“Well ... I do play music,” he said. “And I was once in a band called Intemperance. Other than that...”
“None of it is true then?” she asked. “You didn’t really beat up your girlfriend and then throw her off a boat?”
“I did not,” Jake said. “We were in love with each other and had a great relationship for about a year. And then her religious upbringing kicked in and she asked me to choose between her and my music. I chose my music, and she broke up with me. That’s the whole story.”
“Well ... not the whole story,” said Laura. “They really were on a boat, but she let Jake eat her pussy out and then broke up with him after she came... without returning the favor first.”
Molly looked over at Jake again, aghast. “Really?” she asked.
Jake nodded. “Yep.”
“Wow ... that’s crass,” Molly said.
“Agreed,” Jake said.
“What about the cocaine from the butt crack thing?” Molly asked next. “Did they make that up too?”
Jake and Laura took a quick look at each other. “Uh ... yeah,” Jake said at last. “They totally made that one up too.”
“Wouldn’t that just be the grossest thing ever?” Laura added.
“Not to mention a waste of cocaine,” said Jake.
“Yeah,” Molly said. “I really did always have a hard time believing that one.”
“Well now,” Jake said. “How about I pour you ladies another margarita? You can sip on them out on the patio while I clean up the kitchen.”
“Sounds good,” Laura said.
“I can help you with the cleanup,” Molly offered.
“Not necessary,” Jake said. “There’s not much to it. I’ll pound it out really quick and you two go out and talk about life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
“Well ... if you’re sure,” Molly said.
“He’s sure,” said Laura. “Fire us up, hon.”
“Firing you up,” Jake said, pushing his chair back.
He took their glasses to the bar, rinsed them off, and then applied fresh rims of salt. He then ran the blender for a moment to re-mix the concoction, poured each of them another glassful, and then garnished each with a lime wedge. He carried them back over and distributed them. They thanked him and then got up and headed for the sliding door that led to the patio. Jake watched them go, taking a moment to imagine the possibilities. He then began to gather the dinner dishes and carry them into the kitchen.
It took him a little more than twenty minutes to put away the leftover enchiladas and rice and then clean the kitchen and get the dishwasher running. Once the task was complete, he went to the bar and mixed up another batch of margaritas in the blender and then poured himself one. He took it in hand and walked over to the sliding door.
Laura and Molly were sitting at the granite table, their drinks now empty. They were not looking out at the San Fernando Valley. They were, instead, looking at each other, their eyes shining. Jake thought about asking if it was okay to join them, but then thought maybe that statement might be misconstrued.
“Can I sit down?” he asked instead.
“Of course,” Molly said, smiling up at him.
He sat in the chair next to Laura, putting his wife between he and Molly. “I just made a new pitcher,” he told them. “Anyone for refills?”
“Maybe in a bit,” Laura said. “Let’s talk a little bit first.”
“Okay,” Jake said slowly. He had been unable to read her tone like he usually could, nor could he interpret what she was thinking by looking at her face. He pulled the chair out and sat down, taking a large drink of his margarita.
“Teach and I have been talking,” Molly said.
“I kind of figured that,” Jake said carefully. Women talking? Who would’ve thought?
“We were talking about ... uh ... why we’re here tonight,” Laura added.
“Ahhh,” Jake said. “That kind of talking.” He took another large sip. “So ... uh ... what’s the word?”
The two women giggled. “Isn’t it cute how he can pretend to be so casual about something like this?” Laura asked Molly.
“It is kind of cute,” she acknowledged. She then turned to Jake. “I’m a lesbian, Jake,” she told him plainly. “I’m not bisexual. I have had sex with men before—obviously, since I have a child—but I never enjoyed it, I don’t crave it, and I have no intention of ever doing it again.”
“Okay,” Jake said, nodding a little. “I see.”
“But ... I am incredibly attracted to Teach here.”
“She is pretty hot,” Jake said.
Molly smiled. “Yes, she is. And she is pretty much all I have been thinking about since the night I met her. I’m not talking love here. I’m talking lust. Sexual desire. Do you have any idea how much we lesbian women fantasize about bisexual women?”
Jake shook his head. “No,” he said. “Not really.”
“About as much as heterosexual men fantasize about threesomes with two women,” she told him.
This was an analogy that Jake could appreciate. “That much huh?”
“That much,” she said. “And, while women are not primarily visual when it comes to sexual attraction, we’re not really blind to it either. Teach is beautiful, she’s sweet, and, most important, she’s into me, in that same lustful fashion.”
Jake looked over at Laura, who nodded. “I am,” she said. “That’s what we were out here talking about.”
God bless Patron tequila! Jake’s mind shouted to him. He, of course, kept his expression carefully neutral as he still had no idea where this discussion was heading.
“Teach explained to me,” Molly said, “that the two of you have ... an understanding about her and how she explores her bisexuality.”
“That’s right,” Jake said. “She is free to explore all she wants, as long as she does it openly and without deceit, and keeps it confined to the female sex.”
“That is very liberal of you, Jake,” Molly said. “And there is no agreement of reciprocity for you?”
“Reciprocity?” Jake asked. “You mean, since she gets to get it on with other women, so do I?”
“Correct,” Molly said. “After all, that would only be fair, right?”
“Wrong,” Jake said. “We have no such agreement, nor would I want one. We’re not swingers. Laura is quite enough woman for me.”
“And I would never agree to something like that,” Laura said. “Maybe that makes me a hypocrite, but ... well ... if Jake had suggested reciprocity as part of the terms of the agreement, I would have just said no and promised to stay away from women. I couldn’t live with the thought that Jake was out ... you know ... fucking someone other than me.”
“What if it was guys?” Molly asked. “That would be a better concept of reciprocity, wouldn’t it? You get to enjoy other women and he gets to enjoy other men, as long as you tell each other about it.”
“Eww,” Laura said simply, shaking her head. “That’s even worse than him sleeping with other women.”
“And, I don’t really swing that way,” Jake said. “I have no problem with those who do—Laura and I both have a lot of gay men in our lives—but it’s not for me.”
“Really?” Molly said teasingly. “You’ve never even been curious about it?”
“No,” Jake said, quite honestly. “Not even for a fleeting moment in time during the darkest and most sexually awkward confusion of my early adolescent development.”
“I see,” Molly said, blinking a little.
“That was a good Nerdlyism,” Laura said with a giggle.
“Thank you,” Jake said. “Sometimes I don’t even realize I’m doing it.”
“So ... this agreement you and Teach have then,” Molly said. “It really is with no strings attached?”
“It really is,” Jake said. “I want Laura to be happy. If we’re talking about having a little fun with female groupies out on the road, or with a Maid of Honor at a wedding, or with you, Molly, then I have no problem with her doing that.”