Real Estate Power Couple Ch. 01

My parents had a whirlwind romance and got married right out of high school. I came along shortly thereafter, and certainly had the youngest parents around. My dad Cliff just kept working at the local factory. He taught me how to hunt and fish and be a man, how to throw a baseball and fix cars. My mom made me feel loved and special, instilling in me values of kindness and respect. I had a great childhood.

Just before they got married, my mom had enrolled in fashion school. She had a career in modeling and design in her sights. But getting pregnant with me upset those plans. My mom spent her 20's taking care of me and her husband instead, becoming the perfect housewife. When I got into high school, she earned her real estate license and became pretty good at it. Despite the sparse population of our rural area, she found a way to be successful.

She never was able to go back to fashion school, but a shadow of those early dreams still remained. My mom's a bit of an anomaly. She takes great care of her body and is very particular about wearing stylish outfits. But she is far from flirty. In fact, quite the opposite. She is actually quite reserved and easily embarrassed. Even around my dad she can be a bit of a prude.

She and I always got along great. With a similar sense of humor, we were always teasing each other and enjoying inside jokes. She is fun to be around and great to look at. Perhaps the best thing I love about her body is her ass. Her workout routine has helped develop a nice round bubble butt that always stands out in whatever she is wearing. Even though she is shy about it, her assets are easy to enjoy. It was impossible for me to not begin to lust after my mom, living in the same house with such a beauty.

My mom was insistent that I attend college, with her and dad helping to pay the way. After I graduated, I moved into my old basement room, not too eager to begin paying rent on my own. I had a part-time online job that provided some income. But I could tell that my parents, especially my dad, was not impressed.

My mom was actually born in Canada, and had dual citizenship. We lived just below the border. She wanted to practice real estate in the more populous area north of us. Despite my dad's mild objections due to his patriotic convictions, she earned her Canadian real estate license.

"Dylan, I need you to drive me across the border tomorrow. I have a real estate luncheon to go to and hate doing the border crossing by myself," my mom mentioned at breakfast one Friday morning.

"Seriously? Can't Dad take you?" I protested.

"No, no, no, Dylan," protested my dad. "You're not pawning this off me. I have a fishing date at the lake."

Disappointed, I considered any other excuses. "But I was going to spend some time working on my online business," I tried.

Unconvinced, my dad said, "You can work on that any day of the week. Besides, it's the least you can do. Last time I checked your calendar is fairly open." This last dig hurt a little, my dad being critical of my current career status in his passive-aggressive way.

Out of excuses, we made plans for the next day. She was hoping to make a bunch of new connections in a Canadian metro area to springboard into more business. I knew she could be successful, it's just that no one in the Canadian city knew about her.

The next morning I had the car warming up in the driveway, my mom always the punctual type.

"You ready, chauffeur?" She said with a smile, slipping in the passenger seat.

It took us over an hour to drive to the golf course the luncheon was hosted at. As we walked into the lobby, there was a long table with name tags to fill out. I grabbed two for us, while my mom introduced herself to a few people, trying to break into the new area. There were a few prize drawings to sign up for as well, which of course I did not pass up.

As I sat down at a table to wait, I observed how skillfully my mom worked the room. She really was good at it. She had a vibrant personality and a beautiful smile that made others feel important. Looking around the room I could tell she also had an unfair advantage. She was by far the most attractive realtor in the room. No one would guess she was a mom from a rural town. She looked like a young executive, right out of college.

Getting bored as I waited, I shamefully began to check out my mom. I had long buried any guilt of regularly feasting my eyes on her gorgeous body. Her beautiful blonde hair was long and curled for the event. Her satin red blouse looked professional, though clung to her body in a provocative way. I was trying to guess what bra she was wearing underneath, as I often snooped in her closet when she wasn't home. She wore a C-cup, though she probably fit better into a D. When she walked around in her 3-inch heels, it appeared that more of her breasts were spilling out than staying put.

As she walked around in her tasteful black skirt, I was not the only guest with their eyes on her. With each step, her ripe bubble butt was mesmerizing to my eyes and libido. Yet she carried herself in such a way that made people comfortable around her. Her intentionally restrained mannerisms made people respect her and take her seriously.

Eventually she joined me at my table. The meal was nice and the presentation was interesting. I could tell my mom was enjoying herself. I had been nervous about coming. As we both got comfortable, it almost felt like we were back home watching a show together. Near the end of the luncheon, they began the special drawings. The last prize was a free trip to Alaska.

"Wouldn't it be great to win that one? I've always wanted to take your father." My mom whispered in my ear.

"And the winner is....Mr. and Mrs. Hart!"

Wait! That was our last name! I looked around to see if anyone else stood up. No one did. My mom looked at me both in surprise and confusion.

"Is that us?" she whispered.

"I think so," I whispered back. "I could only enter one time, so I think I wrote our name as 'The Harts.'"

We had won! But their announcement was a bit awkward, implying that my mom and I were married. I assume we could fix that.

"Would the lucky couple come up and claim your prize?"

My mom and I looked at each other for a moment, still stunned. Not wanting to go up, I looked at her and whispered, "You go!"

She grabbed my hand and we both rose and rushed to the podium.

"There they are. Mr. and Mrs. Hart!" the speaker said again into the microphone, applause starting up once more.

My mom's pace quickened as she led me toward the speaker, dragging me behind her. I could tell she was eager to clarify our relationship to the crowd. That shouldn't be too difficult, I thought. Nobody in the room had ever seen us before.

But before she got there, the speaker spoke again to the room. "Thanks for coming! Feel free to take the table centerpiece home with you. See you next year!"

She was too late. The speaker handed an envelope to my mom. As she tried to speak to him, another guest quickly grabbed the speaker's arm to talk to him. The next few seconds were a bit chaotic. The ending of the luncheon had put the ballroom into a sudden mass of moving noisy bodies. I was now a few feet from my mom. I saw several realtors she had met beforehand come up to her and give her a hug.

"Congratulations Mrs. Hart! I'm so happy for you. You and your husband deserve it!"

A couple of them came up to me and shook my hand as well. "Enjoy the trip, Mr. Hart!"

My mom was speechless, which rarely happens. She didn't know what to say. As the crowd dissipated, a husband and wife realtor team came up to us.

"How exciting you won!" The two of them introduced themselves to us. In a daze, I did likewise.

"I'm Dylan, and this is Julie," not knowing what to do.

"You make such a cute couple! It's great to meet another husband and wife realtor team. Enjoy the trip! See you around," the woman said.

Our drive home started out quiet as we processed the events.

"I'm sorry how the lunch ended, mom. I hope this doesn't complicate things for you." I said.

She didn't say much for a long time, still worried by the events.

"Just about everyone who is anyone in the Canadian real estate world was there." She sighed, summing up her precarious position.

The next morning at breakfast my dad asked how the luncheon went. My mom and I looked at each other with raised eyebrows.

"Alright, I guess," she answered.

"Did you get any new business?" my dad questioned.

My mom's face perked up just a bit. Oh yeah, she had forgotten about that.

"Actually, yes. I received an email last night about two listings another realtor wants me to take over. It's a hot market up there right now, and they can't keep up."

"That's great, honey," my dad praised her. Turning his head toward me, "See! It was worth the drive. Consider that your rent for the week."

"Not so fast," my mom corrected him. "I still have to sell the houses. I've never done business in Canada. I'm still not sure how all of this is going to work."

"Oh, I almost forgot," she added. "We won a trip for two to Alaska!"

"No way!" my dad shouted. "That's wonderful. When do we go?" Cliff assumed he would go with my mom.

"I have all the information in my car. There are a few dates to choose from. Once we choose, we can let them know and then go and sign up."

My dad was ecstatic. He began talking about all the things he wanted to do and see in Alaska. After he left for work, my mom shared her growing concerns with me.

"This is a disaster Dylan. My real estate career in Canada is over, even before it started. Those listings came from that couple we met at the end of the luncheon. They think you and I are married. I don't know what to do." A sudden sob surprised us both, as she released the tension she had been holding in.

Despite our closeness, I was uncomfortable. Being a typical guy, I was not really sure how to comfort her. She seemed heartbroken. I moved my chair adjacent to hers and put my arm around her. She immediately laid her head on my shoulder, bursting out momentarily in a renewed release of pain.

I grabbed some tissue for her and stayed silent, simply being present.

A few minutes later, our conversation resumed.

"Dylan, why did this happen? I have been working on this for years. Now in one day, it's over."

I still didn't know what to say, hoping silence was the best route.

"There is no way to fix it. All of the people I wanted to work with, all of the people who can help my career up in Canada, they all know me as your wife."

We didn't discuss the luncheon again for a week. My mom kept herself distracted with her local real estate. I focused on my online business. That weekend my dad asked about my mom's real estate progress in Canada. He enjoyed the freedom the extra income brought to the household.

"Well, Cliff, there is something you should know," she began. My mom burst out with all of the awkward details, how her Canadian real estate dreams were ruined. She held back her tears, but her clear disappointment was evident. My dad was obviously equally concerned.

"Ya, that's a problem, isn't it? I don't know any easy solutions. Maybe real estate in Canada was not meant to be," my dad answered softly, pulling his chair closer to hers, putting his arm around her.

The ultimate pragmatist, he asked, "What about the Alaska trip? Do we still get those tickets?"

"Not if Dylan and I don't go up there together to sign for them," she said resolutely, adding to the despair.

After a few moments, my dad rethinking his position, said, "OK, let's think about this. Maybe it's a blessing in disguise. I didn't like the idea of you being so far from home alone anyway, and I know you hate doing the border crossing by yourself."

"What! What are you saying, Cliff?" my mom questioned.

"Just take Dylan up with you to Canada every once in a while. He can be your chauffeur, and you can handle all of the real estate stuff."

"Cliff, he would be my husband. I would be his wife. That is just not OK! That's not a plan. That wouldn't work."

"I don't know what the big deal is," my dad persisted, his Alaska dreams slipping out of his hands.

"No, this is definitely not a good idea," I jumped in. Visions of spending hours on the road, waiting in the car for my mom did not sound attractive. "I've got a life of my own. I can't be driving her around. And I certainly can't pretend to be married to her," I protested.

"Last time I checked, you had plenty of time on your hands," my dad countered. "At some point you have to grow up and begin living an adult life. This would be the closest thing to a real job. We can use part of the commissions for your rent."

I continued to protest. "And how would it even work? I don't look like I can be married to mom!"

"He's right," my mom agreed, surprised they were still even talking about Cliff's proposal. "I'm almost twice his age."

"Oh, it's fine," my dad persisted. "Look at Dylan. He's matured quicker than most, just like I did. You don't look much different than someone in his late 20's."

Julie looked over at her son and had to admit that her husband was right. Her son had grown into a man that certainly could pass for someone older. Unlike her husband, who peaked early at 5'8", Dylan had grown taller to a rugged 6'1". His bold facial features and deep voice could easily be viewed for someone much older.

"As for you, Julie, you still look like you're in your 20's," my dad said, winking at his wife. Despite Julie's weak objections, his point was a good one, appealing to her hidden vanity. Time and motherhood had not changed her much.

My head was spinning as my parents continued to discuss the idea further. Julie had the first sense of hope in a week, starting to see a potential solution to her problem. Cliff was proud of himself, as it looked like his idea would salvage a trip to Alaska.

Soon it was all settled. Despite my further protests, my parents were committed to the plan, and practically forced me to agree to it. My dad wanted rent and the Alaska trip, and my mom wanted her dream job. Within a few days she had business cards with our names and pictures on them. She contacted her new friends in Canada and reserved a time to show us the two listings they had offered us.

At least in the country of Canada, my mom and I were now husband and wife. I wondered what the future would hold.