Dorsai - Taxi

With essentially no prompting on my part, Carol had just addressed the things that I'd needed to know: not just what she felt about the situation, but what her thoughts were about afterward. Satisfied with what I'd just heard, I simply smiled at her and nodded in acknowledgment of what she'd said before turning back to Ellen and saying "I don't think that any of us wants the added pressure of a deadline, or any kind of time constraints or schedule, so I'm fine with both of you being here for however long you want to stay. All I need to know is what time you'd like me to come and get you."

Both of them looked a little relieved to hear that, and I listened as she and Carol discussed the matter. They finally settled on sometime in the afternoon, and Ellen suggested "Three o'clock?"

"That's fine", I assured her. A glance at my watch told me that supper was about ready, which I relayed to them – along with the menu: roast beef, potatoes, green beans, and dinner rolls, with lemon sherbet for dessert. After Carol had displace Demosthenes off her lap, the three of us got up and went in to eat. Both complimented me on my cooking skills, and neither fell for any of Demosthenes' starving-kitty ploys. After we'd finished, both insisted on helping clean up. Before we left the kitchen, both looked on in amusement as I put a little bit of the beef in Demosthenes' dish. Back in the living room, all of us sat down again, and spent the next couple of hours in casual conversation. It was Ellen that brought the evening to a close when she said "You still have to work tomorrow, Jim, so I think that it would probably be best if we went back to the hotel now."

Once I'd gotten them there, all three of us got out of my car; I told them that I'd been glad to have their company for supper and the evening, and it was Carol that told me "You made it easy for us to to enjoy ourselves tonight. It was the nicest time I've had in weeks. Thank you for having us."

To that, Ellen added "You were a gracious and friendly host, Jim, and supper was delicious. I actually had a marvelous time, thank you. We'll see you Sunday at three, then?"

"Sunday at three", I confirmed. After a smile from both of them, they turned and headed for the lobby; after I made sure they were safe inside, I got back in my car and headed home.

I got to their hotel a little bit early on Sunday, and was surprised to discover that Ellen was apparently waiting for me in the lobby. I went inside, and the two of us moved off to a quiet spot where she told me "When we got back from your apartment, Mother simply had to know how things had gone. She wasn't worried about us, even though I didn't call as you said I could. When we told her what all had happened, you should have seen the look on her face – it was priceless. While she hadn't been worried that you'd do anything terrible, she was still surprised when we told her how neat and clean you keep everything, and your books. When we told her how you'd given your cat some of the beef from the roast… well, that just seemed to put her mind at ease. She told me that she figures anybody that's willing to spoil a cat isn't likely to be anything less than considerate and understanding with people. Carol and I talked about it yesterday, when Mother wasn't around, and we both agreed that you were a perfect gentleman – and that you put both of us very much at ease, and helped us be as comfortable about all this as we can be. Both of us are still more than a little nervous and embarrassed, but nowhere near as much as we would have been otherwise. Nor is either of us is afraid or apprehensive, I'm glad to say. Carol will be down in a bit; I came down earlier just to be sure that I had the opportunity to thank you for the other night, and all that you've done and said to make all of this as easy as it can be."

"You're certainly welcome", I told her. "It wasn't difficult to imagine what your, and Carol's, concerns might be, and I simply tried to show you that there wasn't anything to be afraid or apprehensive about. I tried to do what I could about your nerves and embarrassment, too – and will continue to do so. Frankly, this is the damnedest situation I've ever been in; but I'm determined to make it as easy – or at least as untraumatic – as I can… for both of you. I'll help you and Carol as much as I can, and you'll let me; both of you, and Beth, strike me as honest and caring people that have found yourselves in the most fouled-up mess I've ever heard of, and I'm willing to do what I can."

Looking at me, she asked "I have to know: what was it that made you agree to all this? I don't think it was so you could get me into bed; I know I'm still attractive, but not that much. It can't be to spend time with Carol, either – the questions you asked, and the things you said, tell me that you're not one of those men with fantasies of deflowering teenage girls. It isn't for money, since you refused what I offered you before. I think you've got too much integrity to say anything about it to anyone, so it can't be for status or prestige, either. So why?"

I considered what I wanted to say for a few moments before answering "Short form: because I can. The longer explanation is that I know that I can help you and Carol with problems that you're having now. I think that the solution will go a ways toward making your lives better in the future, and I'm hoping that what I've already talked to both of you about – and may well say while we're together – will provide you with at least the basics of what you'll need after you're gone."

"What problem do I have NOW, other than my daughter and I seeing each other being intimate with the same man?"

"You know what it is, I just don't think that you recognize how much of a problem it is for you because you've gotten so used to it."

I was saved from having to explain myself further by the appearance of Carol. She surprised me by giving me a brief kiss on the cheek after she'd greeted me. With her arrival, there wasn't anything to keep us from getting ourselves into my car and headed back toward my apartment. While conversation among us started out strong enough, it tapered off as we got closer and closer; when all three of us were inside, I saw that they were having an attack of nerves once they were faced with having their request actually fulfilled. I'll admit to being a little nervous, myself – but nowhere near as much as they were; I was simply able to be more, well, philosophical about what was going on.

But since Ellen had made a point of thanking me for how I'd made them comfortable and helped them relax before, I figured that my best bet was to keep doing so while not aggravating their situation by commenting on it. After I asked them if they'd like anything to drink and listing their choices, both opted to join me in having a beer – Ellen didn't seem to react in the slightest when Carol made her choice known. Suggesting that they might like to sit down, I went into the kitchen to get beers for all of us. When I got back to the living room, they were seated at opposite ends of the couch: Demosthenes had jumped up between them, and both were petting him and rubbing his ears, to his infinite (and loud) pleasure; when he was happy and got going, Demosthenes' purring sounded like a particularly large lawn mower idling. After setting their beers on the coffee table

where they could reach them, I simply took a spot in the chair across from them to watch as Ellen and Carol made themselves Demosthenes' friends for life.

They kept at it until about twenty minutes later when he decided to jump down, and come over to where I was sitting. After stropping himself against my ankles several times in welcome home, he headed off toward his dish to see if there was anything special in it.

Both of them were visibly calmer by then, though I could still see that they were still a bit apprehensive to see what was next.