Twenty-Eight. Talk

*Hale Sokolov*

I got her in pajamas. She decided on a large sweatshirt and sweat pants.

I helped her, her body covered in goosebumps and face flushed of color.

I got myself in sweats.

I know Lore is scared. Taking a minute before coming to talk to her.

I was unsettled... I just hope we did nothing wrong.

"Let's get you water and a snack, hm?" I redid her hair in the clip before taking her downstairs.

Her eyes were welling with tears.

But I took a minute. Getting her a glass of cold water.

I grabbed a banana and took her out back and on the porch swing.

She sat beside me as I handed her the glass.

And I waited. If she didn't want to talk... if she couldn't, I wouldn't make her.

So I would wait till her tears stopped and she was no longer trying to hide the emotion that coated her throat which she tried chugging away with water.

"Is he mad at me?" She whispered, a tear slipped from her eye.

"Never."

"I'm sorry. I wanted to continue but... I'm sensitive and a bit in my head and I was so shaken from the... you know that I just tapped out." She murmured.

"Did you want to continue?" I asked.

She looked at me, confused.

"Did you say yes to appease us?" I reiterated.

"I do want that with you guys. Absolutely-"

"Nora." I redirected.

"A little."

Lore came out in sweats and sat on the other side of her.

"Why?" I asked.

"I was excited. I am unbelievably attracted to you guys. How you treat me. Talk to me. I love being touched and teased. But I don't know." She brought her knees to her chest.

"Is this the first time it's happened to you? This feeling?"

"No." She whispered.

"Nora, baby, you can absolutely tell us to wait for you. And it's done. That easy. We'd wait for you as long as you need. Sex is vulnerable. Not mandatory. It's intimate and intense. Not a chore, nothing you have to do." I said.

Tears spilled from her eyes.

"I'm sorry." She whispered.

"For what? You have nothing to apologize for." I frowned.

"After highschool I talked to this guy and-" she wiped her eyes. Lore looked petrified he messed up.

I reached my arm behind her and squeezed the back of his neck.

"-it was for half a year when I was 20, it was mandatory. He'd text me and asked what I'd do if he put his hand down my pants... I didn't want that but it happened anyway and I don't fight. I just... did it. And after three more months of this feeling less shit he technically cheated on me. I just... didn't correct that mentally and I don't know."

I bit my tongue.

"I don't want to invalidate you but can I have his name?" I whispered.

"Why?" She whispered.

Silence.

"Cannon. Martinez." She answered.

"Nora, there are... many thing we've done in our lives but... none of those things will ever be done. And never to you. I cannot fathom... I honestly have no words. But all I want to say is how deeply sorry I am." I whispered.

"Why? You weren't there. You didn't do it." She sniffled.

"Yeah but I need you to know that the way he treated you was insanely wrong. And we didn't do anything, but we brought that feeling back and that was never the intention and I truly hope you're aware that you never have to pacify us." I chewed my cheek.

She nodded.

Then looked at Lore.

"I'm sorry." She whispered and he looked down at her, hurt in his eyes.

"You did nothing wrong." He replied.

"Neither did you." She said and his eyebrows knitted together as he looked out into the yard with tears in his eyes.

I felt guilty.

"All we want is for you to feel safe with us and trust us with you. We need nothing more." I told her and she laid her head on my arm.

"I do."

"It's okay if you-"

"The second I said wait everything stopped. I trust you both." She said.

"Then talk to us. How can we help you forward?"

"I want to get to the point of shower sex and quickies with you. But I think I need to be slow. I need careful and verbal communication. I want you both. Insanely. But I want to... be sensual. Make love. Not fuck, not yet." She mumbled.

I grabbed her hand, kissing her knuckles.

"Absolutely. And if we ever do anything to get these feelings, we need to pause and talk about it. I don't want you to feel like this with us again." I said.

"That's good." She nodded.

"I'm gonna eat this, brush my teeth, and wash my face. Can you guys come lay with me until I'm asleep?" She asked.

"Of course." I said and she kissed my cheek and Lore's.

She walked inside and shut the glass door behind her.

"Hey." I looked at Lore.

"I feel so bad." He chewed his lip.

"You're okay. She's okay. We didn't know. We do now." I told him.

"But I feel wrong. Like... I never want to hurt her like that." He looked up, trying to reverse his tears.

"Go up and talk to her. Please. Get peace of mind. I'll call dad. Hopefully this Cannon kid can... be findable."

He nodded and we both stood.

I hugged him, patting his back.

"You did nothing wrong, Lo. At all. We can't read minds. That's why we talk."

He stepped back and wiped his eyes.

"Yeah. Okay." He nodded. "I'll go."

"Love you." I said and he paused.

"That's new." He smiled.

"Don't get used to it." I glared.

"Mmhm. Love you too."