Chapter 5: Relationships

It had been a couple weeks since George had filled in for me at the Ballet. I was standing in a swirl of smoke, tending the barbecued ribs for dinner for the three of us. I looked across the pool to where George sat charming Jody with another of his amusing tales. She was sitting on the edge of her chair in smiling attention. Ribs on the grill is one of my specialties, and I enjoy worrying over them the way some old men like to stand and water their lawn with a hose on a summer evening.

Having George for dinner was a double pleasure. He and I are old friends and work-mates and are never at a loss for conversation topics. But it's a bonus that Jody loves having him as a guest and that he keeps her constantly entertained. I smiled as Jody touched George's knee and laughed loudly, completely wrapped up in what he was saying. If not for George, I would be getting complaints for neglecting her in favor of a snooze, the computer in the basement, or a book, or any number of things more interesting to me than what her current committee was doing on Wednesday next.

I stared through the blue smoke at the two of them and wondered what the implications were of that statement I had just run through my mind. A hint of a frown crossed my brow as I opened the grill lid and idly turned the slabs of ribs. My mind rewound a tape from our sex talk after the ballet. What was that Jody had whispered in my ear?

"Touch my clit, darling!" she whispered urgently. She sighed as I complied. "Yesss! Oh, that's it, dear. I think George is better with my breasts, but darling, you are wonderful with my clit."

Yes, that was it. What did she mean by that? And before that, what about pressing her knee against his at the ballet?

"You know me too well. I think I've become predictable! And, yes, he did let me do that... And he pressed back, too!"

I began to wonder just how much control I had over my emotions. Did I really want these fantasies to come true? Was I prepared for the other side of it? Why this nagging fear behind the pleasure, I wondered. Could it be a hint of jealousy? Fear of Jody actually deciding George was better at some things than I was?

"Hey, Jack, what are you up to? Do we have to fix our own drinks in this bar?" George called out.

My mood scattered like smoke before a windstorm and I hustled to refill their outstretched glasses.

"For a guy who is trying to steal my wife, you have a nerve complaining about the service!"

"Hell, I think I've already done it, Jack. If you go to the ballet with a woman, you are practically engaged. That's what I've always thought!"

Jody smiled and hummed a little tune. "I love it when you boys fight over me!" she giggled.

I screwed up my courage one more time.

"Listen, about the ballet in Chicago, I really think it is a waste of tickets for me to go. So, what I'm saying is, that I would just be happy for both of you if you were to go together and enjoy it. I'd even pay for the extra room."

Jody responded all too quickly.

"No need, we won a suite. There are two rooms, two beds. No problem. You can even come if you want to, dear."

Her response made me think that I had made this generous offer well after she had already decided to take George anyway, but I said nothing. I just replayed that response a couple times in my mind. Yep, it was a quick reply.

"Well, no problem, I don't have a problem paying for my own room!" George hurried to make amends.

"Whatever." Jody said. "It's a date then?" she asked, looking at George, then at me and then back at George.

"Sure. No one in the world I'd rather go to the ballet with, dear one!" George smiled.

Reluctantly, I concluded that my proposal had carried. Something continued to nag at me, though.

"Good. Settled then! I'm going to get in some serious golf and tennis while you're gone." I said, almost convincingly.

As I returned to turning the ribs, I mused that playing out these fantasies in real life was a bit more complicated than I was able to pretend when they were just fantasies. And there was still the hanging mystery of just how far Jody had gone on her date with George. Why did she not tell me more? Why hadn't George mentioned parking by the lake?

Perhaps they had not parked at all. Perhaps it was a fantasy she had made up to please me? Perhaps.

We sat and savored my delicious ribs along with a grand bottle of wine that George had brought. It was a perfect match and we lingered at the table, retelling tales old and new, as the saying goes. Through the haze of a little too much wine, I watched for signs of romance between my friend and my wife. They delighted in each other's company, but on the other hand, they certainly didn't ignore me either.

"Is there any chance of a repeat performance of your topless dinner performance? That was popular! And it was a sensation! Right, George?"

"I have to agree COMPLETELY!" was his response.

We looked at Jody expectantly. Not really expecting a response, but smiling in adoration anyway.

"Bit warm tonight, isn't it? How about a swim, instead? You lecherous men, you!"

"Seems like a bit of a comedown, doesn't it, George?"

"Well, sounds nice though." He chickened out, in my view. Nevertheless, I went to roll the pool cover off and George came along to help.

The pool shimmered like an emerald with underwater lights. We stood sipping our wine in its brightness.

"I owe you a lot, you know." He began.

"What do you mean, George?"

"You know what I mean, Jack. Don't think I don't know how you two have tried to bring me back from the depths!"

"Oh, no problem, buddy, no problem. What are friends for?"

"Yes but you've done much more than that. I just want you to know that I am aware of it and that it is something I will someday repay."

"Not a problem," I repeated, mumbling off into nothing.

"And I'm making progress. I don't feel as much like the problems of the world are all on me. I'm not thinking about Lesbian bashing! For awhile I was a little crazy." He laughed hollowly and it seemed to echo off the water.

"Yeah, I s'pose so."

"I mean really. I had the whole thing wrong probably. I mean being cuckolded by a lesbian was a little hard for me to take. Been much better if it had been you, or someone else that Melissa went for. But when Ellen came up, I really was shocked. I mean totally, totally shocked. And beaten!"

"Hard for me to imagine, too." I said solicitously.

"But now, I'm OK. Thanks mostly to you. And, of course, really big thanks to Jody. She is a complete friend and a totally great woman. I always knew that, but I just didn't know how much of a friend she was capable of being."

"Uh, yeah. Well, she has always... well, adored you. You know that." I wasn't sure where this conversation was headed.

"Yeah, I know, we were always funning together. That was a great pleasure. Never made any bones about it." He smacked me on the shoulder in a friendly way.

"But in this situation, I mean, no one could have done for me what she has done. I'm definitely more positive. Especially about my sexuality. I am not saying I'm completely back to my old self, but I'm a coming along. "

"Be right out!" Jody called from the kitchen.

"Now that I've had some positives happen on the sex side, I can see myself in a... "

"Last one in is a rotten egg. Isn't that the expression?" Jody came through the door in a terrycloth robe and George stopped our conversation at a point where I would have liked a little clarification. It is hard enough for men to talk about their private thoughts. Now here it is interrupted.

"What does he mean positive sex things?" I thought to myself. That inconclusive little comment would keep me awake for a few nights.

"Hey, you guys aren't ready. Are you going in with your shoes on? By the way, my suit is still wet and I hate putting it on that way. Anyone object to skinny-dipping? As if I didn't know the answer to that one!"

"I'm game!" George chimed in.

"Maybe we could do with out the lights though?" she added.

I went to turn off the lights and began stripping off my clothes. When I came back, George was down to his under shorts that were visible without the lights. We stood in the darkness and George and I finished undressing.

Jody walked down the first two steps and then tossed the robe off onto the deck. Neither of us spoke as we watched the curves of her ass slip between the lapping water. There was a moon and just light enough to cast highlights on her curves. She turned as she reached the bottom and we stood as if struck dumb as her breasts floated just below the surface.

"Coming, gentlemen?"

George went down to the other end and dove in. I think he needed a little privacy at that moment and he probably hoped that the cold water would ease his urgency a little. After a couple laps, he surfaced near us in mid pool. Jody stood closer to the shallow end so the waves played across the twin peaks, keeping her nipples just below water.

We stood talking in the darkness. The temperature was perfect, the water slightly cool and the night air pleasant on our skin.

"George, couldn't we have a glass of wine here in the pool? There are plastic wine glasses in the pool house, aren't there?"

I went back inside, dripping across the carpet to the bar and poured three glasses. I stood holding the goblets and watched for a moment. Their forms were clear in the dim moonlight, outlined against the water's surface. They came together briefly in a kiss, and then separated again, obviously deep in conversation. George was probably repeating the same thank-you speech that he had delivered to me, though the kiss was a new wrinkle.

I found it slightly titillating, I must admit. In spite of my earlier worries about not wanting these fantasies to be played out after all, I still found it exciting. Call it the drink, call it what you will, it was just a fact. Slightly exciting. Well, more than slightly exciting.

I had the feeling that I may have cut off the conversation in about the same place that Jody's arrival had cut George off earlier.

Another sip or two of wine together. The warm collegiality of friends. It was a perfect evening, and we were all savoring it.

"Remember how we played submarine when we were kids?" Jody asked. "My turn first."