Rain drizzled down the glass. A flash lit the clouds above, and in an instant a crooked chain of light cut through the dark skies. The lights of the long stone garage flooded the courtyard with long stitches of light that disappeared into the paving stones. I stared at the silver Audi. I still couldn't decide if I resented Janet or not.
Lisa, my mother, slipped back inside the room. She had removed the ball gag but still had it in her hand along with her phone. She closed the door and locked it.
She took my hand and sat me down on the bed. "Now, why would Janet do this? Tell me everything." She said. She wasn't harsh, but she was serious.
I told her everything, I started at the beginning when they first moved in. I explained how I saw her through the window from the on-suite bathroom. How I bought video cameras to get a closer view of her. I told her about Lou, when Nick would come home, and how I came up with the plan to join in. She sat and listened to the entire story. I even explained why I began training as hard as I did, and why I started the business I did. I felt like I talked for hours, but it was only 15 minutes.
She listened to everything I said and when I finished she took a deep breath.
"Go downstairs and wait for me in the weight room, no one will be using it. Put your mask on. When I get Janet there, I'll do the talking."
I stared at her blankly. "Mom, why aren't you freaking out?"
"Going crazy won't help anything, just use what I wrote it the manual," she said.
"What manual? I only just found out about this as we were pulling in the driveway. I thought I was taking her to a dance club or some sales house party." I said.
"She didn't give you a manual? I was the one who invited her, your father and I have been trying to get her and Nick for years. Suddenly she accepted with this new boyfriend called Lou." She tapped her front teeth with her nail and disappeared in thought. When she came to, she pointed a finger at me. "Get your mask on, I'll explain things later. Do not talk!"
I slid the mask over my head. "She's smart, it was my mistake, I thought she was a Bimbo," I said.
"Sweetie, she's not smart, she's devious." She said, patted me on the cheek and turned me towards the door with a smile.
I slipped out of the room, behind me a door opened. It was pinks room, two women giggled and high heels clicked on the hardwood. My heart skipped and footsteps quickened as I rounded the corner down the stairs.
My stomach turned, I envisioned a bar fight, frantic screaming, yelling, threats and all types of shit hitting the fan. I wanted to throw up, to pass out or break something.
Janet stepped into the room and looked at me. She gave me a smile and said, "Was it fun?"
I wanted to reply, but my mother told me to stay quiet. Lisa close the door and stood next to me. Her response shocked me.
"Did you enjoy it? Tonight I mean." Lisa said.
Janet gave her a smile and shrugged her shoulders. "I won't lie I expected larger, very good though, very skilled, I could see where your son gets his potential. Am I right?"
Lisa gave her a smile. "Doug told me everything, including the things he did, and all the things you two have started."
Janet's face twisted into a frown. "Did he tell you he blackmailed me into sex?"
"Like I said, everything, including how you came to enjoy his company. He will get dealt with. But tonight you two will leave as Janet and Lou. He's going to drop you off, and the deal you two have is done."
"What if I have more plans for Doug? I still enjoy our time together, I've passed on a lot of skills and I'm just now getting rewarded for the training." Janet said. She took a step closer to Lisa and lifted her chin. "Besides, I control everything over him, I kept the letter and the original USB. And now that the divorce is final, it doesn't matter."
Screwed, I thought to myself.
Lisa smiled and lowered her hands in front of her waist. The softer response threw Janet off. Then Lisa said, "I know the divorce is final, but even if Nick got these files, the high-priced lawyer he has can cause you unwanted grief, say a month's allowance. As for our group it's your signature on our contract, you lied and forged my son's signature said his name was Lou. What would your clients think of you if they found out the pudgy 19-year-old virgin tricked you into giving him sex?"
Janet's smile dropped. She looked back at me and Lisa. "What would everyone think of you two? You two fucked each other."
"If we did, that's illegal too, something you coerced us into, through trickery and forgery? It's far better for you if we didn't have sex." Lisa said. Lisa stepped closer this time. "This group of ours has strings in high places, you expose my son and I, you expose them. How well would your business do then? What about your friends, your entourage of young pretty hair dressers who worship you? You want to be the one who's doing the seducing and controlling, not the one who's been outsmarted by a chubby kid with braces. You have pictures of him now, I have pictures of a gaming teen with braces, skinny arms and a belly."
I had to admit, the comment stung more than a little. Was that how she saw me? Either way, I suppose I deserved it.
Janet opened her mouth to say something, then looked at me. Maybe she remembered the kid who stood in the doorway as she held the purse of money. She brought a hand up to her cheek and tried to wipe a tear from the corner of her eye. "Like you said before its only sex, it's not like, well." She looked away and her quivering hand covered her mouth and stopped a tear from running down her nose.
Lisa spoke in a soft tone. "You've started a new and larger building, its expensive land in that part of the city, can you afford to lose face and money right now? Considering you gained a lot of pleasure from the deal."
Janet scowled at Lisa, her eyes filled with tears. She wasn't one who took losing well. On short notice my mother landed a sharp sting that took the fight from her.
Lisa clasp her hands in front of her and gave her a smile. "I think we can agree none of us wants any of this to come out. The little thing you two have going on is over, even if you don't want it to be. I can report to Red that you two had fun, but it wasn't for you and we continue on with our lives." She looked at me. "And believe me, Doug will earn his way."
Janet looked different. She sat down on a workout bench, put her knees together and her hands on her lap. She looked up at Lisa and said, "what if I don't want it to end?"
"You mean punishing him?" Lisa said.
"No," she looked down to her feet and wiggled her toes. "To explore more, just to know there're others like me." a tear ran down the side of her nose and landed on the black mat. She shook her head and stood up. "I just wanted to know if it's normal to fall in love with family." She crushed the mask in her hand and stormed pass us out into the hall.
Lisa covered her mouth with one hand. We both stood there and stared at the open door.
She put her hands on her forehead and looked down. "Shit." She turned to me and looked straight at me. "Dammit Doug, she didn't need this or you," She waved her hand over me. "She needed a therapist. Just take her home and let me think we'll talk more when your father flies out in two days."