Does Your Mother Know

Love Isn't Easy

AN: This is the fourth story in a series of Stardew Valley I have written, however I suspect a lot of readers here are under the age of 18, and therefore will be unable to read the third story in the series as it is M-rated. I'd just like to note that while this story does heavily involve the events of those past one, it is not necessary to have read the third story in order to read this one.

Caroline

Caroline was once young, too.

She knows Abigail finds it hard to believe – all that remains of her younger, wilder days is her green hair – but Caroline still remembers. She remembers the parties she attended, where she'd arrive with one partner and leave with another, the parties where she'd casually dabbled in recreational smoking, and that party, where she'd met Abigail's father.

Not Pierre. She'd met him in the library, while she was checking out mystery novels, and he was checking out books on capitalism. It was a rather dull first meeting, something that would become a pattern for the rest of their marriage.

Her party days are what led her to make the rule that Abigail hates – no sleepovers with boys, unless Caroline's there to supervise.

Abigail's told her time and time again that there's nothing more than friendship between her, Sebastian, and Sam, but Caroline's not so sure. The boys don't seem particularly interested in any of the other single girls in town, and Abigail hasn't expressed any interest in any other boys, either. It's crossed her mind more than once that Abigail might have thoughts about fooling around with Sam and Sebastian – possibly at the same time.

Caroline's had threesomes before; she knows the appeal.

Their sleepovers are, for the most part, fairly uneventful. They order takeout from the Saloon, and hole up in Abby's room for the rest of the night, playing video games, or with that damned spirit board that Abigail refuses to get rid of. They roll their eyes whenever Caroline pokes her head in the room to check in on them, and she knows there's jokes made at her expense once she leaves.

Caroline knocks on Abigail's bedroom door, for one last check-in with her and the boys before she heads off to bed.

" What , Mom?" Abigail calls back.

Caroline enters the room. "There's no need for that tone, Abby – I just came in to see if you needed anything else before bed..." she glances over at Sam and Sebastian, who seem to only have one pillow between the two of them, "boys, I could grab you an extra pillow if you want?"

"We're fine, thanks," Sebastian answers.

"Alright then," she says. It's a little odd that they're sharing a pillow - as well as the sleeping bags - but she doesn't particularly care where they sleep, as long as they're not in Abby's bed. "Goodnight." She gives them all a warm, but stern look as she moves to close the door. "No funny business, Abby."

"Yoba, Mom, how many times do I have to tell you? We're not going to have a threesome!"

This time, as she settles back into bed, she wonders why she never considered that Sam and Sebastian might actually be interested in each other, rather than her daughter.

Caroline doesn't ask Jodi and Robin outright; as much as she wants to know if Sam and Sebastian are more than friends, she doesn't want to out the boys entirely. She tries to bring it up casually, instead, hoping that one of the other moms might know more than she does.

"Have you ever noticed how close Sam and Sebastian are?" she asks, as she pours herself a cup of coffee. Jodi and Robin are gathered around her kitchen table, for their post-workout brunch, the way they do every week. "Almost... romantically close, in a way."