I, Candi Ch. 15: Hush Up

"Go eat!"

Hush claims her plate and before leaving sneaks a pecked kiss to Candi's right cheek. Candi in turn holds her cheek giggling as she watches Hush leave the room and race up the staircase. "Wow!"

Gunner nods, "She's a loving kid."

Candi frowns for a moment, "Okay? Is Hush your daughter? Girlfriend? Niece?"

Gunner takes a bite from a slice and mulls it over before answering mid swallow, "Pet!"

Candi lowers her voice and her profile, "Pardon?"

He finishes his chewing then grunts, "You heard right. I said Pet."

"As in household pet? Crazy."

Gunner grunts tossing his pizza crust back on to the remaining pie, "Like I said we all have our own lifestyles."

Candi ponders this with her fingers over her lips, "I'm going for broke here and prying. I know I said I wasn't here for that. And, I wasn't. Until now that is." She inhales deeply then exhales, "Are you her Master?"

He merely stares at her until she shivers in his gaze. Candi then lowers her own eyes to whisper, "My husband is my Master. I can relate."

Gunner chuckles, "Master? I see no collar. No ring."

"Damian, my Master, told me to remove the wedding ring. Until he returns home I wear his oath around my neck. He's in Iraq."

Gunner's eyebrow raises, "Iraq? I spent six years there. Two in Afghanistan. Those places can change a man."

"I can see that. Damian was what I define as normal before getting deployed. Why does Iraq change a man?"

Gunner rubs his chin, "Men over there own their families. Wives are covered head to toe, faces and bodies are rarely seen. Same for daughter's. They obey anything and everything. In their cases depending on religious values they keep their wives sacred to themselves. Somehow, I don't think your husband follows those values."

Candi chuckles, "Yeah, as you can tell Damian is the opposite. I'm not allowed to wear much. The clothes I'm wearing now is as much as I've worn in three weeks. The next time you see me I might be in a G-string bikini or less. I just felt that it would be more appropriate greeting you guys in person wearing clothing."

Gunner smirks, "Your Master, his decisions."

Candi offers a faint smile, "I'm still learning. It's been difficult without Damian here to officially teach me. I can only learn through e-mails or phone calls. I love my husband very much. I take pride in what makes him happy."

"As it should be. Experience is a necessary beast." He concurs.

Candi fidgets in a moment of silence, "Would it be out of line if I asked you for advice? Lessons on how to be a slave?"

Gunner closes his eyes and steps back to the door, opening it, "Your first lesson is simple. OBEY YOUR OWN MASTER! Not another. Until we meet again."

Candi drops her jaw and feels lousy all of a sudden. She starts to apologize then senses that he didn't want her to. Instead she whispers, "Tell Hush I said goodnight. Again, welcome Neighbor!"

He ushers her out with his closing of the door leaving her saddened by her own selfish desires to learn. Walking home she cuts through her backyard and peers up at the balcony of Gunner's home. Out on the balcony stood Hush with a tear streaking down her cheek. Candi began to shed a tear of her own. She had hoped to make a friend. Now it might never be possible.

In a swift reply Candi blew Hush a kiss then waved goodbye before stepping to her French doors. One final look back she saw Hush with Gunner standing beside her with his hand clutching her throat from behind. Hush could only smile back faintly. Gunner stared Candi down and then turned both He and Hush to step inside.

Candi rolled her eyes at herself, "Next time just Hush up, Palmer."