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“Fine,” I grumble and focus on the most concerning thing. I need to clean and bandage this cut. I rip my robe off and my sleep shorts. I toss them and my bed sheets onto a pile on the floor.
Do I risk trying to wash the stain and Mom possibly seeing the blood? I don’t need her asking questions—especially when I have no idea what is going on. I decide just to trash the sheets and pretend it never happened, and it’s all just a bad dream.
When Ryan doesn’t show up with my morning assignments and lunch, I know I messed up big time with them.
I go into the kitchen and try to find something to eat, but Mom has yet to go to the grocery store this week. She’s been picking up extra shifts at work to help cover my hospital bill since American health insurance is shit.
I grab a bowl and a box of cereal out of the cabinet when there is a knock at the door. I place my items on the counter and walk through the house to the front door. Peering through the window, I see no one there, so I open the door. On the ground is a brown paper bag and a note attached to it. I pick it up and bring it inside, placing it on the counter.
Sitting on the barstool, I open the note.
My eyes water as I trace the handwritten note.
Which one of them did this? I thought they were all mad at me.
I open up the bag, and inside is my favorite meal: biscuits and gravy. Upon further inspection, when I take it out and place it in front of me, it’s not from a restaurant. One of them made it and brought it to me.
I race to grab a fork from the utensil drawer and dig right in. The smell consumes me, the taste exploding in my mouth. It is the best thing I have ever had. Creamy and spicy, just like I like it.
After I finished eating, I decided that my mom was right. If they want me, they will have to accept that I can’t and won't choose between them. They will all have to share me. Not sexually, of course, as that is completely insane, and I don't even know how that would work, but they are everything wrapped up into one to me. I want all of them.
I shower and throw on my cutest outfit, giving myself the boost of confidence that I need to confront them about what’s been going on and what I want moving forward. I sent a group text asking them to meet me tonight at a local waffle joint that's always open and has the best hash browns. At least this way, if they all reject me, I can drown my sorrows in maple syrup and potatoes.
“You can do this.” I give my reflection a firm nod before leaving my room.
forty-three
parker
IwassurprisedwhenAbigail sent a group text message to all of us asking to meet her at Waffle Hut, of all places. This place is filled with different characters of all types. I sit in a back booth and wait for everyone else to arrive. A woman in her mid-fifties is in a high school prom dress next to a man who appears to be the same age and is in a plaid suit.
Maybe it's an old-timers’ high school reunion?
To the booth next to me is a couple on a first date. However, I don’t believe there will be a second as the man can’t stop talking about himself, and the woman looks bored to death.
Colin and Ryan both walk in simultaneously, and I wave them over.
As they take their seats, Colin asks, “She here?”
I shake my head no. He is still a bit sour at her lash-out yesterday. But we all know he forgave her before the words even left her mouth. He’s in love with her.
We all are.
The waitress comes over and takes our orders. Ryan orders for Abigail, and just as the waitress begins to walk away, in comes our favorite girl. She’s wearing dark ripped jeans and an oversized off-the-shoulder Rocky Horror Show tee. Her hair is curled and pinned to the side with fallen strands here and there.
She sits down on the opposite side of all of us. I can’t read her expression. It’s almost as if she is unsure but also full of confidence. She takes her time looking at each of us before speaking. “I asked you all to meet me here because I have something to say. You must all promise me that you will remain calm and silent. I need to get this off my chest and out in the open. After I am finished, you will all get your turn to speak. Are we clear?” She folds her hands on the table, and I see markings along her wrists and arms. They appear to be new bruises. I look at Ryan and gesture for him to look. When he sees, he looks back at me, and his expression says it all.
It’s not from him.
“Here it goes. I’m just going to come out and say it.” She takes a deep breath. “I’ve slept with all of you. I know that makes me a whore, a slut, and I know you all know I have slept with each of you. And I know it was wrong to lead each of you on like that. I don’t know what I was doing or thinking. I was living in the moment, but to be honest, I’m falling for all of you. There is not one thing I like more about one or the next. You each have so many different qualities that suck me in. I can’t choose between you. I won't choose. If I were to do that, it would ruin your friendship, which means more to me than you will ever know. You are brothers, you are family, and I’m just. Me. You can’t ask me to choose who I want to be with. I want you all. If you can’t allow me that honor, we must end things now.”
Abigail looks down at her hands, and when she looks back up, we all see the tears forming in her eyes. She chokes them back. “Well, don’t speak all at once.”
We exchange looks, and Colin is the first to break the silence. “Abigail, we need to let you in on a little secret.” He looks over to Ryan.
“You see, the day that you and Parker kissed and the same night Colin kissed you, we all made a deal,” Ryan says.
“We vowed that if you wanted just one of us, we would be happy for him and you, but if you were to want all of us…” I trail off and look at her with a smirk.
