Aunt Alice pt 1
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Do you ever meet someone who makes such an enormous impact on your life that, years later, you look back fondly and realise you can't imagine your life turning out the way it did without them?
And then, in the very same breath, you think:
Why the hell did they have to make that impact in quite such a way?
For me, that person was my Aunt Alice.
Now, before anyone gets the wrong idea, she wasn't my biological aunt. It was simply a term of endearment that stuck.
And as grateful as I am to Alice for everything she did for me, everything she taught me and everything she ultimately instilled in me, I still sit here today and think:
That bitch needed to be fucking hospitalised.
Aunt Alice was quirky, to say the least.
I met her through my pen pal, Lauren.
Lauren was beautiful.
Gorgeous, actually.
That was probably the main reason I'd continued writing to her for as long as I had.
Pen-palling was one thing, but our emails and messages had gradually become flirtatious. We teased each other. We exchanged the occasional picture.
You know how these things go.
Then summer break was approaching, and Lauren managed to convince her aunt to let me stay with them as part of an exchange programme.
It helped with the flights and other expenses, meaning my family only had to cover half the cost.
I was ecstatic.
I'd spent years corresponding with Lauren, and now I was finally going to spend real time with her.
I had absolutely no idea what I was getting myself into.
When I landed in France, a chauffeur was waiting to collect me.
Unfortunately, Lauren wasn't.
I knew Lauren lived somewhere in southern France, on a huge family estate owned by her formidable great-aunt, Alice.
Lauren had always described Alice with a strange mixture of affection and fear.
"She is very strict. Critique everything. Even spanks the staff. It will nice to have an ally."
Whenever Lauren sent messages like that, I'd assumed she was simply using the wrong English vernacular.
Something I intended to help her with.
Amongst other things.
The estate was called Château Beaumont.
It wasn't technically a château in the fairytale sense.
It was worse.
It was real.
A sprawling eighteenth-century manor surrounded by immaculate gardens, stone terraces, fountains, orchards and acres of woodland.
The sort of place that looked as though it had been built by someone who considered ordinary houses an insult.
Lauren was waiting when I arrived.
"Wow."
She smiled.
"You like it?"
"It's incredible."
"I told you."
"You did."
She slipped her arm through mine.
"Next, I will introduce you to my aunt. Just remember one thing."
"What?"
"Alice expects manners."
I laughed.
"I have manners."
Lauren looked at me.
"You have American manners."
I frowned.
"What does that mean?"
"You'll find out."
She smiled.
"If you're not careful."
Alice was waiting in the entrance hall.
My first impression was that she looked like someone who had been born knowing exactly what she wanted.
She was tall, elegant and severe.
Her dark hair was pulled back neatly. She wore a perfectly tailored black leather jacket over a simple blouse and trousers, with polished boots.
There was nothing casual about her.
Nothing uncertain.
Nothing inviting.
Her gaze travelled over me.
Not rudely.
Clinically.
"So."
Her English was fluent, though unmistakably French.
"You are Taylor."
"Yes, ma'am."
One eyebrow rose.
"Ma'am?"
Lauren winced.
I immediately realised I'd made a mistake.
Alice turned towards Lauren.
"Your room is ready?"
"Yes, Aunt Alice."
"Good."
Then she looked back at me.
"Come."
My first day was extraordinary.
Alice gave me a tour of the estate, and despite myself, I was fascinated.
There were rooms filled with antique furniture, a library containing thousands of books, a conservatory, a formal dining room, a music room, a wine cellar and a greenhouse.
The gardens seemed to continue forever.
I'd never seen anything like it.
Yet something about Alice was beginning to bother me.
She evaluated.
Corrected.
Instructed.
"Do not touch that."
"Stand there."
"Close the door."
"Walk on the stone path."
"Do not step across the flowerbed."
I tried to be respectful.
But by dinner, my patience was beginning to wear thin.
Dinner began at seven.
Alice explained the household rules with the sort of calm authority that suggested she had never once considered that anyone might argue with her.
Breakfast was at eight.
No phones during meals.
No shouting.
No arguments.
No food wasted.
No entering private rooms.
No wandering beyond the marked estate boundaries.
I listened.
Mostly.
Then Alice mentioned that guests were expected to contribute to the running of the household.
I laughed.
Alice looked at me.
"What?"
"I thought this was an exchange programme."
"It is."
"Not a work programme."
Lauren immediately lowered her eyes.
Alice's expression hardened.
"Do you consider work beneath you?"
I regretted the question as soon as it left my mouth.
"No."
"You laughed."
"I just didn't expect it."
"Perhaps expectations are your problem."
I was tired. Jet-lagged. Overwhelmed.
And still trying to process the fact that I'd travelled thousands of miles only to be lectured over dinner.
Then I made the mistake of saying exactly what I was thinking.
"This isn't what I signed up for."
The room went silent.
Alice placed her fork down.
"No?"
I realised I'd gone too far.
"I didn't mean..."
"I think you did."
"I just meant..."
"Then perhaps you should return home."
Lauren looked horrified.
"Aunt Alice..."
"No."
Alice stood.
"The exchange programme exists because both families agreed that Taylor would experience French life and culture."
She looked directly at me.
"If he believes the experience is beneath him, there is no reason for him to remain."
My stomach dropped.
"No."
Alice said nothing.
"Please."
Still nothing.
I looked at Lauren.
Her expression was miserable.
"My parents paid for this."
"I am aware."
"They'll be so disappointed."
"I imagine so."
"And this whole thing would be a waste."
Alice regarded me calmly.
"Then perhaps you should have considered that before insulting your host."
I swallowed my pride.
"I'm sorry."
"I know."
"I really am."
"I believe you."
"Then please don't cancel it."
Alice walked towards the door.
"I will consider it."
I followed her.
"Please."
She stopped.
"You want to stay?"
"Yes."
"Then you have something to learn."
"Anything. What is it?"
"Training."
"What training?"
"You will discover tomorrow."
The next morning, I discovered exactly what Alice meant.
I was standing in one of the guest bedrooms when Alice entered carrying a garment bag.
She placed it on the bed.
"Your first lesson."
I opened it. My face fell.
Inside was a complete French housekeeper's uniform. Black dress. White collar. Apron. Stockings. Shoes.
I stared at it in disbelief.
Alice watched me.
"Oh."
She reached into the garment bag and produced another item.
She placed it beside the uniform. A small metal chastity cage.
I stared at it. Then at her.
"No."
Alice folded her arms.
"You wanted to remain."
"I didn't agree to this."
"You agreed to follow the rules of the estate."
"This wasn't mentioned."
"Neither was every individual chore."
I looked back at the cage.
"This is humiliating."
Alice's voice remained perfectly calm.
"Only if you decide that it is."
She placed another sheet of paper beside the uniform.
"Your grooming requirements."
I picked it up.
Facial hair removed daily.
Legs shaved daily.
Armpits shaved daily.
Arms shaved daily.
Hair neatly maintained.
No excessive styling.
Clean nails.
Polished shoes.
Uniform pressed.
I looked up.
"Every day?"
"Every working day."
"You've got to be kidding."
Alice didn't even blink.
"This is insane."
Her expression softened by approximately one percent.
"Perhaps."
She turned towards the door.
"Then go home."
I looked at the uniform.
Then at the cage.
Then at the door.
I thought about my parents.
The money they'd spent.
The opportunity.
The years of letters with Lauren.
I closed my eyes and sighed.
"Where's the bathroom?"