A Surprising Request
The next morning, we had a nice breakfast with Han and Lee. We talked a little about their coming move to Vitrum and our plans to attend their graduation in two weeks. When the time came, Church drove all of us out to the air strip so we could see the boys off on their way back to university. Once they were safely on their way, we returned to the house and dallied for a moment in Church’s ground floor kitchen.
“Any idea how long you’ll be gone?”
He shrugged. “I promise to be back for the graduation, but that’s all I’ll commit to. I’ve got no idea what I’m walking into. I don’t want to be away any longer than I have to be. I already talked to Ancil. I pulled him aside early this morning before the boys came down from their rooms. He’s going to set up a couple guards to travel with me. I don’t think I’ll need more than two. No one knows I’m going. That makes the risk minimal. I’m going to take the small plane. It’s unmarked and looks just like the kind of craft that would land in a remote place. I don’t plan to raise any eyebrows while I’m there.”
“I trust you to be careful. Make sure you come back in one piece.”
“Of course, I will. What will you do?”
“Met is starting his vacation on Wednesday. I’ll go into Oppidum tomorrow to make the transition with him. I also have a lot of work to do to finalize the plans for the new medical center. I’ve got to check the architect’s renderings and make sure I’m satisfied with everything he’s got planned. We’ve been operating out of that little building for too long. We need more space. We’re basically running a hospital out of a dozen little rooms. I’ve got to review the design and look over the budgets and all that. I’ll have plenty to keep me occupied until you get back.”
He gave me a lingering hug and a kiss on the lips and hurried off to pack. Barely a second later, he popped his head back through the door. “Uh…later, you and me?”
I nodded. “Absolutely! We’ll start in the gym and go from there. I’m going to work you as hard as I can!”
His smile was wide enough to light the whole room. “Can’t wait!” He pulled the door shut and hurried away.
I went back to the main floor to gather the budget sheets and the drawings for the new medical center and took the whole pile to my study. The room had been our oldest daughter’s bedroom. I converted it to my office when Josephine got married. I’d just opened the plans when there was a polite knock at the door. Our long-serving butler and protector, Ancillarum, entered behind the knock.
The lean, blond man stood at a respectful distance and waited to be acknowledged. He didn’t speak until I spoke to him. “Yes, Ancil?”
“Master Shawn, The Boss is going on a trip.”
I fought back a grin over his choice of words. The way he referred to Church verses the way he referred to me was an interesting dichotomy. I was always ‘Master Shawn’ and Church was always ‘The Boss’ or ‘Boss.’ When I first noticed the difference, I was tempted to be peeved about it. I wondered why Ancil, and everyone else for that matter, used my first name while they had nicknames for Church. Bem called him ‘Big Guy.’ My mother’s second husband, Paul, called him ‘young man.’ My uncle Ars called him ‘young man,’ but he called everyone that. Even our children called me ‘Dad’ or ‘Father’ while Church got to be ‘Pop.’ All strict formality for me and all easy informality for him. I wondered why.
I started to pay attention to the way he and I interacted with people. I realized that Church was a very informal person. His speech was brash and forward. It also tended to be laced with obscenity and vernacular. Mine was more reserved. I never swore and rarely used vernacular words. I only teased those I was very close to. I discovered that I was receiving the same style of communication which I broadcast into the world. Once I came to that conclusion, I was able to smile at the differences.
I confirmed what Ancil already knew. “Yes, he needs to go to Vitrum at the southern tip of the Protectorate. Han and Lee received a very attractive job offer from a mining and glassmaking firm there. They’ll be relocating in two weeks, right after they graduate from university.”
“The Boss says we’ll need to locate some assets down there and…”
I held my hand up to stop his explanation. “My husband and I aren’t of one mind when it comes to his security force. While I understand the expedience of what he’s doing, I don’t like the lie of omission. If the boys are to have protection, they should know they have it.”
Ancil blinked his startling blue eyes and stood mute. I could tell by the nearly imperceptible curl of his soft, peach-colored upper lip that he didn’t agree with me. I didn’t mind the difference of opinion. He didn’t have to agree with me. It was better that he agreed with Church because he was our guardian first and our butler second.
He drew a breath and used it to restart the conversation. “I would like to request permission to accompany The Boss to Vitrum. I would like to see first-hand what Han and Lee will need to be guarded against.”
I sat back in my chair and crossed my arms over my chest. His request was shocking because it ran counter to his training. He was trained into his career by our former butler, Cellarius. The rules which the old man set down were as immutable as the laws of nature. For Ancil to journey with Church would be for him to abandon his post at the estate. Cellarius would never have countenanced such a severe breach of the rules, not without a very compelling reason. I wondered what the reason was.
He explained without being prompted. “With all due respect, sir, I love those boys, and I want to make sure we can keep them safe. Master Bem has already declined the trip. He has obligations to his own family. I have no family of my own. Whether it has been proper for me to do so or not, I often thought of myself as being a part of your family. Also, whether it is appropriate of me to mention this or not, I participated in the upbringing of Han and Lee. I spent almost as much time with them as you and the Boss did. Often more than you did.
“While Master Bem has his obligation to his family, my obligation is to yours. I am certain that, given my training and talents, the best use of my time in service to your family is for me to journey with The Boss. I absolutely refuse to leave the safety of those boys to chance.”
He snapped his mouth shut, and his eyes widened in shock as he realized what he said. His refusal to leave the boys’ safety to chance amounted to his setting policy for himself and my household. That was perhaps an even larger breach of the rules than his request to abandon his post. He tried to apologize, but I didn’t let him. I uncrossed my arms and waved his worries away.
“You may go. I trust you completely. I have faith in your ability to analyze the situation and provide the best protection for my sons. Honestly, between you and Bem, you might be the better choice. My husband recently remarked that Bem has been softened by family life. Perhaps he has.
“While he spent the last forty years as a husband and father, you have spent that time as a protector. While you don’t have the same breadth of experience as Bem, you are more in tune with the specific needs of personal protection because of your career. Also, don’t misunderstand what I said earlier. I think my sons need protection. My objection is over Church’s reluctance to telling them they have it. My problem is with the lie, not the policy.”
Ancil crossed his right arm over the front of his burgundy suit and bowed at the waist. “Thank you, Master Shawn.” He went on to explain who he planned to leave in charge of the household and of my safety while he was away. I approved of the arrangements and thought the conversation was over. I went back to my drawings for the new office and expected to hear the door open and close as he left.
I didn’t hear anything for a long moment. A gentle ‘a-hem’ drew my attention back from my papers. I looked to ANcil and asked if there was something more.
He stood at rigid attention, even more so than his usual ramrod straight posture. “May I speak freely, sir?”
I shrugged. “It’s entirely up to you whether you do or not. I have never imposed limits on your speech or manner.”
His stance softened and he straightened the lapels of his jacket. The fussy tug at his suit was a sign he was nervous. I couldn’t imagine what he would have to be nervous over. I tried to preempt his worry with some mild reinforcement. “It’s just me, Ancil. You work for my household, but I’d like to think we’re friends, especially after all these years. You can tell me anything or ask me anything. Even if I refuse, I won’t judge you for what you might say.”
He exhaled a long breath. “Thank you, sir. I appreciate your support. My request is very far outside of the boundaries of the conditions of my employment here. I hesitate to ask what I am about to, but I find it nearly impossible to resist, especially after what I saw this morning.”
“What did you see?”
“The Boss called me into his presence to discuss the upcoming trip. He held the discussion in your residence. He wore no shirt during our conference. There is nothing unusual about The Boss choosing to interact with me while he is dressed informally. He is the master, and I am the servant, and he may greet me in whatever manner he wishes. I must admit I found his new appearance very…distracting. As we spoke, he kept rubbing his hand over the new hair on his stomach. If he wasn’t doing that, he was using his palms to make the hair on his forearms all lay in the same direction. He even went so far as to lift his arm to see how there is no separation between the hair underneath and the hair of his chest.”
I didn’t see what he was getting at. “Do you want me to ask him to put a shirt on?”
He shook his head so hard I worried he would hurt his neck. “NO! I want your permission to offer myself to him while we are in Vitrum. I am extremely desirous of carnal knowledge of your husband.”
I started to ask all kinds of questions, but Ancil didn’t let me. He explained. “I am in a position of service to your household; therefore, it isn’t ‘right’ given the terms of our relationship, for me to engage in a physical relationship with either of you. Even if I could set aside the strict limits proscribed by the master / servant relationship, the other matter was the children. While they were young, I needed to maintain discipline over them. If they knew I shared your bed, they would have lost respect for me, or worse, tried to leverage it against me. I could not have that. As their protector, they had to respect me. They had to listen to me in an emergency. Any lack of discipline would have put them at risk.
“For the forty years there were children under my protection, I could never have had this conversation. Now that the last of the children are grown and readying themselves to take their places in the world, I request that you consider me as a potential physical partner for you and The Boss. I have always been attracted to both of you. How could I not be? That said, the way you and The Boss have gotten even more muscular lately, and the body hair which I assume you gave him, I find both so arousing I can barely concentrate in the presence of either of you.”
I still didn’t quite understand. “Why not approach both of us with this?”
He cracked his first smile since our conversation began. “I understand how your relationship is structured. Church is the gatekeeper. You defer to him because he is more selective. You don’t need anyone except him and he doesn’t need anyone except you. You are both satisfied with what you have. On the rare occasions when you’ve added another, it has always been at his say so. I suspect you would have me. You seem to find me pleasing to look at, and as a native of this world, you have none of the reticence which is ingrained in the natives of Earth.
“The Boss is more difficult to read. He looks at me, but he looks at everyone. I’ve seen him openly appraise the adult boyfriends and husbands of your daughters and sons. There’s nothing wrong with his perusal of any nearby flesh, but it makes it more difficult to know what he thinks of me. I also know that even though he is breathtakingly handsome, he doesn’t see himself that way. At least he doesn’t see it in proportion to the way others do. It’s not that he thinks he’s unattractive, but he has no idea how many people would throw themselves at his feet merely at his say so.”
I held my hand up to interrupt his speech. I propped my elbow on the table and rested my right cheek in my hand. I looked hard at the man I’d known for a very long time. I thought about how much I trusted him. He needed to understand how I felt. He also needed to understand how his request might be interpreted by those who did not trust him as I did.
“It would be easy for me to think you asked to go to Vitrum just so you could have my husband to yourself. It would be easy for me to point out how obvious it is that he and I have been having a large amount of sex lately, and how this trip will take him away from me, likely leaving him horny and seeking an outlet for his desire. It would be painfully easy for me to accuse you of being an opportunist, something my uncle once held you in jail for being.”
He shook his head again. “Master Shawn, I…”
I held my hand up for silence a second time. He quieted and waited for me to make my point. “I bring it up only because you left yourself open to the interpretation. You’ve risked your life for my family too many times for me to see you as an opportunist. An opportunist wouldn’t have waited forty years to pursue his opportunity. I bring it up because my husband judges people quickly and harshly; much more quickly and much more harshly than I do. If you approach him while you are on this trip, you must do so in a way that he will not suspect you of being an opportunist. The suspicion would destroy your relationship with him and therefore your usefulness to this household. We would have no choice but to remove you from your position.
“I like you. I am attracted to you. Had you indicated your interest before, you likely could have shared our bed before. I appreciate the fact that you did not because of your concern for the safety of my children. You are right when you say that Church is the one you must win. You need to be aware of the risk you will take when you approach him. I recommend no tricks. If you throw yourself at him, if you were to do something lacking subtlety like displaying yourself naked in his bed, it is barely possible he would engage with you, but he would resent you forever after. I give you permission to pursue what you want with the understanding that the consequences are yours to face no matter what they might be.”
His eyes grew shallow as he retreated into his thoughts. It was obvious he hadn’t considered the ramifications of the situation he was about to be in, alone with my husband for an undetermined amount of time. He said as much when he found his voice. “I’ve been reckless. Thank you for pointing out my mistake. I love my place here. I would hate to lose it over the pursuit of my prurient desires.”
“As I recall, the pursuit of those desires is why you almost lost it, and your freedom, the first time.”
He nodded. “You are correct. It was the desire for money to show off that led me to accept a bribe in exchange for information about the workings of this household. I never forgave myself for the role I played in your kidnapping. I’m disappointed that I almost tread the very same path.”
I set down my rules for his pursuit of Church. “I won’t say anything to him about our discussion. I give my permission for you to do as you like for the duration of your time in Vitrum. I recommend you talk to him openly and honestly. Perhaps ask him to share magic with you. It will open your minds to each other enough that he will understand your motivations. Because you are both telekinetics, you will be unable to communicate telepathically, but he will know your mind, and you will know his. If you wish to continue to engage with him upon your return, you must include me, or you must at least give me the right to refuse.”
He came to rigid attention and bowed again. “Thank you, Master Shawn! I won’t let you down.”
He hurried away to make arrangements for his trip. I shook my head and spoke aloud to the room. “I don’t know if Church will accept him or not. Ancil seems like a bottom. Church is mostly a bottom. He’s more top now than he used to be, but I wonder if it’s enough for him to accept another bottom as a playmate, even temporarily. I hope Ancil is careful. I’d hate to lose him as a butler or as a friend.”
Because I could do nothing to influence the situation besides what I’d already done, I put my attention on my construction plans and got back to work.
* * * *
The day passed as days do. In the afternoon, Church and I met in the gym as planned. We worked out, then retired to our apartment for a long session of intimacy. When we finished, we ate dinner naked at the kitchen island, then returned to the bed to marinate in each other. Church kept us ensconced in his magic the entire time. We remained one with each other until we fell asleep.
We woke very early the next day. We enjoyed each other again, albeit briefly, then he set off for Vitrum. He left with Ancil and three guards. Somewhat later, I left for my medical practice in Oppidum. I worked with Met to transition his responsibilities to me. Once I was up to speed on the current needs of the practice, Met left for his vacation and I spent the day the way I’d spent so many before. I healed the injured and sick with the expanded magical capacity my husband gave me.
When the afternoon turned to evening, I went home alone. The estate was mostly empty. The children were all in their own homes with their families. None of our friends were in residence. Even Ancil was off with Church. I felt very much like a clapper in a great bell as I’d said to my husband.
I worked out, but not because I wanted to. I did it to pass the lonely time. Church texted me when he arrived in Vitrum. We didn’t converse other than to express our love for one another. He was tired from the trip, and I was tired from the day. I went to bed early and tried to sleep.
The big bed seemed as empty as a farmer’s field in the winter, lifeless, barren, and cold. I wondered if my husband was having the same trouble sleeping as me. I knew he would. His early life had been desperately lonely, and he still did not do well by himself. I said a silent prayer for his safe and quick return. I felt selfish for my plea and amended it to include my fervent hope that his trip would be successful.
I still couldn’t sleep, so I sat up and went through the contacts on my phone. I longed for someone to talk to. I thought about calling my mother, but I didn’t want to get caught up in a story of her latest adventure with her second husband, Paul Miller. He wasn’t Paul Miller anymore. He’d taken her name when they wed. He was now Paul Summas. He was a wonderful man and a perfect husband for my mother. They were so happy, but I didn’t want to hear about their happiness when I felt so sad.
I thought about calling one of my children but decided against it. The reason for Church’s trip was a secret, at least for now, therefore I couldn’t tell them why I was alone. I thought about calling my brother, but Primis was almost always busy. His wife, Dignissim, was an actress and socialite. She kept everyone in her orbit constantly on the move. The third member of their three-way marriage was Church’s brother Joe. He was an artist and consultant for the Andy Philips fashion company. I didn’t see how I could bother any of them.
Andy and his husband Comitis were in the middle of their child rearing years. They had six and another on the way. They were ecstatically happy and loved their children dearly. They loved being family men. I had a private bet with Church that their family would surpass the size of ours and keep increasing until they were well into double digits with sons and daughters. Mary and Bem were very happy as well, but also quite busy with their own lives. I even thought about calling Mary’s daughter Hannah to tell her how much I was enjoying her book, but I didn’t feel like it. I was lonely and I wanted to talk to someone who would understand my loneliness.
I gave up in frustration and tossed my phone on the nightstand. It slid across the surface and fell to the floor. I climbed out of bed to retrieve it and felt like a petulant child for throwing it in the first place. I put the phone on its charger and climbed back in bed. I rolled to face Church’s side and noticed something I hadn’t before. A piece of black fabric peaked out from under his lavender pillow. I snatched it up to discover a pair of his briefs. They were ripe with musk. I held them to my face to inhale the scent of home.
A piece of paper crumpled inside the cloth. I fished it out and held it up in the low light. It was a note. “I left these to keep you company. Be home as soon as I can. Miss you already. Lots of love and dirty thoughts. Church.”
I laughed at the note. As soon as I did, a tear slid down my face. I spoke my thoughts aloud like he could hear me. “You better be home soon, you silly ass. I need you more than you know.”
I closed the briefs in my hand and moved to his side of the bed. His pillow smelled of him. The sheets smelled of him. I pulled the covers to my chin and closed my eyes. Sleep found me almost immediately.
* * * *
The next day passed as the one before it had. I went to bed early again because I had nothing else to occupy my time. I put my phone on its charger and tried to read more of Hannah’s book. I was barely a page into a new chapter when the phone rang. I snatched it up to see it was Church.
“Hello, Lover.” I answered in my most sultry bedroom voice.
“Hey, gorgeous.” He teased.
We chatted back and forth until he was ready to tell me about the first day of his trip. “It’s COLD here! Thank God you gave me my new fur coat, or I might’ve frozen to death. The wind howls because the land is all flat. The mountains you told me about are further south on the coast. It’s basically a peninsula and the wind whips from sea to sea. Han was right about the town, or maybe it was Lee who told us…doesn’t matter. It’s strictly an industrial place. The mine is huge, but the factory is even bigger. The monorails run constantly bringing the raw material in from the mine and the finished glass out to the world. There’s plenty of people here and the residential area is nice enough. I bought a house for the boys and I’m working on cleaning it up and having some furniture moved in.”
I stopped him with an objection. “They won’t like that. They wanted to do this on their own. You were just going to go down there and get the security figure out.”
He didn’t like my objection. “Oh, hell! I’ll rent it to them if it will make them happy. I’ll tell them I put a deposit down to hold it and let it be their decision. I’ll set it up with the realtor. He can be the agent and rent the house I own to my kids.”
I didn’t like the idea of adding another falsehood to the growing list, but I couldn’t be bothered to object. I was glad our sons would have a nice place to live.
Church took a breath to reset his tone and kept on with the story. “Ancil is getting the security set up. I bought another house as a headquarters for the guards and rented a couple apartments for them to live in. Ancil and Bem have been in conference on-and-off all day. They want four assets in place right away with another four in a few months. It will take a while for anyone to realize the boys are here. We’ll have enough time before then to get our ducks in a row.”
I objected again, but more mildly. “Isn’t eight a bit much?”
“No, I don’t think so. This place is huge. There’s also a ton of turnover of people because it’s so remote. The airport is bigger than I thought it would be and like I said, the trains run around the clock. It would be very easy for an assassin or kidnapper to get in unnoticed. Eight is the bare minimum. Besides, I keep telling you they won’t be watching the boys. They will be looking outward to keep them safe.”
I sighed because I recognized the argument was lost before it was had. Church was going to do things his way, and his way was to have all the protection he thought he needed. He also had the money to pay for it. I long ago made up my mind that, as long as his security force didn’t interfere with the lives of my children and family, I would let him do as he liked.
“Alright, Love. It sounds like it’s going well. Do you have any idea how much longer you’ll be?”
“I can’t say yet. The house I bought needs some work and there’s a shortage of contractors because everyone works for the mine. I may have to do the painting myself. I might even have to move all the furniture in myself. The general labor situation down here is a mess. I’m still looking into it. Ancil says he wants a few more days to get the lay of the land. He doesn’t like how spread out the place is or the ease of getting in and out. I told him to take as much time as he needs to get the arrangements right.”
“And how is Ancil?”
My question prompted a long silence on the other end of the phone. I heard a door open and close. I guessed Church moved to another room. “Did you tell him it was alright if I fucked him?”
“I didn’t use those words, but the message was the same.”
“Are you sure? I like Ancil, and I could use the relief, but I don’t want to do anything that you don’t want me to do. The only time either of us was with someone without the other was the time we gave me to Bem for his birthday.”
“It’s fine. He asked for my permission before he left. I knew you’d be pent up, just like I am. You’re free to engage as much as you like while you’re away. You’re free to continue to engage when you get back, but you’ll have to include me.”
He laughed a leering little laugh. “Twist my arm, why don’t you.”
I teased him right back. “I will if you want me to.”
“I don’t know if I will or not. I’m not wild over the idea of being with someone new without you. I’m horny as fuck though. I could barely sleep last night, and this morning, it took forever for my morning wood to go down. Junior definitely needs some attention.”
“You just need to remember that Ancil is our friend. It’s not like you met someone in a bar. Take things slow and let him give you what you need. You didn’t ask him. He asked you, so the pressure to perform is on his end, not yours.”
He sucked a breath and blew it out. “Thanks, that helps. Maybe I will. I need to get some sleep tonight. A little Ancil action would probably help.”
I smiled over ‘Ancil action.’ If nothing else, Church knew how to turn a phrase. “Enjoy yourself. I’ll be here in this big bed all alone. Just me and a pair of musky briefs someone left for me.”
He laughed again. “I’m glad you found them. I felt a little weird leaving them for you.”
“You were sweet to leave them. I’m glad you did. I couldn’t sleep either last night. Between them and your silly note, I was finally able to close my eyes.”
“I’m glad. I love you and I miss you.”
“I love you and I miss you too.”
“I’ll be home as soon as I can.”
“You better be. And don’t plan on sleeping for a while when you get here. We’ve got lost time to make up.”
“You make it sound like work! I can’t wait!”
“Goodnight, Love.”
“Goodnight.”
We signed off and hung up.
I laid back on the pillow and wondered what Church would do with Ancil. I hoped he would take him up on his offer. I decided to call it a night. I put my book down and moved to Church’s side of the bed. Once I was comfortable with my husband’s scent around me, I fell asleep.
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