Root Beer Zero · Single Brown Male

Reggie called Sophie on speakerphone with Marissa present — a three-way introduction in which all parties were transparent about their situation from the start. Sophie, standing alone in her unlit kitchen while her husband was out, admitted she hadn't expected Reggie to call and had told herself he probably wouldn't. Marissa introduced herself and made clear she is not an obstacle but the reason for the call, that she had asked Reggie to make it. Reggie confirmed he is in love with Marissa and has no intention of disrupting that, then restated what Sophie had previously told him — that she is in a sexless marriage and her husband does not find her attractive — before stating plainly that both he and Marissa find her sexually attractive. Sophie absorbed this in a prolonged silence before asking Marissa to confirm it directly, which Marissa did. Sophie then asked what was actually being proposed. Reggie offered a low-stakes first meeting: dancing on the seawall, in public, innocent enough to be unquestionable, followed by sitting on a bench and talking, after which Sophie would go home alone. Sophie said she was not saying no but needed time to arrange a plausible reason for her husband — suggesting she would claim to be starting seawall walks for fitness. Reggie outlined the terms: any of the three could end all contact instantly and without explanation, the exit equal for all parties. Sophie agreed and said she would text when she had a day, then corrected that plan when Reggie raised the question of her husband's tech literacy. They settled on Telegram, with messages set to delete after 24 hours. Sophie said she would install it that night while her husband was still out and send Reggie her handle. The chapter ended with the meeting unscheduled and the Telegram account not yet created — only agreed to.

Reggie

Dials Sophie. Hears "Hello" in the speaker. Puts the phone on speakerphone.Sophie?

Sophie

A breath — just one, quiet, on the other end of the line. Then:Yes. I remember you.Her voice is low, careful, the kind of careful that comes from years of keeping a particular register whether or not anyone is listening. She pauses.You said you were going to talk to her.

Marissa

He did. I'm here. My name's Marissa. I know he told you a little about his situation when he met you. And I know you don't know me at all. I just — I wanted you to hear that I'm not a problem with this. I'm a reason for it.

Reggie

I don't know if you remember my name. I'm Reggie. My girlfriend is Marissa.

Sophie

A pause — longer than the one before it.Reggie. Yes. I remember your name.Another breath, quieter.I've been — I didn't know if you'd actually call. I told myself you probably wouldn't. That was easier. Hi, Marissa.

Marissa

Hi. Sorry — I've been talking myself into being calm about this for the last ten minutes and I'm realizing I'm actually a little nervous, which is — I didn't expect that. I'm usually better at phone calls with strangers. I just wanted you to know we're both here. You're not just talking to him. You're talking to us.

Reggie

Sophie, I told Marissa a few things about what you told me. I hope that's ok.

Sophie

Another pause — and in it, something settles, or maybe the opposite of settles, something loosening that had been held very tight for a long time.Okay.She says it on a breath, barely a word, more like a sound she let out by accident. Then again, more deliberately:Okay. That's — yes, that's okay. I think. I'm not sure what I expected. I think I expected you to call alone, if you called at all. And now there are two of you and I'm standing in my kitchen in the dark because I didn't want to turn a light on, which doesn't even make sense because he's not here. Sorry. I'm nervous too, Marissa, if that helps anything.

Marissa

It helps. Standing in the dark in your own kitchen — I know that feeling. Not that specific one, but the one underneath it. The one where you're doing something that's yours and you're still somehow bracing for it to cost you something just for existing. You don't have to explain it to me.

Reggie

Sophie, have you ever cheated on your husband?

Sophie

A silence — longer than the others. When she speaks, her voice is level, but just barely.No.A beat.Not even close. Not for lack of wanting. I just — no.

Marissa

Okay. Good. I mean — not good. I just — okay.

Reggie

Not even emotional cheating?

Sophie

A small, dry sound — not quite a laugh.That depends on how you define it.A pause.I had a conversation with a man at a work thing last year. We talked for maybe two hours. About nothing. Books, I think. His commute. I thought about it for three weeks afterward. Does that count.

Marissa

I don't know. Maybe. Did he have your number?

Sophie

No. I made sure of that. I'm — can I ask you something, Marissa. Are you actually okay with this. Not performing okay. Actually.

Reggie

Marissa asked me to call you.

Sophie

Another silence. A different quality to it this time — not the bracing kind, the absorbing kind.She asked you to.She says it quietly, just repeating the shape of it.Okay. That's — okay. That changes something about this and I'm not sure what yet.

Reggie

Sophie, I want you to know some things. Are you willing to listen? I will keep it short.

Sophie

A short pause — the careful kind, not the reluctant kind.Yes. Go ahead.

Marissa

Quiet. Listening.We're both here, Sophie.

Reggie

First, I am in love with Marissa. I don't plan to do anything to mess that up. Second, you told me you have a home and a child with your husband and you don't want to mess that up. I want you to know that neither Marissa nor I want to do anything to mess that up. Third, you told me your husband doesn't find you attractive at all, and that you're in a sexless marriage. And I want you to know that I find you very sexually attractive. I want you to know that I desire you physically. And I want you to know that Marissa desires you physically. And just so there's no possible chance of misinterpretation, I mean that Marissa desires you sexually.

Sophie

A silence — the longest one yet.Okay.The word comes out carefully, not flat — held.I need a second.

You said Marissa. Desires me. Sexually. You said that out loud on a phone in — wherever you are. You said it like it was just — a fact to hand over.

I'm still here. I just needed you to know I'm still here while I figure out where to put that.

Marissa

Still here too.

Sophie

Is it true. What he said. About you. I need to hear it from you, Marissa. Not him.

Marissa

A breath. Short.Yes.She says it quietly, no armour around it.It's true.

Sophie

Okay. Okay.

Reggie

I just wanted to set the groundwork so there's no possible chance of a misunderstanding.

Sophie

A breath — quiet, steadying herself somewhere in a dark kitchen with the hum of a refrigerator and nobody watching.I appreciate that.She says it carefully.I've been standing here trying to decide if this is something real or something I'm going to feel very stupid about in twenty minutes. And the fact that there are no games — that's the part I keep coming back to. Can I ask something. What happens now. Concretely. What are you actually proposing.

Marissa

Nothing tonight. We just wanted you to know we exist.

Reggie

Yes, we want you to know we exist. We want you to know we are interested. And I, speaking for myself, would like to dance with you. On the seawall. With Marissa. Right out in the open. Innocent. Show the video to your grandmother and nobody would raise an eyebrow. You stumbled upon a couple who were dancing, they asked you to join them, so you did for a few minutes. And then you sat and chatted with them on a bench on the seawall. And then went home alone.

Sophie

A silence — and in it, something she's been holding very carefully shifts just slightly, like a door that's been painted shut for years and someone has just touched the handle.Dancing.She says the word quietly, like she's checking the weight of it.On the seawall. In public. Where anyone could walk past and it would just be — That's a very specific kind of safe, isn't it. You thought about what would be safe.

Marissa

He always thinks about what's safe. I mean that as a good thing, Sophie.

Sophie

When. I'd need to know in advance. I'd need time to — arrange things. Make it make sense to him where I'm going. I'm not asking you to plan around his schedule. I'm just telling you it can't be tomorrow. But I'm not saying no.

Reggie

Marissa is off at 4 pm most days and makes it to my place downtown for about 5 pm. We're not people who book ourselves weeks in advance. We just dance whenever we feel like it, which is often. So I suggest you say something about wanting to get into better shape and walking the seawall sounds like a pleasant way to start. And if you do that, then if we all decide we'd like to talk again, nothing changes. And if any of us, any of the three, decide that we don't want to talk anymore, it ends for all of us. Instantly. No further communication, not even to ask why.

Sophie

A long pause — the absorbing kind. She's in a dark kitchen and the refrigerator hums and she is working out the geometry of what he just offered.Walking the seawall.She says it quietly, to herself as much as to them.That's — yes. That's a thing I would say. That sounds like me saying a thing.

You said any of the three. You included yourself in that. If you decide you don't want to continue, it ends. No explanation required. That's — that's a protection for me too, isn't it. Not just for you.

Marissa

Yes. All three of us. Equal door out.

Sophie

Okay. I'll say something about the seawall this week. I'll text you when I know a day that works. Is that — is that how we do this. I just text you.

Marissa

Just text him. We'll be there.

Reggie

Text is fine for me, but it might not be for you. Is he tech literate?

Sophie

A pause — the practical kind, the kind that has spent five years developing an instinct for risk assessment.He's not — he doesn't check my phone.She says it carefully, like she's testing the statement as she makes it.But I don't know that that's a permanent condition. And I never text anyone he doesn't know. So. Maybe not text. How else.

Marissa

Email? A separate account. Something new.

Sophie

Yeah. I can do that. I can make an account he's never seen. I've never done anything like that before. Made something he doesn't know about.

Reggie

Email works but there's a record. Telegram? It's an easy install, it's free, and you can set it to destroy all messages after 24 hours.

Sophie

A brief silence — the kind where she's running the calculation, not resisting it.Telegram. I've heard of it. I've just never had a reason to install it. Twenty-four hours and then it's gone. That's — yes. That's cleaner. I can do that tonight, while he's still out. I've been standing in this kitchen for fifteen minutes and I still haven't turned a light on.

Marissa

Don't. It's fine in the dark.

Sophie

Okay. I'll install it tonight and send you my handle. And then — I'll let you know about the seawall. When I have a day. Thank you. Both of you. For calling.