Emersyn

Fowler hits play on the remote. The movie starts on the big TV screen. Valarie and I carry bowls of popcorn and plates of cookies to the couch. We sit down, one on each side of Fowler.

Fowler throws his arms around our shoulders. He grins from ear to ear. "Wow, what a day," he says. "First, I get to see you lovely ladies prancing around the beach in your tiny bikinis all day. And now, I get to cuddle with the two of you for a movie. Does life get any better?"

Valarie rolls her eyes but smiles. "Careful, Fowler. Your life's peaking too soon."

I giggle and add, "Yeah, don't spend all your luck in one day."

Fowler laughs, a hearty sound that fills the room. "With you two, I'm already the luckiest guy on Earth."

The movie rolls on, but none of us are really watching it now. The room is filled with the scent of popcorn.

"So, Fowler," Valarie starts, breaking the silence. "Em has told me a bit about you, but we've never really had the chance to chat. What do you do when you're not being a third wheel or playing video games?"

Fowler grins, his eyes sparkling. "Well, when I'm not charming beautiful women like yourselves, I work as a nurse at a pediatric hospital. I'm basically a big kid taking care of little kids."

Valarie looks genuinely interested. "That's awesome. I work at Willow Grove Medical Center. I'm a nurse, too."

"Yeah, Emmie told me," Fowler says. "Nurse buddies! We should totally trade war stories sometime."

Valarie laughs. "Only if you promise not to faint. Some of my stories are not for the faint of heart."

Fowler pretends to wipe sweat from his brow. "Phew, challenge accepted."

I chuckle, enjoying the easy banter between them. "Fowler, you have no idea what you've signed up for. Val's stories can be intense."

Valarie nudges me playfully. "Oh, come on, Em. Don't scare the guy off before we even get started."

Fowler looks at me, then back at Valarie. "I'm not easy to scare. Try me."

I feel Valarie's hand squeeze mine, still resting on Fowler's stomach. "You asked for it," she says with a wink.

Valarie leans in closer to Fowler, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "Well, there was this one time a patient came in with a—"

Just then, Fowler's phone buzzes. He picks it up and reads a message. His face turns serious for a moment.

"Sorry, guys," he says, standing up. "I've got to take this. Hospital stuff."

Valarie and I nod. "Go ahead," I say. "We'll pause the movie for you."

Fowler steps out of the room, phone pressed to his ear. His voice lowers as he talks, moving out of earshot.

I turn to Valarie. "He's a good guy, right?"

I need Valarie to like Fowler. They're my two best friends, and I need to know that my judgment of people isn't off. I did spend a large portion of my adult life in a relationship with Lyle. And if that doesn't say something about my judgment then I don't know what does.

I feel safe here, in this home, with these men. Even Marx, with his distance, I feel safe. I've never had a group like this. One where I felt like I belonged. I never had many friends growing up, besides Valarie. My home life was never that great, either.

Yeah, I was somewhat close to my brother and father growing up, but we weren't exactly a picture-perfect family.

Don't get me wrong, I love Val. She's my best friend. She knows me inside and out. Literally and figurately. But I can't make her the center of my life, if that makes sense. I would suffocate her with my needs.

These men, though, even though I don't know them as well as I know Val, feel like home. A real home. They each seem to complete something that was missing in my life. It's like my life puzzle is finally complete with all of them.

Valarie smiles, nodding. "Yeah, he is. And he keeps up with my banter, which is a plus."

I laugh. "True. Not many can do that."

Valarie's eyes meet mine. "Speaking of keeping up, how are you doing, Em? Really."

I take a deep breath. "I'm okay, Val. Today helped. Being around friends helped."

She squeezes my hand. "I'm glad. And whenever you're ready to talk more, I'm here."

Just then, Fowler comes back into the room. "Sorry about that," he says, sitting back down. "Where were we?"

Valarie grins. "I was about to give you nightmares with my nursing stories."

Fowler chuckles. "I'm ready. Scare away."

As Valarie launches into a story about a particularly tricky emergency case, I can't help but feel a sense of peace wash over me. Here I am, sandwiched between two amazing people who care about me. People who make me laugh and let me be myself.

As Valarie dives into another nursing horror story, Locke and Cruz walk out of the shared bathroom, both with water droplets on their skin.

"Hey, room for two more?" Locke asks, his eyes already glued to the TV screen.

Fowler pauses the movie and looks over at them. "As long as you can handle Valarie's nightmare-inducing nursing tales, you're welcome."

Locke grins and takes a seat on the floor, leaning back against the couch between Valarie and me. Cruz sits beside him, a warm smile on his face. "We're game," Locke says. "Besides, I've got a few wild stories of my own."

Valarie leans forward, intrigued. "Oh, do share."

Cruz laughs, looking at Locke. "You sure you want to go down that rabbit hole?"

Locke smirks. "Why not? It's a night for stories and friends, right?"

I feel a warmth spread through me at his words. Friends. Yes, that's what we are. And right now, that's exactly what I need.

"So, what's this movie we're diving into?" Cruz asks, glancing at the paused screen.

Fowler picks up the remote. "It's a classic rom-com. Perfect for a chill night in."

As the movie resumes, I find myself drifting in and out of the story on screen, more absorbed in the story unfolding right here in this room. The laughter, the shared glances, the way Cruz's hand occasionally brushes Locke's as they both reach for popcorn. It's like watching a dance—a dance I'm now a part of.

At some point, Valarie's head ends up on my shoulder, her even breathing telling me she's drifted off to sleep. Locke, too, looks like he's dozing, his head tilted back, a peaceful look on his face.

Fowler catches my eye and smiles, a soft, genuine smile that makes me feel seen, right down to my core. His hand finds mine, our fingers locking together. "This is nice," he whispers, so as not to wake the others.

I nod, my eyes meeting his. "It really is."

And for the first time in a long time, I feel at home. Not in a place, but among people. Friends who are quickly becoming my family.

And as I look around at these sleeping and semi-awake faces, I can't help but feel grateful. Grateful for friends who feel like family, and for this moment of simple, pure happiness.

I lean back into the couch, a contented sigh escaping my lips. Right now, in this moment, life is good. And that's more than enough for me.

Valarie stirs beside me, lifting her head from my shoulder. She blinks a few times, as if shaking off the haze of sleep. "I didn't mean to fall asleep," she says. I just smile at her.

The movie continues until we're finally at the credits. One of the guys, I don't see who, turns the tv back to the main screen.

"Are we watching something else?" Cruz asks, his voice slow and thick. A hint of an accent I haven't noticed slipping out.

Valarie's eyes narrow playfully as they land on the men around us. "Actually, I have a better idea," she begins, her voice tinged with mischief. "Since we're all here, I've got some questions."

I feel a twinge of embarrassment. "Val, no grilling."

She grins. "Oh, just some light, friendly interrogation. So, guys, what are your intentions with our dear Emersyn here?"

I feel my cheeks heat up. "Val, don't—"

She cuts me off with a raised hand. "No, Em, I'm serious. I've got to look out for you, especially after everything you've been through with Lyle."

My stomach clenches at the mention of his name. Yes, that's a part of me, a part I can't ignore. A part that makes me wary of my own judgment sometimes. I look at Fowler, Locke, and Cruz, each so different and yet all so deeply woven into my life in such a short time.

Fowler grins, not missing a beat. "I intend to make her laugh and be the best damn third wheel she's ever had."

Locke leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "I intend to offer her a different perspective, to help her see the world in a new light. And yeah, to make her smile. She does that too little."

Cruz simply smiles that warm, comforting smile of his. "I intend to be there, whenever she needs someone to lean on."

My heart swells at their words. I'm lost, trying to digest the beauty of this moment, of how open and raw everyone is being.

"And you?" Valarie points at me. "You comfortable with all this?"

Before I can answer, she adds, "Oh, and who's slept with her?"

My eyes go wide, and I let out a mortified laugh. "Valarie!"

"Come on, it's a fair question," she says, her tone unapologetic.

The men exchange glances. I wave a hand dismissively, trying to diffuse the awkwardness. "You don't have to answer that."

"No, it's okay," Fowler says, looking at Locke and Cruz for confirmation. They nod. "We've all been intimate with Emersyn, and we like it that way."

Cruz leans forward, his eyes meeting mine. "Locke and I have an open relationship. We believe that love, in all its forms, should be shared. I believe that Locke has too much love to give to just one person. And I love seeing him share that love with others."

Locke smiles at Cruz, then turns to me. "And I feel the same way about Cruz. And it's the same with you, Em. You have this incredible ability to make people's lives brighter just by being in it. Why would we ever want to limit that?"

I feel my eyes getting wet. It's too much. The room blurs as tears spill over, and for once, I don't care to wipe them away.

Fowler reaches over, gently wiping a tear from my cheek. "We all feel something deep for you, Em. And we don't want to restrain you from sharing that love, emotionally and physically. We love watching you brighten other people's lives. You've certainly brightened ours."

Valarie squeezes my hand again, her eyes shining. "See, Em? This is what I've been telling you for years. You have so much love to give. And you should share it with those who truly care about you."

The weight of her words, the weight of this moment, it's overwhelming. I've spent so long doubting myself, doubting my worth and my ability to be loved. And here I am, surrounded by people who not only love me but want me to spread that love freely.

My voice is shaky when I finally speak. "Thank you, all of you. I can't tell you how much this means to me."

Valarie smiles, pulling me into a hug. "You don't have to say anything, Em. Just be you. That's all any of us want."

As we pull apart, I look at each of their faces—Fowler's playful grin, Locke's thoughtful gaze, and Cruz's warm smile. And then there's Val, my rock, the constant in a life filled with variables.

"Okay," I say, my voice stronger now. "Let's hit play on another movie. I think we've had enough emotional revelations for one night."

Fowler grabs the remote, hitting play. But as the movie starts, it's clear that the real story, the one that matters, is happening right here in this room.