Out of the Lab

The three of you come out of the shower room to see the rest of the family waiting for you. You notice a delay as the three of them take a moment to differentiate you from El, the hair gives it away. Your mother rushes forward and hugs you tight to her soft fleshy body.

"Mom!" You cry out. Her firm embrace felt like a wrestler's bear hug in your current condition.

"Ooops! I'm so sorry baby." She lets you go again. "Are you feeling okay?"

You nod, not entirely being truthful. "Let's get out of here." You say. "If it's okay Auntie Peg?"

She nods at you. "Sure Jesse, Lucy says all your vitals are good. You go home and rest. I'm serious, just stay in bed tomorrow. I'll check in on you soon."

You walk up to your aunt. Leaning up you give her a little kiss on the cheek. "I cannot thank you enough. What you've given me..." You begin to tear up. You were at a loss of words, you just couldn't express how much this meant to you.

She pats your cheek very softly. "I know my dear, I know. Go, be happy." You give her another little peck.

Turning to Chloe you say. "Thank you for coming Chloe." You take her little hand. "It means a lot. Um...we need to talk soon. Okay? Really soon."

Chloe nods. With a sly grin she says. "Sure Cous. And...um...I'd just like to say that...I call dibs!"

You look at her confused. "Dibs?"

She nods again. "Dibs on that sweet little cherry of yours." Fiona starts laughing as Peggy and your mother give her the dirtiest, angriest look ever. It takes you a second to clue in...of course, you were still a virgin in that way.

"Chloe!" Peg chastises her impish daughter.

You laugh. "Sorry Chloe, this cherry I'm saving for someone special." El blushes, she knew exactly who you were talking about. You lean in and give your Cousin a soft hug. "Love you Chloe, see you soon."

She hugs you carefully in return. "I was just fooling around. Love you Jesse. You look great, you really do." You share a warm look.

You walk back toward your family. You could feel your strength flagging from the dressing and standing and walking you'd been doing. You look toward Fiona with a look to tell her that you needed her. Without drawing attention to it she steps forward and offers you her arm like a gentleman might to his lady. You loop your arm in hers and lean against her for support.

As the others say goodbye Fiona whispers to you. "You okay?"

Leaning in against her you rest your head on her shoulder and let out a sigh. "I am now." You smile up at her. "Whoo, I just have to take it easy. I'm so weak, and I've got no stamina."

She nods in understanding. Together the four of you leave the lab and take the stairs back down to the back door of the building. Fiona is at your side for every step, supporting you and aiding you when your strength failed you. You were tired and weak but you were absolutely committed to getting that haircut tonight. The new you needed a new do. You would gather your strength during the ride to the restaurant. Besides, when you snuck away to get the haircut...

"I'll help you." Elsie says out of the blue to no one in particular, finishing your unspoken thought. She was up in front of the rest of you.

Your mother looks at her a bit perplexed. "Pardon me?"

El stammers a moment then steps up to the exit door. "I'll help you with the door." She holds it open for the rest of you. You and she share a strange look of understanding, it was quickly becoming apparent that this just wasn't normal.

Fiona helps you through the door and the group of you head to the SUV. She helps you up into your seat and closes the heavy door for you. She slips into the driver's seat right in front of you. You reach forward and place your hand on her shoulder. "Thank you Fiona." You say appreciatively. Looking at you in the rear view she gives you a little wink.

Sitting back your hand naturally slips into Elsie's and before long you are on the move. Your mother is looking back at you. She looks from you to El and back again. She smiles. "I can tell the difference." You weren't so sure about that, right now it was still the shirts and the haircut making you look different. She says again confidently. "I can tell."

The next 15 minutes are quiet as they leave you alone to recuperate. Finally Fiona announces. "Jesse said she was hungry, I'm going to pull in here for some supper." She was already in the process of pulling into the long narrow parking lot of a small strip mall. A chain restaurant was at the end, right beside it was a small hair salon called 'The Cutting Room', the lettering was in an old theater sign style. A classic looking clapperboard was on the sign, obviously this salon had a movie theme to it.

Your mother complains. "Fiona, she's weak as a baby. Let's get her home, I'll make her something there. She needs rest."

You say. "It's okay Mom. I'm starving and we are here now." Fiona was just parking the vehicle. Your mother shoots your older sister a dirty look, unimpressed that you were being asked to push yourself like this. She was of course unaware this was your plan to begin with.

The group of you pile out of the SUV. Fiona offers you her arm once more, and while you are feeling a bit stronger again you take her arm anyways. You all head into the restaurant.

(I have to ask you guys, how much do you enjoy these sort of sedate chapters? Where there is no smut and nothing much happens plot wise. The chapters where the family is just hanging out with each other and interacting. I really enjoy writing them but I fear they are boring as hell to read. I'm not saying I'll change anything, but I am curious. I ask because there might be a lot of these 'daily life' style chapters coming up as I ease off on the big twists and turns in the story.)