“Hey, Daisy, could you tell Slater our parents are at a gamenight?”Rand was eight, the same age as his best friend.He was an adorablemoppet of a kid, with his mom’s eyes and dad’s jawline.
“Uh, we’re allowed at game night.”Slater Murphy looked likea carbon copy of his dad.
Devi grimaced, and her voice went low.“This is what Ialways fear when we work here.How did the others handle it when we asked?”
The talk.The moment when they stopped simply being thrilledthey’re at a fun night with their friends and wondered what the hell theirparents were doing.
And then they figure it out and the world becomes kind ofgross but also wonderful because hey, your parents are regular old people wholove you and make you grilled cheeses and also, one might like to tie the otherone up and spank her until she can’t see straight.It was actually beautifulwhen she thought about it.
“Uh, it’s kind of a special game night,” Brianna began.
Daisy didn’t think it would work with these two.They neededa more interesting explanation to glom on to.
Rand’s eyes narrowed as his young brain started workingthrough the problem.“Slater’s right.I would be allowed at a special gamenight,” Rand insisted.“My parents let me play all the games.Even the hardones.”
“I told you what they’re doing,” Slater said in a whisperthat wasn’t all that quiet.But the kid was trying.
Unlike her besties, she knew this conversation was aninevitability and one they could run with.She’d be more worried they’d figuredit out if she was dealing with the girls.What she’d learned was boys hadspectacular imaginations at this age.There were days when she thanked theuniverse the twins hadn’t procreated yet.She’d learned the truth far too earlybecause Kala Taggart couldn’t let it all be a mystery.No.She had to figureout how to get into the air ducts.There had been pictures Daisy couldn’tunsee.She was pretty sure Slater hadn’t done anything close.“Oooo, what arethey doing, Slate?”
Slater looked around and then leaned in.“I think ourparents are in a secret society.”
Actually, he was pretty close.Daisy nodded.It was time fora misdirect.She wished someone had misdirected her.“I think you’re right.Nowthe question is are they good or evil.”
Rand gasped.“They would be good, of course.”
Daisy shrugged.“I don’t know.It could be fun to havesupervillains for parents.”
Supervillains at this age would be way easier for them todeal with than normal, actual sexually active parents.
Rand seemed to think through the problem.“My mom does a lotof stuff with a computer my dad says is ambiguous morally.I don’t know whatthat means, but it could be supervillain stuff.Also, my dad’s watchedTheJokerlike fifty times.”
It meant Kyle Hawthorne needed to watch more movies, andMaeBe Hawthorne was a badass hacker, though her talents were used for good.However, the goal this evening was to stave off the inevitable moment whenthese kids figured out their parents were total pervs.“See.There you go.Tonight is secret society business.One day you’ll be a part of it, too.Youshould probably get some rest.After all, there will be missions involved.”
Rand’s eyes lit up.“That’s so cool.”
Slater grinned.“We should practice.Let’s get the guystogether.”
The boys ran off.
Devi shook her head.“Great.Now they think their parentsare supervillains.”
Brianna sighed and sat down.“Well, it’s better thanknowing.I found out way too early what was going on.Of course I also kind ofgrew up surrounded by sex positive stuff.That’s what happens when your mom’sknown for a series called Soldiers and Doms.I’m thinking about writing Amishromance.It could be my rebellion.”
“Nope.Your mom would simply read it and tell you how proudshe is of you,” Daisy said with a sigh.The Dean-Miles clan wasn’t big on shameof any kind.“And my da would saywhy can’t you be more like Brianna.Look,she’s writing books about love without a penis in sight.Just a man and a womanand a cornfield like God intended.”
“Well, the rest of us have spent all our lives hearing UncleLi say”—Devi went into a fairly serviceable Irish accent—“Thank the heavensmy Daisy would never do that.”
Daisy frowned.“It wasn’t like I encouraged him.”
“You didn’t exactly fess up either because let me tell youevery time he said it, you had done it,” Brianna countered.“So now you have todeal with the fact that your father knows you’re as imperfect as the rest ofus.The question is, was it worth it.”
“Was he worth it?”Devi countered.“That’s the real heart ofthe matter.You’ve been with Nate for over a week now.Are you getting bored?Because you get bored easily.”
Bored?With the hottest man she’d ever met?With thesweetest guy in the world?It was more like she was obsessed with the man.Shethought about him all day and dreamed about him at night.It was weirdlyexciting to do normal things with Nate.And having the moms around wasn’t asawkward as she’d thought it would be.They had meals together and watchedmovies, and the moms pretended they didn’t notice how often she dragged Nateinto a privacy room.The things they’d done in the princess castle… “No.I’m notbored.We’ve been together pretty much twenty-four seven for over a week and Imiss him.I wonder what he’s doing.”
“He’s sitting in the other room watching a bank of securitycameras,” Brianna pointed out.
“Yes.He’s too far away.”She knew the fire would fade.They’d pretty much gone at it three times a day.The sex was phenomenal, but itwas the soft times in between that made her know she was in love with him.Reallove.Real, never-look-at-another-man-again love.
