Chapter 6: Marriage

While Izzy has been given the opportunity to put her past behind her, both Mycock and Val still face the challenges of satisfying their respective parents’ wishes. Val’s parents expect her to marry a nice young man and produce babies. That’s completely at odds with Val’s love for Izzy. Val doesn’t dislike men ... Mycock’s presence in her apartment illustrates that ... as long as there’s no sex involved.

Mycock’s problem is that he has lived his entire life under the protective shadow of his parents, particularly his mother. Under the guise of looking after him, his parents effectively ensured Mycock learned nothing about fending for himself. He’s never handled a screwdriver or hammer, and any domestic device was strictly off limits while he was living at home. However Mycock has been observant, although his ability to be self-sufficient is all theoretical knowledge. He was never allowed to touch the washing machine at home, but he knows the basics involved ... at least in theory. The same goes for cooking and cleaning.

In short, Mycock’s parents fully expect him to move back home soon, and into their smothering care. Despite his love for his parents, Mycock has other ideas. He realises that no matter how hard he tries, or how successful he is in his job, his parents expect him to fail and come running back to them suitably humbled. His only solution is to marry a woman who would be willing to tolerate his woeful life skills, and teach him what his parents have refused to provide.

“Did you wash my woollen cardigan on the cotton wash cycle, Mycock?” fumes Val. “Because it has shrunk.”

Mycock apologises profusely, offering to buy Mistress Tina a replacement. Fortunately for him, Val wasn’t particularly attached to that cardigan and she’s more than happy with his offer to buy her a new one. What the incident reveals, however, are the deficiencies in Mycock’s housekeeping skills.

Despite her own distaste for doing housework, Val does at least know what to do. She takes pity on Mycock and resolves to improve his skills. While a cynic might view Val’s plan as a case of self preservation, her motives are more altruistic. Although Izzy is the only one in Val’s heart, Mycock holds a certain appeal to her tastes. Fortunately, Mycock is a fast learner, and there are no more disasters with the laundry. A short lesson in hygiene resolves the bathroom cleaning mistakes. Learning to cook, however, is going to take longer. Mycock’s first attempt at boiling an egg results in something you could use to play baseball.

Although Mycock knows that Mistress Tina is really called Valentina, and that Izzy calls her Val, he respects her wish for him to refer to her as Mistress Tina. Similarly, while in the apartment, he always speaks of Mistress Bella, rather than Isabella or Izzy. Only in public places is the honorific ‘Mistress’ omitted. If Val’s and Izzy’s original intention was to keep Mycock in his place within their household, then they hit the jackpot. Mycock loves submitting to his two mistresses commands as much as they enjoy the sense of power it gives them. It’s just the sort of control over him that Mycock desires now that his mother is no longer dictating his life.

By the time summer arrives, the three of them have settled into a comfortable routine. Val and Izzy openly flirt and have sex with each other in Mycock’s presence, although he is never allowed to do more than watch. Although Mycock is never prevented from having friends of either gender, he contents himself with the company and friendship of his two mistresses. As far as the three of them are concerned, this arrangement could go on indefinitely. Unfortunately, both Val’s and Mycock’s parents still apply pressure on their respective offspring. In Val’s case, it is to get married ... to a man..., and in Mycock’s case, in the absence of finding a wife, to return to his parents’ home.

“The obvious solution is for the pair of you to marry each other,” suggests Izzy.

Both Val and Mycock are surprised by Izzy’s suggestion. Not because the idea hadn’t already occurred to them, but neither Val nor Mycock thought that Izzy would approve. Mycock is under no illusion that a marrying Mistress Tina would be a marriage of convenience only. All the paperwork might be legal, but consummating the marriage might be problematic. However, the alternative facing both of them is unattractive.

“My parents will almost certainly expect me to provide a grandchild for them,” says Val.

“Well, there’s artificial insemination if you want, or you could simply let Mycock fuck you until you become pregnant,” says Izzy.

“And how would you feel about that?” asks Val. “The Mycock fucking me option, I mean.”

“Hmm ... I’d be jealous if I wasn’t included,” says Izzy. “Are you up for a threesome?”