The life of Sandy Rose

Chapter 18: February 1926

"Sandy?" Johnny repeated, slowly approaching her. She was frozen to the spot. Her brother had never hit her, but she was frightened he would now.
"Johnny, I-."
"I said be careful!" He bellowed at her, furious, "You're ruined!"
"Oh Johnny! Don't say that." Tears welled in her eyes with hurt.
"Do you seriously think he's going to marry you, Sandy? Now that he's done this?" he put his hands on his hips, face close to hers, "You're a stupid girl," he sighed, turning from her.
"I'm not a stupid girl," she snapped, charging after him, she had had enough now, "You're the fool if you can't see that I am fine looking after myself. I can't be a little girl to you forever! And of course he's going to marry me, he's divorcing Mary for me!"
Her brother frowned at her, "Don't be stupid. He's already gotten what he wanted."
"Why do you think he's like that? He's kind to me; you should have seen the guilt on his face. He didn't want to, I did."
Johnny shook his head at her in disbelief, "You've changed."
"Johnny..." she approached him slowly, "I'm still me, You don't have to-." He stepped back smartly as she held out her arms to him. He shook his head, eyes wide like she were a ghoul. He slammed his room door in her face, leaving her in the hall to cry.

He stayed in there, his radio turned up to its height. It was conspicuous that he wanted to block her out. He stayed in his room as she went to have a shower. Even as she cleaned the blood off of the floorboards.

He ignored her when she knocked on his door for dinner, so she ate by herself, thinking of why it was such a bad thing to him. Perhaps he was scared of her finally becoming a woman. Maybe it was because he didn't want Ronnie to play with her emotions. Maybe. Or not.
Sandy wasn't upset that she had lost her virginity. She lost it willingly. She was upset that it was so unfulfilling. She was left short of the finish she wanted. And she couldn't help but think of what Mary said about him wanting to rip off her clothes next time he saw her. She turned out to be right.
On the other hand, she was cold towards Ronnie before he left. What if Johnny was right and he would stop seeing her. She hoped he wasn't like that. She wanted him to be here now.
She heard the phone ring, but didn't answer it. She knew her brother heard it too, but he didn't even attempt to get it. She knew it would be Ronnie.
She went to put on her coat so she could visit the phone down the street to call him instead, but, when she opened the door after a while, Ronnie was standing right there, panting. Her eyes widened, and she folded her arms, "What are you-."
"I had to see you again, Sandy," he said in a rush; it was obvious that he was running.
"Why were you running?" she asked, eyebrow raised.
"It doesn't matter does it?" He asked, nearly doubling over, "You didn't pick up the phone," he commented, wheezing, squeezing his eyes shut and clenching his knees.
"I didn't want to speak to you over the phone," she averred. He stared at her, and a small smile crept onto her face, "I'm relieved you came here."
"You are?" He stood up straight, moving closer to her.
She nodded, "I'm sorry."
"You don't need to be. I thought I hurt you," he put his hands on her waist.
"You did, a little," she whispered.
"Oh, I'm so sorry," he kissed her, "You were right, I just wanted-."
"I know. I did too."
"Can I come in?"
She smirked at him, "My brother's home."
"We'll be quiet."
She giggled, putting her hand over her mouth, but then she stopped, thinking about the contents of her room. Hardly anything.
"Well?" He pressed.
"I don't want you to see my room," she suddenly said, but he knew it was true. And he tipped his head on one side, smiling at her.
"Sandy, I don't care. I only want to know if your bed is big enough for the both of us."
She hesitated, her core becoming hot at his words, but she eventually took his hand and pulled him inside.

She took him into her room and locked the door. He hardly commented, pulling the curtains shut instead.
She held her breath, but breathed out her when he just started to remove his clothes, taking off his coat and shoes. He removed his sweater, laying on the bed. He looked at her, hands clasped on his stomach, "It's a bit small, but we can huddle."
She chuckled, taking off her coat and shoes to be with him. She lay beside him and he put an arm around her. She liked when he was like this.
Not many men were like this.
And she wondered why he wasn't gearing up to have sex with her again. Maybe he was just trying to be considerate of her.
Her hand snaked to rest on his manhood, and he chuckled, moving her hand, "Don't tempt me," he kissed her forehead, "I just want to hold you."
She smiled, "Are you sure?"
"There's still time for that. Let's just stay like this."
She waited a bit, feeling the rise and fall of his chest.
"Did you ever just want to hold Mary?"she asked him.
He sighed, "Sandy, I don't want to talk about her, please."
"I just want to know; she told me that you lost interest in her quickly."
"She'll tell you every lie she can think of on the spot. Just don't listen to her, Sandy. There was nothing more in a day that I wanted to do than to just hold Mary. It was her that didn't want me to crumple her new dresses as I did."
Sandy knew that sounded like Mary and felt sorry for him. She'd never put clothes above a human being.
"I'll always let you hold me," Sandy promised.
He chuckled, "And I'll always want to hold you."
"Ronnie?"
"Yes?"
"Are you still interested in me?"
"Why would you ask such a question, Sandy? Of course I am."
"Usually, when a guy gets what he wants, he leaves."
"Sandy, you sound like my sister. I am not like that."
"You have a sister?"
"Yes, Suzanne. And a brother."
"You have a brother?" she asked in interest.
"Yes actually."
"Do you not speak to them?"
"They don't speak to me."
"Why?"
He sighed and she knew he didn't want to entertain this anymore. She kissed him instead, turning his face to hers. He pulled away, "They hate me."
"I'm sure that's not true."
"They do. They hate me. All of them."
"Why?"
"Because I made it on my own." He looked bothered, so Sandy put her hand over his mouth to let him know he didn't have to say anymore.
He moved her hand, "You can ask me anything you want, Sandy. I know you want to know more."
"What do your siblings do?"
"Go to parties, I guess. But my brother works for my father."
"Did your father ever want you to work for him?"
"He did, but he always acted as if I wasn't there to begin with. I'm the youngest and he's never taken a real interest in me."
Sandy's father took interest in her until she turned 12 and began to blossom. Maybe it was just because she couldn't be his little girl who he could read fairytales to, but it still hurt her. And then he died.