Pandora's Christmas Box

"Yes."

Sarah seemed puzzled but she didn't ask any more questions. I left her at her parents' house and drove on to my family's event. As usual there was too much good food but I enjoyed myself. I was back to collect Sarah at eight o'clock. She too seemed to have enjoyed herself.

That evening was a repeat of Christmas Day -- a light meal followed by an early bedtime where Sarah treated me carefully and gently. I appreciated her consideration but I wished I could be a slightly more active partner. In the morning I was able to be on top and thrust into her much more effectively than I had before. If Sarah's squeals were an indication, she seemed to enjoy that too.

Sarah decided to make a change to the arrangements for lunch. It wasn't that she didn't trust my cooking. She thought she was probably better. She is. She would come to my house an hour before the others and make lunch in my kitchen which she had never seen.

When she arrived, after kissing me she hugged Pandora. I don't know what, but they whispered to each other.

Sarah was startled by the size of my kitchen. It was about four times the one on their flat. She was even more startled when I suggested getting some wine for lunch, and asked to her to help me choose. We went through the scullery/laundry room -- even that was larger than their kitchen, and downstairs to the cellars and the wine cellar. We chose a Rosé which would be chilled in the fridge.

When Anne and Rachel arrived they kissed me on the cheek before hugging Pandora. They were puzzled over lunch. Why had I wanted all three of them? We ended with coffee.

"Ladies?" I said, "I asked you to come here for a tour of my house, top see what I have got and what work I still have to do. You have seen the kitchen..."

"And been made to feel very jealous," Anne said. "It's enormous and there's the laundry room too. We could live in this room."

"But it is a small part of the house. Come on -- get your walking boots on."

I showed them the four living rooms and the downstairs cloakroom that was actually a large bathroom. We went up the wide formal staircase and I showed them the four bedrooms, all with large ensuites plus another family bathroom, before moving up to the next floor which I hadn't renovated yet. Again there were four more bedrooms, all of which could have ensuites, and another bathroom. Above that was the attic, the former servants' quarters, with ten smaller rooms and a small bathroom. Both that attic floor and the floor below had been rewired and re-plumbed but all the decoration was decades old.

We went back downstairs to the kitchen and more coffee.

"OK," I said. "You have seen the house, except the cellars..."

"And they're enormous too," Sarah added.

"...And you know that outside there is a carriage drive and parking spaces for ten cars..."

"Is the intention to make us jealous?" Rachel asked.

"No, Rachel. It was Pandora's suggestion."

"Pandora suggested that you should show us the house?" Rachel asked.

"Yes, but as a preliminary to what I am going to say next," I said.

I paused for effect. All three of them looked at me, puzzled.

"Pandora told me that you have to leave your flat at the end of January and you haven't found anywhere else you can afford."

I could see that they were beginning to see what I might be getting at.

"So she suggested that even if only temporarily, I should offer all three of you a share in this house. You have seen that there is enough room. The house if too large for me to keep clean and renovate but..."

"You would have live in cleaners and part-time decorators?" Anne asked.

I nodded. They looked at each other. I could see they could see the advantages.

"How much would you charge us?" Rachel asked.

"I know you are all trying to save for a deposit so you can buy, so, how about this? There will be costs for ending your present tenancy and removal costs. You might need wardrobes for example. So, I suggest that the first month is free and afterwards, half what you currently pay."

"Half!" Anne squeaked.

"Yes. Half. The rest would be in exchange for helping me to run and improve this house."

"OK," Sarah said. "That would be very generous, Andrew, but I think if so we ought to be cooks as well. We take it in turns to cook for all three of us now. Making meals for four wouldn't be hard."

"Would there be a problem with three of you sharing the kitchen?" I asked.

"No." Rachel said definitely. "We haven't got much a problem with the tiny kitchen we have now. In this enormous kitchen? All three of us could be working without any problem."

"What about a deposit?" Anne asked. "At present the agent has three months' rent."

"No deposits," I said, "You are friends and colleagues. I don't want a deposit."

"But that would mean we would get back a thousand pounds and more each, Andrew." Rachel said.

"That should help towards your house purchases," I said.

"And this was Pandora's idea?" Sarah said.

"Yes, Sarah." I replied.

Sarah looked at the other two women.

"Then we ought to come clean about Pandora."

The other two nodded.

"What about Pandora?" I asked.

"You know the three of us go to evening classes, as you did, for our qualifications?"

"Yes, and you should finish this year."

"All three of us went on a short course -- on hypnosis,"

"Hypnosis?"

"Yes, And when you were drunk on Christmas Eve were used it on you. We persuaded you that Pandora was alive and could talk. Part of hypnosis needs the subject -- you -- to trust the person or people doing the hypnosis. You did and do. The other thing is that the person doing the hypnosis believes what they are suggesting so we hypnotised ourselves into believing that Pandora was alive. Because WE believed it, it was easy to persuade you too."

"But...?"

"I know. Making you and us believe that Pandora was alive and could talk was one thing but Pandora has done far more than we expected. Somehow Pandora is far more than we intended. We have turned a statue into your and our friend and wise counsellor. We owe her a lot. When we all live here, we will have to be kind to Pandora, as she will be kind to us and you."

"I love Pandora," I replied.

"I know," Sarah said. "So do I. And I love you too, Andrew."

She came and sat on me. Anne and Rachel kissed my cheeks.

"Does this mean you accept my offer?" I asked.

All three chorused: "Yes," before kissing me again.

"When could we start moving in?" Rachel asked.

"Now. This afternoon." I suggested.

"Now?" Rachel queried.

"Why not? Our office is closed until the New Year. There are only two things you need. Each bedroom has a new bed because I got a reduction for quantity but they are king size. They have a single set of bedding. You might need another set at least and..."

"Our present beds are singles," Anne said. "And the second thing?"

"Wardrobes and chests of drawers, I said. "Apart from the beds and a couple of chairs, there is no other furniture. The sales are on now..."

+++

Within half an hour the four of them had gone in my car to the mall. My car drove away with bedding sets and three flat pack wardrobes. The flat pack chests of drawers would be delivered tomorrow.

Anne and Rachel had asked their boyfriends to help assembling the wardrobes tomorrow, and the chests of drawers when they arrived.

That day there were six of us swearing about inadequate instructions but by comparing each other's efforts we had the wardrobes complete by lunchtime when the chests of drawers arrived. They were far more difficult to make and the language got very blue. We had to stop for a coffee break halfway through.

The women borrowed my garden trolley to move suitcases of clothes etc. from their flat to my house while the three men continued to swear about assembling the chests of drawers. I was annoyed about the complexity but happy that we were making progress. The other two men were more than annoyed. They were angry and I couldn't see why.

By the evening meal the other two boyfriends seemed very irritable. Why? I didn't know. The three women were happy that their accommodation problems had been solved and that they would be better off staying with me than renting on the commercial market. They would also have far more space, not just in the bedrooms but have a bathroom each and could share a massive kitchen.

I spent some time working on Sarah's car. As I thought it was a fuel problem. She had nearly run out of fuel and had stirred up the muck in the bottom of the fuel tank. I cleaned the fuel filter, put a gallon of fuel in the tank from a can, cleaned the fuel pump filter twice more and then she drove to fill it up. I told her not to let the tank go lower than a quarter full and she should have no more problems.

Over the next few days the women settled in. By the time we went back to work they had completely vacated their old place and returned the keys to the agent. Sarah and I were ecstatic. I was eating far better than I had done since my mother's cooking. We spent every night in my bed and now I was no longer suffering from a hangover we could be more adventurous and passionate. But Anne and Rachel weren't happy and I didn't know why.

On the first evening after we had restarted work the three of them had gone out shopping in Sarah's car. I sat at Pandora's feet and asked her about Anne and Rachel.

"They're jealous," Pandora said baldly. "They can see that you and Sarah are happy. They see you with a massive house than you own outright and you can fix Sarah's car. You were far better with the flat pack furniture than their boyfriends. But the main reason is that their boyfriends are jealous of you."

"Of me? Why?"

"You have all three women living with you and looking after you and the house. The boyfriends think that Anne and Rachel do more than just 'look after' you."

"Eh? I don't. They're friends, that's all. Sarah is more than enough for me."

"I know. Sarah knows. Anne and Rachel know too. But the boyfriends think you could be taking advantage of having all three women living with you. What makes it worse was Christmas Eve when the three were looking after you when you were incapable. You behaved like a gentleman even when very drunk. You still treat Anne and Rachel with courtesy at all times -- but their boyfriends don't. Anne and Rachel are beginning to think that they need boyfriends like you, Andrew, instead of the jealous and irritable blokes they have. It hasn't helped that their boyfriends drank a lot on New Year's Eve and behaved like assholes. Normally they're not but the contrast with you, when drunk, was striking. Both couples are unhappy with each other and afraid that their relationships are doomed."

"Is there anything I can do, Pandora?"

"Probably not. Anne and Rachel have to work this out for themselves. What you shouldn't do is be any more to them than you are -- a friend who is there for them but nothing else."

"OK, Pandora, I'll try but when I can see they are hurting that can be hard."

"Being more could be awkward for you, them and Sarah, Andrew."

"Thank you, Pandora. I'll stay as a friend and talk to Sarah about it."

"You don't care if a boyfriend stays overnight?"

"No. Why should I? I might not even notice."

"I think the two men are reasonable but whether they are right for Anne and Rachel? They might be -- if they change. But both couples need time to sort their priorities out."

"OK, Pandora. And I and Sarah will give them space and time. Thank you."

+++

Things came to a head on Valentine's Day. We were having a party in my house. Why not? It is the largest of all my friends' places. I had invited younger colleagues from work and people from my rugby cub that I used to play for a few years ago. There were about four more men than women but I didn't think that mattered.

Before the party started I had taken Sarah into the hall and stood in front of Pandora. I proposed to Sarah. We might only have been boyfriend and girlfriend for a few weeks but we had known each other for years. When Sarah accepted me Pandora hugged both of us.

We announced our engagement at the party. We were congratulated but our engagement caused problems for Anne and Rachel. Their boyfriends were drinking too much and becoming angry. When Anne's boyfriend raised his fist at her, his arm was grabbed by one of the rugby players. I don't think he would have hit her, but the idea that he might was enough for Anne. She told him to get lost and Rachel followed suit with her boyfriend. The two men left the party to walk to the town centre and get a taxi -- their only sensible decision. I had two women crying against my shoulders for a while until two unattached members of the rugby club took over from me.

The two women were grateful for the support but since they were on the rebound after having ended longer relationships a few minutes before, it was too soon for anything else.

+++

Three weeks later, Anne and Rachel had new rugby-playing boyfriends. Like Sarah and me, they had known each other for years. The new boyfriends were nearly as kind, considerate and gentlemanly as I was supposed to be. Maybe, given time, those relationships would become permanent. Pandora seemed to agree that the new men were an improvement and the household was much happier.

I was still enjoying the Christmas gift form Pandora's box and we were planning our wedding...