CHAPTER THIRTY #2
She groaned loudly. “I really don’t know how you don’t think I’m so stupid for not just dating him but getting fucking engaged. Like...ugh! I hate thinking about it but I can’t keep avoiding thinking about it or it will just fuck with me forever and get worse.”
“That’s definitely correct, it will. But I’ve got the same answer as always: life is more complicated than people like to pretend. You can go thirty years thinking something makes sense even when it’s nuts just because that’s the shape your life took without you even noticing.”
“That...is a really, really good way to put that. Is that a quote?”
“If it is, I don’t know it. I just said what made sense to me in the moment. Sometimes I get lucky like that.”
“That’s...yeah, I guess that’s true, the shape of life…” She sighed suddenly. “Fuck, you’ve just had this amazing new thing happen to you and I’m just fretting over therapy I need and want to go to anyway over here.”
“It’s a reasonable thing to fret over, babe.”
“Okay, fine. But I do want to hear about it. What happened? What happened with Chloe?”
“She got the green light to stream. Well, she basically did. She needs to sign some paperwork. But she brought up that I wrote fan fic for the game and apparently the lead dev, her name is Aria, is super into fan fic based off the game and had read most of it and I guess mine was her personal favorite. She basically offered me the opportunity to have it officially published by them. I’ve basically said yes.
She needs to figure some more stuff out and I’ll need to sign some paperwork, but it’s basically a lock, it seems. Also, do not tell anyone about this. Not yet. Top secret.”
“Understood. Holy shit! This is so exciting! I get to play basically my first video game, introduced to me by my husband, and it becomes one of my most favorite things ever, and then you get to actually be a writer for the game’s extended universe?! That’s insane.”
“It feels insane. Also...I wondered if you’d be willing to paint and make cover art for it? You’re already really good at painting and those ones you’ve done of the game over the last month have been fucking awesome.”
“You’d really think they’d let us do that?”
“I think so. Aria is very fan-oriented and your aesthetic is so perfectly complimentary to the game already. I think it’s a perfect fit and I want to pitch it. I think she’ll go for it, but I don’t want to mention it if you aren’t comfortable with it.”
Ellen was quiet as they pulled into the parking lot. The clinic they’d come to was an unassuming, two-story gray structure nestled between an apartment complex and a grocery store.
“Yeah, I want to do this,” she said as he parked.
“Awesome. Do you think you could paint one based specifically off Echo Four?”
She smiled. “Actually...that’s what my latest work has been. I’m almost done with it. I was going to surprise you with it.”
“Well...consider me surprised. Now I want to see it.”
“Not until it’s done! And come on, we need to get in there.”
He nodded and got out with her. Five minutes later, he found himself sitting alone in the lobby while Ellen was led by her therapist into the labyrinth of corridors and offices.
Gabe lingered in the lobby for a moment, then a thought struck him and he slipped back out the front door and called Sadie.
“Hello, Gabe,” she answered.
“Hey. I had a few moments and I wanted to talk to you, see how you’re feeling about...everything. Also, sorry for doing it over the phone, I’ve just been crazy busy.”
She laughed. “Gabe, when I entered into this...well, I’m hesitant to call it a relationship…”
“I’d be comfortable calling it a relationship. I feel like it is, even if it’s not, uh, traditional.”
“That’s one way to put it. All right, then. When I entered into this relationship with you, Gabe, I did so understanding that you were going to be a very busy man. You have five...significant others in your life. I know they aren’t girlfriends anymore, but is wives accurate?”
“I’d say yes.” He paused. “Well, it’s accurate for Ellen, Holly, and Chloe. Significant others works just fine.”
“Okay, good. You have five significant others in your life, all of whom you live with and each of whom you have your own unique relationship with. And that isn’t counting what you have going on with the other two ladies. And whoever else you might have picked up since then.”
“I very much appreciate your understanding. Um...so, how are you?”
“I’m very good, Gabe. Honestly, I’m happier than I’ve been in a long time.
That sex was for sure the best of my life.
And I never thought I’d be having the best sex of my life in my fifties.
But that was almost like a religious experience.
Honestly, the biggest thing that’s bothering me right now is that I want more of it.
Very badly. When do you think that might be? ”
“Um...soon,” he replied. He thought for a moment, then sighed. “I need like an actual planner for this stuff, this is insane. Um. Shit, did I ask you about this party we’ve got coming up?”
“Summer in Winter? You texted me briefly about it and I spoke with Abby more about it while we were waiting for you and your trio to show up. I intend to go...could we make love there?”
“If we can find a space for it, absolutely yes.”
“Good! I’ve always wanted to see what it’s like to hook up with a handsome young man at a party. I was never brave enough. And I don’t have to worry about consequences if it’s you.”
“That’s true. Man, that’s going to be interesting. Hooking up with a cougar at a party…”
She laughed. “I imagine so. I must say, it is very good to see someone like you enjoying this life. All of you, to be clear, but I have always had something of a soft spot for the sensitive loner creative types.”
“More like a soft, wet spot,” he replied.
“Gabe!”
“Am I wrong?”
“No. Not at all. Just...you are surprising, sometimes. But yes. We can meet up at this party and see if we can’t...connect. I also wanted to ask, mostly out of pure curiosity but also to know if I might find myself a little time, how are you handling Valentine’s Day?”
He chuckled and then groaned. “Yes. That. Well, basically I’m making a week out of it.
I haven’t actually told them anything yet, but I’ve been putting together plans for a while.
And I did set aside some time for you, because I thought you’d really appreciate being treated to something like that, but I’m still coming up with ideas. ”
“Gabe, that is incredibly sweet. How about you let me treat you? Given you’ll already be figuring out five different Valentine’s Days? I’ve got something in mind.”
“That would be extremely appreciated, Sadie.”
“Good! What I have in mind is a little time-sensitive, so how does Saturday the twenty fourth sound?”
“That sounds good.”
“Excellent. Let me take care of everything, you’ll just have to show up.”
“That also sounds good.”
“I assure you, it will feel quite good as well. Now, I’m afraid I’m in the middle of making myself a rather complicated meal, so I must away.”
“All right. Also, I wouldn’t mind more of those pictures from you.”
“Wouldn’t you mind that, now?” she asked, and he could hear the smile in her voice.
“Most certainly not.”
“Well, I’ll see what I can do. Goodbye, Gabe.”
“Goodbye, Sadie.”
Gabe had made it back to his seat in the lobby when his phone buzzed and he found himself looking at a picture of Sadie’s big, soft breasts, her shirt pulled up, her phone aimed back at herself. She’d just caught her mouth in the top of the image and she had a gleeful smile.
He enjoyed that more than he did the picture of her wondrous, mature tits.