Chapter 6: Action Plan

“Lisa, I want to take Steve’s SUV and go shopping with you. Can you blow a few hundred with me this afternoon, with him paying you back, like with a check or transfer?”

“Sure, what do you have in mind?”

“It’s going to be a secret until we get back this afternoon. I’ll tell you as soon as we get going. Steve, I promise you, we’ll come back with something you will want. One other thing. I want you to take me back home to the peninsula the day after tomorrow, that is, Monday night. I need clean clothes and stuff in order to be ready for work early Tuesday morning.

“I’ll be back to my place Friday afternoon about 2 o’clock. Steve, if you and Lisa could come get me, that would be ideal. I could use a ride share or taxi, but it would be very expensive to travel between the airport and here in Marin County. That’s why your willingness to relocate close to the airport is a very seductive idea. But we need to put away that discussion for a while; it’s premature right now.

“Lisa, let’s get dressed and get going. Oh, Steve, don’t pout. Tonight we two are going to make you crazed with lust, I guarantee it. Even more fun than last night was, you’ll see. Lisa, my rolling bag is in the spare bedroom with your bags; we’ll just change over there.

A few minutes later, they were back with Steve, in casual outfits. Lisa had a proposal for him.

“How about we take your suit to the cleaners for you? Your car keys are in the pocket of your pants? Great, just tell me which dry cleaner you use, and we’ll be off.”

Lisa was behind the wheel.

“OK, Chris, we’ve been to the cleaners. Where should we go next?”

“Here’s my brilliant idea. We’re going to rent him a wheelchair. That’s going to allow us to visit all kinds of tourist spots with him, keep him off his ankle, and allow him to do his work and his play chores with less pain and more healing.”

“And by play chores, you mean...”

“Exactly, Lisa. All three of us naked and we’re making love together. What do you think?”

“It sounds great, except I’m worried about pushing him in a chair. His weight, I mean, and also the city’s hills.”

“I’m not worried; I have to push those beverage carts up and down the aisle in the plane. Fully loaded, they can weigh 200 to 300 kilograms.”

“How much is that in American?”

“Um, let me think. It’s like from around 450 to 650 pounds.”

“Holy Shit, Chris! That’s scary. I don’t want to be rude, but how much do you earn working in those flying sweatshops?”

“Depending on how much I work, I make between $35,000 and $50,000 annually. That’s what my tax forms have said.”

“In other words, you need the strength of an elephant and get paid peanuts.”

“I’m so glad you understand me!”

“I suspected it was something like that. And I thought being married to a cheating imbecile was hard work.”

“Oh, yeah, I remember now. Gilbert, right?”

“Ew. His name sounds even worse coming from your pretty face, Chris.”

“Aww. Thanks. Oh, there’s the freeway. Get on 101 south; we’re going to San Rafael. It’s like ten miles from where we are.”

She pronounced it, San Rah-fell, according to the local custom.

“Sorry for interrupting you when you were saying nice things about me. It must be awful to be married to a disloyal fool. I don’t know myself, having never been married. But he must have some kind of mental defect to divorce you when you’re so hot.”

“Aw, shucks. Golly. Thank you.”

Lisa’s face turned pink.

“Gilbert used to appreciate me until he started eyeing women so young they could have been his daughters. I can’t imagine ever again sleeping with him.”

Chris faced forward, stoic.

“It sounds like you will be jealous about me and Steve, since I’m younger than you two are. I don’t want to sound mean, but there is a gap between me and the two of you.”

“No, it’s a valid concern. All I can say to you is that I enjoy watching you and Steve being intimate, uh, having sex together. You seem to have a similar reaction when he’s under me.”

They returned a few hours later, with shopping bags loaded in the wheelchair. Fortunately, Steve’s apartment was on the first floor; they didn’t have to deal with an elevator.

“I don’t understand. I’ve been getting around with a crutch.”

“Yeah, but because of that crutch, you haven’t been healing. Steve, forget all that macho bullshit and let your beautiful consorts push you around. You are better off when we spoil you in exchange for frequent sex.”

“Yeah, what Lisa said,” added Chris. “Still want to argue?”

“Not at all. I want to take you out to dinner, though.”