Chapter 22: Carried with Meaning

Becca was picking at her breakfast, clearly not very hungry. “Do you want me to make something else?” I asked.

“No, I’m okay,” she replied, though it was clear she was lost in thought.

“Thinking about last night?” I asked gently.

“Yeah,” she said, her mind clearly on Stephanie and what she had shared.

I could still picture it vividly.

Soon after hearing that the girls had become best friends, Derrick appeared in formal wedding attire, carrying a pair of bolt cutters. He led us to a room nearby where the wedding party was being held. With a decisive snip, he cut through the padlock, then removed the chain and lockbox, placing them on a nearby table. The connecting chain fell to the floor with a clatter.

Stephanie then took a hairpin from her hair and expertly bent it to fit the handcuff lock. Within minutes, the cuffs were off. She sat down and removed the cuffs from her ankles.

“You’ve done this before,” Becca said, her voice filled with awe.

“That I have,” Stephanie replied with a shrug, “Like I said—I grew up with this stuff.” She then walked over to Becca to remove her cuffs but paused and said, “I guess that agent of yours might not appreciate us ruining her padlock, huh?”

“Probably best I stay like this,” Becca replied with a wry smile.

“Yeah,” Stephanie said, nodding in agreement. “You pull them off so effortlessly—they look completely natural on you. It’s like you were made for this stuff. You’d be the perfect bondage model.”

Becca’s eyes widened. This wasn’t the first time she’d heard such a comment. As Stephanie’s words echoed in her mind, she couldn’t help but reflect on the strange familiarity she felt in these moments. It was as if the restraints had always been a part of her identity, and once again, she was being reminded of that.

As I watched Becca, lost in thought, Stephanie had changed into the bridesmaid dress, and despite its restrictive fit, it was stunning. The long sleeve bodycon maxi, in a light cream color, hugged her curves and ended just above her ankles. The sheer pantyhose complemented the dress, while the five-inch open-toe stilettos added a dramatic touch. Together, they created a striking and elegant silhouette.

As she walked, her ankles naturally came together due to the tight fit and the high heels. The stilettos forced a fluid, swaying motion in her hips while the tight fabric accentuated her every movement.

“Well, I think we should go find the photographer and then Dad and his new wife,” Stephanie said, looking at us and then glancing at Derrick. “We missed the outdoor photos, but maybe we can get some indoor ones.”

“Yeah,” Becca replied with a smile. “You look lovely.”

Laughing, Stephanie said, “Thanks for the hose again. Now I won’t have to cut myself out of this dress later.” She hugged Becca and entered her number into Becca’s phone. “I live in Philadelphia, so look me up if you’re ever in town,” she added with a bright smile. “I’ll do the same when I’m visiting my parents here.”

“Yeah, that sounds really nice,” Becca agreed, chuckling as she tugged at her cuffs. “We can do something without these.”

“Even if you’re in them, it wouldn’t matter,” Stephanie said with a sly grin. She then playfully punched Derrick in the stomach for his role in the restraints and airport fiasco. They walked out into the night air, albeit slowly.

Back at the table, Becca blinked, still half-lost in the memory.

Looking at Becca as she replayed last night’s events in her mind, I asked, “Was it the fact that you look so natural in the jewelry—that you’d make the perfect bondage model—or that it wouldn’t matter if you were in them when we saw Stephanie again?”

Becca looked up at me, “How did you know it was about that?” She asked.

“You have the same look when the flight attendant and Vanessa told you the same thing—although not in the same words,” I pointed out.

“Am—I made for this stuff?” Becca asked, staring at me. “I—I mean, I did give you consent to keep me however and whenever—even if I didn’t want it,” she added.

“I think it’s part of who you are, and that’s okay,” I replied.

Becca’s gaze softened, and she gave a slight, thoughtful nod. “Maybe you’re right,” she said quietly. “It’s just something I need to come to terms with.”

“I think you already have,” I said, pointing to her purse on the coffee table. It was partially open, revealing the hinged handcuffs she had worn yesterday.

After Stephanie and Derrick left, we ventured out into the chilly air. We soon encountered Agent Reinhardt, who was clearly eager to go. She drove us home, and when I had unloaded our luggage from the car, I expected to see Becca free from the restraints. Instead, the agent handed me the keys with a goodbye and drove off.

Becca smiled and nodded. “I put them in there. I know I sometimes keep the bracelets in my purse when we’re out, and you’ve taken them off, but I figured we had an extra set now—so one to keep here and the other for my purse?” She said. “That way—you know.”

“Yeah, I know,” I told her, acknowledging that I understood and agreed. Becca looked at me, happy to see validation in my eyes.

She was still wearing the pantyhose from yesterday, unable to remove them because she was restrained with handcuffs, leg cuffs, and a connecting chain. I had put her in them last night after taking her out of the restraints that Agent Reinhardt had left her in—or, more accurately, had given us. We had carefully removed Becca’s clothes, hung them up, and stored her shoes and stockings, while everything else went into the laundry area.

I helped her up from the kitchen table, carefully removed her restraints, told her to take a shower, and put on my shirt and some thick socks. She followed my instructions literally and wore nothing else. I then put her back into the restraints. We spent the rest of the day at home, talking and doing other things. Becca remained that way until Monday morning, when I released her. She was sound asleep, having been kept up much of the night. Once she was free, I kissed her and headed to work.

The day was like any other. I called Becca during my lunch hour and then stopped by Lisa’s office on the way home. She wanted to talk about the transport but was preoccupied with something all day.

“I was told it went well,” Lisa said.

“Yeah, it went fine,” I replied.

“Did Becca like the clothes?” Lisa inquired, checking if her tastes met Becca’s approval.

I nodded. “The suit is beautiful, and so is the coat, hosiery, and the heels. They were all great. Thank you,” I told her.

“No problem,” Lisa said with a smile. “I also got her payment processed.” She handed me an envelope containing the check, a gift card, and paperwork for the company stock.

“Thanks for getting this to us so quickly,” I said.

“Yeah, the gift card is for more than we discussed, and there’s extra stock,” Lisa added. “Like I said, we’re grateful Becca was open to it.”

I nodded again, showing my appreciation. Changing the topic, I asked, “What’s going on? You’ve been preoccupied all day.”