The Professional

Chapter 50

BETH AND GARY and Estelle?” Susan said.

We were having coffee in her kitchen on a Monday morning, before she went to work.

“So it seems,” I said.

Susan was in her understated tailored suit, working attire that did its best to conceal the fact that she was gorgeous. Her makeup was quiet; her hair was neat. She wore very little jewelry. And she remained gorgeous.

“If I weren’t a sophisticated psychotherapist with advanced degrees from Harvard, I might be faintly shocked,” she said.

“They didn’t do three-ways in Swampscott?” I said.

“When I was in high school,” Susan said, “I doubt that anyone in town knew what a three-way was.”

“We’re not in high school anymore, Toto,” I said.

“Did they know in Laramie?” Susan said. “When you were a kid?”

“Of course,” I said.

“Truly?” Susan said.

“Two heifers and a seed bull,” I said.

“I sometimes forget you’re a man of the West,” Susan said.

“Howdy.”

Susan smiled. She was eating half of a whole-wheat bagel. I settled for several cinnamon donuts.

“Could you perform in a three-way?” Susan said.

“Two women and me?”

“For instance,” Susan said.

“Maybe,” I said. “You?”

“No,” Susan said. “How about two men and a woman?”

“No,” I said.

“Me, either,” Susan said.

“So,” I said. “Lucky we found each other.”

She smiled.

“It has been my experience that at least one member of a threesome is uncomfortable with the deal,” Susan said.

“So why do it?” I said.

“To please one, or both, of the other partners,” Susan said. “To convince oneself of one’s liberation and openness, fear of being a prude.”

“Vive la prudery,” I said.

Susan nodded.

“You think it can sometimes work?” I said.

“Yes,” Susan said. “I think people can often successfully be in a functioning relationship with two other people. You know, that sort of traditional European thing. Husband, wife, and husband’s mistress… or wife’s lover… or all of the above.”

“Ménage à trois?” I said.

Susan shrugged.

“That seems to be Gary and the girls,” I said.

Susan nodded.

“What do you think?” I said.

“I would have more hope for it if there was some separation,” she said.

“Gary lives with one and visits the other?” I said.

“Or all three live separately,” Susan said. “Despite what people say, and even believe, if they are genuinely invested in someone, it is more difficult to share that person with another than they expect.”

“So it works better if you don’t have to have your nose rubbed in it, so to speak,” I said.

“Yes.”

“Do you think it’s healthy?” I said.

“Healthy is harder to pin down than it seems,” Susan said.

She had slid into her professional mode-probably the suit.

“I know a number of people who maintain a happy and productive life with two partners, not under the same roof.”

“Think it’ll work for Gary and friends?” I said.

“There’s something exploitive going on there, I think,” Susan said.

“I think so, too,” I said. “So?”

“No,” Susan said.

“Think we should try it?”

“Who would the other guy be?” Susan said.

“Woman,” I said.

“We can’t even decide who’d have the extra lover,” Susan said.

I nodded.

“How about neither?” I said.

Susan sipped her coffee, and put down her cup, and carefully blotted her lips with her napkin. The she looked at me and smiled widely. I put my right hand up, and she high-fived me.

“There you go,” she said.