Complications

by Mj Williamz

  “I’ll be here.”

  Dorinda kissed Susan again and Susan was lightheaded as she let herself out of the house. She drove to Mel’s house where they’d agreed to meet and found Mel on the couch drinking a beer.

  “Hey, babe.” Mel got up and kissed Susan on the cheek. “How’d it go today?”

  “Mel, we need to talk.”

  *

  Mel felt sick. These were the words she’d been dreading hearing. She was about to lose the one woman she really thought was in it for the long haul.

  “Yeah?” she said. “What about?”

  “Dorinda and I had a talk today.”

  “I hardly see why that would be any concern to me.”

  “Mel, please,” Susan said. “This is hard enough. Please let me say this.”

  “Go ahead.” Mel leaned back against the sofa in defeat. She knew what was coming and she just wanted to get it over with.

  “I’ve decided I’d like to start seeing Dorinda again—”

  “Just like that, huh? Never mind you just told me you’re crazy about me just the other night.”

  “Would you let me finish, for Christ’s sake?”

  “What else do you need to say?” Mel shot back.

  “I want to continue seeing you, too.”

  “What?” Mel was stunned. So she wanted to keep one foot grounded in security while she tested the waters with the other? How fair was that to Mel? “I don’t know about that.”

  “Why not? Mel, I’m crazy about you.”

  “Then go tell Dorinda to fuck herself.”

  “It’s not that simple.”

  “I think it is,” Mel said.

  “I can’t choose between the two of you,” Susan said. “Not yet.”

  “You can’t make up your mind between someone who hurt you physically and emotionally versus someone who’s only treated you with kindness and respect? That seems odd.”

  “She’s changed.”

  “Sure she has.”

  “Mel, please. I don’t want to lose you.”

  “I think you already have.”

  Mel felt the urge to cry, something she hadn’t done in so long she couldn’t remember the last time she had. She wasn’t going to, though. If Susan didn’t want her, she wasn’t worth a tear.

  “I’m serious, Mel,” Susan said. “I want to date you both. I want to make up my mind over who I want to be with.”

  “You need to leave.”

  “No. Not until this is resolved.”

  “This is my house, and I’m asking you nicely to leave. Now, please do so.”

  “When will I see you again?” Susan said.

  “I don’t know.”

  “Mel, please—”

  “Get out of here, Susan. I’ve tried being polite, but I’m not feeling it. Get the fuck out of here, okay?”

  She saw the tears flow down Susan’s cheeks and fought to remain cold. She wanted to take Susan in her arms and hold her until the tears stopped. But Susan had made her choice. She had to go while Mel thought things over.

  With Susan gone, Mel popped open another beer and sat on the couch. She texted Joey to see if she could come over. Joey said sure and she was out the door.

  Mel knocked on the door and Samantha opened it.

  “Where’s Susan?” she said.

  “She’s not here,” Mel said.

  “Okay. Is everything all right?”

  “No. Nothing is,” Mel said.

  “Oh. Well, Joey’s in the playroom with DJ. I’ll get you a beer.”

  Mel found Joey building blocks with DJ. She looked up when Mel walked in.

  “Hey,” she said. “Where’s Susan?”

  “I neither know nor care.”

  “Uh-oh. What happened?”

  “She wants to start dating Dorinda, Joey.”

  “Oh, man. I’m sorry, Mel.” She patted DJ on his head and stood. “You want to talk about it?”

  “Yeah. Yeah, I do. I’m so confused.”

  Samantha was back with a beer for each of them and a glass of wine for herself.

  “Would you two rather be alone?” she said.

  “No,” Mel said. “I’d love to have you here. Maybe you can make some sense out of everything.”

  “What’s going on?” Samantha said.

  Mel wondered how she could always sound so calm and pleasant. She wondered if she managed to maintain that composure working with the kids all day.

  “Susan wants to start seeing Dorinda,” Mel said. “But she also wants to keep seeing me.”

  “Oh, wow,” Samantha said. “That is a predicament. How do you feel?”

  “I’m pissed,” Mel said, then remembered DJ. “I mean I’m mad. I’m really mad. How dare she? One minute she’s telling me she’s crazy about me and the next she wants to mess around with someone else. And she still says she’s crazy about me. I don’t get it.”

  “Clearly, she’s confused,” Samantha said.

  “Confused, sure,” Joey said. “But she’s got a lot of damned nerve wanting to date both of them.”

  “Watch the language, hon,” Samantha said. “And you’re right. But the poor girl is flustered. Here is this wonderful woman who’s crazy about her and they go out for a while and everything is perfect. Then along comes the evil ex, who’s not so evil anymore and who wants to woo her back. She’s in a tough spot, Mel.”

  “Screw her,” Mel said. “Having two women to mess around with. How is that tough?”

  “You’re not listening,” Samantha said gently.

  “I am. I hear you. But what about me? What about what’s fair to me?”

  “Yeah,” Joey said. “What about Mel’s wants and needs? And pride, for that matter?”

  “Well, you need to decide what’s more important to you, Mel. Susan or your pride?”

  “I’ve given my heart to her.”

  “Does she know that?” Samantha said.

  “Isn’t it obvious?” Joey said.

  Samantha laughed softly.

  “Oh, my poor bois. You assume things are obvious to your femmes that aren’t. Unless you tell her, she’s going to be insecure.”

  “But I told her I was crazy about her,” Mel said.

  “Did you? Out loud and everything?”

  “Yes.”

  “See?” Joey said. “She knew how Mel felt and still she’s playing these games. Who agrees to start dating someone else when they already have a girlfriend? A hell of a girlfriend, at that?”

  “Look, Mel,” Samantha said. “You need to consider this. She’s not leaving you for Dorinda. She’s giving you an equal shot. She wants to keep seeing you, as well. You need to take advantage of that and really turn on the charm.”

  Mel exhaled loudly.

  “I don’t know. I don’t like the idea of sharing.”

  “I might not know this Dorinda woman,” Samantha said. “But I know that outside of my Joey, there’s only one woman who can truly melt a woman’s heart. You just need to work your mojo.”

  “I don’t feel like she’s deserving of my mojo.”

  “She is if you truly love her. Now, come on. Dinner’s ready.”

  “I’m not hungry,” Mel said.

  “You need to eat,” Samantha said. “Joey, will you put DJ in his high chair please?”

  They sat to dinner and Mel ate most of the casserole on her plate. She had a great time feeding DJ and soon felt better about life. Not great, but better. Maybe Samantha was right. Maybe she just needed to really turn on the charm and she’d win her over.

  Mel said good night and drove off in search of Susan. She drove to her house, but she wasn’t there. Begrudgingly, she drove by Dorinda’s house. No sign of her car there, either. She wondered where she could be. Surely she wouldn’t be at Kindred Spirits. Not on her day off. But she drove by and her car was in the parking lot. She pulled in and went inside.

  She saw Susan at the bar with her lemon drop in front of her. She crossed the quiet bar to sit next to her.


  “I’d have thought a hot woman like you would be with one of the women she was dating. I didn’t expect to find you alone at the bar.”

  She signaled to the bartender for a half pitcher.

  “Very funny,” Susan said. “I hurt someone I care very much about today. I just wanted to be alone.”

  “You know, you don’t have to hurt me,” Mel said.

  “I can’t rehash it, Mel.”

  “I get it. Do you want to come home now? It’s been a long day.”

  “I think I need to be alone.”

  “Okay. I’ll take off. Maybe tomorrow or sometime we can discuss the ground rules.”

  “The ground rules?” Susan said.

  “Well, yeah. Like sex, for example. Will you be just dating us or will you be sleeping with us, as well? And what about us? Are we only allowed to date you or can we date other people, too? There’s lots to be worked out.”

  “Oh, man. I hadn’t considered any of that.”

  Mel wanted to scream at her. To say of course she hadn’t. She just thought she could have it both ways and that would be the end of it. Well, Mel planned to charm her pants off her, even as she made her feel like a fool. It was a talent few had, but she was going to use her talents to their fullest.

  “Yeah. I’ve gotten used to sharing my bed with you.” She lowered her voice. “My toys with you. I need to know what’s allowed and what’s not.”

  “I don’t know. I suppose I’ll have to think about it.”

  “Because if you really want to sleep with her, then how can I believe you still have feelings for me?”

  “I’m so confused, Mel. I don’t know what I want.”

  “So figure it out and let me know, okay?”

  “I know I want to keep seeing you.”

  Mel wished she hadn’t ordered her beer now. All she wanted to do was get out of there. She’d said her piece. She didn’t need to hear Susan try to make it like she was the poor, pitiful one.

  “Okay, but just dating. No sex, right?”

  “Mel, I can’t imagine not having sex with you.”

  “Well, you can’t sleep with either of us, I don’t think. I think that’s asking too much for us to sit back and let another woman have her way with you. I think I draw the line at sleeping with us.”

  “I guess that makes sense. But it’s going to be so hard.”

  “It’s not going to be easy on Dorinda and me either, Susan. None of this is.”

  “I get that. I just want to make sure I’m with the right woman.”

  “And I think you already were, but if this is what you need to do to prove it to yourself, then so be it. I’ll see you tomorrow after work,” she said and left the bar.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  “So what did you do after you left last night?” Joey asked Mel as they got their tool belts on and got ready for work.

  “I went looking for Susan. Found her at the bar.”

  “Yeah? And? How’d it go?”

  “I simply pointed out to her that there needed to be some ground rules,” Mel said. “She tried to make it out like she was the one suffering because she couldn’t choose, but I didn’t let her get to me.”

  “Did you hold your temper?”

  “I was sweet as sugar,” Mel said. “One thing I told her is that she can’t have sex with either of us.”

  “Ouch. You gonna be able to live by that?”

  “I’m going to have to. The way I look at it, she won’t last. She’ll cave and choose me quicker if she’s not getting any from either of us.”

  “And do you trust her?” Joey said. “Or more importantly, do you trust Dorinda not to have sex with her?”

  “I have to, Joey. I have to trust Susan. Dorinda? I don’t trust as far as I can throw, but I need to trust Susan. Now more than ever.”

  They got through the workday and Mel went home and showered. She put on her khaki shorts and Kelly green shirt. The one she knew showed off her eyes. She wasn’t going down without a fight. That was for sure.

  She walked into Kindred Spirits at five o’clock. The place was busier than usual, but Mel found a booth and sat to wait for Susan. She was there in just a few minutes.

  “Wow, Mel. You look hot.”

  “Thanks. So do you.”

  “Can I get you the usual?”

  “Please.”

  “What are we doing after I get off?” Susan said.

  “We’re going to The Shack and then for a walk along the beach. It should be the perfect night for it.”

  “Oh, wow. That sounds romantic. I can’t wait.”

  She brought Mel her beer.

  “I wish I could sit down and talk to you,” she said. “But I’m awfully busy.”

  “That’s okay,” Mel said. “I’ll have you to myself in a couple of hours.”

  “Yeah, you will.” She smiled.

  Mel’s heart skipped a beat. Damn, it was going to be hard to spend time with Susan and not bed her. She was so fine and Mel wanted her in the worst sort of way. Probably because she couldn’t have her. Wasn’t that always the case? You always wanted what you couldn’t have. Just look at Joey and Samantha. But Joey had eventually won out, and Mel hoped she would, too.

  She was still working on her third half pitcher when Susan got off work. Susan grabbed a lemon drop and joined her.

  “So, you had a good day, then, with all these people, huh?” Mel said.

  “I did. I made bank today. And everyone was in such a great mood. It was a lot of fun.”

  “That’s awesome.”

  “Yep.”

  They sat in awkward silence.

  “So, I’m guessing I won’t see you tomorrow night, right?” Mel finally said.

  “No. I won’t come over after Dorinda’s. There’s no point, right?”

  “I suppose not. I might come down here after work, though.”

  “That would be great.”

  “Okay, good. Oh, and what about Saturday?” Mel said.

  “Dorinda asked me out for that night.”

  “Ah. Okay. I guess.”

  “I’m sorry. I guess. I mean… Oh. I don’t know.”

  “It’s all good,” Mel said. She didn’t feel it, but knew she had to keep up the laid-back front.

  “I’d like to see you sometime Saturday. Surf lessons, maybe? We were supposed to go to that super-sized toy store I was telling you about, but I don’t think that would be very appropriate now.”

  Susan pouted.

  “You sure?”

  “Positive. We’ll surf.”

  “Okay. I’ll come over as soon as I wake up.”

  “Great.”

  They finished their drinks and Susan followed Mel to The Shack. The place was fairly crowded and the jukebox was blaring. They took the last empty table. Mel looked around the place and recognized Tiffany over by the jukebox with a group of friends. She walked over.

  “Hey, Mel.”

  Mel stood and hugged her. The feel of those young, firm breasts caused her boxers to dampen. She turned to face Susan.

  “Susan, you remember Tiffany, don’t you?”

  “Of course.” Susan held out her hand. Tiffany took it, and Mel’s mind flashed briefly to how much fun it would be to have both women in her bed. She shook the image from her mind and sat down.

  “It was good to see you again,” she said.

  “Always good to see you, Mel.” She walked off.

  After they’d ordered, Mel decided it was time to talk rules again.

  “So, what about dating other people?” she said.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well, you’re dating someone else, so can I?”

  “Mel, if you’re thinking of dating Tiffany, I can’t help but point out how young she is again.”

  “Not her necessarily,” Mel said. “Just in general. If you can date other people, so can I, right?”

  “I guess…but no sex.”

  “Ah, yes. The no sex clause.”

  “If I can’
t have sex with either of you, then you can’t have sex with anyone either,” Susan said.

  “Really, then what’s the point of dating anyone?” Mel laughed.

  Susan apparently didn’t see the humor.

  “I am perfectly capable of dating without sex.”

  “Good for you.”

  They ate their dinners, then Mel took Susan’s hand as they walked along to beach. The fog had stayed away that evening and the night was still warm. The surf broke next to them peacefully. It was almost like romantic music made just for lovers. But Mel couldn’t think that way. Susan was no longer her lover. They were simply dating.

  When they got to the pier, Susan turned and ran her hands over Mel’s chest.

  “What’s up?” Mel said. Her whole body was alive at Susan’s touch. Every nerve ending was on alert.

  “Nothing. I don’t think it’s anywhere in the rules that we can’t kiss.”

  “No. I don’t think it is.”

  “So.” Susan slinked her arms around Mel’s neck. “Why don’t you kiss me, Mel?”

  Mel looked at her, saw the moonlight in her eyes and the need in them as well. She lowered her mouth and brushed Susan’s lips with her own.

  “I meant a real kiss,” Susan said. She pulled Mel to her and kissed her hard. She opened her mouth and urged Mel to enter.

  Mel gave in with a groan. She needed Susan so desperately. She wanted her with every ounce of her being. She pulled away.

  “What?” Susan said.

  “You’re not doing anything to help me with that no sex business.”

  “I know. I want you so bad. I’m so wet right now.” She took Mel’s hand and went to put it between her legs.

  “No way.” Mel pulled away. “You’re not going to do that to me. No sex means no sex. Now, let’s get you home.”

  *

  Susan thought it was awfully chivalrous for Mel to follow her home. She walked down to Mel’s car and invited her in.

  “No,” Mel said. “I’d better get going. I’ll see you tomorrow at the bar.”

  “Okay.” Susan leaned in for a kiss, which Mel returned, slightly. “Aw, Mel. Come on.”

  “No way,” Mel said. “You’re not going to get me all amped and then leave me like that. Now get inside and I’ll take off.”

  “Fine.” Susan was disappointed. She liked kissing Mel. She was the best kisser she’d ever met. She didn’t want to go in alone, but she did. She waved to Mel from the porch, then entered her house and closed her door behind her.