Triple the Love

We'll figure it Out

Corey

“Come on, let’s go into the living room,” Jack suggested, and I followed him into the living room. My mind was spinning with all of the possibilities. The idea of the three of us in a relationship together had completely blindsided me. But now that the initial shock had worn off, I just couldn’t help but feel excited. I hadn't thought of it. I hadn't even considered it, but now that Jack had presented this idea, I couldn’t stop thinking about how it might work. Jack and I got comfortable in the living room on the couch, and I was still trying to wrap my head around the concept. Jack was watching me closely, his expression was serious but hopeful. We had a lot to figure out, and we both knew the biggest hurdle was going to be Hank. He hadn't exactly taken the news of me dating both of them well.

“So…” I whispered as I waited for Jack to go on. He had mentioned he had thought about this a lot, and I was curious to hear everything he had to say.

“You know…Corey…when I first met Hank…years ago…I had the biggest crush on him,” Jack admitted softly. I blinked, surprised by his confession.

“You did?”

“Yeah, I did,” Jack said with a nod, a small smile tugged at his lips. “I mean, he is Hank, right? Confident, funny, and just…I mean, let’s be honest, Hank is incredibly sexy,” I blushed, but I couldn’t agree more. “We became instant friends, but I really liked him…”

“So, what happened?”

“Nothing, I quickly realized that my feelings were one-sided, and that Hank just didn’t see me the same way. For him, we were friends and that was all. So…I gave up hope and accepted that we were just friends…then you came into my life,” Jack said, and it felt like my chest tightened at his words. Jack had been harboring feelings for Hank all this time and I never would have guessed it. Then again, I also knew that Jack was the type of person who would bury his feelings if he thought it was the best thing for everyone. Everyone, excluding himself. However, his confession stirred something for me. A mixture of fascination and excitement. The idea that Jack had feelings for not only me, but Hank as well, was oddly comforting. It made me feel less alone. Less guilty for not being able to choose. It also raised a thousand questions.

“So, how would this even work?” I questioned as I leaned forward and looked over at him. “I mean, us being together…the three of us,”

“Well…I mean, it wouldn’t be easy. We would have to take things slow…we would need to make sure that everyone is comfortable, but essentially, we would be dating each other. All three of us, as a unit. We would need to be open with communication, with our feelings, and our needs. I mean, we would have to figure out the logistics, of course, about how we spend time together and how to find the right balance,” Jack explained, and it was clear that, yes, he had given this a lot of thought. I was still trying to wrap my head around the concept, but everything he had said made a lot of sense. It wasn’t like I hadn't been juggling feelings for both of them already, but this would be different. We would all be together. Openly. Honestly.

“I like the idea,” I finally said, my voice soft. “But I would be lying if I said I wasn’t worried. I mean…what if you and Hank fall in love with each other, and you decide you just don’t want me anymore?” as soon as the words had left my mouth, I felt a wave of vulnerability wash over me. I hated admitting my insecurities out loud, but it was a possibility. What if I ended up not being enough for either of them? What if once they got together, they realized there was no need for me?

“Boy, I can honestly promise you, that is not going to happen. I care about you. A lot and I care about Hank. But this isn’t about choosing one of you over the other. It’s about all of us being together. I want to be with you and…yes, I want to be with Hank too…but that doesn’t mean I’m suddenly going to stop caring about you,” Jack said, and his eyes were soft as he reached out and placed his hand over mine. His words were reassuring, but I could still feel the lingering doubt. I didn’t want to be the odd one out. I didn’t want to become the third wheel in my own relationship. But at the same time, the idea of not having to choose between Jack and Hank was liberating.

“Ok,” I finally said. “But what about Hank? What if he isn’t open to this? I don’t want to lose him. I don’t want to lose either of you,”

“Yeah, I’m worried about Hank too…we already know how stubborn he can be, and he is hurt right now…so I don’t even know if he would even consider something like this, right now. And I’m afraid he will reject the idea completely, and then I’ll lose you both,” I quickly shook my head as I turned my hand around and laced my fingers with his.

“You won’t lose me, Jack. I promise you. I cannot imagine being with Hank without you and I know that now…if this is going to work, I want it to work with both of you,”

“Then we will figure it out,” Jack said, a flicker of hope in his eyes. “We will talk to him and see if he is willing to at least consider it. But…no matter what happens, we will be honest with each other…that is the most important thing,” I immediately nodded in agreement. Now that this idea of a poly relationship was on the table, it was all I could think about. I wanted it. And that meant I couldn’t let any fears or doubts get in my way.