Mack Reynolds - Equality - In the Year 2000

“Oh, great,” he said, the terms of seduction coming to him instinctively. “I’m not even in college yet, and you want to be married.”

There was a long moment of silence. This was the most handsome boy she had ever met in her life, and the most gentlemanly; he even talked like he was an Englishman or something. He never swore; he was never gauche (the word wasn’t part of her vocabulary, of course). Above all, she knew that he was going to inherit one of the largest fortunes in the United States. What it boiled down to was, he’s the richest guy I’m ever going to meet .

She said cautiously, “Well, I know we can’t be married now. But if you really love me, we could be kind of engaged, go steady and all.”

“Of course,” he said, reaching for her breasts again. It was not part of his real nature to lie, but…

She said worriedly, “I… I don’t know much about it. I’ve never done it.”

Inwardly, he doubted it, in spite of her age. He himself was a virgin but, somehow or other, he believed that Peggy couldn’t be. If she were a virgin, a “good girl,” why had she let him go this far?

The seat of the Mercedes-Benz was ample but it would have taken a more experienced seducer than the young Julian to have figured out the mechanics of what he was attempting.

He had his left hand up her skirt now, fumbling at the hem of her briefs. He had never gone any further than this with a girl but he knew that tonight he was going to. He hesitantly ran his hand over her, and clumsily tried to insert his finger.

“Oh, no,” she said. “I… I’ve changed my mind. I guess I’d better go home. I’ve never done it. I…”

He ignored her.

After a few more moments of being mauled, she said, “Let me take my panties off.”

He acceded to that and drew away long enough for her to arch her hips and pull down her nylon briefs. His mouth was dry and his breath was coming in pants.

She left her skirt halfway up to her hips. “Do you love me, Jule?”

“Of course,” he told her, trying to get her arranged with her back between the seat and the door so that he could mount her. He pressed against her, seeking entrance.

She gasped, “How much do you love me?”

There was no answer.

She said, “Oh, be careful, that hurts.”

“Only for a minute,” he said. “It hurts only for a minute.” He knew now that she hadn’t been lying. She, too, was a virgin.

“Oh,” she said, “be careful. That hurts bad. I… I’ve never done it before.”

He was in a rage of passion now, though trying to listen to her and be careful. He jabbed, jabbed again.

“Oh, Jule, that’s not the place. I don’t think that’s the place. Oh, that hurts.”

He rubbed against her frantically. He simply had to get inside her. He poked and pushed.

“Oh, no,” she gasped. “That hurts awful. Don’t do that.”

“I have to,” he groaned, straining against her.

“Something’s wrong,” she said. “You’re not doing it right. Haven’t you ever done it before?”

“No,” he muttered, straining still.

“I… I think we better stop. What you’re doing hurts awful.”

“No!”

And then he came, all over her. He gasped, then moaned.

She said, “What… what happened?”

Julian was definitely embarrassed. “I… I just, uh, they call it came .”

“Oh,” Peggy said. She knew what the word meant. “You mean you’re all through?” There was relief in her voice.

“I… I guess so. I’m sorry. Did I hurt you?”

“Not very much. I, well, I don’t think you were doing it right. I don’t think you really… did me. Not completely.”

“I don’t think so either,” he said, a feeling of inadequacy coming over him.

She asked, “Do you have a handkerchief?”

He fished out his white linen handkerchief and handed it over.

“I’m sorry,” he said again. He rezipped his pants, averting his eyes from her attempt to clean herself up.

She slipped back into her briefs. With as much embarrassment as he himself was feeling, she said, “That didn’t work very well, did it? Maybe next time we can be in a bed or something. And… well, shouldn’t you have one of those rubber things or something?”

“Yeah,” he said, disgusted with the whole thing.

Suddenly the beam of a flashlight was on them and a gruff voice said, “Okay, you two, what goes on?”

The newcomer was in uniform.

Julian said, “We were just parked here enjoying the evening, Officer.”

“Oh, yeah? Then how come her skirt is halfway up to her belly button?”

Julian sighed and lifted out his wallet. He selected a twenty-dollar bill, and proffered it, saying, “I’m Julian West, Officer. It is a pleasure to meet you. The young lady and I were doing a bit of… necking. I’m sure you understand. Please have a beer on me at your favorite tavern.”

“Oh,” the other said. “You’re Mr. West’s nephew?”

“That is correct, Officer.”

The man, who had already taken the bill, tipped a finger to his cap. “Sorry to have bothered you. Have a good time, sir.”

“Golly,” Peggy said when he was gone. “I was afraid he’d run us in. It’s lucky he didn’t come up five minutes ago.”

“It wouldn’t have made any difference,” Julian said wearily, reaching for the car key.

The dream ended at that point, and Julian came awake to find Edith sleeping beside him, a deep gentie sleep of complete relaxation and health.

As he lay there, the rest of the sordid experience come back to him. He had never gone out with Peggy again. Somehow or other, he couldn’t bring himself to face her. Besides, shortly afterward he had met an older and considerably more experienced woman who had efficiently introduced him to the pleasures to be found in bed.

It was approximately seven months later that his uncle, aglint of amusement in his eye, said, “Did you know that you were about to become a father?”

Julian froze.

Albert West laughed. He went over to the sideboard and took up a bottle of the Scotch he had specially imported from Glenlivet, and splashed two generous portions into tall highball glasses. He returned to where his nephew sat and handed him a drink.

He said, “Mr. Ten Eyck was over this morning. He wants you to marry the girl—for which I don’t blame him, considering your financial position. Is the child yours?”

Julian knocked back some of the liquor. “No!” he said.

“You’re sure?”

“Yes.”

“She says it is.”

Julian shook his head emphatically. “No. I was necking with her and tried to, but it didn’t work. I never went out with her again.”

“According to her doctor, the child was conceived in August.”

“The only time I ever went out with her was in June, last June. What can we do? I mean… what can I do?”

His uncle laughed and winked at him. “It’s already been done, Jule.”

“What do you mean?”

“1 pointed out to Mr. Ten Eyck that you were in London in August. All of August.”

“But I wasn’t, Uncle Albert. I was right here in Woodstock.”

“Yes, but can they prove it?”

“There must be people who could testify that I was here.”

The older man took a pull at his whiskey. “And I can get letters from London testifying that you were there. For instance, I could get a statement from the Duke and Duchess that you were a house guest of theirs. Whose testimony, here in Ulster County, would stand up to that? If necessary, I know a chief steward on the French Line who would gladly do me the favor of testifying that you were a passenger on his ship, both going and returning, during the period involved.”

Julian stared at him.