Chapter 2

Molly spent most of the day trying to get some work done at home, but she could do little more than run over the events of the morning in her head. She asked herself over and over how she could have done with she did.

“Nick is ... he’s my son!” she said aloud to herself numerous times. “Nick is my fucking son! What was I thinking? I wasn’t thinking, obviously!”

Molly’s talk with her best female friend Brett had helped relieve some of the stress, but not enough. Molly’s biggest concern, other than what things would be like with Nick when he got home that afternoon, was her husband Bob. Should she tell Bob what happened? What would he think? What would he do? Would he blame her? Would he blame their son? Molly knew Bob was kind and loving and that he didn’t overreact to things. But this? She wouldn’t blame him if he blew a gasket.

While Molly was considering whether or not to call her husband, he beat her to it. Her cell phone rang and she answered it immediately.

“Oh, Honey!” Molly said. “Hi! I’m so glad you called. How’s everything going?”

“Hi, Mol,” Bob said. “Um ... everything’s fine. Are you OK?”

“Of course, why?”

“Well, I appreciate the enthusiastic greeting, but that’s not how you usually answer the phone when I call.”

“I just miss you, Bob. Can’t I be happy to talk to you?”

“Sure, Molly. Thanks. That’s nice. But, are you sure everything’s all right?”

“Bob, Honey, I really am glad you called and I’m truly happy to talk to you. But yeah, there’s something I need to tell you. How do you read me so well?”

“Molly, you’re pretty incapable of keeping anything hidden. You wear your emotions on the outside. This isn’t news to you or anything. Now, what’s going on?”

Reluctantly, Molly explained the events of the morning. She told him about how she teased and taunted Nick, how she tickled him, that she had climbed on top of him despite his protests, and so on. As difficult as it was, Molly told him everything.

“I’m so sorry, Bob,” Molly said sincerely once she had finished the story.

“Honey, I... ,” Bob began to reply. “How ... how could you let this happen? I’ve told you so many times...”

“I know, Bob! Please ... I know. I should have listened. Yes, you told me so many times. But I screwed up. I’m so, so sorry.”

“Mol,” Bob began again, trying to muster compassion, “take it easy. I know you didn’t mean to do it. You just get so caught up, so carried away.”

“Bob, please don’t be ... Bob, do you hate me? Do you think Nick hates me?”

“Molly, come on now. Do I hate you? Molly, I’m more in love with you all the time. And Nick adores you. You know that.”

“You’re not going to divorce me?”

“Do you think I’m the biggest idiot in the world, Molly? You’re the hottest woman I’ve ever seen, even though you’re coming on 40. You have the body of a fucking fitness model and you’re insane in bed. How could I ever even imagine such a thing? And that’s not to mention your excellent mothering skills.”

This made Molly laugh and eased the tension she felt.

“Bob, are you being serious? You’re not mad at me?”

“Honey, I’m being serious. I’m not mad. I with I could say I hadn’t seen this coming. I swear, you’re the sexiest mom on the planet, you drive all the boys and most of the men around wild, but you barely realize it.”

“You really think that, Bob?”

“Molly, I’ve seen Nick get a hard on from your goofing around with him tons of times. And the way you act and walk around half undressed makes all his friends salivate too. Shit, when you talk to them you look like you’re blowing them with your eyes.”

“Bob! What a thing to say. Why didn’t you ever ... OK, I was going to say, ‘Why haven’t you said anything to me, ‘ but I realize how stupid that would be. You have said things, endlessly. But, I never really took it seriously. I mean, why didn’t you really say it so you got my attention? Why did you let me keep it up for so long?” Bob was silent for a bit. “Bob? I really want to know.” More silence. “Bob, are you still there?”