Why Won't You Commit?

"Luke?"

"Yes?" I replied as she held my gaze.

"I love you."

I was stunned. She had beat me to it!

"Uh... I... I love you too Celia," I managed to reply.

She smiled with the most beaming smile I ever saw her flash and reached over to kiss me. A few people around us that had seen the incident began to clap.

"My man," Celia said loud enough to be heard around us. "MY MAN BITCH!"

The blond tried not to turn, but the laughter of her friends made her stop and turn to look at us one more time. Celia waved to her with one hand as she reached for my package with the other.

"MINE!"

"You love me?" I asked. "Since when?"

"Since the morning you left New York, you asshole. Do you think I cry over everyman I fuck?"

***

We never did the sunset thing. Instead, we drove home, where I introduced Celia to my parents. Oh yeah, we also stopped at a jewellery store to buy a ring. I was going to empty my bank account to buy something bigger, but Celia stopped me.

"If we are getting married, that's our money you're wasting on a ring. I'm going to have to watch your spending habits."

"Yes, dear," I replied.

Go ahead, say it. Pussy whipped. Comm... Oh, I can't say it. I just can't.

My parents were stunned, to say the least, but were happy for us. My mom shook her head in disbelief but was taken by Celia's friendly personality. My dad kept looking at me and smiling. He nodded to me when I looked back, and that was all the approval I ever wanted from him.

I walked in to work and told my boss I needed to fly to New York then drive back.

"Tell me there is a woman involved," he said.

"There's a woman involved. We just got engaged. We are going to the Big Apple to get her things and car."

"Are you going to need two weeks for honeymoon too?"

"Not right away," I replied.

"OK, just checking. Go on, scram. Why are you still here."

He was the best boss I ever had.

***

We flew back to New York. Celia visited her parents' graves as I loaded what she had packed in the Uhaul truck the day before. We visited the diner she worked to say goodbye and swang by Niles's home for dinner. Everyone was happy for us. I think Brenda Lieberman was glad to see me go but was a gracious hostess. She kept her eye on Niles, who seemed taken by Celia.

"Do I have to worry about you?" I said to him as we drank beers and the women swam in the pool.

"Oh yeah," he replied. "As if anyone has a chance with Celia the way she looks at you."

We watched our women laugh as they shared a joke between them and looked at us giggling.

"I think Brenda is warming up to you," he said, smiling and waving at the women.

"When pigs fly," I replied.

Niles laughed and punched me in the arm.

***

We left the next day and took our time driving south. Then we decided to take turns driving to get home sooner. There is just so much of the east coast you can see before on the highway unless you stop to see places. We had many years to come back for vacations the way I saw things.

I went back to work, and Celia started making my place into our place. It's a woman thing. Now confident of each other's love, we began fucking again. We saved making love for just before we went to sleep.

"You look like what you've been doing," my boss said a few weeks later. "Aint new love grand?"

"She's killing me, boss," I replied.

"Suck it up, boy," he replied. "if you don't fuck her, someone else will. My only advice to you. Why do you think I work out each day and run every morning? Do you think I like eating vegan shit? I do it, so my dick works longer, and I keep the missus from fucking the pool boy."

"Thanks for sharing that, boss."

"I learned from ignoring wife number one. It would be best if you started running and eating better, boy. Fucken millennials."

"Got it boss."

I started running the following day. Celia joined me, and we started eating better. Not vegan, but more fish and less red meat. It was the best time of my life.

***

Dad called me one day and told me to "get my ass over" there.

"What's up, dad," I replied.

"What the fuck is this?" he asked, waving a check and an envelope at me.

"Well, I think it was a tree before it was turned to paper. Did I get the answer right?"

"Don't be a smart ass. It's a check from your asswipe sperm donor."

"Realy? How much?"

"Read this letter," dad said, shoving it in my hand and keeping the check.

Dear Mr Stanton,

I recently had the privilege of meeting your son, Luke. He is an impressive young man. It is clear that he has become the calibre of man he is because of your good example and proper upbringing. I can't begin to apologize to you for the grief I caused you. And I can't thank you enough for staying with Joyce to raise Luke when it was within your right to leave her.

I will not make excuses for what she and I did. So I will get to the point.

You not only raised Luke, but you endured a financial burden that should have been mine to bear. I had an accountant do some figures, and we believe that the cost of Luke's upbringing was approximately half a million dollars. Half that cost falls on your wife and Luke's mother, Joyce Stanton, by Luke's position on the matter. (He brought this to my attention and negotiated this settlement.) That leaves me with the debt of $250,000 for the remainder of the child-raising costs of my biological son.

Mr Stanton, this is a one-time offer for me to redress this injustice down to you and to offer my apology. I never knew your wife was fertile when she and I got together. And Joyce believed her self protected being on the pill. But that is all in the past. Luke, a fine young man, is in the present, and you should be proud of him.

Eternally yours

Niles Lieberman

"Wow, dad, that's more than I thought he would fork over."

"The money is going in a trust fund for you and any kids you have. Your kids will get it for their education. And if you never have any, you will access it when you are fifty. I don't need Lieberman's money Luke."

"That's generous Dad! Are you sure?"

"Quite sure. One more thing Luke. You can go visit him and your half-sisters. But there will never be a family reunion with me in it. If I see Niles Lieberman near your mother, I'll break his nose."

I chuckled at that.

"You think that's funny?" my dad retorted, seemingly annoyed.

"Brenda Lieberman said something similar when I last saw her. If she sees mom near Niles, she, and I quote, "will scratch her eyes out," unquote."

"I would say of her, smart woman," Dad replied. "But then she married Niles, didn't she?"

"You married mom, dad, so I guess it evens out."

I saw in dad's face that he didn't like that.

"Luke, no one likes a smart ass."

***

A new life

Celia and I hit the ground running as a couple. It didn't take her long to find a job. She gave up waitressing and started working at my mom's office as a receptionist of all places. The two of them were like peas in a pod after a while. Mom even came by each morning and picked Celia up.

Did she miss being a waitress? I asked.

Yes, she replied because sitting on her ass would "make me fat," end quote. My mom had an answer for that. She took away Celia's chair at the desk and got her a standing computer station. Then Mom gave Celia more responsibilities running the office. Who knew? My wife to be was a whiz at office management. It turns out she had worked in offices in the past. More things to learn about her with each day.

I introduced her to friends, and we went to parties and cookouts. I wasn't much into golf like my boss and dad, but Celia and I ran each day, had exercise equipment at home and played tennis.

I offered Celia a health club membership where I went during lunch, but she bowed out. Instead, she went to the public pool and swam with the kids and their moms. When I asked why she was reluctant to go to my gum, she said it was a long story.

That weekend we had a bit much to drink on Saturday night, and when we got home, she told me why. You get the condensed version. She had a relationship with a gym instructor a few years back, and it didn't go well. I tried to say that it was "just one person one time," and she waved me off.

"Those places are meat markets Luke. You watch yourself in there. I don't want some exercise, hussy pilfering my man."

"You mean stealing?"

"You need to broaden your vocabulary Luke, but I'm the only broad you need. I'm seeing to that."

"Yes, Ma'am," I replied. "And where did you pick up "hussy?" that's not New York street talk is it?

"Your mom says it."

"She's a bad influence."

"I like your mom."

"No one is supposed to like their future mother in law."

She gave me the finger. But then she was tipsy and was laughing at the time.

***

I even introduced her to my sister Amber and her husband Reggie. My nieces Maggie and Anna loved her. We babysat for them a few times as Amber had decided she wanted her husband back after he hooked up with a gorgeous redhead. Reggie played along but kept the vixen on the side. He was hedging his bets.

But back to the little ones and us. I kept catching Celia staring at me with a sad look as I played with my nieces on the playroom rug. She would give me a forced smile when she saw me looking and come play with the kids as well. But the sad look in her eyes remained despite being busy with the kids. As time passed, Celia became moody and often withdrawn.

"Luke, we need to talk," my mother said one day.

"What now mom?" I replied. "Do I have another dad I don't know about?"

"No one likes a smart ass Luke," she replied. I wonder where she got that from. "You have a problem on your hands."

I had a feeling what she would say as much as mom and Celia spent time together.

"Celia?"

"You get a cookie," she replied. "Yes. Celia. She gets sad whenever she sees you with the girls."

I knew she meant Maggie and Anna, my nieces.

"What did she say mom?"

"It's what she doesn't say. It's how she acts sad after each time you two babysit for Amber and Reggie. She looks forlorn. And you know why. She knows you want kids, and she can't give them to you."

It was no surprise. I had been kicking it around in my mind for a week.

"So, what do you suggest?"

"Back off on the babysitting Luke. Your Dad and I will pick up the slack. Go out as a couple. Do anything non-child related."

I followed mom's advice, but Celia was not appeased. She was still distracted and spent a lot of time on the internet. I tried to see what she was checking out, but she would clean her browser history each time. That worried me. What was she up to?"

Then one day, Celia came to me.

"Honey, we have to talk."

'Oh shit!'

"Are you familiar with the cuckold lifestyle?" she asked.

'Oh shit!'

"Wait. It's not what it seems."

'Oh shit!'

"Just hear me out. This will work out for us. Trust me. I have thought it all out."

'Oh shit!'

I listen. And surprisingly enough, Celia makes sense and has done her homework.

She has even found a couple that suits our needs.

"Celia, are you sure about this?"

"Yes, we meet them this weekend. No sex for you until then."

"Celia, I'm not sure about this."

"Don't make me get a chastity cage. Just do as I told you."

"If I didn't love her, I would have said no."

***

Almost three years later. The family get together and Sunday dinner/barbeque.

We are visiting from Atlanta, where my company has sent me to run a department.

Celia and I are the center of attention as two years old William Junior and baby Lidya (after Celia's mother) are playing on the rug with the Boyce children Maggie and Anna. I feel the joy in the room as I see smiles all around.

"How did you do it?" my dad asks, looking at Celia and I.

After all, Celia had her tubes tied. How indeed.

"Celia, it was your plan."

"No. This is your day my love. You tell it."

She is so good to me.

"It was simple, really. I'm not sure why I didn't think of it before."

"Well, don't keep us in suspense!" My mother says at the edge of her seat.

Mom is finally happy. I have given her grandchildren, and one is a son. My sister Amber is not pleased. Until now, she had provided the only family offspring.

"We found a couple who was willing to have the babies for us," I said.

"How much did the in vitro cost. It's not cheap?" My mother opined.

"We didn't use that," Celia smiled at her.

"Oh!" my mom replied, finally getting what we did use. "OH!"

"What did you use?" Amber asked, as next to her, Reggie, her husband, chuckled.

Amber gave him a nasty look, but Reggie now laughed and then smiled. I smiled back at him.

"Well?" Amber asked, a bit perturbed at her husband and I.

"We found a couple," Celia replied. "A special couple whose lifestyle allowed for the wife to have sex with Luke when the wife was fertile."

"You had sex with another woman?" Amber spat at me incredulously. "Celia, please tell me you didn't let him do that!"

"Not only did he, but I was there and set it all up."

"Good God!" Dad said.

"They are a cuckold couple with a particular kink: pregnancy by the wife's lover," Celia replied.

Reggie was shaking his head, smiling. Amber looked disgusted. Mom was shocked, and Dad was speechless. Celia was beaming as she answered questions.

"Well, I can't provide my Luke with children because my tubes are tied. No reversing that by this point. So that left someone else. These people are all into the wife getting knocked up by a lover, so we contacted them, they agreed, and we saw layers to sign the agreement.

"What agreement?" Amber, ever the layer asked.

"Here's the contract," Celia said, handing a copy to her nosy sister in law.

"Oh my God!" mom said again as Amber skimmed the contract, then more in-depth as she turned pages to addendums and such.

We all waited as she finally looked up with a stunned look.

"You did it! You finally did it. You have children that are yours no matter what! Celia, why did you agree to this. If you divorce, he gets the kids, and you don't."

She said "he" about me almost with venom.

"I already have two kids Amber," Celia said, gazing at me lovingly.

"And since Celia is the one that managed to give me those children with her plan, I am never divorcing her," I replied. "Where would I find a woman like her? She is perfect."

"I'm never leaving my Luke," Celia says before she kisses me.

You could say we have made a com... a commit... OK, you win, you all win. I made a commitment.

"Don't say never," Amber replied, giving Celia her card. "If he gives you any crap, call me. I'll represent you pro-bono. That means for free."

"I know what that means Amber," Celia replied seemingly ignoring Amber.

"You bastard," Amber said to me. "You finally did it. You beat the system."

*****

Epilogue.

The story is over, you make up your own epilogue. No there will be no sequel.