Mom - The Love of My Life

This is a slow-burn love story between an adult son and his mom, with a long build-up to sex. I didn't want to do an injustice to the characters by rushing things. Still, I've tried to make it as close-knit as possible and tie up all ends of the story. Self-edited, so there are bound to be grammatical mistakes, and I apologize for them.

The story is of course fictional, and any connections to real people are coincidental. I have mixed fact and fiction in many parts of the story. Any depictions of medical or legal procedures should be considered nonsense.

The story includes scenes or descriptions of violence. All characters participating in any sexual relations are over 18.

Enjoy.

***

I wasn't surprised when the call came. I had been waiting for it, but I understood why it took so long for my mother to make the final decision. She wasn't the kind who gave up easily, especially when matters of family, love, and marriage were concerned.

Something serious was going on because I could hear stress mixing with determination in her voice. It was obvious that this time her husband, Harold, had crossed the uncrossable line.

"Hi Jeremy, can you come and get us? We need a place to stay if your offer still stands." She reminded me that I had told her, on several occasions, that they could come and stay with us if they ever needed a place.

"Of course. You're welcome here." I said and heard my sisters sobbing in the background, emphasizing the importance of Mom's request.

"Are the girls okay? Is Harold still there?"

"They are okay, but please come as quickly as you can. He isn't here anymore. He left a few minutes ago."

"Okay, good. I'll leave right away." I didn't waste any time asking more questions.

I was partly relieved Harold had left, but part of me wished he hadn't. I wanted to say a few carefully chosen words to him. Given everything that had happened over the past couple of years and the pain he had caused, I might have been tempted to teach him a lesson, but my priority was to ensure that Mom and the girls were safe from him. I would have the chance to deal with Harold later.

"I'm going to get Mom and the girls... something serious has happened," I told my girlfriend, Mila, before closing the door.

I heard her shouting something after me, but I didn't need or want to hear what. We had been going through a rough patch during the last few months, and I knew her thoughts about Mom coming to stay with us. Mila was well aware of her problems with Harold, and I had told her that if the need ever arose, Mom and the girls could come to live with us until things could be sorted out.

When I got into my car, I sighed. It was clear the next few days or weeks would be rough. I knew Harold wouldn't let things be. Mila, on the other hand, would need to accept the circumstances. She was 26, one year younger than me, and still, she hadn't matured to understand life outside her own needs.

I backed my car off our driveway and pressed the accelerator pedal as close to the engine as possible. The tires complained loudly when I headed for the highway.

I stopped in front of the house and noticed that Harold's car was gone. The front door was open, and Mom had brought a few bags outside. As I walked inside, I saw the girls in the kitchen. Emma comforted her sister Olivia, who had a red mark on her face, like someone had slapped her. They ran to me and started crying.

"Hush... I'm here now. Everything is going to be okay," I said, hugging both girls.

"Jeremy? Is that you?" I heard Mom's worried voice as she came running downstairs. When she saw me with the girls, relief showed on her face.

"Did he?" I asked, looking at Olivia.

She nodded, acknowledging she had waited too long for Harold to change. There was no need to remind her of the discussions we had on the issue. I went to her, and we all hugged.

"Everything is going to be okay," I repeated. "I take the girls to my car, and then the bags. I'll come back later and pick up the rest of your stuff." Mom agreed. The girls took my hands, and we walked to the car. I picked up the few bags before we left.

"I promise I will start looking for a temporary place today," Mom assured me as soon as we were on our way. "I know Mila won't be happy about this."

Over the past couple of years, Mom's and Mila's relationship had deteriorated. That, too, was mostly Harold's fault since Mom and the girls needed my help more often after things with him started to go down the drain. We argued over it with Mila, but I was adamant; I wasn't about to leave Mom and the girls, whom I considered my siblings, in trouble. I hoped that Mom and the woman I wanted to marry would find a way to get along.

"You let me worry about her. Just take your time and we'll find you a good place to live. I have something in my mind already." I looked at her and smiled.

She squeezed my hand. "Thank you, Jeremy."

***

My mother, Pamela, who celebrated her 52nd birthday a few months ago, got together with Harold after my dad died seventeen years ago. Their relationship started mostly out of necessity on my mother's part, but Harold was already in love with Mom when he offered to help us.

The situation my father's death left us in had been hard. He had huge debts, Mom knew nothing about, and we had been practically broke. For years, he managed to keep up the appearance that we were doing alright. I often thought all the lies and secrets finally made his heart give out.

Mom managed to cover some of the debts by selling our house, but we were left with nothing. At the time, she wasn't working, but wanted the stability in my life to continue. May it be that the stability we had was just a sham. Harold offered to take us in, help Mom get things in order, and continue life without the need to start everything over.

Back then, Harold was an upstanding man. They fell in love and eventually got married. Life was happy again. When I left for college, Mom and Harold were living a stable life. Mom started a business and handled clients' accounting from her home office. Dad's troubles with money inspired her to study accounting, and she loved what she did.

However, today's Harold was a different person. Five years ago, another tragedy befell our family. My aunt, my mother's younger sister, and her husband died in a car accident, leaving behind four-year-old twin girls. My mother, as one of their godparents, took them in and later adopted them. I think it was the dividing point in their marriage, leading them to choose different paths. Harold didn't want the girls, but my mother held her ground. It was she from whom I inherited my determination.

As time passed, Harold accepted the girls on some level, but when he got laid off from work two years ago, everything took a turn for the worse. He had never been a man who would turn down a drink, but his work kept him in line, and when that barrier was gone, so was reason not to drink.

When I saw what was happening to Harold, I tried talking to Mom, but at the time, she refused to give up. She felt she owed him for taking us in and supporting us in times of need, and that it was her duty to offer him the same understanding he had offered us. I knew it was of no use to try to change her mind, so I did everything to help her and the girls. Long hours in the docks, evenings in the gym, and helping them took a toll on my relationship with Mila.

"Here we are. Let's go and see your room," I said to Olivia and Emma when I parked my car in front of the house." The ride over had been a quiet one. Everyone was on edge.

Mila was in the living room when we came in and didn't even bother to come to say hello. When Mom greeted her, she barely shifted her gaze from the TV. Her behavior was irritating, but I knew arguing wouldn't make things better. She needed time to adapt.

"Go upstairs with the girls, I'll talk with her," Mom said.

We had two extra rooms, and the girls would take the room next to ours. When they spotted the spacious bed meant for two, I saw the first hint of a smile on their faces. The day had been tough, and I hoped they would never have to endure anything like that again. Mom came soon after, and I offered her the other room.

"No thanks. We can all sleep here, there will be less to clean."

"What did Mila say?" I asked while the girls were arguing who gets to sleep on which side of the bed.

"Not much. I tried to tell her this is just a short-term solution, but you know how things are between us."

"Don't worry about her. She'll come around, I'm sure of it." We hugged for a long time before I left them to unpack.

***

The next day, I drove back to Harold's house after work. I wasn't sure what to expect.

After my father's death, Harold was like a father to me. He had worked as a stevedore for most of his life, and got me a job at the docks when I graduated from college. I was 22, and even when I dreamed of working as a full-time personal trainer in the local gym, the job at the docks was an opportunity I couldn't afford to pass up. Working with him was great until the layoffs. I kept my job by accepting a smaller wage, but Harold refused.

I found him sitting on the porch and saw he had thrown some of Mom's and the girls' things out to the lawn and into the garbage. I had to sit in the car and cool down before I got out and approached him. He was drunk. As I walked up the steps, his gaze followed me, and I saw the resentment in his eyes.

With the amount of liquor he consumed, he had drained everything meaningful from his life down the toilet, and judging by the smell, also all over the yard. Some parts of me felt sorry for him.

"Well, look who it is," he muttered. "Didn't the bitch dare to come herself and face me, see what she made me do?" He swept his hand towards the items scattered on the lawn, as if they were to blame.

I didn't react, just stood there trying to keep my rage in check. "I came to get the rest of the things," I said when I was able to form the words in a calm manner. It was of no use to escalate things any further.

Harold gave a short, bitter laugh. "The rest of the things! Take it all! I don't need them. Take the trash!" He stared at me with narrowed eyes, before continuing, "Your mother... those girls... Do they think they can just leave like that?" There was a malicious tone in his voice.

"Yes, Harold... they already left, and they are never coming back," I said against my better judgment.

"What did you say?" he snapped and rose. I didn't budge. I think he expected me to flinch, and when he saw his act had no effect, he sat back down.

"Why? Because I said a couple of words? They're too fucking sensitive, always have been! Just like your screw-up old man. Should learn to handle things." His words stung deep, and I almost lost my cool.

"Handle things? What the fuck Harold? You hit Olivia! You have treated Mom like shit for years. Is that how a real man handles things?" I made air quotes when talking about a real man, but I don't think he got the message.

"Fuck you, Jeremy..." he started and while listening his insults I understood talking was useless. He needed his distorted thoughts to stay sane. He was behind a wall of drunkenness and self-pity. No words would get through.

I turned away, walked onto the lawn, and started gathering the items he'd thrown out. Clothes, shoes, Emma's My Little Pony collection... Each item felt like a wound in my heart.

When I got back home, Mom and the girls were in the yard playing. I think Mom saw from my demeanor that things hadn't gone well. Emma was happy to get her collection back, but Harold had thrown Olivia's books into the trash after ripping the pages off.

"We'll go buy you new ones, I promise," I tried to comfort her.

When the girls went inside, Mom asked, "How was he?"

"He's drunk, angry, and full of self-pity. I don't think he's able to let go." Mom looked worried and didn't say anything.

"I think you must start the divorce process, Mom. He needs to understand you won't be going back."

"I know. I've already contacted a lawyer. I just hoped --" She stopped in the middle of the sentence, but I corrected her thinking.

"I think there is no hope with Harold. He had time to change. No one needs to live with a person like him, especially not the girls. They deserve better after everything they have already lost. They can't lose you, too."

Mom took my hand as we walked inside.

***

The next two weeks were busy. I agreed with my boss that I would come to work later than usual so I could take Emma and Olivia to school. That meant I had to work late. Since Mom didn't have a car, she borrowed Mila's to pick up the girls. We thought it would be too much if they had to change school after everything, and since there was no knowledge of where they would move, it wouldn't have been a good solution.

Mila was in a bad mood all the time. She felt the girls were disturbing us, and I guess in some way they were, since every morning they came to wake us up when it was time to go to school. Mila used to sleep late, so she wasn't happy.

I tried my best to give my girlfriend the attention she required. I was positive despite her behavior, offered to take her shopping or to dinner, but most of the time, she wasn't in the mood. I even stopped going to the gym, so I could spend more time with her.

We usually had sex almost every night, but now she refused, since Mom and the girls were sleeping in the next room. From that perspective, I was back being single and took care of my needs during the visits in the shower every morning. I knew things would get back to normal after Mom found a place to live.

But after the first week, Mila started spending a lot of time with her friends, but I believed everything was okay between us.

Mom searched for a suitable apartment every day. The only requirement was that it must be located near the school, and she'd have a room to work. It turned out to be a difficult task to find a permanent place. I suggested she move into a house my friend was selling, but before the divorce with Harold would be clear and income stabilized, she didn't want to take out another loan. I think the traumas caused by my father still haunted her in everything related to big money. One evening, we were talking in the kitchen.

"I've been thinking about looking for a place in another city," she started. "It would be good for the girls to get a new start, and I think I need one also."

I didn't like the sound of that since, over the years, the girls had become important to me. I considered them my sisters, and I worried about Mom. I wanted to be near her. Now more than ever.

I think she saw what I was thinking. "You don't approve?"

"It's not for me to decide, I just hope you will stay here, close to us. I want to help you take care of the girls. Besides, I would miss you."

She smiled, taking my hand. "Nothing's ever going to separate us, you know that. We wouldn't be going far, I was thinking Lexington. You could come and visit us and vice versa."

Lexington wasn't that far, but I still didn't like the idea. "I guess so," I said, trying to understand her position. "But there is no hurry, you can stay here as long as you like. Let's not make any rash decisions."

She looked at me questioningly, like asking if I was aware of what was going on under my roof. I knew, and the worst part of it was that the house belonged to Mila's parents, and she had made it clear that this arrangement shouldn't continue for much longer.

"I know, Mom," I said, realizing very well that soon we would need to make a decision or my relationship would fall apart. I didn't want that.

We talked for a long time, going through the things that had happened and what would be ahead of us. I don't think we've ever talked so openly before, and I found it easy to talk with her. She listened, understood, and shared my concerns. The talk we had eased both of us.

That evening, before Mom went to sleep, I asked her if she'd like to go out with me.

"I would like to take you out to relax. I think we both need that. I can get the neighbor to watch the girls, and we could have a good time. What do you say?"

"That sounds wonderful, but do you really want to go out with your old Mom?"

"Come on, it's not like that. A son can take his mother out to relax. There is nothing special about it."

"I know, I was just teasing you," she said, and came to hug me.

"You have a golden heart, Jeremy, and I'm proud you are my son." She gave me a peck.

***

On Sunday, I had an extra shift at work, and as I was leaving, the girls were playing outside, and Mom was reading a book on the sunbed. They all waved goodbye as I drove away. I think Mila was still sleeping upstairs. At least she was there when I went for a shower and my daily masturbation session.

Mila had been out with her friends last night, drinking and she had not come home until early in the morning, smelling alcohol.

I had driven for ten minutes before my phone rang. Mom's name was on the screen, but when I answered, I heard Olivia's scared voice.

"Jeremy... uncle Harold is here," she sobbed. I heard Mom shouting for them to go upstairs. My heart rate shot through the roof, and adrenaline rushed into my body.

"I'm coming. Call the police," I shouted, before the line went dead.

The scumbag must have waited until I left. I turned the car around, almost crashing into another parked car on the street. The minutes it took me to get back to the house were the longest of my life. I saw Harold had driven his car into our lawn, right in front of the door. He was kicking the door and had a hammer in his hand.

I didn't look for a parking space. I was out and running towards Harold before the car came to a stop. I was boiling. If he had done anything to Mom or the girls, I would kill him. Fortunately, he didn't notice me until it was too late.

Without warning, I grabbed him by the hair. I pulled him backward, kicking him in the knee bend. Hard. He fell on his back. I dropped myself violently to his chest with my knees, grabbing him by the throat with one hand and with the other hand his wrist where he held the hammer. Then I squeezed.

His eyes were like saucers as he realized the situation. Saliva dripped from his mouth, and his face turned red as he tried to catch his breath. The hammer fell from his hand, but I didn't let go.

"You piece of shit. Coward. Fucking scumbag... I'm going to kill you," I shouted before I heard Mom's voice.

She had come outside and laid her hand on my shoulder, "Jeremy, let him go. It's over."

When I turned to look, I saw Olivia and Emma at the door, eyes watering, and Mom next to me. Sirens wailed afar. I turned to look at Harold when I eased my grip on his throat. He wasn't in this world. Tears were running down his cheeks, he had turned blue, and even after I had released my grip, he couldn't breathe.

"My pills..." he managed to mumble, holding his chest, pointing to his car. Mom knew what he meant. She went to the car, took his jacket, and searched the pockets. I bent over Harold, not understanding what was happening. Only after Mom came and placed a pill under his tongue did I understand he was having a heart attack.

I was still on top of him, trying to listen to his heartbeat, when the police arrived. They had weapons ready, shouting at me to get to the ground. I complied, and as I lay there, my face against the grass I had just yesterday mowed, I knew I was in trouble. Mom tried to explain the situation to the officers when they placed handcuffs on me, but it didn't help.

I was sitting in the police car when they carried Harold to the ambulance, giving him CPR. The other officer was talking to Mom, and the other was with the girls. Mom explained something in an agitated manner, pointing at Harold. Mila had come downstairs looking pissed. She was inspecting the damage to the door.

When the adrenaline rush started to pass and the reality of the situation hit me, I felt relieved. Mom and the girls were safe. It was the only thing that mattered.

The police released me the same day. They recommended I get a lawyer, since it was possible I would be charged. Harold had recovered, and the first thing he claimed was that I had tried to kill him. He was partly right. I had been ready to take it all the way. The only thing that mattered to me was that he wouldn't ever dare to approach Mom and the girls again.

Mom was waiting for me in front of the station when I got out. We hugged. It felt good to keep her close, knowing she was safe.

"I love you, Jeremy. Thank you," she said, not wanting to let me go.

"Let's go home, Mom."

When we got home, it was Olivia's and Emma's turn to hug me. They had been waiting with Mila. For some reason, I expected my girlfriend to be happy to see me released, but she wasn't. When Mom went to put the girls to bed, Mila said she needed to talk. I knew the conversation would be difficult.

***

I met Mila at the gym where I worked as a part-time personal trainer, around the same time the girls moved in with Harold and Mom. When I saw her for the first time, I fell for her. I guess it can only be described as love at first sight. At least it felt that way at the time. Now, when I think about it, I was more in love with her physical attributes and looks than her personality.

My mom never liked her. Maybe she saw through her from the beginning, but as any good mother would, she supported my decision to move in with her and tried to get along. I don't exactly know why Mila was the way she was, and how come I didn't see that in the beginning? Perhaps it was I who had changed while helping Mom and the girls. Those kinds of things tend to change one's priorities.

Mila was in some ways a selfish young woman, superficial, mainly interested in her well-being and looks. She often blamed Mom for taking too much of my time, burdening us with problems, and never supporting the choices about her life and career. But I loved her.

Mom said Mila was and had always been a spoiled kid, and she was right. Her father supported her lifestyle. It didn't bother me, but because I had to work for my own money, it was sometimes hard for me to understand her choices, and she often got mad when things didn't go the way she wanted.

Mom held in value the kind of people who do everything for their family and loved ones. People who only thought about themselves were like a red flag to her, and she had a hard time understanding their thought patterns.

Now, looking at her across the table and thinking about everything that had happened during the two weeks and how she had behaved, it was hard for me to stay calm.

"This isn't working, Jeremy. I want them out of my house," she started when we sat in the kitchen. Her house? So now this was her house, even though I was the only one paying anything remotely related to living expenses, I thought, but decided this wasn't the right time to jump into that well. "Come on, baby. It's been only two weeks, she's looking for an apartment."

"It's not good enough, not after what happened today. I don't want to live like this, I can't sleep in the mornings, I can't work --"

"Work? You don't --" I started, but stopped when her expression turned angry.

Mila wasn't working, and invoking it in this situation was, in my opinion, low. She wanted to be an influencer on social media, but so far, it wasn't going so well. She had managed to attract a large group of followers on Instagram, but most of them were there only to jerk off at half-naked pictures she posted, and the influencer part was minuscule. That wasn't work.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that." I tried to take my words back, but the damage was done. Her not working was a delicate issue. Still, I wanted her to be happy and supported her ambitions. When she rose to leave, I tried to reason with her once more.

"Baby, please. It's been a hard day for all of us, and I'm sorry I said you don't work, you know I didn't mean it." But she was already on her way to the bedroom. I sat back down and pressed my hands to my face. Fuck, this isn't my day, I thought.

It didn't take more than ten minutes for her to get back down, carrying her bag.

"I'm going to stay at my parents. Call me when things are sorted out." She turned to leave, but stopped at the front door. "And you are paying for this." She pointed out the holes Harold had made with the hammer. "I'm not going to ask Dad to do it." She slammed the door shut.

I had to take a few deep breaths to get myself together. When I turned, I saw Mom on the stairs.

"I'm so sorry, Jeremy. I didn't want this to happen."

"It's okay, Mom. Mila is..." I looked for the right words, but didn't find them. "Well, she's Mila," I said, walking past her, giving a kiss to her cheek. She didn't say anything, just brushed my hand in support.

"Mom, I'm glad you and the girls are okay and that you are here. Everything is going to be okay," I repeated again before going to the bedroom.

I believed in what I said.

***

It was sad to realize that with Mila gone, everyone felt more relaxed. The girls had to take a bus home, but otherwise, things ran like before. No one complained when Emma and Olivia came to wake me up, and it was nice to enjoy breakfast at a table full of chatter. Mom worked from my study and kept the house in order.

When we went grocery shopping, the girls were running around bringing me things they wanted. Mom tried to be the voice of reason, but I had a soft spot for them, so I ended up buying all kinds of things I didn't even know existed. Walking with Mom along the aisles, picking up items from the list we had made, felt... well, normal. No, it felt good. The best thing was to see her and the girls laugh again.

I took Olivia to the bookstore, and we replaced most books Harold destroyed. She was excited going through the shelves and telling me about every book she had ever read. In the evening, Emma was arranging her Pony collection in the living room, and I had the privilege of listening to Olivia read her favorite book, Archibald Finch and the Lost Witches. I admit I didn't quite follow the plot.

When the girls fell asleep on the sofa, we carried them upstairs and got back down to spend some alone time. We were sitting on opposite sides of the sofa, her bare feet on my lap. I was giving her a foot massage after we spent the entire day running with the girls and doing the chores. She had been watching me and Olivia the whole time she read her book.

"The girls adore you."

I raised my gaze, smiling. "I love them, like they were my own. I'd do anything for them."

"I know. That's why they trust you. You are the only person who has never let them down."

"Don't say that. If it wasn't for you, they'd be in some foster family. You have done everything for them."

"Maybe, but I let them down by giving Harold a chance after chance... and Olivia suffered, they both suffered because I didn't do the right thing, even when you told me."

"But now you have made the choice, and it's the right one. Harold is out of our lives for good, and the girls are okay. Don't beat yourself up about it."

"Thank you for everything, Jeremy. I can never make up for this to you."

"You don't owe me anything. I'm happy everything turned out okay. Now let's talk about something else," I said, and slowly, but strongly, slid my fingers along her soles.

"Ooh! That feels so good, I can't remember the last time I had a foot massage."

"I do this to Mila often. It's kind of a for..." I stopped before I said it out loud. We had talked about a lot of things with Mom, but not sex. However, she knew what I was about to say.

"You mean foreplay?" She smiled. "It's okay, you can say it. I know what foreplay is."

I blushed. "I know you do. It's just that you are... my mother and I don't think you want to hear that stuff about your son."

She gave me a scrutinizing look. "You miss her, don't you?"

"Mila?" I pretended I didn't know who she meant.

"Yes, you don't have to avoid talking about her. It's natural. You're a young man, and you have needs," she said, shifting her legs in my lap. "I have needs too, but I'm so used to taking care of them alone that I don't even think about anything else."

I think I froze for a second. Did Mom just admit she's masturbating? I asked myself as the image of her doing it pierced my consciousness. My cheeks felt hot. I almost stumbled over my next words as I tried to get the conversation back on track.

"I guess I miss her, but to be honest, my feelings are mixed right now. Her behavior drains me and... I don't know. I don't want to talk about her. What about you? Don't you miss being with someone?" Just as the words left my lips, I understood how stupid the question was after everything.

"I'm sorry, Mom... I didn't mean it like that."

"No, it's okay," she managed to say just before a sudden moan: "That's the spot, right there. Oh, my god." I was massaging her calf, and it must have felt good.

"What I was saying... yes... This may sound crazy, but I miss a relationship and everything that comes with it. All the intimacy and love with Harold died a long time ago."

"You are really good at this, I can see why Mila likes it. Maybe we could make this a regular thing?" She smiled, watching my hands caress her skin.

I must admit I enjoyed massaging her. "If you want, I'm always available for you," I winked and made her laugh.

"I'm sure when everything is settled and life gets back to normal, you will find love again, Mom. You are a beautiful woman, and many men would do anything to have you."

She looked at me for a long time before answering, "That's the nicest thing I've ever heard, thank you, Jeremy." She crossed her legs, leaned over, and kissed me on the cheek.

We talked long into the night before heading to sleep. The events had changed our relationship more than I had realized. She was still my Mom, but I think it was the evening I began to see her also as a woman.

***

Every day that week, I sent a message or tried calling Mila. She didn't answer any of my calls and replied only with one she found an apartment yet? I didn't even bother to reply. I felt we were growing apart, but why? Because I wanted to help my family? It was so stupid. It told a lot about her.

Three weeks after the incident with Harold, I took Mom to relax at the local jazz and blues bar as promised. Olivia and Emma went to the neighbor's house for the evening, and we promised to pick them up before midnight.

"Okay! Make sure you don't turn into a pumpkin and Uncle Jeremy's car into a carriage before then!" Emma said, and I glanced at Mom, dumbfounded.

"Cinderella story. They've been reading it again," Mom clarified, and I laughed. Emma was a smart girl.

"I promise to make sure this princess is returned just as beautiful," I said, bringing my hand over my heart. Mom was looking good. For the first time in a long time, she had put on her makeup and had even bought a new midi-skirt, revealing her toned legs. The wavy-patterned sleeve blouse with a modest neckline accentuated her breasts.

I felt Mom's gaze on me as she heard what I said, but I was like I didn't notice. I wanted her to know she was beautiful and that my comment was self-evident to everyone but herself.

We took a taxi to make sure my car wouldn't change into a pumpkin at midnight, and because we were planning to enjoy some wine. The bar was buzzing, but I managed to get us a table, and I served us her favorite wine.

We talked about the girls, and she mentioned she had found two suitable apartments about to become available. For some reason, I didn't want to think or talk about her moving out, so I changed the subject.

"Do you ever miss Dad?" I asked, and judging from her expression, my question surprised her.

"Sometimes. But just like your feelings towards Mila, my feelings for your father are still mixed after all these years. The situation he left us..." She took a sip of wine before continuing, "... was tough, but it happened so long ago that I've already dealt with those feelings. Your father made the choices and paid the price."

I understood it had been hard for her. "I know, I've often wondered how you managed to keep everything together. And I admire you for it."

"Without you, I might not have had the strength to get through it all."

"You have always done everything for the family, disregarding your own needs and well-being, Mom. I want that to change. You have the right to feel happy and live your life."

She blushed. "You are sweet, Jeremy, but I have to take care of the girls; they are my priority, just like you were all those years ago."

"You don't need to do it alone. I want to help."

"You have done more than enough already, and even if I would like nothing more than for us to be a family and take care of the girls together, you have your own life to live. I can't take that away."

"You are not taking anything away, Mom. On the contrary, these few weeks, despite all the trouble, have been the best time of my life. I wouldn't trade them for anything."

She reached over the table and took my hand, looking me in the eyes, smiling. We enjoyed the wine, the music, and watched how people danced, had fun, and showed love for each other. All the troubles floated away for the hours we were together.

"You want to dance with me?" I asked as the band started playing love songs. I had two left legs when it came to dancing, but I could manage the slow rhythms.

She shook her head. "You don't have to."

"I want to. Come on, just one dance, beauty," I wooed her playfully, extending my hand.

She laughed and took my hand, "Okay, okay, I give up."

I guided her to the dance floor where the band was playing At Last by Etta James. I loved the piece even though I wasn't a particularly big blues fan. When I wrapped my hand around her waist, she rested her head against my chest, and we swayed slowly in the rhythm of the music.

"Thank you for bringing me here, Jeremy," Mom whispered at one point. "I haven't relaxed like this in a long time."

"Like I said, Mom, I think we both needed this. After everything that has happened, it's easy to forget everyone needs these moments."

"You're right, but you should be sharing this with Mila, not with me."

I leaned backward a bit, and she raised her gaze to see what I was about to say. "I wanted you and me to share this evening, you and the girls are the only constants in my life at the moment, and I want you to stay in my life, always."

We looked at each other for a long time, and I saw a tear in her eye before we did it. I don't think either of us had planned or even thought about it beforehand, but our lips met halfway and we kissed softly. It wasn't some tongue-in-cheek exploration. It was a beautiful moment, our lips just touching for longer than was appropriate for mother and son.

Her lips were soft and moist, the touch gentle and unsure. When our lips parted, we both breathed shallowly. Then we kissed again. I pulled her body against me, and her hand slid into my hair, and we just kissed. It was intimate, so intense. Then she returned her head to my chest, and we danced until the song ended.

Neither of us said a word when she took my hand and we walked to the taxi. We kept holding hands until we were home, our fingers exploring the feeling the other gave. We went to get the girls and exchanged looks and smiles while they chattered, but neither of us said anything related to the kiss. We both knew. It was enough.

Just before she went to her room, she stopped me and said, "Thank you, Jeremy. This was the best night of my life."

On Monday the hell began.

***

I had just parked my car in the dock's parking lot and was walking towards the gate, ready to start work, when I saw them: three hard-nosed union veterans from the old guard, with Harold standing behind them. My pulse rose immediately, and I prepared for confrontation. I walked, keeping my eyes on Harold, but when I slid my access card through the reader, the gate didn't open. I tried again, and still nothing.

"You don't work here anymore," a hoarse, whiskey voice, belonging to Tim, Harold's drinking buddy and one of the worst strike generals in the docks, told me. I didn't react; I didn't even look at him.

"So, you are not only good at beating up children, but also an expert in hiding behind your friend's back." I looked Harold straight in the eyes, but he didn't have the courage to meet my gaze.

"I was right, you are a fucking coward."

"Shut your mouth, boy," Tim tried to intervene, but I ignored him completely.

"You know, Harold. This is all you have left: revenge, hatred, and the inability to take responsibility for your actions. You are not a man; you are a... You are nobody." I turned and walked back to my car.

"See you in court." He shouted after me, but I pretended I didn't hear him.

My thoughts were a mess as I drove back home. I had lost my income, and it was obvious that I would soon be in front of a judge. I had assured Mom and the girls that everything would be okay. But I had lied. The only thing bringing me comfort was that now I was Harold's target, not my loved ones.

First, I was going to drive straight home, but Mom would know something was wrong if I came home too early. Instead, I parked my car a few blocks away. I needed to clear my thoughts and come up with a plan.

I stayed away from home until it was time to come back from work, so she wouldn't suspect anything. The girls came to greet me when I pulled the car into the driveway. Mom was in the kitchen making dinner. I tried to look normal as I gave her a peck on the cheek.

"What's for dinner?"

"Pasta Bolognese. Girls, help me set the table," she instructed Emma and Olivia, who were hurrying around.

I didn't eat much. I tried, but I noticed I was just moving the pasta on the plate: my thoughts were racing a hundred miles away. I think Mom saw that something had happened, but when she asked, I denied everything, making excuses.

When we were cleaning up and the girls had gone upstairs, I started implementing the plan I had thought out before coming home. "I've been thinking about what you said before. About your moving to another city. I think it would be a good idea after all." I tried to look sincere, but Mom saw right through me.

"What has happened? Tell me."

"Nothing. I just had time to think, and thought it would be the safest option."

"What do you mean by the 'safest?' Earlier, you made it very clear you were against it, and now you want it?" Mom's suspicions grew even more when I didn't have an answer and just kept nodding my head. My plan had fallen apart before I even managed to start.

"Jeremy, look me in the eyes," she said as I was trying to avoid her gaze. I turned to look at her.

"Now sit down," she ordered, and pulled out a chair for me.

I sat down, still trying to avoid her gaze. I hoped for a miracle and that she would approve my plan.

"What has happened?" she asked again, taking hold of my hand.

I pondered the right course of action for a moment and then decided to tell the truth. "They fired me today. It was Harold. He was there waiting for me at the gates when I went to work."

Mom's face turned white. "What? How could he get you fired? You've done an impeccable job over there."

"He still has friends there. Tim, Allan, and all the old-guard union men support him. They have a say over who gets to work there. Besides, it was Harold who got me the job."

Mom leaned back and bit her finger while pondering. "Is there anything we can do?"

"I guess I could go to the management and complain, but I'm sure they know what has happened and approve it to avoid problems. Besides, I'm not sure I want to go there after this."

"And that's not all," I continued. "Harold said we would be seeing each other in court soon."

"What? How's that possible? The officer who questioned me after the incident said that, given the information about Harold, he thought it would be unlikely that any prosecutor would take it further."

"I remember it, Mom, but it seems Harold has found a way. I googled it today, and he could proceed with a civil suit even if the prosecutor refuses to charge me."

Mom looked worried. I saw how the stress that had faded from her face during the weeks returned. I took her hand again, interlacing our fingers.

"That's why I think you and the girls should keep your distance from me. I'll find a way to deal with this. I don't want you to get involved."

"Oh, baby," Mom sighed. "I'm not going to let you face this alone. We stand together, always."

When I looked into her eyes, I felt like kissing her again.

***

It took two more weeks before the papers were served to me. One morning, when we were having breakfast, the doorbell rang, and a dry-looking young man was at the door. He handed me an envelope. It turned out Harold hadn't been lying. He had filed a formal complaint with the court, detailing the incident, claiming battery and possible assault. I contacted a lawyer named Raymond through Mom's divorce lawyer, setting up a meeting for the next day.

I went to the meeting alone. I wanted to keep Mom and the girls away from all this, and I said I would handle all things related to Harold from now on. I promised to tell Mom everything, but we wouldn't talk about Harold in front of the girls. When I returned home and read the indictment to Mom, she was shocked.

"But... you were defending us! He was trying to break in and hurt us."

"Doesn't matter to a judge, Mom," I said. "He'll claim injury. Medical bills, lost wages, pain, and suffering. He'll make me the aggressor."

"Lost wages? But he's an unemployed alcoholic, and we have witnesses! Emma and Olivia... and what about his past?"

"His lawyer will argue that's irrelevant to my actions. And the girls... do you really want them in a courtroom, reliving everything?" I rubbed my temples. I felt a headache coming.

"Raymond said my defense would be self-defense in defense of others. But it's not a guarantee. And it's going to cost. A lot."

Mom slumped back to the couch. "I can't believe he's doing this."

I was sitting beside her, looking at my hands. "This is his way of getting revenge for everything."

When I turned to look at her, I saw tears in her eyes. I wrapped my arm around her, and she pressed her head against my chest, just like when we were dancing. I stroked her arm and tried to comfort her.

"These things can take years. I think we should just continue our lives and not think too much. Raymond will handle things and keep me informed. I must start searching for a job, and you need to get the apartment, get your distance from all of this."

She raised her gaze, "We will face this together, Jeremy." And as she brushed my cheek, our lips met again. I placed my hand on her neck, softly pulling her closer. She parted her lips a bit, giving me an opportunity to explore her tongue for the first time. A quiet sigh escaped from both of us. I let my hand slide to the side of her breast. I feared she would pull away, but she let me feel her gently. I felt her hard nipple through the blouse and her shallow breath. Her other hand rested on my thigh, and her fingertips touched almost imperceptibly my hard manhood.

"What is happening to us, Jeremy?" she asked voice lower than a whisper, when we couldn't stop. Just as I was about to say I wanted her, the doorbell rang, tearing us back to reality.

Mom pulled away and rose, straightening her clothes, her face flushed. As I walked past the mirror, I noticed I was as red as a strawberry and my heart was beating rapidly.

"Jeremy," Mom stopped me before I could open the door. She glanced at my crotch, and I noticed that my bulge showed clearly. She smiled shyly, and I tried to hide as best as I could.

"Hi Jeremy," Neil greeted me as I opened the door.

"Did I catch you at a bad time?" Neil Fox was our neighbor. I had forgotten I had asked him to come and talk with me because he had witnessed Harold's attack and behavior. I wanted to ask him if he would be willing to testify on my behalf.

"No, not at all, come in please."

***

Things returned to somewhat normal during the next two weeks. I was going around looking for job opportunities, trying to keep my mind occupied and away from the problems that seemed to gather around me, but it was hard.

If I don't take into account the few times we kissed each other on the lips in the morning, nothing special happened between me and Mom. But the moment on the couch lingered in my mind several times each day. I looked at her in a different light. The moments when she touched me or held my hand sent warm shivers down my spine, and when I rubbed her feet in the evenings, I had to struggle not to get an erection.

I met Mila during the week. I explained the latest events and told her I couldn't continue paying all the expenses from the house. She didn't seem to care, and her mind was elsewhere. As I talked, she kept fiddling with her phone all the time.

"Are you listening to me?" I asked when she didn't answer any of my questions.

"Yeah, Pamela has problems, and you are taking care of them. I get the picture."

"Please, Mila. I'm trying to solve our problems as well. I want you to come back to me." I still missed her on some level. I don't know if it was the lack of sex that drew me to her or what, but I was sure I didn't want everything to end like this.

"You could solve our problems right now if you wanted. Just tell your mother to move out, and we can continue our life."

"I told you. She has found a place and is signing the lease on Friday."

"Good, let me know when they move out, so I can get my house back."

I swallowed my anger. "Why do I get the feeling you have moved on already? Do you even want to live with me anymore? Just say it if you want me to move out too."

"I don't know Jeremy. I feel that I'm not the most important thing in your life, and I don't want to be with a man who treats me like this."

I couldn't believe what she was saying, after everything. I rose to leave, "I'll let you know when they move, and we can finish this conversation then. I still love you, Mila, even if you have moved on."

I left her sipping coffee and scrolling through the pics she had taken while we were talking. As I walked away, I felt I had lost her already. What I didn't know at the time was that I had lost her months ago, and it had nothing to do with Mom and the girls.

***

On Friday morning that same week, two months after I had driven to get Mom and the girls from Harold's house, I was making breakfast for all of us. I wanted to surprise them with pancakes, because it was the day they would sign the lease on their new apartment.

Just as I was turning the final pancake, my phone beeped. I didn't recognize the number, but I knew the name signed in the message, Laura. She had been Mila's friend when we started dating. She used to come to the gym with her, but after she had her first child, her priorities changed, and their relationship broke apart.

I think you need to see this. I'm sorry. The short message read. There was a video attachment.

I had a bad feeling and hesitated before opening the video, but I knew I had to see what it was.

The instant I saw the white ass and the tattoo I knew it was her. My breathing nearly stopped, and I felt paralyzed. I stared at the screen and listened to my fiancée moaning as a big, bare, black cock fucked her hard in a doggy position. Like that wasn't enough, another cock was being stuffed in her mouth. When the camera moved to record her face, I saw how mascara was running down her cheeks as she deepthroated the huge organ.

I dropped the phone when an overwhelming wave of nausea ran over me, and I threw up on the kitchen floor. Then came the tears. I opened my eyes as I felt Mom wrapping her arms around me, asking what had happened. Olivia and Emma were standing at the kitchen door, scared, looking like they were about to cry.

I couldn't say anything, but Mom saw the phone and took it.

"Oh my god," she almost shouted when she saw what was in it.

I don't think I remember anything sensible about the morning. Mom escorted me to the bedroom and took the girls to school. She stayed with me a while, not saying anything, just being there. My mind was a mess. I felt everything had been taken from me in these few weeks: my job, my income, my relationship, my future.

Mom and the girls weren't the only ones without a place to live anymore. I would have to find another place to live. I wallowed in the well of self-pity until late afternoon. It wasn't until I heard Emma and Olivia get back from school and their worried voices as soon as they stepped through the door that I managed to climb out of the well of misery.

"Is Uncle Jeremy still crying?" I heard Emma ask as they were taking their outerwear off.

"He is sleeping. We must give him some time," Mom's voice comforted the girls.

"Did Harold do something to Uncle Jeremy?" Olivia asked. And that was when I noticed I had become the Uncle and the father figure in their lives, and Harold was just Harold. A man who had hurt them.

"Let's not talk about that now," Mom said, and I heard them going into the kitchen. I rose, changed my clothes, and went downstairs. Mom looked at me with a worried expression on her face as I entered the kitchen.

"Jeremy? Are you going somewhere?" she asked when she saw me putting my jacket on.

"Hi girls," I said with an overly cheerful voice and kissed them both. Then I went to Mom, and gave her a bit longer kiss on her lips. "I'll be right back. I need to make a call."

"Okay, baby. Just don't do anything you'll regret later."

"I promise."

I went outside and walked a couple of blocks to the same bench I had sat on when I left the Docks for the last time. I read the message Laura had sent me again and watched the video. This time, I felt disappointed, not angry. I dialed Laura's number.

We talked for a long time, and she told me she had followed Mila's 'career' since their friendship had fallen apart. When she saw what Mila was doing with other men, she felt obligated to inform me. She was sorry she hadn't called earlier.

Laura told me this wasn't Mila's first porn video, but it was the first where they showed her face. Mila had taken the next step in her influencer career and become an OnlyFans model. She had done her first video well before the day that I brought Mom and the girls to live with us. In some way, it was a relief, since I had feared my choices had somehow driven her to do this.

As I walked back to the house, I felt pacified, and I had a clear plan. I think Mom saw from my demeanor that things burdening my mind had eased their grip. In the evening, we sat in the living room watching Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Emma's favorite. I sat beside Mom, and she rested her head against my shoulder as we occasionally laughed at the girls' reactions. She was just there for me, and we were there for each other.

When the girls headed for bed, Mom and I stayed downstairs and talked.

"Would you mind if I move in with you to the new apartment? It would be just temporary --" I started, but Mom interrupted me.

"I didn't sign the lease. We are not going to stay in this city."

I looked at her questioningly when she continued, "We are packing our bags, and we are leaving. Together. All of us." Mom said with a decisive voice. "I want you to come with us. I want you to come with me."

I took a deep breath. She was right. We needed to get out of this city and start anew.

"Okay."

"That's it? Okay?" Mom said with a smile.

"Yes. That's it. I want to go with you. But where?"

Turned out she had planned this for a while, and she had seen the signs that my relationship with Mila had taken a turn onto a track that could only lead to tears. She had experience.

That evening, we didn't go upstairs. Mom curled into my arms, and I held her close all night. We woke up when the girls made noise in the kitchen, and I smelled something burning.

"What's that smell?" I asked when Mom opened her eyes.

"Good morning, baby," she said and kissed me.

Then the smell reached her nose and she jumped up. "The girls. Something is burning."

When we entered the kitchen, there was quite a bit of smoke. Emma held the pan in the sink, and Olivia poured water over it.

"What's going on in here?" Mom asked, taking the pan from Emma. The girls started babbling in one voice about how they wanted to make pancakes for me. I started laughing, and at first Mom looked at me scolding, but then she laughed too. The pancakes were delicious despite the mild smoky flavor, and the breakfast was full of chatter.

Once we had eaten, Mom called the girls to the living room and we had a serious talk. We were sitting on the sofa with Mom, and Emma and Olivia were on the floor, which made me feel like the other parent.

"Girls, we have something important to tell you." Mom started, and both went quiet, waiting for the news.

"Good or bad?" Olivia asked before Mom had time to continue.

"We think it's good, and I hope you like the idea also." Both nodded.

"We have decided that we should move to another city."

The first question surprised me. "Is Uncle Jeremy coming with us?" They asked with one voice. I must admit it almost brought tears to my eyes. Mom squeezed my hand, like saying I told you they adore you.

"Would you like me to come?" I asked.

"Yes." They almost shouted.

"Then I'm definitely coming with you."

"Okay, then we want to move," Emma said, looking at her sister, who was nodding fiercely.

"Don't you want to know where we are moving? You need to understand that you will have to go to a new school."

"We know, Mom, and it's okay as long as we get new friends."

"Oh, I'm sure you will, but for now, before we find a place to settle down, I will teach you. The summer break starts in a month, and we have plenty of time to find a new school." Mom said, and I turned to look at her. She really had planned this.

Last night, we had agreed that I would get a trailer where we could pack our few belongings, and we would head for Lexington. Some of Mom's biggest clients were there, and there were good schools for the girls.

Mom had already mapped out some affordable Airbnb locations where we could stay, and because we both had savings, we could take our time finding a permanent place to live. We hadn't really talked about moving in together once we found a suitable apartment or house, but I think we both wanted the same thing: to live together as a family.

After Mom told the girls to go upstairs and start packing, she walked me to the car.

"I have a good feeling about this, Jeremy," she said as I turned to her, placing my hands on her waist.

"Me too. I'm sure we are making the right move." We gazed at each other for a few seconds, and she slid her hands along my arms, feeling out the moment we were about to share. We both knew we were going to do it again. I leaned toward her, closing my eyes, and our lips met. I wrapped my arms around her as we continued kissing, then she pulled away a bit, but let me hold her.

"Someone might see."

"I don't care, Mom. Let them see." I saw she was battling with her feelings, and my own weren't exactly clear either, but I understood something was changing between us. I had strong feelings for her, but I hadn't yet dared to put them in words.

Her expression was shy. I raised her chin slightly with my fingers, and our eyes met for a short moment before we kissed again. Her lips felt soft, and she tasted sweet, and the shy touches of tongues made the kiss extremely arousing. I let my hands slide to her butt and pulled her against me. She must have felt my swollen cock, since she sighed quietly and rubbed her hips against me, searching for the spot where her mound touched my hardness.

"Oh, Jeremy. We can't keep doing this. You are my son."

"Then why does this feel so right?" I asked breathlessly, but we were interrupted by a car horn from the street, warning children cycling on the road. Mom pulled herself away, but the smile stayed on her face.

"We need to talk about this. Now go and get the trailer. I'll contact Airbnb." I watched as she walked back to the house.

When I pulled the car away from the driveway, myriad thoughts filled my mind. I felt desperate. I was afraid that telling her how she truly made me feel would make us cross a border she wasn't yet ready to cross. I knew we were moving away from a traditional mother-son relationship into the unknown, a forbidden territory. I was eager to explore, but how would I know where she drew the line without breaking it?

I tried to get my thoughts away from Mom and our relationship since I had things to do before we could leave. I needed to pack, which wouldn't take long, since I had little and didn't need much.

I had to call Mila's father and inform him that the house would be left empty. We didn't have any official lease or anything like that, but I wanted to handle this like all things should be handled, honestly. He had offered us the apartment and hadn't asked for much in return. I wouldn't tell her father why I was leaving, but I needed to tell him we weren't together with Mila anymore.

Then I needed to write a letter to her. I couldn't face or talk to her, not yet, but I wanted to let her know I was gone and wouldn't be coming back.

***

Finding the trailer was easy, but renting it for an indefinite period would have been expensive, so I decided to buy one. I justified the purchase by thinking we could use it to transport new furniture to our permanent home, the one I wanted to share with Mom and the girls. For some reason, whenever I imagined living somewhere, they were there with me.

The call to Aaron, Mila's father, made me tense. I parked my car and new trailer next to the park, thinking that my nerves would give me some mercy if I walked while talking to him. He answered almost immediately, and I barely managed to say who was calling when he surprised me.

"Hi Jeremy, I've been meaning to call you, but I haven't found your number."

He sounded relieved that I called. "I'm sorry to hear that. Mila hasn't given it to you?"

"No, we haven't seen her in weeks, and she's not very good at responding to our messages, even when the phone is normally glued to her hand."

That sounded weird. Mila said she'd be staying at their place. "I'm sorry, but I can't help you. I don't know where Mila is, but she's not why I called. I called to inform you that the house will be empty tomorrow. We are leaving today, and I wanted to thank you. I have paid this month's rent to Mila already, and--" At this point, Aaron stopped me.

"Hold on, Jeremy. Take it back a bit. Who are we?"

He didn't know what I was talking about. "Didn't Mila tell you?"

"No. Like I said, I haven't seen her, and we haven't heard from her other than a few messages during the few weeks."

I don't know why, but I was suddenly worried about her. What on earth was going on? I brushed the thought from my mind and gave Aaron the short version of why Mom and the girls came to stay with me. I told him Mila left, saying she was going back home, and the last time I saw her, she was waiting to get back to the house.

"This is the first time I'm hearing about this. Mila hasn't stayed with us." Aaron sounded worried. "I'm sorry to hear about your mother's situation, and I hope everything will work out. I have to ask, what did you say about the rent you have been paying?"

"I said I paid my half of this month's rent to Mila already, and I'm going to take care of this month's running expenses."

Aaron was quiet for a long time. "What are you talking about?"

"The rent we agreed on when we moved in, don't you remember?"

"Yes, quite well. But because Mila kept complaining you didn't have enough money, we agreed about a year ago that you wouldn't pay anything beyond running costs."

I didn't understand, or I didn't want to understand, even when the answer was obvious.

"Jeremy? Are you still there?"

"Yes, I'm sorry... I just... I don't know what to say."

"How much have you paid her monthly?"

"Half of the agreed amount on top of the running expenses."

It was Aaron's turn to be quiet. Then he said, "I will have to think about this, but I'll contact you again soon."

"Okay, whatever suits you best."

"Jeremy?" Aaron's voice tensed a bit. "Can I ask you why you are leaving? Does Mila know about your decision?"

"I haven't told her, and I don't want to go into the details of my decision. I think it's something that Mila needs to tell you herself, and what comes to why I haven't told her about my decision... well... the truth is that for now I can't face her or talk to her, but I'll leave her a letter. Maybe you could give it to her if you go to the house, or she can get it herself."

"I understand. I wish you all the best, Jeremy. I will contact you about the money." He hung up.

I spent a long time looking at the birds in the sky and thinking about the years spent with Mila. Somehow, all of this explained her behavior in the last few months, even though I didn't know what was going on. The porn videos, the sudden need to swindle money out of me, everything suggested she was in trouble. I had been living with someone I didn't truly know, and it made me feel like I had wasted years of my life. I had been in love, but she was... I didn't know her anymore.

When I got back to the house, Mom started packing the car and the trailer. I told her I needed a moment alone and went upstairs. I took a pen and paper and started writing the letter to Mila. First, I thought I would write down everything that was on my mind, but in the end, I decided to keep it short and simple.

Hi Mila,

This is a letter I never wanted to write, but it's the only choice, since I can't face you or talk to you.

If you are wondering why I left, you need to look for the answer in you. I'm not saying everything was your fault; I'm not innocent, but I never intentionally hurt you. If I did, I'm sorry.

Please don't try to contact me. When enough time has passed, I know I can forgive you, and if we happen to meet someday in the future, I hope we can reminisce about the good times and forget the bad.

Yours, Jeremy.

I placed the envelope on the nightstand next to the bed where we had slept, had sex, laughed, and loved for years. Or had we loved? I had, but I wasn't sure about her feelings anymore.

When I saw Mom waiting for me by the car, the feeling of sadness that was now associated with this house washed away as I watched her shy smile.

"I'm ready, Mom."

***

The ride to Lexington was liberating. The more miles we left behind, the more relieved I felt. Talking with Aaron had surfaced feelings I thought I had gotten over already. Sitting next to Mom and gaining miles between us and the old life was like medicine to my soul.

Mom had been able to get us a temporary place; it wasn't cheap, but considering the timetable that we had left, it was no surprise, and I don't know if one can put a price on the well-being of your family.

We had a lot to do. I needed to start looking for work, and we would look for a place to live. Mom had to do her work and make sure that the girls would study. It was one month until the summer holidays, so we would have time to find a school for them before they would need to return to school.

Money was the biggest problem. I had no income, and my savings wouldn't last long. Mom made good money, but for now, we needed every penny. Besides, the trial was coming, and the lawyer wasn't cheap.

The small house Mom had rented was close to Lexington Beach, a really nice place with one bedroom, a small living room, a kitchen, and a bathroom with a tub. When we had carried the essentials inside, we ate, and the girls did their evening routine. They asked me to read a story when we went to tuck them in. Mom relaxed on the couch, and I made sure the girls were asleep before heading to the living room. I had something important to tell her.

"How are you?" I kissed her forehead softly and sat at the other end of the sofa. She lifted her legs into my lap.

"I'm tired and my feet are killing me, but I'm happy we are here and that we are together."

I removed her socks and started massaging her feet again. "Me too. After everything, this feels liberating, like a burden has been lifted off my shoulders."

She smiled, leaning back, enjoying the routine we had both grown to like. I slid my fingers between her toes and rubbed the soles.

"Mom," I started softly after a long silence. "You said we need to talk about what's been happening between us." I kept my gaze on her feet since the things I was about to say would take all my courage, and I needed a distraction.

"I want you to know that I..." When I raised my gaze to look her in the eyes, as I was about to confess my love for her, I saw she had fallen asleep. A faint smile visited my lips, but I placed her legs on the couch, put a blanket over her, and wished her goodnight. I was sure I had another chance to tell her about my feelings, now that I knew I was in love with her.

***

The next morning, my lawyer, Raymond, called. We had just had breakfast when Mom brought me my phone.

"You need to take this, Jeremy." She gestured for me to go outside and talk, since the girls didn't need to hear. We still avoided mentioning Harold's name in front of the girls. I took the phone and went outside.

"Hello, I planned to call you this week to get an update," I said.

"Well, there has been some development in your case, so I decided to call you."

"Okay, I'm listening." I sat down on a bench in front of the house, where there was a small patch of fake lawn and that lonely chair. I listened to Raymond explain that he had gone through the police reports, statements, and the complaint Harold had left in court. He said we have a strong case against Harold, but we need the girls to testify.

"No, absolutely not. They have gone through enough. We need to find another way."

"I understand your position, but think about it. We still have time. I'm not saying we can't win without their testimony, but it would greatly improve your chances."

"I'm not going to change my mind about this. They are the reason I did what I did."

He was quiet for a minute. "Okay, I'll view other possibilities, but I have another thing to tell you, and this is more positive."

"I'm listening," I said, and thought we sure had use for positive news.

"I've been looking into the termination of your employment contract at the Port of Columbus. What was the firm's name? Right, Scioto River Logistics, and I think we have a strong case against them. The termination is clearly illegal."

"Okay, that sounds promising, but I have to ask how much it would cost me if you proceed with this?"

He thought for a second before answering, "I think I could do this pro bono. If we won't win, I won't charge anything, but if we win and I can get you compensation, then I would take... let's say 10%."

"What kind of money are we talking about here?"

"The sum could be quite substantial."

I didn't see what I had to lose, so I agreed. "Go for it."

"Thank you. I'll be in touch when there is more news."

When I got back inside and told Mom the news, she was pleased and hopeful. "I have a good feeling about this. I'm sure everything will turn out okay. And thank you, Jeremy, for not involving the girls in this. But if it is the last resort, then we have to do it."

"Let's hope it never comes to that," I gave Mom a tender kiss on the lips, and she didn't resist even when the girls were right there.

"I'll head for the gym. I need to clear my thoughts a bit," I said to Mom, and she said it was a good idea. I had seen a gym a few blocks away when we drove past it yesterday. I found my training gear in the trailer and decided to walk.

***

The place was called Peter's Power Pit, and the sign hanging over the front door was probably from the 70s. The gym looked grim from the outside and wasn't much better from the inside, but it had all the equipment I needed to release the stress that had been building up in me. There were a few younger guys in their teens doing squats and two older ladies trying to... well, do something with dumbbells.

I changed my clothes and looked around. The equipment and weights were old; there were some kettlebells and chains for functional training, mats, and a couple of old exercise bikes, but that was it. I didn't need much and decided to train with the kettlebells that were lying around the corner, covered in spiderwebs.

I didn't get far when the group of younger guys came to watch me train.

"Hey, that looks cool. Would you give us some tips on how to use those?"

I thought for a second and decided, why not? "Yeah, sure. Grab yourself one, and I'll show you some basic moves you can train on. We did 45 minutes with the kettlebells, and the guys loved it. Before I headed for the shower, they asked me if we could train together again.

"Why not. I've just moved here and don't know if I'm going to stay long in the area, but yes... we could meet here Friday?" The guys agreed, and they gave a high five before leaving.

The next day, we all got in the car and drove around town looking at some of the houses that were for rent. Mom had listed a few potential properties for us, and we went to see them in advance before we agreed to a showing.

"I think we need a house. I don't want to get an apartment, I know we wouldn't like it, and I want the girls to have their own rooms." Mom said when we drove past one of the houses she had listed.

"We need a house with three bedrooms, Mom," Olivia said from the back seat.

"How's that, there are four of us. Or do you want to share a room?" Mom asked, clueless about what was coming.

"No. One room for me, one for Emma, and one for you and Uncle Jeremy." Olivia said with a serious tone in her voice. Emma was nodding her head as we turned to look at them. Our gaze met when I turned to look where the car was going, and I thought I saw Mom blush.

"Well," Mom fumbled with her words. "We have to see about that. Let's just find a place first, and then we can talk about the rooms." She clearly wanted to end the conversation about the subject with the girls. I had to hold my laugh, and she slapped me playfully when she saw I was amused.

On Friday, I headed for the gym again like we had agreed with the guys. When I entered the gym, there was a small group of kids there, and a woman close to her forties was instructing them in gymnastics. I immediately thought this could be something Emma and Olivia would like try out.

I was surprised when the boys had brought along two of their friends, and I found myself instructing a group of teens in the art of swinging kettlebells. I taught them a couple of new moves. We had a fun hour and a half, and I noticed I had missed being a trainer. It was still something I dreamed of doing one day.

When I was going to the locker room when an older man, maybe in his mid-sixties, came to greet me.

"Hi, you must be Jeremy?" he said, extending his hand. "I'm Peter, I hear you have been coaching some of the guys?"

I shook his hand. "Well, I don't know about coaching, but I've given some tips to those who are interested. I hope it's not a problem."

"Oh, no... on the contrary. They told me your instructions were very helpful. Are you a trainer?"

"I've worked as a part-time personal trainer before. We just moved here with my M..." I was about to say Mom and sisters, but for some reason changed my mind, "... with my family."

He nodded, looking thoughtful, "I hope you enjoy it here. This is a nice city. Can I make a proposition for you? We've been thinking about hiring a trainer in here for a long time. Would you be interested in doing maybe two to three classes a week... I can't hire you full-time or pay much, but it's something.

"Yes," I answered before he managed to finish his question. "I'd be happy to. I've been looking for work, and this would be a start."

"Great, I hear you come here every other day? Maybe you could use a couple of hours after your workout to help the customers? We can't afford much yet, but if we could get more customers for you, then we can negotiate better terms."

We shook hands. "It's a deal."

Just when I was about to leave, I turned back. "Hey, you don't happen to know of any houses for rent? We've been staying in an Airbnb and are looking for a place to settle."

He smiled before shouting to the staff room behind the reception, "Maria." Out came the same woman who had instructed the kids' gymnastics group.

"This is my daughter Maria, and this is Jeremy." He introduced us. "Jeremy is going to start as a part-time trainer with us, and he's looking for a house to rent for him and his family."

We shook hands with Maria and she smiled friendly. "That's great. And Dad is probably thinking about my house. I'm moving in with my partner, and since I don't want to sell the house, I'm planning to rent it out. Maybe you could come and see it. Do you have any kids?"

It just came out, "Yes, we have two. I was looking at you instructing the kids there, and it looks like something my girls Emma and Olivia would enjoy."

"Well, then you need to bring them here."

Before I left, we agreed with Maria that we would come and see the house the day after tomorrow, since they still had some of their things there and were going to clean the place tomorrow. On my way home, I picked up four pizzas since I had promised the girls we would have a fun night. They had been studying hard and helped Mom arrange our few belongings into the cabinets.

When I got back to the Airbnb, I told Mom the news, "We can go and look at it day after tomorrow. She told me there is a good school near the house, and the neighborhood is peaceful."

Mom hugged me. "That's great. I told you everything will be okay."

"I think it was I who has been repeating that and afterward everything has gone completely the other way, but let's hope from now on it's true."

When we told the girls the news, they were excited and promised to come and try out the gymnastics class with me next week. We ate and dreamed about all the things we would do if the house turned out to be the one where we would move.

***

After we had eaten, the girls wanted to watch their favorite TV show, and they had brought pillows to the floor. I was lying on the couch, and Mom was sitting at the other end. We kept glancing at each other, and she rested her hand on my leg, occasionally caressing it with her fingers.

"You want to lie down, Mom?" I asked, making room for her. "I can see that you are tired."

When Olivia heard what I said, she turned to us. "Yes, Mom. You are tired, go lie down with Uncle Jeremy." I couldn't help but smile at her, and Mom gave in. She came and lay down with her back to me. The couch was narrow, but when she pressed herself against me, we fit perfectly. My face was close to her neck, and I inhaled her intoxicating scent, which made me want to kiss her.

I didn't want to startle her with any bold moves, because the situation was delicate, the girls were there, and we hadn't gone much further than kissing. But I wanted to take the opportunity to show her I wanted her.

I moved my hand slowly to her belly, feeling her reaction. She raised her hand a bit and let my hand rest there. We lay still for a few minutes, and I tried to relax, but her closeness awakened so strong emotions that I couldn't stop myself from getting aroused. If she noticed it, she didn't say or do anything.

The girls were completely focused on the show, their backs to us, when I slowly started to caress her belly through the fabric. She let my hand explore, and I heard her breathing getting shallow, then she changed her position a bit. At first, I thought she would take my hand away, but no, she pressed herself tighter against me, and then slowly raised the hem of her shirt, giving my hand a way to slide to her bare skin.

She must have felt my heart beating and heard my breathing getting labored. I gently stroked her soft belly and sides. She didn't stop me when my fingers ran upward, and my fingertips touched her bra. Mom shivered slightly, and when she turned her head, I saw her closing her eyes, and I pressed a soft kiss to her lips. Her mouth opened, like she was about to moan, but no sound came out.

I became bolder and traced the edge of the bra, letting my fingers slide over her tits. I traced the valley between her breasts with my fingertips, and she moaned slightly, turning more on her back. When I slid my hand all the way to her neck and throat, she moaned so loudly that I was sure the girls would notice.

Then she took the initiative, slowly moving her hand to my thigh. I lifted my knee a bit and gave her the opportunity to go further. Without hesitation, she reached for my crotch and gently felt my hardness through my jeans.

She moaned barely audibly, "Oh my god, Jeremy."

I had to suppress my sigh. Her finger slowly traced the shape of my manhood, and simultaneously, she helped me take her other breast out of the bra. I cupped it in my hand, feeling her bare tit and erect nipple for the first time. The nipple was long and hard as a pencil. She shivered when I gently rolled it between my thumb and forefinger.

If we had been alone, we would make love, right now, I was sure of it. But when the show's theme music started playing, Mom pulled her hand away, and so did I. Just in time. Always something coming between our love.

The girls were tired, and after everyone had done their bedtime routines, Mom went to put them to sleep. I didn't know what to do. I wanted her to give some gesture, or hint that she would like to continue what we had been doing, but no, so I went back to the living room. My body was still on overdrive, and I took all my clothes off before diving under the blanket.

Half an hour later, silence fell in the bedroom. Only faint noises of traffic came from outside. I was staring at the ceiling, unable to get her out of my mind or fall asleep, when the bedroom door opened and Mom came out, closing the door carefully. She had a smile on her face, but appeared nervous. The girls must have fallen asleep, and she didn't want them to wake up. She had changed into her silk robe, which was loosely tied around her. She looked so sensual.

When she approached the couch, I began to get up, but she gestured for me not to move and stay quiet. I lay back down, keeping my eyes on her.

She came to stand by the sofa and slowly started opening the robe. I saw her hands shaking when she let it drop. My heart missed a beat or two as I realized she was naked under it, and I couldn't get my eyes off her beautiful body. Her chest rose and fell with rapid, shallow breathing. I had dreamed of this moment so many times during the last months, and the sight was even more breathtaking than I had imagined.

She wasn't perfect, but in my eyes, the most arousing woman I had ever seen. Full breasts had begun to soften but still held their own against gravity. Areolas were large and dark. Her nipples looked like they were trying to escape, pointing forward, hard and eager, like shouting... please suck us. Wide hips and thin waist that accentuated the voluptuous ass. The hairy mound that shone wet.

She sat down on the edge of the couch, slowly sliding her hand under the covers, keeping her eyes fixed on mine. Seeing what she was about to do filled my penis with blood. When she wrapped her fingers around my bare cock, we both sighed. Her slightly unsure touch felt almost overwhelming.

She stroked me, exploring my hardness with her warm hand, keeping her eyes on mine all the time. Her gaze was difficult to interpret, but I could tell she was excited and nervous. She squeezed me just right, explored the tip with her thumb, and brushed my balls gently.

At one point, she seemed to lose her concentration. Her eyes wandered for a second, like thinking about what to do next. Then she slid the covers off revealing my throbbing cock and her hand holding it. We both inhaled deeply, looking at the sight that should never happen -- mother's hand caressing son's erect penis. I was holding my breath, hoping she would go further.

Then, glancing into my eyes, she lowered her head, taking the tip into her mouth. I gasped and leaned backward. Her tongue, lips, and the hot and moist feeling of her mouth almost made me cum right that instant.

I couldn't believe what we were doing. Mom sliding her lips along my shaft, making cute slurping sounds, and breathing heavily. She was completely focused on her task, keeping her eyes closed and sucking my cock like a piece of candy she hadn't tasted before. I gently stroked her hair and neck.

Then she lifted her head and looked me in the eyes shyly, still stroking me. She stood up, and for a moment, I feared she would leave, but she was calm, like she had thought everything through and knew what she wanted.

She turned her back and slowly got on all fours and spread her legs, offering herself to me. I saw how her beautiful pussy was dripping and her thighs were moist. We didn't exchange any words when I positioned myself behind her. Taking a hold of my cock, she guided my tip to the right spot, and raised her hand to her mouth, trying to suppress her moan as I slowly pushed my erection inside her.

"Oh, my god, Mom," I managed to whisper while sensations I didn't know existed filled me. She felt simply amazing around my shaft. Wet, hot, and smooth at the same time.

"Don't talk, Jeremy. Just... do it, baby. I need you to do this," she sighed, barely able to speak.

There was no need for lubricant, no need for more foreplay. She was soaking and my rock-hard cock slid inside her easily. I started pushing my organ into her pussy, trying to do it slowly, but we both needed more. She began pushing her ass against me, taking me deeper with each thrust. I held her hips and made love to her.

Seeing my cock disappear into my Mom's pussy again and again, was too much. "I can't hold it, Mom," I slurred, but didn't slow my movements.

She mumbled something I didn't fully get, but I understood the words, "... in... me, baby." Months of celibacy just erupted from me, and I filled her with my cum. When my cock pulsated inside her, she started to tremble, and soft moaning escaped her lips. Her whole body vibrated when we collapsed to the floor. We were both breathing heavily. I was kissing her neck, and her hands traced my thighs. We stayed like that for a long time, enjoying the moment.

Then I just said it. Like the first kiss, I hadn't planned it, but it came out, and I whispered into her ear,

"I'm in love with you, Mom."

I know she heard it, but she didn't say anything. She stayed with me a while, but then she stood up, wrapped the gown around her, and returned to the bedroom, closing the door. I was unable to say anything as I watched her leave.

I was feeling so satisfied, and the feeling of love I had for her was almost too much, but seeing her just walk away left me dumbfounded. I would have wanted to keep her near, cuddle with her, and tell her again how much I loved her. But she was gone.

***

It was hard for me to sleep, but sometime during the night, I had fallen asleep since I woke up when Emma and Olivia jumped on top of me, waking me up.

"Good morning, girls," I laughed and tried to get them off me. Last night's events came back, and I looked for Mom while trying to fight off those two beasts. I saw her in the kitchen preparing breakfast. When I got up, I went to her and tried kissing her, but she just turned her face.

"Come on, Jeremy, it's time for breakfast. Go and get ready," She didn't even look at me when she said the words.

I tried to catch her eyes when we ate, but she kept chatting with the girls and avoiding me. We had agreed to go to the beach since the girls wanted to have fun in the water, so I thought we would have an opportunity to talk while the girls had their fun.

There were countless emotions running through my mind when we walked to the beach. I tried to take hold of her hand, but she pulled her hand away as soon as she felt my touch. She was tearing me apart, and I tried to understand what had happened. Had I done something wrong last night?

Once we got the girls ready for the water, Mom and I sat down on the chairs. I waited for a few minutes for her to say something and start the conversation, but she kept silent. I waited as long as I could, and finally, when the situation was too much for me and I started to ask what was wrong with her, she interrupted me and spoke.

"I don't want to talk about it. What happened last night was a mistake, and I hope you can forgive me, Jeremy. Please, let's just leave it and go back to the way things were before all this... whatever has been going on between us."

I couldn't believe my ears. I tried to come up with some sensible words to say, but her words had nonplussed me, and it felt like she had pulled the rug from under my feet. I tried to reach for her. I tried to look her in the eyes, but nothing. Last night, when we made love, had been the best night of my life, and now the woman who had wanted me inside her was gone.

I stood up and walked away without saying anything. When I looked back at her, waiting for her to stop me, I saw her raise her hand to her mouth and press her head down, like she was crying.

I spent all day going around the city, wandering from place to place like a nomad without a destination. I tried to convince myself many times that everything had a purpose, and Mom just wasn't ready for this, and she would come around. I thought about Mila and blamed myself for driving her to do those things she did to me, knowing full well that no matter what I had done, she wouldn't have acted any differently. I wallowed in self-pity and beat myself up for every failure I could think of.

I thought about getting a hotel room for the next night, but I ended up walking back to the Airbnb after the sun had already gone down. I was hoping that she would already be asleep, but she wasn't. I saw her sitting outside with a wine glass in her hand. She had been crying. I dropped my backpack and went to her, kneeling in front of her.

"Talk to me, Mom. Tell me what I did wrong?"

For the first time since last night, she looked into my eyes. "Nothing, baby. You did nothing wrong. It was me."

"Why would you say a thing like that? Don't you understand? I love you. I want to be with you. Last night was the best night of my life until you left me."

Tears started to roll down her cheeks again, and I took her hands into mine.

"Look at me, Mom."

"I want it to happen again and again. If you don't want that, if you don't want me, if you didn't like what we did last night, then say it to me and I promise I will never speak of it again."

"Like?" she asked softly, looking at me, "Jeremy, I have never felt anything like what we did last night... that's what got me so scared."

"What are you afraid of? Tell me."

"The future, us, being in love again... being in love with my son." We looked at each other after she said the words, and both knew how the other felt. We were in love.

I reached for her face and pulled her closer. She didn't resist. Just closed her eyes and let me kiss her. I slowly caressed her arms and neck, and we let our tongues explore. After our lips departed, I smiled and asked,

"Are the girls in the bedroom? Are they sleeping?"

She just nodded. I took her hand and guided her inside, where we started kissing again. We tore each other's clothes off, and when she was naked in front of me, I pulled her close. Her hands ran over my body, and we kept kissing. She pulled me even closer when she felt my hard cock pressing her belly and moaned.

"I want you inside me, Jeremy."

I laid her on the carpet, and took her nipple into my mouth, sucking it, licking it. I let my tongue trace its way to her belly and onto her thighs, and she opened her legs for me. When I was about to taste her pussy for the first time, she parted her labia with her fingers. I looked her in the eyes, like asking for permission to eat her, and she smiled and nodded.

I slid my tongue between her labia slowly and savored her salty, but sweet taste. She was so aroused. Her damp pussy hair wet my cheeks and no matter how much I drank her juices she kept flowing more. When my tongue found her clit and I started teasing it slowly, she slid her fingers into my hair and pressed my head against her even tighter.

I sucked her clit gently and slowly and it didn't take long for her body to start the same tremble I had felt last night. She started to say something, but pressed her other hand to her mouth, suppressing the moans as her orgasm started. Her whole body twitched as she came and because I kept stimulating her clit, the orgasms didn't seem to end. Finally, she pushed my head away.

I crawled on top of her, and she hugged me, whispering to my ear, "No one has ever... licked my pussy before. You are the first." I knew she hadn't had many men in her life, but the fact that I was the first surprised me.

I moved to look her in the eyes, "I want to do it to you every night, Mom."

She had to suppress her giggle with her hand, and she slapped me playfully. "Not every night, but often... You can do it often... please," she said, pressing a kiss on my face, and that was when she noticed how moist my face was.

"Oh my god, is that all from me?" she giggled again. "I'm sorry, baby... but you make me so wet."

"I loved it," I said, pressing my lips against hers. Her hand searched my cock, and she started to stroke me.

"I still want this inside me." She said, fondling my hardness, then she bent down and took me in her mouth. This time, she wasn't hesitant. Mom, sucked my cock deep, stroking me at the same time. She slid her tongue along the shaft and then swallowed me again.

"I want you, Mom," I sighed, and she just glanced at my eyes before coming on top of me. She took my whole shaft inside her and started to undulate on top of me. She guided my hands to her heavy breasts, asking me to fondle them and as I watched her there, naked, horny, sexy and eager, I said it again.

"I love you."

Our eyes met, and she repeated my words, "I love you, Jeremy."

She went into some state of trance while moving on top of me. She took my hands, guiding them close to her neck, leaning against them. She rode me slowly, keeping my shaft inside her as deep as possible. Her clit rubbed against my lower abdomen, and I caressed her neck. I knew I wouldn't last much longer, and as I was about to say it, she just pressed her finger to my lips and kept moving her hips.

When she felt my cock starting to pulsate, she bent over me, pressing her lips against mine. We moaned into each other's mouths, while I released my seed into my mother's pussy the second time.

***

When we were lying under the same blanket on the floor, her head pressed against my chest, and her finger drawing lines on my chest.

"Jeremy, can I ask you something?" She said quietly, turning to look at me.

"Of course, Mom."

"When did you know?"

I understood she meant that when I had fallen in love with her.

"After the night on the sofa." We had slept together for the first time on the sofa, just sleeping, no sex, but in the morning, I knew I loved her.

"It felt so right, and the way you kissed me before hurrying into the kitchen, the way we laughed at the girls together, the whole morning, us as a family. I knew it when I looked at you then."

She pressed a kiss to my cheek, and there was a tear in her eye.

"Why are you crying, Mom?"

"Because I have feared this, us. I have had the same feeling for a long time that I love you, but I have tried to deny it. All the small moments we have shared during these months have been wonderful, but at the same time, so scary. How can one want another person so much? How can I want my son so much?" She pressed her head to my chest again.

"What if someone finds out? How do we tell the girls?"

"No one knows us here, and no one needs to know we are a mother and a son... and the girls... I'm sure they accept us and are happy for us."

***

Mom woke me up in the morning, "Jeremy, get up, the girls will wake up soon." When I realized we were still naked under the blanket and had been sleeping together on the floor after we had made love, a smile appeared on my face.

"Good morning, Mom," I said, pulling her into a deep kiss. "I wish we could stay naked all day and make love."

"Me too, baby, but we can't. Now, get up and get dressed. The girls will come soon and demand we go to the beach again."

"You first, I make the breakfast." She gave me one more deep kiss and hurried naked into the bathroom. As I watched her beautiful ass swaying, I felt I was the luckiest man in the world. The girls came out of the bedroom ten minutes later, when I was already setting up the table.

"Good morning, Emma. Good morning, Olivia. Are we still heading for the beach? We have a few hours before we go and check out the house."

"Yes," they said in one voice. When Mom came out of the bathroom, she looked cheerful and happy. She wore a light summer dress and had applied some makeup.

"You look beautiful, Mom," Emma said, and I agreed. I think she blushed a bit and tried to explain that since we were going to see the new house, she needed to look good. She kissed me on the lips when she came to sit, and the girls giggled.

We took a car to the beach and decided the girls could play until we needed to go and meet Maria. We sat in the sunbeds with Mom and watched as the girls played in the water.

"A penny for your thoughts?" I asked.

She turned to me, "I'm still pleasantly baffled. Last night was amazing. Everything we did was just perfect. What about you, any regrets?"

"None. I've been in love with you for some time already, and last night was like a dream come true. It was more than I could have ever imagined." Mom took my hand in hers, and we just looked at each other for a while.

"When you think we get to do it again?" she said, lowering her voice and giggling cutely.

"What about tonight, Mom?"

"Sounds perfect. I can't wait." She leaned to kiss me, and didn't seem to mind anymore that others might see.

"There is one thing I want to ask," I continued. "I wonder if we need to use some kind of contraception?" For some reason, I was a little embarrassed to ask that.

"You are sweet to think that, Jeremy, but the fact is that I'm at the age where the possibility of getting pregnant is... almost non-existent. I think it's less than 1%."

"Okay, I didn't know that, and because I enjoyed... You know..."

"Cumming inside me?" Mom finished my question.

I smiled at her and squeezed her hand, "Yes, I loved it, Mom."

"Me too, the moment when I felt you filling me... was perfect. I love you, Jeremy," she had time to say when we heard Emma's scream.

"Dad, Dad... help me. It bit me." She cried out from the bottom of her lungs. It took me less than a second to jump up and run to her. She was standing in the waist-deep water, her eyes closed, and couldn't move. I ran to her, took her in my arms, telling Olivia to follow us, and carried her to the beach. She was crying.

"Where does it hurt?" I asked when I laid her down on the sand.

"My leg," she said, pointing to her calf. When I saw the raised welt, I understood a Jellyfish had stung her.

"A Jellyfish must have brushed her," I told Mom, who worried about what had happened. Holding Emma's hand as I inspected the burn.

"It's going to be okay. It will hurt for a while, but it will pass," I said to Emma and wiped the tears from her cheek. "Come, I'll carry you to the sunbed. She wrapped her arms around my neck and we went to the sunbeds, where a nice lady next to us offered some vinegar for the burn.

"I have this always with me," she said. "For the grandkids." She applied the vinegar to Emma's leg, and she said that the pain had eased a little already.

"You're a brave girl, Emma," I said, holding her hand.

"Thanks, Dad, thank you for saving me," Emma said and hugged me. Our eyes met with Mom, when I suddenly realized how Emma had called me Dad. I think I saw a tear in her eyes, and I felt a lump in my throat.

"Maybe we should get back in the car. Let's go and get some ice cream before going to see Maria." I suggested, and Emma cheered up immediately. Olivia supported her when we walked to the car.

Mom held my hand as we walked behind the girls, who were already trying to decide what kind of ice cream they would want. Her gaze told me everything that needed to be said. I think it was the moment we both realized we were a family, and nothing could break us apart.

***

After Emma and Olivia had both eaten two ice creams and the incident with Jellyfish had been forgotten, we headed to the address Maria had given us in Ashcroft Downs. The suburb was just a short drive southwest of downtown Lexington. Tree-lined roads branched off beautifully from the main road and led us to a peaceful oasis that felt far from the hustle and bustle of the city.

"This looks too good to be true," Mom said when we drove through the streets, following the driving directions given by the app.

"How much did she say the rent was? It must be close to 2000 a month. I don't think we can afford anything in this neighborhood, Jeremy."

"Let's just wait and see what she offers. I got the impression that she doesn't want to sell the house and wants to have tenants who will take care of the house too. Maybe we can get a good deal. I think it's that one." I said when I turned to the driveway. Maria and her partner were waiting for us.

The house stood under a large oak tree. Its gray brick walls had white trim around the windows. A porch stretched across the front, its wood worn smooth. The home felt old and loved.

Before we stepped out of the car, I whispered in Mom's ear, "They don't know you are my mother." She looked at me, surprised. "I know. It just came out that way when we talked."

"So, they think we are a couple?"

"Well, aren't we? I didn't define our relationship to them, but I might have talked about my family and kids." I said, and she looked nervous. "It's going to be okay, Mom. Come on."

"Hello and welcome," They greeted us both. Turned out Maria's partner in life was a woman named Linda, she had two girls, aged 7 and 8, and it didn't take more than two minutes before Emma was already showing off the Jellyfish sting. The girls stayed outside as we looked around.

Inside was just as beautiful as the outside. Hardwood floors ran through the rooms. Downstairs there was the kitchen, living room, and study, and upstairs three bedrooms, and two bathrooms.

"This would be perfect for us, Jeremy," Mom whispered to me when we were looking at the master bedroom.

"I agree. This is perfect for us. Except that there are only three bedrooms... that would mean that..." I didn't get to finish the sentence when she nudged me with her elbow, smiling.

"I think we both know where you are going to sleep from now on, baby."

When we gathered in the kitchen, Maria made us some coffee and explained their situation. They had been together for over ten years and had just gotten married. Keeping two places was too expensive, but she didn't want to sell.

"We are looking for long-term tenants and someone who would take care of the house, and we are ready to take that into account in the rent."

"What would the rent be? Like I said to your father, I'm still looking for work, and until I find one then we can't afford overly expensive."

Maria and Linda looked at each other, and Linda nodded like giving her permission to say something.

"Would 1000 dollars a month be too much?"

Mom sighed out loud. "We take it." And we all started laughing. "Seriously, I thought it would be double, considering the neighborhood."

"You are right, it could be, but like I said, we want to be sure that people who come here take care of the house."

"You can count on us, we will take good care of it," I promised.

When we drank the coffee and watched as the girls played, Mom squeezed my hand under the table. I knew she was happy.

The same evening, we were on the couch again. The girls were sleeping in the bedroom. We were watching some old movie on TV, but neither of us was really paying any attention to the screen. Mom's legs were on my lap, and I was massaging her feet again.

"The pieces are starting to fall into place." Mom said as I took some more oil and started rubbing her calves.

"True. I can't believe how a simple incident, like me giving a few advice to those boys at the gym, can lead to anything like this. Life is full of surprises."

"It sure is. Just look at us. Who would have guessed a few months ago where we would be now? Sometimes the happiness is too close," she said, touching my hand.

She lay her head back, enjoying the massage. I worked on her calves, slowly moving upwards, when her scent filled my senses. She was getting aroused. I glanced at her discreetly and saw her eyes closed. Her breathing was shallower, and I could see a clear wet spot on her panties. My cock started to swell. With each stroke I reached closer and closer to her pussy and she opened her legs more.

Without opening her eyes, she whispered. "Yes, you have gotten me wet, baby, just by rubbing my feet." Then she moved her panties aside, and I saw how her labia shone as she parted her lips with her fingers. When she opened her eyes and looked at me, I could see the passion in her eyes. I didn't say anything. I moved her leg away from my lap and turned, going straight to her pussy.

She placed her hand on the back of my head, pressing me against her. "Oh my god, eat Mommy's pussy."

I sucked her clit between my lips and circled my tongue around like a carousel horse spinning around its axis. I took two fingers and pushed them inside her gently, she tremble as I fucked her slowly while sucking and licking her. When I raised my gaze to look, her eyes flowed my every movement and she was massaging her tits, teasing the hard nipples.

"I want to cum when you are inside me," she moaned, trying to keep her voice low. She didn't need to tell me twice. I rose and lowered my pants. My already steel-hard cock sprung out and Mom took a better position on the couch spreading her legs for me.

We both watched as I slid my cock between her labia, teasing us, before I pushed it inside her. We sighed quietly as she took my whole shaft inside her eager pussy. She felt so hot and wet. She squeezed her pussy muscles and gave me sensations I had never experienced before.

"Fuck your mommy, Jeremy," she whispered her eyes gleaming.

I leaned toward her, my other hand on her chest and the other pressing her breast. She wrapped her arms around my neck. I started making long and strong thrusts, making Mom groan with each entry. Every time my cock dived inside her, a smacking sound filled the room, When I pulled my cock out her pussy juices dripped from my shaft.

We kissed again, all the while my movements inside her continued. When I reached to take her long nipple into my mouth and brush it with my teeth, she moaned loudly.

"Do that again, please." I nibbled both breasts in turn and continued my hard thrusts, filling her pussy with my cock. Soon her breathing started to harden, and she sighed that her orgasm was close.

"I want you to come together with me. Give Mom your cum." When she moved my hands closer to her and I felt her hands on my butt. She pulled me hard against her with each thrust, and soon I felt the familiar tingle in my balls.

"I'm cumming, Mom." I moaned, and when I gave her my seed, she kept me deep inside her the whole time. I thought I felt her cervix against the tip of my cock as it pulsated growing even bigger. Mom's orgasm was quiet, but so beautiful. Her nails dug into my ass and her legs trembled when she went through the motions. I don't think I've ever seen anything so erotic as Mom having an orgasm.

We just stayed there. I was on top breathing hard, cock still inside her. Eyes fixed on each other I slowly pulled my organ out and we she giggled when my sperm dripped from her pussy.

Afterward, we were lying once again on the couch. Both naked, of course.

"I want to be with you always, Mom," I sighed between the kisses we shared.

"I hope you do, because I'm completely in love with you, Jeremy. And I know you won't ever break my heart."

We were silent for a while, and I teased her nipples, when I decided to ask about a matter that had been on my mind. "Do you ever regret you didn't have more children?"

"I wanted more, but your father was so busy with his work that we never had time to really talk about it, and Harold, I didn't want to have children with him, and now I'm too old already."

"Have you thought that you won't have children of your own because of me?" Mom asked.

"We have two kids already, Mom."

"I'm glad you think like that, but you know what I mean."

I thought for a moment. I had dreamed of having children with Mila, but my wish was never fulfilled, which, when thinking about it now, was a good thing.

"I haven't thought about it like that. I want to live a happy life with a woman I love more than anything in the world, and who loves me the same. If that means I won't have children of my own, then so be it. I choose us, Mom, because I know I won't ever be happy if you are not with me."

She looked at me, and we kissed. Without saying anything, she pressed her head to my chest. No words were necessary; just being there with her was all I needed to be happy.

We woke up in the morning as Emma came to wake me up.

"Dad, my leg hurts again." She had tears in her eyes. We had made a bed on the floor with Mom, and she was still sleeping, her head resting against my chest. As I moved her carefully to get up, she mumbled in her sleep.

"Where are you going, baby?"

"Just get back to sleep. Emma's leg is hurting. I'll clean it up and give her some pain medicine." I kissed her softly, wrapped a blanket around my waist, and we headed for the bathroom.

***

The next two and a half months were an amazing time. A lot of good things happened, and my faith in the possibility of a good and stable life began to return.

The day we were moving to our new house, I got a message from Mila's father, Aaron. I had been waiting for his call, but he chose to send a message instead. It was short, basically stating he was returning the money I paid Mila during the past year, with interest. That was good news since we needed money to get new furniture and pay other expenses.

I thought about calling him and asking about Mila, mainly because I worried about her before, but decided against it. Instead, I just replied with a message thanking him.

After the move, we quickly settled in, making the beautiful house our home. The girls got their own rooms, Mom and I took the master bedroom, sleeping together like lovers should. Well... the truth is we did sleep every once in a while, but mostly made love.

It turned out that buying the trailer was a good decision since we went to the local flea markets and bought furniture and other stuff we needed.

We got to know our neighbors, and Emma and Olivia made new friends. Some days, I noticed we had five or six kids at our table eating snacks and playing in the yard. We were also able to reserve spots for the girls in the local elementary school, where most of the neighborhood kids went.

Mom got a friend, too. There was a widowed mother of two boys living next door, and they got along well. She also got a new, well-paying client whose accounting she handled.

I did three kettlebell sessions a week, where I instructed all sorts of people in the basics. A few of them wanted personalized training plans, and they even paid me well. Peter's gym also gained new members. Maria's gymnastics classes for children started to grow quickly, and Olivia and Emma participated once a week. This was easy to arrange because my kettlebell session was at the same time.

I also did a few gigs in the local freight terminal. They needed skillful forklift drivers, and since I had experience from the Port of Columbus, the work was easy for me. Still, I kept dreaming there would be a way to make my living being a personal trainer and help people get in shape.

Being in a relationship with Mom opened my eyes to the life I had lived with Mila. With her, I learned what it meant to live with a person who respects and loves you. We shared chores that we tackled together, while also having individual responsibilities we handled on our own, unlike with Mila, who mainly concentrated on herself and left everything else to me. If we agreed on something with Mom, we both did our best to stick to that agreement.

But to be truthful, we did have a couple of arguments. She said I was pampering the girls too much, but when I explained that I couldn't help myself and that she wasn't the only one who had taken a piece of my heart, she relaxed and forgave me.

Sex with her was amazing. Unlike Mila, she didn't use sex as a means to get what she wanted. She truly wanted to make love, have sex, fuck... sometimes all those things at the same time and I wanted her more everyday.

We also had a new massage routine, but this one we couldn't do in the living room while the girls were there. Mom told me one night after we made love and when I spent a lot of time fondling her tits, that her breasts were extremely sensitive and she had sometimes been able to have orgasms just by touching her breasts and teasing her nipples by herself.

Of course, I wanted to try, and we started a new routine, kind of a foreplay whenever we had a good opportunity for it. She would come and sit between my legs, we were both naked, of course. She rested her head against my shoulder, so I could kiss and nibble her neck while I massaged her beautiful breasts and stimulated her long and hard nipples.

I loved giving her these massages and before long she started to orgasm as I caressed her tits. Of course, it always led to us having sex... My cock got so hard when I played with her that I was ready to enter her as soon as she had her orgasm.

There were a few mornings when we had to make an excuse for the girls when they asked if Mommy was sick last night because of all the moaning.

***

Sooner than I expected, our old life gave me a call one rainy morning.

I had just taken the girls to school since the rain was heavy. I was on my way to the cargo terminal to replace a sick employee when a familiar name appeared on my phone screen: Raymond, my lawyer.

"Hi Jeremy, the hearing is in two weeks."

My heart rate increased, and an unpleasant tightness gripped my stomach. "Okay, good. I want to get this over with." I tried to sound confident. "What is our situation?"

"I think we have a strong case."

Raymond had said that before, and I still wasn't sure what it meant, but I trusted him. "Can you elaborate on that?"

"Let's just say that I've found a witness who's willing to speak against Harold."

He didn't say the witness was going to speak on behalf, but I don't know if there is a difference. But before I had time to ask, Raymond continued. "He is a character witness and testifies that Harold tends to act violently when his drunk. And since the police report clearly states he was under the influence of alcohol during the incident, the testimony has meaning."

"Okay, sounds good. What about the case against my old employer?"

"That's a bit trickier. I have sent them a proposition, but they are sitting on it, playing time. I think they are waiting to see the result of your trial against Harold. If we lose and you are found guilty, it is easier for them to deny compensation." Hearing what Raymond said made my stomach clench again. It wouldn't surprise me if all this gave me an ulcer.

"But don't worry. Come here on the 12th, and we'll start the battle. I'm right there by your side when the first shot is fired." He laughed dryly at his metaphor.

The following week and the next one were difficult for me. I tried to act as normally as possible because of the girls. I didn't want to let them think anything was going on or wrong. Mom was amazing. She supported me at every turn, trying to instill faith in us. We often talked long into the night, lying on our bed naked. Our intimacy and closeness became even more important than before.

The evening before the trial, she took the girls to our neighbor, Lisa, the widowed single mother who had become her friend, and it gave us a chance to spend the night alone.

We made love several times all over the house. I especially loved it when I lifted her to the kitchen table and she pulled me close, kissing me. I was standing between her legs, and she guided my cock inside her. I slid into her slowly. Both of us watched excitedly how son's penis once again disappeared into mothers eager pussy, we simply loved that moment. She moaned softly into my ear, saying how much she loved what we were doing. When I came inside her and she started dripping juices and my seed to the floor, we both laughed.

When the night fell and it became dark outside, we were sitting on the porch looking at the starry sky, holding each other close. Mom had brought a blanket, and we were naked under it. When we started kissing and I took her other breast out to suck her amazing nipples, she moaned that I should take her right there on the porch.

She dropped to her knees, slowly sucking my cock, before leaning against the wooden railing asking me to come inside her. I made love to her gently. Nibbling her neck, fondling her tender nipples and filling her hot and eager pussy with my hardness. That night, we shared a lot of experiences neither of us had experienced before. The time spent with her that night, the love I saw in her eyes, and the words we whispered to each other made me strong.

We woke up early the next morning since I needed to be in Columbus in the afternoon. Mom wanted to make love one more time before I left. "Just to wish you luck, baby."

I had licked her beautiful pussy giving her one orgasm already and I was fucking Mom from behind, squeezing her tits just about to shoot my load into her when I heard her moaning. I thought she was close to her second orgasm, but her tone of voice was incredulous.

As soon as my cock donated yet another generous load of seed into her pussy, she rose without saying anything and hurried to the bathroom, holding her breasts.

"Mom? Is everything okay," I asked still stroking my pulsating cock.

"Yes, baby, everything is okay. I just need to check something. Use the other shower."

I didn't think much about it and went to the other shower. When I dressed and made my way downstairs, I saw Mom was already there, putting on her outerwear.

"I have to go get something," she said, hugging me. "Call me the second the hearing is over. Promise me. And remember, I love you no matter what, baby."

I was confused, but I kissed her, said I love her, and then she left. She ran to the neighbor where the girls were, and I saw her taking their car and hurrying away, waving from the window at me, a wide smile on her face.

I sat in my car and drove to Columbus.

***

Being back in Columbus felt weird. Somehow, it was like going back in time, and the things that had begun to feel like another lifetime while living in Lexington, came back as all the details of all the unpleasant events invaded my thoughts. Harold's behavior and violence. Milas' betrayal, getting sacked from my job.

I avoided looking at the familiar places associated with those bad memories, and I drove straight to the courthouse. I was there just in time, and as I entered, Raymond came to greet me.

"You look nervous, Jeremy." He said, shaking my hand. "Don't be. I just came from a meeting with Harold's lawyer, and I'm sure we have better chances than they do. Your stepfather, Harold, is not at his best, and when they heard about my witness, he wanted to make a deal, but Harold forbade him.

"Really? What do you mean he's not at his best?" I asked, perplexed.

"You see in the courtroom what I mean," he said calmly, "Now let's go, we have a case to win."

The hearing was held in courtroom 3 B. I sat beside my lawyer, and across the aisle was Harold, the man I had lived with for years and once held as my role model. Once I saw him, I understood what Raymond meant when he said Harold was not at his best. He was drunk. It could be seen from his eyes and his demeanor.

I was surprised when I saw Mr. Hawking in the front row. Ron Hawking was one of the mid-level bosses in Scioto River Logistics, the firm I worked for in Port of Columbus. I mentioned him to Raymond, and he wasn't surprised.

"Like I said, they are waiting to see the result of this hearing before they make any decisions. If we win, you can expect him to offer you compensation."

I listened nervously when Harold's lawyer, Mr. Davies, began his opening statement and tried to paint a vivid picture of Harold as a loving husband and father who was simply trying to check on his family after a disagreement.

"My client, Mr. Harold Croft, sought only to ensure the well-being of his wife and stepdaughters," he said, and gestured towards Harold, who had a hard time keeping his eyes focused.

"He was met with unprovoked violence, a vicious attack by his stepson, resulting in significant injuries and a risk of death. We are here today to seek justice for battery and assault." That sounded bad, but I had no choice but to stay quiet and trust Raymond.

He leaned in and whispered to me, "Stay calm. This is his story. We have ours."

Harold took the stand first. He was mumbling as he recounted the day's events, and the judge had to ask him several times to repeat what he said. Harold described how Mom and the girls had abruptly left their shared home and claimed he went to my house out of concern. He said he was knocking gently and then tried the door when he received no answer.

"That's when Jeremy burst out of nowhere," Harold said, pointing to me and then lifting his hand to his throat. "He didn't say a word, just threw me to the ground, and tried to kill me." Harold tried to squeeze out the tears, but the grimace spread across his face looked more like he was about to shit his pants.

Then it was Raymond's turn to cross-examine. His voice was calm when he started to cut Harold's narrative into pieces.

"Mr. Croft, you testified that your wife and stepdaughters abruptly left your shared home. Can you clarify what caused this sudden departure?"

I saw Harold shifting his position uncomfortably, "A disagreement, nothing more. A family matter."

"A family matter that led your wife and minor stepdaughters to seek refuge in your stepson's home in the middle of the day?" he pressed. "Mr. Croft, isn't it true that this disagreement involved allegations of verbal abuse on your part, and that your wife felt unsafe, and that you hit your nine-year-old stepdaughter Olivia?"

Harold's lawyer interjected, "Objection, Your Honor! Irrelevant to the battery charge."

"Relevant to the context of Mr. Croft's forced entry, Your Honor," Raymond responded quickly.

The judge just nodded. "Objection overruled. Answer the question, Mr. Croft."

Harold stammered; he was nervous, I could see it, just like when I saw him the last time at the Docks. "There might have been... heated words. But I never threatened them."

"And when you arrived at my client's residence, Mr. Croft, was the door locked?"

"I... I believe it was ajar," Harold mumbled, his hand searching his pocket like he was looking for his flask, in need of a drink.

Then Raymond showed a photograph. "This is a photo of the exterior of the front door, taken the day the alleged assault happened. Do you recognize it, Mr. Croft?"

Harold squinted. "Yes."

"And do you see the clearly visible holes on the door, Mr. Croft? As you can see, the door lock is intact and locked. The door has multiple holes in it, made by a hammer that was in your possession when the police arrived. In addition to that," Raymond continued bombing Harold, "I have a written testimony from my client's neighbor, Neil Fox, saying you hammered and kicked the door until my client came and stopped you."

Harold's face went pale. "I... I don't recall."

"Because you didn't knock gently, did you, Mr. Croft? You attempted to force entry into that home, where your scared wife and terrified stepdaughters were seeking safety from you, correct?"

Harold's Lawyer jumped up again, but Raymond continued, "My client, seeing his mother and sisters in fear, acted to protect them. This was not an unprovoked attack, Mr. Croft. This was self-defense and defense of others. You were the aggressor, attempting to invade a private residence where you were not welcome, posing a threat to your family."

Harold spluttered, "That's not true! I just wanted to talk!"

Raymond finished, "No further questions, Your Honor."

I was grateful to Neil, even though he had interrupted me and Mom at a bad time, for going to the station and giving a voluntary statement to the police about the day's events.

Next, Raymond's witness took the stand. I had never seen the man before, but it soon became clear he had been one of Harold's drinking buddies after he was fired from his job at the Docks. I followed Harold's expressions when his buddy literally buried Harold alive.

He told the court he witnessed several occasions where Harold bragged about hitting Mom, and how he had put that bitch in order. Harold had said that if he could choose, the girls would go into a foster home, since those brats didn't let him sleep in peace and were always asking this and that.

Harold's lawyer tried to object, citing hearsay, but the judge overruled him. When he told the court how Harold and Tim, the Union guy who told me I was fired, at the gate, had agreed that they would make sure I was getting fired from my job, Mr. Hawking rose and left the courtroom.

Harold's lawyer refrained from cross-examining the witness since Harold lost his temper and started shouting at the witness, claiming he was a snitch and should be killed. The judge ordered a recess and cleared the courtroom. Harold was removed by two officers of the court, using force. They dragged him to the backroom.

When we exited the courtroom and sat on the benches in the hallway, Mr. Hawking came to talk to Raymond. He extended his hand to me.

"Hi, Jeremy. I'm sorry we have to meet under these circumstances." I took his hand, but didn't say anything. I just nodded my head. Then he directed his speech to Raymond.

"The company accepts your proposal, on the condition that the matter is never made public and that you do not pursue the matter through legal means."

Raymond nodded, and they shook hands. Then he turned to me. "Congratulations, Jeremy, you got the compensation, and we can settle the case with your former employer."

"What does it mean exactly?" I asked because I was unsure what kind of proposal had been on the table.

"They agreed to pay you 500,000 dollars, minus the 10% we agreed on as my payment."

I almost fainted.

After a brief recess, the judge asked everyone to return to the courtroom. Harold was nowhere to be seen.

"Mr. Davies," she addressed Harold's lawyer, "the court finds the plaintiff's claim of unprovoked assault to be unsubstantiated. The evidence presented strongly indicates that Harold Croft was attempting to gain unauthorized entry into a private residence where his estranged family had sought refuge due to prior domestic issues. The defendant had a reasonable belief that his actions were necessary to prevent harm to himself and others within that dwelling."

He kept a pause, and I stopped breathing for a minute or so.

"Therefore," the judge continued, her voice clear and decisive, "based on the principles of self-defense and defense of others, the civil complaint for battery and assault filed by Mr. Harold Croft against the defendant is hereby dismissed."

A sigh of relief escaped my lips. It was finally over, and we won. I shook hands with Raymond, and then I hugged him. "I don't know how to thank you," I said.

"Don't worry, Jeremy, this is my job, and the payment from your former employer will do nicely, besides, Harold needs to pay all the expenses related to this trial, so enjoy, you are a free and rich man."

As I walked out of the courthouse, I was still baffled. It was hard to believe the drama that started with the phone call I had been waiting for a long time was finally over. I hoped that with the hearing's result, Harold would accept the divorce, and Mom and the girls would be rid of him for good.

I knew it could never happen, but I felt a strong need to ask Mom to marry me.

I was about to call her and give her the good news, but instead I laid my phone on the passenger seat and drove away. Being back in Columbus surfaced feelings I had felt for Mila. I didn't want her back. I still wasn't ready to talk to her or face her, but I wanted to make sure she was alright.

Aaron's message, in which he told me he was returning the money, Mila had taken from me, failed to mention anything about her. On the other hand, I had told Aaron I was leaving Mila and didn't want to face her. Still, I felt like a bad human being for not making sure that she was alright.

I drove to the house where we had lived for years. I slowed down while passing it, trying to catch even a glimpse of her in hopes of making sure she was still okay. The house looked empty. The door that Harold had destroyed had been changed, but otherwise, everything was as it used to be. It was obvious Mila didn't live here anymore.

***

It was late when I got back home. I had called Mom, telling her everything had gone according to plan and I was acquitted of the charges, without going into detail. She was with the girls, and we decided to talk once I was home. Mom told me she also had news, and when I asked if it was good or bad, she simply said, 'Wonderful.'

As soon as I walked inside, Mom came to hug me. I held her close for a long time, and we kissed softly, like I had been away for a month.

"The girls have been asking and waiting for you. Go upstairs and wish them goodnight."

I went to Emma's room first, but found them both already asleep in her bed. I kissed them gently on the forehead and made sure the blanket was okay. I didn't dare to wake them up.

When I came downstairs, Mom was waiting for me in the living room, She was wearing the same robe she wore the night we made love for the first time. I think she planned this, and something special was about to happen, but before I had time to think anything related to sex, she asked me to tell her everything.

"Raymond was superb. He literally buried him, although Harold dug the hole himself."

"How?" Mom asked, holding my hand and fiddling with my fingers. I got the impression she was nervous.

"He was drunk. The judge had to ask him to repeat his words several times when he took the stand. Final nail to the coffin was his threats to kill our witness."

Mom looked at me in shock. "He did what? Why? Has he lost his mind completely?"

"I think the Harold we used to know is no more. He is drowning himself in a sea of alcohol, and that stuff brings out the worst in him. If he doesn't quit drinking, I'm sure he won't live long."

Mom went quiet. I understood that even when it was easy for me to talk about these things to her, it wasn't easy for her to listen to the fact that the man she once loved and was still married to was in such a state.

"I'm sorry, Mom. I was being rude. It was sad to see what has become of him."

"It's okay, Jeremy. Don't worry about it. I don't care about him anymore. I'm blaming myself for not believing you until it was too late. None of this needed to happen. This didn't need to go this far."

"I'm glad it happened, Mom," she glanced at me perplexed, "but not the way you think. But because of us. If you hadn't called me that day and I hadn't picked you and the girls up to live with me, then we most likely wouldn't be here, together, as lovers."

She raised her gaze and smiled. "I'm so happy we found each other, Jeremy." I kissed her softly and let my hand slide to her breasts, and opened her robe. When my hand slid to her belly, she winced.

"Oh my god, I nearly forgot," she laughed. "I have big news for you, too, Jeremy." Her face radiated in a way I have never seen before, and I think her cheeks were reddish. She reached for the robe's pocket and took out a couple of small, flat plastic sticks, handing them to me.

As I twirled then in my hand, she said, "Remember when I told you that it's highly unlikely that I would get pregnant--"

When she said the word pregnant, I noticed the small window on the stick, where there was a blue plus symbol, with the text pregnant beside it. I looked at Mom, and she was smiling.

"Jeremy, say something, please."

I grabbed her to my arms and hugged her. "You are pregnant? With my child?"

"Yes, we are having a baby."

We started kissing and I lowered the robe, kissing her chest and tits. When I sucked her nipple into my mouth I tasted it, there was liquid coming from her breast.

Mom was caressing my hair, and I still held my head against her, when she said, "That's how I noticed it this morning. When you were inside me and I squeezed my tit, milk came out. At first, I panicked a little, and that's why I rushed into the bathroom... sorry about that."

"My mind was on the trial, and I didn't think much about it. I am sorry, I should have asked."

"It's okay, Jeremy. The most important thing is that you want this as much as I do."

"I love you, Mom, and I want you to be the mother of my child." We both looked at each other for a second after I got the words out, and then we laughed.

We made love on the living room floor. She came on top of me and undulated her hips slowly, rubbing herself against me like wanting me deeper inside her with each movement. I was teasing her nipples and enjoyed the view Mom gave me. She looked so beautiful on top of me. She was the first to have an orgasm. She leaned toward me, and we kissed, the whole time her body shivered.

"I can't believe how easily you make me orgasm, Jeremy. Sex with you is amazing. Now I want to do something to you." She climbed between my legs and took my cock in her mouth stroking it at the same time she stimulated the tip with her tongue.

"Oh, fuck, Mom. I'm cumming soon." I sighed, but she didn't stop. Her hand stroked me furiously and she kept my cock between her lips.

"Cum in Mommy's mouth, baby." When I heard what she said and saw the glazed look in her eyes, my cock spurted out a lot of sperm that Mom swallowed.

When we were sitting on the sofa, drinking tea, I asked, "How far along is the pregnancy?"

"At least 16 weeks."

"How come you haven't noticed it before?"

"It was the same with you. Then I knew I was pregnant, but that was because we were trying to have a baby. Now, I wasn't expecting this might happen. When I was pregnant with you, the first physical sign was that my milk production started. Just like now."

"But you need to understand that the chance of miscarriage, especially in these first few months, is higher for me, since I'm over 50 already. We'll face more screenings than a younger couple, more tests. It's a road with a few more curves than normal. Are you ready for it?"

"I am, as long as we do this together, I want to share every moment with you." She smiled, pressing herself against me.

"When do we tell the girls?"

"I think we need to wait a few more weeks. The pregnancy starts to show soon, and then we have to tell."

"I have another surprise for you, Mom," I said, stroking her belly gently. I couldn't wait to see her belly grow.

"What? Tell me, baby."

"My old employer in Columbus has agreed to compensate the illegal termination of my employment contract. My old boss was at the trial, and when he saw what was happening, they gave in to Raymond's suggestion."

"That's wonderful. I told you things would be okay. What kind of compensation will they give you?"

I kept a small pause and just smiled at her. Mom slapped me playfully, "Don't tease me, young man."

I whispered the amount to her and watched her reaction. "Really? I can't believe it."

"I think our problems with money are over."

We sat and talked about how the baby would change our lives and guessed whether it would be a boy or a girl before we went to bed. Mom had a hard time believing the amount we were about to receive, and the truth be told, it was hard for me to get sleep also, but when I did, I slept my other hand over Mom's belly all night.

***

The first thing to do on Monday morning was to book a doctor's appointment. Over the weekend, we looked for a suitable doctor who specialized in high-risk pregnancies. Mom called her, explaining the situation, and she was very understanding. They agreed to meet on Wednesday.

The doctor welcomed the father to join, and at first, Mom hesitated a bit since she thought the doctor might see our resemblance and start suspecting something, but I was adamant and wanted to be there with her.

After the girls went to school, I headed for the gym. I needed to talk with Peter. Now that our money problems were solved, I wanted to get myself more involved in the personal training work. When I got to the gym, I found Peter cleaning up the place.

"Hi Jeremy. How is it hanging?"

"I'm good... no. I'm excellent."

He turned to look at me. "Something special happened? With Mrs. I presume?"

He knew we weren't married but called Mom Mrs. anyway. I wanted to say that we were going to have a child, but we had agreed that no one needs to know yet. "We are good, but something in the past got sorted out that has been bothering me. That's part of the reason why I came here to talk with you."

"Okay, I'm listening," he said and sat down on one of the benches.

"I was thinking you would make me a partner in your gym. I have a few ideas on how to better this place, and I now have the money to do it."

Peter was silent for a moment, examining me closely. "What would you say if I were to sell you the whole place? I'm getting old, Jeremy, and it's getting hard for me to come here every day to clean and run the place by myself."

The thought had crossed my mind. "What about Maria?"

"She has her career outside this place," he said, referring indifferently to the devices around him. "Gymnastics is just a hobby for her. She would be happy to see if someone like you would continue my business, rather than some big chain buying it."

I invited Peter to dinner and asked him to bring his wife along on Friday evening. We could discuss this more officially, since I wanted Mom to be part of the decision, even though I knew she would support me in this.

***

Raymond had informed me that the money from the Scioto River Logistics company would be in my account early next week. I wanted to surprise Mom and the girls and give them a holiday we all deserved. So, my next destination was a travel agency. I reserved a week's holiday at JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort. We would need to wait until next month to travel, but after living months under constant worrying and taking into account all that had happened, the wait would be worth it.

I was planning to ask Mom to marry me on the beach, and I thought it would be a good place to tell the girls about the new family member we were going to have.

Wednesday morning, we took the girls to school together with Mom and then headed for the doctor's appointment. Mom was still hesitant about me being there in the role of the father.

"I'm just scared that she finds out," Mom said, holding my hand when I parked the car in front of the building. "I don't want any more troubles for us, there have been plenty."

"Don't worry, she's not going to know, and Mom," I stopped her in front of the door, before we entered the building. "I don't care if the whole world finds out that I'm in love with my mother, that we are lovers, we have regular sex, and that this beautiful woman is pregnant with my child." She had the same shy smile on her face I used to see when we were still feeling out where our relationship was heading.

She leaned in and we kissed right there in front of all the people passing by. "See, no one cares." She held my hand as we stepped into the elevator.

***

The scent of antiseptic did little to dampen my nervousness as we entered Dr. Rose Albright's office. I needed to act cool in front of Mom since she was really nervous, even though this was her second time and my first.

Dr. Albright had kind eyes and a direct manner, and when we entered the examination room, she greeted us with a smile.

"Good morning, Pamela, Jeremy," she said, consulting her tablet. "Please, sit down." Mom just nodded, and I almost heard her swallow as we sat down. I took her hand, and she squeezed it. Dr. Albright interviewed Mom first, asking all the basics, before she stated the obvious.

"So, we have a positive home test. Let's confirm things and get a baseline, shall we?"

"First, we'll do a blood draw to confirm the pregnancy and check your hormone levels," she explained, gesturing to a phlebotomist who entered the room quietly.

"Then, we'll do a transvaginal ultrasound to get a clearer picture of the gestational sac and measure the embryo. This will help us determine the exact gestational age."

I didn't understand what she was talking about, but no one cared. I was there to support Mom and watched as they drew Mom's blood.

"Any significant medical history I should be aware of, Pamela?"

"No, nothing major," Mom replied, shaking her head. "Just the usual check-ups."

"Excellent. Now, for the ultrasound." Dr. Albright dimmed the lights. "This will be quick. We're looking for the fetal pole and a heartbeat."

I saw her flinch slightly as the gel warmed Mom's abdomen. The screen flickered to life, and then, a small, distinct shape appeared. I heard a gasp escape my lips, and I didn't realize I was holding my breath.

"There we are," Dr. Albright murmured, her voice clearly softened. She pointed to a tiny, pulsing speck. "And there's the heartbeat. Strong and steady." Mom squeezed my hand as we looked at the tiny pulse on the screen.

My world narrowed to that screen. A heartbeat. Our baby's heartbeat. I leaned in, and when my face was inches from the glass, Dr. Albright coughed.

"I'm sorry," I said, embarrassed, but as I looked at Mom, she was smiling and her eyes welled.

Dr. Albright manipulated the probe and took measurements. "Based on these measurements, Pamela, you are seventeen weeks along."

"Seventeen weeks? So, I was right." Mom said, looking at me. I started counting backwards, thinking through the weeks, and concluded that Mom got pregnant the first night we had sex at the Airbnb. It was meant to happen.

"We have completely missed the signs."

Dr. Albright smiled. "It happens. Sometimes, early signs are subtle or mistaken for something else. But yes, seventeen weeks."

Before we left the office, Dr. Albright gave us a lecture on the risks involved in the pregnancy and warned Mom not to overexert herself, obligating me to make sure Mom got enough rest.

As we walked out of the building, I said, "It was the first weekend, Mom, the first time, when you came to me and we made love. Do you have any regrets?" I looked at her as we sat back in the car.

"None, baby. If I'd known then I can get pregnant with you, I would have made you cum inside me at least ten times," she giggled, and we kissed tenderly for a long time before heading back home.

***

That evening, we all gathered in the living room, and I asked Mom and the girls to sit on the couch, since I had good news for them.

"Everybody sitting comfortably?" I asked teasing Emma and Olivia since they couldn't wait to see what the news was. Mom was smiling at the girl's enthusiasm, but was also eager to know what I was planning.

I took out a brochure, which pictured the kind of hotel I had reserved for us in the JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort. Mom looked at me and then image and back to me.

"Are we going here, Dad?" Olivia asked, a surprised and at the same time disbelieving look on her face.

"Yes. I have reserved us a week-long holiday and we are going there next month. I have already informed your teacher. Both jumped up and came to hug me. Mom was still staring at the brochure. "Mom? You okay?"

"Yes, baby. I'm okay," she said and came to hug me. I had a hard time keeping my balance as three women were all trying to get a piece of me.

***

On Friday, we prepared dinner together. The girls were at Lisa's because Peter and his wife Priya, who was originally from India, were coming for dinner. We had talked with Mom about buying the gym, and she supported me in starting a business and becoming a full-time personal trainer, which I had always dreamed of.

"Nice to finally meet you, Jeremy," Priya said, hugging me. "Peter has told me so much about you."

"I hope only good things. This is my girlfriend Pamela," I introduced Mom, and Priya hugged her and baffled us all by asking, "When is the estimated time?" She got us off guard.

"How did you know?" Mom asked, as Peter was shaking my hand, congratulating me. "We haven't told anyone yet."

"I know these things," she said, and Peter explained, "Priya worked as a Doula in India when we met. It means she is a trained professional who supports mothers before, during, and after childbirth."

"That's wonderful. Sounds much more personal than the services we have here. We just went to the doctor for the first time on Wednesday and found out we are 17 weeks pregnant." Mom explained.

"So, it was a surprise then?" Priya asked.

"Yes, I didn't expect to get pregnant anymore," Mom confessed, taking my hand.

I saw Priya looking at us both for a second before a wide smile appeared on her face. "This child is a blessing from Lord Krishna," she said, touching Mom's belly. "Take good care of him."

After the introductions, we all went to the kitchen, and I served us dinner. Mom and Priya were chatting so much that we couldn't discuss the gym with Peter because we had to make approving comments whenever the women asked us something.

The evening rolled on with the women talking and us listening, but at one point, I asked Peter to come and talk in the kitchen with me. I explained my plan to him.

"I have contacted my lawyer, Raymond, and his helping me with the registration and with the business license and permits. It's going to take some time, and I've also instructed him to contact a few banks, just to get the feel for interest rates for a small business loan. I pay the agreed price to you in cash, but for the renovation, I need a loan."

"Have you thought about a new name for the place?"

"It's going to be called Generations Fitness, because I'm not going to even try competing against the big chains. We are going to offer our services for the elderly people, kids, and families."

Peter was listening and nodding with approval. "Sounds perfect. I'm glad it's you who is taking over, Jeremy." We agreed that after our holiday to the Keys, I would set up a meeting where we would sit down with Raymond and finish the deal.

For the rest of the evening, we listened to the women's rambling conversation. At one point, Peter asked if I could offer him a beer or two, as he knew his wife well enough that it would be a while before they could leave.

It was close to midnight when Peter managed to convince Priya and Mom that it was time for them to leave. Peter was already sitting in their car when Priya was saying goodbye to us. "Take good care of your mother," she whispered in my ear, and gave me a peck. She smiled as she walked away.

I turned to look at Mom, "Did you tell her?"

"No, she just knew, and when she asked, I admitted it. She said that we are not the first Mom-son couple she's met, and she was happy for us." I pulled her close and we started kissing as we made our way to the bedroom.

***

"Jeremy, can I ask you something?" She said quietly, turning to look at me. We had just made love and were lying naked on our bed. "You must have noticed that I love it when you... treat me rougher... fuck me hard?" She started.

"Yeah, I've noticed, Mom. It turns me on, too." I replied, eager to know where this was heading. I had noticed a few times when she got really excited she was almost begging me to go faster and 'fuck mommy'. It turned me on so much.

She bit her lip and looked away for a second.

"You can ask me anything. We are in this for the long haul. I want to please you every way." I turned into a better position to face her.

"I'm so happy you think that, because I am too," she said, giving me a kiss on the cheek.

"I know when all this started between us... We had both been so long without touch, intimacy, or sex that everything with you felt too good to be true." She started again.

"But it's not enough anymore? Is that what you want to say?" I pulled her closer.

"No, no... oh, my god, don't ever think that. I wouldn't trade what we have for anything. Oh, this is so awkward." She backed away again.

"Mom..." I turned her face to me and held it between my hands, looking deep in her eyes.

"There is nothing you can say or wish that would make me leave this relationship that we have." I tried convincing her.

"I think I know what you are about to suggest or ask..." I said, trying to make it easier for her to open up to me.

"You do?" She blushed.

"Yes, I have noticed it a few times when we have sex. What you want... or need, but I haven't done anything, because I need you to say it to me, ask me. If you don't give me the permission, I can't do it to you and enjoy it." I explained to her.

"I understand, baby. It is just hard for me to ask it, without having to embarrass myself." She still couldn't say it.

We were both silent for a while before I took her face between my hands and turned her to me again. I started kissing her and slowly slid my other hand close to her throat. She gasped and lifted her chin. She took my hand and moved it upward, nodding almost imperceptibly. I kissed her and slowly slid my fingers around her throat.

She sighed, and her tongue slipped between my lips, and our kiss turned into a passionate exploration of tongues. She bit my lips, and I felt her hand on top of mine, guiding me to squeeze harder.

Our lips were still pressed together as I moved between her legs, holding the pressure on her throat and neck. I felt her taking my cock, guiding it to her pussy. I pushed myself inside her with one forced thrust.

I hadn't felt her that wet before. I slid in, in all my length, and I could literally feel her juices dripping between us. I started fucking her. She opened her legs as wide as she could, moaning in the rhythm of my thrusts. I looked her in the eyes, and it seemed Mom was in a trance. Last time I saw her like this was the first time she rode my cock and my hands were caressing her neck and breasts.

I held her by the throat and fucked her like I haven't fucked anyone before. Mom was pulling her nipples hard and I could hear her breathing was difficult, but I continued to fuck her. Suddenly her body started convulsing, at first I scared a little but when I felt her pussy contracting and a stream of fluid squirting between us I realized that she is having a strong orgasm, so I pumped my cock in her even harder, with every thrust dipping my cock into her in all its length.

She came, and came until it seemed she almost lost her consciousness. I eased my grip, and she gasped for air. I pulled my cock out and started jerking myself in front of her, moving myself over her belly.

"Cum for Mommy, give me all your cum." She said, raising her head, putting her tongue out. When I saw what she did and saw the look in her eyes, I started cumming. Long sprays of warm cum flew to her breasts and up to her face. She looked so lustful, horny and satisfied. I took her by the hair and pulled her closer, kissing her gently. Then I collapsed at her side.

We lay on the bed looking at the ceiling, breathing heavily, when Mom said, "That was so intense, Jeremy."

"Yeah, wow. I don't... I don't even know what to say." My cock was still twitching half-erect.

"That was one of the strongest orgasms I've ever had." She turned to me, kissing my shoulder. "I think I squirted a little," she giggled.

"I noticed, Mom. It was so arousing, and the way you took my cum onto your face... wow."

I turned to her and we kissed.

***

We were sitting in the kitchen, eating breakfast one morning. Mom and the girls were chatting, and I was scrolling through the latest news, when a mugshot with a headline: Man killed a witness in Columbus caught my eye. I started coughing when my morning coffee went down the wrong throat.

"Are you okay, baby?" Mom asked when she saw my expression. I opened the article, and there he was... Harold, almost unrecognizable, but there was no doubt, he was in the picture. He looked awful, like he had spent the last month underground, and someone had dug him up for the shot.

I glanced at the girls, gesturing to Mom, we needed to wait until they left. I think she understood, because she continued telling the girls something about babies. She was preparing them for the big news.

Both girls came and gave me a peck before hurrying out of the door, where their friends already waited. Mom came to sit beside me and we read the article together.

Columbus -- Harold Croft, 59, was arrested early Saturday morning in connection with the fatal stabbing of Michael "Mick" O'Connell, 50. The incident occurred outside the 'The Old Mug' tavern on Main Street shortly after midnight.

Authorities were called to the scene at approximately 12:35 AM, where they found Mr. O'Connell with multiple stab wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency medical personnel. Mr. Croft was apprehended nearby a short time later without resistance.

The stabbing reportedly followed a chance encounter between the two men. Mr. O'Connell had recently testified against Mr. Croft in a separate legal proceeding. Sources close to the investigation indicate that both individuals had been consuming alcohol before the altercation.

Police have stated that an investigation into Mr. O'Connell's death is ongoing. Mr. Croft is currently being held at the County Jail. Formal charges are expected to be filed later this week.

Mom took a deep breath and walked to the living room, holding her belly.

"Are you okay, Mom?" I knew she should avoid any stress, and when I saw her holding her belly like that, it immediately got me worried. "Come on. Sit down and relax," I said, putting a pillow behind her back.

"I can't believe it," she sighed, a sad tone in her voice. "What happened to him?"

I tried to find words to calm her, but didn't know what to say. Harold had made his choice and was now paying the price. He would probably face life in prison. I wrapped my arm around Mom, and we just sat there. Before I left for the gym, I made Mom promise not to exert herself too much and told her we could talk about it more when I got back.

***

I came home at the same time Emma and Olivia got back from school and saw Mom sitting on the porch drinking tea with Lisa, our neighbor. She looked relaxed and happy. The girls ran straight inside, and I went to Mom, kissing her. "Everything okay in here?"

"Yes, I'm good. We were just talking with Lisa about my..." She smiled and caressed her belly gently. I understood that either Lisa had guessed she was pregnant, because the pregnancy was already starting to show, or Mom had felt the need to share the news with someone. I was happy she had someone to talk to.

"Congratulations, father," Lisa said, winking at me. She was always nice towards us and had never referred to our age difference, although I was sure Mom and she had discussed it.

"Thank you. I can't wait to have a newborn in my arms." I kissed Mom again and caressed her belly.

"There is an envelope in the kitchen you might want to read, baby," Mom said mysteriously as I was going inside.

I opened the envelope Mom had already torn open and saw immediately that it contained the divorce papers Harold had signed... finally. When I saw the date, I sighed. He had signed and mailed the letter one day before the arrest. It meant Harold had planned what he was going to do.

***

The day we left for vacation was rainy, but that didn't dampen Emma and Olivia's enthusiasm to get to the airport and go. Olivia had already put on a swimsuit under her clothes, and Mom had to explain that we would have plenty of time to change clothes before swimming.

"Dad, you promised we would get to swim right away when we are there," Olivia looked at me sadly.

"I remember, and I promise we will go swimming when we get there, but you need to change for the flight." When Olivia finally believed and went to take the swimsuit off, Mom turned to me.

"It seems they need to hear certain things from the dad." She kissed me and whispered in my ear, "I can't wait to make love to you under the palm trees."

I had gone to the jewelry store a few weeks ago, and Mom didn't know I had bought rings for us and that I would ask her to marry me on the beach, just a sunset as our witness.

Fresh, a bit salty breeze greeted us as the taxi pulled up to the grand entrance of the JW Marriott Marco Island. I heard a collective gasp of "Wow!" from the backseat when the girls saw the hotel in front of the beach. The view of the Gulf of Mexico and the turquoise water shimmering under the Florida sun was amazing.

The room was spacious, with a private balcony, where we could see a breathtaking panorama of the three-mile private beach. I didn't have time to put my bag down, as the girls had already come out in their swimsuits, demanding I keep my promise.

Mom laughed, "Go ahead and keep your promise. I'll be right behind you. I just need to rest for a while. Her belly had grown a lot in these past few weeks, and the girls had also started asking questions.

"We need to tell the girls tonight," I said and kissed her. She just nodded, smiling.

I sat on a sun lounger and watched the girls jump into the water, hand in hand. Looking at the unbelievable view and taking in the fresh air, I thought about the months that had led me to this sunbed. I was happier than I had ever been in my life. Life with Mom and the girls was perfect, and soon we would have a baby to complete our family. If anyone had shown me a glimpse of what was planned for me a year ago, I wouldn't have believed them.

Mom came about an hour later, wearing a swimsuit that accentuated her beautiful baby belly, but my eyes were glued to those amazing breasts of hers that only seemed to grow.

"Jeremy, not here. Your gaze makes me want you."

"Sorry, Mom, I can't help it. You are just so... beautiful." I think she blushed a bit under those large sunglasses.

"Mom, Dad..." The girls came running when they saw us both sitting on the loungers. "You need to come and try the water. Please." They begged. I glanced at Mom, who nodded, and we all went to the water.

That evening, before the girls went to sleep, we all sat in the kitchen together, and Mom started the talk we had postponed way too long. "Emma, Olivia... we have something important to tell you."

I saw their puzzled glances before Emma asked, "Is this about the baby?"

Mom looked at me, blamingly, like I had told them without including her, but I shrugged. "I haven't told them anything."

"We are not kids anymore, we know there is a baby in Mom's belly," Olivia said, frustrated that we thought they were too young to understand such an obvious thing.

"You're right. We should have told you earlier," Mom started again, but was interrupted by Emma.

"Is it a boy?" I burst out laughing. We were trying to tell them something they knew and had already accepted.

Mom still tried to keep a matter-of-fact tone when she asked, "How do you feel about getting a baby sister or brother?"

Can we see your belly?" they asked in one voice. That was the moment when she understood that we were hopelessly late with our talk.

The girls gathered around Mom, and she exposed her belly. Over the next fifteen minutes, we took turns listening if anything could be heard from Mom's belly. Both girls were sure they heard it was a boy.

***

The days went by quickly. Mornings were spent splashing in the water, we tried the waterslides while Mom relaxed nearby. Afternoons we strolled on the beach, collecting seashells, or joined guided shelling excursions. The resort's Kids' Club provided a fun escape for Emma and Olivia, giving us a chance to enjoy a quiet meal at one of the many exquisite restaurants. In the evenings, we admired stunning Gulf sunsets, which painted the sky, a perfect end to a day in paradise.

Last night, before our departure home, I took Mom to the beach. We walked along the shoreline hand in hand, looking at the beautiful sunset. I had come down to the beach earlier the same day and looked for a spot where I could lead her for the special moment.

"Are you happy, Mom?"

"Happier than ever, Jeremy."

I stopped in front of this huge palm tree, turning to her. I was nervous and she looked confused, as I knelt holding her hand.

"Jeremy, what are you doing?"

I looked straight into her eyes and asked, "Will you marry me?"

Her hand rose to her mouth. "Jeremy, we can't get married. It's not possible."

"I know, Mom. But I want to hear your answer, and I want you to..." I took the ring box out of my pocket and opened the lid slowly, "... wear this."

"Oh my god, it's beautiful." She sighed softly.

"We don't need anyone to marry us. We don't need any papers saying that we are married. All we need is each other."

She had tears in her eyes. "Yes, I will marry you."

I put a ring on her ring finger and got up. She wrapped her arms around my neck and we hugged. I hadn't planned it, but Mom started to undress herself, and when I saw what she was doing, I took my clothes off as well. She lay down on the sand and pulled me on top of her, guiding my cock inside her.

"Make love to your wife, Jeremy." She sighed as I started to slide inside her. Our eyes fixed on each other, as I made love to her. She held my hips, pulling me as close and deep as it was possible. Our lips touched, and there could have been a hundred people who passed by, and we wouldn't have noticed anything. Because at that moment, only the two of us existed in the world.

Afterward, we were lying on the sand, and I was resting my head on Mom's belly, when I said what I had been thinking for months, "Mom, you are the love of my life."

Epilogue

Two years later, we were opening a new Generation Fitness center in Columbus. This was the third center and the first one outside Lexington. After the renovations and concept changes, we became one of the most popular fitness clubs in Lexington, and when it was time to expand, Columbus felt like a good place to start.

All the important people in my life were present: Mom and our son Julian, who had just learned to walk and was hurdling around the gym, Olivia and Emma watching over him. Then there was, of course, Peter and Priya and Maria and Linda. Maria had helped me greatly to set up programs for kids that were now one of the most popular fitness programs that we had.

Of course, my lawyer Raymond was there, and even our neighbor Lisa had come with her kids, since after Julian had been born, she had helped Mom around the house while I was busy at the center.

Mom came to me just when I was talking with Peter. "Jeremy, I need to take Julian to the hotel. will you take care of the girls?"

"Of course. We will leave shortly. I just need to exchange a few words with Peter first." I kissed her, and at the same time, my gaze fell on the woman at the front door.

It was Mila.

At first, I froze, but when Mom saw who I was staring at, she turned to me. "Go and talk to her."

When Mila saw me, she waved uncertainly. I walked toward her, not knowing what to say, but I wasn't about to lose this opportunity to close the final, unfinished chapter in my past life. Mila's faith had bothered me during the years, and I had tried contacting her father, Aaron, but he didn't respond to my messages.

"Hi, Mila. How are you?"

"I'm better, thank you. How about you? This looks awesome," she said, looking around the center.

"Yeah, it's quite impressive. The guys did an excellent job. All the equipment is new and --" I stopped when I noticed I was babbling meaningless things.

"Maybe we should go and talk somewhere? There is a coffee shop near." I asked and she agreed.

"I tried contacting you about a year ago, but your number was disconnected, and your father didn't answer my messages." I started when we sat at the table.

"I know. Dad told me, but I forbade him from answering. I wasn't ready."

"I know the feeling." I said. I hadn't been ready to talk to her when I left Columbus. "You are ready now?"

"Yes. I feel I owe you an explanation."

I didn't say anything. I wanted to give her the chance to explain without turning this into an interview.

"I got out of rehab two months ago. Four months sober already." She smiled, troubled. "Everything got even more out of hand after you left," she said as she saw me looking at her questioningly.

"I noticed that you drank a lot in the last months, but I never knew you had an addiction."

"I didn't have or at least it was under control when we were together, but after you left, I started drinking more, partying, doing all sorts of stupid stuff." She took a sip of her coffee before continuing.

"Ever since I can remember, I've always felt the need to be popular, someone who everyone admires and wants. I guess it got out of hand at some point, and I started acting the way I did. You know, when all you hear is how beautiful you are and how everyone would like to be like you, it starts to get hard. You need to be more, better, more beautiful and... do more to get the attention."

"I guess I was living in some sort of bubble, where I thought everyone saw me like that and I acted accordingly."

"What made you do those videos?" I asked because it had bothered me for a long time.

"I don't know... the guys kept saying I would look amazing in them and it would bring me a lot of money. Dad had told me I needed to get a job and... I don't know, it felt right at the moment."

"Did you ever think what it would do to us?"

"I thought you wouldn't ever find out. I didn't let them publish any videos where my face showed, or at least I thought they wouldn't do it, but... well, you know how it went. And after that, it didn't matter anymore."

I felt sorry for her, but I knew there were thousands of girls wanting to be the one everyone admired and were ready to do anything for it. I was going to do my best to ensure that Emma or Olivia never had to go down that path and that they could be proud of achievements that didn't need to be hidden.

"I'm sorry you had to go through all that, Mila. But I'm glad that you are doing better now."

I thought about telling her how she had made me feel, but it was something I had dealt with already, and saying those things to her wouldn't have made a difference. This was her opportunity to apologize, and I wanted her to have it. I held no grudge.

"Thank you, Jeremy. I'm sorry about everything, and I'm happy you are doing good. I hear you have a boy?"

"Yes, his name is Julian. He just turned one, and I think I should take him to the hotel for a nap."

Mila nodded. "I guess this is it."

"I wish you all the best, Mila. I hope you find your purpose in life."

We hugged before she walked away. As I got back to the gym, I saw Mom and the girls waiting for me by the car. Julian was asleep in the back seat. A feeling of happiness overwhelmed me when they noticed me approaching, and everyone smiled.

"Everything good?" Mom asked me when we sat in the car.

"With you? Everything is perfect, Mom." We kissed before I drove back to the hotel.

The End.

***

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