Editor's note: this story contains scenes of incest or incest content.
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None of this would have happened if my husband's medical problem hadn't been diagnosed shortly before our holiday. Chris is only 48 but for a while he'd been getting excessively tired and complaining of chest pains. When he went for a regular health check and mentioned this to the doctor a scan was arranged and we discovered, to our shock, that he had serious heart problems.
I'm Jacqui. I'm 44 and I work in Surrey as an assistant manager in a branch of a national chain of high-end department stores, a job I'd been finding pretty stressful. I have shoulder length pale-blonde hair, blue eyes and a rosy complexion, a snub nose and full lips. I've always been considered quite attractive – I did a bit of fashion modelling before our marriage, and I keep myself quite trim with Pilates, jogging on a treadmill and a low-sugar semi-veggie diet. Chris and I met through a church youth group and married when I was 22 and still a virgin. We wouldn't claim to be pillars of our local church but we are regular attenders. Our daughter, Amy, who's just turned 20, stopped going a few years ago – I wasn't happy about it but we can't force her.
Anyway, as I was saying, Chris and I had a holiday booked at a Greek island resort – the name doesn't matter. We were due to leave only two weeks after he'd received the bad news. Amy had surprised us by saying she'd like to - come – she hadn't holidayed with us since she was 17 but I think she was seduced by the thought of the warm Aegean sun. Chris was advised that he shouldn't fly until he'd been fully assessed and started treatment; I wanted to cancel so I could support him, but we'd already paid the full cost. Chris encouraged me to go, saying I needed a break and he'd be fine for the short period I'd be away.
He was right, I felt a relaxing break form my job in the sun would do me the world of good, but to be honest Amy and I hadn't been getting on very well for a little while and I worried about how we'd get along on a week alone together. I told her her dad couldn't go, half-expecting she would suggest cancelling. Instead, she asked "Well, if we've got a spare place could my friend from college come with us?" I pointed out that we only had two apartments booked at the resort but Amy said that would be fine, Nicole could sleep on the bed settee that was situated in her apartment.
I'd never heard of this Nicole before, and before I definitely agreed I asked Amy to invite her over for dinner one day. When they arrived together, I was rather surprised, to say the least, by Nicole's appearance. She was Afro-Caribbean, 22 years old, her bare shoulders and arms like polished teak in the midnight blue silk dress she wore, cut low behind to reveal her skin almost to the small of her back. She had huge eyes with arched brows, a wide nose, pouting lips. And a dazzling white smile With a mass of hair piled up on her head and in kitten heels she towered over me like some Amazon goddess (I'm five-feet-five), broad-shouldered and with boobs I estimated to require a C or D cup. To say she presented an exotic appearance would be a gross understatement.
I'm a little ashamed that I was embarrassed to have Nicole in my home, and a little nervous as to how to behave and speak around her. I really don't think I'm racially prejudiced but I'd never really known any people of colour, unless you count the Singhs who run the local convenience store. There had been one Nigerian student who'd temped at my work but she and I hadn't really got on very well and I'd terminated her early. In fact we had a very pleasant evening, Nicole, who spoke with a South London accent, seemed cultured and charming, and when she'd left I felt a little happier about her joining us on holiday. Chris had really taken to her, and told me "It'll be fine, you can do the shops and eat with them and the rest of the time they'll be off on their own and you can relax by the pool with a good book."
On the first day of the holiday Amy, Nicole and I travelled to the airport together and had a good flight. We arrived mid-evening, settled into out adjoining apartments and ate at one of the resort's restaurants then spent the evening relaxing in the bar. The next day the girls slept in late while I breakfasted and sunned myself, then after a light lunch we strolled down to the nearby village to explore. After the chill of an English spring the warmth of the sun was delightful and we had a pleasant afternoon. We spotted a picturesque taverna and decided to have dinner there. I couldn't help noticing how touchy-feely Amy and Nicole seemed, frequently touching each other's arms, brushing strands of hair behind ears and so on.
I soon noticed a noisy group of scruffily-dressed local 20-somethings at a nearby table, swilling beer from bottles. They began pointing at the oblivious Nicole and chuntering among themselves, laughing. When a couple of them shouted offensively racist comments in broken English in our direction I bristled. Nicole rolled her eyes but told me to leave it; however, when they continued I slammed my cutlery down, stalked over to their table and told them exactly what I thought of their childish, bigoted behaviour. I could hear them sniggering behind my back as I walked away but they did quiet down, and left soon afterwards. When we got back our resort, before she followed Amy into their apartment Nicole gave me a big hug, her chest pressing into me, and thanked me for what I'd done. I felt troubled though, the yobs' behaviour had made me reflect uncomfortably on how I'd first thought of her. I don't often pray but I did that night, that God and Nicole would forgive me my failings.
The next day I had booked a tour to an attractive part of the island, while the girls planned to swim and relax by the pool. Both wore bikinis and I was struck by the length of Nicole's slim legs – they seemed to go on forever. Overnight she had plaited Amy's short-cropped ginger-blond hair into a series of tight cornrows; Nicole herself wore her jet hair straight, hanging to the middle of her back.
My tour returned around lunchtime and I looked into the girls' apartment to see if they were there. It hadn't yet been serviced and the double bed was a crumpled mess. I was surprised to see that the sofa bed wasn't even folded down, a set of bedclothes neatly folded on it. Either Nicole was considerably more tidy than my daughter or, more likely, it hadn't been used. I thought nothing of it at the time – the double was a big one, probably more comfortable than the sofa, and if they wanted to both sleep in it that was up to them.
We met up by the pool in the afternoon and, while I had a swim, Amy and Nicole sunbathed. As I emerged Amy was laying face down on a lounger, her bra strap undone, and Nicole was sitting beside her, massaging sun lotion onto her back. They were so intent on what they were doing that it took them probably 15 seconds to notice I was standing beside them. On seeing me Nicole leapt to her feet with a small squeak and avoided my eyes in what seemed almost a guilt-ridden way.