mermaid

Wren: I am!

Wren: I'm--I am a hundred percent free. I mean not today, obviously, but--my next day off is Friday. Would...you be able to do something then?

Addie: Friday? Yes! No, that's perfect.

Letting her arms stay wrapped gently around Addie’s waist, Evan couldn’t help the smile that was plastered across her face. There was nothing more that Evan loved was seeing Addie at complete peace. This was the version of Addie that she fell in love with. The side of this human that really only she got to see. Evan wished that this was the Addie that the world got to see, the soft, adorable, free woman who could feel everything and not be afraid. Because if everyone got to see her this way, they would love her as much as she did. Feeling her lips against her own, Evan pulled her in closer. She could feel the sleep still in her body and the softness of her skin. “Nope I don’t want you to leave my arms.” She said softly, stealing one more kiss. “Did you sleep okay?” When Addie was in her bed, Evan slept like a baby. Just being able to sleep  holding her through out the entire night made her feel comfortable and safe. “We can eat at the table like adults, but please don’t make me be more adulty than that today.” Evan chuckled. “Today is about you and keeping that smile on your face.” 

-

“So you expect to serve me breakfast, but you don’t want me to leave your arms?” She teased, quirking an eyebrow in challenge. Her voice was quiet, and despite the fact that they stood in the center of a large kitchen which stood in the center of a large house, Addie felt confined to their own little bubble. Just as her words didn’t carry their typical vitriol, her voice didn’t carry its typical volume. There was no reason to. The only person who mattered was listening. The only person listening mattered. “I slept fine.” The understatement of the year. Addie was most usually a fitful sleeper; she slept late and rose early, tossing and turning through the few hours she got. The only nights that she seemed to get much rest at all were the nights when she had someone else in the bed with her - especially recently, missing Annie the way she had. “If today is about me and if you want to see a smile on my face, then maybe acting like an adult is a good way to go. Ever think of that?”

Wren: You really have no need to apologize. Trust me. I was...you know, hoping you'd call.

Wren: I'm glad you're okay. I'm, you know, good too. Just on break. You caught me at a good time.

Addie couldn't help the small smile that took to her features.

Addie: Are you at work?

Wren shook her head, bemused by Addie's sincerity.

Wren: Well, generally the point of a phone number is to utilize it to keep in contact with people, so, I can hardly fault you for doing that.

Wren: What's up? How are you?

Addie: Still, I'm sure a head's up would've been nice, so I apologize.

Wren had given Addie her number with deliberation--she figured, at least, it would be good to have, should she need someone to talk to about anything, and at best, maybe something could actually come of it. She had hoped for, maybe, an occasional text. When she saw Addie's name pop up on her screen, however, she felt a bolt of panic. After clearing her throat, she quickly answered.

Wren: Hello?

Wren: Addie?

Addie: Hi.

Having her first shred of alone time in what felt like years, Addie had been restlessly deep-cleaning her room until it far surpassed her expectations. She'd finished her homework and Evan was nowhere to be found. Katie had Connor, and even Sylvia had plans. Addie was more than lonely. She was desperate. Picking up her phone, she took a few moments to debate on whether or not she and Wren were close enough to call each other, but finally decided there was no harm in trying. Within a matter of rings, there came the sound of white noise on the other end, and some rustling as she assumed Wren pressed the phone up to her ear.

There was only one person in this world that knew every little detail about Evan’s life. That person was currently sleeping soundly in her bed down the hallway while she was in the kitchen. There was just something about Addie Birch that Evan couldn’t shake. They’d been together on and off since they were kids. Addie was her first everything. The first person she ever thought she was going to one day marry. They were like two magnets that couldn’t help but attract to each other. Everything that Evan had she gave to Addie. Despite all the fights and hard feelings. They had gone through it all together. But, none of it tore them apart. Sooner or later they landed back into each other’s arms where they belonged. 

This morning, Evan wanted to do something special for Addie because of everything going on with her and her best friend. It was a little comical to Evan that the two were fighting and Addie wound up on her door step. Normally it was her and Addie that were going at it and Addie retreating to Annie. This was probably the first time that it was the opposite. And honestly, Evan didn’t want to fuck it up. She wanted to be able to give Addie the support and love that she needed. To take away the pain that she was feeling. So, she decided to wake up a little earlier and get a head start. Pancakes always made things better in her mind. 

With a pot of coffee brewing and first batch of pancakes on the griddle, Evan heard a pair of footsteps coming from the hallway. Of course Addie would ruin her plan for breakfast in bed. But, she was excited to be able to see the girl she had a hard time leaving in bed. “Hey beautiful.” Evan said softly, flipping the pancakes before heading over to her. She was not about to get distractive and burn these things. It took her a few steps to meet Addie before wrapping her up in her arms and placing a kiss against her head. “You were supposed to stay in bed so I could be all romantic and bring you breakfast.” She smirked, pulling away slightly so that she could see her face. 

-

A wave of comfort washed over Addie as arms fell around her waist like they had been designed by some divine authority to fit her perfectly. There hadn't been a day in years that Addie hadn't believed that her God had crafted Evan wholly for her; it went against so many of the teachings that had been drilled into her head, but she’d never been able to shake the idea. Where she was meant to feel shame, guilt, even disgust, she’d only ever seen something beautiful, something touched by the Heavens. Whomever it was that had put man on earth had made one with the other in mind; Evan belonged to her just as she belonged to Evan — in whatever fashion they would have each other. 

Addie wrinkled her nose at the other woman's words, the idea of being served breakfast in bed hardly appealing to her for the simple fact that she'd rather not be sleeping on crumbs the next night if anything were to spill. Even so, the gesture was sweet enough to make her swoon a little, sleep still heavy in her limbs. “I can go get back under the covers,” she joked, her voice croaking a little as she leant up onto her toes to press a kiss to the blonde’s lips, feeling entirely at home and entirely at liberty. Her typical mood, somewhat sour, somewhat combative, had eased as it tended to around Evan, her guard entirely down. As on edge as she felt in every other moment of her life, she was safe here. She was at peace. “Or, you can be romantic from the table like an adult,” she followed, still having a laugh but somewhat hoping that the tone to her voice would set something off in Evan. Glancing up at her, she searched the face she knew better than her own for any sign of change.

“What do you think he said?” Benji asked, letting out an exasperated sigh. Benji wasn’t a violent person by nature whatsoever, so clearly, he’d been provoked. He would do absolutely anything for Katie Birch, even more to defend her honor, and that night at Vice had been proof positive of such truths. “I’m not really comfortable repeating it. Not about Katie.” Benji replied with a glum modesty. “Use your imagination. You’ll probably be pretty spot on.” He’d never used such language himself, and certainly wouldn’t have let anyone speak about someone that way unchecked, but with Katie, he’d sprung into action. Which, frankly, Isaac Ben-David deserved.

“Come on.” Benji tilted his head to the side, looking at Addie with a narrowed gaze. “I’m not going to say it out loud. It’s a family restaurant.” The blonde clung to his excuse readily, even shooting a quick glance about their surroundings. 

-

Though she didn’t know the man in question and only knew of him, there were a number of things that could be said about Katie; if someone wanted to hurt her, they didn’t necessarily need to get creative with their words. Even with that considered, however, Katherine Marie Birch had a heart of gold. She was a one of a kind person who wore her heart on her shoulder, and whatever cruel thing had been said about her – to her? She felt disgust begin to roll over in her stomach, making her feel uneasy. For a brief moment, she felt almost a debt to the man in front of her, having defended her sister the way he had.

The feeling of obligation disappeared as quickly as it had come about though, as did the mushy emotions that had begun welling inside of her in regards to her sister as she was forced to come to the realization of what he meant. “You screwed her? Again?” Her voice jumped to a quiet but sharp whisper, hoping the daggers she was shooting at him would do the trick, as she refused to yell in such an establishment. “Did you not learn your lesson the first time? Is one screaming, crying toddler not enough for you? His favorite word is no and he still finds a corner to poop his pants, and you want a second?”

Wren: Now I have to know--what's your favorite snack?

Wren: He sounds wonderful! Is he the only little one in your family?

Wren: I do like kids! I don't have any, though, and I don't have any siblings either. How many do you have?

Addie: Twizzlers. Though if I get a hankering, I can go for a handful of sour patch kids, too. And yours?

Addie: He is. It's a good thing too, because we can barely handle the one.

LOCATION  → evan’s home

After the Ann-pocalypse, Addie’s days had begun to feel barren; all of the cracks and crevices of her life that Annie had filled now sat vacant, and she wasn’t quite sure what to do with the amount of time she had left in her day. It was a feeling that she unfortunately knew well enough; when she and Evan fought – which had been fairly often throughout their childhood, and then into adulthood – she had figured out through trial and error that the very best ( if only ) way to get her mind off of the empty ache of her heart was to find somewhere or someone else to channel the energy into. The main difference between this situation and those previous was that this was about Annie. Annie and Addie, though they’d had arguments before, had never actually truly fought. Annie had been such a constant for the past fifteen years that it had become almost a joke between them - that even if they did come to fight, neither one of them would even know how. It turned out that they’d been right. When Annie did the one thing that could ever turn Addie against her, Addie quickly figured out that she had not a single clue what to do. The only thing that made an ounce of sense was to ignore the calls and texts she received, ignore the doorbell when it rang, and shut herself off from everyone. Everyone except Evan.

Just as she’d gone running into the soft, tender arms of Annie whenever she and Evan fought, Addie had found solace in the presence of Evan after everything had transpired with Annie. The past few weeks, there was little time that the two spent apart; just like the old days, Addie took great care to sneak in and out of the house so that her mother wouldn’t suspect that her perfect daughter had disappeared into the night. Whatever time wasn’t spent on school or at work, Addie made sure to keep free in the case that Evan was around and up for company. Like magnets, they revolved around each other, as obsessive as ever, and though Addie’s heart felt so desolate, she had something to fill the void.

Reminiscent of so many mornings throughout her life, Addie woke surrounded by the smell of Evan, feeling safe and warm in the comfort of the other woman’s bed. She went to stretch as she came to, but was slow to realize that the typical weight over her stomach was no longer there. When she shifted, turning to see where the other had gone, she found only an empty bed beside her. Sitting up, she rubbed at her eyes, glancing around the room blearily for any signs of life, but finding none. Instead, she honed in on the sound of a plate being set on the counter in the kitchen, and the smell of breakfast being made; following the scent, she threw the covers back and pressed one foot and then the other onto the chilly hardwood of the floor, tugging her large t-shirt back over her stomach and down her legs as she padded towards the kitchen.

Wren: Thank you so much! It's definitely hard-won confidence, but I'm glad it at least is coming to good use. You're so kind!

Wren: That's valid. Plus you get the extra benefit of getting to stay home in your PJ's and eat whatever snacks you want without spending $30 extra.

Wren: Annie being the one that convinced you to go to the ball? That's nice! And it's nice you have a close relationship with your nephew, too. I always wished I had aunts and uncles around growing up.

Addie: Exactly; there are better snacks to choose from at the grocery store, anyway. But the popcorn from the theatre is somehow always better.

Addie: Yes, that Annie. Oh, he's just the sweetest little thing. He'll steal your beating heart right out of your chest if you're not looking.

Wren: That's so sweet.

Wren: And thank you so much! That's really kind of you to say and it means a lot to me. I've only been doing it for about a year, so sometimes I worry I haven't gotten it down pat, you know?

Wren: Usually lounge around my apartment watching TV, to be honest. Although sometimes I'll head out to catch a movie if I'm feeling really bold. What about you? What do you do outside of nannying?

Addie: Oh, you absolutely do. And even if you don't feel it, you seem very confident, so at the very least you have that going.

Addie: I haven't been to the theatres in a long time. If I'm being entirely honest, I don't trust the surfaces enough. I'm sure the seats haven't been cleaned since they were installed, and I doubt any of the counters and/or other surfaces have been sanitized in just as long. I prefer to wait until the movie comes out on a streaming service so that I can watch from the comfort of my own home.

It was only a week past the events at Vice, and everything that transpired after, and Benji was clearly still dwelling. Was Addie Birch the appropriate person to vent to? Definitely not. Was he going to cave now, under her scrutinizing gaze?

Absolutely. 

“So you know Isaac, right?” Benji assumed Addie did, because Benji definitely didn’t. Not beyond breaking his nose, at least. “Katie’s never going to tell you this. And I think, probably because you are the way you are. And that’s cool, y’know. I’d rather you be authentic. But that guy, he said things that were just way out of line to your sister. That’s how I broke my hand.” Benji shifted the bandaged, lifeless digits of his right hand for emphasis. “Well, Katie came back to my place. And Simone —- Do you know Simone? That doesn’t matter.” Benji set down the mangled remains of his burger back onto the plate, reaching instead for his milkshake. After slurping some of it down, he’d continue. “We all… Hung out. And then, we uh…” Benji shrugged his shoulders. “It’s no big deal. It’s not going to affect Katie and I’s relationship. I’ve just been dying to get it off of my chest.”

Where Annie Lim was concerned, Benji wouldn’t flinch. That, at least, was so fledgling in its infancy he didn’t have to worry too much about spoiling something that hadn’t even really started yet. “Just… Don’t say anything to her, okay? A little bit of humility would be great in this situation.”

-

While she wasn’t surprised that Benji was so quick to crumble under her stare, she couldn’t believe the words that began to tumble clumsily from his mouth. He barely took a breath between what she could only assume was the end of one sentence and the beginning of another, giving her very little time to process one piece of information before being pelted with the next. The name Isaac, though only heard a few times in her life thanks to her strained relationship with her sister, rung several alarm bells in her head as she leant forward, more concerned with why Benji was bringing him up than the backhanded compliment that came after. “What did he say to her?” She asked quietly, though her question was overrun by the next string of details to come out of her companion’s mouth. 

“What do you mean, you ‘hung out?’” Addie could hear the shift in her own tone as it transitioned from anxious to almost borderline accusatory as she threw air quotes around the word. Though she didn’t want to believe that it meant what she thought it did, she couldn’t imagine what else he could possibly mean, especially when she knew just how her sister could be. 

Addie could barely let the message play, feeling guilt, spite, sadness, and pride all welled within the pit of her stomach. By the halfway mark, it had become almost too much to bare. She cut it off halfway through, tossing her phone onto the bed and promptly taking her pillows and hurling them against her wall with as much power as she could muster, simultaneously trying to save the precious things in her room from her wrath, knowing she’d never get them back if she broke them in a childish fit of rage, and hoping that something would break, just to take her away from the frustration that had built up in her body. She wanted nothing more than the satisfaction of watching her mirror splinter into pieces. The last thing she needed was to have to look at her splotchy face and red-stained eyes.