After a few drinks, which wash away the taste of Michael's cum, Lori finds herself wanting more. She cuddles up to him on the couch, and strokes his thigh sensually, noting the responses in his cock already.

It has got fairly late now, and they retreat to Michael's bedroom, where they both undress completely and admire each other's bodies. It is the very first time they have seen each other completely naked, and they spend some time exploring, teasing and complimenting each other.

In Lori's case, most of her compliments are addressed at Michael's cock, which is extraordinarily large; both long and thick. However, she also admires his toned body and deep black skin, none of which she had been aware of when he first fucked her at the club.

Similarly, he had not originally been able to see her clearly, but knew that she was fair-haired, lithe of body and flexible enough to dance sexily and energetically. He also knew that she had a beautiful ass and that her pussy could easily accept his cock when she was aroused.

Lori says that she wants to go down on him again, to see whether she can get his cock really deep inside her throat this time. Michael, of course, is delighted to let her try, and lies back on the bed while she straddles him, to approach his cock from the 69 position.

She grasps his cock in one hand and directs it into her mouth again, but this time, she does not focus on the head. She simply moves herself slowly forward, to press the length to the back of her mouth, trying to squeeze her tongue down to accommodate its thickness. She almost gags, but pauses to breathe deeply and compose herself.

She finally succeeds, and the head of his cock locates in her throat. It is tight, but she is able to move him in and out briefly, feeling his cock throbbing in her throat, before she has to withdraw a little to take breath. She does this several times, each time pressing a little further, until eventually her lips are wrapped tightly around the very base of his cock, and clasping him deeply inside her. She feels so proud of her achievement!

Meanwhile, Michael is lying back, looking at Lori's ass and pussy, which is now dripping onto his chest. He is simply enjoying all the sensations that Lori is delivering him, but increasingly wanting to take a more active role. Finally, he can restrain himself no longer, and slaps Lori sharply on the ass.

He tells her to turn around now, and though Lori is still enjoying her deep-throating escapade, she does also want Michael to fuck her this time. So she turns around to face him and holds his saliva-coated cock up between her legs.

Looking down at him, she says, “So you want it all in there, now, do you?” He can only nod.

She slowly lowers herself onto him, as she had done with her mouth, and feels him squeeze tight between her pussy lips, just as he had between the lips of her mouth. She makes sure he is fully inside her- which again, is no small feat- and sits up on top of him, to force his cock as deep as it is possible to go. She can feel him SO deep inside her now, and the very thought of how far inside her he is starts her trembling, even before either of them moves.

When she looks down at him, he too is trembling, and beads of his sweat mix with the pussy juices she has dripped onto his chest. They sit like that for a few moments, admiring each other again, and revelling in the sensations of their interlocked bodies. They move only in the very slightest of ways, breathing deeply in and out, but each tiny movement gives Lori an exquisite thrill.

She reaches down to place her hands on his slippery chest, while he reaches up to grasp her breasts and fondle the erect nipples standing proudly from her pink areolae, while he feels the weight of her breasts in his hands. He squeezes them together, playing the hard nipples with his thumbs.

There has been no hurry until now, but when their eyes lock, both know that the time has come for active fucking now.

It begins fairly slowly, with Lori rising and falling upon Michael's cock, putting her head back and enjoying every inch as it slides smoothly in and out of her. Her vagina has adjusted to his thickness now, but she still feels the friction, despite her extreme lubrication.

Michael begins to move too, gently at first, in counter to Lori's movements. Then gradually more forcefully, until they are both thrusting hard against each other. Neither of them want it to end, but they both know it must.

They fuck harder and harder, both trying to hold their orgasms at bay as long as they can. The sweat starts to drip both from Lori and from Michael, running down her body, pooling on his belly, and dripping between their legs as they crash into each other time and again. She can feel the sweat running down her back too, between the cheeks of her ass, and down into the dark depths of their thrusting bodies.

Lori feels her temperature rising to boiling point, and speeds her thrusts; Michael recognises the signs too, as her vagina tries to clasp him tightly inside her. Together, they build themselves up to the most massive orgasms they have ever experienced, with shouts from Michael and screams from Lori, as he pumps his cum deep inside her. She can feel every pulse passing up into her and he can feel every twitch of her vagina walls, trying to milk him for more and more.

When the shouting, swearing, and screaming; the throbbing, pulsing and trembling; the gasping, groaning and moaning, all finally subside, they fall together into a limp mass of flesh and muscle, almost merging together into one single body. It is almost as though they are truly one.

Their orgasm is so utterly draining that they both soon fall fast asleep, with Michael's softening cock still inside Lori, who sleeps on top of him.

In the morning, they roll apart, but cuddle in the warmth of Michael's bed, and kiss and nibble at each other hungrily.

Lori is shocked when she sees the time, and briefly panics, because today is the day that Aaron will return from his latest business trip. She quickly gathers her things, kisses Michael a deep goodbye kiss, and rushes out, shouting “I'll be back!”

She needs to collect Aaron from the airport later today, but first she need to get home, shower, compose herself, dress modestly and formulate her way of telling Aaron that she has chosen a new and different life ahead of her. She knows it will not be an easy conversation, and she tries to imagine all the things she will say, and all the things he might say, and all the ways she might have to adapt to his reactions.

It is just impossible for her to predict exactly how this conversation will go!

She drives to the airport, with her head spinning and her stomach churning. She stands and waits for Aaron to appear at the Arrivals gate, moving anxiously from foot to foot, until she sees him walking towards her. They embrace, but Lori does not offer the usual deep kiss as she welcomes him; he does not seem to notice that it is only a polite peck on the cheek, as she takes the smallest of his bags, and leads him towards the car park.

Once there, they sit side-by-side as Lori drives them home, and although their daily calls have sometimes been missed, or shortened, they seem to have very little to say to each other now. He tries polite conversation about the journey and about the weather, and she responds in kind, but no significant exchanges happen.

When they get home, they seem to relax a little more, and Lori starts to wonder whether she really should tell him anything, or just carry on with her second, parallel life in secret- Lori when Aaron is home, and Lori when Aaron is away. She knows really that something has to change now, but she does still have fond feelings for Aaron, and doesn't want to upset him unnecessarily; on the other hand, can she lie convincingly?

As they sit at the kitchen table, to catch up with each others 'news', her heart sinks when she thinks how much she will hurt him.

But before she can begin her carefully-planned speech, Aaron says: “Lori, I have something to tell you... “ He casts his eyes down to the table, unable to meet hers directly, as he begins his own carefully-planned speech.

“Lori, I hope you know how much I respect you, and how much I have loved you... But I need to confess that I have strayed from the promises I made to you when we married. I have been unfaithful; I have developed a love for Anna, which I cannot ignore.”

Lori feels a sharp intake of breath and her head spins; what will she say now? She is only half-listening to Aaron now, while trying desperately to restructure her own confession.

Aaron continues, “You know Anna; she is a work colleague and we have travelled together many times now. I swear I did not mean it to happen, but during our trips, staying at the same hotels, eating at the same restaurants, and confined in the same meeting-rooms, we developed a togetherness which I could not ignore. This has been growing in me for a long time now, and I have to admit to you that I love her. That doesn't mean that I don't love you too, but I think I have to make a choice.”

Only now does he look up and see her shocked eyes, her pale face and her open mouth. Her hands are palm-down on the table and she looks down at them now.

Hesitantly, she says, “And what IS your choice, Aaron?”

“I am so sorry, Lori, but we have slowly drifted apart- I'm sure you've felt it too- and I have decided that my love for Anna is the stronger. I have to devote myself to her now and ...”

But Lori interrupts by standing, leaning forward with her hands still flat on the table, to loom over Aaron. Her planned announcement has flown from her mind, but she does not want to hurt Aaron now, by elaborating her own unfaithfulness in any detail.

Her voice breaks as she says, “I'm sorry too, Aaron, but I have felt unhappy for months now, and something had to change. It looks like this is it...”

Again, she considers telling him more about her own life-changes, but stops herself. She does not want to give him excuses for leaving her in this way, nor does she want to hurt him, so she simply says, “I have friends of my own, Aaron, and I am going to them now... you can tell Anna that I will not stand in your way, and I hope we can be civilised about the changes we all face.”

Aaron looks a little surprised at Lori's restrained reaction, but also relieved, as he says, “Of course, Lori. I will do everything I can to make this work, but I just had to tell you now. The full truth is that Anna is pregnant... ”

This time, Lori really IS shocked, and staggers slightly in front of Aaron, as her head spins furiously. She clamps her mouth closed and shakes her head, then pulls herself up to full height and strides for the door, grabbing her jacket as she leaves, and slamming the door behind her.

She arrives at Sara's apartment in tears.

Sara is surprised to see Lori today, because she knew Aaron was returning home. She is at the apartment with her friend Susan, who Lori has never really met before, but of course she knows of her from Sara's previous tale of the club.

It is clear to both of them that Lori is in some distress, and they calm her down to explain what has happened. She relates her conversation with Aaron as accurately as she can, but it has all happened in such a whirl of words and emotions, that it comes out as a rather confused picture.

Sara and Susan sit either side of Lori, and each hold one of her hands, squeezing gently whenever she pauses or becomes upset. Finally, though, her tale reaches an end and Sara tries to summarise.

In her usual business-like way, Sara says,“So, as I understand it, Lori, Aaron has now come home and told you that not only has he been 'unfaithful' while he's been away, but he's got his regular lover pregnant! Do you think he would have said anything at all, if he hadn't? This is obviously not a new relationship, if he knows she is pregnant; it must have been going on for months.”

Susan wants to know whether Lori has said anything about her own adventures to Aaron, but most importantly, what she WANTS to happen now.

Lori is still a bit befuddled by everything that has taken her so much by surprise, but slowly, her brain clears and she tries to explain the details.

She says, “Well, I didn't have time to tell Aaron anything much. I was holding back so much because I didn't really want to hurt him; I do still have some feelings for him, after all. But then, he hurt ME by announcing that Anna is pregnant and that now he wants to be with her. We were supposed to be planning our own family!”

Sara advises that Lori should stay with her and Susan overnight, and try to calm her emotions. In the cold light of day, she thinks it will be easier to think and plan a way forward, with their advice.

They all sit and eat without saying much, but their minds are racing frantically through the issues, until they decide that it is sleep that is needed more than anything. Sara and Susan had met this evening so that they can sleep together, but they cannot now reject Lori in her hours of need, and they cannot involve her either, in her distracted and emotional state. So in the end they all just roll into bed together, offering each other the warmth and physical comfort of their presence, but nothing more.

In the morning, Lori is much clearer about her stance towards Aaron, and much clearer about her own future. She smiles now; perhaps there is even a sense of relief that she won't have to explain her own behaviour in Aaron's absence.

Lori says,” I think Aaron must have felt very trapped on our own 'straight and narrow path' for a long time now, just like me. Neither of us wanted to admit it to each other, but we were both desperate to escape really. We've done that in very different ways now, exploring during our times apart, and Aaron's solution is just to turn onto a different 'straight and narrow path' with Anna. That is his choice, but I couldn't simply exchange Aaron for one other man now, and try to carry on as we did before. I have tasted a new and different lifestyle which I can't give up now.”

Sara and Susan both say they completely understand, and they recommend that Lori should be a little cautious in what she might reveal to Aaron; she may want them to separate as much as he does, but she needs to ensure her own legal and financial position.

So she calls Aaron. To his credit, he is very concerned about her well-being, but accepts her assurance that she now has good friends looking after her. When she raises the question of divorce, that is clearly what he also wants, but has not yet been able to say in so many words.

He immediately assures her that he will behave fairly and construct a civilised divorce settlement through his lawyers; he says that he does still feel love for her, and recognises the sacrifices she has made to support him. It sounds as though he has already thought this through, and has prepared these conciliatory words in advance.

She know that fundamentally, he is an honourable man, who will try to do 'the right thing', even though he has failed in regard to Anna; after all, she has also 'failed' with Sara, Simon and Michael, so she cannot claim the moral high ground. It seems best to 'let sleeping dogs lie'.

Lori, too, still feels some love for Aaron, but certainly not enough to continue in what had become a sham of a religious marriage. She is relieved that a way out is now possible for her too. It is best to let this scene play out as it is doing naturally.

So the freedom Lori wanted is within her grasp now. Her mind is beginning to buzz with the future possibilities, but first she has to spread the news to all her other friends, acquaintances and workmates.

All of them are very sympathetic and 'understanding'; some of them are rather condescending about how she will 'manage' without Aaron, because they know nothing of the relationships she has developed with Sara, Simon, Michael and now Susan. These true friends are all fully aware of the new developments and very supportive of her following her own chosen path, whatever it may be.

It takes several days for Lori to calm herself from the emotional highs and from the hyperactive urge to make everything happen immediately; nothing does of course. Aaron move out of the family home, to join Anna, and does not try to contact Lori or to intervene in her life at all. She does not want to know anything more about Aaron and Anna, who she vaguely recalls from Company events of the past, but tries to focus on her own life ahead.

A week or more passes and all the drama and emotion slowly subsides. Lori realises that she has not spent any real time with her new friends recently; they have all tactfully stayed at a distance, while she sorts out her life, but she knows that they have been standing ready to support her at a moments notice.

It is time for her to thank them.

Instead of relying upon Sara's apartment now, Lori is able to invite all her friends to her own home.

She has imagined a celebratory night of complete debauchery! It is nearly a fortnight since she had left Michael's apartment saying, “I'll be back!” and she has only spoken to him since to explain her situation. He has understood that she needed a little time to herself.

She has spoken directly to Simon too, though she knows that her news must have already percolated through from Sara and Susan to reach his ears.

She calls them all in turn, and they are all delighted to hear her sounding so positive and cheerful again.

A date is set for all of them to meet, and to get back into the 'swing' of things again. Discussion of Aaron, Anna and divorce is strictly prohibited for the duration of the event.

In preparation, Lori orders deliveries of food and drink, and makes sure that all of Aaron's remaining belongings- pictures on the walls, books, music etc. - are packed well out of sight. Her only other thought is to wonder whether the King Size bed will be sufficiently large for the evening ahead.

The first to arrive are Sara and Simon, arm-in-arm, bringing another bottle of wine to add to the store. They both hug Lori tight and compliment her on her home, which they have never entered before.

Then comes Susan, looking extremely glamorous in full make-up, new hairstyle, a bright new (clinging) dress and high heels. She is a tall, slim and elegant woman, and her clothes emphasise those qualities. There is a touch of 'class' about her which is difficult to identify, but she is clearly used to being admired (if not worshipped).

Finally, Michael arrives and immediately hugs Lori very close. It seems that he wants to say something supportive, but does not want to step on any toes by bringing up the taboo subject of Aaron. So he just kisses her deeply, and she responds enthusiastically; it takes a minute or two, while everyone else watches, before they break apart.

Everyone eats their fill, and drinks as much or as little as they want, and the conversation is light and happy. After the meal, Lori puts some music on and they all gather around a low coffee table. There is a growing atmosphere of intense sexuality which they can all feel swirling around them, but no-one is ready to suggest anything, or to make the first move. Until Sara does, of course!

She stands and announces, “Look, we all know why we're here! Lori is free now, and can join the rest of us. There's no need for us to make plans now; I think we should all just let it happen naturally. I know what I want to do first,” she says, and takes Susan's hand, raising her to her feet.

“You don't know much about Susan, do you?” she says, looking around the room, “but I have to tell you all- whether you're man or woman – you have never seen a more arousing striptease in your life. It's how I first fell for her, and we became regular lovers, meeting up at the club every now and then. It looks to me as though Susan is dressed to undress tonight!”

Despite what Sara has said, it is clear that she and Susan have planned this ahead, but no-one is going to complain about that deception. Michael and Lori sit on one couch, Simon and Sara on another, while Susan stands before them all, and begins her sinuous, sensual dance in front of them.

The music hardly matters, but it seems as though she is conducting it with the movements of her body- leading it rather than following it. Her eyes lock with each of her audience in turn, and makes them feel as though it is only him or her who she is dancing for. It is a remarkable and well-practised skill, and very arousing.

As she slowly sheds her clothes- most notably, she wriggles out of her clinging dress like a snake shedding its skin- the atmosphere becomes even more sexually-charged. There are sighs from both men, and occasional grunts of appreciation; there are smiles and giggles from the girls.

As she finally removes the very last, very small, item of clothing, Susan stands in front of Sara, then sits on the edge of the coffee table. She fixes Sara's eyes, and lies back slowly across the table, spreading her legs before her. From the glint in Sara's eyes, Lori thinks this was all planned, to 'break the ice', and it has certainly done that!

While Lori, Michael and Simon watch in awe, Sara drops to her knees between Susan's thighs, and parts them even wider. She strokes her hands up the inside of Susan's thighs until her thumbs reach her naked, pouting pussy lips and gently part them in front of everyone. She dips her head and licks the full length upwards, wriggling her tongue between the parallel folds until she reaches the emerging bud of Susan's clit.

It is very obvious that the 'warm-up act' is working on Simon and Michael, but Lori is also forced to clamp her hand between her thighs and cross her legs tightly. She is fascinated by the sight of Sara and Susan making love in front of them.

Suddenly, though, Sara lifts her head and says, “What am I thinking; how rude of me! This party is in honour of Lori's freedom, and she is the hostess, so she should eat first!”

Sara stands and takes Lori's hand to guide her to kneel in her place between Susan's legs. Lori immediately presses her face to Susan's pussy and licks and sucks just as enthusiastically as Sara had done. While she nibbles gently around Susan's clit, one finger slips inside her vagina and probes up and around, searching for her sensitivities. The other hand slides up over Susan's taut belly, and fondles her large but very firm breasts, tweaking her erect nipples between thumb and forefinger. It briefly occurs to Lori that Susan's breasts are not entirely natural, but looking up briefly she can see no evidence of that. It hardly matters!

While Lori pursues her enjoyment of Susan, Sara moves round behind her, and quietly undresses herself, whispering to the men to do likewise. The first Lori knows of this is when she feels Sara kneeling behind her, with one hand slipping between her legs, while Simon and Michael suddenly appear naked on either side of Susan's prone body and kneel with their erect cocks standing proud.

Lori does not know which is the greater surprise- Sara's fingers slipping inside her open pussy, or the sight of two erect cocks alongside the woman she is now pleasuring. Susan emerges from her pre-orgasmic haze and reaches out to grasp a cock in each hand, while Lori continues to suck and probe her, and is now herself probed from behind by Sara.

Susan is close to orgasm now, but finds the time to compliment Michael on the size of his cock, while she strokes both him and Simon firmly. It may be that stimulus, in addition to Lori's attentions, which pushes Susan over the top, and into a loud, shaking orgasm. Somehow, an elegant and beautiful woman cumming with the loudest, most obscene curses, shouts and screams, is even more arousing.

She lapses back across the coffee table, and reluctantly releases Simon and Michael, while Lori and Sara both back away from their respective tasks. Susan is the only one to have cum so far, but Lori thinks it is a well deserved reward for getting her party started in such a spectacular fashion!

Sara helps Susan to sit up, while Michael and Simon stand and cuddle alongside Lori; their hands playing gently over her body. When Susan is able to stand again, despite still trembling a little, all of them gather and press against each other, sharing their moist warmth.

Sara seems to have taken the role of party leader, and suggests that they should all move to Lori's bedroom- the marital bedroom of old- and occupy the bed for the evening. No-one demurs!

Without any instructions, though, Michael ends up lying on the bed, with Lori on top of him, ready to ride his enormous cock again; Sara sits up at the head of the bed, with her legs spread to allow Susan access to her pussy now, while Simon kneels behind Susan, ready to fuck her still-sensitive pussy from behind.

Lori squeezes Michael inside herself with some difficulty, but it is an enjoyable challenge, and one which she has overcome before. She knows they can fuck like this for a VERY long time, and she intends to do so. They begin to move, and the bed moves with them, communicating their rhythm to the others alongside them.

Simon forces his way into Susan's dripping vagina, but slowly, because he knows she has already cum once. He stays deep inside her, pressed against the cheeks of her ass, and presses himself against her firmly, to force Susan's mouth against Sara's pussy. Simon and Sara lock eyes while they use Susan's body to pleasure each other as much as her. It is a very successful technique, especially when their rhythms coordinate with Lori and Michael's alongside them.

The first to cum is Susan, not surprisingly as it is her second of the evening. Simon feels her vagina grip his cock tightly and try to pull him even further inside her, even though he has stayed still there, rather than thrusting in and out. Her pussy lips flutter around the base of his cock

More surprisingly perhaps, Sara cums loudly soon afterwards. It may be the cumulative excitement of having watched and felt her friend being brought to orgasm first by Lori, then by Simon, before she is licked, sucked and fondled to her climax by Susan.

Susan and Sara collapse temporarily into a huddle on the bed, while Simon withdraws from Susan, still erect. They all watch and admire Lori continuing to fuck Michael, steadily increasing the pace and energy involved. She takes a pause now, lying on Michael's chest, with his cock deep inside her, and looks across at Simon. Suddenly, it seems as though a thought strikes her and her mind begins to whirr frantically.

Lori says, “Simon, you remember how you fucked me from behind when I had a plug in place? I couldn't believe how full I felt- it was astonishing and so exciting. Well, Michael is bigger than any plug I've used. He's in my pussy now and filling me so full, but do you think it would be possible for you to get inside my ass at the same time? You did take my virginity there, after all.”

Simon, Sara and Susan are all a little surprised, and Michael manages to say, “Hey, what about asking me!” But then he grins and chuckles, and adds, “It's your party, Lori. You call the shots!”

Simon looks at Sara and Susan, who are recovering from their own orgasms now, and raises a quizzical eyebrow. He is still erect, after all, because they both came before him. Sara nods.

Simon says,“I will try, Lori, just for you- but I don't want to hurt you. It's expecting a lot to get Michael AND me inside you at once! But if we're patient and use plenty of lube, perhaps we can fulfil your dream.”

So Lori continues to slowly fuck Michael, while Simon prepares. He kneels between Michael and Lori's legs, against her ass, while Sara and Susan crouch on either side as assistants and observers.

Simon says, “Stay still now Lori, with Michael inside you, and let me find my way.”

Sara pours lube down the cleft between the cheeks of Lori's ass, and with Susan's help they spread it down over her asshole. They both take the opportunity to fondle the base of Michael's thick cock while they are there, and to play with Simon's heavy balls, before they gently pull the cheeks of Lori's ass apart.

Simon places his two thumbs against Lori's asshole and circles them, slowly probing more and more firmly, until he feels her relax a little.

Lori consciously tries to relax, remembering how she managed to insert the very largest plug she has, and how Simon had originally taken her anal virginity. But now she is trying to do this with an enormous black cock already deep up inside her!

Simon asks her to stay still again, and guides the head of his cock towards her asshole. Sara and Susan both join in, spreading lube generously over his cock, and eventually help to locate the head in place by forcing his erect cock to point more downwards.

He slowly edges forwards inside Lori. Previously, it had been a very tight squeeze to enter her pussy alongside the plug in her ass, but now to enter her ass alongside Michael in her pussy is a real challenge. Lori feels that too, of course, and is gasping with the effort; her breathing is uneven, and she sometimes squeaks with the pain. Eventually, though, Simon is fully inside her, alongside Michael.

Lori feels such a sense of achievement and pride, that she relaxes completely now, and her grip on the two cocks inside her loosens a little. She feels a deep pleasure, mixed with a little pain, and even the slightest movement, she knows, is now likely to trigger an enormous orgasm. To prolong the pleasure, she stays as still as she can.

Simon looks over Lori's shoulder at Michael, and raises an eyebrow; Michael gives an almost imperceptible nod, and both of them begin to move slowly in and out of Lori. She squeals with every inch of movement, as Simon and Michael coordinate. They do not thrust hard, but move gently, both pausing at the extremes of movement, before they return in or out.

Lori can stand it no longer, and screams out, “Fuck me, you two, just fuck me NOW! I want you BOTH to cum in me NOW! Fuck me... please!”

They have both been holding back for so long now that it does not take much more than Lori's loud demand to bring them to readiness.

She is waiting to feel them cum inside her before she will release her own orgasm now- she has learned a degree of control which helps to intensify her orgasms when they do finally come.

Simon and Michael both withdraw to the maximum extent, without slipping out, and each gives one massive thrust deep into Lori, where they stop, buried balls-deep inside her, and pump what seems like gallons of cum into her body. She screams louder than she has ever done in her life before and her limbs stiffen and shake, trembling in every muscle. It takes some time for the effects to fade, and they all fall into a pile, creating a black and white sandwich around Lori's body. They are all still inextricably linked.

Gradually though, erections, muscle-spasms and rigid limbs all soften back to normality, and they are able to separate themselves. It is not possible, though without much sensitive squeaking and groans of complaint, as well as floods of warm bodily fluids emerging.

Sara and Susan are massively impressed by the performance they have just witnessed, by everyone involved. They have also experienced minor (second or third) orgasms themselves, prompted by the sights and sounds on the bed alongside them.

Everyone is exhausted, and all five lie alongside each other, arms and legs entwined, and slowly drift off to sleep.

It is morning before they are all awake again. Lori ponders over the evening's events and decides that she has never felt so fulfilled in her life before, AND that she has never been filled so full!

She also thinks about Aaron, but not with any bitterness; it was simply time for them to go in their own directions.

He has chosen to take a fresh 'straight and narrow path' with Anna by his side now, and she genuinely wishes them well in their life ahead, especially with their child.

She simply could not have continued with that life, though, and reflects that she has turned off from the 'straight and narrow path' and onto a multi-lane interstate highway.

There are parallel lanes, and high-speed manoeuvres between them, there are slip-roads on and off the main highway, and every now and then there are major interchanges and junctions, where the lanes sweep around over and under each other, until you are not quite sure which way you're heading any more!

It is exciting, partly because you don't know where you're going, but with the right travelling companions, life ahead seems to offer a wonderful, unrestrained adventure.

Lori looks around at all her friends as they stir from their sleep, and knows that she has the right companions now.

Her final thought before they all wake is “I must get a bigger bed!”