A Forbidden but Sensual Experience I was 13 and Dad was off with his girlfriend again. I had met her some time ago and did not make the connection. Mum took it bad but I think it hit me harder. Give him a couple of days and he’d be back. I went to bed early that night which I generally did with the intention of having a long read. I devoured books at a rate of knots so was always in the library looking for more science fiction. A couple of hours immersed in a story and I would doze off as easy as pie. Tonight I found myself rereading the same line over and over as my concentration was way off. So, I gave in, put down the book and tried to go to sleep. My mother I had left downstairs watching the TV, my other, younger sisters had long gone off to sleep in their own room. My mind raced and would not calm. Soon, I the sound from the TV stopped, the lounge door opened, I heard my mother climbing the stairs to bed and the door closing as she went into her room. Sleep still eluded me. The house was quiet, but after a few minutes I could just hear the sound of my mum crying; a sound just on the edge of my comprehension. Now my senses were attuned to it and it would not let me go to sleep. So I got up. The only bedroom door that was ever closed was my parent’s, ours were always open. I passed the girl’s room and could see they were both fast asleep. I stopped with my hand on the handle of my mother’s room, paused, took a deep breath and went in. The crying stopped immediately. “What’s the matter?” she asked. “I can’t sleep.” I heard her sigh “No, neither can I.” “Can I come in bed with you?” I asked. There was a short pause as she considered the request. …but everything was about to change
