"He said what?!!"
Jo spluttered over her coffee in shock. We met here every week, determined to keep in touch. We'd known each other since our university days ended 18 years ago when I was pregnant with Mikey. I laughed and told her the details. We had moved to a new home, complete with en-suite bathrooms. Not liking the decor downstairs, we redecorated and my husband, Tony, had to rearrange the furniture. Mikey had helped in moving the piano but sprained his wrist. The swelling had gone down, but it was still painful.
I took him a coffee this morning before I left to meet Jo. I asked him how his wrist was today.
"It's still a little painful, thanks."
"Well, I'm sure it will be okay when you go back to school after the break" I said, trying to cheer him up. Then it came.
"Mom…it's been a week since I…uh…was able to…okay, I have to say it…a week since I was able to masturbate…and it's so frustrating."
We had always been open and honest with Mikey, but I was still surprised when he told me. I looked at him, not knowing what to say.
"It's okay Mom, forget I said anything. It's not important."
I knew it must have been difficult for him to mention. I smiled and told him it was okay.
"I understand, Honey…I know it must be hard for you."
We both realised my faux pas at the same time and laughed. The tension broken, it made it easier for him to continue.
"I can barely hold myself without pain in my wrist."
"Have you tried your left hand?" I asked, wondering if I was being helpful.
"It's barely better than useless…I can't write with it…I thought I might be able to…but I can't get…how can I say…I can't get the timing right."
"I see…" I began, not knowing how to continue.
"So, Mom…I was wondering if…I mean...would it be okay…"
He didn't finish his sentence. I tried to guess what he wanted. Perhaps he wanted Zoë, his girlfriend, to come over and give him a hand so to speak!! But then I remembered things were not too good between them right now. He picked up where he left off. "Would you do it for me, Mom…please; would you help me?"
I felt for him, I really did. But I couldn't say "Yes." I didn't say "No," either.
Jo looked at me, not knowing whether I was joking.
"Let me get this straight…you told him ‘maybe'?"
"Not exactly…I'm not sure really…it was kind of unfinished."
"I could help," offered Jo with a wink. "You probably don't realise, but Mikey is very handsome!!"
I wasn't sure if she was serious, but I didn't respond to her offer. I recalled how forward Jo had been in our Uni days; a bit of a man-eater if truth be told. However, she was right. I hadn't really thought about it before, but now, driving home, I began to think of my son in a different way. There was no doubt about it; Mikey is handsome. I knew he'd had plenty of girlfriends and I also knew he was a virgin. Well, whenever he talked about them, he said they had not gone all the way and I had no reason to disbelieve him. In fact, this was the problem with Zoë…she wanted them to do it. He hadn't felt totally committed to her, as a week into their relationship, she admitted to fucking another guy after he and Zoë had already been on a couple of dates together.
The more I thought about him as I drove on, the more I began to think he was sexy too. All those girls saw something and I tried to see him through their eyes. I could see it too. It made me think of Tony when we were younger. I really had the hots for him…I still do. But we were careless and I got pregnant too soon. Don't get me wrong, I don't have a single regret…but the fact is it wasn't planned. I was glad Mikey was being careful. But now I was thinking if I could help him. Could I really masturbate him? Actually manipulate his cock for him so he came!
When he was 8, Mikey broke his arm. I often had to help him undo his fly and help him go to the bathroom. That involved handling his penis, didn't it? So what's the difference? I saw one immediately; back then it was his penis. Now I was thinking in terms of his cock! My son wanted me to handle his cock. To actually make him ejaculate! No…I was exaggerating; He didn't want me to do it…he needed me to do it. He was suffering and I, as his mother, was in a position to help him. After all, it wasn't as if he was asking to have sex with me was it?
Huh? How on earth did I get to that?!