What an afternoon it was turning out to be…

Arthur had skulked back to his class and scrambled to mark the tests as fast as he could.

It wasn’t long before he was interrupted by Claire.

* **

“Well, I just don’t think that it’s that fair” Claire said to him, holding her test before her own eyes.

Claire had returned to find that Mr. Spence had given her a mark that fell below her high expectations. Her body language had changed and so had the tone in her voice.

“I’m sorry, Claire. I was being fair. As much as I like you as a person, I can’t let that dictate how I look at the outcome of your test, now can I?”

Claire raised one of her eyebrows at him, as if suggesting she thought he could.

Claire continued to examine the test, holding it before her face and subsequently out of Arthur’s reach. This appeared to make Arthur uncomfortable.

“I haven’t given everyone else back their tests yet, so I should hold onto that for now” he said up to her.

“I’m not finished looking at it yet,” she said sternly. Arthur was quick to notice this new tone from Claire, who was normally so friendly to him.

So Arthur was forced to wait, watching as Claire studied the test, her eyes looking over all of his notes and corrections.

“It was a good essay, Claire, but not one of your best. Don’t worry, it only counts for ten percent of your grade”

“I don’t think it’s a fair mark” she said in a stern fashion.

Arthur was quick to pick up on the very noticeable change of tone in her voice. In the two years he’d known her, she’d never spoken to him like this.

“And I’d like you to reconsider”

“Reconsider your mark?”

She nodded down to him, seeming confident in her decision. Then she folded her arms across her chest. Each of them stared at each other as Arthur weighed his options. What would have been a cheerful, easy encounter a month ago was now quite tough given the fact that he was reasoning with someone so terribly much larger than he was.

With that Claire turned to Arthur’s desk. She flattened both of her palms down and leaned down over it looking at a picture of Arthur and his wife.

“This your wife, Mr. Spence?”

“Yes it is” said Arthur.

Claire picked up the photo and examined it.

“Claire, um, would you mind putting that down?”

Claire turned to Arthur.

“Why? I’m just looking at it”

“I know, it’s just that I’d like to keep that picture safe”

Claire looked at the photo once more.

“It’ll be safe with me, Mr. Spence” she said.

“What? No. Put it down right now”

Arthur approached Claire and reached for the photo, but Claire merely raised it above him, dangling it effortlessly beyond his reach.

Arthur vowed that he wouldn’t jump for it, since that would undoubtedly make him look like a fool. Claire was smiling down at him, her one long arm still extended out into the air far above his head. She started tovsmile down on him like she was teasing her little brother.

Arthur decided to jump for it, but when he did, Claire laughed and merely raised it higher, stretching her long slender arm high into the air.

“Guess it’s no fun being so small, is it Mr. Spence?” she laughed.

Claire headed towards the door, not even looking back.

“I’ll be back tomorrow afternoon to discuss my mark. I’ll bring back tt hbphoto in case you find yourself in a flexible mood”

Arthur watched her go. He could have tried to stop her, but this was

Claire! He never envisioned her trying something like this. Who knew she could be so uncaring?

* * *

It had been quite a day for Arthur. He wondered if other Lotto winners had gone through what he was going through. He wished he could talk to others to see what their own experiences were and how they dealt with them.

He was not in a good mood, but couldn’t help his mind from drifting back to Beth. It seemed that everyday, chalk full of humiliation, that he would return to her and that she would soothe him somehow. She cared for him and it showed.

Presently Arthur stood just outside his room, as if waiting for Beth, who had gone into the bathroom over half an hour ago for a hot bath. He was deep in thought and didn’t seem aware of the time.

Beth eventually emerged, wearing only a towel covering her breasts and white underwear covering her bottom. Wet footprints coated the hallway floor as she approached. She stopped next to him, standing almost two feet taller than him in her bare feet.

“The water’s still hot. Did you want a bath too?”

Arthur looked up at her. Beth must have sensed his anguish. She hadn’t been with him all day long to experience what he’d gone through, but she obviously could guess that it hadn’t been that good of a day.

She moved close to him and stroked the top of his head.

“Poor, Mr. Spence” she said and disappeared into her room.

“I’ll just be a second and then you can tell me about your day”

Arthur casually looked into her room, standing half in the doorway waiting for her but saying nothing.

Beth moved to her dresser and then motioned to take off her towel. Arthur instantly backed away.

“I’ll wait in the hallway”

He heard her chuckle behind him.

“Don’t be embarrassed” she said. “

Arthur stood frozen in the hallway, out of Beth’s line of sight.

A moment later he heard her voice call to him.

“Are you coming in, Mr. Spence?”

Arthur hesitated, but eventually walked into her room. Beth sat on her

bed, wearing white underwear and a white cotton bra. Nothing else.

She saw his discouraged expression and stood from the bed. Arthur backed away at the sight of her in such skimpy clothing.

”What’s wrong?” she asked.

“Nothing” he said. “Should I come back?”

“Don’t be silly, Mr. Spence”, she said taking two steps towards him until he was face to ‘face’ with Beth’s barely tanned bare belly.

She put her hand on the top of her head and gently rubbed it like before.

“Come here and let me hug you” she said, gently urging him towards her, not pulling, but just applying the slightest bit of pressure as if she wanted him to embrace her.

Finally he relented and allowed himself to pulled towards her. He stood just taller than Beth’s waist at this point and allowed her to pull him

close until his head nuzzled against her bare belly button.

“Poor little Mr. Spence” she said again, continuing to rub his hair from high above. Arthur buried his face into her firm stomach, wanting to kiss her bare skin, but resisting out of fear and shame.

“Mr. Spence had a long tough day, didn’t he?” she murmured down to him.

Arthur looked up at her seeing that she was now combing her hair with her one free hand, not even looking down at him any longer. He wondered if he was becoming commonplace. Would she even care about him in a couple of weeks?

Arthur gently kissed her belly button, thrilling at the sensation it provided. Her hand nuzzled him closer, pushing his face into her skin.

“Poor little guy” she whispered.

It occurred to Arthur that she spoke to him a bit like she was talking a dog, but he didn’t care. After all, he had tomorrow to look forward to.

Beth would be there. She’d protect him. She’d be there at the end of every day looking out for him.

Right?