On the Loveseat Ch. 24

Grandma Sharon had a head of white curly-styled hair that may have been blonde at one point, but it was more of a pure white that looked like a color choice and not the dingy white or grey of most older women. She carried some extra weight, but not from lack of care for her body. They were only a few odd pounds, and were spread over her whole figure such that she wasn't slim, but she could still be considered fit for her age. I didn't know if she worked out like mom did, with her yoga and exercising (or the sex with her young stud!), or if it was due to the good genetics that I had already had noticed in her daughters! Grandma Sharon did have one other trait in common with her daughters; she had a very ample bosom, larger than mom's D's or Aunt Jess's double D's, but not so overly large or that hung unsightly on her. She also had some small wrinkles on her face, mostly around her eyes, but with the tan she always seemed to have, it could just as well be called weathering. They only added character to her still attractive countenance. She was currently wearing a loose white pullover top and a pair of light tan khakis with sandals on her feet.

We went into the house.

Grandma Sharon offered me something to drink and asked if I wanted some lunch. I said yes on both counts.

We sat and chatted idly while we ate.

I told her about my college plans, she inquired extensively about Erin and how serious the two of us were. It was the first time that I revealed to anyone that I felt that Erin might be the one with whom I would spend my life. My grandma cautioned me on that, saying that life was much more than I could imagine and to go plotting it out too early was to miss out on the chance happenstances that came along. That her words reflected my outlook perfectly had me agreeing with her, but I again repeated my words. Grandma then said that the little bit that she had seen of Erin, and how we had been with each other, that she had seen that special spark that few people had with one another. She told me Erin could be the one, and said so with a twinkle in her eyes that made it that she possibly believed it also, but that I shouldn't close my eyes to other possibilities. I agreed, but the three-way relationship between mom and I and Erin was an extra twist that I couldn't reveal to my mother's mom!

"I suppose I can't go reading stories to you while you sit on my lap?" She asked with a wry smile.

"You could, but I'm sure I would crush you if I sat in your lap now." I teased in reply.

"Well then, how about you come help me out in the garden then?" Grandma Sharon asked as she stood easily.

"That actually sounds good. I don't get outside as much as I would like." I stated honestly.

"Great! I'm really going to put you to work then!"

She guided us out the back door and off towards her garden.

Grandma Sharon lived in an old farmhouse and it was much bigger than she herself required, but it had been in the family for a few generations and she didn't want to part with it, even if its lineage would pass with her. It had once been a much larger property, but now it was down to just five acres. On one of those acres my grandmother had her 'garden' where she grew a great number of vegetables, green beans, tomatoes, potatoes, squash, and watermelon among the many things, she even had a few rows of corn plants bordering the north side of the large garden that was only slightly too small to call a farm.

She had us walk among the plants as she looked for signs of infestation or disease and she showed me the signs for each on the different varieties of vegetables. We would pull any weeds that we saw as we went down the rows and I would now notice the curve of her rear when she bent over, or my eyes would peek down the V-neck opening of her top to note the swells of her cleavage hidden inside. I felt kind of creepy for looking at my grandmother like that, but then again, I had slept with my mom and my aunt, both of whom were this woman's daughters!

As we walked slowly, she asked about my new job. I thanked her for telling me about it. I then related some of the things that had happened at the senior center, skirting some of the more sexual escapades at first, but then realized that my grandmother was an adult and wouldn't be shocked by the stories and that it was only me that was nervous to recount them to her. She laughed gaily in response.

"In the stall right beside you?" Grandma Sharon asked when I told the story about Steven and Greta. "They didn't stop?"

"They stopped, but only for long enough for me to pee. I heard them start up again as I left. I couldn't report them; what's a little bathroom sex between consenting adults?" I grinned at being able to talk so freely with this much older woman that just happened to be the mother to my mother.

"Good for you. Just because we get old doesn't meant that we don't want to get a little strange."

I wasn't sure exactly what that meant, but I got the gist of her meaning.

"I only hope that when I get to be that age that I can still find someone willing to sneak into the bathroom with me." I responded.

My grandmother gave me a curious look as if she was just now seeing me.

We continued among the plants, caring for them almost like they were children, getting down on our knees to loosen the soil around a number of plants with a small trowel my grandma had had hidden in her khaki pocket, pulling dead leaves off some, squashing any number of invading insects that we found, and made sure that the garden was well-cared for.

In response to my stories from work, Grandma Sharon then told me a few stories about my mom and aunt from when they young girls. Stories that I hadn't ever heard before from either of them.

Like when they had been young teens and had used to go past an older neighbor's house and they would flash the eighty-something man their budding breasts. His wide-eyed expression would thrill them each time until one day when the neighbor was found dead in his house by a relative. Jenny and Jessica had been horrified when they thought that they had given the nice man a heart attack! Even Sharon hadn't been sure that they didn't, even if inadvertently. It was later learned that it had just been natural causes and Grandma Sharon had to ease her daughters' consciences by explaining that it wasn't because of them that old Mr. Cooper had passed on. She then told me something that she had never told either of them. That when she had inquired about the cause of death she had learned an additional incidental piece of information, in that the man had had a peaceful smile on his face when he had died, and that she imagined that when he knew that his time had come that he had thought about those two young neighbor girls and their budding boobies and had died happy!

I had to turn my head then to keep my grandmother from seeing the smile on my face as I then thought about both her daughter's bare boobies!

Or that when my mother was in third grade, she went through a period that she wouldn't wear her underwear. She had even gone to school one day while wearing a cute dress that flew up when she was on the playground. Jenny had flashed many of her schoolmates, many of the young boys getting their first look at a girl that day! Someone then told the teacher about it and Grandma Sharon had to go to the school to retrieve her audacious daughter!

I snickered at how even at such a young age that my mother had been so bold!

And one in which my grandmother had caught my Aunt Jessica when she was barely a teen, up in one the trees in the backyard kissing her best friend. My aunt's defense had been that they had been only practicing together and that it was better it was her friend instead of some boy. Knowing what I now know about my mom's luscious sister, I'm sure it was by choice that it had been another girl rather than some horndog guy!

I kept any number of my own stories about her daughters a secret, as my grandmother would be horrified to hear them, especially coming from me!

We spent a few hours out there, and it wasn't easy but also nothing like actual hard work. I wouldn't have suggested it as something I wanted to do, but it was pleasant to spend the time with my grandmother. I even learned a few things, not that I ever expected to need to know the signs of aphid infestation or how to rid a garden of them.

We collected some tomatoes, cucumbers, a few early squashes and headed back to the house. I had to wonder what it was like to grow your own food and not just zip down to the grocery store for anything you felt like. Or to do as I did, and just open the fridge and pull out whatever leftovers were there!

It was still too early for dinner so we had some time to kill.

"Do you feel like playing some cards?" Grandma Sharon asked me.

"Sure. What game?" I answered.

"Do you know how to play gin rummy?"

"I might be a little rusty, you'll have to refresh me on it."

Grandma went to a drawer and pulled out a well-worn deck of cards and then a pad of paper with a pen for scoring.

We sat at her small kitchen table that I had to wonder how old it might have been. Did my mom and aunt eat breakfast here when they were Jojo's age? It certainly had seen much better days, though it was still sturdy and didn't wobble.

I was more than rusty and lost the first few games soundly. And I learned that just because I was her grandson that grandma wasn't going to go easy on me, or just let me win either. I focused more on what I was picking up or going for in my hand and I got on a streak where I won three games in a row. Even still, after a few more games it became clear that both of us had lost interest.

"Feel like something more risky?" Grandma asked in a devious tone.

"I guess. What are you thinking?" I asked curiously.

"How about some poker." She stated flatly.

"Do you have any chips?"

"No, for real money."

"Uh, okay. How much are you saying? I didn't bring much cash with me." I said cautiously. It wasn't like I thought I would need a wad of money to visit my grandma.

"Just penny ante. I have a jar of change that you can buy from."

We spent a little time counting out her change. It seemed like far more than I would need, but I switched a twenty with her. Grandma resituated herself in her chair as if she was now more serious.

"What are we playing?" I asked.

"We'll start with five-card stud."

I was fine with that, and grandma shuffled the deck, let me cut, and then dealt us out a down card then one up.

I then found out it wasn't really penny ante and more like nickel and dime, as the initial bet was a quarter with a low limit of a nickel on subsequent rounds. I couldn't argue as it was her house, so her house rules. Fortunately, or not, she did put a limit of a half dollar on all bets. Still, that could add up quickly!

Right off the bat I started with a pair of queens, hearts and diamonds. I felt quite comfortable with that, so I put in a quarter. She only had a ten of hearts showing.

Grandma raised her eyebrows at my bet and asked if I was sure, and that maybe I was rusty with this too. I assured her I knew what I was doing. She slid a quarter to the pot.

Our next cards were a two of spades for me, not great, and a king of clubs for her. She matched my initial quarter bet with one of her own then. I was nervous then, but a pair of queens with nothing wild was still a good hand.

Grandma eyed me appraisingly as she dealt out the next cards. A four of spades for me and a nine of diamonds for her. Neither of us had anything showing. She called and I felt more cautious then, as there was no need to get crazy right off the start. I pitched in a dime. Grandma didn't flinch and added one of her own.

For my last card I got a six of spades, which was a surprise with my other cards, but of no help regardless. Then grandma flipped over her last card, the king of diamonds! I was beat showing! I tried not to show any expression, but when she pushed in two quarters, I tossed in the queens from my hand dejectedly. Grandma Sharon gave me a huge grin as she handed me the remaining deck and collected her winnings. The first hand and I was already down eighty-five cents!

I switched to five card draw and managed to win a weak forty cents. We continued, switching up the games we called and most hands only netted the winner fifty or so cents. I managed to win a fair share of hands, though I was sure that grandma had won more. She definitely had won more money and it soon got to where we played a game where I ran out of my initial stake. I bought some change using the last eight dollars I had on me.

This also didn't last very long as Grandma Sharon got on a streak and either outplayed me or just got the luck of the draw on her side. I did finally get a good hand while we were playing a game called queens and following, where when a queen was dealt up it was wild along with whatever card that was dealt after it. I got a queen of clubs on my first face card with grandma getting a three of diamonds. I was giddy then as one of my two hole cards was also the three of spades! Our next cards were another three (hearts) for her and a jack of hearts for me. So, I had three jacks. I just had to hope another queen didn't turn up and change the wilds. On each bet I was doing the maximum, with grandma eyeing me curiously. I simply made the comment that I had a lot of money to win back. Our last cards were another jack (diamonds) for me and an ace of spades for her. She had three aces showing to my three jacks, beating me. Grandma threw in two quarters as she studied me without expression.

Sadly though, I had no money left to bet! I knew I had her beat and was being foiled for the lack of a half dollar.

"I don't have any money to call." I gestured to the emptiness in front of me.

"Do you fold?" Grandma Sharon asked studiously.

"I don't want to, but I got no money left."

"Well, if you're going to lose your shirt to me, you have to at least bet it first!" She teased.

Um.

I did have four jacks though!

There was four bucks in the pot; plenty to keep me in the game for a bit longer.

"Okay. You're on!" I whipped my tee shirt off and laid it on the pile of money. "I call you."

Grandma smiled at me knowingly. I felt my stomach lurch at that smile.

She flipped over her two hole cards. A pair of queens!

Grandma Sharon had five aces!

Dammit! I was so close!

"Okay. I have really lost my shirt now. The game is over." I then went to grab my shirt back.

But my grandmother grabbed it also.

"I won it, it's mine. If you want it back, you'll have to win it." She pulled the cotton cloth from my weak hold.

"I don't have anything left to bet with." I explained the obvious.

"You still have clothes on." She said so plainly but the implication was like a brick.

Was my grandmother suggesting strip poker?

I didn't know if I was prepared to go on with that. But I did want my shirt back. Especially as I felt kind of naked then with her suggestion.

"I'm in if you are." I then said defiantly. Surely, she wouldn't force me to give her my pants!

I just needed one good hand like that last one, just so I could get my shirt back. But without her getting a better one as she had just done!

It was my deal, so I shuffled the cards praying for the some of the good karma that I usually seemed to have in abundance. Grandma cut and I dealt out the cards after calling the game. I did get another good hand; my ante and bets relying on my paying up after the hand. I managed to win and stated that instead of the money on the table that I just wanted my shirt. Grandma laughed and said she was keeping that as a trophy. I took the pot as I grumbled.

This new influx kept me playing for long enough to get on my own streak. I won a number of hands that had our winnings about equal.

"Okay, how about we call no limit? One more hand."

"Really? Are you sure? You haven't been having that much luck." Her eyes pierced into me as if daring me.

"No, I have been having great luck actually! You just have been getting a little bit more than me though!"

A good number of hands were as described above; a pair of queens with nothing wild but beaten with a pair of kings, four jacks beaten with five aces, etc. At any other table, I would have raked in the winnings. Just not at my grandma's ancient wooden table though!

"Okay. You're on." Grandma Sharon didn't sound as confident as she had been.

"No limit?" I asked to verify.

"No limits." She declared. "I did say more risky when we started didn't I?"

That she did. Neither of us had thought it would come to this though. It was just a couple of bucks then.

"What do we play?" I asked as she picked up the deck.

"Dealer's choice." She stated. "Texas Hold 'em."

"Okay." I had seen the game played on the poker shows on TV.

Grandma Sharon shuffled, I cut, she dealt out the two hole cards to each of us.

I checked mine cautiously. A five and eight, both hearts. Not very promising! I did notice a chink in my grandmother's normally stoic poker face as a bit of a smile hinted on her lips. Uh-oh!

We skipped the blinds as it was only the two of us. We did up the ante to fifty cents though. I flipped in two quarters.

"I raise a quarter." Grandma said flatly, her stone face returned.

I wasn't going down without a fight! There was a lot of game left to go.

I added another twenty-five cents.

She threw aside the burn card, then dealt the three flop cards. She paused and flipped them over.

A nine of hearts, a queen of diamonds, and a seven of hearts.

My heart jumped in my chest! I had the five, seven, eight, nine of hearts! What were the odds of getting the six? Astronomical, I'm sure! But I had a chance!

The curl to grandma's lip wasn't even close to hidden this time though!

Did I bet on the chance of that six? Or just check and see what grandma did first?

"Check."

"I raise another quarter." She stated boldly.

A dollar!

This was going to get dangerous very quickly!

I pushed my own bet to join the rest of the growing pot.

She pushed the burn card aside and flipped the next card, the turn. A four of spades.

No help for me. I needed the six of hearts!

I had no hand if I didn't get that one card, but I still couldn't let her take the lead with every bet.

"I raise a dollar." I said as coldly as I could.

Let her think on that!

Grandma didn't flinch in the slightest and pushed her eight quarters to the middle of the table. She then looked straight at me and said while adding another four, "I raise another dollar."

Oh shit!

I might be lucky to get out of this with my boxers on!

I put in a collection of coins for the raise.

She burned the final card and then flipped over the last card, the river. Of which I would be up without a paddle if I didn't get the one card I needed.

Then I almost had a heart attack!

I know I didn't maintain my poker face.

A six of hearts sat on the table!

I tried to calm myself and picked up my hole cards as if I was debating about my bet. I did want to again check that they were still the five and eight. Of hearts.

"Um." I was really undecided how to play this. Did I try to mess with her mind? Or just say screw it and bet everything? Bet small and wait for her to raise and then raise her again? Considering the game, I did really want to say 'all in!'.

"Are you going to bet?" Grandma asked harshly. She might be feeling the tension too!

"I'm thinking."

I then realized my indecision could be taken as a tell also. Could she be thinking that I don't have what I was hoping for?

"I'll bet a dollar." I said.