Dom and Annie. And Suzanne.

"Oh Dom, relax," she said as she scrubbed my back. "Annie has had a tough time of it, and you gave her everything she needed to get her through it. You've had your own tough time of it, and she couldn't help you out with what you need, so I just did it for her. Think of it as a mother taking responsibility for her child's oversight."

Somehow her warped logic made sense. On some level everyone wound up with what they needed. I felt bad about the infidelity on one level, while on a different level I was smiling at the amazing gifts my mother in law had given me.

The blizzard continued to blow. Rather than dig out the car only to face a yet unplowed parking lot, we walked the quarter mile to the hospital in the plow track. It was slow going. We spent the day as a family rejoicing in a new arrival was beautiful, and I don't think either Suzanne or I gave the last night a thought. When the night rolled around, the storm was still raging, and predictions called for it to continue to snow until the next afternoon.

Late that night, Suzanne and I made the trek back to the motel. As we faced the bitter wind and the stinging snow, I replayed the events of the last twenty four hours over and over in my mind. I weighed the guilt of my infidelity against the incredible feeling of release from making love with Suzanne. I loved Annie so dearly. I knew Suzanne loved Len.

I turned the key in the lock and we walked into the hotel room. We were greeted with a warm glow of lamplight, and the equally welcome sensation of a working heating system. We undressed. Both of us had the same thought and moved to a sink, washing our undergarments by hand, as we had been wearing them for a day and a half. There we stood, stark naked, side by side and didn't touch. We finished our task, and one after the other hung our wet clothes in the bathroom to dry.

I walked out as Suzanne climbed into bed.

"Suzanne, we have to talk," I began to speak.

"Shhh," she stopped me. "No we really don't. What we did wasn't entirely wrong, but it wasn't right either. What was it? It was beautiful, it was sensual, it was amazing, it was incredible, it was invigorating, it was rejuvenating. I could go on Dom."

I felt so right at that moment. Standing naked in front of this wonderful loving woman, who was in an entirely different way making me feel good for a second consecutive night.

"Dom, you're my baby girl's love. You mean everything to her. I just borrowed you on a night she didn't need you. Let it go at that. I don't want things to change between you and Annie or between me and Len just because we shared each other's sexual charms last night. Can we just treasure the memory and go on from here?"

I looked at her and smiled. I sat down on the bed beside her, leaned over and gently kissed her forehead.

"Good-night Suzanne. I'll see you in the morning."

I settled into my bed, squeaking and creaking my way to reasonable comfort on what I was sure had been built more as an implement of torture than of blissful slumber. The wind was beginning to subside, obviously signaling the storm was near the end of its stay. I knew I'd spend an eternity the next day digging out the car, but was looking forward to seeing Annie and the baby again. Once again, my mind was replaying the events of the last days, feeling incredible love for Annie and our new family. I also however had a new love for Suzanne.

"Dom?" Suzanne asked in the dark.

"Yes?"

"Come here."

She didn't have to say it twice.