Customer Satisfaction

by Cheryl Dragon

  “Go? I’m going?” Fisher asked.

  “He’s right. If you can’t or won’t move into the farm and get honest with your family, you’ll have to go. We’re not going to live in the shadows or hide from your family.” Damon patted Fisher’s hand.

  “I did the right thing. I know you don’t believe me, but I broke things off with Lizzie and Byron because I couldn’t face that.” Fisher downed half his beer.

  “Now you’re back with her again. This has been most of our fights.” Byron looked at Luke and Damon. “It’s not the new stuff, it’s the old stuff. Him cheating as an excuse to break up with me and Lizzie. I’m not quite over that choice yet.” Byron wanted to be, but Fisher chose the easy way instead of the right way.

  “You have to grow up, Fisher,” Luke agreed.

  “Fine. I’ll take over Byron’s apartment, and he can move in with you guys. Does that make you happy?” Fisher asked.

  “And lie to your family that we’re living together instead of telling the truth? What’s so hard about telling them you like girls, too?” Byron marveled at how Fisher could find a way to wiggle out of any rough patch.

  Fisher kept his voice low to avoid being overhead. “Now it’s not just women and men. Now it’s gone beyond that I’m bisexual, now it’s three men, not just one plus a woman.”

  “As if we’re the only group in town.” Damon gestured to Ashley, Lizzie’s friend, and her four men a few tables away.

  “I know, but there are still some conservative traditional families in Lucky Springs. We’re not all raised that it’s okay to hop in bed with four people or go to the sex parties.” Fisher folded his arms defiantly.

  “If you don’t want to move in with us, fine. You need to keep your distance, in that case. If you see no future in this relationship then back away, so we don’t get hurt,” Damon said softly.

  “Fine. So that’s how it is?” Fisher finished his beer and looked at Byron. “You’ve got at least a few months left on that lease. Why not sublet it to me and move your stuff into the bee farm? Why do you care if it’s a cop out or not? If we’re done, you’re not lying to my family. It’s my situation. Not your problem anymore. I’ll tell them you moved out,” Fisher said.

  Byron felt the anger and pain from his ex. “Fine. You’re right there. I don’t care what your family knows or thinks. Of course, if they call me and ask if we’re together—I will tell them the truth.”

  Fisher tensed but finally shrugged. “You do what you want. Being dumped by you will only make them feel sorry for me. But you’re right, it’s time I had my own place. Let’s go set up the sublet, and you can start packing. If you’re really sure you want to do this, that is.” Fisher stood up and headed for the cars.

  “You don’t have to move in now. Don’t let Fisher throw ultimatums at you. He’s passive-aggressive crazy.” Luke shook his head.

  “He feels as if he’s being singled out and attacked,” Damon said.

  Byron saw both of their views. “Fisher is the only one making trouble now. He’s controlling the group by not fully participating and keeping his secrets. It’ll take more than a day to pack my stuff. Maybe a week or so to get packed and moved.”

  “You can still stay with us, and we’ll help you work on it. Even if Fisher is there,” Luke said.

  Byron shook his head. Ten years down the drain like this wouldn’t work. They’d started as a couple, and they needed to work through it that way. He had enabled Fisher during their time together, and now he had to be the one to stand firm. “Fisher and I have a lot of history and we need to work through it. Good or bad, we need the resolution. I’m going to take a week or two and sort stuff out with him while I pack. I need to figure out if that chapter of my life is totally closed off or if Fisher will make the right decision. I can’t give up on him yet.”

  “Seems as if he’s made his decision.” Damon’s shoulders slumped.

  “I’m sorry.” Byron kissed Damon’s cheek. “It’s more about the drama. He wants people to chase after him and give in.”

  “So you’re going to do just that?” Luke asked.

  “No. I’m going treat him as if he’s an adult and not my boyfriend for once. When it was just the two of us, it was like The Bird Cage, and I had to be Robin Williams. Fisher could fuss and carry on because I was there. Now things are different. They changed with Lizzie, and he never adjusted fully. So maybe he won’t fit in with us? He needs to see I don’t want to fit in with his game anymore. I want this. I just need to take care of my last relationship first. It was a sudden and odd breakup.”

  “He should stay with the group and face it. Both of you should. We all need the truth. That breakup wasn’t all you think it was,” Damon said.

  Byron smiled. “Don’t worry. Fisher was crying for help. Cheating was the easiest way to throw a major problem so he could be out. I’m really giving him what he wants finally. I love Lizzie for trying to make it work and grow the group. She tried to get us to all play nice and heal the past, but we can’t force each other to change.”

  “It’s good to clean up the old mess. We’ll be waiting. It’ll probably be better without Fisher’s drama.” Luke nodded.

  “Maybe,” Damon said.

  “Thanks. I’ll be home soon. I won’t let him drag this out.” Byron left, hoping Lizzie wouldn’t forget about him or hate him for the choice. The Stinger brothers understood and wanted what was best for the group. Byron didn’t want to be a spare man. It wasn’t an easy choice.

  * * * *

  The next day, Lizzie was at home with the Stinger brothers. She hadn’t officially moved in, but she’d taken over some space, and they were planning a weekend to transfer her things. She was disappointed the other two hadn’t come back with them. However, Fisher’s trouble-making seemed to be a huge hurdle. If he wasn’t ready to get over it just yet, they had to accept it.

  The fact that Byron was packing up to move in made her smile. Still part of her worried he’d give in and stay with Fisher instead of choosing them. She didn’t want to give up on Fisher either, but she wasn’t going to wait forever for her life to begin. The guys were on the phone with some bee emergency, so she wandered into the office and started straightening it up. Files were everywhere along with notes about office supplies that needed to be bought. She sat down and started making it a workable space again.

  An hour later, the brothers wandered in.

  “What did you do?” Luke asked.

  “I organized. You guys need a keeper.” She smiled.

  “You’re amazing!” Damon kissed her.

  “We have to go help an exterminator. They got in over their head. Bees took over a massive old tree, and they need another mobile bee hive.”

  “Sure. Go save the bees. The honey business is good.” She kissed them each on the cheek.

  “Actually, selling bees alone is a good business. With all the pesticides killing them off, we make more sending out live pollinators than honey. We should hire you,” Damon said.

  “We’ll talk about it later. If we get all these bees, that’s a huge bump in our profits for this month.” Luke winked at Lizzie. “We’ll steal you away from that boring customer service job when we get back. You should invite Zoe and the baby over for lunch or something. Don’t stay here bored.”

  “Just go and wear those bee suits!” She smiled and waved as they headed out.

  She sat down and wondered if they were serious. Moving in here was a definite on her to do list, she had some clothes and personal items, but otherwise they weren’t in a rush. The idea of leaving Crystal alone was the only thing that made Lizzie drag her feet a little. Once Byron moved in, she’d be in for good. Of course, she’d really miss Fisher because there was no doubting it’d be over then. Luke wasn’t one to play games and Byron was stronger now, too. She liked him more when he was with the Stinger brothers.

  A distraction was the perfect answer. She called Zoe up and headed over, picking up lunch on the way.

  The
guys were busy outside on some project and gratefully took the café-made sandwiches before Lizzie went inside. Zoe got to eat hers while Lizzie cuddled the bundle of cuteness.

  “You’re a lifesaver,” Zoe said.

  “You have four men out there ready to help, too.” Lizzie chuckled.

  “I know, and we all take turns at night. I just can’t stand to let her out of my sight.” Zoe grinned. “Thanks for not strangling me over moving the baby shower.”

  “You’re going to have everything you need by the time we have it.” Lizzie felt bad, but Zoe had a control freak side you didn’t argue with.

  “I want to know little Poppy is healthy before I pass her around to all those people. All those germs. She’ll catch the plague.”

  “First-time moms are so nervous,” Lizzie said, then baby-talked to the little one. “The next one you’ll be glad to pass off as a football.”

  “Next one? I don’t know about that. One is enough. Since when do people have a dozen kids?” Zoe took a long drink of lemonade and then dished out more pasta salad.

  “I have a bunch of siblings, not to mention little cousins. The first one is padded in bubble wrap, and the mom always has an eye on them. The second one, you’ll be glad to have your hands free and sit back for a minute.” Lizzie smiled. “I babysat plenty. Trust me. And you have to have one more, or she’ll be spoiled rotten.”

  “What do you mean? I was an only child and not spoiled.” Zoe finished her sandwich and eyed the cookies.

  Lizzie felt bad. Zoe’s childhood wasn’t the most stable or happy, but she’d put it past her. “Your dad wasn’t in the picture. Poppy here has four plus you. If she doesn’t have a little sister or brother to share with, she’ll be a little brat in no time.”

  The grin on Zoe’s face wasn’t the reaction Lizzie had expected. “Yeah, she will.”

  “One more won’t kill you.” Lizzie touched the baby’s button nose.

  “No, but I think I’ll take a little rest before I try to get pregnant. Poppy was a surprise.” Zoe took a drink and stretched out on the couch. “What about you? Two guys then none and now four? Is it settled yet?”

  Lizzie sighed and shook her head. “Sort of. I think I’m going to move in with the Stinger brothers, and Byron is coming, too.”

  “No Fisher?” Zoe asked.

  “You always thought he was immature,” Lizzie said.

  “He is. That doesn’t mean he’s not hot.” Zoe laughed. “Baby hormones. I hate to think of him alone. I want you to be happy and have all the men you love.”

  “Well, Byron is trying to sort out his past with Fisher so they can move on as well. They had a lot of time together. Fisher may never grow up. I want him to, but I can’t force him.” Lizzie rocked the baby and wanted one of her own. This visit was wonderful and helped her truly focus on her future, as opposed to Fisher’s.

  Chapter Seven

  Fisher helped Byron pack up the last closet. Sorting through their years of stuff made him sad. It’d only been a week alone with Byron and already things were settled, except for signing the sublease.

  They were both missing Lizzie and the brothers. While it was nice to have Byron to himself, Fisher knew Byron would no longer be happy with only one boyfriend. Things had changed forever, starting with Byron sleeping on the couch.

  Being without the others for the past week had crystallized a lot of things in Fisher’s mind. Even having Byron there wasn’t as if it were old times. Byron had changed and was clear about his choice to move in with the Stingers. They’d sorted their belongings, a tour of their ten years together.

  As much as Fisher loved Byron, he missed Lizzie and the Stingers so much it hurt. Deep down, Fisher knew his mother, father and siblings loved him, and in the end, it’d be okay. He had to face his family and tell them the truth. It wasn’t too late to fix things with Byron and patch up his own family. The one where he wasn’t a child but a full partner whose voice was heard.

  “I’m sorry I used you, clung to you,” Fisher said.

  Byron’s eyebrow lifted. “If you don’t want the apartment, it’s fine.”

  “You’re right, I don’t want the apartment. All alone after living with you and then spending so much time with the group. I can’t face it. I know you think I went to my sister’s because I’m immature or lazy, but I knew we’d just fight, and I didn’t want to be alone.”

  “Maybe you should be alone for a while?” Byron suggested.

  Fisher shook his head. “You don’t get it. It was me and a bunch of sisters and Mom. Dad was always distant. I think he knew I was gay. I wasn’t the kid he wanted. So I worked harder to be close to my mom and sisters. I don’t want my family to walk away from me.”

  “I got that feeling from your dad. You can’t live for their approval.” Byron sat at the old kitchen table.

  “I know. Maybe it’s because we were together since high school, and they knew you back then. They knew us both as kids, so we were okay. I couldn’t face my family when Lizzie came in.” Fisher had to be strong and get clear before he had the dreaded talk with his parents.

  “She isn’t worth it?” Byron asked.

  “That’s not what I meant. I love her. I actually thought my dad might be proud or whatever if I was into girls. I didn’t want him to say I should give you up or go straight or something.” Fisher shook his head.

  Byron hugged him. “You worry about it all too much. Do what makes you happy and be honest. Stop trying to please people. Me, Lizzie, your parents, anyone.”

  “You and Lizzie probably hate me,” Fisher said.

  “No. If we hated you, we’d never have gotten involved in any way with Damon and you. We all love you and wanted this to work. You can’t keep us all a secret.” Byron put distance between them and went through the kitchen once more.

  “I need to tell Lizzie why I cheated then.” Fisher had a place to live alone if no one wanted him. There was no reason not to put all his crap out there and see who rejected him.

  “Tell her? You cheated. Why go into it again?”

  “She needs to know it was because I couldn’t face my family about being bi. I didn’t want to hurt either of you. I didn’t want to cheat. I acted out because Damon was letting me talk about stuff without pressure or expectation. It was just a friendship at first.” Fisher now understood he had been using Damon, who was new to the drama, to let him delay reality.

  “You cheated. I knew why. I think she does, too.” Byron didn’t seem that impressed.

  “There’s a little more to it than you know. First, I need to go deal with the parents.” Fisher grabbed his keys. Before he’d have asked Byron to go with him, but not this time. Fisher had to handle this all alone and hope people accepted him and forgave him for all the fear and drama he’d created. No way could he start off a new life with a group having any lies.

  * * * *

  The next day during the lazy Saturday afternoon, Lizzie curled up on the couch with Damon and Luke. She had missed Byron and Fisher, they all did. But it was great to not have the tension of what ifs.

  The sound of a car pulling up made them all look up. Byron was supposed to move in today but insisted he didn’t need any help.

  Damon glanced out the front window. “Fisher is with him. No moving truck.”

  Lizzie sighed and headed out onto the porch. She’d tried her best but was done with the back and forth drama.

  Fisher walked up, he looked taller somehow. There was confidence in his posture. “What’s going on?” she asked.

  “I need to talk to you. All of you. I made this a lot harder than it had to be.” Fisher stood at the bottom of the steps.

  “You’re trying to come back now?” Luke asked.

  “It only took a week for me to realize what I’d lost. I missed all of you, and I want to come clean and start fresh.” Fisher looked at Byron.

  “How can we trust you? We tried to make it work and let the cheating go at the beginning, but you still couldn’t handle real
ity.” Lizzie folded her arms.

  Hanging his head, Fisher had no tension or defensiveness about him. “I know, and I’m sorry. For the record, I told my parents I am part of a group relationship that includes a woman. My dad likes that I’m into women as well. My sisters were very interested in what it’s like to have three hot men.”

  “We’re just supposed to take your word for it?” Luke asked.

  Byron nodded, speaking for the first time. “Believe it. I got phone calls from his mom and two of his sisters right afterward. I didn’t go with him or force him.”

  “So it wasn’t as bad as you thought? Just like we told you,” Lizzie said.

  “Yes. My mother is still pretty shocked. She was halfway through a bottle of wine when I left. But I was totally honest, which is what I need to be with all of you. I didn’t really cheat on either you or Byron.” Fisher smiled.

  “What?” Lizzie charged down the stairs. “You’re the one who said you did.”

  “I kissed Damon. That was all. I was spending time with him, friendly and talking. I know I was still out of line, and I wanted more. He never let it go beyond that one kiss I started.” Fisher looked at Damon.

  “That’s true?” she asked Damon.

  “It’s true. Sorry but Fisher had to come clean on his own.” Damon shrugged.

  “Why didn’t you tell me?” Byron asked.

  “I’m sorry. I needed to get out before you both, plus my family hated me. It makes no sense now, but I thought if I was to blame, at least my family would stay in the dark. I could keep things status quo for a while. The secret bothered you and that bothered me.” Fisher shrugged.

  The frustration built up in her. She puffed out her cheeks and blew the air out as she bounced on the balls of her feet. Lizzie paced around the front lawn area flailing her arms in Fisher’s direction. “You have a lot of nerve upsetting us with a lie. I thought you needed more men or less me. You just lied and kept it up here because it was easier? Ouch!” A sharp sting got her attention. She brushed something off her arm.

  “Damn.” Damon scooped her up and carried her in the house right behind Luke.