SIBLING DISCOVERIES

The room was empty except for two sisters, seated together in the front row staring straight ahead at the coffin that contained their mother's body. Bobby took a deep breath, exhaled, then walked ahead to greet his siblings.

When they saw him, his stepsisters smiled and rose to meet him. While they had all been so close when they were younger, time and age had inevitably separated them in many ways. Yet, the connections they had made back then were strong ones, unique ones, and they knew nothing would ever permanently break the bonds of affection they each felt toward the other.

The older of his stepsisters, Sarah, embraced him in a tight squeeze, "Oh, Bobby..." Even at 55 years old she was a stunning specimen of beauty with straight, dark brown hair that hung just below her shoulders. A few streaks of grey had materialized since last he had seen her. Her eyes were also a deep brown, radiating warmth as well as an inner splendor coupled with a devious and mischievous nature.

He hugged her against his frame and tried to soothe her as best he could, "I know. I'm so sorry. At least she is out of pain now." Bobby let his hands caress Sarah's back in comfort as he whiffed the sweet, familiar fragrance of her body. "How are Brad and the kids?"

Sarah had married for the second time ten years ago and her new husband came with two boys, making an instant mother out of her, something she never quite took a liking to - similar to her own mother. "They're all fine. At home, of course. None of them had any desire to come and I can't say I blame them. Mom wasn't the most accepting or likable person was she?" They exchanged pained smiles while nodding their heads to acknowledge the obvious. "What about Diane?"

"Hmm...same, and for the same reasons," he answered with a huff and a smirk. Bobby, also 55 years old, had married his wife Diane thirty years prior and found it stunning, if not completely unbelievable, that they were still together. The passion had gone out of his marriage years before and he was all but certain his wife had been cheating on him for the past several years.

When they released, it was his younger stepsister's turn. "Hello, Ella. I'm so very sorry." She was 51 years old and possessed an equally alluring beauty, even at the half-century mark, although she was always more reserved and shy than her older sister. Ella stood a few inches taller than Sarah, and her cropped hair was the shade of caramel that matched wonderfully with her piercing green eyes.

"Thank you, Bobby," she answered, and reached out to take him in her arms to receive the same heart-felt consolation, which gave her some measure of relief and solace. Being in his arms always did that for her. "Chrissy sends her love."

Chrissy was Ella's partner, and had been ever since Ella's own brief marriage had failed years ago when she had married the only boyfriend she ever had right out of college. Unfortunately, their mother never approved of Ella's new lifestyle and, he assumed, Chrissy chose to absent herself from the immediate occasion like every other extended family member. It was the course of action Chrissy - and all the rest of them - had grown accustomed to over the years.

Bobby went to kneel in front of the casket to say a prayer as the other two resumed their seated vigil. As he knelt in front of the only person he had ever really known as mother, Bobby tried to keep his thoughts positive and offered up a genuine prayer for her spirit. When he felt satisfied, he whispered, "Amen," then joined his stepsisters to wait for the expected crowd of mourners who would dutifully file past them with expressions of sorrow and hollow words of condolence. None of them were looking forward to the next several hours.

As he sat in silence with his stepsisters, Bobby realized it was becoming increasingly hard to remember their childhood together. The older he got, the more distant the memories of the past became. Maybe that was a good thing. Then, unconsciously, a long-forgotten melody accompanied by a distinctive baritone voice came back to him from the deepest recesses of his mind and he spoke out loud, "Like sands through the hour glass, so are the days of our lives."

Seated next to him, his stepsisters grinned broadly, immediately recognizing that as the opening to The Days of Our Lives, a soap opera their mother used to watch religiously every afternoon while they were in school. Many times in their youth the three siblings remarked that their mother cared more about what happened in the fictional town of Salem, with the equally fictitious Horton family, than she cared about any of them. They still thought that was true.

Sarah chuckled, "Oh my God, Bobby. Whatever made you think of that?"

"I have absolutely no idea," he answered honestly, shaking his head and chuckling to himself. But his mind now accelerated into overdrive, taking him back - deep into the past - reflections he was powerless from stopping.

I

It was March of 1985, on a night like any other. Ronald Reagan was in his second term of office - it was Morning in America. Yet, the country was still in the throes of a Cold War with the Soviet Union. The AIDS epidemic was a growing national concern. Both of those issues - one domestic and one international - created a latent sense of anxiety in the country, especially with respect to AIDS as there was just so much that was still unknown about it at the time.

This unknown entity regarding AIDS had a profound impact on the sexual activity - and sexual promiscuity - of teenagers back then. The hallmark of any teenager's maturity - the lifeblood of an adolescent's experience during a very important and formative time - was hampered by a disease nobody seemed to understand. As a result, adolescents in the mid-80s were less sexually active and, even worse, less willing to take any unnecessary risks concerning sex than any group of kids in history. To put it bluntly, AIDS scared people shitless, especially teenagers, as it was even suspected at the time that you could get it just from swapping saliva during a kiss.

It wasn't as though sex didn't exist because of course it did. It was an ever-present topic of conversation and curiosity for teens, and there certainly were those who participated it in. Still - by and large - kids were anxious and, as a result, very cautious.

Consequently, despite Bobby and Sarah both being 18 years old and seniors at Highland Park High School in suburban Dallas, they were each supremely naïve in the ways of sex. Their relative sexual knowledge at this point in their lives was minimal at best - reserved for quiet conversations with their friends or the occasional titty magazine that made its way into Bobby's hands, usually courtesy of one of his friends after they were done with it.

As Bobby lay on his bed, he listened to the increasing volume of an argument his parents were having downstairs. It seemed that's all they ever did anymore, day or night. He stopped caring long ago why they were arguing or what they were arguing about. Bobby just wanted them to stop. He wanted the shouting and yelling, the name-calling and insults, to just melt away and disappear.

Bobby's real mother had passed away ten years previously, when he had been only eight, and for a few years he and his father were on their own. It hadn't been perfect but, up to that point, those had been the best years of his life. Memories of his real mom were growing fainter now and he came to the realization that she had already been gone for over half of his short life.

But, it was during nights like this that he missed his mother the most. He couldn't remember if his real mom and dad had ever fought. He had no recollection of that, but he sincerely doubted they had ever had an argument like the one he was listening to now. It was as if his dad and stepmom actually hated one another and, as he lay on his bed waiting for the shouting to end, Bobby wondered why the hell they had ever married in the first place.

Along with a new mother came two new sisters, and the only thing they had ever done was annoy the shit out of him since the day they all moved in together six years ago. The oldest was Sarah, who by sheer coincidence was only separated in age from Bobby by forty-three days. She had just turned eighteen the previous month and her only interest at home was bothering him about stupid shit or hogging the bathroom. Then there was Ella who was fourteen. For the most part Bobby liked her, except when she barged into his room without permission, which seemed to be happening more and more lately.

To the outside world, the Peterson family was the absolute quintessence of perfection. In reality, they were anything but that. It always made Bobby mad when they went to church and people would talk about how wonderful his parent were, and what a blessed home they must have. All bullshit - complete and utter bullshit. But his parents exceled in deception and keeping up appearances. In Highland Park, that was an absolute necessity of life. He wished the people from church could hear what was happening inside their house this night. It would probably shock some of them to death.

The only place in the entire house that was completely Bobby's was his room. It was a spacious bedroom located on the second floor and down the hall to the right. His parent's room took up one side of the upstairs while the three kids shared the other half, along with a gigantic bathroom that was a battleground every morning as they prepared for school.

As he grew older, Bobby had become extremely protective of this space as well as his privacy, especially the last few years when his penis became his best friend. This bedroom was his own personal, private haven.

There was a momentary lull in shouting from downstairs, and Bobby picked his head up off the pillow hoping that maybe his parents had gotten tired of fighting and decided to call it a night. Then, all too quickly, the yelling commenced again. In a fit of anger himself, Bobby pounded on the bedroom wall with all his might. As his bed was conveniently positioned right next to the wall, the booming sound he made reverberated loudly around the house.

Momentarily startled, an eerie silence descended as his parents stopped arguing - caught mid-sentence between insults. In that brief interlude, Bobby heard his father coming up the stairs and approaching his room. The bedroom door opened and his father's head poked in.

"Was that you that banged? Everything ok?" his father asked rather casually, as if nothing out of the ordinary was taking place that night.

Angry and irritable, and with more than a hint of sarcasm, Bobby sat straight up in his bed and shouted, "No Dad, I'm not alright! Can y'all just shut up! I'm sick and tired of the fighting. Every night. All night. Jesus Christ, just get divorced already!"

A look of shock registered on his father's face, followed by one of shame. He opened his mouth to speak - stood there for a second or two, then decided against it. He looked at his son apologetically, though to his son he appeared pathetic and weak. As he turned and shut the door, Bobby slammed his head down on the pillow and faced the wall he had just banged so effectively.

Mercifully, the fighting that night ended and Bobby took some small measure of comfort in knowing he had stopped it. However, he also realized this was simply a minor truce in a larger war that undoubtedly would continue tomorrow or the next day or the day after that. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath and, thankfully, fell asleep rather quickly.

In the bedroom across the hall lay Sarah and Ella. They had also been lying awake listening to the ensuing argument between their mother and stepdad, and heard their brother's angry outcry as well.

They loved their mom without question, but they had also come to love their stepdad who generously spoiled each of them. Their real father left one night when they were both very little and had never come home, so they did not know him and had no desire to. Their stepdad adopted them soon after he married their mother and, for all practical purposes, he had become the only real father the girls had ever known. They hated the loud arguments their parents often had but felt there was nothing they could do about it, hoping instead that everything would simply work out in time.

As the next few days passed, a lull was established between the two mature adults in the household and that brief respite, although pleasant, only created a false sense of security and fake atmosphere. Everyone walked on eggshells not wanting to upset anyone else, and the siblings privately wondered when the ceasefire would end.

In the meantime, when he wasn't attending school Bobby chose to spend most of his time at home in his room, isolated and away from nearly everyone. He was in no mood to put up with any of them. The selfish and stuck up students he knew in high school were carbon copies of the adults in their neighborhood. They would soon go off to college, but then run back to Highland Park just as fast as they could to become the newest and most updated version of their parents. The apple never fell far from the tree in Highland Park. It was a cesspool of pretentiousness and his parents were simply one example - more concerned about their status in town and what the neighbors thought than anything else.

Ella would pop her head into his room from time to time just to say hello, which Bobby appreciated and tried his hardest to be patient and polite. He didn't want to take his anger out on her. It wasn't her fault and she didn't deserve to be anybody's scapegoat. Sarah was another issue as they never seemed to talk unless it was through sarcasm or being mean to each other.

One afternoon when he returned home from school, Bobby went into the bathroom he shared with his stepsisters and began his favorite activity - masturbating. He had inadvertently glanced down the front of Angela Simpson's shirt during class when he stood over her desk, and the image of her nice plump breasts, covered by her white cotton bra, was seared in his memory.

In addition and not surprising, he thoroughly enjoyed the sensation of his hard cock in his hand as he pumped it back and forth while sitting on top of the toilet seat. Nothing compared to the feeling of jerking off and Bobby thought it was quite possible he could play with himself all day if ever given the chance.

As he continued to tug and pull at his stiff member, Sarah unexpectedly walked into the bathroom and stopped abruptly as she spied her stepbrother with his hand around his dick. The sudden intake of her breath, combined with the door opening, caught Bobby by surprise and he slouched over to cover himself.

Sarah opened her mouth to speak but could only manage, "Uh...I..."

"Get the fuck out of here!" Bobby screamed, and Sarah stammered a quick apology before turning and shutting the door behind her.

Bobby remained in his covered position for several minutes before deciding to get up and lock the door, something he had evidently neglected to do. What the fuck was I thinking, he thought? I was thinking about Angela's tits, that's what, he answered himself. But his penis was already shrinking down to its normal size and any desire he had to pleasure himself was gone.

"Fucking asshole," he said to an empty bathroom. Pulling up his pants, Bobby washed his hands, unlocked the bathroom door and walked out into the hallway hoping he could make it to his room without seeing Sarah. Thankfully, he got down the hall and into his room without incident - then flopped on his bed.

That very same night, for reasons known only to his parents, the arguing started again. Bobby couldn't believe some of the things they were saying to each other. It was as if his parents didn't know one another; like they were two complete strangers who happened to find themselves married to each other by accident.

Then, three nights later, shit really started to hit the fan.

As Bobby lay on his bed, headphones covering his ears as he listened to the stereo, something crashed very loudly down in the living room. Quickly pulling off the headset, Bobby sat up straight in bed to await whatever came next. After an extended pause there was more yelling and cursing and, shortly thereafter, another spectacular smashing noise emanated from below as something flew against the living room wall. Holy shit, he thought, someone is really going to get hurt.

Just as he was about to get out of bed, deciding he had no choice but to intervene in his parent's messy business once again, his door opened and Ella hurried inside. Shutting his door quietly, she scrambled over to stand by the side of his bed. She was crying uncontrollably and shaking pretty badly. Bobby didn't really know what to do but he had to do something to calm her down. Rising to sit on the edge of his bed, he brought Ella into his arms, hating his parents with a renewed intensity he hadn't known he possessed.

As his arms wrapped around his stepsister, he could feel her shivering. Warm tears dribbled onto his bare shoulder. Bobby rubbed her back and managed to say the only thing he could think of, "It'll be alright Ella." But, would it? How hollow those words sounded to him.

Yet the fighting downstairs continued. His parents seemed oblivious to how their arguing might be affecting the rest of the family. The shouting and cursing and insults hurled back and forth between them, like a tennis ball being volleyed between two opposing players at Wimbledon. Ella nestled snuggly inside her big brother's arms and he held her tightly, trying his best to make her feel safe and secure.

After a few minutes, Bobby's door opened again and this time Sarah walked in. "Oh good," she exhaled loudly in obvious relief before shutting the door. "I was hoping you came in here. I really didn't want to have to walk downstairs to find you." Clearly she was talking about Ella, who remained buried inside her big brother's tight hug. She tilted her head sideways to look over at her sister.

Renewed anger intensified inside Bobby. "God damn those two!"

"Yeah," Sarah agreed. This may have been the first time she had ever agreed with Bobby about anything. "I don't know what they have to always argue about." She walked over to where Bobby was sitting on his bed holding Ella and plopped down beside him. "I hate them."

Startled, Ella pushed herself away from Bobby, "Don't say that!"

"Why not?" Sarah answered sharply. "They deserve it." She crossed her arms and huffed, decidedly making her point.

"I know," Ella responded meekly, then added, "Just don't say it, okay?"

For a time the three of them stayed where they were, unsure what to do next and waiting to see if the battle was over. Thankfully, nothing else crashed or shattered that night but the damage had already been done. While the yelling had minimized, the discussion downstairs was still going strong and seemed poised to escalate at any moment.

Finally, Ella spoke up and asked a question she had only ever asked Bobby twice before, each during a rather horrific thunderstorm. "Can I sleep in your bed tonight?"

Without hesitation he assured her, "Of course you can." He gave her a soft kiss on the forehead.

Pulling herself from his arms and smiling happily, Ella hopped into Bobby's bed and slid down under the covers to get comfortable. Although he was only 4 years her senior, tonight Bobby felt much older and considered it his responsibility to look after and care for his younger sister.

With Ella all snug and cozy in his bed, Bobby and Sarah sat side by side on the edge of it and waited for something they couldn't identify. Were they waiting for their parents to stop fighting, or for Ella to fall asleep, or the sound of more crashing and yelling? They didn't know, but they sat there together on the bed and waited anyway.

After a little while, two of those three things happened as the fighting stopped and Ella fell asleep. Still, they remained seated next to each other and listened as their parents walked up the stairs and proceeded in the opposite direction down the hall to their room.

"I wonder which one of them surrendered tonight?" Bobby whispered bitterly.

Sarah turned to look at him, still listening to her parents out in the hall. It was obvious they had been drinking - again - as they both seemed to bump into everything as they made their way to their room. When it was quiet out in the hall she softly answered, "Does it matter? It'll just start all over again tomorrow." Bobby could only nod his head in agreement while grunting in disgust.

Realizing that his stereo was still on and playing through the headphones, Bobby rose and switched it off, no longer interested in anything the DJ might be playing on 97.1 KEGL, "The Eagle," broadcasting out to the ever-expanding Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex. He sat back on the edge of his bed, hung his head and slouched his shoulders as Sarah sat listening to the soft sounds of her sister's breathing behind them.

Shortly, another sound cut through the stillness of the night and it was just as unexpected as the crashing echoes of earlier. Bobby and Sarah exchanged puzzled looks, each listening while trying to interpret what they were hearing.

It abruptly registered with Bobby and he sat straight up on his bed, eyes wide and perking his head. Looking over to Sarah in amazement he whispered, "Their having sex!"

Automatically shaking her head in disbelief, Sarah stopped the instant she heard the rhythmic noise pick up its pace and sound. Her eyes also widened and her mouth dropped as the realization of what she was hearing became all too obvious. "How can they have sex? They just spent the whole night fighting!"

"I have no idea. But, maybe this will make them both feel better so they stop hating each other for a little while," he surmised. Sarah nodded her head and the two of them sat in silence listening to the growing sounds traveling down the hall from their parent's bedroom as their mother wailed, "Oh, God - Yes! Yes...fuck me. Oh, my God, fuck me. FUCK ME!"

They exchanged wide-eyed looks before Sarah giggled out loud and quickly covered her mouth while Bobby chuckled and shook his head in disbelief. Before too long it was over as the squeaking bed stopped suddenly, followed by a protracted moan that could have come from either parent - maybe both of them.

Bobby looked at Sarah and could tell she was smiling even though her mouth was covered because her brown eyes sparkled. Then they both started giggling uncontrollably.

After a few minutes they had composed themselves, remaining next to each other on the bed. Silence enveloped them again. It was the longest they had ever spent next to one another. It was peaceful.

"I'm not at all tired," Sarah announced abruptly. Her parent's fighting had driven away any notion of sleep.

"Yeah - me neither," Bobby replied, then quickly rose as a thought occurred to him. He flipped his radio back on while unhooking the headphones. Then he turned the volume down low so that it would play lightly in the background without escaping the walls of his room.

REO Speedwagon was singing "Can't Fight This Feeling," a song Bobby was already tired of hearing since this station had a tendency to overplay current hits.

But Sarah jumped a little on his bed, saying, "Ooh, I like this song."

So, it was decided. He wouldn't change the station. He felt it was the least he could do under the circumstances, especially considering that Sarah hardly ever came in his room and had never stayed this long in all the time they had lived together.

When the song ended it was followed by Wham's "Careless Whisper," and that was replaced by Michael Jackson declaring that "Billie Jean" was not his lover. Bobby and Sarah just sat there, side by side, unexpectedly secure and comfortable in each other's presence as their sister Ella slept peacefully behind them. They both seemed to realize or sense that their relationship had reached a turning point and each supposed they could at least thank their parents for that. The shared experience of enduring their parent's fighting had inadvertently brought them closer together.

As the music ended and the radio switched to a commercial break Sarah spoke up, "Um...Bobby?"

Instincts kicked in immediately and he knew what she was about to say, but he decided to just let things play out. He hoped the conversation would end quickly and without embarrassment. But in the years to come, the memory of this conversation would come back to him repeatedly as it marked the exact moment when things changed forever between him and his stepsister.

"Yeah?" he answered slowly, his attention focused on the beige carpet below.

"Um...I just wanted to apologize for walking in on you when you were in the bathroom the other day." Sarah paused and looked over at him. "I'm sorry," she said quietly.

Bobby hesitated for a moment or two. "It's okay," he answered softly. He didn't know what else to say and really didn't want to talk about the incident.

But Sarah did, and she kept right on going. "I should have knocked and I didn't. I don't know why either. I...I saw the door closed and everything, and...I still just opened it and walked right in." It had all come out in a rush that she seemed powerless to prevent.

Sensing that his stepsister was nervous, and knowing she wanted some kind of answer or closure, Bobby tried again but the only thing that came out of his mouth was a repeat of what he had just said. "It's okay. Really."

"I didn't see anything. I promise," she finished, then turned to look at him again - her eyes roaming across his bare chest.

Now embarrassed himself, he looked at Sarah and grinned. He placed his right hand on her left leg, which was covered by the new pajamas she had gotten for her birthday. It was a matching two-piece ensemble that was white and dotted with tiny green clovers. The top part had two straps that crossed over her shoulders with elastic inserted through the upper edge to cover her bosom. It hung down to her belly, just barely exposing her navel. The bottom portion clung snuggly over her legs and also had elastic in the waist and ankles.

For the third time Bobby said, "It's okay." Evidently that was the only thing he could think of to say. What else was there?

The silence between them resumed and more time elapsed as the two siblings sat next to each other in wordless serenity listening to the playlist of songs coming out of KEGL which, at the moment, was playing one of Bobby's favorites, "Purple Rain" by Prince and the Revolution.

"Bobby?" came Sarah's soft voice once again, momentarily startling him out of his cognitive reverie.

"Yeah?"

"Um..." she paused to look over at him again as his eyes remained fixed on the carpet. "Do you play with it a lot?" she asked curiously.

"Wh...what?" he stammered. He jerked his head around to look at her. Now he was really embarrassed and he could feel his face turning red. "I thought you said you didn't see anything!?!?"

"Well...I didn't. Not really." She looked away and hesitated, trying to decide whether or not to continue questioning him. Her curiosity got the better of her. "But...do you...you know...play with it a lot?"

Bobby shifted his gaze back to the carpet, blinked a few times, and then looked back at his stepsister. Her brown eyes penetrated him as an innocent, curious smile spread across her face. He opened his mouth to speak but found he either didn't have a voice or simply couldn't answer the question. This was definitely not something you were supposed to talk about, especially with your sister. Looking back down at the floor he timidly answered, "N...No." It was easier to just stare at the floor.

More minutes passed in silence, each of them reflecting on what was said. "Bobby?" Sarah pressed again.

He exhaled slowly but audibly, "Hmmm?" He was altogether unsure where things were going.

She reached over and squeezed his arm slightly. "It's okay if you do." Then, as an afterthought added, "I do it too."

Bobby snapped his head around in his sister's direction and stared openly at her. "You do?" he asked incredulously - a look of amazement on his face.

Sarah shyly nodded in the affirmative as she bit her lower lip. She shifted her gaze around her stepbrother's bare upper body, then around her to where Ella was sleeping soundly in Bobby's bed.

"Hm," he uttered, now very intrigued. Bobby stared at Sarah for a moment, then at her long brown hair cascading down the back and sides of her pajama top. "Yeah..." he finally admitted slowly. "I guess I do too."

They started giggling again in spite of themselves, each having acknowledged something very private to the other. As they sat together quietly chuckling, both were aware that a new kind of openness and understanding between them had just developed.

When the moment subsided, and the sound of "Dancing in the Dark" by The Boss began emanating from the stereo, Sarah felt comfortable enough to continue with her inquiry.

"Bobby?" she asked once again, her voice firmer and less hesitant this time.

"Yeah?" He was little looser now too, although he had no clue what she was going to say. Still, they had started down this path and it needed to play out.

"Um. Can...Can I..." she paused and swallowed hard, but she couldn't find the words to finish her sentence.

Bobby turned once again to look at his stepsister, but she was staring at the floor now with her hands clasped together between her legs while her long hair covered most of her profile.

"Can you what?" he asked. He was the one trapped by curiosity this time. He honestly expected her to ask if she could also sleep in his room, although that would hardly leave any space for him in the bed. So, when she finally responded he was shocked.

"Can I...see it?" Her head was turned upwards to look at him, hair dangling down and covering most of her face. But her eyes were huge and clear. There was an intensity to them he hadn't noticed before. There was also a look of hopefulness on her face.

"Wha...no!" he answered quickly, surprised and startled by her question.

"Why not?" she pleaded, her expression now one of hurt and rejection.

"Because!" he responded emphatically but as gently as he could. "You're my sister, that's why."

Sarah sat straight up looked him sternly in the eyes, one eyebrow askew. "Stepsister. I'm your stepsister Bobby. We're no more related to each other than we are to any other people in the world."

Shit, he thought, good point. "Doesn't matter," he concluded, shaking his head with disapproval. "We can't do that." And with those words, Bobby assumed his answer was final and the discussion was now closed.

For a time the only sound in the room, besides the radio playing "Footloose" by Kenny Loggins, was the cute little snoring coming from Ella laying comfortably behind them curled up in a ball. Then, without warning, Sarah reached over and placed her left hand on Billy's knee, prompting him to face her.

For the first time since he had met her six years before, Bobby appreciated how cute Sarah was. Her large brown eyes twinkled in the dimly lit room as she bit the inside of her mouth. She squeezed his knee and offered, "I'll let you see my boobs."

Bobby's mouth dropped open but he just stared at her. He didn't know what to do. His conscience said no but his body screamed YES.

"Come on, Bobby" Sarah implored softly. Her gentle hand, resting comfortably on his knee gave another little squeeze. "Let me see it?" Gone was any of her previous nervousness as she positioned herself sideways on the edge of his bed to look at him directly. "Please?"

Reaching out with her other hand, she tugged playfully at her stepbrother's right arm. Sarah's eyes were wide with curiosity and excitement. "For God's sake Bobby, I'm 18 and I've never seen a penis. At least not in person. Have you ever seen a girl's tits?"

He just stared at her, mouth open. Swallowing, he lowered his head and ran a hand through his hair. This was the only answer he gave but it was all the answer his stepsister needed.

"Come on," she repeated quietly, pulling on his arm again. "I won't tell. I promise. It'll be our secret. Ok?" They stared intently at each other, neither moving as their hearts beat faster and faster.

All of the saliva had gone from Bobby's mouth but he tried to swallow anyway. Slowly, he nodded his head. How the fuck could he resist her? How could he resist the opportunity to look at someone's tits, even if they did belong to his stepsister? "Umm." He sighed heavily. "Uh...alright." Then, as an immediate afterthought he added, "But, you can't tell anyone Sarah!"

"I told you I won't," she replied instantly, then crossed her heart for good measure.

"I mean it. You can't," he repeated. "Not even Ella. Especially Ella!" They both turned to look at her sleeping under the covers and facing the wall.

Sarah agreed vigorously, "I won't...I won't. I promise."

Bobby took a couple of deep breaths, nodded his head in agreement, and smoothly slid off the bed to stand a few feet in front of his stepsister. Suddenly a thought hit him like a bolt of lightning. What if she laughed at him? What if she made fun of him? He had only ever exposed himself to two other people - Chris, an older neighbor boy, one afternoon out back in their shed and Tara, the cute girl in his History class after a dare one day. Both times he didn't really have time to think about what he was doing, although neither of those people had made fun of him then or laughed at him, so maybe everything would be okay.

Sensing his unease, Sarah reassured him by surprisingly addressing his unspoken fear, "I won't laugh Bobby. I promise." She reached out and squeezed his left hand as she smiled up at him.

Bobby looked at her in astonishment and relaxed. It was as if she had just read his mind. Then another thought occurred to him, "Have you ever...you know...shown anyone?"

Sarah shook her head, then stopped. That wasn't honest. "Well...I showed Maggie a few times, and a couple guys here and there. And Ella, of course." Maggie had been her best friend since the 1st grade, so that was probably to be expected and Ella hardly counted. But, Bobby briefly wondered who the lucky guys had been.

Looking into her big, brown eyes he smiled awkwardly and nodded his head. "Ok." He hooked his thumbs under the elastic of his underwear and pajama bottoms, the only clothes he had on. Taking a final deep breath, he paused then pulled them down just above his knees to expose his flaccid penis.

It hung straight down in front of him and Sarah stared at it intently, her eyes wide with fascination. She was mesmerized as she shifted from her stepbrother's dick to the dark pubic hair that surrounded it and then at the two testicles dangling below. Without any conscious thought she said, "It's pretty, Bobby."

He was momentarily stunned. Of all the things he imagined her saying, pretty wasn't one of them. "It's pretty?" he asked in bewilderment.

Sarah looked up at him and giggled, "Yeah. It's pretty."

Bobby looked at her quizzically, unsure what to make of the comment as she returned to staring at his member. Without looking up at him she asked, "Can I touch it?"

Although that seemed like the natural next step, he paused. Looking was one thing, touching was another. He was also a bit concerned that if she touched him his dick would get hard, and he didn't want that to happen. Yet, as he stared down at his stepsister, her innocent face and genuine curiosity got the better of him. "Only if I can touch you."

Sarah nodded automatically while staring at his body - his smooth chest and flat belly, the thin line of dark hair than ran down from his bellybutton to fan out around his penis, and his soft cock that hung down before her. Its tip was shaped like an acorn with the slit for peeing at the end. She was completely transfixed on all his parts and wanted to study them in depth, especially as this was the first time she had ever seen one up close and personal.

Reaching outward, she touched his penis gently and then proceeded to pet it, like it was something other than a dick. Her soft hand was warm and her fingers grazed his pubic hair as she explored his manhood. Sarah gingerly caressed his chest and nipples with her other hand before running down his stomach. Both hands came together on his penis, where they picked it up so she could look it all over.

Squeezing his dick lightly, Sarah placed the tip between a thumb and index finger and pressed softly. She started with a jolt, evidently surprised by something, and looked up at him as he stared down to watch her inspect him. "The tip...it's soft!"

Bobby chuckled and relaxed a bit, "Yeah. That part is always soft."

"I didn't expect that," she answered quietly, almost to herself as her eyes roamed over his body again. With his penis in one hand, Sarah began fondling his balls with the other. Her examination was slow, deliberate and full of curiosity.

Bobby allowed his stepsister to take her time checking him out. It wasn't as bad or awkward as he imagined it would be, and he had every intension of taking full advantage of his approaching opportunity as well. Ultimately, however, her soft touch and tender explorations started arousing him immensely and, as a result, his dick began to stiffen. When she lightly squeezed his scrotum he exhaled loudly.

She looked up at him, mouth open in wonder. "Does that feel good, Bobby?" she innocently wanted to know, intrigued by the expression on his face. Was it pain? Was it pleasure?

"Umm hmm." Their eyes met and held each other's gaze. Sarah smiled faintly as Bobby's breathing picked up.

Sarah felt his penis harden, then stared in awe as it grew longer right in front of her eyes. Her mouth opened wider with amazement and excitement as Bobby's cock unfurled to its maximum size, rising upwards and tilting slightly to her right. "Wow," she said breathlessly. As it began pulsing from the blood rushing into it, she reached up and took hold of it firmly. "It's really hard."

Bobby exhaled. "Um, yeah...that happens. Especially when it's touched." The sudden realization that things had probably progressed further than they should have, he reached down and quickly yanked up his pajama bottoms before pivoting to sit down next to her on the bed - his hard cock tenting out in front of him.

Sensing she had done something wrong, or embarrassed him by accident, Sarah placed a hand on his right arm. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that."

"I know," he answered quietly. Several moments went by as they both sat there listening to the music emanating from the stereo as Ella continued to snore softly behind them. Bobby made a feeble attempt to hide the erect cock inside his pajamas as Sarah alternated her focus between the bulge in his pants and his face.Realizing that his hard-on was not about to go away, he finally turned to look at his stepsister. His heart was beating faster than he could ever remember. "Your turn," he whispered.

Looking over at him, she opened her mouth to say something and changed her mind. She nodded, then stood up. It was her turn to stand a few feet before him. "Are you ready?" Her voice quivered slightly from nervousness.

He nodded several times and attempted to smile. Too late to turn back now, and he didn't want to. He was curious and anxious to see whatever Sarah had to show.

Grabbing the sides of her pajama top, Sarah lifted up to expose two small breasts jutting out before her. This was the first pair of tits Bobby had ever laid eyes on in person and they were a beautiful sight to behold. Before this moment he had never really given his stepsister's tits any thought at all. Now, however, they had his undivided attention.

Her breasts were shaped like two tear drops pointing out on her chest. The areolas were a slightly darker shade of pink and surrounded long, hard nipples. They looked like a couple of push pins sticking out, something that Bobby found very interesting. Nobody in any titty magazine ever had nipples like that and his dick throbbed with excitement.

Sarah watched her stepbrother's eyes rove across her chest and she also grew excited. The other times she had exposed herself had been fun but hadn't really meant that much. Oh, they had studied each other's body and made comments about it, but that wasn't the same. It was nothing like having someone really look at you, especially the way her stepbrother was looking at her. "You can touch them if you want," she reminded him quietly.

Having become engrossed with the look and shape of Sarah's breasts, Bobby had momentarily forgotten about touching them. His right hand reached up and squeezed one and it was his turn to start with a jolt. Looking up at her, he exclaimed, "It's hard!" He had expected it to be soft, and for the most part it was. But it was also very firm. That caught him by complete surprise.

"I know," she assured him casually, reaching up with her hands to squeeze both breasts. "They've gotten softer though. They'll keep getting softer as they grow."

Bobby looked up into his stepsister's beautiful eyes, "Oh." He hadn't the slightly clue about any of that. "I didn't expect that."

Suddenly, they both started giggling once again as they realized there was something about the other's private anatomy that neither one of them had anticipated or expected. It was also a sign of how they were growing more and more comfortable with each other.

When the brief pause ended, Bobby looked back up at Sarah and she nodded for him to continue. "It's ok - go ahead."

This time he reached out with both hands, placing one on top of each breast to caress and explore. Rubbing his hands over her chest, Sarah moved slightly in rhythm to his touching and sighed, "Ummmm," as her firm nipples poked into his palms. "That feels nice, Bobby."

He agreed wholeheartedly. "Yes, it does." He continued to roam his hands across her chest, taking in the feel and shape of each of his stepsister's boobs - squeezing them one at a time as her upper body swayed to the movement of his fingers. Finally, his hands slid down to her stomach and then they were gone as Bobby sat back on the bed.

Sarah lowered her top and resumed her seat next to him. For a while they said nothing again. There was nothing to say.

They just listened in silence to the songs that played late into the Texas night from a bedroom in Highland Park. This time it was Culture Club singing, "Karma Chameleon," and when it ended the radio switched to another station identification break.

Sarah looked over at Bobby. When he returned her stare with one of his own, she said, "Thank you. That was nice."

He reached out to touch her on the leg, "Yeah...it was. And fun too."

The moments passed but their eyes stayed on each other. The invisible barrier between them, created the instant they had come into each other's lives, had dissolved after sharing a tender and intimate experience. Bobby swallowed and smiled at his stepsister, and she couldn't help but smile back.

They saw each other differently now. There was something new and exciting to each of them, something that only they shared together. It was as if they crossed over an unseen dividing line and, having come to the other side, there was no going back. The longer they stared at each other the more comfortable they grew in each other's company.

She took his hands in hers and squeezed them. "I want to kiss you."

Sarah spoke so softly that Bobby wasn't sure he heard correctly. "What?" he responded, but he squeezed her hands in return.

"Can I kiss you?" she asked, sliding closer to him so their legs pressed against each other.

He could smell the distinctive aroma of her perfume and was aroused beyond measure. His heart leapt inside his chest. "Yes." His word came out as barely a whisper.

They leaned into each other until their faces were separated by inches. She bit her bottom lip and grinned at him as he closed his eyes and moved his mouth to touch hers.

At first, they simply pressed their lips together. Then, slowly, their mouths moved together. Their kissing was soft, gentle and affectionate. When they separated she smiled again and Bobby chuckled once before smiling in return.

"That felt nice," he whispered. His hard cock was throbbing inside his pajamas.

Sarah slid even closer to him, practically on top of his leg, and reached up to touch him delicately on the side of his face. "Yes, it did."

As she caressed his face Bobby thought his dick just might explode. He could literally hear his heart thumping in his ears and felt blood pumping throughout his body. He opened his mouth to speak but no words were necessary. They both wanted to kiss again and their lips found each other automatically as she moved her hand to the back of his head to pull him into her.

This time they were eager. They wanted more as their bodies and mouths responded. Bobby wrapped his arms around his stepsister as they came together tightly. Mouths opened and tongues danced around as their breathing intensified.

Bobby shifted his lips to kiss her cheek, then lower until he came to her neck. He kissed and massaged her neckline as Sarah exhaled and moaned out softly. "Oh my..."

The sound of her voice sent chills through his body. His hands caressed her back as his mouth sucked lightly on the nape of her neck.

She responded to his every move, his every touch, and loved everything he was doing to her. Her moaning was soft - hot breath covering his ear - as Sarah responded to her stepbrother's kissing. "Oh Bobby...mmmm...that feels so good." Sarah tilted her head to allow him more access as her hand slid down to rub on the concealed boner inside his pajamas.

Bobby grunted with pleasure. Without really knowing what he was doing, Bobby kept kissing, licking and sucking gently on her neck before moving up to do the same on her cute little earlobe.

The sound of him breathing in her ear and the touch of his lips on her skin was driving Sarah wild. She had never experienced anything close to this in her life. Her panties were soaked. Getting control of herself and her emotions was the most difficult thing she had ever done, but she pushed him away soothingly. "We should stop." She was out of breath, as if she had just run up the stairs.

Bobby immediately concluded he had done something wrong. "I'm sorry. I...I didn't mean..."

"No, no!" she answered instantly, shaking her head and placing a hand over his mouth. "You did nothing wrong Bobby. Oh, my God - you did nothing wrong. In fact, everything you did was perfect."

Reality soon came back into focus for him and he nodded slowly. "Ok." After catching his own breath he continued. "You're right though. We should probably stop."

They just looked at each other. Neither of them really wanted to stop and that was obvious by the way they lingered in silence staring at one another. They hadn't been prepared for what they just experienced and neither of them were sure where things went from here.

For a lack of anything else to do, Bobby turned around and clicked the stereo off. "I think we should probably go to bed now, don't you?"

"Yes..." she answered timidly. "Would you...mind if I slept in your bed as well?" She really didn't want to go back to her room all alone.

This was something the three siblings had only ever done once before, a couple years ago when a nasty September thunderstorm threatened to turn into a tornado. They had shared a large bed in one of the guest rooms after their parents had said it would be okay.

Now, with Ella already nestled snuggly under the covers, Bobby wasn't so sure. And considering what they had just done it was probably best they didn't. He opened his mouth to say so but the way she was looking at him he couldn't refuse. Ultimately, he figured it would be alright, but he did have one thing to take care of first. "Sure. Why not?" he answered softly. "I just...need...to use the bathroom. I'll be right back."

Sarah looked at her stepbrother, then looked down at his hard-on tenting out of his pajamas. "Are you going to go jerk off?"

After everything they had just done, there was no reason to hide anything now. The mystery was over. "Yes."

Sarah stared at him with a curious expression on her face, then slowly nodded her head as he left the room quietly but in a hurry. She hopped into the bed and awaited his return thinking about him masturbating and picturing his stiff dick, wondering what it looked like when he played with it. What it looked like when he ejaculated. She had hardly begun thinking about it when he walked back in the room. "That was quick," she announced with a whisper.

Chuckling in spite of himself, Bobby agreed. "It sure was. All it took was a few strokes. I was ready to explode."

"Like a rocket," she answered, smiling broadly up at him.

"And that's pretty much what it looked like too," he added as they both started giggling.

Sarah hopped out of bed and told her stepbrother to get in the middle so he could rest between both her and Ella.

He did as instructed and, after he was positioned and comfortable, Sarah leaned against him. He wrapped his left arm around her, pulling her into him as she placed a hand on his chest and felt it rise and fall with his breathing.

"This feels nice Bobby."

He had to admit she was right. "Yes, it does."

Moments passed as their bodies rested. "I like laying here like this - with you." Sarah nuzzled her face closer to his and kissed his neck. "Thank you."

"Anytime...sis." They both giggled again.

Just then Ella rolled over, snuggling next to Bobby on the other side - still asleep and breathing softly. He wrapped his right arm around his other sister and pulled her into him on that side.

For the first time since his mother had died, Bobby felt truly secure and loved. And it had come from two unexpected sources. He never could have imagined what had happened between him and Sarah, and he certainly had no idea what might happen next, if anything. But, despite all that, a new relationship had developed with both of his stepsisters that evening - each more meaningful than any they had ever shared before.line of mourners filled the room to pay their respects to the woman lying inside a mahogany casket. Off to the right, three siblings stood in line shaking hands, receiving hugs and words of condolence from an assembled lot of grievers. Many of the faces that greeted them were familiar, reflections from a long-ago time and a world that no longer existed. Others were complete strangers.

During a brief gap between bereaved guests, Bobby Peterson turned to his immediate left and whispered to his stepsister Sarah, "Christ - this can't end soon enough."

"I know," she whispered back quickly as the next person headed over to express themselves.

And so it went for three hours during an afternoon in May, which just happens to be a damn fine month in Texas. The sun is always shining in a sky of clear blue, the color Crayola labels periwinkle, with the heat merely providing a foretaste of what's to come during the summer months.

But inside the Sparkman Hillcrest Funeral Home in Dallas, the contrast couldn't have been starker and the smell coming from the assortment of flowers was suffocating. Not to mention the fragrances of cologne and perfume that mingled with the floral arrangements. It was all so nauseating, leaving Bobby lightheaded and feeling ready to vomit.

Finally, though, it was over. The last of the mourners made their exit, leaving only the three siblings. They stood together looking down at their mother, each offering a silent prayer before the casket was closed for good.

The funeral director, a man who looked to be in his late sixties, sauntered over. He displayed the customary sad and solemn expression, and Bobby couldn't help but wonder if these people practice that look. Is it something they teach you when you go into the funeral home business?

In a voice that was barely audible he confirmed the details of the next day's proceedings and assured the trio they could stay as long as they needed. In that instant Bobby wanted to shout at the top of his lungs, just for the hell of it. He wasn't concerned about waking his dead mother, but it would have been fun to scare the shit out of this undertaker. Christ, he thought, I can't imagine what their lives must be like. Do they act like this all the time, or is it part of the performance they're expected to play?

Instead, Bobby and his stepsiblings each murmured their thanks before sitting down in the first row of chairs. "Just the funeral tomorrow morning and it'll all be over," Ella spoke to nobody in particular.

She was the youngest of them at 51 years old. She had cropped hair in a shade resembling caramel with piercing green eyes that belied her shyness. Her partner of many years, Chrissy, had conveniently stayed away from this somber occasion since Ella's mother had never accepted their lifestyle or their decision to live together.

"How can I explain that to my friends?" and "What would the people at the country club or church say?" were their mother's ready remarks when confronted with the reality that one of her daughters was gay. She had always maintained that Ella was just "going through a phase," despite her daughter's very lengthy and committed relationship with Chrissy.

However, Bobby's wife and Sarah's husband were also noticeably absent, preferring to pay their respects in private. There had never been any genuine affection between any of them and their mother either, especially as she never expressed any interest in anything or anyone outside her immediate orbit. If anyone inside the funeral home had noticed these obvious absences they kept silent about it, although in Highland Park that was the customary way of handling things anyway.

It had been a similar experience several years before when their father passed away and, truthfully, that had been more painful for all of them. None of the siblings technically loved their mother less, it was just that she had always been remote and removed from their day to day lives, engaged and involved in anything that wasn't her immediate family. Predominantly, however, she had always been more concerned with her station in life and keeping up appearances than the happiness of her children. It was such a contrast to how their father had acted and treated them.

His funeral had been a difficult one to endure for them due to the genuine love and affection they each had for him. Conversely, their mother's funeral was more like a formal procedure they all needed to get through - like a root canal - rather than any honest display of sadness or bereavement. That difference hadn't escaped any of the children and, truthfully, it only added to the somber reality of the situation.

"Shall we go?" Bobby asked at last. He was looking straight ahead at the closed casket and desired to be any place other than where he was.

Apparently feeling the same, Sarah stood up immediately. "Yes!"

"Mmm hmm," Ella uttered quietly as she also rose from her chair.

The three of them took a final lingering look at the casket, then walked silently out into the warm Texas evening and the fresh, aromatic smells of springtime.

They decided to treat themselves to a relaxing dinner at Bob's Steak & Chop House, a local and family favorite on Lemon Avenue. It had been almost a year since they had all been together - celebrating what would prove to be their mother's last birthday - and, contrary to many families, these siblings actually enjoyed each other's company.

As they relaxed in a very comfortable setting, imbibing alcohol and fine dining, they had an opportunity to get caught up on one another's lives.

Ella and Chrissy lived down in Austin where Ella had just been promoted as a senior project manager for a tech company and they were preparing to move into a more spacious home with their two dogs. She had a good life, a comfortable life. They had a good life together and enjoyed being in Austin where their lifestyle was less of an issue than it would have been in nearly any other place in Texas. The "Keep Austin Weird" mentality and motto suited them both perfectly.

Sarah, aged 55, and her husband Brad lived north of Dallas in Plano with their two sons, Brad's kids from a previous marriage. He was a software engineer with the Frito-Lay company at their headquarters while she taught seventh grade in a middle school in neighboring Allen.

She, too, had a good life. A fairly solid marriage, all things considered, as well as a reliable job she was good at and lived in a very spacious home in a typical suburban neighborhood. The only thing she would have liked to change was her neighbors.

Having grown up in Highland Park - an affluent community in Dallas - Sarah was used to pretentious snobs. But, the good people of Plano took things to a whole other level. The way she described it to her siblings was that Highland Park was old money and with it came a sense of responsibility. Plano, on the other hand, was all new money and with that came a sense of entitlement and selfishness. And, that, was something she absolutely hated. People consumed with themselves and their station in life had never impressed her much - she experienced enough of that shit growing up with her parents.

When it came to Bobby, also 55 years of age, things were the same as they had ever been. Working for the only company he had ever been employed with, he was a senior IT manager in charge of security out at DFW airport and lived in adjacent Flower Mound, another suburban neighborhood north of Dallas and to the west of Plano.

His personal life remained the same as well. Married to his wife Diane in his mid-twenties they were still together, although the union had never really been a solid one. At first things had been great, but after years of trying to have children - and failing - their relationship deteriorated. Bobby still loved Diane and she still loved him but their marriage was more a force of habit at this point - each of them too lazy to get divorced and start over after thirty years together. Although, Bobby suspected Diane was cheating on him. In fact, when he was honest with himself, he had to admit that she probably had been cheating on him for years.

Several hours and a few hundred dollars later, the trio of siblings returned to their parent's very spacious house on Beverly Drive in Highland Park. Although, to be honest, it was more a mansion than a house but this was the only home they had ever really known. It was the place their newlywed parents had moved into with them after the wedding and the place they had grown up in. It had been the setting of both immense joy and insufferable pain over the years for each of them.

It was also the place their mother chose to stay after their father died, despite repeated efforts by all three children for her to move into something a little more manageable. However, their mother wouldn't hear of it, claiming "too many memories." But, that was just all part of the façade she put on to convince others she had an ounce of humanity. Truthfully, she didn't care about the house. Rather, she feared that her children were just interested in selling the place and taking the money for their own selfish reasons.

The main floor of the manse contained an exceptionally large living area, formal dining room, a wide open kitchen, two full bathrooms - one on each end - and an expansive library with an adjoining office space located at the northwest corner. Upstairs there were five bedrooms and two more bathrooms, including the master bedroom that took up at least a quarter of the entire living space and included a sitting room only used by their mother. Finally, above the enormous three-car garage was another exceptionally large room, which their parents had converted into a single, separate residence. It came complete with its own kitchen, bathroom, living room and bedroom. It was here that Ella always chose to stay when she came home to visit, usually alone, wanting to distance herself as much as possible from her mother.

And it was there that Ella immediately retreated for the night while Bobby went upstairs to his own familiar and spacious room to relax a little himself. He flicked on his old stereo, still set to KEGL but now it transmitted songs he no longer recognized or care about. He flopped down on his bed, hands behind his head, and reflected on the past.

No matter how strange he felt being back in this house, especially now with the absence of his mother, there was also something wonderful and familiar about being home and lying on his bed. It was comforting. It was secure. He felt protected from the rest of the world - safe in a place that belonged only to him. In the quiet stillness of the night, his thoughts inevitably turned to the past. Once again he was powerless to prevent his mind from wandering back to a simpler time many years before.

II

It was April 1985. Bobby and Sarah were both eighteen and less than two months away from graduating high school in Highland Park, Texas. Despite their age and social activities, neither one of them had much sexual experience. It was one of the unfortunate consequences of growing up during the AIDS epidemic, when everyone was scared to death of getting the disease. Fear of the unknown kept zippers up and panties on. Consequently, one of the few experiences for either of them had been with each other just a couple weeks earlier.

It had evolved as a result of their parents fighting, perhaps the only good thing that ever came about from those endless arguments over the years. Right in the middle of the melee going on downstairs, after things had been smashed against the wall, Ella had sought comfort and refuge in Bobby's room. He had done his best to console and reassure her while also graciously allowing her to sleep in his bed for the night.

Sarah had also found her way to his room while checking on her younger sister and once Ella was snug and asleep in Bobby's bed, the two stepsiblings bonded in a way they never had before - a way neither of them could have expected. As a result, for the first time since they had all been introduced six years earlier, the three of them found a new and welcomed measure of security. Just being in each other's presence afforded a new comfort for them, and the realization that they were each going through and experiencing the same things together, perhaps, was what had connected them the most.

Yet, Bobby and Sarah discovered something else. They realized they shared a physical interest in one another.

It was during that very night, after Ella had fallen asleep and their parents had quit arguing long enough to fuck each other, when Bobby and Sarah sat side by side on the edge of his bed and unintentionally grew close. What started out simply enough turned into an exploratory adventure for both of them.

After some pleading and persuasion from his stepsister, Bobby had dropped his drawers to expose his penis to Sarah. After inspecting his manhood, making it erect and bone hard, she returned the favor by revealing her nice tear-shaped tits for Bobby to examine. It had been the first time either of them had seen any private anatomy from the opposite sex up close and personal, and it proved to be an experience that neither of them would ever forget.

What made the encounter even more meaningful was the kissing they shared afterwards. In many ways, that had been more intimate and more profound than exposing themselves to each other. If Sarah hadn't stopped things there was no telling what might have happened that night between them. But, she had stopped things from progressing and before they climbed into bed with Ella, Bobby had needed to sneak off to the bathroom to quickly rub one out. They ended that night by falling asleep together with Bobby in the middle between his two sisters - and he had never felt more needed and appreciated in his life.

Since that night, despite the newfound closeness they all benefitted from, nothing else had happened between Sarah and Bobby. It was enough that the three of them found resolve and security in each other, especially as their parents' temporary truce dissolved once again into nightly occurrences of vulgar screaming.

Yet, for Bobby, he hadn't been able to get that night - or his sister's nice tits - out of his fucking mind and it was driving him crazy. It was practically the only thing he could think about, and he certainly visualized them each and every time he jacked off.

As the days grew longer and the weather turned nicer, a wonderful and unexpected habit was initiated by their parents which gave everyone a much needed break from the incessant fighting. The Peterson family had become members of the prestigious Dallas Country Club just down the road from their home.

Now, what's true of most country clubs was doubly true about the Dallas Country Club. It was, first and foremost, a place for their parents to be seen by their snobby neighbors. In truth, it was nothing more than a hangout for SMU graduates who wanted to pretend they were still in college and have an excuse to drink heavily and act stupidly. But, as far as the kids were concerned, if it got their parents out of the house then so much the better.

Needless to say, this became their parent's ritual on weekends as well as several times during the week, leaving the three kids at home. As the children were in all in high school and largely self-sufficient at this point that was not a problem. The only real downside was that they were largely on their own for dinner, although when their parents thought about it in advance they would leave money on the kitchen counter so they could buy something. Still, from the kid's perspective, it was worth it.

The other effect of their parent's new hobby was that by the time they got home, sometimes after midnight, they were both so inebriated that they made an insane amount of noise coming in and getting themselves to bed. But, even as they bumped into furniture and slammed against the walls, at least their parents were in a happy mood. Many nights they stumbled their way upstairs to bed and fucked like rabbits and, again, at least that was better than all the yelling and fighting that had previously occupied everyone's nighttime schedule.

On this particular evening in April, their folks had rushed home, thrown some money on the counter and scooted out again not wanting to be late for some wine tasting event at the club. Bobby, Sarah and Ella exchanged looks, shrugged their shoulders and went about their business in much the same manner they always did. Such was their new routine. Honestly, their situation wasn't much different from what their peers in high school were experiencing. It was a consequence of being the child of Yuppies in the '80s, especially in a place like Highland Park.

Shortly thereafter, after finishing his math homework, Bobby grabbed the money and went out to pick up Pizza Hut for everyone. When he returned, Ella was ensconced on the couch watching MTV, the only thing on television all three of them could agree on to watch.

Placing the pizza boxes on the kitchen counter, he called out to Ella that the pizza was here then set about trying to find Sarah to inform her of the same thing. Unfortunately, he couldn't seem to locate her anywhere. When he asked Ella about her sister's whereabouts she just pointed toward the sliding glass doors that led out back to a large patio and pool area. Ella's focus was on the television where, not surprisingly, they were playing "We Are the World" once again. That video played and replayed endlessly that April and Ella never seemed to tire of watching it.

Glancing out back he saw Sarah reclining on one of the long chaise lounge chairs. She was wearing a black two-piece bathing suit and listening to her Walkman. Shit, he thought, the same instant his dick jumped inside his shorts. He immediately focused on her tits and remembered how they had felt in his hands. He couldn't help but wonder - once again - what she looked like completely naked. Without any conscious thought, as though lost in a trance, he slid open the doors and walked outside with dinner and pizza nothing but a fading memory.

He made his way slowly over toward his stepsister and sat down on an adjacent lounge chair. She had her eyes closed but he could clearly hear the sounds of Bruce Springsteen's Born in the U.S.A. coming out of the headset she was wearing.

Instinctively sensing another presence, Sarah opened her eyes and saw Bobby seated in the chair next to her. He was staring over at the pool, watching the little automatic cleaner as it slowly worked its way around the water.

She, too, had enjoyed their experience together a couple weeks prior and relished the new relationship she had with him. It was a nice change from what it had been. Bobby had always treated her with disdain, as if he had no use for her at all. The only way they had communicated before was through sarcasm or anger. It was a relief that now they could at least be civil together.

Yet, their relationship was also more than that now. Lingering glances and awkward smiles between them had become commonplace, and Sarah found herself thinking often about that night together. As she drifted off to sleep each night she would visualize his penis and recall how it grew hard from her touch. She increasingly had desires to see her stepbrother naked and to mess around with him. Even more, she longed to be in his arms and kissing him.Regardless of all that, she found it odd that he had come outside to sit next to her and say nothing. That was a little weird even for Bobby. She removed her headset and clicked the off button on her Walkman. "Glad to see you out of your room. It's a nice evening out here."

He turned to look at her, nodded his head, and then resumed staring straight at the pool. It was then that Sarah definitely knew something was up with him and her curiosity was peaked.

After several minutes of silence waiting for Bobby to speak, she was about to put the headset back on and press play but hesitated. He clearly had something on his mind. He had "that look." She had seen in many times over the years but most especially during the last couple of weeks. It was a pensive stare as he repeatedly chewed on his bottom lip, like he was scratching an itch. It was amazing to her that she could know him so well. "Bobby," she asked tentatively.

He turned his head to look at her, and when he did his eyes slowly scanned across her body where there was plenty of flesh for him to size up. "Mmm..." he finally mumbled in a distracted way.

Sarah watched him, loving the way he looked at her body. She wanted him to look and allowed him the time necessary to examine her. His eyes methodically took in every curve - every exposed part was under his careful surveillance. Finally, she asked, "Did you want something?"

Holy shit, he thought. There's a goddamn loaded question. He opened his mouth to speak but as soon as he did he couldn't think of anything to say. Why did I come out here, he pondered. "Umm...no. I mean..." He looked up at her face as his heart raced inside him. Jesus, she's beautiful, he thought. He swallowed hard. "Sarah?"

She had scooted up into a sitting position to face him. It looked as though he had something troubling on his mind, and she immediately assumed it had something to do with their parents. It usually always did. "Yes?"

After a very long, awkward silence between them when they just stared at each other, Bobby finally found his voice. "Umm...there's pizza in the kitchen." He exhaled and slumped in his seat, reverting his eyes back toward the pool.

Tilting her head sideways to look at him in an almost playful way, hoping he would turn his face around, she simply replied, "Ok." After another long pause, she continued. "Thank you."

"Mmm..." was his only response as he kept still in his seat.

"Was there anything else?" she inquired. Sarah wanted him to speak his mind but was unsure how to get him to do that. In spite of how close they had become, in another way Bobby seemed more closed off than ever before. She got up and went to sit next to him on the other lounge chair. When he sat up straight and turned to look at her, Sarah placed a hand on his right knee. "Talk to me Bobby," she said softly. "Please?"

This seemed to break whatever spell he was under and a slight smile creased his lips. Looking into her eyes, lost in their deep brown color, Bobby relaxed and knew exactly what he wanted to ask her - what he desperately wanted to talk about. "Do you..." he started, then paused. Swallowing hard, he exhaled a final time, determined to proceed and be done with it. "Do you ever think about what we did a couple weeks ago?"

Ah, I should have known, Sarah told herself. She tried to keep her composure, wanting to hide her nervousness and obvious excitement. "Oh," she finally answered, feigning mild surprise. "Umm...well...yeah. A little."

Bobby gave her a hard stare. "You do?" He was a bit surprised but more relieved than anything. He had assumed it was something only he had been thinking about and was pleased to know otherwise.

"Sure. I mean...sometimes. Why?" She was doing her best to remain aloof but inside her stomach was tied in knots and her pussy was getting wet. She didn't want to admit just how often she thought about that night.

He drew in a long breath and licked his lips. "Just curious."

"Do you think about it?" She certainly knew the answer to this question before she asked it but was curious about the direction this conversation was headed. It was obvious that Bobby was a little uncomfortable and embarrassed, but she had to admit he looked so cute that way. He was flushed, making his facial features stand out more than usual.

"Ummm...yeah. I do." He returned his gaze to the pool, unable to look at his stepsister. "It was...fun." He practically whispered this last part.

A smile slowly spread across Sarah's face. "Yes it was. And you didn't even want to do it!" She tilted her head while staring at him again, and this time he turned to face her. He giggled slightly in spite of himself, slowly nodding his head in agreement. "You know," she continued, "What we did was ok. We didn't do anything wrong."

"Yeah - I know." He moved closer to Sarah on the lounge chair so their legs were touching and looked directly at her. "It's just...well...I think about it all the time. I can't seem to get it out of my mind. I can't help it. I'm sorry." He hung his head in defeat and looked at the paved patio.

Sarah was at once both flattered and excited. She reached out and took her stepbrother by the hands, giving them both a little squeeze. "There's no need to apologize Bobby. Truthfully...I think about it all the time too," she admitted as her face became flushed. As long as he was being honest about things she might as well too.

For a moment, they held hands and stared at one another as an uncomfortable silence covered them like an invisible shroud. They seemed lost in each other's eyes.

Finally, Bobby spoke up. He was direct and blunt. He figured he might as well be. If she was thinking about it too, and it wasn't just something he was preoccupied with, then he had nothing to lose. It was his turn to squeeze their hands. "I'm just going to come out and say this." He took a deep breath and paused before continuing. "I keep thinking about you...what you looked like. And...well...I really want to see you naked."

There, it was out. If she rejected him he would deal with that later. If she didn't reject him, at the very least he might get the chance to see his stepsister nude. Bobby returned his focus to the pool, its water gently moving from a light breeze in the still of the Texas evening. He couldn't bear to look at her, afraid of what he might see.

Sarah didn't answer at first and the silence was deafening. She didn't know what to say. Honestly, she wanted to see him naked too. His was the only penis she had ever seen or touched and she wanted a repeat performance. On the other hand, their relationship had just finally gotten to a point where they were nice to each other and enjoyed being together. She didn't want to ruin that.

Seconds turned to minutes as they remained seated next to each other holding hands. They had become so comfortable together, a fact that hadn't escaped either one of them. But Bobby still couldn't bring himself to look at her. He wanted to, but somehow he just couldn't seem to do it.

Then, Sarah reached out with a hand and turned his face toward her. She smiled at him. A beautiful loving, knowing smile that practically melted Bobby's heart. She spoke to him very softly. "Ok. I'll show you." His eyes bulged out at her but she continued. "I'll show you what I look like naked but...but I want to see you naked too."

Bobby thought his ears had deceived him. He had half expected her to get mad or reject him outright, but she hadn't. Now he was paralyzed for a different reason and he couldn't think of anything to say except, "Ok"

Biting the inside of her lip, Sarah slowly stood up and gently tugged at his hands while motioning with her head for him to come along. Bobby looked into her beautiful eyes, his heart pounding inside his chest, and was unable to move. His stiffened cock didn't help either.

She tugged at him for the second time, quietly encouraging him. "Come on, Bobby."

He rose from the lounge chair and they began walking cautiously toward the house as Sarah held onto one of his hands to guide him along.

She slid the outside doors open as quietly as possible, but there was no need for discretion as Ella was in the large living room watching MTV on full volume. Madonna was crooning about being "Crazy for You" while Ella was lying on the couch with her head facing the opposite direction from where her stepsiblings had emerged.

Proceeding up the stairs without fear of detection from their sister, Sarah and Bobby continued to hold hands until they came to the second landing. She turned to look at him and spoke softly. "Go to your room. I'll be right there, ok?"

He nodded, then walked down the hall and into his room. He was closing the door behind him as Sarah went into her bedroom across the hall. Bobby didn't know what to do so he sat on his bed and put his hands in his lap to wait. He was sure his heart had never beat faster in his life. He took some deep breaths hoping that would calm him down a little.

Shortly, there was a quiet rap on the door. Just as Bobby stood to open it, Sarah turned the knob and walked in. She closed the door behind her and locked it, then turned to face him. She was wearing a white bathrobe that was tied shut around her waist.

Bobby backed up and sat on the edge of his bed as Sarah made her way into the room and stood before him. He couldn't look at her, so he lowered his gaze to stare at her cute little feet. Her toenails were painted a deep red that he found very attractive. Jesus, he thought, she's beautiful all over. He had never been this turned on - and he had never been this nervous.

Sarah could tell he was anxious - it was exceedingly obvious. His body was even shaking slightly. She was tense and nervous as well, but also determined to see things through. Now that they had started it, there was no backing out. That would only make things awkward and uncomfortable for both of them, and she didn't want to go back to that.

"It's ok Bobby," she spoke quietly, hoping to put him at ease. "I want this too. It'll be fun. In fact, I want you to see me naked. Nobody's ever seen me naked. Well, except Ella but she doesn't really count."

When he looked up at her, Sarah took one step back and loosened the strap around her bathrobe. They stared at each other a moment or two before she smiled and opened up the robe for him to see her. She let the bathrobe drop to the floor to stand before him completely naked.

Bobby exhaled loudly. His stepsister's beauty literally took his breath away as his eyes moved rapidly over her naked frame. From the top of Sarah's head and her long brown hair to her chest where lovely tear-shaped breasts stood out in front of her. Two hard and very long nipples poked out at the ends. Beneath, a flat stomach led down to thick, black pubic hair shaped in a fluffy triangle. Slender legs led down to her bare feet and those ruby red nails. It all looked amazing to him. Every fucking inch of her. In fact, he had never seen anything so gorgeous and he could feel his dick pulsing inside his shorts.

Watching him as his eyes took in her fully nude body Sarah displayed a sly smile. She couldn't help it. While a couple guys had seen her tits - including Bobby - he was the first guy to ever see her fully naked. She let him take his time - she loved the look on his face and how he methodically scanned every single inch of her body. She could almost feel his eyes as they bore into her skin. After some time, when he failed to say anything, Sarah had to inquire.

"Well?" she whispered.

"Well?" he answered back automatically, all his attention complete diverted.

She watched him a little longer, then asked, "Am I pretty?"

Instantly, he thought, Pretty? That's funny. That had been the same word she used to describe his penis when she first saw it. That had struck him as odd then - it still did, as a matter of fact. Staring at her nice tits, Bobby slowly shook his head. "No."

Sarah's mouth flew open in shock as tears suddenly welled up in her eyes. She didn't know what to do, she was completely paralyzed. Had her stepbrother been playing with her this whole time? Taking advantage of her? Had he wanted to see her naked just so he could insult her or make fun of her? Sarah covered her body as best she could as her bottom lip started to quiver. She was beyond embarrassed and bent down to retrieve her robe.

Bobby stood up from the bed quickly and came toward her, placing a hand on her bare shoulder. "You're not pretty, Sarah. You're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen." She looked up to see him smiling broadly at her. "You're absolutely gorgeous," he continued. "Every part of you."

Placing both hands on Sarah's bare shoulders her tears changed from sadness to joy and a large smile radiated out to him. As a single teardrop rolled down her cheek, Bobby wiped it away with his thumb while looking into her eyes.

She moved into him and wrapped her arms around his body, tilting her head upwards toward his as they kissed. It was passionate yet tender. His hands roamed down her bare back as hers pulled him into a tight embrace. Their faces locked together, tongues tickling each other inside their mouths. Lips moved slowly as they responded to one another and their excitement grew.

After several minutes, the kissing ended but they remained in each other's arms.

"That was nice," she whispered into his ear before kissing it. "I really like kissing you."

Bobby exhaled, letting his hands drop down to squeeze her ass cheeks. "It was incredible." When it came to kissing, he was just as much a novice as everything else and yet it amazed him that somehow, despite the lack of knowledge or experience, their kissing was spectacular. They each responded perfectly to the other.

Pulling her head away, she looked at him. "Can I see you now?"

He nodded his head vigorously. "Hell, yeah."

They separated and Sarah swiveled around to sit on the bed before him, her perfectly sculpted tits bouncing slightly from her movements. Now that she was naked she intended to stay that way.

Bobby pulled off his shirt to expose his slim, flat chest, then unzipped his shorts and let them slide down his legs before stepping out of them. His boner was tenting inside and Sarah grew eager to see it. He was already barefoot, so he yanked down his boxers. When he did, Bobby's cock swung up and out to salute her.

Sarah's eyes widened as she inhaled sharply. She surveyed his body - from his toes and up his hairy legs to rest on the pulsing hard dick that was surrounded in curly black pubes of its own. Two nicely shaped testicles dangled below as blood poured into his stiff member. Further up, her eyes rested on his abdomen and smooth chest where a few light wisps of hair were beginning to develop. His hard nipples poked out and she could see the vein in his neck beating to the rhythm of his heart.

They both remained rooted in place. Sarah sitting on his bed and Bobby standing before her while their eyes continued exploring each other's naked body. Sarah bit her bottom lip and marveled at his rigid dick as it pulsed up and down in front of her, almost like it was gently waving at her - beckoning her to come closer. She licked her lips and breathed out heavily.

"Touch it." She spoke softly, her eyes never moving from their fixed stare at his hard cock. "Let me watch you play with it."

He quickly took his full member in his right hand and slowly jerked it for her as Sarah's eyes grew even wider. Spreading his legs just slightly, Bobby quickened his movements as his two balls bounced around beneath him. He had always enjoyed masturbating - who didn't? But, to stroke himself in front of his stepsister took things to a whole other level and he could feel blood pumping throughout his body.

"God - that's so fucking cool." Sarah was on the edge of the bed, her face out in front of her to inspect everything from a closer perspective. She was incredibly turned on. Unable to wait for anything more, she stood up and came to him.

Once again, they wrapped their arms around each other as their naked bodies melded together. The warmth from their bodies growing more heated by the second.

Bobby loved the fell of his stepsister in his arms - her warm, soft body against him had to be one of the greatest feelings in the world. He ran his hands down her smooth back and came to rest on her tight ass once again. "God, you feel so good."

"Hmmm...you do too," she quietly responded. Her hands were doing their own roaming and caressing over his bare skin while she kissed and sucked on his neck. The faint smell of soap, or shampoo, or cologne - whatever it was - was driving her wild.

Two nude bodies locked together, Bobby's heart was in overdrive and pounding so loud in his ears he could hardly hear anything else. Sarah's mouth moved up from his neck to kiss his cheek before her lips met his again. This time, it was urgent and wanting for something more. Electricity seemed to course through both their bodies and their hands grew more exploratory.

Bobby's hard cock was pressed against his sister's abdomen as her shapely tits pushed into his chest. Neither one of them had ever been this turned on or excited in their lives. Of course, neither of them had ever been in this situation before - but the expectation of what lay ahead made them each lightheaded.

As their fervent kissing continued Sarah practically went weak in his arms. She could hardly speak. "Oh Bobby..." she gasped.

Predictably, for both Bobby and Sarah, it no longer matter that they were stepsiblings. Her mother - his father - same house - who fucking cares? These were two, attractive eighteen-year-old adolescents discovering the magnetism of each other's bodies and the powerful allure of sex for the first time. Nothing else mattered. Everything else was secondary and, quite honestly, irrelevant.

He slid his hands down the sides of her naked body as she caressed his arms and chest. "I want to touch you all over."

"You can touch me anywhere you want Bobby." They continued kissing, more urgently now as the realization that they both wanted something more than seeing each other naked became obvious.

Shortly, Sarah separated her body from his and took a step backwards to stand before him. "I want you to touch me Bobby. Touch me all over." He froze. This would definitely be more than just looking at each other naked or kissing. She nodded at him. "It's ok. I want you to."

Bobby reached out and cupped her breasts, a naturally perfect fit in his palms and Sarah moaned softly. Her breasts were smooth and soft - tender orbs that were still somewhat firm. His breathing quickened and Bobby found it almost difficult to swallow. This was the most erotic moment of his life.

At the same time, Sarah took hold of his stiff penis - squeezing its hardness in her hand and loving it. She could feel the blood pumping into it and looked down to see the tip already a shade of dark red. She stroked it gently, causing Bobby to throw his head back and huff out loud while his hands remained fixed to her tits as he caressed them.

"Does that feel good Bobby?" Sarah was looking right at him, watching his reaction as she stroked him.

"Yessss..." he sighed. Her hand on his stiff member was so smooth...and so different from his.

"Am I doing it right?" Sarah had only touched one penis in her life, and that had been his just a couple weeks ago. This was the first time doing anything else and she wanted to be sure she was doing it correctly.

He lowered his head and stared at her. "Yes." He smiled at her. She bit her lower lip in response before displaying a wide smile of her own as her hand keep busy pulling on him.

He lowered his head into the nape of Sarah's neck as she jerked him, smelling her perfume. It was intoxicating - merely one of multiple sensations that were penetrating his body at the moment - infiltrating every one of his senses.