Chapter 10

Sunday, October 17, 1976

Beth and Missy slept in Beth's room Saturday night, while the rest of us slept in Bonnie's room. Sharon and I made slow, tender love while Bonnie caressed both of us. We cuddled for a long time afterwards, enjoying the closeness and the love that flowed between us.

I was sitting in the kitchen sipping on my second cup of coffee when Missy came in.

"Good morning," I said.

"Good morning Mike. Do you have any more of that coffee?"

I got her a cup and she sat down across from where I had been sitting. We sipped in silence for a few minutes, then Missy said, "I want to thank you for holding me yesterday evening. I was feeling very vulnerable and very alone."

"That's Okay Missy. One of the biggest advantages of having a family as I'm sure you know is in having someone be there when you need them. You've been through a lot and you should be proud of how you've handled everything."

"Mike, you have no idea how close I am to losing it at times. I loved my parents very much and I adored my little sister. I miss them so badly."

"Are your foster parents any help at all?"

"Not really. I think Betty tries, but they have five foster kids. It's a business to them. One of the boys is a real hard case. He was a gang member, and they have to watch him all of the time. The other boy has been in foster care all of his life. He never expects anything else, so he is a very bitter twelve year old. The oldest girl besides me is fourteen. She was on drugs and was selling her body for her next fix before she was put into rehab, and then moved to where I live. The other girl is nine and cute as a button. She's the only one I feel anything for."

"How old are you, Melissa?"

"I'm almost as old as you are, Mike. I was held back a year in school because I was out so much during second grade. I have asthma and that year they just couldn't seem to keep it under control."

"Have you ever thought of going to court to be emancipated?"

"I know what emancipation is, but how would that apply to me?"

"There's a law in California that says a minor can apply to the court to be emancipated, or declared as being legally an adult. You would have to show you were able to support yourself, but in your case I don't think it would be too difficult to put through."

"I don't have a job, or a place to stay Mike. It is something to think about though."

"I don't think we told you that we are starting our own corporation. The final papers on it will be ready within the next few days. If you'd like, you could be an employee of our company. We are going to need someone to do research on companies to invest in, and to look for real estate to purchase."

"That would be interesting. I've always been fascinated by the stock market. I know nothing about real estate though."

"Bonnie was a broker before she retired, so all our researcher would have to do is find prospective properties, and find out all she could about the properties. As far as a place to stay goes, you have an invitation to join our family. We know you aren't ready for a sexual relationship, but that doesn't mean you can't be a family member. You could have your own room and participate as little or as much as you want."

"Mike, I want more than anything to be a member of your family. I'm just scared."

"I know Missy. Bonnie told you about the thing we do to the brain so you can gain your telepathic potential. You could live here with us without having this done, but you really wouldn't be a member of the family. I think this is one of the things that's scaring you."

"It is Mike. It almost seems like mind control. I'm afraid I wouldn't be the same person afterwards."

"I can understand that, Missy. All I can do is tell you how it was for me. I was having these flashes of being able to tell what someone was thinking. It only happened during times of stress or great excitement. One night while I was making love to Bonnie, I thought to myself that I'd sure like to know what caused those flashes. Suddenly I knew it was because my blood pressure was higher during those times and that if I could increase the blood flow to a specific area of the brain, I'd have the talent at all times."

"So it was a physical thing rather than messing with your thoughts?"

"That's right. Of course, my talent disappeared as quickly as it came. I thought about the excitement so I went out and got in our car and drove it at a reckless speed. When I was excited enough, I simply told myself I wanted the specific blood vessel I had seen before to be half again as big as it had been. When I got back home, Bonnie awoke, and I found I could read every thing she was thinking."

"Changing the size of a blood vessel doesn't sound all that scary. Could you change it back if I decided I didn't like it?"

"Yes, I could, but after you have had the change made I can almost guarantee you wouldn't want it changed back."

"Okay, you've convinced me. Do it."

"If you're sure Missy, then come in the living room and lie down on the couch. It might make you a little dizzy for a second or two."

"Oh I'm sure. Mike, I've just lost so much, I don't want to lose anything else."

I told Missy to lie down on the couch and close her eyes. When she started to relax, I increased the size of her blood vessel. The procedure only took a few seconds.

<You can open your eyes now, Missy.>

She opened her eyes and looked around. "When are you going to do it?"

<I already have.>

"You mean that's all that's going to happen?"

<Well, yes. As far as changing anything anyway.>

"You're not talking, are you?"

<No, just thinking. Try thinking something at me.>

<This is incredible, Mike. Everything is so clear.>

<Yep. I'm going to see if anyone else is up. Hold on a second.>

I called for Sharon and sure enough, she was just waking up. <Sharon, my love, think something at Missy. I just did the big brain change for her.>

<Good morning Missy. This is Sharon. Do you feel any different?>

<Good morning Sharon. I really don't feel any different. This talking without talking is great though.>

<You ain't seen nothing yet. You can exchange sights, sounds, smells and feelings too. Watch this.>

All of a sudden my mind was filled with a picture of Bonnie. She was sound asleep and nude. Her hair was tousled and her breasts and nipples sticking up proudly.

<My God, that is fantastic, > Missy told her.

<It is a mixed blessing really. Just wait until you're in the middle of a class and Mike projects a picture of all the naked jocks taking a shower.>

Missy giggled. <I'll bet it's hard to concentrate on algebra.>

<Sharon, why don't you see if Beth is awake, then come on down and join us?> I asked.

<I'll be right there, lover.>

"Missy, one of the first things you should do is explore your inner body a little. Tell your brain to look for anything that might be wrong, and to fix it if it finds anything."

"We can do that?"

"Yes, it's really fairly easy. Your body seems to know how things should be, and it can make the repairs without our having to tell it exactly what to do. Bonnie got rid of a cancer that way, and she also had her body change to the way it had been when she was eighteen."

"Can we fix broken bones and things like that?"

"Absolutely. We're not sure about it yet, but we don't think we'll ever get old. Bonnie has told her body to maintain its self at the age of eighteen. Beth, Sharon and I are letting our bodies mature a little before we stop the aging process."

"Are we going to live forever?"

"I don't know Missy. It's possible. I think the only way one of us will die is if we have massive damage to the brain and are not able to repair it before we die."

"This is unbelievable," Missy was saying as Sharon walked into the room.

Sharon was dressed in her usual attire when she was home. In other words she was as naked as the day she was born. She came over to me and snuggled into my lap. She gave me a big kiss and told Missy and I good morning.

"Did you sleep well, Sweety?" I asked.

"Yep, I had the best sleeping potion known to woman," she said as she smiled at Missy.

"So did I Sweety."

"So, what do you think of this mind reading thing Missy?" Sharon asked.

"It's not like I thought it would be. I don't seem to pick up anything unless you think it directly at me."

"You have to make an effort to read someone. Concentrate on me, and tell your brain you want to know what I'm thinking," Sharon told her.

"Oh... Oh my... Oh my God... Now I know what you meant by a sleeping potion."

"That's Okay Missy. I find all three of the women here like to embarrass people. Especially me."

"That's because you're so easy Bro," Beth said as she walked into the room, dressed like Sharon. "Besides, it's a lot harder to embarrass a woman. We're much more practical than men."

"So Missy, does allowing yourself to be brain raped mean you want to be part of the family?" Beth asked.

"I'd hardly call it a brain rape," Missy responded. "Yes, Beth, I would like to be part of this family. I'm not sure about the sexual thing, but Mike assures me it isn't necessary."

"I'm just teasing Missy. You are certainly welcome to the family in whatever capacity you are comfortable with."

"Amen to that," Bonnie said as she came in. She too had adopted the uniform of the day, nudity. "Now we just have to figure out how to fix it so you can live with us."

I explained to the girls about emancipation then said, "Her foster parents may fight it, since it would be a loss of revenue to them. The other alternative is to offer to let the foster parents continue to draw the money for her, but have them let her live here. That way they'd be making money by not having to feed and clothe her. We could even offer to kick in a little extra if we needed to."

"I won't have you guys spending money on me," Missy said.

"I'm sorry. I must be going deaf in my old age," Bonnie said with a smirk. "Didn't I hear Missy say she was accepting membership in this family?"

"That's what I heard, Mom," Beth agreed.

"Yeah, me too, Bonnie," Sharon confirmed.

"That makes it unanimous," I said. "Missy, we had the same argument with Sharon when she came into the family. Family members share alike. Whether it's food or money or whatever."

"I... I guess that makes sense. I'll work for the corporation. I'm not sure how much help I'll be, but I'll try. Can we afford to pay them something?"

Sharon giggled. "Listen, sister. This family can afford it. A couple of weeks ago we were worth a little over two million. As of Friday, it was over three."

Missy's mouth fell open. "I didn't know you guys are rich."

"You're included in that Missy. We share everything."

"But... But..."

"No buts unless they're bare butts," I said. "That's the way it is, so you can either like it or lump it."

Bonnie talked with Betty and Darrel Christoferson that afternoon. She told them we'd like for Missy to live with us. "There are two ways we can do this," she told them.

"What do you mean?" Betty asked.

"I really think Missy is an adult in a sixteen year old body. She was talking about going to court to have herself declared an adult. If she did that, you could probably throw a monkey wrench into the works if you fought it. We know it would be a loss of revenue for you, so we are willing to pay you a sum equivalent to what you would receive for caring for her until her eighteenth birthday. This would be a lump sum, payable when she won her case."

"Okay, what is the other way?"

"That would be for you to continue receiving payment for her care from the state, but she would actually be living with and working for us."

"What would she be doing for you?"

"I am the CEO of MBBS Enterprises. Missy would be doing research for the company scouting out new real estate ventures for our analysts to evaluate."

"It sounds like you're legitimate, but I think we'd like to talk this over. Could we call you tomorrow with an answer?"

"Yes, tomorrow would be fine. Missy will be staying here tonight, so don't worry about her."

Monday, October 18, 1976

Sharon, Beth, Missy, and I were on our way to school Monday morning when I decided to bring up something I'd been thinking about all weekend. "Beth, are you enjoying track as much as you thought you would?" I asked.

"Well... It's Okay. I did enjoy winning at the meet on Saturday."

"Yeah, I guess I did too. It's just that track practice takes up between one and three hours every day. I like to run, but there are a lot of other things I'd like to use the time for as well."

"I know what you mean. At first it was a kick, especially when we got to run together. Now, it just seems like work."