Matters of the Heart

Chapter Nine- What's right?

~Eloise's point of view~

It's been three weeks since the game of truth or dare. I won't lie and say things weren't weird the first few days. They were. They were awkward and uncomfortable. But then, Nick and Tandy had a pool put in their back yard and had a barbeque, and things went back to normal.

We haven't talked about it, and we don't need to. We are all in great places, and we are happy. But, I do wonder if any of them feel the way I do. That night made me realize a bunch of things. I learned a lot about myself and them. We will all be friends forever; that game will not change us. I just need to decide what is right.

There is one huge common goal in all of this, and that is Zoey. She is the light of all of our lives. Tinley and Patrick Blaine are her parents, but Vance and I are solids in her life too. She sees the four of us every day. We all love her. We all owe that little girl our lives; all four of us were a little broken. She brought us together, and the puzzle was completed.

I know for sure we will never do anything like we did with the game again. We had our one and done. But, it did bring us all even closer. It brought a lot of questions for me. I know what I want. I know who I want. But I don't want to hurt people to make that happen. Hell, I don't even know if that person wants me. THAT is why my head is so fucked up.

We are all solid. We all are raising a child together. We're all comfortable. I don't want to be the one to rock the boat. So I won't be the one to tear what we have apart. I will keep everything I have going on in my head to myself. I need the three of them. I know we all needed each other. So I won't lose what we do have to for my shellfish needs.

Bruce: "Earth to Eloise..."

Eloise: "What?"

Bruce: "What the hell is up with you?"

Bruce is my partner. He has been since the day I got promoted to detective. He is gay and has been with his boyfriend since sixth grade. They adopted two special needs kids. He is amazing. Nosy but amazing.

Eloise: "What do you mean?"

Bruce: "As long as I have known you, I have never known you to space out like you have recently. Are things ok at home? Your sister, ok?"

Eloise: "My sister is in jail and will probably end up in prison for a very long time. She was found in a room with a minor that was dead from an overdose."

Bruce: "Damn..."

Eloise: "She made her choices. I did what I could until I couldn't anymore."

Bruce: "What about at home? The baby, ok?"

Eloise: "She is fantastic. She is getting so big. She is almost six months old now."

Bruce: "Damn, time has flown by."

He knows about my family. None of us deny each other; I have one picture of my sister and me. I have several of Zoey; I have two of the five of us together. Tandy took one at their pool, and Nick took the other one night when we all went out to dinner.

Eloise: "It has. She is going to be walking before we know it. But, unfortunately, I don't think any of us are prepared for it."

Bruce: "Maybe y'all should make more."

I laugh. That is very ironic; that is something we have discussed. The four of us know that we all want more kids. We know that we want to raise them all together. But, we haven't discussed how we are going to make that happen. Bruce Sighs loudly.