The Choice

The Deal

It has been three week since my date with Claire and my kiss with Laurel. The date was amazing and it made me realize that I really like her. The kiss with Laurel was scary and unexpected, but it made me realize that I really like Laurel too.
    
I haven't seen either one of the women in person since these encounters. But I have talked to the both of them everyday since then. I enjoy the conversations that we have and the relationships that we have built, but I feel awful for leading them on because I can't be with the both of them romantically. And I care about the both of them so much that I can't bring myself to hurt them.
    
So the only thing to do here is to put aside my romantic feelings towards the women, and break off our relationship leaving us to just be friends. I know that this will hurt me a lot given the fact that I haven't felt this good with someone since I was 15, but I know this is the right thing to do.

Kenzie: Hey you wanna come meet me at Cafe Rouge at 2?

Claire: Of course

Kenzie: Great 💞

~~~~~~~~

Kenzie: L you think you could come meet me for lunch today?

Laurel: Sure, what time?

Kenzie: 2 at Cafe Rouge

Laurel: Yeah that sounds great. That's one of my off hours. I can't wait to see you. 💟

Kenzie: Me neither 😽

*****

It's 1:50 and I'm waiting at one of the outside table at Cafe Rouge. This is a place I used to go with my best friends Kennedy and Andrea. We had so much fun here. Gosh I miss them so much. Andrea is at Yale to get a degree in criminal law so she can be a defense attorney, and Kennedy is at Harvard to get a medical degree so she can become a cardiothoracic surgeon.
    
I feel really bad that I didn't go to Juilliard this year. We all would have been together, or at least close to each other. But I really don't want to think about that right now. I am already sad about what I'm gonna have to do today. I don't need memories of my best friends making me even more upset.
    
I was snapped out of my thoughts by the voices of Claire and Laurel. "Hey," Claire said as she came to hug me and give me a kiss on the cheek. She sat down on my right side. "Laurel," I said getting up to meet her halfway.
    
"Who is this McKenzie?" Laurel asked making eye contact with Claire. Claire stood up and shook Laurel's hand, "I'm Claire Bennett." "I'm Laurel Miller," Laurel said with a polite smile. "Umm ... can we sit down, I kinda need to talk to you guys," I said solemnly. "Yeah," the two women said at the same time.
    
The waiter came over to our table and asked, "Can I get anything for you ladies?" "I'll take a white chocolate mocha frappé," I said feeling Claire dragging her foot up my leg underneath the table. I jump at the sudden touch and turned to her. She had a devilish smile on her face. She was doing this on purpose to get a rise out of me. And with my bad luck it was working. "I'll have a sweet tea lemonade," Laurel said grabbing my hand. God you would think since we were in public they would calm down with the touching. "And I'll have a caramel macchiato," Claire said to the waiter.
    
"Will that be all?" he asked. I looked up at him with a smile and said, "I think so." "Great it'll be right out." I watched him as he walked away. "So," Claire said while playing with the rings on her fingers, "what do you need to talk to us about hun?" "Ugh ...," I said trying to think of how to put this. "Is everything ok at home Kenzie?" Laurel asked me concerned. "No, no that's not it ...," I said fading off again.
    
"I really like the both of you a lot," I said with a smile. "When I'm with you I can't help but laugh and smile." "That's great," Claire said softly. "Yeah, but I have feelings for the both of you that are more than just feelings you have for friends," I said looking down at my hands. Claire and Laurel were staring at me intently.
    
"And because of these feelings I realized that I care too much about you two to hurt you," I sighed. "Mckenzie what are you saying," Laurel asked. I looked into her eyes sadly and said, "I'm saying that I have to cut off all the romantic ties with you, so that I don't hurt either of you." Claire grabbed my attention suddenly, "So you want to just be friends?" "Yeah," I sighed, "I'm sorry."
    
The both of them looked shocked. It was agony having to go through this. "Here I'm gonna leave, so that you two can think about this," I said while pulling some money out of my wallet. "This should be enough to pay for your drinks and some lunch." I got up with tears in my eyes and whispered, "I'm so sorry."
    
I was halfway down the street when Claire yelled, "Wait!" I turned around slowly hoping that she was just gonna tell that I had left my phone. I walked back to the table and she said, "Please sit back down, I have an idea but I'm not sure how y'all will feel about it."
    
I sat back down and sipped my drink silently. "What's your idea?" Laurel asked. "I say we give you a year to decide. That way if you really do like us by then you will know who you love and care about the most," she said. "Claire ...," I started. "What do we have to lose?" Claire laughed. "A whole year of your life that you won't ever get back," I stated.
    
"I agree with Claire," Laurel interjected. "What?" I groaned. "Yeah, I feel like a year is enough time for you to get to know us and make a decision," she said. Claire smiled then and said, "And who ever isn't picked should be able to accept it and move on."
    
"Is this what you guys really want to do?" I questioned. "Yes," they stated firmly at the same time.