Both, Sam's mother and his father came down from the city and after talking with Laura, read the riot act to Cassie, ending by warning her Laura had suggested that maybe Cassie should be sent to boarding school to learn to be a more "civilised young lady."
After some consideration, Laura agreed to give Cassie one last chance to behave like a lady, before she seriously recommended sending her away.
Cassie hated Laura, but promised her parents she would "do as she was told in future."
A week after the battle of wills had settled down, Laura picked 'sensible underwear' for Cassie and she was forced to wear white cotton underpants and 'decent' bras suitable for a young lady. Cassie kept a secret cache of sheer underwear and cut away bras at Wendy's house for whenever the two of them went out.
Only during the brief times when Laura was away on her days off, did you ever hear the sound of vibrators in Cassie's room. Wendy took them home with her, always.
Laura had dealt with Sam differently.
The day after his parents had left to go back to the city, she called him into the dining room and told him that a number of 'irregularities' was found in his room and that they had been taken care of.
"From here on in," she said, they were having a good Christian home and he would meet some nice people through the church.
She was going to see to it that he would end up a good and decent man, a credit to his parents and respected in his community.
"I have consulted with my husband and Reverend Jones about the sad afflictions which young men may suffer, during their teenaged years if they fail to keep an iron clad rein on their lusts."
She paused a moment and gave him a distasteful look.
"The Devil works well with idle people."
Sam inwardly groaned. The last thing he was, lately, was idle.
She continued, "from now on I'll be watching your behaviour and with the guidance of the Reverend and my good Husband, who understands the more deviant sides of boys much better than I could ever hope to, I will make sure, Sam, that you stay on the righteous path."
Laura stood, "That's all Sam. We'll discuss the finer details later. You may go now."
He accompanied Laura to Church and entered into group activities there. But after two months was so fed up with it that he reverted to going to ground of a Sunday morning once again.
On Laura's suggestion, Sam took up added sport besides his swimming, which had been waning for some reason, once Wendy gave it up.
He soon used the extra sport as an excuse for missing his date with Laura Sunday mornings.
Cassie refused point blank to join in any activities that Laura had anything to do with and practically dared her to report her to her parents.
During the next few months, the house settled down although Laura remained tireless in her quest to better the lives of the occupants, and keep them from straying from the righteous path. Sam was used to her and hardly noticed it anymore. He was at College now and had his time fully occupied.
Cassie had threatened to leave, but Sam had pointed out that if she continued her education a little longer, she could get a job travelling the world like she always dreamed of.
"If you leave now Cass, you will most probably never get that chance again."
Sam stopped. His sister was deep in thought and didn't seem to hear him.
"There has to be a way to dump this bitch, Sam." "Anyway, I shouldn't be the one to leave. "
"Thanks." She kissed him on the cheek and was gone.
"Your welcome," he said to the empty door.
His two younger brothers had gone up to stay with their parents and now lived there permanently, so, things were quiet around home.
Except for Laura's constant edicts.
Sam continued to put as much space between he and Laura as he could and saw her only when he had to.
Most of his time was spent away from the house, at sport, or anything to avoid Laura's constant rants.
Often, after supper and washing up, he would read or listen to music in his bedroom; away from 'the front line' as he called anywhere Laura could be found.
Sam lay in the dark, not able to sleep; the nights were sticky and hot. Usually, he was asleep by 9 or 9:30.
He kicked off the sheet and wondered what time it was.
Probably midnight.
He heard a tiny metallic snick and he 'felt' more than 'saw' his door open quietly.
Sam lay stock-still. Had he forgotten to lock his door?
Moonlight shone brightly through the louvers and it silhouetted a dark figure, which glided silently past his bed. He half shut his eyes to appear asleep.
The spectre stopped at his wardrobe, opened it and hung up ironing.
On the way back, as it passed by his bed, it paused and gently pulled his sheet over him. Then continued out, the way it had come in.
Laura, of course; he recognised her as she came back from the wardrobe, in her heavy surge uniform covering her from neck to ankles.
Hell. Did Laura have a key to his room? Where and when did she get that?
He thought once he locked his bedroom door, he'd locked her presence out of his life, if only for the night.
Sam felt resentment well up in him. Was there nowhere private or safe from her?
Then, suddenly, almost in horror, the thought hit him that, the reason he locked his door during these hot summer nights, was that he slept with almost nothing on.
Incredible; She saw him in just his under shorts and all she did was casually pull the sheet across him and walk out. As if she was used to doing that.
He had never heard her come into his room before; not at night. But, then again, he was always asleep fairly early and Sam was a sound sleeper, he knew. He usually stayed that way until his alarm woke him, early each morning.
Tonight was different. He had a lot on his mind and was worried about his maths 1 exams.
After he heard the same metallic 'snick' when Laura left, Sam checked the faint luminous dial on his alarm clock; 11:20.
He got up, quietly tried his door. Yes, it was locked again.
He climbed back on the bed and soon fell into a deep but troubled sleep.
The next day he had difficulty studying in class as he thought about the familiarity with which she walked straight into his room unannounced. And how she had covered his near nakedness with his sheet as she left.
That was not the Laura he knew. The slightest infraction especially when it came to immoderate dress, usually received the 10 minute, 'you'll go straight to hell for that,' lecture. And yet she had said not one word to him, this morning at breakfast.
Sam gave an involuntary shudder, Gees, what if he'd been wanking at the time? That would be a shock for her, as well as himself.
He didn't want to even think about her punishment for that, and what it would entail.
