Ooops, I Burned the Toast Ch. 01

She took a deep breath, and worked the frown on her face slowly into a smile.

Judy had been sure her mother would be livid with rage so she stood on the opposite side of Joe, out of her mother's reach.

She walked directly to her son-in-law, tousled his hair, kissed him on the cheek and exclaimed, "Good morning, Joey---what a wonderful day----I feel so refreshed--- and so ALIVE!"

Maggie leveled a cold stare at her daughter. Judy could only hold 'the look' from her mother for a few seconds before she cast her eyes downward.

"Judy, dear, fetch me some coffee," Maggie said condescendingly.

"Y-Yes, mother," replied Judy.

She was pouring coffee into her mother's cup when she heard laughter from one of the tables. She looked-up and saw the twins sitting together eating breakfast. Jenny was all smiles and giggles.

They're sitting awfully close to one another, she thought.

Judy took three-steps in the direction of her mother when she glanced towards her children. From that angle, she could see underneath the long picnic table.

The hairs on the back of her neck stood straight. She couldn't believe her eyes. Jenny's hand was on Jeffey's thigh, and she appeared to be squeezing and stroking it.

"JEFFY," she called-out to her son. "Shouldn't you be helping with the horses?"

"I'm almost done eating, mom," he answered.

"Well, hurry-up and go do your job!" she said angrily.

Jeffy ate two more bites of food then stood. He smiled at his sister and said something Judy couldn't hear.

Judy heard her daughter say out loud, "Yes, my jefe!"

She pronounced the 'j' in Jeffy as an 'h.'

Jenny giggled and Judy's eyes bugged-wide when she saw the bulge in her son's jeans.

OH MY GOD!! screamed her mind. What in hell have these two been doing together? She literally felt her skin crawl.

When Jeffy walked toward the stables, Judy went to her mother with the coffee cup in a trembling hand; hoping she hadn't seen her grandson's excitement.

Maggie was standing away from Joe, as he concentrated on cooking the breakfast meat's for the guests. She took the cup from Judy, sipped at the coffee then motioned for her daughter to sit at a table.

Her mother sat across from her staring again. Her eyes were narrow, pointed darts.

Maggie broke the silence and said, "My God, Judy, this is one sick and depraved family!"

The younger woman hadn't blushed in a long time, but now her face was beet-red.

Her mother continued: "Do you hate me so much that you'd intentionally allow your insane husband to have his way with me?"

"Mom---no, it's not like that," Judy protested. "It was an accident, really, I didn't feel well!"

"That's horseshit, Judy, and you know it!" spat Maggie. Judy was shocked to hear her mother swear. "You've NEVER had a problem with your periods...why did you do this to me, dear?"

The younger woman couldn't think of anything to say; in panic, she blurted-out the first thing that came to mind.

"It was Jenny's fault---she's the one who said you were a bitter old woman who needed to get laid!" she said, regretting it the moment she heard herself say it.

A sad smile crossed Maggie's lips as she slowly shook her head.

"You're blaming your eighteen-year-old daughter for this? That is pitiful, Judy---you're pathetic!"

"Mom...I'm sorry...I really truly thought it would be good for you...you've been miserable ever since you moved-in with us...and the way Joe is now, well, it's kind of perfect, if you think about it."

"What the hell is wrong with him anyway?" asked Maggie. "He did all those things to me and still thought I was you."

Judy described what the VA doctors had told her. She also told her mother about the effects alcohol had on Joe when it mixed with his meds.

"Yes, I've seen that 'look' in his eyes," said Maggie. "...but he walks and talks like he's normal---how sad!"

"Mother," said Judy softly. "May I ask you a personal question?"

"What is it, dear," replied Maggie.

"Did, uh..." stammered Judy, "...was it good for you? Did you like it?"

Maggie stared at her daughter thru bright, clear eyes and waited to answer. The very thought of what had taken place caused her panties to become moist. Then she said: "That's none of your business, dear."

They heard the guests beginning to arrive for breakfast and went about their daily routines.

The two women sat side-by-side eating supper. Several tables away they watched Jenny and Jeffy eating, as well.

They drank wine and talked like they'd never talked before. Judy didn't remember many mother-daughter conversations. They had all been one sided: "I'm your mother---do as I say."

Joe came over and re-filled their glasses. Judy wasn't sure, but it seemed to be her mother's third or fourth glass. She couldn't remember her mother ever drinking at all.

"You know, dear," said Maggie, motioning at the twins. "I'm shocked you haven't put a stop to their disgusting behavior...that son of yours gets a hard-on whenever he's near his sister...."

"Mother, yesterday you said it was 'pure and natural'...." said Judy. "Yes...I know something's wrong, but I don't know what to do...."

"Very typical, of you, dear...avoiding the difficult problems then forgetting about them completely by lying on your back with your legs spread wide for your husband."

Just then, the guests started arriving for supper. Maggie got up from the table and said one last thing to her daughter before she went to work.

"You're not only a cheap whore, dear---but a terrible mother, too!"

Judy felt like she'd been sucker-punched. She almost fell when she stood. She composed herself and went about her job.

She consciously avoided her mother. The one time she came in close contact with her, Maggie said to her: "Tonight, you go back to the camp with the kids and deal with their problem...I'll spend the night here...the way Joey fucked me last night it's obvious you can't satisfy him...."

Judy saw stars before her eyes. She was numb. A boiling anger and rage washed thru her entire body.

She walked to the grill where Joe was busy cooking steaks. She saw the Texas toast on the side of the grill.

"I'll take care of the toast, sweetie," she said.

Over-and-over she heard her mother's voice in her head: "You're not only a cheap whore, dear---but a terrible mother, too!"

With Joe's back to her, she pressed the spatula down hard on two pieces of toast.

When they were blackened on the bottom, she tapped Joe on the shoulder. It startled her to see his blank gaze so early in the evening.

She said to him, "Ooops, sorry I burned the toast, hon."

His dead-eyes caused her to shiver in fear.

In the most ominous tone of voice she'd heard from him yet, he said, "After tonight, I guarantee you'll never burn the toast again!"

Judy sang and hummed her favorite song the rest of the evening.