretended and counted the days when I could go back to school and Mike. Then came the time my parents died and my un-collaring. Now I have nothing and no one. My family has no understanding of this. They think I'm crazy and to tell you the truth so did I. I thought I could fight my nature. I know differently now but they just look at me with pity and are waiting for me to escape back to him."

She paused again to gather her thoughts before continuing in a whisper, "There's a big part of me that wants to escape back to him. My head knows there's only death and destruction in that direction. But I NEED someone be my master. I know my will, will fail and I will go crawling back to him. Please help me. I can't ... she can't ... do this alone. This slave knows that she is not attractive but there is nothing she won't do to earn your protection."

Mandy stood behind Laurel and embraces her as she breaks down sobbing. Mandy looks silently at me; petitioning for my acceptance of her sister.

Standing before the girls and take Laurel's hand before answering her, "I will be asking a lot from you for my acceptance of you. You know we all have to agree before you will be one of us. With all that said, I will take you back with me and Mandy if you agree with what I ask of you without knowing all that promise entails. I guess I'm asking for you to trust me with everything you are and have. Do you agree?"

Laurel looks at Mandy wide-eyed as if it was the last thing she expects to hear from me. She turns back to me and exclaims, "Yes, master, yes to absolutely everything!"

"Be careful what you ask for little slave it may be more than you can possibly handle. Now slaves, it's time to go so be packed and ready in one hour."

Both were packed and heading back to Mandy's within the hour. I had a video conference with Mandy and the rest of the girls when they returned to town and she had Laurel settled and bedded down. We all agreed that a vote now would be too early. I told Amy to find the sadistic asshole and she told me that after she had seen the damage on Laurel she was already on it. I wanted a comprehensive dossier on him. I knew if he could do that sort of damage to Laurel he will only find someone else to abuse.

I phoned Dr. Elizabeth Hartmann, who is the best in her field and a close friend, and set up an appointment for Mandy and Laurel to see her. I gave her a brief synopsis of the situation with Laurel. She was so intrigued that she said she would see them both on Saturday and she would research some of the answers ahead of time.