For Lovers Only

  Joel had the pleasure of hearing the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra perform live during a school trip, and had always promised that he would return. He just never imagined he would return and make such a grand entrance with a beautiful woman on each arm.

  Erin and Kenya had never heard the BSO perform live. They had always dreamed of dressing up and attending what they thought of as a high-society cultural event like this. All their lives they had seen people on television going to operas and ballets. This was an exciting chance for them to dress up and rub elbows with some of Baltimore’s elite. It definitely lived up to the hype.

  Joel was different from any man Erin or Kenya had ever dated. Most guys they dated in the past would have been too intimidated to attend this type of concert.

  The BSO created music that sounded like heaven on earth. No other venue in the area matched the Meyerhoff. Every instrument could be heard, and conveyed as much feeling as any vocalist. The music was dramatic, emotional and uplifting. Joel had achieved his goal—he could clearly see that Erin and Kenya thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

  After the concert Chuck drove the threesome around downtown Baltimore for a little while. Joel had him drop them off at a park called Rash Field where they could enjoy the breathtaking view of the inner harbor and the city’s skyline. They stood atop a grassy hilltop on a wide sidewalk surrounded by lush greenery, watching Baltimore unwind from a busy week. The passing cars roared while the city lights created a somber glow in the darkness of night.

  A warm gentle breeze began to stir and made the leaves on the trees shimmy. There were several couples sitting on benches or walking along taking in the romantic atmosphere. A saxophonist sat under a lamppost playing his heart out for dollars or loose change. The night sky was so clear that the stars looked like a million sparkling diamonds set against a coal-black velvet background.

  Erin looked at Joel and said, “This is really nice and I’m all for strolls in the park, but I’m hungry.”

  Kenya laughed and said, “So am I. As a matter of fact, I’m starving. We need food.”

  Joel was calm and cool. He took off his jacket, loosened his necktie and said, “Just keep walking and I promise y’all a meal you won’t forget.”

  As the three walked along the sidewalk they noticed a white canopy set up next to a white truck with the company’s name Ready-set Gourmet painted in fancy red lettering on the side.

  As they got closer to the canopy Kenya said, “I smell something good.” She pointed toward the elegant table, took a deep breath and said, “Look at all this. God, this is so romantic.”

  Soft glowing candlelight lit the scene. There was a large sterling-silver candelabrum in the middle of the table. Four mixed bouquets of white, yellow, pink and red roses sat on white columns at each inside corner of the canopy.

  Erin exhaled loudly and said, “This sure is romantic. I wish this was for us.”

  Joel smiled and said, “Yeah, this is nice. Somebody kicked out a lot of cash to make this happen.” He stepped in for a closer look and was very impressed. “One day I might surprise y’all and do something like this.”

  A middle-aged black couple emerged from the rear of the truck dressed like chefs. They noticed Joel and the girls and walked toward them. The man looked at Joel and said, “Hello. How may I help you, sir?”

  Joel chuckled and said, “I’m Mr. Davis and these are my lovely guests, Erin and Kenya.”

  Erin and Kenya’s eyes widened and their hearts skipped a beat. They blushed and then turned into two giddy little schoolgirls.

  Erin looked at Kenya and whispered, “What’s he doing?”

  Kenya looked puzzled. “I dunno. Is this for us?”

  Erin smiled and said, “I think so ... I hope so.”

  Erin and Kenya were blown away by Joel and his extravagant surprises.

  The guy who was talking to Joel said, “All right, Mr. Davis. I’d like to welcome the three of you. I’m Lawrence Connors and this is my wife Lori Connors and we’re the co-owners of Ready-set Gourmet.”

  Lori smiled and said, “Good evening everybody, and welcome to Ready-set Gourmet. Come right this way.” She directed them to their table.

  It was a round table, so quite naturally Joel sat with Erin on his right side and Kenya on his left.

  Joel had contacted Lawrence earlier in the week and reserved everything. Usually a dinner like this had to be planned weeks in advance, but there was a last-minute cancellation and Lawrence was able to accommodate Joel. Joel pre-selected shrimp cocktails for their appetizers and jumbo steamed lobster with a steamed vegetable medley and seasoned mashed potatoes for their dinner entrées.

  Within a few minutes their appetizers were served. Their entrées followed and the three talked and joked around while dipping their lobster in warm butter. They spent about an hour eating dinner and drinking champagne.

  After dinner Joel looked at Erin and Kenya and said, “I kept saying that I wanted to do something special for the two of you and this is it.” Though he already knew the answer, he asked, “How did y’all enjoy everything?”

  Erin said, “Thank you so much. Everything was beautiful. All I can say is that you’re a man with a lot of style.”

  Kenya said, “Thanks so much for showing us a different side of life. The concert was nice, but having dinner out here like this is absolutely incredible.”

  Joel smiled and said, “I wanted to do something that was a little over-the-top and I’m nowhere close to being finished.”

  Erin said, “This is enough. I’m sure you put out a lot of money to make this happen.”

  “I did, but the two of you are worth every penny.”

  Kenya said, “I keep asking myself, all this for us?”

  Joel said, “You’re worth it.”

  Kenya laughed and said, “We know it, but the fact that you know it means everything.”

  “I told y’all it doesn’t stop here. We’re all interested in an exotic getaway, right?”

  Erin said with a giggle in her voice, “Yeah. We can leave tonight if you’re ready.”

  With a straight face Joel asked, “How does next week sound?”

  Kenya’s eyes widened. “Oh my God. Are you serious?”

  Erin said, “He sure looks serious.”

  Joel couldn’t hold back his smile. He pulled out some paperwork. He unfolded the flight confirmation and reservation information for the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas.

  Erin looked at the dates and confirmation numbers and said, “He is serious. Awww, I can’t wait. Thank you ... thank you ... thank you.”

  Kenya said, “Thank you, Joel. You’re so sweet. What would we do without you?”

  Joel asked, “What would I do without the two of you?” He paused for a second and said, “I’ve had a lot on my mind lately. I’ve been through a whole lot too. The good thing is that the two of you have been by my side the entire time and I love y’all for that.”

  Out of nowhere Erin said, “I love you, Joel.”

  Kenya added with sincerity, “I love you too, Joel.”

  Joel appeared to be blown away by Erin and Kenya’s affectionate words. “This is wild. Hearing those words come out of your mouths is mind-blowing. I love you, Erin.” He gave her a long, slow, passionate kiss. Then Joel looked directly into Kenya’s eyes and said, “And I love you, Kenya.” He gave her an equally passionate kiss. “There’s so much going on inside of me right now. I keep hearing my mother’s voice. She’s guiding me ... leading me closer to God. I’ve been praying like crazy, asking God to help me make a change in my life. I wanna do things the right way without compromising who I am, but honestly it’s hard trying to lead a Christian lifestyle living in this sexually charged world that we live in.”

  With a worried expression on her face Erin asked, “What exactly are you saying?”

  Kenya noticed that Joel seemed to have had trouble finding the right words. She said, “Go ahead and just say exactly what’s on your mind.”

  “Okay
. I feel like God is watching me ... every little thing I do. I’m trying to find a healthy balance between spirituality and sexuality without feeling guilty. I want us to get closer to God even though people think that He won’t understand or approve of a relationship like ours. But I think He will ... I pray He will.”

  Kenya smiled and said, “We’re spiritual beings and we know God. We don’t need any religion or any hypocritical people telling us how God wants us to express our love for each other. No matter what, God is inside of us. Trust me, we’re already close to Him.”

  Erin said, “I agree with Kenya.”

  “So do I.” Joel paused and then asked, “I’ve come up with a way for us to get even closer to God.”

  Erin asked, “How?”

  Joel stood up and moved his chair out of the way. He positioned himself between Erin and Kenya and then got down on one knee. He reached into his pocket and pulled out two ring boxes. “I’d like to know if the two of you would be willing to commit your lives and your love to me because I’m willing to give the two of you my life, my love and anything else I have to offer.”

  Joel slid a two-carat diamond engagement ring on Erin’s finger. He turned toward Kenya and slid a two-carat diamond engagement ring on her finger. They were both filled with excitement and nervous energy.

  With tears in her eyes Erin said, “Yes, I’m willing to give you everything I have.”

  Kenya’s eyes watered. She reached over and took Erin by the hand. She looked at Joel and said, “I love both of y’all and I’m willing to commit to the two of you for the rest of my life.”

  Joel said, “I was thinking that we could make this as official as possible and have a commitment ceremony in the Bahamas.”

  Erin said, “That sounds like a beautiful idea. Wow ... I don’t really know what to say. When we first met I tried to block my emotions because I was afraid to love again. But now I can’t do anything else but love you, Joel.”

  Kenya said, “This was the surprise of a lifetime.” She held her ring next to Erin’s and said, “Look at these rings. Joel, you are the epitome of true love and seduction. I’ve never met a man like you before.”

  Erin said, “Neither have I. You really know how to make us feel special.”

  “Both of you make me feel special. I need the two of you in my life.”

  Erin said, “Joel, you satisfy my innermost needs and so does Kenya. That’s what makes it so easy for me to sit here and say yes to spending the rest of my life with the two of you.”

  Joel asked, “What more can I ask for? We’re friends ... we’re lovers ... and most of all we’re one, and nothing can change that.”

  They joined together and shared a passionate triple kiss.

  The three took a moment and had a serious talk about what it meant to commit to each other. They discussed the importance of honesty and trust. They spent the majority of the discussion talking about the compromises and sacrifices that needed to be made in order to have a successful polyamorous relationship. One of the biggest issues that came up was kids. Erin and Kenya admitted that they had no desire to have kids. After some deep thinking, Joel came to the conclusion that although he wanted kids, he would be willing to give up the idea if that was what it took to be happy and spend the rest of his life with Erin and Kenya. They were learning to see life in new ways and knew that they had to ignore certain outside influences that only stood to harm them in the long run.

  When the three got home they made love to each other like there was no tomorrow.

  Chapter 38

  The next morning Renee woke up with the realization that nobody could or would ever love her the way Joel did. All night she dreamed of the good times they used to share. She felt sorry that she took Joel for granted and wished that their relationship could have lasted forever. She overflowed with indescribable emotions that made her long for and need him like air, water and food.

  Renee was determined to make a rapid recovery. The doctors put her through a battery of mental exams and were impressed with her results. She answered questions with appropriate responses during her psychoanalysis sessions. Renee was clever and her I.Q. was well above average. She wanted to straighten herself up as soon as possible because she felt that was the only way she could get Joel back. There was a tiny voice of doubt in the back of her mind telling her that Joel no longer belonged to her and would never be hers again. The voice reminded her of the vicious and destructive things she had done in his apartment. She asked herself over and over how she could possibly compete with two attractive women who gave Joel so much attention. She couldn’t even begin to answer that question. She simply planned to take things day-by-day.

  As a result of her quick recovery and cooperation Renee was released from the hospital a day earlier than originally planned. She took a major step when she accepted the fact that she had bipolar disorder. Renee agreed to take antipsychotic medications and to see her psychiatrist regularly.

  Mrs. Rhodes never remembered seeing Renee look happier. Whenever Renee mentioned Joel’s name she seemed to glow even more. Her mother realized how much Joel meant to her daughter and decided to give him a call to see if he would be willing to pay Renee a quick visit. She thought it would be a good thing if he could see how calm and sensible her daughter was. More than anything she wanted Joel to see how beautiful Renee looked.

  Joel decided to visit Renee without Erin and Kenya. When he arrived at the Rhodes’ home Mrs. Rhodes greeted him with a warm embrace. Joel wasn’t sure whether he trusted this new friendly version of Mrs. Rhodes.

  She said, “Thank you so much for agreeing to see Renee. She’s upstairs in her bedroom. She has no idea you agreed to come here.”

  Joel seemed somewhat hesitant and asked, “Do you think it’ll be okay with her that I came here unannounced?”

  “Sure, she’ll be excited to see you.”

  “How is she?”

  “She’s doing fine. Wait till you see her. Come on and I’ll take you up to her room.”

  Joel followed Mrs. Rhodes upstairs. Renee’s bedroom door was closed. Her mother knocked, but there was no response. Joel looked worried. Mrs. Rhodes assured him that everything was okay. She opened the bedroom door. From where they stood they could see that Renee was fast asleep.

  Mrs. Rhodes said, “Go right inside. It’s fine to wake her. I’m sure it’ll be a pleasant surprise.”

  Joel said, “Okay.”

  Mrs. Rhodes closed the door and Joel walked toward Renee’s bed. He stopped and stared at her for a moment. He never remembered seeing her look more natural and beautiful. She looked like a black version of Sleeping Beauty, waiting for her prince to awaken her with a kiss. Instead of kissing Renee, Joel touched her right shoulder and shook her gently.

  “Renee ... Renee, wake up.”

  Renee stretched and rubbed her eyes at the same time. She opened her eyes and looked at Joel sideways. She smiled, sat up in bed and said, “Hey Joel, where did you come from?”

  “What do you mean? Where did I come from? I appeared out of thin air.”

  Renee laughed and said, “You’re too smart. You know what I meant. I just dozed off. I didn’t expect to wake up and see you standing there, but I’m so glad you’re here.” She moved her legs over and said, “Sit down.”

  Joel sat on the side of the bed and said, “You look well.”

  Renee said, “Dag, thanks.” She gave Joel a funny look and decided to mess with him a little. “I thought I looked better than well.”

  “You do.” Joel acted like he didn’t really want to look at Renee for more than a second at a time. The last thing he wanted to do was to give her the wrong impression or start something he didn’t want to finish. He avoided eye contact as much as possible because he could feel Renee staring at him. He mumbled, “You look ... pretty.”

  “Thank you.”

  “I’ve got something for you.” Joel took out Renee’s friendship ring and slid it on her left ring finger. “I thought you might have w
anted this back.”

  Renee lit up and sounded almost breathless. “Yeah, thanks. Did you mean to put it on that finger?”

  Joel responded quickly, “No, I wasn’t thinking. That’s where you had it the other night when I found you in my bed.”

  They shared a moment of awkward silence.

  Renee said, “I need to apologize for all of the things I did in your apartment. I was completely out of my mind, but I’m okay now ... I’m back to normal. I’m so sorry for what I did to your things and I’m going to repay you.”

  “Good, because you really wrecked my shit.” He smiled and said, “But it’s okay for now, we don’t even have to talk about that. Actually, I’d rather not talk about it. I’m just glad you’re doing better.”

  “You saved my life and I’m so thankful.”

  “I didn’t do it alone. Erin and Kenya helped me.”

  Renee rolled her eyes and said, “Oh yeah ... them. They saw me like that?”

  “Yeah. No big deal.”

  “Maybe not to you. I never thought about them finding me. I only thought about you.”

  Joel frowned and asked, “What were you thinking?”

  “I wanted to die. And I wanted to hurt you for not being in my life. I felt totally rejected that day.”

  Joel noticed tears welling up in Renee’s eyes and said, “Please don’t get upset.”

  “I can’t help it. Now I realize how stupid and selfish I was being. I was spinning out of control and had no idea what I was really doing. I couldn’t control my impulses.”

  “Just don’t scare us like that again.”

  “Did Erin and Kenya make fun of me?”