chapter 2

Susannah allowed herself to enjoy Paul's company on the honeymoon. She had captured and tamed her man.
After the honeymoon, the second stage of her plan would start and his training would begin.

She started very subtly. One evening she ground up one old fashioned sedating antihistamine (chlorenphenramine or piriton) and added it to his evening meal. After eating, he was tired and tetchy. He had to force himself to get ready to meet his friends for a round of golf. He came in completely exhausted and went straight to bed.
She was pleased with how well the tainting of his food had gone. She repeated the process the next evening. It was only one tablet. It was not like she was knocking him out completely. He dosed off before finishing his coffee. She smiled watching him snore.
He woke up with a start, when a notification went off on his phone. It was a reminder. He had a cocktail party to go to with prospective clients. He groaned. He could not be bothered. He rubbed his face and forced himself to stand up. He yawned and stretched. Normally before going out he would spend at least half an hour having a shower, washing and styling his hair, giving himself a neat close shave. He'd spend time choosing what he was going to wear and choose a suitable cologne.
That night, he skipped the shower and the shave, brushed his teeth and grabbed the first fresh clothes he could find. He was ready in ten minutes when his lift arrived to pick him up.
He still looked smart, just not as polished as usual.
He complained of feeling tired in the car. He could not understand why. He'd gone to bed extra early yesterday. He should have woken up feeling refreshed, but he hadn't. Maybe he was coming down with something. He'd take it easy over the weekend. If he still felt the same way next week, he'd have to make an appointment with the doctor.
Paul had never been a big drinker. He'd got drunk a few times when he'd been to university. He was not interested in even trying drugs. He didn't like getting drunk. He didn't like not being in control. He wanted to know who he was picking up, or he might pick up any old fat slag. If he got drunk he might fall over and ruin his good clothes.
That night, after one cocktail, he was happy and giggly. After two, his head was swimming and he could barely stand up.
Someone ordered a taxi to take him home. He was so tired. At ten o'clock, he paid the driver and staggered out of the cab. His legs did not feel like they were his own. He made it to the front door, where Susannah was waiting for him and helped him into the living room.
She told him he needed some food inside him to soak up all the alcohol. That would sober him up and he'd wake up without a hangover in the morning.
She worked quickly in the kitchen before he fell asleep and made him a large cheese toastie. She gave it to him, watching as the melted cheese oozed out the sides as he bit into it and the grease from the melted butter drip onto his hands. Normally he was so careful about his diet. He would not usually touch cheese. It was far too fattening! Tonight, though he had to admit it tasted good. His head felt so much clearer after eating the first half. He'd eaten enough. He had to go to bed now.
Susannah said if he felt better after eating half, he would feel a hundred times better if he ate the whole thing. His clouded mind took no more persuading. He finished the whole sandwich.
Susannah let him head off to bed alone.
She smiled to herself. If one little antihistamine could cause such an impact on him, what difference would two make? She was tempted to move to step two of her plan, but she reasoned with herself. She had to take it slowly. She could not have him suspecting she was behind the changes she was going to inflict upon him so early. She had to be very, very careful.

The next morning, Paul slept in for his early morning run. That was two days this week he had missed it! He checked the alarm on his phone. No wonder he'd slept in, he'd been so drunk he'd forgotten to set it! He groaned. He must have been too tired to set it when he came to bed.
He was going to have to try and go for a run at lunchtime to make up for his lack of exercise this week. He hated running at lunchtime. He couldn't go too far or he'd not have time to have a shower and get changed. He'd probably have to skip his lunch as well... unless he went to the gym straight after work. Yes, that was what he'd do. He'd be late home, have his evening meal later. His head still felt a bit woolly. A good run and an early night would do him good!
Susannah was already up and ready. She apologised for not waking him up when she'd gone for her early morning run, but she thought he needed the extra sleep. He had looked so tired last night. He groaned, scratched his head and agreed. He had been tired.
She'd prepared his usual healthy breakfast for him. He sat down and started to eat in his usual dainty and polite way.
His tea tasted different. It tasted sweet. Had Susannah put any sugar in it by mistake, he asked.
She had, but she was not telling him that. She explained how his taste buds must have been affected by getting drunk last night. Had he brushed his teeth yet? Why would she suddenly start putting sugar in his morning tea? She told him he was sweet enough as it was and gave him a kiss to prove it.
He accepted her explanation and finished off the drink. She'd only added half a teaspoon of sugar, but from now on, she would make sure that was how he always took his tea.
In the kitchen at work was a notice on the wall as to what drinks people in the office preferred and how they liked them to be made. This was so that they could all take their turns in making the drinks without asking everyone what they wanted every time. It was Susannah's turn. She made sure Paul received his drinks that day with a half a teaspoon of sugar and changed the chart on the wall to make sure he would always receive it that way in the future.
As soon as he'd got used to the taste, she would add more, and more...