Triple the Love

Big Announcement

Corey

“Hey,” Jack murmured from his spot behind the wheel. “It’s going to be fine. It’s going to be fun,” I knew he was trying to reassure me, but I couldn’t deny how nervous I felt.

“I know,” I said as I forced a small smile. It was Sunday and the traditional BBQ was being held at Damon and Vanessa’s house. I loved these BBQ’s because they brought us together. A time for friends and family to come together. To relax and to catch up. But this time, it felt different. I wasn’t just nervous, I was worried. Jack and I were going together. As a couple. On top of that, we were going to tell the others about our idea of a poly relationship. Things between Jack and I had been difficult. The weight of our situation hung between us, and I hated it. I hated that Hank was still silent. I hated that he hadn't accepted the idea. I hated all of it. Jack suddenly reached out and gave my knee a quick squeeze.

“It’s ok to be fine,” he said.

“I’m just worried about how everyone is going to take the news,” I said softly.

“It will be fine. They care about you, and I bet they will understand,” Jack said as he tried to reassure me. All I could do was hope that he was right. I had no idea how they would react to the news. This wasn’t just about Jack and me being a couple now, it was all about the possibility of including Hank. Something outside of the bounds of a traditional relationship. It wasn’t exactly the kind of news you could just casually drop over burgers and beers. And yet, that was exactly what we were going to do. When Jack pulled alongside the curb in front of Vanessa and Damon’s place, the tension inside of me grew. I pushed it down as we left the car and headed to the back. The familiar sounds of laughter and conversation filled the air, and the smell of grilled meat wafted toward us. I tried to calm my nerves, as I reminded myself that these were people who loved me. Who cared about me. Who wanted me to be happy. It wasn’t as if I was walking into a hostile environment.

“Corey!” Vanessa exclaimed when she spotted us coming from around the corner. Everyone basically looked over, and I realized we were the last to arrive. Damon, Atticus, and Erik were standing over by the grill. Vanessa, Mandy, and Sophia were standing by the large table that had been set up. Naomi and Molly – heavily pregnant – were sitting on the two-seater outdoor patio set, drinking what looked like orange juice. Jaden and Mark were running around with Carrie, Sammy, Mark, and Will. Alastair and Jacob were sitting on the grass with Asher and Abigail, playing some game with building blocks.

“And Jack!” Naomi called out with a big smile. “I didn’t know Jack was coming,” her gaze was on me, and I knew she had questions.

“Yes, I hope that is ok, I asked him to come with me,” I said loudly. Vanessa waved it off and smiled.

“Come, come,” she called out as we closed the distance between all of them and ourselves. As soon as everyone had said their hellos, the conversations picked up. Atticus and Damon were discussing some construction business. Molly and Naomi were discussing baby stuff. And Jack and I took a seat close to them.

“So…are you two together?” Naomi asked, and I glanced at Jack, who smiled encouragingly.

“We are,” I confirmed. It seemed as if, once again, everyone had stopped mid-conversation to listen in on whatever I had to say. It was now or never. “Jack and I are a couple,” I said again, a bit louder than before. There was a brief moment of silence, followed by a few surprised murmurs. Naomi smiled, and I didn’t look around to see what everyone else thought. I surged ahead as I stood up. “And there is more…we are also considering entering a poly relationship with Hank,” that’s when the silence truly hit as I sat back down. I didn’t need to look around to know that everyone had stopped whatever they were doing and were now staring at not only me but Jack as well. I could feel the weight of their eyes on me.

“A poly relationship?” Vanessa asked, her voice was filled with curiosity. “Like…the three of you?” my heart started to race and I knew I would have to face them all as I explained. I stood up again and turned myself into a position where I could see everyone.

“Yes,” I said with a firm nod. “We have been thinking about it…talking about it and…it’s not something we are just jumping into right away, but it’s an option,”

“We care about each other, and we want to explore the possibility,” Jack added. Once again, the silence stretched on, and my palms were sweaty as I rubbed them against my jeans. I didn’t know what to think. What to expect as I waited for their reaction.

“Well, I think that is pretty exciting,” Vanessa remarked with a big smile.

“You do?” I asked, taken aback by her response.

“Yes, I do,” she confirmed. “I mean, it certainly is different, but the three of you have been dancing around each other for years…a poly relationship makes a lot of sense and if you guys are happy, then I am all for it,” she explained, and I felt like my heart was about to burst right out of my chest.

“I agree,” Naomi said, and I felt another wave of relief wash over me. One by one, the others started to chime in with their support. Alastair came over and I held my breath.

“Well, Corey…I think that so long as everyone is honest and open about it…it could work, congratulations,” he said. Jacob was right by his side and his eyes were shining with happiness. It made me feel like we could really do this. The amount of relief that washed over me was so overwhelming that I felt as if a weight had been lifted off my shoulders as I sat back down. Jack grabbed my hand and smiled at me. I was so grateful that he was by my side through all of this. Of course, as the day went on, more questions came. Some were serious, some were lighthearted, but the overall mood was one of acceptance and support. Even as we ate, I felt so at peace that I had actually forgotten that Hank hadn't even agreed to our idea yet. And even when we left and Jack drove us home, I still felt at peace.

“So…that wasn’t so bad, was it?” Jack asked casually. I shook my head, because no, that hadn't been so bad.