Harem House Chapter 52 Part 2 (Patreon)

Arthur was the first one at the bus, besides Manasa, of course. She stood outside it in her chauffeur uniform once more, rigid and professional. The soft, submissive, curious, and cautious woman from the night before was gone. Arthur couldn’t help but remember her panting and cumming yesterday and last night. The black business suit jacket, tie, and slacks were a stark contrast to her naked, creamy brown skin. He practically had X-ray vision, looking at her now and placing the details of her naked body beneath.  

“Good morning,” Arthur said, a tad more awkwardly than he meant to. The chilly October air had taken a dive since yesterday, and was still warming. He almost wished he were the one in a jacket, but his flannel overshirt kept the chill from biting his arms. His nose, ears, and cheeks were a different story, and his breath hung in the air as he rubbed his hands together to keep them warm. 

“Good morning, sir,” Manasa said. She opened the door for him, but he didn’t step inside just yet. “I take it the others will join you soon?” 

“Yes, they’re hitting the bathrooms, and then we’re off,” Arthur said. 

“Good. What’s the headcount this morning? Are Cynthia and Hallie joining us?” Manasa asked. 

“No, they drove separately from wherever they live. Evie and Katie drove themselves, too. Ana and Kari ditched early. Dave, Iris, and Faith left when we came down for breakfast. It’ll just be us: me, Rani, Mindy, Kelly, Katelyn, Kat, Selene, Yvonne, Mark, Maria, Brad, and Jen,” Arthur listed off the names. “And of course, you.” 

Manasa nodded. “Very good, sir.” 

“Will you be hanging out for a while around campus? Rani doesn’t drive, so she needs a driver, right?” Arthur asked. 

“No, sir, I’ll be heading back after I drop Rani off at the campus,” she said. “But I’ll be back again soon. Diwali, Thanksgiving, and at the end of the semester.”

“Right,” Arthur said, nodding. They’d mentioned Diwali before, and Arthur had done a casual read, but he needed to do more research to figure out what it was about. Thanksgiving was the bigger concern. He’d imagined a big Thanksgiving dinner with his girlfriends and his parents this year, but the more he considered it, the more unrealistic it seemed. It’d be especially difficult to explain if most of their parents didn’t even know about the relationship. “Rani usually goes home for Thanksgiving. That makes sense.” 

Manasa nodded. “I don’t think her father would let her stay.” 

Arthur nodded. “Is he strict?” 

“Oh, no,” Manasa said. “Well, at least from what I understand. Rani is his favorite. He dotes on her, sometimes too much, from what her uncle says, but he wouldn’t want her to stay here over a break alone because he misses her and wants her home.” 

“Aw, that’s sweet,” Arthur said. “My parents live a lot closer, so I can visit them more often than Rani can.” 

Manasa nodded. 

“What about your parents?” Arthur asked. 

Manasa smiled. “I appreciate the effort, sir, but you don’t have to do that.” 

That sentence made no sense to Arthur in the context of their conversation. He looked at his hands, but he wasn’t doing anything. They stood a pace apart by the bus door, talking. 

“You don’t have to pretend to be interested in me,” Manasa said. “I had fun yesterday and last night, but it’s time to get back to the real world. Hopefully, we can do it again soon, but there’s no need to do this.” She gestured between them.

“To get to know you, you mean?” Arthur asked, trying to stifle his confusion. 

“Yes, sir,” Manasa said. “It’s sweet of you, but unnecessary.” 

Arthur looked at her for a long moment. “I’m sorry, did I bring up something unpleasant for you?” 

“No, not at all, sir,” Manasa said, shaking her head. “I’d just like to keep things professional from here. Until the next time I visit, of course.” 

“Oh,” Arthur said. He supposed he understood wanting to keep boundaries between professional life and personal life, even if it never seemed to work out for him. 

“Hey!” 

Arthur turned to see Evie waving at him as she trotted over from where she and Katie had parked a black Kia Forte. Katie stood on the driver’s side. She waved, but didn’t bother coming over. Evie wore her school hoodie and leggings that appeared thick and warm. 

“We’re heading back to campus,” Evie said. “With the NDA, we can’t talk about it, but I wanted to say I had a lot of fun last night and to say thank you.” 

“Oh,” Arthur said, unsure what to say. “Uh, you’re welcome. Thanks for coming.” 

Evie burst into laughter, bright, loud, and more forceful than Arthur had expected. She steadied herself by holding onto his arm and smiled at him as she stopped. “That was hilarious.” 

The confusion on Arthur’s face must’ve asked his question for him. 

“The pun?” Evie said. “Coming? Cumming?” 

Arthur laughed. “Oh, heh, yeah, that was unintentional, but heh, you’re right, it’s pretty funny.” 

Evie grinned, shaking her head. “Well, you have my number if you ever want some fun. Not that I’m looking to join your harem, obvs, but I wouldn’t decline a booty call with you or your cuties if you call. And let me know about that club idea, Professor.”

“Heh, thanks, and yeah, I’m sure we’ll be in touch. Let’s, uh, keep it professional at work, though, right? No flirting or anything?”

“Oh, of course,” Evie said, sobering. “Are you kidding? Those girls would eat me alive, and not in a fun way, if they thought we’d fucked. And Beth, Jesus, could you imagine what she’d do if she caught us flirting or worse in the office? She’d fire us so fast, or at least me. She likes you, but I need that job.” 

Arthur nodded, uncomfortable at the mention of Beth. He needed to reach out to her, but he knew how she reacted when she found him and Mindy, and no one got fired. But if Evie found out about Beth, well, the university might fire Beth. He and Mindy were both her subordinates, even if she submitted to Arthur from time to time. 

“Yeah,” Arthur agreed. “That’d be bad.”

Evie nodded and turned to see the rest of the girls coming out of the hotel along with Mark, Maria, Brad, and Jen. “Well, I guess this is goodbye for now.” She hugged him, putting her arms around his neck and leaning against him. 

“Have a safe trip back to campus,” Arthur said. 

“You too,” Evie said, glancing at the bus. “Looks like you’ll have more fun than me. Enjoy! See ya.” 

Arthur nodded, waving as she trotted away to the car. Katie was in the driver’s seat and had already started the engine. 

“Why are you standing outside?” Maria asked, approaching the bus. “It’s cold!” She passed Arthur, and Mark, Brad, and Jen followed her into the bus. Then the others came. 

Rani, Mindy, Yvonne, and Selene stopped at the door. 

“You can head in,” Arthur said. “I just want to make sure everyone makes it onto the bus.” 

Mindy grinned. She hugged Arthur and kissed his lips before she stepped onto the bus. Her Sunday dress was demure and modest, but she stuck her butt out for a swat before she climbed the steps. Arthur chuckled and gave her one, which made her climb the steps with a squeak. 

“I’ll take some of that action,” Rani said, hugging Arthur and kissing him. “Mm, good morning, my King. I’ll see you inside.” 

She too stopped at the door and looked at Arthur expectantly. He swatted her butt, and she blew him a kiss before heading inside. 

“Do you want me to wait out here with you, Master?” Selene asked. 

“No, you can head inside and keep warm for me,” Arthur said. 

“Always, Master,” Selene said. She hugged him, kissed him, and did the same motion with her butt as the others, waiting for a swat before she climbed the steps. Arthur obliged. 

“Um, can I, uh, do that?” Yvonne asked, gesturing at Arthur. “Not the swat. I’m still a bit, uh, red from last night, or earlier this morning, I guess, but the hug thing?”

Arthur hugged and kissed her, surprising and dazing her as she stepped toward the entrance. She stopped at the door and looked over her shoulder. “You can swat me if you want to, but easy, please.” 

Arthur grabbed her ass rather than swat it, and Yvonne turned bright red. “Get on the bus before I decide to take you behind it and show me just how red that ass is.” Arthur kept his voice low, in a whisper against her ear. He wanted to see if it’d throw Yvonne off, or piss her off, but he hadn’t prepared for her to turn bright red, dart her eyes to his lips, face away, and flash her red ass at him. She must have borrowed the pale blue sweatpants from someone, since she wasn’t planning on spending the night. They hung loosely on her and slid down with no effort. She pulled them up just as fast, winked at him, and stepped onto the bus. 

“You’re not the only one who can tease,” she said, and climbed inside. 

Arthur chuckled, checking their surroundings. No one else was in the parking lot, but still. He’d need to check Yvonne’s list again to see where she fell with public play. They also needed to figure out whether she was joining the harem or existing outside it. Arthur wasn’t sure which he wanted, but knowing Yvonne and her infatuation with him, she’d probably want to join. 

Kelly was next to join them, and she kissed Arthur as she arrived. “Kat and Katelyn are having a chat,” she said. “I hope it goes well, but things are tense between them after that kiss they shared this morning. Katelyn’s is head-over-heels, but Kat…” 

“Kat’s complicated,” Arthur said. He grimaced. Kat had a rigid view of sexuality, especially her own. She made it clear to everyone that she was straight, and while she tolerated a certain amount of participation from the others, she wasn’t into them that way. Rani joked about it, but if Katelyn had genuine feelings for her, that could be a problem. What was the best thing to do for the family in that situation? Arthur didn’t know. “I offered to help, but she told me to keep out of it, that it was between her and Katelyn.” 

“Yeah,” Kelly agreed. “We should give them space and give Kat time to sort things out. Experiences like that, and struggling through changes in sexuality, can be intense and confusing. I’d know.” 

Arthur agreed, but he didn’t have the personal experience Kelly did. He was more like Kat in that respect. His sexuality was narrow compared to that of his girlfriends, but broad in other ways. He desired women, but he’d learned to appreciate variety over a strict definition of beauty. 

“Should you talk to her?” Arthur asked. “Share your experience?” 

Kelly shook her head. “You know Kat. If I broach the subject with her, she’ll think I’m pushing, and if I push, she’ll reject everything. This is a journey she has to go on herself, but if she reaches out, of course I’ll help her in any way I can. She’s part of our relationship, so even if I sometimes want to strangle her, I love her. For now, the best thing we can do is to be there for her and not pressure her. I told Katelyn the same, but I hope those two figure themselves out. They’re so freaking cute.” 

Arthur smiled slightly. He thought so too, but he didn’t know how likely Kat was to think so. As friends, sure, she and Katelyn were close, but Kat fought every suggestion that there might be more to her sexuality than Arthur. He wanted to talk to her, to convince her it was okay for her to have feelings for Katelyn, but if she wasn’t bi or pan, then he didn’t want to pressure her either. He needed to be there for her and Katelyn without forcing an outcome, while making sure that whatever happened didn’t break up the harem. 

“Katelyn and I will chat at the cabin, I’m sure,” Kelly said. “If Kat rejects her, I can help her work through it. It’ll be tough, though. It’s not like they can avoid each other between the harem, their volleyball team, and the rest.”

“Yeah,” Arthur said. “Thanks for the heads-up. I’ll keep close to Kat, which was the plan for today. Can we keep each other updated? We’ll have to work on this together, and I’ll be counting on you, especially with you and Katelyn at the cabin.” 

“Of course,” Kelly smiled. She kissed him, keeping the kiss slow and tender. Her lips tasted like cherries, and Arthur held her to him in sweet bliss that drove away the October chill.  

Manasa cleared her throat, not to stop their kissing, but to draw their attention to the hotel. Katelyn was running toward the bus with tears in her eyes. 

Kelly patted Arthur’s chest. “I’ve got her.” She met Katelyn, hugging her. 

Katelyn was a mess, but she didn’t want to stop. She kept moving, and they passed Arthur. Katelyn tried to explain what had happened as they climbed onto the bus, Kelly’s arm around her, but she fell into tears and didn’t stop crying. 

Kat trudged out of the hotel next, walking toward him with an annoyed look on her face. She wasn’t crying, and she didn’t look angry. Her resting bitch face was grim, with a tenseness in her jaw that Arthur recognized as her thinking face. 

Arthur waited for her at the bus. “Are you okay?” he asked as she approached. 

“Do I look okay?” Kat snapped. 

“You look annoyed,” Arthur said. “But that’s normal for you.” 

Kat grimaced. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” Arthur asked. “I can help if you—” 

“I told you to stay out of it,” Kat said. “I’m figuring it out.” 

“Okay,” Arthur said, raising his hands in surrender. “I’m just worried about you, Kat. I love you, and I hate to see you going through something alone when you don’t have to. You have a boyfriend now; that means you have someone you can vent to, talk to, sometimes even listen to, if you need him.” 

Kat stopped and looked up at Arthur, a softness in her expression she rarely let slip. Her lip quivered, and she shoved her face into Arthur’s abdomen as she threw her arms around him and cried. Arthur hugged her, surprised by her reaction, but also not surprised. She was going through a lot, and as much as he loved her, she was terrible at regulating her emotions. Her heart swung to extremes the moment it abandoned stoicism. 

“I fucked it up,” Kat said through her tears. “Because of course I did.”

“Shh,” Arthur said, hugging her close and stroking her hair. “It’s okay.”

“No, it’s not,” Kat said. “I fucked it up.” 

“Not permanently,” Arthur said. “I’m sure that whatever happened between you two, we can work something out, whatever it is.” He wasn’t sure what, but he clung to hope. If Katelyn wanted a romantic relationship with Kat, but Kat didn’t, then Katelyn would have to respect that, but it’d be hard. That didn’t sound as though t it’d be a good foundation for a long-term polyamorous relationship. Not unless something changed soon. 

Kat clung to him, not letting go. “We have to go, right? Can we just, um, I guess we can’t ride separately, can we? I don’t want to sit there and stare at the others the whole time.” 

“You can ride up front with me,” Manasa said. “If you’d like to.” 

“Yes!” Kat said, almost jumping from Arthur’s arms to Manasa. “Yes, please. I can’t face the others right now.” 

“They won’t judge you, Kat. They care about you,” Arthur said. 

Kat shook her head. “I can’t right now, but we have to go.” 

“Is there room for me?” Arthur asked, looking at Manasa. 

Manasa shook her head. “I’m sorry, but there are only two seatbelts.” 

“I’ll be fine,” Kat said, patting Arthur. “I could use the time to think, anyway, and that way I won’t crash the party back there.” 

Arthur frowned. “If you’re sure.” 

“I’m sure,” Kat said. 

“Okay,” Arthur agreed. “But you can’t avoid everyone forever.” 

“I know,” Kat said. “And I won’t, but I need time to think, Arthur.” 

“Okay,” Arthur said, sighing. He hugged her again and kissed her forehead. 

Manasa opened the other door, and Kat climbed inside. 

Arthur sagged, but knew better than to push Kat. She’d open up when she was ready. He looked at Manasa as she returned. 

“Is that everyone?” Manasa asked. 

Arthur ran through the list in his head. “Yup, that’s everyone.” 

Manasa nodded. “Better get in then,” she said. “It’ll be a shorter drive since we’re closer, but it’s time we left if we want to stay on schedule.” 

Arthur nodded. “Okay,” he said. He climbed aboard and joined the others in the lounge cabin.

The mood was far from yesterday’s party atmosphere. Katelyn and Kelly sat in the back corner by the bathroom, and the others looked at Arthur as he came in. 

“Where’s Kat?” Selene asked. 

“She’s riding up front with Manasa,” Arthur said. “She’s okay, but she’s got some thinking to do and didn’t want to bring down the mood.” 

Selene relaxed at that. 

“Should I talk to her?” Rani asked. “I know we’re not close, but I could—” 

“No,” Selene said. “Give her time. She’ll come around. If you rush her, she might bite you or something.” 

“The best we can do is to be there for her and Katelyn when they need us,” Arthur said. He looked at Katelyn, and her teary eyes broke his heart. “Do you need anything?” he asked. 

“Cuddles?” 

Arthur checked with the others, but he nodded and moved to the other side of Katelyn. She and Kelly scooted over, letting Arthur take up the position in the back corner. He opened his arms, and Katelyn curled against him, using his chest as a pillow as he rested his arm over her. Kelly held his hand, and Katelyn quieted against him.

Mark and Maria cuddled, as did Brad and Jen. Everyone was in a more subdued mood, either relaxing or unsure of what to say. The bus rumbled to life, and they started moving, ignorant of the world outside. The bus ride was awkward, but Arthur found the seat and position comfortable. Silence reigned, broken by hushed chatter at irregular intervals. 

Katelyn’s tears ceased, and her breathing changed as she fell asleep. Other people dozed, too. Mindy was using Rani’s shoulder as a pillow. Yvonne was awake and on her phone, but otherwise everyone seemed sleepy, including Arthur.

Arthur rested his head on the back cushion and closed his eyes. He let Katelyn’s sleepy breathing set the pace for his own, and his heartbeat joined hers. His sleep was light and dreamless, but restful. When Kelly woke him with a kiss, he smiled. 

“We’re here, Sir,” Kelly said. “It’s time to unload and say goodbye.” 

Arthur shifted, and Katelyn woke. She blinked, pushing herself to a sitting position with her hand on Arthur’s stomach. 

“Good morning, sleepy kitty,” Arthur said, squeezing Katelyn’s thigh. “We’re at the apartments.” 

“Oh,” Katelyn said, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand. “Okay. Sorry, I didn’t mean to fall asleep on you. Did I drool?” 

“It’s okay if you did,” Arthur said. He didn’t care. 

Kelly gave them both a soft, kind smile, and Arthur realized the rest of the bus was empty. “The others are outside, waiting for us,” she explained. “Come along.” 

“Yes, dear,” Arthur said, helping Katelyn stand before he did. 

“Is Kat out there?” Katelyn asked. “I don’t know if I can face her right now.” 

“She went to her apartment,” Kelly said. “She said to tell you she’s not mad, and she’s sorry that she couldn’t figure out what to say, but she’s working on it, and please don’t hate her.” 

“I don’t hate her,” Katelyn said. “That’s the problem.” 

“She’s still working through whatever she has to work through,” Kelly said. “That’s a good sign.” 

“Or she’s just figuring out how to reject me without breaking up the group,” Katelyn said. 

“Hey,” Arthur said, his tone soft. “We don’t know what Kat will do. Every time I try to predict her, I’m wrong, so don’t jump to conclusions yet, okay? Take some time off, enjoy your time at the cabin, and if you need me, I’m here for you. When you come back, we’ll go on our date and talk, okay?” 

Katelyn nodded. “Okay.” 

“Chin up,” Arthur said. “You’re lovable, and even if Kat isn’t into you sexually, she still loves you very much, even if she has the most confusing ways of showing it.” 

Katelyn gave a low, dry laugh. “Yeah, I guess. I should be glad that I have you, and Kelly, and the others. Maybe I’m being too greedy at wanting to love Kat, too, but… I can’t help the way I feel about her.” 

Arthur had to restrain the impulse to say that he understood, or that he got it, but he did. He hugged Katelyn instead, expressing love instead of sympathy. “I’ll see you Tuesday night?” 

“Tuesday night,” Katelyn said. “I’ll wear something cute.” 

“I’m not worried about that,” Arthur chuckled. “You’re always cute.” 

Katelyn didn’t smile, but her frown softened as Kelly led them out of the bus and into the light of day. Arthur followed, the last one on and the last one off. The others were busy unloading the suitcases and luggage from the storage beneath the bus, and Arthur joined in, helping people carry everything to their cars. The chilly weather hadn’t warmed much, or at all, as far as he could tell, but the exercise warmed him. 

Kelly and Katelyn left first, after saying their goodbyes to the others. Hugs and kisses went around the group, and Katelyn seemed in better spirits as she and Kelly drove away. Arthur waved after them, then went back to work and helped people with their luggage. 

“Hey,” Jen said after he helped her and Maria pack her car. “I just wanted to say thanks for inviting us along this weekend. It was an amazing experience.” 

“Oh, you’re welcome,” Arthur said. 

“I hope we continue to get to have… experiences?” Maria asked. “It was a lot of fun, and not just the Faire, even if you didn’t grant my particular fantasies.” 

Arthur chuckled. “I’m sure you’re on Rani’s invite list, but don’t worry, I’ll let you know if we throw any more, uh, parties.”

“Thanks,” Maria said. “We’ll see you!” 

She and Jen were the second car to leave, followed soon by Brad and Mark, who offered similar sentiments. 

“Gym tomorrow?” Brad asked, offering a fist. 

Arthur bumped it. “Always.” 

Mark and Brad left for their apartment, and Mindy came trotting over. She grabbed Arthur’s arm, hugging it to her between her breasts. 

“I’ll see you tomorrow, right? We’re still doing the office thing?” Mindy asked, looking at Arthur with puppy-dog eyes. 

“Yeah,” Arthur said. 

“What office thing?” Rani asked. 

“Oh, everything’s closed tomorrow, so we’re going into the office while no one else is there for some fun,” Mindy said. “Want to join?” 

“Yeah, I’m down,” Rani said. 

“I’m in,” Selene added. 

“I can’t wait,” Mindy said, beaming at Arthur before she turned her smile on the others. “It’ll be so hot! Wear business clothing with fancy lingerie underneath. I’ll message you guys.” 

Arthur chuckled. “Okay, well, I’ll see you tomorrow then. Have fun at church, I guess?” 

Mindy smiled, then kissed him. “I’ve still got your cum inside me,” she whispered into his ear and winked at him as she pulled away. She hopped into her car, and Arthur and the others waved goodbye as she left the parking lot. 

“Well, did you have fun?” Rani asked, looking at Arthur. 

“Oh, yeah,” Arthur said. “I’m exhausted and dehydrated, but it was great, Rani, especially last night.” 

“Good,” Rani said, grinning. “Yvonne, do you need a ride?” 

“Oh, yeah, that’d be great,” Yvonne said. “If it’s not too much trouble.” 

“Nah, we’re dorm mates, remember?” Rani said. “And Manasa has to drop me off there, anyway.” 

“Oh, okay,” Yvonne said. 

“Bye,” Rani said, kissing Arthur again. 

“Have fun,” Arthur said, letting go of Rani. 

“Oh, well, if you insist,” she said, chuckling. “I have homework to do, but I’ll try to squeeze in some fun. I can play with Yvonne, right? You’re okay with that?” 

“Um,” Yvonne said. “Play with me?” 

“Shh,” Rani said. “The tops are talking.” 

Yvonne blushed, her mouth hanging open until Selene reached under her chin and closed it. 

“Don’t pressure her,” Arthur said. 

“Never,” Rani said. 

“I thought I was supposed to be there if it was someone outside the harem anyway,” Arthur said. 

“Is she still outside it?” Rani asked. 

“I mean, yeah,” Arthur said. 

Rani frowned. “Can I get special permission? If I’m the queen of your concubines, I should be able to make sure they’re well-trained. I wanted to test her holes with my bag of toys.” 

Arthur groaned. “Well, great, now I’m picturing that.” 

Rani grinned. “You could always come to campus with us.” 

Arthur shook his head. “As tempting as that is, I need to pack up my apartment and Kat and Selene’s, get some homework done, and keep an eye on Kat. We’re supposed to have a date tonight, if she’s still up for it.” 

Rani nodded. “I get it,” she said. “I’ll keep you updated then, and do my best to keep my hands to myself.” 

“Good girl,” Arthur said. 

“Mm,” Rani hummed. “I love it when you call me that, even if it is a tad condescending.” 

Arthur kissed her again. “Go on, before I change my mind and make you help me pack my apartment.” 

“Manual labor? With this manicure? You brute,” Rani said, shaking her head. “Have fun packing everything.”

“I could stay and help,” Yvonne offered. “I’m on fall break, and I have nothing else to do except homework.”

Arthur considered it, looking between Yvonne and Rani. The initial plan for today didn’t include Yvonne, but he didn’t want to send her away either, as if he’d fucked her and forgotten her. 

“Want to help me pack Master’s apartment while he packs mine and Kat’s?” Selene asked. 

“Uh,” Arthur hesitated. “What?” 

“It doesn’t violate your bet with Kat,” Selene insisted. “I can’t help you pack our apartment, but I can pack yours while you pack ours.” 

“I’m not sure that’s right,” Arthur said, trying to remember the terms of the bet Kat had laid out. 

“Well, if Kat gets pissy about it, she can spank me for it,” Selene said. “I take full responsibility, but there’s no way you’re packing both in a day, getting any homework done, and taking Kat on a date tonight, right?” 

“Right,” Arthur agreed. 

“Then it’s settled,” Selene said. “Yvonne and I will pack your apartment. You can pack ours while you and Kat do… whatever.” 

Arthur nodded. 

“Guess I’m heading back alone then?” Rani asked. 

“Sorry,” Yvonne said, looking at Rani sheepishly and glancing at Arthur. 

“No, you’re not,” Rani said, shaking her head. “Do you guys even have boxes to pack with?” 

“Uh,” Arthur hesitated. “Not enough, no.” 

“Manasa!” Rani called, and Manasa appeared behind Arthur. 

“Yes, miss?” Manasa asked. 

“We have one more errand to run, but not with the bus. Arthur, are you okay with Manasa driving your car?” Rani asked. 

“Oh, of course,” Arthur said, pulling out his keys and his wallet. He handed Manasa his keys and his credit card. 

“What’s this for?” Rani asked, plucking the credit card out of Manasa’s hand and returning it to Arthur. 

“The boxes,” Arthur said, as if Rani should’ve known that. 

She laughed, pressing the card into his hand. “I’ve got it, don’t worry.” 

“Oh, no, I feel bad,” Arthur said. 

“Why?” Rani asked. “I’ll have to buy a fuck-ton of boxes to move my shit. They’re reusable, right? So, let’s have you use them first, then Katelyn and Kelly, and Mindy and me when we move into the house. It’s for the harem, not just you.” 

“That’s fair,” Arthur said. “I hadn’t considered that.” 

“Well, you can’t think of everything,” Rani said, smiling. “Come on, let’s run our errands while they get their shit organized. We’ll be back with the boxes, and coffee, and maybe lunch.” 

“Uh,” Arthur hesitated. “Doesn’t Manasa have to get back?” 

“It’s okay,” Manasa said. “I expected some delays, and I’m on the clock either way until I get back, so it’s helping me make more money.” 

“Oh,” Arthur said. “Okay.” 

Rani smiled. She waved as she and Manasa dropped into Arthur’s old Ford. 

That left him, Yvonne, and Selene in the parking lot. Manasa had parked the bus in a stretch of empty parking spots on the wooded side of the lot. She’d locked the bus with their luggage resting beside it. He looked at Yvonne, then Selene, and shrugged. 

“I can help with the bags,” Yvonne said as Arthur lifted them. 

“We can take your stuff and my stuff to your apartment,” Selene said. “You take Kat’s stuff to our apartment and check on her.” 

“That’s a good idea,” Arthur said, nodding. “But what about the trunk?” 

“I’ll take it,” Yvonne said, giving it a test lift. It had wheels on one end, but it was heavy enough that she struggled. 

Arthur took it from her with no difficulty. “I’ll take it upstairs. You stay here with the luggage, and I’ll be right back.” 

“Yes, Master,” Selene said. 

Arthur took the trunk to his apartment, and it felt good but strange to enter it alone for the first time in a while. With packing on the horizon, moving out made his place seem less like home and more like a dorm room, a temporary arrangement that was ending. He set the trunk against the empty living room wall beside the door, then returned to the parking lot. 

“Okay, you two can head into my apartment. I’ll head over to yours. Let me know if you need anything. I’ll keep my phone on.” 

Selene nodded. “Same, of course. Any time you want relief, just call us or come over, Master.” 

Arthur chuckled. “Thanks, Slut.” 

Yvonne blushed, glancing around them. “It’s still weird to hear you refer to each other that way in the open.” 

Arthur nodded. “I won’t spank her for it since there’s no one around. It’s when she forgets that we’re in public that we have a problem.” 

Selene smiled. “I’ll be a good girl, don’t worry, Master.” 

Arthur kissed her forehead, then hesitated. Yvonne stepped forward and presented hers. “You don’t have to, but if you want to, you can,” she said. 

Arthur kissed her forehead, which made her smile. “Thank you, my prince.”

Arthur nodded, and they carried his suitcase into his apartment, while he took Kat’s luggage and Selene’s backpack into Selene and Kat’s apartment. Kat had left the door unlocked, but he locked the door behind him as he set the bags by the door. They’d be living out of suitcases for the week after they packed everything. 

He searched for Kat and found her face-down on her bed, her head under her pillow.

“You’re still breathing, right?” Arthur asked. 

Kat gave him a thumbs-up without removing the pillow from over her head. 

“Do you want anything? I can make some coffee.” 

Another thumbs-up. 

“I’ll start organizing everything and packing it up. I’ll start in Selene’s room, okay?” 

A third thumbs-up. 

“If you need anything, let me know.” 

No thumbs-up. Arthur left her bedroom door open and made coffee. It hadn’t been so long since Lori took the coffee maker that he’d forgotten how to do it. He didn’t drink it himself, but Lori had wanted it on occasion. He bought her the coffee pot last Christmas. 

Those thoughts made him check his phone, only to remember that Kelly had blocked Lori on it. He had a few texts, though. 

Slut: Master, can I change my clothes into something more comfortable for packing?

Master: Of course. 

Slut: Thank you!

Mindy’s text was a selfie of her in front of her church building. She was smiling, letting him know she’d arrived, safe and sound. He sent her a heart reaction. 

Queenie: Do we need anything besides boxes? Tape? Bubble wrap?

King: Yes, please. 

Queenie: Now I wish I had taken your credit card. Oh well. 

King: lol.

The last one was from his mom. 

Mom: I hope you got home safe and everyone had fun yesterday! 

Arthur: Yeah, everyone’s safe and home. It was such a long day! I feel like I’ve been away for months. 

His mom heart-reacted to his text, and he decided to call her. He put in his Bluetooth earpiece and started organizing. He couldn’t pack things into boxes yet, but he could pile them up to put into boxes, so he started with Selene’s decorations, knick-knacks, and clothes. 

Once he started, he called his mother to catch her up on yesterday’s activities, minus the sexy details. He stuck to the Faire’s events: the storyline, his chess match, the food, drinks, and fun. She seemed in better spirits once they got talking, and she started asking questions. So he mentioned running into Caleb, Logan, and Yvonne, with Yvonne helping Kat work through some of her anger that morning.  

“So this Yvonne girl,” his mom said. “She’s the one who played Cinderella, right?” 

“Yeah,” Arthur said. “And she dressed up as Cinderella yesterday.” 

“Oh, I liked her,” Deb said. “She was talented.” 

“Oh, yeah,” Arthur said. “She’s amazing on stage. You’d think she’d been doing this for decades.” 

“And pretty,” Deb said. “Are you thinking of dating her, too?” 

“Uh, well, it’s complicated.” Thank God she wasn’t there to see the red blush on his face, or he might’ve had to admit he was imagining tying her and Selene up on Selene’s bed. “She got pretty nasty a few weeks back, but apologized, and now everything’s in a weird limbo. Plus, it’s not just my decision. The others have to sign off. So, we’re figuring it out,” Arthur said. 

“When you say ‘we,’ you mean you and your girlfriends?” Deb asked. “They have to approve of any new girlfriends?” 

“Well, yeah,” Arthur said. “Sorry, I know it’s weird.” 

“No, no, it’s fine,” Deb said. “It makes sense, too. Those girls are like a family or a sorority. Of course they’d want to vet any new members.” 

“Yeah,” Arthur said. “Exactly. They got matching henna tattoos at the Faire. They call themselves the Sisterhood of Excalibur.”

“Why the Sisterhood of—” his mom cut herself off. “Oh, that’s hilarious.” She hummed more than laughed, but it was a familiar, cheerful note. 

Silence fell, and Arthur wasn’t sure what to say to bring the conversation back. 

“I’m sorry,” Deb apologized. “I’m not trying to make it weird. It’s just that I’m happy for you and your girls. How’s Kelly doing? Is she there, by any chance?” 

“Uh, no, she and Katelyn went to Katelyn’s parents’ cabin for the rest of Fall Break. They’ll be back Tuesday night,” Arthur said. “Why?” 

“I wanted to talk to her,” Deb said. “Do you think she’d mind if I called her? I, uh, got a phone call from someone and wanted to hear her side of the story.” 

Arthur’s brow furrowed, though his mother couldn’t see it. Who would have called his mother? Kelly’s family wouldn’t have had her information. So, was it someone else? Was it Lynn? A lawyer Lynn hired? That’d been quick if so. 

“Her side of the story?” Arthur asked. “Is this about Lynn?” 

“No,” Deb answered immediately. “Don’t worry, Lynn isn’t coming anywhere near you or your girls. It’s, um, well, it’s–I don’t know how to say this, but it’s, uh–” 

“Lori?” Arthur asked, realizing why his mother hesitated to say the name. “It’s okay, Mom, you can say her name.” 

“Oh,” his mother said. “I wasn’t sure if you knew about it or might be upset. You’ve had a rough few days. I didn’t want to bring up anyone painful.” 

“No, it’s okay,” Arthur said. “Yesterday was pretty cathartic, running into Angie and everything. And last night was, well, refreshing.” 

“Angie?” his mom asked. “That girl from your and Lynn’s class? What happened? You ran into her at the Faire?” 

Oh, right, he hadn’t gotten that far. He told her the story, recounting his blow-up, Yvonne helping him through it, and his decision to let it go. His mom was quiet on the other end. 

“I’m so sorry, Arthur,” Deb said. “I’m sorry you had to deal with yet another trauma this weekend.” 

“It’s okay, Mom,” Arthur said. “I’ll talk to my therapist about it, but it was pretty cathartic, and well, it was for the best. I intend to reach out to her if I can, just to square things, but I’m okay. And I know Lori and Kelly argued last night, and she blocked her on my phone, but I’m not mad at Kelly for it. Lori texted me a few times out of the blue, and I’ve been ignoring her.” 

“Oh,” his mom said. “Okay, well, I have something I need to confess. I’ve been reaching out to Lori for the last few months, but she’s only responded once or twice.” 

That sounded typical of Lori. 

“Well,” Deb said. “Last summer, I suggested maybe she could come back here for Thanksgiving. You’d said that you two ended amicably, and I thought, well, maybe you’d get back together, but even if you didn’t, she’s family, in a way, and she doesn’t have anyone else.” 

“You invited her to Thanksgiving already?” Arthur asked. 

“Sort of,” Deb said. “She never responded to that voicemail, so I didn’t think she was coming, but she reached out to me last night and asked if the invitation was still open. Apparently, she talked to Kelly about it, and Kelly was rude about the idea. Lori said Kelly uninvited her, so she wasn’t sure if she could come.” 

“Honestly, after the last few days, it’d be a bad idea for her to come, Mom,” Arthur said. “It’d be more drama, which we don’t need. I’m not even sure why she’d want to come. It’d just be painful for both of us.” 

Silence on the other end of the line. “Well, it’s possible she misses you and regrets her choices.” 

“Sure,” Arthur said. “It’s possible, but she still made her choices, Mom, and I’ve moved on. I’m in a relationship, remember?” 

“More than one,” Deb said. “Which takes winning the breakup to a whole new level when you think about it.” 

Arthur chuckled. 

“Does Lori know about that, by the way?” Deb asked. “You’ve posted nothing about it outside of a few group photos on social media. So I wasn’t sure if it was public knowledge, but she seemed to think Kelly was your girlfriend. Your only girlfriend, I mean.” 

“Uh, I guess she doesn’t, then,” Arthur said. “I haven’t told her. We haven’t spoken since she left. That was her decision.” 

“Okay,” Deb said. “Well, I told her I’d talk to you and see what you thought. Should I tell her not to come to Thanksgiving then?” 

“Yeah,” Arthur said, not having to think about it. “She wanted a fresh start and no ties, right? So, she needs to realize that she got what she asked for.” 

“That’s harsh,” Deb said. “As far as I know, she hasn’t been in touch with anyone from her pre-college life after coming to college. If we let her cut ties with us, she’ll have no one.” 

“She wants no one, so she can focus on her studies, Mom,” Arthur said. 

“That’s callous, Arthur,” his mom said. “But fair, I guess. I’ll tell her not to come.” 

Arthur sighed. It might be callous, but if he had calluses, then Lori was the one who put them there. Either way, Thanksgiving would be a better time without Lori’s interference. If she regretted breaking his heart, well, maybe she deserved her sorrow.

“Thanks, Mom,” Arthur said, filling the silence.  

“Of course, honey,” Deb said. “You know I’m on your side, right? I love you.” 

“I love you, too,” Arthur said. 

“Okay, I should let you go. Your father brought brunch home from that place we like, and if I don’t get out there soon, he’ll eat my home fries.” 

Arthur chuckled. “Okay, enjoy. Love you!”

“And we love you. Your father sends his love,” Deb said. 

“Is that Arthur? Tell him I said hi,” George said. 

“Your father says hi,” Deb said. 

“Hi, Dad!” Arthur said. 

“Do you two want to talk to each other?” Deb asked, her voice faint, as if she were offering George the phone. 

“Later,” George said. “Brunch is getting cold!” 

“Go on,” Arthur said, not sure if anyone could hear him. “We’ll talk later!” 

“Okay, dear, no need to shout,” Deb said. “Love you.” Deb ended the call. 

“You know, I’m envious of your relationship with your parents,” Kat said. 

Her sudden presence startled Arthur. He had his back to Selene’s bedroom door, and didn’t know how long she’d been listening. Not that it mattered; he’d said nothing she couldn’t overhear. 

“Oh?” Arthur asked. 

Kat entered, climbed onto Selene’s bed, holding her mug of coffee, and sat with her back to the wall. She watched Arthur organize Selene’s possessions. 

“Yeah,” Kat said. “Your dad loves you, and your mom doesn’t judge everything you do, condemn you, or try to control your life. She loves and supports you, even when you do something insane like date six or seven girls at once.” 

Arthur nodded. “She guides me sometimes. She wouldn’t support me if I were doing something immoral or anything.” 

“Well, your mom has a much broader sense of morality than mine,” Kat chuckled. “Forget the harem. If she knew I were moving in with my boyfriend, she’d have a fit.” 

“Really?” Arthur asked. “But you’re old enough to make that decision on your own.” 

“I’m older than you,” Kat reminded him. “Yeah, but she doesn’t care. We’re not married, so it’s immoral to her, and she’s my mom, which in her mind means her morality is the only one that matters.” 

“Ah,” Arthur said. He understood, even if he didn’t agree with that morality. “Are you worried she’ll discover your morals don’t align with hers?” 

Kat sipped her coffee. “Of course,” Kat said. “If she stops covering a third of our rent, well, we’re screwed.” 

“Well, your rent at the house is cheaper, and it’s not like my parents would kick you out on the street. You know that,” Arthur said. 

“Sure,” Kat said. “It’s one of the many ways they’re better than my mom.” She chuckled. “My mother made it clear if I ever got pregnant out of wedlock, or slept with a guy, she’d kick me out on the street.” 

“But you had an ex, right?” Arthur asked. “Before you came to college?” 

“Yeah,” Kat said. “My secret rebellion.”

“So how did you come to have such a different view on things than your mom?” Arthur asked, not changing the subject so much as steering it toward something more cheerful. 

“Life,” Kat said. “It’s different. The world isn’t what she told me it’d be, and it doesn’t work the way it used to, if it ever worked the way she thought.”

“Yeah,” Arthur agreed. “Sometimes, people confuse personal experience with standard reality and think that everyone experiences the world the same way they do, but that’s not always the case.”  

“You said your parents go to church, right?” Kat asked. 

“Yeah,” Arthur said, nodding. “They’re not strict about it, but they go. It’s a tradition for them, and a social outing. They have friends there.” 

“But you don’t?” Kat asked. 

Arthur shook his head. “Never saw the need.” He pointed to the door, and Kat followed him out of Selene’s room and into the living room, where he started grouping things into packable piles. Kat sat on the sofa and watched him. 

“They didn’t take you?” Kat asked. 

“They did,” Arthur said. “When I was a kid, like, four or five, they told me I recited the prayer and let Jesus into my heart and all that, but I don’t remember it. Then, when I was about twelve, the pastor started talking about getting more involved. I realized I didn’t want to. I read the bible, but I read history books, too. Theater and the arts held my interest, and most of my church friends condemned that stuff, so we didn’t get along. Between my life experiences and reading philosophers and science textbooks, I realized I didn’t need to belong to that club. If I wanted to do good in the world, I could. I didn’t need to believe in any kind of deity to make that happen. And I found the people there so… two-faced; I guess that’s the right word. I had a long sit-down talk with my parents. I made a PowerPoint presentation and everything, which they thought was hilarious, but they agreed I didn’t need to go if I didn’t want to, so I stopped.” 

“My mom would have spanked me if I suggested not going,” Kat said. 

Arthur shrugged. “Well, you don’t go to church now, do you?” 

“No, but she doesn’t know that,” Kat said. “She thinks we go to a local church, at least more often than not.”

Arthur had a difficult time imagining Selene in a church. Not that she’d melt, but she’d be uncomfortable and want to do other things. If he took her to a service, she’d want to run off to the basement for sex, but that was true of most places he’d take her.

“Besides religion, have you ever had to wrestle with something you believed to be simple and true, suddenly being more complicated, or even untrue?” Kat asked. 

“Besides the entire concept of religion?” Arthur asked. He shrugged. “Monogamy, I guess.” 

Kat chuckled, but Arthur meant it. Monogamy had been the default assumption, along with notions of romance that he discovered didn’t have to be true. It was a shift in his sexuality, in its own way. 

“I used to believe monogamy was the only proper way to have a romantic relationship,” Arthur said. “But in my defense, that’s the example my parents set, and the default expectation. Selene, Kelly, and everyone else made some very persuasive arguments against it. Even you’ve opened up your heart, inviting Katelyn to join us because she needed us, and you, and I, and Kelly, all liked her.” 

Kat’s smile vanished as soon as he mentioned Katelyn, and he worried that he’d undid some of the goodwill she’d shown. Yet, Kat didn’t explode. Nor did she yell at him or cry. 

“You’re right,” Kat said. “But we can’t uproot everything, right?” 

“I suppose not,” Arthur said. “We just have to pick what truths are important to us, and what stands to bring us the most happiness. I might have been happy dating Kelly, Selene, or you monogamously, but dating everyone together has brought me more happiness than that could have, and that’s not true of just me either. We’ve pursued everyone’s happiness and everyone’s benefit as a unit. A family. I’m glad I abandoned the default and tried polyamory, aren’t you?” 

Kat stared off into space, as if contemplating the question through its consequences. She nodded and then agreed, as if realizing it for the first time. “Yeah,” she said. “Despite the drama, and even ignoring the sex with you, which is amazing, and counting the things that have pissed me off, I’m glad we abandoned monogamy. I’m happier with the harem and feel safer with them, more secure, than any friends I’ve had in the past. We’re a sisterhood, you know?”

“Yeah,” Arthur said, and pointed to her collarbone despite her hoodie covering the tattoo. “You’ve got the tattoo to prove it.” 

Kat chuckled. She stepped forward and hugged him. Sensing her approach, he opened his arms to welcome her and hugged her as she pressed her face into his chest. “You give great hugs,” she said after a minute, turning her face to the side to breathe. 

“If you think my hugs are great, just wait until you see what else I can do,” Arthur said. 

Kat laughed, smacking his arm. “Behave, Sir. You have work to do.” She gestured at the piles. “Where is Rani, anyway?” 

A three-tap knock at the door made her roll her eyes. “Speak of the devil, and she shall appear.” 

“Lynn’s here?” Arthur joked, and Kat gave him a strange look. “Too soon?” 

“No, it was funny; I just wanted to make sure you were okay,” Kat said. 

“I’m okay,” Arthur said. “Pretty happy. You’re a good hugger.” 

Kat rolled her eyes. “Okay, now go get the door.” 

Arthur didn’t argue. He kissed Kat’s forehead as he passed her, and she giggled. She sipped her coffee after he passed, but he wasn’t sure if it was to hide her smile. He trotted into the living room, tossing his flannel onto the sofa after getting warm from moving around in the apartment. He opened the door in his T-shirt and stared at the woman on the other side. 

“Oh, good, this was the right apartment,” Rani said. “Come help me unload the boxes from the car.” 

Arthur chuckled, calling into the apartment as he followed Rani. “The boxes are here!”