Triple Trouble

Then I remembered something that did make me angry.

"Margo. Margo dated other men all this time. Margo was the... um... slut of the three. So, had I not figured this out how long would I have been sharing Margo's boyfriends anyway? I mean supposedly you all three 'love' me so much, how could you do that to me?"

They had the sense to look guilty as hell. My statement also started an argument between them too.

"I knew it. You wouldn't listen to me. Oh no. 'Margo should keep being normal. She should keep having boyfriends. That's part of our cover'. You both pushed that on me. I didn't want to go there at all, but you pushed and pushed... "

"Hey, you were enjoying it too. We all decided that Margo had to stay right to keep the status quo."

"Yeah, well you sure should have kept Rick in line better. Letting him know that you fell in love with Matt was the straw that broke the camels back and now look where we are."

"You can't blame that on me sister. You spent every third week with him too."

"BUT HE'S MY HUSBAND! OF COURSE I LOVE HIM MORE THAN RICK! Besides, I never slept around unless I was forced into it. I love my husband too much for that."

"He's 'our' husband dearie. We've shared him all this time. You can't claim him alone. Besides, we all became more careful with the dating week. Very few men got past first base with Margo after we fell in love with Matt."

"I dated him first. He asked me out first. I fell in love with him first."

"Did not. I did."

The one in the middle was quick to jump in.

"Oh hell no... I love him and loved him first."

I listened up to that point then I knew I had to get the talk back on subject. They were starting to drive me nuts. Each of them arguing about who loved me first.

"HOLD IT! Stop! Listen to yourselves. You're fighting over one guy. You've all had a part in this mess all the way through, that's obvious. I was kept in the dark as long as possible. I never suspected. You three are good. Very good. I never had a clue until lately."

"But we do love you Matt."

"I love Megan. She's my wife and I love her."

"Again. Which one is she?"

Every time this came up I lost. I knew it, they knew it, and as far as they were concerned, I had no choice but to concede.

"One way to fix that would be to get divorced then I could find some single woman that had no sisters at all. Maybe that would fix this."

I didn't expect the looks I got. All three had the same shell shocked look. Like I had slapped them at the same time, hard.

"Matt, you don't mean that. Please say you don't mean that."

That came from the one on my left. She was the only one that spoke, and for some reason that gave me hope for my marriage. The other two had sat there stunned, but the one on my left...she'd spoken first and firmly. Megan? Maybe.

"Megan?"

I looked to my left at the one who had spoken.

All three answered as one.

"YES?"

"Damn it! I love Megan. I only love Megan. I care for Melissa and Margo, but I only love Megan."

"Matthew dear, if we don't tell you, you'll never know which one is which. We've been rotating, trading around for years now. You never knew until now, and it wasn't an issue, until now. We all love you, so why can't you accept that and make a change?"

"Then we have some bigger issues to settle too. For instance, while Megan, my legally bound wife was pretending to be Margo... she cheated on me with other men. Not a man, other MEN. Knowingly and wantonly."

"I wouldn't say wantonly Matt."

Again, from my left.

"Well, how can you explain cheating as meaning nothing then?"

"IT was to protect US Matthew. You had more than a little to do with that. We decided that WE had to keep up appearances. It ended up with the trade-offs that we didn't like, but we had no choice. Besides, Margo wasn't all that 'active' with other men despite appearances. If Margo had quit dating, and Melissa had left Rick, then you'd have known almost right away. We knew you wouldn't be able to handle that."

The one in the center, in my mind now, was Melissa. I was pretty sure that the one on my left was Megan, which meant that the one on my right was Margo. I couldn't prove it mind you, but in my heart it was what I felt.

"Do you three have any idea of how disturbing this all is? I mean, trading personalities all your lives like this? Can you even be sure which one is which any more between you? You all say you love me, yet you all lied, cheated and traded around behind my back like it was some sort of sick game with you."

"Oh yes. We know who's who between us. Always have. We can keep 'us' separate from the others in our minds, if that's what you're worrying about. We're not crazy like that at all."

"Don't ask me to buy into that argument. Everything I've learned today is crazy. How do we handle this now? What are our options, short of my divorcing Megan and taking off into the sunset alone?"

I said it to shock them. Let them think I was ready to walk. Was I, you ask? I didn't know. It would have been far easier to get up and walk out right then, than to stay there and try to find some kind of solution. I was in over my head already, so I figured I had little choice but to try to find that solution.

Their ideas shocked me to my core.

"Our options? That's easy. You're married to Megan. Melissa and Margo have the online business, as will Megan. You'll find work in another city. We'll all move. We'll get a house in the country with few or no neighbors. One of us will run into town daily shopping and whatever. The other two will run a business online. You'll never want for company or love. We'll take care of you Matthew. You'll have more love than you'll ever know what to do with."

"Change my job? I like my job. I like it right where I'm at."

"Together we can love and live happily ever after Matt. Here... well, we could probably work something out, but it would be much harder. Besides, Margo's and Melissa's little business is starting to turn the corner and become a real great business. Someday soon we could all retire and live off it."

Looking at all three I finally realized that I had to know. One way or the other... I had to know.

"Megan, and Megan only. This is for you. How do you feel about this?"

Silence. All three stared at their hands, not even glancing at me. I was desperate to know and understand how they could do this and be this way, but if they wouldn't or couldn't give on this little item, what was the point? I had to know what Megan, the real Megan thought first. Before I could even know what to think about.

Suddenly, I felt someone's foot on my shin. On my left shin. Rubbing up and down softly yet with an intensity that spoke volumes.

"Megan?"

I spoke to all three, hoping against hope that one would speak out. Still nothing but silence. The rubbing got firmer. I knew right up until the one on my right started the same rubbing on my other leg. Then the one in the center placed her foot between my legs and started trying to massage my cock.

I had to get some space between me and them.

"You're all asking me to change in a basic and fundamental way from the way I was raised and taught. What you want to do is illegal in every State in the Union too. I need to think about this quite a bit before I make a choice of this magnitude. I'm going to check into a local motel for a few days, you all stay here. I mean that too. Margo especially needs to stay here. I'll make my mind up as fast as I can, but you've given me an awful lot to think about too."

They didn't argue with me, though I could see on their faces worry and fear. I packed my suitcase for a few nights stay and as I left all three were by the door waiting.

"Please stay here. You can sleep in the master bedroom and we'll stay in the other bedrooms Matt. Please stay with us instead of leaving like this?"

"Really, I need to be away from all of you for the time being. Until I come back with my decision, you all have to stay celibate of course. Should I catch any of you out on a date with another man or men that will be the end."

One of them opened the door for me as the other two kissed my cheeks at the same time. The one that held the door came outside and hugged me close whispering in my ear.

"Matt, I love you. If you want we can go away just the two of us. Anywhere, anyplace you want. I can't lose you. I just can't."

"You should have thought of all that when we were dating and first married Megan...or which ever one you really are."

The look in her eyes told me volumes. It hadn't been Megan. Her eyes darted into the living room through the open door. I couldn't make out which one she glanced at, but it was enough for me to realize that this one wasn't my wife.

"You see? I can't trust any of you now. Not one single one of you. You've made a huge mess, bigger than any Pandora's Box. To tell you the truth, I don't think I can handle this at all. Being with all three of you was never in my mind or thoughts. I married one girl. NOT ALL THREE OF YOU."

My louder voice brought the other two scurrying up to the door. All three were shedding tears begging me not to go. As I got in my car I glanced back and felt something strange grab my heart. It was like I was being strangled. From within.

I ran into Rick a few nights later. As I walked up to the bar he stood as if to leave.

"You leave I'll follow. I'll follow you to hell you bastard. All the way there with bells on and a bucket of water in my hand. We ARE going to talk and you ARE going to answer my questions."

"Just let it drop man. You won, I'm gone and I'm not ever going to mention those three to anyone, not ever."

"You knew all this time and you never let me know about it?"

"You don't understand. When I met Melissa there was no other man around. I was it. When I discovered what they were doing at first I was madder than hell, but then I realized that I was benefiting from it all, so... so what?"

"SO WHAT? God Damn man... you're married to one of them and they're all doing you. That's wrong on any level."

"Animals do it. Animals have one male breeding the whole herd all the time. I also want to remind you that THEY started it. NOT ME. Them. When I found out they soothed me down and let me know how lucky I was. Then along comes Matt."

"What did I have to do with it?"

"EVERYTHING. Melissa fell for you, Margo too. Megan was head over heels in love with you that first date you had. I kind of knew it when my sex life started to drop off here and there. Pretty soon I was getting it about the same as any 'normal' married man. Once or twice a week. Three times on a good week. You on the other hand were getting laid almost nightly. Several times a night if I understood their conversations I overheard."

"You're saying that all this time you knew what they were doing not only to you but to me, and you went along with it?"

"Hey, they're beautiful women, if you haven't noticed. They're also identical triplets too. Had I told you you'd never have believed me and they might have done something drastic to prevent me from spilling the beans. How was I to know what they'd do? I mean, they're different all the way around from any other women you'll ever meet."

"I highly doubt that they'd harm you or me Rick."

"Yeah? I figured I was married to ONE of them, not all three. I thought that they loved me... until you came along. I don't think I ever understood them at all. You, on the other hand, have it made. Three wives... three lovers... three of everything, and you're standing here pissed at me? You won their hearts totally and you've gotten to the point of walking out on them over it? You have no idea how lucky you really are Matt. NONE AT ALL. If they loved me half as much as they love you... "

His passions were coming out and I could see hurt in his eyes. He couldn't finish his sentence. They had rejected him for me. They had fallen in love with me, and not as much in love with him... if at all. I could understand why he'd be upset. I just couldn't understand why he was upset with me. I was innocent in all of this until lately.

"I'm sorry Rick. I never knew. I never knew that they were doing this. If I had known before... "

"What? You'd have left them standing in the cold? I highly doubt it. They'd have swung you over to their way of thinking eventually. I now know that what they felt for me was like or possibly lust. What they feel for you is true love Matt. I can see that. They can see it. Why can't you? I'm outta here... unless you still want to bash my head in."

I just stood and watched him walk into the night. What could I have said? His argument was precise if nothing else. I knew that they loved me. I could feel it in my heart. I knew that I loved them too. But this was all wrong.

Confused, I went back to the bar and drank into the night. Drunker than I'd been in quite some time, I stumbled back to my motel room barely negotiating the sidewalk even though I was the only person on it that night.

In my inebriated state I tried to focus on what it was I felt. What I thought and what I knew. Of course, a drunk never really thinks as straight as they think they are, and in the morning besides one hell of a hangover, I was even more befuddled by my situation.

I spent the next five days just avoiding anyone I knew. I went to work and then to the motel. I would spend my nights with drinks and bartenders, wondering if I'd sleep better or not. It was usually 'or not'.

I called them one night and made a date to talk with them. It was a difficult call as whoever I talked to kept crying.

"Hey, it's Matt. I think we need to all talk. I've been doing some thinking this last week and I hope you three have too."

"Oh Matt, please...yes. We'll be here. I'll make dinner... we'll... make dinner. We do need to talk to you. I love you Matt. We all do."

She didn't sound at all like any of the sisters at the moment. Her thoughts were running out of her mouth all jumbled. I could feel her tension through the phone. Tense and desperate.

"Well, that's what we need to talk about you know. That 'love' thing. I'm not happy with what you three pulled on me, but I also know that I love one of you more than life itself so I'm stuck in the middle of a mess I never had anything to do with. I don't know if things can be fixed, but I know we do need to talk it over."

"We'll have dinner ready. How about six tomorrow night?"

"Six? I guess. I'll be there at six then."

I hung up before saying any more. I was about in tears hearing her over the phone. I knew that I couldn't tell which one she was and that she was upset as any of them ever had been. Coping with this was one of the most difficult things that had ever been forced on me.

Six o'clock the next night found me parked out front of my house in my car working up the nerve to walk into what had been my home. I felt like a stranger. It was surreal, in that just beyond that front door was the woman I loved. In triplicate.

The door opened quickly at my first knock.

"Matt! We're glad you made it."

They were all there. If I hadn't known them it would have been quite intimidating. They were dressed very nicely. Not quite sexy, not quite plain. I could see that they'd worked it out between them carefully though as they all looked exactly the same.

"I'm to get no chance huh?"

The look of confusion spread across their faces.

"What do you mean?"

"Yeah, what do you mean by that Matt? We'll give you every chance and we hope that you'll do the same for us."

"We love you Matt, please let us prove that to you."

All three had their say.

"You're all dressed exactly alike. I can't tell you apart and you know it."

"Oh. We wanted everything to be equal. Whatever happens tonight is important to you and we know that. We thought that if we all looked exactly alike you'd be better able to... cope."

"Or you're hiding behind the subterfuge of my not knowing which one is which?"

I turned to leave. I was insulted and angry. I was being ganged up on and they obviously had no intention of giving up their way of life.

I was grabbed and pulled back inside. I heard the door slam shut and the click of a lock being made.

"Okay Matt. We'll do it your way then."

One of them started to undress and the others followed. Shortly I saw all three sisters nude. They lined up in front of me and then they all turned around. Red. Black. Green.

The marks-a-lot dots were there right between their shoulder blades like I'd made them. New and brightly shining. Next to each mark was a name, written in the same color of ink.

Red. Megan.

Black. Margo.

Green. Melissa.

"Wait a second... I thought that green was... "

"Matt, we lied then. We weren't aware just how upset you were about to become. Now the right name is in the right color. If things work out like we hope they do, we will always have 'our' colors on. Nude like this, or in our clothes, our colors will be a separating factor."

"You all traded around before. How can I trust you to keep straight and even more, how could I be sure of that?"

"These aren't marks-a-lot marks Matt. They're tattoos. We got them done Monday morning after talking it over between us. They can't wash off, wear off, or rub off. They're permanent. We knew that you had to have some way to separate us from each other in your mind that was permanent."

"The names?"

"No. Just the dots. If you look carefully we each have a dot between our shoulder blades, a colored flower between the cheeks of...well in the other place you marked us... and one on the front of our bodies too. Right by our belly buttons. See?"

As I looked down at their bellies I saw the larger flowers next to their belly buttons. In some ways it was sexy... in another way it was a reminder. Each flower was tastefully done and each it's own color. No, there was no black flower. Red, Green and Blue only.

I knew I had to make a move.

"Shall we go into the kitchen and talk then?"

I felt like a space adventurer one sees in the movies. I was taking a huge step into uncharted territory and wasn't sure what the outcome would be. As we walked into the kitchen I grabbed Megan's hand and held her close to me. Sitting down, I kept her next to me, much to the dismay of her siblings.

"Why'd you keep Megan by you Matt?"

"She's my wife, and the one I thought I'd been married to all this time."

"But we thought that you were going to work something out between us."

"I am. I'm going to force you three to become individuals, or lacking that, I'm going to divorce Megan and move on. I know all three of you love me and I know that you all think this can work out, but I don't. I really truly don't. I have always been a one woman man and this whole... mess has really screwed my mind up."

"But... what will Melissa and I do then Matt? We love you just as much as Meagan does. We deserve a chance with you too. We can share. We'll only be with you from now on. We can do anything you want us to do to prove that too."

"I don't want your proof. I want Megan. I tried to tell you the other night but you weren't listening. I love Megan. I want Megan. I love you two too, but not like I love Megan."

I could see the pain and hurt on Melissa and Margo's faces. I plunged on despite the stiffening of Megan's handhold with me and my heart beating harder and harder.

"I've thought about this for the last week and have come to the conclusion that if 'we' were to become a 'couple' that eventually we'd be found out. Legal and moral issues would become the next big thing on the evening news just like that Mormon guy that's in trouble right now. I can't do that."

"We want you Matt. We all want you and we'll fight to keep you."

"What about what I want? You all profess to love me so damned much, what about what I want and what I can handle? Can't you see that you're forcing your will on me without giving me a chance?"