Katherine Elizabeth Grace turned her Lexus up the long driveway that would take her to the home of her father and stepmother-in-law's rambling home. Beside her in the passenger seat was a box with daughter Leslie's winter coats, mufflers and gloves. When Tom had dismissed Leslie from their house over the tattoo issue last summer, she had found shelter at her grandparents' farm, but had not moved all her clothes. As the late fall days became crisp and the mornings colder, Kate worried about her comfort and so she had gone to Leslie's closet and secured the items she remembered as being Leslie's favorites to bring out to her.
She hoped to surprise her daughter with the visit, as she had missed the company and comfort of having Leslie around. She had not called ahead, so she did not know what to expect as she pulled up to the front porch and unloaded the box on the stoop. As she shut the door of the car, Joi Grace stepped through the front door with a wide smile and said, "Kate, it's so wonderful to see you."
Kate returned the grin and, seeing her attractive stepmother throw wide her arms, mounted the stairs to embrace her. Kate and Joi had always gotten along after Gene remarried and although the friction with Leslie had interfered with the frequency of their visits, the affection between them was as strong as ever. Joi's trim body pressed warmly against Kate's more opulent curves and the hug lasted a few minutes as they enjoyed the feeling of togetherness.
Stepping back at last, Joi said, "Come in, come in, dear, let's visit."
"I've brought some clothes for Leslie, is she here?" Kate asked.
"'Fraid not, she's been at school all day and I believe she and Juli are swimming this afternoon, she might be home by dinner," Joi explained.
"Oh darn," said Kate with a sigh. "I miss her."
"Of course you do," Joi said tenderly. "Why don't you sit with me a while, I've got some hot water on and am just brewing some herbal tea."
"Sounds great," Kate replied, setting the box of Leslie's clothes down in a corner of the large front room. She shrugged off her light jacket and hung it over the back of a nearby chair, took a seat on the comfortable leather sofa that faced the picture window filled with a view of the mountains rising up in the back of the property. She slipped off her low-heeled pumps and rested her feet on a big round ottoman, stretching out her shapely legs and wiggling her painted toes as her skirt draped across her upper thighs.
Joi padded back into the room, barefooted in her usual custom. She had two large mugs of steaming tea and she set one on the table next to Kate, slipping a stone coaster underneath. Alighting on the sofa next to Kate, she tucked her legs underneath her and blew across the surface of the hot liquid, sending the steam swirling.
"I'd like to hear how you are doing," she said earnestly.
"Things are fine, really, with the exception of my not being around my daughter," Kate started. "I know Tom felt that we could not accept Leslie's getting that tattoo, but I would have forgiven that, Leslie is old enough to make those decisions for herself and I'm just not opposed to that kind of decoration."
"It's so popular among younger people now," Joi said sympathetically.
"And it's forever, I know," said Kate, "but, in fact, it is quite beautiful in its own way, I thought it was tasteful, even if it was so huge."
"I like the way it looks on her body," said Joi.
"Really?" Kate said, surprised.
"Yes, it's very erotically rendered, sweeping from her breasts to her womanhood and leg, I can see how she might enjoy the effect it would have on a lover," said Joi.
"You think it would arouse someone?" Kate asked.
"It arouses me," Joi said, looking directly into Kate's eyes.
"You?" Kate said.
"Yes," said Joi, placing her mug on the side table and resting her hand on Kate's thigh.
"I think your daughter is beautiful and sexy, and the tattoo art accentuates her sensuality and invites exploration. But, Kate, you know that I am not bashful about my own sexuality, and just as I am attracted to your lovely daughter, I am attracted to you, too, very attracted since we first met." Joi's hand slipped up Kate's thigh and under her skirt.
"I...I...didn't know," Kate stammered.
"Oh, yes, Kate, you are an exceptionally alluring woman, and my feelings for you are as strong as my feelings for your father-in-law," Joi said, squeezing Kate's leg gently.
