Please read: This has more dialogue than action. So if you're looking for action, please -- to quote Bob Seger -- turn the page.
If you hate this story, try my other works here:
https://www.literotica.com/authors/happenstance/works/stories
https://www.literotica.com/authors/Rathskellers/works/stories
Your comments are always welcome. Thank you.
I was leading a pretty normal life until one afternoon two years ago, when I came back from school, and Mom told me that Dad had left us for good.
Though I was aware that lately, they were arguing a lot and that they were having problems, I never thought that Dad would leave us.
The only explanation she offered was that they both felt that leaving was a better option than the constant bickering and fighting. She also assured me that Dad loved me a lot. He told me the same when he called me later in the evening.
I, of course, was heartbroken. On the other hand, Mom continued as before for some months, but then slowly started falling apart. She was a customer service agent at the airport and went to work like clockwork, but apart from that, she hardly ever went out. She wore the same clothes for days and lost her appetite for everything.
Dad stayed in touch with us for some time, and then he moved to another city and another, and his phone calls went from less frequent to once or twice a year.
Worried over Mom's condition, Grandma and Mom's 38-year-old sister, Vera, who was two years older than Mom, have come to talk to her and me.
After dinner, Vera whispered to me that she and Grandma would come to my room after Mom went to bed. I was waiting for them.
There was a light knock on my door, and Grandma and Vera quietly walked in when I opened the door. Both sat on each end of the bed, with me in the middle near the headboard.
"Our suspicions were correct," Grandma said, looking straight at me.
"You know, some people join the army because they need discipline. Some join groups. Similarly, your mother needs discipline in her life. First, it was your grandpa and then your father. They all provided her discipline. She becomes a wreck without it. To cut a long story short, you need to step up and provide her the discipline."
Vera saw that my mouth was wide open and I was looking at them as if they were speaking Greek.
"What mother means is that you need to treat her like a baby, like a pet," Vera tried to explain, but it made as much sense to me as quantum physics.
"Like a cat," Grandma piped in.
"Well, no, cats don't listen to anyone. You need to tell her what to wear, what to eat, who she can meet, who she can't...just like you tell a kid," Vera elaborated.
"We know it won't be easy, but if you want your mother to be back, that's the only way," she continued.
"And we'll help you," Grandma said in an assuring tone.
"Whaddaya want me to do?" I inquired as nothing they had said until now made any sense.
"We'll take it one step at a time. In the morning, when she gets up...what time does she get up?"
"These days after nine," I told Vera.
"Okay, when she gets up, you tell her to brush her hair even if she has brushed it. And when you tell her, tell her like a boss, tell her like you are giving a command, don't smile or laugh. Be extremely serious. Then after she brushes her hair, go with her to her room and ask her to put on those black shorts she's always wearing and that blue top," Vera explained.
"Undergarments, too," Grandma added.
"Yes, they are in the second drawer near the cupboard. Just pick any," Vera suggested.
"But remember, you need to act like a commander, speak like a commander. You know, she hates drinking cold milk, but in the morning, after she changes, give her cold milk with cornflakes. I've already put the milk in the refrigerator. Take out the milk from the refrigerator in front of her. And don't worry, we are here. Now go to sleep," Vera said as both of them got up and tiptoed back to their room.
As I lay there replaying their instructions, some past events began making more sense. Though I was just 16 when Dad left us, I remember Dad telling Mom what to wear, what to eat, and how to tie her long blonde hair. At that time, I found it romantic, and I even smiled at how she was always obeying him and doing whatever he wanted.
Now, when Vera and Grandma wanted me to do those things, I was panicking, shuddering at the idea. With all these thoughts running through my mind, I don't know when I went to sleep.
In the morning, there was a soft knock on my door, and Vera came in.
Just like Mom, Vera was 5'9", had long blonde hair, blue eyes, sharp features, and a big bosom.
"Your mom's awake. Remember what we told you," she whispered as she straightened her long blonde hair.
"Let's go," she ordered.
"Okay," I murmured as I got up and washed my face in the bathroom.
Mom was sitting in the kitchen and staring at the wall. Her hair was disheveled, her eyes were blank, and she was wearing faded pajamas and an old top.
"Enough of all this. I want you to brush your hair properly, wash your face, and pick yourself up," I said as I clenched my fists and raised my voice as much as I could.
However, Mom didn't even raise her head. I looked at Vera and Grandma, and both signaled me to try again. I again ordered her, and this time, I nearly shouted.
Mom raised her eyes, saw me, and nodded her head. She got up and began walking to her room. All three of us followed her. While she was washing her face, I took out the black shorts and the top from her cupboard and then grabbed a bra and panties from the drawer and put all of them on the bed.
"After brushing your hair, wear them," I said, pointing at the clothes.
She stopped brushing midway, turned her head to look at me and the clothes, and nodded her head. All three of us left the room. After around 15 minutes, she emerged from the room in those clothes and her hair tied in a bun. As she sat down in the kitchen, I took out the milk and poured it into the bowl in front of her and added cornflakes.
"I don't like cold milk," she murmured.
Vera and Grandma shot a look at me.
"I don't care. Just drink it, Mom," I replied, instantly regretting using the word Mom.
Vera and Grandma, too, rolled their eyes. Mom kept her eyes down and started eating the cornflakes. After breakfast, she retreated to her room. I went to my room with Vera and Grandma.
"I ruined it, didn't I?" I asked them.
"No, it wasn't bad at all. This was your first time. Don't worry, it was fine," Vera replied.
"Just don't say Mom or anything like that," Grandma warned.
"Now go to her and tell her to clean the attic. Tell her you want everything, old boxes, clothes, books, everything in order. That you'll inspect it," Vera remarked.
"But we hardly ever use the attic, and it's very dirty," I countered.
"Trust me, she'd like that. I've known her my whole life. She needs to feel that you can take care of her. If she believes that, then she'd take care of herself to make you happy," Vera assured me.
Mom was lying on her side on the bed with her eyes closed. I looked back at Vera and Grandma, who were standing just outside the room, and said, "Please wake up, as I want you to clean the attic."
I don't know why, but I whispered it. Maybe I was afraid of waking her up, disturbing her. To somehow make up for my incompetence, I shouted that I didn't just want her to clean it, but arrange everything properly, adding that I'd inspect it after she's done.
She opened her eyes, looked at me, and slowly got up. At that second, I wanted to say that I was joking, that I'd clean it or something just to make her happy, but I knew that Vera and Grandma were staring at me.
Mom got up and headed to clean the attic. While she was there, Vera opened Mom's cupboard and said we all would dine out today. Pointing at the jeans and a top in the cupboard, Vera told me to tell Mom that we'd go out for dinner and that she should wear that.
"We'll have seafood," she commented.
"But she doesn't like seafood," I reminded her.
"That's why we'll have seafood. Just like parents decide what a baby should eat, you'll decide what she eats. Remember, she's just like a baby to you. Not Mom or anything else. Just a baby," Vera remarked.
When Mom was done cleaning the attic, we three went to inspect it. I immediately said it was looking very clean. As soon as I said it, I saw Grandma staring at me.
"There's still dust here," Grandma pointed as she ran her finger over an old wooden box.
"Yes, yes, there's dust here," I blurted out.
Mom wiped the sweat off her forehead with her arm and got down on her knees to clean the box.
"Make sure he's not unhappy with your work," Grandma scolded Mom as we three began walking out of the attic.
When she was done, we again went to inspect it, and after her back-breaking work, all I said was, "It looks fine."
Mom raised her head, looked at me, and went to wash her hands and face.
Later, I was in my room when Grandma came and told me to ask Mom to get ready for dinner. Vera was changing in the guest room, and Mom was in her room. I went to her and, taking out the jeans and top from her cupboard, told her to get ready. I didn't tell her that we were going to have seafood as I was afraid that she might refuse to come with us.
She simply said, "Okay."
Just like Mom, Grandma was in jeans and a top. Vera, who enjoyed wearing naughty tops, was in a skirt that ended just over her knees and a top that said, "I don't watch porn (I read it like a lady)."