I sat next to him and leant onto his comfortable chest. We just breathed and relaxed.
“Thanks for everything today, Tom. And I mean everything.” I said, earnestly. “We’ll all talk when Em is finished reading,” I said, indecisively.
“We can do that, darling. Anything I should know before we start?” he asked me.
“Nothing detrimental, okay. Everything is good, Tom,” I said, trying to be honest and positive. “I think that now is a good time to clear the air. There’s been an elephant in the room and it’s time we addressed it, all right?” I said, my stomach twisting as the words that came out. “Let’s wait for Em. She’s almost through so…” and I let the rest hang in the air.
I told Tom how impressed with him I was today. “Everything just seems so easy for you! I’m jealous! You make being with the kids so easy! They…they love you, ya know? ‘This’ just seems so
natural for you. I love it,” I gushed.
“It is easy, Chrissie. I don’t know how or why but it just is. I’m trying not to question it too much at this point. This, we, just seems so right,” he said, my heart leaping at his words.
Em gingerly walked into the room, her eyes darting from one of us, then the other.
“Is it…okay if I come in?” she asked, with hesitation.
“Of course!” I cried. “Here. Sit with us,” I said, motioning to the couch.
“Sooo,” I said, and we all laughed. “Tom and I thought now would be as good a time as any for us to have a chat about…things, okay?”
I saw the trepidation in Em’s eyes.
Tom moved to the coffee table, facing us. I looked at him, and it all came flooding out.
Chrissie POV
“Can I start, Tom? I know that I’m the cause of all this, okay, and as Tom said to me earlier, this needs to be addressed now, rather than later. Some of it should have been talked about before, but it wasn’t. That’s on me, right? Now, Tom, this attraction between us has been building for years. I’ve been in love with you, from a
distance, but in love with you, nonetheless. We can’t explain- but we both know.
“And yes, you’re right, I was unfair to you by not mentioning Em before you arrived. I’ve never told you the nature of our relationship. I’m sorry for that. I also realize I have put you in a difficult position. I’ve known this incredible woman for over five years. I could not have gotten through my divorce without her. She saved me, in so many ways.
“Em is a huge part of my life, she’s grown to be more than just a ‘good friend’. I know that our relationship is going to be a little tougher to navigate now. I should have realized that and dealt with it by telling you.
“I love you both. All I can say is ‘sorry’ and hope we can make this work.” I said, hopefully, so they understood.
TOM POV
Looking at them, I said, “I understand this, Chrissie. But, don’t you think you’ve led me on just a bit here? Of course, I wish you were honest with me, and disclosed more about your bond with Emily. If truth be told, it’s the emotional part that hurts me more. I don’t know how you didn’t realize what you were doing when I arrived.
“So, before we can go forward, this needs to heal, and I don’t know how that’s going to happen. I see your deep connection with Emily, but I’m wondering where do I fit in? I know you love me, Chrissie, but this isn’t how I envisioned my life, sharing you with another. I would have had time to digest this if you had told me about Emily, but I was thrown into the deep end here. You took that opportunity away from me. I come back home, we have the most wonderful time together then, a week later, you tell me about Emily. Did you just expect me to embrace this?” I said, feeling myself getting angry.
“Now, I see what you’re doing here, pushing Emily and me
together. It’s not fair, on either of us. Poor Emily, does she have to stand by and be, what, a piece for you to fit in? How can you
expect me to fall in love with another woman, because I’m in love with you! So, I should be with you because YOU want it? Does she get a say in your plans? Why, then, isn’t Emily enough for you?
“When you said you didn’t want to share me, for me to have sex with Emily, you weren’t being entirely forthright? I told you how much I value fidelity, but it seems you misrepresented your actual intentions. You cannot manipulate people like this. Did you think I would just accept this, or just decide to push us together in the hopes that I would? How can this work?”
Turning to Emily, I said, “This is NOT down to you, okay? It’s all on Chrissie.”
Looking at Chrissie, I asked, “How did you think this was all going to work out? Chrissie, you have to take responsibility for your
actions, and, well, dishonesty,” I replied, my eyes full of hurt. “Did you even consider talking to me about how you feel about Emily, or did you think that’s okay. Everything will work out? Emily, I like you. I do. I love what you’ve done for Chrissie, I cannot thank you enough. How did you think this was all going to work? Did Chrissie persuade you that the three of us could work, or are you as
surprised by this as I am? Are you even happy about that? Do you really want to share Chrissie? I’m not here to break up your relationship with Chrissie, okay?” I calmly said.
Emily POV
My shoulders dropped, my eyes were full of shock from Tom’s words.
“First of all, I’m not happy with Chrissie for not being entirely forthcoming with you. And misleading you. It wasn’t fair, and if I can say, very unlike her. I knew you were coming and yes, I knew Chrissie’s feelings for you. I did, Tom. I should have talked with her, called her out on it, before you arrived- so yes, I’m so sorry, too, Tom. I should have questioned Chrissie about us. Where would I fit in? I feel a bit foolish right now, actually,” I said, upset as I was.
“Chrissie fills a part of me that even I don’t understand. We’ve known each other for over five years, as she said, but it wasn’t until her divorce and she fell apart, that our feelings developed. She’s had to share me with David, so yes, I’ve been cheating, physically and emotionally, too. I’ve dealt with that guilt, believe it or not,” I admitted.
“Do I, could I, share Chrissie? Simply put, yes. The same way she has shared me with David all these years. If you weren’t here, would I leave David for her? I haven’t, have I? Do I want to be with Chrissie now that I WILL be free of David? I’ve given this so much thought, Tom. But yes, I would. Believe me, Chrissie is so, so complete when you’re here. I don’t truly think I alone can fill that void, I realize she needs, for whatever reason, the two of us. It’s like a yin/yang thing with her. But I don’t know how Chrissie can make this right between you two. I want her to, but I don’t know how,” I said, sadly.
“So, Tom. What do you want? Is it the trust issue? If it is, let me put your mind to rest. She’s in love with you. Sure, she’s had some relationships over the last three years but none, none lasted. I knew why, she was longing for you, for her lost love.”
“If she wasn’t so fucking scared and stupid, you would have been together years ago. She’s a scared little girl at heart, Tom. Sure, she’s so in control at work, but in her heart, she’s scared…and lonely. Her heart has been broken for years, because of you, and before Jack. I couldn’t and can’t fill that part, Tom. I tried, but