MOTHERS & DAUGHTERS: ABBY & BARB

MOTHERS & DAUGHTERS:

ABBY & BARB

This is a story that is intend to be a part of a series grouped under MOTHERS & DAUGHTERS. Each story will be independent. The stories will ultimately cover a range of genre. These will be shorter stories of one chapter which is different from my previous efforts as a writer. I hope you enjoy them.

This story is an interracial story.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW …

This is a story about a mother, Abby Ordman and her daughter, Barb. Abby is 43 and Barb is 20. Both women have trim bodies and brunette hair that is wavy and falls just past the shoulders. Barb’s breasts are slightly larger than her mom’s, but both are well proportioned. The two looked shockingly alike, more like sisters despite the age difference. Barb has been away to college and has just finished her sophomore year. The college is local, though, about 30 miles on the other side of the city. Barb had been struggling in her classwork the initial semester, partly due to the long drive each way, parking hassles at a largely commuter college, and the newness of college classes versus high school. She finally accepted her mom’s suggestion to give dormitory life a try to eliminate some of the distraction and tension. A major addition to tension for both Abby and Barb was Barb’s father who shortly after Barb moved out, divorced her mom.

After receiving the divorce papers, Abby hired an attorney who uncovered an affair by her husband. The attorney also uncovered several financial accounts that had been clumsily separated and hidden. Her husband’s affair, it seemed, had been going on for several years. He had already made several major purchases with and for this other woman and they planned to marry as soon as the divorce was settled. These discoveries would put a major wrinkle in his plans.

Abby’s attorney was successful in not only locating several financial accounts and detailing the illicit affair, but found medical records of the woman to indicate she was pregnant by the husband. The divorce took much of a year, though the husband assumed Abby would be clueless and he would be gone with a large portion of his wealth. That turned around quickly. Abby not only took the house clear of mortgage, but also his two most prized vehicles, an SUV and sedan. The house sat on an acre of private land in a “nice” part of the city suburbs. The house was 3,000 square feet, much too big for only her, with a pool, and three-car garage. She also “made off”, as she thought of it, with 75% of his wealth. She hired a wealth manager and didn’t have to worry about working or Barb’s college, again.

Abby felt betrayed, abandoned, and alone after the divorce, though. She was frequently depressed by the betrayal and at a loss when she tried to think about the future.

MOTHERS & DAUGHTERS: ABBY & BARB

“Mom?!?” Barb yelled it into the house as she and her boyfriend, Ty, bumped through the front door with arms full of boxes. “I know she’s here because I told her I’d be coming today and the door is unlocked.”

“I can’t believe the sized of this house, Barb.” Barb and Ty met near the beginning of Barb’s sophomore year and this was the first time she had brought him to her mom’s home. “I swear, I think this place could fit almost two of my folks’ houses.”

Barb dropped her box, still wondering where her mom was. “Yeah, well, my dad was an asshole, but an asshole who was really good with money.”

From above them, they heard, “Well, that was before he decided to divorce me. Not that I hold any ill-will against him.” Almost lost with a much-softened voice, “I hope that slut he married walks out on him.”

Abby had joined them in the foyer. Barb was shaking her head at Abby’s last comment. “Oh, come now, girl. Saying that is much better than hoping he rots in hell.”

“Mother!” Changing the subject, “You remember, Ty?”

“Of course, I remember Ty.” She gave him a hug, then her daughter. “I had to drive up to campus and take you two out to dinner to meet him, but … hey, I’m just mom.” Barb raised her arm as if to swat at her and Abby put up her hands in self-defense. “Take a joke, honey.” She looked at Ty and asked, “How much more is there?”

Ty rolled his eyes, “Women … seriously, I have no idea how this much stuff came out of that dorm room.” Barb looked like she was going to hit Ty, now. Ty and Abby laughed but Barb picked up her box and huffed as she took the stairs. Ty shrugged and followed.

Abby watched the two of them and smiled. Barb was such a sweet girl and she hated that one of the first things coming out of her mouth was her divorce. Somehow, she needed to get past that. Ty, short for Tyrel, is a very handsome black man a year older than her daughter. After knowing each other for less than a year, Abby had the feeling Ty was very good for her daughter. At least, that was what she saw in her daughter’s eyes when she was around him.

She promised herself right then, she would find a way to be better. She would find a way to change her life in a way that would be amazing for herself and her daughter. Barb deserved so much more from her. She would find the way to give it to her, to be the support and encouragement she deserved.

After several weeks being home, Barb’s concern for her mom hadn’t eased. She found her listless and unfocussed. She remembered the woman, the mother who was so active in her life without being overbearing or controlling. She always had room to move and discover, largely because of the relationship they shared; her mom had that kind of trust in her. Barb missed that woman. She wanted desperately to have that woman back in her life. But she also realized that her mom needed to be that woman again for her own good, so she could move on and find the measure of happiness and contentment and fulfillment she deserved.

Barb finally dragged Abby out for an evening with her and Ty. She didn’t give her an alternative, insisting that she needed to get out and enjoy herself for at least a few hours. Ty met them at one of their favorite bars where they could talk if they wanted or dance to the DJ music provided. They sat in a booth with Abby sitting on one side. Abby’s impressions of Ty were in reinforced watching the two of them. The young couple quickly fell into an easy, comfortable banter about friends, school, and the summer. Ty was staying on campus during the summer as he had part-time positions at the Student Union and tutoring in Economics.

The two had danced a number of times until Barb convinced Ty to ask Abby. With some reluctance, Abby accepted the offer. It had been years, a lot of years, since she had danced last, but Ty promised to pick slower songs for her. Shyly, she accepted. The first dance was an early classic rock song she remembered but couldn’t name.

Abby confided her awkwardness of dancing with her daughter’s boyfriend. He responded, “Mrs. O, Barb is just worried about you. She thinks you need to have some fun.”

Abby looked into the young man’s face. He was a full six inches taller and trim, but strongly built. He was very comfortable and confident in his action and she understood why her daughter liked him. “Well, first … don’t call me ‘Mrs.’ anything. As you can guess, my marriage didn’t end well and I don’t want reminders.” He apologized. “Just … call me by my name. It feels weird. I mean I’m an older woman and mother and I am not in some crisis where I am trying to relate to my daughter’s boyfriend in desperation.” She fell quiet for some minutes. The song changed but the music remained slow. “Maybe I do need to find something in my life to give me joy and pleasure … something to allow me to move forward with something.” She looked into his eyes. She had more to drink already than she had in a while because she refused to drink at home by herself. She liked this man … she liked him a lot … and she was happy for her daughter. But did she really want another relationship with strings and commitments and expectations of the future? She seriously wondered about that.

“Abby? Where did you go?”

She shook her head and smiled back at him. “Sorry, thinking about … anyway, you should get back to Barb. This is a young place and people are going to wonder about you dancing with an old woman.” She chuckled but he didn’t.

As he listened to her, he glanced over at Barb who was smiling and still encouraging him. The music had changed to an old romantic song and he unconsciously pulled Abby tighter into his arms. She reacted with a shiver that he felt but didn’t release the quite proper dance position. He shifted on hand to her shoulder and the other to the small of her back. She tensed for a moment before putting both of her arms around his neck like she did when she was younger. She could feel his tight, strong body against hers and it made her yearn for … what wasn’t in her life, anymore.

Ty softly spoke into her ear, “Abby … if any of my buddies were here, they would be watching and wondering, not about why I was dancing with an ‘older woman’, but where I met this woman. You’re Barb’s mom and maybe you just haven’t looked at yourself since she has become a woman, but you and she look more like sisters than mother and daughter.” He paused, not at all sure what kind of footing he was on, but he knew how worried Barb was for her mom and decided to plow ahead. “Yes, Abby, you are a mature woman but a beautiful woman with an attractive body. Mature or young, men will find you desirable.” Then he shut up. He knew he probably said too much. It was all true and how he felt, but … this was Barb’s mom.

Abby stopped dead on the dance floor, which only strengthened Ty’s fears. But Abby was blushing. She leaned forward and gave the young man a kiss on the cheek and took his hand. “Thank you, Ty. I’m not sure I believe all that, but … thank you.”

The next morning, Abby sat at the kitchen table sipping from a mug and gazing into the hot, dark liquid as if she expected to find answers in the swirling steam to the questions swirling in her head. She hadn’t heard her daughter enter the room and flinched when her arms suddenly were wrapped around her shoulders in a wonderful morning hug.

“Morning mom. Since when did you start sleeping in tee-shirts?”

Abby giggled and glanced at her daughter as she moved to the cupboard for a mug. “I haven’t … I sleep naked now.” She watched the surprised … shock?