Anne could barely sleep on the plane ride back to America, after spending a year studying abroad in Europe. It was her first time being away from her family for so long, and a lot had certainly changed.
Her 19 year old sister, Lea, had become a lot more grown up from what she could tell from the pictures she had received. She was still the same petite, innocent looking, brown haired, blue eyed girl. But now she dressed and looked a lot more mature, more adult. Her outfits were more revealing. It bothered Anne to an extent, the way her younger sister was starting to dress, but she figured it was a part of life. Most girls go through phases like that at some point.
But what made Anne so nervous was meeting her new step-mother, Meredith, for the very first time. Anne really didn't know what to make of her, as she appeared to be the polar opposite of her dad. And the fact that their marriage was so sudden made her even more suspicious.
Her father was a fairly conservative man in his late 40's with a successful career in finances. Meredith, on the other hand, was a stunning fitness model and personal trainer in her mid 30's. She was gorgeous, with a golden brown tan and a perfectly toned body. She had an infectious smile, which showed just how outgoing she was and had the look of a party girl.
Anne wondered what exactly her father had in common with a woman like Meredith. Perhaps she was after her father's money? That was the obvious assumption. But Anne was about to discover something which would truly turn her world upside down. Something that would shock her to the core. And ultimately serve to reshape her identity forever.
***
A few days later. It was their first official outing together as step-mother and step-daughter. Meredith had arranged the whole thing; a day of spa treatments, shopping, and fine dining.
Anne did her part to keep an open mind. She had promised her father she'd do so. It was all part of becoming a happy family. Surprisingly, Anne found this new woman in her life to be witty, funny, and engaging. Not the dumb fitness tart she had been expecting. After they had gotten to know each other better, Anne felt a twinge of regret for ever thinking those things about her new step-mother, and for questioning her motives.
As they had lunch together after shopping, they shared a few laughs as they ate and sipped wine. They had much in common, as it turned out. Something that delighted Anne to no end. Could it be? The perfect family she had always envisioned? The kind that her father so desperately wanted after all those difficult years.
"I'm so glad we could finally have some one-on-one time to get to know each other better," Meredith said after they finished their meals.
"I'm really happy we got to do this as well," Anne agreed wholeheartedly.
"Look, we can be honest," Meredith said bluntly. "It was obvious from the moment we first met that you didn't like me and had your reservations. Believe me, I had a step-father growing up, so I know that feeling all too well. That's why it means a lot to me for us to put all that behind us, and who knows, maybe we can be as close as your sister and I have become."
"Was it that obvious?" Anne playfully replied.
Meredith gave a playful nod in return. "A bit."
"You're right, I was sort of a bitch when we first meet. I mean, a woman like yourself with a man my father's age...he's a great guy, but I'll be honest, the age difference was hard to for me to look past and I guess I jumped to conclusions about your relationship."
"That I was after your father's money?" Meredith smiled.
This made Anne blush. "Something like that. But after seeing how you and dad are together, my mind completely changed. Plus Lea has nothing but great things to say about you; she's my best friend and I trust her more than anyone."
"Well, let's let bygones be bygones. Enough about our rough start, let's talk about you. Are you dating anyone? Meet any cute guys over in Europe? Come on, you must have some juicy stories with all that time you spent over there."
"I wish."
Meredith raised an eyebrow, "Are you ever going to trust me?"
"Fine," Anne said after a dramatic pause. "There were a few guys. Here and there. None of it ever worked out. You know how young guys are, especially the European kind. That's fine though. I've tried my best to focus on my studies and the whole experience of living abroad."
"Really? Now there's a shocker. I mean look at you; you're young, you're gorgeous, and you've got that long and slender body which most models would kill for. I'm surprised you're not taking advantage of it."
"You're really starting to sound like some of my friends," Anne joked. "Seriously though, my mom raised me with her religious upbringing. She wanted me to stay a virgin until I got married, which of course didn't happen, and I've always felt guilty about that. But after she passed away, I decided to abstain from sex until that day comes. It's what she would have wanted."
Her big secret had been revealed. It came out much easier than she had expected it to. Unlike her friends and classmates, Meredith looked as though she understood completely. Anne deeply appreciated that.
"I can respect that. But out of curiosity, how many guys have you slept with prior? You've really got me wondering about you. I promise I won't tell," Meredith said in a slightly deviant tone.
"...I'd rather not..."
"Oh come on, you know so much about me and I know so little about you. It'll be our little secret."
Anne hesitated for a moment, but replied, "Four, just four guys."
"Just four? You really are a good girl like your father says. Frankly, I'm impressed. I was a lot different than you are at that age."
"If I may ask, how many men have you been with?" Anne asked shyly, feeling the urge to keep their 'girl talk' going.
"Men? 40 or 50."
"Oh..." Anne replied, holding in her gasp so she wouldn't sound rude.
It was a number which had surprised Anne. Especially that Meredith had admitted it so brazenly. Was this information that Meredith always shared openly? Anne wondered. More importantly, did her father know? Anne wondered if her dad knew what he was getting into marrying a woman like Meredith. Once again, she had to remind herself that this was her father's decision, no one else's.
"It's okay. I know I've had an...
interesting
...past to say the least. But I've changed a lot since then, especially since I've meet your father. I have
everything
I need right at home. Speaking of which, we better finish up our food and get going, we've got plenty more shopping to do this afternoon."
The playfulness and casualness between them was still in the air, but now there was something else too. The doors to sexual discussions and personal secrets had been opened. By the look on Meredith's face, this was only the beginning.
***
After their lengthy adventure at the mall, the two women headed back to the house which they had all to themselves, as Lea was at her summer job and Anne's father was still at work.
They took off their shoes, profusely thanked each other for the great day, and headed up the stairs to their respective bedrooms. But the new step-mother had other ideas in mind for the remainder of their private time together.
"What do you say we try on our new clothes together?" Meredith asked as they stood in the upstairs hallway "It's been awhile since I've played dress up with a girlfriend. It'll be fun."
"I don't know, I'm a little tired from all that shopping we just did," Anne said, feeling reluctant.
Meredith raised her eyebrow, "I thought we were having a good time? It's our first time being able to bond with just the two of us, and I kept my schedule clear for the day just so we could hang out. So bring your things down and let's try on our clothes."
"I guess it wouldn't hurt."
They went to the master bedroom, which Meredith had kept nice and tidy. It almost had the ambiance of a fancy hotel; everything was so neat and classy.
Anne put her bags down on the carpet, near the bed shared by her dad and Meredith. She reached in and began pulling out some of the new dresses and pants she had just bought, and she assumed Meredith was doing the same thing with all the shuffling she was hearing behind her.
But when she turned around, Meredith was standing there topless, with her bare breasts on full display. It was a shock that a woman whom she had met a few days earlier could be so brazen with nudity. Not only that, this was her new step-mother of all people. Exposing her tits like it was nothing.
For that short moment, Anne couldn't help but admire her step-mother's body. Her arms, shoulders, and abdominal muscles were firmly defined, yet retained their feminine appeal. But what captured Anne's attention more than anything was seeing Meredith's breasts. They were perfectly shaped globes, natural, and looked firm to the touch. Her areolas were light brown and wide, and her nipples were dark brown and large.
"What are you doing?" Anne asked, surprised by her step-mother's boldness.