Cathy's mind raced through all the possible outcomes of Elaine's knowledge, and arrived at the conclusion that Elaine would have ratted her out already if she was going to. Besides, they were in the same boat now, anyway.
"Why didn't you tell me you knew?"
"We figured you would have told us if you wanted us to know," Elaine said.
"I guess you are a friend," Cathy said. "I'm not so sure I wouldn't have made fun of your family if it were me."
"You wouldn't have." Elaine sneezed.
"Well, I didn't know until graduation. They weren't going to tell me until the fall."
"But, now that you do know, I bet you're having a pretty good time," Elaine said, taking a moment to blow her nose. "How close was I on the gift? Was it you and Carter?"
"You were right on. If I know my family, Grandpa and Grandma should be fucking like nuts and watching the tape by now. My family does everything in a group."
"So, what's it like?" Elaine's voice dropped to a secretive level. "Have you fucked your father?"
"Yes." Cathy felt herself blushing, and marveled at how dirty it sounded compared to how wonderful the act felt. "In the shower."
"What was it like? What was fucking your father like?"
Elaine was expecting one of Cathy's usual randy adventure stories, but her friend paused a moment instead. "It was sweet," she told her, thoughtfully. "It was very sweet, and tender. When he came inside me, I felt absolutely and completely loved for the first time I can remember."
"Wow," Elaine said quietly,
Cathy blinked, cleared her throat, and shrugged, saying, "Yeah, well, he banged my brains out." And then she laughed, restoring her normal jaunty demeanor. "So what's with you peeking in windows?"
Elaine sneezed.