Christine reluctantly picked up the ringing phone. She was feeling incredibly depressed. She didn't know if it was some kind of mid-life crisis or empty nest syndrome. All she knew was that she felt worthless. Her voice cracked as she answered the phone, "Hello?"

"Mom?" Came a familiar voice over the speaker.

"Michael!" Christine suddenly perked up as she recognized her son. "I'm so glad you called. How have you been? How's the college life treating you?"

"It's going good," Michael answered. "It's a little harder than I thought but nothing I can't handle. Are you all right? You sound like you've been crying."

"It's ... It's nothing," she lied. "Are you getting all you're homework done?"

"Mom, come on. I can tell when you're upset," he said.

Christine sighed, "It's no big deal, Michael. I just ... I guess I'm just a little lonely. With you being away and you're father always off on some business trip..."

"I'm sorry Mom," Michael said. "I miss you too, and I know Dad doesn't like being away from you."

"Well you'd never know it from my end," Christine said. The bitterness was apparent in her voice.

Michael was silent for a moment. Then he chimed in, "Hey Mom, I got an idea. My roommate is leaving for the weekend. Why don't you come down here Friday and stay over the weekend? It'll be like a little vacation."

"Oh Michael, I don't want to inconvenience you," she said. "Don't feel guilty just because I'm having a bad day. It's not your fault."

"It wouldn't be an inconvenience Mom," he said with conviction. "I really do miss you and I don't have any plans. I need the company."

"All right Michael," she relented. "I'll come visit if you really want me to."

"I do Mom," Michael assured her. "I really do."

Michael greeted his mother as she got out of her car. He gave her a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. Christine returned his embrace with fervor. She had truly missed her son and his greeting brought a warm glow to her heart. Michael broke away from his mother and looked at her face. They were wearing identical smiles.

"Its so good to see you again, sweetheart," Christine said.

"Its good to see you too," Michael responded. He looked his mom up and down, "Wow, you really look great Mom. Have you lost weight?"

"No silly," Christine was blushing at her son's compliment. She really had lost a few pounds. Her husband Bob hadn't noticed. In fact Bob didn't seem to notice her at all these days. Having a handsome young man compliment her physique filled Christine with pride, even if it was her own son.

Michael's compliment had been genuine. In fact he had always thought his mother had a great body. She had long sexy legs, a firm round ass and a wonderful set of huge tits. A fantastic body combined with a beautiful face, medium skin and luxurious bronze-colored hair made Christine the object of many men's fantasies. Michael was one of these men. He'd been masturbating to his mother's image since he hit puberty.

Christine was unaware of her son's feelings, but the look he was giving her was stirring feelings of her own. She hadn't realized how much of a man her son had become. He was ruggedly handsome like his father and had a sculpted athletic body. He somehow seemed more mature than when he had left home. For the first time Christine was confronted by her son's manhood.

There was a sudden awkward silence as they regarded each other. Both of them were feeling stirrings of forbidden lust. Neither of them would have admitted it right then. The incest taboo was too strongly ingrained to be defeated that easily. So in true Freudian fashion they suppressed their feelings and continued their normal familial interactions.

Michael led Christine to his small apartment that he shared with his roommate Jeff. Christine had never met Jeff, but she had heard nice things about him. Once she got into the apartment she wasn't that sure about what she had heard. The walls were covered with pictures of naked women.

"My God, Michael," she said in bewilderment. "I hope these belong to your roommate."

Michael was embarrassed, "Sorry Mom, I got the bedroom so Jeff uses the living room which means he has control of the décor. I would have taken them down, but I didn't get a chance to ask Jeff whether it would be okay. Don't worry, you'll be sleeping in my room."

Christine looked around at the meager furnishings. There was one couch, a table and a television set. She frowned as she noticed something conspicuously absent. "Where are you going to sleep Michael? I don't see a bed."

Michael pointed to the couch. "That's where Jeff sleeps when he's here. He says it's okay."

"Michael, I told you I didn't want to come here if it was going to inconvenience you. I think kicking you out of your own bed is an inconvenience." Christine was genuinely upset.

"Oh Mom, it's not an inconvenience. I swear I have no problem sleeping on the couch. Besides I would sleep on a bed of nails to have the pleasure of your company." Michael grinned. It was infectious.

"All right," Christine said with a chuckle. "If you really want me around that badly I'll stay."

Michael helped Christine unpack her bags. Once she was settled in the started talking. They had all the meaningless conversations between a mother and son. When they ran out of topics, they started playing cards. That soon got boring so they ended up sitting on the couch and watching TV in silence.

Michael was really frustrated. He had wanted to show his mom a good time. He felt like he was disappointing her by showing her how boring his life was. Then an idea hit him. "Hey Mom, do you want to go out tonight?"

Christine was intrigued, "What do you mean go out?"

"I mean out to a club. There's this really great one called The Blaze just a few miles from her. I'd love to take you." Michael was really excited.

"Oh honey, I don't know," Christine said. "My clubbing days are long past me. Besides would you really want to be seen at a club with your mother?"

"Ah come on Mom," Michael prodded her. "It'll be fun. If your worried about my reputation, well, we don't have to tell anyone you're my mother. You can just go as my date."

"Do you normally date forty-year-old women?" Christine asked with a touch of humor.

"No," Michael stated as he sat down next to his mother and put her arm around her shoulder. "But I do date beautiful women, and you certainly qualify."

Christine looked away from her son. She was blushing as she said, "Michael you don't have to butter me up. I'll go if you really want me too, but nobody's going to believe your dating an old lady like me."

Michael was a little miffed at his mom for being so negative. "Your not an old lady," he said with conviction.

"I'm twenty years older than you," she objected.

"Yeah," Michael said as he cupped his mother's chin in his hand and turned her head to look at him. "But you look less than ten."

Christine saw the sincerity in her son's eyes. She began to feel those stirrings she had abandoned earlier. Her son's proximity suddenly seemed more intimate. Her heart was beating faster. She swallowed and said, "Okay, I'll go with you."

Christine felt embarrassed as she waited in line outside The Blaze. Despite what Michael had told her, she still felt like an old woman next to all these twenty-somethings. She also felt awkwardly overdressed. All the girls in line were wearing mini-skirts and halter-tops or variations of them. Christine, on the other hand, was wearing a tight black dress that showed off her cleavage.

Michael was having a hard time keeping his eyes above his mother's neck when they spoke. Unlike Christine, Michael thought that she blended in perfectly with the crowd. Sure her dress was a little more formal than the norm, but that only made her stand out. He felt honored that his mother would get all dressed up to go on a date with him. Even if it was only pretend.

When they got up to the door the bouncer held up his hand to stop them. "ID's please," he said in a bored monotone.

Michael readily handed him his driver's license. The bouncer took a cursory glance at it and handed it back to him. Then he held his hand out expectantly toward Christine. Christine was a little shocked. "You really need to see my license?" she asked.

The bouncer sighed, "Everybody whose twenty-five or younger gets carded. That's the rule."

Christine blushed and smiled widely. She searched her bag for her license and then handed it over to the large man. The smile was still plastered on her face as the bouncer looked it over and said, "This isn't your mother's ID is it?"

She emitted a lilting giggle as she told him, "No it's definitely mine." The bouncer frowned but let her through. Christine was elated. That bouncer had seriously mistaken her for a twenty-five-year-old. She leaned over and hugged her son in gratitude for taking her out. She was getting more ego boosts today then in her entire adult life.

"Hey Mike," a voice shouted above the din. It was a tall college boy who had been standing by the bar. He was clutching a beer in one hand and waving with the other, "Mikey, Mikey over here."

Michael led his mother over to the man who was built like a linebacker. "Hi Mitch," Michael said. "This is my ... Christine. Christine this Mitch."

Mitch looked Christine over. A lascivious grin spread across his face as he offered Christine his hand. Christine took it out of politeness but blushed at the obvious expression on his face. "Really nice to meet you, Christine," Mitch said with a slight husk in his voice. "I haven't seen you around before. Do you live off campus?"

"Um, no," said Christine, a little bewildered by the question. "Actually I'm from Michael's hometown. I'm just visiting for the weekend."

"Too bad," said Mitch. "I'd love to show you around sometime. Maybe you could tear yourself away from Mikey here long enough for me to show you around. I know all the hot spots." Mitch wasn't even trying to conceal the fact that he was staring down Christine's dress.

"Actually Mitch," Michael interjected, "we're going to be pretty busy all weekend. Maybe some other time." Michael led his mother away as quickly as possible. "I'm sorry Mom," he said when they were out of earshot. "Mitch can be a real pig sometimes."

"He certainly can," Christine said feigning indignation. In actuality she felt elated by Mitch's behavior. Being the object of such raw unfiltered lust made her feel sexy. It had been a long time since someone made her feel that way. For the first time in years Christine felt young. Her carefree exuberant nature was being released from its long hibernation.

The rest of the night was a blur for Christine. It was filled with laughter, dancing and drinking. Michael introduced her as his date to everyone he knew. Christine was playing along so well she almost forgot the truth. When she danced with Michael she rubbed her body against his and touched him in some very intimate places.

Michael was encouraged by his mother's behavior and responded in kind. Soon they were walking around with their arms around each other's waist. People were telling Michael how lucky he was and Christine was getting dirty looks from all the girls who were jealous of her looks. Christine was euphoric. As they danced the last dance of the evening Christine reached up and kissed her son on the lips.

That brought Christine and Michael to their senses. They were suddenly aware that they were mother and son. They realized that they had taken the game too far. It was time to back off and settle into familiar roles. Neither of them spoke, but they both knew the night was over.

The car ride to Michael's apartment was achingly silent. They both had a thousand things they wanted to say, but neither could muster the courage. Christine felt that she had violated her son. She had taken advantage of his generosity and kindness. Michael felt that he had pushed his mother into her actions. He presumed that she felt some obligation towards him for treating her like a girlfriend instead of a mother.

They reached home without a word and quickly separated. Christine took a shower while Michael prepared the couch for sleep. The hot water sobered Christine up some, but she was still tipsy. When she got out of the shower she found Michael sitting on the couch and watching TV. She debated fro an instant whether to speak to her son or not. She decided that they needed to have a conversation as soon as possible. In her haste she forgot that she was wearing only a towel.

Michael had noticed his mother the instant she opened the bathroom door. He affected not to notice her in hopes that they could sweep this incident under the rug. When he saw Christine coming towards him he was both horrified and titillated. The sight of his mother's damp semi-nude body would have aroused a dead man. Michael shifted position to conceal his boner.

Christine sat down on the couch next to her son. "Michael, we have to talk."

Michael shut off the television and put the remote on the table. He looked at his mother and tried very hard not to let his eyes wander over her magnificent body. He folded his hands in his lap to conceal the hard-on that seemed to be growing by the second. He felt it was going to burst through his jeans.

"Michael," Christine began, "what happened tonight was ... well, it shouldn't have happened. I didn't mean for things to get so carried away. I just ... you made me feel so good, about myself. I didn't know what I was doing. With all the compliments and the alcohol my head was swimming. I love you so much and you made me feel so good. I didn't mean to hurt you."

Michael's head jerked back as if he'd been slapped, "Hurt me?" Michael looked at his mother and realized she was serious. "Mom, you didn't hurt me. In fact, I thought it was the other way around. I thought you kissed me because you felt obligated. Like maybe I had goaded you into it when you really didn't want to."

"How would you have goaded me into it?" Christine asked with genuine surprise.