I couldn't catch a wink of sleep. Looking at the mirror, I could clearly see the dark circles under my eyes. If mom saw it, I was done for. So, before anything else, I quickly showered to at least mask it a little and shake off any drowsiness that I was feeling. It didn't help much but I believed it would be enough to escape her scrutiny. There was also a chance she wouldn't care about it, just like she'd overlooked me breaking the curfew last night.
I was very wrong to assume as such.
"So, did you really think I wouldn't notice those dark circles if you washed up? I am your mom, Cole. I wouldn't be your mom if I couldn't tell the difference. Also, what were you thinking, coming late after curfew? Did you think I was going to let you free off the hook that easily? You are not...."
And so, my ears rang till breakfast. I listened to everything without a change in my expression, for which I got additional lecture. There was no winning here, so I took the blow without any regret.
Just as I completed eating breakfast, my phone rang. It was Vivienne. I got ready quickly and left for her apartment. As I was leaving the house, I saw Penguin lying still on the sofa. My mother had really made him into a decoration piece.
________________________________________
"So, you have explained everything that happened yesterday to Vivienne?"
I turned to Vivienne and she nodded. It seems they were closer than I assumed.
"So, it seems this is a very dangerous thing. The dream was so vivid that it has affected her literally. We need to do something before it happens to either me or Iris. It can even happen to Celeste again. We need to prevent that."
Vivienne was right. I wouldn't want them to experience something so painful that Celeste was visibly distraught. I turned back to Celeste.
"Celeste, try to remember what led to that memory's manifestation. I believe there must have been a trigger for it." I continued,mumbling to myself, "or it might have been someone's deliberate work." I didn't want to believe in its possibility.
Celeste thought for a long time, going through all the day's happenings.
Then she began speaking, "I think it must have been when my assessment tests concluded and we were speaking. When you called yourself my husband. That was the last thing I could remember before waking up in the vision."
Vivienne side-eyed me a little before sighing.
She began asking questions to Celeste, "Then, how did it make you feel? Was there any specific emotion that you felt? Did you, for even a moment, think about your past life?"
"I...I...I think when I heard him acknowledge our relationship, I felt this... very warm feeling in my chest, but then I remember various emotions starting to overflow from my heart. I couldn't control them."
I had never spoken about our current relationship though, but I didn't deny her words. It would likely head there, that's how it goes in novels anyway. But I still needed time before acknowledging something important like that.
"Hmmmm."
I spoke thinking out loud, "So, it is safe to believe that when you felt overwhelmed by your own emotions that vision manifested itself."
"That makes actual sense." Vivienne agreed with me.
I began thinking about what it meant. This was bad. It meant that, at any moment, we were about to advance our relationship moving forward, their emotions may get overwhelmed and trigger the phenomena again. But, it didn't mean I can just stay away from them. I had already grown warm to them, just like they had. Considering I only had time until the Finals, it wouldn't make sense to distance myself from them.
Just as I was thinking about how to move forward, I remembered Penguin's warning. The longer I take, the worse the adverse effects will be. The manifestation might even be one of its effects.
Suddenly, Vivienne turned towards me and spoke up, "I think it wouldn't be wise to delay the decision any further. I believe you can understand that this is the direct consequence of our delaying, Cole."
Celeste asked, "Delaying what exactly?"
"Regarding the future of us. You, me, Cole and Iris. We cannot just leave it as is. We don't have time for nature to take its own course."
This was the first time I'd seen Vivienne be so assertive.
________________________________________
"Darling, I heard you wanted to see me. That too quite urgently. Senior Vivienne called me."
Iris came, after Vivienne called her in to discuss about moving forward. And as usual, she was in her nonchalant, teasing tone. This time, I didn't entertain her blatant provocations. I was deeply in thought, worried on how to smoothly navigate the upcoming conversations.
"Hmmm, so 'that' happened. And Cole, you never mentioned it to me until now. I thought we were close already." I could see her eyes gleam.
That was Iris's lackluster reaction after learning about what had happened. It was to be expected. She wouldn't show her reactions in her face that easily, now, would she? I would bet that she was wondering about, in the corner of her head, why I didn't contact her and had contacted Vivienne instead.
[She was.]
I sat all three of them, facing me directly. I will not lie, it was difficult to handle all three of their stares. But this was important for the discussion.
I looked straight into all three pairs of eyes and spoke with no expression on my face,
"How do you feel about being my wife? All three of you? Would you be willing to share me with the other two present here? If I said I wanted to have you as part of my 'harem'?"
With each word coming out of my mouth, I felt my mouth wobble a little. I held my jaw and continued speaking. I never thought I'd form a sentence like that in my life. And now, I had spoken it directly to the three woman seated in front of me. I just hoped they wouldn't look at me with disgust.
But the answers to these questions would define how our relationships would shape going forward.
Thus, the first bombshell was dropped.