Chapter 6: Thursday

I showed Nikki a copy of the Urquhart report at lunch the next day. Simply put it next to her tray. "I found the letter in dad's room, I copied it," I said. I watched her slowly chew her food as she read the words. I saw the exact instant when understanding came into her eyes.

"Oh my gawd ... it's true," she finally mumbled. "He has been banana split sperming us!"

I didn't answer. Instead I bent over and pulled a plastic container from my purse.

"What is it?" she asked as I removed its cover.

"Creme Brulee," I answered as I stuck a plastic spoon into the caramel colored treat.

"Your father made it?" Nikki had a horrified look on her face. I nodded.

"What's in it?" she asked as she watched the spoon as it approached her lips.

"Open wide," I lured, then licked my lips.

"You're just making it up aren't you? To get even for last Sunday." I pushed the laden spoon between her lips. I made her eat every last drop.

"Where's yours?' she asked after she'd finished the desert.

"I had mine fresh this morning ... on my blueberries," I said with a wink.

'You're so full of shit."

"You were right."

"About what?"

"It is big. Very, very beeg."

"What is?" I picked up my tray and stood up. Nikki rushed after me.

"You didn't see it. No way. You're just trying to get my--"

I turned back towards my friend. When she was close enough I leaned over and whispered in her ear, "You're the lucky one. Guess where daddy's going to plant his big sequoia on Earth Day?"

"What big sequoia?"

"His sperm making one."

"His penis? He's going to plant it somewhere? Where?"

"Well he certainly can't plant it in his daughter can he? Which leaves whom?"

"In me?" Nikki whispered.

My friend was pretty smart after all. Maybe Daddy's sperm had made her smarter.

Nikki stayed for dinner with us that night. She often did when I was staying at dad's so it was no big deal. We'd do our homework together after school and then troop down for dinner. Daddy had also invited Carmen to dinner and that was rare. We were trying hard not to but Nikki and I must have continually stared at her and acted nervous because after the first course, while we were waiting for daddy to bring in the dessert, she suddenly asked, "Your daddy told you didn't he?"

"Told us what?" Nikki asked even as I nodded yes to the question.

"I don't mind. In fact I'm glad you know," she answered.

"You had a baby?" I asked. Carmen nodded.

"You're really still lactating?" Nikki asked.

"Uh huh." Then, as daddy came through the door with a lemon meringue pie in his hands she turned to him and said, "Aren't I daddy?"

Daddy? Wasn't she the mommy and daddy the baby?

"Aren't you what?" my father asked as he set the pie down in front of me. It had always been my job to serve out the desserts. "No meringue for me tonight Ems, I've just got to get back on my diet," he added as he sat down. I looked over at Nikki. Her mouth was gaping open and her eyes were staring at the whipped topping on the pie. "You were saying my dear?" he said to Carmen.

"The girls were asking about my breasts ... about the milk. I think they'd like to try it." She turned back to Nikki and I. "Wouldn't you girls?"

"We didn't say that," I protested but my head was nodding yes even as I spoke. Both the Nikkster and I then watched with wide open eyes as Carmen slowly unbuttoned her blouse.

"We could all have some with our pie," dad suggested as Carmen unsnapped her bra. I cut a piece of pie and handed it to Nikki. She almost dropped it. Her eyes were latched onto the drop of milk that had suddenly appeared at the end of Carmen's left teat.

And so that night I tasted milk produced by a human female breast for the first time in over eighteen years, for the first time since my mother had weaned me so long ago. I mean how could I have refused? I didn't want to hurt Carmen's feelings after all she'd been through.

It tasted pretty good! Nikki liked it too but was worried about the calories. "How many calories in each serving Mr. McIntosh?" she asked after she'd swallowed more than her fair share.