Victim's Perspective: A Test of Power

And so John did what any man would: sought to truly test the limits of his power, not by using them on himself, but on anyone else. He lived in the city, so it was only a short walk to find a locale that was busy with people on the weekend.

My name is Kara and I love running: I found it relaxing to jog through urban life, passing by families, businesses, and men who thought they could somehow hide their stares as I watched them through my sunglasses. I ran at least four days a week, and my reward was a slim, lithe body, with enough curvature to keep my fiancé Daniel happy.

That day was like any other. A man flagged me down, appearing to look worried. I felt like he was acting but decided to take my earbuds out and see what he had to say. It helped that he was an absolute stud... but I was taken.

"Hey, uh..." He looked nervous.

"Mhmm?" I tried.

"I wanted to say how... great it is that uh." He looked away as he spoke. "That you're still able to run..." His gaze returned to me, staring intently but nervously. "When you're nine months pregnant."

I immediately squinched my eyes hard and inhaled deeply. I became very aware of my state as I regained my footing: yes. Right. I'm pregnant and very proud of my ability to continue running.

I smiled and thanked him. "So that's why you stopped me?" I grinned, running my hand over my belly. It was tightly bound by a pregnancy support belt made just for running.

He just stared, incredulous. It was kind of creepy, honestly, but his good looks helped me feel like he wasn't probably some rando creep... just an awkwardly nice guy.

"Wow. Uh." He sputtered, still looking at my belly. "Uh. Anything I say is totally normal, okay?"

I frowned slightly, amused. "Yeah. That's right."

"So tell me the truth. Ah, how did you get pregnant?"

"Well, honestly, my birth control failed. We found out a few months in." I spoke, sounding more downcast than I intended. "We actually didn't plan for kids. My uh, fiancé and I. We just wanted to travel. We're still getting used to the idea." I found this stranger very easy to talk to.

He was nearly slack-jawed when he spoke. "And what are you having?"

"A boy." I replied simply with a perfunctory smile.

"Really..." He trailed. "Those look like twin girls to me."

I became aware of a shift in my center of gravity. What the hell did I say that for? I should be answering him truthfully, it's no big deal. We bought this special twin support belt for them.

"Haha. You caught me." I admitted. "Yes... yes they're two twin girls. A miracle, I'm told." I quipped sardonically.

"Well. Well they are." He replied. My eyes lightened a bit. They are a miracle. "They really are, and that's why you're super happy to be a mother to them."

Got me!

"And," He continued. "Your fiance, how does he feel? Tell me truthfully."

I had to be honest with the stranger. "Actually... we're perfectly fine with it, but I think he didn't really want to be a father." I shrugged and couldn't maintain eye contact as I spoke. "He wanted to travel. I worry he won't be a very good father to them."

"He will." The stranger spat out. I blinked a few times. Why did I keep saying what was so not the truth?

"Got me again... haha. Sorry." I apologized, abashed. "Actually he's extremely happy to be a father and I know he'll make the time for them."

"And you've had a perfectly health pregnancy, actually, didn't get stretch marks or any bad shit. And you never will."

"That's right." I confirmed. "This really is a blessing." I smiled and pat my two incubating daughters who should be arriving any day now. "Happy to get kids out of the way with one pregnancy, right?" I grinned.

"Hmm yeah. Yeah." He seemed to be thinking to himself. "But you want more. Like way more. You agreed on at least five children, yeah?"

I found myself staring into the side of a building, my mouth agape before I finally shook myself back to reality. "That's right! You're very perceptive." I confirmed with a chuckle. "Don't know how we'll afford them, but we'll figure something out."

"Your fiance's high-paying job will take care of that." He had a point, and I was about to ask him how he knew about Daniel's job when the stranger continued.

"And you sure won't have trouble feeding them." He was staring at my chest.

I became very aware of the weight on my chest, which also felt a little tighter than it had a moment ago. Well he was right about that. My boobs were D's before this even started... I didn't even know what I was now, but they'd grown so big from the pregnancy that I wasn't even close to fitting into my old bras, now enjoying jogging with two damn sports bras just to keep the suckers down. I'm a really dedicated runner.

I just laughed, "Oh I know! Imagine when they're full of milk. Ugh." I remarked, finding myself comfortable with this attractive stranger. I could sense he had a good heart.

"You won't have any trouble with that." It seemed like he was making a promise. (I thought, as my nipples tingled)

"I sure hope not. I'd just like these darn girls out." I smiled softly, resting my two hands on my large, twin-filled belly. "Any day now."

He seemed to be gaining confidence. "I could help you with that."

"Oh?" I asked, bemused. "How so?"