A Step Too Far - Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Teddy woke up a growling stomach. The scent of cooking dinner wafted through the air. It smelled like simmering beef and onions, a rich aroma that spoke right to the growing young man he was, or should be. Teddy resented the theft of his summer and his expectations for growth, both physical and otherwise.

 His room was bathed in a mix of golden-hour light and long violet shadows. He knew the evening was approaching. The early summer, so laden with promise, still held out tantalizing possibilities. If only it wasn’t for the arrival of Teddy’s new step-mother and her daughters. But there was little he could do about it, yet.

Morganna had instructed Teddy she would call him down to dinner when it was time, but he hadn’t heard anything.

This is stupid, Teddy thought. He was a grown man. He could leave his room whenever he wanted. Morganna wasn’t in charge of where he could go in his own home. Teddy pulled his loosely fitting pants up above his underwear and adjusted his belt. He walked over to the door and opened it, taking care to be quiet. Teddy hesitated, but then shook his head, and stepped out into the hallway with freshly summoned boldness. 

Someone had hung a new painting on the hallway wall, nearly opposite to Teddy’s bedroom door. As his eyes adjusted to the shadow in the corridor, Teddy saw that the painting was an abstract design. He began to walk toward the staircase before pausing and taking a second look at the painting. Multi-hued tiles of paint had been applied to the canvas in a thick and deliberate manner. Taken together, the tiles of colourful paint depicted the shape of a woman’s vulva. The painting almost looked like it could represent some sort of flower, but the longer Teddy stared at it, the more he knew what it was. He knew it in his bones. Teddy gazed into the layers of the painting, which grew darker toward the mysterious centre. An opening that seemed to beckon to him. He felt his member beginning to stiffen in his pants and tore his eyes away.

“Of course, they hang some weird pervy art on the wall and never think to even ask or tell me,” Teddy muttered to himself as he descended the stairs to the main floor. The smell of dinner was redolent in the air. 

Nimue was seated in her preferred spot at the tastefully set dining room table. Several serving dishes had already been laid out with hot potatoes and vegetables. Nimue was, as usual, reading. Teddy wondered if she ever did anything else. He couldn’t help but feel insecure around Nimue, and that made him resent her bookish arrogance. Teddy wasn’t used to seeing people read except for the purposes of cramming for an exam or catching up on a stock report. His father never really read, not for pleasure. Teddy had read the occasional fantasy novel or fluffy book in his teens, but seeing Nimue engrossed in texts so often unsettled him. He preferred to believe it was all for show, or at least that some part of Nimue’s behaviour was driven by a desire to signal how smart she was. Teddy chose to ignore the possibility that she might be more intelligent than him. He was in a good college after all, and all without that kind of obsessive bookishness. Really, Nimue needed a more balanced life, Teddy told himself. 

“Who hung the new painting on the wall outside my room?” Teddy asked. “It’s a bit much don’t you think?”

Nimue’s sea-blue eyes rose from the pages of her book. “Does it upset you?” She asked.

“No, I’m fine,” Teddy answered. “I just think it’s kind of pornographic for wall art.”

Nimue smiled and tilted her head. “From what my sister has told me, you’re no stranger to pornography Teddy,” she said. “You could even be described as a connoisseur.”

Teddy felt his face get hot as Nimue observed him. “Uh…well that’s not the same. I don’t know what she’s said about me, but framing and hanging that kind of painting right on a wall is not normal.”

“What do you mean?” Nimue asked. “It’s just abstract art. I’m the one bought it, actually. I think it’s very good.”

“You know what I mean,” Teddy said. “It’s pretty clear what it is supposed to depict.”

“Hmm…” Nimue’s face took on a perplexed expression, as if she had no idea what Teddy was trying to say. “Are you afraid to say the word?” She finally said.

Teddy sighed. He didn’t need her mind-games. He was hungry for dinner. “No, I just don’t think we need a big painting of a…you know…”

Nimue’s eyes lifted to a spot above Teddy’s head and her smile smile re-appeared.

“VAGINA.”

The sound of the word spoken so clearly and confidently boomed behind Teddy and he spun around. He was confronted with Morganna’s bountiful breasts, tightly contained in a pastel toned blouse. How long had she been standing behind him listening? She was standing so close that Teddy was forced to tilt his head back to look up at Morganna. She had changed into a new outfit since their confrontation in the afternoon. Her shopping trip earlier during the day had clearly been a success. Morganna was wearing a snug-fitting maroon skirt made of stretchy material that clung to her hips and thighs and ended just below her knees. The top buttons of her blouse were undone, revealing a hint of cleavage and she stood looking down at Teddy with her hands on her hips. 

“Isn’t that the word you’re looking for, Teddy?” Morganna said.

“I…I guess…I…just…” Teddy stammered. Morganna was so imposing and so self-assured. It made it hard for him to find the strength he needed to assert himself.

“Say it,” Morganna interrupted.

“What?”

“Say the word, Teddy.”

“V…vagina,” Teddy lowered his eyes, looking down at the floor as Morganna loomed over him. Her new high heels were open-toed, and Teddy could see Morganna had painted her toes a maroon shade to match her skirt.

“What? I can’t hear you,” Morganna said. “Speak up, boy!”

Teddy summoned up his courage, and blurted the word out, “Vagina!”

The word hung in the air for a moment and Teddy heard Nimue’s clipped laugh behind him. Then he heard her slow-clapping, adding a sarcastic level of congratulation.

 “Oh god,” Vivianne said, from somewhere behind Teddy. She had clearly joined them in the dining room. “Teddy is so obsessed with you, mom. He’s focused on your crotch again? I come inside and the first thing I hear is him talking about vaginas.”

Morganna broke into laughter. “You might be right, Vivianne,” she said. “And yet he couldn’t even say the word at first. The idea of my vagina or vaginas in general clearly intimidate him or make him feel insecure, despite being a kind of obsession or something. He’s all broken up about the painting Nimue bought today. He thinks it’s too lewd.”

“Ohhh,” Vivianne said. “What a hypocrite! You should see what I found in his room the first few days we were here.”

Teddy was on the verge of running out of the room in humiliation, but Morganna’s hand came down on his shoulder and she squeezed gently. “We’ll talk about this later,” she said. “Since Teddy decided to wander down here early before he was called, he must be hungry.”

Morganna put a finger under Teddy’s chin and lifted it, looking down into his face. “Are you hungry Teddy?” She asked.

Teddy knew he was blushing now. His heart was beating fast. He nodded. It was true. His hunger was real and there wasn’t exactly another option for a good meal.

“Then sit down and we’ll eat,” Morganna said. “There’s a lot to talk about after what happened today.” 

Morganna gave Teddy a little push and walked away to the head of the table, where she sat down and crossed her legs. She picked up a glass of white wine and took a sip, watching Teddy pull a large dining room chair from the table to sit. The everyday motion felt awkward at his new size. The chair felt as if it had been slightly scaled up in proportion to what he was used to and he had to tug at it a bit more than he expected. It didn’t help that Morganna, Nimue, and Vivianne all seemed to be watching him like he was some sort of dinner entertainment.

The moment didn’t last. Vivianne began dishing up her plate. “I’m famished,” she said. “I could barely keep from sampling everything while I cooked tonight.”

“Well you did good, dear,” Morganna said. “This is a heavier meal than I am used to, but I know you burn so many calories with all your sports and training.”

Vivianne nodded, as she tucked into her food. “It’s true. But we’ll all need a bit more protein and calories now anyway, thanks the success of the project. You and Andrea have worked so long for it and now things are finally paying off.”

“That’s true, but I don’t intend to get fat,” Morganna said. “And today upended some of my careful planning. Never underestimate the idiocy of a shallow man, I guess.”

Teddy felt his ears burning as Morganna referred to his father, but for once he kept his mouth shut, or rather full of food. Teddy hadn’t eaten beef this good in a long time. Despite his reduced stature, he really was famished. He focused on the food and tried to ignore Morganna’s insults against his father. It was a shame. Vivianne was a good cook, but she would make a terrible girlfriend, Teddy thought to himself.

“You won’t get fat,” Nimue said. “You’ve only gotten more voluptuous in a good way. Most women would kill for the physical changes you and Vivianne have experienced in the last couple days.”

Vivianne nodded in agreement. “It’s true,” she said. “Actually, about that; when are you going try to trigger it for yourself? You did all the preparations and went through the ritual, just like the rest of us, Nimue.”

Nimue glanced at Teddy, and then shrugged with a smirk. “I haven’t felt the need yet. I mean, look at him. He’s shorter than me already. He did it to himself. I don’t mind being five-seven.”

“Oh, but you have to experience it, hun,” Morganna added. “I only want that best for you and I think being five-ten or so would suit you very nicely. The reaction or process, whatever you want to call it, does wonders for your complexion. I know we meant for this all to happen differently, but now that it has begun, you should take advantage of the opportunity while it’s available.” 

Morganna gestured toward Teddy with her fork. 

Teddy’s eyes moved between the women at the table. He drank some water and then ventured a question.”

“W…why are you doing this?”

Morganna tilted her head and took a sip of wine. “Well, that’s one of the first sensible questions you’ve asked since I met you,” she said. 

Nimue nodded in agreement.

“I meant to marry your father,” Morganna explained. “He claimed that he was interested in my idea of a household where he would get incredible sex and a beautiful trophy wife, in exchange for access to his wealth and property. I think he may have seen it as something of a transaction, and while that is rather crass, I didn’t mind playing along. My previous relationships with big-talking men have been worse, to be honest. At least with Reed, I thought I was getting some honesty. Of course, I never expected him to turn out to be a fraud or to be so dishonest with me this early in he marriage.”

“But you see, Reed knew I had plans to try something quite ambitious,” Morganna continued. “We met at a crypto conference in the Rockies. I explained to him my vision and opinions on how households could be better run, on how I wanted to empower women to unleash their earning potential. Actually I talked about the idea with many crypto-bro types there, but your father was the only one who really seemed to believe my more unconventional claims. Or maybe he just wanted in my pants more. He told me he had a son, but that his son had moved out.”

“But now Reed’s gone and Teddy’s here,” Nimue said.

“Exactly,” Morganna said. “It’s all part of the balance of nature, I’m starting to think. Teddy’s biology seems far more receptive to Andrea’s formulas than we could have imagined and his youthful sex-drive has amplified all the rituals we worked on to a wonderful degree. He has his father’s genes, but is actually a better catalyst, you could say.”

Teddy felt confused, even as some things were made clear. “But I am going back to college at the end of summer and my father’s in jail. They might take everything he has and you’ll be left with nothing,” Teddy argued. “Why not just divorce him and leave?”

“Tsk…” Morganna said, shaking her head. “Do you really hate us that much, Teddy?”

Teddy looked down at his half-eaten plate of food, embarrassed and yet glad he had been able to be so honest and blunt. Vivianne was already serving herself seconds.

“No, I mean…I just…I didn’t ask for any of this,” Teddy tried to explain. It was true, in a sense. Teddy felt resentment toward Morganna and her daughters, but also felt a fixation on them. Their beauty was undeniable. They had brought new life to the house, but had also upended Teddy’s entire world. He felt trapped between a desire to resume his normal life, and a need to not upset the strong women he now lived with.

Morganna sighed, shaking her head. “There you go again, thinking this is all about your wants,” she said. “Like it or not, I am your step-mother now and I am here to stay. On that note, some things are going to have to change around here. You’re right, I could lose things, which is why Karla has already taken on my case to secure title to some of the assets, such as this house, on the grounds that I had no knowledge of your father’s activities.”

“But you’re married to him,” Teddy said. “You can’t have it both ways.”

“For now,” Morganna said. “Karla is a very good lawyer. Your father will not want to fight me on this. He is no position to make an enemy of me at this point.”

Teddy knew Morganna wasn’t lying. The terrible thought of her becoming the sole owner of the house and other parts of Reed’s estate was starting to ruin his remaining appetite.

“It’s the least he owes our mother, after lying to us like that,” Nimue said. She spooned up some mashed potato from her plate and shook her head in disgust as she spoke.

“As for you,” Morganna said. “I’ve decided not to pay your tuition this fall. You’ll have to pay your own way if you want to go back. I told your college and the residence office of my decision this afternoon.”

“What?!” Teddy exploded. “You can’t do that! I’m in the middle of my degree. That’s my future!” He hadn’t expected this. Morganna was so casual about her decision that it had taken Teddy completely by surprise.

“I can do whatever I please with my money, young man,” Morganna said. She calmly sipped from her wine. “I told you there needed to be some changes around here. Well, you’re one of the biggest expenses your father has and frankly, he spoils you. I’m really doing you a favour. You’re what, five-foot-four? How did you plan to explain that to the girls in your dorm anyway?”

Vivianne laughed. “Oh my god, can you imagine him trying to ask out some cheerleader who knew him from before?” she exclaimed.

Nimue laughed, clearly amused at the idea. Teddy clutched the edge of the table with both hands. “Noooo…” He moaned. He felt his dreams for the future starting to crumble, to slip away and dim while the sound of Nimue and Vivianne’s amused laughter filled the dining room.

Morganna smirked and nodded. “Oh yes,” she said. “And in the meantime, you’re going to start doing housework around here. You don’t even have a summer job. Nimue edits online magazines and tutors students. Vivianne was just hired part-time as fitness trainer in town. What were you planning to do all summer anyway? Play video-games and drink beer?”

Teddy shook his head. “I work hard at college,” he tried to explain. “I hadn’t figured out my summer plans yet. The house is far outside of town.”

“Well, I’ve figured it out for you,” Morganna said. “You’re right about the house being a bit isolated. So this works perfectly. You’ll take care of the cleaning, the laundry, the yard work, and even the cooking if you have the skill. If you don’t, you’ll learn. You will contribute to the household, one way or another.”

“You can’t just decide this,” Teddy retorted. He choked down his fury and dismay. “I’m still enrolled at college. I could take out loans.”

“I doubt it,” Morganna said. “I’ve seen your credit rating and you’d need to go into town to use a computer. You’re certainly not using mine to rack up student debt.”

“Because your daughter stole mine!” Teddy shouted. His voice shook with fury.

“Don’t take that tone!” Morganna said, her eyes blazing. “You will treat my daughters with respect. I asked Vivianne to remove your laptop. You’ve been sneakily texting your father around my back. You’ve openly stated you want me to divorce him. I won’t help you do that. You can earn back my trust by helping out around the house and pulling your own weight.”

“A diminishing weight, in any case,” Nimue added.

“You can’t make me,” Teddy said. He sat in his chair, feeling a sullen resentment swell up inside him. He wanted to run to his room, but he couldn’t just leave this conversation hanging. It would be like conceding. He’d been able to stomach the insults against his father, and even been curious to know the demented rationale behind Morganna’s supernatural-like decision to make him smaller while enhancing her own body. But now she was trying to take away his future, to control his entire life path. He couldn’t allow it. He had to resist.

“Oh no?” Morganna’s voice had become frighteningly serious. “If you don’t start pulling your weight domestically, like the grown man you keep telling me you are, I will will adjust your size accordingly,” she said. 

Teddy looked at Morganna and she stared back at him. 

“But I haven’t drunk any of that…milk,” Teddy said. 

Morganna’s stared at him. The only sound was from Vivianne’s fork as she continued to eat from her plate.

“You will find a list on the fridge in the morning,” Morganna finally said. “If you do not do the chores on that list tomorrow, I will call Andrea. It’s your choice. Be a good step-son for me, or I am going to have to make some further adjustments. Don’t test me.”

“Oh, that’s a good idea,” Vivianne said. “I like the idea of you being a bit smaller, Teddy.”

Teddy looked to Vivianne, as she nodded and smiled. Morganna’s face remained serious. Nimue watched Teddy, seeming to study him.

“It is a good idea,” Morganna said. “We’ll see what he decides. But now that it’s all out in the open, it’s for the best.”

Nimue shrugged. “I suppose,” she said. “But now he’s probably going to try and run away.”

Nimue had read his mind with unsettling accuracy. Teddy shook his head, but it seemed pointless to deny. 

Vivianne stood up and walked around the table behind Teddy’s chair, crossing her arms. “Not if I have anything to say about it,” she said. “He doesn’t get to just cut and run, like his deadbeat dad.”

“Absolutely not,” Morganna said. “You know his father tried running from the law at the last minute, when they came to arrest him. Evading responsibility perhaps runs in his genes. Well, I am the law in this house and I won’t brook that kind of behaviour.”

Teddy could feel Vivianne standing behind his chair, so close she cast a shadow over him as her pelvis pressed into the backrest.

“Well, on that note, I did find the keys you were asking about,” Nimue said. “They were in a safe-box in Reed’s office.”

“Then that should do,” Morganna said. “At least for now."

Nimue looked down beside her chair and reached into a bag, withdrawing a large Victorian brass key. The metal was slightly tarnished with age and the key had a an ornate round scrolling bow and chunky square teeth. It looked like a stereotype prop of an old key and was about three inches long end-to-end. 

“This is the one for his room,” Nimue explained. “But like a lot of older buildings, it works for almost all the doors in the house, and from both sides of the door. There are only three keys. I haven’t figured out what the other two open yet.”

Teddy’s room, like nearly all the rooms in the house, had an old door with an original antique handle. Beneath the crystal doorknob, there was a large key-hole. Teddy had never even really looked upon it as something that would actually serve a utilitarian purpose. It was old and he had mentally slotted it into more of an aesthetic category. He had assumed that in order to get a locking door, he would have needed to get the entire handle, if not the door, replaced with something new and modern. He hadn’t even considered that a key might exist for all the old doors in the house. 

Morganna took the brass key from Nimue and smiled. “Perfect,” she said. “They really thought of everything back in the past. It’s part of why I love this house. Now, Teddy. I didn’t want to have to do this, but your emotional hostility and rebellious attitude at dinner tonight has really lowered my ability to trust you even more. I’ve seen the texts you’ve sent your criminal failure for a father. I’m afraid the only course of action is to lock you in your room tonight. It’s really for your own good. After you’ve regained my trust, I’ll leave your door open again. Oh, and don’t even think about going through the window. The drop from the roof there would break your little legs. I shouldn’t even have to say that. I hope you’re not that stupid, but really I haven’t seen enough intelligence from you to count it out.”

“Y…you’re locking me in my bedroom?” Teddy blinked. He couldn’t believe this was happening.

“Yes, keep up, college-boy,” Vivianne said, giving him a push on the head that almost sent Teddy right into his half-eaten plate of food. “No wonder my mom cancelled your tuition.”

“Vivianne, not so rough,” Morganna said. “He’s not as big now and you’re bigger than you used to be. You might not know your own strength.”

It was true. Teddy was unsettled by how strong Vivianne was. He summoned the courage to speak again. “Please don’t shrink me,” he pleaded. “I don’t want to get smaller than I already am.”

Morganna lifted a hand to her chest, with a look of deep satisfaction crossing her face. “There, that’s a much better tone of voice, Teddy,” she said. “I can see how a little structure and discipline will do you good. Don’t worry, if you do as you’re told and are a good boy, I won’t have to make you any smaller.”

She stood up, holding the key in her hand. “Now come along, let’s get you to your bedroom, so I can relax for the evening without worrying that you’re trying to run off it a fit of self-absorbed delusion.”

Vivianne gave Teddy a gentler push, on the shoulder this time, and he got out of the dining room chair. Vivianne smiled as Teddy stood up between her and Morganna. Both women were now taller than him. He had no hope running. Not at the moment.

“He didn’t even finish his dinner,” Vivianne noted.

“I guess he just isn’t as big now,” Nimue said. “He doesn’t need as many calories.”

“Package it up for left-overs,” Morganna instructed. “I am sure someone will finish it tomorrow. Come on, Teddy.”

Teddy climbed the staircase with Morganna walking close behind him. Vivianne stayed near the foot of the stairs. He walked past the new painting on the wall across from the door, keenly aware of it now. Morganna stood in the doorway as Teddy sat down on the edge of his bed.

“Goodnight, Teddy,” Morganna said, before pulling his door shut. Teddy heard the heavy lock click into place as she turned the key from outside his room. For a moment, he wondered how many years it had been since the lock had been used. Morganna's footsteps faded down the hallway.

That was it. Teddy looked around at the four walls of his bedroom. He was locked inside his own room. A prisoner. His room was still messed up and ransacked from Vivianne’s raid earlier that day. Teddy hadn’t really done anything to tidy up his space. Now the scattered used teen-girl clothes and opened drawers seemed to further alienate him from his own sanctuary.

 Teddy recalled watching an old animated Cinderella film as a boy. The scene of Cinderella being locked in the tower by her malevolent step-mother seemed all too plausible now. He had literally been locked away in the upper turrets of a Victorian house, like he was living out some fairy tale. In Teddy’s mind, this took on emasculating and surreal implications. He stood up from his bed in a fit of frustrated rage and despair. Alone with his thoughts and unable to address the situation, all he could do was rage. Teddy began throwing the old clothes Vivianne had dumped on his bed onto the floor, kicking them and hurling them into the corners. He balled up his fists and beat the mattress, seething and choking back tears as he had a full-blown tantrum alone in his room.

It wasn’t fair!

After a while, Teddy stood panting in the middle of the floor. Then he slumped down against his bed as feelings of helplessness threatened to close in. Teddy turned and looked out the window at the edge of the forest, where the trees were casting long shadows across the lawn in the last moments of twilight. Teddy knew he had to try to run. He was locked up now, but they couldn’t hold him forever. He needed to be brave. Braver than he’d ever been before. He needed to make a clean break and run away. It would be hard. He was used to having so much handed to him.

Teddy didn’t know if he could do it. But did he have a choice? He’d have to bide his time. But when the moment was right, he would need to make a quick decision. He just had to choose the right time and make a spur-of-the-minute move. He would need to act on impulse and ignore the urges inside him - the feelings that bubbled up from his pent up sexual needs. Freedom was more important. His future mattered more. He couldn’t betray himself or give up what he was owed.

This idea gave Teddy a thread of hope and tiny sense of some sort of control over his own future. He clung to it as he turned out his desk lamp and lay down in bed. 

He would be free. It was just matter of time. He’d run and never look back.

Yet even as Teddy drifted off to sleep, his thoughts kept wandering back to the painting on the wall outside his room, to the dark depths of womanhood that were depicted on canvas there. He fought the urge to masturbate and eventually fell into a fitful sleep, humping his mattress ever so slightly.