The Breeding Center Ch. 17

The end of summer gifted us with an unseasonably comfortable evening. The air was filled with the mouthwatering scent of funnel cakes and corn dogs. Riley and I walked from the midway hand in hand. Blissfully happy, and surrounded by the laughter of children running by, I squeezed the stuffed monkey in my arm. "What should we name him?" I asked.

Riley glanced into the bottom of her popcorn bag before retrieving a piece and placing it in her mouth. "How about Poppy?"

"Poppy?" I giggled. "Is that a monkey's name?"

She retrieved another kernel and held it up. "Catch!" she said. She pitched the popcorn at me and I caught it in my mouth. "You got anything better?"

I smirked at her. "No. I guess not... Poppy it is!"

Riley crumbled the empty bag and tossed it into a trashcan. "The Octopus!" She exclaimed. My arm was nearly pulled out of its socket as she yanked me to the gate. Before I knew what was happening, our I.D. bracelets were scanned and we were loaded into a car. A bar secured me, Riley and Poppy in place.

The smile faded from my face but Riley was exploding with delight. She turned to see I didn't share her enthusiasm. "What's the matter? You're not frightened, are you?"

"Just a little nervous," I whispered.

"That's understandable." She said warmly "but it's going to be okay. I promise." Her words echoed familiarly as she put her arm around me and squeezed.

The ride began moving, slowly at first, then faster. The appendages of the octopus moved up and down while the body spun. Riley released me and crossed her arms over the wheel in front of us. With a powerful twist, she untangled herself and the car whipped around on its axis.

I screamed and was overwhelmed with both exhilaration and alarm. I planted my feet and gripped the lap bar with both hands. My weight shifted and I panicked as my grasp became sweaty. Fearful, I turned to my rock for support.

Riley laughed and hollered with jubilation. She didn't recognize my distress. I was astonished two people could have such opposite sentiments toward the same experience. She gave the wheel another spin and I promptly became irritated at her for it. My body remained tense and my growing nausea became my primary focus. Meanwhile, Riley delighted in the thrill. She raised her arms and whooped out loud.

Loathing the ride, I begged for it to end. My stomach twisted and I strained to suppress the sickness. When I could hold back no more, I woke up.

*****

I threw the cover back and sprinted to the restroom. I heaved and voided my stomach. I sucked in a desperate gasp and violently repeated retching for several minutes until I finally sank to my hip beside the commode. With my arm across the seat, I rested my forehead and took several slow breaths.

After a minute there was a light knock on the door. "You okay?" Nora asked.

I reached up and flushed the toilet. "I'll be right out."

"It's okay. Take your time."

I assessed my stomach to confirm the episode was over before I lifted my head and took a deep breath.

"You need anything?" Nora asked, still listening outside the door.

I got to my feet and turned on the sink. The cool water filled my cupped hands and I brought them to my mouth. I swished and spit, then splashed another handful on my face and the back of my neck. I pressed the towel against my face and opened the door.

Nora waited for me anxiously. "I heard regular morning sickness is a sign you're having a girl."

I snickered. "I think anyone can have morning sickness, no matter what they're having." I replied as I collapsed on my bed.

"Well... I hate to tell you, but from the sound of it, I'm afraid you may be expecting an alligator."

We both laughed.

*****

Life on the twelfth floor was certainly different. Aside from our exercise and meal times, there was no structure to abide by, not even a bedtime. My bunkmate was Nora of House St. Petersburg and her best friend from the same House, Josette, was also in our wing. Josette's bunkmate, Lidia of House Shreveport, was a joy as well. The four of us became the best of friends and I began to understand why so many said their years at The Breeding Center were wonderful.

Together, we made up songs and dance routines. We talked and laughed as we played hours of board games, cards, and dominos. We painted each others toes and Nora taught us how to braided each others hair. The four of us often stayed up late talking about our plans for the future and our lives before The Breeding Center. My favorite tales were of the jokes Nora and Josette played on one other. Countless memories were made in those weeks, memories I would treasure for the rest of my life. The four of us vowed to keep in touch after we got out, and even idealized what it would be like if we started our own House when we became much older, and how we would make it a fun and supportive environment for our residents.

One night, while hanging out and talking in Josette and Lidia's room, we were all sprawled out on their beds which we had pushed together. Something touched me and I squirmed. A moment later Lidia's finger grazed the back of my upper arm. "That tickles." I giggled.

"Good" she smirked as her finger poked my ribs.

I jerked and cackled harder as she poked me again, this time giving her finger an extra wiggle. I screamed and rolled over to face her. My arms crossed my body protectively. I looked at her, amused.

Lidia held up her pointer finger and wiggled it. "Here it comes for another!" she announced. She made a silly sound as she turned her finger towards me and approached. I roared hysterically as she drilled it into my collarbone.

"Oh you want to tickle, do you?" I asked playfully.

"Not me. Just you." Lidia teased.

"No. It doesn't work that way." I dove into her ribs with both hands as she squealed and came at me with hers." Nora and Josette quickly rolled off the bed and watched in amusement as a full-bodied tickle fight began. We screamed and laughed and struggled to have the advantage, each fighting to become the tickler and not the ticklee.

After two or three minutes I breathlessly begged for a timeout. Lidia had me on my back and tangled her fingers through mine. "You're going to cause me to pee right on Josette's bed." I announced.

"It will become yours if you do!" Josette joked.

Lidia also worked on catching her breath. She looked down at me. Then her smile faded but her stare did not. I watched her and instantly recognized the expression on her face. She leaned in, pressing our clasped hands against the bed on either side of my head. Only an inch away from my face, she locked eyes with me and the moment seemed frozen in time.

"Kiss her!" Nora cheered.

Lidia drew herself in further and I felt her lips graze mine, warm and soft.

"Oh come on! That's all you've got?" Nora teased.

I wished Nora would shut up. I wished she and Josette weren't standing there to witness such a thing. I wished the fun Lidia and I were having hadn't escalated to this moment. I wished it were Riley looming over me. My heart pounded in my chest and Lidia leaned in to kiss me again. Her lips pressed into mine slightly firmer than before, causing a tingling sensation. She parted her lips and caressed my mouth with hers. The tip of her tongue extended and gently painted my lips before she laid one last peck on me. She pulled back and we returned to our cautious examination of each other as Nora and Josette broke into cheers and applause.

Lidia finally released my hands. She swung her leg off me and returned to sitting beside me. We finally broke our stare as Nora and Josette returned to the bed. Torn, I didn't know how to respond. I rolled over to my stomach and started a random conversation.

"Where did you learn so much about hair?" I asked Nora.

"At the salon at House St. Petersburg." she said. "Do you want me to braid yours?"

"Sure." I said, sitting up.

"I'll do it. I need to practice." Lidia said.

I turned my back to her and she began running her fingers through my hair to comb it out. I shivered and smiled. "You're giving me chills." I said.

Nora retrieved a hair tie as she shared her knowledge of the salon and her duties. Meanwhile, I sat quietly as Lidia played with my hair. Preoccupied with what had just transpired, I was not sure if the kiss meant something to her, or if it was just in play. ...and if it did mean something, how would I explain I was in love with someone else...?

*****