The medium-sized town I grew up in provided limited job opportunities for youths. Some kids mowed lawns while others worked on farms or helped with their family businesses. The lucky ones from wealthy families didn’t have to worry about finding work. I started as a part-time, unofficial apprentice groundskeeper at the age of ten. Of course, I was a “go-fer” for someone who knew what they were doing and I “went-fer” lots of things.

My desire for seeking employment at an early age came from a goal I had set to save for college. Fortunately, Mom heard from a friend of a possible opening for a minor. A widow with a large mansion was looking for someone to help her full-time groundskeeper. My interview took place in her massive house. Her housekeeper, Rebecca, showed me into Mrs. White’s study. After a short interview, I was immediately hired. It shocked me more than my mom.

From that time on I spent most of my free time helping Frank, the professional who lived in a small cottage on her expansive property. Impressed by his knowledge of plants, I learned all I could while toiling through the manual labor part of the job. We worked well together and as the years rolled by my college fund increased at a moderate pace.

Dad’s business schedule precluded him from being home much of the time, which meant Mom attended my school events and activities. It was for the best anyway as he routinely exhibited a foul mood. I often heard my parents argue at night, when I was in my room studying. He rarely talked to me and more than once I felt I had said or done something to offend him.

The only exception was when he accompanied me to the bank to open an account to hold my earnings. His approving look boosted my confidence as we began the joint account. As we exited the building, he told me he was proud of my thriftiness and would periodically supplement our account with a portion of his bonuses.

During my years of working, Mrs. White routinely invited me in for a cold drink and snacks. Through our conversations, it was clear she was highly educated and intelligent. She helped me with suggestions for assignments that involved writing papers. The next five years flew by as I attended school, worked, and saved money. My life changed when I turned fifteen.

Finishing my math homework one Friday night, I heard my parents engaged in a loud argument. I cracked the door to hear better. Dad was leaving her, claiming he’d had enough and was going to free himself from their stagnant relationship. She cried and repeatedly pleaded with him to tell her what was wrong, but he kept up his rampage about how he couldn’t stand staying here any longer.

Silence for ten minutes, before I heard a thump and a suitcase latch click. Soon after, Dad spoke in a more controlled voice. “My attorneys have already filed for divorce and you should be happy. I’m giving you the house plus a quarter of our savings. It’s bad enough I’ll be saddled with child support. I doubt if he’s even mine.”

Mom screamed, “How dare you! You know you’re the father and how could you have already drawn up papers? How long have you been planning this? Why didn’t you talk to me sooner?”

“Six months or so,” he replied, indignantly. “I was busy at work so I didn’t have time or the desire to talk to you. I already have another place. I’m leaving.”

Mom cried as she whimpered, “What about Jason?”

Dad’s voice elevated and transformed to a harsh, condescending tone. “Why do you think I was so generous to give you the house? I didn’t want the little bastard in the first place. If I don’t ever have to see his ugly face again, it was worth the generous offer I made you.”

Unable to hold back my own tears, I heard Mom’s angry toned reply come to my defense. “You bastard! He’s been nothing but a model son. How dare you talk about him that way. Get out. Now! I don’t want to ever see you again.”

“Fine by me, Bitch!” I heard the door slam before his car raced off. Closing my door, I trudged back to bed and had the worst night of sleep I could remember.

The next morning at breakfast, Mom’s red eyes indicated she had the same night of unrest as I did.

When I was ready to leave, Mom tearfully wept, “Your father’s gone, Jason. He left us last night. He won’t be back.”

“I know, Mom. Your voices were loud enough for me to hear. What did I do to make him so mad? Did he leave you because of me? Would he return if I moved into Mrs. White’s house? She has plenty of extra bedrooms and I think she would let me stay there.”

It was clearly not the right thing to say. Tears rolled down her cheeks as her crying increased in intensity. She pulled me out of my chair, hugging me tightly. She kept rocking and swaying, clinging to me as if I were trying to escape.

“No, honey. You had nothing to do with it. We haven’t been a loving couple for years. Those wild accusations were said to hurt me. You’re not going anywhere. I’ll find a job and we’ll pull through this together. I love you and won’t let anything come between us.”

“Thanks, Mom. It doesn’t seem right that he’s making all the decisions. Why don’t you hire your own attorney? I’m sure you could do a lot better.”

“It’s possible, but I don’t want to drag this out. I’m relieved it’s over. We have enough for us to begin a new life.”

Mom had married straight out of high school and had never been employed. Knowing she didn’t possess any marketable skills, my confidence levels weren’t as high as hers. “I have my college savings. We can use those funds until you find a job,” I offered.

“Your school fund is for your use, not for something like this. I’ll start looking for work on Monday. Let me worry about our future. Now run along and go to your job. Mrs. White will wonder why you’re late.”

After several hours working in the garden, Mrs. White invited me in for lunch. Unable to hide my depressed state, she pried out the previous night’s episode. She looked dismayed and tried her best to console me.

When I was leaving, she remarked, “You and your mother are strong. I have no doubt there will be a positive outcome from your misfortune.”

Before heading home, I decided to stop by the bank. As a surprise to Mom, I was going to withdraw my savings which should be close to six thousand dollars. Even without Dad contributing anything, I had managed to sock away a substantial amount of my earnings.

The surprise was on me. The bank manager informed me Dad had transferred the funds to a different bank a day earlier. My first hard lesson about shared accounts.

Once home, I decided not to tell Mom about my savings being pilfered. That would only upset her more and I hated to see her so depressed. By the time I left for school on Monday, Mom felt better. When I arrived home in the afternoon, Mom was unusually happy. A firm had called her and offered her a position.

Mom was jubilant and excitedly exclaimed, “Can you believe it, Jason? They didn’t seem concerned that I have no training or experience. Someone referred my name to them and they hired me without an interview. I start tomorrow.”

“That’s great, Mom. What company is it?”

“Franklin Investments. It’s not even a long commute. I knew we’d come out of this.”

Overwhelmed with joy, she skipped over and hugged me tightly. She didn’t see my smile, as I knew how her good fortune arrived. I had noticed a plaque from the firm on Mrs. White’s wall. She was involved in helping us. It didn’t surprise me as she was so kind to me.

For the next three years, Mom and I grew closer. Dad had done us a service as our happiness flourished. Mom stayed in shape and could have easily dated anyone she wanted, but preferred to spend all her spare time with me.

She helped me succeed in school and made certain I looked my best when going out on dates. It was a little embarrassing how she grilled every girl I hooked up with, but I didn’t mind. She was still protecting me.

Three months after my eighteenth birthday, I graduated from high school. Mom beamed throughout the ceremony. When we arrived home, she hugged me for a much longer time than normal. Her soft breasts beneath her thin bra felt good pushing into my chest and I made no attempt to back off. Slightly pulling back, she looked me in the eyes and lightly kissed me on the lips. “Congratulations, honey. You’ve made me so proud. I can’t wait until you attend College this fall.”

“Thanks, Mom. I couldn’t have done it without you, though.” She smiled widely. I wanted to lean down and kiss her full, inviting lips, but feared it would ruin the moment.

Knowing she was concerned with my college tuition, I added, “Working through the summer should buff my savings so my expenses shouldn’t be a burden to you.”

“Don’t worry, Jason. We’ll manage. We owe a lot to Mrs. White, maybe more than we know.”

Several days later, Mrs. White invited us for dinner. After our arrival, we were seated and served by Rebecca. The nervousness of the situation was broken by Mom. “Mrs. White, I’d like to thank you for dinner and for providing work for my son for all these years. We appreciate everything you’ve done for us.”

Mrs. White’s smile widened as she replied, “Please, call me Ethel. Your son has been a godsend to me. Frank praises his great work ethic and tells me what a joy he is to work with. I was the lucky one in this case. He’s turned out to be a fine young man.”

“I’m glad he’s been helpful, Ethel. And please, call me Monica.”

Once the ice was broken, they took off and chatted through the rest of the meal. They made plans to dine together again in a few more days.

After a few weeks and several dinners later, Ethel invited me in after a hot day’s work. Sweat poured off me, soaking my clothes. Leading me to one of the bedrooms, she told me to take a shower and leave my clothes outside the door so she could dry them. There was a thick, cotton robe hanging in the bathroom to wear in the meantime.

Clean and dry, I walked out to the living room where Ethel was seated. She directed me to a comfortable chair several feet opposite hers.

We talked for ten minutes while we waited for my clothes to finish when Ethel’s tone turned serious, “Jason, do you know what happens here on those few times each year I don’t allow you to work?”

I knew what she was talking about. She hosted some kind of a three-day gathering. Neither Frank nor I was allowed to work in the yard during the event, affording both of us a mini-vacation. Walking by her house when it was off-limits, I noticed several cars on the property at different times of the day. I suspected she still had business connections and figured it had something to do with one of those companies.

“Nope, not a clue. If I had to guess, I’d say something to do with the firms you’re associated with?”

“It’s a personal pursuit of mine. You should be well aware by now that I’m wealthy. There are certain pet projects I invest in. One of them is improving relationships between mothers and sons. Under the pretense of a contest, I bring five couples closer.”

Fidgeting in my chair, this was getting a little too personal. Did she think Mom and I weren’t getting along? Seeing my conflicted expression, she continued, “Your mother is attractive, isn’t she? Her legs are one of her best attributes. I’ve noticed she wears heels when she comes here for dinner. I’m sure you noticed how it improves the appearance of the backs of her legs. Don’t you shiver with excitement when her soft breasts press into you when you hug?”

Blushing profusely, I wasn’t sure how to respond. How did she know I checked out Mom’s body every chance I could? There was no way I was going to tell her how my prick reacted when Mom hugged me tightly. I croaked, “She is pretty. Our relationship is in a good place and I don’t see any need for improvement.”

She giggled and continued, “When she pulls your body into hers, I bet your senses run rampant. The smell of her shampoo, the soft flesh of her neck next to your face must drive you crazy. And her intoxicating, natural scent. How long can you go before you have to move away from her so she doesn’t notice your stiffness?”

Scarily, she knew me too well. Thinking about Mom, my manhood woke up and threatened to peek out my robe. I shifted to the back of the chair to avoid an embarrassing situation.

Before I could answer, Ethel ordered, “I’m not going to prolong this discussion any longer. Don’t worry, I’m not going to harm you. Open your robe and show me how much of what I said is true.”

“Mrs. White, I can’t believe you want me to expose myself. You’re making me a little uncomfortable.” I was a poor guesser when it came to women’s ages, but I figured she was mid-sixties. She wasn’t unattractive and being a horny teenager, I wouldn’t normally pass up a chance at sex. I hesitated as I was confused at her actions. She always portrayed a business-like ambiance and had never flirted.

She sensed my discomfort and continued, “You’re nervous, I get it. Don’t worry, I’m not interested in having sex with you. Let me disclose a private part of my history to lessen your uneasiness. My second husband and I enjoyed years of happiness before he died ten years ago. Our love knew no bounds and my memories of those days will last forever. We enjoyed a physical connection most couples won’t achieve. His name was John and he was my son.”

That hit me like a ton of bricks. Her son was her husband? How did they keep it hidden from the community and what did this have to do with me? It took a lot of nerve to tell me something so confidential.

Knowing it was a leap of faith when she divulged her forbidden relationship, I decided there wouldn’t be any harm in granting her request. Not fully hard would hopefully disguise the sexual attraction I held for my mother. Untying my robe, I pulled it to the sides and slid forward so she could get a good look.

She grinned as she eyed me. “Thank you, Jason. Any mother would love to play with your manhood. How much bigger does it get?”

Another blush. “I’m not sure. A little, I guess.”

“I bet it does. Think of those long legs of your mom. Those tight hugs. Do you ever imagine her legs wrapped around you while you pound her pussy?”

Jesus, that did it, when she described my favorite fantasy. Unable to stop the blood flowing, my prick proudly rose in its glory.

“Oh, my. What a nice looking cock. Don’t be ashamed of dreaming about your mother sexually. It’s natural to get hard for the person you love most. You do adore and cherish her, don’t you?”

“Of course, I do. She’s protected and cared for me throughout my whole life.”

“Yes, motherly love. I’m thinking more of physical passion. You want nothing more than to fuck your mother. You’re masturbating several times a night wishing her nude body was against yours.”

My prick lurched in agreement. It ached and I needed to get back to the bathroom to console my steel-hard cock.

“Okay, Dear. You’ve shown your interest in your mother. I had to verify your true feelings, before I continued. As I stated earlier, my contests are to bring mothers and sons together, as in fucking. The relationship with my son was so strong that I decided to use my wealth to enlighten others so they can share the same experience.”

Closing my robe, I sighed in relief. Knowing she wasn’t going to make an advance on me made me more at ease with our conversation.

“I didn’t know you had any children,” I stated. “What about your first husband? How did you and your son get involved?” I was doing everything I could think of to shift her away from talking about my own mother.

“My first husband passed away when my son turned twenty. At first, it was consoling hugs before progressing to touching. We found comfort with each other and it wasn’t long before we intimately kissed. Missing his father’s touch, I allowed his hands to explore more than normal during our hugging. It wasn’t long before I allowed him to caress my breasts.”

Pausing to reflect on her memories, she continued, “After weeks of tension, he came into my bedroom one night and I willingly spread my legs for him. We never stopped after that blissful night. We lived as husband and wife until his death. This is what I wish for you, and by the looks of your reaction, you can imagine how special it is to make love to your mother.”

This was mind-blowing. She was going to help me seduce my mom. This was something I hadn’t considered possible. Mom hadn’t been shy to display her affections, but never sexually. My body tingled with excitement, realizing I might fulfill my dream of fucking my mother.

“How do you get mothers to mate with their sons? I can see it’d be easy to convince the sons, but mothers aren’t sex-crazed like teenage boys.”

“Some are tougher than others, but I have methods to achieve my goals. I have access to information that helps me persuade the couples. If you want to pursue this, I’ll explain in detail what to do.”

I could only nod, unable to verbally tell anyone I wanted more than anything to be with my mother. She methodically laid out the steps to initiate the process before I left for home.

Staring at Mom’s glowing face at dinner triggered a daydream of what it’d feel like to be together as lovers. Those appealing, down-curved, full lips were enough to release a flow of blood to my groin. Suddenly, I was shaken out of my fantasy.

“Jason! Eat your dinner before it gets cold,” Mom scolded me.

“Sorry, Mom. I was trying to decide what to do this weekend. Ethel scheduled an event and doesn’t need me to show up. We’re free to do something fun.”

“Really? An event? What kind of business would she have to do on a Saturday?” Mom asked, her brows rising.

“It’s a contest she sponsors. The Grand Prize is an all-inclusive week’s vacation at a secluded estate in Hawaii, so it’s a pretty big deal. Second place is a week in San Diego and third is a week in Vail.”

“Those prizes sound appealing. How can they win?” she inquired, her curiosity piqued.

“It’s a battery of tests on how well mothers and sons know each other,” I stated, flatly, as Ethel had instructed me.

Mom’s eyebrows lifted as her expression turned to puzzlement. “As close as we are, there would be no competition. Too bad I have a work project I need to work on. Most of my weekend will be tied up.”

“It doesn’t matter. The entry fee is two thousand dollars. That’s a lot of money to risk,” I responded.

“Wow, you’re right. It must be a bunch of her rich friends who compete,” Mom surmised.

She couldn’t hide her disappointment at missing out on a fun activity with her son. I added, “I almost forgot to tell you. She invited us to dinner Friday night.”

With my first step in place, I switched topics as we finished eating. It was up to Ethel now.

Friday night finally arrived and we showed up promptly at the mansion. Mom was impeccably dressed again. Her legs had the usual effect on me as Rebecca escorted us to the dining room. Not long into the meal, Mom asked, “Ethel, I hear you’re sponsoring a mother and son contest this weekend. I didn’t realize you held such events.”

“Yes, I am. It’s a fun experience and it’s surprising how many mothers and sons don’t know much about each other. Come to think of it, one of the couples dropped out today. Why don’t you and Jason join us in the morning and see for yourself?”

“Thanks for the offer, but Jason informed me of the entry fee. We couldn’t possibly afford it, and even if we could, I have work to do for the business this weekend.”

Ethel grinned, knowing she was closing in. “I’d waive the fee for you. Consider it a bonus for all the years Jason has helped me. It would please me if you’d attend, at least for the first day.”

Mom’s expression softened. She knew she couldn’t argue with the older, stronger-willed woman. Mom stuttered, “I guess it wouldn’t hurt. My work can be postponed until Sunday, allowing us to participate through Saturday. We wouldn’t be able to complete it with my work on Sunday. If you have another couple to attend, it’d be better to invite them.”

“No, it’ll be fine. Attend tomorrow for the one day. It should be entertaining, if nothing else.”

Mom replied, “Okay, we’ll do it. Do we need to do anything to prepare?”

“No, there’s nothing complicated about the process. Most of it is answering questions. There are also a few physical tests. Allow me to demonstrate.”

Mom’s eyebrows slightly elevated with the mention of bodily contact. Ethel rose from her chair and moved to me. “Close your eyes, Jason.”

As soon as I shut them, her hand guided mine up an arm. It was thin, obviously Ethel’s.

Soon after, she moved my hand to Mom’s firmer, fleshier arm. This wasn’t much of a test. My fingers glided up her arm and Ethel didn’t stop my movement until I was at Mom’s upper arm. Without opening my eyes, I said, “Mom, why are you getting so many goosebumps?”

They both laughed. Ethel moved to her chair and directed, “You can open your eyes. This was a pretty easy test, but it’ll be more challenging when women in the same age group are involved. As you can see, it’s a simple method to determine how much a parent and child know each other. Any more questions?”

Mom looked satisfied and confident it was a harmless contest. “No, it sounds like a fun diversion from my work. We’ll see you tomorrow.”

Mom wanted to walk, rather than drive to the event. The result was us arriving ten minutes late. Rebecca greeted us and explained that everyone was already gathered in the Great Room. The four other pairs stood in a line. The first two couples I didn’t recognize.

The third pair was Mrs. Amari and her son, Kaito. She used to be friends with Mom but hasn’t been over for several years. Kaito and I were classmates but weren’t friends in school. He was a dick, taking after his father. He still lived with his mother after the divorce, because she was in charge of his trust until he turned twenty-one.

Mrs. Amari, Yuri, was the subject of many of my fantasies. She portrayed the stereotyped Japanese beauty. Lightly tanned, silky skin with thin, smooth legs. I doubt if she weighed more than ninety pounds. Her jet-black, short hair matched her deep-brown eyes. Her smallish tits would allow her to go braless but her shyness prevented her from displaying her sexy body.

A nervous chill flowed through my spine when my eyes fell on the fourth couple. My cousin Mike stood by Aunt Lexi. This was bad, very bad. Mom and her older sister were extremely close until Mom and Dad split apart. There was a good reason. My aunt married Dad six months after the divorce. They hadn’t talked since. That’s the same time frame Yuri quit visiting us. Mom didn’t want to be around anyone associated with her sister. It was a shame as the three of them had been good friends.

Turning to see Mom’s reaction, it was obvious she wanted to flee. Fortunately, she stood firm and avoided eye contact with them. I doubt if we’d go far in the competition with Mom so upset.

Ethel entered, announced the rules, and finished with, “You have read the contract and have signed the non-disclosure agreement. All of you know I have plenty of money and you would not want to do anything to upset me. If anyone wants to back out, I’ll refund everything, no questions asked.”

No one uttered a word. “Very well, we’ll begin with a physical test to break the ice.”

She handed everyone a blindfold and told us to face our partner and cover our eyes. “I will move the sons in front of a mother and you will hug for thirty seconds. Each of you will raise a hand, either the right one if you believe they are your mother or son; otherwise, signal with your left.”

She rearranged us and directed, “Okay, begin.”

The first thing I noted was my mask didn’t hide anything. I looked at Ethel and she gave me a thumb’s up. She wanted me to see the other contestants. The first lady I hugged was one of the women I didn’t recognize. She was busty and her soft tits pressed into me felt great. We both raised our left hands.

Yuri was next. Because of her petite size, all the sons would correctly guess her. I was surprised her pelvis matched mine but her head nestled below my chin. It was her long legs making the difference. Of course, we both raised our left arms and moved on.

Aunt Lexi was next. She was a year older than Mom and similar in looks. Her breasts were larger and consequently drooped lower than Mom’s. Hugging her tightly, I moved my hand to her waist and gently pinched a chunk of flesh. She let out a little giggle and did the same to me. When she previously visited us, we greeted each other the same way. She knew who was hugging her as she pulled me in close to her, squashing her full breasts against me. Left arms again.

Mom was next and I couldn’t wait to wrap my arms around her. Her familiar body scent hit me along with the smell of her hair. Fearing she was already rattled from seeing Lexi, I resisted pulling her in close. Right arms raised. We’d hugged enough over the years that she had no problem recognizing me.

Ethel announced everyone had finished and could remove our masks. Looking around, I observed the fifth couple was absent. No one made mention of it as Ethel announced the start of the questions phase. After she escorted us to different rooms to work on the written tests, she prepared the next physical trial.

After everyone was situated, Ethel led me down a long hallway to a room. Once in, I could see one wall was a one-way mirror peering into a bedroom with a large bed in the middle. A chair was positioned next to it. After she told me to sit and wait, she left. Looking around the room, I noticed an array of electronic recording equipment stacked on one wall. Nearby was a workstation with several monitors and video controllers. Looking into the bedroom, I couldn’t identify any camera locations.

Motion in the other room caught my attention. Yuri followed Ethel into the bedroom. I could hear them speaking. I remained silent, unsure if the sound was two-way.

Ethel instructed, “Yuri, position yourself on the bed so your lower leg is next to the chair. I’ll bring in one of the sons and he will touch your calf and identify you as his mother or not. Both of you will be wearing your blindfolds. I’ll be in the next room observing through the window to make sure there is no cheating. Any questions?”

“No, I guess not. How long will he be touching me?” Yuri asked, her voice trembling.

Ethel replied, “He has two minutes to raise one of his arms. After the bell rings, he may continue to touch you. If you become uncomfortable with the situation, raise your hand and I’ll halt the process.”

Yuri was silent as Ethel left and brought in Kaito. He was already wearing his mask and had been briefed on the way. Ethel exited and entered the room where I was seated. She grinned and said, “It’s soundproof in here. Don’t say anything when I click on the microphone to talk to them.”

She hit the button and announced, “Okay, begin.”

Kaito touched his mother’s calf. Within seconds he raised his right arm and removed his hand. Not able to contain myself, I mocked, “What an asshole. His mom is hot. He could have caressed her leg for at least two minutes. I never did like him.”

Ethel snickered, “Yeah, he’s a prick. He doesn’t bother to hide his disgust toward his mother. It took a lot of persuading to invite them. I had to promise him I’d convince Yuri to release his trust funds early. He said as soon as she does he’s moving to his Dad’s place. They deserve each other. Kaito was nice to her last week, to convince her to come. Of course, it helped that I waived the fee for her. She didn’t want to participate, but hoped he might have changed and it would improve their relationship.”

This outcome appeared to be the exact opposite of the program’s intention. “Wasn’t the objective of the program supposed to join mothers and sons, not to separate them?”

“I do what’s best for their relationship, even if it results in ending their current status.”

Before she could leave, I asked, “Ethel, are these video recorders? Are there cameras in the room?”

She replied, “Yes, everything is captured on an SSD. The cameras are hidden well, aren’t they? Using the peripherals enables one to produce a high-quality movie. I don’t do anything with the videos unless I need to review them, in case I missed something. An extra eye is helpful.”

She left to escort the couple out of the room and re-entered with Lexi. After briefing her, she brought in Mike. Once she was back with me, she directed him to proceed. I chuckled, “You know he’s gay, right? Their relationship isn’t going to advance beyond the normal mom and son relationship.”

“Of course, I know. She’s not here to bond with her son. Her invitation was for your mother.”

“My mom? They haven’t been friends for years.”

“I know, but I’m also aware they were competitive when growing up. Your mother will want to remain in the contest to best her older sister. Lexi is an incentive to keep your Mom interested.”

I had to hand it to her. Ethel was a devious old coot.

The fifth couple who suddenly disappeared gnawed at me. “What happened to the missing mother and son?”