Chapter 8

The more I thought about when I dumped Tred the more I wanted to beat myself up. I only hoped that we could still grow the way we should have of then. I hoped that the years away didn’t screw up the karma. I knew I would be one to fight for a relationship and not wimp out after a fight or disagreement. If I got a bad steak at a restaurant would I stop eating steak?

We had fallen asleep after making love and once again I was in a trance, just replaying my life and the bad decisions I may have made when Tred nudged me.

“Come on lover, let’s get up and find something to do together.” He said sitting up and looking for something to wear.

“Brunch sounds good.” I suggested.

“It’s 1 o’clock, it’ll be lunch now.”

“If we go to a Diner, they serve breakfast all day long. Let’s go to that Greek one on route 5, they have a Monte Cristo made on French toast. I could destroy that right now.” I told him rubbing my belly as I got up and found my overnight bag.

I took the bag and headed for his shower.

“I’ll shower and be quick, I think my hair’s OK. I’ll wash it before we go out tonight.”

“OK, I’ll use the guest room shower. If we shower together ... well, you know.” He chuckled.

In a half hour we were seated in the Diner and the waitress was bringing us water.

“Coffee black, a Monte Cristo, and keep the pot close by.” I said to her.

She looked at Tred and said, “The woman knows what she wants and I hope she picked you the same way.”

Tred just smiled at her and said, “I’ll have the same.”

We just made eyes at each other while waiting and played a little footsie. I was about to run my toes up his leg when my phone rang. I saw it was Merriam.

“Don’t get that.” He said.

“Have to, it’s my sister.”

“Hello Merry.”

“Hello, how are the love birds? Have you found something to do tonight?” She said almost breathlessly.

“Ummmmm, maybe. What do you have in mind?” I asked.

“Terry and I are going up the Hudson to Saugerties, we have a car rental waiting for us to drive to Woodstock, it’s not too far, 10 miles, and we’ll see John Sebastian. He plays at The Barn in Woodstock tonight; there are a couple other acts too. I think it’s the Levon Helm studio.” Merry said.

“Let me talk to Tred and get back to you. Give me 15 minutes. When would we have to leave?”

“Right around 5, the show starts at 7:00, we should be home by 10. The river is very sexy at night.” She said letting her voice lilt up.

“Wouldn’t you two want to be alone then?” I asked.

“Terry has to pilot the boat and I help with night time navigation so we’ll be up in the nest, but you two can do the hot tub, cuddle on the aft deck, or you can be up in the nest with us. We can drink and have a party after we get back. Boating and drinking is the same as driving and drinking, but after we dock we can party on the boat and if you like, there’s a whole separate bedroom and you can stay. In the morning we can boat up to The Marina for breakfast. It will be fun.” Merry said hoping she could convince me.

“OK, I’ll talk to Tred and call you back. No promises, we don’t have plans, but we sort of do.” I said hanging up.

I went over everything with Tred and left it to him. I told him I would be happy just laying with him all night, and I would be happy going with Merry and Terry. I explained how close Merriam and I were and talked up Terry a bit as well. Tred was thinking it over and asked a few questions about Terry and his boat situation.

Then he shrugged and smiled at me. “If you gave me the list of ten you’ve been with, ... this Terry would be on the list, huh?”

“Why do you say that?” I asked.

“To see if you’re honest with me.”

“Have I given you reason to doubt me?” I asked scrambling, but not worried because I didn’t see what the big deal was.

“Not until now. Answer yes or no.” He said with a little grin.

“You’re being mean, but I have no reason to hide anything. Yes, he is. What made you think that?” I asked, a bit peeved.

“You’re pretty face softened when you told me about him and you didn’t make eye contact with me. Please don’t think I’m being mean, I could just see it. I know you that well. I just didn’t want to think you would lie to me.” He said, really being sincere, and I guess being NOT mean at all.

“I didn’t lie, and I think he’s very special, even more so now that he and Merriam are in love, and so happy. They are as beautiful a couple as we are.”

“This Merriam is special to you, huh?”

“Yes, my closest friend and confidant.” I told him eyeball to eyeball so he wouldn’t ask THAT same question, because I think I would lie at this stage of our relationship.

“You call her your sister. Is it that she is an independent woman, like you, who thinks for herself, joined with fists in the air to show your solidarity with each other?, ... or is she such a close friend that you consider her to be of the same blood?” He asked as I once again feared he might ask if we ever canoodled or more together.

“We could be of the same blood, flesh, and mind. Hurt her, hurt me, hurt her. Like that. We’ve shared so much of our joys and sorrows, led each other through trials and tribulations, shared so many meals, thoughts, sickness, and thousands of laughs and smiles.”

“That’s so sweet, to have a kindred soul you can share with. You’ve probably told her all about me, haven’t you?”

I smiled and blushed, saying, “Pretty much. She and I have no secrets.”

“In that case, I would love to meet her and her friend. He must be special too. You’ve both had relationships with him and no one is wary or jealous of the other.”

“I’m pretty perceptive of some things and I suspect your sexual relationship with him was different than your friendship, it was fleeting.”

I blushed hard and told him, “No more questions about him. We were simply conquests to each other. He has become a good friend. Sex has nothing to do with us. We’ve spent dozens of days together where sex was not involved or even spoken of. Now, I’m getting uncomfortable, so...”

“I’m sorry. First off, whatever happened is none of my business; secondly, if we weren’t lovers, I would still want to be your friend as well.” He said sweetly.

“Someday I’ll explain the whole thing to you, OK?” I offered and he kissed my hand to seal the deal.

I called Merry back and made our arrangements to meet them. We finished breakfast without speaking and I felt there was something I had to clear up with him. I reached across the table and took both of his hands.

“Tred, he was a known lothario, Cal and I happened to be on a double date and he was with my friend. We got chummy then and he called me a month later and asked me to spend a ski weekend with him. We spent many other times together over the past couple years and NOTHING else ever happened.” I said lying, until it instantly ate me up.

“Well, one other time horniness took charge and we did it without as much as undressing or kissing. He was dead set on not becoming romantically involved with ANY woman. He’s very handsome and women pursue him, but he’s a one and done guy. Some people may consider him a piece of shit, but he’s honest and upfront about it. I set him up with Merriam and he became smitten with her and when she broke off her relationship, which he would not interfere with, he asked about her. He didn’t like being stalked or chased; he was just a party boy. I think he was hurt early on and became wary, and he also traveled around a lot with his job and didn’t want to feel guilty screwing around on the road, nor did he want anyone back home to expect anything of him. He’s now a changed man with Merriam, he doesn’t travel much anymore. He lives on his grandfathers’ yacht for 6 months a year and then with his Mom but I think he and Merriam are going to move in together at my place. That’s full disclosure and I know you’ve been trying to stop me, but I’ll feel much better with you just knowing the full truth and story. I have not ever been after him, or wish I was with him, he is just a good friend who I can trust and talk with, laugh with, and we have no expectations with each other. YOU have nothing to worry about. Merriam knows the whole story and there are no secrets. I think I love you Tred and I don’t want you to have any second thoughts about me.”

Tred was all puffed up during my “confession” wanting to try and stop me, assumingly to tell me it was none of his business, but he did listen to the whole thing. As I finished he just let out a big cleansing breath, or sigh and said, “I think I love you too and know that neither one of us should think or say that after such a short time.”

“Tred, we’re sort of like riding a bike. We know each other and it’s not like we’ve only spent 6 or 7 days together. We probably have a year or more invested as lovers. I know lots about you and you are no stranger. Without “trying”, let’s make something out of us. If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work. If we’re trying to push a square peg in a round hole, I think it will be apparent.” I proposed, laying out my heart on my sleeve.

“You’re always so smart Hilly. Let’s finish eating and go back to my place and figure out the day.” He said with a wink that I knew was saying he wanted me.

We spent the rest of the afternoon with our faces in each other’s junk until it came time to shower and get ready. I resisted him getting inside of me, hoping to save something for later. I was sure the dark ride on the river that evening was going to make us both horny for each other.

When we got to the yacht Merriam was just letting the stairs down to let someone enter. We were a few minutes early and Merry definitely had that just fucked look on her face. When I went to kiss her she turned her head to air kiss and the smell of semen was obvious. I just winked at her and she flushed red before shaking hands with Tred. We followed her up to “the nest” where Terry was getting everything in order to set out on our trip. He and Tred shook hands and then Tred helped him with a few things and showed Tred the guest quarters, should they decide to stay overnight. While they were gone Merry came back from going to the rest room and looked at me guiltily.

“Yes, Merriam,” I said, pointing a finger, “You little horn ball, I KNEW you just got fucked and probably ended up with a mouthful of cum.” I said boldly.

“Busted for sure. We dozed off making out, woke and continued not knowing it was so close to 5.” She admitted while embarrassed, adding, “I just finished my period and we both pretty randy.”

“I thought you kept him happy with the butt nasty.”

“I felt lousy altogether this month. You know how it is. We’re past that “honeymoon” stage where it has to be every day. You know!”

“Tred and I are just doing the honeymoon stage and I hope it lasts a long, long time.” I wished.

“We were 9 or 10 months of almost every day. It’s not that we’re bored, we just have other things to do together as we grow together.” She said with a contented smile.

“I’m sure we’ll hit that sooner than that, we really know a lot about each other already. But, I’m always ready.” I said with a horny grin.

We giggled and cajoled while Tred helped Terry prepare the vessel and we heard them coming back up to the nest.

Terry kissed Merry and gave me a hug saying, “You guys ready to shove? I’ve weighed the anchor and showed Tred how to pull the dock chucks once we pull out.”

We nodded and Terry asked, “Do you want to sit up here in the nest with us, or go down and use the hot tub or just sit on the deck. If you want to be in the sun before it begins to set either the tub or deck will be good, then come up and join us.”

“As much as I want to spend time with you two, we’ll have the whole night and getting some sun or even a soak sounds good.” I said nodding to Tred hoping for agreement.

“Whatever you please, sounds like they will be busy for a bit anyway.” He said reaching for my hand to go down the steps from the nest.