The Parker's

"No Karen, I can't lose this man I am in love with, even if he is my son. And to be honest I miss your love and friendship and would like it back Karen - I've never gotten over losing it, but I am going to seduce David if I have to. I swear and promise that I will and he will end up in my bed. You and I both know he will."

"We'll see about that," Karen said, feeling suddenly and uncharacteristically vulnerable.

"Karen you can't watch him 24 hours a day 7 days a week. I will get to him."

"I'll have you arrested if you play that sort of game Susan."

"But then David will get arrested as well Karen - you need to think carefully about what you're saying. David and I are both legal adults."

"What do you want Susan? What do you want?"

"I want to meet and talk about this situation Karen," Susan said, noting the emotional upset tone in Karen's voice. She kept very cool herself.

"Meet, what on earth for? Look David and I are happy and trying to make a life together."

"I know that you love David and I do as well. I think I may have a solution to the problem."

"What are you talking about Susan," Karen asked, growing alarmed as well as upset.

"Let's just meet and talk calmly about all this Karen, please I don't want to cause any pain to David, you or I."

Karen looked back up at the house and thought.

"Karen?"

"Okay, okay Susan," Karen muttered. "I'll come by tomorrow afternoon to talk."

"Good Karen, thank you for agreeing," Susan said relieved. "I'm hoping so much that we can repair our friendship and just leave the past in the past."

"Sure Susan," Karen said scratching her head. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Okay, bye Karen."

Sure enough there was a knock on Susan's front door at 2.30pm the next day. Susan took a deep breath and opened the door. Karen was standing there.

"Come in Karen," Susan invited, ushering her inside and closing the door behind her.

"Thanks, I've told David that I was going shopping, so he is none the wiser."

"Good idea," Susan said, leading Karen into the lounge-room. "Would you like a cup of coffee?"

"Do you have anything stronger Susan" Karen asked, dropping her bag on the floor and sitting down," I think I'll need it."

"Sure Karen, I've got scotch."

"Yes, perfect - make it a double," Karen replied.

"Yes I'll have one as well - I need it too."

Susan went to the bar, chose two glasses, opened the single malt and poured. She picked up the glasses, returned to Karen and offered her one.

"Thanks Susan," Karen said and then she drank, closing her eyes as the fiery liquor filled her mouth and burnt its way down her throat.

There was an awkward pause.

"Look, I'm sorry if I've caused you any pain," Karen said softly, looking at Susan across the table from her. "I know you have strong feelings for David and I'm sure you're still angry with me over Martin."

"Yes, I do have strong feelings for David," Susan returned. "But to be honest I couldn't care less about David's father. That was a long time ago. It's old news. He's a louse, a cheater - you're as much a victim of his, as I was. My only concern now is David and you..."

Karen cleared her throat.

"I think we're both in love with David," Karen ventured, "I know I am."

"Yes, I am in love with David - I have been for a long time I think, though I have never really admitted that to anyone, particularly David. I've never told anyone Karen."

"Are you still seeing Michael?"

"No, that was yet another mistake," Susan said sadly. She took a drink of the scotch, while Karen waited. "Poor kid, he really thought we were going to end up together and live happily ever after - he really took it hard when I told him I didn't want to see him again, that it was over. I have a bad track record when it comes to dating my son's friends."

The two women paused and finished their drinks.

"Want another?"

"Yeah thanks Susan; do you mind if I smoke?"

"No, I don't mind - I thought you gave them up years ago," Susan said as she returned to the bar and filled the glasses with more whiskey.

"Yes I did, but I picked the habit up again - my personal trainer would kill me if he knew."

Susan brought the drinks back to the table, along with an ashtray. Karen pulled a cigarette from her crumpled packet and lit up. She exhaled a cloud of smoke and felt instantly calmer.

"Do you mind," Susan asked, looking at the cigarettes.

"Please, help yourself."

Susan reached for a cigarette, stuck it between her lips, lit up and inhaled, holding the smoke inside before blowing it out.

Susan, what are we going to do about David?"

"I think I must be out of my mind Karen," Susan said. "I mean we both obviously love him and I think he loves us both."

"Yes, that's true - he loves us both."

"Well, given that we both love him and he loves us - I think the way forward is pretty clear. I mean if we can trust and care for each other again and keep this to ourselves, then I believe this could work. I mean I can't see any reason why it can't work."

"Susan, what are you trying to say," Karen asked, her alarm bell ringing.

"I think we should share David," Susan replied simply.

Karen looked at Susan - she could see that Susan was being sincere. She took a deep breath.

"Okay, obviously we both have a pretty good idea what you mean Susan - are you saying he would spend half the week at my place and half the week here with you, or do you mean we would all be together all the time?"

"I'm not sure Karen," Susan said, "I think doing something like a three-way relationship would suit David, as he would have us both and we could share him."

"Well yeah," Karen returned, "a three-way would suit David for sure."

"It's a way we could avoid hurting each other, and a way of making David happy. "

"Susan, do you really think we can avoid hurting each other, if we do something like that?"

"Yes I do Karen. We have to be caring and careful and I'm sure that we are more mature people now, and David hates it when we fight."

"That's true," Karen admitted."I want David to be happy and I want to put an end to this fighting. But what did you have in mind: did you want him to spend half the week with me at my place and half the week here with you or do you want us to share him all the time together?"

"Well, I think we could just share him - both of us share him together, yes we could share him together. It would make him so happy."

"Oh boy, well yes, it would make David happy alright," Karen said breaking into laughter, blowing out smoke. "It would be his dream come true, but what about you and I?"

"I'm nearly 45 Karen and I don't want to live without love anymore. I need love so much and I just can't keep going on like this. You must know how I feel Karen - nothing's really changed, despite everything that's happened. And I need David's love so much."

"I understand Susan," Karen said, smiling softly, noting the tears starting to glow in Susan's eyes. "I feel the same way - I'm 40 and I don't want to play anymore games either, particularly with David and you."

"I'm just a bit worried that you may think I'm crazy or sick or something," Susan said, averting her eyes from Karen's gaze. "I mean I am his mother and..."

"Oh really, please Susan - you know who you're talking to right? Just don't worry about that. I don't care to be honest, love is love and I'm sure David wouldn't mind in the slightest."

"Thank you Karen," Susan said, tears starting to run down her cheeks."It's very kind of you."

"It's okay," Karen said softly, handing Susan a tissue and holding her hand.

"Karen, what are your long term plans, when it comes to you and David?"

"Well I am still only 40, so I am hoping David and I can conceive and raise a child together - I would like to marry him as well."

"I sometimes wish I wasn't David's mother," Susan said, dabbing at her eyes, "because I would love to do that with him as well. How's that for crazy Karen?"

"Hey, maybe something like that is possible, but boy we would have to be so careful Susan. We would have to protect ourselves and keep even more secrets from people. It's too dangerous, I guess - someone would end up finding out."

"I know - it's a crazy idea."

Karen smiled and shrugged.

Well I know you haven't agreed and you have to think about it, but I would love it if you and David decided to move in here with me."

"Wow, yeah I would need to think about that Susan," Karen said smiling. "I mean honestly it sounds rather wonderful, but I have to think it through. I mean we are going from being enemies of sorts to possibly friends again, involved in a three-way, all at once. It's just a bit too fast, even for me. I also have a home I love and a life as well."

"Of course Karen - we have to do what we have to do."

"In the meantime I think you need to show me your rose garden, so we can talk about something else for a while."

"Of course, come on - bring your drink with you."

Susan and Karen walked down towards the wide dark garden at the bottom right where the yard sloped away and down steeply. They carefully tiptoed down the winding stone steps and then opened the corroded wrought iron gate and stepped inside the tranquil damp sanctuary. Karen breathed deeply, inhaling the scent of flowers and grass, listening to the soft breeze in the trees and the sweet birds. Varieties of rose and rich warm flowers presented themselves proudly, standing out amidst the thorny branches and the dark tangled foliage.

"This is a beautiful place Susan."

"Thank you Karen; I don't think you've ever seen it before?"

"No, I would remember this for sure."

"Look, let me show you some of my favourites."

Karen and Susan looked at roses and Karen smiled at Susan's excitement and her enthusiastic explanations. Karen suddenly remembered just how much she had cared for Susan and the deep friendship they once had. Karen remembered just how guilty she had felt when she cheated with Martin behind Susan's back. Karen took a deep breath.

"Susan?"

"Yes darling, oh look at this one Karen - look how rich that red is."

"Susan," Karen said, becoming emotional and teary-eyed.

"Karen, what is it," Susan asked, concerned, turning to her.

"I'm so sorry Susan," Karen said, as Susan took Karen in her arms. "I agree Susan, I agree - you and I will share David together. We'll figure it out, I promise. We just have to be careful like you say - we always know what to do."

"Oh my, thank you Karen, thank you so much" Susan enthused, kissing Karen's cheek. "We'll all love each other and live the sort of life we've all dreamt of. It's going to be wonderful Karen."

"I'm sure it will be Susan."

The two women stood there in the warm secluded garden amidst the blooming roses. They had finally reached an understanding.

PART THREE: SECRETS WITHIN SECRETS, WITHIN SECRETS, WITHIN SECRETS

Below is an excerpt of a letter written by Sarah Parker, addressed to her nephew David - it reads:

'The Parker family are great patrons of all the arts, particularly the visual and performing arts. My parents were very fond of painting and sculpture and they expressed their affection for the arts by creating the Parker foundation, which I am proud to administer on their behalf. My parents, your grandparents died far too young, long before you were born, the victims of a terrible light-plane accident. Their death left a horrible empty hole in all our lives.

The Parker's have been described by some as "old money" and maybe this is the case. I can state with some certainty that the Parker's were and are an insular family and we hold secrets, many secrets - there are secrets within secrets, within secrets, within secrets in our family. Our self-imposed exclusion from the outside world and from ordinary people, even from those in our own social class has led us to become the authors and artists of our own private realities - we have become decadent and thoroughly amoral in our isolation.'

******

David arrived at his mother's house at 8.30pm, as Karen had instructed him to. He had passed through the front gate of the estate and driven up the winding narrow drive, the white stones crunching beneath his tires and the cars headlights illuminating the tight turns, the surrounding shrubs and the low stone walls. He pulled to a halt beside Karen's silent car, turned off the ignition, climbed out of his sleek black sedan and then stared up at the dark edifice before him. There was no sound except for the distant crash of the surf as it came into shore and collided with the rocks and the haunting howl of the breeze as it swept through the trees and rattled the windows.

He looked up at the house, expecting to see some lights on, but there were none -the normally white facade was a cool dark gray, the windows a glossy black in the cloudy moonless night. David stepped up to one of the windows and peered inside, his hands cupped around his eyes - he could just make out a soft warm glow coming from another part of the house. The room he was looking into was dark, the furniture outlined by that soft glow, the forms barely present. David walked around the side of the house, up the sandstone steps and came to a halt at the front door. A note was pinned there, it read:

'David, use your keys to get in honey.'

He suddenly took stock. Once again he wondered why he was here and what this was all about. Something had changed, something important had taken place, and he really had no idea what. Three days ago Karen had abruptly stopped having sex with him, which had come as a big shock. She had told him that she was taking a short break, and she warned him that he was not to relieve himself by hand. She had confused him, but he had agreed and now after three days he was his old horny self again. Karen had actually disappeared - she hadn't come home in three days, but she had assured a concerned David by phone that she was doing just fine. Then earlier today Karen had called him again and told him that he was to drive to his mother's home and meet both Susan and Karen there - he had been told by Karen that he was to be there at 8.30pm on the dot. He did as he was told, but he wondered what could possibly be going on - his mother and Karen disliked each other and had recently been at each other's throats. How could they be spending time together? Why would they both invite him here at this time of night?

He slid his key home in the lock and turned the handle and key together - the front door opened silently and he stepped through, closing and locking the door behind him. He walked through the dark reception room, noting his appearance in the mirrors, before he walked the long corridor which ran towards the main lounge-room and kitchen - his footsteps sounding terribly loud on the cold marble floor. He saw a warm glow up ahead and he softly called out for his mother and Karen. He looked inside the music room on his left and the small green drawing room on his right, but they were silent, brooding and unoccupied.

He arrived in the lounge-room and located the source of the warm soft light - large white candles sat on the square coffee table and upon the long gleaming kitchen bench. David turned to his right and saw more lit candles in irregular places along the hallway floor which led to the bedrooms and the dining room - a subtle light suffused the whole space, the flames dancing in their holders and playing across the walls - a breeze was entering the house from the open French doors.

"Karen, mom - are you here," David asked, walking into the lounge-room further, looking left and right.

He walked out, through the rolling fluttering curtains and French doors, stepping out onto the patio. He held onto the cold railing and scanned the grounds below him and the gray beach, but couldn't see anyone out there in the dark. He turned back inside and approached the coffee table - there was something there, next to one of the candles, a plain white envelope. David looked down and noted that it was addressed to him. He picked up the envelope and tore it open and pulled out a small white card. David read the message there on the card, while his heart began to thump in his chest and he grew even more confused. The card read:

'I expect you to take all your clothes off.'

"Mom, Karen," he asked aloud. There was no answer.

David dropped the card and looked down the glowing passageway which led to the bedrooms. What on earth was going on, he thought. Was he going to have sex with his mother tonight, with both Karen and his mother together? How could that be possible? Was it just a cruel game his mother was playing on him? With a deep breath he began to undress, pulling his shirt off over his head and kicking his shoes away and peeling his socks off. He then undid his jeans and unzipped them and dragged them and his underwear off together. David stood up naked, his cock rapidly getting hard.

There was sudden roar of wind and the light from the candles flickered wildly, the light in the room swam across the walls and other surfaces. David took a breath and smiled: he was ready to go in search of his mother and his stepmother - his big hard penis would lead him to them like a divining rod to a source of water.

He walked in the direction of the bedrooms, stepping lightly down the corridor illuminated by the trail of candles - they weren't in the guest bedroom and they weren't in David's old bedroom. They must be upstairs, he reasoned.

David ascended to the second floor, following a new line of candles. He turned left and walked the long corridor - poking his head into more rooms but finding no-one. He reached out for the handle to his mother's bedroom door at the end of the corridor, his heart thumping in his chest, breathing hard and turned the handle and opened the door - they weren't in there. A gust of wind blasted suddenly in through the open window, startling David. He closed the bedroom door.

He began to grow more desperate and more impatient. He needed to find Karen and his mother, he needed to get inside them and screw them deeply. He just hoped, he just prayed that Susan was finally going to give herself to him. Had Karen somehow magically fixed all their problems and somehow managed to include Susan in their relationship. Karen knew David needed Susan, that having Susan was very important to him.

"Oh mommy, where are you," David whispered, looking into more rooms at the other end of the floor.

Then he realised where they both must be. David walked up to a closed door and opened it. He peered up the narrow steep staircase and sure enough a warm glow was creeping down the stairs towards him. How had he missed this; in his desperation he had just walked straight past it. David climbed the stairs and the warm light grew around him as he progressed. He stepped out into the room and they were both there waiting for him.

Karen and Susan were dressed in soft sheer robes, seated together on a large thick rug, in front of a blackened stone fireplace, drinking champagne - they had built up a crackling blaze and the whole room was hot. Susan saw David first, but she didn't say anything as her naked son approached. She gazed at him, a faint smile playing across her lips, and a sparkle in her eye. Finally she nudged Karen next to her and Karen looked as well.

"Ah, finally you're here David, we thought you might have gotten lost," Karen said quietly.

"Hi honey," Susan said, her eyes running over David's body, as he reached the rug and sat down opposite them.

"Hi mom," he replied feeling self-conscious, but exhilarated.

"Here have some champagne, honey," Karen said reaching for a glass which sat on the floor and pulling the bottle out of an ice bucket.