Chapter 8

Time dragged. Besides waiting impatiently for Sandy's return, I discovered convalescing is essentially boring and when bored, time slows. Reading helped, but daytime television had nothing to offer. I spent time on the computer studying anatomy, but that got old mighty quick. The only thing I enjoyed was sketching, but no one would pose for me. I did sketch a few hundred cross-sections of the human anatomy for something to do. Mom was acting like a mother hen with one lone chick, which was fine at first, but soon became irritating. I was completely healed, but the fact that I didn't actually fit the normal timeframe for recovering from a wound like mine didn't mean much. I couldn't tell anyone but Sandy that, except for the surgeon's incision, I'd healed myself before I left the hospital, and I took care of that problem my first day home. I would've left the incision alone, but it started to itch.

The best part of each day was when Pearl dropped by with my homework, mostly because we did a little necking before she left, well maybe more than a little.

The third afternoon after I'd been released from the hospital, Pearl locked the door behind her when she entered my room. She plunked my homework on my desk and said, "Here's the deal, Josh. I know we've done it, but I'm not very good at it, and I figure that the only way to improve anything is through practice."

I was sitting on my computer chair. I'd been surfing the Net studying anatomy and doing some sketching just before she arrived. "What would you like to improve?" I asked.

"Cock sucking."

Whew! Talk about instant hard-on material!

"Would you mind bein' my test subject each afternoon until you start school again next week?"

I laughed. "I'll consider that question rhetorical."

"I know you're mother is nosy, so I'll keep my clothes on and take care of myself after I leave," she said as she knelt on the carpet between my legs.

"How?"

She blushed but said, "You know how." She unbuckled my belt and unzipped my pants. I helped and seconds later my trousers and shorts were down around my ankles.

"Yes I know, but I see more than one option."

"Waddaya mean?" she asked as she wrapped my hard-on with her dainty hand.

"Well, there's masturbation."

She grinned and rubbed my cock against her soft cheek. "Yup." Then she frowned. "Oh, you mean... ?"

"Yeah, Tanya."

"Josh, I haven't been with Tanya since that time I told you about."

"Why not?"

She looked and felt confused. "Because I love you, silly."

"What's that got to do with it?"

She became even more confused. "Because it just wouldn't be right."

"Says who?"

"Well, says everybody."

"Your parents?"

"Yes."

"Tell me, what would your parents think if they could see you now? They'd think what you're doing is wrong. Correct?"

"Well, yes, but..."

"So, we've established that you believe in free will. You're doing something you want to do against your parents and society's dictates regarding right or wrong."

"I guess."

"Next question. Do you believe what you're doing right now is wrong?"

She grimace and seriously considered my question. "No."

"Ah! We've arrived at the core of the subject already. I adore your analytical mind, Pearl. Ah, heck, I adore you period."

She beamed.

"So," I continued. "Each of us - you, me, everyone - has a right to choose what's right and what's wrong, subject of course to reasonable laws designed to protect the weak among us. I used reasonable as a modifier because, if I'm not mistaken, some states still proclaim oral sex a crime, to my mind an unreasonable law I won't obey."

"Me, either. It's a silly law."

"Agreed."

"You're goin' soft."

I laughed. "A problem you can remedy lickety-split in a minute or two. Let's finish this discussion first. It's a subject I've wanted to talk with you about for a while now." I pulled at her hand. "Straddle my lap while we talk."

She hiked up her short skirt and sat on my lap, her legs dangling each side of my thighs. Scooting forward, she rubbed her panty-covered pussy against my partial erection.

I gave her a soft kiss and said, "Which means that you and I, subject to reasonable laws, can fashion a set of behaviors that we'll agree to stay within, not like wedding vows, but probably just as important, at least if we want our relationship to continue."

"Makes sense."

She'd gone all squishy inside when I mentioned wedding vows, so I turned off my connection with her. I didn't want to be tempted to toss an emotion her way while we talked. I wanted her agreement. I didn't want to force her agreement.

"Let's start with some facts," I said. "You're my girlfriend; I'm your boyfriend; we're a couple. Agreed?"

"Yeah."

"Good, now let's define what that means in terms of behavior. You stated earlier that because you loved me that you wouldn't have sex with Tanya again. Correct?"

"Yup."

"Why? Because I might be jealous?"

"Well, yes. I love you. I don't want to do anything that could hurt our relationship."

"That's what we're trying to determine - what behaviors will hurt our relationship. You assumed having sex with Tanya would make me jealous without asking my opinion on the subject. Whether on my part or yours, assuming will get us in trouble. One of us will do something we assume is all right, and the other will disagree."

"Okay. Tell me now. May I have sex with Tanya?"

I laughed. "Now you're asking for my permission, which I won't give you. Wanna know why?"

"Yeah."

"Because I don't own you."

"Of course you don't, but..."

"Pearl, if you can't do something without my permission that implies that I own you. Criminy, Pearl. It's your body. You can fuck anyone you want. I don't have a say in the matter unless we finally agree on a set of behaviors both of us can live with."

She frowned. "I think I know where you're heading with this. You want to fuck around, don't you?"

"Nope, I want us to fashion a set of rules we can both live with - no matter what. Are you saying we should include sexual fidelity as one of the rules?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because... well, sexual fidelity... it's normal, Josh."

"Fuck normal. We're special, two unique individuals. Normal shouldn't be our guide. Normal for me would be the rules dictated by the LDS Church. I've been conditioned in the church's precepts since babyhood. If I were normal, I'd want you to join the church. Is that what you want?"

"No."

She looked whipped.

"Then, dammit, tell me what you want. If you want some fun between the sheets with another girl once in a while, say so. Don't try to second-guess what you think I want. Say what you want."

"You first, dammit!" she exclaimed, her anger evident in her eyes.

"Fine! I don't what our relationship based on sexual fidelity. I think sexual fidelity is silly as the cornerstone of a successful relationship. You'll slip or I will, and you and I will be all over but the shouting. Now, tell me what you want."

"I want what you want."

"Unacceptable. This is important, Pearl. Look me in the eye and tell me what you want."

"I... fuck, this is hard."

"Yeah, it doesn't get any harder. Just be honest with me. When this conversation is finished, no matter what you want or say, we'll still be a couple, unless you want to call it quits."

"I won't. I love you."

"Then tell me what you want."

"I want you to be faithful, but I'm bisexual, which means I want sex with girls, too."

"Finally," I breathed.

"Which isn't fair, but that's the way I want it."

"Fuck fair. We're trying to figure out how to keep what we have alive and well, not be fair."

"Will you be faithful?"

"Before I answer that question, let me tell you how I want it between us."

"I thought you'd already told me. You think sexual fidelity is silly."

"No, I said sexual fidelity as the cornerstone for a relationship is silly. Sexual fidelity isn't silly. It's imperative. It's part of the honesty that must flow between two people who love each other. A synonym for fidelity is trustworthiness. If I cheated on you, snuck around behind your back and had sex with others and lied about it, you couldn't trust me anymore, and our relationship would self-destruct."

"I'm confused. Explain."

"I'll give you an example that's not only possible but likely. Let's say I interrupted you and Tanya or another girl having sex and joined you because you wanted me to join you, would you consider me unfaithful?"

"Is that what you want?"

"Argh! Sometimes you can be infuriating. I'm merely trying to fashion a definition of fidelity, or trustworthiness that we can live with. Answer my question."

She looked me in the eye, kissed me hard, and said, "No, and, Josh, I just might want that, too. I've got a question for you."

"Shoot."

"If sexual fidelity isn't the cornerstone of a successful relationship, what is?"

I grinned. "That's easy. Love."

She smiled softly, and love shined in her eyes. "Beautiful," she gushed.

I reconnected with her. She was bursting with love and highly aroused, and sharing her arousal quickly lengthened my cock.

"Pull your panties to the side and sit on me," I said gruffly.

She didn't hesitate, and a few seconds later I was buried in her wonderful cunt.

"Won't this hurt you?" she asked.

"No, I'm healed. Move on me."

Grace personified, I thought as she started to slide on and off my cock. We established a leisurely rhythm and slowly increased it until she was moving aggressively over me. Her moans of pleasure were a little loud, but I didn't care.

"Here's how I want it. I want love to be the cornerstone of our relationship. I'll trust you, and you'll trust me that no matter what happens we'll still love each other. You'll have sex with others, as will I, but we won't cheat, won't sneak around about it, and lie to each other, and sometimes you'll share one of your other lovers with me, and I'll do the same. No jealousy, none, nada. Jealousy is silly."

"Yes!" she huffed. "Oh, Josh, I'm so hot!"

"Come then; I'll come with you."

"I'll scream."

"Then scream into my mouth." I kissed her hard, and she climaxed. We came simultaneously, of course, because I took her orgasm for mine.

When she finally fell limp against my chest, she said, "What you said doesn't give either of us license to fuck around."

"Correct."

She giggled. "We'll have to defer the blow job practice until tomorrow afternoon."

Also the love-isn't-limited discussion, I thought, the most difficult concept for me to understand and accept from my discussions with my sister. I hadn't accepted the concept until I fell in love with Pearl and knew, without a doubt, that I didn't love Sandy any less.

No, tomorrow afternoon is too soon for the love-isn't-limited talk. Soon, though, before Sandy comes home.

Then there were my paranormal abilities. I dreaded that discussion with Pearl.

"Good job, Josh," Sandy said. "Knocking down traditional walls isn't easy. Would you mind a little advice?"

I'd just told her about my conversation with Pearl that afternoon. "No, I always appreciate your advice, even if I don't always follow it."

"Put yourself with Pearl and Tanya as soon as possible. After you fuck Tanya and Pearl knows you love her just as much or more than before, she won't question the concept again."

"Good thinkin'." I decided not to tell her that I'd already come to the same conclusion. "One discussion down, two to go," I said.

"Two?"

"Yeah, the unlimited-love discussion, and somewhere along the line, Pearl will need to know about my paranormal abilities."

"Oh, oh, you're about to get some more advice. Hold off on the paranormal discussion until after your first serious fight with Pearl. Lovers fight, Josh. Take that as a given, so be very comfortable with your relationship with her before you reveal the big secret. I would've never told you mine if you hadn't had a secret you needed to protect, as well. With big secrets like ours, reciprocity is almost a necessity. Also, if you feel compelled to tell all, reveal bits at a time, not everything at once. Test her, Josh."

"I don't know. Isn't holding something big back from a lover dishonest?"

"Yup, but for the last thousand years, nearly every time I revealed my secret, it backfired on me. If word of your incredible paranormal talents becomes public, your life will become a living hell. Trust me on this one, Josh."

"All right. Bits at a time, starting after our first big fight."

"If ever. Ah, Josh, I called you tonight for a reason. I have a lover, a Greek man named Gregory Pappas."

Her announcement stunned me.

"Say something," she said.

"You surprised me. I don't know what to say."

"Start with how you feel."

"I feel... uh-uh, first tell me about him."

"Fair enough. He's thirty, give or take a year, a dealer in Greek antiquities. Physically, he reminds me of you, but he's a little thicker everywhere. Dark hair, big black eyes. Speaks English reasonably well and is teaching me modern-day Greek." She laughed nervously. "Mine's a little rusty."