With hindsight, Toni reflected, she had been pretty stupid by anyone's standards. Crossing the road without looking was not something you would expect a mature forty year-old woman to do. She had been lucky, though; the car wasn't moving very fast, otherwise things might have been very different. As it was, she had woken up in hospital with a broken arm and leg, and mild concussion. Plus numerous bruises, cuts and grazes.
At least the worst was over now. The cast on her leg had been removed two days ago, and the one on her arm was due to come off next week. But she still felt very shaky on her feet, partly due to her injuries, and partly due to lack of exercise over the last few weeks.
Climbing the stairs was an effort now, and Toni found herself out of breath as she reached the landing. Her youngest daughter, Saskia, came out of the bathroom.
"I've run the bath," she said. "And there are clean towels on the rail."
"Thank you, darling," Toni smiled. Saskia had been such a great help recently. Toni didn't like to think what she would have done without her. "Would you do me a favour, I mean another favour."
"Course I will," replied Saskia.
"Help me into the bath, would you, I don't want to take any chances." Toni was still very unsure of her sense of balance, having relied on crutches for so long.
In the bathroom, Toni discarded her robe. Her breasts were full and heavy, but still firm, her nipples large and dark. Toni smiled as her daughter put an arm around her waist, cooing maternally. This role reversal actually felt good, it was nice to have somebody looking after her for a change. Holding onto Saskia's shoulders Toni stepped gingerly into the bath.
The water was steaming hot and full of bubbles, just as she liked it. Lowering herself into the bath was tricky, but the hot water soon eased away any aches and pains, making her skin tingle. Toni found herself relaxing; the soft feathery touch of the bubbles was deeply sensual, almost erotic. But she felt slightly ridiculous, with her right arm hanging over the side of the bath, a plastic bag wrapped around it to keep it dry.
Saskia sat on the toilet and the two of them chatted for a while as Toni luxuriated in the bath. Time flew by, and Toni realised that the water was starting to get cold; time to get on with the business in hand. But she found to her dismay that soaping herself was easier said than done; she realised she couldn't work up a lather with one hand.
"Do you want me to do that, mum?" Saskia asked. Toni smiled gratefully. "Would you darling? I'm sorry, I can't do it with one hand."
Saskia took a sponge from the shelf and knelt by the side of the bath. She plunged her hand into the water, searching for the soap; Toni felt a frisson of excitement as her daughter's fingertips brushed against the inside of her thighs. Wow! She thought, I'm not supposed to feel that, am I? This is my daughter for God's sake!
Toni found herself relaxing again as Saskia lathered her body. This was certainly therapeutic, but there was an undertone of something else... some other feeling that she was sure she shouldn't have.
Toni watched her daughter. Saskia's big brown eyes dominated a still-babyish face. Sometimes it was hard to remember she was a grown woman. Her long brown hair was tied back, a stray lock escaping at the front, making her poke it back behind her ear repeatedly.
"Oh, darling," Toni protested. "You're getting soaked!" Saskia looked down; her white t-shirt was drenched, becoming almost transparent, making it plain that she was bra-less. "Sod it," Saskia replied, pulling the t-shirt off over her head. Toni saw her daughter's naked breasts for the first time in years. They were small but firm and shapely. Toni giggled.