Training Tom Ch. 02: Humility Pt. 01

After cleaning the carpet, he had a cold lunch of half the remaining breast milk. He gulped it down without ceremony, taking care to avoid another errant episode.

He had some work to catch up on, so he sat down at his desk and logged on to his laptop. Remembering the device in his pocket, he took it out and, with a satisfied chuckle, tossed it in his desk drawer.

He began typing away on the keyboard and quickly noticed something was different. His mind was crystal clear. He began skimming a report and noticed how quickly he could read and comprehend each page. He began to type an email and the words flowed out thoughtlessly, yet the content was incredibly rich and insightful.

He suddenly recalled Sophie's proclamation the night of the Homecoming dance, right before they played a complex chess game, when she somehow instilled him with a flash of uncanny intelligence.

Accept my gift of clarity with the humility of a dutiful son before his radiant Mother. Bathe in your newfound comprehension. Wisdom from my mountain...

He realized her gift had returned. And she meant to make it permanent!

Feel your brain clearing and developing as your Mother's milk renews and reconstructs it. You'll soon be ready to retain all I teach you.

Excitedly, Tom opened a draft email he had begun to write to the CEO the previous week. He disagreed vehemently with a decision his boss had made. Yet Tom had hesitated, too afraid to challenge him. With Sophie's clarity and confidence, he quickly wrote a well-argued diatribe, deftly dissecting the flaws in his superior's arguments.

The moment he hit send, a deep weariness came over him. He felt as if he had exercised a newly discovered set of muscles, quickly exhausting his shallow well of energy in the process. He barely got across the room and onto the bed before he fell into a deep sleep.

***

Tom awoke with a start to the sound of the screen door slamming. He sat up in bed to look around and everything was dark.

"Who's there?" he asked worriedly.

"Shh!" came a sharp reply with the pitch of a woman's voice.

His mind whirred...Sophie?

Hands pressed firmly into his shoulders, shoving him onto his back. The woman climbed onto the bed and straddled his mid-section. Before he had time to react, she moved rapidly up his body until bare knees dug painfully into his sore shoulders.

"Ugh," Tom groaned.

"Shh!" the woman hissed again.

Cloth lifted and then settled down with a light breeze over his head, blocking out the faint light of the room. A skirt!

His cock hardened and butterflies danced in his stomach. Her hips edged forward, and cotton fabric pressed down on his jaw. Panties!

For a confused moment he worried it may be Lauren. Shamefully, his cock throbbed even harder at the salacious thought. Then he breathed in, seeking a scent, wracking his brain for who it might be... Lisa!

He tried to speak but her crotch suddenly plowed into his face, ramming painfully into his nose. Her soft thighs closed around his head, and she gyrated her hips, rubbing frantically against him, over and over, pounding his head into the pillow. Her hands grabbed his hair and pulled, adding leverage, causing her pelvis to grind down even harder.

She was still his wife, but he was now nothing to her but a source of friction.

Her breathing became heavy and uneven above, just discernible as her thighs intermittently uncovered his ears. He could barely manage to inhale, and he thought about twisting to push her off.

But he knew he deserved it. All of it. Every smash of his nose. Every crunch of his shoulders. Every debasing minute of his wife's retribution.

He had ravaged her body and she was now ravaging his.

With a flood of guilt, he reminded himself there was so much more she didn't know. He had cheated on her -- and continued to cheat on her -- with their daughter's young friends. He had even lusted after their daughter. She had every right to scorn him, hate him, punish him. If only she knew how deep the rabbit hole went...

Her thrusts became rapid and her breathing labored. She was close to orgasm. Yet his cock had shriveled to nothing, stricken with disgrace. And she made no gesture to touch it. It was useless to her purpose.

Suddenly her thighs clenched on his head and her juices flowed through her underwear, soaking his face in her pungency.

"Mm, mm, Mm, MM!" she grunted in rapid succession, followed by a long "Aaahhh..."

He tried to take a breath but was stymied by her pressure and her wetness. Her body vibrated above him, consumed with the ecstasy of power asserted.

Dignity retaken.

He could feel her heartbeat in her throbbing skin beneath the cloth. Pounding with vitality. Decisive. Commanding.

Like Sophie.

Abruptly, she released his head and swung a leg over his body. He gasped loudly and coughed as the cool air of the room rushed into his lungs.

The screen door slammed shut. She left without a word. But she said everything she needed to.

Tom lay in bed humiliated and flabbergasted, his face sore, soaked in his wife's discharges.

"What the fuck?" he exclaimed aloud.

He turned his head to look at the clock. 7:59 PM

"Oh shit!" he cried.

He was almost late to his nightly Peloton ride. With a blast of dread, he recalled Sophie's punishment for skipping. No time to spare!

And no time for dinner first.

***

One month earlier

Timeline: between Tall Sophie Chapters 3 and 4

***

"Mom, would you like to come shopping with me and Sophie after school today?" asked Lauren. "We need to buy our Homecoming dresses and I'd really like your help picking mine out."

"Why that would be wonderful, dear," answered Lisa, hoping she didn't sound overly excited about the invitation.

Lauren hadn't wanted to shop with her since getting her driver's license over two years prior. Lisa missed their girl time and was painfully aware the window was closing before Lauren headed off to college.

"Great!" Lauren exclaimed. "I'll come home straight from school, and we can drive to the mall together. I'll tell Sophie we'll meet her there at 4."

***

"Did you end up talking to Sophie at the sleepover party?" Lauren asked from behind the wheel of her Toyota Camry, referring to the first time her mother would have met her friend.

"She's the tallest one, right?" Lisa responded from the passenger seat. "No, not really."

"Yeah, super tall. And gorgeous...strong, a total genius, the star of the volleyball team," Lauren gushed. "She's amazing and I can't believe we're already such good friends. Did I tell you she's planning to accept a volleyball scholarship from Stanford?"

"She sounds quite impressive, dear," Lisa responded, doing her best to share her daughter's enthusiasm.

In truth, she worried for Lauren and paused to ruminate on her concerns. As usual, she seemed more focused on the achievements of others than on herself. Lauren was a bright girl, beautiful and athletic in her own right, and her grades were solid. But she had far more potential than she gave herself credit for.

The root of Lisa's angst was that Lauren reminded her of herself. Despite having been an attractive and successful student, she had always presumed herself to be a follower, destined to hitch herself to others she saw as smarter and more driven. She had repeatedly sold herself short, to her own detriment, and feared Lauren was destined to do the same. Her obvious infatuation with Sophie didn't feel right and she subtly delved into it.

"You know as far as I can see, while you're not so tall, you're all of the other things you give Sophie credit for," Lisa said with a leading tone. "Don't forget to look in the mirror and remind yourself of that once in a while."

"Mo-om!" Lauren spoke dramatically with an eye roll. "Just because Sophie's so awesome doesn't mean I think I'm less for it. In fact, Sophie has this incredible way of bringing out the best in everyone around her. I'm really more confident in school and on the volleyball team because of her. You'll see."

Lisa fell silent, knowing to press harder now would just alienate her only daughter. She wished she could get through to her more clearly, to let her know the hopes and dreams she had for her. But their relationship had been strained ever since she entered high school. Lauren didn't seem to look up to her or respect her the way she once had. It hurt Lisa to feel overlooked and taken for granted.

Deep down, she knew that her dreams for Lauren were largely a byproduct of her own regrets. She often thought about the many things that could have been, had she followed a different path. Now she was entering middle age without a career and not much to show for her 42 years -- besides her daughter who, despite her best efforts, had steadily withdrawn from her. As if she no longer had anything of value to offer.

She knew Lauren had to choose her own path. But at the very least, she hoped she could enter adult life unencumbered by the inferiority complex she had unwittingly suffered from. Lisa sat stewing for the remainder of the journey.

Upon arrival at the mall Lauren parked, and they hopped out.

"Sophie said she'll meet us inside the entrance to Saks," Lauren said. "We're going to start with dresses, then pick out shoes to match. I have my eye on this really cool yellow gown I saw on the internet."

On hearing Saks, Lisa felt relieved that she had taken the time to dress nicely for the shopping trip. She wore a dark red, ribbed turtleneck and a black knee-length skirt that attempted to highlight her figure, although, as usual, she wasn't entirely satisfied with the result. Her legs were bare and freshly shaven, and black pointy-toed flats adorned her feet.

She had applied a tasteful amount of make-up, enough to emphasize her best features, but not too much to look like she was trying to conceal her age. Her mid-length hair was parted stylishly to one side and a string of pearls hung from her neck, completing the look.

She thought about how much she hated feeling out of place in fancy settings. It was a remnant of having grown up in a modest blue-collar household. Despite her improved station, she always worried whether she truly belonged.

The two 5'4" women walked through a revolving door and immediately saw Sophie in the middle of the department store's central promenade. Several other people milled about, but Sophie stood out as if a spotlight were shining on her.

The eighteen-year-old wore a pastel-green tank top and form-fitting white denims with bottoms that flared over coordinated white and green sneakers. The tight top emphasized the conspicuous volume of her overdeveloped breasts, while leaving most of her flat tummy exposed. She stood looking at her phone, leaning slightly to one side with her hip jutting out.

Her square shoulders, svelte arms and defined abs attested to her exceptional fitness. Her hourglass figure and beautiful face proclaimed boldly that femininity and athleticism were not historically opposing forces, rather they were always two sides of the same shining female coin.

"She is quite striking, I'll give you that," said Lisa under her breath.

"Hey, superstar!" cried Lauren with a wave, ignoring her mother's comment.

Sophie looked up from her phone and flashed a winning smile, genuinely happy to see her friend.

"Hey, girlfriend!" Sophie answered, her body shifting and taking a step.

Lisa watched as the young woman strode forward with the certainty and purpose of a runway model. Her long, wavy light brown hair bounced with each step, looking lustrous, as if from a shampoo commercial. By contrast her large breasts barely jiggled, held steady by youthful firmness and toned muscle. Or, Lisa wondered, could they possibly be fake?

As Sophie drew nearer, Lisa noticed that her body seemed to grow bigger, as if by some optical illusion. Unlike many tall girls, she wasn't willowy or gangly, rather her proportions were markedly ideal. Every shapely part of her was simply an order of magnitude larger than average. Without perspective for comparison, she could appear to be any height. Only up close was her distinctive size apparent.

As the giantess reached Lauren, Lisa couldn't help but be impressed by the sheer immensity of the teen. She was over a foot taller, but also thicker and wider. Her head and hands were on an entirely different scale from Lauren's.

Sophie crouched down and gathered Lauren into a hug, eliciting a sheepish giggle from the smaller girl. Lisa noted with fascination that Lauren's torso was practically swallowed up into the glamorous Amazon's body, nearly disappearing from view in the embrace.

Lauren appeared again as Sophie released her and stood back up. It was only then that Lisa realized she hadn't taken a breath since Sophie began walking toward them. She inhaled quickly, confused by the odd effect the girl's presence was having on her.

"Sophie, you remember my mom from the sleepover, right?" Lauren said with a bit of hesitation.

"Of course I do!" Sophie said, appearing taken aback and tapping her tongue as if to mildly scorn Lauren for insinuating she didn't. "I would never forget anyone with such a radiant glow about them." Then she turned toward Lisa with a large smile that exposed her straight shining teeth, "You know I almost mistook you two for sisters when I looked up? The years have certainly been kind, Mrs. Douglas. And I love your outfit."

Lisa felt a flutter inside as the tall girl spoke. With most people she would have been suspicious of such blatant flattery. But Sophie seemed so sincere and authentic. Unconsciously, she stood up straighter and puffed out her chest. She couldn't remember the last time someone had complimented her on her looks.

"Oh, come now, dear," Lisa said with a blush, then sensing her lack of composure she extended a hand. "It's very nice to see you again."

Expecting a handshake, Lisa was astonished to find her body absorbed into a full embrace, just as Lauren had been.

The first thing she noticed was how incredibly small she felt in the teenager's arms. The squeeze was gentle, yet she could sense Sophie's strength and athleticism behind it, almost as if she were holding back out of concern for damaging something delicate. She realized it was the same measured hug she had received many times before -- from tall strong men. For some strange reason she felt momentarily safe and protected.

The other thing Lisa observed was just how good Sophie smelled. Her fragrance was mostly a natural feminine essence, but it was complemented by a subtle hint of jasmine. It reminded her of the linens at a five-star Bangkok hotel she had stayed in with Tom years ago. The staff always left a fresh sprig of jasmine flowers on each pillow. She hadn't thought about it in years, but her olfactory memory ran deep. She recalled the wonderful cool nights of rest after long, hot days of sightseeing; of pressing her face to the pillow each time she stirred, just to savor the fresh aroma...

Sophie ended the brief squeeze and arose. Lisa blushed again as she realized her arm was still raised for a handshake. Also, because she hadn't had the presence of mind to return the hug. She bashfully turned away and attempted to regather herself. A weird sense of disappointment came over her, as if the sudden removal of the scent had erased her pleasant memory.

"Now, where can we find the dress section?" Lisa asked intently, eager to reestablish her composure after the strange moment.

"It's on the second floor," Sophie responded. "Follow me."

The group walked toward an escalator and got on. Sophie was two stairs above facing forward. Lisa couldn't help but notice her full, rounded posterior in the skintight pants. It was the ideal heart-shape that women strive for, yet it was probably as large as half of Lisa's body. The teen turned slightly and, with a curious gaze up her legs, she realized that her thighs never touched. Where she expected them to come together in a V, there was a gap of nearly two inches. Unexpectedly, Lisa felt a tingle run down her spine.

Sophie's head turned and Lisa quickly averted her gaze. She didn't normally check out women, whether out of attraction or jealousy. Yet there was something so fascinating about Sophie.

"Let's have Lauren go first since she has an idea of what she wants," Sophie said, casually assuming command as they stepped off the escalator. "I'll probably take longer figuring something out. The choices are pretty limited at my size, but with enough trial and error I can sometimes improvise with an undersized dress, especially if it has a longer skirt. Hashtag: tall girl issues!"

Sophie giggled as she said it, yet Lisa noticed a different tone than she would expect from someone annoyed or disappointed by "issues". Rather, Sophie seemed proud and embracing of her unique attributes.

The tall girl led them to the formalwear department where they were greeted by a short woman in her fifties. Horn-rimmed glasses perched on her nose and dark hair spiraled around her head in a beehive style, reminiscent of another era. She wore an oversized brooch on the shoulder of a conservatively cut pink dress. Her make-up was thick and liberally applied.

"Hello, my name is Florence, but you can call me Flo," she said in a nasal voice, winking as if she were making a unique exception just for them. "I'm a complimentary personal stylist for the store and I would be happy to help you find what you're looking for."

"Really?" Sophie exclaimed with an ambiguous tone.

Lisa couldn't tell for certain if she was mocking the woman as a maven of style, or just surprised by the free service offering. Before the woman could respond, Lauren spoke:

"We're dress shopping for our Homecoming dance. We'd love your help."

"Aha! Follow me," said Flo, with a wave of her hand.

As they stepped among the racks, the older woman turned and scanned Sophie from bottom to top.

"My gosh you're tall! How's the weather up there?" Flo asked with a chuckle, then seeing Sophie's serious face, added, "Oh, I'm sorry you must get that a lot."

"No. Never," Sophie answered in deadpan, casually pulling out her phone as if she were bored with the woman.

Lisa could tell she was being sarcastic, but Florence clearly didn't get the message.

"Oh, I've got a bunch more like that if you'd like to hear them," Flo buzzed cheerily.

"Ooh, that's the yellow one I saw online!" Lauren cried, interrupting the awkward exchange. "Can I try that on?"

"Absolutely, hon. This one right here should be your size," Flo answered, handing her a dress from the rack.

Lauren practically ran to the changing room, bursting with excitement. Then the woman turned and looked up at Sophie.

"And are you looking for something as well, sweetheart? I'll be honest, I don't think we have any dresses for, er, someone like you."

Lisa was appalled with how rude the clerk was being to Sophie. She thought about interjecting to defend her daughter's friend, but Sophie spoke first.

"I'm sorry, what do you mean by 'someone like me'?" she asked icily as she glared down at the woman.

Flo seemed to shrink for a moment, then she straightened her body and answered snootily.

"Well you're a bit, er, too much woman for anything we have here at Saks Fifth Avenue. You might try the discount big and tall store on the other side of the mall."

"Hm," Sophie grunted with a set jaw and pursed lips.

For a fraction of a second her eyes narrowed and Lisa half-expected the giant girl to reach out and snap the woman in two. But her demeanor quickly relaxed, and she raised her gaze.

"I'd actually like to try on that one right there," Sophie said politely, pointing at a burgundy cocktail dress with wispy calf-length pleats.