Chapter 6

Elmer tapped on the door and announced dinner a little before seven. The rosy blush on Anna Belle's cheeks and the starry glint in Jasper's eyes as they took theirs seats at the table told Elmer all he needed to know about how the afternoon had gone.

He couldn't help teasing Anna Belle a little bit by asking, "So, did you make any progress on your, uh, project?"

Not picking up on the reference, Jasper assumed an impish expression and answered, "Yeah, we got a lot of entry work done," sliding in a little joke of his own. Anna Belle poked him under the table.

About that time, PJ got home and strolled into the dining room. "Is there enough for me?"

"Of course," Elmer said. "If you had let me know you'd be gracing us with an appearance, I would have set a place for you."

"No, that's okay," he said as he took a seat at the table, missing the not too subtle rebuke, "We got bored hanging at the mall after school and decided to call it a day." He caught the strange expression on his brother's face and added, "What are you looking so pleased about, dweeb? You guys make a major breakthrough in the world of biology today?"

Anna Belle winked at Jasper and answered, "You might say that, but I doubt it's anything you'd understand. It's just between us dweebs."

Elmer snorted, trying to stifled a laugh.

PJ had the distinct feeling he was missing something, that another inside joke had sailed over his head, but he couldn't put his finger on anything. By way of a weak, half-apology, he said, "I wasn't including you when I called the dweeb a dweeb, Anna Belle."

"Oh that's okay, PJ, I'm more than happy to include myself in that category with Jasper. I think he gives it a touch of class, don't you?"

PJ gave up trying to spar with them and decided to quit while he wasn't too far behind. "Whatever," he said in resignation as he sat waiting for Elmer to get up and serve him.

When Elmer pointedly ignored him and continued eating, he got the message and got up and went to the kitchen to load up a plate.

Later that evening after Anna Belle left for home and PJ retired to his room to tackle his homework, Elmer asked Jasper into his room for a little talk.

THE talk.

He'd been debating in his own mind whether or not to approach the subject of the blossoming relationship between Anna Belle and his charge, and decided that a little transient embarrassment on Jasper's part was an acceptable price for making sure the boy started off in the right direction.

They settled across from each other in a matched set of black leather wingback chairs. Jasper sat leaning forward, elbows on his knees and his hands clasped waiting expectantly for Elmer to begin.

Elmer looked proudly at his newly initiated son and began, "Jasper, I know about you and Anna Belle, and I just want you to know that I approve. She's really a very lovely young woman."

Jasper sat up straight, his eyes wide and his face flushed. "What do you mean, you know about us? What do you know?"

"I know you had sex, and like I said, I approve."

"Jeez, Elmer! How could you ... I mean wha ... when ... oh, shit!"

Elmer reached over and laid his hand on the boy's knee. "Hey, take it easy! I'm sorry to catch you unprepared, but I only bring it up because it's a subject we need to discuss. Now that you've taken this very big step in your life, you're going to need a little guidance. Sexual relations can be fragile things, and if you're not very careful, you can ruin it all with inappropriate behavior or a couple of careless comments dropped in innocence. Now's the time to forestall those little stumbling blocks."

Jasper remained defensive and asked angrily, "Well, how did you know? Were you listening at the door or something?"

Elmer leaned back in his chair and gave him a disappointed look. "Really, Jasper! Do you honestly believe I'd do something like that?"

Jasper knew the accusation was unfair and backpedaled a bit. "Um, no, I guess not. But how could you know? It's not like we were screaming or yelling or anything."

"I know because Anna Belle and I have already talked about it."

"WHAT! Jesus, when? And why would she talk to you?"

"We discussed the possibility some time ago because she wanted my opinion. Anna Belle is a very bright, responsible young woman, and she wasn't about to enter into a sexual relationship with you without having some idea about how it might turn out. I don't mean how the sex would turn out, I mean what might happen with your friendship, your partnership."

Jasper had to think about that for a few moments. "Okay, I guess that makes sense. So what did you tell her?"

Elmer wagged his finger and said, "I'm not going to reveal the details of our discussion. Let's just say we agreed it would be a good thing. What I want to talk to you about is how to keep it a good thing. Right now, you're all hyped about it and I doubt you see anything but a rosy future for the two of you. Well, I hope that's the case, but I'd be remiss in my duties as your mentor if I didn't point out that you've entered a minefield and you can easily self-destruct if you don't keep a few very important concepts in the back of your mind."

Jasper was still feeling a bit violated. "Yeah? Like?"

"Like you have a brain that works far more efficiently than most people's, Jasper. You're capable of learning just about anything you set your mind to. But here's the reality of puberty and the adolescent brain: Hormone-driven, passionate desire can and will push you off the track of rational thought before you have a clue about what's happening. When it comes to satisfying your libido, common sense will take a back seat almost every time. Just because you're smart doesn't mean you'll always do the smart thing in a love relationship. Do you see where I'm going with this?"

"Um, I'm not sure. Give me an example."

"Okay. Look, women are usually more cyclic in their emotions than men because they go through monthly hormonal shifts that tend to influence their moods and personal interactions. You and Anna Belle are often going to be in a situation where your wants and her wants in the sex department are not going to coincide. You cannot expect her to meet your needs consistently. More so now than before, you have to be very attentive to her moods, her state of mind. If you're feeling a little horny and she rebuffs your advances, accept it. Don't argue, don't plead, don't act wounded or slighted, just accept that she's not in the mood and move on. A day or a week later, she'll likely feel differently; in fact, she'll probably initiate something herself when she's feeling up to it. You getting my drift?"

"Yeah, I think so. But you're talking like people like me don't have any self-control, like we're always gonna be doing stupid things."

"See, I knew you'd catch on! That's exactly what I'm saying, Jasper. As smart as you are in the academic arena, you're pretty much guaranteed to do stupid things in the emotional arena if you're not paying close attention. Try to think of it like a biologist. Evolution, what we sometimes call nature, has designed you to carry out certain elementary functions, the two most basic of which are survival and procreation. The area of your brain that drives you to procreate will overpower rational thought processes if you give it half a chance, especially at the vulnerable stage of development your brain is in right now. Hell, you hear about it on the news every day when some high-powered person in politics or industry or show business self-destructs over a torrid love affaire or some sexual indiscretion. People who are obviously talented and clever in their fields make the most amazingly disastrous decisions when their hormones get the best of them. All I'm saying is pay attention! I'm delighted you and Anna Belle have a loving relationship. Just don't alienate her by becoming demanding and petulant if you don't always get what you want. I don't mean to rain on your parade, kid, but love is hard. It takes a lot of work to make it work. That's all I have to say."

Jasper sat quietly for a while, thinking. "But Elmer, you're making it sound like it's all on me, like the girl gets to set all the rules. That doesn't seem fair."

"It's not rules we're talking about here. It's feelings, emotions. Of course the girl carries equal responsibility for the success of the relationship. Just as it's wrong for you to try to impose your will on her, it would be wrong of her to use sex to manipulate you, try to control you by dangling it like a carrot. You're right; it's by no means one-sided. The way you establish and maintain a basis for any relationship is to sit down and talk about it. The ticking time bomb that will blow it apart is a lack of honest communication. If you don' tell each other what's on your mind, it's just a matter of time before that bomb goes off."

"Damn, Elmer, you make it sound like a war!"

He leaned forward and patted the boy's knee. "I'm sorry to paint such a dark picture, Jasper. I don't want you to feel overburdened, I just want you to appreciate that loving someone requires a constant attention to the details. That attention to detail is what makes you so successful academically, so why not apply that same diligence to loving someone like Anna Belle. Isn't she worth it?"

Jasper grinned. "She sure is!"

Elmer stood to bring the lesson to an end. "Now I'll say congratulations, Jasper. I couldn't be happier for you. Um, I probably don't need to say this, but I wouldn't mention anything about any of this to PJ. I know he gives you plenty of cause to strike back sometimes, but be the bigger man and resist the temptation, okay?"

Jasper stood and threw his arms around Elmer's chest, hugged him tightly, then left the room quickly. Elmer swiped the back of his hand across his eyes. That had gone better than he expected it would.