Jake sat by himself on the windowsil, his knees hugged to his chest, watching the afternoon sun shrink below the horizon. The fading light gave the room a magical feel, he usually enjoyed this time of day the most, but his mind was elsewhere now.

This had been the third time he’d nearly been eaten alive, and for whatever reason, he’d frozen at the moment that counted most, and he’d nearly died because of it.

His mother had nearly torn off Amanda’s head when she’d learned what had happened. It had taken all Jakee’s pleading to calm her down, he insited it was his fault entirely. She didn’t like it, but she eventually accepted Jake’s explanation.

He didn’t even get to see nique, His mother had put him in “his” room immediately after settling down.

He stared aimlessly at the ground beneath him.

She’s just worried, he thought, I mean, I did almost die, again…

The door opened slowly, it was his mother.

“Jake…” she started, but was unable to finish. Instead she sat on the bed nearest him and brushed a golden blonde lock out of her bright green eyes.

“Do you wanna talk?” She asked him.

“no”, he replied simply.

“Jake” she said in that soft voice of hers that calmed him. “please?”

Jake looked up at her. She looked back at him pleadingly, her eyes were full of sadness, and weren’t as bright and full of life as they usually were.

“Fine” Jake said, and stood, brushing of his legs.

She held her hand up to the edge of the dresser. Jake stepped on and sat down. His mother’s hands were always so warm and soft, he always felt safe in them.

She swung her legs up off the floor and crossed them on the bed, removing her flip flops and setting them on the edge of the bed. She place Jake on her right thigh, the jeans she wore were soft and thin, he could feel his mothers warmth through them.

“so what happened?” she asked for probably the tenth time that day.

“I to,d you”, he began again,” we were sharing a hotdog, I climbed on top and….yeah, she ate me, or almost did anyways.”

His mother seemed to be straining to control her anger.

“mom, it’s not Amanda’s fault” Jake said again.

“Is it so hard to tell that there’s a living breathing person struggling for life in your mouth!?” She snapped at him.

Jake hung his head.

His mother regained her composure and apologized.

“I’m not angry at you”, she told him,”Just at my sister”.

“Mom, it’s not her fault, it’s mine, I shouldn’t have climbed onto the hotdog, that was stupid”.

“It was a pretty dumb descision” she said, smiling.

Jake smiled back, “Trust me, I won’t be climbing on another hotdog anytime soon”.

“How about ever?” she joked.

They both laughed at that.

After wiping her etes, Jake’s mother looked at him, searching his eyes for something.

“There’s something else I want to ask you about Jake”.

“what?” Jake asked her.

“It’s about this morning”, she answered, and waited for his reaction.

Jake’s eyes met hers for a moment, then he looked away quickly.

“Okay, what about this morning?” he asked her, seeming as uncaring as possible.

“Well, after I got you your water, I noticed something…..about my feet.”

Jake swallowed hard and his eyes darted back to hers for a split second.

“Oh yeah?” He said, his voice breaking slightly, “like what”?

“Jake” she said, leaning forward and starring at him intently, “I think you know”.

Jake attempted to hold her gaze. Those bright green eyes drilled into him, searching for the truth.

She knows! He thought.

“What do you mean, I’m not really sure what-“

“I was awake Jake.”

Jake froze. He looked at her again, and held her gaze this time.

“I could feel you moving down there sweety.”

Jake felt the tears of guilt begin to well up behind his eyes.

“ I didn’t.. I-I Don’t-“

Then he lost it. The tears fell for what seemed like hours. He was so ashamed.

Despite what he’d done his mother rubbed his back softly with her thumb, stroking it gently.

Jake hugged her thumb tightly and cried into it’s soft warm flesh.

He hadn’t cried like this since he was very little, he was glad Nique couldn’t see him.

After his tears had been spent, His mother lifted him gently and held him against her chest, making soothing “shhh” noises.

She held him against her for the longest time.

“Jake”, she whispered finally,”It’s okay”.

“It is?” he asked her, feeling like a child again.

“Yes, I know you’re a young man now, nearly seventeen, and it’s natural to explore your sexual urges”

Jake blushed heavily. Wiping his nose, he looked up at her and asked, “so you’re not mad?”

“No” she said smiling softly, “ In fact I’m a little flattered, I’m glad you like my feet.”

She set him back on the dresser.

“But how about you explore your urges with your girlfriend, instead of your mom hm?”

Jake smiled brightly, “Okay mom.”

She leaned forward and kissed him softly, her lips were bmoist and warm.

“Thanks mom” he said as she left the room.

She smiled back warmly and left.