Ethel looked right at her and stated, “Jason is over eighteen and mature enough to make his own decisions. Don’t you agree, Monica?”
Mom’s features softened. Ethel had this aura of authority that affected Mom.
Meekly, Mom replied, “You’re right. He’s an adult and can decide for himself.”
Ethel shifted her attention to me. “Would you do me a favor and escort your aunt to keep her company? I’ll give you vacation pay for the time you won’t be here working.”
Ethel knew when she asked me, Mom wouldn’t be upset with my acceptance. In her mind, I would be going at the request of Ethel and not my aunt. Putting on the best-surprised look I could, I replied, “Sure, it’ll be fun to spend some time in the snow.”
Ethel held Mom and me back while the others departed. “I’m so happy you two made it to the final round. Lexi was a gracious loser. It’s too bad her son can’t go with her. I guess it was a last-minute obligation he couldn’t postpone. Tomorrow, the focus shifts from Mother to Son. We’ll see how well the Mom remembers early bonding. Good luck!”
Mom was quiet on the way home and for the rest of the day. I knew she was fuming on how the events transpired. She knew Mike was gay and I was certain she suspected Lexi invited me only to dampen Mom’s feeling of victory.
*****
Breakfast the next morning was quiet and no mention was made of the previous day’s events. Mom called me to the living room an hour before the contest was scheduled to begin. “Was our practice session yesterday helpful for you?”
“Not really, Mom. I was in a room filling out questionnaires after I left you. I wasn’t involved in the other physical tests,” I lied.
One of her eyebrows lifted. Disbelief? Her expression turned to puzzlement and I could tell she was trying to recall yesterday’s events. Was she doubting herself? Shifting her focus, she asked, “What do you think the test will be today?”
“Mom, San Diego is a great place to go for a vacation. We should quit now and take second place. Lexi isn’t competing any longer, and you’ve bested your sister. That was your entire motivation, wasn’t it? You weren’t going to continue the game with me until you found out Lexi was competing.”
I could see the hurt in her face at the realization I thought I was being used as a pawn in her scheme to beat her sister.
Sorrowfully, she replied, “That was part of it, but I still enjoyed playing the game with you. We’ve become closer because of it. Let’s practice before we run out of time.”
“There’s a problem, Mom. It’s going to be embarrassing for both of us. Ethel’s hints were early childhood and bonding. I think she’s referring to changing my diapers. Since you’ll be blindfolded, you will have to feel your way. It will undoubtedly require you to touch my penis.”
She giggled, “Penis? Is that what young men call their cocks? It was fine when you groped your mother’s tits but now you’re off-limits? Get undressed and put on your robe. I’ll get the masks and meet you back here.”
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