A Tennessee Education Pt. 02

"Where are you going?" He asked.

She was just slipping into her jeans when she answered. "I need to be at work in the morning. I'm going home to get some sleep."

"Stay!" he pleaded.

"Bobby, you are too easy. One fuck and now you want me to stay?" She laughed. "Too bad you had to go to that game. That could have been our tenth fuck of the night but I guess the game was more important." She smiled an in-your-face smirk.

"C'mon. Stay."

"Not tonight big guy; maybe another time."

She kissed him goodbye, squeezed his limp cock and headed out the door.

On her way home she thought about the brief interlude. She had played her cards perfectly, beginning with the picture of her standing seductively in the nude. Other guys had told her how hot that pic was and she had saved it knowing she'd need it in the future. She looked forward to seeing him earlier and even though he kept telling her he couldn't because of the game her texting all night long had paid off. On the way home they had texted for more than an hour and by then she was so horny she had to have him tonight. She saved the best of his comments, the ones in which he said how much he cared for her, how pretty she was and how much he loved Flipper. That one made her smile knowing he was referring to her tattooed breast. She slipped out of her clothes and fell asleep almost immediately after crawling into her own lonely bed. Once more she could rest contentedly knowing that out there was a man that cared for her.

...

"Holy Shit! Holy Shit! Holy Shit!" Bobby yelled from inside his car. Checking the time it said 8:02 and he was still at least 45 minutes from work. He couldn't believe he had overslept. He swore he had set the phone alarm but somehow either he hadn't heard it or it had never gone off. Sharon was going to be upset for sure. Hopefully Mr. Williams' wouldn't hear of his tardiness. He needed this job. This gig might be the turning point to his career as an educational consultant if this school could make strides in the right direction academically. He knew it would take a ton of work to get to that point but if things went as well as he hoped, and if word got out, he anticipated he'd be a sought after commodity and could spend the rest of his career, demanding six figure numbers, working with one delinquent educational system after another. After all, it wasn't like the area wasn't full of schools in trouble.

But he needed to smooth things out with Sharon as soon as he arrived. He hoped she'd understand and, he rationalized, he'd only be an hour late; maybe not even that if the traffic wasn't bad. She was the key. Yea there was Ms. K but in truth, it was Sharon that he needed to schmooze. She was the one that worked for the state and she was the one that would be his ticket to success. She carried the weight of the State of Tennessee and would be the one touting just how competent this guy from the little country town in Randolf was.

That was his dream but that was a dream for another day. Right now he needed to figure how he was going to explain the bloodshot eyes, and the late arrival to Miss 1950. Most likely she'd show up in one of those handmade cotton dresses of hers that she always seemed to wear. "Why didn't the woman ever dress in something that revealed a little skin and let him see whether or not she had as tight an ass as he thought she might?"

It was almost 9 when he found a place to park. Hurrying into the school he scanned the lobby, then the main office area before heading to the conference room. When he couldn't find her he walked to the end of the hall and started peering into classrooms, beginning with Room 1202. Twenty minutes later he sent her a text.

"Dam, I didn't want this to happen. She is not going to be pleased," he said to himself.

He waited ten minutes. No text came. Seeing no other option Bobby returned to the lobby and entered the administrative office area.

"Have you seen Sharon today Mariko, I can't locate her."

The woman continued to type without acknowledging the man had ever asked a question.

"Excuse me, Mariko," he said a little louder, "have you seen Sharon today?"

Mariko stopped what she was doing and stood and walked around the desk. She strode straight past him, almost brushing against his body. She reached the door and closed it. Returning to her seat she left standing Bobby frozen in his tracks. She sat and stared up at him saying nothing for the longest time. Her beautiful eyes bore into him and despite her beauty her presence unnerved and even frightened him. He stood looking at her, his eyes moving from her to the floor and back again. He could not maintain eye contact without feeling awkwardly intimidated.

He could take the silence no more. "Is something wrong?" He finally said.

"I don't know why I am even bothering with you."

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean is I don't know why I'm taking time away from my day when this is probably your last day with us."

Bobby's brow furrowed. "What are you talking about?"

"I can't believe you can act so clueless to something you obviously know quite well."

"Mariko, what the hell are you talking about?"

"Mariko stood and jammed two fingers into his chest, "Don't you ever call me Mariko again," she said poking him with every syllable that she enunciated.

The effect was immediate and Bobby cowered, "I - I'm sorry Ms. K. Forgive me."

"I don't forgive you. Do you know what I think of you?"

"No. But I don't think I want to know either."

"You probably don't but let's cut to the chase. Today you arrived what, one hour late?" She didn't wait for him to respond. "And yesterday you left almost two hours early. I don't call those decisions responsible. I call them immature and irresponsible. Last week you disrespected me when I called you to my office but you felt as if your time was more important than mine. During the past week and a half I have noticed as you've made less than flattering comments towards Ms. Ashby's dress and manner. Yesterday at lunch you stared at that waitress as if you were trying to visually undress her. You capped things off by leaving work and damaging another car and leaving the scene without reporting it to campus security. And you think you have the right to prance in here and call me Mariko and ask where Sharon is and act as if you've done nothing wrong?

"I - I"

She held up her hand to silence him. "I don't want to hear even one excuse because you don't have any. You don't have an excuse for deliberately showing up late or leaving early. You don't have an excuse for making a deliberate choice to gawk at that waitress. You don't have an excuse for driving off after you hit that car. You don't have an excuse for making the choice to put everyone else second to you. And it is for that reason that you will most likely get a call this afternoon from downtown to inform you that you will be relieved of your duties."

Bobby took a deep breath and stared upward. "Ms. K, please." His voice oozing with worry.

"Please? What in the hell are you pleasing me about?" Her anger was apparent but controlled.

"I need this job. Most of the things I did were stupid on my part. I admit that and leaving without reporting that accident was really dumb. Please," he begged. "I need this job."

"What you need is to grow up. What you need is to not think of yourself first all the time. What you need is to be properly trained."

"What I need is to keep my job," he said once more. "Can't we clean the slate and start over? I won't screw up anymore. Really I won't."

"Mr. Lewis. Do you know who Beverly Caldwell is?"

"Yes, I met her last week. She is one of the women that work downtown."

"To be more precise she is the administrative assistant to the Superintendent of Schools." Mariko added.

"OK."

"You hit her daughter's car."

"Oh shit!" He blurted.

"There you go again," she yelled, "unable to control your tongue and emotions."

"Sorry."

"I ought to kick you out of here right now. I'm so sick of dealing with the likes of you! You try my patience Mr. Lewis!"

"I am sorry Ma'am."

Mariko shook her head slowly trying to maintain her composure. "Ms. Caldwell is not happy with what happened. She doesn't know that we have a clear video feed of the accident but she'll see it soon enough. What's more, the car only has liability insurance on it and that won't cover the cost of repair."

"I'll pay for it," he blurted.

"Dam right you will."

Ms. K if she sees that video my goose is cooked. Who has the film?"

"I have the film. Well, Mr. Williams and I have the film."

"Ms. K, please; please, I need your help. I don't know why I keep screwing up but the fact is I need to stop. I want to stop. It's just hard sometimes."

"Most men have that problem."

"Say what?"

"I said most men have that problem. They're two dam impulsive and their egos are too big."

"Please don't let Ms. Caldwell know about the video. Just let me offer to pay for it instead."

"Mr. Lewis," Mariko said standing and walking around to him, "you are at a cross roads. You need to make some decisions."

"What decisions?"

"A decision to change; a decision to grow up; a decision to become a man and not a pervert; a decision to respect rather than continue to look at women only as the eye-candy you see them as now; a decision to humble your dam pride and put others ahead of you. You have issues and those issues are going to cost you your job."

"Please Ms. K. Please. I need this job. This is my first big break since I started working as a consultant. Don't be the one that causes me to lose this."

"Me," she said astonished. "Me, be the one that makes you lose this job? You amaze me. You just don't get it. Do you?"

She held the door open and motioned for him to leave. "Go do your work."

For the remainder of the day he sat in English class evaluating the educational process. He took notes and wrote down ideas and made comments for a report he'd write up later. Mostly his mind drifted to what Ms. K had said and about the myriad of blunders he had made during the past week. This was not a new pattern. It was how he functioned for as long as he could remember. In his past when he use to teach and later as an administrator he was able to brush those blunders aside. When he taught he was the one in control of the students and when he became an administrator he still had the upper hand on the teachers which served as his underlings. He knew he had screwed up and probably crossed a line with Ms. K and Sharon and he had to somehow make reparations tactfully. He found himself standing and politely excused himself from class and walked down to the main office an hour after being confronted by Ms. K.

"Could you phone Ms. K and see if she is free to talk?" He asked the office secretary.

"One moment please, Mr. Lewis."

He sat and twenty minutes later the secretary informed him she would see him.

"Close the door." She said. "How can I help you?"

"He pulled out a blank check he had signed and handed it to Ms. K. Please give this to Ms. Caldwell and tell her I'm sorry."

Mariko looked at the check and handed it back, "You give it to her. You know where she works."

"I really need this job Ms. K. I really do."

"And I really need a house servant."

"What?"

"You need a job. I need a house servant." She gazed intently at him. "You need a job," she repeated, "and I need a servant."

"Are you blackmailing me?"

"Not at all Mr. Lewis, I'm just letting you know what I need. Why don't you take a drive downtown and talk to Ms. Caldwell."

Resignedly he turned to leave. "Leave the door open when you go."

It was sometime after 4pm when he arrived at the Superintendent's office. He stood outside the office on shaky legs afraid of what might happen next. Walking in, Ms. Caldwell greeted him politely and they exchanged pleasantries. When he next brought up the incident in the parking lot her smile vanished but Bobby continued to speak, explaining the accident, his hurry to leave and how foolish that decision had been. He handed her $1,500, all in 50's and told her once more how sorry he was and that if the cost was more that he would pay her immediately. She took the money and quietly thanked him.

He left feeling somewhat better. The video feed still loomed and then there was the unapproved liberties he took with clocking out early and arriving late but at least he had made a valiant effort with Ms. Caldwell and the damaged vehicle. Fifteen minutes later he drove up the onramp and headed onto the interstate. Ten minutes after heading south on the highway his phone chimed. It was a text from Ms. K.

"If you want to remain employed: 2034 West Maple Ave, Sweet Gum, TN"

He read the message and pulled the car to the side of the road. He called her but there was no answer. He called again. No answer. He called a third time; still no answer.

An hour later he rang the doorbell. His phone chimed.

The text read: "Enter. Kneel on the rug; head touching the floor; shoes and socks off."

"What the fuck," he said to himself. He opened the door and walked in. The house was a modest two-story, three-bedroom home in a quiet neighborhood with mature oak, maples and elms. The inside was a reflection of her office: simple, elegant and orderly. He slipped out of his shoes and socks and apprehensively knelt placing his head on the throw rug that protected the polished hardwood beneath and waited.

"I didn't think you would come." He started to raise his head but felt a shoe against the back of his head pushing him back against the rug. "I instructed you to kneel. I didn't instruct you to do anything else."

She removed her foot and moved to a chair where she sat quietly. She let him wait and when she was satisfied she had his full attention she spoke.

"If this is going to work, it's only going to work on my terms." She was quiet once more.

Bobby thought, "OK lady, spit it out." But she didn't. She just let him wait, and wait, and wait. He hadn't noticed that she had left the room and returned some minutes later. He could hear china clinking.

Mariko sat sipping tea. When she was through she spoke, "Here are my terms. You accept all of them or none. I do not negotiate. After you've heard my terms make your choice, if you choose not to accept them, leave. If you choose to accept them remove all of your clothes and come up to my bedroom and bow facing the foot of the bed."

Bobby listened. Her words were clear, direct and completely out of the question as far as he was concerned. There was no way he was going to undress and kneel. No way. But something compelled him to wait and hear her out. The woman, he was learning, was a sociopath, a real nutcase. When she next spoke he realized she was standing immediately before him.

"Number one: you will get your clothing and toiletries from your apartment tomorrow and pack them in your trunk. Whatever doesn't fit in the trunk stays. Tell your parents you are moving closer to work."

"Number two: you will become my servant. You will obey me. You will not question me. You will not speak unless I motion for you to do so. In essence you become mine. For all intents and purposes, since you will obey only me, I will own you."

"Those are my rules, clear and simple. Number one, you are to move here and number two you are to obey me. I will leave you to your thoughts. You may go at any time if you wish but if you do, never come back, not even to work. If you agree to my terms, remain here until the clock strikes 7pm. I want you to think long and hard about your decision before you make it."

She walked away. He could hear her heading up the stairs.

...

He trudged up for what seemed the five hundredth time. The heavy weight making each step exhausting and painful. Sweat ran down his face, chest and back. "How many times had he lumbered up these tonight?" He thought.

Rebecca sat quietly enjoying a drink while watching him. There was something really nice about watching him work so hard just because she told him so. The simple task she had given him earlier seemed innocent enough, "Walk from here to here until I tell you to stop, and by the way, this is for you. Don't let it touch the floor."

That was over two hours ago and Nick's pace had slowed steadily. Not only did he walk more deliberately; the strain of the weight was taking its toll on his body. Rebecca wondered if it was harder on him physically or emotionally. She smiled pleasantly knowing it really wasn't her concern. The spare tire she had given him to carry was bulky and awkward but not overly heavy. She rationalized it couldn't weigh that much, but she had found it enjoyable to watch him walk the fourteen steps to the second floor and back. Each trek was different than the one before. Early on he carried the tire easily grabbing it by the rim's center. Then he started holding it with both hands, then he hoisted it onto his shoulder, later it rested on his back carrying it piggy-back style. Most recently he had rested the wheel on his thigh and walked leading only with his right leg which absorbed the weight of the wheel.

This was not a punishment and Nick knew it. It was reinforcement. It was a reminder. It was in essence a refresher class, one he had failed many more times than passed. This was year nine of his education and at the tender age of 48 he wondered how many more years of 'education' there would be. Wasn't this enough? Wasn't she satisfied? Did she doubt his level of commitment? He didn't; at least he didn't anymore. He loved her and he would do anything for her - anything.

Thirty minutes later she rose and glanced up as he prepared for yet one more descent to the first floor. "Put the tire away honey, and go make me dinner."

"Yes Ma'am." He said with a tired voice.

He was indeed exhausted. She could see that. His body was a mass of red scrapes and small abrasions from where the metal edge of the rim and sharp end of the inflation stem had raked across skin. More significant than the marks that would heal within a few days was the look. It was a look that lacked emotion. His eyes were vacant sockets. His body indicating the price it had paid for obeying. Standing some 12 stairs above her she looked at his naked body. He belonged to her. He was a mass of sweat but he was all hers. He was more than 'just hers''; he was her slave and it felt so good to see him. The fact that he would do, and had done so many meaningless tasks, dropping whatever he was doing, and obeying without the slightest hint of resistance confirmed his status. The transformation of these past several years on him was nothing less than miraculous and she vowed to never go back again. She couldn't go back; or more precisely, wouldn't. She wondered if he even had the capacity to revert. She didn't think so. She smiled and turned away.

...

Mariko received the call just after 8 pm. She listened with compassion for a few minutes before inviting her over. Twenty minutes later an emotionally drained Sharon Ashby stood on her porch and rang the bell. Mariko invited her in and they immediately embraced.

"Come, sit," she said extending a hand and offering her the loveseat in the sitting room. On the table between them was an assortment of mints, chocolates and nuts.

"I'm going to have a cup of tea. What can I get you? I have everything."

"Tea would be fine."

When Mariko returned she listened to Sharon tell her story picking up with her early departure from school and then having the sudden idea to visit Jonathan when she couldn't reach him my phone. Mariko listened; interrupting her only a few times for the next forty minutes while she bore her soul that had been so badly damaged a few days earlier. She withheld nothing, even telling her what positions the two made love, the things he said, and the debriefing she had with the woman in the cab. When she was through Mariko sat silently for some time.