When Joanna got home that evening she greeted the kids, kissed Daniel, and calmly prepared dinner. She felt her rider snugly lodged between her shoulder blades. It felt soft and comforting.
As Joanna put dinner out Daniel said, "I was thinking about what we talked about this morning."
"I was too," said Joanna.
"Maybe if we go together to a doctor and talk about it," said Daniel. "Maybe I can be convinced to let you-"
"That's not necessary, dear," she said.
"What do you mean?"
Joanna took a deep breath.
Daniel's eyes went wide. "Honey... did you get a rider?"
"Yes."
Daniel slammed his hand down on the table, making Joanna jump slightly. "WHY, JO! You promised not to do it!"
She looked defensive. "I promised to think about it. And I did! I didn't see any harm in it, no harm at all!" She extended her arms. "Look at me, Daniel. Really look at me. Do I seem any different to you?"
"Mom," said Julie. "Do you really have one of those things on your back?"
"They are called riders, dear, and the answer is yes."
"Can I... can I see it?" Julie asked.
Joanna looked at Daniel, who frowned.
Well, they're all going to see it sooner or later.
Joanna slowly lifted up and removed her blouse. Underneath her breast control collar was holding her breasts firmly in place.
This is it.
She took a deep breath and turned her back to her family.
"Mom!" Julie cried.
Ben's eyebrows shot up. "You've got one of those things on you!"
"I can't believe it!" said Daniel. He looked at the small, pulsating yellow-brown creature lodged between her shoulder blades. "Can you take it off?"
Joanna stiffened. "I can't take it off. Not until it matures."
"Matures?"
"Until it gets its golden band. It won't start generating vaccines for my body until it's mature."
"How long will that take?" said Daniel.
Joanna shrugged. "I don't know. A few days."
"A few days?" said Daniel.
"You act like it's the end of the world. I'm the same wife and mother you've always known. I just made dinner for you. Was the food poisoned? Did your steak explode? Do I sound any different to you?"
"I suppose not," said Daniel grudgingly.
"Mom, that thing looks so creepy on you," said Julie.
"I know it does, Honey, but it's going to save my life when the plague hits us. I hoped I could be an example to encourage you and your brother to get riders too."
"Not me!" said Ben.
Julie made a discouraging face.
"Jo, I really wish you hadn't done this," said Daniel.
Joanna put her shirt on again. "Well, it's done."
********
That night, as they went to bed, Joanna tried to kiss her husband. He flinched and turned away.
So is that how it's going to be?
She sighed and lay on her back. As her rider pulsated on her back she calmed down and fell asleep.
********
"Oooooh."
Joanna groaned as she felt the shower stream pouring down the back of her neck onto her rider. Her rider enjoyed the flow of water tremendously! She could tell. She could begin to sense what it was feeling at times. As it sucked up water her rider started to slowly inflate and deflate on her back. Joanna stood there, smiling serenely with her eyes closed, as her rider hydrated herself. This is exactly how Daniel found her when he stepped into the bathroom.
"Jo!" he cried, startling her.
"Oh, hello Daniel!" she said, wondering what he had seen.
"What are you doing?" he cried.
"Taking a shower," she said.
"Showering by standing absolutely still with your eyes closed?" said Daniel. "It's that
thing
! It's inflating on your back! Jo, you didn't tell me that thing inflates like that!"
"I... I didn't know," she said, hastily turning her back away from him as she instinctively felt the need to protect her rider.
"I don't like what it's doing to you, Jo," said Daniel. "I want that thing off you as soon as possible. Do you hear me? Jo?"
"I'm going to go make breakfast for the kids."
"I can do that-"
"I'll handle it," said Joanna firmly.
By the time Joanna got out of the shower, everyone was eating breakfast and staring at her oddly.
What had Daniel told them?
Joanna felt like her rider was creating a schism in her family. Maybe she
should
consider removing it. Joanna felt her rider pulsating on her back.
Pulse. Pulse. Pulse.
With each pulsating she calmed down. No, of course she couldn't remove her rider! Her rider was going to save her from the plague! She had to keep it on long enough so the medicine from her rider could get into her system.
******
"I can't believe she did it," said Daniel. "She went behind my back and did it!"
"I'm so sorry," said Casey. "Has it affected her?"
"I caught her in the shower this morning. She was standing there like a zombie while that thing inflated on her back. I don't know what it's doing to her!"
"Have you asked her to take it off?"
"She won't," said Daniel grimly.
"I know what you're going through," said Casey. "Tom got a rider, also without telling me."
"He did?"
"I yelled at him. He just said that he didn't want to die when the plague hit the colony. I told him he should be more worried about me than some theoretical plague," said Casey. She gave a bitter smile. "Your wife, and my husband. Perhaps we could arrange a swap." She put a hand over his and looked into his eyes.
********
Nils seemed to sense that something was wrong with Joanna when they got together to Commune that morning. She looked down at she took off her shirt. As Nils removed his own shirt, she looked hastily at his big hairy chest then turned away.
"Something wrong?" he asked.
"It's nothing," she said.
Nils raised her chin. "Joanna?"
"It's Daniel," she said with reluctant eyes. "He doesn't understand."
"He will," said Nils.
"He will?"
"You'll see," said Nils. "Come." He led her to the couch, and had her sit back to back opposite him. Joanna glanced at his double banded rider. It was so big! As he leaned back towards hers, Joanna wondered if-
********
They were making love once again on the alien world. Joanna felt Nils' enormous penis moving inside her. It felt so good! She looked him in the eye. "Is this really a dream?"
"Whose dream?" Nils asked, grinning as he boned her.
