Paradise Island

"Look, will you tell me what's going on?"

"It's really rather simple, darling. I thought as we intended to share the same room, it might become obvious that the room booked for you was not being used, so I told the girl at the reception desk there had been a mistake. I told her we'd just got married, and had only meant to book one room. She was perfectly nice about it, especially as everything has been paid for in advance, and we would not be looking for a refund."

Eve gave another of her bubbly laughs, and I could not help but join her. In fact, she used the same ploy for the rest of the trip so we got the "Honeymooner's" looks everywhere we stayed.

Looked at objectively, there was nothing incongruous about our being honeymooners. Mother had always looked far younger than she was, and her current contentment made her look even younger. I, on the other hand, have always looked mature for my age, so if we did not quite meet at some age central point, as it were, we were not far off.

The rest of our island holiday was almost a dreamtime. Eve said, "This has been our paradise island," and she was right.

The more I had of her, the more I wanted of her. Eve seemed almost insatiable, as if trying to catch up on all the years of not being loved.

But the end of the holiday came, and the future had to be faced. Eve had indicated that she knew what to do, so I clung to that.

On our last night before taking the ferry back to the mainland, we were lying peacefully just after making love, and Eve was playfully running her fingers over my face. She looked at me with an enigmatic smile on her face and said, "Darling, had it occurred to you that I might get pregnant?"

I sat up, startled. It hadn't entered my thoughts.

Eve laughed, "It's all right darling, no need to panic. I put myself on the pill well before we began this holiday."

"You mean you knew…?"

"Of course…at least…I thought there was a good chance we would…you see what a cunning mother you've got. I planned to seduce you right from the start. I suppose my point is, would you be devastated if I did get pregnant to you?"

I hardly knew what to reply. I made a mumbling effort. "I suppose…but you're really my mother…I mean…a baby. I wouldn't mind having a baby, but…"

"You mean it would be all right to have a baby as long as it's not with me?"

I felt terrible. I really thought it would be great to do some real baby making with Eve. But my mother…?"

"Let's leave it for now, sweetheart. We can talk about it some other time. What I want to talk about now is your father and I. I shall wait until you go back to university before I tell him I'm leaving. I don't want you around when he starts exploding." "When the dust has settled I shall contact you and tell you what I propose. This will give you time to consider what you really want."

"But Eve, I know what I want…"

"You do now, darling, but time can do some strange things. So just be patient, and work out what you think is best for you."

"Eve, you won't…I mean someone else…you'd tell me truthfully…"

"My dearest love, after what we have had on this holiday, do you really think I'd want someone else?"

"No, I suppose not."

"Trust me, my love."

My university course was Classical Studies. Not a very high profile course these days, but my intention on completing the course, was to go on to art school.

The university I was attending meant I was not in my home city. On returning to start my third year of studies, I began the wait for mother to contact me. We exchanged letters and spoke at least once a week on the telephone, but she said nothing beyond vague bits of news and nothing about her leaving my father.

Six months went by, and I was about to go home to confront her when the telephone call came.

"Darling, I want to come and see you. Is there room in your flat for me?"

The flat was another of my father's offerings.

"Of course, mother."

I met her at the airport and was struck by how tired she looked. We went to the flat and I settled her in. I only had one bed, but that was a double. It was a purchase of my own, and was intended to accommodate some of the girls I used to spend a night with or rather, they with me.

I was not sure how things now stood with mother so I asked, pointing to the bed, "Will this be okay?"

"Of course, darling."

Feeling a bit grimy from her journey mother took as shower, then said, "Well, haven't you got something for me after all this time, or has the flower faded?"

Ye Gods, didn't I have something for her? I think I must have been secreting a barrel full of semen for her.

I was soon busy pumping this overflow of my baby manufacturing fluid into her, apparently to the satisfaction of both of us.

It was when we had both calmed down, and our libidos were temporarily relaxed, mother spoke of the situation.

She had left my father and was filing for divorce. Father, not wanting to go through the courts to arrive at a settlement, had made a generous offer which mother accepted. She was now living in a small flat that she rented. She said she would not purchase a flat or house until such time as she could be reasonable sure of her future.

"That is where you come in, darling," she said to me.

"How?" I asked.

"I won't beat about the bush, my love," she said. "What I would most like to have happen is for us to set up home together, and I don't mean primarily as mother and son. I mean as lovers… what do they call it? 'Partners.' Ideally, I should like us to be man and wife, but that is out of the question."

I went to answer, but she cut in.

"Here me out, darling. It's better you know everything I have in mind before trying to give an answer."

I nodded.

"If you should want to be with me, you must understand that from my point of view it would be a permanent relationship. I know we can't predict what might happen in the future, but that would be my intention. I shall be faithful to you, and I would look for you to be the same to me. To parody the old wedding ceremony, you would have my body that I will never deny to you. You will have my 'worldly wealth,' which is substantial, my support in your intended work as an artist, and if what I have just said does not cover it, you will have my love. Now is the time for you to speak, I think."

"Your love covers it all, Eve. I can't offer you anything nearly so generous. I've loved you for as long as I can remember. On the island, that love changed its form, but not its strength. Whatever it is you can see in me and want from me, I shall do the best I can to give it to you."

"Silly boy, I'm still your mother, you know. Of course I think you're the best."

"Then we live together?"

"There is one other thing, my love. I said on the island we would talk about it, and perhaps now is the time. I can still bear a child. If you should want that, it would be my joy to have your baby."

As I write this, we are living on the island. I have my own workshop and gallery and my paintings sell well. None are better than my nudes of Eve, of which I have done quite a few, and sell for a criminally astronomical figure (there must be some of my father in me).

Eve was always interest in antiques. She did the appropriate studies and is licensed as an antique dealer, so alongside and working with the gallery, she has her own antique shop.

I must cease writing now because our little Jenny needs changing, and it's my turn.