Peculiar B2 : Travail (Part 2)
“Great, now it sounds like I’m still under water. . .”
Zephyr smiled to herself as Abe walked toward the house with his finger vigorously probing his ear canal. She waited until he was just inside the door then, in one smooth motion she was out of the water and sprinting across the hot sand after him.
“So you were just going to leave me out there?,” she teased.
“What? I have to. . .” Abe’s attempt at a protest was quelled as he fell to the bed.
“You have to what?” She kissed his chest and up his throat, pausing at the peak of his chin. “Huh?”
Abe groaned, clearly torn between what he had to do and what he wanted to do.
“I have to check on dessert,” he sighed, slowly sliding out from under her. “I’m trying out something new.”
“So what’s it this time?,” she asked, taking her place at the table. “Please tell me it’s nothing with nuts. My appointment later is allergic. . .”
“You’re close. It’s for sims with dietary restrictions. . .”
“. . .oh, shit.”
His sigh was low and resigned a sign that his latest culinary experiment had missed the mark.
“Oh, come on,” she offered. “It’s not THAT bad. Just a little overdone. Come on,” she waved to him. “Bring it over here.”
Zephyr watched out of the corner of her eye as Abe prodded the burned pie with his fork and snorted.
“Ooh, cherry,” she offered. Without hesitation she took a bite. It was hot. Too hot. She sucked air through her teeth, grinning. “No nuts, either,” she gasped.
Abe grinned despite his best efforts to remain upset.
“So you’re going to burn off your taste buds so you don’t have to lie to me,” he laughed. He cut a bite of pie and with a sigh put it in his mouth. Grimacing, he chewed and swallowed then set his fork down.
“That,” he swallowed again, “is awful.”
He reached for Zephyr’s plate but was stopped.
“Hold up there, chef.” She closed her hand over his and gently pulled his fingers back from the plate’s edge.
“Hardly,” he rolled his eyes and smiled but the tone was far from light. Zephyr ran her fingers over the back of his hand all the way to the tips of his fingers. In a well- choreographed move, she flipped his fingers up and in one motion their hands were interlaced.
“You really like this mess?”
She looked at their hands then up at his face.
“I do.”
She squeezed his hand and took another bite.
“You don’t have to finish,” he apologized.
“I WANT to,” she countered. “I mean, I’m kind of the reason it’s. . .”
“No, no you’re not.” Zephyr was taken aback by Abe’s genuinely shocked tone.
“If I hadn’t distracted you. . .”
“I still would have fucked it up,” Abe sighed.
Zephyr chewed and swallowed. It was clear they had left the burned pie behind and were now dancing around something bigger.
“How do you know what you would or wouldn’t have done, huh? You weren’t given a CHANCE, Abe. She was taken away. . .”
The chair reared back, threatening to tip as Abe shoved away from the table. The plates clacked together as he gathered them and turned toward the sink.
Zephyr watched his back as he washed the dishes. Quietly she stood and moved toward him. He turned as she reached out to touch him.
“I’m sorry,” he offered.
“It’s ok.”
“I love you, Zephyr.”
Four words that made her pulse rate spike. She giggled madly and dug her fingers into his hair.
“I love you too, Abe. . .”
“So don’t go back,” he whispered.
It was another topic they preferred not to acknowledge directly.
“Soon,” she smiled. “I promise. But right now,” she gave him a quick peck, “right now it’s better for all of us,” she kissed him again, “if I stay right where I am.”
Abe leaned back and gave her a quizzical look. She smiled at him and slowly he smiled back.
“It’s all going to work out.” She squeezed his buttocks and laughed. “I can just FEEL it.”
Without further discussion, she kissed him again and made her way to the bedroom to change while Abe set about tending to the charred remains of the pie. It was every bit as bad as he had thought, maybe even worse. But he saved it anyway.
“Ok, I have to run so I can get things ready for that client tonight.”
Abe walked with her to the door.
Zephyr dug her fingertips into his back and he pressed against her, more than one part of him hoping she’d feel his need and change her mind. Hesitantly, she slid away from him.
“I’ll be back,” she called over her shoulder.
“I’ll be here,” he replied.
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Nina Caliente analyzed the charts and graphs and chuckled. Everything was going well. Very well.
While the new sauna had taken away one of the rooms, it was already starting to pay for itself. And not just financially.
Now retired, for the most part, from the vigors of the sex trade, the newly added massage table had given Doraleen a new career path. And, as an added bonus to them all, Don had gladly accepted the role of practice dummy.
“Dummy,” Nina laughed to herself as she snapped off the monitor. She made her way to the room she shared with her sister, Dina. Nina laughed again. Her sister really was a lot like Don when she stopped to think about it.
“Putty in my hands,” she muttered as she got the wheel up to speed. But unlike her sister, who would be molded into a beautiful vessel that would fetch top dollar, Don was slated to be destroyed and left on the refuse heap of history.
While Nina spun her plots in the third floor bedroom, Zephyr had found her way back to The Club.
“It’s about TIME. Come on, lets have a soak. Nut boy just called and CANCELLED.” She laughed and rolled her eyes. “It’s such a SHAME. I swear, I was. . .,” she held her fingers to denote the very small space between them, “. . .THIS close to smearing some peanut butter up in my cooch and letting that freak go bare back. Put him out of all our misery, right?”
Zephyr laughed. She was still amazed at the change that had come over not only The Club but Dina since she and her sister had arrived. Zephyr had quickly learned that Dina was hardly the aloof sim she’d tried so desperately to appear to be on their initial meeting. In fact, she was quite the opposite. It was like she was made for this type of work. Her sister was another story.
“SO. . .,” Dina stripped off her clothes to reveal her bikini “. . .what did the boy bake for you this time, huh? And more importantly, when are you going to bring me back some leftovers? Come on, help a sister out.”
“Cherry pie,” Zephyr offered, following Dina’s lead.
“Cherry,” Dina snorted laughter. “CHERRY. So it was it like symbolic, the pair of you all having cherries to signify your new virginity or some shit like that?” Dina laughed at her own joke. “Really, was it good?”
“Not bad. It got a little burned. . .”
“Ooooh, were you two busy getting bizz-AY and scorched your cherry? OUCH. Ok, so I’m kind of glad you didn’t bring me those leftovers.”
They made their way across the yard to the newly acquired hot spring.
“SO,” Dina stretched dramatically, “serious time. Did you tell him?”
Zephyr didn’t reply.
“Zephyr Pleasure!,” Dina kicked her feet sending a spray of water in Zephyr’s direction. “What the hell, woman? You have this great big fricking awesome news to tell him. . .I mean, it’s like crazy soap opera shit with long lost kids, right?. . .and you’re just going to sit there eating some burned ass pie all like. . .la, la, la, this pie isn’t so bad even though it’s all burned up. . .and not let him in on the good news?”
Zephyr chuckled despite herself. Dina’s take on things was always good for a laugh.
“It’s not that simple,” she replied.
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Julian smiled to himself as he listened to the sounds of laughter coming from behind him. He had managed to be in the right place, outside watering the ornamental cacti, at the right time, as the bus returned Morrow from school, to witness something truly incredible.
He’d smiled at Morrow, hoping she’d make mention of the other teen exiting the bus but she’d only tossed her homework to the ground and squinted at him.
“WHAT?,” she spat, walking away. Julian had let her go.
Now he listened, enjoying the sound of her laughter and hoping she’d say the boy’s name.
“Well, isn’t that sweet,” JKL mocked, nodding to the teens. “Poor boy has no clue what he’s gotten himself into.”
Julian didn’t reply.
“. . .you come over to my house next time and I can totally show it to you.”
While he was hesitant to leave Morrow outside with an unknown boy, he knew his presence would only hinder the growth of this new relationship. After lingering as long as possible with his tasks, he retired to the house and the plethora of chores waiting inside.
The afternoon slipped by in a blur of house cleaning and meal preparation. As evening settled in, the intercom crackled to life with JKL’s voice.
“Julian. Morrow. Come to three.”
“Looks like it’s time,” Jules laughed.
Julian scowled. When he had dripped the poison into Mother XYZ’s food, he’d started a countdown to just this moment. With every step, his regret grew heavier. When he had finally reached the third floor, he was winded and more tired than he’d ever been.
“You sound tired,” JKL offered. “Take a seat. Relax.”
“JKL. . .,” Julian was startled by the sound of his own voice, “. . .can’t we. . .”
Mother JKL turned from the video screen.
“No,” she replied, not offering anything in the way of a compromise. Her eyes flicked from Julian to Morrow. “You will tell her.”
“Tell me WHAT?” Morrow scowled down at Julian. Gone was the girl from a few hours before, laughing and talking with her school friend. Julian took a deep breath and tried to smile.
“Don’t look at me that way. Just say whatever you have to say.”
“We have arranged a new home for you.” Julian hoped it didn’t sound as cruel as it felt. Morrow’s already dark expression grew darker.
“Please,” Julian’s voice cracked, “I know you’re angry but. . .you won’t have to worry about anything. You’ll be in the same school so you’ll still be able to see your new friend and. . .”
Morrow’s jaw tensed but she didn’t say a word. Julian stumbled along, desperate for some kind of response.
“It has nothing to do with you, Morrow.” Morrow snorted at the sound of her name. “Things have changed. . .changed direction. . .your new home will be better suited to your needs. I’m sure you’ll grow to like it. . .there will be so much more for you there than here. . .a real family with a mother. . .”
Tears began to well in Morrow’s eyes at the mention of the word. Julian swallowed hard and continued.
“. . .and you’ll be in the same school so you’ll still see your new friend and. . .” He knew he was repeating himself but didn’t know what else to say. “. . .I’m sorry, there’s no other choice.”
A tear spilled down Morrow’s cheek and without thinking, Julian reached to offer the girl what he hoped would be even the slightest bit of comfort.
With a hard punch to his chest, Julian fell back onto the chair with a gasp and watched as the girl darted away.
Morrow raced from the third floor to the old playroom. Seeing it, her rage came to a full boil.
She gave it a kick. The stupid dollhouse from the commercial. She had seen that commercial so many times she could sing the jingle even now.
“Happy home, happy home,” she mocked, drawing her foot back to kick the tiny structure again. Miniature furnishings rattled and danced toward the open side, some pitching and falling out. “Oh so pretty, filled with love. Happy Home. . .”
She brought her foot down, relishing how the fragile structure gave in to her rage.
She had wanted the house so badly, had been so happy when Mother had taken her to the playroom and there it was. Her very own Happy Home. A gift from Mother, Mother who had told her she was made in Her image and that one day she, Morrow Summerdream, would take Her place, would have all the power and the glory that was reserved just for Mothers.
“. . .fucking lies. . .NO CHOICE. . .She’ll come back and then. . .then. . .”
Julian winced as Morrow continued to rage despite the blood slowly seeping from her bare foot. He wanted to reach out but was afraid. Despite the size difference, he knew in her present state the girl was nothing short of a danger.
“Morrow. . .please, you’re hurting. . .”
Her foot went up and came down with such force, fueled by a rage Julian wasn’t sure would ever be spent.
“SHUT. UP. SLAVE!”
The voice was Mother XYZ’s. Hearing Her voice and that word, a word only She used to describe her Aides, Julian acted without thinking. In one smooth motion he took the raging girl by the shoulder and spun her to face him.
She backpedaled but quickly found her footing. She panted and trembled, a form possessed and unable to control itself. Julian stared and waited, half afraid that he’d never again see the Morrow he’d known, that the transformation She had worked so hard for had, despite the poison he’d fed Her, finally come to fruition.
“Morrow,” he whispered, “that’s enough, Morrow. Morrow. . .” Her name was all he could think to say.
With a final shudder, the rage began to dissipate. Not leaving entirely but rather settling around the young girl like a haze, blurring her features and changing her appearance.
“Leave me alone,” she whispered, her voice hoarse and tired.
Julian hesitated.
“I can help you clean. . .,” he bent and began gathering the remains of the Happy Home. His back to Morrow, he didn’t see it coming.
The kick was hard and deliberate. His body rocked but he kept his balance, rising quickly.
“Get out,” she growled.
Julian did not hesitate.
He made his way to the first floor, scared by how relieved he was to put distance between himself and Morrow. While JKL and Jules had both been vocal in their revulsion toward, and even fear of, the girl, Julian had never felt it until now.
Julian locked the bathroom door behind him and drew a bubble bath.
He lowered himself into the hot water and winced. His body ached and his head pounded. He closed his eyes and winced again as his mind compiled a highlight reel of recent events. He watched it again and again, gulping deep breaths and exhaling slowly, hoping for something. Anger or, better yet, tears. But neither came. Instead there was just emptiness and the image of himself with a vial of poison.
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“Are you as nervous as I am. Honestly, I don’t know if I’ll be able to get much sleep until she gets here. Now you’re sure you have your room all ready?”
“Yeee-es. For reals, you keep asking me like every second. Are you sure YOU’RE ready?”
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I just keep worrying about. . .”
“Daddy, please calm down. You raised me and look how good I turned out?”
“Now go find mom and go to bed. You’ll be more relaxed after. . .," she gently thrusted her hips.
“Glory, you shouldn’t do things like that."
“What?," she giggled. "You will be relaxed afterward. Mom said you always fall right to sleep.”
Basil snorted laughter.
“SEE, even Basil knows it’s true.”
“Goodnight, Glory," he tried not to smile but failed miserably. "Don’t stay up to late.”
“I won’t. . .sweet dreams daddy.”
“You know she’s right, Achates.”
“Emmy, you too? I thought it wasn’t appropriate for children to be so. . .so frank about sex.”
Emmy laughed and led Achates up the stairs to their shared bedroom.
“Are you happy, my Achates?”
“Yes. Are you happy?”
“Very. And it won’t be long. . .” Emmy paused to kiss Achates on the mouth. He kissed back and they indulged in a long stretch of kissing before separating.
“You were saying?”
“I heard from Mother JKL. Our new daughter will arrive at the week’s end.” Achates kissed her again and slowly they set about pleasuring one another.
“See,” Emmy whispered as Achates’s breathing became slow and regular. “Pure relaxation.”
“You’re going to break that thing,” Basil offered.
“No,” Glory countered, landing on her rear with a groan. “It already has a crack in it!”
Basil laughed.
“I’m hungry. Come eat with me?”
Making their way to the kitchen, the pair continued to joke and laugh as they prepared their midnight snack.
“Sooooo,” Glory picked a noodle from her bowl and flicked it at Basil. It landed on his arm and he quickly flicked it back.
“So, what?”
“So, are you going to hook up with Jules when you go off to pollinate with him. I hear he used to do all kinds of freaky deaky stuff.”
“Oh yeah,” Basil smirked pretending he’d never heard the very same rumors. “Like what?,” he asked, intrigued by what she might say. He enjoyed spending time with Glory and hoped she would, after getting the experience of living away from The Community, choose to become a Pollinator, the role she had been slated for before Mother MNO had elected to move their Hive.
“Yeah, out there stuff like taking more than one sim at a time and having. . .,” she giggled furiously, reminding Basil just how young she really was, “. . .orgies!”
“You don’t say,” he teased. Glory flicked the noodle back at him and he laughed.
“Basil?,” Glory’s tone was suddenly very serious.
“Yeah?’
“What do you know about the new girl. . .Morrow?”