I could feel the flush in my cheeks as I sat, embarrassed that Gordon had seen such a horrifying number. He smiled down at me, a comforting look, nothing but adoration behind his eyes. Without a word, he was letting me know that he had no intention to say anything to me about it. I supposed it was part of pregnancy, especially considering I was pregnant with twins, but still, I shuddered to realize I had never weighed that much in my entire life.
Beth glanced briefly at Gordon before turning her complete attention to me. Several items were laid out on the exam table: a cotton exam gown, two drapes and a large square cloth with several layers of absorbent materials sandwiched between a thin layer of the same paper-like cotton material as the disposable pillow cases. The large square cloth, referred to as a chuck, was centered under where my pelvis would rest. They took no chances. Infection control was of upmost importance, at least according to the brochure that was always neatly poised next to each intake window.
“Ms. King, please undress from the waist down, including your panties and place the gown provided on, the ties go in the back,” as if I didn’t know the drill, Beth continued to lecture me briefly on how to undress for a female exam. By the time she was finished barking out her orders, Gordon was shifting nervously from foot to foot. “Sir, you can have a seat on that stool with wheels and come by her side,” Beth said nothing more, already putting her nose deep into my chart, scribbling notes on what she had just done. If it isn’t documented, it didn’t happen! That statement held true across the board, from the medical world to the legal world, and everybody who wants to protect themselves on the job knew that to be fact.
She left Gordon and I in the frigid room. I slowly peeled my clothes off and slipped the gown on over my arms. He helped me tie it in the back and I hoisted myself onto the table, centering my bottom on the pad that had been placed there. A soft knock at the door and both our heads snapped in its direction .
“Yes,” I called, my voice carried loudly across the small, sterile space. The door cracked open and Dr. Marshall entered the room, smile first. Her pearl-white teeth gleamed against her dark complexion as she floated across the tile toward us. She briefly regarded Gordon with her dark eyes before concentrating her full attention on me.
“Ms. King, you seem to be doing wonderfully! Your vitals are great, you are not gaining too much weight, and your urine is clear. Shall we take a look at those precious babies now?” I was quite excited to hear her say those words. I had been anticipating the moment when I could find out exactly what I was having, within a margin of error, of course. I knew there were two of them but, knowing what they were would mean so much more to me. At first, Gordon had argued it was better to be surprised, but I had slowly convinced him over the course of several days, to accept my wishes to know what we were having.
My head bobbed up and down quickly like an excited child. Her eyes lit up as she motioned for me to lie back on the reclined exam table. She pressed the button and it slowly lowered until I was completely lying on my back. She pulled the extension from underneath, raising my legs up to the same level. Moving swiftly, she pulled the mobile ultrasound device to the side of my bed. In another graceful maneuver, she wheeled the stool over to sit down at my side. She lowered herself between me and the machine and retrieved the wand from its holster. I had pulled my gown up above my belly button and she placed a drape over my pubic area before squeezing warm gel onto my swollen abdomen.
Gordon’s eyes were fixed on the screen as Dr. Marshall smeared the gel across more surface area of my skin with the wand of the machine. Finally, she stopped circling my stomach and focused on one area. The image was quite clear, a small head came into view, sloping down to the rounded cheeks and chin of one of the twins. His hand found mine and squeezed as Dr. Marshall froze the screen numerous times after clicking and measuring parts of the baby’s anatomy. Once she was finished with one, she swirled the wand to the other side of my belly where the other baby rested, repeating the same process. After what seemed like forever, Dr. Marshall turned her attention back to me and lowered her eyes to mine.
“Alright, Ms. King, everything looks like things are moving along fantastically. The babies are healthy and seem to be growing well. Do you want to know what they are?” Dr. Marshall raised her eyebrows as high as she could. I nodded my head up and down, excited to finally put an end to at least one question mark.
“Yes, Dr. Marshall, please, I would love to know,” I flashed a smile up at Gordon, whose eyes were still transfixed on the screen. The wand traveled back across me several more times, an occasional screen shot taken by the ultrasound machine before she looked back at me, her eyes shifting between Gordon and myself, she took a deep breath before blurting it out.
“They are both boys! Congratulations!” her eyes lit up again as the blood rushed to my head. Excitement that the babies were fine soothed my spirit while my mind rejoiced that I was having twin boys. Gordon’s face lit up, glowing with pride and joy. I had watched as the self-centered, nefarious man he once was transformed into the dedicated and gentle man that appeared before me. And now, he had just discovered the overwhelming joy it was to know that you had created something that was growing into a tiny person. He had no words, but a single tear moistened the corner of his eye .
Dr. Marshall printed out several copies of the screen shots she had taken, typing cute “Hi Mom and Dad” messages on some before hitting the button. She handed me several copies before clipping the others into my chart. Twirling around on her heel, reaching the door in a flash before turning back and instructing me to get dressed and meet her at the discharge station. She shortly thereafter disappeared through the opening and closed the door behind her.
With Gordon’s assistance, I hoisted myself to a sitting position and swung my legs around to jump down onto the floor. I removed the gown and swapped it out for the t-shirt dress I had worn to the office. Slipping my feet back into my comfortable flip-flop sandals, I dropped the gown and drape into the “soiled linen” container next to the sink. The nurse at the discharge station handed me a stack of papers before clicking several buttons on her keyboard to bring up the schedule for the next appointment in another month.
We negotiated a date and time and she typed my name into the schedule, verified my cell phone number and scrawled the information, almost illegibly onto an appointment card. She handed it to me over the counter and forced a smile onto her face as I turned and exited the back office. I practically ran back to the car, Gordon on my heels, and pressed the button to open the car door. He opened the passenger door for me, allowed me to slide into the seat, before nearly slamming the door and running to the driver’s side. He entered the car and shut the door quickly behind himself before facing me directly.
“Boys!” We both blurted out in the cabin of my Jaguar. Gordon’s smile broadened as he placed both hands on either side of my face, pulling me in for a kiss. His lips met mine, taking in my soft lips before delicately running his tongue along my bottom lip. I tilted my head back and opened my mouth in response, allowing him to deepen our kiss and explore my mouth further. Our tongues wrestled passionately for several moments before he broke our embrace, panting for breath as he did so. He placed his forehead on mine and opened his eyes, looking straight into mine.
“Leila, I vow to you, no matter what happens, you, our boys, I will always take care of you,” sincerity stared back at me as his eyes held my gaze. My heart swelled up and nearly burst from my chest as he embraced me and held me, like he was holding on for dear life.
-27-
Fall had arrived and the weather was cooling off quickly. I lay in my bed, staring out the window at the ocean, my hand resting on my stomach. It was quite impossible to ignore the presence of life at that point, which made me glad I did not have to go to work at a busy office and contend with the whisperings of female co-workers who, out of jealousy or spite, would inevitably talk about you behind your back. It’s what they did.
I sighed loudly in
side the empty penthouse. Gordon had gotten up early and gone into the office, he had trial that morning and, according to him, was likely to last well into the holiday season. His face painted a picture of apprehension. At the point in the game we were in, he was becoming increasingly anxious about the arrival of the two bundles of joy. In his head, he no doubt was counting down the days, like he counted down the strikes of punishment during one of our many sessions.
In an attempt to include him in the preparations, I occasionally dragged him out to a variety of high-end baby shops in Beverly Hills along Rodeo Drive or to the Galleria that housed a plethora of stores for us to choose from. Mostly it was to flirt with the idea, but once in a while, we happened upon something I couldn’t resist and, since I was nearing the “safe point” in my pregnancy, I would buy the items. At some point, I would have to begin stocking up on two of everything, but I was waiting for Mike to arrive from Florida, so we could reconfigure our play area and living situation to better suit the presence of children.
Gordon had informed me that he was expected the following week, which was good because I was beginning to lose patience, which really wasn’t my strong suit in the first place. The nursery was finished, a wall erected off to the side of the open space of the penthouse, next to where our bed rested. Inside the area, Gordon had ordered shelving be installed along two walls, along with a built in changing area with railings so that the baby did not fall to his demise from the surface. We had not found the perfect ones yet, but there was plenty of space for two cribs to be placed side-by-side opposite the door, and a healthy amount of floor space for the little ones to eventually consume with their toys. It pleased me that he appeared to be so into the idea of having twin boys that I almost forgot the question mark that hung over our heads. Almost .
Like everything else, Gordon spared no expense. He purchased a large, plush area rug, that was imported from Turkey. Of course, it was. The mocking tone inside my head angered me a little before I dismissed it and continued to ease my mind by counting the waves that crashed up onto the beach in the distance. I would spend the next several mornings like that, mourning my loneliness during the days without Gordon by my side, then relishing in his presence at night. The fact that he remained positive in the whole scenario gave me great pride and even eased my tension as each day was crossed off the calendar with a large, red X. The end of the line was circled, April 12. That was when they expected me to deliver.
Dr. Marshall had carefully explained to me that, more often than not, twins came a little early. Not too early as to put their lives in danger, but early enough to, on occasion require a brief stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, referred to by her as the NICU. She assured me it was precautionary and that, in the event that occurred, not to let the concern consume me as it is not uncommon and the Hospital was well-equipped to manage such an event. Her words were slightly comforting, however, they also presented a level of anxiety which I was not sure how to handle .
The week seemed to drag on and I was becoming a bit antsy. Mike’s arrival the following Monday was a welcome relief. Finally, we’re getting somewhere. The irritated tone my inside voice took on had become increasingly noticeable over the last few weeks. I ignored it and greeted him with an outstretched hand as Gordon and Mike emerged from the elevator and Gordon introduced him to me. His grip was firm, but not crushing, a sign of a good soul. On his wrist, he wore a bracelet that signified his role in the lifestyle. My eyes rested on it briefly before flitting back to meet his gaze.
Mike’s features were strong, sharp angles along the jawline gave him a commanding look, yet the softness of his eyes made it obvious that he had spent time on both ends of the flogger. We turned toward the play area and I led the way across the black, marble floor. Gordon gave Mike a quick tour of the area, describing our needs and discussing how we can hide the beautiful St. Andrew’s cross which had cost him a pretty penny and, admittedly was one of his favorite pieces. Mike said very little, just jotted down notes on a legal pad he had in his hand, nodding and uttering brief sounds to indicate his understanding of what Gordon was describing. When they were finished, Mike had three pages of notes, a few sketched out drawings and a list of equipment he decided he would need to complete the project.
With a small tape measure, Mike set about measuring certain parts of the room, nodding to himself and writing down the results before moving on. He sketched out a rough drawing of the floor plan and began to let the wheels turn in his head. I could almost hear the gears moving as his thoughts were consumed with what he loved, designing hidden in plain sight play areas for people who wanted to indulge in their BDSM nature and still be able to host cocktail parties with mixed company. That was his forte after all. When he was finally finished, after what seemed like an eternity, we all sat in the living area circling the drawings and notes he had laid out on the coffee table. Mike discussed his ideas, which I will admit were wonderful, as Gordon and I listened, nodding our heads in silence for the duration of his explanation.
“Do you have a budget in mind?” Mike was trying to get at the nitty gritty now that he knew exactly what we wanted and the road to get there. Gordon’s eyes met his and he lowered his gaze, taking on a very serious look.
“There is no limit. Do whatever my Goddess desires,” Mike smiled at this, his eyes crossing over to mine. Inside my mind I wondered what he was thinking, the smile on his face ever present when he spoke to me. Part of me wondered if Gordon spoke of me in detail with him, perhaps asking Mike’s advice on how to handle my punishments better or how he could please me more in his duties as my submissive. My imagination almost ran away with me until Gordon cleared his throat. They were both staring at me intently.
“Is two weeks soon enough?” Mike had been addressing me and I was so lost in thought, I had not even heard his question.
“That will be wonderful,” I returned.
Two weeks later, Mike was on site with his crew, converting our play area into a secret arena. He added a false wall panel on the far side of the area with closet-style doors on the front, then skillfully enclosed the St. Andrew’s cross. It slid into the space perfectly and was hidden when he closed the doors. He brought in several pieces of furniture to complement the chaise lounge Gordon had purchased from him months ago. The most fascinating item he brought with him was a foldable spanking horse. It was designed in such a way that the legs bent inward and the entire device folded in half, a handle appearing in the center to allow for easy transport and storage. When it was erected in the middle of the floor, Mike showed me how it worked so I did not risk injury to whomever was being subjected to its purpose.
By the time Mike was finished, the area simply looked like somewhere you would sit and mingle, entertaining visitors and the like. Two chairs that converted similarly to the chaise lounge sat opposite the lounge across the space with a round coffee table in the center. You could not see them, but the coffee table was equipped with eyelets along the bottom with which you could tie your subject down after flipping the entire piece over, resulting in something that appeared similar to the rack, a device used during the Medieval era to torture those unfortunate to be forced into a confession they would not otherwise utter.
Next to the new space that hid the St. Andrew’s cross, Mike had thoughtfully installed cabinetry that now held all of my implements of punishment. A pegboard was fastened to the interior of the cupboard with several metal hooks to hang my various floggers, crops and paddles. Underneath, small drawers now held nipple clamps, a variety of gags which Mike himself had picked out and recommended to us, and several lengths of silk bondage rope. He had even listened to my desire to have a long, padded drawer in which to keep my beloved masks, which was installed just below the series of smaller drawers. Our new play area was indeed a masterpiece and, upon first glance, had no indication of what each piece could be used for. Perfect.
Gordon settled the terms of their agreement, writing him a health check after Mike had finished th
e construction. The cleaning crew had come in and removed all traces of such, wiping down the surface of the marble to remove the dust from the wood and drywall that had been cut and incorporated into the new area. We all stood back admiring the space before Mike looked at his watch and jumped slightly.
“I hate to build and run, Gordon, Leila, but my flight leaves in two hours, leaving me just enough time to get to the airport before I have to board,” Mike spoke as he packed several things into a large, black duffel bag and turned toward the elevator. He shook Gordon’s hand firmly then turned toward me, his hand outstretched. “Leila, excuse me, Goddess,” he winked at me before continuing, “It was an honor and a pleasure to meet the one who tamed this beast,” he nodded toward Gordon and a large smile found its way to his lips. He was teasing him, of course.
“And you as well,” I returned, excited to finally have things falling into place, where they needed to be.
“Perhaps sometime soon, you two can come out to my neck of the woods and meet my Katie. We would love to have you, and I would love to show my warehouse off to someone of your stature,” he finished speaking and regarded me seriously. He meant what he said and somehow, I knew that someday soon, I would be headed to Florida to marvel at his wonderful collection of furniture and devices. I had to admit, I was quite intrigued and could hardly wait.
-28-
Gordon and I played house as the weeks slid by. Before I knew it, the holidays were fast-approaching and I was reminded of the Christmas Ball at the Red Velvet Room several times by both Kendra and Mistress Liliana. I kept assuring them that I planned to attend and I definitely would not let them down. Staring at the calendar on my cell phone, I realized the Ball was only a week away. Time had passed at lightning speed and it seemed to keep accelerating as each day passed.
Leila: Goddess The Second Coming Page 22