Review: Different from previous two, but writing gets better and better
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 02 23, 2012
A missing chapter from the 2007 story,More Fun with Dick and Shane - Memoirs of a Houseboy 2007this novella is about Gilli's reaction to his partners Dick and Shane getting married, signing a Civil Partnership agreement. Even though it retained some of the funny writing style that characterizes the previous books, this one is a painfully emotional look at Gilli's jealousy and insecurity in the face of what he views as a threat to the menage he lives in.Typical of him, the name of the book comes from his convoluted way of blaming anyone and everyone for his problems, except himself. That is, until he gets a "good hiding" as he calls it, then he allows himself to recognize that it can all be laid at his own feet.Though I sympathized with Gilli for feeling left out, I also understand Shane and Dick's handling of the situation. Throughout the stories, all we've read is Gilli's POV. In this book, we get a much better understanding of how very invested the Daddies really are with Gilli. The scene where Shane talks about having spoken at length with Gilli's mother shows how deeply Shane understands his boy and confirms to me that he is a true and accomplished Master Dom. Shane knows Gilli and Dick better than they probably know themselves, and he takes his responsibilities as their alpha Daddy very seriously.It is clear that during the time up to the CP ceremony if either Dick or Shane had pandered to Gilli's insecurity and jealousy, all they'd accomplished is to make those feelings into bottomless wells. There would have been no words or actions that Gilli would have believed or that would have been enough to satisfy his need. Gilli himself, when he eventually gets clarity on the matter, says so. He's pushing for more than he should have or the others can give, and if the Daddies had given in to his demands, it would have unbalanced the relationship. Likely fatally. Jealousy has no place among the members of a menage, it cannot be allowed to take root. It is the antithesis of what a polyamorous relationship lives on, which is self-less sharing for the health and satisfaction of all involved.Gilli cannot claim to be 'an equal part of the relationship', because he is not. There is past history between Shane and Dick, over ten years of it, there is no way around that. There doesn't need to be equality or ignorance of previous history, because both the agreed-upon hierarchy and the existing past history are essential parts (along with each of their personalities) of what makes their relationship possible and successful.There are a couple of lines, spoken by Shane, that cleared up something I'd been thinking about since I started reading this series. Talking to and about Gilli, Shane says: "What you crave is to be dominated, to be taken charge of, but submitting to authority doesn't come naturally or easily to you. It leaves you feeling conflicted and that's when the verbal challenges come into play."This, then, explains why Gilli gets himself into trouble with such regularity. It helps me understand why, after getting into said trouble, he's scared sh*tless of the punishment. It clears up why, during the confrontations caused by his misbehavior he is sexually aroused along with his fear. Though his mind and body contradict each other in their desires, Gilli is exactly where he wants and needs to be. His Daddies, both of them, are also exactly where they want and need to be. All three of them are.The blog/journal continues, so I have high hopes of continuing to read about these guys in the future. No doubt about it, I am hooked with Gilli the houseboy and his Daddies, beyond redemption.