Chapter 3

The afternoon was spent watching her parading in all her new outfits, it really was nice just to see the sheer pleasure on her face. None of the clothes had been expensive but that didn't bother her in the slightest, they were new and they weren't the drab prison garbs that she'd endured for the last four years.

The only clothes I didn't get to see were her new bras and panties although I did get a couple of teasing glimpses as she showed off the shorter skirts she'd bought!

She'd even bought two pairs of shorts and I do mean shorts, they didn't so much fit her, as clung to her and once again I found myself gazing longingly at her beautiful little bottom.

"Wow" was all I could say as I watched her cheeks peeking out from either side of a pair of cut off denim shorts, "I've got to say this mum, you really have got a gorgeous little bum!"

"Yes, that's what - - - -, oh never mind"

I don't know where the bravery came from, but I said quietly.

"You can tell me mum, did you have a friend in there?"

She blushed furiously for a moment, but smiled as well.

"Everyone did darling, we'd have gone mad without someone to hold onto at night"

"Was she nice?"

"Beautiful Tommy" she seemed very wistful, "Her name's Jill, you'd like her"

"If you like her then yes, I know I would too mum"

"We promised to keep in touch"

"And will you?"

She shook her head, "I don't know darling, it's all so different once you're out, it seems, I don't know, seedy, yes that's the word, seedy"

"Well I think it's bloody sexy" and it broke her mood again.

"Pervert" she laughed and punched me playfully in the ribs.

"Ready for the Barbie yet?" I asked and she did a little dance of delight.

"You bet I am, lead on McDuff"

"Come on then, we need some burgers first from Mr Patel"

The nice old Asian who owned the shop and my flat above it was enchanted with my mother, he knew where she'd been and why she'd been there. The same people who'd found the flat for me were obliged to tell him I was an ex offender and the details of my offence, but all he'd done was to ask me if I intended to steal from him and I answered calmly.

"No sir, I was convicted of manslaughter, not theft"

For a moment or two he looked at me in silence then held out his hand and shook mine solemnly.

"I am trusting you, but you steal and I'll be doing the man slaughtering myself"

That was good enough for me and ever since then he'd been kindness itself to me.

We filled a basket with cans of lager and a bottle of vodka, mum's favourite tipple, a packet of burgers and some bread rolls too and he said.

"You take this as a gift for your lovely lady mother"

She smiled at him and thanked him, then burst out laughing as he said in a stage whisper, "I'll overcharge him the next time he comes in!"

"He's nice isn't he?"

"Yeah, I suppose so, he fancies you though"

"He doesn't, he was just being friendly"

"Mum he could hardly take his eyes off your bum the whole time we were in the shop"

"Well at least one man fancies me, that's something" she laughed.

"Two" I said softly and she turned to look at me.

"What was that?"

"I said two mum" and felt myself blushing again, "I was reminding myself to get two glasses from the kitchen!"

"Hmm" was all she said, but she looked very thoughtful!

She'd settled on wearing a short denim mini skirt, "to get some sun on my legs" as she put it and a light blue sweater and she stood behind me laughing at my attempts to get the barbecue going before disappearing out through the back gate.

"Here you are, this'll do the trick" and she squirted a long stream of lighter gas onto the pathetically smoking charcoal

"WHOOSH"

She practically jumped on me as the thing flared up and scared the life out of both of us it only lasted for a second or two but it was long enough for me to inhale the new perfume she wore and just about long enough for her to realise that when we'd grabbed each other, my right hand had gone under her sweater and was holding her naked back.

"You can put me down now Tommy" she said softly and I jumped like a scalded cat when I realised where my hand had been.

"Sorry mum" I grinned sheepishly, "I er, I didn't mean to, you know"

"Don't worry about it" she laughed, "It's been a long time since a man had his arms round me!"

"Yeah me too" I said ruefully, "I'd forgotten how nice women smell"

"Oh you noticed my perfume then?"

"Yes it's nice mum, you smelled lovely" and I turned back to check on the Barbie.

"Is something wrong Tommy?" there was a note of anxiety in her voice

"No, nothing mum" but there was no fooling her, she grabbed an arm just as I was off balance and swung me round.

"Tommy please if there's - - - - -, oh"

What was wrong with me was that brief contact with her and the smell of her perfume in my nostrils had given me an erection!

"Oh Tommy, I'm sorry" but she didn't bloody sound very sorry and I didn't see much regret in her eyes either.

"Did I do that?"

I really wanted the earth to open up under my feet and swallow me.

"Well it certainly wasn't Mr Patel mum, was it?"

"I can't believe that" she giggled.

"Mum, for Christ's sake" and she shut up, or at least she turned away, but her shoulders were shaking and I was damn sure she wasn't crying this time!

By the time she'd turned round again, my embarrassment had solved the problem and there was no longer an obscene bulge in the front of my shorts.

"Aw come on Tommy don't be grumpy with me, I could have got angry as well you know, but I didn't"

I grinned at her and passed her a can

"In fact" and she giggled again, "It's nice to know I can still do that to a man"

"Don't be silly mum, you're very pretty and you know it"

"Pretty, me?"

I looked at her face, she meant it, she really didn't believe that she was pretty.

"Yes you, you're lovely mum, I mean it"

"Flatterer" she laughed, "Come on, let's drink, I've got four years of being sober to make up for"