Three Little Words

“You two are cute,” Leah said.

Mark and Erin returned with the shots and more wine coolers. She set them within reach and then followed him into the hot tub. He started handing out shot glasses with layers of dark, cream, and amber liquor.

“What should we toast to?” he asked.

“To breasts,” I said. “Big, small, round, flat, perky, or saggy… we like

’em all!”

“Hear, hear!” He raised his glass. “To breasts, may they always come in pairs. Cheers!”

We toasted and drank.

“I’m more of an ass-man myself,” Mark said as he collected the empty glasses. “I think that’s why I first noticed Leah. Then I discovered a bunch of other reasons I liked her. But… yeah. Definitely her ass.”

I could actually feel the alcohol work its way through Christy’s system.

She relaxed and stroked my chest.

“Paul has a nice one,” she said. “I call him Mr. Cute Butt sometimes.”

“He does have a cute ass,” Mark agreed wryly.

“That’s not all,” she continued. “His penis is nice too.”

“You’re on your own there,” he said to me as Leah and Erin shared a look.

“It’s my favorite,” Christy added.

Leah laughed. “Get this girl another drink! She really loosens up.”

“Paul calls me ‘flirty girl’ when I’m tipsy. Like now.”

“Nothing wrong with that,” Mark said.

“It takes a lot to get me really drunk, though.”

“Are you even more flirty when you are?” Leah asked.

“Oh my gosh, yes! I wanna do all sorts of naughty things.” She patted my chest. “But Paul is a perfect gentleman. He never takes advantage.”

“Then he’s an idiot,” Erin said. We all looked at her and she blurted,

“What? I’d totally take advantage of her.”

Christy let out a sigh too soft for anyone else to hear. I’d have missed it myself if I hadn’t been holding her. I counted back and realized how much

she’d drunk in less than an hour. I was sixty-plus pounds heavier and had drunk a lot less, but I was definitely feeling the effects. Erin was fairly tipsy herself, so I decided to tease her and fan the flames.

“I think she might like that,” I said.

Christy hesitated a moment but then nodded.

“Wow,” Leah said to her, “it’s like you’re a different person.”

“Paul says it’s ’cause I’m not trying to be a…” She glanced at me. “What was it we decided? Oh, right! A paragon of virtue. I don’t have to be pure and innocent or anything.”

“Pure and innocent are overrated,” Leah said.

“No kidding,” Erin agreed.

“I dunno if I’ve ever been pure and innocent,” Christy said. “Not for real.

I pretend, but it isn’t the same.” She added for my benefit, “Sister Prune would not approve.”

“Well, you don’t have to pretend with us,” Leah said.

“Thank you. That means a lot.” She took a drink and then sighed.

“Sometimes it’s exhausting. I have to pay attention to everything I do, have to be a proper young lady. It’s nice to relax and forget all that stuff.”

“It gets easier every time you do,” I said.

“I know. Like when we… you know… do stuff. It gets easier every time.”

“Yeah, Paul can take some getting used to,” Leah said.

“It’s ’cause he’s bigger’n other guys,” Erin added.

Leah and I looked at her in surprise, but Christy didn’t even pause.

“No, it isn’t that,” she said. “His penis is the perfect size. I mean the guilt.

I hardly feel it anymore when we… you know.”

“Have sex?” Leah prompted.

“Oh, no! We’re waiting till we’re married.”

Erin snorted. “Marriage is overrated.”

“She just thinks we’re going to wait,” I chimed in.

“He says it’s gonna happen long before then,” Christy agreed with a nod.

She searched my eyes. “I think he’s probably right, but…” She fell silent and looked down.

“But what?” Leah pressed.

“I… um… have to do some things first.”

“What kind of things?”

“Just… things.”

I silently warned Leah and she backed off.

“Christy was raised Catholic,” I said into the silence. “And they… put a lot of pressure on girls to conform. We’re trying to undo some of that without abandoning her faith completely.”

Christy nodded.

“It’s okay,” Leah said softly, and Mark nodded. “If your faith makes you happy, then good for you. And good for Paul that he supports you.”

“He does,” Christy said. She fingered the new gold cross around her neck.

“He gave me this.”

“That’s because he cares about you. All of you. Not just your body.”

Christy nodded.

“Okay,” Leah said after a respectful moment, “I think we covered the religion angle. So, next subject. Christy, you decide.”

“Maybe something we all like?”

“Sex?” Mark suggested.

“No,” I said immediately. “Flirty girl talks a good game, but we’re still taking things slow. So let’s not scare her away before I have a chance to debauch her properly.”

“No problem,” he laughed. “Then… how about camp? Erin says you mentioned maybe you and Trip are gonna work there this summer instead of your usual job.”

“Yeah, it was Christy’s idea.”

She brightened and nodded.

“Cool,” he said. “I’ll be in Seattle the first part of the summer.” He gestured with his bottle and indicated the girls. “They’ll be in Europe.”

Leah nodded.

“But maybe we can all get together before we head off to college in the fall.”