Page 144 of Enthrall
Thank God, we weren’t over.
A meeting? That sounded so formal. I wondered when the leather donning, whip wielding, paddle spanking bit began.Don’t go there, I told myself. Think about how wonderful it is to wake up in his arms with nothing but the sound of waves. The ache in my chest lifted.
Not wearing any make-up this morning had been the only reasonable decision I’d made. I flipped down the sunblind and checked my face in the mirror. My cheeks were flushed and my eyes were red from tears.
I made my way into Enthrall.
Within half an hour I’d applied make-up in the restroom and disguised all sign of anything being wrong. Nursing this hot cup of coffee at my desk, I went through his emails and tried to take my mind off the bad start this morning. With Richard gone, I didn’t feel like doing anything.
Perhaps Richard wouldn’t mind if I took the day off, I mused. With that flash of inspiration, I pulled out my iPhone to text him. He’d get the message after his meeting. Hopefully I’d catch him before he went off the grid.
Mistress Scarlet strolled through the staff door and I hid my iPhone in the drawer.
“There you are, Mia,” she said. “How are you?”
“Fine thank you,” I said, “How are you?”
Scarlet was clutching a beige folder. “Richard’s out of the office this week, isn’t he.”
“He’s at Chrysalis.” I tried to fake I was fine with it and studied her with the same laser sighted stare she held me with.
Her heavily massacred eyelashes blinked at me. “Mia.” She stretched my name out, like a purr.
I took a sip of coffee.
“How are things really with you?” she said.
“Good.”
“Hhmmm.” She twisted her mouth as though readying to discuss all that had happened this morning.
Had Richard told her?
“What’s your favorite movie?” she asked.
“Um...I’m not sure.” I’d not seen one in months. I could certainly afford to go to the cinema now. Maybe I’d catch a movie this afternoon. Maybe I’d go shopping too and buy some sexy new underwear.
“Mine’s the Matrix,” she said. “There’s this bit in the film--” She paused. “Have you seen it?”
“Yes.”
“There’s this scene where Morpheus is offering Thomas Anderson the choice of two pills. One is red and the other is blue. Do you remember?”
I gave a nod.
I’d seen the movie with Bailey. We’d watched it at her place on Netflix some time ago. I’d found the younger Keanu Reeves particularly hot in that long, black trench coat. Not surprisingly Bailey had found Trinity hotter.
“Do you know what those two pills are meant to represent?” she said.
“Making a decision?”
“The blue pill represents blissful ignorance versus the red pill that allows a person to embrace reality as it really is. The red pill brings heart wrenching, agonizing pain.”
She must have seen me crying in the car.
“If given the choice, which one would you take?” she said. “Red or blue?”
“Is this about Richard?” I held my breath. “He’s told me everything.”
