"Since always, I think. It got more obvious after Tanny came out, of course, because he got less careful about hiding that he was into you," she declares, and I choke.
"That's impossible."
"No it's not. Mom and I gossiped about it soooo many times," she confesses, drawing out the vowel to really drive the point home.
"No way, I would have noticed."
"Actually no, your view was kind of blocked by those heterosexuality glasses," she claims, and I huff.
"You're making this up to annoy me," I shoot back, and she laughs. I can picture her shrugging too.
"Fool yourself all you want, little bro, but come on. What happened to make you realize it?" she asks, and I even lean against the side of the Clarkes' garage.
I give her a summarized version of everything that had happened since I caught Ethan and Charlie kissing in our kitchen, months ago, up to the present moment. When I finish, my sister finally sounds very surprised.
"Wait! Are you telling me you're in love with Ethan and Charlie?" she asks, emphasizing the "and" that linked the names.
"Well... yeah. I think that's it."
The line goes quiet for almost a whole minute, until Jamie bursts into laughter.
"Wow, Lou-lou, I thought I was the big surprise of this family, but you, a 'pseudo-straight' until yesterday, now showing up in a throuple... you're really trying to outdo me," she says, laughing so hard I can't resist and join her.
"Think this might be the time Mom has a heart attack?"
"I don't think so... but bring a box of chocolates when you come to introduce your boyfriends to her, okay?" she advises, and I nod, still laughing a little.
"But they're not my boyfriends yet," I say, uneasy. "Actually, I called you to help me understand if... what I'm feeling is really love."
I sound more insecure than I expected, but Jamie is quick to answer.
"Little bro, I knew you loved Ethan a long time ago. And from what you told me, Charlie showed up just to blow it wide open. She was the missing piece to fit you all together. Just from your voice when you talk about them, I can say with 100 percent certainty that you're in love," she states, and my heart skips a beat as I let her words hit me. "And apparently, Tanny already gets that too. Just Charlie left."
"And what if she doesn't feel the same about us?"
"I don't know her that well yet, but I think she does. She was just hurt a lot in the past and feels insecure. Make her see that her heart is safe with you two, and everything will work out," she explains, and it makes a lot of sense.
"How do I do that?"
"I'm really smart, but I'm not an oracle, you know?" she teases, laughing, and I roll my eyes. "That's for you and Ethan to figure out together and act on."
I breathe in deep once more in the span of a few minutes.
"Okay. I think I can do that. We can do that." I try to sound confident.
"Of course you can. You two always got everything you wanted."
"That's true."
"Don't be cocky," she complains, and I laugh. "And stop talking my ear off and go chase after your girl and guy. And show up at the house when I can call them my brothers-in-law, all right?" she demands, and it's like a whole weight of doubts and insecurity is lifted off my shoulders with one simple conversation.
"Deal. Thanks, little sis. I love you," I say goodbye, and I can even picture her smile on the other end.
"I know. Love you too. Now go grab your throuple," she says before hanging up, and I stand there smiling.
Jamie was right, as always. It was time to act and ask my two favorite people to be mine.
Charlotte
