Kim contemplated not meeting up with Shego after lunch. She was tempted to go upstairs and take a nap so she could have a solo nighttime adventure on the plantation. Obviously, the nap did not happen, and Kim managed to sneak away when her mother went to go have tea with a neighbor. Kim was invited, but she politely opted out of it and claimed she had a horrendous night's sleep. Her father was nowhere to be seen as well as her brothers, so Kim had wandered off to the peach trees where nobody ever was. Shego was already there and Kim's breath hitched in her throat when she saw Shego wearing pants and a shirt in the daytime. Kim blushed for unknown reasons; perhaps seeing a woman in trousers was something she was not used to, but this didn't make sense since she had seen Shego in her underclothes before. "How do you plan on doing anything in that?" Shego asked rhetorically, pointing at Kim in her hoopskirt and usual attire. Her dress was a medium blue with white lace trimming today, one of her favorites. Kim appreciated good fashion even if she hated wearing it.
"I do not think I would have made it this far dressed as you are," Kim gestured to the trousers which were much too large for Shego if it weren't for the rope.
Shego simply dismissed Kim's answer with an eye roll and opened up her brown satchel. Kim had only seen this at night and never saw how beat up the old fabric really was. "It is a good thing I predicted this and brought you more comfortable clothes," Shego sighed and presented them to Kim.
"And what do I do with my clothes?" Kim queried.
"I'll take care of them." Once Kim changed with the older girl's help, Shego tossed Kim's clothes in the tall grass. The hoop was still slightly visible, but it wasn't like anyone would go this far anyway. Kim had to trust Shego knew exactly what she was doing or else she wouldn't have the nerve to get this far.
Kim trekked after Shego and off of her family's property. Kim realized she had never been off of the property before without an escort, and she grinned with self-gratification. This was the first step into becoming a real adventurer like Shego, and she marveled at the thought. She walked through the tall grass and was thankful for the change of clothes. Walking over branches and pushing the taller plants out of the way would have been impossible. The dead leaves crunched under her feet with every step she took. The trees only let some sun shine down on them, the light scattered across the ground. Kim wondered why she never wandered this far away before and decided she should go exploring on her own. Distracted, Kim tripped over a tree root and stumbled a couple of steps into Shego who only gave her a smirk.
"Where are we going?" Kim asked after she regained her footing.
"Just to my family's property. There's a pond there."
"A pond?" Kim went to straighten out her dress, but quickly realized she wasn't wearing one, not even a nightgown.
"My brother had one built, but never put any fish in it. I will admit, it is not the best pond for swimming, but it rained recently, so the water hasn't been completely stagnant."
"Swimming? Shego, I don't know how to swim."
"You will have to learn quickly," Shego shrugged. "My brother made it only one depth, and I can barely touch the bottom with my feet. Like everything else, I'll teach you."
When they arrived at the pond, Kim blushed furiously when she noticed the pond was out in the open and she had to change into a bathing gown Shego placed aside for her next to a towel. She bit the inside of her cheek when Shego carelessly tossed her own clothes on the ground, keeping her underclothes on. Kim swallowed hard when Shego took her underclothes off, leaving her briefly naked right in front of Kim. Time slowed. She knew she should look away, but she just couldn't- not before seeing Shego's natural curves and the profile of her well-developed breasts.
Shego was incredibly beautiful. Physically, she was what every single man desired. In comparison, Kim's body was more on the petite side, and she felt conscious of her own body. How was she supposed to take her clothes off right there in front of Shego? The only person who saw Kim naked was Monique, but that was completely different. Or was it?
Shego's bathing clothes were on, and the older girl sighed when she noticed Kim didn't change. "Don't be such a prude." Kim stood there motionless as Shego stomped over to her and began to undress her. Kim's cheeks felt hotter as she covered herself up with her arms, unable to form words. Expertly, Shego dressed Kim, putting the top over the bottoms so Kim could change out her bottoms without exposing anything.
"How'd you do that so quickly?" Kim fought the stutter.
"I used to dress my younger brothers every day," Shego responded.
"Didn't you have a sl…servant for that?" Kim queried.
"We don't have any," Shego replied before running to the pond and jumping in. Confused, Kim walked over to the pond and forgot about Shego's little tidbit of information about herself. She'd think of it later. At the moment, Kim was focusing on the pond and bit her lower lip nervously. She sat down on the stiff grass to dangle her feet in the water. The water was refreshing in the hot Georgia heat.
"Just slide in," Shego demanded. "I'll catch you so you don't drown." Kim nodded slowly and put her trust in a girl who lied and stole from other people, including the Possible family peaches that had long since been forgotten. Kim slid in and let out a scream of fright. She flailed in the water, panicking and splashing because Shego did not catch her like she promised. She couldn't catch her breath, her green eyes wide with terror. "Stop panicking!" Shego yelled at her with annoyance and not a hint of concern in her voice. Kim began to grasp for Shego to grab something to hold onto, anything. "Goddammit, Kimmie! Just turn around and grab the grass!"
Kim reached behind her and, oh, she wasn't far from the side. Embarrassed out of her mind, Kim turned her body and held onto the grass. Leave it to Shego to cackle at Kim's uncomfortableness. She couldn't even look at the other girl and kept her eyes trained on the grass gripped between her fingers. "You don't have to laugh at me," the redhead mumbled.
"Perhaps when you stop acting like such a princess, Princess," Shego pointed out. "Here, turn around."
"Why would I do that?" Kim pouted. She knew she was being childish, but she felt like a fool.
"Come on." She could just imagine Shego rolling her eyes.
"I can't," Kim said under her breath.
"Kimmie." The irritation in that nickname was evident.
"I'm afraid," Kim admitted.
"Since when are you ever afraid of something like this? For Christ's sake, you climb trees! That is quite a bit more dangerous than being in some little pond." Kim's grip relaxed. Despite the curse word, Shego was right; Kim wasn't afraid. Slowly, she turned around and kept one hand on the grass, but was more relaxed. Shego was closer than she thought and seemed to be standing on her feet with her shoulders just above the water. With that trademark smirk, Shego grabbed Kim's arms to fully turn her, forcing her to let go of the side of the pond. Tentatively, Kim relaxed her legs and found she could easily touch the bottom, her shoulders only just covered by a thin layer of water.
Kim fumed. "Shego! You just lied to me!" Her eyes squinted when she looked at her due to both of the direction of the sun and her annoyance.
"And you are surprised about that because…?" Shego trailed, but her hands still remained on Kim's arms. "I have got to admit you've got some kind of backbone if you slid on in here thinking you wouldn't be able to reach the bottom." Shego let Kim's arms go quickly, but not because she was nervous in any way. Shego's movements always seemed to be quick, calculated, and fluid. This was probably the first time Kim truly wondered why Shego learned to be this way rather than the how. It was obvious she had money, and her brothers were respected among everyone else around. There was really no reason why Shego was so different from other women, was there? Kim thought about herself and how she lived literally the perfect life in her great, big house on their great, big piece of land that seemed to go on forever. Kim knew her eyes were opened by Shego, but who opened up Shego's eyes?
Shego lied many times to Kim that day, such as promising to hold on to Kim the whole time she floated on her back; only, Kim found that she was actually floating on top of the water herself. A similar situation was when Kim went onto her stomach, splaying her limbs out, which she found highly inappropriate to do with her legs. That was only at first. Kim got used to her face being in the water, held her breath, and kicked vigorously into the water as she held on to Shego's arms, Kim's pale legs making large splashes. Shego promised Kim would be swimming in no time, but she had to master treading water first, something Kim struggled at.
Real swimming would be for another day. For now, Kim lay down on the ground on her towel beside Shego underneath an umbrella Shego stabbed into the ground earlier to keep the sun out of their eyes. The hot sun was evaporating the water off of their wet clothes, skin, and hair. Kim took in a deep, contented breath.
"After I learn how to swim, what else can you teach me?" Kim asked when Shego sat up to brush her dark locks.
"What do you want to learn?" Shego smirked. Kim sat up just enough so her forearms were supporting her weight.
"I am not sure what else there is to learn," Kim shrugged.
"So innocent," Shego sighed and tossed the brush on the ground. She lay back down on her towel and closed her eyes. "You ever ride a horse?"
"Of course," Kim replied.
"I bet you side saddle."
"How else can I ride?" Kim queried.
"Straddling it like a man," Shego cackled, probably imagining the look of shock on Kim's face.
"That is…I mean…that is just so…so…"
"You love the scandal," Shego replied calmly as she opened up her eyes to look up at Kim. Kim opened her mouth to speak, but couldn't find the words. "And you love the very idea that you will be caught one day." Kim bit her lower lip and wondered if that was true. The thought of it did excite her, but she was mostly afraid. She knew she'd be disowned by her family, forced to leave the plantation she was born on. She doubted anything she had been doing would impress her parents.
"Were you ever caught?" Kim finally asked.
"I would not say I was ever caught. I have been the way I am since the day I was born. I do not put on an act, which is why I usually do not accompany my brothers unless I promise to behave like a proper lady." Shego looked at her nails and inspected them. They were always well kept even though she was always up to something that involved using her hands. Kim's hands were rougher than they should have been due to the tree climbing. She wondered just how tough Shego's hands were and wondered if she had calluses on her palms.
"It must be nice to be yourself without worrying about what others will think," Kim sighed. "If I ever straddled a horse, I do not think I could live that down if someone saw me."
"Please, Kimmie," Shego scoffed and stood up without using her hands to push off from the ground. "You are afraid to lose your home, am I right? You think your parents will kick you out. So what? You will be kicked out soon when you are forced to be married. That whole goddamn plantation will never be passed down to you. Even if you didn't have your brothers, it would probably go to an uncle or male cousins before it ever went to you or your mother. Your future husband's property will never truly be yours. He will let you live there as long as you're compliant, but you will never actually own it. So, why do we have to act in such a way when we get nothing in return?" Shego paused. "But if you remain unmarried, it is possible to rent your own place and stay independent. You give all of that up once you are married."
"You really never want to marry, do you?" Kim queried.
"Not particularly. However, the one benefit of marriage is you get a decent place to live. Most women who are unmarried and live alone have dreadful living conditions." Shego began to walk, so Kim followed her. She had no idea where they were going still dressed in their swim clothes. Kim pondered what Shego just explained. She was correct in every word; the moment a woman got married, she gave up what little rights she had. Shego seemed like the kind of person who never wanted to give up any small amount of freedom. Kim didn't think she wanted to give that up, either. However, the idea of marriage still intrigued her, and she wanted that happily ever after.
Shego stopped walking, and Kim stopped several feet behind her. She watched Shego's hair blow behind her, her clothes rippling in the wind. They were stopped in front of a lone tree with a swing attached to it. Kim noticed it was made of old rope and a piece of wood for the seat. "I want to go to New York City. I will live there one day, Kimmie."
"Why is that?" Kim asked.
"Women have more rights there. Married women can own property. Here, you lose everything. And there's just more freedom in general with less rules to live by. Many different kinds of people live in the city. It's just so backwards down here, and I hate it."
For once, Kim could tell that Shego was being truthful. Her body language was not as rigid and open as it usually was; her arms were crossed over her stomach and she didn't look straight ahead like she was ready to take on the world. This look didn't last long, and Shego was back to herself, her shoulders rolled back and her arms at her sides. Kim didn't say anything when Shego approached the swing. "I bet you never sat on one of these," Shego said with the rope of the swing in her hand. Kim let out a small laugh before shaking her head. "Come on, sit down." Kim obliged and sat down on the piece of wood. She wobbled, but managed to maintain her balance. Her feet didn't touch the patches of grass below her, indicating someone came here often to swing. "This was here before we moved here. I don't think my brothers are aware that it exists."
"Do you use it often?"
"Mmhmm," Shego hummed. "Now, hold onto the ropes." Kim peeled one hand off of the wood at a time to grip the rope on both sides. She held them tightly, squealing when Shego let go of the swing. Kim had to rely on her own balance to stay on and needless to say, she was a little bit scared. The fall wasn't that high up, so if she fell, she knew it wouldn't be the end of the world. Once she adjusted to the feel of the swing, she looked up confidently at Shego.
"I'm ready," Kim grinned.
Shego smirked, nodded, and put her hands at the small of Kim's back. Kim blushed for the hundredth time that day. She held on and kept herself in place when Shego gave her a big push, and then another, and another until Kim was soaring! Kim laughed with glee at the thrill of swinging higher and higher until she eventually plateaued. It felt as if she was flying! No, she was flying! Every time Kim swung back, she'd feel Shego press against her lower back and continue to push her.
Despite the hot Georgia air, it felt cool against Kim's exposed skin as she swung. She groaned when she felt herself losing altitude, Shego eventually grabbing the ropes to stop her after she was no longer swinging up high. Kim turned her body slightly to get a better look at the slightly older girl. Everything about her was just beautiful, phenomenal. Kim didn't know what she would do without her because Shego was her outlet, her way of being free.
Kim hopped off of the swing while Shego hopped on unconventionally: she held onto the ropes, lifting her body up and over the block of wood, before sitting on it. She ushered Kim to stand back. Kim watched as Shego leaned forward while tucking her legs underneath the swing, followed by leaning back and straightening her legs out in front of her. Kim watched in awe as Shego began to go higher and higher without any help at all.
Kim wasn't afraid when she watched Shego grasp the rope higher and lift her bottom off of the seat. She wasn't afraid when Shego's feet met the plank, and she was now standing, slowly extending her legs. Kim was amazed when Shego continued to keep the swing going at its current height, her body obscenely thrusting forward and backward to keep up the momentum. When the swing was at its highest peak, Kim watched Shego jump off of it, her body rolling onto the ground to minimalize impact with the ground. Before Kim could blink, Shego was standing back up, a proud look on her face. "That was breathtaking!" Kim exclaimed. Before she knew what she was doing, she was running up to Shego and hugging her fiercely.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Down, Pumpkin," Shego said. "Down, or there will be consequences!" Kim didn't listen, but merely looked up at her and grinned. She knew Shego was showing off to show her what she would one day be capable of and Kim was beyond excited. Kim couldn't do anything when Shego lifted her up bridal style, and began to jog. Kim let out a small scream at the sudden movement and adjusted herself so her hands were clasped behind Shego's neck. "I warned you," Shego grumbled. Kim saw the little pond and her face paled when she realized what Shego was going to do.
"Don't you dare!" Kim suddenly felt trapped. Currently, she had no choice but to eventually be tossed into the pond. Currently, she had no choice but to be a perfect lady, get married in a few years, and give up all of her freedoms; there would be no more late night outings, no more reading books. She'd be trapped just like her mother was, and the horror of that reality seemed too much in the moment. "Shego, stop!" Kim screamed. "Stop! Stop! Stop! Put me down!"
Kim was surprised when Shego set her down on her feet. Legs shaking, Kim unclasped her hands from behind her neck, her hands trembling. Dramatically, she fell to the ground and felt foolish as she sat there with tears welling in her eyes. "Kimmie?" Shego queried, comforting others obviously not one of her strengths. "I didn't think you would be this frightened to get tossed in a pond."
"No," Kim shook her head. "It's not that."
"Then what is it?" Through the blurs caused by her unshed tears, Kim noticed Shego cock an eyebrow when she spoke.
"I am not ready to lose the freedoms that I do have. I know they are rather limited, but I do not want to lose them," Kim spoke quickly, then looked at the ground to pick at the stiff blades of grass. "When I marry, I will lose everything."
Shego knelt down in front of her. "How old are you?" Shego asked her.
"Fourteen," Kim sniffed.
"You have a number of years before all of this happens. I am sixteen, and I have no plans to start looking for a husband anytime soon," Shego explained.
"Yes, but you will never marry and maintain a life. I am not like you, Shego, and I will marry someday."
"Then I will just have to make sure you live while you can. And who knows? Maybe your perspectives in life will change when I'm done with you," Shego smirked. Kim merely nodded. "Come on, let's get actual clothes on and I'll walk you to your other clothes." Kim burst out laughing at the absurdity of the situation. "Don't get too cocky," Shego stood up. "I am never this nice." Kim stood up with a chuckle and followed Shego.
Sorry for the delayed update! Some personal things came up, but now I have time again to write :)
And yes, I checked when married women could own property in Georgia before posting this. They could not own property until 1868 whereas in New York, they could own property in 1848. Interesting stuff. This story is requiring me to dig a little deeper. For example, I was going to have a playground where the only swing was in the story, but I found out the first public playground wasn't introduced until the 20th century.
Anyway, thank you to everyone who continues to read this story despite the sporadic, delayed uploads. I still love to hear what you think in a review or PM!