After her recent divorce, my wife's older sister, Riley, and her 19 year old son, Brian, came and stayed with us for several months. Her ex-husband was the quintessential asshole. None of us had liked him, and god knows we all tried. He was a redneck, white supremacist, owned too many guns, and basically believed the federal government was one giant conspiracy theory. Fortunately, to our knowledge, he had never physically abused Riley or Brian. Although, the mental abuse may have cut deeper.
Anyway, they were with us now in Southern California, bunking in the remodeled two bedroom carriage house directly behind the main house on our property. Riley was looking for permanent work while substitute teaching on call. Brian had enrolled in the local junior college.
One of my wife's best friends and college roommates was diagnosed with a terminal illness, and Regan felt compelled to go and spend some quality time with her. Her friend lived in Portland, Oregon. We talked about it, and I agreed that it was important for Regan to be there for her at this point in time. We don't have children, so it would not be a huge imposition on her or me. As we are quite well off financially, Regan didn't have to work, so there were no job considerations. Finally, with Riley around, my wife could count on the house being kept up, as I am known to be a bit of a slob.
I dropped Regan at LAX on Saturday morning, wished her safe travel, and to call me that night when she was settled. She kissed me and headed into the terminal. I wondered how long it would be before I saw my wife again, as we had left this kind of open-ended.
***
The next week went by uneventfully, other than I missed having my wife around, particularly at night in our bed (the old horndog that I am). Riley pitched in and made sure that Brian and I had a good hot meal at night, as I am more of a pizza and beer kind of chef.
On Friday night Brian left to attend the college football game with some of his new friends, and then they were going to one of the boy's house for an after-game party. After both his mother and I warned him to not get involved with any drinking and driving he took off with Riley's little Honda.
Riley and I cleaned up the evening dishes and the kitchen. I looked over at her while she wiped up the countertop. Riley is tall, unlike her younger sister, and has medium length dark hair. She is pretty, not drop-dead beautiful, but striking. One of her strongest suits is her infectious smile. Riley smiles and laughs with the best of them. Maybe that is the result of having to develop self-coping mechanisms during her crappy marriage. Anyhow, she really is a good-natured and good-looking woman, with long legs, shapely ass, and big boobs. I genuinely liked Riley, and liked having her around the house.
I asked, "Riley, let's have ourselves a party too. With Brian gone, let's dive into the wine cellar and get potted on some of my grape juice."
She laughed and replied, "Alright, that sounds like fun. Hell, I haven't let my hair down in a long, long time."
"Riley, you have short hair, it's always down." I joked.
"Always the smart-ass! Honestly, I still don't know what Regan sees in you, Jon." She smirked.
We trooped down into the basement and selected three good bottles of wine. Back upstairs, I cracked the first, poured her a glass, and suggested that head to the den for some music.
She raised her glass and toasted me, "Jon, you really are so incredibly decent for taking us in and making us part of the family. Thank you so very, very much."
"Oh for heaven's sakes, Riley, we couldn't turn you guys down. You are family, you knucklehead. Plus, you know how much 'Aunt' Regan dotes on her nephew."
"Yeah, well thanks anyway. Thank god you guys were here; I honestly don't know what we would have done." She kind of left it hanging.
We spent the better part of two hours making 'dead soldiers' out of the first two bottles of vino. Both of us were relaxed and laughing as we recounted old stories and other inane trivia. I went into the kitchen to open the third bottle, and made up my mind to change the course of the conversation.
After pouring Riley another glass, I sat down and asked, "Riley, you've been divorced for nearly six months, are you going to hit the dating circuit again?"
She giggled, "Jon, please, please don't fix me up on a blind date with one of your buddies. Those are always absolute disasters."
"No, No," I assured her, "I was just wondering if you were getting lonely for companionship?"
"You mean sex?" she snickered, "After being married to that A-hole for 19 years, I am kind of relishing not having some big leering brute hanging about."
I laughed, "Well, it is hard to argue with that. But what about a male role-model for Brian?"
"Oh, I don't know, Brian and I understand each other right now." She replied.
"Yes you do, Riley. Riley, I know. I saw you and Brian making love the other day." I said quietly
There, it was out.
Riley was stunned. Her eyes widened as she searched my face for the truth.
She slowly set her wineglass down on the coffee table, "Oh god, Jon, what are you going to do?" She asked, horrified.
I took her hand, "Riley, Riley, I am not going to do anything. I am just making sure that you and Brian are okay. Trust me on this."
She was crying now, as she looked at me sitting next to her. "My god, does Regan know? Please tell me that you didn't tell Regan?" she cried.
"No, Riley, I haven't told a soul, and don't plan to β I promise!" I said firmly.
She squeezed my hand and breathed, "Oh, Jon, thank you. God, I would be destroyed if I lost Brian over this."
"Riley, you know that if someone else catches you, or this gets out of hand, you could be separated from Brian, and be in real trouble? Last time I checked, incest was still against the law." I warned her.
"Yeah, Jon, I know. Don't you think I have thought about this from every angle and perspective, but what it has come down to is that Brian and I are okay with it. I mean we are really okay with our relationship as it is for the time being. We both know that it won't always be like this."
I sighed, "Riley, you've got to tell me about this; how it started, how long, and where it headed. I am concerned and need to know that this isn't bad for either of you. You need to make me comfortable with this, if that is even possible."
She was quiet for several moments, and stared down at her wineglass on the table.
"I think that the sexual relationship that Brian and I share now has been a long, long time in the making." She said as she picked up her glass and took a sip.