Jonathan - Part One
I now had a clearer view of the history between Melanie, Jonathan and Nathaniel, if only from Mel's perspective. However, as I drove back to Bromley from Sevenoaks I couldn't help thinking about Jonathan and the dynamics between him, his Wife Mel, her Black Boyfriend Nat, and little Julie. One thing I did know was that Jon, as Melanie referred to him, was a cuckold of some years.
He was a young man who possesses inadequate 'equipment' for physically loving his Wife although I knew, even without meeting him, that he clearly loves her and that she loves him. But does he feel the same about the beautiful baby who Nathaniel and his Wife had made together? Was Jon a total submissive? One thing was certain, I needed to meet this guy because there must be more to him than meets the eye. I was not wrong.
And Nathaniel, my Wife Jen's former Lover, what are his thoughts on this? Is Melanie just another pretty white vessel for his pleasure or is there attachment here too. Does he care about, or even care for, his Mistress's husband? Does he even acknowledge his existence?
"I can tell you something," I said to Jen as we sat down to dinner that night. "She doesn't like you. That pretty little thing knew you were at it with Nat in Corfu, and I can tell you she is one smart cookie."
Jen's face turned a red colour as she realised that she and Nat had not been as clever as they had thought. "Oh dear! I was so hoping to see the baby. What is she like by the way?"
"Julie? Beautiful! She has Mel's features and Nat's colouring - of course."
"Of course!" She replied meaningfully. It was a simple statement, but was loaded with significance for Melanie and her little family - ours too. "Well if there was ever an expert to help this little feller, then it's you."
I smiled ruefully and replied, "Derek Grant - Cuckold Counsellor - at your service madam!"
Jen came around the table and put her silk clad breasts either side of my head, kissed my growing bald spot and with great tenderness she whispered, "Fix this tortured cuckold, 'D'. Fix this little family before it breaks. You can do it and you know why. You have - we have - already been there ourselves."
She was right, neither of my children are from my loins; they don't look like me or have the same colouring, but they are my kids who are well brought up, and happy. They were the result of her love, and I stress the word love, affair that Jen had enjoyed with a strong and handsome Black Master.
So I was uniquely qualified for this undertaking, but I was determined not to jump in with any remedial measures until I had talked with all three of them and understood all of the issues. 'Perhaps,' I thought, 'when I have talked to Jon and Nat, I could get them all together. We shall see.'
I was eating breakfast a couple of days later when the phone rang - it was Jonathan. His voice was thin and his speech was terse, so I had the immediate sense that he was nervous and resented having to call me. I had some sympathy for his position, why would he talk about his sexuality to a total stranger, so I adopted an emollient tone that after five minutes seemed to work. We agreed to meet the following evening when Mel was going to be 'out'. Presumably on a date with Nat.
Jon turned out to be just like his voice - thin and tense. Tall, with a slight stoop he was the archetype bearded intellectual that can be seen on the television in any number of current affairs television programmes at any time. It was clear that, for his job in a major newspaper, he had a 'planet sized' brain; he also had a beautiful Wife, who sadly he could not, and never will, physically satisfy.
We shook hands at the door and I followed him in to the same sitting room that Mel and I had talked just two days earlier. As we sat down he evaded eye contact with me and I couldn't make out if he was nervous or resentful. I decided to settle him down with some easy questions about himself and to open up some common ground.
"What did Melanie say to you about me, Jonathan?" I asked him straight away, because I needed to know what she had said to him in the way of preparation.
His face coloured bright red; so much for my easy questions. "She said that your Wife is Nathaniel's ex Lover and that you are a bit of an expert at that sort of thing. And please call me Jon. In the interests of speed and efficiency."
We smiled together, which warmed the room a little. "What did Mel say was the purpose for our meeting?" I asked as he turned red again.
"Mel thinks that I don't bond with the baby very well. She says the reason is because it's not mine." He replied with his face the colour of beetroot.
'The baby? It's not mine? She's beautiful and her name is Julie mate!' I thought to myself without, hopefully, showing the sudden worry in my reactions.
"Is she right?"
He looked evasive at the directness of my query. 'So much for easy questions. Is this going to be difficult?'
"I do everything I am asked to do."
"That wasn't my question Jon." I replied in an even voice to hide my irritation at his reply, "Do you feel comfortable with her?"
He didn't show it but I could sense his own irritation that I had not let him get away with such a deflection, "I do my best Derek. Honestly I do. It's just that progeny thing."
At last! An honest answer! I decided to change tack to put him at ease. "Did Mel tell you that my Wife had children with one of her Lovers?"
"Yes she did. I don't really know what to say to you Derek. It's clear that we aren't the same. Sorry! I didn't mean to offend you," he replied - red faced again.
"No offence taken Jon," I lied, "but you're talking crap. You are probably more like me than you know. It is just the circumstances that are different," I looked at his even redder face and smiled, "and given time I shall prove it to you."
