••••

"Can I offer you some tea?" Nancy asks. I turn around, wondering for a second why she doesn't seem bothered by the tension surrounding her daughter. Then I remember the switches I'd made in her forever ago. After our trip to my mom's house, I realize her contentment switch applies to anything I do, and I guess, by extension, that applies to Stephanie.

I only hope Stephanie goes easy on Tina.

"No, thanks," I tell the older woman. We sit down to talk about minor stuff, but my mind is nowhere on the conversation. As she natters away, my mind wanders to past escapades with her and her daughter. I think about how I used my ability on her and how things have ended up how it was now.

"Nancy," I interrupt her mid sentence. She contentedly lets me. "Are you happy?"

"Of course," she answers without hesitation.

"I mean, with everything that your daughter and I have done, as well as with you?" I press, struck by a sudden need to know.

"Where is this coming from, Nick?" the older woman asks, and I can hear a note of concern in her voice.

"It's just that most people would have some kind of issue with the things we've all done, and I want to know if you're okay with everything," I explain.

Nancy studies me for a moment before giving me an answer.

"A lot of people can think what they want to think. If you concern yourself with what other people think, Nick, you will never be happy."

She takes a sip of her tea before continuing. "I might once have had a problem with it, but Tina and I are closer now than we've ever been. You ask if I'm happy, and the answer is yes. What I think you're really asking is are YOU happy?"

I'm stunned by the depth of her words.

Is she right? I think I'm happy, but then again, the knot in my stomach over what Tina must be feeling upstairs suggests otherwise. Stephanie makes me happy when I'm with her, but her attitude lately has soured things somewhat. Of course, Tina and Loveth make me happy as well.

When I first discovered I had the ability with my switches, I thought my life would be made, but it has turned out to be a lot more responsibility than I ever wanted. I recall a line from the Wheel of Time series. Death is lighter than a feather, duty heavier than a mountain. Only now do I truly understand what that means. It would be so simple to just shrug my shoulders, ignore the coming demons, and go wild with my ability, conscience be damned.

"Nick," a soft voice from atop the stairs breaks my concentration, "will you please come up here?"

I turn to see Stephanie and Tina standing side by side, their expressions blank as they wait for me. I thank Nancy for her advice before heading up the stairs to follow the two women into Tina's room.

Once inside, the women have me sit on the bed. They sit on either side of me, Stephanie on my left, Tina on my right. I'm surprised when they each grab one of my hands, and Stephanie starts speaking.

"Nick, we've been talking." I nod. Of course they've been talking. I don't see any broken furniture, scratch marks, or forming bruises that would indicate a fight, and I haven't heard screaming, so what else would they have been doing?

"Stephanie explained to me what she told you today," Tina says next. I turn to face her. It occurs to me that the women might have set up this seating arrangement so that one is always behind me, keeping me off balance. It only adds to my apprehension.

"And Tina told me what you mean to her." I have to turn again so that I'm facing Stephanie. "And we've agreed that it isn't right for me to have you all to myself."

My jaw feels like it hits the floor. This is the last thing I expected, especially after the way Stephanie acted at school earlier and even at work.

"We know you're destined to be so much more with your ability, Nick," Tina says, ignoring my shock. "Stephanie told me about the demons. After what happened with Dan, I understand why you kept that from me."

She did? Stephanie had no right to break my confidence on that matter. I feel my face go red as anger starts to rise from my gut.

"Is there anything else you decided to talk about behind my back?" I ask coolly. Okay, maybe it was a bit more heated than I intended, but dammit. She had no right.

"Just this," Stephanie says, placing her hand on my chest. I feel Tina's hand at the same time. I have just enough time to wonder what she means before they both push me back. Before I have a chance to even yelp, I see the two women lip locked together over me.

Anger flees in the face of confusion. I was certain Stephanie had wanted to talk to Tina about me dumping her, but now I find the two women kissing.

"Someone want to tell me what in the world is going on?" I ask, trying to get my emotional bearings.

They break the kiss, and two sets of beautiful eyes look at me, one set hazel, the other blue and surrounded by long lashes, as they giggle.

"Isn't it obvious?" Tina asks.

"We decided to become good friends," Stephanie pipes in right afterward.

"But why?" I demand to know.

"Nick," Stephanie says, "Tina told me what you did for her and how much you mean to her. She told me about what you did to Dan. I realized I'm being selfish with you and that you deserve better than that from me. I really hope you'll forgive the way I've been acting. The whole thing with Mary really got under my skin, but that's no excuse. You're under a lot of stress over the coming demons, and there I was causing even more. Your actions have more than proven how you feel about me. Can you please forgive me?"

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