Chapter 15: (Thanksgiving Week)

With a shortened week because of Thanksgiving Selena packed up and left New York after the close of business Tuesday. Joe and Dana met her at her train at 7:30. When she alit she was surprised to have Dana run into her arms as Joe looked on.

“Mother, I’m so glad to have you home with us for the Holiday.” She whispered near her ear as they hugged just before Joe joined the hug.

“Experiencing the love of a family is a great feeling again.” Dana added that both Joe and Selena heard filling them with great satisfaction.

They broke the triple hug and strode arm in arm through the station with a porter following with Selena’s 3 bags. When they got to the car Selena turned to the young man.

“I see your long sleeve tee under your uniform whites is red with white piping, is that a PolyTech shirt, are you a student?” She asked him as he handed Joe the bags to stack in the back of the Buick Enclave he had just picked up Monday.

“Yes Ma’am. Just started my second year, uhh ... working to keep up with expenses.”

“All three of us are Polytechs too, our daughter here starts in January.”

The young man looked at her a bit startled thinking how young she was, and pretty too.

Dana blushed and said, “I’m an advanced freshman. I skipped a few grades and will do a primer and orientation semester and then start in August.

The young man extended a hand and said, “I’m Kyle, glad to meet you, maybe I’ll see you on campus.”

Dana blushed again and said, “Nice to meet you Kyle, I’m Dana.”

Joe half smiled, and half wore a worry on his face as he had the lift gate open and said to Kyle as he lifted the 1st bag, “Right in here.”

Joe nodded to Selena as he clicked the doors unlocked and she opened a door for Dana.

After the 3rd bag was in and the gate closed Joe told Kyle to wait while he pulled a money clip from his pocket. He thumbed the small wad of bills and took a $50 bill out and pressed it into Kyles hand.

“Study hard, think before you do something that might change the rest of your life.” Joe said as he shook his hand and then he couldn’t resist saying. “She’s just 13, we’re very proud.”

It was Joe’s way of telling the young man “hands off” in a polite sort of way, although he was impressed at the young man’s style and demeanor, as well as his attitude not fearing work to help him reach his goals.

When Joe got in the new SUV both he and Selena were quiet, but Dana couldn’t resist the moment.

“He was CUTE, maybe I’ll see him on campus!”

Selena darted a look to Joe that Dana expected.

“God! You two! I promised I would not date until I was 16, but I never said I wouldn’t LOOK at a boy! I know you protect me, but I have my goals and morals too, ... Father, you didn’t have to tell him I was 13.”

“What makes you think I told him that?” He asked.

“We all saw the way he looked at me, and I looked back, and you had Mother nearly push me in the car.” Dana said near tears.

“Dana, I don’t think you understand sometimes about men and boys, their wants and desires. We’re just trying to protect you.” Selena said as Joe pulled away from the station lot.

“I’m not as naive as you both think. I wouldn’t let a boy touch me, or even kiss me. Can’t I make a friend?” Dana insisted and questioned.

Joe pulled his new vehicle into a small strip mall parking lot, so they could talk, he wanted to nip this subject right away.

“Dana, you may not WANT to be touched or kissed, but remember, you could be strong-armed by an insistent male. We try to monitor how you dress and present yourself, so you don’t put off a Lolita persona. You could easily pass for 16 or older, your face and features are very mature, and we have discussed personal sexual habits, we know you aren’t stupid or naive.” Joe said as he turned in his seat to speak to Dana directly.

Dana looked away embarrassed at the mention of the fact they heard her masturbate before.

“I do know what boys want, and I don’t want to appear 13, I like the fact I’m physically mature and I like to dress like a young woman. I’ve always been with girls and guys that are 3 to 6 years older than me, and I’ve competed in school sports at that level too. I’m in girl’s locker rooms and showers with 16 to 18-year old’s and heard it all. I’ve always had someone to ask about anything I didn’t understand. I had my period when I was 11 and have been told that was from being with older girls in those situations and all that. My ears have heard it all and I’ve had to ask a lot of questions. I’m not stupid when it comes to all this, I just don’t want to be treated like I AM 13. I promised my Mom, and I promised my Mother that I would not date until I was 16 and I take that seriously, but I don’t see how having a guy as a friend is such a problem.” Dana said venting some of the frustrations she had felt.

Selena exhaled deeply and pursed her lips like she was about to lose her cool, but she controlled that urge as she turned all the way around in her seat to face Dana.

“If you were with another 13-year-old it might be different, but...”

“Thirteen-year-old boys are babies, immature in the way they act and the things they want to talk about!” Dana said interrupting, she was so frustrated.

“Drop the attitude and listen, and don’t interrupt me again, I do know a few things you don’t!” Selena shouted pointing a finger. “Remember, I AM your Mother!”

Dana backed down and slumped back in her seat. “I’m sorry, that was bold of me.” she said quietly.

Selena continued, “Older boys have hormones raging and when they look at you they have one thing in mind. You may say that you wouldn’t allow a boy to touch you, or kiss you, but let me tell you about temptation and wanting to fit in, wanting someone to like you. Sex is the greatest physical feeling you will ever experience but not knowing about it, understanding its affects, can harm you. I was a 15-year-old with a catch-up tutor I was to meet for weekly sessions at the Poly library, my Dad dropped me off and picked me up for each session. After a couple weeks, the tutor, a nice-looking guy, showed me how to sneak out without being seen and go to his dorm room nearby. I somehow thought that because I never took all my clothes off and we were always under the covers it was OK, just a lot of fun. I had unprotected sex with him many times, he just wiping it off my stomach each time. He promised that when he went home for the summer he would write and be back to see me in the Fall. Of course, I never heard from him again. I was sure that because I was SO SMART, that I knew everything, but I knew nothing.”

“We don’t want you to be afraid of boys or men, but to be cautious. You can’t just open up and bubble over friendly, because it’s taken the wrong way.” Joe added.

“This is neither the time nor place for this talk, and it’s only because you are so mentally mature that we are even having it with you at all now. You’ll be in Manhattan and New York soon and then on campus and as much as you will be chaperoned, there will be times when you’ll have to depend on your better judgement in some situations.” Selena explained.

Joe continued Selena’s train of thought, “We did plan to talk with you about temptation, naivete and innocence before you got to The City, but when I saw that young man, whom I’m sure is a fine person, look at you and the way your face brightened in response to him, it had to be now.”

Dana dropped her eyes and her demeanor seemed suddenly sullen before she spoke. “I seriously love you two, and I thank God every day for the two sets of parents He has blessed me with. My adoptive parents loved me and guided me through the special situations my gifts gave to me. I’m asked by others if I wish I was “normal” and not special, so my life could be less complicated. I don’t, especially when I look at you two and how being special has enriched your lives. I don’t know how you felt at my age, but I don’t feel 13 in my body or my mind. When I’m with 16,17, or 18-year old I feel very comfortable, even secure and confident. I like looking sexy because it says I’m mature and confident. But, I don’t think it makes me look “experienced” or “cheap”. You think that boy may have thought that about me, but I think he saw my confidence and in the short window I had of him I saw someone to relate to, and I don’t mean that boy in particular, ... do you know what I mean?”

Joe smiled a little and said “I do, I really do and I understand the struggle in your mind.”

“Same here,” Selena said, “Maybe even more so.”

“Let me just ask you to have confidence in my values and morals, and try not to think of me as 13, and when I should act immature, don’t hesitate to point it out to me and, hopefully, that will center me again.” Dana requested, paused and brightened a bit saying, “Now we have talked sex before, had the same discussions and things brought out that we just rehashed AGAIN, but watching my parents freak out because I looked at a boy, and he looked back, is un-nerving. Get this, I like boys, I like to look at boys, I may even dream a bit about boys, but nothing changes my moral code. If and when I decide that I am going to have sex with any boy or man, I will discuss it with you. I won’t be looking for your approval, it’s just, I do not want to sneak around and hide things from you. If I think I’m grown up enough to have sex and take on that responsibility it will likely happen, but as I promised my Mom in heaven, and my natural Mother in this life, I will not date boys until I am 16.”

Joe looked to Selena and smiled and pointed with his thumb to Dana, “Hmm, our daughter, 13 going on 30.” And they both broke out laughing knowing how silly it was to freak out over the situation.

The car was quiet as Joe pulled into traffic and after a long moment Dana piped up,

“Are we going out, I should at least get a dinner out of all of this!”

Joe and Selena broke out into laughter and asked Dana where she wanted to go. All was well.

On Wednesday morning when all 3 of them convened for coffee Selena turned to Dana after “good mornings” and etc, “Your grandmother is doing Thanksgiving this year, it may be their last year in that house. You know we’ve discussed them moving in here when you start full time. Their house is too big for just the two of them. Joe thinks he can design an in-law apartment downstairs, if he can give up the pool room. We’ve also discussed building in the lot behind the pool, a house that might even be yours someday, but that’s not worth discussing now. So anyway, we’ll go down and help my Mom out today, OK?”

“That will be OK, I need to learn how to cook and prepare things. I just hope she keeps her opinions to herself, you know about dressing, make-up, and all that.”

“THAT part of my mother may never change, ever protective. I see you as a young adult who is mature beyond her years. She see’s you as 13 and just getting past Barbies.” Selena said as Dana giggled and turned bright red as she chuckled.

“What is so funny about that?” Selena asked as Joe heard the services truck pull away and went out to the street to retrieve the trash cans.

Dana looked to be sure Joe was gone and blushed, “You know I’ve told you that I’ve heard EVERYHING in locker rooms, in fall soccer after a game someone made a crack about Barbies and Patsy on our team, who shares everything, said her mom was surprised she hadn’t given up her Barbies. She said her Mom didn’t know that Barbies long legs and slim waist made a great sex toy!” Dana said as she giggled out loud while blushing.

“Dana, you have to listen to stuff like that?!”

“Oh Mother, tell me you never heard worse when you played.”

“Well, I never excelled as much as you in sports and played Varsity, but I did hear some stuff that would have made my parents freak.” Selena said nodding. “But, you heard worse than that?”

“Mother, where do you think I learned about hand jobs, blowjobs, eating out, dildoes, vibrators, butt plugs,...”

“DANA! You’re making ME blush just knowing you had to listen to that!”

“You KNOW that girls are much more X rated in their locker room talk than guys, right?”

“Well, I heard that, and we had a few braggarts who told stories, but I never believed half of it, but you are talking about hard core stuff. DO NOT let my mother know about that, or Joe either.” Selena said, a bit peeved before she asked, “When you wondered about all those things, who explained them for you?”

“Well, a lot I got from the descriptions, but the girl who was supposed to be my chaperone was one of the worst offenders. She told me she was just keeping me away from the lezzies on the team. But there was a guy on Varsity baseball back in September that the whole softball team was drooling over,” Dana said, pausing.

“Except you, of course.” Selena interjected.

“Oh, of course.” Dana chuckled and continued, “Well after our last game she gathered everyone around and showed a selfie-video of her giving that guy a blowjob.”

“Oh my God!! Did you watch it too?”

“MOTHER! Would you have turned your eyes away at my age or would you want to see what girls talk about all the time. Of course, I watched it, well I just saw the last couple minutes, 14 girls trying to watch one phone video.”

“Well?” Selena asked.

“What did I think? Gross, at first, but I did see where it could be sexy, until the end where it was messy and his stuff everywhere. But to do that with a boy you don’t know or love, it seems pretty cheap. While I may know what’s going on, I also know that sharing your body and intimate moments are for ones you love. To be like she was, was frightening, to lust after someone in that way. I like to look at guys, but that doesn’t cross my mind.”

“Don’t tell me anymore or I’ll have you in junior high back up north hoping you un-hear these things.”

“Mother, you don’t have to worry about me, and if it’s the exposure you worry about, remember knowledge is power, understanding defeats fear. In hearing the talk, I was fearful, but now I’m not, I know what it is. I’m fine.” Dana said, amazing Selena with her maturity at her tender age.

By the end of the day all of the fixings for the Thanksgiving feast were ready to be cooked the following day. Selena and Dana brought the pumpkin and mince pie fillings back to their house to bake, since Betty Hanson’s oven would be full of her apple, cherry, and chocolate pies. Selena knew the aromas from those two specifically would make Joe happy and nostalgic for the days of Thanksgiving feasts at his family home while growing up. She also knew that mood would feed Joe’s want and need for her affections that she was always willing to share.

When the pies came out of the oven to cool around 10:30 Joe had regaled both Selena and Dana with stories of his parents and family life that they never knew of. Joe looked tired and Selena told him to go to bed and she would lockup. When he kissed her goodnight, he whispered, “I’ll have a quick shower and meet you in the sheets.”

Selena set the security system and clicked the locks on both vehicles and went down the hall and saw the light under Dana’s door. She knocked lightly and heard Dana say, “Mother?”

“Yes Dana,” She said as she opened the door and saw Dana sitting up in bed reading. “You better get to sleep; you have an early day tomorrow.”

“I know, I’m just a little nervous about meeting the 10 people there I don’t know.”