8 comments/ 45575 views/ 13 favorites Borromean Rings By: Scaramouche123 Of course all characters are of majority An unconventional ménage-a-trois, if there is such a thing... "Samuel. I'd like you to meet my sister Melody." "Hello Melody. What a pleasure to finally meet you." Melody shook Samuel's hand and smiled. "I've heard so much about you," he went on. "You played cello in the Symphony?" Melody nodded. "I've a box at the Symphony; it's how I met your sister." Melody looked at me then back to Samuel. She was smiling that inscrutable smile of hers. "Melody," I said. "Samuel knows you don't speak. I told him of the accident and he's aware you have little recollection of what happened." Melody nodded. "It's okay Melody," Samuel started to elaborate. But I cut him off. "We're going to miss the beginning." Samuel turned to Melody. "Melody, I know your sister is very protective of you. I hope you don't think I'm a dolt." Melody smiled really big. "I was only trying to acknowledge, in a way you would clearly see, that I'm aware I'm the interloper in your relationship. I was trying to be a gentleman. " Melody nodded and turned to me with a smile. "Let's go. The concert will start without us if we're not there," I looked at my watch. "Oh my goodness, if we're not there in less than two minutes." The three of us gave our wine glasses to a waitress and raced up the stairs to Samuel's private box. We made it just as the lights dimmed. I sat between my sister and Samuel and enjoyed every minute of the music. I'm a big fan of Schubert and Chopin. When the pianist played the "Raindrop" I cried. I cried for my late fiancé, who was killed in a horrible car wreck. I cried for my sister who my fiancé had picked up from the airport just minutes before. I cried because I knew she watched him bleed to death pinned to his seat by the steering wheel and the air bag that was supposed to save his life. She too was pinned by her own airbag and the firemen said she screamed and screamed until the life went out of my fiancé's eyes. Then she went mute. And finally, I cried because I'd met Samuel. But I cried quietly and no one knew. While I cried, I reflected. Though it had been three years and some months since the accident, I'd not really awakened to life's possibilities until Samuel came to one of our classes for the inner city kids. We'd discovered, through mutual friends at the Symphony, we had something in common... my late parent's foundation co-funds programs that bring music to disadvantaged kids. Apparently, so too did Samuel's foundation. I was at first put off by his strength. I thought he might be a phony, posturing for the media, but I was wrong. He genuinely enjoyed seeing kids learn about music from the professionals we'd bring to the schools. He needed no recognition whatsoever, and oft times would stay far away when media reps began taking photographs. Once I realized he was genuine, I gravitated to him in a way that was at first meant only to be help facilitate co-operation between our two foundations, but soon, seeing him on several occasions, our meetings became something I looked forward to as we began to work hand in hand. The first time we had lunch together, away from our usual activities, was awkward, but acted as an ice breaker for all our meetings thereafter. It was the third lunch that made me sit up and take note of this man I kept running into wherever I went. "I'm going to be gone for a few months," he said. "I've got to attend to family business abroad and won't be back until summer." For some reason I was expecting a hammer to fall, but instead he offered... "I'd like to give control of our foundation resources to you while I'm gone." "Pardon me?" "I'd like to give you power of attorney for my foundation while I'm out of the country." "Why?" I asked. "Because, it's my belief, you and I are cut from the same cloth." It was then I realized he was spot on. Over the previous few months I had come to respect the way he conducted his business, but more importantly, I had come to admire the way he transacted with the children. But it took this gesture for me to fully realize that we were, in fact, cut from the same cloth. I would ask the exact same thing of him, without hesitation. "Okay," I said. "Do I need to meet with your attorneys?" "Oh, lord no," he answered. "Whatever I want to have happen they'll agree to. It's just a matter of me signing a limited power of attorney over to you. So, you'll do it?" "I'd be honored. In fact, I'm also flattered. It's not everyday someone gives you carte blanche to their fortune." "True," Samuel smiled. "But you have no more need for money than I do. I'm confident our interests are identical, and I'm equally confident you'll acquit yourself in my stead." "Yes I will. When will you be back?" I suddenly wanted to know. "June," he answered. "June? That's our birthday." "Our?" "Yes Samuel. I have a twin sister. She's away." "A twin?" "Yes. An identical twin. Her name's Melody." "Oh. Why haven't I met her?" "She's recovering." "Recovering? It's then I told Samuel about my late fiancé. It flowed out of me as if some faucet was turned to full. I couldn't stop. I told him how I had met my fiancé, how we had fallen in love, how we were to be married, and just about everything a person could tell someone about another person. Still, I couldn't stop. I wanted this man who was entrusting me with a goodly portion of his wealth to know I was a decent person. No. It was more than that. I wanted him to know why I never dated nor enjoyed the company of another man. That is, until I met him. I finally finished my explanation of the last five years of my life and looked around the restaurant. We were alone and our waiter was sitting at a table by himself, playing some game on his mobile phone. "Has everyone left?" I asked. "Yes." "Oh, we should go then." "It's okay. I took care of the waiter. He'll stay as long as we need him." "Do you want anything else to eat or drink?" I asked. "No. I'm fine. What about you?" "No. I'm okay. I feel bad I took up so much of your time." "Think nothing of it. I've wanted to know more about you for a while now." "Why didn't you ask?" "I never push. I figure the best things, like truth, will out. I've never been wrong yet. And I'm once again proven right. Your story is both sad and amazing. I've wished for a long while now, I could meet someone with your level of commitment to share my life with." "You mean..." "Yeah, huh? At my age you'd think I would have met someone before now." "Before now?" "Yeah. I guess I've waited to find a person who..." Just then his cell phone rang. "I'm sorry," he said. "I need to take this." Well that was it. I felt our opening up to each other was cut short. Samuel was listening to whoever was calling and didn't once look in my direction. After a minute he hung up and turned to the waiter signaling there was nothing else we needed. "I'm sorry. I have to go. Something's not right at my office and I need to go fix it. Can I have my driver take you home?" See. That's how thoughtful this man was. He was obviously needed, but remained concerned for my welfare as well as his own. I liked him more each moment. I was not to see him for several months, but I thought about him every day. Somehow, thoughts of my late fiancée seemed to take a backseat to my thoughts about Samuel. I didn't feel guilty. How could I? It had been three years since my fiancé's death and I needed to get on with my life. I also needed to visit Melody. In late May, I drove to the facility that was caring for my sister. I'd visited often during her two years there, but this time, I felt different. I felt as if I could "spring" her from the grasp of her predicament if my new buoyancy were transferable. It almost worked. I spoke with the doctors and staff at length. I was told, though Melody was always in good spirits, there was never a time when anyone thought she might utter a sound. Everyone seemed resigned to the fact that she may never speak again. It was not encouraging, but I didn't need my sister to speak to love her. I just needed her to look in my eyes and let me know she was okay. When she did, I told her of Samuel. The questioning look on her face spoke volumes. I knew she somehow felt guilty she couldn't help stop my fiancé from dying. I knew she somehow thought it might be her fault. I also knew that if I treated my new found fondness of Samuel lightly, it would not sit well with her. It was a delicate line to walk, but I think I managed. I visited twice more before Samuel returned. The first visit, on our birthdays, we sat without speaking under a huge oak tree in the courtyard of the facility. The second visit was a repeat of the first except when it came time for me to leave. "Samuel's coming home next week. I want to spend some time with him. In November, when the season starts, I want to come get you and bring you home with me. Will you be ready?" I asked. Melody didn't say anything, but I sensed she was midway between her grief and her feeling of gratitude that it was I who was moving on. I felt she had been waiting, holding her breath, hoping this was the time for our healing to begin. I, of course, never spoke of that tragic night. I knew she had watched him bleed to death, she too being trapped behind the airbags, though fortunately, unscathed. I knew she somehow felt as if she owed me. It was odd, the emotions and scenarios that played out in my mind over the months after the accident. But one thing was certain. I was as glad my sister was okay as I had ever been about anything else in my life. My sister was the love of my life in a way that only twins could understand. I needed her to be okay. I needed her to be okay then, and I knew I needed her to be okay come November. During the summer, Samuel and I became lovers. I don't remember the exact date we first made love, but it was soon after he returned. I spent the night with him at his apartment in the city and, when I returned to my own apartment, I cried for two days. I cried for joy at knowing Samuel, and I cried, asking for forgiveness from my dead fiancé. But mostly I cried because I knew I was going to go on living. The only thing left to make my life right was to get my sister to start living with me. "Where do you want to eat?" "Huh?" "I said, where do you want to eat?" Samuel had been talking and I'd been lost in my reminiscences. I looked at Melody, who shrugged and smiled. "I don't care. You choose." "Melody?" Melody just shrugged and smiled again. She stepped closer to me and put her arm in mine. We both looked at Samuel. "Oh. So that's the way it's going to be, huh?" I looked at Melody and she looked at me. "Okay. We're going back to my apartment and I'm going to cook." Melody scrunched up her face and turned back to me. "No Mel. He's a good cook. I think we'll probably be just as happy there as we would be anywhere else." Melody shrugged an agreement and we were off. Over the next two weeks, the three of us were inseparable. Melody and I stayed with Samuel as his guests. His apartment was extremely large and well appointed. This allowed us to get early starts to visiting shops, museums, crafts peoples and various other side trips we'd think up as our time together progressed. We did absolutely everything together. Everything that is, except make love. That only took place between Samuel and me. As Melody slept in the guest room next to Samuel's master bedroom, we kept our lovemaking to a very subdued level. It actually enhanced our exploration of each other's bodies as our need to be quiet gave rise to some interesting couplings. Oft times, we would use our mouths to bring each other release before drifting off to dream land. I was never shy about exploring my own sexuality with my late fiancé, and I'm glad Samuel seemed to have the same appetites as me. One morning, I'd left Samuel drifting back to sleep with a big smile on his face. When I went to the living room, Melody was sitting on the sofa looking out the floor-to-ceiling window. There was a pot of coffee on the table. As I sat down next to her, she turned to give me her usual morning hug and kiss, but she backed up when she briefly touched her lips to mine. "What? I asked. She sniffed. I burst out laughing. "That's Samuel's semen you smell. I put him back to sleep with a smile on his face." She slapped the sofa and grinned so big I thought her face would crack. Then she moved her face back to mine and kissed me again, this time pushing her tongue between my lips. When we moved apart, she closed her eyes and seemed to be trying to figure out the flavor. "A little fishy, huh?" She shrugged. "You've never tasted a man before have you?" She shook her head no. "Well, it's a bit different then the way you and I taste, but I like it just the same." The corner of her mouth turned up in a smile that told me she remembered our dalliances when we were in music school together. "Do you remember how I taste?" She smiled and shook her head. "I too remember how you taste and now that I think about it, I kind of miss it a little bit." Melody arched her eyebrows as if questioning the sincerity of my admission. "No Mel. I'm not just saying that. I've missed spending time with you, that kind of time. We haven't been together for a long time. What's it been, four, five years?" Melody held up five fingers. "Yes. I thought so. Do you miss our times together?" Melody turned her head away from me and I could tell she was trying to find a way to answer me. We heard footsteps and both turned as Samuel walked into the room. "What times together?" "I was telling Melody how much I missed our time together in music school. After all, we're twins and have that bond, right Mel?" Melody nodded and smiled. "Well, why don't I go check in at my office today? I can catch up on some work and you two can catch up with each other. I seem to have been sort of a tag-along these past ten or eleven days." "Oh, don't be silly. I've loved every minute of our time together. I think Melody has enjoyed herself as well" Melody shook her head enthusiastically. "Well, okay then. I'll still go to the office and we'll meet for dinner tonight. I'll send the car back for you after I check to see if I need it." "Oh, don't bother. Everything we can do we can do in the neighborhood. If we need to go somewhere, we can take a cab." "Are you sure?" I looked at Melody for affirmation. She nodded. After Samuel left for work, we tidied up and then each went to our rooms to get ready for the day. As I laid out my clothes I had a thought and went to the guest room. I knocked. Melody opened the door wearing only a robe. I motioned for her to follow me and without waiting for a response turned to walk back to Samuel's room. When we were inside I walked into the en suite and turned on the bath. Samuel had a huge square tub that was more like a jacuzzi than a bath tub. I poured bath salts and fresh herbs into the water and motioned through the door for Melody to join me. "We're going to bathe together. Just like we used to at school" Melody's face lit up. "Take off your robe," I said as I began taking off my own robe and panties. I tested the water, found it hot but bearable and stepped in. Once I was seated, I watched Melody step into the tub. I'd forgotten how beautiful I thought she was and held my breath, hoping she was okay with this rekindling of our old flame. She moved to sit opposite me, but I patted the tiles beside me and she moved over. We both sat for a minute letting out bodies adjust to the water's temperature. "Mel." She turned to look at me. "Sweetie, I'd like to wash you. Do you think that will be okay?" Mel smiled, closed her eyes and raised her arms above her head. Then she dunked herself fully into the water and stayed under for just a few seconds. When she raised her head out of the water, she stood up, turned and waited. I giggled. So much for any shopping trip later. This was going to be way more fun. We spent the morning reacquainting ourselves with each other. Oddly, in that we are identical and weigh within a pound of each other, it was a bit surreal. I mean when I lifted her breast to wash it, it felt like my own breast in weight and firmness, but unlike when I touch my breasts, it was slightly unfamiliar. I felt like I was a teenager again, feeling up someone after a high school dance. I mean, well, let me be real clear, since I had never had sex with anyone other than my sister and my first fiancé until Samuel, I imagined many times what it would feel like to hold another person's breast in my hand. And of course, many of those fantasies started in high school with Melody. That's what I mean. We didn't kiss, or stroke each other's vaginal areas, except to wash, so it really was a bit of re-exploring territory from which we'd been absent for some time. After the bath, Melody made some tea while I made croissants and a plate of fruit. We ate silently, looking at each other and smiling in between bites of food. I realized, unlike looking in a mirror and seeing my self the opposite of the way others saw me, when I looked at Melody, I really was, in a sense, looking at my self. I wondered if I was as beautiful to her as she was to me. As I was putting the last of the dishes away, Melody came up behind me and slipped her arms around my waist. She reached her hands up and cupped my breasts. Her breath on my shoulder was warm and smelled of strawberries. I knew it was time. We made love until the middle of the afternoon. I could not get enough of her and devoured her with my eyes, my tongue and my soul. She returned every gesture I made in kind. We exhausted each other and about mid afternoon, both fell asleep, spent but for the first time in a long time, without a single care in all the world. When I awoke, it was raining hard. The wind was blowing sheets of water against the window. Melody was leaning against one side of the sill, looking out across the cityscape. Lightning flashed in the distance. I walked to her side and nuzzled her. She turned, smiled and put her arm around me. She was cool to the touch as I was still bed-warm, but it felt so good to be at each other's side once again. I glanced at a clock and saw it was much later than I thought it would be. We must have slept the sleep of the dead. I wondered how much longer Samuel would have to stay at his office. We made some tea and sat in the living room watching the rain and lightning just, I don't know, waiting, existing. It was only when my stomach started to rumble that I realized I was hungry. Melody laughed and rubbed her own tummy indicating a "me too" gesture. I decided to call Samuel. When I picked up my cell phone, I saw there was a text message for me. It had been sent about two in the afternoon. "Be home shortly" was all it said. I wondered if he'd come in while Melody and I were asleep in each other's arms. I wondered if he had, if it bothered him. I tried to call him. His phone went straight to voice mail. I called his office but no one picked up as it was after hours. I wasn't too concerned... yet. Melody shrugged her shoulders in a way that indicated she wanted to know if everything was okay. I told her what I knew. She went to the kitchen and came back with paper and pencil. Now I should tell you that even though Melody couldn't speak, she was still the brightest candle in the room. I'd always struggled to maintain a high GPA, but Melody seemed to always be at the top of every class we ever took. Of course, we always took the same classes because, as twins everywhere will tell you, it never quite seems right, being apart. Borromean Rings She drew a line down the side of the paper and on one side wrote "things we know" and on the other side she wrote "things we don't know." It was the "Is he okay" line on the side with "things we don't know" that bothered me the most. There were too many ways for things to be wrong for me to not feel a bit apprehensive. Samuel had never acted mysterious before. When he needed to go somewhere, if even for an afternoon, he always told me. He always gave me a phone number where he could be reached so this "disappearance" thing was beginning to upset me more and more as the evening wore on. About a half hour before midnight, Melody wrote a simple plea for us to get some sleep so we could get an early start finding out what happened. In the morning, we were up at 5:00 AM calling hospitals for the third time, police departments, and any other service type agencies we could think to call. Nothing. At 8:00 in the morning, we dressed and headed to Samuel's office. His secretary was very gracious but offered no insight as to the whereabouts of her boss. Nor was the security station at the entrance to his office building any help. Then I had a flash. I called his attorney, one I'd met before at one of the music functions, and told him I needed to speak to Samuel as soon as possible about an artist needing to back out of a commitment for health reasons. I told him Samuel had the name of an alternate, but I'd called his house and couldn't reach him. I asked the attorney if he knew the contact information for the alternate and he said he was unaware of an alternate. I asked him if Samuel was in town and he put me on hold for a minute saying he'd find out. When he came back on the line, he was laughing. "It's just like Samuel," he said. "He's up at his family's fisheries in Alaska." Well you could have knocked me out with a feather. Alaska? What the hell? I thanked the attorney and explained to Melody what I'd found out. My mind was racing for answers. Melody, bless her heart, made a stab at what probably was the only thing that could have happened. She wrote out some keywords, but the gist was easy to get at. She guessed Samuel had come home early and found us together. Rather than intercede and cause a scene, he just decided to leave so he could find out what it was his heart was feeling and his brain was thinking. I wasn't sure I agreed, but at least he was alive and safe. Then I started to feel terribly insecure. I realized that even though I was beginning to have fantasies about the three of us, I really hadn't anticipated Samuel, or Melody, for that matter, having any kind of reaction that I hadn't thought through myself. I was somewhat at a loss for what to do next. It was Melody who outlined a plan to find out what it was Samuel was feeling. She took out one of her credit cards from her wallet and handed it to me. I got it instantly. Alaska in November can be very cold. Not the kind of cold that comes from sub-zero temperature, but cold as in wet, rainy, and windy, with muddy roads and very few dry places wherever you happen to be at the moment. We rented a four-wheel drive vehicle for our little excursion to the coast. About ten miles out of the city I noticed Melody was very still. I looked at her hand and saw she had a tight grip on her sweater, balling it up in her fist. I reached over and put my hand on hers, not looking at her, but offering reassurance that I would drive very carefully as we headed through some of the most beautiful country we'd ever seen. Though it was cold, when it wasn't raining, the lush green landscape was breathtaking. We also saw a small herd of what looked to be elk just off the road. It was paradise without the amenities of civilization. When we arrived at the coastal town where Samuel's fleet and fisheries were headquartered, we were prepared for the rain and snow. But truthfully, we were not prepared for the bone-chilling cold an Alaskan rain can bring. The only place to park the rental meant we had to trek through mud to get into the factory and that's exactly what we did. The look on the lady's face, the only person in the office, was priceless. Out of a late November storm walks two, obviously very citified girls, twins to be exact, and dressed in expensive winter clothes, but clothes that were none-the-less so out of place in this seafood factory. The look on her face spoke volumes. "We're here to see Samuel," I offered. She stared, mouth agape. "Pardon us ma'am. We'd like to see Samuel. Could you please," I emphasized please, "tell him. We've come a long way just to be here." She finally shook her head to confirm we were, in fact, real, and asked us to take a seat. The furniture was grey metal '50s industrial. It still looked new. After about five minutes she came back from inside the factory and told us Samuel was at the docks helping off load a catch. I asked for directions. She said I'd be crazy to go back outside in this weather. I asked her if she wanted to go tell him we were here. That did it. She gave us two very large mackinaws to wear, each way to big for either of us, but we were grateful to have them just the same. She also gave us direction to the docks. We found our way easily as the town basically sloped down to the water's edge. You could see the fishing boats from just about any vantage point that didn't have a structure in the way. Once we were on the docks, it was easy to find Samuel's boat. It was the only one with any real activity going on. As we approached, workers stopped what they were doing and just stared, open mouth. When we reached the plank, I realized this was a working boat and the men that were on or around dockside had probably all been here most of their lives. I thought how strange that Samuel would be here with this crew. Though handsome and strong, I didn't think he was strong enough to keep up with this lot. Boy was I wrong. When he finally came up from below deck to see what all the hubbub was about, I almost didn't recognize him. His hair was all mussed, he had a three-day growth of facial hair, and his clothes looked like the fish smelled. When he saw Melody and I, he bounded up to the dock, grabbed us both and twirled us in the air. Then he turned to his crew and said, "What? Haven't you seen a couple of girls before? Get back to work." The entire crew howled. Samuel took us below to the crew's quarters and made us both mugs of chocolate. It was the best tasting drink I'd ever had, anywhere. "What on earth are the two of you doing way up here?" Melody looked at me and I offered, "We might ask the same thing of you." "I'm on vacation," Samuel answered. "You're what?" "I'm on vacation." "Vacation huh? Just look at you." I bet you've worked harder this week then you've worked the entire of the previous ten months." "Probably. But once or twice a year, I like to come up here and hang out with the guys. I've been doing it since I was twelve." "You what?" "No. Listen. My father," Samuel began to explain, "thought it would be good for me to know what our family businesses were about from the ground floor up. The year before I came up here for the first time, he had me work in our offices on weekends with the janitorial crew. His father," Samuel continued, "made him do the exact same thing." I sat there with my jaw in my lap, trying to assimilate it all. Plus, the more I looked at Samuel, all grungy with fish scales and the results of a day's labor in the bow of a working ship, the more I got turned on. This was a man. This was a man who was not the least bit afraid to work. This was a man born to wealth, who you could count on in the best and the worst of circumstances life could throw at you. "Hi Melody," Samuel teased, reaching over and mussing her hair. "Haven't seen you in a day or two." Melody smiled. I think she too, was mesmerized by this new side of Samuel. I had no clue what to say next. Samuel got my consternation right away. He took charge knowing full well that we thought we'd be coming up here and finding him doing whatever he was wont to do, but doing it in slightly more luxurious surroundings. "Listen. I want to finish out the day and help get this catch to the factory. Can you guys," Samuel went on, "go to my cottage and I'll be there around seven? There's not much to do in this town, but I think we can find a place to have a decent dinner. That is, if you like seafood or elk. That's about all we have to offer as we don't get many visitors this far from the big cities." I made an instant decision. "No," I said. "We're going to stay and help." Melody turned to look at me as if I'd lost my mind. When she saw my resolve, she crossed her arms across her chest and nodded in agreement. Samuel didn't miss a beat. "Okay then. We're probably almost done with the forward hold. I'll need the two of you to go help clean up. That will actually free up a couple mates to come below and help us finish the rest of the day. Maybe we can get out of here at a decent hour." Without a second thought, direction, or instruction, Samuel stood and went topside, leaving us to find our way forward. We did. I'd also like to say, we acquitted ourselves quite well, but truthfully, I have no reference point to measure against. It just seemed the two men who stayed to help us were appreciative and maybe a little bit impressed we were willing to work so hard at tasks that it was obvious, neither of us were the least bit familiar. Four hours later, the ship was secured and the three of us were walking back toward a hill overlooking the town. We stopped at a pub for a pint and a shot and god did both taste fantastic. We then went next door and had Salmon steaks, fresh as fresh could be with a bottle of wine. When we got to Samuel's cottage, he realized we were zombies. He gave us both fresh gym pants and sweat shirts, showed us the shower, said he'd be back in a few and disappeared to let us have our baths in private. The shower felt so good I wanted to cry. I ached. I smelled. I had small cuts on my hands but I had never felt more alive in any of my twenty-three plus years. Melody could not quit grinning. After we dried off, we went back to the bedroom and climbed up onto his bed. I leaned back against the headboard and that, as is often said, was that. The next morning, I awoke to the smell of coffee and bacon frying. I looked at the clock beside the bed. It was 4:30 AM. I'd slept since early the previous evening. When I stretched, I felt overworked muscles, but again, I felt very alive. I got out of bed and went to the kitchen. Samuel was dressed and cooking breakfast. "So, what brings you two this far north?" "I was about to ask you the same thing," I replied. Samuel was quiet for a moment while he heaped some eggs, toast and bacon onto three plates. There was an assortment of jams and butters for the toast. I'd never eaten that much food in my entire life, but somehow, I couldn't wait to dig in. As Samuel was not forthcoming with an answer, I decided to open up with a question. "So, you came home early last week, the day of the storm?" "How do you know that?" "Melody figured it out. When we couldn't find out anything about you being in jail, the hospital, the morgue or anywhere else we could think of, Melody thought you might be off sorting things out. "Wow. She's both smart and beautiful. Who knew?" "So she was right?" I responded. "Let's say this. I was at first surprised. But then, as I stood in the doorway and watched the two of you sleeping, I started to think, I could never be anything with you but a third wheel. Then I thought no, that didn't seem right either." "The more I looked at you, at least I think I was looking at you and not Melody, the more I knew I needed to get away to think this through so that when I went back, I'd have a game plan. Then you showed up and all my certainties turned to dust." "Truthfully," Samuel concluded, "I have no idea what to think at this point. So I'm going into the factory and help process yesterdays catch." "I'll go with you." Just then, Melody walked in and grabbed a piece of bacon. She smiled, put it into her mouth and started chewing, then came and stood beside me. She raised her hand and pointed first to me, and then to her own self and held up two fingers. "Correction," I added. "We're coming with you." When we'd packed, we knew we were going to Alaska and not to Paris, so most of our clothes were jeans and sweaters. But our jeans and sweaters were going to be trashed at the end of the day. I was sure; we too, would be trashed. Oh well. Seemed a small cost to pay when you're trying to figure out romantic entanglements. For three days, we worked like dogs. At night, we were so tired we barely made it to the shower and into bed. Oddly, it was the most complete three days of my life. It must have been what life was like centuries ago when there was no such thing as leisure; when most of the humans on the planet had no time for anything but that which assured their survival. But still, as each day made us more familiar with the tasks we were assigned; it gave us a sense of accomplishment at the end of our shift. That was the reward. Until these few days had passed, I never gave thought to the idea that work was its own reward. Now, I knew first hand that feeling of doing really hard work and doing it well. Friday night was different than the previous nights. Even though we were all bone tired, knowing we didn't have to get up on Saturday gave us just enough extra energy to enjoy a feast and some drinks. "How long," Samuel asked, "do you plan to stay here?" "I hadn't given it any thought," I answered. Melody shrugged. "Why not?" Well, I figured, you know," I hesitated. "You know, I really don't have any idea. I figured if you needed help, I'd help." Again Melody nodded. "You know this is absurd," Samuel began with a smile on his face, "two rich and very beautiful young ladies out here slumming at the edge of civilization. People are wondering what's up with that?" "Tell them you've got us drugged, or that it is some bet we lost." "Ha! I doubt anyone would believe that." "I doubt anyone would believe the truth either." We both looked at Melody, but she shrugged indicating she had nothing to offer either. "Okay. Here's the deal. I'd planned," Samuel continued, "to head back on Sunday. I've too much business at the office to stay on vacation for too long. You two can stay if you like, but I've got to get back." "We're going where you're going." "Oh." "Yes, Oh." Samuel had a "what's this all about" look on his face. "Do you remember in physics class learning about Borromean Rings?" "I think so. Aren't they the three rings entwined that can't stay entwined if one is removed." "Exactly." Melody cocked her head in an inquisitive manner. "The three of us are each a ring in a Borromean arrangement. If Melody leaves, or you leave, for me, the arrangement falls apart. At least that's the way I view what's developing. I think that's a very romantic way to look at our little triumvirate." "Maybe," Samuel agreed. "But, will time separate the rings?" "Maybe. Turmoil and circumstance may also affect the links, collectively or individually." "Just what is it you're getting at?" "Okay. Here goes." "I love Melody with all my heart. I love her as family, I love her as friend and I love her as my lover. It's odd. Since family can't be married and since two people of the same sex mostly can't be married, it seems unfair that I can't marry her. I would if I could." Melody reached over and put her hands over mine. Then she did the most marvelous thing, a perfect segue gesture. She reached over to Samuel and took his hand that was closest to mine and put it over mine. Then she took his other hand and interlaced their fingers, bringing her free hand back to lace with my other hand. Samuel looked at Melody and smiled. He looked back at me and nodded for me to continue. "When I met my fiancé, I realized I needed more than the physical and emotional love Melody and I shared. I felt, for the first time, the biological need that exists between a man and a woman, the bonding that begets off-spring. I was just out of high school and the world of university was new and exhilarating. Melody and I have always been comfortable with the idea one or both of us might find a mate. I was as sure then and I'm sure now, she really wanted the best for me no matter what it meant for us as a couple." "How did you feel?" Samuel asked my sister. Melody smiled the kind of smile that comes from a really fond memory, squeezed Samuel's hand, and then reached over and kissed me on the cheek. "See?" "I think I'm beginning to see," Samuel answered. "Truthfully, that afternoon, when I saw the two of you asleep in my bed, I thought I was privy to a great work of art in the making. If I were a photographer with world class capabilities, I would have taken the photograph and I bet I could have sold a few million copies of it if I put it in poster form." "And now?" "Now I regret not being a poet. If I could write about the way the two of you looked, no even now, the way the two of you look, even now, I would." I wondered what we must have looked like that day. Was it innocence? Was it sensual, sexual, or was it, as Samuel was explaining, two models creating a work of art, even if it only lasted for a moment in time? Once again, it was Melody who came up with the perfect gesture. She reached into her bag and pulled out her cell-phone. She fiddled with a setting and handed it to Samuel. Then she scooted her chair behind mine, leaned forward wrapping her arms around me and laid her chin on my shoulder. "You're giving me permission to make you in to a work of art?" Melody nodded and I smiled. "I am so honored and I'm also moved by your gesture Melody. You really are a giving person. You're very much like your sister told me you would be and over the past couple of weeks I've come to realize your value to each other." While I waited for Samuel to continue, Melody looked around the room and very surreptitiously slipped her hand up under my sweater squeezing my breast. Samuel caught it and burst out laughing. I did too. We paid and made our way back through the restaurant, passing several of the people we'd come to know over the previous few days. Everyone knew Samuel was leaving on Sunday and wanted to say their thanks and goodbyes. I caught a couple of the guys giving Samuel a questioning look. I thought it might be salacious, but I was wrong. When we got back to the cottage, Samuel told us not to wait up for him. He said he was going back to the pub and get drunk with the guys from work. It was sort of a tradition they had, and there were some things that couldn't be changed no matter what the circumstance. About 1:00 in the morning, there was some loud singing outside the window of Samuel's cottage. It stopped as abruptly as it had started. Then, nothing. Saturday morning actually started Saturday afternoon. All three of us were exhausted by the week's activities and Samuel was up last, obviously sensitive to sound and light, a result of his excesses of the night before. The three of us moped around the kitchen for the first two hours of the afternoon. We fed Samuel eggs, smoked fish, onions, coffee and aspirin. He took a second helping of aspirin. Around mid afternoon, we decided it wasn't a good idea to miss this last day and night sitting inside, so we dressed, went down to the docks and found a small cabin-cruiser owned by one of Samuel's employees. Samuel called and asked if we could take it out for the rest of the day and off we went. Borromean Rings To say the coast of Alaska is beautiful is an understatement. It is magnificent. If you follow the coast you can see animals coming down to the water line. It's like a giant open zoo without camels. All the way up the coast we watched fish and at one point, a small school of Alaskan Porpoise swam along side our bow. After a couple of hours, we turned and headed back. As night fell, we slowed to a crawl to make sure we didn't run aground and were wondering if it got any better than this when, as if in response to our wish, it got better. We were treated to the spectacle of the aurora borealis. If you've never seen the northern lights it should be one of the notations on your bucket list or life's to-do list. There is no light anywhere in the universe more beautiful. Melody and I stood on the deck of the boat while Samuel piloted. He knew this was new to us and was generous enough to give us this special time together. I have no more words for that hour of my life. I will, as I'm also sure Melody will, remember it as one of those god granted moments, when the rest of the world disappears, when all you are aware of is that which is right in front of you... and it was a wondrous thing to behold. The three of us slept together that night. There was no sex or even any thought of sex. How could we? Even if we wanted to dally, we found the bed without a moment to spare. Exhaustion swept each of us to our own special world for ten straight hours. On Sunday afternoon, we returned to the city and flew home. From Monday morning until Friday at breakfast, we caught up on the world we had left behind. Everything had changed and yet nothing had changed. I guess, as Melody pointed out to me when I was talking about that week and how things seemed different but not different, now that we were back, it was we who had changed. Somehow we were older and I think a bit wiser. On Friday morning things changed again. On Friday morning, Samuel proposed. Not to me, but to both of us. He placed a box on the breakfast table, a beautiful wooden box with a carving in the center of the top. But his hand covered the carving so it wasn't until later, as I examined the box that I realized just how imaginative and unpredictable, this man could be. "I can't and I won't separate you two. I won't come between you and I don't think I should. But I love you both. So," he paused, "so I'd like to join you. I'd like to join you, no really I mean us, and I'd like to join us in marriage." With that he opened the box. Inside were three identically shaped rings, his being much larger than ours but in every other respect identical. On the top of the band were three interlocking rings, two gold and one silver, Borromean rings befitting our family to be. Melody cried. I cried harder. Samuel knelt in front of us and proposed, slipping the rings on each of our fingers. They fit perfectly. Then he put his own on and extended his hand. I immediately covered his hand with my own. Melody fell to her knees and buried her head in my lap, sobbing hysterically, but the only sound coming from her was her gasps for air. Samuel moved beside her and held her while he rocked her, ever so slightly, from one side to another. I stoked her hair until she eventually settled down. "It's okay, it's okay, I said over and over. It's beautiful Mel. It's beautiful. He loves us both. You know he does." She sniffed and shook her head in acknowledgement. "I do love you Melody. I see no difference between you and your sister. I most times can't even tell you apart. That goes for personalities as well." "Last week," he continued, "was the most fulfilling week of my life. I was where I love being, hiding really, hiding from you two, or wait, no, not hiding, retreating I think, retreating to regroup and then, not only does one of you show up, but both of you show up. I must have done something right for the universe to bless me so." "But I know, with all the blood that flows through my heart, that this is right. I knew it when I saw the two of you standing on the dock that first day, and I know it now. This is right for me and its right for the both of you." Melody lifted her head, wiped the tears from her eyes and started to stand up. "Where are you going," I asked, slightly worried she couldn't wrap her head around this most incredible gesture of love. She held up her hand indicating for me to be patient, walked to the table by the window and took a piece of paper from a tablet and wrote on it. Then she folded it and came back to stand between us. She handed the paper to Samuel as she sat down again. Samuel looked at me and then back at Melody before opening the paper. He read the note, closed his eyes and I watched as a tear formed at the corner and started to run down his cheek. He handed the paper to me. It read simply "YES." It took a few months to explain it to his parents, but once they met us and saw the way the three of us interacted, they slowly came round. Melody and I have only one living relative, a great aunt in her late 80's so, because we had not spent a lot of time with her in the past, it was a bit confusing for her. We didn't bother to explain why there was only one groom at the wedding. I think she was glad just to make the trip. The ceremony was simple. His parents and our aunt attended. Samuel had a friend from school that was a progressive minister and understood. We registered in two different parts of the country so the marriages were somewhat technically legal. Well, you get the idea. The ceremony was really nothing more than a presentation of the rings, each of us putting one ring on the person to our left. The box was carved from the branch of a tree that grew on Samuel's property up at the fishery. On the lid were three interlocking rings with our names inscribed one name to a ring. Our vows were a variation of the golden rule applied to our commitments to each other. I say, the ceremony was really nothing more, but, in its simplicity, our wedding was everything I'd ever dreamed of for my sister and for myself. And now, there are just two more things to tell. Melody joined Samuel in sexual congress on our wedding night. My sister, our husband, and I now had carnal knowledge of each other. It was the most joyous and fulfilling moment of my life. I held her hand the entire time. I had shared much with my twin. The loss of our parents and then the death of my fiancé were tragic things we shared. But there were great things as well; music, love and now a man who would make our world complete. It's odd, how the universe works, but for us, it was working perfectly. Oh yeah, the second thing. We honeymooned in Alaska under the northern lights.