Carl held the credit card up and stared at it. He looked to his right and saw all the bags of items he’d bought with it in the passenger’s seat of his car. Video games, books, comics, clothes, various other things. The results of a full-on shopping spree. An honest to goodness shopping spree.

And it was all thanks to the sleek black credit card in his hands.

You’re not going to hit its limit any time soon, so use it for whatever you want, Veronica told him. Go nuts. Have fun. And when he asked why, she just laughed and said I told you, didn’t I? I take good care of my boys. You’ll see.

She’d been true to her word so far. Carl hadn’t had to worry about any expenses for two months. Rent, utilities, food, gas, insurance. Veronica paid for it everything. But he had resisted the urge to buy things he didn’t need. But now, after two months of fighting it, Carl had given in and gone nuts. Now he was waiting for the other shoe to drop.

As if on cue, his phone (that Veronica bought and was paying for) started vibrating.

Carl picked it up and stared at the ID for a few seconds. Sure enough, it was his patron (or should that be matron?) calling. Only it didn’t say ‘Veronica.’  

He answered.

“Hello?”

“It looks like someone’s been having fun today,” came her voice on the other end. Of course she already knew, she monitored the credit card. She sounded pleased, like a plump, purring cat. Carl thought that made sense, since he was talking to a cougar.

“Uh, yeah,” Carl said. He felt heat in his cheeks and saw them turn red in the rearview mirror. “I guess I just figured, what the hell? Why not?” he gave out a nervous little chuckle, and Veronica matched it with a throaty laugh.

“Well I’m glad I could help,” she replied. “I was starting to feel a little bad, you know. I thought maybe I scared you away from having fun. And trust me baby, the very last thing I want to do is keep you from having fun.”

Unsure of what exactly to say to that, tried to speak a couple of times. The words kept dying in his throat before he gave up and simply said “thank you.”

“I’m sorry, honey. What was that?”

Carl looked down, his blush deepening. He knew what she wanted him to say. But he still had to make an effort to actually say it.

“Thank you, Momma,” he said. Because that’s what she told him to call her when she gave him that credit card and started paying all his bills. That’s what she was listed as in the contact list of the phone she had given him. Veronica Benson was Carl’s sugar momma, he was her sugar baby, and she didn’t want him to forget it.

He could practically hear her smile grow on the other end of the call. “You’re welcome, honey,” she said.

Carl felt himself stiffen in his pants. He could imagine her sitting at her desk in her nice clothes. Her legs were crossed, he knew it, and an indulgent smile was gracing her face.

“Now, I think this calls for a little bit of a celebration,” Veronica continued. “You and I are going to have dinner together at one of my properties. Just the two of us, okay baby? Cancel any plans you might have made and be there at seven o’clock sharp.”

Carl took a quick breath. He did have plans. But he also knew she wasn’t making a suggestion. “Seven tonight, got it. Which… which property should I be going to?” Benson was a big name in this town, even if not many people were aware of it. She owned a lot of different places. Restaurants, stores, a couple of hotels…

“I haven’t decided yet,” she answered. Then she made a thoughtful noise. “On second thought, you need to be ready at six-thirty. I’ll send a driver to pick you up. He’ll get you where you need to be on time, but I do not want to hear that you kept him waiting, understand?”

“Yes, Momma,” Carl replied immediately.

“Good. I’ve also had an outfit for tonight laid out for you. It’s waiting for you at home.”

“Wha— uh, okay.” He couldn’t say that was something he expected to hear.

“Is something wrong, baby?” She sounded concerned, but there was a slight edge to her voice that left Carl worried.

“No! Of course not! I was just… a little surprised that you already have something for me to wear, that’s all. Nothing’s wrong, I’m just surprised.”

“Is that the only thing you’re surprised about?”  

Carl hesitated for a couple of seconds. “I guess I’m also a little surprised that you had someone bring it to the apartment too,” he admitted, knowing it was a little foolish to say. His sugar momma had made it clear from the start that the price of her ‘gifts’ was her complete, 24/7 access to him.

Sure enough, Veronica laughed. “Well, it is my apartment. Isn’t it baby?”

“Yes, Momma.”

“That’s right. Now head back over there and have some fun before you start getting dressed. When you’re ready, be waiting in the lobby for my driver to pick you up at six-thirty. And then when he gets you we’ll have a nice, quiet evening together. I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait.”

Despite himself, Carl smiled. “Me neither.”

“I’m happy to hear that.” Carl could see her smile in front of him, clear as day. She was always wearing when she looked at him. It was as joyous as it was hungry. And as possessive.  

“Now I need to get back to work,” she declared. “I have a lot I need to get done. And you know I need to keep that money coming in for you to keep having all the fun you can handle.”

Carl’s glanced down at the pile of bags sitting next to him. He wasn’t even sure how much he had spent.

“Thank you, Momma,” he said out loud.

“You’re welcome, honey. I’ll see you tonight.”

She hung up without another word. Carl found himself sitting there for a few minutes.
“Alright,” he said to himself as he started the old beater car he drove. It was one of the only things he owned himself. “I guess I know what I’m doing tonight.”

And if the solid rock in his pants was any indication, he was going to enjoy it.