• She kissed him back. Harder. Reached for him, but he pulled away.

    "Your mother will hear us..." he pleaded.

    "She zonked out. Nothing will wake her up." she laughed into his neck.

    He pulled back again, "how do you know she won't wake up and find us?"

    His tone was suspicious. She had heard this before, but not from him. She was honestly wounded - both in feelings and pride.

    She withdrew from him. Curled away, lowering her head, eyes tearing up, and her voice became small and weak.

    "What's wrong?" she wavered. "Don't you love me? Don't you want to be with me? What am I to you?"

    He felt very stupid. Clumsy and feeling all of his inexperience rush to his mouth, he stammered, "no, I'm sorry...I was just..."

    "Just 'using' me?"

    "Never."

    "Prove it."

    Feeling even clumsier and stupider than before he gently turned her to him and took her into his arms. Her mouth was sweet and hot. His body both melted and hardened against her sighing body.

    The alarm went off.
    Madge hit the snooze button.
    The alarm went off again.
    Madge hit the snooze again...with more force...except this time she sat up in bed. Nodding with sleep in between waking and wanting to go back to bed she mentally tallied what day it was and what needed to be done.

    Then without opening her eyes, she tipped her head back even further, opened her mouth and yelled: "R-A-C-H-E-L-L-E!!!"

    There was no answer.

    Once more, Madge boomed: "R-A-C-H-E-L-L-E!!!"

    This time there was a muffled, "huh" from across the hallway.

    "Get up."

    "Can I have 5 more minutes?"

    "No."

    "Thank you, mom," said Rachel ignoring her mother and going back to sleep.

    Madge forced herself out of bed. She clicked on the computer as she passed enroute to the bathroom.

    Always the multitasker, Madge would brush her teeth in the shower.
    Always the list maker, Madge would tick off needs and wants and set her agenda for the day.

    By the time she was dressed, she remembered Rachel was still asleep.

    "Rachel!"

    "Yeah?" was the groggy reply.

    "You up?"

    "Yeah. Don't worry about me."

    "Of course I will."

    "Yeah. I know. Love you, mom."

    "Love you, too. Honey." Madge paused in the hallway.

    'Love' these days came to cheaply. Rolled off the tongue like nothing. Madge wanted to cry. Stopped herself. Knew that she didn't want to know if there was a boy in there or not. Knew her seventeen year-old was no longer a little girl. Things change. For better or worse. Things change.

    She walked out and locked the door behind her.

    ---- End of chapter one ----------