Ch 5

Amy had spent the better part of that year hiding out and trying to convalesce her family name from the mud Pierce had put it through. She and Dan had changed their last name to Swift and tried to put the Cahill name far behind them. Nellie had met up with them several times in Europe. She and Sammy were engaged and they were getting married next summer. She was also set to open her flagship restaurant in New York in a few weeks. Their visits had given Amy and Nellie some much needed girl time. Nellie was only 6 years older than Amy, but her advice had always been sage. On one of her visits to Amy and Dan, they had gone on a walk through the streets of Paris and Amy decided to have a frank discussion with her.

"Nellie, how did you decide when to sleep with Sammy?" Amy had blurted out one day during a walk in the city.

Nothing fazed Nellie, it was one of the reasons Amy knew Nellie was the right one to ask. "I didn't." Nellie had responded. "He was just so drop-dead gorgeous and we had been through a life and death experience together, I guess I just sort of jumped at the chance once we survived the explosion. Facing death with someone makes you grow up pretty quick I found." Nellie said shrugging. "Plus, I was an adult and so was Sammy, we were crazy for each other, so I didn't really think too hard about it."

Amy was quiet for a minute, processing.

"I take it you and Jake haven't, yet?" Nellie asked with sincerity on her features. No judgement in her voice.

Amy sighed, "No, not yet." Her eyebrows knit together as she continued, "We never seem to be on the same continent at the same time."

"But, I take it you want to?" Nellie asked, again with sincerity.

Amy took a deep breath and released it, nodding her head, "Of course, I do! I love him, and I know he wants to."

"Well, then do it! Stop thinking about it! You'll need to take some precautions, but that's easy enough. We can get you on the pill right now. It's cheap in the EU." Nellie said

Amy knew something Nellie didn't. Jake's mother, Astrid, had been a fierce feminist and she was very open and honest with her oldest son about sex and the magnitudes of it. She had made him swear on his 18th birthday he'd go and get a vasectomy. She had instilled in him that birth control was 100% his responsibility. Later, when he was older, if he wanted kids, he could have it reversed. Jake's dad had whole-heartedly agreed, so, true to his promise to Astrid, that was his birthday present to her, even six months after her death. Amy had been highly impressed by this when Jake told her one night when they had been fooling around.

"So, can I ask, was it…did it…" Amy wasn't exactly sure what to ask next. "Was it good, the first time?" Amy asked tentatively, hoping this didn't cross the line for Nellie.

"No, it wasn't great the first time; but it wasn't terrible, we've definitely gotten better as we get more comfortable with each other." Nellie said, looking at Amy. "You sort of have to coach them on what you like. Sammy is always asking for me to tell him what I like. So, I do. If he tries something I don't like, I tell him. He really likes it when I take charge; he says it is super sexy." Nellie said with a wink.

Amy smiled, she could imagine Jake's reaction if she took charge. She liked that idea and it made her grin.

"He's coming home to start back at Harvard in the fall. I can't wait to see him." Amy's smile faded at the thought of having to wait until the summer to see her boyfriend.

Nellie slid an arm around Amy's shoulders, "Don't worry, Cahills don't go too long without excitement in their lives, he'll be back before you know it and you can pick up right where you left off."