Chapter 61 - Discovered
I have no memory of falling asleep, just a lava flow of sensory delight punctuated by eruptions of pleasure. Upon awakening though my shoulders and arms burned with muscle soreness usually experienced only after strenuous exercise, I must have pulled ferociously against the ropes. Luckily I was no longer bound and I took stock of a body that had been soaked in pleasure and then sent through a wringer.
Polly was gone. Even before opening my eyes, I knew she was no longer next to me even though my last coherent recollection of the evening had been her mane of red curls covering my chin and chest. I don't know how, perhaps her scent or her warmth, but I knew once I had the courage to finally open my eyes, her lovely visage would not be there to greet me.
Light streamed through the wide windows stinging my reluctant eyes but a few blinks later and I looked around an empty room. The soft white blankets were piled up neatly around my body suggesting Polly had adjusted them when she left. I was also completely naked. Not surprising considering last nights gift, the thought of which began stirrings which would lead to embarrassment without the concealment of clothing. So first things first, find clothes.
I rolled the covers back and stood up realizing immediately the muscles in my legs were in just as bad a shape as my arms. What had she done to me last night? More memories of my body locked into a rigid statue as I pulled with all my strength against the bonds while Polly brushed my sensitive places with her hair punctuated with light caresses of her fingers. "Ah, now I remember." I said out loud.
I stood up and moved to the closet. I opened the door and was sliding the hangars across the bar when Polly cleared her throat behind me. "What are you doing?"
I spun around, startled by her sudden appearance as I reflexively covered my privates. "Uh, looking for something to wear."
Polly looked amazing in dark green leggings and an oversized sweatshirt whose neck opening was so large one strap of a matching green sports bra was visible over one shoulder. "Seriously, you're still shy? After last night?" She said glancing at my hands. "Actually, I like it. You’re so sexy with a little color in your cheeks." Polly reached around my back and cupped my buttocks. "Both sets of cheeks." Picking up a light pink garment hanging over the end of the bed, she held it out to me. "Here's the clothes I laid out for you."
I looked at the garment in her hands and sighed. "Polly that isn't clothes, it's underwear."
"Not so. It's very stretchy, quite long in fact. It's a camisole dress, though I'll admit I never had the courage to wear it alone like you're about to do. I usually layer it with other clothes." Polly let the garment fall from her fingers where she held it by the spaghetti-thin straps. "Now stop complaining and put it on."
"It's pink." I dared to object.
"You know, you're right, it is pink." Polly tossed it into my face. "Put. It. On."
I pulled the garment over my head and was amazed by the softness, it felt like a cloud on my bare skin and I could not help but feel a little irritated that luxurious fabrics were all reserved for girls. I mean do all men prefer burlap? I realized immediately that what Polly meant by "long" was only an inch or two below the curve of my buttocks. If I sat down, I might as well be naked.
Pink Camisole Dress
"There, very nice." Polly said. "Come along, it's almost lunch time." She reached behind my back so her fingertips rested on my bare thighs just below the hem of the dress. She then slid her fingers beneath the stretchy material and between my legs. I jumped and stepped forward. She laughed at my reaction.
Every few feet I tugged the hemline down while Polly did her best to tug it up and her freckled face was locked into a perma-smile by my efforts. We eventually made it to the kitchen where I expected to see a stunned April watching us cavort across the tile. I was wrong, she was nowhere in sight. "Where's April."
"At work, of course." Polly reached out and tugged one of the straps off my shoulder though it was only a distraction to tug at the dress again.
"Stop that, if you want this off I'll be happy to oblige you." I said while ducking back and slapping her hands away. "I'm surprised she didn't take the day off?"
"Need to keep up appearances, people would get suspicious if she were away from the office at the same time as you." Polly answered. "Here I made sandwiches." Polly reached into the refrigerator and pulled out two plates.
The appearance of the food reminded my body how hungry it was. Silence reigned until the food was gone. I was about to ask what she wanted to do next but thought my own suggestion would keep Polly's own creativity from coming up with something on her own and trust me anything she came up with would be much more fun for her than me. "Let's watch some television. It would be nice to snuggle up next to you on the couch." I said.
"Ok," Polly said slowly a tinge of disappointment on her features.
Once the television show got going I pulled Polly toward me so her head laid against my chest. My other arm stroked her hip and I slowly moved it upward beneath the sweatshirt until I found the smooth and firm skin above the waistband of her stomach. Polly opened her eyes and looked into mine. "I think I understand why Mom made a certain rule at home. You’re only safe when tied up."
"Says the girl who nearly made me insane the night before."
"I was being intentional, you’re being opportunistic." Polly shot back.
I snorted. "Damn straight, I spend so much time tied up I've got to take my opportunities when they come."
The show was over minutes later but before the next episode could start, Polly stood and stepped toward the stairs. "I'm going to get the ropes."
I opened my mouth to protest but decided that spending some time as Polly's toy would not be all that bad. The sound of the garage door rising interrupted us and April walked into the kitchen her sensible business heels clicking loudly on the tile. "You're home early." Polly said looking at the clock on the wall.
Luckily my body was hidden behind the couch so my clothing did not distract. "Your Mom paid me a visit today."
Polly winced and I shook my head. "Of course she figured it out. Do you think Ollie told?"
Polly shook her head. "They went home just this morning, she likely figured it out."
April nodded and cocked her head in my direction noticing the straps of the camisole. She took a couple steps closer but Polly, seeing the look, interposed herself. "What did Mom say?"
April shook her head and unbuttoned the tan suit coat she had paired with a matching knee-length skirt and crimson blouse. "She said that Mark is desperately needed at work and she was quite insistent." April blushed deeply with that final comment, the memory of it causing her to forget what had made her step closer to me.
It was Polly's turn to cock her head in confusion. "What did she..."
April interrupted her with a raised hand. "Look I'm not going talk about your Mom right now, but if Mark doesn't show up tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock for some big meeting, she'll blow all your plans."
"But..." Polly started to say.
April shook her head again to forestall Polly. "Sorry Polly, he's going to be there if I have anything to say about it. I suppose you two could make trouble but you’re guests in my home and if you want to remain guests Mark will be there."
Polly's eyes grew wide and then she slowly deflated like a balloon, wilting down into the nearest chair. Heedless of my clothing I ran to her. "Look Polly, I'll go to the meeting and leave as soon as it's over, only a few hours out of the week."
Polly took a deep breath. "I better call her first, I should see what it's all about." She turned and ran up the stairs without looking back.
I sighed and turned around. April stood there with her eyes two sizes too large and her mouth hanging open. I immediately pulled down the camisole dress as far as it would go and moved toward the stairs after Polly. April's unblinking eyes tracked me the whole way. When I was half way up, April shook herself. "Jack..." Her voice cracked and she coughed. "Jack, wait."
I stopped and turned hiding as much as I could behind the stair rail.
"I didn't do this." April paused to think. "She was just there at my door, being all intimidating and impressive, you know how she is." April said obviously referring to Polly's Mom.
I nodded.
"Make sure Polly knows it wasn't my fault." April said again.
"She knows, or is about to."
I moved up the stairs holding my hands beneath my bum to keep from being fully exposed. Polly's anger-tinged voice echoed through the bedroom door. "...ruining all my plans." Pause. "Yeah, but work is what nearly killed him. He's doing too much." Pause. "Alright Mom, he'll be there." Polly said obviously defeated. "Love you too."
Polly's head was down when I entered the room. "We'll stop by your house tomorrow so you can get dressed and then I'll take you to work. I guess you'll have plenty of time to escape."
"Look, you let me put on something more substantial for the rest of the day around April, and I'll let you kidnap me again from her office after the meeting."
Polly rolled her eyes. "It's not kidnapping if you let me."
"True." I answered. "I guess we'll see how clever you are. I'll just tell your Mom as far as I'm concerned I'll be at work for the remainder of the week."
Polly smiled. "You do that. I guess that's worth some pants."
True to her word Polly let me wear pants, they were matching pink leggings but it was better than nothing. We watched television the rest of the night. Polly was distracted obviously plotting how to salvage the situation. I too was distracted by thoughts of the following day but for different reasons. Only April seemed focused, focused on me specifically. Opportunist that she was, she took advantage of Polly's distraction to catch me in the kitchen, or on the way to the bathroom. Each time she seemed to block my path so I had to force my way passed, which was impossible to do without touching her. She had changed from her work clothing into a revealing yet casual one-piece floral playsuit. "You are so much more fun tied up. Do you think Polly would let me practice?"
I smirked. "Why don't you ask her?"
April glanced toward Polly who was staring off into space deep in thought. "Maybe later. You look good enough to eat though. I thought the boobs were a little much before, you look much more fragile this way."
"Good to know April," I said and sat down next to Polly pulling her against me as a shield against April.
The evening came to a normal close. Normal because we ate snacks, watched movies, and spoke like three normal friends, save for constant innuendo on April's part. The next morning after my shower it was obvious that Polly was irritated by the course of events when I asked about clothing. "Just wear what you wore yesterday." Polly answered.
"Polly please, I don't want to wear that outside."
"We are going to your house where you'll put on your boring work clothes." Polly countered.
I sighed. "Tell you what, let me wear what you wore yesterday."
Polly tapped her finger against her lips. "Ok, but you have to wear the underwear all day, even to work, and I'll check."
I thought I had a work shirt thick enough to hide any obvious signs so I nodded. Minutes later I was wearing green leggings and her oversize sweatshirt complete with the sports bra beneath. The underwear she gave was odd. "There is no way you wore these yesterday." I said pulling at the leggings.
"Not those exactly, that would be gross. Used underwear, honestly." Polly sniffed. "But I did wear that exact style and brand, I didn't want unsightly panty lines with tight leggings."
"I have to wear these all day?"
"Yes, all day, you promised. Lot's of girls wear thong underwear."
I rolled my eyes. "Yes, but I'm not a girl."
"Thank God," Polly answered. "How would I make you squirm if you were?"
I did not answer that question thinking it rhetorical. "We'd better go, I want to be at work by 9 to talk to your Mom about this meeting."
Polly drove me to the house and I ran inside to change into work clothes. Mom saw me at the top of the stairs and did a double take. "Jack, I thought you were with Polly all week, and nice outfit."
"Yes, but I have to be at work for something important, Polly is waiting downstairs for me to change. Can I talk to you for a minute, privately."
Mom raised her eyebrows and nodded. I followed her into her bedroom and locked the door. I further secured the room against eavesdropping by pulling her into their master bathroom and turned on the exhaust fan. Mom's curiosity was fully piqued when I whispered just loud enough for her to hear. "I need some help."
"Ok, tell me." Mom answered. "Are those Polly's clothes?"
"Of course they're Polly's, who else's would they be?"
"Well, your closet is slowly changing, I thought maybe..."
I waved my hand interrupting. "Look I'm not here to talk about my clothes." I took a deep breath and Mom waited patiently. "I was joking around with Polly this weekend and somehow the topic of getting married came up."
Mom's eyes shot up. "How's that?"
"It doesn't matter." I decided against telling her of the sexy red dress I wore, nor that Polly was upset because she had not been the one who did the dressing. "But the way it ended up she thinks I proposed to her."
I could see the calculation in Mom's eyes. "Proposed?" She tapped a finger against her lips. "Now you want to make it official before this accidental proposal become permanent?"
"Yes, I want to try." I shook my head. "Though, she is already teasing me about it."
"I don't know, 17 is awfully young to be getting married." Mom said. “And you’re not even 17 yet.”
"Yes, but we aren't getting married, just engaged." I countered. "The wedding might be years away."
Mom nodded. "True. It doesn't sound like you're asking my permission."
I was little embarrassed because I never even thought to ask Mom and Dad if it was acceptable. Since I started working full time our relationship had changed from rules and consequences to advice and recommendation. "No, I need a ring. I was hoping you could help me buy one?" I said finally.
Mom placed her hand against her chest and leaned back against the sink in surprise and shock. "A ring, that's an amazing coincidence."
I was confused. "What? What's a coincidence?"
"The necklace you are wearing is part of a set. You're Grandma told me to give it to Polly as a birthday gift."
I held up my hand. "Wait a second, you said you didn't know where this came from." I said fingering the crystal necklace around my neck."
Mom shrugged. "I lied, we Mom's do that sometimes. Mom, your Grandma, told me not to tell you."
I waved the revelation away. "So you have a ring?"
"Yes, it came as a set with that necklace. Mom told me you would need it eventually."
I was starting to understand Mom's shock. "So Grandma, your Mom, told you I would need the ring?"
Mom nodded.
"And she told you to give the necklace to Polly as a birthday present?"
Mom nodded again.
"And the note inside was written by Grandma?"
Mom nodded a third time. "She gave it to me wrapped, I only saw it after Polly had it around your neck."
"Is Grandma psychic or something?" I asked.
"No, but she's been around a while and she did spend a bit of time with Polly."
I waved the discussion of Grandma and her possible super-powers away. "Ok so you have the ring here?"
Mom left the bathroom and returned moments later with a small green box with a hinged lid. Inside was a ring made of nearly clear crystal of identical construction to that of the necklace except it was rigid instead of flexible. A green gem stone blended seamlessly into the band. "Wow, that's beautiful, but it's not a diamond. I thought engagement rings had to be diamonds."
Mom laughed. "I think she'll like this better than any diamond and there aren't any rules."
I took the box and hugged Mom. "Thanks, this is amazing."
"You know what's even more amazing?" Mom said.
"What's that?" I asked.
"That you found the perfect girl." Mom answered.
I nodded with a smile and quickly returning to my room to dress for work. I stowed the green box in my work bag and ran downstairs where Polly waited. She shook her head when she saw my sensible khaki pants and long sleeved shirt. "So boring." Then she slipped her hands beneath my shirt to make sure I was still wearing the sports bra and panties. She smiled then. "I guess you're ready."
I rolled my eyes. "As if I'd try and slip something passed you." The box containing the ring sprang into my thoughts with those words.
"Good boy, Jack. Let's go."
Polly dropped me off at work promising to return at lunchtime. After exiting the elevator I made straight for Lisa's office where she waved me in since her window shades facing the office were open. I sat and waited until Lisa cradled the phone. "Look Jack, I know you deserve a break, but if I'd known Polly was going to pick this week I would have told her about the meeting. It's not even that important, it's mostly just for appearances. My bosses will be there."
"Polly will survive, I'm sure she's cooking up some other adventure." I answered. "I wanted to talk to you about something else."
My roiling stomach must have been displayed on my face because Lisa leaned forward a bit and I had her full attention. If Polly was soft curves over a hard but delicate dancer, her Mom was the same with an iron core threaded throughout. When she captured your gaze, it was nearly impossible to look away. "Ok, this must be serious."
I nodded and took a deep breath, I pulled the small green box from my satchel and placed it on her expansive wooden desk. Her eyes widened as she picked it up and her mouth fell open after she opened the box. "Oh my, it's so beautiful. It's a match to your necklace."
I pulled my hand from my throat. "Yes, turns out this came from Grandma, and so does the ring." I answered. "There’s some mystery with Grandma that I can't quite figure out." I shook away the thought and refocused on the issue at hand. "Do I have your permission to marry your daughter?" I quickly added after a brief pause. "Assuming she's willing?"
Lisa's intense gaze met mine again. "Yes of course," Lisa said much more quickly than I expected. Decisive, very decisive. "But you understand she has a certain amount of hesitation around marriage. I didn't set a good example like your Mom and Dad."
I frowned at her words. Polly would likely view marriage as a bad gamble given her father. "Yeah, I hadn't thought of that."
"I don't want to discourage you, she spent a week with your parents, so there's hope."
"Alright," I said picking up the box. "I guess we'll find out."
"Where are you going to pop the question?" Lisa asked.
"Where we first met."
A few moments of thoughtful frown lines bloomed into a memory upon Lisa’s face. "Oh are you going to be strapped to the bed?"
I rolled my eyes. "No, and there will be fewer threats from her mother."
Lisa laughed. "Can't blame a mom for being protective."
The meeting truly was a trivial waste of time, I sat silently along the wall and shook a couple of hands before it was over just before noon. I made a few phone calls in the office and then ran downstairs to meet Polly who, true to her word was waiting for me. "I need to show you something at your house."
She shrugged. "Ok, I was just going to take you to lunch. Not much of a kidnapping if you get in the car willingly."
I rolled my eyes.
"What's at my house?" Polly asked.
"It's a secret." I answered keeping my face as neutral as possible.
"No tricks," Polly said.
"No, no tricks. I truly have something to show you." I answered.
"At my house?" Polly continued.
"Yup, your house."
"Ok, but I'm warning you, if this is some sort of devious plan to escape me, you'll regret it."
I held up my hands with a smile. "It’s sad to see such paranoia in one so young."
She cuffed me on the shoulder and we drove in relative silence discussing other topics along the way. With my bag over one shoulder I pulled her upstairs to her bedroom nearly knocking her over in my haste. "Slow down, what's so important."
I opened the door and immediately stepped over to the foot of her bed. "Do you remember this spot."
A smile bloomed on her face. "Of course, I'll never forget the day we met."
"I still can't believe how aggressive you were. I hadn't said a word and you were cutting my clothes off with scissors, it was before our first date."
Polly laughed. "You were gagged and the scissors were a gift from your sister."
I smiled letting the memory wash over me. I quickly slipped the small box from the bag sank to my knees holding up the box. I spoke quickly both to keep Polly from speaking and to keep my mind from overthinking what I was about to do. I mean I was only seventeen. "Polly, will you marry me." I opened the box and held up the ring.
Polly became still. Fear bubbled in my bowels as her hand slowly rose toward the box. Her fingers trembled, surprising as she was always so confident and decisive. She made no effort to take the ring but let her fingertips slide over its surface. At that moment I had an epiphany. In my minds eye I saw Polly standing behind a large and imposing wall of black stones. The stones were an edifice between her and any thoughts of marriage and each one a memory of her father. The largest stone was an image of him striking her mother. One of the smaller stones was the sound of dismissive snort he made in response to an earnest question. And still another was the image of him drunk and screaming. Polly was surrounded by this high wall of stones constructed of bilious memory. However it was not the stones that kept the wall in place but the mortar, and this had been created by Polly's mother. It was all the same and it was made of a single thought; a single memory. "He was not like this at first." That was it. A single, simple sentence holding the entirety of the wall in place.
I knew the memories of her father could never change but the lie that held everything in place, the mortar, if removed would collapse the wall. "Polly," I began. Her eyes were pooling with unshed tears and the quiver in her hands made them flutter in the afternoon light. She looked away from the ring toward me. There were no promises I could make to overcome her Mom's words. No assurances. So I told her a secret. "On the night of your birthday, there is an image burned into my mind I have never been able to forget or change. I relive it constantly and the terror and rage flash through me every single time."
I looked down at the floor as I felt the memory surge through me. "I am standing in front of your broken door there is glass all over the deck. The night is warm and I awkwardly fumble with my phone in one hand and that rose in the other while staring into your kitchen. I see you lunge forward and strike him and then his hand flashes out.” The ‘him’ I used in the retelling was her father but she did not react well to him being given that label. Swallowing back the desire to vomit I continued in a weaker voice.“I get to watch in slow motion as your body crumples to the floor just out of sight." Saying a memory out loud made it so much more difficult to deal with. My arms trembled in unspent rage, with a deep breath I walled the anger away and returned my eyes to hers. There is nothing else I can say. No promises, no assurances. I could only share my own pain.
Polly continued her stillness. The war behind her eyes was as obvious as it was unknowable. With a heavy sigh I flexed the muscles in my hand to shut the hinged lid of the box. In the milliseconds it took for that to happen Polly's hand flexed around the ring, the box snapped closed on her knuckles. She slipped the ring onto the ring finger of her left hand and drew in a deep steadying breath as a small shudder coursed through her body. "Yes, I will marry you."
I pulled her into a deep hug and remained there. She pressed her body into mine so hard it seemed like she wanted us to fuse into one person. We remained there breathing each other's scent until I managed to mumble into her ear. "We have reservations at your favorite restaurant, some friends will be joining us."
Polly pushed back from me and shook her head. "You did all this today didn't you?"
I nodded. "The meeting at work didn't take very long."
She reached up and tugged the necklace at my throat. "It's the same design as your collar." She held her hand up next to my neck.
"Yes, the necklace and ring are part of a set." I emphasized the work necklace.
I could see the wheels turning in her head. "Who?"
"Grandma." I answered.
Polly smiled. "Ohh, she is the clever one."
I nodded.
"I need to change into some nicer clothes and then we can go." Polly said.
"Me too, I've sweated through this shirt. I'll run home and pick you up here in an hour. Is my car still at work?"
"No, we moved it back to your house." Polly kissed me and I left taking the keys to her car.
I turned to leave and stopped. "I love you Polly. Thanks for saying yes."
Polly laughed. "I will always remember you in the red dress, but this was a worthy effort, especially on such short notice."
I rolled my eyes. "See you in an hour."
* * *
I floated on a cloud all the way home. Polly had said yes despite her justifiable fears, she had taken a chance on me, on us. We were young true, but being engaged was not the same as being married, we could wait a while. Besides, how many high school kids were trying to hold down a career like I was. If I could have an early career, I should have an early engagement.
My old Honda was parked in its usual spot on the street in front of the house and since I would not be home long I parked Polly's car in the driveway. A jogger plodded along our lazy street just as I pulled up. As I grabbed my satchel off the front seat the passenger door opened and the jogger I recently passed sat down. He wore a pair of black jogging tights and a tight shirt, typical jogging gear, except for the long black gun with an extremely long barrel pointed directly at my chest. "Sit down Jack."
I looked at the man and then to the gun and back to the man. He was so normal looking, dirty blond hair cut short, clean shaven, dark gray eyes, altogether unremarkable. He was bland in appearance and demeanor so much so I had trouble reconciling the startling existence of the gun he now pointed at me. I sat down though, he knew my name.
"I have searched for a lot of guys in my time Jack," Mr. Bland said without the slightest flicker of emotion on his face. "You have been the most difficult."
I had the briefest thought that Polly had employed Mr. Bland's services to kidnap me but that wouldn't make sense since she always prefered to be involved herself in such a scheme. "What do you want?"
"Just fulfilling a contract Jack, nothing personal. Now go ahead and start the car and leave the neighborhood."
I hesitated, not wanting to go anywhere at gunpoint, and thought perhaps if he were paid to find me he would be reluctant to shoot me. He sighed and pointed the gun at the back of my chair and pulled the trigger. A tiny 'pht' sound emanated from the silenced pistol along with the smell of gunpowder which had me reaching for the ignition and starting the vehicle.
Mr. Bland directed me to a parking lot packed with cars outside a large industrial facility. He reached into a bag slung over his shoulder and withdrew a black case tossing it into my lap. "Open it."
I did and paled at the sight, a hypodermic needle. "Here's the deal, you have two choices.” He held up a single finger.” I club you over the head with this gun, which will hurt like hell and can cause concussion, bleeding, etc.” He held up a second finger. ”Or, you take that needle and empty its contents into your thigh. Either way you're going to be unconscious for the next few hours. If I were you I'd take the shot, getting knocked out by blunt force trauma is nothing like the movies."
I looked at the man but he just watched me with his gray eyes displaying no emotion or concern. "This day was going so good too." I said as I pulled the needle from the case.
"Nothing personal." Mr. Bland repeated.
I plunged the needle into my thigh.