Triple the Love

Schedule & Rules

Corey

“Hmm,” I hummed as I sat on the couch and looked over the list of dates and rules I had put together. My stomach churned with a mixture of nerves and excitement. This wasn’t an official date with Hank and Jack, but it felt just as important. I had spent the past few days obsessively working on the schedule and drafting a set of rules that I hoped would keep things clear and comfortable for all three of us. However, as I sat waiting for them to arrive, I couldn’t help but wonder if I had overthought the whole thing. Suddenly, the thought of sitting down with Hank and Jack to discuss how we were going to navigate this new poly relationship made my palms sweaty. I kept fidgeting with the papers and rearranging them on the coffee table, even though they were already perfectly aligned. I knew we needed to have this conversation, to set expectations and boundaries, but that didn’t make me feel any less nervous. Hank was the first to arrive, and I was relieved that he was there to distract me. At least for a little bit.

“Hey,” I greeted him as I opened the door for him. Hank smiled, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. He looked tired and nervous. His hands were shoved deep into his jeans pockets, and it somehow made me feel a bit better. “Come on in,” I said as I stepped aside so that he could enter. As I shut the door, I hoped Jack would show up sooner rather than later. I had never been afraid to be alone with Hank, but for whatever reason, it bothered me. I had no idea why. We headed into the living room and sat down. Hank eyed the documents on the coffee table.

“What’s all this?” Hank questioned as he gestured to the papers.

“Nothing too intense…just a date schedule and some ground rules,” I said with an awkward chuckle. Hank raised an eyebrow at the word ‘rules’, but he didn’t say a word. I was just about to say something mundane to pass the time, but a knock at the door had me breathing out in relief. I hurried to answer the door and as soon as I saw that yes, it was Jack, I completely relaxed. “Hey, Jack, come on in,”

“Hey…thanks, boy,” Jack greeted with a bright smile. As he passed, he kissed my cheek, and I couldn’t help but blush. At the moment, things were easier with Jack. Once we were all seated and settled in the living room, I took a deep breath.

“So, I know this is going to be a little weird, but I thought it would be a good idea for us to go over everything together…that way we are all on the same page,” I explained. Jack immediately nodded, obviously, he was as supportive as ever. Hank, on the other hand, shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He didn’t say anything, so I continued as I picked up the date schedule I had printed out. I handed over a copy of the schedule to each of them before I explained it further. “I was thinking about how we could manage our time with each other. Since we are all dating each other now, it is important that we figure out how to spend time together as a group, but also individually,” the schedule was clearly outlined with potential date nights, weekends together, and also solo time between each of us. Jack scanned the document thoughtfully, while Hank just stared at his copy for a long moment.

“Ok,” Jack said with a nod, and I took a deep breath.

“I tried to balance it out as best as I could,” I said, and my nerves were back in full force. “Just to make sure that we each get quality time with each other and as a group,”

“Yeah, I think this is a good start, and it will help to make sure none of us feel left out,” Jack said as he set his copy aside and gave me a reassuring nod. Hank, however, still looked uneasy. He hadn't said much since he had arrived and, even now, as he stared at the schedule, I could see the tension in his body language.

“I know dating Jack might feel weird for you,” I said gently as I addressed Hank’s earlier discomfort. “But try not to worry about it too much…just take things slow. There is zero pressure,” Hank finally looked over at me.

“It’s not that I’m not willing to try,” he said slowly. His voice was calm, but I could tell that he was guarded. “It’s just…I have never thought of Jack like that, and I don’t know how this is supposed to work if I’m not…you know…” Hank glanced at Jack, who was watching him curiously, and a bad feeling started to creep in. “If I’m not attracted to him,” Hank finished as he looked back over at me. I saw Jack deflate and whether or not Hank saw it, he didn’t react.

“The point isn’t that you feel the same way about both of us. This is about building a relationship where we all connect. Even if that connection looks different for each of us. You don’t have to force anything…just let things develop naturally,”

“Yeah,” Jack chimed in. “I don’t expect you to feel the same way Corey does about me, Hank. I know this is new territory for all of us, and it’s going to be stressful enough…just know that I care about you as a friend and that I am open to seeing where this goes,”

“And I get that,” Hank snapped, a bit of irritation creeping into his voice. “I just don’t want to hurt anyone,”

“And you won't,” I quickly reassured him. “We are in this together and we will keep talking. We will keep checking in with each other to make sure we are all happy, and comfortable,” Hank nodded as some of the tension finally eased from his posture.

“All right,” he said with a nod. I felt a wave of relief wash over me. Hank had been the biggest hurdle in this whole situation and hearing him agree was enough to make me feel a little bit better.

“Ok, so the other thing I wanted to talk about were some rules,” I said as I picked up the list of rules I had printed out. “These are just guidelines to help us navigate this, especially at the beginning. We can adjust them as we go,” I handed them each a copy and waited. The rules were simple. Being honest about our feelings. Making sure everyone felt heard. Checking in with each other regularly. There were also some boundaries about physical intimacy, which I knew would be important for Hank.

“This is good,” Jack said after a moment. “Clear and straightforward…which I think is helpful,”

“Yeah, it makes sense. I just need time to get used to all of this,” Hank said with a nod, and I sighed softly. This was only the start. We still had a long way to go. Especially if we want to give us a real chance at making this work.