Naked In School

"Tiffany’s been her best friend since we moved here," I told Mike.

"Why are you crying, Amber?" Mom asked her.

"Because…Tiffany and I…we…play with…each other…and it’s wrong!" she wailed.

"Who told you that?" I asked indignantly.

"Kids at school," she sniffled.

"I thought we were past all that in this day and age," Mom said with dismay.

"Not hardly," Mike told her, "and believe me, I would know." Amber was still sobbing. Mom and dad were at a loss, but Mike got up from the couch where we were sitting, and went and crouched down next to Amber’s chair. Mom and Dad looked at him, but I shot them an "it’s all right" look.

"Amber," Mike said gently, touching her shoulder. She looked up at him, tear-stained. "I have someone I’d like you to meet. Someday, I’d like to take you over to my house and meet my Mom. You’d like her, she’s really cool. I love her, she’s the best Mom a guy could hope to have. And, while you’re at my house, you can also meet Marina. You know who Marina is? My Mom’s girlfriend."

"Girlfriend?" Amber was incredulous. "Your mom likes girls?"

"My Mom likes girls," Mike confirmed. "Technically, she likes guys, too-that’s called bisexual, when you like both-but she likes girls better. Marina’s been her girlfriend for six years. Marina just likes girls. That’s called lesbian, when a girl only likes girls. They live together, they sleep in the same bed. They’re together. And there’s nothing, absolutely nothing wrong with that. They make each other happy, that’s all that counts. And anyone who ever tells you anything different is a damn fool."

"But what if I’m a…les…lesb…"

"Lesbian. What if you are?" Mike said. "You’re too young to decide that now, but let me ask you a question. When Tiffany is playing with you, and you’re having an orgasm, do you ever close your eyes and pretend it’s a cute boy in school that’s playing with you?"

"Yeah," she admitted. "Jerry Stevens. He’s really cute."

"Well, Amber, if you’re dreaming of boys when you’re having an orgasm-even if it’s a girl playing with you-you’re probably not a lesbian. You might be bisexual-that’s the one that likes both-but you really don’t have to figure that one out now. Most girls have at least some sexual experiences with other girls when they’re your age. It’s not wrong, and it’s nothing to worry about. Trust me. Even if you are bisexual, if you grow up to be half the woman my Mother is, you’ll be doing all right for yourself."

"I’d like to meet your Mom," she told him.

"I can arrange that," he smiled.

"Good." Amber smiled at him shyly, and whispered, "Thanks." Then she blushed, and then leaned over and kissed him on the cheek-and blushed harder. Then she abruptly jumped out of her chair. "I’m gonna go call Tiffany." And then she was gone.

He got up from his crouch, bemused, and walked back over to the couch where I was sitting. "You do realize, don’t you," I said, "that the next time her and Tiffany are playing with one another, that she’s going to be fantasizing about you, right?"

"Oh, jeez," he said, grinning and blushing.

"Mike, you handled that masterfully," Mom said with admiration. Dad nodded agreement. "Absolutely masterfully. You have a lot of insight."

"Well, Mom’s a child psychologist, and talks about work around the kitchen table. I’ve picked up a few things over the years." He got visibly upset. "Of course, a few things I picked up from Mom have nothing to do with her profession. I’d like to find the kids that are telling Amber that experimenting with another girl is ‘wrong’ and rip their throats out."

"I understand you completely," Mom told him. "I think you helped her, a lot. And you even handled the rest of it masterfully. I know you were embarrassed."

"Oh, I was just waiting for the moment when she asked to see what a male orgasm looked like. Jeez." Mom and Dad cracked up at that one. "And your daughter would’ve done it, I know her too well."

"Oh, I was all ready," I laughed.

"Well, I think Amber got enough education for one day. You can show her that part later," Mom said.

"Oh boy," Mike moaned. We all laughed, and then Mike asked where the bathroom was. I told him, and he headed there.

When he left, Mom looked at me and said, "Lily? If you ever let that boy go, you’re crazy. You picked yourself a real winner there."

"I know, didn’t I?" I agreed. "He’s just fantastic. Every new thing I learn about him is great."

"You were right, though," Mom continued. "I hope you’re prepared for your little sister having a full-blown crush on your boyfriend, because I saw it in her eyes."

"I think I can handle it," I laughed.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR MIKE

Lily and I got in the car to go to The Mariner, still naked except for our shoes-and Lily’s letterman’s jacket. My head was still spinning from the little show-and-tell for Amber.

"I heard her on the phone when I was in the bathroom," I told Lily.

"Yeah?"

"She was telling her friend ‘I wanted to ask if I could touch it!’" Lily giggled at me. "What have you gotten me into?" I demanded.

"Hey, I thought you were pretty open," she said.

"I am. But she’s eleven. Yeah, I know-girls mature faster and all that."

"Yes, they do," Lily agreed. "Look, if she’s anything like her big sister, she’s going to have one of those big boys in her in less than two years. She’s almost twelve-her birthday’s in August-which means she’s in sixth grade, which is where a lot of this stuff starts. And she’s already thinking about it. She started puberty at ten, just as I did-and the hormones are dancing. In the world we live in, where kids go naked to school and sex is all over the place-it can get confusing. I think it might’ve been better for you, because of how you grew up. And Mom and Dad are open as all get-out-but, as Dad said, a girl can’t ask her father to see what it looks like. Do you know what I would’ve given to have a little show-and-tell like that when I was her age?"

"I never thought of it that way," I admitted. "Today wasn’t bad, but I guess I wonder what’s going to happen next."

"She may ask to see you cum. She may ask to touch it. Those things are up to you, but I don’t see anything wrong with it," Lily told me. "Though something like that might be easier if it’s just the three of us in the room, without my folks."

"No doubt," I giggled.

"She may also ask to watch."

"Watch what?" I asked.

"Watch us."

"Oh my head," I moaned.

"Didn’t you ever sneak in on your Mom at that age? I snuck in on my parents-though, because I was sneaking, it was very shadowy and probably more scary than it would’ve been if I had been openly watching," she told me.

"I never snuck in on Mom because, when I was that age, she was already with Marina. And I was still working that out in my mind," I told her. "I accepted her sexuality intellectually, right from the start, but, at that age, it wasn’t something I would’ve wanted to see."

"I can see that," she told me. "You said you were clueless the first time. Wouldn’t that have been better if you had more knowledge?"

"Yeah," I admitted, "I suppose you’re right. I guess I’m just worried about how far she’s going to want to take this."

"She’s not going to ask you to fuck her, if that’s what you’re worried about. She’s curious and fantasizing, but, right now, that’s too scary, believe me. What I said is as far as I think she’d ever take it. She might ask to touch, and she might ask to watch." She grinned at me. "And she’s about to do some major league hero-worshipping, so be prepared."

"That I figured out all by myself," I grinned back. "That’s fine, I don’t mind that at all. A girl her age getting a crush on her big sister’s boyfriend is very common and perfectly normal-even Mom’d say that."