Chapter 2: Variations on a Theme of Serenity

Lucy phoned Germaine and asked her to join them. Jill rose, gracefully, and went to the kitchen. “I don’t yet have Sandra’s skill in the Way of Tea, but I shall prepare a nice English presentation.” While the water was starting to boil, Germaine showed up, in black stretch pants and top.

“Germaine, dear, do you know Rose?”

“Slightly. I gather, Lucy, that we and Rose are growing closer?”

“Exactly. Rose is wildly experimental, mostly on the heterosexual side. I had the idea that the two of you, at least, might share knowledge of toys with each other, and with the rest of us, especially the younger ones -- both male and female.

“I’m hearing a variation of your Brigadoon test, in that several women are getting interested in men doing things with one another, as part of het play. I know that Art and Howard already did that with his old girlfriend, Ann. Still, most men, in our culture, are threatened by doing anything to one another, even with participating and enthusiastic women -- women whom they are happy to see play with one another.

“I’m personally excited by our guys, even before doing anything with each other, get consensually penetrated with toys, certainly without pain. My research tells me that can be extremely pleasurable for a relaxed man, although all too many bring submission into it. Does that do anything for you?

“Lucy, honest, I never thought about it, but I want to think about it -- not sure if I’d want to do more. I’d certainly be willing to teach toys to other women. Now that I think about it, if only for a demonstration, I wouldn’t mind doing it to a man that I trust. Only Howard comes definitely to mind for that, but some of the others might be quite fine.

Lucy and Germaine looked at one another. “I think we’re going to have a lot of toy fun, but we do need to be careful. Basic toys are safe enough, but when someone is driving a strap-on with their body weight, or using a super-large insertion toy, if they get carried away, someone can get hurt. Having stuff in the ass can feel wonderful, but, when you come down to it, you’re going IN to something designed for OUT.”

“Exactly. Even a double dildo can slip.”

“Guys, especially those that identify as het, rarely have the toy experience. They may tense up. We probably do want to get a more gay-identified man into the rotation.”

I spoke up. “Hey, I’m here too, and I’m a guy. I’ve liked helping partners with dildoes, sometimes ridiculously large ones. From my experience, they are much better for couples than vibrators, at least if she gets lost in the pleasure of a high-power vibrator and ignores him. On the other hand, vibrator use during or after fucking is a great way to bring her orgasm.

“I certainly enjoy having my anus stimulated. Oh, hell, I might as well describe a couple of other experiences. As a kid, I was exploited, painfully, by an adult man. Later, I put him in his place, and I think avoided trauma.

“At a party in San Francisco, however, a nice kinky lady brought over what appeared to be a damned sexy woman, to join our play. She turned out to be genderfluid, male by birth. Eventually, Miss Ume -- she was a prodomme although our personal play didn’t involve dominance -- encouraged me to spread my legs. Gayle, our new partner, soon was licking my buttocks, and then anus. It felt good. Ume, who seemed to have become the director, put my legs over Gayle’s shoulders, and, very slowly and gently, Gayle entered me while Ume masturbated me. After I was used to the sensation, Gayle took over the manual stimulation. She didn’t block my view of Gayle, but slid to the side, fondling herself and encouraging us. I came very, very hard. Gayle and Ume licked off my semen, and then snowballed.

“I have to admit that the experience was a lot of fun. Later, Art and I, at Ann’s request, had a threesome in which we played with each other with Ann encouraging and watching. It was a condition for her of experimenting with women.

“Jill, I apologize if I had anything to do with Ann being unpleasant to you during that time. She had gotten very jealous that you and Art were making it. Eventually, the three of us went to a private party, and Ann had fun with a couple of women.

“Anyway, as you said, let’s start with simple dildoes in the pussy. All the women have tried them. Start with suggesting that men watch, and then, with female guidance, help use them. “G-spot vibrators are a little more precise. We can point out that there’s a male challenge not just to insert things, but to do them just right for their prostates.

“There isn’t a direct male equivalent to pussy dildoes, but it’s a good idea to improve manual dexterity. Women can then guide men in using them. Any suggestions for toys that work directly on the penis? I’ve seen porn with women using fleshlights -- vagina-like sleeves -- on men, but that was in a porn video. I have no idea how it would feel in practice.” Suddenly, I was aware of three women looking at one another, and nodding meaningfully.

“Gotcha. Someone is going to order one or more, and you’ll experiment on me.

“OK. I haven’t got any preferences in pornstars, and I know all of this is working towards penetrating men, which is more of a challenge.

“I did have a flash idea. Marketing aside, I wonder how difficult it would be to cast a vagina? Germaine, what would you think of making one and having a male friend use it?”

“Howard, I don’t know how to describe that idea. Weird? Challenging? Insulting? Erotic? Definitely one of the most off-the-wall things that I’ve ever heard. Obviously, there are production challenges.

“I want to think about that long and hard -- damn, could I have picked more inappropriate words? Here’s a question I start asking myself. I trust you, Howard. Would it be better to create a prosthesis, or for me to allow you to have direct access, as it were? Am I ready for that? I don’t know. I may or may not ever be ready for either, but I suspect I’d be more accepting of pure penis-vagina intercourse.

“Yes, I’d feel more comfortable if I knew that you were accepting of being penetrated. I wish I knew that goddess-writer about anal play, Tristan Taormino.”

I laughed. “I met her once at the Black Rose, and talked to her a bit. She’s charming, and also considerably hotter-looking in person than in her pictures. If any of you ladies ever have a chance to play with her -- I think she does groups -- do it, at least for me.”

Germaine looked at me strangely. “If I ever make it with her, I promise I’ll do my best to get her to play with you. From what I’ve read, she doesn’t exclude almost any act with a man, but it’s rare for her.”

I asked, “Do we have a consensus on toys and experimenting, without asking men to do more beyond that, at least in the group? I will say that while I’m attracted to women, men don’t scare me. Lucy, you certainly seem to be interested in both. Jill, it’s more complex with you, and then we get to Germaine’s Brigadoon Test.

Things were calmer as Rose settled in. Marilyn was going over the medical picture with Lucy, and had a thought. “I don’t know if you are aware of it, but Alfred was a wonderful, calming, influence in bringing Rose back. He also had a younger man with him, to drive Rose’s car back; I had the impression they were related.”

“Yes. Alfred has been with the firm even longer than I have. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s become an informal counselor to some of our new lawyers; he understands the culture.” Lucy took in a deep breath. “Are you thinking what I think you might be thinking?”

“I think so, Lucy, if you’re thinking that Alfred, in a quiet way, is more family to us than we had realized. Perhaps some of that should be more formal. Not everyone in the family has to be a highly educated professional of some sort.”

“Not all of them are. Perhaps I should rephrase that. Some of ours are highly educated, but are autodidacts. Howard is the best example, a college dropout with doctoral-level knowledge in several fields. Think of Gigi not just in a small kitchen, but as an executive chef.”