("`-''-/").___..--''"`-._ `6_ 6 ) `-. ( ).`-.__.`) (_Y_.)' ._ ) `._ `. ``-..-' _..`--'_..-_/ /--'_.' ,' (((' (((-((('' (((( K R I S T E N' S C O L L E C T I O N _________________________________________ WARNING! This text file contains sexually explicit material. If you do not wish to read this type of literature, or you are under age, PLEASE DELETE THIS FILE NOW!!!! _________________________________________ Scroll down to view text Archive name: sisters.txt (ff, lesbians, teens, inc) Authors name: Jan V. (jan123@hotmail.com) Story title : Sisters -------------------------------------------------------- This work is copyrighted to the author © 2002. Please don't remove the author information or make any changes to this story. You may post freely to non-commercial "free" sites, or in the "free" area of commercial sites. Thank you for your consideration. -------------------------------------------------------- Sisters (ff, lesbians, teens, inc) by Jan V. (jan123@hotmail.com) *** CHAPTER ONE: CONFUSION Linda woke up, shaking off sleep with a yawn, and stretched out the arms from her fit, sport-loving body. She glanced around. In spite of the dim light, she recognized the furniture of her beach-house bedroom. Heavy drapes kept out most of the sunlight, allowing her to sleep longer than usual. It was the weekend, and there was no need to get up at sunrise. Linda sighed as she let her head roll over to watch her younger sister Nikki sleep. Then she looked at the red display of the clock radio: 10:23 AM. `Dammit, so late?' she complained to herself. The seventeen-year-old girl sighed again and sat up, driving out of her body the last of her sleepiness. She got to her feet and walked over to the window. Drawing the drapes slightly apart, she looked out and rejoiced. The sky was a cloudless deep blue, and a warm breeze blowing from inland stroked her smiling face. It was the perfect weather to enhance her golden tan. In the afternoon, it would be promenade time... Linda picked up the bikini perched on the back of a wicker chair and ambled into the bathroom, whistling a song Rick used to sing with his band. Rick Hillman, the cutest guy for the prettiest girl in San Fernando High... Linda smiled at her own reflection in the bathroom mirror, brushing her long blond hair away from her face. `Some self-glorification can't hurt,' she thought. But popularity was not a question of just being pretty. Self- confidence and the right amount of rebelliousness seemed to do the trick -- at least for her, it did. Actually, all Linda's sisters seemed to do fairly well as far as popularity was concerned, particularly every time the four of them were together and -- more importantly -- had fun together. Nikki, thirteen months her junior, was the sweetest of them all. Nikki was Linda's confidante and her best friend, the one who cheered her up when she was down, the one who listened, the one who covered up for her. In contrast, her sister Zo was an outspoken, bullheaded, quarrelsome, tomboyish 15-year-old, who wouldn't hesitate to use either her hands to pull her sisters' hair during a fight, or her nails to protect her identical twin Jeannie from a bully. It was clear to Linda that the love and hate lost between the twins was due to Zoe's overprotective, overzealous nature towards their youngest sister. Jeannie would protest and drive Zo away from her, but it didn't take long for them to kiss and make up. Jeannie was intelligent and resolute, yet withdrawn and thoughtful. Like any pair of identical twins, Zo and Jeannie loved to play tricks on strangers by dressing and behaving alike. But more often than not they would wear different outfits and hairdos, affirming their own identity and character. Despite all the bickering and name-calling, Linda knew that all her sisters were there for each other. Linda was even proud of them, the way people stared at them as they walked by, arms intertwined, laughing and talking as loud as they could, whooping it up as sisters should. Dad took pride in his "little girls", too. More precisely, Dad took pride in their good looks. With a tipsy smile on his face and a glass of bourbon in his right hand, he had once said that the McDougall genes were known to produce the most beautiful females on the planet. His daughters were living proof of it. `Yeah, right,' Linda thought, but her reflection kept smiling contentedly. Time for a shower, Linda decided. She tossed her white T- shirt and panties onto the tiled floor and hopped into the bathtub. Her face welcomed the warm shower. Her right hand clasped the soap and worked it over her body and her firm athlete's breasts. Rick joked that she had the figure for model, but what the hell... Her parents wouldn't buy it... Yes, it was just another of her wild boyfriend's crazy ideas. They didn't get along those three. Come to that, Mom and Dad didn't get along with many people anyway. It was strange for someone who was such a successful manager of people and money -- Fred McDougall, the most talked about CEO in Silicon Valley, the man who turned the obscure software company called Servenet into one of the hottest stocks on Wall Street. From time to time Dad mentioned his fascination for the political arena, and the possibility of a bid for Congress. Linda argued against it. She said that politics is such a dirty business, with far too much attention from the news media. The lack of freedom would be too damned stifling. No, Washington DC was definitely not the place to be. Finishing her shower and grabbing her terry towel, she concluded, `Give me the California sun instead, and I'll be forever happy.' Linda found, as expected, that Nikki hadn't moved a muscle. She was sleeping away, and unaware that her big sister was up and ready to go. Linda stopped in front of the vanity mirror. She examined her own reflection once more, making sure her sporty, skin-tight white and blue bikini with red streamlined stripes looked perfect, enhancing her natural curves instead of hiding them. Teasing the guys on the beach was a turn-on Linda couldn't resist. Capturing the attention of eager young faces was such a thrill, an intoxicating drug that sent chills down her spine and produced a mellow warmth down there, between her legs. Linda smiled to herself, heading for the window. She drew the drapes aside and hollered, "Rise and shine!" Nikki's eyes remained shut. Her slender ribcage moved up and down with the regular beat of sleep despite the strong sunlight streaming into the room, and the stare of someone waiting impatiently for a reaction. Her sister Nikki was hopelessly lazy. Linda had forgotten how many times she had to shake her sister awake, drag her out of bed and splash her face with cold water to get her going. It was a daily routine Linda didn't care much for. Nikki promised she would change, but years had flown by and the promised change was still to happen. Linda knocked on the twins' door. Without waiting for an answer she walked in and repeated the same routine, letting the daylight stream in and announcing the beginning of a new day. Linda would go easy on Zo and Jeannie as the twins weren't as lazy as Nikki. They would eventually get up and ready on their own, without the need for a second round of hollering and poking. Linda walked back to her room, sighing once again. Minutes elapsed before Zo came into her older sisters' room, yawning and greeting Linda. Zo looked at her big Sis picking clothes up off the floor, like a loving mother, while Nikki slumbered away in bed. "Hi, Zo," Linda smiled back, as she took a fleeting glance up at her sister for long enough to acknowledge her presence, but not enough to interrupt her tidying the room. "How did you sleep last night? No nightmares this time?" Zo shook her head. After a long pause she asked the obvious, "Is Nikki still sleeping?" "Yeah, as usual." "Why don't we do something about it?" Zo suggested, flipping her long straight blond hair over her shoulders. "Like what?" asked Linda, looking at her sister and holding up a sweater, Nikki's, that she was about to fold and put away in the wardrobe. "Tickle her to death," Zo grinned. "Yes," said Jeannie, joining her sisters. "Let's do it." Linda laughed, amused by the twins' mischief and enthusiasm -- no wonder they sailed through the tryouts for the S.F. High cheerleader squad. Zo and Jeannie, Mom's and Dad's favorites, scored straight A's as easily as they mastered straddle jumps. There were plenty of reasons to envy them, Linda realized. Plenty of reasons... "OK," Linda finally agreed, "I'll count to three, and three of us will jump on Nikki." "Yes," Zo and Jeannie exclaimed, their clear blue eyes shining with anticipation. That too made Linda laugh again. "One... two... three..." and the three girls dived onto Nikki's bed, tickling their sister to death as promised, showing no mercy. Nikki tried to wriggle free. She screamed and kicked, but she didn't stand a chance. Her sisters made sure she paid dearly for her laziness. This was a punishment, a lesson to be learned. "Time to wake up," Linda giggled, pinning Nikki's arms down, preventing her escaping from the twins. Zo and Jeannie went on tickling her squirming body, torturing her with their fingers, while Nikki pleaded with them to stop. Nikki made another attempt to kick them away, shouting and screaming, but the unrelenting twins kept a good grip on her. When the tickling stopped and she pushed them off her, Nikki laughed as hard as her sisters. Linda got to her feet, smiling and pulling her hair away from her face. She stared at Nikki, noticing how flushed her sister's face was, and that her pajama top had become unbuttoned in the struggle, revealing her firm, beautiful, medium-sized breasts. Nikki's nipples were erect as though she had gotten off on what just happened. Linda felt a certain, undefined tension building up between her legs. The whole thing had been exciting, sexy even. Her breasts touched Nikki's during the fight to keep her sister down. Was that why Nikki's nipples looked so hard? "From now on that's what you're going to get if you don't wake up on time," said Jeannie, smiling and showing her perfect teeth. "Yeah," Zo agreed. "You can count on that. Right, Linda?" Linda woke up from her daydreaming and stammered in agreement. She urged them to get ready. It was almost 11 AM. It was a shame to remain indoors with such perfect weather outside. After breakfast, they strolled down to the promenade, looking for the right spot on the beach to settle down and enjoy the sea, the blue sky and the guys... Wearing their 150-dollar shades, the happy, loud foursome wanted to look "cool" and distant. Adrenaline raced through their young bodies when they realized that guys and girls alike would look at them with awe, lust or envy. Walking down the promenade was an obvious game of watching and being watched. The guys would sidle up to them and mouth the usual pick- up lines. Linda and Nikki would laugh and ignore them. Zo usually answered in kind, knowing that their older sisters were just a few feet away if things went too far. When they were together, it seemed to Zo that everything was possible, and allowed. No jealous boyfriends around, no Mom or Dad to deflate their high spirits... After walking for a quarter of an hour Linda suggested a spot next to the volleyball net. Before they set foot on the beach, a male voice called out, "Hi, girls!" "Hi!" Linda replied, turning toward the deep, manly voice. It was Mr. Cool, an attractive, roguish kind of a guy, who covered his long light brown hair with a red bandanna. He had piercing blue eyes and was built like a bodybuilder. He craved attention and worked hard on his three-point plan for success: Number 1 -- to get spotted by a Hollywood talent hunter; Number 2 -- to become the next Sylvester Stallone; and Number 3 -- to have the world, and the girls, at his feet. Beside him stood Max and Pete. They were less conspicuous than Mr. Cool but equally attractive. Max and Pete worked for Mr. Cool's surfing school. They were known for their prowess with the surfboard and with their female pupils -- whatever that meant. Nikki and Zo met Mr. Cool's gang at the surfing school a couple of years ago. The girls wanted to learn something new, something exciting... and those guys seemed to be the right instructors -- cute, self-assured and fun to be with. Linda and Nikki caught Mr. Cool's and Max's sexual vibes, in spite of the obvious age difference. Mr. Cool and Max were grown men in their late twenties. Both of them knew they could end up in jail if they went too far with those tempting teenage girls. Still, that didn't stop the guys' trying. Linda had to push Mr. Cool away more than once. It just didn't feel right, somehow... Linda was afraid for her sisters. She didn't want them to get hurt. And she didn't want them to do something stupid with these guys if they had too much to drink and were having a good time. She was their Big Sis. She felt responsible for her younger sisters... She just couldn't help it. After the usual small talk for openers, Mr. Cool suggested a volleyball match. "What about the school?" asked Linda. "Don't you have classes to teach? The girls must be desperate by now." Mr. Cool laughed. He was used to Linda's banter. Linda McDougall was a knockout of a girl, with brains. She defied his stereotypical view of longhaired, leggy blondes. Linda had personality. She was a girl who knew what she wanted and who knew how to get it. She said she didn't want to be a model or an actress. Instead her goals were to graduate and go to college, maybe to become a physician. Linda was a girl of strong convictions... He liked that girl, and more than a lot. As far as he was concerned, Rick, or whatever her boyfriend's name was, was definitely a lucky bastard! In spite of Linda's teasing, the girls picked up on Mr. Cool's idea, and in a few moments the teams were chosen: Mr. Cool, Max, Linda and Nikki against Pete, Zo and Jeannie. The "younger" team had the best players. The twins were known for their well-timed block, and Pete for his powerful smash. On the other side of the net, Mr. Cool would outperform himself, making impressive dives onto the sand, which were more for show than to prevent Pete scoring again. Everyone could see that. The guys and girls laughed and giggled at his sand-covered face and his mock look of powerlessness. Linda scored a few points and, to her embarrassment, Nikki congratulated her by hugging her. But why did she feel so embarrassed? Nikki was a warm, kind person, and physical contact between them was normal enough... During the match Linda avoided dwelling on that scary, confusing subject. She worked at concentrating on the game. However, it was becoming increasingly difficult to disregard a strange moist warmth welling up between her legs. `What the hell is happening to me?' she scolded herself. The answer soon became clear. At the beginning of the second set Nikki struck her first successful smash. Happy as could be, she came over and wrapped her arms around Linda's neck. That fleeting, sudden full-body contact stirred Linda up, making her flush awfully. Nikki's breasts touched hers again, setting off in her body the strangest reaction. Her nipples immediately became erect, and the moisture "down there" increased to frightening proportions. Linda's attempts to get her concentration back failed miserably. She watched Nikki out of the corner of her eye. She thought it would give her a moment of respite if she looked at the cause of her sudden nervousness. She couldn't believe she was actually... what?... becoming aroused by her sister's body? She shook her head. It wasn't like that. It was more the physical contact, and not so much how good Nikki's body looked. They had the same build -- long slender legs, a willowy waist, a dainty tush and a firm bosom. Her sister Nikki was pretty -- everyone knew that -- and Linda was proud of her. She was proud she could say that Nikki was her sister. On top of that, Nikki was kindness personified. That's why they had grown closer and become best friends over the past three years. In their early teens they were typical sibling rivals, competing for the best dress, for the juiciest steak, for the cutest guy... They eventually grew out of it because Nikki's kindness was straightforward and disarming. When she started thinking of that again, tears almost welled up in Linda's eyes. "Sorry, guys," said Linda finally, as she left the volleyball field, "I'm gonna take a dive. It's too damned hot up here." She hoped they would continue the match and leave her alone. But Mr. Cool quit too, and followed her. To Linda's chagrin, everyone joined her in the sea, splashing in the water and making too much noise. She just wanted peace and quiet, and to cool off. Linda swam away from that bunch of noisy men and teenage girls. She wanted to get all that stuff about Nikki out of her mind. A chill raced down her spine. That would be... incest. The very thought of it made her cringe. Fear made her swim out to sea -- a great and worrisome fear that was inside her head. Linda stopped swimming. She was tired, her heart was pounding, and her breathing heavier than usual. She felt suddenly cold, too cold to remain in the water. With uneasy strokes she began to swim back to the beach. Mr. Cool swam with his strong crawl toward her though, preventing her getting back to the beach. He wanted to play, diving into the water and surfacing a couple of feet away from her. Linda was exhausted. She wanted him -- all of them -- to leave her alone. Was that too much to ask? * * * Nikki laughed as Pete helped her to escape from a strong wave and to get out of the sea. Pete laughed too, faking a sigh of relief. After all, they had just dodged a wave that could have crashed on them pretty hard. Pete's smile promptly faded as Nikki let go of his hand. She squeezed the water off her long hair, and gave him her wide smile. Then they looked back, alerted by the twins' giggling. Mr. Cool and Max were telling stories. They were joking about the surfing ineptitude of beginners as they fought with the waves and the soft sand at the waveline. On the way back to where they left their towels stretched out on the sand, Nikki noticed Big Sis. Linda was alone, and seemingly lost in thought. Her lissome legs were drawn up. She was holding her chin in her right hand, with her arm propped up on her knee. She was staring out to sea. That struck Nikki as strange, utterly strange and out of place. Big Sis was obviously worried. But why? Rick? Another guy? Mr. Cool?... Nah, that couldn't be it. Linda told her she would never sleep with a guy like Mr. Cool. What then? School? Grades? That didn't fit either. Linda's grades were far above average... Nikki sat down next to Linda. She wanted to ask Big Sis if she was all right. But her courage somehow fell short. She sensed that Linda wanted to be left alone. The guys and the twins didn't seem to get it. They kept calling her name constantly. Linda smiled at their clowning. Nikki could see, however, that Big Sis wasn't her usual happy self. Later on Linda got up and said, "I'm sorry, guys... I've got a headache. I'm going home." "Going home?" said Mr. Cool, jumping to his feet and going over to her. "You not coming with us? Sweeney's time tonight... I talked to your sisters. They're all coming... Don't be a spoiler!" "No, I'm sorry... I've got a headache. I'd be lousy company." "In that case, we can join you at your place... You wouldn't be alone... Your folks are away, right?" "Yes, they are, but-" "No," Nikki broke in, getting up and going over to Linda and Mr. Cool. "I want to go to Sweeney's. I know Linda... When she has a headache, she really needs to be left alone." Linda smiled at her sister with gratitude. She picked up her jute bag, took her clothes out, and slipped on her yellow blouse and black shorts. Before she left, Nikki pulled Linda aside and whispered, "Are you all right?" "Yes," answered Linda, tossing her head to sweep her hair away from her face. "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. Just enjoy Sweeney's without me." "We'll see about that. Anyway we still have to go home and change. I'll check on you when we get home." "Yes, Mommy." Nikki chuckled, pushing her sister away. "Just go home, OK? And see you later." "Right," said Linda. Looking around to the others, she yelled, "Bye, guys!" "Bye!" the others answered in unison. Then Linda smiled and left. Linda walked back to the beach house, this time without wearing her sunglasses. She wanted to feel the sunshine on her closed eyelids, to feel that warmth all over her body, and forget the reason why she had made up a headache. It was an excuse like any other to get her freedom back, to have some room to think... No one understood that except for Nikki. Nikki, her sister, her best friend... Linda's breathing became heavier again... She had to forget "it". But the more she tried, the more that scary idea invaded her mind. She needed to cool off again. She would take a shower and wash away those crazy ideas about Nikki. * * * "Linda, where are you?" shouted Nikki from the bottom of the stairs. Nikki had just returned from the beach, and her face was warm from the sunshine and the never-ending laughter with the guys and the twins. "Up here," she heard Linda shout from their bedroom. Nikki hurried upstairs and in no time she was in the bedroom. Linda was sitting on the edge of her bed, one leg lying on the covers and the other down on the floor. With her knees bent to balance herself in that position, Linda was leafing through an old photo album, the one where their early childhood pictures were kept. "What are you doing?" asked Nikki, sitting on the floor next to her Big Sis. Linda kept staring at the old photos that Nikki knew well. Linda just shrugged. Nikki couldn't see Linda's face. It was hidden by the long tresses of golden curls that framed it. Nikki looked at her own hair, so straight and weak compared with Linda's. Zo and Jeannie also had straight hair, even straighter than her own, Nikki realized. She said she would soon get a perm (to keep up with Big Sis) but Mom wouldn't allow it. Mom said she was too young, and a perm would ruin her hair. Nikki eyed her sister, still unable to see Linda's face. Nikki brushed her sister's hair away from her face. To her astonishment, she saw that Linda's cheeks were damp from CRYING! "Linda, what happened?" she asked, quivering for a second. "Why are you crying?" Linda shrugged again, still looking at the pictures Dad took when they were younger. Some of them showed Linda and herself playing in the back yard of the house where they lived before. "Linda, talk to me... Please..." Nikki tried to wipe away the tears from her sister's face but Linda flinched, avoiding the contact. "Linda, why are you in this mood? If you don't tell me, I can't help you." "So, don't," Linda growled, standing up, stomping into their private bathroom and banging the door shut. Nikki remained where she was, her blue-gray eyes wider than normal, staring at the doorway through which Linda had disappeared from view. Linda ending the conversation like that was nothing new to Nikki. Her older sister had a rather short fuse. That much she knew. But what threw Nikki into total confusion was Linda's strange mood. She had never seen her so distant and sad. Her Big Sis was always the center of attention. Her captivating smile, her looks, and her uninhibited wisecracking were three traits that assured her sister the limelight. Linda was actually the most gorgeous girl she had ever seen. When she was younger she bitterly envied her sister's stunning beauty. And now? Did she envy her still? No, she didn't think so. They had become friends, buddies... Linda was the most dependable person she knew, much more than their own parents. Linda was there for them. The same couldn't be said about Mom and Dad... Nikki shut her eyes for a moment and tried to get that thought out of her mind. She didn't want to think. She just wanted to get changed. She wanted to go to Sweeney's and dance the night away, and forget... About everything. CHAPTER TWO: KISS AND TELL Linda closed her eyes, pulling her hair back once more, getting annoyed with her constant struggle for keeping her tresses away from her eyes and mouth. She had already thought about cutting them shorter, shoulder-length. But Mom and her sisters -- especially Nikki -- insisted she shouldn't. They all said she had such beautiful hair, long, shiny, full of golden curls, the envy of her female classmates, and one reason why she was so damned popular with the guys... But at that moment Linda's hair was just a nuisance to her. The weather outside was too hot, and so was the temperature inside. Sweat trickled down her forehead and the rest of her body. Linda brought her hand to the nape of her neck, feeling the dampness. She lifted her hair and then let it fall, heaving a deep sigh. She sprang out of bed, heading for the small wooden balcony leading off from her room, the room she and her sister Nikki shared. A mild breeze met her face when she slid the door open. She breathed in deeply, as if to mask another sigh. She looked down, watching the passersby on the street below and the people strolling in the small park opposite. It was dark -- about 10:30, Linda guessed. Although the park and the street had their fair share of lamps, the light was not enough for her to recognize faces. She could hear them laugh, though. They were having fun... and that made her sad. Linda was alone in the opulent, oversized, white-washed beach house, feeling her loneliness acutely. Her sisters had gone with Mr. Cool's gang to Sweeney's, the groovy dance club bursting with rhythm, and pretty faces and scantily-clad luscious bodies. She loved to dance, to feel the beat filling her senses, her muscles, her brain, with energy. She loved the way the guys looked at her on the dance floor, pointing at her, probably making non-p.c. remarks such as "what a nice piece of ass" she was... Guys were predictable, Linda thought, too damned predictable... Well, most of them. Girls, on the other hand, were able to surprise her sometimes. They could be as sweet and gentle as her sisters Nikki and Jeannie, saying how great she looked, or bitches straight from hell, threatening her that one day they would get her and cut her "shitty" face up. They said she acted as if she owned S.F. High... Linda looked up to the sky, sadness flooding her heart. `Why are people so mean?' she cried out to herself. She tried not to cry but soon tears ran down her cheeks. She sniffled, wiping her face dry with her fingers and the back of her hand. If Mom saw her do that, she would surely get a chew-out. A proper lady should always use a handkerchief, Mom would gripe. Mom and Dad weren't home, though. They were on a cruise on the yacht belonging to Jonathan and Molly Bell, their closest friends. Mom and Dad spent more time with the Bells than with their own daughters, or so it seemed to Linda. Linda swallowed, feeling a lump in her throat. She sniffled again. Linda thought about calling Rick and having him come over. Rick would be the perfect distraction to drive away those sick thoughts about Nikki. Inviting Rick, though, conflicted with Mom's Rule Number One -- no boyfriends allowed in the beach house. Unwittingly that strict rule had strengthened the bond Linda had with her sisters. The four of them were stuck with each other and having fun together had come naturally. There would be ups and downs among them but the bottom line was definitely positive. What Linda loved most about Nikki was that she could discuss EVERYTHING with her sister. There were no secrets between them. All fears, anxieties, loves, guys, sex, were discussed without holding back. She trusted Nikki with her life. She loved to talk to her. She loved the way her sister listened, with her attentive blue-gray eyes wide open as if Nikki breathed in every word she said. In addition, Nikki was a warm person, never shying away from physical contact. Hugging and kissing and cuddling up together had become so natural between Linda and Nikki that none of them thought twice about it. This closeness contrasted markedly with the way Linda related to most if not all her female friends. Come to think of it, they rarely touched each other and if they did it felt so fake and "forced". There was always this fear hanging in the air of someone calling them "lesbians". `Damn it!' Linda cursed mentally. It just wasn't fair. Linda looked out once again at the skyline and the lights of a beach resort full of rich people and rich kids with too much money. She wondered if Nikki and the twins were enjoying themselves at Sweeney's. She was almost tempted to join them, but the prospect of facing the bouncers alone didn't appeal to her. `Too late now, Linda,' she rebuked herself, regretting now her decision to stay at home. Running away from the source of her inner turmoil wasn't helping much. She thought constantly about Nikki, and the more she did so, the guiltier she felt. She had urges to cry, her chest drawing in air unevenly. She exhaled, sighing, and returned to her room. She opened a book, tried to read but couldn't even finish the first page. She was restless and afraid... Afraid of what? Of Nikki? Her sweet sister Nikki? Nikki wouldn't hurt her... Then what? Her feelings for Nikki? Was she falling in love with Nikki? Or was it just sex? Linda shook her head, turning off the bedside lamp, leaving her room submerged in almost complete darkness. Linda lay on her bed almost in a trance, hearing distant noises and voices outside. She shut her eyes, feeling her heart hammering inside her chest, her body covered with sweat. Suddenly she sat up on the bed. She heard a creaking sound coming from downstairs. Burglars? It was too early for her sisters to be back from Sweeney's. They wouldn't go to the trouble of getting past the bouncers with their fake IDs just for a couple of hours of fun. Linda wavered between going downstairs or calling the cops. Before she could make up her mind, hurried steps echoed in the hall, the door swung open and Nikki walked into the room. Linda's heart still thumped. She wanted to complain about her sister scaring her, not yelling to say she was home, and then just charging into the room unannounced. But her anxiety was deeper than the fear of a burglar. Her double anxiety left her silent, unable to speak. "Hi!" she heard Nikki say. It was a curt greeting but Linda didn't find it surprising. Their last interaction had been far from being friendly. Summoning up all her strength, Linda whispered, "You're early." Her voice sounded hoarse and tentative. She cleared her throat. "Is that a complaint?" "No, you just scared me... I didn't expect you so early." "I was worried about you. I tried to "blend in" at Sweeney's but I knew you were not OK. I just couldn't stay there and enjoy myself... Mr. Cool got pissed off when I left, but I don't care." Nikki closed in, turning on the bedside lamp and sitting on the edge of the bed. She looked at Linda, noticing that her sister's green eyes still looked dejected. "Are you feeling better now?" Linda shrugged, looking away. "Is there something on your mind?" Nikki pressed on. Linda shook her head, still looking down at the covers of her bed. "Why don't you talk to me, Linda? Why are in such a mood? I don't recognize you any more. I haven't seen you this sad in ages... You're always so cheerful and happy and... alive. But now it seems something is troubling you and you don't tell me. I find you crying. When I want to discuss it, you just bang the door in my face." "I'm sorry, Nikki. It's just-" Linda's eyes met Nikki's for a short moment but Linda couldn't stand her sister's probing look any longer. She averted her gaze once more. "It's just- It's so hard..." "What? What's hard?" Linda let herself stretch out on the bed, covering her face with her hands. She sighed again and looked at her sister's worried, pretty face. Nikki looked so beautiful with makeup on, and the pair of earrings she had "borrowed" from Mom. She wore a long black close-fitting dress, also Mom's. Eventually Linda's eyes fell on Nikki's cleavage, tracing the contours of her sister's breasts and guessing where the nipples pressed against her bra. An immediate response ripped through Linda's lower belly and her own nipples, leaving her utterly confused and ashamed. She felt the burning in her cheeks, glad that she, after all, wore her hair long, the perfect curtain to fend off prying eyes. "What's hard, Linda?" Nikki insisted, lying down beside her sister. Linda's mouth opened and shut without a sound. Linda stared at the ceiling, or a point in space beyond it, her mind miles away. Nikki kept watching Big Sis, her elbow propping up her upper body. Over time that position became uncomfortable, forcing Nikki to rest her head on Linda's bed, releasing her sore elbow from the weight of her body. Neither of them spoke, their breathing the only sound in the room. Suddenly, Linda's green eyes left the ceiling and faced her younger sister. Linda made an attempt to smile but the muscles of her face rebelled. Then, out of the blue, she said, "You're so beautiful." Nikki shook for a moment, taking in the intensity of Linda's stare. It felt odd and it was frightening... but at the same time fascinating. There was this strange glitter to Linda's eyes that made Nikki shudder. She felt Linda's fingers touching her cheeks while brushing her hair away from her face. Because the contact tickled, Nikki pulled away, giggling. "No, I'm not... You're the pretty one." "No, just look at yourself and see how gorgeous you are. You can get any guy you want." Nikki looked at her sister, wondering what was behind all this sucking-up. A few years ago compliments coming from Linda were always a prelude to trouble. Kind words often laid the groundwork for wheedling favors, such as covering up for Big Sis every time she wanted to sneak out of the house at night and meet a guy. They fought and accused each other of being selfish and irresponsible. But in the end Big Sis always won and got her way. Linda knew how to handle her younger sister and, in particular, her younger sister's guilt. Over the years Linda had grown wiser and less enthusiastic about her night-time escapades. She was older and so allowed to stay out till later. The thrill of the forbidden fruit fizzled out, and so had Linda's willingness to risk grounding for something she now wrote off as immature behavior. Linda's early recklessness had given way to responsibility and poise. Instead of losing her popularity, the guys swarmed around her like flies flying around a honey pot. They had finally found someone they could depend on, and even be friends with. "You taught me that, Lin," Nikki said, breaking the silence and getting closer to Linda. "You showed me how." "No, I didn't." "Yes, you did. I saw how you handled the guys and how popular you were... and are. I wanted the same, you know, so I tried to copy you... Remember when you used to call me "copycat"? I hated you for it but you were right... I was a copycat." "No, you weren't. I-" "Yes, I was. I'd always look at you and pay attention to everything you said and did." Nikki paused for a moment, swallowing. "You'd shout at me, saying that I should stop following you and get a life. Don't you remember that?" "Yes, but-" Linda cut herself off, seeing the hidden pain behind the blue-gray of her sister's eyes. "Oh Nikki, I am sorry. I really am. I didn't mean to shout at you. I was young and didn't know better... although I still think you should get a life." Nikki looked closely at her sister and soon saw a shadow of a smile on Linda's mouth. Nikki gave a chuckle, aware that her sister's jab was a joke, Linda's way of saving them both from any further aggravation caused by past grievances. For a long moment they stared at each other, Nikki shuddering again by the intense, almost mysterious pull of Linda's eyes. Linda's hands kept stroking her hair, uncovering her face and her right ear. Linda didn't tickle her any more. Nikki's face had grown used to Linda's touch, becoming warmer and less tense. All of a sudden Nikki felt Linda's arms sliding around her waist, pulling her closer until their bodies touched. Before long Big Sis began to kiss her cheek. Nikki trembled and her face burned as if on fire. She had been kissed before by Big Sis but these kisses felt different, very, very different... She couldn't understand why her heart beat so fast, why her breathing sounded so uneven... Nikki opened her mouth, breathing in more deeply, feeling the corner of Linda's lips against hers. Without quite understanding the meaning of it all, Nikki was kissed by Linda, lips on lips, each tongue exploring the other. She let Linda kiss her, too overwhelmed to refuse, too confused to respond. As unexpectedly as it all started, Linda broke their kiss, turning her back on Nikki and sitting up on the edge of her bed, shaking. "I'm sorry, Nikki... I don't know what's gotten into me." Nikki sat up as well. She liked Linda's kiss, the overwhelming intensity of it. Linda had never been this tender to her. They'd never been this close. She enjoyed that closeness. Whenever she was with Linda, she felt safe, loved, taken care of. Confused ideas rushed through Nikki's mind, not knowing what to do next. Little by little, it became clear that she wanted Linda to kiss her again, to feel Linda's mouth and hands "killing" her with soft caresses. But Linda seemed so upset about their kiss. She reached for Linda and hugged her, feeling the softness of her sister's tummy and waist. She felt her nipples grow stiff against Linda's back. She was getting excited. It felt wonderful to be able to touch and smell Linda's hair -- silkiness mixed with a sweet fragrance, so typical of Linda. "Linda?" "Yes?" "I want you to go on." Linda turned to face her, ending the embrace. "What do you mean?" "About kissing me. I liked it." "I thought you hated it. I thought you hated me..." Nikki shook her head. Taking the initiative, she threw her arms around Linda's neck and kissed her hard, with passion, pulling her sister down with her. They kissed so that tongues searched for each other. Nikki loved it. She'd never been kissed like that before -- so passionately, so desperately. She couldn't understand why Linda had started it, but that didn't matter any more. Linda held her tight, so tight she was afraid she was going to suffocate. And it made her happy, so damned happy. Her beautiful big sis, the object of lust of so many, was kissing her, making love to her as if tomorrow was the end of the world. Linda slid down and kissed her neck, moving back to her ear, nibbling at it, sending shudders of pleasure up her spine. Then her sister's mouth went for the cleavage of her dress. Her back arched up, trying to increase the contact between Linda's mouth and her breasts. Her legs pressed together against Linda's thigh. Only then Nikki realized how wet she had become, her sex pulsating, her womb becoming alive. Suddenly Linda stopped. "Why did you stop?" Nikki asked, afraid that her sister was having second thoughts. "I thought you didn't want it any more." "NO! Please, DON'T stop." To prove her point, she passionately kissed Linda's lips, so tasty, so delicious. They were soft, so wonderfully soft, with none of a guy's roughness. "Please, go on. Please." Linda was astounded by Nikki's pleading, still battling with her conscience. She was older than her sister, and it was up to her whether to stop what she had started. Linda looked at her sister's eyes, so eager, twinkling with desire and lust for her. It felt unreal, almost like a dream... "Please, Linda... PLEASE... Please, don't stop." Linda shook, Nikki's pleading engraving itself in her mind, like a hot iron leaving its mark on naked skin. Linda returned to Nikki's embrace and they kissed once more. Linda's hands found their way to the zipper of Nikki's dress. Desire was taking over. "May I?" she asked, still wavering between zipping open Nikki's dress or stopping everything right there. "Don't ask me anything. Just do what you want... If you wanna fuck me, just FUCK me." Linda was shocked, not so much by the use of the four- letter word -- something absolutely forbidden at home -- as by her sister's willingness and desire. Nikki's shapely legs kept brushing on Linda's thigh. On an irresistible impulse, her hand landed between Nikki's legs. Nikki moaned into Linda's mouth, producing the most erotic shudder in Linda's body. The shudder converged on her sex, Linda becoming deeply aware of her arousal, the slow buildup of her love secretions. Linda wondered how could this be. They had known each other all their lives. Why now? Why this? Linda's hands slowly but steadily relieved Nikki's body of the "stolen" dress. Nikki's inviting, round full breasts, caught her eyes -- those globes of female flesh, the cause of her downfall. It was the contact of her own breasts with Nikki's that had triggered this mad, crazy desire... Unable to hold back, her hands touched her sister's breasts, feeling their inebriating softness through the lacy fabric of Nikki's bra. Nikki moaned softly, her eyes closed, feeling Linda's mouth on her breasts, kissing them, Big Sis's hands reaching to open her bra. They used the same brand so opening it was no problem. "Hurry," Nikki complained. "Kiss them, lick them... Please..." Linda looked down at Nikki, her tongue feeling how dry her lips were. She did as she was told, returning to the roundness and softness of Nikki's breasts, kissing them, licking them, playing with them. Linda couldn't get enough of it. It was paradise. "Nice... That's feels nice, Lin. Go on, please. Kiss me hard, kiss me tender. Just drive me crazy, CRAZY." Linda smiled a little, going for Nikki's trim tummy, kissing her navel. "Lin..." Nikki whimpered, wriggling her torso. "Don't tease me. Let's get undressed." Linda stared at Nikki, finding it hard to believe what her sister was saying. It was as casual as though they'd been lovers for years. Nikki's boldness and matter-of- fact tone of voice didn't betray the unusualness of their lovemaking. Nikki's blue-gray eyes still twinkled, displaying their lust, Nikki's desire for her. Linda closed her eyes, her qualms surfacing again. Nikki took the lead though, not giving her time to think. Nikki made her roll over. Sitting up on the bed, she pulled Linda's T-shirt up, and tried to remove her sister's shorts. "Help me out, Lin," she protested, giggling and falling on top of Linda. Nikki kissed her, her mouth hungry for those pouting, sensual lips. Linda, so beautiful, and was hers. HERS. This thought excited her, for her beautiful big sis wanted her, yearned for her, as if she was a guy... No, not a guy... `I'm definitely a girl,' Nikki thought, `and that's the confusing part.' Not wanting to dwell on it any longer, Nikki peeled off her dress and, without losing a second, returned to Linda, embracing her, kissing her lips, and pressing her sex against her sister's through the fabric of their panties. Nikki could feel the warmth and the dampness down there, sensing Linda's undeniable excitement, so similar to her own. Fascinated by Linda's breasts, she started teasing them, playing with them, her eyes observing her sister's nipples growing stiff against her bra. Big Sis's boobs were slightly bigger than hers, Nikki realized, another reason why she used to envy her so much. But now, those mounds of soft, sensual flesh were hers to enjoy, to feel, caress, kiss, suck... She swallowed, opening her legs and straddling Linda's thigh, enjoying the pressure on her vagina. She began to kiss Linda's breasts, licking the white lace of her bra, getting high on Sis's fragrance and softness. She went for the cleavage, trying to nuzzle her bra down. Linda wasn't patient, though. Her sister snapped it open and hurled it to the floor. They laughed as Linda's bra landed where Nikki's lay. "Even our own bras are so hot they want to have sex with each other," Nikki quipped. "Yes," Linda whispered with a troubled, husky voice. "Come, come to me. Don't make me wait." Nikki moved in closer, kissing her sister, sucking her saliva, kneading those full breasts of hers. She scrambled toward those waiting pink nipples, and she licked and sucked them, like a baby, like a lover, until Linda moaned. Nikki kept moving Linda's breasts up and down, enthralled by their softness. Linda's hands touched her hair, tenderly, while she rubbed herself on her sister's thigh. `This is getting too much,' Nikki thought. `This can't be real.' Big Sis moaned again, convincing her of this reality. They kissed some more. `I'm falling in love with her,' Nikki thought. Maybe she had been in love with Linda all her life and hadn't realized it. That feeling of belonging made her bite Linda's lips. Linda was taken by surprise but Nikki knew she liked it. She moved her hand down Linda's slender body and touched her between her legs, feeling how moist her sister was. She pushed Linda's shorts further down and slipped her hand under her panties. Linda heaved a deep sigh, trying to press her thighs together, which was prevented by Nikki's leg in between. Linda searched Nikki's beautiful eyes through her sister's disheveled hair and made Nikki kiss her once more. They kissed while her sister's hands frolicked inside her sex. "Ooohhh... that's nice, Nikki." "I know," she said, smiling. "I know, Sis. And let's get rid of your shorts. And our panties too." Nikki pulled her up until they got to their feet. They looked at one another's flushed faces for a moment. Then they laughed and hugged each other. "Come on, Sis. Help me out with these tight shorts of yours." "Sure, ma'am." When Linda's shorts fell to the floor, they kissed again, Nikki's hands working on her sister's bottom, pulling her closer. Linda's tongue found its way to Nikki's neck and up to her sister's ear, making her tremble and go weak. "Sisss," Nikki hissed, "you drive me crazy. No guy's managed to do that, ever." Her hands were busy slipping under Linda's panties. Her fingers touched her sister's mound, feeling their way, penetrating Linda's sex. "You're wet, Sis," Nikki whispered, unable to contain her exhilaration. "You're wet for me." "Yes!" That's all Linda could say. After shedding the rest of their clothes, they returned to the bed, Nikki still calling all the shots. Linda preferred it that way, for Nikki was younger and thus the most vulnerable to... what?... abuse? Linda shook her head, driving away that depressing, scary reasoning. She directed her thoughts to her sister and how good Nikki made her feel. Nikki's naked young body against hers was such an incredibly erotic experience. `The forbidden fruit,' she thought. `It must be.' Nikki kept kissing Linda, slowly. Her sister's lips didn't seem to tire of hers. They went on kissing for an eternity, enjoying the contact, mouth against mouth, tongues playing inside, smothering their soft moaning. Nikki's eagerness for kisses was unlike anything Linda had ever experienced before. Her dates kissed her all right. But the guys soon got so worked up that their willingness to go slow and wait for the right signs evaporated, and that ruined everything. Nikki, however, took her time, her svelte thigh brushing against Linda's sex, Nikki's hand playing with Linda's engorged breasts, her mouth exploring Linda's nipples, sucking them, leaving a trace of saliva behind and returning to her mouth again. From time to time, Nikki's hand slid down to Linda's vulva, her slim fingers going slightly in and out, making sure she wouldn't hurt her, unlike some of Linda's boyfriends, who tried to finger-fuck her without caring if she was ready or not for full penetration. She was ready now. "Sis, fuck me," Linda whispered, driving her sister close. "Please." Nikki's answer was a full-blown kiss on her half-open mouth. Nikki smiled for a second but soon enough she got back her earnest look. Linda loved her sister's intentness. Apparently Nikki took her pleasure very seriously, Linda thought. And while kissing her, Nikki's fingers prowled over her body and stopped at her breasts, pressing them together, making her moan with pleasure. Instinctively, Linda opened her legs for Nikki. Her sister's fingers touched her small patch of blond pubic hair and went for the wet folds below. "Do it! Don't tease me!" Nikki licked her own lips, smiling at her sister once again, watching her close her eyes. Nikki's fingers explored Linda's vulva, feeling the waves of pleasure they were creating in that beautiful young girl's body. The realization that she was making love with her own sister excited her. Aroused by this stimulus, she was accelerating her attentions toward Linda's sex, soaking her fingers with Linda's secretions, and joyfully filling her nostrils with the musky scent of female desire. Her fingers began to penetrate Linda, harder and ever harder. "Yes, Nikki... That's it... Go on... Ooohhh... Uuuhhhhmmmm..." Nikki silenced her, putting her breast in front of Linda's mouth. She correctly guessed at her sister's desires. Nikki knew Linda well when Big Sis wanted something. When Linda started to suck her nipple, a jolt of pleasure shot through her, making her masturbate against Linda's hip bone. "Yes, Nikki, go on," Linda begged. "DON'T stop." Her fingers moved closer to Linda's clitoris, rubbing against it. "Oohh," her sister sighed, "it's so GOOD, so damned fucking good. Say you're fucking me." "I'm fucking you," Nikki answered, without relenting on her action, her hand completely drenched by her sister's secretions. "Yes, you fucking me... and fucking me good... fucking my brains out." If Nikki wasn't so horny herself she would have found it hilarious. She was almost coming: Big Sis's moans, her mouth on her nipples were wonderful. Linda's lower belly started to buck like a wild animal, urging Nikki's fingers further in. Linda started to come, the walls of her vagina pulsating around Nikki's wet fingers. She kept titillating Linda's clitoris to prolong her sister's pleasure until Linda collapsed, exhausted. After a few minutes, Linda was anxious to reciprocate the satisfaction. Nikki did as she was told, opening her legs and brushing her sex on Linda's thigh. "Go on!" said Linda, putting her hands on Nikki's bottom to increase the grinding against her own slippery thigh. Nikki's secretions were all over her, and that excited her beyond words. While Nikki slid back and forth, her breasts swayed and brushed against Linda's globes of flesh, hard nipples against hard nipples, soft skin against soft skin. Nikki convulsed with her orgasm, closing her eyelids and exhaling deeply. A few seconds later, Linda had her second. They lay there, holding each other close, Nikki kissing Linda tenderly. Linda kept her eyes shut, shuddering from time to time, enjoying the intensity of it, all the pleasure Nikki had given her. She was speechless, amazed by her own excitement and response to Nikki's sensuality. "Am I dreaming, Nikki?" she asked, opening her eyes. "Nope," Nikki answered, shaking her head, a smile appearing on her flushed face. "It feels like it." Then Linda screamed, "Ouch! That hurt!" Nikki's smile widened into a full-fledged grin. "Yes, it hurt, Sis... but now you know you ain't dreaming... Right?" Linda laughed, wrapping her sister's waist in her arms, kissing her, feeling Nikki's long hair on her face, her heart beating faster, her sense of smell and touch sharpened by the scent of sex in the air, and the warm, soft feel of Nikki's naked body against hers. "I love you." "I love you," Nikki replied. "Don't say that, because I may believe you." "You should... because it is the truth." Linda smiled and kissed Nikki once again, still feeling Nikki's warmth. The juices of pleasure ran between their legs. Their bodies shivered from time to time. Neither of them wanted that moment to end. But it would end, sooner or later, Linda thought. Sisters being lovers?... That was unheard-of. Linda's sadness crept back, her exhilaration again slowly overcome by guilt. She swallowed, her arms pressing her sister closer, fighting that growing fear of losing Nikki. Her sister said she loved her. Just words... that meant nothing... or did they? Linda looked at her sister and smiled. Nikki had fallen asleep, in her arms. After all, Nikki's sluggish nature was a blessing. After all, she loved her sister for it, because Nikki's sloth had been the immediate cause for their lovemaking. Linda shut her eyes, trying to sleep as well, vowing she would no longer tease her sister for her laziness... No, not ever... CHAPTER THREE: DANGER Linda slowly opened her sleepy eyes and began listening attentively to the sounds of the night. She heard a rustling sound in the hall, perhaps the sound that had woken her. All at once she sat up and gently but firmly made Nikki roll off her. "What?" Nikki asked, snapping out of her lethargy and becoming scared. Linda made a motion for her to keep quiet. Because of their mad, crazy lust for each other, they had forgotten to close the door of their room. Linda wrapped herself in her robe, noticing they had fallen asleep with the bedside lamp on. Step by step Linda headed for the hall, her pulse accelerating. She didn't know exactly what to expect. Burglars? The twins? Hopefully, just a mouse or the wind... The hall was too dark to see whether someone was lurking in the shadows, waiting for "his" chance to pounce on her. After a few moments of hesitation, she switched on the hall light. No one was in the hall -- not even the cat... Smiling to herself and heaving a sigh of relief, she concluded, `This ain't a thriller, by the way.' Proceeding to the twins' room, she kept repeating those words as if they had the power to guard her against whatever evil might be hidden in the darkness. She swung the door open. As far as she could see, there was no one in the twins' room either. `Maybe I dreamt the whole thing,' she thought. When she was about to give up her search, the same rustling sound came from Mom's and Dad's room. This time she was sure of it. The door was half open. Someone was definitely there. "Who's there?" she called out, her entire body now tense. "Who's there?" she repeated louder. She didn't dare to go in, fearing the worst. She retreated hurriedly to her room to fetch her softball bat. "What's happening, Linda?" Nikki asked. Linda saw fear in her sister's eyes, the very same eyes which had looked so hungry for her love just a few moments ago. Nikki's feminine body, which had given her so much pleasure, now looked so frail. No one was going to take that away from her, Linda decided, enjoying that sudden surge of fearlessness. "Just stay put. I don't think it's anything serious... I'll take the bat just in case..." Linda lied. She didn't want to scare her sister any more than she was scared already. With the bat she prodded open the door of her parents' room. She stood still for a while, listening, searching for any clue betraying the presence of an intruder. Holding her breath, she reached for the switch and turned on the lights. "What the hell..." she began. Behind her parents' king- size bed, Zo and Jeannie were huddled together, making a futile attempt to hide. Linda couldn't believe her eyes. She realized the twins must have heard and seen everything. And now what?! Linda ordered Zo and Jeannie out, taking them into her own room. As they filed in, Linda felt a pang of shame. Nikki's and her own scent was all over the place and it was obvious that Nikki was naked under the sheets of a bed that wasn't hers. There was no denying it. The twins knew about what had happened. The question now was how to deal with it. Linda was perfectly aware that if she didn't handle it right, Nikki and herself would be fingered by the twins, not only to Mom and Dad but also to all of their friends. They all sat there without speaking -- Linda next to Nikki, the twins on the two wicker chairs. Jeannie kept her head down, staring at the floor, looking frightened and ashamed. Zo did look up, but soon evaded Linda's eyes. Minutes of silence passed until Zo spoke, looking at the bat now leaning against the wall, beside the wardrobe. "I hope you weren't going to hit us with it." "Of course not," said Linda, showing her anger. "If you hadn't snuck in, nothing like this would've happened." "We didn't sneak in. We were just going to our room when... We were just surprised. We didn't expect-" Zo interrupted herself before it was too late. She was saying too much -- lying, actually. When Zo and Jeannie came back home, they looked at each other with surprise in their eyes as they heard strange sounds. They stopped at the bottom of the stairs. They listened carefully and had great difficulty in believing what they heard. Long, soft moans came from upstairs, as if a couple were making out in their older sisters' room. Nervously they giggled at each other. They both were embarrassed, coming to the conclusion that Linda's headache had been no more than an excuse. They thought Linda had planned everything to be alone with Rick, and to have sex with him. Wanting to spy on their oldest sister making love with her boyfriend, Zo and Jeannie climbed the stairs with the utmost care, silently. As they reached the hall they hesitated, doing their best not to giggle every time they heard Linda moan. Their older sisters' bedroom door was wide open, bathing the dark hallway with a beam of weak light. Zo and her twin leaned against the wall, just two strides away from their sisters' bedroom doorway. They listened. Two female voices were speaking too softly for them to understand a word of what they were saying. It seemed as though Nikki was inside as well, Zo realized; and that made sense, for Nikki had come back home earlier... A distant feeling that something odd was happening occurred to Zo . This possibility was quickly dismissed by Jeannie's whispered suggestion that Linda and Nikki were both sharing Rick. Covering their mouths with their hands, Zo and Jeannie stifled their laughter. Their curiosity piqued, they peeped around the doorframe of their sisters' room, remaining hidden by the corner of the private bathroom wall. Stupefaction struck them. Their eyes opened wide. Nikki was making love to Linda -- without Rick! That was... breathtaking, the last thing they had expected. A terrible sense of shame washed over Zo as she recalled when she first saw Linda and Nikki making love, so passionately, as if they were a couple of... lesbians? She was ashamed because her own body reacted to Linda's moaning, Big Sis begging Nikki to penetrate her with her fingers. Her sisters' good looks, their flowing blond hair, reminded Zo of the lesbian pictures she had seen in Dad's girlie magazines. She had even once masturbated while ogling one of them. At the beginning, looking at those pictures had been all too exciting. But as soon as the pleasure ebbed away, she became disgusted at herself. She was no lesbian, and she had no intention of letting Mom or her sisters catch her with such a magazine. "So, what'd you expect?" charged Linda, tired of waiting for Zo to explain her peeping. "You were spying on us, weren't you? From the beginning. Why didn't you say anything? Because you liked what you saw, huh?" And again Linda could guess what Zo was thinking. Linda was the unquestioned leader of the household, sharp as a needle, very demanding, and always on the move. Sometimes even Mom and Dad bowed down to Linda's arguments. Mercy if she was mad at someone. Jeannie began to cry, surprising everyone. Zo moved closer to her twin sister, holding her, confused by her twin's sudden tearful fit. She tried to calm her down but Jeannie wouldn't stop. Linda drew near to Jeannie and gave her a hug, hushing her, evoking in Zo a sense of d j vu. It was not the first time that Linda took over their parents' responsibility, being mother and father to three girls yearning for love, comforting them or punishing them accordingly. Mom and Dad never stayed long at home - - a million parties to go to, yacht cruises they couldn't miss... "Why are you crying, honey?" Linda asked, not knowing what was happening inside Jeannie's head. Jeannie didn't know it herself. She just knew she liked Linda's sweet, warm hug. Jeannie shut her eyes, breathing in Big Sis's fragrance mixed with the distinct odor of sex, very similar to how her hand smelled when she masturbated before falling asleep. Now that the shock of finding their older sisters making love with each other had subsided, Jeannie relaxed, embracing Linda's waist. Feeling Big Sis so close, it didn't take long for the indelible image of Nikki making out with Linda to flash back into Jeannie's mind. Jeannie recalled Linda's ecstatic face, Nikki's triumph appearing in her smile, the tenderness they lavished upon each other. From that moment on, Jeannie knew she wanted the same. She wanted the same attention and tenderness. She wanted Linda to make love to her the same as she'd done to Nikki. She felt special when her eldest sister paid attention to her. That sudden intense craving made Jeannie aware of Linda's wonderful, full breasts against her face. She wanted to open Big Sis's robe and feel them with her hands. She wanted it so much that she started crying again. "What's the matter, Jeannie? Why are you crying? You always told me when anything hurt you. That didn't change. I'm still here for you." "Really?" asked Jeannie, still sobbing. "Of course, silly. The reason why Nikki and I were in bed... together... was because we've found out how much we love each other. And that is nothing to be ashamed of." "Really?" "Yes, really." Linda smiled, seeing hope in her youngest sister's light blue eyes. "And if..." "If, what?" Jeannie couldn't say it out loud. It was too weird. She just cuddled herself closer to Linda, holding her willowy waist even tighter, making Linda's bosom more prominent and harder to overlook. Swallowing, she finally dared act. Her hand headed for the opening of Linda's robe, uncovering her sister's breasts. Linda didn't stop her. Jeannie was starving for affection. She was never happy with the guys she dated. She was always complaining and pointing out their shortcomings, calling them immature, clumsy, crackbrained and plain stupid. Linda shut her eyes, feeling Jeannie's lips sucking on her nipples, which in a matter of seconds had become powerfully erect. She gasped, pulling Jeannie's head toward her breast. That intense feeling of pleasure didn't last long, though, as Jeannie's lips were yanked away from her nipple with unexpected violence. She opened her eyes, realizing that Zo had just knocked Jeannie down. Pulling Jeannie up and covering her breasts with her robe, Linda yelled, "What's the matter with you, Zo ?" "What's the matter with YOU, I ask. You... I can't believe what you're doing. This is gross." "Why?" It was a simple question to which Zo had no answer. She had more or less enjoyed watching Linda and Nikki together, but Jeannie with Linda bothered her beyond reason. "She's just jealous," Jeannie huffed, pulling herself together. "She's always jealous about my boyfriends. She just can't stand them. She-" "Stop it, Jeannie!" Linda's stare was hard and serious. Jeannie knew that Linda never allowed bickering among them. She was the one who gave the example, never criticizing anyone lightly. Linda was the reason they had such a close bond. She nurtured a positive attitude toward her sisters. Badmouthing anyone was totally off limits. Linda looked at Zo , then back at Jeannie. She inhaled deeply, pulling her hair back with her hands, which began to tremble. She licked her dry lips, concentrating on her own breathing, looking down, as though the solution to the problem at hand lay on the floor. "Zo is right," Linda said, looking up. "Zo is right?" Jeannie repeated, raising her voice, scowling at Linda and then at Zo . Linda licked her lips again and said, "Yes... We'd better stop, now. Mom and Dad will be back tomorrow..." "So?" "Jeannie," Linda said, desperation creeping in, "listen to me. This is not right." "What? What's not right?" Linda swallowed, seeing her kid sister's expression change. Jeannie's face didn't look surprised any more. There was fear in those light blue eyes. "Jeannie, let's forget about it. It was my mistake. I shouldn't have... We shouldn't have..." "We shouldn't have? What are you talking about?" Jeannie was screaming by now, almost hysterical. "You mean it is OK for you and Nikki to make out, but it's wrong for you to make love to me?" "Jeannie, calm down. I-" "I understand," Jeannie said, gritting her teeth. "I know when I'm not wanted." Saying this, she made a half-turn and stormed out of the room. The three girls heard hurried steps on the hall. Then a door banged violently, the whole house shuddering as they shuddered. "Nice going, Sis," raged Zo , as Linda's eyes returned to her. "Nice going," she repeated, making it her turn to leave the bedroom, casting, as she went, a last disapproving glance at her eldest sister. Linda let herself fall on her bed, rubbing her face furiously with her hands. She just didn't know what to do. It seemed as though her worst fears had come true. Things were escalating and getting out of hand. A hand touched her shoulder, making her spring to her feet and away from that contact that felt as though she was being branded like a steer on the ranch. "Please, don't. I can stand it." Reasoning quickly, Linda added, "Not tonight, please..." "I just wanted-" "I know, Nikki. I know... Let's just go to bed and get some sleep. I'll talk to the twins tomorrow." * * * Linda wanted to fall asleep, but strange thoughts were swirling through her head. The memories of an odd, unusual, overwhelming sexual encounter kept coming back to her, leaving her excited and exhausted at the same time. She turned to gaze at Nikki, who had fallen asleep as if nothing had happened between them. Nikki's "I love you" still reverberated in Linda's ears... but people say it so often without really meaning it. Linda envied Nikki's ability to sleep. Two years before, they had gone to Europe to visit Dad's Scottish relatives. These distant members of the family lived in a huge castle, a scary, spooky place full of corridors and long shadows, old portraits and dusty antique furniture. The bedrooms were as somber as the rest of the castle, with its ancient mahogany chests and armoires, and more paintings portraying ancestors whose stare never left them. Linda was fifteen at the time, Nikki thirteen -- almost fourteen -- and frightened as hell. They couldn't believe that Dad wanted them to sleep in such a place, but he was adamant that they stay. Dad didn't want to hurt the feelings of his cousins, Jeremy McDougall and his wife, by declining their hospitality. At night, Nikki crawled into Linda's bed. She said she was too scared to sleep. Nikki made Linda hug her back and hold her hand to drive away her fears. With this warmth and comfort., Nikki fell asleep within minutes, without noticing how terrified her "guardian" was. Gusts of wind lashing the window panes scared Linda too, and kept her awake. She listened to every creak, wondering whether the house was haunted. Hundreds of people had lived and died in Jeremy McDougall's castle, even in that very bedroom. This thought made her shiver and she held Nikki's hand tight. She felt as though this contact had the power to drive off the ghosts that made her feel afraid. It was 6:35 AM when Linda woke up, realizing she was not in Scotland but at the beach house. She cast a glance at Nikki, who slept in her own bed, her naked shoulder blades and slender waist uncovered. Her sister wasn't wearing her pajama top. It had become unbuttoned during the fight which was the starting point for everything that had happened now between them. Or had it? For a short moment Linda wished it hadn't. She had to confront the twins and find a way to keep them from blowing the whistle. Linda kept staring at her sister's naked back, feeling the desire return in spite of herself. Nikki's long hair was spread out on her pillow. Her tanned, thin arm was bent, and her hand presumably was close to her sex. This thought made Linda bolt out of her bed and into the bathroom, in an attempt to quench her desire. `Am I becoming a one-track-minded moron?' she chided herself, looking in the mirror and feeling disgusted. `How can this be happening? She's your sister, Linda. Wake up and get real.' Linda washed her face vigorously, her thoughts running through her mind like little red devils swarming around her, whispering into her ear what she should do, what she should not forget. Linda went downstairs. It was too early for the showdown with the twins. Usually her sisters listened to her because she knew how to choose the right words, and she convinced them that her arguments were stronger than theirs. Her verbal skills (and her looks) had been put to good use by Mr. Rawlings, the principal of S.F. High. He wanted a spokesperson for the school, a "well-groomed" junior who would represent S.F. High's "high morals and standards of education". She was to be the bait to lure parents into entrusting their children to Mr. Rawlings's "center of excellence". `Center of excellence?' she thought, recalling the principal's own words. `Yeah, right.' Taking a carton of milk out of the refrigerator, Linda wondered about her cynicism. Paul and Lisa said she was too serious for her age, which surprised her. She thought she could lighten up with them, throwing good-humored jabs at her friends because she expected the same from them. Paul van Dyke was Rick's best friend. Paul had introduced Rick to her at a birthday party before the guys began to play their ear-splitting electric guitars and scream out their angry lyrics. They sounded like Offspring and Red Hot Chili Peppers put together, and that combination was quite interesting. Lisa Maxwell had been her best friend a long time ago. Linda couldn't tell exactly why they had grown away from each other... Boyfriends, she would say. Jealousy, perhaps. Linda poured some milk into a glass. When she was about to drink it, she felt a presence behind her. She turned around to see Jeannie staring at her, leaning against the doorjamb. She wore her off-white silk pajamas, her blond tresses hiding most of her folded arms. "Hi, Jeannie. Couldn't sleep?" Jeannie shook her head, walking in the kitchen, getting closer. "And you?" "Me neither." Holding out her glass, Linda asked, "Want some?" Jeannie shook her head again, remaining silent for a long minute, watching her sister drink the rest of her milk. Linda's gaze returned to her youngest sister, noticing the rings around her eyes. Much as she hated to raise the subject, having Jeannie next to her offered Linda the opportunity to secure the twins' silence without Zoe's interference. "Did you and Zo talk about last night?" she asked. "Not really." "Why?" Jeannie sighed, scratching her forehead, pulling up a chair and letting herself plump down on it. "Zo wanted to talk about it but I didn't. I was mad at you... Still am." "What do you want me to do?" Linda asked, raising her voice slightly. "Be fair." "What do you mean? You can't buy and sell me as if I am commodity you can use at will." Jeannie looked away, biting her lower lip. "OK, I see it's no use talking to you." Then she stood up and left the kitchen without looking back. Linda heard her sister rush upstairs. She braced herself to hear the door slam, a statement of an angry teenager, but nothing happened. She waited, listening for sounds from upstairs. Silence ensued, interrupted only by the sound of a passing car. Annoyed, Linda cursed the damned driver, who was preventing her from hearing whether Jeannie had in fact returned to her room. She decided to investigate, climbed up the stairs, scanning the hall above, and saw no one. "Jeannie," she called out as she reached the top of the stairs. Then she saw her sister sitting on the floor of the hallway, her back against the wall. Her legs were drawn up and her long hair covered her face, arms and upper body. Jeannie looked up, her eyes twinkling. "Are you all right?" Linda asked. Before Linda could crouch down beside her, Jeannie got up, and propped herself against the wall. "Yes," Jeannie replied, "but no thanks to you." "Oh, come on, Jeannie... Grow up." "You should grow up, Linda. Not me," retorted Jeannie angrily. "Yelling like that, you're gonna wake everybody up." "I don't care," Jeannie answered, shrugging. "Afraid of what Nikki's gonna say if she finds you're here with me?" "You know damned well that's not the point," Linda breathed out, as her youngest sister's anger and jealousy were becoming all too obvious. Jeannie had tightened her fists, as if she was considering getting physical. Linda was astonished by that possibility. Her whole body froze, as if waiting for Jeannie to pick a fight. Suddenly, the door next to them opened. "What is this? What are you doing here in the hall?" said Zo as she glared at Linda and Jeannie, her hands in her hips, waiting for an answer. Before Linda or Zo could speak, Jeannie clasped her twin's arm and said, "Nothing." Then she grabbed hold of Zo , took her back into their room, and slammed the door behind them. Finding herself alone in the hallway, Linda shrugged, made a half-turn, and returned to the kitchen. She was restless, her hands trembled, and her heart pounded. She didn't want to brood over what might happen if the twins told everything to Mom and Dad. Mom was so uptight about everything to do with sex -- Dad too, although it was no secret that he liked to goggle at naked women in his porno magazines. He probably jerked himself off at them, the way Rick and Paul did. Her father's double standards made her mad and left her confused. Her parents' hypocrisy sickened her. She swore to herself she'd never be like them. She'd teach her kids how to deal with their sexuality, by talking to them, letting them know it was all right what they felt and did as long as they didn't hurt anyone. She would teach them to be responsible, empowering them and letting them choose. Righteous adults should know better than to forbid anything without an explanation. They usually forget that the "forbidden fruit" is always the most tempting... * * * Nikki went downstairs, searching for Linda and the twins. She rubbed her eyes, yawning, chasing away the drowsiness she felt every time she slept in. She was surprised that none of her sisters had woken her up. Their promise of tickling her to death if she overslept was just an empty threat, after all. Crashing sounds came from the living room. Someone was watching TV, she correctly guessed. Passing through the doorway, she found Big Sis lounging on the couch, holding a small cushion. Although the TV was on, Big Sis's eyes stared blankly into space. A fearful chill shot through Nikki's body. It was unusual for her oldest sister to stay home and watch TV. Linda was too active and fidgety to be a couch potato... Besides, Linda's distant stare worried her. Her sister's blues were so out of character! "Hi, Linda. Where are the twins?" Linda looked at her, sitting up straight, her feet leaving the couch, her hands getting rid of the cushion. Big Sis pulled her hair back with both hands, sighing. "They went to the beach." "Without us?" "Yes." "You think..." "I don't know," Linda replied, raising her green eyes and facing Nikki for the first time. "I don't know what they're going to do... but sure as hell they're pissed off." The two of them made small talk intermittently for a while, silence taking over slowly. Neither of them wanted to imagine what would happen if the twins talked. What if they told Mr. Cool about them? They would be the subject of all the malicious gossip in the resort. Instead of being envied and adored, they would be outcasts. This prospect made Nikki gasp, realizing for the first time the far-reaching consequences of their lovemaking. Incestuous sisters?... That would surely make them talk! The rest of the afternoon whizzed by, Linda dreading the moment of her parents' return. Nikki suggested going to the mall and leaving the house for a while. It would do them good. There was nothing better than a shopping spree to forget one's problems. Linda laughed at Nikki's way of putting it, and even thought of thanking her with a kiss. She changed her mind promptly, for kissing Nikki had gained a totally different meaning. She didn't want to mislead her... They were sisters, and having sex with her was not right. Not right at all. While in the mall, Linda was unable to respond to Nikki's attempts to cheer her up. Nikki said that everything would be fine and that the twins wouldn't talk. What would they gain by squealing on their own sisters? Their own reputation would also be tarnished. The four of them were not just friends. They were family. The honor of all of them was at stake. To this Linda countered, "Honor? What honor? We're not Italian, Sis... I think you've been reading too many mob mysteries." When Linda and Nikki returned home, they found out Dad's Buick parked in the driveway. "They're home," said Nikki, her voice showing no emotion, just stating the fact. "Yes," Linda agreed, nodding. Taking hold of Nikki's arm, she added, "Let's go. We can't stay here all day long and daydream about tomorrow." They stepped into the house through the half-open front door. "Mom?" Linda called out from the bottom of the stairs. "Dad?" She waited for a while but got no answer. "Mom?" she cried out louder, climbing the stairs, her left hand sliding up the banister. "MOM?" "What, honey?" her mother's face appeared at the banister of the upstairs hall. "Why are you shouting like that? I'm not deaf." As she spoke, her mother took off her diamond earrings, the ones Grandma Greta had given her daughter, Marge Wesley, the day before she married the promising young engineer Fred McDougall. "D'you know where the twins are?" "Why on earth would I know that? Your father and I have just arrived from the most relaxing, fantastic yacht cruise... Aren't they with you?" "No," Linda replied, realizing how inane she'd been. To ask Mom where Zo and Jeannie were could trigger a series of unwanted questions. Her nerves had gotten the better of her, though. She took the initiative, adding, "They went to the beach... Nikki and I, we stayed home and went to the mall this afternoon." "It sounds like you had your bit of fun, honey," her mother said, her southern drawl becoming more perceptible. Mom had lived most of her life in Georgia and her favorite movie was Gone with the wind. "And aren't you forgetting something?" "Mom, not now... Anyway, you're already told us how great your weekend was." Before her mother could protest, Linda scurried down the stairs, her head beckoning Nikki to follow her into the back yard. As they walked by the living room doorway, a man's voice said, "Hello, girls... Doesn't your father deserve a welcome any more?" Linda and Nikki stopped in their tracks and looked at the six-foot tall, bulky man with immaculate white hair. His arms were open and he was puffing at a pipe like Popeye the sailor man. This was no time for wisecracks, Linda thought, resigning herself to being hugged by Dad and listening to his tales about the good time they had with the Bells and their elitist circle of friends. She hated it most when Mom and Dad tried to couple her with the sons of those empty-headed snobs, embarking on a mission to "save" her from Rick Hillman. Linda had yelled at them, making them understand she wouldn't have it. She'd chosen Rick as her boyfriend and she was not going to change her mind. Ever! When Zo and Jeannie came home, dinner was almost ready. They walked in the back door with their wetsuits on, explaining they had been surfing with Max and Pete. Once more Mom expressed her concerns about their hanging around with grownup men. They should look for more suitable company, someone their own age. "Mom," Zo protested, "they're our instructors. How are we supposed to learn without instructors?" "It's 7 PM... I can't imagine you've been surfing until now." "Oh, for chrisakes," Zo said, rolling her eyes and stomping out of the kitchen. "Come on, Jeannie. Let's go upstairs and change." * * * "So, how was your weekend?" Fred McDougall asked, taking two generous scoops of mashed potatoes onto his dish and scrutinizing his daughters with a wide smile. Nikki and Jeannie sat on his right and Linda and Zo on his left. Although he was paying attention to his daughters, Fred failed to notice how tense the four of them had become after his unsuspecting question. Linda straightened herself up on her chair, eyeing Zo and then Jeannie. Before Zo could answer their father's question, Linda said, "It was OK." "OK?" her mother asked, her brows arching up, helping herself to the broccoli. "Just OK?" "Yes," Linda replied, unable to hide her annoyance, while waiting for Zo to hand over the meat platter. "Some of us can settle for less, without overstating how happy we all are." "What's that supposed to mean, Linda?" Marge asked, taking the bowl of mashed potatoes and staring at her eldest daughter. "Nothing." A heavy silence hovered over the table, Linda avoiding her mother's inquiring eyes. "That must mean something, Linda, or you wouldn't say it." "Girls!" Fred exclaimed. "Let's not fight... Not tonight." "Yes," Jeannie agreed, breathing in and out deeply. Although the dinner prepared by Anita Perez, the cook, was delicious, it was consumed without the usual small talk and laughter. Fred tried his best to keep the conversation going, but Linda's ill-humored remark had soured his wife's mood. It seemed as though the battle of wills between mother and daughter was getting worse by the day. If his memory served him well, it all started when Linda turned fourteen and asked her mother's permission to spend her birthday with Chad Manson, a popular 16-year-old lady- killer who apparently had turned Linda's head. Marge, however, wouldn't hear of her daughter preferring the company of the neighborhood's troublemaker to her family's on such an important day. Chad Manson was no good, he was a bum, and probably a drug dealer... Since then Linda had become more circumspect and secretive about her dates, choosing her words carefully. Linda blamed Marge for ruining her life, for not understanding her. Sometimes Marge accused her husband of taking sides, sticking up for Linda more often than for his own wife. Strangely enough, he could feel an undercurrent of rage in Marge's words. That rage baffled him but he wasn't going to ask any more about it. Marge would most probably deny there was anything in it. As he always did after dinner, Fred headed for his den to fill up his pipe with fresh tobacco. There was nothing better than a good puff and a steaming cup of coffee for him to relax after such a long weekend with the Bells. Jonathan Bell was the president and the founder of Servenet, owning more than 40% of the voting shares. In other words, Jonathan was his boss, and the yacht cruises Jonathan organized were part of Servenet's informal way of conducting business. As he emptied his pipe into the small trashcan under his desk, Fred's eyes spotted his daughter Zo standing at the doorway. "Hello, Zo ... Come on in... I won't bite." His daughter didn't react, apparently oblivious to his jesting. Her long shiny hair covered the left side of her slender body, the fingers of her hands in the small pockets of her skin-tight blue jeans. Zo happened to be his favorite daughter, the one who'd jump on his lap, begging for a story. She listened to him with her attentive blue eyes wide open, giggling at the funny parts, and gaping if the story was really interesting. His other three daughters were more standoffish. He was certain that Linda set them against himself and his wife. He wished that Marge and Linda could settle their differences. Marge should moderate her inflexibility and Linda should be less of a stubborn brat. If that ever happened Fred was sure his household would be far more peaceful. Zo seemed anxious. Every now and then she looked back into the hallway as though making sure that no one had followed her. Fred came over to be close to his daughter. "What's the matter, Zo ?" he asked. "I'm not sure..." Zo said softly, teasing her lower lip with her teeth. Before Zo could continue, Linda showed up at the doorway and said, "Zo , I wanna talk to you." "Not now," Zo complained, twisting her arm free from Linda's grip. "I mean, NOW," Linda demanded, pulling her sister away from the doorway, and their astonished father. Putting her hands on Zoe's shoulders, Linda whispered, "If you want to ruin my life, go ahead... Tell them... tell them everything... But think about Nikki and Jeannie for once. What do you think Mom and Dad are going to do with them if they know, huh? Did you think about that?...This is not a prank, Zo . This is serious... They can break us apart because of this... Is that what you want?... Huh?... Tell me... Is that what you want?" Linda could see fear in her sister's eyes. Zo was speechless, flickering her eyelids and offering no resistance as her big sis pushed her against the wall. Their father closed in, wrenching Linda away from Zo . He took them both to his den and shut the door, waiting for an explanation for their outrageous behavior. Folding his arms, he ordered them to speak but neither of his daughters said a word, even after he threatened to ground them for two weeks. Once again Linda was able to wield her powerful influence on her younger sister. Realizing this, Fred sent Linda out of the den and approached Zo , questioning her gently. Still, his favorite daughter evaded his eyes and refused to talk. Much against his will and better judgment, he let his irritation show. His voice had grown too loud, scaring his daughter into even more resolute silence. Eventually he dismissed her, tired of waiting and convinced that he had ruined all his chances of hearing what was behind all that peculiar exchange between Linda and Zo . "Women," he sighed, as he opened the bag where he kept his favorite tobacco. He shook his head as he filled his pipe. His worries vanished as soon as he took the first draw. His eyes shut as he enjoyed the moment. Smiling, he left his den and returned to the living room, with the firm intention of allowing nothing and no one to spoil his favorite time of the day. CHAPTER FOUR: FRUSTRATION "Nikki, come to me... Come to me..." a female voice implored. Nikki couldn't say who was calling her so desperately. The girl's face would sometimes materialize in her mind, or dissolve in the next moment as mist on a sunny day. Nikki reached out for the other girl, but their fingers never touched, as if an invisible wall stood between them. Nikki screamed, calling for the girl, who resembled her in so many ways. Her heart beat faster, and she could feel the acid accumulating in her lungs and muscles, because the other girl kept falling and falling... away from her... Nikki woke up, startled, confused, her eyes becoming acquainted with the darkness of her surroundings. She realized she was at the beach house, in her bedroom, and that she had had a bad dream. The other girl in her dream was Linda, she decided, as she stared at her sister. Linda was still sleeping, wearing her usual T-shirt -- she hated pajamas! -- her long curls swept across her back. Linda's right leg was bent and naked, teasing the T-shirt upward, and the sheet away from her body. Seeing this, Nikki became again excited with desire. The craving for Linda's kisses returned, making her lips dry. Nikki recalled how Big Sis now avoided the slightest physical contact between them if they happened to be close together. If confronted with what had happened on Saturday evening, Linda reiterated that it wasn't right, that it had all been a mistake, her mistake. Nikki had tried to reason with her but Big Sis wouldn't stay and listen to her arguments. The twins had ruined everything, especially Zo . In spite of Zoe's big mouth, Linda had managed to prevent a major earthquake at home. As always, Big Sis got her own way, talking Zo into silence -- but for how long? The twins were still mad at them, although for different reasons. Jeannie was jealous of what Linda and she had, which was... nothing; and Zo was jealous of what might happen between her twin sister and Linda, which was NOTHING, either. Nikki shook her head, getting out of bed, discarding the feeling that their lives were turning into one of those TV soap operas she hated so much. Living the lives of others was not her idea of fun. She was a doer, not a dreamer... If she wanted something, she would do (almost) anything to get it. Linda had taught her to chase after her dreams and fight for her happiness. But what would Big Sis say about her daydreams right now? Making as little noise as possible, Nikki washed herself and dressed, wearing her bikini under her beach shorts and her sleeveless, top-cropped T-shirt. She went downstairs, turning on the lights of a deserted kitchen. It was 7:45 AM, too early even for Dad if he didn't have to leave for work. It was Spring Break and Dad had taken a few days off his busy-busy schedule to stay with his wife and kids. He was to leave on Wednesday as he had an important meeting waiting for him in Houston, Texas. Mom would then take off for Palm Springs with a friend of hers and, as usual, would only be back a couple of days later. `Just as well,' Nikki thought. `At least we can do whatever we want.' Spring Break ended next Sunday, Nikki realized as she walked out of the back door, breathing in the fresh air of a lovely morning. She stretched herself out in Dad's lawn chair, and at that moment she wished she had a pet, a dog or a bunny, something she could call her own. Mom wouldn't allow any living animal at home, though, because pets were messy and smelled. Mom was commanding and stubborn as hell, and so was Linda. That's why Linda and Mom couldn't get along -- they were too alike. Nikki rubbed her tanned, slender legs, as a chill had run through her body. Although the morning was sunny and soothingly warm, she shivered now and then. Her hands rested on her thighs, while desire was oozing between her legs. She didn't care much for self-relief. It felt too selfish and lonely. There were, however, times when she couldn't resist it, bringing herself to a very satisfying orgasm. She hated to deal with the guilt afterwards, though. When she was just six Mom had caught her masturbating against Mr. Tom, her favorite teddy bear. Mom pulled her up and smacked her bottom, screaming at her in front of Anita about what a "bad girl" she was. Mom took Mr. Tom away and Nikki hadn't seen him since. Many years later Linda told her she shouldn't feel guilty about rubbing herself off. If she felt like it she should do it, and to hell with what Mom thought. "And do you do it?" Nikki had asked. "Yes, of course... Most folks do but won't admit it." Linda squeezed her hand, assuring her it was OK what she felt. Notwithstanding Linda's assurances, Nikki was unable to shake off her uneasiness about masturbation. Mom's screaming and her public humiliation came back to haunt her and to ruin all the pleasure she had just experienced. The funny thing was that she didn't feel any guilt whatsoever about making love with Linda... No, on the contrary. She felt liberated, safe, and out of harm's way. Linda gave her strength, because Big Sis loved her. That Saturday evening Linda had told her so.... Her heart thumped harder. Nikki felt where her heart should be with her right hand and wondered whether she was falling in love with Linda. Linda... She was so beautiful, so strong... `I love her,' she realized, feeling sudden warmth in her cheeks, surprised by the depth of her feelings. But Linda was her sister... How could she feel this way? How could she? Nikki heard the back door opening and shutting. It was Dad, wearing his red turtleneck, which clashed visibly with his oversized khaki shorts. Puffing at his pipe, he greeted her and asked how she felt. Nikki went through the motions, engaging in a conversation she was rather uncomfortable with. She wondered whether he would ask about Zo and Linda, and what Zo wanted to tell him. Nikki noticed how carefully he trod with his questioning, maneuvering their conversation into that very subject. Fortunately, Linda barged into the back yard, just in time, as if Big Sis had seen it coming. That morning's glorious weather gained sudden priority in Dad's speech, and it remained so until he walked back into the house, leaving the two girls by themselves. Hesitantly Nikki turned her face to Linda, who had stretched herself out on a lawn chair next to hers. Linda had her eyelids closed, enjoying the sunshine. She wore her usual dark yellow T-shirt and her very short, snug black shorts. Without even noticing, Nikki's eyes scanned her sister's breasts and her brawny, yet feminine long legs. That familiar wetness returned, the reactions of her sex putting her to the blush. As if Big Sis had noticed her stare, Linda opened her eyes and faced her. "I almost don't recognize you." "What?" "Getting up so early is not exactly what you do on a regular basis." "I couldn't sleep... Anyway I want to go to the beach early." "Do you miss the guys that much?" Nikki observed her sister more closely, trying to discern whether that remark was out of jealousy or was just plain old Linda cracking jokes. "No," Nikki said, shaking her head and averting Linda's staring. That remark made her terribly sad, although she couldn't say why. "I don't want to go to the promenade... not today. I know this beach, a few miles from here... We could take your Jeep and go there, for a change." "Sounds good to me," Linda replied, shutting her eyes and facing the morning sun again. "Let's hope the twins'll think the same." * * * "What kind of beach is this?" Zo asked, jumping off the Jeep. "No one's here." "So?" Nikki asked, turning off the engine. "What's the problem with that? This is our chance of sunbathing topless. No one comes here on Monday, at least not this early." Despite Zoe's complaining, Linda, Nikki and Jeannie decided to stay and explore the beach. Nikki looked up at the sun, judging its height and strength. It was another perfect day to lie on the sand, and to enjoy the sunshine and the waves without the hassle of the promenade and its beach. Linda scanned the blue horizon and the quiet sea, her hand screening her eyes from the sun. As Zo had grumbled, the beach was deserted. Linda felt and heard the sea breeze flurry against her face and hair, and the grass growing on the sand dunes. A few seagulls glided above her, looking for food down in the ocean. "Nice place, Nikki." Nikki drew breath to say thanks but decided against it when she exhaled. She could feel Linda wanted some distance. Giving an answer would violate her sister's wistful mood. After some discussion with the twins, they chose a spot near the sand dunes and away from the waveline. Since they were going to sunbathe topless, the dunes would offer protection from curious ogling, should people appear on the beach. As she slipped off her T-shirt and shorts, Nikki's eyes moved away from Linda's body. The tension of excitement had announced its presence between her legs as soon as she saw Linda's naked breasts and her beautiful, slender body. Fortunately Big Sis seemed unaware of her staring, busy as she was with the oiling of her own arms and ample chest. Although topless sunbathing was a rare event for them, their tan lines were almost invisible. They all wore expensive bikinis which allowed most of the UV light through. They had bought them in an exclusive boutique in Beverly Hills, owned by a man who did his best to look like David Niven and sound as savvy as a college professor. Linda handed the sunblock over to Nikki and asked her how she knew about this secluded beach. It was because of Jim Tatum, Nikki explained. She met Jim at a Lana Martin's party. He was a college freshman at the time, nicely built, strong shoulders and arms but hardly the typical UCLA jock. He had a way with words, which reminded her of Linda, and a gleaming two-wheeled import that would sweep any teenage girl off her feet with its powerful roar of an angry, thirsty engine. In the beginning she declined his invitations to go for a ride. Jim Tatum scared her somehow. On the other hand, she was curious as to what it would feel like riding on a bike like that, feeling the wind in her hair, leaning against a guy a lot of girls would kill to be friends with. In the end Lana whisked her doubts away, and she accepted Jim's idea of a thrilling date. And thrilling it was... She had screamed and laughed when Jim accelerated and negotiated a tight turn at full speed. The ocean stretched away into a cloudless horizon at their right, and huge boulders of hard rock cropped out at their left, giving them no chance if Jim lost control of his roaring bike. After a long ride, he took her to this secluded beach, and soon enough he kissed her and made the first moves for them to make out. Nikki pushed him away firmly, looking at him sharply and making it clear she was not going to have sex with him. Besides, she was seeing Craig Worell and she didn't intend to cheat on her boyfriend. Jim got mad, standing up and throwing some curses at the wind, while his hand brushed back his light brown hair. Eventually he brought her home, without saying another word or looking at her directly again. Fortunately, she hadn't seen him since. Linda smiled at Nikki's story of failed seduction and looked at the breakers that kept rolling onto the sand. Again Nikki had to tear her eyes off Linda's tanned body. Big Sis's breasts were like a magnet. She didn't mean to stare like a sex-starved boy but every time she looked at Linda's body the overwhelming emotions of their lovemaking washed over her like a gigantic wave. Those feelings wreaked havoc with her determination to respect her sister's decision to put an end to the sexual nature of their relationship. She swallowed and sighed, exerting herself to keep the tears from flowing. If only she could find a way to make her sister understand it was OK for them to make love, she wondered. If they wanted to, why not? Because they were sisters? And if she were a guy, would Linda have less qualms about making love? Nikki took her turn at applying the sunblock. The twins were just a few feet away from her, giggling and playing with their own bottle of sunblock, spreading the oily liquid on each other. They avoided the other's breasts as though it were understood that their small chests were forbidden territory. Seeing Zo and Jeannie in such a playful mood, touching each other's bodies freely, it became clear to Nikki how much she wanted Linda. The twins didn't have to deal with the frustration she felt. Done with the sunblock, Nikki let the bottle drop in Linda's jute bag and walked over to the waveline. She rubbed her eyes, feeling the moisture with her fingertips, and hugging herself. She looked at the ocean and the waves and the birds and the infrequent yachts that lazily cruised on the water. The water felt cold on her feet. Nikki let the waves bury her feet under the sand, pretending not to hear the twins' playful giggling. They were wrestling, Nikki guessed without looking back. They would soon come and dive into the sea, and wash the sand off their bodies. After a few minutes of high- pitched giggling and screaming, Zoe's and Jeannie's voices came closer. As Nikki foresaw, her younger sisters ran into the water, disappearing under a wave and surfacing a couple of feet further away from the beach. Jeannie waved her to join them but Nikki turned her down. Nikki didn't feel like getting wet. She looked back, taking a fleeting glance at Linda. Linda lay flat on her beach towel, ignoring the twins' monkeyshines. "The water's freezing," Zo said, making her way back to the beach, trembling. Without paying attention to Nikki, Zo returned to the sand dunes to fetch her towel and dry herself off. Jeannie stayed in the water a little while longer. Then she swam to the beach, got to her feet, and walked over toward Nikki. All of a sudden, Jeannie kicked in the water, splashing her sister silly, causing Nikki to withdraw to a safer, drier spot on the sand. Her sense of relief didn't last long as a pair of strong hands took hold of her arms, pushing her toward Jeannie. "Linda!" Nikki cried out with surprise in her eyes. "Yes, that's me," Linda laughed. "I'm joining the fun, Sis." Before Nikki could say a thing, another spatter of sea water was kicked at her by Jeannie, who was laughing as boisterously as Linda. Reacting as fast as she could, Nikki ducked and wriggled herself free from Linda's firm clasp, and dived into the water. "Hey, that's not fair," Nikki complained, swimming away from her sisters. "I'm always alone against all of you." "That's what lazybones's get sooner or later," Jeannie cracked. "I'm not lazy." "You're not?" Jeannie said, savoring the irony with her lips. Linda and Jeannie sat down on the sand, the water caressing their feet. They were still grinning at each other and then at Nikki. Nikki joined them, settling down beside Big Sis and keeping her eyes open, watchful for any sign of Linda or Jeannie wanting another bout of wrestling. No words were exchanged. The three of them just listened to the sounds of the sea and the birds hovering overhead. Nikki wondered if Jeannie's horseplay was a kind of conciliatory gesture, an attempt to prevent further distrust and friction between them. Unlike Zo, Jeannie was not a rancorous girl. Jeannie could fly into a rage but she was usually the one to raise the white flag first. Then Nikki's eyes fell on Big Sis, to examine her absent look with her green eyes lost in the distance. Nikki wanted to ask Big Sis what she was thinking about, but Jeannie's presence dissuaded her from such a dangerous line of questioning. In spite of Nikki's silence, it seemed as though Linda had noticed Nikki's staring. Linda stood up and brushed the sand off her bikini bottom., "I'd better go," she said, "or Zo might think we don't like to be around her any more." "She could've joined us," Nikki retorted. "Yes, Nikki, she could've. But Zoe's still pissed off and you know that." Nikki shrugged as her big sister left. She didn't want to think about the reasons for Linda's bluntness and Zoe's reticence. The sexual ghost still hovered above their heads, just like a seagull searching for the right moment to dive and catch its prey. Nikki couldn't accept that sex had ruined everything between Big Sis and herself. That simply couldn't be true. "Nikki?" "Yes?" Nikki replied, brushing her hair away from her face and looking at her youngest sister. "Don't be sad," Jeannie said, sliding closer and resting her hand on Nikki's. "Zo and I, we talked last night... I guess... we overreacted. I mean, it's not every day that... You know what I mean." Nikki took a good look at Jeannie, observing her face and appraising the sincerity of her sister's words. "You mean you're not angry with Linda any more?" "I figured, what's the use... I..." Jeannie looked away, her mouth half open. She just interrupted herself as if unable to put her feelings into words. Then she added, "I still don't know... what's going on. It's-" "-so overwhelming," Nikki helped. "Yes," Jeannie nodded, taking a deep breath. She smiled a little smile and went on, "Linda is... so..." "...overwhelming," Nikki helped Jeannie once again. They both laughed, looking at each other. Nikki put her other hand on Jeannie's hand, feeling deeply connected with her youngest sister. Nikki could see that Jeannie understood her because she felt the same about Linda. And that was amazing, so unreal and unbelievable... But who wouldn't fall in love with Linda? Who? "And Zo ? I think she's still mad at us." Jeannie licked her dry lips, removing her hand from Nikki's and encircling her legs. "You know how Zo is. I'm working on her, though." "You think she's gonna tell?" Jeannie shrugged, rising to her feet. "I think we should go. I think Linda's calling us." Nikki stood up and followed Jeannie silently, her hands sweeping the sand away and adjusting her bikini bottom. She chose to forget that depressing subject altogether. It was a downer, definitely, and the last thing she wanted was to feel sad. She was young, damn it, and she wanted to have FUN! * * * Three crazy days went by. Linda was drinking too much too fast and to such an extent that Jeannie wondered whether they would get arrested for breach of public order and carrying fake ID's. On top of everything else, Linda was flirting with Mr. Cool totally uninhibitedly, as she never did before. What was she trying to prove? That she was not a lesbian? On Friday night Linda told Jeannie she was sick of the resort and was thinking about leaving the beach house and going back home. Linda missed Rick and wanted to be with him. The next morning, despite the sunny and pleasant weather, the girls returned to L.A.. Jeannie felt some relief, as if Linda's decision was the first step for a healthier attitude toward life. However, Jeannie's optimism was soon put to the test. She sensed something was wrong with Big Sis. The slightest provocation was enough for Linda to lash out in a fury. Her remarks became blunter, and often downright cruel. Linda would apologize, but often too late to prevent retaliation from Nikki or Zo . All this tension had almost reached breaking point when Linda stayed out all night, returning home completely drunk. Dad grounded her for a fortnight and forbade her to see Rick ever again. As always Rick took the blame for Linda's rebelliousness, Jeannie thought, sighing. Zo gloated over this state of affairs, Jeannie recalled, as if Linda's house arrest made them even. Jeannie thought her twin's reaction mean and insensitive and as a result they didn't speak to each other for days. Zo spent most of her free time with Joey Hernandez, a guy in her class she was seeing quite regularly. In turn, Jeannie would go out with Janey Manson (not related to Chad Manson) and Brittany McGuire, two girls she had met at the tryouts for the cheerleader squad. In spite of Brittany's failure to make the squad, the three of them became good friends. Fortunately, it didn't take long for Brittany to find out her new love -- to draw funnies for the school's newsletter. Zo tried one day to bury the hatchet. Jeannie was getting ready for bed when she heard Zo enter the bedroom they shared. Their bedroom in L.A. resembled their sleeping quarters at the beach house, except it was roomier and more sober-looking. Instead of the posters and pennants, there were "boring" oil paintings that Mom had chosen for them. As at the beach house, their bedroom had its private bathroom with its door opening into a small hallway, which in turn connected their bedroom to the main hall upstairs. Because of this layout, Jeannie hadn't seen Zo breeze into the bathroom; though she could hear someone brushing their teeth, and the water running in the washbowl. When the noises stopped, Jeannie pulled up the covers and shut her eyes. She heard light footsteps approaching and heading for her sister's side of the room. Then she heard the rustling of someone getting undressed. At this point, there was a long pause. Jeannie waited for the familiar sound of Zo slipping into her pajamas but no such thing happened -- only silence. She waited a while longer until her curiosity got the better of her. Jeannie opened her eyes and turned to see her sister sitting on the edge of her bed, her head low, and her long tresses hiding most of her naked body. Zo was scratching her knee when she looked up and met Jeannie's stare. "What's up?" Zo shrugged, twisting her mouth slightly. She looked away for a moment and then faced her twin again, her teeth gnawing at her lips. There was a deep sigh and another pause. When Jeannie was about to speak, Zo said, "You're right... about Linda... I had no right to say what I said." "Do you mean that?" "Yeah... I do. I just... want us to make up. I can't stand this any more. It seems that everybody went crazy in this house." "That's true," Jeannie agreed, making it her turn to look away, sighing, her eyes staring blankly at the window. She scratched her head and her hand swept a thin strand of hair over her ear. "You still think about... don't you?" Jeannie blinked as if she hadn't understood what her sister meant. She was about to deny it when her head nodded. "I can't help it... I really can't help it." And as unexpectedly as a thief in the night, tears welled up in her eyes. She began to sob out loud, feeling a longing inside her she couldn't quite understand. Her heart ached and her body shook as if from cold. Jeannie sniffled, her breathing slightly heavier than normal. As she wiped her eyes dry, Zo settled down next to her. "How'd you know?" "I see how you look at Linda. You should be more careful... Other people might guess it, too." Utter fear hit Jeannie in the face, gasping for breath. "What do you mean? I'm not that obvious... I mean... If you hadn't brought it up I wouldn't-" "Next time just pay attention to how Nikki stares at Linda when no one is looking. You do the same, Jeannie... I think sometimes Nikki and you don't even notice it... but I do. It's seems as though everybody is in love with her in this goddam house." "Stop blaming her, Zo ... Nothing happened against our will." "But she should know better. She's older than you two. She should act her age. She's always tried to be in control, as if she was our mother. But she isn't, Jeannie. She isn't." "I know that," Jeannie replied, letting her irritation show. "I'm sorry... I'm really tired and I wanna get some sleep." "OK," Zo said, retreating to her own bed. "Just think about it." As night darkened their room, Jeannie's pupils widened, her eyes adapting to the weakening light outside. She couldn't sleep. Her sister's words were hammering away in her head. She kept asking herself whether Zo could be right. Was her fascination for Linda that obvious? No, that couldn't be true. Mom and Dad would've noticed otherwise... Or maybe not. Mom and Dad appeared to live in another world, dealing with them on a different wavelength. Jeannie began entering into a dream world that drew her away into strange landscapes bathed in moonlight and soft voices. A female hand touched her and she trembled. There were screams followed by a long pause. A baby cried and then laughed... After that, only silence... CHAPTER FIVE: SURRENDER Linda waved Tallulah Sorensen and Charlie Olmos good-bye, as she got into her Jeep and started the engine. Tallulah and Charlie had been seeing each other for two months now and the same old story was happening again: boy meets girl, who happens to be Linda's friend; boy has the hots for Linda, and girl doesn't have a clue about it. Charlie came on to her during lunch break. When his girlfriend wasn't looking, with the most matter-of-fact tone of voice he could muster up, Charlie "mentioned" he had tickets for the playoffs. In the same breath he asked if she wanted to go with him. "Sure," she replied impassively as if she hadn't understood his true intentions, "that'd be fun. Do you have one more? I'd like Rick to come along. He's really a big Lakers fan." "I've got only two," he replied, staring at her, with no hesitation in his voice. "What about Tallulah? I thought you two were serious about each other." "Not really." Linda looked at him and noticed his intent stare and how badly he wanted her to say yes. This kind of guy always gave her the creeps. Talk about obsessive types! "I'm sorry, Charlie, but-" "Don't say anything... Just think about it. You can give me the answer tomorrow." "My answer won't change, Charlie. Tallulah is my friend and I'm not planning to stab her in the back. Besides, I-" She held her tongue mid-sentence as Tallulah said good- bye to the girl she was talking to and turned to them, still grinning and slurping soda pop through a plastic straw. As Linda steered her Jeep out of the parking lot, she wavered between the decision to tell everything to Tallulah, or to ignore Charlie's invitation completely. Linda was afraid of Tallulah's reaction. She didn't want any repetition of what had happened between Mary Howard and herself. Mary still blamed her for Stan Rogers breaking up with her. Mary accused her of flirting with Stan and leading him on during a party a couple of weeks before. Linda tried to explain that wasn't true but Mary had already made up her mind. There was no argument on earth that would convince Mary of her innocence. The worst thing was to see how much Mary hated her for something she hadn't done. Linda had just smiled at the guy and danced with him a couple of times because he asked her to, but she was sure she hadn't given him any false hopes. In spite of it all, she was unable to shake the guilt she sometimes felt -- and she hated that! After a 45-minute drive, Linda arrived at Rick's favorite hang-out, a garage Paul had converted into a makeshift recording studio. Rick called her that day and told her he wanted to see her. His band was going to record a demo of a song written by Paul and the band's producer -- a guy called Gus "The Killer" Smith. The demo was meant for the label that had launched the Red Hot Chili Peppers into stardom, Rick explained with obvious pride in his voice. Before hanging up, he added, "You inspire me." As soon as Linda stepped out of the Jeep, Paul came out of the door of his studio-garage and greeted her with his unflagging smile and unshaven face. Paul van Dyke was a nice guy, definitely. Linda liked his easygoing way of living and his open-minded view of the world. Moreover, Paul was good-looking, intelligent, and had a terrific sense of humor -- everything a girl could wish for in a man. Paul, however, didn't care for girlfriends and stable relationships. Music was his true love -- the rest could go to hell, he would say, grinning and giving her a friendly hug. Paul was one of the few men with whom Linda felt absolutely at ease. She knew he was not going to make a move on her sooner or later. "Hi, Pumpkin," Paul said, referring to their most common inside joke. Paul had told Linda that she reminded him of Christina Applegate. Linda couldn't see the resemblance, however, punching him in the stomach every time he teased her with it. "Hi, Paul," she said, sliding one hand around his neck and pressing her lips against his left cheek for a fleeting kiss. "Where's Rick?" "Inside, tuning up his brand-new Fender." "OK," she said, moving away from Paul, sighing. "Wait." Paul seized her hand and pulled her back to where she stood. "What's the matter, toots? Is everything OK?" "Yeah, everything's fine." Paul's clasped her chin and said, "Don't lie to me. I've known you since you were a child... You're upset. What's up?" Linda's eyes stayed clear of Paul's mature light brown eyes. Paul was ten years her senior and she had met him at one of his gigs when she was thirteen. She sighed again and told him about Charlie and Tallulah, and about Mary Howard. They sat down on Paul's improvised bench, a weathered surfboard supported by two gutted-out loudspeakers. "What are you going to do?" he asked, brushing his dark brown hair back and facing her, his eyelids half-closed because of the strong sunlight. "Dunno," Linda answered, shaking her head, her right hand rotating one of her rings around the left middle finger. She paused and then looked up, meeting Paul's gaze. "Have you ever been in love with someone... and you know that's wrong?" Paul smiled at Linda, slightly taken aback. He said, "Being in love can never be wrong... What you do about it, that's something else." "But have you ever-" "Once... She was married... and still is. Why? You fall for a married guy?" "Worse," she said, experiencing a sudden thrill with the game of words she was about to play. "They fall for me." "That doesn't surprise me. Sometimes I think Rick doesn't know how lucky he is. I don't even know what you see in Rick." Linda laughed and asked, "Hey, are you hitting on me after all these years?" "Yes, Pumpkin," Paul chuckled, hugging Linda close and pressing the tip of Linda's nose with his finger. "You were too young back then. Now you've become a woman and this is my chance." "Cut it out," she laughed, "you don't mean that." Linda stood up, unsure whether Paul meant what he said or whether it was just banter. Paul stood up as well, his smile dwindling away. "Don't you worry, Lin. I'm joking. You know you're not my type. I like them older and with a little bit of meat around them. Besides, you're like a sister to me, the sister I never had." Before Linda could answer, Rick showed up in the driveway. He embraced and kissed her. After their long kiss, Linda pushed him away. Unlike Rick, she was not comfortable with such passionate displays of affection in public. They all wheeled into the garage as the guys began to discuss the demo. The three of them had to tread carefully, in case they tripped over one of the million cables on the floor. Linda greeted the other members of the band and Gus "The Killer" Smith, a stocky, red- bearded guy dressed in Hell's Angels attire. She sat down on a table at one corner of the garage, suddenly feeling out of place. Paul's words kept ringing inside her. "You're like a sister to me... like a sister... to me." How ironic, she thought, shaking her head. A few minutes later Rick began to blare out the lyrics that went like, "Babyface, you kill me with fantasies / you kill me with ecstasies / you love me, don't you know / don't you kill me now..." * * * Nikki lay on her bed, reading John Grisham's latest novel, which Dad had bought a couple of days before. Then Linda traipsed into the room. They had just eaten dinner and slunk away from Dad's guests for the evening, two dreary, uninspiring middle-aged businessmen with their predictable younger trophy wives. They had to dress up for the occasion. Dad wouldn't hesitate to use his family to promote Servenet to the company's clients. The word was that Dad, or really Servenet, would make 200 million dollars if he struck a deal that evening. As expected, Linda was the center of attention when they had drinks, and then during dinner. Both men and women commented on how beautiful she was in her long black dress. Their amazement reached its peak when they learned how young she was. One of the women even said, "You look like a movie star, my dear." "Thank you," Linda answered, trying to be as polite as she could, "although I don't care much for becoming a Hollywood stiff." The woman looked at Linda with perplexity in her eyes as if she hadn't understood whether Linda's answer was an insult or a joke. At that point, Linda pulled up a smile and the woman laughed, impressed by Linda's wit. Dad was not amused, though. As his guests sat down around the dinner table, Dad took Linda aside and told her to "moderate" her attitude. Or else. Nikki stopped reading and watched her sister as she kicked off her high heels and said, "These shoes are killing me." "You should've seen their faces when they saw you for the first time," Nikki said, sitting cross-legged on her bed. Linda just shrugged as she plunked herself down on her own bed, facing Nikki. "They're just a bunch of pinheads. Money is all they want and care about." "Don't you?" Linda stared at Nikki for a moment and then acknowledged her sister's wisecrack with a smile. She got to her feet and peeled off her dress. Nikki's pulse revved up at once, surprised by Linda's willingness to get undressed in front of her with the lights on. Since Spring Break there had been a subtle shift in the way they handled each other's nakedness. Linda usually came up later when Nikki was already in bed and the lights were off. Linda then changed into her T-shirt, folded her clothes and laid them on one of the chairs, with everything done in complete darkness. If the lights were on, Linda turned her back on her, as if afraid of her younger sister's stare. This infuriated Nikki. `I'm not a fucking sex maniac,' she said to herself. `I know when "no" means "no".' Nikki had never brought herself to confront her sister with it, though. Perhaps she was blowing the whole thing out of proportion. "I think you should get out of that dress or it'll get all crumpled up," Linda said with a neutral voice, sliding off her bra. "Yes, Mommy," Nikki retorted, raising another short-lived smile in Linda's face. Nikki rose to her feet and pulled her dress over her head. Instead of throwing it onto a chair as she did most of the time, Nikki opened her closet and searched for a hanger for it. "You're learning," Linda said, smiling and slipping under the covers of her bed. Nikki ignored her sister's remark. She sat on her bed and asked, "Are you going to sleep already?" "Do you have a better idea?" Linda countered, this time with a seemingly serious expression. Nikki stood still for a moment, holding her breath and wondering what her sister really meant. She had seen Linda guzzle down a few slugs of bourbon when Mom and Dad were too busy with their guests. Was she drunk? Linda and Nikki stared at each other for the longest time, neither of them able to move and break away from the spell that had fallen upon them out of nowhere. Their breathing was uneasy, their mouths were half-open, their lips dry, their cheeks warm... Nikki shivered from cold, realizing she had nothing on except for her bra and panties. She licked her lips as she rubbed her arms warm. "Come here," Linda said eventually, patting her bed. "I'll warm you up." Without hesitation, Nikki slid into Linda's bed, closing her eyes, almost not believing what was happening. She couldn't describe exactly what she felt. Her body seemed to have turned into a torch, so hot had it become. Her body kept trembling uncontrollably. "You're warm," Linda said, stroking her hair. Nikki didn't say a word because she couldn't speak. She didn't want to think about anything, emptying her mind of all thoughts. She could feel Linda's body cuddling up against her back, Linda's hands taking hold of hers, warming them as she had promised. Once again Nikki could feel Linda's breasts against her naked back, Linda's breathing against her neck. She wanted to turn over and face Big Sis, but she didn't move as she was afraid that her sister would change her mind and send her back to her bed. Suddenly Linda leapt out of bed and disappeared into the entrance passage into their room. Nikki thought Big Sis had experienced a sudden urge to pee. She soon realized that her sister had gotten up to lock the door. It was too perfect to be true, she thought, trying to remain calm and detached as if her sister's actions had no special meaning. Linda returned to her bed, and to her earlier spot next to Nikki. While toying with her sister's hair, she said, "Nikki?" Nikki turned over, her eyes turning toward Linda's face, so close to hers. "Yes?" Linda kept stroking Nikki's hair, brushing it away from her sister's eyes and forehead. "I've been thinking..." "About what?" "About us." "And?" Nikki asked, her breathing coming to a complete stop. "It's just... It's just so hard... to forget..." "To forget?" "About what happened... between us." "I can't forget what happened either," Nikki said, almost not believing that her beautiful sister could feel the same way. "Every time I go out with a guy I just wonder how it'd be if you were the guy. It sounds weird, I know... But I can't help it. I can't help thinking about making love to you all the time. It was so sweet... I just can't help it." As Nikki burst into tears, Linda pulled her sister closer until they kissed, mouths thirsty for probing tongues, hands craving for soft curves, breasts yearning for patient, yielding caresses... "Oh Nikki..." Linda gasped, feeling her sex respond instantly. Only Nikki made her feel that way. It seemed she had crossed the desert and returned to the oasis... She came to realize how much she had longed for this moment, how much she had denied her true feelings. This crazy passion, this overwhelming lovemaking was all she wanted. Nikki touching her breasts, her deft fingers grazing her nipples under her T-shirt, was enough to make her heavy breathing stop. Her legs pressed against Nikki's thigh, holding in the wave of ecstasy. Then she breathed out, covering her younger sister with kisses. Realizing what had just happened, Nikki smiled. "You came?" "Yes," Linda said, blushing. "But I didn't even-" "You don't need to. Just touching you and you touching me is enough." * * * The next Sunday morning Zo walked into her older sisters' room and surprised Linda and Nikki together in bed. To her dismay, she realized that Linda and Nikki were at "it", again. She could see they were naked under the sheets of Linda's bed and the smell of sex permeated the room. Linda held Nikki close, with her head resting on Linda's shoulder. Their faces had a contented look as though they had made love all night. She had knocked but apparently those two sex maniacs were too tired to hear anything. `At least they could've locked the door,' she thought. Zo returned to her bed, frustrated and angry. She'd already thought a million times about telling everything to Mom and Dad. It was unnatural, sick, perverted... If they were ugly and unable to find guys to satisfy their needs, she could understand it -- more or less... But Linda and Nikki were just the opposite. Guys would line up just to ask them out... It was just too damned crazy. Yet the image of her two beautiful sisters sleeping together and the knowledge they had become lovers really excited her. She tried not to think about it... Maybe it was in their genes... She recalled dad's favorite girlie magazines -- Hustlers featuring two slender, exquisite blondes going at it... She knew about her dad's fantasies because he had thrown all the magazines in the trash can except those Hustlers. One night she woke up, feeling thirsty, craving for something sweet like soda pop. She headed for the kitchen. When she was about to switch on the lights, angry voices came from the living room. Her parents were having a fight, or so it seemed. Tiptoeing closer to, she listened to Dad's attempts to calm Mom down while Mom complained about his ever burgeoning collection of "filth". Although the door had been slid shut, a slit between the door and the doorjamb had been left open. Gathering up all her courage, Zo peeked in. A chaos of girlie magazines covered the floor, and Dad's cupboard, where he kept his VCR tapes, was wide open. A couple of days later, she searched through Dad's cupboard for those magazines -- out of curiosity, she kept repeating to herself --, finding only a few of them. Apparently, Dad had to get rid of most of his mags but had "saved" those few. Dad's mags were unlike the crassy stuff Joey Hernandez had once shown her. She hated those pictures with girls wearing garter belts and high heels. No "real" girl would do that, she thought. No "real" girl would make love wearing that stuff -- it would be just too uncomfortable! She loved it when the girls wore nothing, or just a light summer dress, sneakers or other sporty stuff... Heavy make-up was also a turn-off... Zo lay in bed and became aware of her growing excitement. Without giving it much thought, her hand slid down and reached under the sheets for her sex. Her panties were wet... `No wonder,' she thought, smiling inwardly. She tried to resist the urge to masturbate... But it was too late to stop now. Her hand began to pat her oozing labia, the palm of her hand ever so lightly pressing her clitoris. She bit her lips, preventing a moan to escape. She continued with her fingering while fantasizing about her biggest turn-on of all: when the two girls kissed, a "real" kiss, not the fake tongue-flick, so common in the X-rated material she had come across. Seeing those two beautiful females lost in a deep, deep kiss, forgetting where and who they were, was enough to shoot her into high gear... It was so sexy... It was special... The symmetry of it, breasts rubbing breasts, wet cunt against another hot wet cunt, and long flowing blond hair all over them... Ooohhh, it was too much. With that thought and her hand in her quivering sex, she almost came... Her hand was so wet with her secretions... Zo looked at Jeannie but her twin sister was still sleeping. Relieved, she resumed her fingering. She didn't want Jeannie to see her like that, particularly when she had criticized her sisters for their lewd, unacceptable behavior. Abhorrence of sex and anything related to it was something Mom had instilled into all of them. Zo guessed Mom was only trying to protect them from premature pregnancy. On the other hand, by doing so, Mom drove Dad to those mags, maintaining an apparently sexless facade to all of them. Zo closed her eyes and returned to her masturbatory bliss, imagining being one of those blondes, embarking on a deep kiss with the model, while the other voluptuous girl fingered her crotch. "Ooohhh," she gasped. "Oh, god, this is too... much." She sat up in her bed and took off her pajama top. It was getting too damned hot beneath the sheets... With her breasts uncovered, her hand resumed its ministrations, going up and down her soaking labia, from time to time penetrating her sex. She relished feeling her fingers against the wet walls of her vagina, as if she was touching another girl's sex. "Ooohhh," she let out again. "Oohhhh..." She opened her legs further, while her fantasy girl kissed her inner thighs with small, slow, teasing kisses, going for her throbbing center of pleasure. When her fantasy girl began to lick her, an incredible wave of pleasure whooshed through her, sending her up to cloud nine... With her fingers, she spurred the other girl to speed up her licking, driving her crazy with lust. She had never been this hot, ever... Eventually she came, a bolt of orgasmic bliss taking over her body like electricity. Long minutes passed before she returned to earth, totally relaxed. She hadn't felt this relaxed in ages. Then she let her head roll to the side, exhausted. To her horror she met Jeannie's smirking face, propped up by her hands. "What?" "What, what?" "Why are you grinning like that?" "No reason," Jeannie said, getting up and going to the bathroom. "I was just thinking how people like to talk... and before you know they're doing the same thing." "What's that supposed to mean?" From the bathroom, Jeannie replied, "You know perfectly well what I mean, Zo . Don't play the bimbo with me. I'm not one of your boyfriends." Zo heard Jeannie pee. Apart from her pajama top, her sister had only her panties on when she sprang out of bed, and she was going to reappear in their bedroom without them. Jeannie always did that before she took her morning shower. For some unknown reason, that image excited her. Zo couldn't understand why. She had witnessed that very scene a zillion times. Why should it be any different now? Was it because her sister reminded her of those girls in Dad's mags? Or because she had just fantasized about such a girl going down on her, and had one of the best -- if not the best - - orgasms of her entire life? She felt rather guilty, but knowing that Linda and Nikki were also at it allayed her fears. They had started it! "Lost your tongue?" Jeannie asked, heading for Zoe's bed. As Zo had guessed, her sister came back wearing nothing but her pajama top, which was long enough to hide her triangle of blond pubic hair but short enough to reveal her long, tanned, slender legs. Zo felt a thrill radiating out of her sex as she watched Jeannie play with her panties, swirling them around on the tip of her index finger. "Do you have to do that?" Zo grumbled. Jeannie had slumped down on her sister's bed. Jeannie's proximity was making Zo nervous. "What?" "Showing off your panties like that." "So? It's only me and you. It's not the first time you've seen me do that... It was quite a show you put up this morning... Getting naked and your moaning... I've never-" "OK, I get the picture. You don't have to rub it in." Jeannie was surprised by Zoe's bad temper. Zo jumped out of bed and locked herself in the bathroom. Jeannie didn't know what was going on in her twin's head. She could feel Zoe's shame though. Jeannie regretted her decision to confront her twin sister with her sexuality. She should have pretended to sleep through the whole thing. But it had been so sexy, and even exhilarating. After all, Zo was not that uptight about sex. Her twin sister had always been very reserved about sexual matters. She could hear her masturbate on occasion but Zo would keep it quiet. Not this morning, however... Why? Because of her date with Joey last night? * * * For the next few days, Zo was ambivalent. She didn't know what to do about Linda and Nikki. It was difficult to ignore the fact they were spending more and more time together. The two of them would go early to bed, using the convenient excuse they were tired from school and homework. They turned down dates, accepting only a few just to keep up appearances. Sometimes they acted like two ridiculous 13-year-old girls in love. They hugged each other and kissed as soon as Mom and Dad went out of the house and left them to their own devices. They even made out on the couch in the living room, giggling if she or Jeannie happened to walk in on them. Anger and desire, that was what Zo felt. Anger because they should act their age. Desire because she wanted to experience the same passion, the same loving, the feeling that someone really cared about her. Without even noticing, she became depressed. Her grades were slipping and she had gotten a warning from her cheerleading coach. She couldn't concentrate. She missed too many steps, ruining the coordination of the squad. On the day of the reprimand she ran off to the locker room, tears running down her cheeks. Soon Jeannie joined her, with an anxious expression on her face. "Zo , what's wrong?" Jeannie asked, sitting next to her twin. Zo was still crying, doubled up. "Zo , please, tell me. You're really worrying me. Are you pregnant?" "No, I'm not pregnant," Zo protested, straightening herself up. "You know I don't sleep around." "I'm sorry. It's just I'm worried about you. Everybody is." "Yeah, right." "I am, dammit. And if you don't see it, it's because you're blind." Jeannie got up and was about to leave. Her sister made her sit down, locking her arm around hers. "Please, don't go," she pleaded. "Please don't leave me here alone." Jeannie looked into Zoe's shiny eyes, tears still welling up. She could feel her desperation. But why was she so desperate? Why? "Zo , what's wrong? Is it Joey? Did Joey get frisky with you?" Zo shook her head. "Then what?" "Let's not talk about it. And please don't say anything to Mom and Dad. Not even to Linda or Nikki. OK?" "OK, if that's what you want." They took their sweaty clothes off and went to the showers. Zo let out a cry, squawking about the cold water. Jeannie began to lather herself, enjoying the fact that they had the showers to themselves and didn't have to share the few stalls available with a bunch of screaming girls. "Jeannie," Zo said, looming at the entrance of her stall, "I forgot my soap. Can I borrow yours?" "Sure... You're forgetting everything these days, aren't you? But why don't you come in? We'll share it." "No..." "Come on," Jeannie retorted, pulling her sister in. "Don't be such a prude. Here it is." Handing the soap over to Zo , she added, "Or shall I do it for you?" "No, someone may see it and..." "...and think we're lovers?" Jeannie asked, pulling up a mischievous smile. "Jeannie!" "You said it, or suggested it. Not me. I don't see anything wrong with it. Anyway you're my sister. Those things happen between sisters, right?" All that talk and Jeannie's naked body so close to her made Zo quiver. Zo was confused, so damn confused. Suddenly an insatiable desire to kiss Jeannie came over her. But the fear of getting caught, or of Jeannie's reaction, made her stop. If Jeannie repulsed her, she would curl up and die. Never in all her life had she felt so vulnerable. Jeannie was her identical twin. They were born out of the same placenta. In biology class, she had learned that only identical twins had a common placenta. Non-identical twins had their own liquid worlds... No one in the whole universe could be closer. Jeannie was her life, her obsession, and she had always been. Only at that moment, in that crummy shower she shared with Jeannie, surrounded by water, she realized that. It was as though that stall had become the same placenta that had fed them, kept them alive, before they were born. Jeannie watched her sister. Zoe's eyes seemed so distant and then in the next moment they seemed to develop a strange intentness. The twins finished changing and left the gym after explaining to the coach they were heading home early. The coach accepted their apologies, as long as it didn't become a habit. Fortunately the coach didn't pushed for more of an explanation. At this point Jeannie wished she was sixteen, so she could drive a car. They would have to wait for the bus instead. The trip was uneventful, and Zo remained withdrawn. Jeannie decided to hold her hand. She wanted to assuage her sister's pain, although she didn't understand what was going on inside Zoe's head. Zo was surprised when Jeannie squeezed her hand. She squeezed her sister's hand back. She smiled at her. That's why she loved her. She was the sweetest girl she had ever met, sweeter than Nikki or even Linda. Back in their room, they plunked themselves down on their respective beds. Fatigue was seeping back into their bodies, so much so that they were drifting to sleep. When Zo woke up, she found Jeannie sleeping next to her, her arm around her waist. She watched Jeannie's serene face, eyes shut. Jeannie's quiet breathing was tickling her neck. Then the breathing stopped for a moment and those shiny blue eyes opened. "Hi, Sis," Jeannie said, smiling, pulling their hair out of the way. "Hi," she chuckled, amused by Jeannie's greeting, as though they hadn't seen each other for a long time. "Feeling better?" "I guess." "Wanna talk about it?" Zo shook her head. "OK, I understand." "No, you don't." "What?" "No, you don't and won't understand." "What, for chrisakes?" Zo was still hesitating, but this time Jeannie looked deep into her sister's eyes and understood everything. Zo wanted to make love to her... That would explain Zoe's staring in the shower stall. She had never felt so naked as when her sister gazed at her breasts. She was flabbergasted. "Oh Zo , why didn't you tell me?" "What?" "That you wanted us to make love..." "Who says?" "Your eyes say it. I know you. I know you better than anyone else." Zo shook her head, denying it. But Jeannie knew she was right. She kissed Zo lightly on the lips. "If you want me to stop, say so, but I ain't gonna stop unless you say so..." She said it, and she delivered it, kissing her sister deeply, one tongue searching for another tongue, lips crushing lips, until Zo moaned. "Oh Jeannie... I love you." Jeannie smiled. It was Zoe's final surrender... to her, Jeannie Marie McDougall. CHAPTER SIX: BLISS Linda woke up, stretching out, her mouth gaping open in a long, relaxing yawn. She had slept wonderfully. After steamy lovemaking with Nikki, they fell asleep as peacefully as two innocent children without a worry in the world. It was the weekend again, thank God. No school, no chores... and Mom and Dad were away on another trip with friends. So they hadn't even bothered to lock the bedroom door. Slipping on her T-shirt to cover her naked body, she left the room, and went downstairs to the kitchen. She was thirsty and slightly hungry. There was nothing better than wild lovemaking for a healthy appetite. Linda remembered one time when Nikki brought a bowl of fruit upstairs. Before each kiss she would pick up a strawberry or a cherry for Linda to savor, but not to eat immediately. Nikki would then roll the cherry in her mouth, taunting Linda with an impish smile. She'd lean over and give her a deep kiss, pressing the cherry against Linda's teeth and tongue. She'd take the cherry out of her mouth and slide it up and down and between her sister's breasts, sweeping it over her sensitive and now- stiffened nipples... Nikki would then do something unexpected, like holding her sister tight, kissing her neck, while her hands were busy caressing her breasts, rubbing her nipples, making them even harder. Nikki then resumed her caresses with that damned cherry, touching her own boobs with it, then her neck, then her stomach, and thighs. She shifted back to Linda's love-aching body, beginning in Linda's willing mouth. With this new saliva Nikki would make a wet trail down her sister's body, on the way setting off immense body-quakes. To end the whole sweet torture, Nikki would drop the cherry on Linda's sex and wet it with her love juices. Only then would she bite into it. Then Nikki's tongue, while kissing Linda, pressed the bursting fruit into her mouth. The taste of a cherry, or other fruit, combined with the juices of "another-kind-of-cherry" -- as Nikki had put it -- was exquisite. The effect of it on their lovemaking was amazing. It made for the wildest sex they so far had together. With that thought in mind, Linda felt the moisture building up between her legs. `No,' she said to herself, `I've got to think about something else or I'll have to finish myself off right here in the hall.' She even thought she had heard a moan. She listened carefully... Yes, it was definitely a moan, and it came from the twins' room. At first she thought one of the twins was hurt. She opened the door, which wasn't locked. She knocked but apparently they hadn't heard her. She walked past the bathroom door and through the connecting hall to see what was going on. Before she could see the beds, she already guessed. Those were moans of pleasure. Zoe's head was between Jeannie's legs... Linda could only see Zoe's blond head bobbing up and down, and Jeannie's hands were guiding Zoe's mouth. Then Jeannie pushed her sister's head down and further down and against her sex, while Zoe's hands kneaded Jeannie's breasts, tweaking her nipples, making Jeannie lift her body and gasp with pleasure. "Oh, Zo ..." Jeannie whimpered. "Zo , baby... That... feeeels... sooo... fucking... gooood..." Linda was nonplused. It seemed as though Zo was quite experienced in making love to a woman. Zo , the most prudish of her sisters, was sucking Jeannie as if she'd done it all her life. All of a sudden Linda felt a hand on her shoulder. She jumped with a start. Because of the abruptness of the contact, she thought it might be Mom or Dad. But it was only Nikki, her beautiful sister Nikki, grinning like crazy, encircling her waist and whispering into her ear, "Is that what I think?" "Yes," Linda whispered. Linda pulled her sister closer, tightening her embrace around her quivering, hot body. She wanted to feel those breasts, those mighty hard nipples, against her back, while she played voyeur... She considered leaving the twins alone but now that Nikki was behind her, watching as well, spying on her sisters didn't feel that wrong. She almost moaned out loud when Nikki began caressing her breasts over her T-shirt, another hand sliding down her tummy, teasing her. She opened her legs. But Nikki's hand had other plans... In the meantime, Jeannie came, thrashing, rolling her eyes, raising her body and letting it fall with utter satisfaction radiating from her face. Jeannie pulled her twin sister up, and they began to kiss as Zoe's hand remained on Jeannie's labia. Linda felt so hot. She had never imagined that one day she would be this horny. She wanted to make love with Nikki all the time. It was never too much nor too strong. It was becoming like a drug. She desired Nikki more and more, and as crazy as it may sound, Nikki seemed to feel the same way about her... And the twins followed them, matching them in passion. Jeannie was licking her own secretions off Zoe's mouth and face, her body still trembling from time to time, as Zoe's hand went on with its fingering. When Jeannie reached out for Zoe's sex, Zoe's eyes closed, her teeth biting her lower lip, holding in her breath. "Oohh Jeannie... Jeannie... Jeannie... I love you." Jeannie's answer was to kiss her sister, gaping mouth against gaping mouth, caressing hands inducing the sweetest trembling, igniting their senses and making secretions flow down beautiful tanned thighs. Every time Jeannie or Zo touched the other's nipples they both shuddered as if somehow connected, using a common wiring. `It's almost magical watching these two beautiful identical female bodies making love to each other,' Linda thought. Linda kissed Nikki without turning her body, but only her head, meeting Nikki's sensual, soft, inviting lips. Nikki lifted off Linda's T-shirt. Nikki herself wore only her sexy panties of white lace which they had recently bought together... It'd been so sexy and perverted to make out with Nikki in that fitting room, Linda thought, while the unsuspecting salesclerk kept asking if everything was to their liking. Nikki's eager hands were all over Linda's body, causing the wildest thrills, her wet lips trailing down her sister's neck... The sensation was so strong that Linda's legs almost failed her. Nikki's hands returned to Linda's breasts, massaging them, making her nipples hard again, and then they glided down her belly, waiting, and then stroking her blond bush. "Baby," Linda murmured, "you're driving me crazy." "You too, Sis. You always do drive me crazy." "Go on, fuck me... fuck my pussy." Nikki only smiled. She loved to tease Linda, to make her crave for her hand, for her touch, until she began to beg and beg and beg. She loved to see Linda's cum oozing down her legs, drenching her hand. She then brought her fingers to her lips and she sucked them one by one, exciting Linda even more. Nikki looked at the twins again while her hand touched Linda's inner thigh, making Linda shudder and moan softly against her ear. Nikki watched Jeannie suck and lick Zoe's breasts, bringing Zo closer and closer to orgasm. Jeannie's middle finger titillated Zoe's clit, sliding up and down and between her sister's labia. Zoe's pleading eyes made Jeannie grasp what her twin sister was craving for. Her mouth began to have a will of its own, kissing and licking Zoe's ribcage, then her upper belly, brushing past her belly button, licking it, then her lower belly, and that wonderful, well trimmed blond bush, so much like her own... Jeannie waited, teasing her sister, inhaling that scent, the scent of a girl in need... "Jeannie, please... Don't- Don't stop." Jeannie rose, leaving Zoe's dripping sex that wanted her mouth so badly. She began to kiss, suck, lick Zoe's toes, one by one. "Jeannie, please..." Zo pleaded once again, but Jeannie wouldn't listen to her. Nikki smiled, because she was using the same tactics with Linda, teasing and teasing, until her sister implored to be brought off. "Do me, Nikki," Linda would whisper, "do me. I can't stand it any more..." Jeannie was licking Zoe's inner thigh now and this time she didn't tease any more. Her tongue met Zoe's sex. Finally. Jeannie kissed it, licked it, lapped up all the flowing juices. And she wanted more... and more... and MORE. Carefully, her index finger explored Zoe's rosy nether lips, her tongue prodding and trying to swallow Zoe's swollen clitoris. "Yes, that's it," exclaimed Zo . "Put that fucking finger up my fucking cunt. Yes... That's it... That's it, baby... Yes... That's it... Oohhhh... Suck my clit now... Ooohhh... Yes, like that. Ooohhhhhh... Baby... Jeannie... Uuuuugggghhhh... Yes, go on... go on... OOOOHHHHH..." Nikki was grinning by now. Zo was really using all her four-letter words... What would Mom and Dad think if they heard their most dutiful daughter talking like that? Zo came at last, Jeannie's mouth sucking her cunny empty, her fingers going in and out, aping a small penis, stimulating Zoe's clitoris prodigiously. Jeannie's mouth remained there, her lips still sucking because she knew she would like Zo to do that to her. After that, it was post-orgasmic bliss... If Zo had her orgasm, Linda's was still to happen. At this point Linda took Nikki's hand and planted it on top of her aching sex. She could NOT wait any longer, or she would go crazy. She wanted it now. Nikki was such a devil... Linda thought she could fuck anything now, ANYTHING, if Nikki didn't make her come. To encourage her sister, Linda gave Nikki a hot, burning kiss, sucking all Nikki's saliva, mixing it with her own. "Nikki, please... PLEASE!!!!" And as soon as Nikki's hand invaded her vagina, bolts of unending pleasure flooded throughout her body and set on fire the imaginative scenes in her mind. Her cum flowed down her thighs, her legs giving in. Her mind forgetting where she was, ordered up a long, loud, husky moan, which came from the deepest corner of her soul. Hearing that moan, the twins looked up and saw their older sisters making out in their own room, Nikki's fingers up Linda's cunt. Too flabbergasted to say a thing, they saw Linda hug Nikki, apparently relaxing after a long, exhausting orgasm. Linda kissed Nikki for a long, long while... Her eyes closed, as if she was on drugs... Slowly Linda's green magnetic eyes opened again, and gazed at them. She smiled, a melting smile... And after that smile Jeannie knew she still wanted Linda, badly. She would even kill for her if she asked her to... only to spend an evening with her beautiful big sis, alone, only the two of them. Chances were that would never happen... Nikki wouldn't allow it. Zo wouldn't either. And Linda? Would she want that? Would she? She didn't know... but one day she would find out... sooner or later... CHAPTER SEVEN: DEPRESSION Zo and Jeannie got off the school bus and began their ten-minute uphill walk the rest of the way home. It was a stiflingly hot day. The sun was high and unforgiving, blazing down on them. Zo heard that the temperature was likely to reach 100 degrees that afternoon, and it seemed the S.F. High radio station guys were right. Although they had braided their hair up, Zoe's and Jeannie's necks and the small of their backs were covered with sweat. Joey wanted Zo to go and take a ride on his Harley, but she immediately turned him down. There was no place on earth she would rather be but there, on that searing hillside, next to Jeannie. Her twin egged her on to accept Joey's suggestion, while Zo kept telling her she didn't want to. Her excuse was the high temperature in the Valley, and surely both Joey and Jeannie could understand that. So Jeannie shrugged and joined her in the school bus. "You don't have to do this," Jeannie had said. "I know." "I mean, you don't have to do this for me. You're free to date whoever you want." "I know," she repeated, unable to hide her annoyance. "But I don't want to." "Why?" Zo chucked her shoulders up, looking through the window as the bus pulled away. She couldn't continue the conversation. Brittany McGuire came and sat down behind them and started an animated jabber of school gossip. She also explained why her mom was unable to come and pick her up that afternoon. Brittany's mother had an important appointment with her agent. Mrs McGuire, a.k.a. Tamara Davies, was going to audition for a "major" role in a "major" movie with a "major" studio. So that meeting, to discuss such a crucial event in the life of a Hollywood actress, was of great consequence. Zo smiled to herself, recalling Linda's profound distaste and contempt for everything related to Hollywood. Big Sis's favorite movies were mostly foreign, shot in black-and-white, and featuring actors and actresses with unpronounceable names. Her first "real" boyfriend, Jack Corbett, had put her up to it, luring Big Sis into his house -- he was 20 at the time, and five years older than Linda -- to make out and see some old foreign flicks. "Hey, Lana's here," Jeannie said as they trudged onto the driveway. Zo nodded, taking a glance at Lana Martin's '94 Ford Mustang, a red convertible her father had given her when his daughter turned sixteen. Coincidence or not, Lana's newfound love was Jack Corbett... Whether Linda took exception to it, Zo didn't know, but every time Jack and Linda were in the same room there was tension in the air. If Lana was alone with Nikki, things went better and Linda joined in the conversation gladly. Zo and Jeannie greeted Anita as they walked in the back door. Mom was in the living room, talking to someone on the phone. From the bottom of the stairs, they heard good-humored screaming and giggling coming from their older sisters' room. Without hesitation, the twins scampered inside, curious about the reason for all that silly tittering, finding Lana and Nikki lying on Linda's bed. "Hi, Lana." "Hi, Jeannie," Lana said, turning over and looking up. "Hi, Zo." "Hi." Jeannie sat down on Linda's bed as Nikki greeted them as well. Before long Jeannie learned that guys -- what else? -- were the root cause of the unrest among "the troops". Jack Corbett and Scott Rowan, a guy Nikki had been dating on and off, were mentioned as well as Joey Hernandez. A couple of minutes later, Zo left the room, disgusted at the inanity of it all. "You should tell your sister to lighten up. She's always so serious." "Yeah, sometimes I think she should've been a guy." Lana gave a chuckle, her eyes staring at Jeannie questioningly. "I mean, she doesn't look like a guy... like I don't look like a guy... but... sometimes she's so bossy and-" "You mean, she dominates you," Lana reasoned. "I think what Jeannie is trying to say is that Zoe's always been the tomboy of the family," Nikki intervened. "She's always been the best at sports, climbing trees and catfights. She's even KO'd a guy over Jeannie." "Really?" Lana exclaimed, her eyes examining Nikki and then Jeannie. "Why? What did he do?" Jeannie smiled, then said, "He called me "bitch". Zo got so mad that she kicked him in his knee really hard, and the next thing I know he collapses right in front of us. Everyone thought he was dead... because he didn't scream... nothing. He passed out, just like that." "Wow! So I have to be real careful around your sister." "You bet." Jeannie laughed and stood up. "Gotta take a shower. All my clothes are sweaty... and smell." * * * "Linda, are you listening to me?" "I'm sorry, what did you say?" Belinda Hughes gave Linda a glowering look, blowing her dark brown bangs away from her forehead. "I don't believe this... I'm talking to you for a quarter of an hour and you aren't listening." "I'm sorry... I was just thinking..." "What about? Rick?" Linda looked around The Dome, the snack-bar just across the street from the main entrance to S.F. High. This was the place where many of her schoolmates came and ate and danced to the music of a jukebox with a large assortment of the latest Billboard hits. Her eyes met Trisha's, the waitress. Pointing at her empty glass, she asked for a refill. "Coming right up, honey," Trisha said, nodding and tending a nervous client, a man in a gray business suit, who tried to hide his awkwardness by smiling at Trisha. After all, there weren't many "grownups" who dared set foot in The Dome. This futuristically furnished, slick snack-bar was known by the local population to be S.F. High kids' turf. Too loud music for too loud kids, they would say. "I'm listening," Belinda said, still waiting for an answer. "I guess so," Linda sighed, facing Belinda, her favorite classmate and friend. They were close enough to share secrets about boyfriends, but sexual intimacy was normally an off-limits topic of conversation. Whenever sex was mentioned, Belinda tensed up, the muscles of her neck going taut in a wink of an eye. Sometimes Linda didn't care about her friend's misgivings, and she went ahead and started talking about some ever more risqu episode. Belinda then giggled and said in a high-pitched whisper, "Oh my God, is that true?" Suddenly they heard someone knocking on the stained glass of the outer dome that separated the snack-bar from the outside world. To her surprise, Linda saw Nikki waving at her from the other side of the dome. Her sister wanted to talk to her, or so she understood from Nikki's gestures. Linda beckoned her to go around the building and join them at the table. As Nikki did as she was told, Belinda smiled and asked, "Who's that guy? Your sisters' new boyfriend?" Obviously Belinda was referring to Scott Rowan, Nikki's male companion, a guy Linda hadn't seen in years. A couple of years before Scott had pursued her for a second date. Although their first rendezvous went smoothly, she found out they had nothing in common. He had been a gentleman -- that was true -- but also dull, tiresome and thoroughly boring. She just couldn't believe her sister was seeing such a guy! Before her sister and Scott could hear her, Linda said, "I know as much as you do, Be." Introductions were made and Nikki and Scott sat next to Linda and Belinda. Linda felt ill at ease with this arrangement. Belinda and Scott would be able to see at close range how she dealt with Nikki, her sister, roommate, and... yes... lover... Usually they were so intense around each other... and now this... She would have to pretend they were nothing but sisters... A strong, overwhelming dislike for Scott came over Linda. She couldn't even look at him. Linda kept her trembling hands under the table, to hide this manifestation of her intense jealousy. She was shocked to see she could be this possessive. She always hated it when her dates acted this way around her. No one owned her, she would say to them, and if they were unable or unwilling to grasp it... well, they could kiss good-bye any "seconds" with her... Linda snapped out of her daydream and found out that Nikki, Belinda and Scott were staring at her. "What?" "As you can see, Nikki," Belinda began, "this is how your sister's been all day. I talk to her, but she's up there, somewhere, in the clouds..." "I think she's in love," Nikki quipped, winking at Belinda. "Yes, I am." Linda got to her feet and grabbed her backpack and school books. "Where're you going?" Nikki asked, stunned by her sister's sudden animosity. "Away... I need to finish this paper..." Linda moved away from the table and left The Dome, heading back to S.F. High. She crossed the street, her hands and legs shaking against her will. She was mad, so mad at all of them, including Nikki. Her sister seemed keen on humiliating her in public. And she was just sick of it, sick of it all! "Linda, wait," she heard Nikki call out from across the street. Linda walked on, ignoring her sister's cries, but soon Nikki caught up with her. "Linda, stop. I wanna talk to you." "OK, talk." Linda came to a halt and waited. Nikki looked confused, afraid, and furious at the same time. Nikki swallowed and asked, "I don't understand... What's the matter with you? It was a joke, Linda!" "I was not joking, Nikki." "What do you mean?" "You said I was in love... and I just confirmed it." "Linda..." Nikki looked away from her sister's green eyes. They seemed so stern and uncaring. "I-- What do you want me to do? Am I forbidden to crack jokes in front of you? Is that it?" "No... I just don't like to be humiliated in front of my friend and your boyfriend." "He's not my boyfriend! He's- Oh, forget it. I don't owe you any explanation. It seems as though you're jealous." Facing her sister again, Nikki added, "Come on, Linda... You see Rick every day and I don't say a word about it." "Maybe you should," Linda replied, turning away from Nikki. "What's that supposed to mean?" Nikki had shouted her last question but Linda didn't look back. Instead, Linda began to talk to a bunch of guys. Nikki cursed and turned her back on Linda, wondering why her sister could be such a bitch... sometimes at least. * * * Linda felt very depressed. Her heart weighed like a ton, her hands trembled, her whole body shook from time to time, involuntarily. She sat beside Rick, squinting at a screen and moving colors and shadows that had no meaning to her. The movie theater was dark and people around her were silent, minds sharp, ready and hungry for the next scene of an outrageous plot. It was her boyfriend's idea to catch this movie with so much senseless violence. `Sex mixed with violence and violence mixed with sex. It's what sells these days,' she thought. If she ever married Rick she would never allow her kids to see such trash. She swallowed... Her throat was slightly sore... She felt like crying... Every time she heard a gunshot she would start in her seat and get tenser and tenser, her ears resonating with that hideous sound. It was becoming impossible for her to stay quiet and motionless. She was hating the movie so much. She looked at Rick. He was too absorbed in the action to notice how badly her eyes implored him to let them leave and breathe in some fresh air and watch the stars outside, shining, against the darkness... Maybe they could see a shooting star and wish a wish. Rick could be romantic sometimes, like when he brought her a bunch of roses after a nasty fight about having unprotected sex. He wanted to have sex without a condom, but she wouldn't budge. If he wanted that, he should find another girlfriend, Linda had told him. When she thought everything was over between them, he showed up on her front lawn with that impressive bunch of flowers, and confessed how stupid he had been, that he wanted her back. And then there was Nikki, her younger sister. Whether Linda wanted or not, Nikki had become her lover. She shut her eyes, and shook her head, feeling so much pain inside... It hurt so MUCH. She didn't exactly understand where all that pain had come from. Perhaps "it" had been waiting for the right moment to strike and reduce "its" victim to a human rag. Sometimes Linda wished Nikki weren't her sister. If they weren't related, things would be far easier for both of them. She knew she was strong enough to face anyone about her preference for girls -- she was convinced by now that her... bisexuality?... lesbianism?... was a matter of fact -- but she was sure she couldn't handle the horror-struck faces of people if the facts about her incestuous relationship with Nikki came out. There was so much to lose... She was deeply ashamed by her own behavior, by her jealousy. It could ruin everything she had with Nikki... but she was so afraid to lose her... Everything seemed so fragile and ephemeral at that point, as if she walked on a roof made of crystal that cracked every time she took a step forward. Linda called Rick that afternoon. Because she didn't have any plans of her own, she accepted Rick's. An early evening at the movies seemed a good idea, and the perfect excuse to postpone another confrontation with Nikki. But that stupid movie ruined everything. Her conciliatory mood was gone. Now there was only room for resentment... and guilt. She was letting everybody down... Nikki, Rick, the twins, Mom and Dad. She had started the whole thing. She, the girl everybody admired and loved, the future prom queen, had failed them all. She had betrayed Mom's and Dad's and everyone's trust by sleeping with Nikki, by "making" her sister fall in love with her... And the twins, as impressionable as they were, had followed suit. She wanted to cry. Keeping tears from flowing was getting harder and harder. She couldn't stand it any more. She rose to her feet and bolted out. The usherette looked bewildered as Linda rushed into the lobby, hyperventilating and shaking. "Are you all right, dear?" the middle-aged woman asked, but Linda couldn't say a word. Her lungs kept pumping air uncontrollably. "Let's go outside... And Jimmy," the usherette added, calling a freckled, nervous red-haired little boy, "get some water for me, will you?" The usherette's kind, concerned eyes returned to Linda. `This complete stranger could be my mother,' it occurred to Linda. For a moment she wanted to believe that. At least, Nikki wouldn't be her sister... They stepped outside, the woman still bracing Linda with her plump, strong arm, and they waited there. Linda looked up at the sky, and the stars, so far away but so close to her soul. She started sobbing again. She was ashamed she was unable to control her feelings any more. Everything seemed to hurt so much now. Why? WHY? `Please, God, tell me why? WHY?' That scream was inside her. Her brains felt as though they were on fire. The water arrived. The innocent, scared eyes of the red-haired little boy directed her to the glass he was holding out. Linda smiled. He was cute. She took the glass, and thanked him though he was now hiding behind his mother's imposing frame. "This's my son," the woman explained, glowing with mother's pride, her hand messing up his hair in a playful gesture. "Hey, Jimmy, say hello to this young lady." Linda smiled again. She was thankful to this complete stranger for her effort to put an end to her unhappiness. They chatted for a while about her son, what he had been up to lately... small talk that made her relax... and forget everything... and the fact that Rick was still inside watching the movie. Rick joined her in the lobby a quarter of an hour later. His eyes blinked, trying to adapt to the strong, garish light. "What's up?" he asked, his hands buried in his pockets. Linda couldn't believe this guy. Was that all he had to say? He had seen her leave the theater as if escaping death itself and, instead of coming after her and asking what was wrong, he stayed inside for a fucking quarter of an hour watching the most feeble movie she'd ever seen. "I wanna go home." "Why?" "If you don't know why, then there's nothing for us to talk about." Rick began to shift his weight from one foot to the other, a tell-tale sign of his nervousness. His eyes gazed around and then fell on the usherette. "Sweetheart, calm down. I-" "Don't you touch me, you hear?" Linda yelled, driving his arm away from her shoulders. "Why?" he hollered back. "What did I do?" "Let's not talk about it. It's no use." Linda shuddered. Eventually he agreed the best thing they could do was to go home and skip the rest of the movie. He was horn-mad, but so was she. Linda left the car without the usual good-bye kiss and light petting. She heard the wheels screeching, and then the brakes, and then again the same screeching sound. Rick's car had made the customary U-turn, this time performed ten times faster, fueled by too much gas and blind rage. Linda went upstairs. No one was in the living room. Mom and Dad were not at home, as usual, but she knew Nikki was... She still had to deal with the quarrel with Nikki. Linda hadn't seen her sister since the scene of open jealousy down at The Dome. Linda knew Nikki was dating a couple of guys, but her sister was quite discreet about them. One could say that Nikki didn't think them important enough to bring them home, or even to mention them. Seeing Nikki's date face to face, being confronted with the reality of it, was something she was not prepared to deal with -- not at all. The intensity of her possessiveness scared her... It was so damned easy to lose her... So damned easy. `This is a double-edged sword,' Linda figured. `It's sweet, but cuts like a knife.' A bedside lamp was on in their bedroom. Nikki had fallen asleep with a psychology textbook on her lap. She had become very curious about everything related to human behavior -- incest, particularly, which was predictable, considering everything... There were almost no references to cases similar to theirs, Nikki had told her. Most of the entries in the libraries were about father-daughter incest... and child abuse... and both topics were quite depressing, if not scary altogether. Nikki searched databases and indexes and surveys on the subject (read in a rather surreptitious way) until she found a few cases of sister-sister incest, some of them consensual, some of them abusive. Most of the consensual stuff was underreported, though. Researchers were not interested in cases where the risk of psychological damage was low and the information was sparse. Generally, the people involved were too ashamed to talk freely about their experiences, especially if there was no reason to. Linda sat on the edge of Nikki's bed and watched her youngest sister sleep. Nikki's denim shorts were unbuttoned, probably to give her hand ready access to her sex. Nikki must have masturbated while waiting for her to return. Although Nikki never said a word about it, Linda knew Nikki was jealous too. Sudden sadness in the big blue-gray eyes of a sweet sixteen-year-old were the only visible signs of it. Early on they said they should keep on dating, and avoid any hint that could give them away. People, and especially their parents, would find it strange if they stopped seeing guys altogether. They were so popular at S.F. High that such a major shift in their social life wouldn't go unnoticed. Belinda Hughes would be the first one to talk, Linda was sure of it... She didn't know who she could trust any more... On the other hand, "they" would never suspect that she would gladly give up all her dates for Nikki, or would they? Suddenly Nikki's eyes opened. "Hey," she said, stretching herself and letting a wide yawn out, "you're back. So, how was your date?" "Lousy. I think we broke up... for good." "Why? Did you tell him about-" "No, of course not. I'd never do that. He was a jerk, and that's all there is to it." Linda recounted what happened in the movie theater. Nikki hugged her tight, putting her arms around Linda's waist, giving her comfort. Feeling this much sweetness from her unselfish sister, Linda's eyes filled up with tears once again. Now she began to sob inconsolably. Nikki held Linda through it. Linda still had feelings for Rick but none were related to sex. It was the idea of settling down in a nice neighborhood and having kids that kept her heart warm for him. Nikki and Linda had talked about it after a feverish session of lovemaking. The meaning of their new feelings for each other was another thing they talked about. Soon they both came to the same depressing conclusion -- their future together was doomed... A year from now Linda would be in college and away from home. Linda would be hundreds of miles away while her younger sister had to stay behind and finish school. Big Sis had promised to come home as often as possible, but Nikki knew her sister would undoubtedly find new friends and tons of guys (and girls?) more than willing to share their beds with her. Big Sis's crying began to subside. Linda wiped off her tears with her slender hands, another feature Nikki loved in her sister. And those green eyes glistened, still immensely sad. "Come," Linda said with a shaky voice. Linda grabbed Nikki's hand, leading the way. A few years before Nikki would have protested. She hated it when Linda made her do things without saying why. Household chores were the "uncoolest" thing Linda made her do. "There's nothing better than hard work to strengthen character," Linda wisecracked. Everybody should do their share and there was no room for exceptions. But now if Linda said "jump" Nikki answered "how high?" She was madly in love with Linda, with her magnetic beauty, her sandy brows, her long flowing hair full of curls and waves, her tantalizing eyes, her athletic, trim body, with its smooth, soft curves... Nikki was enthralled. Big Sis must be a witch. Linda had cast a spell over her. Linda guided her to the back yard, settling down on Dad's lawn chair. She motioned Nikki to sit on her lap. As soon as Nikki spread herself out on top of Big Sis, Linda embraced her and a chill ran up and down her spine. They watched the starry sky. Every time Linda saw a shooting star, she pointed it out to her younger sister. Then they kissed, slowly, enjoying warm, wet lips touching warm, wet lips, tongues trading caresses. Sometimes Linda cried, apparently for no reason, and that made Nikki sad. Silence ensued. Neither of them wanted to break the spell, the beauty of the evening. After a long while, Linda whispered her apologies for their quarrel at The Dome. Nikki shushed her immediately, putting her fingers against her lips, murmuring, "Shhh... Don't speak... I love you." And then Nikki kissed her... Still, Linda's heart weighed tons. The pain didn't go away... It still hurt inside, BADLY. CHAPTER EIGHT: FUGITIVES Linda awoke with a start, sitting up in bed. Someone was screaming in the hall. It was Mom. Nikki woke up too, still bewildered from sleep. Nikki lay in bed next to Linda. Last night they hadn't made love, only sweet cuddling, arms intertwined, feeling the warmth and softness of each other's bodies. "What the hell's going on?" Nikki asked, trying to snap out of her groggy state. "Dunno," Linda said, getting up and slipping on her robe. "I'm gonna see what's happening in this crazy house. Nikki, you'd better go to your own bed, just in case." Linda lolled into the hall, finding Mom and Dad at the twins' bedroom door. They were still loudly arguing. Her heart began to speed up. `God, did they catch the twins red-handed?' she wondered. "What happened, Mom?" There was immediate silence. Mom and Dad faced her, their brows arching up. Mom's hands were shaking, her eyes bloodshot as if she'd been crying. "Don't look at me, Fred," her mother crabbed. "I'm not gonna tell her. You tell her." "What?!" Linda asked, losing her patience. There was a major drama happening here and they couldn't say what it was all about... "Dad, what happened? Is it something about Zo and Jeannie? Are they hurt?" "No, but your mother found out... they were doing... they were sleeping in the same bed and..." He stopped, breathing heavily, as though his years of pipe smoking were taking their toll. "And?" Linda asked, swallowing and her legs trembling. She had a feeling she was going to faint. "Behaving like two whores," her mother said. "Two little whores." "What, Mom?" Anger was replacing Linda's fears at this point. No one called her sisters whores, NO ONE. Not even her own parents. They didn't have the right to. "What, Mom? Why are you calling them whores?" "Because the minute we turn our heads, they behave like two whores... They were having SEX with EACH OTHER, I saw them do it with my own eyes... This morning... Oh Fred, how can they do such a thing to us?" "The minute you turn your heads? Don't you think you're exaggerating now?" "What's that supposed to mean, Linda?" "You don't care about us. You NEVER fucking did. How can you criticize us? How dare you call your own kids whores? How dare you?" "Linda," her father growled, his eyes warning her she was out of line. "Don't Linda me, Dad. You don't care about us either. The only thing you care about is politics and your goddam company. How many times did you go out with us, spend time with us, like the family we were supposed to be, huh? How many times did I have to take care of the twins and Nikki because you didn't have time for them, huh? So, don't you come here yelling at me or anybody else for that matter, because you two AIN'T worth it." "Linda, I'm warning you." "Please do, Dad, because if your wife is calling Zo and Jeannie whores, she's calling me a whore too." "What?" "Because I, Linda Suzanne McDougall, started everything. I had SEX with Nikki and Nikki had SEX with me. We're lovers. So, are you happy now?" "That figures," her mother said. "That figures, my dear. They always do what you want." "Because they respect me. Because I give them love... something you're incapable of. Go back to your fancy parties and wear your 10,000-dollar gowns, but leave us alone." Having said that, Linda turned her back on her speechless parents and stomped back to her room. All her sisters were amazed, their mouths gaping. They couldn't believe Linda's strength and how she had defended them, facing Mom's and Dad's fury, and apparently winning. After that showdown, their parents left the hall, heading downstairs for the living room. Jeannie heard their whispering but was unable to understand what Mom and Dad planned to do with them... This was really hell on earth, Jeannie decided, as she and her sisters gathered in Nikki's and Linda's room. "What's gonna happen to us?" Zo asked, sniffing, as they sat down on the chairs and on the side of Linda's bed. "You were right, Linda. I'm sorry about... I wanted to tell Mom and Dad... At that time I didn't know better. I-" "Doesn't matter now, Zo . What really matters is what we're gonna do." "What can we do?" Jeannie said. "We can't run away." "Yes, we can. A lot of kids do." "But Linda," Nikki objected, "that's not reasonable." "If we don't, they're gonna lock us up and break us apart. I know them. I know them very well. Don't forget Dad has a lot to lose... if the newspapers get hold of this. Can you imagine the headlines? `CEO's incestuous daughters' or `Orgies at McDougall's'. No, they simply won't risk it. We've gotta leave today. They ain't gonna do anything till tomorrow." They discussed the pros and cons of Linda's suggestion. There was no other way if they wanted to stay together. They had to leave that goddam house, and the sooner the better. * * * Linda produced the plan. They would all leave home in her Jeep, as if they were driving to school, giving their parents no hint of the plan to escape. They would stuff their bags and backpacks with everything they needed for a long stay away from home. Under no circumstances must Mom or Dad see them carrying their stuff to the Jeep. "Understood?" "Sure," Jeannie replied, nodding. The twins went over to their room and the girls began to dress and pack as quietly as they could, just like any normal school day. It didn't take long, however, for Linda to hear the twins quarrel over trivialities such as what they should bring along or leave behind. She tiptoed to the twin's room and growled, "We don't have time for this crap, damn it. Hurry up!" "But Linda, I wanna take my radio." "Don't. We have one in the Jeep... Come on, Zo . You're holding us up." "Yeah, it's always my fault." Linda just shrugged as she wheeled out of the twins' room. She began to doubt whether they really should run away. What chances did they have, anyway? Dad knew influential people everywhere, including the mayor and the police chief. He was an important contributor and fund-raiser for the mayor's campaign. When it came down to business and politics, Dad was unbeatable, keeping ahead of the competition as if winning (at all costs) was all that mattered. What would Dad's reaction be when he realized his daughters had run away? It would be a scandal, a huge embarrassment to him... Dad would make sure the cops set up a state-wide hunt for them. Much later than expected, Nikki and Jeannie hauled all their stuff downstairs and into the Jeep. Linda and Zo remained in the kitchen, watching and listening to their parents' movements in case they noticed what was happening right in front of their noses... Mom and Dad had been on the lawn for quite a long time but at that moment they were in the living room, with the door shut. Inevitable as fate, the door of the living room opened. Linda and Zo stood petrified, staring at each other, as if they were about to be caught. They heard more whispers in the main hall. Slowly the voices came closer to the kitchen door, becoming louder and seemingly more confident. Linda and Zo caught a glimpse of their parents' surprised look as Mom and Dad became aware of their presence. Mom shuffled upstairs. Dad went into the kitchen, lighting up his pipe and puffing on it. Zo held her breath. The tension of her father's being there was unbearable. "So, I guess that's what you wanted to tell me, Zo ..." "She's got nothing to say to you." Fred kept staring at his favorite daughter as if he hadn't heard Linda's angry interjection. "Is that true?... Is that true, Zo ?" Zo remained mute and immobile, staring at her hands, nervously plucking at her fingers. "You're scaring her," Linda protested. "I think you should leave." Fred looked daggers at his eldest daughter. Linda was as belligerent as ever, setting Zo against him. He felt his blood boil... He exerted himself to control his anger, keeping himself from committing the same mistake twice. Gathering up all his composure and using his most nonchalant voice, he said, "Linda, why don't you leave and let me talk to your sister?... We need to find a solution... for this..." "I can't... I mean, we can't... We're already late for school." "Linda, I'm asking you a simple favor... Leave now. It won't take long." "No," Linda said, shaking her head and folding her arms. "Linda, you're trying my patience. Leave, this moment, NOW." Linda stared at her father whose long, strong arm was pointing at the doorway. Although her father's rage scared her, Linda stood her ground and once more said no. He lunged toward Linda, his hand still raised. "Go ahead. Hit me... if that makes you feel better." Fred and Linda stood there eyeball to eyeball for what it seemed an eternity. Fred could see Linda's utter contempt through his daughter's half-open green eyes and her mouth twisting her pretty face into an angry grimace. He had never hit his own daughters... He didn't have to... The girls had been raised by Marge and the many baby-sitters his wife had hired and fired at will. Things changed dramatically when Linda became the rebel she was now about the age of fourteen. All that trouble about Chad Manson had been just a symptom of Linda's frustration, the sense of having no one to hold on to. He recalled the night Marge and Linda had fought about a new baby-sitter his wife had just hired for their kids. Linda was screaming they didn't want another baby-sitter any more. She was fourteen and old enough to take care of herself and her sisters... No more strangers in the house, Linda had hollered. No more! Enough was enough!... "So, are you going to hit me or not?" Fred woke up to reality, to his daughter's insolent expression. Fred lowered his arm and let the air in his lungs wheeze out deeply. To Linda's amazement, her father took her in his arms, embracing her. "I'm sorry, Linda..." Linda extracted herself from his embrace, embarrassed and confused by that sudden moment of affection and even tenderness coming from her unapproachable father. The thing was that she didn't trust him -- didn't trust him at all. * * * Fifteen minutes later, a Jeep Cherokee left Fred McDougall's mansion and headed south. Linda stole quick glances at the rearview mirror, making sure they were not being followed. Despite all the din and pell-mell preparations for the getaway, Mom and Dad didn't seem aware of their plans. But with Dad, she reasoned, no one knows for sure what he does and doesn't know... At a crossing further south, Linda made a left turn after waiting nervously for the traffic lights to turn green. Nikki and Jeannie heaved a sigh simultaneously, for they all knew what that turn meant. They were not going to S.F. High as they usually did, but they were going to... elope? Linda shook her head, smiling at herself, at the absurdity of it all. At the next crossing, Linda made a second turn to the left. They were driving north, to a place in the mountains that Linda knew about. She had spent a few summer camps up there, enjoying the pristine air, the breathtaking views of the mountains and enjoying being among the trees and the wildlife. She recalled the camp bonfires, the singing, the sharing of a meal with people who cared... The face of Mary Lewis, one of the camp counselors, came to Linda's mind. She realized now that she had a crush on Mary Lewis but at the time hadn't realized it. There was this urge of being with Mary at all times, holding her hand and listening to her calm, composed (almost shy) voice explaining the rules of the camp or what she expected the kids under her supervision to do in case of an emergency... Mary was not particularly beautiful, but she cared about them -- Linda had seen that in the brown eyes and wide mouth of a round-faced woman. Mary Lewis could sing and play guitar, too. She had taught them so many songs that Linda was unable to remember how many and how they went, except for a few. Linda began to whistle one as she drove. She would teach Nikki and the twins those old songs... maybe around a bonfire... That would be great! From time to time, Linda pulled over at a gas station for everybody to stretch their legs or go to the bathroom. There was no reason to rush. They would only be missed at the end of the day. If they got lucky, Mom and Dad wouldn't even be at home waiting for them to return from school... unless Anita had to cook that day. Anita would immediately notice they were gone... for good. At one gas station, Linda began to become apprehensive. Four attractive young blondes jumping out of a Jeep was definitely not an everyday event for a couple of horny, equally young males out to get some fun. The guys were filling up the tank of their Jeep and a huge jerrican when Linda's Jeep roared in. Although Linda and her sisters were used to attracting attention, that whistling and waving could mean trouble to all of them. It could seriously jeopardize their chances of escaping their Dad's long and powerful arm. "Let's get back in the Jeep," Linda commanded, with her stretched-out arms barring her sisters from going to the washroom. "But Linda, I need to go," Jeannie protested. "Later... Let's move... before we get into trouble because of these creeps." "They're harmless, Linda," Nikki said. "You know we can handle them." "No. Let's get back in the Jeep." "Why?" Linda looked at Nikki's grouchy face and at one of the guys who was walking toward them, showing his smile and waving his stained, dusty baseball cap. "I'll explain later... but let's get in the Jeep... Come on!" With some reluctance, Nikki and the twins obeyed and returned to the Jeep. Linda started the engine just in time to dodge the guy and drive away, burning the asphalt with tire rubber. "I don't understand, Linda... I don't like it when you talk like that." "Talk like what?" Linda asked, dividing her attention between Nikki and the road. "Sometimes I think Zoe's right. You can't start pushing us around like that, like we don't have any opinions." "You've been talking behind my back, huh?" Nikki didn't answer. She was upset by Linda's arrogance and her dictatorial ways. She wanted a discussion before it got out of hand, but Linda's defensiveness was not helping matters much. Nikki looked out of the window, avoiding Big Sis's fleeting glances. "Look, Nikki," Linda said, trying to get her sister's attention back by holding her hand. Nikki released her hand from Linda's clasp. She was now looking intently forward at the road. "Nikki, look at me... Please..." Nikki didn't react right away. She kept staring at the road, feeling the wind blowing against her face and through her long hair, ignoring her sister's almost pleading tone of voice. But her rancor didn't last long... As always, Linda knew how to push the right buttons for her, Nikki, to come crawling back to Big Sis. As soon as Nikki faced her, Linda went on, "I had to do what I did... Those guys were trouble... We can't afford to be noticed by anyone... Within days our pictures'll show up in every goddam newspaper and on every TV news... Dad'll see to it. I'm damned sure about it." "Still, that's no reason to shout at us and sound like... I don't know... a fascist dictator..." "Would you listen to me otherwise?" "Yes, I would." "No, you wouldn't." "Fine... Let's have it your way. Like always." That exchange of words was the last before Linda stopped the Jeep at another gas station. Linda stayed inside while Nikki and the twins headed for the restroom. Linda sighed, leaning against the steering wheel, wiping the sweat off her forehead. This runaway thing was getting disastrous, she thought, scratching her temple, and pulling her hair over her ear. After brooding about their almost desperate situation -- at least it felt that way -- Linda left the Jeep and walked to an unpretentious shopping mall beside the gas station. They needed food and drinks for starters. That mall seemed the right one to buy those all-important supplies for a group of starving, thirsty runaway kids with a bad attitude toward each other, and a metal-blue Jeep Cherokee as their getaway car. Talk about road movies, she thought, raising a smile. Linda hurried across the parking lot, reckoning they shouldn't stay at the gas station longer than necessary. * * * Linda rubbed her eyes, repeating to herself she should keep on driving. The twins were already sleeping in the back and Nikki began to nod off in the passenger seat. But stopping in a motel for the night was out of the question. Four teenagers unaccompanied by an adult cropping up at a reception desk in the middle of the night would undoubtedly arouse suspicions. That was something they just couldn't afford. They could use their fake ID's, that's true, but still it would be too risky. No, she would drive on, no matter what. A couple of hours dragged by. Linda was still behind the wheel, kicking herself to remain awake. She didn't want to turn on the radio, as she knew how tired her sisters were. The headlights of other cars were the only distraction on a boring, tedious ride to the mountains. She almost wished that a patrol car could spot them and begin to chase them down, like in the movies -- at least there'd be some action. After a long while, Linda turned off at the freeway exit she had been looking for for the past few hours. Their journey continued along the road that would bring them to their hideaway, an old log cabin that had belonged to a lumberjack. The cabin was on the top of a cliff and from there you could see the summer campground below. As far as she could remember, the cabin was a pile of logs held in place by weathered beams and filled with musty old furniture. All kinds of junk had been left there, making the place uninviting, and therefore the perfect hideaway. She was sure there would be all kinds of bugs and insects in the cabin. But she was ready for it. She was not afraid of spiders, ants or mice, no... People, yes, those could be as nasty as raging grizzly bears. Or perhaps not... That comparison was probably unfair to bears. The road became narrower and steeper, winding up the side of the mountain. Pine trees rose up on both sides of the road as the headlights penetrated through the tunnel of darkness. There was no moonlight. The sky was heavily overcast. Soon the trees on the right-hand side gave way to a sheer drop to the valley below. Linda had to take special care to watch the right-hand edge of the road. Sometimes she caught a sight ahead of the precipice across a bend in the road. Suddenly there was a bang. The right-hand front of the Jeep subsided and they started careering off the road. Linda screamed... She lost control. The Jeep went straight for the concrete blocks that were supposed to prevent them falling over the precipice and hurtling into the valley below. Linda was hurled forward when the tail of the Jeep skidded on the gravel and the side of the vehicle came to a violent stop against the concrete blocks. To Linda's horror, the Jeep ended up flush with the protective barrier and it seemed there was nothing between them and a thousand-foot drop over the precipice. "Are you OK?" Linda asked, calling the twins and Nikki. "Yes," Nikki said, straightening herself up on her seat, "but stop shouting." "What the hell happened?" Jeannie asked, pulling her hair away from her face and trying to drive away the sleepiness that made her eyelids so heavy. "Were we shot at?" "No, I don't think so," Linda replied, still shaking and getting off the Jeep. "We got a flat, a burst tire." Doing her best not to show how scared she was, Linda started the stalled engine and drove the Jeep slowly, to the protesting sound of screeching metal, away from the protective wall and out into the road. Fortunately, they had brought a flashlight. They saw they had run over a two by four with a big spike sticking out of it. "Someone's getting off on making people drive off the road," said Linda. "You think they put it there on purpose?" Jeannie asked, aiming her flashlight at the nail and studying it with care. "Oh sure... Probably a kid... or a crazy environmentalist trying to prevent people coming here in Jeeps and spoiling these mountains." "There might be more, then," Zo said at her turn to shine the flashlight on the nail. "Yeah, there might. And it's too dark to take the spare out." "So, what're we gonna do?" "I don't know, Jeannie... This leaves us in a very awkward situation. We can't stay here, `cause another car is bound to ride up here... and we'll get help, and a lot of questions we don't need." "You mean we're gonna leave the Jeep behind and take our stuff with us." "I didn't say that. I think we should try and find a place to camp for the night." "Why don't we just go on?" Zo asked, scowling at Big Sis. "Because there might be more of these fucking nails, Zo. You said so yourself." "OK," Nikki broke in, "let's not fight. I think Linda's right. I think it's wiser to wait for the morning. We should look for a place to sleep." "Where?" Jeannie asked. "We can't go to a motel, and I don't see any lodges or houses around here. We're in the middle of nowhere." "I think Linda means sleeping in the woods," Nikki said, a wry smile coming to her face. "You kidding," Jeannie exclaimed, gaping at Nikki and then at Linda. "Right?" "No, she's not kidding," Nikki replied, almost laughing. "Linda?" "I'm afraid Nikki's right, unless you've got a better idea." There was a pause, Linda facing her youngest sister with a serious expression on her face. "Do you?" Jeannie shook her head. There was something that bothered her but she didn't want to say it out loud. Her sisters would laugh at her for sure. Despite her doubts, Jeannie accepted the backpack Zo was holding out and followed Linda and Nikki, who had already begun plodding up the road. After a tiring ten-minute walk the long grayish outcrops on the left side gave way to a small grassy plateau. "What do you think about here?" Linda asked, directing her flashlight toward the flat ground. "You sure there are no bears down there?" Jeannie said, exhausted. She didn't care any more whether her sisters would laugh at her or not. "Bears?" Linda said, as if she'd been caught off guard. "No, I don't think so... At least, I hope not... Anyway, I don't recall the camp counselors ever mentioning bears. Still, to play it safe, let's keep the food away from us." The girls followed Linda onto the grass and cleared the stones from their makeshift sleeping quarters. They gathered extra grass to make their sleepover as comfortable as possible and stretched out the sleeping bags. It was cold but the ground was fairly dry and there was no immediate sign of rain. Hopefully it wouldn't rain in the night. During their hasty packing, Nikki had forgotten to put the tent in the Jeep. Sleep came swiftly but sporadically to the three youngest sisters. Their bodies were tired and their minds drained... Only Linda's mind refused to call it a day. She was wondering if she too had forgotten something important. The night seemed to get much colder as the humidity got into their bones. Linda moved closer to Nikki but a damned stone between them hurt her back. She returned to her earlier spot, fighting for sleep with nightmares of mountain ghosts: a patrol car appeared, men shouting, lights flashing, dogs barking fiercely, Dad, bears... Sleep, she should sleep... Please... * * * Linda woke up to birds chanting their territorial songs. She had another nightmare about Dad and cops coming after them... She coughed and yawned, noticing that her sleeping bag was covered with dew, and that Jeannie's was empty. Linda looked around but couldn't see her youngest sister. The morning sun bathed the valley with a soft autumnal light. Pulling herself out of her sleeping bag and tugging her sneakers on, Linda looked around for Jeannie. She wanted to call out for her sister but Nikki and Zo were still asleep. She walked down to the road to check on the Jeep. On seeing the Jeep she also saw Jeannie, sitting on the concrete-block wall, her feet dangling over the precipice and the valley below. Linda walked up to Jeannie, dragging her feet on the gravel, making sure Jeannie heard her coming closer so as not to scare her. Jeannie glanced back for a moment but said nothing. The precipice was far more interesting than human company. "May I sit down?" "Sure." Jeannie shrugged. "It's a free country." "So they say." Jeannie smiled for a while but kept looking down. "Couldn't sleep?" Jeannie shrugged again. "Were you afraid last night?" "Dunno... but I don't wanna talk about it." The two girls sat in silence for a long while, watching the sun rise, the sky turn bluer, the wind blow across the trees, and the scattered clouds that stubbornly refused to dissipate into oblivion. Linda sniffed, mulling over the sadness in Jeannie's voice, the things she didn't say, the way she kept staring down at the valley and the baby pine trees that struggled for existence on the steep cliff. All of a sudden, Jeannie turned to Linda and asked, "Did you ever think about killing yourself?" Linda knitted her brows, making a tremendous effort to hide her shock. "No, why?" "This morning I woke up and I wanted to see how bad it would've been if we'd crashed down... and I began to wonder how it'd be like to be dead. You think they'd miss us?" "Mom and Dad?" "Everybody. Our friends... Mom... Dad." "I guess," Linda said, looking straight ahead, grasping Jeannie's mood. "Doesn't sound too convincing..." Linda's eyes returned to her sister, who kept staring at her, still looking for answers. "I don't know, Jeannie. I'm not them... I know as much as you do. All I know is that I'd miss you like hell if you were dead." "You would?" "Yes, I would." "Really?" "Yes... but don't you dare put me to the test. I wouldn't forgive you." Jeannie giggled as Linda got to her feet and held out her hand. Jeannie stood up as well, helped by Linda's strong arm. Jeannie wanted to hold Linda tight and kiss her but Big Sis was already a few feet away, crossing the road and calling the other sisters to get up. They should be moving along before some busybody found them and started asking questions. After breaking camp, the girls returned to the Jeep. They were hungry and thirsty and their muscles hurt. But knowing that no one had rummaged in the Jeep or stolen it was enough to raise their spirits. At least it wasn't a big deal to change the wheel in daylight. Soon they were back in the Jeep and smiling as they drove on, up the mountain road. A half hour later Linda turned off onto a dirt road, congratulating herself on having convinced Dad that a four-wheel drive was a far better deal than any GM convertible he wanted to give her. After a few minutes of jolting and wiggling, she brought the Jeep to a stop. "This is it, guys," she announced, springing off the Jeep and opening her arms as if she had become a circus emcee. "This is our cabin, our home." Linda forced the cabin door open and before she could hold her breath a strong smell of musty furniture hit her. The old cabin was in better shape than she remembered. The roof didn't appear to leak and the floor planks were for the most part intact. On the other hand, the old furniture would have to be scrubbed to make the place habitable. The girls rummaged around the cabin, turning over broken chairs and avoiding spiderwebs. They were discussing the best way to get rid of the junk that cluttered the cabin, when Zo yelled. Her sisters rushed to see what she had found. Behind an old rickety cupboard stood a stone fireplace. Linda concluded it should surely keep them from freezing during winter. With contented hollering and giggling, they continued their selection of what should be kept, thrown away or broken up and used as firewood. In another cupboard, Nikki found some cutlery, though too rusty to use without a lot of cleaning. After a few hours' work, Jeannie looked around and then at her sisters. They looked tired but she was proud of them. Most of the mess had been dealt with, and there were enough logs next to the fireplace to start a fire. Jeannie groped in her backpack and before long she produced a bottle of wine. It was Dad's. "He ain't gonna miss it," she said, a wide grin appearing across her face. "I think we should celebrate..." Her sisters laughed, settling down beside her and realizing how hungry and thirsty they were. They ate a few sandwiches made with provisions bought in the shopping mall. Nikki stared at the supplies they had brought -- mostly canned food -- which were piled up on the old oak table, one of the few pieces of furniture they decided to keep. "How are we going to find more food, Linda. This isn't going to last for long." "I have money. I stole it from Dad's wallet. I know it was wrong... but I had no other choice. And I'll teach you a few tricks to save food. During summer camp we had a few classes about survival in the wild. It's gonna be fun." Nikki hugged Linda, kissing her on the lips for the first time since they ran away. Linda was taken aback and smiled, laughing a bit, blushing at the same time and noticing that the twins were watching them observantly. Linda felt embarrassed but the wine helped her relax. They prepared themselves for the evening. It was cold inside the log cabin, but they could light a fire in the fireplace and their sleeping bags should keep them warm enough at this time of year. Linda slept between Nikki and Jeannie. With Nikki claiming her right to hug Linda, Jeannie turned her back to them when that happened. Jeannie wanted to sleep... and forget... * * * The next morning the four girls went down to wash in the small river at the bottom of the creek. The day was dry and warm. They could see over the trees all around them to the snow-capped mountains on the horizon. They had also saw some deer and rabbits, but so far no bears. "This is beautiful, Linda," Nikki exclaimed. "I'm in love with this place." As they washed their faces in the cold running water, Jeannie hesitated visibly. "What happened, Jeannie?" Linda asked. "You don't trust the water?" "It's not that. I feel so dirty... without a shower. I'm probably gonna take a bath. The problem is... the water's so cold." "OK, I'll help you. We're both going to. I feel dirty too." Without waiting for Jeannie's answer, Linda took off all her clothes and dived into the creek, showing off her swimming skills. "Come on, you guys... The water's perfect." Jeannie stared at Linda. She wanted so much to hold her big sister tight, to smother her with kisses, lick her breasts, excite her, make her moan the way Nikki did. Jeannie's heart melted when Linda beamed at her as she came out of the water, her nipples hard, her hair damp, falling limp on her shoulders. Linda was a river nymph coming to get her... "Come on, Jeannie. Get your clothes off. Or do you want to take your bath with them on?" Jeannie didn't react. She couldn't. Linda was in front of her, totally naked, water streaming down her body. Linda's overwhelming beauty was there for all to see. Linda tugged Jeannie's sweater up, and started to unbutton her sister's blouse. Jeannie didn't offer any resistance. She would do anything Linda asked her to. Linda removed all Jeannie's clothes, one by one, until Jeannie was naked too, trembling. Linda's breasts brushed against Jeannie's, causing Jeannie's body to quake inside. Jeannie's nipples became hard and she felt her sex respond. It was getting wet and warmer... If she'd been alone, she would have masturbated. "Come on," said Linda, pulling her by the arm, and Jeannie followed her, willingly. Jeannie forgot about the water being cold, about everything around her, even the fact they were being watched by Zo and Nikki. Having Linda so close to her, playing with her, brushing her naked body against hers... made her forget everything. Linda... was all that Jeannie saw... and felt... and heard. * * * It was evening again. The four sisters huddled by the fireside, watching the flames lapping logs gathered that afternoon. Nikki and Zo , however, had stomach cramps. They had eaten too many berries, the ones Linda said were safe to eat. "You think the cops are already looking for us?" Jeannie asked, rubbing her cold feet. She slid closer to the fireplace and toward Big Sis. "I guess," Linda replied, using an old tong to keep the fire going strongly. Nikki began to brush her long hair. She too had taken a bath in the creek in the afternoon. She felt better afterwards. She hated the feeling of sweat on her skin, and the smell of it. She bent over, letting her hair cascade down to form a perfect curtain in front of her eyes. She used to brush her hair for hours. It was one of the things that made her look like Big Sis. Nikki was vaguely proud she was able to give her sister the same softness, the same silkiness, something she truly relished. `If only I had curls like her...' she mused. "Care to let me brush your hair?" Nikki offered. "Please do," Linda replied, smiling. She shut her eyes and let Nikki work on her hair. Little by little she felt her body come alive. It was a strange crescendo of feelings and sensations, which were taking over her being. Linda pressed her thighs together. Nikki was exciting her again. The bath in the creek had been so sensual, despite the cold. She enjoyed seeing that Jeannie could relax a little. She wanted to prevent any despair among her sisters. They were going to make it. She was sure of it. Nikki kept brushing Linda's hair, slowly. It seemed to Linda that Nikki was trying to get her in the mood for making out. If that was the case, Nikki was really succeeding. Linda could feel the moisture gathering up in her sex. She pressed her thighs against each other once again, keeping her pleasure from streaming out. She was getting weak. If Nikki continued, they would end up making love, twins or no twins around. Then Nikki brushed Linda's hair aside and kissed her neck, a long sensual kiss. Linda shuddered all over, her heart racing, her breathing coming now unevenly. "Ooh Nikki..." Linda said softly, trying to hug her younger sister's neck. Hearing Linda's moaning Nikki couldn't control herself any more. Three days without making love with Linda was too long. Nikki kissed Linda on the nape of her neck. Linda shook again, feeling the most delicious thrill, until she could stand it no more. Linda pulled Nikki toward her and down to the floor. She began to kiss and kiss and kiss, small kisses around Nikki's soft, sweet lips. She forgot about the twins. Nikki's passion was too overwhelming. Linda could barely breathe. All she cared for was to kiss Nikki, feel her younger sister's tongue with her own, to excite her, to make her moan and moan and MOAN. "Oooh, Sis..." Nikki finally said, between kisses. "Sis... Sis, I love you." Nikki's mouth began to go down Linda's neck, her hands grabbing Linda's breasts over her blouse, while Big Sis fumbled for her sister's belt, trying to unbuckle it. It didn't want to come apart. Instead, her hand caressed Nikki between her legs, against the roughness of her jeans. "Ooohhh..." Nikki let out, opening her legs, and rubbing herself against Linda's hand. Despite her sister wearing panties and jeans, Linda was able to feel some wetness. `Nikki's pussy must be soaking wet,' she thought. It was amazing she was still able to excite Nikki that much. It was in contrast to the hatred they felt from their parents. `But let's forget about it,' she said to herself. `No parents... No nothing... Only Nikki is important now.' They kissed again, wildly, arms encircling each other's bodies. They rolled on the floor and this time Linda wound up on top of her sister's stomach. Linda slipped her blouse off, throwing it away to a corner of the cabin. She smiled at her twin sisters, who didn't miss anything of their lovemaking. "Sorry, kids..." Linda said, still exuding her contagious smile. "There isn't much privacy in this cabin, I know. So you've got to put up with this... Maybe we can teach you a trick or two..." At this point Linda was grinning, turning red from her own boldness. She let her bra drop to the floor, her perky breasts bouncing free. Immediately Nikki's hands cupped them, and kneaded them... Linda's eyes closed until she moaned. Opening again those dreamy light green eyes, Linda looked again at the twins. She preferred not to make them uncomfortable. "Anyway," she said, "you wanted to spy on us... Now, it's your dream come true, right?" The twins nodded. They couldn't do otherwise. They saw Linda return her attention to Nikki, sucking Nikki's saliva. Simultaneously, Nikki kept playing with her sister's boobs, up and down, and down and up, her fingers teasing Linda's nipples, making them incredibly hard. "Oooh baby, baby," Linda said, her eyes clouding over. Nikki was really addictive to her. Better than coke, LSD, and heroine together, she surmised. She hadn't tried any of them but she was sure that was true... Being far away from their parents lessened Linda's guilt. Her heart didn't hurt that much any more. There must be a reason for all this... All this sweetness, like honey, on her lips, on Nikki's lips. Linda took off Nikki's CK blouse and she finally succeeded in undoing her CK blue jeans. She wanted to feel her sister's nakedness, her perfect trim body. She wanted that closeness, to feel her body's warmth. She wanted to feel those breasts, those peaches, with perfect nipples, so sensitive to the touch, so sensitive to her caresses... She eased off Nikki's panties, full of Nikki's aroma, soaked with her love potion. Linda kissed Nikki's body, made her shake with anticipation. Nikki's head rolled from one side to the other, moaning softly, eyelids closed, abandoning herself to Linda. Nikki felt her sister's mouth in her belly, kissing her navel, tweaking her nipples, stimulating her with a finger very close to her sex but not quite there. It was her own medicine being used against her. Teasing, teasing, and teasing -- that was the name of this game. Nikki pushed her sister's head down, fondling her hair, her beautiful hair, which stroked her body, so sensual, so precious... so silky to the touch. "Ooohhh Linda... Sis... SIS... SIS... SIS... I love you... I love you... Go on, please... Sis... SIS... Please... Kiss me there, don't tease me. I can't take it... I can't... I really can't..." Then there was a thrill, when Linda began to kiss Nikki's inner thighs, her hand patting Nikki's feet, rubbing them, stimulating them, pinching her sister's toes, one by one, slowly, until Nikki asked for more and more. Nikki almost died when Linda began to lick around her pulsating sex, Linda's hand stroking her mound. Then the Time of Oblivion came, like a gigantic wave, when Linda kissed her clitoris, resuming the licking, her lissome, knowing fingers finding their way in... Teasing, and teasing... And then stroking, her mouth licking, her tongue inside her... "OOOHHH LINDA... LINDA..." Nikki bawled, her body jerking up. Her juices were flowing and flowing into Linda's mouth, which kept sucking her as if there would never be another drop left. And then again, the maddening tongue, making her squirm and squirm, like a sweet torture, without end... It was heaven on earth... Then she came, encircling her legs around Linda's head, increasing the pressure inside her sex, her soul, her love for Linda. She loved her... She couldn't love anyone else... Nothing else mattered... But Linda was not done with her. Linda kept licking her until she came again and again and again and again... Nikki had to pull Linda up or she would die. CHAPTER NINE: VIOLENCE Two weeks had elapsed since the girls left L.A. and they had no idea what Fred was doing about looking for them. They discussed what their father might have done when he found out they were gone, but each of them suggested something different. Linda's own view was downright pessimistic but she kept it to herself, knowing better than discourage her younger sisters. Nikki and Zo had a more positive idea of what might be happening in L.A. They even laughed about a possible change of heart -- Mom and Dad pleading on national TV for them to come back home, saying everything was forgiven and forgotten. `Fat chance,' Linda thought, driving down the dirt road. After some grueling doubts and confabs, they decided that one of them had to go and buy some fresh food, especially fruit and vegetables. They tried to live on what they could find in the mountains but their survival skills had been, after all, overestimated. That was worrying... That meant they wouldn't last long up there and that sooner or later they would have to leave the cabin and find a better hiding place... and money. Linda finally reached the main road and made a right turn to go downhill. She knew there was a small town thirty miles away where she could buy groceries and let someone repair the spare wheel. She knew the risks, but driving without a spare in the mountains was not too a good idea. To minimize the chances of being recognized, she wore shades, tucking her long hair under her baseball cap. She took a deep breath and hit the gas pedal. The small town was Libertyville -- population 2,530 according to the sign -- had several stores for tourists, selling T-shirts and Indian handicrafts, which Linda noticed with some relief. She would be just another dumb tourist, looking for food, and with a spare wheel to be fixed. Linda parked the Jeep in front of a grocery store, its windows plastered with posters screaming the current bargains. She waited for a moment before stepping out of the Jeep, sizing up the passersby as potential sources of danger. She caught a few stares but most of the people minded their own business. This reassurance allowed her to leave the Jeep and enter the store. As Linda had guessed, she was not the only tourist in town. The store owner and a couple in their fifties were bent over an unfolded road map and chatting about the best road to take and how to make the best of the couple's two-week vacation. Cackling out loud and casting an affectionate look at her husband, the woman referred to their trip as a kind of second honeymoon. Linda turned away and looked around the store for fruit and vegetables. Once done with her shopping, Linda waited nervously at the back of the store for the couple to leave. The cackling woman, though, was too talkative, recounting her wonderful stay in San Francisco and Monterey just a couple of weeks before. `Come on,' Linda urged silently, staring at the woman through her shades. She waited for a while longer but the woman and the owner kept joking and laughing at each other's stories. Losing her patience, Linda came closer and said, "I'm sorry to interrupt you but I'm kind of in a hurry. Where can I pay for this?" The couple and the owner looked at her with surprise. Then the woman smiled and said, "Why, the youth of these days's always in a hurry!" "I know that," the store owner confirmed, scratching his puffy right cheek, "I have two kids of my own. Never stay two minutes in the same place, those two." Linda ignored their remarks, licking her dry lips, almost sighing with frustration. She paid for the groceries and left, shaking and cursing the woman and the man with the puffy cheeks. "Geez," she huffed as she started the engine and drove away. It didn't take long before she spotted the gas station. She was grateful that this time she was the only customer and that a grinning, attractive young man -- instead of a lecturing old geezer -- closed in. "How can I help you, Miss-?" "Just fill 'er up, please," she replied, paying no attention to his curiosity. She was going to mention the spare when a sudden urge to go the bathroom came over her. She asked directions, which were promptly given, and left the Jeep. Before she reached the restroom, a poster on one of the windows caught her attention. "Shit!" Linda caught her breath and looked back, just making sure that no one was staring at her. She examined the poster again. With huge printed letters, the poster trumpeted "MISSING, PROBABLY KIDNAPPED: Linda McDougall, Nicole McDougall, Zo McDougall and Jeannie McDougall", followed by their descriptions, photos and the promise of a 50,000-dollar reward for any information leading to their rescue. `Shit,' she repeated, hurrying into the restroom, her legs shaking from fear. She swallowed, her heart beating like crazy, wondering what to do and if that guy had recognized her. The cops would be there in no time if he had. Her fears seemed justified when she peeked at the Jeep around corner of the building where she stood. The guy was nowhere to be seen. She strained her ears but heard nothing either. `Dammit... Now what?' Taking off without paying could be one solution, she thought. She took a deep breath and sped across to the Jeep. She looked for the keys but couldn't find them. Of course, the guy had them! She glanced at the empty road, breathing anxiously. With desperation she hit the horn but no one appeared. She beeped a second time and in a moment the guy showed up at the entrance of the garage, wiping his hands with a white handkerchief. He grinned and apologized. A friend of his had called. They were going to shoot some pool that evening after work. Preempting any "wanna come?" Linda asked how much she owed and paid him. Then she found she had the keys in her purse after all. Deciding not to do anything with the blown-out spare, Linda didn't look back as she raced her Jeep up the road. `Kidnapped?' she said to herself, shaking her head. `Kidnapped?!... How can he say we were kidnapped? That doesn't make any sense at all!' * * * A couple of weeks later, Linda began to sense her sisters' boredom. Zo was more volatile than usual, Jeannie seemed down in the dumps... and Nikki wanted to make love all the time. It suited her fine to neck and pet with Nikki that often but the twins were making her anxious. Maybe all that sexual activity between Nikki and herself was having a negative effect on the younger sisters. Zo and Jeannie had gotten into a catfight the afternoon before. Zo had been vicious, drawing blood from Jeannie's breasts and arms. She had to hit Zo and knock her down in order to break the two apart. Linda asked Zo and Jeannie why they were fighting but the twins wouldn't tell her. She had witnessed a lot of brawls between those two, but their last catfight had been the most violent by far. Linda recalled the horror she felt when she saw the wounds on Jeannie's breasts. It had made her feel strange. It made her want to hit Zo again, and that scared her. She never believed in being physical. Her quick wit and imposing presence were normally sufficient to avoid the worst. But those two... God... "Let's go for a hike," Linda suggested. "I'll show you where I've been. We'll take water and some food. If we're lucky, maybe we'll find some mushrooms...Then I'll fix a nice soup when we get back. OK?" "I think it's a good idea, Linda," Nikki agreed. "Anything to get the hell out of here." Linda repressed her tears. She could feel Nikki's bottled-up frustration. Last night Nikki wanted to make love but she had warded off her sister's advances. Linda couldn't, knowing the twins were just a few feet away, and now potentially fractious. They all climbed up the trail to the left. It was the trail with the most spectacular, breathtaking views. The mountain tops, so far away, blended with the blue of the sky and the wispy white of the scattered clouds. In spite of the beauty, Linda couldn't let her go of her anxiety. The twins didn't utter a word, keeping a visible distance between each other. Jeannie, the most fragile of her sisters, had her worried. Jeannie's eyes seemed oblivious to everything. They stared blankly at the horizon and glistened sometimes as if she were on the verge of tears. Linda hoped the hike would make Jeannie feel better. A couple of hours later they stopped and sat down on some boulders. Silently Nikki handed out the food to the twins and Linda. Nikki watched them while they munched. Since they ran away she had never mentioned her doubts about the sanity of their "eloping". Enough unpleasantness and friction was already developing among them. She was convinced their situation was becoming unbearable. She loved Linda very dearly but sometimes Big Sis could be so distant... Nikki's heart almost missed a beat whenever the possibility that Linda didn't love her any more crossed her mind. She would kill herself first... No, she wouldn't. She was no coward... But it would hurt like hell. Nikki stared at the twins. She felt sorry for them. Instead of finding love in each other's arms, it appeared they had found nothing but hate and distrust. And that was surprising... After all the four of them had run away because Mom had caught the twins in the act. Nikki's gaze wandered to her beloved, older sister. Linda, so beautiful but so sad... The violent behavior of the twins was ruining their relationship. `Maybe that's why people avoid incest,' she thought. `It can be a very beautiful thing, but if it goes wrong... it can really be a living hell. You can ditch a lover, but a family member... is for life. No matter what.' Suddenly a pebble came rolling down the mountain side. They looked up. A man toting a shotgun was coming their way. "Quick," Linda said, jumping to her feet, " let's go." They all ran to the trees, praying the man hadn't seen them. Maybe he was looking for them. In no time they would have the cops all over the place. "Linda," Nikki uttered, "he saw us. He's coming this way." "Dammit," Linda cursed. "Dammit! Let's run. You, Nikki, go first. I'll stay behind and cover the twins. Come on, Zo ... MOVE IT!" A rush of incredible fear shot through Linda. "Come on... COME ON!" As fast as they could the four sisters tore down the mountainside, but running off the trail was not easy. Sometimes one of them slid in the dirt and fell. Then they'd all have to stop and wait. That was costing too many precious seconds. The man was chasing them and gaining ground. Out of nowhere the terrifying sound of a gunshot rang out, followed by an excruciating scream... Linda couldn't believe her eyes. Jeannie had been shot... She toppled over and slid down several feet until she stopped, blood all over her. "JEANNIE!" Linda screamed. "JEANNIE... Oh, God..." Tears streamed down her face, her throat hurting... A tight knot prevented her from screaming again. In a moment she was next to her sister. Jeannie was lying on the dirt, crying convulsively and screaming from pain. "Linda... Linda, help me... Please..." "Stay quiet, baby. Don't move... I'm gonna help you, even if it's the last thing I do." To Linda's despair, Zo and Nikki joined them. They should have kept running. They should have tried to find help. Linda was about to say it out loud when the man was upon them. "So, you thought you're gonna escape, huh?" he said, showing his yellow teeth. Linda flinched...This mountain redneck in his checkered red flannel shirt was obviously drunk. He reeked of cheap booze. His eyes shone with wicked pleasure while his free hand scratched his nose. "But no one, I mean... No one escapes from-" "Are you fucking nuts?" Linda shouted, rising to her feet. "Why did you shoot, goddam it? You hurt my sister, you fucking asshole." "You calling me asshole, bitch?" he said, his smirk growing wider, his hands aiming the shotgun at her. Seconds ticked by, the redneck still threatening Linda. "Maybe you should suck my dick, bitch." "When hell freezes over," Linda spat. "Oh yeah? I'll kill your sister if you don't." The redneck pointed the barrel of his gun toward Jeannie. Jeannie was losing blood, Linda realized. Jeannie would die if she didn't find a way to thwart this lunatic. "OK, I'll do it," she said, swallowing. "Aw right," he exclaimed. The moment he lowered his gun and began to unbutton his baggy, smudged pants, Linda kicked him in the balls, hard.. "You fucking bitch," he hollered at the top of his voice. He tumbled to the ground, his hands holding his privates.. "You FUCKING bitch..." Linda took hold of the gun right away, aiming it at her raging opponent. But she didn't know what to do. She only knew she hated guns. Suddenly, the redneck grabbed the barrel, trying to snatch back the gun. Then, the shot happened... The redneck fell down, clutching his belly and yelling blue murder, as blood spurted all over his shirt, his clothes and the ground. Then the yells quieted down and became just sullen, agonized groans, as he writhed in the dirt. Soon even these sounds and writhing slackened, and the redneck just lay there like a dead animal... "Oh God," Linda cried, stepping back, her hands covering her face. "I killed him." Something caught her feet. She stumbled and fell. And then nothing... Only darkness... and voices, far away voices that called her name... Linda... LINDA!!! Then nothing again... CHAPTER TEN: LOVE AND HATE Nikki had to leave the waiting room. She couldn't breathe in there. She wanted to forget everything. Her life before Linda was a blur now. So much had happened, so much had changed inside her. And she was losing her... She was losing Linda and she couldn't bear the thought of it. Nikki stepped outside to the parking lot. She put her arms around herself, a self-embrace full of despair. `Linda... Linda... please, don't leave me... PLEASE.' Nikki closed her eyes, trying to put out of her mind the image of her fretful parents waiting in that sickening hospital. In a corner, Zo was crying silently, a kind nurse holding the tearful teenager in her arms. Linda, her back to her parents, stared at the wall, ignoring everybody, blaming herself. "It's my fault, Nikki," Linda said and repeated it over and over again. "Linda, that's not true. You didn't pull the trigger... That son of a bitch did." "I killed him." "To protect us. To protect Jeannie. It was self-defense. He would've killed us... you know that. Linda..." Nikki had tried to hold her but Big Sis promptly removed her sister's hands from her waist. "Linda, why are you like that? I'm trying to help you." "Don't!" was the answer. Then Big Sis walked away from her, going to the opposite side of the waiting room. Outside, in the parking lot, Nikki stared at another incoming ambulance, its flashing lights rotating, the screaming siren dying down. Swiftly the paramedics leaped out of the ambulance and scrambled into the building another out-of-luck victim of a car crash or a mountainside shooting. Jeannie had been hauled in the same way, with people shouting, and Mom and Dad trying to keep up with that chaotic convoy of people. The only difference was the oppressive presence of the press. Dad had convinced everybody the redneck was a kidnapper, or rather, "the" kidnapper. His daughters hadn't run away. No. They had been kidnapped by a lustful beast... Linda had killed him in self-defense, Dad told the journalists and photographers. There would be an investigation, Dad said, but he assured Linda that no charges would be filed. So typical of Dad... * * * Linda's eyes meandered around the empty seats of the waiting room. She agonized over the fact that Jeannie was in coma, between life and death. The doctors kept reiterating their reserved statements about her sister's chances of surviving a massive blood loss. Linda wanted to be with her sister but they wouldn't let her. Hospital procedures... God! The presence of Mom and Dad was giving her the jitters. Mom wouldn't look at her; but Dad would. He tried to bridge the gap, but she didn't trust him. He was using their misfortune for his political gain, talking about his deep shock and horror to the press, making a plea for tougher measures against crime in general and kidnappers of children in particular. There were rumors he was going to make a bid for the Congress. All that media circus would surely give him publicity. It was disgusting! Linda reached for her head. On and off she felt a headache. Her fingers probed for the swelling on her head. The doctors said it was only a minor contusion. Her head had hit a stone when she fell and blacked out. Nikki had saved Jeannie's life, Linda recalled. After making sure her eldest sister was all right, Nikki had scudded down the trail until she found the road and the Jeep. One hour later she was back with help. Linda loved and admired her for it. Linda searched the waiting room for Nikki but her sister was gone. She wanted to find where Nikki was, to check if her sister was all right. All those events were making a nervous wreck out of Linda. She didn't let anyone touch her, not even Nikki. Linda could see the effect of her refusal on her younger sister but Linda's guilt became unbearable every time Nikki, sweet Nikki, came for a hug. Linda snapped out of her daydreaming when a doctor came into the waiting room. He shook hands with Dad and Mom. "I think you'd better come in, Mrs McDougall. Your daughter's fever is increasing. She's out of coma at this point but she's constantly calling your name. I think your presence may help her." "My baby is calling my name?" "Yes ma'am... You're Linda, aren't you?" "No..." she said, sheer confusion in her eyes, turning to her astonished daughter. "Linda is-" "It's me," Linda broke in, scuttling closer. "I'm Linda. I'm her sister." "Oh," the doctor said, realizing his blunder. "I thought- Well, you'd better come with me, then... I'm sorry, Mrs McDougall... I thought-" "Let's go," Linda groaned, jerking the doctor's sleeve. "She's calling my name. My sister needs me." Linda left with the doctor, ignoring her mother's eyes. Hate... Her mother hated her. Nothing new for Linda, though. She had always suspected that. Now she was sure of it. Linda rushed down the hall, still yanking at the doctor's sleeve, urging him to walk faster. In a few seconds she was by her sister's side. The first thing Linda noticed was how pale Jeannie looked. Linda looked across the bed and at the nurse who was trying to calm her sister down. Jeannie was delirious, murmuring unintelligible gibberish. "Linda!" she heard suddenly, startling her. "Linda, please... Linda... LINDA... Help me... Help me..." Jeannie's head thrashed on the pillow, her forehead thoroughly covered with sweat. "Linda... help me... please..." "I'm here, baby," Linda said, holding her sister's hand. "I'm here." The moment she said it, clasping Jeannie's hands, her sister's thrashing stopped. For a moment Linda, the doctor and the nurse held their breath as though they were waiting for a miracle, but the miracle didn't happen. Jeannie seemed to drift into a deeper sleep, but not her previous feverish nightmare. Gradually her breathing became steadier and stronger, but her eyelids remained shut, her face as pale as before. Linda's eyes turned to the doctor. "Is she OK? Is this normal?" "The worst's over now... Your sister is just sleeping..." "Yes, and the fever's subsiding," the nurse added. "Maybe you'd better leave now," the doctor suggested, as he checked Jeannie's forehead with his huge, hairy hands. "Get some rest. There's nothing you can do at this point." "Hell no, I'm not gonna leave her," Linda whispered, trying not to raise her voice. "She needs me. She said it herself. The hell with the procedures. If she didn't need me, you wouldn't have called me. Am I wrong?" The doctor heaved a sigh, casting a quick glance at the nurse. The nurse shrugged back at him. "All right, you stay here... but only for tonight. I'll make the arrangements for an extra bed." The doctor gestured to the nurse to leave. The nurse gone, he waited by the door, gazing at Linda, who kept on staring at her sister's pale features, fondling her hair. "I admire you," he said. "What?" "I admire your love for your sister... You don't see that often. I mean, a girl caring so much about her own sister. I wish my own daughters were like that... and not the usual nuisance to each other and to us parents... OK, I'll leave you two alone. I'll see to the extra bed." Linda saw him shut the door quietly. She was perplexed, confused. Had she been too obvious? Obvious about what? About her love for Jeannie? Was that abnormal? Sisters were supposed to be the best of friends, but they were so often the worst of enemies. There were soap-operas and TV shows based on that kind of hate... But love... was seldom shown. The executive producers wouldn't want to summon the horrible specter of incest, would they? Show a hug and a loving gaze and the whole nation would be shocked. It's so easy to hate... It's so hard to love... * * * A few weeks later, Linda returned to S.F. High for the first time after her kidnapping. When she entered the classroom, all her classmates stood up one by one and began to clap their hands. They were welcoming her like a heroine -- a heroine of a bad movie, of a ridiculous book. They were clapping because she had killed someone. No, that's nothing to be proud of, she thought. Even if that someone was a scumbag. "Way to go," the guys would say. "I'm proud of you," Belinda added. Linda shook her head, wavering between going in or running away. If only they knew... Would they be proud of her still? Would they say "Way to go!" and tap on her back? She didn't think so. Despite all those cheering young faces, eager to catch a glimpse of the heroine of the moment, Linda felt alone, terribly alone... She wanted to scream and escape from that unnerving crowd. She was too polite, though. She knew she could never do that. She would bite the bullet and count the minutes, the seconds, until she was allowed to go home and watch over Jeannie. Five hours later, Linda waved good-bye to her classmates and left school, heaving a sigh of relief. Nikki waited for her by the Jeep. When Nikki smiled at her, Linda's heart jumped. Their relationship was getting better, now that they were back home and the twins had made up. Jeannie's health was improving amazingly fast. Still, her youngest sister worried her. Linda sensed hidden sadness in those clear blue eyes... "Hi, Baywatch Babe," Nikki said, faking a seductive pose, half-closing her eyes. Linda chuckled. "Baywatch Babe" had become Nikki's standard greeting whenever they met after school. "Cut it out," Linda said, grinning and pushing her sister out of the way. She unlocked the Jeep and hopped in. Nikki took her place next to Big Sis. She grabbed Linda's hand. She wanted her sister's hand on her thigh. She wanted to be stroked there while Big Sis drove home. That thought was enough to make Nikki's sex moist. She did her best to control her craving for holding Linda and kissing her, passionately, right there in that parking lot. Suddenly someone called, "Hi, Linda." "Rick!" Linda cried out, withdrawing her hand from Nikki's thigh as fast as she could. "God, you scared me. Don't you do that ever again!" "Hey, what did I do now?... I just wanna talk to you. It won't take long." "I haven't got much time," she said, wondering if he had seen anything. "I've gotta go home. Jeannie's still recovering..." "Yeah, I've heard about it," Rick said, leaning on the Jeep, his face drawing closer to Linda's through the open window. "I'm glad you're OK and your sister is better now. I'm proud of you... I would've killed the bastard myself." "Rick, what do you want?" "Hey, relax. I just wanna talk to you." "Don't." "Why?" Linda breathed in and looked straight ahead. Then she stared back at him. "Rick, it's over. Don't you understand that?" "Why? I still can't figure out why you did what you did... at the movie theater. I want to listen..." "This's hardly the place, Rick... and there's nothing to talk about. If you want to listen to me, just pay attention to what I'm saying. IT IS OVER. Nothing you can say is gonna change my mind." "It's another guy... I can tell." "No, you're wrong. It's YOU. The sooner you get it into your thick skull the better." "I don't believe you." "Fine," Linda said, starting the Jeep and closing the window. "Linda," she heard him call, but she just kept turning the Jeep in reverse. "LINDA!... Bitch!" Bitch... the very word the redneck had called her. No Baywatch Babe for them. Just bitch. She shuddered. A chill of anger ran up her spine. For a split second she wished she had that shotgun again. If she had, she would have shot him. Linda drove home. No words were exchanged. Nikki looked out the window, watching the traffic. Linda had seen tears on Nikki's cheeks but she couldn't bring herself to touch her to make sure her sister was all right. There was too much hate now. When Linda parked the Jeep on the driveway, she asked, "You OK?" Her anger had blown over. It was not fair to make Nikki pay for the failure of her relationship with Rick. "I guess... And you?" Linda took Nikki's hands and said, "Better, much better... knowing you're here with me." Nikki slid closer to Linda, her head leaning on her sister's shoulder. Linda kissed her on the forehead. "But I'd feel even better if you said it again..." "What?" Nikki asked, sitting straight, her eyes widening. "What you use to call me now..." "Baywatch Babe?" "That's my girl." They laughed together, embracing, holding each other tight, reassuring one another that their love was still intact... Despite everything. When they left the Jeep, they almost held hands. A noise coming from above made them freeze. It was Mom. Mom was spying on them from the bay window of her own room. Anger returned. Linda's throat hurt again. And the words of the cheering crowd kept thumping inside her head... Way to go, way to go, way to go... Right, way to go... Maybe she should kill her parents too. That way they would stop. Everybody would stop. CHAPTER ELEVEN: DESIRE The four sisters jumped into Linda's Jeep, with Zo giving a hand to Jeannie. Her weakness was still apparent. The beach would do her good, Linda figured. Jeannie continued to feel pain in her shoulder and upper chest from time to time but she was looking better. Dad's surgeon had done a good job. Only a small disfigurement on Jeannie's left shoulder betrayed the fact that she had been hit by shotgun pellets. Why that lunatic had run after them and shot Jeannie never became clear. The police and the outside world had Dad's version, though -- they had been kidnapped. There was hardly any investigation of how the redneck died. Linda didn't know what strings Dad had pulled, but the case was closed... And no questions asked. During the 40-mile trip to the beach house, there was not much talk. Linda was enjoying the wind in her hair. The sun was shining and the temperature had risen to seventy-nine degrees. Balmy weather had always made her feel sexy... and they would have the house to themselves. No more spying, none of Mom's controlling. Mom had become so damned paranoid... and suspicious. Linda recalled the quarrel between Mom and herself over the bedroom keys. Mom wanted to prevent them from locking the doors. Fortunately Dad had settled the matter. Drawing his wife aside he had whispered a few words into her ear. "But Fred..." Mom protested. There were more whispered words until Mom's face became paler than usual. Obviously against her will, Mom held out the keys. Without hesitating, Linda seized them back. She defied her mother with a triumphant smile. Mom just left the hall, banging shut the door of her own room. "Be wise, Linda," Dad warned her. "I trust you. And please, stop that nonsense... You don't need that." * * * Linda looked at Nikki. There was a light wind down on the beach, the same secluded beach where Nikki had kissed her UCLA jock. Her heart began to melt again. Nikki was so beautiful with her blond hair flowing free. The sea breeze was caressing their bodies, the late afternoon sun warming their tanned skin. Linda's eyes soaked in the image of Nikki's breasts now covered by her bikini top, then of her flat tummy, then of her legs... Her gaze concentrated on her sister's bikini bottom, her crotch... Linda wondered if her sister was as wet as she was. She wanted to kiss her so much. Desire was making her mouth dry, and her heart was now beating faster. Nikki was watching the twins. Jeannie had settled down on the sand, tired. Zo sat beside her. The twins were thirty feet away. Linda could talk to Nikki without being overheard. Linda kept staring at Nikki, savoring her voluptuous curves, her soft body. She still craved for a kiss, but her sister was oblivious to her. Nikki was watching the sunset. The sky fireball now touched the horizon, sending forth rays that dyed the quiet sea with shades of crimson that came and went with its gentle undulation. "Hey, Baywatch Babe," Linda called. She couldn't wait any longer. Nikki looked at her, grinning. "Hey, that's not fair. You're the Baywatch Babe... I made it up for you." "So? We could be both Baywatch Babes..." Nikki stared at her sister, her pulse accelerating, her breathing becoming heavier. She could see Linda's desire gleaming in her magnetic green eyes. God, she could never stop loving this heavenly creature, this witch, this sister of hers. Nikki licked her dry lips and looked around. This late afternoon the beach was not deserted. It was the weekend... A few couples lay on the sand dunes -- the perfect make-out place, it seemed. `They're kinda far away,' she thought. Could she kiss Linda without causing an uproar on the beach? "Linda..." she said, facing her sister. "Yes?" "I want us to make love." "Me too." "But..." "I know, baby... I know. But I don't care if you don't." And as soon as Linda said it, Nikki crawled nearer and kissed her sister. Nikki began to melt. "Oh baby, baby," Linda whispered, embracing Nikki, making her sister lie on top of her. Their sexes touched each other, creating an exquisite pressure... warmth radiating from one sex to the other, generating an explosive combination of desire... DESIRE... crazy, blinding desire... They forgot where they were and the danger of being caught. They kissed and kissed, burning mouths biting each other's lips, licking tongues yearning for a wet, willing partner. "Ooohhh, NIKKI... Nikki, my love..." Nikki unfastened Linda's bikini top and kissed her sister once again, making Linda sigh deeply. She kissed her neck, her hands rummaging around Linda's breasts, feeling how soft they were, how hard were her sister's nipples. "Oh, Gaawwwdddd..." Nikki whimpered when Big Sis felt her breasts. "Oh... I don't believe this..." But Big Sis made her believe it... Big Sis was killing her with soft caresses, stroking her up and down her body, reaching further and further down her tummy. "You drive me crazy, Sis... You... drive me... crazy..." "That's the intention," Linda cracked, in spite of her arousal. "That's the whole point, baby." Nikki stopped, gazing deeply into those green eyes, that sea of green in which she loved to submerge herself. "I love you when you call me "baby"." "I love to call you "baby", my little, crazy, passionate baby... My Baywatch baby..." Nikki chortled. Baywatch baby... This was getting mushier by the minute. Action was needed or desire might fade. She reached under Linda's bikini bottom, to find out how wet Big Sis was. "You're dripping, my dear..." "Yes, so are you," Linda replied, grabbing Nikki's rear, kneading it up and down, increasing the pressure of her sister's sex on her own. Nikki's hand in between produced an incredible wave of pleasure in Linda's body. Their bodies kept on rubbing and rubbing their crotches together. They shook together because they hungered for the same... Sweet release, hands on breasts, fingers on nipples, caressing and caressing... "Oh Nikki, Nikki... I love you." Sweet release came, simultaneously... Their eyes closed, their hearts, sexes throbbed together, their mouths exhaling at the same time, becoming one in a deep, deep kiss... Minutes went by, and the kiss didn't end, until once again they came simultaneously. * * * "Jeannie, wake up." Jeannie opened her eyes and saw Linda gazing down at her. "How do you feel?" Jeannie smiled at Linda, realizing she was in her own bedroom. She yawned and said, "Better... My shoulder still hurts but last night wasn't so bad... What's the time?" "Noon." "Noon? So late?" "Yes. I let you sleep the whole morning. You needed that... Last night you were really tired... Beach can wear you down if you're not used to it." "Where's Zo ? And Nikki?" "They went surfing... They were just moping around the house, so I had to more or less kick them out." "Surfing?... They went surfing alone?" "No... Pete's here as well, for the weekend... He's just called and asked them to join him." Linda smiled, discerning a tinge of jealousy in her sister's eyes. "Hey, baby... Don't you worry. Pete's a nice guy, most of the times. Especially if he's not around Mr. Cool... And you've got to trust Zo as I trust Nikki. All right?" "Why didn't you go with them?" "Because I don't want to leave you here alone... You're so weak... still..." Jeannie's eyes began to glisten... She was moved by Linda's love for her. She didn't deserve it. She didn't deserve such a loving sister. "What's the matter, baby?" Linda asked. "Did I say something wrong?" "No," Jeannie said, getting out of bed. "I've gotta pee." "D'you wanna go to the mall with me?" Linda called out, making sure Jeannie could hear her from the bathroom. "Sounds great." "OK, let's do it then," Linda said, standing up. She ambled up to the bathroom door and added, "I'm going downstairs. I'm gonna fix you a healthy brunch before we go." Jeannie looked up and saw her sister staring at her. Without thinking, Jeannie drew her legs together, out of shame. Her sex was becoming wet... embarrassingly wet... Just the thought of being alone with Linda made her breathless. She hoped Nikki and Zo would stay long enough down at the beach. She didn't dare to think about it but maybe something might happen. "OK, Linda... Give me fifteen minutes and I'll be ready." Linda just smiled... and left. Jeannie lingered on the toilet, unable to move. Jeannie wondered what Linda's smile meant... * * * They walked down the mall arcade. Sheryl Crow was singing "Sweet Rosalyn" from her newest album. The rhythm was catching, so they began to move their bodies to the music, laughing at each other. As usual people started to stare... Jeannie was happy... Her shoulder and chest hurt because of the laughter but being with Linda pain didn't matter much. All she wanted danced beside her, as though the arcade of the shopping mall was a dance floor. Linda was so magical... She could turn the most insignificant moment of their lives into a reason to go wild, and do outrageous things like dancing in a shopping mall. Jeannie felt alive, so fucking alive. She laughed to herself. Swearing was becoming a turn-on... Zo had taught her that. A shudder ran down her spine. They stopped when a group of horny young guys surrounded them, joining the impromptu party. "Let's go, Jeannie," Linda commanded, pulling on her sister's arm, ignoring the unsolicited attention. They hurried into a store, escaping from the guys who kept following them. The two sisters shuffled through bomber jackets and dresses and lingerie, killing time. The guys were waiting for them outside. Linda joked about trying on a couple of bras, some of them flagrantly bigger than her own size. Jeannie couldn't help giggling, taking a quick glance outside the store. The guys hadn't moved. One of them had lit up a cigarette and leaned against a pillar. He was talking with one of his pals... Planning a strategy? "Let's try on these," Linda said, this time with a more serious look on her face. "They'll give up, sooner or later..." Jeannie looked at her sister, stunned. Linda couldn't mean that, or could she? Anticipation made Jeannie flush. An electric sensation raced through her body. Her legs turned into rubber while moisture and tension built up in her sex. "You coming, Jeannie?" "Y- yes," she stammered. "But I need a few more... Those are too big for me." Linda laughed. "Give it a few more years and you'll see... Pick up a couple of them and join me, OK?" "OK," Jeannie said, not believing her luck. Did Big Sis know what her invitation was doing to her inside? Jeannie wondered. Did she? Or was she just teasing, like she did with her endless list of suitors? Jeannie sifted through the heap of bras on sale and chose two sporty numbers... They would come in handy for cheerleading practice. She hurried past a salesclerk, blushing against her will. It seemed to Jeannie that the salesclerk hadn't missed a thing. Maybe that meddlesome woman guessed every thought, every feeling that capered inside her head. Jeannie hesitated... She didn't know whether she should walk into Linda's stall or look for another. She looked around but the second stall was occupied, leaving her with no choice. "Linda, may I come in?" "Of course" was the answer from the other side of the curtain. Jeannie pushed her way in. Linda was looking at her own reflection, pulling her breasts up, trying out a very daring push-up bra. Jeannie's sex became alive again... Warmth, sweet damp warmth in her crotch... "So, what d'you think?" Linda asked, still staring at the mirror. "You like it?" "Y- yes." Linda looked at Jeannie... and how her youngest sister stared at her breasts. How eagerly Jeannie had sucked them a few months ago flashed through her mind. Which caused her nipples to stiffen in no time. Jeannie's face was flushed, her breathing heavy... "Jeannie, are you OK?" Linda asked, declining to acknowledge the blatant signs of desire given off by her little sister. "Yes..." Jeannie's voice sounded so anguished, as though she was terrified by something... "Come here," Linda said, her mouth becoming dry, her sex throbbing. Guilt began to seep back though. It was one thing making love with Nikki... Making love with Jeannie was- Linda didn't know... Jeannie was so young, so eager to please... and Linda didn't want to double-cross anyone... But Jeannie's eyes looked so desperate, so hungry for love. Despite everything, Linda held Jeannie close, feeling her sister's heart thumping as fast as hers. Her hands brushed Jeannie's hair away from her moist face. Jeannie was crying. "Jeannie... why?" "I don't know," Jeannie sobbed. "I really don't know. I'm sorry." "For what?" Jeannie sobbed again. It seemed that her head was going to explode, her body was so warm as if it was on fire. Jeannie breathed in in stutters. She inhaled Big Sis's fragrance, her hand touching Big Sis's right breast by accident. Linda shuddered. "Linda..." "Yes?" "Please..." "What?" "Let's go home," Jeannie said, swallowing, releasing herself from Linda's embrace. " I've gotta go, Linda... Gotta go... I'm sorry..." Without looking back, Jeannie tore off down the aisle of the store and disappeared. "Jeannie!" Linda screamed from the stall, stuck there while she hurriedly dressed. The few customers in the store and the handful of salesclerks stared at her, but Linda was beyond caring. She changed bras, slipped her blouse back on at full speed, and scooted out of the store. She heard a "Hey..." Probably a salesclerk thought this was a ploy to walk away with a couple of free bras... Idiots! Linda ran after Jeannie but her sister was nowhere to be seen. She scanned the arcades of the mall but to no avail. "Oh, God..." she whispered to herself, pulling her long hair away from her eyes, still searching for Jeannie. "Oh, God... Please, Jeannie... Don't do this to me." Finally Linda decided to look for Jeannie outside the mall but her sister wasn't there either. "Oh Jeannie, Jeannie... Where are you?... Where... are... you?... CHAPTER TWELVE: TO DIE FOR Nikki and Zo waved good-bye to Pete. Nikki found it amazing how different Pete could be when he was away from the rest of the gang. He was more patient, and instead of behaving like an asshole trying to impress them with smooth moves on the surfboard -- far too difficult for beginners -- he made sure you knew the basics before attempting something more daring. Nikki and Zo were discussing this when they got home. "Hi, Nikki," Linda greeted them as they came in. "Hi, Zo..." "What's the matter, Linda?" Nikki asked. "You look so pale." "Jeannie... I don't know where she is." "What?" Zo exclaimed. "It's my fault..." "Calm down, Linda," Nikki said, setting down her surf- board. "What're you talking about?" Linda was shaking. Their older sister, the one who was always in control, appeared to have lost her composure. Linda was doubled up, crying on the couch. Nikki sat down next to her. "Linda, listen to me... What happened? Please... tell me." "It's my fault... It's all my fault." "What, Linda? What?" It took a few long minutes before Linda could explain what happened in the mall. "If something happens to Jeannie... I'll never forgive myself... Oh, Nikki... Nikki..." "She's down at the beach," Zo suddenly said. Her sisters looked at her, their eyes questioning her how she could be so sure. "Don't ask me why but I just know she's down at the beach. Let's go." Zo , for the first time, led the way. The three of them made a beeline for the promenade and then for the beach. Soon they found Jeannie sitting on the sand, her arms encircling her knees, staring at the waves, her light hair flapping around her head. "Jeannie!" Zo called out, drawing near to her twin sister. Jeannie didn't look up. She just kept staring out to sea. "Jeannie, we were worried sick about you," Nikki added. "Just leave me alone." "We ain't gonna leave without you. It's late... and you know it's not safe to stay here after dark." Nikki crouched down beside Jeannie. "Jeannie, listen-" "I'm not coming with you. Just leave me ALONE!!!" For the first time in her life Nikki was afraid of Jeannie. Jeannie looked at her with so much hate... She looked so desperate. Nikki turned to Linda for help, but Big Sis was as helpless and despairing as Jeannie. If Linda was unable to do anything, there was nothing she could do, Nikki concluded. That powerlessness scared Nikki more than anything. She had always counted on Big Sis to solve this kind of crisis. Then the unthinkable crossed her mind... "I'm gonna call Dad." "What?" Zo cried out. "Yes, look at Linda and Jeannie," Nikki said with a lump in her throat. "I've never seen them so messed up... I don't know what happened in that fucking mall... But I do know we can't go on like this... This is fucking our brains up, can't you see that?" "Nikki, don't you understand?" "What, Zo?" "Jeannie wants to sleep with Linda..." "What?... Is this all about-" "Yes. And Linda doesn't want to hurt you... Can you be that blind?" Nikki gazed at Linda in total disbelief... Big Sis was crying copiously, her hair flying in the breeze, her eyes so helpless, so dejected. "Is that true, Linda?" asked Nikki. Seconds, like minutes, like hours, elapsed before Linda could nod. "Why didn't you tell me, Linda? Why? I would've understood." "You would?" Linda said, cleaning her face dry with her fingers. "Of course... You think I want to see you this desperate? I don't want to drive anyone crazy. Who am I to forbid you or Jeannie anything? I'm not Mom... or Dad." "Oh Nikki," Linda whispered, hugging her sister. "I was feeling so guilty." "Don't. How many times do I have to say that to you? Nothing happens to me or the twins against our will. We made love because we BOTH wanted that. I could've said no... But I didn't. I said yes and I'll say yes to you till I die." "Oh Nikki..." Linda sighed, holding Nikki tighter and staring at Jeannie. Her youngest sister seemed as bewildered as she was. Zo offered her hand to her twin sister and this time Jeannie accepted it, rising to her feet. Linda freed Nikki from her embrace and drew closer to the twins. "And you, Zo," Linda asked, "what d'you think about it? You two were fighting over it when we ran away, weren't you?" "Yes. We were... but not any more. I kept thinking about it when Jeannie was in hospital. I promised to myself if she got better I'd never hit her again. She's free to do what she pleases. All I want is her happiness... I swear." "Don't swear," Linda said. "There's no need to. I believe you. Let's go home. I'll fix a nice dinner... and we'll talk about it." The four sisters walked back home, ignoring the multitude of cars and people flocking toward the sea. A year ago they would have joined the partying crowd without a worry in their minds. Now life seemed far more complicated. Their hearts weighed heavy and their eyes hurt from crying. Nikki held Zo closer and pushed Jeannie into Linda's arms. Linda smiled her thank-you to her unbelievably unselfish sister. The fist that squeezed her heart began to relax its grip. She looked down at Jeannie. Jeannie's eyes were half-shut, leaning against her big sister's shoulder. Jeannie was utterly worn out. No wonder... after such a dreadful day... It was a day to forget... or maybe a day to remember... one day... * * * "Who was that?" Linda asked, slicing tomatoes for the salad. "Pete," Nikki answered, stepping into the kitchen and abandoning the cellular phone on the table. "He's just asked me out." "And?" "Jealous?" "Maybe." "No need," Nikki whispered into her ear, causing Linda to tremble with a chilling thrill. Nikki's arms encompassed her sister's waist. "I said no." "You didn't have to." "I know... Not in the mood." They heard the twins coming downstairs. Linda's hands clutched Nikki's arms, wriggling herself out of her sister's embrace. She sent an apologetic look to Nikki. "Only tonight," Linda murmured. "OK?" "Don't worry," Nikki said, shaking her head. "I'm not in a hurry." After eating supper and cleaning up the kitchen, the four sisters went into the living room. Zo turned on the TV and plumped herself down on the couch. Jay Leno's face appeared on the screen. It wasn't the Tonight Show but an interview with him. The interviewer referred to the usual jokes about his chin, and whether or not that bothered him... Nikki hunkered down next to Zo . "I think I'm gonna hit the sack," Jeannie said, rotating her shoulder, feeling it with her hand and grimacing. "Still hurts?" Linda asked, still standing, just a couple of feet away from Jeannie. "Hmm mmm," Jeannie confirmed. "Maybe you should go with Jeannie," Nikki said, looking at Linda. "Jeannie can sleep in my bed tonight... If she needs a massage, you'll be right next to her. I'll keep Zo company... Right, Zo ?" "Hmm mmm," Zoe's turn to agree. "We'll be OK," Nikki assured her hesitating sisters. "Just go... Or do we have to drag you two upstairs?" Linda smiled. Nikki's words sounded so strange. Nikki was literally pushing her into Jeannie's arms, Linda realized. Her beautiful, large-hearted sister understood the burning desire Jeannie felt for her, for Linda, her sister, her lover... Lover?... What a strange word to describe what they were to each other. Linda climbed the stairs behind Jeannie. Jeannie stopped by the room she shared with Zo. "You don't wanna come?" Linda asked. "To your room?" "Yes." "Do you want that?..." "Only if you want to." "I do." "OK, I'll massage your shoulder..." Jeannie nodded, inside her body turning into a furnace. Her legs were failing her. Was this the moment she had waited for all her life? Was tonight the night? She'd had so many letdowns. Life is hard... Life isn't easy... She tried to convince herself this was just a promise of a simple massage. Jeannie shook her head. She didn't want to think about it. It would most likely be another letdown. Self-consciously Jeannie changed into her pajamas after washing her face in Linda's bathroom. It was the first time she did that in front of Big Sis. It felt like they were bride and groom on their first awkward night together. Maybe they were... Jeannie shook her head again, driving away that crazy daydreaming. She was getting carried away... but close quarters with Big Sis was such an intoxicating experience now. "Ready?" Linda asked, smiling at her sister's reflection in the mirror. She spread her night cream all over her face. "What's this stuff?" Jeannie queried, examining the cream bowl. "It hydrates your skin... Beach dries it up... Want some?" "Does it tickle?" "No," Linda chuckled, "but I do." Jeannie let out a short-lived shriek of delight when Linda tickled her ribcage. Jeannie ran to Nikki's bed, giggling. Nikki's bed was hers tonight. She was going to sleep next to Linda. `This must be a dream,' she decided. `This can't be real...' Linda walked toward her, the cream bowl in her hand. "OK, just lie back and close your eyes. I'll start with your face." Jeannie obeyed, realizing how unusually warm her body was. She waited for the contact... the supreme moment. Linda's hands touched her, finally, producing an unending, delicious trembling. It was more than a sexual feeling now. It seemed as though her body was floating on air, leaving this earth full of disappointments and misery. Only Linda could make that happen... Linda was a goddess, the river nymph, spreading a magical ointment that cooled down her flushed face and made her relax. She wanted to kiss her... She wanted Linda to kiss her... But the kiss didn't come. She opened her eyes. "Feeling good?" Linda asked, smiling down at her. Jeannie nodded. She couldn't talk. "Now, your shoulder... You've got to take your pajamas off, Jeannie. I mean, only the top..." "OK," Jeannie said, straightening herself up on the bed. She looked down, avoiding Linda's stare. Linda helped her out of the pajama top. Red-faced, Jeannie faced her sister, hiding her breasts behind her arms "What?" "They're so small." "No, they aren't... They're beautiful... just like you." "Yours are bigger..." Linda laughed. "Hey, young lady... This ain't a contest for big boobs. All right?" Jeannie laughed back, nervously. Then Linda added, "And by the way that's nothing I haven't seen before. Just relax, girl. Lie down... on your stomach." Linda brushed Jeannie's hair away from her back. She poured onto Jeannie's arms and shoulder blades the massage oil Mom kept in her closet. With care she spread it slowly, very slowly, all over her sister's back, concentrating the massage more and more on the injured shoulder. She smiled to herself, watching Jeannie's eyelids close, her sister's body get less and less taut. Linda felt happy, in spite of the ghastly events that had taken place that afternoon. She was reassuring Jeannie, making her feel loved... sex aside. When she was done massaging with Jeannie, her sister didn't move. Linda realized Jeannie had fallen asleep. Linda covered her with the sheet, making a special effort to prevent any sudden movement that could wake her sister. She turned off the lights, sighing. `Better this way,' she thought. They didn't have to sleep together. Maybe that would be a bad call... for both of them. * * * Jeannie's eyes flickered open. She raised herself up onto her elbow. She brushed her hair off her eyes and mouth. She felt so terribly tired. Beach was wearing her down, as Linda had said. Jeannie raised her eyes, stared at her sister, and sighed. Straining reluctantly to recover from somnolence, she put on her pajama top and dragged herself out of bed. It was 7 AM and the sun was beginning to rise in the eastern sky. Birds sang in the trees, enjoying their few hours of freedom from humans. Jeannie went to the bathroom and stopped in front of the mirror, examining her tired-looking features. She tossed her hair back and away from her face. It still looked pale. She scanned her skin for pimples, a daily habit that drove her twin sister crazy. Zo couldn't understand her obsession with skin care. Zo stormed out of the bathroom every time she insisted her twin should do the same. Jeannie had a drink of water and traipsed back to bed. Before sitting down on the bed, she looked down at Linda. Big Sis was still sleeping. Jeannie realized Linda wasn't wearing her T-shirt. The whiteness of the sheets set off the golden tan of her naked body. Linda's hair was spread out on the pillow, gold against white all over... Jeannie followed her sister's curves under the sheets... She made for herself an image of Linda's breasts, rising and falling, yielding to the steady breathing of a beautiful body of an even more beautiful person... Her sister... Her gorgeous, amazing Big Sis... Jeannie kept staring at Linda. She couldn't look away. She just couldn't. A knot began to grow in her throat... And the need, the craving for Linda came upon her, making her shudder. Her breathing was becoming heavier again, and swallowing was almost impossible. Every breath she took seemed like a sigh. Her mouth was as dry as a desert... a desert without water, without a soul... "Oh God..." Jeannie muttered, this time looking away. A sudden urge to cry came over her. In no time tears filled her eyes and began to run down her cheeks. That same crushing despair she had felt at the mall returned. She was unable to understand it. And that scared her. Sometimes she had the impression she was going to flip out. "Oh Sis... Linda..." But Linda didn't wake up. Her chest maintained the same steady rhythm. Jeannie stared at Linda's face, so peaceful, like an angel's, her angel. "Linda, please..." Jeannie begged in a whisper. "Please, Linda... wake up. I need you... I need you so much... Please... Please..." Jeannie's quivering became more apparent. This time she couldn't help it - she began to sob. Only then Linda woke up, sitting up on her bed with a start. "Jeannie... what happened?" asked Linda. She sprung up and pulled Jeannie into her arms "Jeannie... for chrissake... what's the matter?" But the sobbing didn't go away. Jeannie was inconsolable. "Come here, then," Linda said, taking her little sister into her bed. "Lie down with me. We'll stay here all day if you want." Once in bed, Linda cradled Jeannie close, kissing her forehead, her eyes, shushing her. Jeannie drew closer, pressing herself toward Linda, her arms taking hold of Linda's waist. "Jeannie... Jeannie..." Jeannie stared at Linda... at Linda's green eyes... They were like two green emeralds, magnets... "Linda," she whispered. "Yes?" "Linda..." Jeannie repeated. "Linda..." "Yes, baby... What?" "Please..." And with that please, Linda understood how deeply Jeannie had fallen in love with her. And that was scary.. Not even Nikki was that intense. "Please, Linda... Please... I beg you..." Taking matters into her own hands, Jeannie kissed the corner of Linda's mouth, pressing her body against her sister's. But those green eyes hesitated still. "Please, Linda... Please, or I'll die... Please... Kiss me... Kiss me... is all I ask." Slowly Linda's lips came down on Jeannie's. Linda couldn't resist any more Jeannie's mind-blowing intensity. Then the kiss happened, very slowly, as though they were kissing in slow motion. It was a feverish, intense kiss... so intense they shook at the same time, breathlessly. Making love with Jeannie felt so different, thought Linda. With Nikki she could sometimes laugh. With Jeannie, that wouldn't be possible. The intensity of Jeannie's look demanded seriousness, and knowing that someone could love her that much excited her strangely. Linda didn't understand how and why. She preferred to stop thinking about it... Jeannie was waiting. Linda kissed her, this time passionately, and Jeannie melted in her arms, closing her eyes, dying with little spasms, so intense had the kiss become. "Linda..." Jeannie breathed out, her eyelids still shut. "Linda... Linda..." she kept repeating, her voice trailing off, while Linda kissed her breasts over her pajama top, then her stomach, uncovering it. Linda's lips and tongue in her belly button, going up, forcing her pajamas up, generating more sweet trembling... Desire was growing, Linda noticed... and that was good... Desire made Jeannie come down to earth, soothed the pain, kept her away from that intense despair. Because of it, Linda was impatient, her mouth going down to Jeannie's sex, licking her sister's panties, almost without foreplay. Linda worried about it. It wasn't nice to rush, considering it was Jeannie's first time with her. But what Linda didn't know was that this didn't matter to Jeannie. Nothing mattered. Only being with Big Sis mattered. Linda let Jeannie get rid of her panties, and without delay Big Sis began to lick the lips of her vagina. Linda bit her sister's inner thighs, lightly. Jeannie blenched a little, surprised, but it felt good. Her sex was so wet... Jeannie could feel her own wetness oozing out of her cunt. It was so sweet and crazy at the same time... And Linda kept licking her there, causing shivers, endless shivers. "Uuhhmmm... Linda... Linda... Love you... I love you..." Jeannie whispered, playing with her sister's hair, brushing it with her fingers, while desire kept growing... and growing... "Oh Linda!" she screamed, her body arching up. Linda had bitten her once more, making her juices flow and flow. She opened her eyes and saw the damp on her sister's face. Linda's face was showing her pleasure. `I'm dying,' Jeannie thought. `I must be dying.' She pushed Linda's face against her sex. It was time to increase the pressure and rhythm. Jeannie pulled up her legs and pressed them together, and she almost fainted when she felt Linda's tongue inside her... Further inside it slid, touching her clitoris lightly, with utmost care. Jeannie lowered her legs. That position tired her too much. She was weak... Her sister made her weaker and weaker. Jeannie felt the orgasm coming. Linda's tongue was again approaching her clitoris. Jeannie again shut her eyes, feeling one wave after another. Pleasure was coming... "Oooohhh..." Jeannie moaned. "Gawd... Linda... No... Yes... Yes... YEEEESSSS!!!!" It was a hiss that followed the most incredible wave of pleasure. The orgasm was about to happen. But not yet. Linda kept teasing Jeannie's clitoris, inserting her tongue up Jeannie's vagina, licking its soaking walls. "Linda, I'm dying... I'm dying..." Then at last the orgasm came. Jeannie's body shuddered from head to toe, and she lay still, as though she had indeed died. But she was alive, very, very alive. Her heart pounded, her body was on fire, demanding more. A second wave came upon her, and then another orgasm, as Linda's tongue inside her kept licking and licking. Linda's lips lapped up her juices, kissing her vaginal folds, softly, tenderly, insatiably. Linda was the angel that made her float on air. It felt as though they were floating and floating above the bed, the sky, the trees outside. It was morning now... "That's enough, Linda," said Jeannie, pulling her sister up and into her arms "That's all I can take for now...." They kissed for a very long time, Jeannie's hand slipping in between their hot bodies, reaching for Linda's sex. Jeannie wanted to make her sister come while kissing her mouth. Linda helped her, putting Jeannie's hand in place. Another kiss, a deep-felt kiss, and a hand touching Linda's pussy, her clitoris... "Baby... Jeannie... That's right... That's it... Go on... Please... Gawd... JEANNIE... YES... Yes...Uuuuhhhmmm... You're so good... to me..." They kissed once more, Jeannie tasting her own juices in Linda's mouth. It was delicious to see Linda like this, Jeannie concluded, so close to the ecstatic moment, her moment; to feel her pussy pulsating around slippery hands and invading fingers, covered with Linda's and her own juices... It was to die for. Finally Linda came, groaning with intense pleasure, rolling her eyes and breathing deeply. Seeing this, Jeannie's joy was infinite. She had succeeded in making Big Sis come. In her wildest dreams she had imagined that but she never really expected to achieve it. She loved her. Yes, it really was to die for. They made love all morning, caressing, feeling their breasts against each other's bodies. Jeannie couldn't stop touching those mounds of soft, round flesh, Linda's and her own... She sucked Linda's nipples, one after the other and then back to the first, exciting her sister to ever more wonderful orgasms, one after the other. "I love you," Jeannie whispered. "I love you," it was the answer spoken by a hoarse voice. Then only silence, and a long moan... Linda's pleasure, induced by Jeannie's lips on her breasts... It had happened again. * * * Linda sneaked out of the bed as quietly as possible. Jeannie was sleeping now, spent by their intense lovemaking. It felt odd to make love with Jeannie. Her youngest sister's love was so absolutely breathtaking. The intensity of her gaze and feelings were something Linda had never experienced, not even with Nikki. It had been almost like a religious experience. It had been more than sex. It felt as if their souls were merging into one. Linda slipped on her T-shirt and panties. She breathed out deeply as she reached the stairs, remembering something she had heard about out-of-body experiences. Maybe she was going crazy. Linda shook her head, finding herself in the living room. She heard voices. Zo and Nikki and someone else were outside in the back yard. She hesitated about joining her sisters without any pants on. Linda peeked out the window, hiding behind the drapes. A man was talking to her sisters. He was middle-aged. White hair and a large forehead with a receding hairline dominated his pudgy features. He wore a weathered tweed jacket and smoked a cigar. She had never seen him before. She stopped by the open back door and listened... "So, you sure?" the stranger asked. "Yes," replied Zo. "And you'd better be going, mister," Nikki added, "or I'll call the cops..." "OK, OK... Take it easy, kids... I'm leaving..." Saying this, he made a slow turn and lumbered down the driveway. "Hi, Linda!" Nikki greeted, watching her sister approaching. "Hi... Who's that guy? What'd he want?" "He was asking questions..." Nikki said, stealing a glance at Zo. "What kind of questions?" "He said he was a reporter... and was writing a story about Dad... He wanted to know things about us... Mom... Dad... The kidnapping, and..." "And what?" "How our kidnapper died..." "And what did you say?" "We didn't say anything, Linda," Zo cut in. "We said if he wanted to write a piece about Dad, he should talk to him..." "And what else?" "Linda," Nikki said, holding her sister's trembling hands, "there's nothing to worry about... We didn't tell him anything... We just said he was trespassing... He had no right to come barging into our back yard... Honest." Linda sighed, tossing her hair over her shoulder. She sat down on a lawn chair, still shaking. "Linda," said Nikki to her, kneeling beside her chair, "why are you so upset?" "Because he might've followed us, Nikki... Because he might've taken pictures, when you and I were making love... on the beach..." "He didn't mention any pictures... Linda, why worry? I don't care if he's got pictures of us making out... Sometimes I wish..." "What?" Linda said, her eyes meeting Nikki's, which had gained sudden aloofness. Nikki shook her head. "What, Nikki?" "Nothing..." "Please, don't do this to me... Tell me..." "It's not possible, Linda... So why should I say it out loud? It's not possible." "What?" "It is ridiculous..." "Let me be the judge of that." "You're going to laugh at me." "No, I won't. You should know me better than that..." "OK... I wish... Sometimes I wish I could marry you... So, it's out... Now you can laugh..." Before the words could sink in, Nikki got to her feet and ran back into the house, leaving Linda there in the back yard with a stupefied look on her face. Linda raised her eyes, her heart pounding in her chest like a madman. She stared at Zo but her sister didn't move. Zo looked down, averting her eyes... Things were out of control, Linda could see, unable to prevent her hands from shaking. Feelings were running ahead of their heads once more. Maybe Nikki was right when she said all that "stuff" was fucking up their brains. The pain came back... The scream welled up inside her again... Zo came closer. "Linda..." she said, kneeling at her sister's feet, taking hold of her hands. "Linda, I know it's hard... but it's been hard on all of us... Nikki needs you... Jeannie needs you... We all need you. If you break down now... I don't know what's going to happen to us... I don't know many things, but I do know this... You've got to be strong... Please..." Despite her low spirits, Linda raised a fleeting smile. "So wise now... What ever happened to you?" "I've already told you... When I saw Jeannie lying up there, bleeding to death, and then in the hospital... I realized how stupid our quarrels were... how petty human minds can be... I was losing her... and I swore I was not going to let it happen again... EVER!" "You're right, Zo ," said Linda, trying to get up. Zo reached out for her, helping her to her feet. "I feel so weak..." And the moment Linda said it, her legs gave up, her eyes went blank, and her body fell on the lawn with a thump. * * * Linda moseyed along the beach, compromising between not getting her cut-off jeans wet and feeling the sea swirl around her feet, caressing them gently like a self- effacing, attentive lover... She had decided to come on her own to the beach house, to find herself on her own, away from her troubled sisters and parents. She felt lonely but she needed that loneliness now to survive. She needed distance from Mom and Dad, even from Nikki... and particularly now from Jeannie... Jeannie's intense love touched Linda too deeply, and to a point she thought she'd go crazy. That was not something Linda had discussed with Dr. Mansfield -- Dad had insisted she see a therapist. By now that dark-haired, attractive young woman knew of the goings-on between herself and her sisters. However, she hadn't mentioned that the twins were sleeping together. She didn't want to give the impression the McDougall's household had turned into a perpetual orgy. Linda walked up to the dunes and away from the sea. She scanned the beach for people. Seeing no one close, she sighed and slumped down on the sand, enjoying its warmth. The thought that Nikki or Jeannie could show up uninvited at the beach house slightly alarmed her. Linda didn't hate them. No, on the contrary... She still loved them very, very much... but at that moment she just couldn't handle the awesome amount of love her sisters lavished upon her. To Linda's surprise and relief, Emma -- Dr. Mansfield -- had been far from judgmental. The therapist had been understanding, though only up to a point. Emma said several times she didn't condone what was happening between Linda and her sisters. Incest can be a devastating experience, she said. Sometimes Linda smiled to herself, though. Emma's brown eyes glistened from time to time. It seemed as though that Emma found them all uncannily interesting. She asked for details about the seductions and lovemaking. Linda couldn't figure out why a therapist should be interested in that, unless... In spite of her curiosity, Emma helped her enormously. Her oppressive guilt was waning now, although she still had nightmares about the redneck, the shotgun, and Jeannie lying on the ground, bleeding and crying for help. Linda played with the sand, grabbing a handful and then letting it trickle down between her fingers, as though her hand had become an hourglass, time passing by and never coming back... She looked out at the waves... She was bored. She missed Nikki, her sister's love, her unconditional love... `Nikki must hate me,' she thought. `I ran away from her.' And again Linda was afraid of losing what she had with Nikki. If it ever happened, that would be a first. All Linda's relationships had ended on her own initiative. Leaving instead of being dumped was the rule, not the exception. Linda returned to the beach house, ignoring the staring and head-turning she always caused. Alone, without her sisters, the seduction game had no point, no glamour, no thrill... She realized all that hype about the promenade, and guys, and teasing, and flirting, had just been an excuse to talk with her sisters about sex and love -- sex and love with them. The seduction game was not about the boys... The seduction game was about girls... her sisters. Nervously pressing the keys of the cellular phone, Linda dialed the number at home. "McDougall's residence..." Linda heard from the other end. "Hi, Mom." "Hi, Linda... I'm surprised you called..." "I think I wanna come home..." "So soon? Did you discuss that with Dr. Mansfield?" "No... Do I have to?" "No. But do you think it's wise? After all, we all know why you collapsed in the back yard..." "Do we, Mom?" A long silence followed. Linda was getting annoyed with Mom's nagging tone of voice. Taking her chances, Linda asked, "Is Nikki home?" "No, she's gone out with Lana and Jack... Why?" "I wanna talk to her." Silence again, interrupted only by static and far away noises. Linda heard a female voice talking to Mom. It was Nikki... "Hi, Linda," Nikki greeted her. Her sister's voice sounded as eager as ever. Probably there was still hope for them. "How are you? Are you feeling better? I was so worried..." "How's Lana... and Jack?" "Oh, they're OK. Lana's a good friend. She sends her love..." "Did you talk about-" "-us? No... I didn't tell a soul... and I never will..." There was a pause, then a sigh. "I miss you." Linda's heart jolted... Were they telepaths? "I miss you," Linda replied. "Why don't you come home then?" "I've already told Mom I'm coming. She didn't seem happy about it but I don't care... How are the twins? Are they OK?" "Yes... Zoe's changed a lot... The twins don't fight any more... Zoe's more or less become like you... I'm impressed." "Life and death does that, Nikki... I'm happy for them... OK, I'm gonna hang up. Give me an hour and I'll be home." "OK, I'll be waiting... Be careful... I don't want to lose you now." Linda smiled. "You won't." * * * Linda just couldn't believe it... A quiver rushed down her spine... It was a quiver of fear... Her legs became taut. She hit the brakes just in time to prevent a photographer from ending up under the wheels of the Jeep. What the hell was happening? Why was the press crowding around the gate of her house? Two cops let her through, receiving orders by walkie-talkie to do so. The journalists were screaming something like murder... arrest... Fred McDougall... Her father's name. Dad? Murdered? That didn't make sense. She'd just talked to Mom and Nikki an hour ago... Linda was escorted in by a detective who promptly identified himself as the man in charge. He put his bulky arm around her, maybe bracing her for the worst. She walked into the living room and found Mom crying, Dad standing still beside her. His hair was mussed up, his face serious and tired... No tie, no jacket...cuff links unfastened... What was the meaning of this? Who'd been murdered? If not Dad, then who? Nikki??? The twins??? No, that couldn't be true... Or could it?... Linda stared at her father but he looked away... Linda's heart sank... She just couldn't believe it... The cruelest thought crossed her mind... Had Dad killed them?... No... NO!!!! It didn't make any sense... It didn't... That couldn't be true... It just couldn't... CHAPTER THIRTEEN: COVER-UP Linda sat alone in the interrogation room. The lights were weak, giving out pale coldness, pale mercilessness. She stood up, watching the traffic outside and the passersby wearing their Sunday best, enjoying the sunshine and warmth of a beautiful late afternoon. She rubbed her bare arms, trying to keep warm, fighting off the cold that came from the air conditioning. Wearing dresses always made Linda feel vulnerable. That was why she wore T-shirts and pants most of the time. `They should turn down the damned airco,' she thought. `Talk about waste... Talk about the environment!' Linda looked around, wondering how many people had been interrogated in that stark room. It would be poor people for the most part. So much injustice was committed by cops and the so- called legal system, or so she had heard, but that impression was nothing compared with the real thing, the brutality of it all. She had been brought to the station and dumped in the interrogation room. She asked about Nikki and the twins but the cops wouldn't say a word. She cried, she hit the policemen, but they wouldn't budge. They wanted her for questioning. What for? If her sisters had been killed, was she the prime suspect? Was she? Linda couldn't believe it. She just couldn't. Her eyes were dry. The well was exhausted. She couldn't feel anything any more. There were no tears left. The last six months had been such a crazy time and she had cried too much for too long. In five days' time it would be the twins' birthday, their sixteenth... if they were alive... Linda breathed out deeply, making a tremendous effort to pull herself together. The detective in charge had allowed Linda to speak to no one, not even to Mom or Dad. Anyway, from what she could tell from her reception when she came home, her parents didn't seem to want to talk to her. Dad had consciously looked away and Mom wouldn't look at her. She felt alone, so terribly, hopelessly alone. That loneliness played back in her mind, in slow motion, and the hidden scream returned. Mom... It was the scream... MOM! Why d'you hate me so much?... Why?... Tell me why?... WHY????? Linda turned around as the detective in charge came into the room. He was followed by a second detective, taller and in better shape than his colleague. "Hello, Ms McDougall," the first detective greeted, stretching out his bulky arm and shaking Linda's hand. "Still remember me? Detective Larrousse... and this is Detective Lamm from Liberty County. Please, sit down. This won't take long. Sorry for this mess but you know how the press is." Larrousse was all smiles, Linda noticed. She didn't understand why he was so nice to her. She had seen his gluttonous eyes meandering over her uncovered legs, examining her, making her uncomfortable. She hated it when men acted like that. It was their hormones, they said, but now she was in no forgiving mood. She sat down on the chair across from Larrousse's and Lamm's, pulling down the hem of her summer dress, sighing almost without noticing. "Ms McDougall," Lamm began, "you know you have the right to an attorney, don't you?" Linda shrugged. "Do I need one?" The detectives looked at each other for a short moment. Then Larrousse took over, his bushy mustache blown up and down by his uneasy breathing. "We don't think so... but that's your call... Anyway, we won't take long. This isn't exactly my case. The crime wasn't committed in this county." "What crime?" "What crime??!!!" Larrousse repeated, blinking his eyes. "You kidding me, aren't you?" "No, I'm not. No one tells me anything. I-" "Don't you read the newspapers, Ms McDougall?" Lamm asked. "No, I was-" "Here," Lamm answered, handing a newspaper over to Linda. COVER-UP! PARENTS DEMAND JUSTICE, the headline screamed. Linda skimmed over the article and immediately she understood the article was about the redneck. Matt Wood's folks were asking for justice. Their son had been murdered by a rich kid, they claimed. There had been a cover-up, orchestrated by Servenet's CEO Fred McDougall. The Woods were sick about the idea that a rich kid could get away with murder. The article mentioned bribery and her name, Linda S. McDougall. If the DA wouldn't prosecute their son's killer, the Woods would sue their county for ten million dollars. "Dad!" Linda cried out. She looked at Lamm. "Is this true?" "You tell us." "I mean, the bribery? Is this true?" "We're looking into it, but I'm afraid it appears to be true." `Dad, how stupid can you be?' Linda thought, shaking her head. `How stupid can you be??!!!' "So you see, Ms McDougall," Lamm continued, "we're in a difficult position... My department and the county are under pressure... to show some results. This is a case that's generated a helluva lot of publicity. Corruption in a murder investigation is hardly the kind of publicity we're looking for." "Murder investigation? I didn't kill anybody. It was self-defense... He shot my sister..." "And you shot him back, didn't you?" Larrousse countered. "No, it was an accident." "An accident?" Larrousse asked, knitting his fluffy dark brows. "Why would your dad resort to a pay-off if it was just an accident?" "And why would I want to kill that... I mean, he came after us and he started shooting... What-" "Ms McDougall," Lamm cut her off, "or may I call you Linda?" Linda shrugged, but he went on, "Linda then... Did you know that Matt Wood, the man you shot, was mentally retarded?" "No... I didn't. So?" "We've gathered evidence Matt Wood did not and could not have kidnapped you and your sisters. If this is true, what were you doing in Liberty County, hidden in an old cabin and away from your parents, your friends, and your schoolmates? Did you run away?" "Yes..." "Why?" "I can't tell you that." "Why not?" Larrousse butted in. "I can't," Linda restated, her hands balling up into tight fists. "Why?" "Because I can't!" Linda shouted, standing up. She paced the small room, shaking her head and whispering to herself, "I can't... I can't... I just can't..." * * * Randolph T. West, Fred McDougall's lawyer, had come to the police headquarters, curtailing any further questioning. Self-assured, articulate, penetrating eyes, wearing a stylish dark blue suit, Randolph T. West embodied the stereotype of the successful lawyer. Linda avoided his middle-aged, experienced, inquiring eyes. She was afraid he was going to ask the same questions the detectives asked. A few minutes later they arrived home, driving past the crowd of photographers and journalists still begging for a comment, the right pose for a photo. The car came to a halt with a jerk. Then West spoke. "I am sorry I took so long. I had to take care of your dad first." "Is he all right?" "Shaken-up..." "Linda!" a female voice shouted. "Nikki!" Linda saw her sister's grinning face staring at her. "You're alive!" Linda opened the car door, jumped out and embraced Nikki, whispering, "You're alive... You're alive." "Of course I'm alive... Why-" "Let's go inside," West interrupted, glancing at the journalists and then at the two happy, embracing girls. Mom and the twins waited for them by the front door. Zo and Jeannie hugged Linda, one after the other, Jeannie taking a little longer than her twin. Linda told them her fears. In turn Nikki and the twins explained how the cops kept them separated, preventing them from speaking to each other. The cops wanted to hear how the redneck had died... "Where's Dad?" Linda asked. "He's in a meeting," Mom answered. "Meeting?" "Yes," West said. "The board of directors is having an emergency meeting..." "Is Dad going to lose his job?" "Not right away," West replied, cleaning his sweaty forehead with an unblemished white handkerchief. "But if this mess isn't cleared up, he certainly will. Anyway no charges have been filed yet." Randolph West hashed over what was going to happen. He would come back and ask some questions about how the redneck had been shot and why they had run away... Eventually the lawyer got up and thanked them for the drink. Mom saw him out. She shut the door, leaning against it, sighing. "So, are you happy now?" Mom said, returning to the living room, facing her eldest daughter. "Happy?" "Yes. You just managed to ruin our lives... Congratulations!" "Me???? I didn't ask Dad to pay off anyone." "Yes, but he did that for you." "Oh no, he didn't. He was a fool... We wouldn't have said a word about... why we ran away. He should've known that. But he got scared and instead of trusting us he resorted to buying cops off... and was caught. He wanted to look good, he wanted to be the victim and win whatever he was after... He was greedy and now he's paying for it. So, don't blame us." "Sure... You always know the right answer, the right thing to say... but if... you... all of you... weren't such..." "Please, don't stop. Shall I help you? Whores, right?" Their mother shut her eyes, walking to the bar, pouring scotch into her glass and downing it in one go. She drank a second, and then went over to the couch, settling down, hiding her face behind her hands, shaking. "Mom, please..." Linda said, not knowing whether she should sit down beside her. For the first time she pitied her mother -- more a stranger than her real mother. "I don't know why you hate me so much," Mom sniveled. "I don't know why you never listen to me. I don't know where I've failed... I just wanted... I guess... I guess you're right... I am incapable of loving you... I am incapable of loving my own daughters..." "Why?" Their mother shook her head and then got to her feet. "I've got to lie down. I feel very weak..." "D'you want me to help you, Mom?" Jeannie offered. "No, thanks... I just need to be alone..." Wobbling, their mother left the living room. They heard unsteady steps going upstairs. Then only silence. Nikki looked at her big sister. Linda looked worried. Nikki got up and stood in front of Big Sis. She bit her lip. She wanted to hug Big Sis but she feared rejection. Linda smiled, amused by her sister's shyness. "Come here and give me a real hug." Nikki embraced Linda, holding her tight. She didn't dare to look into Linda's eyes. Nikki felt her body react, her breathing becoming heavier. She had missed Linda so much, her touch, her love, her smell, her hands, her softness... She wanted to kiss Linda but she was sure her sister wouldn't approve -- not after what they had just gone through. However, Nikki felt Linda's hands on her burning cheeks, and turned her head upward. Their eyes met and Linda kissed her, a deep, long kiss, which made Nikki breathless, transporting her into another world, another dimension... Nikki held Linda closer, her breasts feeling the hardness of Linda's nipples, despite their bras, her blouse and Linda's dress in between. `How can we be kissing like this?' Nikki asked herself. Dad was about to lose his job and go to prison and Linda could follow him. `I worry too much,' she decided. She closed her eyes, enjoying Linda's kiss, her sister's lips sucking her mouth dry, Linda's tongue searching hers, her sex becoming wet... They stood there kissing for minutes, which seemed like hours, centuries of eternal delight. Nikki broke the kiss, her arms still around Linda's waist. Nikki sighed, feeling exhausted... but happy... and alive... CHAPTER FOURTEEN: BIRTHDAY PARTY It was almost surreal to have a birthday party with that commotion at the gate, on TV and in the newspapers. So many people called to know the details of the cover-up and the impending murder and bribery charges. Zo recalled how doggedly the journalists followed her and Jeannie. Even at school they weren't out of harm's way. The reporters would do anything to take their picture or ask a few "innocent" questions. Mom had argued against any party. Dad had been formally indicted. There would be a preliminary hearing soon to decide whether there was enough evidence for Dad to stand trial. "How can you think about a party?" their mother asked, outraged. "Your dad's about to go to jail. Linda too..." "My point exactly, Mom," Linda had replied. "I can go to jail too, but I wouldn't dream of keeping Zo and Jeannie from having their sixteenth birthday party." Despite what Mom and Linda said, the case against her sister wasn't so straightforward, Zo reckoned. The Liberty County DA didn't have any eyewitnesses other than herself, Linda, Nikki and Jeannie. In addition, Randolph West had found out that Matt Wood wasn't mentally retarded as the detectives claimed. Matt Wood had a history of violent psychotic behavior. He once terrorized a couple with his dad's shotgun. On that occasion Matt had messed with the wrong people. The husband happened to be an ex-marine, a Gulf War veteran. After a short fight the ex-marine managed to disarm the redneck, beating the hell out of him. Shooting Jeannie had apparently been the redneck's revenge, the coward! This made Zoe's blood boiled... Since the shooting she had become very protective toward her twin sister, particularly when it came to journalists and other busybodies. "Hi, Zo ," said Jeannie, walking in their room, dropping her books and backpack on her desk. "Hi, Jeannie." "What are you doing here alone?" "Thinking..." "About?" Zo shrugged. "Everything. About our party..." "Yeah," said Jeannie, letting herself fall on her twin's bed to lie on her back next to Zo . "Don't feel very comfortable about the party either... I know Linda means well but I am scared." Zo turned over and lay on her stomach, her face only a few inches from Jeannie's, the weight of her head propped up by her elbow. Zoe's heart beat faster, feeling it in her lips, so sensitive had they become. Zo had almost forgotten the day when all hell broke loose, the day when Mom caught them in each other's arms, kissing, her hand caressing Jeannie's sex, enjoying how moist her sister had become... down there... between her legs. Zo returned to reality, brushing her golden hair away from her eyes, pressing her thighs against each other, her face blushing, trying to hide her lust... `This is no time for it,' Zo thought. Jeannie was scared. "Why not?" "Lana's asking a lot of questions... You know how she is... And Jack still carries a torch for Linda... He keeps asking Nikki and me how Big Sis is handling all this... and how worried he is about this murder thing... And your boyfriend Joey's too damned curious for my taste..." "Joey's not coming." "Why?" Jeannie asked, her blue eyes getting wider. "I didn't invite him. You're right. He's too damned curious." "You giving him the shaft?" Zo shrugged again. "Dunno," she said. Zo saw Jeannie's eyes becoming even wider. And that look, that connection between them again sent an electric current through their bodies, their breathing, their hearts. Zo wished she could put her hand between her legs. She was becoming so damned wet. "Jeannie..." her lips whispered. "Yes?" Jeannie answered, losing strength -- her breathing as heavy as could be, her eyes half closing. She sensed her twin sister's desire, her lust for her. It felt so strange to see a face so similar to her own full of longing... crazy longing... longing for kisses, for love, for passion... They had been lovers before... Zo began to stroke Jeannie's hair, touching her sister's ear, tickling her, making her giggle nervously. Jeannie stared into her twin's eyes, seeing Zoe's hesitation. She raised her hands, holding the face that looked down at her so lovingly, so breathlessly. Jeannie swallowed, pulling that face closer until their lips pressed against each other in a long-lasting kiss. Jeannie, still commanding, pulled her sister's face against her neck, indicating that she wanted to be kissed there. Zo covered her sister's neck with sucking kisses, producing the most delicious thrills in Jeannie's body. Zoe's hand cupped Jeannie's breast. "Oh Zo ," Jeannie moaned, closing her eyes, enjoying the moment, feeling the heat intensify in her womb, between her legs. "Zo ... Zo ..." But suddenly, Jeannie opened her eyes and exclaimed, "Oh no!" "What?" Zo asked, nonplused, stopping her stroking. She couldn't believe her sister had changed her mind about making love. "We forgot that damned door again. Let's lock it before something happens." Heaving a sigh of relief, Zo stood up, rushed to the door, turned the key and rushed back to Jeannie, who waited for her with a longing smile. "You crack me up," Jeannie said, embracing her sister, who had landed on top of her, Zoe's leg between her thighs, exciting a thrill of pleasure all over her body. "Why?" Zo asked, displaying her uncertain smile. "Because you went so fast and you came back even faster." "I was afraid..." "Of what?" "I thought you wanted to stop when you said "Oh no!" "Not a chance, Sis," Jeannie said, grinning now. "You don't get rid of me that easily." To drive away Zoe's fears, Jeannie kissed her twin passionately, wildly, taking control again, surprising her. "I'm going to kill you now... with kisses..." and Jeannie gave one, leaving Zo astounded by her sudden passion, "with caresses all over your body..." and her fingers slid in through the opening of Zoe's blouse, going for her sister's right breast, "until you moan, my dear, and scream for more... and more... and more..." Zo closed here eyes, letting herself go, entrusting her entire body, everything, to Jeannie. `Where had she learned all that?' Zo thought, rolling over, allowing Jeannie to be on top of her. `With Linda?' Before jealousy could creep in, Jeannie began to kiss Zo between her sister's breasts, cupping them, her thumbs feeling through the texture of her sister's shirt how hard Zoe's nipples had become. "Like it?" "Yes..." Zo moaned. "Good." Jeannie continued her fondling, kissing, opening her sister's blouse, her hands going for the snap of Zoe's bra. With a few laughs and Zoe's help, Jeannie managed to pop the snap, tugging the bra out through her sister's sleeve. They looked at each other and laughed again. "Why are you laughing?" Zo asked. "Look who's talking..." Jeannie kissed her sister again, trying to curb her own laughter. "I find this so damned funny. I like the way you look at me." "What? How?" "It looks like you want to eat me up alive... that I'm dessert for you..." "Yes, you are... but don't you get uppity with me," Zo complained with a smile, "or I'll have to spank you." "Hmm," Jeannie replied, still with her wide grin, "that's sounds divine, my dear... Hmm, please spank me... I am a bad, bad girl..." Again Jeannie erupted into laughter, followed by Zo , who started hitting her twin sister's rear with mock severity, exciting Jeannie incredibly. Jeannie started moaning, between kisses. Zo stopped the hitting, regaining her tenderness, feeling the grinding of Jeannie's mound on her own. "Oh Jeannie... That's nice... Please go on... That's so fucking nice... Hmmm... Oohhhh... Gaawwwd..." "You like it?" Jeannie asked, increasing the grinding of her mound against Zoe's, still with a smile in her face. "Yes... Fuck... Yes..." Realizing how hot her sister was becoming, Jeannie kissed her, hard, her lips crushing Zoe's so much that it hurt. When the kiss ended, Zo breathed in deeply and said, "God, you're killing me..." "I told you... I'm going to kill you... with kisses... Now we've got the reputation, we might just as well enjoy it... And by the way, this's not working... Time to get undressed and under the covers..." "Jeannie!" Zo cried out, shoving Jeannie off her and straightening herself up on the bed. She couldn't believe her twin's matter-of- factness. "We can get caught." "The door's locked, remember?" Jeannie replied, unbuttoning her twin's shirt. "But the bed'll get all messed up... Mom's gonna suspect it. Mom ain't dumb." "Tough luck, then." Jeannie smiled, kissing her twin again, nipping Zoe's doubts in the bud, removing Zoe's blouse, touching her breasts, feeling Zoe's hard nipples poking out against the palms of her hands. Zo moaned again, embracing Jeannie passionately, kissing her again, falling back on her bed. In the heat of passion, Jeannie's hand slid down the front of Zoe's faded blue jeans, caressing Zoe's thighs. Without warning, Jeannie squeezed Zoe's mound. "Oh Jeannie," Zo moaned. "I'm gonna come in no time if we go on like this." "Not before you take your clothes off. I want to feel you all over me... baby..." `Baby?' Zo thought. `Is she imitating Linda now?' In the meantime, Zo removed all her clothes, including her panties. Jeannie did the same, joining her in bed, her shining blue eyes full of lust, pure crazy lust. Those eyes made Zo melt. `Who cares?' she figured as their naked bodies touched. `Nothing in all the world can beat this. NOTHING!' Soon enough, Zo found out how right she was when her twin's hand touched her sex, so wet, so fucking wet... "Ooohhhhhh Gaaawwwddd... Fuck... Jeannie... This is... sooo... fucking... goooood..." Jeannie's fingers kept working down there, teasing her sister's sex. They kept kissing because her lips couldn't get enough of each other... Twin lips, twin breasts, twin everything... "Ooohhh Jeannie," Zo moaned again, feeling the trembling in her cunt that foretold the most incredible wave of pleasure. To answer in kind, Zo tweaked Jeannie's nipples, giving her twin sister another kiss. "Ooohhh Zo ," Jeannie moaned, breathing deeply. "Ooohhh Zo... Zo... ZOE... This's fucking great... fucking GREAT!!!!" Suddenly Jeannie left her twin's arms, and said, "Well, I thought I wouldn't ever do this... This can get too distracting... but... what the hell... I'm so horny..." "What?" "69, my dear..." Jeannie replied, with a mischievous smile. "Probably we'll come together, baby..." Jeannie straddled her sister and lowered her sex onto Zoe's mouth. As soon as Zoe's lips and tongue began to kiss and lick her, Jeannie's head jerked up and she closed her eyes. Her long blond hair went up and then flowed down over her shoulders. Her face twitched, and her mouth opened to deliver the scream of ecstasy bottled up inside her. "OOOHHHHH... Zo ... Zoeeeee.... Zooooeeee..." Jeannie's loins were on fire. She was going to faint with pleasure. "Gaaawwwddd... Zo ... Lick me there... My clit... Yes... That's it... Come on, don't stop... Please... Yes... Come on... Come on... Oh nooo... Yes... I'm coming... I'm coming... Oh Gawd... Yes... That's it..." Jeannie bit her lips, and then crumbled on her sister's body, feeling the most incredible orgasm, somehow keeping quiet despite the violence of it. Instinctively her mouth looked for Zoe's pussy, and she began her licking too. Immediately, Zoe's thighs became tense. Zo drew her knees up, moaning. "Ooohhh Jeannie... Jeannie... Fuck... Oooohhh... Damn it... Fuck... That's it... I love you... I love you... I'm gonna die... Yes..." With these words, Zoe's hands pushed her twin's head against her sex, her body pulsating in a mighty orgasm, overwhelming her with pleasure... and with love... for Jeannie... her wonderful, beautiful twin... Zo made her twin turn around to kiss her lips again, to feel that hot body so like her own... Fuck, Jeannie was her sister... Her twin sister... This thought alone was enough to bring Zo close to another orgasm. She squeezed her thighs together, enjoying that mini-orgasm. They lay there under the covers and in each other's arms, stroking each other's hair, reciprocating small kisses to ears, throats, lips... "You know what," said Jeannie, smiling down at her twin. "What?" Zo replied, her fingers sweeping across Jeannie's golden tresses. "This a hell of a birthday present, Sis... Thanks." "You're welcome," Zo answered, almost laughing. "Thank you." "Happy birthday, Sis," Jeannie said, widening her grin. "Happy birthday," Zo replied. Zo tried not to laugh but laughter won out. Jeannie broke up too, doubling over. Zo hugged her and pulled that convulsing, beautiful naked body against her own. They laughed and laughed until their bellies ached. * * * Zo and Jeannie rose from the bed, Jeannie dragging her twin to the bathroom. They had to take a shower before the party, or else... "Let's make the bed first," said Zo. "No, worrywart... First the shower, then the bed. Come on..." Jeannie turned on the water, checking the temperature. Soon warm water flowed from the showerhead and she hopped into the stall. "Come on, Zo ... Playing hard to get?" "No!" Zo joined Jeannie, giving her a kiss. "Give me the soap. I want to lather you up." "Why?" Jeannie asked, laughing. "Doesn't matter why." "Why?" Jeannie couldn't understand why her twin was blushing red all over. "Why, Zo ?" Zo didn't answer. Instead, she made another attempt to snatch the soap from her twin's hand. "No... You have to tell me first." "OK... I've dreamt about it since-" "-that shower in the locker room, before we... Is that it?" "Yes," Zo breathed out. It was exciting to see the fire glowing in those blue eyes, Jeannie thought. She opened her mouth and pressed her sister's naked body against hers. "Oh Sis..." And she kissed Zo ... "Oh Sis..." And she gave another kiss, her cunt becoming wet inside, their bodies streaming with the water from the showerhead. "Fuck me... Lather me... like never before... Come on, baby... Do it." Zo took the soap from Jeannie. Then she kissed Jeannie, her hot, exciting twin sister... She lathered that perfect body, full of passion, love, and lust... Jeannie, in turn, started biting Zoe's ear, kissing her sister's neck, making her moan. "Gawd... Zo ... I don't want to leave this shower... I want to fuck you all day, all week... That'd be great..." Jeannie's voice trailed off, because Zo had cupped her breasts, kneading them together. Jeannie grew weak... She moaned softly against her twin's ear. "Zo ... I love you." Hearing these words, Zo stopped, her eyes staring into her sister's. "You do?" "Yes, I do... But... why do you look so surprised?" "Because it's the first time you say you love me." "Really?" Zo nodded. She couldn't speak. "Oh I'm sorry, Zo ," Jeannie said, experiencing a sudden urge to cry, hugging her sister tight. "I love you... I really do... I don't know why I haven't said it before." "OK, it doesn't matter," Zo whispered, shaking her head, trying to forget how much Jeannie cared for Linda too. "It doesn't matter... Let's make love..." Zo began the descent, kissing her sister's breasts, touching hard nipples with knowing fingers, her mouth going down, going for Jeannie's belly button. The hand holding the soap kept lathering Jeannie's torso, breasts, shoulders, arms, and down there, between her sister's legs. Jeannie trembled, moaned and grew weak... Zo looked up but Jeannie didn't look down. Her twin had her eyes closed. Jeannie jerked forward as Zoe's hand touched her down there, washing her sex, and then rinsing away all traces of soap. Jeannie moaned once again, whispering her name and the fact that she loved her... she loved her so much... Gently, Zoe's mouth kissed Jeannie's pussy, feeling how dripping wet her sister was. Despite the water and the soap, she could smell Jeannie's scent. Zo licked her lips and kissed Jeannie's inner thighs. "Ooohh Zo ... Hurry... I can't take this waiting any more... Please, finish me off..." Zo felt her head being pushed against her twin's sex. Her tongue followed the folds, the petals of the rose down there... And the rose opened, engorged by desire... With a finger, Zo penetrated the hole. With her tongue, she goaded Jeannie's clitoris on... and the juices mingled with the water. "Ooohhh Zo ... Zo ... I'm coming... I'm coming..." Jeannie's head went straight up and then down. She sighed deeply, pressing her thighs together, staying still for a long while, enjoying the orgasm that spread all over her body, leaving her enervated. She let herself slide down, her eyes meeting Zoe's. She sat down against the wall of the shower. "Come here, Zo . Now it's your turn..." As Zo nestled herself against Jeannie's naked body, Jeannie raised her legs to clamp her in a comfortable position. She felt her sister's breasts and nipples against her back, her sister's hands stroking her breasts, making her head swim, while the warm water kept hitting her face, her body... Zo almost passed out when Jeannie touched her sex, opening the lips, touching it lightly. This time she didn't moan. She wanted to contain it. She wanted to concentrate on those hands that were making her so incredibly hot and so unbelievably weak. `Jeannie,' she thought, `I love you...' "I love you too." Yes... They could read each other's minds... When the orgasm came, Zo didn't scream, didn't utter a word... She merely sighed... "Jeannie... Jeannie..." Suddenly they heard someone banging on the bedroom door. Instantly Zo rose to her feet, helping her sister up. Both their hearts pounded. "What?" Zo managed to shout, wrapping herself in a towel and running to the door while Jeannie turned off the shower. "Who's there?" "It's me." Zo recognized Linda's voice. She felt relieved but a little bit angry too. Linda had ruined her orgasm... Zo unlocked the door and let her in. "Are you crazy?" Zo asked, locking the door again. "Why were you banging the door like that? I thought it was Mom... or Dad... You really scared us." Linda grinned, noticing how wet Zoe's hair and skin were. Close to the bathroom door stood Jeannie, as wet as her twin and hiding her naked body behind a long pink bath towel. "I can see why," said Linda, still grinning, noticing the rumpled sheets and covers on Zoe's bed. "Please, stop it. You're not funny." "OK, Zo ... I'm sorry. I just wanted to warn you Mom and Dad are waiting for you downstairs. They want to leave before your guests arrive... I banged because the door was locked and I didn't get any answer. "We were in the shower," Jeannie intervened. "We didn't hear you." "You bet you didn't hear me. OK, I'll leave you alone, but hurry up... The folks don't like to wait... especially when neighbors are coming to the house that's making TV news and the front page of every damned newspaper in town." "Please..." Jeannie said, almost crying. "Don't be mad at us..." "I'm not mad at you, baby," Linda said, shaking her head. She faced Zo and added, "I'm not mad at you either... I just don't like being yelled at... Come on, hurry up." Linda then turned and left them. Jeannie glared at her twin sister. She was going to say something but her mouth shut without uttering a sound. Jeannie went on drying her hair up with her towel, walking to the wardrobe and ignoring Zo . "What?" Zo said. "You promised..." Jeannie replied, throwing her towel onto her bed and opening the wardrobe. Zoe's first reaction was to deny it... but Jeannie was right. She had broken her promise. Zo slumped on her bed, her head hung down, her long hair covering her face. With her finger, she began to draw an eight on the naked skin of her right leg. She didn't see Jeannie had stopped ignoring her. Jeannie glanced at her sister. She continued as if nothing had happened. Her sister, however, seemed to be in a trance, sitting perfectly still except for her right hand which moved constantly. Jeannie wanted to ignore it but her worries became stronger. She tried to look for a dress to wear... but couldn't. She stared at her sister, this time her body turning toward her along with her head... And then something hit her... Zo was crying! "Zo ," Jeannie said, kneeling at her sister's feet, brushing Zoe's hair away from her face, looking into those sad blue eyes. "What's wrong? I didn't mean to make you cry... I just hate it when you're angry... I just can't deal with it." "Especially if it's about Linda," Zo sniffled. "Right?" "Yes... I love you... Can't you see that?" "But you love Linda too, don't you?" "Yes... I can't help it, Zo ... And please, don't make me choose... You two are very important to me... I can't imagine my life without you... or Linda... And the bond we have, the love we have... between us... no Linda... no one can make up for that... We are twins, baby... We are identical... This is crazy," Jeannie said, shaking her head, realizing what she was saying, what she was about to say. Her thumbs wiped her sister's face dry. "This is crazy, but it's true... We're identical... We're sisters... twins... No one can get closer to me than you... Please understand... Please..." "I do," said Zo , stroking her twin's hair, looking down at that pair of blue eyes, so eager, so gentle, so kind... "It's just... It's so hard not to be jealous... The way you look at Linda... The way you always try to defend her... I feel left out." "You know why? Because you're so damned aggressive toward Linda. You seem to resent her... and I can understand that... She seems to get everything she wants so easily... I used to envy her too... Not any more... I admire her now... I look up to her... And you should too... because she loves us all... and she's fair... She never takes sides when there's an argument... The first thing she does is to end the fight... And don't forget she saved my life, our lives.... and now she could go to prison because of that... So try to be gentle with her... She deserves it." Zo bit her lower lip, experiencing an almost insurmountable urge to cry. "You're right... I'm sorry... I knew all that but I forgot..." Jeannie smiled, still holding that sad face. "That's why I'm here... to remind you... Hmm, you're smiling... That's good... I like it when you smile." Zo let out a short laugh, drying the corner of her eyes with her fingers. "OK," she said. "Let's get dressed before the folks and Linda start complaining... and banging the door down." "OK... But before that, I want a kiss... a hard one... and I want to hear how much you love me." "I love you," Zo answered, grinning, kissing Jeannie, bringing her closer to her body and within her arms. She shook when she felt her twin's naked body against her own. "Only that much?" Jeannie inquired, breaking their kiss. "I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you..." Zo whispered, between kisses. "Only that much?" "A million times, then..." "Only that much?" "Ad infinitum..." "Only that much?" they cried out simultaneously, laughing. "Yes," Jeannie said, staring at her twin, smiling, feeling happy and glowing from the inside, in her sister's arms.. "That much..." * * * Linda waited in the hall, keeping herself apart from the others. Mom hugged both Jeannie and Zo , whispering a few words to them, smiling... Mom had changed, Linda realized. It was weird but Mom seemed a different person as far as her daughters were concerned. She didn't nag so much any more. She was silent much of the time, lost in thought... Since the scandal about the bribery charges her parents' social life had been turned upside down. Many of their so-called "friends" didn't want to be seen in public with them. This evening Mom and Dad would have to settle for an intimate dinner dance for two. Linda's friends hadn't reacted much better either -- it seemed far more important to know the last details about the scandal than to show any sign of emotional support and understanding. Nikki's friends -- such as Lana -- seemed to be the exceptions that proved the rule. The only bad thing about Lana was her dating Jack Corbett. She could feel Jack's staring, his covert looking, which made her uneasy. Lana was such a good friend... and the last thing Linda wanted was to hurt Lana. "Bye, kids," Dad called out, opening the main door. "Have fun." "Bye, Dad," Linda replied. "We will." "Bye, Linda," said Mom, waving her good-bye, evoking a feeling in Linda that something didn't seem right about that gesture. "Where's Nikki?" "She's upstairs. She couldn't decide which dress to wear." "OK, we've got to go. Give her a kiss for me, will you?" "Sure, Mom," Linda answered, blinking. Once their parents left, Jeannie shut the door. Without losing a second, Jeannie rushed to Linda. "Look," said Jeannie, showing Linda Mom's and Dad's presents, a gold necklace and a Nikon camera. Photography was becoming one of Jeannie's passions... Scott Rowan started it... He worked as a part-time assistant to a famous Hollywood photographer. He got to meet all those movie stars and famous people... or at least he bragged about it. "Now I can take the picture of you all," boasted Jeannie. "Stop it!" yelled Linda, giggling, hiding her face from the camera and the blinding flashes. "Stop it... I can't see a damned thing... Go, go away... And you, Zo ... What did you get?" "The same necklace, and a couple of books I wanted to read and a 350-dollar check to cover the difference between Jeannie's camera and the books I got." "Hi, you guys... What's this screaming all about?" "Nikki!" the three sisters cried out with one voice. "Like it?" Nikki smiled. "What the hell..." Linda mumbled. Linda as well as the twins were floored. Nikki looked breathtaking. She was wearing a long dress made of black lace, with flowing folds, tracing the curves of her beautiful body, giving a hint of her shapely legs. Nikki's lips shone with pink lipstick, her blue-gray eyes glittered... and the perfume she was wearing... Linda couldn't believe that woman... girl?... was her sister Nikki. "Nikki, what-" Nikki didn't answer. Nikki just walked up to her astonished Big Sis, threw her arms around her neck and kissed her until Linda urged her to stop. Linda took a deep breath. "Where did you get that?" "Borrowed from Mom... That's why I took so long." "Yeah... I don't think Mom would appreciate it." "I know... but I did it for you... I wanted to surprise you." Linda was about to answer but the doorbell rang. Linda withdrew from Nikki's embrace while Jeannie scrambled to the front door. "Wait," Nikki said, smiling, "you're covered with lipstick." Nikki's fingers attempted to obliterate the last traces of lipstick on Linda's face when Lana and Jack appeared in the hall, at the foot of the stairs. Linda smiled at them, blushing. Their guests delivered the usual congratulations and handed over their birthday presents. Jeannie and Zo shrieked with delight. Lana and Jack had gotten them tickets for a Pearl Jam's gig. The twins hugged them, burbling how grateful they were. In the living room, Jack commented on how stunning Nikki looked. Almost immediately he corrected himself, saying how stunning all of them looked. Linda smiled... That was the old Jack she knew, always charming. During the evening there were a few telephone calls for the twins -- would-be guests congratulating them on their birthday but at the same time explaining why they couldn't come. Excuses and more excuses... The sisters and everybody in that living room knew that. Soon it became evident that Lana and Jack would be the only guests showing up at the party. Realizing this, Jeannie began to cry. Linda and Zo tried to cheer her up with jokes and consolation... Lana proposed a game... twister... But you only turn sixteen once... and the twins' party was ruined... irrevocably. When Lana and Jack finally left, Linda looked at Nikki and then at Jeannie, whose head was resting on her lap. "Jeannie, Nikki and I have a surprise for you... and Zo ..." "What kind of surprise?" Jeannie asked, opening her eyes. "One of our presents... to you and Zo ..." Linda made Jeannie straighten up on the couch, and stood up. "Wait here... and don't move... Nikki and I, we've got to go upstairs and get ready... Zo , sit down next to Jeannie... We won't be long." Linda smiled a cryptic smile, grabbing Nikki's hand. Linda and Nikki giggled and left the living room, dashing upstairs. Zo slid closer to her twin sister. Jeannie looked at her and asked, "Did you know about this?" "No. Did you?" "No... But I'm so curious I almost can't wait... What do you think they're up to?" "Beats me," Zo replied, holding her twin's hand and feeling moisture building between her legs,. They waited in the living room, anxiously. Jeannie was about to go upstairs and spy on Linda and Nikki when they heard footsteps. "OK, you guys," they heard Linda say from the hall. "Here we come... Get ready." The stereo in the living room was suddenly turned on -- Linda must have taken the remote control with her, Zo assumed. The rhythmic beat of Madonna's Erotica resounded in the room, and in Jeannie's and Zoe's eager bodies. Linda and Nikki sashayed in, wearing two silky, see-through kimonos -- Mom's. The twins followed every move, every dance step their older sisters performed. Slowly Nikki and Linda began to undress, without missing a step, a beat of the contagious music. Jeannie crushed Zoe's hand, her breathing speeding up. Zo kissed her twin on the cheek. Zo couldn't help it. She was getting excited by her older sisters' striptease act, her sex becoming wet all over. She liked it when Linda almost kissed Nikki, and vice versa, when their fucking hot bodies rubbed against each other, silk against silk, breasts against breasts, thighs against thighs, their eyes locked onto one another in a loving look, full of desire for each other. Zo swallowed, her breathing becoming heavier... And the music, the beat, didn't stop. Madonna's sensual voice singing in the background... `Oohhh, this's getting too much,' Zo moaned inwardly. She wanted to get rid of her own dress and play with herself. Slowly, very slowly, Linda and Nikki uncovered their shoulders, following the beat of the music, pulling their breasts up, going for a kiss... but their lips wouldn't touch each other. They were teasing them, Jeannie realized. `Please, kiss...' Jeannie pleaded mentally. `Please, kiss... Kiss...KISS!!!' Jeannie glanced at her twin, finding the same desire as her own glimmering in Zoe's blue eyes. Jeannie extended a kiss because their older sisters wouldn't. Linda and Nikki, one by one, opened their kimonos and took off each other's bras, feeling each other's breasts, their mouths still teasing and teasing one another with a kiss that was suggested but not consummated. Linda's hands stroked Nikki's belly, brushing up her sister's body, breasts, erect nipples... Nikki moaned... She bit her lips while Linda licked her own, whispering, "Sis..." Jeannie couldn't wait any longer. She kissed Zo again, unbuttoning her sister's dress. Without missing the action, the twins got out of their own dresses and hugged each other close, their hands touching each other's breasts through the fabric of their bras. Zo jolted forward when Jeannie's hand slid inside her panties, caressing her pussy, so wet, so deliciously wet. Finally Linda and Nikki kissed. Jeannie sighed, kissing Zo, increasing the rhythm of her caresses in her twin's sex. Zo began to wriggle on the couch, moaning, closing her eyes, her head resting on Jeannie's shoulder. "Oh, Jeannie," Zo murmured. "Don't stop... Please..." Linda pulled Nikki's panties down, kneeling in front of her sister, sucking her belly button, her hand patting Nikki's blond patch, going up and down, teasing her, making her sister yearn, beg for her touch down there, the pleasure-dome. The music, the rhythm, Madonna's voice... Every detail spun around in Zoe's head... and Jeannie's hands kept rubbing her pussy, her twin's fingers penetrating her from time to time. "Fuck me harder," Zo whispered in Jeannie's ear. "Fuck me... Please..." "Your wish is my command," quipped Jeannie, breathing in deeply, watching Linda licking Nikki's pussy. Nikki moaned, uttering throaty screams of pleasure as though she was having trouble breathing. Nikki's body was naked except for the see-through kimono, her breasts uncovered, her nipples protruding, her long hair brushing her shoulders to the rhythm of Erotica. Nikki looked down at her sister. She wanted to kiss her and thank her for all the pleasure, all the love she was giving her. Linda's tongue on her clitoris, though, prevented her moving much. Her body glowed with warmth, her nipples hard as bullets. Nikki pinched them in response to Linda's licking and caressing her... Nikki moaned, glancing at the twins, who were kissing frantically, Jeannie's hands buried in Zoe's panties. Nikki closed her eyes, almost fainting... `A dream, this must be a dream,' she thought. The throbbing down there began and Nikki sighed. "Lick me there, Linda... Please, put your tongue inside me... Please, I need it." The climax reached her like an atomic explosion and her juices streamed down her legs, her cunt filled up by Linda's now-motionless tongue. The throbbing subsided, but the delicious, inebriating feeling of Linda's tongue against the walls of her cunt maintained the pleasure... She made Linda stand up and kissed her on the lips, tasting herself, her love juices mixed with the wonderful taste of Linda's mouth, her tongue... They both turned to see the twins' heated lovemaking. Jeannie licked her sister's pussy and as usual Zo was very vocal about it, swearing, moaning, squirming... "I love you," Linda said, facing Nikki, her green eyes shining with happiness. Nikki could see how elated was her sister, her beautiful Big Sis. They kissed and moved to the music, which was playing for the fourth time, breasts against breasts, mounds against naked thighs, and the exciting feeling of silk around them... Nikki's hands invaded Linda's vagina when Zo announced with screams her latest orgasm. Linda closed her eyes, focusing on the hand that suffused her with such incredible, awesome pleasure. She bit her sister's ear and Nikki's moans joined with Jeannie's. Then Linda opened her eyes and glanced to spy on her twin sisters, still making love on the couch. Jeannie was being finger-fucked by Zo . Suddenly, Jeannie's head fell back with a jerk, her throat muscles drawn tight. Jeannie looked so frail then, in the throes of her mighty orgasm... and a strange idea come over Linda. She would have liked to be a vampire now, to bite Jeannie's neck and suck out her blood. This strange though exciting thought was enough -- she climaxed immediately, squeezing Nikki's naked body against her own, sighing deeply. Linda took Nikki to an armchair. They settled there, Nikki on Linda's lap, kissing her lovingly, unaware of Linda's guilt. Linda didn't feel guilty about making love with Nikki, no... It was because of that strange thought coming out of nowhere... She wouldn't dream of hurting Jeannie. Why had she become so turned on by that thought? Becoming a vampire?... Geez!!! CHAPTER FIFTEEN: OF THE MIGHTY AND THE WEAK Linda entered the imposing room with its paintings by old masters hanging on oak paneling, and its bookcases of old law books. Randolph West was writing, comparing files and documents, looking left and right and then right and left, a caricature of the man of success in his field. He looked up at Linda over the top of his glasses, and waved at her, "Come... come..." as if she were a dog or a little child. "Sit down," he said, with a commanding voice, still busy with his papers. A few minutes ticked away before he put the paperwork aside and called his secretary over the intercom. "Donna, would you bring Ms McDougall's file? Right away?" There was a quick answer and the file was on his desk in no time. The red-haired, fortyish secretary disappeared as fast as she dashed in. West let his slanting smile appear for a short moment, as if he was pleased by his eloquent display of power. "Now, then... Here we are... Linda... I'll be honest with you... and I hope you will be honest with me. I'll not call this an open-and-shut case but the prosecution had to indict you and your dad for the reasons we all know. I managed to reschedule the hearings... You will be first, and I expect a quick dismissal of the case against you... Everybody knows what the Woods are after... and they know what kind of man their son was... A quick dismissal of your case will help your dad enormously. Are you following me?" Linda was getting irritated with his patronizing tone of voice. Of course she was following him! With her grades she was sure she would enter Harvard or Yale or any Ivy League college... She was no dumb blonde. The hell with stereotypes! "Are you following me?" he repeated. "Yes," she said, controlling herself. No point in making an enemy. "All right... However, I have to ask you a few questions. I hate surprises in the middle of a hearing... where the judge will decide between a dismissal or a trial." He proceeded, asking her about personal information and other inconsequential questions about her family, friends, school, grades -- did she glimpse some surprise in his eyes? Then he went further, dealing with how Jeannie had been shot and how the redneck died. Linda noticed the slightly confusing questions and how he played her, trying to see if she contradicted herself... He eventually gave a satisfied grunt, consulting the documents in her file, pushing the glasses up his nose. "Now let's go back a little further," West suggested. "I talked to your dad about this... I've got the testimonies of your sisters... and yours... and frankly this is the weakest point of our defense... There are a lot of contradictions... Take your sister Zo , for instance... She stated you ran away because she hated school... Jeannie says it was because you said so... Nikki, because all of you couldn't stand your parents any longer... Your dad tried to explain all this to me but I am still not convinced." The crucial time had arrived, Linda thought. Dad and Linda and her sisters had prepared themselves for this... Dad had coached them well... Convincing West about the accuracy of their statements was the key to the hearings. "All that's true. Zo wanted to leave the cheerleader squad and there are witnesses to that... All Zoe's and Jeannie's friends know how Zo stormed out of cheerleading practice a couple of days before we ran away. You have dozens of witnesses right there... Mom and Dad got mad because of that... That's why Nikki says we couldn't stand our parents any more... I thought how unfairly Mom and Dad were handling it. If I see someone being treated unfairly, I can't just stand there and do nothing... I just can't." "I'm aware of that... I interviewed a few people who know you, friends and teachers... They think highly of you... So... Was that the reason why you run away?... Because Zo hated school, your parents became unreasonably mad at you and you tried to defend your sisters... Is that it?" "Part of it, yes..." "Part of it? Is there something else?" "Yes." "Come on, let's hear it." Linda sighed and said, "Mom hit me and I hit her back... That's when I decided to run away." West removed his glasses, rubbed the bridge of his nose, his fingers reaching for the corner of his eyes. He stood still for a while in that position, as if he was measuring the consequences of Linda's last statement. "Hmm," he grumbled, his glasses back on his nose but sliding down. He went through his papers, read a couple of them, and then asked, "Hmm... Why did she hit you?" "She was complaining we never do what she says... And I told her it was because she didn't care about us... She never did... Then she hit me." "Hmm..." The lawyer reclined in his comfortable leather swivel chair, thinking, scratching his ear and the hair above it. "Hmm..." A few "hmms" later, he dismissed her. Dad was waiting in the lobby for his turn with Randolph T. West. Linda was supposed to wait for her father right there, on that huge leather couch, being ogled at by the secretaries and the lawyers and other clients of the firm. Linda had become a celebrity. She had been asked for talk shows and offered acting parts. Even Zo and Jeannie hadn't escaped the media turmoil. A casting director called and asked whether the twins would consider showing up at a popular sitcom. Mom and Dad declined all offers, however. It was inappropriate. Fortunately the twins were sensible enough to see through it -- how casting directors and the TV and the media in general can manipulate and trick and deceive just to make a few extra bucks. If the twins were ugly, would anyone care about them? Maybe, but not for acting parts... To be pitied and held up to ridicule in a talk show then? Almost certainly. "Hi, there!" a male voice greeted. Linda looked up and saw an attractive young "suit", dimples in his cheeks, and a Tom Cruise-look-alike look. `Is this becoming the reality version of The Firm movie?' Linda asked herself. Tom Cruise was cute, everybody knew that... and this guy was definitely cute. "Hi..." "I'm Andrew Thomas," he said, shaking her hand. "Just call me Andy... Everybody does... I work here... and... I was passing by... and... I was wondering if you wanted some coffee..." Linda smiled, stopping short of laughing. A pick-up line she knew too well... But he was cute... and she would rather be speaking to someone than sitting alone and feeling she was being ogled at by everybody who happened to be in the lobby or who was passing through. "I'd appreciate it," she said. Expeditiously he left and came with their cups of coffee and sat down next to her, initiating small talk. Linda learned he was an associate of the firm, dealing with boring stuff like accountancy and wills... Suddenly, he stopped and said, "May I say something?" "What?" "It may sound odd... or that I'm being too forward... but I think you're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen." Linda's eyes blinked, then laughed, "Yeah, right... I guess you say that to every girl you meet." "That's not true... Ask anyone in the firm... I'm a serious person..." He got to his feet and raised his voice, asking Verna and Paula whether he was a serious person or not. The secretaries giggled. He was trying to impress her, to show her how well he could handle people, how popular he was in that firm. That same loud display of his popularity was not being appreciated by Linda, though. He could be cute... but his attitude stank. Dad came to her rescue. Andy Thomas sprang to his feet, shook Dad's hand and complimented him on having such a beautiful daughter. West glared at him. Andy Thomas swiftly retreated down the hall on the left, casting a last glance at Linda. Linda was relieved when Dad brought her downstairs to the parking lot. In the car, Dad said, "West was impressed with you... and most important, he believed you." "He did?" "Yes. Good job, Linda." Her first reaction was to thank him... But no, she owed him nothing. "We're going to win this case... You'll see." Linda didn't reply. Dad was cocksure about their chances... Another ace up his sleeve? * * * To Linda's surprise, things worked out as her father predicted. The cases against both of them were dropped. The Woods were bought off with a financial settlement. They grumbled and squirmed but in the end they took the deal -- on their lawyer's advice. The witnesses against Dad mysteriously changed their minds, saying there had simply been a misunderstanding. The Liberty county's assistant DA was reluctant to drop the case but her superiors ordered her to do just that. And that was the end of it -- The People vs. Fred McDougall case. Despite Fred McDougall having successfully gotten rid of his accusers, he didn't get his job back. His reputation was tainted and he was no longer CEO material, the Servenet directors explained. So he decided to move to the East Coast and start his own software company. They moved to Florida and bought a new house a few minutes' drive from the beach. They would start all over as a family. Little by little that dream seemed to be within reach. Mom and Dad tried to spend more time with them. Nikki mused, however, that their parents' newly found love for family life was sometimes a nuisance. Their freedom of movement was curtailed and their social life was scrutinized more closely. Luckily, Mom started working again, as Dad's secretary. That gave them many hours of precious freedom. One day after school Nikki hurriedly slipped on her bikini, and jeans and blouse. She and Linda were to meet at the beach. Linda had turned eighteen two weeks before and Nikki was seventeen now, and proud of it. She would soon be able to decide about her life -- her life with Linda... Today was the last day before Linda left for college. Now that all their boyfriends were out of the picture, Nikki was sure Linda would be her life companion -- for better or for worse, and to hell with what people might think. Nikki jumped on her mountain bike and accelerated down the hill that led to the beach. She wore shades, a sort of military cap and an unending smile. Her hair tied in a ponytail trailed freely behind her, blown by the breeze in her face that came inland off the ocean. She couldn't cycle fast enough, passing through red lights and taking short cuts down stairs and across lawns. When Nikki arrived, Linda was already there, waiting for her at Ruby's, the beach's coolest hangout. Ruby's was a sort of caf that catered to young people, mostly teenagers. Linda sat at a table, looking "cool" with her shades on and drinking her favorite -- freshly pressed orange juice. Nikki was jealous when she realized Linda wasn't alone. A guy sat at her table with a can of beer in his hand. "Hi, Linda," she greeted, dismounting from her bike. "Ready?" "Yup... Bye... Gotta go," said Linda, turning to the young man at her table. When they were out of earshot Nikki asked, "Who's that guy?" Linda smiled, chuckling. "Jealous?" "No... I just want to know who he is." Linda kept smiling, staring at her sister, who shied away from eye contact with her. "You want to know who he is...? And if I tell you I don't know him, would you believe me?" This time Nikki looked up, facing her sister. "Don't you know him?" "No, silly... He was just trying to hit on me... You should know better than that." "Really?" "You start sounding like Jeannie... Come on, let's go home." Looking back, Linda saw that the guy had returned to his red MG sportscar. She noticed him staring, and the way he looked away when their eyes met. "Don't look now but the guy's gonna follow us," said Linda, getting on her mountain bike, pulling up her black shorts and checking how she looked in her sister's shades. She looked back once more and then, turning to her sister, said, "Let's go." The sisters accelerated down the avenue that ran alongside the beach. As Linda predicted, the red MG promptly moved into the middle lane from its spot at the curb and rolled leisurely behind them. Suddenly Linda pointed to the left, warning Nikki she was going to turn into a side street. "Follow me," she said. Nikki nodded and cycled behind Big Sis, avoiding two honking cars. The drivers screamed obscenities, furious with the girls' sudden maneuver to the left. `We're cycling dangerously,' Nikki thought. It was the only way to shake off Linda's stalker, though. They looked back from time to time, making sure the red convertible was not behind them any more. Linda smiled at Nikki when the red MG was no more to be seen. They stopped by a cafe. The owner's family spoke a strange language -- Portuguese -- but they served a helluva good espresso. That's what they'd go for. As they sat down, the owner, Mr. Pontes, came over to their table. A chunky man with a mustache, he displayed his usual welcoming smile and carried a small notebook and a pen behind his right ear. Linda and Nikki liked the funny way Mr. Pontes spoke English, the way he talked about his country, the nostalgia he felt for the green hills around his home town. He had given them his mother's address when they showed an interest in visiting his country. "She's very happy to invite you," he said. Linda and Nikki curbed their smiles but they loved him for his generosity and openness. After exchanging the usual greetings and compliments, Linda and Nikki ordered their espressos and two delicious Portuguese pastries called past is de nata. When he left with the order, Linda smiled at Nikki, lifting her shades up on her hair. Nikki smiled back at her. Linda wanted to reach out over the table for her sister's hand, to intertwine her fingers with Nikki's, to say how much she loved her. Instead, she laid her hand on the table, a couple of inches away from Nikki's, and whispered, "What would he say if now I held your hand and we kissed?" Nikki laughed, her quiet gaze turning into an intense, loving stare. "I don't know... But I'd love to..." Their eyes locked onto each other. It was impossible to break that spell. So much so that they didn't even notice how close her faces were. "You don't mean that," Linda said, exerting herself to articulate the words properly in spite of her heavy breathing. "Yes, I do. I don't give a damn about what people say. I'm beyond that now... I love you and I want everybody to know it." "We can't," Linda said, her face pulling away from her sister's. "Even if we could, that'd be extremely risky to me, you, Dad, Mom, the twins... They could re- open the case against me or even Dad." "I'm sorry," Nikki muttered, looking down. "I didn't think about that." "Don't be sad," Linda said, holding her sister's hand, forgetting her earlier qualms about public displays of affection. "I just don't want you to get hurt..." Nikki shrugged, still sad. Linda was about to scold herself over her inane proposal when Mr. Pontes came back with their order. As always, he chatted with them for a while before he left. Nikki faked a smile, sliding her shades back on. Linda and Mr. Pontes did most of the talking while Nikki kept her head down. Linda heaved a sigh of relief when he left. "Nikki, look at me... Look at me... What happened?" Nikki shrugged again. "Nothing... I don't want to talk about it... here..." This time they downed their espressos and past is de nata with little enthusiasm. They soon left the caf , waving good-bye to Mr. Pontes and his wife, and hurried over to their bikes. "Let's go home," Linda said, unlocking her bike. "No, I don't want to. Let's go to the beach." "No, I think we're gonna fight... You're sad because I'm leaving, aren't you? We've been through this before... I've gotta go... This my future... our future." "I know, Linda... I know... but I can't help feeling sad. I can't." "You'll join me in no time. We'll be one year apart, Nikki... Surely you can survive without me that long." "My grades aren't as good as yours. Suppose I don't get the grant. Suppose I don't get in." "You WILL get in, Nikki. Think positive and work hard for it. It's the only way..." "But SUPPOSE I don't get in. Then what?" Linda stayed quiet for a moment. With a seemingly serious look, she said, "Then you'll get married to an old fat man and have lots of kids." "This's serious, dammit. Don't make jokes about it." "I'm sorry... I didn't want to hurt you. I just-" Linda interrupted herself, shaking her head. "Doesn't matter. Let's go or we'll have the whole street staring at us." Linda and Nikki cycled off together without speaking. The joy Nikki felt earlier vanished into thin air. Nikki gazed at the people on the sidewalk, keeping her anger in check. She saw a couple and their children walking by, laughing. Two well-dressed women came out of a store, talking loudly and praising each other for their purchases. `People without a care in the world,' Nikki thought with bitterness. Suddenly someone called, "Nikki... What are you doing here?" Nikki stopped and looked back, recognizing Jeff Steinberg, a guy she'd met at school who had the hots for her. He was attractive but guys weren't her major priority at the moment. Jeff kept asking her out. He was persistent as hell... Under other circumstances, she would consider him as dating material... No, guys were out of the picture, she decided. She loved Linda. Her sister was all that mattered. Jeff introduced his two friends. Without paying much attention to their names, Nikki became aware of their style of clothing -- grunge all over. Grunge was dead, the media said... Not to these guys, Nikki thought, almost smiling in spite of herself. Nikki introduced Linda to them, observing the gaping expression of the redhead wearing a black Nike cap. His friends laughed and made fun of the way he stared at Linda. The redhead got mad but he bit his tongue, keeping his eyes away from Linda. Once again Jeff tried to win Nikki over. He was a smooth talker. He knew the rights words to say. But no, this is not what she wanted... Nikki wanted to leave but she didn't know how. She looked at Linda but her sister ignored them, leaning on the handlebars of her bicycle, watching the traffic. "OK. If you say no, I'll ask your sister then." "Be my guest," Nikki replied. Jeff stepped off the sidewalk and went over to Linda. Nikki watched them talk. She didn't pay attention to the words, only to the small nervous twitches on Jeff's face and Linda's smile, the smile of an All-American girl who knows exactly what she wants. All Nikki could see was how Linda shook her head. She was saying no, obviously. Knowing Jeff, though, his acceptance of the no could take hours. Nikki had a slight start when she heard Linda say, "Nikki, let's go." Nikki followed Linda, ignoring Jeff's promise he would call. The girls were on their way again, leaving the guys behind. They sure would talk about them, Nikki realized -- how good Linda looked... what a babe she was... Nikki breathed out deeply... She was going to lose Linda... She knew that. They couldn't even hold hands in public... Her sister wouldn't allow it. How could she compete with a guy? Or even another girl? Surely Linda would allow them to hold hands and kiss her in front of her friends... Nikki swallowed... There was no hope for them... Who were they trying to fool? With this cruel question rumbling in her head, Nikki realized they had cycled to the beach, and not home. She saw Linda get off her bike and lock it. Without a word or a lookback, Linda strolled onto the beach, her head down, brushing her hair back over her right ear. Nikki followed behind. Linda chose a spot on the warm, inviting sand and let herself flop down. Nikki slumped down next to Linda, gazing at the beachgoers enjoying the late afternoon sunshine. After the longest time Nikki said, "Linda?" Linda's eyes faced Nikki. "Yes?" "I've been thinking... about us..." "Yes?" Linda asked, showing her impatience. "It's no use going on." "What do you mean?" Nikki shook her head, looking at the waterline. "I mean, we should stop everything between us. It's no use... We're just fooling ourselves with something that can't be." "What do you mean?" "I'm gonna lose you sooner or later... It's better now than later." "Why?" "Because it'll hurt less..." "But why do you think you're going to lose me?" Nikki stared at Linda. There was a strange glitter in those green eyes. Was it despair or the pain of being dumped? "We can't kiss... We can't do anything... We can't even hold hands... What's the use of that? I want everybody to know that I love you, that we belong to each other but we can't, you say..." "Oh come on, Nikki... Don't you blackmail me." "I'm not blackmailing you. I'm just telling you how I feel." "Yes, but you're trying to make me feel guilty. You know I am thinking about our future... The world's cruel, Nikki. "They" maim and kill people for less... Look at the gay bashing and the racism..." Linda paused, sighing, staring at the breakers, facing the breeze. After a short moment of silence, Linda turned her face to Nikki. "People are killed for being different, Nikki... and that happens every day." "One more reason for us to break up." "Is that what you really want?" Nikki swallowed, feeling a knot in her throat. Her heart said no but head said yes. She nodded. "OK," Linda said, getting up and looking away, "I understand. We're through." Nikki watched Linda ambling away. Big Sis didn't look back. Linda kept staring down at the sand as she shuffled off. Nikki saw her sister walking out of her life -- literally. Nikki stood up and returned to her bike. It surprised her that neither of them cried, as they both knew sooner or later they both would. `Whatever,' she thought, trying to shrug off the breakup. `We're getting older... Crying is for babies...' She mounted her bike, glancing at the sunset and deciding against wearing her shades. She cycled home furiously, strongly exerting herself, sweat streaming under her arms. She went in through the back door, going around Zo . Her sister was in the way, babbling with someone over the kitchen phone. Nikki raced up to her room. She locked the door and threw herself down on her bed, her back to Linda's. `Wrong move,' she thought. `This place stinks of Linda...' She was mad... mad at herself and at the world which didn't let them be. It hurt inside... It HURT... Nikki closed her eyes, sitting up on the bed, embracing her drawn up legs... Tears flowed in spite of herself. Crying is for babies, she recalled... And "Baby" was what Linda called her... Her baby... No... Nikki shook her head... Not any more... and not ever... * * * Jeannie glanced at the kitchen clock. Mom and Dad were due back any minute now. It was 8 PM, almost dinnertime and Linda hadn't yet come back. Jeannie learned from Zo that Nikki was locked up in her room and refusing to talk to anyone. It was obvious her older sisters had quarreled. Zo watched Jeannie pacing the kitchen. Her twin fretted about where Big Sis's was and the reason for the spat. "Jeannie, stop pacing like that... It's getting on my nerves." Jeannie opened her mouth to utter an angry reply when she heard Dad parking his Buick in the driveway. Jeannie ran out of the back door to meet them. "Mom," she screamed. "Mom..." "What, Jeannie?" her mother said, getting out of the car and looking with concern at her youngest daughter. "What happened?" "I don't know," Jeannie breathed out, stopping in front of her mother, "but Nikki and Linda had a fight and Linda hasn't come back home... I-" "Wait," Mom interrupted her. "Not so fast. Tell me what happened, slowly." Jeannie breathed in and out once. She slowed down and started again, telling her parents all she knew and how worried she was. "Probably she's at a friend's," Dad suggested. "No, she isn't, Dad... I don't think Linda would go to see a friend if she's upset." "Maybe I should go and talk to Nikki," Mom said thoughtfully, walking in the back door. "Maybe she can tell us where Linda is." * * * Nikki heard a knock on the door. `It must be Mom... or Dad,' she thought. She'd heard their car pull up in the driveway and Jeannie's short confab with the folks in the back yard. "Nikki, it's me..." Mom's muffled voice called out from the hall. "Let me in." Reluctantly Nikki jumped out of her bed and unlocked the door. Before her mother had time to come in, Nikki jumped back onto her bed, lying on her stomach, her hands making an attempt to fluff up the pillow. "Nikki, are you all right?" Nikki shrugged, her eyes shut and her face turned away from her mother's stare. "D'you know where Linda is?" Nikki heard. Her mother drew closer and sat on the edge of her bed. When Mom touched her, Nikki moved away, removing her mother's hand from her hair. "Nikki, look at me... I'm talking to you." "What?" Nikki said, rolling over and facing her mother for the first time. "I want to know where your sister is. It's 8 PM and your sister isn't home. You know very well your sister never comes home this late without calling in... I know you two went cycling together... So please tell me where she is." Nikki shrugged again, looking away. She made an all-out effort not to cry but she was unable to stop the tears. Mom hugged her, hushing her. Mom's hug lasted longer than Nikki would have cared for in other circumstances. The unbearable pain she felt inside was still very much alive. She needed that closeness. "Nikki... Tell me what happened. Did you two fight?" Nikki nodded, removing herself from her mother's embrace, wiping the tears away from her eyes and cheeks. "Why?" "You wouldn't understand," Nikki answered with a troubled voice. "Why not?" "Because." "Nikki, your sister's out there and it's dark. Maybe she's in trouble and you're not helping..." "You wouldn't understand... And besides I don't know where she is. All I know is that we cycled to the beach, we argued, and I came back home." "Alone?" "Yes..." "Why? What were you fighting about?" "Please, don't ask..." Nikki pleaded, sniffing and averting her mother's eyes. "Because Linda's leaving?" Nikki looked at her mother, surprised by her insight. "How did you know?" Her mother shut her eyes, becoming sad. Seeing her mother's reaction, Nikki added, "I warned you... You wouldn't understand..." "No, you wrong, Nikki," Marge replied, looking into her daughter's eyes which grew noticeably wider. "I do understand... That's the problem." "What do you mean?" "You have to promise me you won't tell anybody about this... I will never forgive you if you do. Not even to your sisters, and certainly not to your dad..." "Not even to Linda?" "No one," her mother said severely. Mom paused for a moment. Then she added, "Maybe to Linda... one day... but to no one else, d'you understand?" Nikki nodded, feeling a chill racing up her spine. This secrecy and Mom's seriousness was giving her the jitters. "Promise me," her mother demanded. "I promise... Cross my heart and hope to die." "All right then," Marge said, exhaling deeply, as if she was about to get rid of a burden she'd carried all her life. Nikki braced herself for Mom's "darkest secret". What she heard horrified her. Mom was an incest survivor. Mom told how her father had abused her since her seventh birthday. Mom had tried to protect her sister Joan, but her father had no mercy. "Aunt Joan too?" Nikki asked, almost breathless. "Yes... He was a drunk... I hated him as much as a little child can hate someone... My mother, your grandma, died when I was four and Aunt Joan two. We had only each other and..." "And...?" Nikki asked, swallowing without noticing her heavy breathing. She looked into her mother's eyes, taking in their immense sadness. Mom had blue eyes... They had all inherited Mom's eyes, their sadness and utter melancholy about life... Now she understood. "Because of the dirty things he taught us," her mother continued. "I don't know why we did that... but I guess we wanted some loving... We had only each other..." "You mean, you and Aunt Joan..." "Yes," her mother confirmed, brushing her face with her hands, as if to chase away that nightmare. Minutes elapsed before she could look at her daughter again, her eyes slightly bloodshot. "Do you still-" "No, honey," her mother denied categorically. "We felt dirty... We stopped when I turned fourteen and I met my first boyfriend... There was too much pain involved... There was a time Aunt Joan and I weren't on speaking terms... But that's past now." "And Grandpa?" "He died a horrible death... He died of cancer. Please, don't ask me anything about him... I just want to forget it. Just forget it, honey. I don't want you to have nightmares. All I want to say is that I understand more than you think. It's just knowing that my daughters- All of that opened old wounds, Nikki. You don't know how hard it's been for me all these years..." "Oh Mom, I'm sorry..." Nikki hugged her mother and for the first time she felt a real connection with that grownup woman she called Mom. "I didn't know." Mother and daughter went down to the living room and, to their surprise, they found that Linda had returned home. Linda leant on the refrigerator, drinking a glass of milk and watching the 9 o'clock news on the kitchen portable TV. "Linda, you're back," her mother exclaimed, rushing into the kitchen. "Yes, I'm back," said Linda, straightening herself up and catching a glimpse of Nikki, who apparently didn't dare step into the kitchen. "But not for long." Nikki could hear and see Linda's anger. Linda's green eyes told her everything she needed to know about her sister's state of mind. Linda banged everything she touched -- the refrigerator's door, the chairs against the table and then the back door, as she stomped out of the kitchen. Mom went after Linda, her shadow disappearing in the half light in the back yard. Nikki made a half-turn into the living room. Dad and the twins looked at her. Dad asked Nikki how she felt, but a strange resentment raged within her. She wondered what she would have done if Dad had "touched" her the way Grandpa had with Mom. It wasn't fair, that association, because Dad had never done anything improper. But still, she couldn't help feeling some revulsion... Reluctantly, hopefully, she sat beside Zo as if the twins could somehow protect her. They watched TV in the living room, maintaining heavy silence among them. Eventually Dad left the living room, puffing at his pipe, reading a file he had brought home. As soon as they heard him shut the door of the den, the twins grilled her with questions. Nikki refused to answer at first, but the twins wouldn't take no for an answer. She told them everything in the end, only omitting Mom's "dark secret". She would keep her promise... CHAPTER SIXTEEN: PROMISES, PROMISES... A week dragged by -- seven days without Linda. For Nikki it was hell. It was like the most dreadful torture anyone could inflict on one's worst enemy. All her family were deeply worried about her -- Nikki knew that -- but their love and concern weren't enough to make the pain go away. Nikki thought she would go crazy. She couldn't sleep, she couldn't eat... She just wanted to die... She wanted to be left alone in her room where she could cry freely and think about Linda and why the world was so cruel. She skipped school because she didn't trust herself. Her self-control hit an all-time low. She would probably burst into tears in front of her friends for no apparent reason. She trembled every time she thought of the humiliating scene of their final quarrel. Just thinking about it made it more real, as if their final separation had actually happened. To make matters worse, her parents' despair was obvious - - they even considered calling Emma Mansfield and having the shrink fly from California to Florida. At the end of the week her parents decided enough was enough. They were going to call Linda and ask their eldest daughter to bring her younger sister back to her senses. As soon as this threat was spoken, Nikki cringed. She finally realized that her tantrums wouldn't bring her sister back. `And why am I crying?' she reasoned angrily with herself. `I broke up with her. Stop being a baby and go on with your life!' The following Monday she was back in school, exerting herself to pay attention to her teachers and friends. Still, everybody noticed how quiet she had become. After school, Nikki moved out on the grass and away from her fellow students, to wait for Zo and Jeannie. She sighed. She missed Lana... With the move to Florida, she lost a very good friend. Lana wasn't much of a writer and the distance between them deprived Nikki of the only person she would confide in other than Linda and the twins. Lana and Nikki would exchange phone calls now and then but their folks were already complaining about those "unnecessary" long-distance calls. Nikki sighed again. The painful image of her sister leaving home hit her again. They hadn't spoken during breakfast on Linda's last morning. Linda wouldn't look at her, keeping her eyes down. She talked to Jeannie and Zo, to everybody except her, Nikki, "the love of her life" or so had Linda called her... `Promises, Promises...' it rang in her mind. Linda had never promised her anything but still those words, that song kept hounding her. Linda had walked out of the front door without a kiss or even a hug... She just left, without looking back. It seemed as though Big Sis was happy to leave her behind. At last Linda was free, free from her smothering love. Someone tapped on her shoulder. Nikki turned around expecting to see Jeff Steinberg or another awful bore like Mrs Brown, the math teacher. Nikki smiled. It was Cindy Lopez with her hunk of a boyfriend, Chad something... She didn't recall his last name. Cindy had tried several times to become friends with her. Nikki didn't understand Cindy's insistence. Why didn't she leave her alone? Why did she keep cropping up with Chad by her side? These two gave her the creeps as though their open smiles hid a "darker" intent. She wondered if they wanted a threesome, but somehow that idea was ridiculous. This time it was an invitation to a birthday party, Chad's, Cindy explained. Nikki hated to say no just for the hell of it. `I'd better find a good excuse,' she thought, but before she could give an answer she saw Zo and Jeannie coming her way. "Hi, Nikki," Jeannie greeted. "Ready to go home?" "Sure," Nikki said, happy for this distraction. "I'm sorry," she added, facing Cindy and Chad, "but I've gotta go." "OK, Nikki," Cindy said, throwing her curly black hair away from her attractive face. "You don't have to give me an answer right now. Just think about it. Promise me?" "OK... Bye." Nikki and her sisters strode away, heading for the parking lot. Nikki braced herself for a cross- examination. The twins didn't say a word, though. They walked silently to Linda's Jeep, which was Nikki's now. Before the breakup Linda promised her the Jeep when she went away. After the breakup Nikki refused to take the keys. In spite of that, Linda left them on the vanity, along with a short and laconic note: "Here are the keys." Nikki and the twins rode back home, no one breaking the silence. With Linda gone, Nikki reckoned that even her parents looked sadder. Linda was the sunshine of the house, the bumper that absorbed the unavoidable shocks between the conflicting personalities in the family. The twins had each other, however, and sometimes their high spirits hurt Nikki inside. She was happy for them, though. At least they were having fun... Nikki sighed, stopping the Jeep in the driveway. Nikki and the twins wandered into the house through the front door. The back door was locked and bolted from the inside, a safety measure against burglars. "Nikki?" said Jeannie, breaking the silence at last, stopping at the foot of the stairs and turning toward her older sister. "We're going to freshen up before we go to the beach. There's a beach party this afternoon. Wanna come?" "Beach party?" Nikki frowned. "It's nothing big... Just a bunch of guys... and girls we know... Come on, it's gonna be fun." "No, I am not in the mood." "Oh come on, Nikki... Staying here on your own isn't going to help. Trust me." "How do you know? You have Zo right next to you." "But we all lost Linda too. You're not the only one feeling sad. Come on, come with us. Don't be such a pain in the neck." `Pain in the neck?' Nikki thought. No one ever called her a pain in the neck. That epithet made her think about how much she had changed since Linda left for college. She was not the smiling happy-go-lucky girl everyone used to know. She had become a pain in the neck... That realization made her say, "All right... I'll come with you. You're right. No use staying here and feeling sorry for myself." * * * Nikki looked at the blue sky, feeling the sea breeze caressing her face and hair. With a quick motion of her head, she threw her hair back and over her naked shoulders. It was 4 PM and the sun was still high enough to embrace her with warmth, driving away the sorrow. She looked at the twins, and smiled to herself. The twins were popular with the guys. It seemed the guys had their own "ideas" about them, particularly when Zo and Jeannie held hands. Little did they know that those "ideas" were being "realized" every night in the twins' room. If they did know, how would they react? Would they whistle approval? Would they boo? `Who cares?' Nikki thought. They were having fun and hurting no one. Most of the girls in the group were quite standoffish, Nikki concluded, watching a bevy of them sitting close together in their stylish bikinis and swimsuits. They were quite attractive but they didn't join in the action. That is, the tickling brawl that had developed between the twins and two of the guys, Brian and Johnny. Brenda and Marie were the exceptions, grabbing the guys and helping the twins. In no time that part of the beach became a battlefield of laughter, tickling and shrieks of delight and protest. Against Nikki's will, a third guy started to tickle her... Joining the fun personally was not in her plans. He started it, though, and now she wanted to help the twins -- no matter what. Soon enough all the participants in the brawl fell on the sand in laughter. The bevy of prissy beauties that had run away to avoid the brawl stepped cautiously back, as if they were afraid of being dragged without warning into another tickling fight. Nikki laughed, feeling the sand in the most intimate parts of her body. She wanted to swim in the sea and to wash away the sand. A guy had felt her breast during the brawl, or so it had seemed. She was about to look for the culprit when she heard someone from afar yell "Hi there!" "Linda!" the twins and Nikki shouted with utter surprise. "Yes, it's me," said Linda, smiling, wearing a tight swimsuit that enhanced all the curves of her body. She had her hand on her left hip and the other was holding her huge jute bag. "I see I'm missing the fun." "What're you doing here?" asked the astonished Jeannie, rushing over to Big Sis. "Hi, Jeannie," said Linda, still smiling and gazing at the rest of the party. Guys and girls alike stared at her, probably wondering what the hell was happening and who she was. "I am back. I quit college." "Why?" asked Jeannie, who was having great difficulty in believing that the beautiful blonde in front of her was really her sister, her Big Sis. "It's a long story... But first things first... I want to talk to that young lady over there." All eyes turned toward Nikki. Linda put down her bag on the sand and motioned Nikki to follow her. The teenagers, including the twins, saw Linda and Nikki moving away, heading toward the waterline. "Wow," Johnny howled out. "What a knock-out... What a babe... Who's she?" Jeannie chortled with pride and said, "Our sister Linda... The best sister you could possibly have." "You bet," Johnny answered, taking off his baseball cap and scratching the unruly hair on top of his head. His eyes kept following Linda and Nikki as they walked across the sand to the waterline. * * * "But why, Linda?" Nikki asked, stopping and facing her sister, her right leg playing with the wet sand. "Why? I don't need your charity..." "I'm not doing it for you. I am doing it for me. I am being selfish but I don't care." When Nikki looked at her questioningly, she added, "I realized if I lost you, there wouldn't be a future for me, at least not a future I'd care much for. I realized that all I want is you. Sounds naive, doesn't it? But I don't care... I really don't. It feels good. You make me feel happy and no one has given me so much as you have. No one makes me feel the way I do when you hug me and kiss me and make love to me. I don't care if we're sisters... I don't care if we're both girls... I love you... and that's all that matters." "Talk is easy... Prove it." "How?" Linda said, knitting her brows and pulling a stray blond tress away from her face. "Kiss me," Nikki replied, swallowing. "Here?" "Yes... You said you didn't care if we're sisters... if we're both girls. Prove it!" "OK, I am gonna prove it." Linda drew closer and took hold of Nikki's burning cheeks, tilting her sister's head up for the kiss to follow. Linda kissed Nikki while Nikki pulled her sister near, holding her tight, their bodies touching each other. Linda and Nikki ignored an elderly couple standing a few feet away, and their obvious shock. Nikki grew weak, breaking the kiss. She was out of breath. "You ought to be ashamed of yourselves," they heard a woman's voice exclaim. Linda and Nikki turned to see the woman scowling at them. "Such a shame. You're two pretty girls. You should have no trouble finding a handsome young man." "Who says that I want a handsome young man, lady?" Linda retorted, keeping her calm, and clasping Nikki's hand. "The love of my life is right here next to me. And I love her as much you love your husband, or perhaps even more. And I'll never leave her. Never." "Promises, promises..." the old man said, laughing with a raucous voice and smiling at them, his cigar briefly removed from his fat lips. His smile disappeared immediately as the old woman glared back at him. "Let's go, Dan," the woman said, pulling at the old man's arm, urging him to come with her, and sending a last angry look at Linda and Nikki. Linda smiled at Nikki as the old couple trudged away. "Satisfied?" Linda asked. "Yes... But what about college? You're throwing away your future." "I can enroll next year - together with you. I talked to Mom about it over the phone." "Mom knows you're here?" "Oh yes, she knows. She called me yesterday and we had the longest talk... She told me about... Grandpa. It made me sad... But strangely enough, that did the trick. That's when I made the decision to quit and come back... to you. For the first time in my life I saw clearly what really matters to me and what doesn't." "And Dad?" "Oh Dad..." Linda shrugged, looking past her sisters' shoulder, scanning the beach and avoiding the staring of a few beachgoers. "Dad didn't like it at all, but I am eighteen now and he can't tell me what to do." "And what are you going to do in the meantime?" "With you beside me I don't think I'll ever get bored..." Nikki chuckled and smiled, her heart pounding, almost not believing this could be happening. Her sister was back after leaving everything, EVERYTHING, for her... And Linda had screamed out her love for all of the world to hear. They started back toward the twins and the rest of the crowd. Nikki felt a sudden warmth in her cheeks. `Me and my big mouth,' she thought. It was confrontation time. Everything was happening the way she had wanted, the kiss and the fact that Linda held her hand still... She couldn't complain if things didn't turn out the way she had dreamt about. Jeannie ran to meet them half the way back to the party. "Are you out of your minds?" Jeannie said, making them stop. "I've just told them you were my sisters. They really started looking funny at me... I had to make up that Nikki was not our real sister but she was adopted. Dammit, can't you control your urges?" "I am sorry," Linda said. "We don't want to embarrass you in front of your friends... But this was something I had to do, we had to do. Anyway we're leaving." "Where to?" "Don't care..." said Linda, glancing at Nikki. "Any place where we can be alone and make out. We've got a lot of catching up to do, don't we, darling?" "Cut it out," Nikki said, grinning and holding Linda's hand tighter. "That's so corny." "Corny but nice... Right, baby?" Linda looked at Jeannie and asked, "Wanna come with us?" "Nah... You two want to be alone... I understand." "I mean, you and Zo ... There are four seats in the Jeep. Come on." Jeannie examined Nikki's face for signs. Nikki smiled and said, "Come on, what are you waiting for? You heard Linda. Go and fetch Zo and get the rest of our stuff. To be honest, I don't feel like facing your friends right now." Looking at Linda she asked, "You don't mind, do you?" "About you chickening out?" Nikki hit lightly on Linda's shoulder, in response to her sister's banter and her wide scoffing grin. Linda only smiled while her youngest sister ran to fetch Zo . Within minutes the twins joined them, bringing Nikki's clothes and Linda's bag. Nikki and Linda slipped on their shorts and T-shirts, giggling. They walked to the parking lot and before Nikki could unlock the driver's door, Linda made her stop. "Let Zo drive," she said. "I want you in the back seat with me." "Yes," Nikki whispered, recognizing that crazy lust in her sister's green eyes which made her instantaneously wet. Zo smiled, with pride in her face grabbing the keys and unlocking the doors. She hadn't much driving experience but was happy with the opportunity to show off her skills. She let her horny, happy sisters slide into the back... Just as well. She would have Jeannie right next to her. They would soon be in a place where they could all make out... In the back, Nikki was being kissed by Linda, hands exchanging caresses on breasts, tummies, legs, thighs, necks... Wet trails down cheeks and necks... Moans... Whispers... Loving embraces... And more moans... and then pleasure... Nikki nestled herself against Linda and said, "I want to ask you something... I'll go crazy if I don't ask." "Shoot," said Linda, her hand between Nikki thighs, touching her sister's mound, reveling in her sister's wetness and warmth... "This song doesn't get out of mind... Promises, promises... And that's exactly what that man said... Promises, promises... You promised you'd never leave me... But... I wonder..." "Baby," said Linda, whispering into Nikki's ear. "There's another song that goes like Let's live for today... and another that goes like Don't worry, be happy... Let's be happy and forget all the rest..." Nikki nodded and hugged her sister, sighing. She felt exhausted and the rocking motion of the car speeding down the highway lulled her to sleep. While sleeping, she had a smile in her face... THE END * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * It's okay to *READ* stories about unprotected sex with others outside a monogamous relationship. But it isn't okay to *HAVE* unprotected sex with people other than a trusted partner. You only have one body per lifetime, so take good care of it! * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Kristen's collection - Directory 18