My name is Nick and my parents have had a rough marriage as long as I can remember. I am the youngest of four and the only one still living at home. Their place was a nice four bedroom brick house and I liked the suburban location in the outskirts of St. Louis. I had my own bedroom, my own bathroom, a newer Volkswagen Jetta, all my freedom...what more could I want? What I really wanted was my freedom, even more than the luxuries I had living at home. I was tired of hearing my parents fighting. I don't think they really liked each other – I doubt they even had a sex life, but I'd rather not think about it.
My dad, George, was pushing 60 and my mom, Karen, was 53 so I was born relatively late in their lives. Dad spent most of his time at the office as a geo engineer. He did like to go party or "out with the guys" as he would say, and mom pretty much ignored that behavior. Mom had been working part time as a receptionist but was recently laid off. I think she took the layoff hard and I noticed she seemed to be slipping into a depression in the last month or so.
I was the first one to learn of the affair. I was at home on a Monday evening and the phone rang.
"Hello?" I got to the receiver after the third ring and answered.
"Hi sexy, aren't you coming back to the office tonight to finish up a little work?" a pouty, sugary, young female voice was on the other end.
"Um, this is...this isn't..." the realization that she thought I was my father washed over me like a wave. This had to be the new office assistant the firm had hired this year.
"I'm gonna crawl under the desk, unzip, and lick you up and down, and up and down...," she whimpered.
"Uh, I gotta go...," I cut her off in a raspier voice than normal trying not to betray my identity. Just as I was putting down the receiver the door from the garage opened and my mother walked in carrying two bags of groceries.
"Hi dear, who was that?" she quizzed.
"Just a telemarketer," I lied.
"Hmm, we are on the national 'do not call' list, that's funny."
"Yeah," I agreed and watched her put the groceries on the counter. I couldn't believe my dad was fucking someone. I felt guilty myself and wondered if I should tell my mother. Why do people have affairs when they are married and could get laid anytime? I suppose the grass is always greener... I eyed my mother from head to toe. She was an attractive woman with a certain sort of sex appeal I must say even as her son. Mother wasn't overweight but she also wasn't as thin as she probably was 20 years ago. Her generous breasts looked firm and still defied gravity. She wore a low cut, tight, sleeveless, black top that revealed a healthy portion of cleavage. She wore dark blue jeans that also fit tight over her ample hips. Her blond, shoulder-length hair was pulled back tight to her head and her lips were red and makeup perfect as usual.
"Well, I'm going to go change clothes," mother shut the cupboard, turned, and the light sparkled off her gold earrings.
I plopped down on the couch and flipped on the TV with the remote. I channel surfed about three times through the list of programs by the time she came out of her bedroom.
"Did you eat yet, Nick?" She picked up the phone and it beeped each time she pressed a button.
"Not yet," I glanced over. Her makeup, hair, and jewelry hadn't changed but now she wore a long, silky, purple robe and her feet were bare on the cool hardwood floor. Mother stood holding the phone and staring at it with a furrowed brow for several seconds.
"Who called from the office?" she waved the phone in my direction.
"What do you mean?"
"The caller ID, the call was from George's office."
"I don't know," I lied.
