Plotting and planning

Instantly you reach over and push the button to turn on the speakerphone. “Katie, it’s Jane. What’s wrong?”

Katie whispers in a panicked tone. “It’s Dad. I thought he’d gone to bed, so my boyfriend Todd and I were playing around on our webcams, just being all flirty and stuff. Suddenly Dad comes in, sees what’s going on, and he flips out. He yanks out my webcam and smashes it. Had Mom not come in just then, Dad would have smashed my computer. He kept ranting about how he’d be damned if I became a harlot and how he was gonna ship me off to a Christian school…it was even worse than when we were down there for your birthday, Grace. It was really scary…”

Suddenly you hear another voice in the background behind Kate. “Katherine Francis McCormick, get off the phone this instant! You’re supposed to be in bed. And I pray to God you’re not on the phone with that slimy bastard boyfriend of yours or your slut harlot sister! God help you if you are.”

Grace gasps loudly, trying hard to fight back tears. You immediately take command. “Kate, hang up now and go to bed. I’ll take care of it, okay?”

“Okay,” Katie tries to sound sure and brave, but her voice waivers as she disconnects the call. The instant Katie hangs up, Grace collapses against you, weeping. Gathering your pet into your arms, you stroke her back and hum softly until Grace is coherent again. “Grace, how long does it take to get to where your parents live?”

“Usually takes about six hours to get to Marion. Why?”

You look at the clock. 1:37 am. Turning to Grace, you look into her eyes. “Grace, do you trust me?”

“Of course, Mistress,” she replies factually and without hesitation.

Smiling softly, you kiss Grace’s forehead. “Try and get some rest. We’ve got a busy day ahead of us.” With that you set the alarm for 6:00 am.

Grace sits up, wrapping a blanket around her naked body. “I know, Mistress. I’m just too wound up to sleep, I think.”

You smile softly at her. “Grace, lay down on your belly for me.” She nods, letting the cover fall down a bit as she lays down, resting her head on her arms. Carefully you straddle her hips, leaning forward a bit so your skin rubs against hers as you massage her shoulders and neck.

Grace moans softly, “Mmm, that feels good.”

But you can still feel the tension and worry locking up her body. So you rub a bit slower and harder as you talk to your pet in soft, soothing tones. “You and I are going to get a good night’s sleep. Then we’ll get up early in the morning and see what we need to do to get Kate registered at the high school here. Then we’re going to drive down and meet her after school. If it’s what she wants, we’ll pack up her stuff and move her in this weekend. She’ll start her new school on Monday, and she’ll be safe here with us.”

By this point your fingers are working right above Grace’s hips. Your confidence, your plans, and your strong, tender hands have the tension melting from your pet’s body. Grace shifts a bit under you so you rise up a bit to let her move. She rolls over to face you, a few tears trickling down her cheeks. “Oh, Mistress,” she coos as she reaches up to caress your cheek. “You are so good to me. Thank you.”

You allow Grace to touch you for a few moments before whispering “I want only the best for my pet.” With that, you take her hand in yours and kiss the back of her hand. “For my lover.” And you turn her hand slightly to kiss the inside of her wrist. “And for my friend.” You kiss the inside of her wrist again, letting your lips linger there a bit as your tongue very briefly slips out to play with the nerves there. Grace tries to moan but the sound lodges in the back of her throat as you kiss the inside of her wrist again.