Parting
Gift
by
Ann Douglas
The
temperature had dropped considerably since
Magdalene Brooks had started out on her walk
along Prospect Park West and she found
herself pulling her light coat just a bit
tighter against her body.
She
hadn't planned to go all the way down to
Grand
Army
Plaza
,
but once she did, the autumn sun was already
setting before she could make it half way
back home.
Still,
even with the sudden chill, it was a
pleasant walk as she alternated her gaze
between the old brownstones across the
street on her right and the tree filled
meadows of the park to her left.
As
many years as she had spent living in
Manhattan, this part of Brooklyn had always
been dearest to her heart, if for no other
reason than the fact that she had grown up
less than a half mile south,
in
the less affluent part of Park Slope.
At
least that was what it had been forty years
ago.
But
time moves on, and with it, inevitable
change.
An
influx of new money had dramatically changed
her old neighborhood, so much that most of
her childhood haunts were long gone.
Still,
the park remained, as it had done so for
over a hundred years, and it was to that
familiar ground that the tall brunette had
retreated to consider her options as her
life faced a drastic change of her own.
By
this time next week, Magdalene reflected,
she would be a single woman, her marriage a
thing of the past.
The
reason for the change was common enough: her
husband now preferred another woman in his
bed.
As
unsettling as that realization had been, it
was hard for her to feel as much righteous
anger as one might expect.
After
all, twelve short years before, she had been
the other woman and the fact that she had
eventually married her lover didn't mitigate
that.
Magdalene
had been a twenty-eight year old consultant
when she'd first met James Brooks, a rising
star in the law firm of McCord, Jackson and
Myers.
Fifteen
years her senior, the celebrated trial
lawyer had dazzled her with his charms and
effortlessly guided her into his bed,
notwithstanding the fact that there was
already a Mrs. Brooks of some twenty years.
Now,
the tables had turned and the new woman in
James' life, soon to be the third Mrs.
Brooks, was a twenty-three year old
paralegal whom the recently made partner had
met two years earlier.
"Well,
as they say,"
Magdalene
muttered to herself as she waited for the
light in the crosswalk to change, "karma is
a bitch."
Not
that James wasn't paying dearly for her to
go quietly into the night and not cause
problems for him at the firm.
The
pricey townhouse apartment that she now
lived in was just part of their separation
agreement, along with a final financial
settlement that well exceeded what their
original prenuptial called for.
Magdalene
may have been foolishly blind to his
infidelity, but no one could ever accuse her
of being stupid.
-=-=-=-=-
The
building she had moved into six months
before was only two blocks down from the
park, and as she neared the three story
structure, Magdalene noticed a slim young
man in jeans and a brown bomber jacket
standing in front of it.
Despite
this being a normally safe neighborhood, the
long haired brunette hadn't been brought up
to take chances.
So
she continued down the opposite side of the
street until she was well past her
destination, slowing just enough to try and
get a good look at the stranger.
It
wasn't until he moved out of the shadow and
into the twin entranceway lamps that
recognition dawned.
Taking
a moment to check for oncoming traffic, she
quickly crossed the street.
"Riley,
what in the world are you doing here?"
she
asked, approaching the young man from the
opposite direction in which he was looking.
"Hi
Magdalene,"
the
sandy haired eighteen year old said after
turning at the sound of her voice,
"I
was waiting for you."
"Waiting
for me?"
she
repeated.
"Dad
sent some papers that he wanted you to have
tonight,"
he
explained, partially lifting a small leather
briefcase in his hand.
Magdalene
was understandably curious as to what could
be so important on a Friday night that it
had to be hand delivered, but she knew that
she wasn't going to get an answer out here
on the street.
Saying
that whatever the excuse, she was glad to
see him, she invited him upstairs where they
could be more comfortable.
Magdalene
had barely taken a step up the stoop when
Riley practically raced up past her to open
and hold the outer door of the vestibule for
her.
She
thanked him with a smile as she entered the
small area, then unlocked the inner door
while he waited.
As
they walked up the stairs to the third
floor, she glanced over her shoulder and
said she hoped he hadn't been waiting long.
"Not
too long,"
Riley
replied, keeping a few steps behind her, a
reply that, given what she knew of him,
could've been five minutes or over an hour.
By
all rights, given just the facts, people
might assume that Magdalene and the teenager
following her had an acrimonious
relationship.
After
all, Magdalene had been the one who broke up
his mother's marriage.
Technically,
Helen Brooks was actually his Aunt, but she
had raised him after his parents had died
when he was four and that was the way he
always thought of her.
Just
as he always simply thought of Magdalene as
his surrogate father's wife rather than a
step-mom because, after the divorce, he had
continued to live with his aunt.
From the very
beginning, to show that she had no intention
of replacing Helen in his life, Magdalene
had insisted Riley call her by her first
name.
At
most she was hoping for simply a peaceful
coexistence but, much to her surprise, she
and Riley developed a friendship that only
grew stronger as he moved from his teen
years to adulthood.
"Make
yourself comfortable,"
Magdalene
said as the entered the apartment, taking
off her coat and hanging it on a rack in the
hall.
"This
is a very nice place,"
Riley
said as he stepped into the living room,
taking off his jacket as he did so and
laying it across a wooden chair before
taking a seat on the couch.
"Thank
you,"
Magdalene
replied as she followed him in.
"Before
anything else, can I get you something to
drink?"
"No,
I'm fine,"
Riley
replied, lifting the case up onto his lap.
"Okay,
I can take a hint,"
Magdalene
quipped. "Let me have whatever's in that
case, so I can see what's so all fired
important that it couldn't wait until
Monday."
Riley
removed a slim, legal sized folder and
before he could rise to give it to her,
Magdalene stepped over and took it from his
hands.
Once
she held it, she hesitated for a moment,
fearing that James had suddenly decided to
abrogate the deal they'd already agreed to.
That
would be just like him, she thought,
remembering a number of legal cases he had
won by changing an agreement at the last
minute when his opposition couldn't afford
the time to renegotiate. She took a deep
breath, then opened the folder.
"Oh
my goodness, do you know what this is?"
Magdalene
asked after flipping through the document
that was in the folder.
Riley
nodded his head.
Having
spent the summer as an intern at his
father's firm – he would be leaving next
week for college – Riley knew full well what
was in the folder he had brought.
Having
him, rather than one of the normal
messengers, bring it over had been his
father's idea, figuring that Magdalene was
less likely to shoot the messenger if he was
that person.
"My
understanding was that we were going to do
this at the end of next week,"
she
stated as she continued to read text that
was already quite familiar to her.
"Why
the sudden rush?"
Riley
took a breath before answering, still
feeling a bit angry that his father had
dumped this charge on him.
"Dad
and Amanda are flying down to the
Virgin Islands
this
weekend,"
Riley
said in a soft, even tone.
"It
was originally just supposed to be a quick
business trip, but they decided that it was
the perfect place for them to be married."
"They
decided?"
Magdalene
queried.
"Well,
Amanda decided,"
Riley
clarified.
"And
obviously they can't get married if I
haven't signed the final papers,"
Magdalene
pointed out.
Again
Riley nodded his head.
"And
again, obviously, James wants to do anything
he can to make Amanda happy,"
she
added, a touch of sadness washing across her
as she remembered a time when he'd felt that
way about her.
This
time, Riley didn't even attempt to answer,
since that was self evident.
"I
can see now why he sent you with this,"
Magdalene
remarked as she again looked down again at
the papers that would officially end her
marriage.
Riley
braced himself for what he feared would be
an emotional response.
To
his surprise, none was forthcoming.
Instead,
Magdalene carried the papers over to the
countertop that separated the kitchen and
living room and, removing a pen from the
drawer, signed them in all the places
indicated.
She
hesitated a short moment before affixing her
final signature, but then added that as
well.
"Well,
that's it then,"
she
said, taking another long breath before
turning back to Riley and handing the folder
back to him.
Riley
felt he should say something, but had no
idea what.
So
he just took the papers and slipped them
back into his case.
"You
know, I think I could really use a drink
right now,"
Magdalene
said, asking after a few moments' pause,
"would
you care to join me?"
Despite
being three years under the legal drinking
age, Riley didn't hesitate to say yes,
feeling that he should at least show some
sympathy for what she was feeling.
It
would hardly be the first time he'd shared a
glass with the woman across from him.
Magdalene
stepped around the counter and removed an
already chilled bottle of wine from the
small rack on the bottom of the
refrigerator.
Two
large glasses from the cabinet over the sink
followed.
Then,
both hands full, she walked back into the
living room and handed one to Riley before
taking a seat on the other side of the small
couch.
"So,
what shall we drink to?"
Magdalene
asked.
Riley
thought about that for a moment, finally
coming up with something he thought suitable
and thankfully, neutral.
"How
about, new beginnings?" he said.
"That
sounds appropriate,"
Magdalene
said with a smile as, after tapping his
glass with her own, she took a rather long
sip of wine.
"As
I remember, you're starting college next
week, definitely a new beginning."
Riley
smiled before taking his own sip, thinking
that was hardly the new beginning he had
thought of, but it would do.
"Are
you excited?"
Magdalene
asked.
"I
guess so,"
he
replied.
"It's
a big step, not only school but moving out
on my own.
California
is
pretty far away."
"I've
no doubt you'll do fine,"
the
brunette replied.
"I
have every confidence in you.
I
always have."
That
was certainly true, Riley thought.
Despite
the differences in their ages and the
somewhat awkward connection her marriage to
his father made between them, Magdalene had
always been a friend – be it someone who was
always there to help with school, or discuss
more personal matters he couldn't bring
himself to talk about with his parents.
They
talked a bit more about his college plans
and the move cross country, finishing their
glasses of wine.
Without
asking, Magdalene refilled both, indicating
non-verbally that she really didn't want to
be alone right now.
"Are
you going down to the islands too?"
she
asked after taking a taste of the second
glass, changing the subject.
"No,
I wasn't invited,"
Riley
said after sampling his own.
"That's
surprising,"
Magdalene
replied.
"You
and your dad normally get along so well, I
would have thought he would want you to be
his best man."
"To
be honest, I was sort of expecting that
too,"
Riley
admitted, "but he didn't ask."
"Any
idea why?"
"Well,
it's no secret that Amanda really doesn't
even like being in the same room as me,"
Riley
pointed out.
"Why
is that?"
she
asked out of curiosity.
"I'm
not totally sure, but I think that the fact
that dad has a son nearly as old as she is
kind of freaks her out," he explained.
"Well,
she is marrying a man who's fifty-five and
now has two marriages behind him,"
Magdalene
stated.
"That
has to come with at least some baggage."
"I
guess so,"
Riley
agreed.
"How
do you feel about her?"
Magdalene
then asked after another bit of wine.
"Well,
to be honest, I really don't have a high
opinion of her,"
Riley
replied almost without hesitation.
"Why
is that?"
"I'm
not really certain,"
he
answered.
"I'm
not around her all that much, but when I
have been, I really think she comes across
like an immature airhead.
I
mean, I knew girls in high school that acted
more adult."
"Well,
your father obviously sees something in
her,"
Magdalene
pointed out.
"Yeah,
and we both know what that is,"
Riley
laughed.
Magdalene
couldn't help but chuckle a little herself.
"Also,
it really pisses me off, what she did to
you,"
Riley
abruptly added.
"What
she did to me?"
Magdalene
asked, a bit confused as she could only
recall two or three times that she even met
Amanda, and all had been exceedingly brief
encounters.
"She
destroyed your marriage,"
Riley
said.
"If
she hadn't starting fucking my dad, the two
of you would still be together and you'd be
happy."
"Riley,
I think that your dad had as much to do with
that, if not more, than Amanda did,"
Magdalene
heard herself say, not believing that she
was actually coming to the defense of the
woman she'd referred to in her initial anger
as that 'little blonde whore'.
Then,
another thought filled her head.
"Riley,
you're an adult now, but even when you
legally weren't, I've always tried to treat
and talk to you as one,"
she
began.
"I've
always appreciated that,"
he
interrupted.
"So
I'm sure that somewhere along the way,
someone in your family told you about how
your mother's marriage ended, and my role in
it."
"Yeah,
Aunt Carol made sure she told me all about
it when I was a teenager,"
Riley
replied, "she still refers to you as that
bimbo with the big boobs."
"Well,
it's no secret that your Aunt Carol and I
haven't gotten along from the beginning,"
Magdalene
said, having heard that description of her
before.
She
thought it said more about the older woman
than it did about her, as neither of the
Floyd sisters had been particularly blessed
in the mammary department.
"Riley,
I've never asked you this before, but I've
always wondered about it,"
Magdalene
said, a bit emboldened by the wine.
"Seeing
that we're always tried to be totally honest
with each other, you must realize that
Amanda isn't doing anything different to me
than I did to your mother.
So
why were you never as angry at me as you
seem to be at Amanda?"
"Aunt
Carol used to get upset about that too,"
Riley
replied,
"The
fact that I didn't hate you, I mean.
But
mom never seemed to hate you, or have a
problem with us being friends, so I really
couldn't come up with a reason why I should.
Besides,
by the time Aunt Carol dropped her
bombshell, back when I was thirteen, by the
way, I already liked you and wasn't about to
change that."
"Your
mother is a very smart woman,"
Magdalene
noted, actually meaning it, as she had come
to truly respect her predecessor over the
years.
"I
always thought so,"
Riley
agreed, draining the last of his glass.
Holding
hers up to note the small amount left,
Magdalene did the same.
"Well,
since I have no place I need to go, I think
I can handle one more,"
she
said as she glanced over her shoulder at the
more than half empty bottle on the counter.
"But
I'm sure I've kept you from whatever you
were planning for tonight long enough –
after all, it is Friday night."
"I
really didn't have any plans,"
Riley
replied,
"and
I'd really like to stay, if that's okay."
"Riley,
you're always welcome in my home, wherever
that might be,"
Magdalene
smiled.
"But
if we are both going to finish off the
bottle, I'm going to have to insist that you
stay over.
I
don't have a guest room but I know from
experience that this couch is pretty
comfortable."
"Couldn't
be worse than the first time I slept on your
couch,"
Riley
laughed.
Magdalene
smiled more broadly as she got up and
carried both glasses back to the counter
where she split the remainder of the wine
between the two.
Her
thoughts flashed back to the night when
Riley, all of sixteen, had shown up on her
doorstep totally sloshed, after having
attended a friend's birthday party, during
which they had gotten into his friend's
parents' liquor cabinet.
She
had simply cleaned him up and put him to
bed, letting his head at least partially
clear before reading him the riot act the
next morning about responsible drinking.
It
was a recitation he had never forgotten, and
one which his parents had never learned of.
They
discussed more mundane matters as their
glasses slowly emptied. Somewhere in the
middle of it all, Magdalene heated up some
snacks in the microwave to go along with the
wine.
A
bit later, Riley became unexpectedly quiet.
At
first, Magdalene thought it might have been
the wine, after all, he wasn't as used to it
as she was, and the half bottle he'd drunk
might have a much stronger effect.
She
suggested that perhaps they call it a night,
but it seemed that the young man had
something on his mind, which was the actual
reason for his sudden sullenness.
"It
just occurred to me,"
Riley
said, a touch of sadness in his tone,
"we're
really not connected any more, I mean we're
no longer family.
In
just a couple of days, Amanda is going to be
dad's wife and you'll be … I don't know.
I
mean, I know that you were never my
step-mom, but there was always something
there."
"What
was there was friendship, and even love,"
Magdalene
offered,
"and
that's not ever going to change."
"But
it will still be different,"
Riley
insisted.
"Yes,
I guess it will be,"
Magdalene
reluctantly agreed,
"but
that isn't necessarily a bad thing."
"How
could it not be?"
Riley
asked.
"Well,
if we think about it, I'm sure we can find a
way it might be better,"
Magdalene
suggested, not really sure what that might
mean.
"Name
one,"
the
young man said.
"Hmmm,"
Magdalene
mused, trying to come up with a good
example, but failing in that, came up with
one that she at least hoped was funny.
"Well, the next time I catch you staring at
my boobs, you won't have to feel so
embarrassed."
"I've
never stared at your…"
Riley
started to say, then stopped as he realized
what a lie that was.
"Really?"
Magdalene
grinned.
"Not
even that time we were staying at the summer
house out in
Oyster Bay
and
you came home early and found me
sunbathing?"
"Oh
God, you knew about that?"
Riley
blushed.
"Did
I know that you were watching me sunbathe in
the nude for almost a quarter hour?"
she
smiled,
"Obviously
I did."
"Why
didn't you say something?"
he
asked, the blush barely fading.
'Well,
you had just broken up with Jenny Morris,
and I figured you were feeling bad enough
without being called on it,"
Magdalene
explained.
"And
to be honest, it was sort of flattering that
you thought an old lady like me attractive
enough to spy on."
"I
never thought of you an old lady,"
Riley
quickly said.
"In
fact, some of my friends thought you had a
really hot body, that you were a real MILF."
"MILF?"
Magdalene
repeated, not familiar with the acronym.
"It's
a sort of complimentary term,"
Riley
offered after a pause, now wishing he'd
never used it.
"What
does it mean?"
Magdalene
asked, her curiosity piqued.
Riley
hesitated.
"Come
on, I promise I won't be offended,"
Magdalene
insisted.
"We're
both adults and I've always said you can
tell me anything without judgment."
"Mother
I'd Like to Fuck,"
Riley
finally admitted.
"Oh
my,"
Magdalene
exclaimed, feeling both a bit embarrassed
and thrilled at the same time.
Then
another more interesting, and perhaps even
dangerous, thought entered Magdalene's head.
One
she wasn't sure she should be entertaining –
but on the other hand, if she didn't ask,
she would forever wonder what the answer
might have been.
"Riley,
was that the way you saw me too?"
she
asked.
"Is
that the way you still see me now?"
"I'm
sorry, I …"
Riley
started to say, then stopped.
"There's
no reason for you to be sorry,"
Magdalene
interjected.
"I
asked the question and you answered it
honestly.
I
appreciate that."
"But
you were my dad's wife,"
Riley
added.
"I
think were is the operative word there,"
Magdalene
pointed out,
"and
even if we'd had this conversation before, I
couldn't fault you for what you and your
friends thought."
"Should
I go?"
Riley
abruptly asked.
"Absolutely
not,"
Magdalene
replied, her tone insistent and just a bit
louder.
"The
reason I asked you to stay over hasn't
changed in the last five minutes.
You
might be only a bit inebriated, but your
mother would still kill me if I send you on
your way like that."
For
a second, Magdalene found that thought
funny. Helen Brooks might not have hated her
for, first fucking, then taking away her
husband, but she would inflict bodily harm
on her if she'd sent her son off tipsy and
something happened to him.
"You're
going to have to excuse me for a moment,"
Magdalene then said as she picked up both
empty glasses, "but this old lady needs to
answer nature's call."
-=-=-=-=-
Magdalene
stood in front of the bathroom mirror,
studying the face of the woman looking back
at her.
She
really hadn't needed to use the facilities,
but did need a few minutes to collect her
thoughts, if only to prevent herself from
saying something she probably shouldn't.
As
surprised as she had been to learn that
Riley felt that way about her, Magdalene was
sure he would've been even more astonished
to discover that there had been times when
she'd had what the nuns back in school used
to refer to as impure thoughts about him as
well.
Of
course she knew she was hardly the only
woman her age who'd ever entertained
thoughts like that, actually fantasies more
than thoughts.
At
many social functions she'd seen other
wives, many of them mothers, checking out
the next generation.
She'd
even heard some of them make equally
improper observations among themselves when
they'd thought no one could overhear them.
One
had stayed in her head as it had been about
Riley – a comment by a woman ten years her
senior, that he was the most fuckable of the
lot.
The
statement had surprised Magdalene,
especially since Riley had only been sixteen
at the time, but once she'd gotten oven her
shock, she had to admit, if only to herself,
that it was definitely true.
Now,
two years later, it was even more true.
The
face in the mirror, however, was that of a
woman who, while she might not show all of
her forty years, was hardly one men might
still chase after – at least in her opinion.
Standing
five foot five, a few inches shorter than
Riley, Magdalene struggled to keep her
weight under one fifty and the athletic
build she once had was now only marginally
so.
Her
breasts, always her most noticeable feature,
were still full and reasonably firm, but
even they were beginning to show the effects
of age.
'This
is crazy,'
Magdalene
thought as she felt a brief flush of desire
wash over her.
'He's
your…'
Magdalene
paused mid-thought, her own earlier comments
coming back to contradict her.
What
was Riley to her now that she and James were
no longer married?
She
knew Riley wasn't a virgin, although his
sexual experience had been limited to a few
girls in high school.
Ironic
as it seemed, she knew more about his sex
life than his own parents did.
They
had been the ones to give him the talk when
he'd reached puberty, but she had been the
one he'd always come to for advice in that
area.
Unbidden,
but probably understandably, a scene from
the classic film "The Graduate" came to
mind.
The
one where Mrs. Robinson attempted to seduce
the recently graduated son of her husband's
business partner, walking in on him totally
nude, offering herself to him.
Even
though Riley had already seen the goods, so
to speak, that day in the yard, Magdalene
really couldn't imagine herself doing
anything of the sort.
Also
recalling that day, Magdalene was reminded
of what she had been thinking when she
realized that Riley was up at the window
watching her.
She
wondering if he was masturbating while he
did so.
He
was too far away for her to be able to tell,
but the thought that he might have been
excited her no end.
So
much so that it had taken all of her will
power to keep her own hands by her sides –
at least until she had moved to the safety
of the downstairs bathroom.
"No,
this is insane,"
Magdalene
said, needing to verbalize the thought, even
if it was in a low tone.
"It's
the just the wine and the emotional
confusion of signing those damn papers."
Turning
on the faucet, she splashed cold water on
her face, letting out a deep breath as she
tried to put it all in a proper perspective.
'A
week from now, he'll be out in California,
three thousand miles from here,'
she
thought,
'and
a month from now, he'll probably be fucking
some young co-ed, wondering what he had ever
found attractive in that old lady his father
used to be married to.'
Drying
her hands on a small hanging towel,
Magdalene finally concluded that she had
taken this all much too seriously.
She
had just needed a few minutes to see that.
-=-=-=-=-
"Riley?"
Magdalene
said as she stepped back into the living
room to find her guest with his head laid
back on the armrest, fast asleep.
If
nothing else, Magdalene thought, his having
fallen asleep avoided any more awkward
moments; come the morning, they'd both have
much more level heads.
Slipping
off his shoes, she lifted his legs up onto
the end of the couch.
Knowing
the way James worked his interns, she had no
doubt Riley had been at it since the early
hours, and the half bottle of wine he had
shared had been just enough to bring him
crashing down.
Finally,
after draping the light blanket she kept in
the nearby window bench over him, Magdalene
gently brushed back his light hair and
kissed him on his forehead.
A
glance at the wall clock said it was still
early, but she decided to call it a day as
well. Tomorrow would bring
a new day and everything that happened today
could be forgotten.
-=-=-=-=-
After
brushing her teeth and taking care of any
other necessities, Magdalene changed into a
pair of lightweight unisex pajamas and,
pulling down the sheets and blanket, laid
down on her bed.
The
bed, like just about everything else in the
apartment, was new and she hadn't gotten
totally comfortable with it yet.
Admitting
that she wasn't really all that tired, she
decided to read a bit and got back up to get
her Kindle.
Pausing
at the mirror above her dresser, Magdalene
took another long look at herself.
It
occurred to her that she couldn't remember
exactly when she started wearing sleepwear
like she had on now, and not the sort one
ordered from places like
Victoria
's
Secret. It also took more
effort than she expected to remember the
last time she and James had had anything
other than perfunctory sex, and not the bed
busting romps they'd had when they first
started their affair.
'Could
it have been my fault?' she asked herself,
wondering whether, if she made more of an
effort to keep those nights alive, things
might have been different.
She
pondered the question for a few more
moments, then admonished herself for even
considering it.
It
hadn't been her fault and she had done
nothing wrong.
James
was the one who decided he wanted someone
younger in his bed and, if history repeated
itself as it tended to do, she wouldn't be
surprised if someday Amanda found herself
asking that same question.
"Fuck
him!"
Magdalene
said under her breath, not thinking that
somewhere not too far from here, Amanda was
probably doing just that.
-=-=-=-=-
"Magdalene,
are you awake?"
The
sound of her name, coupled with the knocking
on the door to her bedroom, caused Magdalene
to open her eyes.
A
glance at the digital clock on her night
table told her it was ten after twelve,
although it seemed like only a moment ago it
had read a quarter to ten.
"Come
in,"
she
said reflexively, her still fuzzy mind clear
enough to reason that an intruder would
hardly knock and ask for an invitation.
The
door slowly opened as she pulled herself up
in bed, barely catching the electronic
reader she had dropped onto her chest when
she had dozed off.
Her
eyes came into focus just in time to
recognize Riley in the doorway.
He
must've woken after she'd left him and made
himself more comfortable, because he was now
only wearing his slacks and a white t-shirt.
"Oh,
I'm sorry,"
he
said, a look of embarrassment on his face.
"I
saw your light was still on and thought you
might be up watching television or
something."
"I
fell asleep reading,"
Magdalene
replied, holding up the Kindle before
putting it down next to the clock.
"Is
something wrong?"
she
asked as the last of the cobwebs faded.
"No.
nothings wrong,"
he
said, not moving from the entranceway.
"I…
I just felt I had to say something to you
and… oh, never mind, it can wait until
morning."
"Don't
be ridiculous,"
Magdalene
said.
"If
it bothered you enough that you felt you had
to come in here, then it's still important
for you to say it now.
Besides,
we're both up anyway."
Riley
still hesitated, only finally moving when
Magdalene patted the empty space next to her
on the bed and indicated he should sit down
next to her.
"Now,
what's the problem?"
she
asked once he'd done so.
"It's
not really a problem,"
he
began, his tone still tentative.
"I
just wanted to apologize for what I said
before; it was very disrespectful."
"Riley,
I thought we settled this,"
Magdalene
said.
"I
asked you a question and you gave me an
honest answer.
Never
feel guilty for being truthful."
From
the look on Riley's face, Magdalene got the
impression that he didn't feel that was
true.
"Okay,
Riley, I guess I'm going to have to say
something I really planned to keep to
myself,"
Magdalene
said, reluctance clear in her voice.
That
certainly got Riley's attention.
"There
have been times,"
she
began,
"that,
inappropriate as they might have been, I've
had fantasies about you as well."
"No
way,"
he
immediately replied, a look of surprise on
his face.
"Yes
way,"
Magdalene
smiled,
"and
don't look so shocked.
Older
women can be turned on by young men just as
easily as young men can be excited by what
you called, what was the term, oh yes,
MILFs.
In
fact, it's probably a lot more common – just
like older men are attracted to younger
women."
"Like
I didn't know that,"
Riley
strongly said sarcastically.
The
intensity of the sarcasm in Riley's reply
caused Magdalene to worry that he might
think she'd meant it as an indictment of his
father, something she never intended to
suggest.
Whatever
her problems with James, she never wanted
them to come between him and his son.
'Riley,
you know I wasn't talking about your
father,"
she
said.
"Oh,
I know that."
"Then
what did you say…"
she
started, then paused for a second.
"What
are you not telling me?"
Riley
turned silent.
"Come
on, no secrets, remember?"
she
said, ignoring that she had just revealed
that she'd kept one from him.
"Mark
Barnes has been sleeping with Coretta
Braddock for the last six months,"
he
suddenly blurted out.
"Mark
Barnes and Coretta Braddock?"
Magdalene
echoed in disbelief.
Riley
just nodded his head.
'That
can't be true,'
Magdalene
thought for a second, but only for a second,
because after that she knew it was.
Mark
Barnes was the captain of Riley's high
school's swim team, tall, trim and
exceedingly handsome. Coretta Braddock, or,
as she was more commonly known, Mrs. Robert
Braddock III, was both a member of both the
local school board and the executive council
of the Baycrest Liberal Party.
Fifty-one
years old, she was a slightly stocky woman
who ruled the local social scene with an
iron hand.
"That's
incredible,"
Magdalene
finally said.
Then
a more serious thought entered her head.
That
comment she had long ago overheard at the
club, about Riley being 'fuckable', had been
made by Coretta Braddock.
"Riley,
you and she never…did you?"
she
hesitantly asked.
"Oh,
hell no,"
he
replied practically instantaneously.
Magdalene
was both relieved and amused by the force of
his reply.
"She
definitely wasn't my type,"
Riley
continued, his voice now slower and
steadier.
"I
mean it wasn't that she was older or
anything like that; in fact, that was what
made the idea attractive.
It
was the way she presented it that turned me
off."
Curious
as she was about that, Magdalene didn't ask.
Luckily,
Riley seemed all too willing to answer the
unspoken question.
"She
made it sound too much like a business
transaction,"
he
said,
"going
on, not about why I might enjoy being with
her, but what I might get out of it – and I
don't mean sexual experience.
It
was like she was hiring me for a job, no
different than if I was cleaning out her
basement."
"Then
you made the right decision,"
Magdalene
said, thinking that certainly sounded like
Coretta.
Still,
Magdalene couldn't help but wonder what
young Mr. Barnes was getting out of the
deal.
"So
do you feel better now?"
Magdalene
asked, waiting for a bit longer to be sure
he had gotten it all out of his system.
"Yeah,
I guess I do,"
Riley
said.
"Good,
I'm glad,"
Magdalene
replied.
"Well,
I guess I'd better get back to the couch so
you can get some sleep,"
Riley
said as he started to shift on the bed.
He'd
only moved a few inches when the press of
Magdalene's hand on his bare arm caused him
to pause.
"Riley,
wait a second,"
Magdalene
said,
"You
don't have to go."
"Excuse
me?"
he
said.
"What
I mean is, the couch is alright in a pinch,
but it's really not as comfortable as the
bed,"
she
added, not removing her hand as she spoke.
"I'm
not sure that would be a good idea,"
Riley
said after a few long moments thought.
"You
think something might happen?"
Magdalene
asked.
"I…
I just think that maybe it would just be
better if I went back out on the couch,"
Riley
replied.
"I
guess you could do that,"
Magdalene
said, her words coming as more of a surprise
to herself than Riley,
"but
if you did, I think that come the morning
we'd both think we'd let something wondrous
slip through our fingers."
"I
don't understand,"
Riley
said, confusion in his voice.
"I
can't say I've really thought this out as
much as I probably should,"
Magdalene
went on, "but if I did that, it would be
days before I came up with an answer, and
even then I wouldn't be totally sure it was
the right one.
But
by then, you'd have already gotten on a
plane and be three time zones away.
I
guess what I'm saying is, all I can go by
right now is instinct, and that's telling me
that I want you to stay."
"Are
you saying…"
"I'm
saying I want you to spend the night with
me, sharing the things that men and women
share, and to hell with the world outside –
it can take care of itself."
"I
don't know what to say,"
Riley
managed to stammer out.
"Say,
yes."
"Yes,
yes, oh God, yes,"
he
repeated as he leaned over and kissed her
softly.
Deep
inside Magdalene, a small voice cried out
that what they were doing was oh so wrong –
but it was a rapidly receding voice, soon to
disappear.
-=-=-=-=-
The
softness of Magdalene's lips was something
Riley had dreamt about since he was thirteen
years old.
He
was elated to discover that the reality of
them was even better than his imagination.
As
her tongue slipped deep inside his mouth,
the teen got an even greater thrill as he
felt her right hand slide from the back of
his neck, down across his chest, until it
came to rest between his legs.
"Oh
God, Magdalene!"
he
moaned as he felt her fingers press against
the hardening cock in his pants.
Slowly
she moved them back and forth as her kisses
became more passionate.
Riley
returned them with equal fervor as his
hand
cupped and massaged one of her breasts.
Neither
felt a need to rush, desiring to enjoy every
moment they had together.
Bodies
pressed against each other, hands moving up
and down them.
The
warmth of the tiny fires they produced
spread outward, merging and rising in
intensity.
Her
head resting against his upper chest,
Magdalene brought her right hand upward and
slipped it under the bottom of his shirt,
running her fingers across his smooth,
almost hairless chest, caressing his nipples
as they passed over them.
Excited,
Riley grabbed the bottom of his undershirt
and pulled it over his head, dropping to the
side once it cleared.
It
had barely done so before, after running her
hand across his flesh one more time,
Magdalene replaced the touch of her fingers
against his nipples with that of her mouth.
Magdalene
rolled her tongue across the tips, causing
them to harden in anticipation.
At
the same time, she dropped her hand back
down between his legs, again massaging his
now fully erect manhood.
Her
mouth traversed his chest, leaving a trail
of soft kisses and wet licks, alternating
between his torso and his mouth as she used
her other hand to pull it down within reach.
If
this was a dream, and that possibility did
occur to both of them, neither wanted to
wake up.
At
least not until they had done all that they
might dare to dream of.
Riley
took hold of the woman above him and rolled
her, moving his body with hers until he was
now above.
He
kissed her, then ran a hand down the length
of her body, starting at her shoulder and
going all the way down her leg.
Then
he brought it back again, stopping at her
waist where he undid the laces that held her
pajama bottoms in place.
Once
they loosened, it took little effort to
slide them down and off her.
Placing
a hand on each ankle, Riley brought his arms
upward, running his fingers against the
smooth flesh of Magdalene's well developed
legs.
Riley
spread her legs wide, climbing into the
space between them to get a close view of
her reddish brown covered mound.
It
was a sight he had only seen that day in the
backyard, but one he had dreamed about
constantly since.
Especially
since, unknown to Magdalene, he had improved
his view that afternoon with the high
powered binoculars he had gotten for his
previous birthday.
While
Riley paused to admire her pussy, Magdalene
hurriedly undid the buttons of her top,
uncovering her bare breasts.
Magnificent
as the younger man always thought them to
be, he only gave them a brief glance before
pressing his face hard against her sex. The
sweet scent of her womanhood was nearly
overwhelming as he first kissed her mound,
then pressed his tongue upward toward her
clit.
"Ohhhh!"
Magdalene
moaned as she felt the wet tip brush against
her most sensitive of places.
Without
any hesitation, Riley began to move his
tongue back and forth, using it, his mouth
and his fingers to demonstrate a skill and
dexterity that the older woman hadn't
imagined him capable of.
He
might indeed have had only limited
experience, but the lessons he had learned
he had taken to heart.
Leaning
back against the pillows, Magdalene, a
breast in each hand, squeezed them tightly,
playing with her nipples as she added her
own contribution to her pleasure.
Then,
leaving one hand to continue, she reached
downward with the other.
She
ran her fingers across the back of his head,
whispering soft encouragements as he
continued to amaze her.
The
delightful waves his efforts produced were
nearly the equal of previous lovers, and she
could only imagine what he would be like
when he was older.
But
that thought was quickly tossed aside as she
reminded herself that tonight was going to
be all they had – so better to concentrate
on what was, and not what might someday be.
In
time, how long Magdalene couldn't be sure as
she was concentrating more on the
satisfaction he was bringing than the
ticking of the clock, Riley pulled back from
his task.
Not
because he had grown tired of it, but rather
because he was eager to move on to greater
delights.
He
lifted himself from between Magdalene's
legs, high enough so that he could kiss her
mouth, then down again as he shifted his
attention to her luscious mounds.
"Oh
sweetie,"
Magdalene
murmured as one of her nipples disappeared
into Riley's mouth, his tongue demonstrating
the same nimbleness as it had shown between
her legs.
Eager
hands cupped the underside of her breasts as
he alternated between them, kissing and
nibbling at the rich bounty again.
At
the same time, Magdalene managed to use her
hands to undo the clasp and belt of Riley's
pants, slipping one hand inside to close
around his cock.
The
hard flesh felt warm in her hand and a quick
estimate of its dimensions testified that he
was fully grown.
She
played with it a bit, bringing a smile to
Riley's face.
Then
she removed her hand in order to let him
slide off the bed and take his pants totally
off.
His
boxer briefs quickly followed as Magdalene
took the pause to discard the now hanging
top – leaving both of them now bare.
Riley
climbed back onto the bed, kneeling down in
the gap between Magdalene's outstretched
legs.
She
leaned forward and kissed his chest,
reaching around him to grab his ass with one
hand while the other fondled his balls.
Riley
stroked her long hair, tilting her head back
to kiss her before she shifted her focus to
the prize in hand.
Her
fingers closed around the shaft of his cock,
guiding it into her waiting mouth.
A
feeling of wet warmth engulfed Riley's
manhood as her lips wrapped around it,
providing the fulfillment of a hundred
nights' imaginings.
It
was hardly his first blow job, girls at his
school ranked them as little more than extra
heavy petting – but it was the one he most
fantasized about.
Slowly,
lovingly, Magdalene slid his cock deeper
into her mouth, determined to make it as
memorable as possible.
She
knew she was far from the first woman to
have done this to Riley – he had confided to
her that Kathy Mullins had gone down on him
after his thirteenth birthday party – but
she wanted this time to be the one he always
remembered.
Riley
tilted his head back, his eyes tightly
closed as he tried to memorize each and
every little sensation.
Soft
moans filled the air as Magdalene pumped his
cock in and out of her mouth, her lips and
tongue stroking the bare flesh.
While
she worked her oral magic, one hand
continued to stroke the underside of his
package, adding to his enjoyment.
Several
times, Riley was sure he was about to lose
control, the pressure building within him
too great to hold back.
Yet
each time that happened, Magdalene seemed to
know exactly when to slow down, or even
stop, to prevent it.
That,
the young man would realize later, was the
difference
between being with a girl and a woman.
It
was that same experience that warned
Magdalene that there was only so many times
she could put his climax off.
Eventually,
youthful desire would just take control.
She
opened her mouth wide and let his hardness
slip out of it, running her tongue along its
length one last time.
Then
she rose just high enough to kiss him
deeply, after which she whispered into his
ears the words he'd never imagined he'd ever
hear.
"Riley,
I want you to fuck me,"
she
said, six little words that caused his heart
to skip a beat.
Rolling
onto her side, Magdalene raised a bent left
leg, inviting Riley to enter her from
behind.
Quickly
sliding up against her, the sandy haired
teen took hold of his cock and placed its
head against the opening of her pussy.
Carefully,
he slipped it past the folds and just inside
her sex.
He
just as carefully pulled it back, the motion
executed with precise care.
"You
don't have to go slow,"
Magdalene
offered after issuing an gratifying moan.
"I'm
not going to break."
All
of the high school girls Riley had gone all
the way with had insisted on him taking it
slow and easy, despite only one having been
a virgin and another having a school wide
reputation of lifting her skirt with casual
ease.
But
those had been girls, Riley told himself,
and Magdalene was a woman, a woman who knew
what she wanted and one that he was
determined to please.
His
next thrust was faster, more forceful, and
the one after that even more.
He
held her uplifted leg tightly as he slammed
his cock hard into her, the rightness of
what he was doing proven by cries of delight
and support from Magdalene.
She
grabbed her left breast and pressed it
against his mouth, letting him suck on her
even as he continued to fuck.
He
alternated between kissing her breast and
her lips, both close enough to reach without
stopping what he was doing.
Holding
him tight against her with one hand,
Magdalene used the other to play with her
clit, an example Riley followed as he
released his hold on her leg and moved that
hand to her unattended breast.
Despite
his shifting of attention, he continued to
fuck her without pause.
"It's
so good,"
Riley
sighed.
'It's
going to get better,"
Magdalene
promised.
Back
and forth they rocked, shifting positions in
response to the frequency and volume of the
other's moans.
Then,
unexpectedly, Magdalene slid off and out
from under Riley.
In
almost the same motion, she pressed him down
on the bed and assumed a position over him
the sex book he once studied intently
would've identified as female superior.
Before
he could even react, she had his cock in
hand and was already guiding it back inside
of her.
Whatever
words he might have said were cut off by the
press of her mouth against his, even as she
began to slide up and down on his rigid
pole.
It
took a moment for Riley to remember what he
needed to do, his actual experience having
been limited to missionary position or in
one case, doggie style.
But
once he recalled what he'd read back then,
he went at it with great enthusiasm.
The
pace of their lovemaking alternated between
frantic abandon, with Magdalene's breasts
bouncing in every direction, and slow,
deliberate strides, during which Riley could
give those beautiful mounds the loving
attention he'd always thought they deserved.
It
was during the last of those slow dances
that Magdalene again whispered in his ear,
"Fuck me from behind, I really love that."
Riley
was more than happy to oblige.
Again
they quickly changed position, with
Magdalene burying her face in the sheets and
raising her bottom as high as it would go.
She
had barely gotten into place when she felt
her eager-to-please lover slipping back
inside of her, gripping her thighs tightly
as he pressed forward with all his strength.
Magdalene's
moans were the loudest yet, spurring him
onward.
Sweat
covered both their bodies, testament to the
rising tides within.
Riley
was also nearly beyond speech, limited to a
repetitious chorus of…
"Yes…yes…oh,
yes."
Even
with his limited knowledge, Riley knew that
Magdalene wasn't far from orgasm.
How
he'd held his own in check this long was a
mystery to him.
One
thing he was sure of: he wanted to look into
her eyes when she crossed the finish line.
For
a brief moment, Riley feared that desire
might prove his undoing as, during their
change of position, he felt the last of his
reserve
finally
slipping from his grasp.
Nothing
would be more anticlimactic, he felt, than
just splattering it all over the sheets. Thankfully,
Magdalene understood what he was doing and
added her own movements to his effort,
helping him get back inside her before it
faded completely.
Magdalene
was also teetering on the edge and, with
their faces only inches apart and their
bodies locked in a classic missionary stance
– her own barriers fell asunder.
Her
body quaked with almost frightening
intensity, the expression on her face one of
pure bliss.
It
was an image that Riley knew he would carry
with him forever.
"Now
you,"
Magdalene
suddenly said,
"I
want to see it."
His
desired goal achieved, Riley was delighted
to finally bring it all to a close.
He
pulled out of her for the last time and,
with only a touch of his hand, exploded all
over Magdalene, thick droplets of white
splashing across her stomach and breasts.
Then,
totally drained, Riley fell onto the bed
next to Magdalene, too tired to even raise
his arms.
Out
of the corner of his eye, Riley could see
Magdalene run an extended finger across her
breast, covering the tip with the fruits of
his efforts.
He
watched in fascination as she brought the
finger up to her lips and, extending her
tongue, licked it clean.
"Was
it okay?"
Riley
heard himself ask, a small bit of
uncertainty prompting the question.
"Okay?"
Magdalene
repeated, lifting herself up so that Riley
could more easily see her face.
"Kid,
you done great."
Grammatically
incorrect as it might have been, it was the
most pleasing compliment that Riley had ever
received.
A
thought that stayed with him as he closed
his eyes and fell fast asleep.
-=-=-=-=-
Riley
awakened to the ringing of his cell phone,
the particular ringtone causing him to jump
naked out of bed and to scramble for the
pants he had left on the side of the bed.
Also
awaken by the sound, an equally naked
Magdalene sat up in bed, making no effect to
cover herself as she watched her young guest
anxiously pull the phone out of his pocket.
"Dad?"
he
said as he hit the button to accept the
call, glancing back at Magdalene with a
silent appeal that she not say anything that
might be overheard.
"Riley,
where the hell are you?"
said
a voice loud enough to be heard by both of
them.
"I
called your mother's apartment and she said
you didn't come home last night."
"I..
I er.. spent the night with a … friend,"
Riley
managed to finally stammer out, noting the
smile on Magdalene's face as he did.
"A
friend, huh?"
James
said.
"Well,
I hope she was worth it."
Riley
took a deep breath, regaining his composure.
He
was tempted to respond to his father's
comment but decided the less said about last
night the better.
"Did
you bring those papers over to Magdalene's
last night like you were supposed to?"
the
older Mr. Brooks asked, his attention
shifting back to the reason for his call.
"Did
she sign them?"
"Yes,
dad, I did, and she did,"
Riley
replied, trying not to stare at Magdalene's
breasts as she shifted over to the edge of
the bed to better hear the other side of the
conversation.
"I
told you I'd take care of it."
"Yeah,
I guess you did,"
James
said.
It
was at that moment that Riley had to almost
bite down on his lip so as not to react as
Magdalene reached out and ran two extended
fingers along the underside of his now
deflated, but still impressive cock.
He
looked at her sternly, only to be met by a
impish grin.
"What,
dad?"
Riley
asked into the phone, having been distracted
enough not to have head what was just said.
"I
said that Amanda and I are already at the
airport,"
James
repeated. "Our flight is scheduled to leave
in an hour.
I
just wanted to make sure everything was
done."
"Everything
is taken care of, dad,"
Riley
said.
"You
have nothing to worry about."
An
unexpected silence suddenly filled the
phone's speaker, one that stretched to first
ten, and then fifteen seconds.
Riley
thought that perhaps they'd lost their
connection, or more likely, having gotten
the information he'd called for, his father
had simply hung up.
"How'd
she take it?"
James
Brooks asked as he suddenly came back
online, his tone now one of uncharacteristic
sympathy
"Excuse
me?"
"Was
she upset?"
James
clarified.
"I
really hated to spring this on her at the
last moment, but Amanda was insistent."
'Is
he actually concerned?'
Riley
asked himself, realizing now that the gap in
the call had to have been James walking out
of hearing distance of his bride to be.
If
he really was regretful over his actions,
this had to be the first time he'd ever
heard him express it. Usually
his attitude was that as long as he got what
he wanted, damn the consequences to anyone
else.
"I
think she was okay, dad,"
Riley
answered.
"You
think?"
James
said, his voice returning to a more familiar
tone.
"I
mean, she didn't seem too upset,"
Riley
said, wondering what he expected him to say.
"So
she was upset then,"
James
quickly interjected, the inflection in his
voice giving Riley the impression that that
fact pleased him.
"Did
you at least spend some time with her
afterwards, or did you run off to meet your
'friend' as soon as you could?"
'What
kind of question was that?' Riley thought,
wondering what James had expected him to do
if she had been distressed.
Certainly
not what he'd actually done. Not knowing
what to say, he didn't say anything.
"Riley,
I want you to listen very carefully,"
James
said when he got no response to his
question, his tone now totally in
authoritative mode.
"You're
not old enough to realize that, regardless
of how she might appear on the outside, a
woman never takes rejection well.
Underneath
it all, she's probably devastated at being
replaced in my life."
'That
arrogant bastard!'
Magdalene,
listening to the conversation,
thought
and only managed not to say out loud through
a great deal of effort.
He
can only see this as all about him, as if
she was incapable of handling life without
him.
'So
much for empathy,'
Riley
thought at the same time.
"Now
I know, with this being your last weekend
before you head off to school, that you
probably had plans to hang out with your
buddies,"
James
continued,
"but
I want you to make the time to stop back and
check on Magdalene.
Make
sure that she's not depressed or anything
like that.
See
if you can take her mind off my getting
remarried, cheer her up if you can."
There
was an even longer pause as Riley considered
what his father had just said.
"Riley?"
the
voice on the speaker echoed.
"I'm
here, dad,"
Riley
replied.
"I
was just thinking."
"Do
you hear what I said?"
James
asked.
"Yes,
dad, I did."
'I
want you to take care of this for me,"
James
repeated in his 'I will be obeyed' voice.
"Not
a problem, dad, I'll take care of it,"
Riley
said, a wide grin slowly filling his face,
"my
friends can wait.
In
fact, I'll spend as many hours as it takes
before I leave to make sure that Magdalene
has a smile on her face when I do."
"Good
boy, I knew I could count on you,"
James
said as he brought the call to a close.
"Amanda
says they just announced our flight, so we
have to get going.
I'll
call you when we get back at the end of next
week."
Then,
his business concluded, James terminated the
call without another word.
It
took Riley a moment to realize that, having
been given his orders, he had been summarily
dismissed.
"As
many hours as it takes, huh?"
he
heard Magdalene unexpectedly ask, breaking
the silence.
"I
said that, didn't I?"
Riley
replied as he looked up from the phone and
back up at her, unsure how to interpret the
look on her face.
"You
do know that wasn't what we originally
agreed on,"
she
said, sternly reminding him that last night
was supposed to be a once in a lifetime
thing.
A
look of concern that he had overstepped his
bounds filled Riley's face.
"…but
seeing that it was practically an order,
well, I guess I'm going to have to let you
extend that agreement – at least for another
day,"
Magdalene
finished, her tone softening considerably.
"After
all, we do want your father to have a
carefree wedding day, don't we?"
"We
could think of it as our gift to him and
Amanda,"
Riley
suggested, his face now displaying a much
more satisfied expression.
"Well
then, my young friend, if that's going to be
the case, the clock is ticking and I think
you'd better get busy,"
Magdalene
laughed as she reached out and used one hand
to take the phone away from him and the
other to pull him toward her, their mouths
eagerly meeting somewhere in the middle.
END