Give & Take Among Friends Ch. 03

"You weren't on any 10-year journey," Lila admonished. "You had access to love from me anytime you wanted it." She paused. "As you know, I studied the Song of Solomon, not The Odyssey," In the Song, sex is a very special expression of true love between the royal couple. But I could change my mind on that, and come closer to your Odyssey viewpoint," she said, looking at me with a serious expression. "I almost did at that motel. My Aunt Bertha used to say 'the sauce is the same for the goose as it is for the gander.' If you look for spice elsewhere, I just may feel the need to do so also."

I did not like to think of that, and in the throes of renewed love told her sincerely that goose dressing was irrelevant, and she provided all the seasoning I wanted for the rest of the banquet.

Her gaze drifted down to my lower anatomy, and she smiled. "I think our talk has reawakened a sleeping giant." She reached out and caressed it. "It's such a beautiful thing," she said. "I hope it's something that we can always share just between the two of us."

"No matter where else he's been, he's always been true to you in his heart," I said, grinning.

"It's time for him to come back home to me right now," she asserted, with a playful pout.

"He" was happy to.

* * *

Soon, it was as if we had never been apart. There was a little anxiety a couple of weeks later. She had a good job offer at a rural school district about a hundred miles away. Commuting would be impractical, especially over winter roads, so she would have to live in the vicinity of her job. However, neither of us wanted to disrupt our renewed relationship. Having had enough of the urban area anyway, I did some quick scouting around and went for an interview at a local newspaper in the same area as her job offer. The editor was duly impressed by me and my experience. Although it meant a cut in pay, I took the job. We began looking around and soon bought our house, amazed at how cheaper it was than an equivalent house in the urban area.

We were very content there. Newlyweds Eli and Rachel came to visit, and liked the area enough to also buy a house nearby. Eli set up his "split-week schedule" at the university, so he could spend most of his time at the country place. His only reservation was that the new location was fairly close to Rachel's old flame Mike, but at least Mike seemed involved with a new family of his own.

We got together after they were settled in and made a toast to good times with good friends. Little did I know then how much give and take would evolve in the relationship.

Looking at the lighted numbers on the alarm clock, I saw that a lot of time had passed as I lay next to Lila thinking about our relationship, and with a yawn decided to join her in slumber.