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“You’re right, Honey,” she said. “Honey, I want to ask you something. But first, how serious are you?”

  “I have no idea, Mom. Part of me still thinks I’m 15.”

  “For two days, I tried casting lightning bolts and was so disappointed when the coffee didn’t levitate to my hands.”

  I laughed. I didn’t think she was entirely serious. “So, you know what I mean.”

  “Yeah, I know what you mean.”

  “I just… My life is pretty good right now. Mom, I don’t want to be a single mom.”

  “Darling. I hate that we don’t live in the same town.”

  “Mom, no offense, but I’m not moving back to Dullsville.”

  “Duluth is hardly Dullsville.”

  “I’m not moving back to Duluth,” I said.

  “It’s a good place to raise children.”

  “I hated it,” I said. “The other kids…”

  “Times are different.”

  “Yeah. I saw MAGA hats last time I was there.”

  “I bought one for you.”

  “Funny.”

  “Your birthday is coming.”

  “If I get a MAGA hat, I’m disowning you.”

  “You shouldn’t make threats like that. Honey, how would you feel if I moved to the big city?”

  I almost started bawling.

  “That’s a bad idea.”

  “No.” My voice broke. “It’s not a bad idea.”

  “I’m not suggesting I’d move in with you,” she said. “Well, maybe while I look for a house. But maybe I could live close. And maybe if you had kids, I could help.”

  “Mom,” I whispered.

  “Darling, it would be a lot to talk about. This is something I’ve thought about for a while. I’ve been giving you space. But I think maybe you don’t need that space too much longer.”

  “There are parts of my life I don’t necessarily want you to see.”

  “I suppose there are.”

  “What about your job?”

  “It’s a job. I can get a job anywhere.” She was probably right. “Neither of us are making decisions tonight, but I’ve been thinking about this. I had already decided if you had children, I was going to beg permission.”

  “You don’t need my permission, Mom.”

  “Yes, Honey, I think I do.”

  “Not across the street.”

  “No, but maybe not far away, either.”

  “You couldn’t just stop by. I might be entertaining.”

  “Is that what they call it?” she asked.

  “Yes,” I said. “That’s what they call it. But I’d like that, Mom.”

  “We’ll talk about it some more. Maybe you could fly in and stay for a few days. We can drive up the shore.”

  “I’d like that.”

  “Good. Honey, you’d be a good mom, when you decide you’re ready. Do you know how you would do it?”

  “No. There are two basic plans.”

  “Two?”

  “I could get pregnant, or I could adopt.”

  “Ah, I was thinking of how you’d get pregnant.”

  “Oh, well, there I’d do whatever the doctors said was best. Mom, what if I were to adopt?”

  “I will love any child you call your own, Darling.”

  “I know you will, Mom.” I paused. “I’m still Altered, I think. I may wake up tomorrow wondering what I was thinking.”

  “I know. Honey, if you do, does that mean I have to stay in Duluth?”

  I laughed. “Dullsville?”

  “Coldsville,” she said. “And yeah, Dullsville. And I keep running into the same people.”

  “Anyone in particular you’re trying to get away from?”

  “Maybe someone,” she replied. “But it’s not urgent.”

  “Oh?”

  “I’m not talking about it. I had two dates and do not intend a third. It’s a little awkward, however, as he feels quite differently.”

  “Should I worry?”

  “No. If I disappear, though, your Aunt Barb knows his name. I’m not telling you, so don’t try hounding me for it.”

  “Mom!”

  “I’m teasing.”

  “Mostly?”

  “Yeah,” she said after a pause.

  “Mom, maybe you should move sooner rather than later.”

  “Come visit,” she said. “Soon.”

  “I’ve got something coming up, but I’ll make plans for after that. Can we stay up at Lutsen for a couple of nights?”

  “That would be fun.”

  We talked for a little while longer before clicking off. I stared at my phone for a while then decided to shower and go to bed with a good book.

  Movie Night

  Mary and I stared at each other. “You look…”

  “Amazing,” I finished. “God, Mary.”

  She smiled and slowly turned around for me. “I thought you liked them a little more… commanding.”

  “I like them lots of ways,” I said.

  “How are you doing?”

  “I called my Mom after I got home on Sunday,” I said. “I’ll tell you about it in the car.”

  I grabbed my purse, and then she grabbed my hand. We’d spend most of our date holding hands, which I really liked.

  In the car, she said, “I called mine, too. Tell me about your call.”

  I gave her a summary. She listened quietly then said, “This is going to sound really weird.”

  “Weirder than you being seven?”

  “Maybe not that weird. Could I go with you?”

  “You want to go to Minnesota with me?”

  “I’ve never been,” she said. “It’s all farmlands and frozen tundra, right?”

  I laughed. “Much of Minnesota is farmland, I’d say the southern half of the state, and much of the western side near the Dakotas. Duluth is at the southwest tip of Lake Superior, and it’s quite a bit different.”

  “Lake Superior. One of the Great Lakes. Can you surf?”

  “OMG,” I said. “Just. Oh. Em. Gee.”

  She started laughing. “Relax. I’m teasing. Sort of. I suppose you want mother-daughter time.”

  “So you don’t want to go.”

  “Oh, I definitely want to go,” she said. “I meant I was teasing about surfing. But forget I asked. This is bonding time with your mom, and it’s a little crazy to ask to go with at the start of our first date.”

  “We’ve known each other for years,” I said. “Let me think about it.”

  “I shouldn’t have asked.”

  “No, I think it’s cool. You said you called your mom, too?”

  “Our conversation was pretty simple compared to yours. We just touched base. I caught her before she went to work.”

  “She works the late shift?”

  “No.” And then she spoke for a minute, and I didn’t understand a word. I stared at her. “What language was that?”

  “Dutch.”

  “You’re Dutch? I didn’t know you were Dutch.”

  “Half Dutch. Mom lives in Amsterdam.”

  “Oh, shit,” I said. “And I thought I never saw mine.”

  “I go home once or twice a year. I guess I have three homes: here, my Dad’s in New York, and Mom’s in Amsterdam.”

  “Do you see your dad?”

  “Sometimes. He and I aren’t as close. He remarried, and I don’t like his wife. She’s very… New Yorker.”

  “Mean?”

  “No, just, I don’t know. Brusque. And she’s a little judgy. She says things about Mom.”

  “Have they met?”

  “No, I don’t think so. So I only go there every other year or so. They take me to dinner and we see a show or two. Margot… She’s a theater critic. It’s both really good and really bad seeing shows with her.”

  “She knows everything, which can be informative, but she’s hard to satisfy?”

  “Yeah,” Mary replied. “And she tries to take me shopping, but she’s all… edges, and she tries to get me to dress
like her.” She sighed. “And introduces me as her daughter.”

  “Is your dad happy?”

  “He seems to be. She just… makes me uncomfortable, and Dad and I were never close. I blame him for the divorce.”

  “Did he have…”

  “An affair? Not that I know, and Mom says ‘no’, but we were living in Amsterdam, and Dad got a job in New York. Dad expected Mom to move, to leave her family, to deal with US Immigration.”

  “You have dual citizenship?”

  “Yeah. I fly to Amsterdam on my Netherlands passport and fly home on the American one.”

  “That’s pretty cool, Mary.”

  “I told her I had a date.”

  “Did you? Did you tell her my name?”

  “I did, actually. She asked all sorts of questions about you.”

  “What did you tell her?”

  “That you were rocking hot.”

  I laughed. “Does that translate into Dutch?”

  She said something in that language then laughed. “Anyway. We’re here.”

  * * * *

  We made small talk for a while over dinner. It grew a little awkward, then she sighed. “What?” I asked.

  “We’re acting like we don’t know each other.”

  “We don’t, not like this,” I said. “Mary, we’re friends, though.” I smiled. “And I like this.” I gestured to our clasped hands. “Why did you ask me out?”

  “Because you weren’t asking me,” she replied. “I figured one of us had to do it.”

  I laughed. “Seriously?”

  “Well, I’ve sort of been hoping, but I didn’t think you were, and I’ve wanted to go out for a while. I guess after the weekend…” She paused. “I don’t know if it put things into perspective, but I decided I don’t want regrets, and never going out with you would definitely be a regret.”

  I looked down at her hands, a little overcome. “Really?” I whispered.

  “Really,” she whispered back.

  I looked up. “This is getting ahead of ourselves, but I don’t do pan.”

  “I’m not expecting you to.” She paused. “I can’t believe I asked you to invite me home to meet your mother. I think I’m still catching up to the weekend.”

  “It’s fine,” I said. “I think it would be fun to bring you with. What were you like as a little girl?”

  She laughed. “Probably a lot like what you saw over the weekend, except in Dutch.”

  After that, we had a nice meal, and then it was time to leave. In the car I asked, “What are we seeing?”

  “Reese Witherspoon has a new movie that looks really good.”

  “Yeah, it does.”

  “We have tickets.”

  “Excellent.”

  She took me to one of the upscale movie theaters. We checked in with her phone, and then our seats were assigned. It was quite elegant. The seats were comfortable loungers, and we lifted the armrest between us and cuddled during the movie.

  It was sweet, and later we held hands on the way to her car. When we arrived, I tugged her arm and pulled her to me. She moved into my arms, and we shared a kiss.

  It wasn’t a world record-breaking kiss. We were in a mall parking lot, after all. But it was nice, and she gave a little mew into the kiss besides. Then we hugged tightly before halfway separating, looking at each other. Her eyes were smoky, and she asked, her voice just as smoky, “Ever tied someone up?”

  “Uh, huh,” I said. “Once.”

  “Did you like it?”

  “Uh, huh.”

  “Did she?”

  I smiled more broadly. “Uh, huh.”

  “Did you want to make it twice?”

  I looked her up and down, “Oh, yeah.”

  “Good.”

  We climbed into her car. She started it up then turned to me. “Do you have rope at home?”

  “Probably some.”

  She grunted and began driving, but when she offered her hand, I took it. Then she drove us to her place. I didn’t ask, but she pulled into her garage, and we climbed from the car. I took her hand and then led her into her own house. We tossed our things onto the kitchen counter, and then she was in my arms.

  Our second kiss was ten times hotter than the first, and Mary was panting a little by the time I released her. “Where?”

  “Bedroom,” she said. “That way. Selena.”

  “You won’t need it,” I said, “But what’s your safe word?”

  “Purple Power,” she replied.

  “Second thoughts?”

  “No,” she whispered.

  “Come with me.” I took her hand. I found her bedroom and pulled her inside. “Rope?”

  “I like rope,” she said. She gestured to a linen chest at the foot of her bed. “There’s a bag in there with rope, but there are other things if you prefer.”

  “Rope is fine.”

  “Selena, I never invite guys here. And anything you find in there has been properly sanitized since the last time it was used.”

  “Shut up,” I said to her, moving closer. I set two fingers on her chin, and she froze, looking into my eyes. “Is this what you want?” I whispered. Slowly, she nodded. “How do you like it?”

  “Whatever you want to do to me.”

  “Answer me. Soft? Sweet? Harsh?”

  “I don’t like being able to escape,” she said. “Do you know what to do?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then whatever you want to do to me. Selena, I’ve led enough tonight.”

  “That’s right,” I agreed. “You have. Are you going to fight me?”

  “No,” she whispered.

  “Good.” I went to work on her blouse, taking my time. She watched me intently. I tossed the blouse onto the bed. Her bra followed, and then I stepped behind her and wrapped her in my arms. She gave a little sigh and leaned backwards into me.

  I touched and teased. I played with a nipple, and she gasped. I touched and stroked.

  “You are so beautiful,” I whispered. “And so responsive. I’m going to enjoy having you.”

  “Yes,” she whispered. “Selena.”

  I teased, and then my fingers found the fastener for her skirt. I slid it down her hips, taking her undies with it. She stepped out of everything, and I tossed it all onto the bed, then moved in front of her, smiling. “Beautiful,” I said. “Tonight, you’re mine. Say it.”

  “Yours,” she whispered.

  “Good.” I turned away then knelt before the chest. There was a simple latch, and I lifted the lid. When I looked over my shoulder, Mary was watching me, biting her lip. “Rope in here?” I poked a leather bag.”

  “Yes.”

  “I may use anything in here that catches my fancy?”

  “Yes,” she said again.

  “Good. Mary, will you obey me if I give you orders?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good. Take care of your clothes then kneel to me.”

  “Yes, Selena.”

  I nodded then turned my attention to the contents of the chest.

  It was well-organized. Very little was loose, only a few of the bigger things. She had a lot of rope. Another bag had other restraints, carefully packed. There were paddles and floggers mounted with clips to the inside of the lid. I eyed everything, but then put most of it back.

  Mary knelt beside me, saying nothing. I glanced at her then touched one of the paddles. “Tell me about this.”

  “It’s a paddle.”

  “I know. Tell me how you acquired it.”

  “Um.”

  “Is it a secret, Mary?”

  “Rule one of dating.”

  I laughed. “Tell me.”

  “A girlfriend ordered me to buy it.”

  “Where is she now?”

  “I have no idea. This was… fresh out of college. Well, about a year and a half later. We dated for four months. I’ve had this chest for about three years. If I buy much more, I’ll need to buy a second chest, or do something else.”

  I n
odded. I unclipped the paddle, eyed it, then put it back. “Other than the rope, is there anything in particular you would like me to use, or you would prefer I didn’t?”

  “I don’t keep anything I don’t like,” she said.

  “When you’re with guys, what do you do?”

  “I have a different bag. Two bags.” She gestured. “None of that has ever been seen by or touched a guy.”

  I nodded then tossed the bag of rope onto the bed. I closed the lid then said, “Stay where you are.”

  I stood then pulled out several coils of the rope. I unraveled them and then said, “Stand up. Face the door.”

  She did, and I stepped behind her. I tied a rope to each arm, just above her elbows, then let the tails hang, but I used them to tease her a little while I was at it. Her breath caught several times.

  I grabbed two more ropes, tossing one over my shoulder. Then I took her right wrist and wrapped it with rope before doubling her arm. I tied her that way, her wrist secured to her upper arm. I did the same thing with the other side. Then I stepped around in front of her, eying her. “You’re my prisoner.”

  “Yes,” she whispered.

  I smiled, and then I began touching, stroking, teasing her bare skin. She began panting, panting from the little I was doing, and her eyes were closed for most of it. “Selena,” she whispered.

  I stepped behind her and moved my lips to her ear. “I’m having a very nice time.”

  “I am, too.”

  “I’m going to take my time,” I said. “I’m not going to be very complicated about this. School night and all that. But you’ll be squirming long before I’m ready to release you.”

  “Thank you,” she said. “Selena.”

  “I’m not practiced, but I intend to have fun, Mary. Thank you for trusting me.”

  She said nothing to that.

  At that, I lifted her elbows so they were pointed in the air, her hands near her shoulders. I used the ropes I had tied to her elbows, securing her arms so she couldn’t pull them down to her sides. I thought she might be able to drop them down in front of her, although I wasn’t sure things would rotate quite the right way. Still, I wasn’t taking chances, so I did an X-shape with the ropes behind her head.

  “There,” I said. “Good luck getting out of that.”

  She squirmed a little, and I went back to stroking her.

  Teasing her.

  Then I brought her to the bed. She climbed up, and then knelt. I pushed her head down, and then I took my time tying her feet, one secured with a length of rope to the head of the bed, the other to the foot, her legs well spread, her ass now the highest point of her body.