Midge Gette: Teaching Sex Education

"Good evening, Jud. Won't you come in? she offered, stepping back.

"Evening, Mrs. Dallas," he nodded, moving into the living room.

"Jennifer'll be down in a minute, Jud. Just make yourself comfortable," she said as she closed the door.

She wished she could get her husband Mitch to wear pants like the boys did. Jud was really hung, she noted as he sat down. Too bad boys like that weren't easily available for women with some experience.

"I'll see how she's doing," she said, moving up the stairs, smiling to herself over her line of thought. Just a dirty ol' lady, I guess, she chuckled.

Jud heard her knock at Jennifer's door, the sound of Jen's voice, and the door opening and closing again. Uncomfortable, he picked up a magazine to flip through.

Gloria saw Jennifer zipping up the side of her rawhide skirt as she entered the room. The girl lifted a chartreuse blouse of light jersey, and Gloria noted the full swell against the lace bra cups. She was her mama's daughter all right, and would undoubtedly retain her beauty as well as Gloria had.

"Jud's here, honey."

"I'll be right down," Jennifer said, buttoning the blouse.

"Jenny?"

"Um?" she responded. Receiving no reply she looked up. "What is it, mom?"

"I'm not quite sure how to say this, but… " Gloria faltered.

Jennifer stood waiting, surprised to see her mother at a loss for words.

“I don't want to pry or anything, Jenny, but have you and Jud… you know…?" she questioned, her eyebrows lifted.

Jennifer blushed and turned to rearrange her makeup table.

"I mean, I don't want to see you start acting wild or foolishly, but… I don't want you to get in trouble either," she continued, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Mother, what are you trying to say?" Jennifer asked, her nervousness provoking an impatient irritation.

"Don't snap at me, Jennifer," Gloria corrected sternly.

"Yes, mother," Jennifer sighed.

"I'm talking about B.C.s, birth control pills. If you want, I'll make an appointment with Dr. Ives for you," she offered rather quickly, wanting to get this over with.

Jennifer sucked her lips in, pressing her teeth down against them, finding it hard to believe that this was happening.

"Yes, mother," she mumbled, her back still turned to hide her embarrassment

"I'm sorry, dear, but I don't like talking to your back, nor can I understand mumbling."

"Yes, I'd like you to make an appointment, mother," she said, turning around with her eyes downcast.

"Fine. As I said, I hope you won't regard this as approval on my part."

“No, mother."

"Well, I'll tell Jud you'll be right down," she smiled, Jennifer recognizing it as a meaningless mannerism having nothing to do with either humor or enjoyment. "Jenny…?" she began.

"Yes?"

"Nothing," Gloria said and closed the door behind her, glad that she had caught herself. She had wanted to ask if Jud was good in bed, but realized that it would have sounded callous or tasteless to her daughter's young ears. None the less, she could not help but wonder about Jud's or, for that matter, Jenny's talents. Fumbling kids, of course. Did she turn him on at all? Well. she could sit around and fantasize after they had gone.

The horizon was pale blue, darkening into black night to the east. Low white caps slid in toward the beach, and broke to wash up over the sand in smooth sheets. Jennifer looked out her window at the Pacific, wondering at her mother's sudden offer of birth control pills. She was glad, but it made her feel odd, as if her mother had intruded into her most private realm, Insinuating something unpleasant.

She turned her eyes to Jud who glanced toward her with a smile. She had been overjoyed when he had awkwardly suggested driving directly to the beach.

She slid over next to him, her leg pressed against his, and laid her hand on the firmness of his thigh.

Jud looked at her with anticipation, and then back to the road. A full moon sequined the ocean with reflected light, and the beach was a sensuous blend of blonde sand dunes and brown shadows.

"What're you thinkin' about?" he asked to break the silence.

"Oh, nothing really. I… no, I was thinking about us,' she forced herself to admit.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," she grinned, relaxing.

He turned the radio on, amused that he had forgotten about it, and slid one arm around her back. She rested her head against his shoulder, her hair drifting out with the breeze from the car windows.

"Jud… I… love you, darling," she whispered, glad for the refuge of his shoulder.

"Yea, I, uh…" he laughed nervously, squeezing her shoulder. "Yeah."

"Yeah?" she imitated, touched by his shyness.

"I love you too, baby. It… it's just kinda hard sayin' it, you know? A guy… he never knows how a girl's gonna take it."

"Love, that's all, Jud. That's what it means to me. One day at a time, like… like the rest of life," she said, searching herself.

"Yesterday," by The Beatles, blended with the gentle hum of the ocean, and they sat self-consciously through the song. Then their eyes met. He lowered his face to feel the swell of her lips against his, his tongue easing them apart to glide between her teeth to share caresses with her tongue. Her hands glided up to the sides of his face, her fingers playing in the hair behind his ears, her fingernails touching against his flesh. He slid one hand up her back, feeling the softness of the jersey glide between their flesh, and his other hand held her hip, the heel of his hand feeling the top of her thigh while his fingertips played against the resilience of her backside, the leather of her skirt a textured second skin.

Their breathing grew heavier, the movements of their mouths more Insistent, their tongues lancing back and forth. Gradually, they lowered back till she was laid out upon the front seat, Jud sitting on the edge to lean over her. His hand slid around from her back to move up her stomach to her breasts. His fingers curled out and the whole of her breasts was his, a domed swell yielding to his touch.

Their bodies sweltered with heat that burned outward to flush and tingle their flesh. His hand was under her blouse, upon the contours of her belly, over the lace cups of her bra, and around behind her to fumble with the snaps that finally came loose, back around the firm smoothness of her side, and over the hot cushion of her breast, her plump nipple molding to his palm. Her shoulders pulled back, the muscles bunching with the wave of sensation, and she arched against his touch. Her hands were upon the ripples of his back muscles. He was laying atop her. There was too little air and too much heat one moment, but the next moment it was erased from the canvas of awareness by the weight of his loins against hers.

As if in slow motion, their lips separated, the flesh adhering for a moment In reluctant parting. Through clouded vision, hearing only the heavy heaves of their breathing, they looked at one another.

"Baby, do you…? I… I can wait If you want, but… I don't want to," he whispered, their faces almost touching. "I just want you, want to love you.'

"Yes, I… yes." she trembled with a radiance of passion.

"There's a blanket in the back…"

She nodded with a joyous smile; and he slid back, turning the radio off. The door was open and he was outside, and her hands were In his, and she was gliding up and out to feel the coolness of the ocean breeze upon her heated flesh. He opened the trunk and removed the blanket, closing It back. He took the car keys from the Ignition; and they slid their arms around one another. They moved up the beach and back in to the dunes, the sand flowing round their feet.

Behind a dune that blocked the wind, Jud spread out the blanket, a dark blue patch upon the blonde sand. They stood a moment, savoring the sight of one another.