Chapter 12

We were just coming back up from the beach when Dolly, Bob, and Riekie drove in. Riekie was driving. She had a grin from ear to ear. We met them as they parked.

I sidled up to Riekie. I gave her a light tap on the arm "Judging by the grin, you passed."

Riekie turned. "Yup! The examiner was really impressed that I could handle this big ol' boat! (the big ol' boat was a 9-passenger station wagon) When I told him I helped Mom drive down from home with the U-Haul, he was really impressed! I'm so happy! Now, whenever Mom and Dad will let us have the car, we can go out of town to shows and stuff."

Suddenly, she threw her arms around me, and gave me a big hug. Her face nuzzled up to my ear. She whispered. "By the look on Carol's face YOU passed too!" she giggled, then wistfully. "I wish I had someone to love me like you do her." I just hugged her back. The moment passed and she let go.

We soon got all the groceries unloaded and in the house. Carol and Riekie ran off outside, laughing and giggling like any teenage girls to swap stories about their day. Bob and I headed down to the beach. We got out the fins and snorkels and had a ball exploring the bottom of the lake.

I was always amazed at Bob. He never tried to pry into what Carol and I did, although from time to time he would look curious. I was impressed, so today, as we lay back on the beach after our marathon snorkeling, I asked him about it. I thought I knew, but had to ask anyway.

"Bob, we've been friends for over a year now (a year is an eternity to the young). We've talked about everything under the sun, and a lot of stuff above (both Sci-Fi fans). When we got curious about something, we'd ask each other. We've never kept secrets or been embarrassed to ask questions of each other. Hell, we've even jerked off together to the same Playboy picture, and measured each other's hard-on (teenage boys are inordinately obsessed with the length of their penises). But since Carol and I got together, that's changed. We still talk about a lot of stuff, and we have a lot of fun together, but you've never said a word about me and Carol. She tells Riekie everything. Usually she just tells her, but Riekie's not afraid to ask, either. So why don't you ask me?"

"I'm not sure. There's a whole lot going through my head. First, it's my sister. As a brother, I'm happy she has a boyfriend, but I'm nervous and defensive of her, too. What I don't know can't hurt me. Then, you're my best friend. If something bad happened between you and Carol and you broke up, you might not want to be my friend anymore, either. Again, what I don't know can't hurt me, meaning if I don't know, then I can't so easily be forced to 'choose sides' if you guys ever got nasty with each other."

"I see. I can understand that, I think. I don't know what I'd do if Val was thick with one of my best friends, but is that all?" As it turned out, I did have that experience a few years later. She married him. I felt what Bob told me wasn't everything, though.

"No, that isn't all. In a strange way, I'm jealous."

"What's so strange? Your sister stole your best friend's heart. Now you have to share him with her."

"Yeah, but that's not all... I'm jealous the other way, too. I'm jealous of you with her. I feel you're taking her away from me. Carol and me were always pretty close. That's what's strange. I've wanted to tell you about this, but I was afraid you'd get mad at me. I didn't want it to come between us as friends."

'At first glance, it seems strange, maybe. Look, I've said I read a lot of Dad's books. In them there's all sorts of stories about just what you're talking about... brothers and sisters get a crush on the other. It's not unusual, and most times they work through it, usually when one or the other find a partner. You'll lose THAT jealousy as soon as you find a girl. I can almost guarantee that. Tell the truth, until I met Carol, I'd fantasize about Val. We're close, and neither of us had a boy or girlfriend. From the way she's been the last while with me, I think she's feeling something like you. I'd be a damn fool if I let something like that wreck our friendship."

"Somehow, that's what I figured you'd say. But you know, the REAL reason I don't ask or pry, is because of the day you guys did the phone sex thing. When I heard those girls all screaming, I somehow KNEW, what they were screaming about. I just didn't know what brought it on. I got a HUGE hard-on <grin>. When Mom started yelling at Riekie and Joanne, I thought it was over them jerking off. It scared me, and I stopped what I was doing. I thought I'd be next." We both laughed at this. Every teenager has the fear of being caught masturbating.

"But then I heard her yelling at them about breaking trust and invading privacy. I was completely freaked out. Then you know what my mother did? She knocked on my door, and ASKED if she could come in to talk to me. My mom NEVER asks; she just walks in. That, alone, made me think something important had happened or was about to. She came in, sat down, and explained everything. She told me about you and Carol on the phone. She didn't go into any details, but what she did say got my boner going. I was uncomfortable with it, but Mom, bless her, if she noticed, never let on. The point she was trying to make, was about the girls breaking trust and invading YOUR privacy. She really impressed me. I think she had the same talk with Carol. <I nodded> The only time she yelled at Carol, was through the bathroom door, asking her if she was OK.

"Then you came over, and what you said about friendship, trust and truth really hit me hard. For the first time in my life, I had to look at what friendship really meant. I'd always taken being a friend for granted. I had no idea friendship meant that much to you, or what it should mean to me. Did you learn that from your dad, too?

"That day, I learned the true value and importance of friendship. And that's REALLY why I don't ask you about what you and Carol do, or feel about each other. It's none of my business. Yeah, I get curious sometimes, who doesn't? But it's NOT my place, as your friend to ask. If you have something special you want to share or something you want to talk about regarding your relationship with her, I figured you'd come to me, but so far you haven't. I was a little bit hurt by that at first, but knowing how important your own privacy is too, especially after that incident, I let it go.

"A friend doesn't pry. He listens. The only questions permitted are those generated by the conversation to move it along. I've thought a lot about this. I talked to my own dad about it. We've never been that close because of him being away working. I think he was really happy that we could have that kind of talk. I know I sure liked it. We were friends ourselves afterward. He was the one who told me about the listening part. I talked to Opa the other day. He told me the same thing. Anyway, that's why I don't ask you any questions. When you're ready, or need to, you'll come to me. Friends share those types of things, but in their own time."

I was overwhelmed. I knew the friendship speech had a major impact on Riekie, and yes, Carol. Their relationship had undergone significant changes. They were much more open with each other, and because of Carol and me being so close, by extension, I was included in that. That Bob felt so strongly about friendship was almost another epiphany for me.

Suddenly, our own relationship developed a warmth, depth and maturity that has lasted a lifetime since. We might not see or hear from each other for years on end, but when one of us needs the other we will drop what we are doing and go to the aid of a friend. Oh, there might be a little grumbling about convenience, but that's trivial, and we both know it.

Until this moment, I had lived by what my dad had taught me about friendship, but I don't think I completely grasped it. It seemed Bob suddenly had a better handle on it than me. I let it sink in, and cherished this new feeling.

"Bob, I don't know what to say. You've touched me in a way no one ever has, except possibly Carol. I feel like I've left you out. You SHOULD know what's going on, so you can understand and help me, and yes, your sister. Especially if/when we come on bad times. Somehow, I know we will." If I'd only known how truly prophetic those words were...

We had been sitting side by side on the beach. Suddenly, our arms were around each others shoulders, just looking out over the lake. We had bonded. The physical contact was just two people sharing a moment. There was no embarrassment at two guys touching. The physical contact just allowed us to share. Since then, I've never been afraid to hug a friend.

"Do you want a brief outline, or the whole gory tale?"

"First what happened today? When we came home, Carol looked radiant. I've never seen her so happy. Did you ask her to marry you or something?"

"No, not yet, anyway. We made love." He gasped. "Not that way. She's still a virgin, and so am I. We were just very intimate, and I gave her in person what I tried to give over the phone. I also kept her trust. She didn't want to go all the way, but because of the passion today, she could very easily have been seduced. I didn't, and stayed to her plan. She's happy because she knows for sure now she can trust me, and I think the radiance is just the afterglow of several HUGE orgasms. I think she passed out once." He was grinning.

"Wow! OK, how do you guys feel about each other?"

"In a word, ol' buddy: LOVE. No, it's not just some average teenage affair like we see at school all the time. Remember all those kids falling all over each other in the stairwells, gushing love to each other one week, only each one will be with someone new the next? We're not like that. We are truly, deeply, madly in love. Sounds kinda corny, but it's true. We can't stand to be apart for very long. When we're together, we feel complete. When we're together, we often don't have to talk. We seem to know what the other is thinking. It's amazing how much communication there is in a simple touch, a squeeze of the hand, a look. But we talk, too, and absolutely no subject is taboo: sex, babies, friends, school, hopes and dreams... all those and more."

I was getting overwhelmed with my love, just talking about it. This was GOOD to talk to someone else how I felt about Carol besides her. When I talked to her, I felt the love, but you sometimes can't see the flames if you're too close to the fire. Talking to Bob allowed me to look at it from a distance. The good part was, if anything, my feelings for her proved honest, and if anything, stronger. It was a catharsis talking to Bob.

"Excuse me, but just when did you know how you felt about her? " Bob took the lead and started really drawing me out. He seemed to know I needed to tell him.

"You're not going to believe this, Robert, but I knew it the very first time I saw her. When she opened that door that day, I saw the most beautiful creature in the universe. When I looked in her eyes that day I just KNEW, right down to the tips of my fingers and toes. Hell, I even instantly knew her full name, Carol Anne Scott. You'd never told me that. Shit, we hardly ever talked about your sisters. Most guys don't. They're just fixtures, furniture, almost in our lives. So, don't ask me how I new her name, I just KNEW. That was the most powerful moment in my life. Am I making ant sense?" I was really starting to get wound up.

"Holy Shit, Batman! That's the most amazing thing I ever heard! I'd heard of it, but never thought I'd see it happen! I have no doubt, just listening to you, that it's true, and your feelings are genuine. The way you say her name sends a chill down my spine! That's awesome!" Briefly, his arm tightened on my shoulder. I was almost bawling with the intensity of what I was feeling.

"So how do you know what Carol feels?"

"She told me."

"And you believed her? Are her feelings as strong as yours?"

"Of course I believed her! And yes, her feelings are every bit as strong as mine. Sometimes I think they're stronger. You know? Today she made me promise to make babies with her someday. I was so happy, but it scared me a bit, too."

"Jesus! That's intense! Have you guys talked about how you feel?"

"All the time, now."

"When did she know how she felt? When did you guys first talk about your feelings?" Bob had learned my interview technique very well. I said before, he has one of the most brilliant minds I've ever known.

"Second question first. Remember that day last month when you guys left us alone on the back lawn? You figured your mom would keep an eye out? Well, Carol started it. Up until then, we were comfortable just letting each other know the other was VERY special by look and touch. She asked me how I felt about her, more importantly, my first reaction to her. I was scared shitless, Bobby-boy. I was terrified that if I told her everything, the intensity of what I felt would scare her away. I tried to hedge a little, but as soon as I opened my mouth, it ALL came tumbling out. I told her what I just told you, only in a lot more detail. It was incredibly intense. When I finished, I felt drained, and waited for her to tell me she didn't feel that way, and maybe we'd better back off. I told her that, too. But, ya know what, Buddy?

"I think I can guess, but you're gonna tell me anyway, 'cause you need to." I looked at my friend with growing respect, and squeezed his shoulder.

"She said the SAME thing happened to her! She said that when she looked in my eyes, and I quote: 'I didn't know for sure, but I was pretty sure, that MY MAN was standing right there in front of me. I had a funny urge to throw myself in his arms right then.' Those words burned into my brain, Bud. Bob, we had an almost identical experience! The only difference was that she didn't know me from shit, so she didn't get hit with the name thing like I did, so she was a little hesitant at first. That's why she played 20 questions with you. She wasn't just the curious girl checking out a new guy in town. She just HAD to know. It was driving her nuts to have these feelings and not know what it really was. Then, when you finally told her who I was, she started to realize what she'd felt. When she heard my voice on the phone that first time, all I said was 'Hi! Carol?" and she KNEW instantly. She said she almost fainted, the feeling was so strong."