Ginger lay alone in her bed, which had never felt quite so empty before. Buford had moved in earlier that day, bringing her honeymoon to an end, and through the walls separating the bedrooms she could hear her husband getting reacquainted with his lover. I forgot to get the earplugs. Maybe I'll just turn on a radio.

Curiosity got the better of her, though, and she found herself listening to hear what she could. They were talking in low voices, but she couldn't make out anything. Slowly, the conversation stopped, to be replaced by quiet. She was wondering if they'd just gone to sleep when she heard a low groan from Buford. More groans were interspersed with Baljeet's higher-pitched gasps that she'd gotten so familiar with over the past week. He's getting close... A low, raspy grunt was followed by Baljeet's moan. ...and the show's over.

She wrapped the covers around herself and rolled over, cursing the size of the giant bed and how its emptiness mocked her.

Buford woke up next to Baljeet; while this wasn't the first time, it had been a far-from-common experience so far. And now I get this every other day. This marriage thing may be the best thing ever after all.

There was a knock at the bedroom door. "You guys coming running?" Ginger asked.

Ginger collapsed onto the bed. "I. Hurt," she said.

Baljeet chuckled. "Your first time with a trainer will do that. He needed to see what you can do now so he can figure out what to work on."

"You're sure it wasn't just Buford trying to kill me? Revenge for making him run this morning?"

"Very. Give it a few hours and I will rub your back. It will not help yet because nothing is tight, it's just overworked."

She rolled over to face him. "Your first few sessions were like this too?"

He admired the view - her snug shirt and yoga pants had drawn the attention of most of the men at the gym - but now wasn't the time to do anything about it. "Yes, they were. We need to get moving if we are going to meet my parents at the airport."

She groaned. "Right. Why don't you go grab a shower, and let Buford have his, and then holler when it's open again? Hopefully I'll be able to move by then."

They met Baljeet's parents at the airport to see them off on their return to India. Baljeet's mother squeezed Ginger's hands as they said their farewells. "Take good care of him for me, Ginger," she said.

"I will," Ginger replied. She looked over at Buford, and added, "We will."

Buford covered his head with a pillow. He hadn't counted on Ginger being...loud. And multi-orgasmic.

He thought he'd heard Baljeet's climax half an hour before, although it was hard to tell over Ginger's cries. Finally - finally - she seemed to be quieting down.

And then he heard Baljeet making noise again. Really? The noise was definitely distinctive; he was getting close. So why no sound from Ginger?

Ah, she's probably got her mouth full.

Baljeet looked up from his book as Buford came into the living room to announce that supper was ready. "Thank you," he said, heading toward the kitchen table. Ginger came out of her bedroom at the announcement as well.

Baljeet tried to get conversation going, but both Ginger and Buford were apparently not in talkative moods. They eyed each other warily, like they weren't quite sure what to expect from each other yet.

He sighed. This was being more complicated than he'd expected.

A week after Buford moved in, they decided to throw a small party before everyone headed back to college for the fall. Isabella and Gretchen were showing off their engagement rings and talking up plans of getting married next summer. Django looked half-thrilled and half-terrified at the thought, but Phineas strutted like the cat who caught the canary.

Isabella pulled Ginger aside for a quick chat. "How are you doing?" she asked.

Ginger smiled thinly. "Okay, I guess. It's harder than I thought." She looked up at Baljeet, talking to Milly. "But he's worth it. And you? I heard you're sharing an apartment with Phineas and Ferb this year after all."

Isabella blushed. "Mom asked why I wanted to waste money on an apartment I'd never sleep in except when she was visiting. I didn't realize she knew what we were doing..."

Ginger laughed. "Are you looking forward to it?"

Isabella looked over at where Phineas was talking to Buford. "Yes, yes I am."

"Good. At least you don't have to worry about him spending half his nights in Ferb's room."

Isabella winced. "No, Ferb's got a girlfriend of his own, a British student I introduced him to named Heather. That's why he's not here - he went back a week early to get the apartment set up, and she just happens to be back early as well. She's not living there yet, but I'd give it no more than a month."

She turned and looked Ginger in the eyes. "Are you really doing okay, Ginger? Truly?"

Ginger sighed. "Mostly. Living with Buford is...well, we're getting used to each other. Half my nights are the most incredible thing ever - just me and Baljeet. He's my husband and that is just so fantastic. And half...I get to hear him and Buford, and my bed is the emptiest thing ever."

Isabella shook her head. "I never would have guessed that Buford would turn out to be gay."

"He's not," Ginger said .

"But...he's sleeping with your husband."

"He's mostly hetero, but happened to fall in love with Baljeet. I keep hoping he'll find a young woman to fall in love with. The ideal would be that they're a couple, and Baljeet and I are a couple, and occasionally Buford and Baljeet get together."

"Baljeet's the same, then?"

"No, he's bi. He falls in love with the person, not their genitals, is how he tends to put it."

With a sly grin, Isabella asked, "And you?"

Ginger rolled her eyes. "Purely hetero. Or, at least, I've never met a woman I could fall for yet. Like I need that complication in my life."

Buford clapped Phineas on the shoulder. "Congratulations, man. About damn time you put a ring on Girly's finger."

"Thanks, man. How's domestic life treating you?"

Buford snorted. "I keep waitin' for the other shoe to drop. Eventually, Ginger's gonna get sick of sharin' Baljeet and get him to kick me out. I don't have that kind of leverage."

"What kind of leverage?"

"Green card. He's got a provisional right now to make sure it's a real marriage, not a sham. She bails on him, he never gets a real one, and they ship him back."

Phineas looked taken aback. "Do you really think she'd do that?"

Buford shrugged. "I dunno. If she forces him to choose again, he ain't got a choice. He's gotta pick her. It'd damn near kill Baljeet to do it, but...she was willin' to walk away from him before. Would she do it again? I...I just dunno."

"Can I make a suggestion?"

"You? You're going to give a suggestion on someone else's love life? Really?"

Phineas chuckled. "Sorry, Ferb's not here, so I'm what you've got. Talk to Ginger."

"I don't wanna give her ideas."

"Do you really think the idea hasn't occurred to her? Didn't you say she's the one who suggested you move in here in the first place?"

"Yeah, I dunno who's regrettin' that more right now, her or me."

"Why?"

"She's got this huge king-size bed that I'm sure gets real lonely when she's by herself. But...she's a screamer. Let's just say I've got a damn good idea of everything they're doing together at night."

Phineas grimaced. "...wow, TMI all around."

"You asked."

"That I did. But I'm serious. Talk to her."