Erasing Caitlin

Chapter I

Sky annoyed me the first time we met.

She just... annoyed me.

At a co-workers wedding reception at a dining hall on the outskirts of downtown Chicago (a co-workers wedding reception that I really did NOT want to attend) I had escaped to a sheltered veranda that overlooked Lake Michigan in the distance. The view was breathtaking and timeless, and with the band and the conversations muted by distance and closed doors, I had come here to decipher my plan to slip away without being seen.

I had a stomach ache. I had a headache. Something in the food didn't sit right with me. I had to get up in the morning. My condo was on fire. An old friend was coming in from out of town. Regardless, I didn't want to be there anymore and I really didn't want to spend a half hour saying good-byes. I would leave quietly and deal with the fallout another time.

But the view - a fat gray moon shining down on glistening black water – was spectacular. And I stayed to admire it just a little too long.

I work at a legal firm that specializes in hammering people who commit insurance fraud on a major scale. We don't worry about the little guy who hurts his back and then does yard work while milking a little off the system. We focus on the major players – those who buy turn-over houses for $15,000 and then finagle inspectors, commissioners and builders to write up valued estimates five times that amount. I'm not a very outgoing or forceful person by nature, but I can really work a courtroom to beat down an opponent. Most of the cases I take are settled without ever seeing a courtroom, and that's a good thing for those I go after.

Yep, I'm that good.

But I have my little taboo interests and my secret little fantasies. We all do, right? In the darkness of my room at night, armed with nothing but my thoughts and my fingers and my toys, I have my weaknesses. But reality shines harshly in daylight, and the shadows keep a lot of secrets.

Boy, do they keep secrets.

So I was standing on that veranda in heels and a black evening gown, one that fell about my form elegantly and turned heads, but without being inappropriate. I would never stand for that. I know I look good – perhaps really good- but a wedding is a day for the bride, not a guest. I thought I looked professional and elegant, yet conservative.

"I hope you weren't planning on keeping this view all to yourself," the voice said.

She slid up to the railing next to me and joined my gaze out to the far-off Great Lake. I didn't look at her directly, but cast a quick glance out of the corner of my eye to at least see who was speaking to me – clearly someone I did not know. She wore black slacks – tight, form-fitting slacks that could have passed for leather at first glance – that accentuated her curves. The slacks were tucked into knee high black leather boots – gestapo style. She wore a beige, sleeveless turtleneck sweater and her skin was almost alabaster white.

And she had pink hair.

Short, almost spiky, pink hair...

When I caught sight of her, of her hair and the way it clashed with her pale skin, she grinned, and the smile was mischievous and intelligent and wonderfully engrossing. I found myself drawn to her at once – at ease. And this was a strange reaction for me because I usually disdained meeting new people and I trusted hardly anyone, especially upon first meeting them.

"Breast cancer," she said.

"I'm sorry...?" I asked her. Did she just tell me she had breast cancer? Or was she asking me if I did? "You...?"

"My hair," she said, pointing a finger at herself. "It's died pink for breast cancer. I'm a kindergarten teacher and the school raised money for breast cancer awareness. My class did a bake sale and I said if we led the school in sold baked goods I'd die my hair pink. We won, so tad da..."

"Oh... it's quite... it looks good..."

"I'm Sky," she said.

Although a bit put off at having to engage when I'd come out here to be alone, I didn't want to be rude.

"I'm Caitlin," I told her. "Caitlin Drummond."

The woman's smile was warm and inviting, strangely engaging almost, as if she were boring into my head. There was a slight squint around her eyes and... I did feel something. It's hard to explain – hard to decipher with words – but when I did look over at her, when I turned and really looked at her – she was leaning against the railing and studying me so intently I wanted to look away. I felt my cheeks flush with a strange warmth that I did not like nor did I recognize. Or maybe I DID recognize it, and THAT'S why I didn't like it. Because as I stood there with my hands on the railing, just her and I in the dim light backdrop lighting of the hall, that flush was something I only experienced in my most private moments – when it was only me.

Yet she was burrowing deeper into my head – God, I could feel it – and she was pulling the thoughts to the surface. It was the strangest, most bizarre sensation I'd ever experienced. All I can compare it too is having something inside me, something hidden and locked away, pried loose despite my inhibitions.

I tried to look away...

"No, no, no, little one..." She said very softly, very pointedly. "Don't move. Let me in..." Her eyes were shades of green and blue, and I stared into them, feeling her moving around in my head. My spine tingled and goose bumps raced up and down my skin. It was so inexplicably odd, and terribly intoxicating. I'd had one glass of wine, that's it, so I knew it wasn't alcohol. It was her... I sort of wobbled there, my eyes shrinking half closed, and we just stood a few feet apart and staring at each other. Jesus pull back! You're a lawyer for God's sakes! This little creepy sex pot is devouring you right now! And I tried to move – I did. I tried to turn away or to speak or laugh or break eye contact, but I couldn't.

I

Could

Not

Each time I squirmed she held my gaze.

"Just relax, little one," she said in that strange, sing-song voice. "Let me poke around in there."

And she did... Jesus, she did. I was able to manage only a sort of lilting smile and a very soft 'okay' like it was the most normal thing in the world for a girl half my age to be invading my head. If someone watched us, they would see two – perhaps friends – leaning against a railing and sort of staring at each other, although my eyelids were half closed.

And then I felt her tendrils or whatever they were just sort of slither back out. Pop! And she was out. I leaned against the railing and only now realized I'd been holding my breath.

"I'm not a lesbian," I blurted out.

But she merely smiled.

"Is that what you think this is about? You being gay...? Or ME being gay...?" She swayed on the heel of a boot while she spoke and the move was strangely erotic. "This isn't that simple, Megan. This is... a bit more complicated than that. My goal is to make you simple, but... No, I've been watching you all night."

"Y-you have...?" I managed.

"Yes, I have," she said. "You have a glow about you that screams your submissiveness. One just has to recognize it."

"I am NOT submissive," I said, and I was happy to find that my voice was assertive and strong. There you go, girl! "I am anything BUT submissive..."

"You are whatever I say you are," she said evenly, and my resolve just sort of slammed into a wall as she spoke. I stared at her, in what I hoped was my most stern and forceful courtroom stare. But she stared back. She stared back with eyes that again seemed far more knowledgeable than I thought perhaps they should. She was meeting my challenge, and defeating me.

"Do not try to stare me down," she said in a very calm, very confident voice. "And don't play games with me, little one. I've seen what's inside you. I've seen what makes those cheeks blush." I was being scolded and the world was spinning around me. This strange young woman with the pink hair was scolding me like a damn child, and I was doing nothing to stop it.

After a few minutes of her staring at me, and my eyes cast down at her boots, unable to meet that stare, she spoke again.

"Do you know of a little Italian restaurant on Gateway called 'Le Blache?" I blinked but her words sunk in. I DID recognize the place. I managed a nod. "Talk little one."

"Yes, I... I know it..."

"Good girl. You will meet me there tomorrow night at 7:00 sharp for dinner. Do not be late. I suspect you will wear a skirt, something modest."

"B-but I have plans..."

"And you will cancel them, won't you?"

God, she was digging into me. What the hell was happening? Why didn't I cuss her out and storm out of there? Slowly I lifted my head – agonizingly slow – until my eyes met hers, and when they did I was just sort of swept away. My stomach swooned like it had the first time I'd kissed a boy when I was twelve years old. My God, butterflies!

"There's my girl," she said with that smile. "You will cancel your plans and meet me for dinner, won't you?"

I opened my mouth to defy her, but nothing came out.

Finally, with all of the courage and self-will I could summon, I managed "I will not... I have plans..." It came out in a strained gasp.

"Caitlin honey, listen to me," she said evenly. "You will cancel your plans and meet me for dinner."

I stared at her – hard. I steeled my jaw and grinded my teeth – if she wanted a stare down, I'd give her one! I could feel my nostrils flaring as we fought –as our wills fought! – out here.

She was not fazed.

"Do NOT attempt to stare me down, Caitlin," she said. "Do not attempt to overpower me or challenge me."

She said it with such force, such sheer, unbridled confidence, that it sent chills up and down my spine. I swallowed, the first break in the chain, and then I looked down.

"Good girl," she said softly. "Obedience will be rewarded, sweetheart. Although if you attempt to challenge me again, your punishment will be harsh. Do you understand?"

Very slowly, I nodded.

"So, you will cancel your plans for tomorrow and meet me for dinner, yes?"

I could only, half-heartedly, nod: "Yes... Of course..."

"Good – now why don't you go back inside now? I have friends to speak with."

But I couldn't move.

MOVE!

But I couldn't... Instead I sort of smiled and looked down again. My damn feet were glued to the floor. AHHHH! I wanted to scream but all I did was stand there like an idiot – like a helpless child.

"Caitlin, do you wish to show me something?" She asked.

I tried to shake my head – maybe I did a little. My fingers trembled and my heart raced, raced, raced in my chest. My cheeks were so warm I thought I was now running a fever. I know I had begun to sweat.

"You do, don't you?" She asked in that tepid, elegant voice.

God, I tried to shake my head! I tried to stammer and stutter a 'no,' but I couldn't. I just stood there – rooted in place.

"You want to show me what's under that dress, don't you, dear one?" She said, studying me, enjoying this torment.

No, I don'! I DO NOT!!! A part of my mind screamed and raged against this, but my body resisted. She was somehow infecting my thoughts and I didn't seem able to turn away. Why didn't someone come out here to interrupt? Why didn't someone come to check on me?

"Go ahead, little one," she said in that silky, smooth voice. "Show me what you have."

I shook my head, but was blushing furiously. I tried to look back into the hall but couldn't look away from her – from that perfectly mischievous smile. My fingers trembled and went down my thighs to the hem of my dress and I took hold of it.

"That's right," she grinned. "No one's watching, precious. Show me."

I looked out towards the distant lake but she pulled me back in. "Look at me, honey..." And I did. Reeled back in like a fish on a line, I lost myself in those eyes and up it came, the hem of my dress, little by little, crimpled along by my trembling fingers.

"That's right – be my good girl," she cooed, holding me with those eyes.

I looked down at my hands – hands that were not my own – as they lifted the dress, revealing my thighs, higher and higher, until the black silk of my panties came into view. Higher and higher yet, up, revealing the silk of those panties that covered my trimmed mound, the tiny black thong I'd chosen to wear. She lowered her eyes from mine, apparently convinced I was beyond resisting now, and stared at me down there.

"Oh honey, you look amazing," she said. "Very, very pretty... Such a precious, precious girl..."

But I was a woman! I was a woman twice her age!

She made a twirling gesture with her finger and I knew she wanted me to turn around, which I did, revealing to her the roundness of my butt (which I knew was my best feature) and the tiny string of the thong where it settled between my cheeks. To my shock and shame, I wiggled my hips at her, and she giggled.

I turned all the way around, still holding my dress up to my hips and staring down at myself.

"You have an amazing body," she said. "I look forward to exploring it."

Then she leaned forward and kissed me on the cheek – her lips warm and wet.

"Thank you, dear one," she said. "You can let it back down now. I enjoyed seeing you." I did so, my dress falling back into place. "Dinner tomorrow night, yes?" I only managed a nod.

Her finger tips brushed my arm as she stepped around me and walked back into the hall, leaving me gasping and panting on the veranda, ashamed and humiliated at what had just happened. But also something more.

I was so turned on, so impossibly turned on, that I couldn't believe it. My forehead was flushed, not from humiliation, but from an erotic energy so overwhelming I doubted my ability to go back inside. I laughed then, an 'I can't believe that just happened' laugh - that felt damn good. Then I went back inside to find a restroom where I could splash some cold water on my face.

**********

Chapter II

What the heck kind of a name was Sky?

I thought about this – I mean I really thought about it – as I showered and prepped myself for this dinner date. And it was strange, too, that once the decision was made to meet her at seven, there was no backing out. I was on one hand embarrassed by my inability to stick up for myself, but on the other hand wonderfully and strangely excited. After breaking my plans for the night I was overwhelmed with a sense of unnatural calm, as if this was as things were supposed to be. And I was prepping myself like this was the biggest and most eagerly anticipated date of my life.

What was this young woman's secret? How had she managed to...? My first thought, as I slid into a white satin bra and matching thong, was that I would show up for this dinner and take control of the situation. I don't know what the hell had happened at the wedding – maybe a strange reaction to the wine – but it sure as hell wasn't happening again. I wore a cute little light green dress/skirt and sandals, My hair was up and pinned into a tail and I thought I looked cute, but conservative – certainly capable of handling this woman half my age.

So I dressed as I did, feeling good about myself and about getting this situation back under control, and I arrived at the restaurant right on time – five minutes to seven.

Sky was already there, seated in a booth in a shadowed and private area of the restaurant. She wore similar black pants and boots as before, but a white, button down blouse. That pink hair shined and reflected the candelight and when I approached the table she smiled comfortably. There was nothing menacing or suspicious about it.

"Hey there," she said as I slid into the seat opposite her.

For some reason I thought she'd be angry or stern or at least stand offish, but she seemed legitimately happy to see me, which through for a bit of a loop. We ordered a glass of wine (her white, mine red) and spent a few minutes talking about the wedding and about some students in her class whose parents were giving her some problems. When she asked about my job, she seemed interested and engaged with each piece of information I shared. I was caught terribly off guard.

I told myself that in ten seconds I would talk to her about what had happened. Ten became twenty which became thirty... Finally, summoning my resolve, I put my napkin on my plate and looked across the table at her. She noticed my change, and raised her eye brows.

"Yes...?" She asked.

"Sky, I want to talk to you about the other evening," I said.

"Okay..."

"First off, I don't understand what got into me the other night at the reception," I said. "I don't... I don't act like that... What I did with my dress, I mean. I'm terribly confused by it and don't understand. I can only assume the wine didn't sit well with me or mixed with some aspirin I'd taken earlier. I've tried to make sense of it, but..."

"You lifted your dress because you wanted me to see you, Caitlin," Sky said simply, and her voice carried that even, strong tone again. I blinked as I looked across at her, surprised to find myself flustered again. Jesus, what the hell is happening to me? I blinked, obviously a sudden shock to my system that again bottomed out my stomach. And yet strangely, as she looked across the table at me, I felt a terribly unwanted tingle between my legs. Oh my God, no! This does NOT turn me on! "You behaved in that manner because somewhere deep down inside you in that little dark area you don't want to admit is there, you wanted to." She grinned, that cunning look again, and folded her arms on the table top. "I have this magical ability to sort of sneak a glimpse at people's darkest secrets, Caitlin. And I saw yours."

"No..." I said softly, shaking my head.

"Yes honey," she pressed. "I know what it is you really desire. And I'm going to give it to you. I'm going to take you there."

I kept shaking my head, almost like a child – nonononono.

This only seemed to make her happier. She relished my struggle. I thought of being in court, I thought of my condo, my car, my bills, my friends... I thought of standing up for myself...

"You lifted your dress to show me your body, and I approve of it," Sky continued, her eyes sparkling. "And you wanted to do that, just like you want to show me your breasts right now."

"No!" I hissed, but when I did I felt a sharp pain in my temple, like the bursting of a blood vessel. "Please, Sky..."

"Oh stop fighting it, Caitlin," she said. "It just makes it harder. Although I DO enjoy the struggle." She inched a bit closed on the table. "Now, do you have something to show me?"

"No no no," I shook my head, but my body screamed in defiance. But maybe I do! Oh, maybe if I did she'd be happy with me and smile and that would be amazing, wouldn't it? Wouldn't it be amazing to make her happy? To just give in and do it? To OBEY...?

"Caitlin, look at me," she said.

This woman, so much younger than me, devouring me...

Slowly, painstakingly, I lifted my eyes to meet hers.

"I know you're scared," she said. "It's okay... I really had to reach deep inside you to pull this out. It's what is best for you, Caitlin – I know. Let me turn you on to a world you haven't even dreamed of." She smiled, and the kind, gentle smile was back. "So, do you have something you want to show me?"

I swallowed and shrugged and shook my head and looked around and waited...

And then, against every fucking inclination of my being – I nodded very slowly.

"Someone will see," I whispered.

"It's fine," Sky said. "I know the owner and that's why we're back here. It's safe. Go ahead."

Don't you do it!!

But I did – my God I did! I certainly struggled with it, but each time I thought of doing what she wanted, of pleasing her and making her happy, my body warmed and relaxed. It was an amazing sensation and totally foreign to me. Suddenly the world around me – MY world – slipped peacefully away. I realized, I guess on some level, that I was trapped in this woman's strange, hypnotic pull, but I was helpless to fight it.