Chapter 4

The hostess showed them to a table with U-shaped bench seating. Andy slid into the middle, flanked by Angie on one side and Grace on the other. They were all in good spirits. They had had a good day, including a long, satisfying run. They had arrived at the restaurant early enough that the Saturday night crush was not yet in full swing. They continued their happy chatter as they perused their menus.

The waitress arrived, collected beverage orders, and withdrew. Angie firmly nudged Andy and he slid around toward his mother. Grace was shocked to see Angie's hand in Andy's crotch. And then she realized that she could not see Angie's fingers -- they were inside Andy's open zipper.

Grace yanked her wallet from her purse and withdrew some money. "Let's go!" she snapped as she slid out from behind the table and stood. She marched over to the waitress and, after a brief exchange, she pressed money into the waitress' hand. Without looking back, she headed directly for the exit.

The twins were utterly mortified, Angie -- the true culprit -- more so than her reluctant brother. As soon as they recovered their wits, they scrambled to catch up with their mother. They found her in the car, buckling her seat belt, the engine already running. As soon as the twins closed their car doors, Grace backed out of the parking space and began to drive.

The twins were stunned into silence. Grace said nothing, her eyes on the road all the way home. Without a word, Grace stepped out of the car, unlocked the entry door, and made a beeline for her bedroom. The twins made it into the kitchen but then did not know where to go or what to do.

They soon heard the unmistakable sound of their mother sobbing, gasping for breath and choking. After a moment of indecision, Angie grabbed Andy's hand and dragged him toward the sound. They found their mother curled up on her bed, bawling her heart out. Angie knelt beside the bed and began trying to soothe her mother. Andy, ill at ease with physical contact with his mother, sat at the end of the bed.

There was little else the twins could do than to maintain their vigil. Angie cooed her love, her shame, her remorse. It took a long time for the crying to trail off. Even then, Grace remained motionless, eyes closed, heedless of her shed tears. Finally, she opened her eyes and engaged with Angie's gaze. After a moment, she patted the bed beside her and opened her arm, inviting a hug. As Angie moved to join her mother, Grace rolled onto her back and, with her arm, invited Andy to join her on the other side. Angie immediately snuggled up but Andy was chary. Grace wrapped her arm around him and pulled him close. When Andy was sure he hadn't encountered any private parts, he relaxed. The three lay there in silence for some time.

"They will put me in prison," was all Grace said. She let that hang in the air.

When she realized that no more was forthcoming from her mother, Angie said softly, "I'm so sorry, Mom."

Grace hugged Angie to her and, as an afterthought, did the same with Andy. She felt him tense up before relaxing again. There was another long silence. "I know that your 'I'm sorry' is heartfelt, Angie, however lame. You two have no conception of the fury that would be unleashed if we were discovered. It wouldn't matter that I was not a participant. It would be enough that I condone what I know that you two do with each other. That would be enough for me to lose you, to lose custody and any visitation rights until well after you were eighteen. If it was discovered that I was a participant, they would put me in prison."

Angie started to respond. Grace hugged her back into silence. They remained there, wordlessly, for so long that both twins began to become uncomfortable. "Andy," she finally said softly, "I realize what it means that you and your sister share everything. What I have done in secret is not secret at all. I am ashamed, Andy. I'm not ashamed of what I have done. I'm ashamed that I could not be open and honest about it with you, as Angie has. I'm ashamed that I have denied to you that which I have shared with Angie. I'm ashamed that the kisses and caresses that have become natural with Angie are seldom shared between you and me."

She hugged them again to extend their silence. "Not all that you have done remains secret. I know that Angie has not been as forthright with me as she is with you, and there are doubtless things that I don't know." She chuckled. "With what she has shared with me, I shudder to think of what she may have withheld. Her hymen is still intact. I'm not sure how long that will remain the case."

Again she hugged them to her, wordlessly appealing for continued silence. Again she was quiet, gathering her thoughts, steeling her courage. "What Angie and I have done is abhorrent to most people. Word of it to the public would damage us all. If it were you, Andy, instead of Angie, and word got out, then I would be arrested, tried and convicted in the media, tried and convicted in the courts and sent to prison."

She let her words sink in. "I don't know what to do," she finally said before she let the silence stretch out. "I admit that Angie is right: there will be no new man in my life for a long time, if ever. I admit that I am no longer able to smother my libido. I no longer want to smother my libido. When I think about being with Angie, I become aroused and excited. When I think about being with you, Andy, I panic.

"Angie insists that goes on within these walls can remain within these walls. What you two did tonight gives lie to that claim. But what you do in public is largely out of my control. I know all about raging hormones. Sooner or later, your hormones will overwhelm your judgment. We will all do our best. We will all deal with the consequences when they arise.

"Saving only cannibalism, incest is the most deeply rooted of all taboos. When Angie and I had that talk, I told her I can't do what she wants. I didn't say I won't, I said I can't. I guess I have bought into Angie's definition of incest, or at least part of it. I don't think of being with Angie as being incest because no baby will result. Still, incest is a charged word. It would certainly be called statutory rape, because Angie hasn't reached the age of consent. Statutory rape is not the same as incest, but a mother having sex with her underage daughter would absolutely be called incest. I am willing to take the risk, although the consequences would be terrible.

"Angie might even be right that the baby is the incest, and not the act. That isn't the way I was taught. I'm not sure it would be worse to be accused of being an axe murderer than to be accused of incest. The deepest part of who I am would never let me rob a bank, would never let me kill..." She took more time. After a sigh, she continued, "So now I'm caught between the devil and the deep blue sea. I can't go back. I can't go ahead. I don't know what to do."

She kissed first Angie's forehead and then Andy's as she hugged them both. "I love you two more than life itself. I am proud that you display maturity far beyond your years. I believe that none of us would willingly, intentionally, hurt either of the other two of us. I know we will work this out, but I have no idea how. I forgive you for your mistake tonight."

Grace held the twins close to her. The silence stretched on and on. Finally, Angie softly asked, "Can I have a turn now?"

Grace chuckled. "Sure."

Angie sighed. "It's going to take a while for me to get this all out. I hope you'll save your comments until the end." She gathered her thoughts for a time and sighed again.

"Mom, by the way you've acted and with what you've said, I think you love being with me as much as I love being with you. I want to do it again and again, and I think you do, too. I love the way you kiss. I love giving or getting kisses and nips and licks all over my body. I love giving or getting breasts caressed and nipples licked and nipped and sucked. I love giving or getting caresses all over the body. I love the way your pussy tastes. I love the way you love my pussy. I love the feel of my fingers deep inside you and I can hardly wait to feel you inside me. I love the way you made our asses fair game. I was so surprised when you began that, but it felt soooo good.

"You're right, Mom, Andy and I share everything. Andy knows about all of the antics I've pulled on you. Andy knows that you know what he does with your panties. Andy knows all about everything we've done. Andy knows you watched me blow him the day you caught us nude, and saw me do it again the night we shaved each other. Andy hopes that you seeing that is a good thing, something that gives you pleasure. Andy is happy that I have been able to give you pleasure. Andy isn't jealous at all. Andy wants what's best for you. He hopes you'll relax and open up but he is in no hurry to try to make that go too fast. Andy is glad that I have had the courage to try to help you.

"Andy treats you like a porcelain doll, Mom. He's afraid to touch you for fear you'll lash out at him. He's afraid to let you see his tented pants, the undeniable evidence that he wants you as a woman. He's afraid he'll do something that will ruin all of the progress that you and I have made.

"Andy wants to share what we have together, Mom, but he'll wait for as long as it takes. If it never happens, he won't be heartbroken. He's not in a rush to take my cherry. He wouldn't put a stop to what you and I have for all the money in the world."

Angie sighed again and paused to collect her thoughts. "I don't want to damage the relationship that you and I are building, either. I'm going out on a limb here, and I hope you remember that I have the very best intentions." She paused. "Remember the talk we had about driving, and drinking, and voting, and fucking? We don't have a lot of experience together yet, Mom, but I love what you do with me, what you do to me. I trust you completely. I get the feeling that you trust me, too. I think you'll let me do anything for you except fill your womb with sperm."

Grace gasped.

"Pussies have gender," Angie continued. "Nipples have gender. Tongues and lips don't really have gender. Fingers really don't have gender. You said that thinking of being with me makes you aroused and excited. You said that you're ashamed that you deny Andy the pleasure you share with me. You said you won't go back, you won't stuff your libido back in a bottle. You said you want to be with me. You as much as said you want to be with Andy, but you're afraid. I can't fill your womb with sperm because of a ROLE. Andy can't fill your womb with sperm because of a RULE. Andy isn't going to stick his pole inside your hole until you ask him to. There! We're the same again. If oral sex with me isn't incest in your book, then oral sex with Andy isn't incest, either."

Grace was crying softly. Angie coaxed her mother to turn toward her and then wrapped her in an embrace, kissing her tears away. Andy had been left some distance behind Grace. Without taking her gaze away from her mother's face, Angie motioned for Andy to scoot toward them. He did, bringing his chest against his mother's back, but maintaining a distance between his crotch and her bottom.

Grace chuckled through her tears and reached back, swatting Andy just firmly enough to make her point. Andy obligingly moved forward, nesting her butt firmly against his rigid cock. "I think Angie might be right," Grace whispered over her shoulder with a smile. "Just because I can't have it inside me doesn't mean I can't enjoy the feel of it." She found Andy's hand and guided it onto her side, above her hip.

Angie began to kiss her mother on the lips. After a few kisses, Grace shook her head. Angie withdrew her face a bit. The two lay still, each visually taking in the other. After a while, Angie softly said, "I truly am sorry for being stupid in the restaurant. I will never do anything like that again. I know we scared you terribly. I know we had a good talk and you might need some time to think. I don't want to overwhelm you, but I don't want to leave you all by yourself if you don't want that. One or both of us will stay here and just cuddle you for as long as you want. We'll do anything you want. Just tell us."

On Friday night, Angie put down her book and headed out of the family room, collecting a loving kiss on the way by. A few moments later, she poked her head back into the room, a kitchen chair in her hands. "It's time," she giggled.

It took a moment for Grace to understand what it was time for. Angie stood waiting while Grace overcame her trepidation and began to get up from her chair. When Angie was sure her mother would follow, she turned and headed to the bathroom.

Grace stepped into the room to find a nude Angie organizing her equipment and supplies. The tap ran in the sink until Angie was satisfied with the temperature. She set the stopper, letting the bowl fill. In addition to the shaving cream, razor and baby lotion were two pair of scissors, one of which were nail scissors with curved blades, and a wastebasket on the floor under the chair.

After turning off the tap, Angie coaxed her mother toward the counter next to the sink. "You saw how it was done, Mom. Sit up there, put one foot on the back of the chair and one foot on the far edge of the sink." Grace made to climb onto the counter with her nightshirt on. Angie simply shook her head disapprovingly while smiling. Thwarted, Grace shucked her nightshirt and moved herself into position. It was a new experience for Grace and it took a bit for her to find a comfortable posture.

Angie lovingly caressed her mother's cheek. "Good job, Mom. This first time won't be all that quick. I have to trim before the shaving can begin." Grace nodded understanding, disquiet written all over her face. Without another word, Angie sat down and prepared to work.

"Show me again what you want left when we're done," said Angie. The patch indicated by Grace was a wide landing strip. Angie picked up the nail scissors and began to work. Grace was greatly disconcerted at having Angie's hands in her crotch. With effort, she calmed and relaxed herself as she watched Angie do her work. She realized that using the nail scissors was a good idea: the blade tips were curved up and away from her skin. Grace only had to worry that her skin would be caught between the blades. Angie carefully avoided that event.

As Angie worked, she made frequent eye contact with her mother. They talked with each other in subdued voices. Soon there was a strip of very short hair along the top of Grace's bush. Angie cut the hairs along one side before moving to the other. She had Grace hold one leg and then the other while she cut the lowest hairs. That aspect completed, Angie selected the other pair of shears. Two of her fingers glided into the heart of the thatch and pinched hair between them. Angie clipped off all of the hair that stood above her fingers. She repeated the process again and again.

Satisfied with her trimming, Angie soaked the washcloth in the sink. The water was quite hot and steam rose from the washcloth as she wrung it out. She folded it just so and applied it to the entire area of her mother's crotch. Grace flinched until she discovered that the heat was rather pleasant. Angie held the cloth in place with one hand and used the other hand to bring near the next bits of equipment.

"Okay," Angie said cryptically as she shot her hand full of shaving cream. She proceeded to apply the cream to the entire area. Grace briefly wondered why, but decided that the longer hair would not be shaved. "This stuff covers you better than your bikini," Angie chuckled as she worked.

"Well?" Angie asked as she was finishing her task.

"I can't," Andy answered from outside the room as Angie wiped her hands. She immediately stood and stepped to the doorway.

"Hey!" Andy whined as Angie roughly pulled him into the room by his rigid cock.

"Noooo!" wailed Grace, trying to cover her nakedness.

"Stop it, Mom," barked Angie. "You've got your nipples covered. Your crotch is covered in shaving cream, and much of it is going to stay that way. Andy's buck-naked. Get over it!"

"But I thought you were going to shave me?" Grace whined.

Angie giggled. "I've never shaved a pussy, Mom. That's for Andy to do. My specialty is cock and balls."

Andy turned to flee. "Now you stop it!" Angie snarled at her twin brother. He reluctantly turned back to face his sister and his mother. Turning to her mother, she said, "This isn't sex, Mom. Andy's going to give you a shave, just like you wanted it. Now calm down and get back in position."

Grace gazed warily at her two children. Angie and Andy stood motionless. Angie's expression said that she would brook no nonsense. After a long pause, Grace acquiesced, dejectedly shifting her legs back into position.

"I'm sorry, Mom," Andy said softly. "It wasn't my idea."

"Just shut it, Andy," Angie said menacingly. "Focus on your work. You're next."

Grace gasped. After a hesitation, Andy picked up the razor. Without glancing up into his mother's face, he leaned in and began to work. His first strokes were tentative. The hair was longer than he was accustomed to. He and Angie shaved each other several times a week, and the hair was never more than stubble. Soon, he got into a groove. He worked in silence, moving his gaze from his work to the sink as he rinsed the razor and back to his work. He did not raise his eyes to meet his mother's. He certainly did not look at her breasts. As the work progressed, Grace relaxed somewhat. She tired of holding her arm over her breasts, so she moved her hand onto the counter top.

Grace saw the tears begin to stream down Andy's face. She realized that he was deeply ashamed. She noticed that his shame obviously had no effect upon his cock, which stood straight up, releasing a copious amount of fluid. Her heart went out to him. She lovingly stroked his hair as he worked. He looked up at her briefly, pain and love in his eyes, before resuming his work.

"Was it Angie that made you so upset?" she softly asked. There was at first no response. He shook his head but continued working. She looked up and saw that Angie was silently crying also. She opened her arm and Angie joined her in an embrace.

"I'm sorry, Mom," she whispered. "I'm sorry I hurt you and I'm sorry I hurt Andy."

"How have you hurt Andy? With your sharp words?"

Angie shook her head sadly. "I made him part of something that you weren't ready for. I made him promise that he wouldn't do or say anything to you that was more than you were ready for, and then I made him break his promise."

Grace hugged Angie as closely to her as she could, given her awkward position on the counter top. She held her daughter close to her as Angie wept. "Do you remember that you told me you thought that I should have my bush shaved completely off?" Angie nodded, still in Grace's embrace. "Do you remember the reason you gave me for that?" Angie was silent, trying to remember. The memory flooded back to her and she pulled away a little bit, looking into her mother's eyes, surprise and delight on her own face. Grace pulled her into a long, soft and loving kiss.

When the kiss ended, Grace pushed Angie back so that she could see her daughter's face. "I thought you said that I wouldn't lubricate very much on the first shave?" Angie looked confused. "I can feel my juice flowing out of me," she smiled. "It feels like a river. Do you mean that, next time, I'll flow even more?" Angie giggled through her tears. Even Andy looked up to investigate. "Do you think it's too late tonight for me to change my mind about the way my beaver pelt is styled?" The phrase made Angie giggle even more, her tears now ending. She shook her head with glee. "It looks like you two each have a specialty. Don't you have to use scissors before Andy uses the razor?" Angie nodded emphatically. "Then you'd better trade places with your twin."

An elated Angie skittered around the chair and all but yanked Andy out of the way. He tossed the razor into the sink and yielded the chair. She snatched up the scissors, scraped away the shaving cream and got to work. "Easy there, Angel," chuckled Grace. "Would you kindly cut only the hair?" Angie giggled and nodded. She didn't even look up from her work.