Chapter 44: Adjusting to Expansion

IT WASN’T EASY. The girls had all started to bond a little more after their slumber party. The concept was foreign to Xian, but she was working on becoming part of a family. She did seem to be willing to try almost anything sexually. She didn’t have much in the way of preconceived ideas about what should and shouldn’t be. Her education had mostly been inside the embassy, although she’d been taken to a Catholic day school for elementary education.

About the time the new embassy opened in 1967, the mission coordinator had given Xian a room in the residence and assigned her a modest salary to assist the coordinator’s wife. The wife had made sure she continued to get schooling—much of it from specialists in the compound. When that mission coordinator was reassigned, Xian’s position in the residence was simply grandfathered in and she stayed there long after the building had been repurposed as part of the CRA compound.

By the time she was eighteen, Xian was working with the maintenance staff, cleaning the 140 offices in the six-story chancery and the separate two-story consulate. Occasionally, she was asked to translate something, which she gladly did. She’d been in the chancery when the general spotted her and requested that she be reassigned as my assistant. The rest, as they say, is history.

Our history together.

John arrived at the studio with a truck on Wednesday. It had been a long time since I’d seen the theatre tech director. He looked at me a little strangely and I remembered I’d suddenly turned gray.

“Can you use some new backdrops?” he asked.

“I haven’t started doing any photography yet, but I’m happy to have backdrops for when we start getting customers,” I said.

“We did some more advanced panels in the workshop this year. The theme was realism and cut-outs,” John said. Min hopped down from the truck and rushed to give me a hug and kiss, then went in to see the wives. “That girl is the best thing that ever happened to me. I can’t thank you enough for bringing her to Stratford.”

“So, what are these cut-outs?” I asked. By this time, I was sure Min was being introduced to Xian by my other wives.

“The assignment was to have a panel with an opening. It could be a window cut out of the backdrop, a door, an arch, a porthole, or even a picture frame that would extend the depth of the scene. I think you’ll like some of these.”

We started unloading the truck. The downside of the new concept pieces was that they were heavier than the plain flats had been last year because they had to have an infrastructure that would support the opening. A couple of them were hung with complete doorframes. There were windows with removable sashes so they could be used with the fabric ‘glass’ or without it. And they came from all manner of periods. There was a formal French or Victorian setting, a brick exterior, a medieval stone archway, a sitting room with a picture frame that could be backlit to go transparent. A dozen new scenes that I could place models in.

I was having some problem lifting them and had to have help. My arms were still like jelly.

“Did you hurt yourself?” John asked.

“I guess you might say that. I kind of overworked it last month and I’m weak in my hands and wrists. I figure it will go away after a while. I just need to rest it.”

“Well moving these flats is not a good way to rest it. Make sure you have some help before you go wrestling them around.”

“I’ll do that. At the moment, I can’t even lift my camera steadily.”

“She’s adorable,” Min said, rushing into the studio. “If I didn’t have such a great man, I’d be insanely jealous of her. If she needs to see an Asian face now and then, I’ll be around. It can be a bit of a shock for an Asian girl to look around and not see anyone who is like her at all.”

“Thank you, Min. Xian is going to need all the friends she can get. She’s been pretty isolated in the past.”

“Just be patient. That’s what I told the others. Be patient.”

Min and John got back in the truck and headed to the theatre.

I discovered that I needed to make a conscious effort to include Xian in having sex. Ronda, Anna, and Patricia were all adept at maneuvering me into the darkroom, dressing room, or bedroom to have a little private one-on-one at any time during the day. Xian still thought she needed to be invited, or simply didn’t want to seem aggressive or needy.

I got the transparencies back that I’d taken in Vietnam and on the ship. One was just beautiful and I printed a nice Cibachrome of it. It took a while, but when the girls all saw it, there was a lot of exclaiming.

“You are so photogenic, Xian!” Ronda said.

“I love your wedding picture,” Anna added. “I think we should all find unique settings to have wedding pictures in, don’t you?”

“Not just with Nate, but with each other,” Patricia said. “And maybe all together, too.”

“Definitely all together,” Ronda said. “Maybe in our all-together.”

“It wouldn’t be an Attic Allure photo if we were dressed,” Anna laughed.

“We have a lot of pictures of us, though. There isn’t a real Attic Allure photo of Xian. You need to get that.”

“Um ... I don’t mind taking pictures,” I said. “But ... I need help. I’m not able to handle the scenery or even the lights by myself. Hell, I can’t even hold the camera without shaking. I’ll need help putting it on a tripod.”

“You need to have Dad look at you when we go to Tenbrook for Memorial Day. We should probably all have physicals now that we’re home from all over the world,” Ronda said.

“Probably a good idea.”

“I will gladly help move scenery, Master,” Adrienne said. “Later, I will massage you again.”

“You are too good to me, Fifi,” I answered.

Adrienne got things moving, but we all pitched in. Ronda took Xian upstairs to choose an outfit and talk to her about the way I work with models. I think she might have built some expectations in Xian’s mind.

We chose a rustic brick exterior with an interesting window in it. The question was what to put behind it. What would be seen through the window? We looked at some of our drops and Adrienne suggested that we use the wall as a freestanding panel. We could assume that both sides of the wall were outside. I liked the concept. We pulled a nice pastoral scene with lots of green, then Patricia and Adrienne found some vines to weave through the lattice in the window. Anna and I went to work setting lights.

I kept having flashes of a scene in my mind. But the scene was not a simple Attic Allure glamour shot. It spoke of something else—though I was at a loss to explain what. Maybe this was a stepping stone. A stepping stone to a true work of art. I was looking for something beyond a glamorous portrait. I wished I had the vocabulary to explain what I was looking for to my girlfriends.

Ronda and Xian returned from the apartment. She’d worked on Xian’s makeup a little, not being too heavy handed, but brightening her lips a little and highlighting her eyes. Like a typical slumber party, the girls had all done their nails Sunday night and they looked great. Xian was wearing a simple black skirt and one of her yems. I thought it was funny that Ronda was wearing one, too.

“I love these things,” she said. “I might never wear a bra again.”

“That would be fine with me,” I said, running a hand under each girl’s top. Xian gasped when I cupped her breast. Ronda just moaned.

Anna and Adrienne got my cameras set on tripods and loaded with film. They both knew the routines well enough to function without being told what was needed.

I started maneuvering the Nikon and the Hasselblad for pictures and then positioned Xian, first in front of the backdrop and looking out the window, then moving her around to the other side. As I positioned her, I kissed her bare shoulders and continued to run my hand up under her little top. Gradually, I loosened the ties so the yem fell from her, first hanging on her small breasts, but then dropping down in front, exposing one and then both.

Xian looked a little unsure of having her nude picture taken and I slipped behind the window panel, to pose her. I made a show of moving her partially behind the wall so she was convinced she couldn’t really be seen by the camera. I kissed her into a smile and petted her breasts until she sighed. Then I quickly ran to the camera and took another picture. Ronda, Anna, Patricia, and Adrienne each took a turn posing Xian until the girl was giggling each time one of them touched her.

I was pretty sure I’d gotten the photo I wanted much earlier, but I continued taking pictures until I’d taken all the exposures on the 35mm roll. Then I picked Xian up and carried her into the dressing room, kissing and petting her. My arms shook when I picked up Toni. They almost gave way completely when I picked up Xian.

“We’ll take the color film to Dave’s,” Anna said. “The black and white is waiting for you in the darkroom.”

I continued removing Xian’s clothing until the girl was naked, sitting in my lap as we kissed and petted.

“Would you like to see how the darkroom works?” I asked.

“Like this?” she gasped.

“Oh, yes. It’s much better like this.” I led her through the deserted studio to the darkroom and locked the door behind me.

“It’s really dark,” she said.

“It has to be dark to develop the film, but now that the film is in a light proof canister, I can turn on a red light. That way we can see each other.”

“I feel really ... um ... can we kiss some more?”

“We sure can, honey. And we can make love in the darkroom.”

“Without anyone else? Without a bed?”

“Sweetheart, wherever we are, we can make love.”

“Oh, Nate. I love you. I’m so confused and overwhelmed by everything. The other wives and the mistress are all nice and I’m so afraid I’ll do something and they will hate me and I’ll have to leave.”

“No one is going to hate you or make you leave. Remember how it was the first time we made love and everything was brand new and overwhelming, but we did it and we loved it? This is just the same. When we make a mistake, we go back and do it over. We learn from the mistake and we just keep trying. I do it all the time.”

By that time, I was naked as well and I set the film drum in the sink with water running to rinse it. I sat on the chair and pulled Xian into my arms. We kissed and petted and I made love to that girl. I held her in my arms as she shook in orgasm and I filled her.

Then we printed proofs of the pictures we’d taken and Xian learned a little about the process.

And we made love again.

I spent another night with Adrienne Friday, and the next morning I took her to Toronto to the airport.

“I’ll try to visit soon,” I said. “If I can’t, please come back to be with us again, my pet.”

“All you have to do is whistle and I’ll come running, Master. But now you need to focus on your family and make it whole. Especially before Jane and Peter get here. You should tell Xian about her.”

“Oh, Christ! I don’t know if I can deal with them this summer.”

“They dealt with your whole family when Ronda became ill, and kept us safe and made us healthy,” Adrienne said. “Do your best.”

“Yes.”

She headed for her gate and I headed back to Stratford.

We all went out to the ranch Sunday afternoon. Toni was progressing extremely well and the instructor there complimented her. They had a pony for Alex to ride and Patricia kept a lead on it as Alex mostly just had a good time riding in a circle in the ring.

I didn’t ride. I couldn’t trust my hands to have enough strength to control a horse. Xian had never been near a horse before and was understandably a little shy around the big beasts as she reached out to pet them.

Much of the next week was spent just resting and getting comfortable with each other. I set up a still life in the studio and loaded the Hasselblad with high speed black and white film. I wasn’t sure exactly what I was going for yet. The image in my mind had nothing to do with the vase of flowers and miscellaneous objects I arranged on the table. I set lights and took an image, then changed all my settings and took another. I went back to my original method of working when I was in high school, and wrote down all the settings: exposure, shutter speed, lighting. I was definitely in an experimental mode.

I didn’t know for sure if what I was looking for was in the photograph or in the processing and printing. The thing was I had this idea in my mind and I didn’t yet know how to achieve it—or even explain it. Once I’d shot a roll of film, I went immediately to the darkroom, processed the negatives, and printed a proof sheet. None of the images really showed what I was after.

The next day, I repeated the process. I changed the setting, changed the lighting, changed film. I shot another roll and retired to the darkroom. Anna slipped inside before I got the door closed.

“What are you trying to accomplish, lover?” she asked as I turned the crank on the developing tank and she worked on getting our clothes off.

“I wish I could describe it,” I sighed. Then I moaned as Anna sank to her knees and sucked my cock into her mouth.

“What does it feel like to you?” she asked.

“Like the most wonderful creature in the world has just taken me into her mouth,” I said.

“I mean the feeling you are trying to get in the photo,” she giggled. Then she resumed sucking.

“Mmm. Yes. The Photo. Maybe the feeling is what I’m looking for. How can I create a photo that is pure emotion? What is the subject matter? How should it be lit? What film speed should I use?”

“That sounds like you are looking for a technique, not a particular composition or story,” she said. Once the film was rinsed, she pushed me down in the chair and straddled my lap. She sank onto my cock as we both sighed.

“Story,” I mused. “You know how I used to say the props closet was filled with stories waiting for a model to capture them? I’m feeling like there’s a more potent story waiting to be told that supersedes both the prop and the model. The story is all around us and I need to find the right props and models to tell it.”

“Art,” she said as she rose and fell on my cock. “You want to compose your picture on the canvas instead of in the lens.”

“Yeah. But my canvas is the lens.”

“Maybe the lens is simply your brush and the canvas is on the enlarger.”

“Maybe I’m trying to be something I’m not. I just know that even when I photographed Patricia and Xian last week, I was looking for something beyond the subject matter—no matter how much I love the subject matter.”

“You love Xian, don’t you? I mean you love her like you love the other three of us.”

“Yeah. Yes, I do. It took me by surprise. She’s been part of us for such a small amount of time. But already, I can’t imagine her not being with us.”

“We’re all beginning to feel that way,” Anna said. “I was skeptical at first, I admit. And we’ve only been together for two weeks. But she fits. I mean she fits our family story, you know?”

“Oh, my dear Anna. Right now, I am once again amazed at how well we fit together. I’m getting close, sweetheart. Feeling you wrapped around me, I’m not going to last long.”

“Don’t try to last. I’m ready for you, my love. I’m ready to have you fill me.”

By the end of the week, we were all ready to head to Illinois to visit our families. We headed out on Friday and drove all the way to Camp Otterbein. Xian was a little less nervous about meeting my parents than about meeting Ronda’s, Patricia’s, and Anna’s. She’d met Mom and Dad already and had the initial shock.

When we got to camp, Toni and Alex led the way to hug Gamma and Gampa. It was so funny to watch two-year-old Alex trying to emulate everything her six-year-old sister could do. And Toni was the sweetest big sister any girl could ask for. She always paused to wait for Alex and didn’t try to get away from her. She helped lift Alex up so Gampa didn’t have to bend over so far to pick up his granddaughter. She never seemed to tire of having Alex around, even when it meant she had to share dancing time.

The wives all went to greet Mom, and Mom gave each a big hug, including Xian. Then the wives headed for Dad while Toni and Alex went to Gamma.

“Oh, I’ve missed you girls!” Mom said. “It’s been so long since Christmas when I saw you last!”

“Love you, Gamma!” both girls chimed in.

“Gamma, did you know we have a new Mama?” Toni asked. “Xian Mom just came from Vietnam. Isn’t she pretty?”

“Oh, she is, sweetie. Are you getting along with her?”

“She likes to play games and we’re teaching her to dance,” Toni said. “Gamma, her country is where the war was. It’s where Father died. She is very sad about that. She might have died, too, if Daddy hadn’t saved her.”

“That’s right, honey. I’m so happy she’s safe with your family now,” Mom said.

“Family has to take care of each other,” Toni nodded.

We joined the campers in the dining hall for dinner and Xian got yet another introduction to an American oddity. The idea of a camp was kind of frightening to Xian because all she knew of were refugee camps and prison camps. Seeing a hundred happy campers singing at dinner and running back and forth with food for their tables gave her a whole different look at the experience.

We also got to share the campfire that night, but slipped away to bed before they got to the religious part of the evening. We got the girls to bed and then all went to crowd into the one bed we used at Mom and Dad’s house.

“It’s very cozy,” Xian said.

“I don’t mind if you cuddle up on top of me,” Anna said. “I’ll hold you.”

“Will you, Anna? I ... didn’t know I’d like cuddling with a woman as much as I like cuddling with Nate.”

It wasn’t long after that when I noticed Anna and Xian were sharing some sweet kisses. I didn’t get too distracted by that, though. Ronda and Patricia were ganging up on me, but it was definitely Ronda’s turn to ride the pony. Patricia was not about to be left out, though, as she rode my face and made out with Ronda until all three of us were quite well sated.

We had breakfast in the kitchen Saturday morning instead of over in the dining hall. Dad sat with us as Mom went over to lead the campers in morning devotions.

“Are you adjusting well, Cheyenne?” he asked my wife.

“There are still many strange things,” she answered. “My sister wives are the kindest and most wonderful people I’ve ever met. Being part of a family is a very new experience.”

“Well, you are part of the best family I know,” Dad said. “I hope you girls all know that I love you like my own daughters. Don’t ever forget that. You make this old man very happy.”

“Don’t go calling yourself old, Papa Rich,” Patricia said. “You are still young and spry. I can’t believe how much you’ve done here at the camp.”

“It’s good work,” Dad said. “But how can I not be old when my own son sits there covered with gray hair?”

“Dad, I try not to think of that. I’m still just eighteen as long as I don’t look in a mirror,” I said.

“Keep that attitude, son. It’s the only way you’ll keep up with four beautiful young wives and your children,” Dad said. “When’s the next one due?” I guess one of the things I love about Dad is his lack of filters. We all just kind of stumbled along.

“We haven’t planned another yet,” Ronda said. “Patricia said she’s all done now and neither Anna nor I have decided we should stop taking birth control.” She suddenly stopped and all three of my wives suddenly looked at Xian.