Edge of Breaking Ch. 01

"God, I am such a pathetic, God, why?" Gracie sobbed.

Gracie came to, in a dark room. There was a fluffy blanket covering her, a far too soft pillow cradling her head. A dim night light shone through the open door of the strange room, lighting a hallway.

Gracie almost screamed out in panic. She was in a strange room, in a strange bed. She didn't know where she was or how she got to this strange room. She didn't know how she got dressed in this large tee shirt; she never slept in tee shirts. She had soft, sensual silk and satin sleepwear. On the coldest of nights, she had soft, beautiful flannel nightwear.

"Oh God, oh God, please help me," Gracie whimpered.

"Hey, how you feeling?" Nancy whispered, coming into the room.

"Oh thank God," Gracie sobbed out, recognizing a friend's voice, a friend's silhouette.

"Need tinkle?" Nancy asked, soft, soothing voice.

"Uh huh," Gracie said.

"Come on, bathroom's right down here," Nancy said, taking Gracie's hands.

Nancy gently pulled Gracie out of the bed. Gracie tugged at the hem of the tee shirt, making sure her body was covered, just in case Eddy was lurking around.

"How are you feeling? Thirsty, want something drink?" Nancy whispered, flicking a light on in a small room.

"I yeah," Gracie agreed, looking at Nancy's ample backside as the woman entered the bathroom ahead of her.

"Nancy! You're naked!" Gracie exclaimed, realizing why she was looking at Nancy's ample backside, looking at Nancy's thick thighs, deep furrow, dimpled cheeks.

"Usually how I sleep," Nancy admitted, smiling. "Since Eddy walks around with a constant hard on, just don't make sense keep putting clothes on, taking them off, putting them on, taking them off."

"But still," Gracie complained, now looking at Nancy's small, round breasts, dark nipples, small paunch and deep tunneled navel and plump pubic mound.

Nancy's pubic mound was bald, except for a thin strip of dark brown hair that did not fully cover her slit. Gracie could see Nancy's inner lips peeking out, a dark pink in color. She looked at the commode, then at her hostess.

"I uh, I can't, I've never been able tinkle in front of anyone," Gracie whispered.

"Oh! Sorry; okay. I, you said you're thirsty? I'll just go get, remember how get back to your room?" Nancy stammered.

"Yeah, out the door, turn left, next door down," Gracie said.

"Okay. Oh! You hungry? Eddy made four burgers; there's still one left. What you like on your burgers?" Nancy offered.

"God, I'm starving!" Gracie realized. "I, just mayo."

"Lettuce? Tomato?" Nancy prompted.

"No. Just mayonnaise, that's all, just mayonnaise," Gracie snapped, starting to become agitated.

"Okay, okay," Nancy soothed and dashed out of the bathroom.

Gracie made sure the bathroom door was securely locked. She sat on the commode and tried to relax her muscles. After a moment, she got up and twisted the cold water tap on the sink. Finally, with the sound of running water, she was able to relax and let loose with a forceful stream.

"Oh! Thank God; thought I was 'bout to pop," Gracie sighed.

Opening the door to the bathroom, Gracie peeked cautiously around. Through another doorway, she could see a light. But she could not see any movement. Quickly, she left the bathroom, closing the door firmly behind herself. Then she dashed to the room she'd woken in.

"Got you a bottled water; didn't know if you'd want a beer or not; Eddy's got St. Elizabeth's lager and I like their rice beer, you want either one of those? Or I got diet Coke, want a diet Coke?" Nancy asked, carrying a plate and a bottle of water.

"The medication, not supposed drink alcohol," Gracie admitted.

"Uh huh. And how many people pay any attention any of that shit?" Nancy asked, putting the bottle of water on the nightstand.

Nancy waited until Gracie was back in the bed, then put the plastic plate onto Gracie's lap. Then she walked around the bed and got into the bed with Gracie.

"Didn't know if you like cheese puffs; I love them," Nancy said, even reaching over and snagging one of the orange treats from Gracie's plate.

"Love them," Gracie admitted.

Gracie attempted, she forced herself to try to sound playful. Gracie lightly batted at Nancy's hand as the woman reached for another cheese puff.

"Uh, hey, I don't eat off your plate. Keep your stinking paws off mine, huh?" Gracie said.

"See? That's the Gracie I like. That's the Gracie I want to see more of," Nancy said, putting her hand on Gracie's thigh.

Even through the big fluffy comforter, the cheap, scratchy bedsheet, the soft cotton of the long tee shirt, Gracie could feel the heat of Nancy's hand. She could feel the other woman's hand on her thigh as it lightly rubbed up and down her leg, in a very familiar, almost intimate movement. . She froze, hamburger and slightly stale bun between plate and mouth.

With great effort, Gracie brought the slightly warm burger to her mouth. She took a bite and chewed the far too salty, over-cooked food.

"How is it?" Nancy asked.

"Good," Gracie lied.

"Really? Eddy always puts too damned much salt, ask me. Told him we're going be dead of heart attacks before we're even thirty," Nancy said.

"What time is it?" Gracie asked.

"Two uh, two forty three," Nancy said, looking at her wristwatch.

"In the morning? Shit! No wonder I'm so hungry!" Gracie said. "God! What? It wasn't even eleven o'clock when we left the apartment, huh?"

She guzzled half the bottle of water, trying to wash some of the saltiness of the burger out of her mouth. Then she continued eating; she truly was famished.

"So, this Business Opportunities class, tell me about it?" Nancy asked.

"Oh, oh! Miss Lopez? You do up a business proposal, develop a product or service and do up a business plan, from start-up to break-even and the whole class does a feasibility study on it, on your plan and I heard one girl say if Miss Lopez likes your idea? She'll invest in it. This one girl? She makes the cookies Miss Lopez sells on her food trucks. And Miss Toni? Miss Lopez's wife? She owns that A and A Soap place. She comes in, gives lectures a lot," Gracie enthused, wolfing down her burger.

"Again, see? This? This is the Gracie I like to see," Nancy smiled, again rubbing Gracie's leg. "So, what's your idea?"

"I uh, last year? My cousin? She was in Malibu, with her husband and she got hit in the head by a surfboard and they had go to the hospital and Duncan, that's her husband, he's sitting there and he has no idea where to go, I mean, nurse tells him cafeteria's on the third floor, get off and take a left but he went to the wrong elevators and got all lost and then couldn't find his way back to where Penny was and my idea was to put the 'You Are Here' style legends next to each bank of elevators; St. Elizabeth's Trauma Center doesn't have them and that was my idea," Gracie said in a rush of words.

"What kind of grade did you get?" Nancy asked.

"Got an 'A' in the class, but so far? Paula Lambert? She's the hospital's CEO? Said there's no real need for that," Gracie admitted. "And there were these twins? Holly and Noelle? Guess what their birthday is? Anyway, they came up with the Frugal Decorators; not everyone's got thousands of bucks decorate their apartments or trailers, but that don't mean they don't want something nice, right? Anyway, Miss Lopez gave them a 'B' 'cause people living in temporary spaces? Said they're not going spend penny one on an interior decorator. But they opened their shop? And they're making all kind of money on their store."

"That Frugal Decorators? On Fifty four?" Nancy asked. "Right there, in Lopez Square?"

"Yes! Miss Lopez? Said no one's going spend penny one on an apartment; said people living in apartments live in apartments because they don't have the money for a more permanent spot. But Holly and Noelle are making a butt load of money," Gracie enthused.

"And how you know that?" Nancy asked, smiling.

"I uh, I don't know," Gracie said, guardedly.

"See our guest has finally woke up," Eddy said from the doorway.

"Uh huh," Nancy said.

"Y'all decent?" Eddy asked.

"Gracie is," Nancy said. "I'm butt ass naked."

Gracie struggled to pull the hem of her tee shirt down, even though the comforter and sheet were securely around her waist. Eddy stepped slightly into the room.

Gracie almost squealed; Eddy was dressed in only a small pair of leopard print polyester briefs. She could see a quite sizeable lump in the front of the briefs, could see the tuft of brown pubic hair sticking out the waist band of the briefs. She could see Eddy's muscled chest and abdomen, his hairless, muscled legs.

"And what a nice butt it is. Hey, how you feeling?" Eddy asked, smiling.

"I uh, I," Gracie faltered.

"Man! You were out of it when Nancy drove up," Eddy enthused.

"You? You drove my car? My Jeep?" Gracie asked, feeling like yet another part of herself had been violated.

"Gracie, you took something, then started crying. Next thing I know, you're all rambling, slurring your words," Nancy defended.

"I, the medication," Gracie admitted.

"Coming back to bed?" Eddy asked Nancy.

"No, Sweetheart, go on back to bed. Gracie and I are having a little girl time, okay?" Nancy said.

"Nancy, you can go on," Gracie said.

"No. We're talking. I can be with Eddy any old time but I never get talk with you," Nancy said, again putting her hand on Gracie's leg.

"Okay, good night," Eddy said.

"Want some more cheese puffs?" Nancy asked, taking the empty plate from Gracie's lap.

"I uh, no, there was plenty enough salt on that burger," Gracie admitted.

"I know; I told you he puts too much salt; he even salts his pizza. Who puts salt on their pizza?" Nancy said. "Water? I'm fixing get me a beer; want anything?"

"It's, I, yeah, get me a beer," Gracie decided.

She watched Nancy's ample rump in the soft light of the hallway's nightlight. She wished she had the courage to just walk around her own space, rump exposed. She certainly would never have the courage, the ease to walk around nude in front of a lover, much less in front of a former classmate.

"I know, Eddy. Put the empties in the recycling bin," Nancy said over her shoulder as she returned, carrying two cans of beer. "Go to bed, Mr. Eddy Edward Michael Roberts."

When Nancy cocked up a thick thigh to get into the bed, her slit parted. Gracie could see Nancy's inner lips peeking out, could see the dark pink lips for a moment.

Then Nancy was handing Gracie a can of St. Elizabeth's Rice Beer. Gracie was treated to the sight of Nancy's full buttocks as the girl wiggled and twisted to wedge her body under the sheet and comforter.

"Eddy likes the lager, this? This, to me, just tastes lighter, a little sharper, you know?" Nancy admitted, popping the top of her can.

"I, I'd never, I wish I could walk around, my huge butt sticking out," Gracie blurted after gulping down nearly half the can of beer in one sip.

"Then do it," Nancy said, actually putting her hand, touching Gracie's ample rump.

Gracie jerked. She clenched her eyes shut, clenched her jaws tightly.

Nancy smiled at Gracie's scrunched up face. Nancy caused Gracie to grunt, grunt as if she were in pain by giving Gracie's left buttock a squeeze.

"And it's not HUGE, like you like to say," Nancy said. "It's the same size as mine and mine is not huge."

Nancy took another sip of her beer. Gracie took the opportunity to drain her can of beer.

"Ours ain't small," Nancy admitted. "But they are not huge."

She leaned close to Gracie. Gracie fought down the urge to shrink away, fought the urge to scoot over as far as the mattress and sheet and comforter would allow.

"Plus that? Eddy loves, loves, loves my butt," Nancy confided. "Warren does too. Says its nice see a woman with an actual butt, not like Megan's flat ass."

"Warren? He's seen..." Gracie stammered and wished she had another beer.

"Yeah," Nancy said. "Couple of times? You know, after smoking a few joints? We'd all just kind of, you know."

"Joints? Drugs?" Gracie gasped.

"Honestly? Hate smoking weed; gives me a headache," Nancy whispered after peering at the hallway, to verify that Eddy wasn't lurking around. "And after the buzz wears off? God! Just feel so stupid."

"But last time?" Nancy whispered, cupping her hand over Gracie's ear.

Gracie shivered; she could feel Nancy's warm breath against her ear. She could feel Nancy's right hand on her thigh again. The intimate touch both terrified and excited her.

"Warren had some 'E' and we took that?" Nancy whispered. "God damn! Shit got me so turned on, next thing I know? Me and Megan? We're doing this sixty nine. Right there, right in front of Eddy and Warren, I swear."

"No! Oh my God!" Gracie gasped, staring in horrified fascination at Nancy.

"And Eddy shows them why he likes my big old butt," Nancy continued. "Starts screwing me, up the ass, right there, right in front of Warren and Megan and of course Megan says 'no way you doing that to me' so Warren does me up the butt and..."

"I think I'm going be sick," Gracie moaned, actually feeling the beer and burger and cheese puffs in her throat.

Nancy quickly helped Gracie to the bathroom again. A wet washcloth applied to Gracie's hot forehead helped to alleviate the crisis.

"Nancy, you can go on to bed; I'm just going lay down, get some sleep," Gracie said when they returned to the bedroom.

"I'll sleep with you," Nancy said.

Not being courageous enough to demand that Nancy leave her, let her sleep alone, Gracie steeled herself and lay down.

"Good night," Nancy whispered and softly kissed Gracie's lips.

"Ugh!" Gracie grunted, shocked at the unexpected contact.

"Good night," Gracie whispered a moment later.

Pale sunlight streamed in through the window; the curtains were open and the blinds pulled halfway up. Gracie looked from the window to the smiling face of Nancy Hebert.

"I've always thought you were the prettiest girl I knew," Nancy said softly. "But watching you sleep? God, you're gorgeous."

"I got to pee," Gracie blurted out.

Upon her return, Gracie watched as Nancy made the bed. The woman bent at the waist to tuck the sheet up under the mattress. When Nancy bent, Gracie could see the woman's light brown anus, could see her pink lips, the thin strip of brown pubic hair.

"Clothes are on that chair," Nancy said, turning and seeing Gracie staring at her.

"Uh, yeah, I, uh, how'd I get..." Gracie wondered out loud.

"I stripped you, put one of Eddy's old tee shirts on you," Nancy said, sliding open a drawer on a small dresser.

She pulled out another large tee shirt and shrugged into the garment. Gracie did not know what to think; another person had stripped her, had seen her nude body. Another person had seen her small breasts, had seen her very large areolae, her fat nipples. Another person had seen the profusion of dark brown pubic hair between her legs.

"I really am a blonde," Gracie instinctively said.

"Uh, yeah, I know that," Nancy smiled, a little giggle in her voice. "Uh Gracie? I've seen you since ninth grade? I know that's not a dye job."

Gracie was in a real quandary. If she turned her back to Nancy, Nancy would see her gigantic butt. If she faced Nancy, Nancy would see her dark brown thatch.

"Need start on breakfast," Nancy said.

Nancy gave Gracie a soft kiss, lip to lip. Gracie fought down the urge to shrink away, fought down the urge, the need to shove Nancy away.

"Out the door? Stairs are to the left, okay? Just come on down," Nancy said and left the room.

Gracie locked the door and tested it. Satisfied that the door was secure, she then lowered the blinds. Then she hurriedly wiggled into her bikini bottom. Her shorts were yanked up and snapped.

Gracie then flung the tee shirt off and quickly got the bikini top on, then her top. With a huge sigh of relief, she finally slipped her canvas sneakers onto her feet.

Gracie folded the tee shirt and carried it to the bathroom. She dropped it into the cute wicker hamper, neatly folded. She then made her way down the stairs.

"Hey, there she is, hi sleepy head," Eddy smiled. "Coffee?"

"Please," Gracie managed to choke out.

Eddy was still dressed in his micro-briefs and flip flops. In the dim lighting of the hallway's nightlight, the view had been disconcerting enough. Now, in full morning light, with his thick brown hair so deliciously tousled, five o'clock shadow gracing his handsome face, Gracie could feel her insides turning to liquid, could feel her mind turning to mush.

"Eddy, huh?" Nancy said, swatting her boyfriend on his taut buttocks. "Put a shirt on; Gracie don't need see you running around half naked."

Grumbling good naturedly, Eddy left the kitchen. Nancy poured Gracie a cup of coffee and indicated the serving containers of sugar, creamer and artificial sweetener.

"Purse is on the table," Nancy said.

Gracie's heart lurched. Had Eddy or Nancy looked in it? She could think of nothing that was in her purse that was embarrassing, incriminating, but it was still personal.

Nancy made quick work of preparing French toast and sausage patties. Then, Nancy and Eddy took Gracie on a tour of their two story home.

Everywhere Gracie looked, she saw unnecessary extravagance. The furniture was brand new; Eddy and Nancy had purchased the furniture from O'Neil's on a five year payment plan.

Even on the back porch, there was more unnecessary expense. The couple had bought a brand new hot tub, had erected an insulated tool shed and had bought brand new rattan furniture for the deck itself. The propane grill was brand new; Gracie could see the packing tape wadded up on the small outdoor table.

The house was beautiful, Anita Lopez had cut very few corners in the construction, the trim. When Eddy and Nancy proudly let it slip that they'd managed to buy the house with only five percent down, Gracie's eyes opened wide.

"How, how much is your note?" Gracie asked.

"Thirty year mortgage with an adjustable rate," Eddy said proudly.

"Right now? We're probably paying less than you're paying for your apartment," Nancy bragged.

"But when that rate is adjusted," Gracie said, eyes still wide.

"Hey, I make good money," Eddy said defensively.

"Eddy's training be an electrician," Nancy said. "And I'm working part-time at Cal's Western Wear, out in Flowers."

"Part-time? Nancy, that rate goes up, you've got no equity in this house. Part-time isn't going to cut it," Gracie said. "And all this furniture? Oh my God."

"What time's kick-off?" Nancy asked Eddy, turning a deaf ear to Gracie's words.

"Noon," Eddy said.

"Well, grass is right there. You can either cut it now, or during the game," Nancy said.

"Thanks, thanks for having... Sorry I uh, kind of had an episode on you," Gracie said.

"Give me your phone number?" Nancy asked.

Gracie steeled herself and gave Nancy her cell phone number. Then she begged Nancy not to divulge the number to anyone else.

"Please, please don't give it to Megan or Warren," she pleaded.

"Gracie, I won't," Nancy promised. "Thank you for trusting me with it."

Nancy gave Gracie a hug and kiss at the front door. Eddy stepped up behind Nancy, dressed in grubby tee shirt and ragged shorts. He smiled and waved as Gracie stepped out the front door of the home.

"God damn, she is one..." Gracie heard Eddy say as the door was shut.

Standing by her Jeep, Gracie looked across the street at 417 Cross Circle. The single story building had been framed and some of the OSR boards were already up. The stakes for the in-ground swimming pool had been driven into the soft sand. Standing there, Gracie could envision in her mind what the home would look like when finished. The floor plan was an open one; designed to be ergonomic, user friendly.