Sister Golden Hair Delight Ch. 35

We still had not gotten him all the way there in the bedroom but I now knew it was just a matter of time before he be able to please me completely.

How Michael would react to Philip was another question altogether. If Philip enters into a permanent relationship with Alessa and me, we would have to broach the subject carefully with him. I don't want all the gains we have made with him to crumble away.

I heard the knock and got up to open the door.

Alessa....

I knocked on the door and waited for Maria to open. We could have just walked in but I wanted a symbolic gesture to emphasize what we were about to do.

The door opened and Philip stepped back, letting me enter the suite first. Maria kissed and hugged me and then did the same to Philip. I don't think he was expecting anything like that but he managed to kiss her back. I could see just a hint of red filling his face.

I took his hand and we went to the couch. On the coffee table were some Christmas cookies and other sweets. She had kept the champagne back in the refrigerator, not wanting to jinx the conversation, I guess.

The silence was so thick you could taste it.

Maria spoke first for I was too worried to say anything at all. "Philip, welcome. I know that some of this is going to be confusing and some of it will sound strange but Alessa and I want to be upfront with you about us and about you and us and even the three of us and Michael.

"As everyone knows, Alessa is going to have Jim's baby. That by itself could be very stressful now that he is gone from us. A child needs a father in life. By being here tonight, you are telling us that you love Alessa enough to talk about this. Would you love that child as your own? Would you respect Jim's memory and one day explain how he died saving his country even though the rest of America will never know?

"Can you accept me? Can you accept the fact that Alessa and I are lovers? That there will be times when we want to be alone, together? Would you be jealous of me? That there might be times when we want you to be with one of us or both of us? Would you leave us because you couldn't take it?

"I know that Alessa loves me. I know that Alessa loves you. I can't allow her to be hurt again if you were to go. I'd rather you where never here to begin with.

"I know that I've thrown a lot at you all at once. We've known each other for a long time, Philip. I want you to take all the time you need but I need an answer before you leave. I know that you've already thought about a lot of this by yourself. I like you very much and I want you to know that whatever you decide I always will."

Maria and I got up and went into the small kitchen to wait.

Philip....

Well, I had to admit, that wasn't as bad as I was thinking. And, she was right. I already had run these questions through my heart when I began to have feelings for Alessa... and when I was sure there was something between her and Maria.

I was still thinking about what Maria had said, though, about the two of them being alone. Logically, I could understand that, I was the change that was happening to their relationship.

But, then she said one or the other or both at the same time? That, I wasn't expecting... that I would have to think about for a while. Would Alessa want me to sleep with Maria? Was this a test, to see what I would say about that? What about Michael? I haven't even seen him since earlier this evening at the luau.

I wanted to pray for guidance but had a feeling that wasn't going to help much. Maybe in Biblical times, it might have. I'm not Solomon with either his wisdom or his thousand wives. I was looking at having two wives, there was no other way to say it.

And, what about Michael? I needed to talk with him and now.

"Hello?" I said toward the kitchen.

Maria put her head through the doorway.

"Hi, uh, Maria... I would like to speak with Michael, please."

She put up a finger telling me to wait and went into the second bedroom. Inside, I could hear a television. She waved me over and I went in.

Michael was sitting up on the bed watching the new Transformers DVD and he motioned me to sit down on the chair next to the window. Turning off the film, he swung around and said, "Well, what do you think?"

For a quick moment, I stupidly thought he was asking about the film but when I saw his head nod toward the door, I knew he meant the women.

How would start a conversation like that? Hey, how you doing? I've been asked if I want share a woman I want to marry with the woman you probably thought you were going to marry. I've been asked to sleep with the woman everyone thought you were going to marry. Hell, I've been asked if I want to sleep with both of them when they're not having sex with each other. How you doing? And, what are you going to be doing when all this is happening? Watching television? Watching us? Joining in? Going for a walk? Jesus!

Damn, this was going to be so awkward and I didn't have a clue how to start.

He did me a favor and spoke first.

"Philip, you want to a beer? Something a little stronger?"

"No, Mike, that's... Mike, what the hell's going on with you? Are you good with any of this? Man, I need some help here. How can I give them an answer when I don't' have one for myself?

"I thought it through as far as the baby... I thought it through as far as Alessa and Maria, I knew there was something going on a while ago and I was willing to put up with that since I'm the new guy on the block, but... they've just told me that they want to share me. What about you? Where do you fit in with all this?"

I was hoping to God that he could tell me something I could use.

"When I came up from San Diego," Michael started, "I had no clue what the two of them were doing. It was a huge surprise to me and it took me a good while to think it through and realize that I could either accept it or stay with them or I could try and leave."

When I first met him, I had not known about his submissive behavior with strong women and what he said made perfect sense. It made even more sense later when he said he would 'try and leave.' By then, I knew that he would never have been able to leave.

"Philip, I would like you to be my friend. As you can imagine, I really don't have anyone here except the two of them.

"If you love Alessa so much that you can't live without her, then you are going to have to accept the living conditions they are offering. They spoke to me earlier. They asked me how I felt. What could I say? Whatever Maria and Alessa want, Maria and Alessa get, at least with me. That's how it is. I don't know how you would live with that.

"Look, I'd like you to... join us... Alessa loves you, Maria really does like you, that will probably grow into love and I want someone I can talk to man-to-man. I would like a friend that actually understands what I'm going through here and help me out."

I shifted uneasily on the bed. "Michael, if I decide to stay, how will you feel when I'm sleeping with one or the other or even both? Where will that put you?"

"Maria and I have a sexual relationship. We're more than friends are, less than married, it's just different, that's all. Alessa, I've never touched that way and never thought to. I always knew her heart belonged to someone else, never to me. She knows what I do with Maria and she's never asked me to...

"What would I do? In Malibu, there's an amazing amount of paperwork that place generates. I'm very busy. If you're with one or the other, I can be with the other and depending on whom it is, just talk or something else. If you're with both and I'm not invited, I've headphones or I can be downstairs by myself. I can always go for a walk if it comes to that. I will never give you any grief, I promise. If you stay, Maria and Alessa will explain what happened to me and what they are doing about it."

And so, God forgive me, I decided to follow my heart rather than my head and agreed to the living arrangements offered to me just so I could be with Alessa.

**********

Late morning, Friday, December 21st

Going Shopping at The Royal Hawaiian Center

Alessa....

I knocked on the bedroom door. "Sayomi, are you ready to go?"

The door opened and Sayomi hugged me. Since our long, personal talk the previous evening, we were having a more comfortable relationship. She told me how grateful she and Bob were for giving them the money, the car, the new opportunity to work with me and letting them live on the estate.

What they had done for Maria and me... my attempt to express our gratitude seem still too small. Maria had indeed lost her mind when Jimmy's plane crashed and she rushed headlong into the ocean. She probably would have drowned if Bob had not stopped her. He saved her career, telling no one what had happened.

Sayomi's generosity and nursing skills had kept Jimmy alive long enough so that I could tell him he was going to be a father before he died.

Leaving the house, we walked arm in arm to the three SUVs where the others were waiting. All our California guests were going to spend the day sightseeing, starting with Pearl Harbor and the Dole Plantations.

I needed some peace and quiet and I definitely didn't want to see that little bastard that tried to kick me every time he saw me. This morning, while I was walking down to the water with Philip the boy found us and came running... I had to laugh. Philip picked him up by the waist and walked down into the water and dunked him.

"Listen up, you little punk. If you bother her again, I'm going to feed you to the sharks. You hear me?"

He ran so fast back to where his mother was sitting and sat down, saying nothing. We could hear her yelling at him for getting all wet.

"Good morning, Mrs. Osborne," Philip said. "Are you ready for some fun today?"

"Oh, yes, thank you. I've been excited ever since Alessa mentioned this shopping trip to me the other day."

For the shopping trip, Philip had insisted on six men to accompany us and although I thought it might be a little too much, he told me as our actions against the marijuana growers started to expand, so did the potential dangers.

'Besides,' I thought, 'it was his way of saying "I love you" any way possible. And, I love him, too.' Last night's talk with Maria, Michael and him did wonders for me. I was glad to see Michael not only understood, was supportive and desperately wanted Philip to be his friend.

"OK, let's have some fun, but remember we have to carry all this stuff back with us and the men will be no help with that.

Philip will not allow anyone to know where we live here, so there will be no deliveries."

Sayomi and I sat in the first SUV, Christine and Sella in the second one. The third SUV just had two of the men, with space for whatever we might buy and I knew it was going to be a lot.

"Philip?"

"Yes, Miss Alessa?" He was determined to keep our new relationship away from his professional duties.

"Is everyone aboard the buses?"

"Yes, Miss Alessa and we're ready to leave as soon as you are."

"Thank you, Philip. Well, no sense waiting here. Whenever you're ready."

Philip gave an arm wave to the first bus and all three propane-powered buses belched out a low rumble and left the property. For many of the California guests, this was their first time in Hawaii and I was determined that they have as good a time as possible.

The buses and cars took the mid-island highway running through the central valley of Oahu. While not as picturesque as the coastal roads, it was faster; even so, the trip to Honolulu took almost an hour.

Sayomi and I sat quietly. Then she reached over and took my hand. It seemed I was holding hands a great many women since moving to Malibu.

I looked down, my hand's light-caramel skin contrasting with Sayomi's paler skin.

**********

We left the SUVs, followed by our ever-present security. The men, clad in matching dark Hawaiian shirts, stood out from the tourist crowd made up of slim Japanese and overweight Americans.

The Royal Hawaiian Center, Waikiki's premier shopping area, held so many beautiful shops and dining spots. I was enchanted by the riot of colors surrounding me.

First stop was at Allure swimwear, where Sella found a beautiful form fitting sea-blue suit, high to the neck in the front and mostly leaving the back bare. Since she found exactly what she felt she could wear, she bought several in different colors, including one in bright orange and yellow.

Christine, on the other hand, went for several more-revealing bikinis.

Holding up one particularly skimpy yellow bathing suit, Christine asked Sella if she thought it was appealing.

Sella, caught off guard by her remark, looked around and whispered, "Yes. It will look wonderful on you." I knew there something going on between them. It reminded me of my own romances... the shy looks, the subtle hints to that special someone.

Moving from one store to another, carrying bags of goods obtained along the way that became heavier the longer we walked, we finally stopped at the Royal Hawaiian Boutique. We were surrounded by every tropical color that existed and several that did not.

"Look at all those beautiful clothes! I'm going in here!" Sella grabbed Christine's hand and pulled her into the store. I was sure now. There was something going on and I welcomed it for them.

I was amazed at the change in the Italian girl. The introverted woman that arrived from Italy had become a happy, vibrant person before my very eyes. The months in California had brought out a personality that had been buried under some great hurt. I was glad for I had known Sella had been in some deep pain when she arrived.

"Yes, miss... May I help you?" asked the clerk, who had almost been knocked down by Sella.

"Thank you. I am looking for something that works for a dinner party and something to just walk around in. I need a high neckline in the front, the back can dip.

"My friend here, she is happy with whatever looks good, which seems to be anything and everything."

I could see the anticipation for a good commission check as the clerk quickly took Sella's arm and steered her toward the back of the store.

Sayomi and I looked for some quieter designs when Philip quietly walked over. Every time I saw him, I felt the same longing and joy that I had for Jimmy.

"Miss Alessa, may I have a word with you, please?"

"Philip, what can I do for you?"

"Miss Alessa, we... that is to say, well, Miss Alessa, with her running into stores and such, that makes our job so much harder and then we're split between you and them.

"Now, I know that Christine is her watchdog, so to speak and I'm more than satisfied with her abilities, so she should be all right but my first and foremost concern is always going to be you. I'm going to talk with Christine about this, but really, what is she supposed to do? I just wanted to let you know, that's all."

I knew that each member of the security detail had been a Secret Service agent guarding one president or the other and listened with respect and love to what the he was telling me.

"Would you like me to speak with her? The last thing I want and I'm sure she does too, is to create a problem for you. I can do that privately when we get back to the house."

"No, ma'am, I'd like to have Christine take care of this. She has a long history with Sella and I'm sure that she can approach the subject without embarrassing her... too much."

"Well, Philip, as you know, I will always do whatever you say in these matters. Please let me know if it happens again."

'Yes, Philip, when we finally go to bed together I'll do whatever you say then, too.'

Within a half hour, both Sella and Christine had purchased the most vividly colored outfits the store had. They insisted on buying a beautiful cream-yellow sarong for me as a 'thank you.'

"Well," I exclaimed, "I think it's time to get something to eat and then head back."

As we walked further down the shopping mall, Philip waved Christine over to him.

Sayomi and I went looking for some intimate apparel and I wanted to bring something back for Maria. Even on vacation, she had to check constantly with the center back at Malibu.

Philip....

"Christine, what was going on there? Sella took off without any warning. You know we can't have that. You have to speak to her when we get back.

"I know she just took off and that's hard to anticipate, but what if something were to happen. You know that what Alessa plans after Christmas is going to ramp up the danger for a while. What if somebody actually figures out who we are?"

"I'm not going to make excuses, Philip. You are right and I should have anticipated something like that, especially after how I saw her in the swim shop. I'll speak with her immediately, but quietly. I don't want to destroy what she's managed to accomplish since she's come here."

I looked at her. "I've noticed how much Sella has changed since you've arrived... I don't want her to revert, either. I don't know what was going on in Italy, you do... I like her this way, but we've got to be careful, that's all I'm saying."

"If you would like, on the way back, I can ride with you in the last car and I will tell you what happened. I think you will have a better idea what's been going on in that poor girl's head."

"Alright, let's do that. I'll speak to John and he'll ride with Alessa."

We had stopped walking in order to talk privately and so had lost sight of the rest. I pulled out my phone and called.

"They're headed to Beijing Seafood. I know where that is. You'll seriously like this place, even if it's pricey. C'mon."

Led by Alessa, the shopping party had already entered Beijing Seafood and shown to three tables. The women sat at one table, while the men, as was their habit, remained divided at two tables facing the entrance.

Alessa....

"Since this is a special trip and your first time to Hawaii, isn't it, Sella? Lunch, well... dinner now, is on me. So... are we going toward duck, or toward all seafood?"

Consensus was for duck and after checking with the men, dinner was ordered.

Sella did raise an eyebrow over the $45 per person charge, though. Like most Chinese restaurants, the more people, the more types of food, the more money it cost.

Dish after dish came out: Pang Pang Chicken, fried stuffed crab claws, roasted Peking duck, diced seafood, sautéed duck meat with bean sauce, sautéed prawns and scallops in hot and spicy sauce, fried rice, stir fried chicken with cashews, and chilled almond tofu.

Sella, raised her entire life on Italian food, was amazed at the exotic tastes that the Chinese menu offered. Each bite was a new sensation, she said, slowly chewed and tasted. I watched as she eagerly tried each dish on the table, commenting on each one. The Asian spices and sauces seemingly found a new disciple.

Christine, on the other hand, having spent a good amount of time in California prior to moving to Italy, was conversant with the various dishes, although even she had to admit that the food offered was definitely more delicious than what was available on the mainland.

The men at the other two tables were alternating eating with keeping an eye on things, and so were eating the food at a much faster rate than the we were. Even so, it was obvious that they were enjoying themselves immensely.

Our conversation flowed around the dynamics of my little group, now that three new women had been added to the mix, exchanging little insights of life that for once, had nothing to do with work or politics.

Almost two hours later, we were finally ready to leave. A quick speed-dial by Philip to the drivers quickly brought the SUVs to the front of the center, and minutes later, after loading all the purchases of the day into the back, we were heading back to the north shore.