“You care about the girls; that much is clear. You've had feelings for all of them for years, so it's no surprise you've developed a certain affection for each of them. As your relationships have crossed the lines from platonic to physical, it's only natural for you to also develop a certain possessiveness over each of them. This is to be expected when a man and a woman become as intimate as you've become with each of them, regardless of any formal declarations of ownership."

I frowned. "Didn't you just say a minute ago that I had no right to be possessive of her?"

"I did not," she contradicted.

“More precisely, my exact words were,

‘One might say you've no right to be possessive of her.’ But that is a statement to which I would personally disagree.”

"So you think I DO have the right to be possessive of her."

Mother took a deep breath, schooled her features, and gave me an intense look.

“When I started dating Warren, I already knew after the first time we had sex that he would feel possessive over me even though we had yet to formalize our status. The expectations of fidelity on both our parts had already been set, even if not yet spoken aloud, and that same fidelity was built into the parameters of our developing relationship. It had been made clear to each of us that we were at the beginning stages of that which could potentially grow into more. Were I to step out and become intimate with some other man, he would have every right to be both jealous and angry. And quite frankly, if

Samantha were to become intimate with some other man without at least informing you, you would likewise have every right to be both jealous and angry."

“Even though we're not actually together? Even though she and I have made no such expectations of... uhhh... that which could potentially grow into more.”

Mother shrugged.

“I said you would have the right to be angry if she became unfaithful without informing you. Your lack of formalized relationship status means that if she DID inform you, you wouldn't have any right to stop her. And yet, I assure you she already understands how much that would hurt you were she to do so."

“Does she?"

“Let's reverse the characters for a moment. How do you think the girls would react if you slept with some cheerleader from school without telling them?"

“They'd castrate me. Neevie especially."

“putting your new girlfriend aside for a moment, you don't have a formalized relationship with any of the other girls, and yet you already understand that they expect fidelity from you. Not fidelity to each of them individually, but to the collective.”

“For sure."

“Samantha understands this too; she would never do anything behind your back. Honesty is the foundation of any relationship, including your friendship. That said, as Long as she told you the truth, you WOULD be obligated to let her go if she so chose."

“Well what if I don't want to let her go?"

Mother's eyes narrowed. "Are you saying you want a formalized relationship with Samantha?"

I winced. "I'm not... I mean..."

"Or do you want to ‘get the milk for free’, as they say? To bind her under your authoritarian control without the decency of reciprocation."

I made a face at her and rolled my eyes again. "That's not what I meant."

"You can't get the goods if you're not willing to pay the price. How do you truly feel about her?"

ST...