“Umm, honey…” Karen said to her daughter, and then cleared her throat.  “Can you please refrain from doing that?”

“Doing what?” Adelaide said nonchalantly, continuing to shrink and re-enlarge the salt shaker on the table.

“Please, we’re trying to have a family meal,” her mother replied.

“I absolutely love… shrinking things,” the 17-year-old answered, her pleasing, girlish voice taking a more authoritative tone.

James touched the side of his head as he swallowed hard.  He had just witnessed his beautiful stepdaughter announce to everyone that she loved to make things shrink.  He had never actually heard a person say such a thing out loud.  It was only in the online stories he read that anything came remotely close to something like that.

“Jim doesn’t care… do you?”

“I don’t what —” James said, his mind in a daze after watching the salt shaker change size a dozen times.

“See, Mom.  No one cares but you if I shrink things while we’re eating.”

“Addie, you know I’ve always encouraged your Magicka practice.  But, please, let’s eat in peace for one night.  We never have family dinners together.”

“Fine,” Adelaide breathed out in an irritated huff, re-enlarging the salt shaker for the twentieth and final time.

“Thank you,” her mother replied.

“I think Magicka’s cool,” Brian said, taking a drink from his glass of milk.

“You think everything is cool,” Adelaide answered, sticking her tongue out at her little brother, and then grinning.

I got to get my mind together, James thought, his heart rate still racing following the magical performance of his wife’s daughter.  I should ask Brian a question.  Yeah.  “So, Brian…” James started.  “Did you ever learn how to use Magicka… is that what it’s called… in school?”

Adelaide stifled a laugh.

“No, I haven’t,” Brian said.  “I just like playing baseball and videogames — that sort of thing.  My sister is the only one in our family that learned to use Magicka.”

Adelaide had been a natural prodigy, excelling before she even entered Kindergarten.  She had surpassed the ability level of most of her Teachers in size alteration by the time she turned ten.  In fact, she had mastered the skill, the last and highest level of size alteration, before her sixteenth birthday.

James turned toward his stepdaughter, trying to think of something to ask.  He felt uneasiness in his gut, fully aware that he was intimidated by the extraordinary attractiveness of the teenager including her spectacular F-cup breasts. “So, umm… Adelaide.  Do you know other forms of Magicka besides shrinking?”

“Of course, I do, Jim,” she answered, looking into James’ eyes.  “Whatever interests me.  But shrinking is so much more satisfying.  I love feeling powerful… having total control.”

“I have told her many times,” Karen said, “that shrinking people or living things is not allowed.”

“I saw her friend at school shrink another person once,” Brian said gleefully.

“Shut up!  You did not,” Adelaide said.  “You were never at my school.”

“Unh-huh,” Brian said.  “Mom took me there once.”

Adelaide snickered.  “My friends don’t do that, Mom.”

“I certainly hope not,” Karen reprimanded.

“I’ve had enough of this family meal for one lifetime,” Adelaide breathed out.  “I’m going to my room — maybe go out with friends later.”

James watched as his stepdaughter stood up, her incredible hourglass figure once again being imprinted upon his mind.  And as she turned, he briefly glimpsed the teen’s eye-catching butt in her cut-off jean shorts as she sauntered back to the stairs, and then ascended quickly to the second floor.

James blinked a couple times.  Holy crap, he thought to himself.  I didn’t realize Adelaide was obsessed with shrinking.  I knew she possessed an ability… but she seems to derive pleasure from the act of doing it.  What was it she said… ‘I love feeling powerful… having total control.’

“Well, that family time didn’t last very long,” Karen said.  “At least you asked some questions, James, making it seem like a normal functioning family.”

“Well, uh… I wasn’t sure what to say.”

“You did fine,” Karen reassured.  “Adelaide is bound to invite you into her life one of these days.”

“Mom — may I be excused?” Brian whined.  “I’m full.”

“Sure, sweetie,” she replied, watching her son pick up his baseball glove from the floor, and immediately proceed to the front door.

“Brian, where are you heading off to?” Karen said.  “I was just about to ask your dad here if we could all go see a movie this evening.”

“Oh, it’s all right,” James said quietly, looking at his wife.  “He still has sunlight left to play some baseball.”

“Yeah, Mom, I was going to play with the kids at the park.”

Karen stood up, beginning to clear the plates from the table.  “All right.  Don’t be gone too late, mister.  I want you back before dark.”

The sound of the front screen door snapped shut.  James stepped into the kitchen, joining his wife, as he tossed the plastic restaurant bags into the trash.   “You know, we could still see a movie, the two of us.”

“What about Adelaide?” Karen asked.

Yes, what about Adelaide? James thought.  If she comes with us, I’ll be thinking all night about how she shrunk that salt shaker again and again… and again.  I can’t stop thinking about it even now when she’s not here.  “She can come, of course,” James finally answered.

“What — you don’t want her to?” Karen questioned, running water over the dishes in the sink.

“No, no… of course I do,” he mumbled.  “I want our family to be strong and good relationships with everyone.  It’s just Adelaide has a pattern of ignoring me.  Tonight is the most conversation we’ve shared in a month.”

“Honey,” Karen said, turning to place her hand on his chest, “it’s only because you’re her stepdad.  She doesn’t like the idea of another parent looking down at her, approving her actions about what she can and can’t do.  It’s not you, James.”

“I don’t know.”

“If she knew you like I know you,” Karen said, “she would want to spend all her time with you.”

Loud footsteps came running down the stairs, as Karen spotted her daughter opening the front door.  “Young lady, where are you going?”

Adelaide paused as she stepped back inside.  “Out,” she said.

“You need to be more specific than that,” Karen said sternly, walking over to her daughter, her arms crossed.

The teenager exhaled in annoyance.  “Whatever.  I’m going to the mall, okay?”

“To meet… who?” Karen asked, her husband walking over to stand just behind her.

“I don’t have to tell you,” Adelaide answered.

“Adelaide,” James said, “your mom just wants you to be safe.”

“No, she doesn’t,” Adelaide said loudly.  “She wants to pry into my life.  Pick who my friends are.  Tell me who I can and can’t spend time with.”

“That’s not true,” Karen countered.

“Who am I going to see, Mom?  I was going to spend time with Cynthia and her friends.”

“See, now, I don’t think she’s a good influence,” Karen said.

“See, Jim.  This is what I’m talking about.”

“I don’t think —” James began to say, his wife interrupting him.

“Cynthia has gotten in trouble at school for misusing her Magicka.  I don’t think that is the type of person Addie should be —”

“It’s my life!” Adelaide shouted at her mother.

“Please,” James said quietly, “we don’t need to yell.”

Adelaide snickered.  “Yeah, like I care what you think… Jim.”

“You can call him James, you know.  It’s his name.”

“I can call him whatever I want, Mom.”

“Actually,” James said, his voice wavering, “Jim is short for James.  So I guess it’s sort of okay.”

“No, James,” Karen said, glaring at him.  “It’s about time my daughter started to treat my husband with a little respect.”

“I’ll give Jim a little respect,” Adelaide said.  “Very… very little.”

“What does that supposed to mean?” Karen questioned.

“It doesn’t mean anything, Mom,” she said, rolling her eyes.

James’ anxiety increasing, he suddenly blurted out, “Your mom and I were going to see a movie tonight.  Instead of seeing your friends, you can come with us.”

“Eww… see a movie with two old people.  Yeah, like I would do that.”

“We’re not that old,” James answered.

“Sure you are,” Adelaide said.

“Addie,” Karen began, “I don’t want you seeing Cynthia.”

Adelaide stomped her foot, clenching her fists.  “Fuck you!  You’re always like this!”

“Hey!” James said forcefully.  “I don’t like the tone you’re taking with your mom.”

James watched as his stepdaughter stared angrily at him — her remarkable beauty seeming only to have increased by her ill-tempered mood… her pale blue eyes narrowing as she glared directly into his eyes.

“We’re not going to have that kind of language in this house,” James said firmly.  “I won’t allow it.”

“Shut up, Jim!” Adelaide yelled.

“Adelaide,” Karen said.  “Do I have to ground you?”

Adelaide continued staring at her stepdad.  “Fuck.  Fuck.  Fuck.  You don’t fuckin’ tell me what I can say!”

“Okay, that is enough!” Karen shouted, her daughter stepping out the front door.  The door then violently slammed shut… the walls of the living room shaking for a couple seconds as if the whole house was going to come down.

Karen exhaled loudly, holding her right hand to her forehead, her left on her waist.  “Oh, God,” Karen said.  “I’m so sorry, James.”

James moved over to the tan sofa, sitting down.

“My daughter has always been strong-willed.  Years before I ever met you.”

James suddenly realized his heart rate was through the roof, his hands trembling anxiously in his lap.  He wasn’t aware how much his anxiety was affecting him during the heat of the moment — but he was definitely on the losing end of the battle with his stepdaughter.  I can’t do this, James worried within his mind.  Adelaide is too confident… too bold.  I’ve never been able to win arguments with strong, resilient females.

“She drove away, James,” Karen said, peering out the window.  Walking into the middle of the living room, she said angrily, “I am going to give her a piece of my mind when she gets home tonight.”

James looked up.  “I don’t know if that’s a good idea.  I mean… uh… don’t we want to let things cool down?”

“I know my daughter.  If you don’t put up boundaries and have rules, she will walk all over you.”  Karen sat down on the love seat opposite her husband on the other sofa.

“Yes, but…” James said.

Karen abruptly stood up.  “A movie is a bad idea tonight.  I’m just going to do some shopping at the grocery store.  We’re out of cereal.”

James watched as his wife went into the kitchen, immediately returning with her purse and phone.  She walked to the door, pausing as she stepped one foot outside.  She turned and with a half-smile, she said, “At least she’s talking to you now, huh?”

James chuckled in a soft whimper sort of way.  The door closed behind Karen, and James sat there, his head having fallen into his hands.  Suddenly, he rose to his feet and hurried over to the basement door.  He quickly descended the stairs, flipping on the lights.

Taking a seat at his computer, he switched it on… awaiting it to start up.  “Come on.  Come on.  Come on,” he said to himself.

Then moving the mouse, he navigated to the GTS story website.  He clicked on the ‘most recent’ stories… and then he paused.  He moved his cursor over to the ‘search’ button, clicking it.  I don’t know.  Should I? he thought.  I’ve never searched for shrinking stories with that word before.  James then began to slowly type the keyword: stepdaughter.