Goody Two Shoes (16 page)

The lights slowly came back on in the theatre.  The audience applauded as the stage went dark, but he stared at the empty black glass like he’d lost his best friend.  He wanted to see her again, be under her spell, under her torture!  Hands patted his back in support as he rose from the seat he’d been plastered to the past twenty minutes.  They patted him as though he had accomplished a great feat by simply remaining seated throughout the entire show.  Jonathon had zero clue what these men thought was the lesson here, but he did know his cock was uncomfortably hard as he stood.

Following the crowd of men to the other room, Jonathon caught a quizzical glance from Dempsey.  His father waited in the doorway.  “Son, come on let’s get a drink and talk.”

Jonathon allowed himself to be drug to the bar.  He noticed Peter’s father also had him by the coattails and was preparing him for conversation.  Only Dempsey stood looking confused and alone.  Senior grabbed him by the shoulder, and dragged him to the bar like a forgotten waif.

Drinks in hand, Senior turned to them, “Men, what did we learn here?”

Jonathon chuckled, “That you old farts have a wicked sense of humor.”

Dempsey laughed with Jonathon, but Senior turned serious.  “Look, do you notice anything about the men in this room that’s peculiar?”

Jonathon thought,
yeah they’re all frigging freaks!
  Fearing backlash from his father, he instead focused on the crowd, “Yes, they are all incredibly successful men.”  But he was having a hard time restraining laughter.

“Right.  These men have succeeded when men of equal brains, equal finances, and equal education have failed.  Any idea on why these chosen few have surpassed the odds?”

Dempsey muttered, “Because they ass fuck in front of fifty old men?”

If Senior could have taken the right, he would have slapped Dempsey across the room.  And for a moment Jonathon was sure it was coming and he braced for the blow.  Poor Dempsey; Jonathon was creating his eulogy in his mind.  Senior instead turned to Alan Reynolds, who stepped up to them from the crowd, “Alan, take this jackass and explain the facts of life.  Since Horace is gone, you’ll need to step in as man of the family.  I don’t have much patience left in me I’m afraid.”

Alan grabbed his brother in law by the arm and yanked him away from Senior in a protective fashion.  “Happy to do it.”

Dempsey revolted against his touch, “Like hell you will.  Ya’ll are all perverted pricks.  Let me go!”  Clearly Dempsey wasn’t fond of brother in law.

The loudness of his voice caused a silent pause in the room and heads turned to watch Dempsey’s demise.  Then
she
swept into the room, blond hair flowing.  She marched to Dempsey’s side with an air of control unmatched.  Jonathon’s jaw hung halfway to the floor in her presence.

To the elder crowd she was the daughter of Christina and Horace Devereux.  Still, they devoured her lustily as she walked straight towards Jonathon.  They admired her slightest move as though it were artwork.  Her clothing reflected her status; navy skirt, white silk blouse, navy jacket, pearls from the deepest oysters in the orient, and mile high navy heels that added 5 inches to her height.  A single drop of water from a glass could have shattered the spell of silence she cast upon the room with her entrance.  Her hand went to Dempsey’s sleeve, and with her lips near his ear she whispered, “Come dear, let’s talk.  I need to explain some history.”

Confused by his love for his sister and the respect she clearly held here in this room, Dempsey allowed her to pull him aside.  But before she moved again she spoke loudly, “I will take my father’s place as Dempsey’s mentor.  Does anyone take issue with that?”

Heads around the room shook, “No, no, Nope, not a one,” sounded from the men scattered about.  All Jonathon knew was that he wasn’t going to take issue with a damned thing she said.  He suspected the others felt the same.  He had no idea what she was doing here tonight, certainly it wasn’t her on the stage?  A woman like Elise Devereux didn’t do appalling things.  It still wasn’t a concrete answer that explained her presence in this men’s club.

Senior turned back to his son, “Well, that could have ended rather nastily, now couldn’t it?”

“What’s she doing here, Dad?”

“Elise is our Grand Dame.  She keeps us all in check around here.” Senior grinned.

Suddenly a sickly feeling presented itself to Jonathon’s chest.  “I think you better tell me the whole thing, Dad.  You know I’m dating her sister?”

Senior patted him on the back with the strength of a grizzly, “Yeah!  That’s right!  Your Mom and I sure are hoping for the best.  Imagine that.  My son with Horace and Christina’s little girl!  We’re real excited about it, Jonny.”

Jonathon was still at a loss for words, so he just stared blankly at his father.  He’d known this man for years, with no sign of perversion written on any wall in their tasteful home; no mysterious chains hanging around, and no dildos in the dining room silver drawer.  Oh hell, did Mom know about this?  Jonathon wondered.

“So where was I?  Oh yes, what we all have in common,” he continued.  “Son, we have one distinct advantage over men of similar status in life.  We have learned that we must crawl before we walk, that we must follow before we lead.  Humility is the finest gift you can offer this world.  When men of power lose themselves in their own self absorption, countless others suffer.  They become accustomed to the rush of power, the feeling of being able to control their entire lives, and the lives of those beneath and beside them.”

Senior continued, “Many years ago now, one savior saw this within our powerful ranks and she chose not to allow us to sink into the depths of the Harbor along with the countless other failed men of Charleston.  Christina Devereux watched Horace demean his employee’s, humiliate them in front of their peers, and ruin their entire lives on a whim.  Instead of throwing in the towel, she took control.  She donned a white corset, white garters and stockings, and a white lace bra of which I’d never seen the likes of before, and firmly placed her tittering spiked heels straight up Horace’s ass.  I recall Horace not showing up at the office for over a week.  When I went to their home to find him, Hawthorne would not permit me entry.  I snuck through the hedges to the back of the house and peered into the sunroom, and there I saw the most amazing sight.  Horace was tied to a chair naked, his hands and ankles bound with Christina lording over him.  I slipped away in embarrassment for my dear friend.”

Senior wiped sweat from his forehead.  “Two days later, Horace showed back up at the office.  He was groomed to the nines, which was not always customary for Horace, and he had a completely different view of the world.  He took it upon himself to repair the injustices that he had made.  He personally oversaw raises, and he took it as his own personal journey to make sure that our employees thrived.  A man’s business is only as good as the men who work for him.  Within a month, our business boomed.  Absence rates were down to near zero.  Wives showed up during lunchtime to deliver homemade lunches and they would bring Horace treats to show their appreciation.  Families made friendships with each other at picnics and Galas hosted by our lovely Christina.  Overall the biggest change was that Horace pranced around like he was a young man again.  He smiled, shared lunches with deck builders and riveters.  He was thoroughly enjoying life.  So drastically different were his mannerisms that he was the talk of the town.  To be honest, at first I didn’t see it.  My job had always centered on obtaining the supplies we needed to build ships.  I was usually bound within my office amongst stacks of paperwork.  It was only after I saw the quarterly reports that I fell to my knees and begged Horace to teach me what he had learned.”

Senior took a long swig from his glass.

“Horace made me no promises.  He took the invitation home to Christina, and she showed up in my office later that week.  After being her captive for four days, I realized my shortcomings.  I too, changed.  I became a better husband, a better father, a much better businessman, and a happier person.  Within a few months, Horace was getting pleas from businessmen throughout the area to allow his wife to teach them.  But Christina was shrewd, and she chose her submissives carefully.  The men you see in this room were trained by her, Cynthia, or Elise.”

“Let me get this straight.  There’ve been three Grand Dames?”

“Yep, Christina started the Sand Dunes Club.  After her death, Cynthia Pringle took over, and then Elise took the position.  I don’t know where Charleston would be today if it wasn’t for these fine women.”

Jonathon tapped the side of his glass with his fingertips considering, “So the men aren’t in charge here at all then?”

Senior laughed, “We’d fuck it all up.  The Grand Dame is in charge, and Hawthorne is her second.  That’s why we’re so glad to have Robbie with us now.  His daddy raised him from a pup for this position.”

Jonathon scanned the room for Hawthorne.  He stood by the bar enjoying a laugh with the Governor as if they’d been best friends for a lifetime.  “So Christina basically beat you all into submission then?”

Now Senior wasn’t humored.  In fact, he looked more serious than Jonathon had seen him in years.  “This has been a long trek for us all, Son.  I’d appreciate it if you tried to take it more seriously.  Without these women we’d be nothing.  You wouldn’t even be standing here if it weren’t for Christina.”

His father’s face turned glum, “Elander Dunbar, Cynthia’s first husband, was the final captive of her mission.  At the time he wasn’t showing any signs of small pox.  He died a week later and Christina followed him shortly thereafter.  We all mourn her still, but none more than Horace.  They said his heart finally gave way to grief you know.”

Jonathon didn’t recall Horace Devereux being such a sentimental man.  As a matter of fact, during the summers when his own parents sent him to the island to stay with the Devereux kids and Evangeline, he didn’t get the impression that Horace was particularly liked by his family.  But it was the pick of Cynthia Dunbar Pringle as their second Grand Dame that shocked him the most.  The woman gave him the creeps.  “So Dad, if Christina started the Club, then who picked Cynthia as her replacement?”

His father took another long swig from his crystal glass, “Christina put in a clause, and she said it was for the safety of our ranks.  If a Grand Dame or any other member does something that causes injury or damage to another member, then they are instantly replaced by their victim.  Cynthia didn’t give Elander permission to meet with Christina for ‘training.’  He did it behind her back.  Therefore, Christina’s own rule bit her in the ass.  In all fairness, Cynthia wasn’t a bad Grand Dame.  In fact, she was once a fine looking woman.”

Jonathon’s interest was piqued, “So if I join, then Elise is going to tie me to a pole on stage and torture me?”

Senior shook his head, “You’re going to learn humility, human grace, and love.  We must all learn to respect others, and grasp that every being is tied to another.  Our daily actions affect not only ourselves, but those around us.  And no, you haven’t done anything wrong; you won’t be reprimanded in public like that.  It’ll be private, as it was in the beginning.”

“So that’s it then?  Couldn’t I just take you on your word and not have to be tied up and beaten?” Jonathon humored downing his bourbon with a flourish.

“You can stop being the comedian, Jonathon.  This is serious.  Take a look around.  Do you see a man here who isn’t successful?” Senior insisted.

So Jonathon straightened and shook his head, “No Dad, I don’t.  But let’s assume that Elise keeps all these men’s attitudes in check.  Don’t their wives have anything to say about that?”

“Wives?” Senior said, as though they’d never considered the wives.  “Oh they know about Elise.  They call her when we get out of line.  Your own Momma is practically her best friend.”

“So Elise is going to ‘train’ me, and teach me all these magical lessons about humility?” Jonathon gulped with the fresh knowledge that his mother not only knew about this, but approved of it.

Senior finished his bourbon and slid it across the bar towards the bartender, “Yes she is.”

Jonathon couldn’t help it.  Anguish turned to hilarity as the images scalded his brain, and laughter broke from deep in his gut.  He had to hold onto his father’s shoulder for balance he was laughing so hard.  For a minute he thought he would pee in his pants right here in the Yacht Club in front of everyone.  Tears streamed down his face, “So where do I sign up?”  Jonathon rolled with laughter, he couldn’t control it.  So he was going to sleep with both of the Devereux sisters.

Senior looked at his son with a rising anger, the boy had absolutely no sense of seriousness within him.  Well, he thought, Elise will cure that.  He smiled at his son’s boyish face.  His laughter was contagious, and soon both men were laughing together, about two totally different things.

We’re all constantly negotiating our religion

~Tara Townsend