She covered her face in embarrassment. "God, Sarah! You'll say anything!"
"Why not? We're friends, even if you don't much like me; and we agreed to be honest, didn't we? Besides, you said you listened to us in the bedroom so you know we do it. I just wondered if there were some details about what goes on that you weren't clear about."
She rolled her eyes. "They had sex ed in a book I had to read back in Newton. Sister Rose and Mrs. D had a fight over it, but I got to read it before they took it away."
"Now you'll get that stuff in the girl's room at school. I know. I've been that route. It's a lot better to get the straight poop from someone who's really done it than from some kid who likes to pretend they know all the answers. I don't know which is worse; toilet-talk, relying on a book, or the intimate knowledge of an ex-nun who could probably use the book more than you."
"God, you're awful! I should blab to Dad on you!"
"Don't you dare! Men don't understand girl talk."
"Did Grandma talk to you like that?"
"My mother was very blunt. That's where Suzie and I get it. We could ask her anything. It's just like you can ask me, now that we have this neat agreement."
"Why are you doing this to me?"
"I'm being honest. That's what honesty is. Ask me a Question."
"No!" She covered her face.
"Oh, come on, you can't know everything. Want me to give you a test to see if there are any missing pieces?"
"No!" We both laughed. I hugged her. She didn't bolt. That told me she wanted to test our new arrangement but wasn't sure how.
"Even if you know all this humping business, there must be some detail that needs clarification. Go ahead; hit me with a really tough one." She remained too embarrassed to speak. "I'll move this along. Do you know what a man and woman do when they hump?"
"No fair!" Karen said, covering her face. "It's my turn to ask!" She thought a minute and glanced over her shoulder to make sure the bedroom door was closed. She turned away and buried her face again. "That thing, the thing a man pees with; how big does it get when he . . . does it? Where does it come from? Is it like in his belly?"
"Wow! You don't hold any punches, do you?" I tried to bite back a smile. "I guess that's not something you'd ask your father."
"Lord no! I'd never . . . don't tell him I asked, please! God, I'd die! Forget I asked!"