After the world’s best snuggle we sneak into the washroom to clean up together. There was no need to be stealthy about it though as Mia hadn’t stirred. Arm in arm we peek on my exhausted Princess to see her pretty face in the peace of a deep slumber.

  “Should we wake her?” I whisper.

  “Mm.” Heather shakes her head then quietly pulls the door closed. “Let her sleep. She needs it.”

  We chat for a little before Heather brings up some material and tools from her hobby room to sit at the dining room table etching some more of her cool custom soaps. When she slips on a pair of reading gsses for better focus I actually have to cover my mouth so as not to snicker. Those dark rimmed gsses perched at the tip of her nose only accentuated her older woman appeal, giving her a vibe of a super sexy librarian or teacher. YUM!

  Catching my look she says without looking up. “Laugh at your own peril.”

  Not ughing but grinning like a fool I say. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

  With the warm sun and the fresh breeze coming in through the windows we sit and chat as she masterfully carves little scoops and slivers from her homemade soap. Inspired by her productive chill time I excuse myself and pop outside to take a host of measurements before returning to sit across from her. In an old notebook I begin sketching things out.

  “And what’s that you’re drawing?” She tilts her head up to peer at me through the lenses. Fuck she was hot in those gsses!

  “Our new car port and shed.” I say. “Just some preliminary sketches.”

  She smiles and leans closer. “Show me.”

  Turning the book I walk her through what I had in mind. She listens happily and offers compliments while never once asking questions or expressing concerns. It was as clear as the sun in the sky that she was content to let me take charge on this. Our sex life already exceeded my best wet dreams but it was these little things she did that me so feel welcome, at home, and a permanent part of her life. Someday I might be able to take it all for granted but right now I was still counting each and every blessing.

  Light and leisurely the afternoon drifts by like one of the marshmallow clouds gliding across the vast cerulean yonder. I was kicking back on the front step sucking on a Popsicle, feeling the breeze through my toes and watching one of those puffy clouds when the ring of the telephone rattles our lovely silence. Looking back into the house I see that Heather was still downstairs, she’d gone down to organize some stuff in the hobby room, so I hurry to the phone before it could rouse the sleeping Mia.

  Just before answering it I pause and quietly hoped that it was Julie as I was hoping to mess with her a little before she found out about my coronation as prince. It was not Julie.

  “Hello?”

  Silence.

  “Uh, hello?”

  “You slimy little piece of shit.”

  The baritone voice on the other end of the line hits deep, all the way down into the foundational memories of childhood. Like an anchor hitting the ocean floor it stirs up the settled sludge of old misery and the gritty sand of forgotten grudges.

  “Liam?”

  “You motherfucker!”

  I don’t mean to say it, I knew I needed to be the bigger man, but hearing his voice so unexpectedly after all these years hits a nerve. “Motherfucker? Interesting choice of words, though accurate I suppose.” I regretted it the moment I said it…but ohhhhh did it feel good.

  “You little fucking…BITCH!” Behind Liam I hear a woman’s voice trying to soothe him. “You sick motherfu…RRR!”

  “Liam.” I say as calmly as I could. “We didn’t mean for this happen. It just…”

  “Bull-fucking-shit.” He interrupts. “What is this? Some kind of sick revenge? Who the fuck does this? Preying on a lonely widower…what the fuck is wrong with you!?” Before I could answer any of his questions he was off on a tirade. “Lily tells me she found you on the street with this big fucking sob story. Poor little orphan boy all alone. Yeah right! You’re a fucking loser just like you always were.” Here I thought he and I had buried the hatchet back at graduation. It seemed he’d buried it right in my back. “Let me guess, you’re one of those futanari loving freaks, aren’t ya? Are you one of those futanari loving freaks? Fuuuuck, she musta been a dream come true. But how the hell did you find out?”

  “Liam…”

  “THAT’S MY FUCKING MOM YOU PIECE OF SHIT!” The quaking rage in his voice shakes me to the core and leaves me mute. He might be thousands of miles away but my reaction had been honed over years of bullying. “If you think that I’m letting this happen you’re deluding yourself. You little scrawny bitch. I’ll fucking kill you! When I get back there…” He must have dropped the phone as his voice is interrupted by some banging and scuffling and that woman’s voice pleading for him to calm down.

  Just then Heather comes up the stairs. Seeing me on the phone she asks cheerfully. “Who is it?” Her smile quickly fades though when she sees the look on my face. “What’s wrong?”

  “It’s your son.” I say softly and offer the receiver. “He knows.”

  A pained expression washes over her. Her first move is not for the phone but for me. Even as Liam’s voice bres through the phone Heather steps in to give me a long hug and a kiss to the cheek. She even spares a moment to pet my hair. With a squeeze of her hand I show my support back again.

  “Could you give me a minute?”

  “Sure, Heather.” I nod. “I’ll, um…be in the yard.”

  “Okay, baby.” She kisses my cheek. She takes the phone and looks at it for a couple of seconds, concern etched across her face. This had always been coming and it wasn’t ever going to be pleasant, but neither of us expected it today nor did we expect him to be the one to initiate. Instead of being able to build up to it poor Heather was now being blindsided. She must have been wondering, like I was, who had spilled the beans. After a deep, fortifying breath she at st brings the phone to her ear. “Liam?”