The Many Loves of Anna Marie Pt. 04

I quickly had everything ready and said, "If you two will set the table, breakfast is just about ready."

I heard April and June clattering around, getting dishes and silverware ready. April handed me three plates, and I plated the food, passing two off to June while I removed my apron and took my plate to the table.

I saw that they had a seat for me between them and slid into my chair. They each wrapped an arm around me and leaned in for a kiss. I thoroughly kissed each one before we dug in and ate breakfast. I watched in awe as April and June practically inhaled their food, and I marveled that they could eat like that and still maintain their svelte figures.

While we ate, we planned our morning. I needed to catch my flight which left at Noon. I also needed to check out of my hotel room by 11 AM. April offered to take me to the airport after I checked out of the Embassy Suites. I accepted her offer and pulled her in for a kiss. I saw June pouting, so I pulled her in for a kiss.

Soon, our plates were bare. I shooed the girls off to get ready while I cleaned up the kitchen. I felt so domestic, thinking that if April and June were my babies, I'd have cooked breakfast for them like this when they were young. My eyes burned, thinking about what I had missed out on, and I angrily pushed the thoughts away.

By the time I had everything done, they were out of the shower, so I took my turn getting ready. When I came out of the bathroom looking like I looked last night when I first got here, April and June nearly attacked me. I laughed and told them I'd miss my flight if they didn't stop.

April and June shared a look before April turned to me and said, "You can stay another night if you want."

I saw the earnestness of her offer, and my heart clenched, knowing that these two women wanted me to stay and be a part of their lives. My eyes started burning, and I blinked a few times to prevent tearing up. I finally said, "I'd love to, really I would, but I have to get back." I could see their disappointment when I said that, so I smiled and said, "Maybe next time if the offer is still on the table?"

June said, "Okay, Anna. Just don't be a stranger."

I reached up, cupped June's cheek, and said, "There's no chance of that happening, dear."

June blinked rapidly, and I saw her eyes get shiny when I said that. She put her hand over mine and leaned into it. I saw April was blinking too, so I raised my other hand to her cheek and said, "You, either, dear," not wanting to show any favoritism.

We held our positions for a beat, and then I smiled and said, "Who's driving?"

April and June shared a look, and they immediately "Rock, Paper, Scissored," with June's Rock smashing April's Scissors. June turned to me and said, "I'm driving."

I had to laugh at their antics, and they quickly explained how they always used that method to decide who gets to do something if there was no obvious preference in who does it. June grabbed the car keys, and we headed out. April handed me into the back seat before they got in the front seats. I had noticed they were similarly dressed this morning, so I surmised that they wore different outfits only when they dressed up to socialize.

They took me back to the Embassy Suites to change, pack, and check out before the 11 AM deadline. When I came out to the car, April put my bag in the trunk and handed me back in the car. Fifteen minutes later, I was at the terminal for my flight. Again, April jumped out and got my bag out of the trunk for me. I gave her a quick hug before April exchanged places with June, and June gave me a quick hug.

I headed into the terminal, pulling my bag behind me. I felt the twins' eyes on me until the door closed behind me. I'll admit that my eyes burned from unshed tears as I found my way to the counter to get my boarding pass and check my bag in. I vowed to come back again as soon as possible.

***

"They're adopted, Sinéad," I blurted out, unable to contain myself any longer. I still had my coat on, not even stopping to remove it before I called Sinéad.

"Wait, Anna, who is adopted?" Sinéad asked, bringing me back down to the ground.

"The twins," I said. "I went to their apartment, and they had a family portrait. It was obvious from looking at the picture that they were not related to their parents, so I didn't even need to ask. They told me they had been adopted at birth."

The long silence made me worry that Sinéad wasn't happy to hear that. Finally, I heard her say, "Anna, that doesn't mean they're your babies. I was there with you, and nobody told us anything about the babies, whether they were girls, boys, or both."

I could hear the fear in her voice that I was getting obsessive about the twins. I tried to placate her by saying, "I know, Sinéad. God, if they are my babies, I'm having an incestuous relationship with them."

After saying that, I briefly reflected on Bonnie and her fantasy about having a sexual relationship with her daughter Michelle. Did I really want the twins to be my babies? Would I be willing to give up the incredible sex with them and only treat them as my daughters if they were, in fact, my babies?

Sinéad said, "Well, there is that. Just be careful, mo mhuirnín. I don't want to see you get hurt."

"Oh, mo mhuirnín, I'll be careful," I said. "Please don't worry about me, Sinéad. I promise to keep my head screwed on straight."

"Okay," said Sinéad. "Sionainn says don't be a stranger. Besides," Sinéad husked, "I think you need a good spanking."

When I heard that, my heart clenched, and all thoughts of my babies flew out of my head. I practically moaned, "Oh, God, Sinéad, I do. Can I come over tomorrow ...?"

December 1986

I needed to see April and June again. Despite Sinéad's warning not to get too invested in thinking that they were my babies, it was all I could think about since finding out they were adopted. I couldn't justify a business trip this time of year, so I decided to take some time off. I asked George if he wanted to come along and meet the twins. I knew he was worried that I was fretting about the possibility they were my babies and could be taken advantage of by them, so he agreed. I wanted him to know they were sweet girls who weren't like that.

I booked a suite at Embassy Suites for two nights. It was mainly for George since I'd be staying with the twins. We flew out on Friday, planning to fly back Sunday. We planned to meet the twins for dinner on Friday night, and then I'd go back to their apartment with them. George planned to visit the Cock and Bull afterward, a gay nightclub he had heard about through the grapevine. He'd have the suite if he got lucky, and we'd meet up Sunday and catch our flight back to Washington National Airport.

Once George and I were checked into the Embassy Suites, I called the twins to find out where we would meet. April suggested the Marie Callender's in Redondo Beach and gave me the address and directions. We'd meet there at 7 PM, so since it was only 2 PM, George and I went down to the hotel restaurant to get a light late lunch to tide us over. As we ate, we planned the evening.

One thing I had worked out with the twins ahead of time was for them to give us copies of their contracts and financial and business plans. George would review the contracts to see if their sponsors gave the twins good terms. I would review their business and financial documents and suggest improvements if needed. I knew George was humoring me by volunteering to look at their contracts, but I appreciated it anyway.

George and I dressed casually for dinner since I didn't want to wear a scandalous outfit to a family restaurant. Finding the restaurant was pretty straightforward. We went south on Sepulveda Boulevard until we got to the cross-street April told me to look for and turned right. At the second light, we found the restaurant. The small parking lot was full, so we parked on the street. We entered the restaurant, and I saw April and June waiting for us. I noticed that they, too, were dressed casually and similarly. I walked up to April and June and chastely hugged each of them before introducing them to George.

George was his usual charming self, and I could tell that April and June were smitten by him. By the time we were seated, George had them in stitches with his storytelling ability. I could tell that George was impressed by the twins, and he looked at me and smiled, giving me his tacit endorsement.

As we sat down and the waitress handed us our menus, I looked around and saw how we looked like a regular family sitting down to dinner. As I looked around at the other customers, I saw another family where the mother and father were eating dinner with their two young daughters. I could tell that the man and woman were in love and loved their two girls as they looked like they were having a fun time and sharing their food with each other. The girls' high-pitched squeals and giggles rang in my ears, and the mother's sultry chuckle made impulses zing through my body.

I sighed at the thought that our lifestyles and sexual preferences meant we couldn't express ourselves as we wanted to in public as they could. I looked up at George and briefly wondered that if I hadn't been raped and had met George as my first love, we might have had a heterosexual relationship and ended up getting married and having our own children. George looked back at me, and I think he twigged at what I was thinking because he put his arm around my shoulders and gave me a smile and a quick squeeze.

I loved how April and June interacted with George, and I could tell that George enjoyed it, too. By the time we were finished, we were all comfortable with each other. We exited the restaurant, and the twins hugged George and put my bag in the trunk before we parted. All the way back to their apartment, April and June gushed about George, telling me how much they thought of him. I just smiled and enjoyed the fact that everyone had enjoyed dinner.

As April drove us back to the apartment, I was struck by seeing all of the Christmas decorations displayed, even though the day had been sunny and warm. I was used to it being cold and even the occasional snow on the ground for Christmas. I realized how that would never happen in LA, at least in the valleys and along the coast. A white Christmas would only exist on TV or in the movies.

I mentioned that to June, and she turned and said, "It took us a while to get used to it, too. The first year we were here was quite strange. When we flew back home for Christmas, we forgot to pack for the cold weather and were surprised by the difference in the weather when we got off the plane."

I had to laugh at that since I had been guilty of doing that myself. I remembered how once I had flown out to Tucson, Arizona, for a conference, expecting it to be hot since it was in the middle of a desert. It was January, and when I exited the airport, I was surprised at how cool it was. I had to shop for a blazer to keep warm, unable to get out and see the sights as much as I had hoped. After that incident, I always checked the weather where I was going to see what clothes I needed to pack.

When we got to the twins' apartment, I saw that they had a small Christmas tree set up in their living room. I noted there was only one present under it, but my attention was drawn to the decorations on the tree. I mentioned how lovely the tree looked, and April proudly explained how their mother handmade all the ornaments. When I heard that, I felt momentarily sad, thinking that I would have loved to have had that kind of experience with my babies. I quickly set those thoughts aside, hoping the twins hadn't noticed. I spent a minute inspecting the ornaments, impressed with the detail and precision that they had been made.

When I turned to April and June, I could see the pride on their faces, and my heart clenched. I told them how beautiful the decorations were and praised their mother for the attention to detail evident in them. I could tell that I had gained another notch of respect from them by doing that, although that hadn't been why I did it. Again, I felt a touch of sadness at the thought that my babies would never feel that way toward me.

Thankfully, a night of incredible sex with two beautiful women made me feel better. While we didn't spend all day Saturday in bed, we made a valiant attempt at it. We did get out, and June drove us down to the beach in Santa Monica. We spent some time on the pier, walking around the amusement park before we stopped at Big Dean's Ocean Front Café for dinner. I enjoyed the atmosphere and thought I'd love to spend more time out here to enjoy the beach and the laid-back lifestyle.

By the time we returned to the apartment, we were all revved up and ready for another night of wanton sex. I ensured each knew I loved them and didn't prefer one over the other. By the time we all fell into an exhausted sleep, I knew they each loved me, too.

After breakfast and after we all got ready to go, April handed me a thick accordion file full of copies of their contracts and plans. I thumbed through them quickly and was impressed with what I saw. I looked up at April and June with fresh appreciation because, from what I saw, they were really on top of things. Before we left, June handed me the present that I had seen under the tree. I teared up when they told me to wait to open it until Christmas, so I tucked it in my bag and hugged them, thanking them for the present.

April and June took me back to the hotel and dropped me off before heading out. I carried the thick folder of documents up to our suite, finding George all packed and ready to go. I quickly distributed the documents between his bag and mine. We checked out and headed to LAX to catch our flight back to DCA.

George and I caught up with each other on the flight back, not going into the details until we got home. George had enjoyed visiting the Cock and Bull both nights but hadn't brought anyone back to the hotel. We also discussed the Rutan Voyager getting set to fly around the world non-stop without refueling. We both thought it would be an outstanding achievement if they could pull it off.

June 1987

My forty-first birthday was coming up, and I wanted to celebrate my birthday with April and June again. I had managed to get back out to meet with the twins in February, and I missed them terribly. Being the darling that he was, when I brought that up with George, he just smiled and told me to go ahead and go. We'd go out for dinner and dancing after I got back. He told me to tell the girls he sends his love and hopes to see them again someday.

When I called and arranged to meet them at the Blue Moon, they were excited to know I was coming. From their tone of voice, I could tell they had a surprise for me, so I didn't spoil it for them by asking about it. We planned to meet up Thursday night, and I'd fly back Friday. I'd have planned on staying longer, but I had plans with George for the weekend that I didn't want to disrupt.

Once again, Ernst and Young's Strategic Growth Forum was being held at the Embassy Suites in El Segundo, California, so I could piggyback visiting April and June on my participation in the conference. I flew out Sunday since it started Monday morning and ended Thursday afternoon. I planned to spend time with my counterparts to assess Martin Marietta's chances of landing a large contract to convert Titan II ICBMs into space launch rockets. Since Martin Marietta had been the main contractor on the original construction of the missiles, I felt we had the inside track due to our experience. However, you can never assume you'd get a contract from DoD because their requirements aren't always logical.

By the time the conference ended, I was confident we had the best chance of getting the contract. If I could land that multi-billion dollar contract, it would be a feather in my cap when it came time to move up to CFO. Jack Wilkinson, the CFO, had been intimating that he wanted to retire and spend more time with his family. In the years we've worked together, Jack always encouraged me to take on more responsibility, in essence, grooming me to take his place.

As I dressed up to head over to the Blue Moon, I again wondered what April and June were up to. I decided to wear a purple off-the-shoulder sweater dress that made my eyes pop. While not as scandalous an outfit as I've worn before, I wanted to wear something that could be worn just about anywhere in case April and June wanted to surprise me by taking me somewhere other than their apartment.

When I got to the Blue Moon, I was once again surrounded by women wanting to buy me drinks or proposition me. I was my usual sweet self, holding court, gently turning down the drinks, and turning away the propositions. Turning forty-one and still being desired as much as I was really made me feel good about myself. If I hadn't been here to meet April and June, I certainly had my pick of women I'd be glad to spend the night with.

When April and June came in, I saw that April was the butch and June the femme tonight. They were glowing, and I could tell they were excited about seeing me tonight. I broke away from the women hanging around me and went up to them, hugging them and kissing their cheeks. I looked them both in the eye and asked, "So, what's up?"

They exchanged looks before April said, "You'll see. Ready to go?"

I was slightly disappointed that we wouldn't have a drink and do some dancing. Still, I was intrigued that April and June were anxious to go before doing so. I said, "Yes, let's go."

April brought the car around while June waited for me to say my goodbyes to the disappointed women. I quickly finished, and June and I walked out just as April pulled up in the car. June handed us both in before driving us back to their apartment. We caught up on events, and I passed on George's love to them. They both asked me to give him a kiss for them, which I said I'd be happy to do. I was grateful they cared about George as they did and included him in their thoughts.

We soon arrived at their apartment, and we went inside. Instead of immediately stripping or trying to strip me, June led me over to the couch and motioned for me to sit. I noticed a certified letter on the coffee table before the family portrait. After locking up, April joined us on the couch. The excited looks on their faces had me wondering what was up.

June picked up the certified letter and showed it to me. She said, "After finding out that you had put your babies up for adoption and how you wondered whatever had happened to them, April and I decided to find out who our birth mother was so we could find her and tell her how her babies had done."

I was gobsmacked. April and June told me last year that they had no interest in finding their birth mother. Realizing that they cared about how I had wondered about my babies, even though I had only brought it up that one time, I felt my eyes burning from unshed tears.

Once again, my unfounded belief that April and June could be my babies came flooding back into my mind. I had put those thoughts away, not wanting to think about the consequences of discovering they were my babies. I stared at the envelope as though I could see what was inside if I tried hard enough. I heard April say, "Today, we finally received our answer. We wanted to share it with you because you inspired us to take this step. We've already discussed it with our parents, especially letting Mom know that she'll always be our mother even if we find our birth mother and meet her."