A Chance Meeting

"Don't go there, Pete. I love you! I started loving you when you stepped in with your Superman cape and saved me from Brian. It's only gotten stronger. You brought me home and trusted me to care for you and for Nick. You even made sure I had enough money to help take care of my Mom."

She turned a little and faced both Nick and me. "I love taking care of both of you. I love that you are partners and I love it when I've heard each of you say that partners share everything. OK. Let's share. Let's cut a doorway between the sides of the duplex. Let's love each other. You guys already love each other like brothers. You both say you love me. I love both of you. All that's missing is that Nick and I have never kissed, never allowed ourselves to express the truth of our feelings."

I asked, "Are you nuts? It isn't done. Two men sharing one woman?"

"It makes more sense than one man attempting to satisfy more than one woman. Think about it. What's the thing that you don't share with Nick? Me. The one thing. From my first night here we've worked hard at being quiet when we go to bed, in consideration of Nick. We don't kiss as often when you're home as we do when you're out looking for a woman. All that can relax if we allow our love to be shared."

I looked over at Nick and he looked at me. We'd been partners on the police force for five years. We had gone through hell together on the streets of South Central, had lived through the end of Sarah and Michael's lives and had stayed closer than most brothers. He could and had borrowed my clothes, my car and damned near everything else I owned. I could and had borrowed his clothes, his truck and damned near everything else he owned. We jointly owned the duplex. Julie was right. The only thing we didn't share was her.

"I've got to think about this." I said.

"Take your time. I'm not going anywhere." Nick said.

Julie nodded and said, "I'm not planning to go anywhere either. I feel like I'm home. I'm not living in my Mom's house, I'm home. You both have allowed me to make both sides of the house mine, by letting me inhabit the kitchens, clean and organize both living spaces and by giving me a key to both sides."

I went out on the front porch and sat. If cars drove by, I didn't notice. If someone walked by and said something to me, I didn't hear them. My mind and heart were engaged in a battle. A battle between what made sense and what the rest of the world called normal. When I was done thinking I got up and went back inside.

Julie was standing at the stove and Nick sat at the kitchen table. They both turned and looked at me. Neither spoke but the looks on their faces told me they wanted me to talk.

"Nick, you've seen me kiss Julie many times. What reaction does your body have when you see me kissing her?"

He answered, "Many times I've seen you kissing her and I've almost said, "My turn." It's Ok with me that she loves you and that she kisses you, makes love with you... I just want the same thing."

"It's weird. I understand what you're saying completely and something inside me wants to own Julie, keep her all to myself. I haven't done that. I've shared her... up to a point. What we don't share is physical affection."

Julie turned off the stove, wiped her hands on a towel and walked to me. She said, "I want you to kiss me. Kiss me any way you want and use the kiss to tell me you love me."

I started to wrap my arms around her and realized that Nick was watching and had heard what she was asking me to do. I knew he wanted a turn. He wanted the turn that Julie and I had denied him for months.

"I can't. I love you and I love Nick too. He wants a turn. I can kiss you, but it will have to be after you kiss Nick. I don't want to share... but I will. If I share I get to keep both of you in my life."

Julie turned and went to Nick. He stood up and they wrapped their arms around each other and kissed. I was struck at the power, the tenderness, the energy I could see and feel as they kissed. I understood how seeing her kissing me had upset Nick.

When the kiss ended Nick did not want to let go. Julie untangled herself from him and came to me. She wrapped her arms around me and we kissed.

I felt my body respond to her. Our lips parted and she said, "I love you. Can you feel it?"

"Yes!" It was hard for me to speak. I felt her love and knew I felt her love for both of us, not just for me. She wasn't holding anything back. I looked over at Nick and saw him wrestling with feelings he wasn't used to having.

Julie untangled from me and said, "We can do this. We can live together and love together. I will do everything I can to avoid conflicts over who gets alone time with me. I will take care of both of you, just like I do now and even better."

Nick stepped closer and Julie opened her arms to include both of us. When the hug ended I realized I had things to do. I took the keys to the Subaru, my CR-V and Nick's truck and said, "I'll be back in a while. I'm taking all three vehicles to get cleaned for the week. I won't come back inside until all three are clean."

As I drove Nick's truck to the car wash I caught myself smiling. I knew Nick was undressing Julie and that they would be sharing the intimacy they wanted while I was washing the vehicles. When I brought the truck back and parked it in his driveway I didn't slam the door of the truck. I didn't want to disturb them.

I cleaned the Subaru next and did a great job of it. When I got back I realized that we'd been parking the Subaru at the curb. I parked it behind Nick's truck.

I thought, 'If she parks in either driveway we'll know which car we're taking to work and which side of the house she's sleeping in.'

My CR-V got cleaned and when I returned I made plenty of noise. I entered my side of the house and turned on the stereo. The random selection of tunes started playing whatever was next on my playlist. By the third note I was laughing. The Oak Ridge Boys were singing, "You're the One." Of all the songs that might have played, it had to be that one!

About half an hour later my phone rang. I answered and Julie's voice said, "Dinner will be ready in about ten minutes. We'll eat over here in Nick's home. Thanks for giving us some time." I didn't get a chance to say anything.

Eight minutes later I went next door.

Over dinner I talked with them about the idea I had about parking the Subaru. They liked the idea. For the first time since I met Julie I slept alone that night. I had the stereo on low and fell asleep without any trouble. If Nick and Julie made noise I didn't hear them.

Monday at two-thirty Nick and I got in my Honda and went to work. We had a pretty good evening at work, with no shootings and only one domestic disturbance. In the station house we didn't talk about home, Julie or sharing.

When we got home the Subaru was in my driveway. Dinner was on my side and Julie bubbled all over both of us.

It took two weeks before we had settled into a routine that worked for all three of us. Another two weeks and our lives felt incredibly good to all three of us. As Life sometimes does Life tossed a change at us about that time.

My phone rang at noon on Friday. I woke up and answered. It was Donna, Julie's Mom. "Can I speak with Julie please?" She asked.

"She's next door right now. I'll have her call you when she gets back, unless this is urgent."

"I can talk with you. I'd like a visit. I miss you and Julie. When could you come?" I could hear something in her voice that told me she didn't want to say it was urgent... but it was.

"Donna, let me talk to Nick and Julie and I'll call you back in less than an hour. I'm not making a promise but I think we might be able to come up tomorrow."

"That would be great!" I heard the relief in her voice.

I asked, "Is there something special you need to talk to us about?"

"There is, but not before you get here. Call me back, Ok?"

"Sure." We ended the call. I went next door and rang the doorbell. In the old days the only time Nick or I rang the doorbell was when one of us had a woman staying over. Part of the new way of living was to ring the bell every time, allowing the people inside to get dressed before they were invaded.

A few seconds after I rang the bell Julie opened the door and gave me a kiss. Not a peck, a real kiss. I told her about the call and the three of us called Donna.

She wouldn't talk about whatever had her wanting us to visit, but made sure we understood it was important.

As soon as the phones were hung up Julie said, "Mom sounds worried."

"Ok." Nick said, "We can leave work at three and be home by three-thirty. We can sleep until nine and be on the road before ten. That puts us in Ojai at noon. Julie, call your Mom and let her know that's our plan. Ok?"

Nick got a kiss and Julie made the call. About a minute after the kiss I realized that when she kissed Nick it didn't bother me.

When we got home from work Julie was in my kitchen making dinner for us. We kissed her "Hello" and went to our respective rooms to clean up and get ready for dinner. We were well aware that most people ate dinner around sunset and we ate it between four and five in the morning. Working the three-in-the-afternoon to three-in-the-morning shift made our lives strange in that way.

When dinner was over Nick went home and took a nap. Julie and I went to bed and got a shorter nap. As we snuggled after I asked, "Are we asking for too much sex?"

"You're worried that my having sex too often will wear out my pussy? Or, are you worried that I'll start feeling used?"

"I guess both. I love you and love snuggling with you and sex with you. Last night as we were on patrol I did some calculations. In the last month you and I have had sex... intercourse, every night we've slept together. I assume that the same is true for you and Nick. That means you've had sex every time you've come to bed since Nick said he wanted a turn."

She kissed me and snuggled in closer. "I'm not complaining. If there comes a day or night when I need a break, I'll let either of you know. So far neither of you has even noticed that I've had my periods. I clean up and come to bed ready to love the men I love, every night."

We kissed a few more times and then slept. At nine that morning the alarm woke us and we got up. Fifteen minutes later the three of us were in my Honda and headed north.

I drove with Julie riding shotgun. We stopped for a pee break in Oxnard and Julie moved into the back seat with Nick for the rest of the trip.

At ten after twelve I parked in Donna's driveway. She met us on her front lawn. My examination was quick and it told me that Donna wasn't getting enough to eat. Or, she was sick.

She wasn't sick. Some of the people she normally worked for had cut back and having her clean their houses was what they cut. Instead of cleaning five houses a week she was only cleaning three.

Nick opened his wallet and I opened mine. We each gave her a hundred dollars and I included the keys to the Honda. "Go to the market. Spend what you need to spend and keep whatever's left." I said.

She kissed all three of us and went. We watched her drive away and as she drove I said, "I have an idea."

Neither Julie or Nick looked at me. Nick asked, "Julie, how well do you and your Mom get along?"

"Now or when we lived together?"

"When you lived together." I said.

"We were more like sisters, sisters that like each other. We got along well. We were trying to survive so we had to get along with each other. I understand her and she understands me. Why?"

"Us giving her a couple hundred a month isn't going to be enough for long." Nick said. "We need to have a plan for two or three months from now when she only has two houses a week to clean."

"Or maybe no houses to clean." I said.

"Maybe she needs to move..." Nick said.

"With us?" Julie asked. Nick and I nodded. We stood at the window quietly waiting for Julie to digest what had been proposed and for her reaction.

When she was ready she asked, "Which of you will she live with?"

Nick said, "We need a conversation with her about the logistics. The question is could you be Ok with her living with us? Knowing about our unusual family."

"She knows I sleep with both of you. We talk on the phone. At first she thought I'd mess up a good thing by sleeping with both of you. Now she knows it works for us."

"Let's wait and talk with her when she gets back." I said.

We waited. When Donna parked we went out and carried bags of groceries and supplies into the house. Julie made sandwiches for all of us and when we sat down she said, "Mom, we talked while you were at the store."

Donna froze with her sandwich inches from her mouth.

Nick said, "Times are tough all over."

I said, "We see evidence on patrol every day and we want to help you."

"I'll find other houses to clean, this is a temporary set back.." Donna said.

"Mom, have you ever seen where we live?" Julie asked, knowing Donna had never been to our homes.

Donna shook her head and said, "Nope. I figured maybe for Thanksgiving or Christmas I'd be invited."

"You're invited now." Nick said.

I said, "Come take a look. We're thinking that, if it works for you, you might move in with us and live with us."

"I don't want to intrude!" She was overwhelmed at the thought of moving, at the thought of being a burden to Julie and us. Her eyes went wide open and she blurted, "Wait! Does this mean I would be sleeping with both of you, too?"

Nick laughed out loud and answered, "I'd be honored if you wanted to sleep with me, but I have a bedroom no one is using and so does Pete. You can have your own room."

"You'd be honored? Be serious. I'm older than you, by a lot. You don't want someone as old as me messing up what appears to be working well for the three of you."

"At least come check it out. Spend a couple of days with us, then decide. I know this, it would be cheaper for you to live with us than for us to pay rent on a house in L.A. and another house here." I said.

"Ok. I'll come check it out. If I don't think it will work I'll take the bus home." She smiled and went to her bedroom. Julie followed. Fifteen minutes later they were back with one suitcase.

On our way home Nick rode up front with me and the ladies talked in the back seat... all the way home. I thought about the changes that had happened since I bought the Honda. I had driven it thirty-eight thousand miles in the few months I'd had it. Julie had moved in with us. Julie had started sharing us. Both Nick and I were happier than we had been since the accident that killed my wife and son. What would including Donna do to the balance we had achieved in our home? Would Donna want to sleep with either of us? Would Donna and Julie be willing to share us?

We listened to Julie telling Donna about where we lived and the things close by. As she talked I gathered that Julie was happier with us than I knew. Even with the daily changes to residence and the sex every night she was happy. They way she talked to Donna showed me that she really loved being loved by both of us, taking care of both of us and she was presenting our lives to her Mom like she wanted her mom to like it too. I had been asking myself questions about her happiness. Listening to her, I was reassured.

As soon as we were home Julie took Donna on a tour of both sides of our duplex. Nick and I turned on the TV on my side and watched a cop show I had recorded. We watched and we talked.

I asked, "You honestly think it would work to have Donna living with us?"

Nick nodded and said, "Yes. If she can stop being Julie's Mom and be our girl-friend, this can work. If she has to act like Mom, it won't work."

"I agree. We had moms. We grew up and I don't want to go backwards. How do we get Donna to see the need for a role change?"

"Maybe we don't need to do anything. Maybe she will see the need herself. I think being one of us would be easier than trying to be our Mom."

"Yeah. I don't want another Mom."

Julie and Donna joined us in my living room and I shut off the television. Nick asked, "Well, what do you thing of our homes?"

Donna smiled and said, "I think I like them both. When Julie first told me about how you were living I really didn't understand. Now that I see it, I get it. You each need your space, your territory. There are ways you are alike and ways you are quite different."

"Think you could live here?" I asked.

"With some adjustments, yes." Donna said. Julie nodded her agreement. Donna continued, "I'm Julie's Mom. That's a fact, but not a fact that I need to use as a role I live in. I've never tried to think of Julie as an equal. She's always been my daughter. If I can change my thinking and both of us live here as equals then yes, I can live here."

Nick asked, "You see any problems living with Pete and me?"

"Yes. I totally get that you both have a sexual relationship with Julie. She's nineteen and beautiful. I'm thirty-nine..." She left the rest of the sentence in the unsaid.

"Stay a few days. See how you feel and how you fit into the routine of our family. If it works for all of us, stay. If it doesn't work we'll help you as best we can, financially, so you can stay in Ojai."

"Ok. I don't need to be back in Ojai until next Thursday so I'll stay until Wednesday and decide then if this can work." Donna said.

Julie and Donna went into my kitchen and started putting together dinner. Nick followed them into the kitchen and invited Donna to go with him for a walk.

After they left Julie came to me and said, "Donna felt conflicted as soon as Nick invited her on the walk. She felt like she should stay and help me prepare dinner. That's what a Mom would do. She had to step out of the Mom role and go for the walk. How she does on the walk will tell her a lot about if she can fit in our family."

Donna and Julie worked hard at making the transition work for both of them. Nick and I went back to work and enjoyed being cared for by both women. Julie switched beds every night as she had been doing for months. Donna switched "guest rooms" so that if Julie was with me Donna slept in Nick's place. When Julie traded beds, Donna traded bedrooms so she was not sleeping on the same side of the duplex as Julie.

On Wednesday morning when Nick and I came home from work we wondered if Donna had decided to stay or if she was headed back to Ojai. As we ate dinner Donna announced, "I'm taking the bus back to Ojai today."

After both of us voiced our disappointment Nick volunteered to take her to the bus station. She was already packed and knew when the first bus left for Ojai. We finished breakfast and Nick carried her suitcase out to his truck.

As soon as they left Julie came to me and asked, "Would you like noisy sex?"

"Noisy sex? Does it need to be noisy?"

"Donna noticed that we're very quiet when we're in bed. She noticed that neither of you made a move on her while she was here. She decided you don't really want an old woman living with you. I don't have a strong argument against her thinking."

"Did she say she wanted to have sex with either of us?" I asked.

"We talked about it. She asked if I felt possessive about you. I told her I'd been thinking about how it would be if both of us were lovers to both of you."

"And?"

"And I like the idea. Donna likes the idea. We weren't sure how you and Nick feel about it. The fact that neither of you has hit on her since she's been here has us believing neither of you wants her."

I was stunned.

"Nick and I never talked about it. I don't know how he feels. Donna turns me on. She's enough like you that it seems natural to be turned on by her, but she's enough different from you that I wanted to give her room and not push her into a sexual relationship that she might not want."