Claire
Almost a week later...
Claire
How’s summer off treating you?
Is the boredom getting to you yet?
Akemi
I’m far from bored
Aaron and I have gotten into a really great routine
Claire
What kind of routine?
I thought he would be doing that landscaping thing everyday
Akemi
He does
Just in the afternoons though
I asked him to join me in the mornings for my walks or jogs
He said yes
So we go for early morning walks and jogs together
It's so nice
We've been sharing some surprisingly deep conversations on the trail
Claire
That's a relief
What do you two even talk about that early though?
Akemi
A good amount of things
His college plans
Life
The future
It's nice to just connect with him
Claire
Sounds like you two are really bonding
Akemi
I think we are
I even managed to convince him to try playing tennis with me to mix things up
We bought tennis clothes at the mall yesterday
Claire
They have a strict dress code at the public courts downtown
You bought something sensible, right?
Akemi
A white tennis skirt and black top
The skirt's short
But it should be enough
Barely covers my thighs though
I'm going to wear it for our run and our very first match tomorrow
Claire
Akemi
Be serious
Isn't that way too revealing for a public tennis court?
Or even for a jog
You're going to turn a lot of heads
Akemi
What can I say
It gets really hot
I like feeling a breeze when I run
Claire
Neighbors talk, you know
Mrs. Higgins especially
She's always looking out her window
Akemi
Let her
She's just jealous
And I can handle a few stares
Claire
You're impossible sometimes
Anyway
We still need to finalize our Friday plans 🍷
Akemi
Just let me know what time works for you 🍷
❤️
That night...
Akemi
Aaron
Make sure you don't stay out too late with Tyler tonight
We have a very early start tomorrow
Aaron
hey mom
actually
tbh i might have to skip tomorrow
i'm probably gonna be way too tired to run
i'll probably just sleep
Akemi
We agreed on six in the morning
I already booked the public court
You can't back out on me now
Aaron
c'mon, mom
let me have one day off
my legs are already dead from landscaping all afternoon
i need the extra rest
Akemi
No excuses
We have to stick to our new routine
I even bought a brand new outfit for our first match
You're going to miss out if you decide to stay in bed
Aaron
huh
i can afford to miss out on some steps and sweat shedding
nothing i haven't seen a million times before
Akemi
I tried on my outfit for tomorrow
If you sleep in, you'll miss the view of the wind possibly flipping it while we run
Aaron
what
what the hell, mom
why would i even wanna see that
that's weird
u're supposed to be wearing normal workout clothes
that's it
i'm sleeping in tomorrow
Akemi
Don't be such a prude, Aaron
I'm trying to get you motivated
Don't short skirts get you boys going anymore?
Aaron
yeah well
it didn't work on me
i'd much rather get a solid 8 hours of sleep
so i'm staying out with tyler a bit longer
we ordered some more food
gonna play pool after
so don't wait for me
Akemi
Stay out as late as you want
Have fun
My plans for tomorrow are staying the same though
I'll personally drag you out of bed by your ankles at 6 in the morning regardless of what time you get home tonight 😈
Aaron
good luck with that
The next day...
Aaron
dude
i'm on my break
and i'm losing my mind
Tyler
yo
what happened?
did you crash the riding mower again
did you get fired
Aaron
this has nothing to do with work
or even my boss
it's about what happened earlier today
morning walk and tennis game
Tyler
the short tennis skirt thing??
did it get flipped up by the wind like she said???
bro
Aaron
way worse than the wind
we were walking back
she sprained a muscle in her thigh out of nowhere
she couldn't even put weight on it
had to carry her all the way home
Tyler
bro
you actually carried her??
bridal style??
Aaron
what choice did i have
i had to
Tyler
w man
you built different
Aaron
but that isn't even the main thing
when we finally got inside the house
i put her down on the couch in the living room
she asked me to massage the muscle
work out the knot
Tyler
and you did?
Aaron
i did
i couldn't just leave her in pain
so i started near her knee cuz i was nervous about the skirt
but she kept telling me the pain was higher up
she kept moving my hands up herself
and her skirt kept riding up more and more
Tyler
bro
tell me you saw the goods
Aaron
dude
she was wearing these tiny bikini bottoms under the skirt
the skirt got pushed completely out of the way
my hands were right next to them
i could see the
outline
Tyler
BRO
HOLY SHIT
the way i'd switch places with you in a heartbeat
Aaron
idiot
shut up
that's my mom we're talking about
it's super weird, man
and messed up
it was terrifying
i didn't know where to look or what to say
i was sweating
had to get up and leave
started work earlier than usual cuz of that
Tyler
you're fumbling so hard rn, man
you should've kept going
go back home
fake an injury
tell your boss you broke your ankle
SOMETHING
Aaron
shut up bro wtf
i'm staying right here
Tyler
weak
Aaron
whatever, man
my break's over anyway
gotta start the edge of their yard
👎
Tyler
text me when you're done
we gotta discuss this in detail
👎
Not long after that conversation...
Akemi
Thank you for playing the hero this morning, Aaron
I don’t know how I would 'e made it back to the house without you carrying me all the way
My thigh feels a lot better now
You really do have magic hands
Aaron
no problem
just glad u're feeling better now
u should probably keep some ice on it today though
don't walk around too much
Akemi
I have been resting on the couch all day
Just like you told me to
But it still hurts quite a bit when I try to shift my weight
I'll probably need you to take me up to my bedroom when you get back from work
Aaron
u can probably walk on it by now, right
just take it slow on the stairs
Akemi
Are you trying to get out of helping me?
You were so eager to help massage the knot out earlier
Aaron
i was just trying to help ease your cramp
u said u were in a lot of pain
of course i'd be eager to help then
Akemi
Is that why you got so incredibly quiet while you were doing it?
Your face turned bright red when I guided your hands higher up my thigh
Aaron
the house was warm
the ac wasn't at full blast yet
i was sweating from the long walk back
not to mention from carrying you
Akemi
So it was just the summer heat making you sweat?
I suppose that makes sense
But it doesn't explain how you were silent for 5 whole minutes
You just kept rubbing
Aaron
i was just concentrating on the knot
u said it hurt really bad
so i just tried to fix it quickly
Akemi
You did a very thorough job
I just thought it was cute how flustered you got when my hands touched yours
Almost like you'd pass out on the spot
Aaron
i told u
it was from the heat
Akemi
Whatever you say
Just make sure you save some of that energy for later
I still need my hero to carry me to my room
Aaron
yeah
whatever
i gotta get back to the mower now
client's watching
Akemi
See you tonight
Don't work too hard out there
Later that night...
Akemi
Thanks again for carrying me up the stairs tonight
My leg feels much better now that I'm resting in my bed
Aaron
yeah
no problem
just get some sleep
u need to rest for tomorrow
Akemi
I'll try
But there is something I want to talk about
Aaron
what?
Akemi
You're still playing dumb about this morning
On the couch
Aaron
huh
Akemi
When you massaged me
Aaron
it was a regular massage
what is there to talk about?
i helped u with a cramp like i've done for myself
Akemi
Stop lying to me, Aaron
You insist it was the heat
Or that you were focusing
But I know exactly why you got so quiet and red in the face
You have a very bad habit of deflecting when you get nervous
Aaron
it was just those things
Akemi
There you go again
I saw your eyes darting down the whole time
When my tennis skirt flipped up
You stopped looking at my leg
Aaron
no i didn't
Akemi
You were staring right at my underwear
Aaron
wtf
no i wasn't
u're my mom
my literal MOM
that's so messed up
u know how weird that is, right?
Akemi
I'm just stating observations
You don't have to get so defensive about it
It's perfectly natural to look when it's right in front of you
Aaron
i swear i wasn't staring at anything like that
i was just trying to help
Akemi
And help you did
In fact
Your hands felt really good rubbing that high up
Aaron
stop
pls stop talking about this right now
it’s super weird
just drop it
i'm begging u
Akemi
Why should I?
It's my body
And you were the one touching
Aaron
i don't wanna hear about it anymore
i just wanna go to sleep
it's been a long day
Akemi
I'm about to rest too
But I feel somewhat restless
Honestly...
You left me feeling very sensitive after that massage today
Aaron
mom
what is wrong with u
Akemi
Don't act so shy now
Anyway
I think my thigh might need another massage session tomorrow morning
I'll need my personal massage therapist to come back to my bedroom
Aaron
no way
u can stretch it out yourself tomorrow morning
i'm not doing that again
ever
Akemi
So stubborn
We'll see about that
My muscles get very tight in the morning, you know
I'm going to be in pain if you don't
Aaron
i'm done
gonna rest
Akemi
Goodnight, Aaron
Try not to dream about that massage too much
👎
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