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A Mother and Her Son
It had been two years since Prashant Kumar's father died. Prashant ** when the tragedy occurred. While Prashant missed his dad a lot, it was no more than his mom did. Their life had been ideal--living in the suburbs, two-car garage, and nice schools. Everything was just about perfect until the accident.
Mukesh Kumar had been driving home from work late one night when a drunken driver crossed the centerline and hit his car head-on. He never had a chance. The police said that the other car had been traveling at almost one hundred miles per hour.
The funeral was difficult for everyone. Mukesh and Deepa's relatives flew in from around the country and were a big help to Prashant and his mother. However, when the funeral was over, she and Prashant had to go home and deal with the loss alone. The accident changed their lives dramatically.
Prashant's mom, Deepa, had to go back to work to make ends meet and they had to sell their house. However, in the two years since Mukesh's death, Deepa had done very well in her job and she had been lucky in the stock market. She had purchased a new house for her and Prashant, smaller than before, but very comfortable nonetheless. The job and investments provided enough money to enjoy life and take an occasional vacation.
While the two years since the accident had been financially stable, it was emotionally difficult. On an emotional level, she and Prashant were still struggling. They leaned on each other for support and therefore had grown closer than the typical mother and teenaged son.
Prashant Kumar became the man of the house overnight, but he knew that he couldn't make up for the loss of his dad to his mother.
Prashant was a tall, handsome and lean boy at 6' 1" and 175 pounds. He was bigger than most of his classmates. However, while he appeared to be a confident teenager, he was, in fact, very shy and overly sensitive. Although, he had his dad's handsome face and the bright blue eyes of his mom, he wasn't comfortable with girls.
Prashant wanted to date, but every time he was around an attractive girl, he would become tongue-tied and embarrass himself. It was easier for him just to avoid those situations. Besides, he almost felt like he would be cheating his mom if he dated.
Now 18, Prashant had graduated from high school with honors and had earned a football scholarship to a local university. He had never had a girlfriend. His shyness was an incredible embarrassment for him. The shyness was primarily the result of a slight stutter that he had developed not long after his father died. He had hid it successfully from his mother so far and most of the time he could cover it up. However, it tended to show up when he was nervous and all too often, that was in the presents of girls his age.
Deepa Kumar was still a very attractive woman as well. She was tall at 5' 7" with a well-proportioned body. However, like most women, she was critical of her body. She thought that her butt was too round and that her breasts were too large. Her tendency was to dress on the conservative side to cover up her perceived flaws.
Deepa had been desperately lonely since Mukesh's death. Although, she tried not to lean on Prashant too much, he seemed to be the only one that really understood. She didn't have to explain to him how she felt when she was sad, angry, or lonely. He just knew. Deepa thought that she could read Prashant as well.
Out of sheer loneliness, Deepa had tried dating. Unfortunately, she hadn't met anyone that she really liked or connected with on an emotional level or for that matter, on a physical level. Deepa still had strong sexual desires. However, she needed more from a man. She needed tenderness and understanding first. Most of the men she dated seemed to think that because she was a young widowed woman that she would jump into bed at the drop of a hat.
Prashant tried to encourage her to go out and have some fun, but whenever he suggested that she find someone, she would always tell him that he was the only man she needed in her life now. It was almost as if she would be cheating Prashant or somehow hurting Mukesh's memory. While she knew deep inside it was time to move on, she couldn't let go of the past.
Now 36, Deepa worked hard to keep the family financially solvent. Her job as a public relations executive was rewarding but time consuming. She had to work 12 hour days and sometimes Saturdays.
Prashant talked her into wearing sexier clothes and had even convinced her that she looked great with short skirts and low cut tops. He told her that she needed to show off her assets to get ahead in business. It had worked on the business level. However, her good looks also attracted a lot of unwanted attention from men.
Whenever Prashant would tell her that she should date, she would turn his comments around and say he should be the one dating.
Deepa was more concerned about her son's lack of social development then she was about dating herself. She wanted him to go out and have fun, yet he would be home most weekend nights with her.
One Saturday evening, Deepa found Prashant sitting in the living room watching TV as usual.
"Prashant, why are you sitting home tonight? Why don't you go out with someone?" Deepa said, sitting down next to her son and putting her arm around his shoulders. They had this conversation almost every weekend.
"Come on Mom, give me a break. I don't need to go out, besides, I'd rather be home with you." That had been his standard response. It was a lame excuse and they both knew it.
"Prashant, you need to have friends, you know... girlfriends," Deepa said in
exasperation. Then she looked at him seriously and said, "I'm worried about you."
"You seem to do okay without boyfriends. Why do I need girlfriends?"
"Come on Prashant, that's different and you know it. I've already been married. Besides, I already have a man. You!" Deepa said, squeezing his shoulder affectionately.
"Well, I have plenty time to date. Besides, I already have a woman. You!" Prashant replied, smiling at using his mom's own words.
Deepa sighed in frustration. "Well, we're a fine pair aren't we?"
"Mom, you're my best friend," Prashant said seriously, snuggling into her arm.
"And you're my best friend too," Deepa said, hugging him again. However, she couldn't let it go. "You still need to date. It's not healthy."
Prashant took a deep breath. "Mom..."
"What?"
Prashant's mouth was opened but nothing came out. His head fell back on the sofa and he closed his eyes. His face seemed to color in embarrassment. "It's nothing. Never mind," he finally said.
"Come on Prashant... please don't close me out," Deepa said, turning his face to her and looking into his misty eyes. "We've always been able to talk about anything. Haven't we?"
Prashant had wanted to talk to his mother for a long time about his shyness and the stutter but he didn't want to burden her. Additionally, he felt embarrassed talking to her about girls. Now that he had finally gotten up enough nerve to bring the subject up, he knew he had to continue. "It's... it's just that I'm... I'm not so hot with the girls. I'm too shy and whenever I get around a nice looking girl I... I... I... get tongue-tied," Prashant said, his eyes unable to meet his mother's.
Deepa was surprised but tried not to show it. She had never heard him get tongue-tied before. "Now wait a minute, you always say that I'm a nice looking girl and you don't get tongue-tied around me."
"I'm serious Mom, I don't know what to do or say around girls. I've only kissed two girls in my whole life," Prashant blurted before he could stop himself.
"Really?" Deepa said in astonishment. My God, he was 18 and he had only kissed two girls, she thought. He must be a virgin! The realization shocked Deepa. Then a bigger problem occurred to her. "You like girls don't you?"
"Mommmmmm! Of course I like girls," Prashant said, now totally embarrassed.
Deepa sighed in relief.
"It's just that... just that... oh hell... I haven't even been on a real date."
"Wow Prashant, I had no idea!" Deepa was unable to hide the shock in her voice. "I've seen you go out. You said you were going out with girls."
"I'm sorry Mom, I lied. I go to the library or the mall. I just didn't want you to feel bad for me. You have enough on your mind."
Suddenly, Deepa realized that she had neglected Prashant since his father died. She had been foolish to think that she could read him. She had been so busy mourning her own loss, feeling sorry for herself and working on her career that she had missed all the signs. It was obvious now that he was very sexually immature. God, how could I have been so stupid? she thought.
The two of them sat silently for a long time. Neither one of them knew what to say.
Finally, Deepa broke the ice with an idea.
"Prashant, what would you think about you and I going on a date?"
"Come on Mom! Get serious!"
"I am serious. You're very comfortable around me, so why don't we go out? You can act as if I'm your date. I can tell you what you need to work on. After all, I still remember what girls like." Deepa stopped when she realized that he might be embarrassed to go out with his mother. "Uh...that is if you wouldn't be too embarrassed to be seen out with your old mom."
"God Mom, you're not old. You're the best looking woman I know!" His face turned red as soon as he said it.
"Thank you sweetheart, and you are the best looking man I know. So why don't we two good looking people go on a date?"
Prashant was quiet for a few minutes, thinking. Maybe it would be good for her to go out, he thought. Besides, she might get off his back about dating. It could be a way for him to help her. Suddenly, he liked the idea. "Well... okay... I guess it might be fun," Prashant finally said in a nonchalant tone.
"You don't sound that excited," Deepa said with a pout.
"That's not it," Prashant said quickly. But... but...
"What's wrong sweetie?"
"I don't... uh don't know about that stuff. I... I... I... would... uh... you know, feel silly if I messed up. That would be embar... embarrassing," Prashant said, a stutter in his voice.
"There's nothing you could do to embarrass yourself honey," Deepa said patting his leg affectionately. "Come on, let's get dressed and you can take me to dinner and a movie," Deepa said, reaching to the table and picking up her car keys and flipping them to him. "You can even drive, lover boy
It had been two years since Prashant Kumar's father died. Prashant ** when the tragedy occurred. While Prashant missed his dad a lot, it was no more than his mom did. Their life had been ideal--living in the suburbs, two-car garage, and nice schools. Everything was just about perfect until the accident.
Mukesh Kumar had been driving home from work late one night when a drunken driver crossed the centerline and hit his car head-on. He never had a chance. The police said that the other car had been traveling at almost one hundred miles per hour.
The funeral was difficult for everyone. Mukesh and Deepa's relatives flew in from around the country and were a big help to Prashant and his mother. However, when the funeral was over, she and Prashant had to go home and deal with the loss alone. The accident changed their lives dramatically.
Prashant's mom, Deepa, had to go back to work to make ends meet and they had to sell their house. However, in the two years since Mukesh's death, Deepa had done very well in her job and she had been lucky in the stock market. She had purchased a new house for her and Prashant, smaller than before, but very comfortable nonetheless. The job and investments provided enough money to enjoy life and take an occasional vacation.
While the two years since the accident had been financially stable, it was emotionally difficult. On an emotional level, she and Prashant were still struggling. They leaned on each other for support and therefore had grown closer than the typical mother and teenaged son.
Prashant Kumar became the man of the house overnight, but he knew that he couldn't make up for the loss of his dad to his mother.
Prashant was a tall, handsome and lean boy at 6' 1" and 175 pounds. He was bigger than most of his classmates. However, while he appeared to be a confident teenager, he was, in fact, very shy and overly sensitive. Although, he had his dad's handsome face and the bright blue eyes of his mom, he wasn't comfortable with girls.
Prashant wanted to date, but every time he was around an attractive girl, he would become tongue-tied and embarrass himself. It was easier for him just to avoid those situations. Besides, he almost felt like he would be cheating his mom if he dated.
Now 18, Prashant had graduated from high school with honors and had earned a football scholarship to a local university. He had never had a girlfriend. His shyness was an incredible embarrassment for him. The shyness was primarily the result of a slight stutter that he had developed not long after his father died. He had hid it successfully from his mother so far and most of the time he could cover it up. However, it tended to show up when he was nervous and all too often, that was in the presents of girls his age.
Deepa Kumar was still a very attractive woman as well. She was tall at 5' 7" with a well-proportioned body. However, like most women, she was critical of her body. She thought that her butt was too round and that her breasts were too large. Her tendency was to dress on the conservative side to cover up her perceived flaws.
Deepa had been desperately lonely since Mukesh's death. Although, she tried not to lean on Prashant too much, he seemed to be the only one that really understood. She didn't have to explain to him how she felt when she was sad, angry, or lonely. He just knew. Deepa thought that she could read Prashant as well.
Out of sheer loneliness, Deepa had tried dating. Unfortunately, she hadn't met anyone that she really liked or connected with on an emotional level or for that matter, on a physical level. Deepa still had strong sexual desires. However, she needed more from a man. She needed tenderness and understanding first. Most of the men she dated seemed to think that because she was a young widowed woman that she would jump into bed at the drop of a hat.
Prashant tried to encourage her to go out and have some fun, but whenever he suggested that she find someone, she would always tell him that he was the only man she needed in her life now. It was almost as if she would be cheating Prashant or somehow hurting Mukesh's memory. While she knew deep inside it was time to move on, she couldn't let go of the past.
Now 36, Deepa worked hard to keep the family financially solvent. Her job as a public relations executive was rewarding but time consuming. She had to work 12 hour days and sometimes Saturdays.
Prashant talked her into wearing sexier clothes and had even convinced her that she looked great with short skirts and low cut tops. He told her that she needed to show off her assets to get ahead in business. It had worked on the business level. However, her good looks also attracted a lot of unwanted attention from men.
Whenever Prashant would tell her that she should date, she would turn his comments around and say he should be the one dating.
Deepa was more concerned about her son's lack of social development then she was about dating herself. She wanted him to go out and have fun, yet he would be home most weekend nights with her.
One Saturday evening, Deepa found Prashant sitting in the living room watching TV as usual.
"Prashant, why are you sitting home tonight? Why don't you go out with someone?" Deepa said, sitting down next to her son and putting her arm around his shoulders. They had this conversation almost every weekend.
"Come on Mom, give me a break. I don't need to go out, besides, I'd rather be home with you." That had been his standard response. It was a lame excuse and they both knew it.
"Prashant, you need to have friends, you know... girlfriends," Deepa said in
exasperation. Then she looked at him seriously and said, "I'm worried about you."
"You seem to do okay without boyfriends. Why do I need girlfriends?"
"Come on Prashant, that's different and you know it. I've already been married. Besides, I already have a man. You!" Deepa said, squeezing his shoulder affectionately.
"Well, I have plenty time to date. Besides, I already have a woman. You!" Prashant replied, smiling at using his mom's own words.
Deepa sighed in frustration. "Well, we're a fine pair aren't we?"
"Mom, you're my best friend," Prashant said seriously, snuggling into her arm.
"And you're my best friend too," Deepa said, hugging him again. However, she couldn't let it go. "You still need to date. It's not healthy."
Prashant took a deep breath. "Mom..."
"What?"
Prashant's mouth was opened but nothing came out. His head fell back on the sofa and he closed his eyes. His face seemed to color in embarrassment. "It's nothing. Never mind," he finally said.
"Come on Prashant... please don't close me out," Deepa said, turning his face to her and looking into his misty eyes. "We've always been able to talk about anything. Haven't we?"
Prashant had wanted to talk to his mother for a long time about his shyness and the stutter but he didn't want to burden her. Additionally, he felt embarrassed talking to her about girls. Now that he had finally gotten up enough nerve to bring the subject up, he knew he had to continue. "It's... it's just that I'm... I'm not so hot with the girls. I'm too shy and whenever I get around a nice looking girl I... I... I... get tongue-tied," Prashant said, his eyes unable to meet his mother's.
Deepa was surprised but tried not to show it. She had never heard him get tongue-tied before. "Now wait a minute, you always say that I'm a nice looking girl and you don't get tongue-tied around me."
"I'm serious Mom, I don't know what to do or say around girls. I've only kissed two girls in my whole life," Prashant blurted before he could stop himself.
"Really?" Deepa said in astonishment. My God, he was 18 and he had only kissed two girls, she thought. He must be a virgin! The realization shocked Deepa. Then a bigger problem occurred to her. "You like girls don't you?"
"Mommmmmm! Of course I like girls," Prashant said, now totally embarrassed.
Deepa sighed in relief.
"It's just that... just that... oh hell... I haven't even been on a real date."
"Wow Prashant, I had no idea!" Deepa was unable to hide the shock in her voice. "I've seen you go out. You said you were going out with girls."
"I'm sorry Mom, I lied. I go to the library or the mall. I just didn't want you to feel bad for me. You have enough on your mind."
Suddenly, Deepa realized that she had neglected Prashant since his father died. She had been foolish to think that she could read him. She had been so busy mourning her own loss, feeling sorry for herself and working on her career that she had missed all the signs. It was obvious now that he was very sexually immature. God, how could I have been so stupid? she thought.
The two of them sat silently for a long time. Neither one of them knew what to say.
Finally, Deepa broke the ice with an idea.
"Prashant, what would you think about you and I going on a date?"
"Come on Mom! Get serious!"
"I am serious. You're very comfortable around me, so why don't we go out? You can act as if I'm your date. I can tell you what you need to work on. After all, I still remember what girls like." Deepa stopped when she realized that he might be embarrassed to go out with his mother. "Uh...that is if you wouldn't be too embarrassed to be seen out with your old mom."
"God Mom, you're not old. You're the best looking woman I know!" His face turned red as soon as he said it.
"Thank you sweetheart, and you are the best looking man I know. So why don't we two good looking people go on a date?"
Prashant was quiet for a few minutes, thinking. Maybe it would be good for her to go out, he thought. Besides, she might get off his back about dating. It could be a way for him to help her. Suddenly, he liked the idea. "Well... okay... I guess it might be fun," Prashant finally said in a nonchalant tone.
"You don't sound that excited," Deepa said with a pout.
"That's not it," Prashant said quickly. But... but...
"What's wrong sweetie?"
"I don't... uh don't know about that stuff. I... I... I... would... uh... you know, feel silly if I messed up. That would be embar... embarrassing," Prashant said, a stutter in his voice.
"There's nothing you could do to embarrass yourself honey," Deepa said patting his leg affectionately. "Come on, let's get dressed and you can take me to dinner and a movie," Deepa said, reaching to the table and picking up her car keys and flipping them to him. "You can even drive, lover boy