Legal Issues

[LycanDope]

Description: A young woman visits a farm with intention to make the farmer sell his property. Forces intervene and the woman changes.

Notes: I'm posting this as a test in changing my style and methodology. Rather than taking time to write the whole thing (probably roughly 12,000 words) I'm breaking it up into three parts. I'm hoping this allows me to get things out faster while allowing me to take a little extra time to work on the separate pieces. Basically shortening my longer pieces for easier consumption. I hope to have part 2 finished tomorrow (1/24) and part 3 (the end) finished Monday (1/27). Feel free to chime in if you don't like how that works.
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Chapter 1

Thick clouds of dust billowed behind the sleek black sedan as it sped along the small dirt road. Overhead, a single lazy cloud cast a huge shadow across the rolling green pastures on either side of the road. A huge line of wheeled metal structures sprayed crops with sinuous streams of water as a single green tractor pulled it further down the field.

"You know," the driver said to his passenger. "It's a little funny to say this but I've never really been in the country. Have you, miss?" The lady in the back seat made no answer so the man continued. "I mean, I honestly think that this is my first time seeing horses and things. In real life. I've probably seen them when I was a kid on some field trip but I can't remember. It's embarrassing to think of that. It's not that I-"

Lynn scowled at the stack of papers on her lap. Glancing up briefly, she spoke to the driver. "I'm trying to focus and you're distracting me. I'm not in the mood for idle chatter."

The driver's eyes flicked to his rear view mirror before returning to the road. Lynn shuffled her papers, refocusing over the rumbling noise of the car crunching over rocks and dirt. Sloping fields of green grass alternated with corn and other crops as the car passed farms that spread further and further apart the longer they drove.

"It's actually quite beautiful out-" the driver started.

"Listen," Lynn interrupted. "Stephen, wasn't it?"

"Shaun, actually, miss."

"Shaun. It would be fairly easy for me to have you fired. Not reassigned. Fired. I've asked you to be quiet and I expect you to listen. I wouldn't be coming out to this wasteland if it weren't important. Otherwise, my firm would send a junior partner to handle this. And they would drive themselves out here. I don't give a damn about the scenery and if I have to ask you again to be quiet, I won't even make a phone call. You'll simply drive me back when I'm finished and then go home. We won't expect you back. Now. Please don't speak until we're there."

Knuckles white on the wheel, the driver clenched his jaw and focused on the road ahead of him. The young woman returned to her files and the silence in the car grew oppressively.

The car turned and then suddenly vibrated fiercely as it drove over a wide cattle guard laid into the ground. Lynn looked up from her papers, blinking her eyes at the bright light filtering through the tinted car windows. Small wooden sheds, chicken wire fences and various pieces of machinery dotted the path leading to the old, sprawling main house.

With a voice devoid of emotion, the driver intoned, "We're here, miss."

"Thank god," Lynn said. "Wait in the car. If he's smart, I'll be finished in less than thirty minutes. If he's not, it'll take longer."

"Yes, miss," Shaun replied, eyes still straight ahead.

Lynn stepped from the car, knuckling at her back as she stretched from the long car ride. The air smelled of dust and manure and animals. Lynn wrinkled her nose from the various smells before making her way to the large house further down the path. Eyeing a few loose chickens that somehow weren't being murdered by a pair of roving cats, the young woman knocked on the front door.

A small cat, orange showing through a light covering of dust, investigated Lynn's black shoes. She shooed it away and it turned, tail proudly in the air as it strutted off. Another orange cat and a larger black one joined up with the first and they took turns to sniff at each other, curious about the newcomer.

The front door opened suddenly, forcing Lynn to take a quick step back. A man stood at the entrance, taller than her 5'2" slim frame. The man, older than her by a few years, stood barefoot in well-worn blue jeans and a stained white shirt. He had a square jaw with just the hint of a dent in a chin covered with stubble. His straight blond hair was caked with bits of dried mud and the man brushed a few strands away from deep green eyes. He glanced at her and then looked beyond to the car waiting behind her.

In the eaves above, a small, gentle light glowed to life. Awakened by the new arrival, it hovered and twirled before sinking into the wood of the house.

"Can I help you?" The man asked.

"Are you Mr. Chapman? Christopher Chapman?"

The man looked back at Lynn. She read caution and curiosity in his yes. "Yes, I'm Chris Chapman. What can I do for you?"

"I'm Lynn Hathaway from Spiel & Filhart & Hathaway? You spoke to my-"

"Your assistant. I told him-"

"Associate, actually." Lynn corrected.

Blinking, the man continued. "Associate. I told him I wasn't interested."

"Mr. Chapman, I've already spoken to your neighbors and they're willing to sell. If we had an agreement from you, P&G Chemicals would be able to build their-"

"I said I wasn't interested."

"The remuneration would be quite substantial, Mr. Chapman," Lynn pressed.

Christopher sighed. "Look, Ms. Hathaway, I was just in the middle of lunch. Why don't you come in for a second and we'll talk for a bit. And it's just 'Chris', not 'Mr. Chapman.' I keep looking for my dad when you say that, only he's not alive anymore. Come in. Can I get you some water or something else to drink?"

"I'll take a little water, please. Thank you." Lynn looked around the front room as she entered. Decades of living littered the entire room. Old photos, some color and some black and white lined shelves that were strewn with knick-knacks from other eras. Faded green reclining chairs and a matching couch faced a large fireplace.

Chris looked back at Lynn. "My father died a year ago. I haven't made the time to clean up or rearrange anything yet."

The odd clash of old and new continued in the kitchen. Speckled green Formica countertops were arranged around a shiny black induction stovetop. A large LG refrigerator hummed quietly in the corner, surrounded by blackened cast iron pots and pans. On the counter next to a simmering pot of soup lay a large, opened cookbook. The smell of onions permeated the kitchen.

Chris gestured to a small table surrounded by windows. "Have a seat. I'll grab some water."

The old wooden chair creaked as Lynn sat. A thin local newspaper sat next to a bowl of half-eaten soup in front of the other chair across from her. Lynn rolled her eyes at the main story - a young gap-toothed girl holding a first place ribbon in front of a large horse. "Suzanne Getters, #1 At 4H Showing!" read the headline.

"Here you go," Chris told her, handing over a small glass of water.

"Thank you," Lynn said, placing the cup to the side with no intention of drinking anything from the cloudy glass.

"So-"

Lynn interrupted. "I'll be blunt, Mr. Chapman. You're the only one holding up the sale. Your neighbors are ready to go but we can't do anything unless you agree."

"Which I won't do," Chris said.

With a frown and an internal sigh at herself for leaving her documents in the car, Lynn began her speech. "I don't understand, Mr. Chapman. We've spoken with your father when P&G initially surveyed. We've done our research. We know you're just making enough to live off of but hardly any more than that. I'm sorry for your loss but your father was the farmer. You've spent most of your adult life away from here. I fail to see why you wouldn't sell."

Chris looked through the window out into his property. Lynn could see the man's jaw working and she imagined him mentally going over what he should say. So he's the 'more than thirty minutes' type, she thought.

"I-" Chris paused. "I hated this farm growing up. I was up before school, working. And then, back home, I was working again. That's all it was. Work. The older I got, the more I wanted to move out. To make my way into the city and do something that wasn't anywhere close to this. I went to college and messed around until I settled on a degree. I drank, tried some pot and just cut loose. My dad kept in touch and I visited here and there but never for long. I had a job to get back to. A life. I was seeing a girl and it was getting serious. I proposed and was taking extra hours to save up for a proper ring. Because that's what you do, right? That's what she wanted. A big wedding, a big ring, a big group of people to come out and see all the shiny things."

The man took a sip of his own water before continuing. "When my father died, I put it all on hold to come out and take care of things. My fiancée came out once and then went straight back home. Didn't like the smell or the animals or the lack of a flat screen TV. I spent a week going through things. Reading the paperwork, understanding the will. And then another week."

Lynn desperately tried to find a way to stop the flow of words - to insert something in to change the subject. Before something came to mind, the man continued.

"Have you ever seen the stars out here, Ms. Hathaway? Out in the country? There's thousands of them. Out here, alone in my father's house and under those stars, I realized something. I realized I'd changed one thing for another. One life of struggling for another. I kind of reevaluated what I was doing. My fiancée, she was a decent gal but away from the city, away from the constant go-go-go, I realized there was nothing there. I was building a life of things. My father, he... Him and his parents and their parents, they built this up. They took care of the land and animals and raised children and passed it on. They lived a good life and they were, well, stewards of the land. Something called to me that night and I listened. I invited my fiancée out to live with me and we spent almost week arguing back and forth until she gave my engagement ring back. And now here I am."

"But, Mr. Chapman, I understand-"

"I do well enough, Ms. Hathaway. I'm relearning old habits. I know my neighbors and we visit and chat. I go out into the community, to the farmer's market and I meet the town folk. They remember me from when I was a kid and they're more than happy to see me taking over my father's land. I know almost everyone in that little town and we help each other. When I lived in the city, I didn't even know the names of the people in the apartment next to me."

"Mr. Chapman, I appreciate the story, trust me, I do, but I'd really like you to consider-"

"I won't Ms. Hathaway. If I bring P&G out here, it'll ruin the land. It'll bring in workers, sure and more money but they will destroy everything around them. I hire on workers, too and I help the community with what extra money I have. I'm doing useful things and I feel damn good about it. I guess I just had to see what else was out there before I made up my mind."

Lynn stared at the man in front of her. His eyes were clear and sure and she knew he wouldn't change his mind today. She sighed, glancing at her watch before standing. Chris stood with her. "I understand, Mr. Chapman. I will go back to P&G and run some numbers by them. I'm sure I can find something that more suits your needs."

"Ms. Hathaway, I sure wish you wouldn't. I'm firm on what I said. My family trusted me with this farm and land and I intend to make sure I pass it on to my own children in even better shape."

"P&G has a record of excellence and is a leader in environmental-"

"I've done my own research, Ms. Hathaway. I've looked at existing factories on Google Maps. I'm not stupid. I've seen what happens. I've read about the chemicals leeched into the soil around their plants in Indiana and Kentucky. The out of court settling they've done. Please don't think I'm stupid just because I'm living out here in the country."

Around them, unseen to either, six little glowing lights gathered from the shadows. Each light bobbed in the air, pulsing with a hidden beat. They flocked to Christopher as he argued. Almost lovingly, they danced around him, their light high and bright. One of the lights broke away, flitting cautiously over to Lynn as the woman listened with her brows knitted together and her arms crossed. With its internal lighting low, the small glowing sphere circled her body, spiraling up to touch lightly against her head. A second light joined the first until all six investigated the stern lady. They flashed red and sickly yellow as they listened to the conversation around them.

"Mr. Chapman, you're primarily a dairy farm and, from our research, you haven't even automated. Your farm is woefully behind the times and the amount of money it would take to install milking stalls and pens would be prohibitive." Lynn argued.

"I won't have my cows locked in stalls all day, Ms. Hathaway."

A spark of anger slipped through the young lawyer's control. "They're just animals! You can't-"

The eldest of the six whispered thoughts to the others and they responded. Court was held and a judgment was passed.

"Dairy isn't the only thing I work with, ma'am. I have plenty of crops that are doing just fine and I've come up with some ideas to help with the milking. But that doesn't mean I'll lock them up and hobble them like some do." Chris hooked his thumbs into the belt loops at his waist, an old habit when he dug in for a fight.

"And you'd still be operating at a loss, even if you do find a way to optimize the process."

Chris laughed loudly and deeply. "Optimize? They aren't machines, ma'am. And, speaking of, I need to get back to work shortly. But, please, Ms. Hathaway, I hate to see you come empty handed." Walking to his fridge, Chris fumbled around and returned with a glass bottle filled with milk. The six lights swarmed around the bottle before dispersing back into the shadows. The smallest of the six wobbled back up to Lynn to rest in her hair. "It's fresh and way better than anything you'll buy at the store."

"I really can't, Mr. Chapman."

"Please. It's the least I can do. I know you don't understand what I'm talking about. I probably sound a little crazy - giving up everything to come out here and sweat my ass off but, try it and maybe you'll get a glimpse of what I'm talking about. The animals roam free and, honestly, since I moved back home I've felt the same. Free. This is a taste of all of that."

Lynn grudgingly took the bottle. "I'll visit again, Mr. Chapman."

The older man smiled sadly. "I doubt it, Ms. Hathaway. I'm not going to change my mind, regardless of what P&G comes back with. Next time, call and I'll save you a trip out. Oh, and you can reuse that bottle."

Chris walked Lynn to her car. The small light nestled in the tight bun of Lynn's brown hair pulsed with a sudden bright light before wandering off to the nearest tree. Three cats watched its movement, tails twitching. The dusty black car rumbled to life and Chris watched it go before heading back in to finish his lunch.

-----

Lynn sat in her overstuffed chair with a glass of wine in one hand. Flipping uselessly through her channels, she finally gave up and left it on a random show. The young woman leaned her head back, feeling the tension in her neck and shoulders.

Just made partner and then I get this shit? She thought to herself. P&G was exerting enormous pressure on their firm to handle the circumstances. This was her first big deal and she knew it was a test. She'd fought hard to get where she was and the two other partners, both men, were skeptical of her.

Tomorrow she was expected to present her report but her bed felt a long way away. She had pills to force sleep but they only gave her four hours of restlessness and she'd never been able to fall back asleep when they wore off. Damn that man and his abstinence, she thought. It's so simple, is it? To give it all up and go back to your childhood? Crawl back to... that?

Images of growing up flashed through her mind. Her parents struggling to make ends meet, saving every penny they could to send her to college. In the end, they'd barely been able to pay for half a year of law school and they looked twenty years older than they were. Lynn sighed at the memories of her mother. It was a different time back then. She didn't know how bad it was when she was a child. All she knew was her mother coming home late to sing her to sleep. And then... Lynn looked at her small fridge. She used to make me warm milk to help me sleep.

Downing her glass of wine, Lynn rinsed the cup and then drank water to clear the taste from her mouth. The young woman grabbed the glass bottle of milk from the fridge before digging around for a clean mug. Opening the bottle's cap, she sniffed and was surprised by the smell; she was used to the simple smells of milk from the grocery store. The bottled milk was full of extra scents - she could almost smell a sweetness to the slightly yellow milk.

"Well, what the hell. If it's poisoned, I could always sue him." Smiling slightly at her joke, the woman filled the mug and then microwaved it. Returning back to her chair, she crossed her legs, cupping the mug in her hands while she slowly sipped it. She sighed between sips as a warmth spread slowly through her body.

By the time the mug was empty, Lynn felt the weight of her body pulling her down. She yawned and stretched, luxuriating in the feeling of comfortable sleepiness settling deep within her body. With another yawn, she brought her mug to the sink and then shuffled off to bed.

Lynn sighed as her silk pajama pants slid between her cool covers. The added weight and warmth of the blankets surrounded her like a cocoon. The woman yawned again and couldn't remember falling asleep.

-----

The sound of Lynn's alarm clock startled her awake. The young woman was suddenly frantic and confused and it took her several seconds to even realize what was happening. She usually slept so poorly that the last time her alarm clock woke her up was when she'd first joined her firm four years ago. She'd had far too much to drink and her alarm had woken her from her stupor. Since then, the stress had built and she was usually awake far before the alarm went off.

Pale light glowed around the edges of Lynn's window blinds. She swung her feet over the edge of her bed and then worked back mentally to find when she fell asleep. She couldn't remember waking up at all during the night.

Fragments of dreams came to the woman's mind as she struggled to remember her night. She remembered laughing, as a child. And light. And peace. The love of her overworked parents. But, more than anything else, she remembered the calm. That feeling where there was nothing to worry about. Nothing at all in the world.

A full bladder made Lynn head to the bathroom and she sat with a satisfied sigh. The young woman worked her shoulders and back; her body ached and she wondered if she wasn't used to sleeping for so long.

As she stood and pulled up her pajama bottoms, Lynn winced. The skin of her lower stomach felt tender against even the smooth silk of her pants. As gently as possible, the young woman explored her stomach, tracing her fingers along skin that felt thicker and yet more smooth at the same time. The whole area was sensitive in a strange way and her fingers found four small spots in particular that hurt. Although the skin was slightly reddened and vaguely warm to the touch, she couldn't find anything else wrong. Mentally, she resolved to go to the doctor if it became worse or was still there tomorrow.

With two hours before she needed to be at work, Lynn showered, luxuriating in the steaming hot water as it ran along her small body. Her nipples ached oddly and she found herself shielding them from the direct streams of water. Maybe my period is coming early? She wondered.

The young woman stepped from the shower and dried herself. With a thick white towel wrapped around her waist, she dug through her clothes. She grabbed a pair of black panties, gray slacks and dark green blouse. The young woman leaned against her wall as she tugged her pants on. Frowning at how tight they felt, she pulled harder, grunting until they finally came up to and over her hips. I wore these just last week, Lynn remembered. What the hell?

When Lynn put on her bra, she knew something was different; the clasp she was used to hooking were too tight. The young woman took her bra off and gently hefted her breasts. Her c-cup breasts felt heavier in her hands and, circling them with her palms, she was sure they felt bigger. Note to self, Lynn thought. Get tampons on the way home. Lynn attached her bra at a different hook before heading into the bathroom. A basket on the back of her porcelain toilet held her few remaining tampons. Lynn pocketed one before sitting down for her makeup.

Lynn stared at herself cross-eyed in her small makeup mirror. She held tweezers to her chin, searching for tiny brown and wispy white hairs that occasionally grew out. Two small brown hair stood just under her chin and she winced as she plucked them.

"Perfect," the young woman said after a quick examination. On her way out of her apartment, she grabbed her purse and coat.

The drive to work was slow through the dawning heat of the morning. Lynn cursed at a few drivers but mostly she used the time to mentally prepare for her meeting with the other two partners. She knew they wouldn't be pleased with the lack of progress but she still had time before P&G really started bearing down on them.

Lynn parked at her reserved spot. It still made her happy to see her own name on the small sign in front of her parking spot; a small victory after her years of hard work. The young woman swiped her keycard at the panel by the front door and then entered when she heard it unlock.

"Good morning, Ms. Hathaway," the receptionist said cheerfully.

Whether it was the full night of actual sleep or the calm she'd felt or something else, Lynn stopped to look at the girl. Normally she would just nod on her way to her office but, today, she felt better somehow. More relaxed, even with the meeting in a few minutes, Lynn smiled at the girl. "Good morning," she told her.

Humming a simple tune, Lynn walked through the side door that led to the maze of offices and cubicles in their small building.

-----

"So, do you think he'll change his mind?" Mr. Spiel asked. The old man looked like an inflated human pug that was stuffed into a blue suit and Lynn had a hard time maintaining eye contact with him.

"Not immediately, no," Lynn answered. "He seems fairly certain of his convictions. I mentioned his neighbors. They won't sell unless he does but I told him they're prepared to sell right now."

Mr. Spiel picked at a large spot on the back of his hand; a habit he'd formed over the years and one Lynn knew meant he was anxious. "Hmm. What's next? You know how important this account is for us. We're riding on the coattails of our success with Shell but that will only get us so far. Can you change his mind or not?"

"I'll put together some numbers for Mr. Meza at P&G to see if they're willing to increase their funding. I'll also meet with Mr. Chapman's neighbors again. He's very community minded and if I can convince them to talk to him, he might be swayed that way. He's-" Lynn stopped as a yellow butterfly fluttered past Mr. Spiel's window. The sun played through its fine wings as it landed on the small bush in front of the window. The small creature slowly settled into place as Lynn watched. Something about its gentle elegance pulled at her and a flash of a memory played through her mind: her as a child, chasing butterflies through a green field.

"He is what, Ms. Hathaway?" Mr. Spiel interrupted.

"I'm sorry?"

"You were saying 'He is' just a moment ago."

Lynn thought back. What was I saying? I was talking about Christopher... Mr. Chapman and his... the community... The neighbors? Right, the neighbors and his sense of community. "Sorry, yes. Christopher- Mr. Chapman- is really interested in the community around him. If I can get his neighbors to talk to him then they may have better luck at convincing him to sell." From the corner of her eyes she watched the butterfly take flight.

"Well," Mr. Spiel said. "It's worth a shot. You might also look deeper into their backgrounds and financial records to see what you can find that might help."

"Yes, that's a good idea. They do seem like honest, good people so I'm not sure what I'll-"

Mr. Spiel scoffed. "Ms. Hathaway, I assure you, nobody is honest or good these days. Perhaps Mr. Chapman has a debt owed or an ugly habit. Or his neighbors do. Something will break them all loose."

Christopher's green eyes and open expression came unbidden to Lynn's mind at the remark. The young woman grimaced, tossing the thought away. She knew the older man was right, everyone had a secret; some dark spot they held close to their chest. Lynn found herself slowly messaging the tender skin of her lower belly. It felt slightly loose to the touch and the gentle massage was oddly satisfying.

"You're right, of course. I'll push harder." Lynn stood from the desk without another word. Mr. Spiel was already staring at his own computer screen; no further words were needed. Lynn walked slowly to her desk, fingers playing distractedly with the soft skin on her belly while her mind wandered.

[sonix1]

Great idea! I like the transformation drawn out a bit.
Cant wait to see the next parts of the story!

[fiat]

I really enjoyed pt.1 and am eagerly awaiting the rest. Great start!

[LycanDope]

Thank you both! I'm afraid I got a little behind. I'm 1200 words into chapter 2 and I may release that chapter as a 2000 word thing today just to have it out there. I didn't mean to get behind on this. And, don't worry, this isn't going to turn into some long thing like Layers or the other three series. Just wanted to break up a long-ish short story and see how it works.

[LycanDope]

Chapter 2
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Two hours later, alone at her desk, Lynn leaned back to rub her tired eyes. She still felt rested but also distracted and restless and her eyes hurt from staring at spreadsheets and emails; numbers and letters swam on the screen in front of her. The young woman turned away from her desk to rest her eyes. The chirp of a bird from outside made Lynn look over at her window. On a whim, she pulled the cord to let in warm mid-morning sunlight as a small brown bird startled into flight.

For a moment, Lynn simply stared out of her window. The hum and click and buzz of the office outside her door faded into the background as she watched the large tree at the corner of the block sway in a sudden breeze. She passed the tree every day on her way to work but she'd never really noticed it. Leaves fluttered and moved when the breeze strengthened into a strong wind. She could somehow hear the 'shhhh' sound as the leaves moved and brushed against each other.

A sense of melancholy settled deep within the young woman. Watching the tree, she felt a sense of loss without knowing exactly what was gone. She noted the thick branches low on the tree's trunk. Those would be perfect for grabbing and... Her thought was lost in a sudden memory of her climbing trees as a child. The trailer park where her family lived was at the edge of a forest and, in her boredom from a lack of toys, the girl had explored. Looking under logs, making leaf boats for the small stream at the far end of the forest and climbing trees were her favorite childhood activities.

Huh, Lynn thought. I used to just sit in the tree and listen to everything. My little hiding place away from the noise of the trailer park. And the bullies. And the bad smells. Good god, how could I have forgotten what it was like to live near a sewage treatment plant. I haven't thought about-

"Ms. Hathaway?" A tentative voice called out. Lynn blinked, turning away from the window. "I'm terribly sorry to bother you, Ms. Hathaway. Mr. Spiel told me to do some background research for the P&G account only, well, I know it's your project. I wanted to check in with you first."

Lynn frowned at the woman standing in her office. She should be furious that the senior partner was fiddling in her work and, she was. She also understood and a much smaller part of her couldn't seem to care very much about it. Lynn put that small, alien thought aside. How can I not care, she wondered. It's my client.

"Jeanne, wasn't it?" Lynn asked.

"Yes, ma'am."

"I," Lynn paused. A flare of anger made her want to yell at the other woman but, as quickly as it came, she felt it die out. She tried to feel the anger again in order to lash out at this woman butting into her project but as much as she tried, she couldn't. It's not her fault, she realized. Spiel just grabbed her and stuck her on it. She didn't ask for it. "Thank you for telling me. Just be sure to bring any information to my office rather than Mr. Spiel's office. Okay?"

Jeanne beamed, relief showing clearly on her face. "Yes, ma'am! I'll be sure to talk to you first."

Lynn stood as the other woman left her office. Her joints and lower back ached still and she wondered whether she'd need to see her chiropractor. Worse, her breasts ached in a way she'd never felt before. It wasn't bad, exactly; it was just that they felt tight and solid. Lynn walked to the executive bathroom, locking the door behind her. The small room was comforting; it was always well kept and nearly always empty. Mindful of her hair and makeup, the young woman pulled her dark green blouse over her head.

In the bright lights above the mirror, she could see her breasts almost overflowing in the bra. Around her sides, the strap of the bra pressed into her skin and she could feel it constraining her every time she breathed. Lynn reached behind herself to unhook her bra. The relief was immediate.

Without even touching herself, she could see how large her breasts seemed to be now. The skin was tight and smooth and when she held her breasts gently, she felt a slight heat radiating from them. Lynn massaged herself gently. Barely noticeable sharp pains mixed with pleasure as her gentle caresses eased the ache that had settled deep within. Her fingers slid across silky smooth skin as she explored her now-heavy breasts. Pressing and squeezing her breasts seemed to ease most of the ache and, while the feeling wasn't entirely erotic, she found herself enjoying it immensely.

Over and over Lynn massaged her breasts, squeezing outward around her nipples and then back down to circle the bottom of them. A contented sigh escaped her lips as her hands squeezed her surprisingly full breasts. Her small brown nipples swelled under the attention until they stood erect. A different kind of ache came from them and she lightly touched both of them. Are they bigger than before? What in the world? She wondered. The young woman could feel the edge of excitement calling to her and she knew if she continued rubbing herself, she would need to release the building tension. At the moment, the massage simply felt good. Anything more...

With a sigh, Lynn retrieved her bra from the edge of the sink. The odd soreness was gone and even her back felt a little better. Perhaps, she wondered. Perhaps I've been sitting too much. The young woman reached back to clasp her bra but the strap dug harshly into her. As she did in the morning, she moved the clasps back a step further and then one step more. Tugging gently at the bra cups, she settled her breasts into place and then pulled her blouse carefully back over her head.

A few expert tucks settled her hair into place. Lynn glanced over herself. Her hair was pulled back in the tight bun she'd favored since rising slowly in the ranks at the firm. It had taken a single moment of third-hand office gossip to inform her that upper management had a hard time taking her seriously when she looked so young. Or so feminine. That last was a whole other issue to deal with. So, she'd taken to putting her hair up. Now her hair did nothing to hide the hard lines of her face or the mean set to her eyes; a look developed over time to shield her emotions from the world around her.

Lynn stared at the face of the women in front of her. Is that what I look like all the time, now? Not just in meetings or in front of a commissioner or judge? Is that what my few friends and coworkers see? Good god, it looks like I never smile and my whole damn face is pulled tight. Like a corpse. The recent memories and dreams of her childhood came to her again as her eyes wandered her face. No sign of the laughing child showed through. Reaching up, the young woman took hold of the two lacquered chopsticks keeping her hair in place. Lynn pulled and her brown hair unfurled around her. The young woman smiled shyly at herself in the mirror and, finally, she saw the child from her dreams.

Back at her desk, Lynn worked through the rest of her day. When lunch neared, she called the deli nearby and then, on a whim, she asked for a mix of ten different sandwiches and cookies. As soon as she hung up, she realized she'd had no idea how many office workers were in the building. A quick count of the people (not including the two senior partners) in her Outlook address book made her sigh in relief. Apparently, and a part of her was ashamed to not know this, there were nine people working in the cubicles on the main floor. She was sure there were six when she'd started. Mostly sure. Possibly sure.

A quick email to the receptionist regarding the lunch was then sent out to the office workers. Lynn smiled to herself before diving back into her work. There was an enormous amount of law dealing with agriculture and it was certainly not a specialty of hers. Still, as Mr. Spiel would say, it was more billable hours for their firm. Even if all she was doing was double-checking local, state and federal laws.

As the day turned into evening, people began leaving one-by-one . A careful knock at her door brought her eyes away from her monitor. "Yes?" She asked. The door opened.

"Ms. Hathaway," Jeanne said. "I have some preliminary information for you. So far, all I could find was Mr. Dailey, that's Mr. Chapman's neighbor, has a son that's way behind on his student loans. I just haven't been able to put a lot of time into it."

"Jeanne, it's," Lynn glanced at the corner of her monitor. "It's after 8. Go home to your family."

"Oh, I... I don't have a family, Ms. Hathaway."

Lynn grimaced. She should know these things. The woman had worked there before Lynn had started and so she should know about her coworkers and the people that worked under her. "I'm sorry. Thank you, Jeanne. Don't forget to update the software with your billable hours for P&G. I'll head home soon, too."

"Yes, ma'am. I'll email you before I go." The woman turned and stepped from Lynn's office before turning back. "I... I like what you did with your hair, Ms. Hathaway."

Lynn touched her loose hair and then yawned. Too long at the office today, she told herself. Briefly she considered bringing her laptop home but somehow, sitting at her desk on a Friday night after 8 pm, she decided that she'd done enough. Jeanne's email came in just as she logged off. Lynn turned off her lights and locked the door behind her. The entire office was empty. The young woman left, locking the building behind her before crossing the parking lot to her Mercedes. The same brand but a slightly older and slightly less fancy model than either of the senior partner. She'd bought it three months after her promotion when Mr. Spiel had hinted at her position coming with a need to "advertise" their success. Driving to a client in an old Toyota Camry just wouldn't look good for business. Lynn had sighed and reduced her law school loan repayments to justify the extra cost. For the good of the company.

On the quiet drive home, Lynn caught herself looking up at the few stars shimmering through the city lights and pollution and other things clogging the sky. She used to know quite a few of the constellations but now all she could point out was Orion's Belt and the Big Dipper. She could see neither of those as she made her way home. She wondered what the stars looked like for Christopher but then shook herself away from the thought. It wasn't her business and, besides, stars were stars. Just points of light. Who cares what they looked like? It didn't matter to her or P&G or any of her other clients.

An hour later, Lynn pulled a small steak from her oven. Without waiting for it to cool, she sliced the meat into slivers and then dumped them into her waiting salad. Her customary glass of red wine was now a second glass. The young woman hugged the salad bowl to her chest before walking to her breakfast nook. She'd considered eating and watching television but a cursory glance at the listings showed nothing she was interested in. So, she sat. Her curtains were opened to show a view of the city around her. The moon was a bright crescent and a few stars twinkled around it.

Lynn watched cars silently move on the streets below as she ate. People and cars moving around. Going about their own lives. Working, coming home and living whatever life they have. Going home to family or... or a breakfast nook with a salad and a glass of wine. The young woman chewed thoughtfully as she became lost in thought. In between bites, her teeth reformed. Her canine teeth widened at the tip, losing their point until they nearly matched the premolars next to them. Chewing her steak began to take longer and longer as her incisors followed her canine teeth; thickening until they lost their edge. Lynn chewed, working the meat around her mouth with a tongue slightly thicker than before. The young woman nearly choked on the pieces of meat and she found herself following each bite with a sip of wine to help it down. As she finished her last bite, she lay back in her chair to sip her wine.

Her breasts were beginning to ache again but it wasn't as bad as before and the wine distracted her. And, yet, even with the two glasses, she found sleep still far beyond her reach. She wondered, did Christopher have a hard time falling asleep? With all the manual work he did, waking up before dawn to deal with the farm and animals and everything else, did he drink himself to sleep at night? Or, did he sit outside, watching the thousands of stars until he simply decided to sleep?

The young woman gently rubbed her lower stomach as she finished her wine. The thought of Christopher reminded her of the milk and her sleep from last night. Again, the woman stood and poured some of Christopher's handmade milk into a mug. She sat back at the nook to drink the warmed milk. Laying her head against the cool window, she watched the sky, looking for the stars that Christopher could see. Did I watch the sky as a child? I can't even remember. Probably not. We never really lived in the country. Not like Chris. Not like him.

As with the night before, she felt her eyelids grow heavier the more she drank. The heat from the milk spread through her, calming her as it did. With a yawn, the woman made her way to her bathroom. It took a few minutes to clean off the bit of makeup she used and a few more to brush her teeth and then she stumbled off to her bedroom to tuck herself in. Sleep closed around her and, in the darkness behind her eyes, a sea of stars bloomed.

-----

Lynn woke to a mixture of warmth of coolness. Glancing at her clock, she was amazed to see that it was after 9 am. She absolutely couldn't remember the last time she'd slept past 6 am, not since college. The sun warmed her bedroom but the coldness she felt... Lynn moved, pulling her blanket away. Her sheets were soaked with a slightly sour smelling liquid and, sitting up, she saw the front of her silk shirt was also completely wet. Lynn unbuttoned her top and when it opened, a single drop of translucent liquid welled from her left nipple. Her breasts were swollen; even larger than yesterday. They nearly bulged with their fullness and she felt heat radiating from them. The ache from yesterday had returned and was worse than before. Sitting up and moving around seemed to help but the pain was palpable.

The drop of milk dripped to her lap and her eyes automatically followed its path. Her lower stomach bulged slightly. The tender area from yesterday was now distended and a darker shade of pink. Lynn rubbed the flesh and she felt again how thick it was. Thick yet smooth and it moved against her stomach as if it were a second layer of skin.

"What. The. Fuck." Lynn enunciated.

[LycanDope]

Chapter 3
------------------
Lynn sat up straighter as she looked down her stomach. Subtle differences in how she saw her body told her that her breasts were different. At 28 years old, she knew what she should see when she looked at herself. Her mind picked out subtle differences in the shape and size of her body without relaying the specifics to her. The effect was almost maddening. Was she entirely certain they weren't as full before? Or whether they hung a little lower or bulged off the side of her body rather than sitting comfortably on her chest? No, not entirely. But her brain told her something was very different. And were her hips wider?

Her stomach, however, held her attention.

A rectangular patch of skin, roughly four inches long, above her mound but below her belly button was slightly swollen. Lynn touched the skin carefully, and, like her breasts, she felt heat radiating from the area. It was about as wide as half of her small hand and very nearly perfectly rectangular. That's... is it an allergic reaction to something? God... dangit... oh crap, what if that's not milk? Oh god. What if... what if its puss and I have some infection? Does that happen with an allergic reaction? What did I eat last night? The steak was fresh and I got the salad a couple days ago. Same as the dressing. The wine is fine. The... milk...

Lynn stood and, as her foot struck the floor, a small droplet of milk formed on the end of her right nipple. It was smaller than the drop she noticed after removing her top but still a milky white color. She ignored it as it fell to the floor. The young woman woke her laptop on the small desk in the second bedroom. She unconsciously played with the tender patch of skin on her stomach as she clicked through files. The gentle caress of her fingers felt soothing to her and, soon, she was pressing harder against the thicker skin.

"Aha!" Lynn exclaimed. Keying in a number on her nearby cellphone, she held the device to her ear as it rang.

After four rings, a male voice answered. "Shady Oaks, Chris speaking."

"Christopher?" Lynn asked. "Mr. Chapman?"

"Yes. Who is this, please?"

Lynn's hand massaged her stomach, grabbing the skin in a small fist to squeeze and pull gently before releasing it. The pinching, pulling, squeezing motion settled her nerves and she didn't even realize she was doing it. "It's, hi, it's Lynn Hathaway? From Spiel & Fillhart-"

"Yes, Ms. Hathaway, I remember. My answer is still no. And you've picked a bad time. I'm elbow-deep in oil trying to fix this old tractor."

"No, that's not why I'm calling. I," Lynn paused. An image came to mind as she spoke. Christopher out on his farm. Blue skies above with a few clouds slowly passing under the sun. Cats play fighting with a wary eye for passing hawks and owls. Chickens pecking and scratching at what they thought was food. Wind rustling the oak trees lining the property. And the man sitting by himself, cursing and grunting as he pulled at the tractor's engine. Dirt and sweat lining his brow, just above those green eyes of his. Lynn felt something almost physically tug at her heart as she pictured the scene.

"Ms. Hathaway?" Chris prompted. "You still there?"

"I-" Lynn blinked at the start of tears at the corner of her eyes. What in the world? She wondered. "No, I mean yes, I'm still here."

"Ms. Hathaway-"

"Please call me Lynn."

"Ms. Hathaway, are you doing okay? I don't know you much but this is not who I remember two days ago. Is something wrong?"

"No," she answered. "I mean, maybe. I'm sorry. I don't know what's wrong with me. I feel a little scatterbrained for some reason. Do you do anything to your milk? This will probably sound really inune...inoon?" What the hell is that word? It was... dangit! "Silly, this will probably sound really silly but is your milk made different than what I'd buy in the store?"

"Aww no, please don't tell me you have food poisoning." Chris said. Lynn could feel the man's concern over the phone.

"No. At least I don't think so. But maybe an allergy? Food allergy or something?"

"That's probably worse. Are you throwing up? Going to the bathroom a lot? You know, and I'm sorry to say it but, diarrhea? Stomach pain? Swelling? Any trouble breathing?"

Lynn sighed in relief. "No to most of that. Just some swelling is all."

"Oh," Chris said. "Well, I'm not exactly a doctor or anything but if that's it, I don't think it's food poisoning or food allergy. Does it hurt bad?"

Lynn looked down. Upon realizing that she was stroking the rough skin of her stomach, she blushed and stopped. "No. It doesn't hurt. It aches a little and feels a warm but that's it. Wait. Actually it's not aching at all anymore. Still kind of warm but that's it."

"Okay. So not so bad then? Maybe it's just a, I dunno, heat rash or something? If it doesn't hurt and nothing else feels bad then it'll probably pass."

Lynn leaned back in her chair with her eyes closed. The fabric of the chair felt rough against her naked back but when she moved, it scratched an itch she hadn't realized she had. The young woman moved her upper body back and forth against the mesh-backed chair, luxuriating in the sensation. She could see Christopher in her mind's eye, talking to her and that image plus the sound of his voice was oddly comforting to her.

"I've actually had some of the milk every night since I got it," Lynn told him. She could feel her breasts press against each other as she moved against the chair. "I warmed it up like when I was a kid and, seriously, I had the best sleep I've ever had. Both nights."

Chris grunted as a metallic sound clanked over the phone. "Yeah? I thought that was an old wives tale. The whole warm milk thing."

"Maybe? Maybe it's psycho... psychosome? I mean, maybe it's just because I think it'll help?" Lynn flushed. Why in the world can't I remember that word? I swear to god, my brain is going to mush. "All I know is that I can't remember the last time I had a full night's sleep. It was amazing."

"Well," Chris said. "You can try it using store bought milk. Maybe it doesn't matter. Otherwise, it's a long drive but you're welcome to come out for more from time to time. Stupid, sonava- Sorry, not you. This damn nut is stuck on ridiculously tight."

"I'd like that. I mean, if store milk doesn't work. You wouldn't believe how much I spend on sleeping pills and those make me feel terrible. So, yeah, maybe if that doesn't work I could come out and pick up a bottle. It's a drive but I don't mind it. I mean, well, it'd save a lot on pills." Lynn reached down to scratch at a spot on her silk pants. As she did, she moaned quietly. With long strokes, she scratched from her knee to her thigh, squirming in her chair. Scratching against her inner thighs brought another moan to her lips.

"Well, sure, yeah. I usually always keep a few jars for myself and a few friends. Sorry to hear about your sleeping problem, though. I actually had better luck with marijuana than with the anti-depressants the doctors gave me to help with sleep. I mean, when I still, ugh, dammit, when I still worked in the city."

Lynn bit her lip. Christopher's deep, easy voice rumbled around her as she rubbed her back and scratched her thighs. She felt herself grow wet from the combination of sensations. It'd been a long time since she'd made time for a lover but the image of Chris working on his tractor transitioned into him undressing. In her fantasy, they stood together in the open air, her naked while Chris smiled, hunger in his eyes. The young woman pressed her hand beneath the waistband of her silk pants. She felt short, wiry hairs before her fingers slipped between her wetness. She gasped, amazed at how slick she was.

"-although at one of the farmer's markets, Jo-ann Hilbert said she had some homemade pills that worked. St. John's Wort and other things mixed together. Probably weed in there, too, though. Hah!"

"Uhh... mmhmmm..." Lynn moaned. Christopher's sentences became words and then simple sounds as her index finger rubbed between her wet lips. She pressed the heel of her hand against her clit as the Christopher in her imagination held her against a tree with his hand around her front. The man in her dreams smelled of hay and sweat and dirt and she found herself growing wetter at the thought. Another finger joined the first as she felt her orgasm built.

"Yeah, seriously. I thought people in the city were a bunch of pot heads but, good lord. There's probably a cartel up here. A bunch of good natured drug lords generously sharing their weed."

Lynn gasped and then bit her lip. Her index finger was in deep and it felt amazing combined with the pressure against her clit. In her mind, she was on her hands and knees, in the dirt. Their clothes were strewn about and she was looking back at Christopher as he knelt behind her. He was thick and long and a real moan escaped her lips as the image of Chris pressed himself easily into her pussy. Lynn's rhythm became erratic while she felt the orgasm build larger and larger. He was reaching under her, squeezing and pulling at her nipples as he fucked her. Lynn's fingers made wet noises as she became frantic with her movements.

"I- Hey, are you still there? You okay?"

Lynn tensed, shoving her phone against her engorged breast. Her body jerked in the chair as an orgasm crackled deep within her. Nerves along the length of her leg lit up and she kicked out. "Oh," Lynn gasped. "Oh man. Wow. Wow, holy crap. I... Oh! Oh no!" The young woman looked at her phone and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw her call had disconnected at some point. "Please let it be before I said something," she prayed.

A shiver rain through her body and Lynn gasped as a much smaller orgasm followed the first one. "Sh- sheesh. Whoa." Her pants were soaked with her cum and the smell of sex hung heavily in the air. Do I call him back? She wondered. Dang. What do I even say?

The young woman moved in her chair. She felt slightly numb from sitting for so long. Beneath her skin, bones shifted slowly. The skin at the base of her spine dimpled outward into a tiny bump. Small wiry brown hairs sprouted from the bump in patches. More tiny brown hairs pushed from the edges of her ears and they minutely in response. Her ears shifted slightly, reforming until the tops were smoothly rounded.

Looking down, Lynn noticed a thin film of liquid over her left nipple. Both nipples stood hard and slightly red. When she touched her left nipple with her clean hand, the liquid transferred to her finger. Sniffing at it, she found it had barely any scent at all. Lynn brought her finger to her lip and then hesitated. Before she could change her mind, she touched the liquid to her tongue. She was expecting a sour or bitter taste and so was surprised when, instead, she tasted sweetness.

Lynn touched her phone to redial Christopher. This time, the man picked up on the second ring. "Hey," he said. "You all right? You cut out on me there."

"I'm so sorry. My phone's being all weird and just now came back up. Can I ask something?"

"Yeah, sure. Hold on a minute." Lynn grabbed the phone away from her ears as a loud banging noise crashed through the speaker. "Sorry about that. Go ahead."

"What does cow milk taste like? Or heifer? Is that the real word for it? I mean fresh. Like straight from the cow. Or heifer."

"No, not heifer. That's a cow that hasn't had any calves yet so their milk hasn't come in. The ones that had babies are cows and those're the ones we milk. Umm, well, and their milk is pretty creamy and a little sweet and a tad bit thicker than you'd get at the store. I haven't tasted straight from the udder but that's basically it. Probably a little close to what I gave you. Why?"

"Do you, don't laugh, do you think human milk is the same?" Chris's startled laugh made her blush. "I said don't laugh!"

"What in the world, Ms. Hathaway?"

"I- my friend made a bet with me." Oh god. Seriously? That's the best I can come up with? My 'friend' made a bet with me? Oh Jesus.

"Well, I wish I could tell you for sure. No, wait, I'm not sure I do wish I could. But, I don't know. Probably pretty close. But, I'll tell you what. You tell your... friend that a dairy farmer said you win, whatever the bet was. Fair?"

"Y... yes. I should go. I'm really sorry for taking up your time. And thank you!"

Lynn waited for Chris' reply. Finally, the man answered. "I don't quite understand you, Ms. Hathaway. No offense but the woman I met yesterday seemed like a robot. And now this? I enjoyed the phone call. You sound more natural and relaxed. If that's what happens when you get a decent night's sleep then I should patent my milk and sell it for ten times the price."

"I... I feel different, too. I've been thinking a lot the past few days since we met. And the sleep has helped." Chris' face appeared in her mind again and the woman blushed. "I should go, Mr. Chapman."

A pause. "All right, Ms. Hathaway. Thank you for calling; I was able to smile while working on this beast."

The line went dead. Lynn pulled her phone away and then set it next to her keyboard. She sighed and sat back. Her nipples were dry but still erect. Leaning forward, she pulled the window blinds open and then smiled as sunlight flashed over her naked breasts. The young woman raised her arms, clasping them together over her head as she stretched in the warmth.

Standing, Lynn looked at her chair and then blushed. Her black leather chair had a small wet spot from when she'd masturbated earlier. The young woman snatched a tissue from the box above her laptop and used it to clean up. She could feel the slickness on and between her thighs. Lynn stood at her window for a moment before making a decision.

"I," she said out loud. "Am going for a run. Outside." Normally she would go to the gym and use their treadmill but looking outside made the idea of being indoors seem ridiculous. Humming a light tune, the young woman rubbed against her stomach as she made her way into the bathroom. Kicking off her pants, she used soap and warm water to clean her legs, moaning slightly as she rubbed her still sensitive clit. Little wiry brown hairs surrounded her vagina, running up into a spray above her mound. She frowned at the hairs, rubbing her fingers through their roughness. I just trimmed yesterday. Didn't I? Wasn't it still smooth this morning right when I woke up? I thought I shaved so I could use the gym's pool this weekend. But... Thoughts slipped through her mind as she tried to remember what had happened. She was almost certain she'd been smooth but, plainly, she wasn't. Unseen to her, a line of fine white hairs ran straight to the rough skin on her lower belly. The same white hairs grew in a line down from her belly button before disappearing at the edge of the other skin. The young woman shrugged. Oh well. Doesn't matter, does it?

Lynn wandered into her bedroom, squeezing the skin along her belly gently. Digging through her closet, she found a pair of black stretchy exercise pants and a gray sports bra. "Perfect," she said, smiling.

Sitting at the edge of her bed, she tugged the pants on. She frowned as the pants caught on her thighs. Leaning forward, heavy breasts pressing against her legs, she pulled from the top and slowly inched the pants up and over her thighs and waist. She looked over herself. I don't look like I've gained much weight. Dang. All the more reason to go for a run.

The sports bra proved more troublesome than her pants. The fabric scratched against her still-hard nipples and she had to scoop up her breasts to fit them within the bra. The material stretched alarmingly. When she moved, her breasts did not stay in place. "Aww dam... dang," Lynn said in frustration. "I can't run like this."

The young woman looked through her pile of clothes until she found a second sports bra. Wincing in pain, she pulled the second one on over the first, adjusting for her enlarged breasts. They mostly stayed in place this time. Lynn hopped in place a few times, watching as the bigger breasts heaved beneath the fabric.

"Good enough, dam... dangit," she said to her reflection. The young woman stopped to grab another tampon that then went into her arm strap with her iPod. Her breasts sometimes swelled before her period and if it was this bad, she didn't want to have a reenactment of the scene from The Shining in some public restroom.

Lynn rode the elevator down to the first floor and then stepped out smiling into the sunlight.

[mysteryman29]

I posted this over on FA as well, but wanted to reiterate it here also.

This story is getting better and better and the attention to detail and description is excellent! The dialogue is very smooth and natural as well.

Very nicely done! Keep up the fantastic work!

[LycanDope]

Wow, thanks a lot I'm afraid no chapter 4 today. Taking a little break for the day. Was there any particular part to the story that stood out for you?

[fiat]

I agree; the character development is fantastic. I can think of few stories that so firmly establish the psychological context for the subject, especially ones that suggest consent.

[Mr GorpThorp]

I'm loving this so far, great work

[LycanDope]

Chapter 4
------------------------
Outside of Lynn's apartment, the world was alive and buzzing with activity. The young woman hummed a happy tune as she walked down mostly empty sidewalks. A strong, steady wind rippled banners and flags around her while keeping the sun from being too overwhelming. Not a single cloud covered the electric blue sky. Lynn felt her loose hair flutter in the wind and she tsk'ed at herself for not putting it up.

The wind brought with it the scent of the nearby lake. Lynn made her way to the water, crossing streets and taking exaggerated sniffs of the bakeries and delis she passed. Her stomach rumbled and she patted it fondly, unaware that she continued touching her belly for moments after. "I'll go for a run and then grab some food for lunch," she said out loud. "It's so beautiful out today."

Lynn felt energized. Rather than dwelling on her clients or upcoming court dates or the mountain of papers waiting for her, she simply enjoyed the moment. Walking around in the open with a full day ahead of her made her feel free. She felt a lightness in her chest and she had a hard time not grinning at everyone she passed.

Laughter, barking and conversations grew louder and louder as Lynn approached the wide concrete path that edged the lake. The area surrounding the lake was full of parents out with their children, people walking their dogs and the occasional jogger. Lynn could nearly feel the energy everyone was putting out and she smiled at the nearby crowd of people when she stepped onto the sidewalk. Seagulls swooped and played above, sometimes landing to fight with pigeons over crumbs. More of the large white birds eyed people sitting on benches as they worked up the nerve to approach for pieces of bread.

Trees planted in large grassy areas between the sidewalk and lake gave shade to lovers and other people wanting a break from the sun. Lynn eyed the huge trees as they swayed in the wind. The urge to nap in the sun tugged at her but she shrugged it off as she started walking. Cars passed slowly on the street side of the lake. Several men gave her a second look as they passed in their vehicles. I should've worn shorts, she thought. Her mind wandered to when she masturbated in her office chair earlier and she blushed. Not to show off! It's just warm is all. Just warm.

At the base of Lynn's spine, a single small vertebra formed from her tailbone. The small patch of furry skin covering the area dimpled out further beneath her pants. Her fused coccyx shifted, de-fusing to allow for the proper movement of her growing tail. Nerves and muscles grew into place around the reforming bones. The tiny nub of her tail wriggled back and forth in response to Lynn's happiness but the sensation was lost in the steady rhythm of her footsteps.

"Oh, right! Running!" Lynn said. Taking in a deep breath, she released it and then took off, bounding down the sidewalk. Her swollen breasts bounced alarmingly beneath her two sports bras but she ignored them, instead focusing on each step and the pattern of her breathing. Her body felt oddly sluggish and heavy and she wondered if she needed to exercise more.

Within five minutes, Lynn felt a drop of sweat roll down her cheek. Another followed and then she felt a drop form between her shoulder blades, tickling the fine hairs as it fell down her back. More followed soon after. "Should've," Lynn gasped. "Should've worn shorts. Too... hah. Hah. Too hot."

Years of pure hard-headedness made Lynn push through her sudden exhaustion; she refused to give up so quickly. Right, left, breathe, she told herself. Right, left, breathe.

Ahead of her, a small puppy ran towards a flock of pigeons, scattering them. Lynn smiled at the little animal while it barked joyfully towards its owners. Looking further, she saw a flight of butterflies playing around an array of colorful flowers. She watched as they fluttered to the concrete surrounding the flowers and then up again and in a mysterious dance amongst the delicate petals of the plants.

Lynn shifted her feet. Her toes felt painfully constrained in her expensive running shoes. The young woman looked down and then paused, eyebrows knitted in confusion. "When did I stop jogging?" She wondered aloud. Thinking back, she couldn't remember consciously slowing down and that bothered her. She frowned and knelt to adjust her shoelaces in hopes that would relieve the pressure. Gah, no wonder all the guys were looking at me. These things are huge! Lynn could see the tops of her sweaty breasts through the cut-out on top of her sports bras. Even with the restrictive top, they looked big. She reddened when she noticed how visible her nipples were through the fabric. They felt sore, rubbed slightly raw by her sweaty bras. Sore and very erect for some reason. Her breasts hurt again, deep within and she wondered if all the jogging was causing a problem.

Kneeling in the grass, Lynn breathed in deeply; someone had mowed recently and the smell of fresh-cut grass called to her. Rather than tightening her shoes, she unlaced them, pulling the white and pink shoes from her feet. The relief was immediate and Lynn sighed as she wriggled her toes back and forth in her ankle-high socks. The young woman took her socks off, tucking them into her shoes. Lynn leaned back on her hands. The sun sparkled through the branches and leaves of the tree closest to her. She pulled her iPod's earbuds off of her ear, storing them in the carrying case strapped to her upper arm. I wasn't listening to it anyway, she thought.

The grass was cool on Lynn's toes and she rubbed them back and forth on the ground. Blackness oozed from behind the cuticles on her toenails. Slowly, the clear coloring darkened to a solid gray. The bones within her toes grew, pushing them out until they were over a quarter of an inch longer. Finally ,her toes flattened minutely, flaring out to the side. Her toenails thickened until they jutted out from the front and sides of her toes. Lynn idly scratched at a small round patch of near-invisible brown and white hairs on the side of her exposed stomach.

The laughter of children surrounded her, bringing memories of her own childhood with it. Poor and without the benefit of toys, she'd found herself outdoors more often than not. In the forest nearby and the wide grassy fields further out. How did I forget what it was like to just sit outside and relax? To run and play in the grass without worrying about anything more than being home in time for supper? Lynn lay back on the cool ground, spreading her arms out around her. She felt her breasts pull to the sides slightly. It's not just the job; I used to go to school during the day, too. I just... gave it all up. For... For... for what? When was the last time I sat at the park for the heck of it? When was-

A passing car honked its horn loudly. Lynn sat up, her heart suddenly racing. "Muuh!" She exclaimed in sudden, hard unreasonable fear. More fine brown hairs sprouted from the backs of her ears to join the ones lining the very edges. The young woman covered her mouth as she looked around to see if anyone heard her. What the heck was that? Oh my... what was that sound? Was that me? Heat rose to her cheeks when a passing couple stared at her oddly. Goosebumps broke out along her arms and her heart beat loudly in her ears. It was just a car. Why am I freaking out about a car?

Gathering her shoes, Lynn walked to a nearby bench. As she did, the soles of her feet darkened slightly. A thin callous-like growth spread along the bottom of her feet. Lynn sat at the edge of the bench and, slowly, her heart settled.

While Lynn calmed her breathing, another change was taking place within her body. Ligaments and bones moved in her pelvis. She shifted uncomfortably at the flash of dull ache followed quickly by partial numbness near her coccyx. Her pelvis widened, pushing her hips out as they opened her body. Muscle and fatty tissue grew in around her thighs, compensating for the new width. Lynn's yoga pants stretched to take in her new larger frame. Lynn shifted her hips in a circle just as the numbness fled.

Dammit, she thought. Immediately, a sense of guilt hit her and she looked around. A piece of her felt like a small child trying out a curse word for the first time; she expected her mother to show up to scold her. Dangit. This is ridiculous. A car honks its horn and I'm suddenly a small, scared animal. Her stomach rumbled, reminding her she hadn't eaten yet. All right, she told herself. I get it. Time to eat. A yawn forced her jaws wide open. And maybe take a nap. Like a regular person. The thought of opening her windows and curtains to let the warm breeze in while she napped made Lynn sigh. She almost considered skipping lunch just so she could sleep but her stomach burbled at her in protest.

Her feet no longer feet in her shoes. Lynn stopped and stared as half of her foot stuck out of her top of her shoe. The expanded width of her feet would not let her push her feet very far into the shoe. Cocking her head to the side, she tried again. Still her foot stopped near the opening.

"What the heck?" She asked, out loud. The young woman looked at her foot. "Oh gross. I need to cut my toenails. But, is..." She held her foot in her hand, pulling it closer to her face. Again, her brain noted differences in what should be there but, beyond her toenails looking like they belonged on an unkempt 90 year-old bum, she saw nothing. Finally, she put it down to her period like she did with her breasts. Does water retention happen in the feet and legs, too? She wondered. She'd only ever had her breasts get a little bigger when her period came and that wasn't every time. She'd never had anything like this happen to her. She resolved to check on the Internet when she got home - just to see if it was a common thing. Or after my nap. Because right now, I'd kill for a nap.

Lynn grabbed her shoes, holding one in each hand as she walked back to the sidewalk. Her toes gripped happily through the grass as she walked and, behind her, her almost-tail wiggled. The young woman stepped onto the sidewalk to begin her walk home. She frowned as the scent of the cut grass left her nose. She wanted to go back into the grass to laze and relax and roll around but she was also hungry and still unsettled by the car.

A man passed Lynn and then, unseen to her, looked back as she passed. Her ass nearly bounced in her pants now. She'd had the ass of a woman that worked out with her legs as a focus but now, since her hips had opened up, she had taken on the curves of a classic beauty. Her upper body slimmed slightly at her stomach only to flare out around her hips and thighs. Quite a few men slowed their pace to follow behind her. The thick band of her yoga pants hid her growing tail from sight as she walked. She could feel her panties riding up between her pussy lips and ass. She looked down in embarrassment and wished nobody was around so she could pull them out. Instead, she kept walking, occasionally shifting her legs to work the silky fabric out a little.

Around her, small barefoot children hissed as their feet touched the hot sidewalk. They danced away to the cooler grass to continue playing. The callous covering Lynn's feet protected her as she walked and, occasionally, her thick, hardened nails clicked against the ground. The young woman didn't notice as nerves died in her toes; she no longer felt her nails clicking against the ground. She was far too distracted by her thoughts to notice that she couldn't feel her toes on the sidewalk. Her nails pulled tight against the side of her toes until her toes were nearly completely incased in the hardened gray material. The skin between her toes grew together, pulling her toes closer until only the very ends of her toes were separated.

Lynn hummed as she walked, unaware of her changes. Her ears swiveled occasionally as cars passed. The rounded tops of her ears brushed against her hair as they lengthened, stretching thin as brown and white hairs grew from the skin.

Halfway home, Lynn sneezed at a sudden sinus pressure. The pinch high in her nose made her eyes water. And then, it was gone. She rubbed at the bridge of her nose and it moved as if she were sculpting it. The cartilage widened, forcing her nose to grow along with it. She sneezed again when her larger nostrils took in too much of the air around her.

The young woman paused outside her favorite deli. It smelled wonderful but she thought of the left-over salad ingredients she still had at home. Her stomach growled in enthusiasm at the idea so she continued up the small hill to her apartment. The cool air inside the building was refreshing after being in the heat all day. Her armpits and the bottom of her bras were dark with sweat and she could feel an occasional bead of sweat sliding between her ass cheeks.

Lynn tore apart a refrigerated head of lettuce, dumping the pieces into a large Pyrex bowl. When the bowl was filled, she sat and ate. Her completely flattened teeth gnashed at each bite while her tongue rolled the wad of food in her mouth. She was halfway finished when she realized she hadn't added any other vegetables or dressing to the salad. She briefly considered adding some of both but then shrugged her shoulders. The cold lettuce tasted great while cooling her down. And besides, her bed was calling to her. The young woman ate slowly and methodically while staring out of her window. Her mind was a thousand miles away, thinking on nothing. Bite, chew, roll, chew, roll, chew, swallow. And again. And again. Finally finished, she stood and walked to her bedroom.

A wonderful cool breeze flowed through her bedroom window when she opened the glass panes. The sun was high in the sky but still flooded the room with its warmth. Lynn tugged her pants and panties down, struggling to get it over her expanded hips and ass. In the bright light, the tender patch of skin looked almost normal. Well, it's certainly not worse. I bet it'll be much better in the morning. And I feel fine so it can't be anything bad.

With a gentle tug, Lynn pulled her first bra off. Her eyelids felt incredibly heavy and her mind was going dumb with the need for a nap. As she reached for her second bra, small brown hairs sprouted from her back, just below her left shoulder blade. She lifted the edge of the bra up and her breasts spilled out from beneath. Finally, she simply pulled up and then sighed as she stood completely naked.

The young woman felt free and comfortable in the middle of her room. A ghost of a thought crossed her mind and she considered pulling on sleeping clothes but her body weighed a ton and she couldn't- Lynn almost collapsed into her bed from the need to sleep.

The sun moved overhead as afternoon turned to evening. Lynn lay on her stomach with her legs spread open. Two more vertebrae grew from the end of her tail and it finally wagged freely in the air. Dark black hairs grew from the very tip of the thin tail.

Short, wiry white fur sprouted from her right ass cheek in an irregular circle four inches in diameter. On her lower back, more hairs pushed through her skin in a pattern of brown with white spots. The woman's ears grew an inch longer until the thin skin flopped over, incapable of holding stiff and straight. Her nose widened further as black blotches bloomed around the pink of her nostrils. Between her legs, Lynn's vagina swelled slightly, labia puffing out to match her larger hips.

Lynn groaned. Her nipples moved as her breasts filled out. They slid across the smooth cotton sheets of her bed while they grew. The skin of her breasts tightened and reddened and she groaned again, feeling their heat and pain in her dream.

Four small pink spots appeared on the skin of her lower belly. Slowly, those four spots dimpled outward into tiny rounded, smooth nipples. The nipples expanded like balloons until they were half an inch long. Once finished, the skin around those four nipples bulged, taking on a more rounded shape.

Short fur grew from between her legs, growing around in random patches until her wide, thick ass was covered in white and brown fur. The same fur grew down, stopping mid-thigh as her changes halted.

Dawn was a purple and red bruise outside her window and Lynn was deep in her dream.

[LycanDope]

Chapter 5 (one more to go!)
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Lynn woke slowly, her mind clawing its way out of a near-drunken haze. Her body tugged at her, calling attention to different parts that ached or itched or hurt. She sat up, blinking through gummy eyes while smacking her lips. Sharp pain lanced through both of her breasts when she moved. She looked down at her swollen breasts and suddenly adrenaline crashed through her, lifting the fog from her brain.

"Muuh!" Lynn cried out in a sudden deep-throated panic. It wasn't her breasts that alarmed her; rather, it was the distended area of her stomach that brought her fully awake. Her mind told her it was impossible. Surely it was a trick of some kind. An illusion.

The skin below her belly button was a light pink color and it bulged outward in a gently curve. Four elongated nipples were arranged as if four corners of a square, directly in the middle of that strange growth. Each of the four nipples were half as long as her pinky finger. A splash of black coloring marred the pink of the skin and two of her nipples had three small splotches of the same black color.

She reached for her stomach with a shaky hand. Her hand trembled as her finger touched the pink skin. She could feel it; she could feel her finger touching the skin. It was her. Her own flesh. The skin was more smooth than she expected but also harder. When she pressed, she could feel how solid it felt underneath her skin. The nipples hung down, folded just above their midpoints. Lynn ran her fingers across the marble-like warm skin. Goosebumps raised along her arms at her touch. It was an odd sensation and not unpleasant. She felt it as an erotic almost tickling sensation deep within, almost as if someone were playing lightly with her nipples.

Biting her lip, Lynn touched one of the four nipples. It was soft and warm to the touch and her gentle caress felt like someone playing lightly with... My normal nipples? She thought. Normal? I don't... what... Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god. This is me. This thing is on me. What do I do? What should I do?

Lynn's mind reeled before her control locked down. Since high school, she'd locked all extraneous thoughts and emotions away. She needed to study for good grades. She needed the grades for scholarships. She needed the scholarships for college. And then law school. She'd ignored everything that stood between her and her goals. Friends, relationships, time away from work and studies... Everything. She'd ignored the life around her so she wouldn't have to deal with the heartbreak and pain of a life lived from paycheck to paycheck.

She looked at herself with a detached mind, analyzing what she saw. Her breasts hurt and, gently touching them, she could feel how much warmer they were compared to the rest of her body. They felt solid in her hands and were at least double their natural size. Their weight pulled at her back. So, not water retention after all. Not with the rest of these changes. She thought to herself. Her normally flat stomach was far less defined and, looking further at the rest of herself she seemed simply softer than she should.

"It's an udder. A cow's udder," she said. She stroked the new appendage carefully, marveling at how smooth it felt. Part of her mind wanted to scream at her but she pushed it away. The bulge was slight; not a hanging bag like she'd seen on pictures of cows but, rather, a clear curve away from her belly. A large vein ran diagonally along it. The vein was larger than any of her other veins and seemed to disappear at the edges of the bulge. She thought the black coloring in the middle of the udder looked vaguely like a Tyrannosaurus being eaten by a gelatinous blob. The four nipples stirred at her touch. She watched as they shifted on her, stirring in response to her light touches on her udder. It was similar to the nipples of her breasts hardening but not quite. The four long nipples tried to stiffen but, instead, they flopped over at different angles.

She'd noticed the brown fur along her hips and legs earlier but now she focused on it. Leaning back so she could see past her swollen breasts, Lynn bit her lip. Hunching over was awkward and uncomfortable because of her breasts and udder. Short brown and white fur covered her waist completely. Starting from below her udder, the fur spread out and around until it stopped mid-thigh. She ran her fingers through the fur, feeling the way the slightly stiff hair pulled at her skin. It seemed thicker than what she'd seen on cows and, while stiff, it felt silky to the touch when she stroked herself the proper way.

Although the fur between her thighs was as thick as it was on her legs, she could easily see her labia. She'd been born with a petite vagina and, never having had children, her lips had stayed in place; hidden and compact. Now, both her inner and outer lips were exposed as if they were engorged. She touched herself carefully, feeling along the now-puffy lips of her vagina. Her fingers brushed against the fur of her inner thighs. Brown fur with white spots of various shapes and sizes. At least it still feels like my own vagina. It doesn't seem like there's any loss of feeling. Lynn sighed.

Lynn turned to look behind herself but then stopped. Instead, she pulled her feet up to her bed to stare at them. The fur of her thigh slid across her breasts and she shivered from it. Her feet were stretched out. But, more noticeably, her toes were longer and covered with the thick gray toenail like growth she'd noticed briefly yesterday. Lynn held her right foot, turning it over. The bottom of her foot was tough and the toenails wrapped around to cover all but the very pads of her toes. The toenail had grown down to cover the first knuckle of each toe and, when she touched the bottom of her toes, she felt nothing. No sensation at all. The young woman pricked all ten of her toes and none of them responded. The thick grey growth was now triple the thickness of her normal toenail. When she tried to wriggle her flattened toes, they all moved together in a line. Looking more closely, she saw thick skin connecting each toe together and, where the toenails touched, they merged as if melted together.

Setting her feet back on the ground, the young woman turned awkwardly before realizing she couldn't see anything on her back. She explored with her hands. She felt her wider hips and the way her ass ballooned out behind her. It wasn't huge but even without looking, she could feel how much larger she was.

She knew what to expect while her hands moved. She'd been feeling it the entire time. Her fingers met at the middle of her lower back and there she found her tail. It was a small thing yet but even without touching it, she could feel it. She could feel it rubbing on the very short fur covering her ass and nerves in the tail responded back. Lynn pinched at it carefully while exploring. There were small bones down the length of it and it ended in a short puff of fur. The closest thing she could think to describe how it felt on her was as if she were making a "come here" gesture with her finger only it was skin and bones moving against her lower back rather than her hand.

"My face! What does-" Lynn stood in a panic. "Muuh!" She cried out, ashamed at the animalistic sound as she fell over on unfamiliar feet. The woman crashed to the ground, hot tears of shame suddenly welling at the corner of her eyes. Her control fell apart as her body made her finally, fully realize that she was no longer completely human. She sobbed on the ground, arms around her knees in a fetal position. Random thoughts intruded upon her as she cried. I'll never be able to go out in public. Ever again. Sex. Sex is out. Who would fu- have sex with someone that looked like me? A fetishist who looks at me and only sees a cow? Oh god. What if it doesn't stop? What if it keeps going and one morning I wake up and I'm just a fat ugly cow on four legs? Would it be worse to still think like a human or to lose myself completely in it?

Time passed as Lynn wept on the floor. The sun rose above the horizon and the young woman's tears slowed to a stop. Occasionally, she hiccupped and sighed heavily while staring at a pile of dust and hair under her bed. Her thoughts were a million miles away as she calmed herself. She lay naked, half furry and in pain. When she'd fallen, she'd landed on her breasts and now that her crying fit was over, they screamed at her.

Despite the pain and confusion, the warmth from the sun was incredibly comforting. She could tell where the fur ended on her legs from the way her bare skin felt under the rays of sunshine compared to the fur. The fur let the warmth spread around her, diffusing it as it did.

Lynn pushed to her knees, wincing as her heavy breasts hung below her. The young woman used the bed to help her to her feet. She wobbled for a moment before finding a tentative point of balance. With her hand on the post at the foot of her bed, she went to her tiptoes. The movement and position felt natural in an odd way but she couldn't hold it. She lowered herself down carefully from the balls of her feet to stand flat-footed. Her tail wriggled behind her. The first step was awkward but the second was less so and she was soon standing in front of the bathroom mirror.

Her ears were the first thing she noticed. They were long and thin and covered in brown and white fur. The top part of her ears were folded over and, in the light, she could see tiny red veins through the thin skin. The bottom parts of her ears still looked human but were wider and more formless than they should be; as if the details of her ears were being smoothed out by some sculptor. They twitched while she watched and she felt different muscles moving at the side of her ears. Leaning in closely, she could see a line of fine brown hairs running down the side of her head to her jaw. Those same hairs crept along her jawline but ended well before her chin.

She focused on her face and her nose drew her attention. It was wide and flat and more suited for a muzzle that didn't exist. Tiny black coloring dotted the skin of her now-huge nostrils. Below her nose, two more dark spots stood out on her slightly reddened lips. Lynn bared her teeth and immediately noticed the difference in her teeth. Her gums were lined with molars and the only difference was that her front teeth were smaller than her back teeth. She had no incisors or canine teeth to show.

The young woman sighed and leaned forward, resting her head on the cool surface on the mirror. Her breasts ached badly but she knew she couldn't go to the doctor. What should I- Suddenly, she remembered the previous morning. Waking up to blankets soaked in milk. It hadn't happened this morning and the girl wondered if that was the difference. Oh god, she whimpered. Do I really have to do this?

Lynn cradled her left breast between her hands. She bit her lip in shame and indecision and then slowly squeezed while pushing out toward her nipple. It hurt but a small part of it felt good, as if massaging a deep knot in her back or stretching after sitting for too long. The woman let go and then repeated the motion, squeezing around the base of her breast while pushing forward. She felt something move inside her breast as if one thing was separating from something else. A small drop of translucent liquid formed on the tip of her nipple, bringing with it a tiny bit of relief from the pain she was feeling. She squeezed and pushed again but this time, a thin stream of milk squirted from her breast and into the sink. The relief was almost sexual and Lynn moaned from it. She kneaded at her breast, massaging it while milking herself. She felt herself grow excited at the feeling and she could feel liquid pooling inside of her in response to it. She ignored it all, refusing to get turned on by the act.

The pain in her left breast faded to nothing as she milked herself. A small part of her wanted to giggle and dance a little as the swollen breast became softer from her ministrations. Eventually, the stream of liquid turned into small dribbles until, finally, her left breast was empty. Lynn eagerly attacked her other breast, squeezing and pushing. She cooed to herself as her milk came in. She learned that it worked better to squeeze her breast with one hand while the other worked around her nipple. With the second hand, she grabbed a small fist of flesh that included her areola and nipple. Then, she twisted slightly as she pulled. Milk spurted into the sink and the smell of it filled the air. She could feel her puffy lower lips rubbing wetly against her thicker thighs but she again ignored it. The woman scolded herself as she finished. I may look like a cow but I'm not an animal. I'm just getting rid of this crap because it hurts. Nothing else. I don't care what you think you want, body.

When the last drop of milk left her right breast, she looked down. Both of her breasts were still far larger than what they should be but they now lay flat and soft on her chest. And, now that she looked, she saw that the nipples were thicker than they should be. They were wider than her thumb and longer than she remembered. A small pattern of black coloring lined the bottom of her right nipple. The areola themselves were wider, disproportionately so against her bigger breasts. Heat rose to her cheeks. She'd loved her breasts. She'd thought they were perfect - just the right combination of firmness and softness with a perfect pendulous shape. Her nipples and areola were small and pink and just the right size for her breasts. Now her nipples had darkened to brown and, while those fit the increased size of her breasts, her slightly puffy areola looked like small teacup plates. Decades of forced body image shame made her face hot with anger.

Now who the heck would want to- dangit. What does it matter? The size of my breasts are the least of my worries. I'm a cow. I- Lynn's slower brain had a moment of clarity. 'Cow' linked with milk which then linked with Christopher's farm and the bottle of milk he gave her. It can't be, she told herself. He can't have done this to me, could he? How? How could it even have happened?

Lynn mentally went over the conversations she'd had with Christopher. She felt slightly odd doing it. With the way she'd been feeling lately and the thoughts she'd had, the woman in her memories felt like a stranger. So bold and arrogant and blunt and rude. How had she acted like that, she wondered.

Everything in her mind made her think that Christopher had no idea what had happened to her. He'd seemed surprised to hear from her yesterday and the conversation had worked naturally. He'd appeared warm and supportive and normal on the phone. And happy to hear from her. But, what else could it be? Is it possible that it's something else? It has to be the milk, doesn't it? But, he didn't know I was coming and he just grabbed a bottle from the fridge. Still...

The young woman walked carefully to her office and picked up her phone. She dialed Christopher and then sat carefully in her chair. Her larger frame and tail made sitting straight-back uncomfortable.

Christopher answered on the second ring. "Hello?"

"Mr. Chapman?" Lynn asked.

"Ms. Hathaway, good morning. I was just finishing a late breakfast. You have much better timing this morning. I've already done my morning chores and was going to take a little break. Unless you're calling again about P&G?"

"No, not that," Lynn assured him.

"Then that's fine," Christopher answered. She thought she could hear the man's warm smile over the phone. Lynn heard wood creaked and she imagined him leaning back to listen to her. "I admit I enjoyed our conversation yesterday. Even if it was a little odd."

"Y... yes. Odd, right? I-" Lynn paused. What was she supposed to say? What could she say to make him believe her? To see his reaction? "May I come out to your farm, Mr. Chapman? I swear it's not about P&G or any other legal thing."

"Well, I... sure. That'd be fine. I don't have anything planned for this evening anyway. Sunday evenings are my days off. Unfortunately, the only time I have off."

Lynn sighed in relief. "Okay. I'll be there in a little over an hour. Thank you!"