Tinder Surprise

Cathy glared at the man in front of her. "I don't believe a fucking word you say Archibald Hutchings." replied Cathy "You fucking deserted me, and I ... I fucking loved you, idiot that I was for being so foolish."

Nora stood bemused, her head going from side to side in a bizarre tennis match of words. "Will someone just explain to me what's going on please?" mewed Nora lowly, hoping not to inflame matters.

Neither Cathy nor Archibald took notice. Nora turned her mum square onto her "Mum, tell me what the hell is wrong. You're freaking me out."

But Cathy just looked past her as if she wasn't there, still focused on Archie. "You fucking left, you walked away ... I never heard back from you ... oh shit shit shit ..."

Archie took a deep breath.

"I didn't desert you Cathy, I swear to you that I didn't. When I got to Glasgow, I wrote to you. I tried to call you but your parents wouldn't let me talk to you, they said you burnt my letters." Archie's voice was heavy with grief and remorse now, the sincerity in his voice was palpable.

Cathy breathed in deeply. She knew her parents were cruel, it was just the sort of thing they would have done. She remembered too, that Archie's parents were not keen on the relationship they had, thinking that young Archibald was 'throwing his life away'. She remembered his father calling her a trollop during the one and only time they had met. Cathy laughed despite the seriousness of the situation. Who calls someone a 'trollop' these days she thought.

Nora stamped her foot and a few of the broken porcelain pieces jiggled and clattered. "Stop. Both of you. Tell me what's going on." She glared, first at Archibald and then at her mum.

When no one spoke, Nora's voice grew angry and insistent "Will one of you two tell me what the bloody hell is going on here." She yelled with as much loudness as she could manage without shouting.

"I'm guessing you used to know each other -- you went out with each other?" she demanded.

When Cathy nodded, Nora exclaimed "Oh god, you used to date?" she laughed, the thought of it amusing her immensely.

Archie coughed "Nora, I'll explain -- but please, can I have a chat with your Mum first? Then I'll tell you everything I promise."

Nora looked at her mum, and through a fog of incredulity somehow her Mum managed to nod that it was OK.

Archibald cleared his throat "We were ... just past 18 years old, finished 6th form -- just finished school and we met at the end of term school Disco."

Nora laughed again, a little louder. It was the first time she had heard Archie giving his age away. Nobody calls them Discos these days.

"And then he deserted me." stormed Cathy, her anger and fear still showing on her face that now glowed red with fury and resentment.

Archie took a deep, deep breath then exhaled then breathed deeply once more. "OK. Look, Cathy -- for the last time I did not desert you, I had no choice. You can choose not to believe that if you wish but can we just move on and get over it?"

It was as if Archie had lit the touch paper of a huge firework.

Cathy went apoplectic. "Move on? FUCKING MOVE ON???" she yelled at the top of her voice. Cathy spun around to grab a cup and hurled it at Archibald who only just managed to get out of the way.

"YOU FUCKING BASTARD!" she yelled once more, forcing both Nora and Archibald to cower lest another cup came flying.

Cathy took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down from the rage and fury that now lashed through her. He has NO idea, she told herself.

Nora glared at her Mum and was about to say something when Cathy spoke, a little calmer this time. "Well, I guess maths was never your strong suit so let me spell it out for you, you fucking arsehole." she spat, the vitriol heavy in the air.

Cathy turned to Nora "How old are you, Nora?" she asked. It seemed an innocuous question and Nora struggled to make the connection, or see the relevance.

"Tw ... Twenty two." she replied a little bemused. "Why?"

Cathy ignored the last question. "Archibald, how old are YOU?" she hissed.

Nora and Archibald looked at each other, and nodded. They had both come to realise that Cathy was going to complain about the age difference. Archie stiffened, his mind preparing for the few retorts he had made for himself in defence of the age difference. He had not expected Cathy to be as hostile and anti, toward it but he guessed that Mum's were very protective of their daughters.

"I'm 41, the same age as you, Cathy -- as you well know." he said slowly. "But Nora and I love each other, and frankly we don't see the age as being a problem for us." He tried to put a bit of steel into his voice, hoping that Cathy would see he was being sincere and true.

"Oh MY FUCKING GOD!" yelled Cathy once more, the fury making her head turn purple with rage now.

Cathy gave Archie a shrift look "You fucking idiot, you still don't get it do you?" she said caustically. Archie looked dumbfounded and confused, he stood there, and shook his head.

"It was Nora's 22nd birthday a few months ago." announced Cathy "Can you remember where WE were ... 22 yrs and 9 months ago?" she declared.

Archie's face dropped, the 9 months gave it away, but Nora stood dumbfounded.

"We split up when we were 18, you're now 41 ... and Nora is ... 22?" cackled Cathy, almost sounding as if she was enjoying the debacle. Cathy waited ... and finally saw the penny drop in Archie's head.

Archie's face took on a look of blind terror, "No ... NOOOOO!" he screamed, looking at Nora "No, it can't be ... you must be wrong, oh please for the love of god Cathy, tell me you are joking."

Cathy was about to say something when Nora burst in. "WHAT??? WHAT??? Fucking hell mum... are you telling me ... shit ... shit ..." she stumbled as the full implications of her mum's words began to dawn on her.

"I didn't know she was your daughter Cathy, hell I didn't even know you lived around here. It's been over 22 years ... I didn't think I would be seeing you again. It's just a terrible coincidence ..." offered Archie, his mind still whirling at the bombshell.

"I'm not joking." replied Cathy, a paler colour now returning to her face, and she actually smiled in enjoyment at seeing Archie's obvious anguish and terror.

Nora stamped her feet once more, harder this time and the porcelain rattled once more "WHAT? TELL ME. I need to hear it." she yelled at the top of her voice, grabbing Archibald and shaking him out of his deep stasis of abject horror and revulsion.

"He's your father." replied Cathy, sounding surprisingly calm given the huge impact and importance of her statement.

Nora's mouth fell open, Archie gasped audibly.

"My ... what? What the actual FUCK? Mum ... are you ... are you shitting me?"

Archie looked stunned "Cathy are you ..." he began before realising the stupidity of asking Cathy if she was sure.

Nora was totally devastated "No, Mum ... No -- tell me you're wrong. He ... he can't be ... oh god no ..." she wailed, her face a picture of abject horror.

Cathy stood there, staring at the 2 of them. She really hated to see her daughter hurt like this, but she had to know. "There's no doubt." Cathy confirmed, a tinge of sadness in her voice.

"I was 6 weeks gone by the time I found out, I told my parents and well, they said they would speak to Archie's parents. Next thing I knew, Dad came into my bedroom and told me Archie was denying everything, his dad had called me a slut and a whore and suggested that any boy in town could have been the father."

Archie gasped again. "Oh God Cathy, I'm so sorry -- I ... I didn't know he'd done that. He always was an arsehole. Honestly, Cath -- I swear to you, I never denied anything."

"I ran away a week later." continued Cathy, showing no recognition of whether she believed Archie or not.

"I found a women & child refuge and they set me up. Never spoke to my parents ever again. They were going to force me to have an abortion -- and I wasn't going to let that happen." she finished, cold steel running through her voice.

Nora sniffled loudly "So ... so ... Archie really is my father?" she spluttered. Her Mum nodded and Nora wailed "Oh god ... I'm... I'm gonna be sick." she cried turning and running toward the bathroom.

"Honestly Cath, I didn't know any of this, I swear to you. They told me that you were going to have an abortion and that you didn't want to see me anymore because you blamed me for forcing you to have sex and for not wearing a condom." added Archie, trying to fight his corner.

Cathy glared back at the man in front of her, her mind filled with visions of their younger years when life was simpler and carefree. Nothing could have been further from the truth, Cath had been insatiable -- they had taken the opportunity to have sex whenever and wherever they could. It was true that a couple of times they had proceeded without a condom -- but she recalled, it had been her decision as much as it had been his. The memory triggered an emotional response in her, and she realised that perhaps she was being a little too hard on Archie.

From the bathroom came sounds of retching, sobbing and the occasional outburst of denial from Nora "Oh god no ... it can't be ... no ... oh shit this is so fucked up ..."

Archie went to speak once more, but Cathy interrupted him. "I ... I think you should go Archie." She insisted, her tone giving no scope for discussion.

Nora came back in and went to her mum, then putting her head on her shoulder began to sob.

"You better leave Archie, right now." Cathy announced in a tone that gave no leeway for a reply.

"I need to stay, we need to sort this out ..." Archie tried to stammer.

But Nora's sobbing became hysterical, and Cathy took one look at him and yelled "Leave, now -- or I won't be responsible for the consequences."

Archie took one look at the anger in Cathy's face and decided it might be best to let things calm down a bit.

Archie coughed "Yes, yes of course. I ... I..." he left the sentence hanging, turning, and proceeding toward the front door. Passing near the bathroom, he paused -- was about to say something to Nora then thought better of it.

Cathy let him out with a nod and a little smile. She realised it was not Archie's fault, that this was all just a heinous, cruel, and sick trick of fate. What mattered now, she told herself -- was how to help Nora get through it. Cathy watched as Archie trudged down the path, his shoulders hunched as if he had the problems of the world on them. She closed the door and went to help her daughter.

After Archie had gone, Nora turned to her Mum "Is he really my father?" she asked incredulously.

Cathy was about to speak but then stopped herself and paused. "It's true." she added finally.

Nora had moved to the lounge, and was sat on the sofa rocking herself gently and crying, a box of tissues by her side and several used tissues discarded around her.

"Has ... has Archie gone?" she enquired.

Cathy nodded and Nora began to wail once more "Oh god Mum ... how is this possible? How can this happen? Oh god, what the fuck am I going to do? This is SO fucked up." she sobbed.

Sitting down beside her daughter, Cathy cast a loving arm around her. "Darling, we'll get through this, I promise you." she intoned softly.

In response, Nora bristled "MUM ... we ... we fucked. I ... I had sex with my own father -- we can't fix that?" she wailed loudly.

Nora's mind was racing, a pure dichotomy of emotions and feelings. The sex had been fantastic, the best she had experienced in her short life. She had felt a connection with Archie, and truly felt she loved him and was in love with him. Now, to find that all that would be taken away -- no it was intolerable, inconceivable to have to lose all that. And yet, thought Nora -- it HAS to happen. She understood that.

Cathy quickly returned with a glass of brown liquid and handed it to Nora. In response Nora took a sniff -- it was Brandy. Despite a dislike for the spirit -- Nora opened her mouth and swallowed the entire glass full before coughing loudly, as the warm brandy slipped down her throat.

There was another Brandy, then another and Nora accepted them all as she tried to rationalise and explain to herself how all this mess had happened. It was huge coincidence that her father had returned to the very city that she and her mum had lived.

Cathy saw the consternation in her daughter's face and sat down beside her with a few words of comfort. "Nora, listen to me -- we'll get this sorted, I promise you. Try not to upset yourself." she offered, trying to be as supportive as she could.

In truth, Cathy's mind was in turmoil too. A gamut of mixed emotions at seeing her ex-lover, someone for whom she had held a candle for, for so very long after they had split up. Archie had been her first proper boyfriend and the bond that she had felt for him had endured, even to this very day.

But Cathy also knew she needed to deal with the fact that her daughter was now embroiled in this incestuous situation.

"What's done is done." offered Cathy soothingly. "We can't do anything about what's happened -- but we can at least, try and come to terms with it before we move on."

Nora stiffened and glowered at her mum "Move on? FUCKING MOVE ON?" she yelled, before bursting into tears once more. "How the hell can I move on from knowing I fucked my own father?" she lamented between sobs.

Cathy realised the significance of her daughter's words. Nora had had sex with her own father. True, it was a tragic and innocent mistake. Cathy didn't believe for one moment that either Nora nor Archie would have continued with the relationship had they known they were related. But Cathy also knew that that small fact would be immaterial to the trolls and bullies out there that would make comments about it -- if it ever came out.

As the evening drifted on, both women became lost in their own little reverie as they contemplated the situation they now found themselves in. Finally, around 9pm -- Nora stood and declared that she was just going to go to bed.

Cathy nodded, then added "The bed in the spare room is made up darling". In truth she doubted that either of them would get much sleep but she knew they had to try.

--

The following morning, Nora awoke from a restless slumber as sunshine streamed in through the cracked curtains. For a brief, very, very brief moment she thought it was all a horrible dream, until she realised, she was in her Mum's bed and then it dawned on her as to why she was there. Unable to sleep, she had got up in the middle of the night and gone to her mum. She needed the closeness of her mum, as her mind tried to deal with the situation.

Beside her, her mum was asleep. Had she been there all night? Of course she had. Cathy was not just Nora's mum -- she was her best friend and confidant. They had been more like sisters than mother & daughter and so it was not unexpected that Nora would have stayed next to her daughter to help her deal with the situation.

"The situation?" Nora exclaimed loudly. It made it sound like a problem at work. This time yesterday, she recalled -- she had been having her brains fucked out by Archie and now, now ... to find out he was her father? She'd been fucking her father for the past 2 months. She really wasn't sure how to handle it, how to feel about it.

Nora slipped out from under the covers and quickly searched for her clothes. She was about to go and get dressed in the bathroom so as not to disturb her mum when Cathy spoke "Mmmm morning sweetie, did you sleep? No, silly question -- of course you wouldn't have. You go and get showered, and I'll put the kettle on." she intoned blearily.

Nora watched as her mum pulled the sheets and stepped off the bed. She was naked. Nora wasn't so much shocked as somewhat surprised. She had always associated sleeping naked with younger people. Her mum's lithe body belied her 41 years and at that very moment Nora knew her mum would easily pass as her sister.

In the 22 years of living with her mum, she had not really noticed it but now -- she saw, her mum was incredibly attractive, and Nora was bemused by the lack of attention her mum got from blokes. They should be falling over themselves, she thought to herself.

Nora stepped into the steaming shower and reached for the sponge. The water was a little too hot for her, but she suffered it, as if accepting it as a penance for what she had done.

"That's stupid" she exclaimed to herself, reaching, and turning the heat down slightly. "It ... wasn't my fault ... I didn't KNOW ... how can it be my fault?" she murmured lowly.

Soaping the sponge she began to lather around her body, starting as she always did with her neck and chest. The sponge briefly drifted over her nipple and to her horror it pinged out immediately.

"Don't be ridiculous." she intoned, as if she were talking to the actual nipple itself. She lathered over her breasts, sensing the undeniable pleasure she was feeling despite herself. Nora's eyes squeezed shut and she allowed herself a brief thought of yesterday morning when Archie's hands were all over her body.

Her eyes flashed open. "Stop that."

Nora chided herself for having such thoughts, she had to -- just had to stop thinking like that. But of course, as the warm sponge drifted down between her legs, her mind once again filled with the wonderful memories of sex with Archie. This time, her hand lingered a little longer, and especially over her little nub.

"Ooooohhhh!" she moaned, allowing herself to take the pleasure until she realised once again that she was imagining Archie doing the rubbing. "Fuck No. He's my father." she reprimanded herself.

Nora put the sponge away, then running her hands quickly through her hair she stopped the shower and stepped out, grabbing a towel to dry off as she did so. Whilst she rubbed the towel over her wet body, Nora tried to fill her mind with rational thoughts. I need to forget about what's gone before, she advocated to herself, I need to focus on moving forward.

After dressing herself, Nora walked into the kitchen where her Mum, now in a dressing gown, was buttering some toast. "Coffee and a bit of Toast." Cathy announced, gesturing her daughter to sit. But as she turned, she saw her daughter walking toward her, arms outstretched.

"I need a hug, mum." Nora intoned in a slightly sad and broken tone. "I ... I really don't know where my head is at right now."

Cathy reached out and drew her daughter toward her, giving her a squeeze as she said "Darling, we can talk about it. We can talk about what we need to do next."

Cathy knew her daughter was hurting, she could see Nora was confused and frustrated even though, Cathy realised she had little sense of what Nora was actually going through.

"You and I can sit down and talk about it." she added, then finally realised that in all fairness, what her daughter was going through, was also what Archie was going through and so -- any discussion, would have to involve him. But it was certainly too early yet, to have him come back round to talk. Everything was still to raw and exposed.

Nora pulled away "That's just it Mum ... I ... I don't really know how I feel, other than confused and totally devastated. I'm a total mess, ... oh this is just SO fucked up." she lamented, looking at her mum directly.

In response, Cathy nodded. "That's ... that's understandable dear, this whole thing is messed up. You have an absolute right to be upset, to be angry, frustrated, confused and a whole host of other feelings and emotions. And I'll help you to go through them and deal with them, I promise."

Nora glanced away, down to the coffee and toast that now awaited her on the table and she realised that she was actually quite hungry. In between mouthfuls of coffee and bites of toast, Nora looked at her mother. Nora could not be so glad, or so happy that she had such a great and supportive mother.