Generations: The Long Game

The Talk

Everyone who got the invitation/announcement was pretty shocked as Reece and Marjorie had been pretty vocal about their plans to not have anymore children. Charlotte of course was already doing calculations. Having had three single pregnancies, she was the most versed in how all of this worked. "Eww!" She blushed when she realized she had said it out loud.

Carly was hanging out with her at the sister nursery. It was an odd day for her not to be at university, but when she called and asked if she could hang out Char chose not to question it. She knew the young girl would talk to her when she was ready and figured a full shift in the nursery office might do it.

"Char, what is so eww?"

"Oh, I just don't like the ... the ... font she used. Yeah, I don't like this font at all." Charlotte covered badly. She had never been good at coming up with things on the spot. It just wasn't in her nature to lie or be deceitful in any way. She had pulled it off a few times, but that was mainly because nobody expected her to ever try to deceive the people she had.

She tried to right herself and get back to work. She was just tucking into some financial forms she had to fill out and get back to Autie for the next quarter's budget when Carly was finally ready to talk.

"Char?"

"Yeah?"

"When you ... well you know ... for the first time. How did you know that you were ready?"

Charlotte sharply exhaled. "Is Eric pressuring you, Carly? Because if he is he is going to be in a world of hurt when Mia and Reece are done with him. He has no ..."

"Char!!!!" Charlotte sat there a little stunned. In all the years they had known each other Carly had never shouted at her. "He is not pressuring me. He wouldn't do that. I know you still see him as the creepy boy he was years ago, but he is not like that anymore, Char. Truly.

Charlotte nodded. She had to admit that Eric had seemed changed when they were recently home for summer break. She stilled worried that her young friend might not fully understand the implications of moving her relationship to the next level.

"Carly, if we're talking about it, I am guessing that you are starting to feel like you might be ready. If that is so, then you need to be able to say the word. Sex, Carly, I know you have said it before. I have heard about the embarrassing conversation you had with Reece after he and Marjorie got together."

"I can say the word, Char."

"Go on then."

"Sex! Char okay. I want to have sex with Eric, but I am not sure I am ready. My body is, but my mind gets all confused and unfocused when we get close, so I stop. He never pushes and he never gets mad no matter how close we come. Which only makes me want him more."

Charlotte felt for her young friend. "Carly, what your describing is natural. It is normal for your brain to go a bit fuzzy and unfocused when your senses are in overdrive. I am sure some people are more focused, but for many unfocused is the natural state."

"I don't want our first time to be in the dorms. Even if my roommate isn't there it just seems wrong. Gross." Charlotte stifled a laugh.

"You don't want to do in a hotel room either. I promise you it won't be anymore romantic. Besides do you know ... well never mind, but that is not the answer."

"Well ... when we were home, Mia kind of hinted that we could stay together at the house in town." They young woman's face tensed as she waited for Char's response.

Charlotte pinched the bridge of her nose before responding. "If you are asking for permission to have sex in my house, I won't give it. What I will say is that you are welcome in either of our homes, whether we are there or not, anytime. What you get up to there is none of my business. Just clean up after yourself and any *ahem* guests you may bring along. Now if you will excuse me, I need to go call my wife.

Mia's in trouble.