"I love you, baby."
Joe spoke those words to Mandy two weeks ago, as she lay passed out and cradled in his arms. Joe had just beaten a stalker to within an inch of his life to protect Mandy. Joe was not ashamed of his actions or those words, but he wondered if things were getting too complicated.
Joe drove the entire distance to Las Vegas. As his four-door sedan passed through the barren but paradoxically gorgeous desert southwest, he realized how much he enjoyed being the leader of the three, the person both Mandy and Melissa could rely upon to keep things moving forward safely. The girls enjoyed their freedom, talking and laughing and working crossword puzzles as Joe pushed the vehicle ahead toward Vegas. Melissa took notice of her stolid, silent husband – particularly how much pleasure he received from his de facto position as the ringleader. He behaved much like a father taking his children on a vacation to some exciting new territory.
Joe was clearly troubled, however. This 'three-way relationship' had developed beyond anything he could have imagined. He could not see an endgame. He could not see the future, how the three would manage as the coming weeks and months progressed. He felt they were all headed for disaster.
- - - - -
"You're right." Mandy shook her head. "He's bothered by something."
"He doesn't understand," Melissa replied. "He thinks this will all fall apart. He thinks we'll regret this and we'll all get hurt."
Melissa and Mandy were downstairs in the lobby of the hotel, sitting at one of the many barstools. The establishment was a combination hotel and casino, the likes of which Mandy had never seen before. Lights flashed everywhere, beckoning patrons to risk their money on the potential for untold wealth, but Mandy felt overwhelmed and stayed away. Joe had checked in and made sure their luggage arrived in their rooms safely.
"Do you love Joe?" Melissa asked seriously.
"Is it bad if I say yes?"
"The truth. We've been through so much together..."
Mandy looked down. "Then, yes, I admit I do."
Melissa looked down and played absent-mindedly with a button on her blouse.
"Can we make a relationship like this work? The three of us?" Melissa finally asked.
"I don't see why not, if that's what we all want."
"I never imagined this..."
"I'm sorry," Mandy stammered.
"Don't be. This is what I want, too."
"Really?"
"I can't imagine anything else..."
"God..."
"I love you both. I want you both. Isn't that awful?"
"That's not awful..." Mandy held Melissa's hand. "Is it?"
- - - - -
Joe sat in his room brooding. He flipped through a million channels on the remote control, finding nothing worth watching. He was mentally prepared to discuss the entire relationship with both girls. He knew he would need to be direct, tell them that they were taking big risks, that the relationship probably wouldn't work out and they needed to be mentally prepared. A knock on the door interrupted him. He went to the door and looked through the eyehole, and saw Mandy waiting alone. Where was Melissa?
"Hey," Joe said as he opened the door. "Is Melissa coming?"
"Not yet," Mandy answered cryptically.
"Okay..."
"I thought you and I needed to talk first." Mandy sat at the edge of the bed and crossed her legs. Her fingers played idly with the edge of the blanket. "Joe, your wife and I talked for a long time. We love each other. We all love each other, don't we?"
Joe was surprised by her bluntness, but welcomed it just the same. "Yeah, we do. Of course we do."
Mandy looked toward Joe. Their eyes met and stayed glued on one another for many seconds.
"Would you make love to me, Joe?" Mandy said.
"Without Melissa?"
"I asked Melissa if I could be with you, one-on-one. She said yes."
"Really..."
"Yes."
"Make love to you? Mandy, we agreed that it wouldn't happen..."
"I remember."
"Why?"
"I'm ready. I want this so much. I think you do, too. We all do."
Joe looked down at his hands, fumbling for the right words. "I'd love that, but I don't want any complications or any regrets..."
Mandy knelt on the floor in front of Joe, trying to catch Joe's attention. Joe smiled slightly, knowing he wasn't going to be able to hide away. She placed her hand on his right cheek, gently pulling his face to hers. Mandy kissed Joe, softly and tenderly and full of love.
"I know you're the strong, silent guy, Joe," Mandy whispered as she rubbed her face against Joe's cheek. "You carry the weight of the world on your shoulders and you keep it deep down, locked away." Mandy held Joe's face in her hands then and climbed into his lap. "But we are all adults, baby. All relationships have good and bad times. All relationships have misunderstandings and hurt feelings, but we try to work them through, right?"
"I just don't want anyone to..." Joe began but was cut off.
"...get hurt. I know, I know. You have this need to watch over and protect everyone, and I love you for it. It's just not necessary."
"I admit, I worry about you and Melissa. If it doesn't work out, what will happen?"
"We're big kids now. Besides, what is the alternative, smart guy? Give up? Is that what you want? To end this?"
Mandy's line stopped Joe cold, because deep down he knew that he could not simply stop what the three of them had started. They had come so far, learned so much about each other, to end everything arbitrarily.
"God, you're right," Joe replied finally. "Giving up isn't an option anymore."
"Life is too short to turn your back on love, sweetie," Mandy kissed him again, holding his face between her hands.
