CHAPTER THIRTEEN #3
“We could absolutely do that,” Gabe said.
“Yeah, I wanna come,” Liz said.
“Really?” Krystal asked. “I mean, not that I’m complaining, it just doesn’t seem like your jam.”
“Well...I used to be an urban explorer,” she replied awkwardly.
“Wait, what? You used to break into abandoned places!? You!?” Krystal cried.
“Yes. It didn’t come up because...well, of what you’re pointing out. Also I was still in high school so it wasn’t like recent or anything, or a lot, just like once every couple of months…”
“Babe, sorry, I’m not giving you shit, just...I’m surprised! Could we all go? I like abandoned places, too.”
“You can all come if you want,” Holly said. “Honestly, I’d like at least one person to come. But the more the merrier.”
“We can make a day out of it,” Gabe said. “And I’m really happy for you, Holly.”
The others all murmured in agreement, smiling at her, and she beamed prettily under the attention.
“That’s it for me,” she said. “I’m happy to take it slow, since I can.”
“I guess I’m the last one,” Ellen said. “I don’t have that much to report on.
I’ve mostly been helping all you fuckers with your problems...
which I am actually very, very happy to do, it turns out.
I love solving problems. I triple love solving problems for people I love.
But I’ve got my own website set up. My offer of making cover art and of designing websites is up and has been pollinating on the internet.
I haven’t gotten any offers yet but I imagine that won’t keep. ”
“Not with how good you are at both those things,” Gabe agreed. He looked around. “Well, this was a pretty badass first house meeting. Congrats to all of you.”
“And you as well,” Ellen said. “Our great leader.”
Gabe began to respond, then hesitated. “That’s still sitting a little weird with me.”
“I think it always will, dear, but eventually it will diminish. You’re nervous about letting us down,” Ellen replied.
“Yeah, basically. You’re all so fucking amazing, I’d feel horrible disappointing or hurting any one of you.”
“Honestly...you’re a natural at this,” Chloe replied.
“You really think so?” he asked uncertainly.
“Gabe!” Krystal cried in shock loud enough that it drew everyone’s attention.
She got to her feet. “Are you kidding me!? You have successfully seduced, bedded, and basically wived an,” she raised one finger, “Amazon goddess, a,” she raised another finger, “certified fucking model redhead, a fucking goth ice queen, a jacked tomboy, and my insane tatted stoner ass. You got all of us together and all of us to agree to date, live with, and submit to you! At the same time! SUCCESSFULLY! Ninety nine times out of a hundred this doesn’t just not work, but explodes spectacularly.
You are a fucking savant at this! You are a goddamned genius at this! ”
“She isn’t wrong,” Ellen murmured.
“Yeah…” Chloe said.
“To be fair, we’re only a few months into this,” Gabe replied.
Krystal sighed explosively and collapsed back onto the loveseat. “There is no winning with you.”
“I’m sorry, I’m just...this is a lot to live up to.”
“I know. But you’re doing it. And you’ll keep doing it, because we all trust you and are willing to work with you.
It’s not going to be perfect, as I believe I once heard you say, but it doesn’t have to be.
Nothing’s perfect, life just is, and we just need to feel like you’re listening to us and respect us and are trying,” Krystal replied.
“It’s going to work because we’re all working together to make it work,” Ellen said.
“Yep,” Chloe agreed.
“Uh-huh,” Holly murmured.
“All right, all right. You’re right. I’m just going to take a bit to get out of the habit of hedging my bets and bathing in uncertainty. Um...okay, I’m actually fucking starving, is there anything else? Any new news that’s come up?” he asked, looking pointedly at Chloe.
“Um...yes,” she said, and the others laughed and giggled softly.
“Well? We’re waiting,” Gabe replied.
“You are waiting, we all know already,” Ellen said.
“No surprise there. Chloe?”
“Fine! Yes! So...I’ve got a friend. We worked together at the cafe.
She’s basically the only friend I’ve kept in touch with, though I think only because she’s so low maintenance, because this relationship has consumed my life.
In a good way! But...she has...certain sexual desires.
A rather specific fantasy that she wants to engage with.
But she has a really hard time doing so, because it has to be with a guy she actually trusts, and she trusts me to vet, apparently, and I maybe floated the idea of you being the guy… ”
“And you then talked to everyone else about it,” Gabe said.
“Yes! I mean what if someone wasn’t comfortable with it? I’d hate to just dangle that shit in front of you and then pull it away! I’m so sorry!”
He sighed and laughed. “Fine, yes, good point. What’s the fantasy?”
“I...she made me promise to discuss it only with you. She’s...embarrassed. It’s roleplay and it’s safe, that’s all I can say. Also, she already got an STI test and she’s on birth control, so she say she’s cool going raw if you can get one, too.”
“Wonder how long that’ll take,” he murmured.
“Might take a couple weeks,” Ellen said.
“She wants to do this Sunday, so...day after tomorrow,” Chloe replied.
“Well, I can just use a condom then,” Gabe replied. “I’d like to meet her...you think she’d be into me?”
“She’s seen what you look like and yes, she’s interested.”
“What’s she like?” he asked.
“She’s...preppy.” He raised an eyebrow. Chloe laughed.
“I know. She’s thin and blonde and beautiful, she was captain of the fucking cheer squad in high school.
She’s not a bitch, though.” She paused. “I mean, okay, she’s kind of a bitch, but not like a stuck-up one.
She’s just blunt and grumpy sometimes. I think you will be interested in fucking her.
And I think you will be very interested in the roleplay she wants to do. ”
“Well yeah, cool then. Is there anything else you want to talk about?” he asked.
“Um...no…” Chloe replied, not quite meeting his eyes. He crossed his arms. She growled. “Fine, yes! We need to deal with my fucking parents. They know.”
“Wait, they do?” Ellen asked.
“I mean, they know something is up. They figured out I moved out of my apartment and in with you. They found out the day before you guys went down there, that’s what the dinner was about.
I basically managed to hold them off by promising to let them see the place soon.
But I’m kind of freaking out because I don’t know how to handle this. ”
Gabe sighed softly. “Well...I think we should just hit it head on.”
“What does that mean?” Chloe asked uncertainly.
“It means we all go to meet them. At once. We have a sit down, no dinner, no bullshit, just sit down and tell them what’s happening.”
“There is no way–” Chloe began, a look of panic on her face, but he cut her off.
“Chloe...come on. You know there’s no way you can keep this going.
Think about it for just a second: if I go over there and pretend to be the only one in this relationship, it’ll probably work...
until it doesn’t. And then they accidentally discover something else.
And you know they will. And then it’ll be even harder to explain.
No, Chloe, there is no timeline of events in which you successfully keep the fact that you are part of a harem hidden from your parents forever.
And I’m sorry to be harsh about it, but you know I’m right. ”
Silence descended. Everyone almost seemed to be holding their breath. Chloe looked angry and caught between a rock and a hard place. Gabe wondered if he’d actually stepped over a line or hit a particularly bad nerve.
Then her anger dissolved and she just sighed, long and heavy. “You’re right,” she groaned. “I just don’t want to fucking deal with this nightmare...fuck, sorry, our relationship isn’t a nightmare.”
“I know. And I know it’s going to be hard, Chloe. But we’re all going to be there for you. We’re all going to be there with you. Between the six of us, I’m pretty sure we can convince your parents.”
“I think you can convince my mom, but my dad? Shit, I don’t know. But...if it really comes down to it–and I pray it doesn’t–but if it does, I will choose this relationship over a relationship with my father,” she said, her voice solemn but firm.
“That’s...Jesus, Chloe, that’s a lot,” he muttered.
“I know. And I’m really, really hoping it won’t come to that, but I’ve thought about it because I always worst-case shit, and this relationship is ultimately more important to me.
It’s my future. It’s our future. And I fucking love you.
All of you. And I’m not giving that up just because my dad has his head up his ass. ”
“I mean, he probably has reasonable concerns,” Ellen said.
Chloe sighed sharply. “It doesn’t matter with him, though. He’s so fucking stubborn. But whatever, we’ll face it...tomorrow?” she asked, clearly trying to be brave.
“Tomorrow,” Gabe said, looking around and getting nods from everyone else.
“Great,” Chloe muttered.
“Okay,” Gabe said, popping his neck. “How about we all get a little baked, and a lot of food, and just fucking chill for a bit? Because we’ve got a lot of work on the horizon.”
“Hear hear!” Krystal cried, leaping up and hurrying off for, no doubt, her weed stash.
“Pizzas? Wings? Tacos? Yes to all three?” Ellen asked as she opened her laptop back up.
“Yes to all three,” Gabe replied.