Susan #93 - House Scouting (Patreon)

After a while we return to Susan! Things took a bit longer than initially anticipated, as I kept debating whether to redo it or not. Because I made it about two years ago and didn't really think or care too much about the environment. But plans change as you get closer to it, which includes the house they'll raise their family in. And that would've been all fine, I mean each character has their own file, so it was just a matter of replacing the background!

Well... I also happened to overwrite Susan's character file when I used it to create the next week's scene... This happened shortly after I rendered it, but back then it was already kinda iffy as the whole 'home cinema' angle seemed great on paper, but just didn't work with the story. Up until recently I had planned to bite the bullet and just omit as much of the cinema as possible, but I decided to poke around a bit after I had remade the house. And as you can probably guess (by looking at the two versions), I was able to salvage pretty much everything! Good thing I create the clothing in Marvelous and have it saved somewhere else. It's just that Susan's body doesn't exactly line up, but nobody is the wiser! Unless you fully read this part, of course.

And as a final note, this story's a bit more intense and a long one. Which very well might be more of a regular occurrence, it just works really well with Susan I feel, and it allows me to improve on my storytelling capabilities. With also help from a ghost writer.

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“This seems... pretty remote.” Susan said, while looking at the walls of the forest surrounding either side of the road. The trees rose forming a fortress, shielding them from society that lay outside of its bounds. She sat in the passenger seat, with Nathan’s mother Madison next to her, eager to find the next place she and her family could possibly call home.

“It’s not as bad as it seems. Plus, it’s only a 20 minute drive from the city- it’s just a roundabout way from your apartment,” said Nathan’s mother as she turned a left, onto a smaller road. The car was quiet, apart from the audio that was playing from the twin’s tablet. Eli and Noah made the most out of their allotted screen time, and Nathan watching beside them. But he was unusually quiet, muted even, for something that he was so previously invested in.

A few minutes later Madison took another turn onto a dirt path, from there the gaps between the trees showed a house. As they got closer, and more was revealed, their description of ‘abandoned’ was quite apt. The house stood in seclusion, kept in peaceful company by the surrounding nature, leaving the structure to its quiet senescence. The exterior, even though it was made of bricks, was infested with vines. The vibrant green, exemplified the foliage's vitality contrasting quite well against the dull, rustic brown of the venerable clay. Junk was scattered all around the house with a clean trail, no doubt the makeshift parking and entry to the front door. Madison parked right in the middle and shut off the engine.

“Alright, this is it!” She was the first to open the door and exit. Nathan confiscated the tablet before getting out himself, causing the twins moan in frustration. Susan on the other hand had the door open, but had some trouble positioning her legs outside the car. The series of heavy ovoid masses that were her breasts and stomach turned every movement into an awkward struggle. Before she knew it, Nathan’s mother offered her a hand, which Susan gladly took. She carefully planted her feet on the ground, allowing her center of gravity to adjust in place, and let his mother close the door. Susan thanked her, before following her to the entrance. Nathan was leading the twins with him, exchanging a brief, concealing, smile with his wife.

“So! This house was part of the expansion into the north forest in the early 2000’s,” his mother spoke in a rehearsed, welcoming tone. Nathan rolled his eyes as her scripted pitch was something he heard so many times, he could practically recite it by memory. The hallway they entered was open, leading to a large room that stretched the entire length of the house. As they walked up half the stairs leading to it, Nathan realized that despite its current state, this area was clearly meant to consist of a living room and the kitchen.

“Business was booming back in the city and there was a lot of desire to expand the village that resides here. However many overestimated the viability of building here. Constructing way more than what was actually necessary.”

“And uhm... so then is it okay to live here?” Susan asked after hearing nothing from Nathan.

“Yes, most certainly is, after some proper care and attention. While the house has clearly been abandoned for many years along with the other structures, all the infrastructure is still in place. The community nearby was still able to thrive just fine, and things are slowly looking up again.” Madison reassured, eschewing any potential concern.

The kids started running around in the lower half of the house, with Nathan keeping an eye on them for supervising, he was momentarily distracted by the joyous thoughts of screening classics in the living room to his seven beautiful, to be, children. Meanwhile, Susan followed Madison around. “I... I can’t believe something of this size is like... within our budget,” She muttered in amazement.

“With the contributions from us and your parents, it sure is! The fact that it is remote and its current state, made the price point low enough. Of course there is still a TON of work for us to do. But we’ve already done a thorough inspection and things are looking very promising. I have confidence that in due time, you can raise seven kids in this place.”

Eli and Noah ran past them, climbing up to the stairs with Nathan following after. “Just to make sure they don’t get up to any mischief.” He said as he passed the women.

His mother chuckled as they walked out of sight upstairs. “So, Susan. How have you been holding up?”

“H-huh?” Susan was a bit taken back. “Where is this coming from?”

“Well you know! With how busy me and Harold are, as well as your lives, I hadn’t had much time to talk to my son’s wife.”

Susan chuckled, fearing that it would turn into an interrogation. “Ha-hah... and I haven’t talked much with my husband’s mother. But uhm yeah- it’s been going pretty well so far, all things considered. My fingers feel a bit swollen sometimes, but that’s about it.” She caressed the sides of her belly. Her progressively full and widening breasts limited just where Susan’s arms could cover. Her stomach which had been having its fair share of growing in the last couple of weeks was tight, and sore with newly formed stretch marks, jutting across her like little pink streaks on its undercurve.

“Good, good. I know the younger generation these days are built well, but seven children is still a lot. How are your antenatal classes going? Nathan mentioned them earlier.”

“Oh! Pretty well actually, just had my second class yesterday. It’s a lot that I already knew but it feels like... it has more weight to it. Especially when there are other mothers there with you- one I actually have as a buddy.”

“That’s lovely to hear, hun. It’s good to be prepared, a family of 9 is nothing to scoff at.”

She blushed upon hearing the number. Susan was used to 7, but to imagine that her family would consist of 9 members... That perspective did a number on Susan. “I- This is probably nothing similar but, how did you do it when you were expecting Eli and Noah? What was the main problem you ran into?”

“Space, definitely. Space was the main thing we needed the most- We had some experience with Nathan of course, but it got to the point where we moved because of it. That’s why we are so adamant on finding something with lots of space for you guys.”

“I see, and I assume you guys flipped the house too?”

Madison started laughing. “You’d think so but, we were still caught up renovating our house project back then, that we just straight up bought one. The very same we currently live in. Funny how that works out, huh?”

“House flipper couple that didn’t flip their own house, a bit ironic yeah.”

“In hindsight, that was something we should have anticipated. Twins do run in our family, on my side. I believe you’ve met my twin brother during a birthday before. Imagine my surprise when you and Nathan managed to go all the way up to seven!”

“Hehe yeah! You guys seemed much more accustomed to the idea than my-”

“Mom!” Eli yelled from above. “So-someth- something is wrong with Nathan!”

“What?!”

She immediately made her way to the stairs. Susan followed and tried to match her pace, but she was in no condition to go beyond a slight jog, the weight of her increasingly expansive form hindered the call of urgency. If she could, she would have sprinted to see what was going on.

“Guys, be careful okay?” Nathan said as the twins ran into the very first room upstairs. He walked in to see them crawling under a piece of wood tilted against the wall.

“We’re explorers!” Noah said back. “There must be treasure around here!”

Nathan took a deep sigh, he felt anything but comfortable around here. He scanned the room, the piece of wood didn’t seem to be part of the foundation, rather a support for a wall. The wood carving faded out with debris from the ceiling. No way this is safe in the slightest... An unwelcome, familiar nerve struck Nathan, one he hadn’t felt in a long time.

“Okay- no come out, it’s not safe here.” Nathan kneeled down to view under the plank, it was obscuring a hole in the wall, one that the twins no doubt went through. He heard them talking and giggling on the other side. “Did you guys hear me?”

He started crawling under the plank, trying to get sight of his brothers. “Eli! Noah!”

“Let us play! We’ll be careful, I promise.” came a defiant voice.

“That’s not enough, come out now-” A sharp object poked through his back as he moved forwards. It scratched through as Nathan tried to stop.

He had to get out. NOW.

He felt like he couldn’t breathe, the only way to catch air is to free himself. Immediately he moved backwards, exposed objects be damned. He felt the pain get sharper before he cleared the plank. He didn’t care, all he cared about was getting away from it. From everything.

He got up, sat down and crawled back in quick mini steps till his back hit a wall, as if he had seen a ghost. Nathan felt the blood pound in his ears, his heart thudding in his chest. His breathing grew rapid and sporadic. Nathan froze there, unable to move or think. His mind was in the midst of a whirlwind of anxiety and stress. A torrent of built up emotions over the past months released from their unyielding pressure- Preparing to be a parent of seven children, be the shining rock for Susan no matter how insecure he himself was, dealing with his parents and his brothers. Memories of being buried under rubble as a child is all that it took for his internal barriers to give out. The blood soaking his sweater as it trickled out of his back didn’t even register with Nathan. His pent up emotions all became vividly clear to him, but the sheer lucidity made him utterly paralyzed.

“Nathan!!”

The voice barely broke through his thoughts. He couldn’t focus on anything, or anyone. His stomach churned as a wave of nausea hit him.

“It’s me!! Can you hear me!?”

Su... Susan?

Memories started pouring in. The girl in their group projects that his class gossiped about, but that didn’t phase him. He thought she was really cute, but he had no idea how to approach her. Then she approached him for help. The awkward silences, the half-finished sentences as both their thoughts ran much, much faster than their mouths. Their relationship blossomed, and Nathan fell for her hard, harder than for anyone. And now she’s his wife, his expectant wife. A sudden weightless feeling filled Nathan, as his fear and panic relinquished. He felt awash in a peculiar tranquility he had never experienced before.

She’s kneeling down next to me. But... why? His mind started to clear up, slowly gaining vision and memory of his surroundings.

“Wh-... what ar- y- guys doing here?” Nathan got out before he met a face-full of blissfully soft bosom.

“Calm down Susan, you’re going to choke him!” A familiar voice spoke, Madison. She pulled Susan back. They all sat down around him on either side. He must’ve done something to make them worry.

“Do you know your name?”

“Y-yeah, it’s Nathan... Why-”

His mom rested a hand on his shoulder “I believe you had an panic attack, hun.”

As Nathan came back to his senses, realizing himself again, though a lingering lightness filled his body, as if he were partially made of air. Me? A panic attack? The idea seemed so alien to him, he always felt like he was in control. However even if Nathan tried, he couldn’t recall was just happened. It was all a blur in his mind. Only now did he realize how much mind felt like it was stuck in a thick fog. He clutched for his head.

“I... I see...”

“Should we bring him outside? G-get him some fresh air?” Susan asked.

Madison nodded. “Nathan, can you walk?”

“Yea- I think so.” He leaned forward. His legs felt weak, his knees shaking, but he could manage. Madison helped him up, and leaned onto her and Susan as they made their way out of the room, down the stairs carefully, and outside. They walked him to the car, leaving the door wide open. Susan held the love of her life. So much attention had been given to her these past months, she felt comforted to give him the nourishing love he so deserved.

“Take a moment to catch your breath, okay? I’ll take care of the twins, don’t worry about anything right now.” His mother walked off, leaving just Nathan and Susan, who stood right outside the door.

But Susan couldn’t get her hands off of him. Constantly brushing his silky brown hair, caressing his warm flushed cheek as if she’d lose her grip of him forever.

“Suu- I’m...”

“It’s okay honey... I’m just soso-so glad you’re back and okay.” She gave him a kiss on the forehead. And another, and then two more. Their warm softness never ceased to fill him with comfort, to remind him that he belonged. He noticed how her eyes were clearly watering up.

“I shouldn’t have had made you worry like that.” He lifted his arm to her face. It felt weak and quivered but it got to the destination. Wiping away a tear from her pretty face. “I think it was just all... too much for me.”

“You should’ve told me!” Susan sniffed. “You can depend on me too, you know?! I might be the one to worry constantly, an-and you’re always there for me. But I’m here for you too Nathan, I love you.” Though he had heard her say those three words countless times, each sincere, this time there was an embrace to them that was more passionate than ever before.

“I...” Emotions swelled up inside of him too.

“That’s what this ring is for...” She brought up his hand, both adorned with their wedding rings. “-to support each other...”

“You’re totally right... I just want to make things easier for you- you’ve been going through a lot.”

Susan holds out her belly, bringing his hand to it. “I’m sure our babies would want their father to take it easy too. They’re going to need him as much as their mother, you know...”

Nathan managed a laugh. He rubbed the large surface. “I’m sorry kids, papa tried to outdo himself. I’ll try to be better.”

“We’ll try to be better.” Susan kissed him again, this time holding it, allowing her mouth to melt into his.

“Again, you’re totally right.” Nathan chuckled. He moved further inside the car to let Susan sit alongside him. They shared their moments in silence, listening to the winds. The soothing chorus of birds scattered in the distance. The ruffle of leaves blowing past them, the soft scatter of gravel.