And the Grass Won't Pay No Mind

I turned and stepped into the shower, Virginia following behind me. We quickly showered, making sure to get each other clean before getting out and drying each other. We quickly dressed and packed, having a quick cold breakfast. I could tell Virginia was eager to get back and get together with the boys. Once we were packed, we stopped at the Park office to drop off the keys. We then headed for home, eager to get back to the boys.

One hour later, we were pulling into the driveway. Once we were parked, the boys came dashing out of the house with Mom standing in the doorway waiting for us. We spent a minute exchanging hugs with the boys. I looked over and saw how happy Virginia was as she hugged the boys, telling them how much she missed them. The boys went to get our bags while we walked up to Mom and took turns hugging her, telling her we were glad to be back.

The boys carried our bags into the house and into our bedroom, complaining about how heavy they were. Meanwhile, Mom, Virginia, and I went into the kitchen and sat at the table, catching up on our week. Mom told us the boys had been well behaved, and they had a lot of fun while we were gone. Virginia and I took turns telling Mom what we had done during the week, leaving out the sex parts. By the time we got caught up, the boys were done bringing our bags in and putting them away. They came out into the kitchen and practically dragged Virginia away so she could get ready to go. With a laugh, Virginia got up and excused herself and went to pack a bag for the night while the boys told her what they had packed and were expecting to do.

Mom and I exchanged a look and took advantage of the quiet time to plan our weekend. I told her I had reservations at Michael's Salon and Day Spa near the Dayton Mall for mani-pedis and massages this afternoon. We would then shop until we dropped before going to Olive Garden for dinner. We'd then just hang out at home, watching TV and catching up on our lives. Sunday, we would be driving down to Cincinnati to go to the Tri-County Mall and do some shopping there. We would be shopping at Dillard, Elder-Beerman, and Lazarus for clothing. I also planned to take Mom to Victoria's Secret for some lingerie.

When Virginia was ready to go, Mom and I saw them off, hugging the boys and Virginia before she left, taking the minivan. Once they were out of sight, we went back into the house and got ready to head out on our own trip.

As it was another beautiful sunny hot day, we drove down to the spa in the Mustang with the top down, enjoying the wind blowing around us. The sound of the wind prevented us from exchanging small talk, so nothing much was said until we reached our destination. When we pulled into the parking lot, we saw there weren't many cars, so we would not have to fight a crowd while in the locker room or the sauna.

We went in and signed in, getting two girls assigned to us for the day. Mom was introduced to Sally, who would do her mani-pedi, while I was introduced to Cindy, who would work on me. We were led to our stations, and the girls started to work on us.

While we were being taken care of, I asked Mom about Kathy and how she was doing. Mom told me Kathy was doing great and was still riding her motorcycle nearly everywhere. Mom did say Kathy was starting to drive her car more often than she used to. Knowing the type of relationship they had, I knew if Mom wanted to, Mom could tell Kathy to sell the motorcycle, and Kathy would. However, because Mom loved Kathy and knew Kathy would miss riding her bike, she hoped Kathy would decide to do it herself.

As we talked, it was apparent to me how much Mom loved Kathy. I could see the look on her face when she talked about Kathy, and it reminded me of the look I see on Virginia's face when she's thinking about me. We smiled at each other, sharing the knowledge we were both in love with incredible women. I was amazed Mom and Kathy had been in love with each other for forty-three years, and the passion they shared was still evident.

While Sally and Cindy were away, I leaned over and asked, "Mom, after all of these years, is the sex still as great as when you were younger?"

Mom looked at me, smiled, and said, "Yes, it is, sweetie. It may not be as physical as when we were younger, but we know each other's bodies so well we can make each other scream with minimal effort. Sometimes, just cuddling with each other is so satisfying nothing more is needed." The look on her face as she thought about it made my heart melt.

I thought about how it might be with Virginia and me, but all I could think about was we wouldn't have time to grow old together. I must have betrayed my thoughts because I saw Mom looking at me intently before she said, "Is something wrong, sweetie?"

Before I could reply, Sally and Cindy came back to start our pedicures, so I just smiled at her and shook my head slightly. I then laid back and let Cindy ministrate to me while I thought about how nice it would be to grow old together like Mom and Kathy were doing.

We went back to talking about lighter topics. I asked Mom what she planned to do when she got back, and Mom told me she would spend some time on the beach. She really loved the beach, and I know we had offered to let her live here with us, but she wouldn't come because of Kathy, and she would miss the beach and the ocean.

I told her the boys, and I also missed the beach and the ocean and hoped Virginia's next assignment would be back to LA. Of course, I didn't tell Mom I knew I wouldn't be coming back with her. Our conversation petered out, and we just enjoyed the treatment given to us by Sally and Cindy. Finally, they were done with us and showed us to the waiting room for the massages we would get.

We both really enjoyed our massages, and by the time we were done, we were both recharged and ready to go do some power shopping. We headed over to the Dayton Mall and spent the afternoon shopping. Finally, we carried our bags out to the car and headed to the nearby Olive Garden for dinner.

We both got the Chicken Alfredo, salad, and breadsticks. We really enjoyed our meal, keeping the conversation light, discussing our shopping conquests, and our day at the spa. We got Tiramisu for dessert and split it since we were both stuffed from the Chicken Alfredo. We headed for home as the sun was setting in the west. It had been a beautiful day, and I was glad I got to spend it with Mom.

Once we got home, we put our bags away and sat and watched TV for a bit. I snuggled up against Mom, laying my head on her shoulder, feeling safe like when I was a kid. My eyes started burning from the tears I was desperately trying not to shed. Unfortunately, I could never hide my feelings from Mom, so eventually, she asked, "What's bothering you, sweetie?"

Instead of answering, I just wrapped my arms around Mom and buried my face in her neck. I realized I had been selfishly thinking about the effect of my death on Virginia and the boys, but it was going to rip Mom's heart apart, too. That thought made me feel so bad I just wanted to disappear.

I thought about Dad and wondered if Mom missed him. We'd never talked much about it since he died when I was so young. I didn't have many memories of him other than how much I loved going to the beach with him. I did remember crying with Mom, missing him so badly. I hated that I was going to cause her to cry like that again.

I fought the tears, and when I was sure I could speak, I backed away from Mom, looked her in the eye, and said, "I just realized how much I miss this. Sitting here with you, snuggled up against you, like when I was young, just made me a little nostalgic."

Mom stared into my eyes, and I think she didn't quite believe me, but she went along with it anyway and said, "That's okay, sweetie. I have to admit I miss it, too."

"I'm glad we have this time together," I said, snuggling back into her.

We sat there for a while, deep in our own thoughts; I snuggled into Mom and Mom with her arm around me. By bedtime, I was feeling better. I sat up, smiled at Mom, and said, "Thanks for everything, Mom."

"Oh, sweetie, I would do anything for you," Mom said. I sensed there was more behind the words she had said. I knew I would gladly die if it saved my boys' lives. I was sure Mom felt the same about me.

I pulled her in for a hug and said, "I know, Mom. That's why I love you so much."

With that, we went and got ready for bed. I made sure the house was locked up before performing my toilet and going to bed. As I fell asleep, I thought about how much I loved Mom and the pain I would cause her. I vowed to do everything I could tomorrow to make Mom happy. I slept a dreamless sleep.

When morning broke, I woke, happy I was going to spend the day with Mom. I got up, showered, and dressed, and headed out to the kitchen. I started fixing breakfast. When everything was plated, and the coffee pot was burbling, Mom came out in her robe and sat down. I put the plates on the table and poured the coffee before sitting down and digging in. We chatted about what we were going to do today while we ate.

When we were done, we quickly cleaned up and went to shower and dress. By the time I finished my toilet and came out into the living room, Mom was ready. We were both dressed similarly in jean shorts and halter tops with open sandals. I was amazed again at how good Mom looked for being sixty-one. I was sure the guys were going to be drooling over her, although it wouldn't do them any good.

I hugged Mom, gave her a big smile, and asked, "Ready to go break some hearts?"

"Absolutely," Mom said, smiling back at me.

We headed out and went down I-675 to I-75 South toward Cincinnati. After passing Monroe and before we got to Westchester, Mom pointed to the enormous antenna array off to our left and asked about it. I told her it was the Voice of America's Bethany Relay Station broadcasting antenna sending VOA shortwave radio programs worldwide. Mom was amazed at its size, and I told her the signals had a long way to go. I didn't tell her Virginia had explained it to me when we had seen it on one of our previous trips to Cincinnati. Soon we came to the exit for I-275, which went around Cincinnati, and got off at SR 747 to go to Tri-County mall. It was named that because we were in the northeastern corner of Hamilton County, which borders Clermont County to the east and Butler County to the north.

The mall was jam-packed, but we managed to find a parking spot near the Elder-Beerman entrance. We got out and headed for the door. As we entered, I asked, "Are you ready to shop until you drop?"

Mom smiled and said, "Yes, let's do it."

We shopped all day, stopping only to eat lunch in the food court after putting our bags in the trunk of the Mustang. They had a nice Mexican restaurant named Tumbleweed in the food court we ate at. The burritos were delicious, and we washed them down with Dos Equis. As I had surmised, Mom did get many men turning their heads as she walked by. We smiled at each other every time it happened. I know Mom was enjoying the attention. Of course, I got paid attention to but ignored it, just enjoying myself.

Finally, we ended up at Victoria's Secret. Both Mom and I planned to get some sexy lingerie for our loves, so we spent some time there, trying on several items until we both found something we really liked. We were then ready to go. I was eager to get back and be home when Virginia and the boys got back from their adventure. In less than an hour, I was pulling up in the driveway. The minivan wasn't there yet, so Mom and I had time to put our haul away and relax a bit. It wasn't more than twenty minutes later when we heard the minivan pull into the driveway.

Mom and I went out to greet Virginia and the boys. I could see the huge smile on Virginia's face as she got out and pulled me into a hug while Mom exchanged hugs with the boys. We then traded, and Virginia hugged Mom while I hugged the boys, kissing them on the cheek and telling them how glad I was to see them again. They were both trying to tell me what they'd done with Virginia, so I threw up my hands and said, "Let's get your bags inside and settle down. Then you can tell me all about it."

They did as I said, helping Virginia with her bag while Virginia and I walked in the house hand-in-hand behind Mom. Virginia and I shared a smile as we went inside, and once the door was closed, we wrapped our arms around each other and kissed as though we hadn't seen each other in months. Before it got too hot and heavy, the boys came out, eager to tell me all about their time with Virginia. As we broke and stepped away from each other, Virginia said, "Thank you, my love, for giving me the time with Matthew and Mark. I really enjoyed it."

I smiled and said, "I'm glad, my love. I'm sure they enjoyed it just as much."

While Virginia went off to unpack and freshen up, I sat down with the boys and let them tell me what they had done. I loved how much they had enjoyed their time with Virginia. They told me about their hikes and the covered bridges they had seen dotting the southwestern Ohio landscape. They also talked about the movie Virginia had taken them to, 'Terminator 2: Judgment Day.' They really enjoyed telling me about it. They both hugged me when they told me how much they had enjoyed being with 'Mom 2.0.' I told them both I loved them, and I was glad they loved 'Mom 2.0' as much as they did.

By then, Virginia had finished freshening up, so we went out into the kitchen and joined Mom to plan dinner. I knew after dinner, Virginia would need to go back into work mode, preparing for going back into work tomorrow. Mom would be leaving tomorrow, too.

Together we whipped up a nice dinner of spaghetti and meatballs with garlic bread and steamed asparagus spears. When it was nearly done, I went to get the boys ready for dinner, making sure they washed their hands. I hugged them both, telling them how much I loved them and how glad I was Virginia loved them, too. They both hugged me back and said they loved Mom 2.0 so much and thanked me for bringing her into their lives. I teared up, thinking about how glad I was Virginia came into my life.

After a delicious dinner enjoyed by all, Mom and I cleaned up. While we were doing that, Virginia went to get her uniform ready for tomorrow. Mom had picked up her uniforms from the dry cleaners while we were gone. However, Virginia still had to transfer rank insignia, name tags, medals, and ribbons to the clean uniforms. I always loved her attention to detail when getting them set up and, of course, how beautiful she looked in her uniform.

When Mom and I were finished in the kitchen, Virginia was finished, so we sat down on the couch and watched a movie on CBS until it was time to get ready for bed. Virginia went off to get the boys ready for bed while Mom and I discussed getting her off to the airport tomorrow. As much as she had enjoyed being here with us, I know Mom wanted to get back to Kathy, so I hugged her and said I was glad she had someone to go back to, that she wasn't going to be by herself.

Mom and I said goodnight to each other, and I headed into the bedroom to get ready for bed. Virginia came in shortly, and I could see the happiness in her face from her having put the boys to bed. She walked up to me, hugged me tight, and said, "I just love Matthew and Mark to death. Thank you for sharing them with me."

I hugged her back and said, "Thank you for being like a second mother to them. They just love you to death, too." As I said that, tears started burning my eyes again. I stepped back and angrily dashed them out of my eyes and asked, "Why can't I express my feelings without crying all of the time?"

Virginia just pulled me in, hugging me tightly, and said, "You carry your emotions on your sleeve. I don't mind your tears." She then rained little kisses on my face until I got myself under control. Then I captured Virginia's lips with my own and kissed her hard to let her know I loved her.

When we broke, I said, "Let's get to bed, love."

"Yes, my love," Virginia replied. We finished our toilet and got into bed. Virginia made sure her alarm was set before we spooned and whispered sweet nothings to each other until we fell asleep.

The blaring alarm startled me awake, and it took me a moment to remember Virginia's vacation was over. Virginia's arm over my ribs tightened for a moment as she said, "Good morning, my love."

I replied, "Good morning, love." I then turned and cupped Virginia's face and kissed her, the world forgotten for a time until we broke. I said, "You go first. I'll start breakfast."

We got up, and I threw on a robe before heading out to the kitchen. Virginia went into the bathroom, shedding her sleeping tee and flashing her breasts before closing the door. As much as I wanted to follow her into the bathroom, I turned and left the bedroom to prepare breakfast.

I had a delicious breakfast ready by the time Virginia came out, dressed in her uniform, her hair up in a loose bun. My heart clenched with all of the love I felt for her, and I smiled at her and said, "Good morning, love. You look scrumptious."

"Good morning to you, my love. You sure know how to flatter a woman early in the morning." She smiled and walked up to me and gave me a quick kiss before she sat down at the table. I slid her plate in front of her as I sat down next to her with my plate. We quickly ate breakfast, and I resisted kissing her over and over between bites because she needed to get going. Finally, we were done, and Virginia went off to brush her teeth before getting her bag to leave. I walked her to the door and gave her one last quick kiss before she left. I watched her get in the Mustang and drive off.

I went back inside, took care of my toilet, got dressed, and headed back out into the kitchen. By then, Mom was up and fixing herself some breakfast. I made her sit down, and I finished preparing her breakfast and serving her before sitting down. We chatted a bit while she ate, planning our day. Her flight was at 2 PM, so we didn't have a lot planned.

Once Mom was done eating, I shooed her off to get ready while I started fixing breakfast for the boys. I went in and woke them up, telling them breakfast was ready. They finally stumbled out, rubbing the sleep out of their eyes. When they saw the pancakes, they hugged me and thanked me for making their favorite breakfast. By the time I had their food plated up and on the table, Mom came out, dressed and ready for the day. The boys jumped up and hugged her before she told them to eat their breakfasts.

Mom and I cleaned up as the boys went to get ready for the day. I'll admit I teared up a bit and hugged her, missing her already. Mom, knowing me as well as she does, just accepted it, nearly tearing up herself. Once the boys came tearing out, ready to go, we smiled at each other, enjoying the enthusiastic energy of youth.

We headed out to go to Americana Amusement Park in Monroe and enjoy the day until it was time to take Mom to the airport. They had opened this year under new management, and I wanted to check them out to see what, if anything, has been changed. We had been there last year, and the boys had really enjoyed it, although the big fire had damaged part of the park.

We timed our trip to arrive just as they opened so we'd be among the first to get in and hit the rides before it got busy. We all rode the roller coaster, the boys in the car in front of us, so we could keep an eye on them. Mom really enjoyed the ride, and I loved seeing the big smile on her face. Of course, I was smiling too. We also did the miniature golf course. Mom turned out to be really good at it and beat all of us. I came in last, not wanting to disappoint either of the boys by beating them, although I didn't have to try to lose this time. They were starting to get good at it.