by Writing Shark
Speers shall be shaken, Shields shall be splintered, A Sword day, A red day, Ere the sun rises
Together with Karen you return hand in hand to the room where Emma is sitting on the bed in her long white hospital gown, talking to the nurse who left you in bed with her this morning. The two women notice you and your newest friend immediately as you step through the door and as you study the nurse’s face for half a second, you see her eyes move to Karen, then to your intertwined hands and finally to Emma. You follow the gesture and understand the thoughts that are going on behind the woman’s calm eyes. But for long you can’t wonder how much of your life the woman has seen through because there it is again.
Emma sees you, recognizes you. And Emma is radiant. There’s the surprise again to see you, no matter how illogical it may seem. Then the joy in her tired eyes breathes new life into her. And the next thing you know, her arms are slowly moving up, her fingers outstretched and her mouth slightly open as she tries to pull you close to her. You feel Karen next to you and then her shoulder against yours as she gently pushes you into the room and releases your hand, but not before stroking her fingers over your palm.
“Finn!” your elf exclaims as you rush across the room and embrace her as if you haven’t seen each other in weeks. The nurse watches you closely as you hug your girlfriend and actually your charade is completely exposed. Everyone in the room has seen how close Karen is to you and everyone now sees the kiss you press to the other girl’s cheek. Everyone hears her happy chuckle and everyone sees the satisfied face of Karen who now stands next to you.
“You’ll have to hurry up a bit,” says the nurse as she gives you that look that your stepmother is also excellent at. With surgical precision she bombs the walls you’ve raised around yourself to exploit the slightest crack to get behind the mystery of why two girls are acting so strangely towards you. You made it worse when you didn’t explain the roles of your girls to anyone, leaving everyone to make up their own minds. You don’t care what people think about you, but even though your whole existence is dedicated to Emma, your new awareness makes you realize that it’s only a matter of time before someone here says the word ‘harem’.
As Emma presses herself against you and Karen takes a seat on a chair by the window, you realize without fear that you were wrong. As you smell the scent of your elf in your nose and feel her warm body against you, you come to the realization that it can’t go on like this. Too much has happened, too much has been said and done for your world to be truly safe.
You frown briefly as you wonder if it’s Emma or Karen or both who aren’t making you feel fear, but thankfully the two girls are just happy to be well on their way to getting through a difficult time with you. No, I can’t put my girls through that. First I have to make sure they are safe. Then I can let them in on it and ask for help. Never again will you allow yourself to not think something all the way through just because you have faith in the future. The good in your life comes from your girls, not from the security you feel from them. Your girls care about you as much as you care about them, but that doesn’t absolve you of the obligation to do everything possible to help you all relax joyfully.
“Are you okay?” Emma asks you, and you feel her chin on your shoulder as she speaks. You nod.
“Are you all right?” you reply, moving away from her a little so that you can take a good look at her. Under your gaze, her face contorts into a grimace, but she manages a half-cute grin.
“Not all of it,” she confesses, “but you’re there.”
“And with that, you have the answer to your question” you smile encouragingly and immediately see her reaction to you. Yes, it’s the right thing to do.
“Did you hear?” the nurse asks again, drawing your attention. “The head doctor is about to arrive and visiting hours are long over,” she says already a little more sternly. Emma and Karen look at you, as if it’s a matter of course, and you feel like you’re in exactly the right place.
“I’m staying with my girlfriend,” you say firmly.
“And I’m staying with him,” says Karen from her chair while the nurse eyes you. But you don’t have as easy a time with the resolute lady as you do with Josh or Nathaniel.
“Out of the question. This is a hospital, not a brothel.” At these words, she looks at Karen sternly. Either someone checked the water bill… Or this is further proof that they won’t accept the life we live. Again, you don’t feel anything bad at the thought, just the duty to solve another problem. And I will solve it. But even the woman has not shot her last powder. “And besides, really only a patient’s family members or partners have access here.” Her eyes now shift to Emma and then to you. Okay, she knows. Shit. Now what? The woman wants to wave you and Karen out, and the girl on the chair in front of the window is holding the seat tense while she looks at you and tries to gauge your reactions. The smart girl has also realized that your cover has been blown and she smiles at you in love as you face the nurse.
“We’re staying.”
“You go.” But you don’t move. There’s no way out of this situation other than you alongside Emma and Karen. And that’s that. Apparently the nurse realizes this, too, and for the first time that day you feel a little queasy in your stomach as you imagine what Emma might feel if security dragged you out of the room shrieking and lashing out. But fortunately the nurse is a woman and more reasonable in the face of blind love. She looks at you angrily, but then tries to reason with you. A noble gesture, but doomed to failure, you are not the most intelligent dude under the sun at the moment. “Look boy,” says the woman already a little friendlier. “I don’t know what’s going on between you three, but you seem like a nice guy. So I’ll make you a deal. You and your girlfriend go home now and come back tomorrow. I’m sure the patient will be discharged soon and then you can go back to doing what you’ve been doing.” She looks at Emma appraisingly. Physically there is nothing wrong with the girl so there is no reason to keep her here.
“If my boyfriend says we stay, we stay” Karen bluffs and you feel proud.
“You leave or I’ll call security” the nurse counters. “You’re not supposed to be here. You’re messing everything up.” Annoyed, she looks at her watch.
“I can wash by myself,” Emma says from the bed, but looks at the nurse instead of you. Of course, the woman has a schedule and the three of you are messing it up right now. “I don’t mind if my boyfriend sees me doing it.” The woman looks at you. Emma is too tired to understand what happened.
“If my boyfriend says we’re staying, we’re staying” you now hear Karen confirm the suspicion. She stands up, comes to your side and holds onto your arm while you have an eye duel with the woman. Emma and Karen make you damn proud and you don’t care about the look of the other woman. You love these two girls like you love your other girls. And besides, Emma and Karen have just given you a good point for compromise. You smile at the nurse who looks at you as if she thinks you want her to join your harem.
“Damn that’s hot” you moan a few minutes later.
“Don’t be such a pussy” Karen barks at you kindly and flicks some warm soapy water in your face. The bright giggle of Emma fills the room as you return the attack and wet Karen.
It took a while, but finally the argument that you had already cost her enough time and that Emma wanted it that way convinced the nurse. With a withering look and the unspoken but iron warning that your dick would stay in your pants, she slammed the bucket of soapy water in front of Emma and left the room.
“Finn doesn’t like warm water” Emma reports from the bed while a pleasant blush spreads across her face.
“A real man then” Karen giggles and thrusts her hips out while holding up the sponge and waiting for her friend. “You didn’t mind in the shower just earlier, though.” She winks at Emma and you’re surprised again at how Karen acts towards her. Apparently the girl knows exactly how to make Emma laugh, after all, the two of them have been friends longer than you have been with either of them. Maybe they’ve even seen each other naked more often than you’ve seen them, you think, realizing that it’s going to be difficult to meet the nurse’s demand as the familiar throbbing revives your abdomen. The thought of girls’ slumber parties, pillow fights, giggling and whispering gives you an idea.
“It was a little different in the shower, too,” you say a little more sternly than usual and Karen reacts as planned, lowering the sponge and focusing on you. She wants to find out what’s happening and how she fits into the situation, but Emma also looks curiously at you while the area around the bridge of her nose gets redder and redder. “That’s when you were the hottest thing there.” Your hand moves to Karen and touches her firm, perfect butt and she gasps quietly as the wetness of your hands moves through her pants to her bottom.
“So…” clears Emma her throat. “Did you had…” You and Karen exchange glances and play the ‘who blinks first’ game. As you struggle with a dopey grin, Karen gives in to her cravings, looks to Emma and nods.
“Yes,” she confesses to her friend, a little ashamed but at the same time proud of her achievements. “Yes,” she says more firmly, only to lose her composure again. “We didn’t want to” she mumbles, “Well, yes, we did. But because of you… and everything…” Karen looks to you for help but you just bite your tongue and nod towards Emma. The other girl follows your gaze and her eyebrows raise at the shy grin her harem-sister wears.
“Awesome,” Emma says, sitting up a little straighter. “I’m so happy for you guys.” Karen just looks from Emma to you and back again, confused. Of course, she’s already had her own experiences with your sisters and you but this is different. This is about Emma. And that’s what you thought, too. Without losing your stupid grin you go to Karen, put your hand around her waist and lead her to the bedside. Once there, you help your elf hug her friend a little awkwardly, and as Karen strokes her friend’s hair, she looks at you questioningly.
“I know my Emma,” you explain, which is only half the truth. The other is your newly learned ability to jump over your shadow and see your girls’ vulnerability more clearly than before. “She doesn’t have a problem with us being together. It just makes her happy.” Emma nods in her harem-sister’s embrace and you leave the girls in their togetherness as you see a great weight lifted from the standing girl. The two friends exchange closeness as you wet a rag and dip it into the warm water of the bucket.
“I could never be mad at you honey,” Emma whispers, looking at Karen devotedly. “It’s so nice to see that you’ve found the same happiness that I have and…” There’s a darkness in your elf’s eyes as she remembers why she’s here, and Karen looks to you for help. For someone who was lonely and famous until a few days ago, she’s doing fantastic. “But it’s me I’m mad at…” Emma directs her hurt and ashamed attention to you.
“Don’t do that” you say calmly and come to the girls’ bedside. “You’re mine, Emma.” Karen watches you play and is not a little taken aback by how tenderly Emma responds to your harsh words. “You are my girl and I decide what is important to you and what is not.”
“Yes, Finn” whispers the addressed and Karen breathes through her mouth. Then you drop another rag into her surprised hands and Emma looks at you questioningly.
“Arms up,” you say simply and Emma rises her tired limbs so you can slip the shirt off her body. Your friend watches in amazement as you undress Emma and soon she is completely naked and sitting on the edge of the bed in front of you. While Karen bites her fingernails and water drips from the rag onto her blouse, you attend to your elf. “No matter what happened, it can’t be bad enough that I couldn’t forgive you,” you say, placing the rag on her bare shoulder. You try not to use too much water but Emma only has eyes for you anyway while you clean her soul just as you clean her body. “I respect you honey. If you think you made a mistake that’s fine with me. I’m not judging you for a situation that wasn’t your fault.” Emma wants to say something, but understands she has no choice in the matter. You decide about her as you two have always wanted. “You’re welcome to rage or be sad, that’s up to you. You are intelligent and strong enough to get through this.” Your sponge moves over her skin and her breathing quickens as Karen watches you. “Grief and anger are okay. But I’m not going to let you hurt yourself. You’re my girl and you can tell me anything you want to get off your chest from yesterday. Or you can say nothing and everything is okay. I’ll support you no matter what you think is best.”
“Okay,” Emma whispers almost inaudibly. Then her faithful eyes travel up your body until they can see your face. “Thank you.” You lean forward and kiss her forehead, which is still sweaty and shakes a bit under her tired struggles to stay upright. Then you give her a cheeky wink.
“And I haven’t forgotten what you told me last time.” Emma, tired and a bit overwhelmed, looks at you questioningly. Then she follows you as you look around at Karen who is indulging the spectacle with undisguised curiosity.
“What?” she asks you, aghast, as Emma also smiles shyly.
“Come here,” you laugh and nod your head towards the bed. Karen hesitantly follows you and then stands by your side. You take her hand and lead her into the warm water with the sponge in it. When it is wet and warm again, you let go of her hand. “Emma could use your help,” you say, but your voice leaves no doubt that this is more than just a sponge bath.
“I told Finn that I would like to…mh… you know… with you…” Emma lowers her head and hides her face behind her sticky hair. “You’re so pretty.” Karen looks at you a little incredulously and blinks several times.
“Welcome to our harem,” you just say, shrugging your shoulders as well. “Alright, my harem. Emma is interested in you and I want to see my girls happy.” Emma giggles, Karen blinks.
“He… He said I could… decide for myself…” stammers Karen, and you focus on her as well, assessing how far you can push her on her first real day in the harem.
“You don’t have to” replies Emma, quite the peacemaker without lifting her eyes and you nod at Karen for assurance. She must understand that you are in charge but won’t force her to do anything. Then there is silence in the room for a few seconds as you watch the two girlfriends. You see the wheels working between the ears of Karen. Then she draws in a long breath of air between her teeth… Then she steps closer to the bed. With the dripping rag, she grabs Emma under the chin. You smile.
“You’re pretty too honey,” the Instagram model says and smiles. It may be a shade forced but you see enough good will and kindness to let Karen have her way. “I’ve always been jealous of your legs,” she says, carefully placing the sponge on the bare thigh beneath her. Emma giggles and you wait a little longer with your touches to let the two girls get used to each other. Then Karen finds herself again and her new place. “And of your nipples.” That gets Emma to raise her eyes and Karen laughs. “They’re so tender and perfect.”
“B-But y-your’s a-also” Emma stammers and actually looks at you for approval, doing you service because Karen now knows your role in all of it. With a shy smile she accepts your guidance into this new world and her role in your life.
“Don’t look at me,” you laugh, “My breasts are the worst of all of you.” You give a feigned snort and watch the newest addition to your world.
“That’s right” Karen laughs brightly then biting her lower lip. “Here, look.” She reaches under her shirt and pulls it askew across her body with one hand until one of her magnificent breasts spills out from under it. Your jaws drop, as does the one of Emma. “My nipples are a little small for my taste,” she says lightly while eying you and her friend.
“Perfect” mumbles Emma , slowly shaking her head. Then the two girls laugh and Karen hugs her naked friend.
“What do you think?” she asks, pulling her shirt back down and turning her head from Emma to you. “Should we tell our friend about the sleepover parties?”
“The pillow fights?” agrees Emma, trying an evil grin that doesn’t work at all.
“And the practicing with kissing” Karen laughs as she sees the familiar reaction in your pants. And you want to follow your instincts. By god, you want to. Let me at them! Let me at them! But you call your drill sergeant to order. It’s important that Karen sees that you don’t want her because of her fucking perfect body. And it’s totally not because of the nurse who will kill me if… Anyway, Karen is happy and that is important… and my life…
“Emma?” you say instead, and Karen remains silent as you look at your girl. Again, Emma lowers her eyes, remembering your words.
“I want you to tell me what is best” she confesses, but this time she is not ashamed. And you respect her for her decision.
“And that’s all I can remember” Emma murmurs quietly quite a while later, looking to you. Karen takes care of her legs and kneels in front of your elf’s open lap while her hands roam along her legs. You take care of her upper body and run your sponge over her back while Emma holds her hair up. “It was too much alcohol… I… I’m sorry…” You didn’t get much out of her but what little your girl remembers is enough to piece together the important parts of her evening with Carrie. “I just don’t know what happened” Emma sobs but it’s not really a genuine sadness. She knows you’re not mad at her, but still, she doesn’t understand a lot of things about her behavior. But you understand, understand enough.
“Really clever,” you mutter in a cold voice as the sponge runs warm water over Emma.
“How long has she been planning this?” wonders Karen holding her friend’s leg. No one is bothered by their nakedness or the wet shirt of Karen.
“A long time,” you agree, and Emma watches as the two of you talk while your hands glide over her naked body. “At least since the lake. Since we trusted her.” Emma remembers the conversation the three of you had and goes all white in the face. “She was really smart about it.” You shake your head. My God, you should have seen it coming…
“She must have known Emma didn’t love her, lesbian or not,” Karen says uncomprehendingly. “That was a losing battle. Everyone sees how you feel about Finn.” Emma reaches out and takes her friend’s hand. “So why even try if all that comes out is suffering?”
“She didn’t think suffering was the only alternative,” you explain. Carrie is like you in many ways, so much so that it frightens you. “She analyzed what she had available and came up with a plan. All that time at the lake was just planning and gathering information. She knew life here would be harder for us and waited until an opportunity presented itself. Then she struck.” Again, you shake your head. “Really smart.” Emma looks at you silently with a neutral face, waiting for you to show her her place in the world after she almost staggered out of it. “She used her lesbian-ness to lull Emma and me into a sense of security. Yet she dressed so sexy for Emma, not to enjoy her freedom. That night was the last part of her plan. She exposed Emma while dancing. It wasn’t bad timing because of the lecture but trying to get Emma drunk and addicted. She exposed you and made you vulnerable. Then it was she who saved Emma, from the danger Carrie herself had created.” You smile in anguish. “She gave you a false sense of security. You were supposed to trust her by acting like me. Then she fed your discomfort and your desire to give her something back for protecting you.”
“That bitch,” Karen grumbles, turning her attention to her friend’s other leg, “>She blackmailed you without you realizing it.” Emma looks stricken, but says nothing. But you see it in her gaze. The betrayal of Carrie becomes obvious.
“The lecture was supposed to show you that she knew you better than I did. And it was supposed to generate a debt you’d want to pay off. And the message…the message was the final step.”
“We’ve seen each other naked so many times,” Karen says, shaking her head. “And we’ve been drunk so many times.”
“But not with Emma and her guilt. The new situation, the uncertainty of her role in the relationship, the availability of Carrie and the belief of wanting to do the right thing for me.”
“I told you you were too nice” Karen grumbles at her friend but you put your hand on your elf’s shoulder. “Sorry” mumbles the young Miss Grant but no one is angry with her.
“I know what happened now and it will never happen again.” That’s all you want to say, knowing that Emma would protect you as soon as you admitted your part in it. Eventually you will confide in the girls but now would be a bad idea. You have to show them first that you can connect the harem and the individual friendships as you learned it through Karen. And your newest friend looks at you and knows what you are thinking about.
“Finn will fix it, I know he will,” she says to Emma and the girl agrees.
“I didn’t realize it until we were already naked,” she continues in a monotone voice. “When she said she didn’t care, I finally understood.” Emma looks dismayed, confused, and infinitely sad. “She doesn’t care about other people. She only wants her own happiness. She never cared about helping me but only about separating me from you.” Emma grabs your hands and squeezes the remaining water from the sponge inside while looking deep into your eyes. “I was so stupid” she sobs again. “Yeah, okay, I know I’m not supposed to say that. But I didn’t realize she was evil until then.” You just nod, never wanting Emma to have to go that far. “I… I hate her.”
“She didn’t win Emma,” you say, pulling her by her hands a little closer to you as you meet her eyes as well. “She didn’t win. You’re still my girlfriend. I still love you. And our future is still just that. Our future together.”
“I love you too,” Emma whispers, leaning weakly against you. You stroke her damp back as Karen pulls back a little. Then Emma utters the worst thing in her life. “I can’t remember” she confesses “The night… The alcohol… I don’t know if I… I was naked and Carrie… she… I don’t know.” You wrap your elf in your arms and just caress her while the tears flow.
“Emma?” It’s Karen who timidly and quietly speaks up. Emma stops sniffling until Karen can talk. “It doesn’t matter how many people you’ve slept with in your life,” she says and you have to stifle a laugh. “The only one that matters is the last one you want to sleep with. And we all know that’s Finn. Everybody knows it. You can see it from the moon. Always could.” You giggle as Emma pulls away from you and looks at her friend.
“Really?” Questioningly, she looks back and forth between you again, and you and Karen nod in agreement. Emma takes her time as you continue to clean her up. For several minutes nothing happens as the girl uses her strongest weapon and thinks.
“Is that how you think?” she finally asks you. Karen isn’t offended that she’s checking in with you. She’s just glad Emma is feeling better.
“If not, Karen would rip my head off,” you say with a smile, but then get serious. “I see it exactly the same way. Everything about you is mine. Body, mind and soul. And Carrie can use your body all she wants, she’ll never get what makes you you, Emma.”
“Her tits?” asks Karen cheekily, alluding to the nipple story, making Emma laugh.
“My nipples she can have gladly” she snorts, rubbing her nose and smiling. “But my spirit is always with you. And my soul is all yours.” You nod, slowly, determinedly.
“Well, you see?” you ask rhetorically. “So what’s the problem?”
You continue to pet Emma for quite a while. Karen cracks a few jokes and engages her friend in innocent small talk while you have time to think. Emma is doing better. Well enough to be discharged soon. You don’t need a doctor to tell you that, and the nurses are probably happy to get rid of the three kids who are causing so much mess and such a high water bill.
And then it’s back to a world you all have yet to find your way in. The thought drags your mood down but you don’t let it show while Karen and Emma giggle and laugh together. Finally, you help Emma get dressed again and wait together for the head doctor. When he has examined his patient, he announces the same result that you have come to. Emma can be released.
“And now what?” she asks a short time later when you are standing in front of the car of Karem. And your girls look at you, which is only logical and welcome, to decide what happens next.
“Now we take you home honey,” you say to Emma.
For Emma, ‘home’ is where you are and so she beams at you like a birthday girl as you turn into the street where you live.
“Like he’s going to leave you alone now” Karen snorts as you turn into your driveway. Then she leans over and gives you a long kiss on the mouth. Kissing Karen is something you’ve dreamed of for years but her affection is a much stronger turn-on than the fantasies you used to have about her and her touches surpass anything you ever imagined from her. “And you take good care of my boyfriend, got it?” she admonishes Emma, who nods studiously before taking the sentence as a joke. Her giggle seems as lighthearted as it was then, and knowing your elf, your closeness is all she needs to overcome her darkness. You, on the other hand, deny yourself the luxury of thinking about a carefree future, touch Karen one last time, and then dismiss her to her apartment for a long nap and an undisturbed shower.
After you and Emma have watched her go until her car disappears around the next corner, you now stand alone outside your apartment door. Nobody really knows what happened to Emma and neither your nor her parents know that she was in the hospital. And that’s how it should stay. Neither for your elf nor for your harem it is a good thing if other people interfere in your lives. Still, you don’t want to decide this over her head and ask Emma for her consent to settle the matter your way.
“I’m all yours” she whispers and grabs your hand. Together you go into the house.
“Hello?” you call but no one answers you. Emma and you exchange glances. “Hello?” But the house is empty. Yet it’s the middle of the day. You pull out your phone, no messages. “Weird.”
“Where’s Millie?” Emma wants to know, but you shrug. Emma does the same and looks at her phone, but again, nothing. A little worried, she looks at you. “Shouldn’t Rachel be watching her?” Her concern for your little princess makes you feel light, but your duty keeps you grounded.
“I’ll take care of it,” you say, grabbing her delicate hand again. “But first, let’s get you some rest.” You lead her up to the stairs and she wants to follow you, but leans her shoulder against the wall after the first few steps.
“Sorry…” mumbles your elf but you shake your head.
“That’s how a lot of women react to me” you reply, turning around and squatting unceremoniously in front of your friend. “Hop and up” you smile.
“Finn… I can’t just…”
“Obey me” you smirk and immediately after you feel her arms against your shoulders and her legs around your hips. Emma giggles, but you manage to climb the stairs with her on your back with surprising ease. At the top she wants to slide off you but you hook her legs and carry her to your door. “Give me a hand here.” Emma stretches out her foot and after several attempts manages to push down the handle. Then you feel her tender warm and soft lips on your cheek as you carry her petite body to the bed. Her breasts press into your neck but the tidy state of your room actually distracts you enough to keep your soldier in his barracks.
“What happened here?” Emma asks. Neither you nor your sisters are really tidy, and this is the tidiest your room has been lately…ever, actually. Without answering her, you lay her down on the bed. You return her kiss and then help her undress down to her underwear. Emma is as beautiful as ever, even though she insists that she stinks. You can’t confirm this, but you make your usual jokes and make your girlfriend laugh. Then she counters that she didn’t have the luxury you and Karen enjoyed, and you agree. It’s like old times, especially as Emma continues to speak. “I’m so happy Karen is joining us, too.” As you pull the covers up to her chin, you kiss her forehead.
“And you belong to me just as much.” And Emma does it perfectly, as she always does.
“I know. Thanks, honey.” Another kiss, just intimate enough to make her purr like Denise and you turn around.
“Hey,” you say as you look at your door. There’s a letter hanging on the pink paper Millie sometimes writes on. It’s taped to the door and… “Oh God help me if Millie did this…”
“What, what?” whines Emma curiously. You show her the letter which is covered all over with drawings of penises. Emma giggles but you get a little dry throat at the thought that Millie… “Read it.”
“Hey Finn,” you start. Okay, it can’t be Millie. Thankfully. “I got your girls. Mother was going to slaughter us. Ran away. Do not panic. We’ll be back this afternoon. Karen has sent word. Give my love to Emma. Carrie is a whore. P.S. Did the dicks scare you? Idea of Millie. Girl loves your dick she says. Yust a Juke. Funny, right? P.P.S. Your parents think Emma and Carrie had a fight. No one knows about the hospital. Don’t do anything stupid.” You put the letter aside and look up at the ceiling. “Damn Rachel,” you laugh in relief.
“Did she spend the night here?” your elf asks from the bed. Only the tip of her nose protrudes over the edge of the sheets, and her eyes sparkle at you curiously as fatigue takes over more and more of her body.
“Maybe. After all, she said she’s the friend of Millie now too” you shrug. “And she seems to be true to her word.” You want to think about it some more, and inside you admit that on the one hand, it feels good to have a confidante in Rachel… On the other hand, I thought the same of Carrie. With the determination befitting for Emma, you gently push her down into the sheets, making sure the battered girl stays down and gets the sleep she desperately needs. Patiently, you remain sitting next to her, one hand on her hip above the covers, listening to her breathing become more regular. Eventually she falls asleep but you wait a little longer, leaving nothing to chance, watching your elf and smiling. So this is what it feels like to have dodged a bullet, you think and shake your head, almost amused.
Then you rise slowly and carefully. Emma hums something, but continues to sleep. You look at your girl one last time, then pull the door to the room closed and go back downstairs. In the living room, you sit down on the armchair in front of the TV, but leave the screen dark. You have no room in your mind for entertainment at the moment. The house is silent and deserted, and a queasy feeling of loneliness comes over you as you wait for your girls and parents to return.
You sit in the chair for over an hour without speaking or moving much. From the outside you seem calm, and actually, you are calm from the inside, but you feel like a warrior at Thermopylae. You are trained in what you do, prepared for everything, steeled by the past battles and in the knowledge to do the right thing for yourself and the people you love. And you know you will eventually be overtaken by the enemy. More like King Theoden at the Battle of Minas Tirith. Knowingly charging into hordes of orcs to save the world from evil. There is no sadness in it and you would not describe it as defeat. But unlike the warriors of middle earth, you can’t afford to be overpowered. Somehow you must fend off the multitudes of enemies who threaten the very existence of your loved ones.
Your stepmother. You love her with all your heart. She is a good woman. But as a good woman, she does not understand the motives of your group of people. She does the things she does against you out of love and you can’t blame her. You don’t. But still, it’s only a matter of time before your world collides with hers, and in that struggle, only one way of life can survive.
Your father. For him the same is true as for your stepmother. Maybe it’s because he’s your own blood, but you’re just as worried about him as you are about your stepmother, even though he’s always been understanding. He likes Millie and Megan and now Maureen. But the idea of explaining to him that you have had sex with each of the girls is too big a question even for you. It’s such a taboo, not to mention Karen, Emma, Denise, Susan and Claire, that the outcome can’t be predicted. As much as you love your parents, you’re on your own in this fight if you don’t want them to be fine.
Josh and Nathaniel. Monsters. You haven’t heard from Josh, but even if he were to press charges against you, you’re prepared. The only danger from him is that you might kill him the next time you see him. Josh has shown you that sometimes it’s not best to act impetuously and heroically. As with Nathaniel. Here the smart approach was also the better one and you are glad to have helped Denise that way. But your actions solved nothing with either enemy. You keep the darkness away from your girls but you don’t drive it away. The two boys are still a danger.
And then there’s Carrie. And here you notice your heart beating faster and your palms tingling at the thought of the sound of your skin on hers, your hand on her cheek. Maybe it’s because only a day has passed. Or maybe it’s because Carrie is the deadliest of all the dangers. You let her get too close to you and your girls without knowing what would happen. Carrie is young and beautiful, so she has energy and possibilities. And unlike everyone else, she knows about your world. What will she do now that she knows Emma will never be hers? Will she give up or go on? What will she do? What ways and means does she have to harm us? And then there are the questions that only a friend of a beautiful, strong and vulnerable girl can ask. How does Emma feel about Carrie? How does it affect our relationship? What can I do about Carrie without hurting Emma? It’s not that you don’t trust your lovely elf. That she loves you is as ingrained in you as Article One of the Constitution. There’s nothing to question, fear, or change about that. It will not change. But you have to ask yourself, for her sake, what did those two do that night? What connects Carrie and Emma?
These are the questions you address, and then some more, while you wait for the next battle. Your body is in a complicated intermediate state. Your bones ache, your muscles are numb but your head is wide awake. Your eyes are closed but between your ears, there is a lot of activity. You are Finn Lynchwood and you are going to keep the promise you made to all your beloved, cute, strong, funny, beautiful, intelligent girls. And. That’s. That.
And then it begins.
You hear the key in the lock and then the door open. Your eyes snap open and your heartbeat quickens as you rise from your chair and face the next battle. You’re tired and battered, part of it your own fault but sex with Karen gives you strength and hope in the future.
At first you have it easy. It’s a funny sight to see the face of Rachel first, and the cap on her head makes her eyes look even bigger. You both give each other a meaningful look, yours grateful, hers waving mischievously. Then Millie pushes past her and lands in your arms. She almost pulls you to the ground and you sway a bit on your numb legs so that your princess notices that something is different about you. As she clings to you and you put your hand reassuringly on her head, Rachel leads Megan into the house. Your wombat also has a cap on her head, backward like some basic chick but on her head, it looks good. Apparently the girls were at the amusement park in the neighboring town and Rachel bought them souvenirs. Millie showers you with questions and caresses and, after you give her the okay, with fleeting but intimate kisses that make Rachel roll her eyes. Before the Hispanic girl can say anything in return, she rather helps Maureen to get the girls’ luggage into the house and you actually have to laugh about the slightly too tight pink shirt of your eldest sister. Maureen looks meaningfully over at Rachel who just shrugs innocently. But then she gets serious, just like Megan (who takes your princess from you) and Maureen. Together you sit down in the living room and Maureen provides you with drinks.
Then, Millie on your lap, Maureen and Megan next to you, and Rachel sitting in front of you, you first listen to what the girls have been up to. Rachel showed real skill and made a plan with Maureen that fateful night. Your mother was very angry not to find you, but instead a strange girl who refused to leave the house until you gave her the okay to leave her sister alone. It was Millie who then calmed your mother down while Maureen and Megan nearly bit their tongues off in anger. That energy then went into planning the day and so the girls actually had a reasonably good time. Megan didn’t say much about your experiences and together the girls managed to give you the space and time you needed without worrying about them too much.
After Rachel is done, you tell her about your experiences. Millie wants to be held i your arms in the meantime and it doesn’t take long until Megan starts to walk up and down the room. You tell about Emma and her experiences. How you went with Megan to see her and what happened next. You talk about Carrie and what you learned about her. As you talk about her tactics and strategies, Maureen can’t stay on her butt anymore and it’s actually a funny sight to see the two sisters gesticulating wildly while cursing and pacing through the room. As soon as one of them utters a particularly nasty curse, they apologize to Millie, who in turn tries to adapt to the situation and utters a few swear words. As she curses in Spanish, you look at Rachel who winks at you.
As for the only girl in the room you haven’t had sex with, you quickly realize she’s firmly on your side. You take your time, think about it, but soberly come to the conclusion that you can trust her. It’s not about you or what you have as a group or couple. Rachel is outraged that friends can do this to friends and you believe her when she says she only wants to take care of Emma for now. You stand your ground as you tell her that after the last few days she has to get in line, but Rachel takes it calmly and with her typical humor. She throws a pillow at you and rightly notices that you don’t even have enough strength in you to dodge the throw and admonishes you to pull yourself together if you want to keep your pussies for yourself. Mille covers her ears but you just grin at the young Miss Huerta.
It’s almost a beautiful afternoon, almost a beautiful time. You laugh and talk but just as the subject turns to something positive the front door opens again. And this time Rachel looks at you with respect in her eyes as you let Millie slide off your lap and send her to Maureen. As a friend, Rachel stands in front of Megan, watching your back as you face the coming storm.
Your mother is angry. Your mother is angry as hell. You’ve known the woman for most of your life but you haven’t seen her this angry since you tried to cut one of her fancy dresses for Megan and her then childish form. Miss Lynchwood doesn’t scream, she never does. She stares. She stares at you and you know you’ve lost. It’s a cold stare, hurt and disappointed, reproachful. What doesn’t make it better is that your father is angry too. And last of all, there are all the people in the room that your parents are angry with. You stand protectively in front of Millie and calm your pulse a little with the thought that everything is as it should be.
Your parents look at Rachel and no matter how mischievous and cunning she is, this is a matter that is way out of her league. An icy greeting is exchanged and then you grab her and carry her to safety. Her head doesn’t even reach your chin and she almost stumbles beside you as you take her to the door and stand protectively between her and your parents while she hastily puts on her shoes and almost falls over. You grin rather sheepishly at each other as you help her up and support her a bit until she has pulled her sneakers on over her dainty feet.
“Thanks for your help,” you tell her openly and honestly. “Not everyone would have done that.”
“Not everyone is so lucky to have me as a friend” Rachel counters, grinning cheekily at you. Then your father clears his throat in the living room and you both wince. Today is not a good day for your friendly teasing. Still, and this surprises you more than the fall of the Berlin Wall surprised the CIA, Rachel hesitates as she stands at the door. She takes a step out, but then turns back to you. “What happened to you guys was really… mean,” she says kindly. You click your tongue and just nod. No time and no reason to tell the clever girl anything she doesn’t already know. Rachel still wants to say something, but then looks over your shoulder and shrugs cheekily. “When you’ve found all your bits and pieces after today, get back to me, okay?”
“Let me guess, otherwise you’ll tear me apart again?” you grin and do the same gesture to her.
“After today, I’d refrain from doing that. You don’t disintegrate a person that often without it doing damage.” Then she hesitates again, opens her mouth, closes it again. Then another shrug, this time not so sassy. “Besides…”
“Finn…” An icy chill washes over you from behind you.
“Sorry,” is all you mutter, and Rachel nods quickly.
“No worries,” she says kindly, skipping across your driveway to the street. “Take care.” You want to say something but you feel a heavy hand on your shoulder.
“We need to talk,” your father says seriously but calmly. Then he literally pulls you back into the living room and you don’t feel very masculine. None of your sisters are to be seen, your parents must have sent them upstairs. The thought makes you angry. Even though Millie, Maureen and Megan are their children, just like you are, the three of them are also your girlfriends and no one else but you rules your relationships and your harem. It just sucks that I can’t bring this… “Sit down.” And you follow your father’s words with your greatest victory being not sinking into the sofa like a crotchety child and crossing your arms. Then follows an eye duel like you have never experienced before. Your father looks at you insistently from distant but at least not angry eyes and tries to figure out what is happening in your life. Your mother is not so patient. She has already formed her opinion and you cannot blame her for her certainty any more than you can blame your father for his hope. Both are, must have, inevitably come to the same conclusion. Their son is sleeping with their daughters. But what they don’t know, at least you strongly suspect, is the bond you have with each other.
“Finn…” your mother begins in the cutting voice of a woman who knows everything and will not rest until she has learned it all. And like a soldier, you know you can’t hold on forever. “You can’t do this to us.” It sounds like an accusation. “We’re your parents.”
“I understand,” you just say and wait. That’s a mistake.
“Do you even know what we’re accusing you of?” That I put my penis inside your three daughters? Repeatedly? That I sleep with three other girls outside the family besides Emma and Denise? That my dick is throbbing because I’m thinking about Rachel? Wait, what? Most of all, you want to say all that, maybe not so spitefully, but still. You don’t want to lie to your parents. And how are you going to explain to them that they have neither the right nor the power to know anything about their own daughters?
“I have done many things that do not would make you proud,” you say, looking them both in the eye. You would rather stand in front of a firing squad than sit here now in the comfortable armchair in the living room. But you’re a different Finn Lynchwood. “I mean no offense, but please be more specific when you accuse me of something.” Your father takes a deep breath but your mother is quicker. And her attack is on point.
“What on earth has happened to you, Finn? Honey. Two weeks ago you were…” She looks up the stairs.
“It’s not Maureen, mother,” you say firmly. Anyway, it’s not the fact that I’m sleeping with her and changing her life for the better.
“That’s right,” your father says. “We don’t have a problem with Maureen either. Nor with Denise. And with Emma, who, judging by her shoes in the hallway, is also here.” Still, he sounds a little distant. Your mother opens her mouth but your father is quicker. “You’ve always preferred to be with girls than with boys. We’re also to blame for that. Three sisters.” He even smiles a little.
“I like my sisters dad,” you counter, “and I don’t want to disappoint them.” Shut up you idiot.
“I know son” nods your old man. Then your mother is ready.
“But Rachel Huerta? Finn we barely know that girl!”
“She’s a friend of-“
“Megan. I know. My daughter has lots of friends.” Your mother sounds annoyed.
“She’s a good girl mother,” you counter, “She…”
“That’s not the point” your father interrupts calmly. You look at him and remain silent. Is the big revelation coming now? But your mother saves you, in a way.
“You are a guest in this house Finn. You’re old enough to stand on your own two feet.”
“You all are,” your father says.
“And you can’t just bring someone into our house, whether it’s Rachel, Denise or Maureen… Without asking us.” You want to retort that Maureen is her daughter but that’s not what this is about. “We’re your parents honey and we know what’s good for you.” Now if you say anything but ‘that’s right’ that’s it, you know that. So you shut up. Unlike Josh and Nathaniel, you can’t settle anything here with brutality. Unlike Carrie, your parents are more powerful and not blinded by love like Carrie was. They care about you and your sisters. That’s what makes them so dangerous. You hesitate. But yes, it’s true. Your parents, the parents of Maureen, Megan and Millie are the greatest danger in your lives, to your lives. You become sad. Your father sees it, your mother too.
“We’re sorry Finn,” says your father, sounding dejected. “But your mother is right.” Then he rises and you follow him with your gaze. He clears his throat. “Finn, yes you are an adult. Yes, you…like your sisters. And yes, Emma and Denise are fine because of you, no matter what may have happened yesterday, who may have fought with whom.” Your dad’s words make everything sound less bad than it is but you know he’s doing it on purpose. He is your father and prepares you as gently as he can for the coming attack. Still, an attack is an attack. “But from now on we have to set limits for you. It is also our house, our family that is at stake.”
“That I…”
“No Finn.” This time it’s your mother and you get an idea of the strength the two of them can develop when they work together. Like with me and my sisters. “From now on, some things are going to change.” And you have no choice.
“I’m listening to you,” you say, already thinking about how best to explain the situation to your loved ones. None of them expect you to start a war in the family but even you, love-struck as you are, realize that everything you say will only serve to satisfy your parents for the moment. No matter what they will ask, you can’t fulfill it. And it hurts you to sit here and lie to their faces. But at least for now, you’re not going to act like you did with Nathaniel, Josh, or Carrie. You’re going to listen and, at least for now, cooperate, make it seem like your parents won.
“Rule number one,” your father says, raising his voice and his finger.
Then the doorbell rings.
Silence lies in the room and it almost looks comical the way your father stands in the room, hand raised, nose pointed at you like a heat-seeking missile, but eyes turned to the side, to the door. Your mother is sitting in her chair just like you. You are all waiting to see what will happen and you can see on your parents’ faces that they were not prepared for this. You are still waiting, hoping that it will be just one ring. Whoever is interrupting has chosen the worst (for you the best) moment to interrupt your rebuke. Then your father’s eyes meet you.
Then the bell rings a second time.
You blink. Your father blinks.
“Dad…should I…” The battle between you takes place in the space your gazes divide between you… And you win.
It’s not a good win but you see the affection in your father’s eyes as he drops his hand, points his finger to the ground like an unloaded gun, and nods. Your mother is white as a sheet and looks to your father, but he just shrugs helplessly.
“Thanks for that,” you say, and mean it in more ways than one. You stand up, tighten yourself, and as the doorbell rings a third time, long and hurried, you too hurry to the door. You are almost relieved when you pull the door open, and also a little ashamed, you consider the energy you are investing to make this incident work for you. Maybe I can just sneak upstairs to my girls when this is over without mom and dad noticing?
But all plans are thrown out the moment you see who’s standing in front of the door.
“What… the hell…”
Writing Shark 