Katherine's Therapy - pedo/Janus

Please note: All characters in this story are fictitious, any similarity to persons living or dead is purely coincidental. The author does not necessarily condone or endorse any of the activities detailed in this story, some of which are dangerous or illegal.

Please keep in mind the difference between fantasy and reality.

All the air seemed to exit the room. The warmly lit surroundings seemed to suddenly dim, the air going stale despite the numerous scented candles and their flickering flames. Katherine hated this part the most about seeing a therapist. It started out with friendly and innocuous chit chat that invariably turned somber. The abrupt transition between present and past always startled her.

"It was... a dream," Katherine said haltingly. She spoke slowly to remain calm, to keep her voice from quavering. The 31 year old straightened the front of her blouse. "I was a kid again. Little. My mom told me to go to the garage to tell my uncle it was time for dinner. I didn't want to."

"Because... because I knew. He was by himself out there. I didn't want to be alone with him. I didn't feel like... playing his games."

"My mom got really mad. At me. For not doing what I was told. So she took me by the hand and pulled me outside. Toward the garage. My uncle was standing there with... no pants on. It was plain to see. I thought my mom would say something but she didn't. She just told my uncle, "I think Katherine has something to say to you," and then she left. Like it was all normal."

Katherine paused. Her hands were still now, her fingers clasped as if she were praying. But she wasn't. Her eyes were glassy, staring at nothing, as her mind traveled to the self-conjured scene.

"No," Katherine replied. It came out as a whisper. She cleared her throat. "No," she repeated, a bit louder. "He took me into the garage and made me sit in a chair. And he... made me, um, perform oral sex." Even now, over twenty years later, Katherine felt silly when using the term "oral sex". It was a strangely clinical term for what she considered such a deeply personal act. It was like learning there was a scientific name for nose-picking or wiping your butt.

There was silence as Katherine considered. "Annoyed, I guess. I was upset because my mom didn't intervene. I was upset because I didn't want... his thing in my mouth."

"I didn't want his penis in my mouth," Katherine hastily corrected herself. The therapist believed it was important to use correct terminology. She had let Katherine get away with childhood euphemisms during the first sessions but not anymore.

"No... just annoyed. I thought that, uh, oral sex was something everyone did. In private. Like going to the bathroom. Or picking your nose. I thought of it as a chore. An unpleasant one."

"No." Katherine paused again, collecting her thoughts. "Then I dreamed we were back inside the house. My uncle was calling for me to come watch TV with him. I didn't want to."

"I didn't want to sit next to him." The therapist didn't speak, indicating, Katherine knew, that she was to continue. "I was hesitant because I knew he would touch me... down there." Katherine held her breath, waiting to be corrected. But the therapist remained silent, so she continued.

"So I went to bed instead. But I couldn't sleep so I went downstairs. It was much darker now, but my uncle was still watching TV. So I... I sat down next to him." Katherine stopped here and fidgeted. There was a long silence.

Katherine opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. "I... nothing," she whispered. The therapist allowed another long silence.

"Are you sure, Katherine? You can tell me. I'm here to help. Anything you say is confidential."

Katherine's face reddened at the memory of how she woke up. "I don't know..." she shrugged.

"You have to remember, Katherine, what happened to you is not your fault. He was the one doing wrong, not you."

"Whenever you feel guilt or shame, I want you to remember that. Let's hear you say it now."

"You need to remember this," the therapist said. She looked at Katherine so intently that Katherine imagined she could feel her therapist's eyes drilling holes into her skull.

"Good," her therapist said. "How's everything else going? Are you sleeping better?"

"No, not really," Katherine admitted. Insomnia was a new twist, and it had been plaguing her for over a year. "I've been getting three or four hours of sleep each night. Sometimes less."

"Hmm," the therapist frowned. Katherine didn't like it when she frowned. "Are you getting exercise? Eating right?"

"It isn't healthy to get so little sleep," her therapist counseled. "You should really see a doctor if this continues."

"Good." There was a pause. "Well." The therapist smoothly shifted into what Katherine now recognized as 'conclusion' mode. She thanked Katherine for being brave. Then the conversation veered back to where it started with friendly chit chat.

Katherine was almost out the door when the therapist suddenly returned to professional mode. "Oh, I almost forgot!" she exclaimed. She stepped closer to Katherine and lowered her voice conspiratorially. "At out last session, we had discussed you getting a sex toy for yourself. Did you?"

"I, um, brought a vibrator like you suggested.," Katherine blushed. "It's... great."

"Wonderful!" The therapist continued but Katherine was too embarrassed to listen. It was a long two minutes until they made their final goodbyes.

As she exited the therapist's office, Katherine ruefully reflected on her reticence. "I should have told her," she thought as she started her car. The dream didn't stop when Katherine sat down next to her uncle. The dream stopped when she felt his hand slip into her underwear. Katherine had awoke in such a heightened state of arousal that he own hand had guiltily crept between her legs. It only took a few minutes. After her first orgasm in seven months, she finally returned to an exhausted and dreamless sleep.

"Why, why, why?" Katherine mentally kicked herself as she drove. "Why pay a small fortune for a therapist when you won't tell her everything? Why am I so uptight? God!" She pounded the steering wheel in frustration. Diane had been recommended to her by her previous therapist. Having a regular therapist was bad enough and Katherine didn't think she could face going to a sex therapist. But her previous therapist had been adamant, particularly after finding out how long it had been since Katherine had attempted masturbation, let alone experienced orgasm.

Dejected by another pointless therapy session, Katherine continued berating herself as she drove home, or rather, to the house where she was currently a nanny. As she turned the corner past a set of heavy, wrought-iron gates, Katherine felt very conspicuous in her beat-up Honda. The Chase mansion was located in the ritzy Lyon Estates neighborhood, a gated community where residents sought to outdo one another by furnishing their homes with helicopter pads and hedge mazes. Hired help, therefore, was just another rung on the ladder of social status. Though the neighborhood was home to only twelve households, a veritable army of butlers, maids, cooks, gardeners, nannies, and security guards were employed by the whole of Lyon Estates.

Katherine's employers were Mr. and Mrs. Chase whom she never had the courage to call by their first names. They had two children, Emma and Garrett, who were seven and five years old respectively. Katherine was in charge of their day-to-day activities, especially now that it was summer vacation. She had never truly warmed up to Mr. and Mrs. Chase but she did like the children. After being their nanny for nearly a year, she had developed a rapport with both of them.

She carefully parked her car in the cavernous garage filled with a Mercedes, two Porsches, a Corvette, two gargantuan, black SUVs, and a pair of Cadillacs. She found Mrs. Chase leaving the house as she was entering.

"Wonderful, dear," Mrs. Chase said, toddling down the front walk in her high heels. "I'm off to meet some friends for lunch." Stopping, she bent over to examine some rose bushes. "Oh dear. I must really ask Carlos to take a look at these." She sighed loudly.

"I can pass the message on to him," Katherine volunteered. Carlos was the gardener.

"Can you dear? Tell him to plant completely new roses. We've had these for three years now and they never seem to do well."

Mrs. Chase looked at her watch. "Oh my! I'm going to be late!" Her heels clicked into action again. She called over her shoulder, "The children are playing in the pool with Steven. We'll have company over for dinner tonight. Can you make sure the children are dressed properly?"

"Of course, Mrs. Chase," promised Katherine. "You don't need to worry about a thing."

"What would we do without you?" mused Mrs. Chase. She spoke as she walked, her back to Katherine as she hurried to the garage. She paused to rifle through her purse. "And please tell Steven to stop taking the children out for ice cream! I've had enough of their sugar highs. Now which car keys did I grab? Hmmm..."

When she first started the job, Katherine would have been shocked at such casual displays of wealth. Now accustomed, she merely smiled and waved. Once inside, Katherine hurried to her room to change clothes. Steven was Mr. Chase's brother. He had been staying with them for a few months now. Katherine had never inquired directly about his past but understood that he had fallen on some hard times.

Properly attired in a swimsuit, Katherine made her way to the outdoor pool. It was heated, thankfully, since the June weather hadn't been very warm. Garrett spotted her immediately.

"Hi Katherine!" he shouted. "Watch me!" With a running start, he leapt from the diving board and cannonballed into the water.

"All right," conceded Katherine. "We're going to play out here for a little bit more and then it's time for lunch, okay?"

The kids nodded. Katherine smiled and waved at Steven, who had been quiet since her arrival. Finding a chair in a sunny spot, Katherine idly lounged by the pool as the kids splashed with Uncle Steven. It was hot day, but Katherine instead wore a baggy t-shirt over her swimsuit. Normally, she would have had no problem being in a swimsuit around the kids but the presence of Uncle Steven made her wary. Though he was neither attractive nor unattractive, Katherine felt uneasy around him. It was enough that he was a man, perhaps a few years older than she, with an interesting job and an unmarried status. In short, he was the prime dating material that her therapist would recommend.

So in a fit of defensiveness, Katherine refused to remove her t-shirt (which would, in any case, only reveal an extra modest black swimsuit that may have been popular in the 50s) and kept her hair in a prim ponytail and wore oversized sunglasses that hid her face. "The very definition of spinster," she thought ruefully.

Garrett came running over to her, his feet slapping wetly on the Italian tile surrounding the pool. "Katherine! Guess what! Uncle Steven says he wants to see my new inflatable dragon!"

"Of course!" declared the young boy. "It's in the deck box over there." So saying, Garrett began rummaging through a large deck box near the pool.

"Careful, Garrett," Katherine cautioned as he recklessly tossed out an assortment of pool toys. "You don't want to make a mess and... oh, never mind." Katherine was constantly amazed at the willful destructiveness of five year old boys. She wondered if it would be different if the family weren't rich.

"I don't think so," Katherine said. "Why don't you go find Rufus? He can use the air pump in the garage."

"But don't go in the house with those wet... aw hell," Katherine muttered as she watched the boy scamper through the dining room. She returned her attention to the pool where Steven had his back to her on the far side of the pool, but Emma was nowhere in sight.

There was the briefest pause before Steven slowly turned around. He was holding Emma with his hands around her shoulders, her back against his chest. "Right here!" Steven called back cheerfully.

"Sure!" replied Steven. "I was trying to teach Emma how to tread water. But I think she would rather sink!" He let go of the girl and she screamed. Steven laughed and caught her just as the water reached her chin.

Katherine waved and returned to her book. The splashing resumed. After a few minutes, however, she noticed that the pool was silent again. Once more, Steven had his back to her and Emma was nowhere in sight. Sensing something wasn't right, Katherine slowly got up and walked to the far end of the pool.

"Hey, what are you to up to?" she asked casually as she approached them. At the sound of her voice, Steven visibly flinched. There was a splash of water and quick movement but it happened too fast for Katherine to make anything of it.

"You okay, Emma?" Katherine asked. The little girl's face had an unusually guilty look on it, as if Katherine had interrupted something.

"You look awfully red," Katherine said slowly. "I'm going to go get some sunscreen for you, okay? I'll be right back."

She turned on her heel. Once in the house, she walked past the cabinet with sunscreen and band-aids and instead went upstairs to the study. She cautiously approached the bay windows which overlooked the pool. Slowly peering through the glass, she located Steven and Emma. This time, they were facing her. Steven's arm propped Emma against his chest as they floated in the water. A perfectly innocuous scene.

"Just my imagination," Katherine thought, shrugging. But then something caught her eye. The diffraction of the shimmering water made it difficult to see clearly, but she thought it seemed as if Steven's hand was cupping Emma's crotch under the water. Furrowing her brow, Katherine squinted to make sure her eyes weren't playing tricks on her.

Her nose now pressed against the glass, Katherine strained her eyes in an effort to see what exactly Steven's hand was doing. Was he merely keeping Emma afloat? Weren't his fingers a little too close to her swimsuit bottom? Or was it a trick of the light? But why not just hold her leg instead? And why were Emma's eyes closed?

With a start, Katherine realized her hands were balled up tight and her heart was beating rapidly. She mentally forced herself to step away from the window. "Deep breath," Katherine told herself. Despite her efforts she could feel a flush rising across her face and chest. Her body felt positively electrified, as if she poked a finger into a socket.

Warily, she moved back to the large bay window and peered down into the pool. Garrett had returned with his inflatable pool toy. Steven and Emma were towing him back and forth across the pool. Everything appeared normal. Suddenly remembering why she came into the house, Katherine hurried off to find the sunscreen.

CHAPTER TWO

In the following days, Katherine tried to put the pool incident out of her mind. But it was easier said than done. It persisted, nagging in the back of her mind, like a forgotten unpaid bill. Her insomnia gave her plenty of time to think. It could be three in the morning and Katherine would be wide awake, pondering the odd behavior of Steven and Emma. Then she would fall into a restless sleep and awaken to the same thoughts turning in her mind. It was as if her brain didn't shut off.

Every little thing became magnified in her mind. Katherine constantly noticed whenever Steven and Emma were alone. Where were they now? Could it really take that long to choose a board game to play? Emma would get a piggyback ride from Steven and Katherine would surreptitiously hang back, keeping a watchful eye as she played with Garrett on the other side of the yard. Was his hand touching her inappropriately? Had Emma always worn summer dresses with hemlines this short?

She paid special attention to Emma's moods. For the most part, the young girl seemed her usual self. There were the occasional tantrums but nothing out of the ordinary. If Steven was indeed doing unsavory things with her, it certainly did not manifest itself in her personality. Emma seemed to have no problem hanging out with Steven for extended periods of time. Katherine was ready to forget about the whole thing until one morning when she woke up Emma.

"Rise and shine, sleepy!" she announced, opening the curtains and letting sunlight stream into Emma's room. Katherine immediately began tidying up, picking up the stray clothes and scattered books that always littered the bedroom floor each morning. Balled up among the socks and jeans, however, was a pair of underpants. Katherine raised an eyebrow.

"Come on, Emma," she said, sitting down on the bed. "It's time to wake up." She gently pulled the sheets off of Emma, who responded by covering her face with a pillow. Her knee-length nightgown had hiked up as she slept. She was not wearing any underwear.

Katherine felt a lump form in her throat. She tried to remain casual as she spoke. "What's the matter, honey? Didn't you sleep well last night?"

"Yes," Emma replied, half-awake. "Me and Uncle Steven were playing g-..." As soon as she said it though, Emma bolted upright in bed. Katherine could see the little girl was suddenly very flustered.

Taking a cue, Katherine stood and resumed her brisk clean-up of the room. She tried to act normal but her voice came out shaky. "Did he... he came and read to you, didn't he?" Katherine said. She suddenly felt confused and flustered herself. "What am I doing?" she wondered.

"Of course," replied Katherine. "I set out your clothes for you over there. Why don't you get dressed?"

"All right." Emma slid out of bed. It wasn't until then that she realized she wasn't wearing her underwear. Katherine could see her surprise.

"Why don't you get dressed," Katherine suggested, "and come meet us downstairs?"

Emma nodded, a second wave of relief breaking across her face. Katherine smiled and let herself out of the bedroom. The minute the door was closed, however, her knees went wobbly and she felt almost nauseous. Steven had visited Emma before bed. She woke up without any underwear.

"Can't be coincidence," Katherine thought to herself. She stumbled into the bathroom and locked the door. It took several splashes of cold water to her face before Katherine felt well enough to look at her pale face in the mirror. "I have to know. I have to know for sure."

Katherine sleepwalked through the remainder of the morning. Steven usually slept late so there was no awkward breakfast scene. Again, Emma showed no signs of being traumatized. If anything, she and Garrett were more rowdy than normal. They had so much energy that Katherine was exhausted by mid-afternoon. Garrett thankfully chose to take a nap after lunch and Emma, respecting the silence, decided to read a book. Savoring the peace and quiet, Katherine went to the library room to find something to read herself.

The library at the Chase's mansion was a modest one, yet it still had an excellent selection of early 20th century literature. Katherine always adored the ornate room with its oak woodwork and hand-painted ceiling frescoes. On the south wall, the library opened up to a balcony that looked down upon the study room on the first floor. Or at least it used to be a study. These days it functioned as a playroom for the children.

Katherine was peaceably browsing when she heard low voices speaking. Cocking an ear, she listened carefully until she recognized Emma's voice. And then a deeper one. Steven.

Swallowing hard, Katherine crept slowly to the balcony area, the thick and lush carpet muffling her footsteps. She got on her hands and knees for the last five feet, crawling until she could peer through the oak balustrades on the balcony. Her heart was beating very rapidly now.

Quickly scanning the room, she located the voices in the far corner of the playroom. Steven stood next to a leather armchair, his back to her. The armchair was also facing away from her, but she assumed it was Emma sitting in it. Other than her disembodied whispering, Emma was all but invisible to Katherine. There was no other vantage point possible from the balcony, so Katherine was resigned to listening to their hushed conversation.

Katherine began shaking again. It had to be, she told herself. What else could they be talking about? She wished Steven would move so she could have visual confirmation. Something. Anything. There was a mirror in the playroom but its reflection revealed nothing. Nevertheless, Katherine quietly moved between the balustrades, hoping to find the damning proof. But there was no angle that allowed her to see what was happening.

"I like it, Emma," Steven murmured. "I like it when you touch me. It feels really good. Did it feel good when I touched you last night?"

Katherine closed her eyes. She was on the verge of hyperventilating now. The most logical thing to do would have been to quickly exit the library, but she wasn't sure she could make a stealthy getaway given her current state. Paralyzed with anxiety, Katherine helplessly listened.

"Well, Emma? Did you like it?" Steven pressed, not hearing a response from the little girl. "What about that time in the pool? Remember how nice I made you feel in the pool? You really liked it, didn't you?"

"And what about last night?" continued Steven. "I think I made you feel very nice inside. I remember how your legs kicked in the air and you were squirming so much. It felt really nice, didn't it?"

Emma said nothing. Katherine peered between the balustrades again. The view was still frustratingly obscured. Had it not been for the explicit conversation, it would have appeared as if Steven was merely looking out the window as he stood next to the armchair. From the back, he even seemed fully clothed. He must just have his zipper undone, Katherine reasoned. He probably pulled... it... out, exposing himself. Waggling it in front of Emma.

Poor Emma. From the conversation, Katherine guessed this was the first time Steven had exposed himself to the little girl. "Probably the first adult penis she had ever seen," Katherine thought. "Thick and erect, not anything like her little brother's baby peepee. Pointing right at her. Sticking straight out from his gross and hairy balls... Inches from her face." Katherine could even imagine how it smelled, a strange, musky smell like a damp locker room at the gym.

She shook her head. This was crazy! A little girl was being sexually assaulted and Katherine was cowering on the floor. "Do something!" she screamed at herself. But she couldn't. Katherine felt completely helpless. Just like in her dream. Just like when she was Emma's age.

"You know, Emma," Steven said conspiratorially, "I'd like to make you feel nice again. I know you like it. But I want you to do something for me first. Okay?"

"Are you... are you gonna use your mouth on me again?" Emma asked. The innocence in her question made Katherine cringe.

Steven chuckled. "You liked that last night, didn't you? How about this: I'll use my mouth again if you use your mouth. Is it a deal?"

"Come on, just taste it?" Katherine's fingernails dug into her palms as she heard Steven's question. "Come on, Emma. Don't be shy. Open your mouth. It'll taste good. Trust me."

Katherine curled into a fetal position. She wrapped her arms around her knees but she couldn't stop her whole body from shaking. She was experiencing a full-blown panic attack now. She scrunched her eyes shut, but that didn't stop her from hearing the words that floated up from the playroom. Even though they spoke quietly, the words roared in Katherine's ears.

"Just give it a little lick," Steven urged. "See, that wasn't so bad, was it? How about another? Good girl. Keep on doing it. Lick it like a lollipop. That's my girl."

Her eyes still shut tight, Katherine couldn't stop the image from forming in her mind. She could clearly see Emma now, an innocent seven year old girl obeying her uncle. She was slightly craning her neck forward as her pink tongue lapped at his angry purple head.

"That's nice, Emma. Real nice. Now why don't you try putting it in your mouth? Don't lick the lollipop. Pretend it's a sucker."

Steven had barely finished speaking before the image formed, unbidden, in Katherine's mind. Emma was now sitting primly in the armchair, her hands in her lap, as he obscenely poked his cock into her too-small mouth. Katherine suddenly realized her breathing was short and ragged and loud. Desperately, she took several deep, measured breaths to calm herself.

Suddenly, she heard a door opening. "Uncle Steven, have you seen my sister?" It was Garrett's voice. Katherine's eyes snapped open in alarm, as if he had walked in on her, not them. Through the balustrade, she saw Steven recoil as if he had been slapped. It only took him a moment to regain his composure though.

"Sure, Garrett!" he said cheerfully. Steven kept his back to the boy as he spoke, his hands fumbling at his midsection. Katherine couldn't see what he was doing either but she had a good guess. "Emma's right here. We were looking at a book." He turned now to face Garrett, his pants fully zipped up. Katherine could clearly see the telltale bulge but that was lost on Garrett.

"Hi Emma!" he said, peering around the armchair. "I couldn't even see you sitting there!"

His sister didn't respond. Emma got up on her knees in the chair and looked at Steven. Katherine saw unspoken words between them. Emma's reddened face spoke volumes though. Katherine watched with pity as the little girl self-consciously tucked a strand of blonde hair behind her ear.

"Sure," Emma nodded. She followed her brother out of the room. Steven waited until they were out of the room before adjusting himself. His erection evidently wasn't sitting too well in his jeans. After a moment, he too exited the room.

Katherine rolled onto her back and released a huge sigh of relief. She lay there for several minutes until she felt certain enough that the anxiety attack had passed. Unsteadily, she rose to her feet. The room spun a little, but she was at least breathing normally now. Indeed, her body once again felt electric, just as it did after the pool incident.

Katherine gingerly took a few steps toward the door before stopping dead in her tracks. She felt wet. Very wet. Glancing cautiously at the closed library door, she unzipped her jeans and reached into her panties. A quick swipe confirmed the considerable amount of moisture that had accumulated. Biting her lip, Katherine leaned on a bookshelf and positioned her feet shoulder width apart. Primly jutting her hips out, her hands returned between her legs, inside her panties.

It only took a few minutes. She gazed down the balcony, fixing her gaze on the now vacant leather armchair. Her clit was a smooth pearl beneath her fingers. Aided by her own copious moisture, she stroked it in small but sure circles. Sighing in pleasure, she let her head fall back against a book on the shelf. Her face soon contorted in desperate lust. She was getting so close... close... "Ahhh," Katherine gasped. Her neck muscles stiffened, pushing her head hard against the bookshelf. She heard the sound of some books falling on the ground, but she didn't care. The orgasm was so powerful that it left her weak-kneed.

And guilty. The moment her passion subsided, Katherine's waves of pleasure were replaced with waves of guilt. What had she done? Sickened, she removed her hands from her underwear. "My first orgasm in forever," she thought bitterly, "I couldn't get off for months and this is what pushes me over. This is what..."

Unable to continue this line of thought, Katherine rushed from the library. Blindly, she found her way to her own bedroom. Before she knew what she was doing, Katherine found herself hurriedly throwing clothes and toiletries into an overnight bag. A quick trip to the bathroom allowed her to compose herself and clean up a bit before shakily descending the stairs.

"Mrs. Harper?" she said, poking her head into the kitchen. "Have you seen Mr. or Mrs. Chase?"

"Could you tell them I have a family emergency?" Katherine requested. She was surprised at how calm her voice was. "My mom just called. It's a long story but I have to go home for a bit."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Mrs. Harper frowned. "What happened? I hope it's nothing serious."

"No, no," Katherine assured her. "Just something with my dad. It's a long story so I'd rather not get into it."

"I'm not sure. I'll definitely give Mrs. Chase a call tonight and let her know though."

"Bye!" Katherine hurried to the garage, grateful that she didn't see anyone else before slipping into her car. The engine roared to life. As she made her quick getaway, Katherine felt more confused and ashamed than ever.

CHAPTER THREE

The therapist looked at her with inquisitive eyes. "Please continue," she softly urged.

Katherine folded her trembling fingers as if she were praying. "I... I was watching myself. I mean, I was watching something that happened to me when I was... little. He was... making me do things."

"Yes. This time I was me. I mean, I could tell I was an adult. And I was there watching it take place."

"It felt..." Katherine closed her eyes. Her heart rapidly fluttered. A hot shame flooded her as she remembered the powerful arousal that had gripped her body.

"Katherine?" She felt the therapist's hand on her shoulder. "Are you all right? You're shaking."

Katherine opened her eyes. "I'm fine," she responded shakily. "I'm okay. It's just..." She wavered. Could she say it? Could she tell the therapist what these thoughts and memories truly triggered? Tears came to her eyes. "I feel so ashamed," she blurted out. "Maybe I wanted it to happen. Maybe she deserved it." Realizing what she said, Katherine corrected herself. "Maybe I deserved it." Deep sobs welled up inside her.

The therapist gave her a few minutes. "It's all right," she soothed. "Remember what we said last time? None of this is your fault, Katherine. He was the one doing wrong, not you. Remember?"

Katherine wiped her eyes and nodded. "Yes. But what if... what if I could have stopped it from happening?"

"You can't blame yourself. You were young and he took advantage of you," the therapist consoled. "It's in the past now. You have to accept that. Unless you have a time machine, you're not going to be able to prevent any of this. Once it happened, it happened. The best a person can do now is cope."

"I'm a little worried about you," the therapist said. "You seem to have lost weight. Are things going okay at home?"

"Yes, I still have insomnia most nights. Almost every night. And, um, I actually haven't been working," Katherine admitted.

"What?" asked the therapist, surprised. "Your nanny job with the family in Lyon Estates?"

"I see." The therapist sat back in her chair. "Katherine, I'll be frank. This isn't good. I know you're working though some issues from your past but it's simply not good for your mental or physical health to stop working and stop eating."

"What made you take a leave of absence? From what I've heard in our past sessions, you adored the kids and the family. Why would you want to stop working?"

An image of Steven's hand inside Emma's swim bottom flashed across her mind. She crossed her legs. "I just felt like it," said Katherine lamely.

"Sometimes breaking out of a routine is a good thing," the therapist told her, "but sometimes it's not. I think you should start working again. If you truly feel you can't, then we might want to take a look at some anti-depressants."

"That won't be necessary," Katherine said resolutely. "I can go back to work." She wiped her eyes one last time.

"Remember," the therapist touched her hand, "he was the one doing wrong. Not you."

Katherine nodded and resolutely gathered her things. Back in her car, she paused before starting the engine. Taking a deep breath, she pulled out her cellphone and dialed a number.

Two nights later, she returned to Lyon Estates. It felt instantly familiar. Even though she had only been gone for two weeks, it felt like much longer. Feeling a bit like a prodigal daughter, Katherine tiptoed to the front door and rang the bell.

The heavy door swung open instantly. "Katherine!" It was Penny, the maid. Garrett peeked out from behind her. "Welcome back!"

"Garrett!" Katherine exclaimed. "I've only been gone a little while. Have you forgotten me already? Where's my hug?"

Penny laughed as the boy tackled Katherine. "You're just in time for dinner," she informed Katherine. "Mrs. Harper is setting the table now."

Katherine nodded. "I'll just wash up first. Come on, Garrett," she pulled the boy after her. "If I know you, then your hands need washing too."

They quickly washed up. Garrett's shyness melted away and he was soon chattering away about the events of the last two weeks. They settled themselves at the long dinner table, with Katherine was still fussing over Garrett. She knew how much his mom disliked rowdy table manners. "Sit still, Garrett," she whispered to him, tidying up the mop of hair on his head. "If you're good, we can play some Wii after dinner, okay?" The young boy's eyes brightened at the proposal. They both quickly sat up straight as his mom entered the dining room.

"Good evening, Garrett, Katherine," his mom nodded at both of them. She leaned in to give Karen a quick embrace. "Welcome back, dear. We missed you. Garrett, you look so nice and neat for dinner. I wish you could look like that every night." Katherine beamed, knowing that the praise was as much for her as it was for Garrett. As his mom settled into her chair, Katherine quickly reached over to straighten Garrett's collar.

The evening dinner at the Chase household was usually a formal affair. The table glistened with crystal glasses and fine china. Though she did neither the shopping nor cooking, Mrs. Chase enjoyed being served a proper three-course meal each night. The butler appeared at Katherine's side and began pouring wine into spotless stemmed glasses.

Mr. Chase appeared, the ever-present cocktail in his hand. He sat down at his spot without noticing Katherine until Garrett poked him. "Katherine!" he exclaimed. "Welcome back!" He stood up and gave her a bear hug that squeezed the breath out of her. "The kids have missed you so much. It just hasn't been the same without you."

"Now if only we could locate that other child of mine," Mrs. Chase mused, spreading her napkin on her lap.

"Well, I'm starving," Mr. Chase declared, plunking himself into the head chair. "Mrs. Harper, I think we can start with the soup now." The cook nodded and disappeared through the swinging doors leading to the kitchen. She reappeared laden with several steaming bowls.

"Don't you think we should wait for Emma and Steven?" Mrs. Chase reproachfully asked her husband. But before he could reply, they both meekly entered the room and seated themselves.

"Dinner is served!" Mr. Chase announced, cheerfully picking up his soup spoon. The rest of the table followed suit. The butler discreetly lit a few candles on the table and dimmed the lights slightly.

"Nevertheless, Emma," Mrs. Chase spoke, "I would appreciate it if you came to the dinner table on time. This is our family time and we..." She trailed off and raised an eyebrow at her daughter. "Darling, is your dress inside out?"

There was a momentary pause at the dinner table as all attention was focused on Emma. Even Mr. Chase took a brief pause from his soup. Steven, however, continued puttering with his bread and butter. Emma's face turned bright red.

Katherine, who had been sipping her wine, suddenly began coughing. She put down the wine glass with an unsteady hand, causing a clatter as she groped for a space free of silverware. Now everyone turned to look at her.

"Excuse me," Katherine said, clearing her throat. "I... Um.... I just swallowed wrong. I need to be excused for a minute." She abruptly stood up.

"Take Emma with you," Mrs. Chase directed.. "Katherine will help you put your dress on properly, dear." Truthfully, she wanted to be alone more than anything else but it was clearly an order, not a request.

"Come on, Emma," she said, taking the little girl's hand. They walked upstairs to Emma's room. Katherine's chest felt tightly constricted, as if her lungs couldn't take in any air. Her head spun with conflicting thoughts. Deep down, she knew why Emma and Steven were late to the dinner table. She knew why Emma's dress was on backwards. What had he been doing to her? The scene formed clearly in her mind. Steven and Emma behind a locked door, Emma in a state of undress as Steven touched her, then a sudden knock at the door announcing that dinner was ready...

Katherine shook her head, shutting out her imagination. "Stop!" she told herself. "Stop thinking about it." Her legs were wobbly now. She tried to take a deep breath.

"Emma," she began. She meant to make some harmless small talk but the words tumbled out of her mouth. "Why is your dress on backwards?"

"I don't know," Emma mumbled. They arrived at her bedroom. Kneeling down before the little girl, Katherine now noticed how the girl's patent black shoes were not fastened properly and her socks were missing.

"You took off your shoes, your socks. Your dress is on backwards..." Katherine said. She helped Emma out of her dress. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw how Emma's underpants were twisted on her slim frame. She straightened them out before helping Emma back into her dress.

"I... It's a secret," Emma said reluctantly. The little girl's eyes shifted guiltily to her left. Katherine followed her gaze to the bed. With a start, Katherine realized that the perfectly made bed was now mussed, the sheets no longer perfectly smooth.

"You know, Emma," Katherine began, "some secrets..." She trailed off. For the first time, Emma looked her in the eye. Katherine saw the guilt and confusion in them, the look of a child who grew up a little too fast. That's how I looked, she realized. A little girl with a terrible secret. Katherine glanced back at the bed but this time she could clearly see Emma, naked, her legs unwillingly spread wide as Steven explored her, violated her, with his fingers. Strange feelings welled up inside her.

"Some secrets," Katherine spoke as if in a trance, "are meant to be kept secret. And that's okay. Do you understand?" Emma nodded slowly. Then she retreated and left the room.

Katherine remained kneeling. Her body felt frozen, as if she were paralyzed. Blinking, she willed herself to stand up. Moving like a robot, Katherine made the bed, smoothing out the sheets until they appeared crisp and freshly ironed. A few stray stuffed animals had fallen so she rearranged them on the bed. Casting her eyes across the neatened room, Katherine's gaze came to rest on the wastebasket next to the nightstand. She peered in. Several wadded up Kleenex tissues had been thrown away.

Impulsively, she fished one of the used tissues with the tip of her fingers. It was fresh. She took a tentative sniff. Bleach. Katherine stood stock still for a long moment as her mind's eye replayed what must have taken place. Shaking, she tossed the tissue back in the trash. Closing her eyes, Katherine tried to concentrate on her therapist's words: "He's the one doing wrong, not me."

She dreamt again that night. Sometimes the dreams were of things that never happened. Other times, it was an exact replay of her memory. This time it was the latter. She and her uncle were in the room above the garage, where it tended to get hot and humid in the summer. They were both naked. He was on his knees, masturbating, and she lay on the floor before him. Her position afforded her an excellent view of his manhood that was tightly clenched in his pumping fist. His other hand was busy between her legs.

He liked doing this. She didn't. Katherine had learned how painful it was when he shot his white stuff into her eyes. She didn't care for the smell either and the taste of it was positively vile. That was why she now had her eyes closed shut with one hand pinching her nose and the other clapped over her mouth as he jacked off mere inches from her face. Like the oral sex and handjobs, taking her uncle white stuff in the face was just another chore that had to be endured. As for the tingly feeling between her legs however...

His finger drummed gently on her special spot. Katherine's back arched in a spasm as he coaxed a tiny explosion of pleasure from her young body. Despite her distaste for his "white stuff", her body responded appropriately when touched. The room was so hot that a small pool of sweat was forming at the base of her spine on the floor, and his touching was making her feel like she was truly burning up.

In her dream, she was herself. She could feel the rough wood of the floor against her back and the light burning of her lungs from pinching her nose and clapping her mouth shut. But, somewhat disconcertingly, she also possessed an omnipotent point-of-view, so Katherine could also see the afternoon light streaming through the dusty windows of the room. It felt odd yet strangely familiar to be watching this naked grown man and this naked young girl together.

Then she felt it. Her first-person young self recoiled as she felt something warm and wet on her face and hands. The sensation was magnified a thousandfold because her eyes were closed and her nose pinched. Her omnipotent viewpoint allowed her to watch as her uncle decorated her face like a cake, artistically adding strand after strand of thick white fluid to her face. It seemed to go on for hours until her young face was drenched, not daring to open her eyes and taking slow, careful breaths through her barely open mouth.

She was drowning. Not only drowning in his spray, but also drowning in a heady surge of blissful pleasure. The hot splashing on her face seemed to coincide with the quivering ecstasy that was overtaking her young body. She could smell his masculine output seeping between the fingers that covered her nose. She could feel its viscous nature matting on her eyelids. But she didn't care. All she cared about was the beautiful feeling coming from between her legs. The beautiful, beautiful...

Katherine's eyes snapped open. It was too dark to see but she could feel something wet on her forehead, her face. Alarmed, she fumbled to turn on the bedside lamp. A small pool of light spilled across the room, stinging her eyes.

"Just sweat," Katherine breathed, touching her face. "Just sweating. Too hot. Jesus..." She kicked off her sheets and closed her eyes. There was so much perspiration that her t-shirt felt soaked. On a whim, Katherine tenderly reached between her legs, beneath her underwear. She was wet there too, but it wasn't sweat.

Katherine let her fingers lazily wander, tracing tiny circles here and there. Unbidden, a hazy image formed in her mind. She saw Emma, bright and radiant as only a seven year old could be, standing in a brilliantly lit room. Steven sat in an armchair at arm's length from her. Emma approached him, innocently lifting the hem of her skirt, offering herself to her uncle. He obliged, slipping a hand inside the waist of her underwear.

Somewhere in Katherine's mind, a deep sense of shame twitched at her vulgar fantasy. She ignored it. Katherine had been imprisoned her desire for too long. Now it thrummed rhythmically inside her, a steady drumbeat that signaled its impending liberation. Her fingers danced insistently across her clit, shattering the chains that held her lust captive.

"Oh god..." Katherine moaned. She threw her head back, her neck muscles so taut that her lungs begged for oxygen. Her fingers squeezed that tiny nubbin of pink flesh; it was amazing that something so small could produce something so big. She rode the wave of pleasure until the blackness of unconsciousness lapped at her. Only then did Katherine gasp, allowing herself to breathe again. It was pure bliss.

Gradually, her senses returned. Her heart was thudding, her breasts were gently heaving with uneven breaths. The cotton sheets, damp with perspiration, clung to her body. The dimly lit room glowed yellow from the incandescent bulb in her bedside lamp. Katherine closed her eyes. She merely intended to rest them but her awareness slid away like sand in an hourglass, leaving her in a deep slumber.

Her eyes snapped open. Katherine had awoken in an instant, effortlessly crossing from sleep to consciousness. The thick drapery obscured the windows but she could tell it was quite light outside, well past dawn. She glanced at the clock. It was almost 8:30.

"I haven't slept this hard in a while," Katherine thought. She sat up. Her mind felt remarkably clear for having just woken up. Pulling the sheets aside, she crossed the room and opened the drapes. The warm sunlight flooded the room, prickling her face and she suddenly remembered her dreams. Then she had woken up and she had... or was that a dream?

No, the fingers on her hand still carried the faint scent of her own musk. Katherine absent-mindedly sniffed the sweet, familiar smell. She had an odd awareness that she should feel... well, feel something about what happened. But instead, she felt nothing. It was like a vacuum of space inside her.

CHAPTER FOUR

After having her first night's good rest in many months, Katherine had hoped her insomnia was cured. Sadly, this was not the case as she tossed and turned in her bed the following night. Wide awake, she had a lot of time to reflect on what had happened. Her initial dispassion was now replaced by a growing sense of guilt. Dreaming vividly about her own past was one thing. Fantasizing and masturbating to Emma's molestation by her uncle was quite another.

She found herself constantly preoccupied with Emma and Steven's actions now. Her mind replayed a continuous loop of events. She thought of the incident in the pool, when Steven boldly molested the seven year old girl when he thought no one was watching. She thought of the library when he made Emma perform fellatio on him. She even thought of the wastebasket in Emma's room, piled high with used paper tissues that were crumpled stiffly from Steven's dried semen.

This last one was the worse since Katherine had not witnessed the actual incident. Her mind feverishly conjured up incidents, each more outlandish than the last. She pictured Steven excitedly jerking off on the little girl's backside, leaving her with a box of Kleenex to clean up the mess. She imagined Emma with her mouth full of Steven's cock, the overflowing semen leaking from her lips. She daydreamed about Emma touching Steven, her innocent youth offset by her expert handling of his swollen manhood. She would touch him until he lost control, she would watch him shoot that warm, white fluid all over her clenched fist, she would...

And then Katherine would shake her head, trying to clear the thoughts from her mind. Laying the dark room, her roaring mind would be a sharp contrast to the stillness of the mansion. Sleep would eventually come, if only she could stop thinking about... There would be a brief darkness, then it was suddenly morning. Another new day.

Despite making do with only three hours of sleep, Katherine was reasonably alert each morning. On this morning, Mr. Chase was presiding over the breakfast table and trying negotiate a compromise between her two children.

"But I want to go to a baseball game," Garrett insisted. "Mom, why can't we go to a baseball game? Katherine, wouldn't you rather go to a baseball game?"

Knowing better than to take sides, Katherine remained silent. Mrs. Chase pondered the issue. "I don't know sweetie," she considered. "Every time you go to a baseball game, you eat too much junk food and then come home with an upset stomach."

"It's true, Garrett," Emma said, gloating a little. "You always eat too many hot dogs and cotton candy."

"If you go horseback riding, you can go to the beach too and get some exercise," Mrs. Chase said thoughtfully."

"Katherine, I know it's a long drive but would you mind taking them to the beach today?" asked Mrs. Chase.

"Of course," Katherine nodded. She personally would have preferred the less taxing baseball game but she couldn't say no to her employer. It was a ninety minute drive to the Chase's oceanside summer house where they employed a groundskeeper and his wife to take care of the property and the stables. Mr. and Mrs. Chase had been avid fans of horseback riding back in the day and they still kept several horses, despite only riding them a few times a year. Katherine was sometimes still amazed by their wealth.

"What's this about horseback riding?" a voice asked. Everyone turned to see Uncle Steven standing bleary eyed in the doorway to the kitchen.

"We have to go horseback riding because Emma wants to," Garrett pouted. "I wanted to go to a baseball game."

"Now honey," Mrs. Chase consoled, "you can go to a baseball game next week, all right?"

"You're going out to the summer house?" Steven asked. "Sounds like fun. Can I come too?"

One hour later, Katherine found herself driving as the car sped eastward to the Atlantic Ocean. Mrs. Chase had handed her the keys to the Lexus SUV so was driving extra careful. Emma sat primly in the passenger seat while Garrett and Steven horsed around in the back. Katherine was starting to feel terribly drowsy when they finally arrived at the summer house. Mrs. Wellsley, the groundskeeper's wife, was waiting on the porch as the car pulled up.

"Hello!" she called. Both children gleefully tumbled from the car and raced to give her hugs. "You picked a beautiful day to come visit. The sky is crystal clear and the water is calm."

"Hello, Mrs. Wellsley," Katherine greeted her. She was always amazed by how ageless Mrs. Wellsley seemed. She must have been close to sixty years old but it certainly didn't show.

"I'm doing very well, thank you," she replied. "I just sent Mr. Wellsley on an errand to the grocery store. Lunch will be ready whenever you are."

"Can we go to the beach now?" Garrett asked. Despite his reluctance at the breakfast table, the young boy was now quite excited about the day in store.

"All right," Katherine consented. "But you have to wait for me before going in the water, okay?"

"I have a few things to attend to inside," Mrs. Wellsley excused herself. "It's good to see you both again. I'll bring snacks and drinks out in a little bit."

Katherine suddenly found herself alone with Steven. In the distance, she could see Emma and Garrett doing cartwheels on the sandy beach.

"Looks like they spent too much time sitting still in the car," she commented awkwardly.

From the car trunk, Katherine retrieved an oversized duffel bag spilling with beach towels, sunscreen, and beach toys. "Let me get that for you," Steven said, throwing the heavy duffel bag over his shoulder.

"It's really been beautiful," agreed Katherine. She had thought there would be a lot of awkward silence but she found Steven to be surprisingly personable. They chatted amiably along the grassy path that eventually gave way to a wide expanse of sand. He was so disarming that Katherine almost forgot the circumstances.

"Uncle Steven! Katherine!" Garrett called once they were within earshot. "We're building a sand castle! Will you guys come help?"

"You go ahead," Katherine told him. "I'm going to set up shop here." She took the duffel bag and laid out the beach towels. Mentally patting herself on the back for making the kids apply sunscreen before leaving the house, Katherine took her turn, making sure to cover every inch of exposed skin. Finally able to relax, she lay down on the blanket with a book.

She must have dozed off however because suddenly Garrett was at her side. "Hey. Hey." He was poking her shoulder. "Katherine, wake up. I'm hungry."

"What time is it?" Katherine asked, rummaging in the duffel bag for her watch. "Wow, it's almost noon. How long was I asleep?"

"I don't know," Garrett shrugged. "But look, we finished the sand castle!" He pointed. Katherine saw an elaborate sculpture adorned with several turrets and seashells.

"Wow," she said, impressed. "You guys were busy." Suddenly she frowned. "Where did Uncle Steven and Emma go?"

"Emma wanted to go look at the horses so Uncle Steven took her to the stables," Garrett said. "What's for lunch?"

"All right, all right," Katherine laughed. "Why don't you go inside and ask Mrs. Wellsley to make you lunch?"

"I will in a minute," Katherine assured him. "I'm going to remind Emma and Uncle Steven that lunch will be ready soon. Go ahead." Garrett hurried off, eager to see what treats Mrs. Wellsley had made for them. Katherine followed a worn path to the north of the house.

The stables were located a quarter-mile from the home. When she arrived, however, Katherine was surprised to find the stables empty except for the horses. The riding area was abandoned as well. Indeed, the entrance gate was still locked.

"If they're not with the horses, then what are they doing?" Katherine wondered. Several thoughts leapt to mind. Katherine's heart fluttered at the thought. He could be doing something to her right now... Katherine circled the horse barn, peering between the loose slats of the exterior walls. It would have made more sense to march directly into the barn, but she felt an inexplicable desire to remain unseen.

She circled the barn completely without seeing anyone inside. Wondering if she missed something, Katherine did a second pass. This time, a brush of movement caught her eye on northeast corner of the barn. Her heart pounding rapidly, Katherine carefully pressed her face against the rough wall to peer inside the barn.

It was them. Or rather, just Emma. Katherine was watching Emma from the side and the little girl was kneeling in front of a stable bay. She was leaning forward slightly on her knees. She couldn't see the Emma's facial profile because of a foundation post and interior wall.

But it was obvious. She was on her knees and her head was rocking backward and forward. Steven was not visible but it was clear what was happening. Then she saw it: a pair of disembodied hands held the top of Emma's head, urging her forward. It was obvious.

The little girl stopped what she was doing and craned her neck to look up at Steven. Katherine heard her say something but couldn't make out the words. She pressed her ear to the wooden boards.

"I don't want to do it before lunch!" Emma announced. "It will make everything taste funny!"

Katherine couldn't hear Steven's response. After a brief pause, however, Emma opened her mouth to admit the invisible object and her head began its rocking motion again. Frustrated that she saw so little, Katherine searched for a better vantage point but there was none. She could see Emma, but not her profile. Not her eyes, or nose, or mouth, or chin. Suddenly, there was a noise. Emma leaned back on her heels and coughed. Katherine noted her expression. She wasn't happy or unhappy, rather she just appeared resigned to her fate.

Breathlessly, Katherine continued to watch, feeling a voyeuristic excitement rising within her. The thought of intervening crossed her guilty mind but ignored it. She heard a low voice, Steven's no doubt, but she couldn't make out the words. What he was saying, it was clearly directed toward Emma because she nodded and reluctantly leaned forward again. The little girl's head once again began its bobbing motion, and again the subject of her attention remained obstructed from Katherine's view.

The hands on Emma's head were now encouraging her at a very rapid pace. Katherine knew what was coming. Seconds later, she Emma flinch. She tried to back away but the hands on her head would not allow it. Long seconds passed before Emma's head was finally released from the firm grasp of the disembodied hands. The seven year old girl got on her hands and knees. Holding her breath, Katherine saw Emma spit a mouthful of something onto the dirt floor of the barn.

That was enough. Katherine backed away. Once she was fifty yards from the barn, she tried to walk quickly but her knees felt like jelly. Nevertheless, she forced herself into a half-trot as she hurried back to the house. With each step, it became more apparent to Katherine that there was a growing wetness between her legs. All the guilt in the world couldn't make this feeling go away. Nevertheless, the mantra beat in her head.

Once she reached the house, she did her best to put on a normal face. Her face was a little flushed but no one seemed to notice. Garrett was working on a ham sandwich with homemade potato chips and pickles on the side, all the while watching wide-eyed as Mrs. Wellsley fussed over a chocolate cake that she had just taken from the oven.

"Are Steven and Emma coming in for lunch?" Mrs. Wellsley asked, slipping a sheet of cookie dough drops into the oven.

"They should be here soon," Katherine replied. Changing the subject, she said, "You're making cookies too? You're really going to spoil us."

"Now dear, you know it's no trouble at all," Mrs. Wellsley interrupted her. "Are you ready for lunch? How about a sandwich?"

Katherine had already finished half her sandwich when Steven and Emma finally came in from the stables. Steven appeared chipper as usual but Emma had a dour face.

"There you are!" said Mrs. Wellsley. "Come sit down, lunch is ready. What's the matter, Emma? Aren't you hungry?"

"She's fine," Steven answered for her. "One of the horses was a little restless in his stable and he scared her, I think."

"You poor thing," Mrs. Wellsley clucked. "How about a root beer? Would that help?"

"What have you been up to Garrett?" Steven asked, seating himself at the table. He casually steered the conversation away from Emma, leaving Katherine to study him as he hungrily ate his sandwich. It was amazing how he could be so personable, despite what he had done just twenty minutes ago.

"Was this how my uncle felt?" Katherine wondered. "He just used me for sexual gratification and then forgot about it?" She glanced at Emma. The little girl was now sipping her root beer, her expression much less acid. Indeed, she was even laughing at Steven's jokes.

After dessert, the sugar-enhanced children returned to the beach. Katherine resumed her post on the beach towel, watching the kids splash each other and Steven. Whatever happened in the stables was apparently forgiven as Emma and Steven appeared on perfectly good terms. "It doesn't bother her," Katherine thought to herself. "Why should it bother me?"

Several hours later, it was finally time to go home. Katherine and Steven loaded the car as Mrs. Wellsley passed out tinfoil-wrapped treats to the children for the drive home. They must have been sugary treats because Katherine was amazed by Garrett's energy level in the car. Everyone else seemed quiet and tired from the long day at the ocean, but Garrett continuously chattered. He was pointing out everything from funny signs to roadkill. Katherine, her own eyelids heavy with fatigue, did her best to remain patient as Garrett talked and talked. At long last, though, the boy fell silent. He had been staring out the window only minutes ago but now Katherine saw that he had thankfully nodded off.

She glanced in her rearview mirror. Emma was still awake, quietly watching the passing scenery as she twirled the pink straps of her swimsuit. Steven, too, seemed immersed in the terrain that flashed by the car. Katherine was completely zoning out in a half-alert driver's trance when a noise perked her ear.

It was the unmistakable sound of a seat belt buckle unfastening. Katherine pretended not to hear and continued driving. She could hear quiet movement in the back seat. Several long minutes passed before she dared look into the rearview mirror. Her heart skipped when she saw that Emma was now seated in Steven's lap.

The mirror view was frustratingly limited though and she could only see the two of them from the shoulders up. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary but Katherine's imagination began working overtime nonetheless. Steven's face remained as expressionless as ever. They were both still staring out the window although Emma's brow was now knit with concern.

Katherine tried adjusting the rearview mirror to no avail. She was stuck with the view of Steven and Emma from the shoulders up. With no other choice, Katherine continued driving. They were still a good forty-five minutes from home. She gritted her teeth.

"Oh!" Katherine's eyes snapped to the rearview mirror when she heard Emma. The girl's face was bright red and she was biting her lip.

"Are you okay, Emma?" Katherine asked, glancing at her in the mirror. The two made eye contact.

Katherine continued driving. Certainly Steven wouldn't dare try something in the car like this? She wondered. He had been quite bold before. Katherine continued checking on with Emma every few minutes but the girl soon had her eyes closed as she reclined against Steven. "Me and my imagination," Katherine thought ruefully.

Katherine had almost put the whole thing out of her mind when she absent-mindedly glanced in her rearview mirror twenty minutes later. Once again, her mind snapped from its driver's trance to full alertness when she saw Emma. The seven year old girl no longer had her eyes closed. Instead her face was flushed slightly pink. A look of concern crossed the girl's face as she made eye contact in the mirror again with Katherine. Fumbling wildly, Katherine pulled on her sunglasses which had perched on her head.

She had experienced a flash of self-recognition. Her eyes were now safely hidden from Emma's gaze so she could easily watch the events unfolding in the backseat. The look on Emma's face was one she wore many times herself as a child, one she knew so well that she could read Emma like a book.

It was painfully obvious. Katherine did her best to keep her eyes on the road as she continually peeked at the rearview mirror. "How long has this been going on?" she wondered. She could now clearly see Emma's elevated breathing as her cheeks grew pinker and pinker. Steven was still looking out the window but she noticed that his expression was not so blank anymore.

A little bit ashamed, Katherine was throbbing with desire herself. A sidelong glance confirmed that Garrett was still dozing in the passenger seat. She casually moved a hand under the terrycloth of her cover-ups. Despite touching herself through her swim bottoms, Katherine could plainly feel the level of her arousal. Already primed from the events in the stable, her body was rapidly enveloped in a haze of lust.

First one finger, then two pressed between her legs, roughly teasing her inflamed clit with the rough material of her swimsuit. Katherine slowly breathed through her mouth. It felt wonderful. Her eyes returned to the rearview mirror. Emma now had her head lolled back against Steven's shoulder, her eyes blankly staring at the car ceiling. Enthralled , Katherine watched as Emma closed her eyes. Even her neck was flushed as the seven year old girl squirmed gently in the man's lap. His teasing had been too much.

Barely breathing herself, Katherine observed Emma's orgasm with wide eyes. It was like she was watching herself in a dream. The pleasure, the reluctance... it was all there. And it was all too much. Katherine was aching for release herself. Spotting a turn-off for a rest stop, Katherine quickly decelerated.

"I think I could use bathroom break, don't you guys?" Katherine asked. She had to work hard to keep her voice from quivering. She pulled into a parking spot and turned off the engine.

"Sure," Steven said. "Let's go Emma." He quickly got out of the car, pulling Emma after him. Katherine realized that he was grateful for the out.

"Garrett," Katherine said, shaking the young boy's shoulder. "We're at a rest stop. Why don't you get out and go to the bathroom?"

"Garrett..." Katherine was at such a high-state of arousal that she was desperate to be alone. "Are you sure? We still have a long ways..." But it was no use. The boy's even breathing signaled that he had already fallen back asleep.

"Should I?" Katherine wondered. She looked around the parking lot. It was mostly empty, the nearest car was several spaces away. Plus the Lexus SUV was so tall that anyone walking by would not be able to see inside.

It was wrong. It was sick. But Katherine couldn't help herself. Throwing caution to the wind, she slouched down in the driver's seat and reached inside her bikini bottom. Her own touch was electrifying. She had just watched a seven year old girl brought to orgasm by her own uncle and now she was masturbating, practically in public, next to a sleeping five year old boy. The impropriety of it all only heightened her arousal.

It didn't take long. Katherine had hardly begun before the end came. Her free hand desperately gripped the steering wheel as her fingers enticed deep waves of pleasure from within her body. Silent gasps escaped her throat as she endeavored to not wake up Garrett. It took all her concentration to maintain her comportment. Katherine rode the orgasm for all it was worth, wringing ever last drop of desire from her aching body. Finally spent, she let her head casually lean against the headrest, her heavy-lidded eyes longing for sleep. Through the windshield, she saw Steven and Emma emerge from the rest stop building. Steven was walking briskly, practically dragging Emma as she trailed along behind him.

EPILOGUE

Katherine moved briskly about Emma's bedroom, slowing bring order to the chaos. It was amazing how quickly Emma's room became messy, even overnight it seemed. She made the bed first, running her hand over the cool cotton sheets to smooth out the wrinkles. Her hand paused by a coarse patch of fabric on Emma's pillowcase. It appeared to be a dried stain that had crusted over. Katherine calmly retrieved a new pillowcase and swapped it out. On a hunch, she checked Emma's nightgown and found a similar stain on the shoulder area. She dropped it into the laundry hamper with the pillowcase.

Emma was brushing her teeth when Katherine entered the bathroom, straightening towels and closing the shower curtain. "Are you out of Kleenex in here?" Katherine asked, giving the box a shake. "Almost."

"The box next to my bed is empty," Emma announced through a mouthful of toothpaste.

"Already?" Katherine sighed. "Didn't I just put out a new one last weekend? You sure go through a lot."

"Really?" Katherine leveled a steady gaze at Emma's reflection in the mirror. The little girl seemed briefly panicked. "What does he need it for?"

"I guess it is allergy season," Katherine commented, much to Emma's relief. She gathered the trash from the bathroom wastebasket and the wastebasket next to Emma's desk. She was bemused to see both were filled to the brim with used tissues, even though she had emptied them last week.

Next she went to fetch a new box of tissue from the hall closet. The side door to Emma's bedroom was locked, however. "Emma," Katherine said reproachfully. "I've told you before, you shouldn't lock your bedroom doors."

Emma paused from brushing her hair. "But I like to keep my doors locked," she said petulantly. "What if there's, um, a burglar and he tries to come in my room?"

"First of all, Emma," Katherine said patiently, "if there was a burglar, he would be caught long before he came up here to your room. Secondly, it's a fire hazard to lock your door. What if there's an emergency and no one can help you because you're locked in your room all by yourself?"

"Well, maybe I just don't want anyone to come wake me up in the middle of the night," Emma reasoned.

"Who's waking you up in the middle of the night?" Katherine inquired. "Is Garrett playing tricks on you at night?"

Emma hesitated again. "Um, no," she said. Katherine watched out of the corner of her eye as the little girl wrestled with her thoughts.

"See? There's no reason to lock your door at night. Please stop doing it or I'll have to tell your mother."

"Okay," Emma acquiesced. Making a face, she sat down on the floor to put her shoes on.

The seven year old girl had successfully put on her left shoe and tied it, but she was twiddling with the leather pattern of the right one. "What did you do with him?" Emma asked finally.

"Oh, I don't know," Katherine answered vaguely. She began hanging up clothes in Emma's closet. "Boyfriend stuff. We watched movies, went out to eat. We went dancing and swimming and biking. Sometimes we cooked dinner together. Or played videogames."

"Maybe not always," Katherine said slowly. "But I liked making him happy. Does that make sense?"

Katherine noticed that Emma still hadn't tied her right shoe. "Let's hurry up," she told her, kneeling down to tie the girl's shoelace. "Mrs. Harper should have breakfast ready by now. Go get Garrett and head downstairs. I'll see you guys in a bit." Katherine received her customary hug from Emma who then ran off.

The remainder of the morning was spent on chores. Katherine placed Emma's soiled nightgown and pillowcase with her own laundry. The Chase family had a maid who generally handled household duties but Katherine didn't want the maid to start wondering why Emma's nightclothes required such frequent laundering.

It wasn't until an hour before lunch that Katherine finally had a free minute. Rather than relax by the pool or walk the grounds, she instead crept into the library where she quietly installed herself next to the railing that overlooked the playroom. The cushion was right where she left it and it made sitting on the hardwood floors much more comfortable.

Katherine waited patiently. Perhaps he wouldn't choose the playroom today? Maybe she should have hid in the stables instead. She was rewarded twenty minutes later, however, when she heard the click of the playroom door, followed by footsteps. Steven entered the room, followed by Emma. She watched as Emma sat down glumly in a chair as Steven unzipped his jeans. Silently, Katherine's own hand stole under her skirt and reached between her legs.

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CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

EPILOGUE