Harem

... Some time later Jason asked Ami to meet him in his study.

... "I need to free up some space in the dorm for Marci so I thought you could take Brittanie's old room."

... "Oh please don't put me in a room alone." The moment she said it she realized she'd been set up.

... "All right, I'll put you and Marci together in Brittanie's old room."

... Jason had never planned to put Marci in the dorm. If he had he'd have seven problems, instead of one.

... "Why not Agnes, she was my guide?"

... "Because." (Because I haven't fully accepted things here and in the process of teaching Marci to I'm likely to teach myself also.) "You're our amateur psychologist. And as such you're the best person to help Marci adjust." Jason's answer made more sense then Ami's but Ami still stuck to her own reasoning.

... When Ami left Jason's study instead of looking for Marci she went to the library. Ami examined those pictures again and tried to find an angle. Of course Ami instinctively resisted bringing another woman into the fold, to make another slave. But the consequences of failure at this point might be worse for Marci then success. Each of the women at the house had decided for themselves that the consequences were worse. Ami would try to give Marci the option. (What would Jason do if Marci never got it? She wasn't long term disturbed like Brittanie but he couldn't just send her home either.)

... Ami looked at the family pictures. Marci must have left home as soon as possible and when the controls were off she went a little wild and a lot lost. Ami figured the way to make her feel safe was to put her back in a familiar situation.

... Ami went to find her shirt and thong. She only wore the thong now to keep her tail bone paler then the rest of her skin. The sheer shirts, tops, Jason laid out for each of them every morning were to keep the sun off their shoulders when they started getting red (The shirts didn't hide anything from the eye.). Ami was dark brown now and she practically bathed in sunscreen every morning. Her skin had tightened up just a little and she no longer perspired much so the "clothes" were off most of the time. She pulled on the thong and buttoned down the shirt. She wished she had more to work with.

... Before dinner Ami climbed the outside stairs to Jason's room. She took two breaths, straightened her back, squared her shoulders and advanced.

... Marci was lying on the bed, still wearing the red bikini. "Get up Marci." It came out pretty strong, just like she wanted. She continued in the same way. "Go wash your hands and brush you hair for dinner."

... Marci looked around like she was coming out of a stupor. "Now! Chop, chop." Ami had no idea where "chop chop" came from (probably her aunt) but it had the desired effect.

... Marci got to her feet. Ami opened the bathroom door. Girls were getting ready at the far end. Marci came to stand among them, not moving. "What is the matter with you girl, afraid of a little water? What do you do first, hair or hands?"

... "Hands, hair, hands."

... "Good, then do it."

... "I don't have a brush."

... "Then what do you do?"

... "Ask?"

... Ami gave a disgusted grunt and Marci cringed. Ami went to her own vanity and took out her brush. "Come here girl." She attacked Marci's hair, hurting the poor girl severely. (Next time she'll find a hair brush rather then let me do this again.)

... Marci washed her face and hands and stood for inspection. Ami turned it back to her, "Are you ready?"

... "I uh.."

... "Speak up, I'm not a mind reader."

... "I don't have appropriate clothes."

... (What did she think Ami was wearing?) "Then you'll have to wear what you have, wont you?"

... Marci nodded.

... "Brass it out then." (She'd heard that in The Man Who Would be King.) "Make them think you're the best dressed one there. Like you've got a gown on. Now come along." Ami lead the way like an army officer.

... Marci sat next to Jason, in Ami's spot and Ami stood beside her. "Don't sit until the host sits. What have I told you? Place your napkin in you lap, head up. Answer the man's questions. Outside to inside. You know better. What do we say? A clean plate is a happy plate." (The clichés were just pouring out of Ami and she wasn't sure where from.)

... (Beth was a little slack jawed as she listened to Ami. Cheryl was a little annoyed.)

... "Burping may be polite in Japan but we're not in Japan. Simply tell Jason, thank you, that was very nice. If there was something you particularly liked then say the .... were particularly good, other wise just stop at a general thank you. Elbows off the table. Wait until the host pushes back from the table."

... They followed Jason to the movie room. (Ami worried, she doubted that anything Jason had in mind was part of Marci's upbringing.) They sat with him down front. Ami placed Marci in front of Jason and Ami sat beside him. (There was no avoiding the fact that this house was Jason's pleasure den so they might as well deal with it directly.) Ami unbuttoned her shirt for Jason's caresses and made a show of tongue kissing him.

... "Girl what are you looking at me like that for? You're not a virgin." (At least Ami hoped not or this was going to be impossible) "You know what to do when faced with a man's zipper."

... Marci dipped her head and then she slowly, carefully (it did look like she didn't know what she was doing) unzipped Jason's pants. She drew out his flaccid Penis. Once she had it in her hands she seemed to relax a little. At least she knew what to do with one of them.

... Ami waited until Jason was hard and Marci had most of the shaft in her mouth and she was working him to a quick orgasm. "Keep him hard. He likes to come only at the end of the movie." Ami put her arm around Jason. It was interesting to watch some one work him.

... Later Jason took them both up to his room. He had them "undress" and lie on the bed. He kept his fingers working inside Marci while he slowly entered Ami. He moved very slowly with Ami. While Ami enjoyed the attention she felt that Marci was being left out. But soon Ami was too far gone to keep Marci on her mind.

... Ami woke up when Jason left the bed. It was still a little before dawn. "Come along Marci, get up. This isn't our room." She directed Marci to Brittanie's old room. Marci crawled under the sheets but when Ami didn't lie down immediately Marci gave her a haunted look. Ami laid down beside Marci and Marci took her hand. Marci was asleep in a few minutes. Ami got up and used the bathroom. (One thing in favor of condoms, they were less messy.)

... Ami made her coffee and delivered Jason's. "Thank you." He looked up at her. He beckoned and she leaned down. One arm went around her neck and he kissed her deeply, affectionately, and not lustfully. (What was with him? Did he expect her to love him? What's his name had ended loving Big Brother.)

... "You did well with Marci."

... "I don't know. It was only since dinner but I'm exhausted. I don't know if I can take a whole day."

... "Well, just keep doing your best."

... "More conservative clothes would help me carry the part better." It was true, she was just asking for the part. She didn't care about herself anymore, she no longer had anything to hide from anybody. Her sense of self had moved entirely inside (...inside her head?).

... She entered through Jason's bedroom and joined the ladies for a shower. She used the toilet. She remembered the first time she'd seen Jason use the urinal. She'd been sitting there one night when Jason entered the bathroom, naked or course, and he flipped down the panel on the wall next to the toilets. She'd never actually seen a man pee before and this was at eye level. Kind of interesting. Marci was still asleep when Ami returned to their room.

... Jason had deposited clothes for them. Ami didn't know if she should wake Marci or not. The sleeping was natural considering the shock but would letting her sleep be too much like giving in? On the other hand if she was tired she wouldn't be as able to cope.

... Marci's mom wouldn't wait. "Come on girl, time to get up." Marci stirred at the first sounds of Ami's voice. "Go wash up. Take a shower." Marci disappeared into the bathroom. Ami pulled on the short shorts Jason had left for her (too short for a thong). She slipped on the blouse and slid into the sandals, they had a low heel.

... "Mom?" It was Marci calling from the bathroom. Marci had to be at least twenty and she was calling Ami "Mom?"

... "What is it?" No answer. Ami went to the bathroom door, she was about to knock but simply opened it instead. Marci was sitting there, apparently terrified. "What is it?"

... Marci couldn't say. Ami considered for a moment. "Okay. I'll leave the door open and wait here."

... Marci was then able to move. "Hurry up or we'll miss breakfast."

... "Cheryl, get your girl down off this counter!"

... Breakfast went a little better then dinner. The morning in the garden posed some questions for Ami. Should she get naked and do her laps? Marci had seen her naked in bed last night with Jason and from then until she pulled on fresh clothes this morning but she hadn't been naked in public and Ami knew that the clothes helped her persona. But Ami didn't want to skip a day because it would be twice as hard to get going tomorrow and three times as hard the day after. Ami decided though that it was best to take the day off.

... She encouraged -instructed- Marci to join the girls playing in the big pool. Ami drew a chase lounge into the shade under the balcony. These shorts would play hell with her tan lines. Marci of course got into the pool without removing her bikini first. Ami only thought about it afterwards. Well no point making a big deal about it after the fact.

... After a while Marci seemed to be having fun in the pool. Ami began to drift off when she was suddenly cold and wet all over. Mimi was supposed to be watering the garden but she had "accidentally" soaked Ami with the hose. Ami ran out of range. She looked around a grabbed a water glass, dipped it in the pool and a water fight was on.

... After the water fight Ami removed her wet shirt. Marci was fascinated and stared at Ami's tan breasts. Ami noticed but felt there was nothing for it.

... During lunch though Jason decided it was time to get some opinions on Marci's breasts. When Jason told her to take off her top Marci looked a bit like a deer caught in the head lights.

... "Come on girl, it's not like you have something the rest of us haven't seen." Ami ended up removing Marci's top for her (this was bad but giving in would have been worse. Ami hoped Jason would take the cue and be gentle.).

... "Come stand up." Ami also had to lift Marci into a standing position.

... "Put your feet down, this isn't a circus ride."

... Marci's breasts were on the full side, she'd had implants. "Ami, what do you think?" (Was he trying to take a cue from Ami as to how to proceed, because if he was she had no idea. Forgetting the whole thing would be her advice but it was a little late for that.)

... "I think they're beautiful just the way they are."

... Jason looked up at Ami in surprise and then smiled, "Just like a mother."

... "Too big. She's obviously had a boob job and not a good one."

... Ami shot Cheryl a look. (Ami didn't believe it but some of the girls told her later that she had actually growled at Cheryl.)

... "What do you suggest?"

... Gina, "Well we could see if it was possible to deflate them a little."

... "No!" Marci covered her breasts with both arms.

... "Put your arms down girl. No one asked you your opinion." Marci responded like she'd been slapped. She reluctantly lowered her arms.

... "Okay, any other suggestions? No? I agree and if they end up sagging we can wait to see if they'll tighten up naturally otherwise a tuck might be needed."

... Marci looked at Ami with haunted eyes. Ami pooh, poohed her concern.

... "If they can't be deflated ... best to leave them alone. She's thin but no tone. Have to be careful with the exercise, if she looses too much body fat or her pecks become too defined her tits will look even less real."

... Cheryl wasn't done. "What's her pussy look like? Take off your thong girl."

... Marci let out an involuntary whine and looked at Ami with desperate eyes. Jason stepped in though before Ami had to respond. "I took a careful look at it last night. She's got it shaved into a nice stripe." (Stripe, wasn't that the evil Gremlin?) "I don't see any reason to change it."

... Marci put her top back on the moment Jason left the dining room. Ami directed Marci to take their plates to the kitchen. Gina took the opportunity to whisper in Ami's ear. "You've got your hands full with that one."

... Ami nodded her agreement but she wasn't sure if Gina meant Marci or Cheryl.

... Ami was hurt that Cheryl would purposefully try to hurt Ami or Marci but Ami realized that Cheryl was just reacting to her own problems. Cheryl had her hands full with Beth. Ami didn't think Cheryl really wanted a little girl as her lover.

... Ami lifted her blouse off the back of a chair in the garden, it was still damp. The chair had fallen into shade. (There is something about putting on damp clothes.) Jason was gone. Most of the girls had gone inside. Marci was near Ami, aimlessly tracing patterns with her big toe on the bricks. Ami pushed off her shorts and dove into the lap pool. She did two laps and looked up at Marci who was staring at her.

... "Take off those clothes and jump in here." Marci was uncertain. "Don't dilly dally." Ami turned away and did two more laps. Marci was in the water at the far end of the pool.

... "Come swim beside me." Ami swam slowly and Marci kept up. Ami only did one lap with Marci, she didn't want the girl out of breath.

... "They were right. You're in rotten shape. What have you been doing with yourself?"

... Marci didn't know what do say. "Do you get any regular exercise?"

... Marci shook her head, no.

... "How do you stay thin, diet?"

... Marci nodded, yes.

... "I've seen toy dogs in back windows with more expression then you. You're a woman. Act like one."

... "Yes ma'am." It was the first time she'd spoken that day since she'd called "Mom" from the bathroom. Ami didn't like the sound of it. Ami was very uncomfortable in the role of commander.

... At lunch Jason had played good cop. Ami was hoping he'd take on the role off drill sergeant where Marci was concerned, now she was worried that Jason would take on the role of Marci's father-leaving Ami as the domineering mother. Ami preferred to blend into the scenery. It was easier to hide there. It was easier for her to hide her true feelings and pursuits as part of the scenery.

... Ami didn't like being the center of attention. And she didn't like the responsibility that came with command. Jason had made a mistake with Marci, that was obvious. But if Marci didn't make it, it would also be Ami's fault.

... Ami arched her back and floated. She gently controlled her stomach muscles and her nipples rose from the water like twin periscopes. She slowly floated backwards to the corner in the shade. She rested her arms on the side of the pool. "Marci, where do you think you are?"

... "At Jason's house?"

... "Right. Now, get more abstract. What is this place"

... Marci thought but made no answer.

... "For who's pleasure is everything around here designed?"

... "Jason's?"

... "Uh huh. Now, you know how to please a man. You've done a lot of things to please men over the years. Shaving your pubic hair, you didn't do that because you thought it would be less work then leaving it alone. And you didn't shave it to make it easier for you to touch yourself."

... Marci blushed and moved like a nervous little girl.

... "You did it because its the style and you thought men or a man, maybe even Jason, would like it better that way."

... Marci was silent but she wasn't arguing internally either.

... "You're boobs, getting them done may have made you feel better but it wasn't because you like to rub them it was because you liked the attention they garnered you from men. And that's what we all do. I know they say the only person you should worry about pleasing is yourself. Absolutely right and absolutely bullshit."

... Ami saw that the cursing didn't go over well. "Your hair, you don't twist it in your fingers and you don't check it in every mirrored surface but if it was just a matter of convenience long is not convenient. Your hair is a certain way because you want to get a certain range of reactions. We all do. And this governs how we dress, walk, talk and everything. We all spend a great deal of time trying to please others."

... Marci was listening but how much was registering?

... "You're smart enough to know that its impossible to please everybody. There are men out there who like small boobs. There are ones who like medium sized ones and men who like big ones but hate fake ones. At some point you decided, accurately I believe, that most men -or most of the men that are the type you like- like large breasts and don't care if they're real or not. You decided that the type of man you want to please likes less pubic hair but not bare patches. You decided that the type of man you like is the type of man who likes a woman to have long hair, etc, etc.

... "You're also smart enough to know that a guy who likes big boobs may also like shaved pussy's." (Pussy didn't go over well. Great! Everyone at the house said, pussy.) "Or maybe the guy you like best likes women with a lot of body hair, large boobs and curls. What ever. At some point you decide how much work is too much and how much work isn't too much to improve your chances and etc. The basic problem is that you're trying to please a bunch of people not just one. One would be easier then a bunch because a bunch have conflicting tastes. It would also be much easier if that one was clear about what he liked. Well kid you've hit pay dirt.

... "Around here there is only one person we are trying to please, Jason, and he is very clear about what he likes. He likes you for one."

... This seemed to hit a positive chord.

... "So you can stop guessing. You're life has just become very simple. I can tell you, he likes breasts on the prominent side but he likes a healthy youthful look too. In my case he liked my nipples erect so much he filled them with silicone, now they never go down."

... This got Marci's attention.

... "Yeah, he had a tube of plastic put in here so they would point out more too."

... Marci is fascinated.

... "I thought I had an okay pubic area, I didn't really do anything about it, I just trimmed the hairs enough so they didn't show around my swim suit. I wasn't willing to go to any more trouble for some nameless or even a named guy. That was one of my too far points. But Jason likes his women to have bare vulvas and small amounts of hair. So he had it pulled. If Jason had just been my boyfriend I don't know that I would have shaved my pubic hair for him, shaving it every day would have been a nuisance and while it encourages him to go down on me, how much does it encourage him compared to how much work it would be?

... "Well I don't have that question. Jason wants it a certain way, it is a certain way, I don't have to wonder about it."

... Should she stop or go on? How much was too much? "A couple other things of note. One of the worries of a long time relationship is being all things to your one person. You don't have to be. There are eleven other girls here. He wants black, he takes India. He wants a shaved bush, he takes Mimi. He wants an older woman, he takes Gina. What ever he may want at any one time he has and it doesn't effect YOUR relationship with him at all.

... "Pressure's off, you don't have to be all things to anybody. Your responsibilities are few and well defined. You have no conflicts. Everything is very clear and simple. Jason!"

... Should she present Marci with her one remaining choice, cooperate or not. Or should she leave it as no choice, she would cooperate. And did Marci really have a choice? If she didn't cooperate what? Was the choice even simpler then cooperate or not, was the choice really, live or not? Jason never put it in those terms. Maybe death was too abstract. Punishing a loved one was more concrete. Ami wished she knew what Jason's hold card was. But she wasn't sure it wouldn't push Marci over the edge. The talk seemed to have helped. She'd tried to put things in a perspective Marci could understand because that was her real problem, the issues were ancient and everyday, it was the environment that was strange.

... Ami put Marci to swimming laps.

... Later she put her on one of the weight machines to work on her arms. Ami asked Persephone if they could spar, it wasn't their day for it but Persephone wasn't surprised when Ami asked. Before they began Ami warned Persephone that she was a little ampted up. Persephone just nodded. Ami got her foot onto Persephone's forehead and a fist to Persephone's unprotected stomach before Persephone just walked right through Ami's defenses and landed one on her chin.

... Ami's head snapped back like a lever to some spring loaded machine. A year ago Ami would have had whiplash and have crashed to the mat. Today it only took her a moment to clear her head. Then she said, "Thanks, I needed that."

... The other girls seemed to try to help Marci, or at least reserve judgment for now. Cheryl had turned against them (Ami couldn't tell what Beth really thought).

... Dinner went all right. It had been Ami's night to cook with Agnes but Mimi was switched in. Ami apparently had her hands full. Ami went through her list of whispered clichés at the table but Marci didn't need much instruction. She was ... compliant, not enthusiastic but it was only her third night. (How long had it taken Ami to be enthusiastic? Was she ever enthusiastic about dinner?)

... No Jason centered activities that night. Ami figured Jason was still trying to catch up on the work he'd missed taking care of Marci the first day and second morning. Ami and Marci wandered into the lounge. The girls were watching a "Chick Flick" when Ami felt Marci freeze beside her.

... Ami didn't know what was going on but Marci started spluttering and trying to point. Ami pulled Marci aside and asked what was wrong.

... "That, that, Negro-"

... India was working a huge purple dildo into her pussy. India and a few other girls had heard Marci say, "Negro."

... Ami shoved Marci out into the garden and slapped her. "Who taught you to use such language?"

... Marci was crying, "My mother."

... Oops!! Well it couldn't be helped. Racism, and any sort of prejudice, wasn't acceptable here or any where Ami cared to be. "Now you stop that blubbering this instant. That woman's name is India and she was simply pleasuring herself. And if Jason had walked in he would have been very happy to watch her do it. India is bored and she's not alone. In another half hour you can probably see two other girls doing the same thing. There's nothing wrong with it and it's not your place to say anything about it."

... "But its sick. She's sick."

... (Oh God, why did you make so many ignorant and stupid people?) Ami was certain that Marci had just turned India against her and probably some of the other's too. Ami could apologize to India, explain the stress Marci was under and her mother's rigid training but Marci wasn't going to change her perspective by morning. Ami feared that Marci had prejudices against Asians and Latinos too. And if Marci was going to freak out every time one of the girls touched themselves she was going to spend a lot of time freaking out.

... Ami put Marci to bed, which meant Ami had to go to bed too.

... Marci insisted on holding Ami to her and she didn't like holding Ami's bare skin so Ami put the shirt and shorts back on. (Ami hadn't slept in her clothes since ... well since that damn stupid apron on the first day.)

... Once Marci was asleep Ami was able to turn on the light and read (Marci turned away) but she couldn't leave the bed without Marci waking up and calling out. (Two steps forward ... and how many back?)

... Ami had a rotten night. She was antsy and wanted to move around but couldn't. Her book on medical ethics was boring her but she couldn't sleep. Marci wouldn't even let Ami get up in the morning for her coffee. By the time they made it to Breakfast Ami was steamed.

... It was clear from faces that Marci had lost five of them, rather more then Ami expected. Ami felt a couple of the girl's would have brushed off Marci's comment on the street but she'd hurt one of the girls and ... she'd been upset by a simple, harmless activity.

... The other five? Holding judgment was about the best Ami could expect. It looked like she might have lost Jason too.

... Ami wasn't surprised that Jason knew about the incident. She wondered how much of the extent of Marci's prejudices he was aware of. Ami didn't know if there were microphones in the garden, she wasn't sure where you would hide them (that wouldn't get watered). But Ami had come to expect Jason to know virtually everything that went on around The House.

... The morning in the garden went fine. That was until Maria started doing a little more then just rubbing sunscreen into Carol's skin. She probably caught Jason watching them because Maria wasn't normally likely to start that sort of thing, at least not with Carol. Muff diving was out because Maria had already rubbed the sunscreen between Carol's legs but Carol turned on her side and spread her legs wide so Maria could massage her vulva with more oil. Carol also returned the favor between Maria's legs. (While in a technical sense it was easier for one orgasm at a time, Carol was known to be selfish and it was House manners to reciprocate.)

... It was Carol opening her legs that attracted Marci's attention. A flash of white like that had sent a reflection over the entire garden. Marci didn't say any thing. She just stared until Carol started moaning and her hips started gyrating. Then Marci began a toneless kind of cry. Not quite loud enough to be a scream but the accompanying pointed finger made up for the lack of volume.

... Ami leapt out of the lap pool. Every eye was on Marci. Ami grabbed her up in one arm. Ami had to get her out of sight fast (before the dogs tore her apart).

... Ami carried Marci with all the grace of a bag of grain to the fireplace lounge. This lounge was in the corner formed by the end of the dining room and the TV lounge. This lounge had no windows looking out into the garden. It had no windows at all. It was rarely used. It was dark and had a sunken floor around the fireplace set in the wall. It was probably originally for informal gatherings but nothing was less formal then life at The House and this lounge was much more formal then that.

... Ami tossed Marci onto a couch. (She was so angry and afraid that she didn't think about her feats of strength until later.)

... "What the fuck do you think you're doing?"

... Marci was insensible.

... Ami slapped her. The slap didn't help Marci but it made Ami feel good. She had to keep herself from slapping Marci several more times. Ami plopped down on the couch beside Marci and Marci crawled into her lap, hugging Ami and crying insensibly. (Ami's nakedness didn't seem to bother Marci now.)

... When Marci started coming around Ami spoke to her. "Marci, you can't react like that to people."

... "But they were-"

... "Doing what came naturally. We're all horny as rabbits around here besides which they were putting on a show for Jason."

... "Oh he can't-"

... "He most certainly can. Most men do. I don't know what all your hang ups are but none, NONE, of them are acceptable. You were impossibly rude."

... That seemed to sting Marci.

... "It was none of YOUR business what they were doing."

... Marci nodded and sank deeper into the couch. Apparently her mother had taught her some basic civility along with the prejudices.

... "It is also not wise. You have in the space of three days managed to make an enemy of every girl here and you need them if you are to survive."

... The word survive seemed to have an effect too. But then Marci started looking at Ami and pulling away from her. Ami grunted in disgust. Marci wasn't going to "hear" anything more until Ami got some clothes on.

... Ami lead Marci back out to the garden.

... Jason stood up and approached Ami before she could reach her clothes. "I need to talk to you."

... Ami heard the word he didn't say but clearly meant, alone. (Great, Marci was near hysterical when she was with Ami, how would she be alone.)

... "Marci, go up to our room. I'll be along."

... Jason lead Ami back into the fireplace lounge. "What's going on?"

... "Well..." ("You picked a real loser here!" That would get AMI in trouble too.) "Apparently Marci's mother taught her several unpleasant prejudices. She doesn't seem to like blacks. And I think Asians and Latinos are also probably on the list of not acceptable in polite society-

... "I haven't tested her though. I do know that just about anything outside of straight male/female sex is terribly disgusting and forbidden."

... Jason just stared at her. "On the plus side I've just learned that her mother also taught her some manners. And pointing out people's faults is bad manners. I should be able to get her not to shriek every time she sees a woman pleasuring herself or any one other then you. I think I can even get her to be polite to India, Mimi and Maria."

... "But the damage is already done. Is she likely to ever fit in?"

... "Oh yes, prejudices are rather easy to break. They're all based on ignorance. So it will simply take time for her to get past her quaint ideas of acceptable behavior and racial profiling. I'd say in six months she should be able to function without noticeable glitches. In a year, maybe two, she wont even harbor her old ideas any more."

... "A year or two?"

... "I don't know. I'm an amateur remember. No clinical or case history experiences."

... "No, if she is as you say, your estimates sound about right. I didn't know about the prejudices. But then there was no reason to suspect. I should have checked out the family more thoroughly. But I thought we needed somebody... Never mind."

... Jason looked at Ami again. Ami was tired and worried. It was wearing on her more than anybody.

... "Thank you, Ami. You've done very well."

... "But not well enough?"

... Jason shrugged. He wasn't willing to absolve her of all responsibility.

... "Why don't you go run some laps."

... "But-"

... "Persephone will pace you."

... "But-"

... Jason gave her a sharp look. (She'd questioned his decision twice. He'd ignored the first time and he might ignore this time if there wasn't a third.)

... Ami was afraid. She'd taken on Marci because she was afraid, afraid for herself and for Marci. Now Marci was beyond her help and Ami had to protect herself and Aaron. Aaron, that was the key.

... "What about her loved one?"

... "Her dog?"

... "Her dog?"

... "Yes, that's her weakness. You think I could threaten to harm her dog and that would bring her around faster?"

... "I don't know. She's so self centered, I don't know. Are you ready to give up without trying it?" (Oops! That was pretty close to a criticism.)

... Jason rolled back on his heels and thought. He was going to let Ami slide, maybe. "Go out back. Persephone will be waiting. I'll talk to Marci."

... Ami thought it might be better if she talked to Marci but she stopped herself before she took the breath to speak the fatal words. Ami went to the locker room. She put on her sports bra, her socks and running shoes. True to Jason's word Persephone was waiting for her out back by the Tae Kwon Do locker. Persephone took off running before Ami even had a chance to say, hi. (Was Persephone mad at her for making Jason interrupt her day? Nah, Persephone loved to exercise. She got off on the endorphins.)

... Agnes told Ami later that shortly after Jason went into their room Marci started screaming hysterically. And it didn't stop. David went in with his black bag. The screaming slowed and wasn't so loud but it didn't stop. Marci was still crying and out of her head when David and Frank took her squirming body out of the room. Jason had sent them all to the TV lounge but they could hear the struggle to get her down the stairs. And Agnes saw them drag her across the patio.

... Marci was gone.

... She didn't leave any sympathizers behind. Marci had been weak. They'd all faced the same challenges. Ami had been disgusted the first time she saw one woman eat out another, now she had not only done it herself a hundred or so times, she was still trying to perfect her technique.

... All of them had faced the challenges and overcome them. Overcome them without the histrionics Marci had displayed. What's more Marci had hurt them. They understood problems with Jason but, maybe Ami had been right, they all had to stick together and Marci had divided them up into categories that didn't apply here. What ever happened to Marci was her own fault. Ami wondered about Marci's family though. What would happen to them?

... If Marci disappeared off the face of the earth would they notice? Because if they did they'd make some noise about it. They were the type. What would Jason do to them and did they deserve it?

... They'd made Marci, perhaps they did deserve what happened to them.

(If you really want to know what happened to Marci click here. But have a good hold on your stomach first.)