Love By Another Name

Wing Women

Finn roughly flipped through dresses on a rack, earning frowns from a couple of the women working at the clothing store. Ignoring them, a furrow appeared in her brow as she couldn't help but think none of the dresses looked right. And they were all far more money than she wanted to spend on something she'd likely only wear once. But at the same time, she had torn her closet apart trying to find something to wear when she met her mother and was convinced there was absolutely nothing in there that would do.

She wasn't sure why she got like this every time she had to see her mother. Well, that wasn't true. She knew why. The woman lived to tear her down every chance she got. At least if she were wearing something deemed acceptable by her mother's exacting standards, it would be one less thing on the sure-to-be long list of complaints.

But who was she kidding? Her mother hated everything she chose to wear.

Sighing, she stepped back from the rack, taking pity on the dresses she had been manhandling in her stressed out state (it wasn't their fault) as her phone rang.

"Hey, Taylor," she said after answering it.

"You're angry shopping again. You know what happens when you angry shop," he said immediately, picking up on the note of frustration in her voice.

"I'm meeting my mother tonight. What did you expect?" Finn replied, looking around the store for something else.

"I told you I'd go with you to see her," Taylor said.

"And I told you, you just make it worse. She spends the entire time focused on why we aren't married and news flash - it's all my fault," Finn replied dryly. "Besides, I already asked Katie to go with me this time."

"Katie? To meet your mum?" Taylor asked, sounding a bit shocked. Finn continued perusing the clothes.

"Not like I had much of a choice. Can't bring you. And you remember what happened the last time Haley came with me," she said.

"Right, though... you haven't really known her that long," Taylor said. "Kind of a big request to make with someone you only met a few months ago."

Finn chuckled.

"Would you stop worrying about me and Katie. It's cool," she said. "It'll be fine."

"Alright. I trust your judgement," he said, giving in a lot faster than Finn was expecting. She stopped looking through the clothes as a grin filled her face.

"You like her," she sang.

"Christ, Finn. Are we in elementary school?" he asked, chuckling. Finn snorted.

"I have totally seen the way you look at her," Finn replied. "And besides, I need something to distract me from the sure disaster that's going to happen tonight."

"And you think talking about my love life is a good distraction?" he asked incredulously.

"Ah-ha! I knew it! You do fancy her," she nearly shouted, causing more than a few other women in the shop to look over at her.

She just continued on with her slow trek through the displays, stopping here and there to look at a few things.

"Shouldn't you be focusing on your own love life?" Taylor asked. Finn snorted again.

"You mean lack thereof?" she asked.

"What happened with that Oliver bloke?" Taylor asked. Finn sighed.

"I'm not sure. He's so confusing," she admitted. "We ran into each other the other day, actually. And he acted like he was really happy to see me. But at the same time, it's been weeks since we met at the party with no word. And some of the excuses he gives... I just... I can't tell if he's trying to let me down nicely or if he's just... hopeless."