When she unbent, my eyes were drawn to the fuzzy heart on her abdomen, and I thought of Bea. When the time was right, I intended to get to the bottom of that mystery.
That would be bathtime: I was having so much fun that I spent longer than I intended to in the "Mother Nature" section. Bea had a tense look on her face the whole time and did not relax back to her usual, neutral expression until the earthquake machines were safely out of sight. But her nipples took much longer to relax. And even when they softened, they could perk back up to full stiffness in a heartbeat.
That cycle of softness and stiffness continued for the rest of our time in the hangar. I was delighted to learn that, despite being smaller in size, her nipples had the same talent as her big sister's. They were so fascinating that I found it difficult not to stare. I yearned to touch them - to know what something so soft one minute and so stiff the next felt like. But since I had a bath time with Mary scheduled for later that evening, I was content to bide my time. I would find out soon enough!
Thanks, Neverdoubted. I'm looking forward to bathtime.
Excellent! Frankie has Mary well trained. She strips naked and hands over her clothes without being told. Perhaps he can get Bea into that same mode. Having two obedient step sisters would be great.
"Report," said my father, simple and direct, "any trouble?"
Mary, Bea and I had arrived at the designated meeting point with only a couple minutes to spare. He was a man of few words. Idle chitchat never suited him. He was not interested in knowing how many hangars we had visited or what we had eaten for lunch. He did not care how I had gone about organizing my day - if I had given my two older stepsisters something to wear after our family split up or had made them attend the fair as they were now.
No, this was his way of seeing how well I had discharged the assignment to manage his typically unruly stepdaughters in his stead – plain and simple. Wanting to impress him, I stood up straight and responded smartly, "No trouble, sir."
If I could prove that I could handle them, even outnumbered, maybe he would continue to entrust me with the responsibility. But any claim that I had the situation under control would be only that without hard proof. Better to show than tell him.
Knowing exactly what would convince him, I squared up on Mary. She and her equally naked sister were standing side-by-side, hugging as much of their bare bodies as they could. No words were exchanged between us. But when Mary saw my fingers poised for a snap, she knew what was coming and took a deep breath.
The last time I had tested her like this, it had failed spectacularly. I hadn't put her through the snapping test once since we left that fossil shop, and I was taking a big risk trying it again in such a public place. My father had a keen eye for insubordination in any form. If Mary refused me, or even hesitated, he would pick up on it and know she didn't truly respect me.
When I snapped my fingers, I was relieved that Mary adjusted her pose and lowered her trembling hands away from her naked body without delay or argument. We had grown to understand each other more in the last few days. It must have meant the world to her that I had been willing to help when no one else did. Our relationship had turned a corner. She trusted me.
In Frank's eyes, absolute obedience was the ultimate form of respect for authority; especially when it's not convenient or particularly comfortable. It made her the opposite of comfortable to willingly reveal her magnificent breasts, her tempting torso, her fuzzy pubic heart and the pretty petals of her womanhood and clasp her hands behind her back where they could provide absolutely no modesty whatsoever.
But though her cheeks turned rosy and the nervous smile she painted on her face was a little strained, it was a smile nonetheless! Mary answered my call not because she was afraid of me or what I could do to her, but because I was the one asking. If that's not respect, I don't know what is.
It took a concerted effort to stand nonchalantly and pretend like I wasn't surprised by Mary's flawless performance. But it was Bea's reaction that really tested my composure. Entirely on her own accord, she lowered her hands from her naked body and clasped them behind her back just like her sister!
My jaw dropped. Bea was under no obligation to do anything when I snapped. How did she even know what to do? She couldn't have learned the details of my deal with Mary. She was just following her sister's lead. Doing something just because she assumed it was what I wanted.
In Frank's eyes, getting those two girls to give their precious modesty a back seat and comport themselves with poise and decorum on cue - even amid the most difficult and personally humiliating episode of their lives was nothing short of a miracle. But I think what impressed him the most was that they were both wearing serene, if slightly strained, smiles when all they had ever given him were scowls.
He offered a sniff then ordered us to fall out. That was all the affirmation I was going to get out of him. But I gladly took it. Her obligation complete, Mary immediately snapped back to her embarrassed nude girl pose.
But I wasn't finished with Bea. For the first time in my life, I knew what it was like to have complete influence over another person. The sensation was unbelievable, and addictive.
Mary and I were allies. Her prompt obedience was payment for a benefit she had already received and a shrewd decision to ensure future, mutual trades. But her actions and motivations were her own. Having fulfilled her duty, she had the right to enjoy what little modesty her hands could provide between here and the parking lot.
Bea, on the other hand, was merely a trophy - my spoils following the long and bitter war for familial supremacy that she had waged upon me and lost. Why should she deserve such a reprieve? As my eyes were opened to a whole new world of possibilities standing before me, my ego wasn't the only thing that started to swell.
Squaring up on Bea as if addressing a naughty, misbehaving child, I gripped her right hand and yanked it off her chest. Her eyes went wide, but she did not resist me. Looking between her legs where she had just placed her other hand, I frowned and shook my head in disapproval. Knowing I would not be denied, she bowed her head and dropped it to her side where it could do no good.
I wanted our trip to the car to resemble what we had been doing most of the day - walking hand in hand like two companions out for a Saturday stroll. If being completely naked and unable to cover herself made her uncomfortable, too bad. It only mattered what I wanted. What else could I do with such a prize? Even better...what else could such a prize do for me!
While I beamed the whole way to the car, Frank bristled at the sideways glances and shocked expressions coming from the other families and visitors we encountered. As if he were ashamed to have them in his company, he totally ignored his naked stepdaughters. Patricia's face showed more relief than her husband's. She seemed happy that her eldest daughters had survived the day despite their vulnerable, nude state. But out of respect for Frank's disciplinary methods, she did not go out of her way to comfort them.
Along the way, Cindy tried to catch up with her sisters. With an extra bounce in her step, she pranced up to Mary and proudly showed off the new, blue ribbon pinned to her front. Because I hadn't seen her all day, I assumed she and my parents had spent most of their time at the Kitchen of Tomorrow exhibits in hangar eight.
I later learned that she had earned the ribbon by winning a junior cooking competition. That didn't surprise me. Back home, Mary and Bea would only begrudgingly help with cooking when their mother made them. But Cindy, who was easily the most nurturing member of the family, would do it for pleasure. As a growing teenager, I loved being her taste tester. Whenever she brought me something to try, she would beam up at me while I devoured it.
Unfortunately, Mary had bigger things on her mind - like reaching the safety of the car without flashing too much of her naked body along the way. When she barely acknowledged her sister's prize, Cindy hung her head and moved on.
To her disappointment, she had no better luck with Bea. But she quickly rallied when she found me in an especially good mood and more than willing to engage. Rocking her chest left and right to show how the gold foil glinted in the light, she told me all about the contest. Her dimpled grin grew and grew as I fawned over her ribbon and commended her culinary success.
But Cindy's beaming smile faded when she looked down and got distracted by Bea's arrow. The look on her face, like she was struggling to process what she was seeing, reminded me of her reaction back at the scenic overlook when she first got a good look at Mary's heart.
It had been a strange and perplexing picnic. Cindy had studied Mary's unusual abdominal adornment while Bea had gone out of her way to pretend like it didn't exist. It all made much more sense now that I knew about Bea's arrow. Mary's shaved secret was no secret to Bea. All along, she was hiding one just as embarrassing and perhaps even more inappropriate.
I didn't have all the answers yet. But because Mary said she had gotten the idea from a magazine, I guessed that she and Bea had done their shape trimming together.
But what about Cindy? As the youngest, she loved to tag along with whatever her big sisters were doing. But this rebellious conspiracy involved body modifications with obvious sexual overtones as well as worldly contraband. Would they really loop their relatively innocent baby sister into such a dangerous plot?
It was clear, from the look of betrayal on Cindy's face, that she was seeing Bea's arrow for the first time and that she herself was not similarly adorned. If there was one thing Cindy hated, it was being left out. It didn't matter if her sisters had excluded her from their intimate shaving activity for her own protection. It only mattered that the two people she looked up to and admired most in the world had gone off and done something without her.
It upset her even more when we got to the car and I announced a change to the seating chart.
"You're sitting up here from now on," I instructed my nude companion as I escorted her toward the middle seat.
"What? No!" exclaimed Cindy, "I don't want to ride alone."
"You're not alone," I reassured her, "we're all in the same car."
But when I opened the door to enter the station wagon, Cindy rushed to block my path.
"It's not fair," she cried, "...fine, I'll sit up here too."
"No, Cindy, there's not enough room," I insisted.
But though I towered over her, she held her ground.
"I don't care, I'll sit on your lap if I have to," she blurted out.
In truth, the middle bench seat would have been big enough to fit all four of us. It didn't matter that there weren't enough seat belts. Nobody wore them in the back seat anyway. But I was just being selfish. I had built up an image in my mind of being flanked on each side by a naked girl. That way, I could have a spectacular view no matter which way I looked. Cindy worming her way into the picture would ruin that arrangement.
When it became clear that neither of us was backing down, Patricia stepped in to keep the peace. Predictably, she sided with her baby.
"I don't see any reason to make a change," she opined.
But I did not budge. As Bea's self-appointed guardian, it was my call where she should sit. How could I keep an eye on her if she wasn't beside me? Unable to break the stalemate, but knowing I would always heed my father's words, Patricia brought out the big guns.
"Frank, don't you think everyone should sit where they have been," she asked.
He ended the standoff with two words.
"Junior decides."
I couldn't hide my grin. Though she pouted the whole way and dragged her feet, Cindy had to back down. She rounded the back of the car to sulk alone in the back-back seat. Entering the middle seat and scooting over to make room for my trophy, I settled in for a nice, relaxing ride to the motel with a gorgeous, naked teen seated on each side of me.
Cindy is going to have questions. Will Cindy ask Bea or Mary about their rugs in front of Frankie? I'm waiting for Mary to ask Frankie to bathe her, and being bathed is an opportunity for Mary to get a bit of sister status. Feet get dirty and are hard to reach.
I'm wondering if Cindy is going to want to strip too so as to fit in with her sisters. Perhaps Frankie will get the honor of shaving in a unique shape for her.
WingDing, why Frankie and not the two who have proven themselves skilled enough to shape their pubes without bleeding?
It does bring up the question of when Mary and Bea will need to remove stubble. Was that the reason those two girls were late? They took time to shave? Did they get in trouble because it took them too much time to be secretly fashionable? Shaving it all off is faster than carefully shaping the hair--and the length had to be clipped short as well.
We got caught in a mini traffic jam along with everyone else leaving the fairgrounds. The only sounds in the car as we inched our way toward the exit road were Frank cursing softly to himself and Cindy's sniffling.
To my surprise, Bea stayed silent. Following near constant exposure and humiliation all afternoon, I at least expected her to be shedding some more tears over her plight. Mary didn't cry anymore when she got in the car. But it had taken her days of practice to get to that point. Bea was still in the middle of her first day without clothes. Her personality transformation continued to astound me.
It was like her brain - at least the scheming, meddling parts that had always been her most annoying trait - had been switched off. I couldn't relate to what had happened to her or begin to understand it. She had lost her entire wardrobe in one fell swoop and been utterly stripped of any semblance of modesty. Lost in a sea humiliation, she had then turned to her trusted sister only to be abandoned by Mary and dumped on me - her biggest foe. Whether all that trauma had broken her brain temporarily or for good, I could not say. But it sure made her a lot more pleasant to be around – and I’m not just saying that because of her spectacular naked body.
She didn't make a peep; didn't even look out the window or appreciate the scenery as we reached the highway and accelerated toward the next town. Every time I looked over, she was just sitting there like a good little girl - on her hands just like Mary was doing - with her face trained intently on me.
I had never seen her more docile or compliant. The muscles of her shoulders were relaxed instead of coiled and tense like a viper getting ready to strike. Her soft blue eyes were big and round instead of always narrowed in suspicion. And her plump lips showcased a pleasant visage instead of being twisted into a sneer of contempt. It was a flattering look for her.
Cindy had always looked a lot like Mary. In that respect, Bea, with her longer, more slender features and wavy, blonde hair always was the outlier of the group. But as her substantial bust, alluring shape and fair skin proved, she had inherited plenty of genetic blessings; enough to rival her older sister in due time. Bea had all the tools to be strikingly beautiful when she wanted to be. Now that all her clothes had been taken away, she definitely struck a chord with my libido!
Because there was no telling if or when the old Bea might return, I was motivated not to waste a minute. My best chance to extract maximum enjoyment out of my unbelievably good fortune was to manage it carefully and plan ahead. But I couldn't put all my focus on Bea. I also had Mary to consider. Juggling two naked girls is harder than you think. Twice as hard, but twice as rewarding!
I had been looking forward to Mary's bath time all day. But there was one huge problem with it. Because we all slept in the same room and shared a bathroom, there was practically no privacy. Patricia would have something to say about me randomly announcing that I was off to give her seventeen-year-old daughter a bath. What I really needed was some room to work. Slowly, my plan came together. And when we pulled over to get more gas, I made my move. Climbing out over Bea, I met my father under the lifted hood.
"How can I help," I asked.
Frank had taught me enough about auto maintenance and repair to make myself useful. Even if he had it under control, I thought the offer would buy me even more goodwill than I had already stockpiled.
"Fill 'er up," he answered, "and check the dipstick. She's burning more oil than a Patton in mud."
I checked the dipstick and reported that we were, indeed, a quart low. While he went in to pay the attendant and came out with a quart of motor oil and a borrowed funnel, I hustled around to the gas pump and filled the tank as ordered. I returned to the front to find him still bent over the hood.
Sensing this was a good time, I said, "there's something I want to ask you about, sir."
He answered without looking up from his work.
"Go ahead.”
With a deep breath, I began.
"First, I wanted to thank you for everything you've done for us these last few days. I really am having a great time and learning so much. What I saw today made me proud to be an American."
"Me too, son," he answered, "and you're welcome. Is that all?"
"Actually, no. I've been thinking a lot about what we talked about this morning about flaring tempers. There were some incidents yesterday of which I am not proud. But I want you to know that I have it under control now. And I think I have a solution to prevent any more from happening."
"Is that right," he asked, capping the oil reservoir and standing up to look me in the eye. Why did I feel like he could see right into my brain?
"Y-yes sir," I stuttered, "with all of us bottled up together, day and night, a few flared tempers were bound to happen. But I think it would really help if we had a little more room to spread out - maybe two rooms instead of just the one? In fact, I-I would be willing to watch the girls if you and mother would like the evening to yourselves. It's the least I can do to pay you back for such a wonderful vacation."
Having delivered my prepared speech, I sweated it out while he slammed the hood closed. He gazed off into the distance for a few seconds, then said, "that Beatrice sure has come around on you lately. Mary, too. I haven't seen you kids get along this well since...well, ever."
Though my heart was pounding, I held my ground. All that practice standing at attention was coming in handy. When his face broke into a rare smile, I took it as a good sign.
"I suppose I could use a libo pass, if you know what I mean," he said, with a wink. I did not know what he meant, but I nodded anyway.
"You're gonna watch the girls, all right - more than that, if you're not careful," he opined. His smile widening, he added, "You're growing up fast - learning there's just something about us Askis men that a Conyor woman can't resist. Anything else?"
I was flustered by his words and felt my cheeks growing warm. But seeing him in such a good mood, I pressed my luck.
"Actually, there is one more thing. There was an...accident, with my suitcase this morning. I haven't been able to check on it since we packed up. I'll take my things to a laundromat ASAP. But I am worried about what shape my Sunday kit will be in."
Without a second thought, he peeled a ten-dollar bill off his money clip and handed it to me. My proposal to give him the night off with his bride must have really put him in a good mood!
"Mother would never abide one of you kids showing up to church without looking your best," he agreed. He even threw in a few extra bucks to pay for meals and laundry. It would seem he didn't want to be disturbed the rest of the evening.
With a solemn nod, I about-faced and walked calmly back to my door. On the inside, I was squealing like a kid on Christmas morning for one reason; he had called me a man! And when I settled back into my seat and saw the naked girls I would be solely responsible for watching all evening, I only barely kept the squealing child from bursting out of me.
I schemed and fantasized for the next half hour. And as my ambition grew, so too did my plans. Since I now had responsibilities, I paid close attention to our surroundings as we entered the main drag of town. I spotted a laundromat not far from a department store and picked out a drive-in that advertised juicy sliders.
I was giddy with excitement when we pulled into the parking lot of the Tuck Me Inn where we would be spending the night. After checking us in, Frank parked in front of our units.
"We're doing separate rooms tonight," he announced, "Mother and I are on the left. Junior will unload the car for both rooms and take charge of the second group. Reconvene at breakfast. Departure for church will be o-eight-hundred."
Because the news didn't surprise me, I jumped right into action and took possession of the key to our room. Walking straight to the door on the right and unlocking it, I stood at attention and held it open for the girls. It was mostly to show my father that I was up to the task of managing my charges.
Mary knew the drill and didn't hesitate to take advantage of the open doorway. Darting from the car, she ran straight inside to enjoy the relative privacy within. Bea was a little slower to catch on but soon scrambled inside like her sister. Cindy was the last to arrive. She always wore her emotions on her face. And as she stomped past me, frowning and with her arms crossed, I knew she was still mad at me for changing the seating arrangements and stealing her only seat partner.
I wasn't worried, though. That girl couldn't hold a grudge to save her life. It wouldn't be long before she had forgiven me and I was back to enjoying her unlimited supply of dimpled smiles.
I unloaded the car in record time; helped a great deal by the fact that two of our members had nothing to unload. When I was finished, I checked in on Frank and asked to borrow the car keys to run my errands. I had driven around our little town enough times to be confident in my driving abilities and correctly guessed that, in his current mood, he would be agreeable to such a request. The only thing left to do was establish the pecking order and set expectations with the girls.
Entering my unit, I barked out a shaky, "Fall in!"
They knew the drill and were already giving me their full attention. But because those words were coming from me instead of my father, the girls did not jump to comply. Without Frank's intimidating presence to keep them in line, I fought to mask my nervousness.
How did he so effortlessly project authority and ensure respect? He was always so confident that whatever order he issued would be followed without question. But how? In the wild, the most dangerous creatures are the hunters. The silent predators you may never hear coming. Trying to mimic my father's calm assuredness, I lowered my voice to almost a whisper and looked straight at Mary.
"I said...fall in."
Her eyes bulged when she felt herself being singled out from the herd. If I could get her to comply, the rest would come around. Leaving her to ponder her fate, I took a stroll around the room to take in the decorations.
It was a standard motel room - sparsely furnished. There was a closet by the bathroom door and a small area rug just inside the entrance, but no carpet. Mary and Bea had already claimed the double bed - or so they thought - and were using the comforter to cover themselves. Cindy was sitting in the only chair in the corner, still sulking.
The bland painting on the wall was especially uninspiring. But my opinion may have been skewed by appreciating fine art all day. With my back turned to the room, I heard the soft shuffling of bedding and allowed myself to crack a tiny smile. When I turned back, Mary was standing at the end of the bed. Following her lead, her sisters had fallen in line on either side of her. My troops were assembled and awaiting orders.
"I'm going to run some errands," I announced, "Mary, help Cindy set up her cot and make sure she finishes her bath before I get back. You may watch tv when it's done. Beatrice, you're with me. Grab my suitcase and come to the car."
As I expected, they all started talking at once.
"I know how to take care of myself," Cindy replied with a frown, "I'm not a baby, you know."
"I'll watch tv whenever I want," said Mary.
"Oh, no! I'm not going anywhere," Bea insisted, eyeing the door to the outside warily. This room was the closest thing to privacy she had experienced all day. I couldn't blame her for not giving it up without a fight.
The speed at which they all three had started arguing proved just how fragile my control over the situation really was. Being outnumbered three to one, I needed to even the odds. Divide and conquer. Singling out the weakest member, I rose to my full height to loom over Cindy.
"Cynthia Sue Conyor," I growled, my voice as dark and ominous as I could make it, "go take your bath and set up your cot this instant. I am not asking."
Incensed at being treated like a child, she set her jaw adorably and glared up at me. But as the gentlest, least confrontational of the three, her resistance immediately began to wilt without support from her sisters. Her eyes darted toward them in the hope that they would back her up. But this was not a fight they were willing to take up.
"Gah! Fine," she grumbled, stomping her foot.
If she didn't want to be treated like a child, she should really stop acting like one all the time. I stood at attention and waited for her to collect her things and exit to the bathroom before proceeding. Now it was only two against one. And the two who were left were completely naked and in a much more vulnerable state of mind. I liked those odds.
Squaring up on Bea, I said, "I know you were the one who filled my suitcase with water."
She gulped and bowed her head. If I had any lingering doubts about her guilt her response drove them all away.
"It might be too late to salvage anything, but I'm going to the laundromat to at least try. And you're going to help, whether you like it or not. Now take my suitcase to the car and wait for me there. That is an order."
"Yes, sir," she replied automatically.
I waited in silence while she shuffled over to retrieve my suitcase and carried it to the front door. Hugging it to her chest, the naked girl steeled herself for further public exposure with a deep breath then opened the door and scurried to the car.
With the odds evened, I turned to address Mary. Softening my stance and my voice, I shared the rest of my evening plans - as if to an equal.
"Now, I have to run some errands. Bea and I should be back in about an hour with dinner. Make sure Cindy finishes her bath. I'll do yours when I get back."
Reminded that, in exchange for borrowing my clothes for the day, I was now in charge of bathing her, she started to squirm where she stood. At least she could have anticipated that bill coming due. But the surprise bomb I was also about to drop on her, she never saw coming.
“It’s not fair that I have to sleep on the floor every night. I’m tired of it. From now on, we’ll be doing a bunk rotation. Tonight, you and I will share the bed."
"WHAT? NO WAY," she exclaimed, hugging her body even more tightly, "you have no right!" I knew better than to argue with her when she was this wound up. Luckily, I had the perfect way to snap her out of her argumentative state of mind...literally.
When I snapped my fingers, her brow furrowed in frustration. It took her a few seconds to comply. But eventually, she lowered her hands and clasped them behind her back as agreed. I waited until she had painted a pleasant, agreeable smile on her face before continuing. Then I reached down and placed my hand over her pubic heart.
"Actually, I have every right," I explained. Her squirming increased as I slowly ran my fingers up and down the length of my domain, "I'm allowed to pet this whenever I want, remember? If I want to do it all night, I don't see any other way to unless we share the bed."
As the reality of what I was proposing sank in with her, all I could think about was my father's insightful prediction.
You're gonna watch the girls, all right - more than that, if you're not careful.
"Come on, Mary," I said, "don't think I haven't noticed how stressed you've been lately. If you would just relax and let yourself be pampered once in a while, you would feel a lot better."
Still squirming, she closed her eyes to think while I pressed my case.
"I'm doing this more for your sake than mine. I thought you trusted me. Besides, you're too young and too pretty to be getting worry lines."
Her shoulders softened, her cheeks blushed, and a barely noticeable smile appeared on her lips. When she opened her eyes, there was a look of genuine trust in them. Even though that was the exact result I was shooting for, the speed with which she came around and decided to trust me was surprising.
"Ok, but...what about Bea? Where will she sleep," she asked.
I glanced down at the double bed which was not built to sleep three people comfortably. But though I hadn't thought that part through yet, I still tried to give a confident answer.
"Where she sleeps is not your concern. You let me worry about that. I'll take care of everything, I promise."
Mary nodded and accepted my statement without contention. Feigning confidence though I was a little in shock by her acquiescence, I let go of her heart and walked to the door before looking back. She had visibly relaxed and even had the slightest smile on her face. For the first time all vacation, she actually looked like she might be happy.
And why shouldn't she be? I was feeding her, clothing her, helping her get clean, and providing a soft bed after a long and stressful day. Maybe my father was right about all that feminist talk of self-determination and independence being nonsense. Maybe all she really needed all along was to find a man she could trust and let him take care of everything.
This one was fun. Thanks, Neverdoubted. And as usual, you've created a fine cliffhanger that essentially says, "stay tuned for the next exciting chapter."
When she unbent, my eyes were drawn to the fuzzy heart on her abdomen, and I thought of Bea. When the time was right, I intended to get to the bottom of that mystery. 
I was having so much fun that I spent longer than I intended to in the "Mother Nature" section. Bea had a tense look on her face the whole time and did not relax back to her usual, neutral expression until the earthquake machines were safely out of sight. But her nipples took much longer to relax. And even when they softened, they could perk back up to full stiffness in a heartbeat.
Having two obedient step sisters would be great.