The Billionaire Throuple

Nehemiah Jones

This is my first time on a plane and man, I hope it's worth it. I started feeling sick the moment the damn thing crept into the sky. Sammy gave me Dramamine, but it hasn't kicked in yet and I can't get that stuffy feeling in my ears to go away.

Don't get me wrong, I'm hyped about going to Cali, but I still don't like having things paid for and it means I can't spend New Year's with Mom and Scoot. I would've said no, if it wasn't for a good cause, the best cause. I gotta be here to support Andreas. No, I want to.

At the same time, if this trip doesn't improve his mood, I dunno how much more I can take. It's hard for me to even say this 'cause it's an unwinnable side, given what Andreas went through, but I gotta get it off my chest. I ain't saying he doesn't deserve to be sad. Be sad forever, but that can't be me.

More importantly, I can't be around it all the time. I know y'all heard about 'surrounding yourself with positive energy'. There is so much truth to that. The last couple weeks have been hard. He had me feeling sad, moping around, over the holidays. The only time I felt decent was on Christmas, when I wasn't with him.

I'm gonna say one more thing and then I ain't gonna speak on it again. If I went to war and lost my arms and legs, but survived, I wouldn't spend my time being sad or feeling sorry for myself. I'd either end it right there or live life to my 'no-limb having ass' fullest.

Andreas has all his limbs. It's been five years, he won't go to therapy or take meds, so he ain't helping himself. Tell me how to deal with that. Go on, tell me. 'Cause I bet y'all ready to cast stones for not being sensitive and patient, but you can't help someone who won't help themselves. But look, I'm here, ain't I?

Sammy bumps his shoulder against mine and hands me a plastic bag that's rolled up. "In case you have to eject." He mimes throwing up.

I play dumb. "Don't you think I'm gonna need a little more than this if the plane goes down?" I hold it over my head like a parachute. He laughs. Mission accomplished.

Sammy and I get along perfectly whenever Andreas ain't around. I hate myself for saying that, but it's the truth. If Andreas is sad, Sammy is sad, just like I overheard him say. I wish there was something I could do, but other than what we're doing, I'm stumped. I really hope this works 'cause I miss how Andreas was before, I really do.

And I love him. I mean that, despite everything I said. On his best days, he can be the funniest, coolest person in the world. On those days, I like him at least as much Sammy. I try my best to hang on to those, to remember, but they're few and far in between. Still, I wouldn't really leave out, not for that. I'm just venting.

Sammy slips his hand into mine and takes a deep breath. "This trip is going to be transformative for all of us, not only for Andreas," he says, "We're going to have an amazing time. I'd like for you to think of it as a renewal of sorts, where after, we forget about the past two or so weeks." He turns to look me dead in my eyes. "Will you do that for me?"

I nod. Honestly, as long as this works or has some impact on Andreas, he ain't gotta worry about me harboring resentment. That ain't me. He exhales and holds a hand against his chest, like he was worried I might've given a different answer. He knows me better than that and I know him well enough to know he's acting.

Sammy digs around in a leather satchel with tassels hanging from it. It's a purse and he knows it. Andreas got him wearing it. It's convenient, not gonna lie, but I ain't confident enough to run around with a purse.

Sammy opens his hands, revealing a white, felt ring box. He holds it in his palms, presenting it to me. "This isn't a proposal. Well, not in the marriage sense. I don't mean to scare you, but I'd like if you wore it for me, as a promise."