RR Lori Warren - Chapter 55

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Reduction & Relocation: Lori Warren

Chapter 55 - Autumn

September 23th, 2006

The blistering, angry sun eventually calmed down. The temperature was finally dropping. The leaves were starting to change. Accrued dust over the heater aerosolized as hot air oozed from the vents of Lori’s colonial home and the foreign scent tickled her nostrils.  She was digging into the back of her closet, retrieving the windbreaker and light jacket she had retired half a year earlier.  

And Michael was still living in her bottom for at least twenty hours a day. 

Not in the top drawer.  Not in the middle.  Maybe she stashed them in the corner of her walk-in closet?  The corner was accessible enough, but the clothing stack she sought was positioned behind the window AC unit she’d recently removed from her window.

“Oh, I don’t have the flexibility for this anymore.” Lori complained to herself. Her wide hips and overflowing backside made bending over a dramatic affair, especially when reaching over the unit.

She dropped to her hands and knees, and Lori reached over to ruffle through the fabrics. She tightened her core as she sifted, arching her back and leaning further–just enough for her round cheeks to part beneath her comfy house shorts.  Just enough to hear Michael’s squeaks.

“Ah, here they are!” Lori’s ample bottom crashed back onto her heels like pale waves of peach as she held up the windbreaker. She shuffled to her feet, and the sound of Michael’s squeaks extinguished as her big buns bounced and sealed around him.

School was starting back up.  Victoria was starting her senior year of high school, which had Lori emotionally conflicted in all sorts of confusing ways.  Her dear Vicky was a wonderful girl with so many redeeming qualities, but there was no way she was going to college. The mother in her was excited; maybe that meant she’d stay home forever.  But of course that wouldn’t, couldn’t, and shouldn’t be the case.  She’d have to spread her wings and leave the nest just like the other two girls before her. That day would come, like Lori knew it always would, when the last of her daughters would leave. But the difference now? This mama bird would be left with at least one baby bird that wouldn’t be going anywhere unless she decided.  

But even though Lori accepted the inevitability of that bittersweet day long ago, she didn’t have to live in that moment now. Right now, Victoria was here. And she was here a lot more than Lori thought a teenage girl would be.  Did she have some…less than savory friends? Sure.  Were unqualified boys snooping around?  Unfortunately.  But Victoria must have been enjoying this new taste of essentially being an only child–either that, or she knew that her mother didn’t like a quiet house because bless her heart, the girl was home a lot.

*

September 23rd, 2006

Autumn had fully settled its hips into Summer’s vacant seat, painting the trees with fiery reds and golden yellows. The once oppressive and unrelenting heat eased into a crisp coolness. For Michael, it was the first real respite in months. Not that he could truly enjoy the beauty of the season—his world remained the same as it always was: dark, humid, and soft which was exactly what he needed. But the absence of the relentless summer sweat was an undeniable blessing, Lori was sure. The air between Lori's massive cheeks still had more warmth and supple cushion than he could ask for, but it had lost its overwhelming stickiness. He no longer spent every afternoon slicked up and bathing in Lori’s ass sweat.  Instead, the heat was mellow, like a thick, damp blanket rather than a suffocating, wet furnace.

Lori welcomed the change, too. Bundled in oversized sweaters that inadvertently accentuated the plush curves of her figure, she leaned into the cozy comforts of fall. It was her favorite season and she always thought she looked great in flannel! Her enormous cheeks swayed with every step beneath her well-worn leggings, the fabric struggling to contain the sheer size of her ample bottom. Michael remained securely wedged within that expanse of protective flesh. Soft rustling of leaves and the distant hum of neighborhood leaf blowers–they probably found their way to Michael’s ears but after heavy filtering and muffling through the heft of Lori’s glutes.

Mornings often began with Lori savoring a pumpkin spice latte on the porch, the cup warming her hands as the cool breeze brushed against her face. Victoria would sometimes join her with a mug of hot cocoa and they’d sit together, wrapped in matching blankets and scrolling through their phones.

“So Isabella called me last night,” Lori remarked one morning, sipping her latte as she rocked in the firm wooden chair on the porch. Michael cared not for the hard, firm slats of that chair, evident from his wriggling, but it was Lori’s favorite place to sit and watch the neighborhood.  “She said her new roommate is almost as messy as you.”

Victoria snorted, “Ha! Maybe she can draw a line down the center of their room like she did when we were little.”

“I’ll pass that advice along.” Lori said.

“Mm–but seriously, maybe Bella can just offer to do her homework?”

Lori smirked. “That’s probably not allowed.”

“Then a line down the center, it is!”

Lori laughed into her warm drink, “Oh sure, that solution worked great for the two of you.  Never a single fight.”

“I’m laughing just picturing her scooting my socks over onto my side of the bedroom. One time I threw a balled up pair and hit her right in the face. She was so mad!” Victoria’s cheerful expression softened to a wistful remembrance. 

“I do…sorta miss her.” Victoria admitted.  “She’s basically…” Victoria gestured vaguely, as though ‘perfect’ was the only fitting word. “She’s like the princess of the dorms…off in college and having fun. Meanwhile, I’m stuck here."

“With me,” Lori added playfully, nudging Victoria’s shoulder.

Victoria grinned. “Yeah, you and Paddy.” Her eyes gleamed with amusement. Lori found it amusing that no one was more constantly aware and thinking of Michael’s stay in Lori’s bottom than Victoria.  “I’ll bet he’s glad that swamp-ass season is finally over!” She shifted her gaze toward Lori’s rear with obvious satisfaction.

“My god, Vicky.” Lori said with a subtle, unintended chuckle. “Just because you’re older doesn’t mean you can blow your mother’s mind with your language.

As brash and uncouth as Victoria may have been, she wasn’t wrong. The oppressive humidity had completely lifted. Colder weather was already here and more of it was right around the corner, they could feel it in the air.  And once again, Lori’s immense glutes wouldn’t just be a steady accumulation of fluid to surround Michael in slippery sticky salt.  Those fleshy soft walls would be the only things standing in the way of Michael and the discomforts of cold.

On the last day of September, the town held its annual fall festival. Lori and Victoria spent the afternoon browsing the booths and indulging in caramel apples. Lori’s enormous rear swayed as she walked, the denim pulled tight against her curves. Michael endured every step, the unforgiving and unyielding fabric only serving to press him deeper into her flesh.

“Oh, look Vicky!” Lori tugged on Victoria’s arm, pointing toward a pumpkin patch photo op. “We have to take one.”

“Do we really, though?” Victoria feigned reluctance, but the twinkle in her eyes gave her away.

“Yes, we do.” Lori said, handing a $5 to the photographer. She stuffed the bill into her fanny pack and gestured toward the fall backdrop. “Just the two of you?”

“No, three.” Victoria said, way too proud of the inside joke and the confused look on the photographer’s face.  Technically Victoria was right, but the camera wouldn’t be catching Michael.  A photoshoot like that would be an entirely different experience! 

The two arranged themselves in front of the rustic backdrop as the cheerful photographer lifted her expensive camera. “Okay, smile!” 

“You too, Paddy.” Victoria mumbled, grinning wide and flashing her pearly whites. Lori laughed, throwing an arm around her daughter’s shoulder, her other hand resting on the exaggerated curve of her hip.

Michael felt the shift, the pressure of Lori's soft flesh pinning him even tighter. The camera shutter clicked, capturing a moment of mother-daughter joy—a joy Michael had no part in. Still, she knew he could hear the delighted giggles and the chatter of families passing by.  That counted for something.

Days passed, the leaves eventually beginning to fall in earnest. Victoria kicked through the leaf piles with gleeful abandon, her laughter ringing out like a chime. Lori, ever the doting mother, raked alongside her.

“Maybe I should let you do all the work,” Lori joked, arching her back with a mock groan.

Victoria snickered. “I’m sure Paddy wouldn’t mind that.”

*

Fallen leaves decorating the driveway of Lori’s suburban home crunched under her brown boots as she stepped out of her Prius.  

“That was really fun, Mom.” Victoria cheered with glee, her arms loaded with bags of cider doughnuts, fresh apples, and a canvass bag of gourds and pumpkins.  “I can’t believe I went this long without going to a pumpkin patch. We should go again next year.”

Lori smiled as she shut the car door. “I didn’t realize you’d like it so much.  But that’s a deal!” She smoothed her red flannel shirt down her chest so that it would drape flat over her snug denim jeans.  The heat from her seats was already leaving her glutes, but the space between them was still plenty toasty for her mostly forgotten stowaway. 

The tiny passenger squirmed deep within her crack in response to the jiggling of her cheeks, albeit weak and restricted due to the tightness of her jeans, as Lori ascended the porch steps.  She sighed upon reaching the top step, lugging half of their autumn loot and started rooting through her purse for her keys.  “I just dropped them in here a second ago.” Lori mumbled. “You have your keys, dear? Victoria gave a chipper nod, digging into her pockets as she chattered on about pumpkin carving ideas. All Lori wanted to do was settle on the couch and treat herself to one of Micheal’s foot pamperings.

“Ah-ha!” Victoria said with theatrical flair as she pulled the keys from her pocket. And that was when Lori’s attention was pulled away by the sudden buzz of her phone in her back pocket.  On instinct, Lori rolled her eyes.  Ever since getting promoted, she’d come to realize that the line between work and home continued to blur the further up the ladder you climbed.  Lori picked up the phone, expecting it to be her assistant or one of the newer employees, but her eyes widened upon seeing the number  

It had been a long time since she’d seen this area code.

“Hello?” Lori answered, balancing a bag of apples on her hip as Victoria fumbled to get the house key in the door. 

“Hi! Is this Lori Warren?” The voice on the other end was bright and cheerful–friendly and sweet.  

And immediately familiar.

Lori furrowed her brow. Was this who she thought it was? “Yes, this is Lori. Who is this?”

“Hi, Lori! This is Laura from RR Labs!”

Lori's heart skipped a beat. She glanced at Victoria, who was now kicking the locked front door with her boot in frustration. Lori reached out and silently turned her daughter’s key right-side up, never lowering the phone from her ear. “Oh! Hi, Laura. What can I do for you?”

“Well, we were checking our records, and it looks like you’ve officially been part of our rear-housing experiment for a full year now!” Laura chirped.

“Wow,” Lori finally breathed out, shaking her head. “Has it really been that long?”

“Mm-hmm! Dr. Walker would love to schedule some time for your one-year follow-up to see how everything’s going. We’d like to do a routine evaluation on both you and…” as Laura’s voice trailed off, Lori heard clacking of a keyboard and rustling of papers through the phone and then Laura’s voice came back. “...subject 119m.”

Lori froze for a beat, blinking in surprise. A whole year? Her hand absentmindedly drifted to the curve of her hip, feeling the denim stretched tightly over her figure. Michael was there, buried beneath the soft, plump weight of her backside. Had this really been his home for a full year? The realization sent a shiver down her spine—not out of guilt, but amazement at how normal it had all become.

Victoria had since opened the door, but she looked back to her mother on the porch with a curious expression. “Who is it?”

Lori waved her off, turning her back slightly. “Uh, one sec,” she muttered as she handed the remaining bags to Victoria and then shooed her inside before returning to the phone. “It just...wow, I can’t believe it.” She felt an odd twinge of amusement at how easily she’d adjusted to having a tiny man permanently wedged between her cheeks, like a part of her daily routine. It was surreal to think of how much her mindset had changed.  How her view of him had changed. And even her view of herself.

“I can’t believe how long it’s been.”

Laura giggled. “We hear that a lot!  So, how have things been going for you? Any discomfort? Adjustments you’ve had to make?”

Lori smirked and her free hand came to rest on the curve of her ample backside. Adjustments? 

“Oh…no, not in a…very long time.” Lori said. 

She could still remember the early days when Michael would squirm and struggle constantly, back when Lori was bending over backwards to appease him. Now, his movements were so minimal, so docile, it was like he had finally resigned himself to his place. “We’ve really…found a routine that works for us.” 

“That’s great to hear!” Laura said. “And how is the subject getting along?”

Lori bit her lip, suppressing a laugh. “Oh, you know. He’s…” Lori lowered her voice, trying to remain discrete, “pretty well adjusted by now.  Part of me thinks that he…” Lori trailed off.  “...Well. He’s doing good, I think.” 

She left it at that. No need to get into those details over the phone. For all she knew, Victoria could be paying attention and the last thing she’d want to do is elaborate as Victoria surely would demand.

“Perfect! Well, we’d love to have you both come in for an evaluation. Is there a day next week that works for you?” 

Lori exhaled, glancing at Victoria, who was watching the conversation with interest. She probably knew who it was on the phone–what it was about. 

“We could come next Friday if that works for her.” Lori said.

Victoria’s eyebrows raised as she pointed toward the phone, and then down at Lori’s ass. And when Lori didn’t shake her head, Victoria’s eyes widened and she let out a silent laugh.

“That’s perfect!” Laura said. “I’ll see that your travel arrangements are taken care of and I’ll text you the details.  We look forward to seeing you, Lori!”

Victoria raised an eyebrow, leaning casually against the counter in that obnoxious but cute way she’d mastered years ago. “Sooo...? Who was that?”

Lori shrugged, reaching for a doughnut from the open box on the kitchen table. She set her phone down, attempting to keep her expression neutral. “My cardiologist–calling to make an appointment. Just a routine check-in.” She took a bite, brushing a stray crumb from her shirt. “Nothing to worry about.”

Victoria let out an exaggerated laugh, her sugary lips curling into a grin. “And you say Bella’s a bad liar!”

Lori frowned, though amusement tugged at the corners of her mouth. “Excuse me? What makes you say that?”

Victoria licked the sugar from her fingers and plunged into the box for her second doughnut. “That was RR Labs, wasn’t it?”

Lori deliberately took her time chewing the small peck of Boston Creme and Victoria filled the silence with a wide, smug grin–practically radiating from her. “Call me crazy, but I don’t think normal people grab their butt and run their hand along it all sweet and tender like you just did when it’s the cardiologist calling.”

Lori stiffened as Victoria playfully re-enacted the scene, no doubt with a dramatic and overemphasized flair–and a streak of powdered sugar along the circumference of her denim clad left cheek. Had Lori really just rubbed her bottom like that? She hadn’t even realized she’d done it—that casual, absentminded gesture. Her hand had grazed the curve of her hip, the weight of her figure pressing down with familiar certainty. Michael was there, of course, buried deep beneath the plush confines of her cheeks. She could have asked him if he felt the pressure of her stroke, but she didn’t.

“Smartass,” Lori shot back, though she couldn’t hide her smirk.

God, Victoria’s wit was quick. She’d always been sharp, but lately, there was a maturity behind it. And now that they were all getting older, Lori felt less guilty about appreciating it. The shift of familial dynamic had become more noticeable since Isabella moved out. Without the buffer of her older sister, Victoria had settled into the role of the quick-tongued companion. The mother-daughter dynamic softened. Some days, they felt like friends more than anything else. Were there moments where Lori still had to exercise her motherly authority?  Sure.  But she tried her best to keep that to a minimum.

“So, what do they want? The lab ladies, I mean.”  Victoria’s eyebrows wiggled and arched like mischievous black caterpillars. “Is little Paddy Cakes due for his annual checkup?”

Lori groaned, walking past her to put the apples away. “Something like that.”

Victoria, never one to miss an opportunity, followed closely. “Do they check him, like… while he’s still in your butt?” She dissolved into laughter, delighting in her own audacity. “Are they gonna make you spread your cheeks on the table like some kind of… butt exam?”

“Victoria Grace!” Lori's voice rang out, but even she was smiling now, “That’s a filthy way to talk!”

“It’s a completely serious question, Mom!” Victoria held her hands up in mock innocence. “And what if the tiny little groundhog doesn’t wanna come out of his home? Will they pluck him out? I’ll bet he’d try to get away from the lab ladies and burrow deeper like a gopher. He literally lives in your butt like it’s his job. And didn’t he, like… beg to go back into your butt that one time after you took him out?”

“Vicky, what on earth are you talking about?”

Victoria laughed, “When you went on the date with that banker guy.”

Lori sighed, rummaging through the cabinets in search of dinner ingredients. “He didn’t beg; he…just asked very politely. And it was only because you’d asked for the five thousandth time if you could babysit while I was out.  The poor boy thought you’d worn me down.”

Victoria may have thought she’d gotten close to babysitting Michael, but in reality Lori would never have said yes.  Victoria’s age made it very easy to say no but with her 18th birthday just around the corner, it was going to be near-impossible for Lori to justify keeping distance between her and Michael.  Despite the first little hiccup, Gina excelled at babysitting Michael on several occasions.  Isabella did fine the one time she housed him in Lori’s absence, albeit before saying she didn’t care for it and wouldn’t be doing it again.  It felt wrong allowing Isabella to house Michael despite being the same age as Victoria but that was just it: she wasn’t “allowing” Isabella to do anything.  She was doing her mother a favor.  Victoria had motives that absolutely ascended beyond being helpful.  She just wasn’t mature enough.  

Victoria's laughter lingered as she popped the last of her second doughnut into her mouth. “Politely. Sure. Because what self-respecting man wouldn’t politely request to be shoved back between a big set of butt cheeks? Honestly, I think Paddy’s found his true calling.” 

For a moment, Victoria’s grin faltered.  “You don’t think they’re bringing you in to take him back from you, do you?”

Lori shook her head with a confident smile. She’d extended at least twice over the past year and there were no indications that RR Labs wanted him back.  And the thought of separating Michael from her bottom wasn’t even a fear in her mind; the thought was just so outlandish and comical that she wouldn’t even allow herself to entertain it.  “It’s not like that. The lab has a process. They’re just checking up on both of us to see how we’re adjusting.”

“Mmm-hmm.” Victoria plopped herself onto a stool, swinging her legs under the counter and resting her chin on her hands. “You should tell them how he’s basically adjusted into a butt cushion. And he’s really good at it. Seriously, I bet if they asked him what his hopes and dreams are, he’d say, ‘To never see daylight again.’” She raised her voice into a high-pitched, mock-whimper. “‘Please, ma’am, may I have some more? Don’t take me away from her butt, not even for a day!’”

Lori stifled a laugh, biting her lip. “You’re ridiculous, do you know that?”

“I’m realistic!” Victoria countered, still beaming. “He’s been down there so long, when’s the last time he was even outside? And not just out of your butt, but like…outside, outside. He’s probably forgotten what real air even feels like.”

Lori opened her mouth to speak, sure that the answer would come quickly but it didn’t.  The last time he’d been out that day was before the pumpkin festival when she used the restroom.  And before that…was her shower in the morning.  Come to think of it, the rare moments when Michal was out from between her buttocks, 90% of the time it was in her bathroom.  And the other 10% was somewhere else in her home.

Victoria continued. “At this point, I bet he could identify you by smell alone, Mom. You should enter him in one of those dog competitions. Just let him sniff some of your undies and go hide somewhere.  He’s got short little legs so it’d probably take awhile, but I bet he’d be able to find you like a bloodhound.”

“Oh please, I’d never hide from him.” Lori said with a dismissive wave. “That would just be plain mean.”

With a satisfied sigh, Lori returned to the cabinets, her mind lingering on the call. The follow-up appointment was unavoidable, and she wasn’t sure what to expect. But at least, for now, the tension was gone. Victoria had that effect—keeping things light, even when the reality of the situation pressed heavily against Lori, quite literally.

“What do you want for dinner?” Lori asked, attempting to shift the conversation. “Meat loaf?”

Victoria groaned.  “How about anything but meatloaf.”

“Oh, but that’s your favorite. You don’t like it anymore?”

“Never did, Mom.” Victoria said, huffing into her hands. “Meatloaf is Gina’s favorite. AKA Your favorite’s favorite.”

“Oh, you stop that right now! You know you’re my favorite now.” Lori’s laughter echoed through the kitchen as she playfully swatted her daughter with a dish towel. Victoria ducked away, still cackling. Things might get complicated with RR Labs soon. But for now, it was just her and Victoria, and that was more than enough.

Victoria plopped onto the couch. Her sock-clad feet landed with a soft thud against the coffee table as her the faint gray, threadbare fabric covering her toes curled over the edge. Despite a dinner filled mostly with talks about Victoria’s final year of school, plans to visit her siblings, and a far-too-vague discussion about a boy that Victoria might be seeing, the conversation inevitably returned to Michael…as it often did.

“You didn’t deny it earlier, you know.”

“Deny what?” Lori asked, setting her wine glass on the coffee table, just for a moment to fluff up the cushion that she’d be sitting on in a moment.

“That he likes it in there. Between your butt cheeks. He does, doesn’t he?” Victoria asked, her brown eyes sparkling with amusement.

Lori shook her head, though a slight smile played on her lips. “I swear, I really thought your interest in Michael would fade as time passed, but here we are, a year later, and you’re still obsessed.”

Victoria grinned, shrugging. “Great deflection, Mom.  But I just think he’s super adorable, that’s all. And it’s friggin’ crazy if you think about it. I mean, you’ve literally been wearing Paddy like a cordless thong for a year, right?”

Lori actually spit up her sip-and-a-half of wine as she sank into the couch, propping her feet up next to Victoria’s. “It’s been a year, yes.”

Beneath her, she could feel the subtle squirming as her full, formidable weight settled deep into the plush cushion, so much so that Victoria’s cushion curved to accommodate the shift in gravity—and of course the timid, useless movements that barely registered against her vast curves between two contacting cushions, one gray and one peachy white. He shifted instinctively, as he often did, wriggling toward the deeper crevice between her cheeks to escape the compression. It was his safe space. She told herself that often enough. And he could tell from how deep she sank into the cushion that it was the living room couch, and Lori’s cheeks wouldn’t be jiggling for a while.

“So clearly he loves it.  He’s not off doing boy things.” Victoria began counting off on her fingers, “...like college, or working, or dating, or playing in a rock band, or any of that other stuff.  He’s just getting chewed on by your butt like a cute little piece of boy-shaped bubble gum. I think it’s hilarious and awesome, but from his perspective I just don’t get it.”

“Well, if you’re so curious, maybe you can come with me to the appointment,” Lori said, her tone light and teasing. She knew Victoria would jump at the opportunity, and she wasn’t disappointed.

Victoria’s face lit up, her grin wide. “Wait, really?”

Lori smirked. “Nope.”

“Ugh!” Victoria groaned dramatically, flopping sideways with a loud puff of air from the cushions. The loud noise was enough to inspire a flop of Michael deep in Lori’s crack.  Even after all this time, he still remained terrified of Victoria and her unpredictability. Victoria grabbed a pillow and chucked it at Lori, who caught it effortlessly. “You’re no fun.”

Victoria kicked her legs up, her dirty socks lingering in the air for a moment before she brought them back down and crossed her left leg over the right. “God, my feet are killing me. I need a little Paddy of my own.”

“Well, maybe someone should have worked harder on their grades like she promised she would.” Lori smirked, watching her daughter, who was now sitting with her arms crossed over her chest.  Victoria wasn’t able to pull her grades up and get the A she promised she would, which meant she hadn’t earned any ‘Paddy Time’.  The waterworks didn’t work on Lori last year and Victoria knew they wouldn’t work now, so she just sat there, her frowning lips turning to a gruff pout. “Plus, I’m not sure he could handle you anyway, Miss Grumpy Pants.”

Lori finished her wine and leaned forward to set the empty glass on the table, next to Victoria’s half-eaten bowl of chips.  As Lori moved, she felt the tiniest ripple from Michael. He was taking the moment of the relief in cheek pressure to improve his position but he didn’t have much time before Lori sat back into the cushion, and then the tickle quickly subsided. He knew better than to fight it when she sat down with her full weight. The warmth he experienced now was gentle, consistent, like a comforting embrace. She imagined it must be comforting for him, like a rescue animal, down on its luck until now…swaddled tight by its protective, smiling, proud new owner. 

“Okay, whatever,” Victoria said, stretching her arms dramatically. “Then that means I’m picking the movie.”

“As long as it’s not another horror movie,” Lori warned.

“Horror movie?  Okay, you got it!” Victoria shot back with a mischievous grin. She swung her legs onto the couch, curling up with her socked feet tucked beneath her. Victoria reached for the remote, the faint hum of the television coming to life as the screen lit up. As predicted, the first jump scare had Lori checking to make sure her heart was still beating, and poor little Michael knew better than anyone how tight Lori’s cheeks clenched when she was afraid. 

~