Chapter XXXIII

It was late in the evening, after all was said and done. The sun was down and the maids had all gone to their rooms on the top floor of the house. I pattered around the house in my bare feet, crinkling quietly with every step, until I decided to knock on Cora's bedroom door. I hoped she wasn't asleep, or that Mr. Gladstone wasn’t relaxing. I would hate to interrupt...

"Come in, darling." Cora's voice was clear and bright, like the door wasn't even there. How did she know it was Natalie? Well, the maids wouldn't so much as knock, those who were allowed in would come and those who weren't, wouldn't. But it did give her an air of omnipresence.

Inside Cora's room, I found her sitting on the edge of the bed and Mr. Gladstone untying his tie. I felt a little embarrassed, standing in the same room as my boss wearing a frilly babydoll nightie. "Hi... um... I wanted to talk to you for a minute... about Sam..."

"Of course, darling, come in." Mr. Gladstone looked at his little dressed up doll with a warm smile, and then resumed undoing his tie. The two of them didn't have a predator bone between them, that was for sure, but they both had so much of an air of confidence nonetheless.

Cora sat me on the edge of the bed and the dress rode up just a little bit. I tried to close my thighs, to hide the diaper between my legs, but I couldn't manage to touch my knees together. Cora smiled down at me and Mr. Gladstone stole glances through a mirror. I was so embarrassed. "M-maybe we should talk tomorrow..."

"Nonsense. You're worried about something right this moment and you need our help, it's why we're here." While she was talking, Mr. Gladstone swiftly picked Natalie up off the edge of the bed, sat down in her place, and pulled her into his lap securely.

"We're all ears, my dear,” he reassured her, while Cora watched and smiled.

Sitting on Mr. Gladstone's lap had become annoyingly normal. After he had spanked me over his lap for weeks, after I had fallen asleep on his lap earlier that day... I shifted side to side and felt my cheeks turn red. "I... um... w-well..." Why was I here again? Oh yeah. Sam. "Sam's worried about our relationship... 'cause she's my maid, and we aren't equals. Is there something we can do...?"

Gently, Mr. Gladstone bounced the girl ever so slowly on his lap, making sure she was fully unable to forget her diapered state, but he let his wife do the talking.

"Well, she's very astute; you're not equals anymore, darling. She's your maid, and it sounds like she recognizes that, too. Do you think she's getting mixed signals?" This was a question of opinion, and opinions were something Natalie was allowed; but Cora would make the decisions.

"Oh, uh... no not really." Every few seconds, my bottom would softly settle into Mr. Gladstone's lap and he would shift again, causing me to crinkle. Each time he did, I felt more and more shy. "I... um... I think she just... wants us to be... um... like we were? But we aren't..."

"Well, for you two to be like you were, it would mean you would have to be the way you were, darling, and nobody wants that. You're growing so much," Not growing up, though, "and we're determined not to let you slip back into your own sadness. No, no I'm afraid what you need to do is to establish a new status quo with your friend. As Princess and Maid. You must not think of yourself as diminishing her, as treating her unfairly; instead you must remember that your dynamic with her simply has to evolve. And in time, you'll see, that you're going to become closer to her than you have ever been, through her servitude."

That was the second time in two conversations someone had referred to me as a princess. In this analogy, Cora was the queen. Mr. Gladstone was the king. And Sam? My handmaiden. Handmaidens and princesses were always best friends in the stories, right? "I dunno if Sam will like that," I muttered. "And I don't even know how to do it..."

"Nobody likes change at first," Cora reminded her. “You've been quite a handful in adjusting to your changes, too, if you recall," she added with a smile. "But you've come through to the other side, happier, healthier, and stronger than you've ever been. Sam will, too. She just needs a strong friend to help her remember her role here. She needs you to guide her, to command her; you don't make decisions for her, that's not your role in any regard. But you do decide how she serves you; for her own good, for both of you."

"I don't understand," I muttered, trying to focus on the conversation as my bottom bounced softly on Mr. Gladstone's lap. I wanted to tell him to stop, but, at the same time, it stirred up a warm feeling in my stomach. Like an automatic response. I shook my head and shuffled a little, trying to find better purchase on the man's lap.

"You're in charge. If you need a bath, you have Sam draw it for you. If you're hungry, you have her fetch food for you. If you have an accident, you remind Sam you need to be changed." Although that last one was a step further than had been discussed, Cora continued without letting it sink in. "You've had subordinates in the workplace before, it's no different, except that you'll be rebuilding a new dynamic, strengthening your friendship. Have her rub your feet, paint your nails; she's yours, darling."

...oh. I looked at Cora with bewilderment, like I'd missed something crucial. But I understood her offer. Sam was mine. "But how is that going to help us? She's upset because I boss her around..." Though by now I should understand to trust Cora's methods.

"No, she's upset because she is holding your friendship in the same light it was when she arrived; you've grown and she hasn't. It's clear that she could leave if she likes, but she stays; she stays for you, for your friendship. The problem isn't that you're commanding of her, it's that you're not commanding enough. During the day she should look up to you, admire you, serve you. And off hours, your friendship will blossom in the light of its new energy."

"That makes no sense," I said sharply, but Cora booped me on the nose all the same.

"My decision," she said with a smile, and I knew, ultimately, that she was right.

"I should talk to Sam," I muttered, sliding off Mr. Gladstone's lap with embarrassment.

"Remember who you are, and remember who she can be. She's relying on you, darling, make sure to follow my decision - I've never led you astray." Although, in the coming days, that might wind up being pushed and tested as Cora ramped up her baby girl’s regression. But that was a problem for then and not for now.

* * * * *

I returned to Sam's room with a nervous smile and burning red cheeks. The sensation of bouncing on Mr. Gladstone's lap still hadn't left my stomach and my legs felt like jelly. "She... um. Cora thinks I gotta be more... uh... commanding."

"Of course she does." Sam sighed. She was polishing her shoes when her friend had come back and she looked up at her with a sigh. “Why does she make you dress like a doll, anyway? I mean maybe that's her thing."

I narrowed my eyes and crossed my arms over my chest. "It's not her thing,” I said sharply. "She has a reason... I just don't know what it is." Which was common. I never seemed to know her reasons until they presented themselves. "You're just jealous because you wear the same thing every day."

"I..." What? Sam blinked and shook her head. "I'm not jealous." Her voice had gotten smaller, though; her response had become subdued at the spark in her best friend’s tongue, and she looked away in annoyance. Not hurt, not mad either; more like... shut down. Put in place.

Oh. That was... weird? New? Sam never backed down like that before. Maybe she was playing into what Cora had said. I had to be commanding with her. So I nodded my head, steeling myself, and pointing to the door. "Turn down my bed. I'm tired."

“Fine, okay." This was something Sam would have done anyway - it was part of her job - but the way Natalie was talking to her about it? It wasn't at all the Natalie she knew. Then again, none of this was. At the same time... there was a spark there. A spunky cockiness she used to have in middle school, maybe. "Well? We should go to your room, right?"

"I decide where we go," I said with the most commanding voice I could manage. Sam looked at me blankly, like I'd said something stupid. And actually, it was probably a little overboard. We really did have to go to my room... I bit my lip a little and crossed my arms. "Okay, now we can go to my room." I led the way, feeling a little foolish.

This was clearly Natalie trying to be more commanding, and during the walk Sam thought about how she could undermine this, how she could make Cora look bad, look wrong, get her friend back. But... at the same time... wouldn't that be selfish of her? Once, in high school, Sam had gone out of her way to make Natalie's boyfriend look awful because she didn't like him, and all that had done was hurt her best friend. So... at least for now... Sam played along.

Sam turned down my bed and cleaned up some of the clothes on my floor. I had to admit, having a personal maid was pretty great. Maybe one day I'd make enough money to hire my own maid for Sam and me. For now, I'd settle for her. I climbed under the covers and my eyes started to droop. Immediately, with the softness of the nightgown and the exhausting day behind me, I was sound asleep.