Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 73425 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 367(@200wpm)___ 294(@250wpm)___ 245(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73425 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 367(@200wpm)___ 294(@250wpm)___ 245(@300wpm)
Jason speaks again. “I just outlined why this is a mess. I mean, we’re going to have to stop. The two of us can apologize to Mira, and then we never do this again. There’s no other option.”
Hold up.
I think Jason has gone a little too far down the rant hole. I was on board until now because clearly, this is a tricky situation. But that doesn’t mean that there’s no hope. Potentially, if Mira wants to, we could continue some kind of relationship.
“Well, I don’t know if we have to do that,” I respond.
“Why not?” he looks at me like I’m crazy.
“Well, why do you think we have to cut it off?”
“Because it goes against the rules. It’s not what pastors do. I don’t know, am I going crazy here? Do you not see the fucked-up-ness of this situation?”
I shrug.
“Yeah, there are rules, but we’re also mavericks, man. We founded our own church for crying out loud. A whole church. Remember everyone who told us that we couldn’t do it, everyone who tried to convince us to give up? But look at us now. We’re not just surviving, we’re thriving. We could have easily joined any of the mainstream Christian denominations and had life laid out for us. I mean, you grew up Baptist, and I was a Methodist. We could have just gone down those roads, but we both saw that the church wasn’t giving the people what they needed. Which is why we created the Village Church: to give all those lost souls who felt abandoned or rejected by religion a place to worship and thrive.”
Jason is looking at me and nodding. I’m not sure if I’ve convinced him yet.
“Come on, man. When have we ever played by rules set up by others? Especially when the history of our faith itself is pretty fucked up, you have to admit. I mean, burning people at the stake? Looking down on gay people and that whole pedophilia thing going on with the RCC? I won’t stand by their rules, and maybe being with Mira is what’s supposed to happen. She could be a part of our calling.”
My friend looks at me askance.
“In what way? How can messing around with one of our congregants be a part of our calling? That doesn’t make sense, bro.”
He’s pushing back a lot more than I expected. I’m surprised because this isn’t the first time we’ve done something like this. Granted, it wasn’t with a girl in our congregation, but still. While in school, we had a professor who was open-minded, and the three of us had a great time. It wasn’t anything serious except that Jason and I realized that ménage set-ups work for us.
After graduation though, we bid her goodbye. Everything was amicable and there were no hurt feelings. We just knew that the relationship hadn’t evolved into a one that would be sustainable long-term. Since then, Jason and I have discreetly shared women here and there. We’ve always had fun, but we’ve always kept these relationship a secret because honestly, they were pretty casual. We never even got beyond the bedroom in some cases. Plus, since we lead a church, it wouldn’t be a great look if what we did in the bedroom came to light. They’d probably call us “deviants” or some label like that.
I just wish it was easier to simply live our lives out in the open.
“I don’t have an answer,” I admit. And that’s the truth. I can’t answer why Mira has come into our life if there’s a bigger picture. “I just have a feeling she was put in our path for a reason.”
My buddy nods. The old adage is that God works in mysterious ways, but this doesn’t feel mysterious frankly. It feels like Mira is an obvious good thing put right in front of us for a reason.
Still, I’m trying to see the place where Jason’s coming from. Clearly, there are issues. I just wish he would be more flexible. He seems so adamant against even talking to Mira about next steps. Why not? There’s no harm in having a conversation.
“What about what Mira wants?” I begin. “Isn’t this whole thing an exercise in futility if she doesn’t want to be with us?” That’s a thought I’ve had. She’s seemed pretty accepting of us so far, but we haven’t laid out how Jason and I operate. That’s why I was hoping she would be still in his office when we got back, so we could have some discussion about a potential arrangement. She definitely has a right to know what we like and dislike.
But then again, maybe I’m getting ahead of myself. After all, the reason we do this is because the two of us often tend to a woman’s emotional and physical needs in different ways. One makes up for the failings of the other, so that in way, she gets the best of being with two men. It sounds weird to some, but it’s what works for us.