Natural Submission: Book 1 of the Submission Series (26 page)

“Well, there are some bad men out there Mom, you know after what happened to Susie...”

“Well, that was a nasty business with your sister, but that was not your fault, that was nobody's fault, and she didn't approve of you going undercover either. You Karl are not a trained FBI officer, which these bruises prove.”

Silence settled. Wanting to keep the conversation going Francine asked “So what happened with Susie?” She crossed to the fridge and removed some eggs and thick cuts of bacon.

“Oh Karl's sister was young and very stupid. Fell in love with the wrong man. Basically he was using her as the proverbial punching bag. We finally figured out what was going on after Karl won his medals for swimming and rowing.”

“I was busy training.
Too busy
to spot what was going on with my own sister.”

“Karl, all of us were distracted.”

“Yes, but I should have seen it because...”

...because of his lifestyle.
Francine silently answered for him. That's why he blamed himself, all these years, but not necessarily. He may have seen, he may have not. The bottom line was we all had to walk our own path, even if he had seen she may not have been ready to get out.

Instead she filled the silence with “How old was Susie at the time?”

“24” answered Margaret. “An immature 24. While Karl was a
very
mature 18, weren't you son?”

“How do you like your eggs Margaret?” Margaret smiled and answered. As the yellow and gold kitchen filled with the scents of bacon and the warmth of companionship everyone’s heart was a little more full. Margaret and Francine gathered the full breakfast dishes and plates, Karl hobbling behind them to the lower level of the wooden deck outside overlooking Francine's flower garden.

Margaret stood at the railing for a moment enchanted taking it all in, after a slow deep inhale, “Oh goodness Francine, but this is just beautiful. What a magnificent place to enjoy our breakfast.” The air rose from the gardens warm and thick surrounding them with it’s fragrance. Her lovely white dress blow in the warm gentle breeze before she came to the table tucking it underneath her, sitting down across from Francine. Karl sat between them
extending his wrapped ankle, positioning it the best he could for comfort. “And the fragrance!” She tucked an errant hair behind her ear. “You must never get tired of that wonderful fragrance!”

“I do enjoy it.”

“Well you must tell me, what made you interested in owning your own nursery?”

 “Well, I was at a “crossroads” in my life.” Francine saw Karl's eyes dart up as she settled in with the familiar story she told people who inquired into the
after Karl
times. Well she had gotten all up in his business. Fair was fair right? The expression on his face said it was, and that he was
very
interested (nosy bastard).
The unedited version simply wouldn't do.
I was at this crossroads because your son has just spend weeks tying me up and forcing me to orgasm with tools and his cock.

“Your son is very lucky to have you, my family is all dead unfortunately”
See Ms. Margaret, I don't have anyone, then the one person I sort of had up one day up and left without a word, heartless bastard, much the same way he left you. Hey, while you're here wanna start Karl's anonymous for when he's ready to do it again?
All of a sudden Francine's eggs turned to ash in her mouth, she would have to be very careful here. Susie had been young, immature, what was her excuse?

“So anyway I was staying at a long term hotel not far from here, trying to decide what to do with myself next. I met Mr. Wright who owned this farm. I liked him right away, he was older and I agreed to work for him, only accepting a small salary to help him manage things around here. You have to understand Margaret that I would have worked for him for free. I’m a scientist and I needed a place to do studies. Mr. Wright’s property, that is this property had the conditions I needed to grow and nurture my samples.”

“So our relationship just seemed to work out. I was able to help him increase production and he was able to help me with my work. After a while he shared with me that while his business was doing OK, it not doing well as it used to because he was getting older and keeping up with the books, the vendors, the house, the physical labor. He was getting old and
the business
was getting to be more than he could handle, but he couldn't find a buyer to meet his price and he had to get his price or else he couldn't retire, he was trapped. Well, like I said, I loved this place, it was perfect for my work and I knew I could make it profitable. It just so happened I had recently – come into some money.”
...again because your rat bastard son possibly paid me off for services rendered. Now that he's
here
I can't decide.

Margaret was nodding her attention rapt, Karl simply continued to eat, it was his turn to have the “inner secret” at the table and the small smile around his chewing showed he enjoyed it.
“
And so it just seemed like a fair exchange. I have a good friend who works for a very well respected firm not far from here, they took care of all the legalities. I fired a few people, hired a few of my own and here we are.”.

“Well, that's great! Isn't that great Karl?”

“Yeah, Mom, it's great.” Said Karl nodding.

The conversation continued for the rest of the morning. After that Francine offered Margaret a tour of the grounds, a tour that Karl couldn't experience due to his wrapped foot.
Too bad, so sad.

The two ladies enjoyed themselves and that afternoon Francine asked “Are you sure you won’t stay Margaret and leave in the morning?” At this point she had antagonized Karl so badly she was a little afraid to be alone with him again. But Margaret said, “Oh you’re a dear, but I'm going to visit and
spend time with another friend out here on my way home. Karl dear-” She grabbed her clutch before taking him in her arms one more time. “Goodbye, You be good now.”

“Yes ma'am”. He responded.

With one more look up at him Francine says, “Margaret, let me walk you out.” and she did, out to her sporty little gold BMW Roadster parked in front of the garage.

Before she got in she turned around and said “Thank you dear for a lovely day and by the way, I approve.”

“Approve? Oh, of the house?”

“Oh no, of you dear!”

“What?”

“Oh, Karl has gone on and on about you, that's why I came” and then she embraced her. Francine’s eyes went wide over her slender shoulder. She pulled away smiling. “I love you already.”
So much for Karl's anonymous.

Chapter 28

Francine closed her front door and turned the lock before she faced the back of the house where she knew Karl was still out on the deck. Her hands went absently to the screw backs of her earrings. He had noticed them right away. It had taken her a few days to decide to put them on, but once she did, she rarely took them off except to get them cleaned and the prongs checked at the jewelry store. She had so little to remind her of him and now here he was in her house. Slowly she approached feeling a bit like a stranger in her own darkening home. The sun had already set and Karl was in the midst of doing some new stretches she had not seen before.

She just stood there for a bit staring. Already were they going to go back to their old patterns? He doing
his thing?
Her watching from the corners? She couldn't help comparing his lean physique to Ralph’s larger size. There was nothing wrong with Ralph's body, but there was not an inch of fat on Karl. This she remembered from stripping him last night after he fell asleep exhausted in bed.

He was all lean , flat plans which she now knew came from a lifetime of stretching and swimming. There was no way the average man, no matter the diet of healthy carbs and weights could compete with the background and the discipline of an Olympian.

She gasped as he suddenly lost his balance, the wrapped foot making him awkward. As she moved forward to help him she realized that he was actually smaller than she remembered and commented on it. “I haven't been keeping to my usual eating schedule. My family are not naturally big eaters, you’ve met my Mom.” He looked at her pointedly as she steered him into one of the nearby graceful black wire chairs they had eaten in earlier.

Francine had the grace to blush as she looked down at her jean clad legs, “It’s OK Francine, it was good to see her.” He worked on adjusting his leg again.

“Would you like your pain medication now? It’s time...” Francine asked. The sun had sunk into the rolling plains and night had set over the white farmhouse; fireflies were out providing their own sparkle. Seeing Francine in her red short sleeve blouse, cotton designer shorts that showed off her sleek legs and smelling her gentle perfume, like vanilla and
jasmine
Karl could think of something he’d like a lot more than his medication; but seeing as how he’d just tipped over like a t-pot…

“I should probably eat first.” It
had
been a long day.

“OK. I’ll make something. Let’s go inside.” Karl didn't want to ask Francine for help, but any reason to touch her silky skin was a good reason. She was
so soft
beneath his arm, her hair was curling up again and was like silk. If he wasn't afraid it would make him fall like a deck of cards he’d reach down to her cotton clad behind and grab -. “Just sit here until I finish dinner.” She said interrupting his musings as she led him back inside the dark house and steered him into a raised chair next to the center island in the kitchen.

Never able to resist
poking the bear
a little,
an agitator? Who him?
“First eggs, now dinner, when did all this go down?”

“I’ve always been able to cook a few things Karl, just not as well as you. But you're ill now, so you’ll just have to make due. This morning I fried eggs and bacon, this afternoon it was sandwiches and this evening -”

“This evening -” he answered.

“Chicken thighs.” Taking them from the package she placed them on the tray with a little salt and pepper and put them in the oven.

 A very
enlightening
conversation ensued: But wasn't she going to do such and such? No. But didn't she know she could season them with such and such? No. But with a little more effort she could do so and so - didn't she
care
? Apparently not. See, she explained, it was these things that separated
him
from
her
. His “cooking style” from hers.

Where were his pills anyway
? Oh, OK, this was her way of putting him to bed, he saw how it was now.

The chicken was soft and moist, the skin crisp and after devouring 4 of the of the thighs, she had not bothered with a vegetable (savage little thing-unless he wanted something from a can?) she helped him climb back up the stairs and lie down. “Don’t you want to use the shower again?”

“Yes, I’ll get up in a couple hours and do it. Can you just leave me a towel at the foot of the bed?”

“Of course.”

“Thanks Francine.”

“No problem.” She said with a smile as she helped him peel off his shirt and tucked the blankets in around him, trying to ignore all of that solidly build muscle and smooth skin. There’s the ‘ol libido, she thought, rising up at the worst possible times. Before she knew what he was about he grabbed her arm and pulled her close, his eyes intent.

“No, thank you Francine,” his eyes had a strange vulnerability. “You were always my
brave girl.
You’ve got to be the strongest, most courageous person I know.”

“yeah, right.” She said trying to brush him off, but she could feel a tear prickling.

“No, I mean it. “ He said. “ I don’t deserve... but your. Anyway... thank you.” His eyes were so heavy he could barely keep them open.

“You're welcome.” she said and before she closed the door she heard him mumble something that sounded suspiciously like -
I love you. Huh?

Those must be some good drugs.

Chapter 29

Her kitchen smelled like the cabin, the smell stopped Francine in her tracks. Karl’s ankle was no longer wrapped and he was standing in front of her stove with two sauce pans going. The smell was
heavenly.
There was food all around and as she approached, he was caramelizing white onions in one pan while in another was a delicious gravy and mushroom. Soon she knew, he would mix the two together in a wonderful sauce. Not being able to help herself she peeked in a covered pan and saw, “fillet mignon?” Her favorite, not his (she remembered he always like the rib eye) she looked up at him stuttering again, “Master, ah, Karl.” Too late. The pleased expression on his face said it all. After clearing her throat, “Where did all this food come from?”