Four days after returning home from Iowa, and Mark was back in the office hard at work while Sydney took the week off. She was sleeping more that normal; she had only briefly gone into her office once, and she’d only taken the most minor interest in developments with the Doms. This wasn’t Sydney. Sydney was a narcissistic ball-busting task master. This new Sydney was reflective, an observer who’d even managed smile with her staff. One by one they approached Mark for advice.


Mark assured them she was fine when in truth he was as concerned as they were. Her temperament was lethargic at best, sending hours curled in bed listening to her mother’s records. Whatever she was experiencing was singular and Mark could only soothe her, but there was little need. Sydney wasn’t unhappy. She was calm—too calm


“Sir,” Greta interrupted Mark in thought. Master’s Charles and Lee are here to see you.”


“Show them in,” Mark scratched his head and greeted them. “Gentlemen, how can I help you?


“It’s about Sydney,” Charles began. “I received a call from Natalie…”


“Who?”


“I’m sorry, #1,” Charles corrected himself. “Sydney has pushed a weeks worth of clients in our laps.”


“You say that like its bad thing” Mark snorted.


“For Sydney it is,” Lee added. “Clients equaled money and Sydney seems to be concerned with neither. She’s generous but not this generous and when it came to her clients, she was a pillar of professionalism. This isn’t normal behavior.”


Mark drew a heavy breath and exhaled. “You’re right. She’s not acting like herself. She’s exhausted and needs time to relax. I would appreciate if you guys would pick up the slack for a while. What about the girls? Have they come to you?”


“Yes, they mentioned that they’d spoken to you also,” Charles answered.


“What did you take away from the conversation?” Mark leaned forward still puzzled by their interaction.


“Women! They fretted over some dress or something. I don’t know!” Charles shrugged in defeat. “The most I gathered was Sydney was showing a lack focus during her dress fitting.”


“So,” Lee frowned.


“For Sydney this is not normal. She’d designed most of her gowns over the years, she a control freak. Now she’s given the responsibility to Natalie, who stated Sydney stood rooted in place, sort of dazed out at her last appointment with her dress maker. Moreover, they were concerned with her change in routine. Sydney had always run her day to a strict timetable. With her sudden disinterest with everything going on around, the girls have become unnerved. She’d begun doing minor things for herself. She no longer relied on them. According to #4, she has even been gracious, saying “Please and thank you.”


Mark leaned backwards and said in dead-panned mocking fashion at the girl’s experience. “Shocking. Maybe a little bit of the Midwest rubbed off on her.”


“This why I can’t have more than one female sub at a time,” Lee chimes in. “I would go ape-shit.”


“I wouldn’t discount what they’re saying,” Charles came to their defense. “Who knows Sydney better that they do?”


Mark and Lee conceded defeat.


“We’d better keep and eye on her. Charles, how long can you stay in town?” Mark asked.


“For as long as you need me.”


“Lee?”


“I’ll be here,”


“Good,” Mark rose and gestured towards the door. “Now if you would excuse me.” They turn to leave.


“Mark, do you have a minute? I’d like to talk to you alone.” Charles nodded to Lee.


“I have a few minutes,” This is the conversation Mark had been waiting for. Both men retook their seats. “Let me guess. This is about Natalie.”


Charles’s eyes narrowing suspiciously. How did you know?”


“It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that you’re into her.”


It’s more than that. I love her. We’ve been in love for the past eight years and we don’t know what to do or who to turn to.”


“And you want me to intercede on your behalf with Sydney?” Mark settled back. “You’re taking a huge risk by coming to me with this. Natalie is Sydney’s primary submissive and you’re Sydney’s heir apparent. Charles, that’s big.”


“Which is why I’ve came to you. You’re the most powerful Dom out there. I’ve seen your work.”


“You don’t know the half of it.”


“I know you organized all of this. The leak. That was you.” Charles played his last card well.


Mark nodded with a smirk. “You figured it out.”


“Oh course. You’re too smart to allow a leak to happen. You’re untouchable.”


“Flatter will get you nowhere.”


“I never suspected it would. But I know you don’t appreciate being pushed around and told what to do,” Charles gave a half cocked grin. “And like you said, I’m the heir apparent, not because it was given to me but because I’ve earned it—you would never leave me in the hands on the lower Doms especially when your woman is involved. I should be able to do whatever I damn well please.”


Mark burst out laughing. “You’re an arrogant fuck aren’t you?”


“I learned from the best. I’ve seen Sydney Cummings work miracles.”


“She put you through hell didn’t she?”


Charles squeezed his temples is aggravation. “Oh God yeah! Five years of pure hell but I’d do it over again. Your woman has skills. Has she shown you the trick with the waist cuffs?”


“Oh yeah! We’re using that trick often,” Mark shook his head. “What is it about her that gets inside of your head? You’ll give her whatever she wants.”

“Don’t bother trying to figure it out,” Charles rattled off. “Dude, you’re wasting your time. She’s like…magic or something. She broke Lee!”


“She broke me!” Mark pointed to himself. “It’s her freckin eyes. She flashes those things and you’ll give her anything she wants.”


“Do you see what I’m going through? Natalie has the effect on me. I don’t know to stop loving her.”


“Don’t worry about. You don’t have to stop loving her. I’ve already talked to Sydney about your relationship. I knew you’d come to me sooner or later.


“You’re an arrogant fuck aren’t you?”


“Yep! I have to look out for my woman’s interest.”




                                                       ******



Sydney lay in bed staring off into space. She’d been there for days on, or what felt like days….the days and night were beginning to blur, her mother’s voice pouring from the record player. Her past mistakes played before her: Her stubbornness, the ill-treatment of her assistants, the dogged tenacity, the selfishness, and her fear of failure. There here all there…her constant companions.


They were there when no one else was. There clothed her and made the loneliness bearable. Over the last were days there had been little that would have provoked her to rise from bed but today there was a force inside of her…around her that pleaded for her to “get moving”. Get moving, rang in her ears. Get moving, filled her thoughts. But she ignored the calling, simply replying she wasn’t ready. She had to say goodbye to her old friends….for good.


“Mom,” She called to herself and drew a long breath and waited. There was no answer. “You don’t have to reply but I need to talk to you. I’m lost, mom. I’m lost and afraid in ways I never knew existed. For the first time I don’t what my future holds. I don’t know what’s coming around the corner---I have no control…and you know what? It feels damn good,” she exhaled and shook her head.


“I’m letting go, mom. I can’t hold on anymore, I tried but I can’t. I’ve met someone, he’s name is Mark. He’s not perfect; he tends to be stubborn but who isn’t. He was estranged from his family and I didn’t want him to end up in my situation, alone without a family so I helped reunite them.


I went to Iowa for his sake but being there with his family helped me get over my trust issues. They’re not the ideal family; they fight, they have their problems but at the end of the day, they’re still a family. And through them, I’ve learned what forgiveness really means. I could preach forgiveness to Mark but in my own life I failed to apply it. I realize that just because someone hurts you, doesn’t mean they don’t love you. They may not have known they’ve hurt you. You have to be vulnerably, to let them know how I feel.. I thought vulnerability and forgiveness was another way of saying weak but momma, I was wrong. There is power in laying it all out there and allowing people to accept you for who you are.

Mark told me that I wasn’t broken, I just hadn’t healed,” she chuckled. “He was right, I’m not broken. I have these little hairline fractions that require attention but it’s nothing that can’t be fixed with the gauze of time. And you know what, I’m enjoying fixing them. I’ve discovered that I’m strong. I’m stronger than I even imagined and I don’t have to hide anymore. I wanted to feel the pain. I felt my heart fold over itself, momma. I welcome it,” Sydney laughed through her tears. I’ve never felt kind of freedom. I’ve never been so happy. It feels like I’m coming full circle and it’s not because of Mark. I don’t need him. I thought I did but I don’t.


He didn’t, that is, he doesn’t complete me. I don’t see myself in him. What he had done is turned on the light and made it possible for me to see myself and I’m thankful for that everyday,” She felt a warm encircle her. “When I wake up and see him, it reminds me of how far I’ve come and, to me, that’s the best gift anyone could ask for. I might stumble and I might fall. I might get lost and frightened along the way but if I can handle being alone for those years, then I’m ready for whatever life throws at me next.” She paused, not entirely sure how to approach the next subject.


“Sydney,” Mark came to the door. “Everyone is downstairs waiting on you.” He stopped; there was someone in the room. “I’ll tell them you’ll be down shortly.


Mark slowly realized it was the same presence what followed him…the presence urged him to be patient with her. It wasn’t her father; his presence was thick and heavy. This presence was gently and spoke without speaking. It told him that whatever she was going through would pass; she wouldn’t be given more than she could bear, and she would be comforted.