Recap: Tom and Carla had first hooked up whilst they were out running on the waterfront. This soon turned into a full relationship. Four months later, her flatmate Kate had caught them having sex in the kitchen after she had screwed her FB, Pete. Pete had left suddenly, leaving Kate naked and horny, and had ended up in a threesome with Carla and Tom. The "Itch Scratch" as they called it, did not recur.
We had realised that Kate and us were like Kosh's Vorlon ship on B5: As it could self-initiate a jump to hyperspace, then return to normal space, Kate could initiate a jump to Sex Space. After our Sex Space, we would return to Friend Space.
Four months later though, Kate had ended up screwing Tom hard in the spa, then they had all gone to Peninsula Park for a sex-filled day to unwind.
Kate and Carla's friendship was as tight as their bodies. They were in the same Year 1 class and had quickly become tight friends in a small class that was unusually close. By age ten, only the wiliest hogget could evade any of the class. By their teens, everyone was capable with a.22, which wasn't good for the local bunnies. Moreover, they had realised that a pair of possum eyes in the tree meant five dollars. Carla and Kate were especially good at possuming.
Leaving school Sam, Kate, Sarah, Andy, and Hogget had all gone to VU and flatted. Carla and Kate both did Chemical Sciences. They had a few dates, but their view was that "a man that can't go out to the coop and two hours later present the now-late ex-resident on the table with sides isn't what we are used to." Sadly, a lot of the uni guys didn't know the stove that well, so those relationships that they had, quickly fizzled. They had also had a few flings, but they too never lasted as they were in for the long term whereas the guys wanted a "quick turnover".
Carla was three months older, slightly taller, and a few kilos lighter than Kate. Kate had admitted to me, Tom, shortly after I had met her that "Carla has a slightly lighter personality. I have an 'edge' because when we suited up and stepped onto the Puma or -92 heading out to the Platform, we wondered whether the DITCH DRILL we practiced was going to be for real this time."
Carla and I hugged her, and I replied, "We all do."
Kate responded, "Yes, and yours is Jo", my late fiancé who since I met Sam, I found out had been in some of their classes, "We see you thinking of her sometimes and we know she's looking down happy that you found Sam. Not sure about the times with me though."
At this point, our hug was crushing.
The Massage School was the local college where Therapists could get their qualification and registration. I had first gone there after sustaining yet another injury and I hit it off with the supervisors Drs Jo and Andy as they supervised the students who were treating me. I liked the way they guided the student to hit my problem spots and they liked the way I gave instant feedback rather than either getting beaten up or having a dud session like some other people did. Shortly after I started dating Sam, I took her along for an intro session which she enjoyed, and had then brought along Kate when she was free.
Three months into our relationship, the College had an offer for a four-week Couples course where we would learn the basics of massage and anatomy and practice it in our couples. Carla and Kate had jumped on the idea Kate who had now been coupled with Pete for a short time had persuaded him.
The course had eight couples. Half of the Practical time would be spent within the couple and the rest we would mix around the group. Drs Jo and Andy had agreed that Carla and I would spend half of the Group time on Kate and Pete and mix the rest. The Trio had enjoyed the time, while Pete was his usual guarded self: he had really done it to keep Kate sweet.
I had taken up the offer of a discounted massage table and creams early on as Carla was keen on practicing at home.
During the course, I asked Jo and Andy if, given our history here, they could give us some tips on massaging each other. This resulted in a ninety-minute session where they showed us the other's spots and how to massage them out.
From then on, Sam, Kate, and I would regularly lie on the table while someone would massage. Sometimes, a few days after a race, one would take the torso and the other the legs for a faster turnover. However, when it was Carla and I, we would invariably both be naked and there would be "extras."
A week after Peninsula Park, we had been at my place when they bit the bullet: Kate had got promoted and was going to be away at Long Beach and the Pads more, and Carla and I were together most nights. They decided that Carla would move in with me, Kate into the annexe and that Carla would rent out her place. Two weeks later, they were in, and Carla had tenants.
Meanwhile, Kate had finally scored a six. She had met Bruce at the Engineers Society three months ago and they had become friends, then a few weeks later, started dating at which point she had let Pete go.
It was now four months into Kate and Bruce's relationship. Then last night, Sunday, we all had dinner. After, Kate and Bruce retired to the annexe for the night but both had left very early for work. Bruce had seemed to Carla and I rather subdued which was unusual. We had discussed it in bed, and she said she'd raise it with Kate at breakfast.
Today was a rarity: we were all working from home. Before dinner, I had set the bread to prove on the bench overnight.
We set the alarms for 6:30AM as it was high tide, so we could have a speed run and swim. I quickly added the remaining flour to the bread, put it in a tin, and set the bread maker to PROVE+BAKE so we would have fresh bread upon return.
We quickly dressed in our tri gear, and I got to carry the keys, hats, and goggles as I had the only top with pockets. We ran out of the house and along the waterfront to Jersey Bay, turning near Ladies Cove, and reversed course to the beach where I distributed the swim gear.
We swam for thirty minutes, then ran home and jumped in our showers before dressing and breakfasting in the kitchen and eating the fresh bread. Carla had raised the Bruce Issue. Kate replied, "He's been a bit off all week, and he definitely was later on." At that point, work was calling us to our desks, so we loaded the DishDrawer.
Though the day, Carla and I worked in the office area and Kate in the annexe lounge, but we gathered in the kitchen for coffee and lunch. During lunch we briefly chatted about the rest of the week: tomorrow, Carla had a team day in the office, but we would do The Dog (a 5k run originally held there, but now at Doxy's bar: like a lot of long-time runners, the original name had stuck as a term of art) in the evening as we usually did.
We worked until dinner, then Kate joined us in the lounge and opened a new bottle and we were chatting lightly about the day. Tonight was Hainan Chicken leftovers from last night.
I had just turned off the hob when Kate's phone rang. It was Bruce. Kate sat on the sofa, and we could see her mood slam into darkness as we heard her saying, "What... Why... Are you sure" and put the phone on the table once the call had ended. She stood, dazed at the shock.
Carla over and put her arms around Kate. Kate said, "Bruce dumped me. He says he says we can't see each other enough to make it work long-term. I asked if we could meet to discuss, but he said he's made his mind up, and she buried her head in Carla's shoulder, sobbing.
