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Now that Eric was supportive, I had that stress behind me. Now, we just had to break it to my parents, which we would be doing later that day.
The lingering thought of the impending conversation with my parents kept me anchored to reality, making it hard to relax and go back to sleep. Their arrival loomed, and the ticking clock reminded me that the moment of truth was drawing near. They were expected to arrive that afternoon.
I gently disentangled myself from Liam’s grasp and went to the kitchen. I needed a quiet moment with my thoughts before the inevitable chaos began. The past few days had been a whirlwind of skiing, last-minute cleaning, and a massive grocery haul in anticipation of my parents’ visit.
While it was a lot of fun, the underlying anxiety about how we were going to explain our unique relationship to Mom and Dad was always lurking in the background.
As the coffee machine hummed to life, I felt someone’s presence behind me. Turning, I was met with Eric’s familiar blue eyes, which mirrored my own. His blond hair was a tousled mess, and he looked like he’d had a sleepless night.
“Morning, sis,” he greeted softly.
“Morning,” I replied. “Thinking about the big reveal?”
He let out a heavy sigh, running a hand through his hair. “It’s been playing on my mind. They’ve always been understanding, but this... this is different.”
“I know,” I acknowledged, feeling the weight of the situation. “Do we just... blurt it out? Or do we have a strategy?”
Eric let out a laugh that held little amusement. “A strategy sounds so formal. Like we’re planning a military operation.”
“A military operation sounds a lot easier than telling my parents I now have three boyfriends—and they are your childhood best friends,” I admitted, pouring two cups of coffee.
Eric snorted.
We made ourselves comfortable in the living room, wrapped in the nostalgic aromas of pine and burning logs. Soft glows from the Christmas tree lights added to the serene setting.
Eric took a sip from his mug, eyes distant. “Remember when I told them I was dropping out of law school to study marine biology? I thought Dad was going to have a heart attack.”
I chuckled. “And remember when I told them I wanted to take a gap year and backpack through Europe? Mom looked like she’d seen a ghost.”
We shared a knowing look.
Our parents were traditional in many ways, always envisioning a clear path for us. Eric would take over the family business, and I would settle into a respectable job, find a good man, and have kids.
They hadn’t bargained for our strong-willed natures and our habit of defying expectations.
“This is different, though,” Eric mused, eyes serious. “This is about your future… and also about breaking societal norms.”
I nodded, taking a deep breath. “I know. Thank you for being so supportive. I know that none of this really has to do with you.”
“But it does have a lot to do with me.” Eric put his feet up on the coffee table. “I am supporting a relationship with four of the people I love most in this world. I’m here for you, Zo.”
“Thank you, Eric,” I said, laying a hand on his forearm. “You have no idea what your support means to me.”
As we congregated around the breakfast table, there was an undercurrent of tension. The impending confrontation with my parents weighed on everyone’s mind. We picked at our plates, our conversation circling the imminent topic.
Mason was the first to broach it. “Look, it’s simple. We present a united front. And if they’re not on board, we have our exit strategy.” His voice was firm but held a touch of worry, his fingers playing with the corner of his napkin. “And then when we get home, we’ll deal with our own families.”
Bodhi nodded. “If they don’t get it, it won’t change how we feel about each other.”
I drew strength from their words, feeling Liam’s reassuring presence beside me. “My parents mean the world to me. But so do you all. It will be a delicate conversation, but it’s one we need to have. And no matter how it goes, our bond isn’t going anywhere.”
Liam’s thoughtful gaze landed on each of us, his deep voice steady, “When we return, we’ll face everything one step at a time. Our families, the world... but Mason’s right; let’s tackle this situation first.”
I laughed, trying to lighten the mood. “Let’s hope the saying is true: breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Because we’ll need all the energy we can get.”
As the afternoon sun began its descent, the mouthwatering scent of Liam’s lasagna wafted from the oven, mingling beautifully with the room’s ambiance.
A car pulled into the driveway. My heart raced, anxiety and anticipation warring within me.
