Mrs. K sat in the kitchen staring at her coffee. The low morning sun filled the room with a warm glow, a harbinger of a beautiful summer day. She took a moment to enjoy the ephemeral dance of the wispy swirls rising from the cup.

On this fine morning, Mrs. K was troubled. She felt like something was going on with Jess, and a lot of questions were rattling in her head. Why was Crystal sleeping over almost every other night? Why were they so affectionate with each other? Were they having sex? Did Matt know about this? Is Jess a lesbian? That couldn’t be, could it?

“Morn’.”

Jess plopped down at the table unceremoniously, jolting Mrs. K back to reality. She was still in her pajamas and had pillow hair. Jess, her daughter in law, the object of her contemplation.

Mrs. K generally liked her, they got along fairly well, with just a tinge of the expected animosity between a loving mother-in-law and her newish daughter-in-law. Today though, her motherly instincts were on full alert. She sensed something going on between Jess and Crystal, and not having proof of it irked her. ‘Proof of what?’ she thought. ‘Was Jess doing something wrong? Maybe it was Crystal’s fault.’ Mrs. K dismissed the thought. ‘Crystal looked too innocent to be deceitful, and always so cheerful and polite. She sure is pretty though ... How old is she anyway? Probably still in college... ‘

“What’s up Mrs. K?” mumbled Jess. Her red hair was set ablaze by the morning rays, a splash of carefree red against the milky white or her skin.

Mrs. K looked up but failed to notice Jess’s beauty. She stared at the wife of her son and unexpectedly unburdened herself of the unanswered questions.

“What’s going on with Crystal? Why is she always here? Does Matt know what’s going on?”

The cathartic release took even Mrs. K by surprise. Jess looked away, annoyed. She knew this moment would come, but was not prepared for it. She paused for a moment then turned towards Mrs. K. Her mother in law was leaning forward, staring with piercing eyes. Jess felt no malice and decided not to fight.

“Crystal is cool. And Matt knows all about it,” she said calmly.

“Ah, yes” pounced back Mrs. K, “What is it? What does Matt know? What’s going on?” Her tone declared that she is no fool and she is owed an explanation.

Jess looked at Mrs. K and held her gaze with increasing intensity. She waited, then waited some more. The tick-tock of the kitchen clock provided the drumbeat for the escalating tension. When Mrs. K’s eyebrows could not rise any higher, Jess said plainly “I’m fucking Crystal.”

This simple admission left Mrs. K off-balance. She had expected denials and obfuscation. She uttered a small “Ah,” and looked down at her coffee. The brief triumph of almost having it figured out was soon replaced by her concern for her son. She leaned forward and asked in a hushed tone but with burning eyes: “Does Matt know?”

“Of course he knows,” replied Jess quickly.

Mrs. K’s expression turned incredulous. Jess shored up her words by gazing earnestly into her mother in law’s eyes.

Sensing Mrs. K was far from appeased, she added in a slightly defensive tone: “He’s fucked her too, many times.”

Mrs. K’s eyebrows shot up, again, her green eyes wide.

Jess sunk in her chair and mumbled: “We have an arrangement. You wouldn’t understand. Why is it your business anyway?”

Mrs. K leaned back, her eyes returning to the coffee mug. Jess was right, she did not understand. She felt unsettled, yanked around by strong and conflicting emotions for which she felt unprepared. After a couple of minutes, she sat up slowly but resolutely. She would have to talk to Matt, the sooner the better.

Jess watched Mrs. K leave. She was annoyed, partially because of the intrusion on her private life, partially because she feared this confrontation would lead to changes. She didn’t want changes. Life was good now.

Mrs. K spent the morning thinking of the right words for her conversation with Matt. While absentmindedly dusting the furniture, she assembled a few sentences, much like one would pick suitable outfits for an important meeting. She sounded them out, in sotto voce.

“I must look like a crazy person,” she said out loud to the empty house. She wanted to make sure that Matt understood what was going on, but she didn’t want to alarm him. It was particularly difficult because they have never talked about sex before.

When she exhausted all the possibilities she could imagine, she retreated to her bedroom and dialed her son.

“Hi Mattie, it’s mom. How are you, baby?”

The phone to her ear, Mrs. K leaned against the bedroom window’s frame. Her eyes followed Jess who was in the yard, collecting the few twigs that had fallen overnight.

Matt was droning on about his assignment abroad. His familiar voice softened her resolve, but a voice inside her was still nagging: ‘You have to tell him. He needs to know. It’s the right thing to do.’

Mrs. K looked at Jess with different eyes now. Jess, the succubus. Jess, the bisexual nympho. Curvy Jess who fucks both men and women. Mrs. K knew Jess was attractive. Tall and curvy, with just the right amount of bosom and behind. But what probably appealed most to men (and women!), Mrs. K thought, were her flirty ways and charming smile.

“Sorry, dear, what were you saying?”

Mrs. K looked away from Jess, trying to regain focus.

“Oh, I’m fine, yes, all’s well. Listen, Mattie, I need to ask you something, but please promise me you won’t get mad, ok?”

The summer was winding down. The sun was mellow, the air warm and fragrant. Jess went out into the backyard to do some cleaning. Puttering among the flower beds was her favorite way of clearing her head. She was not worried about Matt, she knew their relationship was strong. Over the last two years since Mrs. K had come to live with them, the three of them have achieved a fairly good balance. Now Jess was worried that the equilibrium was in jeopardy, and the familiar rhythm of their shared life may be disturbed.

When lunchtime rolled around, Jess decided the roses had enough deadheading. She came in, kicked her clogs off in the mudroom, and slowly walked her aching back upstairs. At the top of the landing, she heard Mrs. K talk on the phone. She scooted close to the bedroom door, held her breath, and listened intently. Mrs. K’s voice was fluctuating as she was pacing the room. It was faint but intelligible.

“Thank you, dear. So, do you know Jess’s friend Crystal?”

‘Here we go’ Jess thought, wishing she could hear Matt’s side of the conversation.

“You do? How well do you know her?”

There was a long pause. Jess tried to guess what Matt was saying. Would he come clean and corroborate her story?

“I see ... Well, she’s here at the house a lot”

‘Yeah, duh!’ thought Jess. Her thoughts drifted to Crystal, the perfect lover, with her sweet tits, long limbs, and talented mouth.

“Ah, ok. Jess says that you and Crystal and Jess ... Yes ... Yes, I know ... Yes, of course ... I know it’s none of my business, but I am worried for you, Matty...”

‘No kidding, none of your business’ thought Jess self-righteously. She knew Matt was getting impatient with his mom now, and the conversation was about to end.

“Ok dear, don’t get upset. That’s fine, I’m not meddling in your marriage. You’re all adults...”

“Ok, ok, I won’t mention it again. If you think this is normal, or if this is what you want...”

‘yes, want, want’ whispered Jess under her breath.

“Yes, Mattie, I know, and I trust you. I love you, baby. Looking forward to having you home for Thanksgiving”

Jess retreated silently to the safety of the hall bathroom where she let out a chuckle of relief.

“Good night Mrs. K!” Crystal waved as she stepped out into the night.

Jess closed the door and turned around. She wore an oversized t-shirt. Her nipples, piqued by the cold evening air, looked proud in the oblique light of the entryway.

Jess caught Mrs. K’s stare.

“Looks like we need to talk,” she sighed heading towards the kitchen.

Since Jess overheard Mrs. K’s call with Matt, the two women’s relationship had strained noticeably. They mostly kept to themselves, polite and frosty housemates. Jess had tried to cut back on Crystal’s visits in deference to Mrs. K’s feelings. On the other hand, she felt her mother in law should get over her hang-ups and accept their choices.

Jess set down two large goblets of red wine.

“I don’t...” started Mrs. K, yet reached out with both hands and cradled the offered glass.

“I think you’ll need it” smiled Jess and nested herself neatly in the opposite corner of the sofa.

“Ok,” she went on, “What’s bothering you?”

Put on the spot, Mrs. K took a long sip and pulled the glass close to her chest as if it was a wounded bird.

“Nothing,” she said eventually, “nothing is bothering me. I just don’t understand...”

“What’s there to understand?” Jess felt confident and in control. “You’ve seen Crystal ... she’s fucking sexy and...”

Mrs. K flinched at the language. She’d heard Jess swear before, but now her nerves were raw. Jess sensed her discomfort and stopped.

“Yeah, but ... you, and Matt. How does it work?” Mrs. K finally asked.

Jess took a sip and spoke softly.

“When Matt’s at home, we sometimes hook up with Crystal, for fun. When he’s away on assignment, I see her more often. Sometimes we Skype with Matt...”

Mrs. K’s eyes grew wide. “Matt watches you, with her?”

Jess broke out in that warm smile that Mrs. K thought was so fetching. “He loves to watch and we put on a good show for him”

Mrs. K mulled it over a few slow sips. She felt her cheeks grow hot.

“But how can you do it?” she finally asked, and seeing Jess’s face immediately felt the need to rephrase it. “I mean, don’t you love Matt?”

Jess took a sip of her wine, gathered her patience, and explained to Mrs. K that yes, she loved Matt very much, and they shared the pleasure of making love to another woman, which only made their marriage stronger. In fact, Jess argued, letting Matt fuck another woman is an incredibly strong proof of love on her part. Mrs. K listened carefully, nodded a few times, her face somber.

“It’s all good, Mrs. K, we’re all just having fun,” said Jess finally, trying to lighten the mood.

“And what about Crystal?” reproached Mrs. K.

Jess relaxed and chuckled. “Crystal is an omnivorous sex fiend. She just looooves sex. If she has any limits, we have yet to find them.”

Mr. K’s expression turned to bewilderment.

“She looks so innocent though...”

“Well ... she is just different ... she finds pleasure in more places than most people.” Jess was at a loss to define her friend.

“I’m not sure I’m supposed to tell you this” continued Jess, “She even likes you and she told me you’re a hot MILF.”

Mrs. K’s eyes widened. She did not know what a MILF was, but she certainly understood ‘hot’.

“If you want, I’ll let you fuck her,” Jess said jokingly, but her remark fell flat. Mrs. K looked even more spooked, clutching her empty glass to her chest, white-knuckled.

“Or not” added Jess and retreated to the kitchen.

While their talk did not go as well as Jess had hoped, it put them on a better path. Jess felt that Mrs. K had understood, and even started to accept the situation. She felt freer and happier around Crystal, safe in their private bubble of sexiness.

Mrs. K took longer to adjust to the new paradigm. Ultimately, she decided that it was all harmless fun. Matt and Jess deserved to sow their wild oats before children arrived. If this situation worked for them, so be it. It surely would have been inconceivable in her youth. Imagining sex with a young woman like Crystal sent strange shockwaves through her body and flushed her cheeks.

Jess and Crystal sauntered down the stairs in a good mood. They found Mrs. K in the kitchen, baking.

“Watcha makin’?” Crystal asked lightheartedly.

“I’m making buckwheat cupcakes,” she said, trying to act nonchalantly.

‘They just had sex’ said a voice in Mrs. K’s head. ‘They are holding hands’ said another. ‘There are two women holding hands in your kitchen. Your son’s wife is holding hands with another woman’. The voices rose in a choir of excited whispers.

“Can I watch?”

Mrs. K was startled to find Crystal by her side. ‘She moves like a cat,’ she thought.

“Sure,” Mrs. K said without conviction. This sudden intrusion of her baking ritual rattled her a bit.

Crystal drew closer and looked up at Mrs. K. “May I taste?” she said, and without waiting for an answer dipped a graceful finger into the batter, then licked it off with gusto.

“Bleah” Crystal proclaimed, sticking her tongue out in mock disgust. “Not delicious.”

Both Mrs. K and Jess broke out laughing.

“It’s not done, silly. Now sit down and watch, maybe you’ll learn something” said Mrs. K.

But Jess had other ideas. She grabbed Crystal’s hand and started pulling her out of the kitchen. “Call us when it’s ready,” she said.

Crystal turned her face towards Mrs. K as she was dragged out, smiled, and stuck her tongue out. “See you soon Mrs. K,” Crystal added in a sing-song voice, as the patter of their feet receded towards the upstairs bedrooms.

‘They’re going to have sex,’ Mrs. K thought. The image of Crystal’s pink and slender tongue proved hard to shake off. Tongue. And lips.

The cupcakes had already cooled by the time the two young women returned. They sat down at the kitchen counter and each grabbed a brown morsel. Jess took a healthy bite and rolled her eyes in mock ecstasy. Crystal was more tentative. She took a small bite, chewed it carefully, looked over at Mrs. K, and voiced her surprise: “These are good! Thanks for making them for us!”

Mrs. K watched Crystal eat the cupcake, and Jess’s words popped up in her head: ‘I’ll let you fuck her’. A sudden hot flash ran through her body. To hide her burning cheeks, she turned around and reached for a glass of wine.

“You’re welcome Crystal, any time.”

“I promise I’ll help next time,” Crystal said sweetly.

Feeling more in control now that she was holding a generous glass of robust red, Mrs. K turned toward Crystal and said softly “I’d like that.”

Jess kept on chewing on her cupcake as she watched Mrs. K face the quicksand which was Crystal’s charm. ‘The harder you fight, the faster you sink,’ she thought with a hint of glee.

Mrs. K woke up from a restless sleep. She had disturbing dreams, which she did not recall, but which left her in a state of turmoil. She turned her thoughts to Crystal and Jess. What did Jess mean when she said ‘I’ll let you fuck her’? Was Crystal some sort of sex slave? Did she need Jess’s permission to have sex? Was Jess pulling her leg? Was she talking figuratively?

Her curiosity had grown, amplified by the girls’ coming and going, by their cheerful disposition, by the intimation of new sexual freedoms.

She gradually realized that she can learn more from the inside, that she needed to befriend them, to spend more time with them.

Over the following weeks, she started crashing their chick flick marathons bearing gifts of wine or sangria. She began noticing the little details; the contrast in the color of their skin as they were holding hands, Crystal’s lithe legs and pretty feet, Jess’s round breasts, and excitable nipples.

It was a nice period of rapprochement; Jess and Crystal gradually relaxed in Mrs. K’s presence, and Mrs. K began to enjoy this unexpected sorority.

Mrs. K set down her glass, then put her palms down on the table on either side of it. She leaned forward to scrutinize the wine as if something might have fallen in.

‘Here we go’ thought Jess. She sensed that Mrs. K was ready for “the talk”, and reminded herself to be helpful and compassionate.

One Mississippi, two Mississippi, three Mississippi.

“So how does it work?” asked Mrs. K in a crackly voice.

Jess also set her palms on the table. She tried a few answers in her head and decided on a simple, straightforward approach.

“It’s very similar to sex between a man and a woman. It’s much less different than you think.”

Mrs. K gave Jess a quick look of surprise and curiosity, then lowered her head to think of her next question.

“How can that be, though? A man ... well, there is a penis, he knows what to do with it ... how ... how ... I mean, we’re taught to pleasure our man...”

Jess let her wind down, then reached out and touched Mrs. K’s hand. Her long fingers felt cold.

“When the moment comes you will know what to do” Jess finally said and gave Mrs. K’s hand a gentle squeeze. “In the meantime, I will send you a video to watch”

Mrs. K looked up in surprise. Jess laughed out loud. “You’re getting an education, Mrs. K!”

Jess’s hand slowed down now, drawing wider circles around Crystal’s clit. She was close to coming, and Jess was setting up the grand finale.

“I’ve decided to gift you to Mrs. K,” Jess whispered into the younger girl’s ear. Crystal moaned and tilted her pelvis in her tell-tale way.

“You’ll be her slutty little fuck bunny, won’t you? Sucking on those juicy tits of her, munching on her fat cunt...”

Her last words were lost to Crystal’s drawn-out squeal.

“Yes, baby, that’s it, let it all out”. Like a virtuoso player, Jess’s fingers teased out every ripple from Crystal’s orgasm. She rode all the crests, rising to the sweet pain, gliding down with the exquisite pleasure, over and over.

When the shaking subsided, Crystal snuggled up to Jess cat-like, reached out to kiss her lips, then murmured against the corner of her mouth “I’d like that. I want to be seduced by her, I’d like her to do things to me, to make me do things to her...”

Her voice trailed off into sleep. Jess soaked up the younger girl’s afterglow.

‘Yes, Mrs. K should seduce Crystal. I’m going to help Mrs. K seduce Crystal, claim her, fuck her.’

“Did you watch it?”

Mrs. K tried to hold Jess’s gaze but was unable.

“And? Did you like it?”

Mrs. K went to the window and looked out without answering. Jess followed her.

“I thought the girl looked very similar to Crystal,” Jess whispered from much closer than appropriate. “And the older women kinda looked like you, but I think your breasts and your legs are much nicer.”

Mrs. K felt her cheeks burning.

“Should I send you another?”

The sun emerged from the clouds, bathing Mrs. K’s profile in a honey-colored light. Suddenly she looked much younger, pure, precious. At that moment, Jess felt crass, and her pursuit felt out of place. She turned around to leave the room quietly. As she was stepping into the hallway she heard Mrs. K’s shaky voice “Please.”

“Okay,” Jess replied, probably too softly for Mrs. K to hear.

“Yes, I did” Jess emphasized with glee. It was their ‘date night’, just the two of them on two ends of a telephone call. Each sipping the alcohol of their choice and catching up on the week’s events.

“And she asked for another one. I couldn’t find the same woman, but I found one with the black girl in a threesome”. Matt did not seem convinced.

“Yes, I’m sure she watched the first one, she told me so”

...

“No, I asked her”

...

“No, but from the way she blushed it was quite clear...”

...

“I know you don’t believe me, but I’m going to get them hooked up by the time you return”

...

“You’re on...”

...

“Oh, I’ll make a video and send it to you, for sure...”

...

“Haha, well, we’ll see...”

...

“Are you getting turned on? Are you hard Matty?” Jess’s voice slid into Mrs. K’s register. “Does it excite you to see mommy fuck lil’ innocent Crystal?”

Jess paused, listening intently for a while. Then she resumed her best Mrs. K impersonation.

“Yes, Matty, touch yourself like that ... Think of Crystal eating mommy’s pussy ... Does it make you horny, baby?”

Not able to continue any longer, Jess cracked up laughing.

“I bet you enjoyed that,” she said in her voice, then smiled at Matt’s weak denials.

“You’d better take your vitamins, babe. Crystal and I are REALLY looking forward to your return.”

“Hey, Mrs. K, tonight is movie night.” Jess’s head tilted to one side, and the glass she held tilted the opposite way.

Mrs. K looked at Jess’s glass with alarm and responded distractedly “Movie night?”

“Yes.” The dark red wine swirled dangerously within the confines of the goblet.

Mrs. K noticed Jess’s new nail polish, a sparkly pink which harmonized well with the color of the wine and made her hand look elegant.

“And it’s a good time to make your move,” Jess added.

“My move.” Mrs. K refocused on Jess’s face, trying to understand her message.

“Crystal is waiting,” pleaded Jess patiently, as if talking to a young child. For added emphasis, she raised her eyebrows.

Comprehension washed over Mrs. K and left her cotton-mouthed. She waited until the murmur of her heart faded, then looked up. Jess’s eyebrows were still raised.

“Jess, I can’t do it...” Mrs. K lamented. “I ... it’s one thing to watch those videos, but...”

“She wants you to, Mrs. K. I spoke to her, she’s ready for you.” Jess realized her tone may be too intense, so she tried a different approach.

“You don’t have to do anything you don’t want. Just explore a bit, see where it leads,” she said trying to sound reasonable.

Mrs. K looked frozen. “We’ll see”, she said and sat down.

On movie nights, the girls usually had the sofa, where they spread out and invariably ended up in an entanglement of limbs. Mrs. K had the love seat all to herself. From there she had a good view of both the screen and the girls.

That night, as Mrs. K entered the room with a tray of glasses and wine, the girls were already on the sofa, looking at her with shiny eyes.

“This may be a scary movie,” said Jess, “maybe you should join us on the sofa...”

Mrs. K hesitated, frozen in the middle of the room, still holding the tray. She knew Jess was setting her up.

Crystal slid close to Jess and patted the place next to her. Mrs. K sat down the tray, then daintily sat close to Crystal. She moved cautiously, as if in the presence of a poisonous creature.

Crystal smiled encouragingly.

‘Dangerous,’ thought Mrs. K.

“I think we all need some wine.” Jess reached over for the bottle and poured everyone a generous glass. Mrs. K claimed hers and inhaled the heady aroma to drown out the voices in her head.

‘You have no business drinking with these two women,’ they whispered.

She pulled the glass close to her chest and felt relieved when the movie started.

It didn’t take long for Crystal to start wiggling around, as she usually did. Soon she leaned against Mrs. K, then stretched sideways, with her legs across Jess’s lap and her head in Mrs. K’s lap.

“Is this OK?” she asked in a sweet voice, then turned towards the screen leaving Mrs. K’s nod unacknowledged.

‘She could be your daughter,’ said one voice.

‘Touch her hair,’ said another.

Crystal’s short hair fascinated Mrs. K, and on impulse she allowed her hands to make contact. It was rough and springy, and it pushed back against her hand like a live creature. Mrs. K’s fingertips proceeded to explore it, first by sliding on its surface, then burrowing in search of Crystal’s warm scalp. She felt the girl relax in her lap, surrender to the touch. Mrs. K’s left hand strayed, counted the vertebrae as it slid slowly along the back of Crystal’s brown neck. Her skin was warm and dry, and Mrs. K felt the desire to skim it with her lips. It was a new feeling for her, a primal vibration channeled to her by the young girl’s magic body.

‘I think I drank too much’ she thought and looked up at Jess.

Jess’s eyes burned like green fire against the pale skin of her face. Her hand was tracing slow baroque patterns up and down Crystal’s legs. She said something, but Mrs. K didn’t understand.

‘Did she say “touch her tits”?’ she wondered.

Crystal stirred and turned effortlessly like a feline. Mrs. K could now see the outline of her breasts pushing against the fabric of her t-shirt, nipples rising prominently.

Embarrassed for looking, Mrs. K turned again towards Jess, who was smiling lecherously and nodding in encouragement. Mrs. K made a face to put Jess on notice that she can’t be bullied into touching Crystal’s tits, and if she’ll ever feel the need, she will do it at her own damn leisure.

Returning her attention to Crystal, Mrs. K slid her left hand forward, the middle finger leading the exploration of the small divot above the girl’s sternum. Once thoroughly mapped, the fingers spread out to explore the boundaries of the t-shirt. The skin felt alive in a way no other skin had felt before. Through her fingertips, Mrs. K felt connected to Crystal’s inner sun. Its indomitable energy stated a sympathetic quickening, a forgotten swelling, a youthful exuberance. Her slender fingers glowed white against the brown skin.

Crystal turned her face towards Mrs. K and their eyes met.

‘She is so beautiful,’ Mrs. K thought. The white of her eyes formed the perfect almond shape and her dark lips were moist, slightly parted in anticipation. Mrs. K’s fingers found easy access and tentatively slipped under the t-shirt. Crystal’s chest rose imperceptibly to welcome the move. Ever so slowly, Mrs. K’s fingers started a complicated dance under the cover of the t-shirt. Its apotheosis was not hard to divine, and both women seemed content with the slow buildup.

Jess’s gaze followed the movement of Mrs. K’s hand under the fabric. As if wanting to meet the older woman’s hand, her hand glided slowly up along Crystal’s legs. Past the knee, along the thigh, feathery touches with a clear destination.

Eventually, Mrs. K looked at Jess, whose face was lit by lust, and realized how far along they were, that there was no more plausible deniability to claim. They were having sex.

Jess, while holding Mrs. K’s gaze, slid her arm forward, and Mrs. K felt Crystal shudder. ‘She’s touching her pussy,’ she thought with amazement, trying not to break the gaze.

“Pinch her nipple,” came Jess’s hoarse command.

Mrs. K’s fingers were glad to be told what to do. They found the nipple ready. Gently but firmly they pulled on it straight up, elongating it in a way often practiced on her own tits. Crystal moaned and arched her back. Mrs. K felt proud and scared, and excited, all at the same time.

When she looked at Jess again, Crystal’s shorts were gone. The young girl’s legs were spread out, her bald pussy offering itself to Jess’s possessive hand. Crystal’s labia were pink and swollen, rubbery under Jess’s thumb.

Mrs. K was riveted. She could not take her eyes off the digits that were inducing ripples in Crystal’s body.

“Touch her,” ordered Jess.

Mrs. K did not move. Perhaps she did not hear.

“Touch her,” Jess repeated, and Mrs. K looked at her with an overwhelmed expression. She reached out a fumbling hand and set it on Crystal’s stomach, then slid it down slowly, tentatively. As she approached, she could feel the heat emanating from the girl’s pussy. She inched forward, then suddenly she found the slick flower of her flesh that pulled her fingers in like quicksand. Crystal moaned, and Mrs. K became aware of the smell of her arousal. It was earthy, with bitter notes; a strange mix of irresistible and unpleasant.

Maybe it was the smell, maybe the surprise of touching Jess’s fingers inside the younger girl that spooked Mrs. K. Abruptly, she wiggled out from underneath Crystal, and without saying a word left the room.

There was a moment of stunned stillness. Crystal had slid half off the sofa, her eyes closed and face expressionless. Jess, frozen in place, listened intently to Mrs. K’s steps as she walked up the stairs. When she heard the bedroom door close, she slumped back, closed her eyes, and whispered a soft “Fuck.”

For a few seconds, the house fell quiet. Crystal’s breathing had calmed down, she appeared to be asleep.

“No,” declared Jess, “We’re not doing this!”

She pushed Crystal’s legs off her lap and sat up. “Come,” she said, and without waiting for the younger girl she headed upstairs.

The water in the shower was hot, almost too hot to bear, just like Mrs. K liked it. Her hands, under control again, were massaging her scalp slowly even though the shampoo had washed away long ago. Her thoughts were starting to organize again. She knew she had lost control, and it was a feeling she disliked. She got scared and she ran. Or rather she acted as the responsible adult and stopped that ... that ... activity.

‘No, I did not run scared,’ she argued with the voices in her head. ‘I chose to extricate myself from that unhealthy situation.’

‘Yes, it felt exciting at that moment. Yes, touching Crystal’s pussy had been such a rush. But I was right to leave. Any responsible parent would have done that. Crystal could be my daughter, after all. Jess was my daughter in law! What would Matt think?’