Serendipity 23 Family Ties

Author's note: When this story began, I said that it was not meant to be "erotica" (or, Heaven forfend, pornography!). Instead, it is a love story. Several love stories, in fact. Of course, real love stories involve, or should involve, sex, and lots of it -- happy, joyous, thrilling and, occasionally, rough and raunchy sex. And, sometimes, sad -- even heartbreaking -- sex.

But a funny thing happened along the way. I found that the people in this story -- in

these

stories -- had lives, and that these lives might in fact be every bit as interesting as the lurid details of their (numerous) sexual escapades.

In particular, I wondered what life between a stunning-but-"sixty-something" widow and her thirty-something recently-widowed husband would be like? Or about when parents discover that a brother and sister's "fooling around" might be a whole lot more than just a matter of adolescent hormones?

And what I discovered was that these lives were rich and complex, and filled with many things in addition to their varied and numerous methods of coupling.

But -- don't despair! In Georgia's words, they "still fuck like bunnies!"

XXIII − Family Ties

[I just had a thought -- I might have to change some of the "details" of this part of the story to please my editor (the young people tell me he's what's called "

The Man

").]

I haven't written much about the children, mainly because this part is supposed to be about "Ted and I." (Or is it "Ted and Me"? I think grammatical cases can be made for both versions, don't you?)

Anyhow, I discovered that I loved every bit about being a mother again. I mean, I had no doubt -- no doubt at all -- that I would love being mother to Caleen and Eddie and Shana. I guess I just didn't realize

how much

I would enjoy it.

Anyhow -- how can I describe being a mother again -- this time, of three?

Let me put it as plainly as possible: I wake up every morning looking forward to the privilege of being the mother to these three children.

Remember that we -- that is, Caleen and Eddie and I -- started out by being "playmates," I guess you'd say, when Candace and Ted brought them all up for Lauren's and Matt's wedding. And I kind of did a stint as their mother

pro tem

during the three weeks that Candace was away in the Netherlands on a business trip and they invited me up to care for them. [Well, you know how those three weeks turned out, don't you!]

But now, Candace and Ted had entrusted me with the responsibility of being the real, full-time, no-excuses mother to them. And I love them. I love that they were Candace's children (and always will be), and that she trusted me enough to turn over her responsibilities to me when she wasn't able to ... wasn't able. And I love them because they're Ted's, and I don't have to explain to you why that's important. And also, it's because there's some of Ted in each of them, and that's a very good thing.

And I love them because they love me. I don't know how or why, but for some reason, from the very beginning, Caleen and Eddie thought that I was the most wonderful grownup in the world (besides their Mommy, of course); and they made sure to convey this information to Shana just as soon as she was old enough to grasp it.

Don't get me wrong -- they weren't perfect little angels, and everything wasn't all sunshine and lollipops and rainbows and unicorns. There were squabbles, and failures to do chores, and "Why? Because I'm your mother and I said so, that's why!" moments. And the usual spilt glasses of milk because they were horsing around at the table. And the occasional bouts of moodiness. You know the story with kids.

And there was Eddie's broken arm when he got thrown off a merry-go-round at the playground, and the time Caleen had a fever of 104, and the trip to the emergency room when Shana had a nosebleed that we couldn't stop. And the time that Caleen got expelled from school for three days for punching a boy (a foot taller than she) because he'd teased Eddie 'til he cried. (When she was little, Caleen was tiny, and blond, and curly, and cute, and she resembled nothing so much as a young Shirley Temple. But she could be absolutely fierce.)

And at the end of every day, I loved every bit of it.

As parents, Ted and I were incredibly lucky. We had a nice home, in a good neighborhood, and just a few hundred feet away from "family" -- Lauren and Matt and "Little Paul" -- my great-grandson; and James and Mai, and Janey, Ben, and Christiana. The children's playmates were great kids from wonderful families. We didn't have a single worry about who our children were spending their time with.

Caleen was very much like her mother. All three of the children had Ted's steadiness and considered patience, but beyond that, Caleen was like a little Candace. She was petite like Candace, and would probably end up within an inch or two of Candace's 5'-2", with Candace's features and curly blond hair. And like her mother, she was smart as the dickens, excelled in school work, and was the joy of all her teachers.

But most of all, she has Candace's perpetual enthusiasm and optimism and good heart and generous spirit. So many times, I have to stop and remember that I'm talking to Caleen, and not to her mother. And like her mother, she's very responsible, and she often takes a role in helping me manage Eddie and Shana. In fact, we're more often like 'partners' than mother-and-daughter.

And we talk about her mother a lot. Candace is a constant presence in our lives. Not just the photographs and the souvenirs, of course. We speak of her almost like she wasn't dead -- more like she's a family member who lives a very long way away, that's all. And in fact, when I find myself unsure as to how to handle a situation, I often help myself by "talking to" Candace. And you know what? She's never steered me wrong.

Everyone played with everyone, but there has always been a particular closeness between Caleen and Lauren and Matt's Paul -- my great-grandson. When they were younger, she was the 'big sister,' and he was the tag-along 'little brother.' But as they got older (and Paul began to realize his genetic height potential), they started to relate on more of a peer basis. They did everything together, they helped each other with chores and with school work, and, most interestingly, they seemed to be able to take turns being the leader. And without us even being aware of it, they had somehow managed to hit upon an arrangement where they functioned as partners. We grown-ups frequently speculated on where this relationship was headed.

Eddie is -- Eddie. He's a good-looking little boy who's sweet, and kind, and considerate, and always concerned about the well-being of others. He's easy-going, had relatively few tantrums in the early years, and, generally, "went with the flow." He's the one who most resembles Ted physically, with the same build and the same (often shaggy) sandy brown hair. He's good at the usual games and sports, but not great. In the early years, he was not the one who would get chosen first for teams, but he was usually third or fourth. Later in school, he made the baseball and basketball teams, but he was by no means a "star."

He does well in school, but he was never a standout like Caleen. He's pretty much a steady B student, and that's OK. He does seem to have Ted's artistic talents, though. Eddie was always interested in what his Dad was doing, and Ted was always very good (and patient) with him, first showing Eddie what he was working on, and now, teaching him how to use graphic design programs -- from

Microsoft Paint

to

Adobe Illustrator

-- that Ted regularly uses in his work. It turns out that Eddie is a quick study, and he and Ted really love working together. I can't begin to tell you how happy it makes me to see them like that -- it's almost like there's a new Ted in the making.

And he's the most affectionate. From the very beginning, he was always hugging me, and he was the one who snuggled hardest and tried to get in closest when we were all in bed. Eddie was always the cuddlebear and the snugglebunny.

And Shana? She is perhaps the most "interesting." Her features more resemble Ted's than they do Candace. Unlike Caleen's long, curly blond hair, hers is brown like Ted's and usually cut straight and sort of short, and she basically looks like the classic tomboy. She is quieter than Caleen and Eddie, and she does well in school but she's not a stand-out. She thinks about things a lot, and she often surprises us with her observations about family and other people and, now, about current events and science and politics.

And she is

practical

-- almost militantly so. She analyzes every problem and quickly homes in on the most efficient solution, but she is also ready to dismiss insignificant matters as being just that. And she is quick to question "the way things are always done." For example, when she was four, she asked me, "Momma, why do we set the table with the fork and knife and spoon the way we do?" For the next month, she experimented with different ways of laying out the utensils, trying to find a way she thought was more sensible. (And when she determined that there was no way that was demonstrably better, she resumed using the traditional set-up.)

Shana's not a joiner. Caleen was always bubbly and outgoing and made friends with everyone. She played volleyball, later was on the softball and track teams, and now, band. Eddie gets along with everyone, of course, and there are boys − a few girls − that he plays with regularly, and sometimes they have dinner at each other's houses or go places with each other's families. Shana, on the other hand ... she's not exactly "standoff-ish," but she's not particularly interested in making friends, either, and normal classroom activities seem to provide all the socialization she needs. The one person she does care about is her older brother. From the very start, she adored Eddie and always tried to go where he was going and do what he was doing. And Eddie, because he's Eddie, did his best to make sure that his little sis never got left out.

********

[ I know, I know! I'm getting to it! You young people are so impatient.

Actually, I'm trying my very best to describe these people so you'll be able to get a good picture of them in your minds, for when the time comes. Trust me -- you'll thank me! ]

********

One of the things I had forgotten about the joys of being a mother was the mixed "pleasure" of parent-teacher conferences. Of course, my Sofia had been a happy, easy child and a good student, so P-T conferences were always favorable experiences.

Now, with three kids in school right now, Ted and I get to hear the different perspectives from different teachers about Caleen and Eddie. Their teachers told us that Caleen was cheerful, and polite, and very smart -- and

very

well organized. And we got to hear that Eddie was incredibly sweet, and kind, and smart -- but didn't always "apply himself" to his school work -- but his teachers weren't worried, "because boys are often a little behind girls when it comes to that sort of thing."

In fact, I got to know one of their teachers a bit -- Caleen's (and now Eddie's) first grade teacher, Mrs. Varner. We both shop at the same supermarket, and one time I ran into her and her husband (Bob? Bill? Biff?) at the Mall. She seems like a nice person, in addition to being a good teacher for Caleen, and now, Eddie.

Sometimes, when Ted or I have conflicting responsibilities, "Aunt" Lauren (and sometimes Uncle Matthew) attend the conferences for us. This was never a problem for the teachers, because the reports were generally very good and there were seldom any "issues."

And it was on one of these occasions when Lauren stood in for us that ... well, this is the way she related it to me:

LAUREN

"I'd already met with Eddie's teacher and was waiting for Caleen to get out of volleyball practice. The school secretary showed me to some chairs in the hallway and invited me to wait there while Caleen's team was finishing up. What I didn't realize at first was that the chairs were right outside the teachers' lounge, and thinking that the day was pretty much over and no one else was in the school, they had left the door open.

"I recognized the voice of Eddie's teacher -- the one I'd been talking with just a few minutes earlier. She said, 'I just met with Eddie Schmidt's aunt -- his mother let me know that she wouldn't be able to come in today and asked if his aunt could come this time. Since Eddie's doing fine, and I guess his aunt lives so close to them, I thought that would be OK. She seems quite nice, and genuinely involved with Eddie, and the other children, too.'

"Then I heard a second woman say, 'They do seem like a nice family, don't they? But, I mean, they're kind of unusual, too. I mean, Mr. Schmidt -- let's face it -- he's a hunk. And she -- Georgia -- she must be at least 15 years older than he is.'

[ I thought, "HA! Try 30!"]

"Then I heard a third voice say, 'She may be older, but she's still a very handsome woman.' Then, 'How did those two ever get together?'

"Eddie's teacher, Mrs. Varner, said, 'She and I run into each other at the supermarket a lot, and one time when we were stuck in a long line at check-out and just making conversation, I asked her. As I understand it, she's related to a college friend or roommate of the first Mrs. Schmidt -- a cousin or aunt or something.'

[Try grandmother]

"'Bill and I ran into her and Caleen once at the Mall, and according to Bill, forget about 'handsome' -- she's smoking hot.'

"The third teacher chimed in, 'Well, I won't argue with that, but did you ever notice how those two look at each other. I mean, they look at each other with -- I'm not sure what the best word is -- maybe with total "admiration." I mean, it's kind of like the way a devout Catholic might look at the Pope, or something. I'd give anything if Harold looked at me like that again.'

"'I don't think Bill

ever

looked at me like that.'

"They all laughed, but there was also a note of commiseration in their laughter. Then the second teacher's voice: 'Yeah, but there was this one time I saw them look at each other, and I'd swear, the look was like, 'Let's get these kids home and out to play so we can get into the bedroom and close the door!' They all laughed again.

[At this, I almost laughed out loud, because all of us who are around Ted and Georgia have seen

that

look -- lots of times!]

"'The way the kids are with them is kind of unusual, too. They seem to genuinely

respect

their parents. And I don't mean like kids who are brought up to "respect authority." It's more like they've decided ... like they've

researched

the whole thing, and they've come to the conclusion that their parents are the best people in the world.'

"'Well, they certainly seem to be a good family, and Eddie and Caleen are a delight, so something must be working OK.'

"'I still wish that Bill would look at me like that.'"

Grandma loved this story. I felt so happy for her and Ted.

********

*** NOTE: Some of the following content has been edited to comply with Literotica.com editorial policies. It may be possible to find more complete versions elsewhere on the Web. ***

Our life has been good. Well, wonderful, actually. It's gone so well -- and so quickly. In fact, Caleen is already in college. Eddie's working part-time with his dad and going to the local college, and even "little" Shana is 18 and graduates high school this year.

I usually try to be there when the kids get home, but one day I got delayed at the supermarket and ended up getting home about 45 minutes late. I was a bit surprised when I got home and no one seemed to be there yet. The very first thing I did was head for the bathroom, but after that I took advantage of the lull to put away the groceries, fold the bags, and pour myself a mug of the last of the morning's coffee.

Realizing I still had some "free" time on my hands, I started down the hall to the closet where we keep the vacuum cleaner. But as I passed Shana's room, I thought I saw something move. I quickly realized that what I was seeing was the reflection in the mirror mounted on the inside of Shana's closet door, which, as usual, was standing wide open. And what I saw stopped me dead in my tracks.

Because what I saw was Eddie, standing there with his camouflage-print pants down around his high-top sneakers and his shirt pulled up, and Shana kneeling in front of him with his penis in her mouth.

I did a double-take, and the very first thing on my mind was whether anyone was being forced into doing this. It didn't look like it to me. They were standing in the middle of the floor, and no one was being forced up against the bed or wall, and neither one seemed to be restraining the other -- except for the one hand that Shana had braced on Eddie's hip, and the other hand that was wrapped around his developing cock. And he must have been into it, too, because he had a nice little erection going.

I never wanted to think of myself as a voyeur of teenage porn, but I stood there, not moving or making a sound, practically mesmerized by what I was seeing in the mirror. The "mature" part of me knew that kids often "play doctor," usually with no enduring harm coming out of it (unless it's forced on someone). In fact, it's probably a universal -- well, maybe not universal, but a common part of childhood.

And at that point, I got a little lost in thought. What was Shana feeling right now? What was it like, with her hand enclosing Eddie's hard shaft, and the softness of the tip, and the smells of a boy? Was she using her tongue, too, to lick around that tip, and maybe to probe into the little hole at the end? And was Eddie able to come, and what would that taste like to Shana?

And it got me thinking about the first time I put a boy's cock into my mouth. And that's exactly what I did − I put my mouth on it -- I didn't know there could be anything else to do. I was about as old as Shana is now, but it wasn't long before I discovered that there was more you could do than just hold a cock in your mouth, and I learned how to "suck" a cock, and finally, how to masturbate my "boyfriend" with my hand until he came in my mouth. I can't remember what that was like, or what he tasted like, but I remember feeling very grown-up that I could do that to a boy.

What brought me out of my reverie was when I noticed that Shana didn't just have Eddie's cock in her mouth. As she bobbed her head up and down, she slid her hand -- well, her fingers -- back and forth on his cock in an honest-to-god milking motion. Where the hell did she learn

that

little bit of technique??

And then, there was the thing that Eddie was doing.

When I've given men blow jobs (far too many to even contemplate counting), I kind of get carried away, and I end up doing it like a porn star who's trying to win an adult film award. But Ted (and Matthew before) would do something special. They would gently place a hand on my head and tenderly stroke my hair, to let me know that they loved the nasty whore who was trying to swallow their cocks, and that she was precious to them.

And that's what I saw -- Eddie, with his hand on Shana's head, gently, tenderly stroking her hair. And it was then that I realized that I might be witnessing something more than just two developing young people playing doctor.

I was more than a bit stunned, but I had the presence of mind to think before I acted. And what I thought was, that since nobody appeared to be forced, things could wait until I had a chance to talk it over with Ted.