Chapter 4: Holiday Smokescreens

Work smoothed out over the summer and autumn for the eight of us living in the house. No one complained about the rent increases either, and the operating fund and reserve fund slowly started to have the right amounts of money in them.

As Thanksgiving and the Christmas/New Year’s holidays approached, we were each under some pressure about returning ‘home’ to visit. At this point, too, most of us had to produce our girlfriend or boyfriend.

Cecil and Eva had already created that illusion for his parents when they were visiting the states from London. They opted to continue that guise when they would drive to Pennsylvania for the two holiday periods to see Eva’s parents.

My parents lived outside of Buffalo and I had a sister four years younger that lived near them with her fiancé. They knew I loved my new job, and, based on my remarks on the phone, that I had a serious love interest. I hadn’t used names but they asked that I bring my ‘lady friend’ home so they could meet her.

I floated my need for a temporary girlfriend over dinner one night when all the women were present. Laurel was quick to volunteer to go with me for both holidays. She did not want to travel to California, especially via air travel on some of the worst travel days of the year. Ross and Amy became an ‘official’ couple, as did Ryan and Claire.

Laurel emphasized at the dinner we chose up ‘official’ partners that she did not want to see us change our non-exclusive behavior. We all agreed.

Laurel and I drove from Boston to Buffalo in her car. I still didn’t have a car so I got her car serviced and paid for all the gas we used. I was still recovering financially from my academic pursuits. I could walk or take public transportation to work, and easily borrow one of the other cars for any serious transport need around Boston. Moreover, using Uber was cheaper overall that auto ownership.

In the car as we started our trip, Laurel pulled out a list of two-hundred questions she downloaded from the Internet. They were the types of things a serious couple should discuss to further their relationship and ensure compatibility. A couple of the opening questions were ‘What are you proudest of having accomplished, and what do you regret doing the most?’

I laughed at the idea of the list and so did she, but she said that we had to be prepared and aware, and in agreement on many of the items when quizzed by my parents or my sister and her fiancé.

Laurel started, “Do you know how old I am? You just turned twenty-six, right?”

“Right, and I’d say you’re two years older. You’re more mature than me.”

Laurel started, “Right and I’ll accept that. So, do you want children?”

I chuckled, “Yes. Two and ideally a boy and girl. Something for everybody, and learning points for all concerned. How about you?”

“I agree. I’d like to wait about three to five more years to start. Next question, what kind of living situation would you want as your family develops?”

I chuckled, “I’d like to stay in Laurel’s Rooming House. I also think it’s a great environment to raise kids in. They quickly learn that mom and dad sneak off with the other adults and make strange noises in their bedrooms.”

Laurel laughed, “Come on, really?”

“Some truth to that. I think I’d want a suburban house. If we’re a future couple, what would you do with the Boston home?”

“Hmmmm. Maybe keep it and rent it out, or keep renting rooms. I have to think about that. Having been my grandparents’ home it has a lot of sentimental value to me. I think I’d want to keep it.”

I learned about Laurel’s background. “I was my mom’s menopausal baby – she was forty-five when I was born and I learned I was a big surprise. More than that, I don’t think my dad was the father. He always seemed a bit reluctant to deal with me, so I was more or less mom’s responsibility – mostly less. They’re getting older as we speak, so I’m almost a forgotten concern compared to my brother and sister, who are much older.

“I grew up fast and did everything there was to do well before I graduated high school. I went to UCLA because the price was right. I was an art major, but specialized in computer graphics and design, and also partying. I was a sorority girl and ... well, pretty much a slut. I slept around a lot, and then got more serious about life.

“About the time graduation neared, my grandmother passed away. She left me some money and the house in Boston. I was the only heir in her will. Grams didn’t care for my parents or older siblings. Supposedly, she skipped my parents’ generation for estate planning purposes. I think she was pissed off at her daughter for having me out of wedlock and then ignoring me growing up. I spent summers with her and thought she was cool. Since I wasn’t around earlier in my life, I missed all the drama but there were still hints of it now and again as I grew up.

“I came east to see the house again, fell in love with it and Boston, and never left. I had a few close friends, invited them to live with me, and that’s how things started. Good friends Amy and Ross moved from California a few months after I got the house. It was to be a lark for them. I got a local job in Boston, and seven housemates including those two. Given my proclivity for sex, we were very open about our behavior. Eventually, everyone joined in.

“Amy, Ross, and I were having sex together before we left California. In the house, I seduced one of the other guys who has since moved to Chicago, and we then expanded from there. Anyway, our circle of sex maniacs further expanded as new tenants moved in. Some of our open sex, was really open – like in the living room where we’d intentionally get caught and then invite more participation.

“Of the seven original renters, three left for various reasons, and got replaced. You are actually the fourth newbie. The criteria were always about someone we all liked. You won everyone over instantly.”

“I didn’t think that much of a screening process went on,” I commented.

“More than you know,” she laughed. “After you called for an interview appointment, I paid for a PI to do a quick work up on you before you showed up for the interview. Amy and I had the lead in making the decision and you ticked all out boxes for being a nice guy and somebody we wanted to know better. It helped that you were a bit of a nerd. We didn’t want some macho, chest-thumping jock, whose knuckles dragged on the ground. You were the anthesis of that.”

“Thank you, I guess. I would have gone through a more extensive vetting process if you’d asked.”

“No need. You’re about as transparent as a pane of glass. We had pretty much decided we wanted you before you showed up. You were really well-liked in your RA job and by the faculty, by the way. That counted for a lot.”

I was transparent. I also had nothing to hide. Ryan called me a boy scout, and that wasn’t too far from the truth. I’d been into scouting through grade school until high school, and then devoted myself to my studies and also running cross-country. I transited from there to grad school in Boston, getting a free-ride with tuition but needing to work for expenses. Thus, I got a job as an RA in exchange for room and board. There weren’t many other expenses since I didn’t have car or wanderlust. I was surprised that Laurel knew all that.

Laurel paused and said, “Next area for our discussion. How to argue? How do you negotiate on items that are important to you when faced with a conflict?”

We kicked that around and then worked our way through the other two-hundred discussion topics on her list. By then we were driving through Syracuse and knew each other better than any two people I’d ever known, and probably better than my parents knew each other.

Laurel asked, “Now, the questions not on the list. What are some of your sexual fantasies?”

I chuckled, “I don’t think anybody in Buffalo will ask about those.”

“I agree, but I want to know.”

“If I share, you’ll share equally?”

“Yes, I promise.”

“Before I moved into the house, my sexual fantasies were to be with a pretty girl. As you might expect and while I was growing up, I watched porn when I needed to take care of my own needs. Now, I like and have sex with four pretty girls. Moreover, and I’m embarrassed to admit this, I’m in love with each of you. I wish I had some magic capability that I could be with four of you simultaneously

“There’s more. I realized that another fantasy was seeing a girl I liked fucking another man. Guess what? At the house, I see that many nights when we’re together in one of the rooms. Last night, I was with Eva, but later watched her get fucked by Ryan. I kind of wish we’d do something where we all got together in one room and had sex – an orgy, I guess. I think that’d be mindblowing.” I quit there, and looked at Laurel before returning my eyes to the Interstate. I had other things to share, but I’d wait to see what Laurel said.

Laurel smiled, “I will be sure we have more orgies from now on. Truth be told, I could really get into that, too. We have had several, but we’ve become a little lax about that. I was DPed once, and would like that again. I dream about it when I’m really horny. I also like the other kind of threesome, and while it’s a fantasy, I’ve also done it several times.

“Amy and I were roommates at UCLA. We did a lot more than experiment with each other. We were always fucking, sucking, or eating one another. Ross got involved more than a few times, and that’s how I started fucking him. That’s really how we all became fast friends. We still get together as a threesome often, but not as much as we did.”

Laurel continued, “I guess my last fantasy is to pull a train. I told you I was kind of slutty in school, well that’s in my genes. I still want to do something really nasty, and a gangbang might be just the thing.”

I commented, “You have four guys at the house.”

“I think that I’d want at least four to eight more involved. I think a bukkake should be involved in there, too.”

“Do you need to know the guys?”

“Oh, no. I think it would be better if I didn’t. Maybe we all even wear masks so that there’s no after-event recognition by any of us.”

“Impromptu, or do you want it scheduled?”

“Totally spontaneous. Some weekend night so I can just wallow in the whole event and swim in the cum all night long.”

“Wow. You’re impressive, and you’ve turned me on.”

“Just so you know, we ARE sleeping together at your parents’ house.”

I smiled, wondering what my parents expected. I thought it’d be fun to see how they had things planned out. All they knew at this stage was that I was bringing my ‘girlfriend’.