"Hard to believe that little Chloe Price grew up to be a goth girl," Ryan remarked, settling into bed next to his wife and clicking on the lamp that sat on his night stand.
"Riot-grrrl," Vanessa corrected, already sitting in bed and reading her book, "And it's not really so surprising. In a quaint little town like Arcadia Bay, a rebellious teenager wants to make some noise." It was a fair enough point, Ryan thought.
The sliding door out to the backyard opened on the floor beneath them. It was almost inaudible, noticeable more from the slight vibrations through the floor than from any actual noise. Sighing, Ryan set his book down, still unopened.
"I don't think they're watching a movie," he declared. Vanessa raised an eyebrow and looked at him.
"They can go into the backyard if they want," she replied, "What do you care what Max and Chloe are doing?"
"They were getting really close in the backseat on the ride home," Ryan explained, "There was cuddling. And nuzzling." Vanessa rolled her eyes and sighed.
"I realize that men are too macho to even hug very often," she quipped, "But women are actually friendly with our friends, Ryan. Just read your book and don't worry about it, as if Max having a girl-crush on her best friend would be anything to worry about, anyway." Ryan shrugged but dropped the subject, flipping to where he'd left off the night before in his book. After forty five minutes or so, Vanessa placed her bookmark and set her book on the nightstand, clicking off her light and settling down onto the pillows. Ryan did the same a few moments later. Shifting a little, the pair found their familiar configuration and closed their eyes.
A few minutes later, the sound of two pairs of feet padding up the slightly creaky stairs came from out in the hallway. Seconds later, Max's door shut.
"See?" Vanessa whispered, "They're just fine." Ryan good-naturedly grumbled something and shrugged. Just as they were both drifting off, though, they heard something strange. High-pitched, slightly muffled, and cut short. Then, a moment later, again.
"What is that?" Vanessa wondered aloud, "It sounds almost like-" She strained her ears, and heard another sound again, close to the first but a little lower and a little drawn out. "Oh, God."
"I told you they were a little too friendly to be just friends," Ryan remarked. Vanessa swatted his shoulder lightly, and sat up.
"Should we be doing something?" she asked, "Our teenage daughter is having sex in the house! I feel like we're supposed to be doing something!" Ryan propped himself up on his elbows and shrugged.
"Neither of them are going to get pregnant," he pointed out, "And Max was in Arcadia Bay, where Chloe lives, for close to a month before they left, together, when that storm hit, then drove around, crashing at motels. If there's any damage to be done, it's done."
"But, sex, Ryan!" Vanessa repeated, "Aren't you supposed to be getting a shotgun or something?" Ryan rolled his eyes.
"You just scolded me an hour ago about being to macho and traditional," he teased, "Max is a grownup, and Chloe is a grownup, and if they're going to have sex, they're going to have sex."
"I guess it's better than her being racked with shame and guilt," Vanessa conceded, settling back down onto the bed, "I did read her Everyone Has A Naked Body as soon as she got her first period, so I hope she's approaching things in the right mindset." They both closed their eyes again, trying to just fall asleep, but a moan from down the hall broke the silence once more.
"If nothing else, parents shouldn't have to hear their children have sex," Vanessa grumbled, "It feels like they were just in middle school, playing pirates!"
"Want me to rewind and tell you to wear earplugs to bed?" Ryan asked, a smile in his voice.
"No, I'll live," Vanessa replied, settling against her husband and trying not to think about what her daughter was doing down the hall, "But when she gets around to telling us that they're an item, let's be sure to ask that they please keep it down…"