Angie tried to steady her nerves. Could she have a conversation like this with someone of an entirely different generation? "So, I hate to be rude, but since you're asking me about sex, I'm going to ask a probing question, but only so I can get a clear picture of the situation." She took a deep breath. "How old are you? And do you know how old Rick is? I've never asked him."
"I'm fifty-four, and he's fifty-two, I found that out last night."
A feeling of mirth took Angie by surprise. "A younger man, Mrs. Rule? Bad-ass."
"Yes, well, my husband was ten years older than me, so this is quite different."
Angie took in a deep breath and blew it out, preparing herself to answer the question at hand. "Yeah, he's going to want to sleep with you if the relationship continues."
"That's what I thought." Angie could almost see the older woman twisting her hands together. "What do I do?"
Damian would murder her if he ever found out about this conversation. Screw Damian, he was an asshole. "Um, do you want to sleep with him?"
"Yes, between you and me, it's fairly exciting to think about. I've never slept with anyone besides my husband. I was young when we married, and after he died, I was so devastated that I never wanted anyone else, even though I was pursued a bit. He's been gone for seven years and maybe it's time. I don't want to be alone forever, I need my own life. I can see it upsets the children when I'm too clingy and nosy."
Angie tried to pretend she was talking to a regular woman and not to Damian's mother. "Well, I'm not an expert on sex and relationships. I have an aunt and uncle about your age but they've been married forever, and I seriously doubt they're having a lot of sex and if they are, I don't want to think about it. So I don't really know anybody who is new to dating in your age bracket but I'm sure it's done all the time. I mean, what with all the internet dating sites and all."
"I don't know why I'm so worried about this, but I just don't know how to go on." The agitation in the other woman's voice was easy to hear.
"Okay, here's the deal," Angie tried to be forthright. "I'm assuming that at your age, there's no risk for pregnancy."
"None at all."
"Okay, but you still have to use condoms, you know? It's for protection against STDs and HIV and other diseases and stuff. That's the rule."
"Oh, damn, I knew you were going to say that."
"I know that Mr. Harris seems like a gentleman, but I saw the way he was looking at you, and who the heck knows if he's new to dating since his wife died? I know he's been carrying a torch for her since she passed away and that was a few years ago, but that doesn't mean he hasn't been out trying to ease his pain with other women, you know?" Angie shook her head at herself, not quite believing she was having this conversation.
Only silence came across the line and Angie continued, "I'm not saying he's for sure been out messing around, but we don't know either way, so you have to make him use a condom." God, she felt like a mother preaching to her daughter. A daughter who she didn't really want to have sex, but needed to make sure she was careful if she did. Oh, God, she was going to make a terrible mother. And truly, Angie didn't care if Mrs. Rule was sexually active or not. Actually, she thought it would be kind of cool if she did have a real life; it was nice to think you could still be a sexual creature even after menopause. But Damian wouldn't like it. What did she care? She'd been upset the night before and he'd cared so little that he'd promptly fallen asleep.
"Should I have condoms on me? Just in case?" Mrs. Rule asked, somewhat breathlessly.
"Oh, dear Lord," Angie breathed out in a sigh, foreseeing a shopping trip in her future. "Are you brave enough to buy them?"
There was a heavy silence on the other end. "I'm not sure."
Angie tried to imagine being fifty-four years old and about to have sex for the first time in seven years and took pity on her. "Okay, look. I'll go buy them tonight. Come by tomorrow and I'll have a box for you."
"Thank you so, so much, darling. I'll owe you one, okay?"
"Sure, but keep him at arm's length tonight, okay? Because you won't be prepared. We're really busy today and I can't get away, or I'd go get them now."
"That's okay, I'll be there tomorrow, and I appreciate it more than you know. I knew you'd be the perfect person to talk to about this. Now what else do I need to do when the time comes?"