Triple the Love

Parental Advice

Corey

I had fallen into an easy routine over the past few weeks. A routine where I specifically avoided the world. I went to work, did my job, and then headed straight home. There were no detours, no stops, and most definitely no socializing. It wasn’t as if I wanted to shut everyone out, but after everything that had happened, I just needed time to figure things out. Between dating both Hank and Jack, and my horrible fallout with Alastair and Jacob, I was still reeling from the weight of my decisions. Of course, I still texted and kept up the appearances. I was just busy. Jacob and I barely talked at work anymore and, for the moment, that suited me just fine. But now, my parents had landed and would arrive at my apartment at any moment.

“Oh!” I exclaimed as I quickly fluffed the cushions on the couch. The truth of it was, I didn’t want to make a choice. My heart refused to choose between Jack and Hank. I sighed as I sank down onto the couch and got lost in my thoughts. Again. Jack – the steady, dependable presence that I had come to rely on. Hank – the carefree, exciting energy that I had come to crave. I cared about them both deeply and the thought of losing either one of them crushed me. However, I knew that the longer I dragged this out, the worse the end result would be. I stood back up, fluffed the cushion I had just squashed, and looked over my place one more time. Everything was in order and there was a big part of me that was excited about my parent's visit. A welcome distraction. When I heard a car pulling into the driveway, I just about ran to the door and pulled it open. I watched as my parents got out of their rental and I smiled.

“Corey!” my mother called out as she hurried toward me and enveloped me in a warm hug. The familiar scent of her lavender perfume instantly calmed my nerves. When she released me, my father gave me a firm handshake and a look. Almost as if he was assessing how much I had changed since he had seen me last.

“It’s good to see you guys,” I said as I led them inside. My father, of course, went back to get their bags while my mother and I got comfortable on the couch. My mother chatted on about work and friends, while I sat there and listened. My father joined us, and the conversation flowed easily. Eventually, I had to be a good host, so I offered them something to drink. As expected, my mother wanted tea, and my father wanted a beer. I switched on the kettle and grabbed a beer from the fridge for my father. I also grabbed a plate and prepared a small platter of snacks. My mother probably wouldn’t be interested, but my father would devour the whole plate. Once I was back in the living room and everyone was sorted, I took a deep breath and continued on with the easy conversation. However, it wasn’t long before my mother turned serious as she stared at me.

“So, how is everything going with you? You know…with life?” she questioned, and while her question was innocent enough, it was the look in her eyes that told me it was time to come out with the truth.

“Well…it’s complicated,” I admitted as I leaned back in my seat and ran my fingers through my hair. My father shot me a sharp look as he frowned.

“Complicated how?” he asked. I didn’t even hesitate as I launched into a full story of my life. I told them everything about Jack and Hank. I told them the truth. Every single bit of it. I even told them about my fallout with Alastair and Jacob. My mother listened quietly, her eyes full of sympathy. My father, on the other hand, had a look on his face that was hard to read. By the time I was done, the silence hung heavily in the air. My heart pounded in my chest as I waited for them to offer their advice. Or even for them to scold me for being deceiving and manipulative.

“Corey…honey…none of that sounds good. You cannot keep this up, you have to talk to them. I would advise you to sit them both down and tell them how you feel…you certainly cannot make a decision if they don’t even know what is going on,” my mother said softly. I nodded slowly as I considered her words. However, before I could respond, my father leaned forward.

“Or maybe you are not ready for a relationship. Not with Jack. Not with Hank. Honestly, Corey, if you cannot make a decision, then maybe the answer is to simply let them go. Take some time to figure out what you really want before you end up hurting them even more,” he said firmly. I wasn’t entirely stunned by the bluntness of his words. My father had always been the practical one. The one who never sugarcoat things. But this felt like a punch to the gut.

“You think I should break up with both of them?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. My father met my gaze, but his expression was unreadable.

“I think you are in a tough spot, and I don’t want you to make a decision that you’ll regret later,” he said. “If you are this torn, then maybe it’s a sign that you need to take a step back and focus on yourself for a while,” I had no idea how to respond. They had given me two different options. My mother wanted me to talk to them, but my father wanted me to break things off with them. What if he was right though? What if I had fooled myself into believing that I was ready when I wasn’t?

“At the end of the day, Corey,” my mother said as she reached out and squeezed my knee. “You need to follow your heart…but you also need to be fair. To them and to yourself,” I nodded as my heart sank. Either way, I was going to have to do the right thing and that was that. Now all I had to do was figure out how to do it.