"Like... sex?" she asked.
Ash and I looked at each other. This was dangerous territory, and while I knew Luke was trying to be honest with her, I wasn't sure how far he was willing to go. Thankfully, Ash didn't have that problem.
"Sometimes sex," he admitted. "Sometimes it's holding hands, or kissing, or just talking. It's even just being close and wrapping my arms around him - or her. Love isn't about just sex, Faith, and I do love your dad. I also love Violet and Cy. I don't mean that I like them. I love them. I can't tell you which one I love most because they're different."
"Did you have sex with my dad?" she blurted out.
Ash barked out a laugh. "Um, awkward, but yes. Your dad also had sex with Cy and Violet. Sometimes, it's two of us. Sometimes it's more."
"Ash..." I groaned.
"She's thirteen," he reminded me. "She also has a tablet and knows how to use it. Pretty sure she's heard of a threesome before."
"But I don't really know how it works," Faith admitted, "and I'm not gonna askDad!"
"Do you know how boys have sex with each other?" he asked.
Her cheeks were turning brighter, but Faith shook her head. "Not really. I know that men put their penis in a vagina and move it. I know that people talk about butt sex, but I don't really get it and you never laugh at me for that. Sex is just… weird."
"Kissing and touching are also important," Ash explained. "And putting our penis in someone is called penetration. It feels good for both. When I have sex with a guy, I penetrate his butt."
"Ewww," she said.
He chuckled. "When I kiss someone, I put my tongue in their mouth with their spit."
"Yeah, but that's normal," she said.
He reached over to rub her knee. "Men can put their penis in a woman's butt too. Or in a mouth. We can put our mouths on a woman's vagina. All of it is gross, but it feels pretty good, which is why we do it. We want to make the person we care about feel good."
"You're not supposed to be telling me this, are you?" she asked, looking between us.
"I think it's ok," I assured her. "I also think it takes a lot of courage to actually ask, and we do want you to understand. We're not trying to keep this a secret. We just had to be careful so you could live with us. See, just like people don't like guys who are gay, they often don't like relationships like ours. People get scared of what they don't understand, so they try to stop people from being different. It's wrong, but it still happens."
She was nodding her head, looking like she was actually following this so far. "So how do I know what's ok?" She reached up to pluck her bottom lip. "How do I make sure Dad is happy?"
"You ask him," I explained. "Because if your dad wakes up in my room, or Cy's room, or Ash's room, it's ok with me."
"And me," Ash assured her. "Cy says he feels the same. Just like when I'm in one of their rooms, or Cy is. See, I like that Luke makes Cy so happy. Your dad treats my boyfriend like he matters. He makes Cy feel like he's not alone. And Luke makes Violet feel beautiful. He makes me feel like I'm tough, and most people try to make me feel like I'm girly because I design underwear. We all work as a group, and we're all ok with that."
"So... what do I call you?" Faith asked, looking up at Ash. "Are you my dad's boyfriend?"
"I am," Ash admitted. "So is Cy. I'll even be the 'other' boyfriend."
A smile finally formed on Faith's lips. "So his girlfriend, his boyfriend, and his other boyfriend."
"Partner works too," I told her. "It's also safer because a lot of people assume that's a business partner."
She nodded her head once, this time looking definitive. "Ok. Then I'm sorry I got so mad. I really am. I was so happy when he started dating you, Violet. And then I thought you were cheating on him. And I shouldn't have yelled at you, Ash. I..." Her brow creased again. "I want this to be my real family, and I was scared that it was falling apart."
Ash rubbed her leg again. "I like this family, Faith. It's big, it's messy, and most people will say it's wrong, but it works for us."
"Yeah," she agreed. "It does. Just don't laugh at me when you kiss Dad and I blush, ok?"
"Promise," Ash told her. "Just don't laugh at me when I kiss Violet and I blush."
Faith made an X on her chest. "Cross my heart." Then she finally relaxed on the ottoman. "Know what the best part is? All of you talk to me. You actually explain things - even when we probably shouldn't tell Dad about, you know... sex."
"I won't if you won't," I assured her.
