COSETTE
The smell of adobo, savory and sour because of the vinegar, filled the air, and god, did I hope it was enough to take over the tension that was also present in the room with us.
I looked at Nero, eyeing the platter of rice and subtly tilting my head to the side as if I was telling him to offer it to my dad.
Even though we were the ones sitting beside him on the table and I could easily grab it and offer it to him myself, I wanted him to be on my dad’s good side so that I can showcase I’ve chosen great men to be in my whorish harem?—
Stop. He won’t think you’re a whore.
You’re overthinking things.
“Here, Hoyt,” Nero said, and I snorted a laugh, immediately straightening my face and sucking in my lips when all the eyes around the table landed on me.
My dad’s narrowed at me as I looked at him with a smile on my face that I hoped he still found cute so he could ease up a little. I was feeling so nervous that I swear my heart was threatening to jump out of my chest.
When he was done putting rice on his plate, I gave him the bowl of adobo after, and he scooped two spoonfuls of the meat and sauce before I signaled the guys to serve food to themselves as well.
“Let me say grace,” I said, before anyone could even take a bite, not wanting my dad to put a point against their favor for eating without praying.
My dad nodded, and I did the sign of the cross before I thanked God for the meal, for putting food on our table, and for bringing all of us together.
“And God, please guide everyone at this table to have open minds and hearts, even in tough conversations that we may have, while we all share this food with each other. Amen.”
Here’s to hoping my dad won’t accuse me of using the word of God when I’m being ‘sinful’ as self-righteous Christians might think.
With a nod and a muttered ‘amen’, my dad began to eat, and so did we.
I normally couldn’t stand loud eaters. Those who chew with their mouths open.
I’m not saying any of us were like that now, but I’d rather that than have so much silence that I could stillhearall of us chewing even with our mouths closed.
“So, dad?—“
“Finish your food and then we’ll talk.”
I took a deep inhale, nodding before I continued to eat.
It was both the shortest and longest meal I’ve ever had. I wanted to eat more—because damn, I nailed that adobo perfectly—but I just wanted the talk to be over with it.
Patiently waiting for everyone to finish, it was dad who took the last bite.
I watched him take his glass of water and drink from it, and he set it down before leveling me with his gaze.
“How’d you meet them?” he finally asked, and I felt my shoulders relax a bit.
Him being curious and questioning is much better than outright condemnation.
“We all go to school together.”
“Uh-huh, and what do you mean they’re your boyfriends?”
I gulped, fidgeting with my fingers on my lap as I said, “I mean it the way you think it does. Siege, Dex, and Nero. I’m dating all three of them. It’s… We’re notalltogether. They don’t date each other, they just date me.”
Jesus Christ.
Why do the reverse harem books I read never have this kind of ‘talk with the parents’ scene in them?
They would’ve been really helpful in knowing what to do in situations like this!
