Page 27 of The More the Merrier

The text came through in all caps with a second text immediately following it.

SOS. Urgent. 911.

It came from Noelle’s number.

I immediately tried to call her, and when she didn't answer I dialed Liam. No answer there, either.

My colleague, Miles, came back from the bathroom and slid into the seat across from me, sipping his champagne.

I looked at Miles across the table. "I'm sorry to do this, but I have to go. Family emergency." I threw a few bills on the table, more than enough to cover both our meals and a generous tip. "I think we've covered the most important stuff. Email me the contract?"

"You'll have it within the hour. Just so you know, cash or not, there's no way to close on this before Christmas."

"I don't need it to close. I just need them to accept my offer. Stick a forty-eight- hour deadline on it." I didn't say anything else before rushing out the door.

I raced home as fast as I could safely manage, and when I pulled into the drive, I immediately identified the problem. I'd been imagining the worst, envisioning coming home to find my house engulfed in flames, or a gaggle of emergency vehicles in the driveway. What I found instead were three nondescript rental cars parked side-by-side in the driveway, blocking my spot. Parking on the side of the road, I got out and walked up to the house, praying the entire time I'd be wrong about what I was going to find on the other side of the door.

Spoiler alert. I wasn't.

My parents practically jumped me as soon as I crossed the threshold, my mother smothering my cheek in kisses and my father shaking my hand vigorously and slapping me on the back excessively. Any other time I'd be beyond thrilled with the surprise. This time I carefully endured their joyful greetings, all while looking beyond them to Noelle and Liam, who were standing in the corner of the living room with deer in the headlights expressions on their faces. Off to each side of them stood their parents, their faces red with furious bewilderment.

"You! What is the meaning of this? It's not enough for you to corrupt my son with your wickedness, you have to corrupt this innocent girl, as well?" Liam's dad lunged at me.

"Hey, just exactly what are you accusing my son of?" My dad went off half-cocked, not waiting for an answer as he advanced on Liam's father. "I'm not sure what your problem is, but last time I checked all three of them were consenting adults. Including your son. Maybe it's time you started treating him like one!"

"Maybe if he acted like one instead of secretly shacking up in some sort of polyamorous cult, letting the likes of your son turn him into some sort of sexual deviant!"

"Sexual deviant?" My dad scoffed. "You know what they say, it takes one to know one. We all know you self-righteous, pompous church people have the most to hide."

Liam's dad lunged again, and I stepped between them, holding them each at arm’s length with one hand, glaring at Liam over the top of his father's head, attempting to telepathically communicate with my eyes.Secret’s out. Jig’s up. Cat’s out of the bag now. No going back. Out of the frying pan and into the fire. Do something!

Liam looked frozen in place, horrified at the scene playing out in front of him. I changed the direction of my gaze to Noelle and communicated the same message.Do something.

Eyes wide, she reached over and pinched Liam, then shoved him forward into the middle of the chaos.

"That's enough."

He spoke so softly I barely heard him. No one else did, it seemed. I caught his eye, nodded, and smiled encouragingly.

"That's enough!" he roared, joining me in the center of the room between our fathers. "Dad," he said, addressing his with more conviction than I'd ever heard in a single word. "I tried years ago to tell you who I was, but you didn't want to hear it. I love you, so I complied. I forced myself back into a closet of my own design. I took a job with a company that went against nearly everything I believe in, and I stayed there to keep you happy, while with every passing day I became more and more miserable."

"It's a good job. With a good company. You should have stayed," his dad countered. "And you quit over a morality clause. How do you think that made me look?"

Liam's face flamed with anger. "Read my lips. I do not care. It's not about you. It's my life. It's time for me to do what makes me happy, to meet my own needs before worrying about anybody else's." He paused and his voice went down an octave. "And not that you care, Father, but Noelle and Logan make me happy. They love me unconditionally and they always have my back, no matter what, which is more than I can say for you."

Liam's dad finally shut up, his mouth working like a fish as he processed Liam’s sudden burst of confidence. He looked equally stunned and pissed. As for me, I was proud as hell.

I stayed between the three men, poised and ready to break up a fight if I needed to. After a full minute of angry silence Liam's dad retreated, joining his mom on the couch. My dad followed suit. Liam reached for my hand and locked it with his, squeezing tightly.

Noelle looked around the room, then joined us, breaking apart our hands and stepping between us so that she could hold onto us both.

Her mom stepped forward, still looking shocked, and tucked a stray lock of hair behind Noelle's ear. Noelle's dad was by her side. "Is this how you feel too, sweetie pie? Is this what makes you happy? Is this what you want? They're not forcing you, are they? Or manipulating you somehow?"

"Oh please, Mama. Dad. I know it's unconventional and probably not what you wanted for me, but I've been with Liam and Logan for three years. It's definitely what I want, and I'm definitely happy. The only thing that has kept me from being totally fulfilled is not being able to share my happiness with you guys for fear that you wouldn't understand, or would think less of me somehow."

"Oh honey." Her father, a big, sharply-dressed bear of a man with a slight beer belly and the same dimples as his daughter wiped a tear from his eye. "We could never think less of you. You're our baby girl, our pride and joy. And I'll be the first to admit I don't understand why you need two men when one would do, but I'll do my best to figure it out. If you're happy, I'm happy. A father's love should be unconditional," he said, turning to face Liam's parents with a pointed glare as he took Noelle's hand and joined our human chain of pro-polyamorous solidarity.

My parents quickly followed suit, joining the other end of the chain by taking my hand, and soon it was the seven of us, facing off against Liam's parents. I got a mental picture of what the scene must look like and smirked. The old Care Bear Stare popped into my brain, a long-forgotten memory from childhood. It seemed to fit.

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