She sat on the bed eagerly anticipating the voicemail.  She convinced herself it had to be her mom giving her the good news from Coach Ron that she had made the swim team.  Her mom hadn’t dropped off her clothes or backpack for the next morning yet.  She also likely called to say she was running late.  The move and job transfer was keeping Kathy busy lately.  She would surely drop it off later.

As Rachel waited, she pulled the towel off her head.  She always thought her hair looked sexy when it was down.  She stood up and spun around letting her wet hair swirl around her face, pursing her lips in a kissing face.  It was like a shampoo commercial where the girl wearing nothing but a towel will flinging her hair in the air to show off her silky curls.

Rachel actually giggled.  With the stress of the day gone she was free to be a goofy teen girl again.  But when Eric’s mom walked in, she squealed, dove for her bed covers, and yelled “don’t you know how to knock?”  The further removed she was from the tryout; the more her modesty seemed to be returning.  Eric’s mom was not in a playful mood, “Young lady, I have already seen everything.  Why are you concerned?”

She did have a point. Rachel stood back up.  “Sorry…It just startled me.”

Eric’s mom gave her a look of disapproval.  “Your mom left a voicemail message.  Dinner is almost ready.  You should finish getting ready and come down.”

She took the cordless phone and pressed the “voicemail” button, hardly able to wait through the prompts.  Her mom’s excited voice came on: “Rachel, I have some good news!  Your coach called to say he was very impressed with you.  You made the team.  Good job, baby!  We knew you’d do it.  I wa…”

Rachel screamed with joy and jumped up and down causing her to drop the phone.

Eric’s mom put on a counterfeit smile and said “congratulations” as Rachel ran over to hug her.  Even though she was expecting it, the news came as a great relief.  How could this day get any better?  She stood there for a few moments basking in the glow of achievement, and then she remembered the phone

“…on the doorstep.  I’m sorry I couldn’t be there to tell you in person, but we’ll go out to celebrate after things settle down.  Remember to check your email tonight.  Congratulations again, baby.  Be good.  Love you.”

Another squealing fit later, Rachel settled down enough to think clearly.  She had missed part of the voicemail.  Was that something about an email?  She wanted to listen to the good news again anyway, but that could wait until after she got dressed. But her mom hadn’t dropped off tomorrow’s clothes yet. In too good a mood to be upset, she simply reached behind the door to grab her nightgown off the hook.  That’s when everything started to come unraveled.  The nightgown wasn’t there.

“Um, Mrs. G.  Where’s my nightgown?”  Eric’s mom was still standing in the doorway incredulous at how Rachel had thrown her phone down.

She has no respect for my things.  Lucky she didn’t break it.  She doesn’t really respect me either.

The mention of Rachel’s nightgown only added to her animosity.  She slipped into lecturing mother mode, “Do you mean the dripping pile of ruined cloth I found hanging behind your door?”

Uh Oh.

Rachel realized she had messed up.  “Did I forget to rinse it out this morning?”

She felt Rachel deserved a reprimand.  It was the reprimand she wished she could have given earlier when she first saw her flaunting her body for her husband and son.  She didn’t hold back.

“Yes, you did forget.  In fact by the time I found it, the material had been reduced to rags by the chlorine.  I had to throw it away.  And then there’s the stain on the floor.” she pointed down to where the dripping pool of water had created a faded circle on the carpet.  “When will you kids learn to take care of things?”

Rachel shrank back.  She could tell Eric’s mom was not happy.  “I…I’m so sorry.  I was in such a rush this morning, I forgot about it.  I’ll clean it up.”  Rachel wasn’t even sure if you could get a chlorine stain out of carpet.  Then she realized she needed something to wear to bed.

“Maybe I could call my mom to bring something else over when she drops my things by.”

“I don’t think your mother is planning on stopping by again tonight.  She left a note saying there was an emergency back at your old house and she was going to try and catch a flight tonight.”

Rachel realized she must have missed some critical details from the voicemail.  She needed to listen to it again.  Eric’s irate mom continued, “We have shown you our hospitality and I think that deserves a little more respect.  Now I’m willing to loan you one of my nightgowns but you must take better care of it and not be so careless.  Do you hear me?”

“Yes, ma’am.  I promise to take good care of it.”

While Eric’s mom went to her own bedroom to pick out a nightgown for her, Rachel sat back down on her bed.  She had really screwed things up.  Maybe she was taking advantage of Eric’s mother.  After resolving to make amends by being a perfect angel for Eric’s family the rest of the night, she quickly dialed the number to listen to her voicemail again.

“Rachel, I have some good news!  Your coach called to say he was very impressed with you.  You made the team.  Good job, baby!  We knew you’d do it.  I was heading to get your things from the storage building when he called.  He said he was sending an email with details to all the new team members, so you should look for it tonight.

He also said that tomorrow is School Pride Day at Thornwood.  All the students who are part of a team or group get to wear their uniforms to school tomorrow.  Your coach said that even though there isn’t an official uniform for the swim team yet, you can use the one you were issued today.  He stressed the importance of school spirit and bringing pride back to the swim program.

Anyway, I stopped by to drop off your backpack and tell you the good news in person.  You must have still been at school because no one seemed to be home.  I couldn’t wait around though.  I guess there was a break-in at our old house.  Our things in storage are fine but they left a mess.  I am going to try and catch a flight back there tonight to make sure everything is ok and that it won’t disrupt the sale.

I left your backpack with a note on the doorstep.  I’m sorry I couldn’t be there to tell you in person, but we’ll go out to celebrate after things settle down.  Remember to check your email tonight.  Congratulations again, baby.  Be Good.  Love you.”

Rachel collapsed on the bed wondering if she had heard her mother correctly.  School Pride Day? Tomorrow?  There was no way she was going to school in that uniform.  Rachel forgot about the stain on the carpet and tried to process the bomb that had just been dropped in her lap.

Eric’s mother was not about to forget the stain as she stomped to her closet.  It had started out as a careless oversight.  But now her jealousy had latched onto the idea that Rachel was taking advantage of their hospitality.  She wasn’t going to be Rachel’s maid.  She decided to take Rachel up on her offer to clean the stain.  It would never come out, but maybe she would learn a lesson while trying.

She looked through her closet about to grab one of her regular nightgowns when the small collection of lingerie in the back caught her attention.  That only made her angrier.  Her husband fancied himself a politician with the lifestyle that went along with it.  His position on the city council gave him certain privileges around town and he played the part well.  He was well on his way to Mayor, or even state representative.  More than once, she suspected him of fooling around with some intern, but could never prove anything.  She had bought all the lingerie herself; he never bought her things like that anymore.  It wouldn’t have mattered anyway.  He rarely touched her in the bedroom.

Just then, a thought struck her and the gears started turning in her mind.  The episode in the dining room showed how willing her husband was to be enticed by the female form.  He stared at Rachel’s body like he had some practice at it.  She noticed the way his attitude had perked up afterward, and suspected his attitude wasn’t the only think perked up.

But because it was happening at home right in front of his wife, things could never progress beyond looking.  She knew that would drive him wild and then she would be there to reap the benefits in the bedroom. She reached for the perfect item as a big smile rose on her face.  She had found a way to regain control of her household.

If Rachel were pushed past her limits of embarrassment she would break down and ask to move back home.  Always the good mother, she would be there to comfort Rachel and support her decision.  In the mean time, her lingerie would finally serve its intended purpose in a roundabout way, to jump-start the bedroom action with her husband.  It was a perfect plan.  Now all she had to do was find Rachel’s limit, and this nighty would be a good place to start…TO BE CONTINUED