"We are glad you are up because we have something important we need to talk to you about. Both of us don't want Anne to leave tomorrow."
My wife Jill and her best friend Anne caught me off guard as I awoke from napping to recover from an exciting afternoon of playing with the both of them.
"That's fine," I replied, still trying to shake off my slumber and catch up to the conversation. "Plane tickets are easy to change, and sick days are made to be used."
The expressions on their faces told me that I wasn't getting it. Approaching the bed, Anne said in a quiet, but determined voice, "Yeah, but Jill and I are thinking maybe it doesn't make sense for me to leave...ever."
The realization of what they were suggesting hit me. I let my head slide back down to the pillow and brought my hands up to cover my face. How would that work? Did that mean Anne was falling in love with me? With Jill? With the both of us? My mind raced through the possibilities, quickly becoming lost in the endless list of questions. But they all resolved into the clarity that I was now entering a conversation that had already been in progress for hours. The only thing to do was try to catch up.
I felt both of them climb on to the bed, placing hands on my face and head. Taking their hands in mine and bringing them down to my chest, I saw them looking at me with expressions of care, but also nervousness. They seemed genuinely worried at how I would respond. But a calm came over me as I accepted that we were three people with a closeness and connection built by years of friendship. And that no matter where this discussion ended up, none of that would change and none of us would want to hurt each other.
"Let's go downstairs, so you two can get me up to speed," I said. They agreed, and we made our way downstairs.
Now sitting in our living room, we launched into what was to prove a life changing conversation. Jill started.
"After you began your beauty rest, Anne and I went out to the backyard. And as we were talking, what I think surprised us the most was how natural the last 48 hours had felt. I mean Christ, Jack, you and I just had sex with the first new person in twenty years. Anne stuck a strap-on up your ass. I had my first experience with a woman. And all of that was amazing. But what made me most happy was being there with my best friend, and I knew I didn't want to give that up at the end of this weekend."
"I can see that," I said as I sat next to her on the couch. I rubbed her shoulder and she leaned her head over and rested it on me. "I have to say that considering how many things have happened this weekend, this does feel surprisingly normal. What do you think Anne?"
"I don't know what to think," said Anne, sitting across from us in an overstuffed chair. She had her feet wrapped up under her and her knees clasped together, jutting out at an angle. "I mean this is all kind of crazy. I've moved on from here. I have a new life. Maybe it isn't perfect, but I always felt like I was in a rut here. Like it was never going to happen."
"But on the other hand," she continued. "Being here with both of you over the past two days is the happiest I've been since I left. I can't believe I'm admitting that to you. I'm so embarrassed." She covered her eyes, doing a poor attempt to hide she was on the brink of tears.
Jill rose from the couch and crossed over to her. She knelt down, so that she was looking up into Anne's shielded eyes and placed her hands on Jill's knees. She brought one hand and moved Anne's away to look into her face, an expression of kindness beaming through. "You should never be embarrassed about anything with us, honey. You are part of our family."
The term surprised me, but I was glad to see Anne's discomfort pass from her face as Jill grabbed her arm and guided Anne to her feet as they rose together. They embraced in a close hug that lasted several seconds. Jill brought her by the hand over to the couch and seated her next to me, then sitting down so that Anne was between us. Anne gave me a small smile reflecting her fading self-consciousness about tearing up.
"In all the years we've known you, Anne," I added. "You've been an incredible, gracious friend to the both of us. You deserve happiness in your life. Tell us what feels right for you."
"Well," Anne responded pensively. "That is just it. I'm not sure if I've been honest about what I've wanted - even to myself. I get plenty of guys. You both know that. But after a few months I see them for who they really are and I hit the eject button. Or they do some crazy shit and I have to cut them out of my life. And during all that time I was here, you guys were my constant. The people who were always there if a Friday night went to shit or I needed someone to help pick myself up off the floor after I got rid of another jerk."
"And now I wonder," she said, her tone shifting. "If the reason that those guys never worked out was that this is the relationship I really wanted to be a part of. I mean I've always had a bit of a crush on both of you. You know Jill that I've had a few brief flirtations with the fairer sex and Jack, you are the guy I could never have - quite literally because you were with my best friend."
I felt my prick stiffen as I learned that Anne had also harbored dirty thoughts about me all these years. If this bombshell hit Jill as hard as it hit me, she didn't let on. We made eye contact and I searched hers for anger or jealous. I found none and wondered how I could be so lucky to find such an amazing wife. Although some of this seemed to be a new revelation for Anne in the moment, I wondered how much was a rehash of their conversation earlier today. The silence after she finished hung for a second and I jumped in to avoid awkwardness creeping in.
"We understand," I said, grasping for the right words for the moment. "You have been an incredible friend to Jill, to me, and to the girls over the years. You are truly missed and this a place to can always call home."