“I’m yours, no matter what they decide,” she whispered.
We sat for about fifteen minutes, awaiting our parents’ decision. Finally, we were called back to Heather’s dining room.
Dad said, “Here’s what we’ve decided. There’s a Biblical story I’ll paraphrase as ‘He who is without sin may cast the first stone.’ After we discussed what you did, we decided we’d be hypocrites to punish you for what we did when we were your age, but we didn’t get caught. We married young, and we know what young love is. Now don’t think you’re going to get off scot-free–there are going to be some rules you’ll have to agree to.”
Dad’s admission that he and Mom had done what we did came as a revelation. By what he inferred, Heather’s parents must have done the same thing.
Dad said, “We’ve agreed to a number of rules you must follow and Linda wrote them down. We expect you to follow them. First off, what we’re offering are privileges, not rights, and they can be taken away. So now to the rules.”
Heather’s mom picked up where Dad left off. “If either of you have a question about these rules, we want to hear it now rather than later. Do both of you understand?”
Heather and I both nodded our heads.
“Well then, Rule number 1. We’d prefer you don’t have sex, but if you do, Michael must wear a condom every time. Do you agree?”
She looked directly at me, and I answered, “Yes.”
“Rule number 2. We’re putting Heather on birth control pills and she must agree she will take one every day without fail. Heather, do you concur?”
Heather answered, “Yes.”
“Very well, let’s go to Rule 3.
“We four parents have decided we’ll continue playing cards, bowling, or birding on the weekends, just as we have for the past several months. You two may participate if you wish. Or, you may decide to spend time with each other at the empty home. You’ll have a few hours alone with each other, and we’ll call before we return home.”