9.

~ Ariadne retreated to her room for the night. An intense feeling of loss overwhelming her. How had this all gone so wrong? It started out as the perfect plan. Rules were put in place to protect them. A schedule was made.

Now Eames was leaving. He was leaving when all of this, had been his idea. She allowed tears to fall down her face as she remembered. She should have gone with her first instincts and rejected the whole idea, but Cobb had been on board and she had been strangely tantalized by the idea of having so many lovers at her disposal.

~ For the rest of the night and late into the next, Ariadne stayed in bed alone. She neglected her morning run. Neglected everything. She could hear James and Phillipa getting ready for school. Asking where she was. Their father saying that she was sick today.

She heard Arthur knocking softly on her door. Saying that Eames wanted to say goodbye. She said nothing. Kept her door shut and locked.

All day she slept. Her mind sinking into a deep well of sadness. Eames had been a beautiful lover. Unique and arousing. Her body was missing him already. He was also fun and exciting to be around when they were not in bed. She loved him dearly and knew he loved her. The fact that he had another woman. Was wanting to leave, was hurtful.

She was overwhelmed with a feeling of being used. By all of them.

She should have said no to the whole idea. This idea of all of them living together. Rules or no rules, they couldn't make it work. Arthur was right, their needs would not be met and someone would only get jealous.

~ She heard the Point Man bringing the children home. She woke up bleary eyed to realize she had overslept and missed their normal pick up time.

Arthur was knocking on the door.

"Ariadne, let me in please. This has gone on long enough." His voice was hard and authoritative.

She didn't answer. Just pulled the covers over her head. Falling deeper into the well.

~ Light waned away. The house was still. She vaguely recalled the sounds of Cobb coming home. Knocking on her door. Asking her kindly to come out. Could hear the doorbell ring with the Pizza delivery man. James shouting in delight.

Ariadne didn't care. Didn't care to eat anything, or come downstairs. She didn't even care if James ate any vegetables at dinner or not.

She fell back asleep. Deep and and dark. No pain and no regret.

~ Finally, she woke up. Her body exhausted from sleeping too much. She looked at her alarm clock. It read 2am. The house was quite and peaceful.

She finally got out of bed. Took a shower. Her body felt dull, sweaty and dirty. A nice hot shower rejuvenated her. Breathed life back into her.

She still felt numb. Still didn't accept that Eames was gone. She had refused to say goodbye. She had loved him, and she had refused to say goodbye.

The Architect left her privet room. Venturing out into the house on silent feet. She was finally hungry. At last, feeling like a human being again.

She made she herself some toast. Wanting to punish herself by starvation. Hating herself. She was just so angry for allowing them to talk her into this life. Allowing herself to think for even a moment it could work. Of course it would never work. No matter how much they claimed to love her.

Cobb still loved his wife. Arthur was jealous at the idea of her being with other men. Eames, well it was only natural that Eames would soon get bored.

She let out a long sigh as the hot bread hit her empty stomach. It felt good. She went into her art studio and slowly rolled up her designs into a travel tube. Packing all her supplies and other work.

She returned to her room. Quietly packing her clothes. Leaving everything else behind her.

"What are you doing?" Arthur asked.

She jumped and almost screamed as the Point Man came out of the shadows.

"I'm leaving." she said bravely. "I can't do this anymore." Going back to her packing. Arthur did nothing to stop her.

"Because of Eames?" Arthur said softly.
"Not just Eames." She told him. "This life. With all of you. It was a mistake."

"It was a compromise." Arthur told her. "We all love you and wanted to be with you."

"I know, I was there." She told him. "I'm sorry."

"What about us?" Arthur said gently. "What about you and I?"

"How can we be together?" She questioned. "After we've lived this life?"

"We can try."

"No we can't." She said stubbornly. Tears welling up in her eyes. "This whole thing. It's changed me. Not for the best. I'm an awful person."

"No your not." Arthur said. In a breathless laugh. "You a wonderful person."

Like a petulant child throwing a tantrum, she threw a small blue vase onto the floor. Smashing it.

If felt good to break something. Happy endorphins rushing to her body.

"I made us live this life Arthur!" She hissed. Careful her voice wouldn't carry over to the children's room. "I couldn't choose between you and now I'm going to lose all of you and it's my own fault. I deserve it."

She was angry now. Ready to throw something else. Arthur put a hand up of surrender before taking her in his arms.

"This wasn't your idea. Eames offered us this idea, remember? Now he got bored and left. Cobb was willing to give it a try because he misses a wife in his bed and a mother for his kids. I went along because... I can't be without you." He whispered.

"Cobb never looks at me when we make love." She cried softly. As if divulging a hideous sin.

Arthur only nodded.

"He'll be the next to leave." She cried mournfully.

I am not sure if I will continue this story. I really don't know where to take it from here. Suggestions would be helpful. Feel free to do so. Tell me, how can they have a happy ending with this?

I based this on a real life experience of a friend of mine, (It's not me!) but a friend of mine. She thought it would be a great idea to bring another woman into their marriage and shockingly, it didn't work out. I've met the guy and he is very nice. But he can barely handle one woman, let alone two.

So now their getting a divorce. Lots of hurt feeling.

I really only wrote this to be an cheap erotica. One fore my fans cuz so many of you guys wanted it. I fully intended it to be all sugary sweet and happy. But I'm just to real I guess.

But the reality is... in a shared marriage or relationship, no one wins. Because no one had their needs taken care of. Thank God this is fiction and not real life.

But lets be honest ladies... if Cobb, Arthur and Eames were willing to share you... would you say no? Be honest! LOL!