Notice: Everyone in this story is over 18 years old.
***
My mom finished rinsing the last dish and put it in the drying rack.
"Well I have heard sex is the best way to exercise." She said matter-of-factly as she sat down at the table where I was having breakfast.
I chuckled. "That may be. It seems about right. However, if you need a partner to jog, bike or go to the gym with, I can help. The sex I will have to leave for dad."
"Well he is useless for that," she said under her breath.
"What?" I almost choked while trying to take a bite. It was more of a surprise response than a request for her to explain, but she must have not realized that.
"Your father is always going on one business trip after the other. He left this morning for Chicago. He says he has to be there for a week to schmooze an important client. More likely what he will be schmoozing will be his..." She looked up at me and sighed. "I am sorry honey, you don't want to hear about your parents troubles."
"Mom," I said as I reached out to hold the back of her hand. "I know you two love each other, even if he doesn't always show it. Some guys are just not very clear about their emotions."
"Well he was clear about the fact that he thought I was getting fat and needed to lose weight!" she said angrily.
"What? He said that?"
"Those exact words!"
I shook my head, "That is ridiculous. First that he can even say such a thing to anybody, and second that he could say to you. You have a type of body guys love."
She reached over and picked up a "Get into shape" magazine and held up the front cover. "But I want to look like this." She said as she showed me a twenty something model wearing a pair of short shorts and a sports bra.
"Mom, that little girl probably has nothing better to do than to work on her body to keep it in shape for modeling. Give her 4 years and she will have to retire, because she won't be able to keep selling magazine covers. Your body looks great, but if you want to work on firming it up with some exercise and healthy eating, I would be glad to help. Tomorrow is Saturday, we can go jogging if you want. We have the house all to ourselves, so I can even show you some of the recipes I have been working on."
"That sounds great Shawn, you do keep yourself in very good shape. You could be my personal trainer, if you are not too expensive." She managed a small smile.
"I think we can work something out. So plan on an early morning tomorrow. Right now, I need to get to work." I grabbed my breakfast plates and headed to the sink.
"Baby, you don't have to spend a bunch of time with me, just because your sister moved out and your father is away. Besides won't Beth get a little upset if you are spending time with me instead of her?"
"Beth and I broke up two weeks ago."
"What? You never said anything. What happened? I know I didn't always approve of you dating a woman who was nine years older than you, but she seemed nice and she was gorgeous."
I smiled, "You really think she was gorgeous?"
"Oh yes, she had a very sexy body."
I raised my eyebrows. "Sexy, huh? Well did you know I got a lot of teasing from my friends because they said she looked like she could be your sister? They thought you two could be twins."
"Oh... well they often say that boys marry women who are like their mother." She looked at me for a second and then asked, "Is that why you broke up? Because it disturbed you that you were having sex with a woman who reminded you of your mother?"
I walked over to her and leaned down and kissed her forehead. "No," I said as I walked toward the front door. "That is why it lasted as long as it did. See ya." Then I was out the door.
I couldn't tell her that when I was having sex with Beth, I would dim the lights so that she looked even more like my mother. Beth had even been a bit kinky and wanted me to call her mommy. I pretended that it was too weird at first but then eventually gave in. We still work together and even now she teases me sometimes by saying, "Mommy misses her big boy."
I didn't see my mother again that day. I went to the movies with some friends and she was asleep when I finally got home. She had left me a note though that read, "Shawn: Don't forget about tomorrow. I have you booked for a morning jog. You will have to do a good job as my personal trainer or I will get someone else. JK. I love you and thanks."
I went to take a shower and fell asleep with nice thoughts of me massaging my mother's legs after a run.
The next morning I got up early and fixed a fruit smoothie for both of us.
My mother came into the kitchen and sniffed the air, "No omelets or pancakes?"
"Nope," I said handing her a smoothie. "This will give you a boost of energy without filling you up and it is delicious if do say so myself."
She took a sip and nodded. "It is very good. Don't expect me to pay extra for your services as a nutritionist."
"I am throwing those in free."
When we finished breakfast she looked at me as if she were expecting me to say something, so I did."What is it mom?"
'Well I was reading in my magazine that you should not go by the scale to track your progress. Especially if you start exercising more. It is likely that you will begin to add muscle."
"I totally agree, I think that scales should only be at doctor's offices."
"It also said that one thing you can do is take a picture of yourself and then after each week take another and track your progress that way."
I nodded, "That seems reasonable."
She looked a bit shy for a moment. Then spoke a little quieter than usual, "I tried to take a selfie, but the perspective isn't right for a good view of my whole body. It looks a bit distorted. So I was wondering..."
I could tell that it was getting awkward, so I tried to sound as nonchalant as I could, "I would be happy to take the picture."
She looked directly at me with relief. "Thank you Shawn. Got your phone?"
I pulled it out of my pocket. "Right here."
My throat got a little dry as she started pull her sweatshirt over her head. She was wearing a blue sports bra underneath. I snapped a picture.
"Hey wait a sec."
I spoke with a mock sternness. "I am the photographer, and you are the model. I don't tell you how to stand there and be sexy, you don't tell me how to take pictures. Agree?"