32: UNCONVENTIONAL LOVE

DELILAH

I hummed a happy tune, my legs feeling more than a little sore from this morning’s excursions with Seth on our hike, and then with Cole ~after~ the hike. Trying not to giggle as I thought about how I planned to distract both of them later tonight with one of my favorite chick flicks. One they’d have to sit through and be good for if they wanted any more attention from me today.

While I enjoyed both men profusely, after a few months that had rapidly turned into three years of us being together; I learned my limits quickly. Since I had to advocate for myself; the boys had learned to typically not try to press for sex. Just gently—suggest. Suggestions that I indulged in even more often as my body got used to the amount of exercise.

What they told their company was a mystery to me, since I had visited both Seth and Cole at their place of work over time even after I picked up more hours at my other job. While I always had kept it platonic in front of others out of respect for their environment; neither man was shy about PDA. Perhaps letting others draw their own conclusions.

My mother, on the other hand, had questions that remained unanswered. With Mila and her husband being the only ones in the know with little baby Mica, and baby Thomas on the way. Children I was starting to hope would one day grow up with my own now that I was starting to wrap my brain around the idea.

I pulled out the mail, sifting through which piles were meant to go in which bin I had set up for all of us in the house. Now that I had restarted my own little love advice streaming service, I often received items from my subscribed fans sometimes. So when I saw an envelope with my name scrawled on it that I began to open as I came inside— it’s what I had expected. Just another letter, photo, sticker, or other item.

Inside was a baby picture with a woman. Something that didn’t exactly strike me as odd at first. I had gotten things like this from single women all the time that had left their relationships for one reason or another. Something that for any person was very difficult to do, but especially so for the more vulnerable population.

The note is what made me cover my mouth though, rereading it several times over and shaking my head. My heart breaking and feeling so full all at once— I didn’t even know which brother to run to first. So instead, I screamed their names.

“Cole! Seth!” Something about my tone alerting them that something was wrong causing a stir in the house and pounding feet.

“What’s wrong? What’s the matter? Is it the baby?” Cole asked, panicking.

Seth sighed behind him, his arms crossed as he shook his head at Cole’s obvious anxiety over the group choice. One that had taken a lot of talks, and not just with Cole. It had taken some convincing me as well. All I felt these days were tired and nauseous, nothing for him to get worked up over. “She hasn’t even taken a test yet this week. Could you relax with the baby thing? It’s just been the flu.”

I laughed, tears gathering in my eyes as I felt even more solidified in that choice than I ever had before. Knowing it was most likely not the flu, and another good thing to share later when I did pee on my stick.

Instead, I held up my hand that had the letter and picture in it. Shaking my head once more. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Cole grabbed the letter, passing the picture to Seth as he scanned it. A small smile falling over his features and changing the anxiety to one of satisfaction. “I’m glad she had the sense.”

“We weren’t sure if she’d ever leave your ex. So there wasn’t really a reason to say anything,” Seth admitted, also smiling at the photo. “They look happy.”

My entire face began to break, making both men come over to give me a hug. Feeling so thankful to have two wonderful men in my life. Men that would use their wealth for someone they didn’t even know to help relocate a woman. A woman I knew might need help. A woman I wanted to help. A woman I almost was…

I looked back at both my men. Wondering how a single life choice had brought me to them so easily. How one day became a week, and a week became this. Smiling now that the clouds had finally passed in my life, and it seemed the sun was finally shining on me.

And me?

I was basking in its light.