Chapter 36
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
“Hey, now that we’re going to be a family, shouldn’t we discuss living arrangements?
” Chris breached the topic after they’d exchanged hugs and kisses a week after Thanksgiving.
After the debacle with his parents, no one had talked about the future, and it was time to raise the issue.
“My place isn’t big enough for all of us, and neither is yours, Kate.
I think we should start looking for a house. ”
“I’ve got a better idea.” Kate brushed a kiss on his cheek.
“My tenants gave me notice just before we went to Arizona. Upstairs will be empty come January. I was going to wait and surprise you at Christmas. The two of you and the baby can live up there, and we can all come and go between the two flats.”
“But that’s a separate apartment, no?” The corners of Yvonne’s mouth drooped.
“I thought we would all live together. Anyway, I haven’t talked to Tante Wilma about moving out.
Oom Cameron is getting stronger, but I don’t want to leave if they still need me.
Also, I’m not sure about my visa status if I leave their house. ”
“That’s the other reason the upstairs apartment is better than a house.
I have a client who’s an immigration lawyer, and I picked his brain the last time he came in.
For Yvonne to go from a visitor’s visa to a green card, she’ll need to get married.
Preferably to the father of her child. If I’m obviously in the picture, it’s likely to mess things up.
Immigration is no more into non-traditional families than Chris’s parents are.
They’ll investigate to make sure the marriage is valid.
So the two of you move in together upstairs, file the paperwork, and we have a wedding. ”
“Thanks for proposing for me.” Chris folded his arms over his chest. “And answering for Yvonne, too.”
“I’m just trying to solve the problem of keeping Yvonne around.”
“I know you are, but it’s not exactly the way I envisioned either of those two things happening.” The words left a sour taste in his mouth.
“Both of you stop,” Yvonne interjected. “First, if I have to get married, I accept your proposal, whoever made it. But if Chris and I marry, that leaves you out. That’s not right. Our Mistress is a part of any family we have.”
“Thank you, dear.” Kate held herself ramrod straight. “I have a solution for that, too. How would you both feel about wearing my collar at some point? It’s not legal, but there is no way for all three of us to be legally related.”
“Oh, Mistress, to wear your collar would be my very great honor.” Yvonne’s eyes shone brightly. “Isn’t that the perfect solution?”
“It is. I take all my comments back, Kate. I, too, would be honored to wear your collar. When shall we do it?” Chris’s adrenaline spiked.
“Why don’t you leave that to me. I think I’d like to wait until the baby is born, and then we can make it official for the three of us.
” Kate tapped her index finger against her jeans-clad leg.
“There is one more thing that would be a good idea. It would help if you could make peace with your family, Chris.”
Chris practically snarled, “Leave them out of this! We can have a perfectly wonderful marriage without their approval.” When he realized how it sounded, he forced himself to calm. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t snap at you. It’s just… They’re my parents.” He shrugged, not sure how to explain.
“I’m sorry, too.” Kate’s features softened.
“It wasn’t the most productive way to bring the subject up and probably not the right time either.
We can all have a house together after Yvonne becomes a U.S.
citizen. That’s at least three years after the date of the wedding. Right now, this is the best we can do.”
“If you say so.” Yvonne winced and dropped her gaze.
“Now, don’t be disappointed. My place should work out pretty well.
The back steps go to both places. It’s not like we would have to go outside to get back and forth.
None of this will change the relationships between the three of us.
I’m still the Mistress in this relationship, and you both will continue to submit to me. ”
“Only three years to wait? I expected it would be longer.” Yvonne worried her bottom lip.
“Three years if you’re married to a U.S.
citizen. It’s five, otherwise. And you can’t leave the country for longer than six months during that time.
We’ll take a trip to the Netherlands so you can introduce the baby to your sister as soon as you get your green card.
If we start the paperwork soon, it shouldn’t be a problem. ”
Chris quietly listened and slowly relaxed.
“Oh, we don’t have to do that. Els wants to come when the baby is born.” Yvonne beamed. “We can wait to go when it will be easier to show you my home. To go back to the subject of the lawyer, will he help us?”
“I’ve got his contact info here. His name is Josh Ellis, and he said he thought he could squeeze you in. He’s doing a lot of pro bono work with asylum seekers and undocumented immigrants, so I know he’ll appreciate a paying client.”
“Great.” It was time he added to the conversation and became part of the solution instead of the problem. “We’ll call the lawyer first thing tomorrow.”
“It’s my case. I’ll call him,” Yvonne replied. “Just because I’m a sub, it doesn’t mean I can’t take care of myself.”
“I said, ‘we,’” Chris protested. “You can take the lead, but I’m coming, too. I’m the father of this child, after all.”
“Sure, I’m happy to have you there with me. But I don’t think Kate should come. We don’t want to put the lawyer in the position of keeping that part of things secret.” Yvonne gave Kate an apologetic smile. “So, what are we having for dinner tonight?”
They all looked at each other for a moment.
Chris started laughing. “We were all so focused on talking, nobody planned dinner. Would you ladies care to join me at one of the many fine dining establishments in Kansas City or shall we order in?”
Kate and Yvonne looked at Chris before turning to each other and their reaction came in unison, “Order in.”
Kate continued. “The menus are in the top drawer by the fridge, Chris, if you wouldn’t mind getting them.”
Once Chris had returned with the Thai food they had decided on and everyone had had their first serving, Yvonne announced, “My aunt and uncle would like you both to join us for Christmas dinner.”
Kate fiddled with her napkin with her gaze riveted on her plate. Chris swallowed hard, and his shoulders and biceps tensed, straining against his shirt.
“You don’t want to go?”
“Are you sure they want to see us? Accept us?” Chris sounded skeptical.
Say what? Anger grew, and she didn’t know where to direct it. “Yes, they do!” She trained her eyes on Kate. “Tante told me specifically to bring you both.” She repeated the last word for emphasis.
Chris seemed unconvinced. “If my parents can’t accept us, what will a Wall Street bigshot and an accomplished designer think about me and the relationship with Kate and you?”
Yvonne’s mouth fell open, and she glared at Chris. “What do their jobs have to do with who they are and how they see our relationship?”
Kate cleared her throat; both Yvonne and Chris looked her way. “Are your aunt and uncle aware of the nature of our relationship?”
“Of course.” Yvonne’s stomach clenched. “Mijn oom en tante, excuse me, my uncle and aunt are very happy for me, for us. I told them I’m in love with you both, and we all want to live together, eventually.
We’ve discussed me moving out, and I told them about the wedding and the green card, and also about Kate and how important she is. ”
Kate arched an eyebrow. “They don’t object?”
Yvonne looked between Kate and Chris. Both had equally dubious facial expressions, and her pulse quickened.
“No, they don’t object! They know that I love you both, and they are happy for me.
Why can’t you believe that?” Her voice rose in pitch, and her skin felt like she had been too long in the sun.
“Angel”—Kate let out a sigh that was a mixture of hope and sadness—“most people don’t get kinky lifestyles. You saw the reaction from Chris’s parents. After that, it’s harder to believe your family might be different.”
Yvonne glared at her Mistress. “How about I call Tante right now so she can tell you herself?” She didn’t wait for an answer but went for her phone without looking back at both her lovers.
Stubborn lovers! Her oom en tante were lovely people, and they weren’t the least bit narrow-minded.
Most Dutch weren’t, anyhow, and Oom Cameron only wanted for Wilma and Yvonne to be happy.
“Hoi Yvonne, alles goed?” her aunt answered the call in a typical Dutch greeting. Usual Yvonne met the question ‘All good?’ with a polite affirmative, but this time she replied “Niet echt,” which meant she wasn’t doing great before launching into the explanation.
Wilma listened patiently, and when Yvonne halted her monologue, her aunt’s voice oozed sympathy. “Oh, schatje.” After the endearment she was silent for a few beats. “Let me speak to Kate.”
Yvonne marched back into the room, where Kate and Chris were now sitting on the couch huddled together. Without a word she thrust the phone in Kate’s direction. She couldn’t care less if she was disrespectful. So are Chris and Kate!
Kate accepted the phone with a raised eyebrow, but pressed the device to her ear, and tentatively said, “Hello?” She listened.
“Yes, hi Wilma.” Again, Kate stayed silent while Wilma talked.
Yvonne couldn’t hear her aunt, but Kate’s rigid posture relaxed, and her green eyes sparkled with joy and love when she made eye contact with Yvonne.
“Yes, of course.” She started nodding, “All right, I will. See you at dinner, Wilma. Thank you for the invitation.” Kate lowered the phone and looked at Chris. “She wants to talk to you.”
Chris accepted the phone as if the device had teeth and it would bite him if he approached too fast. He cleared his throat.
“Hello, Mrs. McGruder, this is Chris.” Chris listened for a moment.
“All right, Wilma then. I was raised to be polite to my elders.” He spluttered a bit and listened more.
Yvonne watched him like he might disappear if she blinked and was glad she did when a genuine smile graced his face.
“Yes, Wilma, thank you. I will, believe me, I will.”
Chris disconnected the call and pulled both Yvonne and Kate in his arms. They didn’t discuss what Wilma had said, but Yvonne’s throat loosened. Everything would be all right. If only Chris’s parents would come around, too.