It was nearly five and Jim would be home soon so Melody changed into a maid outfit for him as ordered. The outfit was a low cut dress flared out to reveal stocking tops and white ruffles of petticoats. For once she didn't admire herself in the mirror, being too preoccupied to care what she looked like.
Could she tell Jim what happened this morning even if he brought her out of the hypnotic state? At the moment she was powerless to say anything but answer his questions and obey him. It was all her fault it had gone so terribly wrong. If she hadn't let her husband hypnotise her so often its power over her wouldn't be so strong.
That it was overpowering was confirmed when a neighbour walked in and took her roughly. He hadn't realised she was hypnotised and couldn't resist him. He thought she was stunned by his threat of blackmail. She shuddered at the thought of it. It was no good she would have to tell Jim as soon as he lifted the influence so as to avoid that nasty man. She couldn't let it happen again.
Melody heard him from the kitchen run upstairs to change into jeans and t-shirt. Her master was home. Carrying in a tray of food she placed it before him then stood ready to serve, as programmed.
"You look smashing in that dress Melody. Even without the high heels your legs look long. It's those stockings and suspenders that do it."
She wasn't in the mood for his compliments while still smouldering with anger and suffering in anguish over what had happened.
"Did Angus ever tell you about Roger feeding the squirrels behind the office building?" He asked between forks' of lasagne.
"Yes, master." She dutifully replied.
"Well he ran back in this morning and dragged everyone outside to show them what had happened. He told everyone the squirrels didn't like the black dog biscuits because they had brought them all back. He was convinced these squirrels had picked them out and brought a week's worth of them back. Everyone was laughing but he was totally convinced. Apparently a couple of office juniors had collected them during the week and came in early to scatter them outside on the lawn." Jim laughed at the memory of Roger talking about it all day to anyone who would listen.
He stopped eating for a moment to look at Melody and the lack of a reaction. "I guess you had to be there. I'm not very good at telling jokes anyway." He put the fork down. "This is no good. Well it is sometimes." He said with a grin lighting his face. "I guess I can't keep you like this all the time. It's no good."
Melody cringed inwardly knowing the moment of truth was close. She would have to reveal she remembered what had happened while hypnotised. He, like Angus, thought she didn't remember the naughty things they made her do. Jim would find out she had colluded in the games they played. All this dressing up and the sex too! He would know she enjoyed being dominated, being helpless. Would he believe she hadn't wanted the neighbour to do those dreadful things to her?
He sent her upstairs to change and she joined him at the table to eat diner. He uttered the phrase she both dreaded and needed to be said. Melody was now his landlady and friends wife. "So how has your day been Melody?" Jim politely asked.
She hesitated a moment then stammered. "I have something to tell you. Something awful happened. I would appreciate it if you just listened." She said, and then told him the sordid tale.
Jim sat quiet still. He was stunned to think she knew all that had happened between them and angry with what the neighbour had done to her. "It's all my fault. I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have left you helpless like that." He said. The feeling of guilt overwhelmed him fuelling his anger. "The bastard! I'll kill him." Jim shouted.
"No! You can't confront him. Please, just sit down. We'll just have to be more careful in future." She stopped suddenly realising she had inadvertently told him she wanted to continue with the games.
Jim didn't sit down he couldn't. It was difficult to face her knowing she was aware of how he had taken advantage of her. Was he any better than that beast next door? He walked, almost running, out of the front door straight up to the neighbour's house. Banging on the door brought no response. He marched round to the back door straight into the kitchen.
Peeping from behind a curtain Howard was too afraid to open the front door. When he saw the young man turn toward the back of the house he scrambled toward the back door. Too late! He almost ran into him. "Get out!" He said. Spittle sprayed from his open mouth. "I have a bad heart." He moaned.
"A bad mind too. You bastard! Keep away from Melody or I'll wring your bloody scrawny neck. No more spying from that room either." Jim shouted at him.
"You can't talk to me like that young man. This is my home. I'll tell Angus what you two have been up to." Howard whined.
"Angus already knows. He asked me to stay. I'm there to look after her. If you start spreading gossip we'll hear about it. You won't be able to spread the dirt again. Do you understand? Does your wife know you've been spying on Melody? Watching her get undressed. Does she know you visited her this morning? What you did to her." Jim ranted with a finger pocking his chest.
Howard's jowls wobbled with his mouth flapping sounds not words.
Jim grabbed his belt and shook him. "Well?"
"No." He mumbled.
"You can't undo what you did. Melody was shocked when you barged into her home. You violated her. You nasty piece of shit!"
From the onslaught of words and anger the man crumpled into himself. His legs gave way with Jim lowering him to the floor. "I won't say anything. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." He bleated over and over.
Jim lost the edge to his temper. Watching the man whimpering he felt disgusted. Jim's guilt wasn't spent but it seemed to have been appeased for the moment.
Back behind the front door he hesitated. Leaning back against it he sighed, unsure if he could remain staying there with Melody. His own words came back to him. 'Angus already knows.' Did Angus arrange all of this? Did he set him up? If so that would explain how easy it had been for him to move in and take over.
What wasn't supposed to happen was for the neighbour to bugger Melody. "Damn!" Jim exclaimed. "Angus told me to look after her. I let them both down."
Jim heard a sound from upstairs. He climbed them feeling his legs heavy, weary from the emotion of confrontation. Maybe he was unsure of what to do next but he was sure of one thing. He would have to make it right with Melody before he left.
"He won't bother you again. He'll keep the curtains drawn and his mouth shut." Jim said. Before he could think what to say next, how to apologise, Melody interrupted.