Gloria Davidson was sitting in her bedroom wringing her hands in her lap and close to tears. Several strands of her dark brown hair had fallen from her stylish hairdo and were loosely hanging in front of her face. Which was unusual for the normally pristine and immaculately tidy woman. But caring about her appearance was the last thing on her mind right now. The pleasant evening she had planned for her and her husband Tom had turned into a complete disaster. She tried her absolute best to make the evening turn out perfectly for the two of them. But Tom's self centered attitude and abusive nature had ruined everything. Pleasing him was nearly impossible. Her mind wandered back to the day she met Tom in College. He was the most handsome and dashing man on campus. His 6 foot 2 inch 200 pound athletic body was simply gorgeous. She couldn't take her eyes off of him. His black wavy hair, deep blue eyes and chiseled manly features made her weak in the knees. And he was absolutely brilliant as well. She knew right away he was going to make his mark in this world. When she introduced herself to him and noticed he was very interested in her, she started making plans. Tom Davis was a perfect catch. She set her sights on him and zeroed in. After four wonderful years of dating in College they were married shortly after Graduation. Gloria was ecstatic.

Tom started his own Marketing Firm and it sky rocketed to success in only two years. He was President and CEO of one of the largest Marketing Firms in the country at the age of twenty four. Gloria was living a fairy tale life and couldn't be happier. But the long hours Tom put in and the stress of keeping his firm on top began to change him. He expected perfection from himself, his employees, and his wife. He never seemed to be satisfied anymore. No matter what she attempted to do he always found fault with her efforts and berated her for them. His constant mental abuse was beginning to make her doubt herself. And lately his abuse had turned physical. Like tonight. That's why Gloria was so upset. She started off the day with very high hopes. Gloria purchased a blue dress that fit her well shaped female body like a glove. The blue dress not only looked stunning on her it made her feel sexy and alive. The Beauty Salon was next on her list. The hair stylist did wonders with her dark brown hair. It was fashioned into a lovely style of cascading curls and full bodied waves that made her look like a princess. Before returning home she stopped at the butchers and vegetable market. A nice pot roast and fresh vegetables were perfect for the romantic candle light dinner she had planned. And the German chocolate cake she made from scratch was the finishing touch. It was Tom's favorite.

When Tom walked through the door she was proud of what she had accomplished. The table was set with their best china and dinnerware and it looked fabulous under the flickering light of the candles. Gloria was positively beautiful in her stunning blue dress and black heels. Combined with her stylish hairdo and the radiant glow on her lovely smiling face, it would be impossible for any man to resist her beauty. But Tom fixed himself a whiskey on the rocks and sat down at the Dinning room table without even looking in her direction. He didn't make any comment about how beautiful she was or how nice the table looked. But Gloria didn't let it bother her. Once he was fed and had a chance to relax everything would be fine. She thought to herself. Except it wasn't. He started complaining the minute she began serving and it continued throughout the meal. The pot roast was over cooked and tough to chew. The carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower were under cooked and still hard. The salad was nothing but wilted lettuce, the mashed potatoes were lumpy and the cake was dry and hard to swallow without a quart of liquid to wash it down. For the first time in their six years of marriage Gloria got angry. "I don't understand you Tom. I did everything in my power to make this a wonderful evening and you've done nothing but complain since you walked through the door. I'm tired of trying to please you and receiving nothing but insults for my efforts. Tell me what happened to the caring man I married? Because you are a stranger. And I don't know you at all."

Tom threw down his dinner napkin and knocked over his chair when he leaped to his feet. He charged over and grabbed Gloria by both arms and roughly shook her. "Don't you ever speak to me like that again. Do you hear me? I won't have it. If you weren't so incompetent I wouldn't be compelled to point out your failures. I provide a beautiful home and a very comfortable life style for you to enjoy. You should be grateful for the sacrifices I've made to ensure you have these fine luxuries. Now keep your mouth shut before you really make me angry." He threatened. But Gloria was already angry and not about to let it go without putting in her two cents worth. So she gave him a piece of her mind. "The sacrifices you've made? What about the things I've given up to make this marriage work? I have an Associates Degree in Business Administration. But instead of making a career for myself, I helped you entertain potential clients in our home for your Marketing Firm. I've stood by your side every step of the way so you could realise your dreams. But instead of giving me credit for helping you reach your goals, all I receive is criticism and grief." She told him adamantly. Tom had heard enough. "SLAP!" He slapped her hard across the face. "I warned you Gloria. I will not tolerate being talked to like that in my own home. Now get out of my sight before you make me regret I ever married you."

So Gloria stormed off to their bedroom completely upset while Tom went to the portable bar and fixed himself another drink. She sat on the side of the bed deep in thought. She dabbed the corners of her beautiful blue eyes with a tissue to remove the tears that were forming there. Crying wouldn't help the problem she was facing so she stopped herself from doing it. There had to be an answer for the miserable existence she was living but so far it had eluded her. Tom was getting more abusive each day and becoming impossible to live with. And keeping a tight reign on her temper was getting harder as time went by. But losing her temper would only give him another excuse to abuse her. She was totally lost for an answer to her dilemma. She finally decided to give up trying to solve her problem and go to bed. Gloria carefully removed her blue dress and hung it up in her closet. She placed her black heels in the shoe rack and slowly peeled off her stockings. Her favorite yellow satin slip she loved to sleep in was taken out of the drawer and slipped over her head. It hugged her shapely 5 foot 7 inch 118 pound feminine body like it was part of her skin. She fluffed up her pillow and crawled into bed. Normally she liked to read for about an hour before going to sleep. But tonight she was to upset. She turned out the light and closed her sad blue eyes. By the time Tom entered the bedroom she was sound asleep. He didn't disturb her.

Things sailed along fairly well the next few weeks. She did her best to avoid any confrontation with Tom so she wouldn't set him off. He was working long hours trying to convince an important client to sign with his firm so that helped quite a bit. They very seldom saw each other and were civil on the few occasions their paths crossed. He never had a kind word to say to her, but he wasn't abusive either. She went about her business keeping their home clean and spotless while he came and went without saying a word. She knew he was nervous and on edge trying to land the large account so she didn't pressure him. Then one night he came home early and sat her down for a long talk. "Listen very carefully Gloria. I'm on the verge of signing the most important client my firm has ever had. Every Marketing Firm across the country has been after William Briggs to sign with them. I can make more money marketing his products then I make from one quarter of the clients I have now. So nothing can go wrong. I've booked reservations for the four of us this Saturday night at the Ambrosia Fountain. It's the best restaurant this town has to offer." Gloria interrupted him. "Why take them to a restaurant Tom? It would be more intimate if we invited them to a formal dinner here in our home." She asked. "I told you Gloria. Nothing can go wrong. You would only serve one main course. And lately your meals leave something to be desired. The Fountain has a world class chef that knows his trade well. Mr. and Mrs. Briggs can choose whatever foods they like from the menu without being forced to eat one specific thing that may be inedible." He replied.

Tom kept talking and didn't notice the angry look she gave him for making that statement. "I need you to be the perfect hostess Gloria. Be witty and charming and speak intelligently. Engage Mrs. Briggs in conversation but for Christ sakes don't manipulate it. It should be easy for you. William Briggs is in his early fifty's and from what I understand his wife is about half his age. You're twenty eight, so I'm sure you'll be able to find some topics that interest you both. I want you to keep her distracted so her husband and I can discuss business." Each sentence coming out of his mouth made her more and more angry. The condescending asshole was speaking to her like she was a child. But she knew this account was very important to him so she let her anger pass. "Alright Tom. I'll do my best to keep her talking and out of your hair." "That's my girl. I knew I could count on you." He said with a slight smile. "What suit would you like to wear? I'll have it dry cleaned today along with my new blue dress so they will be available for Saturday night." She asked. "I believe I'll wear the grey suit. It fits me perfectly and I want to feel confident while I'm making my pitch." He answered. "But I forbid you to wear that blue dress. You look like a whore in that dress. Wear the black dinner gown I bought for you a few months ago. You're beautiful in it and it makes you look very sophisticated." Her anger nearly exploded when he made that remark. But she held it in check. It would serve no purpose to start a fight.

Tom used his firms limousine and driver to pick up Mr. and Mrs. Briggs at their hotel. The ride to the restaurant was a pleasant one. Gloria liked Bethany Briggs the second she met her. She was absolutely gorgeous in her red Tiffany gown that blended well with her strawberry blond hair and bright brown eyes. Every subject that Gloria brought up seemed to be something Bethany was very knowledgeable in. They had a great time chatting about gardening, charities, clothing, and other related topics that only women would care to discuss. The men talked without being interrupted and got to know each other a little better. Everything was working out perfectly. When they arrived at the restaurant they were escorted to their table. Tom had asked for and received a semi private room for the two couples to enjoy their meal and the men to discuss their business without interruptions. The large room had only four tables in it which were strategically placed so their patrons could enjoy moderate privacy. Dinner guests were seated at the other three tables carrying on conversations. But the room was large enough to keep them from being over heard by the other parties. Tom was very satisfied with the accommodations. The Maitre'd introduced their waiter to them and wandered off. The waiter took their drink orders and left to fill them. The two couples glanced over the menu and decided to wait a while before ordering. A few drinks and idle conversation before dinner seemed appropriate.

Tom gave William Briggs a chance to catch his breath and look over the decor of the room. He didn't want to appear to eager and perhaps scare the man off. Gloria was doing an excellent job keeping Mrs. Briggs entertained so he allowed himself to relax. When Briggs brought up the subject of business he was ready with his sales pitch. He dove right in to convince the man his firm was right for the job. After several minutes he began to get irritated. Mrs. Briggs kept interrupting to have her husband confirm something she said or ask him to tell a cute story for every one's amusement. It was impossible for Gloria to miss the angry looks her husband was giving her. But there was nothing she could do if the woman wanted to speak to her husband. When they were ready to order Tom was beside himself. He barely got a word in edge wise because Bethany Briggs was monopolizing the conversation and drawing her husband's attention towards her. While the waiter stood ready to take their orders, Tom snatched the menu from Gloria's hands. "I'll order for you sweetheart. You need to eat a light sensible meal and keep your calorie intake to a minimum. You know you can't be trusted to do that." Gloria knew he was punishing her for allowing Bethany Briggs to ruin his sales pitch. She didn't want to cause a scene in front of Bethany and William Briggs so she smiled and told him that was fine.

She didn't realise the extent of his anger towards her until he ordered her meal. When she heard him tell the waiter she would have the veal with twice baked potato, string beans, and spinach she knew he was really pissed. He was aware she didn't care much for veal and hated spinach. She tried it once when she was younger and nearly vomited from the taste. He was doing his level best to punish her for not keeping Bethany Briggs distracted. Her own anger began to rise. While they waited for their meal to arrive he started giving her subtle hints to tell Bethany certain stories that would hold her undivided attention for a long time. Stories she knew Bethany wouldn't care to hear. After chatting with her for an hour and a half she knew Bethany's interests. But Tom kept prodding her which only made her more angry. By the time their meal was placed in front of them Gloria was in a foul mood because of the way Tom was treating her. He was dumping the responsibility for the failed evening squarely on her shoulders. Then he began urging her to eat all of her food so she could keep her strength up. Making her eat foods he knew she didn't care for was another way to punish her. But he said it in a caring way so Mr. and Mrs. Briggs would think he was concerned about her health. The bastard was being cunning as well as cruel. He was really beginning to irritate her but she again decided to pacify him and not cause a scene. Gloria stared at the spinach and remembered the Popeye cartoons she used to watch when she was a child. It's to bad this stuff doesn't really give you super human strength like it did Popeye. She thought to herself. Because I would truly love to throttle Tom right now.

Gloria picked up her dinner fork and took a small bite of the spinach. It didn't taste near as bad as she remembered. She took a little bigger bite and was delighted to find out she rather liked it. Just as she speared a fork full her right arm started to tingle. Her skin felt like it was tightening up. Before she had much of a chance to think about it her left arm began tingling. It must be my imagination she said to herself as she put another bite of spinach in her mouth. But it wasn't. Her legs were now tingling and the skin was tightening up there as well. Something was definitely happening. Then all of a sudden the tingling sensation was spreading throughout her body. It felt so good she closed her blue eyes and let it consume her. When the sensation stopped she opened her eyes and looked at her fork in surprise. The handle of the fork was bent at a forty five degree angle. Without realising it she had effortlessly bent a stainless steel fork with her fingers. Gloria threw down her useless fork and grabbed her spoon. She scooped up a large quantity of the spinach and shoved it in her mouth. The tingling sensation immediately started again. She instinctively knew she was getting stronger. The size of her arms and legs didn't change but she could feel the power surging through them. And it felt incredible. She quickly ate the rest of the spinach as fast as she could. Watching her eat the spinach like she was starving Tom's quick thinking mind came up with a credible reason for her strange behavior. He had to put a stop to this.

"Slow down sweetheart. Have you been taking your medication?" He asked. Gloria looked at him like he was crazy. "What medication? What the hell are you talking about Tom?" "Why the medication your Doctor prescribed to help you curb your compulsive eating habits. You know what medication I'm referring to." He replied with imploring eyes. He wants me to go along with this farce and embarrass myself to save him. She said to herself. Well he can kiss my ass. "Stop it Tom. I'm not taking medication and you know it." She told him emphatically. Tom nervously looked at their guest before turning back to his wife. "Lower your tone of voice Gloria. Or I'll be forced to call you a taxi and send you home." He threatened. That was the last straw. "Make me." She challenged. "What did you say?" He asked surprisingly. "I said make me Tom. If you want me to lower my voice then make me." I don't think you're man enough to do it." She told him with a smile. Tom lost it. He forgot where they were at and who their guests were. He raised his right arm and tried to back hand her in the mouth. Gloria easily caught his wrist with her left hand and viciously twisted it. "AARRGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Tom screamed and leaned in her direction trying to ease the pain. She took the opportunity presented to her and punched him in the mouth. "SMACK!" Tom fell out of his chair and dropped to the floor. Gloria calmly stood up and removed her black high heels.

"You've had this beating coming to you for quite a while Mr. big shot. Now get your ass up so I can teach you some manners." Tom climbed to his feet. His faculties returned to him when he saw their guests sitting there in shock. "Control yourself Gloria. We'll finish this discussion when we get home. Now sit down." "SMACK!" Gloria's answer was a solid punch that broke his nose and deposited him back in the floor. "Keep your big mouth shut asshole. I'm tired of your condescending attitude and constant babble. I'm going to shove my fist down your throat and shut you up permanently. When I'm through whipping your ass you'll be taking orders from me. Now get up." The other people in the room were fascinated with what was going on. They remained glued to their seats and watched with anticipation. Tom quickly came to the conclusion the evening was a total disaster. William Briggs would never sign with his firm now. Not after the spectacle Gloria was causing. He decided to make her painfully pay for her treachery. At least he would have the satisfaction of putting her back in her place. Where or why she got the idea to challenge his authority and ruin his career he didn't know. But if she needed to be reminded who was the boss in their marriage then he was more then happy to oblige her. He leaped to his feet and went at her. To his surprise his mighty right and left were both snatched out of the air by her fast moving hands. He cringed at the unbelievable power she was using to crush his fists. Gloria smiled and raised her shapely right leg while she held his arms out wide.

"WHAM!" She drove her stocking covered foot in his stomach and sent him flying backwards. "SLAM!" Tom hit the floor hard and skidded three feet on his back. While he lie there clutching his stomach and moaning she placed her right foot on her chair. "I love these stockings and don't want to ruin them. So be a good little boy and lie still while I take them off." She raised the black gown up so she could get to the garter belt holding her stocking up. All the men in the room stared at her shapely leg as she slipped the garter belt off and rolled the stocking down to remove it. Then she repeated the process and gave them a generous look at her beautiful left leg. Gloria draped the stockings over the back of the chair and laid the garter belts on the table. She turned back to where Tom was lying and smiled. "That's much better. Let's continue your lesson in manners. Shall we?" Her bare feet seemed to glide over the expensive carpet as she strolled towards him. He managed to gain his feet just as she got there. "OK big boy. Lets see what you've got." She said smiling. Tom threw a straight right at her beautiful face. Gloria casually stepped to her left and grabbed his arm when he missed. Then she drove her right knee into his sore stomach with the power of a battering ram. "WHAM!" Tom groaned and collapsed to his knees like his legs had been cut out from under him. "You don't have much do you wimp?. This is going to be easier then I thought." She told him with a large grin. "SMACK!" Her hard left landed on his temple and dropped him back in the floor.

Gloria reached down and grabbed a hand full of his hair with her left hand. In one fluid motion she jerked him to his feet using only her left arm. Tom's hands automatically went to the back of his head to pry her fingers out of his hair. He left himself wide open. "THUD!..THUD!" She drilled him in his mid section with two solid rights. "UUGGHHHHHHHHHH!" Tom released her fingers and grabbed his painful stomach. "CRACK!" The uppercut snapped his head back and sent him back pedaling off balance towards the wall. His arms were windmilling trying to slow his pace, but it done him little good. "SLAM!" He hit the wall and crumpled to the floor on his face. Tom struggled to his hands and knees and shook his head to clear it. Just as the cob webs filtered out enough for him to see straight, his exposed face was met by a swinging bare foot. "WHAP!".."BAM!" His upper body flew back and banged his head hard against the wall. He slumped to the floor on his face again. As he lie there groggy and out of it, Gloria slipped her fingers under the back of his pants and got a good grip on his belt. She lifted him up and carried him like a suit case out to the middle of the floor where she would have more room. After dropping him she stepped around to stand over his head. Tom was moaning and not quite coherent yet. "Get up pansy ass. I'm not through showing you who's boss"

When Tom didn't move she nudged his head with her foot. "I'm getting impatient weakling. Do what I tell you before you really piss me off. You better learn to obey me without hesitation or you'll be in a world of pain. I have no qualms with abusing your worthless ass. Consider it payment for the bull shit and abuse I've put up with for the past year. It's your turn to always be afraid of making me angry and getting the shit beat out of you. Now get up." Tom made it to his hands and knees and slowly stood up. "Good boy. Now raise your puny arms and try to hit me. You're used to doing it so it should come natural to you. The only difference is I'm fighting back now. And I'm going to enjoy myself while I take you apart." Tom was sick and tired of hearing her mouth. His only thought was to shut her up. He was an athletic star in College who faced the opposition and beat them down. He wasn't satisfied until their will was bent to his and he owned them. Fear was something he never experienced. And he wasn't about to start now. Because of the easy life he led he had gained about fifteen extra pounds. So his athletic body wasn't as firm as it used to be. But he was still a formidable opponent. He should be able to prevail over any adversary. Especially a female that was barely half his size. A female who's mind he had controlled for six years and body he had physically abused for one. Taking her out should be a piece of cake.

Tom stood proud and tall with determination written all over his handsome face. He cranked up his muscular arms and fired sledge hammer punches with enormous power behind them. But to his dismay, Gloria was as slippery as a fox and quick as a striking cobra. She easily avoided his barrage of hard punches and attacked with venom. "SMACK!..SMACK!..SMACK!" Her female fists found their mark each time she threw a punch. "SMACK!..SMACK!..SMACK!..SMACK!..SMACK!" Tom's face quickly swelled like a balloon filled with air. He did his best to dodge her pile driving punches but it was utterly impossible. He simply couldn't get away from them. "THUD!..THUD!..THUD!..THUD!" He nearly threw up when she went back to pounding his sore stomach. His battered body hurt all over. Gloria was having more fun then a barrel of monkeys. Slipping his feeble attempts to hit her was so easy it was funny. And pounding his face to oblivion was even easier. She was reminded of the blow up punching bag her brother got one year for Christmas. When you punched it in it's rubber face it bounced off of the floor and came back up so you could hit it again. It was incapable of offering resistance or any type of defense. Just like Tom. Now she understood why her brother loved that toy so much. Beating it to a pulp without worry of being struck back made you feel invincible. And that's the way Gloria felt. She could crush steel with her bare hands if she needed to. And easily beat her pathetic husband senseless.

Tom wasn't a quitter. He hadn't landed a punch so far but giving up was out of the question. He sped up his attack in hopes of catching her with one devastating punch and ending this nightmare. But his courage began to wane when he saw Gloria was only playing with him. His six fierce shots were blocked or batted down like pesky insects. Then her hard female fists ripped him apart. "SMACK!..SMACK!..SMACK!" He staggered back and nearly fell. "You're not very good at this are you pussy. I can end this one sided affair anytime I want to. But I'm enjoying myself to much to end your suffering. So Putnem up big boy and lets continue." Tom decided to change tactics. He stepped forward and tried to kick her. Gloria calmly stepped to her right and grabbed his leg in mid air with her left arm. "That wasn't very nice of you wimp. A gentleman would never kick a lady. But you're nothing but a worthless asshole so I should have expected you to fight like a coward." While Tom was hopping around on one leg trying to maintain his balance, Gloria wrapped her right arm around his leg as well. Everyone in the room gasped in surprise when she lifted him up and began swinging him in circles by his leg. "AAAIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Tom was more afraid then he had ever been in his life. He couldn't focus his eyes on any one object in the room because it was spinning by so fast. He caught a glimpse of Gloria's smiling face and could tell his weight wasn't causing her any strain at all. She finally released him and he sailed through the air like a perfectly thrown Frisbee. "CRASH!" When he hit the floor it sounded like a car wreck. His body tumbled half way across the room before coming to a stop.

The waiter heard the commotion and burst through the door. His initial thought was the man had fallen down. Fear of losing his job flashed through his mind. A customer being injured while sitting in his serving area would go very bad for him. Especially if that customer decided to sue the restaurant. He rushed to his side and knelt down to see had badly he was hurt. When Gloria reached them he began to panic. Dealing with a distraught woman who was probably going to blame him for her husbands injury was not something he cared to deal with. He quickly told her to look after her husband while he called for help. Gloria grabbed the back of his collar when he turned to go and jerked him completely off of his feet. "SLAM!" He hit the floor hard. She planted her bare foot on his chest and pinned him to the floor. "Mind your own business and stay out of this little man. Or you'll be the next one I punish. Understand?" He was so frightened by the look in her eyes he could only nod his head yes. "Good boy." She reached down with her right hand and grabbed him by his shirt. In one smooth motion she lifted him up and held him dangling in the air with his feet just above the floor. "Go sit down in one of our vacant seats and keep your mouth shut. I don't want to be disturbed again. Is that clear?" He shook his head yes again. Gloria lowered him to the floor and turned loose of his shirt. He scurried to the chair like Demons were after him and sat down. She smiled and turned her attention back to her husband.

Tom was lying there barely conscious. There was numerous cuts, abrasions, and carpet burns all over his face and arms. Gloria hauled him to his feet like he was a feather. "SLAP!..SLAP!..SLAP!..SLAP!" "Wake up you big pussy. I have a list of rules to go over and I want your undivided attention." His eye lids slowly raised. When his vision cleared his eyes grew as big as saucers when he saw his wife's lovely face just inches from his own. The cold hard look in her beautiful blue eyes caused fear to spread over his trembling body. It covered him like a blanket and threatened to squeeze the life out of him. "Ahhh, there you are wimp. I'm glad you could join us. Now I need you to listen carefully so I don't have to go over these rules a second time. That would make me very angry. Which would be very painful for you." Tom was aching all over. He was sure he had at least three broken ribs if not more. And his upper shoulder hurt so bad he was certain his collar bone had slipped out of place. Not to mention the joints on his battered body that felt as if they were sprained. "Please Gloria I'm in a lot of pain. Stop this nonsense and call me an ambulance." "SMACK!" His left eye instantly began to swell. "I told you to listen you stupid son of a bitch." "SMACK!" His jaw was in a great deal of pain. "I'm in charge from now on you pathetic little sissy." "SMACK!" Both lips were split and bleeding. "You'll obey my rules without question or I'll beat you senseless until you learn." "SMACK!" The cartilage in his nose shattered to pieces. "Now keep your big mouth shut and pay attention so I don't have to repeat myself."

"SMACK!" Now his right eye was swollen. "You need my permission to talk and I never gave it." "SMACK!" Two teeth were knocked loose. "Asking for my permission is rule number one." "SMACK!" His left cheek bone swelled up and changed colors. "Rule number two. You will stop your infernal complaining and pay me the respect I deserve." "SMACK!" Now his right cheek was swollen. "Rule number three. No more criticism. You will constantly compliment me on how nice I look and how clean and spotless I keep our home." "SMACK!" His chin was badly bruised. "Rule number four. You will stop working late hours and spend more time with me so you can tend to my needs and desires." "SMACK!" A large bruise appeared on his fore head. "Rule number five. Your cocky attitude will change. I want the loving and caring husband I married back." "SMACK!" Her solid right landed on the bridge of his nose between his eyes and turned them both a deeper shade of black. "Rule number six. If you ever attempt to lay a hand on me again I'll beat you half to death." "SMACK!" A few more teeth were loosened. "Do you understand these rules I've laid out for you? Or do you need further persuasion?" Tom was crying like a baby. His fighting spirit and courage were long gone. He was so frightened she would hit him again if he didn't agree to her demands, he nearly pissed his pants. His mighty shoulders slumped down in defeat and his will snapped. He simply gave up. "Yes Gloria. I understand completely. I concede. I'll do as you ask. Just don't hurt me anymore. Please."

"Good boy. I'm glad you see things my way. Return to the man you once were and we will have no further problems. Forget your roll in this marriage and you will deeply regret it. Am I clear?" She sternly asked him. "Yes Gloria. Perfectly clear. I've learned my lesson. I will not cause you anymore trouble." He replied sobbing. "Good. I believe you. So I am satisfied." She gently lowered him to the floor and made him as comfortable as possible. Then she turned to the waiter. "You may call an ambulance for my husband now. Keep your mouth shut about what you saw here tonight. If anyone asks, tell them he suffers from Vertigo and simply fell down. Is that clear?" "Yes ma'am." He stammered. "Good boy. Now run along." He rushed off to call an ambulance. Gloria turned to their guests. "Mr. and Mrs. Briggs. I apologise for my behavior tonight. I just couldn't put up with Tom's abusive attitude any longer. It's unfortunate you had to witness such a thing. I hope you can find it in your hearts to forgive me someday. Mr. Briggs. I know it would be impossible for you to sign with my husbands firm after watching this unforgivable display. I sincerely hope you find the right Marketing Firm to meet your needs. Again, I'm terribly sorry." "You're wrong Gloria." Bethany informed her. "William would be delighted to sign with your husbands firm. Wouldn't you sweetie?" She asked as she tenderly rubbed his cheek. "Yes dear. What ever you say."

Gloria stood there in shock. "I..I..I don't understand." She muttered. "It's simple." Bethany explained. "Behind every great man there's a woman to guide him down the right path. I straightened William out the week before we were married. I wanted to go to Paris for our honeymoon while he desired Florida so he could do some deep sea fishing. We settled our dispute with a fist fight. Without going into detail, lets just say William painfully found out which is really the weaker sex. One thorough beating was all it took to make him comply with my wishes for the rest of his life. I make the decisions concerning his business and he follows my advice completely. Don't you William?" She politely asked. "Yes dear. You know what's best." He answered with an embarrassed face. "Frankly, I was going to advise him not to sign with your husbands firm. Any fool could see how he treated you while you sat back and let it happen. I would never allow my husband to associate himself with a firm that is run by a man who has no respect for his wife. But you found the courage to take control and change your destiny. Now that I know he has a strong woman behind him to run things, his firm is perfect for the job. So have his lawyers contact ours and they can finalize the deal. Is that satisfactory with you Gloria?" "Absolutely Bethany." She cheerfully replied. "This deal will relieve a lot of stress and worry Tom has been suffering through lately and help return him to the man I love. I don't know how to thank you." "Forget it Gloria. Watching you beat him senseless and showing him who was boss is thanks enough. I truly enjoyed it." She said smiling.

The ambulance arrived and the paramedics were loading Tom on the gurney. "Now go to the hospital with your husband and don't worry about a thing. We'll take a taxi back to our hotel. And good luck with your new found life Gloria." Bethany said as she hugged her. "Thank you Bethany. I certainly will. When Tom is back on his feet, the four of us must get together again. I really enjoyed your company and had a great time chatting with you." She told her new friend. "I'm sure that can be arranged." Bethany replied. "I was delighted to meet you as well. Give us a call when everything settles down. We would love to see you both again." "I'll do that Bethany. And thanks again for what you've done. I greatly appreciate it." The two women hugged again and said their good byes. Bethany turned to her husband. "Come along William. I'm feeling rather amorous after watching Gloria beat Tom to a pulp. You better perform adequately if you know what's good for you." "Yes dear." He mumbled as he trailed along behind her like a well trained puppy. Gloria couldn't keep from smiling. She followed the paramedics to the ambulance and climbed in. She watched as they administered drugs to Tom to ease the terrible pain he was in. When they had him situated and as comfortable as possible, they drove off towards the hospital. Gloria held his hand and assured him everything would be fine. She could still see the fear in his eyes when he looked at her.

When the Doctors left his room, Gloria looked at her husband. His ribs were heavily bandaged along with his right shoulder. They popped his collar bone back in place and tightly wrapped it to restrain his movements. His face was covered with dark bruises and the stitches required to close the deep cuts on his cheek and over his left eye. His right leg was also rapped in bandages and reclined in the air by a sling. It was severely sprained from the tumble he took when Gloria threw him across the room. Tom was sound asleep and resting comfortably. Gloria sat by his bedside deep in thought. She could feel the tingling sensation wearing off. She glanced at her watch and made some quick calculations. The single serving of spinach had roughly lasted a little more then four hours. Her mind went to work deciphering what she would need to keep stocked in the pantry. There was approximately six servings per can. So one can of spinach would provide her with twenty four hours of super human strength. Then a case of it should last me quite a while. She thought to herself. Of course, Tom didn't know it was the spinach that enabled her to give him the terrible beating. He would assume she always had the ability to whip his ass, but didn't realise it until she got angry enough to fight back. So she wouldn't have to constantly eat the spinach to keep him afraid of her. She was sure if he found the nerve to try and challenge her, she could bully him into backing down. The fear she saw in his eyes would make it easy for her to keep him cowered and under her control. Even if she hadn't eaten any spinach.

She smiled when the thought crossed her mind that Tom's desire to punish her for ruining his chances to land a big client had been his undoing. If his abusive nature hadn't forced him to order spinach with her meal, she would still be living the mundane life she had. She actually owed him a debt of gratitude. Because the milk sop Gloria she used to be was long gone. In her place was a confident female that would never fear her husband again. She and her wonderful strength giving spinach would make damn sure of that. Gloria leaned back in the chair and relaxed. Her life had taken on a whole new meaning. And she was going to enjoy her power to the fullest.