Training Lolita Ch. 05

"Don't you think things are different today?"

"A little. But let's face it, if you get around too much and become known as a slut, then guys expect different things when they take you out. Then when they don't get it, things can be tense and go the wrong way, if you get my meaning."

"You mean they could force themselves on the woman? Date rape?"

"Yes, exactly."

John didn't know where to go next. Is that what happened to her? He glanced up at Dana again when Sherry looked down at her drink and her eyes were big and she seemed to be a little in shock.

Sherry looked back up at him. "Now you're wondering, aren't you?"

John knew exactly what she was talking about.

"Yes, I am. I didn't want to ask, but you seem to be saying that that's what happened to you."

Sherry took another long pull on the scotch. She put down the glass and looked at John. "Yes, it is."

John sat quietly for a few seconds, taking that in.

Sherry fidgeted in her seat. "You know, it took me 5 years of hard work and then therapy before I ever admitted that to anyone. The counselor I was seeing finally got it out of me and now I can talk about it a little easier. It still hurts, but at least I can say the words. It took even longer for me to understand that I did nothing wrong and that it wasn't my fault."

John still didn't know what to say. And he knew Dana would be flabbergasted.

Sherry continued. "The father never knew. He considered me damaged goods anyway and didn't even know that I got pregnant. His family moved away shortly after and he was gone."

"And your parents?"

"They fought over it and when all was said and done, they asked me to move out as soon as I graduated. I stuck around and graduated. You can't imagine what that was like at school. Several of my good friends stayed close, but most of the people treated me like a leper. As soon as I could I got out of there. Dana thinks my parents were killed, but the truth is they are still alive but cut all ties to me once I moved away. There were several times that I wanted to contact them, but I haven't in a long time."

John hazarded another glance up towards Dana. She was almost in tears. "When was the last time you tried to connect with them?"

"When Dana graduated from grade school. It just hurt too much to continue so I started actually believing myself that they were dead. I just wish they could meet Dana. She's really a great kid. I just want to protect her from what happened to me."

John looked down at his drink. "Well, she certainly is a great kid. I know that you are proud of her. Her grades are good and she's a nice, polite girl. I'm sure she's fine and I'll keep an eye out for her."

"Thank you." She drained the last of the second scotch and stood up. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"How come you never ended up married with kids?"

"Ah, now there's an uninteresting subject."

"Maybe not." Sherry looked at him, and seemed to know from the way he looked that there was much more to the story.

John looked at Sherry and took a deep breath. After her admission of a dark secret, he was going to tell her, and he hadn't told anyone in a long time. He just had to get it out quickly. "Well, okay. I was married once when I was in my early twenties and we were going to have a baby when she was hit and killed by a drunk driver." His voice almost cracked on that and his voice was a whisper when he finished. He still hurt whenever he thought about it, and his throat almost closed up at the end. Why did he tell her? He hadn't discussed it or thought about it in a long time.

Sherry looked down at her empty glass, sighed, and then back up at him. "I'm so sorry." She seemed to have tears in her eyes.

John shrugged and swallowed hard, staring down in to his scotch. This was one of the few things that got him emotional any more. "Thanks. It was twenty years ago."

Sherry suddenly felt like there was a kind of tension between the two of them for sharing such well held secrets with each other and decided to leave. She stood up quickly and put her empty glass on the coffee table. "Well, I'd better be going. I'd appreciate it if you'd keep an eye out for Dana. You take care." She looked directly into his eyes. "And I am very sorry for your loss."

John ignored that last comment. He just stood and walked her to the door. "I'll be sure to keep an eye out for her." After the sharing of such secrets as they had, he felt really guilty for lying to her. But in the long run, he knew he had to admit that he loved having sex with the youngster.

Sherry turned at the door. "John, why don't you join me and Dana for dinner tomorrow night? I don't work on Sundays. I'm sure she would be glad to have you over, too."

John hesitated just briefly before deciding that saying yes would be the best way to cover his tracks. "Sure, what time?"

"How about 6pm for drinks and then we'll have a nice dinner."

"Sure. See you tomorrow."

Sherry left and John closed the door. He stood there, leaning with his right hand flat on the middle of the door and took a couple of deep breaths. He had to push the memory of his wife and unborn child out of his head. That was why he so seldom thought about it any more.

John finally turned back around and saw Dana, still naked, sitting on his couch. She was looking at him with such sad eyes. "I'm so sorry to hear about your wife."

He choked up again and fought it. "Thanks. I'm sorry to hear about how your mother and her parents became estranged."

Dana looked at him. "Yeah, that was surprising. My mother pregnant at 16. I can't imagine being pregnant right now and I'm 18. She would have been so young and had so much of her teenage fun years taken away from her. I have to be better to her. I just realized how much work she has put in to raise me. I guess we never really think about that, huh?"

"Most kids don't. Besides, I've always believed that when parents bring someone into the world, that they owe that child the best upbringing they can."

Dana stood up and went to John and hugged him. "I have to go. I have to think about all this stuff, okay?"

John leaned over and kissed her on the forehead. "Sure. Will I see you on Tuesday?"

Dana grinned, the mischievous little minx returning. "You sure will stud." She started getting dressed. John watched with interest.

"You know, it's almost as sexy watching you dress as watching you undress."

"Pervert!"

"Slut!"

Dana giggled. "I'm not a slut." She spoke with fake indignation. "I'm a free, sexual being."

John laughed. "That you are, gorgeous. And you got that from your mother. She's very pretty."

Dana turned and punched him lightly on the arm. "Hey, don't go trying to get my mom into bed, too. That would make you a real pervert." Then she stopped and thought. "You know, I think Mel showed us some movies like that. The mother would show her daughter how to suck and fuck."

John shook his head. "Oh my god. What is this generation becoming? Just a bunch of porn watching perverts?"

Dana hugged him. "You don't seem to mind."

"True." He slapped her on the ass. "Now get going before I decide to ravish you."

Dana danced away from him. "Not a chance. I'm going to go have a long talk with my mother."

She walked to the door and John went and opened it for her. "See you later."

"Yes, sir, Mr. T. See a lot of you later." And with that she rushed out the door.

John closed the door and went to his couch. He sat down and finished his scotch trying to decide where this was going. It all seemed fun and games for a while, but now he was not so sure. He was very attracted to Dana for more than her looks and the sex. And now that brief talk with her mother made him feel interested in Sherry. He was very conflicted as he went through the rest of his day.