Lilibeth the Candy MILF

He then very quickly set the baggie down and wiped his hands on hi pants.

I could only shake my head, unable to answer. I had never even thought of this scenario let alone that my son would be selling stuff to buy this crap. This ... this ... I fell into this man's arms, this almost stranger, my neighbor. He held me as I cried myself sick. He whispered my name in a gentle, soothing way that brought long ago memories of the early days of my marriage. When I had been loved.

That my tears were not staining his shirt red was surprising since I wept from my very heart.

** ** ** ** ** ** **

Where this man found the energy to do what he did I have no idea. Over the next few hours he got me put back together, helped me fix the house, and then spent time having a long talk with Roy about drugs, something I was not up to.

In fact, one look at my son made me want to cuss him like a sailor's wife.

Then of course his father, two times zones over, woke up and began to blow up my phone with calls and text messages. He, I texted. One so very, very long text. Any desire to talk to my Ex was years gone.

And to make matters worse, the candy I had made the night before, well before my world went loopy, was the strangest looking stuff I have ever seen. Even I could not tell what they were supposed to be and, since I had only partial memories that far back, I was not sure what I had put the special sugar into so I had to toss them all out.

By noon, I was a panicky hot mess.

But there was Gabriel. An inner pillar of strength, simply waiting there for me to reach out and grab hold of when the world kept smacking me. Apparently, dickhead-ex Rick decided to call some of our old, mutual, friends and clue them into how bad a mother I had become. So just after the last pumpkin pastry was out the oven and my watermelon Jell-O gummy worms were unmolded, some of my guests began to call and cancel. One after another, after another.

I was sitting in my kitchen, weeping bitter tears over that, when my Ex sent me a text saying have a nice party, slut.

Gabriel came walking down the steps, from talking to Roy and found me there with twin lines of salty misery running to my chin. I simply bawled out a terribly messed up list of how badly my life was in a shambles, and he stood there, holding me to his chest, listening to it all. Then he lifted my chin, brushed tears from my cheeks, smiled at me and said.

"Let me handle it." Gabriel winked at me. "And make more fudge."

While I got out the chocolate cocoa and pumpkin puree he got out his phone, went outside, and I watched him walking circles between his house and mine talking and texting. Then he went to his garage, got out his numerous noisy tools of lawn care and went after my yard.

Mine!

I was weeping for different reasons as I watched him out the windows, cutting trimming, blowing and then doing weird things to hedges that were probably scared for their lives it had been so long since they had been trimmed.

"Mom?"

"In here."

I looked at my son. He was not the visible mess he had been when I first saw him earlier. He had taken a shower and was at least in clean clothes. At this moment though Roy looked so much like his father, I had to bite down on my anger hard. Oh, I was mad as hell at my son too, but I didn't want my anger at his father coloring what I wanted to say to him.

"Dad called. He, ah ... he wants me to like come stay with him and Shelby for ... well, for a while." He couldn't look at me all of a sudden. "I told him I would talk to you about it."

And with that I felt like the three-legged stool of my life lost its second leg and I was now sitting on a pogo stick. I could hear in his voice that he wanted to do it. I knew the basis of that, his dad wouldn't watching him like I do ... but then Roy had become a drug-head with me watching him so I guess I was sucking hind tit at that too. I looked at my son.

Just looked at him.

"And you want to do it?" I poured the bubbling hot fudge into the pan and shook the pan to take out the air bubbles as I poured. "You will have to change schools here at the beginning of your senior year. And just so you know, your dad is most likely doing this to keep from paying me what he owes. He's not doing it because he wants you there with him. Not saying it to be mean it's simply a fact about your father." I moved over to him and lifted his chin till he was looking me in the eyes. "If he wanted you in his life he would have stayed. Or at least fought me for custody."

"He says you hate him."

I thought about it for a moment then gave a small nod. "Yeah, that's a pretty close assessment of it. He was my first love, he stole my heart." I looked at him seeing his father at the same age. "Then, when I was suddenly not a size two anymore, he broke my heart. So, yeah, he is tops on my shit list, well he's tied now with that fucker who had better not ever show his ass around here again, Zane."

"I spoke to Zane about that," There was suddenly a defensive tone in my son's voice that set a fire in my throat. He was actually defending his friend, too me! "He said you got it all wrong, that he was just trying to help you deal with the trip. And then Gabriel attacked him."

Moving my hand to the collar of my shirt, I pulled it down till the hand print, now a nasty green-purple-black, on my breast showed. "Well, his helping left this. Don't. Just don't. I'm still not sure I'm not going to press charges for at least sexual assault against him. I need too. Hell, the only reason I'm not is that you're involved and I don't need a scandal. My job sucks, but I can lose it over that sort of thing. No matter that I'm the victim or not."

"Mom, I ..."

"Don't say you're sorry. Don't. You made a choice. You. The drug came into this house and I took it as consequences of your choices." Outside the sound of a leaf blower, or some other gas powered yard tool, ended. "The only reason I didn't get raped last night is Gabriel. Every choice you make affects not only yourself but those around you. Now, I have to finish getting ready for a party, which thanks to your father, and his petty level crap, no one may be attending. I want you to think about that, what I just said, and about going to live with your father. Then make your choice. We'll talk about it tomorrow."

I turned my back--probably robbing Roy of a chance to apologize again--as the backdoor opened and my angel, all sweaty and smell of exhaust fumes and grass, stood there. He looked uncomfortable for a moment at the two of us, and then I heard Roy leave the room behind me.

Gabriel shot me a questioning look.

"We talked. We may have a lot more to talk about, or no more, depends on him." I looked at him. "How are you on your feet still? You worked in the yard all day yesterday, then was up with me all night, and now have been going at my yard like mad for hours, after helping clean my house!"

"Well, I attribute it to clean living; the body is a temple after all. Whole foods, raw veggies and nothing but natural spring water, taken by my own hands from a stream in the Rockies." He looked at me and chuckled. "Truth be told, I'm dead on my feet, my Lilly. I just wanted to come by and see you before I go take me a nap. Make sure you're still okay."

"Making sure I'm not curled up on the floor in a corner crying like a baby?" I swallowed down the desire to do that very thing, or to at least go into his arms "I've been kicked before. I bounce back. It's just taking me longer this time." I watched him move the last few feet till he was standing in front of me. "You're coming to the party right?"

"Of course I am, all my friends are coming." His smile was that infectious one.

"What?"

"I told you I would take care of it." He took my hand into his. "I have replaced your rude no-show guest list with a choice selection of my own friends from my various drug rehab days. All are straight now, I know that for sure. But, they were not doing anything tonight but sitting on their butts, so I have them coming here to celebrate Halloween with you."

"But I don't know them?"

"You didn't really know me too well, till last night. And now, I can say with confidence ... what color your nipples are and that you look sexy as hell in just a bed sheet."

Now I blushed!

When I was stark naked in front of him, not even a hint of reddening to my face, now I'm blushed to my breasts became he ... wait, did he just flirt with me? My eyes went to the way his shirt was hugging his chest, damp with sweat. The stubble on his cheek; those dark sexy eyes. My Angel was a very sexy man, and why did it take me getting hammered to the moon on Acid to think of asking him over? Ricks been out my life for years now, and when have I even dated?

"Thank you," I finally said when I found my breath.

"It was defiantly my pleasure, my Lilly." His eyes were all over my face. Taking in every curve. "I'm going to go ... go get some sleep. I'll see you later."

When he licked his lips I knew what was on his mind, but then it was on mine as well. How long had it been since I had been kissed? Really kissed, by a man that wanted to kiss me? How long ... years certainly. Even well before the divorce. I took a step forwards, my tongue wetting the inside of my lip and then I rolled it across the top. Our eyes were doing a dance to determine if we both had the same idea.

I liked that I didn't have to stand on my tip toes but did have to lift up just a little to touch my lips to his. Then his hands were on my hips and I felt a bit of my weight leave my toes. Whether it was him lifting me or me simply floating I can't say, I was preoccupied.

Oh, he's a good kisser.

My hand went behind his neck, pulling him in deeper to me. I had no desire for this to end anytime soon and the more his lips took mine the more I could tell he felt the same way. My hips were now held tight in his strong hands.

He broke our kiss, panting. "My Lilly, I ... It's been awhile. I ...." He took a deep sigh.

"Same."

Gabriel nodded, his forehead rubbing on mine. He was about to say something, or kiss me again when we were interrupted. I jumped when his phone, in his pocket, buzzed again my breast. He took it out and glanced at it.

"One of the partygoers. She's probably wanting to know what to bring. Let me catch this." I nodded and went to step back, but his hand on my hip pulled me back into his chest. "Hey, Jade. Yeah, that will be fine. More the merrier. Alright, yeah see you."

Pocketing his phone, he leaned in but stopped right at touching my lips. "You have five more coming." His lips brushed mine. "By the way, you are an awesome kisser, my Lilly."

"Same" I tried to say thought out pressed together mouths, it came out mumbled, but I think he got the gist. We kissed for a few moments more and then just held each other till my oven timer beeped behind me. "Cookies. Let me catch that."

"I need to go anyway."

And he kissed me again.

I did get the cookies out before they burned.

** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **

And the webbing was hung by the spiders with care, in the hopes that a party soon would be there ... oh, my god did that hope come true.

By six o'clock the first guest showed up. A middle-aged biker named Rickard. His Harley announced itself from two blocks away. Intimidating looking? Ah, well if you're not scared by six-foot-plus guys, with full sleeve tattoos on both arms, dressed like he's auditioning for Sons of Anarchy. And with a grey-black beard to make ZZ Top envious, then no. Not intimidating at all.

Then, after I let "Kard" in, he went into the kitchen and took the various ingredients out his backpack and began to make a huge bowl of spinach artichoke dip. From scratch.

Then, while he was telling me about culinary classes he took during recovery, there was a sound outside and knocks on the front door. I opened it to twenty people. All in costumes ... of sorts.

"Trick or treat!"

Laughing, I let them in.

Okay, I now had a naughty nurse, named Candace, in my kitchen setting out sliced deli roll sandwiches. All of the Village People, and most of the cast of the Rocky Horror Picture Show had divided themselves between the living room and the dining room, where I had snacks set up.

Then Gabriel showed up in his costume. Wearing ice-blue contacts which, with his salt and pepper scruff made him, look a spookily accurate, modern day, Bret Michaels. He had a single rose for me, which promptly got him teased by all his friends. The chorus of "Every Rose has its Thorn" was out of time, off key, and a few singers mumbled a lyric or two, but it had us all grinning.

And me blushing.

Then Jade showed up. Oh, my dear god in heaven I have met my twin on this earth. A person more in love with Halloween than myself. I mean it's not every day that Marilyn Manson pulls up, in a 1930s black and chrome hearse, and walks in. For all of ten seconds, that was what I thought I was seeing, till I realized it was a woman. Admittedly, there are times even with the real singer it's hard to tell, but Jade was him spot on.

"Oh, I'm in Heaven," she said as she walked in, looked around at the decorations and smiled a metal grin. "Gabe, you never told me you had a neighbor with such exquisite taste. Naughty rock god, no Rock of Love reruns for you tonight."

"Aw!" Gabriel grinned at her, walked over and gave her a hug which, given his costume, looked like an MTV clash of the 80s and 90s. "I'll just have to fantasize about you then."

"Gabe, you couldn't handle me even in a wet dream. Now where is the woman I need to seduce? Oh, there you are." With a smile and a wink, this Goth Talk escapee sauntered up to me. Leaned in and whispered right by my ear. "Talk to me when you feel the need. I was an acid addict. I know about bad trips from hell ... and their aftereffects."

I stood straight as a board when I felt something hard and sharp touch my breast, but looking down I saw a business card now rested in my cleavage. Tucked into my lace edged bra. Her lips brushed my cheek as she leaned back and looked around. Then she took a deep smell. "Ah, dark chocolate, my lover I can tell you are here somewhere."

"Oh, let me get some candy trays going around." I shook my head, hearing the marbles rattle. "I am a mess tonight."

"I'll help," she offered taking hold of my arm.

I looked to Gabriel, he smiled, nodded and went to talk to Kard the Harley rider who's a chef --and who I don't think was in costume at all--He was busy munching on a tuna sandwich and talking to the Village People's leatherman/biker. The words Kitchen stadium and Iron chef seem to be coming up a lot.

Jade all but dragged me into my kitchen.

"So ... I hear from Gabe you had a non-voluntary Acid experience. Those are fun, huh?" She began opening boxes and using the tongs to place candies onto the tissue paper flowers I was putting on my trays. "My first one was in a haunted house. I spent two weeks in a mental ward to recover my sanity."

I nearly tripped over the air at that.

She looked at me and winked. "I ran with a strange crowd of people back then." She popped a piece of my fudge into her mouth and made an orgasmic sound.

All I could do was eyeball the outfit she was in.

Then my son walked into the room.

"Enter the villain stage right," she said with a lick of her chrome canine tooth. "So, tell me ... how does it feel to have nearly gotten your mother ...."

"Jade."

She looked away from Roy over to Gabriel standing by the kitchen door. After a second she smiled that snarled lip smile and nodded. When she looked back to me that smiled faded. "Call me, if we don't talk more before the party is over. Hell, call me anyway. I feel the need for some girl time in my life." She looked back to Gabriel. "The best horror story contest started in there yet? Good, I want to get in on those."

"You always win them, Jade."

"Not my fault I'm not as plain as Jane. Now is it?"

He shook his head looking sadly at her.

She gave me another wink. Then, as she walked past Gabriel, she cupped his crotch, spun around behind him to stand looking back over his shoulder at me. She whispered something into his ear too low for me to hear. Then patted his flat belly, and gave a startlingly girlish laugh and left the kitchen.

"Okay, who is the psycho bitch?"

"A very good friend of mine," Gabriel said looking at Roy sternly, then he gave a sigh. "And the question is really more, what happened to her to make her the way she is."

"So what happened?" asked Roy. He reached for a piece of fudge and I popped his hand with a spoon before it got there. He sighed and rolled his eyes.

Part of his grounding was no candy this year. I call it just.

"Why don't you go to the living room and listen. There is a best drug horror story contest that my friends like to put on whenever we get into a group this big. Everyone bets theirs is the worst. Here." He took a five from his wallet. "Enter and give it a listen. See if you have anything that even comes close. Of course Jade will win but it's worth the five bucks just to listen."

Roy took the money, clearly as confused as me but he shrugged, and headed down the hall towards the living room.

"How you holding up?"

I looked from my departing son to the man I wanted to kiss again. He was looking at me with soulful eyes, under that ridiculous headband, full of concern.

"I've had better days. My ex is trying to lure my son away from me to keep from paying me back child support he owes. If I fight it in court he will site this whole drug fiasco, and on top of it Roy wants to go." Absently, I picked up a chocolate mouse from the tray I had gotten halfway finished before Jade nearly told my son off. I looked at the perfectly placed almond slices for mouse ears. "I do all this candy work every year and most times, by this point, I don't even want any of this."

"So why do you do it?"

"My friends got to expecting it." I set the candy back on the tray.

"Not to be crass, but did those same friends not just dump on you?" He grabbed a stool from under my table and pulled it out. "They just called and left you with all this candy you make for them, sitting here and you're out ... what? A several hundred bucks every year in candy? Made for them? And they did this crap? Sorry, but to me those are not your friends. Lilly ... I've never seen the first one of these people coming around here, at any time other, then when you hold this party and your Christmas party. That's not friends."

My mind began to tumble over so many past events, times when I had called on these very friends and been told they were too busy to get together. Even for a simple dinner.

There was laughter from the living room.

He glanced over his shoulder with an odd look on his face. "Alright ... normally Jade's stories do not bring laughter. Come on."

I took his offered hand and he led me to the living room. I smiled seeing that there was a party in full swing now. My guests had taken the many party games down and there were all kinds of "normal" Halloween fun going on. What I expected from a crowd of former drug addicts I don't know but smiling laughing people watching one of them. One of the Village people, the cop, was in a blindfold trying to hook an alligator clipped rope "Tail" on the other guests.

Then Sweet Dreams up came on my home karaoke machine. Looking over, I saw several of the guests trying to push the mic into Jade's hands. Finally with a roll of her eyes she got up. Snatched the mic away from whoever was holding it and brought it to her black painted lips.

~"....who am I to disagree? Travel the world..."~

"Wow." I breathed softly. Not only did she have the look but she was spot on voice wise. I looked at Gabriel and he nodded. He moved till he was standing behind me, and leaned in till his lips were by my ear. His body was pressed against my back in a very pleasant way.