Work Out Sleep Over

I finish wiping down the floor in front of the couch and I think we're all good. I do like cleaning, oddly enough. Simple tasks with clear goals and a tangible effect on the world. It's like loading or unloading a truck. Clear, defined, and it doesn't involve paperwork. Done, we're all done now and we just have to wait for donuts. A terrible ordeal, but very, very worth it.

"Do you think she got lost," Louise says as she steps out of the shower. The towel is hiding things and that gets me started on thinking very naughty thoughts. I can't have naughty thoughts right now.

"No," I sigh, "She knows the city better than I do. I only heard of the Bullet Club and Papa Jams. I had no idea there was a Sugar Rush so close. Did you know there was a Blackberry Café like two streets over?"

She shakes her head and her hair shakes with her. I love that. I love the shapes she puts it in, the way it springs back in my hand. I think it's my favorite part of her. It's fun to scratch her scalp through it and she likes when I do it. It's fun to do things she likes. And I like the things she does with me. Like that shrug that means she didn't know and how seamlessly it blends into a tight hug. I think it's mostly to help her dry off. It's fine. I don't mind. I have a Louise in my arms and she is kissing me. I am kissing her. That is nice.

"Seriously," Saoirse sighs, "Again? Again? Like it's you, but after last night? Rachel, are you ok?"

"No," I say over Louise, "You weren't here. I need both of you now."

She sets the box down with care, right alongside her perfect coffee from Blueberry. God forbid she slum it with us for a morning and our wonderful pod coffee. But she is with us now, three mouths and three tongues and six lips, dissolving into the same mind of sensation. Louise is the first to pull away and that's a smart move. Donuts, we have donuts and coffee and that is something far more important.

"So," Louise says, not even bothering to readjust her slipping towel, "First sleepover. Good time? Does it need more board games? Does it need Chinese instead of pizza? Does it need more women for you?"

"Pizza," Saoirse says, "That has to stay. I don't care what anyone else thinks. Has to be pizza.

"Agreed," Louise says, "Rachel, I'm sorry but you're outvoted."

"Fair. I would vote for a different game."

"Cards?" Saoirse offers.

"Done. We will need another person for euchre, but we can find that."

Saoirse shifts a bit and reaches for her coffee.

"So, one more then," Louise says with a small grim, "Maybe more. Keep adding to the harem."

I chuckle a bit. My coffee is good. There's a leg running up mine and that's good. It's all good.

"I liked it, but the more people thing," I say, "That's kind of an all of us conversation. Louise, you gave me the go ahead for whatever. I'm definitely a fan of it. But Saoirse, kind of your call if you want to keep going forward with this."

She sighs and takes a bear claw. I was going to eat the bear claw, but I have to settle for a long john. That's alright. I like those too.

"I don't know," she said, "I really don't. It was fun, don't get me wrong, but I don't know if I can do a poly thing. Maybe? I need some time to settle in right now. I'm not even unpacked fully. Still need my computer stuff to be shipped in. So, not right now."

And there is that little black feeling of a toy being taken away in me. Not fair to her, but I think a bit of disappointment is allowed. The chocolate is not quite as sweet and the coffee is a bit too bitter now. I look to her and she's playing with her cup. It's amazing how fast this can all change. Warm glow to black cold and it's all gone. It's all gone as soon as everything clicks and the mind catches up. Just a moment of weakness and here we are. Shame, but understandable. It's not fun unless everyone is having fun.

"Boo, but fine," says Louise without missing a beat, "I get it. I honestly didn't think I would be okay with it happening right in front of me, but last night kind of proved me wrong."

"Wait, what," I say, "You gave the me the go ahead."

"I did, but that's different from actually like, being there. And I liked it. And if I didn't, then we'd have a different conversation. But I did, so here we are."

"I don't think I could do that," Saoirse says, "Just roll along with life like that."

Louise shrugs and takes her sprinkled one. Another good choice, but I'm happy with mine. I have my thoughts in order and that's all I need.

"So, I don't know what I do now," she continues, "I mean, I'll finish the donuts, but what do you want to do with me?"

"You're in," Louise says, "Full platinum card membership. And take your time settling in. I'm jealous you had enough money to get a house Uptown. Don't even want to think about the mortgage on it."

"Maybe next sleepover," she ventures, "we could do it at my place?"

I nod. I like the idea of more sleepovers and more pizza and more sex. We run through the list of things a sleepover needs and Saoirse suggests braiding hair. Louise wants no one to mess with her hair, but she can mess with ours. The plan is solidifying. I want to try something French and Saoirse wants to go full milk maid. That can work. I might need a bit more length to make it, but we have time. Saoirse stops playing with her cup and turns to downing it in long pulls and it's gone way too soon for her. But it gets there. There is still the leg crawling up mine so I tap back and that's all it needs before pulling away.

We walk her to the station and I get a peck on the cheek for it all. That's nice. That's all it needs to be. I snake my arm around Louise's waist and she does the same to me. I need more, in the grand scheme of things, but I also have more than enough.