Conversations With Jack & Diane
Growing Pains
Jack held Diane afloat in his arms, her body stretched
horizontally before him, the crystal blue water lapping slowly
across her trim bare stomach. He admired the sinewy yet graceful
contours of her beautiful long form.
“I like you in french cut bikini’s,” he smiled, still admiring
her.
“Thank you Jack,” she answered softly, enjoying the
warmth of the sun and the feel of Jack’s strong arms holding her
steady as she floated in the cool, licking water.
“I can’t believe you never learned to swim before,” Jack
assured her.
“Never seemed important,” she shrugged, the action
dipping her shoulders, causing her flawless face to submerge
below the surface for a moment. She didn’t panic, but her blue
eyes were wide with apprehension.
“Relax love,” Jack chuckled. “I’ll not let you drown.”
She kicked her feet slowly, the waves gently coating her
smooth thighs in a shiny skin of reflective ocean water. She
smiled up at Jack.
“Like what you see?” she cooed, arching her brows
playfully.
“Indeed,” Jack answered, his gaze moving back to her face.
“This is nice,” she admitted. “Of course I’d drown if you
were to let me go.”
“I’ll never let you go,” Jack vowed.
“Promise...”
“Yes, I promise,” he smiled. He watched her golden hair
spread out about her face like undulating strands of melted lava.
He had never seen Diane look more beautiful than she did right at
that moment.
“Could I tell you something Jack?” she asked softly, her
expression suddenly severe. “I need to talk to someone about it.”
“Shoot love,” he winked. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“You better not,” she warned, a tentative smirk dressing
her frown.
“So tell me already...” Jack prodded.
“Oh, yeah,” Diane chuckled. “I almost forgot about my
little problem.” She smiled.
“This feels so nice, perhaps I shouldn’t spoil it all by
bringing up my personal dilemma?”
“It’s up to you sweetie.” He smiled down at her. “Either
way I’m cool so long as I’m with you.”
“Oh that’s so sweet Jack. If I didn’t fear drowning, I’d lift
myself and give you a big wet kiss!” She gently looked from side
to side. “No pun intended.”
Jack laughed. “Relax love. I’ve never lost a student yet.”
He watched her as her expression tightened again.
“I slapped Becky this morning,” she offered weakly.
“You hit Becky?” Jack echoed. “Why?” His voice was
pained.
Diane averted her eyes from his stare. “I caught her in bed
with her boyfriend.”
“Yikes!!” was all Jack could offer.
“Yikes indeed,” Diane agreed.
“Were they..?” Jack struggled.
“Oh yeah,” Diane confirmed. “They surely were!”
“Oh boy,” Jack uttered, his gaze staring out to sea.
“She called me a bitch. And said that I had no right to
invade her privacy.”
“She does have a point there Di,” Jack shrugged,
accidentally dipping Diane’s head under water.
She struggled and broke away from him, managing to gain
her feet. She faced Jack, her blue eyes flaring.
“She has a point!” she shouted, her voice skimming across
the crystal surface as it faded into the distance. She looked
around. The little cove was deserted except for herself and Jack.
Her decibel level stayed where it was.
“How dare you side with Becca! She’s just a child Jack.
She has no idea what sex is all about.”
Jack shrugged. “How old is Becca now?” he asked.
“Sixteen,” Diane answered. Jack shrugged again. “What?”
Diane demanded.
“Well,” he offered. “How old were you the first time you
made love?”
“Irrelevent!” Diane snapped.
“Whatever you say Di...”
“Oh your no damned help at all!” she shouted, her hands
working the water as she started toward the shore.
“Whatta you want me to say Di? That Becca should not
express the feelings she’s obviously feeling? To deny the call too
womanhood that nature is sending her?”
“Oh don’t you dare get philosophical on me Jack.” She
stopped her progress and turned toward her friend. “She’s my
baby Jack! Do you want me to be happy that she’s fucking some
kid?!” She flailed her hands in exasperation.
“Not happy,” Jack replied. “But at least reconciled to the
fact that your little girl has grown into a woman. And she, like
you, and all the rest of us, have desires. Desires that we cannot
control.” He waded toward Diane until he was right next to her.
“Answer me something Di.”
“What?” she snapped, still too angry to calm down.
“Did you happen to notice if the kid with Becky was using
a condom?”
She turned her burning cerulean gaze on Jack. “What the
hell kinda question is that?”
“Come on Di, I know you. Even under the worse
circumstances, I’ve seen your common sense come too bare. So tell
me if you noticed or not?”
She frowned and shrugged. “Yeah,” she finally relented.
“The boy was wearing a condom.”
“Well at least they're thinking,” he offered.
“If they were thinking they wouldn’t be fucking Jack!”
“Well...I gotta agree with you there love. But we all know
how hard it is to fight temptation, don’t we?” He smiled
causciously.
“I shouldn’t have slapped her, huh?”
Jack shook his head. “No, you shoudn’t have. But hey,
had I been in your shoes I’d probably have done the samething.”
“I doubt it Jack. But thanks for saying so anyway.”
“Welcome,” he smiled. “So what now,” he asked. “With
Becca I mean? What do you plan to do?”
Diane threw her hands in the air. “I have no damned idea.”
“Want my opinion?” Jack queried.
“Could I stop you even it I didn’t?” She smiled for the first
time in a while.
“Probably not,” Jack grinned.
“Yes...” Diane nodded.
“Yes what?” Jack frowned.
“Yes, I want to hear your opinion silly.”
“Oh...okay.” He draped his arm around Diane and they
both walked toward the shore in the waist high water.
“I think you should talk with Becky. Tell her how you feel.
In a calm and reasonable manner,” he added. “But also let her
know that you realize that it’s her life. And that she’s ultimately
going to have to make decisions for herself.” They continued
toward the shore, the cool waters gently lapping at them. “Tell her
that your impressed by the fact that they decided to use
contraception.” He stopped for a moment and so did Diane. She
looked up at him. “Talk to her as if she were a woman and not
your little girl. Because she is you know. A woman I mean.”
“But still my little girl,” Diane countered.
“Indeed,” Jack agreed. “Your little girl who is now a
young woman. A young woman you can no longer treat as a
child.”
They started for shore again and Jack added one last thing.
“The first thing you should do when you see Becca,” he
assured Diane. “Is hug her. And let her feel the love you have for
her.”
“I think that’s a good idea,” she nodded, sliding her arm
around Jack’s waist. “You're a good man Jack. I don’t care what
people say.”
Jack’s laughter echoed out to sea as they continued their
journey toward shore.
The End
Unpublished Works © 1997 GJB
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