"Where are we going Father?" asked Aaron as the BMW M5 rumbled along the highway. Ivan carefully controlling the acceleration so that Annette didn't get unnerved. "Well it's not every day that my boy turns 13. I thought we'd do something a little different this year" said Ivan as they turned to an exit.
Annette was chewing her bottom lip in nervousness. Ivan's idea for Aaron's birthday entailed a suit fitting, the attending of a play, followed by a dinner at an expensive and upscale restaurant was good on the surface, but given how unpredictable Aaron's responses to mundane things like shoes and clothes were, she was worried at what new changes Aaron might exhibit.
Ivan shot his wife a sideways glance. He had told her that the theater and restaurant had a black-tie dress code, but she had stubbornly refused to put on a dress and stuck to her signature sweater, jeans and sneakers.They pulled into the parking lot of an upscale tailoring and shoe shop that specialized in men's suits and shoes. Ivan noticed Aaron's eyes flash with excitement in the rearview mirror and smiled to himself.
"Welcome to Thompson's suiting. I'm Thompson the owner, how may I help you?" a tall imposing man dressed in a black pinstriped 3-piece suit greeted them in an impeccable British accent.Ivan clapped Aaron on the back. "My boy here has just turned 13. He seemed to really like the formal look of his new school uniform, so I thought getting him a properly tailored suit might be a good thing" he explained.
Mr. Thompson bowed. "You do your generation credit young man. Most teenagers gravitate towards filthy and torn rags these days" he said. Aaron inclined his head as well. "Thank you, Mr. Thompson. May I take a look at your fabrics?" he replied in his clipped and formal tone.
Mr. Thompson nodded and addressed Ivan and Annette. "I admire your parenting skills. You have raised a most civilized young man." he said causing Ivan to beam with pride and Annette to frown. She didn't like Mr. Thompson's formality and felt his store was somewhat old-fashioned and excessive.
Aaron was mesmerized by the bolts of high quality fabrics and the smell of wood as he looked around the shop, running his hands over each bolt of fabric, feeling the texture. He came across a roll of supple black leather and felt a surge of electricity go through him as he ran his hand along its soft, supple surface and its distinctive smell tickled his nostrils. He let out a sigh, took a deep breath and regained his Stoic composure. "Excuse me Mr. Thompson, do you make suits with this leather?" he asked. "Only the blazer and sometimes the pants. However, I must warn you that the tailoring of leather is quite expensive" replied Mr. Thompson.
"I see. Father, I would like a black leather suit if we can afford it please" said Aaron, his Stoic demeanor cracking a little, his eyes shining with hope.
Annette suppressed a groan. Once again, Aaron seemed to be drawn to some strange and bizarre thing. "Well Aaron, if it is what you truly want I don't mind splurging a bit. How much would it cost Mr. Thompson?" asked Ivan.
Mr. Thompson looked between the 3 of them slyly. "I'll make you a deal Mr. Zakhrov. The total cost of materials will be 2000. As a token of my admiration to you for raising such an impressive young man, I shall waive the tailoring costs." he told Ivan. "We have a deal." said Ivan excitedly.
Mr. Thompson snapped his fingers and a beautiful young Asian woman, dressed in a perfectly tailored black skirt suit and high heels materialized from the back of the shop. "Escort Mrs. Zakhrov to the waiting room." ordered Mr. Thompson.
"This way ma'am" said the woman with a slight Mandarin lilt and steered a dazed Annette with surprising strength for her small frame towards the waiting room.
Mr. Thompson then guided Aaron and Ivan towards a large fitting mirror. With quick and efficient movements, Mr. Thompson measured Aaron and asked him pointed questions about how he wanted his suit styled and fitted. In his signature cold and calculating manner, Aaron chose a 2 piece style of a single breasted blazer with notched lapels, a tapered waist and black leather buttons with no external pockets and pants with a regular waist and slight boot cut. He also decided to go with black leather ankle boots at Mr. Thompson's recommendation.
"Alright. I have everything I need. It will take me about 4 hours to finish. Would you like to wait in the waiting room, or leave and then return?" asked Mr. Thompson.
"We have time to wait." said Ivan checking his watch.
"Good. I shall inform you when it is ready" said Mr. Thompson and Aaron and Ivan went to the waiting room.
Aaron and Ivan returned to the waiting room to find Annette sitting on a sofa with a steaming cup of tea, the young Asian woman standing beside her like some sort of guard.The Asian girl smiled warmly at Aaron and Ivan.
"Good day gentlemen. I'm Mei Ling, Mr. Thompson's assistant" she introduced herself with a slight bow.
"Hello, Ms. Ling" said Aaron in his usual clipped voice while Ivan inclined his head politely.
"You know. I don't appreciate you two acting like I'm not even here!" snapped Annette.
"Now dear, Aaron and I just got a little carried away. We didn't mean to ignore you" said Ivan trying to placate Annette.
Annette however, seemed to be past placating. "Black leather Aaron? Really? And just what do you think you are doing Ivan? I think you are being far too indulgent" she snarled.
"I don't see anything out of the ordinary, people besides bikers wear leather jackets these days" said Ivan defensively while Annette glowered at him.
"Don't you think a formal leather suit is odd Ivan? And aren't you worried about how Aaron seems to be drawn to some bizarre things in bizarre ways? First it was women in high heels, then it was that school uniform of his and now this fixation with leather. Where are these things coming from?" she asked, her frustration boiling over.
"Mr. and Mrs. Zakhrov, it is uncivil to argue like this in front of your son" interjected Mei Ling coldly, halting their argument.
Ivan flushed. "My apologies Ms. Ling. Annette, can I speak with you outside? Aaron, stay here with Ms. Ling" he said before hauling a protesting Annette to her feet and steering her out of the shop.
Mei Ling turned to Aaron who had been sitting and quietly watching his parents argue about him. "Would you like some tea Young Master Aaron?" she asked him politely.
Aaron trained his cold and calculating gaze on her. "Yes please Ms. Ling" he said in his usual clipped voice as Mei Ling poured him a cup.
Aaron, took a few sips from the cup of hot tea. "Why did you address me as Young Master Aaron, Ms. Ling?" he asked quietly.
Mei Ling sat next to him and smiled at him. "Let me answer your question with a question. Why do you like trying to make people scared of you by hiding your emotions and speaking in that cold, clipped fashion?" she asked him.
Aaron shrugged. "It feels good, and I feel I have better control over myself and my surroundings" he answered.
Mei Ling nodded. "Yes, and some people can sense that from you and automatically feel like they need to be a little more formal and respectful to you. Other people, like your mother for instance, get scared and angry when they sense that" she explained.
"I see." said Aaron thoughtfully. "In which case I need to make those other people more scared than angry" he observed.
Mei Ling suppressed a shudder at the cold and detached way Aaron came to that conclusion. "However you must be careful. Such actions can hurt people badly, especially those you care about." she warned him.
Aaron looked at her with his cold and calculating eyes. "Thank you Ms. Ling, I'll keep that in mind" he said.
In the store's parking lot, Ivan hugged a sobbing Annette. "I just want him to be normal!" wailed Annette into Ivan's chest.
"He _is_ normal. He just has some odd tastes and odd preferences that he'll likely grow out of Annette. Don't worry" said Ivan soothingly.
Annette's sobs slowly subsided, and she regained her composure.
"I suppose you are right. But I am still worried about his odd fascinations and his cold demeanor" she said as she dried her eyes with a box of tissues Ivan held out for her.
"Well relax a little. It's his 13th birthday. Please, let's celebrate it and not make Aaron feel like an oddball" Ivan urged.
"Alright" Annette sighed as they made their way back to the shop.
Annette and Ivan entered the shop waiting room to find a giggling Mei Ling sitting next to Aaron. "My goodness! That must have been quite a unique experience. This Kate person sounds quite intriguing" she laughed.
"What's going on?" asked Annette. "Young Master Aaron here was just telling me about his experience in a shoe shop. I must say it was quite illuminating and amusing" said Mei Ling.
Annette pursed her lips remembering that particular incident. It had not been amusing in the least, but remembering her promise to Ivan, kept quiet.
Mei Ling, sensing Annette's discomfort changed the subject. "So what drew you to black leather Young Master Aaron?" she asked him.
Aaron thought carefully for a moment before speaking. "The texture, smell and look seemed to exude a power that I cannot explain" he observed in his cold and calculated demeanor.
Confusion furrowed Annette's brow. She had never thought of fabrics that way, as long as they were durable and comfortable, she didn't care what her clothes were made of.
Mei Ling on the other hand, nodded sagely. "Leather has had connotations of wealth, power and dominance across many cultures. I'm surprised you picked up on it so intuitively." she observed.
"Why is that?" asked Ivan."I suppose it is due to the fact that you need to kill an animal to obtain it. It's also durable and versatile, yet expensive and takes skill to work with" said Mei Ling.
At this point, Mr. Thompson entered the waiting room. "Come along, young master Aaron, the suit is ready for final alterations" he announced.
Aaron closed his eyes, took several deep breaths and opened them as he ran his hands over the soft black leather of his new suit.The suit was tailored to fit him perfectly. The blazer accentuated his broadening shoulders, tapered his narrow waist and added length to his upper body.The black leather pants were slightly wide to accommodate the black leather ankle boots, the black satin shirt and black silk tie finished off the look, giving him a sharp monochrome silhouette. Mr. Thompson offered him a small tube of hair gel, and he slicked his thick black hair backwards.As he stepped off the raised platform of the fitting room, he felt a strange sense of power and belonging wash over him. The heady scent of the leather, the sound of it creaking as he moved combined with the clicking of the boots he wore, filled him with an energy and confidence that even his uniform couldn't hope to match.
Ivan let out a low whistle as he saw Aaron approach. "Damn son, you look good! I was skeptical at first, but damn!" he said in awe.
Mei Ling looked Aaron up and down appreciatively. "You look very handsome, young master Aaron" she complimented him, blushing slightly.
Aaron turned his cold gaze towards Annette, who stared right back at him. "Something wrong Mother?" he asked coldly.
Ivan looked at Annette in concern. Her expression was not of pride or admiration, it was of acute fear. She surveyed Aaron's black leather clad form and felt a chill of fear run through her. If he looked intimidating in the black blazer, pants and Oxfords of his school uniform, this black leather suit, black satin shirt and plain black tie made him look downright dangerous!
Forcing herself to remain calm, she gave him an unconvincing smile. "I-I think it looks good on you" she said quietly averting her eyes from him.
Aaron, for the first time, didn't feel the surge of pleasure at scaring and intimidating someone. He realized that this was the warning that Mei Ling had talked about.He turned towards Ivan. "Father, the passes you got for the play admit two people each right?" he asked.
"Well yes" replied Ivan unsure of where this was going and worried about Annette's reaction to Aaron. He had seen the fear in her eyes as well.
Aaron turned towards Mei Ling. "Ms. Ling, This may seem forward of me, but would you like to join us for the play and dinner afterward?" he asked her.
Mei Ling blushed and giggled "I would love to" she said.
"Mr. Thompson, is that alright with you?" asked Aaron."Oh it's fine by me. Off you go and get changed Mei, remember it's a black tie affair" chuckled Mr. Thompson as Mei Ling hurried to the back of the shop.
"Master Aaron, could you wait in the fitting room while I speak with your parents in private for a minute?" asked Mr. Thompson.Aaron nodded and left for the fitting room.
"What's wrong Annette?" asked Ivan in concern, his arm around Annette. He had been shocked by the fear in her eyes at the sight of Aaron. Without Aaron's presence, Annette's fear subsided, replaced by guilt and shame. "I don't know what came over me. I just felt he looked dangerous" she said holding back tears.Ivan squeezed her shoulders in reassurance. "He may have looked intimidating, but he's still our Aaron. You don't have to be scared of him" he said soothingly."Aaron's Stoic demeanor doesn't show it, but he's a very sensitive and perceptive boy. He could see that you were distressed, and his offer to Mei Ling was partly for her to keep you company Mrs. Zakhrov" said Mr. Thompson.
"And here I thought that Aaron had actually asked a girl on a date" grumbled Ivan.
"Oh he did. This is just a bonus" chuckled Mr. Thompson breaking the tension and causing both Annette and Ivan to laugh.
Aaron was still waiting in the fitting room when Mei Ling emerged from the tailoring room in the back of the shop. She was dressed in a black leather mid-thigh-length sleeveless dress with a mandarin collar, black leather over-the-knee boots with pointed toes and sharp, metal stiletto heels covered her legs and feet and black leather elbow length gloves covered her arms. Her silky black hair was done in a Chinese bun with two metal pins holding it up. Long silver earrings adorned her ears and she had changed her simple nude makeup to a more bold and sensual look, with black eyeliner and deep red lipstick. Aaron felt a strange feeling when he saw her. He forced that feeling down and schooled his face back to its Stoic expression. "You look beautiful Ms. Ling" he told her in his clipped tone.
Mei Ling had noticed his attraction and felt a new admiration for his self-discipline and self-control as he fought it down and regained his Stoic expression. "Shall we go?" she asked him. He offered her his hand, and she gently guided him to link his arm in hers. Together the set-off for the waiting room.
Ivan noticed Aaron and Mei Ling first. "Wow" he gasped, bringing Annette's and Mr. Thompson's attention to them.
Despite the high heels of the boots, Mei Ling was only a head taller than Aaron, their outfits perfectly complimented each other, giving them a bold, striking and elegant look.
Mr. Thompson pulled out his phone and snapped a picture of Aaron and Mei Ling. "They make quite the couple" remarked Mr. Thompson.
"Indeed" agreed Ivan, snapping a picture of them as well.
Annette was still conflicted. Mei Ling smiling warmly at Aaron's side, softened the intimidation he had exuded earlier, but both of them radiated a strange power that she didn't like. However, she smiled and made an effort to keep her wits about her. "You look beautiful Mei Ling. And Aaron, you look handsome as well" she said.
"Alright, let's be off" said Ivan, and linking his arm with Annette's he led them out of the shop.
"I call shotgun Father, Mother can ride in the back with Ms. Ling" said Aaron as they walked towards the parked BMW M5.
A fresh shudder went down Annette's spine at Aaron's commanding tone. Ivan suppressed a twinge of irritation as he felt Annette shudder, "_he is our son! She shouldn't be feeling this scared of a black leather suit!_" He thought to himself.
Aaron opened the rear door for Mei Ling and helped her inside the car. He offered his arm to Annette, but she scurried to the other side, opened the other door and got in herself.
Ivan, watched Annette avoid Aaron with growing frustration. A wicked idea suddenly occurred to him. "Aaron, you drive" he said tossing the keys to Aaron.
Aaron caught them and raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure Father? We will be on the highway and might get pulled over" he asked.
"I trust your skills. It's about time your mother did as well" said Ivan grimly as he opened the front passenger door. Aaron nodded and got into the driver's seat.
Annette froze in horror as Ivan got into the front passenger seat and Aaron got into the driver's seat. "_What the hell is Ivan thinking?!_" She screamed to herself.
Mei Ling, squeezed Annette's hand in reassurance. "Trust your husband and trust your son" she whispered.
Trembling, Annette reached for her seatbelt and fastened it. Her knuckles were white as she gripped the seatbelt and the door handle tightly.
Aaron started the car, its V8 engine rumbling to life. He engaged the reverse gear and cautiously pulled out of the parking lot an onto the street, hazard indicators flashing as he did so. Once on the street, he engaged the drive gear and slowly started driving forward, ensuring that he kept a slow and steady pace. Ivan watched Annette slowly recover through the rearview mirror.
"Master Aaron is driving extremely well!" marveled Mei Ling as Aaron smoothly merged onto the slow lane of the highway"Well at least _somebody_ noticed" grumbled Ivan from the front passenger seat, glaring at Annette through the rearview mirror.
Annette looked away from Ivan's gaze and out of the window, her fear had now been replaced by resentment. She hated that Mei Ling could easily submit to Aaron's new presence, she wasn't an authority figure in his life. How was she supposed to maintain her authority over Aaron when his Stoic demeanor and new-found assertiveness openly challenged it?
Ivan noticed the change in Annette's attitude and did not like it. He decided to switch things up again. "Do you like fast cars Ms. Ling?" he asked Mei Ling.
"Well yes, I suppose" said Mei Ling, wondering what Ivan was up to.
"I see, and what do you like about them?" asked Ivan, silently praying that Mei Ling would say something akin to "going fast".
"Well I do like the speed and power they possess, and the sound they give when you rev their engines" said Mei Ling, answering Ivan's prayer.
Keeping a tight control on his excitement, Ivan glanced at his watch. "Aaron, we'll not make it on time at this speed. Step on it" he said.
"Are you sure Father? You know Mother doesn't like it. I'm at 45 mph already" said Aaron.
"Son, right now your date is the most important person here. I'll take full responsibility for your mom. You heard Mei Ling, she likes fast cars. Step on it" said Ivan.
"Don't you dare Aaron Zakhrov!" shouted Annette from the back seat. She silently cursed Ivan, Mei Ling and the BMW M5.
"Sorry Mother, but Father is right. We have to make it in time." said Aaron, giving her a predatory grin as he turned on the turn signal to change lanes.
"Aaron, please!" said Annette, fear creeping back into her.Aaron increased pressure on the throttle. The car's powerful turbocharged V8 engine roared in response and the BMW M5 shot forward at a rapid pace, accelerating from 45 mph to 95 mph within seconds.
Annette shut her eyes and whimpered as the car accelerated while Mei Ling squealed in excitement. "Bravo Master Aaron. You have excellent control!" she exclaimed excitedly as the acceleration stopped and Aaron maintained a steady 95 mph, well within the highway's 115 mph speed limit.
Annette breathed a big sigh of relief as Aaron pulled into the theater parking lot. Her anger with Ivan had started to simmer again. However, Mei Ling's enthusiasm quickly dampened it. "You are an excellent driver Master Aaron" she praised, her face glowing as he helped her out of the car.
Annette grudgingly took Ivan's offered hand. "I hate you right now." she growled at him in a low voice.
"Hate me all you want. You needed to learn to have some faith in Aaron" Ivan growled back at her.
Ivan handed a pass to Aaron and the four of them ascended the sweeping steps of the theater hall.
A big, beefy African-American security guard in a crisp black suit with an earpiece in his ear stopped them at the imposing doors. "The dress code is black tie, the young lady and gentleman here can go in, but you need to change Madam, and you need to wear a jacket sir" he rumbled in a deep baritone at Ivan and Annette, indicating a smaller set of doors marked as 'cloak room'.
Annette who firmly refused to subscribe to the idea of dress codes, was about to unload her frustration on the security guard, but Ivan's warning hand gripping her forearm stopped her from making a scene. She gave the security guard a withering look as Ivan firmly led her to the cloak room.
"I don't have a dress!" Annette snarled in a low voice as Ivan pulled her towards the cloak room.
"I anticipated this eventuality and took the liberty of packing you a dress and shoes" said Ivan coldly as he pushed open the cloak room doors and steered Annette inside. Seething, Annette grabbed the bag from him and stalked off to the women's changing room.
Inside the changing room, she opened the bag to find a shimmering black cocktail dress, along with a bag of lingerie, and strappy flat sandals. She growled in frustration, pulled off her comfortable sweater and jeans, and took stock of the lingerie Ivan had packed her.
It was obvious that Ivan had done the shopping himself, as the black front-closing, underwired strapless bra, lacy black panties and sheer black pantyhose were items she didn't have and would have never picked up herself. With a look of disgust, she stuffed the bra and panties back into the bag. Sitting down on a stool, she pulled on the pantyhose, but due to her unfamiliarity with it, the sheer material ripped, and her feet stuck through the upper part of the pantyhose. Ripping the ruined pantyhose off herself in disgust, she quickly stood and changed into the dress and sandals that Ivan had packed for her.She looked at her reflection in the changing room's mirror with loathing. The straps of her simple black cotton bra were clearly visible under the thin spaghetti straps of the dress, the figure-hugging skirt of the dress came only up to mid-thigh, and did nothing to conceal the thick lines of her cotton panties. Fresh anger and loathing towards Ivan bubbled up within her.
"_This is not the man I fell in love with and married! How dare he try to turn me into his dress-up doll! Well. He will have to bear the consequences of forcing me into a dress that I hate! Let's see how he reacts to me showing up with my bra-straps and panty-lines exposed like the shameless hussy he wants me to be!_" Thought Annette furiously to herself. Packing her jeans, sweater, and sneakers into the bag, she stalked out of the changing room.
Ivan was adjusting the cuff-links on his tuxedo when Annette stalked out of the women's changing room. "I packed you appropriate lingerie, and I packed you a battery powered shaver as well, it is in the front pocket of the bag" said Ivan, surveying Annette's frumpy appearance, and hairy armpits in the cloak room mirror.
"We don't have time for that!" growled Annette.
"We have 30 minutes, take it or leave it" said Ivan.
"Just how far ahead did you plan this?" snapped Annette.
"Far enough to compensate for your stubbornness, now are you going to properly dress and groom yourself? Or are you going to embarrass our son on his 13th birthday?" asked Ivan, clearly near the limit of his patience with her.
Seething again, Annette ripped open the front pocket of the bag, pulled out the shaver and stalked back into the women's changing room.
Aaron and Mei Ling entered the cavernous theater entrance hall. There were a few well-dressed people mingling around and socializing in quiet voices as they slowly navigated their way to the box that Ivan had booked for them.
They entered the box to find another couple there, who looked around as they entered.
"Cousin Mei? Mr. Zakhrov?" exclaimed the man in surprise, while the woman smiled and waved.
Recognition flashed in Aaron's eyes. "Ms. Kate? Father Abel? You look very different without your cassock" he responded in his clipped voice.
Father Abel chuckled, he was dressed in an expensive-looking sharp black suit, with a black cleric shirt and a small golden Society of Jesus pendant pinned to his suit lapel being the only indications of his profession as a priest. He stood up to shake hands with Aaron. "I see you've met my cousin. And I believe you already know my college classmate Kate Summers" he said as Kate smiled warmly at him. "It's good to see you again young master Aaron" she said as she shook his hand.
"Likewise Ms. Kate." said Aaron.
"What brings you here Mei?" asked Father Abel as Aaron and Mei Ling took their seats.
"Young master Aaron was kind enough to ask me to be his escort for the evening" said Mei Ling.
"It's my 13th birthday. Father took me to Mr. Thompson's shop to get me fitted for a suit before coming here" explained Aaron.
Father Abel raised his eyebrows. "I see! Happy birthday, Aaron" he said."Thank you, Father Abel" replied Aaron.
Father Abel observed Aaron out of the corner of his eye, Aaron's new black leather suit gave him an air of command that he had never seen before. He now understood why Ivan and Annette were worried, Aaron exuded a natural dominance and a hint of danger in this black leather getup.
Kate and Mei Ling sat on either side of Aaron. Kate on his left, and Mei Ling on his right. They each clasped one of his hands.
Father Abel watched the three of them with amusement and newfound admiration for Aaron's self-control. Another boy, or even a fully grown man would have been reduced to an inarticulate mess with the dazzling display of beauty and charm that Kate and Mei Ling displayed.
Kate and Mel Ling seemed to be having a competition of sorts over Aaron, they seemed to be trying to get him to admit his attraction to them. Father Abel chuckled as Aaron firmly and stoically maintained that they were both beautiful in their own way.
Finally, Aaron grew tired of their teasing him, he stood up and faced the both of them. "This is getting tedious. Be quiet and wait patiently for the play to start" he commanded them sternly. Kate and Mei Ling blushed and looked at the floor. "Yes sir" they answered meekly, much to Father Abel's amusement. He leaned over and whispered to Kate. "Was he really that good at projecting authority? Or were the two of you just humoring him?" he asked her taking care that Aaron couldn't hear.
"He was that good." Kate whispered back, the effect of Aaron's command evident in her blush."He's only 13! Get a grip!" whispered Father Abel furiously at Kate. She took a deep, calming breath and nodded in contrition.
Just as the curtain was about to rise, the door to the box opened, and Ivan entered with a sulking Annette on his arm.
Aaron looked at his mother coldly, she looked very uncomfortable and out of place, sitting next to Ivan in his best tuxedo. Her shimmering black cocktail dress while beautiful, was marred by the protruding lines caused by her cotton underwear and the tufts of body hair she had failed to shave off in her haste and unfamiliarity with the pocket shaver.
The curtain rose and the play began. It was a symphonic power metal adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's _Phantom of the Opera_ with a Norwegian symphonic power metal band collaborating with a Broadway orchestra and theater group.
Aaron watched the play with rapt attention, the symphonic power metal music and the deep, gravelly voice of the actor playing the Phantom resonating deep within him. He now knew what kind of image and voice he wanted to project.
During the intermission, Kate and Mei Ling quickly took charge of Annette, hauling her reluctant, partially shaved form off to the ladies' room.
Aaron, sensing that Father Abel wanted to speak to Ivan privately, excused himself as well, exiting the box to buy a soda. As soon as they were alone, Father Abel turned to speak with Ivan."You and Aaron seem to be getting along quite well. I heard you even let him drive?" he asked Ivan."Well, I'm doing what I think I can to help him socialize" said Ivan cautiously. He felt that these new experiences were a net positive for Aaron, but still felt a little doubtful, and was grateful that he ran into Father Abel.
"It appears to have some positive effects. Aaron seems to be opening up and has gained more confidence in his interactions with women" observed Father Abel. "However, I feel it is coming at a cost to Annette. You are pushing her well past her comfort zone" he cautioned.Ivan nodded. "I know Father, but she is a little too rigid with Aaron. She has started to view his preferences and choices as odd, and potentially problematic. While I find them unusual myself, it does seem to work for him" sighed Ivan.
"I would also venture that Annette holds different views from Kate and Mei Ling. She believes that they are a bad influence on Aaron" said Father Abel.
"That's complete nonsense! Mei Ling is a beautiful and intelligent woman and so is Kate! I'm sure your cousin and your friend from college would never be a bad influence" said Ivan.
"You and I know that Ivan, but Annette feels that they are encouraging Aaron to adopt a more dominant persona around women and that is not something she wants Aaron to cultivate" said Father Abel seriously.
"So you're saying she feels Kate and Mei Ling's encouraging Aaron to be more assertive is harmful" sighed Ivan.
Father Abel shook his head. "I'm afraid it is more complicated than that. Assertiveness is essential to prevent you from being taken advantage of. However, Aaron also has a strong desire for controlling his environment. Right now, he is practicing control over himself. Before you arrived, both Mei Ling and Kate attempted to tease him and get him to choose which of them he found more attractive, his ability to control his adolescent impulses was almost inhuman. When he reached the limit of his patience, he stood up and commanded them to stop, and they meekly obeyed. His command seemed to have a profound effect on at least Kate. I couldn't ask Mei's thoughts" he said worriedly.
Ivan scowled at Father Abel. "What are you trying to tell me? That Aaron is not attracted to women but just wants to control them?" he demanded.
Father Abel sighed. "Aaron is definitely attracted to both of them. However, he refused to get caught up in their teasing game. Which means that he values control in a relationship. In moderation, this can be a good thing, but it can be dangerous and harmful to both Aaron and whoever he is with if it goes too far" he explained, as Aaron returned to the box with a tray of sodas.
Ivan mulled over Father Abel's discussion with him as he sipped his soda. Annette's disapproval of Kate and Mei Ling was bewildering. They were both attractive and intelligent young women. Ivan was at a loss over why Annette didn't like them.Annette, Kate and Mei Ling returned just before the warning bell that signaled the end of the intermission rang. Annette's bare arms and legs were now hairless, and she looked much more presentable, albeit still uncomfortable in the sexy, shimmering black cocktail dress. She sat down in a huff next to Ivan, shooting venomous glances at Kate and Mei Ling as they took their seats flanking Aaron.
Ivan observed Kate, Mei Ling and Aaron as the play resumed. Kate and Mei Ling tried to engage Aaron in conversation, but he firmly commanded them to keep quiet and enjoy the play. Despite his firm and somewhat authoritative response to them, they seemed happy to hang on his arms and rest their heads on his shoulders. Ivan smiled at the warm affection Aaron was receiving from them and refocused on the excellent performance of the play, glad that Aaron was enjoying the pure and powerful fusion of sounds brought about by mixing powerful electric guitars with classic organ and orchestral accompaniments.
Annette was not having a good day. First, Ivan let Aaron drive despite him being only 13, and allowed him to accelerate on the highway no less!
Second, the muscle-bound security guard at the theater door ordered her to either wear a dress or scram. What kind of theater was this that enforced such sexist and archaic practices as dress codes?
Third, Ivan seemed to have carefully planned this without consulting her or considering her feelings. He _knew_ that she hated dress codes and skimpy dresses!
Fourth, Mei Ling and Kate, had simply grabbed her, hauled her to the ladies' room and proceeded to 'fix' her appearance! Her pleas and protests were ignored by the two younger women who were determined to make her 'presentable'!
Finally, this _play_ seemed more like a cacophony of noise with the male lead actor very fond of slipping into a horrible gravelly growl that was barely intelligible. The way that Kate and Mei Ling clung to Aaron, made her even more furious. They made Aaron look even more villainous and misogynistic with them hanging like trophies on him. Why would two fully grown women put themselves in such positions?! With a firm sulk, Annette waited with folded arms for this ordeal to end.
Mei Ling shot Annette's sulking form a look of pure disdain.Contrary to the stereotype peddled by Hollywood, men's involvement in women's fashion was not the domain of effeminate, homosexual cross-dressing men. In fact, the choices Ivan had made: Shimmering black cocktail dress, sleek black strapless bra, lacy black panties, sheer black pantyhose and strappy flat sandals. Spoke volumes on both his knowledge of feminine clothing, and his precision in picking sizes. The ensemble was not just sexy and occasion-appropriate, but also sized perfectly for Annette, maximizing both style and comfort. In a world where men were increasingly ignorant and hands-off on women's clothing - save perhaps for cross-dressing - Ivan's choices were a breath of fresh air, and men like Ivan were an increasingly dying breed. Something Annette seemed oblivious to, in her rigid and narrow views on feminism and femininity.
With an internal sigh at Annette's sulk, Mei Ling refocused on the play. The symphonic power metal adaptation of _Phantom of the Opera_ was a masterpiece of sound and fury, and she was glad to be able to enjoy it with Aaron and Kate.
Father Abel kept an eye on Aaron as the play reached its climax.He was relieved to see that the power of the music and songs had broken through Aaron's Stoic mask, and that he had an expression of genuine excitement and pure pleasure as the action and music ramped up.The play ended with a standing ovation and Aaron stood up and politely applauded, his iron-willed discipline at work again, adjusting his happy and excited expression back to one of Stoic neutrality.
"We have a reservation at the Eminence restaurant. Would you and Ms. Kate like to join us Father Abel?" asked Ivan.
"We would love to!" said Kate before Father Abel could intervene, and clung to Aaron's left arm while Mei Ling held onto his right.
"Alright you five go ahead, I shall join you at the restaurant" chuckled Father Abel as he picked up a motorcycle helmet and a pair of bags from the security desk.
"What motorcycle do you drive Father?" asked Ivan, impressed at the high quality of Father Abel's helmet. He gently pried the bags from Father Abel's hands, silently insisting he stow them in the car and spare Father Abel the inconvenience of carrying them on a motorcycle.
"A Ninja" said Father Abel as they exited the door and made their way to the parking lot.
Ivan whistled in amazement. "Well, alright Father, we'll meet you at the restaurant" he said as Father Abel waved and went to the motorcycle parking area.
"How was your experience riding on the back of Fr. Abel's beast Kate?" asked Mei Ling as they approached the BMW M5.
"It was quite exhilarating Mei. Have you ridden on it?" asked Kate.
"I was 17 when Fr. Abel bought that thing. I don't think I have ever held on to anyone else so tightly than when I sat behind him for the first time on that motorcycle" giggled Mei Ling.
"Perhaps, I should learn to ride one" said Aaron thoughtfully as Ivan unlocked the BMW M5.
"Absolutely not!" snapped Annette, pulling the rear left passenger door open and getting inside. Giggling, Kate and Mei Ling got in after her.
Annette breathed a sigh of relief as Ivan sat in the driver seat. "Everyone comfortable back there?" he asked looking at Annette, Kate and Mei Ling through the rearview mirror.
"Yes" said Kate who was in the middle.
Ivan started the car, its engine rumbling to life, and smoothly pulled out of the parking lot.
Aaron sat in the front passenger seat, quietly contemplating his feelings.He had been feeling a strange mixture of emotions towards his mother as the evening had progressed.
First was confusion and embarrassment. Ivan had clearly told them both that both the theater and the restaurant they were going to now had a black-tie dress code, yet Annette had stubbornly refused to adhere to it, and had almost made a scene when the security guard denied her entry. Why would she embarrass herself and him like that?
Next was amusement and pity. When Annette finally arrived at the box, she was wearing a shimmering black cocktail dress. The dress was beautiful and fit her perfectly, yet she seemed uncomfortable in it, and she had not properly shaved her arm and leg hair. Compared to Kate and Mei Ling's immaculate presentations and smooth, flawless, hairless skin, Annette appeared uncivilized and crude. Why?
Finally, there was annoyance, anger and contempt. He was annoyed that she was being so stubborn about things, angry that she hadn't even thanked Kate and Mei Ling for helping her get rid of her unseemly body hair and contemptuous that even after all that, she had the gall to tell him that he couldn't learn to ride a motorcycle.
Aaron and the others had just disembarked from the BMW M5 when Father Abel pulled into the parking lot on his Ninja 1000SX, its inline 4-cylinder engine making a formidable growl.
"An impressive machine, Father Abel" complimented Ivan.
Father Abel nodded in thanks and the six of them ascended the steps to the Eminence restaurant.
A smiling waitress in a uniform consisting of a plain black knee-length dress and black pantyhose showed them to a table laid for six.
Aaron sat on one side with Kate and Mei Ling flanking him. Ivan chuckled in amusement at how possessively they held on to him and wondered if that was one of the reasons for Annette's sulk as he sat on the other side, flanked by a sulking Annette on his left, and an amused Father Abel on his right.
"Would you like to order your drinks?" asked the waitress politely. Aaron, Ivan and Father Abel all ordered just water citing age and needing to drive respectively, Kate and Mei Ling ordered vodka martinis and Annette hoarsely demanded champagne.
Ivan tried to put his arm around Annette to comfort her, but she angrily swatted it away "Don't touch me!" she whispered fiercely to him.
Ivan sighed and addressed Aaron. "How did you like the play?" he asked.
"I quite enjoyed it Father, it was a most engaging and illuminating performance" said Aaron his excitement for the play showing a little through his Stoic countenance. Ivan smiled in relief and triumph. He had finally gotten Aaron to open up more.
The waitress returned with a small cart laden with their drinks and a champagne bottle in an ice bucket. Before she could set the bucket on the table, Annette snatched the bottle, popped it open and took a massive swig, startling the waitress and almost toppling all the other drinks on the cart.
"Mother please! That was reckless!" snapped Aaron. He knew she was unhappy with how the evening had unfolded, but that was no excuse for her behavior.
"I will drink however I want to drink young man. Screw you and your newfound pretentiousness!" snarled Annette, and took another long drink from the bottle.
Aaron looked coldly at Annette, but she refused to meet his eyes and turned away from him.
"M-May I take your food orders now?" asked the waitress timidly, surprised by Annette's sudden behavior.
"Yes please miss. Pay no attention to that woman. I will have the porterhouse steak, medium well" said Aaron in his clipped and commanding tone.
His tone seemed to shock the waitress back into professionalism, and she quickly took the rest of their food orders.
Father Abel watched the scene unfold before him with growing worry. While Annette's sudden outburst was understandable, she had been put under a lot of stress by Ivan's plan, her transfer of blame from Ivan to Aaron was disturbing. Both Mei Ling and Kate were looking at Annette with cold contempt. Ivan was torn between guilt and anger.
"I think we should have a toast." said Father Abel, raising his glass and drawing attention to himself and way from Annette.
Ignoring Annette, Aaron and the others raised their glasses as well. "Mr. Aaron Zakhrov, you are a most interesting young man. I look forward to having you at St. Ignatius. Happy Birthday!" said Father Abel as everyone clinked their glasses. "Thank you, Father Abel" said Aaron giving him a smile of genuine gratitude.
"Would you do us the honor of leading the grace Father Abel?" asked Ivan as the waitress reappeared with their food.
Nodding solemnly, Father Abel made the sign of the cross and led them in prayer.
Dinner proceeded smoothly after that. Despite Ivan's pleas for her to eat something, Annette ignored the others and kept drinking her champagne, but otherwise didn't cause any more outbursts or scenes. Kate and Mei Ling bantered happily with Aaron about fashion and style, while taking turns to feed him - and get fed by him - bites from their meals.
Ivan and Father Abel shared their enthusiasm of performance vehicles, with Ivan recounting how he worked extra projects to acquire his BMW M5 and Father Abel telling Ivan how he worked as a construction worker to afford his Ninja before he joined college to study psychology. Dinner soon drew to a close, Father Abel, Kate and Mei Ling insisting that they each pay for their own orders. Ivan accepted it graciously and they proceeded outside.
Kate, who had changed into a black leather jacket, pants and boots for riding on the motorcycle with Father Abel hugged Mei Ling tightly. "I shall see you soon, Mei. It was wonderful to meet you" she said as she let go of her."It was nice to meet you too Kate" said Mei Ling. They both turned to Aaron."Happy birthday once again Master Aaron. I look forward to seeing you again" said Kate.
"Thank you for letting me be your escort for tonight Master Aaron" said Mei Ling.
With a swift, and almost practiced movement, both women kissed Aaron on the cheek, Kate on his left and Mei Ling on his right.The kisses caught him completely off guard, and he blinked in surprise.
Ivan chuckled as he saw them while supporting a semiconscious Annette, "Ah young love" he muttered to himself as Kate left with Father Abel on his Ninja.
Aaron recovered quickly and opened the rear passenger door for Mei Ling, giving Annette a cold look of disapproval.The drive back was very quiet.Aaron was contemplating again. His cheeks still tingled from where Kate and Mei Ling had kissed him. He had enjoyed their company and their somewhat submissive behavior towards him, their addressing of him as 'Master Aaron', and their obedience to his commands to enjoy the play in silence made him feel powerful and in control. He smiled wryly to himself, feeling that they were just humoring him, but he liked the feeling nonetheless, he also felt a powerful surge of dislike to his mother Annette which he had never felt before. Her behavior and unwillingness to follow instructions made him furious. He decided that if she couldn't follow reasonable instructions laid down by others, then he didn't need to submit to her authority even if she was his mother.
Mei Ling was conflicted. She felt a powerful pull of attraction towards Aaron, his cold demeanor and commanding presence sent shivers down her spine. While part of her realized that he was only 13, and she was 26, another part of her felt safe and secure when hanging on his arm.
"We are here Mei Ling" said Ivan from the driver's seat jolting her out of her revere. She composed herself with a deep breath.
"Thank you for everything Mr. Zakhrov" she said. She turned to Aaron to say goodbye, but he seized her chin with his right hand and kissed her cheek.The kiss sent a surge of electricity down her spine. She fought to stay in control. "Goodbye Ms. Ling. I had a lot of fun today" he whispered to her.
"G-Goodbye" she said weakly, getting out of the car and entering her apartment building in a daze.
Ivan watched Mei Ling's reaction in the rearview mirror with growing concern. Despite being a fully grown woman, Mei Ling was like putty in Aaron's hands. If he had this effect on women, he could be in trouble.