The rooster crowded for the third time, and I knew I wasn't going back to sleep. It was a Saturday, my day off. I rose from the bed at a slow, sluggish pace, put on some sweatpants, checked my white t-shirt of stains, found none, and made my way down stairs. I groggily rubbed my eyes as I shuffled into the kitchen an noticed Chet slowly drying a dish, starring out the window at the barn. 

“How is she today?” I asked.

The old man finished drying the dish, put it in the dry rack, and turned to me with a somber look.
He was a big man, about 6'1” to my 5'9”. He had broad shoulders that looked like they were carrying the weight of the world. He shrugged and put a hand through his salt and pepper hair. 

“Haven't worked up the courage to go see her today.” he said, a little embarrassed. “I mean thats my little girl out there Jack. I've been raising her by myself ever sense she was five. I've helped out with every math assignment, comforted her through every bad dream, shoot, even kissed every boo-boo that girls ever had. But Jack, I just don't know how to handle this.”

He looked exhausted. I felt bad for the guy. I walked over to him and put my hand on one of his brawny shoulders.

“Look Chet, you're a great dad, ain’t no one God's green earth gonna deny that. But Chet you have to trust that she can get through this.” 

I smiled at him.

“She ain’t a little girl no more.”

I patted him a couple times on the arm and made my way to the barn...

On my way I saw a couple of the ranch hands scurry out the front gate of the barn. I chuckled to myself as they walked pasted me in a hurry. Most men can't stand to be in there for little more then five minutes ever sense Alison moved out there. Alison was a gentle soul at heart, but now a days she had taken to paying around with the other ranch hands, playing little practical jokes on them, if you will. Me on the other hand, she had taken a liken too. I walked up to the big, red, barn door, and with a heavy sigh I walked on through. 

To the back of the big empty barn, on a stack of hay bales, with her legs crossed, sat Alison, or Ali as we all had taken to call her. She was a pretty girl with fire kissed hair, fair skin, hazel eyes, and a slender, athletic body. Everything about her seemed normal today, everything of coarse except her size. Over the last year Ali had grown from a modest 5'6” to a whopping 45ft tall. 

“Morning little lady!” I yelled up at her, walking closer.

Ali looked down at me with a smirk. Her bare foot bobbing up and down almost impatiently. As I got closer I noticed what the other ranch hands had been doing in here. To the right of Ali's foot sat a few buckets of blue paint with a long paint roller. Her freshly painted toes glistened as her bobbing foot came to a halt.
“You missed all the fun Jack” she said, smile widening.“The boys just finished painting my toe nails. They're still a little wet. Maybe you can dry them for me?” 

She lowered the once bobbing foot till her toes were a few inches from my face. A while back, Ali had discovered that I have a little foot fetish. Every now and then she liked to remind me of this fact, sometimes she'd step in the way of where I was walking, making me collide with her foot before I had a chance to get out of the way, other times she would knock me over with her toes, never forcefully of coarse, just a little nudge to knock me on my ass or stomach. She would always giggle and play like it was an accident, but every time, she would give me the same knowing look and smile. As I said before Ali was the playful type. I put my hand on her big toe pushing her foot away gently.

“Sorry little lady today's my day off I just came by say hi, and see how you were doing.” I said smiling up at her. “If you want some one to blow on those massive boulders you'll have to look else where.” I gave her a wink and turned to walk away.

With a mischievous grin Ali spread her big and second toes and scooped me up between them. With her long legs still crossed I now dangled about two or three feet off the ground. 

“Hey!” I said “Now you know that ain't fair, put me down right now.”

“Awe, I'm sorry little man but you seem to have insulted my toes, it now appears that you have made them angry” she said in a mater of fact voice.

“Come on Ali it's my day off give me a break let me down.” I wined 

“If you want down, I suggest you apologize” 

“I'm sorry Ali, truly and deeply I am. now will you please let me down?” I asked a hint of annoyance in my voice.

“Not to me.” she said, looking at me as if I were thick, “You didn't insult me. You insulted them.”

She gave her toes a wiggle squeezing me little bit.

“Ali I'm not apologizing to your toes, I said I'm sorry now let me.. waoh...”

Ali started bobbing her foot up and down again sighing as she did.

“Now you've done it Jack, now they're very, very upset with you.”

“Alright, alright.” I said with a laugh “I'm sorry Ali's toes, you are gorgeous! Beautiful! The most beautiful toes on the planet!”

My ride didn't stop.

“I'm sorry Jack but it seems that apologizes just ain't good enough no more your gonna have to think of something else,”

Ali and I had played little games like this before, I knew what she wanted and if I wanted this ride to end anytime soon I was gonna have to suck it up and give it to her.

“Alright, you win!” I yelled 

I reached down and started kissing her big toe. Finally my ride came to a stop and I looked up to see Ali beaming at me.

“Now Jack I knew you liked my feet, but I never knew you loved them.” She mocked.

“Yeah, yeah will you let me go now?” I asked trying to sound annoyed.

Ali slowly lowered her foot and released me from her long, slender toes. I looked up at her giving her the biggest stink eye I could manage.

“Oh don't look at me like that, I was only playin'.” she said with a giggle. “Besides it's not like you didn't enjoy it” 

“I did not.” I said, crossing my arms in defiance.

“Please Jack, you can deny it all you want, but sweatpants never lie.”

She flicked my erection with her big toe.

I blushed, covering my embarrassing bulge with both my hands.

“That's n-n-not because of you.” I said stuttering a little bit. “That's uh, uh, morning wood that's all morning wood. It's a perfectly natural thing, that happens to all guys, so there!”

“Oh really?” she ask putting back on that mischievous smile. “Then I don't suppose this will have any effect on you whatsoever.”

She uncrossed her right leg and placed her foot directly on top of me pinning me to the ground. 
She lifted her heal a bit keeping her toes pined on my chest. 

“Pull down your pants” she ordered

Not being stupid enough to argue with a 45ft woman when she has me pined underfoot, I obliged her. With a wiggle and twist I got them down past my ass, exposing my now throbbing member. With a triumphant smile she lowered her heal and slid her foot down, my dick feeling every wrinkle of her sole, until it rested between her big and second toe. I gasped as she gently squeezed it and started rubbing me up and down.

“Well Jack? How dose that feel?”she asked in a breathy voice.

I didn't answer I was too far gone in ecstasy. She started pumping faster.

“You like that Jacky boy? Do you like what those big boulders are doing to you?”

I gasped, I could feel the pressure rising. Ali looked down at me and bit her lip.

“Come on Jack, cum for me.” she said pumping just a little bit harder. “Cum on these feet. You know you want to.”

I lost control. My dick erupted like the volcano that smote Pompei. Hot cum splashed on top of Ali's giant foot as I bucked my hips against her sole. I collapsed against the ground as Ali lifted her foot to examine what I had done.

“Oh Jack you made such a mess.” she said clicking her tongue in mock disapproval.

She brought her foot up to her knee and used the bedsheets that made up her skirt to wipe up my mess.

“So Jack what do you have say for yourself.”

I smiled up at her with the glaze of ecstasy still in my eyes.

“Ok, you win, I admit it, it wasn't morning wood .”

One year earlier...

I drove up to the farm at about 7:15 in the morning. It was already about 80 degrees outside, telling me that it was gonna be another hot one. I got out of my old beat up Chevy pickup and slammed the door. I was late. Not like I made it a habit. In fact, I made it a point to be on time on a count of the fact that Chet always gave the worst chores to whoever got there last. I had just lost my place the night before. My landlord and I had a little disagreement on whether or not I paid my rent. He had won the argument by changing my locks and sticking an eviction notice on my door. I jogged up to the house, put my hand on the screen door, and collected myself. That's when Chet himself opened the front door. The big man stood in the door frame, big old smile on his face.

“Mornin' Jack,” he greeted, his smile unwavering.

“Mornin' boss,” I replied.

“You're late.”

“Yeah...” I started to rub the back of my neck and squinted up at him.

“That ain't like you.”

He came out on to the porch and stared at the big red barn off in the distance.

“I got kicked out of my place last night,” I explained.

“That old barn out there, the roof needs fixin'.” he said as if I said nothing.

I sighed. “I'll go get my tools.”

“Not yet boy. First I need you to go on and help the others. There's this... uh... well you don't need to know what it is just help them get it into the barn, then you can start on the roof.”

I gave him a mock salute. He gave me a few pats on the back that nearly sent me to the floor.

“Good man.”

I started to leave when Chet lightly grabbed my shoulder.

“Say, why'd you get kicked out of your place anyway?” he asked. Was there a note of caring in his voice?

“Disagreement with the landlord,” I told him.

He gave me a smile.

“None of my business. I get it. I ain't one to pry.”

I gave him a nod and made my way toward the others.

I approached what looked to be a gasoline tanker with about five or six of the other ranch hands trying to fasten a big hose to what looked like a faucet coming out the back end. One of the hands noticed me and with a big wave he yelled, “Hey Jack! Take the other end of this hose here and put it in the container in the barn.”

I trotted up to where the hose was, picked it up, and at the same pace made my way to the barn.

When I entered the barn, the first thing I noticed was a giant gray cylinder about six feet tall and eight feet across. On the front of it was a window with little measuring lines like you would see on a tape measure. That's new, I thought. I fed the hose through the top of the big container and stopped once it hit the bottom. That oughtta do it, I thought, and with that I left. When I got outside I gave a big thumbs up to the ranch hands letting them know it was good to go. At that moment I felt a tap on my shoulder. I spun around and before me stood Ali. She was wearing a white sun dress that came down to her knees, her red hair rested on her shoulders, and one sandal-clad foot rubbed up and down her calf as if to scratch an itch. If there was one thing about Ali that really got me going it was her feet. Long and slender, I would have put them at about a size 8. Don't get me wrong, there were many other things to admire about Ali. Her legs alone would be enough to send any guy into orbit. But, sick puppy that I am, just getting a look at those perfect size 8s turned a bad day good.

“Hey there,” she greeted. “I hear daddy's got you fixin' the barn roof today.”

“Yeah...” I sighed. “Penalties of being late I s'pose.”

“Well be careful, it's suppose to get up 100 degrees today. Wouldn't want you gettin' sun stroke.”

“Ali Clarke,” I said in mock surprise, “I had no idea you cared about me so. Why, a lesser man would think-” she cut me off.

“The only thing I care about is my daddy having to replace another worker because someone was too dumb to keep himself hydrated on a hot summer day. Good help is hard to find and my daddy likes you. The only reason he's punishing you is that he don't wanna play favorites.”

I gave her a knowing smile. “I'll be careful little lady,” I promised. “I got too many bills. I can't afford to go dyin' of heat stroke.” I looked over at the tanker truck. “Say Ali, what is that stuff anyway? Your dad seemed awful secretive about it,” I asked.

“I have no idea. All I know is that some company's payin' my dad a lot of money to keep it here. He's been pretty quiet to me about it as well and he tells me everything. I'll tell you this much Jack, I don't like it. I can't shake this bad feelin', you know?”

“I'm sure it's nothin' to worry about.” I gave her a reassuring smile.

“Yeah, you're probably right.” She smiled back.

The both of us stood there for an awkward moment, smiling at each other, waiting for the other to break the silence. It was Ali who broke it.

“Well, I got chores and they ain't gonna do themselves,” she said with a laugh.

I looked up at the barn roof, shielding the sun from my eyes with my hand.

“Yep, me too,” I said.

She gave me one last smile and walked away, sandals slapping against each perfect foot as she did.

I sighed and mentally prepared myself for the long day ahead.

I had been working for three hours when I decided to take my first break. I had come to the conclusion the Chet had lied. The roof didn't need fixing; Chet needed a new roof. Years of storms, sunshine, snow and hail had turned a once reliable shield of the elements into a bonafide death trap for anyone stupid enough to try to fix it. Well, I never claimed to be smart. I took off my shirt and used it to wipe my brow when I heard my ladder shake. Seconds later, Ali appeared and with her she carried the only thing on God's green earth that could make her prettier. Two bottles of ice cold water.

“Leave it to you to be an angel when it's hotter then hell outside,” I said with a smirk.

“Sweet talking me ain't gonna get you outta fixin' this roof. The old man may be my dad but I'm a slave here just like you, and us slaves have to stick together.”

She got down on her hands and knees and slowly crawled toward me, being careful not to put to much weight on any one spot. It was funny to watch, like watching an infant crawl on a water bed.

“I see you've changed,” I said.

She look down at the blue overalls she now wore, the straps of which rested over a red tank top. Her feet to my dismay where now clad in work boots but the overalls accented her breasts in such a way that I felt I needed to pay to look at them. There was always something to look at when it came to Ali.

“You think I'm gonna do my chores in a sun dress?” she asked handing me one of the ice cold bottles now dripping wet with condensation. I took it gratefully.

“Fair enough,” I said with a chuckle. “You all done for the day?” I took a long pull from the bottle. I instantly felt 20 degrees cooler.

“Nah, I got about a million more things to do. I just saw you poundin' nails up here a figured you could use one of these.” She took a sip from her own bottle as she shifted her body to a sitting position. The roof let out a long mournful creak.

“Careful,” I warned, “I haven't gotten there yet and I don't know how much this old roof can take.”

She looked up at me from underneath her eyebrows with a look only women seem to be able to pull off. “Are you callin' me fat?”

I gave her a smirk. “I'm callin' the roof old. I'm surprised I haven't fallen right through yet.”

“You better watch it buddy, I am not above pushin' you off this roof and telling daddy it was an accident,” she said jokingly.

“Was that not you this mornin' telling me about how you need to protect your dad's workers and what not?” I said, my smirk morphing into a grin.

“Funny how you can remember little things like that but you can't remember to bring up some water with you on a hot summer day.”

She had me there. I gave her a look that said “touche” as I took my last swig of ice cold heaven.

“Well, I'll let you get back to work.” As she got up we both heard a loud creak much like the one before, only this one was followed by a snap. Ali looked at me with panic in her eyes. My own eyes went wide.

“Ali, don't move,” I said as I reached my hand out and crept slowly towards her. Ali froze, not moving an inch.

“Don't worry, it's gonna be fine. I want you to slowly reach out and grab my hand.”

I took another three steps and that's when I heard it. Three loud creaks, a crack, and Ali was gone. In her place was a large hole about three feet wide. My heart plummeted into my stomach and my mind raced to try to find what I should do next. I flew towards my ladder not thinking twice about my own safety and slid down it as if it were lined with grease. At a dead sprint I raced through the barn door and started looking around. Nothing... no Ali, not anywhere. I looked up at the roof trying to find the hole. Maybe I imagined it, I thought. Maybe she's up there right now wondering where the hell I went and this is some sort of heat driven illusion. No such luck. I found the hole and followed it down and there before me stood the container, now filled with a weird brown sludge, and at the top, face down, floated Ali.

I didn't spare a second. I went for a wooden step ladder located at the far end of the barn, grabbed it, and raced to the container. Seconds felt like years as I struggled to open the step ladder. I was about to give up and try jumping when I finally got it open. In half a heart beat I reached the top of the cylinder, Ali's limp body floated there before me. It was all I could do not to go into a blind panic. I reached for her arm and got it on the first try. I pulled her in close, looped my arms underneath each of hers, and with her back to my chest, lifted her out. I gently laid her on the ground. She was soaked in whatever that brown stuff was and I notice a bright red gash on the top of her head. I got down on my hands and knees, wiped her face the best I could, and put my ear to her nose. She wasn't breathing. Again, not hesitating, I tilted her head back, pinched her nose and breathed into her two solid breaths and checked again. Nothing. I put my hands on her chest one over the other, felt for her sternum, locked my elbows and pumped with my shoulders counting to myself as I did. When I got to ten I checked her breathing again. Nothing.

“Come on Ali,” I whispered.

I started the compressions again when Chet came running into to the barn.

“Oh God I saw from the house, is she...” he put a hand over his mouth.

“Chet! Go back in the house and call 9-1-1!” I commanded, still pumping her chest.

He stood there in shock, looking at his daughter.

“Chet! NOW!”

He shook his head as if coming out of a daze, nodded once and sprinted towards the house. I stopped the compressions again and checked for breathing. Still nothing. I pinched her nose again and gave her two more deep breaths. I was about to start the compressions again when Ali made a choking noise and coughed up what appeared to be a gallon of the mysterious brown sludge she had landed in. I rolled her onto her side, patting her back as she spit up the remaining sludge. I breathed a sigh of relief.

“You're going to be OK Ali,” I said, still shaking with adrenaline.

Chet came stomping in a little out of breath.

“They're on their way. Is she-”

“She's breathing,” I interrupted. “She has a nasty gash on her head but I think she's gonna be alright. Just come over here and keep her awake until the ambulance comes.”

After what seemed like an eternity, the ambulance finally arrived. Ali was still awake but not really coherent enough to speak. I ran outside to meet the paramedics, leaving Chet alone with his daughter. I waved them into the barn and explained to them what happened as they rushed over to Ali and her father. One of them asked Chet, as politely as possible, to stand clear. He reluctantly complied. I came over and stood with him, putting a hand on his shoulder for comfort, as the paramedics did their thing.

“Don't worry boss everything is going to be fine now. She's in good hands.”

I looked up at him expecting his gaze to be stuck on Ali. The strange thing was he wasn't looking at Ali at all. His eyes were glued on the container.

Chet went with Ali and the paramedics to the hospital and I followed close behind in my pickup. I felt responsible. If I had just been on time that morning or hell, even if I had just remembered to bring a couple bottles of water with me none of this would have ever happened. Chet's farm was only about twenty minutes outside the city making the closest hospital about twenty-five to thirty minutes away, and that’s if you're going the speed limit, which we weren’t. We arrived in record time and Ali was rushed in. I parked my truck, paid an obscene amount of money for a parking pass, and went in to find Ali and Chet. It took me almost an hour to have fifteen conversations with fifteen different nurses until I found them. Chet was sitting in a waiting room looking nervous and scared, not that I blame him. Ali was his only daughter. It had been just her and him ever since his wife passed when Ali was only five years old. I had a seat next to him and tried to come up with something to say, but thankfully I was spared when I saw the doctor approach.

“Mister Clarke?” he asked.

Chet nodded.

I'm Doctor Bob Reynolds. I'm the resident on call. I just want to tell you that your daughter is going to be fine. She suffered a minor concussion and we had to stitch up her head wound but other than that she seems perfectly healthy. Whatever that stuff was that she fell in seemed to have broken her fall.”

Chet's eyes flashed.

“We're going to run some more tests and keep her here overnight for observation, but I don't foresee any reason why she can't go home tomorrow.”

Chet and I both breathed a sigh of relief.

“Can I see her, Doc?” Chet asked.

“For a little while Mr. Clarke, but she needs her rest.” Dr. Reynolds replied.

He walked past us to the nurses' station handing what I assumed was Ali's chart to one of the nurses and giving her some instructions. I was about to take off when out of nowhere Chet's burly arms wrapped around me and I pulled me into a bear hug.

“Thank you,” he said, squeezing tighter. “You saved her. You saved my daughter's life. I owe you. Anything. Just name it.”

Flashes of guilt went through my mind. If it weren't for me, Ali's life wouldn't have needed saving in the first place. He released me, keeping his hands on my shoulders. I started to object but Chet cut me off.

“You lost your place right?”

I nodded.

“Well, you can stay with us!” he exclaimed with a toothy grin. “It wouldn't be any trouble and we have the extra space. Come on, what do you say? I won't take no for an answer.”

I started to argue but I got the feeling that refusing his offer would be an insult.

“Fine,” I said reluctantly. “Just until I get on my feet. I don't wanna be any trouble.”

Chet slapped me once on the shoulder, adding pain to the list of uneasy feelings I was experiencing.

“Good man. Now come on, lets go see Ali.”

We headed down to room 104, where a nurse had told us Ali would be. I opened the door for Chet and followed him in to see for myself the damage I had caused. The room was your standard hospital room. This one was built for two but Ali was it's only occupant. She sat with the bed elevated to the sitting position, her ruby hair only partially covering the large bandage across her forehead, but even that couldn't take away her beauty. Her eyes opened slightly as she heard us approach.

“How you feelin' sweetheart?” Chet asked as he took her hand in his.

“Like I just fell through a roof.” Ali replied weakly, but with a touch of sarcasm.

Chet smiled. So did I, only mine was laced with guilt.

“I hear I have you to thank for saving my life, Jack.”

“Yeah, I guess you do,” I replied nervously, rubbing the back of my neck.

They were treating me like a hero. I didn't feel like one.

“Jack's gonna be stayin' with us. I figure he can have the guest room upstairs,” Chet said, breaking the silence. He gave Ali's hand an affectionate squeeze. “Least I can do after whatcha did for me and mine.”

“Daddy, can I talk to Jack alone for a second?” Ali asked, letting go of his hand.

Chet looked at me, then Ali.

“Uh, sure, I have to go make a phone call anyway. Jack, just come and get me when you're done.” He turned and left closing the door behind him.

“It's not your fault you know,” she said as soon as the door shut. “I can see it in your eyes. You look like you killed the neighbors cat.”

“Ali I-”

“You what? Should have psychically guessed that I was going to come see you on the roof? You're not Superman Jack, but you are a hero.” She took my hand in hers. “You're my hero.”

I looked at her, and her eyes met mine. It took me a minute to realize that we were both just staring at each other again, but this time I broke the silence.

“You need to get some rest,” I said, sliding my hand from her grasp.

“Yeah, I suppose I do,” she said with a sigh. “Guess I'll be seeing you a lot more now that we're gonna be roommates.”

“Yeah,” I said, “I suppose you will.” Ali laid her head back and shut her eyes. I turned to go. I was almost out the door when Ali called after me.

“Jack.”

I turned to her. “Yeah?”

“Thank you. I owe you my life. I don't know if I'll ever be able to repay you, but I will try.”

I smiled. “You can start by getting some rest. I'll see you when you get home tomorrow.”

And with that I left, closing the door softly behind me.

As I exited the room I could hear Chet talking in a muffled frustrated tone. On further inspection I saw that he was on his cell phone. He was huddled in a dark corner of the hallway, finger in his ear. The only words I was able to make out were “...my daughter damn it!” before he hung up the phone with a snap. He noticed me and came toward me in a slow trot. In the short time it took to reach me the expression of anger on his face had faded to one of gratitude.

“Hey boy, why don't you take the rest of the day and tomorrow off. I recon you'll need some time to move in,” he said with a smile.

This was all happening so fast. This morning I was kicked out of my apartment and was planning to spend the next week or two living out of my car until I found something cheaper. Now a new place literally falls into my lap and my boss is giving me days off so I can move in. Man, I should be late more often.

“Yeah, sure Chet, that would be great but I don't think I’ll even need a full day to move in. I mean, I only have a have a handful of things,” I said, still a little reluctant.

He winked at me. “Better safe than sorry.” He gave me one of his patented shoulder slaps that always threatened to send me to the ground, and headed into Ali's room. I smiled and shook my head. Is living with your boss really the smartest thing? But then again, it's not like I was swimming in options. With a halfhearted sigh I exited the hospital and headed toward my car.

I drove up to the farm at about 7:30am the next day. My landlord, ass that he is, had left my belongings scattered out in front of my apartment. Like I said, I only had a few possessions to my name so collecting them all wasn't really a problem. I decided to leave Chet alone for the night. The poor guy had enough on his mind without adding “move Jack in” to the mix. Sleeping in my truck probably wasn't the best for my back, but having no furniture to lift and only my duffel bag to carry in with me, I was sure it wasn't going to be a problem. As I walked up to the house, Chet was just exiting out the front door. The screen door hit the frame with an audible slap just as the big man put one of his massive paws in the air in greeting.

“Mornin' Chet,” I said with a nod.

“Jack, I was expectin' you last night,” he said, a hint of worry in his voice.

“Had it out with my landlord. By the time the dust cleared I figured it was too late to come by,” I lied. I didn't want Chet to know I was trying to spare his feelings. Pride was too important to a man like him.

“Well, come on in,” he said, gesturing to the house. “Need any help carryin' your stuff? I can get one of the guys to lend you a hand.”

“No thanks. I think I can handle it.” I lifted my duffel bag.

“That's it?” he asked with a look of concern. “No bed, dresser, anything like that?”

“Most of the furniture at my old place was my landlord's. The other stuff was so crappy I didn't even bother to pack it. Everything truly important is right here.” I gave my duffel a tap. “I figure I'll go bed shopping later on today.”

“No need,” Chet said with a grin. “Our guest room has all the basics. Bed, dresser, clean sheets, even a T.V. In case you get bored.”

I blinked at him.

“Geez Chet, I don't know what to say. Thanks!”

“Not a problem! Now go on in and make yourself at home. I have to go pick up Ali and I'm already runnin' behind.”

Knowing Chet, “runnin' behind” meant he wasn't going to be fifteen minutes early.

“Much obliged sir,” I said, and headed into the house.

After about twenty-five minutes I had everything put away in the dresser in the guest room. Having the day off always seems great at first, but if you don't really have a plan to utilize the time you've been given you tend to sit around twiddling your thumbs. Or at least I do. I spent the next hour or so bored out of my mind flipping through daytime television until I heard the sound of Chet's truck pull up to the house. I walked to the top of the stairs and peered down to find Ali and Chet coming in through the front door. A couple things seemed to be wrong with this picture. One, Chet looked very pale and had a somber look on his face, and two, Ali was still wearing her hospital gown. I walked down the stairs to greet them, curious to find out what was going on. When I got to the bottom of the steps, my own face went white. Ali was taller than me, a lot taller. Yesterday the top of her head barely came up to my nose, but now Ali was almost a head taller then me. Hell, she was an inch or two taller than Chet. I estimated her height at 6'3”. That means that in less then a day Ali grew 9 inches. That was unheard of. No one grew that fast overnight. Especially a girl in her 20's who most likely stopped growing years ago. I quickly looked down at her feet thinking maybe she was standing on something, but no. They were bare and on the floor next to Chet's work boots, her sexy toes flexed and scrunched nervously. I was speechless. My jaw hung wide open and for the life of me I couldn't figure out how to close it.

“What the hell happened?” The words were out of my mouth before I had a chance to process them.

Ali stared down at me, her hazel eyes welling up with tears. She stormed passed me and headed up the stairs. I heard her door slam. Subtle Jack, I thought to myself. I looked at Chet as he stared off in the direction that Ali went. He looked as if he was going to cry himself.

“I'm sorry Chet... it's just... what the hell happened?” I stammered.

Chet just kept looking up the staircase, as if he himself was trying to figure out the last five seconds. Finally he broke the silence.

“I'm going to give you some money. I want you to take Ali shopping, cheer her up some. I'm going to make a few calls. See if I can't sort this mess out,” he said in a faraway monotone voice. He then reached into his pocket, pulled out a wad of cash and counted out four fresh hundred dollar bills and handed them to me. Then he slowly walked into the other room and out of sight. What had just happened? I started walking up the stairs. With every step my mind tried to piece together the facts, trying desperately to rationalize the events that just took place. Ali just went from a normal 20 year old women, to an Amazon. This couldn't be real. I must have fallen asleep while watching T.V. Any minute now I'm going to hear my old Spanish teacher's voice tell me it's time for my oral exam and be stripped to nothing but my underwear. I approached Ali's door and knocked gently.

“Ali?” I said in a soft voice.

“Go away,” she sobbed through the door.

“Come on girl, I'm sorry for my reaction. You caught me by surprise is all.”

No answer.

“Can I come in?”

Still nothing.

“I'm coming in.”

I slowly opened the door and found Ali on her bed, arms wrapped around her shins and her head pressed into her knees.

“Go away,” she said again not bothering to look up.

“Come on Ali, it's not that bad.”

“NOT THAT BAD?!” she yelled as her head shot up. “I'M A FREAKING GIANT!”

I walked to the bed, sat down and put a hand on her knee.

“Why don't you tell me what happened,” I said in a soothing voice.

“I don't know. All I know is that I went to bed at a normal size and when I woke up I was like this. Doctors can't explain it. They wanted to keep me at the hospital and run a bunch of tests but daddy said no, he wanted me out today. He even had to sign a bunch of forms sayin' that the hospital wasn't liable if anything happened to me. This is all so weird. I mean, why wouldn't he let them test me? I mean doesn't he want to know what's wrong with me? People don't just grow like this overnight. Look at me!”

She came off the bed and stood at her full height. Arms out in a displaying gesture.

“I'm taller than my daddy for Christ sake.”

She certainly was, there was no use denying it. So I decided to go with a different approach. I got up and started circling her, making a big show of putting my hand on my chin and looking her up and down. As I did this I noticed that not only had Ali grown but the muscles in her legs and arms had become more defined. No one was going to confuse her for a body builder or anything. She looked more like an Olympic hurdler or swimmer, very cut and chiseled. Her breasts had changed as well, they were fuller and firmer. It was hard to see through the hospital gown but they had to be a D cup now. Her ass had perked up as well becoming more round and full. Her feet where the best part. They were somehow stronger, more powerful looking, but still maintained there femininity. When it came down to it, Ali had not only gotten bigger. She had gotten better.

“What are you doing?” She asked.

“You told me to look at you, so I'm making sure I see everything.”

I did a few more laps around Ali making sure to add a few “hmmmmms” in there for effect.

“Stop it,” she said with a hint of laughter. “You're making me dizzy.” She put her hands on my shoulders, forcing me to a halt. I looked up at her with a smile.

“Ali,” I said, “I have just looked you up and down, left and right, side to side and every which way I could, and do you know what I see? I see an absolutely gorgeous women. If you ask me, I would say that the Lord above saw a woman that was so beautiful, he had to make her big enough for the world to see.”

Ali looked down at me with I little smirk. Her eyes still puffy from crying. “That was so cheesy,” she said, but her cheeks flushed a light shade of red. “Now if God would just bless me with a new set of clothes. I literally have nothing to wear!”

“Funny you should mention that,” I said, pulling out the money that Chet had just given me. “I happen to have this big wad of cash here, and I'm under strict orders to take you on a shopping spree.”

Ali's eyes lit up, then quick as it came, it faltered.

“What am I going to do, up to the mall in a hospital gown?” she asked looking down at herself.

“Well you do seem to be pulling it off, but I think it's a little too much for the masses,” I replied.

She gave me a look that told me I was being a smart ass.

“Come on, I have an idea.” I grabbed her hand and lead her to my room. Once there I shuffled through the dresser until I found a pair of old jeans and one of my athletic t-shirts.

“Try those on,” I said, tossing them to her. She arched an eyebrow.

“Don't give me that look. Try 'em on!”

“I'm not going to do it with you starin' at me!” Her tone said I was being ridiculous.

I sighed and turned my back to her, crossing my arms over my chest. I picked a spot on the wall to stare at while Ali did her thing. I heard her strain and struggle and jump up and down a few times. Finally she let out a frustrated sigh.

“This ain't gonna work,” she whined.

I turned around. Ali stood before me and I had to put my hand up to my mouth to hold back a giggle.

The jeans I gave her only came about halfway up her shins and were a little loose at the waist. The t-shirt worked better but not by much. Ali's new breasts filled out the top well enough but it was a little baggy at the mid section.

“Well?” she asked.

“You... look...” I started. Before I could think of the next word Ali spun on her heels and was out the door. I followed her trying to keep up with her long strides. We ended up back in her room where she studied herself in a full length mirror. She turned this way and that, brow furrowed as if she was trying to figure out a complex puzzle.

“How attached are you to these jeans?” she asked, still looking at herself.

“They're yours doll, do with 'em what you will. Keep the shirt too I have plenty.”

She turned to me and I could see the gears turning in her head.

“I think I can make this work. Go on downstairs and wait. I shouldn't be more then a few minutes,” she said, guiding me out of the room. She shut the door and I made my way down the stairs. I expected to find Chet when I reached the bottom but he was nowhere to be found. I plopped down on the couch in the family room, found the remote tucked in between two cushions and turned on the old boob tube while I waited for Ali.

A few minutes turned into an hour, when I finally heard Ali's heavy footsteps descend the staircase. I heard her pad into the family room and I switched off the T.V. just in time to hear Ali ask, “OK, how do I look?”

I faced her and my jaw just about put a dent in the floor. She had turned my jeans into a pair of Daisy Dukes, showing off her long and sculpted legs. She had taken the t-shirt I gave her and cut a V-shaped slit from the collar down to the top of her ample chest exposing cleavage a mile long. She took the excess fabric at the bottom of the shirt and tied a knot off to the side just above her waistline causing the shirt to hug the curves of her torso and exposing just a hint of her flat stomach. She had straitened and styled her fire-licked hair so it flowed beautifully down to her shoulders, framing her face perfectly. She added a touch of makeup to her eyes and lips accentuating both but not distracting from either, and even added a coat of blue nail polish to her fingers and toes. I stood there speechless and on it's own my hand picked up a pillow from the couch and strategically placed it over my crotch.

“Sorry I took so long, it's just that... after everything that's happened... I just wanted to feel ...pretty, I guess.”

“Mission accomplished,” I said, awestruck. Ali looked down at her feet, cheeks turning a little pink.

I shook my head a bit, trying to come out of the daze Ali had put me in, and asked, “You ready to go?”

“Not quite, I'm still missing one thing.” She flexed and wiggled her perfect toes.

“Perfect,” I said to myself.

“What?” she asked.

“I said I have the perfect thing!” I ran past her up the stairs and came down with an old pair of Birkenstock sandals. “Here try these.” She slid her foot until the heel reached the end of the shoe, her long toes hung over the edge on the other end, she gave them a wiggle.

“Guess that'll have to do until we get to the mall,” she sighed.

I gave no response. I was still looking down at her feet, hypnotized. I couldn't help it.

“Jack?”Ali said, snapping me out of it.

“Yeah?” I said now looking up at her.

“You OK? You seemed a little lost there.” I quickly thought of a cover.

“I was just wondering how you got an outfit like that out of the close I gave you. You look amazing.”

“When you have a daddy like mine buyin' your clothes you learn how to make alterations pretty quick. I can't tell you how many skirts I hemmed or jeans I've torn all in the name of fashion.” She gave me a proud smile. “You really think I look alright?”

“Amazing,” I confirmed. “Now let's go see if we can't get you some shoes that fit.”

We headed outside to my pickup. I opened up the passenger side door and cleared off the miscellaneous clutter that seemed to have taken over my front seat. I was able to stuff the majority of it into a random fast food bag I found on the floor and by the time I was done, I deemed it fit for a passenger. Ali folded herself into my truck finding it a little cramped to say the least. Fortunately my truck was a half cab and when she pulled back the seat all the way she had plenty of leg room. I hauled myself into the drivers seat and buckled my seat belt. Ali did the same and we were off to the mall.  

Have you ever been to the mall with a woman? For those who have, you know there are rules that one must follow. Rule number one: you are, and will forever be the holder of all purchases made by you, and the woman you are with. Think of it as a show of strength. The woman needs to see that you are more than capable of handling not only the weight of the world, but also her dresses, shoes, jeans, and whatever else she may have bought that day. Rule number two: only positive feedback is acceptable to the aforementioned woman when she queries your input. If there is something wrong with the product or material she is presenting, you must dance around the situation with the balance and grace of a tightrope walker, without raising any alarms. “No honey that dress doesn't make you look fat, but you look a little hesitant. I saw this dress over there that I think you would look stunning in. Why don't we give that one shot?” Rule number three, and maybe the most difficult for us guys to understand: you are going to be there for a long time. There is no way around this. The more you fight it the longer you will be there. However, there are things you can do to keep yourself entertained and keep the woman happy as you walk across the thin ice that is shopping with a lady. My favorite thing to do is to browse the store with her. Keep a mental checklist of the things you see. Picture your girl in them, and save the hottest ones for when that ever-so-tricky rule number two pops up. Not only will this kill time, but this will also give the impression that you care and are involved with something that she loves to do. If you're lucky, this can lead to an awesome event I like to call the private fashion show. This is where the woman takes the sexiest clothes that you have personally picked out and displays them for you, and only you, to witness and enjoy. This took me years upon years and countless slaps in the face to perfect, and it all became worth it the day I took Ali to the mall.

When we arrived at the mall, the first thing I noticed were all the heads swiveling towards Ali's direction. Heads will turn when an average-size beauty walks by. Add the fact that she was taller then most men and you really have something to look at. It didn't take a detective to realize that Ali was getting uncomfortable with all the stares.

“Hey,” I whispered. “Don't give them a second thought. It's not like you can blame them. I'd be starin' too if someone as beautiful as you walked by.” She gave an uneasy smile. “Come on, where do you wanna go first?” I asked her. She gestured down at her feet. God they were gorgeous.

“These shoes are already starting to bug me. No way I'm gonna be able to walk around this mall all day with them on.”

I nodded “Shoe store it is then.”

We approached a store called U 'n a Shoe where signs in the front window proudly declared 50% off all purchases from now until the 24th. We entered, and a overly perky sales lady greeted us.

“Hello! And welcome to U 'n a Shoe. How may I- Oh my...”

The sales lady's gaze reached Ali and cut short her rehearsed greeting. She looked Ali up and down starting with the top of her head and ending at her now super-sized feet. I could tell she wasn't trying to be rude but she clearly couldn't help but to gawk at Ali.

“My cousin here is from out of town,” I started. “She had to get here in a hurry and in her haste forgot to pack any shoes.” It was a farfetched lie but the only one I could come up with on the spot. “As you can see, my shoes just ain't doin' the trick so we was hopin' you might have somethin' in her size.”

She looked up at me from staring at Ali's feet and blinked. Then she smiled. “Yes, of course!” She grabbed Ali by the hand and walked her toward a vacant seat. It was like watching a child guide her mother to show her something important. “Why don't you have a seat here and we'll give y'alls foot a quick measure.” She pulled out one of those foot measuring devises from underneath the chair, one of the ones that kind of looks like a vice clamp for your foot. According the the device, Ali's foot was a size 13. A mens size 13. No wonder Ali's toes hung over the edge of my sandal. I was only a size 10. Ali took this news surprisingly well. She didn't freak out or cry, but simply asked, “Do you have anything for me in that size?”

The sales lady thought for a second, brow furrowed, then she smiled and said, “I think I have something that just might work. Stay here dear, I'll be right back.” She got up and disappeared behind the curtain that lead to a back room. Ali looked at me, her face showing signs of discouragement.

“Don't worry little lady, it'll all work out.” I said.

She frowned. “Unless she's got a pair of clown shoes back there, I think I'm outta luck.”

The lady returned with a shoe box in hand and as far as I could tell, they didn't contain clown shoes. She knelt down in front of Ali, opened the box, and pulled out a pair of Birkenstock sandals similar to the ones I let Ali borrow.

“Now these are made for men but they are comfortable and in your size.” Ali slid them on and gave her toes a little wiggle.

“How do they feel?” the saleswoman asked.

“Better than what I have now.” Ali shrugged and walked too and fro, sandals slapping against her heel as she did. Then she stopped in front of me, one foot off to the side perpendicular to the other, allowing me to gaze at her high arch. The shoes may have been made for a man but Ali's feet, with their elegant slopes and freshly painted nails, made them seem almost feminine. I found myself lost again staring at them. Wanting to touch them, rub them.

“Jack!” She yelled snapping me out of it.

“Yeah?”

“I asked what do you think?”

I gave her a big thumbs up. She looked down at me quizzically, as if she were trying to put something together. Maybe whether or not I was lying. Finally she turned to the store clerk and said, “I'll take them.”

“Wonderful!” the saleswoman said. “Just come over to the register and I'll ring you up. I assume you'll be wearin' them out?” Ali nodded. We paid for the shoes with the cash Chet had given me. When the receipt printed the clerk swiped it up and started scribbling down something on the back. “I'm gonna give you our store's website. We may not sell them here but our online store has a wider selection for girls that have larger feet than most.” Ali took the receipt and beamed at her.

“Thank you, mam.”

“It was my pleasure. Have a nice day!”

Next we hit a few clothing stores, the typical girly stops. Old Navy, H&M, etc. All the while I employed my rules keeping myself occupied while still contributing here and there, adding my opinion where need be. The funny thing was, I actually found myself enjoying my time at the mall. Ali had not let the fact that she had just shot up over 6' tall dampen her spirit. We stuck to sundresses, skirts, things like that for fear that most stores would not be able to accommodate Ali's new found, mile long legs. When it came to shirts and tops it was much easier. Most stores had things in her size so all we had to do was stay away from long sleeves, and being summertime that wasn't an issue. Ali had gotten herself 5-6 outfits and we still had about $200 to spare. You gotta love summer sales. We had just exited a Forever 21, my arms not quite yet filled to capacity, and I was about to ask where to next, when I heard what I thought to be a bear letting out a low, angry growl from behind me. I turned around to see Ali with a hand over her stomach and a hint of embarrassment on her cheeks.

“Sorry,” she apologized. “I haven't eaten anything since the hospital.”

I smiled. “No problem, I could use a bite myself. I think we passed a food court a while back. Shall we?” I moved all the bags to one arm and offered her the other as if escorting her to a ball. She smiled and laced her arm in mine as we made our way back through the mall.

Ali and I entered the food court and immediately started scouting for a place to eat. My eyes glanced over the multitude of different fast food signs all lit up in neon. The food court had the usual mall cuisine; you had your McDonald’s, Subway, Taco Bell, and a few Chinese, Greek and Pizza places scattered throughout for flavor. I went for Subway, seeing as how it was the healthier of the choices. Ali must have been thinking the same thing because she followed suite. We both ordered foot-longs of our favorite sandwiches and we found a little two-person table to sit down and eat. I unrolled my sub from it's wrapper and took a huge bite. I hadn't eaten since breakfast and the food, although not from a five star restaurant, tasted like heaven stuffed in a roll. I took another bite and looked over at Ali. To my surprise she was already finished with the first half of her sub and was reaching for the other half.

“Damn girl, slow down! You're gonna choke if you ain't careful,” I chuckled.

“Sorry,” Ali said through a mouthful of food. She swallowed, covering her mouth as she did. “I feel like I haven't eaten in days.” She took another couple of bites of her sub, nearly finishing it.

“Dang, I outta enter you in one of those eating contests. I bet you can take that little Asian hotdog champ no problem.” Ali finished her sub in another couple of bites and a look of satisfaction, followed by embarrassment, fell across her face.

“Don't worry about it doll, I expect you to be a little hungry. You're a growing girl after all,” I said jokingly. Ali looked at me, embarrassment fading into a warm smile and stared at me for a pregnant moment.

“You know I'm curious about something,” she said breaking the silence. “How is it that you don't have a girlfriend? I mean, you're such a sweet guy, Jack, and as far as I can tell you're a hard worker, devoted, trustworthy, and you don't look like you have any diseases so what is it?”

“I kick puppies,” I replied nonchalantly. Ali smiled and gave me a lite kick under the table. An image of her immaculate feet flashed in my mind.

“I'm serious,” she giggled. “You've been working for my daddy for what now, six months? And in all that time I haven't heard word one about any girls or dates... oohhh. She gasped as if she just solved the riddle of the Sphinx.

“What?”

She brought her voice down to a whisper. “Gay?”

“NO!” I shouted loud enough to turn a few heads.

“Are you sure, because some of the outfits you helped picked out are rather stylish for a straight-

“I'M NOT GAY!” I interrupted.

“OK, OK! Then what is it?” she asked.

I sighed. “I just travel around a lot is all,” I explained. “I'm from Texas originally. I had a girlfriend there and it was a really... shall we say... unhealthy relationship. It wasn't really either one of our faults, just conflicting personalities, but she was my first love and I fought tooth and nail to keep us together. Hell I almost married her. One day the fights and disagreements got to be too much and I ended it. It was tough but eventually I got past it and I swore I was never going to trap myself like that again. I started traveling doing odd jobs here and there, picking up trades as I went. I tried dating as well. I've had girlfriends in Colorado, New Mexico, California, but never anything serious. I guess I'm just afraid of being tied down like I was in Texas. When I got here I decided to swear off women for awhile. As selfish as it sounds, I wanted to focus on me for a bit, figure out exactly what I wanted before I went out and got myself into another meaningless relationship.”

“I see,” Ali sighed. “Sounds lonely.”

“It can be,” I confirmed. “But hey, enough about me. I've been wonderin' myself why you're still single. I mean, a gorgeous, smart, quick-witted woman like yourself. I'm surprised guys ain't linin' up outside your house.”

“I've dated plenty of guys in this town and believe me, they're only after one thing. They want a girl that will be happy bein' barefoot and pregnant', cookin' supper and waitin' on them hand and foot for the rest of her life. That just ain't me. Trust me, as soon as I'm done school I'll be takin' a page from you're book. I want to travel, see the world, or hell even just outside this state. I know it sounds cliché, but it's always been a dream of mine to be a big star some day. Be famous, have people look up to me, you know? Daddy doesn't know it but I changed my major last year to Dramatic Arts. I'm actually pretty good at it, or so my professor says.”

“I believe it,” I said “Hell, a girl as pretty as you, I'd pay twice to see.”

Ali chuffed. “Yeah I can see it now. Come see the incredible growin' girl, get your tickets fast before she out grows the tent! I mean, I walked passed a guy and he turned his head so quick, swear I thought his neck was gonna snap.”

“You were turnin' heads long before you started growin' little lady believe you, me.”

Ali glowed and her smile was infectious. I took the last couple of bites of my sub and wiped my face with a napkin. Out of nowhere I felt a slow tickling sensation on the inside of my calf. I looked down and saw that Ali's foot had found it's way over to me and was gently rubbing me up and down. I felt butterflies in my stomach as I looked up at Ali. Her eyes met mine and we were once again locked in a private moment, where everyone around us seemed to disappear and time stopped, as if to gaze at us, before it continued it's everlasting flow.

“You have been so sweet through all this Jack,” Ali said ,still caressing my calf with the tips of her toes. She took my hands in hers. “Not only did you save my life, but you clothed me, consoled me, took me shopping, all without a thought towards yourself. “There has to be something I can do for you.” Ali beamed at me. We shared a brief silence, broken when Ali shuddered, courtesy of the mall industrial air conditioner. She glanced down at her chest and noticed her nipples had become erect. The tight T-shirt I had supplied her not leaving much to the imagination. She looked up and a mischievous grin crept across her face. “You've been so helpful today, but there's one more place I need to stop.” We got up leaving our trash at the table and Ali lead me to the Holy Grail of womens stores. I held my breath as we crossed the threshold of Victoria's Secret.

I needed to play it cool. In my mind I was jumping up and down like a kid at Christmas and it was all I could do not to mirror this on the outside. Ali turned to me, releasing my hand, and bent down until her lips nearly touched my ear.

“Why don't you have a look around. I'm gonna go get my measurements taken.”

I took my time, looking around casually, picking up the occasional bra or panties and imagining Ali's curves filling them out. I made notes in my head of different styles and cuts. I was holding up a lime green pair of boy cut panties when I heard Ali's voice whisper in my ear again.

“Find anything you like?”

“A few things,” I said hiding my enthusiasm beneath a casual tone.

A few minutes later and I found that I had lost Ali. I scouted the isles and various sections of the store until it finally dawned on me. I made my way towards the fitting room and sure enough, the only room occupied held a redheaded beauty, a head taller then it's door.

“Jack!” she gasped noticing me. “You're just in time. Come here, I have something for you.”

I approached the door to her dressing room, my palms becoming damp with perspiration. I knew what was coming. I only hoped I would handle it like the adult that I was and not the teenage boy that was causing my heart to pound like a tribal drum. I reached the door and Ali swung it open. There she stood, one foot pivoted on her toes, hands placed gently on her hips. She wore the lime green panties I had spotted earlier and had completed the outfit with a matching push up bra. The lime green was a perfect contrast to her fiery hair. The light in the dressing room illuminated her pale skin and accentuated the the strong lines of her muscles, even though she was not flexing. If the models in the posters that surrounded us could speak, they would have spit venomous words of jealousy her way. She stepped closer to me and once again, on their own my hands strategically placed themselves in front of my manhood. She leaned forward and gently kissed me on my cheek.

“Thank you, Jack. For everything.” She rose to her full height, gently tore the tags off the items she wore and handed them to me. “Take these to the register.” Then she turned around and bent over to pick up the rest of her choices. I took full advantage of the view, the bottom of her panties only coming half way down her cheeks. I walked out of that dressing room so hot and bothered I swore I was going set fire to the racks of clothing that I brushed passed. I paid for the purchase with the remaining cash and was left with 25 cents. Money well spent if you ask me, and with that, we left the mall, visions of Ali's goddess-like body dancing in my head.