As mentioned previously, this is a shorter story with a lot more talk than action. If that's for you, great. If not, I'm certain there are quite a lot more stories in the library. Thanks
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"So, Darla... technique?" Lauren asked leaning in.
"Oh don't be silly. I was just. It was just that I, too, like a little tipple. As one does."
"We're aware," Lauren and I answered.
"Funny."
"But, yes, pour me another son." I did. She went on.
"So, I like a glass of wine from time to time. And when I was getting pregnant I knew that I would need to quit for at least a year, right?"
"My developing brain appreciates it," I said.
"So, yeah, no booze, no cigarettes, no drugs-"
"Geez, it's a miracle I was ever conceived," I joked.
"You kid, but no shit." Darla said. "You're lucky. I was a big fan of the... er... process." She smiled. "And enthusiasm in that department helped a lot."
"Ah, so... the technique was lots of banging?" Lauren asked.
"Uh. Okay, so look. I was worried I would slip up while I was pregnant. And Donnie's dad said he wouldn't let me."
"Booze Cop Dad. That sounds fun," I said.
"Yeah, that's what I said. Well, not exactly that way, but yeah. I thought it sounded like a shitty way to spend the next year. He explained, however, that he had something else in mind."
"Do tell," Lauren said.
"Well, he said, what if we make a deal. You know when you want to quit smoking you might start chewing gum, right? Gives you something to do with your hands and your mouth. You sub in one habit for another."
"Okay. So I get that. You chewed a lot of gum, then?"
"No, shithead. Your dad said that since we were trying to have a baby, maybe we should substitute sex for alcohol. Anytime I'm craving a drink, I-"
"Get a dick," Lauren laughed.
"In so many words," she agreed. "But, I told him, no fucking way."
"You have a way with words, mother," I added.
"Damned right," she took another long drink. "So, I told him that that sounded good for him, but it didn't really work for me. See, if we did his little substitution I would need him around every time I might crave alcohol. What happened if he was at work? Or the store? And what if he was less helpful some times than he might be at other times. I mean, I don't want to cast aspersions-"
"Never," I rather snidely answered.
"But, boys don't always have the right goals or the ... I guess, bandwidth... to be a real substitution for a vice."
"Sing it sister," Lauren giggled.
"Gee, thanks," I grumbled.
"Oh, you're amazing, baby," my girl said, "But sometimes you're in a bit more of a hurry than I am. Or maybe I really crave a glass of wine right after we've had a really ... uh... complete... time, right? Then what do I do? Wait 20 minutes?"
"My point exactly," Darla said. "So, I said, the substitution habit would work, but it had to be a little more specific. Orgasms for booze. Crave a drink? Get off. Pretty soon, you're craving orgasms rather than alcohol. And that would keep me sober and help to get me knocked up - at least in the early stages."
"Well, that's a notion," I said.
"Yeah, so, every time I wanted a drink. Before dinner. Watching television. Before bed. At a party-"
"Your hubby got you off?" Lauren asked.
"He sure tried," Mom answered. "Of course, it didn't always work that way, but he had to be okay with me taking things in hand, as it were."
"Well, that makes for an interesting solution," I said.
"I mean, it got a little awkward some times. We had to stop going to bars or parties for a few months-"
"Oh, shit. Do tell," Lauren hunkered in closer.
"Honey, I was getting way too familiar with closets and bathroom stalls there for a while. I mean, look, the pressure to drink in social situations is all good and fine, but trying to find a place to get your wife off in the middle of the Office Christmas Party is not as fun as it might sound."
"I don't know," said Lauren with a bit of a far-off look.
"Okay, so, yeah, that was actually kind of fun. But I was six months pregnant and I can never go back to Brenda Kordmeyer's powder room - or home- again," Mom said seriously. She leaned forward and loudly whispered, "But it was pretty fucking awesome."
The two of them cackled like old friends. It was, I admit, good to see them getting along like pals. Even if it was a little awkward to be talking about my mother's sex life with my braless girlfriend. There were a lot of impulses floating around. I guess luckily, I was stone cold sober. So, that probably made me less likely to say something stupid. Still, that was a lot of sex talk.
Lauren leaned back with her glass and made eye contact with me. She said to Mom, "So, Darla, you're recommending an addiction substitute plan."
"I don't think I'm an add-" I began.
"Dickstitution plan, as it were," she finished.