Chapter 3

Today at school for Sharon and John was typical of all the other days they spent at school. Being a year apart, they did not share any classes except one study hall on Thursdays. They would sit next to each other in study hall but always diligently doing homework rather than whispering to each other and giggling as some other couples often did, knowing that this gave them more free time in the evening.

John was not a super jock, and Sharon was not a cheerleader. John was in the science club and lifted weights in his basement to keep in shape. Sharon was in the journalism club and would jog a few miles with her mother three times a week after school.

They reserved lunchtime for sitting with their friends to catch up on the latest teenage gossip and make plans to get together on the weekends.

John liked to play basketball or baseball with his friends on Saturday mornings. Sharon was still a bit of a mall rat and loved to shop for clothes with her friends. Even if only one of her friends needed something at the mall, the whole crew would spend most of the morning and part of the afternoon making sure the one item they needed was the perfect thing to get. This was something John didn’t quite understand. She would pass it off by saying it was how girls have fun, and he was not required to understand why it took six hours to buy a bra.

At 3:00, the bell rang. Sharon and John headed to the bus with their backpacks for the ride home. At 3:30, they got off the bus at John’s house so he could walk her home. John kissed her at the door and said he would come by around 7:00. Sharon smiled and told him not to be late.

John walked home and then did a couple of quick chores that his mother asked him to do. He spent about half an hour lifting weights, then took a shower. He spent the rest of the time rough-housing and playing games with little Bobby and Julie.

John’s mom always had supper ready at 6:00 when his father came home from work. No one ever had to be called twice for supper. The food was not the main course, although it was always good. It was the family’s time to be together and talk about their day. Even Julie got ten minutes to regale the family with the sad tale of the disaster that befell her friend when she left her crayon box on the classroom radiator. All was well when Julie said she would share her crayons until her friend could get new ones.

Supper was over, and everyone headed in a different direction. John’s dad was off to his workshop to tinker with the lawnmower he was trying to get running again. Bobby and Julie raced upstairs to see who could be first to the computer and pick the game they would play. Every other night, Bobby would let Julie win. Mom was cleaning up the kitchen when John kissed her on the cheek and said he was off to Sharon’s to do homework and hang out.

“Be home at a decent hour, John,” his mother reminded him as she always did before he left. John’s mother knew Ms. Peterson never let John stay to an indecent hour, and it was only four houses down the street. Since Ms. Peterson was always home when John came over, what was there to worry about?

John arrived at Sharon’s a few minutes past 7:00. Paula answered the door and greeted John. “Come on in, John. We have been expecting you. How long do you think you will be staying tonight?”

Knowing that 10:00 was the witching hour, John decided not to try and push his luck to see if she would agree to 11:00 and blurted out, “How does 10:00 sound, Ms. Peterson?” Paula struck a pose as if she was deep in thought. “Well, John, I know it’s a Friday and no school tomorrow, but you know Sharon still needs her sleep. How about 9:00?”

“Mom, I thought we agreed you would stop teasing him.”

“10:00 will be fine, John. I was just having a little fun with the two of you.”

Paula hugged her daughter and whispered, “I was tempted to tell him 11:00. Do you think that would be too much teasing?”

Sharon just rolled her eyes as her mother winked and headed for the kitchen with a grin on her face.

Sharon grabbed John’s hand to pull him toward the stairs and her bedroom. With a serious look on her face. Sharon tells John, “I really need to get this math done, and we really need to talk.”

Once they got into Sharon’s room, John took his regular seat on the bed. Sharon sat next to him and put her arm around him.

“John, my mom knows everything. She knows that as soon as we close the door, we are having sex and go all the way.”

“For god’s sake, Sharon, of course, your mother knows. She is a very smart lady, and not much will get past her. Do you think your mother will make us leave the door open from now on? If that’s what she wants, I’m fine with it. I won’t lose you because your mother feels we should cool it. I will do whatever she wants to keep seeing you.”

“No, John, that’s not it. She’s totally fine with it and thinks we’ll be together forever. It’s one of the many things I agree with her on.”

“I’m starting to like the way your mother thinks. Together forever sounds good to me. What will change if your mother is fine with what we are doing?”

“For right now, the biggest change will be between my mom and me. We had a very frank talk this morning about what goes on here at night. There won’t be any more pretending that she does not know and that you don’t know that she knows. I think we will be sharing a lot more of our thoughts and concerns about our sex lives. Mom started to open up about her relationship with my father, and I think she may be ready to share more with me. She even asked me where we first made love. I had no problem telling her it was in your bed on your mom and dad’s date night. Remind me to ask her where she and dad made me.”

“Can I be there when you ask her?”

“No, Mr. Funny Guy, because that will be strictly girl talk. But maybe I will take you there on our honeymoon after you make me an honest woman and I lose the birth control pills.”

“So, where will you get the back seat of a ‘65 Chevy?”

“Quit while you are ahead, mister, or you will be going home at 9:00.”

“She has hinted at a few things that I need to think about and draw her out some more. I think she may be hinting that she needs some help with her sex life. I think I need to encourage her to go out and find a man she can be comfortable with. But I’m not sure if she wants to start having sex again or if she would be looking for a long-term relationship. Oh well, something to think about, but let’s get our homework done. All this talk about a ‘65 Chevy and sex is making me very horny.”

John and Sharon hit the books. Homework was quickly dispatched in a little less than an hour.

Sharon asked John if he wanted anything from downstairs, and he replied, “Water would be fine.”

Sharon went down to the living room and informed her mother that their homework was done and they would be shutting the door. There was no banter about watching a movie or listening to music. Everyone understood that with the bedroom door being closed, John and Sharon would make love.

Sharon went to the kitchen, grabbed two bottles of water from the fridge, went back to the living room and saw her mother standing there holding her right arm across her abdomen and her left hand over her mouth like she was about to cry. Sharon walked up to her mother and gave her a big hug, “Are you okay?”