In Part 3...
On a mission to reconnoiter a local lumber yard for supplies, Jim came across another survivor, a young women named Chloe. After some initial skepticism, Chloe accompanied him back to the house where he and Simone, delighted with this most hopeful turn of events, made her welcome.
That night, as Simone and Jim shared their joy at being reunited safely by making love, Jim was pretty sure he'd discovered Chloe clandestinely watching them and was pretty shocked by Simone's reaction when he told her what he'd seen.
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It's the End of the World as Jim Knows it.
Part Four - "This is Bananas."
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*How are you feeling today?
Fine... Fine... Why do you ask?
*I'm not allowed ask-
I'm fine Dani, let's just leave it at that, hmm?
*If you say so... Anyway, I kind of cut you off mid-story the last time I guess...
Yeah, really interrupted my flow there. Just what kind of two-bit-
*Oh give it a rest Jim. Shall we?
You're the boss. Where were we again? Oh, yeah: "That's interesting." For a second, I honestly thought I'd misheard her or something.
"Did you hear what I said?" I said. "She was watching us... Simone, she spied on us having sex."
"I heard you Jim..." she said, "I just... I dunno... I think it's interesting."
Well, it is safe to say I was... flabbergasted. I mean, granted, I was still very much figuring out Simone but, still, I'd been pretty confident anybody would have been at least, I don't know, upset or something to learn someone had watched them having sex without their knowledge or permission, right?
"What do you mean... interesting?" I said, "Aren't you like... horrified or something?" And still, she just kept her head resting gently on my chest and I thought I felt her body sort of ripple. Was she fucking laughing?
"No, I'm not horrified..." she said, "I mean, I'm sure she's just a little curious. She's 19 Jim, weren't you, you know, curious at that age?"
"Sure I was..." I said, "but that doesn't mean I went around... you know..."
"Well, me neither... but..." and now she did shift a little and I could feel her move her head to look at me. "Jim, the world ended. Everything is different now. I know finding Chloe is a really hopeful thing to happen, but we still don't know if there's anyone else left. I don't think we should jump to any conclusions or really do anything to make Chloe feel uncomfortable, you know?"
"And what if she makes me uncomfortable?" I said. I wouldn't say I was getting indignant exactly, but there was definitely a little sharpness to this question, you know. Of course, I should have known Simone would disarm me - immediately. Damn lawyers.
"Well she couldn't have made you that uncomfortable Jim," she said, "you didn't say anything to me or stop having sex with me until after we'd both cum pretty fucking hard."
"Shit," I said, "I don't know... I mean... you just looked so beautiful Simone and... I really wanted you to cum..." She chuckled again. "What?" I said.
"That is so lame," she said. "OK, I'm sorry, it's also really sweet... and I love that you were so obsessed with my body and my sexual pleasure that you decided not to do anything about a person we've known for about five hours watching us, but, I mean, come on Jim. Can you look me in the eye and tell me the reason you didn't stop or say anything to me wasn't because, on some level, knowing she was watching us, turned you on?"
Well, shit. I mean, wow. This was not the direction I thought this conversation would take. And, you know what? Double wow: did it? Did it... turn me on? Honestly, I had never had the experience of being watched having sex, at least not that I knew of. Actually, it had never even occurred to me as a thing that might... add to the sexual experience I guess. I mean, I was aware that some people did... like it or whatever, but it was never really on my radar.
And, like, the way Simone was talking... the way she reacted...
"Does it... turn you on?" I said.
"I don't know..." she said. "Honestly, I've never thought about it before just now... but, yeah, I think... maybe it is... kind of hot. Besides, don't think I didn't notice that attempt to avoid my question. It turned you on Jim, I know it did."
"And... what... what if it did...?" I said. "I-I mean, I'm not saying it did but... I mean... would you be... OK with that?"
"Well," she said, "I'm not saying we should invite Chloe to come inside the door so she can get a better look the next time we make love but... I guess, I wouldn't be against... exploring a little. What about you?"
"I have no idea," I said and just sighed heavily. Honestly, my mind was fucking racing. I felt Simone's body shift again and she sat up a little.
"I think that's an honest answer," she said, and she kissed me softly. "Don't worry about it Jim, it's just a thing that happened. It'll be OK."
"Do we..." I said, "I mean... should we..."
"Talk to her about it?" she said. "No, at least not yet I think. Leave it to me Jim, I'll talk to her, you know, get to know her a little better, before we do anything... hasty."
"OK," I said and she kissed me softly again.
I think she drifted off a little after that, but I didn't. I wasn't awake all night or anything, but it definitely wasn't my greatest night's sleep.
I still woke before Simone the next morning though. My mind was still reeling a little I guess, but I kissed her as I got up and left her to sleep. I threw on some clothes and made for the kitchen to put on some coffee. I was getting pretty sick of having to go to the garage every time I wanted to do this, or to heat food or whatever so I started to make plans in my head for moving the gas stove that was out there inside the house.
So I was a little distracted by this plan-making. I guess that may have been why I didn't notice that the back door was open until I was right on top of it. There was probably a moment of panic just then but it didn't last long.
As soon as I stepped outside I saw Chloe making her way back toward the house from the garage, and she had a pot of coffee in her hands.
"Oh, hey Jim," she said, "good morning. I hope you don't mind, I decided to make some coffee for everyone. Simone said you guys both really like coffee in the morning. I guess I wanted to do... you know... something nice for you guys... you've been so kind to me."
OK, now, I know making me coffee is not like a huge gesture or anything, but I have to say, this and, well, what she said and I guess the way she said it just totally disarmed me. I mean, not that I'd been gunning for her or anything, but I was definitely worried about how I'd react to her. I was on board with Simone's plan of not saying anything to her about the... you know... but, I thought it might be hard to hide my discomfort. So, like I said, totally disarmed by coffee. Now you know how to get me.
"That's very kind Chloe," I said, "you didn't have to do that."
"I wanted do," she said and she was really smiling when she went to get some cups. I guess that was pretty disarming too. I mean, I didn't sense even a little bit of... I don't know, weirdness or... well anything. She just seemed really... happy I guess.
"Did you sleep OK?" I said. Honestly, this wasn't meant to be some kind of, I don't know, suggestive remark or whatever... I was just trying to make conversation.
"Oh my god Jim," she said, "it was so good... I mean... sometimes I find it hard to sleep in a new place, like hotels and stuff, but... I slept so good. I guess I was just pretty exhausted."
"Of course," I said, "I mean, after everything you've been through, I can imagine."
She poured two cups and we sat at the counter and, honestly, as hard as it would have been for me to imagine only a few minutes earlier, we just talked. I mean... it was... nice, you know... normal. I didn't feel uncomfortable at all.
So I guess we talked a little about her, you know, her interests and hobbies and stuff and a little more about the house. I told her about my plans for the turbine and the rest of the solar panels and stuff. Turns out she was really interested in engineering and construction and stuff. She said she'd been around stuff like that all her life, which wasn't that surprising given what her dad did for a living and, well, it always just came naturally to her. So she was actually kind of excited to help me get it running.
And I told her about my plans for the stove, and she wanted to help with that too. Turns out, she'd done something very similar at her grandparents' house with her dad.