Double or Nothing Pt. 06: Final Take

Double or Nothing 06: The Final Take

I would like to start by thanking other2other1 for giving me permission to write this sequel to his five-part story, "Double or Nothing." I suggest reading his story to get the full context of what takes place here.

Part five of that story concludes with a letter to Carol Morrison from her ex-husband, Terry Other. The letter refers to incidents that were not part of the original tale. In his ending notes, other2other1 said that if anyone wanted to write about the events mentioned in that final letter to reach out for permission.

I am happy to say that he gave me permission to do so, and I thank him for that as well as for his assistance in helping me get things right, since laws and customs are somewhat different between where I live in the States and Australia.

This story picks up with Carol's reading of Terry's letter at the end of the original story.

I would also like to thank all those who have read and offered comments and constructive criticism on my previous stories.

And now, the disclaimers:

For those who want to say this or that would never happen, remember this is my universe, a place where nearly anything can, and often does, happen. At least on paper... In addition:

1. Characters in this story may participate in one or more of the following: Smoking, consumption of adult (meaning, alcoholic) beverages, utterance of profanities.
2. All sexual activity is between consenting adults 18 years of age or older.
3. Statements or views uttered by the fictional characters in this story do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the author.

Please refer to my profile for more on my personal policy regarding comments, feedback, follows, etc. (Yes, I DO moderate comments) And please remember, this is a work of fiction, not a docu-drama...

...

Carol Morrison read the letter from her ex-husband, Terry Other, three times, before finally replacing it in its envelope. She stashed the letter in a box of treasures next to photos from another, happier, life.

"I'm sorry," she whispered sadly as she looked at the photos in the box, tears falling down her cheeks. But no one was there to hear her, and the truth was, no one cared. Everyone who had ever mattered to her was now gone. The letter was the first real communication she had received from Terry since that awful day four years ago.

"I will remind you that this is all on you," Terry wrote in his letter. As much as she hated to admit it, he was right - again. Everything that had happened since the day she took Mackenzie and left Terry to be with Stephen Morrison was all on her. All because Terry, in her eyes, was "just" a plumber.

As she sat on her unmade double bed, she realized that all of her schemes to be "someone" had failed - miserably. And now, she was alone, with nothing but a box of memories, and regrets...

...

Four years earlier:

"Are you sure you want to do this, Terry? Do you think it's wise to invite Carol to Mackenzie's last treatment?" Melody asked. That's me, by the way - Terry Other, husband to Melody and Harmony, father to Mackenzie, Adam, Grace, Beth, and John, and the ex-husband of Carol Morrison, the bane of my existence.

I'm sure you're wondering how it is I'm married to two women who just happen to be twin sisters. Legally, I'm married to Harmony, but my sister, Kim, happens to be a darn good lawyer, and she put together an agreement that gives Melody the same marital rights and privileges as Harmony.

I don't understand it all myself, but I know that our arrangement works, and it works quite well. So, yes, I consider myself married to both of these amazing women, and I frankly don't care what anyone else thinks about our arrangement. I stopped packing for a minute and considered Melody's question.

"Honestly, no, I'm not sure," I finally told her. "But Carol was there at the start of Mackenzie's cancer, and I thought it might help if she were there at the end. Maybe give her a sense of closure."

For quite some time, Mackenzie had been suffering from the same kind of bone cancer that killed my mother. About a year ago, we learned of a new treatment that involved transplanting some of my bone marrow and plasma into Mackenzie. Without that treatment, Mackenzie would probably have died.

Fortunately, it worked, and tomorrow, the four of us - Me, Mackenzie, Melody, and Harmony - would fly to Sydney for the final treatment. The plan was to fly there, spend the night, go in for the treatment and fly home that evening unless the doctor wanted to keep her overnight for observation and tests. William and Martha, Melody and Harmony's parents, agreed to stay and watch over our four other children.

"Perhaps," Melody said quietly. "But I don't trust her."

"Neither do I," I responded. "But you have to admit, she's left us alone for the last year."

"Yes, she has," Melody responded. "Still... I can't help but feel like she's going to try something." I understood her concerns completely, but Carol had given me no reason to think she had something up her sleeve - at least not since the last time I practically threw her out of the house. I took Melody in my arms and held her tight.

"It'll be alright, love," I told her. Although I was trying to comfort her, the fact was I had niggling doubts myself. Carol had accepted my invitation eagerly, without so much as an argument.

"I'd better finish packing," Melody said quietly. Closing up my suitcase, I went down the hall to check on Mackenzie and Harmony.

"Is it safe?" I asked, tapping on the door to Mackenzie's room. My daughter and my wife looked up and met my gaze with a smile.

"Of course, our love," Harmony purred. "Why wouldn't it be?"

"Well, two women in a room by themselves... You never know what they might come up with," I joked as I walked into the room. Harmony slapped my arm as I sat down on the bed next to my daughter. "How are you feeling?" I asked Mackenzie.

"Like I'm ready for this to be over with," she replied. The chemo she had been through the last year had taken its toll on her. I wrapped my arms around her and held her for a few moments.

"It'll be over tomorrow, sweetheart," I said. "Are you gonna be okay seeing your mother after all this time?"

"I suppose," Mackenzie said quietly. I heard the hesitation in her voice.

"But..."

"Does she really have to be there, Dad? She hasn't called since you tossed her out on her ear a year ago. And I can count the number of emails I've gotten from her on one hand."

"Well, she was there when all this started," I told her. "I just thought this might help her get closure, help her move on with her life. She's still your mother, you know."

"She gave birth to me, but honestly, Dad, Melody and Harmony have been more like mothers to me this last year than... she... ever was," Mackenzie said, emphasizing the word, "she." Harmony looked down for a moment and wiped a tear from her eye.

"I know," I said. "If you don't want her there, I understand. I can call and tell her not to come if you want me to."

"No, Dad," Mackenzie said, shaking her head. "Let her come if she wants. But I really have no desire to spend any time with her."

"I don't blame you for that," I responded. I could tell that she was getting tired, so I let her lay down. "Why don't you get some rest," I told her, kissing her forehead. She smiled weakly as she looked into my eyes.

"Okay, Dad, I will," she said. "I love you."

"And I love you too, sweetheart," I replied. She closed her eyes so I covered her up and made sure she was comfortable. Harmony turned the light off and closed the door as we left her room. We got a few feet down the hall when I realized Harmony wasn't with me. I turned and saw her leaning against the wall, her head in her hands. Her body shook with sobs.

"It's alright," I told her as I took her in my arms. "This will all be over in a couple of days."

"I hope so," Harmony sobbed. "I hate seeing Mackenzie suffer like this."

"I do too, sweetheart," I said as her tears soaked my shirt.

...

I woke up the next morning to two sets of mouths working on my morning erection. They often did this, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Of course, one good turn deserves another, so I reciprocated by giving them each an orgasm with my tongue. They giggled as we trotted into the shower together, and proceeded to lather each other up.

"It's about time you three made it to breakfast," Mackenzie said as we entered the kitchen. She had already started making breakfast for everyone, and Martha took over when she and William came down the stairs.

After breakfast, I loaded up all our bags into my truck and the four of us - me, Mackenzie, Melody and Harmony - said our goodbyes and headed out. The flight to Sydney took less than an hour. It took a little more than an hour to get our rental and drive to the hotel where we would spend the night. By then, Mackenzie was drained, so we settled in to our rooms for the day and ordered room service.

"Daddy," Mackenzie said weakly as she lay in her bed. I stopped eating long enough to look at her. She looked so weak, so forlorn, and it was all I could do to keep from crying.

"Yes?"

"Thank you," she said in a voice just above a whisper.

"You're welcome, pumpkin. But for what?"

"Just... being there. Looking after me, even after all the shit I piled on you," she said as tears fell down her face. Sensing her distress, I sat on the bed with her, and let her snuggle up to me. I would've taken her in my arms, but let her get comfortable on her own. Chemo can do strange things to people, and in Mackenzie's case, it was dry, itchy skin that made her extremely sensitive to touch.

"You know, pumpkin, that's the short definition of parent," I told her as she snuggled in to me. Mackenzie chuckled at that and put an arm around my chest. Melody and Harmony wiped tears from their eyes as they watched us connect. After seven years of crap, it felt good to have my baby girl back.

Harmony's phone buzzed and her brows furrowed as she read a text message. She showed it to Melody before turning to me.

"Listen, we're going back to our room," Harmony said. "You two relax. If you need anything, just let us know, okay?"

"Sure," I said. "Is everything alright?"

"We'll talk later," Harmony said before kissing me. I knew something was up and I had a feeling I wasn't going to like it. But I decided not to press the issue right then. Melody kissed me as Harmony kissed Mackenzie goodnight. The girls left after their farewells, leaving me with my daughter.

"I know I've said this at least a hundred times over the last year, but I just want to say I'm really sorry about everything I put you through," Mackenzie said. She was right - over the last year, Mackenzie had apologized over and over again for all the crap she had done during the years she spent with Carol and the dickhead.

The two of us had spent a lot of time over the last year talking about things, and it seemed to help repair the rift she and Carol created. Mackenzie's boyfriend, Ben, had also helped her see things from a male perspective.

Ben was a good man, with a good head on his shoulders, and I could tell he truly loved my daughter. I wasn't too comfortable with him sleeping with her in my house, but I sucked it up. Mackenzie is an adult woman, after all. Besides, I had slept with both Harmony and Melody with their parents in the same house, so I really couldn't complain without looking like a total hypocrite.

"I know, pumpkin," I told her. "And I've accepted your apologies. You were young, impressionable, your head filled with all the bullshit you heard from Stephen and your mother. But you've more than made it up to me this last year." Mackenzie smiled as she looked up at me.

"Is it true you brought the shirt and boxers I got for you all those years ago?" she asked. Mackenzie had bought me a black shirt and a pair of boxer shorts with hearts on them over eight years ago when she lived with Carol and the dickhead. She presented them to me on my birthday last year along with a small Leatherman utility knife with an inscription that read, "My Dad, Terry Other, love Mackenzie."

I've carried that knife in my pocket every day since, and had it on me that very day. And believe it or not, the shirt and boxer shorts still fit, even though they were purchased years ago. I smiled as I responded to my daughter's question.

"Yes, pumpkin, it's true," I said. "I thought I'd wear them tomorrow when we go for your treatment."

"I'm surprised they fit after all this time," Mackenzie said with a wry smile.

"To be honest, so am I," I laughed. She snuggled in closer to me. Even though she was an adult woman in her early twenties, I still thought of her as my little girl, and I relished this time with her.

"I love you, Daddy," she said softly. I kissed her forehead.

"I love you too, pumpkin," I told her.

"I'm getting pretty tired," she finally said. "I think I'm going to try and get some sleep."

"That's a good idea," I responded. "We have to get up early and get you to the hospital anyway. Remember, if you need anything, we're right next door."

"Okay," she said quietly. "Good night, Dad."

"Good night, pumpkin," I said, getting off the bed. I tucked her in and made sure she was set for the night, then left the room, turning the light off before closing her door. I walked into the room I shared with my wives and instantly felt the tension in the air. The look of thunder on their faces told me something was dreadfully wrong.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"The Bitch is up to her old games," Harmony said. From her words and the tone of her voice, I knew she was talking about Carol, my ex-wife and the author of most of my troubles.

"What did she do this time?" I asked, afraid of what I might hear.

"She sent a text and said I needed to call her," Harmony explained. "So I did."

"And?"

"She claims you've slept with her when you visited Maitland last month," Harmony said, her eyes burning with anger. It's true that I had spent some time in Maitland visiting some contractors to get their input on some products these last few months. But I never even saw Carol, much less slept with her. In fact, I went out of my way to avoid her.

"You know that's a bunch of bullshit," I told Harmony.

"Of course we know, our love," Harmony said.

Confused, I followed up: "Why would she make up such a cockamamie story?"

"Because, your ex is a lying psycho bitch from Hell," Melody spit. I couldn't disagree with her reasoning, and told her as such.

"I won't argue that, my love. But why would she lie like that? What does she hope to accomplish?"

"What has she ever wanted to accomplish? From the very beginning, all she's wanted to do is destroy you and your relationship with your daughter," Melody explained as Harmony nodded in agreement.

"Melody's right, our love," Harmony added. "Everything has always been about her - money, her status, what others think of her. She's never really given a damn about you, or Mackenzie for that matter." I sighed heavily as I considered what my lovely wives said and looked at Harmony.

"So, what did you tell my illustrious ex-wife?"

"I told her she was full of shite. And I also mentioned something to the effect that you wouldn't touch her with dickhead's tiny little prick even if he paid you," Harmony responded with a sneer. I couldn't help but chuckle.

"Seriously?" I asked between snickers.

"Yeah, that's pretty much what she said," Melody confirmed. "She also told the Bitch that she'd better be on her best behavior tomorrow. Otherwise she'll have to deal with all three of us."

"Remind me never to get you two pissed at me," I said, laughing. "Come here," I added, holding my arms open. My two wives came to me and we ended up on the bed, removing each other's clothing. Before I knew it, I found myself naked under two beautiful, equally naked women working their magic on my body.

The next morning was a bit of a blur as the three of us showered and dressed for the busy day ahead. Melody was the first to finish, so she went next door to help Mackenzie get ready. I was shaving when I heard a wolf whistle from the main room. I saw Melody eyeing me, her eyebrows raised.

"Are you really wearing that to the hospital?" she asked, pointing at my boxers.

"Why not?" I responded. "It's not like I'll be showing them to the nurses or anything."

"Bloody well better not," Melody warned with a wry smile. "I'm surprised they still fit after all these years."

"Me too," I said.

"Does Mackenzie know you're wearing her presents?" my wife asked.

"Yes. I told her last night." Melody smiled at that.

"It's so good to see the two of you re-connecting," she said as she buttoned her jeans.

"I know she's an adult, but it feels like I have my little girl back," I told her as I finished shaving. "I'll be so glad when this is all over."

"We all will," Melody responded. "You'd better hurry and finish dressing. Not unless you want to go to the hospital like that."

"I'll be finished before you know it," I told her. A few minutes later, we walked out and knocked on Mackenzie's door. Harmony opened it and the two of them walked out.

"Ready?" I asked.

"Let's get this done," Mackenzie said. We piled into the rental and made our way to the hospital. Once there, the girls got out and walked Mackenzie inside while I found a place to park. I knew where her infusion would take place - I had been here often enough - so I parked the car and made my way inside.

I saw her when I walked inside - Carol - my ex-wife and the architect of all the pain and heartache I had experienced over the last eight years or so. It had been a little more than a year since I bodily walked her out of my house and made her leave. I took in what had once been a beautiful woman.

Carol looked as though she had gained even more weight than the last time I saw her. At that time, she reminded me a bit of a potato. She was even larger now.

"Terry," she began before I cut her off.

"What the fuck are you trying to pull?" I asked her. "Telling Harmony I slept with you. Are you out of your fucking mind?"

"Terry, I..."

"Just shut the fuck up," I growled. "I don't want to hear your lies or excuses. I invited you here so you could see Mackenzie on her last treatment. Can't you just once think of someone besides yourself for a change?"

"I... I'm sorry," Carol finally said quietly. I just shook my head.

"Let's go," I finally said. "They should be just about done with her blood work." I saw a slight smirk on her face as we headed for the clinic, which happened to be in a ground floor annex. I couldn't help but wonder what was on her mind.

I opened the door and let Carol in first. I walked in and saw my two lovely wives next to Mackenzie's gurney. I walked toward them and sensed something was wrong. I felt this way once before - the hairs on my arms stood up and I felt a chill go up and down my back. Suddenly, all hell broke loose.

I heard a familiar man's scream. Looking up, I saw him - the dickhead - just as mean and bullish as ever. Somehow, he managed to get a gun and it was pointed at us. For a moment, I was frozen, but my girls weren't.

Carol took a swing at Harmony, but my wife was able to dodge the haymaker aimed at her head. She tackled me, knocking me to the floor, and I heard a series of gunshots. I felt a slight sting in my lower leg and heard Harmony scream in pain. I heard Melody scream out as well.

Two loud gunshots came from behind me and I saw blood shooting from dickhead's eyes. He fell back as what was left of his cranium sprayed the shelves behind him. Looking back, I saw two strange figures in period clothing.