It had seemed like a crazy idea to Sherry when it first occurred to her. But she needed money and this was a way to get some that would allow her to express the desire that had been building up inside her for what seemed like years.
Sherry had developed early. As a young teen her double-D cup bustline attracted a lot of attention, all of it unwanted. The boys all wanted to "score" with her so they could brag about it to their friends. They would pretend to care about her until they had their chance to grope her in the movies or in the backseat of their cars. The girls weren't any better. Most of them called her unkind names like "Jugs" and wouldn't associate with her. They assumed that the whispers about her being a slut were true. They resented her sexy figure, mostly out of jealousy. And so Sherry was alone.
Terry had been the one boy who had been a true friend. Sherry remembered the history project that they did together. Terry had been nervous to even talk to her, but he was smart and when he talked about the Civil War, his interest made the subject interesting to her. But even their friendship seemed to draw unwanted attention. The guys teased Terry mercilessly about being after Sherry's bosom and the girls assumed Sherry was giving herself to Terry as they assumed she had given herself to all the guys in school.
The truth was that both young people were virgins. And their friendship was platonic. Terry had acne and felt ill at ease around all the other girls. Sherry was like the sister he never had. He thought she was pretty, but he was so sure no girl would ever look twice at him, that he never considered her romantically. Sherry was just happy to have someone to talk to. At first all their conversations were about schoolwork, but finally one day Terry came over to study for the biology test with Sherry and she opened up to him.
"So mammals are characterized by being warm-blooded vertebrates who have hair and nurse their young." Terry recited. Then he added without thinking, "From their mammary glands."
Suddenly he realized what he had said and he fell silent and looked at the floor. Sherry touched him lightly on the hand.
"It's ok, Terry. You're just using the scientific terms. You don't have to be embarrassed. Besides, my mammary glands are kind of hard to miss."
Terry slowly looked up and saw Sherry smiling at him. He awkwardly smiled back. His eyes darted down to Sherry's vast bustling and then back up to her eyes. Sherry smiled a little wider.
From then on they became close friends sharing their innermost thoughts. Sherry poured out her heart telling him how hurt she had been by the kids at school and how she only wanted to be close to someone. Not for sex or to be a girlfriend, just to share quiet moments. Terry, in turn, told her how he liked her and all, but could never see himself having a girlfriend. He just wasn't driven in that way. He felt needs, but not a passion to satisfy them. They came to understand each other as no else had ever done.
Years passed and Sherry moved into her own place. She took various jobs in town, but never seemed to be able to get ahead. In fact, she barely made ends meet. Terry also stayed in town after high school and worked for the town as an assistant engineer. He couldn't afford college and could barely afford his little apartment. No one in town seemed to notice when they moved in together. Terry slept on the futon in the main room and insisted that Sherry take the bedroom. the arrangement allowed each of them to live in a bit more comfort although money remained tight, particularly for Sherry.
One evening they began talking. Sherry had been feeling an overwhelming need to nurture someone. Anyone. Terry wondered if she wanted more from him than he was ready to give.
"No, Terry. It's not like that. It's strange. Maybe it's a maternal instinct or something. But I don't want to have a baby. And I certainly don't want a husband."
