The Thin Line Between Pleasure And Pain · Part 5

The Thin Line Between Pleasure And Pain · Part 5 (5/5)
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“Keep them happy. Yada yada. *the lady approaches Helen* Hi, you must be sent by Brian?”

“Yes. Welcome to our humble city.” Helen opens the door and collects their bags.

“What the hell am I doing? Who are these people?” she thinks to herself as she loads up the bag.

“To the hotel?” she asks guessing the location downtown given to her by the collar “Yes, please. And do you have a restaurant recommendation? I am famished.” The lady says “Of course. What are you feeling?” Helen asks positioning herself onto the driver’s seat

Internally Helen is screaming ‘Aaah. Have gone to only a handful of nice ones. What do rich people eat?’

Before Helen can get a reply one of the guys says “We gotta go over these first.” And Helen breathes a sigh of relief.

“I’ll try to power through. I am not good after flights. Motion sickness is made worse by an empty stomach.”

“I have some snacks. Here.”

“Thank you!” the lady receives Helen’s offer and nudged on by her the other two politely accept.

Helen is tuning out the conversation in the car and focusing on navigating the roads. “Boy, they chose a bad time to come here” as it seems gridlocked as far her eyes can see. Suddenly her focus shifts back to her passengers.

“So, next the err Reynolds project?” the left side passenger says “Eh, not bad. Let’s just go with that.” The lady sitting in the centre replies.

“But there is no business plan. No clear path to revenue or profit.” The left passenger replies

The passenger sitting on the right side adds “Yeah, what was it, Pokémon go meets PlayStation meets VR. Sheesh.”

The left passenger continues “And there is quote potential for AI assisted driving Unquote. Feels like this is all over the place.”

The lady coolly replies “Guys, you are missing the point. We need to keep R&D happy. And both of you have found fault with everything. Just pick. If it amounts to something great. If not, cost of R&D business.”

The left passenger says frustrated “but it’s not cheap.”

“And how much did both of your department’s *air quote* work trip to Cancun cost?”

“…” From both the men “Relax. Just saying. Know how to keep the nerds happy. What. Is that offensive now?”

“If we are finalising this I can sit down and go over the whole thing in detail. Sift through and pick apart everything” the first passenger says.

The lady stares at him and responds “Haha, you are not ready for the c-suite. He clearly is working with some sensitive data. Just jumping through the hassle of getting proper clearance for every moonshot project will scream ‘I am wasting time’. If that doesn’t get you fired, then untangling the web of science and inadvertently being made to look stupid over something like ‘Oh, can we run it on windows’ that apparently everyone knows can’t be done will… Sorry.”

The left passenger defensively asks “But isn’t it our job to be on top of the science folks?”

“It is… *She turns to the other passenger* What do you think? Do the two of you want to jump in and dissect every one of the proposals and give me a report?”

“I, I,..” the right passenger struggles for word.

She turns back to the left passenger “Keep in mind I need to get started on the quarterly report soon. That means I need yours yesterday. *takes a breath* In the meantime I am going to appreciate this.” She bites into another piece from the goody bag Helen gave. “Home baked cookies. Thank you Ma’am. Sorry I didn’t catch your name.”

“Luna. And my pleasure.” Helen says.

“These are great Luna. Where did we find you? I have been in nicer cars and better airports but this…” she is tearing up a bit but composes herself “… this reminds me of home.”

“I am actually doing is as a favour to Brian” Helen hides the reaction to the shock under braking in traffic.

“Brian Reynolds? Huh” she smirks “Above and beyond.”

“I think I am good with this project” the left passenger says adding “we have a ton of other stuff to go over.”

“I agree” the right passenger concurs.

“What’s next? Financials” the lady visibly gets more excited.

Helen once again tunes out her passengers conversation lost in her own thought. Her thought processing has to be shelved when she pulls up to the hotel. She gives the car keys to a valet for the first time in her life. If she was worried about money she is in for a shock when she puts down her credit card to pay for the hotel.

Helen waits in the lobby reading a magazine but not at all focusing on it, too distracted by the vibrations. She doesn’t have to feign this for long as her guests come down in casual clothes that “gosh these probably cost more than my suit.” She pulls down her sunglasses and goes ahead of them to get the car.

Helen drives her passengers, guided by soft sounds from her collar. She pulls up to another glittering building. She does valet for the second time in her life, goes in to talk to the Maitre-d’ to get them seated for late lunch, and put down her card.

“Do you want to join us?” the lady passenger asks.

“No, I am good. I have some errands to run.” While feeling like she had nerves in her wallet and they were in pain.

Helen immediately leaves for her home. There she has to request permission for her car to enter the driveway, in addition to permission to enter her own home. She quickly shoves some food into her mouth and, realising that she can’t finish, she puts them back into the fridge. She is well clear of her house when she realises “Why didn’t I put on some real clothes? Arghhh.”

Helen is shocked about 5 minutes from the restaurant. She sees the problem. Her guests are waiting for her.

“Sorry, sorry.” She pleads when she sees the trio.

“It’s fine. Meeting got moved ahead.” They once again are engrossed in their conversation and ignore her.

After a stop at the hotel, where Helen stays in the rental, she ferries her once gain well-dressed guests to a place she has visited many times.

“So, is this number good?” One of the guys shows her the number that in her own phone is saved as ‘Lover alleged’.

“Yes”

“Cool. We don’t know how long it will take. If you are busy we can just take an Uber back.”

“No, it’s fine. I’ll wait. And sorry for the delay at the hotel.” Helen gets a ‘it’s okay’ wave as the trio rush in.

Helen stares at the non-descript office building. It unavoidably reminds her of “Brian. *winces* Gosh, my thoughts aren’t monitored. My thoughts aren’t monitored… I can be home and back. Have taken Brian to the office many times… I can’t risk it.” To keep her company a random cycle of vibrations begin.

Helen’s thoughts take her all over. They slowly lose energy and she falls into a half sleep reverie. This is broken by the message ‘Guests are returning.’ “Back to the hotel please” is all she gets from the trio.

When Helen pulls up to the hotel the lady says, “Gahhh, I want to eat. I am sick of fancy food that doesn’t fill you and room service which is just a crime against eating.”

“But we have to work. Probably very late” One of the other passengers says “Yeah” she replies weakly.

“Hey, I have some homemade food. I can bring it to the hotel.” Helen says “REALLY. That would be awesome.” The lady passengers is almost about to cry.

“We don’t want to be a bother” one of the others say “It’s fine. I won’t be long.”

Helen is driving a bit too fast. “Why did I say it won’t be long. Is the stupid AI going to hold me to it?” After jumping through all the hoops she is back in her kitchen. “Okay, I had made lunch and dinner. Should be enough, I hope. Oh, God I don’t have time to make more. I hope I am not penalised.”

Helen walks through a rich hallway once again cursing herself “Did he hack my brain or something? Why didn’t I put some real clothes on again?” She knocks on the door.

“It’s Luna. With dinner.”

One of the guys answers “Thank you” he gets the bag and gives a small denomination note without a glance at Helen.

“You’re welcome?” She feels odd receiving money.

Before Helen can leave she hears “How much? Come on man. Be nice to the service sector. *louder voice* Ma’am. One sec.” her hands close on Helen’s “For your troubles.” The money fills Helen’s moderate sized hands.

“Oh my. This is so generous. I am not…” is interrupted.

“Pshh. This is nothing. We probably pay more for service that is much worse.”

“Well, I hope the food is enough. I hadn’t planned for three but it was lunch and dinner so…”

“Ma’am, it’s okay. Looked plenty. And thank you. Will we see you tomorrow?”

“Um, I am not sure.”

“Well, in case I don’t see you. It was a pleasure meeting you miss cool sunglasses lady.” Helen realises that she is still wearing the sunglasses. “oh, and tell Brian that his project will be fast tracked.” Helen having already turned away from her guest is better able to hide the shock.

As the last of the sun falls beyond the horizon Helen is driving the airport to return the rental. Then a walk to the parking lot to confirm what she suspected. “I guess I am going to the impound lot.”

Helen just wants to crawl to bed when she sees her house. Too drained to deal with the of anger from, among other things, all the bills, credit card and otherwise she incurred today fighting against the monetary bills in her purse that make up for it. However, it is hard for anger to stay down when she has to ‘request’ her way back into her own house. When she does the vibrations start and along with a reminder of the chores. “Dear mistress O please call owner.”

‘You do not have permission to make the action.’

Helen zombies through the list and eventually ends up ‘locking’ herself on the bed, not caring that it is only 9. She forms the first ‘real’ thought since returning to her house “It’s been a week. His conference should be over. Where is HE… *sob* When will this end?” The nightly vibrations begin.

Chapter 16: Is this what freedom looks like? “Brian. BRIAN.”

“hey, hey. I am here.”

“How could you leave me like…”

“Hey, Shhh. Let me take care of you. What do you need?”

“I… yes, ooh. That’s it. Almost…” “…No, no, no. Bri *zap*” Helen feels the now familiar friction dispelling her sleep.

Helen is patiently waiting in her bed. “I really hope my phone is in my purse or car.” The more immediate impact is she cannot unlock herself and the only other sentient creature she can potentially contact has been inaccessible via the collar for the last two days. *Sigh*. “I guess no Church. At least I don’t have to face the Church ladies for another week” and shudders being forced to be more truthful than she would have liked on Thursday evening.

The sun is well out and Helen is bored out of her mind. Suddenly her collar pipes up. ‘Project complete’.

“What? What does that mean?”

After about 30 seconds it repeats ‘Project complete’.

“Dear mistress O what is happening?”

Helen is ignored and on cue ‘Project complete’.

Helen is losing her mind. She has also lost track for how long the message has been playing on loop. She has no way of stopping it. Or even moving from the bed to distract herself. Distraction does come via the sound of the door slamming. “Hello” there is no response, only feet dashing up the stairs. With it her panic is rising as well. She is straining up to see the door. “BRIAN”

“Sorry, sorry. I came as soon as I could. The stand-alone program ended weirdly. I’ll get you out now.”

Very quickly not only are the bed restraints removed but also the more long term ones. Helen rubs all over herself as her partner is furiously tapping away on his laptop.

“Brian. What is happening?”

“I am very sorry. Just super swamped right now. Project got approved. I need to get err some stuff done for it.”

“HEY. You entrap me in some scifi shit and now you ignore me.”

“I am so sorry. I just have to *turns away to furiously type for a bit* Sorry. I promise we will talk. *Sees the glare*. I promise I will profusely apologise. It’s just…” his attention is once again pulled away by something on his laptop screen.

“… I am going to Church.”

“… You are too kind. And thank you for the prayers. My voice does feel better.” Helen sits down in the pew after the hobnobbing session is interrupted by the beginning of the Church service. She cannot focus though instead her thoughts are driven on ‘Did my voice really change? What else happened? God help me, what should I do?’ To complicate matters her nether region feels empty and just a little wet. Compounding it out of nowhere she is kissed.

“Hi Honey. I am so sorry” Brian stops speaking and just stares into his wife’s eyes.

In the midst of the throng of the opening festivities they feel like the only people in the world “How could you?” Helen is shaking a bit.

“I promise I will make it up. My pet project was approved with a big bonus. I… Honey *he places his hand on her upper jean clad thigh*.”

“…” Helen blushes “Do you want to head out?” Brian asks as both of them get up for the opening song.

Helen ignores the question by beginning singing. Brian chuckles and joins the tune of the worship team. When after they sit down after a few songs someone makes the first announcement, “To complement the sermon series on sexual sin we will be having…”

Helen smirks and Brian says quietly “Cockblocked by Jesus.”

Helen has been stewing for the hour-long service, that feels way longer than because of the sermon. The only thing she is sure about just got a bit more wet when the closing song plays. She literally drags Brian out when the benediction is finished.

“Can we make a quick stop at the office?”

“SERIOUSLY?”

“Sorry, sorry. This is the last one, I promise. Just need to drop the brass of at the airport.”

“Are you kidding me? The folks from yesterday. I already paid my due. Spent the whole day being their butler.”

“Please, please. They just approved my project with extra budget. I can’t…”

“Fiiine”

Chapter 17: Untangling the webs of freedom Helen feels an absurd déjà vu. They are driving there is silence only broken by the intermittent rapid typing by her passenger. When not typing he is gently squeezing her hands and thighs. “I guess I would have been in a foul mood to talk anyway” she reasons with herself. When they arrive at the parking lot, she spent a big chunk of yesterday, her husband dashed out.

“And we wai… Oh, that was fast.”

“This is my wife Helen. Helen this is national VP Estelle Vega.”

“Pleasure to meet you.” Estelle says and Helen receives her handshake a bit confused.

“I was hoping we can squeeze in a quick chat on the way to the airport” Brian asks “Is Luna joining us?”

“Um, no” Brian says sheepishly while his wife is confused

The two others from yesterday show up carrying the luggage for four “Here is your luggage” one of them unhappily hands over bags Helen immediately recognises “Thank you very much and apologies for camping in the office. Been on crunch time.” Brian shoots a guilty to his wife.

“Get a hotel like our VPs. Oh, where are my manners. Helen? *gets a nod* Helen, these are our regional executives Mason and Jason.” A few more pleasantries and handshake further confuse Helen whose thoughts are running on, “I did meet them yesterday, didn’t I?” but hides it behind a smile.

Amidst her thoughts apparently a whole conversation has played out and so Helen scrambles to catch up “… Sorry, this was sprung last moment. Yes, get in, get in.”

“Thank you…” and the conversation moves away from her.

Once they are on the road, “Anyways” Estelle shifts tone “About your project proposal.”

Brian jumps in before she can finish “Yes, I have more data and a live demo.”

“Ok. In the car?”

Brian continues “I figured you all are sick of charts and plots. So, let’s skip to the demonstration. Or rather how was the demo yesterday? How did you rate our volunteer.” Everyone else is shocked for different reasons.

Mason says “From legal I am obligated to say that if you hired an escort that would be actionable…”

“What? No, no. It’s not…” Brian is confused.

Estelle cuts in “Gentlemen. Please. *turning to Brian* We don’t want to assume or intrude but lawyers be lawyers, am I right. *Ahem* Was there any legally questionable way in which you are involved with this Luna?”

“err, Luna Fitzpatrick”

“Huh, I didn’t peg her for a Fitzpatrick. Anyways so?”

“No, she is a family friend” Brian says and looks pleadingly at Helen while at the same time sinking into the front passenger seat thinking “Gosh, I wish I could go back to this seat one week ago”

Helen backs up her husband and so the Estelle continues “Awesome. So, stand down lawyers. And the results?”

“I have to vet the data but preliminary looks good.”

“Good. Well send us a full report. And since we cannot confirm that this subject was who you claim to be please do not include us as independent witnesses to your report.”

“But I can get the audio/video and other relevant data. I just need the data release forms before I can access it.”

“Mr Mason?”

“We need prior approval. Experiment design approval. No conflict disclosure. Cost breakdown. And I haven’t even started.”

“Look Brian. Can I call you Brian?” Estelle speaks without giving a break “Brian, not many people would spend their own money and build a project. It was very courageous of you even if maybe not the most financially prudent. Off the record. The big advantage, which I am realising that you didn’t actually plan on which is a bit disappointing, is bypassing the bureaucracy. Nevertheless, to reward your entrepreneurial spirit I am not only approving the project but labour cost and per diem. Get Luna something for her troubles. About the actual demo. It was proof of concept for long range transmission? The one that was shelved?” Brian nods and Estelle continues “Okay. Good.

But honestly with cell phones where they are now this a *meh*. Nothing spectacular. At least nothing that would justify all of us being drowned in paperwork. Do you agree?” she turns to the ‘Ason’s’ who nod in agreement. “Going forward, What I really want you to show me is something mind blowing. Something that we can sell at our investor meeting. There is talk of a real time voice modulator?” Brian nods “And a precision automated hair editor. You said *she opens her phone and taps a bit before saying* we can get tattoo like permanency out of patterning hair with no ink. No distortion with age…”

Helen clenches her nether regions and tunes out the conversation. Soon enough it has moved away from Brian too and he places his hands on her thighs. She shoots back death glare and he immediately withdraws his hands. Thankfully the traffic is not horrible and the party reach the airport terminal in a short while.

In the time Brian has for a last schmooze at the departure terminal Helen has made a reservation on the phone.

“Let’s go inside” Helen says to Brian who is waving goodbye.

“What?”

“Inside, now”

“Um, ok” and he opens the car door “No, now”

“But, but the car will be towed”

“I know and I know where the impound lot is” she says to the embarrassed Brian, “… 10 minutes”

Brian’s mind runs much faster him. He debates what to share, when to, and how. His self-hype slips upon seeing the airport hotel door from a week earlier. He is definitely not ready for his wife splayed on the bed he had left her in.

“Does this please the owner?” Helen uses an artificially high pitch voice as soon as they enter.

“Honey”

“Oh, higher?” she pushes her vocals “No, I..”

Dropping back the pitch Helen continues “Cause the ladies from the prayer meeting said I had a strained high pitch voice. Tell me that I was just stressed out on Thursday and so my voice was different.”

“I, um”

“Wait, seriously?” her voice rises on its own “That was real?” she collapses onto the bed “Honey, I…”

“So, I was your guinea pig?”

“No, it’s not like that. I really wanted you to be the first to try this cool thing that I built. I know it is work, so to speak, but I could not see myself do this with another woman.”

Helen glares and raises her voice “You could have talked to me!”

“You don’t even want to come on a simple holiday! Seriously, I was going to wine and dine you in Mexico and sell you on it.”

“… Still that is not an excuse for trapping me.” Helen replies lowering her voice “I know and I am sorry. Anger got the better of me.”

“You snapped at the airport and magically you had everything ready to go and our house was fully rigged up?”

“This was not your first rejection of me. When was the last time we did something fun together? And I don’t mean sex.”

“Rejection” Helen picks on the word that pricks her most “That’s how I felt”

“I love you. You know that right. But once the basic premise was there I knew I could pitch it to the company. So, I had to run it like an experiment. Two birds in one stone and all that.”

“Stop. Just stop… ”

After what feels like eternity Helen slowly undoes her jeans. Then she attacks her husband with her lips. Surfacing for air she says, “I love you too. And I did have fun” and pulls down her partner’s pants.

“You are awesome. Now relax and let me reward you for being amazing this week” to which Helen wraps her legs around her partner.

“Oh my goodness. Yes, that it…”

In the course of the heated activity they thoroughly ‘explore’ hotel room. Inevitably they knock over the bag Brian has brought and spilling its contents.

“Honey, I am sorry, but I couldn’t leave them out there.”

“Ummm. I want use those.” She points at the large protrusions on the discarded belt. “They have been taunting me for a week and I demand satisfaction.”

“Your wish is my command.”

“AND I DON’T MEAN WEAR THEM”

“I would never, hehe.”

“…Oh, GOD. YES, OH MY GOD. YES!”

“So, how was it?”

“It was good owner” Helen replies out of breath.

“Hehe”

“What’s so funny?” she turns to face her partner.

“Do you think I should get my name officially changed?”

“What are you talking about?”

“You seem to have taken to the new name.”

“Your new…” Helen goes deep red. “…I was tortured into it Brian *winces but nothing happens*.”

“You like it. You like it.” Brian says in a singsongy way.

“Stop being childish *a small pause* Brian. I *a kiss interrupts her*”

“Round I have lost count?”

“Ye*yawn*s. Gotta hit the toilet first.”

“You have my permission. Hehe.” To which Helen sticks her tongue out.

Helen perches at the end of the bed and sultrily tilts her head back “How many hours do we have left on the reservation?”

“Oh, I’ll extend it. Make it a whole night.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, least I can do. *he tries his best to look up to her face and not her backside* Besides with the project approved we can definitely afford it.”

“So, you agree that what you did last week for not financially responsible?”

“Huh, what?”

“That got you to look up. And you wanted to lock all of this away” she awkwardly displays herself. “Drink water. Get ready. Be back in five.” She gets up and puts effort into rolling her hips as she walks to the bathroom.

As Brian admires his naked wife blood is rushing to his nether regions “This is heaven” he meant to think it.

Helen makes a quick turn and says, “Is this what you prayed for in Church today? Hehe.”

The clear frontal naked display, aided by a little post orgasmic clarity, drains the blood away and he doesn’t reply but mumbles to himself “Oh, crap. Oh, crap. Oh, crap.”

After a few minutes of deadening silence, “OWNER” the loud voice comes from the bathroom.

A moment later Helen emerges from the bathroom and asks with a scary icy cold voice “Why does my groin itch and is smoother than after a wax? *the volume is slowly rising* More importantly why DOES THE REMAINING HAIR SPELL OUT LUNA?”

The Thin Line Between Pleasure And Pain · Part 5 (5/5)
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