Nick showed up at the restaurant a little after Alyssa and Ryan, since he lived further out of town than they did. He greeted them both with a quick kiss before sitting down, and just as he got seated, Ryan piped up.
“How’s it going, man? Billy said you wanted to talk?” he asked. Alyssa lightly slapped Ryan in the back of the head. “While we’re curious,” she said, “what’s more important is how you’re doing.” she stressed slightly, giving Ryan a look, though she wasn’t mean about it.
“Honestly, I’m alright. A lot on my mind recently, which is why I wanted to talk. Though, how have you guys been? I know we talk on the phone and text, but we haven’t been able to see each other in a while, and I need to know.” he said, smiling at them both.
“Work’s been work.” Alyssa said. “Same old, same old. You worked security at the Montecito, you know what it’s like. Though, Danny asked me once if I could bring Chase back to work.” she said with a laugh.
“If he weren’t my support dog, I might allow it.” Nick said with a laugh. “Though I know damn well he’d get fat. Everybody feeds him too much.”
“Ryan smiled. “Well, he’s a good dog, he deserves it.”
“Not saying he doesn’t, but I want to keep him healthy, too.” he said, reaching down to pet the dog that sat next to him. After pets, Chase laid down, out of the path of other customers and wait staff.
“For my part,” Ryan began, then paused as a member of the wait staff came to take their order, starting up again once they left, “things at the outreach center have been going well. Other things with Charles are going well too. Oh!” he added, all excited now. “I was able to get my hands on some of that Spider-Man merch I’ve been dying to get for years. And, I found where I could get some of the things my parents had gotten rid of!”
Nick laughed a little. “That’s great, Ry. If you need help, let me know. You know I don’t mind.”
“Yeah, but I kind of what to do it on my own, you know?” he said.
“Yeah, I get it.” Nick responded.
“Okay nerd.” Alyssa said with a smile. “If I let you, you’ll go on for a couple of hours yet, and I don’t know about you, but I want to hear what Nick wanted to talk to us about.”
“Okay, okay.” he muttered.
“So, I don’t know how to bring this up with any sort of tact, so forgive me for that much, to start.” Nick said.
“Since when have you had tact?” Ryan joked. Alyssa swatted him.
“Hey, I’m better than Billy. Anyway, what Rick said at Thanksgiving has been weighing on my mind a little. Not in a bad way, just, it kickstarted trains of thought, you know?”
“So wait – you’re talking about Rick mentioning you getting married?” Ryan asked.
Nick nodded. “I’m not saying I’m asking – I’m just saying it’s something we should talk about at some point. Ry, you and I never got around to discussing our future after…things.”
“You and I have discussed it.” Alyssa mentioned.
“Yeah, but that was a few years ago, and before things changed.” Nick responded.
“Wait, you guys were talking marriage?” Ryan said, frowning a little.
“It’s in the past, Ry – don’t worry about it.” Alyssa explained calmly.
“Thing is, with circumstances being what they are… I really do want to know where you guys stand on the situation.”
There was so me silence at the table as their food was handed to them, and they took some bites, with Nick making sure to feed Chase a small bite or two of what had been ordered for him.
Alyssa was the first to speak up. “I’m still of the same mind I was last time we discussed. I love you, I’d love to make that commitment.” she reached across the table to take his hand. “You are the best thing that’s happened to me in a long time, Nick. It’s just – I feel like I need to make peace with my family before I commit – or at least have my abuela for the ceremony.” she said with a smile.
Ryan watched the exchange thoughtfully before speaking. “Without you both, I’m alone in this world. My parents are gone, I don’t have extended family…it’s just me. Our fight was the worst thing that ever happened to me, and I regret that – I really do. I don’t want to lose you again. I want to marry you, if that’s what you want.”
“What do you want, Nick?” Alyssa asked quietly.
“I want to be with both of you. You’re both important to me. You’re both…I love you. Both of you.” he answered.
“There’s two problems I see then.” Ryan responded. “Well, three, actually.”
“Which are?” Nick asked.
Ryan began ticking things off on his fingers. “Religion – I think we all have different backgrounds on that, and would have to compromise on what kind of ceremony. Legality – we should see if what Rick said about marrying multiple people is true. If it isn’t, is there a point?” he began to tick off the third, but was interrupted.
“Legally, if we can’t, my faith allows for a commitment ceremony.” Nick pointed out. “I know you were raised Christian, Ry – but I don’t know if that factors at all, at this point.”
Ryan shook his head. “It makes me feel connected to my father too much, so I divorced myself from it. At this point, I guess you could call me agnostic.” he turned to face Alyssa. “Lys, you’re Catholic, aren’t you?”
“Lip service only, if at all anymore.” she sighed. “It’s a connection to family, but after all the things I’ve seen…” she shook her head. “I just don’t think I can commit anymore. How can I?” she sighed. This time, Nick and Ryan both reached out to her. They sat back, eating a little more of their food before conversing more, after Alyssa finally speaking up and asking, “What’s the third point?”
“Lifespan.” Ryan said quietly. Everyone looked at each other, though silence reigned at the table for a bit, until Chase whined, trying to make sure people were okay. “Nick and I, if we continue to do as we are, are going to outlive you, Lys.” he said quietly.
“Is it so bad, if I get to be with the ones I love?” she responded.
“No, of course not.” Nick answered. “But at some point, it’s going to be hard on all of us.”
“Unless I get your health benefits at some point.” she said teasingly, then sighed. “It doesn’t matter to me.” she said honestly. “As long as I get to be with you.”
“I guess all that’s left now is to check that legality thing.” Nick said with a smile.
“What if it isn’t? You said something about a commitment ceremony? What’s that?” Ryan asked.
“It behaves a lot like a wedding – it’s just not referred to as one, and doesn’t carry the same legality as an actual wedding.” Nick explained.
“Sounds like the best solution.” Alyssa said.
“Lys…what would it take to do what you want? To reconnect with your family?” Nick asked.
“Probably showing up at the doorstep in Texas, if they even live there anymore.” she said with a sigh. “The only family member I still know the whereabouts of is my abuela, I can always ask her.”
“Is there anything we can do to help?” Nick asked.
“You mentioned taking me to Mexico sometime.” she said with a smile, but her expression changed to a more serious one. “Seriously, though, it should wait until after I talk to people. I don’t know how my family is going to take me reaching back out, let alone my being in a poly relationship. If they accept, they’ll definitely want to meet you. Then you get to contend with my brothers.” she said.
“Overprotective?” Ryan asked.
“A little.” she admitted. “I’m the little sister, after all. “
“Well, we can contend with that when it comes time.” Nick said. “For now, though, I’m just happy we’re all on the same page.”
“Well…I can think of one more thing to bring up.” Alyssa said.
“Uh-oh.” Ryan joked. She gave him a look.
“Do we close the relationship? Or leave it open?” she asked.
They all looked at one another. “I think,” Ryan began slowly, “that we keep it open? I mean, the point of an open relationship is to have new experiences – right? I mean, at least in our case.”
Nick nodded. “Just because we don’t have relations with others now, doesn’t mean we won’t want to later on down the line.”
“And at the heart, we’re committed to each other.” Alyssa said, getting where they were going. “Alright, I am good with this. But we have to keep the line of communication open, ok?”
“Agreed.” Ryan said. Nick followed suit with a nod. “Let’s finish up our lunch, and try to come up with a date night soon?” he offered.
“Sounds good.” Alyssa said.
“I’d rather a booty call before that.” Ryan mumbled. “What?” he said after a moment, realizing they were both looking at him.
“You owe me video if that’s the case.” Alyssa teased.
“Fine. I don’t mind.” he said.
“Okay okay. We’ll arrange date night and/or booty calls.” Nick said with a slight roll of his eyes and then a laugh.
The other two laughed a bit as well, and they finished up lunch, parting ways afterward in order to go about their respective business.