“Have it your way. Just don’t go too wild with your new found freedom. No more than one girl at a time. Find some time for studies. You don’t have to party every weekend, either.”
“You know I’m not like that.”
“I know.” She knew he was a good kid, and that he lacked confidence, but she could also see that once he found it, he would absolutely slay. That boy was a lot closer than he knew to absolutely drowning in pussy, if that’s what he wanted.
That shut it down, for a while at least. But a hundred miles or so later, after some talk about other things, and listening to some music, the topic turned to Daniel’s sister, and whether or not she was too young to be getting married. Then Daniel turned it back on Amanda.
“Weren’t you too young? Did you feel like you were too young?”
“In some ways, yes. It was not what I planned, exactly. But life doesn’t always go according to plan.”
He knew she was talking about how she’d put her life on hold to raise him and his sister.
“How come you didn’t date? After dad died, I mean?”
“I actually did try, a little. You were at an impressionable age. I didn’t want to mess you up any more after all that happened so I kind of kept it on the down low, but Tessa knew. She was a little older and better able to deal with it. I tried with two different guys. It didn’t work.”
“Like, serious? Or do you mean just went out once or twice?” This was news Daniel had not heard before.
“Kind of serious. It was over the course of almost a year. You remember when I was going to school and working nights? Well let’s just say I wasn’t working all those nights.”
“Wow. I had no idea. So that guy who stopped to give you a ride to work sometimes? That guy?”
“Yes. Brian. And also Trent. You remember Trent.”
“Yeah. Why didn’t it work out with those guys?”
“Partly I was just too busy and exhausted, between work and school and you and your sister. That was part of it. But really it was more that my life was with you guys, and my heart was with you too, not with them and what they wanted. Yeah, I got horny sometimes but I couldn’t let you guys suffer just because of that.”
Wow. Daniel was shocked to hear her admit to getting horny. That was not something she had ever talked openly about before. He guessed her confiding in him like that was part of his being an adult now, and moving out and all.
“Are you going to try again? Now that we’re all moved out. You’re still young! And you’re a total knockout. I used to hate bringing friends over because they’d be slobbering all over you.”
“I didn’t know you avoided bringing friends over because of that!” She was playful. “They were cute sometimes, and I confess the ego boost was kind of fun, sometimes anyway. Some of those guys, like Joey for instance, that kid could be a little creepy.”
“Oh yeah. Joey had no chill at all. He tried to talk me into planting cameras in your bedroom and bathroom.”
“Oh my God! I knew I didn’t like that kid! You didn’t…”
“No. Of course not.”
“Well that’s good.” She thought for a moment. “But to answer your question, yes, I’ve thought about dating again now that I’m an ’empty nester.'” Amanda laughed, fully aware of the absurdity of being in a group almost exclusively populated by people at least twenty years older.