It started when Aunt Louise lost her husband. I was 14 at the time. Uncle David died in a workplace explosion. When you work in a warehouse that stores LNG, that's always a risk. My mom and dad moved her in with us: she didn't want to live in the house she had been residing in with David.
Louise was only in her mid-40's. After selling the house she had lived in with David and getting some financial compensation from his employer, she didn't need to work for a living. So she decided, since Mom and Dad both worked for a living, to supervise me and make sure I didn't get into trouble. "Not that I don't trust you, Nick. But you're a teenager, and teenagers often make bad judgments."
I wasn't thrilled, to say the least. Louise was everywhere I went, watching me like a damned hawk. She was about 5-foot-4 and perhaps 220 pounds. Having a short, chubby older woman around made it hard for me to have a social life. I hit a growth spurt and by my 16th birthday I was 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds of beefcake - no fat anywhere, just toned muscle.
Needless to say, that caught the attention of girls my own age. But every time I went out on a date (in high school, that usually means going to the local McFastFood or to some local event), Louise was there as chaperone. The most I was able to do was the occasional good-night kiss.
By the time my 18th birthday rolled around, midway through my senior year, I was getting a bit frustrated. Forget getting laid: I couldn't even get a girl's top off. Not because they didn't want to, but because Louise was ALWAYS freaking there. Well, at least Louise let me have my room and my magazines to myself. I went through plenty of tissues.
And then the life-altering event happened. About 2 weeks after I finished high school, my parents went out for a lovely dinner two towns over at a restaurant they adored. Apparently they both had a few too many cocktails.
The police report said that when the truck flattened Dad's car, killing him and Mom instantly, Dad was on the wrong side of the road going 80 in a 55 zone. The truck, unable to stop anywhere near in time, hit him head on. Dad had a BAC of 0.25: the definition of legally drunk in our state is 0.08. Mom's was 0.23, so giving the keys to her wouldn't have been much help.
The house passed to me. But I didn't give a flying fuck about that. I was absolutely crushed at the sudden loss of both my parents. Aunt Louise wasn't in much better shape emotionally: her brother and her sister-in-law had just been killed.
Louise plopped down on the couch with a sigh. I settled next to her. Neither of us said a word, we just cried. I ended up closing my eyes after crying myself out. When I regained consciousness, I had toppled sideways and my head was resting on Louise's chest. She had her arms around me and was asleep.
I lay still, not having the emotional energy to move, and kept my eyes closed. Eventually, Louise stirred to life.
"Nick?"
My voice sounded faint and ragged. "Yes, Louise?"
"It's 11 p.m. Time for bed."
I wearily levered myself off the sofa, and Louise did the same. We went to separate washrooms to wash up, brush our teeth, and put on our nightclothes (pajamas for me, a nightgown for her.)
"Nick?"
"What?"
"Can you do me a favor?"
"What favor?"
"Come sleep in my bed with me. I need the company. You probably do too."
She was right about that. We huddled together, holding each other, trying to come to grips with what had happened. Having her next to me eased things a bit.
When we woke, neither of us had the oomph to do anything other than eat some food and do our morning routine. We curled back up in the bed and spent the whole day huddled under the blankets, one if not both of us sniffling and crying. We eventually ate more food, only because our stomachs were demanding we do so. When nightfall came we fell asleep nestled together.
The next day, we summoned the emotional energy to take showers (separately) before drying off and getting back in our nightclothes. That and only eating when we were starving was all we could manage for the day, other than curl up and huddle under the blankets.
Another day passed like that, and another, and another. Louise didn't have the energy to actually go shopping, so she ordered some groceries online and had them delivered. Our mutual depression only seemed to deepen.
My grandfather took charge of arranging for the wake, funeral, etc. It took every ounce of energy I had to make it there. Louise and I had renewed bursts of tears, were unable to say a thing, and left as soon as we could to retreat to the bed and huddle under the covers.
We continued this pattern for a month before there was a change. Louise was holding me from behind and clinging to me like a life preserver, when I felt her lips press against the back of my neck.
"Louise?"
"What is it, Nick?"
"Are you kissing me?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because I'm sad and lonely and trying to overcome depression and you're in my arms and very handsome and I haven't had sex since David was still alive."
I rotated my body, still within her arms, so I could look her in the eyes. "I'm sad and lonely too, Louise, but I don't know if I'm emotionally ready yet for sex. My depression may need to lift a bit more."
"Well, no need to rush it." She held me close and brushed her lips against the side of my neck. I nestled closer to her and half-closed my eyes.
Louise respected the boundary I had set. She made no effort to do anything other than hold me close and nuzzle my neck. I put my arms around her and we fell asleep like that.
I realized when I woke up how comforting it was to be held by Louise. And how nice it was to have her soft, round body next to mine. She was actually pretty good looking. When we spent the day in bed. I kissed her cheek. And when we went to sleep, we shared a soft kiss on the lips.
A week later, we parted our lips for the first time and did an open-mouth kiss. Louise was a good kisser. I told her as much, and she smiled. "Plenty of experience."
Another week, and Louise came to bed naked. No nightgown.
"Are you trying to seduce me?"
"Maybe."
I held her close and kissed her neck. She let out a soft purr.
"You are very sexy, Louise."
"So, is my attempt to seduce you working?"
"Maybe."
Two weeks more, and I found Louise guiding my head downwards from her neck. My lips traversed her upper chest and then proceeded through her cleavage.
"Kiss your way up to my nipple."
"Yes, ma'am."
