The following Friday, Anju called and offered to drive Meeta to a shopping mall. Meeta was uncomfortable at the prospect of meeting her but at the same time wanted some company. So she agreed.
Anju picked her up just before lunch and they went to nice looking restaurant just outside the mall. Anju was her usual talkative and inquisitive self. They chatted about cooking and what they wanted to buy. Invariably the topic of workout came up.
"Did you speak to Dinesh about the running? And did you stand your ground?
Meeta looked around nervously before finding her voice.
"Yes. I did."
"And..."
"He did not like it."
"So...did you tell him you could decide?"
"I tried but he got angry."
Meeta's mind wandered to that incident and the memories of belt crashing on her ass came to fore. She shuddered and went silent.
"You can tell me anything. I won't tell anyone. Did Dinesh force you?"
"Yes."
"How?"
"Well..." Meeta stammered and Anju waited patiently.
"He scolded me and beat me."
"WHAT!" Anju was shocked.
"What do you mean he beat you?"
"Well, he punished me for disobeying him."
"How did he punish you?"
"I don't want to talk about it." Meeta was afraid to say more.
"If you talk about it will help. Common be open with me. I am your only friend here." Anju played the emotional game.
"He span...spanked me."
"Spanked you?"
"Yes."
"You mean on your bottom?" Anju was shocked to hear this. She suspected that Dinesh was the dominant in the relationship but did not know that he was so dominant.
"Yes."
"Did he slap you?"
"No."
"Just spanked you with this hand." Anju wanted to dig further. She was more curious than anything.
"With his hand and belt. He made me remove my clothes and present my bottom to him." Meeta liked the word bottom better than ass or bum.
"WOW. That's crazy indeed. You should not let him do that."
"He is like that and to be honest he was clear about it from start about what punishment I would get if I disobeyed."
"You mean he told you before that he would spank you."
"Yes, he has spanked me before but this one was more severe."
"So he has done this more than one time."
"Yes."
"That is not how marriages work. You cannot let him stamp over you and beat you."
"What can I do?"
"Tell him that it is not allowed for husbands to beat their wives."
"He is very clear about it. He is nice and loving otherwise. I just need to obey. I also thought running was good for me and I should have done that."
Anju realized that not only was Dinesh a dominant, Meeta was inherently submissive. She was powerless to do anything here. In some ways a perfect match. Her dislike of Dinesh also stemmed for her college days and their brief romantic encounter. She remembered Dinesh being loving but she also remembered him being a bit old fashioned and sexist.
"I'm sorry for you. But you need to find the courage to stand up. No husband in this country treats his wife like that."
"Dinesh said some couples are like that."
"Not really." Anju did not want to agree to that fact that some couples are kinky and have dom-sub relationships.
"Do you want me to talk to him?" Anju was not sure how she would broach this topic with Dinesh. She had lots of history with him and it was not her place. Yet she felt that she should do something.
"No. I don't think he will like it. He is nice except when I not obey him."
"What else does he make you do?"
"His main request is for me to get fit. He demands few other things in bed but nothing that I hate." Meeta was inadvertently opening up to her.
"I see. Start being firm and question his approach if he tries to beat you again."
"OK."
"Did the spanking hurt?" Anju's curiosity got the better of her. Her mind was trying to picture the situation. It was erotic and repelling at the same time. She pondered if Adam would ever do that to her. In her relation, the powers were mostly even and in some cases titled in her favour.
'Yes. Very much. Dinesh was really angry that day. I could not sit properly next day."
"Poor you."
"Has he done that again, since?"
"No."
"Good."
Anju wanted to probe more but she felt she was crossing a line into very private territory. She did not want to push her more. Her mind now raced on whether she should confront Dinesh with this. She was not sure. She decided to change the topic.
The rest of the day passed with them doing lots of shopping. Meeta felt more friendly towards Anju than before. They exchanged childhood stories and bonded quite well. Once the shopping was done, Anju decided to take her to a pub. It was quite early for the pub but they went there anyway. They ordered wine and started talking more.
Around 5, Meeta looked at the watch and exclaimed.
"Ohh. It is getting late. We should go home. Dinesh will be there by 6.00."
"Does he expect you stay at home when he gets?"
"No. But we should at least tell him."
"Then tell him. Tell him that you are out having fun and he should take care of himself." Anju laughed. She was mildly drunk. She chugged the remainder of the wine and motioned to the waiter.
"Don't you have to drive?" Meeta was concerned about her intoxication.
"Relax. I only had 2 glasses. I can drive."
"I think we should go home."
"Stop being afraid. Didn't we just talk about it?"
Meeta was partly concerned about Dinesh but she was equally concerned about Anju driving her.
"I'm not afraid. We can go home and drink there."
Anju thought it was not a bad idea and part of her wanted to confront Dinesh.
"Ok, let's do that."
She cancelled her order and they drove home. Once home, they resumed their wine consumption.
At 6.30, Dinesh walked in to one tipsy girl, his wife and another very drunk girl, Anju. He was not expecting them but did not mind either. He liked that they were bonding.
"Looks like you girls are having too much fun."
"Ohh...yes we are. Aren't we?" Anju shouted and wrapped her hands around Meeta. Meeta smiled as well but at the same time she was trying to guage Dinesh's reaction.
"Good. Can I join?"
"Yes." Meeta quickly replied.
"Good, get me a beer then."
"Why don't you go get it yourself?" Anju was not holding back.
Dinesh was amused. He could tell she was drunk.
"I will get it." Meeta was tipsy but she was aware of the tension in that discussion. She went to the kitchen.
"So are you corrupting my wife?" Dinesh decided to join the banter.
"Teaching her how to handle you."
"And how are you doing that?"
"Just some tricks. Why should I tell you?"
Meeta walked in with the beer.
"Thanks darling." Dinesh got up and kissed her.
"So what have you girls been up to besides drinking?"
"We went shopping and wandered around." Meeta answered.
Anju had gone bit quiet and was sipping her wine. She instinctively chugged the wine and spoke up.
"So you beat your wife if she does not obey you?"
The room went silent and Meeta was shocked. At that moment she regretted talking to Anju. Dinesh however was much calmer than Meeta expected.
"I do punish her if she breaks the rules we agreed on." He stared at Anju directly.
"You are such old fashioned and a jerk." Anju was annoyed at his calmness.
"Old fashsioned, maybe. Jerk, really?"
"Besides Meeta needs a good teacher? Doesn't she?" He grabbed Meeta by her hips and hugged her. Meeta was nervous and nodded reluctantly. She decided to interject.
"Anju is drunk. She is blabbering stuff." She tried to reason.
"Well she is not lying. I did punish you." Dinesh was blunt.
"You think you are so in control but you are not." Anju was getting agitated.
"So you what did you tell her?" Dinesh now looked at Meeta. His voice was stern.
"Nothing..." Meeta was afraid.
"It's OK. I'm not angry but wanted to see what all you told her."
"Just a little bit."
"Little bit about what?"
"The span..spanking you gave me." Meeta found it more embarrassing to say that in front of Anju.
"Which one? Dinesh was loving this conversation.
"The one about me not practicing running." Meeta felt he was intentionally asking for more details.
Anju interjected and tried to get up.
"I think you are a jerk for doing that."
"And who are you to interfere?"
Meeta tried to pacify the situation.
"Look. This is not an issue. We talked about it. Can you let it go?" She looked pleadingly at Anju.
"You are such a pussy. I told you to stand up to him. And you are a jerk." She repeated.
Dinesh was prepared for this. In fact he had a devious plan. He decided to test Meeta.
"Meeta, I want you go inside to the bedroom and wait till I call you."
Meeta stared at the order.
"Don't do it girl. I'm telling you."
Meeta was indeed debating it but she was afraid and unsure about Dinesh's reaction. She so wanted to take Anju's side and decided to muster the courage.
"Can we talk about this later? Let's drop Anju home now." She tried to play a different angle.
"We will drop Anju for sure but now you do what I tell you to."
"See, he is a jerk. Trying to control you in front of me as well."
Dinesh looked at Meeta. The rebel in her was fighting this situation but the beauty of it was that he was the winner on both sides of this fight.
"Please...let's drop Anju..." Meeta stammered.
"I will count to 5. 1...2...3"
"OK, OK, I will go. You are a jerk." Meeta screamed and ran inside. Now Dinesh looked at Anju. She looked away.
"She has got a rebel in her and you are fueling that fire." He lectured.
"Now, you have crossed that limit. So back off a bit. You can teach her stuff but know your limits." He stared at her.
"Or else what?" Anju was defiant.
"It's the wine talking. Isn't it?"