Friends and Lovers

extremely aroused by what they'd just witnessed: I could easily see two sets of parted and shiny labia, as well as dual pairs of erect nipples.

After a bit, Sis and I were both able and ready to sit up again. When we did, we were facing Jade and Nadia when Jade said 'After seeing that, I can believe that you really do love and care for each other -' even more than you've been able to say. After you looked at each other, it was like Nadia and me weren't even here, you were so into each other. I could tell that you weren't doing anything special just because of us; it was*so* easy to see that you were just showing each other your love, and that both of you were trying to make the other one feel good with what you were doing. Watching you was so romantic and sexy at the same time – it even kinda makes me with that I was that close with one of MY brothers.'

Following that, Nadia told us 'From everything he's said and done, I knew you two loved me. But after seeing that, now I know how much more you love each other. When you were done, and I saw Jade start to use her mouth to clean Danny, I knew I wanted to do the same thing for you, Janet -' it was like a way to say 'thank you' for letting me see something that beautiful.'

Blushing faintly, Jade explained 'That was kind of what I felt, too. As much as I like how a girl tastes, I thought a guy's stuff would taste good, too – so when you were done, I wanted to find out with Danny. I – I liked it -' a lot! -' and if Nadia hadn't beat me to it, I would have cleaned you up, too, Janet.'

We only had to exchange a brief glance for Sis to know that I was fine with her speaking first. Looking at Nadia and Jade again, she told them 'I don't think Danny and I have ever just had sex. Even when all we really want to do is make each other feel good, we both know that we still*love* each other. This was the first time that Danny or I have ever been together like that where anyone else could see -' not because we're ashamed or anything about it, but because we love each other enough to think of it as something private between the two of us. When I went to get him, I told Danny that I was okay about both of you seeing it because I love and care about both of you enough that I'm willing to share what has always been something just for him and me. And because he loves and trusts me as much as he does, he was willing to do what I wanted. Nadia, you already know how much Danny loves you, and that I love you, too. Jade, you're one of my best friends, and because of how much I care about you, I wanted to do whatever I could to show you that it really was okay for you and me and Nadia to be together like this – that not only wouldn't Danny say anything about what he saw us doing with anyone else, he wouldn't even say anything to you about it unless you said something first. I*know* what kind of person Danny is, and how he thinks about people; I don't doubt for a second that he at least likes you -' and maybe even loves you, the way he does me and Nadia.'

Jade looked at me, and the expression on her face (so much for the 'inscrutable Oriental', I thought to myself) told me that she wanted and needed to hear it from me. I didn't have any reluctance about telling her 'I do like you, Jade. I would, anyway, because you're one of Janet's best friends. But it's even more than that. You're smart, and friendly, and helpful, and patient, and a lot of other things that I think are good -' so I love you for them, just like I love Nadia. I don't love you, or Nadia, as much as I do Janet, but I'm willing to do what I can if there's something you need help with – like today. I suppose I could have told Sis that I wanted her and I to keep our lovemaking private, and you would have eventually figured out that I wouldn't say anything about what I saw to*anybody*. But it would have taken time before you understood that, and I figured you'd be pretty nervous, or even scared, until then. I like -' which is another way of saying 'love' -' you enough that I didn't want you have to go through that – so I agreed to come in here.'

'How can you love me that way? And that much?', she wanted to know.

I had to smile before I answered 'Sis told me that she and Nadia tried to explain it to you before she came out to get me.'

'They did -' but I want to hear what you say, too.'

Taking a deep breath, I asked her 'Remember that day that you had to get all those books from the basement to the library at school? How you were trying to figure out how to get that cart up the stairs?'

She nodded, and I went on 'How many people saw you, and just kept going?'

I could see the sadness in her eyes as she answered 'A lot of them.'

'Wouldn't it be fair to say that those people didn't like you, if they were willing to let you keep having as much of a hard time as you were?'

After she nodded, I went on 'I saw you, and stopped to help -' even before you and Janet became such good friends. Don't you think it would be fair to say that I did like you, because I was willing to help?'

Another nod from her, and I continued 'When I did that, I only knew a little bit about you from when you'd been over here. But even then, I knew enough that I liked you – so I helped you, just like I would any other friend. That was way back at the beginning of school last year; since then, I've gotten to know you better, and learned what a good person you are -' that smart and friendly and other stuff I already told you. Now, if I was willing to help you with those books when I only knew a little bit about you, don't you think I'd be willing to help you with even more now that I know you better?'

'But that still isn't the same as loving me', she stated.

'Isn't it?', I asked. 'Take what I just told you about helping you, and instead of the word 'like', use the word 'love'. Does that really change anything?'

All of us watched as she considered it for a few seconds before quietly telling me 'No, it doesn't -' not even a little bit. But aren't 'like' and 'love' two different things?'

Smiling again, I had a question of my own: 'Are they?'

Surprised, she listened as I told her 'That's something our Mom and Dad -' mostly Dad -' have helped me and Janet understand – that 'like' and 'love' are basically the same thing, just different – strengths, I guess you could say. 'Like' is just kind of watered-down love, the same way the stuff they serve in the cafeteria at school is watered-down drink mix; if you can get the stuff you don't need or want out of the 'like', then you have love, just like the stuff at school would have more flavor if you could get the extra water out of it.'

She sat silently for several seconds, thinking about what I'd said before she wanted to know 'You and Janet – you love people like that? Thinking about what kind of person they are and everything, and then loving them on purpose? You choose to love someone else the same way you'd choose a car or something?'

'It isn't*quite* like that', I told her. 'It isn't like we go shopping for people like we'd shop for a car -' trying different ones to see which ones we like most. What we do, really, is just look at the people that we DO meet. When we find the things that we like in that person, we spend more time with them so we can learn what they're really like. If we find even more good stuff in them, then we like them more, and spend more time with them and love them more.'

'That really works?'

'Sure. Did you feel the same way about Janet when you first met her as you do now? Think about why you feel differently about her now than you did then.'

All three of us watched as Jade was occupied with her own thoughts for a while before she focused her attention on me again.

'Okay, I can see what you're saying -' but why is it so obviously so much more between you and Janet?', she wanted to know.

'Because we're doing what you just did all the time, and doing it on purpose.'

She blinked a couple of times, then got surprisingly intense before asking 'Doing that makes that much of a difference? Why?'

Calmly, I answered 'Yeah, it really makes that much of a difference. If you're doing it all the time, then when the other person does something, you know what happened and when and why. That way, you have it in the front part of your brain where you can really think about it, and decide whether you like it or not, and how much. And when you can do that, it makes it a lot easier to choose how to react to it. If you like it, then you can tell the other person so, and it maybe gives them a reason to keep doing it. If you don't, you can think of a nice way to say so, and maybe get the other person to change if they want to. If you're doing it on purpose, then you're never really surprised how things turn out with other people. I mean, think about it -' if you're always looking at what someone else is doing, and why, then you've got a pretty good idea of what they think about you, too. If you're honest enough to think about what other people are really like, then it's a pretty safe bet that you're going to be just as honest about what you're like, and know why they like or love you in return; and both of you know that as long as