Masculine and Beautiful

During the afternoon he had come up with a possibly stupid plan, but the only one that seemed feasible. He was going to try to cut her off at the pass by talking first, try to keep her from asking too many questions, let her know how much he didn't remember. He gazed at her bubble butt as he took a deep breath, then spoke before either of them sat down. "Mom? I know this is your show, but I was wondering if I could speak first?"

Mara hadn't expected that. "Um..." She turned around and looked at Tommy. She could see embarrassment and nervousness on his face. "All right." He didn't move to sit, so she didn't either. She folded her arms over her chest and kept her eyes on his, which met hers only infrequently.

"First off, I know what an idiot I was last night. I mean, you know, drinking too much at Ste..."

"You know, don't you, that you shouldn't be drinking at all."

He took a slow breath and met her eyes for a few seconds. "Yeah, Mom, I know that. Could... could I just finish what I want to say, then you can talk, or... if you want me to shut up, I will. You're... I mean, I'll do it anyway you want."

"All right. I..." She exhaled. "I'll try not to interrupt, unless I feel I have to. Okay, go on."

Tom had called Bill from his room in the afternoon to get as many facts as he could about what happened the previous night. He knew Bill was giving him an embellished, hyperbolic interpretation of it, so Tom had called Julie after that. He had to listen to her scolding him for ten minutes, both about what he had done at the party and at his house. She said Bill had said he puked a few times in the powder room, but she hadn't seen that, only later when he was drinking water out of the sink and then rudely went up to his room with a flip of his hand as a goodbye.

The calls hadn't helped him much, but afterwards he came up with the core of his plan. Obviously, he could barely remember anything that happened the night before, he was wasted! Of course he'd have to recall bits and pieces, but he'd just edit them down appropriately. The problem with the plan was that Mom always knew when he was lying, and that included lies of omission, not just commission.

He only glanced at her as he took another slow breath. He said again it had been extremely stupid to get drunk, that he hadn't planned to, that it just happened. He got into a drinking game at the party and done really lousy, then drank more with people after that. Then he loss track of time for a while, then he realized how late it was. Bill or Jim, or maybe it really was Julie, wouldn't let him drive home, and he knew he wasn't fit to drive, so he stuck around until he could get a ride from someone. Then he guessed Bill loss track of time, or maybe he was playing pool and didn't want to stop the game to leave, something like that. Then finally they left. Julie was driving because she was the designated driver, then they got here.

"Uh... I... I sort of remember that I puked. Ah... did I?" He thought asking Mom was a good play.

"Yes. You did that a few times in the foyer bathroom, Tommy. I have to tell you that it was very heartbreaking for me to see my own son in that condition, so drunk he was throwing up."

"Yeah... I can imagine. I'm... I'm really sorry, Mom."

"You know, I don't think you can imagine it, seeing someone you love disrespecting himself and those who love him by being that out of control, that drunk."

His gut tensed. Mom wasn't pulling any punches. He had only experienced her like this a few times. "I'm sorry, Mom. I really am. I wish I hadn't had one beer." He had been doing whiskey shots too, plus a couple cherry bomb shooters which he figured was probably what made him puke.

"Is... is that all you remember?"

This was going to be the tricky section of his story. "Ahhh... no. I... I remember brushing my teeth and using mouthwash, then... ahhh... going to bed. I think I pas... I fell asleep really quickly, and..." This next part he had debated whether or not to tell. He had thought long about stopping at this point, saying that was all he remembered, but he really didn't think Mom would buy it. "I-I sort of remember waking up, and... and trying to take off my jeans. And... somehow I got on the floor, and..."

Again he took a slow breath. "I think... I think I started crying, about... about Marcia, you know, breaking up with her, and then... I only sort of remember you being there, telling me something about not to worry about it, and to get off the floor and get into bed... something like that. I-I'm really embarrassed about all of it, Mom, getting drunk like that, but... I know you won't think this is the biggest thing about last night, but... I really hate that... that I cried in front of you like that. I-I shouldn't have done that. I'm really sorry. I'm really sorry about all of it, about everything I did last night. I'll never do anything like I did yesterday, or act like I did last night. Never."

He knew what he was most sorry about, but he just couldn't say it. He was scared to death things wouldn't go back to normal between them. He hoped Mom knew what he meant about never doing and acting as he had last night. How could I have been so fucking stupid! During the afternoon, he definitely recalled begging her for a hand job and pushing her hand down to his dick.

Mara was torn about what to do. She figured they had to talk openly about it, or it might haunt both of them for the rest of their lives. She took a quick breath. "Do... do you remember that... that I-I gave you a... a-a massage?" She screamed at herself to stay calm. She hated that she had stammered.

His gut tensed and he felt breathless for a moment. He forced his brow to pinch. "Huh? A... a massage?"

Mara was extremely nervous. She tried her best to cover it up. "Yes, a-a massage."

"Ahh... uh, no." He had to break contact with her eyes. He hated that she could read him so well when he tried to lie. "I remember... babbling, and, you know, crying, saying... saying how much I... I guess I said I loved Marcia, and missed her, and... you know, like I just said, I acted like some freakin' wimp. I-I don't remember a massage, but... I guess I remember your arm around me when I was..." he exhaled sharply. "When I was babbling and blubbering."

Mara's teeth clamped her lower lip. She knew Tommy was lying, but maybe he really didn't recall it very clearly. Maybe he was just trying to get things back to normal by ignoring it. Not totally ignoring it, but maybe he decided talking about it would be too embarrassing or it wouldn't accomplish anything, that maybe just forgetting it had happened would be best? She knew what he meant about never acting like or doing what he had last night. Either he meant getting her to touch his erection, or he really didn't recall it and was apologizing for being drunk and stupid. Probably all of it.

Her mind kept working. What was she exactly going to tell him about it anyway? I'm never going to help you masturbate again? And it was wrong you asked me to, and even more wrong that I did it for you? He wasn't stupid, he knew that already. She took a slow breath. She decided to speak in code as he had, maybe that really was the best way out of this. "I... I'm not giving you massages anymore when you're a drunken idiot like you were that night. I think... I think you thought it was M... your ex-girlfriend giving you the massage." She was his mother, she had to give him a way out.

Was she also giving herself a way out? Wasn't she the more guilty party here? She had concluded earlier that they both had been caught up in a weird situation and an extreme emotional moment, and that neither of them had handled it as they should have. She of course was much more at fault, but she hadn't been thinking straight, and she had been caught by surprise, and she was sure most, at least 90% of her actions if not 100%, had been a mother's care, concern, and love for him, not some perverted sexual act. She had been caught up in an emotional moment. She truly had wanted to ease his emotional pain by her incredibly stupid actions. She knew she was rationalizing at least somewhat, but the core of her actions were based on a mother's love that came out in an insane, stupid, horribly perverse manner.

She took another breath. "Tommy, I know your heart's broken about her. I know what it feels like to break up with someone you care about. I've had some experience with that before your father. I want you to talk to me about it, be open with me. I'm always here to help and to listen, but I'm also smart enough to know that there's no logic to one's heart, to emotions, otherwise they wouldn't be called emotions. I'll listen and talk with you about anything, but you have to be sober when we talk, otherwise... otherwise it doesn't make any sense to talk, you won't even remember it.

"I know how difficult this time is for you, I do, I really do, and my heart aches for you about it. And I know this cliché isn't going to help, but it happens to be true too, that time really does heal wounds, including emotional ones. You have your entire life ahead of you, the interesting part is about to start. College is not only about academic learning, but you'll learn about people and life too. You'll sort of be on your own, but not totally on your own because you'll still be living here during breaks and summers, well, you'll always have this as home, but I hope you know what I mean. It can be a wonderful time of life and I know you're going to be meeting a lot of wonderful girls.

"I-I know you have to be sad about Marcia for a while, it's a bit like grieving, but please, sweetheart, don't forget to have hope and faith in your future too."

"I... I will, Mom." Tom felt like a super jerk. He was really glad he hadn't shot his mouth off last night about why Marcia broke up with him. But it was also true that he really had thought he loved her, he probably still did, and she really had broken his heart, but he knew the breakup was his fault. Why did I have to push her about it?! "Mom? Thanks for... for listening even when I was... you know, kinda wasted. And I really am so sorry about everything I-I did last night. Everything."

Mara finally relaxed. Tommy was back to telling the truth. She half smiled and raised an eyebrow. "Kind of wasted?"

Tom finally smiled. "Okay-okay, I was totally wasted." He looked into her beautiful eyes. "Mom? Are you really grounding me?"

She exhaled sharply. "Tommy, having you not leave the house for two and a half days is not something I'd call a grounding."

He had known it was a stupid question but he asked to see how close things were to getting back to normal. Her answer was a good sign. He dipped his head slightly, raised his eyebrows, and grinned. "Well... no harm asking. Right?"

She shook her head but smiled. He knew he could charm her with that cute smile and his eyes. He had been doing it since he was two years old, maybe since he was two days old. "Now, come here and give your extremely tolerant and nice mom a hug." Mara tensed. She had just blurted that. It was something she always said and did after they had a mother-son conference. As usual, Tommy was sarcastic about it, hanging his head and dragging his feet. She started to relax again.

Tom sighed. "Oh... all right, if I have to." His head raised and he was smiling as he put his arms around Mom, hugging her close, but not too tightly. She did likewise with her arms corralled around his neck. He made sure his dick was nowhere near her, for one thing, it was starting to grow, especially when her tits pressed lightly into his chest. He turned his head and kissed her cheek. That was normal. "I'm really sorry, Mom."

"Just be a good boy, Tommy."

"I will, Mom." He smiled. It was their normal lines and actions, including her hand tapping his shoulder, ending the hug.

She looked at him and smiled. "Now... go and finish cleaning up in the kitchen, make sure you wipe down all the countertops. I'm going to relax." She stepped over to the coffee table and picked up the TV remote. She heard Tommy mumble something. "I heard that, no grumpiness, you were an idiot last night, and don't yeah-yeah me."

"Yeah... Mom... yeah."

She smiled again as she sat on the couch. "I told you not to yeah-yeah me!"

He chuckled. "I didn't. I stuck a 'mom' in between."

"Just finish cleaning in there and don't forget to put away all the dishes later."

He smiled and whispered, "Yeah-yeah."

"I heard that!" Mara took a slow breath and sighed. Things were going to be all right, although she still hadn't come to grips about her needing to keep it secret from Phil. Her stomach tensed yet again.

Tom grinned as he started hand washing the glasses. Mom never put those in the dishwasher, supposedly too many spots and streaks afterwards. His smile faded. Feeling the emotional weight about last night lifting, he was suddenly again thinking about her hand on his cock, and how many times he had imagined doing her. He had fantasized about her for years, ever since not only he had noticed how hot she was, but how his friends had noticed too. The odd thing about last night, was that it actually had helped him to put the whole Marcia thing in perspective. Jeezuz, he really had liked screwing Marcia, he just shouldn't have pushed her. He guessed that was now one of those things called a 'learning experience.' He felt his guilt burgeon again when a vision of his cock sliding into Mom's pussy flashed in his mind.

* * *

CHAPTER 3

Sunday morning Mara didn't waver and made Tommy drive and attend 8AM Mass with her. She kept up the facade of the 'strict mother' later after breakfast too, making him do all the dishes and then sent him out to clean the pool, which included sweeping out and organizing the little cabana, and edging the grass around the stone patio. She did bring out a tall glass of lemonade for him though around 11:00AM, then told him because it was another really hot and humid day, she was going to be lenient, so after he had finished with the edging, if he wanted to, he could invite a few friends over to use the pool, but he was not leaving the house before or afterwards.

Mara thought a little pool party was a good idea. She didn't want Tommy thinking about the breakup with Marcia, and hopefully it would also keep his mind off what happened on Friday night in his bedroom.

Mara made a ham sandwich for his lunch. She had a small salad. Tom said he had called Billy about coming over.

"Who's all coming?" Mara asked.

"Bill, Julie, her friend Carie, and Jim." She saw his mother's eyes get intense.

"Good."

Tom wondered about the glare for a few moments then it hit him. He smiled. "You gonna tear both of them a new one too, aren't you?"

"We'll see, and wipe that smile off your face, mister."

"Yes, Mam." Tom took a big bite of his sandwich.

Mara sipped her ice water to stifle her smile. She did have fun with Tommy, much more than she did with Denise for some reason.

Forty-five minutes later, Tom had showered and changed into his long, baggy swim shorts and a T before he came bounding down the stairs. "Hey, Mom?! They're here!"

"You don't have to shout, Tommy." Mara rose from the couch where she had been reading Time magazine. She smiled. Telling Tommy not to shout was one of those little things that made her believe their relationship was almost back to normal. She walked into the foyer just as Tommy opened the front door.

"Saw you guys pull in from my bedroom window." He smiled at the girls. "Hi, Julie. Hi Carie."

The girls said hi and stepped into the foyer. Julie grinned at Mrs. Dolton. "Hi, Mara. This is my friend, Carie. Carie, this is Mrs. Dolton, obviously, Tom's mom. You can call her Mrs. D though, right Mara?"

Mara smiled. "Uh-huh." She thought it was cute Julie was making it known they had a 'special relationship,' that only she could call her Mara. "Hi, Carie, I'm pleased to meet you." She shook the pretty girl's hand.

"Hi, Mrs. D. Thanks for letting me come over."

"You're welcome. I'm really glad you're here." Mara turned towards the front door and her smile disappeared. She looked at Billy and Jimmy, both fidgeting and half the time looking at their shoes. Mara folded her arms over her chest. "I'm still angry with both of you."

Julie piped up, "They have something to say to you, Mara. Right guys?"

Bill looked at his girlfriend, then glanced at Mrs. D before his eyes looked at the floor again. "Uh... yeah, ahhh... Mrs. D, you know, uh... I'm kinda like really sorry about, you know, last Friday being a... well, you know, and..."

Both Mara and Julie interrupted at the same moment, Mara said, "Kind of?" while Julie said, "Kinda sorry?" The two women, one in her forties, the other only 18, looked at each other and giggled for a moment, then both turned their once again glaring faces to the boys. Mara noticed Julie's arms fold across her chest too, copying her own pose.

Julie spoke, "I think you better start over, Bill. And Jim? Don't just stand there mute."

Bill's eyes glared at his girlfriend but only for a second. He'd let her have her fun. He cleared his throat, looked squarely at Mrs. D and took a breath. "I'm really sorry, and I apologize for being drunk and..." He glanced at Julie, sighed loudly, then met Mrs. D's eyes again. "And for being a total idiot on Friday night, and... it won't ever happen again, and... I really appreciate that you didn't call my parents about it." He looked at Julie. She raised her eyebrows. He exhaled once more but softer this time, then looked at Mrs. D. "And... I hope you'll forgive my stupid behavior."

Julie turned to Mrs. D. "Mara?"

"Billy, I know you're a good b... a good young man, but sometimes you obviously show very immature behavior. The only reason I didn't call your parents was that you at least were smart enough to have Julie drive your car, but if it ever happens again whether or not you have a designated driver, I will call your parents and tell them about how their smart son has decided to act like an idiot." She exhaled. "Yes, I forgive you and you're welcome in this home."

Tom had moved into the sitting area behind everyone in the foyer, resting his ass on the back of couch. He muttered, "Jeezuz, talk about whipped." He chuckled.

Mara turned around in a flash. She pointed at her son. "You wipe that grin off your face, you're just as stupid as them, maybe more so, because you're my son and should have known better."

Tom bowed his head and mumbled, "Yes, Mam." He also smiled at the floor.

Julie, who had definitely taken on the role of master of ceremonies, said, "Jim?"

"Ahhh... Mrs. D? I'm really sorry for acting like an id..."

"Acting?" Julie raised her eyebrows.

Mara had to raise one hand and press her fingers to her lips to stop from grinning. She decided she liked Julie a lot.

"Ahhh... I'm sorry for being an idiot the other night, and... and all that other stuff Bill just said, and I hope you'll forgive me."

Julie prompted again, "Jim, say it all."

Mara's hand moved from her mouth and gave Julie's upper arm a light squeeze. "That's okay, honey." She looked at Jim. "What I just said to Bill goes for you too, Jimmy. Next time, even if there's a designated driver, I'm calling your parents. And... yes, I forgive you and you're welcome in our home."