Hollie & Paul
#4 – Mother Knows Better
by JMD

Paul saw the resemblance right away.  "Can I help you?" he asked anyway.

The woman at his door smiled.  "Sorry to bother you," she said sweetly, "but I was told I might find my daughter here."

Paul nodded.  "You're Hollie's mom?"  He asked it as a question, but the answer was obvious.

"I am indeed," she answered with a smile.  "But let's get this out of the way right now.  Call me 'Margret'.  None of that "Missus" nonsense.  Got it?"

Paul returned her smile.  "Got it."

For a beat they just smiled at each other.  Then, Margret asked, "Well, is she?"  At Paul's confused looked, she added, "Here?"

"Oh," Paul stammered.  "Yes.  Of course.  Please, come in."  He stepped back to let her by.  Closing the door, he turned to find her checking out his apartment.  It reminded him of the first time Hollie had seen the place and he smiled at the memory.  

The smile faded when she started to roll a tan colored ball around on an end table with her finger.  "Uh," he said, clearing his throat, "can I get you anything?"

Abandoning the ball, she turned.  "Just my daughter," she answered.

"Right," he nodded.  "She's... uh... in the shower."  At her raised eyebrow, he stammered on.  "We were doing some last minute rehearsing...  you know, for the show tomorrow."  She continued to look at him without speaking.  "Anyway," he said, indicating the couch, "make yourself comfortable and I'll go see if she's out yet."

Margret waited a bit before she smiled.  "Sure," she nodded, moving into the living room portion of the apartment.  She sat her purse on the coffee table, but rather than sit, she began to check out the items on his entertainment center.

Paul waited a second before heading toward the hall.  He stopped after a couple of steps and turned back.  Picking up the ball from the end table, he looked back up to find Margret looking back at him.  She just watched him for a moment, then turned back to the DVDs.  Swallowing, Paul headed down the hallway.

Stopping at the door of his bedroom, he looked back to be sure he was in the clear.  With a sigh of relief, he went into the room and closed the door.  He thought about locking it, but figured that would really be paranoid.  Instead, he just tossed the ball toward his bed.

In the air, the ball changed shape.  A second later, the bed springs squeaked as Hollie landed naked on the mattress.  Paul cringed at the noise, turning to look back at the door.

Hollie didn't seem to share his apprehension.  She twisted around on the bed, causing more squeaking, and got to her feet.  "What is she doing here?" she asked, going to the door.

"How should I know?" he replied, watching as she listened at the door.  "She's your mother."

"Well, this is going to screw up the whole evening," she said, turning and all but stomping back over to the bed.  She stopped and turned back to face him.  "And we were going to try out combining shrinking and melting later, too," she sighed disappointedly.

"Um..." Paul stammered, not sure what to say.  "Sorry?"

Hollie just threw up her hand.  "Not your fault," she said, letting him off the hook.  "Mom always seems to find a way to spoil my fun.  We might as well go out there and face the music."  She held out her arms and faced him.

He looked at her in confusion.  "What?"

"Well," she smiled, "I can't very well go out there like this, can I?  And since someone turned my clothes into a pile of threads earlier..."

"Oh, right."  He gestured at her.  "There ya go."

Hollie just looked down at herself.  "Really?" she asked, looking back up at him.  "This is how you want my mom to see me with you for the first time?"

Paul took in the bright red latex catsuit his girlfriend was wearing and smiled.  "I'm willing if you are."

She just shook her head.  "Just change it.  Okay?"  A second later, she was adjusting a flower patterned sundress over her body.  "Better," she agreed.  "Could have done with some underwear, but I can live with it.  Let's go before she starts listening at the door."

"Mom!" she called out, coming into the living room.  Going over, she tried to give her mother a quick hug.  But Margret was having none of that, and pulled her daughter into a much tighter embrace.  "What an ... interesting ... surprise," Hollie went on,  "I wasn't expecting you and Dad until tomorrow.  I thought you had a thing tonight?"

"It fell through," her mother explained, pulling back.  With an critical glance down at her daughter's dress. she added, "So, I thought I'd surprise you."

"Well, you sure did that," Hollie admitted.  "And Dad?"

"Unfortunately, he still had to work.  He'll join us tomorrow."

"But he is coming?" Hollie asked.

"Oh, he wouldn't miss it," Margret answered.  "He's really curious to see what was so important that his only daughter would throw away two years worth of his hard earned money for it."  At Hollie's frown, she added, "His words.  Not mine."

"And yours?"

"I just want you to be happy, Sweetie," her mother answered, patting her cheek.  

Hollie smiled and shook her head.  "That's a bit clichéd, isn't it?"

"Doesn't make it any less true," Margret insisted.  "And you are happy?"  Her tone made it clear that she already knew the answer.

Hollie glanced back at Paul before answering.  "I am."

"Good enough for me."

They just smiled at each other for a second, then Hollie turned.  "Well, since you're here," she said, going over to the chair where she'd left her purse, "I'll go ahead and give you these."  She pulled two tickets from the purse and held them out to her mother.

Margret eyed her carefully.  "You're not trying to rush me off, are you, Dear?"

"What? No.  I just..."

"Actually," Paul said, cutting in, "we were just about to go out and get something to eat.  Would you care to join us, Margret?"

Margret glanced at her daughter.  "You're sure I won't be intruding?"

Hollie's nod was cut off by Paul's answer.  "Of course not.  Right, Hollie?"

Hollie took a second to answer.  "Right."  She shared a look with her mother, who just smiled back at her.

"Well, then," Paul said, seeming to miss the look.  "Let's be off, shall we?"  He held his hand out to Margret.

She took it and allowed him to guide her toward the door.  "Coming, Dear?" she called over her shoulder to her daughter.

Hollie watched her back for a second, then glanced down at the tickets in her hand.  With a sigh, she set them down onto the same end table that she had been on when her mother had arrived.  "Coming, Mother," she sighed, following along.

-----

"...so anyway, there she was.  Swimming to one end of the pool while her bikini top remained at the other.  Completely unaware."  Margret paused to take a sip of her tea.  "That is, until she stood up in the shallow end and flashed everyone at her sweet sixteen party."

"Oh my god," Paul hissed.  "What did she do?"

Hollie answered for her mother.  "I calmly turned around, swam back out and got my top, swam back to the swallow end, stood up and put it on."

"And took a bow," Margret finished.  "That's when I knew.  Someday, my baby was going to be a performer."  She turned to Paul.  "When did you know?"

"The first time I saw her," he answered without hesitation.

"In a bar?"

"She may have just been a waitress," Paul explained, "but it was obvious that she knew how to work a crowd."  He shared a smile with Hollie.

Margret noted the smiles.  "And you're going to take her away from all that?"

"Well, that's up to her," Paul replied, "but I hope so."  

"As a magician?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Margret considered that for a second.  "I've seen your father perform, obviously.  He's very good."

"Yes," Paul admitted calmly, avoiding the taunt.  "He is."

"Are you as good as he is?"

Hollie started to call her mother out, but a glance from Paul stopped her.  "You tell me," he answered.  He reached out for her left hand.  "May I?"

Margret waited a second before placing her hand in his.  Paul gently set her hand palm down on the table.  "That's a lovely pair of rings," he commented, noting her wedding band and diamond engagement ring.

"Uh, thank you," Margret said, a little nervous.  Hollie smiled slightly at her mother's discomfort.

Paul didn't say anything else.  He just took his cloth napkin and spread it over Margret outstretched hand.  He waited a beat, then quickly pulled the napkin away.  The hand remained on the table, but both rings had vanished.

Margret lifted her hand up for a closer look, turning it to check out both sides.  She turned to her daughter, who just gave her a proud and satisfied smile in return.  "That..."  She stopped before going on.  "That was pretty impressive," she admitted.  "But I'd like my rings back now, please."

"Why?"

"Why?" she repeated.

"Why do you need rings," he elaborated, "when you have that lovely chain around your neck?"

"Chain?"  Margret reached up to the necklace she wore.  

Hollie recognized it right away.  It was a simple gold chain that she had given her mother several years ago.  Her mother always wore it, but never out.  It was always tucked discreetly under her shirt.  Now, she watched as her mother slowly pulled it out of her blouse and stared at the pair of rings hanging from it.

Margret dangled the chain in front of her face and stared at the rings.  Her eyes made it clear that she couldn't believe what she was seeing.  But she recovered quickly.  With a single glance to Hollie first, she turned back to Paul.  "And just how did those get in there, young man?" she asked, not quite pulling off an indignant tone.

Paul didn't return her gaze.  Instead, he sat calmly back in his chair, nursing his own drink.  "Magic," he replied simply.

Margret turned back to her daughter, who just gave her a "you started it" shrug in return.  "I see," Margret said.  She calmly tucked the chain... and the rings... back into the collar of her blouse.  "Well, I have to admit that was pretty impressive."

"Thank you," Paul said, satisfied.

"But I can't help but notice WHERE you put them."

Instantly, Paul lost his cockiness.  Hollie also sat up and took notice.

Margret went on without noting their changed attitudes.  "As I said, I'm familiar with your father.  I've also read an article or two about your sister."

Paul visibly swallowed.

"Let's just say," Margret went on, "her show seems to be a bit more... interesting... than the ones I've seen your father do."

Paul sat forward.  "Now, Mrs..."

"Margret," the older woman corrected.

"Margret..."

"Mom..."

"There was this one I read about where she apparently produced a young lady from her own body."  Margret paused for a second.  "And from a rather... shall we say provocative... location, I might add."  Both of the people at the table with her started to say something, but she cut them both off.  "And it seems that costumes are... optional... in her shows, as well."

"Mom!" Hollie called out.  "Where are you reading this stuff?"

Margret smiled at her daughter.  "Your father still has his subscription, Sweetie."  She turned back to Paul, who was starting to sweat.  "Of course, I just look at the articles," she told him with a smile.

"Margret," Paul said, leaning forward, "it's true that my sister Corrie has decided to go after a different segment of the magic audience.  But I assure you that my shows will be strictly family oriented.  No nudity.  No adult tricks whatsoever."

"Of course, Dear," Margret smiled, sipping her tea.  "I never meant to suggest otherwise.  I was just making conversation."  She turned her eyes to her daughter who was staring daggers back at her.  "Isn't that right, Sweetie?"

"Yeah. Right," Hollie replied sourly.

"Well, Margret," Paul said, "again, I promise..."  He was cut off by the sound of his cell phone ringing.  "Uh, excuse me."  He pulled the phone out and looked at the display.  "Oh, I'm sorry, but I really need to take this."  He stood up, turning to Hollie.  "It's Uncle Phil.  Hopefully, he's got good news for us."  To them both he added, "I'll be right back."

As he left, Margret turned to her daughter.  "Uncle Phil?"

"The owner of the club where we're performing tomorrow night," Hollie explained.  "One of the props hasn't shown up yet and Paul's getting a little worried we might have to rearrange the act to get around it."

"And he's Paul's uncle?"

"Not really," her daughter told her.  "Just a very close friend of the family."  Her expression turned serious.  "Now, Mother..."

"So, how long have you been sleeping with him?" Margret asked, cutting her off.  Before her daughter could react, she added, "Not Uncle Phil, obviously.  I mean Paul."

Hollie sat back in her chair.  "About a month now," she answered without hesitation.  "Though, we don't do a lot of sleeping."  She eyed her mother carefully.  "How did you know?"

"Dear, I'm your mother," Margret answered, as if that was enough.  Still, she added, "But there were other clues as well."

"Such as?"

"Your lack of undergarments for one," her mother commented.  "I mean, you're still a young woman, so going braless isn't that much of a problem.  But really, Hollie.  Going commando?  In a dress like that?  Please."

"Well, next time, give us a little warning that you're dropping by why don't you."

"Ah," her mother smiled.  "So, you are living there."

"Not all the time," Hollie countered.  "But, more and more, yeah.  I've got a few things at Paul's place."

"Yes, I saw your cartoon discs among his rather... violent... collection."

"Paul does like his hack-and-slash," Hollie smiled.  Again, she turned serious.  "So?"

"So?" Margret repeated.

"So," Hollie elaborated, "no criticism?  No comments about sleeping with the boss?"

"Hollie," Margret said with a grin, "you've never had a boss in your entire life."

Her daughter just shrugged.  "Still," she commented, "you're my mother."

"And?"

"Well, mothers are supposed to be critical."

Margret nodded.  "That's true.  I am your mother.  But I'm not a hypocrite."  At her daughter's confused expression, she went on.  "Dear, your father and I grew up in the seventies, not the fifties.  Hell, it's entirely possible that we were more... open-minded... about sex than you kids today are.  After all, we hadn't found out you could actually die from it yet."  She sat forward.  "Let me ask you this.  Are you being careful?"

"Absolutely," her daughter answered.

"And are you enjoying yourself?"

Hollie's smile turned devious.  "Absolutely."

"Well, then I have nothing else to say on the subject."

Hollie looked dubious.  "Really?"

"Really," Margret confirmed.  "Now, your father, on the other hand..."

"Okay," Paul said, coming back to the table.  "Good news."

"Your prop arrived?" Margret asked.

Paul was taken off guard.  "Uh, yeah," he said, looking to Hollie.  "We're good to go."

Hollie smiled back.  "Yes," she nodded, sharing a look with her mother.  "We are."

Paul looked back and forth between the two women.  "Why do I get the feeling that I'm missing something?"

"Don't worry, Dear," Margret told him.  "You'll get used to it."

-----

"Okay, ladies," Paul said after letting mother and daughter back into his apartment.  "Anyone want a nightcap?"

"Actually," Margret said, stopping in the entryway, "I believe I've taken up enough of your time already."  She turned to Paul.  "It was nice to meet you, Paul.  And thanks for the magic trick."  She patted her chest with a smile before turning to her daughter.  "What about you, Sweetie?  Can I give you a ride back to your place?"  Hollie just narrowed her eyes at her.  "Yeah," Margret smiled.  "Didn't think so."

Paul looked at Hollie with a question on his mind.  She just mouthed "later" at him, and he decided to wait.

"Okay then," Margret said, turning to the door.  "I'll just leave you two to your... rehearsing.  Don't stay up too late.  You've both got that big debut tomorrow, after all."  She reached over and gave Hollie a hug, followed by a quick kiss on the cheek.  

"We won't," Paul promised.

Margret just eyed him for a moment, then smiled.  "Of course not," she said simply.  As Paul opened the door for her, she turned and winked at her daughter, who winked back.  "Good luck to you both.  I'll be rooting for you from the first row."  

She left and Paul closed the door behind her.  Turning, he moved back over to Hollie.  He cocked an eyebrow at his girlfriend.  "I'm still missing something, aren't I?"

"Let's just say," Hollie told him, moving into his arms, "that my mom sees a lot more than she lets on, and leave it at that."

Paul nodded.  "Ah.  Kind of like mine, then?"

"Probably," Hollie agreed before pulling back.  "Now, where were we?"

Paul chuckled.  "Actually, I think the moment might have passed," he said innocently.

"Oh no you don't, buster," Hollie insisted, poking him in the chest.  "You promised me a shrunken melting, and I'm going to get it."

Paul sighed mischievously.  "I've created a monster, haven't I?"

"You have no idea," she told him.  She looked down at the dress she was wearing.  "So," she said, cutting her eyes at him, "I guess this one's headed to the thread pile, too?"

"Actually," Paul said again, reaching out a hand, "I had something else in mind this time."

Hollie gave him a curious expression as he ran his fingers through her hair.  She leaned her head into his palm, enjoying his touch.  Slowly, he wrapped a single strand of hair around his index finger.  He took a second to tweak her nose with his free hand before, with a quick tug, pulling the strand free from her scalp.

"Ow," Hollie said with a start.  Before she could say anything else, however, she simply disappeared.  Her suddenly empty sundress dropped down over her equally empty shoes at Paul's feet.

Paul smiled as he unwrapped the hair from his finger.  Holding it end to end between his hands, he inspected it carefully.  Satisfied, he dropped one end and headed for his mini-bar.  Reaching under, he pulled on a single high ball glass and set it on the bar.  Holding the strand of hair by one end, he let the other dangle into the glass.  Bending forward, he softly blew on the hair.

Instantly, the hair began to expanded outward.    As it got big enough to stand on its own, Paul released the hair.  The hair continued to grow, taking on a familiar shape.  It wasn't long before a very small... and very naked... Hollie found herself standing inside the glass.

The top of the glass came to just under Hollie's chest, and she leaned provocatively on the rim.  "You're a sneaky bastard," she told him in a slightly squeaky voice.  "You know that?"

"I've been told before, yeah."

"By other women?" she asked with a cocked eyebrow.

"Do sisters count?"

"Let's hope not," Hollie told him before standing back up in the center of the glass.  "Well, don't just stand there," she ordered.  "Let's get to melting."

"You're the boss," he replied, placing his hands around the outside of the glass.

"And don't you forget..."  She stopped as she noticed the palms on the outside of the glass were beginning to glow a soft red.  "...it."  She watched at the glow slowly increased.  As it did, she could feel her body starting to soften.  "Oh yeah," she moaned as she started to sink down into the glass.  "That's what I'm talking a..."  Whatever else she was going to say was lost in the sensual moan that she couldn't hold back.

Paul continued to apply the heat until Hollie was reduced to nothing more than a glass of thick tan-colored liquid.  He smiled at the sight of bubbles popping on the surface of his girlfriend's fluid form.  Lifting the glass up, he gave it a quick stir with his finger.

Suddenly, the door of the apartment flew open.  Paul eyes went wide at the sight of Margret rushing back into the room.  "Sorry!" she called out, moving over to the end table by the couch.  "I forgot the tickets."

Grabbing the tickets off the table, she looked up and found herself staring into Paul's wide-eyed expression.  Looking around, she realized that Hollie was nowhere to be seen.  She did, however, spot her daughter's empty sundress lying to one side.  Fighting to keep a straight face, she turned back to her daughter's boyfriend.

Paul just returned her glance nervously.  Her eyes went from his to the glass he was holding in his hand.  "Interesting color," she commented with an arched eyebrow.  

"Uh, yeah," Paul agreed.  "Energy drink," he quickly added, saying the first thing that came into his head.  

Margret just continued to look at him.  

Feeling trapped, Paul did the only thing he could think of to illustrate his bluff.  He took a big gulp out of the tan liquid in the glass.  Swallowing it down, he smiled at the woman watching him.  "Yummy," he said, holding the glass up.

Seeming satisfied, Margret just nodded and slipped the tickets into her purse.  "Well, if I know my daughter, you'd better finish that glass," she told him.  "You're going to need it."  She turned and headed back for the door, giving the crumpled sundress another look as she passed it.  "Oh," she added, taking the door knob in her hand, "and you might consider locking this door.  Hmmm?"  She gave him a knowing smile as she closed the door behind her.

Paul just continued to stare at the closed door for almost a minute.  Then, setting the half empty glass down on the bar, he walked over and turned the lock.  Turning back to the room, he reached down and retrieved Hollie's sundress and shoes from the floor.  Crossing to the bar, he placed them down next to the glass. He looked down at the part of his girlfriend that was left in the glass.  It was probably his imagination, but he could swear he could feel the part of her he'd swallowed sloshing around inside his stomach.

"Oh, well," he said with a heavy sigh.  "In for a penny..."  With that, he lifted the glass up to his lips and poured the rest of the liquid down his throat.  Taking his finger, he ran it around the inside of the glass, collecting up any residual bit of Hollie that might have been left behind.  Sticking the finger into his mouth, he licked it clean.

With another sigh, he sat the empty glass on the bar.  Picking up Hollie's things, he headed for the hallway.  "I just hope she isn't too pissed about what I'm going to do to get her out of me."