Private Goes Public

Mr. Stanton looked at me and asked, "How well are you holding up?"

"I'm still swimming to the surface. I believe it's up there. It's just a lot to take in and deal with."

"When you can, think about what you'd like us to do about housing for all of you."

"Yes. I haven't even thought about that."

"Let me send you someone I trust. Maybe she can help."

"Ok. Thank you."

The lawyer gave me an envelope and said, "Inside are the papers for your new bank accounts and your debit and credit cards. I transferred all your money to the account and Mr. Stanton deposited some start up money."

"Thank you."

They stood, gathered the team and were gone. We checked on Marcie and she slept through the whole thing. Ann, Sarah and Pat sat with me on the couches and they told me about their plans and the advice the lawyers had given them. All three had asked the same question and received the same answer.

"How much is this going to cost?"

"You? Nothing. Mr. Stanton is paying."

They were in shock. Marcie woke up and we briefed her. She had already come to grips with needing to be in court with both Carl and Frank. She wanted assurances that I would be there as well.

We ordered dinner and our guy asked if he could offer us an expanded menu. He brought up six menus from six great Atlanta restaurants. Marcie looked and asked, "If we're in Orlando why are there Atlanta restaurants?"

We explained. We decided to all pick from one restaurant. Marcie was hungry and we let her pick. An hour later we had great dinners and while we ate I stood up and walked to the drapes. Along the wall of every bedroom were drapes. Behind one set were the double doors into the sitting room. I found the button on the floor of Marcie's bedroom and stepped on it.

The drapes slid back and we could see the lights of downtown Atlanta. It was beautiful. I went back and sat down. Marcie said, "Thank you. I was starting to feel cooped up. That is a wonderful view."

We finished dinner and I told them about our upcoming visit from a real estate person. "We need to talk about how we want to live. We're here for a long time. This is a new life for all of us."

Ann spoke first. "I don't know how to make this work. The four of us have seen each other every day at work for years. I think of us more like sisters. That was before the camping trip."

Pat said, "I'll be blunt. I want to live in the same house. I want my own bedroom and I want to share it with Pete. I want each of us to share Pete and live as a family."

Sarah waded in. "Can that be done? Four women and a man living in one house?"

Marcie spoke. "I don't know how. I know why. Ever since we went camping I've been very aware of the treasure I have as a husband. If he can love all of us, then I want that. Years ago I heard a tape titled "A World that Works for Everyone" and I remember what was said on the tape. His goal was for us to build a world that works for everyone, with no one and nothing left out. His thought stuck inside me. I believe Pete and the four of us will find a solution that works for all of us."

Sarah was sitting next to me. Marcie was on my other side. Sarah looked at me and asked, "Can you love all of us?"

"I already do. I can see it deepening, getting stronger, but it's already there."

"I love you too." Pat said.

Sarah had tears running down her face. "I feel more loved now than I have in the seven years I've been with Bill. I know I melt when Pete looks at me. Is that love?"

A few seconds past and she said, "I love you, Pete and I commit to you just like a wife, if you want me."

Pat stood and walked to me. She helped me stand and she said, "In front of God and my new sisters I give myself to you as a wife, a lover and a friend." Then she kissed me.

Ann repeated what Pat said and then Sarah did it too. I looked at Marcie and she was crying. "You Ok?" I asked.

She nodded. I sat and held her hand. We all sat around her.

"I know what to do," Marcie said. "We buy a big house and remodel it so the center is common ground and each corner is a bedroom suite."

Sarah added, "One big kitchen. One great room. One TV room."

Ann said, "One bedroom for each of the women who love Pete."

"What about me?" I asked.

Pat said, "A study or office for Pete. He'll never sleep alone for the rest of his life."

"Can we really do this?" Ann asked.

"You want a guarantee?" Marcie asked. "I'll bet each of us stood somewhere in a white dress and thought the words spoken were a guarantee that the men would love us, respect us, care for us for the rest of our lives. There was no guarantee."

"You want a guarantee?" I asked. "I'll give you one. I guarantee to love you. I can make that commitment. If you run off and go back to Bill, Carl or Frank... I'll keep loving you. If you leave us and move to China, I'll still love you. If you hurt anyone in this family I will still love you, and there will be consequences. There may be days when you don't like me. I will still love you. There may be days when I don't like you. I'll still love you."

Marcie said, "Ditto."

"In line with that, I'm touched by the commitment each of you made with me and I think we may be getting ahead of ourselves. Circumstances have put us together and away from home. The stress of what happened is almost visible. Maybe we should rent a place for six months and see if we all still want to stay together."

"No." Pat said.

"No?"

"No. Are you telling me I can't love you? That I need to prove I can live with a man who respects me, helps me, nurtures me and the women I care for more than any other women alive?"

"No." I said.

"Good! I'm glad I cleared that up. I love you! And, damn it, there's nothing you can do about that!"

We were quiet for a time. Marcie fell asleep and we quietly moved out of the bedroom. I closed the drapes. The morning sun would be coming through those huge windows in a few hours.

Pat and Ann kissed Sarah and me and went off to bed. Sarah and I sat on a couch in the sitting room. A chair would have worked as well. I sat on the couch and Sarah sat on me.

"Tell me what you like and don't like, please."

"I don't like burnt toast. I don't like cauliflower, soy, or okra except in gumbo."

"Other than foods."

"Ok, let me think. I don't like a woman to wear red. Not dresses, shoes, bras, fingernail polish or lipstick. I don't like freezing, skiing, or being cold. I don't like rap or hip-hop. I like lacy things on women. I like to see nipples through your clothes. I don't like pantyhose or panty lines. I hate it when a woman dresses frumpy. I love the smell of a freshly scrubbed woman. I like hairless women, from the neck down. My favorite color is teal. Please never buy me Navy blue pants. I cannot tell Navy blue from black. The heels I like are the ones that look like sandals with high heels."

"I should have made a list. Why not red?"

"My grandmother lived with us when I was growing up. Even into her eighties she wouldn't go anywhere unless she was wearing red. Red shoes, red blouses, red dresses, lipstick, red everything and it ruined red for me. The worst was red bras and panties with white pants and blouses."

"I'll toss all my red. I'll tell Ann and Pat too."

"Tell me what you like and dislike, please."

"I like being held. The first time I crawled into your lap I was afraid. Afraid you would tell me what Bill did. 'You're not a baby. It isn't comfortable with you in my lap."

"I love it. Any time I have a lap, you can sit in it."

"I like when you ask me questions and I like it even more when you listen. I like that you shave and don't have facial hair. I like hearing that I look nice. I like when you touch me."

"Foods?"

"Popcorn. Salads and soups. Omelets, French toast, most breakfasts. Seafood. Fruit. Mexican, Italian, Chinese and Indian foods. I love making Thanksgiving dinner, if it gets appreciated. I don't like being told my food isn't as good as Mom's."

"No worry there. My Mom was not a good cook. My Dad said that if my Mom had cooked for the Germans in World War Two, the war would have ended in a month. I broke a tooth eating her spaghetti when I was nine."

"Oh. I'll be careful."

"Bill was a monster about the house. He wanted the bed made before he left for work in the morning. Every morning. He wanted everything in its place, all the time. Never a dish or even a spoon left in the sink."

"If company is coming over, we'll make the beds. When we do laundry, we'll make the beds. Everything should have a place and be close to the place most of the time. If I leave it out, I should put it away. Remind me. I'll do it."

"I like this. Pet peeves?"

"Squeezing the toothpaste in the middle! I hope it won't bug you but if I see a tube squeezed that way I will mush all the paste to the useful end."

"And, say something about it?"

"Never. Oh, shoes! I hate tripping over shoes. With four women in one house I think that means at least three hundred pairs of shoes. I get really pissed when I trip over shoes!"

"I don't have seventy-five pair of shoes!"

"You will. Marcie will infect you with the love of shoes. God, wouldn't it be great if all of you wore the same size?"

"Oh, that might be fun!"

"As long as I don't trip on them."

"Pete, do you like being sucked?"

"Yes."

"Right here or should we go to my bedroom?"

"Let's go."

She got off my lap and we strolled to her bedroom. Ann and Pat were asleep. I left the door open from them to the room where Marcie was asleep. I quietly closed the door to Sarah's bedroom.

We undressed and spent an oh-so-pleasant time exploring the parts of the likes and dislikes list we hadn't spoken. When, in the midst of the exploration I touched her in the crack of her ass, she tensed up.

"Bill wanted to do me there. He tried once and it hurt so much I bled. He never tried again." I pulled my hand away from her ass. She put it back.

"You aren't Bill. I don't understand why men want that, but if you want me there, we can try."

"Not tonight. Maybe in a year."

We kissed. Later, when I crawled between her legs she said, "You really like eating pussy?"

"Yes. Really. And, I am blessed to have four wonderful tasting women who like being eaten."

"I'll try not to scream this time."

She was wet at my first touch. I explored her with my fingers, my lips and my tongue. She heated up pretty quickly and used a pillow to muffle the sounds of her release. I rested my head on her lower belly as she calmed down. Her landing strip was annoying but I didn't say or do anything to say so.

When she was calm she helped me lie up beside her. She used her hand to stroke me for a minute or two, then she moved and sucked me. From her new position I could reach her pussy and didn't. I waited.

She sucked me and played with my shaft, balls and the hair around my equipment. Her hands explored different things to see if I enjoyed them. As I got closer and closer to filling her mouth I realized we hadn't talked about swallowing or spitting. I had no idea what she would do.

The pressure built and I said, "I'm about ready."

She lifted her mouth off my cock and said, "Give it to me. I want to taste you."

Her lips went back around my shaft and her cheeks went in. Her head bobbed up and down and I felt my load explode. My fingers touched her pussy and she moaned. Two fingers slid inside as I filled her mouth.

She sucked all of my stuff and swallowed. She licked me until I was clean and soft. Then she pulled the covers up, snuggled against me and we went to sleep.

When I woke up the clock beside the bed read, "04:18am." I needed to pee. I got up, used the bathroom and went to check on Marcie. Ann and Pat were still asleep. When I stepped into the bedroom with Marcie she woke up and smiled at me.

I leaned over and kissed her.

"Sarah?" She whispered. I nodded.

"How are you doing?"

"Ok. I sleep well until I want to move. When I move, I hurt and get close to waking all the way up."

"Anything I can do to help?"

"Snuggle with me?" Very carefully I got in bed with her and held her gently.

"I'm afraid to go to sleep. I might move and hurt you."

"The sound of your breathing will help me sleep. Go to sleep. If you hurt me, I'll wake you."

I went to sleep. It was after nine when I woke up. Marcie was sleeping. I stayed quiet and didn't move.

A few minutes passed and Sarah came in, checking on us. She saw my eyes open and blew me a kiss. She was still naked. I noticed her landing strip was gone. She left us alone, closing the door as she went.

Every day Marcie got stronger and more able to move without hurting. On our sixth day Mr. Stanton brought a doctor to check on Marcie. She told us we were doing a good job taking care of her and she was doing a good job of healing. She recommended Marcie get some sunshine. She said she thought it might help her heal.

Mr. Stanton had the security guy open access to the roof and we all went up and got some sunshine. We all went nude. Forty minutes in the late afternoon was what she (the doctor) recommended so that's what we did.

The doctor came back every morning.

On day seven the real estate lady was escorted to our lair. She asked lots of questions about our likes, dislikes and opinions. She took lots of notes and after three hours she said, "I think I can help. Mr. Stanton talked with me and I've already been looking around. Let me get a plan together and come back tomorrow or the day after. Ok?"

We agreed and she left. I called out security guy and asked him to come see us. He did. I asked him to go get us magazines about houses, catalogs of furniture and furnishings, and whatever else he thought we might need to set up a new home.

Marcie described the things that would be shipped from our old apartment. We made lists. The phone rang. I answered. It was my lawyer.

"The boys have been arraigned. Trial is set for one month from now. The defense wants to depose Marcie. They want you back in town for a face-to-face."

"With who?"

"Their lawyers, not the boys."

"Set the appointment and we're ready to come. Marcie can walk now."

"I know. I've spoken to her new doctor. You'll be using the jet again."

Two hours later he called and gave us the schedule of our travel and deposition times. I would be allowed in the room but not allowed to speak.

We would be gone two full days and maybe three.

We left two days later. The limo picked us up in the basement and delivered us to the jet. Marcie and I were the only ones that went. We could keep in touch by calling the satellite number for the room in Atlanta.

We were taken to a safe house in town and we were guarded by police. Seems Carl had threatened Marcie's life while he was in custody. The police didn't want to run the risk that he had a friend who would help him.

At nine the next morning we were in the deposition room. A big conference table surrounded by chairs. A video system set up at one end of the room. On the side of the table farthest from the doors sat four lawyers and a stenographer.

Our lawyer had three associates with him. Two of them were women. Marcie was shown the center chair. She carefully sat down, then whispered to the woman lawyer beside her to the right. The woman asked that a pillow be provided for Mrs. Peterson. It took a few minutes for one to be produced. Marcie stood while we waited.

Once she was seated the lawyers started asking questions. Mr. Peason, our lawyer passed me a note saying we got a complete copy of the video and transcription. I relaxed a little.

By the time an hour had passed I was hurt, angry and wanted to stop the proceedings. They were asking detailed questions about the assault. I knew she had been assaulted and raped but I hadn't asked for details. I had told Marcie I didn't need them. As she described the details she held my hand and she cried.

Six times that day one of the women lawyers called a halt due to the stress they were putting Marcie through. Each time their lawyers left the room and we stayed. Each time Mr. Peason made sure the audio and video were shut off.

After one day, we were told we were done. We called home and flew home. Mr. Peason flew with us. He said he didn't think we would go to trial. He felt the public disclosure of the events leading up to the end of the camping trip would be very damaging to both men, especially when they arrived in prison. That Marcie was able and willing to go into detail was also a factor.

When we arrived home Marcie was all but carried by Ann, Sarah and Pat to bed. They bathed her, changed her dressings and put her in bed. She was pampered and soon asleep. They took me into the sitting room and we talked.

I didn't go into any detail about the deposition. I told them what Mr. Peason had told us on the flight home. Then they talked.

"The police and Mr. Stanton's security people said we could go out for a while. We went looking at houses. I think we may have found a house." Ann said.

Pat continued, "It has six bedrooms, six baths, has thirty-six hundred square feet, a four car garage and it sits on a wooded acre." It was built last year, but didn't sell. It has some features we really liked."

"Like it being at the end of a road. Like the property around three sides is federal land and fenced. Like it has a huge hot tub!" Sarah added.

"It sounds great! How is the interior laid out?"

Pat produced a photo album. The real estate lady had taken lots of pictures. She had included a floor plan of the house. I looked at every picture and the ladies pointed out everything. Every bedroom had big walk in closets. Sarah pointed out there was plenty of room for shoe racks. I smiled. So did all three women.

I was impressed and I said, "No. Wrong house."

"What?" Ann asked. "What's wrong with it?"

"Look at the picture of the front. Big as life the house number is in red! I hate red!"

"I can have it changed, tomorrow. Before we go back again." Sarah said. She picked up the satellite phone and called the real estate lady. Two minutes and some laughter later she hung up. "The house number will be teal by morning."

"Ok then. Let's buy it."

"Just like that?" Pat asked.

"No. Marcie needs to see it. I figure if you like it, I win. I can live there and be very happy. So, my vote is in. Let's buy it."

Pat sat back and said, "Each of us is getting a divorce settlement. I think we should each pitch in one fifth and by the house as a family. It just may be that we can buy it without a mortgage."

"No one puts in more than a third of their settlement. Since all five of us work for a new company and I'm the boss I think we can make enough to make the payments. By the way, did she tell you how much they're asking?"

"She told us. Then she said we should only offer eighty percent of the asking price. The market is very soft." Sarah said.

"Can I hear the number?"

"Five hundred thousand is the asking." Ann said.

"I like it more and more." I said.

"Are you hungry, tired, dirty?" Pat asked.

"Yes!"

"What would you like first?"

"Food, shower then bed."

"What would you like to eat, for food." Sarah asked, blushing.

"A cheese burger, no onions and a diet Coke."

"Fries?" I shook my head. Sarah dialed the room phone and ordered.

"We have time to give Pete a shower before the food arrives. Three women washing one body shouldn't take long." Ann said, pulling me to my feet. I was clean and happy wrapped in a robe when the elevator dinged. I met him and had the food put in the sitting room. He didn't see any of the ladies. They were all still naked. Clean and naked.

While I ate they sat on towels near me. "Did you miss us?" Ann asked.

I nodded.

"Did you think about which of us you want to sleep with tonight?" Sarah asked.

I nodded and took another bite.