Positive Reinforcement Ch.7
CHAPTER 7
WEEK 8
ETHAN
They came down the stairs holding hands. They’d been like that for a week. Never letting go when they walked.
—There you are—Ethan said, smiling—. Time for breakfast.
Doctor Valery nodded.
—What do you feel like?
—Cereal—Heidi said.
Ethan put the cereal box and the milk on the table.
—And the bowl?—Sarah asked.
Doctor Valery smiled.
—, Sarah. United families eat at the same time. Truly united families don’t need utensils or plates. They get in the way of the family dynamic.
—Yeah, but—Sarah pointed at the empty bowl with her chin—. Without a spoon or a bowl you can’t. Not in this case.
—Heidi, please take a handful of cereal and put it in your mouth. You can chew if you want, but don’t swallow—Valery told her.
Heidi did it. She chewed slowly. Waiting for the next instruction.
—Sarah—he said, looking straight at her—. Take a good sip of milk. Don’t swallow.
Sarah obeyed.
—Now please make cereal—Valery said.
Ethan had to hold back a laugh. The bastard liked talking in euphemisms.
Heidi moved first, like she’d been waiting her whole life for this moment. She was red.
She opened her mouth. Her mouth was yellow. Sarah didn’t seem disgusted. It was the perfect mouth. Ethan hoped he’d get to taste it soon.
Heidi leaned closer to Sarah.
Their lips were touching, just waiting for Sarah to open her mouth. Heidi was begging her with her eyes. She finally did. It wasn’t a soft kiss. It was hungry, messy.
A little milk escaped from the corner of Sarah’s lips. It ran down her chin. Dripped onto her blouse. She didn’t care. Heidi kept kissing her. The milk kept dripping.
The cereal bits were still there, trapped between their tongues. Neither of them had actually eaten anything. At that moment they didn’t care.
They didn’t seem to notice, or maybe they just didn’t notice the flash of Ethan’s phone.
After all, the first kiss between a mother and daughter was something special. Something worth ing. Something that one day would hang on the wall.
—I’m not sure, honey. Is this really necessary?—Sarah said.
—Doctor Valery thinks so—Ethan replied.
—But we already have a house. Why do we need another one?—Heidi chimed in.
—This one’s bigger—Ethan clarified—. Big yard. Pool.
—And it’s in the middle of fucking nowhere—Heidi said.
Sarah squeezed her hand. They were still holding hands.
—Sorry Ethan—Heidi said—. I just don’t get why it has to be so far.
—Doctor Valery recommended staying as far away from everyone as possible. At least for now—Ethan replied.
—What about your job?—Sarah asked. He was the only one who worked.
—Home office. Come on Sarah—Ethan said.
—Fine...—Sarah gave in, looking at Heidi and squeezing her hand.
—Fine...—Heidi said.
It looked like a castle in the middle of nowhere. Not in ruins, but run down. Dirty. Old.
Still, it must have cost him a fortune. Heidi and Sarah walked around the yard holding hands, of course.
Ethan was grilling meat.
—Girls, come try it?—Ethan called. They came over quickly.
—Here—Ethan said, putting a piece of meat in Sarah’s mouth. She chewed it for a moment, then opened her mouth toward Heidi.
The kiss was ionate. It always involved tongue. Or at least that’s what Ethan liked to imagine.
—It’s good—Heidi said when they pulled apart.
—Thanks. Want another bite?
—Please—Heidi said, smiling at him. He adored that smile.
He bought the best king-size bed on the market. Easily fit the three of them. The best for his princesses.
The order in bed had always been the same: Heidi on the left, him on the right, Sarah in the middle.
So it wasn’t surprising when his princesses stared wide-eyed at him lying in the middle.
—What are you doing, honey?—Sarah asked in a calm tone, but she didn’t stop looking at him.
—Just lying down—he replied, stretching his arms out to both sides.
—Yeah but you’re in mom’s spot—Heidi said, her voice higher than usual.
—I didn’t know we had assigned spots—Ethan laughed.
—Honey, I think it would be a little inappropriate for you to stay there—Sarah said in a conciliatory tone.
It was a little ironic that Sarah was talking about what was inappropriate. Considering Ethan had watched them making out ionately while sharing a sandwich just minutes ago.
—I understand, honey—he finally said, going back to his usual spot. He didn’t complain. He didn’t need to. Soon they’d understand that he belonged in the middle.
Doctor Valery arrived in the afternoon. The bastard charged triple for a home visit. Though Ethan couldn’t deny the results. He came with a heavy speaker, ready to play his music.
The three of them settled in what used to be a library. The empty shelves still smelled like old wood and dust. Sunlight came through a tall window, lighting up the center of the room like a stage.
—How are you liking your new house, girls?—Valery asked, sitting in a chair Ethan had strategically placed.
Neither of them paid him any attention. They were too focused on each other. Sarah had Heidi’s hand on her thigh. Heidi was playing with her mother’s fingers, winding and unwinding them like a necklace.
—I see you took the doors off—Valery commented, smiling at Ethan.
—As the doctor prescribed—Ethan replied, smiling back. He hoped the bastard wouldn’t charge for this.
—Alright, girls—Valery said, getting up from his seat—. I need you to give me some of your time. We’re in a new space, a new beginning. But the work isn’t done.
Sarah looked up. Heidi too. But neither let go of the other’s hand.
—First, I want to congratulate all of you on this new house—Valery said, walking toward them—. It’s a wonderful space. Away from the noise. Away from prying eyes. Perfect for a family learning to become one.
Sarah whispered a thank you, but her voice got lost in the echo of the room.
Valery stopped in front of them. It wasn’t a clinical look. It was the look of someone evaluating a work in progress.
—But speaking of work...—Valery continued, pacing slowly—. You’ve made great progress. You’ve torn down barriers. But there’s one still intact. One you might not have noticed.
Heidi frowned. Sarah squeezed her daughter’s hand.
—What do you mean?—Sarah asked.
Valery smiled. A kind smile. Professional.
—The clothes, Sarah.
Silence settled in. Heidi looked at her t-shirt. It was light, cotton. Sarah wore a thin blouse, almost see-through.
—I don’t understand—Heidi said.
—With all this heat, why are you wearing so much clothing, girls?
—It’s not that hot—Sarah said, her voice lower than she intended.
—No?—Valery raised an eyebrow—. Your hair is stuck to your forehead. And Heidi’s cheeks are flushed. You’re both uncomfortable.
He paused. Took another step around them.
—It’s the clothes—he said, as if revealing a secret—. Clothes create a barrier. A border. And united families don’t have borders. Do they?
Sarah shook her head.
—Doctor, this is different. Clothes are...
—Intimate?—Valery stopped in front of her—. Interesting word. What needs privacy, Sarah? Your body? Your skin? Your smell?
Sarah opened her mouth. Closed it.
—Are you afraid of your daughter seeing your body?—Valery asked, his voice softer now, almost understanding.
—No... it’s not fear—Sarah said, her voice trembling.
—Then what is it?
—Modesty...
—That’s it. That terrible word. That barrier that holds you back—Valery continued, circling them like he was drawing a perimeter—. In your own home, among family, why would you wear anything that stops you from feeling the other’s skin? Clothes are a barrier. A border. And united families don’t have borders. Do they?
—But...—Sarah started.
—But what?—Valery interrupted—. What’s stopping you, Sarah?
He stopped in front of her. Held her gaze.
—There’s no one here. Just your family. Just the people who love you. Ethan loves you. Heidi loves you. I’m a health professional. What is there to hide?
Sarah looked down. Heidi squeezed her hand.
—Tell me what we’ve said about families, Ethan.
—Families don’t have modesty—he said, turning up the volume.
—Say it—Valery said—. Repeat it.
Sarah and Heidi looked at each other. Sarah opened her mouth.
—Families... don’t have modesty—she said, her voice flat.
—Louder—Valery ordered.
—Families don’t have modesty—Heidi repeated, this time with more force.
—Good. Repeat it until you feel it. Until you believe it.
Ethan turned the music up another notch.
—Families don’t have modesty—they said in unison.
—Feel it in your chest—Valery said, his voice like a mantra—. No shame. No fear. No barriers.
—No shame—Sarah repeated.
—No fear—Heidi repeated.
The music played on. The rhythm continued. Valery’s voice guided them.
—Families are one—Valery said—. One skin. One breath. One heartbeat.
—One skin—Sarah whispered.
—One breath—Heidi whispered.
—Good—Valery said, his voice low—. Who’ll go first?
Neither moved.
—Ethan, can you?—Valery asked.
His body was thin. Too thin for some women. Probably for Sarah too, but his charming smile and his modest fortune had convinced her to marry him.
He had an erection. It was inevitable, ever since he started picturing how Sarah and Heidi would look pressed together half-naked.
Heidi looked away.
—Heidi, what did we say about this? There’s no modesty in your family. And physiological processes are natural. Why don’t we repeat this part again.
It was another hour. Another hour of listening to Sarah and Heidi: the physiological processes of family are natural.
—Alright, Sarah, why don’t you go next—Doctor Valery said.
Sarah hesitated for a moment. She touched her head. It must have been hurting. It wasn’t recommended to use the music for so long, but Ethan insisted.
—Let me help you, honey—Ethan said. It wasn’t a question.
His hands found the edge of her blouse and began sliding it up. The fabric stretched over Sarah’s chest for a moment before releasing. Sarah raised her arms so the blouse could come off.
She was left in a white bra. Her skin was covered in goosebumps. Her chest rose and fell with increasingly rapid breathing.
The bra was simple, cotton and lace. Not made to show off, just to contain. But it didn’t manage it. Her skin spilled over the edges.
—Heidi—Valery said, his voice low, like a secret—. Your mother is ashamed of her body. Does she have reason to be?
—No—Heidi replied. Her eyes were fixed on the curve of her mother’s breasts.
—Tell her what you think of her body.
—It’s beautiful.
—More specific.
—She has big breasts.
—Yes, good. But a lover wouldn’t say it like that, would they? And in this exercise you need to think like one. Tell me how a lover would say it.
—Mmm—Heidi hesitated.
—Come on, you know the words.
—I don’t know what words.
—Come on Heidi, or do you want to disappoint your mother?
Heidi hesitated just a moment.
—She has huge tits. They’re enormous.
—And you like that?
—Yes. A lot—Heidi turned red when she said it.
—Wouldn’t you like to see your mother like this every day?
—Yes...
—You see Sarah, clothes are just a barrier. One that stops your family from seeing your true beauty. The music was still playing softly.
—Why don’t you both finish undressing?
Sarah was the first to unbutton her pants. Heidi swallowed. Her hands trembled as she touched the edge of her t-shirt.
—Don’t think—Valery said—. Just do it.
Heidi lifted the fabric. She felt the cold air on her skin. The white bra was visible. Same as Sarah’s. Both in their underwear.
—Now why don’t you start exploring each other. Getting to know the parts you don’t know. After all, in a family there are no unknown parts—Valery said.
Heidi was the first to move. She slid her hand slowly up her mother’s arm. From shoulder to elbow. Then back. Sarah’s skin was covered in goosebumps. Ethan could see the tiny hairs standing up on her forearm.
Sarah raised her own hand. Placed it on Heidi’s shoulder.
—It’s soft—Sarah said.
—Yours too—Heidi replied.
Heidi moved her hand toward Sarah’s chest. Not directly. First she touched the edge of the bra, where the fabric met the skin. She ran her thumb along the edge. Felt the pressure of the flesh underneath.
Sarah didn’t move. But her breathing caught.
Sarah closed her eyes. Her lips parted just a little. A sigh. While her daughter touched her breast.
Sarah opened her eyes again. She started touching her daughter’s hair. From there she began moving down the side. She paused for a moment at the hips. But she kept going. She wanted to touch another part: the ass. It was huge. Well-defined. Heidi let out a small moan when her mother squeezed her skin lightly.
—What do you think of your daughter’s body, Sarah?—Doctor Valery asked.
—I like it—she said, moving her hand in circles over her ass.
—Be specific—Valery said.
—Her ass is huge—Sarah said. Ethan had never heard his wife being vulgar, but this time she didn’t even hesitate.
—And you like it?—Valery asked.
—Yes—Sarah replied, without pulling her hand away.
—Do you like touching it?
—Yes.
—Do you like looking at it?
—Yes.
Heidi moaned again. Her mother kept touching her, squeezing her.
—Good—Valery said—. Now you, Heidi. Touch your mother the same way. With the same confidence.
Heidi squeezed her mother’s breast. She could really feel its shape. Her mother’s breathing quickened.
—Do you like it?—Valery asked.
—Yes—Heidi said, her voice hoarse.
—What do you like?
—Her...—she swallowed—. Her tits.
—Say it.
—I like your tits.
—Good. Look at each other. Keep touching.
Heidi looked up. Sarah was looking at her.
Heidi didn’t wait any longer.
She leaned in and kissed her.
It wasn’t a kiss with cereal. It wasn’t a kiss with milk. It wasn’t an exercise. It was a real kiss. Lips against lips. Tongue searching for tongue. Hands squeezing skin.
Sarah moaned against her mouth. Her hands came up to Heidi’s face.