What Fools These Mortals Be

She came over and draped her arms around my neck, buried her face in my chest. She muttered a contrite, "I'm sorry." She smelled like jet fuel and sex. I had a cup of hot coffee in each hand. So, I couldn't hug her.

I laughed the laugh of the self-righteous, handed her the big steaming mug and said, "Why don't you take a shower and brush your teeth. You can apologize for your errant ways up top."

Flip emerged forty-five minutes later looking scrubbed and totally hung-over. William, Dotrice and I were sitting around the breakfast table. I had a second steaming cup of life-giving fluid waiting for her. She sat down in her chair, took a sip, fixed me with a baleful stare and said ominously, "You were a VERY BAD BOY last night."

I thought, "Oh shit, she remembers!!"

But she continued with, "Taking advantage of me in my drunken state. I don't recall any of the details. But my body remembers that it was spectacular."

William and Dotrice hooted with delight. I gave her remark a strained chuckle. I stuck out my lower lip and said resentfully, hoping to establish my alibi, "So you don't remember how brutally you pillaged me. I am truly and deeply wounded!!"

Flip gave me one of her patented hot glances. She does it from behind the curtain of her hair and it will melt the fillings in your teeth. She said, "My memory's a total blank from shortly after we went over to the other fire. It's like it was wiped clean." Then she paused and said, "But I can sort of recall four of the most intense orgasms of my life."

She looked at me with love and added playfully, "You bad-rascal you."

Then she turned to William and Dotrice and said ashamed, "I hope we weren't too embarrassing."

Dotrice laughed and said teasingly, "I just wished it was me baby!!"

*****

There were some loose ends to tie up. First, I cautioned William and Dotrice to never mention the word "Ecstasy" in Mark, Michelle, or Flip's company. They were good people. I could trust them to keep their mouth shut.

Donnie and Beth were a different matter. They lived next door and I was afraid that one of them might spill the beans. So as soon as we got back, I had a conversation with a friend who works for DEA. That was probably an unneighborly thing to do. But, as they say, "Don't do the crime..."

The bust followed shortly thereafter. The Agents were amazed at how much illegal shit two people could stuff into a crappy little sloop. Both Donnie and Beth were forthwith removed from the vicinity and I was officially thanked by the DEA, "No need to thank me, just being a good citizen... heh-heh-heh."

More relevant, the legends about Ecstasy are correct. The four of us have been together socially on numerous occasions and it's like nothing ever happened. There's no unease, or awkwardness. Still, there are times when I thought I saw Mark looking at Flip like he was trying to remember something. The same was true with Michelle and me.

Even so, I can say with certainty that Flip is clueless. I'm closely attuned to the woman and we're one of those couples who are never apart. I know her moods and her reactions and there is no evidence of any form of lingering guilt or long-term embarrassment. She has no concept of the show that she put on that night. To Flip, nothing happened except wild sex with her husband.

Which brings me to yours-truly. I would have to go through the rest of my life knowing that my best friend's cock had been buried in my wife one midsummer's night's eve. Of course, I would also have to deal with the fact that I'd fucked HIS wife senseless. The difference was that Flip, Mark and Michelle were under the influence of Ecstasy, while the only evil drug in my system was testosterone -- "mea fucking culpa."

So, what's the takeaway? Like I said, life ain't easy. Particularly when a big load of unexpected shit hits the fan. As far as Flip and me, maybe Shakespeare said it best, "The course of true love never did run smooth." But then again, when those bumps in the road DO appear, intimacy, love and friendship are a lot better options than separation, anger and pain. I made that choice. I know.