She said her thanks as she sat. I stood now directly above her, hand on her chair and trying not to stare down her chest; it was one of the greatest challenges of my life.
“I’m surprised you two didn’t wait for me,” she said as she zoomed into the photo, focusing on the small of her back.
“I would have, but I had intended on doing a grand showing after they were all edited. Some of them aren’t too flattering.”
“Really?” Mom said as she panned around the image. “What about this one? Do you think this one is?” She turned around, raising an eyebrow to me.
“You’re kidding right?” Kelly asked. “Mom, look at you. You’re friggin’ hot!”
She turned to Kelly, smiled, then back to me. “You think so too?”
I turned back to the image, but I didn’t need to. “Absolutely.”
Mom’s smile widened and she turned back to the computer, clicking to the next image. “What can I say? You are a great photographer.”
I shook my head. “I wasn’t the one who made you look good. That was all you. I just capture the moment.”
“You do that well,” she said as four more photos flashed by on the screen, slowly growing more and more sensual. “I can’t believe I did some of these,” she said, covering her mouth. “What kind of mother am I?”
“The best as far as I’m concerned, Mom,” Kelly said.
“I don’t think I can say I’m the best. Certainly not after this one,” she said clicking on the photo of her untying her top “I’d think they’d take my ‘Mother of the Year’ title away for that.”
“I’m sure some people would actually offer it to you,” I joked, though I have no idea where it came from. “Besides, we are the only ones who know you are our mother. No one else knows.”
That seemed to take a weight off her shoulders.
“You do have a point,” she continued to click. “Kinda makes you wonder though, doesn’t it?”
Kelly and I shared a look. “What’s that?” my sister asked.
Mom continued. “Makes you wonder if we’ve ever seen photos like ours.”
“You mean like a mom modeling?” I asked.
“Maybe,” she continued clicking through. “Maybe the photographer’s the model’s son, or daughter, or father, or mother. Maybe the subjects in the photo are related and nobody knows. It sure would change the context though, wouldn’t it?” Her eyes were glued to the screen, fixed on the final image I had taken. There she was with her thumbs hooked to the bikini bottoms, slipping them down over her hips. A light sheen glowed across her skin, catching the light that trailed down her body. But our eyes stayed focused on her thin strip of hair teasing us to what lay below. The photo oozed of pure unadulterated lust.
Mom suddenly shook as if rippled by goosebumps. Her eyes went wide and she covered her mouth. “What am I saying? Sorry, that sounded really bad. I don’t know what’s come over me.”
“It’s fine, Mom,” I said as I placed a hand on her shoulder and my finger touched the bare skin of her neck. It felt like electricity. “We’re not judging”.
She smiled, shook her head and looked at us. “Thanks.”
Kelly beamed her playful smile. “Aren’t they cool?” she pointed to the photos.