The Spa Day

Penelope was lounging in her favourite chair, relaxing, with her pets curled up against her, telling her about their day at class. Mary and Cecelia were picking up things amazingly quickly; they were especially fascinated about the works of Shakespeare.

Penelope then looked down at both of them.

“You did remember to say you were ‘off’ tomorrow, didn’t you?”, she said. Both girls nodded. It was ‘Spa Day’ tomorrow; they wouldn’t miss that for anything…

Penelope had booked a whole floor at the local gym. She took her pets safety particularly seriously. The last thing she wanted was to have someone causing problems for her pets.

Cecelia and Mary had both slid into their ‘travelling outfits’; one piece pink lycra bodysuits and sandals. Penelope only used latex outfits when the girls were on show. Penelope also dressed herself in a similar outfit, but in metallic silver.

Their collars glinted in the light as they bounded into the back of the car and snuggled up together. Penelope, smiling and whistling quietly to herself, got in, started the car and drove to the gym. She had booked the entire pool for an hour, between 2 and 3, and the first-floor exercise area before that.

This made her finding the car park quite full a bit of a surprise…

It turned out that one of the local businesses was having a ‘team building’ exercise and had booked the entire ground floor. Their people were also spread throughout the building, using bars, restrooms and changing rooms all over the place.

Penelope angrily strode up to reception. She was fuming.

“Where did this mob come from!”, she said. “I thought I had booked the place!”

“Only the first floor, Lady Stringer”, the receptionist said. “We’ve had to let the other group use all the changing areas, though, there’s so many of them.”

“So, these ruffians will be near my girls and I”, she said.

“Only in the changing rooms”, the woman said. “I’m so sorry, there’s nothing I can do.”

“Ok, don’t say I didn’t warn you”, said Penelope. “My girls are quite capable of defending themselves if needed.”

Penelope went back outside and signalled, unlocking the car remotely.

Cecelia and Mary bounded out.

“Upstairs, girls, and start your workout”, Penelope said. Both girls fled up the stairs in a blur of motion, straight into the gym area and started exercising. Penelope walked quickly up and joined them.

“I’ll never get used to how fast you two can move”, she said. The girls just giggled…

Exercises went on as usual for a while. Then Penelope noticed someone was watching them…

The young woman was sitting on one of the wooden benches by the door, enraptured. She was so caught up in the moment she jumped a foot in the air when Penelope sat down beside her.

“Beautiful, aren’t they?”, Penelope said.

“Erm… Um… Yes.”, the young woman replied.

Veronica was a junior intern at the firm. She’d only started recently and still wasn’t really sure about what she wanted to do with her life. Her mother had recently disowned her when she came out, then her girlfriend had walked away, saying that there was something missing from their relationship. Alone and confused, she was even thinking about whether she had been mistaken about being gay…

That was before she had seen Mary and Cecelia. God, they were beautiful! They were obviously in love with each other, that was clear, but there was something impossible about them. The way they moved… such grace, carefree, nothing holding them back. They were obviously out of her league; she wouldn’t want to interfere with what they had, anyway.

Then, she met Penelope, as she sat down next to her…

“Hi, I’m Veronica”, she said, holding out her hand, which Penelope took.

“Tell me about them”, she said, trying to get Penelope to open up.

“We’ve been together for a while now”, Penelope said. “The three of us. They live with me at university.”

Penelope whistled. “Girls! Come over here a minute.”

Cecelia and Mary stopped exercising and came straight over. Noticing Veronica, they started circling her, sniffing.

“What are they doing?”, asked Veronica, puzzled.

“Deciding”, said Penelope.

“What?”

“Whether you are a threat or not, and whether they like you or not.”

To Veronica’s amazement, Cecelia and Mary both then started rubbing themselves against her…

Veronica blushed bright red.

“They can tell you’re sad, for some reason”, said Penelope. “They’re trying to cheer you up…”

Veronica couldn’t help it. She started stroking them back…

At that moment, Veronica’s boss, Adam, came charging through the door.

“There you are! What the hell are you doing up here! You were told this was a private area! Get over here!”

Veronica went to get up. Penelope gently but firmly pushed her back down again.

“When you talk to her civilly”, she said, “she might. We were having a conversation.”

“What business is it of yours”, Adam said. “We were told to leave you alone. I would have booked the whole building.”

“If I’d known you were this obnoxious, so would I”, said Penelope.

“You’ve no right to talk to me like that!”, Adam said. “Do you know who I am?”

Penelope quickly looked at Veronica’s company nametag. She thought the name had sounded familiar…

“Oh, yes. Adam Stretton. Calum Stretton’s son. The bigshot building firm.”

“Stretton’s is more than that!”, Adam replied, indignantly. “We own this town.”

“Really”, said Penelope, unimpressed. “Hang on a second…”

She pulled a mobile phone out of her bag and dialled a number.

“Daddy, I’ve got Adam Stretton getting threatening. He claims his firm owns this town. Could you speak to Uncle Calum and get him to put him straight? Either that or recall his loan, I don’t care which. Last thing I can stand is a bully who abuses his staff. Also, I’ve now got a PA, like you wanted.”

“What’s your last name, love?”, Penelope asked Veronica.

“Hindley”, said Veronica, now totally confused.

“Her name is Veronica Hindley”, said Penelope, back on the phone, “and she’s starting today. Ok. Thanks Daddy.”

Penelope hung up. At the same time, Adam’s phone rang, and he answered it. He then went as white as a sheet…

“Yes dad. Yes dad. Apologise right now. Got it. Let Veronica know she can leave anytime with a severance cheque. Got it. Right. Right.”

Adam quietly hung up…

“I’m sorry! I didn’t realise…!”

“What? That you were being a bully as well as abusive towards women? Next time, pick on someone your own size. Get out. I’m way too big to bother with gnats like you…”

Penelope then turned her back on Adam and just clicked her fingers once.

Cecelia and Mary, who had been standing there, patiently, then advanced on Adam.

Adam took one look in their eyes and bolted. Cecelia and Mary had gone from sweetness and light to the devil incarnate in a second…

Veronica came back with the three in their car, happy about her new job (the pay was three times what she had been earning before) and her new friends. Unable to stop herself, she kissed Penelope.

“About time…”, said Penelope, kissing her back…