Gynophagia Chronicles: Samantha

/files/Authors/LuisCypher/

Saturday, October 3, 2218, 6AM

Tucker-Klein Pharma Campus, San Jose, California

From Samantha Marie Wells’ Memoirs

I felt her hand in my hair before I opened my eyes. She was propped on an elbow, hand on her ear, the fingers of her other hand combing through my hair. She had this serene smile on her face. There was no sadness there at all. No longing. There was only joy in her sparkling blue eyes. We just lay there for a while. I could hear Fatima near us. The hospital bed was wide enough for all our bodies to lay comfortably. Fatima had her back to us and was dozing soundly.

“I used to love waking you up this way,” Mom said.

“I loved it when you did,” I said. “I love it now.”

A tear rolled down her cheek. I reached up and caught it with a finger, and tasted it. It was salty.

“Please don't hate me,” Mom said. “You don't hate me, do you?”

“No!” I came up so fast she recoiled back. “Mom! No! Mom! I...” She had this frightened look on her face as if I were going to tell her off. “I love you! I...” I had to say it. It was true and I had to say it. It was hard to get the words out. “I'm in love with you!” It came out as a horse whisper. I was crying now. “I'm sorry,” I said.

She kissed me then. It came as a surprise but was so tender. We just kissed for a while and held each other. I had no energy for sex. I was perfectly happy to just be naked with her. So we kissed.

We shifted positions after a while and she lay in my arms, back to me, spooning. We faced the sitting area where Daddy slept under a thin blue blanket.

“I never told you about how Daddy rescued me,” she whispered.

“No,” I said. “I think I would have remembered that.”

“I will. Maybe today. It's a long story, and you should know what happened. How Eric was born. How Daddy took Julia and I away, and saved our lives. I was only fourteen when it happened. He got me pregnant as soon as he could so they couldn't take me back. He tried to get Julia pregnant too, but she wouldn't catch. By the way, Sean and Lucy are your half brother and sister.”

I nodded. “Part of me, deep down, knew that had to be true,” I said.

“There's more,” Mom said. “Much more. There's a lot that's going shock you.”

“Like what?”

Mom sighed and rolled in my embrace onto her back. I propped myself up over her, my hair dangling, I put it behind my ear to keep it out of her face. She touched my face, caressing down my cheek and under my chin.

“I'm so proud of you,” Mom said. “You're amazing. You're smart, you're intelligent, you're driven. You're so sweet. You have no idea how beautiful you are. I see you and I see the someone I wish I could be.” She looked over at Daddy. “You know what we told you about secrets?”

“Yes.”

“This one has to be between us. You and me. Nobody can know I told you. Not even Daddy.”

Confusion flooded me. Mom's expression frightened me a little. “Al right,” I said simply.

“You're not just my daughter,” Mom whispered.

“I'm not?” I smiled thinking: am I not your lover too?

“No... you're my twin sister.”

It took a moment to sink in. “What?” I shook my head. What she told me next sent waves of shock up and down my body. My legs actually jerked at one point.

“It's true. They took all of my eggs when I was pregnant with Eric. They put inert eggs in me so I wouldn't go through menopause. Then they made all of you. You, Jenna, Gracie, Jimmy, Miki, Patti, Mara, Danni and Celine... they made all of you. Patti and Miki are clones too. They were made from past Playmates. All the rest are my children, except you. You're my identical twin with Green eyes. Eric is the only one that was conceived naturally.”

“They made us in a lab?” I whispered horsely.

Mom nodded.

“But, why?”

“Daddy wanted me to have lots and lots and lots of babies. He asked for you. They gave you green eyes. They made you perfect. They made you so beautiful I sometimes cry when I watch you and you're not looking. I've wanted to be with you for so long...”

I still didn't understand. “But why make us?”

“You were all experiments,” Mom whispered. “When Daddy and Julia and I came to the Bay Area, I was pregnant with Eric and Daddy was looking for a job. Julia found a classified advertisement offering to pay for people for blood tissue samples. We needed money, so we went. That's how they found us. We went several times, Julia and I did. They kept calling, and we kept going. Everything came directly out of that. Bernie Foss met with me. I didn't know who he was at the time, but he and Daddy became friendly. Then... well... there's a lot more to the story, and I can't remember all of it right now. All I know is that they had some reason to make Patti and Miki. I was a perfect match to carry them. And they wanted to try to make a boy, which is how we have Jimmy. We're here to follow up on all that.”

I lay my head down on her chest and she caressed my hair.

“But what's the reason?” I asked her. “And why did... why did they clone you?”

Mom hugged me. “They made you because Daddy asked them to. He wanted to make sure that someday there would be real babies conceived naturally... it was very idealistic of him I think. They agreed.”

“But why do this at all?”

Mom's hand went all the way from my crown, down the hair on my back before she answered.

“I don't know,” she said. “They never told us.”

My breathing eased as I absorbed what she'd told me. I was a clone? I certainly knew what that was. I'd never heard of a girl being cloned before. Why? My head was spinning a bit still. I was a clone of Mom? Is that why I was so sexually attracted to her? I always was, I knew now. I always loved seeing her naked. When I was very young and all of us always bathed together, I'd cuddle up to her in the showers. In the evenings, I was always the one to cuddle with her, getting to her before any of my sisters did.

That had stopped for some reason.

“I used to always cuddle with you, Mom. I loved doing that. Why did we stop?”

“When you turned twelve, you started playing with make-up the way girls do. You started going through puberty and you became very awkward. I think you're just now getting over that. You've become a beautiful young woman in your own right. Capable, competent... I'm so very proud of you I can't stand it!”

We kissed again. Could not help it. Then we lay quietly again for a while. Daddy woke as we lay there. He kissed Mom on the mouth, a kiss she returned with passion and affection. He then kissed my forehead.

“I'm going to go get some coffee,” he said.

“What time is it?” Mom asked.

“Nearly seven. Jimmy and the rest of the girls are probably in the lab by now getting poked every which way. Poor kids. I'll look in on that, be sure they're okay. Can I have anything sent up for you?”

“Can you have some coffee sent up? Fatima loves Bagels... maybe a platter of those and some cream cheese.”

“I certainly love bagels,” Fatima stirred. “If you would be so kind, Matthew.”

“Will do,” Daddy said. He caressed my cheek, and left.

“Mom,” I said.

“Yes, baby?” it was the first time she called me 'baby' ever.

“Daddy... how does he feel about this?”

Mom sighed.

“Do not make that sound, Jessica Jane,” Mrs. Khan said. She turned to me and put her hand on my face. “Your father loves you with all his heart, my sweet. He is uncomfortable making love to you. He will not interfere if you are in your mother's bed. He also promised Sanjay not to have me while I am in your mother's bed. So it is fine. He will share your mother with us... well, perhaps you will share your mother with me from time to time. She is my best friend. The best friend I have ever had.”

“Mrs. Khan,” I said.

“Samantha,” Mrs. Khan said. “When we lay together naked in bed, and I have touched your sex, please, you must call my by my Christian name. I am Fatima. I am your friend and I shall always be your friend. I swear it before God.”

I touched her face. It was instinctive on my part to do that, and her head leaned into my palm.

“You are such a child of your mother,” Fatima said.

I smiled at her. “I hope so, Fatima” then looked back at Mom. “I hope so.”

“Ah,” Fatima opened the curtains, revealing a gloriously beautiful sunrise. “I am too happy to be clothed in anything but air today. I wonder if Ashima would accept the same. Jessica Jane, what is it you will tell your children about you and Samantha?”

Mom shook her head. “I don't know,” she said. “I really never thought about that. Jenna will take it hard, I think. Mara will think it romantic, maybe... I don't know how the others will react. Gracie will accept it. That I know.”

“Jenna will be angry,” I said. I knew it was true.

“Maybe we shouldn't tell them yet,” Mom said. “I don't know. That seems so wrong... wait... I know! I know how to do it!”

Mom sat up. “I want you to just write this,” she had told me. “Treat it like one of your news stories.”

It wasn't exactly that. It was more like recording history as remembered by Mom. History that shocked me even more than the revelation she'd given me earlier. And she had been right. Her story had made me cry, caused me horror, ran me through ups and downs... did all these things really happen to her?

Fatima did get dressed. We all did. But I found myself naked again, shortly there after, with all the rest of my siblings (save Eric). Mom was Mom again. She and Fatima marshalled us as we all took our cloths off and marched naked into the examination ward.

They'd waxed Jimmy this morning. His formerly hairy regions were still pink. He looked pre-pubescent with a hairless body. I had not seen him naked for longer than a moment before. But now, seeing him this way, he looked delicate to me. What was more, knowing now what I knew from Michael's call... that he let Sean fondle him... it struck me how much he moved like a girl.

I finally met Dr. Sharp. He was a spindly looking man with a bald head too big for his body and these extremely long fingers. I did not know it at the time, but he was older than any of our most elderly neighbours. He did have a sense of ancientness about him.

He wore a device on the back of his hand that scanned our internals... bone, muscle, organs, etc... Jimmy was fascinated with it at first. Then Dr. Sharpe began examining him. The poor boy sported an erection the entire time we were naked. Dr. Sharp had no apparent problem putting his hand on it and fondling it as he did the rest of our bodies. Jimmy looked embarrassed and frightened and at one point I thought he was about to have an orgasm. He touched each of us all over, quite lovingly. He seemed to truly enjoy touching us. Jenna was extremely uncomfortable as he ran his hands over her body.

“Couldn't you just do this in a big scanner?” Jenna asked as Dr. Sharpe's hand was between her legs.

“Not accurate enough. This is much better,” he informed us. I had a hard time believing that, but, as I said, I didn't mind being fondled by him. He was very friendly. Of all of us, it was Celine who, surprisingly, seemed to enjoy it the most.

“Don't you want to touch me some more?” she asked when he was done.

“Maybe later,” Dr. Sharpe chuckled, and Mom laughed out loud, wrapped herself around Celine and kissed her forehead.

“Bigger boobs,” he said to me. “I should have given you bigger boobs. Your father wouldn't have it, damn him!”

He was running his hands over my breasts as I stood with my hands on my head. I was okay. Not terribly afraid in my nakedness. I truly didn't mind at all. And Dr. Sharpe was very kind with his touch. It was light and sensual, and very, very intimate. I didn't realize how intimate it would become till his fingers dipped inside my vagina, and then again into my rectum. He even had us sit down so he could fondle our feet, even between our toes. Maybe it's because I was just so happy. I couldn't stop smiling. Being fondled was... it was okay.

Techs collected saliva, mucus, stool, urine, sweat and blood, each from several different parts of our bodies. Blood was collected from our abdomens, neck, wrists and ankles.

I had carried my PDA with me, and had set out to write the story Mom told while we ate breakfast with Fatima. I had voice recorded her so I would remember every word, but I did use a little creative license.

I wrote even as they put me in the scanner. Dr. Sharp told me it didn't matter what I was doing, just as long as I was naked and standing up. The scanner would simply map my circulatory system, bones, muscles, and be combined with the data he collected during the touch-scan. I told him he aught to call it a Fondle Scan. And he DID!

Robert was back at one to pick us all up. He brought the Sikorsky. The Bell wouldn't have carried all of us. We returned to the roof and piled in. Robert lifted off as soon as Daddy slid the door closed. It was almost like riding in the Van. Small compartment, noisy girls yakking and giggling. It was impossible for me to work, so I just gave up, put my head on Gracie's shoulder, and dozed.

“They started rebuilding the house,” Daddy told Mom. Everyone shut up suddenly.

“Really?” Mom said. “Can we afford it?”

“We were insured,” Daddy said. “But with the new salary... well, it's going to be a little bigger. We should go shopping for a hot tub.”

“More than just that,” Mom said.

“I don't want to go there,” Daddy said.

“I want to know her,” Mom said. “Please.”

“We'll talk about it later.”

Mom and Daddy had their private little world between each other. Things I would never know passed between them almost telepathically. Sometimes it seemed they could just look at each other and communicate. I'd wonder what they were talking about during that mental conversation... well, mostly I'd wonder if they were talking about me during that mental conversation.

We landed, and Miriam had a nice lunch prepared for all of us. Fatima and Miriam were already very friendly, but with Mom suddenly there, it turned into a clique. I was incredulous. It was such a different side of Mom. I'd never seen her gab like a schoolgirl before. She was laughing and smiling with both of them as if she'd known Miriam all her life. The three of them milled about as we all ate our lunch, then cleared the table and cleaned up dishes together. She just looked so happy.

I went to our room (the one I shared with Mara and Danielle) and finished working on the story. As I was finishing, Mom came in smiling that serene little smile, kissed my head and hugged me from behind.

“I love you!” She said in my ear. “God I love you!”

I kissed her cheek, and went to kiss her lips, but she stopped me.

“Someone will see,” she said.

I smiled, nodded, and handed her my PDA. She sat down and began to read it. The text was about six thousand words. I was on pins and needles as she read it. Her fingers went to her mouth several times before she was finished. Finally, she looked up at me with wet eyes.

“You make it sound like... you're very talented, you know that?”

I smiled a little smile.

“We should print this. Did you know Mara auditioned for the school play?” No, Mara was not exactly candid with me. She was candid with Danielle and Miki. But Mara would tend to shut up if I were n the room. I never understood that. “She wants to play Benedict in Much Ado About Nothing.”

“Is that a play?” I asked.

“It's a Shakespeare play. I think she wants to just try acting,” Mom said. “Interesting, isn't it.”

“What is?”

“All my children are finding their talent. It's fun to watch!”

“I guess I just haven't been paying attention,” I said.

“You've been busy!” Mom said. “My God, Sam! I'm amazed you manage to get everything done! You're always working on this,” she held up the PDA. “I worry that you have so little time left to just relax. You never seem to do it. Oh, and then there's the bit where people want to kill you! They burned down our house to kill you! Thank goodness they messed up so badly.”

“I don't, what?”

“Oh, didn't.... that's right, Daddy was with me,” she looked to one side. “It was arson! The riot was a cover. They planted a fire bomb in the house, and they planted gas to make sure we all slept through the fire! They were going to kill all of us, our entire family to get to you!”

“Who?”

“Samantha, the police told your father it was organized crime!”

“Me? They want to kill me?”

“Honey, you rattled them! I'm not sure how or why, but that's what the police told your father.”

Now I was shocked. I had put my family in danger! I already knew that because of the signs they had in front of the school. That was bad enough.

“So...” I was confused and shaking my head. “They planned it? They were...”

“They messed up! The police told Daddy that the timer was twelve hours off, that's the only reason we're all still alive!”

I was shaking.

“Come here,” I went to her and she held me. “It's okay, baby. It's okay.”

Jenna walked in.

“Mom,” she said. “Do you know where Eric is?”

“Uh,” Mom said. “I think he's with Martin. I'm not sure. He said something about a shop?”

“Martin, you mean Mr.. Tucker?”

“Yes,” Mom said.

“Martin. That's an interesting name. Martin....”

“Why don't you ask Miriam where the shop is. You know how Eric likes to tinker with things. He's probably trying to get Mr. Tucker to let him play with his toys.”

Jenna laughed. “Yeah...” then she looked at us. “What are you guys doing?”

I'm sitting with the love of my life and I want to alone with her so we can take all our clothes off and be very, very sexual.

“Oh,” I said. “Nothing.”

“Bullshit, Sam!”

“Language!”

“She's so secretive all the time! It pisses me off!”

Mom sighed, looking sad and a bit exasperated. Now we had a new secret. She stood, put her arms around Jenna, and faced me over Jenna's shoulder. It was the first time I felt that... that telepathic link. Now we have a new secret, don't we! She told me. What are we going to do about this? How bad will it get?

Jenna melted into her arms, conforming to Mom as if she were moulded to fit.

“Oh, Jenna,” she said. “Everything is al right. But you're right. There are some secrets and we need trust. Just like Daddy said. But I want you to know: this is my fault, not Sam's.”

She broke from Jenna's embraced and put her forehead to Jenna's.

“There are a lot of things you need to know. But... listen. We need to tell everyone at once. That's what Sammie and I were doing.”

“But how come she gets to be the one who...”

“Because that's the way it is!” Mom said, brows furling and Jenna recoiling. “Get over it!” She admonished, then calmed. “Right now, that is the way it is,” Mom added as she caressed Jenna's face. “I know you feel neglected, Jenna. I truly do. But you're strong, you're smart, and God knows you're feisty... sometimes I wonder if you're Julia's daughter and they switched you and Lucy at birth...”

Jenna and I laughed at that. Aunt Julia did tend to be like that, but I never connected her character to Jenna's.

“You and Samantha remind me a lot of Julia and me when we were young,” Mom added, playing with Jenna's hair and touching her face. I watched Jenna. Mom was being Mom. I only then noticed how Jenna seemed to revel in her touch. Mom Kissed both Jenna's cheeks and then lightly on the lips, and Jenna, my God! Jenna's lips seemed to reach for hers! Mom didn't even notice it.

Suddenly I could see Jenna in bed with Mom making love as Mom and I had the night before. It was so inevitable. It was going to happen. It just occurred to me that I had seven sisters... eight if you counted Jimmy. Was Mom going to make love to each and every one of them? Should I be jealous?

No, I thought. Jealousy is something I really did not understand. Loss, yes, sadness at being parted, yes. Jealousy sounded too much like anger, and that's not at all what I felt. What I did feel was a little confusing, and it's hard to describe, so I won't try except to say that I was both attracted to and dismayed by what I saw.

Jenna looked away as their heads parted.

“Jenna,” I said. “I never asked you how it went with Marcus Jackson yesterday.”

“Oh, yeah. That,” she said as she turned back to me. Her face was flushed pink. “It was okay.” she said. “I got to talk to most of his people, but he was too busy to talk to me. I got a lot of gossip,” She grinned. “And I did get to see Sheila Jackson. She asked about you. Oh! Guess who she's been with all along!”

“Been with?”

“Lovers! She's been seeing Lydia Foss! That's Bernie Foss' daughter! They're all living together and Lydia is so pregnant now, she looks ready to burst! Anyway, they've had a bit of a surge in the Polls,” Jenna added. “They're still behind in the Senate race but they're in very high spirits.”

“I hope you said that in your piece,” I told her.

“I did,” she said. “I think it got published today... but I'm not sure. Want me to send it to you?”

“I'd like to see it, yes,” I said. “Wait,” I picked up my PDA that Mom had left on the bed, and scanned for the Amador Herald, searched for Jenna Wells, and came up with only older stories. I did a Google and found it on the SJ Merc.”

“They sold it to the Mercury News,” I said.

“That means they're putting it in the Sunday Politico Digest Insert in the Sunday edition,” Jenna told Mom.

“Really?” I said. “I didn't know that. Who told you that?”

“Miss Emerson. They'll sell a story to another paper and reprint it in the Politico Digest. It's one of the ways they make money off our stories. Oh, by the way, They're printing more copy than from any class before ours! Blake Randall is coming to speak to us this month.”

“Who's Blake Randall?”

“Damn, Sam! Don't you pay attention? He's the editor in chief of the Herald.”

“Oh,” I said. “Okay.”

“Anyway,” Jenna said. “Mom, he's coming to the school on Thursday and I'd really like to be there.”

Mom folded her arms. “We'll talk to Daddy about it.”

“Mom!”

“I said 'we'll talk to Daddy about it!' So no argument.”

“Okay... fine!” Jenna said. “'We'll talk to Daddy about it!' You know what he'll say... 'NO!' I can't catch a break.”

“Jenna! Stop it!”

“Bernie Foss wants us to pose,” I blurted, hoping to stop this. Jenna and Mom's heads wheeled to face me.

“What?” they chorused. I explained what Ashima had told me about Lawrence Gray and wanting to photograph all of us girls.

“Oh, wow,” Mom said. “So... wow...”

“Okay,” Jenna said. “We have to do this! Mom! We have to do this!”

“Jenna... I don't know... Daddy...”

“You have to convince Daddy! We have to do this! Please! Please-please-please-please-PLEASE!”

Mom met my eyes. They told me everything. Daddy was not happy about me posing. Having all of us pose was not going to sit well with him. He'd never wanted Mom to be a Playmate, which is why she never was. How did I know all this? I knew it instinctively in that moment. Daddy would tell me all of it months from now, but I knew it all then! I could not tell you how.

“We'll talk about all this tonight,” Mom said. “I need to find Mara. Sam, will you print those pages out for me? I'll go find her.”

“So,” Patti was saying as we sat down to dinner several hours later. “We're missing a lot of practice, and I don't know if we're going to be able to re-integrate with the squad when we get back. Do If we go another week... it may be impossible.”

“The big practice sessions are on Thursday,” Miki added. “If we miss that one, we might as well forget it. The competition season begins in only two weeks!”

Daddy was not watching us, he was simply looking down at his plate, enjoying his meal as he listened to things we wanted to tell him. That was his custom. We were in the servants dining room of the North Wing basement. Mom had cooked us dinner, claiming she was fully recovered. I didn't think she was, and I'm pretty sure nobody else did either. Jenna and Jimmy had the good grace to help her out without being asked to.

“Dad,” Eric said. “I could drive everyone to school if I had the Van.”

“The Van's gone,” Daddy said. “It was in the garage, remember?”

It was true. Daddy had been commuting to work on a bus to the helipad about two miles north of our home where Jake picked him up every day. He'd be going to work by Helicopter with Jake now from here.

“But when is the insurance going to pay for a new one?”

Daddy was silent. “I don't know,” he answered. “It was an old van anyway. What the insurance pays for won't be that much. It won't buy us a new one.”

“Honey,” Mom said. “They really do need to go back to school. I'll call Principal Farmer on Monday.”

“Call her tomorrow,” I said. “She teaches. Better to call her tomorrow.”

Daddy looked at me with furled brow.

“Please,” I smiled at him sheepishly. It felt like Daddy was just putting me in my place with that look. Or was he just angry at me?

“And Daddy,” Mara piped up. “I want to audition for the play! The second audition is on Thursday.”

“Is everything happening Thursday?”

“Yes!” Eric and I were the only silent ones.

“I'll think about it. I'll give my answer tomorrow.”

“Daddy...” I started.

“If this is about anything else concerning going back to school. The last word is in. I'll think about it. I'll decide tomorrow.”

“Why did they build this huge building if nobody lives in it?” Gracie asked. “It's so empty.”

“I don't know,” Daddy said. “I never asked.”

“Maybe Miriam will know,” Mom said.

“What's wrong with Daddy?” Patti said in my ear.

I turned to her. Usually I'm perceptive, I like to think. But it only now dawn that Daddy was being unusually grim and dour. We cleared the table, Celine and I washed dishes, and our regular routine of organized chaos after dinner lasted about ten minutes till all was cleaned up and put away. It was as if we were at home again. Everyone was together again. It seemed very normal. Even Daddy's apparent bad mood seemed normal on the surface. I was in trouble, I figured, and that was normal. What I was in trouble for was not... and that's what bothered me. Would Daddy give me a spanking in front of everyone again? Would I have an orgasm again when he spanked me?

The absolute surreal thing is that getting naked or Daddy, the idea of it made me sexually excited. It was terrifying. It would hurt. But suddenly I felt a bit like a slut for wanting him to spank me in front of Mom, my brothers and sisters... I even hoped Ashima, Jake and Fatima would show up. Suddenly I realized I was fantasizing about it...

“Hey!” Jenna complained when I bumped into her. “Watch where you're going!”

“Sorry.”

“Jesus, Sam. What's with you today? You're acting so weird!”

What was the servant's lounge we used as our family room. There was a television, three couches, several arm chairs. A book case filled with raggedy paperback novels. The furniture was comfortable, but worn. It was probably older than Eric.

Miki was at the room's only table large enough to lay out patterns. She was cutting material very carefully with zigzag scissors. Celine sat before Danielle who was painting her face. Patti was reading a copy of Fashion Slave-Girl while Gracie braided her hair. Jimmy was looking at a photographer's catalogue, Eric was talking quietly with Daddy about things engineering. At a chess table on the far wall, Mom sat across from Mara sipping tea. There was a copy of Shakespeare's complete works it, closed. Mara held several pages in her hand and was reading them with her hand up dramatically on her forehead.

As I watched from across the room she would turn wide eyed to Mom, say a word or two, and Mom would invariably nod with only a word of response, probably “Yes.”

Jenna came into the room with a phone on her ear and plopped down into an arm chair next to mine with her PDA on.

“Yes, I know!” she was saying on the phone. “It's amazing..! Is Liz still there? No, I don't think so... I'll send them again... yes... the copy is good... I checked it four times, it's good..! of course she's not..! Don't even ask about her..! Screw it, send it in! Lee Anne, it's good! This is big! It's going to end him once and for all! I absolutely do! Love you too. Lot of kissing still going on? I wish I could be there! Talk to you soon! Luv ya!”

“Who was that?” I asked.

“Oh, nobody.”

“Not Lee Anne?”

“You listening to my conversations?

“You were a little loud,” I said.

“Well fine. Whatever. It was Lee Anne. We did a project together.”

“Okay.”

“Don't ask, I'm not telling.”

“Fine.”

“Fine!”

“Was that Lee Anne?” asked Gracie.

“Yeah,” Jenna said. “She was telling me that back at school, it's like a big girl kissing party every day!”

“Oh, Wow!” Gracie said. “I wonder how Reba is...”

“Oh, Reba's been kissing every girl she sees! She cornered Andrea and almost raped her! By the way, Eric! Andrea is still pining for you!”

“Damn,” Eric said. “Do you have to remind me? She only calls me five times a night!”

Daddy laughed. It was a good chuckle, and it was good to see him smile.

Fatima arrived. “Am I too late?”

“No,” Mom said. “Not at all. We haven't even started yet.”

“Started what?” Jenna asked.

“Yeah, what are we starting?” Daddy said.

“Everyone,” Mom said. “Mara is going to read us a story. She's practising for the play, reading almost cold, and hopefully this will help her get the part.”

“Okay, My Dear Lady Disdain!” Mara called... “Are you yet living?”

“Mara!” Mom said.

“Oh, okay. Anyway. This story is about someone we know.”

“Who?” Patti asked.

“You'll see... it's a surprise, but you will figure it out... it's someone we all know and love very very much. And she wants all of us to know this story... so, here goes...” Mara took a breath and began reading.

Once upon a time, in a far away land, there lived a girl and her sister. They went to school like everyone else you know. They learned to read and write. They had no idea who their father was, but they lived with their mother. Their mother's name was Jaqueline, and she loved her babies more than her own life. She was the most beautiful thing either of the sisters ever saw.

But the girls were growing up, and Jaqueline feared for them. She knew that she would not survive much longer. You see, Jaqueline was a champion. She had been a champion since she was fifteen years old, the year she began to compete. It was why she had her babies. They were going to be champions as well, Jaqueline knew it, and so did her masters.

One day, a young man came. He sat beside the cage where Jaqueline and her two girls slept and just watched them. His eyes were drawn to the younger girl. She was younger only by a day, but she was everything he'd ever dreamed of, she was so beautiful in his eyes.

Jaqueline looked upon the boy. He was young and handsome and sweet. He would be a wonderful man to give her little girl to, and she wished she could.. She thought of the only way.

“I will die soon,” she told the young man. “My daughters, please save them? Please don't let them be like me, only loved by beasts.”

“But how can I save them?”

“I will win tonight,” Jaqueline said. “Bet what you have on me and you will win. I will lose tomorrow night. Bet what you have on me and you will win. But tomorrow, you must take my girls away and run as far as you can. Take them and protect them and love them! Please!”

The boy watched the girls being led to train. They were given to the training beasts, the ones that would not bite because they had no teeth. There they trained, and if the beasts used their mouths on them, the girls were whipped, and had to try again.

The boy watched and wept as the young girls were given to the beasts, and were used by them. He could not understand the anger he felt as he watched the most beautiful girl he had ever seen be abused so.

That night, the boy watched as Jaqueline walked into the arena and faced the barking beast she must tame. She did not run. The beast was vicious, with huge teeth. It had not eaten for a day and was hungry. Jaqueline avoided the beast, her little hands trained, she managed to pus the beast's nose away and get around it's neck to keep it from attacking. She gave it the small bit of peanut butter she had and the beast licked. It was far stronger than she, of course, and one bite would be her end if she missed his mouth. She fondled the beast and the beast succumbed and mounted her. She had won. The beast mounted her and was stuck to her for a time. Jaqueline had beaten the beast.

The boy had won money, and he returned that night to visit Jaqueline.

“Why won't you win tomorrow?”

“I will not win,” Jaqueline said. “Because this beast I face tomorrow has never lost. You must steel my girls, and take them away. Please!”

And so it was, that Jaqueline faced the biggest beast she had ever faced. She danced before the beast and evaded and tried to get him to take the peanut butter. But he would not. He had her by the arm, and then by he throat. And Jaqueline died and the beast's reward was her flesh.

“My God!” Danielle was crying. “That's horrible!”

I had been watching Daddy. He was looking at Mom at first with shock, then with what appeared to be anger, then resignation, and now he looked at her as he always did, with utter unbridled love.

Mara had acted out the parts as she read the dialogue in understated but dramatic fashion. I was pleased to see that she had something more than mere desire and talent there.

“Not done!” Mara said.

“But who can this be?” Fatima was genuinely asking as her gaze went from Mom to Daddy. She was obviously suspicious of who it was, but would not say.

“Okay, can I continue?” Mara asked. “Okay...”

The boy won his money. More than enough to travel. He purchased clothing for the two girls who had none. He cut them out of their cage that night in the wee hours of the morning and the three of them made their way out. In the early morning, they took a bus and went south, and south, and still further south.

And the beautiful younger sister became pregnant with a son, and that is when the masters found them. And the boy fought in the court before a judge and the judge ruled that if the baby was a boy, he could keep his prizes. If it was a girl, he must give them up. But it was a boy! It was a boy, and the masters went home with nothing!

And the boy was born... and the the boy who had rescued them loved his wife who he married, and claimed the sister as a concubine, and they lived and loved and raised a beautiful family. But it was that baby boy who saved her life... the life of his father's true love and her sister's life as well.

The baby, his name was Eric...

“Oh my God!” Jenna gasped.

Mara stood there triumphant. She knew she did well. I couldn't help it, I clapped, and everyone joined in, including Daddy.

“So...” Eric had that confused look he gets when reality interrupts his little world. “That wasn't about you and Mom...” Daddy just nodded. “No...” Eric turned to Mom, who also nodded. “What about Uncle Bill?”

“He's not your uncle,” Mom said. “His father was my master.”

“So we're not related to him?”

“No.”

“Thank GOD!”

“But then,” Jenna said. “Why did he come to see us?”

“It's complicated,” Daddy said. “Bottom line is, he tried to pull a fast one and claim some of the girls. He was also trying to find Julia, but couldn't. He's not all that smart, fortunately.”

“So they're still up there?” Gracie asked. “Doing what they do?”

“It's big business,” Daddy said. “Lots of money changes hands. There's an international Royal Mastiff League they compete in.”

“Daddy,” I asked. “You could have easily found a wife. “Why Mom?”

Daddy looked at her. “She was the first girl who looked at me and gave me a smile. It was like she was happy to see me the very first time. I've been in love with her since that moment. She was also the first girl I ever met that was completely happy to be naked in front of me. When I saw her under that dog, it broke my heart. She was so scared... and those dogs, they're... they're big.”

“Big?” Jenna asked. “Big as in big or big...”

“Both,” Mom said, cutting her off. “Let's not talk about that. I needed you to know the story. There's a lot I need you to know. Including the fact that my mother, your grandmother, Julia and I lived naked in a cage together. We went to school naked, because that's the law they can't get around. All children must get the opportunity no matter their status to learn basic reading, writing and math. Mom was... well, we were lovers... my sister and I were as well... I've always been bisexual, but my first sexual experience was with my mother. And I loved being with her. That cage was not so bad when we were lovers. Men would come and watch us sometimes. They made nasty comments, but we didn't care. We'd tune them out. I want you all to know, that I do not care who you kiss. If you are offered love and it feels like that love is genuine and it makes you happy, take the love! Don't hold back! And yes, Dani and yes, Mara... yes. It's okay.”

She went to Daddy then, and curled up in his lap and he held her even as Mara moved to Danielle's side and put her arms around her.

“I knew this family was special,” Fatima said. “And to think I thought when I came to your house you would crack me over the head and cook me!”

I laughed. I remembered. “And I will never forget what Ashima told you,” I quoted Ashima: “'No, Mother! They are not going to strip you naked and eat you! They would tell you first! This is America, they are very polite'!”

Fatima laughed and laughed as others joined her. It broke the heaviness.

“You imitate Ashima so very well! That is exactly what she said!” And she turned to Daddy. “So my friend Matthew, when I find your daughters naked in each other's arms kissing and doing things sexual to each other I should leave them to it?”

“You heard my wife, Fatima,” Daddy said. “This is the way it is. I'm not going to go against her for any reason... I have so little time left...”

“Little time. You still mean to be this dinner next month, Jessica Jane?” Mom nodded. “I wish you would re-consider. Ashima has asked me to be the main course at the grand opening of Zenana in February. I would hope you, as simply the very best friend I have ever known, would be there with me. We could take your entire family and our families would be friends for ever to honour our memory.”

“That would take some doing,” Daddy said. “Your daughter is about to be a Playpen Playmate...”

“And Samantha will be next year. She is already a celebrated reporter. Jenna is also becoming known. Tell me, Matthew, what can I do to convince you this is right?”

“Tell me it's possible? I mean the money it would take just to get the proper permits to convert Jessica in India would be... insanely expensive!”

“You forget,” Fatima said. “My friend and yours, Martin Tucker, is an investor in Zenana and in the Zenana Hotel. An Indian and an American side by side as the main course at this banquette would be something of a public relations coup, do you not think? Indians are very fond of Americans when they show the are fond of Indians.”

“I'll talk it over with my wife, 'Tima,” Daddy said. “I promise we'll take it seriously. In the meantime, would you take it up with Sanjay and Martin? Martin and I are acquaintances, not friends. I don't think he really ever thought of me that way. So... you get the word from them... okay?”

“Hah! I have already brought up the subject to both of them. Martin I will have speak with you tomorrow, I am sure.”

“Al right,” Daddy said.

“Oh,” Mom said. “I have one other thing I want to tell you all before we go to bed. Daddy and I have decided that all of us will pose nude for Playpen Magazine.”

“YES!” Jenna shrieked. “OMYGOD!”

There was quite a bit of joy all of the sudden. Mara and Danielle were the first to run up and kiss Daddy's face. Celine, with her overly made up face smudged it all over Daddy's cheek.”

“Can Dani and I be together in the pictures?” Mara asked, making Danielle look very uncomfortable.

“Mara,” Danielle said, embarrassed.

“Everyone knows!” Mara said. “Who cares what we do! Daddy, can we?”

“We'll see,” Daddy said. “It's up to the photographer. It's going to be that same woman who photographed Samantha. Shar...”

“Shariah,” I said.

“Yes, her. She's good.”

“She's very good,” Mom said. “I'm still... oh! I need your autograph, Sam!”

“Mine?” I said. “But why?”

“Because I do!” She said. “I'll print the photos and you can sign them for me.”

“I guess we'll all be signing for you,” Gracie said. It was the first time I noticed she did not look all that enthusiastic.

“I hope so,” Mom said, grinning. “And just so all of you know... well... I really think Daddy should tell you.”

“Tell them what?”

“When I told you, what did you say?”

“I asked you when it was going to happen?”

Mom rolled her eyes. “After that!”

“What, that I thought it was the best possible thing that could happen?”

“You could say it the same way you told me... God almighty! When I told your father, I was afraid he'd give me a flat out 'no!' His eyes went so wide, I thought he was going to blow up in anger, and then he asks me: 'when Is it going to happen?' and I say soon, but I don't think it's scheduled. And he says: 'We have to call Bernie and find out when he wants it done.' And so I ask him if it's al right and he says: 'It's the best possible thing that could happen for our girls. Look at what it's done for Samantha.'”

“Okay, wait!” Daddy said. “I didn't mean it that way. I mean that it protects Samantha.”

“Daddy,” I said. “It's really not like that. You're only really protected if you're a playmate or an E-Girl of the Month.”

“E-Girls of the Week marry,” Mom said. “A few of them become professionals, but mostly they marry.”

“Mom,” Celine asked. “Are you into Playpen because you're bisexual?”

“Girl equals Bisexual,” Jenna said after a moment's silence. “Fact. Everyone needs to get over that. I mean... it make such sense! You know? It's like we're made to be loved, we're made to be eaten... why can't I kiss anyone I want to?”

“Depends on who you want to kiss,” Eric said. “What if that person doesn't want you kissing them?”

“I meant if that other person liked being kissed by you, smart ass!” Jenna said. “Anyway. I'm tired. I'm going to bed.” She strode to Daddy with Mom in his lap, put her lips on his and kissed him deeply, then did the same with Mom. “I love you,” Jenna said. “Good night,” And strode out of the room.

“What was that about?” Miki asked.

“I think Jenna wants Daddy and Mom to take her to bed,” Gracie said.

“You think?” Daddy asked with a little shock on his face.

“Okay, so I know,” Gracie said with exasperation.

“When did she tell you this?” Daddy asked.

Gracie shrugged. “A few days ago, I guess. I don't know.”

“What's wrong, Gracie?” Mom got up.

“Nothing's wrong,” Gracie said. “I'm tired. I'm going to bed.”

“What's going on with her?” Patti asked.

“Something's very wrong,” Mom said. “I'm going to talk to her.”

“Jess,” Daddy was holding her arm.

“Let me go, Matt. I have to go talk to her. I can't let her suffer like this without knowing why! I'm sorry, but I just can't.”

“Can I help?” Celine asked what I wanted to.

“No, Honey,” Mom kissed her forehead and caressed her cheeks. “Sam, sleep with Celine tonight. Give Miki and Danielle their privacy.” She left the room.

“I suppose we should find a room for you and Celine, then,” Fatima said. Celine had been bunking with Jenna and Gracie. The three of us went down the hall and found that room empty, gathered Celine's things and Fatima brought us to a vacant cubicle with a single double bed on one wall with a desk and wardrobe opposite.

“Samantha Marie,” Fatima said. “Bring your things in here.”

I went to my former room, opened the door and there they were. Danielle and Mara completely naked wrapped around each other in a lip lock that seemed to be sucking the wind out of one another. They broke apart as soon as I came in, so I only saw for the briefest moment what they were doing. Except that they were naked.

“Don't you knock?” Danielle screeched, her normally immaculate blonde bob dishevelled, her hands flinging to cover her breasts and mons. Mara was not so modest. She scooted over to Danielle and held her as if protecting her from me.

“I sorry!” I said. “I'm really sorry. I just need to get my things. I'll only be a minute.”

“You're not going to...” Danielle started.

I looked at her as I was collecting my things. “Do what?”

“Tell?”

“Tell?” I almost laughed. “Danielle, everyone knows. Mom knows. She said you two are okay together. She said it's al right.” I was putting my things in my purse as the two girls sat back and covered themselves.

“Can I ask you guys a question?” I looked at them. Mara shrugged. “How long?”

“How long? How long what?”

“How long have you... you know. How long have you two been in love?”

The question seemed to shock both of them.

“Always!” Danielle said. Mara nodded.

“What about Celine? Did she know?”

“I don't think so,” Danielle said. “She was always a little... you know, quiet? We didn't flaunt it. We weren't rude to her. It was just always better without her, you know?”

I breathed at that. I had no idea. Suddenly I began to wonder about Celine. Mara and Danielle were always very close. Celine seemed to try to get attention whenever she could from anyone she could. She seemed a little lost to me.

I had all my things gathered, and started to leave the room. But it just seemed wrong to leave like that. I turned around and put everything on the bed, and moved up the side of it and sat down.

“You know I love you both, don't you?” I said. They said nothing, just looked at me with big, shining eyes that were green for Danielle and blue for Mara. I touched Mara's face, leaned over and kissed her lips. It was like breaking open a door holding back a tidal wave the way she responded. The kiss was exactly as I would have believed: breath taking. When we parted, I kissed Danielle. Hers was more desperate, more submissive, but likewise breathless. I felt Mara's hand on my breast, feeling me. It was so... comforting.

Finally I parted from Danielle, collected my things and gave them my best smile as I closed the door, my eyes on them as I did so. My body felt so warm, I wondered how their love making would be tonight, and I envied them very much.

I returned to my new room, and walked in the door not at all expecting to find what I did.

Celine was clinging to Fatima as the older woman knelt on the bed. Celine was completely naked, her back to me. Fatima's hand was at Celine's bottom, her middle finger embedded inside Celine's rectum. I could see the fingers of Fatima's other hand inside working in and out of Celine's vagina. The girl had her profile to me, wide open mouth gasping at Fatima's neck with her eyes squinted shut. Her body was convulsing sporadically in concert with Fatima's attentions. Her lithe little body glistened with a sheen of sweat.

Finally, Celine seemed to go languid, her body exhausted. Fatima cradled her down on her back onto the bed, tenderly kissing her face as she did and after. Fatima looked at me, smiled, and went into the bathroom, letting her dress fall away as she went, and I heard the shower going. She re-appeared, and motioned for me to come.

I jerked out of my stupor and approached.

“Would you mind terribly using the bath sponge on Celine Elizabeth?” Fatima said. “She is much sweaty and will not be comfortable in sleep if we leave her so.”

“I...” I said. “Sure.”

And so I did. While Fatima showered, sponged off Celine as she lay languid, like a rag doll, allowing me to touch and manipulate her entire self. After Fatima re-appeared we dried her and slipped her under the covers.

“Is she not precious?” Fatima whispered. By this time, Celine was dead to the world. “Your mother did the same to me the first time we made love. She told me it was how her own mother loved her the first time and very often till she was gone. I wish I had known,” Fatima lamented. “I would have done it to all my own daughters. Now I never shall.”

“What about Ashima?”

Fatima shook her head. “I do not think Ashima would be comfortable with such a thing. It is a shame, I think. I wished I had known.”

Fatima put her dress back on in silence and came back to kiss my cheek.

“Good night, Samantha Marie. I must go find my lonely bed and dream.”

I took off my cloths and put on the old t-shirt that I think came from Jake's closet, and slid into bed next to Celine. Even as I was falling asleep, my baby sister shifted, wrapped herself around me and held me the rest of the night.

Things had changed. A page had been turned. Life would never be the same for our family.