Content warnings for this story (click here for guide):
“Hunh?” Mindy was woken from her nap on the sofa by a sharp tap on her shoulder. Ben stood over her with folded arms and a stern expression.
“I take it you didn’t do the dishes like you said you would?” he asked.
“Uhh, no,” Mindy hung her head. “Sorry – I know it’s my turn but I forgot. And then I just sort of…”
“Did you sort out your doctor registration?”
Damnit, thought Mindy. “No, I meant to, but –“
Ben rolled his eyes. He looked around and took in the various socks, shirts and pairs of pants.
“You didn’t even take your clothes upstairs, Mindy. I’m happy for you to keep some stuff here, but this is meant to be my flat and your stuff is just strewn everywhere.”
“I can do it now – look, I’m sorry. I had a lot of reading to do for my course.”
“Reading?” Ben looked sceptical. “I don’t see any books, Mindy. Just your laptop, with –“
He peered at the screen before she could slam the lid.
“- a certain movie streaming service open. You fell asleep watching movies.”
Mindy opened her mouth to lie that she’d just taken a break, but the truth was, she had just been binging TV shows. She’d been feeling really demotivated of late, neglecting her studies and herself. She’d stay over at Bens, then wake up hours after he’d gone to work, eat breakfast and leave her plates on the floor, then open up her computer to watch some trash. Before she knew it, the clock would have whirled round and her boyfriend would be opening the door after a long day, only to be disappointed once again.
Ben paused in exasperation, then left the room, and Mindy berated herself for being such a bum. What would it take to wake her up? Honestly, she was going to lose him at this rate, and he really was a great guy.
A few minutes passed. Ben came back in with a box. Mindy remembered seeing it arrive a week or so previously; she’d assumed it was one of the many spare parts or gadgets he was always ordering.
Ben sat down with the box on his lap and crooked his finger.
“Come here, Mindy.”
“I’m really sorry, Ben. I’m useless. I don’t know what’s up with –“
“Shh,” he put a finger on her lips. “I’d like to try something new. Something you might find motivational.”
Mindy frowned. Ben didn’t look angry. He looked mischievous.
“I ordered a few things that might help encourage you to be more responsible,” he said, opening the box. He removed layers of pink tissue paper and a ‘Thank You for your custom” card with alphabet building blocks on it, then took out two padded cotton objects in pastel turquoise.
“What are those? Kink gear?” Mindy squinted.
“Sort of. Rather practical though.”
He held out the objects and Mindy examined them. They were like mittens, only they had no thumb sections and each mitt seemed shorter than a hand would be. They were squishy and cute but looked very strong, with a silver D-ring stitched onto each wrist. They buckled together with an odd sticky-out metal bit.
Before Mindy could stop him, Ben took her right hand and slipped it into one of the mitts. To fit inside the padded cotton, her fingers had to curl into an ineffective little fist – so this was why they looked so small! Ben buckled her snugly in and clicked a black magnetic lock onto the metal prong. Then he did the same to her other paw, so Mindy’s hands were rendered useless.
The mitts looked babyish and cute – not Mindy’s style at all.
“Very funny. Let me out now.”
“Why?” said Ben. “So you can mess around more on the internet? You’ve been behaving like a little girl, Mindy, so maybe the problem is I’m expecting you to be too grown-up. Maybe you don’t know how to take care of yourself or do chores because that’s big-girl stuff.”
“What?” Mindy was incredulous. “Why are you talking like that? Of course I know how to do all that stuff!”
“I’ve not seen much proof that you do,” grinned Ben. “While I’ve been going out to work, you’ve been sitting and playing all day like a toddler.”
“I –“ Mindy began, but he was right. She’d been doing next to nothing, just like a child.
Ben cupped her chin.
“Here’s how it’s going to work. You’re going to stay here for a week solid. I’ve booked time off and I know you have Reading Week at uni. The mitts will stay on all week –“
“What? But how will I -?”
“Eat and get things and open doors? You’ll ask very nicely, that’s how.”
“What, for EVERYTHING?” Mindy was suddenly realising she used her hands quite a lot.
“And I do mean VERY nicely,” said Ben wickedly. “No ‘Ben, get me this, Ben, get me that’. I’m not your servant. If you want food, drink, or for me to open the bathroom door for you, you’re going to say it like this.”
He handed her a piece of paper. Mindy scanned it and her mouth fell open.
“I can’t say this.”
“You’re going to have to, little one. Or you’ll find it very difficult to do very much. You’re going to be a very hungry, very thirsty little girl, and possibly very embarrassed.”
Mindy realised what he meant, and panicked. She tried pulling the mitts off, furiously rubbing her hands together. But they were diabolically well made and very strong; her curled hands couldn’t hope to grip anything. She tried opening her jeans belt but it was impossible. Swearing, she stormed over to the bathroom door and tried to turn the smooth round handle with her padded hands. It wouldn’t budge.
Ben dangled the magnet key from his finger.
“The sooner I see you’ve grown up a little, the sooner this can end. Let’s practise, shall we? Let’s say you want a snack. How do you ask?”
Mindy blushed. “Can I have a snack…um, please?”
Ben acted as if he couldn’t hear her.
Mindy growled and looked at her paper script. Oh God. Ughhh, fine.
“Please will you feed me, um…”
Ben lifted an eyebrow.
Mindy winced.
“…Daddy Ben?”
“Oh, that’s very nice,” said Ben, patting her on the head as she shot him an evil look. “And why do you want me to feed you, Little Mindy?”
Mindy groaned and looked at the next line.
“Because…because I’m just a little girl and can’t do it myself.”
“Aww, aren’t you adorable, Mindykins? Of course Daddy Ben will feed you since you asked so nicely.”
He buttered some toast and cut it up into little squares.
“You don’t need to rub it in,” hissed Mindy, blushing harder than ever.
“You’re lucky I’m not putting a bib on you and feeding you prunes from a jar,” Ben replied. Mindy shut her mouth and stared at the floor, mortified.
“Now then,” said Ben. “Let’s get you fed and then you can sit and study your script while I clear up. If I don’t hear the right words this week, I won’t help you. If you get sassy with me, I’ll be only too happy to put you over my knee and smack your bottom bright pink.”
“WHAT?“
“Ah, and no laptop – that’s off-limits while you’ve not got any essays due. Maybe I’ll read to you later. You’ve been up very late recently, so starting tonight, bedtime will be at 7pm. I’ll help you brush your teeth and go to the toilet.”
“But -!” Mindy complained, throwing up her turquoise mitts in frustration.
“- after all,” Ben continued. “You said it yourself. You’re just a little girl, and can’t do anything for yourself.”