Chapter 3: 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 - not even the cat... 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, Zoë 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 Zoë 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. Zoë did look up, but soon evaded Linda's eyes. Minutes of silence passed until Zoë 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-"

Zoë interrupted herself before it was too late. She was saying too much - lying, actually. When Zoë 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, Zoë 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. Zoë 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, Zoë realized; and that made sense, for Nikki had come back home earlier...

A distant feeling that something odd was happening occurred to Zoë. This possibility was quickly dismissed by Jeannie's whispered suggestion that Linda and Nikki were both sharing Rick. Covering their mouths with their hands, Zoë 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 Zoë 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 Zoë 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 Zoë 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 Zoë 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. Zoë 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 Zoë a sense of déjà 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 Zoë had just knocked Jeannie down.

Pulling Jeannie up and covering her breasts with her robe, Linda yelled, "What's the matter with you, Zoë?"

"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 Zoë 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 Zoë, 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.

"Zoë is right," Linda said, looking up.

"Zoë is right?" Jeannie repeated, raising her voice, scowling at Linda and then at Zoë.

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 Zoë, 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 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.