Eleanor's Visit

I always found a strange, centering peace in what I thought of as "The Protocol." Whenever my high-maintenance mother-in-law, Eleanor, announced a surprise weekend visit, I didn't simply clean up, I adopted the role she demanded, that of a maid, completely. To me, the black maid's uniform, the crisp white apron, the black nylons, the heels were not just clothes, they were the signal that I could handle Eleanor's dominating personality completely.

As usual, Eleanor gave us little notice, just a text on a late Friday morning that she was coming to visit for the weekend and expected to arrive after lunch. When she got the text, my wife, Ellie, looked up at me, sighed. "Mother just texted," she said, "she's decided to visit for the weekend."

"When?" I asked, quickly trying to think what, if anything, was on my work schedule for the day.

"She'll be here in, I don't know, about two hours."

"Two hours?" I gasped, annoyed at the lack of notice, "I...I need to get ready."

Ellie gave me a you know my mother look. "Settle down," she said, "that's plenty of time. I'll go get it while you shower."

I nodded, went to the shower, stepped in. I made it quick but complete, dried off, found Ellie waiting for me in the bedroom; the small, pink chastity cage on the bed next to her. I looked at it, looked away; Ellie read my mind.

"You know her rules," Ellie said.

"I...I know," I said, getting on my pack on the bed next to her. 

Ellie deftly slipped my flaccid penis through the ring, installed the small cage, locked it. "I see the appeal," she said, gently cupping my locked penis. "Small, safe, put away."

"Ellie..."

"She's right about one thing, you're so attentive when your caged."

"I have no choice," I said.

"I think that's the point." She stood, slipped the key into a pocket. "I'll leave you to change."

Changing was as routine as the cage at this point. The bra with breastforms, panties, a garter belt, black opaque tights, heels. The black uniform. The smart, crisp apron. Ellie comes back into the room just as I finish my apron, looks over me with a critical eye, knowing her mother will be more critical if I'm not properly dressed. 

"Well?" I asked her.

"The apron, slightly to the left."

"Yes, Ma'am," I said, easily slipping into the mindset of the role.

Ellie smiled. "Sometimes I wonder why you don't do this more."

I glared at her but inside sometimes wondered the same. Why was the servant's role only when her mother was there? I dared not say that, of course, afraid that Ellie might do it.

"Sheets, towels..."

"I know," I said.

"Check for dust, you know how she is."

"I will."

"She'll check the tops of the doorframes, so please check those."

"I know," I said.

I was arranging towels on the bed 'just so' when I heard the door, Ellie greet Eleanor. I couldn't hear their actual words, just tone, mother and daughter. I quickly went downstairs, greeted my mother-in-law. 

There were no familiar greetings, no hugs, only my stopping two paces back and giving her a curtsy. I felt her eyes on me, inspecting my uniform, the depth of my curtsy. When I stood, she handed me her coat without a word, expecting I'd take it and whisk it away to the closet immediately. 

"My bags are in the car," she said, "there are several."

"Several?" Ellie asked. "For a weekend?"

"I originally planned for the weekend, Ellie, but after the state of things in the city, I've decided on a change of pace; I'll be staying indefinitely."

My pulse spiked. Indefinitely? The word echoed in my mind. A weekend serving my wife and mother-in-law was a performance, indefinitely was a lifestyle. Knowing Eleanor, I'd be spending the afternoon unpacking silk hosiery, intimates, all manner of dresses and suits.

I saw Ellie's gaze shift to me. There . There was a flicker of something in her eyes—not just sympathy, but the realization of our earlier conversation. If Eleanor stayed, the "maid" didn't get a day off. The uniform wouldn't go back in the box on Sunday night. If anything, there would be more uniforms, courtesy of her mother. 

Then I saw Ellie's eye drift down, just for an instant, to my mid-section Not only would the maid be on duty indefinitely, I'd be caged indefinitely as Eleanor had always been firm on that rule—husbands were feminized and caged when in her presence.

"I'm going to freshen up," Eleanor announced, "I'll take tea in ten minutes."

"Yes, Ma'am," I said as she left the room.

Ellie watched her go, turned to me. "When...when was the last time you..."

"Two weeks ago," I said, knowing what she was asking. I'd been busy, we hadn't had sex in a month, I hadn't masturbated in seeks. 

"She...she'll want the key," Ellie said.

"Can I...quickly...before she..."

"No, goodness, you know better."

"But it's already been two weeks, it could be...months," I begged.

"Months until what?" Eleanor's voice cracked through the room.

I looked away, knowing better than saying anything, but Ellie wouldn't lie to her mother. "Until he's permitted to...be released," she said.

Eleanor smiled. "Ahhh, there it is," she said. "You haven't been using the cage when I'm not here."

"No," Ellie said.

"Well there's a benefit of an indefinite stay. You have the key?" Ellie took the key from her pocket, held it out to her mother. "We won't be needing this for some time," she said, "for a good, long time."