Overcoming This Obstacle

Carolina’s mother, Karen, bathed herself and made breakfast. She looked and felt much better than she had yesterday. A few hours later, Carolina made her way downstairs and into the kitchen. The morning sunlight poured into the kitchen. She was wearing an oversized gray t-shirt with a black satin robe. 

“Good morning darling,” Her mother called to her when she saw Carolina enter the Kitchen. "I've made us breakfast. Come. Sit down. Eat.”

She did as her mother asked of her. She sat down at the dining room table. Her mother sat across from her drinking a cup of freshly ground coffee while reading the newspaper. Carolina noted her mother had put the sections she wasn't reading down on the table. Without looking away from the newspaper she had been reading, she slid the unwanted pile over to Carolina as she ate her breakfast. 

Carolina had been eating her turkey bacon when an ad in the classified section of the paper caught her attention. She wasn’t sure if it was real. It said that she could earn lots of money quickly just by being a companion. There had to be a catch, she thought. It seemed too good to be true.

She fit all of the initial requirements. She knew she couldn’t tell her mother about this unique opportunity. She wondered then what she would say to her about how her operation was paid for. She hated lying to her, but she would have to in this case. Her mother didn't need any more added stress.

“How are you feeling today mom ?” Carolina asked, looking up from the newspaper she was reading.

“To tell you the truth, Lina, dear, whatever Dr. Roberts gave me yesterday is working like he said it would.”

“And when you get the operation he says you need you’ll be right as rain.”

“Here we go again.” Her mother poured herself a glass of orange juice.

“Mom! You need this operation,” she began. 

She knew what her mother would say. 

She said it. 

“It’s more money we don’t have a sweetheart.”

“We can find it! I wor-” Carolina began pleading but was cut off by her mom.

“Stop it, Carolina! Not today!” She shouted. 

She closed the cardigan she wore tightly around her. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. Carolina knew she had frustrated her mother.

“Please, let’s not fight today. You will be able to catch your 9 a.m. class. I feel great. I will be fine. Go.”

Carolina couldn’t believe her ears. Her mother felt good enough to take care of herself. She felt like this was a dream. At any moment someone was going to wake her up. She was frustrated with her mother and stressed about how she would find the money for the operation. 

The last conversation she and Noel had replayed in her mind over and over again. She came to the conclusion that she needed to lose her virginity. Carolina was twenty-two years old and still as pure as snow. At this point, she felt like something was wrong with her. She hadn't dated much. 

She recalled their reactions when she had told some of them about her being a virgin and not feeling ready to go all the way because she was saving herself for her one true love. They all respected her wishes. They never pushed her personal boundaries. At the slumber parties, her girlfriends all spoke about the 'naughty' things their boyfriends would try, like french kissing or foreplay in the movie theater. Now she was a grown woman, able to have one-night stands, hookups, or booty calls if she so pleased. Only her virginity stood in the way. Not for long, she thought.

She had devised a plan to overcome this obstacle once and for all...