Chapter 3: Rising Action
She had spent the first hour or so of the morning talking to Sarah and and Sarah was almost angry that Lori had allowed a night of passion to slip away, but seemed excited for the future for her and said that after talking to James, she needed to get back on the horse she fell off yesterday.
And now, here she was, face to face with James, and she had decided with Sarah a good way to approach this.
"So, what I'm saying is that you've talked about swingers clubs or whatever and open relationships in the past, and I read a book thingy about Polyamory, and I think that, starting today, we should try it..." Lori's voice was steady, though her heart was pounding in her chest like a drum solo. She stood in the kitchen of her small apartment, the morning sunlight streaming in through the open window, casting a warm glow on the worn wooden floor. James was seated at the kitchen table, his coffee cup halfway to his lips, his eyes wide with surprise.
James slowly lowered his cup, his eyebrows knitting together in confusion. "Lori, what are you talking about? Since when do you want to try an open relationship? And what the hell is polyamory?"
Lori took a deep breath before continuing. "I read about it, James.
It's a form of ethical non-monogamy, where you have honest, open relationships with multiple partners. I think it might be a way for us to... explore new things, rekindle our relationship, and maybe even find some new interests together," Lori explained, her voice steady and confident despite the whirlwind of emotions inside her.
James set his coffee mug down on the table, his eyes searching Lori's face as if trying to read between the lines. "Lori, I don't understand. You've never brought this up before. What changed your mind?"
Lori hesitated for a moment, gathering her thoughts.
She had rehearsed this conversation countless times in her head, but now that the moment was finally here, she found herself at a loss for words. She took a deep breath and started again.
"James, you know how things have been between us lately. We've been drifting apart, and I think we both know it. I love you, and I never want to lose what we have, but I also think we need to try something new to bring the spark back, you know?"
James nodded slowly, his expression softening. "I know what you mean, Lori. I've been feeling it too. But I DO want to work on us. But I am flad and have to admit, I've never been much for monogamy. But you are such a homebody, are you ever going to actually DO something, or is this just for me?"
She almost cracked a smile at that, but held her face steady as she said she would probably just putter around and chat online till something sparked. "So, do we agree then? We're "Non-monogamous" as of now?" She said, openly to get the Consent aspect out of the way, and kill the guilt that was pressing on her.
"So, we're agreed? We're non-monogamous as of now?"
James looked at her, his expression thoughtful. "Are you sure about this, Lori? I mean, really sure? Because once we open this door, there's no going back."
Lori nodded, her resolve steady. "Yes, I'm sure. I want to try this, James. I want to feel alive again, and I think this might be the way to do it."
James let out a long, slow breath, his eyes searching hers. "Alright, Lori. If this is what you want, then I'm in.
I want to make you happy, Lori. If this is what it takes, then let's do it." She had been bracing for a fight, for arguments and tears and recriminations. But James was taking this better than she had hoped, better than she had dared to dream.
"Thank you, James," she said, her voice soft with gratitude. "I promise, we'll take this slow, and we'll always be honest with each other. That's the key, right? Open communication, open hearts."
James nodded, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "So, would it be ok, if I had a date this weekend?", he asked.
She nodded, "I'll feel jealous the first few times I guess, but I think it's something we can learn to deal with. RIght?"
He nodded.
"I told Sarah about this," she said, "and she seemed to think maybe she and I could go out tonight and I could feel what "Sorta Single" feels like?" James nodded, "That sounds like a good idea Lori. Maybe I can go to a club and test the waters?"
Lori nodded, a small smile playing on her lips. "Ok, so here's the plan. We'll both go out tonight and see what happens.
And then tomorrow, we'll compare notes, discuss what we liked and didn't like, and decide if we want to do it again."
James smiled, a glint of excitement in his eyes. "Sounds like a plan, Lori. But what if something happens? You know, something more than just a date?"
Lori hesitated, her mind racing. She knew where she was going and what she was going to do, but doubted James was ready for any of that. "Well, if this is going to work, we have to be prepared, and you know me, I might dance with someone, but I don't think you have TOO much to worry about..." She said, knowing she was going to have Mike overnight.
"I don't think you have to worry about that, James. I mean, you know me, right? I've never been one to just jump into bed with someone. And besides, tonight is about exploring, not about hooking up."
James nodded, but there was an undertone of skepticism in his voice. "I hope you're right, Lori. I really do. But I also know how tempting it can be, especially when you're feeling... alive again."
Lori sighed softly, reaching across the table to take James' hand. "I know, James. And I promise, I'll be careful.
I won't do anything I'll regret later," Lori reaffirmed, her tone reassuring.
James squeezed her hand, a small smile playing on his lips. I trust you. And I'm excited for you, honestly. It's been a while since you've felt this... alive."
Lori felt a warmth spread through her chest at his words. "Thank you, James. That means a lot to me. And I promise, we'll talk about everything afterward. No secrets, okay?"
James nodded. "Deal. Now, enough about us. What are your plans for today?
You have that big presentation at work, right?" Lori asked, noting the stack of papers James had brought with him into the kitchen. "Yeah, I'll be working on that most of the day. Why, do you need me to do anything before I go?"
Lori shook her head. "No, I'm good. I've got a few errands to run, and then I'll probably just chill at home for a bit. Maybe catch up on some reading."
James stood up and walked over to Lori, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close. "Well, don't stay home too long.
We've got a big night ahead of us," James said, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek before grabbing his coat and briefcase from the chair. Lori watched as he walked out of the kitchen, his eyes glued to his phone, already absorbed in the world of work. She sighed softly, her heart a mix of excitement and apprehension. She had no idea what the night held, but she knew one thing for sure—she was ready for whatever came her way.
After James left, Lori made herself a cup of coffee and sat down at the kitchen table, her mind racing with thoughts of the evening ahead. After she was sure James had driven off, she called Sarah first and told her the whole story, and let Sarah know to cover for her overnight, the she dialed Mike, fingers trembling. She had to tell him what was now her reality, and hope he wanted her as badly as she wanted him.
As the phone rang, Lori's heart pounded in her chest like a drumbeat. She took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves.
"Hey, beautiful," Mike's voice came through the line, low and husky. "I was hoping you'd call."
Lori blushed, despite the fact that he couldn't see her. "Hi, Mike," she said softly. "I need to talk to you about something."
There was a pause before Mike asked, "Everything okay?"
Lori took a deep breath before plunging in. "Yes and no. James and I... we've decided to try something new.
A...a polyamorous relationship. We talked about it last night, and we're both on board with giving it a try."
There was a long silence on the other end of the line, and Lori's heart pounded in her chest as she waited for Mike's response. Finally, he spoke, his voice low and thoughtful. "Wow, Lori, that's...that's a big step. Are you sure about this? Both you and James?"
Lori took another deep breath, trying to calm her nerves. "Yes, we're both sure.
It's something we've been thinking about for a while now, and we both agree that it might be what we need to bring some excitement back into our lives," Lori explained, her voice steady despite the flutter of nerves in her stomach.
Mike was quiet for a moment, processing the information. "Okay, so what does this mean for us, Lori? Are you saying that you want to explore something more than just friendship?"
Lori took a deep breath, steeling herself for his response. I've been thinking about you a lot since our date, and I want to see where things go between us.