I stood at the station, watching the train pull away and taking the last 4 years of my life with it. I had just graduated college and had come home to start in a position in my fathers' business. Well, not his business anymore since he died last year leaving everything to my mother. My mother, who had been little more than a necessary evil after he got her pregnant with me and was stuck marrying her. Not that either of them had been a big part of my life for the last 10 years, shuffling me off to a boarding school then an out of state college while they lived their lives.
"Ashley, there you are. Look how you've grown." I heard someone call out and turned to see Barbara, my mother walking down the platform toward me. She was dressed like I remembered her, in an outfit just a little too sexy for the occasion but she always managed to pull it off. She had gotten work done over the years and thanks to implants and Botox looked more like an older sister than my mother. She smiled a dazzling smile as she waved her tanning bed browned arm in wide arcs over her head in a childlike manner.
I smiled back and picked up my suitcase as I walked toward her. Despite everything, her bouncy attitude was infectious and I was soon wrapped in her arms as she gave me an affectionate hug and kiss on the cheek. "You look great mom; it is so good to see you again." I told her as she stepped back to hold me at arms length and get a good look at me.
"Wow, college life agrees with you, doesn't it?" she said and I shrugged my shoulders. I couldn't argue, where her tits were fake mine were real and I didn't need a bra to hold up my B cup breasts. I wasn't tanned in a bed, but had a healthy colour from hours of outdoor work and exercise. My hair was not touched up or styled like hers, but both of us had full heads of wavy chestnut brown hair. Hers was longer than I remembered, reaching half way down her back while mine hung just below my shoulders. Appearance wasn't something I was concerned with but from what my boyfriends had told me, I didn't need to worry about it either.
"Aren't you going to introduce us?" I heard a man say and looked over her shoulder to see an older man approaching us.
"Ashley, this is Dan. He was your father's senior accountant and has been helping me run the company." Mom said, reaching out to put her hand on his shoulder while he extended his arm out to shake my hand. He was taller than me, but that isn't unusual given my 5'4" stature. I shook his hand as I looked up at him.
"Pleased to finally meet you Ashley. Barbara has told me a lot about you and I have been working on finding you the proper position now that you are home." He said with a smile. I nodded in reply, a little unnerved by his tone. There was nothing obvious, but his smile was less of a polite greeting and more like something someone would have as they looked over a new car they were deciding to buy.
"Thanks Dan. I am looking forward to working with you to learn about the company I will be leading someday." I said. Let's make sure this relationship gets off on the right foot I thought. I will be your boss eventually I said to myself and was satisfied when I saw his eyes tighten a bit.
"Of course, Barbara said you were driven to succeed." He replied as he put his arm around my mother's shoulder. It seemed a little to familiar for an employee but mom always had that effect on people so I let it go. He took my bag and led us to a car, holding the door for me and my mother. He slid into the driver's seat and drove us home while we chatted in the back. When we got to the estate, he pulled the car up to the front door then stepped out to open the door for my mother and I. He reached down and took her hand, assisting her as she slid out of the back seat in her tight skirt and heels. She smiled up at him, then rose up on her toes to give him a kiss.
"Ashley dear, I suppose I should have told you earlier but Dan and I are dating. In fact, he and his son are living here in the guest house. It makes it so much easier when I have a question, and the place has been so empty since your father died."
I looked at them in surprise, this was unexpected but not out of character for my mother. She and my dad had been married at a young age but demands of work had meant that he was often away. In that time, I had seen a series of men come and go. One of the reasons she bundled me off to boarding school was that I was starting to ask uncomfortable questions. She always needed a man to take care of her so hooking up with Dan made sense in a kind of way. It didn't matter to me, dads will had stipulated that the company would fall to me once the Board decided I was experienced enough to take on the job.
"Well, I am glad you told me. This would have made dinner awkward." I said and they both laughed, but moms seemed a little forced and there was a nervous look in her eye as we climbed the steps to the door.
Dan carried my suitcase to my room and set it inside. The room hadn't been touched since I left and was stuck in the style of a 12 yr old girl with boy band posters and stuffed animals. I looked around and he shrugged.
"We didn't want to touch anything until you came home, we can re-decorate if you want." He said with a smile, that same appraising smile that sent a shiver up my spine.
"Thanks, it's fine for now." I said as I closed the door behind him. What was going on here, why was I so nervous. Sure, it had been years since I was home and mom was acting a bit weird, but there had been some big changes recently. Of course, things would be awkward as I worked my way back into the family and the business. I shook my head and started unpacking. I would need to do some shopping soon since my college wardrobe was not corporate appropriate.
At dinner, Dan introduced me to his son. "Ashley, this is Zack." He said as the boy walked into the room. I shouldn't say boy because Zack looked about 18 and shared Dan's tall build. Where Dan was broad, Zack was lean but both of them had the same dark hair and eyes. Unlike Dan, Zack was blatantly obvious in his opinion of me. I don't think his eyes rose above my chest for the entire meal and my attempts at conversation were always steered to what the party life at college was like.
"Zack just finished high school and can't wait to hit the big leagues, right son?" Dan said proudly.
"Fucking right dad." Zack replied around a mouthful of steak. "Booze, babes and basketball, can't wait."
Dan chuckled and looked over at me. "Freshman, what can I say?" and I smiled politely. Can't wait to see what he says when Zack comes back with his first semester report card I thought.
After dinner there was some more conversation as we took a walk around the estate so I could familiarize myself with the grounds again. The main house was fairly large with a detached guest house and garage. The pool and jacuzzi were there, but a basketball court had been added for Zack who was sure he was going to get a sports scholarship. I watched him practice and while he was good for high school, there was no way he was going to make a college team. He was more about the fancy layup and celebration dance than any real skill but you couldn't tell him that. It would be satisfying to see reality slap him in the face.
"Thanks for everything but I should get to bed. It was a long ride and I am still two time zones out of synch." I said as the sun started to set.
"Good night dear." Mom replied as she hugged me. "Sleep well."
"Yes, you will have a busy time ahead of you now that you are back. Get your rest, you will need it." Dan said as Zack smiled a suspicious smile. 'What was the matter with me' I thought as I slid between the covers. Sure, this isn't what I expected but this is nothing I can't handle. Tomorrow I will start setting down some ground rules, especially with Zack and soon everything will be fine.
I woke a couple of hours later, not sure what had jarred me out of my slumber. The house was dark and the noise of crickets and other night sounds drifted through the open window. I lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling listening to the quiet of the house.
