Sisters, Friends, and Lovers Ch. 24

Sunday afternoon about two o'clock I got a strange call from Matt Chung, one of the younger men who frequented the swingers circle as a single guy. I knew little about him other than a few casual conversational tidbits around the barbecue grill or what the women had told me, basically that he was a good guy: considerate, loving, caring about each woman he made love to, and apparently well-off to some degree.

Matt wanted to meet, if I had the time, so we set a time to meet in an hour at a coffee shop in Harvard Square. After I hung up I asked Ivy, René, and the sisters if they knew why he might be calling. They all shook their heads in the negative, but expressed curiosity.

Fran speculated, "Last night it occurs to me, Matt made it a point to make love to each of us at some time during the party – René, Jane and Ivy too."

Jane volunteered, "I remember him well. He was very nice and polite. I was rather taken with him."

Ivy said, "I liked him. After we made love, we took a long break together in the kitchen and talked. I think he's very smart and well spoken.

René said, "Yeah, I liked him too. I know he spent a lot of time watching the video that Sheila had made. I guess he was turned on by it, but I also felt he was analyzing the film in some way."

An hour later, I had a sidewalk table just outside the coffee house. I'd gotten a diet coke, but Matt waved and appeared a couple of minutes later with a latte of some kind.

Matt started, "Thanks for seeing me. I have some questions ... well, this is kind of awkward ... I guess I expect you'll tell me to go pound sand, but ... well, I had to ask ... otherwise I'd go through my whole life regretting my reluctance to talk to you."

Matt blushed as he talked, and I couldn't imagine what he wanted to ask or say.

I urged him along, "Go ahead, Matt. I'll try to answer your questions. I know we don't know each other very well, but I promise I won't bite. If things are too personal, I do reserve the right to not answer or postpone answering for a while as I think on things."

Matt nodded his understanding.

He took four deep breaths, and each time I thought he would start after his exhale, but he didn't. Finally he started on his fifth long exhale.

"Steve, I know you live with a group of women, and that you have an open relationship with them." Another deep breath. "I'm hoping ... well ... I'd like to date the girls, and ... well, I talked to Aidan ... and I'd like to be like he is to your girls ... that is, if you find me worthy."

My jaw must have dropped open because Matt looked shocked at my response.

Matt said in a hurry as though I'd expressed displeasure at his suggestion, "Of course, you'll want to get to know me better before you decide. I know that. I mean, we've only met a few times at the parties ... and ... but, I've gone out of my way to meet and be with each of the girls. I really am a nice guy. I don't smoke and I'm not into drugs; I have a stable job, and a nice car. My parents live in Rhode Island, and I have family down there."

I muttered, "Matt, the girls aren't 'mine' as you put it; well, maybe Fran is, but the others aren't. They are each their own person, heck, even Fran. Dating them is a decision they'd have to make. We offer each other support and an outside voice to help make decisions, but we don't decide for each other."

Matt shifted, "I know I'm Asian, but I've been raised my whole life in America, and my parents have been here their whole lives too. I hope my race doesn't make a difference. At the parties when I've been with each of the girls it didn't seem to bother them, but I'm proposing something more and maybe this won't fly with them."

I shook my head, "Not to me, and I doubt it does to the girls too. We are a pretty cosmopolitan group. We see people and not races, national origins, or for that matter religions, and so forth unless it impacts how they judge how we live and love. Again, though, the decision rests with the girls."

Matt persisted in selling himself, "I went to MIT, and graduated with a 3.92 grade point average – almost a straight A. I'm spiritual but not religious. I've traveled to Europe and Asia. I enjoy the arts. My job is in bio-computing for Genelink Systems at the other end of Cambridge. I have a condo near work, and I'm a good neighbor. I like jazz and rock. I love to read, particularly fiction, and particularly erotica. I'm an independent voter, but I lean towards being a democrat in this state. I've had two long-term relationships in my life, and you could talk to each of them if you wish. I'm not currently involved now except with the swing group and, hopefully, you all. I'm a bit of a romantic at heart, and so ... well, I really like the women you live with."

I thought for a minute, holding my hand up so that Matt would stop talking. I liked him, and he was humble and self-effacing enough to signal to me that he would be a good friend that might indeed be nice to have around our circle more than he'd been at only the parties.

Finally, I spoke. "You don't need to give me your resume, although that does satisfy some questions I might eventually ask. More importantly, you mentioned Aidan. Aidan is a success with our circle because he loves each of us, AND he has no intention or inclination to try to win one of them away from the rest of us, including me."

Matt nodded his understanding with some degree of enthusiasm.

I went on, "What do you see happening from this point forward if you are a success?"

My question obviously caught Matt by surprise. He hadn't thought beyond having this discussion with me to get permission to see or date or be with each of the women. I could tell my remark that the women individually decided also had jarred him, but this question about success was temporarily beyond him.

Matt stammered, "I ... guess ... I'd go on dates with them ... maybe hang out with you guys at your place ... and ... this is kind of awkward, but I'd make love to them once in a while."

"Which ones? All of them?"

"Oh, all of them." He paused and said, "And don't misunderstand me, I like you too. I'm just not sexually into guys, if you know what I mean."

I chuckled and nodded. "Me neither."

Matt looked relieved. He continued, "Over time, if the chemistry is good, I could see us all maybe living together. Aidan would like that too, although he already has a live-in situation." He paused, "I guess that's it for now. I'll have to think more about that. You ask good questions. I hadn't thought much beyond the short term."

I thought some more, and Matt was wise enough to let me think. I stared at him as I did, and I know I was making him uncomfortable, but I was really sizing him up from a number of points of view: suitor to the girls, friend, buddy, live-in companion, threat – thinking back to the episode with Joel, and someone to hang with.

I like to think I have a Bullshit Meter or a Truth Meter inside me that alerts me when someone is really slinging the shit or trying to sell me the Brooklyn Bridge. I tuned into those vibes, and had zero readings. For Matt, that was good. He did look like the nice guy he'd been described as.

I said to him, "Matt, why don't we walk back to our apartment and you can crash with us the rest of the afternoon and evening. Let's just see how it goes ... play it by ear, if you will."

Matt broke into a huge smile and grasped my hand to enthusiastically shake it.

Fifteen minutes later we strolled into the apartment. The place was a bit of a mess. Fran and Ivy were both trading sections of the Sunday Globe, and talking about some of the articles they found interesting. Sheila was ironing. Jane was on her laptop. René was folding clothes, and I noticed that most of them were light blue scrubs; she was proud of those because their color code in her hospital identified her as a 'doctor' although she was really a physician's assistant. Ally was in the bedroom remaking the bed amid a huge pile of linens destined for the washing machine. Our lunch dishes had been piled in the kitchen and left undone, mainly because I had kitchen duty that day, but had been sidetracked in a short lovemaking session with Jane, and then meeting with Matt.

Everyone greeted Matt warmly, and no one challenged his presence, which I thought was unusual. He pulled up one of the high stools to the kitchen bar, and continued to talk to me as I rolled up my sleeves and started to dig into the dirty kitchen. As I did, I explained how we parceled out home chores, even pointing out the task calendar on the side of the refrigerator.

Matt knew I traveled a lot, but he didn't know why, thus, I also regaled him with my work for FDC and how TCI had become my big client, particularly their Headquarters and Denver Offices. I explained about meeting Jane at TCI, and how she'd become one of the sisters. Jane swung through the kitchen as I talked about her and gave me a kiss before she vanished again.

Talking about Jane led to talking about Marge, Brenda, Pam, Jean, Rita and the others in my growing family. Of course, that led to talking about the philosophy of the family about infinite unconditional love, karma, jealousy, possessiveness, sharing, and a whole other list of topics engendered by the polyamorous lifestyle we shared.

Matt had not taken in that Fran and I were seriously engaged. I guessed he thought of it like going steady in high school. Fran heard that part of the conversation and came over to us to show Matt her engagement ring. I invited her to talk about how she thought our engagement was going, and what we envisioned for our marriage given the surrounding polyamory.

Ivy came with Fran but detoured into the kitchen, to give me a hug from behind as the four of us now talked. I put my arm around Ivy and kissed her. Fran didn't blink an eye, but Matt took in the interaction between the three of us – a first hand demonstration of how our poly lifestyle worked.

Sheila eventually joined us, and by this time Matt was asking a lot of questions about the lifestyle and our 'family' philosophy. He also hadn't realized that Jean Henson was the mother of Fran, Sheila, and Ally, so that also resulted in a barrage of questions.

One question he asked sort of rocked me. "After you and Fran are married what are your plans? How will things change?"

I stammered, "Well, not too much, I guess."

"But won't you guys want to have kids and a house with a picket fence? You living in this great condo is good for when your single, but you're going to need nurseries, high chairs, diaper changing tables, and all that some day. I know, my older sister is into all that stuff now that she's married and has her first child."

Later, when I reflected on that tidbit of our conversation, I realized I had idealized the future based on the past. I was conveniently ignoring Fran and my biological clock, and assuming I could just keep amassing women I loved into the condo that was already cramped when all of us were there. Some things would have to change.

I packed my suitcase for the coming week. I would be in New Jersey with Jane for two-and-a-half days, fly to Denver, and get two days in the TCI Denver Office before spending the weekend there and most of the following week.

I texted Aidan and suggested he join us for dinner along with anyone else from 'up north.' Aidan showed up about five-thirty to help even out the sexual population by making the ratio three men to six women. We walked down to the Harvest Restaurant for dinner, and ate healthy. Ivy latched onto Matt, and had him telling her all about Harvard, MIT, Cambridge, and the restaurants in the area. I could tell she was seriously thinking about her proposed move to Cambridge to be with us.

After dinner we took the long way home, walking part of the way along the Charles River in various combinations of people depending on the subject of the conversation.

As we walked I did a little survey of the core women, asking them about Ivy's moving in with us, and cueing them in further about Matt's interest to be with us in a 'more serious' role than just a friend. Both passed with flying colors.

As we got back to the condo I pulled Ivy aside. "Ivy, one of the reasons you're here this weekend is to see about your fit with us. How do you feel? Do you still want to move to Cambridge to be with us?"

Ivy's eyes got big and glassy as tears filled them to the brim. "Yes, I want to be here more than anywhere in the world. I know it's too soon, but I'm willing to do anything to try to end up with you all. I've felt so loved since we arrived, and it's not just the sex – although that's been great. I thought I'd feel like the outsider, but instead I'm feeling like I'm another member of the family – like René or Jane."

I kissed Ivy's forehead, "Well, you are a member of the family. You are welcome to move in here whenever you want. We all love you and want you to be another of our sisters and lovers."

Tears flowed out of Ivy's eyes as though someone had just turned on a salt-water spigot. She looked at me through the tears in disbelief. "You ... you mean everyone wants me?"

"Yes. We all want you – everyone of us. It's unanimous"

Ivy sobbed, "Oh, God. I'm ... "

She never got to finish her sentence because she was suddenly surround by her new sisters with kisses and hugs.

Matt and Aidan watched us with Ivy. Fran eventually led Ivy and Ally away to calm her down and talk about logistics about moving in, things women worry about like closets, dressers, space for shoes and things like that. I knew Ivy enough to know she'd eat off the floor, and store her clothes under the garbage if we just let her move in with us. Fortunately, I knew she'd get preferential treatment as the new lover in our midst.

Fran also had become the head of the 'live-in economics,' so she made sure each person contributed to the upkeep and rent of the condo according to some magic algorithm that everyone was happy with. Of course, now we were getting a little crowded, but with each addition the contribution to the operating funds by the others got reduced further and a surplus emergency fund we created grew.

Aidan talked to Matt about the way we openly loved and shared partners in the family. After talking to Fran, I invited Matt to stay a little while to participate in our evening's love activities. He looked honored.

Fran and Ivy became my partners that evening. We went to bed early, taking the queen bed, because after making love I didn't want to change beds again. Fran had me make love to Ivy, in part to welcome her to the fold and in part so she got used to our crazy weekend lifestyle. My second round was with Fran as Ivy stayed close to us and kissed us both. She was catching on.

Aidan made love to Jane, Sheila and René in the big bed, next to Matt and Ally, although even with the little attention I paid to the other bed I saw Sheila initiate a second round with Matt. I was asleep before they finished with Ivy and Fran snuggled into my sides.

To be continued

The fine editing is due to Germandragon. Thank you.