My fingers were wrapped tensely around the armrests. I was sitting in the chair outside Linda's office. Linda had called me over from my desk for another "meeting," and I was waiting for her to finish with whomever she was seeing now. I examined my surroundings. I was sitting in a hallway. Linda's office was located about halfway between the door that led to the main offices, on my left, and a door on my right, marked "EXIT" that led to a stairwell. Beside me was an office plant. The plant looked pathetic. It was sitting in a tall, rectangular vase made of stainless steel. The plant rested in a square patch of dirt. A few twigs of branches seemed to reach out to me, reaching out for help. The plant had only a few leaves; it seemed like it hadn't been watered for quite some time. I shifted in my chair. The chair had a modern design. It was cube-shaped, with a stainless steel frame, matching the vase, and two thin cushions that formed the seat and back of the chair. It wasn't very comfortable. Suddenly I heard the door open. A female co-worker of mine came out, and walked past me and down the hall toward the offices. Linda came out after her, and stood looking down at me.

  "Okay, Will. Come on in."

  I walked into my wife's office, and she closed the door behind me. I made my way over to her desk, and sat in the chair. The chair had softer, fuller leather cushions, but, strange to say, I found it even more uncomfortable than the one outside her office. Linda began talking about the merger. It seemed to be the only thing occupying her mind for the last week or so. She continued to be confident the deal would go through. She spoke of the meetings in a strange way, saying that she was "putting pressure on them," and was sure that they would "finally crack." She seemed to be making a great show to me of her managerial prowess. Oddly, it seemed to be the only purpose for our meeting. She looked at me curiously.

  "What's the matter, Will? You seem a little tense."

  She got up and walked around the desk, and stood behind me. She began giving me a shoulder massage, ostensibly to relax me, but she was digging her manicured fingers into me, kneading my flesh, like a sculptor with her clay. She placed a hand under my chin, and turned my head up to face her. She gave me a kiss on the lips. I sat there, looking up at her face, and I recalled the image that had appeared in my head the previous night, of her towering over me, about to crush me like an insect under her foot, and smiling an unsettling smile. She had the same smile I had imagined. The smile seemed to be an unmistakable signal of what was to come next. She walked around to her desk, and sat down. She placed one leg horizontally across the other, and removed her black pump. She did the same with the other, letting it rest on her other leg for a while, and rubbing her hands anxiously over the stocking fabric. Her toes wiggled freely, excited to be out in the open air. All the while, she was smiling at me, without saying a word.

  I looked at the foot, and pictured it hovering over me, about to stomp my life out of existence. I felt a powerful urge to fight for my life. I was quite disturbed by the fact that I felt I was in danger as I looked at my wife's foot. And yet, I also felt tempted. I couldn't help but feel compelled to take part in my wife's kink. I couldn't help but admire the beauty of a woman's foot, a certain sensual beauty that I felt not enough men appreciated. As much as I felt that way, though, my desire for self-preservation seemed to be stronger, and I decided that I had had enough.

  Before I could act on that decision, however, my wife had shoved her foot into my lap. She kneaded my crotch with her toes and the ball of her foot. My resolve began to slowly disintegrate, as I groaned helplessly. Linda placed the other foot on my crotch. She kneaded me roughly with her feet, and when her toes felt a stiff bulge forming in my pants, a giant smile spread on her face. She seemed to take great relish in arousing me, and I felt frightened that she seemed well aware of my discomfort. She seemed amused that she could so easily coax assent out of me with sex, overriding my own judgment.

  I wrapped my hands around her feet. She watched me do this, raising an eyebrow, and making a pouty smile, a face that looked amused, but still defiant. I took her feet out of my lap, and was surprised that she put up no resistance.

  "What's wrong, Will?"
  "Linda, I don't think we should be doing this at work anymore."
  She frowned.
  "It's unprofessional," I continued.

  I went on, explaining why I didn't want to do this. I felt a surge of adrenaline. She interjected with some "come on"s, but I wouldn't budge. Finally I put my foot down.
 
  "I'm not in the mood, today, Linda," I stated firmly.

  She seemed taken aback by this, and stood in front of me, with arms akimbo.

  "Well I am."

  She grabbed my left wrist. She began squeezing it tightly. It actually began to hurt quite a bit. Suddenly she pushed me back in the chair, and straddled me, her weight bearing down on me, voraciously kissing me. I struggled, but I couldn't budge. I felt like we were back in her car that night, like it was our first time all over again. But it was going to end differently today. Summoning my strength, I threw her off me, and she actually stumbled a bit on her office floor. I was a bit shocked at what I had done. She looked up at me, her face seemed to admit a grudging defeat, as I stood up and walked out of the office. I closed the door behind me, feeling a sense of victory.

  I sat at my desk rubbing my wrist. It was still a little sore from when Linda had grabbed it. But now I was free. I looked at my hand. The wrist was a bit red. I looked at the silver wedding band on my finger, the symbol of my commitment to my wife, gripping me selfishly, as Linda had done.

  Suddenly, I heard Linda's voice out in the hallway.

  "Cory, can I speak to you in my office?"

***

  Soon after, I was sitting in the break room, eating my lunch. I shared a table with Bill, one of my co-workers. I looked up and saw Cory sitting by himself across the room. He seemed to be staring ahead, with an expression on his face which was hard for me to decipher. Suddenly, I felt a bump against my elbow. It was Bill.

  "Hey... That your wife's new assistant?" he whispered.
  I nodded.
  "Yeah... he just got out of a meeting with her. Looks like he's been having a hard time getting used to her. Your wife can be pretty demanding. But I'm sure you know all about that."

  "Yeah..." I agreed.

  I looked at Cory, slumping over his lunch. After Bill had pointed it out, it became clear to me that what Cory was feeling was nervousness, maybe even fear. I knew it was probably natural for a young guy like him to feel that way at his first job, but I couldn't help but feel there was something that just wasn't right about it.

***

  That night, I walked into the condo, and greeted Annie. Over the past week and a half, I had come to feel strangely at home there. During dinner, I was absorbed in thought. I didn't talk much with Annie, and she seemed to be aware of this. I was mulling over my situation with Linda. Until that day, I had thought that my wife's behavior at work had been a result of her missing me while I was watching Annie, but more and more, I began to feel that wasn't the case. Instead, I felt as though she needed me for some selfish satisfaction, that it was only her happiness that mattered, and worst of all, that it was my unhappiness which brought her happiness. I was glad to be with Annie that night. Her youthful innocence seemed to bring me comfort. She radiated an uncorrupted benevolence, a feature I felt was precious and which needed to be protected. I was glad to be spending a month away from Linda. I felt it afforded me a clearer perspective, a chance for sober reflection on our relationship.

  I felt a little sad that in a few weeks it would be over, and I would have to say goodbye to Annie. I couldn't imagine going back to my own house, continuing my life with Linda. I felt I had changed in a profound way. I didn't want to return to my old life.

  I looked at Annie. I was entranced by the magic that shone in her eyes. Her secret magic that she had shared with me. And another type of magic, that seemed just as fantastical: her bond with her inner child, which didn't seem to be diminishing as she matured into a young woman. She looked upon her life as a child did, with an eagerness to travel down the road toward her future, courage to face whatever challenges she met along the way, and a faith in the joys that awaited her. Annie spoke, breaking me out of my reverie.

  "Hey Will."
  "Yeah?"
  "Is it alright if I sleep over Liz's tomorrow?"

  Liz's parents would be there, she said, so I knew it would be okay. I told Annie she could sleep over.

  "Do you want to come?" Annie asked.

  I saw Annie's grin, and I knew what she was planning.