Lunch with Mom & Ashley

I can't help but ruminate on the seemingly sudden shifts in Kelly's behavior as I drive home. The sounds of the road beneath my tires hardly reach my ears. Houses fly past. Could my defending her have really caused such a change? Even my nootropic brain is unable to fill in the gaps without making some creative assumptions. No, those thoughts aren't worth considering.

I already told Kelly I would go swimming with her this afternoon. It seems like the perfect opportunity to understand her more. And Colette, too, for that matter.

Thoughts of my younger sister continue to fill my mind as I enter the house and find Mom doing yoga in the living room. "Hey, Dom," she says, her voice strained. She poses in a deep squat, and her legs quiver with each passing second.

"Hey, Mom," I answer.

She breaks the pose and sags onto the floor. "That's a hard one to keep up."

"How long?" I ask, approaching her.

"Three minutes." She wipes sweat from her glistening forehead with a hand towel. Her chest rises in deep, steady movements as she recovers. "Everything alright?" she asks. Mom's eyes meet mine, and I give her a reassuring smile.

"Yes, everything is fine. Just took Kelly and Colette to school is all. Kelly needed the support."

Mom nods and gives me a soft smile. "Thank you. You're right; she does need support. It seems she is more..." Mom pauses, thinking for a moment. "... insecure than I thought. I am going to talk to her later."

An idea forms in my mind. "Actually, why don't you let me? She and I have a positive relationship now, and I think she would be receptive to what I can say."

Mom gives me a low glance, then sighs. "Alright. If you think it is best."

"I do," I say, grinning. Not at Mom, or at being able to talk to Kelly. I grin because of the change in Mom's demeanor. Her recognition of the shift in our dynamic. It is a subtle one, but it is still there. "I am going to swim with her and Colette later today. I'll talk to her then."

Mom nods and smiles at me. "Alright. I am going to take a shower, then." She rises from the floor and walks over to me. Her smile grows, and I see a blush darken her cheeks. She waits, expectantly. I know it isn't an invitation to join her, not yet at least, but it is an invitation. I close the few steps between us and hug her.

"Never thought this is how you'd get me wet," I joke, as her sweat-covered body soaks mine.

"Dom!" she exclaims, leaning back and swatting my arm. The look in her eyes and the broad smile on her thin lips tells me it is a joke, and it only serves to drive my hands down onto her hips.

"Mom," I say back, cool and low. My lips break into a grin, then seal again as I kiss her. A soft, slow kiss. One second, then two. She tastes like coffee. I break away and wink at her, noticing the redness on her cheeks and the shortness of her breath. She smiles at me again, nods, and goes upstairs.

I head into the kitchen and prepare a small meal to get moving for the day. As I take my first bite of eggs, I hear another set of footsteps coming downstairs. Ashley's head pokes into the room, shortly followed by her body, and I wave. "Hey, sister," I say.

Ashley beams at me. I can't help but run my eyes over her: her black, curly hair is pinned back in a ponytail, and she wears a tight athletic outfit. A pair of black spandex leggings, a matching zip-up, and a barely visible sports bra underneath.

"Dom! I've been looking for you," she begins. She settles into the kitchen chair across from me.

"Took Kelly and Colette to school," I interject, but she continues.

"Our projects. They're continuing to climb. The two apps that you already released are starting to pull in subscribers. We're at three hundred MRR already!" Her excitement is contagious and I grin back at her.

"Three hundred a month? That's pretty good, but it won't pay the mortgage yet. We need to do more."

She rolls her eyes. "Dom, most projects never make money to begin with. We're killing it. You're killing it, really. I'm just so surprised you're able to really do this... It's kind of crazy."

I grab her hand from across the table and stroke her knuckle with my thumb. She quiets for a moment. Her skin is soft, smooth, and warm. "Dom?" she asks, softly. I ignore her, continuing to focus on rubbing her hand.

"It isn't enough, Ashley. I'll never get that date with you at this rate." My eyes meet hers, my lips pursed in a perfectly serious expression. She looks back at me, confused, eyebrow arched. I can't hold it any longer and break into a laugh, and she jerks her hand away.

"Very funny," she says, and I immediately notice she is upset with me. My nootropic mind knows it is because she does want that date, and she thinks I am making fun of her for it.

"Ashley," I say. She continues looking away. "Ashley." I take her hand again, and enclose it in both of mine. My food lies forgotten beside us. I wait.

Finally, she looks back at me. Her cheeks are flushed and I see a sadness in her eyes.

"I mean it."

"Mean what?"

"Let me take you out. We have enough money. I know you wanted to wait... but, fuck it. Let's go out. What do you say?"

Her frown turns into a small smile, and she looks away. Her legs cross under the table. "To where?" she asks, her voice tiny compared to her normal intensity.

"How about... Friday night. Dinner and something fun after?"

"That sounds fun," she says, her voice growing stronger. "Where for dinner?"

"I'll pick somewhere cool. Dress up. I want the other men to be jealous of my firecracker sister."

Finally, she breaks into a grin and giggles. "Alright, alright. Friday night."

"Friday night."

I realize I am still rubbing her hands in mine, but she doesn't say anything. We stay like that for a moment more, before disappearing upstairs to continue working.