I wish every girl...

I never figured it out until years later. 

I was 8.  One my my new female friends seemed very sexually precocious.  We discussed it constantly, but I was pretty clueless outside of the mechanics.  She was the one who told me "It hurt". 

I went home and asked my (adoptive) Mom, who confirmed the fact, and then asked where I'd heard it.  When I told her, she got a pensive look.  We had a few sleepovers, on my end, and hers. 

She was, overall, the kind of kid you don't want around your own child.  She talked me into breaking rules, and got me in trouble on more than one occasion.  

The most memorable incident, we were walking to my house.  "The Garden Lady"'s yard was in full bloom.  She had a huge showplace that must have been a full time job. 

"Jenny" talked me into entering her yard (strictly forbidden by my parents - entering any neighbor's yard without permission), and picking some flowers "For your Mom". 

Mom immediately recognized the flowers and read me the riot act.  She chased Jenny off, and I got a spanking while she was still within earshot. 

Jenny, was on probation (not her real name and no relation to my character name in Broken). 

After my punishment ended, Jenny invited me over.  She was strangely invested in it, almost frantic. 

She had two twin beds, but insisted I sleep on the floor, "Right by the doorway" her voice high and tearful. 

I was a pretty compliant kid, I set up on the floor as directed.  She didn't want to talk, and I fell asleep after a busy day. 

A few hours later, I was awakened by the door swinging open and hitting my sleeping bag, then a large foot prodding my form as I lay in the doorway.  "Who the hell are you?" a loud male voice enquired. 

It was about 11 PM.

I explained I was Heather, Jenny's friend, and we were having a sleepover? 

"I didn't give permission for that!" he bellowed.  He demanded my phone number and called my parents, who picked me up. 

"I don't ever want her here again" he shouted, as Mom loaded me into the car. 

When I got home, Mom sat me down at the kitchen table and asked some very careful questions.  As the details spilled out, she became more concerned.  No, he had never touched me, except with his foot a little while ago.  Yes, she knew a lot about sex.  She was the one who said it hurt....

Was there anything else? 

One of the older siblings walked through the kitchen, after a glass of milk.  "Oh, Jenny.  She's the one who gave you the lice, right?" 

"She doesn't have lice!" I replied indignantly "She has crabs!"

Mom almost fell out of her chair.  "Do you know what that is?" 

No, but she told me she had them.  

No, she didn't tell me who gave them to her. 

Yes, she's afraid of her Dad.  She almost cried when she made me sleep on the floor. 

I don't know what happened, but Jenny ended up in foster care. 

See, that's what a Mom does when a child is exposed to a predator, they stop it immediately.  Had Mom gone into denial mode I probably would have been molested, too. 

I won't talk about recent cases; just say I got that, with all my screwed up childhood drama.  I knew she would protect me from sexual predators. 

I wish every girl had that confidence.