Chapter 14

“Hey, welcome,” Ken said to Julie when she entered the dining room.

“I hope it’s not a problem?” Julie asked, adding that Kristina had assured her it’d be fine. Julie did a double-take when she spotted Jessica. I suppose she’d expected to see me in the buff but the surprise showed when she saw that both me AND Jessica were naked, this visit. I didn’t even have an apron on while I served dinner. Kendrick had insisted I be completely naked for this conversation.

“I hope y’all don’t expect me to strip down butt naked as well,” Julie smirked with a goofy expression. She was clearly joking as neither Ken nor my sons were in the buff – she’d assumed being naked didn’t really apply to her as well.

She asked if Kristina was going to get ‘nekkid’ as well and Kristina laughed and assured her that nudity was a personal choice, just not hers. I guessed Julie had asked since two of the three females in the house were already naked and none of the men were.

“Too bad,” Julie said and shrugged. I watched Kristina go through a bunch of internal emotions before she settled on something that looked like reluctant acceptance that she’d answered incorrectly.

“Sit in Carrie’s chair, Julie,” Ken offered my seat. I was impressed that Ken had remembered the girl’s name. “She won’t be using it from now on.”

That stung a little – would I permanently not be allowed to use furniture, or did he mean for just tonight?

Other than me hovering and Jessica eating while naked, dinner was absolutely normal. Chris and Danny ignored Julie of course. She wasn’t THEIR friend. After everyone was finished, Ken announced that I had an announcement and he wanted to go over a family project. I thought he was also going to suggest that it was time for Julie to head home.

Instead, he asked her if she’d like to stay and provide input from a fresh point of view. I wanted to scream at my husband! How could he do this to me? As if it wouldn’t be hard enough reading off the list in front of my own children, he was willing to have some other parents’ daughter hear what a slut her friend’s mom was about to admit being?

“Can I have a quick word, honey?” I asked Ken.

I didn’t want to embarrass HIM like he was embarrassing me. He lifted an eyebrow at me, probably reacting to me not calling him, ‘sir’. But we had company, and I knew that would be going too far. As if expecting to have company present while I read the list of rules to my children wasn’t already going too far?

I was already dealing with the stress of being humiliated. Did he want to degrade me too? My sex had its own ideas on that. I was practically leaking. That didn’t make it alright though.

“Is it something you think one of the kids or I have done wrong, Carrie?” he asked, making me pause. Kendrick was not supposed to ask for a reason for me requesting a word alone with him. He was supposed to just agree and go somewhere private with me so I could set him straight about a few basic things - most importantly, about not allowing Julie to hear what I was about to say to my children.

“Well, no, nothing like that. I just have a question before we start.”

I suddenly felt flustered and self-conscious, on top of being humiliated. I was already feeling like I didn’t really have the right to be attacking my husband’s judgement, what with everything that had led up to me standing naked, waiting on my family while they ate their supper. My thoughts weren’t syncing up properly with my newly accepted role and that was causing me confusion.

I was actually relieved to let Kendrick make my bets for me. It made me feel less guilty about it if the choice were not mine to make.

I’d also agreed to let my husband choose who I’d have sex with, yet I was still a mother. I thought I should have the final say as to whether it was appropriate for my youngest daughter’s friend to be present when I asked my children to accept new rules Kendrick had written for me. They were pretty intense new rules.

A big part of my conscious mind was tempted to drop Ken in it. To tell him what was on my mind in front of the children and our guest. But really, what WAS on my mind? That I shouldn’t be sharing information about what a slut I wanted to be, with someone who might go home and tell her parents? Someone who might forbid their daughter from associating with Kristina anymore? I knew Ken wanted an answer before he’d agree to talk with me in private.

“Are you sure you want me to make my announcement with Julie here ... sir?” I asked, carefully adding Ken’s requested title so he’d know what I was most worried about, even though saying sir in front of everyone made me blush.

“I think Julie’s very aware that we aren’t a typical family, Carrie. I think Kristina invited Julie specifically so her friend could hear what we have to say. Are you worried that our kids aren’t mature enough to deal with whatever you’re going to tell us? With our family project idea? If you really thought our children weren’t mature enough, you wouldn’t have spent a week prancing around naked with a plug in your ass, now would you, Carrie?”

He asked the questions so casually that it felt silly to disagree with him. I bit my lip and didn’t answer, instead I asked a question of my own.

“And what if Julie’s parents decide we’re not the sort of family - or more importantly, Kristina’s not the sort of girl she should be associating with?” I wondered aloud, dropping my head and practically mumbling my question.

“I think that is for Julie to decide, Carrie. Kristina made her choice by inviting Julie for dinner and I, for one, am very proud of Kristina’s maturity for making that choice, Carrie.”

I once again felt like Ken was inserting my name into every sentence on purpose, as if to reinforce that I was Carrie, the stupid slut he was married to, not Carrie, the intelligent mother of his children. I know I was probably overthinking everything, but that’s what I thought.

“It’s just my mom and I don’t report to her, Mrs Mason,” Julie assured me.

For some reason that made me feel bad. Like I was corrupting her or something. If I’d wanted to be rude, I would have told Julie to butt out. Julie SHOULD be reporting to her mom as much as I expected Jessica, Kristina, Christian and Danny to report to me on what was going on with their lives. Then again, I felt that once I made my ‘announcement’, I would be kissing that expectation goodbye. My children would lose all respect for me.

I’d already come to terms with that and I’d agreed to Kendrick’s offer anyway. I knew why I’d agreed, too. To blame was my secret desire to be humiliated, degraded and looked upon as well as used as an object, rather than an intelligent woman who should be respected and obeyed. I’d been doing a lot of thinking.

I knew I would never have to admit those reasons but at least I’d defined them. And Kendrick wanted it. It had been the perfect storm of circumstance to put me where I currently stood, naked and plugged. But to admit I wanted to be a worthless slut in front of a practical stranger? In front of someone who’s family situation I hadn’t even been aware of? I was already appreciating what a bad mother I’d become.

“I asked your father for permission to explore my sexuality with others and with conditions, he’s agreed,” I blurted. I didn’t expect to say that. I hadn’t expected to just put it out there in that way or at that moment. I can’t say why I did it right at that moment or what I was thinking to just say it so bluntly. That wasn’t like me at all!

“I’m sorry, did you just say dad has agreed to let you fuck around on him?” Jessica asked with a gleam in her eye. She knew very well what her dad had said.

“Jessica!” I squeaked in horror at her dropping the F-bomb in front of everyone but more because she’d been even blunter than me.

“I’m not ‘letting’ Carrie do anything, Jess. Your mom said there’ll be conditions. I’m not just going to sit back and let your mom make dates with guys. I’ve agreed to control and manage her sex bets. When she fucks someone, it’ll be with MY approval AND knowledge. I get the final say, and she’ll do as she’s told, like a good slut. If I say no and she does it anyway, THAT’LL be her fucking around on me, and that will NOT be tolerated,” Kendrick said with complete conviction, adding, “Your mom has asked to be what’s called a Hot Wife, haven’t you, Carrie?”

“Ah, TMI, guys!” Kristina said, her own face coloring at the news. I was certain now that maybe she’d bitten off more than she could chew by inviting Julie over tonight. “You can do whatever the hell you want, but WE don’t have to know!” She insisted.

“Actually, Krissy, I think you DO need to know because what your mother is going to do in exchange for my permission relates to you all,” he told his youngest daughter.

“Mrs. M? I sure wouldn’t have thunk that about you!” Julie snickered. “You guys are the best!” she said, directing her comment at Kristina.

Danny and Christian both jumped on his dad’s words about what I’d be doing in exchange, shouting to be heard over each other as they demanded to know what Ken had meant. I slipped Kendrick’s note out of between the pages of a cookbook I’d left on the counter. I knew I was about to be in the limelight again because I had no choice now but to read Ken’s rules.

“If you guys would settle down for a minute,” I suggested, getting no response. It was like I’d been forgotten, and everyone’s attention was on Kendrick even though I was naked and Danny hadn’t been able to tear his eyes away from the female chests on view just a few minutes earlier.

Kendrick ‘rescued’ me, if you could call drawing attention to the naked mother of four and insisting they ‘shut the fuck up for a minute’, as a form of rescue. All eyes returned to me. The one time I wished I had zero attention and I was getting a hundred percent of everyone’s, even Julie’s.

I unfolded the sheet of paper. “In exchange for your father’s agreement, I’m going to increase my responsibilities around the house,” I started. “I’m going to make everyone’s beds, straighten up everyone’s bedrooms and fold and put away everyone’s laundry. If I fail in these additional tasks, I’m ... I have asked ... I want...” I was having a heck of a time saying what was clearly written in front of me.

“Spit it out, Carrie. What do you want?” Kendrick asked as if it wasn’t he who’d written the words I was reading out loud.

“I want to be punished,” I said barely above a whisper, my thighs already feeling sticky and not from sweat.

“Punished how?” Julie asked, beating the others to the same question by a hair.

“Let Carrie finish giving the rules, then ask your questions afterwards,” Kendrick insisted, adding, “I’m sure many of your questions will get answered if you’re patient.”

“She can’t drop something like that on us and not expect us to demand immediate answers!” Jessica pouted. She obviously didn’t know what else was written on the list. The fact that she objected to her father rather than to me was very telling.

Maybe I didn’t want to answer, but I could claim that Kendrick’s instruction had been clear. Rules first, then explanations. Somewhat gratefully, I carried on. “I will be naked inside the house at all times and I will, with the help of you all, put together one outside outfit to wear whenever I leave the house. If it’s a special outing, I will wear whatever Kendrick chooses, but I need outfits to wear for everyday use when checking the mail, going to the store or running errands.”

“Does a towel count as an outfit?” Jessica giggled. Her father looked at her and she stopped giggling.

Still, he seemed to accept that sometimes the rules he’d written required clarification. “Serious outfits,” he insisted. “It has to be something she won’t be arrested for wearing inside Target. We’ll all have a look through your mom’s drawers and closet and make the choices together,” he said.

I imagined my husband and four children pawing at all the clothes I own, deciding FOR me what I’d wear outside to check the mail. Until you’ve had to think of someone getting into all your personal clothes, you could have no way of feeling what I felt at that moment.

“What about the backyard? Will you be wearing your outfits while you’re playing at being a puppy, now?” Chris asked. Well, it was more of a whine, really. He was clearly not happy about that even though he spent more time with Jessica than me. What did it matter what I wore if I just pretended to sleep while outside?

“I’m thinking she means outside as in public, right, Carrie?” Kendrick clarified. What could I do but agree? They were really HIS rules, after all. Chris almost deflated in relief. I’d had no idea he so loved seeing me in the backyard naked. It rejuvenated my will not to let Jessica win that particular long-standing bet and make me feel guilty I did so little to entertain him. Maybe I should at least TRY occasionally, I thought to myself. Especially since I wasn’t going to win by doing nothing.

“Yes, Chris, I’ll still be naked in the backyard. It’s just where there’s a risk of embarrassing someone, that I’ll wear clothes,” I assured my son without including that I meant I wouldn’t want to embarrass anyone except myself.

That thought made me pause. I really WAS setting out to embarrass myself, wasn’t I? I could have just said no to Kendrick. I could have said no to all of this, yet I was reading Ken’s list as if it was my own. Somehow my own secret fantasy was coming to life in the most unexpected of ways.

I would NEVER have chosen to do what I was doing. I would have basked in Jessica’s humiliation for sure. But that’s not what was happening. I was laying out the ground rules for how my husband and children would humble me, and I was trying to avoid showing my arousal. This had better be worth it or I’ll be pissed, I threatened myself. But I’d agreed and I really did want it. I just didn’t know if I could actually DO it. Especially the next ‘rule’.

“Yeah, mom. Dad answered that already,” Christian said, making me feel a little dismissed. I felt a tremor run through me at his attitude. Maybe the next rule would be wasted if no one was interested in what I had to say anyway? Instead of telling my son what I thought of his hurtful comment, I continued with my rules.

“I will answer any questions you have honestly, plainly and directly. Your dad thinks I avoid things and beat around the bush, so I’ve decided I need help quitting that bad habit. If you don’t feel I’ve answered a question in a way that makes things crystal clear, I encourage you to point out my failure and help me remember,” I said.

Ken had noted on his list that I had to pick a household item like a hairbrush, belt or even an electric appliance cord and declare it to be my, ‘memory enhancer’. I would then encourage the kids to use it on me when they weren’t satisfied I was speaking plainly enough for them. I imagined Jessica going to town on my butt with an electric cord and was horrified at the idea. She could be mean and vindictive if she wanted, totally unlike the other three.

I wasn’t sure if I could skip explaining that until we got to the point where Ken had detailed what he considered appropriate ‘punishments’.

Ken saw my hesitation and stepped in. He was probably thinking the same thing as me. “Explain what you mean about helping you remember, Carrie.”

I was NOT about to suggest we keep a belt or an appliance cord laying around to beat me with. Even a hairbrush sounded a little much to me. At least I could limit the item’s use since Ken hadn’t specified any particular amount of correction.

Then I remembered something I had in the kitchen. I had a slotted spatula in the back of one of the kitchen drawers - one I’d kept even though it’d gotten a little too flimsy for use with cooking. I leapt on the idea, quite pleased with myself. The correction could lay in humiliation rather than the pain I might otherwise have had to endure while pretending I was grateful for my children’s ‘assistance’.

“There’s a spatula in the kitchen,” I said quietly. “I’ll be right back,” I said, then hurried off to grab it. I bought it back, relieved that it was as flimsy and flexible as I’d remembered. At least it wouldn’t hurt too much, I promised myself. I was reminded that I could have just chosen a fly swatter. It would have been about the same thing. The question was, what was I willing to put up with in order to let the kids think they really were ‘helping’ me? Would a single swat cut it? I chose to be bold.

“See this? This will be known as the Memory Enhancer and I want you to swat me five times whenever I forget to answer plainly and directly. I’m sure your father can put a hook on the wall so it doesn’t get lost,” I suggested, setting it down on the table.

I thought Ken would be smiling from ear to ear with my choice. It looked like it’d hurt even though I was certain it wouldn’t. I’d carefully not flexed it in front of anyone, so it looked intimidating. Instead, Ken seemed to almost frown at my choice. Did he know that it was more of a toy than a real punishment device?

“You know how to screw a hook into the wall, Carrie. Why should I be the one to display your memory applicator or whatever you called it when you want us to beat you with it?” He asked, feigning ignorance. HE’D been the one to call it a Memory Enhancer! “Are you sure about encouraging the kids to use violence to help you? If it’s really what you want, you should hang it somewhere prominent by yourself,” he added.

He wanted ME to hang the tool to be used in my own correction? My mouth just about dropped open in surprise. Now I’d have to defend HIS idea to punish me when I messed up. I immediately thought of it as him throwing me under the bus. Then I realized he wanted me to assure the children that I was okay with corporal punishment even though it was something I’d previously, privately chided Ken for using on the kids in the past.