Operation Rescue - The New Co-Ed; Chapter 6 free porn video

Operation Rescue: The New Co-Ed Chapter 6 - Going Home A young man gets in trouble and loses his scholarship. It looks like his dream of college to escape a poor future is doomed - until he sees an ad recruiting 'surrogates'. The fall semester is over, and Tommi must make plans for the holidays. [email protected] ********************************************************************** Katie turned in her chair, away from her books. "So, what are you going to do?" she asked Tommi. Tommi pushed her open book away and leaned back, sighing. "I don't know." She sounded annoyed. "I don't think I can go." Katie shook her head. "You don't get off quite so easily," she rebutted. "I _know_ that you're free to travel, since your fetus transfer was postponed. So what are you going to do?" Tommi closed her eyes momentarily, her jaw clenched. She hoped Katie didn't notice. "I think I'll just hang around here," she finally answered. Katie wasn't going to accept her answer. "Uh, uh," she clucked. "Dorms close for the week between Christmas and New Years. Maintenance and all that." She knew she'd called Tommi's bluff. "So what are your plans? You _can_ come home with me," she answered perkily. "It'll be fun." Tommi shook her head. "I don't know. I probably should go home," she answered hesitantly. "But?" Katie accurately read Tommi's uncertainty. "But I don't know. Mom wasn't too comfortable with this whole thing, and I'm afraid it won't be pleasant." "Okay, how about this? We'll _both_ go to your home for Christmas, and then to my home for New Year's. Sound like a plan?" "I don't know," Tommi answered again. "Look," Katie continued, "if it's uncomfortable at your home, I'll be there for moral support. And we can always go to my place." Tommi winced. It was painfully obvious that Tommi didn't want to think about holiday travel. "Well," she stammered, "I'll think about it." Katie knew she was wearing down Tommi's resistance. Without Tommi's knowledge, Katie had spent an afternoon talking with Rachel about holiday plans for Tommi. Rachel had been very relieved when Katie had her thoughts about accompanying Tommi through the holidays. "You better hurry up the thinking," Katie cautioned. "We get kicked out in a couple of days." "Yeah, I know," Tommi acknowledged glumly. The calendar was forcing her decision, and she didn't like it. "Good. We'll get the trip planned. I know Mom and Dad will love you." She spoke as though Tommi had accepted her plan. "Now get back to your books so you can pass your finals." Tommi opened her mouth to speak, but then stopped. Katie had pulled up some chart on her laptop, a clear sign that she had finished the conversation, and left Tommi with no way to argue. Exasperated at Katie's plot, she turned back to her own books. ********** Cell phone in hand, Tommi nervously glanced down the hall in both directions, then, seeing no-one, she slipped back into her room and closed the door. She sat on her bed, back against a pillow, and curled her legs up. Visibly steeling herself, she pressed a few buttons on her phone, then put it to her ear. "Hi, Sara?" she asked hesitantly. "Yeah, it's me. Is ... Mom ... around?" Her eyes widened for a moment. "Yeah, I'll talk to you more, but I need to talk to Mom." She rolled her eyes impatiently. "No, I really need to talk to Mom." Another pause. "How long 'til she's back?" "No, I don't want to talk about who Liz is dating. I need to talk to Mom." "Well, if you're going to be nosy, I was wondering if ... she had plans ... you know, for Christmas?" "No, I'm not sure. I just ... well, my roommate and I were thinking ... maybe we can come home for Christmas." "No, I haven't decided. I was just wondering if there were plans." "Yeah, well, it'd be nice to see you, too." "Um, has Mom said anything to you ... about me?" "Yeah, I guess it does sound weird. But think about how it is for me!" "When Mom gets home, tell her I called, and that I'm planning to come home for Christmas. And I'm bringing my roommate." Tommi pressed another button, and then set her phone down. Her hands were shaking; she stared at them for several long moments before she leaned back, closed her eyes, and sighed heavily. "Well," she muttered to herself, "that didn't go as bad as I thought it would." She sat, shaken and shaking, her head back and eyes closed, until she heard a key in the door. As the door opened, she slowly turned toward the door and opened her eyes. As she expected, Katie walked in, bookbag slung over her shoulder, her face weary. Katie slung her bookbag on her bed. "Last time I have to go _that_ class," Katie said, her voice a mixture of relief and uncertainty. She slumped in her chair. "I see you're not studying. You think your Calc final is going to be easy?" Tommi forced a slight smile. "I'm taking a break," she lied. "Yeah, right." Katie noticed Tommi's cell phone on the bed. "So what are the plans?" she asked. Tommi sighed. "Am I getting _that_ transparent?" "No, I'm just a good detective," Katie answered with a grin. "So - are we going to your home for Christmas?" Tommi nodded. "Yeah. We're going home." Her eyes narrowed slightly. "Are you sure you want to come with me? I mean, your family ..." "...understands completely, and will be happy to see us after Christmas," Katie finished her sentence, though not quite in the way Tommi had started. "So get back to studying, and after your final, we can get packed and hit the road." "Okay," Tommi reluctantly agreed. "But I've got an appointment at the clinic after my final, and then packing, and it's about a 7 hour drive." Katie nodded. "Yup. Long day tomorrow, so get studying, then get some sleep. I have a feeling we're going to need it." Tommi nodded. "Yeah." She pried herself off her bed and sat down at her desk. As she opened her calculus book, she glanced at Katie. "Why do I have a bad feeling about all of this?" she asked rhetorically. Katie smiled. "You just worry too much." ********** Tommi glanced at her watch - again - as she sat in the waiting room at the clinic. As she glanced around uneasily, she saw Suzie watching her. She looked away - too hastily, she realized - and picked up the first magazine she saw beside her. "Rachel will be with you in a moment," Suzie called out pleasantly. "What? Oh, yeah." Tommi was fighting to keep up the pretense of not being nervous about the time. "Don't worry," Suzie said soothingly. "We know you've got a long drive today, so we'll get you in and out as quickly as we can." "Okay," Tommi replied, sounding uneasy. "And we always make sure we have staffing on the hotline," Suzie continued. "We all know that holidays can be ... difficult ... for our clients. Especially men." Tommi's eyes widened at her explanation. "Is it _that_ obvious?" she asked incredulously. "Yes." A tiny flicker of past pain crossed Suzie's features. She quickly recomposed herself, but not before Tommi noticed. "Not all families are ... accepting. So we try to help any way we can," she continued quickly. "Thanks. I'm nervous about the trip. Mom hasn't been ... open. She doesn't talk much when I call, and she hasn't called me. Not since ..." Suzie nodded sympathetically. "We'll keep our fingers crossed that things go well. And we'll be here if you need us." Tommi felt that the conversation was awkward, and that Suzie was struggling to be happy and supportive. Her sense of curiousity was piqued - there was something that Suzie wasn't talking about. Tommi wondered if it was something that would affect her as well. Rachel picked that opportune moment to appear. "Ready?" "Sure," Tommi answered as she stood. "The sooner we get done talking, the sooner Katie and I can hit the road." Rachel led Tommi back to her office. You'll need a quick medical before you go, too." Tommi groaned aloud. "More poking and prodding?" "Someone has to keep Tina company," Rachel laughed. "Besides, we need to know when to schedule you for your transfer. That's the whole point of all of this, remember? So you can safely carry and deliver the baby." Tommi shuddered involuntarily. "Yeah, I know." "Are you excited about the holidays?" Rachel cut to the point. "No." "No?" Rachel seemed a bit surprised. "In what way?" "Long trip. Mom. Not being sure if I'll be accepted." Tommi shrugged. "Normal stuff for a family holiday." Rachel ignored Tommi's sarcasm. "You're going home first, then after Christmas, you and Katie are going to her parents' place, right?" She shook her head. "That's a _lot_ of driving. And with a front coming through, it could get a bit treacherous. I hope you'll be extra careful." "Don't worry," Tommi said quickly. "I'll make sure I protect your investment." She saw Rachel flinch, and knew that she'd said the wrong thing. "It's not an _investment_," Rachel countered firmly, her voice sounding both scolding and hurt. Her eyes were narrowed, her lips pursed, and her words were very curt. "You're a human being, just like the babies we save. I care about _you_, not just your uterus!" Tommi flinched, feeling appropriately chastised. "Sorry," she said quickly. "I just ...." She shook her head, words failing her. She knew she'd really screwed up. "Sorry." Rachel took a deep breath, and then forced a smile. "Me, too. I shouldn't be so sensitive. But ... it just cut the wrong way." She turned slightly, staring out the window. "We had some bad news at our staff telecon this morning." Sensing that Tommi might worry, she quickly added, "It's ... nothing you can do anything about." "Do you want to talk about it?" Tommi asked innocently. She'd know how often talking to Rachel had helped her, and felt a need to reciprocate. Rachel's eyes widened, then she let out a small chuckle. "Are you trying to take my job?" Tommi flinched again. This seemed to be her day for saying the wrong things. "Uh, I wasn't trying..." Rachel shook her head, cutting off Tommi's protest. She closed her eyes for a moment, rubbing them, and as she opened them, Tommi could see that they were red. Tommi knew that Rachel didn't wear much makeup, but she noticed slight smudging in what little Rachel _did_ wear. She realized that Rachel had been crying. A lot. She wondered if Suzie's attitude was also being affected by whatever had caused Rachel's tears. Rachel stared at Tommi for a while, then she sighed. "I don't have to, but I'm going to share something with you." She stared out the window again, visibly composing her thoughts. When she turned back to Tommi, Tommi saw that she seemed older. Much older. Rachel continued. "We had a client some time ago. A little older than you. His ... her ... job moved to Miami, where her family lived. They couldn't accept what she was doing. They ... rejected her. They completely ostracized her." She turned back to the window and dabbed at her eyes. "She was found yesterday morning in her garage. She...," Rachel's voice cracked, "killed herself. And her baby." Tommi felt her eyes tearing. "I'm sorry," she said softly. "I didn't know." Rachel wiped her eyes and turned back to Tommi. "You aren't just a uterus to us. You're a human being, a person, a very special individual, with special gifts and talents. You are very, very important to us." She shook her head. "I hope you understand why I'm concerned about you going home." Tommi sat, stunned, for a moment. "I've got Katie with me," she finally said, trying to reassure Rachel. Rachel nodded. "I know. And if you didn't, I was ready to tell Dr. Tina to come up with some excuse to keep you from going home." Tommi's mouth dropped open in surprise at Rachel's revelation, then she slowly nodded. "I'll be careful. I promise." "Good." Rachel wiped her eyes again. "Now you need to let Dr. Tina give you a quick checkup. It's a long drive. You're going to be driving for at least three hours in the dark, in a storm. So let's get you going as quickly as we can." ********** Tommi pulled the car door shut and started buckling herself in. "Let's go," she said to Katie. "Everything okay?" Katie asked as she started the motor. "Yeah," Tommi answered quickly. "Spill it," Katie ordered as she glanced in the mirror and put the car in gear. Tommi sighed. "One of these days, I'm going to get good enough to fool you." "But not today," Katie replied with a chuckle. "I'm off the meds," Tommi answered. "Which means...?" "My hormones are mostly balanced. My system is almost ready for ... the transfer - for getting the baby." Katie stole a sideways glance at Tommi. "So?" Tommi permitted herself a small wry smile, knowing that Katie wouldn't see it. "Which means that my boobs aren't going to be growing so fast, for one thing." She sighed. "But after we get back, I'll get scheduled for the fetal transfer procedure. And then I'll be tired, cranky, have a sore back, swollen breasts, and be moody for several months." Katie snorted. "Great. As if you're not already enough of a pain. 'Oh, my back!' 'I _hate_ my body!' 'I hate periods!' 'My boobs are too big I hate the way they bounce!'" Tommi slapped her arm. "I am _not_ that bad!" she complained. After seeing Katie's expression, she added, "Am I?" Katie laughed. "Um, mostly no. Or I wouldn't have put up with you." Tommi smiled. "Well, I'm glad you do. Do you know, Rachel wasn't going to let me go on this trip without you?" "Oh?" "Yeah. She's very concerned about how my family has been treating me." Katie stiffened, her eyes wide. She wondered, briefly, if this was the proper time to reveal her little secret. After a moment of internal debate, she decided. "I knew. Rachel called me to her office a few days ago to talk about our trip." It was Tommi's turn to be surprised. "So she has you spying on me?" Her voice carried a sense of betrayal. "No, nothing like that," Katie added quickly. "She just wanted to know if I was going with you, and to know what to watch for, and how to get in touch with her if you needed it." "Oh." Tommi seemed to accept that the conversation had been innocent. Still, given the news she'd gotten that day, she couldn't help but wonder if Rachel wasn't taking extra precautions, and if so, how Katie fit in the picture. "She _did_ offer me a job," Katie added, "but not just to spy on you. She thought I might like to do my internship with the foundation." "But..." Katie laughed. "I hadn't thought about doing an internship there. But I did challenge her on whether the ability to 'spy on you' was a fringe benefit to her." "I bet she denied it," Tommi laughed. Katie got a wistful look. "Strangely, she didn't. She admitted that it would be useful." She glanced and saw Tommi's wide eyes. "Oh, not just you," she added quickly. "She's got a number of clients on campus, including some like you. She must have figured that being a student _myself_, I'd be a useful peer for her clients to talk to." Tommi sat for a few moments, watching the cars and highway go by. "Somehow," she finally said, "I thought I was the only one. I _felt_ like I was the only one." "You sound disappointed." Tommi laughed again. "Well, I thought I was ... unique. It's ..." She paused, a slight frown on her face, as she tried to find the right words. "I guess it's kind of a letdown to find out that you're not as special as you thought you were." Katie nodded. "But I bet you're the only client who almost got kicked out of school for fooling around with the Dean's daughter." Tommi groaned. "Don't remind me." ********** As the girls approached the car, walking from the building at a rest stop, Tommi was surprised when Katie moved toward the passenger side. "You okay?" she asked quickly. Katie nodded. "Yeah, but I'm a bit tired. Your turn to drive a bit." She saw Tommi hesitate. "If you're okay with that." "I'm not great with a manual transmission," Tommi protested. "Ma never learned to drive a manual, so Dad bought cars with automatics so she could drive." "You'll be fine," Katie reassured her. The car's alarm chirped as Katie pressed the remote button to unlock the car, then she tossed the keys over the roof to Tommi. As she opened the door to climb in, Katie added, "I've never met a guy who didn't prefer a stick, and who didn't think he was the world's best driver." Tommi slid into the seat, closed her door, and began to adjust the mirrors. "In case you hadn't noticed, I'm not a guy," she said dryly. "So that doesn't apply." "Not now. But I bet the driving bug is still strong in you." Katie smiled. "Most guys don't think girls know how to drive a manual. But my dad insisted on teaching me, and that included some professional performance driving lessons. Dad figured it might help me avoid accidents and bad weather conditions." Tommi had felt her old male ego rising, challenged by the thought of driving a sports car, until Katie spoke. Now, she wasn't sure if she was as good as she'd imagined. She suddenly felt under a microscope; she really wan't that experienced driving a car with a manual transmission, and Katie was. Despite her fears, she got the car started and moving smoothly. As Tommi stole a quick glance at Katie, she thought she saw Katie's 'professional face', observing her performance critically. "Your dad really doesn't sound typical," Tommi finally broke the silence as the car pulled onto the interstate highway. Katie smiled. "No, and sometimes Mom thought he wanted me to be a tomboy. He taught me how to work on my car, how to do household maintenance - all the things that you don't think girls are good at." Tommi thought for a bit, a wistful look on her face. "Dad _never_ taught my sisters any of those things," she said softly. "Sometimes, I didn't think he wanted to teach _me_, because he thought I wasn't man enough." Her lip was trembling as she spoke; the conversation was stirring unpleasant memories. After a while, Tommi stole another glance in Katie's direction and saw that Katie appeared to be sleeping. She knew that Katie had been up very late studying for her last final. Tommi felt a swirl of emotions - nervousness about driving Katie's beloved Camaro, relief that Katie seemed to trust her enough to sleep while Tommi drove, concern about staying awake herself. She felt alone, and surprisingly to herself, quite vulnerable. She chalked that up to her hormones, but inwardly, wondered if it wasn't because she _was_ a girl, and smaller and weaker, and thus truly less able to protect herself physically. Despite the heater blowing, keeping the outside chill at bay, Tommi felt a shiver run down her spine. Presently, she put a CD into the changer. The music was far from what might have been expected from the stereo of a car with two college girls on a road trip. It was what Tommi called her "reflective" album, an odd assortment of mostly oldies that were less boisterous, with lyrics that tended toward introspection and reflection. Katie derided the collection as "depressing", but then always added that they were better than Tommi's other favorites - country music. As the miles rolled by, and Katie slept, and Tommi listened to the tracks of her CD, she wondered why she was going home. She wondered what sort of reception awaited her. Would her mother finally accept her? Was it going to be an ugly scene? How would she deal with her old friends, especially her old girlfriends? Did she even want to try? The longer she drove, the more she questioned her decision to go home. One of the things that was causing puzzlement was why, lately, she wasn't finding her country favorites quite as interesting. Perhaps it was because most of the songs she'd liked before had a male-centric theme, or possibly her friends were slowly influencing her choice in music, or, worst of all, maybe her hormones were causing physiological changes in her brain that made the music less appealing - whatever the reason, she found that as the weeks had passed, she'd listened less and less to country, and more and more to her reflective songs. That discovery added to her angst about the changes that were going farther and faster than she'd expected. As the hours passed and daylight faded, Tommi found herself driving in a cold drizzle that matched her mood. She switched on the lights and the windshield wipers. The fading daylight was inadequately and incompletely replaced by twin cones of illumination from the car's headlights. Tiny glints sparkled as the light reflected and refracted from the tiny water droplets of the drizzle. It could have seemed forlorn, but the line of red taillights ahead of them, and the constant stream of oncoming headlights were comforting reminders that Tommi and Katie weren't alone. "You doing okay driving?" Katie's voice surprised Tommi. "Uh, yeah, I'm okay," Tommi answered quickly. "We found the weather." Katie stretched, yawning as she did so. "Yeah, I see. Where are we?" Tommi didn't have to think; she was getting close to home. "Still on I- 77 - about ten to fifteen miles from Beckley." "Never heard of Beckley." Katie responded dryly. Tommi laughed. "One of the bigger cities in these parts. I guess it's pretty small by Florida standards, though." "How much further?" "Depends," Tommi answered simply. "If the weather isn't too bad, we'll take highway 94 across." She bit her lip. "But I figure we'll have to go up to Charleston, then down 119. It's about twenty miles further, but it's a better road and better driving. Look," she gestured toward the window. "There's a little bit of snow mixed in the rain. By the time we get to the 94 junction, I bet we're in nothing but snow." "I vote for the safer route." Katie stretched again. "Think we can stop somewhere?" Tommi smiled. "I've been thinking the same for the past twenty minutes." Katie scowled. "Why didn't you stop, then?" "Didn't want to wake you. I know you've been pulling long nights studying, and you were sound asleep," Tommi answered with a shrug. "Your suffering," Katie snorted. "You got any idea how far to the next stop?" "We passed two rest stops while you were sleeping. Next one is at Beckley. And we won't have a lot of exits now; we're on the turnpike." Tommi glanced quickly at Katie, then back to driving. "After we stop, I'd like to rest some - if you're okay driving." Katie seemed surprised. "Yeah, I'm awake enough to drive. Why?" Tommi nodded. "Since we're going through Charleston, I figured we'd fill up there, and then I can drive down 119. If you're okay with it." "Sounds like a plan, especially since I don't know these parts." ********** "Well," Tommi said softly as she switched off the ignition, "we're home." She'd parked the car on the street, not wanting to block the driveway in case her mom or older sister needed access. Tommi felt a shudder of dread. It wasn't the gloomy surroundings, or the chill of the night, nor the steady light snowfall. Rather, the fear of an unpleasant confrontation with her mother had been slowly rising, but she'd been able to ignore it and focus on driving. Now, however, she had no distractions and the fear rose up in her. "Nervous?" Katie asked simply. Tommi shivered. "That's an understatement." She shook her head. "You know how much I want to just leave and go to a motel?" Katie clasped her hand. "It'll be okay. I'm here with you." The two clambered out of the car and walked slowly up to the house. Tommi steeled herself, then climbed up the steps and onto the front porch and knocked on the dilapidated screen door. The inner door opened a crack, and a freckle-faced girl of about seventeen peeked through. "Can I help you?" she asked softly. Tommi glanced nervously at Katie, then back at the door. "Hi, Sara. It's me. I'm home, like I said." Sara's jaw dropped and her eyes widened in shock. She opened the door, allowing the light from inside to spill on Tommi. "Tom?" she asked, her mouth agape. "Oh, my God!" she cried. "I didn't recognize you!" She stared at Tommi's figure. "Oh, my God!" Then she launched herself at Tommi, wrapping her arms in a smothering bear hug of incredible warmth and affection. "Oh, my God!" she cried over and over. "It really is you! I didn't know what you'd look like!" Tommi returned the embrace. "I've missed you," she said through tears as she hugged her little sister. "Hey!" a gruff woman's voice shouted from inside, "I'm not payin' to heat the county!" Tommi let go of Sara, then followed her inside, with Katie trailing closely. Katie shut the door behind her, then glanced around and gasped audibly. In all her training in psychology and sociology, Katie had learned about poverty. She'd learned, in a book sense, about people who lived a meager existence, barely scraping by. But she'd always thought that the description of a ramshackle house with faded and peeling paint, and worn-out furniture and the occupants wearing nearly worn-out clothes was only a stereotype. Now she saw, for the first time, up close and personal, the truth behind the descriptions - and it wasn't far off. If anything, Katie thought, the descriptions and pictures didn't do justice to the plight of the poor. And Tommi's family was, indeed, poor. In one corner of the room, a television blared. A worn-out sofa, covered with an old blanket, sat along another wall. Katie knew that under the blanket, the original upholstery was probably long worn through. The rug over the rustic and well-trod wooden floor was thin in spots, and stained with God only knew what. Family pictures, surrounded by faded frames, hung on all the walls, as if to defiantly say that despite the poverty, the family was important. An older woman, overweight, wearing ill-fitting clothes, and with a smoldering cigarette dangling from her lips, appeared. She wore her graying hair loose, not that it was long enough to have been put into a bun or ponytail or anything else to control it. She looked over Katie quickly, then turned to Tommi. Her critical eyes pored over him from head to toe and back. Wordlessly, she reached up and took a drag on her smoke, then exhaled slowly. "Tom," she said in a simple, yet curt, word of greeting. Tommi gulped, and glanced nervously at Katie for reassurance. "Hi, Ma," she said, her voice echoing uncertainty. "I'd like you to meet Katie, my roommate." Katie nodded graciously. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Wilson," she began. "And I appreciate your hospitality. You know, Tommi has told me so much about your family." "Tommi, eh? Your given name ain't good enough for you?" Mrs. Wilson snorted as she glared at Tommi. "I suppose it fits to have a girl name now." She glanced at the two girls. "I suppose you're hungry after your drive?" Tommi glanced nervously at Katie again. "I don't want to put you out, Ma," she said quickly. "I figured you'd had a busy day at work." Mrs. Wilson snorted. "Yeah, like normal. Well, make yourselves at home. I don't know what we're going to do about beds, though. I gave your room to Liz when you went off to college." Her words dripped acid, as if Tommi's going to college had been a personal betrayal. Tommi realized that she hadn't really considered that aspect of a visit. "Liz's room is way too small, and it wouldn't be right to kick her out," Tommi reasoned aloud. "I had the surgery, Ma. I'm completely a woman. Katie and I can share Sara's room - if she doesn't mind." Tommi thought she saw a flash of crimson in his mom's face. "We'll figure something out," she said, scowling. "I've got to get some laundry done before my shift tomorrow." She turned and plodded heavily into the back of the house. Tommi turned back to Katie. "That went ... better than I'd expected. You want to run out to get something to eat?" Katie nodded. "Yeah. Sounds good." She turned to Sara. "You want to come along?" Sara practically leapt at the invitation. "Yeah!" She grasped Tommi's arm. "You can tell me all about what it's like at college." ********** The three girls sat in a corner booth at Subway, watching the customers coming and going as they slowly ate their sandwiches. "Interesting town," Katie observed as she witnessed the patrons. Sara shrugged. "It's okay ... for a hick mining town," she replied sarcastically. Tommi glared at her. "It's not that bad. I mean, it's not all about the mines." Sara shook her head. "Yes it is, and you know it. If the mines quit, this place would dry up and blow away faster than a tumbleweed." "How about we talk about something cheerier?" Katie decided the focus on the mine - the cause of the death of Tom's dad - wasn't too healthy. "Hey", she cautioned Tommi, "you need to watch how much you eat!" Tommi paused at Katie's words, her sandwich halfway to her mouth, and slowly lowered it. "It's not bad enough that I have to listen to Dr. Tina and Rachel and Suzie. Now you're hassling me about my eating, too!" Sara shook her head, obviously confused. "Is this some inside secret?" Tommi shrugged. "After surgery, and while my hormones were getting back in balance, I was on some special medications. The result was I lost a lot of weight ..." "Yeah, I noticed. I wish I had your figure!" Sara interrupted. Tommi ignored her comment. "...and I didn't have a lot of appetite. Now that I'm off the meds, my appetite is back, but everyone," she turned and glared at Katie, "and I mean _everyone_, is warning me that I'll get fat if I don't watch my diet." Katie smiled sweetly. "Just trying to be helpful." "And I know Dr. Tina and Rachel will be very unhappy if I put on a lot of pounds over the break." "Who's that over there, the guy giving you the eye?" Katie had been glancing around, and she'd noticed a guy whose attention was focused on the trio. Tommi started to look, but Sara hissed, "Don't look. If you stare at him, he'll think you're either a bitch or interested." She took a quick sip of her soda. "It's Dave McGregor." Tommi's eyes widened. "Dave? Staring at me?" She felt a shiver run down her spine. "He was such a doofus! A total asshole!" Katie stared at her in surprise. "You know him?" She shook her head. "Of course, you know him. You grew up here!" "He was in my class. Played football." Tommi forced herself to take a drink. "What's he doing these days?" Sara shrugged. "Same as most of your classmates. Coal mine." "Does _everyone_ around here work in the mine?" Katie asked softly, surprised by the non-chalant way Sara and Tommi talked about the mines. "Mostly," Tommi answered. "It's not as bad as some of the smaller towns; there are other places to work, but the mines pay the best." "Yeah." Sara's eyes widened. "Oh, shit, he's coming over." Indeed, Dave was strutting confidently toward the trio. "Hi, Sara," he said by way of introduction. "Don't see you out much." He struck what he considered a manly pose and smiled at the girls. "Especially with two very nice looking friends. I haven't seen you around, so you must be new to the area. I'm Dave. Dave McGregor. Chairman of the hospitality committee. And you are..." "...not interested," Katie answered, her icy voice belying her sweet smile. "_Definitely_ not interested in washed-up high-school jocks that never made it to college." Tommi watched Dave visibly deflate, his ego struck by Katie's brutal riposte. "Besides," she added with an equally syrupy smile, "you might be very surprised if you knew more about us." Dave stammered for a moment, trying to save face. His cronies were waiting at the table where he'd been moments ago. "Well," he sputtered, "my offer is always open." He turned to Sara. "If your loser of a brother ever shows up, tell him I said hi." He turned, puffed himself back up, and strode back to his friends. Tommi knew that Dave was fabricating some lie as he walked away. She felt her blood pressure rise at Dave's words, but she controlled herself, taking some measure of comfort in the way Katie had slammed him. "What an asshole!" she hissed. "Always was, always will be." Sara nodded her agreement. "Yeah, and you don't have to see him around the time." Tommi sighed. So far, the town was just like when she'd left. It seemed ages ago. "Where's Liz? I didn't see her car at home." "Probably getting boffed by Jim again." "Jim ... Thompson?" Tommi asked incredulously. "She's dating Jim Thompson?" Sara snorted. "More than dating. I figure they've been having sex for at least the last 4 months." Tommi shook her head, her mouth hanging open. "What could she possibly see in _that_ loser?" Sara shrugged. "He was the starting linebacker in high school, and his daddy got him a good job at the mine. So he's got some money to throw around impressing Liz." "But..." Sara took another sip of her soda. "I figure they're made for each other. I mean, he's a first-class egotistical asshole, and she's a first-class bitch." "Sara!" "Well, she is!" Sara shot right back. "She's so bossy, always acting like _she's_ the mom, always playing the 'dad card'." She shook her head. "Maybe if she really is pregnant, she'll get married and get out of my hair." Tommi's and Katie's mouths dropped simultaneously. "She's _what_?" Tommi asked, astonished. Sara grinned wickedly. "I think she's pregnant." She leaned closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "I found a couple of home pregnancy test kits in the garbage a few weeks ago. And she's complaining about not feeling good at breakfast." "That ... might be coincidence," Tommi said cautiously, not willing to believe Sara's rumor. "And she hasn't used any tampons for the last two months." Her grin broadened. "I've counted." Tommi shook her head in disbelief. "Say," she finally said, "if you're so good at spying and deductive reasoning, how much did you spy on me while I was home?" Sara sat back, grinning like a Cheshire cat. "I'll never tell," she answered. Tommi turned to Katie. "I'm starting to wonder if any of my secrets were ever safe with Sara around." "Probably not," Katie confirmed. She glanced around the shop, and her eyes narrowed as she focused on another patron. "Who's that? She's been staring at us for quite a while." Sara glanced. "Amanda." "She's been starting at us for some time," Katie reported, trying to sound casual. "Specifically," she turned to Tommi, "at you." Her eyes narrowed. "Oh shit, she's coming over." She closed her eyes momentarily, shaking her head. "What is this, Grand Central Station?" "Hi, Sara," Amanda called as she got close to the table. "Hi, Amanda," Sara replied. Tommi had started to answer as soon as she recognized the girl, but managed to stop herself at the last second. She realized that if she'd called Amanda by name, Amanda would start putting two and two together. Tommi swallowed as she realized that she wasn't ready for Amanda, or anyone else in town, for that matter, to know that she was Tom - or had been. Amanda eyed Katie and Tommi, sizing them up as potential competition, then turned back, to Sara. "Is your brother coming home? I really was hoping to see him." Amanda was of average height, with long dark hair and brown eyes, and a slightly chubby build. Nature had also given her an amazingly large bosom, which, judging by her stance, she'd learned to use as a strategic asset. Tommi almost choked at her words, then saw Sara's eyes widen. Tommi gave her head a quick tiny shake, hoping Amanda wouldn't notice, but that Sara would. "Er," Sara stammered for a moment, "I don't think so. He's really been busy at school. A lot to adjust to," she lied. "Well, the next time you talk to him, give him my warmest regards," Amanda turned and sauntered off. Tommi started to breathe a sigh of relief when she saw Amanda turn back toward them. More specifically, toward her. She paused a couple of feet from Tommi, staring intently at her. "Are you related to Tom?" she asked in a tone that rang with certainty. "Uh, distantly," Tommi answered uneasily. Amanda shook her head. "You just look ... familiar. _Very_ familiar." She stared for another moment. "I _know_ you!" she finally declared. "I'm certain of it. I _know_ we've met." Tommi shook her head. "I don't think so," she answered nervously. "You must have me mistaken for someone else." "No, I'm _certain_ that we've met. I _never_ forget a face," Amanda said emphatically. She turned to Sara. "Distant relative?" She didn't at all sound convinced. "Uh," Sara glanced nervously at Tommi, which Tommi knew wasn't helping convince Amanda. "She's my second cousin, once removed. On my dad's side. You must have met her when her family came to visit when I was seven or eight." She glanced at Katie. "And this is her college roommate. They were ... uh ... passing through. On their way home from college. And they stopped to visit, since we hadn't seen each other in so long." Amanda frowned. "No," she answered. "I _know_ I've met you before." She shook her head. "And I'll figure it out." She turned and left. Katie watched her go, then turned back to Tommi. "Who _was_ that?" she asked softly. "Amanda. Amanda Gottlieb." Tommi glanced at her hand, and saw it was shaking. "We ... dated. A long time ago." Sara glanced to ensure that Amanda wasn't in earshot, then shook her head. "You did a _lot_ more than just date." Tommi shook her head. "Since I _know_ you were spying, and probably want to give Katie all the salacious details, maybe we should finish this discussion somewhere more private." ********** "Cozy house," Katie said sardonically as she flopped her head on the pillow. She, Tommi, and Sara were sharing Sara's room, which was the largest of the three bedrooms. Largest, of course, was a relative term. With the rollaway bed unfolded next to Sara's full-sized bed, there was barely room to stand. "Yeah," Tommi noted in agreement. "A lot colder than I remember, too." She wasn't quite sure if she was referring to the temperature, or the frosty reception she'd gotten from her mother. Katie took Tommi's words to mean the icy cold attitude of her mother. "Give her time," Katie chastised Tommi. "Your mom has a lot of change to deal with. Just give her time." Tommi sighed heavily. "I wish I could be a confident as you are." "At least you didn't have to deal with Liz tonight," Sara piped in. "Be quiet, runt," Tommi chastised Sara. "Aren't you going to tell Katie all about Amanda?" Sara asked softly. "I'm sure she's still curious." She egged Katie on about the details Tommi had deferred to later. "Yeah," Katie picked up on Sara's question. "Are you going to talk, or will I have Sara tell me the whole sordid story?" "And I want details," Katie chimed in. Tommi sighed. "No way I can get out of this?" "Nope." Tommi took a deep breath, her eyes momentarily closed. "Amanda was a grade below me. When I was a sophmore, she was just a freshman. Mind you, a very well-endowed, bubbly and outgoing freshman. I finally got up enough nerve to ask her out." "So you dated her?" Tommi winced. "Yeah, you could say that." "Ahem," Sara cleared her throat, letting Tommi know that _she_ would provide details if Tommi didn't. "Okay, so we did more than date." "She was the first girl you really fell for," Sara corrected. "And my first ... um, you know," Tommi added; she was glad the room was dark, so the others couldn't see her blushing. "So?" "We both ... had our first experience in the back seat of the old Chevy after the homecoming dance," Tommi added. "And you kept on dating - and boffing her," Sara added. "How much _did_ you know?" Tommi asked, exasperated. "It's like you knew every detail of my life." She sighed. "We dated for a couple of years. She got kind of possessive, especially when I said I was going to college." "It sounded like you may have forgotten to tell her about breaking up," Katie observed dryly. "I _did_ tell her, but, well, she didn't take 'no' for an answer," Tommi explained. "Why would she?" Sara quickly interjected. "You going to college got even more of her attention. Like most girls, she wants _out_. She doesn't want to be a miner's wife." "Well, she's a smart girl," Tommi added. "Very smart." "So why didn't you explain things to her?" Katie prodded. "Yeah? Like how? Hi, Amanda, _I'm_ Tom. When I went to college, I got in some trouble for screwing the Dean's daughter, lost my scholarship, and, to stay in college, I had a sex change so I could be a paid surrogate mother." Tommi shook her head. "You know how _that_ would go over?" "I'd imagine, in these parts, it wouldn't go over well," Katie replied. The darkness hid the vigor of Tommi's nodded agreement. "Damned right. Everyone in town would know in a few minutes, and I'd probably be beaten half to death as a 'fag' or something." Sara stifled a giggle. "It'd be fun to see the reaction on her face, though," she said, before quickly adding, "the part about boffing the Dean's daughter." She thought for a moment. "Was she worth it?" "What?" "Was she worth it? All these changes because you got caught." Tommi started to reply, then caught herself. She'd never _really_ considered that angle. "I don't know," she finally said. "But I know I'm doing something good. And despite how Ma and Liz have been, I'm glad I'm home. I feel like I understand you a bit better." In response, Sara rolled slightly and wrapped her arms around Tommi. "I'm so glad you're home," she purred. "I really like having a big sister that's not a pain in the ass." "I missed you, too," Tommi echoed. "But it's late, and I don't want Ma yelling at us." Sara sighed. "Okay. See you in the morning." She flopped back over, settled under the covers, and nearly instantly fell asleep. ********** Tommi sat uncomfortably on the edge of her mom's bed. It wasn't so much that the bed was uncomfortable, but that she knew the conversation was going to be unpleasant. "Ma, I _had_ to do something!" "Why?" her mom demanded. "Why did you have to mess yourself up ... like ... like _this_?" "What else could I do?" Mrs. Wilson scowled deeply. "You could have taken it like a man, and come home. Your dad would have!" Tommi felt tears burst from her eyes at the accusation. "That's not fair, Ma!" she cried. "I'm not dad!" Mrs. Wilson's scowl grew deeper, if that was possible. "Damned right, you're not!" she hissed. "Ron would have manned up, not let himself be turned into some kind of sissy!" "So you'd prefer that I got a job in the mine?" Tommi snarled, even as tears started flowing at the bitter memory of her dad's death - in that hated mine. "What's so bad about that? It was good enough for your dad!" "You want me to _die_ in the mine like dad, too?" Tommi protested. "That's enough of that!" Mrs. Wilson snapped. From her mother's posture, Tommi was afraid that she was going to slap Tommi. "At least he wasn't a coward!" The older woman turned and stormed out of the room. ********** Tommi had her head buried in Katie's shoulder. "She called me a _coward_!" she sobbed. "I made a mess of this whole thing! I knew I should have never come home!" Katie brushed locks of Tommi's hair from Tommi's eyes. "You had to try," she said soothingly. "Rachel was right," Tommi cried. "This wasn't a good idea." Katie shook her head. "You had to try. You had to have your answer." "But ..." The door slammed open. "What the _hell_ is wrong with you?" the intruder demanded angrily. "What did you say to Ma?" Tommi looked up, her tear-stained cheeks glistening in the light. She'd never seen her older sister so enraged. "She called me ..." she started. "You compared yourself to Dad? How _dare_ you insult his memory by changing yourself like ...," She gestured at Tommi, disgust on her face,"like _this_, and then coming here and rubbing it in Ma's face?" Tommi felt herself stiffen. "You don't know what I've been through..." she started. "What _you've_ been through?" Liz screamed. "You selfish little shit!" Her fists balled up in her rage. "You don't give a damn what Ma's been through! You don't give a damn about what all ... _this_ ... does to Ma! You don't care that she always saw a little bit of Dad in you, and then you even took _that_ away when you couldn't measure up to him!" Tommi stood, her muscles tensing. "That's not fair!" Tommi snarled. "Bullshit!" Liz yelled. "You never could measure up! Ma was right - you're nothing but a little coward!" She made a show of looking over Tommi from head to toe. "Maybe you're better this way. You were _never_ going to be even _half_ the man Dad was!" Tommi took half a step toward her older sister, her fists balling in anger. "You bitch!" she hissed. "This is _none_ of your business, but you just _had_ to butt in!" Liz stepped toward Tommi, her face crimson, her expression a mask of unadulterated rage. "Try me, you little sissy!" She raised a fist, ready to fight. Katie leaped between the two girls, her back to Tommi, facing Liz. "This is between your mom and Tommi," she said evenly. Liz sneered at her. "What are you going to do, try to stop me?" She glared at Tommi. "Can't even defend yourself, you little wimp!" She looked disdainfully at Katie. Katie didn't move. "Try me," she said evenly. Her voice and expression were strangely calm, unnervingly so. Liz thought for a moment, then sneered at Tommi again. "Even have to have your roommate defend you! What a wuss!" She turned and stormed out. Tommi watched her go, then collapsed onto the sofa. For several moments, she shook, until her angst overcame her resistance and she started to bawl aloud. Again, Katie sat down beside her and let her cry on Katie's shoulder. After a bit, Tommi looked up. "We have to go." Katie nodded. "I know. First thing in the morning, we'll pack up and leave." "No!" Tommi insisted strongly. "We have to go _now_!" Tears were flowing down her cheeks. Katie's eyes widened. "But ... it's very late." "_Now_," Tommi repeated insistently. Katie briefly pondered the ugly scene she'd witnessed, plus the scene with Mrs. Wilson that Tommi had described. She took a deep breath. "Okay." The two roommates walked up to Sara's room, Tommi still crying. As Sara sat, staring in disbelief, the girls quickly gathered their things and shoved them into their suitcases. "What's going on?" Sara asked finally, curiosity having gotten the better of her. Tommi lowered her head, shaking it. "Didn't you hear Liz yelling at me?" she asked softly. Sara nodded. "Yeah." Her eyes were sad. "So what are you doing? You're not ... leaving already, are you?" Tommi simply nodded, still packing. "But ... I don't _want_ you to go!" Sara protested. She wiped at a tear. "For the first time in our lives, I feel close to you! I feel like I've got a sister who cares, not the wicked Cinderella stepsister!" She wiped at the tears again, which was clearly a losing battle. Tommi sat down and gave her a hug. "I know," she said softly. "But Ma and Liz don't understand. And they hate me for what I've done." Sara nodded. "Liz is mostly jealous because you got out," she explained. "You found a way out of this life. She's not talented enough or smart enough. So she's jealous. This," she gestured at Tommi's body, "is her excuse to be abusive to you." She shook her head. "Ma wouldn't _ever_ understand," she continued. "She just can't picture any son of his not wanting to be like Dad, so she probably feels like you betrayed him." Tommi nodded. "Yeah, that's what she said. Among other things." Sara wrapped her arms around Tommi, burying her head in Tommi's shoulder. "I wish you didn't have to go." Tommi nodded. "So do I," she said softly. Sara watched the two finish packing, then as they walked down the stairs, she ducked into the back of the house. "Tommi and Katie are leaving," she announced, before returning. "Good!" Liz's voice called angrily from the back. Tommi shook her head sadly, then stepped out the front door. With Katie and Sara on her heels, she walked to the car. As soon as Katie fingered the remote, Tommi opened the trunk and dumped her suitcase in. She paused and gave Sara another hug. "I'll keep in touch, runt," she said, fighting back tears. Sara nodded, crying also. "You'd better." As Tommi crawled into the car, she added, "And I'm getting out of here, too. Just like you." Tommi smiled at her younger sister. "I know you will." With a thunk, the door slammed shut, punctuating the ordeal that her attempt at visiting home had been. ********** (to be continued)