Chapter 5

What I didn't realize at the time was how competitive the girls were. I think most siblings are like that. Against the outside world, they try to protect each other and present a united front. That was the two girls I had seen in the interview rooms at Wally World. As soon as we arrived home, the girls began to compete for my attention.

I began by showing them around their new home. I took them from room to room and although each room was a fairly standard component of a slab-built single-story four-bedroom and two-bath home, to them it must have seemed like they were in the Biltmore Mansion.

The rivalry started with Natty and at first glance I didn't recognize it for what it was. We were in the bedroom that I had turned into a small home gym. Since they seemed really interested, I was trying to explain the purpose and operation of the treadmill. I guess I got carried away, not paying much attention to them, when all of a sudden I heard a slap and Natty shouted, "Stop it, hands off Jeff's stuff."

I turned just in time to see Suzie holding her hand and rubbing it. It was obvious that Natty had slapped her hand, knocking it off of the upright of the machine. It surprised the hell out of me, but Suzie's reaction surprised me even more. She looked at me, then turned to Natty, squared her shoulders, put her hands on her hips and told her, "You're getting' mean just like momma."

Natty was cut to the quick. I doubt there was anything that Suzie could have said that would have hurt her any more. She just stood there I guess thinking about what Suzie had said. Finally, as the words exacted their full impact, she began to shiver, almost trembling. The way the blood drained from her face, it looked as if she was going to go into shock standing upright. I hadn't interfered at first because this was between the two girls and siblings have to sort out their feelings with one another periodically, but when Natty lost all her color and began to shake, I had to do something.

Not really knowing what to do, I did the only thing I could think of. I dropped to my knees between them, grabbed them both with an arm and hugged them to me. Natty sobbed deep wracking exclamations of grief. It was pitiful to hear as each gasp left her breathless. She had her face buried in my shoulder and I could feel my shirt getting soaked.

Suzie was at first satisfied that she had bested her sister, but as she listened to Natty, she was soon bawling on my other shoulder. We stayed there for what seemed like an eternity, I was determined to let them have their cry. I knew they were crying for far more than just the exchange I had witnessed.

Finally, the noise tapered off and I guided them into the living room. I sat down in the middle of the couch and, patting the cushions, drew them to seats on either side of me. I picked up the box of Kleenex from the coffee table and sat there as they took tissue after tissue.

I didn't know exactly where to start but knew I had to at least act like I knew what to do. I remembered that old saying by Thomas Paine: Lead, follow or get out of the way. Well, like it or not, I was in charge and it was my job to lead.

Hugging each of them to me, I started, "I just want to tell you both that I love you. I don't expect that you love me yet, but hopefully someday you will. I also know you love each other. When I talked to you at the store, you were each more concerned about the other than about yourself. I don't know what happened back there but it sure shocked the hell out of me."

At that point both Natty and Suzie looked like they were going to interrupt me, so I put fingers against both sets of lips.

"Natty, we are going to have a rule in our home. There will be no hitting, not for any reason. I won't hit you, you won't hit your sister and she won't hit you. I didn't think I would have to have that rule because I couldn't imagine you or your sister ever hitting each other but sometimes we all feel like striking out when our frustrations get the best of us. If you feel like you have to hit someone or something go punch a pillow. If you knock the feathers out though, you will have to sew the pillow back up. Understand?"

I smiled to take the sting out of my words. Natty shook her head yes, and I looked over at Suzie, who also nodded.

"Suzie, what you did hurt Natty far worse than the slap she gave you. Words can hurt far beyond any belt. The things your momma once said about both of you being trailer trash and worthless will cause deeper scars that will take longer to heal than the belt marks she gave you. Suzie, the bad thing was that you thought about what you were going to say, you knew how much it would hurt Natty and then went and said it anyway."

Getting off the couch, turning around and kneeling with my hand on each of their knees I said, "I am talking to both of you like adults because I think that all of the stuff you went through with your momma has made you more mature than other girls your age. Mature or not, we all have to live with the mistakes we make. Now, I know you love each other deep inside as much as I love each of you. I want you to hug each other, whisper 'I love you' and give each other a kiss."

The girls at first looked at me like I was crazy, then they did exactly what I asked, then they both jumped into my arms, kissing me and telling me that they loved me.

That wasn't the end of what I finally recognized as their competitive spirit, but it did send things off into a completely different direction. The group hug which started off as comforting quickly gravitated towards the arousing after only a few moments. It amazes me how children's emotions can change in the blink of an eye. One moment the girls were pitiful -- sobbing and remorseful and then they were joyous -- smiling and giggling.

But their competitive spirit was still there. Still in our group hug we raised up enough to smile at one another and then the girls gave each other another challenging look. Suzie then pulled her head down against my chest and gave me a deeper hug. I could feel both of her nipples harden. She then kissed my shirt and murmured, "I love ya so much Jeff. I won't ever be bad again, I promise." Then she pressed her hardened nipples even further into my chest as if she were tacking on that point.

Natty watched all of this, smiling the whole time. About the time that Suzie slacked off a bit, Natty hugged me almost the exact same way, only her nipples were already hard. She moved her tits against me, kissed me softly on my jaw and softly whispered in my ear, "Jeff, I love ya too. I promise I'll do 'anything' ya want me to, 'anything'." Just as she said the last she gave an exquisite shift of her tits against my chest, putting an exclamation point on the 'anything'.

Then Suzie puffed up and said, "I'll do anything Natty will do Jeff, I promise," this time snaking out her little tongue and drawing a line from my shoulder up my neck to the bottom of my chin. Then she almost giggled. I think to her this was more of a game.

Natty, watching her with eyebrows raised high, whispered, "Jeff, Suzie doesn't know how to do half the things for ya that I could do. I meant what I said you could do with me, remember?"