Date: Sun, 01 Jun 2003 01:48:16 +0100 From: Jan Vincent Subject: Sisters - Chapter 3 Dwelling of the guilty party: jan123@hotmail.com http://www.sistersinlove.org As always comments are welcome! 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. 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, Zoe 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 Zoe 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. Zoe did look up, but soon evaded Linda's eyes. Minutes of silence passed until Zoe 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--" Zoe interrupted herself before it was too late. She was saying too much -- lying, actually. When Zoe 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, Zoe 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. Zoe 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, Zoe realized; and that made sense, for Nikki had come back home earlier... A distant feeling that something odd was happening occurred to Zoe. This possibility was quickly dismissed by Jeannie's whispered suggestion that Linda and Nikki were both sharing Rick. Covering their mouths with their hands, Zoe 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 Zoe 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 Zoe 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 Zoe 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 Zoe 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. Zoe 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 Zoe a sense of deja 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 Zoe had just knocked Jeannie down. Pulling Jeannie up and covering her breasts with her robe, Linda yelled, "What's the matter with you, Zoe ?" "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 Zoe 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 Zoe, 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. "Zoe is right," Linda said, looking up. "Zoe is right?" Jeannie repeated, raising her voice, scowling at Linda and then at Zoe. 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 Zoe, 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't 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 Zoe 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. "Zoe 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," retorted Jeannie angrily. "Not me." "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 damn 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 Zoe as she glared at Linda and Jeannie, her hands in her hips, waiting for an answer. Before Linda or Zoe could speak, Jeannie clasped her twin's arm and said, "Nothing." Then she grabbed hold of Zoe, 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 Zoe 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 Zoe 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," Zoe 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," Zoe 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 Zoe 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 Zoe and then Jeannie. Before Zoe 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 Zoe 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 Zoe standing at the doorway. "Hello, Zoe. 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. Zoe 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. Zoe 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, Zoe ?" he asked. "I'm not sure..." Zoe said softly, teasing her lower lip with her teeth. Before Zoe could continue, Linda showed up at the doorway and said, "Zoe, I wanna talk to you." "Not now," Zoe 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, Zoe. 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. Zoe 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 Zoe. 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 Zoe, 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 Zoe. "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.