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“And because of that,” Zane went on, “the only woman we’re going to be happy with is the one we already love.”
They were serious. Holy shit they were actually serious.
So yeah, you’re going to have to date us,” Axel finished. “All three of us. And in turn, we’re going to solve your going-through-boyfriends problem by giving you the only three men in the world who’ll never let you down. Us.”
I was overwhelmed, mentally and emotionally. Physically I’d never needed coffee more in my life.
All three of us.
Axel and Zane left the room together, but not before giving me a kiss me goodbye. These weren’t our traditional kisses on the cheek, or quick pecks on the lips. They were soft and slow, even a little bit sensual. These were girlfriend kisses. Open-ended, and full of promise.
Even lost in limbo, I kissed them back.
“Look, we know this a lot to process,” said Tyler when we were finally alone. “So take some time to think about this whole thing.” His hazel eyes glinted in the cold, morning sunlight. “But yeah, Ari, we’ve decided we want it all. Every last amazing bit of you.”
Cradling my face, he leaned in and kissed me like the lovers we now were. It didn’t feel strange in the slightest. Actually, it felt totally perfect.
“And if you’ll let us,” he winked, spinning away as he took my plate. “We’re going to make you a very, very happy girl.”
~ 37 ~
ZANE
She looked a little older, a little sadder each time I came around. Her hair used to be coal-black, streaked with gray. Now it was mostly gray, streaked with wisps of black.
“Happy birthday, mom.”
My mother smiled wanly through her thin, bloodless lips. I could barely remember a time when her mouth wasn’t downturned, but there definitely had been one. It seemed very long ago, though.
“Thanks, honey.”
Long ago when my father was still alive.
“Help me open it?”
Ariana was already at her side, smiling happily as she plucked the corners of the wrapping paper with her nimble fingers. Together they pulled it open. The whole ordeal seemed pointless, considering we’d only wrapped it fifteen minutes ago.
“What is it?” my mother blinked.
Ariana and I looked at each other for a concerned few moments.
“It’s a window-planter,” Ari told her cheerfully. “And a whole set of new gardening tools.”
My mother’s manufactured smile widened a little more. Her excitement was perfunctory.
“Oh, how nice!”
“This comes with the promise that we’ll clear the backyard,” I added, “once the weather gets warmer.”
Ariana nodded. “We’ll clear a path to your shed again, come spring. You can plant seeds again. Grow all your pretty flowers, like you used to.”
My mother nodded mechanically, but it was clear she’d already lost interest. I watched as she set the box down at the side of her chair, and folded her hands back in her lap.
“The TV’s broken,” she said, matter-of-factly.
I followed her gaze. The new flat screen I’d bought for her last year sat squarely in front of her, a thin layer of dust resting across the narrow edge at the top. The new technology looked wholly out of place against the dated backdrop of the rest of the house.
“It’s not broken ma,” I told her. “You keep trying to use the old remote.”
