A Lover's Decision

Chapter 23

Rhys and Rhyd stood in Rhyn's door and watched the pitiful lump in the big bed. They hadn't seen him all weekend, not since he'd left the house late Thursday night.

They'd heard him come back in the wee hours of Friday morning. Rhyd had seen him disappear into his room and had thought about checking on him. He'd been poised to knock on the door when he'd heard sniffling. He'd told Rhys, and they'd decided to leave him alone. Whatever had happened Rhyn needed time to process it before they even considered getting involved.

The bedroom door never opened during the day. The older and younger brothers looked at it every time they passed, hoping to see their brother. He didn't have to smile, didn't have to talk. All they wanted was to see his face. But he never emerged. He didn't eat for two days and they never saw hide nor hair.

When Sunday rolled around, they began to plot. It was Valentine's Day, and no one should be alone, especially when someone was dating someone. They knew Rhyn hated store bought cookies and cakes so they asked their mom to make extra ones when she made their dad's annual snacks. She didn't ask, but the knew she wasn't dumb. Luckily, their parents never really got involved unless it was absolutely necessary.

The boys gathered their snacks and went to the third brother's room. Rhyn was asleep when they opened the door. They quietly set up the snack table. Rhys put on "Star Wars" as Rhys turned on the baseboard lights. Then they climbed into bed with their brother.

Rhyn felt the change immediately. He'd felt cold, almost numb for the last two days. Now, his body felt at ease. He felt comforted. He snuggled into the warmth pressed against his face and held the hand wrapped around his waist.

The tears started flowing without his knowledge. A hand stroked his head soothingly. The pressure at his back doubled as if someone was trying to meld into him. So he buried his face in the shoulder under his cheek and cried.

Even though they'd hurt him, his brothers were the strongest people he knew. No matter how angry they got with each other, they always had each other's backs. If one was hurt, the others were there to comfort him. They were so in tune with each other, it didn't take long for them to find the source of the problem. Sharing a womb for seven months and always being together had formed that bond.

When he settled down, he turned to see what Rhyd was watching. Han Solo smiled cheekily on the screen. "Star Wars" was their favorite movie series collectively. When someone turned it on, they always watched together.

Rhyn untangled himself and went to the bathroom. He washed up as best as he could without showering. He noticed the table beside his bed laden with snacks and drinks. He grabbed some cookies then settled back in his spot.

Soon all three of them were eating and watching the movie like nothing happened. It wasn't that they didn't want to talk, but the two wanted Rhyn to bring it up. They didn't want to pressure him for fear he may shut down.

Rhys ended up with his head on Rhyn's lap and an arm over his legs. They were comfortable and content, but there was an air of trepidation around them.

The credits started rolling, but no one moved. They stared blankly at the screen as the theme drilled in the room.

"Why are you two alone on Valentine's Day?" Rhyn asked.

"Well, I'm not dating anyone," Rhys said.

"I just didn't make any plans," Rhyd replied.

The eldest brother sat up and wrinkled his nose. "How do you keep up with that? Do you have an open relationship or something?"

Rhyd nodded as he sipped his wine. "I've dated Dixon since high school, but I've been sleeping with Carmine since we started college. We have boundaries and sometimes all three of us are together. Dixon is on equal terms with Carmine and vice versa. It's taken a while to figure it all out."