it was only a back rub

Ed's back was taking a toll on him. He wasn't sure he'd make it another day at the assisted living apartments.

He'd gotten on as a bus driver and drove people to their appointments. Sometimes, he wheeled people around to the medical clinic that was located in the rest home, on the location.

It paid all right. At least, it got him out of the house, most days.

But, when he said his back hurt, he wasn't expecting Betty to drop everything to give him a back rub.

There was a small moment, he was sure she was trying to kill him, but he tried not to yell about it.

"Do you think they're having sex?" Her question was not what he needed to hear while she was kneading the top of his shoulders, working into his neck.

"What?" He blurted, then practically winked. As it was, he was laying across his bed and Betty was sitting on his back, even if she insisted his back was between her legs. He didn't quite believe her, but he let her have at it, hoping for a short nap.

"Ollie and that girl," Betty said.

"What girl?" He turned his face to the left, thinking he might get smothered.

"The one who came."

He couldn't help but shake with laughter. Sometimes, Betty was just funny to listen, too. He cleared his throat.

"Oh, I don't know." He barely croaked, thinking it was better to not know about his son's sex life.

"You, better talk to him." She told him.

"I know." Only he didn't want, too. Ollie probably knew enough, already. He dreaded the conversation. Ollie would probably ask him questions. It would not end well.

He felt her knuckles digging into his back. It felt like torture.

"Are you mad at me, or something?" He winced, thinking he'd changed the oil in her car before the last cold spell, and he'd done his best to keep the basement picked up, to her satisfaction.

"I'm not mad," she said. "I've been thinking..."

"Thinking about going on longer car trips?" He'd heard it would help the engine and the oil in her car to keep a proper balance thus it would keep the car running better, and less oil changes.

"No." She sounded so sad. "I've been thinking about my real parents."

"Oh." He sighed. "If it helps, I never met mine, either."

"But..but I knew them." She admitted. Her fingers dug into his mid-lower back like little knives.

About then, he heard the front door open. He heard steps coming toward the basement where Ed's room was located.

Ed knew it would be Ollie. He gritted a wince. Betty got off his back and for ten seconds Ed felt so at peace and then when he turned to see Ollie on the steps, his back twisted. Ed thought he might actually be having contractions.