Chapter 26

Eddie, Jenny, Kathy, Brad, and Molly went to Sid's tackle shop the next afternoon. Eddie told Molly it may be boring for her, but she insisted on going with her new friends.

"Hi, kids," Sid said as the group walked into the shop.

"Hi, Sid, nice to see you again," Eddie said. The rest of the teens said hi and Kathy introduced Molly.

"What do you guys need today?" Sid asked. A phone call the day before informed Sid of the shopping trip, but he wasn't supposed to let on he knew.

"We're outfitting a seventy-five footer, Sid. The boat doesn't have a thing on her, yet. We've helped design her and now we have to equip her for fishing," Jenny said.

"Okay, what type of fishing are you rigging her for?" Sid asked.

"Almost anything. The owner wants to do offshore trolling for bills, dolphin, wahoo—you know, everything," Eddie said. "We have a list of some of the things we know the boat will need. We want your help with the things we're missing."

Jenny handed Sid the list. He studied it for a few minutes and then walked to the section with the rods. "How about something like this?" Sid asked as he showed the teens one of the midrange rods.

"The owner said he wants the best, Sid," Brad said.

"What's the difference? They all look the same to me," Molly said as she looked at the rows of rods standing in the racks.

"There are a lot of things that separate the best rods from the others. The way they're made, the quality of the materials, and the workmanship are a few of them. Some manufactures use a lesser grade of stainless in the guides and rollers. They look the same, but the inferior rods will fail in less time than the better ones," Sid explained.

"What do you suggest, Sid?" Kathy said.

Smiling, Sid said, "I recommend going with Shimano. We can put together matched rods and reels. In fact, my Shimano rep is here today. I'll get him so he can explain the system and the advantages of using it."

Sid left the teen. He returned a moment later with a man wearing a shirt with Shimano embroidered over the left breast pocket. "Kids, this is Andy Nester. He's my Shimano sales rep. He came in to show me the newest offerings." Sid chuckled and said, "He came in to take my money too."

Andy shook hands with the teens. Once he completed introducing himself, he led the group to the back of the store. He began showing the teens the new line of rods and reels.

Sid filled out an order form as the teens selected the rods and reels they wanted. Andy assured them he could have the equipment delivered in a few days. Eddie, Brad, Jenny, and Kathy thanked Andy for the help. They started talking to Sid about the other tackle they wanted. While they selected the items, Andy offered input.

"Andy fishes for Team Shimano," Sid said.

"Really, I've read about your team," Eddie said.

Andy chuckled and said, "I've read about you guys too. You have done very well in the tournaments you've fished. I also know about your involvement in the youth movement in some of the clubs."

"Thanks, we enjoy our club and getting kids our age involved in the sport," Jenny said.

"Shimano is sponsoring a six day tournament this summer. You kids should fish it. The tournament takes place over three weeks. You'll fish Saturday and Sunday each week and travel between the weekends. The tournament is held in three different ports," Andy said.

"Is it a money tournament?" Brad asked.

"Yes, the first place team will receive one hundred thousand dollars. The first five places pay," Andy said. "Give me your email address and I'll send you the information. It's a pro tournament, but I don't think you'll have any trouble qualifying."

Three hours after they arrived, the teens finished the order. Sid agreed to deliver the equipment to the boatyard the following week. The teens thanked Sid and Andy for the help.

"Are you going to fish in that tournament Andy talked about?" Molly asked as she sat in the front passenger seat. Kathy told her to sit up front with Eddie.

"I don't know. We'll have to talk to our parents. Three weeks is a long tournament," Jenny said. "I'd love to fish it if we can."

The teens went to Eddie and Jenny's house to do their homework. They wanted to finish before the barbeque. While they studied, Molly glanced around the living room. Eddie sat with his back against the couch, his legs stretched out in front of him. Jenny lay on her stomach, her legs bent at the knees. She kicked her feet as she worked on math problems. Kathy sat Indian style. Her short skirt rode high on her thighs, but she did nothing to try to conceal herself. Brad sat in the recliner, his legs hanging over one of the arms.

Grinning, Molly thought about how nice it was to be with the group. While dating Lenny, he consumed most of her free time. Molly knew that if she and Lenny were in the house without parents, he would be all over her. Molly and Lenny had studied together, but seldom finished their work.

Molly began to accept the fact she could be comfortable and not have to worry about her modesty. No one cared if her skirt hiked up, or if her breasts showed when she leaned forward. She also noticed she wasn't unnoticed. Molly saw Eddie looking down her top, but he just smiled and winked. Lenny would have had his hand down her top.

Mrs. Shockley came into the living room. She said hello to the teens and asked how long before they completed their homework. After everyone responded, she said she needed help in the kitchen as soon as they finished.

Molly completed her assignments first. She went to the kitchen and asked what she could do to help. Mrs. Shockley smiled and said, "You can peel potatoes for the potato salad, Molly."

Molly grinned and took a bowl of potatoes to the table. She sat down and began peeling them. Eddie's mom brought a bowl of radishes over, telling Molly she could clean them when she finished the potatoes.

While she worked, Molly watched Mrs. Shockley at the counter. She smiled, feeling as if she fit in.

Kathy came out to help. She sat with Molly and began cleaning the radishes. The two girls talked about school and kids they both knew.

Sarah Waters came into the kitchen. She greeted Mrs. Shockley and then Kathy and Molly. Sarah removed her jacket and rolled up her sleeves. Jenny came in and the woman all worked together.

By six o'clock, everything was ready. Harry and Jack sat on the patio with Brad and Eddie. The grill was set up and ready to light. The women came outside to join the men. A few minutes later, the doorbell rang.

"That's probably my mom," Molly said.

Eddie got up and went to the door with Molly. He greeted Mrs. Durham and took the platter of cookies from her.

"We're outside," Molly said. "Come with me. I'll introduce you to everyone."

Molly introduced her mom to the other parents. She couldn't help grinning as the adults shook hands and exchanged greetings.

"Would you care for a drink, Laura? We're having white wine, but I have almost most anything you'd like," Harry said.

"Wine will be fine, thank you," Mrs. Durham said as she sat at the table with the rest of the parents.

Harry went into the house, returning with a glass of chilled wine for Molly's mother. He sat at the table and smiled. After a moment of uncomfortable silence, Ellen spoke up.

"The kids told me Molly enjoyed fishing with them, Laura," Ellen Shockley said.

"She must have, it's about all she talks about," Laura said.

The teens sat at another table, out of earshot from the parents. Laura sipped her wine and placed the glass on the table.

"I must say, your children are much different than any I've met before. They are very open and honest," Laura said.

Sarah chuckled and said, "Yes, to a fault sometimes. There are times I get way more information than I need."

"I was surprised to learn how much freedom they have. Staying on the boat kind of shocked me. I have never thought about allowing my daughter to spend the night with mixed company," Laura said. Ellen was about to say something, but Laura continued before she had the chance. "After meeting your children, I can understand why you allow them to do it."

"It's all about trust and responsibly. We trust our kids and they have demonstrated they can be responsible," Harry said. "The kids can handle our forty-four foot boat as well as anyone I've met. They can also make good decisions."

Nodding, Laura said, "At first, after what Molly told me about the weekend, I thought they were just a bunch of wild kids. Once I met them, I realized how off base I was. I asked them some very pointed questions and got very honest answers. I hope some of that rubs off on Molly."

"Thank you, Laura, that's a nice complement about the kids," Ellen said.

"Molly told me they wouldn't let one of the girls, Penny, lie about staying at my house when she was really spending the night on the boat with her boyfriend. That takes guts," Laura said.

"It takes more than guts. It takes the ability to think for themselves. We have a few rules; honesty is one of the biggest. We won't tolerate dishonesty. That being said, we try not to put them into a position where they feel they have to lie to us," Ellen said.

"Does that mean you don't care if they have sex or go skinny-dipping?" Laura asked.

"No, we care about the kids and what they do. When Jenny asked me about sex, I told her she had to decide when it was time. I also told her she had to live with her decision. If she wants to have sex, she's going to do it whether I agree or not. I just want her to feel she can talk to me about it—and anything else.

"As far as skinny-dipping, I think a lot of kids their age do that. I know I did when I was a teenager. If we told them they couldn't, they would probably do it anyway. The difference is they would feel guilty about it rather than having fun. It would also put them into a position to lie. It's a lose-lose situation so when they asked, we said it was okay," Ellen said.

"Give me a hand with the grill, Jack," Harry said. He felt the women needed a few minutes to talk without men around.

"I can't remember seeing Molly so happy. She has been bubbly since spending the weekend with your kids," Laura said. "I guess I made some big mistakes before. Molly was dating a boy I didn't care for and I told her how I felt. I think she may have had sex with him to get back at me."

"Have you asked her?" Sarah said.

"No, not really. The other night we talked. It was the first time it was a real conversation rather than me telling her something and her defying me. Molly said she gave in to the pressure Lenny was putting on her, but I blame myself," Laura said.

"You can blame yourself if you want to, but I'd just let it go. You can do nothing to change the past. The future is up to you. We don't know Molly very well, not yet, but she seems like a good kid. While we may not be what other people consider ideal parents, but what we do seems to work for us," Ellen said.

Sarah nodded and gave Laura an abridged version of how she treated Brad and Kathy. She told Sarah that after she changed her ways, the relationship with her kids changed too. Sarah told Laura how she quit trying to control the way Brad and Kathy dressed and relaxed the unreasonable rules she attempted it enforce. "Now my kids are my friends too. I advise rather than rule and it's wonderful," Sarah said.

Laura glanced at Molly. She could see her daughter giggling and having fun with her friends. She thought about her teen years and how hard things were for her. Laura couldn't understand why she felt so comfortable around Ellen and Sarah, but she did. She didn't have many friends and none she felt she could confide in. Now, after knowing the two women for less than an hour, she felt she could tell them anything.

"I'm trying to protect Molly from making the same mistakes I made," Laura said.

"You can't protect someone from free will, Laura. Trust me, I know better than most. You can provide support and love. If you do, Molly will probably make the right decisions," Sarah said.

"You two are giving me a lot to think about. I want Molly to have fun, but I don't want her to end up getting pregnant. She's on the pill, but I still worry about her," Laura said.

"As far as I'm concerned there are only a few reasons a teenage girl gets pregnant. The first is stupidly, not protecting herself. Many people think it's partly the boy's responsibly, but I disagree. Let's face it, horny boys can lack responsibility.

"Another reason is revenge. I think some girls get pregnant to get back at their parents. As stupid as it sounds, I know it goes on. One of the biggest reasons a girl lets a boy knock her up is escape. She feels it's the only way she can get away from a situation she can't handle," Ellen said.

"It was stupidly for me. I was sixteen and I thought I was in love," Laura said.

"Is Molly's father a part of her life?" Ellen asked.

"No, he sends a check once a month and he used to send Molly a birthday card. He hasn't done that in years."

Harry told the women the grill was ready for the fish. The women started to set the table and get the other food out of the kitchen. Kathy, Jenny, and Molly helped. The meal was wonderful and Laura commented on how much she liked the fish. When Kathy said Molly had caught the fish, Laura beamed.

"You have to try these cookies," Eddie said as he passed the platter around. "They're to die for."

Everyone raved about the fresh chocolate chip cookies Molly's mom brought. By the time everyone had their fill, the platter was almost empty. Brad and Eddie began clearing the table. The girls went into the house to rinse the dishes and wash the pots and pans.

"It's nice to see the boys helping with the dishes," Laura said. "Molly said that when she was on the boat, the boys did the same things the girls did."

"Yes, as it should be," Jack said.

Once they finished with the dishes, the teens decided to go swimming. They went to Jenny and Eddie's bedrooms to change into suits.

"You can wear any suit you want to," Jenny said as she opened a dresser drawer. Molly waited to see which suits Jenny and Kathy selected.

When Kathy began putting on a thong bikini, Molly giggled and found a micro suit for her. Molly realized the bedroom doors were open when she heard Eddie.

"Nice rack, Molly," Eddie said as he watched her from his room.

Molly instinctively covered her chest with crossed arms. She giggled, removed her arms and then shook her shoulders. Eddie laughed and went back to getting dressed. Molly's reddened face caused Kathy and Jenny to giggle.

"You'll get used to it, Honey," Kathy said.

Molly smiled and nodded. Kathy gave Molly a hug, pressing her breasts against Molly's chest. After Kathy gave Molly a tender kiss, the two girls finished putting on their suits.

"Do you want me to leave you two alone?" Jenny said with a giggle.

"No, but you could join us," Kathy said.

"Don't tempt me, I might," Jenny shot back.

The three girls laughed. Eddie and Brad came into Jenny's room and watched as the girls goofed around. Once they were ready, the teens went outside. They jumped in the pool and began horsing around.

Molly's mom shook her head and said, "Why do the girls bother with suits. I don't think I've ever seen bikinis that small," Laura said.

"Actually, they usually don't wear suits. I think they're wearing them because you're here," Harry said.

"They shouldn't have to do things they don't normally do because of me," Laura said.

"The kids aren't sure how you'd react. They're being polite," Ellen said.

Laura nodded. She watched her daughter frolicking with the other kids and smiled. It was easy to see how much fun Molly was having. Even when one of the girls' breasts popped out of their top, no one acted as if it was a big deal.

"Do you have anyone special in your life, Laura?" Sarah asked.

"No one special right now. I date two men, but there isn't anything serious going on. I haven't introduced either of them to Molly," Laura replied. "I have been thinking about introducing her to one of the men. The other one, Bill, is just a very good friend. If I were to get serious with one of them, it would be Joel. We've been dating for several years."

"Do you know him from work?" Ellen asked.

Laura took a deep breath. She had hoped her job wouldn't come up, but now that it had, she had to make a decision.

"Well, I guess I know him from work. He is a friend of the son of the woman I take care of. I care for an elderly woman and her house," Laura admitted.

"Is Joel your age?" Sarah asked.

"He's thirty five, a year older than me." Laura was glad no one pressed her about her job. "Joel has never been married. We get along very well and I know he wants to get serious, but I have always hesitated. I didn't want to bring someone into Molly's life."

"Why not? You're entitled to your happiness, Laura," Jack said.

Laura chuckled and then said, "I was trying to protect my daughter's virtue. I felt that if she knew I had a relationship with a man she would rebel. I realize it was a silly thing to do. Molly told me I should date. She also told me she would like to meet Bill and Joel, even though she doesn't know their names."

"How about Bill? Why don't you want to introduce him to Molly?" Sarah asked.

"That wouldn't work. Bill's nice, but I don't what him to meet Molly," Laura said.

Harry smiled and said, "Married?"

Laura's gasp was audible. She could fee her face warm as her embarrassment rose. Not knowing how Harry knew, she simply nodded. Then, for a reason unknown to her, Laura felt compelled to tell the people she'd met a few hours ago her secret. The secret that caused Laura sleepless nights. While it began innocently, the relationship took on its own life.

Not long after moving into her modest house with Molly, Laura met Bill. It was on a night she stopped for a drink at a neighborhood bar. She enjoyed his flirting and charm. After several months, she agreed to go out with him. The dates became frequent and Laura became sexually involved with him. A year later, she found out Bill had a wife and children.

Laura knew she should break off the relationship, but Bill was always able to sway her. He helped Laura when she needed money, never asking for repayment. Sex was good with Bill. He never promised to leave his wife and Laura never asked him to. Over the years, the affair cooled, but she still agreed to see him occasionally.

Harry, Ellen, Sarah, and Jack listened while Laura told them about Bill. She wiped tears from her eyes, wondering why she was able to confess to virtual strangers. By the time she was finished with her story, Laura made a decision. The affair with Bill had to end.

"I can't understand why I feel like I can tell you folks anything," Laura said. "I have never told a sole about Bill."

"Laura, there is very little we haven't heard. If you get to know us better, you'll find we're not judgmental," Jack said.

A smile came over Laura's face. "I would like to get to know you better. I don't have many friends." She used her head to point toward Molly. "Molly is smitten with Eddie you know."

"Yeah, Kathy too," Sarah said.

"You know about that?" Laura said.

"Kathy told us about the relationship that is developing between her, Eddie, and Molly. They'll be fine, Laura," Sarah said.

"Molly asked if she could go to a tournament with your kids. I think I'll let her if it's okay with you," Laura said.

Ellen laughed and nodded her head. "Molly is more than welcome. It's going to be crowded on the boat, but I have a feeling the kids will work things out."

All of the parents laughed. Harry said, "I think I should pick up another airbed for them. We have one, but with nine kids on the boat they may need another one."

By the time the evening ended, Laura had a new outlook on her daughter and herself. She didn't want to leave, but she knew she must. Molly had school the next morning and she had to work. Laura accepted hugs from the other parents and promised to come back.

"Aren't they great, Mom?" Molly said with a giggle as her mom drove home.

"Yes they are, Honey. I had a wonderful time tonight. Molly, you can go with them on the tournament if you want to."

"Thanks, Mom! Did you have a good time talking with their parents?"

"You have no idea! They are very special people, aren't they?"

"I like them. I feel like part of the family when I'm around them. It's kind of funny, I've known them less than a week but it's like I've known them forever," Molly said.

Smiling, Laura nodded. She knew exactly how her daughter felt.

When Molly and her mom arrived at their house, Laura asked her daughter to sit down. She sat next to Molly and took the teenager's hand.

"Molly, I feel it's time I told you about my boyfriend, or should I say boyfriends. I have been dating Joel for a few years and I really like him. He is a friend of Mrs. Caldwell's son. He is very nice and I think you'll like him," Laura said.

"Cool, Mom, I can't wait," Molly said.

"Honey, the other man I see, Bill, is someone you won't meet. I'm going to call things off with him this weekend." Laura sighed and then said, "Bill is married. We've been having an affair for years."

Molly grinned and said, "Oh, like a fuck buddy?" She slapped her hand over her mouth when she realized what she said. "Oops!"

Laura shook her head. If Molly had said something like that earlier that day, she would have been incensed. Instead of being angry, Laura began laughing. She didn't respond to Molly's statement, but she knew she didn't need to.

"Mom, tell me about Joel," Molly said.

"Okay, Joel is a year older than me. He works as an attorney and he's single. Joel wants to make our relationship permanent."

"He's asked you to marry him?" Molly said. Her voice filled with glee.

"Yes, many times. I have always told him I couldn't think about it until you're grown and moved out of the house. Molly, I didn't want to bring him into our family while you were young."

Molly was about to tell her mom she would have accepted the man if it made her happy, but she didn't. Instead, Molly said, "That's cool, Mom. I guess you have your reasons. As long as you're happy, so am I." Molly hugged her mom and began to weep. "Mom, it isn't too late for us."

Laura held her daughter tightly. Molly hadn't asked a question, she made a statement. Laura couldn't agree more—it wasn't too late. They finally decided to go to bed. When Molly went to her room, she left the door open. In the past, Molly was shy and kept her door closed when she was in her room. Now, she wanted to open her life and the door was the first thing that she thought of.

Laura noticed Molly's door was open. She paused to watch Molly pull a long sleep shirt over her head. When she saw her mom, Molly smiled and said, "Goodnight, Mom. I love you."

Nodding, Laura went to her room. She flopped on her bed and cried because she couldn't remember when there was so much sincerity in her daughter's voice.

On Friday afternoon, Molly went home after school. She did her homework and then began to get ready for her date with Eddie. Since he asked her, Molly couldn't think of anything else.

Molly took a long shower. When she shaved her legs, she also shaved her vulva. She never shaved there before and was very careful. She trimmed the red curls on her mons, forming a small triangle. Finished in the shower, Molly dried off and began fixing her hair.

The sound of the blow dryer prevented Molly from hearing her mother come in. Laura went to the bathroom, doing a double take when she saw her naked daughter standing at the counter. Molly saw her mom, giggled and said, "Hi, Mom. I'm getting ready for my date."

Laura couldn't help looking at her daughter's body. Molly's breasts stood proud on her chest. Her waist narrowed and then her hips flared. Her bottom looked firm. Laura realized her little girl was a woman.

Moving behind her daughter, Laura took the hairbrush and blow dryer. Molly stood still while her mom tended to her shoulder length trusses. Her red hair contrasted her tanned skin. Unlike many redheads, Molly's flesh wasn't fair. She tanned instead of burning when in the sun.

"How do you want it done?" Laura asked her daughter. "Are you going to wear it down, in a ponytail, or do you want me to braid it?"

"I want to wear it down, Mom."

Laura used the hairbrush, some gel, and the blow dryer to style Molly's naturally curly hair. When she finished, Molly thanked her mom.

Molly went to her room to dress. Laura went to the kitchen to fix something for dinner. In her room, Molly tried on several outfits. She felt giddy and indecisive. Molly finally settled on a bra and panty before she began going through her limited wardrobe. She put on a skirt and top, went to the kitchen and asked her mom what she thought.

"You look cute, Molly," Laura said.

Molly giggled and went back to her room. She wanted to look sexy, not cute. She changed her outfit. Molly found a sundress she liked and put it on. When she showed her mom, Laura chuckled.

"That looks good too, but I think you should do something about the bra," Molly's mom said. "It doesn't look right with a halter-top dress."

Molly removed the bra, redid the halter of the dress and asked her mom if it looked better.

"Yes, you look very nice." Molly was about to find something else until her mom added, "You look sexy!"

Molly giggled and decided to wear the sundress. She went to her room to put away the clothing on her bed, clothing she tried on but decided against wearing. Laura came to Molly's room. Once again, she was surprised to find the door open.

"You can use my perfume if you'd like to," Laura said.

Molly followed her mom to her room. Laura handed Molly a bottle of expensive perfume Bill bought for her. Molly put a little on her wrist, rubbed her wrists together and smelled the flowery fragrance. Nodding, Molly put a dab behind each of her ears and another dab in her cleavage. Laura smiled and said, "You can keep it if you like it."

When Eddie arrived, Molly let him in the house. He looked at Molly and smiled.

"Wow, you look sexy!" Eddie said.

Laura chuckled from the kitchen. She came out to say hi to Eddie and tell the kids to have a good time. Eddie sat on the couch and visited for a few minutes before he led Molly to the car. Eddie had borrowed his mom's car for his date that night. Laura watched from the front door while Eddie opened the car door for her daughter. She smiled as she thought about the nights Lenny would blow the horn and Molly would charge out of the house.

Molly giggled as Eddie pulled away from the house. She offered Eddie her hand and he held it while driving to the theater. When they arrived, he let Molly select the movie.

Eddie bought popcorn and sodas. He and Molly went into the theater and he asked her where she wanted to sit. Molly picked two seats near the center. She sat next to Eddie and thought about the few times she and Lenny went to a movie.

Lenny would always pick the movie and want to sit in the back of the theater. Molly told him she liked to sit closer to the big screen, but he wasn't interested in what she wanted. Once the move began, Lenny would start pawing her. He wasn't interested in the film.

When the movie started, Eddie put his arm around Molly's shoulders. She leaned close to Eddie. They ate popcorn, taking turns feeding the other, and drank their sodas. Eddie didn't put his hand on her breast or try to get under her dress. They watched the movie.

Molly enjoyed the film and the feeling of Eddie's arm around her. He stroked her upper arm, but nothing more. When the movie ended, they left hand in hand. Once again, Eddie opened the car door for Molly. She held her short dress so it wouldn't expose her when she got in the front seat, not realizing she was doing it.

"That was a good movie," Eddie said. "I enjoyed it." Eddie didn't normally like chick flicks, but he enjoyed being out with Molly.

"I thought it was great. Thanks for letting me pick the movie." Molly was going to tell Eddie how Lenny would always pick the movie, but didn't think it was necessary. She wanted to forget about her short relationship with Lenny.

"Where would you like to eat? I'm not real hungry, but I could go for a piece of pie or something sweet," Eddie said.

"How about going to the dairy bar? They have great ice cream. I think they have pie too," Molly said.

Eddie nodded and headed to the small ice cream parlor. They sat in a booth and ordered sundaes. While they waited for their desserts to come, Eddie saw Penny and Walt come in. He waved to them and said, "Want to invite Penny and Walt to join us?"

Molly was about to say no, but changed her mind. She got up, waved to her friends and sat next to Eddie. Penny and Walt came over and sat across from them.