Masculine and Beautiful

"Uh-huh, let's sit."

As they sat down Julie rolled her eyes again. "This really is so dumb and I can't believe I let myself be part of it."

"Part of what?"

"Well, we both know how stupid the guys were getting drunk a week ago, and how Tom was... sort of grounded, and so it's like... I think, yeah, it was Tuesday night, and we all get together at... well, here, I mean, not here here, but at the multiplex, you know, out in the parking lot, to see a movie. And so..."

"A movie? You all saw a movie on Tuesday night?"

"Yeah, an action thing, Bill had to see it, and I thought there was some romantic aspect to it, but then it turned out that part wasn't very significant, so I made him take me to a movie last night I wanted to see. Anyway, it's me and Bill, Tom, and Carie and Jim, by the way, I think they might like become a thing. Sorry, that doesn't matter to the story. So we watch the movie then afterwards we all went out to that Denny's down by the Applebee's and get something to eat. And..."

"Did you all go over to Steve's that night too?"

"Steve's? No, we didn't. Why?"

"I... I thought Tommy said something about going there, but that must have been some other night."

"No, we didn't go there." Julie took a breath as her fingers raked her dark hair away from her face. "Anyway, so we're eating and Tom talks a little about how he got grounded and Bill and Jim didn't, and then he starts describing this trick that he's going to play on you, and I..."

Mara tensed as she interrupted, "A... a trick? What kind of trick?"

Julie's brow pinched. "Huh? A... you know, a trick, a joke on you, to... to sort of get back at you, not in any really mean way or anything, but like a practical joke that...." She giggled. "I mean, he starts describing this idea, this trick-joke, and it's so stupid, I mean like it's not funny, and there's really no trick to it. And it wouldn't get you back at all, and I'm thinking Tom is just nuts, but Bill and Jim really get into it, and they think it's going to be funny, yet... I didn't see how it was funny at all, neither did Carie, like we're looking at one another like the guys just so stupid."

Mara's stomach knotted tighter. "What was the joke, the-the trick."

"Okay, and... and here's the part, I mean I want to apologize for my part in this, but Tom just begged me to play my part, would not let up about it and so I agreed to do it, and anyway, none of it mattered because Bill asked Tom about it later in the week, and it turned out that you were asleep anyway, so none of it mattered, because Tom didn't do it, but I'm sorry I was part of it anyway."

"What joke, describe it to me. What... what was supposed to happen?"

"Okay, and you'll see how stupid this is. So, Tom is saying he wants to get you back for making such a big deal about him being a little drunk, so... he's going to pretend he's drunk, and then when you accuse him of being drunk and ground him again, he's going to start walking okay and talking okay and then say something like, 'Gee you're wrong, Mom'... something like that. And I'm looking at Carie and we both are like exchanging looks like there's nothing funny in that, even for Tom, you know? I mean it had no point to it.

"Anyway, he says he needs me to play 'designated driver,' so Bill in his car will follow us in Tom's car, I'll be driving, then when I pull into your driveway, I get out and Tom is supposed to stumble out of the passenger door, then I'm supposed to like, you know, scold him for being drunk, you know, just in case you happen to be watching. And... and this is the really crazy part of it all, which is what made me want to participate, because I thought the joke will end up being on him."

Mara felt short of breath. "What?"

"So, he tells us he's got this tiny bottle of whiskey, you know, those airline bottles? Anyway, he says that right before we get there he's going to rinse his mouth with whiskey, not drink any, just use it like mouthwash, and... and I think, He's nuts! There's no joke in that. I mean if he's acting drunk and he has whiskey on his breath, he's just setting himself up to be grounded again! I mean I guess some parents have those little portable breathalyzer thingies, but even if you do and made him test his breath and it read zero... whiskey would still be on his breath! Proving he had been drinking! I mean... do you see what I mean? It made absolutely NO sense at all as a practical joke. He was setting himself up to be grounded again. It was so stupid, I figured he deserved to be grounded again just for that.

"So... I went along with it. And I... well, I feel bad now that I did, but..." She giggled. "I sort of wanted Tom to get in trouble just, you know, not only for being sneaky, but also for being so dumb. I mean, do you see what I mean? The joke would be on him, not you.

"You know after we left your house, I tried to explain all this to Bill and Jim and they didn't get it. They thought it was a great practical joke, like haha I'm not really drunk, yet... there was no way for Tom to prove he wasn't, even when he'd walk a straight line or something, but he couldn't prove he hadn't been drinking because whiskey would still be on his breath, so you might ground him anyway, drunk or not. You know what I mean?" Julie's grin started to fade. Mara's mouth was partially open. Her eyes were staring but not really looking at her.

"Um... Mara?" The woman didn't move. "Mrs. D?... Mrs. Dolton? Are... are you okay?"

Mara blinked then closed her mouth. "Um... yes, sorry." She took a slow breath.

"I mean, do you see what I mean about how stupid it was?"

"Yes, I do. Boys... well, boys think oddly sometimes, I-I guess."

"No kidding. Anyway, I'm sorry for being part of it, and for Tom's sake, I'm glad it didn't play out the way he planned. It... it really was so stupid." Julie smiled again.

"Yes... yes, it certainly was." Mara glanced at her watch.

Julie bit her lower lip for a moment. "Mara? Are you okay? I... I hope you don't get mad at Tom about it, I mean, it really was so stu..."

Mara interrupted, "No, I won't get mad at Tommy about it, and it was stupid." She hadn't just lied, she was already angry.

"Well... I've got to get back to the store." Julie rose from the bench. Mara did too. She still looked pissed, maybe upset was a better way to put it. "Are you sure you're okay? I really am sorry for playing my dumb part in it, really."

Mara forced a smile to her mouth. "Yes, I'm fine. And there's nothing to be sorry about. I was asleep, so it didn't even matter. Did I mention I was just on my way to say hi to you when you called out? So... hi." She forced a giggle.

Julie grinned. Mara was fine. "I can't remember!" She laughed. "You know, we might be having a sale in two weeks. We have some skirts I think would look great on you. Do you want me to let you know?"

"Mmm... uh-huh, do that. Maybe... maybe we could have coffee if I come by the shop."

"Okay. Great. Well, I've gotta run."

"All right. See you soon."

"Bye." Julie walked off.

The smile on Mara's face vanished. She started walking slowly towards the parking lot, the spring in her step gone. Her mind was reeling again. She didn't do the window shopping she had planned to do, just kept slowly walking. Finally as she neared the bottom of the concrete stairs to the area where she parked, her mind began to get organized.

What Tommy had said the past few days, about only having a mother-son love and relationship, how he'd never do anything again like he had on Tuesday, and how he'd do anything to make it up to her, how he had really been prepared to leave and go out on his own-- she was sure was all of it was true and sincere. He had been nearly as upset as she had been. So now, she wasn't sure why she was so angry. What Julie had just told her really didn't change a thing, yet somehow it did at some fundamental level.

As she stepped off the sidewalk heading to her car in the vast parking lot, her teeth clenched tightly. He was just like that conniving bastard Randy! He knew she'd be tipsy after going out with the girls, and that would work in his favor! And something that had only been a nagging vague notion in the back of her mind now corroborated what Julie had just told her, Tommy had at first seemed so drunk Tuesday night, but then he seemed so in control of his body, his movements, and he wasn't even slurring his speech! Tommy played me! That little shit seduced me! I'm should get him back GOOD for that! I should teach HIM what it feels like to be manipulated!

Her mind kept working. A minute later her jaw began to relax. She glanced down to the pink striped paper shopping bag hanging from her hand. A moment after that, a barely noticeable angry smile curved her lips.

*

Mara slipped on the cotton flannel robe she had bought along with the underthings. Although flannel, it was lightweight fabric, fine for summertime. She had purchased it because, although it had a pattern of white birds, the background color was the same light cerulean blue of the largest group of panties, camisoles, and tanks she had purchased. Beneath it she was wearing the new shorty camisole, and the color matching little panties, the style with only the half inch waistband above her hips. She had considered the thong but quickly ruled that out.

Before she closed the robe, she reached under the camisole, her thumb and index finger pinched, pulled and twisted each of her nipples. She removed her hand and looked down. Both nipples were standing upright. She quickly closed the robe and tied the belt, then hurried to her closed bedroom door. She opened it. "Tommy?! Where are you?!"

Tom was looking in the refrigerator, trying to decide between lemonade or a Coke. He looked towards the stairs. "I'm in the kitchen!"

"Would you come up to my bedroom?! I want to show you something and get your opinion?!"

"Coming!" He walked up the stairs to the master bedroom. The door was ajar. He pushed it open and step into the room. "Mom? What is it?" Mom was wearing a thin robe he had never seen before. She was pulling the comforter down on the bed. His brow pinched when he looked at her feet. She was wearing black, high spike heeled pumps.

Mara placed a hand on the bed, leaned towards the other side to adjust a pillow, pouting her ass as she did. She gave the pillow a couple pats. "There." She stood and turned around. "I took your advice and bought cotton underthings, you know..." She smiled as seductively as she could. "...cute 'n' naughty. I'd like you to take a look at me in a few things, and I want a truthful opinion about whether they look good on me, if I look... hot in them." Mara slowly untied the belt. She looked down. "You'll have to imagine different colored pumps though. Maybe... a pair that matches the blue of the underthings."

"Ahhh... uh... all right, Mom." He watched his mother removed the robe. Before it was completely off, his dick was rock hard. His eyes followed her to the upholstered chair where she turned her back to him. Her leg folded, her knee pressing into the seat cushion as she leaned forward to drape the robe over the back of the chair. She looked over her shoulder. "Do the panties make my... ass look funny?"

Tom swallowed. "Ahhh... no, ah they look good."

Mara smiled. "You mean the panties or my buns?" She wiggled her hips for a couple seconds.

"Ahh... well... both."

She backed off the chair, faced him and separated her feet wider than her shoulders. She looked down as her hand went to her crotch. Her middle fingertip traced along the edge of the skimpy front gusset of the light blue panties, first one side then the other, then back again. She looked up. "I had to shave my little muff. These panties hardly cover my pussy lips. I didn't think hair showing at the side would be very sexy. Do these look good on me? Do they make me look hot, Tommy?" She glanced at his crotch and saw the bulge. "Huh, Tommy?"

"Yeah... ahh... really hot... you-you look really sexy, Mom." His breathing was getting labored. He wanted to rip off her new underthings and throw her on the bed. He glanced at the bed. Why did she pull the covers down? His cock lurched.

"What about this shorty camisole?" Mara's hands cupped her breasts, squeezing her pliant mounds, then stroking her thumbs over her still taut nipples.

"Ahh... really nice." He was breathing was heavier than a moment ago.

She brought her feet together. "My legs look okay without stockings?"

Tom swallowed. "Mom... you're gorgeous... hot, beautiful."

Mara dropped her hands to her sides and slowly walked up to her son, subtly swaying her hips in a minor 'runway walk.' She stepped up right in front of him and wasn't subtle about her gaze down to his crotch. She looked up and smiled. "I think you're telling me the truth."

"You... ah... look hot... awesome, Mom." He flinched when Mom raised her hand and started drawing her index finger slowly around on his chest. He wished he didn't have a T shirt on.

"I know we talked about never again doing what we've done, Tommy, but... this morning I was thinking your dad won't be back for four or five days. And... maybe we could keep everything in... perspective, not get too out of hand like we did Tuesday when we were both inebriated, which..." She smiled. "... sounds nicer than 'drunk.' We might take a... a time out, from our decision, just for one more day. I mean, we did it once together, would two times make it that much worse? You just said I look hot in my new underthings. Wouldn't you like to play with me, maybe just a little?"

"Well... yeah, but... ahh... you know, we just talked, about... about..."

"We're not drunk like we were Tuesday, Tommy. We're both level headed now, we know it's just for fun whatever we do, we'll keep it all in perspective. I mean you weren't at Steve's today like you were on Tuesday. Right?"

"Ahhh... No, I've... ahhh... been here all day."

"What about Tuesday, Tommy? What did you drink there with Steve? I wondered about that. You were so drunk when you came in, stumbling all over the place. I didn't tell you but I saw you arrive, stumbling out of your car, Julie driving. Was it just beer?"

Tommy's cock started understanding what was going on before his brain did. It began slowly shrinking. "Ahh... I... I don't remember."

Mara's hand flattened on his chest and slowly stroked from side. "On Tueday were you drunk before you got to Steve's so you can't recall what you drank there?"

His brain slowly started working. She knew. "Ahh... I... I didn't..." He exhaled. "I didn't drink over there, Mom." Tom jumped. "OW!" Mom had gripped his nipple, twisted and yanked. "Jeezuz!"

"You deserved that, and don't you dare move!" She quickly went to the chair and pulled her robe on, tying the belt and returning to stand in from of Tommy. Her arms folded over her chest. "You lied to me on Tuesday night. Not only by your actions but you told me you were drunk. You played me, Tommy. You played me like you thought I was nothing more than some stupid broad! You seduced me! I know I'm responsible about what happened, but what about you lying? And more importantly, what about everything you've said to me since Wednesday morning? Were you lying ALL the time? Should I believe anything you said? Was packing your bags just another play? Another con job on me? That scared me so much when I thought you'd leave and join the stupid army!"

Tears started running down her face. She angrily wiped them away with her hand. "Was everything you've said lies?! That the truth really is you don't love me, that you don't want things to go back to what they were between us? That you don't care about how awful I feel about your Dad, about worrying that I scarred you with my horrible behavior? Do you have any idea how awful and torn up and horribly guilty I feel?! How could you have lied to me like that?!" Again Mara wiped her tears away using two hands.

Tom's cock had shrunk to the size of a cocktail weenie. "Mom, I... I-I'm sorry. I didn't lie about..."

She cut him off. "Go downstairs and wait for me. We're going to have a conference about this... not about me, but about you. I have to wash my face, and change."

"Mom, I'm..."

She cut him off again, "GO!"

Tom slowly left the bedroom, closing the door behind him. Halfway down the stairs, he figured it had to have been Julie. He really wished he could just erase the past week. As he reached the bottom step, he knew that wasn't quite true. That night with Mom was awesome, incredible, unbelievable. He probably would have done anything to have that night with her. But he hadn't really thought in terms that he was seducing or playing her. As he made his way to the stuffed chair his gut clenched. Shit... I did play her. How the fuck could I have done that to her? Jeezuz... I am a super asshole.

*

Tom was leaning forward in the chair. His elbows on his thighs, his hands together, shifting them, gazing at them as if examining his palms. Mom had gone over every single detail of what they had already talked about. She asked him if he had lied when he said this to her, that to her, the other thing to her.

He wasn't surprised she remembered every detail of what had been said. He had only told her the truth since Wednesday morning. He thought she knew that, believed that, but figured she was making a point. He assumed that was part of his punishment for being so damn stupid, but he really hadn't thought of it as playing her or seducing her. It was just a way for him to get into her room. He blinked. He was fooling himself again. He had played her. Seduced her? He wasn't sure about that, but if Mom thought it, then okay, fine, he had seduced her.

Mom was still talking, now telling him how ashamed she'd be if he ever did that to a girl, if he ever became a player, a conniver, a liar, just to get into some girl's panties, like he had done with her. That he had better think about how he viewed girls and women, that she and all other women were not stupid sex objects, that...

Tom was suddenly possessed by anger. He abruptly stood up, his eyes glaring at Mom. "Okay, I was stupid! It was wrong to pretend to be drunk! But I didn't think of you as a sex object! I love you! I can't help it that I wanted more than I should with you! I wanted to make you feel good too! I care about you! I'm not fucking blind! I know Dad looks at you but doesn't see you anymore! Don't you think I noticed when you tried to flirt with him and it was like he was fuckin' blind! I wanted to make you feel good! I care about you! Yeah, I wanted to have sex with you because of all my stupid fantasies, but it wasn't just to get into your panties! It wasn't all just about what I wanted but about giving you pleasure, making you feel good too!

"Everything I said to you that night other than what I told you about being drunk, was true! I love you! I think you're beautiful! I think you're hot! Jeezuz, Mom! I don't think of you nor have I ever thought of you as some sex object, and I don't think that about other girls! Why do you think I felt I loved Marcia?! Just because she hooked up with me?! She was smart, we talked, it wasn't just fucking we did together!