“Would you stop using that as a verb for sex?”
“Fine. You want to fu?—”
“Finish that sentence never, young lady.” Mum pointed a wooden spoon at my sister.
January gave her an unremorseful smile before she pretended to zip her mouth shut.
“Unlike you, I don’t do casual sex,” I said evilly.
“What?” Mum gaped at January. “Lily better be joking.”
My sister peered at me with a mixture of admiration and irritation. “It seems I’ve taught you too well, young Padawan.”
Aunty Jo smothered a laugh with her hand while I tried to swallow my own.
Jan turned calmly to Mum and said with mock seriousness, “I won’t lie to you, Mother. I’m afraid I have engaged in casual sex acts.”
“B-but … but you’re only nineteen!”
“Oh, they started when I was fifteen.”
Mum’s eyes bugged out of her head.
“Notsexsex,” January tried to reassure her. “I lost my virginity when I was sixteen. It was Michael Williams. Do you remember him?”
“Jan, I don’t think that’s helping.” Aunty Jo grimaced.
“Lily was sixteen too.”
Mum’s head whipped around to me.
“Thanks for throwing me under the bus with you. At least mine was with a steady boyfriend.”
“Who was a spectacular arsehole.”
“I’d like to rewind this moment. Or deafen myself with that carrot of yours.” Mum glowered at January.
“You did want Lily to confide in you more. I thought that meant you’d want me to too.” My sister shrugged unrepentantly.
“Look … I’m not stupid. I had my suspicions, but you could have left me with just the suspicions. I’m going to kill Michael Williams if I ever see him again.”
“You should. He was a rubbish lay.”
“Nope! No!” Mum stepped back from the stove. “New rule. Confide in me, yes, but spare me the details.”
“I think,” Aunty Jo spoke up calmly, “we should return to the topic at hand. Lily wants our advice.”
“Only if Mum isn’t too traumatized to continue?” I winced at her shell-shocked expression.
“Well, hold on a minute.” January leaned across the island. “Be honest, Mum. When did you lose your virginity? And don’t lie and say it was to Dad.”
Mum shared a look with Aunty Jo who shrugged. “Belle asked me, and I told her.”
“Fine.” Mum stirred the soup without looking at us. “I was twenty and in my sophomore year of college. I was very shy and inexperienced, and I wanted to get it over with. It was a huge mistake. Then I wasn’t with anyone until I met your dad and that isn’t a lie.”
“Oh, tell them everything, Liv. January, in particular, deserves the truth.” Aunty Jo wore a wicked smile.
“Jo …” Mum snorted. “Don’t.”
