"You look wonderful," Miriam said, standing as Rebecca approached the table. She kissed her, and gave her a hug. "Married life agrees with you," she added, holding her new daughter-in-law at arm's length. Rebecca thought Miriam was fairly beaming at her.
"Thanks, Miriam," Rebecca answered, smiling a little.
"You know, you can call me Mom, now," Miriam told her with narrowed eyes, but a good-natured smile.
"We've been through that," Rebecca chided, laughing at the joke that had begun after the engagement. "You're way too young."
"I know," she replied as they sat, "I just like hearing you say how young I am!" Miriam motioned to the waiter, and they ordered wine to start lunch.
"Well, you know you're a lot younger than my mom," she finished the practiced routine, inwardly rolling her eyes at the tired joke.
"When I was your age Michael was already four," Miriam reminded, then changed tracks. "So, was the honeymoon fun?"
Rebecca launched into a story of their island vacation, the sun and sand and weather, the food and dancing and sightseeing and shopping. In the middle the waiter came and took their orders. Miriam listened distractedly, until Rebecca ran out of story.
"Sounds like fun," she commented as the waiter left, then leaned forward and whispered conspiratorially, "but what about the rest?"
"That was pretty much it," Rebecca explained, confused. "There isn't more to tell."
"You left out the good stuff," Miriam hissed too loudly. "You know, the hot stuff." She glanced around them. "You know, the sex," she added. Her eyebrows lifted in curiosity. "Was it good? Was it hot and steamy?"
"Miriam!" Rebecca blanched, "I can't talk about that!"
"Oh, sure you can, it's just us girls," she replied nonchalantly, and patted Rebecca's hand tenderly. "After all, you're a Wilson Woman now, Becky." She winked conspiratorially as Rebecca winced at the use of her nickname. "We have a tradition to uphold, you know." She waited, then added, "So, Michael is nice and big, right?"
Rebecca sputtered her wine back into the glass, choking. Miriam offered her a napkin as she coughed and fought for control. Michael certainly was gifted between his legs, she knew, recalling the beautiful slab of manhood he wielded so well. Hell, she was still sore from the poundings he'd given her last night. But she sure wasn't going to discuss his cock size and prowess with his mother! She settled herself and stared across the table, unbelieving and uncomfortable.
"Miriam, really," she began, "I don't think that's a discussion we should be having here."
Miriam smiled knowingly. "Of course he is dear; he takes after hid dad," she grinned, seeming to enjoy the younger woman's embarrassment. "I haven't seen it a while, but last time I did, I was so proud," she added. "Does he use it well?"
"Miriam!"
"Oh, okay, another time then," Miriam waved her hand dismissively. "We have more important things to discuss today, anyway," she said as the lunch arrived. They waited silently and thanked the waiter, Rebecca sighing with gratitude for the interruption. But as soon as he was gone, Miriam scooped her bag up off the floor and fished inside it, extracting a small wrapped gift. "This is for you, from me," she said, passing the small present across the table.
Rebecca's mouth dropped open in surprise and not a little bit of relief at the change in direction. She stared motionless at the thin rectangular package in her mother-in-law's hand; slightly larger than her hand and tightly wrapped in gold foil paper with a red ribbon around it, it seemed to glisten in the dim light, reflecting the flickering glow from the candle on the table.
"Oh, Miriam, you shouldn't have, I couldn't," she began, feeling a swell of emotion and a moistening in her eyes that she didn't expect, given her lack of of tolerance for Michael's Mom. "That's not necessary, really."
"Oh, but it is, Rebecca; take it," she answered, motioning with the gift, then placing it on the table and sliding it across to her. "You're a Wilson Woman now, go ahead; open it." With trembling hands, Rebecca lifted the box, and murmuring thanks, began sliding the ribbon off, and unwrapping it.
"It's tradition in the Wilson family," Miriam explained as Rebecca exposed the black felt box inside. "I always thought I would give it to my daughter, like my mother gave it to me, but we only had Michael," she trailed off as Rebecca opened the box.