Chapter 31: Fantasy or Reality?

Thursday, January 4, 1962 12pm

The girls arrived together precisely at noon the next day. Jesse was still confused about how this shared girlfriend-boyfriend thing was supposed to work. It seemed to be full of potential problems, not the least of which might be jealousy. Would one of them feel the other was getting favoured treatment? He’d been unable to get a good night’s sleep as he pondered the possibilities. He saw only two choices: accept their decision, or call the whole thing off and each go their separate ways. His gut told him that he wasn’t going to nix the proposal unless it was unworkable. To be honest, his real objective was to win Kirsten. As willing and sexy as Candice was, his heart belonged to the big Swede.

They ate their lunch in relative silence with just a few comments about their day so far. No mention had been made of the big plan yet to be revealed. Jesse was quiet, intending to wait until one or the other of them told him of how this whole scheme was going to work. Neither of the girls seemed anxious to begin. Jesse began to wonder if the two were having second thoughts. There was certainly doubt on his part and he wondered if he was walking into an untenable situation.

“So, Jesse, here’s what we were thinking,” Candice began as she pushed her lunch tray aside. “The biggest problem as we see it is finding privacy for us. You understand what I’m saying, don’t you?”

Jesse nodded. “That thought crossed my mind too. I mean, if each of us wants some alone time, then we need something better than the back seat of my car.”

“Well, I’m glad you realize that, Jesse,” Candice continued. “Yes, we do need a place we can have that privacy as well as some comfort. I think I’ve come up with a solution.”

Jesse leaned back in his seat and looked around. There was no one nearby except the three of them. They wouldn’t likely be overheard.

“I told you my brother has an apartment that he would be sharing with me. Dave works long shifts at the hospital, as I’ve already explained. I always know what his shifts are so that gives us quite a bit of time that we’ll be on our own, understand?”

Jesse nodded again. “What about you, Kirsten?”

“My parents both work at the store and are away all day during the week and Saturday. That gives us some time and privacy at our home.”

“I thought you worked at their store on Saturday?” Jesse said.

“No. My parents want me to have some free time apart from my studies and the only time they call on me is for our twice yearly sales. So ... we have some free time that we can take advantage of,” she said, smiling only slightly.

Jesse looked back and forth between to two. “How will you decide who gets who when?”

“Simple,” Candice said. “We’ll alternate. We’ll start with one day a week each and see how it goes. That all right with you, Jesse?”

“I guess so. I mean, this all sounds so ... organized. Don’t get me wrong. I really want to have some alone time with you both, but ... I don’t know ... this whole idea kind of sucks the romance out of it.”

“Romance?” Candice said in surprise. “You’re expecting romance? I thought we were just talking about sex?”

Jesse was startled by the frank revelation that Candice had no other interest than in the physical act of sex. Anything beyond that did not appear to be part of her side of the agreement.

“No ... at least, I was expecting something warmer than just sex,” Jesse said, looking at both of them now.

“I’ll guarantee you it will be warmer,” Candice smirked.

“What about you, Kirsten?” Jesse asked, turning to her.

She didn’t look at all comfortable and couldn’t look Jesse in the eye. That was the turning point for Jesse.

“No!” he said. “This won’t work. I don’t want a relationship with you if that’s all you think it should be,” he said, aiming his remarks to Candice.

“What? You’re turning us down?” Candice said with a shocked expression.

Jesse nodded, looking carefully at both of them. “Yeah, I am. This was never just about sex with me. Even though I knew we weren’t forever, Candice, it meant more than just ... just a physical act. I like you. I like you a lot. To me ... well ... it wasn’t just a way to have sex with a sexy girl.

“As for Kirsten,” he continued, “I don’t want that kind of relationship at all. I think there might be something more there for us and I don’t want to spoil it by just ... using her. No ... your idea won’t work ... not for me. I’m sorry to ruin your plan, but I’m not going to go along with it.”

“I can’t believe what I’m hearing,” Candice said, looking at Jesse, then Kirsten, then back at Jesse. “You’re really saying no?”

Jesse nodded, remaining silent.

“I think he’s mentally ill,” Candice said to Kirsten. Kirsten remained silent, neither confirming nor contesting the other girl’s comment.

“Sorry, girls. That’s the way I see it. If you change your mind, we can discuss it, but I’m not going to agree to having an intimate relationship with two at the same time. That’s just not right,” Jesse said emphatically, picking up his lunch tray and heading for the door.

The two young women sat silently, wondering just what had happened to their plan. Candice couldn’t believe Jesse would turn down the proposition. What guy wouldn’t want to have two girls to have sex with on a regular basis?

Kirsten, on the other hand, was secretly relieved. She was interested in Jesse, but she was very uncertain about Candice’s plan, wondering if she could accept being a part-time girlfriend and lover. I didn’t sit well at first, and now she knew why. As she thought about it, she was becoming more in agreement with Jesse’s opinion. The fact that he had turned them down was something unexpected, but in her view, a confirmation that Jesse was no ordinary young man.

Sunday, January 7, 1962 9am

Jesse parked the VW in the main lot and headed toward the chairlift shed. He had a season pass, so no ticket was necessary. His heavy wooden Panzer skis and poles were over his shoulder as he trudged through the wet, sloppy snow at the base of the mountain. He wasn’t really paying any attention to his surroundings and it was quite a surprise when he heard a familiar voice call his name.

“Jesse! Wait!”

He turned and saw Kirsten hustling toward him.

“Hi,” he greeted her with a smile. “Would you like us to ski together today?”

“You’re not angry with me?” she asked cautiously.

He shook his head. “No. Why would I be angry with you? I’m pretty sure that idea Candice proposed was all hers. I’m surprised you went along with it.”

She nodded. “I don’t know why I did,” she admitted. “I’m glad you turned it down. I didn’t expect that, but maybe I should have. You are a very honest person, Jesse.”

They snapped on their skis and waited as the next chair arrived and plucked them off the landing and upward to the village.

“I was tempted, Kirsten. But I knew it was wrong. Besides, I have enough trouble handling one girlfriend, much less two,” he smiled.

“I thought so too,” she said. “I didn’t really want to share. I like you and if you want ... we can be friends, but I don’t want to share either.”

“Good, then it’s settled. As I sit here beside you, I will formally ask you to be my one and only girlfriend,” he grinned.

She laughed. “As I sit here beside you, you will be my one and only boyfriend.”

“Perfect,” Jesse said, taking her gloved hand in his, and leaning toward her, touching shoulders. Her smile in return warmed him and confirmed that he had made the right decision.

They spent the day together once more. When they weren’t skiing, they were talking about themselves, trying to make the connection between them stronger. Jesse had no doubt whatsoever that Kirsten was the woman for him for the long term. Kirsten had no such belief yet, but was completely comfortable with Jesse and her decision that he was the kind of boyfriend she wanted. Candice would have to look after herself.

Jesse could easily account for his buoyant mood that day. It was all down to Kirsten. He was on the path toward what he almost achieved in his other life, and he knew how he wanted this journey to end. He would continue to be patient with her, despite her indication that she was at least considering becoming intimate with him. He wasn’t totally convinced she meant it and would leave that decision in her hands. That didn’t mean it would be “hands off” with her, but he would proceed cautiously.

Sunday, January 7, 1962 5:30pm

Jesse arrived home after leaving Kirsten at the lift parking lot with a kiss and a promise to see her at lunch on Monday. He entered his home through the garage and parked his skis, poles and boots where they would dry and air out before heading upstairs. His appearance in the kitchen was greeted by his mother.

“Hi, how was your day on the mountain?” she asked as she continued peeling some potatoes.

“Great. Good snow and of course, Kirsten was with me,” he said brightly.

“Kirsten seems to be the new girl in your affairs,” his mother noted.

“Kirsten is officially my girlfriend, Mom. I consider myself one of the luckiest guys alive.”

“Now that she officially your girlfriend, when are we going to meet her?”

“I was thinking that if it’s okay with you, I might invite her for dinner here next Sunday. We’ll probably be skiing and she can come right after we quit. Is that okay?”

“That’s fine, Jesse. I take it your centerfold model is no longer in the picture?”