A Lady in the Streets Ch. 07

It was so unexpected that it took her a few moments before she let go of the poor girl's throat. Grace let out a little choking sound as she pulled away. The young receptionist was still bound to her chair. There was a consistent ticking sound behind her that seemed somewhat familiar, but that was the least of the things she was confused about.

"I... what the hell is going on here?" said Mia.

"I know this is probably really confusing Mia, and I'm so sorry but I can't really explain."

"You can't explain?"

"No. Doctor Stewart can explain, but he's in danger and I can't let him down!"

"What?"

"It's... it's Isabella. She's um," said Grace, who then simply tapered off without finishing.

"She's what?" said Mia. She hadn't really seen a lot of Isabella recently. She'd been keeping to herself more, although she was still a complete slob around the house.

"Um, she's causing a lot of problems for Doctor Stewart. You want to be helpful to Doctor Stewart, right? You trust Doctor Stewart, don't you?"

"Oh yes, I trust Doctor Stewart," she replied. It was true, one of the truest things she could think of. She wanted to be helpful. That was one of her favourite things to be. "I want to be helpful. What can I do?"

"First of all, I'm going to need you to untie me here."

All of this fetish gear was making her deeply uncomfortable, but Mia was just glad she could be helpful. She unfastened the ropes and opened the clasps.

"I'll just give you a moment," Mia said as she averted her eyes from the increasingly exposed Grace. "Are your clothes around here somewhere?"

"Yes, but we don't have time for that," she said. "We have to warn Doctor Stewart, ok? Do you have your phone on you?"

"Uhh..." she said, patting her clothes down to check for pockets, knowing it was almost certainly in vain. "Oh my god what the hell am I wearing?"

She looked down at herself for the first time since coming to, and was appalled. Her cleavage was spilling out of a leather corset, barely covered by a matching black lace bra straight out the aisle she'd blush at and try to walk past in a store. She had leather boots and fishnet stockings on. "I look like a slut! Oh my god, oh my god!"

"Please, calm down! You want to be helpful, Mia, you want to be helpful for Doctor Stewart," said Grace.

"Oh... yes, yes I do," Mia said, trying to take deep breaths.

It wasn't in that room. Grace led her out the door and into the corridor very slowly.

"If you see anybody, just try to stay calm, ok?"

"I'll try," she said. She was determined to be helpful. "But I still just don't get what's happening. Who's down here?"

"There's a few people that we might see on the way out. There's Madame Barkley, and- oh shit. Follow my lead," said Grace. There were voices nearby. Grace positioned herself in front of Mia and placed Mia's hand on her shoulder.

Two brunette women emerged from the stair well they'd been heading towards. They were adorned with matching elegant dresses, and had their hair and makeup done in the same style. Doctor Stewart would find them pretty, said the part of her brain that kept an eye out for potential referrals. As they drew closer, she wondered if they were actually twins or just made to seem that way. Mia straightened her back and tried to put on a brave face, but inwardly she was terrified.

"The Doctor is going to be here any minute," said the woman on the left, whose face was beaming with joy.

"I see things went well with Grace," said the woman on the right, seeming no less pleased. "I'm like, so happy, I was worried she was going to hold out. It's so much better this way."

Mia smiled weakly at the women. She didn't know what to say.

"I understand now," said Grace. "We have to work as one." She turned to face Mia. "Thank you for explaining everything to me."

"Y-You're welcome," she said. If Doctor Stewart was coming here, then maybe he could give her some answers. "I'm looking forward seeing Doctor Stewart. He's such a kind man. I trust Doctor Stewart," she said.

The others all chimed in together.

"I trust Doctor Stewart," they said.

The two women shifted. They looked pained, suddenly.

"I trust... No... I..."

"Don't worry about it," said Grace, letting out a little laugh. "We need to hurry up to meet him," she said.

"No, something's wrong," said the woman on the left.

"Yeah, this isn't right," said the woman on the right.

"No no, everything's fine, you two. Look at me. A bird in the hand is worth two in the sack," she said. Mia could see her cringe as the words left her lips.

"A... bird... no," said the woman on the left.

"No!" said the woman on the right. "We were warned about this."

The woman on the left launched herself at Grace, who was wholly unprepared. The woman on the right looked Mia straight in the eyes.

"I'm looking for a lady in the streets."