"You talking about me now, or you?"
"Does it have to be mutually exclusive? Keep in mind, the thing that men are the most anxious to rid themselves of—their virginity—is what women treasure the most."
"Why is that? It's so stupid!"
"I know, but figure that back in the day, a woman's virginity was her greatest commodity. Fathers would use their virgin daughters for alliances, gifts—the works."
"Stinks for the women," Eagle said.
"I expect it did. It still happens, in some places. Hard for us to imagine, but it does. Also, girls are taught that if they give it away too freely, they're sluts."
"No one would ever think of calling a man that," Eagle said.
"I think some religions go overboard with how they preach celibacy. We're talking about a bunch of hormone driven teenagers, who want to discover what those feelings are. Boys, especially, want to know what it is to be a man. We were all like that."
"To never going through puberty again," Clive said, raising his beer bottle.
They clinked bottles, joining in the toast.
"At least I had you guys to talk to," Eagle said. "I don't think I'd have figured it out on my own."
Clive and Obi exchanged a look, winking.
"What?" Eagle hadn't missed it. "Did you ask Dad, or something?"
"Oh, no!" Obi gasped. "He didn't say a word, neither did Mom. Uncle Toomy gave me the talk when I was ten."
"Really? Why?"
"He could see that they weren't going to. Mom was too embarrassed, so was Dad . So Uncle Toomy, the man with no children, told me about sex. How about you, Clive?"
"Yep. Between you and him, I learned a thing or two. Eagle?"
"What I learned, I got from you two. I guess Uncle Toomy was over it by then."
"Wasn't that, it was the fact that he told me and Clive to do it. He said we needed the experience for when we had our own children."
"How would he know a thing like that?"
"Apparently, their father had trouble with it, when he spoke to Dad. Our father was so traumatized, he couldn't bring himself to say anything to us. He asked Toomy to."
"Do you think you'll be able to talk to your own kids?" Eagle asked, eyes big.
"Yes. Not only because of Toomy, but because it's part of my job to talk to the teenagers at church. The church line is to preach abstinence. I do that, but I also tell them that I recognize how difficult that is. I tell them they can talk to me anytime, and I give them private advice. I also keep a stock of condoms in my office."
"Really? Wow! I had no idea," Eagle said. "Why, if it goes against the church rules?"
"It isn't expressly forbidden. They come in for counseling, and I give it to them. I answer their questions honestly, and openly. They're going to do it, they should be able to do so without fear, injury or condemnation."
"What do you think I should do with Sarah?"
"I think you need to have a long talk, and let her voice her fears."
"I've tried. She shuts me down—won't discuss it."
Obi paused. "What has she said—exactly?"
"She doesn't want sex until the time is right."
"Marriage?"
"She hasn't specified."
"Maybe she's worried that you're not the man with staying power," Clive said. "Some women are worried about giving it up, and being dumped."
"Would I have hung around this long, if I just wanted sex?" Eagle asked exasperatedly. "I'd have bailed the first time she told me no."
"Have you told her that?" Clive asked.
"That—specifically?"
"Yeah."
"I don't think so. Why?"
"Does she think you'll bail afterward?"
"I hope she knows me well enough, not to."
"You need to talk specifics. You need to lay your soul bare, and tell her exactly what you want from your relationship," Obi said. "Not just the sex, obviously. Love, marriage, babies. That's what you want, right?"
"Yes. All that. Only with her. Kids were a thing to fear, before I met her."
"I can see that," Clive said, shuddering.
"If Frankie got pregnant, what would you do?" Obi asked.
"Do everything in my power to get her to marry me. Not just because of the baby, but because I know I could love her. You and Wynter?"
"The same."
"I don't want her to think that I just want to marry her, for sex," Eagle said.
"Will she think that?" Clive asked.
Shaking his head, Eagle spread his hands. "No idea."
"Talk," his brothers said together.
Eagle recoiled slightly. "It's creepy how you guys have always done that."
"Done what?" they asked, doing it again.
"The talking together, or finishing each others' statements."
"Oh, that thing," Clive nodded. "We're telepathic. We didn't tell you?"
Laughing, Eagle threw his napkin at Clive. Then he had to hop up and chase it, because it caught fire from the coals, blowing around the yard.
"Talk to her," Obi stated again. "She needs to know exactly how you feel. I can't guarantee she'll change her stance, but she still needs to be told."
"I will." Eagle yawned. "I'd better get to bed." Grabbing dirty dishes, he got up. "Thank you," he said, looking from one brother to the other.
"The fee for my time is you cook breakfast," Obi said, gathering dishes of his own.
"What do you want?"
"What is our usual first-day-at-the-river meal?"
"You got it!" He took his burden into the house.
©Dellani Oakes 2023
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