Page 27 of More Than We Know

I rush down the hallway only to find Ethan, our youngest son, standing in the middle of the living room facing the kitchen.

When he looks over at me, his face is red and he’s seething with anger. Meanwhile, Quentin stands a few feet away with his palms raised in a placating gesture, and Kat is partly behind him, her eyes wide with fear.

“What happened?” I demand.

Ethan whirls around to face me fully, his eyes blazing. “They were kissing!” he shouts. “Dad's cheating on you in our own fucking house!”

My heart drops into my stomach, and for a moment, I'm frozen. But then, reality kicks in, and I know I have to defuse this situation before it spirals out of control.

“He's not,” I say. “It's okay. Just calm down and let me explain.”

Ethan’s brow furrows as he looks between the three of us. His anger has morphed into suspicion.

“You better have a good explanation for this.”

I take a deep breath and silently prepare myself for the conversation ahead. Ethan is still on edge, but I don’t blame him. The hurt and confusion are written all over his face, and it breaks my heart to know that we’re the cause of it.

“Let's talk in the other room,” I say, and Ethan begrudgingly follows me down the hall, though he casts a glance backward, as if he doesn’t trust Quentin to be in the same room as Kat.

I hold back a sigh as I open the door to his brother’s bedroom then close it behind him. It’s the only room in the house that’s neutral ground right now, so I figure it’s the best place for us to have this talk.

He plops down on the bed and crosses his arms, clenching his jaw and raising an eyebrow at me in a silent demand. He’s always been the outspoken, reactive one, though I can’t blame him in this scenario.

I sit down next to him, though both of us face the door instead of each other.

“I understand why this was upsetting to walk into,” I say, “and frankly, I would’ve been more worried if youhadn’treacted strongly.” I huff out a laugh, but he doesn’t react.

God, this is so awkward.

I take a deep breath. This isn’t something I was prepared for today. And while I hadn’t intended on hiding it from the kids, I hadn’t exactly figured out how we’d tell them, either. Realistically, they’re adults and are probably familiar with the idea of polyamory, but I’m guessing it’s always awkward talking to your kid about a new relationship even in the most “normal” of circumstances.

“We were waiting to talk to you boys about this until you came home for the holidays. If I would’ve known you were coming, this wouldn’t have happened this way.”

He shrugs and mumbles, “Thought I’d come surprise you guys.”

“And that makes me so happy,” I say. “I’m so glad you’re here.”

“Mhm.”

Alright, here goes nothing. “So… Kat is sort of a part of our relationship now.”

“Dad’s dating another woman and you’re just okay with it?” His tone is incredulous.

I’d laugh if the situation weren’t so tense. “Actually,Isort of dated Kat a long time ago, back when I was in college before I knew your dad.”

Ethan’s jaw drops as he looks up at me. “What?”

I chuckle. “Yeah. So, anyway, we ran into her one night, and one thing led to another, and now we’re both dating her.”

He’s silent for a moment, still watching me with incredulity, then shakes his head and mutters, “This is fuckin’ weird.”

This time, I do laugh. “Watch your language,” I warn, but it’s halfhearted at best.

He cracks a small smile, and the anxiety in my chest dissipates.

“I totally understand that this is weird for you. If you’re not comfortable having her around right now, that’s fair. But I do also want you to know that this is pretty serious between the three of us.”

I can see the wheels in his head turning. “I just don’t get it, but I guess if it works for you guys…” He shrugs.

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