In Her Cousin's Footsteps

From chapter 12:

"I still don't know where we're going," Lacey said to her dad as they drove. "Not going to tell me?"

"Okay okay. I guess I kept you in suspense for long enough. Your aunt and uncle rented a place in Oak Island. They invited us down. They're going to be there for the week, but we don't have to stay that long."

Lacey felt as though she was punched in the stomach, and she was forced to take deep breaths to keep herself from hyper-ventilating.

"Oh, um. Just them? Or..."

"Well, like I said honey. They invited Diane along too. She's close to your aunt. I think it's just going to be five of us at most."

Lacey was flush with a combination of panic, hope and regret. She saw the green sign for Oak Island and as her dad took the exit Lacey's mind flooded with thoughts of Kristi. Minutes later they wove through the small town.

"Here we are honey. It's just down the block. Look, you can see the ocean from here."

But Lacey wasn't focused on the ocean. Instead, she scanned the parking lot looking for Kristi's white Miata.

IN HER COUSIN'S FOOTSTEPS- Conclusion

Her dad pulled up to the condo next to his sister's SUV. It was times like this that he was glad that she "married up," he thought as he marveled at the luxurious complex. Mike - Sadie's husband - was a nice enough guy, and at 55 he was probably too young to be considered her "sugar daddy," but he never really thought they had any chemistry together. In his earlier years, he tried to connect with Mike, but their interests were as different as they could possibly be, and he was surprised that his sister was able to adapt to him. Growing up they were nearly inseparable. Less than two years apart in age and living in a modest country cottage miles from city life, they turned to each other for amusement, spending countless hours exploring the countryside as children and making up fantastic tales along the way, sometimes of a damsel in distress and other times as superheroes fighting invisible criminal forces.

Unlike most siblings, as they grew older they remained close. They always had each other's backs and each considered the other to be their best friend. Sadie's high school graduation and subsequent departure to college was at least as hard on her brother as it was on Sadie's parents. The small Christian college that she attended was within driving distance so her brother and their parents visited at nearly every opportunity during the first year that she was away, and Sadie almost always came home whenever she had an extended weekend. By her sophomore year, the visits became less frequent as Sadie discovered life outside of their small town and finally was able to establish a small circle of friends. She was introduced to Mike - twelve years her senior - by a college friend, and a year after she graduated they were married, with her brother as her "Man of Honor." It was a bittersweet experience for Doug, knowing that they would never be as close as they had been.

Now here they were more than twenty years later. He and Lacey grabbed their bags from the car and took the stairs to the top floor of the 3-story condo. They were welcomed with open arms, with Sadie warmly hugging Lacy and her brother, while Mike awkwardly did the same.

"Wow, what a view," Lacey's dad said as he gazed out beyond the sliding glass doors at the ocean.

"Yeah, Doug. You're right - it doesn't suck," Mike smiled. "Beer?" He didn't wait for a response. Instead he opened the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of Yuengling Lager, handing it to Doug. Sadie gave them a tour of the 3-bedroom condo, smiling when she said, "This room is for you and Diane."

Doug blushed and said, "Jesus Sadie. It was just a couple of dates. I hardly think she's ready to sleep in the same room as me. I don't even know if she's coming."

"Well, if she does come I guess she can stay in my room," Sadie said. "Mike has to go back on Sunday night so we have plenty of time to figure out the sleeping arrangements.

Doug flashed back to a distant memory from more than two decades before and smiled before wiping the thought from his mind.

"Well it's amazing. I really appreciate the invitation. So, no Kristi I guess?"

Lacey lingered, pretending not to hear and trying to control her emotions as she semi-eavesdropped.

Sadie said, "No, I really don't think she'll make it this week. She...hasn't been herself the past couple of weeks. I mean, she has gone days without leaving her room except for an occasional snack. I asked her what was wrong, but she just said 'school stuff.' I know I should have pressed her, but I just decided to give her some space."

Doug looked over at his daughter, remembering her earlier comment about Kristi and shrugged.

"Well, I don't know of a better place to clear your mind than the beach. Hopefully she'll change her mind."

"She said something about going to practice at State if she feels better, but I think she really wants her 'me' time," Sadie said.

"Oh Lacey honey, this is your room. I'm sorry about the bunk beds. I think the owners have twin boys. Hopefully this will have to do. Not very girly I'm afraid. You and your dad can use the hallway bathroom. Mike and I have a separate bath in the master bedroom. Make yourselves at home."

"It's fine Aunt Sadie," Lacey said, dropping her suitcase on the lower bunk with the Pikachu bedspread and following them back to the family area.

Lacey overheard her Aunt's comments and realized that Kristi must have been in as much pain as she was. Somehow it made her sad - two girls in pain, with neither wanting to be the one to pick up the phone first. Would either of them - ever, she wondered? She looked out over the water and decided that she would try to block that from her mind while she and her dad were here in this amazing place.

Mike and her dad went out to the balcony and closed it behind them, leaving her with her Aunt, who made small talk.

"It looks like a perfect beach day," she said as she stood. "I hope you brought your suit. There are some really cute young lifeguards near our spot," she winked.

Lacey managed a polite smile. "I'll probably join you in a few minutes, Aunt Sadie. I just need to relax a little if you don't mind."

Sadie's lifeguard comment was a not-so-veiled attempt to gauge a response from her niece, but she wasn't sure what kind of reaction she was hoping for. She slipped her shorts and top off and reached into the chest of drawers to pull out her tankini. At 43 she still possessed an athletic body which remained toned with a regimen of running and participating in various group fitness classes. Although her hips were a bit thicker than her high school days, she was still attractive enough to receive more than her share of glances from the opposite sex, and occasionally from women as well.

She returned to the family room and retrieved her sunglasses from the counter before excusing herself.

"I'll be down at the beach. Come on down when you're ready. I'll take the umbrellas down with me. Towels are right here. See you soon, Lace."

"Okay Aunt Sadie. Thanks," Lacey smiled.

On the balcony, Doug and Mike engaged in small talk as they sipped their beers. Mike watched Sadie lugging the beach equipment and gave her a catcall. Doug followed suit, whistling and yelling, "Shake that bootie!"

Both men laughed as Sadie did an exaggerated shaking of her full ass before giving them the finger, kiddingly.

"Classy as usual," Mike said laughing.

"Yep, that's Sadie. You're a lucky man," Doug kidded and they clinked their glasses in a toast.

Inside, Lacey sat and thought about her situation. She was now captive for at least four days and possibly longer. She could mope or take advantage and try to enjoy her time in the sleepy beach town. She decided on the latter and entered the children's room to change. In a departure from her normal shy self, she opted for the navy two-piece but threw a white tank top over it. She grabbed a couple of towels and opened the sliding doors to tell her dad that she was leaving. She made her way to the beach and this time both men behaved themselves, although Mike was clearly distracted as he realized that his niece had suddenly evolved into a grown mature - and even sexy - woman. Lacey spotted her aunt on the beach and dropped down into a beach chair as they both sat in the shade of the umbrellas. Sadie nodded toward the college-aged sculpted blonde boy in the lifeguard's chair before commenting, "Almost makes you want to pretend you're drowning!"

"Yeah, he's...cute," Lacey commented.

"I wonder what he thinks of cougars," Sadie laughed.

"Aunt Sadie!" Lacey couldn't help but laugh as she blushed at her aunt's boldness.

"Word of advice, Lace? Don't date older men, at least not a dozen years older."

Lacey felt awkward and wondered if her aunt had also been drinking. They never felt close enough to have this type of conversation. Sadie sipped from a Gatorade bottle while they sat quietly.

"Mike seems, well...um, like he's...um, I mean you both seem to get along."

"He's good to me. He's a good provider and a good man. He's a great father."

They quietly sat watching the beach before her aunt asked, "Have you noticed anything with Kristi lately?"

"Well, we haven't really been hanging out much. Not since," Lacey caught herself before saying it.

"Not since um, the other week when we were at State I guess." She felt the need to divert the conversation from Kristi.

"I've been busy with basketball and softball. I'm sure Kristi is staying busy coaching and practicing at State."

"Okay. I just thought maybe you knew if something was bothering her. I guess not."

"Um, I'm going to get my feet wet," Lacey said, thankful that her oversized sunglasses were able to hide her tearing eyes.

Aunt Sadie watched her rise and walk to the water before reclining her beach chair and closing her eyes. Lacey waded out in the water and hopped the gentle waves before getting far enough out that she could float on her back, allowing the tide to slowly carry her further down the beach. She eventually rode a wave back to the shore and walked north to sit back down with her aunt.

Back at the condo the men were on their fourth beers and the conversation flowed more freely. Mike confided that he didn't really need to go back to work but wanted some alone time, and Doug understood. In the back of his mind was relief that he wouldn't have to pretend to enjoy Mike's company throughout the week, and he could just spend some quality time with Lacy and his sister.

"So what do you think of Diane anyway? Sadie has been on you for years to go out with her. What finally prompted you to see her?"

"She seems nice. I guess I was just feeling a little bit like it was time. I mean, Jesus, I haven't, you know...BEEN with a woman since a couple years after my divorce."

"Well, hopefully you'll hit it off. Do you think she'll be coming down? Maybe get some - you know - pussy while you're here."

"Jesus Mike. I'm not fucking her under the same roof that Lacey and Sadie are under! Are you kidding me?"

"Well, maybe at least a quiet wet blowjob anyway. Think she sucks cock?"

"What the fuck Mike? How many beers did you have before we got here?"

He continued, "Besides, how would I know if she gives head? I was only out with her a couple times. It's not like she was, you know, deep-throating a carrot or anything at the restaurant."

They both laughed. "Well, I hope you get SOMETHING this week. I know I will," Mike said, letting a secret slip.

Doug heard the comment and felt his anger building at the thought that his old brother-in-law was going back home to hook up, not to work. He wanted desperately to say something, to defend his sister. Instead he decided to change the subject totally.

"So, how do you think the Panthers are going to do this year?"

"Shit Doug, I don't know. They're totally unpredictable. Cam's a freakin' diva. If he ever decided to get serious maybe we'd have a chance."

"Yeah, I agree. They're entertaining at least." He answered, but his mind was on the earlier comment that Mike made.

"Anyway, I think I'll hit the beach. See how the girls are doing down there. You coming?"

"No, go ahead. I have a few calls to make, Doug. You go ahead, enjoy"

"Oh, and thanks a lot for inviting us here. This place is amazing. I mean, Jesus, look at it! When I grow up this is what I want to be able to rent," Doug kidded and both smiled.

"See you later. Come on over when you get a chance." Doug said it but was hoping his sleazy brother-in-law would stay back at the condo.

The three of them enjoyed the sun and water throughout the afternoon. Doug had a heavy heart, torn between the unwritten 'guy code' and his allegiance to his sister. He knew that he shouldn't get involved, but he hated the thought that Mike was planning to cheat, or had he misunderstood what his brother-in-law said? He tried to shrug it off and just enjoy the calmness. They stayed on the beach until late afternoon when they packed everything up and took the short walk back to the condo. They all showered and dressed for dinner. Of course Mike and Sadie suggested an upscale seafood restaurant while their more down-to-earth guests would have preferred to just go "casual" at a no-frills beach bar. Minutes later the four climbed into Mike's Lexus SUV en route to the upscale restaurant. Two hours later, the guys fought over the bill before Mike finally conceded and allowed Doug to pay. They returned to the condo and relaxed with beer and wine, while Lacey excused herself to take a stroll on the deserted beach. She walked a few blocks down and back before climbing onto the lifeguard chair and peering out into the near pitch-black ocean, almost wishing that she had the nerve to swim out into the darkness one last time.

FROM KRISTI'S PERSPECTIVE

Kristi lay in bed on Friday morning, relieved that her parents finally left for up to a week at the shore. After nearly two weeks of suffering, she realized that she felt no better this morning than she had when she and Lacey first broke up. Worse yet, she knew that she would have to somehow find the strength to pry herself out of bed and drive to State for two days of scrimmages which was absolutely the last thing she wanted to do. The week before she barely had the energy or desire to contact her coach, explaining that she was unable to get to State for the weekend practices. Despite the fact that the practices were considered to be "optional," she knew she couldn't afford to miss two weeks in a row. Besides, what would her excuse be? That she was heartbroken over her breakup with her lover who also just happened to be her younger cousin?

She stretched and willed herself up and out of bed. Looking down at her body, she was horrified at the sight of her legs, which she hadn't bothered to shave since returning from State two weekends ago. She walked zombie-like into the bathroom to shower and decided to do the bare minimum of grooming. Underarms and legs only, oh and maybe just a couple of swipes of the razor over her inner thighs as she realized that her pubic hair had suddenly taken on the characteristics of a rapidly growing weed. She didn't bother to thin out her dark growth at all. Why should she, she asked herself, sure that she was the only one who would see it. Still, she ran her fingers slowly over the now thicker hair for just a few seconds, realizing that she hadn't masturbated in weeks. Despite the slight desire resulting from her brief touch, she didn't have the time or energy to even play with herself. Instead she toweled off and changed. At the last minute she tossed a few extra things into her overnight bag in case she needed to stay an extra day. She went down the stairs and into the kitchen, realizing that she hadn't taken her phone from the charger in nearly a week. Why should she? Still, she felt a pang of excitement at the thought of possibly receiving a text from Lacey. Unfortunately and not surprisingly, none of the dozen or so texts were from her cousin. Knowing she was solely responsible for ruining a beautiful relationship due to a stupid meaningless sexual romp, she felt her eyes welling up yet again with tears. She fought them off, made herself a large cup of coffee for the road, and left the home for her weekend at NC State.

OAK ISLAND - DAY 3

Lacey awoke on Sunday morning to clear skies and bright sunlight sneaking through the blinds and finding its way directly onto her face. She decided to start her day with stretching and a morning run on the beach in an effort to retain her workout regimen. Afterward she walked a few blocks south, following the sound of basketballs being dribbled. She came upon a full court game and counted nine players in all, primarily in their late teens or early twenties but including both boys and girls. They spotted her and quickly invited her to even the sides. Although she didn't have her appropriate basketball shoes, she gladly joined them. Nearly an hour later, one by one they began dismissing themselves, most likely to go to the beach. Lacey walked back to the condo and found a note from her aunt:

"Decided to go to the 10am worship service. Back before noon - Aunt S & the beach bums"

Lacey shrugged and peeled off her clothing before hopping into the shower. Her fatigued muscle pain paled in comparison to her angst over the loss of her friend and lover, but as she turned the heat up on the water, she allowed herself to feel and touch in places that she had neglected for the past two weeks. Knowing that she had time to herself and all the hot water she needed, she explored her body with her soapy hands and fingers, even pressing a digit between her tightening ass cheeks. In her mind, it wasn't her finger, but instead it was Kristi's amazing tongue that was snaking obscenely into her tight hole from behind. She thrashed under the water as she imagined herself reaching back to press her cousin's face tighter against her full ass with one hand while her own fingers ran over her clit. She felt her finger sliding deeper into her ass than ever before, and she wondered if Kristi's tongue would ever be able to explore the forbidden area again. She felt her orgasm building and eased off, wanting it to last. Unfortunately she was unable to stop it and she nearly slipped in the shower from the intensity of her climax. She removed her finger from her tight asshole and finished showering, satisfied physically but still hollow emotionally.

After drying off and dressing for the beach, Lacey poured herself some cereal and sat out on the balcony. From that vantage point she was able to watch the ocean as well as the small 2-lane road that wound down from the main street to their complex. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted a small white convertible heading down the street toward the building. Could it be? She was sure that her heart literally stopped beating for a few seconds, until it turned right and she realized that her mind was playing a cruel trick on her. It wasn't a Miata after all, and the color of the top was totally different than Kristi's car. She slunk into the chair and back into her pseudo-depression as a result of the disturbing mind game, wondering if she would ever overcome the pain of her loss.

It was a lazy day, and other than their morning events, the family followed the same routine as the prior two days, spending hours on the beach, occasionally swimming and tossing a frisbee against the wind. The men discreetly violated the beach ordinance and drank beer from their koozie cups, while Aunt Sadie kept her mystery Gatorade container by her side. All in all, the day was uneventful other than Lacey's discomfort over some glances that Mike gave her which were actually closer to creepy leers. If she hadn't been so down she would have been offended and embarrassed, but given her emotional state she almost didn't care. Let him look, she thought. At least someone seems to desire me, she thought to herself, even if it was just her ancient drunk Uncle. As the day wore on, Mike told the others that he was going back to relax before heading back home for "work." No one noticed Doug rolling his eyes, and he nearly spit out his beer as he heard the comment. "Good riddance," Doug thought. Now he had to figure out whether to share his suspicions with his sister or just mind his own business. They rose for his obligatory send-off. Mike shook Doug's hand and hugged Sadie before turning to Lacey who reluctantly gave him a weak hug, taking care not to come into too much contact with him. As he walked off the beach the tension immediately eased, and Lacey wondered how long her dad planned to stay, surprising herself by hoping to remain for the full week.