Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience.
 
 Gla_14Let The Joyous News Be Spread The Wicked Old Witch At Last Is
Dead!!!!

   (With apologies to Frank L!  lol)

   All that is herein contained is not for the consumption of those under
the legal age to be in possession of Adult Material or Materiel in any
wise, guise, and shape or form in any region, municipality, county, state
or nation.  If you is not of proper age or legal station, then you should
oughta not be a readin' this here!!!

   This Work Copyright (c) Khanundrum 2006

   Glasage et Noir

   Chapter 14

   ("The very thought of you

   And I forget to do

   The little ordinary things

   That everyone ought to do...")

   I was standing well above the Inlet; there were at least forty-five feet
between the water and me.  The tide was forcing the water through the cut
with authority.  The Inlet was not all that big, maybe one square-mile. 
The great thing about it was the small fresh water river that ran into the
back of it.  This river was only twenty feet across where it met the sea
and the inlet had been carved out of the rocky land over many thousands of
years.  Due to the nature of the Tidal flow at this latitude, the natural
effect of running water was massively compounded by the eroding effect of
ocean water being pounded into and sucked back out of what must have at the
outset been just a simple tiny flow of fresh water down to the beach.

   I stood high up on a rocky ledge above the cut.  My line was racing
across the choppy water as the three-foot plus Striper pulled against the
reel's drag.  I was running seventeen-pound test line and had the drag set
around twelve or thirteen.

   This bruiser was gonna run for a bit.  Fish of this size always require
steady nerves on the part of the angler; just a small mistake would leave
my lovely lure in old lineside's mouth.  And I would be stripping off
over-stretched useless line from my spool.

   I had been fighting him for just a minute.  I could feel every one of my
muscles singing the sweet song of FISH ON!

   All the universe narrowed down to the connection between us: every
movement on my part was purposeful and intended to accomplish only one
thing.

   FISH FRY!  lol

   I was tracking to my left as I followed the fish up into the Inlet.  He
was moving toward shallow water and I knew I needed to follow as quickly as
possible to maintain the proper pressure on him.  All I needed to do was
keep him fighting against the drag and stay in the small bay.

   If he took off for the cut and the ocean beyond I would not yet be able
to turn him back because he was still too new to the hook.

   I got lucky.

   He took to the air, instead!

   There is something majestic and mystical about fish that will go skyward
to escape capture.  This fish was all of that.

   He was a coruscation of silver and white and black and fins and tail and
mouth and eyes.

   I thrilled to see such a magnificent animal attached to me by such a
tenuous thread.

   He leapt again and again.  Each time he returned to the water it was
only to yet again go aloft.

   I could feel my blood singing in delight.

   I could not imagine a better feeling...

   Except, perhaps....

   ("Arthur, Sweetheart")

   Fish On!

   ("Chef-Boy!")

   Such a beautiful brute, so bright, so powerful...

   ("Oh, Angel!  He's in outer space!")

   Hey!  Where'd the water go?!

   ("I think he's coming to")

   Huh?

   "Arthur?"

   Gone in a flash!  Damn!  I lose more fish that way!  lol

   "Hah!  I see his eye crackin' open, Angel.  He's in there!  Arthur! 
Sugar, its mornin'!"

   "Uhhn...  hi," I mumbled.

   Wasn't I just by the water...?  Lol

   I carefully opened both eyes.  Carrie was lying next to me on one side
and Crys sat on the other.  I reached out a hand to each of them.  Carrie
captured one against her breast.  Crys grasped the other tightly.

   Both of them had that look in their eye.

   That look of 'what is your problem'!  lol

   "Man!  Whatta fish!" I mumbled.

   Carrie giggled while Crys leaned over and down to give me a kiss. 
Carrie stretched toward me to deliver a kiss at the same moment.  Three
sets of lips met as one.

   We held the kiss for a few moments.

   "Sugar," Crys said, "what are you talkin' about?" She lightly ran her
palm over my cheek.  "There ain't no fish here Chef-Boy."

   Carrie chuckled softly as she asked me, "Arthur, were you dreaming
again?"

   I closed my eyes as I drew breath to answer.

   "Mmmmm...", I said.  "I think it was more a Vision From God.  I was tied
onto a magnificent Striper on the Coast of Maine.  I was chasing him and he
was leaping again and again.  I was sure I was gonna have some real fresh
fish..."

   Both of my loves lay down at my side as I told them of my dream.

   "The Bay was so beautiful and the water was so blue.  Everything was
working just like it should except the fish was leaping and leaping.  He
was so big!" I said, putting an arm around each of them.

   "Dreams have meaning and purpose, Arthur" Carrie said.  "It sounds like
you were having a wonderful time with that fish."

   Crys said, "Oh, Angel!  Don't get him going about fish!" I could not
help but laugh at that.  Crys continued, "He'll talk your ears clean off
about fishin' if you let him!" Crys pushed herself up to an elbow as she
reached across me to hold Carrie's hand.

   "Angel," Crys said, "I'm sure we can get him talking about something
else?" She gave Carrie a look as she said this.

   Carrie returned her look.

   I just lay there smiling, watching the interplay between them.  They
each looked freshly showered and combed.  I wondered just how long I must
have slept, as I took in how awake and alert they seemed to be.  It seemed
to me that they must have been up for some time.

   Time.

   What time?

   What DAY?

   I heard my stomach growl.  My loves heard it as well and they both
giggled at me.

   "Angel, we better get this boy into the kitchen before he expires from
hunger!" Crys said.  "He's due for another busy day!"

   Carrie rolled away from me and got to her feet as Crys started pushing
me toward the side of the bed just vacated.  I grinned hugely and simply
went with the flow.

   "Hold up there, Cap'n," I chuckled.  "This swamper best needs hit the
head afore makin' his way to the galley!" As I said my piece I made sure to
catch Carrie's eyes and roll my own toward her bathroom.  She immediately
got the point.

   "Crys, we better go wait in the kitchen for our man!" Carrie smiled at
me.  "You go right ahead and take care of business, Arthur.  I'm sure
you'll be fine on your own." Crys added, "Yep!  I'm sure you got this part
down to a science, Sugar!" So saying they both giggled their way out the
door and left me to my own devices.

   I washed my face and hands and left the head.  Entering the kitchen I
could smell something toasting.

   "Chef-Boy, you just sit down and let us do the cookin'!"

   I sat.

   The table had OJ and milk.  I poured OJ.

   Crys put a plate in front of me.  It was loaded with hot food.  I didn't
question I simply fell to.

   "Awww, Sugar!  Nuthin' says luvin' like a man that just starts eatin'!"

   Carrie giggled.

   "Angel, look at him.  Didya ever in your life see such a eatin'
machine?"

   Carrie laughed out loud.  She placed two slices of toast on my plate and
quickly pulled her hand away with a giggle.

   I kept on shoveling the food into my mouth.  They'd done a great job
with eggs and cheese and some kinda spicy (pork?) type stuff or something
and there was onions and peppers and mushrooms and some kind of green herb
or two and it was just delicious.

   Hell, I could have made it it was so good.

   Not that I was gonna say such a thing to my beloveds.

   Been there, done that.  Still got the T-shirt, cap and scars.

   Besides, it is good to entertain those you love.

   So I kept eating until it was gone.

   Coffee appeared as if by magic and both of my lovers sat with me quietly
as I finished it.

   Carrie finally said, "What shall we do with our day, Arthur?"

   She was holding hands with Crys and they were looking intently at me.

   I felt a wave of unreality go through me.  As Yogi Berra so succinctly
put it: "Déjà Vu all over again!" It seemed as though I was still living in
Saturday morning.  I thought I might turn my head and see Chris come
through the door to join us.

   Chris!

   He never showed up last night!

   I was so whacked by my reception after work last night that I forgot all
about him and the interview.

   ("In this life, one thing counts,

   In the Bank: Large Amounts!

   I'm afraid these don't grow on trees

   You've got to pick a pocket or two!")

   My loves were watching me.

   "Earth to Chef-Boy!" said Carrie.  Crys simply giggled.

   "Ummm, what happened to Chris last night?" I asked, looking back and
forth at each of them.  "I thought he was coming back after work."

   Carrie reached over and took my hand.  "He called around ten o'clock and
told us that he was going to spend some more time after his shift with the
owner of that restaurant that hired him," she said.

   Hired him!

   I grinned from ear to ear.

   "He got it?!  He got the job?!" I asked.

   Crys said, "Honey, yes!  He got it.  I thought he would call you to let
you know last night.  When he talked to us we didn't think about it and
just assumed, I guess that he would let you know."

   "We were so happy for him that we wanted to get him over here but he
said he would be out very late and would want to just go on home and get
some rest because today was gonna be a very long one for him," Carrie
added. "I guess I had the same thought as Crys.  By the time you got here I
was so excited to see you that everything else just faded."

   I found it hard to sit still.  "This is so cool!" I said.  "He's been
working so hard and so long for a chance like this.  This is a big dream of
his!"

   Crys got up from her seat and came around to sit on my lap.  Carrie did
the same.  Each of them took a knee and put an arm around my shoulder to
hang on.  I put an arm around each of them to hold them tight.

   "Sugar," said Crys, "Chris is going to be much too busy to come round
here much.  Angel and me will be concentratin' on you for the next little
while."

   Carrie leaned in and kissed my cheek while Crys spoke.  She added,"
Arthur, I feel like going for a swim."

   I looked at her and saw an impish smile on her face.  I turned to look
at Crys and she wore the same look.

   Bookends!  lol

   I been surrounded!

   "Okay," I said," Lets go swimming!  Actually I need to get into the
water today.  I can feel a little bit of tightness around my lower back and
my thighs.  That means I need some intense work!"

   I said this to both of them, turning to look into their eyes as I spoke.

   Carrie said, "Okay.  Why don't you go get yourself to the pool and Crys
and I will be along as soon as we can?  We've got a few things to
straighten up here and we'll meet you there before long."

   Crys kissed my cheek and said, "Yep.  That'll work Chef-Boy!"

   Both of them stood as one and moved away from me.  I stood up and
reached out for them.  We hugged for a few moments and I was again struck
by an overwhelming sense of peace and joy.  I found it hard to let go of
them, but I did.

   "I'll head over to my place and get going.  I should be in the water
about thirty minutes from now," I said.

   I gave Carrie a kiss that was joined by Crys and we stayed like that for
several moments.

   "You two make it real hard to wanna go," I whined.

   They giggled at me and pushed me toward the kitchen door.  I turned to
go through it and got dressed in Carrie's room as fast as I could and
hightailed it.

   I stopped just long enough at the kitchen door on my way out to blow
them a noisy kiss and ran all the way to my door.  As usual I was only just
starting to breath deep as I arrived.

   I went inside and grabbed my suit.  As I turned to grab a towel it hit
me: Laundry!  I'd forgotten about it again.
I quickly grabbed a fresh towel out of my closet and put it and my
Hawaiian shirt on my bedroom chair while I collected my bedding and put it
together with the rest of my laundry.  The whole pile fit neatly into a
twenty pound laundry bag and that plus my laundry supply bag went over my
shoulder.  The laundry room for our building was only three doors down from
our apartment.  I regularly thanked God for the fact that it was the only
unit in the complex with three extra huge floor rug-family of five type

washer machines.

   You know the kind: two adults, three kids, a dog and all their laundry
could fit into one of these things!  Lol

   I slammed everything where it needed to go and stopped back into my
apartment to change.  I finished up and ran to the pool.

   I was still ahead of my ladies.

   I went straight into my workout and just as I was leaving the Clubhouse
the ladies were coming onto the pool deck.  I waved and executed the
smoothest dive of which I am capable into the deep end.

   Crys and Carrie walked up to me as I took position at the corner of the
pool.  They sat down one on either side of me as I did my leg lifts.

   When I was done I pulled myself up and went over to my chair.  I reached
into my shirt pocket for my keys and said to the girls, "I've got to go put
my laundry into the dryers.  I'll be back in five minutes.  I love you!"

   They smiled and waved me on.  They'd been talking a mile a minute while
I worked in the pool and simply turned back to their conversation.

   I ran slow back to my place and got my supply bag and got the dryers
going.  Upon my return to the pool deck I found no ladies.

   ?

   I looked in the Clubhouse and heard some talking coming from the Ladies
Room.  Taking a chance, I peeked in the door and could now clearly hear my
beloveds talking.

   I relaxed.

   And went right back to the pool to complete my workout.

   I was not too concerned about my women; its just that I know only too
well how sick some of the inhabitants of this planet can be.  I'd grown up
in a place that seemed to manufacture twisted fucks as easily as it did
anything made of metal and plastic.

   ("It's survival in the City,

   When ya live from day to day.

   City streets don't have much pity.

   When you're down that's where you'll stay!")

   So.

   It was very comforting to me to know that they were okay and I could go
on swimming.

   Along about the halfway point of my sidestroke I saw the ladies come out
of the Clubhouse and enter the water.  Carrie started going end to end
while Crys just played a bit in the shallows.  It seemed that they would
speak to on another from time to time but I was too intent on getting a
real good burn to really pay attention.

   Just as I started my Butterflies I saw Carrie go over to Crys and stay
with her.  I really poured it on at that point.  I could feel myself propel
through the water and almost leap with every stroke.  The Butterfly is not
for every swimmer; I did it passably well and included it in my workout so
that I might never forget how to do it properly.  Of course it also does
marvelous things for the pecs and abs!

   My 'Houston, It's A Go' time was very relaxing and fun.  The ladies
actually played around near me as I did them and I liked that.  Very much.

   As I was floating around the pool, Carrie took the opportunity to swim
under me and just be near.  A couple of times she very softly kicked my
butt as she passed by.

   Did I mention that I love this lady?

   Good.

   Crys was obviously growing bored with water.  She clearly wanted to be
with us but I could tell.  Swimmers just know.  A person that is not a
'swimmer' is so obvious and Crys was for sure all that.

   So, I swam over to her and took her in my arms and kissed her.  Carrie
came over too and put her arms around us both.

   "I am thinking that my workouts will probably be mostly unattended," I
said to Crys.  I turned to Carrie and said, "That goes for you too, I
think. I don't want you two to ever think you need to be here with me while
I do this."

   Crys answered first.  "Sugar, today is special and I have enjoyed this
but there is no doubt I couldn't hang around day after day while you make
like Shamu!"

   Carrie and I cracked up at that.  I got the picture of me coming around
the edge of the pool at high speed, sloshing hundreds of gallons of salty
water all over the people sunning themselves.

   Crys chuckled.  "Besides, you will always do this, Sugar, and I know you
don't need a Cheering Squad to get it done," she added.

   Carrie kissed her on the cheek and said, "Even I only do just so much
anymore, Crys.  Arthur is very serious about this.  I guess I'm only
interested!"

   We just smiled at one another.

   I could feel the time passing so I said, "Lets get outta here before we
turn to prunes.  I need to getta move on and get back to the kitchen. 
Tomorrow we're closed and I've got someone covering for me on Tuesday
night. The sooner I get there now the better I'll feel about how much time
I'll have for you two after."

   Crys said, "Well, I've got to get to the dining room by quarter after
five today.  But I'll be done by nine or nine thirty, I think.  Should be
slow tonight."

   Crys looked at Carrie and said, "And tonight will be a good time to
chat, I think.  We've got a lot to discuss, Angel.  Especially where old
Chef-Boy here is concerned!"

   Carrie smiled.

   They both looked at me.

   I felt like a prize bull.

   I squeezed them tight and kissed Crys then Carrie on the forehead.

   "I'm outta here!" I said.

   We moved to the shallow end steps and climbed out.  Carrie gave me a
kiss and then Crys did the same.

   "I love you," was spoken by three lips at the same time and I got back
to my apartment as fast as I could go.

   After getting my laundry back to my place and leaving it in a passable
fashion I showered and hauled ass to work.

   Luckily for me it was a very slow night.  We did only 89.  The lack of
business gave me all the time I needed to get the next schedule up on the
board; we go from Friday to Friday and NO one likes to think of coming in
Tuesday without being sure what the following weeks schedule will need from
them.

   As I was shutting down the last few items on my list I thought about
Chris.  I was hoping that he was really happy about what he'd achieved and
that he would avoid working himself into the ground.

   As I headed west on Sunrise I thought of my ladies.

   My Ladies.

   The whole concept was still not a part of each moment for me.  I had to
make a special effort to give it any thought.

   My Ladies.  My Lovers.  My Women.

   Or....

   Women who love me?

   Women who choose me?

   Women who want each other and me?

   Yeah.

   That 'My' shit could get real old, real fast.

   As my Mom would say, "I know where you'll be sleeping later, dear. 
Please keep that in mind before you say anything?"

   Oh, no no.  Mom never said that to me!

   Oh, no.

   She'd say that to my Dad!

   Mom sure did teach me alotta stuff even when she didn't know she was
teachin'!

   LOL

   I sure do love Mom....

   And Dad!

   ("Catch a Falling Star and put it in your pocket,

   Never let it fade away.

   Catch a Falling Star and put it in your pocket,

   Save it for a Rainy Day.")

   End of Book I

   ALL RIGHTS RESERVED KHANUNDRUM 2006
   khanundrum at yahoo dot come