Chapter 3: Ask and Receive

In the morning, when Ben woke up and saw Aimee lying there peacefully naked, he had an idea. “I think I’ll surprise you,” he whispered. He slipped some light clothes on, careful not to wake her, and walked over to Shaheen’s door. Then he knocked. A few moments later, he heard her sleepy voice from inside: “ ... come in.”

Ben opened up the door quietly. Shaheen quickly greeted him with a smile and a kiss. They made out for a minute before Shaheen finally broke away with a soft sigh.

“So, what brings you over so early?” she playfully asked. “Mmm, need a morning lay?”

“Got a surprise,” he told her. “Come with me and see what I’ve got in my bedroom.”

The black girl followed him eagerly into his apartment, then watched him with mounting interest as he took off his clothes in the living room. Her own loose garments came off, too; she was following his lead with excitement. When they were both naked, he led her by the hand to his bedroom where Aimee slept.

She gasped in delight at the sight of the sleeping beauty. “Oh!” she said softly; then she chuckled wickedly as she realized what Ben had brought her here for.

“Why don’t you wake her up, Shaheen?” Ben asked softly. “By licking her pussy, I mean.”

She flushed at this suggestion -- but that only added to the eroticism. Shaheen crawled up between Aimee’s legs to begin licking at the sweet treasure within, while Ben watched from the bedside nearby.

Feeling the sensation, Aimee slowly awoke, and pleasure spread quickly over her face. Ben smiled warmly when he saw how aroused she was; he tracked her expression as she looked from his smiling face to that of the unknown black girl lapping at her pussy. The two women made eye contact briefly before Shaheen returned back to lavishing Aimee’s snatch with her talented tongue. It was a tender, erotic scene unlike anything Ben had experienced in person.

“Oh?” Aimee gasped, surprised for certain, but not in a bad way. “This is a first.” Then she moaned and writhed on the mattress as she enjoyed herself thoroughly. In no time at all, she came loudly on Shaheen’s tongue. Then she rolled over with an exhausted smile upon her pretty features.

“You liked that?” Ben asked the freckled brunette. She nodded happily. “Aimee, meet my neighbor, Shaheen.”

Shaheen smiled brightly and extended one hand across the bed toward her new playmate. “Hi!” she said cheerfully. Aimee took it and shook lightly; then they both laughed together as their hands lingered there for a while longer.

“You have quite the tasty pussy,” Shaheen whispered into her ear after several moments had passed.

Aimee blushed prettily at this compliment, but there was more than a hint of naughtiness in her smile. “You have a really good tongue,” she replied to the black girl, who grinned broadly.

“I knew you two would get along,” Ben said proudly. He stepped forward from his position next to the bedside to join them, sitting on the bed in between their nude frames. Both girls pressed their bodies against his, taking turns kissing him while he held onto both of them tightly. Soon they were all supine, tangled up in a passionate embrace -- and touching and kissing each other all over. Ben felt very lucky indeed that morning -- and so did the two lovely women with whom he was sharing himself.

The morning threesome that followed lasted long enough that they lost track of time. They played in many positions until finally they all were satisfied. They lay back on the mattress together for some cuddling afterward, all feeling that they’d bonded deeply from the experience. Next, they took turns showering and getting dressed; Ben would have happily joined either girl under the hot spray, but his bathroom was meager and his shower tiny. Instead, they each washed up solo -- and all the while, whichever two weren’t in the bathroom enjoyed more kissing atop the bed.

When all three had cleaned up, they went to the living room together for breakfast. Shaheen turned out to be as crafty in the kitchen as in bed. She made bacon and eggs, plus toast with jam, and brewed coffee for all of them. They sat down together at the table to enjoy themselves.

“What a morning,” Aimee said, sighing in joy. “Ben, you’re full of surprises. And I like this neighbor of yours.” Shaheen smiled at her as she sipped from her mug.

Ben looked at Aimee fondly. He certainly felt that they’d forged a special bond. For a moment he wondered if all that had happened made her his girlfriend; he’d asked her out, after all, before anything else had happened with anyone. But then he recalled what the bracelet’s magic had seemed to assure him. There would be no choosing, no settling. He glanced toward Shaheen and felt an equivalent longing for her -- and realized it would be unfair to consider her a mere source of fun on the side while Aimee claimed girlfriend status. At once, he realized what he wanted to propose.

“You know,” he spoke, “since the three of us seem to like each other so much ... why don’t we make it official and date each other?”

“All three of us?” Aimee asked, glancing expectantly from Ben to Shaheen. “Oh, wow. I didn’t even think that was something we could do.”

“We could try it, if you two like,” Ben offered. “Polyamory. That’d be the term. People do it -- why can’t we?” He grinned at Shaheen as he spoke.

The dark-skinned girl flushed as she considered it. Evidently, it didn’t take long for her to decide in its favor. “A three-way relationship, huh?” she said. “Sounds hot.” Her eyes sparkled wickedly; now she was thinking about how naughty things would get between herself, Ben, and Aimee once they were all tied up in the same loving knot.

She set down her coffee, then stood up from her seat, striding over to where Aimee sat. “Also means I won’t be stepping on any toes when I feel like doing this,” she said. Bending down, the black girl kissed the brunette softly, her hands claiming Aimee’s waist.

Aimee smiled and giggled. “This is, like, my bisexual wet dream.” Then everyone broke into happy laughter at the joke. It seemed like everything was going exactly according to Ben’s hopes; better, even.

Then Ben recalled that there was still one missing piece; a lover neither of the two present even knew about. In most relationships, he reckoned, the existence of such a woman would be quite the destructive bombshell to drop. But Ben feared none of that; he had his bracelet and its reassurances, and so he brought up the subject casually.

“I should tell you, too,” he said, catching the attention of both. “There’s another girl in the mix. Or, there can be, if you want her to be.”

Shaheen and Aimee smiled brightly at this revelation. “Really? Who?” they asked simultaneously before laughing again at their coincidental outburst.

“Her name’s Alicia. You’ll like her, I promise.” He pulled out his phone. On it he had saved some pictures the raven-haired beauty had sent him not long after their changing-room tryst yesterday: not nudes, but despite Alicia’s tasteful state of clothing, each picture showed off her slender body quite well. His two girlfriends stared intently at these images for several moments, until finally Shaheen spoke up with an excited voice.

“Alright, that settles it. If that hottie is on board, this little love arrangement is going to have to be four-way.”

Aimee nodded enthusiastically along; then Shaheen strutted over and kissed Ben deeply on the lips -- just because she could. Her passion and desire were palpable, no doubt driven up by the promise of Alicia. If she’d thought this new relationship was good already, it was evident she now thought it was even better.

“Can’t help yourself, huh?” Ben teased her as they broke apart.

“That was a thank-you kiss,” Shaheen told him. “For bringing me into your love life. For sharing these hot girls with me. For all the fun we’ve had, and all we’re going to keep on having.” Then she made a quick turn, her braids swaying behind her as she strode off to the kitchen to rinse out her empty coffee mug. Ben watched her ass as she went -- and admittedly, he too felt very thankful in the moment.

“Hot,” came Aimee’s comment, along with a flirty giggle. Ben looked her way and grinned. “Really, though,” she said, reaching out to hold his hand atop the table. “I like this a lot. I like where it’s going. It’s definitely the best thing that’s happened to me in a long time.”

“Oh, I agree,” Ben was quick to confess.

“Me too!” Shaheen called over from the kitchen, raising her voice over the sound of the faucet running.

“You know, Aimee said, “I do have to wonder. Maybe it’s fate, or maybe just really good luck ... but doesn’t it seem like, all of a sudden, things are just going our way? Like, whatever happens, we can just roll with it, and everything will only get better if we do. Can’t be just me, either. You feel it too, right, Ben?”

Ben smirked knowingly. Aimee had just touched on everything he felt, down to the last detail -- although unlike her, he knew the reason for those feelings. Perhaps now was the perfect time to share.

“Would you believe me if I told you something crazy?” he asked her. She nodded; Shaheen, too, turned her head with interest as she walked back to the table. Aimee leaned in to listen, while the black girl bent over the table seductively, grinning in preparation for Ben’s little show-and-tell session.

“Shoot,” Aimee encouraged, and Shaheen nodded along.

Ben presented his wrist, pointing to the wooden beads and the central charm. “It’s this bracelet,” he said simply. “It’s a good-luck charm. No, seriously. It’s not anything superstitious I’m talking about. From what I can tell -- and I really, truly do feel this in my soul -- it’s magic. Real magic.”

“Magic that leads to romance?” Aimee posited.

“And threesomes?” Shaheen added, wiggling her ass in the air.

“That, and a lot more, I think,” Ben replied. “What I do know is it makes me really, really lucky, as long as I’m wearing it. As in, the universe will pretty much shift to make sure I get my way, or at least make awesome things happen to me wherever I go.”

“Wait,” Shaheen prompted. “You mean like that hot girl in that Deadpool movie?”

Ben chuckled. He’d seen the film, but hadn’t thought of the comparison before. “Yeah, actually,” he said. “Remarkably like that. Only ... I don’t think it applies just to me. My, erm, super-luck led me to both of you. That means you’re pretty much tangled up in it, too.”

His girlfriends both grinned happily at him as his revelation hit home. They didn’t seem to question it; after all, their own experience through the past twenty-four hours made for some pretty strong evidence.

“I like the sound of that,” Aimee said. “So, just to confirm this: because we’re roped in with you, we get a dose of all your good luck?”

“Exactly,” Ben said. “Plus, I think we can push that luck to our desires if there’s anything specific we want to happen. Like ... an orgy with supermodels, to make one suggestion.”

Both women lit up at that. “So the possibilities are endless, then?” Shaheen said. “Fucking A.”

Aimee smirked. “We could get rich,” she suggested. “We could, like, stumble onto a bunch of money. Or maybe win the lottery? What do you say?”

He certainly wasn’t against the idea. In fact, through the past day with his power, he’d thought about it here and there already. It would be nice for them all to have some extra cash flow. The only question was how exactly he wanted that outcome to happen.

“Maybe it’s wise to think about the how,” he posited. “I mean, a bunch of free cash would be awesome, but it could lead to trouble. If nothing else, there’d be all sorts of hassles with bureaucracy and lawyers and taxes and stuff -- I think that’s what usually happens when somebody’s given a huge sum of money.”

“Oh, yeah,” Aimee said with a disappointed huff. “True. Let’s think -- there’s gotta be a better way. An outcome that gets rid of our financial worries ... without coming with any extra worries.”

“Maybe there’s one that can come with a bonus instead,” Shaheen suggested, her eyes lighting up as she experienced a Eureka moment. “Say we get involved with someone rich. Hot and rich. Someone who’d like to share with us.”

“You mean, like, we seduce a billionaire?” Aimee said, cocking her head. “Because there sure aren’t any I can think of off the top of my head who I’d enjoy fucking. Yuck.”

Shaheen laughed. “Oh, not the kind you’re thinking. Someone more our type. Ben, you catch my drift, right?”

Ben nodded. His mind was already dancing at the thought of very well-to-do women who might become both lovers and benefactors to their new luck-fueled life. For most, to happen to meet the sort of target he imagined -- wealthy, generous, single, and pornstar-hot -- would be like catching a unicorn. But the magic of super-luck was on his side. On his wrist, for all intents and purposes, was a functioning unicorn radar.

“Let’s see if we can make that happen,” he said confidently. “As a test, if nothing else. Let me concentrate...”

He put his mental focus on the bracelet, and indeed, he felt as if he could communicate with its power that way. It was like logging into the world’s most powerful computer; connecting up to an interface that could grant any wish he asked of it. As such, he made his request, sounding the wish telepathically: [ Let us meet someone very rich today who’ll share a little cash with us ... someone very attractive, too! ]

His girlfriends looked at him curiously as they waited to hear what had happened. “Did it work?” Aimee asked.

“I made the request,” he said. “In my mind, of course. I won’t spoil the specifics. We’ll just have to see if it comes true today.”

He shrugged happily at this possibility. If nothing else came to pass during their day -- well then, they’d still have fun together. They were already lucky enough to have each other’s company, after all.

“Either way,” he continued, “I want us to go out today. So we can meet up with Alicia.”

Shaheen nodded enthusiastically at this, while Aimee grinned broadly. Both, it seemed, were quite pleased with that idea.

Ben called Alicia and arranged the meeting. He made sure to let her know about his two other girlfriends who’d be joining them. She seemed excited about meeting them both, and naturally enough, she was also looking forward to spending some time with Ben himself. He left her with a friendly “see you soon,” then hung up before leaving the apartment with Aimee and Shaheen in tow.

Shaheen drove the three of them out into town, heading for an upscale shopping district that everyone had shown interest in visiting. It was a beautiful morning, and they cruised down the roads with the windows open, conversing happily along the way. Alicia met them in front of a large department store, and the four of them walked inside together as casual introductions were made. The three girls giggled and smiled constantly as they chatted. All along the way, they stopped here and there to browse.

Aimee, Shaheen, and Alicia got along beautifully, of course. They shared many interests, which helped things flow smoothly between all of them as they explored the different departments together. They all found clothes they liked, then put together outfits for each other based on those choices. It was a very pleasant shopping trip, and Ben was happy to indulge the girls, buying them anything they asked for.

Of course, he didn’t forget the request he’d made to his good-luck bracelet. He tried not to think about it too much while he was out with his girlfriends, but when his mind did inevitably drift and imagine who he might be lucky enough to meet today, he couldn’t help feeling excited by the possibilities.

It was right about noon when they decided to stop for lunch. Ben and his girlfriends had been wandering around the shopping district for a while. They were a bit tired from their long morning of fun and exploration together, so no one objected to the idea of a quick meal before they continued.

They were approaching a row of restaurants, trying to pick a place, when suddenly Ben bumped into a woman walking out the door of a high-class boutique.

She gasped, sounding dreadfully embarrassed as she spoke. “Oh my goodness,” she said as her eyes met with his own. Her voice was smooth and velvety; Ben picked out a French accent. She was dressed in expensive clothing and wore an elegant beret atop her head, all only adding to how stunningly, naturally beautiful she was. Aimee gasped a little in surprise; Shaheen grinned knowingly; Alicia merely eyed the newcomer with curious interest.

“Oh, sorry,” Ben said, trying not to stare at her. “I bumped into you there.”

“No, it was my fault!” the elegant French woman insisted. “I wasn’t looking where I was going. Please, accept my apology.” Then she reached out to touch his hand lightly for just a moment. Her fingers were soft and cool against his palm, and despite the cliche of it, Ben almost would have said there was a spark. The contact made him shiver in happy anticipation.

“No harm done,” he said casually. Then he took the opportunity to squeeze and shake her hand. “I’m Ben, by the way. And these three are Aimee, Shaheen, and Alicia.” He gestured towards each one of them as they smiled back in turn.

“Your friends, hm?” the woman asked, then quickly corrected herself: “No, wait. Which one is your girlfriend?”

Ben shook his head. “They’re all my girlfriends, actually,” he told her.

“We’re fans of sharing,” Alicia said, an air of pride in her voice.

That piqued her interest a good deal further. “Ah! Then perhaps the old fuddy-duddies are wrong when they say romance eludes your generation.” She smirked. “In fact, maybe it’s young ones like you who are pushing the boundaries of love toward new, greater places.” Then the French beauty smiled brightly at them all. “I’m Eleni Zafira,” she introduced herself. “Pleasure to meet all four of you. Please, let me make up to you for bumping into you like a careless fool. I’ll treat you four to lunch if you’d care to join me.”

“Oh, that sounds great!” Aimee exclaimed enthusiastically. “We were just trying to decide on a restaurant.”

“Then this is fate!” Eleni proudly exclaimed. “I know the perfect place for a lovely meal.”

“Lead the way, then,” Ben said. “We’d be glad to join you.”

“This way,” she said -- and, with a winning smile and a beckoning gesture, the mature blonde began guiding them down the street while they followed giddily.

Ben already understood a few things about Eleni. One, she had to be the woman he’d asked his magic bracelet to deliver to him; that much would’ve been hard to deny. Second, she was loaded. And third, she was clearly very attracted to Ben and his girlfriends.

The last point was the most important, of course; Ben was sure that was why she felt so eager to pay for their whole meal. Perhaps she wanted more than a meal together. Perhaps, if things went the way he suspected, she already had a few ideas about seducing him. By now he knew his magic well -- and he certainly knew what it tended to want for him. If this sensual Frenchwoman was dragging him to bed by the end of the afternoon, it would hardly come as a surprise.

Ben kept quiet about the idea of it, though he certainly knew Eleni would be happy to hear he’d figured it out. He didn’t want to get ahead of himself and ruin the mood he sensed growing between them right now. Playing things coolly and naturally would be more enjoyable in the long run -- and of course, either way, he’d get to enjoy a little naughtiness in the process.

Eleni led them across the street and onward to the entrance of a high-end contemporary restaurant. Built into a historic brick building with art-deco flourishes, it blended modern and traditional tastes. While expensive, it wasn’t the type you needed a suit and tie to get into: classy without being stuffy or pretentious.

Ben loved the look of the place immediately. It was cleanly and minimally designed, with tiled floors, bare brick walls, and industrial-style lights hanging from the ceiling. There was a huge bar area in the center, with wood tables and comfortable booths grouped all around the surrounding space.

The five of them fit comfortably into a rounded corner booth. Ben noticed that Eleni made it a point to sit directly across from him. When she leaned back against the soft fabric of the booth, the motion of her body seemed to guide his gaze right to her cleavage. She didn’t mind him looking; she wanted him to look. She was busty and proud of it.

“Now,” Eleni began, knowing she had everyone’s attention. “I will admit -- there was one more catch in my bringing you here. I don’t think you’ll mind it, but it is one thing I’d like fulfilled. Consider it ... the price of this lunch.” She leaned forward. “I’d like you four to tell me all about yourselves. About your relationship. Because I don’t think I have ever been more curious about anything.”

Ben’s intrigue grew. The girls exchanged glances, clearly feeling the same. Here was a chance for all four of them to profess to a new friend exactly how their newfound relationship made them feel -- and, likely enough, sell Eleni on embracing it herself. As Ben began to rack his brain, he thought of it somewhere between ‘fun challenge’ and ‘waxing poetic about your new favorite thing.’

“Well,” he began for the group, “the craziest thing about it is that it’s so new.”

“Yeah,” Alicia agreed. “Would you believe me if I told you I only met Ben yesterday? We clicked fast; it’s a certain kind of magic, how it happened.”

“I fell for him after one date,” Aimee gushed. “Even ... let’s say, did some things most people don’t do on first dates.”

“Me?” Shaheen offered. “I was his neighbor for a while. We knew each other, just hardly talked. Turns out, what we both really needed was to get a lot closer. Soon as that happened, I was hooked.”

“All four of us committed fast to this polyamory thing,” Aimee said. “It felt too good to turn down.”

“And as we all met each other, we bonded,” Shaheen said. “Us girls aren’t just a harem for Ben; we’re just as excited to be with one another.” She put an arm around Aimee and drew her close, making her point clear.

Eleni nodded, her fingers drumming on the tabletop. Her mind was running, processing everything all at once. “When you say new,” she asked, “how new are you talking? When was it that all of this happened?”

“Yesterday,” all three of Ben’s girlfriends chorused, to everyone’s amusement.

Eleni knew she should have found the idea of it absurd: that a relationship, let alone one so complex, could emerge so fast. Yesterday! And they’d hardly known one another before! Polyamory on its own was fragile and volatile: an arrangement best handled with care; a game best played between long-time, trusting partners. But Ben, it seemed, had forged his four-way partnership overnight. And neither he nor his girlfriends showed any sign of apprehension or doubt.

A part of her almost wanted to call it a red flag -- but that was quickly stomped out by a larger, mounting warmth that was rising within her. It was a desire that grew with each word these lovely younger people spoke to her, an attraction almost magnetic. To be near them, to get to know more, was what she seemed to crave more than anything in the moment.

“You seem to have not one regret or worry,” Eleni said, more curious than concerned. “I want to say that all this optimism and joy seems so very Romeo and Juliet; young, careless puppy-love. Yet the way you hold yourselves around one another? That reminds me of the most steadfast, long-lasting couples I know.” She folded her hands. “That, to make an understatement, intrigues me.”

“Well,” Ben said, glancing briefly at his bracelet. “As Alicia said, there may be a bit of magic to all of this.”

Shaheen and Aimee traded knowing glances; Alicia merely smiled. “If I know one thing,” Alicia said, “it’s that I feel happier now than I’ve felt in a long time. Happier than I’ve been in past relationships; happier than ever, really.”

Eleni nodded. “I must confess,” she began. “For a while now, I’ve wanted to try this sort of shared love you four have embraced. I’ve tried my hand at dating. I’ve had plenty of suitors, a few quick romances ... but nothing that stuck. The magic faded; all became routine. And the sameness bored me.

“Perhaps,” she continued, “monogamy was never for me. I prefer more spice, more excitement. I like having options on the table at all times -- who would want to eat the same dish every day?” She gestured at the menu in front of her to illustrate her point. “Maybe, then, it’s a relationship like yours that I need. One with variety and shared joy. One I could not grow tired of.”

There was a pregnant pause in the air as Eleni locked eyes with Ben. He took in what she’d said; understood the offer that she had implied. He smiled, knowing exactly what to say to her next.

“Well, Eleni -- if that’s what you’re seeking, then you may be glad to hear our arrangement may still have plenty of room for more.”

“Is that an invitation for me to join you?” Eleni asked, grinning mischievously as she reached across the table to grasp his hand.

“Of course,” Ben answered confidently. “I think we’d all be honored to have you.”

It was clear that the others were of the same mind. Excitement permeated all their thoughts at the prospect of becoming involved with this sensual, high-class woman. Ben already would have conceded that his three current girlfriends were out of his league -- but as for Eleni? She may as well have existed in a different world from all four of them: wealthy, mature, sophisticated, and whip-smart, not to mention gorgeous enough to grace a movie screen.

But none of that mattered -- not a single notion of leagues or echelons or any other barrier toward romance -- when Ben’s magical super-luck was running the show.

The look in Eleni’s eyes confirmed it all. Her acceptance would be like a pact sealed. A new lover, and a host of new possibilities along with her; a new chapter in their fast-changing lives.

“Wonderful,” the elegant blonde said with a nod of her head and a squeeze of Ben’s hand. “You must realize -- you’ve given me something incredible.”

“A new romance,” Aimee prompted.

“A shot at polyamory,” Alicia offered.

“A fantasy fulfilled,” Shaheen added coyly.

Eleni grinned. “All that and so much more. Share your lives and your love with me. And in return?” She leaned toward Alicia, the closest to her, and whispered something into her ear -- holding a hand over her lips as they moved. Ben couldn’t hear or see what she’d promised, but the wowed look on Alicia’s face left him with more than a few good guesses.

“Oh, wow,” Alicia muttered. “No kidding?”

“I’m not the type to be dishonest to those I hold close,” Eleni said with a wink and a smile.

“What did she say?” Aimee asked, but Eleni shushed her playfully, putting a finger in front of her lips.

“You’ll find out soon enough,” the French blonde assured.

Ben, meanwhile, turned his head just in time to catch a glimpse of Shaheen smiling wickedly in his peripheral vision before her lips met his cheek, and her whisper entered his ear: “Nice going, love. I’d say the magic delivered wonderfully.”

They laughed and conversed and flirted happily while they ate their lunch, which Eleni paid for in entirety. The meal was delicious -- leagues better than anything Ben would ever have called a casual lunch before his bracelet had changed his life -- and he and his partners enjoyed every bite.

“I’d love it if we all spent the rest of the day together,” Eleni offered as they dined. “We could continue our fun out on the town, or we could go elsewhere -- whatever suits. I can provide transportation anywhere. I’ve got my ways.” Her wink seemed to suggest that these ways, whatever they were, would come as another pleasant surprise.

“Where do you live, Eleni?” Shaheen asked her. “Close by? Or further out? Wait, you’re not, like, from the other side of the world and just visiting here, are you?”

Eleni laughed. “No, darling. I live outside the city, about an hour’s drive. I have a lovely home in a beautiful, natural area. I think you’d all find it delightful.”

“Could we come and see it?” Aimee piped up, liking the sound of the description Eleni had given -- vague and hinting as it had been. “I mean, not to impose if you’d rather not-”

“Of course,” Eleni cut in, silencing her worry in an instant. “I’ll happily host you four. After all, there’s a good bit I’d like to discuss, and this would be a perfect place to do so. You can even all spend the night if you’d like -- I can certainly promise dinner and entertainment.”

“I like the sound of that,” Ben affirmed, looking from the French beauty to his other women around him. Aimee flashed him a smile of childlike excitement; he squeezed her knee under the table, showing her he was just as giddy about the prospect.

After lunch had been paid for, Eleni pulled out her phone to make a call. “Yes, here,” she spoke, sharing the restaurant’s street address with whoever was on the other end of the line. “Send the largest accommodations, if you can,” she said a moment later, then hung up.