Well, the woman in the mirror certainly looks too young to be attending the wedding of her son this weekend and truthfully, thirty-seven really is far too young to have a twenty year old. Come to think of it, twenty was far too young to be getting married. But then, you were married younger. And this girl your son is marrying really is a sweet, beautiful girl. They remind you of you and your husband when you were getting married. (God rest his soul)
Deep breath. Your future daughter βin-law should be here any moment so that the two of you can finish fitting the gown that you made together. And what fun that was! You feel more like you're helping one of your best friends get ready for her best day...
One last glance in the mirror at the youngish, still quite attractive woman in the mirror and you are off to answer the ringing doorbell. She's here.
It's good to see her again. She really looks great this morning, glowing like a bride should in the week of her wedding. She seems much more relaxed than you remember being when you were married, but you did elope.
The usual small talk and catching up over a cup of morning tea, then to work.
As you're working on the dress you finally hear the question that you've been expecting from her for some time now. Is your son anything like his father? You knew that was coming eventually, and the truth is it doesn't really feel like you thought it might. It feels quite comfortable to talk about actually and you answer her in detail before you realize that you've been rambling on happily for a while. She's smiling sweetly at you and comments that you must have been very much in love. It is true. You were, and you still love him very much. But this morning you realize that you are recovered and able to talk about it.
It's about time. You spent too many years secluded and grieving...
Of course she has to know how you and your husband met. It's a cute little story that you actually enjoy telling and you give her all the little details.
"You know," you say, "my son never really gives me any detail on how you two met." It's true. Whenever you ask him he seems to evade the question with a vague description of how the two of them met through a friend.
"He's told you we met through a friend?" She asks. You reply that's all he ever really says, and you know that there must be more to the story, it's just this feeling that you have...call it mothers intuition...
"There is" she replies "but I'm not sure if I should be the one to tell you, it's a little...um...of an odd story. Not the way people usually meet"
"Now you have to tell me!" you reply. "It sounds Juicy! What better way to bond with your future mother-in-law than a juicy story?"
Her smile at that is a little strained. "Juicy, sure, but a juicy story about your son?"
"I'm still young" you say, "I could use a bit of an exciting story anyway"
"Well alright," she replies "but you can't tell him that I told you.
"Don't worry, it'll be our little secret"
Apparently your son and his future did meet through a friend, but not just friend, it was his ex-girlfriend, who you're pretty sure he's still on good terms with.
"Oh they are" she tells you. "We are all still on quite good terms. Which may seem a bit odd because not only was she his ex, but she my ex-girlfriend also" This seems to be accompanied by a bit of a wince on her part.
"Didn't you just say that you are all still on good terms?" You ask.
"Yes"
Than how can you say that she's your ex-girlfriend? If you're on good terms, wouldn't she still be your friend?"
"Well..." she hesitates. "By ex-girlfriend I mean that she was...Um... My former lover"
You have to admit to a bit of shock on this one. What do you say to that? You stammer out a lame statement anyway. "But you don't look like a...um...an...uh...lesbian" It actually sounds like a bit of a question. "You're so ...uh... Beautiful, and feminine"!
She laughs a little. "I'm not a lesbian" She tells you. "You don't have to be a lesbian to like sex. With women. And I like sex, with women and men." "Besides, many lesbians I do know like their women to be feminine and beautiful. Else why are women attractive?"
"You still find women sexually attractive?" You ask.
"Of course" she replies "Once you realize that women can be as sexual and as sexually attractive as men, more in some ways, you don't just stop thinking that. Women have such nice lines. They are soft and more fun to cuddle with than men are. They have a primal sexual energy that is really different and exciting and on top of that, sex can be more satisfying and longer lasting because... Uh..."
She stumbles to a stop seeming to remember who's it is she's talking to. "Go on"; you urge "finish the thought."
"Well," she continues with a growing blush sex is longer lasting because women take longer to...um..."
"Come?" You interject.