[fritzcat]

God, I am loving it, Kate!  😀  I can't tell you how wonderful it is that you've come back to conclude this gem.  It's been months of famine where I couldn't find a single new story that matched my tastes, but having one that I love come back from the dead makes it all worth it.

I love your realistic exploration of the terrors and dangers of such growth.  Part of me almost wants Carolyn not to grow.  Almost.  It's that good.  Anyway, I'm hoping and praying that her genius kids can bring their mom back down to a more manageable size.

I can't wait for the next part, but I'll try my damndest.  Thanks again!

[GTSKate]

I can’t make fritzcat wait….this whole thing from chapter 22 onward is his fault!

That being said, I’d like to thank Hi-Standard for the inspiration for Carolyn’s outfit in this next set of chapters. As I tried to think what you would design for a woman you KNEW was growing larger, I kept coming back to his concept of a dress with “flaps” that you could let out to make more space. I wish desperately I could remember the title to make sure he gets all credit, but I fear it escapes me. It’s the one with the woman that starts growing little by little, falling in love with a fella that just happens to be a millionaire.

You’ve always been one of my favorites, Hi-Standard!

Chapter 29

Alex was waiting in the van outside. On the trip to the lab she kept alternating between worried mother-hen behavior, and fury over Nicole cutting school. “…and if Dan hadn’t called me, what would you have done? I would have shown up after school and panicked that you and your brother weren’t there!”
Nicole cut her off, “What do you mean? Scott cut school too? That little devil. So you got him first?” Alex shut up in disgust that her message wasn’t really getting through. “No. Dan called me a little while after I got home this morning. He said I should wait for you at around noon. He was going to keep an eye on Scott. I didn’t believe him when he said I should wait for you, but he’s not usually wrong. I am so disappointed in you, Nicole. Your Mom would be furious if she knew you cut classes.”
Nicole sulked in the front seat. “She wouldn’t be if she knew I could graduate already. Besides, I HAVE to see her, Alex. I read something that gave me an idea today. And I want to talk to Jessie about it. It’s just too slow, trying to teach myself all about biology, chemistry, and physics. But Jessie already knows that stuff. Maybe if I talk to her, I can suggest something she hasn’t thought of yet.”
Alex digested what Nicole meant. “Are you sure? You want to tell Jessie about you and your brother? Jeff says that she’s been very stressed lately. Your news might not go over so well.” Nicole nodded. “I know. I know that it could take her focus away from Mom, but not if I can help! Alex, Jessie is still the only hope Mom has. I can’t learn everything fast enough. Each textbook I memorize only shows me how much more I need to learn. And I need the information Jessie’s already gathered.” Her eyes sparkled like ice. She took a breath to speak again and suddenly her eyes grew unfocused, as if she were seeing something else. Alex realized quickly that was exactly what was happening. “Oh Nic…I’m sorry.” She put a hand on Nicole’s and was surprised when her young cousin gripped it so tightly. “Nic…” Alex began to wince at the pressure Nicole was putting on her hand and sharply remembered that it wasn’t just Nicole’s brain that had been getting stronger.

A few moments later, Nicole’s eyes focused. “I’m more sure than ever that I have to tell Jessie. She’s feeling alone, I think. That’s what’s making her feel so guilty. She’s the only one that can help Mom, and she’s feeling all that pressure. But once she knows I can help; once she knows she’s not alone, then what I just saw won’t happen.” She turned to Alex, her jaw set and teeth clenched. “I won’t let her hang herself. She was swinging back and forth like a pendulum. Red hair; swinging; there was a chain around her neck. I think she was up in the catwalk of the auditorium. But she won’t. She won’t do it if I stop her.” Alex’s foot tensed on the accelerator, urging the van just a bit faster toward the labs. Nicole glanced in the back seat of the van and looked back at Alex with knitted brows. “What’s with the basket and blankets?” Alex regained her smile and started to tell Nicole about Jeff’s idea.

Meanwhile, Scott had finally run some excess energy out of his system. He flopped down on the grass next to the tree Dan had been leaning against, watching. He lay on his back staring up at the sky and the maple tree that was half-bald, but half brilliant reds and oranges. In the silence of the field, Dan kept one eye on his cousin and one eye peeled for anyone that might have seen the hyper-powered, hyper pre-teen. Scott looked up at Dan earnestly. “It’s going to happen soon. The trees are going to be empty in a couple weeks at most.” Dan took a long breath and sighed. “Scott, I’ll do everything I can to keep your Dad safe. He’s family. You all are.” Knowing that no one was watching them, Scott stood up and wrapped his arms around Dan, clinging for some kind of reassurance. The detective patted the young boy on the back. Dan would not show him that he had no idea how to stop the horrific scene Scott had described before.

Thinking that Scott was showing off, Dan said nothing as the grip around his midsection started tightening. As the pressure increased to almost painful limits, he tapped Scott on the back. “Ease up there sport.” When no release was forthcoming, Dan frowned and pressed at the joints of Scott’s shoulders. The youngster’s muscles yielded to the pressure points forcing a release, but Scott slumped to his knees still in the grip of his vision. His eyes stared vacantly, but he tried to articulate what he was experiencing. “Thunder; gunshots? They don’t sound right. Like snapping. More like an air rifle. Yelling. A lot of different voices. Too fast. I can’t see anyone’s faces. Running from something. Explosion; there’s fallout? Something’s falling. Raining? There’s water dropping everywhere.” As the vision released him, Scott took a few steadying breaths as if he’d been running hard during the whole thing. “I don’t understand yet. Every bit I get just seems worse. Where’s the part that helps?”
“Everything helps, Scott. Clues don’t stand up and announce themselves; you have to put them together like puzzle pieces before you get to see a clear picture.” Dan imparted a few words of wisdom of an investigative detective. “You got a bit more this time, though. We know there are a lot of people around. Whatever’s happening includes water or rain. And what sets it off are shots or an explosion. You’re doing fine.” Scott nodded, wanting desperately to believe Dan would know what to do when the time came.
“But we’re running out of time, aren’t we?”
Dan smiled. “Maybe. But today, we’re just running late. We’ve got a lunch appointment.” He motioned back towards the car and explained about Jeff’s picnic on the way.
Chapter 30

Alex and Dan reunited the brother and sister pair outside the labs. The kids spent the next hour comparing visions and searching for any clues on exactly when they would occur. Jeff came by shortly before two o’clock. He grinned and directed Alex and her charge and Dan and his to the lawn behind the building. The doctoral assistant explained that Carolyn was being fitted with her new outfit before he sprung the afternoon surprise on her. Alex spread out three blankets and put out some plastic plates and utensils. Jeff had set up two beverage coolers and after Alex put down the blankets, maneuvered the ten foot long box with the sub for everyone onto the middle one. “Now all that’s left is to get the guests of honor out here. I’ll go get ‘em.” He ran back inside, grinning all the while. Carolyn had gotten dressed for the first time in two days, wearing fashion that would be all the rage in Greek bathhouses. “Jeff, I appreciate you getting this..er…dress so quickly. I was starting to feel a bit embarrassed.”
“Oh, no problem, Carolyn. It’s got plenty of fabric; I’m glad we could still use it after your ..well…episode an hour ago.”
The giantess grinned wryly. “Episode. Nice way of referring to another sixteen inches. At least it was just a little one.” Jeff shrugged sympathetically. “Well, if you’re through with your morning calisthenics? I’ve got some lunch outside today.”
“Lunch? Geez, I hadn’t even thought about that. I’m getting so large…how am I going to…waitaminute. Outside? What’s the deal with that?” Carolyn narrowed her eyes suspiciously at the doctoral student with the innocent grin. “I just thought you’d enjoy getting some air. I mean, it’s not really that cold yet, it’s still pretty temperate. And it’s nice and sunny out. You should get some fresh air before the shields are installed anyway.”
Relenting, Carolyn looked around the auditorium. “Okay, I suppose. How am I getting out of here? Those doors are going to be a very tight squeeze.” Jeff motioned towards the back of the stage where the post between the double doors had already been removed. “You’ll have to crawl through, of course, but it shouldn’t be too bad. Now, get along. You never know if the squirrels out there will stage a coup before you get to the food. Gotta stake out your territory first.” Carolyn chuckled softly. “All right. Fine. I don’t know what you’ve got planned, but as long as there isn’t Channel 4 News on the lawn, what do I care?” The now eighteen foot woman got on her hands and knees and made her way carefully through the tiny doorway. Motioning her husband through before her, she envied the easy way he walked through the expanse. “I feel like Alice in the hall of doors, Jim. Able to see the lovely garden, but hard to squeeze my fat ass through to get to it.”

Jim smiled warmly. “My burgeoning wife, your ass is large indeed. But I would hardly characterize anything about you as fat.” Burying his grin as much as he could, he casually tossed the words that he knew would get Carolyn out that door faster than anything else. “Anymore, anyway.” And he ran for the lawn outside. Struggling to get the body part in question through the tight fit, Carolyn muttered, “You’d better run. When I get a hold of you…aw, who am I kidding. If nothing else, this growing thing has been better than any liposuction I could have had. Side effects include massive growth, firm muscles, and the ability to see over tall objects at a single glance.” With a final squeeze and push of her legs, Carolyn cleared the doorway and stood up at last.

“Alice, indeed. Juliet on her balcony probably didn’t have a view like this.” Carolyn noted absently that the building behind her was thankfully still taller than her own improved height by ten feet or so. The giant woman took a moment to admire the views her elevated eyesight offered before smiling at the scene of her family gathered on blankets for a late season picnic. “So, this is what Jeff was planning, eh?” Carolyn took a moment to appreciate having her whole family with her until she heard the bells of Burton Tower in the distance. “Wait just a moment. It’s only two o’clock. What are you both doing here so early?” She crossed her arms, forgetting that her mothering stern look was amplified by a mother just over eighteen feet tall.

It was Scott that broke the silence first. “I just couldn’t concentrate at school, Mom. We didn’t get to see you very long yesterday, and I missed you so much.” He shot those puppy-dog eyes at his Mom, and Nicole had a hard time not rolling her own eyes at his routine. But she held her tongue, since Scott’s angle was probably the best one for not getting into big trouble. Looking all the way to the top of her Mother’s head, Nicole thought that “big” trouble was an understatement. “I missed you too, sport. But that doesn’t explain how you got here.” She shared her stern look with her best friend and cousin. Alex was about to spill the beans when Scott gave one final tug on his Mom’s sympathy. “My stomach just felt rumbly all day. I thought I was going to throw up, so I told the school nurse that I was sick. She called home and Dan came and got me. I begged and begged until he brought me to see you.” Nicole almost gagged when her brother managed to get teary-eyed on demand, but Carolyn melted and reached down for her little boy. “Oh my poor boy. It’s okay. You’re with me now.” She hugged him gently as she stood up with him in her arms. Carolyn unconsciously cradled him like an infant, due to the massive size difference between the two. One hand covered all of his back, the other tenderly stroking his hair. Scott put away the water-works, knowing his Mom was distracted enough now not to follow up on the early time frame. Lunch was distributed, Carolyn taking up one whole blanket to herself, and the rest of the family sharing space on the other two.

After the food had disappeared, Scott kept Carolyn occupied by playing a modified hide and seek with his Mom. He would climb trees and let his giant mother search through the branches until she found him. His youthful giggles made the sunshine brighter in the afternoon. Jim took a hold of his daughter’s hand as she got up to join the game and pulled her back down. “Spill it, kid. Scott snowed your Mom good, but that doesn’t explain how YOU got here early.” Nicole’s brain worked at top speed to come up with something her father would accept, short of the truth. “Ms. Stevenson arranged for me to have a conference day with one of the Professors in the School of Engineering and Physical Sciences. I chose the Solar and Heliospheric Research Group; specifically, Jessie. Then I knew I could come without really skipping.”
Jim stared at his daughter, knowing something wasn’t quite right in what she was saying, but not really able to put his finger on it. “You sure you’re telling me the truth, Nic?” But, just as Scott could be ‘momma’s boy’ when he needed to be, Nicole was still ‘daddy’s little girl’ too. Her eyes softened as they always did for the most important man in her life. “I really wanted to talk to Jessie, Dad. And I wanted to see Mom. Was it really so bad?” She had a hard time bending the truth to her father, but she told herself it wouldn’t be so much longer before she’d tell him everything. Jim sighed and relented, knowing deep down that no father could resist a daughter.

“Hey, where’d Alex and Dan go anyway? They’ve been gone a while.” Jim looked around for the other normal sized adults in the party, only to see the empty blankets around the remains of lunch. Nicole smiled knowingly. “They slipped away about twenty minutes ago. I think they’re going home to do it.”
“Young lady!” Jim admonished his daughter. But his grin was just as large as hers, and he whispered afterward, “You’re probably right.” Father and daughter broke into laughter at the shared joke which brought the attention of the giant mother and tiny son now perched on his mother’s right shoulder. Carolyn knelt down to let Scott slide down her right arm. She reached out an enormous hand and rubbed his head with a couple fingers. “Feeling better, sport?” The youngest Prescott nodded happily, content to play with his Mom no matter what her size.
Carolyn looked down to see Nicole comparing her hand to her mother’s. She remained silent, hoping for a clue to what her normally guarded daughter was thinking. Nicole seemed to feel her mother’s eyes upon her though, because she turned her head to look way up into Carolyn’s gaze. Then she put her hand on top of her Mom’s and gave a pat. Carolyn breathed a sigh of happiness. “Don’t worry.” Nicole reassured her mother. “I’m not scared.” She might have said more, but Jeff came out of the doors and cleared his throat apologetically.

“Sorry to interrupt. Carolyn, I just got word from the engineers that we’ve scheduled for the shield installations. Manufacturing finished in record time, and they think they can begin work today. I know it’s not fair to drag you back inside after only an hour or so, but if they begin before four, then we might be done by tomorrow evening with an overnight shift.” He fidgeted nervously, obviously embarrassed that he was talking about hiding Carolyn away. “If you’d prefer, we could wait until tomorrow to install…”
Considering the alternatives; giving up the last sunshine she’d see for a while or growing larger while she waited an extra day, the choice was clear. “I hope auditorium 4 is as comfortable as you’ve been suggesting. Tell Veronica I’m coming in.” Taking a long look outside and sighing, Carolyn squeezed back through the tiny double doorway and shimmied her bulk through a hallway to a large room that had been cleared of chairs. The auditorium was smaller than her home of the last few weeks, but Veronica’s team had obviously been working hard to make it comfortable as Jeff had promised. The orchestrator herself waited near the dais to see Carolyn’s reaction.

“Anything else you think you’ll need, Carolyn? While the shields are going in to the other room, we’ll also be doing a conversion in there. So if you think of anything you need while you’re here, let me know. I’ll make sure we get a duplicate in there when we’re done.” Carolyn looked around the Spartan area and thought to herself that it resembled the dorm room she shared with Alex all those years ago, but was far more than she had right to expect. “No. No, it looks great, Veronica. Thank everyone for me. I really appreciate the trouble you’ve gone to.” Veronica waved off the thanks. “It’s no trouble for you, Carolyn. You’re the one inconvenienced here. We’re just trying to make it a little better.” She smiled up at the enormous woman, then excused herself to coordinate her crew in the other auditorium. Veronica left Carolyn to settle in to her temporary lodging. There was a makeshift bed of mattresses at one end of the room, scaled to Carolyn’s current size, a widescreen TV, and across the room, an entertaining area filled with beanbags and three conversation chairs. Scott immediately flung himself towards the pile of beanbags, but Nicole asked her Dad, “Can I go talk to Jessie now?” Jim shook his head. “Nic, I’m not sure now is a good time. I’m sure she’s got to be supervising some of the work in the other room.” Jeff appeared as Jim was disappointing his daughter.
“Actually, Jessie’s got nothing until the techs show up in 45 minutes. Why? Did you have any questions?” Nicole jumped on the opportunity. “Yeah, I do. It’s kind of important. Can I go talk to her?” Jeff shrugged and said, “Follow me. I’ll see if she’s on our planet for a change.” He winked and led Nicole back down the hallway Carolyn had squeezed through.

“So, what kind of questions do you have for Jessie? Anything that you’ve been learning in school?” Jeff made small talk as they walked the short distance. “Sort of.” Nicole replied. “I’ve got something very important to tell her.”

Chapter 31

Jeff knocked gently on Jessie’s office door, hoping she’d be in a receptive mood. He’d checked in with her a half hour ago when they got the news that the shields were ready for installation and she absently waved her approval. But Jeff had been worried that she stared at her desk without the usual vacant look. In fact, she had looked lost.
“Come in.” She called out. Jeff squared his shoulders and opened the door wider. “Jessie? Nicole had a few questions for you while you’ve got some time. Okay?” Jessie didn’t speak but looked at Nicole with the haunted look she wore so often when gazing upon Carolyn. She spoke softly. “What questions?” Nicole looked back at Jeff, biting on her lower lip. “Um, can I talk to Jessie alone, Jeff? I mean, not that you’re not smart and all, and I’m sure you could…answer my questions…but, I really wanted to ..uh…tell Jessie something um…about Mom. Woman stuff.” Jeff coughed and pursed his lips. “I see. Well, yes. I’m sure I have something else I can be doing. You two have a nice discussion, and I’ll come get you Doctor, when the installation team arrives.” He backed out of the room quickly, having had enough embarrassment in that area for one day.

Jessie stared more closely at Nicole. “Why did you need to get rid of Jeff?” Nicole took a deep breath and began to explain. “Because I don’t want that many people to know yet about Scott and me.” Jessie’s eyes widened in horror. “So you HAVE been affected? I knew it. I knew I should have…but Carolyn wouldn’t believe it. And I didn’t want to push. I’ve caused enough trouble.” Nicole protested. “No, no not trouble. Jessie, it’s not like that. Scott and I aren’t growing. But …look, let me start from the beginning…”

A half hour later when Jeff returned to the doorway, knocking tentatively, he was elated to see the fire back in Jessie’s eyes. “Possibly. You’re right though, it does match the aging pattern of a star. Where is it…” Her voice trailed off for only a moment while she rifled through papers and folders on her desk. “See this chart? This is a graph of her temperature as her growth accelerated.”
“Right, and I felt her hand outside; she was cool, almost too cool to the touch, but she said she was warm enough with just that toga on. I’ll bet if you projected it out, it would match Porphyrion’s estimated life cycle.”
Jeff frowned as the two females spoke so quickly back and forth, he could only grab bits of their conversation. He hated to interrupt, seeing as how Nicole had performed magic enough to wake Jessie’s spirit again, but he really needed the Doctor to at least supervise the beginning of the project. He also wanted her to check the shields before they committed all their hopes onto them. He cleared his throat again, and Jessie looked up, aware of his presence for the first time. “Jeff! Nicole just asked for a few minutes alone. Honestly.” He hid his smile, relieved that the old Jessie was reasserting herself. “Uh, Jessie, it’s been thirty-five minutes. I really need you in Auditorium 2, just for a while.” “Thirty-five minutes? Really? Damn.” She turned her attention back to the fifteen year old across her desk. “Nicole, stay here. Read the reports on my desk, and I’ll be back in an hour. Or less.” Jeff figured something was going on, but it was best not to stop Jessie when she was on a roll. “Come on, Jeff. Let’s get those shields done right!” She strode down the hallway, leaving Jeff to glance back at Nicole, wearing her most innocent face, and back again at the fiery woman he cared so much about. “I don’t know what you told her, Nicole, but thanks.” He closed the door and ran to catch up to Jessie, leaving Nicole to slowly grin at the silly seed of hope that was fanning hotter and hotter in the last half hour. Circling the desk, Nicole plopped down in Jessie’s chair and started reading pages as fast as she could, scribbling notes with her accelerated speed as she came across pieces of promising information.
“I think we’re going to make it, Scott. Jessie’s got so many ideas now. I think we’re on to something.” She whispered, knowing her brother would hear several rooms away.

[AlexG]

It's been months of famine where I couldn't find a single new story that matched my tastes, but having one that I love come back from the dead makes it all worth it.

Then you're not looking hard enough, comrade.  😉  I posted a new one a few months back here on Amaz0ns – Lasting Impressions, even has the TF of a femuscular cat-woman in it.  😮  8)

That being said, I'd like to thank Hi-Standard for the inspiration for Carolyn's outfit in this next set of chapters.  As I tried to think what you would design for a woman you KNEW was growing larger, I kept coming back to his concept of a dress with "flaps" that you could let out to make more space.  I wish desperately I could remember the title to make sure he gets all credit, but I fear it escapes me.  It's the one with the woman that starts growing little by little, falling in love with a fella that just happens to be a millionaire.

I'm not 100% certain, but I think that's his "Giantess Chronicles: Growth Encounter" novel.

You've always been one of my favorites, Hi-Standard!

Mine too, Kate – here's to hoping he makes a return to the fold.

And again I have to say ITS FANTASTIC!

“I like a good story well told. That is the reason I am sometimes forced to tell them myself.”
~ Mark Twain / Samuel Clemens (1907)

[Mr. G]

Glad to see more great chapters. So she at the 18 foot mark. She is getting big. Hope the disaster of the kids visions doesn't happen.

[KeithXZ]

Excellent, thank you Kate!  I'm anxiously awaiting the next installment.

[GTSKate]

Growth Encounter!  That was it!!  Thanks Alex G!

As always, my knight delivers the save!

By the by, I would be so terribly amiss if I didn't give proper recognition to Alex G for all the support he has always given me.  Even in the times that I had disappeared for years, there would occasionally be a kind email from Alex about a new story he'd written or a new collage he'd made, or any news from the community.  If everyone does not appreciate the effort he puts into stories or the ferocity with which he defends and supports his friends, I would be one very upset giantess!

Special snuggles to my favorite Knight!

Anyway, back to the documents folder to keep typing…

-Kate

[GTSKate]

Next part:

Chapter 32

Nicole read through everything she could find on Jessie’s desk, and smiled that even after all she’d read, her theory was holding up. Nothing seemed to disprove what she had brainstormed was happening, but then again, nothing seemed to point to how it was happening, either. Still, knowing that she would be able to bounce her ideas off Dr. James now made the tension that Nicole had discovered she’d been holding inside herself ease just a bit. She hoped that Jessie wouldn’t be mad that she’d made notes on the scientist’s papers, but it was faster for her now-speedy hands to write it down than to take the extra few seconds to commit the thought-path to memory.

Now and then, even over the sounds of construction, Nicole could hear a shout of laughter from her brother. Frowning, knowing that sooner or later, some curious engineer would want to know what was producing laughter, she spoke to her brother.
“Scott, keep it down. I can hear you from Jessie’s office. And I could hear you even if I wasn’t your sister, get it? Remember, we’re trying to keep Mom under wraps.” She didn’t expect a response, since Scott was with their parents and that would be awkward trying to explain who he was talking to, let alone why. She was surprised when she heard him begin to talk.
“It’s okay, Nic….” But Nicole cut him off harshly. “Shut up! Mom will hear you since you’re so close to her! I’ll come back in a minute. Let me just leave Jessie a note.” The young girl found a blank sheet she could leave a note on, and scrawled out:
Jessie,
Finished the papers. Went back to the Auditorium to be
with family. Come get me when you’ve reviewed? Thanks!

Nicole figured the note would be vague enough if Jeff or anyone else saw it. Not enough to imply that she was actually helping Jessie go back through data. She left it on top of the now-neat stacks of files and ran down the hall to reunite with her family. Checking to make sure that none of the construction crew was seeing a kid wandering around the hallways, she ducked into the converted lecture hall.

Carolyn was playing a modified game of checkers with Scott and Jim, which had been producing all the giggles from her son. The pieces were scaled up to be easier for a woman of Carolyn’s size to handle, so the dinner-plate sized red and black discs were funny to Scott. He loved watching his Dad exaggerate the weight of one as he “jumped” one of Carolyn’s checkers.
“Sorry, Angel. That’s one more down for you. Oh, by the way, King us!” Scott beamed as his Dad walked across the “board” on the floor back to the boys’ side. He hoisted his son in the air, hefting him towards Carolyn, who frowned playfully then bent over to kiss her son on his head. “I can’t wait to see you actually MOVE that King. Perhaps the game will be mine yet!” Scott giggled more softly than he had been, waving to Nicole at the doorway as his mother doubled the weight of the hapless checker by plopping another black disc on top of it.

“Nicole! Come help your mother! The boys are teaming up against little-old me. We need some mother-daughter power to take ‘em down!” Carolyn waved her daughter over to her side of the board, where Nicole happily sank down and propped herself against her Mom’s knees. Carolyn rubbed her daughter’s head lovingly and said, “It’s our turn. What should we do, short stack?” Nicole smiled at the old nickname again, then pondered the board. The board was painted onto the floor, almost the size of a queen mattress, eight feet by eight feet. Curious, Nic picked up a red piece to find that it was nothing more than a thick plastic disc, about twelve inches in diameter. Contrary to her father’s pantomime, it wasn’t heavy, but it did have a bit of heft to it, probably so that Carolyn wouldn’t break it easily; perhaps two or three pounds.
She put the checker down, and pointed to a piece on the other side of the board. “That one. Move right.” Examining her daughter’s choice, Carolyn raised an eyebrow. “You sure, Nic? We’ll get jumped again…”
Nicole nodded firmly and looked back towards her mother. “Mm hmm.” She willed her mother to see the double jump she was setting up that she knew her father would fall for. Carolyn shrugged and stretched over, sliding the disc underneath her palm into place. As she moved, she saw the peril for her husband and son materialize. Either they would jump her and set up the move that would cost them two pieces, or in two more moves, Carolyn would have her own kinged piece. “Clever girl. I didn’t see it before. Good job, Nic!” Nicole smiled at the praise from her mother, but wondering why Scott wasn’t avoiding such a trap better. Checkers should have been easy for him. She aimed a raised eyebrow of her own at her brother, silently questioning him. While his parents were both studying the board, Scott gave a quick shrug at his sister, smiling enigmatically.

Nicole noted that the board was a little large, even for Carolyn, and spoke up. “It’s kinda fun that the board is too big even for you, Mom. I guess that’s REALLY a family-sized portion, huh?” The amazonian mother chuckled and replied, “Veronica’s team made it large enough that I wouldn’t outgrow it for a while. But if Jessie’s shields work, then maybe we’ll just have a neat souvenir of what could have been. Besides, it’s nice to have a game that we all have to throw ourselves into.” She winked and gave her daughter’s shoulder a pat as Jim sighed and resigned himself to the double jump. He refused to give up the more powerful kinged-piece so early. Picking up the checker, he literally hopped over Carolyn and Nicole’s piece to place his own in peril. Seizing the red checker he had just jumped, he triumphantly tossed the disc like a Frisbee back to his son. Scott clapped and caught the checker, putting it on a slightly larger pile than the one Carolyn had on the other side of the board. Nicole understood finally, that Scott didn’t care who won or lost, he just liked watching his parents try to top each other with their outrageous play with the pieces.

The game went back and forth, Scott and Nicole delighting at spending time as a family again. Carolyn stared down at the scene from her kneeling height, still towering over everyone even with her legs folded under her. She realized that even if Jessie’s shields worked, this was what would become the norm for her. Trying to adapt to raising her children at her unbelievable height might not be so hard, as long as Veronica could come up with little twists like checkers on a giant scale. Maybe all she really needed was a few Carolyn-sized adaptations. Things might not be so bad if she could just settle at one size and move forward from there. She was gazing at everyone so intently that she gave a bit of a start when Nicole slapped her knee playfully. “Mom! It’s our turn. Geez, way to space out. Come on, we’re going to win!”

Laughing, Carolyn bent to jump the last black checker on the board but dropped her red checker as it shrank in her hand. She stared at her hand guiltily, watching it expand slowly and her family get smaller. “Dammit. We were so close! Dammit, dammit, dammit!” Carolyn’s voice grew louder as her frustration matched her size. Jim winced sympathetically. “Carolyn, sweetheart, it’s okay. Those shields are going in as we speak. They’ll work. I just know it. We just have to wait a little longer.”
“I know. I know.” She tried to calm herself, still slowly getting larger. “It’s just a little harder when the end is in sight, Jim. I’m so tired of this cycle of adapting and changing. I want to start just adapting. God! I’m so sick of it! And I just keep getting bigger and bigger during each round! I can’t STAND it!” She gasped as the growth of her knees pushed Nicole over. “Nicole!” Carolyn frantically picked up her dazed daughter and held her in an embrace. “Oh my God, I’m so sorry Nic! Are you okay? Why didn’t you move?” Her heart was beating rapidly and Carolyn was trembling with fear. Her growth gave a last little push, then petered out. “Nicole! Sweetie, please! Are you hurt?”

Nicole, having been in the grip of her vision, blinked her eyes a few times as it left her. Realizing her mother was hugging her to her giant body, Nicole reached a hand up to pat Carolyn’s chest. “Relax Mom, I’m okay. I was just…surprised. I …felt your knees pushing against me, and I guess it just stunned me. I’m fine.” She hoped her mother would buy her excuse for her near-catatonic state. With a subconscious part of her mind though, Nicole put something together that she’d seen in the vision with what she’d felt as her mother enlarged. The tears that had come so quickly to Carolyn’s eyes when she thought she’d hurt her daughter dropped away from her cheeks. Carolyn refused to put Nicole back on her own two feet for a good five minutes as she made certain her daughter was unharmed. Scott came out of his own vision as the sight of his mother’s huge teardrops falling to the floor made him connect something he’d seen as well. He came over to Carolyn’s knees and hugged tight. “It’s not going to be long now.”

If anyone had asked, Carolyn wouldn’t have been able to tell why her son’s comforting phrase, which she assumed referred to the soon-to-be-completed shielding, didn’t comfort her at all.

Chapter 33

Jim made the calls to the automated attendance phone lines for Nicole and Scott’s schools that night. Just for comfort’s sake, the whole family camped out with Carolyn in the auditorium, and would spend the day with her tomorrow. Sleeping bags had been brought in for the kids, and Carolyn and Jim shared the giant-sized mattress bed as they had the night before. A speaker-phoned call to Dan and Alex gave them the update on Carolyn’s new size of twenty feet, seven inches. Alex had reacted better than she had a couple days ago. “Well, cleaning the gutters is going to be a lot easier. Can you come over next Tuesday?
Despite herself, Carolyn smiled at her best friend’s joke. “I don’t think so, Alex. Cleaning gutters is…beneath me.” Alex laughed. “That’s the spirit, pal!”
“Speaking of gutters, Alex,” Carolyn changed the subject. “nice escape from the picnic yesterday. My dear daughter informs me that you and your husband left me in my time of need to attend to carnal pleasures?”
The laughter continued on the other end of the phone. “I won’t go into detail, Car, but there’s something about seeing a woman with a rack the size of Texas like yours that makes my husband frisky. And since you had YOUR fun in the morning while I was attending YOUR children, it was only fair that I take advantage of the moment.” Carolyn was sure that Alex was winking from her side of the phone.
“True enough I suppose. It’s hard for you little women to hold onto your men while I’m around.” Carolyn tried to vamp, but broke down in giggles of her own. “Anyway, I do appreciate you keeping the house functioning while I’ve been here, Alex. We’ve depended on you and Dan a lot, and I want you to know we appreciate it.”
“I know you do, Car. You’re family. And you know I’d do anything for you, even if we weren’t. Dan and I are just looking forward to you coming home, one way or another. And we’ll be there to help. Anyhoo, have to go! I’ve got a program that’s got to be coded by tomorrow, and Dan’s got some paperwork to catch up on at the station. See you tomorrow, pal!” Carolyn nodded to Jim, who hung up the receiver, ending the call.
“I’m somehow always astounded when I think of Alex as a whiz-kid computer programmer.” Carolyn shook her head, smiling down at her husband. “All that time in college, and I would have sworn she got a degree in party planning. But then, I guess I always liked that about her too. Never a heavy moment; she was a good roommate.”

The kids were busy polishing off dinner at the table near the conversation area of the room. Nicole wiped her fingers and chipped in to her Mom’s musing. “She’s a good housemate too. But she can’t cook like you, Mom. Her French Toast is kinda flat.” Scott nodded his agreement while stuffing the second to the last piece of the pizza in his mouth. Jessie came in to find the domestic scene and Carolyn noted absently the lack of dark circles under her eyes for a change. Dr. James bent over Scott to steal the last piece of dinner and mussed his hair. Scott looked wistfully at the empty box, then back at Jessie. She actually winked at him with her head turned so that Carolyn and Jim couldn’t see. She whispered as softly as she could, “Nicole told me about the both of you, Scott. And I read your notes, Nicole. We definitely need to talk more. Help me find an excuse to go to my office?” Then turning back casually, she stuffed the last piece of pizza in her own mouth, mimicking Scott.

“How’s the installation coming along next door? Sounds rather quiet in there right now.” Carolyn inquired to Jessie. The doctor swallowed. “Just like me, the crew has taken a short dinner break. They’ll be back at it in a half hour. But things are going well, Carolyn. I’m really pleased with just the few tests we’ve run while calibrating the first couple sheets. I think they’ll be able to finish the whole conversion by tomorrow night, but it might be a little loud for you folks in here tonight.”
The giantess laughed. “That’s okay. Jim can sleep through anything. And the rest of us won’t hear a thing for his snoring.”
“Hey!” Jim looked offended until Carolyn rubbed his back with two enormous fingers. He still pouted slightly as he muttered, “I don’t snore.”
“Yes, dear.” Carolyn smiled and winked again as she bent over to give her now very tiny husband a kiss on top of his head. Jessie hesitated, and Carolyn could see that she wanted to say something. “Jessie? Was there something you needed?”
The doctor stared up at her enormous charge with a slightly lost look. “Needed? Er…no. Nothing I need.” Her voice trailed off, and Nicole jumped in.
“Does that mean you have time to show me the telescope Project:Nostradamus has been using? You said you could show it to me when you had a break.” Jessie broke into a grin.
“Oh, yes! Yes, that’s right. The telescope. Would that be okay, Carolyn? Could I borrow Nicole for a while? It’s dark enough out now that she could see a few stars.” Jessie turned to Scott. “You could come too, Scott, if you’d like. I’m sure there’s a few things you’d find interesting.” Scott shrugged and glanced over to Nicole. Jessie had the peculiar feeling that the two of them were still somehow communicating when Scott turned her down. He wandered over to his mother and climbed up onto her knee, while she sat Indian-style on the floor.
“Naw. I’d rather stay with Mom and Dad. Nicole’s the science geek.” He grinned to soften the statement and Carolyn bounced her knee gently.
“Now, now, sport. Geek isn’t a nice thing to call your sister.” Carolyn smiled at her daughter. “Go on, Nic. But don’t bother Jessie for too long. She’s had a long enough day already.”
“Oh it’s no trouble, Carolyn. It’s nice to have a fresh pair of eyes to look through. Maybe I’ll even get a bit of inspiration from it.” Jessie had such a bright look in her eyes for a change that Carolyn felt a bit of hope that maybe things would turn out okay at last.

[AlexG]

Growth Encounter!  That was it!!  Thanks Alex G!

As always, my knight delivers the save!

My pleasure, milady. 

“I like a good story well told. That is the reason I am sometimes forced to tell them myself.”
~ Mark Twain / Samuel Clemens (1907)

[Mr. G]

Nice to see this story contiuned. Wonder if thoese shields really will stop her from growing. Keep thoese chapters comming.

[KeithXZ]

And will Nicole and Scott choose to be shielded?

[Author]

Posts