Chapter 16 #2
“Hi, I’m back,” Lisa said into the phone. “We’re both going to send you calming energy all the way from the suburbs of Nashville.”
“Oh, wow, Lisa. That’s where you live?”
“Mm hmm.”
“And I will be receiving your calming energy all the way here in Denton Heights, Ohio.”
There was a clunking sound and then a lot of rustling.
In the distance, she heard someone say, “Must be something in the water.”
“Lisa?” Jessica called to her friend.
“I’m here. I’m here. I just…My friends…” Jessica heard more rustling, and then Lisa said, “My friends are on the other line, hun. I have to go. Call me if you need me.”
“Thanks, Lisa. I appreciate the call.”
“Uh huh. Bye, hun.” She ended the call.
“She’s so thoughtful,” Jessica said to her living room. Lisa was one of those free spirits who free other spirits. Jessica was glad their friendship had just reached another level. And now that she knew Lisa and Rachel lived near Nashville, maybe she’d take that road trip next summer to visit them.
~~~
Saturday finally arrived, and Jessica was filled with excited energy.
She sat at a long table in a private room at Rocco’s diner near the highway.
Shanice sat on one side of her, and Madison on the other.
Mistress Shasti sat directly across from her, and Mistress Rowena was to her left.
The table was packed with so many other people, including Mistress Jaleesa and her five submissives.
Apparently, they used to have someone named Bailey as a human pet, a dog if she remembered correctly, but he went to live with another family or something.
It was so obvious that Tina was saddened by it, but Miss Jaleesa comforted her, and Tina murmured that she had accepted it.
Jessica had expected to be set up with someone at the brunch, but everyone seemed to be paired off already, except for Miss Jaleesa and her group, which needed another kind of quantifier, but Jessica couldn’t think of one to describe their poly arrangement.
And the waitress didn’t seem to bat an eye when the group got raucous and talked about bondage and impact.
It was kind of thrilling to be considered part of their group.
“Jessica,” Mistress Shasti said, “where do you teach?”
Jessica hesitated. She’d kind of wanted to keep that part of her life under wraps.
Bernadette said, “I teach mathematics at Phillips University, Jessica, if that helps you relax about sharing. We honor each other’s privacy in this group.” She laughed and then added, “We speak freely, as you’ve no doubt heard, but we also deeply respect each other.”
The others in the group shared where they worked, and Jessica was floored by the variety of occupations. And she found out that Miss Jaleesa was the stylist who had done Tina’s awesome haircut. Maybe she’d make an appointment. Maybe she needed a change.
Jessica looked back at Miss Shasti and said, “Actually, I teach English at PUA. Phillips University Academy.”
“No way,” Madison blurted and then apologized. It seemed as if the young woman apologized often, but when no one seemed affected, she continued. “I’m a sophomore at PU.” She giggled. “We call Phillips University Pee-Yew.” She giggled again.
Jessica chuckled and said, “So I guess I teach at Pee-Yew Academy, right?”
The three littles at the table held their noses and started a chorus of “Pee-yew!”
“I’m in the Mathematics building,” Bernadette said. “So, we’re right across the parking lot from each other, then.”
“I guess so,” Jessica said.
“So, why are you single?” Mistress Rowena blurted, probably asking the question everyone was thinking.
“Honestly, it’s hard to find someone with my particular tastes,” Jessica said. “But you all know what that’s like, I imagine.” Head nods and murmurs of agreement circled the table.
“Will you be attending the Winter Masquerade Ball?” Miss Rowena asked.
“I don’t know anything about that,” Jessica admitted, and then Miss Rowena explained that the masked balls were basically community events with dinner and demonstrations.
The BDSM lifestylers in the area got together twice a year at different venues to let their hair down.
“It sounds great,” Jessica said. “How do I get a ticket?”
“I’ll send you the link,” Mistress Rikki said from the other side of Bernadette. Apparently, Miss Rikki was the president or chair of the committee or something. Jessica wasn’t clear on that, having overheard Miss Rikki and Miss Rowena talking about the change in leadership in January.
“Thank you, Ma’am,” Jessica said to Miss Rikki.
“It’s a red, green, and gold theme, Miss Jessica,” Madison blurted. “Like the stoplight system but with gold instead of yellow.”
“Thanks for the clue, Madison.” Jessica grinned at the little who grinned back and started bopping in her chair.
“What’s your type?” Mistress Shasti asked.
Jessica didn’t get a chance to answer because Miss Rikki said, “Shasti, all of you, that’s enough. Leave the poor woman alone. You’re all up to something, and I don’t like it.” She was serious. Wow. This woman was clearly a Domme’s Domme.
Miss Shasti pursed her lips together, but her face sported a playful grin.
Miss Rikki turned to Jessica and said, “These are good people, and please keep in mind that whatever it is they’re scheming has your best interests at heart.
Am I right?” She looked to Miss Shasti, Miss Rowena, and her own wife, Bernadette.
All three nodded, but those grins were very present and prominent.
What have I gotten myself into? Jessica wondered.
As the group was breaking up to go their separate ways, Kari leaned close and said, “Told you.”
“You did,” Jessica said.
“They mean well, I promise,” Kari said.
“Kari,” Tina called from the doorway. “You have a lesson. Let’s go.”
Kari wiggled her fingers. “Piano lesson.”
“Have fun.”
Once most of the people had gone, Jessica was still in the parking lot with Shanice and Miss Marta. Shanice had just given her a first-hand tour of her wheelchair van with accessible hand controls.
“Very impressive,” Jessica said. “Did it take you long to get the hang of it?”
“Not really,” Shanice said. “I sometimes try to use my invisible feet to brake, but that hasn’t happened recently.” She turned to Miss Marta and said, “Honest, Mama. It hasn’t happened in a long time.”
“That’s just muscle memory,” Jessica said. “You’ll relearn.”
Miss Marta nodded and said, “I have a feeling I know what they’re up to.”
“You do?” Shanice blurted from inside the van, where she sat in her wheelchair.
“Mm hmm,” Miss Marta said. “Rowena’s been picking my brain about you and I may be wrong, but I think they’re trying to lure someone back to Denton Heights.”
“You mean…”
Miss Marta nodded, and Shanice narrowed her eyes. She looked at Jessica, then at Miss Marta. “I can see it. Totally. Because Jessica is independent and smart and won’t take bs from anyone.”
“Exactly. And they seem to know all that, too,” Miss Marta said to Shanice, talking in cryptic code like couples in sync often did.
“And is this person someone they’re trying to set me up with?” Jessica asked, trying to break into the conversation going on around her.
“I think maybe,” Miss Marta said, but then threw both hands up. “But I’m not sure, so I’m not going to say anything more. We shouldn’t meddle, and you have to make your own decisions about these kinds of things, anyway.”
“Thank you, Ma’am,” Jessica said, relieved. “I mean, if the setup crashes and burns, then the aunties will be mad at me.”
“Aunties?” Miss Marta asked.
Jessica laughed. “That’s what Kari called the three of them the other night at the party. Aunties.”
“Ahh,” Miss Marta said, “so they’ve been scheming this since then. Maybe before. You have a good head on your shoulders, Jessica. You’ll do what’s best for you. Enlist my help if you need me.”
“See, Mama?” Shanice said. “I told you Miss Jessica was still part of your soul patrol.”
“I think she’s part of yours, too,” Miss Marta countered.
Shanice nodded, and then hugs were given all around. They parted ways, and Jessica headed home.
~~~
Two evenings later, Jessica was energized as she drove back from Columbus after the Literary Magazine workshop.
She now had a workable game plan and knew exactly what she would implement the next day at school.
She’d run it all by KC first, though, just to make sure she wasn’t being too adventurous.
There was no way she could get a literary magazine out in the two weeks they had left before Thanksgiving, even though Principal Herrera had wanted that.
She was, however, pretty sure they could get something out in four weeks, right before semester exams in December.
She was glad to have this lit magazine distraction.
She’d successfully kept thoughts of Kinks, her group, and Daddy Vic in the background all week, but all that was still kind of weighing her down.
It ate at her that she was avoiding her obligations to the group, but she just couldn’t check in yet.
In one more day, she’d go back in and face the inevitable hurt to her heart.
She had a lot to distract herself at school tomorrow, anyway.
The girls’ volleyball team was now in the regional finals, and she’d be chaperoning tomorrow afternoon right alongside KC.
It was all very exciting. Apparently, the team had never made it that far in school history.
Jessica was a proud fan watching it happen.
So, yes, things were going okay for her at school. She held onto that thought as she made her way past Dayton on I-75 toward Denton Heights, a place she thought she just might be able to call home.