Page 32 of Longing for Liberty

TWENTY-THREE

STATE NEWS: SECRETARY OF ARMS AMOS FITZHUGH GIVES EARNEST SPEECH TO STATE FORCE!

I was halfway through the day and my normal cleaning schedule when I heard the elevator open outside. The usual dark thrill went through me. Fitzhugh was back earlier from his meetings than I’d anticipated.

My hand was on the mantle, dusting with a rag, and I turned my head. Confusion hit first when I saw a brunette with hair in a teased updo and a navy blue dress with gold buttons. Then panic set in when she caught sight of me, and I recognized her.

Oh, fuck me in the grave.

“Mrs. Fitzhugh!” I had nowhere to go. Nowhere to hide. My face flushed as her eyes raked down my uniform to my bare legs and feet. Thank all that was holy that she couldn’t see the adornment her husband had put into my backside that morning. “He’s not here,” I rushed to say.

But she didn’t seem to hear my words. Her entire face, which was just as beautiful as on television, was twisted into a scowl.

“Where are your stockings and shoes?”

And my underwear. Oh, God, oh, God, oh, God.

“I…” What should I do? Throw Amos under the bus?

Mrs. Fitzhugh rushed forward, and it took all of my willpower not to back away or raise an arm in defense as she slapped me hard across the face and shouted again, “Where are your shoes and stockings?” The sound of the whap reverberated in my ears as my cheek stung. But worst of all was the humiliation.

I hated that I cowered in that moment, but all of my guilt and horrible feelings welled up as I stood there. “I took them off, ma’am. I’m sorry.”

The penthouse door opened loudly, and Fitzhugh walked in, his eyes immediately searching and finding his wife. His face was stoic as if he expected to see her.

Jane Fitzhugh put a hand on her hip. “Two whore maids in a row, Amos? I walked in to find her prancing around half-naked! I’m going down there to speak to whoever is in charge!”

“There is no need.” He moved with aggressive strides to stand in front of her. “The new maid was limping around, and I allowed her to remove her shoes while she works if I’m not here.” He looked at me and cocked his head toward the bathroom. “Go make yourself presentable.”

“Yes, sir.” I rushed past them and scooped up my clothes, speed walking to the bathroom, but I could still hear their voices nearby as I pulled on my panties and stockings with unsteady hands. My cheek tingled with heat.

“What are you doing here? We agreed on this weekend.”

“That’s two days from now! I’m ovulating today .”

“You’ll still be ovulating two days from now. Do you really expect me to drop my duties and come running when you text?”

“Well, you did, didn’t you?” She let out a cruel-sounding laugh. “And it’s a good thing, or I wouldn’t have known what was going on here.”

Amos sighed. “Nothing is going on here other than two people being interrupted from their work. Come back Saturday, as planned.”

I moved closer to the door to hear her voice as it lowered. “I am getting fucked today. If not by you, then?—”

“ Do not finish that sentence.” His voice lowered into something dangerous-sounding that raised the hair on my arms. “How dare you threaten me? You’re lucky I don’t have you in the stockade.”

“You would never put that stigma on your family name. Although women love a poor, sad man who’s been cuckolded.”

“Enough!” It sounded like his teeth were gritted. “Liberty!”

Oh, no.

I opened the door and practically wobbled out on shaky legs. I stood facing them with my head down, hands clasped in front of me.

“You hit her?” Amos said, apparently seeing my face.

“As is my right. Her name is Liberty ?” Jane Fitzhugh said snidely under her breath.

But he ignored her, instead saying to me, “Take the rest of the day off.”

Shock went through me, and I looked up to see the same shock on his scoffing wife’s face. “Well, that’s hardly necessary?—”

“I swear to Moses, Jane,” he warned, his voice lowering to a menacing mutter. “Not another word.” He pointed down the hall where the bedroom was as he glared at her. Mrs. Fitzhugh’s eyebrows went up, and she gave him a triumphant grin as she sashayed away, unbuttoning her dress as she went.

My stomach dropped with a gross feeling. I shot a glance up at Amos, who met my eye with a fierce darkness and rigidly set jaw, whispering, “Go.”

I turned without looking back, my mind awash with everything I’d learned, and didn’t realize I was still wearing the plug until I was rushing down to the bus.

I wished I could say I went home and relaxed or did something productive, but after taking out the plug, washing it, and hiding it in my purse, my entire system shut down from shock.

I lay in bed like a worthless lump for hours, tense with a headache, until it was nearly time for Jeremy to get home.

I knew I had to pull myself together and try to hide the massive emotions I felt.

But Jeremy had immediately seen the pink remnant of fingertip marks left on my cheek.

When he’d puffed up, his shoulders rounding and his eyes darkening, I quickly shook my head and smiled.

“I met Jane Fitzhugh today. She needed to punish me because I’d taken off my shoes.

But I apologized and, um, I think they are being forgiving.

I don’t think I’ll be fired. It’s a lesson and a blessing. ”

Jeremy’s nose flared almost comically as he tried to rein in his anger. “How…giving of them. I don’t suppose you’ll be taking your shoes off again?”

“No,” I said. Knowing ole Jane could pop in at any moment was definitely sobering. “I made dinner.”

Potatoes pan-fried in a scoop of lard. And some sort of mystery meat link that tasted somewhere between a hot dog and a smoked sausage.

Not bad until you bit into a hard piece of byproduct cartilage.

My favorite part of dinner was the yellow squash.

It had gone a little rubbery, but I chopped it and cooked it in a mix of water and milk with a little salt and honey.

We sat down, but Jeremy didn’t eat right away, just stared out the window.

After a couple of minutes, I nudged his arm to snap him out of it.

Just in time, too, because the State Force strolled right by just as he took a bite and raised his chin in a hello to them.

Ugh, the two men who’d taken Stanley’s cheesecake.

I forced a nod as well, and they finally moved on. In my mind, I flipped them the bird.

A soft touch on my cheek broke me from the foul thoughts, and I found Jeremy gazing at me, gently stroking the spot where I’d been slapped. I held his hand and closed my eyes, soaking in the love I felt coming from him. He was worried about me. I stroked his fingers with mine, trying to convey.

I’m fine.

I’ll continue to be fine.

And I’m still yours.