Friends With Multiple Benefits

by Luke Young

  “Oh, yeah…” He chuckled. “If they had been born in April, I think a necklace would have been out of the question. You’d probably be looking at a ring right now.”

  “It’s beautiful.”

  “You’re beautiful.”

  Leaning over to him, she gave him a kiss. She lay on the carpet and motioned for him to join her. He lay down next to her and they gazed into each other’s eyes. She said, “We make cute babies.”

  “We really do.”

  She kissed him again and this time more passionately. Placing her hand on his chest, she ran it down his body to his stomach and finally to his groin. His erection was nearly at full size and tenting his shorts. She squeezed it hard and he groaned.

  He kissed her neck and she pulled away from him a little. “I’m not sure how I’m going to be able to make it another four weeks.”

  “Me either.” He kissed her again.

  She looked him in the eye and smiled. “Do you want me to give you a hand?”

  “You’re tired aren’t you?”

  “I’m always tired.”

  “You don’t have to.”

  “You sure?”

  “Yeah, I’m tired too,” he said.

  “He doesn’t seem tired.”

  “He’s never tired, but I’ll be okay.” He rolled onto his back and she lay her head on his chest.

  “Just hold me for a minute.”

  Wrapping his arms around her, he slipped his hand under her shirt and playfully ran his finger over the soft skin of her lower back.

  “That feels good.” She yawned. “God, I’m wiped out. I don’t even have the energy to brush my teeth.”

  “Yeah.” His eyes drifted closed.

  “Let’s just lay here for a few minutes.”

  “Okay.”

  In seconds they were both out cold and they didn’t wake until hours later when Dylan started crying.

  Brian’s parents actually had a Florida trip planned for late April after Ed’s hectic tax return season was over, but they canceled at the last minute. Jillian thought it was odd for grandparents to not want to see or spend time with their grandchildren, but the Nash parents were certainly not a normal couple.

  For the rest of the spring and summer, the new family grew and thrived together, settling into a routine of slightly more sleeping. Brian returned to work full time while Jillian worked part-time from home on the television series. The producers could not come to terms with Chase Hart to reprise his role as Brice from the movie, so a young actor named Jake Russell was cast instead.

  During this time Jillian also spent many hours Skyping with her daughter-in-law, her son, and her new granddaughter as they continued to live in their tropical paradise far, far away. Lots of pictures were exchanged between both sets of proud parents and a promise of a holiday get together was discussed at length.

  Victoria, juggling her therapy practice along with motherhood, spent as much time helping out with the twins as she could. Kaylie enjoyed visiting Jillian’s as well and was absolutely fascinated with the babies. The toddler was assuming a motherly role with the two as she helped as much as her little hands would allow.

  During the first week of September, rehearsals for the television show were in full swing and Brian had resumed his tennis training with his superstar celebrity client. Jillian somehow seemed at ease with the whole situation. Between work and the twins, not to mention the intoxicating security of having millions in the bank, she never had the desire or a minute to think about it.

  26

  After finally getting Kaylie to stay in her bed, Jim and Victoria sat down to watch the latest episode of Ray Donovan on demand. Two minutes after they hit play the doorbell rang. They shared a look. Jim asked, “Are you expecting anyone?”

  “No.”

  When he opened the door, he discovered his mother, Beverly, on the porch with a large suitcase. “Mom, what are you doing here?”

  “Hi, Jimmy.” She muscled past him and pulled the suitcase through the door.

  “I’ll get that.” He grabbed the bag from her and moved it near the wall.

  Wrapping her arms around him, she gave him a kiss on the cheek. “I came for a visit.”

  Victoria met them at the door wearing a shocked expression. “Hi, Beverly.”

  “Victoria, so good to see you.” She gave her a hug and a kiss as well.

  “Where’s Dad?” Jim stepped out to the porch and looked around.

  “Oh, he’s home.”

  “Home?” Jim entered the house and closed the door. He looked to Victoria with his eyes bugging out of his head. “How’d you get here?”

  “Have you ever heard of an airplane?” She chuckled.

  “But you came here alone?”

  “Yes.”

  “But you’ve never traveled anywhere alone before.”

  “Jim.” Victoria smiled. “Stop grilling her. I’m sure she’s tired from her trip.”

  “Oh, I am dear. I would love a cup of tea.”

  “I hope you plan to stay with us.”

  “I do.”

  “Great. Jim, please take your mother’s suitcase to the guest room.”

  “Oh, okay.” He shook his head as he watched Victoria lead his mother toward the kitchen.

  A few minutes later, Victoria and Beverly sipped tea while Jim sat gazing with concern at his mother. “So, Dad is home?”

  “Yes.”

  “In Delaware?”

  “Yes, Jim. That’s where our home is.” She made a face.

  “Wait, but I don’t understand.”

  “There is nothing to understand, Jimmy. I just came for a visit. I wanted to see my granddaughter. That is okay isn’t it?”

  “Um, yeah sure, but…”

  “Plus I wanted to talk to my new daughter-in-law.” She placed her hand on top of Victoria’s. “I’m so sorry that I couldn’t come to the wedding or come visit you sooner.”

  “That’s okay. It was sort of a last minute thing we sprung on you. My parents couldn’t make it either. Well, they watched Kaylie.”

  “We never got much of a chance to know one another and I want to fix that.”

  “I would love that.” Victoria smiled.

  “This is freaky,” Jim mumbled under his breath.

  “What?” Beverly asked.

  “Oh, nothing.”

  Victoria shot him a frown. “Why don’t you leave us girls alone for a while?”

  “Okay.” Rising from his chair, he slowly walked from the room. Once he was out of the kitchen he rushed to the bedroom, closed the door, and made a call. “Brian, it’s me. Mom’s here.”

  “Mom in Miami?”

  “Yeah, and Dad isn’t with her.”

  “What’s she doing here?” Brian asked.

  “She says she wanted to see her granddaughter and Victoria.”

  “Victoria? She doesn’t like Victoria.”

  “I know.” Jim opened the door slightly and could hear loud laughter coming from the kitchen. He whispered into the phone. “They are laughing like… like old friends.”

  “What? Is Mom drunk?”

  “I don’t think so.” Jim listened for another moment then closed the door. “Have you ever heard Mom laugh? Like really laugh.”

  “Um, I don’t think so. But where is Dad?”

  “She says he’s home.”

  “She’s never traveled anywhere alone before.”

  “I know.” Jim opened the door and again heard the laughter. “I’m going to go. I’ve got to find out what they’re talking about or get drunk or maybe both.”

  “Ok, call me back when you figure out what’s going on. I’ll call Dad.”

  “Good.”

  He returned to the kitchen and headed to the refrigerator. After grabbing a beer, he turned to find Victoria giving him a look. “What?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Would anyone like a beer?” Jim asked sheepishly.

  “No thank you, dear. Should you really be drinking this
late?”

  “Huh? No, it’s fine. I, um, I’m just going to watch some TV.” He shuffled past them to the living room and clicked the remote on the television. He turned the volume down to a whisper and craned his neck back to listen to the happenings in the kitchen. While pounding his beer, he listened to the continued laughter of his mother and wife as they discussed everything from Kaylie, to the local weather, to the wedding.

  Sitting there flabbergasted and listening to his suddenly chatty and cheery mother, he considered heading back to the kitchen for beer number two, but remembered the fully stocked refrigerator in the garage. He quietly made his way there to pick up another then returned to his seat. He arrived back just in time to hear the continued discussions of the two fast friends as they spoke about Victoria’s therapy practice, Jim and Victoria’s recent trip to Hawaii, Jillian’s pregnancy and life back in Delaware.

  After another couple trips to the garage, Jim was developing quite a buzz as the non-stop chitchat rolled on. He considered stopping in for beer number five, but after checking the clock and discovering it was after one a.m., he poked his head into the kitchen just to check on the two of them. After finding them still chatting away, he said goodnight then weaved his way tipsily to bed.

  27

  The next morning, Victoria dropped Beverly off at Brian’s to see the twins. Although she’d video chatted with her son and her grandsons a handful of times since their birth, this would be her first time she would meet them in person.

  Brian opened the door and smiled. “Hi, Mom.”

  “Brian, it’s so great to see you.” She gave him a hug then asked, “Where are they?” Hearing noise straight ahead, she headed for the great room. The boys sat in their reclining seats on the floor with identical play gyms sitting above them. Flailing their little hands wildly, they were both cooing and evidently having the time of their young lives.

  Beverly got on her knees and beamed. “They’re adorable. Thank God, they look just like you.”

  “Mom,” he grumbled.

  “What? Is it wrong to want your grandsons to look like their father?”

  “Please be nice to Jillian while you’re here.”

  “What?” Beverly sighed. “I’ve always been nice to her.”

  Brian rolled his eyes then lifted the activity gyms away from the seats. The twins gazed wide-eyed up to the face of the woman staring at them. Brian could have sworn at that moment the boys shared an odd look, but he knew they were much too young. He was positive, however, that their mother was telling them story after story about their grandmother when he wasn’t around.

  Brian pointed to the baby on the right. “This is Dylan and that’s Griffin.”

  She reached into the seat then picked up Dylan and cradled him in her arms. Her gaze went from one baby to the other. “I can’t tell them apart.”

  “Dylan’s head is thinner.”

  “Oh, okay.” She returned a slightly skeptical look. “Yeah, maybe.”

  “Are they identical?”

  “The doctors don’t think so. They shared a placenta, but there was a sack separation. I actually think they might be, but without DNA testing, I guess we won’t know.”

  “Well, they’re adorable.” Beverly ran a finger through the baby’s hair and said in a sing-songy voice, “How is your mommy treating you?”

  “Mom, geez.”

  “What? I’m just asking.”

  “What do you really think is going on here?”

  “I don’t know.” She made a face. “You’re the one who lives here. Is she still writing those dirty books?”

  He sighed. “You know they’re romance novels.”

  “Oh, is that what she’s still calling them.” Beverly handed over Dylan to his father then leaned down to pick up Griffin.

  “You’re adorable too.” She looked to her son. “He’s so precious.”

  “I know.” Brian kissed Dylan on the forehead then made a goofy face. “You’re precious too.” He turned to his mother. “Why didn’t you call?”

  “I wanted to surprise you.”

  “I am surprised, but where’s Dad. What’s going on with you two?”

  “Nothing is going on.” Beverly rubbed her finger gently across the baby’s chest and added in a sing-songy voice, “That’s right nothing is going on.”

  “I called him last night and he said he didn’t know what was going on either. He said you didn’t even tell him where you were going.”

  “Well, sometimes couples just need time apart.”

  “What’s really the matter with you two?”

  She looked him in the eye. “There are some things that should just be kept private.”

  “Dad is on his way here.”

  “He can do whatever he wants.” Beverly shot her son a snooty look then returned a smile to the baby. “You are such a cute boy.”

  “Okay.” Brian sighed. “When Dad gets here Jillian wants to have you both over for dinner.”

  “Oh, I didn’t know she cooked.”

  “Mom.”

  “What?”

  “I mean, that’s wonderful. She writes AND cooks. I think a woman with children should be home with those children especially during their formative years.”

  “We’re sharing that responsibility. My schedule is flexible and one of us is always here.”

  Beverly frowned. “Well, that’s another way to do it, I guess.”

  When she returned her attention to the baby, he rolled his eyes and sighed.

  28

  When Beverly returned to Victoria and Jim’s house, Victoria was in her office with a client and Kaylie was with Victoria’s mother. Beverly walked through the door and spotted her husband Edward sitting on the sofa.

  “Beverly.” Rising to his feet, he headed toward her.

  “What are you doing here?” She refused to look at him as she walked toward the kitchen.

  “I came to find you.” He followed after her. “Why didn’t you tell me where you were going?”

  “I had to get away.”

  “Get away from what?”

  “I just needed some time to myself.” She grabbed the kettle from the stove and filled it with water. “Since you won’t go to therapy with me, we really have nothing to talk about.”

  He sighed. “Not that again.”

  After placing the kettle on the burner and turning it on, she gave him a pointed look. “Oh, yes, it’s that again.”

  Victoria walked through the back door and stopped in her tracks. “Oh, Beverly you’re back. I called Brian and told him that Ed was here. Did you get the message?”

  “Uh-huh.” Beverly sneered at her husband then she turned to Victoria wearing a cheery smile. “Would you like some tea, dear?”

  Victoria took in Edward’s sad and confused expression then returned her attention to Beverly. “Um, maybe I should let you guys have some time together.”

  “No, I don’t want you to leave.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes, I came here to visit you, so please stay.”

  “Okay.” Victoria took the milk out of the refrigerator.

  A few minutes later, Victoria and Beverly sat at the table sipping tea with the empty-handed Ed sitting with them.

  “Ed, are you sure you don’t want anything?” Victoria asked.

  “No, thank you.”

  “I could have told you that,” Beverly grumbled.

  “What are you saying, Beverly?” Victoria asked.

  “He doesn’t want anything.”

  “Please don’t start.” Edward sighed.

  “What doesn’t he want?” Victoria asked with concern.

  “Sex with me.”

  “Beverly, please this isn’t the time.”

  “When is the time, Ed?” She wiped away a tear. “You tell me when the right time is?”

  Victoria put her hand on top of Beverly’s arm. “What’s going on with you two?”

  “We… we haven’t been intimate for more than a year
.” Beverly gazed into her mug and sniffled.

  “Um, well…” Victoria looked to Ed, who was sitting there frowning with his hands folded. “Is this true?”

  “No offense, but I don’t want to talk about personal issues like this.”

  “Why not?” Beverly began. “She is a therapist.”

  He closed his eyes and shook his head. “Some things just should not be discussed. Personal things.”

  Beverly took a sip of her tea. “Ever since the leader of our church was arrested for fraud, he hasn’t touched me.”

  “What?”

  “Yes, we belonged to this church…” She shuddered. “We just fell into it really. We had these neighbors and they got us to go. The church had these strange rituals and required that we give them lots of our money.”

  “I see.”

  “While we were in the church we had an active sex life, but it all just stopped.”

  Victoria asked, “How long were you members of the church?”

  “About four years.”

  “And before that, how was sex between you.”

  “Um…” Beverly looked her in the eye then paused to gaze at the ceiling. “Well, it wasn’t like this.”

  “Okay.” Victoria sipped her tea then turned her attention to Edward. “Ed, can you tell me what you’re feeling right now?”

  He returned a sour look.

  “Ed,” Victoria began. “I can’t help unless you open up.”

  He curled his lip and shook his head.

  Beverly said, “He claims that he’s just not interested in sex anymore. But… but I caught him…”

  Suddenly, Jim walked through the back door carrying his sleeping daughter the moment his mother added, “Ask him why he’s masturbating when he won’t touch me.”

  Jim stopped in his tracks.

  “Ask him?”

  “No, please don’t ask him,” Jim pleaded.

  Victoria shot her husband a disappointed look.

  “Hi, Dad.” Jim gave his wife a pointed look. “I’m going to put her down. Victoria, could you please help me?”

  “I’m in the middle of something.”

  “I really need to see you right now,” Jim said.

  After dropping Kaylie off in her room, Jim grabbed his wife’s hand, led her into the bathroom, and closed the door. “What are you doing?”