"I haven't seen Brian this enthusiastic in years," Brenda grinned widely, twittering about as she and Jackie hastily made their way through the shopping mall. There were a few days left before her son was going to be home for the holidays, and she and Jackie were doing a last bit of shopping before the four of them would be leaving for the cottage.
"He's excited to be coming home for Christmas, Brenda," Jackie said.
"I know, I know, but you haven't seen the way he's been in other years. I mean, he genuinely sounded excited about coming home, and even more so about going to this cottage you found."
"Would you be offended if I said it was because of you?" Jackie bashfully asked.
"Jackie, stop it with this stuff, will you," Brenda replied. Jackie took a moment to observe her friend's countenance, noting that she seemed more embarrassed than upset. In fact, she even appeared to be blushing slightly. It hadn't been easy, but gradually over the last several weeks Brenda's defensiveness over the topic had diminished. Not that Jackie had convinced her to openly desire it, but at the very least the mere mention of Brian wanting more than a mother-son relationship didn't result in the repulsed, angry response that it had before. And even if Brenda lacked the courage to openly admit it, Jackie believed that her friend was starting to weigh what such a relationship might offer to her as well.
"Come on, don't lie to me, you've at least considered it, haven't you," Jackie prodded. Jackie hadn't tried to push the topic for a long time, but now seemed like a good time to try.
"I've considered it to the extent that I believe you when you say that it's what Brian wants," Brenda began carefully. "But that still doesn't make me think it's a good idea."
"What about what you want, Brenda?" Jackie asked, trying to push things even further. "Have you ever thought about that?"
"I'll do what's best for my son," Brenda replied resolutely. "Nothing else matters."
Brenda knew where Jackie was trying to direct their conversation; over the past few weeks her friend had often brought up Brenda's failed romances since getting divorced as she'd vainly searched for her elusive Mr. Right. Time and time again, Jackie had tried to get her to consider Brian, using her relationship with Kyle as an example of how wonderful things could be for Brenda too if she were only willing to give it a chance.
"Hey, we're at the shop," Brenda said, pointing forward at their destination, "can you let this go for now." Jackie was disappointed in her friend avoiding the topic, but decided to acquiesce.
The two women went into the large clothing store, getting some last minute items before the trip. They bought a couple of things for their sons, sweaters and such, in case they were not properly prepared for the cold weather.
"Hey come here," Jackie called over to Brenda, "take a look at this."
Brenda had been occupied in a different section, but came over to see what Jackie had found.
"Look at this Brenda, what do you think?"
Jackie was holding up a bikini, although a few tiny pieces of dark blue cloth and string might have described it better.
"I'd say summer's a long time away to be thinking about buying that," Brenda answered.
"Didn't you see the hot tub in the ad?" Jackie asked.
"Yeah, but don't you think it will be a little too cold for that?" Brenda asked back.
"It was indoors, silly."
"Really?"
"Here, let me show you," Jackie offered, pulling out her phone. Indeed, it was indoors; Brenda hadn't looked closely enough before, but now could clearly see the sliding glass doors separating it from the outside.
"Still, doesn't seem like a very Christmassy thing to do," Brenda said.
"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear you say that," Jackie rebuked before asking, "Come on, what do you think?"
"You might want something with a little more support," Brenda offered, motioning towards the small triangles of cloth that supposedly counted as a top.
"You don't these can keep 'the girls' reigned in?" Jackie laughed back, reaching an arm underneath her bust and giving it a playful shake.
"I think it's worth questioning, yeah."
"If we were going to the beach, swimming and such, then I'd agree, but just lounging around in hot tub? I should be fine."
"Some things in life just aren't fair," Brenda chuckled, noting Jackie's slim waistline that made her DD breasts look even more enormous than they already were.
"You want to know what's unfair." Jackie teased back. "That I spend hours a week doing yoga and my ass still doesn't look half as good as yours."
Brenda was built quite differently from her friend, shorter and more petite than Jackie's tall, statuesque physique. Her breasts were smaller too, barely a B size, but she'd always been happy with them, especially with the way they'd maintained their nice pear shape over the years. Jackie was right about her not working out, as eating well and good genetics had allowed Brenda to remain slim even into her mid-forties. And as for her bum? It was still surprisingly firm, so maybe Jackie was right about that.
"I can't help it if your ass is a little on the flat side," Brenda joked back. Not that it really was, but it was still fun to say anyway. Brenda did think she had a well-rounded behind, and often still caught the odd man trying to check it out when they thought she was unaware, so maybe she did have some bragging rights compared to Jackie in this one area.
"And I get you got wearing those mom jeans all the time," Jackie teased back.
"Hey, I like my mom jeans," Brenda replied with a chuckle.
"Well, maybe you can live a little too sometimes. Here, how about this?" Jackie pulled a bikini bottom out from the display and held it in front of her.
