Wren's POV
"Stop it!" I snap, causing Maeve's eyes to widen and her mouth to drop open.
"Why the hell are you so cranky?" She asks as she puts her hands on her hips and tilts her head, trying to decide if she wants to smack me or calm me down.
"I passed cranky two days ago! You are acting like a petulant toddler, Maeve! YOU are the one who wanted our husband to have the right to control you. YOU are the one who decided to get yourself into trouble, and YOU are the one who lost her phone. I didn't! Yet I have to hear about it constantly....You're driving me crazy! I don't even have kids yet and you're making me dread the teenage years."
She pops her gum and nods, her eyes tightening. "Well sorry Miss 'I was the smart one who wanted a vanilla relationship'."
"You say vanilla like it's a bad thing....."
"Well, I never knew phone taking was a thing, or I might'a ordered myself a big, fat vanilla marriage too. This is KIIIIIILLING ME!!!!!!" She whines as she flops on the couch and covers her face with a decorative pillow.
"Oh for the love of my sanity," I groan as I give her my phone off of the table and her eyes light up.
"Are you kidding me?!?!?!" She squeals excitedly.
"What's going to happen to me if he catches on?" I ask, suddenly wary. I DID sign up for a vanilla marriage, so I can't be in trouble for this, right?
"Sorry friend, but I'm not worried about you....I'll get myself a Finn special if he catches on. Go on the lookout for me, would ya?" She asks as she shoos me away and gets on my Facebook, logging me out and logging herself in.
"If I give Sadie this number, is that pushing it?" She asks as she clicks her tongue absentmindedly.
"You know you could always text her while you're at work, right?" I ask as I glance out the window, completely annoyed that I've been demoted to look-out in this relationship.
"I thought about it, but last night when I came home he went through my phone to make sure I only used it for work....He would catch me and take it away for longer."
"How do you not have TikTok?" She gasps as she gets off of Facebook and looks through my apps.
"Because I heard it's addicting and I like to spend my time stimulating my brain, not melting it."
"Pssshhhhh! Wren, please can I download TikTok on your phone?"
"Fine..." I grumble as I shake my head. Somehow I think I'm going to be punished too; I think I've officially lost my phone to Maeve.
After a minute, Maeve gasps so loudly I think I've failed at my lookout job. Please don't be mad, Finn... please don't be mad.
"Wren Edith DeMille!!!!" She whispers as she look at me, her face redder than the cherry tomatoes I have in the fridge.
"What?"
"It's always the quiet ones...." She mutters as she flips over my phone, revealing an extremely risque picture I took for Finn when he was working late last week.
My cheeks suddenly resemble hers as I lose my will to live.
"You....I....I told you that you could get on my phone! Not snoop through my pictures!"
"Sorry, I didn't mean to....Well, I did, but I thought you were gonna have cute pictures of Jane. Dang girl!!!! You need to show off your body more and quit hiding under all the frump!"
"I don't wear frumpy clothes," I grumble as I pull the curtain back and glare at her.
"No, but with that body.......Wear a bikini once in a while!"
I roll my eyes as I look outside, and I hear her lie back down on the couch again.
"Tell me he at least appreciated the picture," she says after a moment.
"Oh, yeah he did...." I grin, remembering that night when he came home--It was so much fun.
As the sounds of TikTok videos fill the quiet space, I let my mind wander to how happy I have become. Maeve and I, I think we're actually friends. I mean, yeah I still have some jealousy, especially when I hear them at night...Or in the morning...Or sometimes in the middle of the day when they think I'm outside reading...But the friendship I'm building with her was something I never anticipated.
Finn only liked one of his other mom's, and I only cared for one of mine. I just assumed that having a sister-wife meant drama and hating one another.
I had no idea it could mean a friend. I had no idea how lonely I was for friendship, and the more time we spend together the less we have to try with one another.
It's been a really big deal for me.
When I see Finn pull up, I whip my head around quickly. "He's here!"
"Shit! I wanted to finish this video," she whines as she logs off of my Facebook and TikTok quickly and hands me back my phone.
"Thanks, I was having insane withdrawals."
"You're welcome," I grin as I put my phone back on the table and go into the kitchen to finish dinner.
When Finn walks in all dirty and grimy, he smiles at both of us but keeps his distance. "I fell in mud today, so I'm gonna take a shower really quick before I hug you two......Stay there," he chuckles as he rushes to my room.
Maeve sticks out her lower lip and I roll my eyes. "You really want to risk it with him being home now?"
"If I don't I won't be able to sleep tonight. I've just GOTTA see if that sheep got out of that crevice."
"You're seriously acting like a kid," I say as I point to my phone and she hurries and gets back on.
"That's it?!?! They don't even have the decency to let us know if they got it back out?!? That was rude," she grumbles as she logs off quickly and sets it back on the table.
Five minutes later, a clean Finn comes out and gives Maeve a hug first. "How was your day, kitten?"
"Better if I had my phone...." She mutters, giving him the best puppy dog eyes I've ever seen.
Finn rolls his eyes and holds out his hand. "Speaking of...."
"Ugh....This isn't fair, Finn!" She whines as she goes to her purse and gives him the phone. He looks through it, just as Maeve said he did yesterday. When he's satisfied with what he sees he nods and puts it in his pocket.
"What if an animal gets hurt, Finn....This stupid punishment isn't just hurting me, it could be hurting an innocent animal!"
"I know that...That's why I keep it on me at all times with the volume on. I will never interfere with your job. Now that's enough, or I will take it for another week."
Maeve sits on the counter with so much attitude, Finn starts to say something. Then he notices that he hasn't said hi to me at all, and ignores her. "How's my girl?!"
"Good."
"Rhys come into the Library today?"
I nod, and his eyes tighten.
I think Finn is right--I think he likes me and I don't know what to do about it.
***
Maeve's POV
The minute that name comes out of Wren's mouth the entire room shifts into a different kind of energy.
Finn's eyes are saying everything his mouth is holding back. I swing my legs, just waiting for him to pop off.
"He checked out a new book, then stayed to chat for a bit," Wren says in a way that makes me think she's choosing her words very carefully.
"Did he bore you to death?" I say, "'Cause we can commiserate together..."
Finn's eyes cut to me and he slowly walks over to the counter. He wordlessly puts his hands on my knees and stops my legs from swinging. Pinning me with a glare, I make a silent motion of locking my lips and throwing the key away.
That seems to satisfy him because he turns back to Wren. "Chat about anything interesting?"
"Well..." Wren nervously tucks her hair behind her ear and clears her throat. "He, um.. so you know the diner down the street? He said their subs are really good so he's going to bring me one for lunch tomorrow."
Finn rolls his shoulders back and leans his head side to side as if he's grown stiff from suppressing the urge to rip this guy in half.
I reach up and gently squeeze his bicep to offer comfort.
"Did you tell Book Nerd that he better watch himself or else Finn will break his spine? Book and body. All the spines. He'll just—" I make a snapping gesture with my hands. "—and then Rhys eats subs through straws."
Wren gives me a horrified look but Finn's angry face breaks and his mouth lifts up on one side.
"I wouldn't do that," he says to Wren. "But I'm not entirely thrilled about him buying you lunch. I feel like it's a little... I dunno," he sighs as he runs his fingers through his hair.
She walks over to him and takes his large hand into her's. Staring up into his eyes she speaks with nothing but honesty. "He's just another customer to me, Finn."
He reaches up and strokes her face, and I'm beginning to feel a little weird literally sitting right next to them as they stare into each other's eyes; but I stay still and quiet so they can have this moment.
"I know that's what you think of him, Wrennie. That's not what worries me. It's what he thinks of you that doesn't sit right with me."
"He knows I'm married. He knows what you look like... he couldn't hold a candle to you, Finn."
"Again... that's not what I'm concerned about. It's the fact that he just met me and still feels confident enough to offer to buy you lunch."
"It's just food," she says quietly, trying to minimize the potential of any scandalous intent behind his gesture.
Taking in a deep breath, Finn blows it out slowly and a small grin forms on his face. "I've wooed you plenty of times with food."
Wren smiles and rolls her eyes. "Your food will always be better." She stands on her tip toes and kisses him softly.
Just as she lowers herself back down, Finn bends slightly and wraps his arm around her waist, hoisting her completely off the ground to kiss her more passionately.
I feel my cheeks heat up, really feeling weird now. I lean back and lift my leg, planting my foot on Finn's hip and slowly push him away.
"Um, hello, I thought there was a No Funny Business In The Kitchen rule?" I say, crossing my arms over my chest.
Finn chuckles and turns to me. "A what?"
I look directly at Wren and her face is so flushed from his kiss that she looks sunburned.
"Breaking your very own rules," I say in mock disappointment as I shake my head. "And clearly enjoying the hell out of it no less."
"What are you going on about?" Finn asks, amused.
I hop off the counter and shrug as I walk backwards out of the kitchen. "Ask your wife... just wait till I'm out of ear shot."
Wren rolls her eyes at me and I wink at her before disappearing into the living room. I pick up a sleepy Jane Pawsten and we head out to the courtyard together.
She instantly perks up and starts prowling around the yard as I grab my big metal watering can and turn the hose on to fill it.
"Jane, no no!" I warn as she tries pouncing on a wasp.
I run over to Wren's seat and grab the fly swatter she keeps there and kill the nasty bug before it can sting her.
"You do not wanna get stung by that. Besides, some bees are friends, and your cat brain can't differentiate." I scrape the dead hornet onto the grass and put the fly swatter back beside Wren's chair. "Control your murder paws and leave the bees alone, missy."
I hurry back to the watering can that is now overflowing, then walk around and water all of the flowers and plants Wren let me keep.
It's not nearly as many as I would like, but the fact that we were able to co-create this space into something we both love means more to me than Wren probably realizes.
This little slice of heaven was her's and I will forever be grateful that she let me in.
I'm surrounded by the scent of blooms, I feel the warmth of the sun on my skin, and I'm completely unbothered by what I know is happening inside.
The ugly feeling of jealousy that stings like a wasp is no longer part of my life when it comes to Finn and Wren. For me, there's nothing but overflowing peace.