Time passed. The sun set.

Gradually, the adults left. Trent found it difficult to focus as Claire kept teasing him, and he became gradually, almost reluctantly convinced that Bea might be right about Tabby. She talked with Angus for a long time, and then drifted back over to him, and seemed to keep finding excuses to touch him. At one point, he saw Tabby and Mae talking, whispering to each other really, in the corner, glancing at him several times and giggling, and Mae gave him her lunatic grin that he wasn't completely sure how to interpret, even now.

Eventually, everyone but his group of girlfriends, Claire, Molly, and Tabby had left for the night. Gregg had picked them up two bottles of wine at Molly's behest and when Tabby said that she intended to finally drink some now that she could, as she said, let her hair down, and headed for the kitchen, Trent realized at once that something he'd been batting around all night suddenly needed to be addressed.

"Where're you goin'?" Molly asked when Trent got to his feet.

"Kitchen," he replied, distracted.

Molly had already gotten into one of the bottles and was well on her way to being sloppy drunk. Mostly she'd been making out with Mae and Ann. Bea and Claire were sitting on the back porch, sharing some weed.

"Hey," Trent said as he followed Tabby into the kitchen.

"Hey, you," she replied as she found a wineglass and started to pour herself some wine. "What's up? You look...nervous."

He stepped closer and lowered his voice. "So, I've got a...uh, like, potentially ridiculously awkward question and I really have to ask it now that you're, um, gonna get drunk."

"What? I don't really planning on getting, like, drunk-drunk, just tipsy...what's the question?" she asked, looking amused.

He hesitated, then rubbed the back of his neck. "Are you, um...jeez, this is really hard to ask. Are you-uh. Well, would you be...um…"

She giggled. "Whatever it is, just ask it. I mean, I'd say we're pretty cool at this point, right?"

"Yeah, we are. It's just, this is like a...deeply personal question."

"Just fire away, Trent," Tabby said.

He sighed. "Okay. Yeah. Are you interested in having sex with me?" he asked.

There was an immediate relief when he saw the expression that came onto her face was one of more intense amusement.

"Now why would you be asking that?" she murmured.

"It's just...I've been getting some, uh, you know, signals. And I normally wouldn't ask so bluntly, but it's just, you're drinking now. And...if you are going to come onto me, I want to be, like, completely sure it was a decision that was made before you got drunk, or tipsy. I just-I don't want you to make a mistake while drunk."

"Wow, that is like...the sweetest way anyone has ever asked me for sex," Tabby said. She let out a little laugh.

"I'll be totally cool if you're not down to fuck, I just-"

"I get it dude, you're watching out for me. All right, I was gonna do this a little differently, but...yeah. I was hoping to seduce you while I was drinking this wine. But just so we're clear, yes, I came here with the intention to sleep with you. Because you are cute and a lot of fun, and I just really lose my shit for creative dudes, especially writers."

"Oh." He laughed awkwardly. "Wow, okay. Um...man. You know, just...go along with your original plan."

"You sure?" she asked.

"Yeah, definitely. Wait. We need to talk with the others about this."

"Oh don't worry, I've already got permission from your inner circle." She giggled and took a drink from her glass. "You really are cute."

He laughed again. "Man. Um. Are we sure this is a good idea? Like, we work together, and-"

"Trent," Tabby said, a little more seriously, "I have been single for going on a year now. I haven't been laid in almost that long. Too busy. Too much stuff going on. If you aren't comfortable with hooking up, then I will respect that, but just know that I am very comfortable with it. And I'm not looking to date you, or change anything about our working relationship. I just want to have sex with you. As your friend, and sort-of boss. More like business partner? I'm into you. I don't want this to be complicated."

"...all right," he said.

She smiled and walked over to him. "Good," she murmured, running a finger along his jawline. "Very good." Then she walked out of the kitchen.

Trent kept standing there, feeling a little buzzed by the encounter. He'd admittedly started fantasizing about Tabby as soon as he'd seen a picture of her. She was hot. If anything, she was hotter in person, and she had a great voice, and an amazing body, and a really fun personality. He and Mae had sure talked about doing sexual things with her enough, but he'd always assumed it was a pipe dream.

He heard footsteps getting closer and wondered if Tabby was coming back for something a little more, or if Mae was coming over to absolutely flip her shit about something. But it wasn't. It was Molly, and she was giving him a sloppy drunk grin.

"Hello, you," she said, walking into the room.

"Molly, hi...you doing okay?" Trent replied.

"I feel fantastic," Molly said, coming closer. "Like, real fantastic right now. Your girlfriend can kiss. And your other girlfriend can eat pussy. But that is not why I'm here."

"Why are you here? Is everything all right?" he asked.

"Everything is fine, Trent. I'm here because-" She leaned forward and kissed him on the mouth. He was surprised enough that she hugged him and managed to work her tongue into his mouth before he pulled back.

"Hey, whoa, what are you doing?!" he asked.

"Duh! Kissing you," she replied, and tried again.

"Molly! Molly, just-wait," he said.

She sighed heavily. "What? We already kissed once, and you felt me up. What's the problem?"

"You're drunk, Molly."

"So?" She tried again.

"Molly! Molly, I don't want you doing something stupid that you're going to regret."

"Oh my God, Trent, stop being such a downer! I'm not gunna regret it! Just, c'mere!" She tried to kiss him again and he put his hands firmly on her shoulders.

"Molly, I do not consent to this," he said.

That seemed to break through to her a little more firmly. "Are you fucking serious right now?" she demanded.

"Yes, Molly, I'm dead serious. I don't consent to this, okay? You're drunk and if you want to make out later, when you're sober, then I will be more than happy to but-"

She had been staring at him with something like disbelief, and suddenly her face screwed up in anger and frustration.

"You fucking asshole!" she yelled, and shoved him. Trent stumbled backwards into the counter, more surprised than anything else, and knocked over one of the wineglasses that had been set out. Molly ran out of the room as it fell to the ground and shattered, making him jump.

"What's going on!?" Mae called. "Molly what-Molly!"

"What the hell's going on!?" Bea yelled.

Ann appeared in the kitchen doorway and stared in at him with surprise. "What did you do?" she asked, looking deeply confused and concerned. "Are you okay? Don't move, there's glass everywhere…" she murmured, starting forward.

"No, babe, stop," Trent said, holding up one hand as he got himself back to the here and now. This was a problem he could deal with in a more immediate sense. "You aren't sober, I don't want you stepping on glass," he said. "I've got my shoes on still, just...I'll handle it." He grabbed the broom from the corner and started sweeping up.

"What happened?!" Bea asked as she appeared.

"Is everything okay, dude?" Claire asked.

"Why is Molly crying? What'd you say to her?" Ann asked, still bewildered.

"Just-she tried to kiss me, okay? And I told her no," Trent replied.

"Wait, what?" Bea asked.

"Can I please get a minute here?" Trent asked.

"I...yeah, yeah. Come on, everyone, back to the living room. I need to go check upstairs, Mae's pretty stoned," Bea muttered.

Trent blocked everything out for a moment, still trying to process everything that had just happened as he swept up the broken glass. He had not expected that. At all. And now he felt like an asshole. When he'd met Molly, he didn't think he'd be making her cry. For a moment he found himself getting angry with her. He'd done the right fucking thing, why had she flipped out? But then he started calming himself down.

She was drunk. Obviously really drunk, and drunk people weren't known for their logic and sound reasoning and well-measured emotional responses.

Actually, now that he thought about it, he had to wonder when was the last time she'd been shot down after seriously coming onto someone. Given what a fucking knockout bombshell she was, maybe it had never happened before.

But why had she even tried kissing him!? Why had she been so intent on it!?

There had to be something he was missing. He growled as he finished sweeping up the glass. Literally right after finding out that Tabby fully intended to lay him tonight, and so did Claire. Trent put the broom back, then paused, realizing he was still angry. On the one hand, he thought he had a fair right to be angry, but on the other, he knew it wouldn't help the situation at all, and what the hell was he going to do? Go yell at a crying drunk girl?

He shook his head, then splashed some water onto his face from the kitchen sink, dried off, then headed out to the living room, where he found everyone but Mae and Bea (and Molly obviously) gathered, looking anxious.

"Are you okay?" Claire asked.

"I'm okay," he replied. "I think I need to go try and talk to Molly."

"Might not be the best idea," Ann murmured.

He could hear Mae and Bea talking with her, and her Molly shouting back, her voice muffled, and guessed that she'd locked herself somewhere upstairs.

"I have to," Trent replied, and headed upstairs.

Bea and Mae were both outside the bathroom, the door to which was shut firmly. He could hear Molly crying.

"Please open the door, Molly!" Mae said. "I have to help you! You're hurt!"

"I'm not hurt!" she cried between sobs. "I'm fucking drunk! Just...leave me alone!"

"Molly, we're really worried about you," Bea said.

"I'm not hurt!" she cried, then suddenly gasped. "Oh God, is Trent hurt!? Is that what you mean!? I heard glass breaking! Is he okay!?"

"He's fine!" Mae said, looking back at Trent, who nodded silently.

"You're just saying that!"

"No, I know that he's not hurt, Molly. Will you please open the door? Your emotions are hurt and you need help!" Mae groaned.

"How do you know he's not hurt!?" Molly demanded.

"He's here now."

"Oh God! Don't come in! Just-ignore me! I'm being a stupid bitch and-why wouldn't you kiss me!?" she demanded.

"Molly, I wasn't trying to make you angry or hurt you," Trent replied.

She said something but he couldn't make it out.

"Molly, please let me come in," Mae begged. "I just want to talk with you and make sure you're all right."

Molly didn't say anything for a long moment.

"Molly?" Mae asked.

"...fine, but only you Mae," she said, and the door unlocked.

"Fuck, I'll be in here," Mae muttered, and slipped into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. Trent and Bea lingered, the two women's voices becoming indistinct. At least Molly seemed to have stopped crying.

"Fuck," Trent whispered.

"Come on, babe," Bea said, taking his hand and guiding him over to the stairs. They walked down them slowly, lingered at the bottom, and finally sat down on the last step.

"I feel..." Trent muttered. "I don't know. Angry. Also, like an asshole."

"What exactly happened?" Bea asked.

"I was in the kitchen. She came in and pretty much just walked up to me and kissed me on the mouth. We made out a little, but I stopped her. I kept stopping her. Because she's drunk. Like drunk drunk. Like fucking wasted. And I didn't want her doing something she was going to regret later and I didn't want to feel like I was taking advantage of her somehow. I finally got through to her when I told her I didn't consent to it, and she just...lost it. She screamed at me and shoved me. Hard. Then she ran off."

"You did fine, babe," Bea said. "Honestly, you did great. And apparently I wasn't wrong about her. But...I don't get it. Was she just feeling...experimental?"

"Maybe? I mean, that's a thing, right? Girls who are more or less straight make out with other girls at parties sometimes. Maybe that's what she was doing? Only for her, it'd be making out with a guy?" he muttered. "Ugh, I'm so confused, and angry, and guilty."

"Don't feel guilty," Bea said. She hugged him suddenly. "Seriously, you did great. It was a shitty situation that got thrown in your face. You handled it well. Mae has, too-oop, there she goes," she muttered, both of them looking back up as they heard the toilet lid slam open and the unmistakable sound of someone vomiting.

"Maybe...I should be there, too," Bea murmured. "This is kind of a lot for Mae."

"If she needs help, she'll ask," Trent replied. "...I mean, probably. Maybe you're right."

"Is everything, like, okay?" Tabby asked from the living room.

"I think so," Bea replied. "We're, uh, doing damage control right now. I'm really sorry about this."

"Well, it wasn't your fault," she said. "Molly seems...fun, but unstable. How do you know her exactly?"

Trent sighed heavily. "It's a long, strange story. Suffice to say: not that well."

He and Bea headed upstairs and waited by the door, listening. It was silent in the bathroom, though he thought he could hear Mae whispering something. After a moment, the sound of vomiting came again, then a toilet flush, then a moan. Mae said something.

"I'm such a fucking loser," Molly moaned.

"No! You aren't, Molly. Don't say that," Mae replied.

"I fucked everything up...oh shit." More vomiting. "Oh God...just let me lay here…" she groaned after she was finished.

"You need water, Molly. And to lay down somewhere."

"I'll go get the pull-out ready," Bea muttered, heading back downstairs.

Trent sighed, wondering if he'd blown his chance to get with Tabby. In truth, he wasn't even sure if he was still in the mood after all this. He was confused, anxious, upset, worried. But he'd been through worse, and he found that pushing through his current emotional turmoil was easier than it had been in the past. He had responsibilities. He jogged back downstairs and got a big glass of water, then came back upstairs and knocked lightly on the door.

"What?" Mae asked.

"It's me. I've got water for Molly. She needs to drink it or she's going to have the worst hangover tomorrow," he replied.

"Hold on," Mae said. He heard talking so quiet that he couldn't make it out, then some shifting around, and then finally the door opened and Mae's hand came out. "She...doesn't want to see you," she murmured awkwardly.

"Okay," Trent replied, passing the water to Mae, "just make sure she drinks it. All of it."

"I'm sorry, Trent," Molly said, still slurring a little. "I'm being such a bitch and you're still being nice to me."

"I'm not mad at you, Molly, I just want you to feel better," Trent replied.

"I feel so stupid…" she moaned.

"She's not going to be fully, uh...coherent, until tomorrow," Mae said, then closed the door. He heard Molly begin to argue but Mae shushed her and began making her drink the water. Trent sighed and lingered for a moment, then headed back downstairs. Honestly, he wanted to smoke a little more but not before the situation felt more under control.

Back downstairs, he saw Bea and Ann making the bed while Tabby sat in the recliner and Claire paced around anxiously.

"Hey, Trent...uh...so, awkward situation…" Claire murmured.

"What now?" he asked.

Tabby laughed. "We both just put together that we both intend to jump you. On the one hand, I feel like I kinda get first dibs because we've never had sex before, but on the other hand, you two are closer and she's been without sex for awhile...although so have I..."

"So you're asking who goes first?" Trent replied.

Tabby raised an eyebrow. "First? I was thinking who goes at all? You really think you've got enough for two of us?"

Trent rolled his eyes. "I'm a twenty two year old, relatively fit guy, Tabby. With three girlfriends and one of the side. Of course I can go twice."

"Oh that's right...I keep thinking you're closer to my age, for some reason. Mmm. I forgot how horny twenty two year old boys could be," she murmured. "Well then, coin flip?"

"Are you all really okay with having sex after all that just happened?" he asked.

"I am if you are," Tabby replied with a shrug. "I grew up in a screamy family, and then spent a very long time with a group of highly argumentative friends. They're all gone, but I have been through a goddamned trial by fire when it comes to stuff like this. This barely registers as all that awkward to me."

"I'm still horny," Claire replied with a slightly helpless shrug.

"All right then...flip a coin," he replied.

Tabby snorted into her wine. "Seriously?"

"Seriously. Here, I'll do it." He reached into his pocket and fished out a quarter. "Tabby, call it," he said, flipping it.

"Heads!" Tabby replied.

He caught the coin and slapped it onto the back of his hand. "Tails."

"Great," Tabby muttered.

"It's probably for the best," Claire said. "I don't want, like, a really long session or anything. I just want to have sex, take a shower, and then go to bed for the night. I'm tired."

"Also, just so we're clear, we're good for unprotected sex," Tabby said. "I hate condoms. I got tested and I've got a birth control implant, so I'm good to go for getting that hot injection of sticky stuff." She giggled and drank a bit more wine.

"Ew, you actually want him to cum in you?" Claire asked.

"Yeah. I...like the idea. A lot. I've thought about it a lot," Tabby murmured, staring at Trent as she ran her finger slowly along the rim of her wineglass.

"It's gross," Claire complained.

"Yeah kinda but sex is gross, it's also wicked hot," Tabby replied. "And I sent the details of all this to Bea and Ann, so we're all good."

"Wait...wait. You knew Tabby was going to try and fuck me, and you kept it from me!?" he asked, looking at the two women.

"I mean, yeah," Ann replied, looking confused.

Bea rolled her eyes as she finished getting the pull-out ready. "Duh, Trent. Tabby knows what's up. And we knew Mae could never keep this a secret from you. And we knew that you've been fantasizing about her forever so…"

"Wait, what? I never heard this," Tabby said, a broad grin breaking out onto her face.

"Oh yeah, from like the first time you got into contact him and Mae would go on and on about how much they wanted to fuck you."

"Bea…" Trent groaned.

"Mae, too? It's too bad I'm not into girls, I feel a little bad, Mae likes me so much, I didn't know she liked me like that, especially when she's got a girl like Molly sucking on her face all night," Tabby murmured.

"Mae...is very horny," Trent replied.

"What was that one fantasy you had?" Bea murmured.

"Shut. Up," Trent groaned.

"What, no, I want to hear this!" Tabby said.

"I'm trying to remember...also, don't feel bad about not being into girls. Mae's got plenty on the girl front and it's more than enough that you're cool to let us watch...oh right! You and Mae got to talking about-"

"Bea!" he cried. "Are you seriously-don't tell her!"

"Why?" Bea replied, grinning fiercely at him.

"It's...weird," he muttered. "And might make her uncomfortable."

"It'll take a lot to make me uncomfortable. I mean, is it you wanted to pee on me? I'm not into that. Or any other bodily fluids...beyond cum, you know. I don't mind if you do it on me but I'd like you to do it in me…"

"It does relate to that…" Bea murmured.

"Bea!"

"Cumming in me? Huh. I mean is that the fetish or...no that can't be it, you wouldn't be so embarrassed about that. I mean, like, every dude wants to cum in their chick's pussy. Hmm."

"Can we please stop talking about this?" Trent groaned.

"No way! I love making guys squirm...ew, that came out really mean-sounding," Tabby said. "I mean, when it's in good fun. Oh! Is it pregnancy?" she asked suddenly. "Were you and Mae fantasizing about, like, getting me pregnant?"

"Is that what it was, Trent?" Bea asked, her grin huge and almost sadistic now.

Trent just groaned in response. "Yes," he muttered finally. "Thank you for embarrassing me."

"It's not embarrassing, everyone has fetishes and kinks," Tabby said. She finished off her wine and then held it out. "Would someone please get me more?"

Claire took it. "I will, just don't go too hard or you'll pass out before he can nail you."

"It's just wine, and I can hold my wine. You all forget that I'm, like, way older than all of you."

"You're only like five years older than me!" Claire called from the kitchen.

"Wait, how old are you exactly?" Bea asked.

"Thirty five. Turned thirty five this year."

"Oh. Wow. Holy shit," Trent muttered.

"Did you not know that?"

"I guess not...I don't know. I guess I wasn't thinking. You're, like...twelve, no thirteen years older than me. Man."

"Almost a cougar," Tabby replied, winking at him.

"You're into cougars, right?" Bea asked.

"Is he?" Ann asked.

"Yeah, Mae was talking about how he said he'd nail Kate and she's like forty-"

"Whoa, wait!" Ann laughed. "Pastor Kate!?"

"You fucked a pastor?" Tabby asked.

"No! I said I would fuck her and it's not weird, she's hot! And Mae asked!" Trent cried.

"What the hell are you guys talking about in here?!" Claire asked as she came back.

"Thank you very much," Tabby said, accepting the wineglass back from her.

"Trent wants to fuck Pastor Kate, but I doubt that's on the table," Bea replied.

"I dunno...maybe she'd let you do her on a table. I know you two are into that," Ann said with a sly grin.

Bea had been drinking from a can of soda but choked on it and coughed harshly. "You told her about that?!" she demanded.

"Mae told her about that!" Trent replied.

"Wait, what happened?" Tabby asked.

"Bea was basically gagging for my cock when I came to visit her at her place of work awhile ago and so I fucked her in the back room. Like I fucking nailed her," Trent replied.

"You fucking-" she let out a growl, staring at him.

"Oh so it's totally cool to share my sexual secrets, but not yours?" he replied.

"You fucking fuckboy," Bea whispered harshly.

Trent stepped closer to her, slipped a finger through the loop on her choker collar, and yanked her closer so that they were face to face. "I will bend you the fuck over and fuck you right here in front of everyone, you fucking whore," he muttered.

"Whoa! Where did that come from!?" Tabby cried.

"This is just their relationship," Ann said. "Bea was asking for it."

"I was not!" Bea snapped.

"Shut your fucking mouth," Trent growled at her.

She immediately looked down and clasped her hands together in front of her. "Yes, sir," she murmured.

"That's what I thought."

He let go of her choker collar and they all maintained an awkward, sexual-tension-laced silence for a long moment.

Tabby was the first to break it. "So, like, is it the getting me pregnant part that gets you going? Or, like, the fact that I'd be pregnant with your child? I mean, what is it exactly?"

Trent sighed. "Kind of all of it? I'm not really sure, to be honest. I mean the idea of getting a woman pregnant is hot. The idea of getting you pregnant is hot. The idea of getting not my girlfriend pregnant is hot. And also pregnant women themselves are, like, really hot-it's so fucking weird to talk with you about this. Or at all. To anyone."

"Come on! I'm not kink-shaming," Tabby replied. "I get it. I mean it's not like you actually want to get me pregnant for real."

"No, definitely not. I don't want to get anyone pregnant."

"What if I wanted it?" Bea asked.

"Then that is a discussion we would have."

"Good answer," Ann murmured with a smile.

"Yeah, it is," Bea agreed. She glanced unhappily upstairs. "I hope they're okay…"

"We should check on them," Trent replied, getting back up.

"She's probably gonna pass out soon," Claire said. "After she does and someone's watching her, we can have sex upstairs."

"You've got a one-track mind for this, huh?" Trent replied.

"Trent, it's been too long since we've fucked and you're the only person I fuck! And now that I actually have something of a grip of my sex life, like...I want your dick, okay?"

"Hey, I'm not complaining," he replied, heading up the stairs.

He didn't hear anything at first, and got a little worried, but as he reached the top floor and neared the bathroom, he heard quiet talking.

"Who's out there?" Mae asked.

"Me," Trent replied.

"She's falling asleep."

"I am not," Molly replied impetuously.

Mae sighed. "God, you are an annoying drunk, you know that?"

"I'm sorry," Molly replied immediately.

"It's-no, it's fine. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that."

"I know I'm annoying, I'm not trying to be, I'm just...oh man, I'm so fucking tired…" she groaned.

"We have a bed ready for you, Molly."

"I want to go to bed, but...I can't stand you looking at me right now, Trent. I just-I can't. I fucked up so bad. Oh God."

"Are you done puking?" Mae asked.

"I think so? I gotta pee though…"

"Okay, I'll get out of here, and get someone to help you downstairs to bed."

"I can go downstairs on my own!"

"Molly! Oh my God! Will you please just let us help you!? I am not letting you fall down the damn stairs."

"Okay! I'm sorry!"

Mae sighed heavily and left the bathroom.

"I'm just gonna, like, hide out in the bedroom?" Trent said.

"Probably for the best. I, um...we'll talk in a bit," Mae replied, looking incredibly awkward and uncomfortable.

"All right."

Trent slipped into the bedroom and closed the door.

He sat down heavily on the bed, then fell onto his back, staring up at the ceiling.

Goddamn, what a day.