One Naiad Reporting for Duty

One Naiad, reporting for duty. (c) Alex de Kok, 2002

My grateful thanks go to my editors, Quint and Anonymous, for their input on this tale. To them goes a lot of the credit if you find my tale enjoyable. Any mistakes remaining are mine alone.

* * * * *

It was my Aunt Jacqueline's idea to take me with her to the cabin. Just me, not my brother or my sisters. Me and Aunt Jackie. My gorgeous Aunt Jackie, focus of my fantasies.

I was mostly stuck in a wheelchair at the time, the legacy of a mountain-biking accident. I wouldn't have minded so much, but when I crashed I'd been leading the race. A root caught my pedal and the next thing I knew I was in a hospital bed with both legs broken below the knee, assorted contusions and abrasions and a headache that might have been a lot worse if I hadn't worn a helmet. They showed it to me, split in half by the rock I'd hit.

I felt better once I got home, but with a younger brother and two sisters as well as Mom and Dad there just wasn't a lot of room for me in a wheelchair. I kept bumping into furniture and banging people's shins. I could get around on crutches, but my legs ached after a while and the wheelchair was the better option. To make things worse, Aunt Jackie had come visiting for a few days. With six of us at home, we don't have a spare bedroom for guests. Aunt Jackie got my room and I bunked in with my brother Joe for the duration.

My Aunt Jacqueline is my Mom's youngest sister. She's slim and pretty and has the warmest smile of anybody I know. When I went through the spotty adolescent angst of mid-teen trauma she always seemed ready to listen to problems or share a joke. She's only ten years older than me and I've always been a little bit in love with her.

Jackie hadn't heard about my accident and was horrified when I recounted the details. Well, those I could remember. She shook her head when I finished my account. "I think you're lucky to be alive, Tom, never mind two broken legs."

"It wasn't that bad, Aunt Jackie. The organisers always have good medical assistance at a race meeting." I grinned. "Anyhow, everybody is running around after me at the moment."

She laughed. "I feel guilty about putting you out of your room."

I smiled. "I don't mind, Aunt Jackie. Anything else I can do, just ask." Like undress you, maybe? A chance somewhere between infinitesimal and zero, I guessed, but I had this sudden mental vision of her asking me to help take her clothes off and I moved to hide my growing erection.

Standing, apparently not noticing the bulge in my cut-offs, she squeezed my hand. "Thanks, sweetie. I'm gonna go find your Mom. I have an idea which might make life a little easier around here."

I found out about her idea over supper. Mom and Dad, Aunt Jackie and I were sitting around the kitchen table. Joe and the twins were watching TV in the family room in the basement.

"You know I got the cabin at Green Lake as part of my divorce settlement?"

We nodded. The ink was still damp on Aunt Jackie's divorce. Her husband took up with his secretary and Jackie caught them balling in her bed. Harry - I refuse to call him Uncle - must be a grade-A idiot to lose someone like my Aunt Jackie.

"I've had a generator installed for electricity, so it's quite comfortable. I'm taking my computer up there and going to try writing again. I thought that while Tom is mending, he could keep me company. The cabin's all on one level, so the wheelchair's not a problem once Tom's indoors. Jim, if you could come up with us and rig a ramp at the end of the porch, he could get himself around outside as well, quite easily."

"That would be great, Aunt Jackie! Dad, you

will

help with the ramp, won't you?" I was excited, because the cabin is beautifully situated. Best of all, there are no other cabins within about two miles, so I could take my cameras and get some great wildlife shots, with a bit of luck.

Dad laughed. "Are you sure?" he asked her.

Aunt Jackie nodded. "I am. It gets lonely up there and I'll be glad of some company. Getting Tom out of the way for a while will give your shins a chance to heal." She laughed, that warm gurgle of hers that always seemed to make my prick twitch.

"Okay then," said Dad. "I'm working this weekend, Jackie, but I have most of tomorrow free. I'll need to go into the office for an hour first thing. If you drive Tom up to the lake, I'll be there as soon as I can. How would that be?"

"Great, Jim! Have I ever told you what a marvellous brother-in-law you are?"

"Not nearly often enough," Dad said, grinning.

Mom had been sitting quietly but now she stirred herself. "Everybody out of the kitchen," she said. "I'll bake some stuff for you to take with you, Jackie."

Aunt Jackie smiled. "Thanks, Mary. Will you include some of those peanut cookies? You know how much I like them."

I could hardly sleep that night and for a change Joe's muffled snores didn't irritate me. I got Mom to tape a couple of big plastic bags over my plaster and even managed a shower of sorts before breakfast and by nine o'clock Aunt Jackie and I were ready to go. Joe, Lucy and Linda were jealous as hell, but as Aunt Jackie said, they still had the school semester to finish. She did promise that they could go up for a week when school was over. I graduated high school last year and I've been working for a photographer at her studio, saving for college. I have enough, I figure, because I won a scholarship and I'm due to start university after the summer recess. My legs should be mended by then.

I packed my camera bag and for good measure I took some paper and pencils and watercolour paints. I'm not the world's greatest artist by any stretch of the imagination but I'm not bad. I thought a couple of landscapes might be nice to have.

On a warm summer's morning we set off in Jackie's Jeep, my wheelchair in the back along with my crutches. I was due to have my legs checked at the hospital later in the week and Aunt Jackie promised she would bring me back to town for my appointment. I hoped like hell the plaster would come off.

It's a two-hour drive and we chatted about everything and nothing, just making small talk. Aunt Jackie did ask about my photography and I guess I almost bored her silly with a monologue about how much I enjoyed it. She didn't complain, however, in fact she really got me interested because she told me she'd brought a digital camera with her.

"Can I use it?" I said. "I've been wanting to try one, but my money is tied up for university. I have my Canons, sure, and I'm getting good, but I'd really like to try a digital camera."

"I haven't tried it myself, yet, Tom," Aunt Jackie said, laughing. "Tell you what, you find out how to use it and then you can show me."

"Great! What kind is it? How many mega pixels?"

"It's a Fuji. Two mega pixels. I didn't want to spend too much on something I might not take to. The model I got was well reviewed."

"That's great! I'm really looking forward to trying it."

When we reached the cabin I got myself in on my crutches and Aunt Jackie brought my wheelchair in. I sat myself in it and while she ferried stuff in from the Jeep, I packed it all away as best I could and between us we had everything stowed before Dad arrived. Aunt Jackie's idea of a ramp was great, because Dad only had to make one that lifted me the foot from ground level onto the cabin's porch. It only took him about forty minutes and he and Aunt Jackie applauded when I made my first unassisted ride up the ramp. Dad left shortly after and Aunt Jackie and I were left to our own devices.

The cabin is neat. The porch faces South, overlooking the lake. There's a sort of headland which screens a little bay and unless someone sails around it we have the bay to ourselves. The porch runs across the full front of the cabin. Inside there's a kitchen-cum-diner at one end, the living room in the middle and two bedrooms at the other end, one with a double bed, the other with bunks, sharing a bathroom.

Aunt Jackie insisted I take the double, because of my legs. I only argued for politeness, because she was right, I couldn't have navigated the bunks very easily. I unpacked my stuff in the closet and drawer space provided and wheeled myself back into the living-room. We'd had lunch when Dad arrived and it was now about four-thirty in the afternoon. Aunt Jackie was sprawled on one of the two couches, feet up on the armrest, long tanned legs showing beneath her shorts. She smiled at me when I wheeled in.

"Tom, don't get too jealous, but I think I'll take a swim."

I made with the mock pout and she laughed.

"Can I look at the camera while you're swimming?" I asked her.

"Of course. You can even take a pic of your old Aunt Jacqueline in her new bikini."

"You're not old, Aunt Jacqueline," I protested. "And you're one of the best looking women I know."

"Why thank you, sweetie. Tell you what, let's just drop the 'Aunty' bit, eh? Just Jackie will do nicely for me and you. What do you say?"

"I say yes, Jackie."

She smiled. "I'll get the camera for you and then I'll get changed." She was as good as her word and while she changed I played with the camera. She was back in the living room before I noticed and I almost dropped the camera. I had never seen Jackie in any sort of swimsuit before. I've imagined it, as I've imagined her naked, because until Judy and I got together, Aunt Jackie was the usual subject of my masturbatory fantasies. The reality was something else and I just stared. Her bikini wasn't particularly skimpy or anything, certainly not by the standards of some of my classmates at the beach, but she looked stunning, smooth tan skin setting off the blue and white of her bikini.

Jackie cocked her head. "Earth to Tom?"

I must have gone beetroot, because the heat in my face almost scorched me. "Jeez, Aun - , um, Jackie, um, you look, um, oh my God, you look fabulous!"

Her smile was broad, eyes twinkling. "Thank you, sweetie."

"Harry's an idiot!" I blurted out.

Her smile disappeared. "That's one thing we're both agreed on, Tom. And that's the last time that loser's name is mentioned, okay?"

I nodded. "Okay." I had gathered my wits by now and I brandished the camera. "I believe someone mentioned a picture of my beautiful Aunt in her bikini." Out of it would be better, I thought, as my prick twitched.

The smile reappeared. "Where?"

"On the porch. If you sort of half sit, half lean on the rail?"

That's what she did. I love that photograph. I caught her semi-profile, her bust clearly silhouetted against the out-of-focus lake in the background, her head turned towards the camera and a broad smile on her face. I think she knew exactly what I was doing when I coaxed her to turn 'just a little more'. I reckon her deep breath just before I took the picture was the giveaway.

I took a couple more before she trotted away and splashed out into the lake. I watched her go with most un-nephew-like feelings surging through me. I looked at the pictures I had taken on the little LCD screen on the back of the camera. Too small to make out any detail. I put the camera to one side and got out my Canon F1. Auto-focus technology has long since overtaken it, but I love that camera. It's so solidly built it will probably outlast me. I fitted the 200/2.8 and took about five photographs of Jackie as she came back towards the cabin.

"More pictures of the old lady?" she said as she picked up a towel and started to dry herself.

"Well, you are the loveliest thing around here," I said lightly. She glanced sharply at me but said nothing as I put the F1 down and picked up the Fuji. I showed her the pictures I had taken and shrugged. "I need to have a computer and a good edit program to really see how good these are."

"Aha! I just

happen

to have Photoshop installed on the PC.

And

I have some photo paper for the printer.

And

I brought my laptop, too, so you can play - sorry, work - with the pictures on the PC while I work with the laptop. I'll get dried and dressed, we'll have some supper and then we can each do our thing until bed-time. What do you say?"

"I say great! Beats TV any time."

We had a good evening. The pictures were better than I thought. I needed to do a little colour correction that took me longer than it should as I was working with one eye on the manual. That and some reframing of the image. I ended up with three prints of which I was quite proud. Jackie studied them when I showed her and then smiled at me.

"I guess the old lady doesn't look too bad after all."

"I think you look great," I said firmly.

"Thanks Tom. Bedtime, I think. You go first. I want to take a shower."

Lying in bed, listening to the shower, I thought of Jackie naked. It didn't take too much imagination, as I'd seen her in her bikini. My prick was stiff but I didn't jack off, quite proud of my self-control.

After breakfast next morning, Jackie announced she was going for a walk. "I'd take you with me, but I have a feeling the ground might be too rough for the chair. I can check, see if we can get the chair through later."

"Don't worry about me," I said, "I'm going to do some sketches from the porch. I think that view deserves to be painted."

"I'd certainly like a landscape of that," Jackie said.

"You'll have it," I said. "It'll have to wait until I get home as I only brought sketch materials. Unless we bring some back when I go to the hospital."

"Yes, that would be good. Do you do any oils, or just watercolours?"

"Just watercolour at the moment. I'm more a photographer than a painter and I find oils too slow. I'll probably try them again in a year or so." I laughed. "Or more likely, when I finish college."

"Take them with you, you might find some pretty girl to paint." She wiggled her eyebrows. "Nude!"

"Fat chance of that," I retorted, feeling the heat in my face and in my prick as I thought of Jackie modelling nude for me.

She laughed. "Perhaps...," she began, and then shook her head. "Okay Tom, I'm off now. See you in an hour or so."

"See you." There was a thoughtful look on her face as she left and I watched her as she walked away, watched her until she had gone completely from sight.

I took my pad out onto the porch and did some sketches of the view over the lake. I guess Jackie was on my mind, because after I'd done six or seven sketches which I decorated with notes on the colours to use, I got out the photographs of Jackie in her bikini and looked at them, then opened my sketch pad to a new page and started working on a drawing of her.

I did a couple of bikini sketches and then started a fresh one. This time I drew her nude, allowing my imagination to decide on what her breasts and mons would look like without the bikini. My prick was getting hard now because as I drew I was imagining being with her. By the time I'd finished the sketch my boner was like a rock and I had to do something to ease it. I wheeled myself indoors and into the bathroom so I could jack off. I closed my eyes and imagined that it was Jackie stroking my prick, Jackie sucking me, Jackie lowering her pussy over my hardness....

I came hard, breathing heavily. Once I got my breath back, I cleaned myself up and went back out to the porch. Oh my god, Jackie was back, and looking at my sketches! I wheeled myself hurriedly out, horrified to see that Jackie held my nude sketch of her. She looked up as I came out and smiled.

"Hi, Tom." She turned the sketch towards me. "Nice work, you made me look really good."

I could feel heat in my face, although Jackie seemed unfazed. "I tried, but I have to say that the original is better. I mean, I think it is, I haven't seen - um, I mean, um...." I ran out of steam, face burning again.

Jackie just laughed, then regarded me solemnly. "You're good, Tom." She paused. "I've been exploring. How far can you manage without crutches, if you have me to lean on?"

"No idea. Probably, oh, say, a hundred yards. I'll be wrecked afterwards, of course."

"You won't have to walk that far. I think we can get the chair almost a mile round the bay, if you can walk two short sections. Maybe thirty, forty yards, total."

I was delighted at the thought. "That would be great! I'd like to try to catch some photos of the birds."

"That's what I was thinking of. That ex of mine built a sort of hide. We can use that."

"When?" I asked eagerly.

"Whoa there. Tomorrow morning will be best. In an hour or so the sun will be straight in your eyes. In the morning it will be mostly behind you, so we'll set off straight after breakfast. For now, I have some ideas for my writing and I'd like to get them down while they're fresh. You go back to your sketching."

"Okay. Look, I can cook sitting down, so let me get lunch. What would you like?"

Jackie laughed. "Something light, so you won't need to cook. Tuna sandwich or something. Use the bread your Mom baked." She laughed. "And the cookies for dessert!"

It didn't take long to prepare a couple of sandwiches and we ate them at the kitchen table. After lunch Jackie went back to her writing and I prepared a watercolour sketch or two of the glorious view. When I wheeled myself back inside Jackie sat staring blankly at the screen on her laptop computer.

"Something up?"

"My muse has gone on strike for more pay and better working conditions," she said, deadpan.

"Writer's block?"

"Yeah, it's a bummer. How are you doing?"

"I've done a couple of watercolour sketches. They're only small, but I think I captured the mood of this place."

"Oh, let me see!"

I passed her the sketches and waited for her reaction. She looked up at me. "They're good, Tom, very good."

"I thought so, too," I said. "I guess this place inspires me."

She looked at me for a long moment. "Me, too," she said softly. "Ah well, back to work." She looked back at her screen and began typing again, slowly at first, then with something approaching her usual speed.

I left her to it and did some more sketches. I tried a couple more nudes but the photos I had to work with, while good in themselves, didn't lend themselves to nude images. I needed some more. I would try to get some tomorrow, if I could get up the courage to ask Jackie to pose for me. I didn't dare to hope that she might actually pose nude. I laughed wryly to myself. I wouldn't have the nerve to ask her.

The afternoon wore comfortably on into early evening and I went back to Jackie who was still typing away. She looked up as I approached.

"Hi, sweetie."

"Hi, yourself. What would you like for dinner?"

She frowned, then grinned. "Surprise me. But not too much!"

I was very conventional, I'm afraid. Jackie had brought some very nice steaks, so I broiled two, did a baked potato each and prepared a side salad. There was no salad dressing, but olive oil, wine vinegar and honey make a surprisingly nice salad dressing when combined. With everything just about ready I went through to the living-room to call Jackie.

"Dinner is almost served, madam."

She straightened up from her keyboard and stretched, her breasts lifting and straining her t-shirt. She shook herself and stood, while I tried not to notice the motion of her breasts.

"So what have you cooked me, Tom?"

"Steak, baked potato and salad."

"Sounds great. Let's eat!"

We chatted casually over dinner, talking about my college plans, cars, motorcycles, almost everything.

"What about girlfriends?" Jackie asked curiously.

"Nobody special, not at the moment. I was pretty keen on Judy Halloran, but she moved back East with her family last year." But not before she let me take her virginity, something we both enjoyed. A lot.

"Fancy free, eh?"

"At the moment." I grinned. "There'll be new girls when I get to college."

"Look out, girls, here comes Tom Miller!"