Libby felt a sense of both relief and foreboding as she and James entered the bookstore; this was home but home was no longer a sanctuary. For years the smell of old books had given her peace and the sound of shifting papers instantly allowed her to relax after long days forced to be around swarms of people who despised her. Coming home now, the first thing she could smell was unfamiliar perfume and what almost seemed like… fear.
"Mother, I'm back." James announced.
Popping out from behind a nearby bookshelf as soon as James spoke, Libby's mother Leah darted towards the pair and picked her daughter up off the floor.
"Oh my Shayna Punim! I'm so glad to see that you're okay!" Leah shouted, fear evaporating from her body, "I was afraid I'd never see you again and that something terrible had happened to you, especially when Ms. Richardson brought me back here and you weren't here. I wanted to go and find you but…"
"It's ok mom, I understand. I'm just glad to be home… and that we still have a home to go home to." Libby sighed.
"Yes, well just remember that this isn't YOUR home anymore, it is my home! The two of you are more like furniture or an appliance, tools to be used and discarded if no longer useful. You aren't even as valuable as your mother. She has useable skills. She can be a usefully little pretend employee. You on the other hand are going to learn to be useful by being my son's personal assistant and entertainment. If you do a good job, we'll make sure you get fed every once and a while. I suspect you will adjust to your new life just fine, I heard from that nice Davenport girl that you are already used to being ignored, mistreated, and…" A tall, imposing woman told Libby in a harsh, demanding tone that slowly shifted near the end, "Wait, are you a girl? Leah, why didn't you say your little spawn was a girl?"
"What? Why… why wouldn't you have known that? I have pictures of us all over the house. You were in her bedroom. How did you not know… I mean, I'm sorry Ms. Richardson I thought you knew. That's not a problem, is it? Libby is a very well behaved girl if that is what you are concerned about." Leah struck back, quickly changing her demeanor when Emilia began to snarl.
"It will be fine… I suppose." Emilia sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose between her fingers.
"She has been very well behaved so far, very polite and respectful." James told his mother, recognizing one of his mother telltale signs of frustration.
"Yes Ma'am, I really am well behaved and I am very thankful that you saw fit to purchase me. I promise I will do everything I can to not disappoint you and will try to make you and your son's lives easier in any way I can." Libby said softly, trying to look as small and unimposing as possible. The sinister look on Emilia's face as she spoke to Leah reminded Libby of the evil look Andrea would give right before she would unleash a fresh torment on her chosen victim only much more intimidating to see in the eyes of a grown woman rather than in a tween.
"I'll be honest, James is likely reaching the point where he'd prefer having a girl follow him around rather than a boy anyway." Emilia sighed, finding Libby's almost instinctive submissive response pleasing, "Leah, take your daughter upstairs and help her clean herself up. In fact, why don't both of you take a bath together so that both of you will be more pleasant. James can lock up the store and I am going to make dinner. I expect the two of you to be cleaned, presentable, in night clothes and kneeling at the kitchen door in EXACTLY an hour. Oh, and remember that special little package I gave you and told you you'll be wearing tonight? I changed my mind. Make sure your daughter is wearing it instead. Do you understand?"
"You want Libby to wear it? But she…" Leah began to object before stopping midsentence, "Of course Ms. Richardson. I understand and will do exactly as you've instructed. Come on Libby, let's go upstairs."