The Bachelor

The bowls of pho remain untouched at your table as the question Tanya asked looms over the both of you. The waitress dropping off the food helped give you a few seconds to think of a way to phrase your answer without sounding like the greediest man alive, but you’re really drawing a blank here. You’re here because you want to explore a relationship with Tanya, while also hoping she’s okay with you having an existing relationship with Cassie.

Fuck… why didn’t you just buy ‘Normalized Polyamory’ first!?

“Should I just go?” Tanya breaks the silence.

“What? No! No. Tanya —” you pause, inhaling deeply, preparing for the consequences that may result from the words you’re about to say next.

“Tanya, I’m here because I had an amazing night last time. An amazing night for the first time in a long time. That includes even before the divorce.” She seems genuinely happy that that’s how you felt about your night together.

“I invited you to a date because maybe it doesn’t have to be just one amazing night. Maybe it could be more than that.” you add, hoping that your certainty in wanting a relationship with her would make her less confused about her own feelings for you too.

“And then what, Jay? You’ll date two girls until they fall in love with you? Then when the time comes you’ll give one of them a rose at the end of the show while the other one is sent packing?” Tanya asks, genuinely worried that the drama your greed will cause will end up like bad reality television.

“No, Tanya. That’s exactly what I don’t want to happen. I don’t want to choose. Cassie doesn’t want me to choose either. She’s encouraging me to not limit where I find my happiness. Similar to what you told me to do during our first night together.” Tanya smiles while releasing a huff upon hearing your reminder of what she said.

“I also said don’t fall for the first girl you fuck.” Tanya reminds you.

“She’s not the first girl I fucked.” Tanya just laughs that you had the nerve to use that as a technicality. “I know what you mean, but I couldn’t help myself. Not with her… and not with you.” You admit, and this sort of stuns Tanya. “A part of me would like to believe that a part of you can’t help yourself either.” you add, which makes Tanya smile and release a huff like before.

“Cassie believes you can make me just as happy as she does, if you and I are both willing to explore that. She believes I can make you happy too, but not just you. Both of you, together… and I agree with her.” You finally say, hoping that Tanya doesn’t take your greed the wrong way.

Tanya now inhales deeply, upon understanding that you have nothing more to say, possibly preparing her thoughts like you did earlier. “That was really sweet, Jay.” she says with a genuine smile on her face.

“I’m not gonna lie papi, that night, I thought you were just going to be a night of free drinks and possibly mediocre sex that I’ll forget the next day.” she says with a chuckle. “To my surprise, you were only one of those things.” which makes you chuckle now.

“So you did want me to pay that night. I feel so used!” You jokingly interject. “That’s why I wanted to pay for tonight!” She quickly defends herself. “Then you had to pick that pretentious ass restaurant!” she says with a laugh.

“I’m really sorry about that. I haven’t been there before and the girls and I just searched on the internet about romantic date spots around the city.” you admit, a bit embarrassed.

“Their bar sucked, but I bet that’s not what couples go there for; so don’t get me wrong, I don’t think the place was bad, it just didn’t feel right. The flowers didn’t feel right. I thought you were going to propose to me by the end of the night or something.” she explains, which makes you rub the back of your neck realizing you and the girls went overboard with your attempt to woo Tanya.

“But I get why you did all of that now.” she says, understanding that that was all in an attempt to show you how serious you actually were about her. “I’m sorry I was feeling weird when we were there. It was more than I bargained for, you know?” she says with a laugh.

“Honestly, all of this is more than I could have ever expected when I had that dinner with Stella and from what I heard from Brooke. What I thought was happening was that this Cassie was like a fuck buddy, and you were just going to ask me if I wanted to be one too. She’s obviously way more than that, based on the way you talked about her… and for some reason, that’s not worse… because it means what you have with her, you want to have with me too.” she adds, still laughing. It seems awkward not to laugh with her so you **** out an awkward laugh to join in, even though what she said sounded serious.

“I’m sorry about that papi. I’m just shocked, and I didn’t know what even is the proper reaction to what the fuck is happening right now. Plus, I thought it was just funny that I never even imagined —” she pauses, stretches her hand out across the table to reach for yours, and you respond by holding her hand, “Something better. This is way better.” she says with a genuine smile across her face, and you can’t help but smile too. You can’t believe how lucky you are that this didn’t go the million other ways this could have gone badly.

“Can I ask, does ‘you and the girls’ mean that Stella and this ‘Cassie’ helped plan all that?” Tanya asks. You nod. “Wow. She really does seem like she wants to share you if she’s openly helping you to woo another woman.” Tanya says. “Is that like a kink of hers or something?” she asks.

Good thing you weren’t drinking or you would have definitely done a spit take. “I-uh, I don’t know. I don’t think so. From the talks she and I have had, she just genuinely thinks I should explore my feelings with you too.”

“I know you have magic in your lips, but what kind of spell do you have this girl on?” she asks in disbelief that Cassie is open to you pursuing a relationship with another woman. You chuckle at the question unintentionally, before saying, “I honestly don’t know.”

It’s at this moment you’re happy that you didn’t buy the ‘Normalized Polyamory’ trait yet. Otherwise, you do know what spell you’ve cast on her and you know you’ll feel horrible about that.

“As happy as I am about this turn of events, papi, I can’t agree to what you’re proposing just yet.” she says, still with a smile, but not the wide happy grin she had before.

“I need to talk to your girlfriend first.”