She stopped and turned to me. Her face was nearly green, and she looked like she’d swallowed a lemon. “Ellie,” she said softly.
I glared at her, disgusted. “What?” I fought to keep the smile off my face.
Her eyes darted around us and lingered on my friends. “Can I ask you something privately?” she whispered.
“No.” No quarter for that bitch.
“It’s Mitch. He told me what happened at your apartment, and I… he needs help.” I’d never seen her look so vulnerable.
“Of course he needs help, Raquel. He’s sick.” I couldn’t find sympathy.
“He won’t get any help in jail. You have to know that.” Her expression pleaded, desperate. I nodded my head. “If I forcibly check him into a psychiatric facility he can’t voluntarily check himself out of, would you drop the charges?” She grabbed my arm. “Please.”
I studied her, broken down and desperate, and considered what I had on my phone. She’d be in jail soon enough. There was no help available for her. But Mitch, he seemed to be out of his mind. “If my lawyers are satisfied he can’t check himself out and he’s in a good place, I’ll drop the charges.”
Her shoulders slumped in relief. “Thank you, Ellie. I don’t want my son to spend years in jail over something you did to him when you were teenagers.”
My sympathy evaporated and my heart turned to ice. I plastered a sunny smile on my face. “Goodnight, Raquel.” I wouldn’t ever have to hear her voice again. Soon.
The ride home was quiet until we neared the building. “Ellie,” Arch said. “Are you tired? Could we come over? We’d like to talk to you.” Todd chuckled softly and winked at me.
“I’m wired. I’d love your company.” What could they possibly want to talk about? Maybe they’d decided for me. One of them wanted to go further, and the other two didn’t. Maybe none of them did.
“Great,” replied Gray as we pulled into the garage. Wes tipped the driver and sent him on his way. Their cars were parked next to Arch’s. “We may crash on your couches tonight.”
It was fine with me if they stayed close. I’d begun to crave their companionship, and the last talk with Raquel about Mitch had me unnerved again.
I slipped off my heels when we reached the carpeted interior of the building. The elevator ride to Todd’s floor was quick. He hugged me and whispered in my ear. “Get ‘em, tiger.”
My face flushed bright red as he and Rick headed to their apartment and we continued upstairs. I unlocked my apartment with a nervous stomach, beginning to imagine less savory conversations.
Once inside, I offered drinks. “I don’t think we should drink anymore,” said Wes. “We’ve pretty clear heads right now and some serious stuff to talk about.”
“Serious?” My nervous stomach started rolling. They’d decided it wasn’t worth fooling with me anymore and were going to go their separate ways. What else could it be?
“Yeah. Lots to talk about.” Arch sat on the couch. “Come sit.” Full of apprehension, I joined him. “We want to tell you about our families.” Gray sat beside me, and Wes sat on the coffee table, facing me.
Their families—not at all what I expected. “Okay.” I could handle that. “Why’s it a serious conversation? I know a little bit. They live in Atlanta on a farm they run together. The farm has become a popular, lucrative place.”
“There’s more to it than that,” said Wes. “It’s a little hard to explain.” Wes stared wide-eyed at Gray.
“We don’t have traditional parents.” Gray’s voice hesitated. He was scared to tell me something.
I didn’t understand what the big deal was. “Okay. They’re not married, or they’re gay or something? I’m pretty open minded.”
“Not exactly.” Arch looked at the others before turning to me, like he drew strength from his friends. “Ellie, our parents are polyamorous.”
“Poly…? Like, sister wives?”
“Nothing as dramatic as what you see on TV or read online, but yes. They’re in a relationship with more than two people.” Gray held his breath after his explanation.
“Okay. Like a triad?”
“My parents are a triad, yes,” said Arch patiently. “I have two dads and a mom.”
“But, who’s your biological dad?” The concept was foreign to me. I’d heard of it before, of course, but I’d never met someone in such an unconventional relationship.
“Now that I’m an adult I know whose sperm made me, but I didn’t until I was eighteen. Until I got curious, it never mattered. I was showered in love, which was all that mattered.”
