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From: "Jan V." <jan123@hotmail.com>
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Subject: {ASSM} RP: Sisters (ff, teen, inc) - Chapters 3 and 4
Date: Sat, 11 Nov 2000 21:10:04 -0500
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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...

-- 
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