Well ... yeah, I did forget. Sorry," I apologized before a new thought came to me. "Wait, shouldn't Bert have told you about her? On the phone or some...hing? You guys talk all the time." That guy ... If he was here instead of on that family trip I'd strangle him with my bare hands." Lynne rolled her eyes and waved me off. "He told me you'd taken in a stray, so to speak. But he only told me she was a girl you'd known from Carter's party freshmen year, and he's been decidedly closed-mouthed about. A delightful meal as always then back home to play. Annie led us up to the playroom. worm was peering out from behind the bars of the cage temporally blinded by the sudden change from darkness to light. I popped down to kitchen to collect a couple of bottles of Sancerre. When I returned the girls were already sitting naked either on the sofa or the bed. Annie unlocked the cage and asked Emma and me to attached worm’s wrist cuffs to the hanging chains. Annie meanwhile disappeared and returned in. The waiting was torture…exquisite torture. The longer she remained in position the heavier her arms became, and to distract herself from the increasing pain she began to visualize her impending punishment, staring down at the snakeskin-patterned leather in her hands…hearing the sound it would make as it whipped through the air, the loud crack as it landed…Oh, God!When Morey came through the front door with the groceries, Susan held her head—and hands—up; proud that she had maintained her. .. ever again!"Well, mother looked very good when I returned from overseas. I took one long measuring look at her, she standing still as if on display, before I retreated with my bags to unpack.I ordered Indian food that night, and as I scooped it onto a plate, mother standing to the side waiting her turn at the aromatic food, I asked without looking at her, "Are those thigh-high stockings mother?"Since the answer was not immediately forthcoming, I simply turned my head toward her and glared.