Belle The Cat
Chapter I
2am and Belle was slinking into the apartment again, dropping her party purse on the couch, her pumps flipped across the living room. Sara woke up suddenly with a shriek as the purse hit her head.
Belle jumped back but as always landed with poise and immediately started laughing, her eyes sparkling. “Oops, sorry there roomie! Didn’t see you!”
Sara sat up and rubbed her head. “You said you were going to come home early so we could talk about the party. I tried to stay up but...”
Belle grimaced and sauntered off to her bedroom as Sara spoke, forcing Sara to get up and follow as Belle continued to throw off her clothing in every direction. Sara picked up after Belle as each piece of clothing hit the ground.
“It is your sister’s bachelorette party. You wanted my help. I said I would help, and now you aren’t even telling me if you like my idea.” Sara’s voice began to rise in pitch along with the rise in her anxiety. She hated the way she sounded, and worse the way that Belle’s cool calm response sounded in comparison.
“Oh Sar, I am sure it will be great. You worry too much. You always worry to much. Maybe if you...”
Sara’s face scrunched up as she closed her eyes and breathed deeply, although Belle was settling into her bed, shoving off the stuffed animals and an adult toy to the floor, ignoring her discomfort at what she knew was coming.
“...got laid more often you would feel better.”
“Well I think you do enough of that for both of us, B. You have been out every night this week! You may not need to work, but I have to, and if I am setting up the entertainment, the reservations, the guest list, the least you could do is tell me what you think.”
Belle sighed and curled up the bed, eyes closed, “It is fine. It all is great. Do it. Hit it. Whatever. I will pay for it so what are you worried about? Turn off the light. I have to get my 12 hours of beauty sleep.” She yawned almost aggressively, winked her eyes at her roommate and best friend and then flopped fully, her body covered and cozy as Sara quietly backed out of the room, placing the discarded clothing on the dresser, and shutting the light, and the door.
Two weeks later, Sara and Belle entered the bar with their friend Carrie helping lug boxes of decorations. Sara had used her network of friends from work to find a cheap place she could rent out for the evening. The guest list had become a phone tree, and they expected a big turnout. Belle’s sister, Margaret, was popular in high-school, popular in college, and popular at work. One of those women who women liked, men liked, and the first one in her circle of friends to get married, because of course she had met the right guy simply because Margaret deserved it. No one really was jealous but there was certainly a kind of resignation that it just wasn’t this easy. So the party was going to be a ball.
“Who is this guy?” Belle asked, as she held one of the postcards they had placed on the tables along with the pens and stationary meant for the ‘Skanky Time Capsule’. “Magnificent Bob? Seriously. Not Robert? Or Roberto? Bob? And what the heck is Adult Hypnosis really? Are we going to be hypnotized to do our taxes on time? Set up 401ks?”
Belle looked out of the corner of her eye as Sara stared back, a sly grin on her face, “Oh my, Sara... is it going to be... sexy?”
Sara rolled her eyes and continued to put up decorations as Belle wandered around the room, adjusting things and occasionally commenting on songs on the jukebox.
As always, Sara’s planning was perfect, the guests arrived to a perfectly arranged party, snacks already out, open bar ready to get them wasted, and jukebox cued to a combination of boy bands, classic rock, favorite rap, and a few country songs to round it out.
Belle worked the room as Sara fidgeted. “Oh the jukebox was a big win, I just thought it was perfect, and isn’t the exposed brick the best. I love the bar! It is so old man chic. It was a challenge but Margie is so worth it.” Everyone who knew Belle grinned knowingly. They glanced over and smiled at Sara, and occasionally someone would interrupt her perfectionist panic to reassure her that she was a wonder woman.
Belle finally went over to her oldest friend, “Hey Sara... Sincerely... Thanks. This is great. Margie is having a ball, everyone is just having a great time. The bartender is cute and I think he is checking you out! Relax! Have a drink! I love you Sararara!”
Sara looked at her watch, “He is late. Bob the Magnificent is late. I told him 9pm and it is 9pm and he is not here. I already called him and he hasn’t answered. Maybe he got the wrong...”
Belle interrupted, placing her fingers over her friend’s mouth. “Shhh. It will be fine. If he doesn’t show up then you don’t have to pay him. If he shows up late then it will be fine. Everything is fine!”
“Indeed, everything is better than fine! For the Magnicent Bob has arrived! And right on time!”
The women turned to look behind them as a well dressed middle aged man, balding but with a well trimmed beard that lent a sort of puckish look to a cheerful face. Sara sqeeked as she jumped but then a look of relief came over her face. The last element of her plan settled, and truly, Bob did seem to know what he was doing, crossing through the room to introduce himself to the bride to be, without being introduced, and then coming back to speak a moment with Sara and Belle. Everyone’s attention was on him as people adjusted to see the small stage.
“Ladies, it is my pleasure to perform for you. Miss Sara, I am so sorry if I gave you any concern, but I like to be exactly prompt. To arrive just in the nick of time. Just a matter of style, but I can see you were a bit worried, and I want you to know that you are in great hands.” He waved his hands whimsically, “Well average sized hands but one should be wary of underestimating me for size of body. My spirit is grand.”
Sara couldn’t help following the wave of his hands, and found herself laughing along with the hypnotist. He was certainly charming with a vaudevillian flair that somehow felt just right for the evening. She smiled as he moved off to the stage.
Belle began to move back around the room, not sitting yet. She was not aware of the way she had bristled at the arrival of the man who was now beginning to chat casually about hypnosis, about the show, and what could be expected. She was watching everyone, rapt attention suddenly on him, and if anyone noticed her stalking around, it was only to look around her.
Hand’s raised slowly through the room, nervous laughter followed by sincere chuckles as Bob kept things light but a little risque.
“My job is to make sure everyone has a wonderful time, so remember that whatever I ask, you can always say no! Just as proof, I am going to ask a few things, and I want you all to just shout out no! Can you do that for me!”
And as one, the room yelled out “NO!” to laughter and coughing. A few drinks were spilled and Bob chuckled.
“Well it is clear you are a spirited group, filled with wit, and a bit of mischief. But do any of you want to come up on stage, to be the center of attention for a moment, to brave the spotlight, and risk your mind and soul to the ministrations of the Magnificent Bob?” his voice raising in volume and power as he lifted his hands as if menacing the congregated women.
“No!” the room responded back.
“Yes!” Belle said, calmly and coolly as her gaze settled on the middle aged man.
Bob turned to notice Belle, almost as if for the first time. His eyes clenched a bit and he glanced towards Sara, who covered her own eyes and shook her head in resignation. Bob nodded slowly, and made eye contact with the young woman as she already had approached the small stage. He offered a hand, a courteous but needless gesture, which she took regally.
“Well then, you must be Belle, the lovely sister.”
Belle shook her head and grinned, “If you say so. I mean you are the Magnificent Bob.” She looked at the guests, and bowed.
“Well then if you would allow me, I would love to see what else you are besides merely the sister of the bride. Even though this is a party for her, everyone is watching so perhaps we might give them something special.” Bob framed Belle with his hands at the word special, and despite herself, she preened a bit. Bob grinned as he noticed the small responses.
“Does anyone here doubt that Belle is a special special individual?”
Again the guests yelled, “No” but almost by rote, more interested in what was happening on the stage than on their participation. Many had forgotten their instruction, and the sound of ‘Yes’ reached Belle’s ears. She smiled even more but her eyes showed her momentary distaste, she looked away from the audience and towards Bob as he asked her whether he could touch her hair, her arms, and otherwise ensure she was safe as she stood before the crowd. She nodded and unconsciously adjusted her clothing and hair as he talked to her about the idea of exploring hypnosis. She nodded along, interested but also very aware of the fact that she was being observed, but refusing to glance back at the guests, she played the attentive subject. Still her attention was split, and Bob could tell so he snapped his fingers suddenly, and she shuddered as if she had been suddenly awakened.
“Again, will you allow me to play a little game with your mind, one in which you become something or someone else, without me telling you before hand what it will be, knowing that if it isn’t suitable for you, if it doesn’t match you perfectly, you will simply ignore my suggestion and wake up, knowing that you are so perfectly able to decide what is right for you, that even a powerful hypnotist such as the Magnificent Bob cannot sway you from your own will?”
Belle nodded, feeling encouraged by everything he said. She was strong willed and she was certainly confident that no matter what, she would be capable of deciding what she wanted, no matter what anyone else wanted her to do.
“Of course this is so natural for you. You always do what you want, don’t you? You are so very strong willed and independent.”
Belle said, “Always,” but there was a slight waver in her voice. After all, she wasn’t currently independent in practical terms. Her internship at the gallery was not paying her, and the family trust was like an allowance, but she had always had a mind of her own.
“You have always had a mind of your own,” he said and she nodded in surprise, it was as if he had read her mind, and she felt a strange chill.
“You are used to attention, but you like to decide when you are seen. You like to go where you like, when you like. You are drawn to the night, where you can prowl and hunt. Yet you also like to settle in to a cozy warm bed.”
Belle continued to nod, her eyes now glazed over, closing slowly and then opening again. Bob reached out to hold her head gently with one hand as he held her arm gently in the other, as she began to sway.
“That’s right, it is so hard to stand up on two legs, when you just want to flop down gracefully, catlike...” and she simply felt herself drop to her knees as he lead her down.
She stared up at the hypnotists eyes, her thoughts confused as he continued to speak to her, petting her, telling her what a pretty kitty she was. She began to purr, and then he asked her a question, and for some reason she couldn’t quite understand but she said, without really thinking at all.
“Mew.”
As she stood on the stage, on her hands and knees the man that was idly stroking her hair and her ears spoke to the crowd. She didn’t really care what he had to say. They were watching her. She knew they were. They always were. She was the prettiest. She turned her back on them, cleverly. She was most important. She carefully cleaned back her whiskers and her hair and then flopped down. The man stroked under her chin and said pretty sounds at her but she didn’t really care. She was happy at the attention.
Then suddenly she was more than happy. She felt herself become very aware of a need, a need that was getting stronger. A low sound vibrated through her as she began to squirm, swaying her tail and shifting back on all fours. She panted and a bit of drool fell from her lips as she became very aware of Bob. She began to rub against it as he chatted with the guests. One of the other people came up on the stage but she didn’t care. She almost reached down to pet Belle but Bob held her back. Belle rubbed against Bob’s leg more and then found herself with an overwhelming urge to hump his leg. She didn’t hesitate but Bob pushed her off. She yowled a bit, hissed but then again backed her rear towards his legs, arching and mewing plaintively.
Suddenly he snapped his fingers, and said “Belle the Cat no more, now Belle the lovely sister again.”
Belle shuddered, but then stood up as everyone cheered. She knew she should be embarrassed, but for some reason she felt great. She had done perfectly. It was amazing. As she hugged her sister, who had been on the stage, she felt strangely content as her sister’s hand petted her back, but then it was over and she stepped off the stage, proudly and without any shame, returning to sit next to Sara at the bar, adjusting her makeup and ignoring the crowd as they watched the bachelorette laughing spin as if a ballerina Barbie.