Distraction

 

Chapter 13: Moving On...

 

Once I was dried off and out of the bathroom -- this time all wrapped up -- I headed for my room.

Everyone had vacated the living room, but when I entered my room, Brittany was there. "Uh, can I get dressed first?"

"Sure, but I need your measurements first." It took me a second to remember why.

"Right now?"

"Why not? Both of us are here and you're in the perfect dress for me to tape up." She pulled out a roll from her coat pocket and spoke in the tiniest voice behind the band of measuring tape she was unrolling. "See? Ready."

I inhaled slowly and shut the door behind me. Leaning against the door, I exhaled just as slowly and nodded. "Okay." In the moment, I removed the towel and set it off onto the computer chair's back. When I turned to look at Brittany, she stared down my body with a frown.

"He did that?" I looked down to where she was looking and plainly nodded. "Did you show Mom this -- this morning? Before Jeremy showed up?" I hesitated. I'm pretty sure my pajama top covered most of the bruises, but not my knees.

"Some, I think." I quickly brought my hands up, to stall her thought. "Please don't tell her. I don't want this getting any worse." I remembered how Greg reacted and knew that this could get a Hell lot worse than it already was. I begged, "Please?"

She didn't move or change a single thing in her expression as she looked at me. It was like she was frozen in thought. Then I noticed she was staring at my hands. After her shocked expression dropped, she nodded. "I won't tell either of them, but I'm having a word with Jeremy. Personally."

"Not him either!"

"Yes I am. We can have a civil talk." She plucked at her coat, "I've more than just the material to show off my maturity." This was the first time I've seen Brittany act this way. I've seen this behavior before. There was a temper underneath, but it was kept bottled up and waiting for the right person to unleash it on. Like I was when Chase, but I always let it out on the only person I cared about.

"Please just -- just don't go off on him." Her brow raised at me and I saw her facial features soften.

"I won't.” After seeing how she looked upon the discovery of my hands, I doubted that. “I promise." Her gaze dropped down to her hand, and she raised up the measuring tape. "Shall we?" The fun mood she was in had gone because of me, but she was still invested in accomplishing this task. I did agree to help her, and the only way would be for her to gain the right measurements for the correctly sized clothes.

Standing still, I followed her instructions as she leveled herself up, down, and all around me with the length of tape. It took several minutes, her having to mark down the numbers and text them in her cell afterwards. Each time she measured me, I felt her fingers lightly touch places I didn’t know were sore or aching. When she knelt down to the large drawer of my bed, she pulled it open.

Without emotion in her voice, she said, "You can get dressed now. I'll be out to gather up the sets. Be back in a few hours, okay?" ’Hours? To cross a river?’ I kept my mouth shut and nodded as I knelt down by her side to find something from the drawer. "Might want to wear another pair of PJs. Everything else you own will give away your current shape to Mom and Greg." Looking over the variety, I had to agree.

"Thanks, Brittany." Her hand ruffled my short hair for a few seconds. Then she pulled me into a hug.

"You're my -- you’re my little sis. I'm going to do whatever I can for you." She stood up. "Greg's job was to protect you. My turn to get vengeance." Then she stood up and stormed out of my room before I could protest.

"No..." In haste, I pulled out a pair of PJs and got dressed up as quickly that I could. Running out of my room, I hurried through the living room and kitchen to jump outside. I knew that Shelly had a car, but I never saw Brittany drive or any another vehicle hanging around.

She stood by the curb of the street.

I jogged down behind and called her. "Brittany!"

Turning, she faced me and smiled. "Shouldn't be out here."

I yelled at her. "You promised just to talk!" She cringed.

"I am. Keep your voice down." Walking to my side, she pulled me against her in a one armed hug. "All we will do is talk. There are ways I can hurt him without it coming back to bite us."

"How?"

"I'm not going to fuck him anymore, if that helps." My face dropped any expression I had before and I only stared at her in disbelief. "What? You thought he was only attracted to you?" I shook my head and broke out of her hug.

"Do whatever." As I told her this, and about to head back inside, she began to laugh. I looked over my shoulder at her.

"I'm kidding." She muffled herself for a second before restating, "I'm kidding. We never did anything together."

That just pissed me off. "What the Hell? Why -- really? You're making fun of me now?"

"Mhm. Better to be angry with me than someone you're not sure about." ’What the Hell was she talking about!?’ After this, I didn't care what she did so long her promise was kept.

"I'm going back in. Do whatever." I heard her laugh one more time before I shut the door behind me.

I had stopped for a split second in the kitchen, then turned with my head bowed to watch where I was walking before turning around again. I paced, shaking my head. "This family is fucked up."

Clenching my fist, I faced the sink's counter and slammed my knuckles down onto the solid top. Hissing through my teeth, I stood still and waited for the flare of pain in my hand to finish its course before backing away. My throbbing hand was cradled while I walked back to my room.

Sitting down on the edge of my bed, I thought about Jeremy. ’To start off my thoughts, a prince? Royalty? Our own family having a connection by blood? Did that make him a distant cousin or something?’ It all felt overwhelmingly unreal to me.

I fell back on my bed, holding my hand against my chest while still stirring my thoughts around that peculiar subject. "How did it work?" I asked myself about my world and what royalty persisted there. All I've ever heard about was the English, which was a messy family tree of royal claims to the crown up until the King Georges.

I knew there had to be others with royal bloodlines running around the world. Those who were too far from the direct line to be recognized anymore or had done something deserving to be shunned out of the spotlight. Maybe they didn't have any holdings or were so down in their luck that they flipped burgers for a living, but they existed.

Laughing, I wondered if that was how Burger King came into existence. In that thought, I also wondered what the Ondine family had done to be banished. Becoming an exile doesn't happen without reason.

I rolled onto my side and laid curled up. ’What should I do?’ It sounded like there was a way to make amends for my stupidity last night by marrying the guy. Problem was, he's a guy. I might have the body of a girl, but my mind was still Chase. I liked women. I know I enjoyed the sight of a woman's body and they never failed to bring the warm morning sunshine up in my pants. At least online. Never had been with a real woman before. Except Dr. Anstone. 

I wasn't Chase with her and I didn't have the same view like I did before. In fact, I felt nothing until she was knuckle deep in me. Maybe a little before that, in the bath, she stirred something in me, but it was all forced out of me. Just like how I felt when Jeremy did what he did to me... ’Right?’

I got up from bed and walked to the computer. Sitting in the chair, I grabbed and piled the towel on the corner of my desk while I woke the monitor up. The chat with JC and me was still displayed.

Taking one look at my status, it still showed I was offline and I kept it that way. I was tempted to look at the previous conversations that Kim had with Jeremy, but I didn't care about it anymore. Instead, I was interested in exploring something that worried me a little.

Bringing up the search engine, I began cultivating a crop of the many women who had their naked or intimate images uploaded onto the internet. There were a few I found to be of interest, but it didn't really push my buttons in any way. ’Maybe I was still in too much pain from letting my anger out on the sink?’ Not like I had recovered much from last night either.

Closing my eyes, I tried picturing both my past and current self with these women. The kind of acts that we would do together. How much fun and excitement our sexual encounter could bring. Letting out a sigh, I guessed it was an okay series of fantasies. It might be better if I was touching myself, but not now. Not with these damaged hands.

Shaking my head, I ended the search and got up from the computer. The other notion I had to look up disturbed me too much to find out the answer. I was into women and that was all I planned to be interested in.

Walking out of my room, I took note that no one had yet to make a noise in the house. ’Maybe I was home alone?’ I doubted it. Shelly's car was still out front, at least that was when I last checked. Looking at Greg's door, I contemplated giving it a knock. A pair of acute spikes of pain in both of my hands told me that was not a good idea.

"Hey Greg? Are you in there?" I heard a soft noise, like something brushing along the floor. A few sounds of his footsteps later and the door opened.

He looked down at me. "How are you holding up?"

I shook my head and lied, "I'm good." He was too big for me to see around him at what his room looked like. "What are you up to?"

"Bored?" I shrugged. "Did you want to play some pool?" My hands wouldn't be capable, so I shook my head.

"Not today. What about your suggestions on getting me in shape? You have an idea what I could work on?" I had to take a step back as he walked out of his room with the door shutting behind him.

"Let's go sit in the living room." I turned and led the way out until I sat down on the couch. He took a seat next to me. "First thing is first. Water. Lots of water. Keep yourself hydrated before working out."

"Won't I get cramps?"

"That's the second thing. Diet. I want you to take stock of nutrients and what they do for the body. The more you learn about that, the better your body can respond to whatever is thrown at you." I suppose that made sense. Kind of like how ginger root was good for upset stomachs and such remedies.

"Sounds like my biggest workout is a mental one."

"Only at first. Once you have it all planned out, then just follow it. That easy." Greg clapped his hands down on his thighs. "I'll fit you in a schedule, but I'll need you to study up until then."

"Okay." Something else was on my mind. "Do you think I could learn some self-defense while at it?"

He was quiet for a few seconds before I watched him nod. "Yeah. I'll ask Brittany to teach you that." That was a surprise.

"You don't know any?"

"I do, but it's for someone built like me. You don't fit that package." ’What kind of self defense relies on someone his size and not work for somebody like me?’ I didn't ask, but I did nod in accepting Brittany to be my potential instructor.

"Sure. I look forward to her giving me a lesson." We smiled and he stood up.

"Alright. You hungry?" Last I recalled, stromboli was the last thing I ate. I gave him a nod. "I'll cook something up."

"Want me to --" I paused and pressed my hands down into my lap gingerly. "Never mind. I'll be --"

"Why don't you check up on Mom? I'll call both of you when it is ready." Nodding, I stood up as he walked out into the kitchen.

Taking a moment, I wondered if it was a good idea to talk with Shelly after the conversation we had with Jeremy. I didn't want it brought up, but I wasn't sure what else we would be talking about. I guessed there was only one way I’d find out.

To her door, I called for her. "Ah... Mom? You in there?" ’If I didn't want to pretend anymore, should I really be calling her my mother?’ It would hurt her if I stopped. I sighed while I listened to her steps approaching the door.

When she opened the door, I saw she was in mid-dress. A long dress, skirted long enough to curtain her long legs fully, but she wore only a lacey blue bra above. I had the full view of her bosom's outlined shape and how gravity would play with them once freed from her intricately designed lingerie. Through the lace, I could even make out the darker shades of her flesh boldly pointing at me.

Issue I had now was I didn't feel a single tickle of excitement in me and these huge knockers were literally in my face! Closing my eyes and rubbing the spot between them, I shook my head. "Mom, why are you changing?" That had to be it. I'm associating her as Mom. ’It's weirding me out, right?’

"I have to make arrangements for later." ‘Arrangements? For what, later?’ Opening my eyes back up, I took a look at her with curiosity.

"What arrangements?"

"Dress. Remember, the invitations will come and I want us to be ready." It's not today! ’Right?’

"When is it?" I dropped my hand down to cross my arms over my stomach. "Please tell me it isn't going to be soon."

"I don't know yet and that is why I'm getting ready in case it's sooner than we expected." My shoulders dropped and I tightened my grip around my waist.

"Can I not go?" She went silent. Then, without me registering it right away, I fell into her embrace and was hugged against those massive cushions on her chest.

"Let's discuss this in here." I don't think that was a choice as I was pulled immediately in with her. The door shut.

"Okay?" No real idea what that was about, but she stopped being pushy once the door closed. ’Just a guess, but maybe Greg saw us and she didn't feel comfortable being half naked?’

She directed me towards the bed. "Sit down with me." ’Again, what choice did I have?’ She dragged me down to sit and I watched her sigh before speaking. "You and Jeremy were together --"

"I'm not Kim!" ’How many times did I have to go over this? Did I really have to bring out the Crazy Card here?’ "Please, I don't know who she was with or who she ever was. If I keep pretending to be her, are you going to be happy knowing that I'm just an actor?"

She shook her head, and pulled me against her chest again. Her hand smoothly stroked over the short bristling hairs on my head down flat while she gently shushed me. I shuddered a breath and relaxed a bit on her.

"Mom, I'm sorry --"

"You're you." Over my head, I felt the press of her lips a few times as she whispered into my hair. "There’s no reason for me to quit being your mother. Neither should you quit being my daughter." I dropped my crossed arms to lay them on my lap. 

"I just don't want anything to do with him. I -- I want to forget him and last night." There was a poke on the top of my head. It took me a little bit of time to figure out she was resting her chin on my head. "That kinda hurts, you know?"

"Sorry." She rubbed her chin in. "That better?"

"Ow, no!" I ducked and wondered what she was doing that for.

"Really? How about this?" Suddenly, I felt the tips of her digits lightly dig into my side, but shifted away from that spot to rapidly attack me in a tickle.

I broke up in a little light laugh while begging her to, "Stop!" When her arm moved more tightly around my injured arm, I winced, but kept very quiet about it. I knew what she was doing -- getting my mind off last night -- just that her method was flawed. She wasn't fully aware of my condition.

In a few seconds, she did stop when I didn't raise my laughter. I smiled, but I felt it too late how strained it was on my face. "Hon, it won't be bad to go."

"What happened to me keeping out of public?"

"This is private." ’I knew the meaning of the word, but what did that mean to all of us?’ I just nodded and resigned myself.

"Fine." Shutting my eyes, I hanged my head down and leaned against her while wondering what could go wrong at this party.

"You're not going alone. All of us are -- the whole family was invited." I opened my eyes and looked up at her. ’Why did I feel like there was hidden meaning in her correction?’ A little 'but' somewhere in there.

"That's a good thing, right?" After I asked, I was hugged fully by her then.

"Only if the men behave." Men. In other words, Shelly worried about Greg and Jeremy going at each other like a pair of wild lions protecting their pride. It was very easy for me to picture both of them as lions, one with a black mane and the other red. ’I guess that would make me a golden one?’

I shook my head to get the furry-fluff out.

"Do you want to help me arrange outfits?" I supposed. There was somethings I could be doing right now, but the idea that I could be of some help did appeal to me.

"Yeah." She broke her hug and allowed me to stand back up. I curled my fingers up into the sleeves to hide their injuries while I helped hand her clothes to sort out and decide upon wearing. This experience gave me a little insight on what Shelly wore often, which was more business attire. Everything was business with her. "Don't you have, I don't know, more girly clothes?"

"Girly?" She plucked up her skirt to show me. "I'm not borrowing your father's clothes here." To add emphasis, she shook the obvious skirt.

I shook my head. "Not that. Uhh... Pinks and yellows, with some light blue to compliment the colors? Polka-dots? A ribbon? Something other than the Agent Smi-- I mean, both you and Brittany, even Greg, wear suits. Jeremy came here with a suit on."

"Yes?" She shifted her eyes to the clothes and then back to me like there was absolutely nothing strange about this. I lowered my head and shook it again.

"I don't want to wear a suit if I'm going." That caused her to raise a brow.

"What do you want to wear?" I bit on my lower lip for a moment to think about that.

When I let go of my lip, I told her. "Let me find out first what Brittany is bringing over."

"I heard about that this morning. What are you two up to?" A sheepish grin crossed my lips.

"Uh, we are doing that photo shoot here." She gave me an intense look.

"I thought I made myself clear yesterday?"

"We're doing it in here. No one knows who I am by looking at me." I gave her a clear picture by gesturing at my face and down the rest of my figure.

"When she comes home, tell her I want to have a talk before she does anything else." ’Did I just get Brittany into trouble?’

In haste, I spoke out. "It was my idea. I wanted to wear some other clothes than what I have been." It wasn't entirely a lie. "Please let us --"

"Enough." Her hand shot up and pressed a finger straight across my lips. "I understand and will consider it. Right now, nothing will change until that brat comes back." Never heard Shelly call Brittany that before. Then again, I might have a little over a day's worth of being with this family. I had a lot to learn.

Her finger pulled away from my face. "Okay." Looking over the clothes she had laid out so far, I had to ask. "Are you ever hot in these?"

"No." She paused to look at me in confusion, then nodded. "I see that you need some education." A sigh left her lips. I've noticed a lot of sighing or head shaking today. "The material keeps in our body temperature." That's called being insulated. "When we begin to get hot, then the material cools us off a degree or two."

"How?"

"Simple. Your body is at a currently a comfortable temperature and remains monitored for adjustment." ’Monitored?’

"I'm being watched? Through my clothes?" I watched her laugh at that.

"Not watched. No one is looking at you. There is a program that regulates everything." A program. I'll have to figure that one out.

"Has there ever been a glitch and toasted somebody?"

"Don't you think what you wore would be burning before you did?" That was a good point. If it started getting too hot, I'd remove something. Especially if it started smoking. 

That partially explained one mystery. I gave my sleeve a small pinch and imagined I was crushing nanobots the size of skin mites in the threading.’Maybe I'd see a little plume of smoke?’ Doubt it, but it was a fun thought that made me smile.

One knock on the door later, we heard Greg say, "Lunch." I blinked and thought about it. I guessed I did miss breakfast. Shelly pulled on a matching pair of black tops, a blouse and jacket, to cover herself before heading for the door.

"Thank you Greg. Be out in a minute." She turned to look at me and smiled. "I'll make a call tomorrow about what we can do for you and school."

"If they don't want me in school, why not homeschool?" ’Like hire a tutor or taking some online courses?’ Thing was, I didn't like those ideas very much. 

A tutor gave me a little fear of them repeating incidents like at the hospital. Everyone had their own quirk and didn't appear to be afraid to show it. Then there was online school, which would just drag out all day in my room and being on the computer by myself would tempt me to browse the web or play games... I didn't want to wedge my foot into that door and return to being a reclusive hermit.

"We will find out. I'll give them a call and hear what they have to offer. Sound good?" She finished buttoning up her jacket as I nodded. "Hungry?"

"Yeah, actually I was talking with Greg before he started cooking. Then here I am." Nodding to me, she opened the door and waved for me to come follow her out...