Eighteenth Birthday

Andy’s consciousness skipped ahead to the afternoon of his birthday. He popped in when he got home from school on that Friday. This memory he had to completely make up from events of the past year, though it felt real. He let his mom know he was going out for his birthday with Shelly and that he’d be back by midnight, borrowed the car, and went to a motel another town over from either of the suburbs that Shelly or he lived in. He rented a room, showing his license to prove he was eighteen. He took the key and got back in the car. The next stop was the liquor store, where he got a bottle of champagne. Since this was the 70s, at eighteen, he was legal age for ****. Then he picked up some cheese and crackers at the grocery store and some condoms at the **** store. He took all of his purchases to the motel, laid everything out, and put the champagne on ice.

Since he was creating these memories as he went, Andy stayed with them throughout his time in this memory. He picked up Shelly at six o’clock, and they were at the restaurant by six-thirty. He picked a nice Italian place, since they both loved pasta. Dinner went well with the waiter being very attentive without hovering. They chatted about stuff that was going on at their schools and church.

“So, what’d planned for tonight?” Shelly asked in a whisper, leaning forward in a conspiratorial manner.

“That’s a secret surprise. Just wait ‘til we get there,” Andy replied.

They finished the meal and Andy paid the waiter. In the car, he drove them to the motel.

“Oh, Andy! You got us a room?! I love you!” Shelly exclaimed, and then hugged and kissed him hard from the passenger seat.

“I wanted this to be extra special,” he said when their lips parted.

This motel had separate doors for each room; they walked to the one marked ‘18’. Andy pulled a key out of his pocket and unlocked the door.

When Shelly saw the bottle in the sink and the crackers and cheese on the end table, she flung her arms around Andy’s neck. “It’s lovely!” They kissed deeply. Her soft tongue teased open his mouth and darted in and around his. Her kisses ignited his passion like a match to gasoline.