by Red Phoenix
Among the many treasures she’d discovered during the culling was a little beat-up, yellow handbook that she had carried with her through all four years of college. It was titled simply The Essentials of Filmmaking.
She held it up for Hope to see. “I know this doesn’t look important, but this little paperback meant the world to me in college.” Flipping through the pages, she murmured to herself, “It still does…”
One of Brie’s teachers had given her the small book on the day of her high school graduation. Looking over at Hope, who was watching her from her carrier, she said, “Miss Fushimi gave me this.”
Brie smiled, thinking back on her high school teacher. She had been recording short films about her family and the small town she’d grown up in for years, but it wasn’t until Miss Fushimi came into her life that anyone had taken her seriously.
“Do you know what she said when she gave this to me?” Brie asked Hope, waving the paperback in the air.
Hope bounced in her carrier, holding her hands up, wanting to grab it.
Brie laughed, loving her daughter’s enthusiasm and curiosity.
“Miss Fushimi told me, ‘Everything you need to know is in this book.’ She said it with such confidence that I believed her.”
She looked through the pages again with fondness. “And this little book really did have a fountain of good advice.”
She glanced at Hope. “But it wasn’t what was printed in it that made this important to me…” Opening it up to the title page, Brie held it up to show her. “It was the message Miss Fushimi wrote inside it.”
Brie stared down at her teacher’s beautiful handwriting and smiled as she read the words aloud:
Follow your heart, Brianna Bennett, and you are guaranteed success.
Brie traced her fingers over the handwritten words, a lump growing in her throat. “Everyone questioned my plans to become a filmmaker—except her. She was the one who gave me the courage to head out to LA on my own to get my film degree.”
Looking back down at the writing again, Brie was overcome with a sense of profound sadness. “Miss Fushimi will never know the difference she made to me.”
A tear slowly rolled down Brie’s cheek as she told Hope, “That amazing woman died of breast cancer three years after she gave this to me.” She wiped away the tear, telling her daughter. “But her words still live on in—”
“I guess I owe Miss Fushimi a debt of gratitude, then,” Sir said from the doorway.
Brie turned to him, nodding with a sad smile.
“Hand it to me and I will pack it with your personal items. We don’t want it getting lost.”
“Thank you, Sir.”
As she was handing him the book, Sir mentioned, “I just got a call from the Gallants. We’ve been asked to join them for dinner tonight.”
She was thrilled to hear they would be visiting Mr. Gallant and his wife, Ena, so she made quick work of the rest of the box, wanting to get ready.
Brie hadn’t seen either of them since throwing the adoption party for the Reynolds at Rytsar’s beach house. She cherished any time spent with the Gallants because she held both of them in the highest esteem.
Later that evening, when they arrived at the Gallants’ house, Ena answered the door and greeted them warmly. “It is lovely to see you again, Sir Davis.”
She gave him a slight bow of her head before turning to Brie and smiling. “I can’t believe how much Hope has grown already.”
Brie looked down at their little girl, who was staring at Ena with big doe eyes, obviously smitten with the tall, exotic woman.
When Ena leaned down and made cute baby noises, Hope graced her with an adorable smile.
“She is absolutely precious,” Ena told Brie, her eyes sparkling.
Mr. Gallant came up from behind and placed his hand in the small of his wife’s back. Brie had always loved the contrast between the couple. Mr. Gallant was a tiny man with pale skin, and Ena, an unusually tall woman, with a radiant dark complexion.
Despite their height difference, there was no mistaking that he was a Dominant. An authoritative confidence emanated from the man.
Mr. Gallant took one look at Hope, turned to Sir, and stated good-humoredly, “You’re in trouble, Sir Davis. That little girl of yours is going to have a line of boyfriends out the door. Mark my words.”
Sir chuckled. “Luckily, I’ll be able to learn from your experience before Hope hits that age.”
Mr. Gallant sighed heavily. “It’s already starting for me. Kalisha is only fifteen, not even old enough to date yet, but I have to fend the boys off constantly.”
Brie laughed. “Well, I’m not surprised, Mr. Gallant. You have two beautiful daughters.”
Mr. Gallant frowned good-naturedly, looking at Sir. “It is a father’s curse.”
He then turned to his wife. “But, it’s one I willingly accept because I’m lucky my girls take after their mother.”
“We will survive this together, husband,” Ena assured him.
Mr. Gallant took her hand and kissed it. “Yes, we will.” He looked at her with such admiration and tenderness that it made Brie’s heart melt.
Turning back to them, Mr. Gallant apologized. “How rude of me to stand here talking in the doorway. Please, do come in.”
Sir gestured for Brie to go first with the baby and gave Hope a wink as they passed by. Brie loved little interactions like that between Sir and Hope. Their daughter definitely seemed to bring out Sir’s lighter side.
Brie turned her head and smiled back at Sir as they walked down the hallway. He’d been afraid he would be too distant to be a good father, but what he hadn’t realized was the influence his daughter would have over him. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for his little girl…
Ena led them to a room where Captain, Candy, and Baron were already seated. She bowed her head slightly, stating, “I must take care of the finishing touches for the meal.”
“Can I do anything to help?” Brie offered.
“No, my daughters enjoy helping me with dinner. Please stay and visit with the others.”
As she left the room, Baron stood up and walked over to Brie. “So, this is the little one?” He hadn’t been able to attend the large gathering at Rytsar’s and had yet to see their baby.
“Would you like to hold her?” Brie asked.
He grinned uncomfortably. “I don’t know how, really. Better pass.”
“I would love for Hope to get to know you better,” she told him. She helped rest Hope’s small head in his strong arms and smiled up at him. “Luckily, she doesn’t break.”
Baron’s arms were noticeably stiff as he looked down at the baby, but Brie saw him slowly starting to relax as he continued to hold her.
“She’s so tiny.”
Brie giggled. “Actually, she’s growing like a weed. You should have seen her when she was born.”
Kissing Hope’s little hand, she told him. “She was such a tiny thing back then.”
“I can’t even imagine,” Baron stated. “But I have to say, she definitely takes after her mother.”
Hope held up her hands, wanting to touch Baron’s face. He obliged her and chuckled when Hope tickled his chin with her small fingers. “She is a cute little thing.”
“I knew she would like you, Baron.” Brie smiled. “Like mother, like daughter…”
“Are the two of you planning to make more?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.
Her cheeks reddened as she glanced at Sir. “Actually, we are.”
“We believe every child deserves a sibling,” Sir stated. “Someone to share their childhood with.”
Baron laughed. “Well, I have to agree with that. Life wouldn’t be the same without brothers and sisters.”
He looked over at Captain questioningly before asking Sir, “Does that mean we will have to wait a few more years before you are able to join us?”
Sir glanced at Brie.
“We have talked about it,” he answered slowly. “Would y
ou be open to us doing isolated lessons rather than being on staff? It would give us a chance to gauge how effective our lessons are and if this is something that will work for us in the future.”
Baron looked to Captain and Candy, who both nodded their approval.
Giving Hope back to Brie, he held out his hand to Sir. “I think that is a fine idea, Sir Davis.”
Sir smiled, shaking Baron’s hand firmly. “Fortunately, Hope is at an age now where we feel comfortable leaving her with others. So, until Brie is pregnant again and can no longer work alongside me, we will commit what time we can to your program.”
“That’s wonderful!” Candy cried, smiling at Brie.
Captain got up and walked over to them, first shaking Sir’s hand and then Brie’s. “This is excellent news. Excellent! I look forward to observing your lessons with our students.”
Brie’s stomach jumped a little at the thought of Captain observing them. It was silly since she’d grown used to being critiqued as a student at the Center and was an experienced sub now.
How funny that she was even worried…
With Sir as her partner, she had no reason to feel anxious. He had proven that when they had scened in front of the sadists in Russia, at a time when she was still relatively new to the lifestyle.
“No one else in the room matters…”
Sir had told her that then, and it held true even now.
Brie looked at her Master with confidence. “With Sir leading the demonstration, I am certain it will be a success.”
“I, for one, am glad to hear that you will be taking on a teaching role again, Sir Davis,” Mr. Gallant said. “You have a natural predisposition for it.”
Sir inclined his head to him. “Coming from you, Gallant, I appreciate that.”
Mr. Gallant’s oldest daughter stepped into the room, announcing, “Dinner is almost ready.”
He smiled proudly. “Thank you, Kalisha.”
As they all made their way into the formal dining room, Brie saw Nyah was almost finished setting the table. The child was so precise in the placement of each piece of silverware that Brie found it endearing.
“What a lovely table,” she complimented the girl.
Nyah grinned at her. “Thank you, Mrs. Davis. I like it to look perfect for our guests.”
When they were all seated, Ena came out with a large tray of prime rib roast, which she gracefully set down next to Mr. Gallant.
The roast was huge!
Kalisha followed behind her mother, carrying a bowl of whipped potatoes.
Ena stated proudly, “Kalisha made the potatoes herself.” She looked at Mr. Gallant proudly. “I think they are her best yet, husband.”
Smiling, he looked over at his daughter. “I can’t wait to taste them.”
Kalisha beamed at her father as she set the bowl on the table and took her seat.
Mr. Gallant picked up the carving knife and began slicing the roast.
“I felt a special dinner was in order,” Mr. Gallant stated once he’d finished cutting the meat. He looked at each person sitting at the table. “To call such quality people our friends seems a good reason to celebrate.”
Each piece of prime rib practically filled up a plate by itself. When Ena handed Brie hers, Brie stared at it, silently wondering how she could possibly finish all of it.
“Don’t worry about eating it all, Mrs. Davis,” Ena assured her.
Brie heard Candy let out a breath of relief and glanced over at her, smiling knowingly. There was no way either of them could finish even half of it.
“If you have any scraps left over, we’ll be happy to take them home to our dogs. I know they will appreciate it,” Captain told Mr. Gallant.
“Wonderful,” he answered. “I hate to see good meat go to waste.”
Brie picked up her fork and went for the potatoes Kalisha made first. They were surprisingly smooth and creamy, with just the right seasoning to complement the steak. “Kalisha, these potatoes are amazing! I never knew mashed potatoes could be so light and creamy.”
Kalisha smiled. “Thank you, Mrs. Davis. My secret is pressing them through the potato ricer several times to get that smooth texture.”
“Sounds like a lot of work,” Brie replied, taking another forkful. “But it definitely seems worth it. Delicious!”
The table suddenly became silent while everyone enjoyed the extravagant meal.
After several minutes, Nyah spoke up. “Do you have pictures of your newest dog, Captain?”
“We sure do,” Candy answered, digging through her purse for her phone. She passed it to Nyah. “Here is our newest fur baby.”
“Aww…she’s so cute!” Nyah cooed, passing the phone to Brie so she could see.
“The big one is Rosko and the small one is Annie,” Candy explained.
Brie immediately noticed both dogs had the telltale signs of gray around their eyes. “How old are your pups?”
“They’re both seniors,” Candy answered, looking over at Captain. “We feel like that’s our calling. Giving older dogs that no one wants happiness at the end of their lives is important to both of us.
Brie brought her hand to her chest, exclaiming, “Oh, my goodness. That’s so wonderful!”
Captain grunted, his expression somber. “Most dogs with any hint of gray get euthanized because everyone is looking for a puppy. The older dogs don’t stand a chance.”
“That’s so sad…” Brie said.
“It is because most of these older dogs have been left behind because of the owner’s death or the family having to relocate. These poor dogs have no idea what they’ve done wrong and their hearts are broken.”
Candy looked at Captain tenderly. “I love that Captain has vowed to keep adopting them.”
He smiled at his pet. “It’s a simple way for the two of us to make a positive difference in the world.”
“Well, I think it’s wonderful!” Brie exclaimed as she handed the phone to Sir.
Brie saw Mr. Gallant take Ena’s hand and kiss it at the end of the meal. She had noticed he’d done something similar halfway through the meal when he had reached out and squeezed her hand.
Both times, Ena had looked into his eyes and smiled. It was so incredibly sweet.
“Girls,” Mr. Gallant said, addressing his daughters. “It’s time to clear the table, but don’t bother doing the dishes tonight. Your mother and I will attend to them later. Since our meal has run later than usual, I want to make sure you have plenty of time to finish your homework.”
After the table was cleared, both girls headed upstairs.
Brie shook her head in disbelief. “You’ve done such a wonderful job with your children. They really pitched in tonight and seemed genuinely happy to help with the meal.”
Ena smiled. “Since they were little, we’ve stressed how important each member is to the well-being of our family. It’s something we all take seriously.”
When Hope began to fuss, Sir got up and brought her to the table. Now that Kalisha and Nyah were gone, Brie felt comfortable to be more open.
Looking at Hope sitting on his knee, she confessed, “Raising a child as a practicing D/s couple is easy at Hope’s age, but I’ll admit I’m concerned about carving out that time for Sir when she’s older. Like you, we want Hope to decide on her sexual preferences based on her own needs and desires, and not because she’s grown up aware that we’re in the lifestyle.”
Mr. Gallant sat back in his chair and nodded. “While your children must come first, it is imperative that a D/s couple set time aside daily to keep their relationship vibrant and healthy.”
“But how can you do it without your girls figuring it out? Especially as they get older?”
“We planned things out when they were young by setting up a strict schedule in our home. To the outside world, and to our girls, it seems completely normal. They head upstairs for homework at eight and need to be in bed by nine. By ten o’clock, we’re free to reconnect with each other.”
&nb
sp; “How do you keep your toys hidden when children are naturally curious?” Baron asked, clearly intrigued.
“Let me show you,” Mr. Gallant said. He stood up, inviting them to follow.
As was his habit, he placed his hand on the small of Ena’s back as they walked up the stairs, but Brie noticed that Mr. Gallant pressed two of his fingers against her back rather than his entire palm.
At the top of the stairs, Ena nodded to Mr. Gallant before telling us, “Please excuse me while I check on the girls.”
Mr. Gallant led them to their bedroom and, once everyone was inside, shut the door, explaining, “Since the girls would think it strange to have all of our guests enter our bedroom, I had Ena check on them to make sure they are preoccupied.”
“Won’t they be able to hear us talking?” Captain asked.
“Actually, to aid them with their studies and help them to sleep, we have classical music set at a low level in both of their rooms. Not only does it have an overall calming effect, but it also lessens the chance of our girls overhearing us while we play.”
Ena opened the door and quietly entered the room. “They are both focused on their homework and wanted to thank you again for doing their dishes, Husband.”
Mr. Gallant’s eyes twinkled as he nodded in acknowledgment. “I was just telling our friends how we ensure the girls are not disturbed by our nightly encounters.”
Ena’s laugh was gentle and sweet. “I never knew how much a gag can become a submissive’s best friend.”
Brie glanced at Sir and winked.
“As far as our toys…” Mr. Gallant stated, resting his hands on the oak countertop of their wet bar. “…you are right, Baron. Humans are naturally curious. I cannot fault my children for that. Rather than take chances, I had this wet bar built in the bedroom.” He patted the varnished oak with fondness. “My daughters think that their mother and father enjoy a nightcap in bed each evening, so it only makes sense that the bar is locked. No one would question it.”
He fished out a key from under his shirt, which was attached to a silver chain around his neck. “There is only one key and I never take it off.”
Mr. Gallant leaned down to unlock a center lock and Brie heard multiple locks sliding back at the same time.