Please read the previous chapter before starting this one. This story follows an increasing number of characters; thus, to reduce confusion the reader will find a ‘list of the characters’ at the end of each chapter with approximate ages and how they ‘fit’ into the plot. Enjoy.
The Stuff That Dreams Are Made of – Chapter 2
The three of us were late for work in the morning. We didn’t have sex or make love or whatever you want to call it. We just didn’t want to part each other’s company. Tom drove Mar and me back to my apartment squeezed into the passenger seat of the Porsche; driving was much faster than public transportation. He waited while Mar and I did quick makeovers for work. Marcella borrowed one of my skirts, except on her it became a ‘maxi’ skirt. One of my ‘brand’ blouses became an off-the-shoulder ‘flash dance’ kind of look for her.
As we went in the door of our building, we each waited for separate elevators before heading up to our company’s offices. I went last, slipping into my cubicle with my tardiness apparently unnoticed.
Before I started work, I took a big sigh and thought of how much pleasure I’d received over the weekend and how much pleasure I hoped I’d given. If there was a measure of perfection, the weekend had achieved it beyond my wildest dream.
I connected with Mar for lunch, and then Tom, Peter, and Dave joined us. Tom, Mar, and I tried to act nonchalant. After a few minutes of awkwardness the whole table launched into animated conversation, some of it about the play we’d been to on Saturday night – a night that even though it had been magical now seemed so far in the past.
I didn’t see Mar or Tom that week except at work. I slipped into private corners of the building with both of them for kisses and reminders of how happy we each were with the weekend.
Mar had been concerned about horning in on ‘my man.’ I assured her that there was no ownership, reinforcing Tom’s own philosophy about exclusivity to her. Perhaps the feelings she understood the most was that I loved her and wanted to bring her pleasure. If Tom was part of that pleasure, so much the better.
I had no lurid sex dream in the nights at the start of the week. I missed them, but then I had my real memories about Tom, Mar, and I to think and dream about.
The ‘dreamscape’ changed Thursday night, however, especially for Marcella. She was seated in my cubicle when I got to work on Friday. She was nervous and giddy in the same instant.
“Ariel, I’ve got to talk to you right now!” She grabbed my hand and pulled me down the hall to a vacant conference room. She shut the door and then pushed me down into a chair.
She began, “I had a dream last night – a sex dream. I can remember it all, including who was there. Oh, Ariel, I came – I orgasmed – it was so nice. This morning I was covered in … well, sexual juices from men and women – or maybe just me.”
I’d dreamed too, but I didn’t want to take her thunder away from her. I asked, “Who was there? What happened?” In the back of my mind I already knew the answer to my question; I’d been there too. The details of the dream came back to me.
Marcella blushed a bright scarlet hue as she struggled to get hold of herself. She went on slowly, “Well, Tom and you were there, and so was Peter Winslow and Dave Wescott from Purchasing – our lunch buddies, and Beth Cariola from supply chain management.”
“And what happened in your dream? What’d we do?” In my mind I thought of the six-person orgy I’d dreamed about. Then I realized she was describing the same dream. I just hadn’t awoken with any physical evidence or deep memory like she had? I did vaguely remember a middle of the night climax that brought a smile to my lips.
Mar said excitedly, “Well, the only way I can put it is that everybody fucked everybody else at least once during the time I was aware. Oh, God, Ariel, it was so sexy and so wonderful. I didn’t want it to end, but I guess I fell back to some deeper level of sleep.”
I paused and offered, “Well, in my book you’re normal. I shared part of that dream with you, but I don’t fully recall. Just as you described who was there, it seemed familiar – like déjà vu.”
Mar speculated, “Do you suppose anybody else had the same dream?”
“You could ask them?”
She laughed and said, “Oh, yea, right! Like I’ll walk up to Peter or Dave and say, ‘Hey did you dream of fucking me last night at our orgy?’”
“You could safely ask Tom,” I ventured. “He wouldn’t laugh, nor would he spread it around.”
Mar looked contemplative at that idea. After a few more words we headed off to our separate desks.
At lunch, I watched the subtle way Marcella waylaid Tom; she herded him the long way to our table while having a private conversation with him.
As the two of them sat down, Tom locked eyes with me. He spoke to me quietly so the others couldn’t hear: “I had the same dream at Mar.” There was no editorial comment or further explanation.
Peter came and sat next to me and across the table from Mar. Normally a jovial and talkative member of our growing lunch circle, he seemed unusually quiet this noon – almost embarrassed. He also seemed to study Marcella, Tom, and me, and then, after Dave joined us, him too.
I studied the studier. I became certain Peter had a complementary dream, and as the lunch conversation zigged and zagged, I realized that Dave probably had too. He too was quiet and overly observant of Mar and me.
I ran into Beth Cariola in the middle of the afternoon. Although the meeting at first seemed random, I realized she had come looking for me. She flashed me a huge smile of recognition, and I returned the favor.
“Hi, Ariel. I just don’t see enough of you around here these days. I’d love to get together with you sometime and catch up.”