Page 259 of Better When Shared
I rushed outside, my eyes on my phone as I scrolled through my options, and collided with a small but surprisingly solid figure coming up my front path.
“Ai ya! Skylar! You almost knocked over your poor grandmother!”
I stumbled back, blinking in shock at the familiar form of my grandmother standing on my porch, stylishly dressed in a red silk tunic over black pants, her silver hair perfectly coiffed despite the island breeze.
“Nainai? What are you doing here?” I glanced back at my house, praying the guys would stay in bed and out of sight.
My grandmother adjusted her designer glasses and gave me a critical once-over. “I’ve come to check on you, of course! Three days with these men and no word. Your mother is worried.”
“Mom doesn’t worry about me,” I said, not even able to imagine my free-spirited hippie mom as a worrier. “Look, I’m in a hurry—”
“Did you choose yet?” She held her ground, blocking my escape. “The firefighter or the billionaire? Your mother is betting on the firefighter. Steadier, she says. But I don’t know, money sure is nice.”
I let out a strangled laugh. “Nainai, please, I really need to—”
“Why is your face so red? And your hair!” She reached up to pat at my tangled mess of hair. “You look like you just—” Her eyes widened with sudden understanding, darting to the closed door behind me. “Oh! Are they both still here?”
“Yes, they’re both still here,” I hissed, grabbing her arm to pull her away from the door. “And I need to get to a pharmacy right now.”
Concern flashed across her face. “You sick? I have ginger tea in the car. It’ll fix your stomach right away.”
“I’m not sick.” I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and decided to just get it over with. “We didn’t use protection, Nainai. I need a morning-after pill.”
There was a moment of silence, and I braced myself for shock, disapproval, a lecture about responsibility. Instead, Hui clicked her tongue and grabbed my elbow.
“Come on. My car is faster than yours.”
I stumbled after her, thrown by her matter-of-fact response. “You’re not... surprised?”
She shot me a look over her shoulder as she led me to her pristine Prius. “Surprised that young people have sex? I was young once too, you know. Your grandfather and I couldn’t keep our hands off each other.”
“No, I mean—” I slid into the passenger seat, face burning. “It was both of them. I’m with both of them. At the same time.”
Hui paused with her hand on the ignition, considering this. “Maybe if Makai hadn’t just found his happy ending with Hamish and Imogen I’d be more surprised, but that boy has been making knowing comments about your new, what is it the young people say? Throuple?”
She started the car and pulled onto the gravel road with surprising speed for a woman in her seventies.
“But you still need to be careful,” she continued, accelerating toward Friday Harbor. “They need to prove themselves trustworthy before you risk having a baby with them.”
I stared out the window, my mind racing. “They are trustworthy. I’ve known them for years. And after meeting them, I know they’re exactly who they’ve always been. Kind, protective, loyal.”
Hui glanced at me, her expression softening. “You love them both.”
It wasn’t a question, but I answered anyway. “Yes. I do.” The admission hung in the air between us, shocking in its simplicity and truth.
“Then be smart,” she said, patting my knee. “Use protection. Build a solid relationship before getting knocked up. Don’t they teach you kids anything in school anymore?”
I sank back in the seat, relief washing over me. “You’re taking this a lot better than I would have expected.”
She snorted. “What, do you think because I’m old, I’m closed-minded? Besides.” She paused as she flipped on her blinker, turning onto the main road toward town. “Two husbands mean twice as many people to take care of you and help you with my great-grandchildren. Very practical. Especially since one of them is loaded.”
“Nainai!” I yelped.
“What? You know me; I love babies. I was starting to worry there’d be no chance to be a great grandma before I die, but things are looking up!”
I shook my head, unable to stop the smile spreading across my face. “Do you really think we could do it long term? I mean, they’re both so different.”
She nodded sagely. “Balance is very important in life. Too much of the same causes problems, but differences balance each other out. Like yin and yang.” She glanced at me, her eyes twinkling with mischief. “So, do they both satisfy you?”
