0 comments/ 61360 views/ 59 favorites Seven Year Wife By: PAPATOAD Thanks to the Hip and Knee doctor for editing assistance. There is no sex in this story. Sorry. * The Taco Bell was within walking distance from my house. Not too many people live beside a shopping center, but the rent was cheap. Every night I made the trip and every night I ordered the same thing; a burrito and a large drink. It was my excuse for a diet. I was always satisfied with it, because it cost less than three dollars, and that meant I could put more money away. I have been saving all the money that I could for the last six years. I had one goal; that was to buy a wife. I didn't care where she came from or what she looked like. The important thing was that she would live with me and share my life. If I was lucky, she might even learn to like me. I never considered love as an option. I always liked children and I always wanted to have my own. That was the only requirement that I was planning on putting on my application. The woman that I ended up with must be willing and able to have children. I unwrapped my bean and beef burrito. My hands were enormous, gnarly, and rough. They were ideal for handling the hot, gushy delicacy that was my supper. I spent all day operating heavy equipment and even when I wore gloves, my mitts still looked like big chunks of meat at the end of the day. It was my job. I loved it and I got paid well. Two tables across from me sat a boy who was about six years old. His family was all busy chatting and eating their Mexican delights, but he was just taking nibbles and staring at me. He watched as I lifted the monstrosity to my mouth and crunched down. Bean juice oozed out the side and ran down my chin. To him I was fascinating. I wiped off my chin and smiled at him. When he smiled back, I felt happy. I finished my supper and walked toward the door. The boy never took his eyes off of me. I smiled again as I walked out. Children liked me, but adults, especially of the female gender, seemed to find me repulsive. I glanced at my reflection in the windows, as I walked past the building. I was truly a sight. I stood well over six feet tall and my hair was in a burr cut. If it had been any shorter, I would have been bald. My face was broad and flat with a wide mouth. I was not the guy that girls fantasize about when they go to bed at night. I finished high school and never had a date; not even for the prom. I guess it was partly my fault, because I never asked a girl to go out with me. I had been conditioned by the preconceived rejections that I constantly carried with me. It was sad but I was comfortable with it. In two more years I would have enough to buy my wife. Tonight, I could sit by my computer and do some more shopping. I had enough now to get a girl from some of the places, but I was hoping that if I spent more I would get a better product. That was a sad way to think about a wife, but a guy like me didn't have many options. It was only a five minute walk back to the house. It was a small, two-bedroom bungalow, that didn't look like much, but it came furnished and the utilities were cheap. The house had a kitchen, but I never used it. I didn't even own any dishes or kitchen equipment. I did have a refrigerator with cold drinks. The back of the mall stores was empty and deserted at night. It was a little creepy, but sort of cool at the same time. Every once in a while, I would scare up a cat or loose dog when I passed through. Tonight it was a little different. There were three of them and they seemed to be having a hell of a good time kicking the shit out of somebody on the ground. I didn't know if the guy deserved the beating or not, but I didn't like the odds. All I said when I walked towards them was "Hey!" The three of them stopped and turned towards me. I got the distinct feeling that I had just screwed up big time. I was big, but I wasn't bad. I always avoided fights, but looking back there never were too many to avoid. Nobody messed with me, just because of my size and mean appearance. These guys, however, were not impressed. I quickly decided that this was not the time to be a nice guy. The first one didn't get a chance. I swung at him with a straight-armed right, roundhouse. Surprisingly, he just fell to the ground. The other two got close enough to get a few punches in which didn't seem to phase me at all. I felt them, but there was no great pain or discomfort. I gave thug number two a backhand with the same right arm and then picked up the third guy and threw him into the side of a nearby dumpster. The poor guy getting the crap kicked out of him was sitting up and watching. He didn't look too good, but he was still paying attention. I helped him to his feet and into the Mercedes parked in the middle of the alley. I never drove one before, but he had better get to a hospital. It took about ten minutes to find an all night clinic. He never said a word, but just stared at me, with weasel eyes. I might have been ugly, but this guy was sleazy. His olive complexion glistened from the sweat and blood running down his face. One cheek seemed to be swelling up as well as his lower lip. His lips were thin and tight looking. I stayed with him just long enough to see that he was being taken care of, and then caught a cab back to my house. My first experience as a Good Samaritan ended up costing me fifteen bucks. Four days later, I saw in the newspaper that three men had been found dead in the same alley. They had all been shot once in the back of the head. For some reason, I did not think that this was a coincidence. While Taco Bell was my choice for supper, I always went to the Waffle House for breakfast. I was a creature of habit and had the same plate of pancakes and fried eggs every day. I never had to order, unless there was a new waitress. The girls would usually slip a piece of bacon or sausage on my plate, because they knew it would get them a good tip. It was a joke between us, and one of the few real interactions that I had with any people at all. I had once thought about possibly asking one of them to go out with me, but chickened out. My life went back to normal for three months, and then it changed again. The weasel from the alley came back into my life. "Mister Trent? Robert Trent?" He was standing on the front landing with a smile on his face. I guessed that he was trying to look pleasant, but it came across as sinister. "Yeah. Most people call me Bobby." "Can I come in? We need to talk for a few moments." He wasn't alone. Behind him was a small, creepy, little Goth girl. She wasn't even five feet tall and looked sickly. I stepped aside and they both entered. He sat on the sofa and she stood beside him and slightly behind. "You know who I am, don't you Bobby?" "Yeah. You are the guy that I drove to the hospital a few months back." "My name is Maurice. Maurice Franklin." "What can I do for you Mister Franklin?" "I need a favor Bobby. I have to go out of the county for a few years and I would like you to take care of Topaz for me." "What is a Topaz?" Maurice looked over his right shoulder and nodded. "This is Topaz. She is my favorite sub. I will be in Amsterdam for about seven years and I cannot trust leaving her with anybody else." "You don't even know me. I only met you one time, and that was under some pretty unusual circumstances." "I had you very carefully investigated and feel that Topaz will be safe with you." "I don't think so." "While I am gone, I will pay you two thousand dollars a month for her keep. All that I ask for you to do is to keep her safe." "I have to work Mister Franklin. I can't watch her every minute. What will keep her from just wandering off when I am not at home?" "She is a sub, Mister Trent. She will obey your every word. If you tell her to stay, she will stay and ask no questions." He called me by my last name. I guess that was to emphasize what he was trying to say. "You mean like a Stepford wife?" "Not exactly, but close." "What do you mean when you say that she will obey my every word?" "Topaz will cook for you and clean your house. If it is your desire, she will also share your bed. She has been programmed since she was very young and cannot refuse anything." "From you, maybe, but not from me." "She will if I tell her to." Mister Franklin and I talked for another half hour. Topaz stood quietly and did not speak or make any kind of expression for the entire time. Before leaving, he stood in front of the small girl and spoke quite clearly and emphatically. "Mister Trent is your new master. You will do everything that he asks you to do without question. Do you understand me?" "Yes." It was the first and only word out of her mouth. As he left, I noticed a small bag sitting by the front door. I could only assume that it contained everything that she owned in the world. The only thing more pathetic was the girl herself. I took her bag and started down the small hallway to the extra bedroom. She followed me like a puppy dog. When I showed her where the bathroom was, she gave me a small smile and immediately went in and started to pee. It was as if she had not gotten to use a bathroom all day. I assumed that when I showed it to her, she took it as permission to use it. Mister Franklin left me with a check for two thousand dollars, but no phone number or contact address. It looked like I was committed. There was no food in the house. In order to feed her I had to take her out with me. I had my lunch while I was at work, so that was a meal that she would have to miss. This was not going to work. I had to make some adjustments. It was time for supper and she walked just behind me to the Taco Bell. I asked her what she wanted and she just looked at me. I got my usual and got her two soft chicken tacos with a small drink. It was an interesting meal because for the first time, there were more people staring at her than at me. It was easy to understand why. Topaz had straight black hair with a pink strip down the side. The dark eye shadow and purple lipstick made her look super freaky. I guess to some, she would be attractive, but not to most. In addition to multiple ear piercings, she had silver or metal studs in her eye brows, nose, and lower lip. The one on her tongue was not as apparent. Although, I understood why, I found the whispered comments that many of the patrons were making annoying. For some strange reason I starting to feel a little protective and defensive about my new ward. During the walk back home, I tried to find out a little more about her. "How old are you?" "I have a birth certificate that says that I am eighteen, but I am not sure if it is true." "Why is that?" "It says that my name is Madison; Madison Harte. I don't know that name." "How long have you been with Mister Franklin?" "I am not sure. Four or five years, I guess." "How did you meet him?" "I didn't meet him. He bought me." Now, I had all sorts of questions. Maurice Franklin bought this young girl the same way that I was planning to buy a wife. All of a sudden, I felt as sleazy as he was. I didn't ask her any more questions. When I got home, I called my boss at work and took a week off. I had plenty of vacation time coming and I had a lot to do. Topaz seemed to be extremely happy when I told her that she had the use of the toilet and bathroom facilities at anytime that she wanted. Apparently, it was a customary policy to control such things. I told her that she could take a shower and she immediately started to undress in front of me. Normally I would have turned and walked away, but in this case, the image grabbed my attention. She had scars and bruises on her entire body. Many of the scars were from cigarette or cigar burns. Her back was covered with lash marks. I was confused by the entire situation. I realized that it involved a culture that I was unfamiliar with. There were more metal adornments. In addition to the two nipple rings, there was one in her navel and I caught a flash from one that had to be attached to her most private area. She was not my property, but she was going to be with me for seven years. I had a decision to make and I did it. Topaz came out of the shower and joined me in the living room. She had nothing on. The initial shock of the condition of her body was wearing off and now I was faced with the realization that I was alone with a naked girl. She was young and small, and she had a beautiful body, despite the flaws. I quickly realized that she was naked on purpose, probably because that was what she felt that I wanted. She was not ashamed of her body and seemed comfortable in front of me. I left the room and came back with a large beach towel. She seemed confused when I insisted that she cover her self up. Hell, I confused myself. I could have watched her all night, except I felt dirty and guilty for some reason. It was still early in the evening, but I needed a break. I walked her to the bedroom and then closed the door. She looked disappointed, but I couldn't tell if she was afraid that she had done something wrong or that she unhappy because I didn't want to have sex with her. I did want to sleep with her, but not under the present circumstances. I was not looking forward to the first morning with my new guest. If she was going to be with me for seven years there were a few changes that would have to be made. I went into the kitchen and she was standing by the table waiting. I didn't know how long she had been there. There was nothing we could do in the kitchen because it was an empty room. I started walking out the door and Topaz immediately followed. She followed me all the way to the Waffle House. No words were spoken. Today, I took a booth rather than my usual counter seat. Glenda was working the booth area today and brought water and coffee for both of us. She gave me a quizzical look and seemed to be waiting for some type of answer or explanation. I didn't know what to say. "I'll have my usual breakfast and bring a Western omelet for the lady." Glenda made a weird face when I used the word 'lady' to refer to Topaz. There was a lot of chit-chat behind the counter and we got a lot of looks from the employees and other customers. My breakfast was just as I had ordered it, but today there was no extra meat on the plate. Topaz ate everything without saying a word. When we left, I put a bigger tip on the table than normal. Glenda and the other girls might have been a little uncomfortable with my guest, but the bigger tip should tell them that I understood. I didn't mind that people stared at me and made quiet comments, but I didn't like when they did the same thing to Topaz. On the way back to the house I made my first major decision. Topaz never sat down, unless she was told to, even at the restaurant. She never spoke unless she was asked to, or needed clarification. I told her to sit at the kitchen table and I sat across from her. "I am your master; is that correct?" "Yes, master." "You must do everything that I tell you to do; is that correct?" "Yes, master." "From now on your name will be Madison. Do you understand?" "Yes, master. My name is Madison." I didn't like this game, but I didn't know how else to do what I wanted to do. I didn't have any grand plans for her, but something had to be done. Now that the name problem had been clarified, I presented her with her first task. I pushed a pair of needle nosed pliers, a tube of Neosporin, and a small Tupper Ware container across the table. She looked at them and looked up at me. "Madison, go to your room and take off all of your clothing. I want you to remove every one of the metal studs and piercings that you have; all of them. Put them into the plastic container and then take a shower. After you are clean, put a small dab of the salve in this tube on each of the empty holes. You don't have to do that to the one on your tongue. When you are done, get dressed and come back. Oh, yes. Madison. No make-up, please." I don't know why I added the 'please'? I guess it was out of habit. I am not a drinker, but I had myself a beer while I waited for her. I thought I heard her make some quiet little noises that sounded like 'ouch,' but I was probably mistaken. She had to be more stoical than that. The beer got warm before I finished it. As I said, I am not much of a drinker. When she came back to the kitchen, she looked the same, but different, if that makes sense. She handed me the pliers, Tupper Ware, and Neosporin. I gave her the salve back and told her to use it if she got any sore spots. The trip to Wal-Mart was going to be expensive, but I really didn't care. We took two carts. In house wares we got dishes, silverware, pots and pans, a toaster, and a small microwave oven. In the health and beauty section, we got all of the grooming supplies that I thought would be necessary. She helped by picking out soap, toothpaste, and feminine products without my assistance. It was a relief that she had anticipated what I wanted her to do. Things slowed down a little when we stopped at the hair dye section. I asked her which package was the closest to her natural color. She seemed a little confused, but eventually pointed to a box that had a picture of a girl with mousey brown hair. She looked at the box and smiled, before dropping it in the cart. When we got to the women's department I found an associate and asked for her help. I told the lady that Madison needed six sport bras and a dozen pairs of cotton underwear. I wanted practical, not sexy, and felt that it was important to let my wishes be known. We also got socks, slacks, blouses and a light jacket, before heading for the shoe department. I was planning on getting her two pairs, but ended up with three. The first of the carts was full as we headed for the grocery section. I was totally lost. Like a typical man, all I could think of was steaks and hot dogs. Madison noticed my hesitation and touched my hand. "Robert?" I hadn't expected her to speak. "Yes?" "Do you want to get a coffee pot?" Of course I wanted to get a coffee pot, but I didn't think about it while I was in the appliance section. I just looked at her and nodded in the affirmative. "You go get a coffee pot and I will get the food." Wow. Was that a relief. I wasn't looking forward to food shopping. She took the empty cart and started for the meat department as I tried to find the coffeepots. After fifteen minutes I stopped. What the hell was I doing? I left her alone and went wandering about the store. She could just walk off and I would never be able to find her again. Boy, I was as stupid as I looked. I grabbed the cheapest coffee maker they had, and rushed back to the grocery section. I couldn't see her. I went up and down the aisles, but she was not to be seen. "Robert. I am ready. Did you get a coffee pot?" She was right behind me. The cart was half-filled with food stuff. She smiled when she noticed that I was glad to see her. I guess she didn't realize why I was happy about it. The total for everything came to over two hundred dollars. I had the money, but decided to use my credit card. I didn't have many opportunities to use it. On the ride home, Madison was smiling. I thought I heard her hum to herself, but I might have been wrong. I tend to imagine good things because it brightens up my life. We put the groceries away first. I made her pick out where she wanted things to go. She was a little hesitant at first, but quickly got into the swing of things. She watched me from the kitchen as I carried her new clothes to the bedroom. The bags covered most of the single bed. There was a small, linen closet in the bathroom. I put all of the new bath and personal items on one shelf. I also cleared a shelf in the medicine cabinet for her. I left the box of hair dye on the sink. Seven Year Wife She was standing in the kitchen when I returned. She wasn't doing anything, but just standing there. I found it to be annoying. I didn't get upset over too many things. I had to do something to keep her from being this subservient. I didn't mind having her as a companion, but I didn't want her as a zombie. I told her to go to her bedroom and try on all of her new clothing to make sure that they fit. There was an empty dresser in the room and some hangers in the closet. She was smiling when she left to open her packages. She already knew what was there, but still seemed excited about looking at them again. I decided to figure out how to work the new coffee pot. I made a mess on my first attempt, but the second one was pretty good. I was enjoying my culinary skills at making coffee when Madison came back to the kitchen. She had on a pair of jeans, an orange Tee shirt, and white tennis shoes. She was cute. She smiled when she saw that I was smiling. I was still drinking my wonderful cup of brew, as she skipped back to the bedroom. Maybe it wasn't actually skipping, but she did have a bounce to her step. I called the personnel lady at work and asked her what I had to do to get Madison added on to my insurance coverage. After ten minutes of complicated bullshit, I thanked her and hung up. I didn't know what possessed me to do that, but I felt as if I was starting to feel responsible for her. She hadn't been with me for a full day yet, but I was getting attached. I was ripe and vulnerable. Maybe I had better slow down. Madison was busy in the bedroom. I left the house to think about my new situation. A day ago, I was a lonely, despondent loser trying to figure out a way to buy a wife. Today, I was responsible for a perky little sexpot that was thrust upon me. I had no idea what I was going to do with her for the rest of the week, let alone for seven years. I didn't even know if it was legal for me to keep her. It was as if she was a pet instead of a person. None of my life experiences prepared me for what was going on. Damn, I was confused. I got gas in the car and then picked up two Subway sandwiches before going home. I liked their sandwiches, but the bread sucked. I always wished that somebody in the company would improve upon the bread. Madison seemed relieved when I got home. I got the feeling that she was a little anxious when she noticed that I was gone. That didn't seem to fit her nature, or what I thought her nature should be. She was a submissive. She wasn't supposed to have any emotional reaction. Hell, what did I know? I was not even sure what a submissive was and I definitely didn't know what to do with her. We had two cans of soda, and some chips, with our lunch. It was nice to eat at home, and it was nice to have somebody to eat with, even though she didn't talk much. She cleaned up after the meal and I sat down to watch television. I was not used to having time off during the week and didn't know what to occupy myself with. Madison didn't seem to know what to do with herself either, so I just looked towards the back of the house and nodded. She quietly left the room. Not being a regular TV watcher, I found myself flipping through the channels. I was surprised to see a picture of Maurice Franklin pop up. The FBI and a few other local and Federal agencies were looking for him. It appeared that Mister Franklin was not only ugly looking, but also a nasty person. Most of the things they were talking about were over my head, as I didn't understand when they discussed his involvement with the three dead guys that they found in the alley. I thought it was funny that they didn't know where he was, but I did. Then, I realized, that he probably lied to me. My being trusting and gullible, made that was an easy thing to do. Ten minutes later, I was deeply engrossed in a Steven Seagal movie. I fell asleep before the end of the movie, and was awakened by the familiar smell of a bean burrito. Madison had taken it upon herself to prepare supper. A frozen burrito is not a substitute for the real thing, but I appreciated her effort. She served it with some corn chips and a Pepsi. I smiled at her efforts and she smiled back. It was easy to keep her happy. What I liked is that she seemed to feel comfortable around me. I was halfway through the meal when I noticed that her hair was now a light brown, instead of a glossy black. She looked cute. I found myself thinking how good she would look if she was about six inches taller and forty pounds heavier. I immediately felt bad for not being thankful for what I had. That evening she sat with me on the couch, as we watched tiring, old, sit-com reruns. We didn't talk at all. I didn't know how to converse with her or anyone for that matter, and she had been conditioned not to. What a strange pair we made. I usually went to bed early, and tonight was no exception. The only thing different about tonight was that I did not sleep alone for the first time in my life. Ten minutes after all the lights were out, Madison came into my room and into my bed. I was scared stiff in more ways than one. I wasn't a virgin, but the only girls that I had ever been with, were ones that I paid for. I laid perfectly still. I was afraid that if I moved or said anything, that this perfect moment would disappear. I had not actually thought about the possibility of having sex with Madison. I am sure that I would have considered it at some point, but I hadn't as of yet. I assume that she took my silence as approval to go ahead. For the next hour, I experienced the joy of free, uninhibited sex. I didn't do anything at all, but enjoyed myself. Madison was skilled and knowledgeable in ways that I could not imagine. All the impossible things that I had seen on the Internet were happening in my bed. It ended all too quickly. When I woke in the morning, she was curled up with her head on my shoulder. I didn't want to move. I would have stayed like that forever, except I had to pee like a horse. She woke, when I stirred and giggled at my early morning erection as I made my way to the bathroom. She was gone when I returned. Madison's coffee tasted a lot better than mine. I decided that she would make it from now on. She had some microwave pancakes and three fried eggs on the table when I came out. She smiled again when I did. The eggs looked like they suffered a little from the flipping, but only one of the yokes was broken. By the end of the first week, things had settled down. Madison and I had a few discussions about what I expected from her. She was smart and a quick learner. Our relationship normalized, in a fashion. She seemed comfortable with me and I was ecstatic to have her around, especially since we started having sex on a regular basis. There were no more trips to Taco Bell and the Waffle House. I still had to grab lunch outside when I was working, but it did not cause a problem. I told Madison to make herself something everyday when I was gone. The first month passed quickly. My new house pet was now making meals from scratch: not all the time, but pretty regular. She knew how to use the computer and would like to surprise me with new recipes that she discovered. Our grocery shopping became a little tedious as far as I was concerned, and I started making plans for her to get a drivers license, so that I would not have to go along with her. Madison had never been to a dentist. After I finally figured out how to get her on my medical plan at work, she started making regular trips to the tooth doctor. I still had to pay the deductible, but I could use the money from my "wife shopping" fund to pay it. She needed several thousand dollars of dental work. Of course, the checks from Mister Franklin helped. Three months later, she had her driver's license and I was relieved of grocery shopping duty. I was in high heaven. It doesn't get any better than this. And then the bomb dropped. "Bobby, I think I am pregnant." "Do you know for sure?" "Yes. I have been pregnant before." "You have children?" "No. I had two abortions. Mister Franklin does not allow children." "Mister Franklin is not here; I am." "I know. Bobby, what do you want me to do?' It was a no-brainer for me. "I want you to go to the doctor and find out what you have to do to make sure that we have a healthy baby." I was expecting a smile, but not the hug. She almost knocked me over when she jumped on me. I think she was happier than I was. I also was not expecting the backlash that I got after the first doctors visit. The examination clearly showed all of the scars and bruises on Madison's body. Although none of them were recent, the hospital staff felt obligated to call in the authorities. The authorities then felt obligated to talk to me. I wasn't sure what to say. I decided that it was better if I didn't bring up Maurice Franklin at all. I simply told them that she had been in an abusive relationship before we met. The doctors verified that none of the bruises were recent, which substantiated my statement. Madison irritated the hell out of them, because she flatly refused to say anything. The situation was temporarily resolved when I agreed to bring her back to the hospital for regular visits and the hospital agreed to report any new abuse to the police. From there on, things seemed to go smoothly. Madison and I grew close. She never seemed to mind that I was big and homely. She started to cut my hair for me and it looked a little less severe. I had to comb it over a little, but I didn't mind. The big change was my new beard. Every three days, she would sit me down and carefully trim my beard, eyebrows and ears. I thought that only old guys had to get their ears trimmed. Maybe I was starting to get old. The beard sort of mellowed out my features. My unattractive nose and mouth were hidden behind the neat little mass of hair covering my face. I also realized that I was starting to dress a little better. Her shopping trips included things other than groceries. She seemed to enjoy buying clothing for me. Since I could afford it, I didn't complain. A few months before the baby was due, we drove down to Maryland and got married. Maurice never said that we couldn't and besides, he wasn't here. We had a beautiful little baby girl that Madison named Roberta. My parents had moved to Florida years before, but flew up to see the baby and to meet their new daughter. My mother and father both seemed amazed that I had attracted and married such a wonderful girl. I never explained the circumstances to them. Madison had no idea who her parents were, so we had nobody to contact on her side of the family. A few months later, we bought a house. It was a little bigger, a little nicer, and a little more expensive than the rental. I had gotten a nice raise at work that year, which helped. We continued to get a check every month from Mister Franklin. Somehow or other, he got a hold of our new address. The next year we were blessed with another daughter, Marcella. I sure was glad we got the new house. My life was complete and everything was perfect. I had a good job, a nice home, a beautiful wife, and two lovely daughters. What more could a man want? But time went by too fast. Madison and I had completely forgotten about Maurice Franklin. Although we were reminded every month when the check came, we sort of removed ourselves from the reality of his existence, until the day of the phone call. "Mister Trent. This is Maurice Franklin." It was a shock. I knew that someday he would return, but I kept thinking that maybe something would happen to change that. It didn't. "Yes, Mister Franklin. It is good to hear from you." It was a lie of course, but I was trying to be polite. "Mister Trent. The time has come to set things right. I am back in the county and I am temporarily staying at the Executive Hotel, downtown. I am in room 1222. I will be expecting Topaz at six o'clock this evening. I want to say how much I appreciate the fact that you took care of her for me, in my absence, and I will include a little bonus in your next, and final check." I didn't say anything. I couldn't make the words come out. I sat in silence. "Mister Trent, are you there? Did you hear me?" "Yes. I heard you. Room 1222 at the Executive Hotel at six o'clock. I will make sure that she is there." Madison was standing in the room and heard my end of the conversation. She stood looking at me, and finally spoke. "What did he say, Bobby?" "He said that it was time to make things right. I don't know what to do." "What do you want me to do?" "We have no choice. It is time to make things right. It has to be done." Madison looked at me and I know that she saw the tear in my eye. Grown men don't cry. I left the house and started walking down the street. I didn't know where I was going, but I just felt like walking. Two hours later I returned to the house. My wife was sitting on the couch all dressed up. Roberta and Marcella were comfortable in front of the television. She stood up and looked at me without flinching. "I have to go now. You must take care of the children. There supper is on the stove. Just heat it up." After she left, I sat on the couch and cried. The girls didn't notice. We had a quiet supper. Roberta asked where her mother was and I told her that she had to go to a meeting. I had no idea how I was going to explain tomorrow, why she had not come back. It was a dream. A beautiful dream. I still had my girls, but Madison was gone forever. I had just put the girls to bed when I heard the front door open. It was Madison. She had come back. I started to blubber like a baby as I rushed over and picked her up. "Easy, Bobby, easy. You are going to break my ribs." "I am sorry, I am so happy to see you. I was afraid we had lost you forever." "Why? Why would you think that?" "I don't know. I guess it was because of your relationship with Mister Franklin. I felt as if I didn't have a chance." "Bobby. What was the last thing that Maurice said to me before he left?" I thought for a moment before I answered. "Mister Trent is your new master. You will do everything that he asks you to do without question. Do you understand me?" "What did you tell me to do tonight before I left?" "I told you that it was time to make things right." "That is what I did, Bobby. That is what I did. Did the girls eat their supper?" "Yes." "Good. No more talk. Lets go to bed." I had a restless night. The next morning Madison was acting as if everything was normal. I was at work when I actually discovered what did happen. The television set in the break lounge was showing the news. A man, identified as Maurice Franklin, had been found murdered this morning in his downtown hotel room. He had been tied to the bed with silk neck ties and a plastic bag was placed over his head. The police were looking for a Goth girl who was captured on the security cameras entering and leaving his room in the early part of the evening. I took a dozen roses home for my wife that evening. We had burritos for supper, not frozen. I am going to miss those monthly checks, but I think we will manage fine.