Eye of the Appreciator

Mom slowly turned around, biting her bottom lip and casting her gaze downward. Her face was flushed red. "Baby... that was- I don't-"

"Shhh, Mom." I kissed her forehead.

Mom slowly backed away from me then turned and shuffled out of the kitchen, obviously embarrassed.

---

Ignoring the jizz which was now liquefying and running down my leg, I cleaned up the kitchen and did the dishes. I went downstairs as I heard Mom's shower turn on. I still had plans for our day but she needed space right now.

In the basement I showered as well and dressed before returning upstairs to find Mom in the living room. She wasn't looking at a magazine. She was just sitting on the couch apparently deep in thought. She'd dressed herself in a pair of brown slacks and a modest, red blouse and had even dabbed on a touch of makeup. Despite having cleaned herself up, I sensed her discomfort.

I sat with her, leaving room between us on the couch. I knew that she needed to talk and I gave her time to begin. She opened her mouth once or twice to say something but didn't seem to know how to get started. I could only imagine how many thoughts must have been going through her mind.

I decided to take the lead. "Mom, something is obviously changing between us and I want you to know that I'm really happy about it. It's been great to spend so much more time with you." I left it at that, merely intending to start the conversation.

Relaxing a bit, Mom smiled. "It's been great for me, too, honey. I think any Mom would be overjoyed to have a son who actually wanted to spend time with her. I've been loving it."

I smiled at her, letting her continue. She had more to say.

"But I don't know about some of the things that have been happening. The other day on the couch... and what we did just now... it was... too much."

She needed something from me.

"Did we get a little carried away, Mom?" I offered her a sympathetic tone.

"Yeah, I think we did," she said to me. "We just got a bit carried away," she continued, now speaking to herself. She seemed to relax after accepting the phrasing I'd offered to help her save face, though she still looked conflicted.

"We didn't do anything wrong, Mom. We just enjoyed a nice moment together. Didn't you enjoy it?"

"I... yes, I did," she blushed. "But we can't do those things, anymore. You can't keep getting so frisky with me. It makes us get carried away. It isn't right." Mom finally found her confidence. "I'm your Mother and this is how it needs to be."

"Sure, Mom. I understand. No more getting carried away."

"Thanks, Tyson." She relaxed fully, content now that she had put her foot down.

I wanted to get her mind off of it.

"You and I are going to spend the day together, Mom."

"Oh yeah? You're not too sick?" She poked me teasingly but she was clearly happy that we'd be spending more time together.

"Very funny," I said.

"Actually, I was planning on shopping today. Are you going to come?"

Shopping?! That wasn't what I had in mind. Then again, maybe if I did what she wanted she might change her mind about getting "carried away".

"Sure, Mom. Then I can take you out for lunch afterwards."

"Ohhh, honey! That would be so nice. A lunch date. Just the two of us!"

"Just the two of us." I smiled broadly at her, my eyes quickly darting downward to glance at her chest, tightly stretching out her blouse. Knowledge of its bare feel flashed through my mind as I thought about how good her nipples had felt against my palms. I could tell that they weren't like the boring, little ones girls my age had. They were big, rubbery, Mommy-nipples. I had to see them!

She noticed where I was looking but didn't mention it.

"But first, you've got a few chores to do around the house. I noticed that you didn't cut the grass on the weekend, young man."

Chores? Was she trying to make me pay for my fun in the kitchen?

I got to work on the lawn and when I was finished, she had another list of things for me to do. By the time we left for the mall I had cleaned out the eaves trough, weeded the side garden, and organized the shed. Appreciating Mom sure was a lot of work.

---

Mom was in a giddy mood as she drove us to the mall in her sedan. I hadn't realized before how much she loves to buy new clothes.

We parked and went inside, beginning to waltz from store to store. We were in no hurry at all. In fact, I enjoyed watching Mom move and shop at her own pace. She would stop to look at a certain dress or top, make a few comments about the fabric or color and then we'd move on. Seeing her glowing in her natural environment was a real treat for me.

Wanting to know more about where her boundaries were, I decided to risk getting a bit touchy with her, occasionally getting her attention by rubbing her shoulder before pointing at a dress or necklace that would look nice on her. Once, I even placed my hand on her low back as I led her into a vintage boutique. In her current mood, Mom seemed to be okay with it.

I watched the crowds passing us and noted a few guys my age who were walking with women their senior. Many of those woman were quite attractive. Are those their Mothers? Many of the pairs were certainly giving off the Mother-son dynamic and several of them were being blatantly touchy with one another. One of the guys even had his arm around his "Mom" and was resting his hand on the curve of her hip. Her hand was on top of his, keeping it tight against her, where it belonged. Does she let him get frisky with her? I wondered. What's that guy's secret?

As we continued from shop to shop, Mom told me that we were getting close to one of her favorite stores, Los Elegantes. When we arrived, we saw a sign in the window indicating a special 30%-off sale this week. Clutching my arm in excitement, Mom exclaimed, "oh, sweetie, we must go in. Common!" She dragged me inside.

Mom was admiring a classy black dress when I saw a pretty, olive-skinned woman approaching us. Tall and slim, she wore a red top with 'Los Elegantes' embroidered in white on the chest.

"Hi darling, I'm Sandra," the woman addressed Mom. "Can I help the two of you find anything today?"

"Hey Sandra, I'm Maria and this is Tyson." She rubbed my arm. "And yes, I'd like to try on this dress, please."

After getting Mom's size, the three of us went to the fitting room area. A minute later Mom emerged from behind the curtain looking incredible. The dress hugged her hips perfectly. She gave us a twirl and came to stand close to me. Somehow knowing that a touch would be accepted, I put my hands on her sides. "You look great," I told her, letting my fingers trail up and down slightly. Mom glowed.

Sandra noticed us and seemed a bit surprised. I guess she also saw our age difference.

"So," Sandra addressed me quizzically, "are you looking for anything else today for your... girlfriend?"

Mom and I laughed. "Oh, this is my Mom!" I stated proudly, wrapping my arm around my Mother and pulling her in tight.

Sandra's eyes opened wide but she took the information in stride. "Oh my, well she is certainly lucky to have a son like you to shop with her."

Over the next 45 minutes Sandra helped Mom try on a handful more outfits, watching closely as I whistled and twirled Mom around while she modeled each dress for me. I wonder what she must have been thinking while she so intently watched a Mother and son openly flirting. She didn't help any other women the whole time we were there, almost as if she enjoyed the show we were putting on.

At one point, the store phone rang and Sandra had to leave us alone for a few short moments to take the call. At the same time, Mom was emerging from the dressing room in a high-waisted, burgundy skirt with a tight, black sweater top. The skirt was snug against her hips and accentuated them beautifully. My eyes openly scanned up and down her body.

"What do you think?" She playfully asked me, jutting her butt out to the side.

"Mom, this one is just your style," I told her, taking her hand and spinning her around. "It's my favorite outfit of the day." I couldn't resist, and I reached down to give her butt a quick squeeze.

"Don't be getting too frisky now," Mom gently scolded me, letting me know where she was setting her boundaries. Though she grinned as she looked back and caught me checking out her ass on the way back behind the curtain.

Later, when Sandra took us to the till to take our payment she said, "Wow, you two really have a beautiful relationship! My son barely talks to me. I wish I could connect with him the way you two do. What's your secret?"

We looked at each other and grinned.

"Well...," Mom began.

I cut her off. "The most important thing is for a son to appreciate his Mom. To notice the things she does around the house and how much effort she puts into taking care of herself and looking pretty. Right, Mom?"

"Yes, honey," she said, rubbing my arm and resting her head on my shoulder. "When a woman feels appreciated, she can be very warm and rewarding." I sensed a deeper meaning in those words.

"Maybe your son just needs to be reminded how lucky he is to have a Mother like you?" I suggested to Sandra. "Maybe he just needs to be prompted a bit to... notice you. A bit of inspiration goes a long way." I winked at her.

Sandra was deep in thought as we left the store, Mom still clutching my arm happily.

We walked to the car together but before we got in Mom stood on her tiptoes and gave me a quick peck on the cheek. "Thank you for such a special afternoon, sweetie."

She pressed something into my hand. The car keys.

"Let's skip lunch, I'm exhausted from all this shopping. Take me home," she said.

Mom had never asked me to drive her car before. Things really were changing between us.

When we got home I asked Mom if she wanted to have tea. Given her great mood at the mall, I thought I could try pushing her boundaries a bit more on the couch. But she declined, saying she needed to lay down. She was feeling lightheaded after the busy day.

Before going into her bedroom she thanked me again for the wonderful time and hugged me tight. I sensed an opening and, deciding to take a chance, let my hands fall to her hips while I brought my face forward, as if to kiss her. She turned away at the last moment, offering me only her cheek.

"No, baby. I... don't want to get carried away again." I guess she really was serious about the new boundaries that she'd set.

Why had I been expecting some kind of reward just for shopping with her? I reminded myself that I was playing the long game. I would need to be patient. Let her come to you, I told myself. Wait until she's ready.

I ended up spending the rest of the afternoon playing video games and doodling pictures of Mom in that high-waisted skirt.

That night during dinner with Dad, Mom didn't mention anything about going shopping with me. I guess it was to be our secret.

--- --- ---

--- --- ---

Interlude 1

Sandra sat in the back parking lot of the mall as she finished her cigarette. She always finished her lunch break with a smoke as she sat in the afternoon sun and watched delivery men unload truckloads of boxes into the bay doors. This was the best cigarette of the day - a reward for getting through the morning and a little boost to finish the afternoon.

Smoking was new for her but habits and routines form fast. In just six months she'd gone from bumming a dart or two from a friend to smoking nearly a pack a day. When your life gets hit by a tragedy you need to find a way to cope. Sandra had chosen smoking.

As she sat on that dirty concrete step, thoughts of Maria and Tyson continued to drift through her mind. What a beautiful couple! Sure, they weren't really a couple, but they sure felt like one. It was so rare to see a boy so unashamed to be out in public with his Mother. And on top of that, being so affectionate, even kissing and touching her. Sandra had seen him playfully pinch her butt when they thought that nobody was looking. If that's what they do in public... what do they do in private? A tingle went through Sandra's body as she imagined the two of them arriving home, perhaps Maria would model her new dresses for him, then join him on the couch. They touched each other so casually that she was sure his hands would be all over her, and maybe she would even let him-

No! No way. That wasn't possible. Those things only happened in her imagination, not in real life.

Sandra did often think and wonder about that sort of thing happening between family members. Her imagination had been ignited back when she was becoming a beautiful young woman entering college and had started to notice boys being attracted to her. She had started to dress more and more provocatively, really having fun as she teased all sorts of men whom she would catch staring at her. And when she realized that one of those men included her own father, her thoughts had become naughty.

Her own Dad checking her out! It made her feel powerful and sexy. She had let a lot of forbidden fantasies take root in her mind back in those days. But she had always known the difference between fantasy and reality. She knew that those things simply didn't happen in real life.

But she still enjoyed the warmth and tingling between her legs as she let her mind wonder. That, mixed with the nicotine rush from the final drag of her smoke, helped her muster the strength to get through the long afternoon shift at the mall.

---

She finished work at 5 o'clock and was home by half-past. Sandra walked in the door to find her son sitting in the dining room. He had his school work spread across the table and his face buried in a thick textbook. Jace was a really good student and on track to get into a great university.

"How you doin', Jace?" she called out.

"Fine." He looked up from his books for a brief moment before returning his attention to his work.

"How was your day?" She asked.

"Good, Mom."

Sandra's only worry about him was for how he'd reacted to losing his father. It had been sudden. Nobody can predict losing a loved one in a car accident. One morning you are with them, and that night you get the dreaded phone call.

Jace had basically shut down after that, barely talking to her. It must have been devastating to lose his father at the age of 18. She had no idea how he was doing emotionally, but she knew he must be hurting and dealing with it like a typical boy, by closing up, and by distracting himself with something else. In this case, his studies. It could be worse, she thought. In her case, she'd dealt with the pain in less healthy ways.

Still, she desperately wanted to reconnect with him, and had tried, unsuccessfully, a few times to get him to talk about his feelings. He just didn't seem into it. In fact, he barely even acknowledged her these days. But now she had a new plan. All she needed to do was inspire him a bit. To get him to realize that he had an amazing Mother who loved him. To get him to notice her, just like that sweet boy at the mall had said.

She took some leftovers out of the fridge and began to heat them up in the oven for their dinner. Jace was still busy studying so she didn't bother him, instead eating a plate of food on her own before going to her bathroom.

She got into the shower to refresh herself after her workday. Afterward, she stood, looking at her nude self in the mirror. Thoughts of the woman she'd met that day returned to her then and she couldn't help comparing herself to Maria.

Maria certainly had fuller breasts and wider hips than she did. Yes, overall, a more "Motherly" figure. But Sandra had a more delicate type of beauty to her. Her slim form was more like a runway model, and it had magically stayed with her even after giving birth to her only child. Her breasts were not large, but they, too, had remained firm as she aged, with no sag at all. However, her real asset was her butt. It was shapely, but tight. She knew men loved it.

She had always been confident in her looks but, though she used to enjoy flaunting them, lately she had taken to dressing more modestly.

But that was going to change. It was time to get reacquainted with her son.

---

After Jace had eaten and packed up his school work, Sandra passed him in the hallway as he made his way to his bedroom.

When he saw her he stopped walking and she noticed his eyes quickly scan up and down her body. Perfect, she thought.

"Hi, Honey, did you get all your work done?" She asked in a warm, motherly voice.

"Uhh... yeah. Yeah, I did."

She loved seeing him flustered. Apparently she could still catch a man's attention when she wanted to, even her son's. She grinned internally as a tingle of delight spread through her body.

She stepped a bit closer to him and looked upward into his eyes. She was a tall woman, but everyone in her family was tall and Jace took after the family genes, standing several inches taller than her still. She liked that she had to look upward to meet her son's gaze. He's already become a man.

She reached forward and gently rubbed his forearm affectionately. "I've told you this before," she began, "but I want you to know that I am so proud of how hard you work." She took another step toward him, their faces now uncomfortably close, the intimacy of the moment undeniable.

His eyes darted once more up and down her body, lingering for a brief moment on her long, toned legs. Her tanned skin glowed like smooth caramel in the dim hallway light. After her shower, Sandra had dressed herself in nothing more than a long, white t-shirt and her favorite pair of panties. Her shirt was just barely long enough to cover the bottoms of her butt cheeks.

"Umm, thanks, Mom. I- I know you are," he managed to stammer before bringing his gaze back to her dark eyes. She had worn eye shadow and a touch of mascara, the only makeup on her face.

Now Jace held eye contact while he stood his ground, not taking a step backward despite their awkward closeness.

Knowing that she was in control, she forced the uncomfortable silence to extend for five long seconds before leaning upwards on her tiptoes to plant a wet kiss on his cheek. "Goodnight, darling," she whispered and finally released her grip on his arm before passing him and walking toward the living room.

He stood motionless, mesmerized by the sway of her hips and her shapely butt. He watched as her t-shirt clung to each cheek as she stepped, barely hinting at the crack separating them.

Suddenly she stopped and spoke again, as if knowing that he was still looking at her. "Jace, I think I'll stay up a while. If you'd like to keep me company, I'll be in the living room."

"Uhh, alright, sure Mo- Mom."

She went and sat on the couch, turning on the TV. She waited.

Five minutes later, he emerged from his room wearing a pair of loose pajama pants and a t-shirt. She slid over to make room for him on the couch and he sat down. Sandra extended her legs to rest them on the coffee table, crossing one over the other. The action caused her t-shirt to slide up slightly, exposing the skin on the side of her thigh almost to her panty line.

"What are you watching?" he asked.

"Oh, I don't know. I was just flipping through the channels. Would you like to watch something? A movie?"

Jace shrugged. "Sure."

"Don't you have class tomorrow mor              ning? You don't need to sleep soon?"

"Yeah, I have class, but I think I could stay up a bit. With you." His eyes darted quickly to her legs before returning to her face.

Wow, this might be easier than I thought.

They flipped to the movie channel. A cheesy low-budget action flick was on.

While they silently watched the movie, Sandra noticed once or twice that Jace had, once again, stolen glances at her legs and exposed hip.