I am The Author. I am called from the abyss to deliver a tale from Pine Valley. It may be a bit late for a Christmas carol but this abnormal account has assailed my senses. The twisted love of a mother, the first steps of a son becoming a man, and an unholy union unfolding. Who am I to judge? Consenting adults and whatnot.
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Why were keyholes so damn small? Who's the genius who thought that a tiny slit that you couldn't even slip a dime through would be the best design for locks? They were always so inconvenient at the worst possible times: when you have to pee, when you're piss drunk, when you're shaking like a leaf in the biting cold. Whoever it was, Alicia hoped they burned in Hell. As her trembling fingers struggled to slip the key in for the umpteenth time, she began to envy that lucky bastard. At least in Hell, there was some source of warmth. Suppressing a shiver long enough to line the key up just right, Alicia hurriedly opened the door and scrambled in out of the unrelenting winter. A relieved sigh flew from her lips as she let her apartment's heater do its thing.
Shrugging off the layers of coats that protected her from the worst winter Pine Valley had seen in a century, Alicia strained her eyes in pitch black darkness to find the light switch. She caught a whiff of something delightfully delicious, but the hunger that had pestered her throughout her shift was quickly overshadowed by a nagging wariness. "Drew," Alicia called out into the darkness, hoping her son hadn't left something on by mistake, "Boy, what have I told you about that sto-" The room filled with brilliantly colorful lights along with one of her favorite holiday songs, which nearly made Alicia jump out her skin. The walls were decked with a beautiful display of lights and garlands as paper snowflakes hung from the ceiling. "What the hell," she whispered, mouth agape.
"Ya like it," asked Drew as he peered from the kitchen, a beaming smile on his face, "The snowflakes took me forever to make. You know I hate artsy stuff." Of course it was his doing. That's just the wonderful gift that is her son. The reason why she wakes up at unholy hours to work until she can barely keep her eyes open. The driving force for her being, her purpose. The one responsible for the toasty sanctuary from the elements. Had it not been for Drew's sacrifice, she'd probably have spent Christmas freezing to death all on her lonesome. Alicia watched proudly as her son worked diligently to save up enough money to attend his school's winter trip. When he offered to give her his savings to pay the electric bill she couldn't cover, there was no hesitation in her refusal. "How can I roast marshmallows and drink cocoa while my mama is a popsicle," he told her before promptly forcing the money into her hands. There was nothing stopping the tears welling in Alicia's eyes, a choked sob confirming his suspicions. "Ma, please don't cry. Once you start you never stop," Drew groaned as he went to embrace his mother.
The astonished mother tried to find the words to describe her shock but failed to find them. "How... Why... Where did you get all this," she managed through her blubbering.
Drew rested his cheek on the top of the shorter woman's head, the smell of her shampoo filling his nose, "I had some cash left over and made a trip to the store a few days ago. I was just waiting for the right time."
A barrage of kisses peppered the young man's face, his mother's embrace denying him an escape from the onslaught of affection. Once she was satiated, Alicia made a beeline to the kitchen, her stomach not allowing her to put off its hunger any longer. She nearly broke out in tears again at the sight: a mountain of pancakes coated in chocolate and marshmallows. Alicia mused constantly about recipes from social media she wanted to try and s'mores pancakes were at the top of that long list. Drew had much more in store for her, as he led her into the living room where a massive fort constructed out of every pillow in the apartment was erected in front of the TV next to a stack of Christmas movies. It took everything in her not to jump and squeal like she was a little girl again. Well, she didn't jump at least. After changing into something much more comfortable than her uniform, Alicia settled next to Drew with a heaping pile of flapjacks.
A few movies into their marathon, they eventually ended up with a sappy Hallmark holiday special. Drew despised them with a passion but Alicia absolutely loved them despite her son's constant criticisms. A love scene involving the unrealistically attractive actors gave the ecstatic mother an unshakable feeling of guilt as she snuggled closely with her son. "Thanks for doing all this baby," she sighed contently, running a hand through his unruly hair, "Not just this but the trip too. I know you'd rather be with those pretty girls than here with your old mama."
"One, you're not old," Drew replied with a laugh, hugging his mom closer as he enjoyed her warmth like he had for so long, "And two, I'd rather spend Christmas with you anyway. Besides, you're just as pretty."
Alicia snorted at the notion, "Yeah right. Save it for your classmates." It was nice of her son to try to boost her ego but he was better off not wasting his time. She was a long way away from her prime. If she looked like she did when she was her son's age, she'd blow all these fake, artificial tramps walking around today out of the water. However, Father Time is undefeated and her body was made proof of that fact. Her once full, perky bust had fallen victim to gravity and her toned stomach disappeared as flesh buried her muscle. Her thighs became thicker and her ass became absurd. Faint lines now creased her once flawless ebony skin and hints of gray hid in her braided dark hair. How she envied her son's youth, the way he bounced around from dawn to dusk while she struggled to roll out of bed each morning.
Very little of her looks went to her son who was a mirror image of his father. His darker skin was virtually free of imperfections, contrasting their only shared feature: his light brown eyes. His decision to go shirtless for the night gave her the privilege of admiring his toned torso which he earned through years of athletics in school. A crown of curled chaos, inherited from his father, adorned his head which Alicia found irresistible to play with. How she envied the lucky girl who steals her baby away. Not that the day would be coming anytime soon. Drew was a bit of a wallflower and a textbook definition of a mama's boy, the kid hadn't even brought a girl home yet. While never pressuring him, she often encouraged her son to find a girl other than his mom to cuddle. He gave a different excuse every time: school, sports, selection, there was always something. Despite her worries for her baby, Alicia selfishly enjoyed his company seeing as she was alone herself.
