Page 85 of No Sweeter Poison

“I’d prefer not to be psychoanalyzed. I avoid therapists for a reason.”

I let out a short laugh. “I’m sure you do.”

“This is stupid.” She stops abruptly and turns back toward where we came from. “Can we leave?”

“No.” I pull her back and continue on our walk. “We’re having girl time. My mom was already dead by the time I turned eighteen but I had women around to help me. I can’t imagine having to navigate puberty and adolescence around a bunch of guys. Not to mention ones much older.”

A breeze passes and she lets the wind carry her hair away from her face. Each platinum strand glows white under the haze of the Mediterranean sun. “They’re good brothers.”

“I know. But you can’t exactly talk to them about feelings in your tummy.”

She scoffs but the corner of her mouth lifts in a smile. “You’re so absurd sometimes. I have no idea what my brother sees in you.”

“I’m hot and I’m great in bed. Not too difficult to figure out.”

Lettie visibly gags again and I burst into laughter. “Please, stop. He’s my brother.”

“All right, we’re going to start with the absolute basics.” I hold up my finger. “This is a man’s penis. This,” I make a circle with my other hand. “Is a woman’s vagina. Be forewarned, there’s more than one hole, and if he doesn’t know where he’s sticking it—”

Lettie covers her face with both hands. “I am going to shoot myself.”

“Now, pay very close attention because this is the part people always lose their minds over. The penis goes into the vagina,” I instruct. “And it moves.”

Despite the obvious horror in her expression, she nods and listens intently. “I already know all of that.”

I cut her a look.

“Most of that. They don’t exactly give sex-ed in private school.”

“How touchy are you with vocabulary?”

“I’m going to start cringing.”

“That’s fine, so long as you don’t vomit. This is called thrusting.” I move my finger in and out of the imaginary vagina. “It goes by many other names as well but that is the most common.”

“Does it actually hurt the first time?” she asks and her curiosity wins out in the end.

I tilt my head. “Depends.”

“On what? I thought it always hurt the first time. And don’t you bleed?”

“Focus!” I hold up my joined hands. “We’ll get to that in a second. We’re in the middle of the act right now.”

She sighs before nodding. “All right. Keep going.”

“If he knows what he’s doing, you’re going to orgasm. Climax. Implode. Fall over the edge—”

“I get it.”

“Men always finish, those bastards. It takes very little to get them there. Now, when they climax, this is the part that can get a woman pregnant.”

Lettie’s entire face scrunches up. She looks close to combusting. “Please be very gentle with the next part. You’re sleeping with my brother and we just bought you a morning after pill.”

I drop my hands. “Maybe I can save that part for next time.”

“Please.” She loops her arm through mine again and we continue our walk down winding, cobblestone roads. We pass under awnings for shops and under Juliette balconies with flowerpots and vines creeping down the sides. “Go back to the part about the first time. What happens?”

“It doesn’t always hurt and women don’t always bleed. It depends on a lot of things.”