[This story will make more sense if you read the earlier instalments. There's a lot of severe discipline and a good deal of focus on all bodily functions, so if inclusion of those bothers you, please read no further. All characters are over 18.]
I had been settling into my new life in the capital, both at the capital office of Goose Cookers, which I headed, and in my marriage with Annette, who was the Chief of Staff (with rank of General) of the Corrections Service of the Women's Republic. Yes, my husband Jackson was still living in my flat back in the second-largest city, but he realized that while I was happy to let him stay there in the flat, which was quite spacious, he was not invited to visit me here.
At the office, I found a letter waiting for me from the Dean of the Business School at Capital Women's University, the leading such institution in the Republic. Her name was Jennifer Kenton and she was inviting me to meet her for lunch later that week. She wanted to discuss my teaching a course for them on leadership.
That did surprise me a little because although I've done well as a creative type at Goose Cookers, I wasn't sure I had yet become much of an expert on leadership. But I figured that this woman undoubtedly knew what she was about, so I sent her an email accepting. We met at the exclusive club where she belonged and where I had been provided with a guest membership based on my being a member back in the second city where Goose Cookers was headquartered.
This had all been arranged for me by Janet, our executive vice president who was my mentor, friend, and occasional bed partner. My main responsibility was to come up with ideas and she took care of everything else. I kept thinking to myself about why Dean Kenton had decided that I was the right person to teach this course.
She met me in the lobby as I entered the club. The Dean looked to be a young 40 or so, with pretty auburn bangs and a smart navy blazer with a subdued khaki skirt. She pulled it off and I was glad she hadn't adopted the tweedy academic look. I was a bit more subdued that usual in deference to her position. I had on a white jacket and a dark yellow skirt. I guess that wasn't so subdued.
She summoned the woman at the desk, who promptly greeted her warmly, was introduced to me, and escorted us to a good corner table out of hearing. The waitress came by and I ordered an Arnold Palmer, and she was having a Cosmo. We quickly ordered salads from the menu and then she began to tell me what I had come to hear.
"We've observed your amazing work with Goose Cookers," she began. "And I have only admiration for your ability to build your career after...everything," she added. "You're such an example for all of us."
I hadn't always regarded my past as all that wonderful. People who kept track of these things would recall that I had been quite notorious. I had been convicted of adultery with a sleazy guy who turned out to be married. Well, actually he wasn't but we learned about that too late. Too late meaning that this women's court had sentenced me to a year's infibulation as punishment for my dalliance. The Women's Republic could be very stern with those women it regarded as miscreants. In case the word isn't part of your vocabulary, it means that my cunt was sewn up with small rings for a year and there was just a small opening left for me to pee and have my period. The procedure was reversed after the year was up and after the soreness went away, I had my cunt back.
I hit it off with the Senior Correctional Officer at the court who supervised all of this. We kept in touch even though I had married and moved to the second-largest city. Last year we tied the knot, as women in our Republic can marry one man and one woman. Now I had both.
Not only was the sentence cruel and unusual, but it turned out to be totally wrong. The guy had never married the "wronged" woman and my conviction was thrown out—alas, after I had served my time with a sewn-up cunt. There were efforts made to put thing rights, however. The three judges subjected themselves to severe physical discipline carried out by their Senior Correctional Officer, my wife-to-be, Annette. The woman who brought the charges was punished—not like I was but still... Her lawyer was punished severely, not like I was but still... And my mentor Janet had recently gone about amending the laws so that what happened to me will never happen to another woman, no matter how badly she may have behaved, even if she had done what I was wrongly accused of doing.
Anyway, here I was having lunch with the Dean. We chatted—she was not much older than I am. I realized that I was held in high regard because I was someone who created products. If B School should be about anything—and since I never went, don't go by me—it's should be creativity in enterprise. Of course, usually it's all about manipulatory finance. What was my background? I always could draw. So, I took a B.F.A. in an ordinary art school. No fancy degree for me from Capital Women's University, which should be called the Home of the Networkers.
"You want me to teach a course in leadership?" I asked almost petulantly. The Dean looked nonplussed. I don't think she was used to people like me questioning her ideas. Well, ideas are me. I come up with them. So, I'll say when I think one makes sense or not. I figured I really didn't care if I pissed her off. If she doesn't want me, she doesn't want me.
I told her that if she wanted someone to teach a leadership course, Janet was her person. My mentor made our company and has more connections and classmates and friends in high places than anyone you've ever heard of. Then I said that maybe she didn't want this or maybe she hadn't thought of it, but I would be willing and able to teach a course in how to make creativity work in enterprises. That's what I do. That's what my company does. That's why they pay me, now at least, the big bucks.
She looked up. Here was this asshole, she probably thought, who has some shitty degree from somewhere or other, telling me what kind of courses to provide. I was being set up, however, to be surprised.
"You're right, Eleanor," she responded without any show of doubt. "That's what we want and that's what you can do for us."
I could've fallen off my chair. That also might have happened because I almost had a huge orgasm. I was blown away. Someone like this dean had listened to what I said!
I smiled at Dean Kenton. I told her that I would be happy to do that. She then said that they were ready to pay me well for my work. I thanked her. I didn't wave off the bucks. I'm not that rich yet. I'm not yet rich at all.
I took a swig of my Arnold Palmer. I thought about Arnie, peddling Quaker State and Rolling Rock. She took more than a swig from her Cosmo. We dug into our salads. I felt wet from my almost-orgasm. She was smiling her best professional smile. I told her I hoped she'd be happy with what I would do. She assured me that she had total confidence in me. I smiled back—my best unprofessional smile.
****
When I got home, I told Annette what had happened. She loved it.
"Eleanor," she said coolly, "you're making it. This is a feather in your cap. And I loved how you led her right down the road you wanted.'
We hugged each other. We're very physical with each other. Annette is a little older than I am, although not that much. But she's also a General, yes, a real general with stars on her shoulders and dress uniforms and the whole deal. She likes to let down her hair. I like it when the General takes off her uniform and I get to pull down her panties and take her into bed where we make fantastic endless love together. Life is good.
Next day, at my office, I began to put the course together. Janet telephoned me—we are in touch on a regular schedule—and I told her about my lunch with the dean. She chuckled and just said, "Eleanor, she was my classmate way back when. She realizes what a catch and adornment you would be for her school so she would let you teach whatever you wanted."