A Good Man Tested

'Surely, you can understand your parents' concern for your welfare,' said Cassie.

Fiona audibly sighed with frustration.

'Then, why are they not voicing their concerns directly to me, Cass?' she reminded her. 'I appreciate you informing me that the dinner is partially a ruse for us to talk, but I've also been honest with you. I regard the work I've chosen to do as a business transaction. Three or four times a week, tops. The agency thoroughly scrutinises the background of each client. Most have become regulars and ask for me by name.'

'I respect your decision,' she assured Fiona, 'but it would have been negligent of me not to remind you of the risks. No matter how minor you might consider them to be.'

'Understood,' she conceded. 'So, what will you tell my parents?'

'Nothing about their daughter working as a parttime escort,' she assured her. 'Neither will I invent some farfetched excuse on your behalf. That's for you to do if you can't bring yourself to tell them the truth. No, I'll tell Erin that we talked about your ambition to be an entrepreneur and how happy you are with that wealthy boyfriend. You know, the one who bought your new car. That should appease her until you can think of something to explain away paying off your university loans.'

'Thank you, Cass,' she murmured, while hugging her former teacher.

Home of Simon and Cassie Lomas

They arrived home shortly after midnight to find Danielle asleep on the couch in a darkened lounge. Cassie gently roused her as Simon turned up the dimmer switch for the wall lights. The young woman smiled at them in turn, slowly sitting up, as they sat either side of her.

'I must have dropped off,' she muttered. 'Logan and I were celebrating his appointment as the newest dance teacher at the studio.'

'Good for Logan,' said Cassie. 'We'll congratulate him tomorrow. Now, off to bed.'

'But I so wanted to talk to you guys about making my stay here more permanent,' she drunkenly revealed. 'I really love you both and hate the thought of sharing a dingy apartment with strangers in September.'

'You look really tired, Danielle,' observed Simon, helping her to stand. 'Go to bed. We can discuss your proposal in the morning.'

'That would be so great,' she gleefully remarked, while ambling toward the doorway.

Cassie followed her, to ensure she had reached the landing in one piece, before returning to the couch.

She looked questioning at her husband.

'Is it possible for her to stay with us for such a long time?'

'Well, we're both fond of having her around,' he replied. 'Besides, you know how flighty kids can be at her age. By September, she'll probably want to leave.'

'True,' agreed Cassie. 'So, what were you chatting to Erin about at dinner tonight? She appeared flushed by your charm.'

He laughed at her comment.

'She apologised for coming on to me last year after that concert,' he reminded her. 'I was genuinely flattered and told her so.'

'Hmm... Erin remains incredibly attractive for a forty-nine-year-old,' she agreed. 'Looks ten years younger and, considering she had two adult children, her figure is so slim. Lovely firm breasts to boot.'

'I watched you talking to her daughter in the garden,' he reminded her. 'Did she heed your advice?'

'Believe me, Fiona needed no advice from me,' she confirmed. 'She earns extra cash from escort work.'

'So, I gathered from my eavesdropping on your conversation,' he acknowledged. 'So, what will you tell Erin?'

'We've arranged to meet for lunch in town tomorrow,' she explained. 'I'm not sure how truthful I can be with the woman. I mean how do you break the news to a mother that her daughter is on the game, even if it is at the higher end of the market?'

'We could always invite Fiona over for an evening,' he nonchalantly suggested. 'Perhaps, between us, we could convince her to repent.'

Cassie laughed.

'Hmm... I think you have other, darker, motives for inviting her over, Mister Horny,' she accusingly remarked. 'I saw you ogling her during dinner.'

'Me? Surely not, my darling wife,' he said, feigning indignity.

'As if you'd refuse the chance to repeat our cosy vacation threesome,' she sarcastically taunted him.

'I'm quite happy with the beauty I married,' he blithely assured her.

They kissed fervently to initiate an impromptu lovemaking session...

Logan sprinted into the yard ahead of Danielle and Simon, as they completed their morning run.

'Unfair,' panted Danielle, bending over with both hands resting on her knees, as she caught her breath. 'You're just showing off, Logan.'

'I'm out of condition,' spluttered Simon, while sitting on a garden chair to recover.

'No, he just paced us too fast during the last half mile.' Danielle complained, giving Logan a dirty look.

Logan chuckled. 'No pain, no gain, princess,' he dismissively remarked.

'Well, I'm going to be knackered for the rest of the day,' panted Simon, opening his flask and drinking the last of his water.

'I'm going to hit the shower,' announced Logan, as he entered the house.

Danielle decided to join Simon. Sitting upon a chair facing his, they rested for a while longer before either spoke.

'Cassie and I discussed your request to stay here after the summer,' he began. 'If you can manage to put up with us, we'd be happy to extend your accommodation.'

She stood and squealed with delight whilst hugging him.

'Thanks, Simon,' she said, kissing him on the cheek, before retaking her seat. 'I'm so relieved. I'd also go and thank Cassie, but I noticed her car's not in the driveway.'

'She's meeting a friend for lunch in town,' he explained. 'Now, I must shower, change my clothes, and get to work.'

'May I ask what type of work it is you do?' she politely enquired.

'You may,' he agreed. 'I'm a partner in a software company, though I can afford to work from home far more these days.'

'Your company must be successful,' she observed.

'Moderately, but it's not the source of my wealth,' he acknowledged. 'My late father, a shrewd businessman, invested in a start-up internet company in the late 90's. When he died last year, he bequeathed those, now, valuable stocks to me. You see, the company in which he invested was Google.'

'Wow! That was some investment,' Danielle exclaimed, appearing genuinely impressed by his explanation. 'I mean, obviously, I'm sorry for your loss...'

Simon smiled at her afterthought condolence, as he entered his home.

During the subsequent days and weeks, the wife-watching fantasy became as remote a memory as their plan for another threesome. There were far more important tangible dilemmas with which to contend.

The dire news that Logan had crashed his motorbike into a truck on the freeway came as a shock to them all. Having rushed to the hospital, they learned he had several breaks to his legs, a crushed pelvis and had also sustained a critical head trauma. The staff initially refused to divulge the patient's information but, after learning Logan had no next of kin and that Simon would be paying the hospital bills, they became most helpful. The surgeons operated immediately to relieve the pressure of fluid on his brain. Later they conducted other major operations, to repair the damage to his internal organs and pin together the broken bones. Afterwards, the medical team had placed Logan into an artificial coma, in the hope that his broken body would sufficiently recover to begin conventional treatment.

Simon had contacted his doctor friend, Sara Anders, directly after the staff had induced Logan's coma. He knew Sara intended to specialise in neuropsychology and thought her experience with post brain trauma patients might prove essential. She offered to meet them at the hospital that evening.

He immediately stood upon seeing Sara enter the waiting area some forty minutes later. She was carrying a copy of the patient report.

'Thanks for coming, Sara,' said Simon, as they shook hands.

'Yes, thank you, doctor,' Cassie and Danielle simultaneously echoed in response.

'You're all welcome,' she said, while reading the notes. 'Your friend's physical injuries will take a few months to heal, given that he's young and fit. If that were the only problem, lots of hydro and physiotherapy treatment would ensure an almost complete recovery.'

'But that's not the only problem, is it?' Danielle tremulously stated, as Cassie comforted her.

'Damage to the cranium is massive,' she confirmed. 'He will remain under constant observation in intensive care, at least, until the swelling has diminished. At present, this report verifies acceptable levels of brain function. Though it's impossible to assess how this type of injury might have affected the patient before he's awake.'

'Is he going to be alright?' asked Cassie, with a hint of desperation in her quavering voice.

Sara removed her glasses as she peered directly at her.

'I'm sorry, Cass, but no doctor would dare offer a prognosis either way at this early stage,' she warmly replied. 'Only constant monitoring will reveal the crucial information needed to assess his chances of survival.'

'And if he recovers enough to go home?' enquired Simon.

'Then, the challenge for a specialist medical practitioner will begin,' she replied.

After more medical talk and an exchange of pleasantries, it was time for Sara to leave. Simon offered to walk her out, which she accepted.

As he walked Sara back to her car, Simon again felt the same unspoken attraction for her as he did when they were younger.

'If the time comes, I want you to be Logan's neuropsychologist,' he informed her.

They halted, as she turned to face him.

'Are you hiring me, Simon?' he said, smiling fondly. 'How could a girl resist such a romantic gesture?'

He grinned at her.

'I must find some excuse to see more of you, Sara,' he quipped.

'Aren't our internet chats and occasional text messages enough to satiate your love for me, Mister Lomas?' she teased.

'I'll take what I can get, but I never tire of your company, Doctor Anders,' he tellingly replied, as they resumed their walk.

'Since when have you and Cassie been collecting strays, like Logan and Danielle?' she asked.

'Only for the past month or so,' he replied, before explaining the reasons for them hosting their houseguests.

'Am I being neurotic, or is Cassie being standoffish with me?' she asked.

'She's just anxious about Logan,' he lied.

Having arrived at her car, they halted again.

'Keep me informed about Logan's progress,' she said. 'I hope he recovers enough for him to become one of my private patients. In the meantime, would you like to meet for lunch soon? It might be nice to take the time to reminisce and, perhaps, relive some old memories.'

'Like I said, any excuse to see more of you, Sara,' he agreed. 'Text me and we'll find a mutually convenient time.'

She smiled, tilting her head, while slipping her arms about his neck. Simon resisted Sara's intended kiss, as he hugged her slender body and merely gave her a peck on the cheek.

Standing at a window on the first floor, Cassie watched them as they briefly kissed. She knew about the far longer friendship they shared and understood that he and Sara would always cherish their special bond. She had also accepted Sara's friendship in the past, but now felt suspicious of the woman's motives regarding Simon.

Simon, Cassie, and Danielle visited every day during those first few weeks. Each took it in turns to remain there overnight, as they continued their long vigil. The doctors had stopped the induced coma and were pleased with his physical recovery and brain function, but Logan's sleep persisted for another week or so. Then, one evening in mid-September, he abruptly awoke.

Cassie was sitting at his bedside when he began to stir and quickly summoned the nursing staff. A nurse ushered Cassie from the room, whilst the doctor and medical team conducted several procedures to evaluate the level of Logan's cognizance. While she waited in the corridor, Cassie immediately phoned Simon and Danielle. They arrived at the hospital shortly afterwards, but the doctors would not allow them to visit Logan until the following afternoon.

He was sitting up in bed as they entered the room. Danielle rushed over to the bed and hugged him.

'Logan, do you remember me?' she asked.

'Alice!' he gleefully exclaimed, noting her concerned expression. 'Only kidding with you, Danielle.'

Both Simon and Cassie laughed, as they stood beside the bed.

'So, what do you remember?' asked Simon.

'Nothing for days before the accident in July,' he replied. 'Now, they tell me it's September.'

'We were so worried about you,' said Cassie, holding his hand. 'One of us has been here with you every day throughout the ordeal.'

'That's what families do, right?' he remarked. 'We stick together.'

Simon stepped closer.

'Logan, we're your friends. None of us is related to you,' he informed the younger man.

Logan looked at each in turn, an expression of confusion etched upon his features, as if attempting to process the information.

'This is weird,' he said, peering at them again. 'I'm convinced Danielle and Cassie are my sisters and you, Simon, are my brother in law.'

'Sister?' iterated Danielle in disbelief. 'You think I'm your sister?'

'Sorry, obviously not my sister,' he corrected himself. 'Are we close, as in dating?'

'Dating, yes,' she confirmed.

'Simon and I are married.' Cassie informed him. 'So, in theory, he might have been your brother in law.'

'This is so weird,' said Logan. 'So, who are my real family?'

Danielle shook her head. 'You have no immediate family, Logan,' she informed him. 'Your parents and sisters were killed when you were still a child. The social care system placed you with a foster family. At least, that's what you told me.'

'Man, that's heavy news to take on board,' he remarked. 'I can't even remember them. The only family I recall living with, albethey imaginary, is you guys.'

'Don't worry about it, Logan,' said Simon, reassuringly. 'Give it time. I'm sure, as your memory returns, you'll again be able to perceive relationships and places as they really are.'

'I hope so, Simon,' he said.

Home of Sara Anders. Jessop.

They had finished their meal, but not their conversation, as both remained seated at the table in her dining room. The twenty-eight-year-old doctor had exchanged her white coat for a revealing short black dress. Simon observed how the alluring garment perfectly fitted her svelte petite figure. Sara had chosen to disclose one of the reasons for her having moved to another area several years previously.

'So, unbelievably, I ended up working as an escort to pay my way through the first few years of my medical training.'

'Years,' he reiterated.

'Thankfully, I only chose to play the dumb girlie for a few months of the year,' she explained. 'I hated every minute of it, but the jobs were so well paid that I only had to work parttime; maybe three times a week, to earn enough to pay for my medical tuition and living costs.'

'Consider me shocked,' he quipped. 'And now?'

'Huh, no more playing Doctor Hooker for me,' she replied. 'I'm actually earning enough as a real doctor to get by these days.'

'You can still surprise me after all these years,' he distractedly remarked.

Noticing his pensive expression, she asked, 'What's wrong, Si?'

'I guess this feels wrong to me; us seeing each other again like we were still dating,' he confessed. 'I've been upfront with Cassie from the start, about our close friendship, but it's becoming... complicated for me.'

'Emotional conflict?' she astutely asked, seeking clarification.

'I've always been emotionally conflicted about you and my wife,' he confessed. 'You're both unique, intelligent, beautiful women and no one could compare to either of you as lovers. Past lovers in our case.'

'But?' she knowingly enquired.

'I'm in love with Cassie, but I'm still very fond of you,' he admitted. 'That's always been the problem, one which I can't seem to resolve. When I asked you to marry me eight years ago, I never quite understood your reasons for turning me down.'

'I was twenty years old and only two years into my medical training,' she reminded him. 'You were a struggling software engineer. What would you have said, if you'd been in my position?'

'Point taken,' he conceded.

'I remember that my fuck-buddies with no strings consolation proposal soon cheered you up though,' she recalled.

He chortled. 'Yes, well what guy could refuse that tempting offer?' he said, smiling at her. 'It was nice while it lasted. Anyway, as you knew at the time, I needed a more committed relationship. After I met Cassie a few years later, you went out of your way to befriend her and I appreciated how close you two became; especially as she knew about our past intimate relationship.'

'The fact is that I liked her immediately,' she recalled. 'We got on well as friends. Sometimes people just click, I guess.'

'In hindsight, I believe there was something more emotional going on between you and Cassie,' he pressed. 'Remember how friendly you both became before our engagement? On the night of the party, you looked so hot dancing together. Mark was convinced you'd turned lesbian when we watched you kiss with tongues. Man, even I did.'

'Okay, I admit that she turned me on.' Sara unexpectedly declared. 'I believe she began to feel the same way about me at the time. We often talked about our feelings for you and each other. The truth is that we bonded over our love for you. Neither of us lost sight of you being the most important person in our lives.'

'It surprised us when you chose to leave the area so soon after our engagement,' he disclosed. 'It seemed to me as if you were making sure I had chosen wisely before moving on with your life.'

'Which is what I've been doing for the past six years,' she remarked. 'When I returned to this area to finish my residency, I was sorely tempted to contact you. Nevertheless, I couldn't bring myself to interfere in your marriage, even as a friend. Then, after we met again at Mark's funeral, I couldn't stop thinking about us being together. You comforted me and then later we came back here...'

'I remember phoning Cassie to tell her I'd be staying over,' he recalled, while still regretting that decision.

'Afterwards, I'm sure we felt equally as guilty,' she continued. 'So, another year slipped by before I dared to contact you again. After a great deal of procrastination, I eventually decided to invite you and Cassie to dinner. I'm not sure what I expected from either of you by us getting together. Maybe something more than friendship between the three of us.'

His expression was quizzical as he looked at her.

'I'm simply offering a possible solution to your emotional dilemma,' claimed Sara.

Simon realised what her solution implied. Realistically, he doubted they could make a polyamorous relationship work. Not after so many years had elapsed between who they had been then and were now. He thought it best to change the subject.

'It turns out that Cassie and her friend Danielle were raised in naturist households,' he abruptly revealed, noting Sara's look of disbelief. 'As far as I can gather, neither were shy about flaunting their naked bodies at various summer resorts.'

'So, you're saying that her parents...' began Sara.

'Yes, Cassie's parents are nudists,' he interjected. 'She didn't tell me until Danielle came to stay with us. I guess she had to confess the truth to me at that point because of the circumstances. Also, Logan's a recent convert to the lifestyle and seems to like it. Me? Not so much.'

'Now that's the sort of news that interests me,' she enthusiastically declared. 'Cassie, the dark horse, is really an exhibitionist hiding behind her cunning teacher disguise. I like it.'