Bless Us Father
the marital act and join their bodies together in order to produce children, but now she was wondering if the marital act was ever done just for pleasure. Monday she was going to have to ask Linda if she knew the answer to that question.
    “The Mass is ended, now go in peace to love and serve the Lord,” Father Antonio was saying as he faced the parishioners with his arms held wide.
    Mary Margaret stood with her parents and watched the altar boys and then the priest leave the church. The church emptied, and soon they were approaching Father Antonio, who was greeting people as they left Mass.
    “Good morning, Father,” Mr. Riley said. “Nice homily. I managed to stay awake.”
    “Glad you enjoyed it, Sean. You look very nice today, Mrs. Riley,” Father said.
    Mary Margaret watched as her mother blushed and acted like a high school girl. It was so embarrassing, seeing her drool all over the priest. She was mortified. And if she could admit it to herself, she was a bit jealous, too.
    “And good morning to you, Mary Margaret,” Father said as he briefly placed a hand on her shoulder before moving on to the next group of people.
    This time, Mary Margaret knew why he was barely paying attention to her and her feelings weren’t hurt. After all, they had an agreement, didn’t they?
    #
    “Linda, I made lunch for both of us so we don’t have to go to the cafeteria. I want to go somewhere quiet to talk.” Mary Margaret whispered when the lunch bell rang.
    Looking puzzled, Linda said, “Sounds serious. Is it something bad?”
    Mary Margaret giggled, “No, at least I don’t think so. I just need some information about sex, that’s all.”
    “All you need to know is don’t do it until you’re married,” Linda answered.
    “Oh, I know that, and I don’t plan on it until then. I just feel kind of stupid, though, and thought you could help.”
    “Oh yeah, me and all my worldly experience.”
    “I’m only asking you because you come from a big family and have older brothers and sisters, so I thought you’d know more than me.”
    Linda puffed her chest out and nodded wisely. “I suppose I do know more than you. I’ll be glad to fill you in.”
    They walked across the campus, careful not to engage in conversation with other students while they walked, and arrived at the shrine to Our Lady near the chapel. No one ever came here for lunch, so it offered them a secluded spot to talk.
    “Here’s a tuna sandwich for you and a bag of chips,” Mary Margaret said. “I have chocolate chip cookies for afterwards and I just got us each a milk out of the machine.”
    “Yum. You make good tuna,” Linda said, her mouth already full.
    “I don’t know how to ask this. I feel so stupid about the whole sex thing and I think I ought to know this stuff by now, but my mom won’t discuss it until I start dating. It’s just that...I mean...do you ever?”
    “Just spit it out, Mary Margaret. I don’t have any idea what you’re talking about.”
    “I know that men and women put their bodies together when they’re married and want to have a baby. The school nurse showed us diagrams of male and female sexual parts when we had our talk in sixth grade, remember?”
    “Of course I remember, dum-dum. We were there together,” Linda answered impatiently.
    “Well I could figure out how the parts get together, and I know we’re supposed to stay virgins and save ourselves for marriage. I get all of that, but there’s something I’ve been wondering about lately. I feel sinful even asking this, but here goes. Do you think sex feels good? I mean do you think it’s fun?”
    Linda put her hand over her mouth and started giggling, but composed herself as quickly as she could. “I’m sure it’s fun. Otherwise how do you explain eight kids in my family?”
    “Come on, Linda. I really want to know. Have you heard anything about it?”
    Linda leaned closer and whispered, “Well...from what my sisters say some older friends told them,

Similar Books

The Corpse Exhibition

Hassan Blasim

Heavy Planet

Hal Clement

For His Protection

Amber A Bardan

Arrow's Fall

Mercedes Lackey

Can and Can'tankerous

Harlan Ellison (R)

Devil's Keep

Phillip Finch

The Juliet

Laura Ellen Scott

In Too Deep

D C Grant

Throw Like A Girl

Jean Thompson