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ChapterThirty-Nine

O ver the next few months , the three of them became a lot closer emotionally. Lucy knew that her life would be so empty without the two men. They’d wrapped themselves around her heart, and that’s where she hoped they’d stay.

They tended to spend Friday night through Sunday night together.

Throughout the week, usually on Wednesday nights, Lucy had dinner with either the two of them or one or the other—depending on who had work commitments.

She’d decided it worked well because she got to know each of her men without the other.

She’d even had sex with them separately several times.

Making love to just Sebastian was very similar to when it was the three of them.

He was just as forceful and controlling.

Lucy reacted to him directing her in ways she couldn’t have ever imagined before meeting the two men.

It was as if the smallest order, the tiniest demand had her hovering on an orgasm.

She had also discovered that she loved to be smacked on the bottom. It excited her no end, and it delighted Sebastian that she reveled in it.

Yet when she and Jack made love, it was different. It was very much like his personality—there was an element of fun in it. It was as if they were just enjoying each other’s bodies without any demands at all. Neither took charge. They made love and laughed together.

Sebastian had his Outreach program each Tuesday, and at least once a month it ran into the evening. On those nights she and Jack would invariably go to the movies. So Lucy and Jack had their time together.

It was not at all surprising that Lucy found herself falling in love with the two of them.

She’d known it would be easy to fall in love with Jack because he was so open, so relaxed. So it came as no surprise when she realized she had.

Sebastian was a more complicated man, but since the early morning months ago when he’d spoken about his Indigenous roots, he seemed to have become more open with her. Lucy thought he allowed her to see the real him, and Lucy wasn’t the least bit surprised at how deep her feelings were for him now.

One Tuesday, Sebastian took Lucy to an art exhibition opening.

Jack had to wine and dine a prospective client and thus couldn’t join them.

The exhibition was for the Outreach program Sebastian ran.

The local First Nations artists had agreed to donate artworks to help raise money for the program.

Tonight was the official opening for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, while tomorrow night the exhibition would be open to all and sundry.

There was a smoking ceremony first, which was believed to ward off unwanted and bad spirits—a cleansing and a welcoming. Then Lucy was delighted to watch a Corroboree. She felt particularly honored that they allowed her to watch as they sang and danced with traditional instruments.

Sebastian was then invited to the stage.

Lucy was stunned to hear him speak fluently in one of the Aboriginal dialects. She had no idea what he said, but she couldn’t stop the smile of joy on her face.

He then handed over to a Gundungurr a elder, then a Dharug elder, who both spoke before declaring the exhibition open.

Sebastian and Lucy walked through the gallery rooms, studying the works on offer. She was struck by the beauty and depth of the works and told Sebastian so. One painting struck a chord with her, and she found it difficult to tear herself away from it.

“Sebastian, this is so beautiful. I love it. Just look at it.”

It was done in dot pattern—a serpent’s body along a waterway, with campsites then the traditional x-ray depictions of a goanna, kangaroo, fish, and emu, all done in earthen colors of ochre, reds, yellows, and browns.

Sebastian explained to Lucy that it was a Dreamtime story.

For some strange reason it represented him to her, the native side of his life.

Sebastian finally managed to move her on so he could introduce her to the elders who had spoken and to some of the artists.

While Sebastian went off to get her a fruit juice, she stood talking to the Gundungurra elder, Billy Rogers.

“The exhibition looks amazing, Billy.”

“Thanks, Lucy. Been a mad house trying to get it organized. We lost our administration officer a few weeks ago, so I’ve been doing double duty.”

“Lost?”

“Well, lost to us. He moved back to Queensland to be close to his grandkids and extended family. Been trying to find someone to fill his place, but people just aren’t interested in volunteering.”

“Volunteering? Do you need help with things?”

“Yes, I can’t do everything so I’ve been trying to find someone willing to donate a few hours a month.”

“With what? What’s involved, Billy?”

“Mainly it’s keeping the accounts, especially with things like this exhibition. There’s the occasional letter to write or answer. I just don’t have the time to do everything.”

“I can understand that. Billy, I wouldn’t mind helping out. I’m an accredited bookkeeper.”

Billy looked at Lucy in surprise. A huge grin came over his handsome features. “You’d really like to help?”

“Well, it doesn’t sound like it would take up much time.”

“No, as I said, maybe a few hours each month.”

“Well, if you’ll have me, I’d be only too happy to help.”

They exchanged telephone numbers, and when Sebastian came back, Billy told him of their agreement.

He said something in an Aboriginal dialect, and Sebastian laughed, replying in English that Lucy was not only an admirer of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and culture but didn’t find any problem with being with him.

Billy smiled and told Lucy she’d be welcome to visit anytime. “I know grandfather must have sent you. Thank you, Lucy.”

“Grandfather? Who’s?”

Lucy was puzzled, but Sebastian only laughed and said something to Billy in their native tongue who responded the same way.

He then turned back to Lucy. “Billy thinks one of his ancestors must have sent you. He had a Dreaming, and now believes his grandfather arranged for you to become involved with me just so I’d bring you to meet Billy tonight. ”

Lucy replied, “Gee, maybe they did.”

The three laughed, then Billy was called away to speak to some of the visiting dignitaries.

While they were driving home, she asked Sebastian about his use of the First Nations language.

“I speak several dialects. My people are the Warlpiri, so naturally I speak that. It’s one of the large Pama–Nyungan family of languages. I know Yol?u, Gundungurra, and Dharug. I can understand a couple of others.

“Prior to white settlement, there were over eight hundred different dialects of two hundred and fifty Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanderpeoples’ languages, but now there’s only about a hundred and twenty-three dialects spoken with a hundred and nine considered endangered.”

“That’s terrible!”

“I know. We have lessons through the Outreach program, and thankfully there are a lot of young people who are rediscovering their heritage.”

“Thank you for taking me tonight, Seb. I felt really honored.”

“You’re most welcome, Lucy. And thank you for volunteering to help Billy. I know he’s been tearing his hair out trying to find someone.”

“It won’t take up much time, and I’d love to be able to help somehow.”

“I can assure you it’ll be really appreciated.”

“Does he really believe that an ancestor arranged for me and you to meet?”

“Yes. We believe things happen for reasons. My bringing you to the exhibition was at the exact time when he needed someone to help. By volunteering, you answered his need. He told me he’d had a Dreaming things would work out and they did.”

“I guess when you look at it in a way, he was right.”

“Well, all I can say is thank you. He’ll really appreciate all the help you can give him.”

Sebastian kissed her fingertips and put her hand back on his leg as he drove.

****

T wo weeks later, Sebastian turned up at her house with the painting she’d admired.

She was so overcome that she burst out crying.

He’d hugged her as she clung to him. Then he set about hanging the painting in the library above the fireplace. They then made love on the floor of the room beneath it.

****

L ucy continued her family dinners on Thursdays.

The replacement roofing project had been completed some months back and looked great.

The old slate and the new blended well together.

There were no more leaks—and no more corrugated iron.

The cost was very reasonable, leaving Lucy happy at not having to withdraw too much from her term deposit.

She’d started her volunteer work with Billy and after spending a whole day getting things up to date, she was sure it would only need a few hours once a month. She and Billy worked well together.

She found Billy to be a very funny man who seemed to spend most of the time laughing or else teasing her about Sebastian and Jack. He also decided she should have lessons in one of the dialects he spoke.

Lucy thought it would take her years to be able to make herself understood, but all the same she enjoyed learning. Lucy was pleased to be able to help him out, and she knew she’d made a new friend.