”Beth said, “A girl’s body isn’t really ready for lovemaking until she’s at least fourteen. I know you feel like you are all grown up, but t...ings in your pelvis are not mature yet. Your vagina still isn’t ready to be stretched as much as having your dad inside you will stretch you. It’s not a good idea to try intercourse when you are too young. It can hurt and make you afraid to try again. Your dad would be as careful and as gentle as it’s possible for a man to be, but Mother Nature tells a. ..”“Sir. I do not need any time to decide. I would be a fool to turn it down. Yes, Sir. I humbly accept.”“Very well,” Jeff responded. “I’ll leave it to the First Officer and Ship to get you scheduled and started.”“Sir. Uh, again, thank you for the chance, Captain. And you also, First. I will do my best.”The First Officer came to his feet. “With your permission, Captain.” At Jeff’s nod, the First turned to the Steward and said, “I will arrange for some alone time with you and the female you .... But I tried to treat the situation as totally temporary, the height of denial. I was going to have to leave behind my girls, my loves, do it with my virginity intact.Linda was distraught about the idea of me going to war. Siza was very unhappy but in her own way she knew how to do denial just as well as I. She refused to let herself accept my leaving as anything but ordinary. It was like I was just going to be gone for a month or so.My grief was just piling up. There would no more fun, or. The ride back to the ranch house seemed a lot longer than the ride out had seemed.Angie did, indeed, know the dead man. "He's my cousin Ralph," she said with a disgusted look. "We're in for it now, you know." I'd reckon we are," Rawhide agreed. "Wasn't no getting around it though." What do you think they'll do now," I asked Angie."It depends. If my pa has his way, they'll probably try to ambush us while we're riding out checking on the herd. If his brother, Mose, gets his way, they'll probably.