I awoke at zero-dark-hundred. Mom was spooned in front of me, my arm around her, reprising that glorious night before my deployment. She was wearing only a bra and panty – there was no need to turn on a light to know their color was cyan. Glancing around the room I could see the sofa-bed had not been made up. Iraq was halfway around the world and a million miles behind me. As sleep returned it was clear things were looking up.
An explosion. Noises, loud beyond the threshold of pain. Screaming, shouting, rushing wind, straining turbines, banging metal, tilting, turning and falling. Added to the cacophony of chaos a voice desperately shouted “Mom, I love you, Momma!”
A horrific sickening sound of impact and crushing metal. Suddenly, only the sound of muted sobbing and moans of pain remained. It was surreal. Everything became quiet. I found myself cradled in the arms of an angel who was lovingly holding me to her bosom. My angel spoke with a voice familiarized over a lifetime.
“I heard you call me. You knew I would answer and come to you. You are safe now Tommy, you are safe. Sshhh. You are safe with your mother. She loves you. She will never let you go. Sshhh.”
She continued with her reassuring and caring words.
When I finally relaxed, Mom lay me down on the bed and whispered “Sleep, Tommy, sleep. Let me hold you. I love you more than you’ll ever know. Sleep, Tommy, sleep. I’ll be right here when you wake up.”
Looking up, my life with her flashed before me. Seeing her even through only one good eye, she never looked more beautiful.
She needed to know this: “Mom, all the way down to the ground all I thought about was you.”
“I know Tommy. I know. I love you. Sleep Tommy. I love you. Sleep my beloved, sleep.”
Mom’s warmth, scent, breathing, sensuous body, and skin-on-skin contact was so comforting. Sleep arrived quickly. When I awoke, Mom was spooned in front of me. Her hand clutched mine to her satin-covered breast. She slowly stirred. Opening her eyes, smiling warmly, she made no effort to move my hand.
“Tommy, it is so good to wake up to you. I love you more than you’ll ever know.”
I savored the moment. After giving her the warmest of kisses, I moved back to bask in the radiant warmth of her beauty. The look on her face was pure angelic serenity.
“Mom, stay in bed. There’s a coffee shop across the street; it’s my turn to bring you coffee.”
When I returned, Mom was still in bed, smiling sweetly, sitting up, bedsheets demurely held to her chest. What is it about serving coffee? The look on my beautiful angel’s face made me shed tears of joy of my own.
Chapter 6.
We went sightseeing most of the day, then a light dinner. Arriving at the hotel we cleaned up before spending time on the sofa. Lying side by side, my hand was alternating between rubbing her neck and running up and down her back. Her body undulated to my every touch and she made no attempt to hide how much she enjoyed it.
“Tommy, after you were gone I felt so guilty about the way I acted the night before your deployment. I crossed the line again last night. A mother shouldn’t be practically naked in bed with her son. It’s against all the rules; it’s so wrong.”