Chapter 5: Back to Normalcy

She was embarrassed to be sitting in front of Jenny’s house again. Three sleepless nights had convinced Mary that she needed to talk to someone. The obvious person was Jenny, where this affair with her son had started. Reluctantly, she rang the doorbell and heard the click of Jenny’s heels immediately.

“Come in, come in, good to see you again.”

“I’m sorry to be on your doorstep again.”

“Not at all ... I probably can guess...”

They sat down in the comfortable family room; a bottle of wine and some sandwiches were on the coffee table.

“So, you are wondering how you are going to get back the normal life you had ... right?”

“Oh, god ... is it so obvious? Nothing has actually happened. I am just having sleepless nights. I am now so afraid that we won’t be able to go back to being mom and growing up son. He won’t be home for a week or so, but I am still struggling.”

“Yeah, I understand ... actually, one of the girls is having the problem that hers won’t give her any ... well, alone adult time. And she finds it very troubling.”

“Oh, no ... I guess that’s what I am afraid of.”

“Well, maybe it won’t happen to you. Mine has worked out fine. Both of us were willing to go back to our normal roles.”

“And still have...” Mary paused and looked down at her hands.

“Yes. We still have wonderful sex together. Somehow it seemed to work out that way.”

“But what did you do. How do you get it going like that?”

“Well.” Jenny half smiled and looked at the ceiling as if looking for words. “You know the funny little things boys do ... like going through your panty drawer ... now and then?” She paused and looked expectantly at Mary, not sure what response she would give.

“Yes, I have never talked about it, to anyone, but yes, I know what you mean.” She looked at Jenny expectantly, not understanding the connection.

Jenny waited a little longer, a small smile coming to her lips.

“Well ... I realized that that would be part of the old boy child growing up that he would still like to have ... and furthermore, when I was honest, I rather liked some of those things too. In a strange underworld sort of way. The reason you didn’t tell anyone is, at least to some degree, it was a shared experience that you had together and was too precious to share. For example, I don’t want to presume ... but if you are like me ... you participated by leaving little gifts, or perfuming your underwear with him in mind, being sure to leave freshly worn undies right on top of the hamper, or sometimes even on the lid for him to accidentally find. You don’t have to tell me. But this is my story, so if it gives you a hint about something different that you shared, that’s OK.”

“Or the peeping Tom syndrome? Those little games they play, at least mine did, to get a peek at Mommy getting in the shower naked. Or popping in just at the moment Mommy is getting dressed to go out, and catching her pulling up her panties or pantyhose? I can’t speak for you, but if I am honest, I participated in the timing game, taking a little extra time so if his timing was off, he still wouldn’t be completely shut out of his longing to see Mommy’s panties.”

She paused to see if she was having an effect.

Slowly, Mary’s eyes showed that she understood. She blushed profusely, but she gave a wry smile and sat looking at her friend with thanks and admiration. She reached for her wine glass and Jenny clinked her glass to Mary’s.

“Does any of that ring a bell?”

“Yes.” She looked deep into the light yellow pool of wine in the elegant Chrystal glass. “Yes, it rings a bell. I even am guilty of asking for help folding laundry when I know he will blush as he folds my panties and brassieres. I knew I was teasing him. But it was a warm moment between us ... even such a mundane chore as laundry. And I would find my undies hidden away in the strangest places.”

This made their laughter ring through the house.

“But how did you ... how did you, you know ... get it to happen? I can’t imagine saying to Todd, “listen here is how we’ll play this, honey, you go back to playing with my undies and sneaking peeks at your naked mummy...”

“No, you’re right, that isn’t an idea.” Jenny laughed. “Actually, I don’t know how you would do it. It just happened. I don’t know if it happened and we both said a silent “AHA!” Or what. All I am saying is that if that is what you want, maybe you stay a little more alert for some hint of it; you make some use of the knowledge. When I do his laundry and ship it to school, I sometimes accidentally slip a pair of my underpants in with his. At first I said it was an accident. Then the next time, I told him very confidentially that I did it on purpose, that it made me feel close to him, and that I wanted him to have something that had been close to my body at school to remind him of his mummy.”

“And...”

“We both enjoy those things and we both know that we both like those games and we both think they are sexy.” Jenny said, nodding her head and looking at Mary. “And sometimes ... the game leads to touching ... and, and, and.” She said with a grin.

Mary looked serious and began her own small confession. “Ever since he was little boy, I had him put his hand down my back in the evening and give me a back rub. And it came to him unclasping my brassiere, which took my breath away, but I did nothing to stop him. And that was sexy, nothing but. And he would put suntan oil on my back in the back yard. When he started loosening my bra strap and his hands strayed down to the sides of my breasts, I didn’t stop him doing that either. I just stopped buying one piece swimsuits!’