If either Jeff or her mother noticed, they didn’t say anything. When the food was all dished up, and everyone was seated. Venia turned her attention to Carlton.
“I spoke to Brent, and he would love to give you a tour. He says he thinks he has some time on Friday morning.”
Cecily regarded her husband with a sideways glance that was meant to say, “don’t go getting any ideas”, but Carlton didn’t even glance in her direction.
“That would be great. I’ll meet him tomorrow, right? At the community center?”
“Him, and just about everybody else. Oh, I’m so excited. I’ve been trying to get Cecily here for a holiday for years and years. But I know how it is when you’re newlyweds. The first couple years are all about you two, carving out new traditions, and just wanting to be together and on your own.”
Cecily blanched. Crap. She had confessed the lies she had told Carlton regarding holidays past, but completely neglected to mention the lies she had told her mother. A quick glance at her husband confirmed that he had indeed gotten the gist of Venia’s comments. Crap.
Not that the first spanking had turned out so badly, after all, but she had been hoping for some time to herself later to process the entire day, or at least time alone with Carlton to discuss the unexpected turn of events amongst themselves. Plus, she had counted on managing to stay out of trouble for the next five days, making their brief foray into the world of domestic discipline a one-time thing. Now it didn’t quite look as if she would even have time for her poor ass to return to its normal size and color.
She couldn’t even look at her mother or her husband as she choked down the cheese enchilada on her plate. The food in Corbin’s Bend was, from everything she had heard, supposed to be excellent, but she couldn’t taste a thing.
After eating as much as could be considered socially acceptable, she asked to be excused to lay down, kissing her mother on the cheek before she left the room.
Cecily seriously considered locking the bedroom door behind her, but she knew it wouldn’t do much good. She dropped stomach first onto the bed, and waited.
Carlton never came. She should have been relieved. She should have been elated. There was no reasonable explanation for what she felt instead—a profound sense of disappointment.
So much for the whole When in Rome idea. It hadn’t even lasted more than a few hours. She lay there fuming, telling him off in her head, a self-righteous monologue heady with sarcasm and reeking of disgust, until she no longer had the energy to sustain her emotions, and she drifted to sleep.
When Cecily awoke, sunlight was streaming through the blinds and she could feel Carlton’s hot breath on her neck.
“Happy Thanksgiving!”
“Hmph.” Her mood hadn’t changed much with sleep, and she had never been the sort of morning person Carlton was anyway. She couldn’t function without those first two cups of coffee.
Her husband, however, just laughed at her grumpiness, jumped out of bed, dressed in two minutes flat, and left the room, returning quickly with a steaming hot cup of black coffee just the way she liked it.
The first sip was heaven and each one after brought her to a slightly more coherent state. Carlton was watching her, as he always did with an amused grin, waiting until it was safe to talk to her. She ignored him until the cup was completely drained.
“Happy Thanksgiving,” she finally returned grudgingly.
“We need to talk. Do you need more coffee first?”
“Maybe. It depends on what we need to talk about. I just woke up.”
“We need to talk about what happened yesterday and how you feel about it.”
She didn’t say anything—there were so many possible answers. Which part of the day was he even referring to?
“Cecily?”
“I feel fine, Carlton. What do you want me to say?”
“Well, I know it’s sometimes hard for you, but I want you to be honest.”
“Well, okay then.” She paused, and held her cup out towards him. “I’m going to need more coffee for that.”
He was back again a few minutes later with her refilled cup, not really giving her any extra time to gather her thoughts, but the coffee would help.
“Do you think this was a bad idea? My solution—the whole idea of giving it a test drive while we were here? I was frustrated—you know how I feel about lying—but I should have given you more of a voice. I shouldn’t have railroaded you into something like that without knowing more about it.” He blew out a breath and looked at her earnestly. “I had no idea that it was that intense or involved. I didn’t really think it would be any different than when we do it for fun, but it was.”
Cecily nodded her agreement. It was lucky that she hadn’t finished her second cup yet, because she tended to be more brutally honest that way, and it was the only way she would be able to say what she really felt before her self-consciousness kicked in. “I’ve read books, more than just my mom’s, and I have to admit I was totally curious. I knew I liked spanking in the bedroom, and I sometimes thought I wanted to know what it would be like for real. But, holy crap, that was intense. I can’t decide if these Corbin’s Bend women are just totally crazy or if they are the luckiest women in the world.”
“Same. I go between thinking the men must be sadistic assholes and wanting to know more.”
“So, we go along with the original plan. Five days. We’ll see what we get out of it at the end.”
“I’m not sure five days will answer all the questions that I have,” her husband mused.
Cecily stood and thrust her empty coffee cup towards his chest. “Don’t push your luck.”
“Me? I’m pushing my luck? Don’t forget I caught you in another lie last night, darling. If anyone is pushing their luck at the moment, it’s certainly you.”
Crap. Cecily froze. “Do what you must, but I’m still only agreeing to five days.”
“I’m still deciding on an appropriate punishment, and I don’t want to overwhelm your poor bottom before Thanksgiving dinner. Tomorrow.”
Carlton was impressed by the community center and by the people of Corbin’s Bend. While it wasn’t the intimate family holiday he had pictured, the day had come together beautifully. Tables and tables of food lined the back wall, with extra in the kitchen.
Round tables filled the center for people to enjoy their dinner, but there was also a small play area in the corner for the kids, well-stocked with games, toys, and books. They were seated at a larger table with Venia, Jeff, and Cadence and her husband Marcus, as well as their children, who except for the youngest, were now off playing. The formal part of the dinner was pretty much over and people were migrating around the room, making sure they got a chance to talk to everyone.
“I’m so glad you guys finally made it, and that you’re going to be living so close,” Cadence gushed.
“It’s been great to finally meet everyone, Cecily has shared so many stories with me over the years that she heard from Venia. It was nice to put faces with names. Although, I met so many people today, I doubt I’ll be able to remember everyone.”
Cadence laughed. “As a community, when we’re all together, we can be pretty overwhelming.” She paused. “We were all so surprised when Cecily came back from her birthday trip and told Venia she was married. I’ve never known anyone who eloped.”
Carlton frowned in confusion, not quite certain he had heard correctly. “I’m sorry?”
“Eloping. Was it as exciting and romantic as it sounds?”
One glance at his wife’s face cleared all his confusion. When he caught her looking back at him, he held up two fingers against the table. Cecily flushed, her eyes widening, but nobody noticed their little exchange.
“It was certainly something,” Carlton answered.
“I have never been so shocked in my life. I always thought that when Cecily got married, it would be a grand affair that wiped out my savings account.” Venia smiled indulgently at her daughter. “When it’s tru
e love, all the bells and whistles, and fancy trappings lose their importance. Still, I was surprised. You know what I found the other day? Your wedding notebook. Do you remember that? You and Cadence both had them. You took apart all those wedding catalogs and magazines and planned the whole day.”
“I remember that!” Cadence exclaimed. “I haven’t seen mine, but I would have to say that some of the things didn’t change.”
Carlton barely heard her. He was looking at his wife, musing over this new information. Of course Cecily was the type to dream and plan her wedding day. It certainly fit her. Their wedding had been a spur of the moment, drunken affair in Las Vegas on Cecily’s twenty-fifth birthday. It hadn’t been exciting, or romantic, a simple result of them both being at a crossroads in their life and running into each other when they were both feeling hopeless and vulnerable. There were a few pictures but they were awful.
Their marriage, which had been a decision made completely on impulse, had had quite a few advantages for both of them over the years. They had gained a lot. He had never thought about what they might have given up. An idea formed in the recesses of his mind.
“Venia, you said you still have that notebook?”
“Mmhmm, I saved it. Couldn’t bear to get rid of it. Just kept picturing her sitting at the kitchen table with scissors and glue, dreaming out her future. Just held a lot of memories.”
“I would love to see it.” His wife was shooting him annoyed glances, but he ignored her.
“I’ll get it down tomorrow, when I’m getting the Christmas decorations.”
Jeff shot her a sharp glance, the nuances of which were obvious. “I will get the Christmas decorations down for you when I get back from the lab. I only need to go in for a few hours to record some data. You can wait until I get back. You’ll be fine.”
“I can help,” Carlton offered. “I only have that meeting with Brent in the morning, but other than that I’m all yours.”
“Hmph. You two are acting like I’m some feeble old woman. How did I manage for ten years before the two of you came along? The Christmas decorations are on the top shelf of the garage, and I can reach them just fine with my step stool—just the same as I always have.”
“Venia, I’m not implying that you are incapable. I’m just asking you to wait until you have help from either me or Carlton. Both of us should be back before noon. Waiting a few hours is not going to kill you. It’s not even December yet.”
“I’ve been putting my Christmas decorations up the day after Thanksgiving for as long as I can remember, and I am not about to stop now. It’s a lot of work to decorate for the holiday, so I like to enjoy it for as long as I can.”
“That’s fine. Nobody is arguing your point. I’m simply telling you that you’ll wait until I get home.”
Carlton watched, fascinated at the exchange as he had been all day. He had seen plenty of discussions like this one between different couples. Whether it was over things like not indulging in too much champagne, to being disrespectful, to not getting Christmas decorations down without help. The conversations were all the same. There was a lot to this domestic discipline stuff, a lot more than he was realizing. The more he found out, the more questions he had, and the more he began to see its use outside of just a five-day charade of keeping up with Cecily’s ever growing list of lies.
Not that it mattered. As Cecily kept reminding him, they were only keeping this arrangement as long as they were here in Corbin’s Bend. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to pick Brent’s brain a little bit tomorrow.
Chapter 4
So, this is one of our largest homes, reserved for people with large families, of course. It’s not much bigger than the one we just saw, and unfortunately not as popular either. Even though all our bedrooms are soundproof, a lot of people prefer having a master bedroom apart from the other bedrooms if only for peace of mind. Of course, this plan remains popular with families of very young children.”
“You certainly have a lot of options available.” Carlton was undeniably impressed with the housing plans, and what all he had seen of the community so far.
“We want everyone to be happy and comfortable, and we want their homes to feel like home.”
“Well, you’ve certainly accomplished that.”
“Do you need to get back, or would you like a quick tour of the community?”
Carlton checked his watch. “I have about an hour still. I promised Venia I would be back by noon. She’s anxious to start getting her decorations up. I have a feeling that if I’m even a minute later than what I said, she’ll start doing it herself, consequences be damned.”
This was met with deep laughter from Brent. “That sounds just like Venia. I think we can knock out most of the main attractions in an hour, and get you back before she gets too crazed.”
Brent locked up the house behind them, and they headed out to Brent’s truck. Brent had picked him up this morning.
Carlton jumped in and buckled, and they were on the road quickly. He expected to begin hearing more community facts and history, but Brent decided to get more personal.
“We’re really glad to see Cecily here, and to see her happy. She had some rough times with her mother moving here, and with Cadence ending up here as well. It was always a big source of contention between her and Venia that she refused to visit. Even after the two of you married, which came as a huge surprise to us all, Venia had high hopes that things would change. It took a while longer than she probably wanted, but we’re sure glad things are looking up. Venia is very dear to us here.”
“I wasn’t around much for the first years of our marriage, so to be perfectly honest, this information is all pretty new to me. Of course, Cecily had told me that their relationship was strained, but I hadn’t realized how strained until only a few months ago.” Carlton sighed. “Now that I’m back in the states, and we’re going to be nearby, things will be much different. My parents died in a car accident my senior year of high school, so I understand the importance of family, and I have been looking forward to simply having a relationship with Cecily’s family. I’m certainly enjoying getting to know them, and everyone here. It seems like a great community you’ve built here.”
“Well, I didn’t build it on my own. It was very much a collaborative effort. We had a great contractor, and we have everything grouped into different department boards, and different people on each board.”
Carlton nodded, just listening as Brent looped around the community, pointing out the different restaurants and things as they went. “So, you and Cecily have been married for a few years now. How long have you been practicing domestic discipline?”
Carlton gritted his teeth. He had been trying to dissuade this line of conversation all day, but he had run out of stall tactics. He hated to lie outright.
“To tell you the truth, it’s very new to us. Brand new even. We don’t know much about it, and we’re just experimenting. It’s a learning curve for sure.”
Brent had a strange expression for a moment, but he quickly recovered. It was a good bet that he realized Carlton’s vague answer didn’t quite line up with what he had already been told.
“Well, everyone here is a great resource if you feel comfortable talking about it. I would say ninety percent of the community practices some form of domestic discipline. We have people who are brand new and people who have been practicing longer than I’ve been alive. We like to encourage healthy conversation about it, and a source of support, so we hook each individual that moves in with a mentor. Someone they can go to with questions, et cetera.”
“That sounds great.” Carlton was very impressed. “I looked at the website the other night and followed some of the informational links I found. Very good information.”
“Well, keep in mind that while the resources we link to are pretty good, and we consider each one of them carefully, none of them are comprehensive, and they definitely don’t replace a give and take conversation with someone who has experience. It’s a respo
nsibility, and a gift, and as a HoH, it’s our job to remember that every day, and to never take it lightly.” Brent paused and frowned. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to start a lecture. I just meant to say that if you ever feel the need to talk about it, or if you have any questions, I’m always available, or I can hook you up with someone else as well. Venia is family, and everyone here believes in this lifestyle. We want to help and encourage others who are interested in it as well, regardless of where they live.”
“That’s very kind. I might take you up on that.” He even kind of meant it. They had said it was a temporary arrangement, but the more Carlton learned, the more he could see himself living this way. He just had to convince Cecily.
“We still have time. I figured we would make the short trip over to the new medical center. We’re very proud of it.”
“Sure. Sounds good.”
“Mom, Carlton should be home any minute. He said he would help you.”
“Sure, and Jeffrey said he would be home by noon as well. You can see how that turned out.”
Cecily frowned. Jeff had just called and informed them of some emergency in the lab that was going to keep him away for a few extra hours. Her mom was not taking it well.
“Okay, but I called Carlton. He and Brent will be back in twenty minutes.”
“Hmph! Why do I need to wait for either of them anyway? You’re here, aren’t you?”
“I think you’re a little late with that argument. Maybe if you had thought of it yesterday, it would have been valid. I’m pretty sure now it will just get you into trouble.” Cecily groaned. Her mother getting into trouble was not something she really wanted a mental picture of. And she thought Jeffrey was just being a bit controlling anyway. He was actually a few years older than her mother. What made him more capable? She was beginning to remember why she had been so against domestic discipline in the first place. It just made men into egotistical control freaks who made unreasonable rules for the sake of rules. Still…what would the harm be in waiting twenty minutes?
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