Chapter 1

I was late. The last meeting of the day ran over and now with the traffic I was going to be late. I was to meet my new girlfriend Elly at the restaurant and at best I'd be twenty minutes late. Thank god for cell phones at least I was able to call her and assure her I was on my way. She said she'd be in the bar with a glass of wine and if I were very late she'd drink my share too. When she'd laughed I relaxed. Elly had a wonderful attitude about life and it was one of the reasons I was so enthralled with her. It was her natural beauty that made me approach but it was her personality and her eyes that made me want her. I was always partial to brunette and hers was blonde. I'd always dated shorter girls but she was 5'8". Most of the women I'd dated were thin and Elly was more full figured, not overweight in any sense of the imagination just really healthy. If I had to tell you only one thing about her that stunned me every time we met it would be her eyes.

Her eyes were such a pale blue. Every time I looked at her I found myself being swallowed up be her eyes. We had an easy rapport from the first words we spoke. We were very similar in some ways, polar opposites in others but we got along really well over the two months we'd been dating. We'd both taken the relationship slow, no rush to hop into bed. She told me before she agreed to go out with me that she was looking for a life mate, not just a date. I told her I was tired of single life and was also looking for someone who made me want to never lose them. After another drink we'd agreed to start with lunch the next day and let whatever might happen just happen.

That was two month's ago and that first lunch lasted three hours. We talked without pretense, without worry about what the other might think and we grew from that first conversation. The frequency of our dates had increased and we spent just about all our free time with one another. After each date I eagerly awaited the next. When I would pick her up or meet her somewhere she seemed to sigh in relief, just as I did, that we were finally back together again. I knew I was in love and I hoped that tonight when I told her that it would be the same for her. So being late only made me more anxious and when I entered the bar and saw that luxurious head of hair my heart melted. I hurried to her and pulled her to her feet and hugged her, apologizing for being late.

"Kevin, I'm so glad you made it."

"Elly, sorry about being late, I couldn't wait to get here. Shall we have a drink then find some dinner?"

She nodded and we sat at the bar enjoying some wine and small talk. Something about Elly was wrong something just didn't feel right. Whenever I was with Elly I could feel her warmth, her joy, her love of life. While her words were typical it just felt all wrong and when I took a moment and looked into her eyes I said.

"Who are you?"

"Kevin, it's me Elly! What's gotten into you tonight?"

"You're not Elly. I know she has a sister, but she never mentioned a twin. Are you her sister?"

"Kevin what makes you say that?'

"Now that I notice there is a lot that makes me say that."

She looked at me and I knew that she knew she was caught. I waited patiently for her to respond and the silence was maddening.

"How did you know? Elly and I are twins and usually only mom can tell us apart. Even Dad gets us confused more than half the time. What did I do wrong?"

"Why?"

I wanted to know why she was doing this, pretending to be Elly. Was it some sort of game the two of them liked to play? If so perhaps I'd been wrong about Elly.

"First of all I am Liz. Elizabeth to be formal. As for why! I wanted to know whom my sister was so hot for. She's been hurt a number of times by 'good guys' and I wanted to see who you were. When Elly called me earlier and invited me to meet you I figured I'd find out. But when Elly called to say you were late so she was going to run an errand I decided to come here and just wait."

Made sense so far and she didn't seem to be making this up.

"When you rushed in here and grabbed and hugged me I figured I'd play along. It's a twin's devilish nature at least it's mine. Sorry."

I listened and decided she was being honest and before I could say anything more Elly came in and I was mesmerized by her once again. She and I hugged and I knew now what seemed odd with Liz. I'd come to recognize Elly by touch. After the two of them said their hellos we grabbed a table for dinner and looking at the two of them I saw just exactly how similar they were. Everything about them was the same, except for the eyes. Elly's eyes were much paler then Liz's.

When the conversation came around to the events preceding Elly's arrival Liz finally asked me.

"So how did you know?"

I looked at Elly and said.

"Elly when you touch me I feel you. I have recognize you by your touch and when we hug its so different from anyone else I've ever hugged. So much about you has been engrained in my mind and body that if I were blind I'm sure I'd pick you out of a crowd."

"Oh that's so sweet, Kevin."

"Bullshit Kevin"

Liz blurted out as Elly leaned over to kiss me.

"Liz!"

One word from her sister and Liz backed off and apologized.

"Sorry but it sounded like so much, if you'll excuse me once again, crap. But it was a while before you called me on it so what else gave me away. You two have some sort of secret password or something?"

Elly and I laughed and I shook my head no and said.

"Your eyes are different. Liz. Your eyes are a bit darker than Elly's. That's what confirmed it for me. Once I saw your eyes then a lot of stuff cemented my conviction. Speech pattern was different and there was no love in your tone. So, if you really were Elly then this would have been useless to me."

I brought a jewelers box from my coat pocket and got down on my knees before Elly and asked.

"Elly, I believe my life started the night we met. I told you then I was looking for a wife, someone to share the rest of my life. Each night parting from you becomes harder and harder. Please let me be your husband?"

I'd certainly stunned both girls with this request. I looked into Elly's eyes and saw deep emotion and waited for her reply.

"Kevin, I am flattered and pleased. I so want to have you as my husband, to be your wife. I must first give you time to know me completely. Then if you still will allow me to be your wife I will thank you every day that I live."

Stunned by her response I looked at her questioningly. As I sat back down, still holding the ring in my hand I said.

"Elly, while I admit I don't know everything about you, for instance the whole twin thing, what I know has me so in need of you that I can't think of anything that would make me change my mind."

"I too am in love with you and with all my heart I want you too. Let me speak I need to say this, to get past this. Please?"

I nodded and Elly hesitatingly began. She spent some time on being a twin and how she and Liz were so very close, closer than most sisters. She talked about past lovers in her life and how something had always been missing but that with me she had found someone who she knew she loved, whom she wanted to be a wife to. She reached out with her hands and took mine in one and Liz's in another.

"Liz and I are lovers, Kevin and always will be. We've never been able to stay away from one another and that has always been a problem for our men. You may decide we are sick, to do this. You may agree with society that incest is a sin, that homosexuality is a sin. I cannot make you change your beliefs. I love you and want you so very much, but I can not and will not abandon my sister."

Stunned is too gentle a word for how I sat there. I looked back and forth from sister to sister and could see the emotions in their eyes. I still held Elly's hand as I reviewed in my mind everything she had said. I wasn't sure why I hadn't just gotten up and left, why I sat there or why I reached out and took Liz's hand in mine, but I did.

"Elly! I don't think I can live without you Elly, certainly not as happily as I could with you. Liz, I don't know you. I don't know what the two of you expect from me."

"Understanding at the very least. The ability to at least let your wife and your sister-in-law continue our relationship too. Consider allowing both of us into your life in whatever way you choose. I do want and need you Kevin."

We left the restaurant and went to my place. I wanted somewhere we could all talk and not be concerned about being overheard. I also wasn't ready to be in their apartment a place they shared in ways I had not yet shared with Elly. The more we talked the more I got to know Liz. I learned she was in many ways a twin to Elly. She told me she was concerned about losing Elly to me and that if I demanded it that she was sure Elly would try but that in the end Elly would grow tired of missing her and it would jeopardize our marriage. She admitted that her and Elly's relationship could also jeopardize the marriage but preached that her love, Elly's love and my love would give the three of them a chance.

At midnight I stood up and faced the two of them. I looked at them both and paced back and forth a few times then said.

"If this is to work, if this is to have any chance at success, and I will admit that it's a long shot then we will need to be committed not just to one of us, but to all of us. That means that I must vow to Liz what I vow to Elly. That Liz will make vows to me and to Elly and that Elly will make vows to me and to Liz."

Both Liz and Elly stood and came to me with their arms open. Hugging together as a three was something we would have to learn but that night the intent was all that was needed.

Over the next few weeks details were reviewed, problems solved and two months after our proposals I was wed to Elly. Her parents were thrilled to see their daughter married. Liz was her maid of honor and the entire family wished us well as we left for our honeymoon. Liz told us in front of everyone that she would see us when she returned from her business trip but that she wanted to have us for dinner as soon as she returned.