I went out for another walk - two questions looming large. I love Lorraine and the intimacy that we shared, but what was I thinking getting involved that way. Part of me knew that it would not remain hidden, so I knew that I was to blame, too. I love Andrew and everything his whole family has meant to me. But, if we all get intimate, what does that do to that friendship that sense of family? What happens if someone feels the need to stop? What happens if Lo gets jealous, or Andrew, or me, for crying out loud? And if I really just move in, then what?
After a long walk, I was no closer to an answer to any of that. I went out to the liquor store and bought a bottle of Andrew and Lorraine's favorite wine, and headed back to their place. As dinner time approached, I opened the bottle to let it breathe and put it on the table with wine glasses.
"Oh, big announcement?" Lorraine asked, seeing the bottle.
"No, I just want a long talk with the two of you," I answered.
"Uh, oh - care to open up?" she asked.
"Please, I only want to do this once, and I want you both there - it needs to be all of us involved."
I put her off until dinner. We sat and Andrew poured wine of each of us.
"So," I began, "we all need to talk - I need to say a few things first, and then we all need to talk and share ideas, agreed?"
They each said, "yes," and I started in.
"First and foremost, I love you both and I cannot imagine life without you - what you have meant to me and my family I could not even begin to put a value on. Things have happened - things between Lo and me that I did not predict, but have brought us closer, and I should have known that it would not remain a secret, nor should it have, and to both of you I say that I am profoundly sorry for any issues that it may have caused or may cause."
They both tried to jump in at this point, but I cut them off.
"No, no, please, I need to continue, and I know that you two have talked, but it does not change the fact that I should have known that it would come out into the open, and if my actions somehow drove a wedge between you two, I don't know how I'd have lived with it. So that brings me to the two offers that I have in front of me - that we have in front of us.
"The intimacy - I mean friendship intimacy - between Lo and I has only grown deeper since our physical intimacy has blossomed. I love you more now than I thought was possible, and I've loved you as the sister I never had for decades, my dear. And the thought that I can have even some of that with Andrew, and thus with the two of you, is a most intriguing and tempting offer. There were others before Tom, but none after him until Lo and I, so there is apprehension there, but the bigger apprehension is in trying to anticipate what this might do to our friendships. What can happen if something else happens? What happens if one of us wants it to stop? What happens if I somehow become that wedge? What happens if our kids find out about all of this?
"And, to the second offer, the one to simply move in, I don't think I can just do that. This is your home, and as welcome as I feel, it is your home. You pay the mortgage and the taxes and all of that. I cannot simply live here. And what happens if the first scenario causes a rift - then what do I do?
"So, it all seems so risky to me. The upsides are tempting, but the downside seems devastating and I don't think I could live with it."
I sat there, after my little monologue and neither of them spoke. I nervously sipped my wine. Andrew cleared his throat and spoke first.
"So, first of all, there is no need to apologize to us. We are both very solidly satisfied in our marriage, and with our love for one another, and our love for you - and your kids. I'm closer to you than my own sister and her family. I agree that we need to do our best to understand things between us all before we move forward with any new physical intimacy between us. If that added dimension were to cause some kind of rift, then it would be devastating for all of us, so yes, we need to set up some kind of understanding before we rush into things. Lorraine and I have talked about the situation with you two, and I am feeling a bit jealous, I admit, but I can't decide who I am jealous of, you for being with Lo, or Lo for being with you! Now, I think, and propose, that if any of the three of us is uncomfortable or unhappy with things we all agree to halt and hash it out, and if we cannot, then we end the intimate connection. As to whether you two can continue, I will tell you that I am OK with it - a bit jealous, as stated, but I am OK with it. Lo has assured me that I am not being replaced, and I love you both and want you to be happy."
"Now, as to you living here full time, we stand by our offer. It is ready for you any time you'd like. If you feel like you are free-loading, then we can work something out, like you waiting on us hand and foot as rent!"
Lorraine laughed out loud. I already knew he wasn't serious about that part, but it helped hearing her laugh.
"Sweetheart," Lorraine continued, "I agree with everything Andrew said. The invitation, and I think, the intimacy are intended to bring you in closer to us. I love you like a sister, and then some, and I believe that adding Andrew to our intimacy, like adding you to Andrew's and mine, will just add to the connections that we already have. At the same time, I can understand why you would find it weird - hopefully only at first. Our first encounter just seemed to bloom, and this feels a lot more formal, but I think it will be good for us - all three of us!"
I looked at the two of them. I somehow expected Andrew to be nothing more than a randy, horny goat, but I did not see lust in his eyes, only caring. I knew that's what I'd find in Lorraine's eyes, but the two of them just melted my apprehensions and my heart.
"I love you - both of you!" I said, a bit haltingly, "I can see through your eyes that this is not just a 'sex' thing - there is more to it, and I can tell. I am interested, but still apprehensive. I don't know that I can just say 'yeah, let's go get naked!', but, yes, let's try to figure this out, somehow. I don't think I'm going to just sell my house, but heck, I've been here for more time since Tom's passing than I have at my house, so maybe we see how things go before I jump into that?"
The two of them looked at each other and then moved in and hugged me together. Lo kissed me full on the lips, and then whispered in my ear, "I'll try to keep it slow for you, but I'm going to push it, you know?"
We were still in a group hug when I felt a hand on my ass. I could tell it was Lo - I was familiar with her grope. I put my head on Andrew's chest and felt the safety of the two of them, and really took in the scent of a man hugging me again. I was not sure what to expect, but everything was in the open between us and I allowed myself to enjoy it.
"Andrew, is it OK if Lo and I talk alone?" I asked.
"Sure, Maggie," he replied and he kissed me on the forehead - something he had done before, but he cupped my face in his hands as he did so, something he had not done before.
After he left, she immediately kissed me and grabbed my ass with both hands.
I pulled away, not in anger, but with some authority.
"I don't know how to proceed, Lo," I said to her.
She brushed my hair back from my face and looked me in the eye.
"Remember our first time together?" she asked.
"Of course, I do, I will never forget it!"
"OK, remember how we let one thing just lead to another? We will do that again, only we will add Andrew. Listen, I can ask him to be 'in charge' or I can ask him to let it all happen - he will be good with that, at least up until he starts to get to close to cumming, then there's no calling him back, but he can allow himself to be passive if that's what you want."
"Lo, first of all, I can't believe we are having this discussion about your husband, and you are all calm about it! I cannot imagine if the roles were reversed - I'd never wanted to share Tom with anyone else!"
"And I never imagined wanting to share Andrew, but then I never really thought that you and I would be rolling around in the sheets together, either. I never imagined you without Tom, but here we are. You've already said that the physical intimacy has brought us closer, and now I do want to share Andrew with you. Not with anyone else, just you. I love you both more than anything else except maybe our children. It'll be special - because you are special and Andrew is special and we all have a special relationship, and this will only deepen it!"
I looked at her and felt that she was right. "OK, how do we proceed? Do we all just strip down and go at it? What about protection? I don't think I could get pregnant, but I don't want to take any chances?"
"OK, OK, slow down!" she replied, "I guess we do have some things to work out still, don't we? So, Andrew and I have been exclusive for our entire time together, so there are no disease worries. He had a vasectomy after Jenny was born, and obviously we have had no pregnancies since then, so then it's what you are comfortable with with regard to protection - we'll follow your lead on that. As to 'just strip down and go at it' - well, I'd hoped for something more gradual and romantic than just a teen-aged hump party!"
"Well, I didn't know he'd had the 'snip-snip' - Tom did that, too, so we'd been going free from birth control since Molly. And I wasn't serious about just stripping down, but I am nervous about how to proceed."
"I'll tell you what, it's a little cliched, but how about wine and the hot tub as a way to loosen up a bit. Then we see where it goes. Everyone in suits to start things off?"