Triptych
Thirty
MELODY’S KISS left Lissa a panting puddle in the middle of the bathroom as the tub filled.
“I don’t think I can do this any longer,” she said. “Do we have to stay in this state all the way to next weekend?”
“No!” Melody and I both shouted.
“However,” I said, “we have to stay this way until tomorrow’s match with George and Nicole. Today was amazing. I felt like we were one person on the court. We won’t know if that’s transferable to a competition until we play against someone else while we’re in this state.”
“No nooky tonight? What about Meddy?” Melody whined. We climbed into the tub with Lissa sandwiched between us.
“I think it’s good for you, too, darling,” I said. “Don’t tell me you aren’t filled with energy and passion when you go to class or when you start to draft a new pattern.”
“So much so, that when I see Kate I just want to jump her bones!” Melody said. “Amy and Sandra are looking pretty damn good right now, too. And there’s this guy in Graphics Lab…”
“Hey!” I said.
“Well, everyone is looking good right now,” Melody said. “I need to wear a tampon to keep from dripping. And it’s only been three days!”
“We’ve gone longer without sex than that,” Lissa said. “What is it?”
“I think it’s because we’re being conscious about it and that we’re intentionally trying to keep each other aroused,” I said. I emphasized my point by letting my hand dip into her cleft beneath the water in the tub. Lissa moaned. Melody did, too, and I knew that Lissa had clutched her where I couldn’t see.
“I’m worried about something else, though,” Melody said when she caught her breath. “I don’t think we should do this next week before we see Kate.”
“I’m all for getting a little relief from my lovers,” Lissa said. “Why?”
“If we were in this state when she comes over, I don’t know that I’d be able to control myself,” Melody said. “We don’t know that she wants to go all the way with us yet and I don’t want to be so horny that I can’t stop.”
“That’s a good point,” I said. “Oh. And speaking of other people coming over, let’s not forget that Wendy will be here in a couple of hours. I really don’t know what’s going on with her, but the girl is looking thin and tired all the time. Kate knows something, but she says it’s up to Wendy to tell her own story.”
“I think that’s good advice for all of us to follow,” Lissa said. “I want to tell both of you everything, but we should always let others tell their own stories as they want to share them… if we can. As long as we’re not holding out from each other on important things, our friends should know that they can talk to us in confidence.”
“That’s why I’ve been holding back,” I said. “I shared the things that affect us as a family and our relationship with Kate, but she really should be the one who tells you about her family, not me.”
“As long as not knowing doesn’t adversely affect us, I agree,” Melody said. “But if I don’t get out of this tub right now, my lover is going to get my come all over her pretty painted nails.”
“Thank you so much for letting me crash here tonight,” Wendy said as we sat down to a late-night snack. She arrived a little after nine and we’d just set out some food. She seemed ravenous.
“I’m sorry to hear that your living conditions are bad,” Lissa said. “Any hope of improvement?”
“I think so. I have a different place next month after classes start. Until I can get moved, though, I’m not getting much rest. You know, there’s just so much to do,” she answered.
“I can understand that,” I said. “It seemed like we’d never get Melody and me moved out here, and we both had plenty of time to pack. Anytime you need to get some sleep, just stop by and crash.”
“Speaking of which,” Melody said, “one of us has already started classes and has to get up in the morning. You lazy bums can sleep in all you want.”
“Not me,” Lissa said. “It’s parent orientation day at Kindergarten for Drew. He’s so excited to be in ‘real school’ like his brother. I’ll be out of here by eight, so why don’t I drop you off?”
“Oh, you’re such a sweet lover. Come to bed and I’ll show you how much I appreciate you!”
“I thought you had to go to sleep,” I laughed. “Let’s not keep our guest awake tonight.”
“I’m not sure you could do anything to keep me awake,” Wendy laughed. “Have at it. Do you mind if I shower before I sleep? I feel so gross I’d just get the sheets dirty.”
“Everything you need should be in there,” Lissa said. “Just holler if there’s something missing.”
“And in spite of what they say,” I said, “if these two are getting up in the morning, I’ll be up. It seems I’m the only one who can make coffee in this house. So sleep as long as you want and let me know when you want a cup. I’ll be in the studio downstairs.”
I got Melody and Lissa fed and out of the house on time in the morning. Once they realized that we were still under a ‘no orgasm’ code for the night, they focused on going to sleep as quickly as possible. There was an awful lot of moaning and squirming in the bed, though. Some of it from me.
I’d been looking forward to this morning. I had four canvases on easels in the basement and was in a different stage for each one. Next week, I would officially move my studio to our new space, but today I just needed to paint. I needed to prepare a canvas for the family painting I’d be sketching next weekend, but that wasn’t urgent. I also wanted to sketch out a smaller canvas with the image of the Singhs that I captured at the table yesterday. They were commissioning the family portrait that I’d do in their home next weekend, but the model release would cover another salable work as well. They were just so nice together. What I really wanted to work on this morning was the picture of Kate, her mom, and her sister dancing. It was another good-sized canvas and I was sure Clarice was going to love this one. From the eight lines I’d drawn by the fire, a full and dramatic composition had taken shape on my easel.
I tuned my playlist to some drumming music—a mix of both Indian tabla and Native American drums with a little Japanese Taiko drumming mixed in. It was nothing like the primal rhythms that Grandpa Ken and company managed to fill the night with, but I got some pretty good rhythms playing and was deep in my own world in no time. Just thinking of that night had me swaying as I added splashes of firelight color to the figures of the three women. Gypsies. Right here in the Pacific Northwest.
Well, at least one. What would it take to get Kate to dance for us?
Wendy startled me when she appeared at my shoulder. I pulled myself out of the music and turned to her as I took off my headset.
“Hey! Good morning,” I said. “Looks like you found the coffee. I could fix you up some breakfast if you’d like.
“I brought the coffee for you, Tony. You shouldn’t have to serve me,” Wendy said.
“I don’t think of it as serving you,” I laughed. “You’re our guest.”
She looked at the unfinished painting and began to arrange herself to mimic one of the poses.
“How do they do that?” she asked. “I think it’s impossible to get into that position.”
“They had to dance into the position,” I said. “It was fun to watch.”
“Don’t you usually paint nudes?” Wendy asked. I noticed her robe was slipping off one shoulder as she posed. While I watched, it fell the rest of the way and she stood in a very reasonable copy of Gypsy’s dance pose, but without a stitch on. “I’ll stand in for you.”
“That’s not necessary, Wendy,” I said gently.
“I’ll do anything for you, Tony. I don’t have any other way to repay your kindness.”
What the fuck? Was Wendy offering…? She relaxed out of the pose and stepped toward me.
“Let me serve you,” she said. Serve?
“Wendy!”
I grabbed hold of her arm to keep her from going down to her knees. She winced. I didn’t think I’d grabbed that hard, but I lightened my grip and she sank the rest of the way to her knees. I grabbed her robe and reached to pull it across her shoulders.
That’s when I saw the bruises.
Not just her shoulders—Wendy‘s entire back was bruised. I pulled the robe around her and knelt beside her.
“Wendy, what happened?”
“I just fell. It’s nothing.”
“Wendy, that’s not from falling. Who beat you up?”
“It’s not like that. I was just acting stupid and he punished me.”
“He who, Wendy?”
“Rafe. My boyfriend.”
“I thought you broke up with that bastard,” I said. The son of a bitch! I gently tugged at Wendy’s hand and got her to stand up. We went upstairs and sat on the sofa so we could talk while I put put antibacterial cream on the wounds that were open.
“I was… I didn’t have… I was staying with Kate,” she finally said. Whoa! What? “She knew I didn’t have anywhere to go, so she let me stay in her dorm room. But then her roommate came last weekend and I had to leave and there was no place and I went back. I thought it would be okay. I’d be good and he’d let me live there again. And then…”
“Oh god, Wendy! How could you go back there?”
“I didn’t at first. I was staying in my car. It’s all I have, Tony. I went back Wednesday and he… did this… and I don’t have anything left.”
There was no stopping the tears now. I wanted to take her to the hospital, but she refused to go. I wanted to call the police, but Wendy was convinced he’d hurt her worse if she reported him. I was in way over my head and didn’t know what I was going to do.
“I’ll leave. I don’t want to cause problems for you.”
“You absolutely will not!” I almost shouted. “You will stay with us until school starts and you’re in your new place. Melody and Lissa would throw me out if I didn’t insist you stay.”
Wendy stared at me for a moment. I guess she wanted to make sure I was serious, so I stared her right in the eye to make sure she understood. She breathed a huge sigh and lowered her eyes to the floor.
“Yes, Tony. Thank you. I’m sorry I’ve caused you inconvenience. May I go get dressed now?”
“Of course you can,” I chuckled. “I’ll go get us some lunch ready. Lissa will be home soon and we’ll all talk about this.”
“Please let me help,” she said. There was a fiery look in her eyes that told me she really wanted to help with the cooking.
“Sure,” I said. “You can probably give me some pointers. My culinary repertoire is still kind of limited.”
“Why don’t you go back to paint for a while? I’ll take care of it.”
“I don’t feel quite right about leaving you to fix lunch alone.”
“You are giving me a place to stay. Please let me serve you… lunch.”
Her head was hanging again as she looked at the floor. I reached over and lifted her chin with my finger.
“Thank you,” I said. “I appreciate your willingness to help out, but shouldn’t you go to work?”
“I told Carma I would be late this morning. I need to work the evening shift, but I expected to be… otherwise engaged this morning,” Wendy said.
“The only other engagements you’ll have here are getting healthy and rested. When Lissa gets home, I’m sure she’ll have some ideas on how to treat your injuries. One thing though,” I said as I suddenly thought of something. She might not want the police involved, but there needed to be a record of what happened to her. “Wait right there for a minute.”
I ran downstairs and grabbed my camera from my bag. When I got upstairs she hadn’t moved. She looked at me expectantly.
“I want to take a picture of you… of your injuries,” I said. “If anything ever happens, I want the evidence. Do you mind disrobing again?”
I didn’t expect her to just drop it where she was standing while she was facing me. I kind of have this thing about girls. Wendy was pretty, though her hair was a bit bedraggled and she was way too skinny. She has nicely shaped tits that I’d first seen encased in a red bra when she leaned over my table in the restaurant several months ago. Her nipples and areola are dark and stick out prominently. I could have counted her ribs if I’d been looking at them instead of letting my eyes rake down her body to take in her pussy. Like Kate, she’d let her hair regrow after the posing party and it was a dark mass of curls that disappeared between her legs. Skinny legs.
Damn! This going without an orgasm for four days and teasing my wives left me with a hair trigger and my cock pressed out against my shorts. I was sure she noticed because she smiled as if she’d just achieved something miraculous. I gulped.
“Uh… I meant to take the picture of the side with the bruises.”
I wiggled my fingers and she slowly pivoted away from me. The angry purple streaks stared back at me from her back, her buttocks, and her thighs. Some had broken the skin. What the hell did he hit her with? I snapped half a dozen pictures, then picked up her robe and draped it over her shoulders.
“Thank you,” I said.
“Anytime, Tony,” she said. “Anytime at all.”
When Lissa got home, she was surprised to find lunch waiting, but Wendy gone. She came downstairs and asked me what was going on.
I hadn’t heard Wendy leave and just hoped that she had gone to work and hadn’t run away. I filled Lissa in on what had happened during the morning and my insistence that Wendy stay with us until school started. I showed her the pictures and she gasped.
“Who did this to her?” she screamed.
“Her ex-boyfriend,” I answered. “Lissa, we can’t let her go back.”
“Absolutely not. You did right, Tony. She stays here.”
“There is a little problem, though,” I said. “I think you and Melody should handle it. She kind of offered herself to me as payment. Obviously, I refused, but I’m worried that she might think she owes us… for living here. I don’t want to worry about getting… uh… trapped here if we’re alone.”
“Wendy is a sweet girl and we wouldn’t be upset if you found her… attractive,” Lissa smiled. “But you are right that we don’t want her feeling sexually obligated just because we’re being nice. Maybe we should ask Kate how she handled having her live in the dorm. I’ve always felt that Wendy didn’t discriminate between men and women.”
“Speaking of men and women,” I said, “we have a mixed doubles match this afternoon. You know what I want to do first?”
“What? You have an evil glint in your eye.”
“I want to lick you until your juices are running so much you have a wet spot on your gym shorts,” I said.
“Oh…”
She moaned and I took that as her consent. I licked her slowly for several minutes, never quite getting to the point of climaxing. Just when she was grabbing my head to push it more firmly between her legs, I stood up and tossed her shorts to her.
“Time to go meet our challengers,” I said. I led her out with my dick pointing the way.
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