11.  Introduction

       She had smiled at him.

       Sam still couldn’t believe it.  He was usually invisible to women, a nonentity whose existence was barely acknowledged unless briefly forced upon them by some everyday circumstance, before he then so quickly faded back into the background scenery of life.  It wasn’t that he was repulsive in appearance, or even below par.  Or annoying in demeanor in any way.  Nondescript might be the most likely term the majority of people would use to describe him, if any gave him a second thought at all.

       This was not the way he would have wanted it.  Although alone, he wasn’t a loner.  An only child whose parents had both died a short time after he had graduated from college, he had never had much contact with his few distant relatives, and even that had now dwindled to virtually none.  While he had a number of male acquaintances, with whom he interacted reasonably well, none had ever blossomed into a close friendship, possibly because try as he might he could never find much that interested him in men.

       But women had always fascinated him, and he had grown to exalt and revere them.  It was as if, to him, they all understood some mystery which he did not, and to which he would never be privy.  Because of this failure he felt he could never be of any use to them, and none would ever find him to be of any consequence at all.  Add to this his innate lack of confidence and an intense shyness, and so he had never learned how to approach a woman.  Thus he never had.

       But she had smiled at him.

       He had seen the moving men bring in the many boxes and furniture to the empty apartment down the hall from his own the day before, and he had wondered who might be moving in.  As he was leaving his apartment to do some shopping the next afternoon, he looked down the hall and saw her struggling with the lock of her new front door.  She glanced up and over at him and immediately graced him with a smile.  A welcoming, friendly, no questions asked smile.  Startled and shocked to his core, he quickly cast his eyes down to the floor, hoping against hope that she thought he hadn’t seen her, and backed into his apartment and rapidly reclosed his door behind him.

       Heart pounding and trying to catch his breath and regain his equilibrium he silently berated himself for what he had just done.  She was a new neighbor and was probably just trying to be nice and say hello.  Even to him.  And he had been rude beyond belief.  He had little doubt that she knew what he had done, and he knew that this time he fully deserved the disdain with which he was usually met.  He had to do something, apologize in some way, and right away.  Maybe she was having trouble with her new lock.  Maybe he could help.  Maybe that might in some small way lead her to forgive him for his incredible crudity.  And maybe, just maybe, she would find it in her heart to grant him another undeserved smile.

       Steeling himself and taking a huge breath he reopened his door and ventured out into new, and for him, unchartered territory.  But the hall was empty.  She had obviously worked the lock and was now successfully within her new home.  His newfound but fragile courage did not yet extend deep enough for him to take the next step and traverse down to knock on her door and offer himself up to her judgement.  Having no desire to do anything at all now, he slipped back into his apartment to further castigate himself.

       For the next few days Sam’s emotions fluctuated between hope and terror.  Hope that he might see her again, and terror that he would.  In his heart he knew that he was being foolish.  She probably wouldn’t remember either him or the incident, and even if she did it would likely be of no consequence to her.  This didn’t stop him from anxiously looking down toward her door every time he left his apartment, or scanning the downstairs lobby or street outside for her whenever he was there.  One time he saw another young woman leave the new apartment, but she didn’t even spare him a first glance as she walked by him down the hall.

       He wondered if he had been mistaken about her living there, and began to resign himself to the possibility on never seeing her again.  Then, one afternoon, on his way downstairs the elevator door opened and alone within it she was there.  Holding two large bags of groceries, she appeared distracted as she was trying to decide how to maneuver the two other bags at her feet out of the elevator.  Her flustered look changed immediately, however, upon seeing him.  The dazzling smile returned.

       With nowhere to retreat this time, and suddenly having no desire to do so, Sam took the step he had been rehearsing incessantly in his mind in an infinite variety of ways over the past week.  Heart in his throat he stammered out.

       “Can I help with these?”

       “That would be wonderful” she answered, genuinely thankful.

       He took from her the two bags that she was holding and bent down to try to pick up the other two.

       “No, please.” she said quickly.  “I can get these two.  I live just down the hall.”

       “I know.” he replied, and then kicked himself mentally for reminding her of their previous encounter.

       He allowed her to lead him down to her door, where upon arriving she put her two bags down and began to struggle a bit with her lock once again.

       “I keep having a problem with this.” she said, almost apologetically.

       “Maybe I could help you with that too.” he interjected as fast as he could.  “I had the same problem, and I think I can fix it by jimmying a bit with the tumblers.”  He explained somewhat more slowly.

       “Wow, that would be great.” she replied, rewarding him with another smile.  The lock then gave way and the door opened, and she picked up her bags and entered.  He hesitated only a moment before following.

       The interior of the apartment overall was in a general state of disarray as there were still a large number of unopened moving boxes strewn about.  She placed her two bags on the kitchen counter and he followed suit.

       

       “Please forgive the messiness of the place,” she began, “and thank you so very much for your help.  My name is Keri, and I guess we’re neighbors.”

       “Uh ... my name is Sam ... and I guess so.”

       “Well Sam, it’s wonderful to meet you, and thank you again.  You were a real life saver out there.”

       “I don’t think quite that.” he practically stuttered.

       “Well, as you can see, it’s been very hard to get things done and up and running around here, so any help at all is a godsend.”

       This was an opportunity he couldn’t allow himself to miss.

       “I’d be happy to help you with any of the unpacking.”

       She tilted her head and looked at him somewhat quizzically.

       “Oh I think that would be a bit much to ask, and we’ve just met” she said.  Then, seeing his face drop slightly, she quickly added, “But you can help me put away the groceries if you like.”

       “I’d love to.” he answered, perhaps a bit too enthusiastically.

       “Great.” she laughed pleasantly.  “This may take some time, though, as I’m still not sure where to put everything.” she warned.

       For the next half hour they unpacked and put the groceries away.  With her permission, Sam set about rearranging both the small pantry and the refrigerator so that things were stacked neatly and with a semblance of order.  He then spied a screwdriver in on of the drawers, and after asking her once again he went and unscrewed the front door lock, played around with the interior mechanism, and then with her key showed her that it now opened flawlessly.

       

       “You’re a handy guy to have around, Sam.” she complimented when he was finished.

       Blushing furiously he could barely get out a muttered “Thanks.”

       “No Sam, it’s me that has to be thanking you for all you’ve done for me this afternoon.”  She paused.  “You know, I have a lot of extra salmon which I’ve just bought.  I’m not much of a cook but how about staying for dinner as my small way of showing my gratitude.  And so we can all get to know each other better.”

       This was beyond his wildest imaginings.

       “Sure.” he croaked, and then took a huge leap to add.  “But only if you let me help cook.  I’m actually a pretty good one.” turning red again from his boast.

       “It’s a deal.” she concluded.  “My roommate, Victoria”, that must have been the person he’d seen leaving the apartment earlier in the week he surmised,  “will be home in about an hour or so.  She’s a lawyer, and working hard to try to make partner in her firm, so you can never be sure when she’ll get home.  We should have more than enough time to create a feast together.  For all of us.”

       “Whatever you say ...”  He hesitated, and then said it for the first time.  “ ... Keri.”

       Sam truly wasn’t being boastful about his prowess in the kitchen.  After living alone for so long, cooking and eating well had become one of his few self indulgences.  Not that he ever overdid it.  He was not overweight.  Indeed he would probably be considered slim, if anyone took the time to consider him.  And he was always conscious of eating healthy.  But he had come to enjoy puttering around the kitchen, coming up with new and exotic concoctions to excite and satisfy the palate.  This would be the first time he had ever helped to prepare a meal for anybody else however, and he was suddenly very nervous.        

       

       It soon became apparent, though, that Keri had only the most rudimentary and basic knowledge of cooking fundamentals, and she wasn’t shy about asking his opinion about how best to prepare the coming meal.  With this encouragement he began making more and more suggestions, which she avidly followed.  For the salmon he proposed a homemade dill butter sauce which he had made before as a garnish, and when she didn’t have all of the necessary spices and ingredients he dashed down to his apartment for them.  He also brought back a number of different vegetables to add to the ones which she had, along with his favorite wok as she didn’t have one, so that he could make one of his special stir fries to accompany the fish.

       Keri marveled at his culinary efforts and wasn’t reticent about letting him know so.  As they chopped and diced and mixed together she quite happily carried on a predominantly one sided conversation with him, further introducing herself, and he was ecstatically content to just listen and be the recipient of her verbal attentions.  She told him that she had recently finished her studies as a clinical psychologist, and had just started a job at a center for troubled teenagers.  She went on to detail how difficult, demanding, yet exciting this new opportunity was for her, and what her hopes and aspirations were in the future in the field.  In what seemed like a blink of an eye over ninety minutes had passed, the dinner was almost fully prepared, and he had helped set the table.  She somewhat sheepishly acknowledged that she had been dominating the conversation, and had been remiss in not asking him anything yet about himself.  Sam had been just as happy that she hadn’t, as he couldn’t imagine that he could tell her anything about himself that would be of any interest to her.  Just as she began to ask, however, her roommate arrived home.

       “Oh Vicky, great, you’re home.”

       The roommate appeared surprised, and even slightly annoyed at the unexpected extra presence.  About the same size and lovely build as Keri, she had straight dark brown hair as opposed to the somewhat wavy dirty blond hair which Keri had, and Sam felt that though she was clearly attractive she was nowhere near as pretty as Keri.  He had to admit, though, that this instant first impression might have been colored by the rather severe expression she wore as she regarded him.  Keri rushed forth with introductions.

       “Vicky, this is Sam.  He’s our neighbor from down the hall, and he’s been an unbelievable help here all afternoon.”  She smiled  widely once again.  “Sam, this is Victoria.”

       It was beyond Sam’s ability to be the first and foremost one to speak in such a circumstance, and a silence thus dragged on as Victoria seemed to appraise him from head to toe, and he began to wither mentally under her critical gaze as he surmised that it would now be the usual case, that if he was regarded in any way at all, he would be found severely wanting.  Keri seemed to sense the uncomfortable vibe that now seemed in the air.

       ‘Oh come on Vicky, be nice.  We’re both just meeting Sam, and he’s been wonderful all day.  He carried my groceries in and helped me put them all away.  He organized our pantry and fridge.  He even fixed our front door lock.”  She paused.  “And he’s made us all a sensational dinner.”

       This last was a bit too much for Sam.  “We both made it together.” he protested,

       “Oh, you’re way too modest Sam.  I was at best the su-chef.  This was by far and away your creation.”

       Victoria was bemused by all of this by play, as if she didn’t quite know what to make of it, but that she needed to.  She dropped the stern expression to a more neutral one.

       

       “Yes, well, how do you do then ... it’s Sam, you said?”

       Sam hadn’t said anything.  To her.  And now he could only nod.

       “And let me try to get this straight.” she continued.  “You and Keri made dinner.  Together ... For all of us.”

       Another cautious nod.

       

       Victoria now gave him a half smile  But it was nothing like the smiles that Keri had been offering.  This one was almost feral.

       “This should be very interesting.” was all that she would conclude.    

    

12.  Revelation

       The rather awkward introductions out of the way, and despite Keri’s protestations that he was a guest and he shouldn’t, Sam insisted on helping to bring in and serve the food at the dinner table.  As the meal progressed Victoria somewhat graciously had to admit that it was all delicious, and she complimented both of them.  With the ice then somewhat broken she began asking him questions, most specifically about what he did for a living.

       “I mostly buy and sell stocks.” he told her.  Momentarily impressed that he was a stock broker, she asked for whom he worked.

       “I’m kind of self employed.” he replied.  “I mostly buy and sell for myself.”

       “A day trader.” she snorted.  “It’s surprising that you’re able to keep your head above water.  Most people eventually lose money trying to play the market.  Even the pros, but at least they get commissions to keep them going, rather than gambling and losing your own money.”

       Sam could only shrug.  Victoria wasn’t far wrong in her generalized assessment.  And he of course had had his share of losses along the way, as did everyone, particularly when he was learning his craft.  But he had learned to become very careful, cautious and meticulous in his analyses, and he now consistently selected far more winners than losers in his constantly changing portfolio.  The trick, he felt, was to never go for the big hit and risk the devastating fall.  Far better to have a large number of small but solid gainers that would more than buffet the occasional unexpected but still small bust.  It may not be the way to make a spectacular fortune, but he had built up a rather substantial reserve over the last few years, and was now worth far more financially than the lifestyle and level at which he was living would suggest.  He just didn’t feel competent enough however to try to explain this, and defend himself, to Victoria.  She was a lawyer after all, and likely understood his relative standing in the world far better than he.

       Keri on the other hand seemed far more enthusiastic about his trade, peppering him with questions, and her clear fascination with his replies encouraged him to be far more verbose about himself and what he did than he had ever been with anyone else before.  Far too quickly for him the dinner came to an end.  Victoria had some important phone calls to make, and when Keri began to clear off the table and clean up, Sam immediately got up to help.

       “No Sam, please.  I can take care of all this.  You’ve already done so much today.  And you are our guest.”

       “I’d really like to help if you let me ... I ...”   He was completely tongue tied and almost paralyzed with fear that she would refuse his plea, and his once in a lifetime afternoon and evening would be over.  Keri stopped and looked at him intently, then seemed to make a decision, and her smile returned once again.

       “Sure Sam.  I’d love the help.  Vicky’s not much of one for housework, and I cut her a lot of slack because she’s always so busy with her lawyering.  Working together I bet we can get this all done in less than half the time.”

       Sam truly was in no hurry to get everything done, but before very long the table was cleared, the pots, pans and dishes were all washed and dried and put away.  When Keri handed him back his wok to take home, she complimented him on what a handy utensil it was.

       “Please keep it.” he immediately responded.  When she appeared startled by his unexpected offer, he rushed ahead.  “I’d like you to have it, I guess as a kind of housewarming gift.  I know it’s not new or anything, but it’s well seasoned, and I’ve got a lot of others.”  He paused, not knowing what else to say.  Then, “Please.”

       Keri slowly took the wok back.  “Well, if you put it that way Sam, of course we’ll accept it.  It’s a wonderful housewarming gift.  Thank you.”  She looked up at his now beaming face. “This has been a really delightful day, and it’s been great to meet and get to know you, and thank you for all that as well.  I hope you won’t be a stranger.” she concluded.

       Sam realized that his glorious night was now finally coming to an end, and he was suddenly panic stricken that he would never have an opportunity like this again.  Grasping at a thought that he had been fantasizing about much of the evening, he took a chance that he would never have thought himself capable of before.

       “Keri, I was wondering ...”

       “Yes?”

       “Well, you’ve said that you and Victoria are so very busy with your jobs that you’re having trouble getting unpacked and settled in, and I work at home and everything, and often have a lot of extra time on my hands, and I ... well I ... I would be more than happy to help you unpack and put things away for you while you’re at work.”

       Keri was silent for several long moments.

       “Gee Sam, I don’t think we could impose on you like that.”

       “No really.  It wouldn’t be imposing at all.  I’d love to do it, and I’m good at that sort of thing.”

       Keri gave him a long searching look, and again seemed to come to a decision.

       “Well sure then Sam.  If you really do have the time it would be a tremendous help.  This stuff is just piling up, and it’s seemed like we’d never get to it and get it all done.  I do have an extra key that you can use.  Let me just touch bases with Vicky on this.”

       They found Victoria back in the living room, off the phone, but going through her mail.

       “Vicky,” Keri began, “Sam has offered to come over the next couple of days while we’re at work to help us unpack and finally get things put away.”

       Victoria looked up with a slight scowl.

       “You’ve got to be kidding.” she retorted.  When Keri didn’t immediately answer, she continued.  “You want to let a complete stranger into our apartment, poking around all of our things when we’re not even here?  What are you thinking?”

       “It’s not like that at all.  I think it’s really sweet, and neighborly,” she emphasized, “of him to offer.”  She glanced over and smiled at Sam, who was standing there, mortified inside.  “And he’s not a stranger.  I’ve gotten to know him quite well today and already really appreciate his friendship.”  She paused, and then continued more firmly, with real steel in her voice.  “I’d really like his help with all this, Victoria.  This mess is starting to overwhelm me, and I think it’s really very rude of you to make him feel unwelcome when he’s been so very nice to volunteer to help us out.  And maybe if he ‘s able to he can even be here when the plumber comes to fix the shower head and I won’t have to take any time off from work for that ... if that’s not asking too much of you Sam.” she said looking back at him a bit sheepishly.

       `’You’re having trouble with your shower?”  Sam asked impulsively

       “The spray barely comes out and we need to get it fixed” she replied.

       “I can take a look at it.  I’m pretty good at fixing things like that.”

       “That would be fantastic if you could”  Keri enthused.  “You really are a handy man to have around.  See Vicky, he may even save us a big plumbing bill.”

       Victoria  rocked back a bit in her chair, and then half smiled wanly, appearing a bit bemused  “Okay Keri, okay.  I guess we have let things fall behind here and pile up.  We’ve just been so busy.  And I don’t want to seem rude” she added.  She then directed her gaze to Sam, and her half smile became more forceful.  “Sure Sam, if you want to spend your time unpacking us, and cleaning this place up, and fixing our plumbing, then be my guest.  It’s not like we don’t know where you live if anything goes missing, or the shower gets completely broken”  This last comment drew a sharp glance from Keri.  “Just joking.” she continued, but then became more serious.  “I do want to make it clear, though, that I don’t want you ever going into my room there.” she said, indicating the closed door in the hallway off the living room.  She then half smiled again.  “You understand that, don’t you Sam?”

       Keri sighed and rolled her eyes at Victoria as Sam meekly responded.  “Of course.  I’d never do anything without your permission.”  Satisfied, Victoria nodded.

       

       “Great then.  It’s settled.” Keri enthused.  “Here’s the extra key, Sam.  Please don’t over extend yourself.  Whatever you have time to do will be greatly appreciated.  By both of us.” she assured him.

       As Sam left their apartment to return to his own, he felt as if he was walking on air.

********

       Over the next few days, Sam spent the mornings doing his own work on his home computer, and the afternoons unpacking, sorting, and neatly arranging all of the items in the many still filled moving boxes.  When it was obvious where things should go he put them away.  When he wasn’t sure, he waited for the evening for them to tell him, which Keri did happily, and Victoria grudgingly so.  He made certain never to go into either of their bedrooms, even though Keri had not specifically prohibited him from hers.  He also easily fixed their shower problem the first day by installing a new multi spray shower head, to their great delight.

       Giddy with the opportunity with which he was so unbelievably presented, Sam decided to take another chance the first night, and he had a sumptuous dinner prepared for them all before they arrived home from work.  Despite some initial misgivings by Keri that he was doing far too much for them, the meal was so delicious that she quickly forgot those concerns and praised and thanked him profusely.  Even Victoria pleasantly acknowledged how much she enjoyed it.

       Emboldened by this success, Sam made dinner again for them the next night.  This time Victoria had to stay late at work, and it was just Keri and he that were able to share it together.

       “This was another fantastic feast Sam.”  She declared when they were done.  “But we really can’t have you making us dinner every night.”

       “But I like doing it.” he hastily replied.  “I really love to cook, especially for other people.” which he had actually never done before.  With a lowered voice, he added, “And it sure beats eating alone.”

       Keri took a few moments to let that sink in.

       “I’ll tell you what, Sam,” she finally offered.  “I’m a mediocre cook at best, and Victoria can barely boil water.  If we pool our resources to buy all the food, and you agree to let me help, and then teach me all the tricks of your culinary trade, I think we can all benefit by sharing our evening meals together.  What do you say?”

       It was an offer that he could not refuse, and one that he would never have done so under any circumstances.

       And so, even as he completed all of the unpacking for them by the third day, Sam still found himself with an excuse and reason to continue to spend large amounts of time with his two new neighbors on virtually a daily basis.  He spent most of his time, of course, with Keri, as they made all of the dinners together.  They would laugh and joke and have a grand time doing so.  As he still had the extra key, he began coming over even earlier, before the women arrived home, to help clean and tidy up the apartment for them, which they had also both found increasingly difficult to find the time to do themselves.  He still however completely avoided the taboo bedrooms.

       While Victoria had to admit again that she fully enjoyed the meals that Sam prepared, even those left over for her on the many nights when she came home from work late, and she did find his increasing cleaning efforts useful, she began to be irritated by the amount of time he was spending with them.  Still, her job was getting more and more demanding as she was striving to be made a partner in her law firm, and she was getting home later and later.  And Keri seemed to really like his company and would otherwise often be alone in the evening.  So Victoria kept her developing annoyance at his frequent presence mostly to herself.  She owed Keri that.  Only if it really got out of hand would she take steps.

       For his part, Sam was beside himself with his still unimaginable good fortune.  He did sense Victoria’s reserve, and even coolness at times toward him.  It was the way most people had always reacted to him, but this time he attempted to overcome it by trying to do more and more for her around the apartment.  Despite this, she remained at best superficially pleasant, although rarely, if ever, did she thank him for his efforts. 

       It was with Keri, though, that his time was most devoted, and not just because she truly seemed to appreciate it, but also because she seemed to appreciate him.  He loved to listen to her talk about anything and everything.  And she did, but he also found himself able to tell her things as he had never done so with anyone before, and she seemed genuinely interested, as no one had ever been before.  She was becoming a true friend, which he had never had before, and certainly not with someone of the opposite sex.

       As the first few weeks became a month, Sam began to harbor previously impossible hopes.  Could this relationship with Keri ever possibly move beyond friendship?  With more and more fervor he began to dearly want it so, but he was petrified that if he made any move in that way she would be horrified, and he would lose everything he had gained.  Still, as he grew to know her better he came to understand that even if she didn’t want to proceed in such a direction with him, she would rebuff him very gently, and redouble her efforts to maintain their friendship.  This belief gave him the confidence to at least make the attempt, even as he prayed that it wouldn’t end that way.

       It still took him over a week, rehearsing over and over in his mind the scenario of how he would ask her to go out on their first date.  Finally, one Friday evening, after he had prepared an especially splendid meal for the three of them, he decided to take the anxious plunge.  With Victoria excusing herself to go to review some legal briefs that she needed to revise, he and Keri, as they almost always did together, began to clean up in the kitchen.  Keri almost immediately sensed that something wasn’t quite right with Sam.

       “Sam, is everything alright?  You seem very tense.” she asked, very concerned.

       “No I’m fine Keri really.” he responded too quickly.  “It’s just that I ... well, ah ...I, ah ...was wondering ... “ he was really struggling to get it out.

       “Wondering what?”

       “Well, if we could, ah ... tomorrow night, maybe not make dinner here ... ah, and maybe I could take you out to dinner ... and after we could maybe go to a movie or something.”

       “Oh this is just priceless!” a voice said from behind at the kitchen door.

       

       Sam whirled around to see Victoria standing there.

       “This is really beyond belief.  You really are asking her out on a date, aren’t you.”  She continued.

       “Vicky, please.” Keri pleaded.

       “He really is more of a buffoon than I thought.”

       “Vicky, Stop.”  Keri demanded.

       “Well, he is.”  She turned her attention fully to Sam.  “You really were stupid enough to think that under any circumstances she would ever want to go out with you.”

       “Victoria.  Enough,”

       “Go on, ask her again then.  I’m dying to hear what she says.”

       Sam was absolutely frozen with fear.  Why was Victoria so sure that Keri would reject him so blatantly and callously, just for asking her out for a date?  Had this all been a game to them?  Had they been secretly laughing at his bumbling efforts the whole time?  Previously he would have been convinced that this was so.  But he couldn’t now believe that of Keri.  She wasn’t like that at all.  He was certain of that, if he wasn’t of anything else.  He turned to her and saw that her eyes were glistening.  All he could ask was “Keri?”

       “Oh Sam.  I really didn’t realize, but I should have.  I’m so sorry.”

       He continued to gaze at her, totally bewildered.  She took another moment to compose herself.

       “Sam, Victoria and I aren’t roommates.  As hard as I find it to believe at this moment,” she looked sharply at Victoria, who continued to stand there smugly.  “Victoria and I are partners ... ”  Sam continued to look at her quizzically.  “ ... Life partners, Sam.”

       

       Sam’s eyes widened, “But you have separate bedrooms.” was all he could think of to say.

       “That’s my office and computer room, you idiot.  OUR bedroom is next door.”  Victoria smirked.

       “I Said That’s Enough, Victoria.”  Keri practically screamed.

       “Well he has to know.  Here he is, hitting on my mate, my LOVE, and he thinks he’s going to get away with that.”

       “HE DIDN’T KNOW!  And That’s my fault.  MY fault.  Not His.”  She turned back to Sam.  “Sam,” she began to plead.

       “No.” he whispered.  “She’s right.  I’m a complete idiot.  A stupid, stupid idiot.”

       “Sam, no ...”

       But Sam was beyond hearing.  He twisted around, and without a second look stumbled past them both, wobbled through the living room, and out their front door.

       

       

13.  Proposition

       In all of their five years together, including all of their trials and financial struggles completing their education and beginning their respective careers, Victoria in the law and Keri with her PhD. in psychology, Keri had never been as upset and furious with her mate as she was at that moment.  How could Vicky have been so cruel and callous?  As Victoria had come from a far more conservative background and family, who had made it clear to her in so many ways that while they may accept her now declared lifestyle, they would never approve of it, she had always been more sensitive about what she thought were people’s opinions about her make-up.  She had come to believe that she would always now have to battle in life against a double glass ceiling; her gender and her orientation.  This underlaid her frequently hard and defensive nature.

       “Well, what did you expect?” she retorted when Keri hotly demanded an answer to how she had just treated Sam.  “I have to deal with some moron, who’s begun to practically live in our home, and I turn around to find him trying to put moves on the love of my life.  How did you think I would react?”

       “He’s not a moron, or an idiot, or anything like that.” Keri responded.  “He’s one of the nicest and sweetest people I’ve ever met.  He just didn’t know, and that really was my fault.  I’m just not attuned to pick up those signs any more since I’ve found you.  Particularly in men.  And he’s so obviously lonely.”

       “So we’re supposed to take him in like a stray dog?”

       “No.  Like a dear friend.  As he’s already become to me.  And could be with you as well if you gave him a chance.”

       ‘”I’m not interested in being a friend with any MAN.”

       “Oh, get off it Vicky.  A friend is someone who cares and is true to you, no matter what they are.  And Sam is all of that.”

       

       “I wouldn’t be so sure of that .”  Victoria countered.

\

       “What do you mean by that?”

       She had cast the die, perhaps somewhat recklessly, so she had no choice but to follow through.

       “I mean that now that he knows that he can’t have you, that you’ll never be interested in him that way, he’ll probably never come around again.  And he probably won’t want to have anything to do with us anymore now that he DOES know what we are.”

       “Sam would never be anything like that.  I just know it.  I know him.”  Keri insisted.

       “We’ll see.” was Victoria’s only response.

       Keri really had very little doubt about Sam, but she knew that she had to talk to him, and as soon as possible.  Facing down Victoria’s clear disapproval, she hurried down to Sam’s apartment and urgently knocked on his door.  But there was no response despite a number of attempts.  She went back twice more that evening without success, as well as several other times during the next two days.  But there was never an answer.  And Sam didn’t come back to their place either, and as the week dragged on without any contact with him, Keri began to wonder and worry that Victoria might actually have been right.

********

       Sam had been well aware who had been knocking each and every time, even before she began calling his name through the door when the knocking alone drew no response.  No one else ever knocked on his door, so it had to be her.  But he had been totally immobilized by his embarrassment.  How could he have been so blind?  He had been so entranced by the attention she had given him that he had been able to work up what little confidence that he had to try to take it to a next step ... a date ... his first ever.  He had known going in that it was probably extremely unlikely, but she had never mentioned a boy friend, so maybe ... just maybe.  Of course not.  It was all so obvious now.  He really had been as stupid a fool and idiot as Victoria had claimed.  What must Keri think of him now?  He realized that she was trying to be nice, coming down to see him.  But he couldn’t face her.  He was far too ashamed.

       As the week went on though, Sam’s agony only intensified as the aching void that for the first time in his life had begun to trickle full, once again became an empty and  bottomless chasm.  In his heart he had always known that reaching for anything more with Keri was a long shot, but he had at least come to the belief that the mere attempt would not cause him to lose everything.  What made it hurt all the more was that while in his wildest fantasies he had thrilled in envisioning such a relationship with her, what really fulfilled most of his desires was just being able to do things for her ... for both of them.  Nothing had ever made him happier than being allowed into their daily lives, being able to make their everyday existence easier and more comfortable.  And that now seemed to be gone forever.

       But Keri had come and knocked on his door.  Several times.  And he had refused to answer.  Which only made things infinitely worse.  Maybe she was just trying to end things on an amicable basis.  She was that wonderful.  But she come again and again.  Had even called out to him through the door.  A new thought began to grow into a fervent hope, and then into a frenzied dream.  Maybe Keri didn’t want to completely sever their connection.  Maybe she did want to maintain some kind of relationship with him.

       If that was the case then he had to apologize.  And soon.  For everything.  To both of them.  He understood that it could never be as it had been.  But maybe he would be able once again to do things for them, make himself useful, anything at all just to be allowed to be around.  He realized that it was Victoria that he would have to convince.  She would be the one who would hold his fate in her hands.  He certainly could never allow himself to bring Keri any pain or upset by causing strife or disagreement with her partner.  Her life partner.  So it would be to Victoria that he would have to predominantly appeal.  He would offer her everything in his power to make his case.

       

       Barely able to contain himself now that his decision and frantic course of action had been made, he still waited until Saturday, when he could be most  reasonably sure that they might both be at home.  Gathering up the last vestiges of his tattered hopes, he resolutely walked down the hall to their apartment, took a very deep breath, and knocked.  He was both slightly disappointed and relieved when it was Victoria who opened the door.

       They both stood looking at each other for several moments, neither seeming to know what to say.  It was Victoria  who then took charge.

       “Oh, it’s you.  What, did you finally come back to gawk at the two dykes?”  Initially pleased that she had momentarily driven him away the week before, Victoria had been affected by the pain which this had caused Keri, and by the further hurt her lover had felt when he had not made any attempt to come back.  This had only heightened Victoria’s suspicions and defensiveness that he really was repulsed by what he now knew about them. 

       “No.”  He insisted forcefully, fearful that he had already gotten off on the wrong foot.  “I was just hoping that I could speak with you.  With both of you.”

       “Sam!!”  Keri had come up behind Victoria to see who was there, and heard just the last part.  She greeted him with a huge smile that quickly became more wary as she wasn’t sure what he might be thinking.  “Of course, come in.  We’ve missed you” she finished carefully.

       Victoria sighed quietly and stood aside to let him in.  They all went into the living room, and Victoria and Keri sat on opposite ends of their sofa, while Sam hesitated at first, and then perched himself upright on the edge of the ottoman in front of the easy chair across from them.

       Looking both bored and indifferent, Victoria finally broke through the otherwise anxious silence.

       “So what is it you so dearly want to say to us?”

       

       Sam took an extra second to compose himself.

       “I guess ... I guess that the first thing I want to do is apologize.”

       “There’s no need for that, Sam.” Keri broke in.  “YOU have nothing to be sorry about.” she added, glancing pointedly at Victoria.

       “But I do.”  Sam responded.  “The way I ran away ... and then I took so long to come back to explain, to try to make it right.”

       “Yes, you did.”  Victoria agreed.

       “And I do want to make it right.” Sam continued.

       “And just how might you do that?”  Victoria inquired dryly.

       This was the moment that it all might hinge upon, and Sam directed his full attention to Victoria, with whom it would likely live or die.

       “Well ... I know that you both work very hard, and are very busy at work most every day ... and I’m around most of the time, and I could do things for you ... you know, help keep the place tidy, make dinners for you, clean up afterwards, anything you need done at all.”

       “Sam, none of that is necessary.”  Keri proclaimed.

       “Hold on a minute.”  Victoria interjected, eyes now alight with sudden new interest.  This might be an opportunity that would be too much fun to pass up.  “Let me get this straight.”  She now looked directly at Sam.  “Are you saying that you want to be some kind of servant to us?”

       “Vicky!!”  Keri exclaimed.

       “No, Keri.”  Victoria responded.  “This is a person who a week ago was trying to steal my lover from me.  I think I have every right to know what his real intentions are.”  While making this declaration Victoria had turned toward Keri with a half grin on her face, and when she finished she gave Keri a wink that only Keri could see.

       Keri now realized that Victoria was in her mock lawyer interrogation mode, and not entirely serious.  While this wouldn’t be particularly pleasant or enjoyable for Sam, maybe if she let it go, and allowed Victoria to have her bit of fun, and Sam was able to show he could play along and be a good sport about it, Victoria might finally be more accepting of him.  And she was still a little upset with Sam for his prolonged absence for the past week.  She gave a slight nod to Victoria and sighed,  “Alright.”

       Victoria turned her attention back to Sam, her slight grin now becoming a seemingly pleasant smile.

       “So, then, I ask you again, Sam.  Are you saying that you want to become our servant?”

       This wasn’t exactly what Sam had been meaning, but now that he considered it, it did seem to be what he might have been indicating.  And it was Victoria that he had to win over.  If this is what it took to gain her approval ...

       “I ... I guess so.”  He replied slowly.

       Victoria’s smile grew wider.

       “But servants get paid, Sam.” she suggested sweetly.

       “Oh no.” he reacted rapidly.  “I didn’t mean that at all.  I wouldn’t want any money.  I just want to do things for you.  Anything at all.  Anything that you want or need.”

       “But that would take all of this to a whole different place.  That would make you something else altogether, wouldn’t it?”

       Sam looked at her blankly.

       “Come on Sam.” she coaxed.  “You say that you want to be a servant who doesn’t get paid.  What is a servant who doesn’t get paid?”

       Comprehension began to seep in with Sam, and with it a strange stirring.  He had no choice but to say it.

       “A ... a ... slave.”  He murmured softly.

       Victoria’s eyes gleamed triumphantly, like an attorney on cross examination who had just cornered her prey on the witness stand.

       “Indeed.  A slave.  Is that what you’re trying to tell us Sam?  That you want to be our slave?”

       “That’s enough Vicky!”  Keri jumped in hotly.  “Stop it right now.”

       Victoria turned back to Keri, her victorious smile now became one of gracious concession.  She had had her fun, and made her point, and was now willing to let Keri take this all wherever she wanted it to go.  Keri did not appear so easily mollified.

       “Yes.”

       Sam’s one word reply brought their silent communication to a sudden stop, and they both simultaneously looked to him with a degree of shock.

       As if by no conscious control of his own, Sam stood up.

       “Yes ... I want to be your slave ... I don’t think that there’s  been anything I’ve ever wanted more ... than to be ... your slave.”

       Both women continued to stare at him as he stood there before them, so emotionally naked.  There was no question for either of them as to his sincerity.  It was Victoria who finally broke the tension-laden silence.

       “Well, I don’t think that any of us quite anticipated this turn of events.” she began quietly.  “I can see you believe that you mean what you say Sam,” She paused.  “But I think that this proposal takes us all a bit by surprise.”  Another pause.  “And really deserves significant contemplation,  especially by you, before any commitments are made.”

       Sam continued to look straight ahead as if in a daze, and Keri remained stunned in silence.

       “Why don’t you go home now and think about all this very carefully.” Victoria continued.  “I know that Keri and I need to discuss it to see how we feel.  Why don’t you come back tomorrow after we’ve all had a chance to sort out our thoughts.”

       Sam seemed to come a bit out of the space where he had been, and nodded.

       “And Sam, “Victoria concluded, “if you don’t come back tomorrow, or you come to the conclusion that this was all a misunderstanding, and you didn’t realize what you were saying, we’ll understand.  And we make no promises for ourselves now either.”

       Sam could only nod again.

       

13.  Obligation

       “You can’t be serious.”  Keri practically screamed at Victoria.  “What were you thinking?”

       Victoria appeared a bit abashed.  “I guess things might have gone a bit too far.” she conceded.

       “A bit !  He was an open wound standing there in front of us.”

       “Oh, I wouldn’t go that far.” Victoria countered.  “He certainly seemed to know what he was proposing, and appeared to be quite serious about it.”

       “Because you manipulated him into that.”

       “Perhaps.  But once he got there he seemed to be perfectly pleased.”

       “You’ve got to be kidding.”

       A germ of a thought occurred to Victoria.

       “Not really.  Maybe he’s the type who’s into that kind of thing.  Far be it from us to look askance at what turns somebody on.”

       “I can’t see that with Sam.”

       “I don’t see why not.  But look, you’re probably right.  After realizing what he’s proposed, he’s probably going to come crawling back tomorrow begging us to forget the whole thing.”

       “I wouldn’t like him to be like that either.”  Keri lamented.  “And what if he doesn’t come back at all?”

       “So what.  No great loss as far as I’m concerned.”

       Victoria saw the sudden look of sadness on her lover’s face, and knew she had gone too far.

       “No Keri, I really didn’t mean that.  I know that you’ve come to like him a lot as a person.  Maybe I just got a little bit jealous.  I do think he’s going to come back tomorrow and tell us that it really wasn’t what he had in mind.”  The germ of the thought was now becoming a fuller idea.  “Look, I’ll make a deal with you.”

       “What kind of deal.”  Keri asked cautiously.

       “If he comes back tomorrow like we both think that he will, to tell us that he had let things get out of hand, and that he really isn’t interested in being our ‘slave’, I’ll tell him that we were just joking too, and I’ll even apologize to him for leading him down that path.  And then we can start out fresh in any way that we’re all comfortable with.”

       “But what if he doesn’t say that?”

       “Well then I’ll make the whole endeavor of being our slave so outlandish for him that I’m sure he’ll back off in a heartbeat.  And then we’ll laugh and tell him that we were all just playing around, and you can take it anywhere you want with him at that point.  Platonically, of course.” she added, although she really didn’t have any concerns about Keri in that regard.  She then flashed a mischievous half grin.  “But here’s the deal, my Love.  If after all that he still wants to be our slave, with all the preposterous conditions I will have set, then I say why not.”

       “Vicky, no, I don’t think so.”

       “Come on Keri.  We both know it’s not going to go that far.  Just let me do all the talking.  If he doesn’t say no from the start  I’m sure that he will once he hears the scenario I’ll set up for him.”  She paused.  “But if he still  wants to go ahead, then I say let’s do it.”  She rushed ahead before Keri could respond.  “Think of how it could be.  He would be our slave.  You can have him do and be whatever you want him to be.  Non sexually of course.” she emphasized once again.  “And it just might keep me intrigued enough to tolerate having him around.  It’s not going to come to this I’m sure, but if it does, then ...  We’ll do it on a trial basis to begin with, and I’m sure it won’t last very long before we all get tired of it, and then we can go back to however you want it to be.  But if he says go ... What do you say? ... Deal?”

       Keri was torn, and sincerely hoped that it would never be so.  But she had come to like and care for Sam so very much, and really enjoyed his company and having him around.  If this is what it took ... if this is what he really wanted ... and if it would keep Victoria content ... She reluctantly nodded and sighed,  “Okay ... ”

********

       There was never any doubt in Sam’s mind about what he would decide.  He didn’t know if he truly wanted to embark on this specific course, ‘to be a slave’, but he was certain to his very core that any life that he had with them was infinitely better than living as he had, alone.  From the very first moment that he had uttered the word he had felt a strange sensation, a deep inner longing to be wanted ... needed ... to be of some use to someone as he had never been before.  That it might be to a woman ... two women ... made it all the more intoxicating, even if the use he was made of was as a ‘slave’.  He clearly didn’t know what all that might entail, but he resolved that it didn’t matter.  He would be regarded, acknowledged, accepted, used.  And maybe in the only way that he truly deserved.  As a slave.

       He was gripped by sudden fear that they hadn’t yet agreed to take him as such, even as a slave.  That they might not find him acceptable and worthy even of that.  Victoria had said that they had to discuss and contemplate whether even in such lowly role he was worth their while.  He spent the rest of an almost sleepless night frantically trying to come up with ways to convince them.  That if they gave him this one chance, he would prove to them without any doubt that he would be the hardest working and most devoted slave that they could ever imagine.

********

       At precisely one o:clock the next afternoon, the time he had been instructed by Victoria to return, Sam arrived and resolutely knocked on the door.  Keri and Victoria had just finished lunch, and this time it was Keri who answered the door.  She greeted him warmly and the expression on her face was etched with hope.  Seeing this, Sam’s anxious spirits were buoyed as he felt that this meant that he had made the right decision.  She led him into the living room where Victoria was already settled on one end of the sofa, and Keri now seated herself on the other end.  As he had the day before Sam now sat upright on the ottoman directly before them.

       “Well Sam,” Victoria began without preamble, “I must admit that I am a bit surprised that you came back today.  I assume that you’ve now given your proposal from yesterday the appropriate consideration.  As we all have.”

       “Yes.” was all that he could say.

       “And what decisions have you come to?”

       Sam took a deep breath and then cast his lot.

       “That I most fervently pray that you grant me the most precious opportunity to offer myself to you both ... as your most devoted slave.”

       Keri’s face dropped in sadness and she closed her eyes, but Sam was oblivious to this as his gaze remained fixed on Victoria, upon whom he felt his fate now rested.

       Though she had inwardly acknowledged the possibility, Victoria was still somewhat taken aback that it was actually happening.  She rapidly gathered herself however to fulfill the second part of the bargain she had made with Keri, for which as a good lawyer she had prepared just in case.

       “Okay then Sam.  Keri and I also had a long discussion about whether we had any desire to entertain your petition.  And we came to the conclusion that the only way we could ever agree to consider it would be if it had the strictest set of rules and guidelines.  Do you understand this, and are you still willing to proceed?”

       Sam nodded yes.

       

       “Fine.  So far.”

       She commenced.

       “ Now slavery of course is illegal and thus not physically enforceable.  But a verbal contract can still be agreed to by all parties, with ironclad provisions, any of which if breached in any way by the subject party would lead to the immediate cessation of the contract and banishment forever of the subject party.  Do you understand and still wish to continue?”

       “Yes.”

       “Alright then, on to the nuts and bolts.” Victoria continued, warming up to the task.  “A slave is no longer a person.  He is purely and simply property, a possession owned in every way by his Masters, or in this case by his Mistresses.  He has no rights or expectations, and even the merest necessity of daily living will be subject to the whim of his owners.  He will be totally obedient at all times, without questions or reservations.  Any and all household work will be his sole responsibility and duty and he will be held to the most rigorous and stringent standards.  Any deviation of or flaw in his performance, as deemed solely by the discretion of his owners, will be met with the harshest punishment.”

       Keri had been wincing internally with each progressive statement by Victoria.  She certainly had to acknowledge that Victoria  was keeping up her end by making the whole scenario so distinctly horrible.  She fervently hoped that Sam was seeing it that way as well, and that they could soon be done with this whole farce.  The last part about punishment brought her up short though and elicited from her an audible gasp.  Victoria heard this and immediately realized that she needed to backtrack some.

       “Of course no owner wishes to abuse or damage her property.  It’s always best to keep it functioning and in good working order so as to be able to keep adding to the workload.  But punishment when necessary can come in many forms, and though it always must be unpleasant to be effective, it doesn’t have to be injurious.  Still, it would greatly behoove a slave to do his utmost not to incur the displeasure of his owners so as not to necessitate any such corrective action on their part.  Unless, of course, it also provides some amusement and enjoyment to the owners.” she concluded with a wicked glint in her eye. 

       This last she had added for her own amusement, but also with the thought that it would be a final straw which would send the prospective slave whimpering away.  Keri certainly wouldn’t be able to argue that she hadn’t given it her best effort.  If he still wanted to sign on after all of this he deserved what he would get.  Some small part of her secretly hoped that he would.  She now put the finishing touches on her contract, which she really thought though would negate any possibility of that.  She felt that she owed Keri that.

       “The sole reason and purpose for the existence of a slave in our house will be to work continuously and tirelessly to provide for our comfort and pleasure, without any regard for his own.  That will never be of any account or concern whatsoever.  To any of us.  Most importantly, to the slave.”

       She paused and then directed her attention more fully to Sam.  “So then, this is what at the very least being our slave will require.  No ifs, ands, or buts.  You now have a choice.  The only choice you will be permitted.  After this all choices and decisions will be solely ours.  We ask only once.  Do you still want to be our slave?”

       On a superficial level Sam had been listening and understood everything that Victoria had been saying.  His only conscious response to her outline as she was proceeding was his own questioning: ‘Am I capable of doing this?’  In a deeper, more visceral part of himself though what he heard was: ‘They might need me.  They might want me.  I would have a reason to be, even if it’s only as a slave.’  It was his one and only chance.  And it was time.

       Sam rose from the ottoman, and slowly sank to his knees.  With head bowed, he answered.

       “If you would have me.”

       

       Victoria  rocked back.  She had  truly not anticipated this.  Even if the idea of being a slave was something that rang his bell, at the very least she would have expected negotiations, pleadings, appeals for limits.  Not complete and total surrender.  A part of her was unnerved, but a possibly larger part was unexpectedly aroused.  She had done her part, the best she could do.  She turned to Keri, who was sitting there like a statue.

       “Keri? ...” she inquired softly, “ ... Deal?”

       Though at base appalled, Keri was strangely composed as she peered at the kneeling man before her.  Her heart went out to him.  While this was in no way what she wanted for him, or from him for that matter, if this was something that he in some way needed that he was willing to sacrifice and give up so much for, then she could not bring herself to deny it to him.  But she had to know.  She had to try to understand.

       “Sam,” she began, “what is in all of this for you?  What can you possibly want from it?”

       For all of the unending thought that he had put into this, in hope and preparation, Sam now found it very difficult to adequately verbalize. 

       “I just want to be able to do things for you ... anything ... to please you” He stopped for several seconds and then continued more quietly.  “ ... And if I ever do please you, I’d like ...”

       “Yes Sam ... “ she prodded when it was clear that this time he had stopped.

       “I’d like to be allowed ...”

       He was suddenly never so certain of anything.

       “... to worship you.”

       This hung in the air for several long moments before Victoria chimed in.

       “Oh, I think that could definitely be arranged.  I certainly believe that I deserve to be worshiped now and then.”  She looked again expectantly at Keri.  “What do you say, Keri? ... Deal?”

       

       Keri continued to gaze at Sam to be sure.  She finally decided. 

       “Deal.” she murmured glumly.

       Victoria nodded, satisfied.  But she knew that she needed some immediate time alone with Keri to clear the air and work things out.  Best to get some things settled first though.

       “Okay then, slave.”  She began, readdressing the still kneeling Sam.  “We’ll take you up on your proposal.  You’re now our slave.  Our property.   But I think we should do this on a trial basis.  Let’s say one month.  As long as you fulfill all of the provisions of the slave contract that I’ve outlined, to our exacting standards, we will allow you to serve ... and worship us.  After one month we will reassess and determine if we will allow you to continue.  Of course any deviation on your part will lead to your immediate expulsion, and we’ll never have anything to do with you again.  Do you understand?”

       “Yes.” Sam shuddered.

       “Yes ... what?  From now on I think you should address us as Miss Victoria and Miss Keri, and we will call you whatever we like.  Is that understood?”

       “Yes, Miss Victoria.”

       “Good.  You’re learning.  And you better continue to do so quickly.  Now Keri and I were planning to spend this beautiful afternoon strolling together and enjoying ourselves in the park.” an idea she had just come up with to allow them to talk.  “So you might as well get started with your new duties while we’re out.  You can begin with cleaning up our lunch mess.  And the apartment hasn’t been vacuumed in far too long, so get to that as well.  Our bed linens need to be changed and washed, and after that’s all done and our bed is made, the rest of our bedroom needs to be cleaned and straightened up.  And make sure our dinner is ready when we get home.  Do I make myself clear, slave?”

       “Yes, Miss Victoria.  It will all be taken care of.”

       

       “It better be.”  Victoria was really beginning to enjoy herself.  “A few other early ground rules before we go.  As much as I like you on your knees and may have you there from time to time, for the most part you’re going to be far too busy with your many chores to be on them overmuch.  Except

maybe when you’re scrubbing the floors.” she mused.  “Anyway, any other time a simple bow when you enter our presence will suffice.  And a slave should never speak unless spoken to.  That should be enough to get us started, wouldn’t you say so, slave?”

       “Yes, Miss Victoria.”

       “Keri, shall we go?  We have a nice leisurely afternoon ahead of us and I can’t wait to get started.”

       It was an extremely smug and satisfied Victoria who led her very unsettled partner out for their walk and talk.  She knew that she had her work cut out for her convincing Keri, but this, surprisingly to her, was beginning to turn out quite nicely.  This whole thing might be fun she thought, at least for a short while.  And then they could be done with it.  And maybe even with him as well.  She doubted that he would be able to tolerate all of this for very long.  And then he would only have himself to blame.

       Meanwhile, their freshly minted slave began to apply himself most diligently to his new existence.

      

15.  Evolution

       Keri was far from pleased with the way that events have gone with Sam and she made her displeasure evident to Victoria on their ‘walk in the park’.  While she had reluctantly acquiesced to the outcome she had not done so because of any prearranged ‘deal’ with Victoria, but more because she couldn’t bring herself to cause Sam any further pain or humiliation.  He had laid himself fully open and bare before them, and she had just known at that point that any rejection, even of this, would have been devastating for him.  She still didn’t understand why he felt that he had to take this particular path ... to do it this way.  But she had agreed, and she would make sure that he wouldn’t be further debased or degraded by it.  She made this clear to Victoria.

       For her part, Victoria was chagrined by the reaction of her mate and sought to reassure her, but also to persuade her that it might not be all bad.

       “Of course I made it sound horrific.  I was trying to convince him to give it all up.” she countered.  “But he didn’t, despite all that.  I think it’s pretty obvious that there is a part of him that really wants to be dominated.  By us.  And isn’t that what you wanted.  For him to be around and happy.”

       “I didn’t want it to be like this.”  Keri replied.

       ‘Well  that seems to be the way he wants it.  Look, we said that we’d give it a trial for a month.  I’m sure at the end of that we’ll all be tired of it and have a good laugh and get on with our lives.  But why not give it a try for now.  He definitely wants it, and it certainly would be nice to have someone else be responsible for the housework for a while.”  When Keri didn’t answer right away, Victoria forged ahead.  “Love, I know that you would find it difficult to boss him around, but he’s made it apparent that he needs that.” she said soothingly.  “So we can play good cop/bad cop.  You can be however you want to be with him, and I’ll be the one to be the stern taskmistress.  I think I can handle that.”

       Keri shot her a sharp look and Victoria rushed to respond.  “I promise I won’t be cruel or overly harsh, but I’m sure he would want me to be firm and demanding.  That must certainly be part of the allure.”

       “I don’t want him to be hurt or put down in any way.”  Keri insisted.

       “I have no desire to do that, you know that.  And you’ll be there to make sure of it, my Love.”  Victoria assured her.  “But he WILL need to be a slave.  Our slave.  He’s made it plain that that’s what he wants, with all that it entails, and I think we should see it through as such.  At least until we’ve all had enough of it.”

       Keri couldn’t come up with an effective counter argument.  She suspected that Vicky was more right than wrong.  She only knew that she was drawn to Sam in some way.  Not in a romantic way.  Not the way she felt toward Vicky, her one true love.  But in the short time that she had come to know him, she had come to enjoy being around him, and really care about him.  She had come to relish his innate goodness and savor his gentle playfulness and sense of humor, but she also sensed his intense shyness, lack of confidence and aching loneliness.  If this is what it took, if this is what he needed, she would try to play along.  For as long as was necessary.  Hopefully that wouldn’t need to be too long

       “Okay Vicky.  We’ll try it this way for the time being, but I’m going to hold you to your promise.”

       Victoria  readily agreed.

********

       When they arrived back at the apartment later that afternoon they were greeted with a delectable aroma.  As he had been ordered Sam had a sumptuous dinner waiting for them.  The table was set but Keri immediately noted that it was only for two.  She made her first command decision and declared that Sam was to eat with them, this night and always.  Though Victoria silently wondered at the propriety of a slave dining with his betters, she did not object.  She did insist  however  that he serve them, both initially and throughout the meal, and he jumped up frequently to offer them seconds, refill their beverage glasses, and take care of any other need that they might have.

       As he cleaned up after dinner the two women retired to the living room, and Victoria set about inspecting Sam’s other mandated assignments.  The carpets had all been vacuumed, and, surprisingly, all of the furniture appeared to have been dusted and polished.  When she went into the bedroom, not only had the bed been made with fresh linens as directed, but the entire room, which had been in total chaos, was now set back in perfect order.  Clothes which had been flung about all over bed and chairs were now either put away or in the laundry.  Several pairs of shoes for both of them that had been strewn about the floor and even under the bed were now neatly stacked with the now carefully rearranged jumble of shoes that had been piled haphazardly in both of their closets.  And he had made no mistakes as to which belonged to whom.

       “This is amazing.”  Keri murmured after she followed Victoria in.

       “Yeah.”  Victoria had to agree.  “But we don’t want it to go to his head.  Let me handle this.”  She half grinned.  “This could be the start of something really enjoyable.”

       Returning to the living room they found Sam anxiously awaiting them.

       “Well slave,” Victoria observed diffidently, “your initial efforts certainly leave a lot of room for improvement.”  She could almost feel Keri’s eyes burning into her from behind.  “But since it’s your first day, and your dinner was passable, we’ve decided tho cut you a little slack.  This one time.”

       “Thank you Miss.”  Sam responded sincerely.

       “Alright then.” she continued.  “Do you still have the extra key Keri gave you before?”

       “Yes Miss”

       “Tomorrow it’s back to work for both of us.  We get up to get ready about 6am.  Have our breakfast prepared for us by 7.”

       “Yes Miss”

       “And after we’re gone and you’ve cleaned the morning dishes the laundry needs to be done, including ironing any of our blouses and pants that need it.  Also, the bathrooms haven’t been scrubbed and cleaned in a while so see to that as well.  We should both be home around 6 for dinner.”

       “I’ll take care of it all, Miss Victoria.”

       “Yes. You will.”

       ‘Wait a minute Sam.”  Keri interjected.  ‘When do you do your own work, your stock trading?  And how much time do you need for that every day?”

       “I usually spend about four hours every morning on research and actual trading, Miss Keri”

       “Well then, you’re not to neglect that under any circumstances.”  Keri commanded.  “After we finish breakfast and leave you’re to march right back to your own place and get your own work done first, before you even think of coming back here.”

       “Whatever you say, Miss Keri.”

       “It certainly looks like you’re going to have a very tight and busy schedule every day then, slave,”  Victoria added, “so you might as well go home now and get as much rest as you can tonight.  There won’t be much time for that for you from here on out.”

       “Yes Miss.  Thank you Miss.”

       And with that apparent dismissal Sam bowed to each of them and left for the night.

********

       The next morning the two lovers were presented after arising with a breakfast of western omelets, buttered English muffins with jam, freshly squeezed orange juice, and steaming cups of coffee.  After making sure that they were both properly taken care of, Sam was ordered by Keri to join them, which he promptly did, but only for coffee as he explained that he almost never ate breakfast.  After they left for work Sam cleaned up the breakfast leavings quickly and then, as instructed by Keri, went back to his place to take care of his own business before returning in the early afternoon to begin what he now considered to be his real work.

       Keri arrived home earlier than Victoria, which was almost always the case, just as Sam was putting the finishing touches on the evening’s dinner.  She was astonished at all that he had accomplished during the day.  All of the laundry was done, with all, not just some, of their blouses and pants ironed and put away.  And the bathroom floors, tubs, sinks and toilets were all spotless and sparkling.  She made sure to compliment him lavishly and her heart gladdened as he beamed and uttered an emotion laden “Thank you, Miss Keri.”

       Victoria made so such attempt to acknowledge his work when she got home but neither did she find reason to criticize it.  She did once again comment on her enjoyment of the dinner, but other than that she mostly ignored Sam until he had finished cleaning up after and she gave him a verbal list of chores for the next day before dismissing him home.

       And so a routine began to be established.  Sam would arrive early every morning to prepare their breakfast as Keri and Victoria were getting dressed and ready for work.  After they ate and left he would rapidly clean up that mess before returning to his own place to take care of his own business.  Even in this he derived a new sense of excitement and urgency, more than he had ever had before as he now felt that he was performing his own work at Miss Keri’s behest and order and no longer just for himself.  After completing his self imposed four hour limit on his own work he would rush back to their apartment to complete his daily chores for them in time to also have dinner going and ready when they got home.

       

       Early in his second week with them Keri found that she had to impose her authority a second time.  Arriving home earlier than usual, just as Sam was beginning to make dinner, she went into the kitchen to watch and help out.  After several minutes she could sense that he was unsettled.

       “Is something wrong Sam?”

       “No, not at all Miss Keri.” he assured her.  “It’s just ... “ he couldn’t help himself from adding.

       “Just what?”

       He had had no intention at being so brazen as to complete his original thought which he had begun to blurt out, but now that she had asked he had no choice but to answer.

       “It’s just that you shouldn’t have to be doing these things Miss Keri.  It’s what I’m here for, to do them for you, so you can rest and be taken care of.”

       This then was the crux, and she knew that she had to settle it with him right away.

       “Look Sam.” she started, not unkindly, “You’re going to have to understand that I like being with you and doing things with you.  You have a lot of amazing talents, not the least of which is cooking, that I want to learn from you, and I can only do that if you let me and teach me.  So you’re going to have to get used to having me be around and in your way whenever I can be, so I can most benefit from your many outstanding abilities.”

       Sam stood there absolutely dumbfounded.  No one had ever said anything like that to him before.

       “And can we drop the Miss Keri thing and just be Keri and Sam like we used to be?  I’d really like that and it would make things a lot easier for me.  And one more thing.”  She was on a roll now.  “When we’re alone together I don’t want any of this ‘don’t speak unless you’re spoken to’.  I want to know what you’re thinking and what your opinions are.  How else am I going to learn from you.  Okay?”

       “I ... ah ... whatever you want ... always ... Keri.”  After a second he bowed his head.  “But ... “

       ”But what Sam?” she asked a little more sharply.

       “Do you think that maybe ... when Miss Victoria is around ... that maybe then I should still call you Miss?”

       Keri paused.  It was a reasonable thought and request.  It would serve no purpose to take any chance of ruffling Victoria’s feathers, particularly when it would be Sam who would bear any brunt of her displeasure.

       “A good idea,” she conceded, “but only then, when she’s around.  Clear?”

       He grinned widely.  “Crystal ... Keri.”

********

       The next few weeks flew by.  Working very hard on a difficult case, in  which she hoped a successful outcome would secure her chances of finally being made a partner in her law firm, Victoria now more often wouldn’t get home until very late.  Knowing this beforehand Keri would arrange with Sam for the two of them to make dinner together and they would spend much time enjoyably experimenting with any number of exotic concoctions before they would come up with one with which they were satisfied enough to eat, and then save the rest for Victoria when she got home.  Through these efforts with Sam Keri was beginning to learn the rudiments of good cooking and fine cuisine, and she was also very happy to have Sam’s company on those nights when she would otherwise be alone until very late.  At her request she also had Sam begin to explain to her how he worked the stock market, and when she appeared to be truly interested, with his advice, they began making small trades and purchases for her.

       

       Even as this was all developing Sam continued to make sure to be especially diligent in performing the duties and chores that Victoria continued to set out for him daily.  He tried very hard not to give her any reason to be dissatisfied with him and jeopardize what he still feared was his precarious and fragile position, however low it might be, in their household.

       Victoria herself  had quickly grown tired of playing the mean ogress role.  It didn’t take her long to realize that Sam never needed to be told to do things twice and that he rarely if ever gave her any cause to complain.  She was secretly impressed that he frequently found things to do on his own initiative.  She no longer thought it was necessary to be unpleasant with him, but she continued to make sure that he understood that he was nothing more than a slave and that they were his Mistresses.  Exhausted as she often was with her increasing workload at the firm she came to greatly, if silently, appreciate that they now had someone to deal with all of the domestic drudgery. 

       So when the one month trial period was approaching its end she found herself urging Keri to continue things as they were for the time being.  While Keri was still not enamored with the underlying premise of the‘arrangement’, she sensed that Sam seemed not only content but enthusiastic about it.  And she had to admit that she shared these feeling when she was alone with him.  She thus agreed, and when the month ended Victoria solemnly announced to him that although his progress had been barely adequate over the first month, they had generously decided to give him another chance by extending his slave probation period for another month.

       Sam couldn’t thank them enough.

       

16.  Veneration

       Sam took deeply to heart Victoria’s implication that he had thus far been found wanting.  He imagined that it had only been through Keri’s intercession that he had been kept on, and this made him more devoted to her than ever.  He vowed to himself that he would do everything that he could, double, triple his work efforts to justify her undeserved faith in him.

       On his own volition he began taking on responsibilities beyond the full gamut of household duties that had been assigned to him.  He started doing all of the grocery and other domestic shopping, although Keri demanded that they all share in the costs equally.  He made it his business to fully maintain both of their cars, cleaning and washing them regularly, and making sure that each was topped off with gas every night.  And in the apartment itself he no longer required any extra instruction on what chores needed to be done, except for the occasional special projects thought up by Victoria, and he continuously strove hard to insure that neither of his Mistresses ever had to lift a finger at home.  Except of course for whenever Keri insisted on participating in whatever he was doing, which she did frequently when they were alone together.

       Keri couldn’t help but notice how hard Sam was pushing himself and she worried that this all was far too much for anyone.  She expressed her strong concerns one evening to Victoria, who merely shrugged.

       “He’s a slave.  That’s what he’s supposed to do.  And he seems happy enough with his lot.”

       Keri had to admit that this appeared to be true.

       “Well, at the very least you can let him know that you appreciate what he’s doing.  It’s you that he’s been trying the hardest to please.”

       “I doubt that seriously.”  Victoria responded dryly.  “And anyway, slaves deserve no thanks.  They just need to do whatever they’re told.”

       “Aren’t you taking all of this a little bit too far?”

       Victoria offered her half smile.  “I thought we were doing all of this for him.  But I can see that you’re upset, my love, so for you I’ll try my best to be ... less stern.”

       But the best that Victoria could muster was to pay less attention to him, oftentimes ignoring him completely.  This only increased Sam’s anxiety as he feared that she was growing tired of his presence.

       Though he tried to hide it Keri could see his developing despair.  Without being too obvious she tried in little ways to reassure him, that if this is what he wanted in their relationship she would continue on with it.  She so wanted to do more for him.  He was giving so much of himself to them and to her mind getting so little to nothing in return.  She tried to come up with something, anything that she could offer back to him, that wouldn’t upset the precarious ‘arrangement’ that they had all accepted, which while not important in this way to her, certainly seemed to be so for the other two.

       As the weeks went by Sam seemed to withdraw more and more into a slave mentality, with no respite even at those times when he and Keri were alone together and she wanted and tried to be more of a companion and friend.  It was as if he felt that he was no longer worthy or deserving of anything, and she began to fear that she was slowly losing something that had become very important to her.  What could she do to draw him back from the abyss of seemingly joyless servitude that she was afraid he was falling into.

       She thought back to how this had all come about and begun and suddenly remembered the one and only request he had made of them at the start.  It had been so conveniently forgotten by both Victoria and herself as they were trying to deal with the so many new and strange aspects of this unique agreement.  But she strongly doubted that Sam had forgotten, even if he probably now thought that he no longer had any right to re-ask or expect.  She resolved to rectify that as soon as possible but realized that she had no idea how.  What action could she take to permit him to manifest the ‘worship’ of them that he had asked to be allowed.  She decided the only way to find out was to ask.

       

       She had to wait two more days until Victoria indicated that she had another late meeting at work that and wouldn’t be home that night until after ten.  After making and eating their dinner together Keri lingered in the kitchen with Sam as he cleaned up.  Finally working up her nerve she ventured forth.

       “Sam, if I asked you something, would you be honest with me about it?”

       Sam was stunned by the question.  How could she even think otherwise?

       “Of course Keri.  Always.” he rapidly assured her.

       She nodded in response.  “You said once at the very beginning of all this that you would like ... well ...  you would like ... to ... well ... worship us.”

       Sam’s heart lurched.

       “Is that something that after all this time you would still like to do?”

       “With all my heart.” he answered hoarsely.

       “Well then how would you want ... how would you like ... to express your worship, Sam?  What would make it special for you?”

       It wasn’t as if Sam hadn’t thought about this, hadn’t obsessed about it virtually every day since this had all begun.  It was just that he had never really believed that it could truly happen.  And while he knew that it was all that he could ever reasonably hope for, he no longer felt that it was something for which he was deserving enough to be allowed.

       “Sam, you promised that you would tell me.”  Keri urged softly as he had remained silent.  He now had no choice.  All she could do was laugh at him and refuse.

       

       “Miss Keri,”   He felt that under the circumstances he had to use the honorific even though they were alone, and she understood and accepted it.  “There is nothing more that I could ever hope for ... that if you’re ever pleased with me ... if you’re ever happy with my service ... and if you ever might wish to reward me, even though there would never be any need on your part to do so,” he rushed to reassure her, “ ... but if you did wish to do so ... that you might grant me the privilege .., the honor ... “ his voice lowered. “ ... the precious gift ... of being allowed ...”  His voice further dropped to barely above a hoarse, awe laden whisper,

       “... to kiss”

       His face turned a vivid shade of red.

       “ ... your feet.”

       Keri paused for only a few seconds to take this all in.  She almost instantly understood the enormity of what this must mean to him, and the courage it had taken for him to voice it.  She slowly walked over to a kitchen chair, calmly sat down, and then slightly raised one of her feet off the floor, letting her backless pump dangle off the front of it.

       “You please me all the time, Sam, more that you can ever know.”  She smiled her smile.  “You have my permission.  You may worship my feet.”

       Eyes widened and heart thumping as it had never done so before, Sam made his way over to her, slowly fell to his knees before her, and took her foot into his hands after she had let her pump drop off.

       “Worship them as you see fit, Sam.  Worship ME.”

       Cupping her foot in his hands, Sam bent forward and brought his lips ever so gently to the top of it, just above the base of her toes.  Keeping full contact, a surge of sensation swirled through him, taking him to a place he had never been before.  He knew without any reservation that in such a time and space that this was where he was supposed to be, on his knees, humbled before this Magnificent ... this Wonderful ... this Superior Woman ... his will completely surrendered to Her own.

       He moved his lips softly across the base of her toes to the outside of her foot, giving little flicks of his tongue as he went.  He then traveled up the side to and around her heel, and then lightly ran his tongue up the bottom of her foot to the underside of her toes where he spent a very generous amount of time with each.  After finally reaching her big toe he kissed around it entirely before bringing her arch to press tightly against the side of his face.  He held her foot there as if transfixed until she slipped her other foot out of its pump and raised it up to his lips so that he could pay homage to that one as well.  Which he then proceeded to do, even more lovingly.

       Keri herself melted into the magic of the moment.  With each caress of his lips on her feet she felt small shivers of delight course through her.  This was nothing like the intimate moments that she shared so very often with Victoria.  The two women were true forever soulmates and it was undying love and passion that bound them.  This was so very different with Sam.  For him it was an act of adoration, and for her it was one of being worshiped.  It in no way threatened the unbreakable bond of love she had with her mate.  But in its own unique way a new and different type of bond was being forged with Sam, and it was one that she now knew that she wanted and needed to nurture.

       “That was so very special Sam.” she sighed as he finished.  “I think that I’m going to have to ‘reward’ you like this far more often from now on.” she added with a smile.

       “Thank you ... Miss.”  was all he could murmur in return.

********

       True to her word, when they were alone, Keri sought to find as many opportunities as she could to allow Sam to express his adoration and devotion.  If it didn’t consistently have the same electricity of that first time, she always found the delicate feel of his lips and tongue on her feet and toes deliciously sweet and thrilling.  As his second ‘trial’ month neared its end it was Keri who was urging a now somewhat less interested Victoria to continue on with the arrangement, and to make it open ended until a time might come when they all would decide it was no longer necessary.

       A bit surprised at Keri’s newfound enthusiasm for the arrangement, Victoria nonetheless agreed, acknowledging to herself that it would be a real pain to have to start contributing to the domestic workload again.  Sam was naturally ecstatic when they informed him of this, even with Victoria’s severe warning that they could end it all at any time if there was any slippage in his performance.

       Over the next several weeks to months Keri noted an increasing energy, excitement, even confidence in every aspect of Sam’s relationship with them.  He appeared to take great pride and joy in the execution of all of his household duties.  During the frequent times when Victoria was out late at work, and they were alone, she was able to coax him out of his self imposed shell to be the amazingly engaging person that she knew he could be.  They spent hours discussing and debating a myriad variety of topics, as well as continuing his ongoing tutelage in the finer culinary arts, or in the many intricacies of financial trading.  She came to more fully appreciate his genuine kindness and wit.  Of even more importance to her however was that he was an avid listener.  It wasn’t long before she considered him, outside of Victoria, her closest confidante and friend.

       As time went on she came to realize that there were three Sams in their arrangement.  There was the slave Sam, who insisted on observing his agreement of being totally obedient and subject to their will.  Then there was her dear friend Sam, whose company she thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated and found that she could be less and less without.  Finally there was the devoted Sam, whose undeniable adoration of her touched her in ways and places she had never before experienced.  She found that she could now tolerate the first Sam so as to be able to have and enjoy the second.  And she came to slowly understand that she was beginning to revel more and more in the worship of the third Sam.  Almost as much as Sam did.

       Before very long that worship began to evolve into other forms.  Often, with Keri’s whole hearted permission, he would either begin or end his veneration by giving her a prolonged foot massage.  She always found these heavenly,  particularly after a long, hard day, and missed them on those increasingly rarer days when Victoria arrived home early.  One evening, during another late night at work for her mate, as Sam was finishing with that night’s foot massage, he threw caution completely to the wind and asked her if there was any chance that she might ever consider allowing him the opportunity to give her a pedicure.  He hurriedly explained that he had been studying how to do so on the internet, and if she could forgive him for his boldness, whether she might bestow on him the privilege of offering to do so for her.

       She was long past due a visit to the spa, she had to admit, as the condition of the polish on her chipped toenails clearly evidenced.  She smiled beneficently.

       “Of course you have my permission, Sam.”

       Sam sprang up from his knees and rushed into the common bathroom.  He returned almost instantly with a small carrying case which he opened once he was back on his knees before her.  The first item he took out was a pumice stone with which he carefully and fully smoothed down and away any dry skin and callus that was present on her feet.  Once this was accomplished he took out a bottle of acetone, and pouring some onto cotton balls he proceeded to rub off all of the old polish on her toenails.  When they were completely clean he took out a file and began the long task of filing the rough edges of every one of her nails until they were all smooth and uniform.

       Through all of this Sam performed with a single minded intensity, as if given this wondrous opportunity he could not allow himself to make any mistakes, and he never once looked up at the somewhat awestruck Keri.  He had reached the point however where the choice could no longer be his, and he sheepishly raised his eyes to her.

       “Which color polish would you like Miss Keri?” he asked, offering her a selection of a dozen different colors and shades in bottles in his case.

       Keri looked down at the offering.  She knew that Victoria was always partial to ruby red, and there was a rich magenta in the case that closely approximated it, so that was the one she picked.

       First placing new cotton balls between each of her toes, Sam was finally ready to set about applying the new polish to her now finely sculpted nails.  He took great care to make sure that it was applied evenly and only on her nails.  As he finished the last one he asked for and received further permission to help speed the drying process by softly blowing on each of her toes until the polish was dry.  Once done he carefully removed all of the cotton balls and then placed both of her feet back onto the floor and bowed his head, as Keri marveled at the most beautiful pedicure she had ever received.

********

       That night, in the afterglow of an especially ardent bout of lovemaking, Victoria lay resting with her head nestled between Keri’s naked shoulder and breast.  She let her eyes travel languidly down her lover’s exquisite body until she reached the end.  A small smile played on her lips.

       “I see that you’ve finally had a chance to get to the salon, my love.  They’ve made your feet even more gorgeous than usual.”

       Keri had been waiting for some time for just this type of opportunity.  She didn’t feel in any way guilty about what was occurring between Sam and herself.  It in no way affected her love and commitment to Victoria, and she never wanted there to be any secrets between them.  This was her chance to assure that this was so, and that everything was in the open.

       “I didn’t go to the spa.” she said wiggling her toes.  “Sam did this for me”

       Victoria sat up abruptly.  “The slave?” she asked incredulously.

       “Yes.”  Keri answered.  “And he gives the most wonderful foot massages as well.”  Now was the time to come completely clean.  “And I let him kiss my feet as well.”

       

       Victoria  remained bolt upright, just staring at her.

       “We did promise him in the beginning to let him worship us,” Keri rushed to explain, “and this is the way I’ve allowed it to happen.  It’s really a very nice experience, Vicky, and it means so much to Sam, after all that he does for us.”  She paused.  “You should really let him do it all for you as well.  I think you’d really like it.”

       “That’ll be the day.”  Victoria snorted.  “There’s no way I want some sniveling slave slobbering all over me.”  She paused a moment herself now.  “And just what else do you two do together?” she added darkly.

       “Sam doesn’t slobber.”  Keri responded sharply.  “And how could you even think anything like that of me?” she continued indignantly.  “Really Vicky, it’s a very reverent act for him.” she concluded more softly.

       “I’ll bet.”  Victoria sneered .  She now became ominously calm.  “Look, you can keep him as your pathetic little foot slave if that’s what you want.  The last thing I need to think about is some man, a fucking slave no less, out there whacking himself off fantasizing about my feet.”

       This brought Keri up short.  She had never thought ... had never considered ...

       “Do you really think ... he does that?” she finally asked.

       “I couldn’t care less what he does with his disgusting male appendage as long as it doesn’t involve me.  In any way.”  She suddenly looked at Keri  suspiciously again.  “I’m more than a little surprised that you don’t feel the same way, my love.”

       “I don’t ... “ Keri started, “ ... know.” she quietly conceded.

       An unsettled silence now enveloped them both as neither knew what more to say.  As they lay down again beside each other, not entwined together as usual, and eventually as they both with difficulty finally drifted off to an uneasy sleep, questions kept recurring to each of them.  Victoria began to seriously ponder just what all was going on between her mate and that sad sack slave.  And Keri, berating herself for being so naive, for the first time began to truly wonder what all Sam did when he went home every night. 

       Alone.

       

          

       

17.   Culmination

       If Victoria had been paying less and less attention to Sam before, except to silently benefit from his many labors, she almost totally ignored him now.  She did however keep a more watchful eye on Keri whenever she and Sam were together.  After some time of covert but careful observation she came to the conclusion that while the slave did fawn over her, it was more like that of a devoted puppy rather than of any real rival whom she might need be concerned about.  Not that she ever really doubted Keri.  She was sure of her love.  And her orientation.  But it wouldn’t do to have anyone, let alone a pitiful slave, come between them in any way.

       She still found it hard to believe every day, that someone as beautiful, vibrant and caring as Keri would want to share a life with her.  She knew that she was no prize, but Keri had seen beyond that, beneath her hard and often prickly shell, into her, and had wanted her and loved her as no one else had ever done before.  And she would do anything not to lose that, or her.  She wouldn’t force a confrontation with her over the slave at this point as Keri continued to seem enamored with having him around.  But she resolved to remain vigilant to any change which might make it more of an issue.  She would reluctantly let this foot worship foolishness go for the present as long as it seemed as harmless as Keri had insisted.

********

       Try as she might, Keri couldn’t get her own questions out of her thoughts.  It wasn’t that she wanted or expected Sam to be celibate.  Indeed, as a dear friend, she would hope and wish for him to have an active and enjoyable sex life.  But what had never really entered her consciousness before, and for which she strongly chided herself now, was the fact that for these past many months he had spent virtually every free waking minute here in their apartment, working for them.  How much of an active sex life could he have, and how healthy could it be?  And with whom?  The implications of Vicky’s comments began to haunt her.  Had Sam’s worship of her become the vehicle, perhaps even the only source of his sexual life?  What troubled her even more was that, if true, she truly didn’t know how she felt about that.

       

       It was due to this inner conflict that Keri stopped affording opportunities for Sam’s worship over the next few weeks.  This, along with Victoria’s increasing disregard of him, led Sam to anxiously suspect that they were both beginning to tire of the arrangement, and even worse tire of him.  Even in their ‘companion’ time together Keri became more reticent, and Sam began having greater difficulty in hiding his developing fears.  It didn’t take Keri long to recognize this and realize that she was the cause.  For his sake as well as hers she decided to put an end to her confusion by seeking an answer from the only one who could provide it; Sam.  The very next night that Victoria had to work late, after Sam had finished cleaning the dinner plates, she called him into the living room and had him kneel before her where she sat on the sofa.  She offered her foot for homage.

       Giddy relief flooding through him Sam took her foot into his hands and bowed down to touch his forehead to the top.  He held it there for several moments.  But before he could begin his oral adoration Keri broke through his reverie.

       “Sam, I have a very important question to ask you, and once again I’d like you to try to answer it as honestly as you can.”

       “I could never lie to you Miss Keri.”

       “I know.  But this is a very personal question, and if you find it ... too personal to answer ... I’ll understand.”

       “I could never deny you anything.” he replied with such conviction that it shook her.  The power he was giving her over him was almost too much to bear, and she almost put a stop to it.  But for reasons she couldn’t really explain to herself, she had to know.  Still, she found it difficult to know how to proceed.

       “Sam,” she began tentatively, “when you’re home alone at night ... do you think of your worship of me?”

       “All the time, Miss Keri.”

       

       The harder but more important question.

       

       “Do you think about it when you’re ... when you’re ...   She blushed deeply.  “ ... playing with yourself?”

       Sam’s eyes widened.  “Oh no Miss Keri.  Please believe me.  I would never do that. I would never sully any thoughts of you with something as filthy as that.” he replied forcefully.

       She was taken aback.  “But it’s not filthy, Sam” she rushed to assure him.  “It’s the most natural thing in the world to want and have that kind of pleasure.  I just wanted to know if  ... if it was your worship ... and me ... that you thought about when ... you’re doing it.”  She hesitated again.  “And if not, then of what?”

       Sam took several long moments to answer, and as he did, he switched modes.  “I don’t do anything like that anymore, Keri.” he said quietly.

       She was even more perplexed.  “Why not?  Why would you stop wanting that enjoyment?”

       He took even longer this time to respond, but Keri waited patiently and expectantly.  She really had to know.

       “I know this might be very difficult to understand.” he finally offered.  “I don’t even understand it completely myself.  It’s not that I don’t want that enjoyment ... that pleasure.  I want it badly.  I yearn for it.” he insisted.  “But it’s not mine to take.”

       “What do you mean?” she asked, almost fearfully.

       “When I agreed to be your slave, which was something I had to do just to be allowed in your life.  And Victoria’s.” he added.  “To make it work, to be able to do it and function, I had to commit myself to it fully, to myself most of all.  I don’t know if I really want to be a slave, but once I agreed to it, it had to be full bore.  And that means to me that I can have no rights, no privileges, no pleasures, except for those which you and Victoria might wish to grant me.  Even self pleasure.”

       “Oh Sam, that’s not the way it’s supposed to be.”

       “But that’s the way it is.”  He smiled.  “Please don’t fret, Keri ... What you’ve given me in all of this has made every bit of it all worthwhile.”  He changed his persona back once again.  “And I can’t thank you enough for allowing me to worship you again.” he murmured as he began to gently kiss her still offered foot.  “It’s all I could ever want or wish for.  Please believe that, Miss Keri.”

*******

       But Keri clearly was not convinced.  And over the next few days she did fret.  And worry.  And obsess.  That Sam had given up so much that was so vital to life and happiness, just to be with them, affected her deeply.  What had they wrought?  And more importantly, how could they fix it?  To put an end to all of this, and send Sam away was definitely not a solution, and out of the question.  She now understood, as she hadn’t before, that he had invested far too much of himself into all of this that he would be completely crushed in so many ways if it was taken away.  She could not bear to even consider that.

       But it couldn’t continue as it was.  She couldn’t accept that now either.  What could they possibly do?  The more she examined what she saw as the key part of the problem, the more certain she became on how it had to be resolved.  An inkling of an idea began to form, and the more she reflected on it the more right and necessary it seemed.  But she knew that she would need not only Victoria’s acquiescence in this, but more importantly her full support and participation.  It wouldn’t be possible any other way.  This, she realized, would likely be the biggest obstacle of all.

       Once determined on her course however, she wasted little time.  That very night, after another spirited and energetic explosion of sexual delight between them, Keri curled herself into Victoria’s arms and blithely recounted to her the entire conversation with Sam.

       

       “Well, that’s something you don’t expect very often.”  Victoria said with a soft laugh when Keri had finished.  “A male who knows how to keep it IN his pants.  Where it should stay.”

       “But it’s not right, it’s not natural.  It’s not fair to him at all.”  Keri calmly protested.

       “So what would you want us to do, order him to jerk off in front of us?  Hmm ... come to think of it, that might be very amusing.”

       Now for the nub of it.

       “I was actually thinking of something a bit more.”  Keri replied, somewhat more seriously.

       Sensing a distinct shift in the tone and even the direction of the conversation, Victoria disentangled herself and turned on her side, head in hand propped up by her elbow, and gazed at her lover.

       “Just what are you implying?” she demanded quietly.

       This time it was Keri who rose up and sat cross-legged on the bed facing Victoria.

       “I just feel that for all that Sam does and has come to mean to us,” she began.

       “Mean to you.”  Victoria corrected.

       “Does for BOTH of us,”  Keri continued, “that the time has come to have him become more part of us.”

       Suspicion darkening, “And how, pray tell, would you have him do that?”

       Keri blushed.  This was always going to be the most difficult part.  She forged ahead.

       

       “I think that there could be times when we could involve him in some of our ... our sexual flings.”

       Now Victoria sat up as well, and for a long moment just stared at Keri.

       “You’ve got to be joking.” she finally answered.  “Have you gone crazy?  You want to do something like that with a MAN?  With somebody other than ME?  Please Keri.  You know what you are.  What we are together.  How can you even conceive of anything like this?”

       “Not with somebody else.”  Keri replied.  “With ALL of us.  And not with any man.  With Sam!”  She hurried ahead with her further argument.  “Come on Vicky.  You’ve always been the more adventurous one of the two of us in trying new things, new techniques.  And you were the one at the beginning of all this who pointed out that we’re different, out of the mainstream and proud of it, and that we had no right to judge or turn away Sam for his difference.  And we’ve used that difference to pull him in, to use him for our own purposes, and he’s given every ounce of himself, subjugated his complete self for that.”  She steadied herself for the final push.  “So I say that we owe it to him, owe it to ourselves, to our difference and his, to have him become a more whole part of us.”  She peered imploringly at Victoria.  “What do you say Vicky?  Please.”

       Victoria contemplated all of this in silence.  Her first reaction was to wonder for the first time if Keri was bi, and that was what this was all about.  But she knew Keri too well, too intimately, and was too intelligent not to see that it was far more than that.  This was something that had become vitally important to Keri, that meant something far more and different that just the sexual aspect to her.  Just what that might be, Victoria wasn’t sure, but what she did know without any doubt was that she loved Keri, heart and soul, and as she had vowed to herself time and again, she would do almost anything to make her happy.  Was this the ‘almost’ part of it?  And if she refused her this, would she be forcing Keri to even consider doing it behind her back?  She really trusted Keri, but she knew she would be consumed with worry and suspicion.  Best to be involved, to see where this all might be going, before it went too far.  Still, there was the difficult issue of just what Keri was actually proposing.

       “I really don’t know about all of this, Love.”  She finally replied.  “All I know is that I love you so much, and if it’s that important to you, well ...”  She grabbed for anything as an anchor.  “... there would have to be a number of conditions.”

       “What?”  Keri implored, her hopes buoyed.

       Victoria took some time to collect her roiled thoughts before continuing.  “First,” she began slowly, “that I be the one to say when and how we ... do it with him.  And I decide if and when he gets to ... release.”  Important to keep things under her her control as much as possible, she again mused.  A sudden new urge intruded unbidden into her thoughts, something thrilling that she had often fantasized about but never ever conceived of being able to do.  Maybe, just maybe now ... “And finally, Love,” she paused before putting this idea into play, “if this little experiment of yours proceeds to your satisfaction the first time ... then I get to use him my way the next.”

       Keri hesitated, but only a moment.  She truly didn’t believe that Vicky, her Victoria, was capable of being intentionally cruel.  And she would always be part of everything, in every instance, to make sure that nothing ever got out of hand.

       “Thank you Vicky.  Of course we’ll do it your way.  But please, don’t let it wait too long.”

       “We’ll see.”  Victoria mumbled, both reluctant and secretly excited at the same time.  “But you have my word.”

********

       The opportunity came much quicker than either one of them could have anticipated.  On the Thursday of that very week, Victoria’s long and laborious efforts as the lead litigator on a major case for her law firm came to a successful end, and the next morning she was finally, long overdue to her mind, offered the partnership position for which she had so long been striving.  Exultant, she immediately called Keri, who, equally elated, promised her a major celebration at home that night.  Keri then got right on the phone to Sam to tell him the great news, and make plans for the evening’s festivities.  Sam dropped everything else and immediately went out to shop for everything he would need for the best feast he could arrange.  Arriving back he spent the rest of the afternoon preparing a banquet he hoped Victoria and Keri would never forget.  Coming home early herself to help, Keri was amazed at what he had already accomplished, but pitched in to help finish.  By the time the triumphant Victoria got home the party was truly ready to roll.

       Starting with a toast by Keri, they drank a whole bottle of champagne.  Then Sam had selected a different bottle of wine to go with each of the three gourmet courses.  Other than a half a glass of the champagne for the initial toast he didn’t partake of any of the other libations.  He needed to keep his wits about him to properly present and serve each phase of his feast.  Allowed to join them during each course he remained appropriately silent throughout, but reveled in the ever increasing jubilant discourse of his two Mistresses, as they had no reason or desire to limit their enjoyment of any aspect of the celebration, including that of each bottle of wine that was offered.  Victoria was in such good spirits that she even complimented Sam on the excellence of the meal, and Keri was even more effusive in her praise.  Sam had never known such pride.

       After finishing the Cherries Jubilee that he had specially made for them, Victoria took Keri’s hand and, somewhat unsteadily, led her into the living room, as Sam commenced his after dinner kitchen chores.  As he washed and dried and put everything back in order he could intermittently hear them laughing and giggling in the other room, and his heart warmed that they were so obviously having such a good time and that he had played some small role in their enjoyment of the evening.

       Finally finishing, he ventured into the living room to ask if they might need anything more of him before he left for the night.  Entering the room he came to a sudden stunned stop as she spied the two women on the couch, both almost completely undressed, and locked in a passionate embrace, their hands roaming sensually over each other as their lips and tongues explored the other’s neck and shoulders.

       Mortified at his unintentional and inopportune intrusion Sam immediately turned to depart, but not quickly enough as Victoria caught sight  of him.

       “Stop right there, slaveboy.” she barked, freezing him in his tracks.  “If you’re going to stand there gawking at us while we’re half dressed then it’s only proper that you be naked too.”

       Unsure what she truly meant, Sam stood there open mouthed.

       “Are you as deaf as you are dumb.  I said STRIP.  And then come over here on your knees and watch how this is supposed to be done.”

       With no confusion as to her orders now, Sam, thoroughly embarrassed, peeled off his clothes and then crawled on his knees as commanded and took his place before the sofa.  He crossed his hands in front of his groin to try to cover the humiliation of his involuntary risen and rock hard excitement.

       Having been enjoined in no uncertain terms, Sam knelt transfixed as his two Goddesses played out their passion before him.  Hands continued to roam as mouths sought and then found breasts and nipples, the latter jutting forward  glistening and erect.  Almost by stealth, fingers crept playfully downward until they encountered, and then slipped beneath the elastic of panties which were the only remaining items that still adorned the luscious bodies.  As they reached their ultimate goal, soft sighs became purrs and then moans, as backs arched sinuously and hips began to undulate in response to the fingers directed attentions.

       Seemingly oblivious to their dazed and entranced audience, Keri slowly raised her lips to her lover’s ear, and after flicking her tongue around and then within it, whispered to her tenderly.  Victoria, eyes closed and neck arched back, now rolled her head toward the kneeling form before her, opened her eyes and gazed inscrutably for several long moments before offering her half smile and a small nod.

       

       She was still in a state of elation from the events of the day, and her excitement had been brought to a fever pitch.  Any further inhibitions or continued reservations she might have had were also unmoored by the amount of alcohol still flowing within her.  So when Keri had whispered her plea, Victoria was of a mind to say why not, that this was as fine a time as any to fulfill her promise.  But only as it had been promised.  Under her full control.

       “Well slaveboy, I trust you’ve enjoyed the show so far.” she began.  “But I think it’s about time we found out what other interesting uses you can be put to.”

       Completely uncomprehending, Sam just gaped.

       “Lie on your back in front of the sofa here.” she commanded.

       After Sam had hurriedly scrambled to obey, Victoria rose and slowly removed her panties.  She then stood astride him, her feet planted on each side of his head, and towering above him she peered down at him.

       “We’re going to find out if you know how to really serve a Woman.”  Her half smile now broadened slightly as she glanced toward the couch.  “Or in this case, two Women.”

       Her tone became more severe as she glared down at him again.

       “And don’t even DARE consider spewing.”

       That admonition given, Victoria, facing down the length of him, began to slowly squat, bringing her knees down on either side of his chest, as her mound lowered ever so deliberately towards his face, coming to hover just an inch above it.  Sam had never had such an experience before, but he fervently prayed that past readings on the web would help guide him through.  He began to delicately blow on the nether lips above him until they began to sway, before lowering again and settling lightly upon his own.

       Almost by instinct he began to nuzzle and nibble.  This was the first time that Sam had ever tasted a woman, and it was impossibly delectable.  With his tongue he cautiously pushed it between her lips up and into her sacred vault, and receiving a vigorous response then began to probe with it more forcefully within.  His singular attention to this heaven above was suddenly deflected by a new presence below as Keri knelt facing Victoria, her knees astride and half sitting just in front of his pubis, his hyper erect phallus positioned just behind her.

       For Victoria and Keri this was a unique experience as well, as their arms, their hands, their mouths, their lips, their tongues, were all able to roam freely and explore each other fully while their sexual centers were being exquisitely stimulated by something else below.  Victoria was entirely engrossed by the myriad sensations coursing through her, especially those brought on by her lover’s tongue above, and the other tongue below.  Hungrily, with her own tongue she sought out her mate’s, and upon finding it joined with it as they began to swirl in harmony together.

       Keri was awash with similar emotions, but she suddenly, unequivocally needed more.  It was something she had never before thought about or desired, but now, lost in such throes that she was unable to even consider consequences, she reached behind her, clutched Sam’s manhood, lifted herself up slightly, and guided him within her to complete the circle.  Then, with both of her hands she grabbed Victoria’s head and pulled it forward to crush her mouth, lips and tongue into her own.

       Pinioned beneath, Sam continued his single minded focus of providing the utmost pleasure to his Mistress directly above.  But when his other Mistress positioned herself below, who then impulsively enveloped him within her, this irresistibly incredible sensation also brought him more than a tinge of terror.  If he lost control he most assuredly would lose everything.  With every ounce of his remaining strength he tried to hold back, but every more urgent thrust of his tongue into his one Mistress above was matched by a rhythmic plunge by his other Mistress below.  The rocking of both pelvises upon him grew ever more frantic, and despite all of his efforts he was fast approaching the brink.  He fought with the last vestige of himself from being drawn into the swirling vortex above.  Just as he was about to succumb to his anguished fate he felt a long and violent shudder above, accompanied by a further flood of juices bathing his face, while his shaft below was caught in an ever tightening grip.  He had reached the point of no return, and he knew he would fail.  But then the two bodies above relaxed, sagged and rose off of him as the two women, sated and spent, collapsed onto the couch together, entwined in each other’s arms, leaving Sam preserved, but achingly erect and unrelieved.

       His function in the festivities apparently finished, he furtively wondered if he should now slink away to allow his Goddesses their private peace.  That decision was made for him however as two pairs of feet came to rest on his still outstretched body, Victoria’s on his chest, inches from his face, followed moments after by those of Keri on his belly.

       As he heard their soft murmurs drift into the rhythmic breathing of slumber Sam retreated into his own space and place.  That he had been used by them as an instrument of pleasure was a thing of wonder and joy, giving him a true sense of being and purpose.  This was further heightened by their ongoing utilization of him as their footrest.  He remained totally enthralled by the presence of their feet upon him as he continued unabated, fully on edge and erect.  He lost all track of time as he lay there and had no idea how much had passed when he was abruptly brought out of his reverie by the feathery touch of Keri’s toe running lightly up the underside of his rigid pole.  An involuntary moan escaped him.

       “Oooooo.” Victoria crooned from above.  “It looks like there’s somebody else here who could use some more action.  And relief.”

       “Can we let him, Vicky?”  Keri asked plaintively as she ran her toe ssoftly up his shaft again.

       “But it would make such a mess.”  Victoria responded.  “And you know how much I hate messes.”

       “I’m sure he would clean it up, wouldn’t you Sam?”  Keri replied, turning her attention back to him as she played her toe up and down again, this time with slightly more pressure, eliciting from him a further groan and an air hump.  “Tell her that you’ll clean up all your mess.  Beg her to let you make a mess.  It has to be her decision.”

       

       Sam was beyond coherent thought other than knowing he would give anything, do anything, if only ...

       “Please Miss Victoria, please.  I’ll clean up every drop, I promise.”  He was losing all shreds of self restraint on this slimmest hint of possible relief.  If she didn’t allow him now, he would ... he would ... “Please let me make a mess, Miss Victoria, please.  I truly beg you.”

       Victoria sighed dramatically.  “Well, it’s against my better judgement, but I am in a good mood, and you have been moderately useful tonight, so... go ahead.  Make your sloppy mess.  But you’ll clean up every speck of it after, and I think you know how I mean.”

       With that permission finally procured Keri brought her other foot to the topside of Sam’s shaft to anchor it, and then with her original toe began to run it up and down the precum slickened underside much more forcefully.  It took only two vigorous strokes before, with a massive groaning wail Sam erupted with a geyser that almost reached his chin, but did cover parts of both of Victoria’s feet.  As Keri continued to stroke, he continued to spurt in huge amounts as months of self denial finally found expression and glorious release.

       In his rapture Sam could vaguely hear, as if in a distance, laughing and giggling.  As his waves of euphoria finally became driblets the laughter grew louder as his Mistresses played with each other with their feet, as if they were kids in a mud puddle in the large pool of his spunk on his belly and chest.  The merriment eventually subsided back to giggles, then chuckles, and as Sam’s ragged panting finally slowed, Victoria wasted little time and with a half grin held up one of her cum coated feet above his face and observed.  “It’s clean up time, slaveboy.”

       Sam immediately rolled up onto his knees and took her foot into his hands and began to lick his goo from every inch and crevice.  Once done, he performed the same with her other foot, and then crawled over to turn his attention to Keri.  If anything, he was even more thorough and tender with her, making sure that both of her feet were completely clean and immaculate.

       When finished with this special service he looked up at her but was too overcome to speak.  His eyes though spoke volumes, and with her own Keri answered back.

       She had been so lost in the passion of the moment this night that she had done something that she had never thought or desired to do before.  Something that had been so fraught with peril and potential disaster in so many ways.  But Sam had been strong for her.  Sam had protected her.  He had saved her from herself.  She strongly doubted that she would ever want to couple like that again.  It was just too dangerous, on so many levels. And so completely unfair to Victoria.  No, never again, she vowed.  For that reason alone. But she was glad that she had experienced it this one time.  And especially glad that it had been with Sam.  While that particular act did not need to be any part of their relationship she now knew without any doubt that her bond with Sam was special and immensely important and vital to her, as she was certain that it was to him.  And she would protect him, as he had done for her, and try as best as she was able, without in any way compromising her union and devotion to Victoria, to make sure that she would see to his own special needs.  And wants.

       She now smiled her ‘special for Sam’ smile for him, then took one of Victoria’s hands in her own and led her away for the night.  They had further business to conduct, alone in their bedroom.  They left Sam behind, on his knees, utterly spent.

       And deliriously content.            

       ‘    

18.  Dissolution

       Keri could barely contain her ongoing inner excitement and happiness over the next several days and weeks over the recent turn of events.  This was especially so soon after when she next offered Sam an opportunity to worship her and he humbly expressed his profound gratitude.  She felt that an important bridge had been crossed, and she hoped that Victoria might feel the same way.  She in no way felt ashamed or embarrassed by what had occurred.  It was Vicky, always Vicky, who was the focus and object of her desire and amour, then and forever.  But that Sam could be involved, even intimately, made it, for her, complete.

       For her part Victoria had been astonished at how turned on she had been during the entire escapade.  The multitude of sensations and stimulations had been overwhelming and she couldn’t entirely diminish the part that the slave had played.  Even her subsequent lovemaking with Keri alone had become more intense, as if something new and vital had been awakened in both of them.

       She was somewhat less sanguine however about the relationship she perceived developing between Keri and the slave.  It wasn’t that she wasn’t sure of Keri’s love.  She was, now more than ever.  But she could see the growing affection and comfort level between Keri and he, the first so obviously reciprocated, and she just didn’t feel that it was healthy.

       So she was initially inclined to say no when some weeks later Keri suggested having another ‘play time’ with Sam.  She had fulfilled her promise after all and saw no reason to further indulge or encourage him in any way, even for Keri’s sake.  She did have to acknowledge however that he had been even more energetic and solicitous in his service than ever, without being obsequious or annoying about it.  And the more that she thought about it, the more she recalled how enjoyable the first episode had been.  Now that a new opportunity was being suggested she again had an almost overwhelming desire to act upon her long held secret fantasy.  Doing it her way, if there was to be a second time, had been one of her preconditions, and she reminded Keri of this now.

       

       “Just what do you have in mind?”  Keri asked cautiously.

       With a mixture of escalating excitement, but also a touch of dread over what her love mate might think, Victoria outlined it for her in detail.  Keri was not at all pleased, and did not think that it would be in any way something that Sam would appreciate or enjoy.

       “So what.”  Victoria retorted defensively. “He’s supposed to exist for our enjoyment, not his.  And I thought that your part would appeal to you.  Much as I find it difficult to admit, he’s really a pretty decent pussy licker.”  She marshaled her final pitch.  “But if you’re that concerned for him, my Love, I’ll let you let him decide.  He can take it or leave it.  Just so long as he knows that it’s the only way he’s going to get any this time.”

*******

       Against her better judgement, the very next day during their companion time Keri nervously laid out for Sam the scenario and choice, making it clear to him that she was giving him every  right to refuse. 

       He didn’t.

       “As much as I may not ... relish it, Keri,” he explained earnestly, “if this is what Miss Victoria wants, I feel I really must obey.  For my sake.  And anyway,” he suddenly grinned, “I think that the enjoyment I’m going to get in being allowed to give you pleasure will more than offset everything else.”  Keri was far from so certain, but she reluctantly agreed to proceed.

       Victoria  was frankly surprised at the slave’s determination.  He must really be horny, she mused.  Or maybe he was more of a man than she had given him credit for, not that she gave any man very much credit. But this only whetted her appetite for what she had planned, would make it all the more satisfying.  She understood that she would have to tread somewhat more lightly with Keri involved, but that was okay.  She had no desire to cause real harm.  Just to assert her rightful place.  And maybe have Keri see the slave for what he really was.

       

       As she needed to make some preparations and purchases beforehand, Victoria announced at dinner early in the week that Saturday would be their planned ‘fun’ night.  In private she tried to assuage Keri’s continued reservations and fears by promising to be as gentle as practical, and by pointing out that the slave undoubtedly was very much looking forward himself to arousing Keri, while she herself was going to find it very ‘hot’ watching her loved one pleasured so at her direction.  Finally, Victoria stressed, if the slave performed to their satisfaction, she would find it acceptable to allow him to make another mess.

       There was that at least, Keri reasoned, as she mentally prepared herself for the coming event.

********

       As Saturday morning and afternoon progressed to evening, Victoria, Keri, and Sam all wrestled with their own different apprehensions.  Keri was concerned about Sam and how he might be affected, and even if he might get hurt.  Sam was worried that he would be found inadequate once again.  And Victoria, still obsessed with her plan, wondered if by proceeding she would be lowered in her own lover’s regard.

       Once again Sam prepared a sumptuous dinner, well supplied with choice wines.  This time Keri insisted that he partake in the drink as well, and by the end of the meal everyone’s anxieties had somewhat lessened.  Eager to get started Victoria told Sam that he could forego the dinner cleanup until after, and that while she and Keri went to change into something more ‘comfortable’, he was to get naked in the living room and await them there on his knees.

       With the living room lights turned low Sam prepared and then waited as he had been charged.  After several long anticipatory minutes Keri entered the room.  Alone.  She looked luminous in her long white satin robe.  She slowly walked over to him and placed one hand under his chin and with it bid him rise. As he did she undid the robe’s belt so that it fully opened in front to reveal her to be completely nude beneath.  She leaned forward and kissed him lightly on the lips.  This was not the kiss of lovers.  That she reserved for one person only.  But it was a kiss of affection filled with it’s own special emotion.  She then placed her hand on top of his head and slowly urged it down to between her bare breasts.

       Sam didn’t dare to presume to do more that dreamily drink in his presence in this hallowed place, but Keri had other ideas.  Cupping one of her breasts in her other hand she directed it to Sam’s mouth, her nipple to his lips.  Her intention and invitation clear, he began to lovingly lave the sublime orb.  After a wondrous time with that treasure she offered him her other.  Wanting never to leave, he too soon felt her hands on his shoulders pressing him down to his knees once again, his tongue trailing down her chest on to her belly and finally coming to stay and probe into her navel.

       None of this had been part of Victoria’s plan, but Keri had made it her own.  For his sake.  And her own.  She wanted, needed him to have this, particularly in light of what was to come.  Running her hands lightly through his hair as he continued to lick and flick, she finally pressed him further down until his face was before the threshold of her most holy of holies.  With an inner sigh his lips began to gently caress the whole of her pubic area, and when she could stand no more she lay back on the easy chair behind her, spread her legs wide, and silently demanded more.

       Sam hastened forward with worshipful mouth, lips and tongue.  While Victoria’s taste had been pleasantly tart, he found Keri to be indescribably sweet.  He probed and pushed and pressed and lapped, becoming so immersed in providing her delight that he lost all awareness of time and place.  He never sensed Victoria as she entered the room, and though in the back of his mind he knew it was to come, it still was a shock when the lubricated tip of the seven inch dildo strapped in front of her began its slow but steady assault on his anus and rectum.

       It burned like fire as it as it was forced inexorably through his sphincter.  He tried hard not to resist but the going was still arduous.  As it delved deeper and deeper within his only defense was to redouble his efforts with his lips and tongue and concentrate all of his consciousness there.  Keri’s swaying response to his more urgent attentions guided him to that desired state.

       

       Ever mindful of Keri’s sensitivities Victoria had been careful with the initial introduction of the device, but when it was finally fully buried deep within her hunger took over.  This was for all men who, at every step along the course of her life, had viewed her not as a person of talent and ability but as an object of sexual gratification, if only in their own minds.  And when it became clear that she would never, under any and all circumstances, ever be that, it only inflamed them more, as it also further lowered their regard of her.  So here she was now, Butt Fucking them all as she began to thrust in and out more rapidly.  The more vigorously she drove the more angry, yet elated she became.  SHE was now the one on top, the one in charge, with her own personal butt boy available to her at any time of her own need.

       But as she reached the peak of her exultation, plunging in more deeply than ever, Keri’s moans and gasps of delight broke through her haze as she saw the slave working so feverishly to achieve her mate’s joy.  And she suddenly realized what was really of the most importance to her.  That was where she belonged, with HER face, not the slave’s, buried between her lover’s legs.  Rapidly withdrawing, she peeled off the strap and dildo, pulled the slave up and away and cast him aside, and assumed her rightful place, on her knees at her partner’s carnal font.

       Keri was too far gone to be overly aware of the momentary interruption but she instantly knew that a change had occurred as she recognized Victoria’s own special brand of oral magic.  Victoria herself was so engrossed in providing stimulation that she only gradually became aware of her own buttocks cheeks being gently pulled apart and a pleasing, velvety wetness being applied to her orifice between.  As her tongue worked more furiously above this other tongue began to move more rapidly below,  back and forth between her own two distal openings.  As they both continued on, a thrumming began to form deep within her.  Ever building it surged through her  to emerge as a muffled scream, fully felt however as it continued its course first through Victoria and then upward through her lover to finally escape from Keri as she arched her back up and out with a cry of unremitting exhilaration.  The waves and spasms continued unabated until both women felt they could stand no more and Victoria pulled away, causing Sam to cease as well, and she then crawled up, completely drained, onto the chair and snuggled up into Keri’s lap and arms.

       

       As Keri came back down into herself she marveled at all that had just taken place.  The two most important people in her life had both just taken her to unimaginable heights, and as this dream came to its end they still remained , rock solid and real, one curled up at her bosom, and the other lying at her feet.  And the one thing of which she was absolutely certain was that she was blissfully happy.  She realized though that there were still things requiring her attention before this night was done.  For the first one she had to allow and help him to make a very well deserved mess.  For the other, most assuredly the most important, she once again had to reassure and prove, as only she knew how, her unending love and devotion.  And she did both.

********

       The very next day Victoria hid away the dildo and strap.  She had pretty much expunged those demons the night before, and she had to acknowledge that the slave was not really like them in any case, and she no longer felt the necessity or need to subject him to that.  What he really was she did not yet truly know.  She did have to admit to herself  however, as her lips curved up into her half smile, was that he was quite the ass as well as pussy licker.  Perhaps she could hone that talent in some future flings.  But only for herself.  Keri was for her alone.  She realized that Keri would not like or appreciate that, and that could present problems.  This sobering thought made her even more wary and concerned about the attachment that Keri was clearly forming with the slave.  Maybe, she mused, it really was time to put an end to all of this before it truly got out of hand.  The question was how to do it without causing any serious rift between Keri and herself.  She would have to look for the right time and opportunity.  Hopefully it would not be that long.  In the mean time she might as well settle back and take advantage and enjoy until that time and opportunity arrived.

********

       For the next several months a sense of good feeling and well being seemed to prevail.  Keri could see that Sam was more enthusiastic than ever in the performance of his ‘formal’ duties, which she had come to realize appeared to be as vitally important to him as it seemed to be for Victoria.  She could only hope that this particular importance would lessen for both of them over time.  He also had become far more open, forward and engaging in their ‘companion’ time together, and she especially enjoyed when he endeavored to show and teach her things, particularly regarding the stock market where they spent much time perusing on the computer as he would point out to her how well she was doing with the investments which he had suggested to her.

       She was also pleased to note a bit of a thaw in Victoria’s attitude toward him.  She interacted with him more frequently, was more civil, and even at times thanked him for something he had done for her.  Keri winced that she still never called him by name, but always referred to him as ‘the slave’, and called him that directly when they were together.  But it now seemed that she more often did so with her tongue half in cheek.

       Keri and Victoria’s lovemaking also took on a new and more vibrant dimension, both in frequency and intensity.  They also now occasionally involved Sam in a session, sometimes, surprisingly, even at Victoria’s suggestion.  These always involved some variation of their last interaction, with Victoria solely attending to Keri, and Sam solely attending to her.  Keri at times wondered about this, and hoped that it would change in the future, but she was happy and satisfied that things had progressed this far, especially as it now appeared that Vicky no longer felt the need to use that ‘appliance’ with Sam.  She actually began to have some thoughts though that she herself might like to experience it.  In the proper hole of course. She thought she might mention that to Vicky at some point.  And with Sam she always made sure at the end, with Victoria’s resigned indulgence, that he be allowed to make his mess.

********

       A jolt to this developing comfortable routine occurred one afternoon at work when Keri received an unexpected phone call.  Two years earlier she and Victoria had been guests at a dinner party given by a couple whom they both knew, at the couple’s secluded home on a beautiful private lake about forty five minutes outside of the city.  Both she and Victoria had immediately fallen in love with the house and the setting and gushed about their feelings to their hosts, who then indicated that they were both planning to retire in the next five years and move south.  Both of the women begged them that when they were ready to move to please call them first before putting the house on the market, to give them the first opportunity to buy it.  The couple promised to do so.

       The phone call to Keri was from the couple, with whom she had kept in touch periodically.  They told her that they had both decided to take early retirement and were planning to put their house on the market soon, but if Keri and Vicky were still interested it would be a win-win situation as the couple would save the realtor fees and Keri and Vicky would have the first opportunity at it.  Keri assured them that they were most definitely interested and would get back to them by the next day.

       She was overjoyed.  This was, without question, their dream house, which they had talked about and fantasized owning many times since they had first seen it.  Now with her working and Vicky in her new position as a partner they could definitely handle the mortgage payments and taxes.  She was practically beside herself as she immediately called Victoria with the great news.

       Victoria was far more subdued than she would have expected, and Keri, perplexed, prodded her to know why.

       “You’re right that we can cover the monthly payments,” Victoria began slowly, “but ... oh Keri, I’m so sorry.  Can you ever forgive me?”

       “About what?”  Keri asked, very concerned.

       “All the money that we had been saving with the thought that we’d eventually use it as a down payment on a house, most hopefully our dream house ...”  She stopped.

       “Yes?”

       

       “I used it all for my partnership buy in.  I never thought this house would be available so soon, and in a year with my new salary I would have been able to replenish our savings and a lot more.  But we don’t have it now.  We can’t swing the down payment.”

       “Can’t we borrow it?”

       “With the tight market the way it is, banks don’t allow you to borrow the down payment to a mortgage.  They expect you to have it or they won’t consider you an acceptable risk no matter what you make.  And we don’t have it ... I’m so sorry ... It’s my fault.  But we just don’t have the money for it now.”

       “No ... It’s not your fault, darling.” Keri offered slowly.  “The partnership was your dream and stepping stone for far longer than this house ever was for either of us.  And far more important as well.  There will be other houses.”

       “I don’t deserve you, my Love.” 

       “We deserve each other.  Don’t fret.  Please.”  Keri concluded.

       But Keri was extremely disappointed and couldn’t hide her mood when she got home.  Sam sensed something was amiss immediately, and it didn’t take much of his prodding for her to explain it all to him from the very beginning.

       “But you have your investments.”  Sam said when she had sadly finished.  “And they’ve done extremely well.  Let’s see what they’re currently all worth.”  He went over to her computer and logged on to his site and brought up the numbers.  She was astounded.  They had frequently looked at individual stocks that he had put her in, and she knew that she was doing well, but they had never actually added up all of her holdings.  She now looked at the total in amazement.  Still ...

       “It’s less than half of what we’d need for a down payment.” she determined morosely after her initial excitement.

       

       Sam nodded slowly.  “But I can easily come up with the rest.” he said quietly.

       

       “Sam, we couldn’t ...”

       “It would be a loan, Keri,” he went on hurriedly, “one that I know you’ll pay back as soon as you both can.  I don’t need the money right now, and it would mean so much to me.  Please ... It’s your dream house.  Don’t let it slip away when it’s right there for the taking.  Please.”

       It wasn’t going to take much to convince her under the circumstances, and she knew that they would be able to pay him back in a year or so.  And she really did believe that it would mean a lot to him, in ways that she didn’t fully understand.

       “It would have to be a loan, Sam.  If you really can do it.” she agreed.

       “No problem whatsoever.” he grinned excitedly.  “Just one thing though ... “ he added somewhat timidly.

       “What?” she asked, slightly alarmed.

       “I don’t think it would be such a good idea if Miss Victoria knew about my part in all of this.  Maybe it would be better to say that it is all coming from your investments.”

       “I can’t lie like that to Vicky.”

       “It wouldn’t be an outright lie.” he suggested.  “Half of it is coming from your monetary investments, and the rest ... well, you have invested a lot in me this past year.”

       She smiled, and his heart soared.  And she knew that he was right about Victoria who would be none too happy about this transaction.  But she wanted it so badly, and they would pay Sam back.

       

       “Okay Sam, it will be our secret for the time being.  But I promise you that she is going to know what you’ve done for us eventually, and we won’t be able to thank you enough.”

********

       Victoria was most definitely taken aback as she was presented with the news upon her own arrival home that night.  But she was so instantly excited, given the guilt that she felt, that she didn’t think to question it all too closely other than to comment that Sam’s investment prowess was apparently greater than she could have ever imagined, and that he had proven to be more of an asset that she would have ever believed.  After those compliments he fell completely from her consciousness as she turned her attention fully to Keri as they planned their next steps.  They first called the couple immediately to accept their offer, and then set out to begin arranging for the house inspection, appraisal, and applying for the mortgage, of which they now had no doubts of getting.

       Events moved swiftly from that point, aided significantly by Victoria’s experience as a lawyer, and within three weeks their mortgage had been approved with a closing date set for the following month.  Through it all, Sam watched silently in the background, quietly elated over his Mistresses’ obvious joy.  One night, after he had left for his own apartment, Keri and Victoria settled into bed and happily began making plans for their new home now that all of the preparatory work to purchase it was out of the way.  Victoria just took it all in dreamily as her lover rattled on.

       “We’ll take the big room upstairs as the master bedroom of course,” Keri expounded, “and maybe even put a Jacuzzi in the bathroom upstairs eventually.  There’s enough space for it, I think.  We’ll make the room across the hall into your office and computer room.” she continued.  “And Sam can have the bedroom downstairs.”

       “SAM!!!”  Victoria exclaimed, followed by several moments of shocked silence.  “ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?”  True disbelief, yet mixed with a sudden sense of time and opportunity.  As well as emotion and fear.  “Keri, love, this has got to stop NOW.  It may have been interesting in a weird sort of way for a while, but it’s more than run its course.”  She shuddered.   “Don’t you understand that I realize what’s been happening here between you two, and how much it’s hurt me?  How much it’s hurt us.  I’ve put up with it because of how much I love you.”  She paused as her eyes began to glisten.  “I love you so much, and I can’t stand for anyone to come between us, and he IS coming between us.  Every moment you give to him is a moment that he’s taken from me, and I just feel that I’m losing more and more of you every day.”  Real tears began to leak from Victoria’s eyes.  In all the time that they had been together Keri had never seen Victoria cry.  “We CAN’T let him come with us, Keri.  It just CAN’T be.  This is our dream house.  For us.  Alone.  Please, PLEASE don’t turn it into a nightmare.”

       Keri had remained in stunned silence throughout the entire tirade.  How could Vicky have gotten it so wrong?  Her One and Only Love just didn’t understand, just didn’t see what was really going on.  But now was not the time for words or explanation.  That could come later.  Now was the time for comforting and consoling.  She leaned over and put her arms around her now quietly sobbing mate and pulled her head onto her shoulder and held her ever so tight.

********

       Sam had tried to be as quiet as possible as he had re-entered the apartment.  He didn’t want to disturb them while they were in bed, but he had left his jacket in the living room, and he would need it in the morning when he went out to get them the fresh muffins and bagels and lox that they loved so much for Saturday breakfast.  He had just retrieved it when he heard Miss Victoria call out his name, and he thought that she had heard him and was calling for him to come.  As he made his way toward their bedroom to answer her summons he realized his mistake as he heard the rest of the ‘conversation’ she was obviously directing to Keri.  As it ended, and he heard not a word in response from Keri, he knew it most definitely as the truth.  Horror stricken, his jacket fell to the floor from his numbed fingers as he  made his way unsteadily to the front door.  As he silently opened it and backed through he didn’t know what he was going to do.  But he was never more sure of anything in his life as he was of this now.  That he would never cross this threshold again.   

        

               

       

19.  One

       When Keri and Victoria awoke and arose the next morning there was no breakfast awaiting them.  Perplexed and even a little alarmed, Keri went from room to room looking for Sam.  She found his jacket on the living room floor and thought it very odd and unlike him to leave it like that.  With an ominous feeling she opened the front door to see if he was in the hallway, and on the ground in front of the door, on top of their morning newspaper which he always before brought in, was an envelope addressed to them both.

       She called to Victoria and after showing her the envelope, had her sit down as she opened it.  As she had feared it was from Sam, and after composing herself she began to read the handwritten note aloud.

Dear Keri and Victoria,

       I realize that by not being there to serve you today that I have broken the most basic tenet of our original contract and agreement.  I fully understand that the consequence of this act is that I will never be allowed to serve or see you again.  While this is the difficult price that I will have to pay for my action, it is without any doubt the best course for us all.  You are soon to move into the home of your dreams and begin the life you both have so long envisioned and looked forward to together.  You don’t need anything that might compromise or interfere with that happiness, or in any way bring you distress.  I now recognize that my continued involvement in your lives would do that, and this is something I cannot ever bring myself to allow.  I know that I have no right to ask, but I do make one small plea.  Please do not try to find or contact me.  It will not be easy for me if you do.  Forgive me for any pain or hurt that I have caused.  It was never my intention to do so, but that is no excuse.  I tried, I overstepped, I’m sorry.  Most of all, please be happy.  You both deserve only the best in life, and you will always have that in each other.

Sam

       Keri, bereft, put the letter down on her lap.  “He was here last night, Vicky.” she said plaintively.  “He heard it all.  That’s why I found his jacket

on the floor.”

       

       “Well at least he’s made it easy for us.”  Victoria replied.

       “EASY!!!  You think this is EASY?”  Keri proclaimed.  “This can’t happen.  It’s not right.”  She looked resolutely at Victoria.  This was her turn now, in the full light of day.  “Vicky, you are the most important person in

the world to me, and I love you with every fiber of my heart, and nothing, NOTHING will ever change that or come between us.”  She paused.  “But Sam is very special to me too, in his own special  way.  And he could be for you as well if you gave him any chance at all.  He certainly tries hard enough for you.  God knows he’s different, with his own unique needs, but we’re different too, and we’ve all become connected, intertwined.  He’s become part of us, Vicky.  He’s made us whole.  Complete.  We’re much better people, nicer people, happier people with him around.  I can see that.  Why can’t you?  We need him as much as he needs us.  And I don’t mean that ‘slave’ thing.  I can live with that if it’s so important to the two of you.  But we need SAM.  Every part of him.  Badly.  We can’t let him go like this.  We just can’t.”

       And now for the wild card.

       “And if it wasn’t for him, we wouldn’t even have a new home to move into.”

       “So he helped you with your investments.”  Victoria challenged weakly.  “So what.”

       “That covered less than half of the down payment.  Sam put up the rest and asked for absolutely nothing in return.”

       “He did what?”  Victoria stammered.  “Are you telling me that he paid for half of our down payment?”

       “He made sure to call it a loan.”  Keri responded.  “I have no doubt to make it clear that he didn’t want or expect anything in return.  Except for us to be happy.  And this is how we pay him back.  For that, and for everything else he’s done for us.”

       

       Victoria was seriously shaken.  She had never seen Keri so animated and vehement.  This all put things in a new and different light.  She didn’t know if she could agree with Keri’s premise.  She just couldn’t comprehend what all Keri saw in him, or in the arrangement that was so important.  But it

clearly was to her, and Victoria realized that things couldn’t stand as they now did.  She made a preliminary decision.

       “Okay Keri.  My Love.  We’ll go talk to him, try to calm things down, and see if we can figure out what to do from here.”

       “But he’s asked us not to try to find or contact him.”  Keri whimpered.

       “Oh I wouldn’t worry about that.”  Victoria offered with her half smile.  “He’s still our slave.”  She stated.  “Until WE say otherwise.”

********

       But all of their initial efforts to find Sam proved fruitless.  Numerous attempts knocking at the front door of his apartment brought no response, and this time it really did seem as if there was no one there.  Calls to his cell phone yielded only the ‘voice mail full’ message, and queries to all of the local merchants and shopkeepers in the neighborhood also produced little in the way of results.  They all knew and had come to like Sam, and many commented on how much more outgoing and convivial he had become since they had first come to know him.  But none unfortunately had seen him recently.

       This was all further complicated by the rush of events leading up to the closing on the lake house.  Fortunately, the lease on their apartment was running out at roughly the same time so they wouldn’t incur any further expenses there, but there were movers to arrange for, new furniture to buy, and an incredible amount of packing to be done, all while they were both working full time.  For that reason alone Victoria was coming to lament Sam’s absence.  But as she watched Keri’s growing despondency as the weeks progressed approaching their move, in what should have been a busy but joyful time, she also surprisingly was coming to the realization that she herself was becoming depressed as well.

       This was not only because of Keri’s despair, or that it would have been extremely useful to have the slave around to do the lion’s share of the

packing and all of the other myriad number of moving tasks.  It was more that she noticed a change in herself that had not been so readily self evident

to her before, a sharpening and prickliness in her attitudes, particularly at work in her interactions with others, that had always been present in the past, but had been softened and even absent over much of the past year but were  now again beginning to re emerge.

       Though now a partner she still felt herself to be the perpetual outsider in the ‘Old Boys Club’ that continued to make up the bulk of her law firm, and even in her overall profession itself.  Because of her known orientation she didn’t even benefit from the flirtatious camaraderie that might have existed with her male colleagues, which she would have disdained in any case, but the lack of which made her seem even more alien.  She couldn’t help the feeling that others, most especially the men, were more favored and valuable and she less so, and that she always had to work twice as hard, achieve twice as much, and still not be held in the same regard.  It would always be the ‘good old boys’ who would reap all the benefits.  Or so she perceived, as she bristled.

       And so, as time went on, she had begun to find it very soothing after her daily battles against these barriers, to come home and find a male waiting, willing, and wanting to see to her every need, to be at her beck and call, and to cater to her every whim.  And not just any male, but one so obviously smart, talented and able, and who was so clearly a self success.  And so exceptionally funny as well.  Not that she had ever allowed herself to experience that part of him directly.  Not as Keri had.  But she had noticed all too often how he could make Keri laugh, and while at times this had bothered her, at other times she couldn’t help but laugh herself, much as she tried to hide that from them both.  Lastly, she half smiled to herself, she had come to discover that he had the most amazing tongue.  Not as sweet as Keri’s, but a bit more adventurous.

       And then there was the dildo, which she had kept hidden away since that one night.  She still had no further need to use it that way on him again, but if the slave asked ... her half grin widened a little more ... no, if he begged, well ...  But there were so many other ways that it could be utilized.  It could be fashioned with a chin strap wrapped around his head to be so used for their enjoyment.  She began to feel a very pleasant warmth below.  When she had purchased that one she had also seen another one, a double ended dildo, with a shorter end that could be fit into the slave’s mouth, with the longer, thicker end fastened outward from his face.  She began to rock slightly back and forth.  Maybe she would have Keri experience it all first, to keep everyone happy.  There was no end to the inventive ways a slave could be used ... if properly trained.  And she wouldn’t even begrudge him making an occasional mess ... as long as it was strictly supervised, and appropriately cleaned up after.

       But it was far, far more than all of that she was now coming to understand.  Being so fawned over on a nightly basis, even as she usually did not deign to acknowledge it, had had the effect of softening her demeanor, especially in the outside word.  She had begun to sense being referred to less often behind her back as the ‘Ice Princess’, perhaps the mildest of the epithets that had been used.  Colleagues had started to engage her more, even to include her in non professional conversations and interactions, now that her sharp defensive shell seemed to be lessening.  It was also not lost on her, in retrospect, that after so many false starts and broken hopes she had finally been offered partnership when it was implied to her that she now brought the entire package to the table, and not just her legal skills.  This had all occurred during the time that the slave had been with them, and she began to see that his increasing involvement had made the entirety of her life that much easier.  And nicer.

       But as the month had marched on since the slave had left, she had felt many of her old resentments returning, and her reactions to them once again becoming sour.  She actually began to realize how much, for all of these reasons, she missed having him around.  Even more than that, she conceded with a start, she missed him as a person as well.  She had been jealous, perhaps unjustifiably, of what he had become for Keri, but she was now coming to understand just how much he had been offering and providing for her.  She doubted that she would ever feel the same way about him as Keri did, but there was something about him that helped fill a hollow in her, and she wanted to have that back.  To her own surprise, even shock, she now came to the utterly astounding conclusion that she not only missed him, but that she actually ... liked him ... and needed him.

********

       They had exhausted all of their ideas on how to find him, and as their moving day came they both glumly concluded that more than one end may have been  reached.  It was the actual move however that sparked in Victoria one last possible approach in their search.  While it was certainly apparent that he was no longer living in his apartment, they had not noticed anyone else moving in or out in all of this time.  Victorias decided to pay a personal visit downtown to the landlord’s office.

       Indeed, the landlord informed her upon her arrival when she asked,

Sam had been in contact with him through the mail, paying his rent, but also indicating that he too would be moving out at the end of his lease in two months.  Mustering as much charm as she possessed, drawing upon her envisioned example of Keri, and even for that matter of the slave himself, she asked the landlord for a favor.

********

       Sam had not been back to the apartment building since the morning that he had left his letter in front of their door.  It just hurt too much to even consider it.  Taking only a suitcase full of clothes and his laptop computer, he had been living in a small hotel on the other side of town.  It was a significant expense, but he had no intention of ever living in his own apartment again, and had so informed the landlord that he would be moving out at the end of his lease.  And he didn’t even dare to think about going back to his own place to sort things out until they were gone.  There would be time enough for that once they had left, and he had asked the landlord to send him a note letting him know when they had moved out.

       Although it had never been discussed, he had known in his heart that the move to the lake would bring about the end of their ‘arrangement’.  He had just hoped that he would be able to ‘help’ with the moving out and moving in, and possibly be invited up, perhaps even frequently, to ‘assist’ with the many special projects and general maintenance that was part and parcel of home ownership.  That was all out of the question now of course.  How could he have been so blind?  To have been the cause of so much distress and discord to the two people who meant more to him than anything in the world.  He knew that he could never face them again.  His shame and self disgust were just too great.

       He spent very little time outside the hotel room, venturing out only for the necessities.  He did his trading on the computer but his heart was no longer in it.  He reflected a great deal on his lot.  In many ways it had been very hard being a slave, and there were some things about it that he definitely hadn’t liked.  But during that time he had never felt more alive.  At least then he had had a purpose.  Somebody had a use for him, no matter what that use

might be.  But in the end it had all been for naught, and he had only caused pain.  Was that all he had to offer?  To anyone.  What was his purpose?  What was his use?  He was a day trader.  Who did nothing for anyone.  It had always just been a way for him to survive.  But was it truly a life?

       The letter from the landlord had come at the anticipated time.  Yes, it read, the two women had moved out, but they had told him that Sam had an

extra key to their apartment, and that he had also left some of his own personal items in it which they had left behind for him.  As the landlord would be showing the apartment soon, he asked that Sam meet him there at noon on the coming Saturday to pick up his items and give back the key.

       Sam’s initial impulse was to send back the key in the mail and forget about whatever he had left behind.  Other than his jacket he couldn’t recall anything else he might have left.  But he was suddenly struck with an overwhelming desire to see the place one last time, now that they were gone.

********

       He arrived at their former residence about a half an hour early on Saturday hoping to have a few moments alone there before the landlord came

and put a final end to it all.  With great reluctance he opened the door with his key and stepped across the threshold that he had vowed never again to cross.  But that promise had only been meant for when they were still there, and he no longer felt it to be a violation.  Surveying the apartment from the doorway he was struck at how barren it was, stripped of all of their things.  Of them.  He made his way to the closet and found his jacket hanging there. 

He then slowly began to go from room to room, lingering a bit in each, savoring whatever memories he could, no matter how much they now stung. 

He could find no further items of his, or of anyone’s.  The place was truly empty.  Almost as much as his life had become.  He made his way out to the living room and stood, staring out the picture window, lost, and not only in his thoughts.

       “Hello Sam.”

       He whirled around as if struck, at the sound of a voice that he knew so well.  And incredibly, he did find Victoria standing there in the middle of the room, with Keri a step behind and to the side.

       “Victoria!  Keri!  I didn’t expect ... I’m so sorry ... I didn’t think you’d be here ... The landlord just asked me to pick up some things and give him

back his key ... Please forgive me.”

       Victoria laughed.  “There’s nothing to forgive, or for you to apologize

for.  We also had to come back for some property we left behind.”

       Sam was sincerely puzzled.  He had been through every room and had seen nothing else.

       “I don’t know what that might be Victoria.  There’s nothing else here.  I’ve looked.”

       “Oh, but there is.  Our most important possession.  One that we now know we can’t be without.”  She gazed at him with calm assurance.

       An inkling of comprehension slowly began to dawn, but he had no idea how to react, how to respond.

       Keri now stepped forward.

       “We came back for you Sam.  We want you to come with us.  We need

you to come with us.  Both of us.”  She glanced at Victoria, who nodded, before turning her attention back to Sam.  “You’ve become part of us.  A most important part.  One we cannot be without.  You make us whole, Sam,  happier ... nicer ... better.”  She looked at Victoria again and then back.  She took a deep breath.   “ Please believe.  We need you badly ... Don’t you see ...”  Her voice was yearning.   “ ... You’re Family, Sam.”

       “The family slave.”  Victoria added dryly, but then her face and voice both softened.  “If you still want to be ... Sam.”

       

       Sam looked from face to face and, astonished, saw only honest and sincere desire.  And hope.  They truly did want him.  And there was no doubt  in his mind on what he wanted, and no longer on how he needed it.  He slowly sank down to his knees.

       “Miss Keri.  Miss Victoria.” was all he could say.

       Keri rushed forward and pulled him up and hugged him fiercely.  He cast a nervous glance at Victoria but saw that she was smiling broadly, not

just the half smile that was her usual.

       “Well, I’m glad that that’s all settled.” she said after a rather extended

period of time when finally Keri had peeled herself away.  “I think that it’s

time we all got going to the new place.”  She looked pointedly at Sam.  “After all, you’ve got a lot of unpacking to do.”  She continued with her broad smile.  “And I believe my financial portfolio also needs some intensive

evaluation and management.”  She started to turn to the door to go, but then paused and turned back.  “Oh, and Sam.” she added.  “I think that from now on I’m going to allow you to kiss MY feet as well”

       Sam offered an awestruck grin.  “It will be my very great honor and privilege, Miss Victoria.”

       “Yes.  It will.”  She acknowledged, her smile becoming more serene.

       Sam stood there, transfixed, with Keri still tightly holding one of his

hands.  He could never have imagined, would never have believed.  He now had a place and a purpose in someone else’s life.  In two lives.  The two most wonderful lives in the world.  He had always known that he would forever adore Keri, and worship the ground that she walked on.  But he now knew, without any question, that he also wanted, and had a very deep need, to serve

Victoria. 

       But far more important than all of this, as they were making abundantly clear to him.

         He not only belonged TO them.  He belonged WITH them.

       And he would spend the rest of his life proving to them every day that this should be so.

       Sam’s grin now extended from almost ear to ear.  Miss Victoria was right.  They really should be going.  He had a lot of unpacking to do.

       Together ...With Them ... Family ...

       At home.