Online Ménage

by Sara Kingston

She couldn’t face them. What on earth was she going to say? Why on earth was this happening to her? How could she be so stupid? He phone dinged, dragging her back from her anxious thoughts. Taking her phone from her bag, she looked at the screen and saw it was Big Red messaging her. Oh no, she thought. I just can’t face them tonight.

  Big Red: Hey, baby, when will you be home?

  Amazon Pixy: I don’t think I’ll make it tonight. I’m not feeling very well.

  She needed time to think, to work out what she was going to do. Hopefully they wouldn’t get upset at her wanting to stay at her place tonight.

  Dark Knight has joined the conversation.

  “Shit! So much for it being easy.”

  Dark Knight: What’s wrong, baby? Come over and we’ll take care of you.

  Amazon Pixy: I’m okay. Rest and a good night’s sleep will fix me up. I’ll come over tomorrow night.

  Big Red: Are you sure? We could take care of you.

  Amazon Pixy: Don’t worry. I’ll be fine.

  Big Red: I’m going to miss you.

  Dark Knight: It won’t be the same without you. We wanted to have a talk with you tonight, but it can wait till tomorrow. Have a good night’s sleep and get well, baby.

  Amazon Pixy: I will. I’ll miss you, too…XOXOXO

  Alex logged off her phone, a heavy weight settling on her chest. In her heart she loved them so very much, and she knew they loved her, but was their relationship ready for this? Actually, was she ready for this? A baby, oh God! Maybe they would be okay with it. Maybe they’d be able to adjust and…and…God, what guy wanted to hear that the woman they’d been sleeping with for the past three months was pregnant. Better yet, she had no idea who the father was. It was either lover number one or lover number two, take a pick. That didn’t sound so good. At least it was Friday and she didn’t have to face going into work tomorrow. She could just stay home and wallow in her misery.

  * * * *

  Ryan, impatiently waiting for Tyler to get home, raced to the door the second he heard the key in the lock and blurted out, “There’s something wrong with her, Tyler.”

  “Ry, don’t jump to conclusions. We’ve been taking every minute of her time. She hasn’t slept in her own bed or even really seen her apartment in three months,” he replied.

  “I know. That’s one of the reasons why we’re going to ask her to move in. But this feels wrong. Something isn’t right,” Ryan said.

  “Look, let’s just let it go for tonight. If she doesn’t come over tomorrow, we’ll go to her place, okay?” Tyler took Ryan in his arms and gave him a supportive hug, trying to still his doubts and maybe reassure himself as well. Alex had seemed off the last couple of weeks. She’d responded to them just the same, and she definitely loved them. She seemed to be sleeping lots and she seemed tired even when she had just gotten up. He hoped and prayed she wasn’t really sick or something. He hadn’t worried because he thought they were just wearing her out with all the sex. But now he worried that maybe there was something wrong with her.

  “Fine, but if she isn’t here by midday, we’re going to go get her,” Ryan replied.

  “Agreed. Now let’s go to bed early and get a good night’s sleep.” If he’d ever wanted proof that Alex was a part of their lives, that she was the piece that completed them and made them whole, this night had proven it. The house felt empty and quiet, even though for six years it had always been just the two of them. Now, without the little ball of energy, a part was missing. Their woman wasn’t there, and their house just didn’t feel like a home. He held Ryan, trying to keep the loneliness at bay as he worried about Alex.

  * * * *

  The next morning Ryan checked his phone for text messages or calls, and then he checked his e-mail and made sure no offline messages were there from Alex. He sat staring at the computer with his phone in his hand, willing it to ding, or ring, anything. It was 11:00 a.m., and he couldn’t stand to wait any longer. He’d noticed she was online but busy, meaning she had most likely left her phone logged on, but it was in her bag or something. So he decided to send a message, and at least when she looked at her phone she’d see it.

  Big Red: Good morning or good day, baby. When are you coming over?

  He sat back and waited what felt like a century, until finally Amazon Pixy’s writing appeared on his screen.

  Amazon Pixy: Good morning and good day to you, too. I’m just going to stay home today. I have a load of jobs, cleaning, mail, paying bills, etc. I’ll see if I can have it all wrapped up by tomorrow night.

  Big Red: Is there something wrong, baby? Did Tyler or I do something to upset you?

  Amazon Pixy: No, you guys are great. You know I love you both. I just need some time here to get my stuff organized.

  Big Red: Okay, please don’t push us away, Alex. We both love you and need you here with us.

  Ryan watched as Amazon Pixy logged off. Sitting back in his chair, he realized Tyler was standing behind him. “Sorry, Ty, I know what we said last night, but I couldn’t wait, and this proves something is definitely wrong.”

  “Agreed, and I’m not upset, Ry. I’ve been as worried as you.” He huffed

  “Well, there’s only one thing to do.” Ryan looked up at him.

  “What’s that?” he asked.

  “We’re going over to her place now and get to the bottom of this.” Ryan jumped up from the chair and hugged Tyler.

  “Let’s go get our girl,” Tyler added.

  As they approached her building, they both realized they’d never once been inside her apartment. “You know what, Ty. I have just realized how selfish we’ve been in our relationship with her.”

  “Me, too. We’ve never even been to her place. We’ve never done anything to fit into her life at all. We just bulldozed through and made her fit into ours and never thanked her for it, either.”

  “We will now. We have to fix this, Ty…We just have to,” Ryan pleaded.

  * * * *

  Alex sat on the couch, eating another spoonful of ice cream while watching her favorite old movie. Sleeping with the Enemy…Where Julia Roberts got up enough courage to fake her own death to escape her abusive husband, and then when she found true love in her new life, it showed Alex the reality. Life was hard. She could survive anything and still find happiness. It won’t always be a bed of roses. The past sometimes came back to haunt you but in the end inner strength prevailed. She nearly jumped off the couch when Julia Roberts shot her evil husband and someone knocked loudly on her front door at the same time. Getting her heart rate back under control, she went to answer the door. Looking through the peephole, she felt like her entire world could crumble. There stood Ryan and Tyler. She should have known they wouldn’t settle for her staying away without doing something about it.

  She opened the door. “Hi, guys, what brought you all the way over here?”

  She saw them both standing there staring at her, still in her pyjamas. Her eyes looking puffy as if she’d been crying for hours. She saw Ryan look over to the coffee table at the ice-cream carton with a spoon in it.

  “What’s wrong, baby?” Ryan asked her.

  “It’s nothing. I just…”

  “It’s not nothing, it’s something, and we know it. Tell us,” Tyler demanded.

  “I…I…” She burst into tears, not ready to face them yet. Would she ever be ready, though? “I messed up, guys. I just didn’t even think about it. I am so, so sorry,” she sobbed.

  “What, what did you mess up?” Tyler asked.

  “You’re scaring the shit out of me, honey. Bite the bullet and tell us what’s going on,” Ryan said.

  “I was feeling sick to my stomach all the time, and I went to the doctors. I was freaking out that it was something serious, and well, I suppose it is serious. It just…And well, you know, I had been staying over at your place all the time. I mean, last night was the first night I’ve slept in my bed in over three months. Life was going so well, and I was preoccupied. I just forgot. I mean, who
would have thought, so many people have problems, who would have thought a few missed pills would cause this?” Alex asked, nervously fidgeting with her hands.

  “Baby, you’re rambling. If I’m understanding you right, you missed some pills because you are basically living at our place, without all your stuff, and you got sick,” Tyler said, not understanding the problem.

  “My God! Do you mean…do you mean you’re pregnant?” Ryan shouted.

  “Yes, I’m pregnant. The doctor confirmed it yesterday. I’m so sorry,” she pleaded.

  “My God, we’re going to be fathers,” Tyler stated.

  She watched as his face first went blank, and then slowly his mouth formed the biggest smile she had ever seen, and he looked over to Ryan, who was also smiling.

  “You’re happy about this?” Alex questioned them both.

  “Baby, you have just given us the greatest gift in the world,” Tyler said as he took her in his arms. The warmth and security she felt seeped into her frozen, lonely bones and warmed the chill in her heart.

  “But, but I don’t even know which one of you is the father,” she stammered.

  “We’re both the baby’s fathers, as if DNA matters. I don’t care if we never find out which actual sperm got to the egg first. We’re both the fathers. The baby will be all of ours, one mamma and two papas,” Ryan said as he joined in the group hug.

  “You’re not joking? You guys are really okay with this?” she questioned

  “Of course, baby. We wouldn’t do that to you. You don’t even know that what we wanted to talk to you about last night was that we wanted you to move in with us. We want you forever, and now this is just the icing on the cake.”

  “You know this means we’re going to have to buy a house, and of course now you’re moving in with us today, no question,” Tyler stated

  “Forget just moving in, she’s going to marry us, and yes, we are going to have to buy a house with a yard,” Ryan gushed as they both let go of her.

  “That’s a great plan. She’ll move in with us now, then she’ll marry us, we buy or build a house, and we’re going to have to go shopping for the nursery, too.”

  “We’ll need to get a more family-oriented car as well, maybe an SUV to match our soon-to-be-suburban lifestyle,” Ryan added.

  “Hey, guys! I’m right here. You’re making all these plans as if I’m not involved,” Alex shouted.

  “Sorry, honey, we’d never forget you. You’re our love and the mother of our baby. God, that sounds so great saying that. I can’t wait. Did the doctor say when you’re due?” Ryan asked.

  “Beginning of April,” she replied.

  “That gives us what, seven months to get everything sorted,” Tyler said to Ryan.

  “We need to buy baby books, and maybe a couple on pregnancy as well so we know what we’re in for,” Ryan added, looking over at Alex’s stomach.

  “We also need to get the marriage license and plan a quick wedding before she starts to get fat.”

  “Man, if you ever call her fat, she is going to kick your ass.” Ryan chortled.

  “Okay, showing her pregnancy, not fat. I didn’t mean to say fat, just…baby big”

  “What’s wrong, Alex?” Ryan asked, looking over at Alex and seeing the look on her face.

  “You’re both just talking and planning our lives and not asking me my opinion. Have either of you asked if I’m okay with this, or even if I will marry you? No…You’re both just going off on your own little tangents and not even thinking that I might like a say. Why don’t you just go have your chat and come back and tell me your plans when you’re done?” she asked, stomping in frustration.

  “Baby, we didn’t mean to upset you. We are just so excited. We’re all going to be a family. My favorite girl and my favorite boy together forever, and a baby bear, too,” Ryan said.

  “I know. I should be jumping for joy that you both are so happy about the baby, and that you both want us all to get married and have a happily ever after. I’m just so goddamn emotional…I just…No, damn it, I deserve to be asked.”

  “You do, baby,” Tyler replied. Both men got down on one knee and took a hand each.

  “Alexis Thompson, would you do us the honor of being our wife, to have and to hold for the rest of our days?” Tyler asked her.

  “Yes, I will. I would love to be your wife. But which one of you am I going to legally marry? You know I can’t marry both of you,” she replied.

  “Let’s toss a coin,” Tyler said.

  “Don’t be silly, Tyler. I know you’d never be able to handle not being the legal husband. You’re too controlling. So you be the legal one.” He knew that Tyler would have loved to refute his claim. He also knew he was right. It would eat away at Tyler through the years if he wasn’t legally in charge of their family.

  “I would learn to deal with it,” he replied.

  “But you don’t have to. Considering my lack of family, what does it matter if I’m no longer a Cooper? I always liked Daniels, I love you, and it would make me proud to share your name.”

  “You would change your name for us?” Tyler asked.

  “For you two I’d do anything,” he said with firm conviction and a catch in his voice.

  “I’m so lucky. I know I don’t deserve you two, but I’m going to take you anyway,” Alex said.

  “It’s us who don’t deserve you, baby,” Tyler said, and Ryan agreed.

  Epilogue

  Fifteen months later

  Alex walked out of her office, peeking into Tyler’s to see if he was still working. Finding it empty, she followed the sound of voices into the den.

  “You’re just a baby hog.” Ryan’s voice growled in a hushed pout.

  “No, I’m not. You’ve had her most of the day,” Tyler wheedled.

  “Have not. Alex keeps stopping me from holding her, something about spoiling her and she won’t sleep through the night.”

  “Yeah, she busted me for that, too. She just doesn’t get it that Bella’s old enough now to cuddle back,” Tyler said, looking down at his daughter asleep in his arms and taking a big sniff of her fresh baby scent.

  “I know. Have you seen how fast she crawls? I swear she’s going to be an athlete,” Ryan said as he lovingly stroked her head.

  “Yeah, over my dead body will she be an athlete! Have you heard what the Olympics are like? Orgy fest,” Tyler stated.

  “You’re right. No going pro for our girl. I swear I’m going to keep a shotgun by the front door when she’s a teenager, and I’ll shoot any boy who comes too close to the front door.” Tyler snickered at Ryan’s very serious statement. He was just as possessive. Their little girl. He was thankful every day for his wonderful family. A family he thought he’d never have. Life wasn’t all roses for them, though. When they built this house and moved in, the looks they got from the neighbors were horrible. But together they weathered the looks and comments with support, love, and laughter. They also knew that when it was time for Bella to go to school they would face new challenges. He had worried about Alex a lot, as she was the one to wear the brunt of it. But their wonderful, amazing wife just held her head up high, and in her words, “Fuck ’em. If they want to look, let them look. If they want to judge, let them judge, but I’ll live my life the way I want. We are not hurting anyone, and we are happy, in love, and committed.” After a while a few of the neighbors became friends. They still didn’t understand their family situation, but they discovered that they were good people who had a kinky relationship.

  “Hey, Ryan, do you think it’s too soon to ask Alex to have another baby?” Tyler asked.

  “She did stop breast-feeding last month, so it should only be a few more weeks until her body’s ready to start trying,” Ryan replied.

  “Yeah, but she started taking the pill again,” Tyler added.

  “We could always keep her so busy she forgets to take it like last time.”

  * * * *

  “Boys, making plans without me again are you?�
� Alex asked in an accusing voice from the doorway. They hadn’t notice her standing there listening to them, and their looks of shock and guilt were priceless.

  “No, honey,” Ryan said sheepishly.

  “Don’t know what you’re talking about,” Tyler replied with false innocence.

  “So you guys think we should extend our little family, eh?” she asked.

  “Only if you’re ready,” Ryan replied, doing his usual political correctness.

  “More the merrier, I say,” she added, moving toward Tyler. “Let me get this little girl to bed, and then you can both put me to bed. We need to start practicing.” Alex took Bella into her arms without waking her and headed to the nursery. She turned looking over her shoulder at her husbands. “Oh, by the way, I bought an ovulation tester last month, and guess who’s ripe and ready.” She tucked her little redheaded baby girl, thankfully still sleeping, into her crib and watched as she stretched and then settled back into a peaceful sleep. They all knew from her hair that Ryan must be the biological father, but it didn’t make a difference to Tyler. He loved her as his daughter just as much as Ryan. Secretly she hoped that the next one would be Tyler’s. She knew it didn’t matter to them, but still.

  Closing the nursery door, she followed the sounds of moans and groans to the master bedroom. She still laughed when she thought about the contractor’s questions when he saw the plans to the house. He asked over and over about the three walk-in closets and three sinks in the bathroom. When he finally met them all together, his comment of “whatever floats your boat” still made her chuckle.

  As she walked into their room, she saw both her husbands naked with loincloths wrapped around their waists, embraced in a passionate kiss. At her footsteps, they separated and looked over at her. “Big Red and Dark Knight are here to conquer the Amazon Pixy.” Alex giggled at Tyler’s comical expression. “What’s this cloth she wears? We must remove it. It must be witchcraft.” Laughter echoed throughout the house, swiftly followed by their moans of ecstasy well into the night.