Gwen’s Frat Week
by kiwibat
Part One
DAY ONE
The tall stack of boxes wobbled in Gwen’s arms, piled too high for her to see. Sweat trickled down her back. The campus was alive with activity: music from the frat tents, parents hauling luggage, while students tossed frisbees across the grass.
Everyone was dressed for the August heat.
Except Gwen.
While they wore tank tops and sundresses, she was buried beneath a shapeless brown cardigan and a long skirt that felt more like a tent. Two boys jogged past carrying a cooler. One looked over at her and muttered something to his friend and laughed.
Suddenly, the boxes slipped. She tried to catch them with her chin, but it was too late.
“Got it,” a voice said.
Strong arms steadied the stack like it weighed nothing. Greek letters stretched across his chest. His bright blue eyes met hers.
“You alright?”
“I’m fine,” she said, catching her breath. “I had everything under control.”
Years of unwanted attention had taught her that when a man rushed to help, it usually came with an agenda. Rarely was it just kindness.
She braced herself, waiting for some crude joke.
But instead, he just smiled. Didn’t even glance at her chest.
“Everyone needs a little help now and then. Even the best moms.”
Something about the way he said it felt strangely…comforting.
“You don’t have to do it all alone.”
“…I’m not,” she said quickly. “My son’s helping.”
He looked around. “Where is he?”
She hesitated. “He’s… well… he’s somewhere around here…”
He smiled again. “You’re a good mom for helping him move in.”
Gwen found herself smiling back. “Glad someone thinks so.”
“What dorm’s he in?”
“Willow Hall.” She wasn’t sure why she told him.
“You’re going the wrong way.”
“…I am?”
He nodded. “Yeah. Follow me. I’ll show you the way.”
“That’s okay, I’ve got it.”
“Sorry, but it’s against frat rules to let freshman moms carry anything heavy. I could get in a lot of trouble.”
Gwen scoffed “Sounds sexist.”
“Just good old-fashioned courtesy. It’s frat tradition to take good care of our moms.”
She wanted to argue but something about the way he said it made it feel so… reasonable.
Pete held her gaze. “Good moms deserve more.”
Maybe it was the heat. Or the exhaustion. Or the calm confidence in his eyes. But she was surprised to find herself agreeing.
Gwen took pride in doing things herself. Never asking for help. Never needing to.
But maybe…he was right.
Maybe strength wasn’t just about carrying the weight. Maybe it was knowing when to let someone else step in.
Good moms deserve more.
Good moms deserve to be taken care of.
After a while, Pete spoke, snapping her out of her thoughts. “So? Will you let me carry these for you? You’d be doing me a big favor.”
“Well… I guess if it’ll help you out.”
He smiled. “Thanks. I’m Pete, by the way.”
She hesitated. “Gwen.”
While they walked, Pete gave her the rundown on what campus life was all about. Inside info that you’d never find on a brochure.
There was something so calming about his voice. She nodded at something he’d said, only to realize she hadn’t really heard him.
Still, the conversation helped keep her mind off all the things that’d been stressing her out. But the distraction only lasted so long before her thoughts began to drift again…
to the oversized cardigan clinging to her sweaty skin.
or the laughter that had followed her across the campus,
and especially to her son, whose embarassment to be seen with her hurt more than she wanted to it.
Each memory stacked on top of the last, like the boxes Pete was carrying for her.
By the time they reached a bench, Gwen’s legs felt like rubber. The walk had been longer, steeper, and hotter than she’d expected. Her head was spinning from the heat.
She was grateful for the break.
Pete made it look so easy. Not a drop of sweat on him, even after hauling all those heavy boxes. It felt wrong having someone carry her things for her. She’d offered to help a few times, but each time he refused.
He looked over and smiled. “Feels good to get away from it all. Not thinking. Just sitting. Listening and relaxing.”
“Yeah…” she murmured. Her fingers tingled against the warm wooden bench.
“Easier when you don’t have to worry. Easier when someone else carries the weight for you. Easier when you…”
Her mind blurred.
She could still hear his voice, but she couldn’t make out the words. Yet she still found herself agreeing. It all seemed so reasonable.
Then suddenly, the noise from the quad returned all at once, like she’d just come up from underwater. Loud music from the nearby fraternity booth was playing a song that seemed strangely familar. She smoothed the front of her skirt.
“Better?” Pete asked.
She nodded. “Much better.” Though she wasn’t sure why she said it.
He rose, satisfied. “Come on. We’re getting close.”
She followed Pete, trailing behind as he guided her through the crowds of people. It was easier to just let him lead.
They ed by a window and she caught her reflection. The oversized brown cardigan hung loose on her, but it still couldn’t hide the size of her chest. The long skirt pooled around her ankles.
She suddenly felt completely out of place.
Pete noticed. “You don’t need to hide yourself around me. You look great.”
A warmth in her chest. “…You think so?”
“I know so.”
After the day she’d had, the words landed harder than she expected.
“…Thanks,” she said sincerely.
Pete pulled a bottle of water from his bag.
“Here. Drink.”
She only meant to take a sip but the cool water felt amazing sliding down her throat.
“Slow down,” Pete said, and she did. “One…two…three. Swallow.”
She obeyed before she thought about it.
“Good. Now again. One…two…three.”
Her lips moved as she sucked on the water bottle. Her fingers tingled. Her body was just following his instructions. Noise from the quad crashed in again.
Pete capped the bottle, satisfied.
A few minutes later, they reached the dorms. Inside, the halls clattered with voices and slamming doors. Gwen followed Pete until he stopped at a door marked with her son’s name.
“We made it,” he said, setting the boxes down. “Great job, Gwen.”
She laughed. “Thanks, but you’re the one who did all the work hard.”
“We do it so moms like you can relax and feel taken care of.” He paused. “And then…they usually feel thankful.”
The word hit her strangely. Thankful.
It wasn’t just a word. It had a weight to it, filling her mouth, thick and heavy. She swallowed hard.
“Thankful,” she repeated. The word made her lips tingle.
Something about it bothered her but when she tried to say something, the thought was already gone.
“I guess we all have something to be thankful for.”
Gwen walked into the small dorm room and looked around. Her son wasn’t here. “Where’d he go? He was supposed to help with the rest of the boxes.”
Pete leaned against the doorframe. “I’m sure he’ll turn up soon. It’s a crazy day.”
“…Yeah…”
“Just sit down. I’ll get a few of the guys to bring the rest of your stuff.”
“Oh, no. You really don’t have to—”
She stopped. Tradition. They carry the weight. She relaxes.
“Actually…yeah. That sounds nice. Thanks.”
Pete smiled and placed his hand on her shoulder. “Good mom. You’ve done your part. Just relax. We’ll take care of the rest.”
Her shoulders began to sink. The stress of the move suddenly seemed so…manageable.
Pete smiled. “I’ll come check on you later.”
“Sounds nice…”
Pete walked away with a satisfied grin, leaving her alone with all the boxes in the quiet dorm room. For a while she felt completely relaxed, until the door swung open.
A blonde boy with sunglasses on his head walked in and tossed a duffel bag onto one of the beds. His eyes dropped to her chest.
Her son followed behind, red-faced from the heat. He froze when he saw her. “What are you doing here?”
Gwen instinctively tugged her cardigan closed, feeling exposed.
“Damn, Austin. You never told me you had a hot sister.”
“Shut up,” Austin muttered, elbowing him.
Gwen crossed her arms and scoffed. “I’m his mother.”
The boy laughed louder. “Dude, your mom’s a total MILF.”
She hated that word. “Excuse me? That’s no way to talk to a lady.”
Derek grinned. “Relax. It’s just a joke.”
The word washed over her like a warm blanket. Her shoulders sank. Then suddenly she wasn’t angry anymore…just tired.
He’s just some stupid college boy making a dumb joke. It’s not worth getting upset about…
Austin looked over, confused. “Mom? You okay?”
“Yeah, I’m…alright,” Gwen said.
“How’d you get all those boxes over here so quick?”
She thought of Pete. His calm voice. His strength.
“Oh, well, I met this nice young man from the fraternity. He made everything so nice and easy.”
She could still hear his voice.
One…two… three. Good. Again.
Her fingers mindlessly started unbuttoning her blouse. “…Such a nice young man. Really respectful. I don’t know I would’ve done without him.”
“Mom! What are you doing!” Austin yelled.
Derek grinned.
Gwen looked down. Three buttons were undone. She quickly spun around, fumbling to fasten them. How long had they been open?
She wondered if Pete had noticed.
But of course he hadn’t.
He was always staring into her eyes.
The hotel room was quiet. But Gwen’s mind wasn’t.
Every time she closed her eyes, moments from the day replayed themselves in quick flashes.
The two boys jogging past, laughing at her. The way her top clung to her chest. The dads who stared openly. The voices as she walked through the crowd, the laughs and whispered comments.
She tried to shake them all off, but then more memories appeared. Her son’s roommate telling her to relax. Staring at her chest.
It was all too much. She pressed her hand to her forehead and felt heat building from within, humiliation from every direction.
And then Pete’s voice. Calm and relaxing.
The only one who didn’t make her feel ashamed of her own body. The only one who didn’t make her want to hide.
One…two…three. There you go.
It was silly, thinking about him. Just a fraternity member helping move boxes. A stranger, really.
But the memory lingered.
Nice and easy.
Much better.
Good Mom.
She didn’t notice her chest rising and falling in the same rhythm as before and for a moment she was back on that bench with the warm wood under her palm.
The memories stacked until she couldn’t breathe.
The boys laughing.
The fathers flirting.
The girls whispering.
Derek’s smug smile.
Austin’s judgemental eyes.
It was too much. She pressed her hands to her face, heat flooding her skin. Why couldn’t she just be normal? Why couldn’t she just blend in like everyone else.
Easier when you don’t have to worry so much.
Follow me…
Pete’s voice washed over her, taking all her the anxiety and humilation and replacing it with pleasure. All she had to do was be a…
Good mom.
The phrase just slipped out.
By the time she sank into sleep, the taunts and whispers had blurred into background noise.
Pete’s voice was the only thing that remained clear.
She felt the urge to nod, though no one was asking her to. Her lips silently mouthing the word yes.
Her hand drifted across the blanket, just like it had on the bench, and paused at her waistband.
One, two, three…
Gwen closed her eyes, telling herself she was only resting them.
She didn’t notice how easily rest turned into something else
Pete’s words echoed
Fun and easy.
Better when you don’t have to think.
Good mom.
Good Gwen.