Chapter 7: The Guys

This was a set back. Nothing had ever separated the guys in their lifelong friendship. Nothing and no one could, or so they thought up until this moment. But this was the first big challenge to their strong bond of friendship and brotherhood.

How would they weather this storm, they wondered? Just like always, it was best for them to come together to work it out instead of breaking apart to try to resolve the dilemma alone. This dilemma did not involve an idea or money, but a person. Her name was Laura and each guy was falling for her in his own way.

Don, a handsome African-American man with a clean cut look and shaved head, was known for being a party boy. For him, Laura represented that long ago feeling of love that he once married for. This had been a marriage which was destroyed by a nasty yet financially beneficial divorce in Don’s favor. Since then he had stuck to the club scene and kept all women at arm’s distance. He felt it was better that way so that he would not risk his heart again.

He would be the first to agree that he was probably guilty of looking for love in all the wrong places and being a serial dater of club women exclusively. For the first time ever he believed that Laura could be the woman that reawakened him to love.

Alex, a cute Latino man with dark curly hair, was the quiet thinker in the group. He definitely believed that Laura could be the one. She was so easy for him to talk to; she was also an artist like himself. She was not as successful financially, but he definitely wanted the chance to make beautiful music together with Laura for the rest of his days. He was tired of writing about characters in his books and movies finding love and experiencing romance and passion when he was not doing the same. Living vicariously through his creativity was getting old and stale.

He did not want to break the lifelong bond of friendship he had with Don and Ricky. Nevertheless, a life with Laura as his leading lady in it would no doubt be a welcome next chapter.

Then there was Ricky, a fiery red headed Caucasian man with a powerful muscular build, the leader of the trinity and the first one to make it big financially.

“Laura, Laura, Laura, why for art thou Laura”, he thought as he smiled just thinking about her striking beauty, definite talent, and the brief, but enjoyable quantum energy he felt when they first embraced.

Yes, he was the total package, but a woman like Laura was a rare find. She could be a partner to go through life with, shouldering ups and downs, and celebrating victories and successes.

Intermission was almost over. Each man had grabbed two drinks from the bar. One drink was to strengthen their courage to find and talk with Laura and the other drink was to share with her. Back and forth, back and forth, each spent the 15 minutes evaluating their feelings for her and internally developing a battle plan to win their, until now unknowingly, shared lady love. The lights flickered, indicating that they should return to their seats for the rest of the program.

“Come on, guys,” Ricky said. “She’s not coming out. Let’s go back and enjoy the rest of the concert.”

As if on some cosmic dare, Laura appeared, emerging from the ladies’ room. Her long, silver hair hanging over her left shoulder and her gray eyes taking stock of the fact that all three of her suitors were talking with one another.

Not wanting to get too involved with acknowledgements, questions, greetings, or explanations, she played the role of an upbeat innocent. Inside she was wondering how these three men all seemed to know each other. That was a mystery that would have to be saved for later.

“Thanks for coming, guys. I’ve got to go back on stage. Hope you are enjoying the concert. See you later,” she said lightly, almost floating through the crowd.

“Laura,” they all called after her, a blur of silver, white, and black rushing away from them to take up her cello once again.

“What was that?” Alex asked, dizzied by her blur.

“That, my friends, was the object of our affection. That was the lovely Laura,” Don stated, trying to disguise the fact that he was even more determined to compete with them to be the sole object of hers.

“She’s my cafe conversationalist,” said Alex.

“She’s my employee,” explained Ricky.

“Who and what she is remains unresolved. Let’s hurry. We’ll work this out later. She’s about to perform,” Don asserted.

Truth be told, none of the guys were as focused on the music as on the musician after the intermission. Laura, however, poured every feeling from the past few days into her music as she felt the hot presence of three pairs of male eyes on her.

She was not sure how she should feel. Excited that she had met these different men? Guilty that she liked all three? Or curious about how and why all three of them were together at this event’s intermission? Did all three really know each other? What a bizarre coincidence, she wondered.

None of that mattered for the next hour. This was her moment professionally and personally and she was going to play her heart out. The three men were new and uncertain, but her ambition and talent as a cellist were tried and true.

This time there would be no escaping them. Nor did Laura want to. Honestly she was falling for each, but not sure about how she would like to proceed. She needed an outside of the box remedy for an age old problem: multiple gentleman suitors and one lady.

The quartet played three encores after their last piece and she was drained. Despite not feeling up to it after her brilliant, although emotionally consuming performance, she saw them coming toward her in the lobby where the intermission had taken place, and her heart skipped three beats. “Here we go,” she mused.

“Hi guys. Thanks for coming to this event and supporting my performance with the string quartet. Are introductions in order?” Laura asked while kissing each man on both cheeks.

“No.” said Alex quietly.

“I had no idea you all knew each other. What a surprise,” Laura explained.

“Nor did we know you knew all three of us,” Don stated matter of factly.

“Small world to say the least,” quipped Ricky. “When I told you to invite some friends, I never expected that you would have invited two of mine.”

“Would it have made a difference?” Alex inquired.

“I’m not sure. I guess you all have discovered by now how you each know me,” Laura responded.

“Definitely,” Don answered.

“Well, please fill me in, guys. You are each so different. How do you...?” she said trailing off mid thought, trying to figure out the best way to articulate then determine who they were to each other.

“How do we know each other?” Ricky completed her question.

“Yes. How?” Laura continued.

“We are life long friends. We grew up together in the foster care system and have stayed together ever sense. You see...” Don said, gearing up to provide their life stories for Laura.

“Cut the small talk, Don. I think we all should address the pink elephant in the room,” Ricky exclaimed.

“Right,” Alex chimed in.

“Who do you want?” Don cut to the chase.

“Okay, maybe I would not have been so blunt, but that gets to the heart of the matter.” Ricky said apologetically. “You are a lady and we are gentlemen. I defer to your decision.” He finished, a master of decorum although not necessarily so successful with matters of the heart.

“Well, I don’t know. I just met each of you and only now I’m putting all the pieces together as you three also must be doing. I don’t think I could choose.”

“Then don’t choose yet. Date all three of us.” Ricky decided, surprising Laura and himself with his other two friends nodding in full agreement.