"Hello, Ben" she gushed as she held out her hand for him to kiss. "It's so good to see you. And how are Laura and the girls?"
The question caught him completely off-guard. He had been expecting to be confronting Ben alone. And here was Ben's wife asking about his wife and family. Jim and Laura had two daughters. One was three years old. The other was only three months old. But he was not expecting anything like this kind of topic.
"They're… they're… they're fine I guess, Diana," he stumbled through. "Thanks for asking."
Diana waved her hand through the air imperiously and flicked her head to the side, "Oh Jim. No need for thanks. We care for Laura. And of course we wish the best for you and the girls also."
Jim felt a shiver race through him as he tried to digest the words that he had just heard. It was obvious to him that Diana was in on this arrangement and that troubled him even more, although he wasn't sure quite why.
The conversation at that meeting quickly became a blur to Jim. It was all just so surreal. People just don't give or sell people like that.
And yet he was, in essence, being asked to sell his wife to this elderly couple. True, it was just going to be a part-time arrangement, but his wife, and the mother of his children, was still going to be a slave to Ben and Diana if he went through with this.
Two weeks later, Laura was parked down the street from Ben and Diana's home. Even though Jim had tried to raise the subject delicately, she had still been appalled at the idea. But the economic reality finally set in on her and she realized, as did Jim, that they had no choice. Reluctantly, she agreed to meet with Benjamin and Diana Holcomb, although she told Jim that it was just for an initial meeting. She insisted that she had not agreed to anything more than that.
Finally, she put the car back in gear and crept forward until she was at the gate of the Holcomb residence. She announced herself and the gate swung open. When she pulled up to the front of the huge home, Diana was out front to welcome her.
"Oh Laura, dear" she effused. "I'm so glad you could make it. Please come in."
Laura was even more confused by the greeting. It was as if Diana was greeting some kind of long lost friend or relative. Maybe she was confused about what was going on. She put the car in park and got out, finding herself engulfed in Diana's arms as she received a kiss on the cheek. She followed Diana up the steps and into the house.
"Let me take your coat, dear," said the silver-haired woman as she turned Laura around and peeled the coat off of her shoulders, hanging it neatly in the closet. "And you can place the rest of your clothes on that table there," she said, pointing to an antique in the front hallway.
"Excuse me," Laura blinked.
"Oh dear, please don't make this more difficult than you have to" replied Diana as she left Laura behind, moving into the living room. "You and I both know the terms of the agreement."
Laura bit her lower lip. She had not expected things to move so fast.
But she did, indeed, know the terms of the agreement. And those terms required that she do whatever was asked of her. Even though she had not fully agreed to go through with this, she thought it best to act in the best faith possible until she could make up her mind. So she stayed in the hallway and started removing her clothes. A few minutes later, she walked into the living room in only a bra and her panties.
"Ahem," said Diana as she glanced up at Laura's arrival. "I think that you were to remove your clothes."
"But surely…" Laura started to say, but was cut off by Diana's tut-tuts and the wave of a finger. The finger directed Laura to go back the way she came, which she did. Moments later, she reemerged completely naked.
"Much better," smiled Diana. "Much, much better. Do come here and join me for some wine, dear."
Laura stood frozen in the doorway for a moment, unsure of what to do. Finally, with one arm draped across her chest and the other protecting her sex from the view of her hostess, she crossed the room and sat next to Diana on the couch where Diana had indicated.
"I wasn't at all sure about this arrangement," Diana started as she poured a glass of wine for Laura, "but I am starting to think that this might work out just fine. You are lovely, dear. Did you know that?"
Laura felt herself blush at the compliment even deeper than she had already been blushing, thinking that she must be a bright red at that point. She cast her eyes down and stared into her glass of wine. "Thank you Diana."
"And to think that you just gave birth to another child," continued Diana. "What was it? Four months ago?"
"Three months ago, actually. Kaitlin will be three months old on Tuesday."
"My, my" smiled Diana. "You certainly got your form back quickly. Do you exercise, my dear?"
"Yes. I have always exercised. And I have worked especially hard after this one."
Diana nodded. "Well it certainly shows. As I said, you are lovely. You are definitely a keeper." She laughed at that comment. "At least I know that we will be keeping you."
Laura again felt her blush deepen and spread as the full reality of her situation started to set in. She was sitting naked in the house of a friend because her husband had essentially sold her to this woman and her husband. Now she had no idea what would become of her.
"Please stand up for me, dear," said Diana as she set her glass down on the table beside her. "Let me get a good look at you."
Laura took a deep breath as she set her glass down also and slowly rose. She remained facing away from the sofa with Diana still off to her side. "Step over here in front of me, dear. I can't get a good look at you the way you are."
Laura did as she was ordered and ended up facing Diana and being uncomfortably close to the older woman. "Turn for me so I can appreciate the whole package." Again, Laura complied and did a slow turn, feeling Diana's fingers brushing over her nudity as she did so.
"Yes, very nice. Very nice, indeed. I think that we made an excellent bargain, don't you, dear?" asked Diana once Laura had stopped turning and was once again facing toward the couch.
"I'm not at all sure about this bargain, Diana," she replied in a quivering voice.
"Of course you aren't" continued Diana. "This is all so very new to you. It must be happening very fast. You have never been owned before, have you?"
"Of course not" responded Laura quickly. "People aren't owned in this day and age."
"Oh, but that's where you are wrong, little one" said Diana with a smile. "You are living proof of that. You are owned as surely as I own this house or this glass of wine."
Again, Laura felt that chill snake down her spine leaving gooseflesh over most of her body. The whole scene was unreal and was making her feel very uncomfortable.
"Oh my" exclaimed Diana upon seeing the goose bumps. "Are you cold? I turned up the heat to try to make you comfortable but you look as if you are chilled."
"No. I'm fine. The temperature is really quite comfortable. I must have caught a draft or something."
Diana nodded and then stood, reaching out and lovingly caressing Laura's cheek with her fingers. "That's good. Can't be having my new property getting sick on me, can I?"
Laura shook her head in agreement without thinking and then realized how foolish she must have seemed to be agreeing with Diana's last statement. 'She can't really think of me as her property, can she?" she thought.
Diana reached out and placed a palm under each of Laura's breasts, lifting them and holding them as if weighing them. "You are quite well endowed, my dear. I truly had no idea until this evening. You must go to great pains to hide them. What size are they?"