From the kitchen, Charlie could hear them at it again. His father's voice was raised, but his mother's was muffled. What was it this time? Complaints about the money she spent, the food she cooked, how she kept house, how she raised her son? It could have been any of those things. Charlie had heard all the arguments before.
It hadn't always been this way, though. He could remember when they had seemed to be such a loving couple, but in the last 3 years, with his dad Bryon's business not prospering, his drinking had gotten worse. Now, it was rare for a day to go by without some argument or another breaking out. Charlie's sympathies were definitely with his mom, Linda. She had gotten a job and was now contributing as much to household income as Bryon, which may have had the effect of making things worse with her husband, who was now feeling even more inadequate.
Charlie had always been closer to his mom than he was to his dad, even in better days. She was home taking care of him while Bryon worked long hours to build up his business. She talked him through his first teenage heartbreak, comforting him with hugs and kisses. He had trusted her enough to tell her things that no one else knew, and she had always protected his secrets and never showed disapproval. Linda had believed in being straight with him, treating him as an adult and a friend, not as a child. No guilt was ever inflicted upon him, and at 19, he was well adjusted and generally happy, despite the tense atmosphere at home.
Charlie dated some, but he had inherited some of his father's drive to succeed, so most of his time was spent working and going to the local college. He was a good student and a hard worker, and people generally liked him. Charlie was very ordinary looking, and he seemed to blend into the crowd at parties. It didn't help that Charlie was very shy around girls.
Oh, he liked girls all right. It was just hard for him to make the connection and spark their interest. So he spent quite a bit of his free time doing what young men without women generally do for amusement. He played with his own built-in amusement park. This was something he had confided to Linda years before, and she had encouraged him to enjoy himself that way. It was natural, she had said, and far preferable to experimenting in the chancy world of sluts and prostitutes.
Today, though, he'd not had time for any such enjoyment. He had been going since before sunup, with hardly a bathroom break at work or at school. As he fixed a sandwich to the sound of the row going on in the den, Charlie felt an awareness of his crotch that always preceded his nightly sessions alone in his bed. Wouldn't it be nice for a change to have some real pussy?
Before that thought was even complete, a clear image of his mother's body passed through his brain, and Charlie shivered involuntarily. He remembered the feel of her holding and comforting him on the couch when he'd been down about something, or again when things had been good and she was celebrating his good mood with him. She had never been slutty, but she was also not shy about touching and rubbing up against him. Many times, she'd spoken of holding him as a baby, her only son. And she was the perfect image of a mother, with wide child-bearing hips and an ample bosom. Her face was so motherly she could have played one on TV.
Only her red hair would set her apart from all the other prototype mothers in the world. Charlie never got tired of touching it, admiring its color and curl, as it spilled around her shoulders and onto her upper chest. She had that pale, lightly freckled skin characteristic of true redheads, and Charlie often wondered if it she could pass the other test for a true redhead. The thought of red pussy hair gave him the chills.
Charlie had only eaten part of his sandwich when Linda came in from the den, her eyes moist and downcast. She walked over to him and he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close.
"What's the matter, mom?"
"I'm not coping with his mood tonight. I think this is the last straw. I need to get out of here for awhile," she answered.
"Let's go then. I'll tell him I'm taking you to the store," he said.
"Can you really go? I know you have things to do, don't you?"
"Nothing's more important than you, Mom," said Charlie.
And so Charlie made excuses to his dad, who by then had gotten involved in a baseball game and seemed glad to see them go. Charlie and Linda climbed in his SUV and pulled out of the driveway. It was about 9 o'clock and dark, and Charlie sensed that Linda just wanted to drive around and talk. She sniffled a bit, describing the latest argument. As she talked she seemed to relax a bit. She reached over and took Charlie's right hand, which was on the seat and held it to her face.
"Thanks for taking care of your old lady," she said. "I really need a friend."
"Nonsense," said Charlie. "You're not old, and besides, I haven't had a date for awhile. I can use the practice."
"Practice doing what?" she kidded. "I'll bet you still get plenty of practice with your own 'toys'."
"Oh, that's a low blow. I mean, that's hitting below the belt. Uh, I mean... Hey, everything I say sounds like some bad pun."
Linda chuckled. It was good to hear her laugh. They really did have a close relationship. How many 19 year olds can joke with their mothers about sex?
"So, when you do have a date, where do you take them to make out?" Linda asked.
"It's been so long, I don't remember."
"Come on, you remember!"
"Okay, you want me to show you?" Charlie retorted.