The Lenience of Love

It’s funny, or at least, appears funny when something turns out completely opposite to what you expected, or perhaps too close to the truth. It was much that way when Charlie, having been let in to the ‘secrets’ of the vampiric sub society of Sedona, made his way home that night. Surprised to find the bedroom light off – for it was still early – Charlie entered the house quietly so as to not wake his wife, who had probably had an exhausting night – or day – of writing. She was ravishing her own novel, it seemed, and he had tried to keep out of her way as best that he could.

So it was, then, that there was a chorus of alternatively happy, confused, and ashamed cries when the light flipped on in the bedroom so that Charlie could find his slippers and make his way into his bed. He had not realized, of course, that it would be occupied by a young woman sharing the space with his entirely smug looking wife of twenty three years. In fact, he could not even stutter a question, or a demand, or anything of the sorts. Were he to listen to himself that night on an audio recording, he would hear only a mixture of a million words all strung together in a language altogether unfamiliar to all races and sub societies involved.

Judy, of course, was quite apologetic, immediately looking up, half-lidded for the sudden burst of light. She had never bothered to clarify, exactly, if the husband was supposed to walk in on them, and was quite unsure of what to do – invite him to join in, or get up and apologize immediately. So, just like Charlie, emerged from her mouth came only a garbled utterance of a strange mix of apology and quirky humor. It was, instead, Angela, who made the first real statement towards the unbecoming situation.

Angela, however, who had been in the midst of receiving oral sex, was far from being angry at her husband. Instead, it seemed what should have come out of her mouth, “So there!” emerged as more of an invitation, a cross between an order and a plea for inherit forgiveness, although she believed she was in the right.

“Surprise.” Was the first legible utterance of the otherwise awkwardly silent room. Instead of adding more to the speechless room, Angela simply grasped her husband’s hand and pulled him onto the bed, on top of her.

Hours later, after an awkward good bye, Charlie and Angela found themselves alone in their household. Although both sex drives were alleviated, there was still the matter of the woman in their bed – formerly – to deal with.

“I’m curious as to why you decided this night was the night to…surprise me.” Charlie said into the silent house as he followed his wife back to their bedroom.

“Really? Because I’m curious as to why you decided to indulge in a fucking orgy without me.”

“What, baby?” Charlie asked, thoroughly confused. He flipped the hallway light switch to see her, making sure she was serious.

“You know what I mean. I went there. I saw you.”

“You saw me?” Charlie asked doubtfully. “Because I know what I was doing tonight, and it definitely wasn’t an orgy.”

“What, then? Were you just their slave? Aren’t I your top?”

“Baby…what did you see?”

“I found the fucking note, Charlie.” Angela said, her voice cracking as she rushed into the dim light of their bedroom.

“What note?”

“That told you where to fucking go! I followed you!”

“Okay…” Charlie said, still confused. If his wife had followed him, then she would know about the vampires. Why, then, was she fixated on the idea of him being part of an orgy?”

“Well? Why the fuck did you swing without me?”

“Angela…baby…” Charlie sat on the bed next to his wife, who had curled into herself as much as was humanly possible. “There was no sex tonight. Or any mention of sex. Those people I was with…”

“Liar!” Angela shouted, standing up, anger nearly glowing from her. “I heard them talking about maybe unblindfolding you. I know how much you love being blind!”

“Baby…I was blindfolded. But…sit!” Charlie took on a deeper voice, attempting to regain some control before his wife freaked out completely. He wasn’t sure where the second woman had come from, but he had an idea, remembering the perspiring conversation he had heard outside of the motel window early in the night. “Listen. Those people weren’t interested in sex with me. They think they’re vampires. They’’ve been sending me notes and letters for a while now, and wanted to keep everything super secret. I was blindfolded because some of them are actually upstanding members of our community. That must have been what you heard. Now, who the hell was Judy?”

“I…um…you weren’t cheating?” Angela looked up at her husband.

“No. I would never do anything without you!” Charlie protested. “How long have we been together? You can’t possibly think something like that after all this time. Come here.” Charlie opened his arms to her. Angela crawled into them, relaxing against her husband, seeing him in a new light. He tightened his grip playfully.

“You’re my mistress…and I can’t help it if you want to go somewhere else…but who was that girl? Where did you pick her up from?”

“Um…” Angela’s face darkened against the black shirt Charlie was wearing. “I think…considering that I have a few scabbed over bite marks…”

“We just fucked a vampire?!” Charlie asked, bursting out laughing.

“Well…at least it’ll make a good story.” Angela offered into the laughing hysterics of her husband.

“You didn’t notice her sharpened fangs or the fact that she only came when she could taste blood?” Charlie asked in between gasps of laughter.

“Um…I just thought she liked it rough.”

“God, I love you. Don’t ever do that again baby – you know you can ask me anything. I just didn’t want you to worry about me visiting crazies.”

“Were they?”

“Were they what?”

“Crazies.” Angela insisted. “Did we just fuck a vampiric crazie?”

“No, baby. I actually think they have a good claim to what they say has happened to them. After all, they have documentable changes – they’re all allergic to garlic, they claim they can’t reach orgasm without the taste of blood – which Judy just seemed to prove – and all of them are rather pale. We’ll have to test their blood and examine it, and run some tests, but it seems like they have a good case.”

“Damn. That would have been cool.”

“Yeah. Hey, you want to go another round?”

“Depends.” Angela said, turning around and climbing on top of him. “We’ll have to go slow – and soft – I’m hurting a little from the Countess.”

“I wonder what they’re going to say when they found out one of theirs just fucked you.”

“Not sure.” Angela admitted. “Don’t care. She knew about you.”

“I figured. Did you really think cheating on me was the answer to my perceived cheating on you?”

“I was angry.” Angela apologized. “But you weren’t being open. Still love me?”

“I guess.” Charlie grinned, kissing his wife on the forehead. She was beautiful – too beautiful for him. Too beautiful for anyone but him. But, he would take it for what it was. A great night over top of a large misunderstanding that worked out well for everyone involved. Especially him.

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