Chapter 20
Jessica
Jessica knew she wouldn’t be able to use her phone once she went into the old renovated firehouse for the masquerade ball, so she would simply leave it in her car.
Miss Marta told her that ‘no phones’ was protocol at lifestyle events like these, and apparently, she’d be sitting at a table with Miss Marta, Shanice, and a few others.
She wasn’t sure who. She hoped none of those other people included the person the aunties wanted to hook her up with.
She didn’t want to explore someone new. Not yet.
Not while she was getting to know Victoria.
The same Victoria she was currently talking to on the phone.
The same Victoria who had, again, just said she’d drive all the way to Ohio to see her.
Although Jessica hadn’t revealed the part about Ohio yet.
“It’s funny how we both have holiday parties to go to tonight,” Victoria said to Jessica.
“‘Tis the season, I guess,” Jessica said. “How’s the reunion going? You said you were going to call B yesterday. I mean, if you don’t want to talk about this right now, that’s fine. I know you have your community party to go to, too.”
“I spoke to B on the phone last night,” Victoria said. “I haven’t seen her in person yet, though. That’s tonight. Her Domme was right there listening, but didn’t comment much, except for initial pleasantries, of course.”
“Pleasantries?” Jessica said. “Does that mean it went well?”
“Yes,” Victoria said succinctly, but then added more details.
“I told her about all those mini-epiphanies I’ve been having lately and how Dr. Sumner says I’d built some tough armor around me.
So tough that I had become oblivious to the damage I was causing.
I didn’t see it. But now my eyes are wide open. ”
“You said all that to her? To B?”
“I did. And I told her that although I’m seeing things more clearly now and understand why I was so insensitive to her, this only explains my behavior, but in no way excuses it. And do you know what she said?”
“What?” Jessica said, genuinely happy that Victoria seemed to be making amends.
“She said that we both had learned some life lessons and that it was probably something we were meant to experience so we could grow.”
“Wow, that sounds very spiritual.”
“It does,” Victoria said. “She said she’s learning to speak up more and to trust her instincts more. Her Domme is also helping her work that stuff out. She was so submissive, JB. But she seems a lot more self-assured and confident now.”
“That was very generous of her.”
“Right?”
Jessica heard a voice in the background, and Victoria said, “Hold on, JB.”
“Okay.”
When Victoria got back, she said, “They’re having a quick pre-party downstairs, and my presence has been requested.” She laughed big. “So, unfortunately, I need to go now. Wish me luck seeing B and her Domme for the first time tonight.”
“Good luck, DC,” Jessica said.
Victoria chuckled and said low, “I strangely like it when you call me Daddy Cheese.”
Jessica laughed along with her. “I like that better than Daddy Vic. So, will you call me after your party?”
“Of course,” Victoria said. “And have a good time at yours. We’ll compare notes later. Good luck with that blind date.”
“Stop,” Jessica protested. “I’ve already told them I’m kind of seeing someone.”
“Good.” Victoria blew out a raspberry. “They’re calling up the stairs now. I gotta go. Have fun at your party. I’ll call you later.”
When they hung up, Jessica powered down her phone and locked it in the glove compartment.
She adjusted the party mask over her eyes and nose.
She buttoned her sweater tighter over the deep green wrapover dress she wore.
The dress was made from stretch jersey material and fit her expertly.
She never wore this one to school because it accentuated her ample bosom way too much, but for a lifestyle party like this one, it was perfect.
And the little bit of cleavage showing said just enough.
She was not a heels kind of gal, so her leather wedges had to do.
The mid-calf length was perfect for the cold weather, too.
Once inside, she checked her bag and keys with the coat check clerk, who wore the barest nothing.
Yes, this was a lifestyle party, all right.
She gave her printed ticket to the ticket taker.
The red, green, and gold balloon archway she walked through was artfully done and set just the right party mood.
Before she could even get oriented to the space in the former firehouse, a very handsome dark-haired little made a beeline for her.
“I know it’s you, Miss Jessica,” Madison said.
“My mask didn’t fool you?”
Madison laughed and then grabbed her hand. “Nope. C’mon. Mistress said you’re sitting with us and Miss Marta and Shanice.”
“Wow,” Jessica said. “Does your Domme know that, uh, …” She didn’t know how to finish her thought without seeming ungrateful or rude.
“She knows you don’t want a blind date,” Madison said. “But I think she’s going to introduce you anyway, just in case your other beau doesn’t work out.”
“Oh, geez,” Jessica said as she let herself be led to the table.
“You’ll be okay,” Madison said. “I know who it is and she’s really nice and all, but if it’s not true love then it’s not.”
Jessica laughed and said, “Okay. That sounds reasonable.”
She took her sweater off and hung it on the back of a metal folding chair.
The decorations were nice. It was a red, yellow, and green stoplight theme, a fitting lifestyle reminder.
The tables were covered with red, green, or gold tablecloths.
The table Madison had brought her to had a gold one, which complemented her green dress nicely.
Red, green, and gold paper party streamers hung all around, and the candy party favors at each place setting was a nice touch.
Madison hinted that submissives were allowed to have candy at lifestyle events as long as they didn’t get too hyper.
Jessica couldn’t quite keep her grin under wraps because it sounded as if that particular message had been given explicitly to Madison from her very own Mommy Domme.
“Jessica dear,” Miss Shasti said, coming over holding a glass of white wine. “So glad you could make it.”
“Thank you for the table invite,” Jessica said.
She looked around and saw Mistress Rikki, the gorgeous redhead, on the far side of the room.
She was so pretty. And tall. And just regal.
Her wife, Bernadette, was standing by her side.
She had stylish short blonde hair and dimples to die for.
Bernadette struck her as one of those pretty women who had no idea they were pretty.
They were standing near the small stage, talking with an older man whose name she could not remember at the moment.
It was something Irish or Scottish, maybe?
They laughed at something the man said, and Jessica witnessed a glance between Miss Rikki and Bernadette.
Bernadette looked at her Domme with pure love and trust. Jessica felt a pang of loneliness.
It was, unfortunately, a familiar feeling.
She wanted what Miss Rikki and Bernadette seemed to have.
The love and respect she’d witnessed between them since becoming part of the community was clear and very present that evening.
She wanted that. Oh, how she wanted that.
She had promised Victoria that she would not be shy at the party and would socialize, so here was her attempt to do just that with one of the aunties. “This is quite the shindig,” Jessica said.
“Oh, this party is just getting started,” Miss Shasti said. “Once Shanice and Pammy get here, I’ll have them and Madison show you around. The demonstrations will be back there.” Miss Shasti pointed toward a darkened area of the big open space.
And right on cue, Shanice and Miss Marta came through the balloon archway near the front door. Hugs were given all around, and from her wheelchair, Shanice declared, “I’m going to dance on my own two feet tonight, Miss Jessica.” Her prosthetics were in a bag hanging off the back of the wheelchair.
“Fantastic,” Jessica said. “Save a dance for me, okay? Especially if they play any Benjies songs.”
“Yasss,” Shanice said and bounced in her chair.
At Victoria’s gentle suggestion, Jessica had gotten brave and ventured out of the house to Rikki’s Coffee Shop the weekend before. Jessica had overheard Shanice declare her undying love for the Benjies that afternoon.
“C’mon, there’s Pammy,” Madison said gleefully and pulled at Jessica’s hand. “C’mon, Shanice.”
“Where are we going?” Shanice said, then wheeled backward from the table.
Madison pointed to Pammy and her Domme Lydia. “We’re grabbing Pammy and then showing Miss Jessica around.” Madison leaned closer to Shanice and whispered, “It’s our community service thing. Remember?”
“Oh, yeah,” Shanice said.
Jessica was fairly positive that their Dommes had come up with some kind of community service plan for the three of them, and Jessica was proud to be a recipient of their efforts.
She got dragged to the darkened demonstration area and marveled at the displays.
There was an electro-stim setup, the thing she wished wasn’t a thing, so she’d be staying away from that demo.
The vendor selling floggers, whips, and crops had gorgeous pieces for sale.
Jessica would snag one of those business cards later.
She hadn’t realized they could buy things at the masquerade ball, beyond the cash bar, of course.
“What is this contraption?” Jessica asked when they came across something that looked like a gymnastics uneven bar setup. It wasn’t, but it was similar.
“Miss Minjung is going to be a rope bottom,” Pammy said. The blonde pigtails were positively adorable on the early twenty-something young woman.
“Miss Shasti is the rigger today,” Shanice said.