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Description

     An SUV is sitting in the middle lane of the road with its turn signal on, indicating that it is preparing to make a left turn into a nearby parking lot. While the road itself isn't busy, the vehicle does need to wait for an oncoming vehicle to pass before it can make its intended turn. The driver breathes a sigh of relief as the other vehicle drives on by, she feels cramped sitting inside the vehicle, despite all of the room that the cabin does offer. Unfortunately, the cabin is not designed to accommodate the driver's large stature.

     Being eight feet tall, most things are too small for Emma, leaving her to adapt to a world where the average height of an adult ranges between five foot four to six foot three; meaning this poor woman is almost two feet taller than the high end of the average. Emma's head is pushed up against the roof of the cabin and the back of the steering wheel grazing against her knees because of how little space it offers her, and this is with her seat as low and as far back as it will allow. The seat itself is too narrow to even fit the large woman. Even her clothes need to be custom-tailored, a black pair of slacks and a light blue shirt, to accommodate not only for her height but her plus-sized figure as well. Adjusting her glasses, which are sitting in front of her blue eyes, and moving her long blonde hair away from her face, Emma looks over at her older sister who is smiling at her.

     Hannah is smiling at her sister, which is crooked, not only because she finds it humorous how Emma fits inside the vehicle but also because of where they are headed. In contrast to her sister, Hannah fits inside the passenger's seat just fine, with her only being slightly above average height. Her clothes do suit her personality as she is wearing a purple shirt that reads "Procrastinators United" and a pair of black leggings. Her red hair, which is done up in a ponytail goes with her pale complexion. She is steadily playing with her sandals, dangling them by the single strap using her toes, as she waits for her sister to make the turn.

     With the opposite lane now clear, Emma pulls into the parking lot of the restaurant. The establishment isn't any place real fancy, if anything, it is far from that. Emma is parking at a fast-food restaurant that is well known for its burgers and fries. She has promised that she would bring her sister here as it is one of her favorite places. Emma does feel relieved that the parking lot does look empty, with the lunch rush being over for at least a couple of hours she does not need to worry about receiving any stares due to her height.

     Parking her vehicle, Hannah quickly undoes her seatbelt, "Come on, Lil Sis." "Lil Sis," a playful nickname that was given to her. Despite being the younger sister, Emma has been taller than Hannah since she was three years old, a fact that Hannah has always found to be amusing. Emma undoes her seatbelt as well, with a little bit of difficulty since she only has so much room to move around, and steps out of her vehicle. Emma stretches, which does exaggerate her already tall stature some, feeling relieved to be out of her vehicle.

     Looking in through the windows, Emma can only see three people inside which she is relieved to see since she is not comfortable being around crowds of people and the attention that her height brings her. Towering over everyone else can draw attention to her, an attention that she prefers to avoid when possible.

     She can see one woman with short, black hair who is already sitting at one of the booths by herself, enjoying her order. what looks to be a mother, who looks to be on the tall side, and her young child as they are now grabbing their tray with theirs. Emma can't help but think there is something off about the mother. She has short red hair and is wearing a sleeveless shirt and shorts, though her flip-flops do look a bit undersized on her feet. The daughter has shoulder-length black hair and is wearing a blue dress. Taking a look at the young girl's face, she looks nothing like the mother. Meaning that she could be adopted, or perhaps she is the woman's niece.

     Emma can't help that there is something off with the red-headed woman, off and familiar at the same time. Sure she looks tall, but there is something off about her height and Emma just can't quite figure out what it is.

     "Come on, Lil Sis," Hannah calls out so that she can grab her sister's attention. Emma decides to disregard the woman and the young child for now, following her sister, who is impatiently waiting at the door for her.

     Looking at the two sisters, it is hard to picture Hannah being the older of the two. Only reaching her older sister's chest, she looks like a child when compared to her much taller sister.

      The moment Emma catches up with her, Hannah steps inside. Instead of heading straight to the counter though, she turns around to watch Emma step inside, who needs to duck through the entryway to avoid hitting her head. This alone Hannah finds to be funny, but she can't help but smile when her sister can stand up straight. The restaurant's drop ceiling is only inches away from the tall woman's head. "I bet you are glad the ceiling is so high here," Hannah comments with a gleeful smile.

     "I am glad about that," Emma answers. She is being honest about this, most ceilings tend to be eight feet tall, which means that her head is always grazing against them. Places like this do tend to give her break, but she still needs to be aware of how close her head is unless she wants to experience an impact and cause some damage.

    Hannah takes a quick look around the almost empty restaurant, trying to find the perfect spot for both her and her younger sister to sit down at. She can already eliminate the idea of sitting at a booth since Emma couldn't possibly sit in one. She does smile slightly, picturing just how funny Emma would look squeezing into one. Her stomach pressed up against the table, her knees pressed up against the underside as her feet would be pressed up against the seat opposite her.

     Just as she has found the best table for her and her sister, Hannah sees someone that grabs her attention. A woman with short red hair, whose head is just inches away from the ceiling. Hannah can't help but smile knowing that she has found someone else who looks to be almost as tall as Emma, if not as tall. "Lil Sis, look!" Hannah says excitedly, pointing to the woman that she sees.

     Emma doesn't pay too much attention to who Hannah is pointing to, she doesn't even have enough time to. Hannah is already darting towards the tall woman, anxious to tell her about her sister. "Hannah, wait!"

     Hannah is now standing close to the woman as she places her tray down on the table. Now that she is closer, she can easily tell that this woman is as tall as her sister. "Hi!" Hannah says, grabbing her attention.

     Both the woman and the little girl, who is with her, look at Hannah. The woman looks at Hannah, not sure about who she is or what she wants. "Hi," she replies, feeling that it is all she can do in this awkward situation.

     "Guess what," Hannah continues, unaware of how confused and uncomfortable she has made this woman, "You are about as tall as my Lil Sis!"

     Someone who is as tall as her? She can't believe what she is hearing. "Uh..." is all she can get out, unsure of how to even respond to such a claim.

     "Hannah," Emma says, placing her hand on her older sister's shoulder, needing to lean forward slightly to do so. Hannah shifts uncomfortably, as if to move away from her sister, "you can't just go up to people you don't know." Emna looks up at the woman that her sister was bothering, "I am so sorry, my sister, Hannah, just doesn't..." Emma's voice trails off when she realizes that she needs to look straight ahead just to make eye contact, something that she has been unable to do since she was ten years old.

     "Wow, Aunt Lacey!" the little girl finally says, breaking the silence, "She really is as tall as you are. She can't help but look at Emma, fascinated by the fact that someone else is as tall as her aunt.

     Both the tall women are staring at each other in a state of shock, unable to believe that they have just met someone who is as tall as they are, finding this kind of encounter close to impossible. "Emma," she finally manages to say in an effort to introduce herself.

     "Lacey," the woman says back.

     Finally regaining her senses, Emma continues to apologize on behalf of her sister. "I am sorry about my sister bothering you, she has a hard time understanding what is socially acceptable."

     "I-it's okay," Lacey finally says, now getting over the shock of Emma's appearance. "Believe it or not, I have had reactions that could be considered a lot ruder."

     "I can believe it," Emma responds, "I have had my fair share of reactions when it comes to my size."

     "Lil Sis," Hannah finally says, "Do you think we can sit with them?"

     Lacey looks somewhat confused when she hears the words "Lil Sis" being used to describe Emma. There is nothing little about her, so why is Hannah calling her that? Is it an inside joke? Is Hannah making a joke?

     "I don't think that she wants us to bother her," Emma answers.

     "Aunt Lacey doesn't mind," the little girl answers. She then turns her attention to her aunt, smiling up at her hoping that both Emma and Hannah can sit with them, "Do you?"

     Lacey looks down at her niece, "It isn't up to me, Penny." Lacey looks back that the two sisters standing before her. She will admit that she is somewhat curious about Emma, wondering if her height is somehow related to her own in some way. "You two are more than welcome to sit with us."

      "See, Lil Sis," Hannah says excitedly.

     At this point, Lacey is curious about the nickname that Hannah keeps using. There has to be a reason she keeps referring to Emma as "Lil Sis." "If you don't mind me asking, why do you call her 'Lil Sis' anyway?"

      "Simple. Because she is my little sister."

      "Wait," Lacey responds, feeling surprised at what Hannah has just told her. "Emma is your younger sister?"

      "Wow!" Penny exclaims as her gaze goes between both Emma and Hannah. "Your younger sister is way taller than you! That's great!"

     "I am the youngest " Emma confirms, "Most people are surprised to learn that." Emma glances back at the register for a moment, "We can talk more when we sit down, Hannah and I need to place our orders."

     "Oh, sure. Go right on ahead," Lacey says. "We'll go ahead and sit down while we wait."

     As both Lacey and Penny sit down at a table, both Emma and Hannah place their orders. The cashier can't believe what they are seeing, a second woman who's head is just inches away from the ceiling; and the order that she is placing for herself is enough to feed at least three people. At first, the cashier thought that the order placed was for both her and the shorter, red-headed woman, that is until she places an order herself.

     Lacey hands Penny her kid's meal, knowing that she is patiently waiting for it, with the included toy being her main source of excitement for it. As both Emma and Hannah make their way over, she can't help but notice that they are each carrying their own tray, with Emma's being full of food. Upon reaching the table she can see that Emma has five burgers and three orders of large fries. She is aware that Emma does need to eat more due to her size, her appetite certainly matching her stature. But to need that much? Sure she eats a considerable amount, but this is because her still-growing body demands the calories. Lacey can't help but wonder if there is more to Emma

      As Hannah sits down across from Penny, she notices that Lacey is actually sitting in a chair. She looks like an adult who has been forced to sit at a kid's table. Her long legs are stretched out underneath the table, with her feet protruding out from the opposite side, to keep her knees from bumping the underside of it

     Both Lacey and Penny watch as Emma kneels on the floor at the table's side, choosing not to take a seat. Both the tall woman and her niece find this sight to be very odd, wondering why Emma doesn't sit in a chair. Hannah, though, finds this to be completely normal. She is aware that her sister is unable to sit in a conventional chair; most seats being too small to fit her, not to mention that one would be unable to support her.

     "So Lacey," Emma says, grabbing the tall woman's attention. As Lacey is looking at Hannah, she can't help but notice that she isn't being given eye contact. Sure, Hannah is looking at her but it seems that her attention is elsewhere. "What was it like growing up and being so much taller than everyone? Lil sis was taller than me when she was three, Mom by the time she was seven, and Dad when she was nine."

     Lacey looks over at Emma, surprised at what Hannah has just said. She could easily imagine the woman towering over her own parents, but to do so before she was even a teenager? "Um..." Lacey begins, ready to answer the young woman's question, "I wasn't always so tall."

      It is now Emma's turn to look at Lacey with a sense of curiosity "What do you mean?"

     "Well, I used to be at an average height. About five years ago I got into a car accident and suffered head trauma. Which resulted in my pituitary gland being damaged and it is now producing an excess of growth hormones."

     "Which has resulted in your current height." This is something Emma is all too familiar with since her pituitary gland had done the same thing to her as she was growing up. "You said 'producing an excess of growth hormones' as if you are still growing."

     "I am," Lacey confirms. "I have tried everything to stop it..."

      "Surgery," Emma interrupts, "hormone therapy, medicine; but nothing has worked. I've been there, I know how it is."

     "So, are you still growing like Aunt Lacey is?" Penny asks, curious about the large woman.

     "No, I have been eight feet tall for about four years now, so my body is done growing."

     "Aww..." Penny groans, sounding very disappointed.

     "I know," Hannah says, "I wish that Lil Sis was even taller." She then turns her attention back to Lacey, ready to ask another question. "So you're just going to keep growing?"

     Lacey is starting to look somewhat annoyed, this woman's questions starting to make her feel uncomfortable, yet Hannah isn't picking up on it.

     "Hannah, I think that is enough questions for now," Emma says, "I think that is a bit of a touchy subject for her. You remember how I felt when I thought I was going to hit nine feet tall, right?"

     Nine feet in height, something that both women have their worries about since that us when the human body starts to fail. Emma doesn't need to worry about it anymore since she is no longer growing, but Lacey still does. That stature slowly approaching with each month that passes and every inch she gains.

     "Yes, Lil Sis," Hannah responds.

     "You'll have to forgive Hannah, she is socially awkward," Emma explains. What she is saying isn't far from the truth, but she doesn't want to tell someone she just met that her sister is in the spectrum.

      "What was it like being so much taller than your parents when you were growing up?" Penny asks.

      "Penny, " Lacey says, "I think that is enough questions for now."

     "It's okay, I don't mind," Emma says. "I teach kindergarten, so you can imagine the questions I get bombarded with when my students first see me. The first day of school is always spent letting them ask their questions and me answering them." Emma turns her attention back to the little girl, "It was unique having everyone look up at me instead of it being the other way around.

      "You teach? Why don't you play basketball like Aunt Lacey does? You are tall enough to play."

       Emma can believe the Lacey does play basketball as Penny claims, she certainly has the height for it. But with her, her figure is one reason why she never pursued such a career. "Well, it's because I am very shy. The idea of having so many people watching me does frighten me."

     Penny happens to look and see that Hannah has a small plastic bag on her tray. It is one that she does recognize since she topically receives one inside her kid's meal. "You got a toy?"

     "Yup," Hannah answers as she puts her burger down, ready to open up her toy. The figure is of a goofy little character, most likely from a popular cartoon. Hannah is smiling, or what could pass as a smile, as she is examining it.

     "That is the toy they have here?" Penny asks. The little girl doesn't bother to wait for an answer as she is already reaching for her own toy.

       Lacey can't help but find Hannah's behavior to be odd. Sure she is acting immature, which is evident by how she is playing with a toy that is meant for a young kid, but there just seems to be something that is off about her overall. She looks over at Emma, half-tempted to ask her about the woman's behavior wondering if she is okay. The only reason she doesn't is that it would be considered rude to outright ask. For now, she is just going to assume that Hannah is just a quirky individual.

     Both Emma and Lacey continue to eat while Hannah and Penny are playing with the toys they each received with their meals. For anyone to see this, it would be an unusual sight. It is even odd for both the tall women, neither one expecting to come across someone who is within their height range.

      Emma stops eating when she hears a notification go off from her phone. She reaches for it, a smile on her face as if she is expecting some good news. Her smile widening only helps to confirm that the notification is something pleasant, her eyes moving side to side as she is reading the text message she has just received. The phone, while it would be considered a large size for most people, looks to be small in Emma's large hand. Replying to the message is difficult for her, her large fingers often hitting several of the onscreen keys, causing multiple typos. Yet she does somehow manage.

     Hannah looks over at her younger sister, "What did Adam say?"

      "Adam?" Lacey asks, "I didn't know you have a brother as well."

     "Adam is Emma's boyfriend."

     Lacey is having a little bit of trouble believing what Hannah has just said. Does Emma actually have a boyfriend? She can't help but picture how tall he must be in order to feel comfortable being in a relationship with someone as tall as Emma, one of the reasons why she feels she can't be in one herself. Most guys feel uncomfortable being with a woman who is taller than them, even if it is from wearing heels. Add in the fact that she is still growing, it is a height hap that will widen over time. "Wow, he must be a pretty tall guy."

      "Guess again," Hannah comments in a sing-song tone.

       "You mean, you are in a relationship with someone who is an average height?"

       "Actually…" Emma's voice trails off, trying to find the best choice of words to use to describe Adam's lack of height.

     Lacey's jaw nearly drops. She had a hard enough time believing that Emma is with someone who is of an average height, but below? "I am sorry if I seem rude by asking this, but how?"

     "It was a chance encounter," Emma remembers how she first met Adam, how she mistook him for a child at first. "I came across him while grocery shopping and he asked me to grab something for him from one of the top shelves. When I finished my shopping, we met again, and he missed the bus talking to me. Feeling awful about that, I offered to take him home. Next thing I know, he is asking me out."

      "You didn't feel awkward going on a date with him?"

      "I did. I politely declined at first, saying how it wouldn't work out because of the extreme difference in our heights. He talked me into it, he said that is why people date. To see if things would work out or not, my height and his lack of it should not be a factor." Emma can't help but smile, remembering that fateful first date.

     Lacey is tugging at her clothes, it has been a while since she has bought some and they are starting to feel a bit snug on her body. This is nothing new to her because she is still growing she is constantly outgrowing her clothes and having new ones tailored for her. "Feeling tight?" Emma asks who has noticed Lacey fidgeting. "I remember how that feels. Look, I don't know who your tailor is or how good they are, but I have a tailor and cobbler who have been making my clothes and shoes for the past five years. I can refer you to them and they will give you a good deal, just mention my name."

      "Are they good?" The last thing that Lacey wants to do is spend money on clothes that won't last her. Even with the money she makes playing for the Minolin Mares, she can't afford to waste money."

     "Very," Emma answers confidently. "I am sure you can see the quality of my clothes, plus Bridgette can add graphics to your shirts so they aren't so plain. As for my shoes…" Emma reaches back, popping off one of her flats and exposing her bare foot, "You can see that I have owned these for a while and worn them quite a bit." Looking at Emma's footwear, the first thing that Lacey notices is the most obvious, the size of it. It is a big shoe, then again Emma is a tall woman. It isn't just big overall, it looks to be big for a woman of Emma's height. Lacey even doubts that her feet are big enough to wear Emma's shoes, something she is thankful for.

     Lacey can see what Emma is saying Is true. The shoe does show signs that they have been worn a lot, but they are not in such a state as though they are falling apart. The dark indentations on the insole do hint at how often Emma tends to wear them. "Yeah, sure, I would appreciate it very much."

     Emma texts Lacey the addresses of the two shops, hoping that the tall and still growing woman can benefit from it. "Thanks again," Lacey says as she continues to eat her meal.

      Soon after everyone has finished eating, the trays cleared off, wrappers being the only thing left of the group's meal. "Well, it was very nice meeting you two," Lacey says as she begins to stand up, "I promised Penny that we would be going to the park today, and I don't want to miss the bus."

      "Okay, Aunt Lacey." The little girl turns away from her aunt to look at both Emma and Hannah, waving as she starts to say bye. "Bye Emma, Bye Hannah."

      "Actually, I can take you two to the park if you want," Emma remembers how taking the bus to school was for her. Being the only student in her school who was over seven feet tall did not make riding the bus easy for her. Her head bumping against the top, no legroom, and the seats were cramped for both her and whoever decided to sit beside her. "My vehicle has enough room for you. Legroom might be tight, but it will be better than taking the bus."

       Lacey looks at Emma, seriously considering her kind offer. At first, she thought she would have to decline, believing that she is simply too tall to fit inside a passenger vehicle until she remembers that Emma is close to her height. If she did drive here then it does mean that she can fit inside the vehicle. It may be a bit of a tight squeeze like Emma says, but it is better than waiting for the bus and hoping that there will be an open seat for her; standing is uncomfortable since she needs to duck down. "Yeah, thanks."

     Standing up, Emma finds herself being eye level with Lacey once again. She still finds this to be odd since she has spent most of her life looking down at other people.

     As the group leaves the restaurant, the employees can't help but stare. Seeing one woman at such an impossible height is one thing, but for there to be two present is quite a sight. They watch as both Emma and Lacey need to duck through the door to leave, otherwise they would hit their heads against the door frame. Some can imagine how common this problem must be for the pair, while others wonder what other inconveniences they have to deal with.

      Arriving at Emma's vehicle, Lace can see how Emma can fit inside. While it isn't massive, it does look as though the interior has plenty of legroom, or in the case of these super-tall women, barely enough.

      Emma reaches for the passenger side door, ready to climb up front and sit next to her sister. Just as she goes to open the door, she sees that Emma is crouching by her, making it easy to look her in the eyes.

      "Hannah, I know that you rode in the front seat on the way here, but Lacey is riding upfront."

      "But, but…" Emma starts to protest, her gaze shifting between the car door and her sister

      "Hannah, you know as well as I do that the back seats do not have enough legroom for Lacey. So, can you help her out by riding in the back with Penny? I am sure that she would really appreciate it if you sat next to her."

     Hannah thinks for a moment, looking as though she is trying to make a really difficult decision. Though, the truth is that she is talking herself into sitting in the back seat so Lacey can sit up front where space is more accommodating. "Okay."

      As Penny watches her niece climb into the back, followed by Hannah, she just couldn't help but notice how Emma talked to her sister. "I am sorry if this sounds rude but, is your sister okay? I mean she definitely seems odd."

      "It's fine. I can understand how Hannah's behavior seems odd. She has Aspergers."

     "Aspergers?" Lacey repeats. She has never heard that word before, but from how Emma answered her question she can assume that it must be some form of mental disability.

     "It's a high functioning form of autism," Emma continues to explain. "Since she rode in the front seat on the way here, she feels that she has to ride the same way back. Don't worry, she will be okay."

       Lacey opens the passenger side door, ready to climb inside. It has been a long while since she has ridden in a passenger vehicle, her extreme height making it very difficult to sit inside one. She looks over to see Emma climbing inside, squeezing in is a better description. Her head is pushed up against the roof of the cabin and her knees are close to touching the steering wheel.

       Pushing her seat back as far as it will go, Lacey climbs in. She has the same problems that Emma has, although her knees are pushed up against the dashboard. She isn't in the most comfortable position, but she can deal with it.

       Both Hannah and Penny can't help but giggle as the two women squeeze themselves into their seats, the front seats not being designed to accommodate such tall women. Penny finds this to be especially humorous, never witnessing her aunt squeezing her way into a car before.

     Emma looks over at Lacey, her keys in the ignition ready to start the engine, "Comfortable?"

      "As much as I can," Lacey replies with an awkward smile.

Written and Rendered by Renulen (posted with his permission)

Description

     An SUV is sitting in the middle lane of the road with its turn signal on, indicating that it is preparing to make a left turn into a nearby parking lot. While the road itself isn't busy, the vehicle does need to wait for an oncoming vehicle to pass before it can make its intended turn. The driver breathes a sigh of relief as the other vehicle drives on by, she feels cramped sitting inside the vehicle, despite all of the room that the cabin does offer. Unfortunately, the cabin is not designed to accommodate the driver's large stature.

     Being eight feet tall, most things are too small for Emma, leaving her to adapt to a world where the average height of an adult ranges between five foot four to six foot three; meaning this poor woman is almost two feet taller than the high end of the average. Emma's head is pushed up against the roof of the cabin and the back of the steering wheel grazing against her knees because of how little space it offers her, and this is with her seat as low and as far back as it will allow. The seat itself is too narrow to even fit the large woman. Even her clothes need to be custom-tailored, a black pair of slacks and a light blue shirt, to accommodate not only for her height but her plus-sized figure as well. Adjusting her glasses, which are sitting in front of her blue eyes, and moving her long blonde hair away from her face, Emma looks over at her older sister who is smiling at her.

     Hannah is smiling at her sister, which is crooked, not only because she finds it humorous how Emma fits inside the vehicle but also because of where they are headed. In contrast to her sister, Hannah fits inside the passenger's seat just fine, with her only being slightly above average height. Her clothes do suit her personality as she is wearing a purple shirt that reads "Procrastinators United" and a pair of black leggings. Her red hair, which is done up in a ponytail goes with her pale complexion. She is steadily playing with her sandals, dangling them by the single strap using her toes, as she waits for her sister to make the turn.

     With the opposite lane now clear, Emma pulls into the parking lot of the restaurant. The establishment isn't any place real fancy, if anything, it is far from that. Emma is parking at a fast-food restaurant that is well known for its burgers and fries. She has promised that she would bring her sister here as it is one of her favorite places. Emma does feel relieved that the parking lot does look empty, with the lunch rush being over for at least a couple of hours she does not need to worry about receiving any stares due to her height.

     Parking her vehicle, Hannah quickly undoes her seatbelt, "Come on, Lil Sis." "Lil Sis," a playful nickname that was given to her. Despite being the younger sister, Emma has been taller than Hannah since she was three years old, a fact that Hannah has always found to be amusing. Emma undoes her seatbelt as well, with a little bit of difficulty since she only has so much room to move around, and steps out of her vehicle. Emma stretches, which does exaggerate her already tall stature some, feeling relieved to be out of her vehicle.

     Looking in through the windows, Emma can only see three people inside which she is relieved to see since she is not comfortable being around crowds of people and the attention that her height brings her. Towering over everyone else can draw attention to her, an attention that she prefers to avoid when possible.

     She can see one woman with short, black hair who is already sitting at one of the booths by herself, enjoying her order. what looks to be a mother, who looks to be on the tall side, and her young child as they are now grabbing their tray with theirs. Emma can't help but think there is something off about the mother. She has short red hair and is wearing a sleeveless shirt and shorts, though her flip-flops do look a bit undersized on her feet. The daughter has shoulder-length black hair and is wearing a blue dress. Taking a look at the young girl's face, she looks nothing like the mother. Meaning that she could be adopted, or perhaps she is the woman's niece.

     Emma can't help that there is something off with the red-headed woman, off and familiar at the same time. Sure she looks tall, but there is something off about her height and Emma just can't quite figure out what it is.

     "Come on, Lil Sis," Hannah calls out so that she can grab her sister's attention. Emma decides to disregard the woman and the young child for now, following her sister, who is impatiently waiting at the door for her.

     Looking at the two sisters, it is hard to picture Hannah being the older of the two. Only reaching her older sister's chest, she looks like a child when compared to her much taller sister.

      The moment Emma catches up with her, Hannah steps inside. Instead of heading straight to the counter though, she turns around to watch Emma step inside, who needs to duck through the entryway to avoid hitting her head. This alone Hannah finds to be funny, but she can't help but smile when her sister can stand up straight. The restaurant's drop ceiling is only inches away from the tall woman's head. "I bet you are glad the ceiling is so high here," Hannah comments with a gleeful smile.

     "I am glad about that," Emma answers. She is being honest about this, most ceilings tend to be eight feet tall, which means that her head is always grazing against them. Places like this do tend to give her break, but she still needs to be aware of how close her head is unless she wants to experience an impact and cause some damage.

    Hannah takes a quick look around the almost empty restaurant, trying to find the perfect spot for both her and her younger sister to sit down at. She can already eliminate the idea of sitting at a booth since Emma couldn't possibly sit in one. She does smile slightly, picturing just how funny Emma would look squeezing into one. Her stomach pressed up against the table, her knees pressed up against the underside as her feet would be pressed up against the seat opposite her.

     Just as she has found the best table for her and her sister, Hannah sees someone that grabs her attention. A woman with short red hair, whose head is just inches away from the ceiling. Hannah can't help but smile knowing that she has found someone else who looks to be almost as tall as Emma, if not as tall. "Lil Sis, look!" Hannah says excitedly, pointing to the woman that she sees.

     Emma doesn't pay too much attention to who Hannah is pointing to, she doesn't even have enough time to. Hannah is already darting towards the tall woman, anxious to tell her about her sister. "Hannah, wait!"

     Hannah is now standing close to the woman as she places her tray down on the table. Now that she is closer, she can easily tell that this woman is as tall as her sister. "Hi!" Hannah says, grabbing her attention.

     Both the woman and the little girl, who is with her, look at Hannah. The woman looks at Hannah, not sure about who she is or what she wants. "Hi," she replies, feeling that it is all she can do in this awkward situation.

     "Guess what," Hannah continues, unaware of how confused and uncomfortable she has made this woman, "You are about as tall as my Lil Sis!"

     Someone who is as tall as her? She can't believe what she is hearing. "Uh..." is all she can get out, unsure of how to even respond to such a claim.

     "Hannah," Emma says, placing her hand on her older sister's shoulder, needing to lean forward slightly to do so. Hannah shifts uncomfortably, as if to move away from her sister, "you can't just go up to people you don't know." Emna looks up at the woman that her sister was bothering, "I am so sorry, my sister, Hannah, just doesn't..." Emma's voice trails off when she realizes that she needs to look straight ahead just to make eye contact, something that she has been unable to do since she was ten years old.

     "Wow, Aunt Lacey!" the little girl finally says, breaking the silence, "She really is as tall as you are. She can't help but look at Emma, fascinated by the fact that someone else is as tall as her aunt.

     Both the tall women are staring at each other in a state of shock, unable to believe that they have just met someone who is as tall as they are, finding this kind of encounter close to impossible. "Emma," she finally manages to say in an effort to introduce herself.

     "Lacey," the woman says back.

     Finally regaining her senses, Emma continues to apologize on behalf of her sister. "I am sorry about my sister bothering you, she has a hard time understanding what is socially acceptable."

     "I-it's okay," Lacey finally says, now getting over the shock of Emma's appearance. "Believe it or not, I have had reactions that could be considered a lot ruder."

     "I can believe it," Emma responds, "I have had my fair share of reactions when it comes to my size."

     "Lil Sis," Hannah finally says, "Do you think we can sit with them?"

     Lacey looks somewhat confused when she hears the words "Lil Sis" being used to describe Emma. There is nothing little about her, so why is Hannah calling her that? Is it an inside joke? Is Hannah making a joke?

     "I don't think that she wants us to bother her," Emma answers.

     "Aunt Lacey doesn't mind," the little girl answers. She then turns her attention to her aunt, smiling up at her hoping that both Emma and Hannah can sit with them, "Do you?"

     Lacey looks down at her niece, "It isn't up to me, Penny." Lacey looks back that the two sisters standing before her. She will admit that she is somewhat curious about Emma, wondering if her height is somehow related to her own in some way. "You two are more than welcome to sit with us."

      "See, Lil Sis," Hannah says excitedly.

     At this point, Lacey is curious about the nickname that Hannah keeps using. There has to be a reason she keeps referring to Emma as "Lil Sis." "If you don't mind me asking, why do you call her 'Lil Sis' anyway?"

      "Simple. Because she is my little sister."

      "Wait," Lacey responds, feeling surprised at what Hannah has just told her. "Emma is your younger sister?"

      "Wow!" Penny exclaims as her gaze goes between both Emma and Hannah. "Your younger sister is way taller than you! That's great!"

     "I am the youngest " Emma confirms, "Most people are surprised to learn that." Emma glances back at the register for a moment, "We can talk more when we sit down, Hannah and I need to place our orders."

     "Oh, sure. Go right on ahead," Lacey says. "We'll go ahead and sit down while we wait."

     As both Lacey and Penny sit down at a table, both Emma and Hannah place their orders. The cashier can't believe what they are seeing, a second woman who's head is just inches away from the ceiling; and the order that she is placing for herself is enough to feed at least three people. At first, the cashier thought that the order placed was for both her and the shorter, red-headed woman, that is until she places an order herself.

     Lacey hands Penny her kid's meal, knowing that she is patiently waiting for it, with the included toy being her main source of excitement for it. As both Emma and Hannah make their way over, she can't help but notice that they are each carrying their own tray, with Emma's being full of food. Upon reaching the table she can see that Emma has five burgers and three orders of large fries. She is aware that Emma does need to eat more due to her size, her appetite certainly matching her stature. But to need that much? Sure she eats a considerable amount, but this is because her still-growing body demands the calories. Lacey can't help but wonder if there is more to Emma

      As Hannah sits down across from Penny, she notices that Lacey is actually sitting in a chair. She looks like an adult who has been forced to sit at a kid's table. Her long legs are stretched out underneath the table, with her feet protruding out from the opposite side, to keep her knees from bumping the underside of it

     Both Lacey and Penny watch as Emma kneels on the floor at the table's side, choosing not to take a seat. Both the tall woman and her niece find this sight to be very odd, wondering why Emma doesn't sit in a chair. Hannah, though, finds this to be completely normal. She is aware that her sister is unable to sit in a conventional chair; most seats being too small to fit her, not to mention that one would be unable to support her.

     "So Lacey," Emma says, grabbing the tall woman's attention. As Lacey is looking at Hannah, she can't help but notice that she isn't being given eye contact. Sure, Hannah is looking at her but it seems that her attention is elsewhere. "What was it like growing up and being so much taller than everyone? Lil sis was taller than me when she was three, Mom by the time she was seven, and Dad when she was nine."

     Lacey looks over at Emma, surprised at what Hannah has just said. She could easily imagine the woman towering over her own parents, but to do so before she was even a teenager? "Um..." Lacey begins, ready to answer the young woman's question, "I wasn't always so tall."

      It is now Emma's turn to look at Lacey with a sense of curiosity "What do you mean?"

     "Well, I used to be at an average height. About five years ago I got into a car accident and suffered head trauma. Which resulted in my pituitary gland being damaged and it is now producing an excess of growth hormones."

     "Which has resulted in your current height." This is something Emma is all too familiar with since her pituitary gland had done the same thing to her as she was growing up. "You said 'producing an excess of growth hormones' as if you are still growing."

     "I am," Lacey confirms. "I have tried everything to stop it..."

      "Surgery," Emma interrupts, "hormone therapy, medicine; but nothing has worked. I've been there, I know how it is."

     "So, are you still growing like Aunt Lacey is?" Penny asks, curious about the large woman.

     "No, I have been eight feet tall for about four years now, so my body is done growing."

     "Aww..." Penny groans, sounding very disappointed.

     "I know," Hannah says, "I wish that Lil Sis was even taller." She then turns her attention back to Lacey, ready to ask another question. "So you're just going to keep growing?"

     Lacey is starting to look somewhat annoyed, this woman's questions starting to make her feel uncomfortable, yet Hannah isn't picking up on it.

     "Hannah, I think that is enough questions for now," Emma says, "I think that is a bit of a touchy subject for her. You remember how I felt when I thought I was going to hit nine feet tall, right?"

     Nine feet in height, something that both women have their worries about since that us when the human body starts to fail. Emma doesn't need to worry about it anymore since she is no longer growing, but Lacey still does. That stature slowly approaching with each month that passes and every inch she gains.

     "Yes, Lil Sis," Hannah responds.

     "You'll have to forgive Hannah, she is socially awkward," Emma explains. What she is saying isn't far from the truth, but she doesn't want to tell someone she just met that her sister is in the spectrum.

      "What was it like being so much taller than your parents when you were growing up?" Penny asks.

      "Penny, " Lacey says, "I think that is enough questions for now."

     "It's okay, I don't mind," Emma says. "I teach kindergarten, so you can imagine the questions I get bombarded with when my students first see me. The first day of school is always spent letting them ask their questions and me answering them." Emma turns her attention back to the little girl, "It was unique having everyone look up at me instead of it being the other way around.

      "You teach? Why don't you play basketball like Aunt Lacey does? You are tall enough to play."

       Emma can believe the Lacey does play basketball as Penny claims, she certainly has the height for it. But with her, her figure is one reason why she never pursued such a career. "Well, it's because I am very shy. The idea of having so many people watching me does frighten me."

     Penny happens to look and see that Hannah has a small plastic bag on her tray. It is one that she does recognize since she topically receives one inside her kid's meal. "You got a toy?"

     "Yup," Hannah answers as she puts her burger down, ready to open up her toy. The figure is of a goofy little character, most likely from a popular cartoon. Hannah is smiling, or what could pass as a smile, as she is examining it.

     "That is the toy they have here?" Penny asks. The little girl doesn't bother to wait for an answer as she is already reaching for her own toy.

       Lacey can't help but find Hannah's behavior to be odd. Sure she is acting immature, which is evident by how she is playing with a toy that is meant for a young kid, but there just seems to be something that is off about her overall. She looks over at Emma, half-tempted to ask her about the woman's behavior wondering if she is okay. The only reason she doesn't is that it would be considered rude to outright ask. For now, she is just going to assume that Hannah is just a quirky individual.

     Both Emma and Lacey continue to eat while Hannah and Penny are playing with the toys they each received with their meals. For anyone to see this, it would be an unusual sight. It is even odd for both the tall women, neither one expecting to come across someone who is within their height range.

      Emma stops eating when she hears a notification go off from her phone. She reaches for it, a smile on her face as if she is expecting some good news. Her smile widening only helps to confirm that the notification is something pleasant, her eyes moving side to side as she is reading the text message she has just received. The phone, while it would be considered a large size for most people, looks to be small in Emma's large hand. Replying to the message is difficult for her, her large fingers often hitting several of the onscreen keys, causing multiple typos. Yet she does somehow manage.

     Hannah looks over at her younger sister, "What did Adam say?"

      "Adam?" Lacey asks, "I didn't know you have a brother as well."

     "Adam is Emma's boyfriend."

     Lacey is having a little bit of trouble believing what Hannah has just said. Does Emma actually have a boyfriend? She can't help but picture how tall he must be in order to feel comfortable being in a relationship with someone as tall as Emma, one of the reasons why she feels she can't be in one herself. Most guys feel uncomfortable being with a woman who is taller than them, even if it is from wearing heels. Add in the fact that she is still growing, it is a height hap that will widen over time. "Wow, he must be a pretty tall guy."

      "Guess again," Hannah comments in a sing-song tone.

       "You mean, you are in a relationship with someone who is an average height?"

       "Actually…" Emma's voice trails off, trying to find the best choice of words to use to describe Adam's lack of height.

     Lacey's jaw nearly drops. She had a hard enough time believing that Emma is with someone who is of an average height, but below? "I am sorry if I seem rude by asking this, but how?"

     "It was a chance encounter," Emma remembers how she first met Adam, how she mistook him for a child at first. "I came across him while grocery shopping and he asked me to grab something for him from one of the top shelves. When I finished my shopping, we met again, and he missed the bus talking to me. Feeling awful about that, I offered to take him home. Next thing I know, he is asking me out."

      "You didn't feel awkward going on a date with him?"

      "I did. I politely declined at first, saying how it wouldn't work out because of the extreme difference in our heights. He talked me into it, he said that is why people date. To see if things would work out or not, my height and his lack of it should not be a factor." Emma can't help but smile, remembering that fateful first date.

     Lacey is tugging at her clothes, it has been a while since she has bought some and they are starting to feel a bit snug on her body. This is nothing new to her because she is still growing she is constantly outgrowing her clothes and having new ones tailored for her. "Feeling tight?" Emma asks who has noticed Lacey fidgeting. "I remember how that feels. Look, I don't know who your tailor is or how good they are, but I have a tailor and cobbler who have been making my clothes and shoes for the past five years. I can refer you to them and they will give you a good deal, just mention my name."

      "Are they good?" The last thing that Lacey wants to do is spend money on clothes that won't last her. Even with the money she makes playing for the Minolin Mares, she can't afford to waste money."

     "Very," Emma answers confidently. "I am sure you can see the quality of my clothes, plus Bridgette can add graphics to your shirts so they aren't so plain. As for my shoes…" Emma reaches back, popping off one of her flats and exposing her bare foot, "You can see that I have owned these for a while and worn them quite a bit." Looking at Emma's footwear, the first thing that Lacey notices is the most obvious, the size of it. It is a big shoe, then again Emma is a tall woman. It isn't just big overall, it looks to be big for a woman of Emma's height. Lacey even doubts that her feet are big enough to wear Emma's shoes, something she is thankful for.

     Lacey can see what Emma is saying Is true. The shoe does show signs that they have been worn a lot, but they are not in such a state as though they are falling apart. The dark indentations on the insole do hint at how often Emma tends to wear them. "Yeah, sure, I would appreciate it very much."

     Emma texts Lacey the addresses of the two shops, hoping that the tall and still growing woman can benefit from it. "Thanks again," Lacey says as she continues to eat her meal.

      Soon after everyone has finished eating, the trays cleared off, wrappers being the only thing left of the group's meal. "Well, it was very nice meeting you two," Lacey says as she begins to stand up, "I promised Penny that we would be going to the park today, and I don't want to miss the bus."

      "Okay, Aunt Lacey." The little girl turns away from her aunt to look at both Emma and Hannah, waving as she starts to say bye. "Bye Emma, Bye Hannah."

      "Actually, I can take you two to the park if you want," Emma remembers how taking the bus to school was for her. Being the only student in her school who was over seven feet tall did not make riding the bus easy for her. Her head bumping against the top, no legroom, and the seats were cramped for both her and whoever decided to sit beside her. "My vehicle has enough room for you. Legroom might be tight, but it will be better than taking the bus."

       Lacey looks at Emma, seriously considering her kind offer. At first, she thought she would have to decline, believing that she is simply too tall to fit inside a passenger vehicle until she remembers that Emma is close to her height. If she did drive here then it does mean that she can fit inside the vehicle. It may be a bit of a tight squeeze like Emma says, but it is better than waiting for the bus and hoping that there will be an open seat for her; standing is uncomfortable since she needs to duck down. "Yeah, thanks."

     Standing up, Emma finds herself being eye level with Lacey once again. She still finds this to be odd since she has spent most of her life looking down at other people.

     As the group leaves the restaurant, the employees can't help but stare. Seeing one woman at such an impossible height is one thing, but for there to be two present is quite a sight. They watch as both Emma and Lacey need to duck through the door to leave, otherwise they would hit their heads against the door frame. Some can imagine how common this problem must be for the pair, while others wonder what other inconveniences they have to deal with.

      Arriving at Emma's vehicle, Lace can see how Emma can fit inside. While it isn't massive, it does look as though the interior has plenty of legroom, or in the case of these super-tall women, barely enough.

      Emma reaches for the passenger side door, ready to climb up front and sit next to her sister. Just as she goes to open the door, she sees that Emma is crouching by her, making it easy to look her in the eyes.

      "Hannah, I know that you rode in the front seat on the way here, but Lacey is riding upfront."

      "But, but…" Emma starts to protest, her gaze shifting between the car door and her sister

      "Hannah, you know as well as I do that the back seats do not have enough legroom for Lacey. So, can you help her out by riding in the back with Penny? I am sure that she would really appreciate it if you sat next to her."

     Hannah thinks for a moment, looking as though she is trying to make a really difficult decision. Though, the truth is that she is talking herself into sitting in the back seat so Lacey can sit up front where space is more accommodating. "Okay."

      As Penny watches her niece climb into the back, followed by Hannah, she just couldn't help but notice how Emma talked to her sister. "I am sorry if this sounds rude but, is your sister okay? I mean she definitely seems odd."

      "It's fine. I can understand how Hannah's behavior seems odd. She has Aspergers."

     "Aspergers?" Lacey repeats. She has never heard that word before, but from how Emma answered her question she can assume that it must be some form of mental disability.

     "It's a high functioning form of autism," Emma continues to explain. "Since she rode in the front seat on the way here, she feels that she has to ride the same way back. Don't worry, she will be okay."

       Lacey opens the passenger side door, ready to climb inside. It has been a long while since she has ridden in a passenger vehicle, her extreme height making it very difficult to sit inside one. She looks over to see Emma climbing inside, squeezing in is a better description. Her head is pushed up against the roof of the cabin and her knees are close to touching the steering wheel.

       Pushing her seat back as far as it will go, Lacey climbs in. She has the same problems that Emma has, although her knees are pushed up against the dashboard. She isn't in the most comfortable position, but she can deal with it.

       Both Hannah and Penny can't help but giggle as the two women squeeze themselves into their seats, the front seats not being designed to accommodate such tall women. Penny finds this to be especially humorous, never witnessing her aunt squeezing her way into a car before.

     Emma looks over at Lacey, her keys in the ignition ready to start the engine, "Comfortable?"

      "As much as I can," Lacey replies with an awkward smile.

Written and Rendered by Renulen (posted with his permission)