Chapter 127: Betsy's Birthday

They had another barbecue in the Kelleher's back yard to celebrate Betsy's first birthday. All the usual suspects were in attendance.

Kristin had asked to talk to Sophia privately, so they were huddled in a corner of the backyard. Everyone else was gathered in the general vicinity of the picnic table.

"Hey, Warren, you know what?" Jess, sitting next to him, said. "Your little brother is a hunk."

Ryan-who heard her-laughed, as did Warren. "Hey, Jess, if you're going after my brother, you'd better like sharing. And not just with one, with about ten."

Ryan laughed. "Oh, it hasn't been that bad."

"You should see it," Warren told Jess. "Every time I step into this house, there's a new girl on Ryan's arm."

"Well, of course," Jess grinned. "Like I said, he's a hunk. Plus, if he's your brother, Warren-he's probably a sweetheart and very smart."

"That's me all over," Ryan grinned.

"So," Jess continued, "if he hasn't yet found his Sophia, why not play the field?"

"Well, that's what I had been thinking," Ryan said.

Jess picked up something from the way that he phrased that. "Things have changed, haven't they?"

"Yeah," Ryan admitted. "Well, maybe."

"Laurel," Warren guessed.

"Good call, big bro," Ryan grinned.

"Clue me in," Jess said.

"Laurel Tingsley," Ryan told her. "She lives out in West Boylston, near Worcester. I met her in March. Georgia Tech held this get-together for everyone from around here that's going to be attending in September. That's where we met. We hit it off, and started e-mailing and IMing and that. We've seen each other a number of times. That's tough, West Boylston's not close, and we're both working for the summer. But we've managed, about every other week. She went to the prom with me-and Warren's wedding."

"Oh, you mean the stunning redhead I saw you dancing with?" Jess grinned.

"That's her," Ryan grinned. Then the grin faded. "That night, after Warren's wedding, we made love for the first time. Jess, I'm not inexperienced, OK? But, with her, it was-amazing."

"And now you guys are going to the same college," Jess grinned.

"Yep. We're going to date when we get there and see what happens."

"From what I understand, Laurel's in my league academically," Warren said.

"She sure is," Ryan grinned. "And, despite what you said earlier, Jess, I am not. I hold my own; but with Warren and Kris around I'm the family dummy. And Laurel is going to Tech on a full academic scholarship."

"And she's not impressed with Mister Basketball Scholarship one little bit," Warren teased.

"Actually, she is. That, plus the fact that I could have gotten into Tech academically, though I wouldn't have gotten a scholarship. But she's impressed that a jock like me treats her like a person. She was known as a first class geek at her high school."

"She's gorgeous, though," Jess pointed out.

"Yeah, and she's not shy or withdrawn or anything. I don't know. I guess when you're at the top of everything academically, you're a geek by definition. She was surprised that I didn't think she was a geek," Ryan laughed. "Until, at the wedding, she met Kristin."

"That'll do it," Warren laughed.

"Oh, yeah?" Jess snorted. "Kristin, my ass. She could've met you when I first did and she'd know what a geek is."

"Jess, honey, I've got news for you," he grinned at her. "I'm still a geek."

Ryan, who knew the whole story, said, "He is, Jess. And you sleep with him!"

"Oh, no, what have I done?" Jess mock-wailed.

Sophia and Kristin grabbed their food and headed over to a corner of the back yard. They sat on the grass. "So, Kris, what did you want to ask me about?"

"Sophie, what is sex like?"

Sophia almost choked on her hamburger. "What?!?"

"I can't ask my mother," Kristin said softly. "I don't have a sister. I have no close girlfriends. You're the only one. And you are my sister now, actually."

"That's so sweet," Sophia beamed. Then, she looked right at Kristin. "Kris, you and Tom haven't..."

"No, just kiss. I mean, if I had, would I have to ask you what it's like?" she giggled.

"Well, unless you were asking me what it's supposed to be like. Anyway, why, then, were you asking? Are you thinking about it?"

"Yes. No. I don't know," Kristin sighed. "Look, I've known you and Warren have been having sex since I knew what sex was. When I got to be old enough that Mom didn't care what you guys were doing in Warren's room, I noticed that you'd always come downstairs looking very happy. And Ryan? The night of your wedding, he was with Laurel." Kristin explained who Laurel was. "When I saw her the next morning, she looked like she had died and gone to heaven."

"I know what's going on around me," she continued, "but I never thought of it personally, because guys seemed completely beyond me. Then Tom came along. And, God, Sophie, when he kisses me? Wow!"

Sophie smiled at her sister-in-law. "So, something's waking up."

"And how."

"Kris, do not rush into anything. Please. Trust me on that one."

"I won't. Heck, I don't even know when I'm going to see him again!"

"I know. I'm worried that, when you do see him, you'll be tempted to rush it, just because you don't see him that much."

"No. I'm just, you know, wondering."

"OK, then. To answer your original question, it depends, and on a lot of things. The first and most important is the guy."

Kristin blushed bright read. "I, er, heard two girls in my class talking about that."

"About what, exactly?" Sophia asked.

"Well, one was saying how great her new boyfriend was, because he was really, you know." She blushed deeper. "Big."

"Bullshit," Sophia laughed. "That's someone trying to impress a friend. Listen, Warren's not small..."

Kristin interrupted, dismayed. "Oh, God, I don't know if I want to know these things about my brother>"

"Hey, Kris, you asked me what sex was like. Who do I have sex with?" Sophia asked bemused. Kristin looked a little sheepish. "Don't worry, I'll try not to go into too much graphic detail. Anyhow, Warren's not small-but he's not huge, either. I've had bigger. I've never had better, and it's not even close. Size means nothing. Attitude means everything."

"Attitude?"

"My pleasure is as important to Warren as his own is. If not more so."

"Oh."

"That is what I mean when I say the guy makes a difference. A lot of other things make a difference. Your attitude." Kristin looked at her. Sophie smiled. "It's a whole lot better if you are completely sure you really want it."

"Oh. You mean, like, what happened to you before Warren."

"That's a lot of it. But it even happens nowadays. Look, Warren and I love each other, we're together, and we take care of each other. There are days that Warren's really in the mood, and I'm not, but I'll give in for his sake." Kristin shot her a look. "Oh, Kris, that goes both ways. In fact, it probably goes the other way more often. I'm generally hornier than Warren is, believe it or not." Kristin giggled at that. "But, what I was saying was, the more I'm in the mood, the better it is. If I can say that about Warren, imagine what it was like going to bed with guys when I was really unsure and hesitating. It's really not worth it."