AMA - The Divorcee: Day 08

"I'm here on business. I'm a food writer for a national magazine, and I schmoozed my way into getting an assignment to spotlight a new restaurant in the city. I'm a good friend, and also a huge fan of the head chef, before she permanently moved here about a month ago, and I wanted to give her new restaurant a boost." Celeste answers. The coincidence is not lost on the four of you.

"The chef's name isn't Vivian Nguyen by any chance, is it?" Tanya asks Celeste.

"Oh my god! Do you know her too?" Celeste replies in amazement at the coincidence. She's even more amazed that all four of you nod your head that you do. "Get out of here! What a small world!" Celeste reacts.

"Her new restaurant is actually where Jay and I had our date last night." Tanya tells Celeste.

"She was with us last night too, when Tanya and I went out for drinks." Cassie adds. The revelation that Vivian was out with Tanya and Cassie last night brought out a more curious look than the one of amazement she had before.

"She didn't get one of you to make out with her did she?" Celeste asks Cassie and Tanya, resulting in both girls' eyes widening, and even making Cassie blush.

"I knew there was more to that story! Spill!" Stella immediately jumps at the opportunity to get your other two girlfriends to give the full version of it.

"Looks like she got both of you." Celeste says with a chuckle.

"Okay, yes! She persuaded us into making out with her before she got us to make out with each other." Cassie admits, very much still blushing.

"Oh, wow. That's a new one." Celeste says under her breath.

"Details! Come on!" Stella says, agitated.

"We were drunk and we were kinda upping Jay's game, you know? Brooke was super curious about it, so we tried to make them jealous that we got such a great guy to be with us." Tanya starts telling the story, the last part didn't even sound like she was trying to butter you up but a genuine opinion of hers. Cassie explains to Celeste that Brooke is their other friend with them last night, before adding "Then, Viv started goading us into showing her how good Jay is at kissing."

"And she said 'kiss me the way your boyfriend kisses you', am I right?" Celeste continues for Cassie, now. The two girls shyly nod, realizing in hindsight they've been conned by a seasoned professional.

"Tanya did it first, and she was like, 'average'," Cassie says, doing an impression of what Viv might've done last night. "So I couldn't let her talk Jay down, and I fell for her trap and went for it too." Cassie adds.

"How'd she make you kiss each other?" Stella asks, smiling from ear-to-ear now that she's hearing the full story. "Oh, she wanted us to do it with Brooke first, so Brooke could back her up if Brooke thought it was average too, but Brooke wasn't into it. So Viv said maybe we should check on each other if we're doing it right, and that's when they both started goading us into doing it." Cassie explains. Stella couldn't help but laugh, while Celeste just sips her wine while giving a knowing nod.

"I'm guessing Viv had done that con on you too?" You ask your cousin.

"Yeah, and she tried to do it twice! I was still with Walt when she did it the first time and I fell for it. Similar to you guys, I got drunk, and she was like 'no guy can beat a girl at kissing', and she—" Celeste was cut off by Stella who was surprised to hear a new bit of information, "Hol'up-hol'up-hol'up, Viv's gay!?"

"I think she just prefers women, but I'm pretty sure she's bi. She's been with a man before." Celeste answers her. "You were saying about her getting you—" you wanted Celeste to go back to telling her story but Stella cuts you off too.

"Wait, you're okay with her manipulating your girlfriends into kissing her? Aren't you the least bit concerned at what she did?" Stella asks.

"Oh, uh, I mean, it seems harmless—" You start, but again, Stella has an immediate reaction.

"Harmless? OH MY GOD! It's because she's a hot lesbian, isn't it?" Stella correctly deduces. You hear Celeste correct Stella with "Bi.", but Stella didn't seem to care about the difference. "You're totally fine with us making out and doing naughty shit with other hot girls, aren't you?" Stella asks you with a laugh of incredulity.

"Uh~ I mean..." was all you could say, before all four women said in unison, "Men." all four of them say in a condescending tone, before laughing at their shared opinion.

"Imagine if that was a butch lesbian that did that to them, Dad; or, you know, a guy." Stella points out your double standard.

"Yeah, you're right. I'd be pissed off if a guy did that. I guess I'll have to talk to Viv about that." You tell them.

"Go easy on her tiger." Tanya jokingly says to you. "In all seriousness though, we're fine, Jay. She was just having a bit of fun, I think; and, drunk or not, we're the ones who kissed her. So don't go too alpha." Cassie tells you. If any of the other girls told you the last part, you'd think it was sarcastic; but since it was Cassie, you knew she was giving genuine advice.

"So, you're fine with us making out with butch lesbians?" Stella jokingly asks before Cassie does the light face push she does to stop Stella from making fun of everything.

"I agree with Cassie though. I'm sure she was just having a bit of fun. You and Walt had the same reaction to hearing their significant other kissing a hot woman. I know for a fact Hal's into that stuff too." Celeste chimes in.

"Oh, who's Hal? I thought your son's name was Jesse?" Tanya asks Celeste.

"Oh shoot, I haven't mentioned him, have I? Sorry." Celeste apologizes for forgetting.

"Hal's my boyfriend."

CHAPTER 65.1

What happens next?

When one door closes...

Your heart sinks.

"Oh! Jay didn't mention that!" Cassie reacts to Celeste's news that she has a boyfriend. She hides it well, but a part of you feels like she's saying it with eyes wide and through gritted teeth.

Of course she has a boyfriend. Why wouldn't she? Why would you even assume that she wouldn't? Cassie even asked you about it the night you bought the Normalized Incest trait! Why didn't you check!?

"How long have you guys been together?" Tanya asks.

"We've been dating for over two years now." Celeste answers.

"Oh~, so you guys got together after the last time we were at Nana's?" Stella asks.

"We've been dating already at that point, but you know, him being my boss, we kinda had to keep it low key. So I wasn't really announcing it to the world." Celeste clarifies.

She's been with this guy since you last saw her, and you didn't even know. You should've known that. You idiot! You could've at least asked if she was seeing someone.

"When I say I schmoozed my way into this assignment, it was more like 'smooched'." Celeste says jokingly, and you can hear the three other girls awkwardly laugh at her joke. "But yeah, we've been together for over two years now and it's been great. He and Jesse get along, and his daughter Claire's really nice." Celeste adds, giving more details to how serious their relationship is.

They've introduced each other to their kids! Well, duh! It's been over two years already.

Your body language is obviously disappointed in this turn of events. Your left hand isn't even on the table anymore and just resting on your leg, while you eat dejectedly with just your spoon in your right hand. You built it up in your head that this was finally going to happen, and you didn't have the common sense to check first if she had a boyfriend.

Then again, this was always a possibility, even if she didn't have a boyfriend. You decided to put most of your cards on the table and not hide the fact that you have three girlfriends who are naturally open to you meeting more women. If she wasn't into the polyamory of it all, she could've easily said no and you'd be facing this same disappointment anyway. It's your own dumb fault for expecting this was all going to work out like it had the past week with Cassie, Tanya, and Stella.

Cassie, who was sitting to your left as you sit at the head of the table, holds your left hand underneath the table, and caresses the back of your hand with her thumb. She knows you're disappointed, and getting comforted by one of your girlfriends in losing an opportunity to get another one makes your heart sink even more.

You're such a greedy asshole.

"I think that deserves a toast." You suddenly say, in an effort to erase this stupid feeling of disappointment when you have three wonderful women who love you already. "To finding love." You declare with a bittersweet smile, as you raise your glass of wine in honor of not just your cousin moving on from her ex-husband, but also to you moving on from your ex-wife. You remind yourself that you have three loving and understanding girlfriends that were generous enough to even allow you to pursue this pipe dream.

Stop being greedy, and enjoy what you have.

"Oh, yeah. Okay. To finding love." Celeste says after swallowing her food. She raises a glass, as well as your girlfriends, before you all take a sip from your glasses of wine. "I mean, we've been together for two years already, so maybe I should've made that toast for you guys." Celeste jokes, getting a chuckle out of the girls.

After dinner, the four of you let Celeste settle in Stella's bedroom, while Stella washed the dishes as part of her paying off her debt. Meanwhile, you, Cassie, and Tanya continue to sip some wine in the living room and discuss the fallout of what happened at dinner.

"That was always a possibility right?" Cassie asks you, rubbing your thigh as she cuddles next to you on the couch.

"Yeah, of course. I can't believe I didn't check it to be honest. It's my fault for getting my hopes up in the first place." You answer her.

"Oh papi, at least something good came out of it right?" Tanya asks you, before glancing at Stella washing dishes.

"Can't we afford a dishwasher? Oh my god!" Stella shouts out.

"I thought you liked washing dishes?" You ask her.

"I volunteered once! And that was because you were being lazy. I didn't know it would mean I'd have to do it for an entire week." Stella answers back.

"You could always just pay me back." You retort and she just grumbles and goes back to washing the dishes.

"Glad to see nothing's changed there." Tanya comments, while she cuddles next to you before sipping some more wine.

"I'm still her Dad. Being her boyfriend doesn't change that." You tell Tanya.

"Just don't forget she's your girlfriend now too, Jay." Cassie reminds you.

"Yeah, you've been too fatherly all day with the punishments." Tanya agrees with Cassie.

They're right, of course. You made her set-up her room for Celeste, she had to come with you to buy groceries for dinner while Cassie and Tanya rested their hangover, you made her clean-up the apartment and set the table while you picked up Celeste from the airport; now, she's washing dishes. All of that as a punishment for going over the spending limit you set for them last night. You have to admit, you have been a little too parental on her today, and less of a boyfriend. Maybe you should ask her out on a date? Make the whole romantic relationship more... romantic?

You stand up from the couch and go to your daughter washing dishes in the kitchen sink. You hug her from behind, wrapping her waist in your arms while resting your chin on her shoulder. "Need help with that, baby?" you ask her, before planting a kiss on her neck. Stella can't help but moan, while the two girls on the couch just let out audible 'Oohs'.

"They guilt you into helping me?" Stella asks you.

"More like, they pointed out I need to use less stick and more carrot." You reply.

"Is that your carrot or stick, I'm feeling right now?" Stella asks before rubbing her butt on your crotch. Now the girls on the couch are openly cheering for both of you, shouting 'woos' and whistling. Stella laughs in your arms, enjoying the attention.

~ DING DONG ~

"I'll get it!" you shout after breaking away from Stella, fearing you'll get an erection if you continue what you were doing with her; and with Celeste in the apartment, best not to indulge. Cassie and Tanya openly 'Boo' and show you thumbs downs jokingly as you pass by them on the couch, but you can hear Stella still laughing behind you as she continues washing dishes.

You open the door to greet the person at the door.

"Hey—"

"~SWEET HOME ALABAMA~"

CHAPTER 66.1

Who's at the door?

Viv

Viv greets you with her wonderful rendition of the 'Sweet Home Alabama' chorus, complete with sounding out the guitar parts, and mumbling everything outside of the phrase 'Sweet Home Alabama'. She finishes it all off with a laugh before giving you a hug. She gives a soft moan during the hug, before hugging you even tighter. You're guessing she really enjoyed her time with you and the girls this morning, and that's why she's being really friendly now.

"Wow. Your hugs are like the first cool breeze after a summer-long heat wave." Viv tells you after the hug.

"Uh~ Thanks?" was all you could say as a reaction to her compliment. She walks past you and says hi to the girls. "Come right in, I guess." you say under your breath before you close the door.

You watch as Viv hugs and gives cheek kisses to Tanya and Cassie, before making her way to Stella. "Ooh~, someone got the short end of the stick. Were you a naughty girl for Daddy?" Viv teasingly asks Stella.

"We've spent one breakfast together. Don't come up into my house acting like you know me." Stella says in a fake threatening voice, but she obviously finds Viv amusing.

"Ooh~, still feisty. I like that. Here I thought that was just the shock from me seeing you naked." Viv responds with a friendly smile, which Stella returns with an amused smirk.

"Anyway, in all seriousness, I just dropped by to get my towel back." Viv tells Stella.

"Oh shit, right. I think it's in my room. I'll get it once I'm done with these." Stella replies. "Don't worry about it. I can grab it for you." Viv replies jokingly before walking towards Stella's bedroom.

Stella turns around to look at you, and you both turn to look at Cassie and Tanya, having an unspoken conversation with just your eyes discussing if you should warn Viv that Celeste is in Stella's bedroom. Before you all come to a conclusion, Viv is already opening Stella's bedroom door. Thankfully, Celeste's reaction wasn't 'Mrs. O'Brien will file a noise complaint' level of loud.

"Viv!?" you hear Celeste shout in complete surprise.

"Celeste!?" Viv shouts in equal shock. The ensuing shriek from Celeste was definitely worthy of a visit from Mrs. O'Brien though. Hopefully, Mr. O'Brien can stop her again from making her way down to your apartment. You take a mental note to try and address that, maybe even magically. For now though, you make your way to them to try and lessen their volume non-magically. Celeste is hugging Viv tightly around the latter's arms as they reunite in your apartment.

"Hey guys, sorry to be the killjoy, but I got a noise complaint this morning so, maybe you guys could lower the volume a bit?" you ask them. Celeste immediately nods, but Viv didn't seem to hear you at all.

"What the fuck are you doing here!?" Viv asks incredulously.

"I'm doing the spotlight on you tomorrow. What do you mean what am I doing here?" Celeste answers her.

"Duh. I know that. I mean here. As in, this apartment. I thought you were booking a hotel? Don't tell me you're involved with him too." Viv clarifies her question, with a look of confusion.

"Jay and I are cousins... and you know I'm with Hal, Vivian." Celeste answers Viv with a tone you couldn't quite place.

"Cousins? You know saying that doesn't automatically mean you're not sleeping together, right? Not with this guy." Viv replies to Celeste jokingly, her look of confusion completely gone as she has a wide smile now.

"Oh, stop!" Celeste laughs it off as a joke.

That stings a bit.

"I'm staying here since our moms suggested it." Celeste explains to Viv.

"Oh, cool. I know I've apologized about this already, but still, I'm sorry I said you couldn't stay with me." Viv tells her.

"We've had this talk already, Viv. It's fine. You told me you would've had to miss work just to pick me up from the airport. So, don't worry about it." Celeste reasons with her.

"Well, you're already here. You could always stay with me now, if you want." Viv suggests, but Celeste raises an eyebrow.

"Oh, uh, I guess we forgot to mention, she's our next door neighbor. That's how we know her." You tell your cousin. Celeste just reacts in shock that that little detail wasn't mentioned at all during dinner.

"So, are we doing this or what?" Viv asks. Celeste looks at you and considers Viv's suggestion.

"No, I'm good here, and I'm ready to go to bed anyway. How about I stay at your place after we hang out tomorrow?" Celeste suggests.

"Deal." Viv answers. "OH! How about we invite them tomorrow? I haven't hung out with Stella and she seems like a delight." Viv suggests, and Celeste looks at you for your approval.

"We can go ask them." you answer, and Viv and Celeste immediately walk back towards the other girls, but you tap Viv on the shoulder to make her turn back to you. "Hey, don't be having ideas about my daughter. You are not going to trick her into kissing you too." you tell her.

"Ooh~, looks like they told you that part of the story." Viv reacts amused.

"Yeah, and I don't appreciate you making moves on my girls." You say in the most confident and intimidating voice you can conjure.

"Oh. Shit." Viv immediately becomes apologetic and she bites her lower lip. "Hey, I was just having fun, okay? I wasn't 'making moves' on your girlfriends. It was more like a practical joke. I actually thought you'd be into that if you ever heard about it. Guess not. That's my bad." Viv apologizes sincerely, and now you feel like an asshole for intimidating her. You rub the back of your neck, a little embarrassed that you may have made things awkward for the both of you.

"I'm sorry, they told me you were just having fun too. Stella just pointed out that if you were a guy, I'd be pissed off about it, so I thought I should address my own double standard." you tell her.

"Hey, I get it. I'm guessing Celeste told you I was into girls and you were trying to be protective. I get that." Viv comforts you.

"But I'm into guys too, you know. So if you're not going to allow me to make moves on your daughter, maybe I should just make moves on Daddy instead." Viv says in a very seductive voice as her finger runs along your chest. Her demeanor has changed back into her playful self, realizing that your intimidating demeanor was just a facade. She looks up to you. Her lips close to your chin.

"I heard from Tanya you have magic in those lips. How about you show me directly how magical they are, so I don't have to trick your girlfriends to find out?"

CHAPTER 67.1

What happens next?

Window Shopping

"Hey! The hell's going on there?" Stella shouts from the couch, and Viv immediately laughs and turns around towards her.

"Your dad was just defending his ladies' honor from this evil lesbian." Viv jokingly replies, eliciting a chuckle from both Tanya and Cassie.

"Would the evil lesbian like some wine?" Tanya playfully asks Viv.

"Oh, and I think we still have some leftover roast if you haven't had dinner yet." Cassie suggests.

"Oh! Yes! You should try Jay's roast, Viv. It's our Nana's recipe, and it's really good." Celeste adds.