"Come on, you guys! We're going to be late!"
I finish buttoning my flannel blouse and hurry down the stairs. Mom is already digging through her purse, trying to find her keys. My kid brother, Scott, has his face buried in his Nintendo while he sprawls on the couch. Mom glances up as I grab my knee-high boots and pull them on. "Cate, hun, is that what you're wearing?"
I tug on my boot and stand up, examining my outfit in the full-length makeup mirror by the front door. I'm wearing a maroon sweater, a black pleated skirt, black thigh high stockings, and tan ankle high boots. I straightened my long brown hair and threw on some light, natural make up. I tug my sweater down over my firm swollen boobs to make sure it fits nicely and smooth down my skirt over my long, toned legs. I think I look quite nice. "What's wrong with it?"
"Look like a slut," Scott calls without looking up from his game. I hurl a pillow at him, which he smacks away and goes right back to his game. God, I can't wait to go back to college in a few weeks. I'm 19, I shouldnt have to put up with my little brother's bullshit like this!
"No, dear, you look lovely. It's just...we're going apple picking. Is that an appropriate outfit? Can you walk in those shoes? Won't you be cold?"
"I'll be fine, Mom. I have a jacket." I nod at my navy blue biker jacket on the coat rack. "Besides, it's only a few hours. I can suck it up for a while."
"She's a big girl, Stephanie. Let her make her own decisions." My stepdad Ken squeezes my shoulders and plants a light kiss on my cheek. "You look great, honey. Are we ready to go?"
It takes us about an hour to get there. I keep my earbuds in and music blasting as I gaze out the window, ignoring my family. I know I seem like a stand-offish girl who doesn't like hanging out with family, and that's generally true. Scott is an obnoxious little jerk, and Mom is overbearing and paranoid. The only member of my family that I can enjoy spending time with is my stepdad, Ken. He's pretty cool for an older dude. But apple picking day is the one day I can tolerate them all. I love fall so much, and apple picking day is the best day of the year for me. Mom always picks a day that perfectly embodies fall. The weather is chilly but not miserably cold; the trees are a fireworks display of colors. The apples are round and firm, ready for plucking from their flimsy branches. The skies are a clear pale blue. It's a perfect day.
"Apple picking gets more and more expensive every year." Mom tucks her credit card into her wallet and takes the two baskets, handing one to me and one to Scott. "All right, you guys know the drill. We'll start on the south side of the orchard and work our way inward. No bruises, no scuffs, and perfect color. These apples are going on Instagram, people!"
"I actually had an idea on how to switch things up this year. Why don't you and Scott go to the south side, and Catelyn and I hit the north?"
"What?" Mom looks stunned. "But we've always done it this way, Ken."
"We've been meaning to have one on one bonding time with the kids, and now seems like the perfect place to do it. Besides, we can get a wider variety of apples this way. They have different kinds of apples on the north side. It'll make your picture pop."
Mom thinks about it for a moment, then sighs. "All right. We'll try it this year. Come on, Scott, let's go pick some apples!"
"I'm gonna throw the rotten ones at the birds!" Scott runs off, with mom chasing after and yelling at him. Ken and I exchange glances before he takes the basket from my hand and drapes an arm over my shoulder. "Got that headache out of the way. Let's go pick some 'Gram worthy apples."
We wander through the rows of trees, occasionally grabbing an apple but mostly talking. We discuss all sorts of things, like school and his job and the stresses of parenting a little shit like Scott. He was right; this one-on-one bonding session was amazing. Even though all we did was talk, I definitely felt our relationship growing stronger. He's more than the guy my mom married now. He's a cool guy that I am definitely planning to hang out with more often.
"So...how's your love life?"
I laugh at this surprise question. "I - what? I mean, you know that I broke up with Johnny."
"I heard. What happened there? You guys were so cute together."
"That sounds like something mom would say."
"It is exactly what your mom said." He drapes his arm over my shoulder and pulls me closer so we're walking side by side, more than a couple then a stepdad and his stepdaughter. "So, what happened? Your mom said you two were happy together and your breakup came out of nowhere."
I roll my eyes and shrug. "He got mad that I wouldn't put out, so he dumped me."
"Wow." Ken shakes his head. "Teens nowadays, huh? When I was your age, we wouldn't dump a girl because she wouldn't put out. We'd be disappointed, but we were with a girl for more than sex, you know?" We walk in silence for a few more minutes before he asks, "So...why won't you put out?"
"Um..." I giggle nervously, shifting the basket to my other arm. "That's...kind of personal."
"Ah, come on. You can trust me. I'm your stepdad, for goodness' sake." He grabs an apple, inspects it, and tosses it in.
I take a deep breath. "I'm...still a virgin."
He stops short, staring at me in shock. "You're still a virgin? With that body? No way."
"There's more to me than my body, Ken." I tug my biker jacket tighter around my shoulders and shiver as a brisk wind sweeps through the orchard. "I'm a real person with interests and hobbies and desires. I haven't found a guy yet who cares about me, not just my pussy."
"I'm sorry, hon." He pats me awkwardly on the shoulder. "I just figured... I mean, you're a sexy girl, you know? If I was twenty years younger, I would have made a pass at you myself."
