The Earth Mother

In the soft light of early morning Adrian, his penis hardened, very quietly took Alice once more. It was a lingering, loving interlude between their night of fire and passion, and the coming judgement of the day.

Alice gave gentle little gasps as she came, and Adrian ended his ejaculation with a long sigh.

The children were now awake and Alice rose to face the realities of the day. Adrian lay still for a while. It was Sunday and there was no need to rise for work. He heard the sounds of the children and Alice bustling in the kitchen. Finally he rose, showered and dressed.

Entering the kitchen, he found the children eating their breakfast and his own food ready for him on the table. Alice was cleaning at the kitchen sink.

With the children present there was no opportunity to begin the conversation that they knew they must have. It was not until early afternoon, and the children's departure to "play next door," that opportunity presented itself for their talk.

Adrian tried to begin, "Mum…I…I…I want to tell you…" He broke off, not knowing how to proceed.

"What do you want to tell me, Adrian?" asked Alice. She dreaded his answer. Would he now feel revolted by her, the way she had initially almost sexually assaulted him. Would he recall the tumbled ruins of their morning bed, the smell of their sexual union, their fluids intermixed, and turn away from her? Would she lose him not only as a lover, but also as the son he had become over the past years?

Adrian found his voice again, and burst out with the last words on earth Alice thought she would hear from him.

"Mum, will you marry me?"

Alice was thunderstruck. Her mouth went dry and she began to shake all over.

Adrian, seeing her distress, went to where she was seated and knelt in front of her, putting his arms around her.

"Mum, I didn't mean to upset you. I'm sorry. But I do want to marry you, I really do."

There was a long silence. Alice struggled to assemble her thoughts. Gradually surfacing from her pit of bewilderment she said, "Adrian, I want to answer you, but I'm too confused. Please…I have to think. Let's talk again tonight after the children have gone to bed."

"Okay mum," Adrian replied. He kissed her gently, rose and left the room.

Alice heard the click of the front gate as Adrian went out. She suddenly felt very isolated and perplexed. Last night she had made the boy who had been to her a son, into her lover. That she loved him she did not doubt otherwise she would not have done with him what she had done. But her action in making sexual contact with him had been to give something special to him on his birthday. The thought of him as a husband had not crossed her mind.

As she thought of Adrian's proposal of marriage the realisation came to her that he had not been repelled by their coupling. A thrill raced through her. He desired her – desired her enough to ask for a permanent commitment – but did he really understand what he asked?

And what of her? Could she join herself sexually to a man twelve years her junior? Would he, in years to come, see her as an old woman, and leave her for younger game? She knew all the "for and against arguments," but had no answers.

Adrian did not come home for the evening meal. Alice put the children to bed and read them their bedtime stories. After kissing them goodnight, she went into the lounge to await Adrian's return.

At 8-30 p.m., she heard the click of the front gate. Adrian came to her.

Both of them were filled with apprehension. Alice did not wait for Adrian to say anything, she went straight into what she had to say.

"Adrian, you know I love you – loved you as a son. Last night, rightly or wrongly, I took you as my lover. You have asked me to marry you. My answer is 'no.'"

Adrian broke out in protest, but Alice went on.

"Hear me out, Adrian. My answer is no, until one year after you have finished your apprenticeship. By that time, you will be twenty-two and I shall be thirty-four. If at that time you ask me to marry you, I shall say 'yes.' Until then there must be no more talk of marriage."

"During the next four years I want you to think about a few things. Our age difference, the fact that I am a widow with two children, and the certainty that I can never give you any children."

"There is one other thing. I want you to be very sure you want a permanent relationship with me, and that it is not just a passing sexual desire because I am the first woman you have been with."

"To make sure I am not a passing phase in your life, over the next four years you may be my lover. Whenever you want me, you have only to approach me. This is not some selfless decision because I want you badly and will take all I can get of you. If you agree with what I have said I shall also feel free to approach you for sexual intercourse."

She ceased speaking. Again, there was a long silence.

Adrian spoke: "on my twenty-second birthday I shall ask you to marry me. Meantime, I shall be your son and your lover."

Alice smiled, "I think you'd better stop calling me 'mum', and call me 'Alice' instead. We have to start getting the children used to the new situation."

Adrian took Alice to bed and loved her.

Last month Adrian was twenty-two. Yesterday Alice and Adrian got married. I noticed that Alice seemed to have lost a little weight, so I asked her about it. She gave a tinkling little laugh and replied, "Adrian sees to it that I get plenty of exercise."