Sylvia looked a lot different when Jason and her mother arrived downstairs. Gone was the "Addams Family" look. She was wearing very little makeup, had her hair hanging loose and straight, and was wearing an over-sized pink sweatshirt and pink plaid shorts. She also had a slight flush on her face. She looked, Jason thought, more attractive than he'd ever seen her look. "Hi, Jason," she said, sounding a little nervous. "Sleep OK last night?"
"I slept OK," Jason replied, a little curtly. He wasn't sure what had happened to cause such a radical change in Sylvia, but he had an idea it might have something to do with the guy who'd come by their table at the Inn the night before. At first he felt a pang of jealousy, then Sylvia's mother came down the steps and he realized he had nothing to be jealous about. If anything, things had worked out so he'd gotten the best of the deal. "You look pretty this morning, Sylvia," he said.
Sylvia turned bright red. "Ah...thanks," she stammered, looking at the floor as if she was afraid to face him. "I-I decided that since we're up here in the mountains, it was kinda dumb to wear the stuff I usually wear, you know?"
"Yes, dear, you look much nicer today," Sylvia's mother commented as she walked by them. She gave Jason a gentle nudge on the bottom. Sylvia didn't see it because she was still staring at the floor. He was tempted to return the nudge, but just as he was about to, Sylvia looked up, so he decided not to.
"Did you come home for lunch, dear?" Sylvia's mother asked.
"Ah...yeah...I was kind hungry," Sylvia replied. "And...and I wanted to see if Jason had gotten up, too," she added quickly.
"Well, he is, and he's been a big help to me this morning," her mother said. "If it wasn't for him helping me, I'd still be making the beds."
Jason, who was all too aware of the true meaning of Sylvia's mother's words, couldn't help but smile. "If Sylvia knew what I've really been helping her mother with, she'd have a cow," he thought. He felt a grin forming on his face and couldn't stop it.
"I'll make some lunch," Sylvia's mother said. "Would you mind helping me, dear? I think Jason's done more than his share this morning."
"Yeah, OK, Mom," Sylvia replied. Still averting her gaze from Jason, she followed her mother into the kitchen.
When lunch was ready, they sat down at the kitchen table and began to eat. Sylvia, still acting embarrassed, picked at her food and didn't eat much. Jason, who found himself ravenous, ate a lot and enjoyed the food - and Sylvia's discomfiture - immensely. He smiled across the table at Sylvia's mother and said, "This was a great lunch, Karen. You're a really good cook."
"Why thank you, Jason," Sylvia's mother replied, grinning. "I seldom hear compliments on my cooking from my family. It must be my family has gotten used to my cooking, huh?"
"I guess," Jason replied.
"So, Sylvia, what have you been up to all morning?" Sylvia's mother asked her daughter.
Sylvia kept pushing her food around her plate and watching carefully as she did it. "Ah...well...I-I went down to the lodge," she murmured. "There was a whole bunch of other kids there and we just kinda hung out, you know?"
"And what are you doing this afternoon?" her mother inquired.
Sylvia's face turned even redder. "Um...the kids...they were talking about taking a hike up to...to the Overlook," she mumbled. "Jason can come along if he wants," she added quickly.
"Sylvia, you did invite Jason up here for the weekend," her mother said with a very clear scolding tone in her voice. "Do you think the way you treated him this morning has been fair?"
"Ah...no...I-I guess it...it isn't," Sylvia murmured. Without looking up she said, "I'm sorry, Jason. And...I-I mean it about you coming along this afternoon. If...if you want to."
"Yeah, and I'd probably have to put up with you and that Paul asshole pawing at each other and ignoring me," Jason thought. "Look, Sylvia," he said, "I'm not much good at hiking and stuff. Why don't you go and have a good time with your friends? I'll stay here."
Sylvia looked up for the first time. There was a look of total surprise on her face and relief in her eyes. "What...what are you going to do, then?" she asked.
Jason shrugged. "I dunno, I'll figure something out," he told her. "Really, you go ahead. I'll be fine."
"Are...are you sure?" Sylvia asked, studying him.
Jason smiled and nodded. He was positive that if he stayed here with Sylvia's mother, he'd have a lot more fun than if he went with Sylvia and her friends.
Sylvia looked at her mother. "Mom..." she said tentatively.
"Look, if you want to go with your friends, go ahead," her mother replied curtly. "I just want you to remember this the next time you think about inviting someone up here for the weekend."
"I-I will, Mom," Sylvia said, sounding chastened. She stood up, looked at Jason and her mother, said, "See you guys later," and then she left.
After Sylvia had gone, Jason looked across the kitchen at Sylvia's mother, who was standing at the kitchen counter. She smiled back at him. "A penny for your thoughts," she said.
Jason stood up and, feeling a sense of self-assurance that surprised him, started walking toward her. As he approached her he said, "I thought that, since it looks like Sylvia will be gone for the rest of the afternoon - and so will everybody else..." He pulled her into his arms and covered her lips with his.
Sylvia's mother pressed against him and her tongue forced its way into his mouth. Heat rushed through him as her body pressed against his and their tongues lashed. He slid his hands down over her back, cupped her bottom, and pulled her against his middle so she could feel the swelling there.
