The Beginning
Family Acres started out as one of those middle class suburbs for young families on their way up the ladder of success. They typically had young children or were planning to have them. Over the years the community remained very stable with few families moving away. Now, almost two decades later, most of the original kids are in high school, and a few are just starting college. Neighbors had known each other for a long time, giving the community the feel of a separate village.
When Family Acres was created, a handsome stone gateway was erected at the entrance proclaiming
"Welcome to Family Acres – A Place for Families and Friends to Grow Closer!"
They had no way of foretelling how very close those families would become...
*******
Gilda Warden, known to her friends as "Gilly", is one of the very first homeowners in Family Acres. She is in her early forties, divorced for several years, and has a son, Jason, who just finished his first year of college and had spent the summer as a transfer student in Germany. Jason had returned home only a few days earlier, preparing to return to the local college for the upcoming school year.
Gilly was thinking about what had happened the previous evening. She had taken a bath and, when she reached for her towel, realized that it was not on the towel rack where it normally was. Without thinking, she called out, "Jason, honey, would you please toss me a towel?"
"Sure, Mom," he replied as he opened the bathroom door. She had expected him to simply open the door slightly, stick his arm inside the door and toss the towel toward the bathtub. Instead, he boldly walked into the bathroom and stood by the tub, holding the towel out for his mother.
Gilly is an ordinary looking lady, not tall and somewhat stout, with a full bosom and wide hips. She was surprised when her son walked in one her like that and stood by the tub brazenly looking at her naked body.
"Uh, thanks, Jason," she mumbled.
"Anytime, Mom, anytime," he said and looked at her for several more seconds before turning to leave.
"
My God
," she thought,
"he just stared at me. He didn't even try to look away. What was that all about? Why didn't I say anything?"
She didn't admit to herself that she had felt a quiet thrill as he looked at her. Nothing more was said about the incident that night at supper or the next day.
The following evening, Gilly was again surprised when she noticed there was no towel as she finished her bath.
"I could have sworn my towel was hanging there this afternoon. I'm sure it was,"
she thought.
"I don't understand this."
"Jason," she called, "Please bring me a towel, honey."
She was again surprised when he walked into the bathroom and carried the towel to her. She laid still in the tub, watching his eyes slowing move over her body, not knowing what to say except, "Thanks, son."
"Sure, Mom, my pleasure," he said as he turned and left.
As she dried herself off, Gilly was beginning to wonder.
"I'm sure that towel was there earlier. Where could it have gone? Good heavens, did Jason take it? Did he deliberately take it so I would have to call him again to bring a towel, just to to see me naked again? That's crazy! Why would a good looking young man like him want to see his dumpy old mother naked?"
But for the first time she realized she got a thrill while he was looking down at her.
"It's been a long time since a man looked at me naked, years in fact. Not only looked at me naked, but looked like he was enjoying it. It felt kinda' nice."
The next morning Gilly went next door for coffee with her neighbor and close friend, Jane Ellison. They had been neighbors almost from the beginning and were close friends. Jane was married and had a son, Pete, who was a senior at the high school and a daughter, June, a freshman at the local junior college. Gilly and Jane had confided in each other for years. It was Jane who had told Gilly that Gilly's husband was screwing one of the other neighbor ladies, which caused Gilly to get a divorce.
"Hi, Gilly," Jane cheerfully greeted her. "How's it goin'?"
"Fine, I guess," Gilly answered.
"Uh oh, sounds like something's on your mind. Tell me about it."
Gilly told Jane about the towel incidents. "I just don't know what to do. If Jason is taking the towels on purpose, I don't know how to get him to stop."
Jane looked at her for several long moments and than quietly asked, "Do you really want him to stop?"
"Well, I mean, why of course I do," she replied hesitantly.
"C'mon, Gilly, we've known each other too long and shared too many secrets. Don't bullshit me. Aren't you enjoying him looking at you just a little bit? Are you really all that upset about it? It feels good to have a good looking young guy like Jason looking at you, doesn't it? I'd sure like it if he was looking at me. C'mon, be truthful."
