The Game of Trust

Now I felt a teardrop fall on my hand.

"Before, I asked her to marry me, I made several decisions. The main one was she deserved the best life I could give her and all of the bi stuff would be put in a closet and left alone. With her, I wasn't led into a social world. I could focus on school and my career. That's where I put my energy and effort. I tried my best to be the man she needed to be but inside, I knew I wasn't the dynamic guy I felt she needed. I tried and to some degree, I grew into it but I always felt like I was kidding myself and her. When I got this job, I was in my element again and focused on work. We became friends with you and Mel. I knew from the first time we were together she was attracted to you personally but also to the strength and humor you showed. I'm definitely not a Good Humor man. She likes your subtle and witty humor. But all of this also brought back my memories of being bi. I was attracted to you too but I knew I could never do anything about it. So, it was kind of odd, both of us had the hots for you but neither of us acted on it or even let each other or you know about it. It turns out Mel realized it or at least the part about Grace."

He paused again looking for a response. I had none to give and I felt Grace was feeling similar.

"The rest is fairly simple. Barbara came to my mom's house a month ago to say hi. We talked like old friends do. She didn't push me for anything but I felt like I was pushing myself. Gabe, I may have told you more about what I felt than what she actually did. She told me about Blake. They aren't actually married but he's like her common law wife and takes care of her house and things so she can focus on work. I told her about Grace. That was all we talked about. But as I drove home, all of my old feelings came back in a rush. I called her on Monday and asked if we could talk the next weekend. She agreed and that's all we did was talk but this time we really opened up. She told me about the guy who basically used and abused her and that she finally dumped him. She didn't date anyone during graduate school until she met Blake. She said he reminded her of me; kind of lost in world he doesn't understand. Before I left that time, we admitted we belonged with each other and she asked me to come back the next weekend for the whole weekend. I did and we reopened all of the doors which had remain closed for so long. Yes, we slept together and had sex. Once again, she led but all she told me was to make up my mind what I really wanted. She didn't try to push me in any direction. That was also when she told me she was moving down here to take over my boss's job. That threw me for a total loop and I felt really lost again. That's when I talked to you Gabe. That weekend on the trip, I finally broke down and told all of this to Mel. Like Gabe and Barbara, she didn't criticize or tell me what to do, she simply said to decide what was really important to me and then figure out what I wanted to do about it."

He stopped and then started again. "She also told me both of you had built up an image of Barbara as some sort of homewrecker or seductress or something. That probably came from my confusion and fears. She isn't that at all. What you saw last night is exactly what she was in high school and in college. She's warm, friendly, and incredibly smart. So that's my story."

He fell silent. Then it was Mel's turn. "Thank you, Dale. You said you wanted to be the one to tell both Grace and Gabe and you did a good job. Now, tell them what you decided."

He took another deep breath and let it out, "Grace, I love you and want to be with you but I also love and need to be with Barbara. I know you've fallen in love with both Mel and Gabe and I couldn't be happier for you. I want to ask for a divorce or an annulment or something so you can be with them and I can be with Barbara."

I wasn't sure what I felt in Grace's hand now but I felt something.

Mel said, "Grace, do you have anything to say or ask Dale?"

"I only have one question. Dale, have I been a good wife for you?" I felt the tears again.

"Honey, you couldn't have been better. This says nothing negative about you at all. It's about me and my needs which I've kept hidden from you. If this hurts you, I apologize from the bottom of my heart. I'll say again, it isn't a rejection of you; I need this to fill my needs which you knew nothing about."

"I can accept that. Can you accept that I love Gabe every bit as much as I love you and I also love Mel the same because I want to be the best wife possible for them now."

"Yes; I can accept and support that fully."

They both fell silent but Grace's hand caressed my leg and I knew she was fine.

Then Mel said, "Gabe, Dale is your best friend outside of work. He's just opened his guts out in front of you and has given his wife to you to be our wife. Do you have anything to say or ask him?"

"Oh, hell yes. Dammit, Dale, can we still play golf. I've got to get away from two wives once in a while and a dollar says you'll need that too. Besides, I like taking your money."

My second wife leaned over to kiss me and said loud enough for all to hear, "Nice going, Dilbert."

That made everyone laugh including Dale. When he stopped laughing, he turned to Barbara and asked, "Is it going to be all right to play golf with Gabe?"

Barbara spoke for the first time. "Not a problem for me on two conditions. The first is no more than five dollars a hole."

I cried, "Five dollars! Hell, we only play for a dollar a hole now. My wife would kill me if I blew that much money on golf."

Mel coolly replied, "You spend a dollar a hole now? We're going to talk about your gambling addiction when we're through."

More laughter erupted until Barbara added, "The other condition is Gabe is off limits to you. If anyone's going to get in his pants, it's going to be me."

Almost in unison, both Mel and Grace said, "That's isn't going to happen in this lifetime."

That pretty well ended the group discussion and no blood had been shed. I felt a sigh of relief until Mel said, "Dale, why don't you go help your boyfriend with dinner. Grace pour the four of us a glass of wine and meet us on the patio. There's one more thing we need to discuss."

Both of us along with Barbara looked surprised but Grace followed Dale into the kitchen. Mel had that devilish look on her face again as she led Barbara to the patio with me following. We sat at the table and waited until Grace returned with four glasses of wine. She took her place on my lap as we all turned to face Mel.

She started slowly by saying. "Actually, there's one thing I need to add to our earlier discussion and then we'll deal with the new issue. First off, neither Gabe nor Grace know this because I couldn't talk about it yet and it won't be announced until Friday. Barbara wasn't sent down here to be Dale's boss. She was sent down here to reorganize the group Dale is in after my company buys Dale's department. We're taking over the whole design group while they become a manufacturer of products. Dale will be working for me and I'll be working his ass off because he'll be the head of the design team working with Barbara' group to develop a whole new generation of products. What Barbara might not know yet is within three years, both of our companies will be merged. This is definitely not for public knowledge. So, Barbara, you better reorganize and develop that department well because when the merger happens, you might be reporting to me."

Barbara gave a snort and replied, "Unless you report to me, chippie. I have my ways."

"And I have my ways too and don't bet against me. Now for the new issue we need to discuss; for this, Barbara, you have no say. So, keep your mouth shut. This is our family business.

"Bitch."

"Thank you for the compliment but next time add Miss in front of it. Now my husband and wife, I want permission to have an affair."

I smelled something cooking inside my loving wife's brain and grinned but I offered, "Actually, no; you don't have permission."

"Want to explain that to me, Dilbert?" I saw the twinkle in her eye and she knew what I was doing.

"Like you explained so eloquently to Grace and I, I don't want you sneaking around having an illicit affair and fucking in the back seat of a car or some cheap motel. If you want to fuck someone, bring her here and fuck her in the guest room where it's comfortable. Now who exactly are you interested in?"

The devilish grin was in full form, "There's this new woman in town and I need to train her which means show her around and introduce her to people. If I'm going to have to do all this, I think the least I should be able to do is fuck her when I want."

I turned to Grace and said, "Clean up the guest room on Wednesday. I think we'll be having visitors for the night." Grace smiled and nodded.

Suddenly the light bulb went off in Barbara's head and she sputtered, "Wait, wait. We're going out...Do you mean...Shit. What have I gotten myself into? I'm new in town only three days, just got a new husband, and this hussy thinks she can get in my panties already."

Mel took her hand and said, "It's really simple; don't wear panties Wednesday night. Then you don't have to worry about them. Kiss me."

Barbara leaned forward and gave Mel a gentle and tender kiss on her lips. Mel's hand reached out and caressed her breast as I watched Barbara melt down like I did when she caressed me.

When she broke their kiss, Mel said, "There's more of those waiting for you Wednesday night. Now I think your husband and wife have dinner ready. Let's eat."

Barbara shot back while trying to regain her status. "You're going to pay for this Wednesday night."

"I certainly hope so."

I turned to Barbara and said, "The one thing you have to learn is to always listen to and trust Mel."

When the old game ends; a new one starts. Isn't life fun?