The Sisterhood

Chapter II (Edna)

Martha, I’m Edna Witherspoon, I started with Greenwood & Associates a year after John Greenwood founded the firm. Now there was a driven man with huge appetites, whether it was business, sporting events, drinking or women he had an all encompassing hunger; he’d wager on anything, he was a real risk taker and a man’s man. Truly, I loved him. I was thirty-two when I started with the firm and he took me within the first week. For thirty years John was my lover. John was a lover, he knew how to treat a lady, oh he had lots of women over the years but he always had time and affection for me. When he retired I was sixty-two, and God how I wished he’d stayed. He didn’t, of course, he kept his home here but he spent most of his time in the islands and his son Roger took over.

Roger was a crude, rough man; he had none of John’s good points and all of his faults. Edith and Magda raised their glasses to that comment; they’d both dealt with him. Edna continued, Roger came to me in the first week that he headed the company and he was blunt, He’d get what he wanted or I was out the door. He didn’t romance me or even coerce me, it was we fuck or you’re history. We fucked but I got out as soon as I could, three years, he had me for three years. I only got Social Security, no pension but I escaped. I was sixty-five, living on the few dollars that the government in their largess is so kind as to provide but at least I was shed of Roger, I absolutely abhorred that monster. Again, Edith and Magda clinked glasses, Edith joined them. Then she continued her story. After Roger passed away and his young son Lawrence had ascended to the Chairmanship she’d received a call. Lawrence, the current Mr. Greenwood wondered if she’d be so good as to let him visit with her, he mentioned that they were beginning a new pension program and even retired employees could participate. Of course I wanted to hear. I was impoverished, anything that could provide a benefit I wanted to learn about. He asked if it would be convenient for him to visit on the following Monday, I said, yes, that would be most convenient, he suggested six, I said yes.

Martha, that was three years ago, I’m seventy-eight years old, I was seventy-five then and I’d been gone from the company for ten years, I wondered why he’d want to help me, why the company would offer me anything but I certainly was willing to listen.

Promptly at six on Monday evening my doorbell rang, I answered and it nearly took my breath away, Lawrence looked so much like his grandfather, slim and handsome. His father, Roger was heavy featured and sullen, not Lawrence, he handed me a small package, it was wrapped in gold foil, it was a pound of Lindt Swiss chocolate truffles, my absolute favorites, John used to give them to me. I hadn’t had any in years; Social Security doesn’t accommodate the little luxuries. He does know how to charm.

Oh yes, he can be a charmer, he’d even brought a bottle of wine, a nice red as I remember, he asked if I had glasses, he’d even brought his own corkscrew, while he uncorked the bottle I got two pieces of stemware. I hadn’t had occasion to break them out in over ten years.

Edna, I wanted to discuss what I have in mind, it won’t affect all of our former employees, only those with thirty or more years service, but if an individual has given that much to our firm I think they should be rewarded, you’re one of our retirees that would qualify, I wanted your opinion; he refilled my wine glass.

I thought, I couldn’t remember anyone who’d been with the company for thirty years or more and retired but myself; I asked, who else can take advantage of this?

Lawrence asked, “Does it really matter, I wanted to get your opinion, yours are the only thoughts that really matter to me, I know how important you were to my grandfather and later to my father, do you think perhaps you’d like to talk to me?”

He was making me a little nervous, the conversation was a little to intimate, mentioning his grandfather and then his father, but he seemed so calm, so at ease talking to me.

I answered, “I guess it really doesn’t matter, tell me what it is that you want to say.”

He refilled my glass; I hadn’t even realized that I’d drained it I was so nervous, he said,

“Edna, I know you gave years of loyal and proficient service to the firm, we’d never gotten to where we are without your help, I want to reward you for your years of service both to my father and, even more so to my grandfather, I’d like you to perform the same type services for me; if you’re willing to do so, the firm is prepared to take care of all your medical expenses and award you a pension of $6500.00 monthly. Would you consider my offer?”

Oh, I certainly remembered the services I’d performed for his forbearers but I was seventy-five years old, I knew he couldn’t expect anything like that and the money, my God the money, my Social Security was $1101 monthly, the State had granted me food stamps of ninety dollars a month. Now he was offering to raise my income by $6500 monthly and give me some benefits; I thought the man was a Prince, of course I wanted to here more.

I had to ask, why me, why would he want to bestow this on me, I’d been gone from the company for ten years.

When I asked he stood and walked to me, he stepped behind me and massaged my shoulders as he said, “Edith, you provided valuable services to my father and particularly to my grandfather, I’d like you to resume, give the same service to a third generation if you will.”

I was a little confused, I thought I knew what he was asking for but, Christ, I was seventy-five, I had to be wrong. I just looked at him.

He handed me an envelope and said, Edna, please look in there, it’s yours whether you choose to take advantage of our new retirement program or not, it’s yours

I opened the envelope, it was fat and the contents spilled out over my lap. It was hundred dollar bills, lots of hundred dollar bills, he said, Edna, you can gather them up later, they’re yours, there is five thousand there for you. It’s yours with no strings attached, what I really want to know is if you want to join in our retirement program

I was stunned; he’d just dumped five thousand dollars in my lap and was asking if I’d like another sixty-five hundred each month. Like I said, I was getting $1101 a month and things were pretty desperate in my one person household

I finally said, “Yes, Lawrence, I’m interested.” By the way, I’ve always called him Lawrence; I’ve known his since he was born.

I was sitting, he took my hand and lifted me to my feet saying, “Edna, I’d like to have a very private conversation with you, please lead the way.”

I thought to myself, my God, he wants to take me to bed, there was no one else in the house, no one else to keep our conversation from but none the less, I led him to my bedroom.

He had a little purse like bag in his hand, it was in his left as I led him by his right, in the bedroom he told me that the five thousand was mine no matter what I decided but the $6500 monthly along with increases each year was contingent on my enrolling in the retirement program

I told him, yes, I wanted the retirement program.

He smiled at me, said that he had hoped I would. Then he took me by the shoulders and turned me so I was facing the bed.

“Edna, I’m afraid it’s been a little over ten years since upper management has had an opportunity to examine you, Edna, are you still sure you want in on the retirement program?” He asked.

Oh I wanted the money, God I wanted it and I needed it, I said, “Of course Lawrence, I understand the requirement.”

He helped me to lie on the bed, my feet remained on the floor, he simply bent me over the bed.

“Are you comfortable,” he asked.

It wasn’t uncomfortable, I answered, “I’m fine Lawrence.”

I was dressed as a lady, as most of us no doubt still do, how were usually attired for work or for guests, I had on a dress of course, a slip and, since it was a rather important affair, at least to me, I’d put on stockings. I’ve never worn panty hose and never will, I had on a garter belt and stockings, I still like to dress like a lady, do you girls know what I mean?”

We all did and nodded the affirmative.

Edna went on, he was massaging my back, his hands were on me when he asked, “Edna, will you lift your dress for me.”

His words or maybe his tome chilled me. I didn’t immediately respond, he repeated, “Edna, please lift your dress, I’d like to move forward with the exam.”

I knew then this was no exam, I was a little afraid of what he’d do next, but, he hadn’t hurt me so far, I lifted the hem of my dress.

“Please, raise your slip, too,” were his next words. I raised it so that he could see what he obviously wanted to see.

I heard him catch his breath, “Edna, you’re wearing stockings, you really are quite the lady, I can see that my grandfather chose well,” he said as he unclasped my garter belt.

You’ re lovely, truly lovely he intoned to me as he slid my stockings down, they were still affixed to my garter belt.

“Lift your hips Edna; let me get these out from under you. I complied as he slid my garter belt under me and took my stockings down. Now, I lay before him, only my panties keeping his eyes from me. He started massaging and kneading me, my bottom,

“Oh yes, I can see, even after all these years why you were Grandpa John’s favorite, God woman, even at your age; what are you, seventy-five? I can still why you were his favorite.”

He eased my panties down over my hips and off me then he asked, “Edna, are you still sure you want to join my retirement program, you can still opt out you know.”

I needed the money too badly, I suspected what he was going to do but still I said, “I really do need those benefits.”

He had a little bag that he’d laid on the bed beside me. I heard him unzip it and turned toward the noise, “Edna, you don’t need to see this, look the other way, please,” he asked.

I was lying; waiting for whatever he was going to do, my senses were acute, I could hear when he unscrewed what I guessed was a cap then I heard a snap, a sound I’d only heard before in my gynecologists office and I knew he’d pulled on a rubber glove.

“Edna, I want you to relax, please just relax,” he talked to me, I felt his hand on my bottom then he held me open back there, you know what I mean. His hand was greasy when he touched me, he rubbed me a little, he talked to me while he rubbed, “You really are a desirable woman Edna, I’m elated that I can share what my grandfather enjoyed.”

I foolishly thought I’d escaped any violence, oh I knew what was coming but he’d been so docile, almost kind up until then, he even was gentle when he lubricated me, one finger penetrated me, then the second but slowly, making sure I was well coated and prepared.

He put the head of his penis against me, and then, God I’ll never ever forget the pain. He had me by the hips and he pulled me back to him just as he stabbed me, I thought he’d gutted me, I just knew he’d ripped me open and the bastard, the little bastard whispered in my ear’

“Scream for me, oh yes, I love to hear you, that’s right woman, scream for me.”

Sweet Jesus, I screamed, not for him, I screamed for mercy, I’d never endured such pain, I knew he’d killed me but I didn’t die; I continued to scream, I was in agony and he laughed as he pumped into me, the laugh was almost maniacal,

“Haaa, haaa, yeah granddad, it was good, well old man it still is,” he wasn’t entirely sane, I’d been his grandfathers and now I was his.

He didn’t take long with me that first time, he pumped me four or five times then he came in me. He pushed me across the bed when he pulled out, he told me to just stay there ‘til he’d left then he wiped himself on my panties and left with a parting remark that I didn’t understand until the next week. He said, you’re Monday, the next Monday I understood. As I’ve understood each and every Monday at six o’clock. Now, I answer the door and walk to the bedroom, I don’t even bother with any clothing on Monday evenings, just a robe. I drop the robe at the bedroom door and lie on the bed; he’s done and gone in fifteen minutes.

Like I said Martha, I’m Edna and I’m Monday.