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All characters in the story are over 18.
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My name is Anthony, and this is my entry of an event that happened years ago. I have not talked about it with anyone and will probably never do so, but, I needed to get it out of my head, the complication - my mother's involvement. The recollection of my past might not be arranged perfectly, as these random thoughts are striking me as I write.
My mother got married when she was 19, but her marriage had not worked out. My parents separated even before I was born, and so I never saw my father. She hated him quite a bit. I guess that made her lose faith in the theory of marriage, she never got married again. I remember she had a few male friends. At one point she even came close to a wedding again, she had asked me if I objected to her marrying one of her colleagues. I was too young to understand or even have an opinion about it at that point. By the way it did not work out, and if it had, I guess this would never have happened. For the money she worked various jobs; sometimes, my grandparents supported us financially. We lived in a 2 room flat, which was a small one but in a decent locality. We managed to get along, but anyone who has had a similar situation will understand that the real trouble is with the doubts people have, mostly about themselves. She always wondered if it were possible that she could fulfil the roles of both father and mother.
We have always been very close. I mean, the only family we had was each other. As a child I remember lying on my moms cot when we slept, and she'd draw lines on my back with her finger tips, I remember that is when I drifted closest to heaven. I'd go to sleep like a baby. Well, eventually, as I grew older I had trouble being a teenager. It was difficult phase, and when we got angry there was no one to correct either of us, when we had an argument there was no one to support her argument. I always thought I was correct and it was always one against the other, we would scream at each other and tire ourselves out. Of course, later on I realized I was bloody lucky to have someone like her. I loved her. I guess all this growing up business strengthened our relationship. There was no obligation for either of us to roleplay a 'lady' or a 'gentleman'. She even shared her love for alcohol with me as I got old enough. What was complicated to others was simple to us. No one trespassed into our world. In our close quarters (in our flat) she always dressed for work right in front of me like it was the most obvious thing to do and I did the same. She'd come out of her bath in her inner clothing and a towel wrapped around her. I remember her getting ready to go to work; for her it was always an emergency, finding the right things, getting ready... it was such a fuss. She would always come home with a thousand problems from work and tell me all about the people she liked and hated, the alcohol really helped her on such days. Until I was about 11 or so I ran around naked and after that, my next civilised standard for being decently clothed at home was wearing only my briefs. She never corrected me about it, and even after I realized this was a little non traditional, I realized we were not the average family. I realized she never had any company, at least not that I knew of. When I had started dating seriously(must have been 17) I realized she was alone. I had tried to imagine what if would be like to be 36 and not have any romantic companions. The thought would always make me feel very uneasy.
I once asked her "Mom, why don't you date someone now? I think you should, I want you to know, I will always remember that I have been the only guy in your life all these years, but, now, I realise how difficult it must have been without any company. Please mom, I really wish you would."
Then, looking away from me she had replied "I love you too Anthony ".
"But mom, why the hell not? Its not only about love. Isn't it about enjoying some one's company? That is what people do. I am sure lots of men must like you, and admire you, if only you allowed them a chance?"
She wouldn't argue any more, but what could I say? How the hell could I advice her about it? We were each others worlds. She would of course always enquire about how my dates went, she'd tell me to always treat a girl with courtesy and be affectionate. I was a very nice kid that way, but, I should have had my horses on leash.
I remember, it was December, on a chill night, a particular date had left me quite embarrassed, the girl and I had not gone all the way yet, but I had wanted to that day, and I found her very complicated, she'd walked away angry and left me very upset. I had wanted to have sex before the new year, but it wasn't exactly supposed to be so. Wrecked, I did beer with my friends and got back home late. Mom was awake; I was feeling very groggy, and without saying a word to her, I washed myself and fell into bed. I couldn't fall asleep, trying to was of no use, and when I felt her presence, she was sitting beside me.
Laying her hand on my back she asked "Pudding, you look awful, what is wrong?" Her concerned voice was trying to make me talk my mind out to her, trying to help me out in anyway she could.
But I was restless and I was feeling that defeat in me. I was wanting to go boxing, I just wanted to punch something real bad, or swimming perhaps, physical activity always drew my energies out, I loved the strain. (I swim and love the Atlantic). I felt like digging myself hole in the earth, I wanted to exhaust myself.
I was just in no mood to talk. Not fully aware of what I was trying to say I blurted out " Mom.. I'm okay, I really don't have anything to say right now."
After a moment she still pursued "But you are looking very upset Anthony, wont you even tell your mother what is happened? You'll feel better, just say it out."
I tried not to yell, I calmed myself down, holding her hand in mine, I closed my eyes and snuggled close to her, feeling her against me. In a minute I was feeling better, she just felt so soft, I could feel her warmth permeate through her clothing. Getting up, I brought us a bottle of rum and coke and sat beside her. We usually drank rum after an argument, but now I felt like talking, I wanted to relax.
"I think there must be some kind of a problem with me mom, I just don't understand what went wrong. Jessy and I went out today but...." Expressing my argument against that girl I took my own time, staring into my emptying glass, filling it again. She had stopped looking at me halfway through our talk and turned her head away, emptying rum into herself, looking into nothing. By the time I was done explaining we must have been quite liquored up. Putting our glasses aside we lay down and still holding her hand to my chest; I felt exhausted.I didn't know if she had been listening to me up till now.
Chuckling rudely in a vulgar way she said "Don't you realise you are actually angry because that girl didn't go to bed with you?" She was laughing to herself now. That was the greatest insult any man could face; blamed for being unsuccessful at sleeping with a girl. I was growling in distaste.
She continued "I never realized you've grown to become your dad Anthony, you are acting just like he used to."
I was very upset, first, because I had expected her to take my side in this matter, and second because she was comparing me to my father. I knew she hated him. I was very unsure now - if she was angry with me for what I had done, or if she was angry with me because she felt I was behaving like my father. She was not 'just drunk', she was talking rubbish.
"Anthony, you know, your dad used to tell me that his dick got long and hard every time he looked at women. Is that now happening to you too?"
OK. STOP. NOW - here is reality, mom and I have always been able to discuss everything. From the point when she told me I was supposed to clean inside that skin over my penis head, to the day when she had noticed my hard-on when I woke up in the morning. We had even discussed about nocturnal emissions. For that matter, she even told me everything I knew about female physiology, pregnancy and what not. It was always information which I grasped and it was never taboo. It never become an embarrassment. She had a direct and simple approach. I was used to that.
But now, the way in which she was using words was way too vulgar. Telling me about my dad.