Serving Lola

“Oh my God! Are you serious?” exclaimed Marienna, her friend of over a decade. “As serious as a heart attack.” A moment of silence went by, and then Pearl said, “You still there?” “Yeah, I’m here. I just don’t know what to say. Are you sure you want to do this?” “Well, I don’t know. I mean, it all happened so suddenly, just out of the blue. I don’t know what to think. She’s a real hottie, but it’s definitely not what one expects from their probation officer, know what I mean?” “For sure I do, and that’s what worries me. This isn’t right. No matter how hot she is, no matter how lonely or horny you are, she totally broke the code of ethics, Pearl. This was not professional of her at all. It was a totally corrupt move, and I worry she’s about to abuse her power even more as an authority figure.” “I know what you’re saying,Marienna, but I wouldn’t worry about it. What’s to abuse? If all she wants is to play every now and then, I don’t mind.” “But you do mind getting your heart broken. Come on, what if you fall for her? Right now, it’s just lust, but what if you come to develop feelings for her? Real, genuine feelings?” Pearl sighed. “Then I just do.” “But what if it’s not mutual?” “Then it isn’t mutual. I mean, I totally get your concern for me, but life is about taking chances, right?” “Yeah, I guess,” Marienna said hesitantly. “Well, I’m kinda curious to see where this leads. At least I think I am. I don’t know—I guess you could say I was just caught off guard. Totally blindsided. So I don’t know what to think of the situation just yet.” “Just be careful, Pearl. Be really careful.” Pearl continued to do everything that was expected of her on probation. She paid the monthly processing fee, as they called it. She volunteered at the local library and even enjoyed reading stories to children there, as well as doing the more mundane tasks that were involved. She never failed to report to Lola and even looked forward to it. But Lola always remained very business-like during their meetings. One would never guess they were intimate with each other every time Lola made a house call, and that had been a total of three times so far. It wasn’t until Lola got rough with her that things changed. “You into whips and chains?” Lola asked during her fourth house visit. “The idea never appealed to me, to be honest.” “One should try things at least once, so what do you say, Pearly Pearl? Give it a try?” “Uh, sure,” Pearl said hesitantly. “As long as you don’t hurt me.” “Aw, I wouldn’t do that,” Lola said, quickly snatching a long black leather whip from her messenger bag and slashing Pearl’s thighs with it before she had a chance to react. Pearl yelled out in pain. “Oh, my God, that hurt! Take it easy, will you?” “The point of whips isn’t exactly to take it easy,” Lola said with a smile that bordered on sadistic. “But that really hurt, Lola.” “Aw, you not tough enough to handle it?” Pearl eyed her probation officer with both shock and confusion. “Actually, I’m human. Humans feel pain, you know? So please stop. I don’t want to do this unless it’s the way we usually do it.” “I think,” said Lola in a slow, drawn-out way that was both menacing and seductive, “that you’re in no position to tell me how you want to do things.” Pearl glared at Lola in silence, unsure of what to say. She needed to tread lightly but firmly. She didn’t want to piss the PO off into harming her more, but she also knew she needed to stand her ground and let her know she wasn’t about to be abused either. “Look. I appreciate your taste for whips and chains and all that. I don’t judge—really, I don’t. It’s just that we’re not on the same wavelength where that’s concerned, OK? I don’t like pain.” “Pain makes us stronger.” “I’d rather gain my strength by knowledge and experience. Besides, I don’t think your job as my PO is to make me stronger.” “Don’t you tell me what my job is!” Lola hissed, whip snaking out to slap and ensnare her arms and chest at the same time. Pearl screamed as Lola roughly yanked the whip toward her, tugging painfully on Pearl’s tender skin. “Why are you doing this?” “Keep it down! You may not have anyone above you, but you’ve got neighbors next to you and below you.” “Well, then, you'd better stop. Screaming when I’m suddenly scared, or hurt, is a reflex with most humans.” “An expert on humans now, huh?” “It doesn’t take a genius to figure that one out. Why are you doing this anyway? What happened to our fun, gentle, and painless meetings?” Lola snorted and smirked. “Is that what you thought this was?” “Well, just what is it, Lola? What was it and what is it now?” “It’s whatever I say it is,” Lola said, lashing her on the hip. Pearl screamed out at the intense stinging sensation that followed. “Stop! Just stop it now and get out!” Lola stopped, and her eyes bored into hers like evil drills from hell. Pearl couldn’t believe this was actually happening, and where she’d gone from surprised to nervous, now she was going from nervous to frightened. “I could leave,” Lola said, “but I can guarantee you that saying no to me isn’t exactly a wise idea, Pearl.” “Meaning?” “Meaning just what I said.” Lola eyed the beautiful woman incredulously. “Why is this so important to you? I mean, look at you.” “Yeah, so?” the PO answered, apparently missing Pearl’s point. “You’re beautiful. Just gorgeous. You could get so many intimate partners—partners that are into this sort of thing.” “Yes, I could.” “So then why me?” “Think about it, Pearl,” Lola said as she placed the whip back into her bag and headed toward the door. “You’re smart, remember? You’ll figure it out.” “Rather than make assumptions, I was hoping you could just tell me.” Lola placed a well-manicured hand on the knob of the apartment door and said, “Ah, but sometimes our hopes are dashed by reality, aren’t they?” Pearl said nothing. With the sly, seductive smile she usually carried outside of work, Lola pulled the door open. “Don’t forget to come see me the day after tomorrow.” “Is everything OK in here?” they suddenly heard a voice ask. It was Mrs. Falconi from next door. She was a widow in her 70s who lived with her cat and a bunch of old memories from her so-called good old days. “Oh, yes,” Lola assured the woman with a phony smile that the old lady in curlers and a quilted housedress no doubt fell for. “Miss Avondale here has decided to join the theater with me, and we were just practicing. So sorry if we disturbed you.” “Oh, it’s OK,” Mrs. Falconi said with a relieved laugh, heading back to her apartment. “Didn’t know you had a taste for theatrics, Pearl.” Pearl was at a loss for words, and so she simply smiled. What could she say anyway? It wasn’t like she could blurt out, But I don’t! I just have a crazy sexual sadist for a PO that thinks she owns me!