Chapter 9 (Patreon)

Pam walked down the sidewalk towards her and her girlfriends' favorite bar and grill. She felt a slight chill in the air and wondered if she should have chosen something different to wear. Tight leggings with a miniskirt adorned her lower half, while her top half was covered by her favorite purple blouse. The outfit showed off her curves but was just reserved enough to be appropriate for her destination. Donny D.'s Good Time's Bar had been her and the girl's haunt long before she and Chad had tied the knot, and now it was more like a sanctuary of reprieve rather than a place to unwind. Everything that had happened with Chad and her family had her nerves completely shot. She put on a brave front, tried to remain vital for her family, but the truth was this was all too much for her to bear. A truly magical honeymoon had ended with her husband catching this horrid virus, and now she was left trying to hold their family together. Victoria was carrying Cups and trying to help her as much as she could, but she could tell that the young woman was becoming increasingly stressed. Between handling her father's business and trying to look after Chad, it was taking its toll on her little by little.

Bram disappearing only added to both of their stress levels, and as much as she loved Anna, she was apprehensive about her being left alone with Chad. When Anna's father had left them, it had impacted both of their lives. It had crushed her, and she almost hadn't recovered from it. She'd pulled herself together for the sake of her daughter, but by then, the damage had been done. Anna, to her credit, had been strong for being so young. She'd been more worried about Pam's wellbeing than her own, and the nine-year-old girl had done everything she could to support her mother. It had brought them closer together, but Pam hadn't seen what it was doing to Anna until it was too late. Anna never trusted another man, even ones her own age, and had been cold and distant to whomever Pam brought home. Chad was no exception despite him making more of an effort than most. Now that her husband was reduced to the size of an insect, she feared what Anna might do to him if given a chance. This fear, no matter how much she denied its existence, made her feel even worse about the whole situation.

She needed a drink. She needed several drinks after the week she'd had. Clients had dropped at work due to shrinking incidents, some of the trainers had caught the virus leaving her and the other girls to pick up the slack, and then there was everything going on at home. Chad had been distant lately, almost as if he was afraid of her. He insisted it was bad dreams, but she'd known him too long to believe that was all it was. Granted, he looked like he hadn't been sleeping well, but he was also jumpy. Anytime something dropped, or someone entered the room, he would tense up. It was difficult to see, but she'd started watching him more closely as of late. She didn't know what was going on, but all she wanted was for him to talk to her. Much as she wished he would, he simply wouldn't, and she knew pressing him would only push him further away. That was what brought her here tonight. She needed a bit of an escape, and Victoria had offered to take care of him while she was away.

She walked through the front doors and looked around for her friends. The warm atmosphere of the bar was a nice and familiar comfort to her. Hardwood floors, stained a deep cherry red, sprawled throughout the establishment with several tables scattered throughout. A dance floor was off to the side with an empty stage in the distance; the band who normally played had been on hiatus since the epidemic had started. In their place was music pouring through the PA system throughout the bar. Tonight's selection was classic rock and roll, and Janis Joplin's Bobby McGee filled the space. The bar was across from the main entrance, and tonight's bartender was Sharon Sloan. It was a weeknight, but even so, the place was much less lively than it usually was. Sharon gave Pam a smile as she walked in and gestured to a high-top table off to the side where her friends had already assembled.

She saw them engaging in Smalltalk and laughing, and she decided to join them in hopes of alleviating some of her current concerns. Heather was the first to spot her, and she rose from her seat to greet her with open arms, "Pammy, oh my God, it's so good to see you!"

Pam accepted the hug her friend offered and smiled, "Good to see you too, Heather. How have you been?"

Heather's face fell slightly, and Pam knew the look all too well. The smile on her face returned, but Pam could see it wasn't quite genuine, "I'm making it well enough. Trying to keep up with David and make sure he doesn't get hurt. What about you? How are you, Chad, and the kids holding up?"

She'd wondered who else had been affected by this epidemic. It was all over the news, but knowing someone else who was enduring it somehow made it feel more real. "As good as they can be," she admitted as she walked over to take a seat with her girlfriends, "Chad's been trying to be strong, Victoria has to run Cups while he's away, Anna has been trying to help out, and until today Bram was working to keep everyone together."

She slid onto one of the high-top chairs and looked around at her friends. Sophie, the ringleader of their wild nights, sat across from her wearing a form-fitting burgundy cocktail dress. Her shoulders were free, and even sitting down, Pam could see the dress was made to show off her friend's every curve. Nancy sat beside her, her blonde hair falling past her shoulders and spilling onto her yellow sweater. Though her outfit was more reserved, the sweater accentuated her bust, and her stonewashed jeans were rather tight. Heather's jet-black hair was tied up in a bun, and she had on a teal blouse with flowing sleeves. A pair of dark jeans were tucked into a pair of black boots that gave her friend an extra couple of inches. Seeing them together and dressed up reminded her of her Bachelorette party. If only she felt as good as she did that night.

Nancy frowned at the last part as she set her drink down, "What do you mean, 'until today?'"

Pam shook her head, "He's gone. I've been worried sick about him, and so has everyone else in the house. We don't know if he ran off because of the stress or if he just forgot to tell us he was going to a friend's house. Whatever the case, it just isn't like him to do this."

"Do you think he could have, you know, caught the virus from Chad?" Nancy asked tentatively.

Pam held up her hand, "Please don't, I don't even want to think about that. It's bad enough having to constantly worry about and keep up with Chad, and I don't know if I could handle worrying about Bram as well."

Heather reached across the table and placed a hand on Pam's arm, "Honey, we aren't trying to scare you, but it is a very real possibility. David only had a cup of coffee with Chad, and look what happened to him. I know how close Bram and Chad are, so I doubt Bram was keeping his distance from Chad. Nancy and I both know how challenging this whole thing can be."

Pam looked over to Nancy and asked, "Jeff caught it too?"

Nancy nodded and traced the rim of her cosmopolitan, "He did. He went out for drinks after work one night, and two days later, he looked awful. The next morning I almost sat on him in bed. He's been taking it in stride, though, says he kind of likes me being bigger than him."

"Really?" Pam asked.

"Mhm," Nancy said as she took a sip of her drink, "I don't know if he has a fetish for this sort of thing, but he hasn't complained anytime he's ended up under my feet or my ass. It doesn't make me worry any less, though. I don't know what I would do if anything happened to him; I mean, what would I tell people?"

"Sounds like he would have died happy," Sophie chimed in.

"How can you say that?" Nancy asked, shocked at Sophie's candid and frankly callous remark.

Sophie shrugged in response, "Men are meant to be enjoyed, Nancy, and from what you're saying, Jeff would die a happy man. Honestly, have none of you ever thought about what it'd be like to have one of them squirming around inside of you?"

"No!" all three of them exclaimed.

"I can tell you from experience, it feels incredible," Sophie said, "There's something about the rush of power of holding their lives in your hand. Feeling them struggle inside of you, beneath your feet, or even in your ass is intoxicating. You girls really expect me to believe that not a single one of you enjoy whenever Jeff, David, or Chad ends up in a more...intimate place?"

All three girls suddenly found their drinks and the table fascinating. Heather was the first to speak up, "I-I mean, maybe I kind of enjoy it when I've David between my breasts."

"See!" Sophie exclaimed, "There's no shame in it, girls. It's perfectly natural. Look, I'm not saying that any of you, or me for that matter, would or should hurt any of them. All I'm saying is that this whole thing can be fun if you let it. I mean, Pam, shouldn't this be like an adventure for Chad? He's like that Paul Rudd guy in that movie, Ant Guy."

"Antman," Pam corrected, "Don't try to play the superhero card with me, Soph. Antman can grow himself back, he's resistant to all kinds of harm, and he actually has clothes that fit him. I'm pretty sure that somehow Chad has a bruised rib or something that he isn't telling me about, and this isn't a comic book or a movie. This is real life!"

"Alright, alright," Sophie said, holding her hands up in surrender, "I'm not saying go home and abuse your husband, hon, all I'm saying is that maybe it isn't all bad."

"Soph, I appreciate what you're trying to do," Pam admitted, "But Chad barely talks to me anymore, and it's like he's terrified all the time. I'm not even sure he's sleeping right anymore, and honestly, I miss having my husband next to me at night."

"You really think he's hurt?" Heather asked, concern evident in her voice. Pam nodded, and she asked, "Do you think he fell, or did he get caught under someone?"

"I don't know," Pam admitted, "That's what scares me about all of this. I have no way of knowing. The fact that he barely talks to me anymore is only making things worse too. God help me. I'm worried Anna might have done something to him."

"Come on, Pammy, Anna wouldn't do something like that," Sophie said, genuinely trying to comfort her friend, "Anna is a lot of things, but she knows how much he means to you. I'll admit, she doesn't like Chad, but I don't think she'd purposefully do anything to hurt him. She's a good kid, a little rough around the edges, but she loves you too much to do something that would upset you."

"Yeah, Pam," Heather agreed, "That girl puts you first in everything, and I really don't think she'd intentionally hurt him."

"So then what if it was Victoria or me?" Pam asked quietly, "He's so fragile now, and all it would take is one wrong move to...to end him."

"Don't talk like that," Sophie said, "Look, Chad might be a geeky guy, but he's tougher than he looks. Just keep a close eye on him, and trust Victoria and Anna to look after him."

"What do you think happened to him?" Nancy asked.

Pam sighed as she prepared to recount the events, "It started the other day when Chad went with Victoria to work. He wanted to show her how to run the day-to-day operations, no big deal. I was worried about him, but I trusted Victoria to keep him safe."

"Do you think she did something to him?" Nancy asked, "Or do you think something happened to him while he was at work?"

"I don't think Victoria did anything to him," Pam replied, "As far as if something happened while he was at work, that I'm not sure. He got stuck in the cash register at one point, covered in coffee grinds later, and then spent the rest of the day in her pocket, or at least that's what they told me. I know Victoria wouldn't lie about things, she loves her father, but it was after that day that Chad started keeping things to himself. He said he was tired and wanted to go to bed, so I took him to the little box I set up for him. I checked on him before I went to bed, and he was fine, but when I woke up, he looked like he'd barely slept. He swears he's just been having bad dreams, but I honestly don't know if he's lying or not. Since then, he's been distant from everyone."

"He was exactly where you left him when you woke up?" Heather asked.

Pam nodded, and Nancy added, "Maybe he's got claustrophobia from being in the register, and that's been making it hard for him to sleep."

"All I know is that I want my husband back," Pam said, her voice cracking slightly, "Yeah, I want him to hold me again, but he's not been himself at all lately."

"Maybe he just needs you to show him some affection," Sophie said and received a cross look from Pam, "I'm serious, Pammy. It might do him a world of good. Again, I'm not saying abuse him or anything, but when's the last time you held him? When's the last time the two of you just sat down and did something you both enjoy?"

"Hey girls, why the long faces?" Jody's voice called out from behind them, "I thought the whole point of a girl's night out was to have fun and laugh, not sit around frowning and brooding."

Pam turned to see her friend and fellow trainer behind her with a bag on her shoulder. She smiled at her, glad to see another of her friends, "Jody, I didn't know you were coming out!"

Jody looked like she had just gotten off work. Her hair was damp from where she had showered, but she was wearing a gym outfit. Tennis shoes and black leggings that hugged her supple yet firm curves and a white spaghetti strap halter top with LIFT embroidered on the front. She may have been the most casually dressed out of the group, but it did nothing to take away from her looks. It was rare for Jody to join them on their nights out, but it was a welcome sight for Pam. Jody had always been a good friend, and lately, she'd been a pillar of support with everything going on.

"Sophie called me," she said as she took a seat next to her, "She told me you needed some company and cheering up, and how could I say no to that? You look like you need a hug, hon. What's the matter?"

Heather answered for her before she could reply, "We're talking about how difficult this whole epidemic has been in our marriages. Pam's having a little trouble at home."

Jody put an arm around Pam and pulled her into a side-hug. Pam accepted the gesture and laid her head down against her friend's shoulder. Jody silently relished the moment before asking, "What's going on, Pam? Chad's not taking his frustrations with his little predicament out on you, is he?"

"No, of course not," Pam replied, "It's just been putting a bit of a strain on our relationship."

"Pam thinks that something might have happened to Chad," Heather clarified, "From the sounds of it, he hasn't really been himself lately."

"Oh," Jody said and gently rubbed Pam's shoulder, "Are you two going to make it through?"

Pam sighed but nodded, "I think so. I'm just worried about him, and he won't tell me what's going on or what happened. I love him, but this just isn't like him."

"In all fairness, Pammy, it isn't like him to be as small as he is either," Sophie said, "As fun as it is to play around with a tiny person, I can't even begin to imagine what it must be like for them. I mean, one day, everything is normal, and the next, you're the size of a bug. Maybe he just didn't realize the gravity of the situation until recently."

"Maybe," Pam agreed, "But still, I just want my husband back. I'm tired of sleeping alone, sick of worrying all the time, and honestly, I just want him to hold me and tell me everything is going to be alright one more time."

"That's all anyone really wants at the end of the day," Jody said with a look of longing in her eyes before turning to Sophie, "Wait a minute, did you say you actually fooled around with one of those shrunken guys?"

"Yep," Sophie said proudly while taking a sip of her drink, "Greg, a guy I used to work with before all of this, was stuck on a park bench. I found him, offered him some help for a price, and took him home with me. His little prick wasn't worth much, but that wasn't what I was interested in. I had him worship me like a Goddess all night that night."

"Seriously?" Nancy asked, "He actually did it?"

"Not like he had much of a choice," Sophie laughed, "He wasn't in any position to argue, and I wasn't going to take no for an answer. I laid down, put him at my feet, and had him kissing and licking my soles and toes. I told him to keep moving up but to leave my pussy be until I said otherwise. Took him almost two hours to make it all the way up my body, but the little guy was a trooper! I was so hot by the time he made it to my neck; I grabbed him and told him to relax and do as I said. His little body made for an excellent dildo."

"Jesus, Sophie, did you kill him?!" Heather asked.

"What? No!" Sophie replied, incredulously, "He did what I told him to, and he was fine. He was terrified when I pulled him out, yeah, but I managed to get him calmed down. I slept like a rock that night, and I let him sleep between my tits. I woke up the next day, he was still where I put him, and we got to talking about things. Granted, it's not always easy to hear him, but he told me about what happened to him and how he ended up on the bench. It turns out his girlfriend had been cheating on him. She used his body while she fucked the other man and then dumped him off at the park."

"You're joking," Jody said, "How did she...use him, and how long had he been on the bench?"

Sophie finished her drink before she continued, "He hasn't said yet, but my guess is she either used him to clean out the guy's cum from her vag or used him during the act. It's kind of a sore subject for him, so I haven't really pressed him on it. As for how long he was on the bench, he said he'd been stranded there for a day or so. Ate crumbs, dodged people's asses, and almost got ate by a spider."

"Oh my God," Pam said, pulling away from Jody, "I hadn't even considered the possibility of something like that!"

Sophie nodded, "Neither had I. That's what I'm trying to say. There are all sorts of things that we, and them for that matter, don't consider a reality until it happens. I mean, this whole thing is like something out of a science fiction movie."

"Hold on, back up," Jody said, "Is he still living with you?"

"Yup," Sophie beamed, "He sleeps in a little hammock. I made it out of an old pair of panties. It's cute and funny how small he is in them, but what was I supposed to do? I couldn't just throw the little guy out after using him as a sex toy, and not after everything he told me. He's a polite little thing, he calls me a Goddess, still worships me on his own, and he's cute. At least, I think he is. Kind of hard to tell at that size, but if it's the same guy, and I think he is, then I always found him kind of cute."

"Oo, is Sophie finally going to settle down?" Heather teased.

"I wouldn't go that far, girls," Sophie said with a smile, "I like playing the field a little too much for that."

"But you just said he's cute, and he's been staying with you," Nancy said before asking, "How long has he been living with you?"

"About a week," Sophie said casually, "What would you have me do, throw him out?"

"I'm not saying that," Nancy replied, "All I'm saying is that maybe this guy could be the one."

"The one, really Nancy?" Sophie scoffed, "Do you even hear how ridiculous you sound?"

"What's so ridiculous about it?" Pam said, taking some mild interest in her best friend's story, "It's sort of romantic and sweet; kind of a reverse damsel in distress type deal."

"Pammy, I used him to get myself off the first night I met him," Sophie said.

"How's that different than your usual Friday nights?" Jody joked.

The table broke out into a fit of genuine laughter for the first time since Pam sat down. It felt good to have a bit of levity amidst everything that had been going on and everything they'd been talking about. Sophie laughed and joked, "That's true, but at least this guy was actually able to get me off. Normally I have to fake it just to get them to stop fumbling around on top of me."

"So, if he was normal size, would you date him?" Pam asked as the laughter died down.

Sophie shrugged, "I mean, I guess it depends. If he was as polite as he's been now, and if he was as adoring as he is, then maybe. He worships me almost nightly, and after that first night, I haven't had to make him do it."

"Really?" Heather asked, slightly intrigued by her friend's response.

"Yeah, I don't know if he's usually like this or if it's the size difference, but he's even asked me if he could a few times," Sophie replied.

"Now, that is really sweet," Nancy said.

"Yeah, I'm sure they'll make a movie out of our story," Sophie joked.

"Maybe a porno," Jody laughed.

"Oh shut up," Sophie said, "I'm not saying I would, and I'm not saying I wouldn't. We'll see how things go, and maybe when things get back to normal, I'll consider it. Honestly, I never thought much about someone doing those sorts of things to me. Usually, it's just me and a guy going at it, but when I saw how much power I had over Greg...something inside of me just went for it. That's what I'm telling you, girls, though. Don't go home and hurt your husbands, but try it and have a little fun with them. Who knows, they might even enjoy it a bit."

"I still don't know if Chad would be up for it with everything going on with him, though," Pam said.

"Maybe it's what he needs," Sophie said.

"I'm going to regret this, but what do you mean?" Pam asked.

"Think about it, Pammy," Sophie said, leaning against the table, "You two haven't been able to be intimate since this whole thing started, and as nerdy as he is, I know he misses being with you just as much as you miss him. You said he'd been off lately, so what if it's because he needs a little release?"

"I might try it with David," Heather chimed in, "It does sound like it could be fun, and maybe if I talk to him about it first, he won't be too scared. I just don't want to hurt him."

"I think Jeff might actually enjoy it," Nancy added, "He's always treated me like a princess anyway, so maybe he'll enjoy himself with the size difference."

Pam looked around the table at her friends. Both Heather and Nancy seemed genuinely interested in the idea of using their men like toys, but she still wasn't sure about it. The idea certainly had a bit of appeal to it, if only so she could feel Chad once again, but she was worried it might push him further away. His demeanor was already incredibly frightful, so what if she did something he didn't like or want? She mulled it over in her head as, one by one, her friends looked at her. She could feel an expectant gaze from each of them. It was harmless curiosity, but she couldn't help but feel slightly pressured by them. She subconsciously began squirming in her seat at the unwanted attention on her.

"Alright, girls, let's not put the spotlight on Pam," Jody said, inadvertently coming to her rescue.

"We're not," Heather defended, "I was just wondering what she thought about the idea."

"Did we come here to talk kinks or to drink and have fun?" Jody countered, "It sounds like the three of you could use a bit of fun, so why don't we order a round of shots and live a little?"

"That sounds like as good an idea as any!" Sophie exclaimed and flagged down a waiter, "Tequila, please, two shots for all my girls here."

"You got it, mam," the boy said as he went off to the bar.

Heather, Nancy, and Sophie started talking amongst themselves while they waited on their first round. Pam listened idly for a moment until she felt Jody nudge her and heard her whisper, "You okay?"

She smiled and whispered back, "Yeah, thank you for getting the focus off me."

"Anything for you, Pam," Jody said sweetly, "You know I'm always here for you if you need to talk."

"Thanks, Jody," Pam replied, "Right now, I just want to have some fun, enjoy being around my girls, and forget about everything for a few hours."

"Then let's do it," Jody said as the waiter sat a tray of tequila shots down. They each took one, and Jody raised hers up, "Let's have some fun, girls!"

"Hell. Yes," Sophie said, "I knew I called you for a reason!"

They cheered and downed their drinks, and Sophie ordered another round for the group. As Pam let the familiar tangy burn wash over her, she felt a slight weight lift off of her shoulders. Drinking, laughing, and catching up with her girlfriends was just what she needed. A break from the worries and calamity of her home life for a short while. She sat back and enjoyed the company of her friends for a little while. With every drink, she felt herself relax and return to some semblance of normalcy. Neither her, Nancy, or Heather spoke again about their husbands and the difficulties they were all facing. For the first time since everything had begun, she felt a bit like her old self.

Meanwhile...

Chad slowly started to come to. The last thing he remembered was enduring a soapy hell with Anna, free falling, and her just barely saving him. His entire body was sore, and he was lying on something soft. Part of him was afraid to open his eyes, but he knew that sooner or later, he'd have to face whatever awaited him. With moderate reluctance, he opened his eyes and tried to sit up. He wasn't in his and Pam's room, that much was obvious, and a quick look around revealed he was in Anna's room. His heart sank at the realization that he was on her dresser. Photos of her and Pam, her and her team, and a school photo were sitting framed off to the side. He was reminded, yet again, of how small he was just by looking at the frames that were the size of houses compared to him. He sat up and winced as a wave of pain shot through his side.

"You're awake," he heard Anna's voice.

He followed the sound of her voice and saw her sitting on her bed. She stood up and walked over to him, and he couldn't stop himself from cowering as she approached. To his surprise, she stopped upon seeing him. "Anna," he said, "How long have I been out?"

"A few hours," she replied and slowly walked forward, "How are you feeling?"

"What do you care?" He spat venomously.

"Listen, runt I-" she started before stopping and taking a deep breath, "Chad, this might come as a shock, but I don't actually want to kill you. If I did, I would have let your scrawny ass hit the floor and go down the drain."

They stared at each other for a moment before he broke eye contact and sighed, "Forgive me if I find that hard to believe," he said before shaking his head and amending, "I'm sorry, okay? It's been a long and rough few days for me, and I want to believe you, I really do, but the way you've treated me makes that really difficult."

It was her turn to look away, "I guess that's fair, stupid but fair," she said before looking at him with that familiar hard look, "I'm gonna ask again, and if you're going to be a dick about it, I'll just go back to doing whatever I want. How are you feeling?"

He put a hand to his side and answered honestly, "Sore, I think you might have done more damage than you realized. Why are you doing this, Anna?"

"Why am I having fun with you, or why am I asking if you're alright?" she asked.


"Both," he answered.

She sat down on a small bench in front of him before answering, "Because it's fun for me, it puts you in your place, and I know that it'll only be a matter of time before you do something to hurt my mom. As for why I'm making sure you're okay, I could say it's because I don't want my new favorite toy to get broken, which isn't a lie, but for whatever reason, mom really cares about you. I don't get it, but she's been worried about you since our first night of fun. You kept your mouth shut like I told you, but she knows something is up with you, and she's scared. I don't...I don't want to be the reason that she gets hurt."

This was different. Today had been full of surprises, some better and some worse. Twice today, Anna had started to open up to him, and while he disagreed with her view of him, he could understand her concern. He tried to choose his response carefully, "Anna, I know you're just trying to protect your mother, but why is it so hard to believe that I care about her?"

"My dad told her he cared about her, and so did every other asshole who left us," she replied, "I believed them, just like mom did, and every time they left and hurt us. After Doug, I realized that all men are the same. Why should I believe you're any different?"

The look in her eyes held hatred, but there was pain behind those blue eyes as well. "Anna," he began, "I know that a lot of guys are jerks, but not all of us are like that. The bad definitely outweighs the good, but there are good men out there. I'm not perfect, I know that, but I love your mother more than anything. I'd do anything for her just like Victoria and Bram, and that includes you now too. I'm not going to ask that you let go of the past and what happened, but I will ask that you give me a chance. If your mom asked me to sell my business tomorrow, I would. I just want her to be happy."

"That your way of subtly asking me to stop messing with you," she asked.

"That's not what I meant, but I wouldn't complain if you did," he replied, "There are going to be days where I'll have to be left in your care, we both know that, but does it always have to include you torturing me?"

"So what, you want us to sit back and watch a movie or some stupid father-daughter bullshit together?" she asked.

"That might be nice, but I'm not going to hold my breath on that," he admitted with a small smile, "I know you don't like me, and that's fine because I know you're just worried about your mom. Maybe we could come to a compromise?"

She was silent for a moment while she mulled over his idea. She was impossible to read at times like this, and he felt a bit nervous as he wondered what was going through her mind. At least he could say he tried to reason with her, if nothing else. Finally, she replied, "Alright, pipsqueak, I'm not unreasonable. Here's the deal I'm willing to make. You spend one hour a day doing whatever I say, rubbing my feet, cleaning between my toes, or worshipping whatever part of my body I say, and I'll make sure you don't get hurt. If you and I are left alone together, then you do what I say until I feel like you've earned a break. Once I'm satisfied, I'll let you watch some TV, read one of your and mom's comics, rest, or whatever you want. I think that's fair."

He didn't think that fair was quite the right word, but he knew it was as good an offer as he was going to get with Anna. He nodded and said, "I'm not exactly in a position to argue, but I draw the line at doing anything with your pussy."

"Relax, shortie, as far as I'm concerned, you belong to mom," she said, "I was messing with you in the shower. Besides, you don't deserve to be near that part of me."

That was a relief, although she certainly had him fooled earlier. He still wasn't overly fond of the idea of being viewed as a possession rather than a person, but beggars could be choosers, as the old saying went. "Alright, and you won't hurt me during that hour?" he asked.

"Not if you cooperate and don't give me a reason to," she replied, "As long as you remember your place and who's in charge, you won't have anything to worry about."

"Does this start today?" he asked.

"Nah," she said, "The shower wasn't an hour, but I think you've had enough for now. Wouldn't want to break my plaything, now would I?"

"Alright," he agreed, "Not that it matters, but I really don't like you calling me things like that; the small jokes are fine, I guess, but I'm still a person. Can I ask one favor?"

"People aren't this small," she countered, "The only thing your size are bugs, toys, and pets, but I'm glad you know it doesn't matter. Prove to me that you're more than just another dirtbag, and maybe I'll let up on calling you those things. Now, it depends on the favor. What do you want, shrimp?"

"Bram," he said, "I'm worried about him, and so are your mom and Victoria. Hate me all you want, but please try to find him or get in touch with him."

She was quiet for a moment before responding, "You're really not bullshitting about caring about us, are you?"

"Family comes first, Anna, always and forever," he replied, adamantly, "I'll always put the needs of you, your mother, Bram, and Victoria before my own. I know with Cups, it might not seem like it, but I've done everything I have so that I can be with and provide for you all. It's something that I can pass down to any of you, if you want it, later down the line. Please, just promise me you'll try to find him or talk to him."

"Alright, Chad, you have my word," she said after another moment of silence, "Bram, amazingly, is actually really nice. I'll do this for you, but you better cooperate tomorrow, and you better not say a word to mom about our fun."

"Thank you, Anna," he said, "I haven't said anything yet, and I'm not going to start now. I don't exactly want to share the fact that I helped you shower either. I'll do my best, but at least let me sleep tonight."

"There's a good bug," she said, "Don't worry, you're off the hook with me tonight. Rose made dinner, and I brought some up here for you. Eat, and then I'll take you to your box."

"Bed," he corrected.

"It's literally an empty matchbox," Anna argued as she set a small portion of vegan casserole down, "Just shut up and eat, pipsqueak."

"Yes, Anna," he said as he walked over to try to figure out the best way to attack the food, "How's school been going for you?"

"Didn't I just tell you to shut up?" Anna said, "What do you care anyway?"

"Believe it or not, I have tried to take an interest in you," he said as he eyed a particular corner of the casserole, "The night of your last game, I was set to go before this happened. To tell you the truth, I was more upset that I missed your game than I was at being ill. If you don't want to tell me, that's fine, but I just thought I'd ask while we're sitting here."

"You were actually going to come?" she asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, didn't your mom tell you?" he asked.

"I thought she was lying to try to make me like you or something," she admitted.

"Your mom isn't a liar, Anna, you know that about her," he said as he tried to pull a sliver of the meal apart, "I heard your team won thanks to you. I know you don't like me, but I still wish I could have seen it."

She rolled her eyes but replied with slightly less attitude, "Coach Clemmons says I've got the potential to get a scholarship. I don't know what I want to do, though. I'm not sure if college is right for me or not."

He fell backward and winced as the pain in his side resurfaced. He'd managed to break off a piece of his dinner and smiled, however. It was a small victory, but he'd take what he could get these days. "You need to do whatever you feel is best for you," he said as he took a bite of his food, "If you have something in mind you want to do, and college will get you there, then use whatever help you've got. If not, then just enjoy the games and the sports. Whatever you decide, your mom is incredibly proud of you."

"You think so?" she asked, genuinely curious.

"I know so," he replied, "When we were dating, she would go on and on about you and everything you've accomplished. She thinks the world of you, and between your schooling, the sports, and everything you did for her when she was down, she's got a lot to be proud of."

"Maybe you're not a total douchebag," she mused, "Still a bug, but not quite as shitty as I originally thought.

"Thanks?" he replied, not sure how to take her response, "Are there any guys you've got a crush on?"

"Most the guys I go to school with are dicks with little ones between their legs," she replied.

He hadn't expected such a candid, and frankly off-putting, response. He shouldn't have been surprised, but he couldn't help it. He decided to ignore her remark, "So there's no one you've had your eye on?"

"Will," she answered with a slight blush, "He's nice, like Bram, but he's always too busy to notice me."

"I doubt that," he said between bites, "You've got your mom's good looks, and I'm betting he's just too intimidated by them to approach you."

"Don't be a kiss-ass," she replied, "If I want my ass kissed, I'll put you on my cheeks."

"Alright, alright," he said, backing off and going back to focusing on his dinner.

She watched him for a minute before biting her lip and asking, "You really think he's too scared to talk to me?"

He looked up, swallowed his mouthful of food, and replied, "I wouldn't be surprised. Guys are more self-conscious than a lot of girls realize, especially when it comes to pretty girls. Of course, you've got your assholes who'll approach anyone, say anything, or disrespect women in general, but then you've got your good guys who either don't want to bother a woman or think that she's out of their league. You're a good-looking girl and a confident one at that. Why not just try talking to him? I can't guarantee it'll work, but at least you can say you tried."

"Is this your attempt at fatherly wisdom?" Anna asked.

"I'm just telling you what I know from experience," he replied, "Do what you want. We both know that you know better than I do."

"What did I say about being a kiss-ass?" she asked.

"Sorry," he replied and went back to eating.

"You're not wrong, but quit trying to suck up to me," she said.

He smiled at her comment and continued to eat. For the first time since he found himself at Anna's mercy, he felt a touch of normalcy with her. It was nice to have an actual civil discussion with her for a change. They talked while he ate, he didn't press her for answers to any of his questions, but she would occasionally reply with honesty after an initial snarky response. As much as he wasn't looking forward to their arrangement, he was relieved that she agreed to help with Bram. It confirmed his thoughts about her. She was a good kid, she could be rude and spiteful, but at the end of the day, she was more like her mother than even she realized. It gave him hope that maybe eventually, the two of them could have a healthy relationship.

Once he was finished eating, Anna made good on her word and carried him to his room. She was surprised at how gentle she could be when carrying him; nearly every other time had been a terrifyingly fast experience. She gently set him down on the dresser where his bed was and stayed to make sure he was securely tucked away. She didn't say much to him, but then she didn't need to. They'd shared a small moment, and he knew now that she at least wanted to keep him safe. He was still little more than a toy in her eyes; she'd made that abundantly clear, but he was no longer afraid of dying at her hands. She shut the light off once he was settled and left him alone in the darkness. He curled up under the shred of Pam's shirt, basked in her scent, and slowly drifted off into a peaceful slumber.

Later that night...

Pam stumbled through the door to her home. She tried to remember what time it was, but for some reason, the numbers on the clock were moving around. Admittedly, she'd had quite a bit more alcohol than she usually did, but she deserved to cut loose! Jody had given her a ride home, and she could vaguely remember her saying something about if she needed anything to call her. Jody was always so nice to her, and she was grateful to have such a sweet friend. Something felt weird, though, and she couldn't quite put her finger on it. Had she tried to kiss Jody, or had Jody tried to kiss her? Maybe she imagined it, or maybe she'd just fallen into the girl's arms. She was pretty and warm. She was lucky to have such a caring friend.

The night had gone on longer than anticipated, and it seemed like everyone was fast asleep when she walked in the door. The lights were off, which was slightly annoying, but at least the kids were responsible. She couldn't stop thinking about Sophie's little playmate and everything she'd talked about doing with him. She'd brushed it off at first, but the idea of having Chad so close and literally inside of her was mesmerizing and incredibly enticing. She needed him, needed to feel him again, and maybe the girls were right. Maybe he needed to be closer to her again. Besides, what guy would turn down a night with a giant woman? She wanted to make him feel good too, and she desperately needed a release. With that in mind, she stumbled into their bedroom.

She giggled to herself as she thought about what to say to him. She debated on playing it off as sexy, dominant, or playful. All three sounded fun and had their own unique appeal, but in the end, she opted for a direct and sultry approach. It took her a couple of tries, but she finally managed to get his bed in her hands and opened. She grinned down at him as he was roused from his sleep, "Hey baby, did you miss me? I'm gonna show you a night you'll never forget!"