We drove the short distance in silence. I was observing Kay in the rear view mirror. She would aimlessly look out the window, occasionally look at her nails, or take out a small mirror to rearrange her hair...anything but converse with me; something I could fully understand. After all, our relationship had done a complete turnabout.
Our parting had not been by mutual agreement. Kay had simply been overwhelmed by Lee's superior persona with a lot of help from me in that department, and I was unceremoniously dumped. We weren't friends in that sense of the word either--in fact we weren't even equals, any more than Lee and I could be considered equals. Right now I was her chauffeur, and superior people did not chat with their servants. She conveyed that message quite well. She was looming more and more dominant and superior in my estimation. No doubt a lot of Lee had rubbed off on her.
When we arrived at the Ying residence, Kay waited for me to get out and open her door. She whizzed by me without even looking my way and into Lee's arms to plant a kiss on his lips. He had been waiting in front of the house.
I stood there like the servant I had become, and when their faces finally parted, Kay asked, "So, what's this about a new maid?"
Lee looked at me with his usual smirk and said, "Oh yeah. She's out back. Come on and see."
They opened the gate and walked through the fence. I didn't really want to be there but followed anyway at a distance, afraid of what I might see. My worst fears were realized. Ms. Ying was seated on a chaise lounge with the back portion raised, casually reading a magazine, while Mom was on her knees painting Ms. Ying's toe nails.
She probably had to remove the red I had seen earlier and was replacing it with a brilliant green. There were little balls of cotton separating each of Ms. Ying's toes, and mom was obviously being very careful not to get any polish on Ms, Yings shapely toes. She seemed to be applying the polish almost reverently.
She looked up and seeing us, her face turned scarlet red. She had been caught in a humiliating and embarrassing situation and didn't seem to know quite what to say.
Ms. Ying said, "Well, don't stop now Helen, we're almost finished." Then, turning to Lee, "Hi kids. I guess You and Kay will be leaving soon, huh?
"Yeah, pretty soon."
Then she said to Kay, "Well, if you think you have time, how about a pedicure for you. Helen's very good at it. Just look." She held up a perfectly sculptured foot--the one that had been finished.
Even Kay seemed to be embarrassed, and said, "Oh no, I don't think so."
"Don't be silly! Helen doesn't mind, do you, Helen?"
Mom hesitated, not wanting to look up from her task and finally said, "No, I guess not, but maybe they don't have time..." Hoping, I supposed.
"Oh, they can make time...can't you Lee?"
"We can always make time for feet like Kay's." Lee was trying to sound humorous. Then he said to mom, "Feet like Kay's deserve to be pampered, don't you think, Helen?" Less humorous now.
Now Lee was calling my mother by her first name, as he would a servant older than himself, showing total disrespect for her and adding to my humiliation. It was so typical of Lee--I was not surprised.
Kay moved closer to my mother, displaying her feet. "Yes, she has lovely feet. I'll be happy to give her a pedicure, if she wants."
Kay shrugged her shoulders and said, "O.K., if Mrs Day is willing, why not? You're sure you don't mind...Helen?"
Now Kay was calling my mom by her first name. It occurred to me that before long, mom would be calling Kay, Miss Nolan. Now that would be something.
Mom's reply was, "Not at all. As long as that's what Madame Ying wants me to do." She looked up at Madame with a puppy dog expression. She was hooked...just like I was.
Ms. Ying said, "Excellent! And perhaps later, or tomorrow if you have time, you can teach Toad. Then he can do Lee's nails. It's not just something for females you know." Then she asked Lee, "How about that dear?"
"Sounds good to me."
As he said it, he looked at me with that arrogant smirk I had come to see so often.
Sure, why wouldn't it sound good to him? Another indignity; another act of subservience. But considering the services I had already performed for him, it was not really that much, except, in this case, he would probably want an audience...Kay of course, for one.
I could picture mom on her knees doing Kay's nails, with me alongside attending to Lee's. Or perhaps Lee might find it interesting to have us switch places. That would be even more interesting--perhaps exciting would be a better word.
Ms. Ying said, "Better hurry and finish up with me, Helen. The kids will probably want to be leaving soon."
"Yes, Madam, but the polish isn't dry enough to remove the cotton."
"So it isn't...be innovative Helen. Must I tell you everything?" She had an annoyed tone in her voice now, as if speaking to a child, or an inferior. There was no doubt as to who was in complete control.
"No, Madame. I wasn't thinking--I'm sorry."
Mom bent lower, her lips almost touching Ms. Ying's toes, and began blowing the polish dry.
The outside phone rang, and even though Lee and Kay were both closer to it, Ms. Ying said, "Toad, bring that here."
She seemed a bit startled by what was said at the other end of the phone line and sat up, placing her feet on the ground, saying, "Humm, that is disturbing."
Only one foot had been blown dry. Mom sat back waiting. Ms. Ying looked at her and once again, in an annoyed tone of voice said, "Helen, please. I told you Lee will want to leave soon." The connotation was clear.
Mom dutifully lowered her face to ground level to blow the other foot dry. She reminded me of myself in the kowtow position at Lee's feet. Ms. Ying continued her conversation as if nothing were amiss. Lee and Kay looked at one another and then at me, with grins on their faces.
Lee looked to Ms. Ying and asked, "A problem mother?"
"Yes, I'm afraid so. Our worker at the office has up and run off without so much as a word. Your father will be leaving the country soon on business and there is a mountain of paper work to be done. It will be difficult to replace such a worker--someone who would work such long hours diligently, day and night.
Lee sniggered and said, "Yeah, and especially for no pay."
When I heard Ms. Ying refer to him as "our worker," and use the term "run off" instead of quit, I had an inkling of what might be. But Lee's remark made it clear. Their worker was Ms. Ying's slave. Somehow, I wasn't all that surprised to find that mom and I weren't the only ones drawn in by the magnetism of the Ying superiority.
As mom continued her slavish ministrations, Ms. Ying said, "Helen, you said you were about to stop working I believe?"
"Yes Madame. I feel I've worked long enough, and we don't need the income anymore. I thought it might be nice to just relax and stay at home for a change. Actually I have only one more day left."
"Humm, how interesting. You mentioned that you were computer literate, did you not?"
"Yes Madame."
"And you do type?"
"Yes Madame, quite well."
"Humm"
When Mom had finished with Ms. Ying, Kay took her place on the chaise. Kay could have kicked her sandals off, but instead waited for mom to slavishly remove them. She really seemed to be enjoying this major power shift, even though she and Mom had always been friendly and on the best of terms when I was dating her. I guess the idea of the adult, formally authoritative, mother, now being subservient with teenager Kay calling the shots was a turn on, and also her way of humiliating me further, which she seemed to enjoy whenever possible. As she raised her foot for Mom to remove the sandal, she looked my way with a pursed lips smile.
Ms. Ying said, "Watch closely, Toad. You can start learning now."
Lee's eye's met mine as I answered, "Yes Ma'am."
When Mom was about three quarters finished, Lee said in an agitated tone of voice, "Hurry it up Helen, we don't have all day. Mother told you we have plans, didn't she?"
When Mom hesitated, I thought she was finally about to explode, but instead, I think she also was under the magnetism and spell of Lee as she answered, "Yes she did, Lee. I'm sorry, I guess I wasn't thinking. I'll finish as quickly as I can."
Then she said to Kay, "I guess I owe you an apology also, Kay."
Kay's haughty reply was, "I guess you do. Well anyway, apology accepted. Now get to it, Helen, will you."
I couldn't believe what I was hearing at first, but then I realized that mom was having the same emotions as myself. She like myself had probably always been a latent submissive and it just took someone like Ms. Ying to bring it to the surface, just as Lee had done with me.
Mom hurriedly finished and was about to remove the cotton balls from between Kay's toes when Ms. Ying said, "Now Helen, you know you shouldn't do that until the polish is dry. You could ruin the lovely job you've done." Her meaning was quite clear.
"I just thought that, since they were in a hurry..."
Ms. Ying interrupted mom with, "Don't think Helen. Just do your job in a professional manner. Half done is not done at all, I always say. Don't you agree?"
"Yes Madame, of course you're right."
Kay, realizing Ms. Ying's intent, sat up with her feet on the floor, probably not wanting to be outdone by Ms. Ying in the humiliation department, and as an excuse reached for Ms. Ying's drink, asking, "Ms. Ying may I have a sip of your drink? That looks so good."
"Of course you may, dear, and please feel free to call me Lo. No need to be so formal."
"Why, thank you Lo. That's very nice; I'd like that."
What a slap in the face for mom. Here this spoiled, pampered, teenage brat would call Lee's mother by her first name, while mom would still refer to her as Madame.
It was obvious that Kay would remain seated with her feet on the floor talking to...Lo... Mom dutifully got down on her hands and knees and began blowing on Kay's toes.
I would not stand for this any longer I thought. I would tell these people off in no uncertain terms...but no words came out. I simply stood there entranced by the sight of my mother kowtowed at Kay's lovely feet, and said nothing.
Looking at me, Ms. Ying said, "Toad, what sort of a son are you to allow your mother to do all the work? Get down there and assist her. Two can finish twice as fast, and you know the kids are in a hurry, anyway."
"Yes ma'am, I wasn't thinking...sorry."
Actually I was delighted at the opportunity. As I think I once mentioned, Kay had beautiful feet, perfect feet. I had even once suggested to her that she should be a foot model, and the idea of serving at them in such a servile way was a real masochistic turn on. I was getting hard, and hoped no one noticed.
As I approached Kay and started to my knees we made eye contact. Then her eyes went down to my crotch area. The pursed lips smiled once again...she had noticed.
It was quite a sight to behold, and they must have loved it. Mother and son groveling like toads, under the complete control of these arrogant oriental newcomers, and now the new, arrogant, superior Kay as well.
As we completed our task, Ms Ying asked, "By the way, just where are you kids off too today?"
Lee replied, "We're going to pick up Carter and Dawn. Carter's father has a friend who owns a horse ranch. We heard he even has a training track on the place. We'll do some riding there and then go out on his yacht for a sail up and down the coast to some yacht clubs for lunch and later dinner and dancing. We probably won't be back 'til morning. That's o.k., right?"
"Of course dear, whatever makes you and Kay happy. It sounds lovely. It looks as if you won't be taking Toad with you, but what about Worm."
"Neither one of them are going. But, after we check out the ranch, maybe both of them next time, right Kay?"
It was said with a humorous overtone, but her reply of, "Umm, humm," had sort of an ominous ring to it.
I watched as Lee and Kay left the yard, hand in hand, off to what sounded like a wonderful day of carefree pleasure. Then I heard the roar of the powerful Mustang engine and the sound of rubber squealing on concrete.
The cringing feeling I always had as Lee recklessly abused my gorgeous auto seemed to have abated. I guess that was because I was feeling more and more that is wasn't really mine; that it was Lee's to use as his own. I know Lee certainly felt that way, and why wouldn't he? I never protested. Actually, it had been a strange turn on remaining silent as Lee had taken over the keys and now had total control. In my convoluted masochistic thinking, I admired him all the more for his arrogance and superiority.
Today had been an eventful one. Mom and I had both been humbled and humiliated by the Yings in each other's presence. I was glad for that in a way. It was a relief--now I didn't have to explain to her my subservience to Lee, and I'm sure she felt the same way about her subservience to Mrs. Ying. It just was...there was no explaining it.
Mrs. Ying spoke, her tone much sterner and less lighthearted. I think she was now feeling the same confidence that Lee had.
"All right you two, there's much to be done. Helen, you have your instructions, do you not?"
"Yes Madame, I do."
"Then get to it. I have a dinner party scheduled for tonight and I'll be needing you and Toad to assist."
Mom looked furtively at me, then scurried off.
"Toad, go up to Lee's room, change the bedding, vacuum, and then do his laundry. You'll find a laundry bag full in his closet. In that closet you will also find several pairs of shoes that no doubt need polishing, and sneakers that need whitening. When you finish, report to me. I'll be by the pool."
"Yes Ma'am."
Mom and I spent the rest of the day working like the house servants we had become, while Mrs. Ying relaxed in the shade by the pool. Occasionally she would tinkle a little bell she had placed on a table at her side. Either mom or I would hurry to attend to her -- to refill her drink or whatever else she might require. It seemed as if we were vying to be the one to serve. I know I was finding being subservient to Mrs. Ying almost as exciting as serving her son.
In one instance we both arrived at the same time. Ms. Ying smiled and said condescendingly, "Hmm, now let me see. Who should I allow to fetch me another drink." Then pointing her finger at us, she began, "Eenie, meenie. minie." She finished the rest silently, and then pointed to Mom. "You win, Helen. And oh yes, a bit more ice this time."
"Yes Madame"
Mom looked my way with what I thought was an expression of having scored a victory of sorts.
Mom and I spent the rest of the day hurrying and scurrying about. It was getting late and Mrs. Ying wanted us finished so we could attend to her guests who would be arriving soon. She had purchased a classic maid's outfit for mom: a short black dress with white lace trim, a white tiara type head piece, and black stiletto heels. For me there was a pair of white shorts that stopped just above the knee, a white vest, sleeveless with no buttons, and I was to be barefoot.
When we appeared before Mrs. Ying, she looked us over inquisitively and then said, "Yes. I like it. You'll do very well, I'm sure. I want you both on your best behavior. Yes sir, no sir, or ma'am to everyone, understood?"
In unison we replied,"Yes ma'am, yes Madame."
And Helen, from now on, I think Ma'am would be more appropriate. Madame makes me sound older."
"Yes Mada...I mean Ma'am."
Boy, did she have mom in her clutches, just like Lee had me in his. I had to wonder what else had been going on, leading up to this since these two had met. Mom and my father had not been hitting it off all that well lately, and I had heard about certain things a little similar. But of course nothing quite like this.
When mom and I had finished our chores, Mrs. Ying said, "You two have taken entirely too long. My guests will be arriving any minute now. Go up stairs and change. You'll just have to eat later."
"Yes Ma'am," we replied and both scurried up the stairs.
As we did, it occurred to me more than ever what a dominant presence Mrs. Ying was. There was not the slightest thought of protest. Obeying her seemed to be the most natural thing in the world for me, and I'm sure it also was for mom. She reminded me of an evil queen from a film I had seen entitled, "Kali", or something like that -- "She who must be obeyed." That same line fit her son perfectly in my mind -- "Lee, he who must be obeyed."
The outfit Mrs. Ying had gotten me was on Lee's bed. There was also a round Asian type hat. When I put them on and looked in the mirror, I thought of a trained monkey on a leash I had once seen. The only difference was that the monkey didn't have a nose ring. It was exactly what Mrs. Ying had in mind, I was sure.
The party had been catered, but mom and I were there to serve, and also be shown off to Mrs. Ying's guests, who were all oriental. This was a send off party for Mr. Ying, who would be leaving the country tomorrow on a business trip.
Neither mom or I had met Mr. Ying before. He was an unsmiling, stern looking man. He reminded me of Lee.
Mrs. Ying introduced mom to him first. "This is Helen, whom I told you about, from next door." I couldn't believe it when mom curtsied to him -- probably Mrs. Ying's idea. He looked her up and down, remained silent and nodded his approval of mom's servile demeanor, I suppose.
She then brought me over to him. "This is Lee's friend, Toad, Helen's son, the one I told you about."
He looked me up and down also...saying, "Yes, Lee has told me much about you. I was pleased at what I heard. Lee is fortunate to have found someone like you so quickly."
The "so quickly" phrase implied that Lee always found someone subservient like me, where ever they might go.
I didn't really know what to say, so I bowed at the waist in oriental fashion and said, "Thank you, Sir."
It actually occurred to me that to kowtow would be more appropriate. The whole family projected that same aura of superiority.
Mom and I waited on and ran errands for them all night, still without eating. They all treated us as inferiors even thought some of them could not even speak English. Finally, at about one thirty AM they left.
Mom asked Mrs. Ying if we could wait until the next morning to clean up.
Her reply was a resounding, "Absolutely not!"
I was not surprised.
When it was finally time to leave, Mrs Ying said, "Toad, I received a call from Lee. He'll be home soon, and he wants you to wait here for him. You can wait in his room."
"Yes, Ma'am."
I wondered what he might want -- not that it mattered. Lee had given an order and I would obey as always, and, as always, it was exciting.
I went up to Lee's room and waited. About an hour later, I heard the Mustang pull into the driveway, and then Lee's footsteps on the stairs. I assumed the kowtow position -- he would find me that way when he entered the room. I know he would be pleased at that, and pleasing Lee seemed to be my main goal in life.
When he entered, he said nothing and went into the bathroom leaving me as I was. When he came out he finally snapped his fingers, allowing me to rise to my knees. He was naked, and even though, as I have said, I wasn't gay in the true sense of the word, I was in awe, and the usual "WOW" came to mind. It was hard to believe that he never worked out. He was perfect in every detail. Once again, the thought came to me that I was right where I belonged: on my knees before him.
He seemed to have been drinking and said, "That Kay is some tease as well as some fox. She got me all hot and bothered then tells me it's that time of month. She blew me, but I want another." He pointed and said, "Get busy."
I don't know why, but in that instant, it suddenly occurred to me that things had gotten completely out of hand and gone way too far.
I inexplicably said, "No more. This has gone too far. Things have got to change."
He sneered and said, "I like things the way they are, and they're going to stay that way."
I was feeling a little resistant -- a sense of what I had been -- and said, "Or what?"
With a confident smirk, he said, "Or I make copies of the videos I have of you in Carter's room -- you made a great toilet -- and all the blow jobs and everything else I made you do, Which you did willingly by the way, and send them to just about everyone you know."
He really had me -- I couldn't face that sort of humiliation and embarrassment. His hold was now total and scary, but strangely even more exciting than ever.