When we walked in Beth asked where we had gone.Johnny said, "We ran some errands." Like what and where?" We went to the drug store to get some condoms... and a tube of KY something." Oh, that was for Darcy, not you."Beth looked mad, so I stopped Johnny; he came in and sat down with us in the room. I said, "Johnny do you remember what I said about being ashamed?" I do, that's why I told her the truth. Mom, Britt told me that he's seen me drooling over some of the girls, and that he believes that. I took the longest breath of my life. This was it. I'd held my cards close to my chest for so long, afraid to show what I'd been holding. Carrie's silence urged me on, a silence I felt I could fall into like an embrace, a silence that waited to accept me. It was strange to realize how much I suddenly wanted to lay my cards on the table and tell the world about the hand I'd been dealt. “What is... all this?” She started the words for me, her fingers gingerly touching the gel in my hair, falling. He was hoping her little talk would make her think he wouldn't try anything this morning. Finally he went down the hall and entered the kitchen. His mother was just leaving the table. She stopped in the middle of the room. "Good morning darling, you're up early this morning," she said."Couldn't sleep. I guess I was looking forward to getting started today," he replied with more than a little innuendo."Would you like me to get your cereal?" she asked."No, that's okay!. Some things make me feel. ..Becky and Melissa were hesitant to pay the $150 he wasasking for the rings. So, the old man came up with a nicebargaining tool."I'll tell you what," he had said, "I'll let you try them onfirst, then we'll let you decide if you want to pay theprice or not."As Becky continued telling the story, I groggily mademy way into the kitchen to make some coffee. This wasgoing to be a long phone call. I checked the clock again,11:24. I was thankful I didn't have to work the nextmorning. Becky continued.