Page 112 of Totally Shipped
“Thea is the luckiest girl in the world,” Gray adds, “because not only does she have four absolutely doting daddies, she has a mom who will always stand up for her, fight for her, and be the warrior mama that all little girls deserve.”
Tumbleweed moment.
“More potatoes?” asks Mom, waving the dish around.
My father frowns.
“Mr. and Mrs. Jackson. We all fell in love with your daughter, all four of us. And we are lucky enough to have Daisy love us back. I know it's not a traditional set-up for a relationship, but we are an extremely happy polycule, and intend to stay that way.”
“Until death do us part…” rumbles Gray in a deep voice. The frown on his face is deep and troubled.
“And we will be making a home together just outside Jefferson City,” Rex adds.
This was another thing we’d discussed on our drive. Meemaw’s house was small, but it stood on six acres of land. Nanda, Nikau, and Keyara could stay in the house, and we would build our own family home on the connecting land. That way Thea could grow up close to Key.
“Well I…I just…” my dad starts blustering.
“It doesn’t seem right,” my mother says, following Dad’s lead, as usual.
“I’m sure you can find some information about polyamorous relationships online,” Leander says. “Don’t feel bad about being ignorant. Older people find it hard to embrace change. Delicious mash, Angela.”
He says all this with a straight face.
Killian’s face isn’t straight when he chimes in. “Did you know that polyandry is practiced in cultures all over the world? But Americans are awfully uptight for the most part.”
My sister…looks sad. “I always thought I’d be the boundary breaker, not you, Daze.”
Dad folds his napkin and lays it on the table. “Well, I can’t condone it.” He’s been very quiet, and has not been thrusting his opinion into every aspect of the conversation, which is unusual for him.
“Respectfully, no one is asking you to, Mr. Jackson,” Killian smiles, not at all respectfully.
Dad’s face gets very red. He just doesn’t know how to handle this situation.
“Daisy is her own woman now, Dad.” Brooke says quietly. “You’ve really come into your own, Daze,” she says, turning to me. “I’m proud of you.”
I smile. “And now we have to figure out how you can move on with life. You don’t have to feel obligated to be me anymore.”
“You can finally get back to competing,” Dad says, looking at Brooke, his face settling. I imagine he’s decided to ignore me and my issues, and just focus on Brooke again. Par for the course.
Brooke ignores him and keeps talking to me. “I don’t think I know how to move on. I can’t think. Normally I’m good at problem solving, but everything has turned my brain to mush.”
“I’ll take coffee on the porch, Angela.” My dad stands up and stomps out of the room.
“Yes, dear,” my mom calls after him.
Brooke and I share a moment of exasperation. Mom starts working on a custard for dessert.
What did I expect? A sudden connection to my parents because of what I’d been through? Now I have Thea, my mother’s indifference is even more mind-boggling. What had happened to her maternal instinct? Are some people just born without it?
“Have y’all talked to the media yet?” Brooke asks.
“No, we’ve avoided it so far. They haven’t been able to track us down. Malcolm, Leander’s brother, has been running interference, because he is connected to the TV production company.”
“Malcolm Westhall, right? He got in touch with us after the accident. Sent us some extra compensation money. It was a nice figure, but he said he couldn’t settle properly until you were declared officially dead, and that takes years. Will I have to give that money back now?
I look at Leander and he shrugs. “Malc told me he sent everyone’s families some money, but I think it came out of his own pocket, not from the company.”
“Whoa, is your boy rich, Daze?” Brooke exclaims.
