Sister Golden Hair Delight Ch. 26

Chapter 26

Home to a new future

Afternoon, Friday, August 17th

Maria....

Our two SUVs arrived at San Diego International and stopped at the private aircraft terminal and we walked through the terminal out to my Gulfstream. As the Hunter women entered the plane, I could hear the 'oohs' and 'ahhs' as they settled into the plush leather seats of the plane.

Turning toward Michael, I asked, "Michael, are you sure this is what you want? Your mother gave me a list of things that you are to do. Some of them are harsh. Are you going to have a problem with that? There's no turning back once you get on that airplane.

"If you say 'no', I'll understand and help you get back into the Navy. It will hurt but I'd rather be hurt now than later. Tell me."

"Mistress... if you remember, I was attracted to you the moment I saw you. In the time we've been apart, I've been miserable. I couldn't think of anything but being with you... and that's dangerous on an aircraft carrier.

"Yes, we've known each other only a short while but I hope we think alike.

"We both understand what the military is like and we both want and hope for the same things. As long as you care for me as you do right now, we'll be OK... better than OK. We can... we will keep this spark alive, you and I. I love you, Mistress, I really do and will do whatever you want no matter what it might be. I've been taught that men are to serve women and accepted that. It will give me comfort to know that I can serve you.

"I am still surprised at how my entire life has changed in the last few hours. I had once expected to spend the rest of my life caring for my mother and sisters but now things will be different. Instead of trying to please five different women with different desires, I will only have to serve you and Mistress Alessa and for that I am truly grateful."

"All right, Michael, if this is what you really want."

"If you two lovebirds are finished, the pilot says we have to leave now."

"All right, Brianna, we're coming." The sooner I could get him away from these little bitches the better. Their attitude toward their brother had not changed even though he was mine, now. I knew I was going to have to take charge of this little group before they felt they could 'gang up' on me through sheer numbers alone.

After we entered the plane, the co-pilot secured the cabin door.

"Sorry, Colonel, but if we don't leave now it will be a two hour wait... and after flying to San Francisco and back this morning we'd just like to get out of here."

"That's OK, don't worry about it.... I just want to go home."

Turning to my new 'family,' "Make sure you are buckled in correctly, this plane handles like a fighter jet." I shuddered as I remembered my flight to and from the carrier; this was much better.

After waiting for a 737, we lifted off and headed north along the coastline. The Hunter girls had flown a few times but never in such splendor. Their excitement reminded me of Alessa's description of her first flight on the Gulfstream as we both sat in Fiscelli's hospital room one night.

I walked back to sit next to Michael's mother. "Are you all right, Mrs. Hunter? Would you like something to drink, perhaps?"

"Oh, no, dear. We're stuffed from that fabulous steakhouse. And please, if you want, call me 'mom' or... something... we're your family now, for good or bad, I guess."

"You don't know how happy that makes me." Was I being honest or not, especially to myself? I began to relate how my father had treated me like a possession and my mother did nothing to support me.

When I was done, I looked up and saw Michael's sisters looking at me in astonishment. Until now, the military had been my family, strict and unforgiving, but still a family.

They, on the other hand, after the death of their father, had controlled the family's life with their own insane desires.

"Maria, dear, Michael is just who you need. This will work out wonderfully. You won't have to worry about him doing something you don't want."

As much as that sounded interesting and was probably meant to be comforting, I knew that as soon as I could move them away from Michael, Alessa and I were going to try and rehab him to the best of our abilities.

The plane soon began its descent to Point Magu Naval Air Station and once again kissed the ground. The two pilots once again proved their abilities that I had once taken for granted. After the crash in Hawaii, I knew better.

"Thank you, gentlemen, for another safe flight."

"Say, uh... Colonel, any chance of getting an introduction?"

"Slow down, flyboy... let's let these girls get settled before you two coming fooling around. I'm sure they're not the type you're used to." 'That's for sure... probably chew you up and spit you out... and you'd come back looking for more.'

"Well... maybe we want to settle down."

'Not with these ones, you don't. You're both real men. I'm going to have to remember that.' "If you're good boys, then I'll think about it. Knuckleheads!" 'Like I'm going to do that... I like these guys.'

One of the Corporation's vans was waiting for us near the plane. The driver took the Hunters' bags and led the women away.

"Good afternoon, Colonel. Was your visit to San Diego productive?"

I tried to smile for an answer but it seemed hollow and I got into the front seat. A drive along Pacific Coast Highway and up into the coastal mountains... and we arrived.

The size of the complex awed the Hunters. After getting them signed in and arranging identification, I took them up to my floor.

Opening the apartment suite's door, I stood back. "Welcome to my little home."

Brianna, very politely, asked me to pay attention. "Michael, corner."

The former Navy commander took his place kneeling in the corner facing the wall. To me, it seemed ludicrous that a man in uniform would subject himself to such humiliation but the years of constant conditioning by his mother and sisters had done their work on his ego.

"See how that works, Maria. Give him specific commands inside the apartment and he will immediately respond. You need to watch what happens outside these walls, though. You don't want people to wonder what's going on, for his protection as well as yours."

The apartment was tastefully decorated with souvenirs from my trips with Jim and the Corps. Photographs of strange places covered the walls and in several, if you looked hard enough, you could just make out my image in the desert.

"Iraq?" Brianna asked.

"Iran... it's where I met the general." I looked to see three sisters speaking with Michael and became uneasy. "He was qualified as a Marine sniper; so am I. We were out there a little over two months and took out a number of the Al Qaeda leadership in northern Iran. It was the biggest high I ever had."

Brianna moved to several paintings, looking closely at the signatures. "Are these?"

"Yes, they both were gifts from Jim... I was reading a book on Van Gogh and he bought them last Christmas. He... I... he was in love with me but the whole military situation stopped him cold. It was just one of those things we didn't have control over."

"Would you have?"

"Yes, I would have married him but it wasn't meant to be and now I have a new family and someone to care for me." I tried to not make that sound as sarcastic as I meant it.

I turned from Brianna and looked at Michael submissively still facing the wall.

"Let me try this. Michael, come."

He left the corner and knelt at my feet. "Does it bother you that I might have married someone else?"

He was silent for a moment. "Mistress, whatever you wish to do. We're here, now. I love you."

"Michael?"

"Yes, Mistress?"

"Come."

I led him out of my apartment and down the hall to Alessa's where we both now lived. "Michael... He was a real man and respected me. I expect you to do what I want if I'm to ever let you into my bed, understand?"

"Yes, Mistress. I love you, Mistress. I can't seem to say that enough. I love you." He kissed my ankle and put his forehead on the rug.

"Let's this get this straight. No more kneeling on the ground, no more kissing my feet... unless I ask you to.

"Well, let me show you the rest of the place, starting with the bedroom." I grabbed his arm and practically dragged him up and into the room. "This is where I sleep. Do you like it?" I didn't wait for an answer, know full well that it would have been 'yes.'

I took him to the closet. "This is the closet. And in here is the bathroom. There's a spa and everything. I want it ready for me or Mistress Alessa when before we come home

"Do you understand me?"

I spoke so rapidly my words almost stumbled over one another.

I noticed he was blushing. 'Good, if he's blushing, his past is probably as clean as mine... thank God. I'm still getting him tested for HIV, though. Should have thought about that on the carrier.'

"Yes, Mistress. Two o'clock... every day. Thank you."

He seemed pleased at the ease I had in slipping in the role of a dominant which I supposed made him feel secure or something. That fact made me very uneasy and I knew that Alessa and I would have a long road ahead of us trying to bring back his masculinity.

"You stay here, Michael; sit on the couch over there, watch TV. Get something to eat or drink if you get hungry. I'll be back as soon as I can. You must stay here unless I come and get you. Even if your sisters or mother shows up, you are to stay here.

"Michael, when we're outside these rooms act like the man you were in the Navy. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Mistress."

I went back to my own apartment, told the Hunters to watch television and wait for me and went over to my office to see what was going on. Even though I had leave, the intelligence center wasn't like any other environment in the world.

**********

When I returned, I found Michael changing the bed linens in the bedroom Alessa and I shared. I waited for him to finish and then told him how I expected him to act outside of the apartment or when others were present.

We went back to 'my' apartment and found the rest of them waiting as I had instructed.

"Well," I said, "let's look at the rest of this place. Mom, girls, let's go for the ten cent tour. Make sure you have your badges in plain sight."

Leading them through the six different glassed biomes, I pointed out the different plants and animals present. Being a tour guide made me pay closer attention to the things I had taken for granted or never really bothered to look at and I discovered that several of the more exotic plants were doing quite well and reproducing rapidly.

As we passed by the military intelligence wing, the Hunters saw the armed guards and while Michael took it for granted that some would be present somewhere, the women were slightly alarmed but tried to hide it.

"That's the military wing where I work. I can't take you there and Michael will have to reapply for a security clearance if he ends up there although I think Miss Lane will find something on the commercial side. Look at the time! Let's eat, shall we?"

As we entered the nearest cafeteria, several people looked, wondering who the new people were but when they saw me they went back to eating.

"It's all you can eat but Jim had mandatory early morning runs and exercise routines for everyone, otherwise we'd be out of shape in a few days eating all this food. Get whatever you like, Mom, girls. Michael, find a table, please."

He quickly found two tables and pushed them together.

"Get me some food, Michael." I stood waiting for the women to return, my emotions high and my heart beating rapidly. 'I haven't felt like this since the flight to the carrier. I need to calm down or I'm going to embarrass myself.'

Melinda arrived first and sat down with her tray.

"Maria? I must say that I'm very impressed with what you have here. I always thought our coal miner background would keep me from achieving anything more than getting married early and having children who would work in the mines.

"You did all this on your own and have shown me it is possible if you've an education and work hard enough. Thank you."

"Melinda, right? Melinda, what do you want to do with your life? I'm telling you now the military was good for me for a while but no longer. Working here in this complex was an incredible opportunity but it still wears me out, even with all the perks that Jim had given me."

The other sisters arrived and seeing us deep in conversation, moved to the other end of the tables.

"I finished community college and earned an AS in Earth Sciences. I would like to be oceanographer or a marine biologist. I guess Michael being in the Navy had a big influence on me. But with the economy as it is and we don't have too much money so I had to stop there."

"If you could, would you go back?"

"Yes, I would but I don't know if that's possible."

"Why not? What were your grades?"

"All 'As' and some 'Bs' but I don't have the money. I've been working for the last three years just to help pay the rent."

"How about your sisters? Do you think they would want to go to college? I have an idea. Here's what I want you to ask them."

Although Melinda was the second oldest sister and for years been the 'little' Mistress, she immediately recognized my power was so much greater than hers.

Melinda....

I got up and told my sisters to follow me into the hallway.

"She wants to know if we want to go to college... she says she has a plan. Here's our chance. She wants to help us; we're family. Michael... well, we know what Michael is... he loves her, mom likes her and so do I... what about you guys?"

The other three nodded their heads.

"All right, then. I know she is going to take over for Brianna. She just oozes power here. Lizabeth, politely ask her to come out here for a minute. We can talk better out here."

Lizabeth quickly returned with Maria. Maria looked at us expectantly.

"Well, girls... have you thought about it? I can make this happen for you. You'll have to study hard but you all can do it. So... what's the decision?"

"Maria, Mistress Maria..." Brianna said, bowing her head and acknowledging Maria's authority to her three sisters.

"First, Mistress, we appreciate the fact that you feel affection for our brother and believe that you will protect himself from himself. Unlike some people that follow our way of life, we are not jealous of you taking him away from us but rather are happy that we have a new sister.

"Yes, we would deeply appreciate if you could help us get into college but we would love you even if you didn't."

"Fine. I still have another week of leave. I'll make a call and we'll go tomorrow. We'll get some new clothes before we get there. First, I have to get you all something to sleep on."

Maria....

I pulled out my new Blackberry since Michael still had my other one. 'I guess I let him keep that one; I'll just have its functions limited.'

"Sue Anne? Yes, thank you. Could you find some beds for a couple of days? Yes, that's right. For six people... thank you. OK, that takes care of that. I think I should get something to eat, now. I'm so hungry. I didn't eat much at the restaurant."

We went back in just in time to find Michael bringing me a sirloin steak and baked potato. Since we were in public, he reverted to his other personality... a functioning male.

I knew he was anything but. However, I also knew appearances are important.

"I thought you'd like something to eat. Is dinner like this every day, Mistr... Maria?"

I caught his gaffe but was satisfied that he had caught it in time.

"Every day is different. Breakfast and lunch also. Eat too much though and you'll pay for it in the morning. I'm going to call Miss Lane and introduce you all." I whispered into Michael's ear, "Michael, she'll also be your Mistress and I expect you to treat her as such."

I was quickly learning not to ask him anything unless absolutely necessary. It was much better to just tell him what I wanted and expect him to do or have it.

"Alessa? I'd like to bring up Michael's family, when would it be convenient? You'll come down here? You don't have... all right; we're in the Wing 4 cafeteria. Thank you. She's coming down... wow! She's really being nice.

"When she gets here, be very careful with what you say. She controls this entire corporation... and I haven't explained what is happening to her yet.

"Michael, go get something to eat."

Just before a half-hour had passed, Alessa joined us with a tray of her own.

I sadly noticed that she had just a salad and a small piece of steak. 'I'm going to have to talk with her... She's not eating enough again.'

We all stood up. "Miss Lane, may I introduce to you my friend, Michael Hunter? I will speak with you about him later tonight. This is his mother, Mrs. Melissa Hunter and his four sisters, Brianna, Melinda, Lizabeth and Brenda."

Alessa shook everyone's hands. She looked at Michael and told him to be very nice to me, joking that there were plenty of people around with guns. She noticed his reaction... almost that of a cowed dog.

While Alessa picked at her meal, I related almost everything that had happened during the day. I would wait until the privacy of the night to tell her the rest.

When Alessa finished eating, she excused herself and left.

"Before Jim's death she was a very happy woman," I said as if that explained everything.

"I don't understand," said Hunter's mother.

"When the general and I were returning to San Diego, his plane crashed. The engines flamed out. The pilot came down badly bruised but the general's chute didn't open correctly and he came down very hard. From that height and speed, the ocean is almost like cement. He broke several ribs and went into a coma.

"She was his executive assistant, similar to what I did for him with the military. She was sure they were going to get married but the mission came up and like me, he had no choice but to go. Alessa's under an incredible amount of pressure now.

"She and I have to run the company, with everyone's help, of course and she has to deal with the fact that he's gone."

The table was silent. Slowly, we got up and returned to my apartment.

**********

Morning, Saturday, August 18th

The previous evening had turned into a girls' night out. I told Michael's mother to use my old bedroom with the king size bed. I had left Michael in Alessa's apartment for his own good and told him to use the guest room. Throughout my apartment, air mattresses and bedding had been set up. During the night, I had learned more about Michael than I had during the three weeks we had known each other.

I finally could understand how Alessa could fall in love with Jim so quickly. By the time I called an end to the evening I knew I was accepted as the dominant mistress by the young women and as a friend and sister.

However, the morning as usual came early and although I didn't participate this time with the communal run into the mountains, I showed the family what it was like to live there.

I turned Mike over to one of Mary Tybal's assistants to start his employment paperwork.

By eight in the morning, we had eaten and were on our way to the university. During the evening, we had discussed their interests, with Melinda to study for a Biology degree, Lizabeth wanted to study Pre-Law, and Brianna and Brenda deciding to study chemistry and business administration, respectively.

Stopping in nearby Santa Monica, I bought the sisters and the mother conservative business suits. For the morning's interview, however, I chose to wear my service uniform with every medal shining.

We reached the university with time to spare for the ten o'clock appointment.

"Mrs. Hunter, girls, wait for me while I talk to the dean." She had wanted me to call her 'mother' or 'mom' or something like that but under the circumstances I not only felt it would be accepting what they had done to Michael but also somehow a sign of weakness.