Bethany's Destiny Ch. 08

Chapter 8

Bethany woke to see Austin prepping Asuka for her midnight milking. She watched, half-asleep as Austin spread the balm on Asuka's nipples and felt a spike of lust, wishing those were her hands on the woman's breasts. When Austin left, she sat up and ran a hand over Asuka's back. "Want some company?"

Asuka stiffened at her touch. "I... I'm good. I think I'm ready for some alone time."

Bethany felt like she'd been punched in the gut. "Oh," she said, pulling her hand back. "Okay." She sat frozen for a moment waiting for Asuka to say something else. When the other woman remained silent, she stood and said, "Uh, well, if you need me, you know where to find me." With that she returned to her stall.

Bethany lay on her blanket for a long time staring into the darkness and trying to understand what went wrong. Was it something she said? Something she did? It seemed like one minute her dream of being intimate with her beautiful new herd-mate had come true and then a wall slammed down between them. Bethany's mind chased itself in circles for a long time before eventually falling into a fitful sleep.

***

The six o'clock milking seemed to go on forever. Madison wouldn't look at her, and apparently Asuka didn't want to talk to her. The milkers tugging insistently on her nipples annoyed rather than aroused her today, and the heaviness of her breasts seemed to pull on her back more than ever. Finally, Dan arrived to turn off the machine, reapply the teat balm, and hand her the first bowl of Chow for the morning. She was lost in her own thoughts, and it surprised her when he spoke. "Your production numbers are looking good. You averaged a little over two and a quarter gallons last week. Ahead of the curve. Two more shots and you'll pass the two-and-a-half-gallon quota no problem. Keep up the good work."

Bethany held her bowl of Chow in stunned silence as Dan walked to the next stall. Asuka's stall. The praise was so incongruous with her mood that it took a while to register. She thought about it and gave a bitter chuckle as she scooped the tasteless slop into her mouth. Her nightly playtime with Madison must have acted like an additional milking session and her body had responded by increasing her supply. She wondered if it would drop again now. She supposed she could sign up for the midnight slot. That made her think of Asuka and her stomach clenched. She had to force down the rest of the gruel.

She finished her meal and drank deep from the water hose on her wall. It was amazing how much water she had to drink now. Literally gallons just to keep up with volume of liquid needed to fuel her lactation. Her breasts had become factories for converting water and feed into milk and for a moment she felt like an actual cow. Then she shook herself and stood, intending to visit Molly. When she stepped out of her stall, however, she noticed an excited crowd had formed near the front entrance. She nearly collided with her cousin who was stepping out at the same time.

"Hey," Molly exclaimed, rocking back. "I was just coming to get you." She looked excited, rare for her this early.

"What's going on?" Bethany asked, recovering her balance.

"Dan just posted the fair schedule. Come on. Let's see where we are in the lineup."

They walked quickly, bare feet quietly slapping the dusty concrete of the central path. The lights were set to half-brightness for those who wanted to go back to sleep until nine, but there was plenty of light coming in through the open front doors. And it didn't look like anyone was going back to sleep this morning.

April turned and waved when they got close. She must have been keeping an eye out for them. "Hey newbies, excited for your first fair?"

In truth Bethany had mixed feelings about the idea given some of the things she'd heard, including from April. But her cousin seemed to have set all that aside and so she nodded and said, "Sure," at about the same time as Molly did.

The crowd of naked women were examining a series of printed pages taped to the front wall to the right of the open door. Bethany saw several run their fingers over a page, nod, and step away. Eventually, the cousins made their way to the front. Alex, April's girlfriend, stepped back as they stepped forward. She looked at April and said, "Hey, looks like we're all going to Wilson County. Straight to the big time."

Bethany's eyes widened. She was familiar with the fair of course, it doubled as the official state fair and drew nearly a quarter of a million people in its nine-day run. She'd attended with her family, including Molly and other cousins, since she was a little kid. And they had always taken special interest in the hucows. The idea of being on the other side of that spectacle thrilled and terrified her.

When she finally got close enough to see the printed sheets, she saw her name under Wilson County and the dates, along with April, Alex, Molly, Jasmine, Susan, and Asuka. Seeing Susan, Savannah's ex, on the list meant little to her, but Asuka's name made her breath catch. She didn't even know Asuka had agreed to go to a fair at all. She'd sounded unsure the day before. Maybe Dan had just put her on the list hoping she would warm up to the idea. Bethany looked around, but Asuka hadn't come out of her stall. She wanted to ask her about it but didn't know if Asuka would answer. A bump on her shoulder from Molly brought her thoughts back to the schedule.

"Hey, we got the Tennessee Valley Fair too. Our first time and we got two of the best events."

Bethany looked to where Molly was pointing and nodded. It was exciting. They were scheduled for the two biggest fairs in the state, some of the biggest in the Southeast, but her mind kept going back to her blossoming relationship with Asuka and trying to figure out what went wrong.

Leaning over Molly's shoulder like she was studying the schedule Bethany whispered, "Can I talk to you? Alone?"

Molly glanced at Bethany, giving her a concerned look then nodded. She turned away from the printouts, yawning and said, "Well, if that's all the excitement for the morning, I'm going back to sleep." She reached out and took Bethany's hand. "Come on cousin, you can spoon me."

April gave them a curious look, but everyone else ignored them as they made their way back to Molly's stall. Once inside and seated Molly spoke, "Okay, spill. What's got you looking so down this morning? Is it Madison?"

"What?" Bethany was caught off guard and then realized she shouldn't be. How could so much happen in less than a day? "No, it's Asuka."

It was Molly's turn to look surprised. "Asuka? I thought you two were becoming besties or something. You both told me what a great day you had together."

Bethany nodded, "Yeah, we did. And we were, uh, getting close. Actually, we, um, had sex."

Molly's eyes widened. "Damn you move fast! From breakup to new girl in what? A few hours?" Bethany winced at the outburst and Molly noticed her expression. "But you're not happy about it. What went wrong?"

"That's just it," Bethany said, her voice filled with pain and exasperation. "I don't know. One minute we're, you know, having a good time and the next thing I know she's rolling away from me and saying she needs space. I don't think she even wants to talk to me, and I don't know what happened."

Molly's expression got serious and something in Bethany relaxed a fraction. Molly could be an asshole, but when she decided to focus, she showed a combination of empathy and intelligence that few people saw. "Start from the beginning and don't leave out details. If I'm going to help you can't be squeamish about the sex."

With a sigh, Bethany told her cousin as much about the night before as she could remember, starting with the kiss and ending when Asuka asked her to leave. Retelling the events to Molly was slightly embarrassing, but every time she stumbled or hesitated Molly just gave her a look and she carried on.

"So," Molly said when Bethany had finished, "She told you to go slow and stopped you how many times?"

"Umm," Bethany hesitated. She wasn't stupid, she could see where this was going. "Twice, I think," she said in a quiet voice.

"And you just kept going?"

"No," Bethany said defensively. "I stopped what I was doing."

"And kept doing something else."

"Yeah, I guess." Bethany conceded, "But she seemed to be into it. I mean she, she had an orgasm. That means something, right?"

Molly gave her a flat look. "Really? You're giving the 'she liked it' defense? You flicked her bean until her body reacted, but then post-nut-clarity kicked in, and she gave you the cold shoulder. Does that sound like it was good for her?"

Bethany put her face in her hands and groaned. Then she looked at Molly, her eyes shining with threatening tears, and asked in a whisper. "Did I... did I rape her?"

Molly rolled her eyes. "Don't be so dramatic. Did you use force, threats, deception?"

"No, of course not."

"Do you have power or authority over her that would let you to use manipulation or coercion?"

"No," Bethany answered quietly.

"Then you're not a rapist. Just kind of a shitty friend." Bethany winced at that. "You didn't assault her, but you did blow past her boundaries and violate her trust. I don't think you meant to, but you did."

The tears overflowed and fell down Bethany's cheeks. "And now she hates me. Fuck, who can lose two girlfriends in one day?"

Molly sighed and shook her head. "You always were an overachiever." She moved to sit next to her cousin and put an arm around her shoulder. "I doubt she hates you, but you owe her an apology, and she might need some space. Look, this wasn't all your fault. Mostly, but not all. She's an adult, been an adult longer than either of us and she could have kicked you out of her stall at any time."

"Yeah, but it was her first time. She didn't know how to handle it. I'm the one who fucked up." Bethany sighed, "I feel like shit."

Molly squeezed her affectionately. "Yeah, that's okay. It helps you not make the same mistakes too many times. Apologize, give her space, be patient. It'll be okay."

Bethany stiffened, "It won't be though. Asuka has terrible insomnia. She literally hadn't gotten a good night's sleep in years until I started helping her. What's she going to do now?"

Molly rubbed her back reassuringly. "What do you do to help her sleep?"

"Uh, I spoon her and pet her hair for a few minutes."

"That's it?" Molly asked. "I can do that."

Bethany pulled back and looked at her cousin. "Would you?"

Molly shrugged. "Sure, that's no big deal. Does she snore?"

"No."

"Then it's no problem. I can sleep in her stall as well as I can in mine."

Bethany threw her arms around Molly and hugged her tight. "I love you. You're the best."

Molly patted Bethany's back and said, "Yeah, I am. And you owe me. I'll think of some awkward favor I need someday."

Bethany pulled back and wiped her eyes. "Okay, deal." She took a deep breath and stood. "I'm going back to my stall to get some more sleep. Thanks again."

Molly yawned and waved her off. "I'm going back to sleep too. And no more girlfriends before I see you again."

Bethany laughed weakly and then ducked around the divider and into her own stall. She tried to sleep but her mind was still racing. She thought about going to Asuka and apologizing, but she hesitated. Molly said to give her space, and in truth, Bethany didn't think she could take another rejection. She thought about what the next few hours and days would look like. Asuka wasn't talking to her, and Madison wouldn't even look at her and yet they couldn't really avoid each other. They all showered together, spent time in the pasture together, and until last night, slept together, for at least part of the night. She'd clearly be sleeping in her own stall for a while and she could switch to a different shower time, but unless she wanted to sit in the barn all day, there was no way she could dodge the other women completely. The farm wasn't that big.

Sighing, Bethany sat up and decided that if she couldn't sleep, she might as well shower. It would eliminate at least one awkward situation for the day. As she stood and exited her stall she glanced at Molly who looked like she'd had no trouble dropping off. Bethany looked around the barn that had been her home for over a month now and suddenly wished she could leave. She'd felt homesick several times, especially in the first couple of weeks, but this was the first time she wanted to run away.

As she entered the bathhouse a wave of moist air wafted out and she heard voices. Rebecca, Courtney and the twins were the early birds of the herd and were all done showering already. They were brushing their hair or otherwise grooming and Bethany heard Hannah or Martha ask a question about the fair. Courtney started to answer, then stopped and turned as she noticed Bethany. "Hey, you. What are you doing up and about this early?"

Courtney was a lovely brown-haired woman with a generous figure and deeply tanned skin, typical of a Buchanan, especially one who had been a producer for as long as she had. Rebecca's long-term partner hadn't worn clothes in a decade and neither of them were on the fair schedule. As April had predicted, they'd decided to retire from the show circuit.

Bethany shrugged at the question, "Couldn't sleep. Decided I might as well get my shower out of the way. Hope that's okay."

Rebecca gestured to the empty shower room. The motion rippling through her enormous breasts. "Be our guest. It's not like we own this time slot. We're about done anyway, just hanging around and talking to the twins about their first Tennessee fair."

"You did some fairs back home?" Bethany asked.

Martha nodded, she was brushing out her sister's shoulder-length honey-blonde hair. Bethany still couldn't tell their voices apart, but she had no trouble telling them apart by sight anymore. "We were at a fair when Dan met us. That's how we ended up here."

"I bet Ammon's more careful who he takes to the fairs now." Hannah added, referring to their old keeper.

It was a dark thought and Bethany rushed to fill the brief pause in conversation. "So, when do you leave for Greene County?"

"Right after first milking tomorrow." Martha answered. "We get back Saturday night."

Bethany nodded as a thought started to form in her head. "Who all is going?"

Courtney answered, leaning against the counter, "Delia and Emily, Elizabeth, Susan, and Hannah and Martha. It's a two A fair, but it'll be a nice way to get a feel for the competition this season."

Martha finished brushing Hannah's hair and put the brush on her shelf. Bethany took that as a signal to move towards the showers. "Well, good luck you two," she said nodding to the twins. "Bring home some ribbons." The woman all smiled as she moved to the next room.

***

Later. Bethany was sitting up in her stall waiting for Dan and getting her thoughts in order. When he arrived, he took the jar of teat balm off the shelf and started the usual routine. As he began to spread the slick substance over her nipples Bethany cleared her throat and Dan glanced up from his work; they didn't normally chit chat and Bethany felt oddly nervous. "Um," she began, "I was wondering. Is there room for one more for the Greene County Fair. You have me signed up for some big events and I was hoping to maybe get a warm-up first."

Dan paused, drawing his hand back. "We already have six going, and they all have a good chance of placing this season." He resumed spreading the balm onto Bethany's breasts. "You really into the idea of competition?"

She wasn't really, at least that wasn't her primary motivation, but Dan didn't need to know that. "Yeah, I mean my mom won a lot of blue ribbons in her career and my grandmother won even more. I'd like to at least see if I have a chance to be like them."

Dan nodded absently as he finished with the combination disinfectant and lubricant. He rose from his crouch, wiped his hands on a rag and took the flanges off the wall, removing the covers and cleaning them with disposable wipes. "You'd be the only yearling in the group. We'd have to pay a late entry fee, and I'd need to count that against any winnings you might make." He seemed to be thinking out loud as much as talking to Bethany. He switched on the pump and crouched to attach the milkers to her breasts. They suctioned on with a familiar intensity and Bethany could feel her milk let down out of reflex. It was always a relief. Finally, Dan stood and asked, "You been practicing the poses?"

Bethany nodded, "Yes sir, every day." She felt a surge of hope at the question.

Dan grunted in acknowledgement. "Alright then. We leave after first milking tomorrow. Be ready." And with that he moved on to Asuka's stall.

After the milking was finished Bethany stood and rounded the divider to Molly's stall. She knew Molly would be expecting her to join the usual crew in the showers. Bethany wanted to tell her she'd already been and to tell her the news about the competition. Molly didn't seem too surprised that Bethany had already been to the bathhouse, but her eyebrows rose when she told her about the fair. "So, you're going to bail?"

"What? No, I'm just-"

"Running away." Molly cut in, "Ghosting everybody until the heat dies down. Come on, this is your pattern."

"Pattern?" Bethany asked, incredulous, "This all just happened yesterday. How can it be a pattern?

"Because this is exactly what you did with Branden. The two of you would get into it over something or other, you'd get mad or hurt or both, and then you'd come talk to me about it. Which was fine, because I'm good like that. But then you'd just avoid him until you got over it. And afterward, did you ever talk to him about whatever the problem was?"

"Of course I did," Bethany said defensively, "We would talk. He would usually apologize and I would..." she trailed off, seeing Molly's skeptical look. "Okay, I would usually just drop it then. I see your point."

"Good," Molly said, standing, "I need to go shower. With my friends. When we all get back, I suggest you talk to Asuka. Maybe even try to talk to Madison too." Bethany made a face, but Molly made a face right back. "Bethany, we have to live with these people for the next three years. You found an out this time, but that was just luck. Mostly, we're all going to be stuck together on this farm. Figure it out." And with that she walked away.

Bethany sat stunned for a moment. She tried to be mad at her cousin, but deep down she knew she was right. Her mother had described her relationship with her adolescent boyfriend as "on again, off again" but really it had just been her ignoring him whenever she'd gotten upset. She'd finally stopped talking to him about six months ago and hadn't contacted him since, except for saying a polite "hello" at church. Did that make what she was doing a pattern? She sighed. Molly was probably right. She usually was.

Returning to her stall she waited for the others to get back. She hadn't noticed Asuka or Madison passing Molly's stall as they'd been talking, but she'd checked and both women were out of the barn. It seemed like a long time but eventually she heard voices coming in her direction, Molly's mainly, and then saw Asuka passing by. "Hey," she called out. Asuka turned her head, she looked glum. "Can, uh, can we talk?"

Asuka stopped, standing in the opening to Bethany's stall. When it was clear Asuka wasn't coming in, Bethany said, "Like, uh, privately?" She patted the straw next to her. "Maybe come in and sit down. I promise not to bite." Asuka's scowl made Bethany regret the joke immediately, but she came in and sat down.

Bethany rearranged herself to fully face the other woman while keeping some distance between them. "Look," she said, jumping in before she lost her nerve, "I'm sorry about last night. I pushed and I shouldn't have. You told me to slow down and I didn't. You tried to set boundaries and I ignored them. I'm sorry." Asuka had been looking down at first but gradually made eye contact and seemed to relax as Bethany spoke. Bethany took that as a good sign and kept going. "I didn't understand at first, but I talked to Molly and-"

Asuka's face clouded, "You told Molly? What did you tell her?"

Bethany hesitated, her mind scrambling to salvage the situation. "I, uh, you know, I told her we'd, um tried some stuff and-"

"And you didn't think I might want to keep that between us? God, it's hard enough to have any privacy around here without you running to tell your cousin the minute you wake up." She was obviously angry, and this time it was clear where Bethany had screwed up.

Bethany tried to justify herself. "I'm sorry, but I didn't understand what happened and I needed to talk to someone about it."

"And you didn't think to talk to me about it?" Asuka asked hotly.

Bethany was starting to get angry as well. "I would have, but you told me to go away. You made it clear you didn't want to talk to me."

"Because I needed some time to think. I was confused too. I needed to sort out what I was feeling. Jesus, it was a few hours. I thought we'd talk when we woke up, not that you'd immediately go to someone else."

"I-" Bethany interrupted herself, took a deep breath and tried to calm down. She thought about what Molly had said. "I'm not very good at conflict, okay? I try to avoid it. I'm sorry for what I did last night, and I'm sorry I didn't talk to you first. But I'm not sorry I talked to Molly. She really helped me understand some things. The last twenty-four hours have been a lot." She looked at Asuka, hoping for a sign she was getting through and continued, "I'm not making excuses, but I feel a little overwhelmed. I'm sorry you got caught up in my craziness and I'm sincerely sorry if I hurt you."

Asuka didn't say anything for a long minute, then her body language softened a little. "I wish you had waited to talk to me first, but I appreciate your apology." She paused and looked at Bethany, "I was having a great day yesterday but then everything started moving too fast and you wouldn't slow down. I'm still working out how I feel. I process emotional stuff slowly; I need time to figure it out."

Bethany nodded, relieved. "That's fine. We can talk about it more when I get back."

Asuka stiffened again, "Get back? Where are you going?"

"Uh," Bethany started cautiously, seeing the shift in the other woman's demeanor. "The Greene County Fair. I asked Dan if I could go and he agreed."

Asuka shook her head, "And when did you decide this?"

Bethany looked at her hands, "Um, this morning, when I was taking a shower."

Asuka shook her head, "You're unbelievable. You won't give me one night to think about things before you're ready to bail?" She stood abruptly. "Never mind. You're clearly going to do whatever you want to do. Good luck, see you when you get back, I guess." Then she turned on her heel and walked out.

"Asuka, wait," Bethany said standing as well, but the other woman was gone. Of course, she was only a handful of feet away on the other side of the wall, but it felt like a door had been slammed in her face. She sank back down to the straw. "Fuck."

Bethany thought about actually hiding in her stall for the rest of the day, but eventually boredom forced her out to mingle with the others. She noticed the twins talking with Delia, Emily, Elizabeth, and Susan; all of the women who were going to the first fair. Bethany made her way to them while avoiding eye contact with Asuka or Madison.

Delia and Emily were sisters, and like almost half the herd, Bethany's distant cousins. Emily, the younger sister, was a classic Blackwood -- tall and slender, except for her wide hips and large bust, with long, straight, dark-brown hair and somewhat angular features. Delia was shorter and displayed the mixed features of her Blackwood mother and Buchanan sire. She had lighter hair, fairer skin and even more generous curves. Her features were more rounded than her sister's though she still carried the strong Blackwood jaw and narrow chin.

Susan Buchanan was the last member of the group. She was petite with strawberry-blonde hair, large green eyes and an appealing splash of freckles across her open, heart-shaped face. Susan was also Savannah's ex while Emily was Savannah's current girlfriend. There was no sign of tension or animosity though. Bethany sighed, apparently some people were able to work this stuff out.

"We were at Greene County last year," Bethany heard Delia saying as she walked up, "It's small even for a two A fair. And the accommodations are pretty bad."

Her sister nodded in agreement. "A giant open shed with a metal roof and no real walls. And last year we were stuck between goats on one side and sheep on the other. At least the pigs were in the far corner."

Susan gaped, her green eyes wide, "We don't get our own exhibition hall?"

Emily shook her head. "That's just the big fairs. Greene County only has one livestock barn."

"We've shared space with animals before," Martha said, "It's not so bad once you get used to the smell and the noise."

"Wow," Bethany said, finally joining them, "I guess I should have asked some questions about what I was signing up for."

The women turned to her with varying looks of surprise. "You're going with us?" Delia asked.

Bethany nodded, "Late addition. Dan agreed to take me this morning. I wanted some practice before the big shows."

"You just asked to go?" Delia sounded surprised. "And Dan agreed? Just like that?"

"Yeah," Bethany said, wondering if she'd pissed even more people off. "Is... is that okay?"

"It's okay with me," Delia said. She looked around the group, and everyone nodded. "It's just unusual. Dan doesn't really consult us about who goes to what fair. Unless you don't want to go at all, it's kind of understood that the decision is up to him."

Bethany shrugged, "I didn't know any better. Dan didn't seem to be upset that I asked. He thought out loud for a minute and then said 'yes.' You don't think anyone else will be mad, do you?"

Delia shook her head. "If it was one of the bigger fairs, maybe. But I don't think anyone was fighting to go to this one. Like you said, this one is a warm-up. I mean it still pays the same as any two A fair, but not everyone is in a hurry to spend a week sleeping next to a goat."

Emily spoke up, "The decision was still up to Dan. If anyone asks why you got added, just say it was his call. Which is true."

Bethany nodded, relieved that no one here seemed upset. She really couldn't handle anyone else being mad at her today. They spent the time until the next milking talking about the fair and the likely competition. She'd heard of some of the farms they mentioned but had no first-hand experience with any of the producers. Finally, it was time to go in. Bethany was feeling better, at least until she got back to her stall, and caught Madison looking at her then quickly looking away. She sighed. Maybe sleeping by goats for a few days wouldn't be so bad.

***

Bethany took her daily walk with April and Molly. She caught April up on current events and told them both about her failed apology. April didn't have much to add that Molly hadn't already said, other than an admonition to stay patient and slow down on the impulsive decisions.

The next morning Bethany woke with a combination of excitement and anxiety. Dan performed the first milking as usual, saying little besides a perfunctory "Good morning." After, when he handed her the morning bowl of Chow, he also gave her a large Ziplock bag. "For your hairbrush and toothbrush and whatnot. Eat, get showered, and meet up by the truck in half an hour."

"Yes sir," Bethany answered and he moved on. She forced the cold gruel down with more difficulty than normal. She wouldn't say she'd learned to like the stuff, but she was always so hungry that she tolerated it without trouble. Her nerves made it a challenge this morning.

When she'd finished, she joined the twins on their way to the bathhouse, "Excited?" Martha asked.

Bethany nodded, "And a little nervous. I've been watching hucow competitions as long as I can remember, but this will be my first time as a contestant."

"You'll do fine," Hannah said. "You know all the moves, and you look great. I wouldn't be surprised if you won a ribbon."

"I'm not even thinking about that," Bethany said as they exited the barn and stepped into the morning sunlight. It wasn't seven yet, but the air was already warm. "I'm just hoping not to trip over my own feet or anything."

Twenty minutes later Bethany was shaved, showered, packed, and standing with the others by Dan's truck just inside the half-hour deadline. There was a large, silver trailer hooked up to the truck that Bethany had seen parked on the property, but never really paid attention to before. Once everyone had gathered around Dan cleared his throat and spoke, "Alright, most of you already know the drill. It's about an hour and a half to the fairgrounds. We'll do the weigh-in and vet check, then find our section of the barn. Competitions start tomorrow, but the fair will be open to the public today. Keep an eye out for each other. If anyone makes trouble, tell me or one of the volunteers. And remember, no wandering off without me or a volunteer handler. Leash rules are enforced. Any questions?" Bethany had several, but no one else spoke so she kept them to herself. After a short pause, Dan said, "Okay then. Remember, you're not just representing yourselves, but also me and the whole farm." He briefly paused again then smiled. "And don't forget to have fun." With that he walked to the back of the trailer and opened the doors.

The interior of the trailer was hot and dusty but smelled of fresh straw. There was a thick bed of it on the trailer floor and as she waited for the other women to file in Bethany could see that there were six metal poles, three to a side, from floor to ceiling with a blanket next to each. There was a seventh blanket at the angled front of the trailer. Bethany ended up entering last and sat on that blanket, facing the rear. Dan closed the doors with a metallic clang and the interior dimmed, the only light coming from the high, grated windows that lined each side. She heard the truck door slam and then the engine rumbled to life and with a lurch that made her catch herself on her hands, they started to move.

Bethany soon understood what the poles were for. The ride in the trailer wasn't always smooth, and the other women all gripped the supports to steady themselves. Bethany ended up leaning back against the metal front wall with her arms and legs splayed out for stability. It was now clear why the usual number of entrants for each fair was six.

Everyone was quiet at first as they got through the most winding stretch of road, but as the ride smoothed out, conversation began. The thick layer of straw helped to dampen the road noise but the wind whistling through the window grates still made it hard to hear from one end of the trailer to the other, resulting in a forced game of telephone.

Susan sat closest to Bethany on her right, and although the freckle-faced redhead was turned towards Delia, Bethany could just hear her. "I hope I get a cute handler this time. Last time I got some pimply faced girl who wouldn't even talk."

"What difference does it make?" Delia asked, her large breasts bouncing with the motion of the trailer. "As long as they're competent in the ring. It's not like you can fuck them. That'd get you both disqualified."

Bethany knew that the volunteer handlers had to be between eighteen and twenty-one and were generally aspiring keepers. They did the majority of the actual showing. Dan, or the other keepers, usually had more than one entrant in a particular category and couldn't be in two places at once. They relied on the handlers that were assigned to them for the show. Handlers also helped with milking, feeding and all the other chores required for the duration of the fair. It was a lot of free labor, but they did it with the hopes of getting noticed by a dairy or the HPA who could give them a job or even sponsor them to start a new herd. It was all about building a reputation and it would be incredibly stupid to risk all that by messing with one of the producers.

"It's still fun to flirt," Susan said, "I love seeing them get flustered. And who knows, I might get lucky."

"And you might get kicked out," Delia countered. "Don't fuck up your season on your first show."

Bethany finally found her voice. "I thought you had a boyfriend."

The pretty young producer turned her big green eyes to Bethany and put on her best innocent face, then smiled, "What he doesn't know won't hurt him."

Bethany wasn't too shocked. She knew Savannah had broken up with her when Susan said she wanted an open relationship. Apparently, her boyfriend didn't know the relationship was open. She rolled her eyes. "I hope you get a cute one then."

Conversation continued for a while in fits and starts, but the noise made it difficult, and Bethany's throat soon got sore. Then she felt the transition as they followed the curving ramp onto the highway. The ride got smoother, but the wind through the windows became a roar. There were levers that could close the grates, but no one made a move to do so. By unspoken consent they traded relief from the heat for the noise. Between the temperature, the steady rocking of the trailer, and the soft straw under her blanket, Bethany found herself getting drowsy. She curled on her side and soon fell asleep.

***

Bethany woke when she felt the truck slow and tilt slightly. She had a brief memory of sleeping leaned on one of her brothers in the back of their parents' car and waking as they turned into the driveway of their home. She sat up, feeling a little motion sick from the ride and looked around. The twins to her left were still asleep, leaning on each other, along with about half of the others. The rest were sitting quietly, except for Susan who was standing, holding a pole, and looking out the window. Her heavy breasts swayed with the motion of the trailer. "We're in Greenville," she announced and several people stirred. "We should be there in a few minutes."

Several of the other women stood and looked out the windows. Susan motioned Bethany over and after a couple of wobbling steps grabbed onto the support pole Susan was using. She couldn't see much, just another small town going by. She glanced around and saw everyone was on their feet. She had to smile at the absurdity of seven naked, milk-heavy women standing in a moving vehicle, their breasts swaying in unison, and she hoped the combined motion wouldn't topple the trailer.

The truck slowed again and made a tight turn, and Bethany had to brace with both hands to stay upright. She looked out the window again and saw they had turned into a dusty parking lot, at least a dozen trucks with trailers visible from her vantage point. Another turn and they came to a halt. Bethany had arrived at her first fair.

They heard Dan's door open and shut, but the back doors didn't open. Bethany tried to see where he'd gone, but mostly just had a view of the apparently empty trailer next to them. Finally, after what seemed like a very long time, but was probably just a couple of minutes, sunlight streamed in through the back as the doors opened.

Dan was standing with two other people, a young man and a young woman, and he was holding a bundle of something that looked like long, leather belts in his hand. He pointed to the man next to him. He was tall and skinny, and although Bethany knew he had to be at least eighteen according to the rules, he looked younger. He was wearing boots, jeans, a Western shirt, and a cowboy hat that seemed bigger than he was. "This is Luke," Dan was saying, "And this is Mary Anne." Mary Anne was short, with short hair, and a face that was somewhere between plain and pretty. She was dressed like Luke, minus the hat, and had a no-nonsense look on her face.

Dan started to call out names, "Delia, Elizabeth." The two women stepped to the back and Dan held out his free hand to help each of them down, in turn. Once they were standing in the gravel parking lot Dan clipped one of the lengths of leather to their collars; leashes. He handed the leads off to Mary Anne who started to lead them away, then called the next two names. Susan and Emily were leashed and given over to Luke who walked them in the same direction. Then Dan called for Hannah, Martha and finally Bethany.

As she stepped out of the trailer Bethany felt an unfamiliar urge to cover herself. She took her nudity completely for granted at this point. She literally didn't even think about it most days. But being in a totally unfamiliar place in an unfamiliar situation gave her a sense of exposure and vulnerability she hadn't experienced in weeks. Then the leash snapped onto her collar and a jolt of adrenaline went through her.

Producers, hucows, weren't slaves. They entered a voluntary contract, received fair compensation, and had robust protections against abuse. But they weren't just employees either. While under contract, they couldn't vote, couldn't wear clothes, couldn't engage in work other than making milk, and couldn't move freely. They were allowed to do pretty much what they wanted in their eight hours off per week, but even then, their contract holder was ultimately responsible for them, and they were ultimately beholden to their keeper. The leash was a forcible reminder that she wasn't a free person. She was a sub-citizen. Human livestock. It scared her and to her surprise and embarrassment it also turned her on. She felt a pleasant tightening sensation in her lower abdomen. A sensation that was immediately overwhelmed by the pain in her feet as Dan led the three of them towards the ag building.

Bethany's feet had grown tough in the weeks since signing her contract but walking on gravel still hurt and she had to concentrate on placing her feet carefully while keeping up with Dan and not bumping into Hannah or Martha, who Dan was also leading on long leashes. Finally, they stepped onto concrete. It was unpleasantly hot, but still a relief after walking on rocks. Bethany looked up from the ground and took in the situation.

She was standing in line behind the other women from the Gable farm and a half dozen more that she didn't know. They stood on a wide skirt of concrete around the huge, open sided livestock pavilion. She could hear and smell actual livestock. Sheep and goats for sure and probably pigs further off. They were filing into a front corner of the building and as the line moved forward, they fell under the shade of the vast metal roof.

She heard people approaching from behind and turned to see another group line up behind them. An older keeper, two young, male handlers, and five producers on leashes. Bethany had seen producers from other farms before. She'd seen them all her life. But since entering her contract the only ones she'd seen outside the Gable farm were a few women at church on their day off. Seeing the five naked, collared women passively standing on the hard gravel, leashes on their necks, gave her another jarring shift in perspective. Is that what she looked like? Here? Now? She knew that was exactly how she looked. Little more than property ready to be displayed for the masses. She felt herself getting wet again and turned away, her face flushing slightly.

The line moved again and they entered the actual building. There were walls of a sort. A row of red metal beams, set at regular intervals, holding up the massive roof. Bethany could see the check-in area from here. Two older men and an older woman sat behind laptops at a simple, large folding table strewn with papers, pens, and paper tags with large numbers on them. Diagonal from the table she saw a woman on all fours on something that looked like a treadmill, but what she realized was a livestock scale. A man was crouching behind the woman, a flashlight in his gloved hand as he inspected her anus and genitals. She had an unpleasant flashback to her first experience with Dr. Williams. But as she watched she saw that this man's actions were quick and professional. He asked the producer to stand while he made some notes on a tablet. Then he briefly felt around her breasts and expressed a small amount of milk into a vial, which he capped and labeled. She noticed the woman, a tall, striking brunette, had a paper tag attached to her collar with the number fifty-six on it. He looked in her mouth and ears, made another note, nodded, and asked her to step off the scale before turning to the next producer in line.

The whole thing took maybe three minutes, and he showed no more emotion than if he had been inspecting vegetables in the grocery store. It reinforced the idea that they were animals being labeled, inspected, and passed on. A mix of emotions stirred in her while she watched. Her thoughts were interrupted as Dan moved to the front of their group, bringing Bethany and the twins with him.

"Hey Bev, Gary, Marv. Good to see y'all. Good turnout this year?"

The woman, Bev apparently, nodded, "Hey Dan. Yeah, a hundred and twelve pre-registered. There's always a few no shows, but we'll have some good events. Looks like you brought half a herd."

Dan nodded with a wry smile and glanced at Bethany, "I've got some eager newcomers. And you know me. I like that prize money."

One of the men spoke up. "Got a pair of Jensens I see. I think they're the only ones. Best in breed won't pay much with only two entries but unless someone enters last minute, they win by default."

Dan nodded. "Well, I'll get some of these entry fees back at least," he said handing over his credit card.

Dan signed the printed receipt, filled out paperwork and was finally handed a stack of thick paper tags. They had a circle of stretchy cord attached to each one and Dan began going down the row looping the cord around each woman's collar. Bethany was number sixty-four. She waited her turn for the vet inspection and her face burned when she felt the doctor pull her ass cheeks apart and shine his light on her. She didn't even have the privacy of a stall. Every part of her body was available for anyone to see. Her clit throbbed at the idea. Fuck, if she'd had any doubts that she was an exhibitionist at heart they were gone now. She stood for her breast exam. It was embarrassing and humiliating and it turned her on too. Finally, the inspection was over, and their little group walked farther into the barn.

They didn't go far before Bethany saw the other producers on display. She'd been warned that the conditions would be primitive, but that hadn't really sunk in until she saw the actual set-up. Straw covered the bare, concrete floor on either side of green painted, metal dividers. Attached to the rails she recognized portable pumps, lines and milking attachments. Women sat or lounged on the straw, spaced about five feet apart. An aisle, maybe eight feet wide separated one row of women from another. There were no walls, no partitions, nothing between the women and the general public that would soon be passing through.

Dan found their section and brought the group to a halt. There were numbers taped to the metal rails corresponding to the numbers on the women's collars. Bethany found number sixty-four and followed the other women's example, sitting on the bare straw. She looked around, trying to orient herself to her new surroundings.

Martha sat on her left, along with the rest of the producers from Dan's farm. Several more women filled the long row in that direction, maybe a dozen. She was the last in her row, to her right was an area for demonstrations and special events. What really caught her eye though was a large pen filled with fluffy chopped straw. Inside the pen were several heavily pregnant producers. Martha followed her gaze, "Ooh, look, the breeders."

Bethany nodded. She remembered being fascinated with the distended bellies of the expecting mothers on display at the fair. It felt different now that she was on display as well, but the women still drew her attention. She turned to Martha and Hannah with their barely-there baby bumps, "Did you think about timing your pregnancies so you could compete in the breeder category?"

"We did," Hannah said. "But Dan found us an excellent stud, and we'd have had to delay almost a year to get the timing right. Once we made our decision, we didn't want to wait that long."

Bethany thought about her own impending decision. She still had almost five months to decide if she wanted to get pregnant in her first year and earn the breeding bonus. The problem was that she was less sure now than she had been a month ago. Her thoughts were interrupted by movement in the row behind her. She turned to see another group of producers filing in and finding their places. They were all African Americans representing at least two families that she recognized.

The statuesque and uniformly beautiful women were clearly Washingtons, while the shorter, curvier producers were obviously from the Dubois line. Finally, there were a pair of strikingly tall and extremely dark-skinned women from a family line that Bethany didn't recognize, which intrigued her. She thought she knew every purebred family by sight.

The new herd was settling in right behind the Gable crew. They would be essentially back-to-back with only the double metal rails of the divider between them. Martha leaned over and whispered in Bethany's ear. "I'd never seen Black hucows before moving here."

Bethany looked at her, surprised. "Really?"

Martha shook her head, her wavy blonde hair swaying. "Not where we come from. The FLDS has strong feelings about race."

Bethany raised her eyebrows then thought about it. It was true that even today hucow herds, at least the traditional ones, were almost always segregated. Dan's farm, with producers of Japanese and Mexican descent, was diverse compared to most. Bethany knew that back at the beginning of human dairy all the keepers were white men, at least in the South. It wasn't until the civil rights movement that Black keepers were actively recruited but they were restricted to keeping Black producers. It wasn't a law exactly, but no White contract holder would sell the rights to White producers to a Black keeper and the HPA quietly steered any new recruits to the "appropriate" farm. The result was that nearly all the African American producers ended up with Black keepers and all the White producers ended up with White keepers. Bethany hadn't really questioned it growing up, it seemed fair and natural, but Martha's comment about the FLDS having 'strong feelings' made her wonder what she meant.

A tall and very beautiful woman with medium dark skin and big, expressive eyes sat on the straw directly behind Bethany. She leaned over and put her hand between the top and middle rail of the divider, "Hi, I'm Cherise."

Bethany shook the offered hand and smiled. "Bethany." Next to Bethany Martha was introducing herself to a Dubois named Grace, and so on down the line, although Bethany didn't catch the other names. She turned her attention back to Cherise. "Where are y'all from?"

"Kingston Farm, just east of Knoxville. You?"

"Gable Farm, Grainger County," Bethany answered. Up and down the line the women got acquainted with one another. Bethany wanted to introduce herself to the women across the aisle as well, but she didn't know when they would get a chance. As far as she knew they weren't supposed to move from their spots. So, she satisfied herself with getting to know the new neighbors.

Cherise was friendly and bubbly. Grace was a little more aloof, but quickly became interested in the twins' pregnancies, peppering them with questions. Bethany asked about the two very dark-skinned women sitting further down the row.

"Ayan and Nyanut, they're Sudanese," Cherise explained. "They belong to a dairy line cultivated in Egypt. I don't think conditions there were very good, and they don't talk about it much, but they're really sweet once you get to know them."

Bethany glanced down the row again thinking of Martha and Hannah's experience in the FLDS. She was starting to realize that her experience of being a producer was far from universal. As she looked, she saw more women filling the rows and farther away she saw people leading sheep into pens, their constant bleating significantly raising the noise level in the building. Meanwhile, a handful of additional pregnant women joined the others in the breeders' pen. Cherise followed Bethany's gaze as she looked around. "Filling up fast," she commented. The pavilion opens to the public at ten."

Bethany experience a small jolt of adrenaline and took a deep breath. She was starting to accept her exhibitionistic streak, but that was about to be tested in a big way. Cherise read her reaction as nervousness, "This your first fair?"

Bethany nodded, "Yeah, I started my contract five weeks ago. Sometimes it seems like I've been doing this forever and other times it feels really new."

"It is really new," Cherise confirmed, "You're not even done with your first round of hormones yet." The dark-skinned producer leaned towards the rail and dropped her voice conspiratorially, "I remember those first six weeks, I was so horny I thought I'd go crazy."

Bethany flushed and giggled nervously. This wasn't anything she hadn't talked about with people like April and Molly but discussing it with someone she'd just met felt different. "Yeah, it's a lot."

"Don't worry, it gets better," Cherise reassured, "Now I only feel that way about half the time."

Bethany laughed and then stifled it when she noticed the woman next to Cherise, Grace, giving them a dirty look. Her new friend looked at her herd-mate and sat up straight again. "Don't give me the stink-eye," she said in a louder voice, "Just because you think suffering is a virtue, don't mean the rest of us have to act like dried-up old grannies."

Grace didn't reply but pointedly turned back to talking to Martha and Hannah. "Don't mind her," Cherise said, "She's one of those Eve's Chosen true believers. Has to avoid the sins of the flesh and all that."

Bethany had heard of the Eve's Chosen Church. As far as she knew it was the equivalent of Eden's Light for African Americans. She immediately thought of Madison and sighed. "I know the type. I grew up in a church like that, but I'm, uh, looking at it differently now."

Cherise nodded. "Most of us did, and most of us realize it's a bunch of crap to keep us in our place." She glanced at her companion who continued to ignore her. She had a feeling that this was a long-running argument between them. "So, what do you think of the hucow life so far."

Bethany let out a long breath, gathering her thoughts. "If you asked me last week, I would have said it was great. There are lots of downsides, sure, but I was happy. My biggest complaint would be boredom, and even that hadn't been too bad. But the last couple of days have been... uh, complicated." Bethany scoffed at herself. "They haven't been boring though."

Cherise gave her a knowing look. "Herd drama? Girlfriend trouble?"

Bethany nodded, "The second one. I managed to lose two girlfriends in less than twenty-four hours."

Her new friend whistled, "Girl, that has got to be a record of some kind."

Bethany laughed. She wasn't sure why she was spilling all this, but it kind of felt good to talk about with someone who had no investment in anyone involved. "My cousin said I was an over-achiever."

It was Cherise's turn to laugh. "That's one way to look at it," then she sobered a little. "Look, the first couple of months are always a little crazy. Maybe not always in that way, but there are so many changes to adjust to. And you're locked in a barn with a bunch of hormone-crazed women. Of course there is going to be drama. Don't be too hard on yourself. You'll figure it out."

Bethany felt a knot in her stomach relax. It wasn't anything she hadn't heard before, in one form or another, but hearing it from someone who didn't know her hit different. This woman didn't need to tell her what she wanted to hear and that made it sink in more. "Thanks," she said. "That helps."

The barn continued to fill up, and Bethany guessed they got pretty close to the one hundred and twelve she'd heard the woman at the registration table mention. It also continued to fill with non-human livestock. The sheep were closest, then the goats and in the distance the pigs. The sheep were the least smelly, so that was good, but they were also the loudest. She usually thought of sheep as quiet animals, but an hour into her time in the barn listening to the constant "baa, baa" noise and she wished she could muzzle all of them.

Soon she noticed her breasts feeling heavy and, as if on cue, Dan and his two assistants arrived each carrying a pair of large metal containers. She watched as they began attaching them to the milking equipment she'd noticed earlier. Bethany chuckled to herself as she realized she'd basically learned to tell time with her boobs. It had to be close to nine, which meant only an hour until the public started to arrive. She found herself both relieved and disappointed that her first milking at the fair would be conducted in relative privacy.

Dan and his helpers set out the milk cans, then the young man, Luke, had to go back to get one more for Bethany. Glancing across the aisle Bethany saw that the woman directly across from her were sitting and chatting while the row behind them were getting hooked up for milking. She realized that there were only enough pumps for half of each back-to-back row at a time. She looked at Cherise and the woman smiled, guessing her question. "Yeah, we're going to have to wait our turn, our luck for getting here right after you."

"Dan was pretty firm on us getting started on time. Guess that helped." Bethany looked around at the clothed people in the area, the keepers and handlers. "Which one is your keeper?"

Cherise glanced around, then pointed at a young African American woman with glasses and a big head of curly hair. She wore blue jeans and a short-sleeved polo. Bethany had assumed she was one of the volunteer handlers. "That's Julia," Cherise said. "Our keeper, and owner of one of the newer herds in the state. She got sponsored right out of college about eight years ago. I've been with her for three. Just signed my second contract. She's great."

Bethany's eyebrows rose. Women were a distinct minority among keepers, at least on traditional farms and she was used to thinking of Dan's fortyish years as the norm for age. New herds were also rare. Start-up costs were high and it was difficult to hire pure-breds away from generational contract holders. She thought of the young keeper she'd seen on her collaring day, the one who was trying to manage a non-purebred herd and was reminded again that her situation wasn't shared by everyone, even in the traditional dairy community.

"She looks so young," Martha commented, startling Bethany a little. She hadn't realized her friend had been listening.

"She is, compared to most of the other keepers." Cherise said. "She runs a good operation though. The biggest challenge has been recruitment. There was an HPA program for women and minorities in dairy that helped her get the herd started, but she's had to get creative to expand since then."

Bethany looked at the Sudanese woman further down the row, marveling again at their almost truly black skin and their beautiful round faces. Before she could ask more about them Martha spoke. "Dan, our keeper, thinks outside the box too. That's how we got here from Arizona. We also have a woman from Los Angeles, and we just added someone from San Francisco."

Their conversation was interrupted by the sounds of pumps coming on and Bethany looked to see Dan, Mary Anne, and Luke working their way down the row. "Damn, always happens when I hear the pumps." Bethany turned and saw milk leaking from Cherise's nipples. The white droplets standing out against her dark skin. Bethany swallowed as a pulse of desire surged through her. She associated leaking nipples with her intimate time with other producers and had a desire to lick the sweet liquid off the other woman's breasts.

She heard someone clear their throat and turned again to see Luke squatting in front of her. His face was red and she wondered if he'd gotten too much sun, but then she heard his voice crack as he said, "Uh, I'm Luke and I'm going to be your handler this week," and she realized he was blushing fiercely. He dipped his fingers in the tub of Teat Balm he was holding, swallowed and began to cautiously apply the cream to her right nipple, lightly dabbing the cream on.

Bethany exchanged a bemused look with Martha which caught the attention of Mary Anne, who was confidently rubbing the balm onto her assigned hucow. She looked at the other young handler and rolled her eyes. "Luke, you gotta just rub it in. They're used to it, they do this a dozen times a day." She looked at Bethany, "He's new," she offered apologetically.

"This your first time?" Bethany asked, returning her attention to the young man who looked like he'd broken out in a sweat. He was globbing on way too much now, but at least he was rubbing it around.

He seemed startled that she'd spoken to him, then said, "Um, second time. I, uh, did number sixty-one."

She glanced down the row to remind herself of everyone's number and said, "That's Emily. I'm Bethany. You can call us by name."

"Uh, okay," he said, avoiding eye contact. He wiped at his hands with a towel and then moved to prepare the milker, cleaning the cups and turning on the pump. Finally, he got the pumps positioned on Bethany's breasts, a little too low on the left side, but good enough, and moved away to do the next set of chores. Bethany looked at Martha and they both started to giggle. Bethany looked around to make sure Luke was out of earshot and then broke into a belly laugh. The movement made the poorly positioned cup pinch a little, but it didn't really register as Martha kept giggling beside her.

"That boy was as nervous as a cat in a dog pound." It was Cherise's voice and Bethany half-turned to see her, careful not to dislodge the milkers. The pumps weren't as strong as she was used to and the excess balm made them feel like they might slip off.

"Aww," Bethany said, "He was kind of adorable. I was pretty nervous the first time I got hooked up to one of these things."

"I thought the poor kid was going to have a stroke," Martha added, still smiling. She had half-turned to join the conversation as well. "He needs to relax or he won't last the week."

"If he thought that was nerve-wracking, wait until he has to do all that in front of an audience. The public will be coming through in about an hour, and they always like to watch the hucows get milked."

That thought sent another thrill of anxious anticipation through Bethany, but she tamped it down as she went back to chatting with the other women. It was interesting how different the experience was in this environment. She was used to the relative isolation of her stall during milkings and the time went a lot faster when she had people to talk to.

Luke returned about twenty minutes later to turn off the pump. He had to reapply balm to her nipples again and Bethany had an impulse to moan when he touched her, just to see his reaction. She restrained herself and suppressed the smile that tried to follow. He handed her a bowl of Chow and collected the milk can. She noticed Julia and a pair of handlers beginning to milk her herd on the other side of the rail as soon as the pumps were freed up. As she spooned the gruel into her mouth, she watched the other women getting hooked up to the milkers and again realized she was watching and extremely familiar action from a new perspective.

When the milking was finished the atmosphere in the barn shifted, a combination of quiet waiting and nervous anticipation. The pavilion would soon open to the public. Bethany found herself fidgeting and then felt fingers touch hers. She looked to see that Cherise had reached her hand under the rail and was gripping hers. "Don't worry," she reassured, "It'll be fine." And then the fairgoers started to meander down the rows of hucows.

The first visitors she spotted were a young couple with a girl of about six. The little girl's eyes were wide as she looked down the row of naked women and Bethany could hear her peppering her parents with questions. The scene reminded Bethany of herself visiting the fairs at that age. She smiled as they passed and the little girl waved. Bethany felt herself relax as they passed. The warm, wholesome feeling lasted for all of a minute and then the next group filed through.

The four young men and three young women looked to be about Bethany's age. White, probably middle class, maybe in college or going there in the fall; in another world Bethany could be having that life instead of sitting naked in a barn like a farm animal, the subject of other people's curiosity. And not just curiosity. Bethany studied the group as they meandered down the aisle, picking up mostly visual clues, since they were too far away to hear clearly.

One of the young men, tall and heavyset, looked slightly embarrassed by the whole situation, his gaze constantly shifting as if he wasn't sure where to look. Another of the guys managed to look blasé, probably for the benefit of the pretty blonde clinging to his arm. She kept whispering into his ear and giggling while he smiled at whatever comments she was making. Finally, the last guy, sandy haired and wire thin, was staring openly at the women on display, a look of unfiltered lust on his face. The woman next to him, short and a little chunky, was also staring, but with a wrinkled nose as if she smelled something disgusting.

Bethany looked down the row to see how the other producers were reacting to the group. Most seemed to be ignoring them, others plastered on what looked like fake smiles, and a few betrayed looks of irritation or even anger. As they drew closer Bethany was able to catch one of the blonde woman's comments. "I can't imagine just sitting there, tits out for everyone to see. What a bunch of sluts." The man, presumably her boyfriend, just smiled and nodded without comment, although Bethany could now see the hungry look in his eyes whenever he thought his girlfriend wasn't watching him. Bethany imagined his thoughts, 'They are a bunch of sluts. A bunch of sluts I'd love to fuck."

The thought sent a jolt right to Bethany's core. She had been feeling embarrassed, angry, and uncomfortable as the group approached, but suddenly she was wet. She caught the eye of the shy one and almost without intending to she shifted from her demure pose, sitting on her heels with her knees together to relaxing back onto the straw and letting her legs part slightly giving an observer and teasing peek at her sex. The bashful young man quickly looked away but his skinny friend stared straight at her lap like he wanted to dive into it, and his female companion actually smacked his arm while shooting Bethany a look of pure hate. To her surprise the hateful look did something to Bethany as well. It was more complicated than the reaction she felt to the men's desire, but it wasn't all bad. Then the group had passed, moving on to look at the pregnant producers in their own enclosure, and the moment was over.

Bethany was surprised to find her heart beating quickly and turned to the twins to see how they'd reacted, but they were chatting quietly to one another apparently oblivious to the social and psychological thunderstorm that had just rolled by. Cherise, who had released Bethany's hand at some point, had apparently been watching. "A lot of different reactions all in one little group," she said, interrupting Bethany's thoughts.

Bethany cleared her throat, "That's for sure," she agreed. Her mouth was dry and she found the water hose provided for each producer. She took a drink before saying more. "I've been out in public before, as a producer, I mean," she said thinking of her Walmart outing with her mother, the family picnic and the skinny-dipping adventure, even going to church, "But this is different somehow, I'm not sure why."

Cherise nodded. "It's the setting," she said confidently. "I'll bet the other times you were out you were on the move or had something to do, and other people had something to focus on besides you. Here, we have nowhere to be, nothing to do but get stared at by people who are here to do the staring. Totally different than taking a walk around your old neighborhood on your day off."

Bethany had a flash of the dark, statuesque beauty walking naked down a quiet residential street, but before she could comment more people started to file through. "Here they come," Cherise said, "The rest of the early birds."

Bethany saw an older couple approaching, then another young family, and then a group of older men. Soon, it wasn't always easy to pick one group from another, as visitors walked by in a more-or-less steady stream. At first, she automatically reverted to her more modest posture. Reactions from the people going by varied from wholesome, to indifferent, to lustful, to pitying. It was the last one that made her mad.

A pair of middle-aged women had walked by, talking quietly to one another, their faces serious. One kept shaking her head, not in disbelief, but in what looked like sympathy. As they approached Bethany felt herself get angry. She could imagine the two of them discussing the "poor girls" who had to debase themselves this way. This time when she leaned back on her hands and stretched out her legs, well apart and clearly displaying her vulva, she knew exactly why she was doing it. It was a "Fuck you" to anyone who thought they were better than her.

The women had glanced her way and looked satisfactorily scandalized, which made Bethany smile. Of course they weren't the only ones who noticed. A middle-aged man stared blatantly at her exposed sex and actually licked his lips. Bethany hastily resumed a more appropriate pose, her face red with embarrassment. At least one of the producers across the aisle had noticed as well and seemed to be stifling laughter. Bethany's face flamed hotter, but again, her treacherous libido rewarded her lewd behavior with waves of pleasant sensations from her clit.

Bethany again looked to see how others were reacting to the attention and the mix of reactions was about the same. A few, like Susan, seemed to enjoy playing to the crowd. She watched the pretty, freckle-faced producer smile and bat her lashes at any reasonably attractive man or woman who looked her way. Most, however, seemed to ignore the passersby and had returned to their own conversations. She turned to see that Cherise was in the Susan camp. It was hard to tell from behind, but her body language and the smiles she received from some of the younger visitors suggested she was enjoying some silent flirting as well.

The barn warmed as the sun approached its zenith and the heat and smell of the barn intensified. The large fans scattered throughout the exhibition hall did little to ameliorate the situation and mostly added to the cacophony of noise created by people, farm animals, and human livestock. The crowd slowed a little as the day warmed but never stopped. The heat encouraged Bethany to drink from her water hose frequently as sweat beaded on her skin but at the same time she started to relax and get used to the various reactions of the fairgoers. She even started smiling at the people who gave her friendly looks.

As it neared noon, Bethany felt the familiar sensation of her breasts approaching fullness. She also really had to pee. She instinctively looked around for the restrooms, then felt a sinking feeling in her gut. She remembered the producers weren't allowed to use the toilets until the fair closed for the day. Not unless she had to poop. She thought about getting Dan's attention and lying about it but quickly dismissed the thought. She wasn't a good liar and figured Dan would see through her immediately. Besides, she couldn't claim the need to shit every time she needed to go. On the small chance that Dan believed her, he would probably decide she was sick and that would just make more problems. She finally resigned herself to the idea but got stuck on wondering what, exactly, she was supposed to do. She leaned close to Martha and said, "I really have to pee, what do I do?"

A quick look of confusion passed over the blonde woman's broad face, then understanding seemed to dawn, "Oh, right, you've never had to do this at all. Well, I mean peeing is peeing, you just let go. But if you want to be subtle about it, sit like this," she said. The taller woman shifted near the front of her space, closer to the aisle, spread her knees slightly and leaned onto her hands in something that resembled one of the milking poses, except that her vulva brushed the straw. Then to Bethany's amazement, and slight embarrassment, she saw a sort of far-off look form on the other woman's face and heard the unmistakable rush of liquid, just audible over the ambient noise. Bethany's eyes widened in realization. She'd seen women up and down the row adopt similar postures throughout the morning, but she just thought they were stretching or taking advantage of the little space they had to move around in. Now she realized woman all around her had been urinating in the straw and she didn't even know it.

Martha gave her hips a little bounce and then carefully backed away from the wet spot. "The handlers will muck out the straw after the next milking. Using the front of the space makes it easier for them to clean and easier for us to avoid sitting in it."

Bethany nodded, stunned. She thought she had gotten used to all the extreme changes she'd had to make in her attitude towards personal exposure and privacy, but apparently there was another hurdle to jump. She didn't think she could do it, even after watching Martha accomplish the function with complete ease and confidence. But she really, really had to pee.

She took a deep breath and shifted to the front of the straw, her hands almost touching the cold concrete of the aisle. A man passed by glancing at her curiously but not stopping, and she realized this position put her very close to the visitors at about crotch level. She quickly dropped her gaze to the floor, watching people's feet as she parted her knees and eased her hips down as far as they would go. She was flexible enough that she easily made contact with the straw and could feel the rough material tickling the soft folds of her labia. She tried to relax. She closed her eyes and tried to block out her surroundings. Her urge to urinate was approaching painful but she couldn't let herself go.

The harder she tried let her bladder empty the harder it was to let the muscles relax. Every instinct and ingrained lesson since childhood said this was wrong. You go in a toilet, in private, not on the ground like and animal in front of God only knew how many people. She was about to give up, maybe beg Dan to let her use the porta-potties, when she opened her eyes, looked up and just happened to catch the eye of an older, but still handsome man who was watching her intently. The moment startled her and suddenly everything happened. Her muscles relaxed and she felt the urine rush out in a pressurized stream. The man smiled and Bethany's face flamed with abject humiliation, but she couldn't look away. Then finally, the flow stopped and Bethany dropped her head, utterly mortified, but with a familiar throbbing need in her pussy. She looked up again, but the man was gone.

Bethany moved back, away from the aisle, careful to avoid the wet spot. She started when Martha touched her shoulder. "See," she said, apparently oblivious to the emotional roller-coaster Bethany had just experienced, "That wasn't so bad, right."

Bethany mumbled an assent, then looked around. Movement caught Bethany's eye further down the row. An older man and a pair of younger assistants were preparing to milk the producers in another aisle and Bethany soon saw Dan and his helpers moving to attend Delia, Elizabeth and Susan. At the same time, she noticed a slight increase in visitors and noticed clusters form as people stopped to watch the milkings. It made sense, her own family had made a point to visit during milking time. It was more interesting to watch than a bunch of hucows sitting in the straw.

When it was her turn, Bethany tried to ignore Luke's inexpert fumbling but found his touch unexpectedly arousing. She leaned into his hand when he applied the balm and that made him even clumsier than usual, but she loved how flustered she made him. By the time the pumps were on and the young handler had moved away, her pussy was throbbing and she caught herself squirming unconsciously, desperate for some relief. A tickling touch on her hip made her jump and she turned to see Cherise with a knowing smile on her face. "Horny?" she asked.

Bethany was startled into silence for a moment and then laughed nervously. "Is it that obvious?" She felt her face heat at the thought that people could see how aroused she was.

"Only to someone who knows the signs," Cherise reassured. "I told you I remember what those first weeks were like, it wasn't that long ago." She leaned towards the railing dividing them, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "And I still like being seen by a crowd, it gets me hot. I have a feeling you're the same way."

Bethany dropped her gaze, embarrassed, but nodded. Then her arousal took over and she blurted, "This whole thing is making me so horny I can't stand it."

Cherise smiled big, her teeth white and even in her lovely mouth. "You want some help with that?"

Bethany looked around. There was a decent crowd of people watching the hucows get milked, but no one seemed to be paying attention to her in particular. She nodded again. "Yeah, okay, but how?"

"Trust me," Cherise said. "Back your ass up as far as you can to the rail and get into forward pose.

Bethany wasn't sure what the other woman was planning, but she maneuvered into position, careful not to dislodge the cups suctioned to her nipples. She pressed her butt into the cold metal of the lowest divider rail and leaned onto her hands, letting her breasts hang forward. It was a comfortable milking pose, minus the cold steel, and one she adopted often, but she didn't see how... Bethany jolted as she felt soft fingers caressing her sex and fought the urge to turn around or react any further. There were people watching. People watching as Cherise ran her soft fingers up and down Bethany's already moist pussy lips.

Pumps droned, sheep bleated, fans whirred, the shifting crowd of curious onlookers murmured, and Bethany heard none of it. Her world had narrowed to the insistent pull of the pumps on her nipples and the electric sensations shooting from her sex. She felt Cherise's fingers dance over her pussy lips, occasionally dipping into her opening for more dripping moisture and then spreading it up and down her slit. Bethany's breathing sped up and she closed her eyes, trying to keep control of her reactions, but when those magical fingers finally focused on her clit, she couldn't stop an audible gasp. She opened her eyes briefly to see if anyone was taking notice, but as far as she could tell the crowd was oblivious.

Bethany closed her eyes again and let herself sink into the sensations, although thoughts of her public exposure were never far from her consciousness. Only a few weeks ago she had been a normal young woman, unremarkable, going about her business in shorts and a t-shirt or cute summer dress. Now she was kneeling nude on a bed of straw, nude for all the world to see, a collar around her neck and pumps tugging milk from her nipples as another nude woman secretly finger fucked her in front of a crowd of strangers. It was obscene, humiliating, and nearly pushed her over the edge.

When she opened her eyes again Bethany found herself hoping someone was watching, witnessing her depravity, and her wish was granted. The woman was about her own age, white, pretty in a plain sort of way, long brown hair braided over her shoulder, and wearing casual clothes that Bethany barely noticed. She was staring, and when Bethany made eye contact, she looked away quickly. Bethany shifted her focus as well, but kept watching the woman out of her peripheral vision. In a moment the young woman was looking again, her eyes wide. Bethany saw the woman's tongue peek out to moisten her lips and dared to meet her gaze again. The woman looked away, but only for a moment, and when she looked back, Bethany smiled.

The young voyeur looked startled for a second then smiled shyly back. A silent agreement had been reached; it was okay to watch. Bethany closed her eyes again and focused on the delicious sensations coming from her clit. It wasn't long before she could feel her climax starting to build. She could feel the familiar tightening deep in her core, that combination of the urgency to crest combined with the desire for the feeling to last forever. Cherise's fingers started to move faster, moving over her clit in a way that made her want to moan out loud. She kept it in though as the tension built, and built, and built. It was exquisite torture, but like her effort to pee in the straw she felt the ingrained resistance holding her back. This was something you did in private, not in front of dozens of strangers.

Desperate, Bethany looked for her fan. She was still there; eyes locked on the naked hucow. Bethany gave the woman a small smile and willed her to see the pleasure she was feeling. She couldn't know if it worked, but the woman swallowed as Bethany's eyes locked on hers. Bethany could feel the tension build again, the taboo of having sex in public driving her forward and holding her back at the same time. She thought of other people watching as well, each of them wanting Bethany for themselves. She imagined the young woman being the first to kneel down, pull off the cups and drink milk straight from the hucow's tits. The dam finally burst and Bethany had to squeeze her mouth shut to keep from crying out, but she couldn't stop the contractions that rippled from her clenching vagina out to the rest of her muscles. It took a massive act of will not to fall forward onto her elbows and she could feel the tingle in her breasts as the orgasm peaked her milk flow. She felt Cherise's hand withdraw and let her head hang forward in relief.

Bethany had closed her eyes when her climax started, and she finally opened them again when the contractions stopped and her breathing began to slow. She looked up, surprised to see her admirer still watching her, her face flushed and her lips parted. She gave the woman a big, satisfied grin that the blushing woman shyly returned. She had a few moments to bask in the afterglow before a complex wave of emotions hit her. Guilt, embarrassment, disbelief, and simmering arousal all washed over her at once. She glanced to her left to see if Martha had noticed anything, but the tall blonde was talking with her twin and didn't seem to be paying any attention to Bethany. She looked at the crowd again and was a little disappointed to see her watcher had gone. She scanned the other faces, wondering if anyone else had noticed. Some of the men were giving her admiring looks, but was that because they knew or just because she was an attractive naked woman? She didn't know and somehow that was hot too. Day one of the fair was only halfway done and she'd already had an orgasm in public. It was her first, but she had a feeling it wouldn't be her last.