A Throuple Of Things Ch. 02

Feathery wisps of vaporous cloud streamed by, no more than strands of candy floss suspended in air. Beyond them a sprawling network of tenuous dwellings and arterial routes twisting and writhing into the far distant haze. The only sound heard was a constant rumble. As our descent continued the ethereal veil of the clouds were left behind, now just a memory in a mind no-one but I could access. Bright amber pearls flickered all around as we dove down to meet them, to be engulfed by their waiting embrace and the finality of destiny.

"Come on honey." Helen said, squeezing my thigh as the plane stopped. "Time to go home."

Vienna had been good to us, offering us the opportunity to breathe, to leave the real world and our real lives behind, the stresses of judgment a distant memory. Helen and Ed basked and sauntered through their second fortnight in that wondrous city, while, by comparison I rushed from museum to cathedral to restaurant. I admit openly I felt lonely without her by my side, her honeymoon with Ed being the central reason for being there, my presence acknowledged only during the evenings

The initial idea for the holiday had been the beer festival. Living it up with my best friend and my......our wife was the thing that excited me. The reality however was less thrilling, for the most part. While the food was delicious, the culture calm and the scenery breathtaking, I held a sense of loss for her.

Happily, the people were welcoming. At least they were to Helen. Ed and sometimes I, sat on the sidelines playing gooseberries while she got all the attention.

Taking in to account the architecture, the museums, the culture, two weeks wasn't enough. Four weeks would have been a stretch. Helen and Ed had already seen the things I wanted to see so they spent their honeymoon (which they renamed sweetiemoon) walking, eating, coupling, drinking, doing yoga, coupling, swimming, taking day trips and coupling. The usual things a couple should do on a sweetiemoon.

If you haven't read the first chapter some things may not make sense. If you're here because you did read the first chapter, you might be wondering did he get on the plane with them or did he miss it?

I spent so much time in Vienna just sitting and taking the plac..... I can't do it. I missed the flight. The hospital was busy. Cardiac arrest here, missing limb there, by comparison mine was nothing but a minor inconvenience, so they didn't get to me in time. I missed their first night together but to be honest it was their night, not mine, so it was probably better it happened as it did. My hand you ask? Well thanks for the concern. It was fine, not too painful and well worth it for the result.

The hotel was opulent, it's long wide sweeping staircase, the gilded décor and top class facilities softening the ache of being the odd man out. When booking together we hadn't realised that we'd been placed in adjoining suites, the assumption being that we would want to convene without interruption. Helen however requested that I be moved across the hall, away from their room. Many would consider that to be unfavourable, or perhaps callous, surely adjoining rooms would have been easier to move between? They would be correct, it would have been easier, but they'd be missing the point. Helen didn't want to be able to get to my room without risk associated.

Obviously, being their sweetiemoon she slept in their suite with Ed but each night, being the 'out of the closet' exhibitionist she was, she would cross the hall naked, knock on my door and wait. I would happily finish what I was doing before answering, just so she would have to stand in the open where she could be seen by anyone. Of the thirteen nights she crossed the hallway, she was only spotted three times. Once by an elderly gentleman who dropped his paper in astonishment. Helping him, she picked it up, unashamedly bending in front of him, her sleek poised figure giving him a thrill he may not have experienced in decades.

Secondly by a young man who was about to enter his room as she crossed the hall, his gaze fixed to her as she stood to attention, awaiting my reception.

Finally by a night porter who was concerned for her exposure, attempting to hide her treasures with a towel.

Their first night was spent alone and rightly so. They also wanted the second, less formal night to be spent alone. On their third night Helen requested my attendance, so that without interaction, I could enjoy their activities.

On the last night all three of us gathered in the sweetiemoon suite, chatting, drinking and enjoying our final evening in the beautiful hotel when there came a knock at the door. Helen answered to find the young chap from two doors down. He was Italian, very charming in a naïve sort of way. On seeing Helen's naked form he'd become enamoured by her and had come calling to see if she wanted to join him for a drink. You know my philosophy so I'm won't repeat it. It was firstly Ed's decision, being as it was their sweetiemoon, and then Helen's. What really surprised me was Ed afforded her the same freedom on that night that I've always given. My philosophy had become his.

Helen accepted the young man's offer asking him to come back after an hour to take her out. From what I saw, he didn't look like the kind of guy who could afford to take Helen out. She was used to being spoilt by me for the majority of our time together, then by Ed in the 8 months up to that point. Ed and I sat, as we often did, watching her getting ready, choosing pastel yellow underwear, floral yellow mini sundress, a knitted short yellow cardigan and shoes without heels. The chap's shorter stature ruling them out. Shame. I'm certain he'd have enjoyed seeing her in heels.

At 9pm on the dot he knocked. I opened the door and stepped out into the hallway, asking if he had enough money to give her the date she deserved. In reply he admitted he only had enough for a cheap date which was unlikely to impress her. Quietly, I passed him €200. And told him to make an effort. I watched them as they walked closely together down the long hallway, Helen's arm linked with his.

The chap knew we were all there together, but had no idea who we were to her. She'd been naked in the hall, available for all to see had they happened upon her, but he didn't question the relationship between the beautiful naked woman and the two men she was with. We didn't know whether she would tell him or keep things quiet, but it didn't matter. We were in a foreign country where nobody knew us so there was no reason to even give it consideration.

Ed and I sat drinking, chatting about their meeting, our whole relationship, their wedding, our wedding, Carl the lad, work and then ultimately our living situation. We lost track of time talking, realising by well after 1am that Helen hadn't returned. Unable to call her as she'd left her phone, we left the room, walked down the large curved oak staircase and into the dimly lit bar where only a few staff remained. We enquired whether they'd see a woman with auburn hair wearing a yellow dress with a young man.

It appeared they hadn't even left the hotel, arriving downstairs, eating their meal in the restaurant, knocking back some drinks at the bar before retiring at 11pm. We looked at each other smiling with realisation before going back to the room.

Our flight was leaving at 11am, meaning we needed to be at the airport for 9am. I suggested we pack our belongings to pass some time and to avoid a rush in the morning. I left Ed, returned to my room, packed my things, checked I hadn't missed anything and checked again before taking my cases across the hall. By that time it was almost 3am. He was panicking, having never been in that situation before. He'd never experienced the empty hole in his chest, not knowing where she was or what she was doing at that time, but I had. It's one of the things I'd come to enjoy. I gave him another drink. "Welcome to my world, bro." I said as I slapped his shoulder.

The night ticked by, the taxi was booked for 7.30am and the time was 6.25am. Marty McFly was in my head again. "I've got to do it. I've got to go and knock for her." I said as I began to walk for the door.

"No." Said Ed. "I have to take more responsibility in this relationship. It's not always up to you to do the dirty work anymore. She's my wife too."

Leaving the room, I followed watching from the door. He knocked and the chap answered. "Is Helen with you?" Ed asked.

"Err si. Errr I will get."

Ed turned to me in a cold sweat. I knew what he was feeling because I was feeling it too. The door opened again and out walked Helen carrying her dress, cardigan, underwear and shoes, walking into the suite followed by Ed. "Were you asleep?" I queried. "It's almost time to leave, baby."

"I know honey. I WAS keeping track of time. I was about to get dressed and say my goodbyes when Ed knocked."

"So you had a good night then." I said observing the mess leaving her happy valley

.

"So good. You're both the best. Thank you for letting me go out with him sweetie. He was so cute." She began dressing, first pulling on fresh underwear to stem the flow of evidence from what had obviously been a long night of love making. "Do you both promise not to judge me?"

We nodded in agreement.

"He's only nineteen."

"Nineteen?" Ed and I both said in unison.

"Yes. He 'a a student. He came out here because he wanted to meet a beautiful woman to fall in love with."

"We're not taking him home with us baby." I told her.

She giggled "I know honey. He said he saw me in the hall that night and fell in love with me right there and had to work up the courage to ask me out. As we talked during dinner I decided that I'd give him the best memory of his time here and we went back to his room."

The night was done, none of us had slept, two of us had almost had heart attacks and one of us was full of Italian special sauce.

"Did you have a good night angel?" Ed asked as he cupped her face with his hands.

"I did sweetie. I had a wonderful night. Thank you."

They reconnected while I called the front desk, requiring assistance from the porter for Helen's luggage. Ed and I were able to take our own but Helen would struggle to carry much more than her Michael Kors. As I waited for the desk to pick up there was a knock at the door. Helen opened it to see the Italian chap. She'd informed him of our departure so he offered to help with our luggage. I hung up offered him a drink and asked his name. "Bruno from Venice".

Helen actually had enlightened him on our throupleness, which he was really chilled about. I couldn't say I'd be that chilled if I'd just spent seven or eight hours inseminating the wife of two fairly hefty blokes who were now stood talking to me about the experience, but if he was chilled so we're we.

With the imminent arrival of the taxi we took our cases, checked out and got into the cab. Bruno was feeling emotional with a tear in his eye, the love of his life about to leave him, his heart broken. Before Helen entered the taxi she passed him a note, kissed him softly, said goodbye and we were in the wind.

"What was the note, angel?" Ed asked.

"My email for FaceTime, my number and my tinder address."

"Nice." I said. "So we'll be expecting an Italian guest soon then?"

"Oh I hadn't thought of that. How cool would that be?" Was her reaction.

I shook my head at the possibil.... Probability.

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Mid October is fucking miserable. No longer warm but not cold enough for moisture to fall out of the air. The office was not a welcome sight on returning. The lights glowing with a nicotine stained yellow hue that made depression seem like a worthwhile hobby. I had the usual "welcome back." greetings from some but I wasn't the same person I was when I left two weeks previous. Before the holiday, before their wedding I was considered Greg the stud with the wife everyone wanted. After our return I was Greg the cuck with the wife everyone could have if they played their cards right. Ed hadn't escaped either. There were anonymous notes all over our offices with messages of disgust and outrage at the thought of the three of us being together.

Kelly entered my office with some files, handed a note to me and walked straight back out again without so much as a hello. The note simply said. 'Mr Worth's office, now!' Perfect. We were getting fired.

I knocked the door as Ed rounded the corner. "Have you been called too?" I asked.

"Yep, hold on to you boots and kiss your arse goodbye bro." He said straightening his suit.

We both stood waiting, stewing and sweating outside the big boss' door for what felt like five eternities before the door opened. "Come in gentlemen." Worth's booming voice came. "Take a seat."

There was only one seat so I offered it to Ed.

"I've heard some rumours flying."

'Here it comes.' I thought as I squeezed Ed's shoulder.

"There's a company down south that is interested in a merger. I want you boys on it. Ken can look after things here. He's done a good job while you two were away with your wife these past two weeks, so he can carry on while you sort out the details. This needs to be done within the month. Kelly brought the files to Greg this morning so get to work."

"Yes sir." We both replied as we headed for the door. "Oh and boys, there are some other, shitty rumours going around about you since you made your throuple status public. I suggest you stamp them out before they become a problem."

We nodded, closed the door and began to breathe again. "You know what? He's not so bad." Ed said as we walked back down to the sales floor.

Ed began looking through the files while I sent out a memo about a flash meeting at 10am, before joining Ed to pore over the files. They were condensed sales reports for the past five years. No bullshit just hard facts and figures. "This is the way we should be doing it." I said as I compared reports side by side.

10am, Ed and I walked onto the sales floor. "Hello everyone we're back from Vienna. If you wouldn't mind telling any calls you're on that you'll call them back in a few minutes, I'd like to say some things."

Looking around, most people were standing as instructed without phones. However three people were standing, still on calls and one sat with his back to us while on a call.

"Everyone off their phones please!"

Two of the standing members on phones put their phones down leaving one standing and one still sitting. The room was almost silent except for Harry who stood, speaking on the phone to a client, looking directly at us. I walked over to him, took the phone and spoke pleasantly while glaring at him. "Hi there this is Greg Moyles, branch manager. I'm so sorry we have a fire drill. Harry will call you back just as soon as we get back into the office." and slammed the phone down.

I then approached the guy sitting with his back to the rest of the team, his phone at his ear and his other hand massaging his forehead. He wasn't on a sales call. He was on a personal call. I put my hand on his shoulder and he turned around, eyes red, full of tears and sobbing. "Everything ok Tom?"

His head shook. "It's the hospice. My wife died a few minutes ago."

I clenched my teeth hard in order not to join him in his anguish in front of everyone. I took the phone from him "hello this is Greg Moyles, Tom's branch manager. Will he be able to visit and say goodbye to his wife?........ ok, I'll send him around shortly. Thank you." I placed the phone down taking a few seconds to compose myself, tapped Toms shoulder gestured for him to get up, and kept my hand on his shoulder as I walked through the silent room and out into the foyer.

"I'm so sorry Tom. I didn't even know your wife was ill. Didn't I meet her at the Christmas party? She seemed fine."

"She was fine, she started losing weight back in March and was having problems with her liver. Last month she was diagnosed with stage 4 hepatocellular carcinoma."

With a hard sigh I closed my eyes. "Life is so fucking cruel sometimes. I'm going to arrange someone to drive you to the hospice so you can be with her ok? Stay strong mate. We're here for you."

I walked to Kelly at the front desk. "Could you do me a favour and call Cecil, ask him to come to the office and take Tom wherever he needs to go. I'll make sure to make it up to him."

Kelly stood shuffling letters, ignoring me while staring right at me. I picked the phone up myself and dialled, staring back at her while I spoke. "Hi Cecil, Greg. I know you no longer work for us but I need a huge favour. Could you come to the office please and pick up Tom..... yes a few minutes ago, he needs to go and be with her and I don't want him driving in his current frame of mind...... thanks Cecil. I'll look after you for this mate.... Bye."

Kelly's hand was over her mouth as I put the phone down and I continued to stare at her. Quietly so Tom didn't hear I spoke to her sternly. "I don't give a FUCK what you think of me, but while you are in this fucking building you will be a professional or you'll be standing behind a desk in a fucking dentists office. You understand me?" She nodded as her eyes welled up. I looked over at Tom and nodded before turning and heading back into the rest of the team, closing the door behind me.

I walked back to Ed, Sean standing by his side. "Where was I? Oh yes I was about to give you all a SHIT KICKING!" I looked around at all of the sales team. The stunned looks on their faces made me feel somehow calmer. "What you all just witnessed, is the fragility of life. While some, or maybe all of you thought it would be somehow entertaining to belittle our relationship with our wife, another man's wife died. A man who you all work with, a colleague, a friend. Life is too short not to enjoy any aspect of it which makes you happy. I couldn't give a SHIT how you feel about me, but don't any of you DARE to use this place as your fucking playground! Ed and I love OUR wife with all our hearts and souls, and it will NOT make one slight bit of difference to any of your lives! If it doesn't make a difference to you, then what business is it of yours anyway? I don't get involved in your marriages. I broke my hand punching the last person who poked his nose into ours. Not a single one of you is perfect. You all have your shortcomings."

I was getting into my stride. "I'm going to try something. It's called taking ownership for your actions. I have some notes here that were left on mine and Ed's desks. I'm going to read them. If you can own it you can keep your job but I'm going to point out one of your biggest flaws. Ready? 'Greg you're such a dickless freak why not just divorce her and let her be with a real man?'. Whose was that?"

No-one moved. "I can check handwriting!" Dave raised his hand. I called him forward. "Good news Dave. You get to keep your job. The bad news is that your tits are bigger than our wife's! Want to compare dick size?" I asked placing my hand on my zipper. He shook his head.

"This one says 'Ed why the fuck would you want to be with such a diseased slut whore?' That one's going to take some beating." Gail slowly raised her hand. I called her over. "Gail here thinks my wife is a diseased slut and yet she's the one who had to take antibiotics for gonorrhoea a few months back. Fancy Ed do you Gail? Does your husband know about the infection?"

And so it went. Every person in the office owned their actions. It left ten people who hadn't written notes. Only 25% kept their opinions to themselves.

"When we let our bitter opinions out we become the worst kinds of people. It doesn't matter if this woman is black. It doesn't matter if that man is gay. It doesn't matter that this person is gender neutral, fluid, bisexual, bicycle. What matters is how that person treats you. If they're a twat then by all means treat them like a twat, much like I'm doing here, but if they've done something good then you better fucking treat them well too. In future if you have something to say to me you can say it to my face and I will give it straight back to you, at least I'll keep any remaining respect I have for you. Otherwise pick the phones up and do the fucking jobs you're paid for!" I named the ten people who hadn't voiced their opinions and called them to my office.