It began, as many of the best stories do, on a dark and stormy night.
The church meeting had overrun, mainly because the committee kept pestering me to take over as treasurer. This argument happened every year. "God gave us all talents, Susan, and he meant us to use them," Mike, our minister, said primly.
I shot him daggers, then glanced at my watch. My shoulders and back were aching. I just wanted to be home. "Look, how about if I agree to audit the accounts at the end of the financial year?" By the smiles, I knew I had fallen into their trap. At this rate, I really would be treasurer next year.
By the time the meeting finally ended, it was pouring outside and I got drenched on the short walk to the car.
Thanks Mike,
I fumed, driving home in wet clothes in the growing storm.
If you'd wrapped up two minutes earlier, instead of passive aggressively quoting Parables at me...
So I was not in the best of moods when I got inside.
"Hello! Anyone home?" I stood at the kitchen sink, tipping water out of my shoe, and tried to make myself heard above the rain and howling wind.
I walked down the corridor and knocked. The extension had been worth every penny. As Cassie's behavior deteriorated and she grew ever more obnoxious as she stomped through her teens, it was useful to have her out here, away from the main arena of family life. I had hoped, by some chronological alchemy, that she would become a sensible, pleasant, good-humored adult when she turned 18. No such luck. I knocked again. "Cassie, dear?" I called in my most non-threatening Mom Voice. No response.
I retraced my steps through the kitchen and lounge room and stood at the foot of the stairs and shouted. "I'm baaack!" They must be out -- maybe even overnighting at a friend's, unable to get home in this weather.
Kids. I always tell them: I don't mind what you're doing and where you are, so long as you let me know!
I'd phone them later. Right now, what I needed was a hot bath. Shoes squelching, I trudged upstairs and along the hall toward my room, when I heard a giggle and a thud.
Oh, someone's home.
"Jack?" I knocked on his door and turned the handle. "Honey, I'm ... What the..."
Cassie was frantically trying to button her blouse. Jack was scrambling to pull his pants on. I stared in shock.
"Mom, we didn't hear you..."
Cassie pushed past me, trying to cover her chest. I caught a flash of nipple, hard and pink. I picked her bra off the floor and threw it at her. "You forgot this." She caught it and fled.
I pointed a finger at Jack: "I will deal with you later."
I slammed the door and started down the stairs. Halfway down, I stopped.
What had I seen? It looked dreadful.
But don't all siblings play doctors and nurses,
I asked myself
. Maybe, but not when they are both 18! That sort of experimenting can have unintended consequences.
And from the little I had seen, it looked as though they'd been planning to take it a lot further.
Still, that pause allowed me to cool down. No sense screaming and accusing. My heart was racing, but my mind was calm as I reached her room.
"Cassie. We need to talk."
She opened the door a few inches. "Mom, I'm sorry. We were just fooling around. It looked a whole lot worse than it was."
"Fooling around? With your twin brother, Cassie? How much worse would it have gotten?"
She hung her head. "I'm sorry, Mom. It won't happen again."
Her eyes were red. I was furious, but kept my anger in check. This was new for me: a meek, contrite daughter. She knew she had done something terrible, and for once she couldn't dismiss it with a snappy retort. I should have played it for all it was worth, but I was tired and irritable. "It shouldn't have happened at all, Cassie. But it's late. We will talk about this tomorrow."
I
knew
it was her fault. Cassie had always been advanced for her age, physically and emotionally. Younger than Jack (if only by seven minutes), but much more worldly. I could imagine her drawing him into her little game.
Sassy Cassie. Always ready with a sarcastic word. It was like looking into a mirror at myself, 24 years ago. Same long strawberry blonde hair. Actually, that's where the similarities tailed off. She was tall, great legs, pert butt. Same face as me at 18, only dazzlingly beautiful. Big breasts, perfectly symmetrical, sitting high and firm on her chest. Always a member of the Cool Girl Club. A massive prick tease, or so I had overheard ("Virgin Ice Queen" was one phrase). Well, the ice queen was certainly melting, going by what I had just seen.
Oh, look, I knew I favored Jack. Not because I loved him more, but because he had always been such a sunny, easy boy. Funny, kind, helpful. It was easy to love Jack. And he hadn't gone off the rails when he hit puberty.
Both kids had taken the divorce hard. But that was five years ago. They were happy. Popular, clever, funny, exceptionally good-looking. Solid friendship groups. Baseball, church.
We all three got on well. If there were problems, I'd know.
Anyway
, I thought,
problems or not, nothing excuses incest
.
Incest
. The word made me shiver with disgust. "
This
," I muttered under my breath, "is
not
an incest family."
Oh, look, I knew I favored Jack. Not because I loved him more, but because he had always been such a sunny, easy boy. Funny, kind, helpful. It was easy to love Jack. And he hadn't gone off the rails when he hit puberty.
Outside his room, I gathered myself. I was upset more than angry with him. We needed a proper discussion in the morning, but now wasn't the time for getting heavy.
"Jack?"
"Mom, I'm going to bed." His voice sounded high and strained.