Slave To Love (10 page)

If anything got made at all. To be a fly on the wall when the sub picked from the roughest lot in the bunch.

Chapter Six

Ananda bounded to her parents’ front door and opened it like usual. “Hello?”

“In here, dear.” Her mother’s voice came from the kitchen at the left side of the house.

Ananda couldn’t help herself but she skipped to the room where she found her mother pulling out a nicely browned meatloaf from the oven. She placed the cookie sheet with the loaf pan on top of the stove, then quickly closed the oven door and fanned her face with her oven mitt.

“Whew. Too hot.” Connie placed the mitts on the counter next to the stove. She turned to Taren and brought her in for a hug. “How are you doing, baby?”

Taren hugged her mother. “Great. Perfect.” She looked at the bounty on the stove. “Mom, you don’t have to cook like this every Sunday. We can go out to dinner sometimes.”

Connie pulled back from Taren and shook her head. “Nonsense. I’ve been making big meals like this on Sundays even before you were born.”

“Yeah, but it’s so hot outside. Don’t you want to go out somewhere and sit outside and eat? Doesn’t that sound fun? No dishes. No worries.” She put her arm around her mother while trying to pick a piece of meat off the meatloaf.

Connie smacked the back of Taren’s hand. “Not before dinner. And you know I don’t trust other people’s cooking. People are funny. They’ll spit in your food.” She screwed up her lips and shook her head. “That’s just not sanitary.” She picked up a spoon and dipped it into the mashed potatoes that she’d made and tasted it. Then she used that same spoon and dipped it into the mushroom gravy and sampled it. She finished her tasting session with that same spoon in the corn kernels.

“Yeah, so unsanitary.” Taren shook her head.

“There’s my baby girl.” Del came up behind Taren and embraced her. “How’s my firecracker?” He kissed Taren on the side of her face. “You’re just like your short mama. Cute.”

“Short?” Connie put her hand to her chest as though she didn’t know that being under five-foot-five put her squarely in the diminutive category.

“Uh huh. That just means you’re fun sized.” Del leaned down and gave her a kiss. “Now that baby girl is here, are we going to eat?”

“Yes. Help me take this out to the dining room.” Connie handed Taren a basket of rolls, but gave Del a bowl of the corn and another bowl of mashed potatoes.

“Mom, I can carry more than rolls.” She reached for the meatloaf, but Connie stopped her.

“I got this. You go into the dining room with your father.” Connie patted Taren on her shoulder.

Taren remembered getting that look from her mother before. Time and effort hadn’t changed her mother’s perception of Taren. Connie would always see Taren as weak and struggling.

Before leaving, Taren picked up a bowl of the gravy. Connie looked like she wanted to protest, but remained quiet. Taren set the items on the table and took her seat. Her mother came in moments later with her delectable meatloaf on its own dish.

Taren had always wanted to learn how to cook from her mother. Each time she would ask Connie to show her something, her mother would send her away, telling her to relax. Taren had done enough relaxing in her lifetime. She needed fun. She would start that tomorrow. Tonight, she would need to let her parents in on her new adventure.

After the prayer and with all the food served, Taren and her parents ate. As she packed up her stuff at home, Taren had prepared her conversation with her parents in her head for a while. She’d never had a problem telling her parents the truth. Tonight shouldn’t have been an exception.

“Taren?”

Taren broke out of her thoughts when she heard her mother calling her name. “Yes?”

“I’ve been talking to you for a while. Are you okay?” She started to reach across the table to hold Taren’s hand.

Taren moved her hand to her lap. “I’m fine, Mom. Better than fine.” No time like the present. “I have some exciting news to tell the two of you.”

Del set his fork down. “Did they make you permanent at your job?”

Taren shook her head. “No.”

“Are you moving closer to home?” Connie sat up taller. Even her closely cropped haircut looked like it stood at attention.

“No, Mom.”

“What is it, baby girl? Did you meet a new man or something?” Del shot Taren a look that she remembered the last time she’d brought a man home for her parents to meet.

Del stood a good foot taller than Taren’s date. With her father’s thick eyebrows, dark eyes, and serious countenance, he could look intimidating.

“I’m going on a TV show.” Taren beamed.

Connie smiled at first, then looked over at Del, who still carried a look of concern.

“What kind of show? Are you going on some medical show or something?” Del asked. He picked up his glass of iced tea and took a drink. He poured his wife and himself another glass as they awaited Taren’s answer.

“No, a reality show.” Taren wiped her hands and kept up her beaming smile. She had to show them that her decision meant everything to her.

“Oh, no.” Connie threw her fork on her plate and leaned her head back. “Like one of those shows about the nasty housewives or something?”

“Come on. I’m no housewife. No, it’s a competition show.” Taren didn’t know why she decided to beat around the bush this time. All other times, she’d been a straight shooter.

“Then what is it?” Del braced his elbows on the table and stared at her.

“It’s a show called
Slave to Love
. I came up with the name.” Taren laughed a little. When her parents didn’t, she kept going. “Have you all heard of BDSM? That’s the relationship where you get spanked or tied up or you have to crawl on the floor. I’m going to do that.”

Connie’s mouth hung open. Del dropped his gaze to the table.

“I’m going to be the submissive, and they’ll have men and maybe some women all vying to dominate me. I’m excited about it.” Taren picked up her fork, stabbed it into another piece of her mother’s delicious meatloaf, and popped it in her mouth. When she didn’t hear anything from her parents, she slowed down her chewing to observe their expressions.

Del remained solemn. He kept his head down for a moment before lifting it and staring at Connie. Connie looked to be at a loss for words. Her bottom lip trembled, but she said nothing.

“I need some air.” Del pushed himself back from the table, threw his napkin on his seat, and walked through the kitchen to go to the backyard.

Taren’s heart slowed its beating. She tried to get her father’s attention before he walked out of the room, but she couldn’t stop him. She peered over at her mother.

“Mom?” Taren shoved her hands under her thighs.

In her short shorts and her crop top, she felt like a teenager again. Maybe if she presented herself as more of an adult, this news wouldn’t have been so jarring.

“Taren, I know we have always encouraged open and honest dialogue between us.” Connie’s tone remained low, almost clipped. “We appreciate that you told us when you lost your virginity and the bad dates you’ve had, and even the disturbing amount of porn you like to watch and admit to your parents.”

“Once a week is not disturbing, is it?” Taren crossed her legs.

“Doesn’t matter. We know you’ve had it rough for a long, long time. You finally made it through all that, and now it seems like you’re trying to kill yourself or kill us with your news.” Connie shook her head before returning her attention to Taren. “How did you think we would react to hearing something like this? Did you think we would be thrilled?”

“Honestly, yes, I did. But not for the reason you think.” Taren stood from the table and went to her mother’s side. “Everything I’ve done in the past few years is to prove that there’s more to life than me being cooped up in a room. I want to try new things. I’m a lucky woman because I have parents who let me be honest about my feelings.”

“That doesn’t mean we approve. Lord knows we want the best for you. I don’t think humiliating yourself on TV is the way to do it. You don’t have to do that to prove that you’re alive. I think I’d rather see you white water rafting or riding a bull than to see you get spanked on TV.” Connie put her hand against Taren’s cheek. “Baby, why are you doing this?”

Taren stared into her mother’s soulful brown eyes. She pulled her mother’s hand from her face. “Because I can. I’m strong enough and I want to.”

“You don’t have to do this to confirm anything to me or your father. You know that. We know you’re capable.”

Taren backed away from Connie. “I want to be more than capable. I want to be normal.”

Connie chuckled. “You want to be seen as normal by doing a show with freaks.”

The back door slammed and Del stormed into the dining room. He looked at Taren and pointed at her but said nothing. Then he looked at his wife, pointed to her but uttered nothing. When he brought his attention back to Taren, he finally got himself together to speak. “I love you.” He kissed her forehead and marched back outside again.

“These people aren’t freaks.” Taren sat back down and picked up her fork although her appetite had vanished.

“How do you know?” Connie put her hand to her chest. “Are you already a part of this life and this is how you’re telling us?”

Taren shook her head. “No. I’ve been curious about it since—”

“It’s that damn Dori, isn’t it?” Connie screwed up her lips. “When she did that show a few years ago, I didn’t like her then. I knew she was a bad influence on you. That’s why I don’t like her. I don’t like you hanging around her either.”

“Dori is a good person. She only did that show because of me.” Taren straightened her back as she talked to her mother. “A mutual friend of ours asked us if we wanted to be on the show. I wanted to, but I was only seventeen at the time.”

“Oh, my God.” Connie covered her mouth.

“I had graduated high school so he assumed I was eighteen at least. Dori agreed to go for me. She didn’t want to do the show. When the producer asked her to do another show kind of like the other one, she refused. She hated the whole experience.” Taren realized she’d been gripping her fork like a baby holding a pacifier. She placed it on her plate.

“I guess she is somewhat smart.” Connie folded her arms over her chest. “She still shouldn’t have done the show. She should have come to us and told us that you wanted to do this freaky mess.”

“This is something I’ve always wanted to try but have been too afraid.” Fear dissipated from her body the more she spoke. “I’m tired of always being afraid.”

The back door slammed again. Del stomped hard enough that Taren thought he would put his feet right through the floor.

Del stared at Taren. “If one man puts his hand on you, I’m—” He clamped his mouth shut, turned to Connie again, then looked back at Taren. “I love you.” He marched out again.

“Your father and I appreciate you always sharing things with us, but we can’t support your decision this time.” Connie closed her eyes for a moment, then redirected her attention to her child. “I love you. I will always love you. We will always love you. This decision will not change our perception of you as our little girl. Understand that what you’ve chosen will irrevocably change your life forever. Employers will look at you differently. If you don’t find the love of your life on this show, men will view you like you’re not worthy.” Connie shook her head. “I’m not going to lie. Some family members may think about you a certain way.” She stood and walked over to Taren. “You are my baby. You always will be. I love you so much.” She hugged her. “Please think carefully about this decision.”

Taren hugged her back. “I love you, too, Mom. And I have thought about this. I want to do this.” She pulled back from her mother, who still smelled like roses and meatloaf. “I want to start my own business. I’ve told you and Dad that before.”

Connie rolled her eyes. “You know how hard it is to start a business. You remember all those times your father tried opening his own insurance agency. It took him years to be successful because he maintained a spotless reputation. Do you think you can get clients after they see you on a show like this? No one will want to work with you.”

Taren exhaled. “I can always work at a convenience store. And I have your looks and Dad’s charm. I’m sure I’ll find someone besides the two of you to love me. If cousin Clee and Aunt Renee don’t want to talk to me again, that’s fine. Clee used to bite me when we were little, so I haven’t gotten over that. And Renee used to pinch my cheeks so hard, I think she broke blood vessels in there.” Taren meant that as a joke, but Connie’s eyes widened.

“Is that why you want to do this show? Did they hurt you and you liked it?” Connie reached in her dress pocket to get her cell phone when Taren stopped her.

“No, Mom. I wanted to do this because this is something I’ve wanted to try. That’s what life is all about, trying new things. Isn’t that what’s in the
Declaration of Independence
? Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness? I’m on my pursuit.”

“But what if it doesn’t make you happy?” Connie held Taren’s hand.

“Then I’ll do something else.”

The back door slammed a third time. Like before, Del stomped into the dining room. He glared at Connie. “Did you tell her we love her?”

Connie nodded. “Of course.”

“Did you tell her that she doesn’t have to do this damn show to prove anything to anyone?” Del put his hands to his hips.

“Yes, I did.” Connie managed to hold one of Del’s hands. “We raised a good person.” She looked at Taren. “She’ll do the right thing.”

Del huffed. “We taught you never let a man put his hands on you.”

Taren stood. “You taught me to never let a man put his hands on me in
anger
. I promise, he won’t. I’ll be fine. I’ll be protected. This is a new experience to try in my life. That’s all. I’m still your baby girl.”

Del regarded her for a moment before he shook his head. “No, you’re not. You’re a young woman. This is hard for me and your mother.” He let his hand go from Connie to fully embrace Taren. “I hope you know what you’re doing. If not, you call me and I’ll come get you. I don’t care where you are or what you’re doing. I will always protect you.”