Chapter 12 - Jed
Jed's mum was always first to pick her son up and last to drop him off at all the events The Clan were involved in. He knew why too, but after Jeremy's little talk Jed was that much more aware of the why. His mother was another Beth; evidently Elizabeth had been a popular name for girls around forty years ago. Jed's Beth and that's how he saw his mother, as his, picked him up early and dropped him off late because she wanted to spend as much time with him as possible, and he had always known this.
Jed had decided on which plan he would put into action as soon as Jeremy had suggested them. You see, Jed's mother had made sure they did everything together. From when he was only about ten tears old, he had been his mother's companion to all family events such as weddings. At first the family, on both sides, had thought this a little strange -- well actually some thought it was bloody strange.
A grown woman never going out with a man, never having a date to take her to these types of functions! However, they soon became use to it. Jed's father had left them when he was two years old, and the scuttle butt in his family, among Jed's cousins was his father found his mother too clingy, too smothering, she just wouldn't give him any space. For Jed, this is what life was with someone you loved. That's what love was all about; this was how you showed your love for someone.
As Beth pulled into the camp car park somewhat too quick as her car made the loose stones fly, Jed knew Plan A was for him. Hell, he could never accuse his mother of not having the closest of relationships with him, they couldn't be any closer. No, Plan B would come over like a con job, so it had to be Plan A -- and he reckoned he had the perfect scenario to test his mother.
He had realized as Jeremy spoke, that his mother fitted the given criteria by Dr. Abbotts. But he knew he had to have a plan, something to get the ball rolling as it were. The idea came to Jed soon after he had begun to think, when Jeremy had said the boys were to follow their mother's lead. Like Sean, Jed's Beth had done something a little out of the blue just before the camp, and to his mind she had been fishing sexually. Let me explain.
All the boys had arrived at camp in the late afternoon, all no later then 5.00pm and of course Jed arrived later at 6.00pm -- he had nearly missed the BBQ dinner. During the morning Jed had been sitting on the couch watching an old State of Origin game (National Rugby League), when Beth came in and sat next to him. She was always more clingy just before camp. Beth linked her arm in her son's as his eyes were glued to the TV, and asked him a very strange question. At first Jed thought he had heard wrong, and asked his mother to repeat her question.
"Darling, have you ever thought about a girl you want?"
For Jed it was not the question that was odd, but the emphasis his mother had placed on the word 'want'.
"How do you mean mum?" he asked and now his full attention was on his mother, and he paused the game.
"Well do you think about girls?" Again the emphasis.
"What do you mean 'want' and 'think' about girls? Come on mum spit it out."
"Well do you think about girls, you know... think about them?"
Beth was just a light shade of red now. Jed sat up and turned to his mother.
"No mum, you're going to have to be clearer. What are you on about?"
Beth smiled, as though she got the information she had wanted, and it was what she wanted to hear.
"Oh, it's ok darling, never mind."
With that she just sat and snuggled into her son as he went back to the TV, although he felt uneasy about whatever it was his mother was asking him.
A few nights into the camp, some of the boys began to ask the others if they thought about girls. Jed was all ears; maybe this had something to do with what his mother had been asking him. Then the penny dropped, as some of the boys ventured fantasies about different girls they knew. This went on for the rest of the camp, as each night different guys would take turns exciting the others with their fantasies.
Then on the last night after Jeremy's little talk, Daniel asked the question all the others were wondering. 'Who had fantasized about their mum?' The silence was deafening for some long seconds until Daniel spoke. He regaled the boys with his vivid fantasies of his mother Julia and himself. 'Man, they were hot', Jed had thought. Now he knew what his mother was on about, and a plan began to form in his mind and within a few minutes of refining, he had what he thought was the perfect plan. It would all revolve around fantasies.
Jed grinned as he walked toward his mother and she had her driver's door open in a flash to greet her son. Beth smothered him in her arms and kissed his cheek.
"Wow mum, careful you might start something you'll regret."
Beth let her son go, very surprised by his words and wondered what he meant, but before she could ask he hurried her up to leave. Bags in the boot, he quickly hopped into the front seat, while Beth wondered what was going on. Jed was never this enthusiastic to come home -- what had happened? She couldn't wait to find out. So as Beth drove them out of the car park she asked,
"So how was camp this year?"
Hoping her son would begin to open to her as he always did. This was just as Jed had hoped; to intrigue his mother with as little information so she would be in a receptive mood.
"Really good," he said enthusiastically and Beth wondered at his excited state.
"Why, what did you guys do that was so good?"
"Great talks, interesting information exchanged and an unexpected proposal." 'That certainly summed up the highlights', Jed thought and smiled.
'What was that?' his mother wondered catching his smile as she was supposed to. 'What had gone on this year? What had the guys gotten up to? I know; the girls' camp across the creek from the guys. Yes that was it, she told herself. But how could she ask him? I can't just blurt it out like some jealous girlfriend -- oh my, is that how I feel?' She was surprised by her response to her son.
"You care to elaborate?" 'That sounded like an ordinary question', Beth told herself; at least she hoped it sounded ordinary.
"Yeah." That was it, Jed said nothing more. 'Damn', Beth thought, I'll have to do this bit by bit.
"Come on Jed, what's gotten into you?" But rather than answer he asked in turn.
"Hey mum, remember what you asked me just before I left, you know, I didn't understand what you meant at the time. Yet, after what happened on camp I know what you meant. You were asking me if I had thought about girls... remember?"
Now Beth felt as if she were in the hot seat and not her son. He had turned the tables beautifully.
"Did I ask you that?" Beth stalled for time.
"Ok if you don't want to know. And to think that I thought you were interested enough to hear everything I have to tell," Jed said and sighed for emphasis.
Beth was stunned. She didn't know what to say. Finally she said,
