Page 24 of Pregnant in Pennsylvania

I laugh harder. “Because sex is normal, and everyone has sex.”

She glares at me. “Exactly! So why are you such a prude about me discussing my exceptional fellatio skills?”

I just sigh and shake my head. “Because I’m just more conservative about it than you, I guess.”

“Which is because you’ve basically only ever had boring married people sex with boring Daniel Thomas. You never really got a chance to be wild and do crazy stuff. I know that much for a fact, because you told me that you and Daniel almost never had sex in any position except missionary.”

I sigh again. “Can wenotgo back into my erstwhile sex life with my ex-husband? Please?”

“Fine. Which positions did you and Jamie do it in?”

I bite my lip, grinning. “Missionary, the first time. The second time, on our sides facing each other.”

She frowns at me. “Super weird, Elyse. You and Jamie had sex, sober, half-asleep, on your sides facing each other?”

I frown back. “Yeah, why? It was incredible.”

“That’s the most intimate and personal way you could possibly have sex, Elyse, you do realize that, right?”

I shrug. “I mean, I guess. It just happened. I woke up, he was,ahem, right there, if you know what I mean. And I just…I needed him, and it just happened.”

She’s still frowning, shaking her head. “I’m telling you, Elyse—that’s not normal. You should have left him your number. Or better yet, had breakfast with him.”

I just shake my head back at her. “No. I told you—I can’t afford to get involved with anyone right now. Aiden and I have things worked out. We’re good. I’m good.”

Cora sighs. “Whatever. You’re a big girl; you can make your own decisions. But just let it be known for the record that I think there could have been something better than a one-night stand in it for you.”

“Duly noted. The committee will take your comments under advisement.” I glance at my phone. “Time to get Aiden from my parents’ and go to Walmart.”

“Are we getting more Legos?” Cora asks.

I laugh. “You know he’ll beg, and you know I’ll give in.”

“Yay! We need a new set.”

“You guys built the last one in, like, an hour!”

Cora loves building Lego sets with Aiden—it’s part of their thing. She just grins at me. “It was too easy. We need a challenge.”

“Yeah, I know. He’s been wheedling me for a Technic set for months.”

“OOH! YES! I’ve wanted to do one of those for years!”

I shake my head at her. “Then you can pay for it. Those sets are crazy expensive.”

“Deal.”

We tidy up the house, and then get in my secondhand, eight-year-old Ford Focus to pick up Aiden. We spend a few minutes with my parents, chatting, and then start the drive to Walmart. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the comfortable, familiar patter between Cora and Aiden. It’s easier yet to get caught up in back-to-school shopping, getting my office at the high school ready, going over files from last year, and making notes to check in with this student or that one, helping the other counselors finalize schedules, and work out scheduling conflicts, and attending staff meetings.

Jamie slips slowly from my mind over the week that precedes the start of the school year. I let myself think about that night sometimes when I’m alone, and if I need a little…stress relief, but that’s a dangerously slippery slope, and I start to avoid even that. Best to just let the past be in the past—focus on Aiden, on the new school year, and on my students.

By the time the first day of school rolls around, I’ve all but put Jamie out of my mind.

And that’s for the best.