Natural Submission: Book 1 of the Submission Series (25 page)

Karl
looked up at him and chuckled as Francine looked up at him.
Wow! A name for this face. Who knew? Not Kent after all!
“Please...” Continued Karl standing with one hand reaching for his cane, leaning on it to take his weight and grabbing for her for balance. “You think the Augustus’ would want anyone looking like this?”

Francine went to reach for his duffel, but Ralph was quicker, “I've got it Francine.” Together they walked Karl into the house. “Which room Francine?” Ralph asked?
Which room indeed?

Francine looked to the floor, then back at him as she said. “The blue room please Ralph.” And then, “Unless, Karl, should we take you to a doctor first?”

“Just came from the doctor Francine. I'd just like to lie down for a while if it's OK with you.” They looked at each other for a long moment. The question in his eyes, the final
decision
in hers. Francine let out one more sigh. “Of course.”

“Will your ankle heal OK?” Francine said glancing down at Karl's wrapped foot, the other in it’s familiar heavy boot.

“yeah, it will. I just need to rest a couple days, I have pain medication.” They made it to the stairs together and started awkwardly, slowly up. “Ralph could you get us some water?” She yelled.

“Do you wanna tell me how this happened?” she asked.

“Later Angel,” he said softly. “I know you deserve answers and I'll give you some, but it was a hard ride here. I'd really like to lie down for a while, on something that
won't
jostle or poke me back.” he said thinking about the wicker sofa outside.

Francine’s house was beautiful, and invaded by plants. Even the room she led him too had a few pretty, green, potted specimens. Downstairs by the door in the foyer an indoor tree grew strong and tall.

“How’d you get here?” she asked.

“Took a taxi.” he looked down, “Just glad to see you.” He gave her one of her mischievous smiles. Leaving the hall they entered his room on the left where Ralph had left Karl’s duffel by the bed. The plants were cradled in a room decorated in cool blue ocean colors with splashes of green for accent. From here he could see out at the front of the house over the porch they had just left. The day was still hot outside but the central air was doing it’s job beautifully in concert with a wide wooden fan spinning lazily above them.

Francine left Karl on his feet letting him lean on the cane as she pulled the covers back before letting him lay down so that he could rest. Karl’s gaze was fixated on her like he was trying to memorize every detail of her face. She tried to ignore it and reached for his shirt. He got lost inside it mumbling through the material. “They look so pretty on you.”
What was he saying now?

“What?” She asked.

“The diamonds.” He said looking at her. “I'm so glad you're wearing them.” She balled his shirt up against her, one hand went to her ear without thinking, before she could respond Ralph had returned with the glass of water. He waited until Francine had Karl settled into bed with his pain pills before speaking with her in the kitchen.

“Francine, what kind of friend is this?”

Francine bustled around the kitchen, not ready to meet his searching gaze, getting herself a cool drink from the fridge. “What do you mean?” She asked twisting the cap from her bottled water with a
snick
before taking a swig. “He's just a guy I knew a long time ago.”

“Well, you're all flushed Francine, and unsettled. I've never seen you like this, restless. Like you just don't know what to do with yourself. You haven't stopped moving since he got here.”

She stopped, the guilty pose of an accused woman. “Well if you must know it's just that I'm surprised to see Kade,”
Shit! “
I mean Karl –
K
.” Now Ralph's antenna were
really
up.

Frustrated with herself Francine put the water bottle down and tried to get a grip on herself. “The last time I saw- K, it was under very different circumstances.” Francine tried to speak
very
carefully now. She wasn't sure what was going on with
whoever
that was upstairs, but she was sure he was not here to get a lot of unwanted attention and raising Ralph's red flags would not help his cause for remaining unnoticed. She put her hand on one hip and tried to appear nonchalant.

“Well is this man stable? Are you going to be safe around him Francine?” Ralph had approached her now and placed his hand on her arm. He was so warm and solid, warmth rose from him, it would be so easy to go and find comfort in his ready arms. But now, especially now that was impossible, with Karl upstairs.

No matter what happened this was her chance to tie up all the loose ends with their relationship and she would. She would do what was fair to everyone involved. “Yes Ralph, I am very safe with Karl and always have been.” When she said it the words they settled around her like a warm blanket. “He'd never to hurt me or anything. She looked down at the floor thoughtfully. “If he's here it's like he said, it's because he'd like to see me and maybe needs a friend.” Francine looked up at him and made a significant step back. “And I'm going to be here for him. Now if you don't mind - all this excitement. I think we’ll just unload the truck tomorrow and take it easy for the rest of the day. I'd like to get some sleep myself, maybe take a nap. Better yet, I think it better if I just see you on Monday.” She turned away from him, unable to say anything more.

Irritated, but accepting of her decision Ralph turned and left through the kitchen door. Francine finished the water and hung her head. What a shitty situation. He really was a good man she thought as she watched his long legs stride across the yard and round the house in search of his T100. None of this was fair, but it's not like she had really been sure she wanted to be with Ralph anyway.

Upstairs a lively little tune played and then went silent. Was that her phone? Where was her phone anyway?
Wait,
there it was again! That wasn't her ring tone. Tossing her empty water bottle in the trash Francine crossed her kitchen and sprinted up her glossy wooden stairs back to the second floor where the jaunty little tune echoed across the empty halls,
there it was again!
Coming from,
Karl's room?

Padding across the hall she slipped through the door and quietly pulled it open. He was still curled up on his side, the persistent cell singing and dancing, delighting in it's own little world. Whoever it was was simply
not
going to be ignored.

Maybe she was not the only one who had missed this man after all this time. Impulsively before she could she change her mind she picked it up and slid the animated bar over to answer it. “Hello.”

“Hello?” A mature female voice answered. Oh no, not a wife? Again, more urgently now, “Hello! Is my son there?!”

Chapter 27

“My name is Margaret Augustus and I'm very worried about my son, can you please help me?”

“Yes, yes, of course!” Answered Francine. By this time Karl was starting to become agitated so Francine took the phone from the room into the hallway. “Ma'am my name is Francine Anderson and your son is with me. I'm an... old friend.”

She could practically see the sigh through the phone. “May I speak with him please Francine?”

“Well Ms. Margaret, he's really - ill right now and he's taken some medicine.”

“Ill? Been in another one if his fights?
Fuck!
I’m getting too old for this
shit.”
Then it’s like she seemed to collect herself.
“I’m sorry dear.” Hearing profanity come from that very cultured voice had Francine’s cheeks burning.

She just continued. “Anyway, That's why he didn't wake when the phone rang, but I will tell him to call you as soon as he wakes up.”

“How bad is it Francine? Will he be OK?” There was a pause.

“How about I take a picture and send it to you?” She said.

“You'd do that?” His mother responded.

“Of course!” Francine laughed, trying to keep it down. “Hold on, we have to be quiet.”

Francine snuck back in and crept around to get a shot of Karl's sleeping face, he really did look a mess.
Oh well.
Once back outside she sent the picture. “Oh -my!” Francine could tell she was trying to edit herself. “It looks like he took on a semi this time!”

Francine laughed, “Yes ma'am” taking the phone down the hall to her master suite and out to her deck to sit and talk to Ms. Margaret while she looked over her property full of it's fragrant flowers. “Oh, please call me Margaret dear.”

“OK, Margaret.”

“Francine, I've been so worried about Karl, do you mind if I ask where you are?”

“I own a flower nursery in Kendalwood, VA.”

“Oh, that's wonderful! I live in Riverland County, Maryland! I know it's presumptuous, but I haven't seen Karl in over two years and I've been so worried. Might I come down tomorrow and see him? I promise not to stay long and it would mean the world to me.”

Oh god what to do...
Of course we know what curiosity did to the cat. “Of course Margaret! I'd love to meet you.“ He had called her after all, otherwise, how would Margret have had this number?

“Great! Text me your address! I'll be down tomorrow!”

* * *

And that's how Karl woke to the sound of not one, but two female voices from his past at the kitchen table talking and laughing and enjoying coffee and fruit at Francine's kitchen island the next morning when he hobbled downstairs to get breakfast. Here too there are plants, a healthy spider growing over the sink in front of the window, it’s babies springing from its round belly. Beneath it on a little ledge are various mini cacti, a few of them colored. He’d never seen any colored ones outside of a book. Off the kitchen there was another room with some azalea plants so healthy and strong she had strung them up into the wooden rafters above. Was that a potted pine down there by the fireplace?
Good Lord.

“Oh there's my baby!” Karl's mother moved forward and took him in a gentle but firm hug. Slender as a reed in her Cesar shoes with her pedicured mauve toes and long summer dress she smelled faintly of #19 perfume and acted like she might break down at any moment now that her “baby” was back in her arms.

“Oh Mom,” murmured Karl. He glanced up at Francine who placed her cup up to her lips to hide her smile enjoying the whole scene. This just got better and better.

“Oh my God, but you look just awful!” She pulled back and gave him a once over. “Karlton Samuel Augustus, this really must stop!”
Samuel?! My, oh my.
“ I mean I was just telling Francine here about all of your accomplishments, your an Olympic champion, you have an MBA from
Yale
, for God's sake! You simply cannot continue to get beat up like this, at your age
really!
I mean, well,
it simply
will not do!
I mean what would your
grandfather
say?”

Francine had to smother another laugh tucking an errant blond hair behind her ear as Margaret led her “baby” to a chair next to the island and Francine poured him a cup of coffee. Francine studied the two of them sitting together both with their glossy hair so dark it looked almost black and matching dark eyes. They all sat around together for moment in silence sipping dark rich coffee as Karl shot one more set of daggers at Francine.

It was her house dammit, let him stew. Besides it was all worth it – Mrs. Margaret was something else!! She looked at her in her beautiful white dress with it's soft painted summer flowers. Her face was smooth except for when she smiled showing the gentle creases of a woman who liked to laugh and laughed often.

“Well you know your father wanted to come down as well, but I didn't want to wait for him to get home. The way you
stick and move
I was afraid I'd miss you again if I didn't take action right away. You know you're my favourite son.”

“Oh Mom-” he took her hand.

“Well your brothers Keith and Kent are fine,” again Francine had to suppress a laugh knowing those had made her guessing list, “but you're the one who's going to make my heart stop one day. The whole family knew what was going on with that slave ring.

Everyone else was willing to let the authorities handle it, but not you, you had to get involved didn't you and now look at you,” She pushed his hair back gently from one of his cuts with her slender tapered fingers. The tips were done in a pretty mauve with that new gel paint Francine tried and quickly gave up on, “You could have been killed.”

Francine froze, so
that’s
what he’d been doing, all that time,
working undercover.
“All that nasty business, and in more than one of our properties no less! But Francine, it's never been like my Karl to see an injustice, especially against a woman and let it slide,
oh no
he has to just jump right in there don't you?”