Motherfriend

After some time the sound of her showering ceased. Since I couldn't bring myself to give the puppy attention, he'd gradually become despondent as well. When my mother finally returned, she seemed no less uncertain, but much less undressed. I began to feel too naked for comfort, and pulled the sheet over me. Mom approached me slowly, still holding that look as if deciding something. I broke the ice.

"You think...I know you're thinking now, in the daylight," I stammered, "you're thinking again this was a horrible mistake...."

She reacted like she'd been hit with a wet washcloth. "What? No, I wasn't—" she quickly came to sitting on the bed. "Oh no, honey, no. Not at all." She reached out a hand to settle on my stomach, then played her fingers gently over it as she spoke. "No, I enjoyed what we've had together. Quite a lot, actually." She inhaled deeply, then sighed, "I'm grateful I was able...that you allowed me to share this experience with you."

"But you think it should end. Don't you?"

Her lips opened, then pressed tight again as she considered. "Yes," she said finally. "For now, at least." She toyed with the hairs below my navel, considering. "I'm hoping that this has been a helpful experience for you. But it can't be a crutch. I'm not your girlfriend. I'm your mother. You need to go find yourself a girlfriend, and pick-up where we left off with her."

I felt I understood what she was saying. I knew I wasn't in danger of thinking, or even wanting, this to go on forever. She was my mother after all, just as she said. And I wanted to let her know she didn't need to be concerned about me developing an attachment to her in the way she feared. But my morning wood was quickly coming back, which made allaying her fears rather inopportune at just this moment.

"I get it, mom. You're definitely still my mom." She continued to trace her fingers on my belly. "No question of that. But you're also my friend. And I like that part too. Not my girlfriend, that's for sure, I get what you're saying there. Maybe my motherfriend." The circus-tent I'd made with the covers seemed to have turned my brain into a circus as well.

"Hmm," she replied, moving her hand lightly down my thigh. "Maybe."

Drawing attention to the elephant in the room I said, "I'm sorry if Mr. Rise-and-shine seems to have other ideas. I get what you're saying. I can't help it if he doesn't, though." I offered a small laugh.

Curiously, mom didn't laugh along with me. Instead she began to pull the sheet slowly toward her. I sprang up hard and stiff into the air.

"Well then maybe I just need to have a private talk with him," she purred.

Leaning downward, she began to do just that.