His Loss, 1 Month Later

"Wow! I wouldn't have guessed any of that about you two from looking at you."

"Barbara, when was your surgery?"

"Two years ago. My boyfriend at the time found a tiny lump. It freaked him out and when he left the morning he found it that was the last I heard from him. I went to a doctor that day and within two days I had surgery. I worried that the scar or the word cancer would scare every man in the world away. A year later I met a guy and started dating. On our third date I was about to take him home when I told him about the word and the scar. He took me home and we stayed in bed all weekend. I discovered I wasn't damaged goods and I discovered that the scar was and is delightfully sensitive to touch."

"Can we talk about our wedding trip?"

"Yes, Amanda, we can. What about it?"

"I've never been on a cruise ship. Have you?"

"Yes. I went looking for a man. I got a cheap inside cabin as a place to store my clothes while I went fishing for a man to spend my time with."

"What are the cabins like?"

"They are small. Mine had two single beds that could be pushed together to make a queen sized bed, a small bathroom, a closet, a desk, a TV, and just about enough walking room to turn around twice. There are bigger cabins and I saw some of those as a guest. The ones with a balcony are bigger, have more light, but still aren't as big as a nice motel room."

"Can all three of us fit in one room?" Amanda had a worried look on her face.

"While I was at work today I looked on the internet and found what I think will work great for us. We already know that we can sleep three in a queen sized bed but we prefer a king. The ships I looked at don't have Kings. OK. What I also looked at was closet space. Typically the rooms have just enough for two people. However, I discovered that if we book three rooms we can have two adjoining rooms and one somewhere else and get a discount. By having two rooms together we can use one for all the extra stuff and we get two bathrooms!"

"Oh, I love how you think! Sometimes we need two bathrooms!"

"We can book three rooms on an October cruise now and get a great discounted price. If we need to cancel the third room for any reason we still get the discount on the two rooms together. If we need to cancel everything we can do it without penalty up to thirty days before we sail."

"Whoa! Are we going too fast here?"

"Too fast? Many people plan their weddings years in advance and some get married in Las Vegas having known each other less than a month. What makes this too fast?"

"There are some things I need to know about each of us. I need to know you better. I want to marry both of you, but I want to know you better."

"So, ask. I, for one, will answer any question put to me." I smiled a smug smile.

"So, do you want children?"

I looked at Andrea who had just asked that loaded question. If she really wants kids and I say no and Barbara says no that could be a deal breaker. If I say yes or Barbara says yes that could be a deal breaker. Oh, and there is the idea that I said I'd be honest.

"No. Not like it's a deal breaker for me. If you both want kids I'd be happy and loving and involved as a parent. If you don't I'll be fine without them."

Barbara looked at Amanda for a long time. While I spoke she looked at me, then back to Amanda. Finally, her mouth opened.

"Please don't ever say this to my parents but, No, I don't want kids. I like kids but I have never wanted kids. If Amanda wants a child I'm staying in the marriage. I'm not going to have the baby for us."

"Amanda?"

"I gave up on having kids when I was in high school. I had a bad infection and the doctor who treated me did some tests and I'm unable to have children. I cried for a year but now I am OK with loving children at a distance. I asked because I needed to know."

"What about entertaining? Do you like going to parties, having people over, socializing?"

"I've been shy all my life. Having to work at a young age limited my social life and so I don't know what I like. When John and I were together we were just us. We never had friends or anything."

"A long time ago I saw a movie with Steve McQueen. He lived in house in San Francisco with his girl friend and his house was always full of people who considered him Pappy. I have always liked the idea of lots of people around. I am a bit older now and I know I enjoy our privacy too. I love how our home will serve us and will have room for some friends too. What I find distasteful about parties is when they are big. I want to sit down and have a deep intimate conversation with a small group of friends, share a meal together, bond and share our lives."

"Pete, you are a true romantic. Anyone ever tell you that?"

"Yes. In confirms my intentions. I want to be a romantic, a lover, a trusted intimate friend."

"Ah yes, we're marrying a romantic!"

It was getting late so we paid the bill and went back to our apartment. We took care of the routines of night and went to bed. After all tomorrow was work.

Plans were made, changed and made again. Barbara's weekly phone calls home included things that we were doing and her feelings. Her parents wanted to meet me so Barbara invited them to visit. They came. It was a great experience for all three of us. I'm not sure how Barbara's parents would describe the visit, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't what they anticipated.

Barbara was fine until three days before they arrived. She started worrying over everything. When I noticed her anxiety level getting up there I attempted to ease the pressure. I made it worse. I backed off, way off. The next day at work she apologized.

The night before they would be here I was in my house. Amanda's and Barbara's stuff was all in the apartment. Barbara was thinking about either a heart attack or a stroke, but couldn't decide. The phone rang. Barbara was up on the ceiling as the first ring ended. Amanda answered.

"Hello."

"Yes, John, I have a minute."

Twenty minutes later Amanda was off the phone and in tears. Barbara hugged her and Amanda told her what that was all about.

"John wants me to have dinner with him. He wants me in his life. He didn't say romantically but I heard it in his voice. I also heard something else. He's scared."

"Of?"

"I don't know, maybe of always being alone."

"How did you leave it?"

"He's going to call again after next weekend."

"Any idea what you want to do?"

"Yes. I want him to become a man and go somewhere else to be happy."

"I guess that means you aren't running off any time soon?"

"You better believe it! We're getting married!"

Amanda changed the embrace that had started as emotional support and in seconds the emotional support for Amanda had turned into shared support and lust for each other.

All the pressure and anticipation were mixed together. The apartment was cleaned within an inch or less of it's life. Both Barbara and Amanda had ironed and set out all their clothes for the weekend. The bed Barbara's parents would use had brand new sheets on it. Every detail had been taken care of. And, they were still nervous. All of that showed up in the hug shared standing by the phone.

Amanda was wearing sweats and was barefoot. Her hair was covered by a bandana. Barbara was in cut off jeans and a ragged sweatshirt. The arms of the sweatshirt had been removed and were now rags used in cleaning the apartment. She was barefoot as well.

In the hug Amanda became aware of her breasts pressing against Barbara's. It felt good. No pain. The longer she focused on the feeling the better it felt. Without a thought Amanda tilted her head slightly and kissed Barbara. It was returned and gentleness quickly became passion. Tongue touched tongue. Hands caressed backs and pressed body against body.

Eventually the kisses stopped and both women looked at each other's face. Both were smiling.

"I think I need a shower. Would you help me get clean?" Amanda spoke first.

"Oh, I would be happy to do one more cleaning job." And both laughed on their way to the bathroom. The sweats and shorts went into the hamper and they went into the shower. Each washed the other and not herself. Each and ever inch of skin was lovingly attended, with special attention to the more sensitive areas. When Barbara ran her hand down Amanda's belly to her mons she stopped.

"You have a little stubble, dearest. May I remove it for you?"

"You want to shave my pussy?" Amanda asked. She was surprised at the request.

"The thought of being so intimate has my juices flowing. Please?"

"OK. No one has ever done that for me before."

"Put your foot up on the edge of the tub."

Amanda did as she was told. Barbara lathered Amanda's pussy and took a fresh razor from the basket next to the tub. She knelt and carefully shaved Amanda's pussy smooth. She had Amanda shift and put her other leg up, giving her better access to the other side of her vulva.

When she was done she ran her hands over the area she had just shaved and said, "Feels Ok with my hands, but I think we need a closer examination."

Amanda leaned over and shut off the water.

"If you touch me there with your tongue I'll cum all over the bathroom."

"Well, hang on Honey, cause that's exactly what I want to do!"

Amanda held onto the grab bars in the shower and Barbara leaned forward and touched Amanda's slit with her tongue. Amanda's knees weakened and her grip on the bars tightened. Barbara grabbed Amanda's ass and pressed her face into Amanda. Her tongue probed and savored the nectar of her roommate/wife.

Amanda felt the surge of her climax rushing forward.

"Oh, I'm... I'm... Oh! Oh please! Don't stop! Yes! Yes, there!"

She grabbed Barbara's hair and came! She shook all over and moaned loudly. Barbara had a thought that she might suffocate but she didn't. When Amanda calmed down she released Barbara's head. Barbara stood up and they kissed again. Amanda helped Barbara out of the shower and dried her off. She dried herself quickly and led Barbara to the bed they would share during the visit.

Barbara was gently kissed and assisted onto her back with her legs hanging off the side of the bed. Amanda knelt between Barbara's thighs and put her face in Barbara's bald, smooth, open pussy. One lick and Amanda pulled back. Barbara's eyes opened and she looked at her lover.

"What?"

"I've never seen you shave! You are as smooth as I am and you didn't shave!" "I had laser treatments a few years ago. I haven't shaved in four years. Like it?"

"Yes! I want a pussy like yours!"

"Right now, I would really like it if you would shut up and lick."

Amanda faced the situation and put herself face first into an exploration of the dilemma. She concentrated in doing to Barbara what she liked herself. She played with the opening of Barbara's vagina, running her tongue all over the edges of the opening. She sucked Barbara's lips in and tongued them as well. She finally felt Barbara squirming enough that she flicked the tip of her tongue against Barbara's clit as gently as she could and as slowly. Barbara thrashed on the bed.

Amanda held on to Barbara's hips and continued her soft, slow strokes of Barbara's clit. Barbara arched, stiffened and a low guttural growl came from her. Her legs clamped Amanda's head and held on. Barbara flooded Amanda with juices and Amanda did her best to swallow all of it.

When she released the grip on Amanda's head she began to pant and a series of aftershocks twitched her on the bed. When she calmed down Amanda spoke.

"Am I getting better?"

"Oh Amanda! Oh Amanda! How can you even ask? Get over here and hold me."

In a few minutes the two were sound asleep. At my house the Mighty Ducks beat Toronto 4 to 3. I ate a TV dinner and was in bed before midnight. Fortunately, I didn't exactly know what the loves of my life were up to. They did tell me later.

Amanda woke first. She got up, went to the bathroom and then to the kitchen. She started the coffee and surveyed the house to make sure it was clean enough. She could hear the coffee maker working so she went into the living room and was about to move a magazine that was perfect when the doorbell rang.

Amanda stood up and looked at the door. Looking back was an older couple, smiling. Amanda realized she was nude! She screamed and ran for the bedroom.

Barbara was sitting up with her eyes wide when Amanda flew into the room.

"They're here! They saw me naked! I'm sorry! What can we do?"

Barbara bounded from bed, threw on Amanda's robe and headed for the door. Over her shoulder she said, "You might want to throw something on." She laughed all the way to the door.

Her parents were all smiles when she opened the door.

"Nice looking roommate you have, daughter." Her Dad said.

"Yes! I'd have to agree. She's an alto isn't she?" Barbara's Mother was in a choir.

"You're here before I expected you. Before we expected you. Sit down. I'll be right back."

Amanda was found sitting on the toilet crying.

"Hey, come on. Get something on and let's do breakfast."

"I can't! They saw me naked! I've never been so embarrassed!"

"Didn't I tell you hat Mom and Dad went to a nudist resort one year? Nudity is nothing big to them. Relax. You don't need to be embarrassed."

"I can't just walk out there like nothing happened."

"OK. Stay here for a minute." Barbara walked back into the living room. Both Mom and Dad were still grinning.

"Listen. My roommate has never been seen naked by strangers before. She's embarrassed. I think she's thinking about staying in the bathroom for the weekend."

"She's embarrassed about being seen naked? Well, I'll bet if everyone was naked she'd get past those feeling pretty quickly." Mom stood and started undressing.

Dad knew when to argue and when to go with the program. Barbara always wanted to be a good daughter. The three left their clothes in the living room and walked into the bathroom. Amanda was still sitting on the toilet, hands over her eyes. To fit the other three into that small bathroom they all were less than a foot from Amanda.

"Amanda?"

"I can't come out. They saw me naked!"

"They're naked too."

"What?" She looked up and saw all three standing naked less than a foot away from her. She realized in a split second that Barbara's Mom had no hair on her pussy and that Barbara's Dad had a cock that looked a lot like John's. She started to laugh. So did they.

Amanda stood up and hugged Barbara's Mom.

"Hi. I'm Amanda."

"Hi, I'm Crystal, Barbara's Mom."

Hands turned Amanda and a naked man hugged her.

"And I'm Mark, Barbara's Dad. Now, is it possible we could get a cup of coffee around here?"

Laughter surrounded them for the rest of the morning. At lunch time they finally got dressed and met Pete at a restaurant. Pete was met by four people who looked as though they had all been best friends for years. Amanda and Barbara were calm and Pete could sense no tension at all.

As the meal arrived Crystal began the questioning. Barbara had prepared Pete and Amanda for the way her parents questioned new people in her life.

"So, Pete, what's your real name? Nobody names a kid Pete Peterson."

"I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you. No, I just have been called Pete since I was in school. I was named after my grandfather and my name never seemed right for me. It's Walter."

"Walter. OK. Pete does suit you better."

"Have you ever been married before?"

"No. Wait, what do you mean before?"

"Honey, do we look gullible?"

"I'm not married, never have been."

"Officially, I'm sure that's true. Now tell me, Pete, do you love our daughter?"

"Wow! You go right in there don't you? Yes, I love her. Yes, I love her enough to want to spend the rest of my life loving her." "You know we love her too?"

"Of course."

"So, when's the wedding?"

"Wait! I haven't proposed. Don't people set a date after they propose? And, do we really need to get married? Couldn't we just live together forever?"

"Do you want to just shack up with our daughter? Is that you ambition?"

Dad had been quiet, sitting and smiling as his wife ran the inquisition. That ended.

"Son, I don't like the sound of that. What is it about being married to my daughter that has you shy away from it?"

"Nothing. Except timing. I was going to wait until Sunday night at dinner with a bottle of champagne and a violin playing to propose but that was just my plan..." Pete walked around the table and took Barbara's hands. "Sweetheart, I love you and I want you to be my wife. Will you marry me?"

"Do I get a ring?" Barbara was having way too much fun.

"Yes. It's on my dresser at home. I wasn't planning this for tonight."

"I've got to have a ring."

I had an inspiration. I turned to Crystal and asked, "May I borrow your engagement ring?"

She twisted it a few times and it came off. She put it in my hand. I turned back to Barbara and took her hand again.

"This ring has a long history of love, commitment and shared life with it. I ask you again, will you marry me and carry on the tradition of love that this ring brings with it?"

Barbara stood and said, "Yes!" She was in my arms and kissing me. I heard her Dad say, "The boy makes a good speech."

When we sat back down I noticed Amanda was crying just a little.

Mark spoke: "That was good. I believe you when you say you love my daughter. I have some questions I'd like answers to. May I?"

"Sure. Ask away." I said.

"No, not questions for you. Questions for Amanda. OK?" He had turned and faced her. She wiped away the remaining tear and said, "OK. Ask."

"Why did your marriage end?"

"He abandoned me."

"He left?"

Amanda nodded.

"Why?"

Amanda told the story. John was afraid of hospitals and when Amanda needed surgery he took off. He moved away while she was in the hospital.

"How did you meet Pete?"

"He lived next door to John and me."

"And, how did you meet Barbara?"

"Pete told me that Barbara was looking for a roommate. We met, liked each other and moved in together."

"Did you love John?"

"Mark!" Crystal was surprised by the question.

"It's OK. No. I married him because I thought no one else would ever ask me."

"Do you love John now?"

"No."

"Had you ever been in love before you married John?"

"No."

"Are you in love now?"

Amanda's eyes shot to Barbara and to me. Before she could answer Crystal spoke.

"Mark, I know sometimes you are psychic, but this is the best you've ever done. Amanda, You love Pete, don't you?"

Amanda nodded.

Crystal turned to her daughter, "And you know she loves Pete don't you?"

Barbara nodded.

She turned to me. "You love them both don't you?"

I nodded.

"So, what's all this game about? Why are two of you in an apartment and Pete is clear across town?"

"It's not like this is a normal relationship. We were worried about your reaction if you found out. Barbara doesn't want to do anything that might hurt either of you."

"So, let's be clear. Barbara, your mother and I love you. You want Pete, fine with us. He wants both of you and you're Ok with that, so are we."

Mark sat back smiling.

Amanda spoke up, "What if Barbara also wants to marry me and I want to marry Barbara?"

Mark sat forward again.

"Wow! A triad. Three equal partners. Pete, how do you feel about that?"

"I love it. I love both of them and I love that they love each other."

Mark spoke again. "You know you can't get legally married to both women, don't you Pete?"

"Yes."

"And Barbara you know the battle is still on about same sex marriages?"

"Yes."

"So, when do we leave?"

"Leave?" Crystal asked.

"We have to go on a cruise. International waters. They can have the wedding and the celebration without breaking anyone's laws and be married forever."