When she was halfway down the stairs, Tony looked up.

His eyes took on a shine and he grinned.

A soft gasp came from Janice when she realized that her son could see up the front of her short dress. She almost pushed her hand between her legs to conceal herself, but she forced herself to continue down the stairs. By the time she reached the bottom of the stairs, her face was red.

She walked stiffly to the couch across from him. She turned on the lamp and sat down, tucking one leg underneath her. She looked at her son, fighting back her embarrassment. Tony dropped the textbook he had been studying and looked openly at her. Her long legs showed, and that was where his eyes were riveted.

"Tony, don't look at me that way," she said softly.

"You're beautiful, Mom," he said. "I like to look at you."

"Your father…"

"Was an asshole," Tony said. "Tony!" Janice gasped. "Well, he was," Tony insisted. "He was the biggest asshole I've ever known."

"I thought you…"

"Liked him? No way, Mom," Tony said. "He was mean to you. I know all about it."

"But you were so young."

"I still remember a lot of it, Mom," he said. "I'm glad you threw his ass out. I would have when I got older, you know."

"Let's don't talk about that," she said.

"Okay, wanna talk about that whore next door?"

Janice gazed steadily at her son, some of the heat leaving her cheeks. "Am I one, too?"

"A whore? No way, Mom!"

"I'm like her. After what I let you… upstairs… and doing… I'm no different, Tony."

"Mom, you don't bring strange men in here," he said. "And even if you did, you're a single woman, not married like her. There's a difference, you know."

"Then you don't think I'm a… a…" she stuttered.

"No, I don't," he replied.

"Tony, I know you don't understand, but upstairs… well, something happened to me, and I just… I couldn't help it."