"Does she know about us, Joan?"

We were lying together in her bed, enjoying a smoke after our coupling. Her head was on my chest and I was stroking her hair.

"Would you mind if she did?"

"No," I said without even thinking about it. "I'd be proud Joan. I've only ever kept quiet because you wanted me to. I've always felt very proud when we've been out together, you're the sexiest, most fantastic woman I've ever met."

"That's down to you Tommy," she said and smiled up at me, "You keep me young."

"Rubbish," I snorted, "You're the one who looks ten years younger than you are, you're the one with the lovely, fit body. You're the one who always wears stockings and sexy little panties, it's all a matter of attitude Joan and you've got the right one."

She laughed again and slid down the bed, "And I'm the one who loves sucking your cock Tommy."

I laughed throatily and bade her to turn round. As her lovely hairless pussy descended onto my face, I told her that I was the one who loves eating her sweet little cunt!

"You look really smart Tommy," she brushed an imaginary speck of dust from the lapel of my suit jacket and adjusted the knot in my tie.

"And you smell nice too."

"I'm nervous Joan."

"I can imagine you would be."

"I'd better go."

"Yes." There were tears beginning to form in the corners of her eyes, "Phone me sometime Tommy, please."

I kissed her cheek and used my hand to wipe a tear away.

"You know I will."

She lived in one of the smarter areas of the city, I found a parking slot without much difficulty and walked nervously up a tree lined avenue until I reached number ninety seven. The curtains moved slightly as I went in through the gate clutching the huge bouquet of flowers I'd ordered the previous day. I didn't even knock as the door opened and she stood there smiling at me,

"Tommy?" Her voice was full of emotion.

"Hello mum."

She was beautiful, I could hardly believe that she was my mother, she couldn't have been any more than five feet tall. Short blonde hair in a page boy cut framed an elfin like face, her eyes were the deepest blue I'd ever seen, her teeth were perfect and her smile seemed to light the whole street up!

She stood back and waited for me to enter her house, but to be honest, I wanted nothing more than to stand there and look at her.

"You can come in Tommy," she laughed, "Or would you prefer to stay there?"

"Oh, oh yes, sorry."

"Shall I put the flowers somewhere for you?"

"Sorry? Oh yes, they're for you mum."

"They're beautiful Tommy, thank you," she kissed me on my cheek and suddenly we were in each others’ arms crying laughing and hugging.

"You've no idea how much I wanted this Tommy," she said through her tears, "There was never a day that went by when I didn't think of you."

"Me neither mum." I held her tightly and breathed in her perfume.

"Say that again Tommy."

"What?"

"You called me mum."

"I've always wanted to say it, mum."

"I've always wanted to hear it."

She led me into the kitchen where we sat and talked over a coffee, she wanted to know everything about me, everything that had happened to me that she wouldn't have read in the papers. I told her about all my foster parents, how they'd all despaired of me and of how I'd always refused to call any of them "mum" or "dad."

"It must have been awful for you Tommy."

"It was mostly my own doing mum and it can't have been a picnic for you either."

"Well it wasn't, but thanks to Mr Smithson, I had regular updates on you at least."

"He's a nice man mum."

"Yes," she agreed, "He is, and talking of Mr Smithson, we should go and listen to what he has to tell us, it's almost half past four."

"Haven't you got any idea mum?"

"None whatsoever."

"Wow, this is nice," she said as I held the car door open for her and dutifully looked away as her dress rode up over her legs, "It's a Ferrari isn't it?"

I glowed with pleasure at her remark.

"Yes," the record company bought it for me for giving them their biggest ever selling record, "Would you like to drive it?"

"You're joking!"

"No," I laughed and held the door again for her to get out.

She handled it expertly, allowing the raw power of the big engine to take it out of corners and thrust it like a bullet into the straights. She laughed with the sheer exhilaration of enjoying a beautiful piece of engineering and giggled as she squealed to a halt in the courtyard below Mr Smithsons’ office.

"Mind blowing," she laughed, "Absolutely awesome."

I told her that it had cost over two hundred thousand pounds and that Mr Smithson had tried to dissuade me from driving it, he'd said I'd kill myself in it.

"Rubbish Tommy," she said as I held the door again for her, "He's a lovely old man, but we've had a few little disagreements over money, I think it's for enjoying, but he thinks it's for saving."

Joan greeted us warmly with a kiss each.

"Well?" she asked, "Are you happy now?"

We both nodded and held hands.

"Very," I said.

"Ecstatic," said mum.

"Right, I want a photograph," Joan said and produced a camera from her drawer, it seemed quite natural to slip an arm around mums waist as she posed us in a variety of different situations until a slow hand clap behind us brought us back to reality.

"When you've quite finished," John said but with just a hint of a smile, "I'm about to retire from working, and you three are holding me up."

"Oh don't be such an old grouch John," mum laughed and kissed him on the cheek, "You know you'll miss our meetings when you retire."

We followed a smiling John through into his office where we spent two exhausting hours poring over what seemed like millions of different papers and documents. We signed at least half of them, three times each and then watched as he went to a wall safe and fetched out bundle upon bundle of cash. He divided it into two separate piles and pushed one pile to me and the other one to mum.

"There's half a million pounds there, two hundred and fifty thousand pounds in each pile, please count it and sign for it. That discharges my duty to you both and my erstwhile employer!

"Count it?" I laughed."Yes Tommy, I'm afraid I must insist."

"Well stuff that John," I snorted, "It'll take all bloody day."

"Probably." and he went out chortling to himself to join Joan in the outer office.

"How much money have you got mum?"

"Why?"

"Go on tell me."

"I've got a few hundred in the bank and this quarter of a million here."

I fished my latest bank statement out from my inside pocket and showed it to her.

"That's what I'm worth mum."

"My God," she was shocked, "All that from one song?"

"Yeah, good isn't it?"

"Amazing."

She watched wide eyed as I pushed my pile over to her.

"I can feel another song coming on," I laughed, "But honestly mum, I'm not going to take no for an answer, I know my father would have wanted to make sure that I'm okay for money, but you've seen from that statement I just showed you, I've got more money than I could ever spend."

"Tommy this is ridiculous."

"If you don't agree to take it, I'll give it to Joan."

She looked at me and grinned, "How about if I take half of it and give Joan half?"

"I'll settle for that mum, she told me you were' er, friendly."

"We were lovers Tommy," she said and held my gaze, "As you were too."

I returned her gaze steadfastly then smiled at her and reached to take her hand in mine.

"Yes mum, as I was too."

Joan burst into tears and at first refused point blank to take it, John sat at her desk with his coffee watching and laughing until finally she succumbed and became better off to the tune of one hundred and twenty five thousand pounds.

"Right!" he stood up and announced that after we'd been to the bank next door, we were to meet him in the pub across the road where he had his very last act to perform as our solicitor.

It was all very mysterious until we walked into the pub where Joan directed us straight through the bar and out into the garden.

It took a minute for me to realize that the huge marquee with a banner saying "Happy birthday Tommy." was for me and it took even longer for me to recognize all the people standing in and around it!

A makeshift group made up of Jimmy, Lenny and crazy Pete from the band I'd formed to perform my song were on the stage and struck up with the worst version of Happy Birthday that I'd ever heard in my life!

"Happy birthday Tommy," Joan said and handed me a little package, "Open it later." she said mysteriously and kissed me on my lips.

I looked around and saw them all there, all my old foster parents with not the slightest trace of animosity on their faces.

I got warm kisses from the ladies and friendly hand shakes from the men. Even some of my old school teachers were there, every single one of them had a birthday gift for me and I suddenly felt very, very humble.

I'd given all of these kind people all kinds of problems; I'd ran away, I'd skived off school, I'd been sulky, insolent and downright bloody ignorant and they'd still turned up to wish me a happy birthday!

I grinned at the guys on the stage and took the mike.

"You've all made me realize that I must have been a complete pain in the backside to all of you," I said looking round at them all. "There aren't enough hours in the day for me to apologize, so I'll just say thank you to each and every one of you.” My voice was beginning to crack, so I ended by saying, "I didn't realize it at the time of course, but I hope you realize that you're all very special people, thank you."

I put the mike back and then caught sight of my mother standing next to Joan and John.

"Before I go, please say hello to a very special lady, the one over there in the white dress, my mother!"

Their applause was very moving and mum was blushing furiously as I left the stage and made a bee line for her.

"Come and let me introduce you to them all mum."

It took almost an hour for her to meet every one and it must have been extremely embarrassing for her although they all knew of her circumstances when I was born.

"I need a drink Tommy," she said as we ran out of people to meet.

"You've certainly earned one mum."

"I enjoyed it, it was nice to meet all those people who helped you."

"I was a little shit mum."

She laughed softly, a delightful little tinkle of sound that sent a shiver down my back.

"Yes," she squeezed my hand, "I think you were, but that was then and this is now."

We got ourselves a drink and sat outside to enjoy the evening warmth.

"So Tommy," mum said, "Tell me about your girl friends, I know about Joan of course, but tell me about the others."

"There aren't any mum," I said softly, "Joan was the first and only one."

"She's a lovely person Tommy."

"She told me you were beautiful mum."

"She lied."

"No she didn't mum, you really are beautiful."

"Don't Tommy," she giggled, "You're embarrassing me."

"You should be used to it mum."

John interrupted us then to offer his farewell.

"Your father has paid for all this Thomas, I've settled the bill except for everyone's drinks but I'll do that in the morning. I'm leaving now, this really isn't for me."

"Will I see you again John?" I asked and he laughed.

"I sincerely hope so young man." and taking mum's hands in his, he gazed fondly at her, "You too Kerry, please don't be a stranger."

"There's no chance of that John," she said, her voice cracking with emotion, "I want to see you tomorrow, to give you a little thank you gift for your kindness over the years."

"That totally unnecessary Kerry," he said emotionally. "It's been my pleasure all along. Dealing with two lovely people such as you two has been my privilege."

He kissed mum, embraced me warmly and strode out with a tear in his eyes.

Mum wiped one away too, so I hugged her tightly.

"He's a lovely man, mum," and she nodded in agreement. "Will you come with me tomorrow Tommy, I want to buy him one of those big, wide screen televisions."

"I'll buy him a D.V.D player to go with it then," I said and she smiled, "Yes, he'd like that."

I spent the rest of the evening dancing with just about every lady there and I enjoyed every minute of it, one of my ex foster mothers even made a delightfully obscene suggestion to me just before she was ushered away giggling by her embarrassed husband.

Mum, who was standing chatting to Joan had overheard it and nearly wet herself laughing.

"Do you have that effect on all the women you meet?" she giggled and took my hand.

"Most of them," Joan said with a smile, "He certainly did with me."

"May I dance with a pretty lady?" I said to mum, who blushed and became even prettier.

"I'd like that."

Her fluid movements on the dance floor made me feel like a cart horse, but she guided me expertly and I began to enjoy it, the group decided to play a slow song and she came into my arms, her head resting on my shoulder.

"You smell gorgeous mum," I said and she laughed.

"So that's how you do it."

"Just telling the truth mum."

"When we get home, I've got to tell you something," she said, and I felt slightly apprehensive at the tone of her voice, my face must have gave it away because she laughed softly. "Don't worry darling, it's nothing bad, it's just something I think you should know." she pulled away slightly and looked at me.

"Do you mind me calling you darling?"

I pulled her back into my arms and kissed her neck,

"Not at all mum," I whispered, "I love it."

"Will you stay the night darling, I forgot to ask?"

"Of course, I'd no intentions of meeting you, saying hello and then leaving, I'm sticking around mum."

"Good."

Eventually everyone said their good byes and drifted away, even Joan kissed us both and said she was going home to bed leaving mum and I to gather all my gifts up and ring for a taxi.

"We'll have to pick the car up in the morning mum," I said, "I've had far too much to drink tonight."

We were both a little tipsy as we fell into the taxi and without thinking, I slipped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer. 

She lifted her head up to look at me and without meaning to, I kissed her, but it wasn't as we'd kissed before, maybe it was the booze, I don't know, but she responded immediately and I tasted the tip of her tongue as it snaked between my teeth.

"No Tommy," she whispered as we drew apart, but we kissed again and only a polite cough from the driver announced our arrival at mum's house.

Neither of us spoke as we unloaded the car and it wasn't until we'd got everything into the house that I trusted myself to say anything.

"I want a drink mum."

"Good idea," she said softly and poured us both out a large brandy, we took them out into the garden and sat together at a little table.

"I'm sorry mum," I spoke first, "I shouldn't have done that."

She looked at me over the rim of her glass, but her eyes gave nothing away.

"It was both of us Tommy."

She got up and walked slowly down between the two lawns.

"It's very hard Tommy."

"What is?"

"It's hard to think of you objectively, I know you're my son but..."

She took another sip of brandy.

"But what mum?"

"At the party, I kept catching you looking at me, it wasn't the way a son looks at his mother, when you held my hand or kissed me, I felt... ."

She hesitated again.

"I felt warm, can you understand that?"

"Very much so mum."

"I don't really know what else to say except that no matter what, I don't want to lose you Tommy."

Her voice cracked and I thought she was going to cry.

"Why would you lose me mum?" I put an arm around her again.

"Because of what I feel, how I feel."

"Mum when you opened the door this morning and I saw you standing there, I didn't see my mother, I saw a beautiful, desirable young woman, a very, very desirable young woman."

"Oh Tommy."

This time when we kissed, there was no cough from the taxi driver, it was just me and her on a beautiful summer night in a beautiful garden. Her mouth was wet, her breath sweet, and I felt the softness of her breasts against me as we held each other tightly.

"I'm confused Tommy, I want you so much."

I kissed her neck, and she moaned softly.

"I want you too mum," I whispered, "What are we going to do?"

"Come up to bed Tommy, my bed darling, but just hold me."

"Are you sure mum?"

"No I'm not, I'm not sure about anything any more, this wasn't supposed to happen Tommy."

We kissed again, and again I tasted her tongue as it flicked into my mouth, but then she pulled back and grinned ruefully.

"Come on," she said and took my hand, "I'm falling asleep on my feet."

She left the curtains open, and we undressed in the moonlight avoiding looking at each other although God knows I wanted to see her.

"Just hold me darling," she said as she slipped into my arms, "It's been quite a day." then she slept.