A Simple Question

"Drinks! Good idea." Your mom says. She pauses the movie and heads to the kitchen. Grabbing a nearby tissue you dry your glistening hand. Which elicits another small round of giggles between the Bailey sisters. You and El bring the blanket down a bit, she throws her arm around you and you both let out a satisfied sigh as you melt into one another. You rest your head on her shoulder, she smelled so damn good.

Your mom soon returns with four cans of soda. She puts them on coasters on the coffee table.

You look at your family, your wonderful beloved family. How happy you all were right now. Everything just seemed so perfect. It is then something dawns on you. Before your mother starts the movie once more you speak.

"Hey...Mom. Why don't you live with Aunt Peg?" You ask.

The look she gives you just then is at once nervous and annoyed. It seems you had inadvertently struck a nerve. She says, slightly miffed. "Why would I? We have our own lives. We'd get in each other's way, if we wanted to bring a man home or something..."

Fiona then pipes up. "But you don't, do you? You always say that but neither you or Peg ever date or anything. I haven't seen you with a man since Dad. You and Aunt Peg only ever go out with each other."

Your mother sputters. "Well...we..."

El then joins in. "I've always wondered that too. I mean, it's not that odd for unmarried sisters to live together. You're single, Peg's single, why not? Beyond that, even Chloe is single I think. Fiona and I are single. And now I assume so is Jesse." You and El were on the same page here. "It's not even that weird for mothers and adult daughters to live together."

Your mother scolds you all. "You shush now! Enough of that. That's not how things are."

You press on anyways. "No, seriously. I mean, why not? We all have sex with each other, that's the BIG taboo and we break it constantly. Why not just live as a family? I don't get it. Dad passed on so long ago now..."

This wasn't just theoretical for you right now. You were starting to wonder why you couldn't live your life with these wonderful women that you loved so much. Why shouldn't you and El share a room? Maybe even move out together someday? Perhaps Fiona would even join you. Why shouldn't you all share your lives together? What could an outsider possibly offer any of you that wasn't already here in the family? With incestuous sex already a mental hurdle you had cleared, suddenly other possibilities seemed open and obvious. The old Jesse would have never been so bold.

"I said be quiet!" Your mother snaps at you. "It's wrong. Okay? It's just plain wrong. We want to be normal women with normal lives. The sex is just that, sex. Nothing more."

Fiona rolls her eyes. "Oh please Mom. I've seen how you and Peg look at each other. And..." She looks at you and El huddled together but leaves what she was about to say unspoken. She shifts gears. "And normal lives? You've got to be kidding me. You know...we should talk to Peg about this. I wonder what she'd say?"

Your mother then takes on a pleading look. "Oh please don't! It's already hard enough..." She shakes her head. "No! That's enough of this talk, let's just enjoy our movie okay?" This topic was really upsetting her.

You lean over and kiss her on the cheek. "Okay Mom. I didn't mean to upset you." You say in a sweet voice. "I'm sorry."

Her expression softens as she looks at you and a warm smile spreads across her face. "My brave brave girl. Nothing scares you does it?" She kisses you back. "My fearless Jesse."

The mood lightened once more you open your drinks and begin watching the movie again. Fiona joins you on the couch and the four of you cuddle together and watch the heartwarming picture. As your mother watched the tale of love conquering all you could tell both her mind and her heart were racing.