Dorsai: Eight is enough

Unconcerned, she asked "What is it?"

It was when Jeremy answered "It's about last night, after we were all in bed. I was on my way to the bathroom, and, well, I heard and saw something in your room that I think we need to talk about."

On hearing that, Dawn turned almost paper white before nearly cutting her finger while slicing bread for the toast. She turned to look at him, and it was all Jeremy could do to keep a solemn expression on his face, instead of showing the delight and anticipation he felt on seeing her reaction.

"When… What was it?"

"That's what I want to talk to you about. I don't think it's something we should talk about here or now, not with it being supper pretty soon, and somebody maybe coming in while we're talking."

Dawn managed a shaky nod of her head, and he could hear the nervousness in her voice when she said "Uh, yeah, that's probably a good idea."

After that, Jeremy pretty much had to take charge of getting supper ready: after Dawn absently buttered the same piece of bread three times, Jeremy decided that he'd better be the one to put the garlic salt on it – at least, if there was any hope of anyone being able to actually eat it.

Once everything was ready, all of them sat down to eat. The other kids noticed how quiet Dawn was, but nothing more; with her locked deep in her own thoughts, it fell to Jeremy to maintain what little discipline was necessary at the table. Afterwards, the other kids readily tended to their assigned jobs: it being their turn, Brittany, Joanna, and Colby took care of putting away any leftovers (after setting aside meals for their parents), clearing the table, and doing the dishes. The next night it would be up to Bethany, Carla, and Tracy to do it. Jeremy had once heard his parents tell another couple "We have a dishwasher, garbage disposal, and all of the labor-saving appliances we'll ever need. Eight of them, in fact!", followed by the other couples laughter.

After leaving the table, Jeremy headed straight for his room and got started on his homework; he wasn't sure if Dawn would hurry to him to find out what he knew, or if she'd put it off as long as possible so as not to hear it any sooner than necessary.

He got the answer when perhaps fifteen minutes later, he heard a soft knock on his door, and Dawn's hesitant "Jeremy?"

"Come on in, Dawn", he responded, before marking his place in his History book and closing it. As he was doing that, he heard the door open, and his sister come in; turning, he watched as she carefully made sure the door was latched, then resignedly came the rest of the way into his room and took a seat on the edge of his bed. She was able to give him only the briefest of glances before lowering her head and staring at the floor.

In a barely audible voice, he heard her ask "What was it you heard and saw last night that you want to talk to me about?"

"I think you already know, Dawn. I got up to go to the bathroom, but when I got down by the door, I heard a noise. I didn't know what it was, but when it happened again, I looked around and saw that your door wasn't closed all the way. After I heard the noise again, I was worried about you, and opened your door enough to see if you were okay."

On hearing that, Dawn blushed furiously as Jeremy continued "Do I have to tell you what I saw?"

Still blushing, Dawn quietly shook her head before he went on "Now, I'd never say anything directly to anyone about it, but there's always the chance that something I said accidentally might get people thinking and talking."

Dawn turned paste white again as Jeremy continued "Of course, I'd be a LOT more careful about what I said, if I had some reason to."

Dawn knew that he was offering her the chance to make some kind of deal with him so that he'd stay quiet about seeing her getting herself off – and also knew, just as certainly, that whatever it was that he wanted, she'd have to 'pay' it if she didn't want absolutely everybody knowing (or even thinking) what she'd been doing. Though Jeremy couldn't know, she was experiencing all kinds of emotions and thoughts as she sat there: wildly hoping that all he'd want would be for her to mow the lawn for him several times (as she'd had to do after breaking their parent's wedding photo frame); afraid that he really would tell people what he'd seen (she didn't think he would, but…); all but dying of embarrassment (and, curiously, also feeling very aroused) that he had seen her; and swearing (yet knowing it was an oath she couldn't keep) that she'd never touch herself that way again. Her mind kept going around in circles, but she was also keenly aware of the silence hanging in the air while Jeremy waited for her to respond. Finally, there was nothing left but for her to quietly ask "Wh… what do you think would be a good reason?" – and hope that the answer wasn't too bad.

After letting the tension build for several seconds, Jeremy answered "Well, you know, Sis, I actually kinda liked what I saw – all of it. So if I could see it again when I wanted to, then I'd have a real good reason to be careful, so I could keep seeing it."

The first thing to connect with Dawns mind was that Jeremy said he liked what he saw. Right on the heels of that, the 'all of it' bit connected. Those two things again got her mind going around in circles: he wasn't grossed out or disgusted by what he'd seen her doing, and he didn't think she was a slut, or sick, or something. And not only that, but it sure sounded as though he was saying he liked the way she looked, too! Sure, he was her brother and kind of a toad sometimes, but it still made her feel good to know that at least one guy thought she had a nice body…

It was nearly half a minute before her conscious mind finally took in the last part of what he'd said; it took nearly as long before she was able to fully process it. When she did, though, she immediately raised her head and emphatically declared "No way, Jeremy!"

"Before you say 'no', Sis, you better think about it some more. What happens if I accidentally say something to somebody at school, and they start thinking that you play with yourself so much that your own brother caught you at it? What d'you think your friends would say if THEY found out? Would you want Mom or Dad hearing about it?"

The first two possibilities had plainly shaken her, but it was the idea of one or both of their parents finding out that got her thinking that maybe what Jeremy wanted wasn't really all that much, or so bad. After all, he'd already seen; and hadn't he said that he liked it? Besides, if he started looking at HER, then maybe she could turn it around and threaten to tell on him for looking…

With the possibility of maybe having a way out of the deal, Dawn figured that she still needed to pretend to be 'fighting' it, so that Jeremy didn't figure she was up to something, and come up with something else – maybe even worse! – for her to do, instead. After a bit, she managed to fake being resigned to her fate, and mildly angry, when she finally told him "Okay, Jeremy, I'll do it. But not when there's any chance someone will see us, or find out! It's just you and me, all alone!"

Having gotten what he wanted, Jeremy knew that agreeing with her conditions (which he'd have wanted, too) would make it easier and more certain that she'd actually do what he wanted when the time came. So he didn't hesitate to tell her "Of course, Sis, if that's what you want."

The two of them sat in silence for several seconds before Dawn asked "Is that it? I can go now?"

"I think so – as soon as we seal the deal."

There was no mistaking the suspicion in Dawns voice when she asked "What do you mean, 'seal the deal'?"

"I mean that before you leave, I think you should do something to let me know that you'll keep your end of things. I mean, once you start, then I'll have every reason in the world to keep MY word."