Growing up

By Zandra

The hot summer sun over Quigley Fields Stadium was high, raising the temperature of all present, whether they were out on the field, in the stands, or yes, in the scoreboard.

Modo lay back on the hard concrete floor, wearing nothing but his underwear as he made feeble attempts at cooling down, fanning himself with an old timetable of events that he had been looking at before he decided it had a much more productive use, as a cooling device. Throttle lay on his front covered by nothing but a sheet as he read an old bike magazine, trying desperately to forget the heat by making comments on the faulty craftsmanship of the latest Yamaha model. This, however, was nothing compared to Vinnie, who was lying in the middle of the floor in a bright pink kiddie’s paddling pool completely naked, moaning to himself about prickly heat, becoming delirious and the heat in general. You can imagine the shock that Charley got when she opened the door, going bright red and hurrying her young companion out of the door quickly, who was trying to look over her shoulder at the sight that had made her human friend flush so brightly, although she saw nothing.

Zandra looked at Charley "Awww, come on Charley, please, what is it, what’re they doing? I got a right to know!" Charley just shook her head and let out a deep breath, trying to blank the visions of practically steaming macho Martian mouse flesh. "Look, kiddo, trust me on this one, you don’t wanna see in there, it’s like a…" as she searched for the word, the door opened again, and there stood a very red faced Vinnie with a minuscule towel around his waist. Zandra immediately burst out laughing, which turned his face to something which would make a tomato look positively lacking in colour. She tried to stop herself, but couldn’t help it.

She wandered in, and saw Throttle hastily dragging on his trousers and Modo pulling a sheet over him. The latter’s eyes grew very wide when he saw his daughter with an evil grin on her face. "Zandra, darlin’, why don’t ya tell me when you’re gonna come over?" Zandra just grinned and jumped on him, embracing him, before leaping back. "Da-ad, you’re all sweaty!" she started to laugh again, this time accompanied by the others in the room. Modo grinned ruefully. "Sorry princess. Now what can I do for you?" Zandra looked stunned. "Hey, Charley, you never told me why you were bringing me in the first place!" Charley went bright red again, and Modo looked at her confusedly, before Throttle took a hint and took the girl aside and started asking her questions about how her sister and his girlfriend, Carbine was doing.

Meanwhile, Charley was holding a whispered conversation with Modo. "Modo," she began, "this isn’t easy to say, but you know that Zandra’s almost a grown up?" Modo nodded sadly, Charley continued. "Well, don’t you think that since she doesn’t have a mother…to speak of, you should…well…talk to her about…stuff…?" Modo looked completely nonplussed, and Charlie went even redder and hissed with exasperation. "Modo, look, she’s almost thirteen, she still hasn’t had…the talk," she said these words with utmost gravity, but Modo still didn’t get it. "Modo, didn’t anyone ever give you ‘the talk’?" Charley asked worriedly, Modo shook his head. "No, Charley Ma’am, sorry, it’s lost on me." Charley sighed. "The one about how…well…men and women…" at this, Modo’s eyes grew very wide, "And they don’t teach her this at school?" he spluttered. Charley shook her head, "Not enough, and it’s a well known fact that all kids round her age need to have a ‘frank discussion’ with their parents, I mean, she’s going to be thirteen next year, and she can’t even hear the… words…without laughing."

Modo looked decidedly flustered, "But, Charley ma’am, I’m…I mean, I’ve never…well…it’s sort of…", Charley looked at him sympathetically, "Modo, I would, but she needs to hear it from her own dad. Carbine’s tried, but it’s difficult for her right now, what with her working full time and keeping up correspondence with Throttle, there’s no time for a real talk, Zandra’s just getting more and more confused." Modo sighed and looked terrified at the prospect of explaining the whole ‘birds and bees’ concept to his twelve-year old daughter. Charley patted his back. "Good luck." Modo looked up at her, a look of utter despair on his face, "NOW?" Charley nodded. "What else are you gonna do with her? Carbine can’t pick her up for another couple of hours…"

Modo looked as if he’d been hit by a ton of bricks, at which point Throttle ran out of questions, and Zandra hurled herself at her father again, cuddling him. He stroked her hair and smiled down at her before catching Charley’s eye with a look of utter desperation. She just grinned and went to embarrass Throttle and Vinnie over their appearance earlier.

Modo sat Zandra down on a chair opposite him and leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. She grinned and looked around, before his worried expression caught her eye. "What’s wrong, Daddy?" she looked genuinely concerned for her father, and he smiled at her. "It’s nothing, princess. Now auntie Charley says I gotta discuss something with you today…" he paused, Zandra looked interested. As far as she was concerned, anything her father said was worth listening to. Modo sat back and continued to look at his daughter. "Now, Zandra, this isn’t easy to say, but…" Zandra’s eyes opened wide "Whatever they said, I didn’t do it!" Modo raised an eyebrow. "Do what?" Zandra looked at him as if she’d been shot. "Oh, nothing, carry on…" Modo eyed her suspiciously, but said nothing more on the matter.

"Well, Zandra, there comes a time…" he trailed off, unsure of what to say next. He tried again. "Well, it’s like this, you know…" again, he was lost for words. Zandra started to look bored. Modo was getting desperate. "Zandra, you know that…well…as you grow up…" and the conversation continued.

Half an hour later, Zandra was sitting back in her chair with her arms folded and her legs crossed with her eyes very wide open, and Modo was sitting looking exhausted. Throttle and Vinnie emerged with Charley in tow, all of whom started laughing loudly. Modo looked peeved. "Hey, that’s not fair, we’ve just had a…serious conversation…" but before he knew it, Zandra was also in fits of giggles, and so was he. While Zandra was distracted with laughing, Charley took Modo aside. "So, did you cover it?" Modo looked at her. "That was only the bit about girls. What am I gonna say when she asks about guys?"