Playing with her priests, p.11
Playing With Her Priests, page 11
“Well, I think we’re going to head out,” Jason announces with a flashing smile. “It was nice visiting with you, ladies. You guys are doing a great job here.”
“Do you really have to go so soon?” one of the girls whines.
Jordan nods.
“We do. There’s a lot of work to be done at the church but thank you all for entertaining us, and thank you for the delicious food.” They both glance at me, slightly smiling before going to exit.
“Bye all. Have a good night,” is their last greeting, and then the men are gone.
Once the door closes and they’re out of earshot, Nicole’s shoulders relax.
“Whew! I am burning up. Those guys are H-O-T!” She fake fans herself, smiling at her little joke. The rest of the room laughs and I join in because clearly, that’s the normal thing to do.
“We’re so lucky to have Pastors Jason and Jordan,” chimes Ada. “Most congregations have seventy-year-old pastors with tufts of hair growing out of their nose, but Jason and Jordan are nothing like that. Our men are like magazine models,” she says with a huge smile.
I laugh along with the crowd, and then there’s some speculation about their love lives. No one knows if they’re dating anyone, and once again, the rumor comes up that they’re gay, only to be shot down by me. But I don’t say why. I don’t tell the girls that it’s because I just made love to the two men not twenty feet away from my current spot. I just smile my secret smile and say something breezy along the lines of, “Oh no, they’re too masculine to be gay. And it would be such a loss to womankind.” The ladies giggle and nod, before launching into some other topic. But I smile internally, thinking of my gorgeous lovers again. Because they want to meet up, and now, I can’t wait.
11
Jordan
After our little episode with Mira in the bedroom, Jason and I thought it would be best to leave. We didn’t mean to have a tryst, but when we saw her take off for the bathroom, something in us surged. We had to have her, and surprising Mira like that turned out to be so sensual. She’s everything we want in a woman with those ripe curves and breathy little moans.
Plus, Mira overheard another one of our congregants asking us about three people relationships, and it’s starting to look like this might be something she might be open to. At least she didn’t launch into a diatribe about how “wrong” it is or how “morally bankrupt.” That would have been bad.
Besides, I know that she’s pretty fresh on the dating scene, so maybe she doesn’t know what she wants. She’s like a clean slate, ready to be molded for our pleasure. Yet, Mira knows her mind, and Jason and I can tell she’s intelligent and no pushover.
My friend looks over at me as we stride down a darkened block to our apartment.
“That probably wasn’t the greatest idea.”
“What?” I fake ignorance. He snorts.
“Having sex with Mira in someone else’s house. What else?” Per usual, Jason is right. It wasn’t the greatest idea because we could have easily gotten caught. The girls are loud talkers, so that was helpful, but that doesn’t negate the fact that someone could have walked down the hall and heard moans and thumps coming from the bedroom.
I shrug.
“It wasn’t the greatest idea, but at least it was fun. She had a good time too. We wore her out.” Looking on the bright side is my default, and Jason snorts again, getting into his stuffy routine.
“Yes, I can admit it was fun, but we’re getting reckless. Usually, we are a lot more careful than this. So what the fuck?”
He’s right. We’ve never been so cavalier about getting caught before. After all, our jobs are on the line, not to mention our reputations. Secrecy is paramount, and it’s the shield we use to protect ourselves. If that shield falls away, there could be a lot of damage.
“Okay, you’re right,” I concede. “Fine. But what now? Is that why you wanted to have a conversation with Mira? To talk to her about how things work for us?” I ask. Jason sighs.
“Yeah, because we’re going to have to do it eventually. We can’t keep running around like this. Our shenanigans are going to catch up with us.”
He’s right, but that’s what we were supposed to do today. Talk to Mira and let her know how Jason and I feel about her and where we would like to take our relationship. But even that’s unclear to me. Where are we taking this? What do we hope to achieve? It seems like we’re wandering in a maze with no answers. Besides, instead of talking, once again, we ended up making love to the beautiful girl. Again. Twice could have been a fluke, but three times is starting to feel like a pattern.
“So, what are we going to tell her?” I ask sardonically.
Jason pauses as the gears in his head turn, his jaw square and set.
“The truth.”
“Which is?”
“We just need to talk to her about being more discreet. Hopefully, Mira will be willing to do that.” I can hear the hesitance in his voice, but it’s misguided.
“Bro, we’re the ones who aren’t being discreet. We just snatched her in the middle of a Bible study group, and had our way with her. It’s not her, it’s us.”
Jason nods and I continue.
“Yeah, and what if she doesn’t like being our dirty little secret? What if she decides she wants to be out in the open with us, parading around like nothing’s wrong? What do we say then?”
He doesn’t respond, merely staring straight ahead and I let out a disgusted snort. Unfortunately, like Jason, I don’t really see any answers. This is such a dangerous situation, except for the fact that Mira is so sweet and almost irresistibly attractive. What do we do?
The rest of the walk home is a somber one. We stroll in silence, as I’m sure Jason is thinking about the same thing I am.
Mira is such a bright light in our lives, and I don’t want to do anything that will dim it. Yet, what option do we have? We need to keep things on the downlow because of careers and reputations, but what if Mira doesn’t want that?
It’s Sunday.
Jason and I haven’t really spoken again about the Mira issue. We tried briefly, but after five minutes, it was clear the conversation was going to be fruitless, so we stopped. It sucks hiding a potential relationship, almost like hiding Mira is a crime.
But what can we do? That’s how the world works, and Jason and I can’t force society to see that triads are actually normal, and even condoned by the Bible in some way. Fuck.
Today is my day to give a sermon, and standing on the pulpit, I decide to talk about staying true to oneself and standing by your convictions. The congregation looks at me raptly, like they are convinced by what I have to say.
Yet I feel like a hypocrite. I’m telling everyone to do what they believe in, but I’m over here forcing myself to hide. What a bucket of shit.
The service ends, and Jason and I greet parishioners before heading to the weekly coffee hour. A majority of the congregation gathers in the basement, laughing and talking as pastries and coffee are served. Ever since we started Village Church, we’ve had this social gathering because it’s important for our congregants to get to know one another, and this felt like a great way to do it. People are relaxed, yet looking their best in their Sunday finery.
During the hour, we have a revolving door of people coming to talk to us, and a lot of them are pretty young girls. They like to fawn and flirt, but Jason and I have never really engaged with them. First, because it never felt right. We’re on our best behavior during these Sunday gatherings, and it would do no good to flirt with these nubile women. But second, because everyone’s watching us during the coffee hour. Old ladies laugh and chat, but I know they’ve got eyes like hawks. Unfortunately, Ana doesn’t realize this.
“Hi, Pastor Jordan. I really liked the sermon today.”
“Thank you. A little voice told me that was the right topic to tackle for today.”
“Do you ever feel lost like that?” Ana asks. I look at the young woman, and see that she’s not trying to flirt. In fact, she seems a little muted like she’s holding something back.
“From time to time,” I sigh. “There are always instances when we feel like we need to act a certain way because of society or our peers. Sometimes the pressure even comes from our friends and family, but what matters is that we are happy with the choices we make because, at the end of the day, the one person who can truly judge is God. The main goal in this life is to be true to yourself and to move forward with kindness. Remember, by serving God we also serve others.”
The young woman nods and smiles, even if she still looks a bit troubled.
“Thank you, Pastor. I’ll see you around.”
Ana goes back to the refreshment table, and I sigh. I’m not sure if my words got through to her. All I can do is hope and repeat myself as many times as necessary because I learned early on that it’s impossible to save each and every person. People get lost, and we can’t force them back into the light. All there is to do is offer words of encouragement.
Jason materializes at my side, looking sharp in his black suit with a white open-collar shirt.
“Yo.”
“Hey,” I greet him in return. He lowers his voice.
“Did you see Mira?” Jason motions with his head to where our girl is standing and talking with her friend, Jessie. She has on a gorgeous purple gown that goes all the way to the floor. It flows in that way that expensive fabric does, making her look like royalty. Her hair hangs down her back in loose curls, and with a light laugh, she flips a strand over her shoulder.
I remember seeing her around before, even if we never did actually speak. She seemed like someone godly and obedient, with a saucy streak. I’m so glad we’ve gotten to know her a bit.
“Yeah, she’s gorgeous,” I reply in a low voice. I know Jason is also thinking about getting her alone because seeing her ignites something inside of me that I haven’t been able to control. It’s literally been an exercise in self-restraint every second I’m anywhere near her.
“We really need to do something about this,” Jason says. “It’s fucking impossible to concentrate.” While he’s not being specific, I know what he’s talking about. The desperation in his voice is apparent because the two of us are going stir-crazy, and that’s not good for anyone.
Suddenly, a chirpy voice interrupts.
“Do something about what?”
I startle a little at the sound of Annie. The petite woman probably means well, but Annie is a bit annoying and I manage only a semi-smile. She asks a lot of the same question over and over, even if we’ve already answered in detail. I don’t know if it’s an excuse to talk to us, or maybe she really does need us to re-explain things because something’s off in her head.
Even worse, sometimes she can get rather aggressive when confronting us. I’ve never understood why since we’re always open to critique.
“Pastor MacKinnon, Pastor Vanderbilt, I loved the sermon today,” she begins.
“Thank you, Annie. I really appreciate that.” I cringe internally, waiting for the other shoe to drop.
“I actually had some questions.”
“Of course, ask away.”
“Well, I’m confused about the story of Jacob and his wives.” I did use that story in my sermon today, but it wasn’t the main crux of my speech. People really seem to be latching on to it this week, though. What gives? I manage a friendly smile.
“What are you confused by?”
“Well, Jacob was married to Rachel, right?” I nod. “And, when she couldn’t have children, Rachel gave him her handmaid Bilhah, so that he could have children in another way. But doesn’t that fall under adultery since Jacob was already committed to Rachel?” I don’t want to come off as annoyed because this is a genuine question, but seriously, sometimes I feel like I’m living in that movie Groundhog Day. Everyone talks about this story, and I do my best to remain patient.
“It’s more complex than that.”
Annie frowns.
“In what way? Bilhah wasn’t his wife, Rachel was.”
“Well, first, biblical times were very different times. Their social mores are not fully in line with what prevails today. But that’s not really what you need to focus on. What you should focusing on is that fact that there was love between this Biblical family.”
Annie scrunches her nose.
“Love?”
“Yes, love,” I reiterate. “Love is love, and that can’t be denied. I’m sure Jacob loved both Bilhah and Rachel, and both of these women loved him in return. They also loved one another because they saw how together, they could make everyone’s lives better. Both women made sacrifices because they wanted to have a happy and healthy relationship, even if the shape of their family was a bit different. It’s not like anyone went behind the other’s back. They communicated with one another and decided that said arrangement is what worked best for them. Who are we to judge the format in which their love appeared?”
“I still don’t think that Jacob is fully in the clear,” Annie comments snidely. “I mean, please.”
“What makes you say that?” Jason asks, storm clouds gathering. Annie shrugs.
”Well, he made a commitment to his wife in front of God to forsake all others, and he didn’t do that. Just because he was given the opportunity, doesn’t mean he was supposed to take it. He fell to temptation. He’s no better than a regular man, and it seems weird that we hold him to such high esteem.”
Jason smiles a tight smile.
“But he didn’t do anything to betray his wife, and his wife didn’t do anything to betray him. They had mutual respect for one another and were able to find a solution that works for them. What’s wrong with that? It appears unconventional, but then again in those days, this is how people lived their lives. Again, who are we to judge?”
“Well, I could never do something like that,” Annie replies snidely. “It’s just weird, like a circus freak show.”
Jason manages a frigid smile.
“We all live our own lives,” he says in a carefully controlled tone. “And Jacob’s story isn’t a strict blueprint to follow. It’s just a story showing that there may be other ways to exist. Alternative lifestyles, if you will. It’s an exploration of love, one that is wholesome and beautiful, and if the way you express love differs from that of Jacob, Rachel, and Bilhah, that’s more than fine because we all make our own choices. So long as you live in love, Annie, there is no wrong path.”
I can tell Jason wants this conversation to be over, but Annie takes offense at his words.
“Well, then. Sorry, it took me so long to ‘get it’,” she snaps. “Thanks.” Her tone comes out flat as she tosses her hair and flounces away, her high heels clip-clopping on the floor like a pony. I don’t say anything because it’s clear that she’s offended. I don’t know what to do about it, though. She was being a little rude, and it’s tough to handle situations like that.
I look at Jason, and he shrugs.
“I know. I should have been nicer.”
I chuckle, but merely raise my eyebrows. I mean, this is our life. It can be hard working with congregants sometimes because of differences in opinion, but that’s a part of being a pastor. We work through thorny issues and difficult interpretations all the time.
“Don’t worry about it,” I reassure Jason. “You weren’t that rude. Maybe harping on love non-stop was a little over the top, but that’s the only way someone like her would get it.”
He shoots me a wry look.
“Yeah, but she didn’t get it. She never gets it.”
Unfortunately, his words are true and I nod in assent. Then, I glance over at Mira, and oddly, she seems to be listening to our conversation. She’s talking with some other ladies in a circle, but her form is oddly still, like she’s hearing us and not them. I motion to Jason, but he doesn’t catch on.
“I just hope we don’t get asked about this story again for at least a couple of months. If I have to talk about Jacob and his wives all the time, I don’t know. We may have the shut this whole operation down. No more sermons about this topic because clearly, it’s way too much.”
Jason is on a rant, which is inappropriate, seeing that we’re still at coffee hour. Damn, Annie has gotten to him a little more than usual, which is understandable given where our minds are currently at. Still, it’s hard when you feel like someone is attacking your way of life even if they don’t realize it. A conversation goes from being totally theoretical to actually punching you in the gut, especially when we’re already so conflicted about it ourselves. I mean, I love the women we’re with, and I don’t mind sharing, but I hate having to hide. Does that mean that the lifestyle isn’t for me?
Suddenly, inspiration strikes.
“You know what, I have an idea,” I say while strolling over to Mira. She sees me coming and looks a little panicked. Her friend notices and turns towards me as well, and now they’re both staring at me wide-eyed.
“Mira, how are you?” I greet in a low voice. She manages not to stammer.
“I’m good. Um, doing well.”
“Jessie, how are you?” I greet her friend.
“Great!” she says in a high-pitched voice. “Just amazing!”
I don’t think Mira’s told her friend what’s been going on between us, but I can’t be sure. Given her reaction, she seems surprised that I came over to talk with them at all.
“Well, that’s great. Mira, I was hoping I could ask you something really quick?” I stand there waiting for a few seconds, and Jessie picks up what I’m trying to do, realization sweeping over her face.
“I’m going to go grab another Danish,” she titters before walking away, while throwing glances over one shoulder. Then it’s just Mira and me and she turns my way, working hard to look casual.
“What did you want to ask me?”
“Jason and I want to invite you over to dinner tonight. Are you free?” I’m talking a little faster than normal and my voice is low. After all, I don’t want to risk anyone hearing us.
“Sure, I’m free. I can come. Seven p.m.?”
