Other Fetishes

My only pedicure was the fishy variety in a Bangkok spa.  Put your feet in the water, and tiny fish (garra rufa) swim up and nibble on the dead skin.  Very relaxing.  Ian had one on his R&R in Hong Kong.  It will come up later.

14 “Well, we're here” Helen said while she killed the engine and turned to Jenny next to her. “Thanks for driving me,” Jenny said “and for coming along after our session today. Better not to trust myself with driving now, or after.” “No problem dear, consider it part of the service,” Helen tried to keep some lightness in the moment. “Shall we go?” Jenny took a deep breath, nodded, and wrenched the door of the passenger seat open. They walked close together under the archway, their boots sinking slightly in the damp earth, lane after lane, until they reached the last corner, taking in the peaceful scenery under the clear sky, a few clouds drifting slowly in the warm midday winds of spring, nearly summer. Helen stopped. “Better you do the last part alone Jen, I'll wait for you here.” Jenny walked the last stretch until she came to a small bench in the shadow of a chestnut tree; the branches still filled with white and rosy blossom. She sat down, facing directly what she had never wanted to face in her live. “Hi boys, she whispered, her voice small and shaky in the open air “I'm sorry, it's been a while...” Her hands silent in her lap, her eyes rested on the two names on the small headstone. A long time she just let the memories flow through, randomly, all those happy times, hectic times, difficult times, some harassing times, nine years long, now lost forever, until tears blurred her sight, and she allowed herself to cry. “I know I should have come sooner.” she resumed after what seemed an eternity. And tried to smile. “I was so proud of you both that day, you know... Jason, you gentle little man!..., never one protest to your brother's years long pushing and prodding you into saying the one word he knew would make me the happiest mother in the whole wide world... And all those years you never gave up on your brother, Liam. Your faith that he could learn to speak exceeded my own so far it sometimes humbled me... You were so excited when he finally seemed to get it, you wanted to show me so much... I just had to look back to you both... wish I never had done that. But at the same time not doing it felt like betraying you. I never could have done that to... It's confusing. That's why I haven't been here earlier. I was just so afraid of what you would think of the choice I made that day.” Jenny knelt on the grass before the headstone, randomly picking some strands that seemed out of place, brushing a few leftover leaves away. Thinking. Well, this is it. Made it so far. Decision time. “I've met someone” she said finally. “His name is Jake. He's ten. He taught me something, about taking responsibility, and facing your fears.” She smiled as a picture of three boys together formed in her mind. “He reminds me of you both, so much. The way he handles those blocks like you Liam, the way he smiles at me from your pillow Jason, they way he giggles like you both when I tickle him. The way he attacks my puddings, just like you always did. Leaving crumbles just where you always left them. You would like him. I know. I want to tell him about you both...”Jenny halted again for a while, took a deep breath...., . “and maybe he'll want to stay with me....” Her voice started trembling. “I want you both to know he can never replace you, but maybe I can be a mom to him as I'll will always be your mom.... If he asks, I want to say yes, and I hope you'll let me... You always wanted a little brother, remember?” She reached into the pocket of her coat, drew out two items and laid them gently against the stone. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “For that day. For the years I’ve wasted hiding from you. For not being brave enough to come sooner.” The silence of the cemetery enveloped her, far away a few birds chirped. Her tears came quietly again, but softer, almost cleansing. After a while she stood, her knees stiff. “Goodbye, my sweeties. I’ll never stop loving you,” she said. “You’ll always be my boys. But maybe it’s time to let someone new into that love too. Not instead of you, but because of you. I’ll bring him next time. You’ll see.” The wind stirred, ruffling the chessnut leaves, shifting the shadows. A thin stripe of gold touched the thin wooden stick and small soft stuffed elephant on the grass against the headstone. When she turned back toward the corner where Helen waited patiently, she could almost hear two voices carried by the breeze, calling "See you soon, mom" after her. --------   At the daycare, Jake was having his own problems. Nothing seemed to be working out. The math exercises that seemed so simple yesterday were unsolvable abacadabra this time. History dates were swimming loosely around in his brain, not connecting to any of the events described and looking at a map with the red dots of the bigger cities, he was at a loss when Marianne repeatedly pointed them out to him, his memory failing glorious to name even one. His head seemed filled with cotton and all he wanted to do was lay his head on the table to let the fog he was living in today embrace him. The only thing that kept him lively was the frequent need to go to the bathroom. As soon as he went there, produced only a couple of drops and came back to sit at his table, it felt as if he urgently needed to go again. More than once he found out it was already to late and his stock of trainers was disappearing at an alarming rate. What is wrong with me today? he thought while grabbing a cup of water for the umpteenth time; trying to relieve his constant thirst. He felt hot and cold at the same time. Marianne finally came up to him again. She held the back of her hand against his forehead and clicked with her tongue. “Yup, thats one kicker of a fever, Jake. Nothing to worry about, but you're getting sick. It's as simple as that. I'm trying to get a hold on Jenny to take you home but she seems to be out of office and is expected back only in a couple of hours. We'll just have to stake it out for a while here.” Jake nodded through the fog. What had Miss Marianne said? “to take you home”. That had a nice ring to it. “Shall we try to make you a bit more comfortable in the meantime? It's useless to keep doing your schoolwork. You're far ahead anyway.” He nodded again. He couldn't care less. Thinking made his head hurt. He let Marianne guide him to one of the rooms were the younger ones used to take their afternoon naps. “The cribs are way to small for you, but this cot here seems just big enough to be comfortable,” she said. “Why don't you lay down and get some sleep. That's always best if you're running a fever.” With her help he climbed in. Glad to have a place were he could lay his head on a pillow and close his eyes. “Ï'm taking your pants off, Jake. Best to sleep in your trainers, only. That way we'll safe the pants for getting you home. Don't worry about leaks. Happens all the time here.” He hardly noticed it when miss Marianne's hands tugged at his waist, gently removed his pants and covered him with a blanket; drifting off quickly, drawing his knees up to get warm. He roused from somewhere very deep to some kind of half sleep when he heard two voices whispering. “Ow, look at him. He's burning! Poor man. Thanks for taking care, Marianne. I'll take him now; put him in his bed.” “No bother, Jen. He slept the day away. Only checked on him a couple of times. Nothing to report. Sleeping like a rock. Think it's just a fever from some infection. No wonder with all these little snotty-nosed-germ-bombs running around here. Do you know if he got all his shots?” “Think so, have to look at his file to be sure. But I don't think we need to worry to much. Talked to the doctor in the center about it. He thinks the same. Already got a prescription for antibiotics. Went to the pharmacy on my way here. Picked up some pills and a couple of suppositories in case he can't swallow anything. Will start right away with them. Should give some quick results in 24 hours, the doc said.” “Smart thinking. Here, I've saved his pants.” A soft, familiar hand slid under the blanket. “Oh darn, he leaked big time. Sorry about that. Have to change him in something dry before I move him to the car. Do we have a spare trainer left?” “Yes, one moment. I'll get it; and some wipes.” He noticed Jenny leaning over, kissing his forehead. The winter morning smell drifted in his nose, with a touch of chessnut blossom. Nice. “Hi, sweety, it's alright now, I'm here. We'll get you cleaned up and into something more comfortable. Then we'll take you home. Don't worry. We'll take care of everything. Just lie still.” He moaned and shivered while Jenny lifted the blanket aside, rolled him on his back on a dry patch and stripped his sodden trainers off. He heard Jenny and Marianne whisper some more while she cleaned his bottom with some wipes. “He's used to this, isn't he? Ooww, that's just so sweet! Look at that, how he folds his knees up, you're only helping a bit. So easy to work with.” “We had some practice.” “Ah, yes of course. Any trouble at the start?” “He didn't like it one bit. Shamed his head off the first time I raised his legs. Redder than the fever. .. felt like a baby. He seems to like the attention now..... ” “What do you use at home?” “Cloth and plastic pants... I know, bit old fashioned but that's what I have around. They're doing a good job. But it need lots of baby powder and desitin. I call it talcum and cream. Don't want to embarrass him.” “A couple here do to. They look absolutely very lovable in those.” “Yes, I love him very much.” That last whisper shot like a clear bolt through the mists. Did she really say that. No one had said that about him in ages! “Any trouble with rashes?” “Not any more. When we first met this was all red and irritated. I think no one really bothered if, or how, he took care of himself. They certainly didn't take good care of him themselves.” “Oh, dreadfull. Poor baby. Must have hurt.” “Took a lot of baby-oil to massage in. It's a nice routine to do that with him though.” He heard something rip open and noticed how Jenny took a firm hold on his feet, parted his cheeks with one hand and slipped something inside him. Cold and slippery. He clenched his bottocks in a reflex as she held her finger on his behind a couple of seconds to make sure he didn't push it out. “Shhhh, baby, it just the medicine, keep still.” Someone giggled. “Some little ones we have put up much more fuss when we need to do that.” Through the fog he registered that Marianne was there with them, having a good look at his birthday suit, but his energy was to much spent to bother him this time. He not even felt like opening his eyes to let them know he was partially awake; only wanted to get warm again as quickly as possible as a dry trainer and a pant were slipped on. “Here Jen, borrow this blanket for the ride.” He dozed off into deep sleep again as Jenny rolled him in and carried him to her car.    

Went ahead and took the Bambinos at 20% off. With my added discount its a great deal, so no fomo even if the sale is a little better Friday.

Thanks SO much!  I try to write good stories and characters that just so happen to also have somehow found themselves in the middle of some weird shit. I started posting this story over the summer and this story has basically gotten no traction or comments, so I'm glad to see people enjoying it. Kaleigh was a really fun character to write and The Sheriff and VIcky...let's just say Kaleigh's not out of the woods yet. Another chapter coming later today!

Shopping day for Thanksgiving, thanks to the kindness of friends who shared some money with Mom and I. Looks like we're going to go with turkey, gravy, stuffing, green beans and Dutch Apple Pie; plus a few eseentials to cover the next couple days so we can avoid the mad rush shopping days.