Misfire

Jack walked into his bedroom and was shocked to find Brian sitting on his bed.

"What's up,

brother

?" Brian smirked.

Jack froze and his jaw dropped.

"Cat got your tongue?" Brian asked. "Looks like the cat didn't keep your cock."

Jack immediately covered himself in embarrassment.

Brian laughed, "It's nothing I haven't seen before, bro."

Jack shook off his shock and said, "I love her, Brian."

"Yeah, I know," Brian said as he stood and walked over to the picture of the three of them on Jack's dresser. "It doesn't make it easier to come home and hear you fucking my mom though."

"We didn't expect you home. I'm so sorry, I..."

"Don't apologize. Since when do we apologize to each other after a noisy fuck?"

"Brian, look, it's over anyway. Joyce doesn't feel the same about me. I think she just used me for a fuck."

Brian laughed and Jack sighed.

"I'm serious, man. She completely turned on me after we...well after. She doesn't want to do it again."

Brian walked over, put his hand on Jack's shoulder, and said, "I've known you've had a thing for my mom forever. I'm not mad at you, or her for that matter. I could have lived without my mom screaming for you to fuck her harder and to pound her, so keep it quiet next time, okay?"

He laughed and left Jack standing in his room wondering what was happening to his life.

Brian, meanwhile, walked out and knocked on his mom's door, "Hey keep it down in there."

He laughed as he walked into his bedroom and shut the door. He didn't see his mom open the door in a panic.

Jack had just slipped on a pair of shorts when Joyce burst into his room, "Please tell me that was you."

He turned and shook his head no.

"When did he get home?" she asked as she started to cry again. She thought she was all cried out.

"He was sitting in my room when I left you. When did he get home? I don't know, but he definitely heard us."

Joyce fell to her knees. "God, no! What have I done?"

Jack snorted, "Besides using me to get off as if I were a fucking dildo and breaking my heart? Nothing. Don't worry, Brian's not upset."

She looked up with tear-streaked eyes, "I didn't use you."

Jack laughed and lifter her by her armpits.

"Yeah, you did. You may not think so but prove me wrong."

She sobbed as he turned her around and led her out of his room by her shoulders. She felt the door against her back when it closed.

"What have I done," she moaned in the lonely darkness.

*****

The next morning, Jack woke at six and looked at the weather.

"22 degrees," he groaned, "fucking perfect."

He put on a running outfit made for the cold and went for a run.

Brian woke shortly after and found Joyce in the kitchen crying with a cup of coffee.

"Coffee's that bad, huh?" he joked as he poured himself a cup.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what else to say," she said almost inaudibly.

Brian laughed, "For what? Screwing Jack? Or for me catching you doing it?"

"Everything."

Brian shook his head as he poured a milk into his Cheerios.

"Mom, do you think I care if you're having sex with Jack? He's wanted you forever. I could always tell."

"But..."

"And don't get me started on your teasing him wearing skimpy bathing suits and walking around here in tight pants and no bra."

"Brian, it's not..."

"Sure, Mom. It's not what I think. It wasn't what it looked like. You didn't wear anything like that. Blah, blah, blah."

Joyce snapped back in mother-mode after listening to her son's impertinence. "Watch your tone, Brian. I'm still your mother."

He kissed her cheek and sat at the breakfast table. "Yeah, you're still my mother. You better fix the mess you made with Jack though. I think you broke him. He never goes for a run in the morning, and he hates the cold."

"He thinks he's in love with me, Brian."

Brian laughed. "He

is

in love with you, Mom. I'm sure he's told you that."

"Why are you so okay with this? I'm freaking out over here."

Brian shook his head. "I look at it this way, I'd rather you be with Jack than some shit head that's going hurt you eventually. Hell, maybe you'll marry him, and my brother will be my dad?"

He laughed and put his bowl in the sink. Joyce couldn't believe what was happening. She watched Brian's back as he continued to laugh his way out of the room and wondered when she entered the Twilight Zone.

*****

Jack kicked off his running shoes and took off his wet socks when he walked into the garage.

"Fucking snow," he thought as he took his wet sweatshirt off. He decided to take all of his wet clothes off and put them right into the washing machine.

"Shit!" He said as he jumped back. He didn't realize Joyce was in the laundry room. "Sorry, I was just going to put my wet clothes in the wash."

Before Joyce could say anything, Brian walked up on his way out and seeing Jack in just his briefs said, "Hey, can't you two wait until I leave? Jesus." He walked past them and yelled back, "I'm going over to Jenny's."

Joyce was frozen from embarrassment and Jack ignored his barb. He dropped his laundry into a basket on the floor and walked away, leaving Joyce worried that she had no chance of going back to how they were before he bared his soul to her.

Jack was in the shower and didn't notice Joyce come in and sit on the counter. She tried to build the courage to talk to him, but every time she tried, it was a false start. Finally, when the shower stopped she asked, "Jack, can we talk about last night please?"

"What's to talk about?"

"I didn't use you as you think. I really thought we could try to...I don't know. I really wanted to try."

"Try what, Joyce?" he snarled as he walked out of the shower. She was immediately distracted by his nudity and lost focus.

"Joyce, I don't want to play games."

"I'm not playing games, damn it! These are our lives we've messed up, Jack."

"How is anything messed up, Joyce? Seriously. How?"

"You think I used you, for starters."

Jack walked up to her and lifted her chin. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. I don't feel that way anymore. What you did, though, was give me the greatest gift of my life, then pulled the rug out from under me and denied me the enjoyment of it afterward."

"I never should have made love to you; it was a mistake."

"No, Joyce. Your mistake was stopping after the first time. We could've gone all night and woke in each other's arms as I've always dreamed."

Joyce was struck by his sincerity and romantic heart. She knew he did love her, and she wasn't just a notch on his bedpost. Her feelings of trying to make it work came back and it took all of her effort to fight her desires.

"Jack, please. You need to find a girl your age and fall in love with her. Give me grandchildren."

"I'd rather give you children."

She slapped him. She had no idea where the anger came from.

He touched his cheek, shook his head, and walked into his bedroom.

"Jack, wait! Please!"

He ignored her and locked his door.

"What the hell came over me?" she thought as she sobbed in bed.

*****

Jack did everything he could to avoid being alone with Joyce for the rest of their time home. He visited every friend he could find, he spent nights at friends' houses doing game nights. He even took up Brian on his offer to hook up with Jenny's sister several nights. Those nights made Jack feel worse. He felt as if he were cheating on Joyce although he feared they would never be together.

Joyce knew Jack was avoiding her and it was all she could do to get Jack to stay home for Christmas Eve and Christmas.

Brian, for his part, supported Jack the only way he knew how; he tried to get Jack laid every chance he could. Brian knew that he had to get Jack's mind off of Joyce and get him back into the real world. Not some fantasy world where Jack hoped he and Joyce could live happily ever after.

Not that Brian didn't want that. He'd spent a lot of time thinking about whether he should help Jack and Joyce become a couple. He decided to stay out of it and see what happened.

Christmas Eve at their home was the day they had Joyce's parents over. Jack was holed up in his room and Joyce continued to leave him alone to have his space, although she desperately wanted to restore their relationship, when her parents arrived.

Jack heard the doorbell and knew he had to make the appearance that nothing was wrong, so he made his way downstairs with the biggest smile he could fake across his face. Brian shook his head and said, "Dial it back, bro. You look like the fucking Joker."

Jack ignored him and greeted their grams and gramps.

"Oh, my heavens, look at you two!" Grams squealed as she hugged them hello. "You boys get more handsome every time I see you."

Gramps gave the obligatory handshakes and asked, "Got any Bud in the house?"

"Of course, Dad," Joyce answered as Jack walked into the kitchen to get the beer and a glass of wine for grams.

"Oh, I was going to get that," Joyce said as she walked into the kitchen, "thank you."

Jack nodded his head and took the drinks to the den. Joyce wanted to cry at the coldness Jack continued to show her.

"I can't believe I've messed us up so badly," she thought as she checked on the roast.

Later, Jack didn't participate in any of the dinner conversation unless he was asked a direct question. Joyce was surprised, but didn't object, when Jack poured himself a glass of champagne for Joyce's annual toast. Brian was amused by the coldness between Joyce and Jack, but he didn't understand why. He didn't want them to fight. He realized he might be becoming too much like his father, who would've tried to instigate them just for his amusement.

"Joyce, anyone special in your life these days?" Grams asked. "You're not too old to give me more grandchildren, you know."

Joyce gasped and excused herself to get some sour cream, although there was nothing on the table with which to eat sour cream.

Jack looked sheepishly at his plate and Grams tried to hide her smirk. She'd noticed that Jack was always sneaking looks at Joyce when he thought no one was looking. She remembered when her husband looked at her that way. She recognized the love behind his eyes and wondered if Joyce knew. Then it clicked for her. Joyce did the same with Jack. "Oh, my," she thought.

Joyce returned and put sour cream on her mashed potatoes. Gramps said, "Hey, what a clever idea," and followed suit. Grams smirked as she caught Joyce look sadly at Jack.

As she cleared the dinner plates, Joyce saw her mother smirk at her and wondered if the wine was hitting her mom a bit earlier than normal. The men couldn't get away from the table fast enough and soon Joyce was alone with her mother doing dishes.

"How long has it been going on?" Grams asked.

"What's that, Mom?" Joyce asked, wondering what her mom was talking about.

"You and Jack?"

Joyce dropped the pan she was washing and shrieked, "What are you talking about, Mom? There's nothing going on with me and Jack."

"Don't give me that nonsense. I've seen the way he looks at you and I just realized today, you've been looking the same way at him. So, how long?"

"Mom, it's not like that."

"You were never a good liar, Dear. Is that why he's been sulking around all evening? Did you break his heart?"

"Mother, I cannot have this conversation with you right now."

"You did, didn't you? Joyce, what is going on?"

Joyce sighed and dried her hands. "Mom, he told me he's in love with me. I can't handle it."

Grams laughed and said, "Jesus, Honey. If you need me to give you the birds and the bees talk at your age..."

"Mother!"

She laughed again. "He's an adult, you're an adult, if I were in your shoes I'd be riding that horse through the bed every chance I got."

"I can't do this!" Joyce cried and ran from the room.

"Youth is wasted on the young," Grams said to the empty room and set about finishing the dishes.

*****

Grams walked into the den and said, "I don't know about you kids, but I want to open presents."

Brian laughed and said, "Sure, Grams. Do I have to get the old Santa suit out for Gramps?"

"Nope. Jack, honey, how about you go get Joyce and lets get to the good part of the night."

Jack said, "You're like a little kid. Do you think you were good enough to get presents this year?"

"Oh, honey, I was given a permanent slot on the naughty list years ago."

Jack and Brian laughed as Gramps rolled his eyes.

Jack excused himself to find Joyce and he had to look all over the house. Ultimately, he found her in her bedroom with her door closed.

He knocked, "Joyce, may I come in?"

He didn't hear anything, and as he was about to knock, he heard the lock click and the door slowly open. He was shocked at the sight before him.

"What happened?" he asked as he watched her wipe the mascara that had run down her cheeks. He thought she looked like a racoon, and it wasn't a good look.

"Nothing, I'm sorry. I'll clean up and come back to the party."

"Joyce," he sighed and walked into the room, "what's going on? What did I do now?"

She walked to her bathroom to wash her face, ignoring the question.

He shook his head and left her. He wondered again if he would ever have a normal relationship with her again.

*****

After the gift exchange, the grandparents left, and Brian and Jack retreated to their bedrooms. Joyce curled up on the couch and tried to enjoy the fire.

She had to admit she was a wreck. Emotionally, physically, and in her relationships with her children. She shook at the thought of Brian not only hearing her have sex with Jack, but not having an issue with it. She wondered why Brian wasn't bothered by the sex, then shook away the thought. She already knew he was too much like his father and prayed that he wouldn't prey on naive women too.

The flames popped and cracked, the wine tasted like cherry, and she should have been reveling in the perfect end to the holiday, but every thought was about Jack. She tried not to want him. She tried to think of him as the young boy she met. She failed every time.

Each time she saw him in her mind, she saw his long, thick cock swinging when he walked. She saw him entering her for the first time and the look of pure love in his eyes as he gazed into hers. She saw him holding back, trying to prolong her pleasure, something her husband would never have considered.

Everything that flowed through her mind was pushing her to his arms. She couldn't even think of reasons why she shouldn't give in anymore. Candy, Brian, even her mother all told her she should give in, why shouldn't she?

The flames continued to sing their song until she noticed her glass was empty. She longed for a repeat of Thanksgiving and the loving attention Jack gave her when he brought her wine and gave her the wonderful foot rub. She sighed in despair, she wished Jack would just talk with her and stop doing whatever he could to avoid her.

She fell asleep with tears trickling down her cheeks.

Jack was listening to Brian playing Call of Duty with their friends. He had a bad habit of screaming and yelling as if he were on a football field. Every missed kill, every shot to his player out of nowhere created another yell. The house could be on fire and Brian wouldn't know until the flames licked his body because of the yelling and the group chat on his headphones.

Jack wasn't in the mood to play games. He wasn't in the mood to do anything except sleep, and he couldn't even do that right. He hadn't slept well since Joyce crushed his soul and stabbed his dreams through the heart. He didn't understand the issue. No one cared about age gaps anymore. It was more than accepted in society to date someone older or younger. Young men wanted MILF's, older women wanted young virile men, there was no reason they couldn't have a relationship.

Every thought he had was how he could convince her that they were compatible. He smiled to himself remembering how great they were when they made love together. They were perfect for each other, why couldn't she see it.

He realized she hadn't walked passed his room, so he knew she was still downstairs. He also knew she liked to relax by the fire with a glass of wine to unwind and relax after holiday gatherings. He decided to end the stalemate. They were going to have it out and come to a final conclusion one way or another, but he knew he had to tread carefully. He didn't want to upset her.

The bottle of wine was open on the counter. He knew she left it in the kitchen so she would drink less. She would feel so relaxed on the couch by the fire, she wouldn't want to get up and go to the kitchen for a refill. It was a good plan.

He grabbed one of the Buds and walked slowly towards the den. He saw her before she saw him, and it saddened him to see her crying softly.

As he entered the room, she was startled, but smiled wanly. "Is that wine for me?" she asked.

"Yes, I thought you might need a refill by now." He closed the French doors behind him and sat next to her on the leather sofa.

Joyce acted purely on reflex and lifted her stockinged feet onto Jack's lap. He was surprised, but it was what he hoped for, so he didn't overreact. Before she could realize what she did, his hands were in motion, and she moaned in appreciation.

Her sigh of delight as his thumbs pressed firmly into her arch made him smile. Her legs lifted enough that her ankle length skirt fell back to her knees and Jack loved the view. "Such perfect legs," he thought as he took in every contour from her calf to her ankle.

"I can't believe he's touching me again," she thought as the waves of pleasure flowed from toe to head. She realized just how badly she needed him as he treated her with love and devotion. He wasn't giving her foreplay; he was giving her unreciprocated pleasure with no expectations. It was like a kiss on the forehead. She always felt those were the most loving of kisses because there was no return, and nothing sexual. A kiss to the forehead was a kiss of unselfish love to her.

That's what his foot rub meant to her. It was purely for her. Then she almost laughed when she remembered his foot fetish. "Maybe, it wasn't just for me," she thought.

"What's going through your mind, Joyce?" he asked noticing her smile.

She opened her eyes and shifted up to pull farther back from him. He reluctantly let go of her foot as she adjusted and took a sip of her wine. Her legs were still across his lap and the shift put her heels directly onto his erection and she didn't move them.

"Your wonderful hands," she fibbed.

"Are we going to be okay? Please tell me we will," he begged.

She frowned, "Everyone who knows about us tells me to give us a try."

He was shocked. "Who knows about us? I thought Brian was the only one."

She shook her head. "I spoke to Candy about it, and...well, my mother saw there was something there."

"Grams?" he gasped.

She nodded and smirked. "She told me if I were her, she'd be riding you through the bed."

"I did not need that visual," he groaned.

"She threatened to give me the birds and the bees talk again."

Jack laughed, "I think you've got that covered well enough."

She leaned forward and slapped his wrist, which lay across her legs.

"Jack, why me? Why are you so dead set on loving me? I'm nothing..."

"Don't you dare say anything against yourself. You're a beautiful woman. You're everything I've ever wanted in a woman. No girl has ever compared to you."

"Even the older ones," she teased.

"Especially them."

"I don't know them, do I?"

He smirked, "No. I'd never go after someone you know. It was in Cancun."

"Oh, my God! It was one of those two sluts that seemed to be everywhere we went wasn't it?"

He debated telling her it was both, but he would never tell her about the foursome with Brian.