Sex in the Burying Ground

Rana looked confused, Michelle thought.

Who was Essie? It was confusing. Yes, Essie. And then it wasn't.

"Yes. Yes, it has, Rana. You look well." Together, they looked back at the men. She was pleased to find Gus' eyes on her. The love of her life. His gaze slowly took in every inch of her, as he should. She smiled in invitation. Willie, she saw, tore Rana's clothes from her body and lowered her to the bed. Gus, for his part, simply stood before her, continuing to draw in her body with his eyes as he slowly undressed.

Oh, to be touched by familiar hands, she thought. He lowered himself to her side, his palms and fingers tracing her body, appreciating every curve. He kissed her first on the forehead, as always, then breathed softly in her ear and kissed at her neck. Before he even found his way to her lips, she moaned, "I want you, Gus. It's been too long."

She saw in his face that he wanted it too. He tested his manhood against her opening, and he smiled when he found her wet. It was, in some way, like their first time. He feels so familiar, she thought, and he felt so amazingly different, she knew. His strokes began lovingly, like his fingers on her body had been, but an urgency emerged as he quickened his pace. Feeling him inside of her... This was life itself. It was what she had missed. It was what she needed now. She was his, in all things, she had sworn. And especially this. Especially this. She dug into him with her fingernails and locking him against her with her legs. And she let him take her for glorious minutes until he released inside her.

"I need more," she said. He eased off, and she began to lick at his softening member.

"So do I," Gus agreed.

This was different, somehow. She surprised herself at how adept she was. Taking him in her mouth seemed natural to her, and her tongue was inventive in ways that she hadn't remembered. She sucked on his balls, licked more at his shaft, and tasted their juices from the tip.

"I like that Essie," said Gus. "Please, more."

She could see the lust in his eyes, and she felt him respond in her hands as she stroked him.

When he was ready, she sat astride him, taking him within her. She lowered her breasts to him, letting him suck at them as he ought, enjoying the sensation of him within her and the sparks he created with his mouth. She straightened after a time, riding him, slowly, steadily... lives connected. He shined a light, a flashlight, she knew, at her, watching her please her nipples and watching her face.

Rana, she saw, was lit up as well by Willie.

My sister. There were no secrets between them. How could there be living here? They matched their rhythms, smiling at each other as they did so, pleasing their husbands and themselves. She found her release before Gus found his. He always lasted longer the second time. He moved her to her hands and knees. She knew what he wanted. She wanted it, too.

His hand on her hips, she was his as he entered her. With each filling stroke she felt a burst of satisfaction, of life-enthralling energy. His love was enough for this lifetime or any other. She heard him roar "I'm cumming!" That made no sense. He was what? She welcomed the pleasure of the heat shooting within her, intensely at first, and then waning. She collapsed on the mattress. That was enough. She didn't have to understand. She was made whole.

"Oh, my God," he said. "Michelle?"

What was he saying? Who?

She opened her eyes to see something... something unfamiliar. Tires... she knew. Bumper. Headlight. What? Of course it was.

He rolled her to her side and clung to her, his head between her breasts... She heard him whisper, "No..." And again, "No... it was..."

Michelle twisted to find the flashlight, knowing what this was but still needing to prove it. Andy was pressed naked against her, looking up at her between her breasts, a tear in his eye. It wasn't unsettling. It wasn't just reassuring. It was precious.

She turned her head, seeing Trae kiss Terri, passionately. They belonged to each other? She knew it was true even as she framed the question.

Andy raised himself to an elbow, confusion apparent in his face. "Michelle, I..."

"...love you," she finished, wondering at both the circumstance and the certainty of it.

"Yes, but..."

"Don't ask. You already know. Something happened," she said. She reached her arms and shifted her body to better embrace him. "I think you better fuck me."

"I... I think I already made love to you."

"That was Gus," she said, smiling. "And I loved that. You haven't, though. And when you do, this will all make sense, I think, or... settle this in some way."

"Yeah, I think so too, but I'm going to need a few minutes," he said.

"I know, like it always does."

"I want you all over again, lover. And if I remember correctly, the third time you can fuck me forever." She pointed over at Trae and Terri, whose grunts and moans were becoming louder. And if they want to make this a competition, it's one you can win, I happen to know." She felt his cock begin to stiffen.

Andy said, "But more importantly, Michelle, I get to fuck you, which I haven't quite done before."

She woke to the beeping of a tailgate being opened. It was still night, but it was getting chillier. She was snuggled against Andy on the air mattress, happily so. Terri was wearing only her white stockings and rolling back and forth on the mattress trying to press the air out.

"What world have I woken into?" she asked.

"A better one?" Andy suggested.

She loved him for that. She loved him. That was strange.

She heard Trae and Michelle give quick laughs.

Trae said, "We were just talking about that. My girlfriend just had sex with my best friend."

"And my boyfriend just had sex with my best friend," Terri added.

"And," Trae said, "How weird is this? You belong together. We belong together. I'm not even jealous or upset. It just feels right."

Trae walked closer, wearing his boots and pants, and handed Terri his shirt. She put it on, and it fit her well enough to provide some cover. Strangely, she didn't feel embarrassed at all being naked, but it made sense to get dressed. Michelle heard the whoosh as Andy released the valve on theirs and the air begin to vent. He stood there, naked as well. And looked fine doing just that.

They dressed and packed the air mattresses as Trae started the Yukon.

The headlights illuminated the headstones, and they all just stared without saying anything. Then all went for a closer look. The headstones were now upright, and looked as new as 250 year-old stones could. The chiseled inscriptions were clear.

August and Esther Connor. "Gus and Essie," Terri said.

Wiley and Lorraine Connor. "Willie and Rana," Michelle said.

Terri pointed to the opening in the field. "Our cabin was over there, and yours was over that way," she said pointing a hundred yards to the side.

"We farmed cotton beyond the houses," Trae said.

"And soybeans back over there," added Andy.

"And we shared the one big barn, where we kept the livestock," said Michelle. "Anyone know how we died, and so young?"

There was silence.

"Creepy," Andy said.

"And better off for it," said Michelle, nodding.