Chapter 22

The farm around her seemed to extend for miles and miles. Julie, in an antiquated, long flowing dress, walked toward the barn. She cradled her swollen belly in her hands. The clouds glowed pink on the horizon, but she didn’t know if that was east or west. Was the day in its infancy or at its end?

A rhythmic sound of water splashing caught Julie’s attention. She wandered through the barn door. Not water, but milk. A farmgirl sat on a stool, milking a cow with bloated udders. The girl was dirty, with a lean build, and blond hair. She turned when she heard Julie’s footsteps.

“Are you lost, ma’am?” The farmgirl’s smile was warm and friendly.

“I don’t know. I can’t find home.” Julie looked around the barn. There was another cow, two horses, and some ducks softly quacking in the corner.

“Oh, you’re talking about the Palmer House. It’s up the road a way.” The farmgirl’s eyes knitted with concern. “But you don’t want to make your home there. You wouldn’t believe what Mr. Palmer did to his wife.” She turned back to her milking, still talking casually, as if engaged in neighborhood gossip. “There was a grand old clock at the top of the stairway. In a fury, he tore the thing open, removed its workings, and went searching for his pregnant wife.”

“I don’t think I want to hear anymore.” Julie shivered in the cold. She still didn’t know if it was dawn or dusk. The milk splashed rhythmically in the bucket.

“When he found the lady of the house, he sliced her right open and pulled her workings right out of her. Just like that. He then stuffed what he had of the clock inside her.” The farmgirl continued to squeeze the udders, not looking back at Julie. “But that’s not the worst of it. The man then took her workings up to that hollowed out clock and placed them neatly inside. And ... somehow, the clock started right back up ticking again. That enraged Mr. Palmer something fierce, but even as they took him away, the clock struck the hour like it always did.”

“God help me.” Julie backed away from the girl, watching her blond hair shake slightly with her movements.

“Don’t you see?” The farmgirl kept on with her work as she talked. “God doesn’t want to help you. Mr. Palmer is the hand of God. You need to seek help from those wronged by Him. Not those doing terrible things.” The milk splashed in the bucket. Splish, splash, splish, splash.

Julie woke with a start. The rhythmic sound of milk flowing had somehow followed her out of her dream. She blinked her eyes in the dark. She lay on her back in bed, and someone was on top of her. Julie knew who it was. “Khadra,” Julie whispered. “I told you, not with George here.”

“Mmmmmppphhhh.” Khadra didn’t respond, she kept gulping down milk from Julie’s left boob.

“Ooohhhhhhh, Khadra.” Julie couldn’t help herself. She cupped the woman’s wavy hair and held her head to her breast. George snored just a foot away. This was too much. George would find out about everything if she couldn’t put a lid on the naked woman writhing on top of her. Oh, no. Julie realized that Khadra had forgotten her modesty. Julie could feel their skin to skin contact. The woman was so warm. Khadra’s thigh nudged in between Julie’s legs and rubbed up against Julie’s panties. “Aaaaaahhhhhh.” Julie sucked her breath in. The thigh rubbed and rubbed against Julie’s pussy.

Khadra lifted her mouth off Julie’s nipple. “I have never felt more safe than at your breast. Let me make you feel good, too.” She rocked her hips against the larger woman. From the sounds Julie made, she knew it was working. The pleasure consumed the rest of the world so completely that Khadra didn’t even care that her rocking motion might wake Julie’s husband. She placed her mouth on Julie’s right nipple, and drank some more.

“Ugh ... ugh ... ooohhhhhh.” Julie loved the pressure of Khadra’s breasts on Julie’s round belly. “Khadra ... Khadra ... you’re going to make me...” Julie’s hips writhed with Khadra’s. “It’s ... good...” Julie bit down on her blanket and trembled out her climax. “Mmmmmmmppppphhhh.” When Julie was done, Khadra still moved on top of her, gulping milk. “We ... have to ... stop,” Julie whispered.

“Jules?” George rolled over. “What... ?” Sleep wouldn’t quite leave him as he tried to pull himself awake.

Julie panicked. She pushed Khadra off her, so that the poor woman fell right out of bed on the floor with an audible “oof.” In the same move, Julie reached over and pushed her husband out of the other side of the bed. He hit the floor with a thud.

“Ow.” George rubbed his head. “What happened?” He sat up and looked at his wife in bed in the starlight.

“You must have had a nightmare, George. You jumped out of bed.” Julie looked at him with honest concern.

“I did?” George got to his feet and climbed back into bed. “I was having a nightmare.”

“Are you hurt?” Julie rubbed his shoulder.

“No, I’m fine.” George put his head on the pillow. “I’m just tired. I have more work in the basement tomorrow. Need to get some rest.” And within twenty seconds he snored again.

“Khadra?” Julie looked over the edge of her side of the bed. The dark naked woman hugged the cold floor. At least Khadra had the sense to stay hidden. “We need to talk,” Julie whispered. She slipped out of bed, pulled the woman to her feet, and led her out of the bedroom by the hand. She quietly closed the door behind them.

“I’m sorry.” Khadra stood naked in the hall, shivering. She looked up into to Julie’s eyes, but everything was dark. “I don’t know what came over me. I ... just ... need you.”

“Look, I understand.” Julie, naked but for her soaked panties, put her hands on Khadra’s shoulders and leaned forward to bring herself down to Khadra’s level. She was aware that her breasts now dangled out in the open. “But my marriage is sacrosanct. We have to respect George. If you need me, come wake me up and I’ll join you in your room.”

“What?” An unexpected smile crept over Khadra’s face. “Really?”

“Really.” Julie nodded. “Have you had enough milk for the night?”

“Could I have more, please?” Khadra wasn’t sure if she was being greedy.

“Of course.” Julie took her hand and led her into the guest room. “All you have to do is ask.”

The Andersons decided to fill their house for New Year’s Eve. They invited friends from church, school, and their old neighborhood. They didn’t expect to have such an expansive house again once they sold the mansion. So, New Year’s was as good a time as any for a big party.

“Should we be drinking champagne?” Madison stood with her back to a roaring fire in the home’s main living room, Brittney had an arm casually over Madison’s shoulder.

“It’s not expensive champagne. Just because we live in a mansion, doesn’t mean we’re rich.” Brittney had rosy cheeks, and a certain loss of inhibitions. It wasn’t her first sip of champagne that night.

“I just mean, I’m still three years away from twenty-one.” Madison looked at her plastic cup with its bubbling, golden liquid.

People milled around the room. Laughter and chatter filled the air.

“Come on, girl. You’ve got blue hair for heaven’s sake. Drink with me.” Brittney clanged her cup against Madison’s and took a sip.

“Mrs. Samatar.” Brittney smiled over at her girlfriend. “Come have a drink with me.”

“Happy New Year, Brittney.” Khadra walked over to the eighteen-year-old, gave her a hug, and kissed her cheek. “But no alcohol for me, thank you.”

“Are you... ?” Brittney looked down at the woman’s long, formless dress. It was hard to tell if her belly was growing. But then again, she’d seen the woman naked plenty that week, and Khadra’s tummy seemed pretty flat.

“No, no. It’s prohibited by my religion.” Khadra continued to smile as she adjusted her hijab. She looked over at Brittney’s pretty friend. The girl was Brittney’s age, and seemed innocent enough. But Khadra couldn’t read people like she used to. She felt her face growing hot. It was such a short time ago that she’d never had a naughty thought, especially not about other women. Times had changed. “Is your mother around?”

“She’s over there.” Brittney pointed to the other side of the room, where Julie stood talking to Erin Haskins and her husband.

“Do you mind if I... ?” Khadra felt so embarrassed asking for permission to leave a teenager. But there she was.

“Go ahead. Run along. We’ll catch up with you later.” Brittney smiled and waved to Khadra as the dark woman wove through the crowd.

“That was weird.” Madison frowned at the woman.

“Different cultures, I guess.” Brittney shrugged. Her smile widened as Daniel strode up to them, arm in arm with Penelope.

“Does the clock sound louder to you tonight?” Daniel casually took Brittney’s cup from her with his free hand and took a sip.

“It does.” Penelope nodded, looking down at Daniel’s profile.

Brittney paused to listen. Now that he mentioned it, she could hear the ticking even over the buzz of conversation in the room. “It does seem more prominent.”

“Um...” Madison couldn’t hear any clock with the cacophony in the room. She could just hear the fire cracking and popping merrily behind them.

“Five minutes to midnight,” someone in the crowd yelled.

“Hello, Madison.” Daniel looked over at Brittney’s friend, as she stood there awkwardly. “You don’t hear it?”

“Um ... uh...” Madison wondered at the way Daniel’s sister-in-law looked at him. Penelope seemed to be just as infatuated with Daniel as Madison was. But that was impossible. “Um ... well ... hello.”

“Actually, I’ve been meaning to talk to you.” Daniel dropped Penelope’s arm, handed his drink back to his sister, and reached a hand out to Madison. “Got a minute?” With each tick-tock the clock grew louder.

“Sure.” Madison blushed profusely, and took Daniel’s hand.

“I’ll be right back.” Daniel winked at his smirking sister and his frowning sister-in-law. He led Madison through the crowded room, out into the hall, and down the basement stairs. Mercifully, the basement was empty. The clock tick-tocked its way toward midnight somewhere in the house.

“What’s up, Danny?” Madison tried to sound casual as they sat next to each other on the sofa. She smoothed out the fancy dress she wore for the party.

“I think you’re beautiful, Madison.” Daniel put a hand on her thigh.

“Really?” Madison’s blush deepened.

There was a pause. “Well, what do you think of me?” Daniel rubbed her thigh gently. Confidence was so easy once acquired. Before the mansion, Daniel would have died in such a position.

“I think you’re cute.” Madison reprimanded herself. That wasn’t the right thing to say. “I mean, I like you.” No, that was too forward. “I mean, I saw your dick and...” Oh shit, that was really too forward.

“Don’t worry, I get it.” Daniel leaned forward and planted a soft kiss on her lips. He brushed some of her blue hair off her forehead. He kissed her again just as the clock chimed midnight. He pulled back and looked into her blue eyes. “Do you hear that?”

“The clock? Yeah, it’s midnight.” Madison nodded. She realized she’d been holding in her breath. She let it out. The room buzzed around her. She hadn’t had that much champagne.

“Here’s to more kisses in the new year.” Daniel leaned in and darted his tongue into her mouth.

“Yyymmmm pppplllllttthh.” Madison put her hands on his shoulders. What a delight that he was such a good kisser. And that he was kind enough to look past her awkwardness. As the clock’s resonant chimes echoed through the house, Madison thought this was the best way to ring in the new year. The crowd cheered midnight up in the living room. She didn’t even push Daniel’s hand away when it cupped her left boob. The moment was so magical that as the clock finished its twelfth chime, she felt the vibrations from it continue, making the house swim around her. It was almost like they were lost in time.

“Oh, sorry.” George walked down the stairs and tried not to look at the kissing teenagers as he wandered past them in the basement. “I have to fix something in the laundry room.”

Daniel broke his kiss, but kept his hand on Madison’s handful of boob. “Dad? It’s New Year’s Eve. What the heck?”

“Sorry.” George scuffled by. “As you were.” He went into the laundry room and closed the door.

“Why is your dad fixing something in there now?” Madison was a little weirded out by the older man.

“He’s been obsessed with a valve in there for a while.” Daniel shrugged. “Where were we?” He kissed Madison again. He felt her tense this time, but she quickly relaxed.

Eloise stood in the shadows watching the lovebirds. Clearly the powers of the house had changed. She waxed and Frederick waned. The Andersons were truly a delight.

Madison and Daniel made out for about a half hour and the house continued to swim and vibrate around them. Both eighteen-year-olds chalked it up to endorphins, forgetting about George in the next room. Eventually, they pulled themselves away from each other and went back to the party, holding hands.

“Different cultures, I guess.” Brittney shrugged. Her smile widened as Daniel strode up to them, arm in arm with Penelope.

“Does the clock sound louder to you tonight?” Daniel casually took Brittney’s cup from her with his free hand and took a sip.

“It does.” Penelope nodded, looking down at Daniel’s profile.

Brittney paused to listen. Now that he mentioned it, she could hear the ticking even over the buzz of conversation in the room. “It does seem more prominent.”

“Um...” Madison couldn’t hear any clock with the cacophony in the room. She could just hear the fire cracking and popping merrily behind them.

“Five minutes to midnight,” someone in the crowd yelled.

“It’s almost midnight.” Daniel squeezed Penelope a little closer, he could feel her expanding belly on his side. “Is Brad around?” He scanned the room looking for his older brother.

“I think he was busy talking to one of his buddies.” Penelope nodded across the room.

“Good.” Daniel winked at his sister. “See you two in a little bit.” He smiled at Madison, who had the strangest look on her face. He led Penelope down the hall, past a few people laughing and talking by the stairs, and into the library. “I wanted to ring in the new year with you. I hope you don’t mind if you’re not kissing your husband at the stroke of twelve.”

“I don’t mind.” Penelope pulled up her dress, exposing some lacy panties she’d put on for Daniel earlier, hoping for that exact moment between them. “But I don’t want just a kiss.” She turned around, spread her legs, and stuck her butt back at her brother-in-law.

“You’re such a romantic, Pen.” Daniel was already painfully hard. He dropped his pants and boxers and stepped up behind her. “Such a nice ass.” He slapped at her alabaster ass-cheek.

“Ow. Thank you, Danny.” Penelope shivered. She felt him push her panties to the side and slide in. She was so wet for him. “Next year ... ugh ... I’m having your baby.”

“We should ... ah ... ah ... start talking about names.” Daniel grabbed her hips and got into a good rhythm.

“Ooohhhhh. You want ... to name ... the baby?” Penelope marveled at how loud the clock was.

“It is ... mine...” Daniel could hear the clock strike midnight. The muffled sound of the crowd cheering filtered in from the living room. The house swam around him as he pumped her harder. He leaned forward, grabbed her blond hair, and twisted her head sideways so he could give her the traditional midnight kiss.

“It is ... yes.” And suddenly she was kissing Daniel over her shoulder, as the clock turned one year into the next. Last New Year’s, she’d mostly pitied Daniel. Now she pitied her husband. Brad was just a few rooms away, but he was a universe away in her mind. The world around her blurred as pleasure took hold of her body.

When the clock finished chiming, Daniel broke the kiss. He still felt the vibrations moving through the room. “You’re mine, Pen. But I’ll loan you to my brother.”

“Yes.” Penelope shuddered, her orgasm almost upon her. “The baby’s yours. I’m yours. Forever, Danny.”

Daniel still held her hair, but gave her a little slack as she came on his dick. He hoped she wasn’t being too loud. He didn’t want to alert any of the guests to their activities.

Behind the mating couple, Eloise looked on, rubbing her round belly. This would be the year. A warm bright smile spread across her pretty lips. The clock was almost worth it. Almost. She watched them copulate for a while longer and vanished right after Daniel emptied himself deep inside Penelope.

“Different cultures, I guess.” Brittney shrugged. Her smile widened as Daniel strode up to them, arm in arm with Penelope.

“Does the clock sound louder to you tonight?” Daniel casually took Brittney’s cup from her with his free hand and took a sip.

“It does.” Penelope nodded, looking down at Daniel’s profile.

Brittney paused to listen. Now that he mentioned it, she could hear the ticking even over the buzz of conversation in the room. “It does seem more prominent.”

“Um...” Madison couldn’t hear any clock with the cacophony in the room. She could just hear the fire cracking and popping merrily behind them.

“Five minutes to midnight,” someone in the crowd yelled.

“It’s almost midnight.” Brittney looked over at her brother and winked. “Keep the drink, Danny.” She took Madison’s hand and led her out of the room. “I want to show you something.” Brittney led Madison upstairs, giving her friend’s butt a little smack as Madison climbed ahead of Brittney.