Waking to a Burn

There was whispering. Then, one of the women said, "Okay, send your man out. He can go straight to the men's room. It's empty and our backs are turned. Send him out now."

Mom made space for me.

I kissed her cheek and left.

The women were true to their word. They were in the hallway chatting with their backs to me. I went straight to the men's room and waited there in a stall for about five minutes. About four fellas came and went during that time. It seemed safe enough, so I left.

Mom was on the dance floor. When she saw me, she threw out a hand, smiling incandescently and waiting. When I took her hand and swept her to me, spinning and taking her waist. She leaned close and whispered, "Thank you for letting me feel special, sugar."

"You're welcome, but tonight will you let me make you feel special?"

She grinned and blushed, nodding. "If that's your pleasure."

"It is."

She hugged me as we danced. Suddenly, she drew back thoughtfully.

"Mom, what?"

She leaned close, "I've been having some thoughts since earlier tonight in the hotel room."

I raised my chin, waiting.

She grew shy when she spoke. "I know we have tonight, but--but what if there were other nights, sugar? What if, maybe when you felt that burning like earlier tonight--and you still haven't met the woman you'll marry and I haven't found a man to grow old with--what if you came home to me? What if I could--if I could soothe you that way?"

I imagined it.

She continued, "I mean, would it be so wrong? Couldn't I nurture you that way? Soothe my baby when he's burning?"

"And the things Pop talked about? The things we awakened?"

Mom said, "Being a lady isn't about the glamour of it. It's about discipline in the face of trouble that makes a lady. Same for being a gentleman. We both made mistakes to put ourselves in this position. But, now that we're in it--."

"Yeah?"

She said, "If we do this, it won't be easy for us when things change, when life forces this all to end, but I can be a lady about it if you can be a gentleman."

"I can."

Mom smiled.

We danced until the band quit on us, and then, holding her hand, I spirited Mom to the elevator and back to our room. Both of us were burning.

*****

End Note: Thanks for taking the time to read a long one. Hope it was time well-spent. Any and all errors belong to me. If you're moved to respond, I'm always interested in thoughtful feedback. -FS/Mr. Squeeze