Protecting Heather
by
Stephen Smith
This is a work of fantasy and fiction. The author does not condone any sexual activity among persons under legal age in real life.
Chapter 19
Janice arrived at the ranch near midday on Sunday, two weeks after her first site visit. This time, she came announced. Ringing the bell, she was prepared for a potentially long wait.
Nearly a goddamn hour the last time I came up here. I hope this time he’s within earshot of the doorbell. Odds are he’s downstairs in that…
The door opened suddenly and she was startled from her thoughts.
“Hi, Janice, we’ve been expecting you. Heather’s out by the pool. Come on in.”
Janice was taken aback by his appearance. “Hey, new mask...” she looked at him appraisingly. “I like it! So… Out by the pool? Aren’t you liberating.” Janice delivered deadpan, but lightened the blow with a smirk to answer Oliver’s upturned eyebrow.
“Janice, we’re at least a mile off the nearest road, in the woods, and ten miles from anywhere in any direction. It’s fine. Besides, she needs some outdoor time.”
From the elevated vantage of the kitchen’s bay window that overlooked the back yard, Janice could see the full privacy fencing that enclosed a portion of the yard. It included a full sized olympic pool, a sundeck with lounge chairs, an outdoor ‘living room’ set of seats and conversation area, a patio table and a firepit. From the kitchen deck, a lockable gate accessed a path down to the pool. Along the side of the house below, the open door she spied must open onto Oliver’s playroom.
The girl in the red bikini bathing suit in the distance swimming laps must be Heather, then.
“So, how’ve things been between you two,” she asked.
“Fantastic, really. We even had our first fight three days ago.” He smirked back, some cross between a grimace and laughter.
“And, this is… good?” Janice looked at him like he was crazy.
“Oh, yeah. It started over who’s turn it was to do the laundry, and in the end we burned through several issues about her studies, her wardrobe, and stuff I never even considered like, what toothpaste she wants to use. In the end, I started to suspect that she was suffering cabin fever. Therefore….” he swept his arms across the kitchen’s bay window, taking in the yard, the pool, and Heather climbing out of the far side of the pool by the chromed ladder there.
“Things have improved dramatically since then. Frankly….” he confessed “I would never have dreamed that things could work out so well. She is very special to me.”
“This isn’t one of your weekend trips to the leather clubs in the city. If those places have formed the core of your experiences with women, then I know what it is you didn’t expect, Olly.” She pinned him with her laser stare.
“Oh? What’s that.”
To Janice, it was so obvious. To her credit, she did have years of experience dealing with people. Her counseling degree was not wasted. “What you didn’t count on was loving her. YOU, my friend, wanted it so bad, but you never really expected it to happen. And now look at you, lover boy. You’re on the hook to follow through.”
Oliver beamed like a school boy. “You always were able to read me. It’s one of your endearing qualities. Along with your ability to tell me when and how to ‘fuck off’ without any permanent damage done. There’s not many people who tell me that, mean it, and then later we toast it over beers. You’re a good friend. And that’s why I’ve arranged for you to be witness to a little ceremony whose time I believe has come.”
Janice was intrigued. “What could you have in mind, my friend. You going to make an honest girl out of my Heather?”
Oliver started loading up a tray with a pitcher of iced tea to go with the set of sandwiches he’d already prepared. “You’ll see. Just help me with this tray if you would.”
For himself, he loaded up another tray with the plates and utensils, and next to those, he carefully placed an ornate black wooden box, and a key.
They talked as they munched their sandwiches. Heather eyed the items on the second tray, but didn’t ask about them. Throughout lunch, her attention was drawn back to the box again.
Heather told Janice all about her new washer and dryer like it was something exciting. Janice had to remember that the girl probably had never likely seen laundry equipment that wasn’t 25 years old and stuck in some grimy back basement room of an apartment building.
Personally, laundry rooms always scared me. Janice thought. I’ll never give up my washer set, that’s for damn sure.
“It’s got this computer control, you can program it to wash exactly the way you want it!” …
Oliver sat back, eyes partially lidded under dark sunglasses, just enjoying the early summer rays and the familiar normalcy of having lunch on the patio. Letting the girls gab was good.
“You’ve got to bring your swim suit next time you come up, you can go swimming and then lay out sunning with me, get some color. It’s great outside, the air’s so clear and cool up here. The sun just warms you up perfect. I even study outside sometimes,” Heather said as she lay back on the springy patio chair, eyes closed, feeling mellow from the swim, warm from the sun, and full of lunch. Her hair cascaded down behind the chair as the sun beamed down on her.
“You’re still doing school? School’s out, isn’t it?”
“Not for me. I want to keep going. I’ve been thinking that I can maybe apply for my degree almost a year early.”
Janice exchanged a glance with Oliver, her eyes asking Graduate?
Oliver shrugged, sending back: We’ll talk later.
Sensing a pause in the conversation, he reached over to the tray and picked up the small key. Walking over to Heather, he stroked her cheek.
“Hi, honey. What’s up?” She squinted at him with the sun full in her face.
Why do you have a key? she wondered to herself.
He reached over, pivoted her collar until he found the lock, and opened it. Then he removed the collar, placing it, the lock, and the key on the table in front of her.
Heather sat up, alert now. Something was going on. The way he removed her collar, there was some air of something important happening that demanded her attention. Her hands came up to her neck, feeling nothing there, and it felt so strange.
He took my collar off. What can that mean? Is he sending me away? Is that why Janice is here? She remembered back to those first days. How she hated that collar. Now though… a feeling of fear formed in the pit of her stomach, and she could feel hot tears forming, and overall felt terribly confused.
“Heather, baby…” he said, puzzled at first and reaching over to wipe away a tear with one finger. He sighed, then, knowing he’d screwed this up already.
I tried for the theatrical, but that backfired. I’ve got to fix this too, he thought belatedly.
“Heather, let me explain. When you first came here, that collar was one that I put on you. I tried to make things right then, when I offered you a choice, and you stayed. You couldn’t have fully appreciated what I might be offering you. You stayed and had faith that everything would be ok. Today, I want to recognize that by completing what I started.”
He brought out the box, finished in glossy black lacquer, and inlaid within the wood on the top was a silver circle of Celtic knots. This he placed in front of her collar.
Heather looked at him, the box, and pushing her chair back, she stood. Somehow she felt that whatever this was, it was a time for standing.
“Open the box.” He commanded, in that tone… that tone he used when…
“Yes, sir.” She said automatically, and averted her gaze from him. Turning to the box, finding the silver clasp, releasing it, she pulled up the lid. And gasped at what she saw.
Glinting in the sun was a beautifully made collar of white leather with bright silver hardware. At Three equal points was a heavy gauge D-ring, the back being reserved for the locking buckle. Around the outside of the collar at regular intervals were mounted 9 rubies, three between each D-Link. From the front D-ring hung a silver pendant charm, etched with a Celtic heart knot above, and below, the following was engraved:
Beloved Heather
Protected by Oliver Murray
Heather’s jaw dropped when she saw it.
“The Irish don’t go in much for lucky numbers, but… if there’s one number they like, it’s Three, after the Trinity. And if there is one other number they also like, it’s Nine, because… “
“Because it’s three, three times over, right?” Heather said as she traced her fingers over the rubies.
“Yes. Yes, that’s exactly right.”
“And three metal loops, too.” She grinned.
“I… I hadn’t thought of it, but you know, I guess that works out too, doesn’t it?” Oliver took Heather’s hands in his. She met his eyes briefly, before shyly lowering them again.
“Heather, I’m going to ask you to make a pretty important decision. The collar that you see there represents something. This is my gift to you, should you choose again to stay and enter into training with me. This collar is a symbol of your acceptance of me as your master, and you as my willing submissive in training.
During your training, I pledge to you the following:
To give you love and affection.
To care for you and your needs.
To administer correction when necessary, out of love and not anger.
To teach you the things you need to learn in life.
If you accept this collar, you promise:
To obey me in all things as I help guide you.
To display your body proudly and freely, as all works of art should be.
To learn and excel to the best of your ability in the tasks and subjects I assign.
To continue to be the lively, bright, mischievous girl I've come to know and love.
There’s a lot that we will learn from each other as we continue down our path of exploration together. If you accept this collar, you can think about what it means personally to you, and we’ll talk at length about it.”
Heather’s thoughts kicked into overdrive.
“However, if you choose not to accept, I’ll be ok with that. You can even go with Janice, and she’ll take you someplace safe. No foster homes.”
Should I leave? Could I leave now?
(Oliver Murray! Murray. Hmmmm….
Heather Murray?
Heather G. Murray?
Heather Waters-Murray? No…
Heather Gail Murray. Yes... )
Dammit, I need you now! What should I do?
(H.G.M. would look good on white towels, wouldn’t it?)
Get my GED, then college? What? Live alone?
(GED… HGM… HGM… GED)
Ugh! Useless!? She couldn’t help but smile at herself.
*sigh* I guess I know what it is that I want then.
Oliver and Janice both watched her carefully. He took it as a good sign when she smiled.
“How do I make my choice, sir?” She asked, as a feeling of calm stole over her.
“Well… you put on the collar. Or...” He didn’t want to finish the sentence.
Heather didn’t hesitate. She turned away from the collar, stone faced. As his face paled a bit and a worried frown formed, she lost her composure and with a giggle, she threw herself into his startled embrace.
“I want you. You’re my loving Daddy, and I know you’ll take good care of me now.” She buried her face in his shoulder. “I’ll wear your collar. I’ll wear whatever you want me to. Or don’t want me to.” She glanced up at him from under a spray of hair that gave her a slightly wild look. With her fresh-from-the-pool hair frizzy she looked every bit of the adorable wild child.
“You are going to make this challenging, aren’t you? I should expect nothing less, sassy little girl. I have something special in mind for you… later!” He replied, but the relief was evident in his voice. The promise of something special … his brand of special, made her lightheaded and excited.
Turning back to the table, but staying in his safe arms, she reached inside the box. Her hand trembling a little she retrieved the collar, admiring the craftsmanship, the sheer beauty of the thing. She laid it across the front of her neck. It was soft inside, lined, flexible, but strong. She buckled it on and found it fit perfectly. Oliver reached into his pocket and producing a heart shaped lock. Tipping her head to one side a bit, he applied the lock, then kissed from the nape of her neck, across her jaw line, until finally their lips met..
Her other voice drifted across her awareness.
I’m His, for real. By my own hand! You know, now that I have it on…
She broke from the kiss, and slowly lowered herself to the ground. Ankles crossed in the back. Knees spread, legs at a 90 degree angle. Hands on her thighs, back straight, and eyes resting on his sandals.
“I guess you’re going to have to keep me, sir.” She said, a faint smile on her that kept reasserting itself despite her efforts to keep a straight face.
“I guess I will. You know, it’s not always going to be roses.”
“No, I guess not. But you can teach me. You’ve taught me so much already. You’re good at that. You taught me how to grieve, and how to play. You’re teaching me how to learn. And how to love. Thank you, sir.”
Oliver knelt down next to her on one knee, and lifted Heather’s chin, directing her gaze up to him, he kissed her hard again. He kissed her long and slow. In their embrace they were lost and unaware for the moment of anyone else’s presence.
Janice remained silent, overcome with what she’d just seen. A secret part of her longed to have a man want her that much. These two, freely pledging themselves to each other. Not very long ago, she thought the prospects implausible, untenable.
She remembered the papers she had in her carryall. The papers he had asked her to acquire, and she realized then what they were likely for. He was ready to let her go, or keep her safe.
Oliver caught her gaze from over Heather’s shoulder, and reluctantly let his new submissive in training go, as Heather also became aware again that Janice was still there. She went to Janice and unexpectedly gave her a big warm hug.
“Am I happy for you, kiddo?” Janice said.
“Mmmm Hmmm. You definitely are.” Heather said, beaming.
Janice sighed, still adjusting her mind to all this. “Well, girl, I’ve got to get moving. I’ll be back again. And.. give me a call sometime this week?”
Heather gave her a contented look. “Yes. I will.”
“Ok, good. Oliver, I have some papers for you, before I forget to give them to you.”
“Right, right. We’ll go over them in the kitchen.?”
“Sure.”
“Heather, gather up the dishes please and help carry them up to the kitchen. Then bring the towels inside for the laundry.”
“Yes, sir,” she replied, still grinning, but turning to her task.
Back in the kitchen, after Heather had set down the trays and went back through the now unlocked gate to the pool, Janice pulled out the folder full of the items he’d asked for.
Janice laid everything out on the table. “Birth Certificate. Passport. Social Security card… they’re all good. Everything you asked for, and all legit. Her new name is Heather Gail Koslowski. It took a bit of extra work to keep her original names, but my guy did it.”
“Thanks, Janice. You always come through. You’re not going to ask why?”
“I’m pretty sure I know why, now. But no, I’m not going to ask.” She stood, looking at him, and felt a twinge of something. It felt faintly like regret. But being the good friend that she was, she stuffed it back down. “Well, I better get going. You two probably have a lot to talk about, I’d imagine.”
“Yeah… yeah, we do. I’ll see you out,” he started walking towards the door with her.
“No, no need. I’ll see myself out. I’ll see you guys in a few weeks. Keep in touch.” She said without looking back.
Right now, I don’t know whether I do or I don’t deserve to have such a wonderful, beautiful girl waiting for me down there. But she’s here, and she’s staying, again by her own choice. So this isn’t about deserving. It’s about being worthy.
She’s down there now, waiting for me. I won’t make her wait any longer.
Janice arrived back in the city just at sundown. Parking on the street in front of her brownstone, she wearily ascended the steps, looking forward to a hot bath and some TV before bed. The heavy front door of the brownstone closed behind her.
From around a far corner, a man stepped out of the shadows. He seemed to walk from one elongated shadow to the next, picking his way down the street. As he drew up even with the back bumper of Janice’s car, he stopped and stooped to retie his shoe. No one saw as he reached out, under her bumper, and pulled loose a small black box from it’s magnetic hiding spot. No one saw as he switched shoes, tightening the laces of the other one, and casually placed an identical black box back under her bumper where it attached itself with a magnetic ‘thump’.
No one even really noticed the shadow man at all as he made his way further down the street.