The second part of Hypnosis and the Happy Hippy. To make complete sense of this story, you may wish to read Hypnosis and the Happy Hippy Pt. 01. Although you can probably get the gist of what went before without. And don't forget to look out for Pt. 03
Tubular Bells was the first studio album by Mike Oldfield, released in 1973 on Virgin Records
Hergest Ridge was the second studio album by Mike Oldfield, released in 1974 on Virgin Records.
Ommadawn was the third studio album from Mike Oldfield, released in 1975 on Virgin Records.
Snow Goose (formally Music Inspired by The Snow Goose) was the third studio album from Camel, released in 1975 on Decca.
***
"I, the undersigned, allow my boyfriend/girlfriend to sleep with someone else for as long as we are completely open and honest with each other. I will not allow possessiveness or jealousy to damage the relationship we have or the love we have for each other."
They were the words I wrote on a piece of paper, the culmination of a heart-to-heart we had the day after that life-changing night with Zeb.
***
It had been a relief to both of us, I think, that we were each visiting our respective parents in the afternoon. It's not that we don't get on with each other's parents but it was a bit of an effort sometimes with my Dad seeing Jay as the charmer that had corrupted his little girl, and Jay's catholic mother accusing this heathen woman of taking Jay away from his religion. Bloody families!
I had arrived home ahead of Jay and pottered about doing some cleaning while listening to Cat Stevens and Don McLean. It was long after five o'clock when Jay arrived back.
"I'm bloody starving. What's for tea?" He said.
"We'll go to the chippy."
"We can't afford it. We've got food..."
"Listen," I cut him off, "I'm not wasting another minute doing stuff apart while we can be together and talk."
"I'm hungry now, though."
"Well, make a fucking sandwich. We need to talk."
So he did. We sat cross-legged on the bed and ate our cheese sandwiches in silence.
"We've got to talk about last night," I said. Jay looked down between his knees, embarrassed. "We did something, well, I did something I'd never dreamed of before."
"Mm." was all he could manage while chewing the last mouthful of sandwich.
"No good being embarrassed or looking sheepish. It happened."
"It did."
"How do you feel about it today?"
"What do you mean?"
"Okay. We had an excuse. We'd both had a few drinks; all had a few drinks, so we were less inhibited."
Jay emitted a giggle. "Yes. We had."
"So, maybe it happened because I was a bit tipsy or stoned. Maybe what you said and did was for the same reason."
He struggled to look up at me. "What? Because you were tipsy and stoned."
"No, daft lugs. Because you were."
"I remember everything quite clearly."
"I'm not complaining. That shag in the alley was fantastic. But, you said..."
I didn't know how to put it.
"I remember perfectly well," Jay admitted. "I said it was a turn on."
"Yes."
"And?"
"Did you mean it?"
He looked down, embarrassed and sheepish again. "Yes." He mumbled to the bed.
"Are you angry at me?"
"What. Why?"
"Because I let Zeb... I mean... because Zeb... And I..." I really was lost for words.
"No! I'm not."
"Oh! Thank Christ!" I realised that my whole torso had been tense as I let out a held breath and relaxed. "I thought we'd have a huge row about it." Throwing my arms around his neck, I hugged and kissed him.
"How could you think that? I love you. I mean Pam... I... what I..." It was Jay's turn to be stuck for words.
"That was not revenge." I broke off the hug. "I did not do that..."
"I know," He cut me short. "You're not that type of person. I wasn't suggesting it was."
"And you really don't mind?"
"Ah! I didn't say that. Not minding and accepting are different things. I said I expected you would sleep with someone else at some time; I didn't say I wouldn't get jealous." He referred to a conversation we'd had after the Pamela incident.
"Right," I said, processing it.
"That was different. He was there. I knew about it. I could have stopped it, but didn't. God knows why I didn't. Probably because you were enjoying it."
"Oh."
"You did enjoy it, didn't you?"
Now I took a turn at mumbling to the bed. "Yes."
"Speak to me, San, not the bed."
"I said Yes."
"That's important to me. I don't want to be that guy. The man that owns you."
Other girls might have got upset about this, might have thought that their man didn't care enough to be angry or jealous, but I knew where Jay was coming from.
"I love you for being you, and that is part of you."
"You're trying to say I'm a slut?"
"No! Absolutely not. Don't try and put words in my mouth. You like sex. So what? I'm not accepting it because I want to stay with you at any cost. That's as bad as possessiveness. But you enjoyed it and that's important to me. And no harm was done."
"You mean you wouldn't mind an open relationship?"
"I didn't say that either."
"But if I did go with someone else, you wouldn't fly off the handle and pack your bags and leave me."