Texas Gal
by   C. Sprite
© 1999

 

Chapter Seven     BBQ's and Auctions 

I awoke at my usual time and found myself still in auntie's enormous circular bed, of course. I worked myself off the bed, being careful not to wake her. It was Saturday, and she was entitled to sleep in if she wished. I went to my bedroom and ran my bath. I soaked in the warmth for a long time. When my fingers started to 'prune', I got out and toweled off, then examined myself in the full-length mirror. No doubt about it, I was getting fat. In New Jersey, we had walked to school and home again each day, plus all of the normal activity of teens and pre-teens that we had. Here, my lifestyle was very different. Little walking, and a lot of sitting. I was getting especially fat in my bottom. If it kept on like this, I wasn't going to need the padded girdle. I was getting my own padding. The bony derriere that I was used to seeing in years past was gone. I had changed the soap that I used to wash my undies and the itching had subsided considerably and that was good. But my nipples were still very sensitive to my touch and the nipples and areola appeared larger.

 The corset, that I wore almost constantly now, was having an effect on my middle. It seemed to be preventing any of the fat from collecting around my stomach. My waist was getting smaller while the fat was pushing down to my bottom and up to my chest. If I didn't start working out soon, I wasn't going to need to stuff my bra with tissues. Then again, I thought, that might not be so bad. My breasts were now almost as large as my sister Susan's were, and Susan was one year older than I was. Yes, I thought, on further reflection I didn't need to work out. I would let my body put on the fat, as long as it didn't get out of hand, and it went where I wanted it to. I was still active enough to maintain sufficient muscle tone, and I heard that you grow out of "baby" fat anyway when you become a teenager. With the fat to help me, I was getting a real girlish figure. I rubbed my finger around the nipple of my right breast and the nipple hardened while a shudder ran through my body. I could do without that, I thought.

I put on my panties and my largest bra. I stuffed the bra with tissues to 'puff' up. I had to make myself look older today because I was to be Kathy's sister, not her niece. I thought, with satisfaction, that I didn't need as many tissues as I had previously. I put on my girdle, stockings, camisole, half-slip, and corset. Then I sat down and did my face. Since I was to be a fourteen, or possibly fifteen-year-old today, I used a small amount of eye makeup as well. I brushed out my hair and put on a full slip. I went into my clothes room and looked at my wardrobe, selecting a white suede skirt and cotton blouse set that was definitely a "hoe-down" outfit. The skirt fell to just below my knees and had a fringe running all the way around the hem. I put on a white leather belt, and white cowgirl boots with three-inch heels. Adding my wristwatch and a silver and turquoise bracelet and matching ring, I stepped into some perfume and went to check out my appearance in my clothes room mirror. I realized that I had forgotten my earrings, so I went to my jewelry box and got my favorite earrings, the one with the little, dangling, prairie schooners. Now satisfied with all the views, I took down my white cowgirl hat and selected purse, and left them on my bed. 

It was time for breakfast, so I went to the kitchen, donned an apron, and set to work. Fresh OJ, sliced melon, and French toast was the menu in my mind as I worked. A pot of tea and container of milk joined the food on the table. When I heard Auntie's bedroom door, I put the bread into the toast mixture and turned up the heat under the frying pan. I greeted her when she came in, and stepped back to look at her outfit. "Kathy, you look gorgeous in your new mini-dress. I love it."

"Thanks, sis, you look wonderful too. That skirt and blouse is wonderful. No doubt about it, the Bliss sisters will be the hit of the barbecue." We both giggled.

 "Seat down, breakfast is almost ready," I said as I returned to the stove to finish the French toast. In a few minutes we were eating. After breakfast, we cleaned the kitchen together and then decided to do the weekly shopping since we had several hours before we should leave for the barbecue.

We spent a lot of time in the produce department selecting fruits and vegetables, and then some time in the meat department. We zipped through the dairy section and other areas, just replenishing the items that we had used in the past week. At the checkout counter, we put our selections on the conveyer belt and I preceded Auntie through the aisle. The same bag boy was working and he smiled at me when he saw me. He said, "Good morning, Miss. Nice to see y'all again."

"Good morning, Scott," I said. "How are you today?"

"Fine. Even better now."

I decided that I had better not respond to the lead in. I just said, "Beautiful day, isn't it."

"Tis now."

The clerk had started to pass the food items down to Scott and he turned his attention to bagging them. When Auntie had paid for the food and Scott had finished bagging them, we started to leave.

Scott said to me, "Miss?"

I stopped and answered, "Yes, Scott."

"I sorry to be so forward but may ah ask your name?"

"It's Darla. Darla Anne."

He assumed an even greater smile and said, "Thank you Miss Darla. Y'all have a nice weekend."

"Thank you, Scott. You too. Goodbye."

"Goodbye, Miss Darla."

As we pushed the cart through the parking lot, Auntie said, "You definitely have an admirer in that young man. Be careful. He's a lot older than you, and he probably thinks that you're a lot older than you are."

"Okay Auntie. I haven't done anything to encourage him."

"I know, sweetheart. I'm just being a grownup and offering advice even when it's not needed." We both giggled.

"Sisters have to look out for each other," I said. "I know that you just want to protect me."

She pulled me to her and squeezed me; "You're so smart that I sometimes feel I don't have to tell you anything." We put the groceries in the car and drove home. After putting everything away, we touched up our makeup and prepared to leave for the barbecue. We set the alarm and walked to the car.

Just as Auntie was about to start the car, a delivery van pulled up to the house. The driver came over to the car and we got out.

"I have a delivery for Miss Darla Anne Drake," He said.

"That's me," I said. He asked me to sign his clipboard and then handed me a package. He tipped his hat and drove away. Auntie and I got back inside the car. I said, "It's from someplace called 'Ursala's.'"

"I didn't order anything," Auntie said. "Open it up."

When I removed the outer brown paper wrapping, I came across a note. Reading it, I said, "It's from Grandma…. Dear Darla Anne, I have ordered these made for you from the measurements that they took at Xavier's. They took a few days because they had to be custom-made. If they don't fit properly, Ursala will adjust them for you. Love, Grandma."  I opened the box and found four beautiful new corsets. "Oh, they're beautiful. I can't wait to try them on. Grandma is so thoughtful. I have to call her and thank her."

"You can call her later or tomorrow," Auntie said. "We have to get going. We don't want to be too late and it's a long ride. They are beautiful. Have you decided to stick with waist training then?"

"I've been happy with the results so far. I've gotten used to the corset and hardly ever think about it any more."

"Okay honey, it's your decision. Hey, we've got a party to get to."

She drove down the driveway as I put the corsets back into the box and placed the box on the back seat. It took an hour to get to the barbecue hosted by an oil company executive. He lived in a sprawling single story home with immaculately manicured lawns and gardens. He had a tennis court and Olympic sized pool. The barbecue was being held in the back yard. An enormous area of land adjacent to his yard had been turned into a parking lot. We parked the car and walked towards the party.

As we entered the back yard a man and woman approached us. The man said, "Kathy, I'm glad that you could make it after all."

"I told you I'd do my best, Cliff."

"And who is this enchanting young lady. I know that you and Gabby didn't have any children and she looks just like you so she must be a younger sister."

"You have a good eye, Cliff. This is Darla Anne."

"Darla Anne, what a beautiful name for such a beautiful young lady. Welcome to my home. This is my wife, Shirley."

"I'm pleased to meet you both," I said.

"Hi Shirley," Auntie said. "Nice to see you again."

"Hello, Kathy," Shirley said. "Hello, Darla Anne. Welcome. I hope that you'll enjoy yourselves. It's nice to see you again also, Kathy. It's been too long. How have you been getting on."

"Very well, thank you Shirley. Business has been wonderful lately."

"So I've heard. Congratulations on getting the 'Moore' and 'Prescott' oil rights. Quite a coup. But you deserve it."

"Thank you, Shirley, you're very kind."

A couple was coming up behind us, having just arrived.

"Let's get together a little later and we can talk," Cliff said. "Right now, Shirley and I need to play 'host.' Enjoy yourselves at the party."

We thanked them and walked towards the assemblage in the back yard.

We stopped first to get a cold drink and then walked around the yard. A huge fire pit had been erected along one edge of the yard, just off the lawn, and an entire cow was being cooked on a spit. As it turned, a cook was basting it with something, using an enormous brush. Nearby, tables were being setup by catering personnel. There were two hard drink bars setup; one at each end of the yard. Both were serving beer and mixed drinks. A soft drink bar was in the middle of the yard. It had soda, punch, and lemonade. Auntie said hello to a couple of people as we walked around but we didn't stop for introductions. I estimated that there were about a hundred people here now, and more were arriving all the time.

Auntie said, "Well, you win the first encounter. Cliff and Shirley think we're sisters without our having said a word."

"Two down and only sixteen to go. And we haven't even talked to the eggheads yet," I said. Auntie reached over and tickled me under my arm as a reminder of the 'egghead' episode of last night. "Kathy, stop that. I'll spill my lemonade," I said giggling. She stopped and I composed myself.

"Oh. There's Burt Satler," she said. "I've been wanting to talk with him. Let's go over there."

We wandered over to a group of six men and one woman. "Hello Burt," Auntie said to a man who nodded to her as we approached.

"Hello Kathy, how are you? Great dress," he said.

"Thank you, Burt. Oh, this is Darla Anne. Darla Anne, this is Burt Satler."

Hello, Mr. Satler," I said.

"Hello Darla Anne, please, call me Burt. Mr. Satler is my father.

I smiled and said, "Okay Burt."

"Kathy," he said, "You never told me that you had such a beautiful sister."

"You're sure she's not my daughter, Burt?"

"Nope, not a chance. Definitely family and too old to be a daughter. You would have had to have been pregnant when you were nine or ten."

"Okay, you're right. She's not my daughter."

"I knew it. Logic wins out every time. So what do the Bliss sisters do for fun when they're not attending barbecues."

"Well, tomorrow we're going to the big horse auction being run by the Bass Brothers."

"Great, maybe I'll see you there."

"I didn't know that you were into horses, Burt.

"Never been into them, I prefer to stay on the outside."

We both giggled. "You know what I mean," Auntie said.

"Yeah, but you know me, I can never resist a good straight line. Actually I've never been to a horse auction, but if that's where all the beautiful women hang out, then I'm going to start attending every one."  We both giggled again. By now, all the other people in the group were listening to our conversation so Burt introduced Kathy, and her sister Darla Anne, to the other six people.

The rest of the afternoon went pretty much the same way. By the time that we left, about two hundred people believed that Kathy Bliss and her sister, Darla Anne, had attended the party. And we had not told a single person that I was her sister. They all assumed it on their own or by being told from somebody who assumed it. We laughed all the way home recalling Burt's quips and jokes that had entertained us for most of the afternoon. The food had been delicious and abundant. Neither Auntie nor I felt hungry even though it was dinnertime. When we arrived home we didn't even go inside. Instead we sat on the porch until the sun went down.

We rocked and held hands while we talked. Auntie gave me a rundown on each of the party guests that she had known, or known of. She told me their professions, who they worked for, and a basic evaluation of their capabilities as she knew, or understood, them to be. I filed the information away, along with the impressions of each that I had taken away from the party. After the sun was down we went inside to watch TV for a while. I went upstairs during a commercial and got some oranges for us to snack on. At 10 o'clock we turned off the TV and went to get ready for bed. After performing my nightly rituals, I put away my new corsets after selecting one to wear as my sleeping corset. The one I picked was much shorter then the others. It would hold me in and yet give me more flexibility. After tightening it, I was amazed at how comfortable it felt compared to the one that I had been wearing. It was almost like I wasn't wearing a corset at all. I slept very well that night. I dreamt of barbecues and parties.

The sun on my face woke me in the morning. I had slept a little longer than usual, perhaps in part due to the comfort of the new corset. I got out of bed, bathed, and dressed. I was wearing another of my new corsets, and I felt wonderful when I went to the kitchen and prepared breakfast. Auntie came in as I placed the food on the table. We talked about the auction while we ate. Auntie told me the procedures and strategies in bidding. She told me not to get excited because that could ripple through the bidders and increase the prices. She took out a road atlas after we finished eating, to check the route. While she worked on that, I cleared the table and washed the dishes. When I was done, we left for church services.

When we returned, we went to our bedrooms to change from our church clothes, to something more appropriate for the auction. We would meet back in the kitchen for tea when we were ready. I put on one of my denim skirts and a western blouse, and my black cowgirl boots that gave me an extra three inches of height. I took one of my vitamins and I was enjoying a cup of tea when Auntie came in. She was wearing her black leather mini skirt, western blouse and black cowgirl boots. I told her that she looked wonderful and asked her if we were going as sisters. She said we would if I didn't mind, it was wonderful for her ego. I said that I enjoyed it, but had to make a few changes. I told her that I wanted to call Grandma before we left and went to alter my appearance. I put on a little eye makeup and "puffed" up my breasts. I put on dangling earrings, my wristwatch, several bracelets and two rings. I had done my nails earlier, but redid them in a bright red. I applied lipstick to match them, brushed my hair, and I was ready. Auntie was all ready to leave, so we called Grandma's house and were told that she was away for the weekend. The housekeeper said that she would tell her that we called. We thanked her and hung up.

With everything done, we set the alarm and left for the auction. The drive was another long one. Parking attendants directed us where to park the car when we arrived. We walked to the gate and received a program and number card when Auntie registered as a bidder. We went to the holding pens and looked over the horses. There was every breed and color imaginable. The pens were organized by number, and that number was listed on the program. Auntie looked at the horses and made notes on her program. As we admired the horses, the men in the area were admiring Auntie. She appeared not to notice, but I knew different. An attractive woman has worked hard to make herself that way and is well aware of the effect. When we had walked around to all the pens, Auntie went over to one of the handlers and asked a few questions. She motioned to me to follow as she led the way to a stable.

 There were several horses in here, in individual stalls. We stopped and talked to a man cleaning the stalls. He gave some monosyllabic answers until he glanced around and saw Auntie. Then he put his pitchfork aside and came over to us. Leering at Auntie, he answered all her questions. She questioned him about the horses in here. One was here because he was kicking all the other horses in the pen and was very uncontrollable. The others were here because they were his victims and were receiving treatment for their injuries. Auntie thanked him and we walked to the stalls. The man stood watching Auntie as we walked away, then returned to his cleaning activities.

The first stall that we came to had the troublemaker. He flared his nostrils, snorted, and kicked as we approached. We moved on to the next stall. A beautiful Appaloosa was in there. Auntie walked to the stall and he came to her. She stroked his face and head. He stood there and blinked at her. She opened the gate and went in. She examined his wound, as much as she could see, and then examined his body. She came out and closed the gate. He came over to her again and she took hold of his halter. She lifted his muzzle and examined his mouth. Then she stroked his face again before we moved on to the next stall. This one contained an American White mare. The mare came over to us as the Appaloosa had done and we both stroked her face. She was beautiful also. Auntie examined her mouth and then pushed her back so that she could get into the stall. She examined her right front leg where she had been kicked and then the rest of her body. When she was done, she came out and closed the stall gate. She said that we were done here and we started to leave.

A man carrying a black bag was walking in as we were going out. Auntie asked him if he was the vet, and when he said that he was, she questioned him about the two horses that we had looked at. He talked in horse terms that I had as yet not learned, so I didn't understand it all, but I got the impression that both horses were sound and healthy, and would recover from their injuries fully within a couple of weeks. Auntie thanked him and we walked back to the viewing arena. The auction was set to start soon. We selected a place that would give us a good view as the arena started to fill up. When the auction started, the horses were brought in one at a time and led around the arena. Then it was brought back to the center and held there until the bidding was over. Auntie bid a number of times on different animals. I was concentrating very hard on trying to figure out what the auctioneer was saying. At first it sounded like a bunch of gibberish, but I slowly began to recognize the fast, slurred speech. I couldn't wait to be alone somewhere so I could try my hand, or rather voice, at doing it.

I recognized the appaloosa when it was brought in. Bidding was very light, no doubt due to the limping gait and the bandage on the horse's flank. Auntie was one of the bidders. She held her number up repeatedly. Several other horses were brought in, and then the injured American White mare was led in, also limping slightly. The auctioneer tried to get bidders interested but was wasn't having much luck. He told them not to pay any attention to the limping, that the problem was minor and would heal fully, but still nobody wanted to open. He dropped the opening bid price down several times. Finally, after a last appeal before the horse was removed Auntie held up her number. The auctioneer acknowledged her and started his slurred speech now that he had a bid. Two other people bid low bids against Auntie who always bid the price up just before the horse went to somebody else. Finally, there were no other bids, and the horse went to Auntie. The auctioneer told the crowd that that was probably the best deal of the day. He said, "That young lady just made fools out of all you experienced horse traders out there. That horse is worth ten times what she's paying for it."

The auction continued for another hour and a half. Auntie bid a number of other times. Now that I understood what was going on, I saw that she was the successful bidder in three more sales. I remained impassive the whole time, as she had told me to be, even though I was jumping on the inside. When it was all over, she said, "Well, you've got your American White, young lady."

"Kathy, why did you buy so many horses?"

"Well, my dear sister, we have several more people coming to stay with us very shortly. I figured that two horses would not be enough for all of us."

"How many did you buy?"

"You were there. Didn't you see?"

"At first I didn't understand what the auctioneer was even saying. I know that you got the American White mare and three more after her. By then I figured out what was going on."

"Very good. I also bought the Appaloosa that we looked at in the barn and a Palomino early in the auction."

"Added to the American White, 2 Tennessee Walking horses and the Arabian, that makes six. You bought six?"

"Yep. We're going to have our hands full until your sister's get here to help."

We walked to the business table and Auntie paid with a check and showed her driver's license. The woman looked at her driver's license then took it and went over to a man at another table. The man returned to our table, and Auntie said, "Is there a problem?"

The man said, "It just that this lists your age as 30. Do you have anything with your correct age on it?"

Auntie smiled and said, "I have my passport with me. I always carry it in case I have to go into Mexico on business."

"That will be most acceptable, Miss Bliss."

She handed it to him. He looked at it, compared the picture to Auntie, looked at her driver's license again, and then said, "I'm sorry for the inconvenience, Miss Bliss, it's just that you look so young, we thought that there was a problem with the driver's license Barbara will complete your transaction now. I apologize but I thought that you were only about 23. This must mean that your sister here is about 22. I'm very sorry."

"Don't be. We're flattered. Really," and she smiled at him.

He smiled and returned to the table where he had been before, but out of the corner of my eye, I saw him continue to watch us. Barbara completed the paperwork and Auntie told her that she would make arrangements to have the horses picked up this week. The woman told her that there would be a small boarding fee for anything over 72 hours from the end of the auction.

We left and located the car. On the drive home, Auntie named the things that we would have to do so that we were ready for the horses. We had to clean the stables and the barn, get in hay and grains, check the corral and fences, and make arrangements to transport the horses. Also, we needed to buy some saddles, bridles, and other gear. We would take a look at things when we got home. It was still fairly early.

"I realize that you got the American White for me," I said, "and I love you for getting her for me, but did you select one for yourself as well."

"Yes, I developed a liking for that Appaloosa that we looked at. He's a fine looking animal, friendly, and he went very cheaply. Not as cheap as yours, which was an amazing bargain. Probably because of the wound. That miserable black that did the damage actually did us a big favor. He picked two of the best animals to attack. Probably because of their quiet nature. They weren't skittish around him so he was able to kick them, where the other horses probably moved out of range. I saw the man who bought him. He's going to have nothing but problems with that black.

As soon as we arrived home, we went inside to change. "We never picked up any jeans for you," Auntie said. "I'll see what I have that I don't wear anymore. Maybe we'll find something that is small enough to make do for now."

She went to her bedroom as I went to mine. I hung up my clothes and she came into my room as I removed my half-slip. She gave me a pair of jeans to try on. They were too big but we rolled up the legs and used a belt to tighten the pants to my waist. She also gave me a work shirt. We had to roll up the sleeves and we tied the sides together in front of me so that it wasn't so baggy. I put my boots back on, and Auntie adjusted the length of the legs. She gave me a pair of work gloves and said that she would be ready in a few minutes. When she came back, she said, "Well, is my 22 year old sister ready to go to work?" We both giggled.

"That guy was really embarrassed when he saw your passport."

"I guess that I'm just wicked but I was enjoying it. I don't normally carry my passport; I brought it in case I needed a second form of identification in order to use a check for payment, but I didn't expect to need it to prove how old I am."

"Well, you better carry it from now on unless your wearing one of your business suits."

"I thinking of getting a whole new wardrobe to replace them. I no longer need them to help me get treated with respect. I've earned my place in the oil business. Now I would like to be treated as a 23-year-old. It's a lot more fun."

"Auntie, you're terrible."

"Yes. I know." We both giggled.

We walked out to the stable first. Taking brooms, we went into each stall and pulled down the spider webs and swept the wooden floor. We would put down fresh hay when it came. We carried the hose outside and let the water run to get rid of any rust in the lines. Auntie checked, and oiled, the latches and hinges on every gate. Then we went to the barn. We moved the old bales out and prepared it to receive a new load of hay. We cleaned the grain bins and swept up the rodent droppings. When we were finished, we oiled the hinges in the corral gates and checked the wood all the way around looking for broken or cracked pieces. Then we walked around the barbed wire fenced field making sure that the posts were secure and that there were no breaks in the wire. When we were done with that, Auntie said that we were ready to receive the horses as soon as the feed was here.

"Speaking of feed," I said, "I'm hungry."

"It's way past dinner time and we never had any lunch. Why don't you go make something for us while I check the tack room equipment and close everything up."

"Okay, any preferences?"

"Nope, I love everything you make."

"Okay, come up when you're finished."

I went to the kitchen and washed my hands, my face, then washed my hands again. I stood in front of the refrigerator with the door opened until I scanned all of our food supplies and selected a chicken that we had purchased yesterday. Then I took out our pressure cooker and set it on the stove. I washed and cut up the chicken and arranged it on the bottom of the pressure cooker. I diced an onion, several carrots and a couple of pieces of celery. I mixed up the pieces and dumped them in the cooker. I added enough water to come most of the way up the chicken. I put on the top and turned on the burner. While it cooked, I made chicken flavored rice and mixed up some Bisquick for dumplings. Then I made a salad, fresh dressing, and a package of frozen Italian green beans. I shut off the burner under the pressure cooker when the time was up, and let it cool while I set the table. I removed the top and dropped spoonfuls of Bisquick on the chicken after turning on the burner again. I made a pot of tea and pitcher of lemonade. It had been ten minutes since dropping the Bisquick on the chicken, so I put the cover on without sealing it, and sat down to rest for a couple of minutes. Auntie came in. She had washed up and changed into her sleepwear.

"Darla Anne, I meant some sandwiches, not a three course meal," she said smiling.

"This isn't that much more work, and it's more satisfying than a sandwich. But I'll make you a sandwich if that's what you really want. Peanut butter or baloney?"

"Oh. Don't go to any trouble for me. I'll just have whatever you're having."

"Okay, sis. Oops, dumplings are done." I went to the stove and took the top off the cooker. I carefully lifted out the pieces of chicken with the dumplings molded on top. Carefully, because the pressure cooker made the chicken so tender that it wanted to fall apart. I placed the chicken on a serving plate. I put the rice and the beans in serving bowls, and carried everything to the table in several trips, after making sure that all the burners were off on the stove. I sat down and Auntie said grace. As Auntie filled her plate, I said, "You're sure that you don't want that sandwich? It's not too late."

"Oh, I'll just make do with this," she said smiling as she pushed her fork into a dumpling.

After we had eaten, I got up and took out the leftover jello from Friday night, for desert. Auntie poured the tea and we relaxed as we talked about the horses. She thought that she could get a delivery of feed tomorrow from the supplier that she used to buy from. Then the horses could be delivered on Tuesday or Wednesday. We talked about how hay bales had to be stacked, so they could breathe, to prevent mold if the hay was not completely dry. Auntie would have the vet come to look at the White's leg and the Appaloosa's flank as well as an examination of the other four horses. She told me what would have to be done each day for the horses. Feed, water, cleaning, exercise and general care were a daily chore that could not be skipped. It could be a labor of love if I wanted it to be.

It was getting late, so I began to clean up. I poured the water from the pressure cooker into a large bowl. It contained the onion, celery and carrots that I had put in earlier and was, of course, now chicken soup. I added the leftover rice to it, and pulled the leftover chicken off its bones and put that in as well. The beans and dumplings went into their own bowls and everything went into the refrigerator. I washed the dishes as Auntie cleared the table and changed the tablecloth.  She swept the floor as I put away the dishes and we finished about the same time.

As we walked to the door, she put her arms around me and hugged me. "That was absolutely delicious, honey. To think that I would have settled for a sandwich if I was here alone. I have to tell you again how much I love having you here. When we haven't been pretending to be sisters, I've been pretending that you were my own daughter. I hope that that doesn't disturb you too much. Having another person to share things with is wonderful, but having a daughter to share things with is extra wonderful."

"I love being here with you also. If you want to think of me as your daughter, it's all right with me. I've been extremely happy since you let me come stay with you."

She squeezed me and kissed me. We walked down the hall together and cheek kissed then went into our separate bedrooms. I performed my nightly rituals and went to bed. I lay awake for a long time thinking about the events of the day. It was exciting to think that in a few days, I would have my very own horse. I fell asleep and dreamt about riding my beautiful white steed.

I awoke at my usual time and went in to take my bath. I put on my face, dressed, and then went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. After Auntie had left for work, I cleaned up the kitchen and decided to clean the house. I started with Auntie's bathroom as I had last Monday. I had just begun when the phone rang. It was Karen calling to ask if I could come over. I told her that Monday was cleaning day and I had just started, but I could probably come over tomorrow if she was going to be home.

"That would be great. What time?"

"I'll see if Auntie can drop me off on her way to work, unless that's too early."

"No, not at all. I'm always up at dawn."

"Me too. Okay, I'll call you tonight after I have a chance to talk to her."

"Okay. Bye"

"Bye."

By lunchtime, Auntie's bathroom and bedroom were spotless; and fresh towels and bed linen had replaced the soiled ones, my bathroom and bedroom were equally clean and refreshed, and I had vacuumed the hallway.

I heated some leftovers for lunch and then tackled the laundry, and the downstairs. The phone rang and when I answered it I heard Grandma's voice. "Grandma, welcome back. I hope that you had a nice trip."

"Very enjoyable, my dear. I got your message. How are you?"

"Wonderful Grandma, I just had to call and thank you for the corsets. They're wonderful. You're wonderful. Thank you so much."

"You're most welcome, dear. I'm glad that you're pleased. Ursala is a fine seamstress and corsetiere." We talked for about a half-hour, or perhaps I should say that I talked for about a half-hour. I told her about the barbecue and the horse auction and that we were getting some horses.

"I hope that you're not going to forget your Grandmother now that you have a horse?" I knew that she was kidding and I assured her that that would never happen. I told her that I would love to see her anytime her busy schedule permitted. She said that she would have to make some time for us to be together. We said our good-byes and I went back to work. I was vacuuming the office when I heard the blast of an air horn.

I walked outside and saw an enormous truck filled with hay in the driveway. A man stepped down from the cab and introduced himself as Duane Burke. "Are you Miss Darla?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Missus Bliss asked me to bring this load in today. If it's all right with you, we'll just unload it in the customary fashion. I've supplied Missus Bliss for years. I'm pleased that y'all will have livestock again. I know how upset Missus Bliss was when she had to sell off her horses."

"Thank you. The stable and barn are unlocked."

"Thank you, Miss Darla." With that he got back into the truck and drove around to the barn. I went back inside and continued with my cleaning. After vacuuming the office, sewing room, library and theatre, I polished and dusted in all four rooms. I walked to the back of the house and saw that the truck was about ¾ empty so I made a big pitcher of lemonade. Filled three very large glasses with ice and carried it all to the barn. 

Mr. Burke and his two helpers were stacking hay in the barn. Sweat was running off their faces and noses, and their shirts were soaked. I set the tray down on an old bale by the door. Mr. Burke saw me and stopped what he was doing. I said, "I thought that y'all might like a cold drink."

"God bless you Miss Darla. That's right kind. We'll enjoy that as soon as we're finished. I like to get the job done before we start relaxing."

"As you wish. I'll just leave it here for you."

"Many thanks, Miss."

I turned and went back to the house. About an hour later, I heard the roar of the truck's engine as it pulled up next to the house. Mr. Burke carried the tray and glasses to the porch and handed them to me as I went outside. "That was right neighborly Miss Darla. We sure do thank you. It really hit the spot. Your hay and grain is all unloaded. We filled the hayloft in the stable and put the rest in the barn. Tell Missus Bliss to call us when she's ready for another load. I'll send the bill to her office as we used to. Thanks again for the lemonade. Bye now." With that he left and headed the big truck down the driveway. The two men in the back tipped their hats to me and I nodded back.

I took the pitcher and glasses back into the house, washed, dried and put them away. I cleaned out the refrigerator and discarded a couple of things before I went down to the laundry where I took the dried clothes, aprons, table clothes, and bed linens out of the dryers, and folded or hung everything on hangers. I filled a laundry cart and pushed it to the elevator. After putting everything away, I returned the cart to the basement. It wasn't yet time to start on dinner, so I went to the sewing room to practice using the machine. I practiced and experimented on old scraps until it was time to start dinner. I cleaned up my mess and went to the kitchen.

I had dinner ready when Auntie got home. We talked as we ate. I told her what Mr. Burke had said while he was here. She told me that the horses would be delivered on Wednesday. The delivery people would put them into the stalls for us. She said that I should not try to enter any of the stalls or handle any of the horses until she got home. She would try to cut her day as short as possible. She wanted to take the entire day off but an important meeting couldn't be postponed. I asked her if she could drop me off at Karen's house tomorrow on her way to work. She said that she would be happy to, because she hated that I was left here all alone when she had to work. "It's difficult living in this place when you don't have a car to get around with," she said. After dinner, I cleaned up as she went to change.

 When I was done, I called Karen and told her that I would be there very early tomorrow morning. She said that she would be ready and waiting for me. We talked for awhile. I told her about the barbecue, about the horse auction, and about getting the horses. She was excited and asked if she could come riding sometime. I said, "Of course. What's the sense of having six horses if they don't get ridden?"

She told me that Mike keeps asking when I was coming over again. "It seems that he really likes you. He keeps talking about dancing with you. I caught him practicing the other day with his arms out and his eyes closed. He had a big smile on his face until he realized I was standing there. He won't be here tomorrow though. He has a friend nearby and he's going over to his house early tomorrow to go fishing."

"How has Mr. Wang been acting towards you?"

"Wonderful. That schmoozing really paid off. I think that he likes you so much that I can get him to pick you up again without having to damage any of his roses." We both laughed.

"Well, I'd better go now. I'll see you bright and early."

"Okay. Darla. See you in the morning. Bye."

"Bye."

I went to my bedroom and put on my sleepwear after performing my nightly rituals. When I came out of my bedroom, Auntie had still not come out of hers so I knocked on her door. She told me to come in and I entered. She was lying on her bed reading something that looked like a report. I went over, climbed onto her bed, and crawled over to her. She put her arm around me and pulled me close to her. She said, "I have to read these reports before I go down to watch TV. You can go down by yourself. You don't have to wait for me."

"I'm perfectly comfortable like this. You go ahead and read your reports. I'll just enjoy lying here with you."

She kissed my head and resumed her reading. I lay there, enjoying the closeness of our bodies and the smell of her perfume. I lay perfectly still so as not to disturb her concentration. After about 45 minutes she was done.

Instead of going downstairs, we just continued to lie there. She thanked me for cleaning up her rooms and changing her bed linen, plus washing and hanging the clothes that she had put down the laundry chute.

"Well, it was Monday," I said. "That's wash day in New Jersey. I just brought the tradition here."

"What else did you do today?"

"I did my rooms also. I vacuumed our bedrooms, hallway, stairs, theatre, office, sewing room, and library. I also dusted and polished those rooms. I cleaned out the refrigerator. And I spent about an hour working in the sewing room."

"What are you sewing?"

"Nothing yet, I'm teaching myself how to use the machine with some scraps that I found. I'm practicing different stitches now that I've learned how to use the machine."

"You're quite a woman, Miss Drake. Most young girls your age would rather lie around reading teen magazines. When you've finished your work, you look for ways to improve yourself and learn new things. I'm very proud of you. The man who marries you is going to be a very lucky fellow. I hope that you find somebody worthy of you."

"Mother told me that I have to look with my head as well as my heart."

 "Your mother is absolutely right. You need to use both to find the right man. I have confidence in you. You'll know when the right man comes along. He'll sweep you off your feet and your heart will tell you that this is the man that you will love for the rest of your life. But then your head has to agree, or you must let him go. I don't have a single doubt that you will make the right choices. Just be sure to keep your legs closed until your heart, and head, agree. If you feel that you need to give him sexual release to avoid intercourse, use your mouth. Once a man had had his release, he will stop pressuring you to spread your legs. At least until the need builds up in him again."

"How long is that?"

"It varies between men and depends on their age and physical condition. Men reach their sexual peak in their late teens. An eighteen year old man can be ready to go again in ten to fifteen minutes, where a fifty year old man may only be good for once a night because he gets so spent that he falls asleep immediately afterwards. Age and physical condition play equal roles."

"How do I use my mouth to satisfy a man?"

"Okay, while we woman have vaginas, men have penises. Our reproductive organs are all inside our bodies while theirs are on the outside." She proceeded to tell me in great detail how to satisfy a man orally. I asked her if a man can satisfy a woman with his mouth and she proceeded to explain how he would do that, in great detail also.

"But again, not until you have found the right man and both your heart and head say so."

"But only intercourse can result in pregnancy, right?"

"Yes, but once you've introduced your cunny to a lover, he won't stop until he penetrates it with his penis. It's best to save that experience for your mate, and so save yourself a lot of anguish. Men will do or say anything to get sexual release. They are driven by their bodies and will do the most stupid things in order to get satisfaction."

"Can women get sexual gratification from another woman?"

"Of course, a woman can use her mouth the same as a man can, to satisfy another woman. And likewise, a man can satisfy another man. But in our society and culture, those kinds of relationships are morally forbidden. The church, and our government, only recognize relationships between a man and a woman." We talked for about another hour as Auntie opened my eyes on the subject of sex.

 "Thank you for explaining it. Lately, I've been wondering about it."

"You're at that age where your hormones will start to change your body. It's called puberty. It's the time when a young girl becomes a woman. It causes you to begin to have sexual desires. You will find yourself thinking about boys all the time. It's a mother's job to explain the things that I've just told you, so you understand what is happening to you. Since I'm filling in as your mother temporarily, I felt that I should tell you what she would, if she was here. It's called the "birds and bees" speech." We lay together for sometime as I thought about all the things that Auntie had told me. Suddenly, I was waking up from a sound sleep. It was morning and I had been dreaming about boys and sex. I blushed but no one noticed since Auntie was still asleep. I got off of the bed and went to take my bath.

 

(continued in Part 8)

 

 

 

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