Page 62 of In Her Own Way
“Thanks for the clue, Madison.” Jessica grinned at thelittlewho grinned back and started bopping in her chair.
“What’s your type?” Mistress Shasti asked.
Jessica didn’t get a chance to answer because Miss Rikki said, “Shasti, all of you, that’s enough. Leave the poor woman alone. You’re all up to something, and I don’t like it.” She was serious. Wow. This woman was clearly a Domme’s Domme.
Miss Shasti pursed her lips together, but her face sported a playful grin.
Miss Rikki turned to Jessica and said, “These are good people, and please keep in mind that whatever it is they’re scheming has your best interests at heart. Am I right?” She looked to Miss Shasti, Miss Rowena, and her own wife,Bernadette. All three nodded, but those grins were very present and prominent.
What have I gotten myself into?Jessica wondered.
As the group was breaking up to go their separate ways, Kari leaned close and said, “Told you.”
“You did,” Jessica said.
“They mean well, I promise,” Kari said.
“Kari,” Tina called from the doorway. “You have a lesson. Let’s go.”
Kari wiggled her fingers. “Piano lesson.”
“Have fun.”
Once most of the people had gone, Jessica was still in the parking lot with Shanice and Miss Marta. Shanice had just given her a first-hand tour of her wheelchair van with accessible hand controls.
“Very impressive,” Jessica said. “Did it take you long to get the hang of it?”
“Not really,” Shanice said. “I sometimes try to use my invisible feet to brake, but that hasn’t happened recently.” She turned to Miss Marta and said, “Honest, Mama. It hasn’t happened in a long time.”
“That’s just muscle memory,” Jessica said. “You’ll relearn.”
Miss Marta nodded and said, “I have a feeling I know what they’re up to.”
“You do?” Shanice blurted from inside the van, where she sat in her wheelchair.
“Mm hmm,” Miss Marta said. “Rowena’s been picking my brain about you and I may be wrong, but I think they’re trying to lure someone back to Denton Heights.”
“You mean…”
Miss Marta nodded, and Shanice narrowed her eyes. She looked at Jessica, then at Miss Marta. “I can see it. Totally.Because Jessica is independent and smart and won’t take bs from anyone.”
“Exactly. And they seem to know all that, too,” Miss Marta said to Shanice, talking in cryptic code like couples in sync often did.
“And is this person someone they’re trying to set me up with?” Jessica asked, trying to break into the conversation going on around her.
“I think maybe,” Miss Marta said, but then threw both hands up. “But I’m not sure, so I’m not going to say anything more. We shouldn’t meddle, and you have to make your own decisions about these kinds of things, anyway.”
“Thank you, Ma’am,” Jessica said, relieved. “I mean, if the setup crashes and burns, then the aunties will be mad at me.”
“Aunties?” Miss Marta asked.
Jessica laughed. “That’s what Kari called the three of them the other night at the party. Aunties.”
“Ahh,” Miss Marta said, “so they’ve been scheming this since then. Maybe before. You have a good head on your shoulders, Jessica. You’ll do what’s best for you. Enlist my help if you need me.”
“See, Mama?” Shanice said. “I told you Miss Jessica was still part of your soul patrol.”
“I think she’s part of yours, too,” Miss Marta countered.
