I lean against the closed door, wishing I were inside, making everything better for her. “What happened to Thea, Papa?”
There’s no answer, and I turn to where he stood to find the spot empty. So much for fatherly support. He left me without a word? I go looking for him and find him at the bottom of the stairs with Jacob, Tristan, and Dad.
“Is she okay?” Tristan’s weary eyes meet mine. I shake my head. “Fuck, I should’ve kept her with me. Listened to her and taken her to the apartment as she requested.”
Without hesitation, I walk to him and hold him in my arms, letting him hold me too. We need each other. Our butterfly is breaking, and we can’t be with her.
“I knew she was already breaking down. The crowd, the music. All night I held her, trying to reassure her that we’d care for her, that nothing would touch her.”
“What is Thea to you, Matt?” Papa asks after Tristan is done speaking. “You can’t play with her.”
Play with her? I would never dare to do so, how dare he insinuate that, but then I remember that I’m never serious about anyone I date. Not until Tristan and Thea came into my life.
How do I explain her—and Coop—to my family?
Are they going to judge me and lecture me the way they always do?
ChapterTwo
Matthew
“I met Thea at Silver Moon.”I clear my throat, unsure of how to continue this conversation.
Do they need to know we’re in love, Tristan, Thea, and me? Are we in love? I thought… but now she’s having a nervous breakdown.
Once she’s better, she might just walk away and… but she wouldn’t leave us, would she?
We’re falling but after tonight… I have to have faith in her, in us.
“Thea and I have shared a special connection since we met. She’s always been someone I can chat with about nothing or have a deep conversation with for hours.”
I contemplate how to continue. How much to share. This is harder than I thought.
“The more time I spent with her, the more I wanted to know her, be next to her. Tristan developed similar feelings for her. She understandsus—everything. Even wanted Tristan and me to be together.”
I rub my temple while glancing at Coop. He gives me a sad but encouraging smile. “She’s not wrong, but she’s also part of the equation. We give each other something the other needs. The three of us worked hard every day so we’d fall for each other.”
Staring at the rug for a moment, I try to come up with a way to describe her. Then, looking up at Papa I say, “Thea is not only smart, beautiful, and compassionate, she’s also our glue. The woman we love. Our relationship is fragile, and we’re taking it slow.”
My parents are aware of my sexuality.They understand that for me, it isn’t about labels but the fluidity of what feels right.For me, it isn’t about figuring out if I’m straight or gay. I just do my thing and they support me.
“There’s nothing wrong with picking one thing, one person, one career,” Dad intercedes. “You don’t have to have everything either. I was there tonight, Mattie. They love each other—Thea and Tristan.”
He blows out some air, almost exasperated. “Relationships of three, they can be very challenging.”
Papa laughs. “Really, you’re trying to convince your son to have a socially acceptable relationship? You, the movie star who datedthe rockstarin the eighties. You’re priceless, College Boy.”
“I’m just stressing that it’s hard to keep a relationship of that caliber, Chris. Would you like for your son to conceal his family for thirty years?” Dad squeezes Papa’s hand. “If I recall, the pressure of hiding got to us.”
“Fuck, Chris, we own an island just so the two of us could have vacations without anyone knowing. I don’t want that for any of my kids.”
“Matt, you have to think long and hard about this. Not to mention Thea has deep cuts that obviously haven’t been cared for.” Papa points toward the stairs. “You two have to be strong enough to deal with her past. As a counselor, I can give you a list of therapists who can help you navigate that road.”
He looks at me for several seconds as he rubs his chin. “As a father, I worry. It’s a huge burden to bear. She’s a great kid, but something happened in her past that scarred her. That’s probably the reason why she fell into the vice, why she had this episode.”
Thea is my life.
I glance at Tristan and correct myself, part of my life. They make me whole.