It's Only Sex

"Oh Sonny."

"What?"

"Oh Sonny."

"Muriel I want you both. You two are so different. It's not my fault I feel this way. I guess you could say I'm a bigamist at heart."

The car swerved and Muriel asked Sonny to take over the driving. Grinning, he said company rules were the senior graded journalist was to be the principal driver.

"Since when have you abided by rules?"

Muriel pulled over and when they were under way again she fell asleep. Ten miles out from city limits she awoke and simply said, "All right."

Sonny yawned, adjusting his sunglasses. "All right what?"

"I'll be your second wife."

"Jesus!" yelled Sonny, the car almost running off the sealed surface of the highway.

"Any conditions?"

Muriel sighed and said no.

"You're an amazing women Muriel."

"Hah you say that about an adulteress."

Sonny said she should not be too hard on herself. "You are a lovely, warm and sensitive woman, full of life and work hard. You are not terribly happy at home but you both have adapted to changed ways and co-exist, rather amicably from the little I have learned. You had a need and found it in me. We both accept we are in this relationship for the sex. We tolerate one another and have become quite fond of one another but I can say with confidence we don't love one another and probably never will because unconsciously we've both drawn a line because you are married. Is that a fair assumption?"

"Very fair, in fact I'd say it explains my situation, as I perceive it, perfectly. Sonny you are more sensitive and observant than I had realized. That was a brilliant summary and I know now how you feel. Until now I haven't known your private thoughts. I believe we can make our double lives work."

"Really? Then prepare for a little shock. While you were sleeping I was thinking and have come up with this: I intend picking my moment to tell Meg about you and me and that we are in this for the long haul and that if she doesn't like it she'd better find another man."

"No oh God, you can't..."

"I'm telling her Muriel. I'd rather she find out now about our intentions than to discover the truth after we marry and then risk having everything turn to custard."

"I can't decide whether you are a very brave man or a fool."

Sonny grinned and said time would tell. He added, "If Meg accepts the situation then I want you two to meet."

"No, Sonny. No. No. Meg is young and meeting me risks sending her over the edge."

"Cut the emotional crap Muriel. Meg is intelligent and knows she has the option of meeting you or refusing to meet you and then giving me her ultimatum or simply walking out of my life without another word. She is a modern woman but whether she is this modern we'll have to wait to find out."

After a long pause to settle down, Muriel spoke calmly. "We have had a simple relationship, based totally on sex. It's been lovely and uncomplicated apart from being exposed to possible discovery. Now it is on the verge of being caught up in very complicated politics and the thought of being involved in that fills me with dread. But if I try to look at it with your eyes I can visualize what may lie ahead. After the dust settles and should Meg remain in the equation then it's all plain sailing if the three of us manage to keep the lid on it. It would depend how willing we are to share and compromise."

"Exactly. Good analytical thinking Muriel. Who the fuck is parked in my parking space," Sonny fumed, "And where's my fucking car?"

He drove into the company vehicle lock-up agitated and snapped a kiss on Muriel's lips.

"Was that a kiss?"

"Sorry, let me do it again affectionately. Hmmm. There we go, I've put you through quite a hassle."

Muriel said, "It's okay. my over-reaction is gone and I see it all clearly now. The best option for you is Meg accepting what you propose, which is asking a tremendous lot of her, but whatever the outcome I still end up with my piece of you."

"That's it. Thanks for sticking with me babe. Buy me Viagra when the day comes when you feel my performance is waning. I hope that husband of yours decides you should bear children as you are destined to be a great mother. I cannot do it for you as I just know Meg would not tolerate me having children that weren't also hers. If required, I'll help finance you into intro-fertilization is there is a problem between you and your husband. You're thirty-five Muriel, time is running out for you."

"I know, I will have to really confront him very soon. W-would you still want me if I had children?"

"Why should that make any difference? If you need me I'll be there for you."

"Thank you darling. Just one more kiss before you bound off to sort out your car problem. I'll sign the vehicle back in and take your things up to the office. Tim called just before we left saying we'd done a great job with our coverage. They are running it as a four-pager News Special... my reporting, your back-grounding,"

Sonny said great and jumped out with his over-night bag and shouted, "Greg!"

"Oh hi, Sonny. Like your new wheels? Your father instructed me to upgrade your car. Like it?"

"I only spotted it as I drove in. Did you shift everything over?"

"Yes."

"Including the door-openers."

"Of course."

"Why am I getting the upgrade so soon?"

"Your father didn't say and didn't restrict me in selection. So I went out and bought this vanilla model plain gray but inside it's quite luxurious but not overstated. Did you notice the twin pipes? Under that bonnet is a turbo-charged V6. She drives like a woman who really wants it Sonny. But you'll only receiving what you deserve. Everyone around here is saying good things about you. Kerry Fleming was boasting to us yesterday that he took you overnight to see roller hockey and you had his stiff-ass sister, and those were his words, eating out of your hand when being so nice to her and teasing her. He reckons the new strategic plan for the organization of his department as soon as your father signs it off will make it one of the most efficient and effective units in the entire company, the liar. Circulation has been the bum business unit of the company, and always will be."

"Whatever you say, Greg. Thanks for the new wheels. All women like men with something extra under the bonnet, don't they?"

"Right on, Sonny. Take care."

* * *

Sonny was in the bar early to be there when Meg arrived, knowing she would like that. Three guys and two couples came up to him at different times, welcoming him back to the city. Obviously word was spreading.

In bounced this gorgeous chick. The bar drone of conversations all but stopped. If it hadn't been for the auburn hair although now de-curled or whatever they called it with just waves in it, he wouldn't have recognized her. Stepping forward he held out his arms and Meg floated into them, pink with happiness and a smile to die for. He met her eager lips and gave her the full treatment.

"Sonny we are in a public place," she whispered without a hint of reprimand. He cupped a breast and she pulled away his hand giggling. "Down boy."

He admired her white strapless dress with bright red tie. Meg said she'd arrived home to find it on her bed with the new white high heels almost three inches higher than Rowena had ever purchased before. The assistant in the store was in her mid-twenties so Rowena had asked her for something for 'a vibrant twenty-three year old' and had given her the sizes and then accepted what was offered.

"Thank God Rowena didn't choose," Sonny grinned.

"Amen," Meg giggled and told him he really knew how to talk to females.

"I also like your new hair style."

"You noticed! Oh, why should I be surprised? Your mother took me to her hairdresser today and stood over the poor woman telling what she wanted done to me. Amazingly, it turned out very okay. Your mom really does have style. Yesterday we went through her entire wardrobe. She must have at least $50,000 in dresses alone."

"You saw my mom two days in a row?"

"Three days counting our lunch day. She was so lonely with both you and your father being away. She said you are creating a part-time job for her in the company. How can you possibly do that?"

"With ingenuity."

"Why didn't your father do it?"

"Because his job is to give orders."

"Why did he pull you away from reporting to do office reorganization?"

"Because he knows I had no idea of what subscription and circulation were, was the person with the fresh ideas, and because of my ignorance would have to work from the bottom up before working out the reorganization with the manager, win over the manager and then complete the plan."

"You father sounds very intelligent."

Sonny smiled but withheld saying devious as well. He said Meg might meet him during the weekend.

At dinner they were humming along beautifully. Meg had finally exhausted herself talking about her meetings with his mother, his mom meeting Rowena and then she told him, "You mother told me she'd be happy if you decide to marry me?"

Sonny had decided to put off telling Meg about his plan for the integration of Muriel until Meg's lust had been sated after a rutting but here was the chance.

"Meg, I want you to keep calm over what I am about to tell you. Wait until I finish before you make your considered decision. Okay?"

Her face fell and she visibly tensed. "Yes," she whispered.

Oh gawd, thought Sonny but decided there was no turning back.

As he finished presenting the case for pseudo bigamy with the prime benefits accruing to himself, Sonny had running through his mind the images of Meg taking off one of her shoes and impaling it through his forehead, squirting blood covering her new white dress. He felt quite queasy as he looked at her, her face set in stone, and said, "And that's it."

"Is that all?" she said, looking rather surprised.

"Er yes."

"Thank God, I thought you were going to reveal you had a terrible STD or couldn't help me conceived children or something really dreadful. But you're a skunk wanting me to allow you to attend to Muriel on the side."

"A slunk?" Sonny thought that didn't sound too bad, almost quite promising in fact. Moreover Meg wasn't about to run because she'd leaned back to allow the waitress to top up her wine glass. Was he on a home run or was he what?

Sonny cleared his throat as the waitress left, they both watching her swaying ass and turning, caught each other's grin and grinned more enthusiastically. "Meg, I know this is an extraordinary thing to bring up on the eve of a proposal but..."

"Could we cut the crap and go out an buy a ring? Hayman's remain open till 9:30."

"W-what?"

"Too much sexual activity causes deafness, even at an early age Sonny."

"W-what?"

"Oh you poor lamb. Slide around here and hold me. Once I realized you weren't about to deliver a bombshell it was easy for me to explain your dilemma my darling, Meg said, brushing back his hair with her hand and kissing his nose."

Sonny was almost prepared to believe he'd died and gone to heaven.

"It's understandable you want to keep your cute plaything. Your mother warned me that the McCain men are born with a treacherous streak but miraculously they remain loyal to their wives and families in all other ways. She told me your grandfather and now your father keep an apartment in the warehouse area of the city for their liaisons and she's concluded your father has taken her treacherous younger sister there many times because she recognized the style of décor."

"M-my mom has been to the apartment?"

"Several times I believe. She said when your father is away at conferences she's taken a male friend there occasionally."

"My m-mom commits adultery?"

Meg said Peggy hadn't spelt it out but she caught the sly look.

"Ohmigod, you didn't tell her I took you there?"

Meg said definitely not and his mom seemed to think Meg was still a virgin.

"I can't believe I'm hearing this," Sonny said, scratching behind his left ear.

"Well, it's nothing compared with what I heard from you a few minutes ago."

"Er, let me get this quite clear: if I buy you an engagement ring that means you accept that I attend to Muriel on the side?"

"Yes."

"But why."

"Because the McCain men are treacherous; you already have your finger in the pie and in essence were giving me the ultimatum of accepting it or get lost and above all, you were honest enough to come clean before I committed to you. The other thing is I bounced from guy to guy at college and involved in threesomes and even big groupies and eventually it all become no big deal. It's only sex."

"But that makes me a slime ball, doesn't it?"

"Perhaps but it told me there is honor in you as a fornicator, that you were prepared to come clean and face the consequences now, rather than allow me to find out later and be devastated."

"Y-you worked that out all by yourself?"

"You have a lot to learn Sonny McCain: some women do have brains and can extrapolate their thinking. Shall we go, you naughty boy?"

The jewelry manager took Peg up and down both sides of the three rows of cabinets at quite a clip. Returning to Sonny, Meg sniffed, "I wanted something to treasure."

"It's all we have, miss."

Old Mr Hayman appeared and ignoring Peg asked, "What's your name son?"

"Sonny McCain."

"I thought you looked slightly familiar. One of Grant's boys?"

"Yes, the youngest Mr Hayman."

"Oh, you were the reporter who came through for Ben Hackshaw and his mob of farmers."

"Yes sir, and this is Ben's daughter Meg."

"Hello my beauty. My son Gus used to be great friends all through high school with your parents."

"Oh yes, I've heard my mom talk about him; he went away on a football scholarship and ever came back. He coaches at Notre Dame I believe."

He did but now runs a nation-wide chain supplying training uniforms and training gear to colleges and universities. "Come through Meg and took a look at my private collection and you too Sonny."

"Ohmigod," Meg cried looking at the dozen rings Mr Hayman unwrapped and placed on black velvet for her. "I'll have that one please," she pointed unerringly at a pale blue sapphire set in a cluster of small diamonds.

"An excellent choice my dear," Mr Hayman said. "Not the most expensive by far but the most practically and most exquisitely set by a Chinese lady we had working for us quite some time ago."

"How long ago?"

"Neigh on forty years."

"Why hasn't it sold?

"Few people get to see this collection because they're my babies."

"I feel this ring has been waiting for me, don't you agree?"

"If I said yes young Mr McCain would regard that as a sales pitch, but to you I say yes my dear and you'll know what I mean. I am prepared to part with it because it's going to the right woman."

"Oh thank you, Mr Hayman. "I know I'm the right woman."

Neither Mr Hayman nor Meg were surprised that the ring fitted perfectly which raised Sonny's suspicions.

When pulling up to buy two bottles of French champagne he asked Meg, "When were you last in Mr Hayman's store?"

"About eighteen months ago. Why? Oh, I see. You thought I'd sneaked in yesterday, choose a ring and had to measured for size. Smart boy, but wrong. No way did I do that. This ring was made for me, trust me. Your mother told me where to go for the ring is you offered to buy me one."

Sonny wasn't getting into this omen stuff. He just sighed and shook his head.

They arrived at the farm and Rowena turned off TV and made them coffee. Sonny and Meg exchanged quick smiles when they say Rowena staring at her daughter's ring finger and then shrieked, Ohmigod, OHMIGOD!"

There were kisses and backslapping all round. After the celebratory drink of champagne Meg packed an overnight bag.

"Oh yes, you are welcomed to sleep here with Meg now that you two are engaged," Rowena said shyly.

"Thank's mom. We may have trouble doing that at the McCain's because Peggy has it in her head that I'm a virgin."

Rowena slapped a hand over her mouth and ran to the kitchen where they all heard her screaming in laughter.

"What's set off your mom?" Ben asked.

"I think it's the champagne reacting on her," Meg said and burst into laughter, sweeping Sonny along with her.

Grant McCain opened the door and said surly, "What, lost your key?"

Sonny stood aside and Grant broke into a mix of smile and leer. "Why hello, you must be the fabulous Meg. I've been hearing so much about you."

"Hello Mr McCain. You have reared a lovely son."

"Huh, oh yes. He's okay."

Sonny handed over the bottle and said, "Poor four glasses dad."

"Three. Your mom's in bed after we had a row. She accused me of being away with another woman."

"Were you?"

Grant sucked in air and looked at Meg.

"It's okay Mr McCain. My father does it all the time."

"Well, I had to take my PA to a conference."

"What conference dad?"

"Oh hell, I can't think of a name. Your mom caught me the same way".

Sonny turned to Meg. "Go get her pet. You'll know what to do."

Meg dived into the house and Grant was just shutting the front door when shrieks came from the bedroom. Peggy came galloping out, Meg in tow, and part of Peggy's anatomy swinging out of the top of her sexy night dress.

"Oh my darling, oh my son. What an amazing decision you've made. You're made me so happy. Meg is such a wonderful, wonderful girl. Don't you agree Grant?"

Grant made signs alerting Peggy to the errant boob.

"Ohmigod back you go darling," she chuckled, putting it away.

"Yes, I guess that means you two are engaged?" Grant said. "That's wonderful news. Wonderful news. Meg we'll have to meet your parents."

"Come to dinner tomorrow night," Meg said. "And you too Sonny although your invitation was for next Sunday night."

"Thank you, we accept with pleasure but shouldn't you ask your mother first."

"We are country people, Mr McCain. "Hospitality happens in response to an opportunity rather than to a scribble on a calendar."

"She means people drop in when they feel like it rather making a date and posting it on a calendar dad."

"Oh, I see."

Meg whispered to Sonny, "You told me your father was bright."

* * *

Two weeks later Meg received a call from Muriel White, offering congratulations and inviting her to lunch on Saturday.

"Thank you for your congratulations Mrs White," Meg said, feeling as if she were running hot and cold. "Did Sonny ask you to contact me?"

The reply came with a bit of background explanation. "Before the engagement he outlined a proposal to me that I tried desperately to reject but I'm afraid I weakened. I am unaware of what he told you but assume he did outline his scheme before proposing to you. I decided to give you space before making this suggestion that we meet."

Peg was becoming nervous. What if she were over-awed by this woman? Then she remembered how brave Sonny had been in taking such a risk in making his disclosure.

"Fine, may I suggest a picnic in the park for two? You bring a little food and I'll bring the wine. The weather is settled so may I suggest Somers Park by the fountain."

"That sounds a wonderful idea and far better than being cooped up inside in this lovely weather. I'll be wearing a yellow sunhat."

"I'll be wearing a white one with a yellow chin tie."

"Around her neck, she wore a yellow ribbon..." Muriel sung that line in beautiful voice and then laughed. "Shall we say 12:30?"

"An excellent time," Meg said agreeably. "Until Saturday then Mrs White."

Resuming her work on clearing out the ditch she was working on, Meg thought as expected Mrs White sounded a very nice woman. Well, she wouldn't have expected Sonny to align with a whining bitch. Everything sounded so chummy on the phone but would the sparks fly at the park?

She was jolted as the bucket of the backhoe struck a rock. Hydraulically lifting the 12-in bottom-clearing bucket she found the all the cutting teeth appeared okay. "No wonder dad has lots of money," she groaned, sweating in rivulets as she dismounted from the old machine. "He should have purchased a modern replacement machine with air-conditioning years ago. What a tight-ass. If my darling could see me now!"