Chapter 31

Cindy reveled in driving Jan, Pete and Dan to church in her Mazda GTX. With its four-wheel drive and snow tires, it was remarkably surefooted on the snow-slickened roads. She teased the Stewarts about being so dumb as to buy BMWs which couldn't handle snow or ice under any conditions. Jan just stuck out her tongue and said it was fortunate they had a house slave to handle details like that for them.

When they returned home they found the snow had accumulated and was falling even harder. Cindy ran in to change into her blue jeans and chambray shirt. Today, though, she also put on a heavy white sweater. Putting on a parka, she went out to the shed and started up the lawn tractor, now fitted with a snow blower. In minutes she was clearing the driveway. Dan came outside also wearing a parka. She grinned and told him to get his own toys to play with. He grinned back, took out a snow shovel and shoveled the walk while she finished plowing the drive.

Christmas at the Stewarts was shaping up to be a very big party. Allison Clifford had organized a family reunion with the whole family gathering there. Cindy knew most of the people but was introduced to Dave and Judy Chapman, Steve's parents, as well as Brian and Karen Clifford, Bill's son and new daughter-in-law. She learned that Karen was Swiss and that the two were still in college. Finally, Ali arrived with Bill Clifford. Cindy was wearing a lovely Christmas-red wool dress with her slave collar. Dan had brushed her hair after they shared another shower, telling her he loved to feel it. She thought she looked very good as she made her way downstairs.

When everyone was sitting in the living room, Ali looked meaningfully at Jan who nodded and then asked Cindy to join them in the library. She followed Ali and Jan into the room and Jan closed the door. As they sat down Cindy had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach remembering the first time she had met Ali Clifford: the fateful day at the bank. She had also encountered her at Kathy's wedding on Maui, but because of the circumstances, Cindy didn't think that counted.

Ali was looking at her closely and then said, "Slave Cindy, undress, please. I wish to examine your body."

Jan nodded and Cindy rose from the chair, unzipped her dress and slipped it over her head. Then she slipped off her bikini and stepped out of her pumps. Ali asked her to approach closer which Cindy did. She was scared.

Ali's face was expressionless as she studied Cindy's body and then lightly ran her fingers over the scars. Then she commanded, "Show me your cunt, Slave Cindy."

Spreading her legs, Cindy rocked her pelvis forward and used her slim fingers to separate her nether lips. She could feel herself blushing with embarrassment at the inspection.

Then Ali said softly, "Daughter Janice, you really did a job, didn't you? Billy told me about it. He had never seen a person so badly beaten in his life and from what I can see, he wasn't kidding."

She looked up at Cindy's face and for the first time smiled warmly saying, "Cindy, you better get your clothes back on or you'll catch your death."

The girl quickly got dressed and was then startled when Ali proceeded carefully to brush her hair and then comb it out. When she finished she said with a grin, "Jan, I see what you mean. Slave Cindy does cheat. She uses two bobby-pins in her hair. That's almost the same as wearing tons of makeup, isn't it."

Cindy returned to her seat while Jan used the telephone intercom. A few moments later one of the slave girls appeared with a tray and three cups of egg nog. As she entered the room, she squared her shoulders and straightened her back causing her breasts to thrust upward. The girl was one of the newest hires in the bank and didn't yet have her slave collar. Like Kelly, she was just wearing a big red bow in her hair and a small one pinned to her small neat patch of dense and curly pubic hair. Her name was Cathy Collins. She was five feet eight with brown hair, gray eyes, and lovely features.

The girl was about to leave the room when Ali commanded, "Slave, present yourself to me."

Startled, the girl stopped and returned to a position in front of Ali. "Good afternoon, Mrs. Clifford. I'm Slave Cathy. I'm the newest person in Slave Cindy's group at the bank."

She had put down her tray and now cupped her breasts with her hands, saying, "These are my tits. They are not yet full enough and they are much too flabby but I've only just started to work on them. My cunt is not well developed, but I don't have a boyfriend yet, either. My ass and hips need work but I think I'll make it."

The girl stood up straight and concluded by saying, "I'm so proud to have been selected for the Special Lending Division and to have the opportunity to work with Slave Cindy."

Ali asked, "Do you like Slave Cindy? Can she manage a division?"

The girl looked genuinely shocked and replied, "Like? Love is more like it. She's the most wonderful person I've ever met." The girl's smile was beautiful as she continued, "Whoever heard of hiring an English major as a banker? Cindy did. As a matter of fact, Mrs. Clifford and Mrs. Stewart, you could save yourselves a great deal of money. Not only are we overpaid, most of us would work for nothing and some of us would even pay you for the privilege.

"'Can she manage?' I think you asked?" The girl was standing up straight and Cindy was so proud of her as she said, "I can't answer that. All I know is everyone in and out of the bank worships the ground she walks on. Just look at her! She's the most exquisitely beautiful human being I have ever met, yet she's always kind and helpful.

"When I joined the division, I was assigned to Kelly McBride's district. Do you know what she does? She constantly teases me about numbers. She says English majors don't know from numbers. Of course, she majored in English and philosophy and is one of the sharpest bankers alive."

The girl grinned and added, "Mrs. Clifford, I know you own the bank so I really shouldn't be saying this. But ma'am, this isn't a bank, it's a club! You can't believe how proud I am today, because now I'll be one of Cindy's Slaves! I've only been in the job a few weeks, but Kelly said I'll be getting one of the beautiful collars like the one Cindy is wearing now. You can't believe what a badge of honor that gold collar has become!

"I was with one of the more senior girls last week who had qualified. (I should add that if you qualify, you always wear it.) We were going down the street just shopping. It was the funniest thing I have ever seen ... and the most moving. We would go into a little shop and the storekeeper would see Janet's collar. Instantly, nothing was too good for us or too much trouble. They couldn't be nicer. I guess I've heard about the Twins in at least twenty different languages.

"Mrs. Clifford, I know you're from Los Angeles, so maybe you don't know about the Twins who Aren't. It was a term created on the streets for Cindy and April when the division first started. Now we all wear the division uniform: Levi's and chambray shirts, and if you're really good, the slave collar. We drive red Mazdas like Cindy's out front.

"All I can say is we have an enormous responsibility. Cindy started something and built it until it's the biggest thing in Chicago. I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say Cindy and April are worshiped in this city!

"Can she manage? Cindy Martin is the greatest asset Chicago Trust has!"

Then the girl started to blush as she thought she had been carried away. Ali Clifford reached out her hands and the girl took them, then looked at Ali's face. What she saw surprised her. She saw enormous warmth and love.

Ali said softly, "I can relate to that, Slave Cathy. I'm senior partner in a law firm in Los Angeles that's the same way. Of course, we're much smaller. But one of the new girls referred to it as more of a family than a firm. We have a lot of fun there, too!"

She smiled warmly and said, "Slave Cathy, welcome to Chicago Trust! I'm personally delighted to have you with us." She grinned and added, "Cathy, I want a photograph of you taken three months from now. You'll be a knockout!"

The girl retrieved her tray and left the women alone.

Now Ali turned her attention to Cindy and glared at her — or pretended to. She said, "Slave Cindy, I thought I had seen everything, but you take the cake. First, you know we bought Chicago Trust just to fix your wagon, but boy, did you ever get revenge! Cindy, do you know what my biggest problem is?"

The girl just shook her head, obviously puzzled.

Ali answered her own question: "It's trying to spend all the damned money we accumulate. I know you've heard Jennifer complain about it, and I'll bet Jan has, too. So what do you do? You personally make sure that the biggest moneymaking investment I've ever made in my life was to buy Chicago Trust! Girl, you really know how to get even, don't you. Now what are we going to do with you?"

While Ali was speaking, Jennifer Chapman had slipped into the room joining her mother and her sister. Ali continued, "I guess the only thing we can do is to try to cut our losses." She looked at Jennifer.