Part 9

With a hint of amusement, they reminisced about the stunned expression

on Minnie's face when Katie mentioned, during book club, their planned

visit to Samuel's writers retreat. "I could practically hear his nervous

swallow from across the room," Jennifer remarked.

"He must be wondering how long I've been aware."

"And whether you've spilled the beans to Adrian... And there's something

I haven't mentioned," Jennifer added, if there was an expression that

said - a hint of regret mingling with mischief - then that was her

expression. "I slipped my iPhone behind a cushion anticipating Minnie's

barrage of questions."

"You once swore you wouldn't indulge in such wickedwifeness."

"That was then, this is now," Jennifer replied, attempting to sound

nonchalant. Katie raised an eyebrow, prompting Jennifer to burst into

laughter. "I really cannot pull that off can I?" She dragged out

'cannot' using an Asian inflection, sounding more like 'can - not' as if

two words.

From the get-go Rome was a touristic whirlwind of good coffee and pasta

and once fuelled up they wasted no time before setting out to explore

the city. Away from home for the first time in ages Jennifer couldn't

shake the feeling of unease that gnawed at the back of her mind.

"First day you'll be homesick," Katie teased during the flight.

As much as Jennifer wanted for that to be un-so, she was and being

iPhoneless added fuel to her homesickness. As if by accident, Jennifer

and Katie just happened across the Apple store. Soon a new iPhone sat in

Jennifer's purse, in a quiet alone moment that would allow her to check

in or, more likely, allow her to monitor the cameras. Witnessing

Jennifers retail therapy Katie felt the need for a little retail therapy

of her own. But that could wait, with her friend all iPhoned-up, Katie

suggested they get back to sightseeing.

Donna sat on her bed, staring across her bedroom to where her new dinner

party dress waited on it's hanger. With time to spare she clicked on the

Mistress app then 'hints and tips.' She quickly read through the 'new

mistress' section mentally ticking off as she read the list. Only two

sections remained unticked - 'exposing sissy' and 'submitting to alpha'

Donna took her new dress from its hanger.

In the kitchen Minnie 360'd for his final uniform check. "I expect you

to meet the needs of all our guests, regardless of their gender, without

hesitation. Do I make myself clear?" Donna looked up as if spotting a

murmuration of Sturnus vulgaris at high altitude and smiled. "As you

know Mrs. Collins left her iPhone at home, so even she can't save you

from what I have planned." Noticing his eyes brimming with tears Donna

finally decided enough was enough, she glanced up as if checking the

whereabouts of Sturnus vulgaris.

For the first time since book club Minnie was thankful Jennifer was in a

different country. His worst fear was that Donnas' main event would

involve a male guest.

"A clap is your signal to enter and serve champagne." With an enigmatic

smile Donna enjoyed a final twist of the knife "remember at all times,

Minnie, I hold the reins of consequence."

Donna, taking on an almost sheriff-like role, assigned Maria to collect

guests cell phones as they arrived, akin to disarming modern-day Dodge

City gun slingers. Free from cell phone cameras, and possibility of

social media exposure to their employers, the off duty servants revelled

in their newfound freedom by exploring the ground floor.

"Now do you understand why we have been deep cleaning all week?" Donna

whispered.

Maria laughed softly, likening the scattering of their guests to scarab

beetles. "I thought you were exaggerating."

Having reassured themselves impeccable cleaning standards were being

maintained in the Collins household dinner guests returned in dribs and

drabs. Soon the sitting room was filled with laughter as stories were

exchanged and anecdotes from their respective households shared.

"Champagne everyone," Donna said with a House Elf summoning clap of

hands.

Under her duvet Jennifer wore AirPods while Katie snored in the bed next

to her. With a half carafe of Frascati and several Grappa inside her

Jennifer, monitoring the kitchen camera, finally lost her battle with

eyelids.

"Come on sleepy head" sunlight flooded their twin bedded room. Katie

gently shook her shoulder. "Not a second to waste," she enthused. As

Jennifer woke she felt the warmth of Katie through her nightgown. "This

is like university again, us all snuggled up like this...remember?"

Katie teased as she edged even closer and lightly kissed the back of

Jennifers neck.

Jennifer remembered. "Have you been there all night?"

"No!" Katie sounded amused, her breath hot on Jennifer's neck. "Not that

much like university."

While Katie showered Jennifers wakefulness reached mild hangover

clarity, she remembered 'meet the needs of guests regardless of gender.'

Simultaneously, hangover paranoia cruelly decided to reminded her of

that time Donna said, 'But you will tell me if I overstep the mark,

right Jen.'

Jennifers thoughts sped on at the speed of a fleeing Grant's Gazelle...

until she had a vague feeling that while surveilling she had been

missing something. Something obvious.

Obvious and important.

But what?

Sightseeing and shopping were the last things on Jennifer's mind. She

just wanted to lay in bed and catch-up the show Donna had been

preparing. Over breakfast she inner-cursed herself, for falling asleep,

for drinking so much, for ever coming to Rome, for ever agreeing to the

Minnie madness. She had two choices:

1. Tell everything, including the cameras and be judged by Katie.

2. Forget the house and enjoy the holiday.

She decided she was being melodramatic - it was just a dinner party

after all - Jennifer chose option 2.

As they descended the Spanish Steps Katie suggested a shopping detour

"along Via del Babuino; Chantal, on to ERES, then Yamamay perhaps

Intimissimi as well if we have time" the innocence of her voice

concealing any hint of her two step plan.

1. Buy a welcome home outfit.

2. Tease Jennifer.

They browsed racks of Italian lingerie, seemingly designed for welcoming

a lover home from sea. From time to time they giggled like teenagers

with Jennifer freely offering her opinion. She was grateful the way her

friend's lightheartedness distracted her from her own worries.

"See why I need you Jen?" Katie said with a mischievous smile.

Like a mouse in a cornfield for the first time, Jennifer was unsure

which way to go. She settled on cautious with a pinch of lighthearted

tone. "Sorry...what did you just call me?"

Katie could barely keep a straight face as, rather than replying, she

held up two bras. "Definitely one of these, which would you choose Jen?"

"How do you know I went shopping with Donna?"

"I was stood behind you in the shop, you two were sooo engrossed..."

"Just shopping together, exactly like we are now, that's all." Jennifer

ejaculated, her voice trembled with emotion plus a hint of

defensiveness. "My life's not a bed of roses Katie, it might look like

it from the outside, in my new world of affluent acquaintances, I'm a

perpetual outsider, a square peg in a round hole. They all know I don't

fit, and so do I. And as for my old friends, their silence speaks

volumes - it's as if I've become a stranger to them, like some outsider

looking in. Sometimes I wish we never had that damned money and house."

She looked ready to burst into tears.

"I would never have teased if I knew you felt that way, I'm sorry

Jennifer." Katie hugged her tight.

"No, I am sorry Katie, you didn't deserve that outburst..." Jennifer,

feeling better for her unplanned unloading, forced an 'I'm okay' smile.

"Moving on... during lunch I met her friend, Helen, I think you'd like

her.' Jennifer floated the idea of the four having lunch together. "Once

Adrian is back on duty I mean."

Minnie made his entrance, a hush fell over the room, with every eye

turning towards him in sheer astonishment. If only his feet hadn't

responded nailed-to-the-floorlike, he'd have dashed from the room. But

they did and he couldn't. He blinked away tears, anxious one not escape

and betray his emotions.

Donna, briefly enjoyed Minnie's look of terror. "Ladies, please welcome

Minnie," she announced, her voice barely containing her amusement, "who

has graciously agreed to serve tonight while portraying a parody of a

maid for our entertainment."

At first, the guests were still a little taken aback by Minnie's

revealing costume and unsure of how to react. One of the guests broke

the spell, an enthusiastic young maid named Lucy, couldn't contain her

excitement. "OMG, it's like the most hilarious parody ever! It totally

roasts those male bosses who'd literally have us stuck in those outfits

24/7 if their wives didn't nix it. Like, can you even imagine?" Lucy

exclaimed, her eyes full with amusement.

"What a brilliant idea!" red dress woman said.

"And some wives would have us dressed like that as well..." Pixie cut

and little black dress woman wistfully added. Laughter soon washed away

any hint of remaining tension.

Minnie, feeling safe inside a cloak of parody, relaxed a little and

circulated with a tray of champagne. To his immense relief, his secret

nightmare had not come true, he counted off twelve female diners.

As the night wore on, the dining room resounded with the sound of

laughter and lively conversation, everyone bonding over shared

experiences and mutual interests. For a few precious hours, they set

aside their duties and responsibilities, revelling in the joy of each

other's company. Slowly but surely, Minnie also began to unwind, with

confidence building he began finding pleasure in the moment. Lost in

thoughts, he imagined scenarios where Donna had unveiled him as her

sissy maid, pretended the guests' laughter was directed at him. As his

inner world became more vivid, he hoped for time to stand still, or

better yet, slow down and let him savour the moment.

Guests were talking of leaving by the time he was close enough to

discretely say, "Thank you Mistress," while serving coffee.

When the final guest left Minnie expected to be left alone to restore

dining room and kitchen. Donna did not disappoint. He relived the days

events as he worked, and with Donna and Maria safely in bed he broke one

of Donnas cardinal rules by slipping in his AirPods. Standing at the

sink he was on the home straight when Dido decided to sing quieter. "I

haven't forgotten my promise." It was the voice of a woman, sultry and

smooth, a hint of intrigue lingering in every word.

After jumping with surprise Minnie's head swivelled back and forth like

a two year old Dachshund hearing someone exclaim 'cat!' AirPods gave

the illusion the voice came from inside his head.

"Who you looking for?" In head voice said in an amused tone. "Talk to

me."

"Who are you?"

"Mistress Aiara."

Minnie quickly ran the possibilities of who could be Aiara through his

head while Dido politely waited for their conversation to end;

1. Donna and Maria asleep

2. Jennifer and Katie away

3.

There was no third option - Aiara must be Aiara!

"I can talk to you...Mistress Aiara?"

"Of course! I'm not the sort of mistress that locked your cock away then

silenced you with a choker around your neck" Aiara laughed kindly,

explaining that a good mistress likes to be kind "true control comes

from sissy maid wanting to please mistress." Aiara paused as if

thinking. "And we are off to a brilliant start...I asked you to show me

your dress...you modelled it for me...I promised a reward...you can tell

me what you want."

Minnie liked that he had pleased Aiara, but had read enough fiction to

recognise Aiara may have set a trap for him. And he reasoned Aiara would

also be well read.

He cautiously remained in 'shields up, penis set to ready' mode.

"Mistress Aiara, I... I'm not sure I should. Maybe you could decide for

me? Something that, you know, makes you happy?"

Aiara chuckled. "Needy and crafty, I think we are going to get along

famously. Finish up here Minnie, we will continue this in your

bedroom...take it away Dido."

"You know where you are Mistress?" Minnie whispered when Aiara reminded

him to close his bedroom door quietly. She giggled in his head 'of

course' then told him to put his iPhone on a stand saying she wanted to

watch. When Minnie exposed his chastity, as instructed, the chastity

clicked and he was free.

"Get yourself nice and hard for me," Aiara encouraged, as if she

believed that to be a possibility.

Minnie found it impossible to take advantage of Aiara's offer, not

realising that weeks of training through reward and punishment had made

compliance unaided impossible. Unbeknown to Minnie, the chastity's

repetitive cycle of arousal followed by a mild punishment electric

shock, then teasing to the brink of satisfaction, followed by punishment

again, had rendered him incapable of achieving an erection. This routine

had been so ingrained in Minnie's subconscious he was no longer aware

when it happened.

Aiara popped up a video on the iPhone of a woman masturbating a man.

"Any better?" Aiara could see it was not. "How about this?" Now he

watched a woman dressed as a leather corseted dominatrix stroking a

maid.

And not just any maid.

Hair to heels the maid was Minnie.

He desperately stroked away, asked, "Is that you Mistress Aiara?" while

failing to grasp the implications of Aiara's ability. Rather than answer

Aiara asked if he would like that to be her and without waiting for an

answer suggested if he replaced his chastity she could help. Realising

the danger Minnie tested Aiara. "I'm not refusing Mistress, just

curious, what would happen if I didn't"

"Then I would have to be mean, like Donna, watch..." The video morphed

once more. Minnie fucked the dominatrix desperate doggy style...the

dominatrix looked back at him over her shoulder...Katie! "But I don't

want to be the sort of mistress who threatens her sissy maid..."

Before the full sentence arrived in Minnie's AirPods he locked himself

away. The video morphed back to leather corseted, dominatrix and Minnie.

His chastity imitated the dominatrix's hand on his flaccid cock.

Minnie realised the menacing potential of Aiara's ability to instantly

create deep-fake videos.

"You will make a terrible mess, we don't want that," Aiara suggested he

catch it in a glass.

Minnie had a good idea where Aiara was headed but that close to

finishing he decided he would cross that bridge when the time came.

Chastity, or should it be Aiara, edged him a couple of times. He decided

on Aiara. Minnie gasped as his Aiara finished him off. He looked down as

feelings of a superb orgasam coursed through him, savoured the feeling

while watching the last of his load dribble from his still flaccid cock.

He looked up, a rotating hourglass was displayed on his iPhone above a

counter, 10...9...8...

"Mistress Aiara?" Minnie tried, 7...6..5... still silence.

Thinking here we go, he emptied the glass in one gulp.

"Goodnight greedy Minnie," Aiara said as hearts exploded on his iPhone

screen.

"Goodnight Mistress Aiara."

Had anyone cared, or even noticed she existed, Katie would have

demonstrated she was the happiest person in Fiumicino International. By

a stroke of luck, when Adrian's text arrived she realised their flights

had serendipitously synchronised. "I could meet Adrian at the airport."

She showed Jennifer the text. "Is that okay Jennifer?"

"Of course, I've had you to myself all week." Jennifer's joy for her

friends happy coincidence dimmed after they parted.

Jennifer found herself contemplating the wisdom of the adage 'act in

haste, repent at leisure.' Without alone time, to review what happened

after the kitchen, she had been brooding over what she thought of as

'kitchen slut incident' for days. She told herself, she was done with

spying. She would fire Donna blind. Get out of the Uber, fire her arse

right then and there.

Even if that might seem like firing a 12 gauge shotgun eyes closed

tight.

Jennifer climbed into her Uber, closed her eyes.