Terry poured a cup of coffee for his friend John as they sat at the table with Terry's wife Marge. It was Saturday night and they had invited him round for a meal.
John thanked him and then said, "Marge, that was the best meal I've had in ages. You're a wonderful cook. If Terry hadn't got you first I would have married you in a second."
He felt quite comfortable talking like that as the three people had been friends for twenty years. They had known each other since school and had since gone into business together, opening a shop that had grown into a small chain of mini-markets across several cities.
Ordinarily Marge would have laughed at his sally and come back with a witty reply of her own, usually at his expense. However, this time she merely smiled briefly and blushed a quiet, "Thank you,"
John was a little surprised by her reaction and looked askance at Terry who looked down at his own cup. "What's the matter?" he asked, "Have I said something wrong?"
Terry looked up at John and said, "Actually John, we had an ulterior motive for asking you over tonight. We have a favour to ask of you."
John said, "Name it."
Still blushing, Marge stood up and began to clear the table. She would not look at either of the men. Terry looked back down at his coffee and started to turn the cup on the saucer. John was a little worried now. They were his friends and he was willing to do anything for them.
He loved these two people like no one else in the world. If they had a problem then he had a problem. After all hadn't they done everything they could for him when he needed help.
"Actually," said Terry, "it's quite embarrassing. I don't know where to start."
"If you and Marge need help. Just out with it. Anything, you know that. Is it money?"
Terry shook his head, "No, nothing like that. It's more of a personal nature."
Marge had finished clearing the plates and sat back down, she looked very nervous. Terry reached across and took her hand in his own. She held it tightly as Terry continued, "John, what I'm going to ask now is very difficult for me. And I'm only asking because I know I can trust you," he paused to gather his thoughts and then carried on, "You know I was quite ill a couple of years ago."
John remembered quite clearly. Terry had been struck down with a viral infection that had very nearly killed him and had spent several weeks in hospital. John had taken over the running of their business on his own and had kept things running smoothly until Terry had been able to come back to work. It had been hard work, but he had done it without a second thought and not just because his own fortunes were so closely tied to theirs.
He had also been a tower of strength for Marge who was distraught at the time, understandable as she thought she might lose the love of her life. John knew how much they loved each other, even after eighteen years of marriage, they truly loved each other. John looked from one to the other as they sat there. The discomfort was coming off them in waves and John could almost taste it.
"Go on," he said gently.
Terry said, "Well, there were... side effects." he took a deep breath, "John, I'm impotent."
"What?!"
"I can't get it up."
John answered impatiently, "I know what impotent means Terry. But why are you telling me?"
Terry's gaze went from John to his wife and back again, he said, "It's been two years since I have been able to make love with Marge. She never said anything but I know she's been frustrated. We've talked this over and we agreed that she should take a lover, someone who can... And... Well... I... We were wondering if..."
His friend sagged back in his chair, shocked, "Terry, you want me to sleep with your wife?"
Marge ran her free hand through her shoulder-length hair and then spoke for the first time, "John, at first I didn't want anything to do with this. It was Terry's idea. But I have missed being with a man. And I agreed on one condition. That the man we picked was someone we both knew and could trust. I know this is a lot to ask of you and if you don't want to, we'll understand. But we also thought it might kill two birds with one stone, we know you've been so lonely since you and Carla broke up..." The couple's grip tightened even further as they waited for his answer.
John looked at these two people, who meant more to him than anyone in the world. They waited silently for him to come to a decision. Terry and Marge trusted him enough to come out with such a humiliating problem and they trusted him enough to ask his help.
Although he had never considered the feminine aspects of Marge before, after all she was a friend, he looked at her now. Large breasted with a slim waist and wide hips that carried just a little extra poundage. A handsome, if not beautiful face and brunette hair with just a hint of grey. How could he refuse.
"First let me say, that I'm honoured by your faith in me, that you felt you could ask for this sort of help. You're my best friends in the world and you were always there when I needed you. When Carla left me, you helped me through the messy divorce, you're Godparents to Kate," he took a deep breath, "I'm really not sure that this is a good idea, but if you want me to do this then I will."
The couple smiled nervously to each other and then Terry said, "Thank you, John."
"How do you two want to do this?"
"Well," said Terry, "We thought you might want to do it tonight. You two have our bed and I'll sleep in the spare---"
John cut in, "No! I will not do this in your marital bed, that wouldn't be right. The spare bed is a double, that's big enough."
He swigged down the rest of his coffee and stood up, "Now's a good time as any. After all, I don't have to get home, Katie's staying with a friend tonight." He held out his hand to Marge.
