Page 21 of Triplet Tease

While I shopped for style and somethingflattering, Harry and Eton competed over who would wear the greatestnumber of clashing colors. Harry won, hands down, as he always does,but Eton gave him stiff competition. To be fair, although I wouldn’twear those clothes, they did suit my brothers.

It was while we were shopping that the worldstarted to tilt a little.

I don’t remember who started it, but both ofmy bright, colorful brothers started talking about us changing ourlives completely. Neither of them wanted to return to our old way oflife, and neither of them wanted to live in New York. It wasn’t asif they announced they were leaving me; they wanted the three of usto go together.

“Go where?” I asked.

“Travel. Volunteer at animal sanctuariesaround the world. Set up our own here in America. I don’t knowexactly,” Harry had said.

I looked at Eton to see if he had an answer.

“I want to do something more like what we’vejust been doing for the past six months, living closer to nature andmaking a difference in the world, rather than living in an apartmentin a megacity,” he replied.

“It’s easy for you two animal lovers todrop everything and go when you don’t have jobs. And I can’t denyit does appeal to me, too. If I could have stayed in Ecuador longer,I would’ve. But I have a job with our father. If I leave, I’ll beletting Dad down. He’s counting on me returning and taking on abigger role in the firm.”

Icouldn’t bring myself to suggest they go without me and give themmy blessing. I couldn’t imagine not having them in my life on adaily basis as they had been every day so far. I felt torn in twobecause I understood what they wanted; I wanted that life,aswell.But I didn’t want to let our father down.

Andthen, to pile on the pressure, Harry and Eton were quite specificabout not leaving me behind. If I insisted on living in New York,then they’d live there too. Naturally, as a wildlife photographer,Harry traveled for work,sometimeshewentaway for months at a time, but our apartment would still be his home.

Okay, that was one thing. We didn’t have tomake any rash decisions. We could go back to New York and think thisthrough.

But that was just the start. The day just gotweirder.

I said something about how we couldn’t expectto live together forever, as we’d eventually get married and havekids. We all wanted marriage and kids, and we’d talked about itbefore.

Eton and Harry looked at each other as ifthey’d been plotting something behind my back, and then Eton cameout with it. He suggested we get a girlfriend. One girlfriend.Between the three of us. One woman seeing all three of us at the sametime. And, no, not like the time the girl dated Harry and then shemoved on to Eton.

“You’re kidding,” I said.

“Sounds a good idea.” Harry accepted it ashe would if Eton suggested we get pizza for dinner.

Yeah, that was a great idea.

“What the fuck are you guys talking about?”

“Well, it’s like the three of us aremarried. We’ve been together our whole lives, and it works well forus,” Harry explained. “You agree with that?”

“Yeah.” I nodded cautiously.

“But we don’t want to become an old bunchof bachelors, right? One woman is more likely to fit into our liveswithout splitting us up far better than three women.”

“I can’t believe we’re having thisconversation while trying on shirts.” I shook my head. “Or thatyou two have been talking about this before now without me.”

Eton laughed at that.

“What’s funny?”

“Well, like you can’t believe Harry and Imight have talked about something without you, because we’re alwaystogether. That’s the point. How are we going to have any kind ofnormal relationship with a woman when we’re always with eachother?”

“I was laughing because I haven’t talkedabout this with Eton at all. We’re just on the same wavelength.”

“That explains the shirts. We’re going toneed a woman with eyesight problems or great sunglasses if you twoare going to wear shirts like those.”

“I’ll test this shirt on Siena today. I’mbringing her along for lunch. I don’t know if she’s the one, butshe might be. I really like her. Think about it when you meet her,guys.”

You’d think that was enough weirdness for themorning. My brother, offering up his new girlfriend to his brothers.You’d think it can’t get any weirder than that. It could, and itdid.

Eton went off to pick up his girlfriend whileHarry and I went to the arts center early as he was eager to meetSimon and Cedric, the photographers, before the crowds arrived forlunch.

---