“Can I make a request?” Delicia asked. “Do you remember singing ‘O Holy Night’ at the Christmas concert in Central Park back when you were in high school? Just you and your guitar. It was so lovely. Sing that one for us, mi hija.”
Tamara perched on the arm of Delicia’s chair, cozied up to her grandmother, while Joseph came in from the kitchen and sat on the nearby ottoman as Cassie strummed a few chords, reacquainting herself with the melody.
With fingers gracefully sweeping across the strings, she swayed slowly and the beautiful old song flowed from her. Her voice had matured, her pure, dulcet tones now woven with the huskiness of life experience as she sang.
“O holy night! The stars are brightly shining…”
Ivan blinked and swallowed as tears clogged his sinuses and throat. Maybe he was just a sap, but he recalled there’d been not a dry eye in the crowd that night so many years ago, and it was the same this night as she sang for those she loved.
“Oh, Mom…” Tamara whispered with the closing notes and sniffled as she wiped beneath her eyes. “I remember you singing that to us at Christmastime when we were itty-bitty.”
Joseph got up and gave her a hug and hoarsely said, “It’s just like how I remembered, Mom.”
Cassie sniffled, too, and said, “You’re going to make me all weepy if you don’t stop that now. How about something cheery for the holidays? Ah, I know!”
He added his voice to hers as she sang “Auld Lang Syne” and she grinned as Samson even burbled along in his gruff, deep voice and was joined by the others.
Looking around the room, Ivan agreed in his heart with her earlier words. Family wasn’t just blood, any more than a home was a building with walls and windows. All the people I love are my home. My family.
* * * *
“Ooooh boy,” Cassie murmured the following night as she surveyed the expanse of the main club floor at Hazelle House. The energizing throb of bass drums and thrum of guitars provided the backdrop for the raspy vocals, and set the mood in the dimly lit BDSM club.
Joseph Hazelle chuckled at Cassie’s side while patting the hand she’d wrapped tightly around his crooked elbow. “Did you think Black Friday shopping would keep most members away from the club?”
She looked up at him and said, “Bunny was right about you. You are a mind reader. Speaking of Bunny, where is she? I thought she’d be helping with the tour.”
Joseph chuckled and then cleared his throat. “Unfortunately, she’s enjoying a little comeuppance at the moment. We’ll catch up with her in a bit. Right now, I’d like to walk you around this floor and then give you a look at the dungeon.”
“This isn’t the dungeon?” she asked, pointing at the stations set up around the perimeter of the club, where numerous people were crowding around. Some were clad in dark suits, many in sexy fetish costumes, some in black street clothing, and others completely nude. The press of bodies wasn’t as intimidating as the number of looks she was getting from members after they nodded at Joseph.
“Oh no, there are a number of play areas set up along the walls, but this floor comprises the main sitting area, the dance floor, food and drink stations, and the bar. It’s a good area to negotiate scenes and warm up to more involved play before visiting the dungeon and then a good place to cool down afterward.”
“More involved play?”
Joseph’s smile was genuine. “Do you feel as though you’ve fallen down the rabbit hole and just found a bottle with a note attached that says, ‘Drink me’?”
“That’s exactly it, Sir.” She was proud this time she’d remembered to address him appropriately for the club setting.
“Thank you, Cassie. You would be a delight to any Dom. You’re my guest, and my friend, as well as my wife’s, but even more importantly, you’re precious to one of the lead members in this club—as well as to his brother. The burden is on me to help you feel, if not quite comfortable, at least at home here. No one will bother you or be inappropriate.”
“Want to know what I’m most worried about?”
“Tell me.”
“That I might offend someone if I react to…whatever they’re doing.”
“You’re with me, and you don’t need to worry. At some point in their journeys, many of the club members you’re watching have had the same expression on their faces,” he said with a chuckle as he waved her toward an arrangement of plush love seats and overstuffed chairs. “Let’s have a seat and talk while you observe the room and settle in a bit, perhaps?”