I was saved from further embarrassment by Stella coming back. Jane pulled her costume up and Stella playfully ruffled her hair.
“You start things going in the kitchen, Jane-your mother and I will be out in a few minutes to help.”
Jane left the room and Stella and I pulled off our nighties to start getting dressed. Stella picked up a towel and went over to the wash-basin, turned on the tap and bent to soap her face. I looked at the full moons of her behind and started feeling sexy all over again. What was getting into me-was I becoming a nymphomaniac, or something?
I went over and stood beside her, waiting my turn at the basin. I stroked her bent back.
“What's happening to me, Stella? You walk naked over here and bend over the basin to wash; I take one look at your bare bottom and start feeling as sexy as hell. What can I do?”
“You might try giving me a small kiss. Ouch!” I delivered a sharp slap that made the cheeks wobble, then, contrite, bent and planted a swift kiss on each buttock.
“Sorry, darling, but you know I didn't mean just looking at you. It's everything and almost all the time- I only have to think of you when I'm home and I go all sexy. I always have enjoyed sex, but now it's rarely out of my mind. Why, I'm even getting that way about my own daughter-I have to take a very tight grip on myself not to do something I'd be sorry for afterwards.”
“Jane, hm! Well, that's rather different. You love me in a special sort of way.” She straightened up and looked at me. “I think?”
“You know I do, darling.” I touched her shoulder and ran my hand caressingly down her arm.
“The same as I love you-I get all sexy when I think about you, and even more sexy when I see you — especially in what you're wearing just now!”
She picked up the towel and began to dry herself, standing away from the basin to let me get there.
“Jane, as I said, is rather different. She forces herself on you-in a place you naturally associate with love-making; where you have little or no clothes on: she has no clothes on, either and with all that kissing and cuddling, I think it's only natural you'd feel sexy. I take it that was what was happening this morning?”
“I'm afraid so. I tried to stop her, but what can I do, short of being rude and maybe planting more ideas in her mind. She's always come in to me for a cuddle and now she's found she likes the feel of my bare body against hers-what do I give her as a reason why she shouldn't?”
“Are you sure she doesn't know already? Those little nipples of hers looked pretty hot and sexy to me! Those girls colleges sometimes teach a lot more than is shown on the curriculum — not from the teachers, but the pupils themselves, exchanging the little bits of information they pick up!”
“You may well be right. On the other hand,” and I told her about Jane pointing out the smear on her thigh, “do you think she would have mentioned it at all if she knew what it actually was?”
“Perhaps-for a reason.”
“That reason being?”
“The reason being-and you'd better face up to this possibility, Rita-if she wanted you!”
“Y-you mean sexually?”
“I do. Have you ever stopped to consider that she might take after you-having the same desires you have? And I mean for another woman!”
“What am I going to do about it?”
“As I said before-let it ride this time and do nothing; wait until her next holidays and see what she's like. If she doesn't know then, maybe she'll have realised what it's all about by then.”
I finished washing and Stella handed me her towel. Before dressing, neither of us could resist a passionate clinch. We drew apart, we both of us eyed the bed wistfully. She patted my behind.
“Come on, my sweet, let's get dressed-Jane will probably have the breakfast ready all on her own by now. Besides, we have so many things to do, it will be bed-time again before you know it, and I might-only might, mind-have a little surprise for you.”
“A surprise, eh? Now what could that be?”
“Just what I said it would be a surprise!”
* * *
Later that morning, we drove right up to Bridlington itself, where Jane and I bought one or two little holiday souvenirs for Phil. We drank coffee at Jane's instigation — at a coffee bar where she was able to listen to some of her beloved pop records, played on a jukebox.
When we were able to drag her out, we started to have a look round the shops.
“Tell you what,” I suggested, “I'll stand lunch if we have it fairly soon, it will give us time to have a better browse round the shops and still be able to get back for a swim and catch the sun before it goes in.”
“Lovely idea, mummy, and perhaps we'd have time to have another coffee in that bar, too, before we go back.”
“Oh dear!” Stella looked at her watch. “Look-I'm terribly sorry, you two, but I've just remembered something. I'm expecting some mail this week-end and I gave the address as care of the village post office: now the village post office is also a sort of general store, and, if my memory serves me correctly, their early-closing day is Saturday. I'm afraid if we don't start back now, they'll be closed.” Then she looked at Jane's crestfallen expression and smiled.
“No-it wouldn't be fair; it's Jane's holiday and I know she was looking forward to hearing some more pops. You stay with her, Rita, and I'll drive back home, then come and pick you up later this afternoon.”
“No, that wouldn't be fair, either, Stella.” I objected. “It's quite a long, drive to make you do an extra two trips. We'll come back with you.”
“If I might make a suggestion-couldn't you both go back and leave me to wander round on my own?” I could tell by Jane's face she had made up her mind to stay one way or the other. “There must be a bus, surely.”
“As a matter of fact, there is; I think they run every hour-they stop within a few hundred yards of the bungalow. If you think she'll be all right on her own, Rita.”
“Of course I will-I go back to school on my own and that's over a hundred miles from home.”
“I think she'll be all right, Stella. How much money have you, Jane?”
“Oh, about ten bob.”
“Well,” I fished in my bag. “Here's another pound- have a good lunch if you're going to wander round for a while.”
“Gosh! — thanks, mummy!”
“And here's another one-in case something catches your eye in one of the shops.” Stella handed over another pound note.
“Wow! Nearly three pounds-thank you both,” an arm was thrown about our necks and a kiss planted exuberantly on both our mouths.
After Stella had recommended a restaurant and shown her.he way to the bus station and I had given the usual motherly admonitions, we drove back to the village.
This time, I sat in front, having, up till then, allowed Jane the privilege. Stella was a good, and fairly fast, driver, concentrating the whole time on what she was doing. I watched the countryside roll by for a while, getting occasional glimpses of the sea, then sat back and studied the woman who had turned me upside down sexwise-in the last couple of months.