Joining the Circle Ch. 06

Junie forced herself to her feet and stood swaying for a second. Her legs were agonizingly stiff, and the rest of her body was not much better. Pushing the mower and then balancing on her toes had taken their toll. She tottered to the door and peeked out. Donna was sitting at the table typing furiously on her lap top computer.

Junie cautiously greeted her. "Good morning, Ma'am."

Donna looked up and smiled gently. "Oh good morning, Junie, if you had slept any longer, I would have had to say good afternoon."

Junie nodded uncertainly, her eyes scanned the room for Bob. "Yes, Ma'am."

"Our Master has gone to town. He said to let you sleep as long as you needed."

"Yes, Ma'am." Junie shifted nervously, her eyes on the floor. Her tongue licked at her dry lips.

Donna got up and walked to Junie. She gently stroked Junie's hair and touched her face. Junie stood motionless, frozen. "Sweet, sweet Junie, I know you are struggling with your fears and feelings. Be reassured that you are doing very well. Our Master is very pleased. You do not have to be afraid of me."

Junie looked up startled. "Oh Ma'am, I am not afraid of you. I am afraid of me."

"What are you afraid of about yourself?"

"Loving you... of becoming confused again."

Donna made a sympathetic sound and wrapped her arms around Junie. "Is it so hard to love me?"

Junie held herself stiff in Donna's embrace. "It's not so hard. It's too easy." Junie gave a little hiccup of a sob. "I want to stay here with you, with our Master, so much. I am so afraid that I will mess this all up. I have already caused so much trouble."

"You are a silly girl! You have not been any trouble. You have been a delight. I have not seen our Master with so much spring in his step in years, if ever. He will never let you go now. You are stuck with us."

Junie looked confused. "But it is too soon. You said we would have to take our time."

Donna laughed, "You are right. We did say that; but it seems like the world has conspired against our well laid plans. Bob and I both believe that things happen for a reason. This seems meant to be, and neither of us are the sort to struggle against fate."

Junie's reserve melted. She wrapped her arms around Donna and hugged her fervently. "Oh, Ma'am, really?"

"Yes, Junie, really. Now our Master would be displeased with both of us if you have not taken care of yourself." Donna picked up Junie's hand and clinically pinched the skin. "You are dehydrated. I am not surprised; you were sweating like mad all day in the sun. Then Bob boiled you half to death in the hot tub. And judging from the sounds coming up from the basement last night, he put you through your paces down there as well. Let's get you a shower and start forcing some liquids. I have no idea what our Master has planned for us this afternoon."

"Yes, Ma'am."

Junie was scrubbed clean, dressed in clean clothes and sitting at the table. She had eaten one grilled cheese sandwich with fresh tomatoes and was nibbling on her second when Bob walked in the back door.

"Hey, sleepy head."

Junie beamed and chimed, "Hello, Master."

Bob dropped a bag on the table in front of her and leaned down, kissing the top of her head. "How is my girl?"

"I am stiff and sore, but I feel very happy and energized. Thank you for asking, Master."

"You look happy. Look in the bag, sexy girl."

Junie looked up at him, her eyes surprised and curious. She picked up the bag and looked in. She giggled with delight. She pulled out a matching bra and panty set, the same shade of yellow of the set that Bob had cut holes in the day before. "Oh thank you, Master. They are the perfect color."

"And they don't have holes in them."

"The holes served your purpose, Master. I could bind the edges of the holes in the old set." Junie paused, her eyes twinkling. "If you ever wanted to... um... have holes in them again."

"Flirt." Bob looked thoughtful and then grinned. "But go ahead and do that. I liked the way they looked. Perhaps you could alter a few more of your sets."

"Actually, Master, the way my nipples feel today, that's a good idea. I would have loved to have an extra specially altered bra to wear today."

Bob reached down and cupped her breasts. "Yes, I think I like it when your nipples stick out." He gave her nipples a playful pinch.

Junie flinched and took a deep breath. "Wow, Master. I felt that down to my toes."

"That's my girl, so sensitive, so responsive."

Junie giggled, and then looked thoughtful. "I wish I had my sewing machine." She smoothed out the pretty bra and panty set, lightly fingering the lace and satin. She looked up, "Master, I would like to go back to my apartment one day this week, if that would not be too much of an inconvenience." Bob nodded, "Yes, I have been thinking about that. We need to see what that guy did in there and figure out what needs to be done about cleaning it up. I still want you to take this whole week off from work. You won't have to go back until next Monday." Bob frowned, and muttered, "I really don't like the idea of you leaving at all."

Donna's eyes met Junie's and she smiled. Junie felt Donna's hand reach under the table and pat her knee. Standing up and stretching, Donna touched Bob's arm, "Honey, take a little walk with me please. I think there is something we should discuss."

Donna had never had a safe word, but if she did it would have been 'honey'. It always got Bob's attention. If she used it, she knew he would listen.

Junie sat at the table looking out the window. The last bites of her sandwich sat forgotten in front of her. Her eyes followed Bob and Donna as they walked back and forth across the lawn close to the lake. They held hands and their heads were close together as they spoke. Junie had the odd thought that this must be how a child must feel as she watched her parents. Her heart leaped up into her throat when they stopped, embraced, holding each other tightly, and then turned to walk back up to the house.

Junie could not tear her eyes away from them as they came in the door. Bob tipped his head and looked at Junie, his face serious, "I realize this is not what we had planned and things have progressed much more quickly than we had anticipated." His voice was deep, his eyes locked on hers. "Junie, I do not want you to go back to your apartment to live. I want you to stay here. Will you consent to that, consent to be our girl?"

Junie stood up and took off her clothes. Her hands shook as she slowly folded and placed each item of clothing on the chair. Slowly she sank to her knees and then crept across the floor to Bob's feet. She leaned down and pressed her lips to his boot, "I beg you, Master Bob, to please accept me as your slave and your servant. I want nothing more than to stay here with you and Donna. Please make me your girl."

Bob nodded, "Junie, call your work. Give them notice. You are not going back."

Junie's voice quivered, "Yes, Master."

Bob spoke to Donna, "We will need to finish that downstairs room a little ahead of schedule. I need to go to the building supply." He looked at Junie, "What do you think, yellow or is there some other color you want?"

Junie stared up him, her eyes huge and dazed, "Color?"

Donna made an exasperated sound. "Bob look at her. She couldn't decide which foot to put her shoe on right now. She is completely overwhelmed and I don't blame her. We have a lot more important things to decide than what color paint to buy, but first let's celebrate a little. Our girl is going to be staying with us."

"Celebrate?" Bob looked thoughtful. "I had something planned for this evening." He looked at Donna and then down at Junie and pressed his lips together. "What did you have in mind?"

Donna shrugged. "This is a special time for all of us. We are bringing Junie into our circle. It is a magic time. We should do something to make it memorable. I also want to give thanks to our mother."

Junie watched Bob and Donna talking to each other, hardly hearing their words. Her mind was buzzing with a thousand thoughts. Moving, quitting her job, telling her kids, deciding what to bring, what to do with all the rest of her stuff, getting her car fixed; it seemed like as soon as she thought of one thing, it would lead to another thought. She could not focus on one thing for more than a second.

The harder Junie tried to calm her thoughts, the worse it seemed to get. It kept going in circles with more and more thoughts joining the swirling maelstrom; health insurance, bank accounts, money, addresses... she needed to talk to the police. Junie closed her eyes and shook her head, a small sound of distress welling up in her chest. She jumped up and began to walk toward her room, but before she got a few steps she stopped and hesitated, turning back toward where she had been kneeling, wondering if she had permission to get up. He hadn't told her to kneel. Again she turned, but she could not take a step in any direction. This time she whimpered out loud.

"Junie, what is the matter?" Bob's voice cut through her confusion.

Junie looked up, a panicked look on her face. "I have to call work. There is so much to think about. There are so many things I have to do. I can't concentrate. It feels like my head is going to explode." Junie's words were breathless and hurried. Bob noticed that she had not called him Master or Sir. He was learning to recognize that she only forgot when she was pushed to her emotional limit.

"Junie, come." His voice was sharp and immediate. He pointed at the floor at his feet.

Junie's face cleared of her confusion. She quickly moved to stand where he pointed and looked up at him, her face calm and expectant. "Yes, Master."

"Kneel."

Junie dropped to the floor, her face upturned. Her eyes locked on his face.

"You will stop thinking about all that stuff right now. I will tell you when to think about it. That time will come later. For now you will listen to me and Donna."

"Yes, Master." Junie's voice sounded relieved.

"The one thing you are to do now is call your work and give verbal notice that you are not going to be able to return. It's up to you to decide what you are going to tell them for a reason, if you need to give a reason at all. After that come back."

"Yes, Master." Junie got up and headed to her room. This time all the confusion was gone.

When Junie came back she had a happy, thoughtful look on her face.

"How did that go?"

"Pretty good, I told them the truth; that I found out there was a man stalking me. That he was a rapist, and how he broke into my apartment. My boss was very shocked. I guess his arrest was big news on all the local TV channels. She was surprised to find out I was involved. I told her that I've decided to move away, that I just don't feel safe in the city any more. She was very understanding. I just need to stop by and pick up a couple of things from my desk and sign some papers. I can do that pretty much any time in the next two weeks."

"Good girl. The truth is always the best. You did a good job following my direction. Don't think about anything else for now. Trust me to take care of you."

"Yes, Master."

"We need to think about something to have for dinner. I think I want something light, stir fry perhaps."

"As you wish, my Master." Junie smiled happily and sped off to get started on dinner.

Bob nodded, "I am going to go take the kids out for a walk."

Junie was reaching for her clothing when Donna laughed and gave her a hug, patting her on her bare bottom. "You are not going to beg me to be your Mistress?"

Junie stopped and looked at Donna. Her eyes were wary and her voice was serious. "Ma'am, I love you. I will serve you with all the obedience and respect I give my Master. But you told me that it is simple, all I have to do is remember who my Master is." Suddenly sobered, Donna let go of Junie. "I was wrong to ask you that, Junie. Thank you for your wisdom. You are right. Bob is our Master. It is better that way. I guess I am sad that I could not be the one that trained you but our Master saw the error in that plan."

Junie smiled softly as she pulled on her clothes. "Ma'am, when our Master decides the time is right; I will be yours to play with again. Your hand will be his hand, your voice his voice. I look forward to making you happy because making you happy will be making him happy." Junie gently raised Donna's hand to her lips. "I love you both, you know."

Donna stood looking at Junie, her face flushed, smiling with happiness. "I know."

Junie headed to her bedroom. "I am going to put on my shoes and go out to the garden for some vegetables, Ma'am."

When Junie came back with a basket of greenery, Donna was back at her computer. "Junie, how much money did you make a month at your job?"

"Oh, Ma'am, I am terrible at remembering exact figures. I know my check was around $1500 a month, after all the taxes and everything was taken out."

"Roughly how much did your monthly bills add up to?"

"Hmm, almost all of that, I probably had about $150 dollars a month left for savings and recreation; after my rent, utilities, car payment and insurance, food and telephone. I was pretty much broke most of the time."

"Okay, you will want to keep your phone and car insurance. I am pretty sure that you will not have a car payment. We do have Pastor James by the balls."

"That would be nice. I just would need to sell my old car and pay off the loan. Ma'am, why are you asking me about all this?"

"Trying to figure out what would be fair to pay you."

Junie giggled, "I promise to be a very valuable employee, Ma'am. I am sure that whatever you pay me, I will earn it."

"Well today is your first day of work. Your official title will be House Maven."

"Oh I like that, but I think I will tell my family housekeeper, Ma'am."

"That would probably be wiser." Donna looked up from her computer. "Miss June Thomas, I am prepared to offer you the position of House Maven, starting immediately. Your duties would include but not be limited to cooking, cleaning, and general household duties and light gardening. I am sure your job description will have the usual 'other duties as assigned' fine print clauses."

"I would be able to perform all those duties and whatever else you and my Master may decide."

"I am prepared to offer you a monthly salary of $750 with room and board and an insurance package that covers health, vision and dental. I am sure you will find the fringe benefits of this position very... um... rewarding, fulfilling, generous...?" Donna began to chuckle, "Onerous, strenuous, arduous?"

"Serendipitous, prosperous, sensuous, voluptuous, humorous?" Junie giggled along with Donna. "But honestly, Ma'am, $750 sounds like a lot. I will end up with a lot more spending money without having to pay all my bills."

"Actually, Junie, it's crap for the amount of work you will be doing, but you will learn I am a total scrooge. I would like to give you a check for $3000 dollars now and $250 a month for the next six months. After that I will give you the whole $750 a month."

"Why, Ma'am?"

"I want you to have a nest egg. All this has happened very fast, and while I am supremely optimistic, we have had a bit of a whirlwind romance. If things don't work out, I want you to have some money to fall back on so you can put your life back together. I do not want you to ever feel like you are trapped here financially."

"I guess that would be wise, Ma'am."

"One of the reasons that Bob and I have been able to retire so early, was the fact that Bob is very good at investing. I would very much recommend you let him put some amount of your money toward a retirement income."

"A retirement income is an amazing thought, Ma'am. I started working so late in my life and barely made enough to live on. I never thought I would have more than social security, and the way they talked on the news I wasn't even sure about that."

"Don't plan on retiring soon. Our Master and I will need you to serve us for a very long time."

"That sounds like a dream come true, Ma'am."

Junie had all the vegetables cut and ready to throw in the pan. The tofu and chicken was marinating in soy sauce, red wine and ginger. The rice was done and sitting warm in the oven, along with some toasted almonds. "It will take about ten minutes to cook the stir fry, Ma'am. Once our Master gets back, I can cook it anytime."

When Bob came back he dropped a handful of morel mushrooms into the sink. "These are a gift from our mother."

"Perfect, Master, fresh mushrooms were one of the things I was wishing I had. Dinner can be ready anytime. Do you want me to start now?"

"That would be excellent."

Junie was feeling warm and relaxed as she picked up the dishes after dinner. She wasn't sure if it was happiness or the champagne. They had gone through two bottles and it seemed like Bob made a special point of keeping her glass full.

As he filled her glass again, Junie protested, "I really am not much of a drinker, Master. I will get silly."

"Maybe that is my intention." Bob lifted her glass and pressed it to her lips, "Drink." Junie obediently opened her lips and drained the glass.

"Just don't ask me to drive anywhere. It doesn't take much to get me drunk." Junie giggled. "In fact, Master Sir, I think you may have accomplished your goal."

"Master Sir? Junie, choose one or the other. I don't care which." Bob had her cornered against the counter, his face inches from hers. "And let me be the one to decide when my goals have been met."

"Yes, Master..." Junie paused a second and then her eyes sparkling impishly, she added, "...Sir."

"I think perhaps you are right, silly and bratty. I think we should go for a walk. Let's go outside."

"Got my shoes on." Junie held up one of her feet, swayed and had to stagger a step to catch her balance. "Oops. Ready anytime you are, Sir." Junie looked around, for the first time wondering where Donna had gone. "Um... Master, where is Mistress Donna?"

"She has gone ahead. Let's go find her, silly girl."

The evening sky was just turning lavender. Junie could see the first evening star low on the horizon. The warm afternoon air was just starting to cool. She had the random thought that it seemed like the weather had been amazingly good for a Northwest Washington spring, warm and sunny.

As they came to the trail into the woods, Junie noticed a white stone beside the road, marking the faint path. Rounded, with subtle curving bulges, it reminded her of something living. Impulsively she crouched down, looking more closely, running her hand over the smooth shape. Bob stopped and looked back, waiting for her to follow again. Junie hurried to catch up. "I am sorry, Master. It just looked like something."

"Yes there is a lot of energy in that stone. It spoke to me too when I first saw it. I was selfish and brought it home with me."

"Did someone carve it?"

"No. It is a random piece of nature, but I can feel the patterns when I touch it."

"Patterns, Master?"

Bob stopped and touched his fingers to Junie's lips. "Now is not the time for lessons. Now is the time for celebration and appreciation."

Junie bowed her head and whispered noiselessly, "Yes, Master."

As they approached the tiny clearing, Junie could see dozens of white candles glowing in the fading light. Junie could see the base of the tree that had once stood there, a huge stump, its top smoothed into a wide smooth altar. Donna sat on the edge, a circle of ferns in her hair, her naked skin glowing in the candle light.

When Bob began to shed his clothing, Junie followed suit. Carefully pulling off her clothing and folding the pieces, stacking them neatly on top of her shoes at the edge of the clearing. Donna walked up to Junie, her hands filled with delicate lacy bracken. Gently placing a second wreath of bracken on Junie's head, she kissed Junie softly on the mouth, her lips a consecration. "Welcome." Donna's voice was soft but seemed to fill the silent glade.