Jamaican Beauties Jaunt Ch. 06

Ken held his hand out, palm up, and when Max took it, he assisted her onto her feet.

Max smiled and said to him, "When I attend the Club's New Year's party, I will proudly display the gifts Mistress Carolyn and Master Max, and my Mistress and Master have given me."

Ken pulled Max to him, hugged her and they kissed each other, not as relatives or friends, but sensually, on their lips.

Denise was shocked and as she sipped her wine she wondered, "Why does Max show such deference to father? Why does Max not show any of modesty in front of him? Why did Max kiss father on the lips, and so seemingly sensually? Why did father call it a collar and not a choker?"

Denise was still confused when her father finished his wine and announced, "Max, thank you for such a gracious hostess. I will let Annika know that you loved the gift. We look forward to celebrating New Years at the club with your parents and you."

"Thank you sir," Max replied as she stood, bowed slightly, revealing almost all of her breasts, as took Ken's glass. She stepped in front of Denise and smiled as she commented, "Mistress Denise I hope you have a wonderful Christmas. If you would like, it would please me to dance with you at the club. Hopefully someday soon."

Denise, still pondering the meaning of her recent observations, nodded and replied without thought, "Thank you Max. That sounds like a wonderful idea."

* * * * *

Walking back to her parents' house with her father, Denise asked about those things that had been bothering her that afternoon, "Father, what exactly is your relationship with Max?"

"Dee-Dee, I thought you knew. Max and Carolyn Cunningham have been my friends since I first moved to Kingston, Max and I are founding members of our local Bacchanal organization, and we belong to the same private club. You're mother and I go out with Max and Carolyn all the time."

"I know about that, but what about Max, the daughter?"

"Again, I thought you knew. She's almost a member of our family; she's like our fourth daughter. Your mother practically raised her and she was your best friend until you left for Arts School."

"Okay, what was all that subservience to you, calling you master, kneeling in front of you, and why does she call mother mistress?"

Denise's father thought about his answer before he explained, "Short answer. It is a little game we play at the club."

"What's the club?" Denise wondered aloud.

"Someday, if you'd like, I'd be pleased to take you to the club and you can learn all about it and our little games for yourself."

Because the offer was from her father, the man she adored, Denise automatically smiled and answered, "I'd like that."

Beaming, Ken told his favorite daughter, "Whenever you'd like to go let me know and I'll arrange it."

Denise smiled and nodded her understanding and implied acceptance of her father's offer.

A minute of silence passed before Ken asked, "Dee-Dee, your mother mentioned that you were uncommunicative for several weeks and that you were quite brusque with her when she called to invite you to spend the holidays with us."

After waiting a few seconds for her father to continue, Denise realized he was expecting a response, and because she'd never kept secrets from, nor lied to her father, she answered honestly, "Yes father I'm afraid I was. Mother and I talked about it, but I promise that I will specifically apologize to her for my behavior when we get home."

"Thank you Dee-Dee. That will please your mother and make me happy. Now, because that is not normal behavior for you, would you mind telling me what lead to you being uncommunicative and brusque?"

Denise often wondered why she always felt compelled to answer her father's questions. In this case, she could tell him she minded or she could delay answering him by saying she didn't know for sure, instead, she again answered honestly, and completely, "I don't mind telling you. I was hurt because my so-called friends in Arts School teased me and I quit the Progressive Challenges. I was sulking in my apartment and blaming my Internet friend, mother, and you for talking me into taking the challenges. However, as I just told you, mother and I talked about that. She showed me how and why I was wrong to blame you and her. As a result, I believe I'm getting over my anger and hurt, but mother told me to think about what she'd shared with me and to not respond to her until next week."

Ken grinned; Annika had used the same technique with him on several occasions. He turned and smiled at his beautiful Jamaican daughter and told her, "I understand. Thank you for being so forthright when answering my question, for listening to and considering your mother's advice, and for willingly agreeing to apologize to her for your brusque behavior."

They both beamed, remembering their love for one another, as they walked the last block back to the house where Annika had already set out some snacks and opened the wine so they could sit, relax, and talk.

* * * * *

Sunday evening, Denise was back in her apartment and unpacking her bag when she noticed the unopened gift from Max. When she'd returned to her parents' house after visiting the Cunningham's she'd placed the two larger boxes in the living room with the rest of the Christmas gifts to her parents, but noticing the smaller box was from Max to her, she'd put it in her duffle bag and subsequently forgotten about it.

As she opened the gift, she again wished she'd been thoughtful enough to think to bring a gift for Max, her former best friend. Unfortunately, when Denise entered Arts School, they'd gone their separate ways and had subsequently led their own lives. Except for dance troupe rehearsals, the annual road marches, and the Melbourne Mas Camp parties, they seldom saw one another anymore.

Suddenly remembering Max's remark as Denise and her father were preparing to return to her parents' house, she wondered, "What did Max mean about wanting to dance with me at the club? What was the club to which she was she referring? When did she want to get together, besides someday soon?"

Quickly concluding none of it made sense and hoping Max's gift might provide some answers, Denise opened the box. Inside she found a small folded card on top of the tissue paper. She pick it up and read it.

_______________

Denise,

I'm sure the items that comprise this gift will not mean anything to you. Nonetheless, please keep them!

It is my hope that someday soon, you will need these gifts, and you will be thankful that I gave them to you. Until that day, DO NOT WEAR THEM ANYWHERE.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Your friend always,

Max

_______________

Confused and wondering what Max had given her; Denise peeled back the tissue paper and saw what looked to be two finely constructed, but extremely short, leather belts. One was white and the other black, they were buffed smooth on both sides, and they each had what appeared to be a solidly built, chrome buckle with a built-in D-Ring. Below the belts, she found a silver outline of a star, covered in Rhinestones and hanging on a delicate 24-inch, silver chain necklace that ran through a slot formed by two metal bars in the back of the star. The slot formed by the bars appeared large enough that it would fit over either of the short belts.

"These look expensive. I'm going to have to get Max a very nice birthday gift," Denise thought, and then wondered aloud, "What are the belts for? What's the purpose of the rhinestone star? Although the chain necklace is beautiful, Max knows I don't wear jewelry. When and why would I every need them? Why doesn't she want me to wear them until I need them?"

Without consideration or reason, Denise put the box with the belts, chain, and rhinestone pin in the bottom drawer of her dresser where she kept those things that she no longer used but might someday want or need.

Once she'd finished unpacking, Denise selected the clothes she would wear to work Monday morning, poured herself a glass of wine, and sat in her large easy chair with her journal, never once considering that she was not dressed. She'd undressed as soon as she'd returned to her apartment—one of several new habits leftover from her seven progressive challenges was to undress as soon as she arrived in her apartment and to remain naked until it was time to leave.

* * * * *

Renewed Understandings

Christmas weekend at her parents, especially after her mother's question, "Are you simply letting your negative thoughts take control," and their subsequent discussion, acted as an alarm, waking Denise from her doldrums. Honestly assessing what happened to her, she quickly concluded she had been working towards finally accomplishing her express goal to live an uninhibited life and was learning to enjoy the pleasures of doing so.

As she recalled the events during her accomplishment of the five challenges, she came to and expressed her realization, "Other than my supposed friends from Arts School, no one objected to my posing for photos or dancing without my clothes, and several observers even complimented me. Yet, when I heard those vicious comments from my so-called friends—girls, my mother often told me, are jealous because I have the body they wished they had—I was overwhelmed with loathing, disgust, and revulsion for my behavior and especially my body."

With that realization, Denise reread her journal, and it reminded her that neither her parents, nor Will, nor she wanted her to remain a prude. She remembered that she had accepted the Seven Progressive Challenges specifically so she could overcome her straitlaced attitude and behavior. She wanted to be uninhibited, to follow her mother's oft-repeated advice that Denise, "loosen up, quit acting like a prude, and enjoy her good looks."

Sunday afternoon during their recently renewed chats, when she told Will about what she had noted while she was reviewing her journal, he reminded her of the emails she'd sent to him during the Seven Progressive Challenges, emails in which she expressed the same things. He asked her to think about the many photographs she'd attached to those emails, photographs that showed a beautiful young woman who was constantly smiling, radiant, and open. He noted that the woman in those photographs appeared to be very happy and was clearly uninhibited. Will even joked, "In fact, had you sent me any of those photos during the Proof or Prude dare I would have been forced to concede your victory."

Denise, scanning the emails herself, as Will had asked her to do, concluded, "I was making progress, I was uninhibited, I was enjoying life. So why did I give up?"

When she asked Will that same question, he informed her, "You don't have to give up. The society will permit you to continue with the Seven Progressive Challenges. You can continue from where you left off."

"No! I quit the challenges. That's over!" Denise responded immediately.

After a long minute, she received Will's response, "Then let's agree to move forward. Why don't you consider all the positive things you've accomplished in the last six months? Let's see if you conclude, as I have and I'm sure you will, that you were heading in the direction you wished to go, that you were accomplishing your goals in life. Why not just get back to doing what you were doing and get on with that life? Your life!"

Denise knew Will was right. Just as her mother had been right. She hadn't been doing anything positive by moping around her apartment and reproaching herself. She knew she had to change. Moreover, as Will had pointed out to her, prior to quitting the challenges, she was taking her life in a direction she wanted to go. She once again, had to do something to achieve her goals.

She reconfirmed that, although she had been making progress as she accomplished Will's challenges, she would not go back to finish them. She had resigned from the Seven Progressive Challenges. That was over. However, she could, and she should reinstitute her goal to become more like her mother, uninhibited, doing what she wanted, what she thought would be enjoyable, only limiting her activities and actions if she had concerns about their safety or legality.

* * * * *

Sunday evening, looking back on them, Denise was amazed at how the challenges had consumed all her spare time. When she was preparing for a challenge, she spent hours considering whether she would have the nerve, the will power, and the strength to go through with it. Once she'd completed a challenge, she spent much of free time reminiscing about how wonderful it felt, how exciting it had been, how powerful she felt. In between challenges, she was always looking forward to the next challenge, the next opportunity to prove she was not a prude, the next opportunity to enjoy being uninhibited.

Those were wonderful times and feelings, but, in the end, she'd failed, she'd been unable to overcome her first real criticism. Her first obstacle had been more than she could handle, and she had quit the challenges. She had given up on her opportunity to prove she wasn't a prude.

However, now it was time to get back to work. It was time to complete the goal she was striving to accomplish before she diverted her attention to the challenges. She had been so involved in the challenges that she'd lost sight of her desire to create her own tour company. It was time to finish her work on her tour company and to develop the tours she would offer.

For the next week, every workday evening after her workout, Denise focused her efforts on collecting the information she needed to prepare the tours of the beauties of Jamaica her tour company would offer. It wasn't difficult work; she'd already done most of the necessary research. All she had to do now was establish the specific tours she wanted to offer. She quickly identified three that met her requirements: the hidden beauties in known tourist spots, the unknown and less frequented beauties of Jamaica, and the true beauties of Jamaica, all three included locations that other tour companies didn't offer.

With her first three tours identified, she selected the locations that fit each tour, and with that done, she identified the hotels, bed and breakfasts, restaurants, and other local attractions in the areas. Finally, she prepared a tentative itinerary for each tour.

She enjoyed her time working on the tours. It allowed her to reflect on the lessons she'd learned during the challenges and the things her mother had told her afterwards. She became so engrossed in her work and reflections that for the rest of the week, had it not been for Will contacting her each night for their reestablished daily Internet chats, she would easily have forgotten the time and would have worked all night.

* * * * *

Will noticed and was pleased with the difference in Denise's attitude. For the first time in four weeks, she immediately responded to his chat requests and willingly, and excitedly, chatted with him. Furthermore, when they chatted, she freely and openly discussed her plans for the tours she was putting together and shared information about locations she was considering. However, whenever he mentioned the challenge, she did not respond.

Slowly, as they chatted, Will convinced her to talk about what happened. By combining what she told him when they chatted, what she mentioned in her last progressive challenge email, and what he had deduced from a careful review of the photographs attached to that email, he believed he'd determined what led her to withdraw from the challenges.

Will tested his theory when they chatted on Tuesday night. He told her he had a question regarding something that he'd seen in one of the photographs she'd sent him. When she asked about it, he gave her enough information to permit her to identify the photograph. It showed her dancing topless with her thumbs inside the waistband of her skirt.

When Denise announced that she'd found the photograph, Will asked, "Who's that skinny lady just behind you that's wearing the blue satin looking blouse and appears to be dancing with the thin girl in a green dress?"

A few minutes later Denise replied, "That's no lady, that's my former, so-called, friend! Why?"

Will explained, "It looks as if she's talking. I was wondering who is she and what is she saying?"

Denise seethed at the memory of that evening and replied, "That bitch is someone I used to call a friend, and she's making a snide comment about my big breasts."

"I love your big boobs! ;-) What was her problem with your breasts, wouldn't you let her play with them?"

Denise smiled, first at Will's compliment and again at his question, "Her name is Vondra. We were roommates in Arts School. She was studying fashion design. She and her friends believe only skinny women—like runway and magazine models—are good looking. Don't bother to ask, they don't mean Playboy Centerfolds or Sports Illustrated swimsuit models. They believe that Twiggy, the pencil thin English model during the 60's, is the embodiment of beauty."

"O, I C!"

"What do U C?"

"Vondra teases you because you don't fit her self-conceived vision of beauty, her belief that only skinny, small-busted, narrow-hipped girls, like her, are beautiful."

Fighting back her tears, Denise remembered the pain she experienced in Arts School and the other times she'd encountered Vondra and her friends in various clubs and especially on the dance floor the night she quit the challenges. She explained, "Not just her. She has two friends and the three of them hang out together, they all pretended to be my friends and Arts School. They continually remind me that I am too tall, too big, too large busted, too wide in the hips, and too large in the ass."

"I'm sure that kind of peer pressure is very difficult to overcome."

"Yes, when I started at Arts School I was looking for friends and approval. I didn't have many friends in secondary school. I so much wanted to be their friend that I regularly fasted and worked out to be thin, like them. Nevertheless, they never relented. To them; I was, and will always be a big, unsightly cow!"

Will felt sad for her, he hadn't realized just how insecure she'd been and undoubtedly still was, "I'm such a dolt," he again berated himself. He carefully formed and typed the next few messages.

"Were they the reason you were distraught at the club?"

"YES!"

"Were their comments to you at the club the reason for your withdrawal from the challenge?"

"Yes, they pointed out how unattractive I was. They said I should keep my large, disproportionate body covered so no one else would have to look at it."

"Oh girl, we HAVE to talk!"

"Not now, please!"

"When you think you're ready to hear and understand the truth, let me know and we will talk. Until then, always remember, someone besides your parents thinks you are beautiful."

* * * * *

The next evening, as they were chatting, Will raised the question, "Are you ready for our talk?"

A long minute passed before Denise responded, "Only if you promise you won't make me unhappy and I don't have to do another challenge!"

"I promise. I just want to provide you a few facts."

"Okay."

"As you know, I've never asked and therefore I don't know much about your vital statistics other than what I can surmise from your photographs."

"Okay?"

Will continued, "My opinions of your weight and body proportions are based solely on an estimate of your height. So my first question is: What are your vital statistics, i.e., height, weight, and hip, waist, and bust measurements including cup size?"

"Hey! You promised you weren't going to make me unhappy!"

"My fault, I should have explained some things first."

Will, didn't wait for her to respond before he continued, "The standard measure to determine if someone is underweight or overweight is the Body Mass Index or B.M.I. You can Google it if you'd like to research it."