Sarah McKay

Sarah McKay loved to run. Not competitively, although she had been considering entering her first half-marathon. It would be the first time she could measure herself against other runners, not that it really mattered. She loved the run because of how it made her feel: alive, excited, free.

“Do you have to go running every morning?” Alexis, her new wife had said during their honeymoon just the week before, “Can’t you stay in bed? I can make it worth your while.”

It was the first time she had skipped a morning run in the year since finishing high school. And while Alexis had certainly made staying in bed fun, Sarah regretted it the rest of the day. Her energy, her mood, it all seemed off. She needed her runs to regulate herself, to centre herself for her day. After that morning she promised to not skip for anything. Yes, if Alexis wanted to be frisky before she headed off to work, Sarah would comply, but then once she was alone she would put in her sneakers and hit the pavement.

It wasn’t as if she had a lot to do, anyways. Alexis was established, in her mid-thirties, a career, a mortgage. Sarah was still young, holding down a part-time job as a barista, unsure of what she wanted to do with her career long-term. There were only a few things that she knew for sure: she loved to run, she hated school, and the only person for her in the entire world was Alexis McKay.

Well, that last one was a little uncertain now…

It had been a whirlwind romance. Alexis was strong, commanding, and sexy as hell. By the time she had asked Sarah out in a date, she had already been admiring her for weeks when she would come in for her daily latte. Alexis was exactly the type of woman that got Sarah hot and bothered. Tall, strong, dark hair, pale skin. She was bossy, liked to get her way, which was fine for Sarah. It was easy to give in. She had never been strong-willed. Ending up with someone who could be in charge was just fine for Sarah.

It drove Sarah’s parents crazy, though, that she was always with white girls. It was bad enough that their only daughter had turned out to be a lesbian, but to not be gay for black girls? Horrible! Maybe now they’d be a bit happier.

Honestly, she didn’t even know who this guy was. She knew he was objectively attractive, that he looked great in a dress, that he had amazing tits, and that he was in charge. It was the last one that got her. This guy, whoever he was, was the boss. The rest of that stuff didn’t matter that much. She’d never been into guys, after all, so why would she get excited about how sexy a guy’s legs were? Unless, of course, he told her to find them sexy, then she’d be happy to comply. Does that mean she was turning bi?

Minding her own business, Sarah had been just about to jog by the couple when she heard him speak.

“Hold on,” he had said, “please just let me say my piece.”

Seemed fair. And since Sarah couldn’t think of a good reason to argue with someone who was so obviously the authority in the matter, she stopped just behind him to listen.

“I want you,” he said after a bit, “that hasn’t changed, not one bit. But I haven’t been honest with you. You’re not the only woman in my life.”

It felt nice to be wanted, but it was confusing to think that he could have been dishonest, considering that they hadn’t yet met. But he has said he wanted to be heard, so she waited patiently.

There was a little back-and-forth between the pair, something about dating a professor that made Sarah feel uncomfortable. Was that even legal?

“Don’t make a big deal of it,” his voice pulled her back, “she and I were together before you and I went on our first date. In a way, it was Nancy’s idea.”

Sarah had no idea who Nancy was, but of course it wasn’t a big deal. Neither was the professor thing. Who was she to raise a stink about a situation she hardly knew anything about? She was sure it all made sense to him, and that was good enough for her.

“Nancy’s idea? She wanted…” the woman began.

“Yes, she wanted me to go out with her,” he continued, “and I want you to want the same thing. I’m so sorry that we hurt you last night. I honestly hadn’t considered how you would feel when Nancy and I were, um, you know, but I don’t want to hurt you. Neither of us do. But what you are saying, that you want to break up, I don’t want that either.”

“What are you saying?”

“Stay with me. Be with me. Be my girlfriend, or my lover, or whatever. That’s what I want. But if it’s going to work, you’re going to have to find a way to be okay with me being with other women, especially Nancy.”

Okay with dating the professor? Of course Sarah was okay with it! She wanted him to see other women. It would be obscene for Sarah to impose her will on a guy like him.

But the rest of what he said... it was so direct, so commanding. Sarah felt herself fold under the weight of his words. Yes. Yes she would stay with him. Yes she would be his girlfriend. Yes she would be his lover. Yes, she would even be his whatever.

Of course there would be a long way to go. She didn’t know his name, nor even what he looked like. There would be the mess to clean up with her wife. She get more than a little embarrassed for having going through with the whole wedding, only to discover that her destiny lay in a different direction. There was no helping it, though. Her mind was made up. This guy, whoever he was, was her future.

“What do you say?” He asked, “Will you give me a shot?”

“Okay,” she replied, in tandem with the other woman, someone she guessed she would be sharing her man with.

He turned, he was beautiful, but confused. Sarah decided to clarify.

“Girlfriend? Lover? Whatever?” She said, stepping closer to Tim, “I’m in.”

Then, for the first time in what she guessed would be a long line of kisses, she pressed her lips against his, and began her new life.