It started when the boys, 18 year old twins, decided to trick their mother. Some would say it was a cruel joke, but they didn't think so at the time.
They pretended to report her for several infractions in hopes that she'd be transferred back to California where the weather was perfect, instead of her current station in Alaska. The little pranksters even showed her the form they had filled out and had supposedly sent to military supervisors.
Naturally, Amy freaked out and threw a fit at her boys, before breaking into tears. That was when the prankster boys told her it was all a joke. They smoothed things over by giving her flowers, chocolate, and a few small presents which they were able to afford on their allowance.
It was all for her 45th birthday. Amy took the joke and gave her boys a massive hug, relieved that they hadn't betrayed her and jeopardized her career in the Air Force. But what the boys hadn't anticipated was that their mother was a tough woman. Air Force moms are always tough.
So she did what her country demanded of her, which was to retaliate when the situation called for it. After a month of consideration, she finally hatched the perfect plan. She got her friend to print out a fake transfer order, stating that she'd be transferred back to San Diego. To soften the blow, she'd give them each $200 gift cards if they promised not to play pranks anymore.
She waited until that night, after dinner, to unleash her plan. This would be revenge for all the pranks they had pulled over the years. After they finished eating, without further ado, she launched the surprise attack.
"I think now is the perfect time to break the news," she said. "I just received this order today. And I don't know how you'll take it."
She took the fake document and showed it to her boys.
She explained, "I've just been transferred back to Southern California. It'll be a big change and I hope you guys are ready for this."
She expected a tepid reaction followed by excitement. That's when she'd let them know it was all a gag. However, boys will be boys, and Billy and Bobby were elated by the news. They were jumping up and down. They were beyond words and had already begun an early celebration at the thought of moving away from a cold place like Alaska.
Amy regretted the prank upon seeing the brothers so jubilant at the dining table. The poor boys had already started to discuss their moving plans. Amy knew she had to end this terrible prank, and fast.
"Actually, you two should have a closer look at the order," she said. "It was a joke."
She said the last part hesitantly, knowing this wasn't going to end well. The boys took a closer look at the paper and realized it wasn't real. Their jaws dropped and their hearts were broken.
"It was a joke," she said again. "It was partly revenge for the last prank you pulled on me. And it was partly to teach both of you that sometimes jokes can be hurtful."
Both of them were stone faced for a while.
She added, "I also got you guys $200 gift cards for Amazon, each. You guys can buy plenty of things with that. Exciting, right?"
Amy took the gift cards out of her pocket and placed them on the table, in front of each of her sons.
"I think I'm going to my room," Bobby said.
Billy added, "Not cool, mom. Not cool at all."
He also got up and left, leaving Amy to sit there alone, filled with remorse.
*
It was Billy's turn to do the dishes that night. So he stood by the sink and washed everything. Normally he'd be making jokes and engaging in conversation with his mother, but he wasn't in the mood.
"Talk to me," she said. "What's on your mind?"
"Nothing," he replied. "Sorry we overreacted earlier. Thanks for the gift cards
"It seems like something important. I know I'm always busy, but I'll always be there for both of you. You can tell me anything."
"You won't like it."
This alarmed her. "I mean it. Anything."
Billy finished the dishes and turned the water off, then faced his mother. His expression was neutral. He didn't seem mad. But it was clear that there was a lot on his mind.
"It's just that moving to Alaska has been hard for us. But we didn't want to say anything. We want to support you 100%. So we kept quiet."
She was stunned. "I... I had no idea. Really?"
"Yes, mom. We're miserable here. It's boring. That's why we were so excited about the chance to move back to California."
"I'm sorry."
It felt like a massive punch to her gut. This came out of nowhere. All this time she had the wrong impression of how her sons felt. But there was more. And it only got worse.
"That's why we play jokes all the time," he explained. "There's nothing else to do. We don't fit in here. We've never had girlfriends here."
"I'm so sorry. You should have told me."
"We can't. Being a ranking officer in the Air Force means everything to you. So we'll never complain."
"I'll think of something," she said. "We can work through this."
"It's okay, mom. Seriously, we'll be fine."
Sensing his mother's distress, he leaned in to give her a quick kiss on the cheek and thanked her again for the gift card before going upstairs to his room.
*
Amy's mind was preoccupied the next day at the base. Her job was of the utmost importance to national security, so she kept focus on her tasks overseeing base operations and maintenance. In between these duties, all she could think about was her boys.
She loved her military life and the cold weather which reminded her of her youth.
But at what cost? Her sons hated living on the Alaskan base. She should have realized that life would be tough for boys who grew up in warm weather and socially active environments. They were popular back home. Here, they struggled making new friends and finding things to do with their free time.
Worse, boys their age should be out dating. Meeting girls. Gathering new experiences of love and heartbreak. It was part of growing up and they were missing it.
During her break, Amy sat alone in her office with a cup of coffee. All she could do was feel remorse over how she misjudged these past few years. She thought she was giving them a great experience bringing them here. Instead, she kept them trapped and didn't even realize it.
But maybe there was something she could do?
Nearly a year ago, a male officer had been caught with a browser full of erotic stories. Surely, most of the guys at the base looked at pornography (and women, too). But it was the type of porn that made him the butt of jokes for several months after.
Amy couldn't have cared less. Men watch porn. That's life. But she was curious to some degree. She knew the guy well, so she was interested to know if the jokes about his reading habits were true. So one night at home, she checked out the erotica website and the authors that he liked to read.