what I’d been expecting, and instead I’m getting the “girlfriend” talk.
“Uh, what ‘thing ?’”
Pop-pop snorts then stifles it behind his hand. Grams purses her lips at him before looking at me again.
“You two are getting serious, right?”
“We’re already serious, Grams. I love her.”
Her face drains of color , and she rubs her neck, stretching out her wrinkles. “Um, yes we know. We… heard you two the other… well, we just want to make sure you know what you’re getting into.”
Wait? Heard what? What the hell is she talking about?
“Grams…”
“No need to explain, honey. I understand it’s not the old days when there had to be a ring on the finger before the consummation of a relationship.”
“The what ?” I drop my arms and look at Pop-pop for help, which he doesn’t offer since he’s doubled over in laughter. “Grams, wait, Lex and I… we haven’t… it’s not…” Ah hell, I’m having this conversation with my grandma . After she heard… shit!
“I don’t want to know details.” She waves her hands in front of me and closes her eyes.
“There aren’t any details.”
“Okay, hun, that’s fine. But this trip… don’t think for one second you and Alexis are pulling the wool over our eyes. We know you’ll be in the same bed together.”
C an’t argue with her on that one.
“And even if there aren’t any details now…” She lets out a defeated breath and looks to Pop-pop for help.
He shakes his head and tucks an arm around her shoulders. “Just be careful, son. That’s all we’re saying.”
“I know. We’ve had this talk before.”
“Before you had a girlfriend. And before this unsupervised trip.”
“Nate’s brother will be there,” I mutter as a pathetic attempt to get them to stop the sex talk.
“Still, we want you to take this,” Grams says, handing me… shit, she’s handing me a condom. My grandparents are handing me rubber. And not just one rubber. “Oh, and these.” She hands me a few more, different colors, sizes, and brands while Pop-pop stifles more laughter. There are so many she’s putting in my hands, they’re sliding between my fingers and falling on the porch.
“Geez, May. How many do you think he needs?” Pop-pop says through snorts.
She drops her voice to a whisper, but I can still hear her. “Well, how am I supposed to know what size he is? I haven’t seen the thing since he was in toilet trainers.”
I’m bolting off the porch now. I’m sti ll soaking wet from the lake, and I am way done with this conversation.
“Thanks, Grams, but I won’t need these.” Because I won’t. And because I don’t want to shove them all under her nose, I let them fall to the porch.
Pop-pop picks one up and sticks it in my hand. “Just for our peace of mind?”
I roll my eyes, but fist the condom anyway, thinking the rubber it’s made out of weighs a hundred pounds.
“And here,” Grams says, pulling something else from her bag. What else does she want to bestow on me? “I want you to take this with you too.” She slaps a thick book in my hand. The gold lettering glints in the sunset light.
The Holy Bible
There’s no stopping my feet now. Shower is my destination, and I’m not let anything stop me from getting there.
***
I was hoping the hot water would drown out all the anger I have pulsing through my body. Normally, that conversation with Grams and Pop-pop would’ve had me rolling with my grandpa, with equal amounts of amusement and embarrassment. But ever since Brett showed up, I can’t help but feel just so mad all the time.
And it pisses me off that I’m mad about dumb shit. It’s not who I am.
I squeeze my eyes shut and pinch the bridge of my nose. Walking around in just my boxers and undershirt, I pace my room and toy with my phone. Should I call Lex? Can I bug her with this? Can I have her over here without using her, but actually talking with her? I don’t know if I can. I don’t want to
“Uh, what ‘thing ?’”
Pop-pop snorts then stifles it behind his hand. Grams purses her lips at him before looking at me again.
“You two are getting serious, right?”
“We’re already serious, Grams. I love her.”
Her face drains of color , and she rubs her neck, stretching out her wrinkles. “Um, yes we know. We… heard you two the other… well, we just want to make sure you know what you’re getting into.”
Wait? Heard what? What the hell is she talking about?
“Grams…”
“No need to explain, honey. I understand it’s not the old days when there had to be a ring on the finger before the consummation of a relationship.”
“The what ?” I drop my arms and look at Pop-pop for help, which he doesn’t offer since he’s doubled over in laughter. “Grams, wait, Lex and I… we haven’t… it’s not…” Ah hell, I’m having this conversation with my grandma . After she heard… shit!
“I don’t want to know details.” She waves her hands in front of me and closes her eyes.
“There aren’t any details.”
“Okay, hun, that’s fine. But this trip… don’t think for one second you and Alexis are pulling the wool over our eyes. We know you’ll be in the same bed together.”
C an’t argue with her on that one.
“And even if there aren’t any details now…” She lets out a defeated breath and looks to Pop-pop for help.
He shakes his head and tucks an arm around her shoulders. “Just be careful, son. That’s all we’re saying.”
“I know. We’ve had this talk before.”
“Before you had a girlfriend. And before this unsupervised trip.”
“Nate’s brother will be there,” I mutter as a pathetic attempt to get them to stop the sex talk.
“Still, we want you to take this,” Grams says, handing me… shit, she’s handing me a condom. My grandparents are handing me rubber. And not just one rubber. “Oh, and these.” She hands me a few more, different colors, sizes, and brands while Pop-pop stifles more laughter. There are so many she’s putting in my hands, they’re sliding between my fingers and falling on the porch.
“Geez, May. How many do you think he needs?” Pop-pop says through snorts.
She drops her voice to a whisper, but I can still hear her. “Well, how am I supposed to know what size he is? I haven’t seen the thing since he was in toilet trainers.”
I’m bolting off the porch now. I’m sti ll soaking wet from the lake, and I am way done with this conversation.
“Thanks, Grams, but I won’t need these.” Because I won’t. And because I don’t want to shove them all under her nose, I let them fall to the porch.
Pop-pop picks one up and sticks it in my hand. “Just for our peace of mind?”
I roll my eyes, but fist the condom anyway, thinking the rubber it’s made out of weighs a hundred pounds.
“And here,” Grams says, pulling something else from her bag. What else does she want to bestow on me? “I want you to take this with you too.” She slaps a thick book in my hand. The gold lettering glints in the sunset light.
The Holy Bible
There’s no stopping my feet now. Shower is my destination, and I’m not let anything stop me from getting there.
***
I was hoping the hot water would drown out all the anger I have pulsing through my body. Normally, that conversation with Grams and Pop-pop would’ve had me rolling with my grandpa, with equal amounts of amusement and embarrassment. But ever since Brett showed up, I can’t help but feel just so mad all the time.
And it pisses me off that I’m mad about dumb shit. It’s not who I am.
I squeeze my eyes shut and pinch the bridge of my nose. Walking around in just my boxers and undershirt, I pace my room and toy with my phone. Should I call Lex? Can I bug her with this? Can I have her over here without using her, but actually talking with her? I don’t know if I can. I don’t want to
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