Chapter 52: Wedding Night

Laughter, embarrassment and confusion in equal measures affected the guests and wedding party. Marta stood, restraining a giggle. "Anyone needing fresh champagne glasses and cake slices let Latisha and Tico know.

"I imagine when you decided to attend our wedding you figured a pleasant evening would ensue. It seems my plan to make it memorable has been embellished a bit. If you knew Pussycat and Eddy before, and I haven't known them long but got the gist of their characters, I'd say we just witnessed a most remarkable performance, a transformative event.

"I'd like to acknowledge my best friend and soon to be wife Mary. Stand and take a bow. Without her, what we witnessed could not have possibly happened, for better or worse. Mary?"

"Thank you, my love," Mary said. "I'd like to make a toast to the king and queen of our harem. May you always find comfort and joy in each other's arms and inspire the rest of us with your love. To Marta and Joe!"

When Mary sat, Margie stood on her chair. "You knew I'd say something," she smiled at Joe. "As the youngest unofficial and soon to be official wife, maybe too young seeing poor X uncomfortable in his chair, I wish to assure our guests and our new parents that without Marta and Mary and Joe and the rest of my loving family I would neither be smiling nor celebrating nor in fact existing. I view Joe and Marta, and I know Marianne feels the same, as my master and mistress. The words connote domination and submission as "harem" connotes slavery, but I see them as such because they gave me succor and love like parents should, and like a man and a woman should give love or make love, and through that love they empowered mine. Unlike my master and mistress, I hadn't been raised in love. Their families, their parents, mine now too, Bill and Helen Solomon, Eric and Peggy Riemer, nurtured their son and daughter in the rich soil of caring and the sunlight of guidance and the gentle rain of kindness, and produced the largest hearts I ever had the pleasure to meet. To the in laws: well done!"

Joe had Tico put on the song he chose for the first dance: Harry Nilsson singing "Without You." With the first note, Joe took Marta's hand and brought her to the center of the living room. They smiled with a twinge of self-consciousness, soon disappearing as they moved in a slow dance embrace to the ballad. Others followed: Doug and Sam, L and Mary, George and Steve, X and Aretha, Phil and Barb, Vance and a female dancer, two female dancers, Helen and Harold, Bill in his wheelchair and Margie, Marianne and Debra, Roger and Carol, Danny and Laura. Leo asked Jules who shook her head. He saw Grace looking a touch sad. Handing the camera to Jules with brief instructions, he invited Grace to dance. Smiling brightly, she accepted.

Along with Jules, Mr. and Mrs. Riemer sat back and watched. Relaxed and slightly tipsy, they enjoyed taking in the sight of the dancing and ruminated on the remarkable, sometimes disturbing, sometimes exciting, often loving events of the day.

"What's it like getting a king for a son and gaining so many beautiful and sexy daughters?" Peggy asked her husband.

"I don't know. Blessed. Confused. Thankful."

"Thankful how?"

"We didn't have to raise them," Eric smirked. Peggy chuckled and nodded. "And about being beautiful and sexy? You match them easily."

"I'm glad you didn't pretend I'm sexier."

"To me you are, my love. Of course I know how you move in the bedroom. I know what a wanton slut you are when the door closes."

"I thought you forgot."

"I know and I'm sorry. I'll never forget again."

"If you start forgetting, you're taking me here. It's like the air here's like ozone after a thunderstorm. It's thick and fills the senses, except it's made of the fragrance of sex."

They kissed. "Why did I ever stray?" he asked.

"I did too, my love. We're pretty stupid all considered."

"Maybe we needed to see what we started ignoring."

"Maybe we needed a bit of a jolt. What do you think about hiring... ?"

"Peggy!"

"Well, you'd never ask me."

"A man or a woman?"

"Both."

"Like swinging?"

"No. One at a time of each."

"Hiring a man might be problematic."

Peggy thought about it. "We could keep it in the family."

"Peggy!"

Peggy giggled. "Not that close. You're thinking I meant Joe. No. Never. His brother's cute though."

"He might not..."

"You're on dangerous ground, Eric," chuckled Peggy. "How about Harold. Excuse me."

"Uhm..."

Peggy cut in on Helen, whispering into her ear, "Go keep my husband occupied if you don't mind."

Though enjoying the intimate dance with Helen, Harold couldn't help feeling slightly more manly when the new woman only had an inch of height over him. "Hey, Peggy, you look lovely."

"I feel lovely. Are you willing to listen to a crazy idea?"

"Seems like the time for it," he snickered.

"I know about Denise and Helen. I think you chose wisely this time. You don't mind a lady whose body has ... well ... matured?"

"I think you're a sexy woman, Peggy. Why?"

"My husband and I ... strayed a couple years back. We both had affairs. We agreed to end them, and it's worked brilliantly except for old patterns of an old relationship, you know."

"To tell you the truth I tend to get wandering feet when the thrill is gone."

"Well, being here has done wonders for both of us. We want to keep it wonderful. We're thinking having a guest in bed..."

"Are you saying... ?"

"If you're interested. I know you have Helen this weekend and ... well ... it's not a problem for us at the moment, but..."

"What about Eric?"

"I always wanted to ... like the caterers, you know."

"Sounds ... exciting."

Peggy giggled feeling Harold get hard. "Feels that way too."

Harold chuckled and pressed his manhood for more effect. "I guess I meant does your husband get an extra guest?"

"That's easier. We can hire her."

"You should talk to Mary."

"I don't think that's..."

"No. Of course not. She's your daughter. I mean she's been in the business for a long time. She might know someone who's really good at it and goes both ways if you know what I mean."

"I never..."

"You wanted sparks. You're husband will shit!"

"Might be ... interesting."

"I thought school teachers like nurses always had a kink."

"You read too much porn, Harold."

"I bet you've had fantasies you probably never told anyone."

Peggy giggled. "We played that out, you know, the student and teacher. A touch of S & M. It's our favorite."