Man of the House

The first week back, I spent more time ensuring that our company was still heading in the right direction. To my surprise, everything went smoothly despite my absence. It was slightly disappointing to find out I was less important than I initially thought, but at the same time, it was a relief to realize I could continue taking vacations and spend more time at home.

The week's travel to Hawaii was relaxing and fun. Both Mom and I needed it badly. When it was over, we settled at home like a young newlywed couple - Busy during working hours and trying to make the most of life in the evenings.

One time I arrived home and saw Mom wearing an Oriental short robe. "Mom, are you in the mood for Japanese?"

She kissed me, "Welcome home, lover. As your geisha, I'll feel comfortable in a Japanese kimono, but this is a Chinese silk robe. I saw it in the window of an oriental shop. It feels very nice on my skin. I hope you like it too."

"Mom, if what you have under it stays the same, I'll love it. By the way, yesterday, I discussed work-related stuff with one of our board members. When we were done, he told me the name of a new Chinese restaurant. He said the food was similar to other restaurants, but they had unusual fortune cookies. Since you feel Chinese, I thought you'd agree to try this restaurant."

"Joe, I like your idea. Pity I cannot go there with this Chinese robe."

The restaurant looked like any other one we had eaten before, and the food tasted the same. I got the check with two fortune cookies on a small plate. I grabbed one of the cookies, but the waiter showed up before I could open it. He stopped me, "Sir, sorry to bother you, but this one is for the lady. Yours is the other one."

I glanced at the cookies, and I saw no difference. I shrugged my shoulders and took the other one. The note said, 'You are a winner. Soon you win again.'

What did it mean? As far as I was concerned, the writing was as vague as any other I've read before.

Mom opened hers and read it loudly, "Submitting is not always bad. Continue being you."

Was 'submit' a hint to Mom to give in and yield to me? And how could the waiter know that this fortune was meant for Mom and not me?!...

Mom and I looked puzzled at each other after reading our fortunes. I smirked, "Mom, I've no idea what kind of a joke it is, but one thing for sure - Whether I am the head of the house or not, I am a winner, and you submit to me. Understood?..."

"But of course, his royal hiney... sorry, I meant his royal highness. Should I bow now, or can I do it at home?!..." We laughed.

...

A week later, Mom got a phone call from Megan. I was at work, and she informed me my sister would have a week's vacation soon. She asked both of us to free our time and visit her. She intended us to visit several national parks, especially Sequoia and Redwood. She heard a lot about these majestic parks and never had time to see them. A family trip was supposed to be both a reunion and fun traveling.

"Mom, I like it. I haven't seen Megan in forever, and I miss her. I've read about some national parks, and these two are different than others."

Mom grinned, "Sounds great. I'll go to the health club and take my exercises more seriously; otherwise, when we walk, I won't be able to catch up with you two..."

It wasn't peak season, so we did not reserve flights or lodging places. The plan was to do it at the last minute.

Three days before our trip, I bought two plane tickets to San Francisco. We were supposed to meet Megan at the airport, rent a car and drive toward Redwood national park. Mom and I had a map, and we planned the sequence of scenic drives and trails we'd want to see.

Unfortunately, 24 hours before our flight, Mom fell ill. It started like the common cold but progressed to low-grade fever and cough within hours. Mom wasn't in the shape to go on a trip. I wanted to cancel it and arrange it another time, but Mom stopped me, saying, "It won't be fair to Megan. She rarely has vacations, and she hasn't spent time with you since her childhood. I'll be OK. Go with her. I'll feel good knowing that you keep her safe."

"Mom, are you sure? I think Megan will understand we wanted to join her, but sickness prevented us from doing it until you recovered."

"Joe, stop arguing. I'll be fine. It's only a virus that will last a few days. I would have taken Tylenol and come with you, but I hate to infect you too."

...

I left Mom my cell phone number, begging her to call me if she deteriorated. She smirked, "Honey, as you recall, I am no longer a child. If I develop any complication, I'll go to the nearest hospital."

I met Megan at the airport. The changes in her still struck me. The child was gone and left no signs. The confident young pretty lady looked like a classic model one sees in Vogue magazine. She was only 2" shorter than me, about 130 lbs. Megan wore a long sleeve blouse with tight jeans and looked terrific!

I kissed her cheek, " Megan, what happened to my baby sister? At home, she nagged me much of the time, but I loved her nonetheless. Trying to address you as my little sister will be tough. You are just too beautiful!"

She blushed, "Joe, you have no idea how much I missed you growing up. You promised to visit often but never came. After a year, I decided to hate you for breaking your promise. I could never do it, but it was very unfair on your part..."

"Megan, you were too young to understand my situation then. You looked so miserable when I left that I had to give you some hope. I hated living at home, and I had to leave this house. Now that Dad is no longer alive many things in my life have changed, and now I am happy to be back. To clarify, nothing I hated had anything to do with you! Eventually, I'll tell you everything, but we want to enjoy our vacation, so let's concentrate on our trip together. And I am sorry Mom couldn't come. She missed you too."

"I know. Before your flight landed, I had a long talk with Mom. She was right to stay at home. I promised to visit home soon."

Was she really planning on visiting home? Was it a hit below the belt, reminding me I didn't fulfill MY promise?... I chose to stay quiet.

"Megan, how did you arrive at the airport?"

"I took an Uber."

"Girl, let's rent a car and leave this place."

I rented a small SUV. Most times, it's not needed, but in case of bad weather or if we decide to change our plans driving through narrow winding roads, significant elevations, or bad roads, a 4x4 may be better.

Looking at the map, we noticed that reaching Redwood national park would take about 6 hours. And worse, Sequoia Park was in the opposite direction... The consensus was to go toward Redwood, enjoy the national and state parks' attractions and take it easy having fun in the sun.

On the first night, we slept in a small hotel along the way to Redwood. I was too tired. After dinner, I retired to my room and dosed off with my TV on.

I woke up refreshed at 8 am and knocked on Megan's door. She opened and grinned, "Last night, you looked exhausted. I let you sleep without interruption, but I hope our fun starts today."

"Megan, my fatigue resulted from an intense week at work and the jetlag. Now I feel better. Let's have breakfast and continue. In two hours we should be at the entrance to the park. Wear jeans and sneakers, cause we'll go hiking to see the tall trees. And I want to take pictures - Mom wanted to live our trip through our photos."

She smiled, "Yes, big brother."

By 11:30 am, we entered the National Park. For starters, we drove around to get the feel of the forest. Tall trees were present everywhere. They were awesome. One could stand far away from a tree and still has to look up at a steep angle. Many of the trees did not reveal their top.

At 1:00 pm, we became hungry. We stopped at EdeBee's and grabbed a hamburger and soda. Megan wanted to reach a trail and start hiking. We got to the entrance to Tall Trees Grove and parked there. The trail was considered one of the best in the park and was crowded. To avoid the noisy visitors, we found a quieter side trail. I wanted to shoot the tall trees but needed some perspective to appreciate their height. Using Megan's height was impossible - She was much too small to be seen from the necessary distance to have the whole tree in the photo.

Along the trail, we noticed a mound in front of tall redwoods. I told Megan to climb it. Then I lay on the ground and shot upward. Megan's body looked distorted, and the tree behind her was barely seen. We laughed.

On the trail, we found a huge fallen tree. I took its picture. Megan was about to climb it and had her photo riding it. I warned her to be careful. She climbed without difficulty and stood proudly, raising her hands. It was a great shot! The background would be better with a few steps toward the roots. She started backing up. Suddenly she slipped down and fell about 10 feet to the ground. I rushed to her side. She seemed shocked by the incident but breathing. I sat by her, and her head leaned on my lap. We had to rest before checking that nothing was broken. Her eyes were closed. I caressed her thick hair and told her to rest for a few minutes.

She did it.

I noticed a small tear in her jeans. However, the front of her blouse was ripped and wide open. Her soft bra had a dark stain on one side. The shade of her young breasts could be seen through the thin material... I reminded myself she was my young sister, but my dick twitched.

I glanced up, trying to concentrate on the huge red trees. However, now and then, my eyes wandered down at Megan's heaving chest. My prick reacted to my sub-conscience and began expanding. There was no way she wouldn't feel it... She did not react.

After 15 minutes, I asked, "Megan, are you OK?"

"I think so. I do not feel any pain. I should stand up and find out if my movements are limited or certain areas hurt."

I helped her up very gingerly. She stood for a minute and then began walking. Her movements were slow, but there was no evidence of limping. She said the side of her leg and chest hurt, but it felt superficial.

"Megan, if you are not absolutely sure you are OK, we can go to the nearest urgent care to have you evaluated by a doctor and perhaps a series of X-rays too."

She glanced at me. Her face was reddish, "Joe, don't worry, I am fine. If I start feeling bad, I'll tell you. Let's return to the car, find a hotel and rest until tomorrow."

We strolled toward the car. The small trail was unoccupied by others. The tear in her front exposed the bra on her right chest. I couldn't help but notice how erotic her chest looked. I gazed at her face and noted a small smile. Voices were heard in front of us. I removed my shirt and instructed her to put it on. She did it. Now I was walking topless toward the car.

We reached the car, and I drove out of the park. I called several lodging places, but they were all occupied. The only room available was at the Golden Eagle rentals. It was 20 minutes drive. We stopped to grab something to eat. We added water and a bottle of white wine.

At the Golden Eagles, we realized the room had a queen size bed and a short sofa. I didn't care. Megan would take the bed. She needed a good night's sleep to ensure she was healthy to continue our trip. I'd sleep on the sofa or the thin carpet.

I sent Megan to take a hot bath while I prepared our improvised dinner. I put cheese singles on sliced bread, cut tomatoes, and placed green olives on a couple of napkins.

'Dinner' was ready. I opened the wine bottle, and prepared the coffee machine.

Megan took her time. Twenty minutes later, she came out covered with a large white towel, "Joe, the water was perfect. I feel as good as new! Let's eat."

I put on the coffee machine and started eating. I was happy she was OK and in good spirits. With the towel wrapped around her, she looked vulnerable and... sexy! I gave her the wine bottle, "Sorry, girl, but I didn't find glasses. The two plastic cups are needed for our coffee."

She grinned, "You prepared a good dinner. Thank you, young Daddy..." Then she sipped wine out of the bottle. She kept it by her side and continued drinking from it until half of it was done.

"Megan, I didn't know you drank so much..."

She smirked, "I hardly drink alcohol, but this is how it's easier for me to face my embarrassing clumsiness this afternoon."

"Megan, what are you saying? It wasn't your fault! It was slippery, and you fell. You are OK, and I am pleased. Mom would kill me if something happened to you on my watch..."

She winked, "Then you better be nice to me the rest of our vacation, or I'll tell her I fell because of you..."

I raised my hand, "I promise to listen to you from now on."

The dinner was simple but tasty, likely because we were hungry to care about the meal's quality. The hot coffee was mediocre, and the wine was better. The empty wine bottle found its way to the garbage can by the time we finished eating.

We watched a movie on TV, and when it ended, I turned to Megan, "You sleep on the bed, and I'll be on the sofa."

She stared at me, "Joe, you are a gentleman, but it's silly. You are taller than me, and the sofa's length will barely fit a toddler. It's a queen size bed, and there is enough place for both of us."

"Girl, you may be right, but occasionally I have nightmares about my experiences in Australia. I toss and turn and will wake you up. Don't worry; I'll sleep all right on the sofa."

She sighed, "Joe, you are too stubborn. It's time to use the nuclear option. If you do not sleep on the bed, I call Mom, pretend to be miserable, and cry, saying that you made me fall and hurt badly!...

I smiled, "Sister, you shouldn't do it. Mom is ill, and she may take it the wrong way."

"Oldie, remind me who's the one who promised to listen to me minutes ago."

"OK. I'll do it. But if I am too noisy, kick me."

"Joe, take a shower and get into bed."

"OK, Mother. Any other orders?"

She chuckled, "Not yet. Maybe later..."

...

Unlike Megan, I preferred the shower over the tub. I always liked the feeling of hot water pouring into my body. I shaved, brushed my teeth, and came out wearing my boxers. Megan stared at me. I entered the bed, kissed her forehead, said good night, turned on my side with my back to her, and turned off the lights.

Megan whispered, "Joe, It's so nice to spend time with you. I cried a lot when you were gone. You were my rock. I always loved you more than anybody else in our house."

I turned on my back, "Megan, I explained to you that the most important reason I left the house was that Dad pushed me to do something I wasn't ready to do. In retrospect, I understand his motives, and think that if I had a son, I'd do the same thing. However, at the time, I felt miserable. I was choking and had to get out! But you were never a reason to leave. I always loved you."

Megan moved closer to me and hugged me. Her warm body felt great, but her perky tits poked me, and my penis stiffened. I was scared she'd discover my cock's reaction and didn't reciprocate.

She whispered, "You claim to love me but don't show it. You are all talk."

"Megan dear, you don't understand me... I would love to hug you, but my body doesn't listen to logic. It reacts to having an attractive woman inches from me... It's an uncomfortable feeling."

She hugged me tighter, "If you are trying to say you get an erection having me close to you, I see it as a compliment. I know I've changed a lot since being an ugly duckling. I also noticed the way you peeked through my ripped blouse. Joe, I understand you well. I think you don't understand ME. I always loved you more than a brother. To me, you were the father I never really had. And now I am no longer a minor. I love you just like before. Perhaps even more! Please hold me in your arms."

I enveloped her shaky body and kissed her forehead, "Megan, I am here for you. I love you too. Go to sleep now, and we'll talk about it in the morning."

Next, I felt her palm groping my groin...

"Megan, please, don't do it. We had too much to drink, and our brains played tricks on us. I know how you feel; I am also aroused, as you noticed. But it's a bad idea. Listen to your older brother for a change; let's quit here and go to sleep. We still have a few days together and will have ample time to review the subject. PLEASE!"

She released me, moved to the other side of the bed, and I heard her crying. My initial instinct was to hug her again, but I was scared to reach the same point as before. I stayed silent, hoping she'd fall asleep soon. I was awake for about half an hour until hearing her monotonous breathing, which suggested she was sleeping.

I woke up at 7 am. Megan was still asleep. She was facing me. Her beauty was stunning, even without makeup, lipstick, and other cosmetic accessories. Half of her body was not covered by the blanket, including her left chest. Her nighty was thin and displayed the contour of her young B-cup breast. Even in her sleep, fully covered, she was very sexy.

I went to the bathroom and sat on the covered toilet, thinking. What is wrong with me? Why do I attract women with whom I am morally not supposed to have intimate relations? What do I do next?

Megan interrupted my thoughts, "Joe, are you finishing soon? I need to pee."

"Megan, I'll be out in two minutes."

I exited and saw her smiling, "Sorry I forced you to leave your hiding place. I promise not to eat you alive. At least not yet..."

I hoped she didn't notice me blushing when she moved toward the bathroom.

...

She came out fifteen minutes later. Her face was neatly done and looked gorgeous!

Megan wore walking shoes, jeans, and a tee shirt. She was braless.

She exclaimed, "First, let's eat breakfast; I am famished. By the way, everything I said yesterday, I meant it. And now there is no alcohol on board... Eventually, we'll have to sort out our feelings toward each other."

"Megan, I am hungry too. We'll find a breakfast place on our way to the park. Would you be OK hiking in the park? How is your body this morning?"

She smirked, "I do not have pains if this is what you are referring to, but I would have felt better if you weren't such a wimp last night..."

I ignored her innuendo, "Ready to leave?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Today, we will be in the park much earlier, and I expect fewer visitors."

We were back in the park at 9 am. It was sunny but cool. We headed to Tall Trees Grove, which now had very few people.

It was amazing how these huge trees survived hundreds and sometimes thousands of years of disasters, including drought, flood, fire, and harmful critters.

"Joe, please take my picture in front of this giant redwood."

"With pleasure."

She stood still in front of the tree. The contrast between her slim frame and the wide redwood was impressive. I showed her the photo. She liked it, "Joe, you are a good photographer. I want other pictures."

She stood like before, but this time she had a seductive smile, and raised her hands. Her firm tits pushed forward against the thin tee shirt in this pose. My camera clearly captured the contour of her breasts and her hard nipples. She made me take additional pictures of her spreading her legs and sticking her tongue out. I shot the photos she wanted and did not react to her provocations.

We were crossing a tiny side trail at one point, and Megan stopped me, "Let's go here. I promise not to climb big barks. I'd like to see what less walkable trails have to offer."

I followed her until we reached an isolated area slightly sunnier than other places.

"Joe, I want more pictures here."

She moved behind a tall tree, and her face peeked at me. She looked cute. She hid behind the tree and called me, "Joe, are you ready to take more pictures?"