When One Door Closes...

[The betrayal is over, the divorces final, more than twenty lives ruined and we've moved three times. The four of us share our lives and our beds. Carol and Jenny are bi and act like it. Mike and I enjoy loving them both. It has been a little over three years since Pat was served divorce papers.]

This began as a Loving Wives story and included betrayal, coitus, anal sex, blow jobs, and retribution. Somewhere in the original story Jenny saw an opening into Pete's heart and life, chose the direct approach, through his libido. Being a man the direct approach got his attention and helped him redirect his life. Jenny's sister and sister's husband were very helpful as well. At the end of the original story a Commitment ceremony had united the four as a Quad or whatever you call a committed polyamorus relationship of four people. They each wore rings signifying their commitments. They had sold their various homes and their bid had been accepted to buy a restaurant and make it their home. Oh yes, at the end of the story I introduced the name of a new character, Lee. Some of my readers became upset with that introduction. Some others have read other stories of mine in which Lee is a main character (See "It's Started in the Rain" chapters 1 through 6) and they wrote hoping Pete and his family don't get folded into Lee's family. Well, to be fair, some wrote excited at that possibility.

Chapter two explores what happened after Lee met Mike and the rest of the family.

"Jenny, I can't find my new shirt." I said.

I turned around and my naked wife was standing there holding a hanger with the shirt on it. She smiled and said, "I ironed a shirt that says "No Iron" inside the collar. I did it because I want you to look good."

"Why? You'll be with me and no one will look at me. You will be who they all look at."

"You want me to stand with Mike so you look better?"

"Hell no! I want you next to me, touching me as we walk, hooking my arm as we speak to people and patting my ass when you need to leave me and go to the ladies room." I took the shirt and put it on. She took the hanger back to the laundry area.

I sat on our bed and looked across our newest home; Fifty-five feet by one hundred eighteen feet of what used to be a seafood restaurant. We got a zoning variance so we could turn it into a home. Then we spent twelve thousand having it really cleaned. I didn't make that statement strong enough. We spent twelve thousand dollars having the place REALLY CLEANED! It was August fifteenth when they were finished cleaning. We closed all the windows and doors and left it closed and locked for a week where the low temperature was seventy-eight at night and over a hundred every day. I knew if the place was going to smell, it would when I opened the door. It didn't.

The walls of the house were mostly brick and mostly those were the exterior walls. When we bid on the place I had measured the outside of the building. 55X118. When Mike and Carol came to measure their numbers didn't mesh with mine. We discovered that we had an outer wall, eight inches of insulation and an inner wall. Our home was 53X116 inside. The inner wall had openings for utility access and the space between walls was where all the utilities ran.

We agreed not to have actual walls inside. An actual wall would go up to the ceiling. All four of us loved the domed open beam ceiling of the place. We haunted lighting stores for weeks before we found lighting we all loved. I think we bought our electrical contractor a Porsche' with the money we paid for the changes he made. We bought the building next door that had been a retail space and made it our four-car garage. When the restaurant died the retail died with it. We got both buildings and land for under six hundred thousand.

We worked long hours and many weeks to get the house as we wanted it. Since the building had all the windows up high we could work most of the time in the house naked, so we did. There's something sexy about a woman working in a tool belt and work boots, with her everything-else exposed.

In late August my cell phone rang while all four of us were together. That was unusual, we had mostly been using our cells to communicate with whoever was out buying things, or getting dinner, or something like that. I looked at the ID and it said, "Pat Peterson." I wondered which Pat Peterson, my ex or the woman we met almost a year before at Lee's.

I answered to get the answer. It was the Pat from Lee's. She said, "Are you angry with us?"

"How could I be? Have you done something that you think I would be angry if I knew about it?"

"No, but the last time we saw any of you was in April! Soooo, I decided to invite you to Lee's for a party."

"That's redundant. Lee's is a party. Ok. When?"

"Tomorrow. It's graduation day for Lee's latest two squids."

"Henry and Mark?" I asked.

"You see? You've been gone so long you've never met the two who replaced Henry and Mark. These two are Art and Buck. Buck has a name but would rather be known as Buck."

"Pat, what can we bring? Does either guy need anything?"

"Buck has been saving up for a laptop. Lee offered him one, but he said he wanted to earn it. Can you help him earn one?"

"I'll find a way." We ended the call. I said, "Either you or I need to go shopping. Lee's squid goes back to Mugu in two days and he needs a laptop. We're giving him one." Mike started cleaning up and I said, "Get two. He has two squids graduating tomorrow."

Mike got kisses from both women and then Jenny decided she wanted to go with him. She put enough clothes on to avoid being arrested and kissed me good-Bye as she hooked Mike's arm and they left. I heard Mike's truck start and I smiled. Mike bought a huge pick-up truck shortly after we became a family. When either Jenny or Carol went for a ride one of us had to help her up into the truck. We did it with a hand on her bare butt and they made appreciative noises.

They came back with two high-end laptops. Computers with nearly indestructible cases, huge hard drives and lots of bells, whistles and testosterone. Our wives wrapped them in plain brown paper and sealed the packages in duct tape. Mike and I pronounced them very manly. Then we all laughed. Mike and I are serious about being men, but not so serious we can't laugh at being "manly" sometimes.

I called Pat back and asked, "What do our squids know how to do?"

"Buck and Art were painters in Iran. They were hurt while they painted the inside of a school. Art's right leg caught a few exploding bricks and Buck caught shards of glass and brick. Both are healed enough to go back to duty. They want to go back and finish painting the school."

I said, "Good. We have some painting that needs completion. We'll have them... no. Can they come over now? I'm sure they can have the painting done by noon tomorrow if they'll spend the night here."

"Let me talk to them and I'll call you right back." Pat said.

I told the family what was the new plan and all four of us started preparations for their arrival and starting work. Mike said, "If they're spending the night we need to get a couple of those good blow up beds. Our beds are too close together for them."

"I don't know about that." Carol said. "Last time we were at Lee's a squid was firmly attached to Rina's chest, right in front of everyone."

"That may be so, but I'm not into being watched." Mike said.

"And, I'm not into sharing Carol or Jenny with two squids we haven't even met!"

The phone rang. Pat said, "Give me your new address. I'll have them delivered. Do you have work for more hands? We have willing hands who would love a challenge."

One quick look told me we were about to have a work party.

"Pat, We can use a clean-up crew, a tile setter, a couple of furniture movers and anyone else who wants to come."

"Do they need to bring work clothes?"

"It's easier to clean skin."

"I'll tell them."

I gave our address. Jenny decided we'd order food delivered when the time came. Mike and Carol went out again and bought three more beds and a stack of blankets, pillows and sheets .

Less than an hour later Lee stopped out in front and brought Art, Buck, Megan, Fran and Bonnie inside. Introductions were made and work assignments made. Somehow I became foreman. I showed Art and Buck what needed painting and gave them Fran and Megan as helpers. Bonnie and Jon needed no supervision. They found trash bags, dustpans and brooms and went to work. Jenny went back to putting tile down in the big bathroom with Mike. Carol was up on a ladder washing windows. Lee took my car and left me his mini-van.

When the rhythm of our work had been established Mike turned on the stereo. The music that played was a collection of mostly exercise music, both new and oldies. The first song set the tone for the afternoon. It was "Jump!" by the Pointer sisters. Clothes came off. People sang, danced, worked and laughed. At a little after six the work was done. The floors were tiled, cleaned and looked good. All the kitchen cabinets were painted inside and coated with polyurethane on the outside.

Art and Buck found me holding the ladder for Carol and asked, "Ok. What's next?"

Carol said, "Next is dinner. We were going to get food delivered, but I've changed our minds. Everyone gets cleaned up and we're going out."

Megan said, "We just wore grubbies."

"Fine. We aren't going to Spago's." Carol announced.

They went to find clothes. I asked, "Where are we going?"

Carol smiled and said, "I heard Art and Buck say they wanted to go home on leave but couldn't. What they miss is bar-b-que from home. Home is Texas."

"Famous Dave's!" I said.

"Yup. We'd better dress." Fifteen minutes later we were on the road. When we got to Long Beach we blindfolded both squids. Jenny said, "The first one who tells us where we're eating gets a special prize." She had two laptops ready as prizes.

I made the turn and stopped the mini-van at the curb. Bonnie slid the door open and Art took a deep breath. "Oh my God! It's bar-b-que!"

He tore off the blindfold and said, "I've heard of this place!" Buck was one step behind him, out the door and aimed at the double front doors. Jenny carried the prizes and we all followed them inside.

Two hours later racks of ribs, a couple of chickens, a brisket, corn, biscuits and slaw were gone and we awarded them their wages, prizes for their work.

Buck opened his package slowly and suddenly was speechless. Art unwrapped his and said, "This is the greatest gift I've ever gotten." He said it softly, almost reverently. Buck nodded.

I paid the bill and left a good tip. I drove them to Lee's house. Jenny called from the road and Lee convinced her that we were staying the night. Bonnie sat beside Art and Fran sat next to Buck on the way home. Carol and Mike squeezed into the farthest back seat with Buck and Fran. Jenny sat shotgun, seatbelted in with Megan.

All the conversation until we hit Malibu was in whispers. The noises of kissing and moans of mouth to body contact were mixed with the whispers. At Topanga Canyon and PCH I asked, "Bonnie, I need your help finding Lee's. Help me please."

She broke her lip lock with Art and re-focused on getting us to Lee's. The outside lights were on. I parked and we unloaded the mini-van. Fran carried Buck's clothes and her own. Buck carried his laptop. I wondered if he was hard for Fran or the laptop. I wasn't going to ask.

Lee showed Carol, Mike, Jenny and me to a bedroom with a king-sized bed and a private bath. A sign on the door said, "Private party, Knock before entering. Pete , Jenny, Mike & Carol."

I knocked. Lee said, "The sign is for others, not your family. Enjoy the night. The pool is warm, hot tub is going and the kitchen is open." He kissed Carol and Jenny then left us.

Jenny opened the door, took off her clothes, hung them over a chair and asked me, "Wanna relax in the hot tub, Lover?"

She helped me undress and led me out to the hot tub. There were four people in the water up to their shoulders. Lee, Connie, Jon and Pat. Jenny asked, "May we join you?"

"Of course." Lee said. "Mi casa..."

We stepped in and all but submerged in the bubbling water. Lee asked if the squids got their laptops. We confirmed they had divided loyalties at the moment, laptops and beautiful lovers.

After about half an hour Connie convinced Lee that she needed his "help" in the bedroom. Pat and Jon decided they wanted an intimate conversation. Jenny asked if I wanted her there, on a couch or in the bed in our room. We started for the bedroom but hesitated in the living room and joined there on the floor. I put a towel under us before either of us lost a significant amount of fluids.

Mike and Carol were asleep when we joined them in bed. The odors in the bedroom gave testimony to their pre-sleep joining. Sometime before dawn Mike got up to pee and when he came back he woke Jenny. She felt inspired and woke Carol and me. I got sucked and played with Carol's body until she came. Mike and Jenny joined, with Mike in the lotus position and Jenny impaled in his lap. Carol and I duplicated their pose and rocked in rhythm until all four of us came in joy.

The bedside clock showed 0911 when I opened my eyes later. I heard noises out in the rest of the house. Carol opened her eyes and said, "Every time we do it here it's a spiritual experience."

Jenny said, "Every time." We all kissed and got up. In the shower we got clean, shaved and teeth brushed. Lee is so thoughtful. In our bathroom were four new toothbrushes, marked with our names. We left the bedroom and headed for the kitchen. Art was on the couch with his laptop in his lap.

Bonnie was feeding him bites of breakfast from her plate. In the kitchen Buck was making food for anyone. His laptop was open and while he worked he typed on the keyboard. When he saw us he said, "If we painted your entire house, inside and out, we would not have earned these."

Jenny went to him, turned him away from both stove and computer and kissed him with her entire body. When it broke she said, "You earned it by being the man you are. You earned it in Iran. You earned it by not giving up. It's our way of saying Thank you."

Tears filled his eyes and he turned back to the stove while maintaining contact with Jenny. He served us eggs with bell peppers, onions, cheese, cilantro and pepper, with sausage, pancakes and hot coffee on the side. When he served Carol she pulled him close and kissed him completely.

When it ended he held his hands, palms together in front of him and said, "Thank you."

The prayer was repeated and he got hugs from everyone in the kitchen. As we ate Lee came to the kitchen. I offered him food from my plate or my plate. He said he had eaten and needed to talk to us. I motioned to a chair. He sat and Art set a cup of coffee in front of him.

He said, "Last week Rina brought someone here to the house. Rina has known her for six months. She wants in."

"It's Pat." Jenny said. Her voice was flat but I heard fear under the calm. Lee nodded.

"It's Pat Peterson, your Ex." Lee looked at me with strong focus. I looked at Jenny, Mike and Carol. I said, "I'm not a man you can ask a relationship question to. We are a family. Even if I or we say we don't want to be around her, this is your family, your rules."

"I want your input."

Mike said, "Call Rina. I want to talk to her. I also want to know what she did while she was here." Jenny and Carol nodded.

Lee whistled. Ten seconds passed and Rina came into the kitchen. She was dressed in sweatshirt and shorts. She perched on a bar stool near Mike and said, "Ask anything. Until yesterday I didn't know she was your Ex."

I asked, "How did you meet?"

"She got a job at the hospital where I volunteer. She was struggling to keep the job. She's a receptionist and was having trouble being friendly. She acted scared of everyone. You know I can't easily resist lost souls, so I cultivated her. It took me weeks to get her to have lunch with me. It took five months to get her here. Lee sat down with her and they talked for a long time."

I asked, "And?"

"She's doing better at work. On our way home she told me she was divorced and it was all her fault. She told me that she wanted to join Lee's family, but couldn't. She saw how loving and sexual many of us are and she said she would never have sex again."

Jenny asked, "She said she was never having sex again?"

"You want a quote? I'm never letting anyone inside me again. I fucked my life away looking for the perfect cock when I already had it at home." Then she cried. I took her home and she cried all night. Wouldn't even let me hold her."

I looked from Rina to Lee and asked, "Lee, you know she wants in. If we lived in England, France or Japan would you hesitate?"

"Yes. I'd call you and ask you to come here. I'd tell you then just what I'm going to tell you now. Until you forgive her and she forgives herself, none of you can fully love."

Jenny was openly crying. Carol was holding her and Mike was holding them. I noticed I was crying too.

"I need some time." I said.

Megan said, "All of us are here for all of you. Stay or go, nothing about us has or will change. We love you."

The four of us dressed and Mike drove us home. Nothing was said during the drive. As Mike stopped in our new garage he opened the door and said, "Lee's right and we all know it." He helped Carol out and I helped Jenny. I held her hand until we were in the house and then I fell into my recliner and pulled Jenny into my lap.

The next time I was really present to being with people it was almost dark. Jenny was crying in my lap. Mike and Carol were on the couch curled up together.

I said, "Lee's right. Sometimes when I'm loving either of you I feel the hurt and the anger for Pat. It keeps me from really, completely being with either of you."

Mike said, "It gets between us as brothers sometimes too."

Jenny lifted her head and said, looking into my eyes, "I really thought I could drive everything about her out of you. If I loved you hard enough, she'd be gone. It's been three years. She's still always with us. What I'm going to say sounds crazy in my head. I know it will sound even crazier when I say it out loud." She paused and said, "Invite her here. I'll make dinner for all of us. We forgive her, we spell out the rules of this family and we offer her in. It's the only way we can be free."

Tears flowed from all of us. She was right. Lee was right. Mike was right. I felt myself resisting. Jenny crawled a little higher into my lap and said, "Kiss me completely."

I gave her everything I had and knew I was holding something back. The kiss ended and Jenny got off my lap, found our phone and dialed. She said, "Rina, we want Pat's phone number, please."

She thanked Rina, hung up, dialed the number Rina gave her and handed me the phone.

"Pat?" I asked.

"Pete?" I heard a sob.

"You need to stop crying so you can listen. Can you do that?"

"Yes, Pete . I thought I'd never hear your voice again." I hit the speaker button.

"Pat, I put us on speaker. Mike, Carol, Jenny and I are here. Can you hear me Ok?"

"Yes." Her voice was almost a whisper.

"We want to have a conversation with you. I believe it needs to be face to face. Do you work tomorrow?"

"No. I have the next two days off."

"I'll give you an address. Please write it down and come here, now. Bring whatever you think you might need if you were to spend the night." I gave her the address and directions. We ended the call.

Jenny took Carol by the hand and they put fresh linens on the beds. Mike and I watched them being busy and then walked around the block. He said, "I've hated her for longer than you know. I know we're looking at doing the right thing, but I don't know if I can forgive her." I wasn't sure either, but I knew what it would cost us if we couldn't.