This story picks up the characters and events of my Cindy & Raj series. It will make better sense if you read "Cindy & Raj: She Takes His Hand" first.
*
"Did you get my husband to the airport on time this morning?" asked Barbara, Raj's mother-in-law, who had just entered the living room of the wing of the house where Raj lived with his new wife, Cindy, Barbara's daughter.
Barbara and James, Cindy's father, lived in the other wing.
It was late afternoon and Raj and Cindy were sipping Indian tea, the national drink of Raj's homeland.
"Yes, I did," Raj replied, "He has high hopes for the meetings in San Fransisco. By the way, he told me that he had left notes for you and me on the desk in his study."
"Oh?" Barbara said in surprise, "well, let's go see what these notes are all about."
The three of them walked to the study in James's and Barbara's wing of the house and Raj picked up an envelope with his name on it from the desk, opened it, and began to read.
"Hmmm," Raj said, after reading the first few paragraphs, "in his note, your husband says that you bought a pair of $200 shoes the other day after he had specifically told you not to spend over $150. He also says that when he asked you to explain yourself you sassed him and called him cheap. Is this true?"
Barbara, who had difficulty thinking of the brown-skinned Raj as an equal in the first place, turned dark with anger when she heard this. She couldn't decide what was more infuriating. That her husband would reveal this trivial, but personal, detail about their lives to their new son-in-law or that this impertinent upstart would presume to ask her about it.
"I hardly think that's any of your business," she said through clenched teeth as she glowered at him.
"Well," Raj replied, "he left you a note as well. Perhaps that will explain things."
There was, indeed, a second envelope on the desk with Barbara's name. She opened it and began to read. As she did her face turned from angry purple to pink and then red.
"Oh, dear," Raj and Cindy heard her mutter.
Barbara's eyes grew large as she read more.
"No, No! He can't mean ... but ... but ...," she was no longer muttering and her eyes were beginning to water.
"Mother, is something the matter?" Cindy asked.
"Oh, shut up!" Barbara snapped, "I mean, I'm sorry dear. I didn't mean to snap at you like that; but could you do me a favor and go ... um ... go ... to the grocery store? There are things that Raj and I need to discuss in private."
"The only thing you could possibly need to discuss with my husband without me hearing is a surprise party for me," Cindy pointed out, "and my birthday isn't for months, so what could you possibly-"
"Actually, Mrs. Johnson," Raj interrupted, "your husband's note to me specifically says that Cindy is to stay in the room and watch. He probably says the same in yours."
"Watch what?" asked Cindy.
"I'll think you'll see in a moment," said Raj, "but that's going to be up to your mother."
Furiously, Barbara continued reading her note and exclaiming. "Oh ... oh ... yes, he does say ... oh, but this is quite impossible ... He can't expect me to ... "
She looked away from the letter and sniffled for a moment, then went back to it.
"If I refuse ... oh, my! ... 'rather severe consequences' ... oh!"
She dropped the note on the desk looked away from both Raj and Cindy. Her face was flushed and she was beginning to breathe hard.
Mr. Johnson was the most understated of men, Raj knew. He was the kind of guy who called a gale at sea "a bit of weather" and a trek across the desert in wartime "a spot of adventure." For him to use the phrase "rather severe consequences" ... well, it probably conjured up for Barbara images of the rack and a cat o' nine tails.
"Raj," Barbara said, smiling now, "when my husband wrote those notes, I think he must not have been feeling well, or perhaps he was momentarily angry with me over something and scribbled those notes out in a fit of pique. You see, it is simply inconceivable that he would really intend for me to ... that is, for you to ... "
"I understand, Mrs. Johnson," Raj replied reassuringly, "Tell you what, its only 3 pm in San Fransisco. Why don't we call him at his hotel and-"
"No!" Barbara interrupted in a panic, "I mean, ... uh ... let's not bother him on his business trip. I happen to know that he hates that. Let's just wait until he gets home and then we'll ask him about the notes."
"As you wish, Mrs. Johnson," said Raj, "but I heard you read the phrase 'rather severe consequences' from his note to you and I would hate for you to have to undergo something more severe upon his return if he finds that we have not fulfilled the instructions in his notes."
Barbara considered again the phrase 'rather severe consquences.' After a moment, she sighed deeply.
"Alright, we'll fulfill his damned instructions," Barbara said with resignation, "except please, as a favor to me, send Cindy out of the room. We'll tell him when he returns that she stayed. He'll never be the wiser."
"I'm afraid I can't do that, Mrs. Johnson. It would involve all three of us in a deception of your husband. This I cannot agree to. My relations with him must always be honorable and honest."
Defeated, Barbara hung her head and walked slowly to the desk where she kicked off her shoes. She held up first one foot, and then the other, to peel off her socks. Then she stood facing the desk, took a deep breath for courage, unzipped her skirt, dropped it to the floor, and stepped out of it.
"Mother!" Cindy exclaimed in amazement.
"Remain quiet," Raj said sharply and Cindy clapped her hand over her mouth but her eyes remained huge as she stared disbelieving at her mother.
With a groan of embarrassment, Barbara bent over the desk. She was wearing unexpectedly sexy panties. They hinted at a secret side of her that her daughter knew nothing about. They were a deep bright red with lots of lacy frills and the leg holes were cut very high on the sides reaching nearly to the waistband.
"Let's not waste any time, Mrs. Johnson," Raj said politely but, now, for the first time in his relationship with her, his voice became commanding as if her obedience was his due.