Overworked

Chapter 5

Maeve's hands flew to her mouth, fleeing into the ajar closet beside her. She closed the door quickly, the silent latch keeping her hidden. Breathing hard, she tried to collect her thoughts about what's she's just witnessed.

"Did my sister have sex with Aspen?" she thought to herself, "I mean, yeah she's old enough and it's her house. But Aspen? We've only just reintroduced ourselves..."

Aspen and Raegan whispered to each other, breaking Maeve from her thoughts.

Aspen froze, not yet reaching the lounge, "Did you hear the door close?"

"No, why?" Raegan froze too, looking around for her redheaded sibling, "Did you hear it?"

Aspen returned only silence. After a few moments, they continued to creep into the kitchen. Aspen prepared two glasses of water while Raegan grabbed sandwich ingredients. Then they both zipped back into Raegan's bedroom. Maeve came out of the closet with wide eyes, before shaking her head, knowing Raegan would tell her when she was ready. She made her way to the front door, opening and shutting it loudly, pretending to just have returned home.

"I'm home!" She called, making herself some tea in the kitchen.

"Be there in a sec!" Raegan called back from inside her bedroom.

Maeve finished making her tea as Raegan came back, Aspen following a few moments later. Maeve leant against the counter of the kitchen-top, holding her mug in both hands.

"Oh hey, Aspen! When did you arrive?"

He blushed lightly, "Oh, um, Raegan asked me to help with paperwork she had to organise."

Raegan smiled as Maeve's phone rang. She picked up her phone, checking the caller ID before answering.

Mum Calling...

Answer? Decline?

She clicked the green Answer button, holding a finger up to her lips.

Maeve grinned, "Hey Mum, how are you?"

"What's going on? You're smiling." Her mother's voice came through the phone's speaker into Maeve's ear.

Maeve spluttered, "W-What? N-Nothing's going on, Mum." her mother laughed, and Maeve took a sigh of relief, "I'm joking Mae, just a warning we're about ten minutes away, thought we'd drop in later to let you two enjoy your last day off this week."

Maeve clicked her fingers at Raegan, pointing at the phone then the front door.

"Ten minutes is fine, Mum, we were just talking to an old friend who came over."

"Oh, how nice! I'm glad you're more social than before sweetie. See you soon!"

"Bye Mum, see you shortly."

"Bye, love you!"

Maeve ended the call, chucking her phone on the sofa.

"Aspen, we're just going to clean the whole house in five minutes flat." Raegan rubbed her eyes tiredly.

He gave one nod, going into Raegan's room and shutting the door behind him. Raegan and Maeve vacuumed and polished until the door rang. Raegan went to answer the door, and Maeve went to wash up the remaining dishes that had begun to pile up on the surfaces. Raegan opened the door, greeting their parents with a huge smile. Their mother was a slender woman, wearing her usual jeans and trainers, while their father was more of a lumberjack type, wearing a flannel shirt, blue jeans and large boots. His bright red curls matched Maeve's almost identically.

"Hello, Raegan, how are you darling? How is work? I hope you've gotten another promotion my little star." She pinched her cheeks much like a small child.

Raegan blushed furiously, rubbing her cheeks and sitting on the sofa with Aspen.

"I'm well and work is great. I'm now the second top worker in the business as I'm the secretary for the creator of Elinasi. How're you and Dad?"

She smiled, hanging up her coat on the pole, sitting on the other sofa. Their father followed her as Maeve dried her hands on a towel and joined them with a smile.

"Well done! But we're fine sweetie," Dad said, his voice deep and husky.

"Hey, sorry I was just washing up a bit from dinner."

Their Dad chuckled, "It's alright Maeve, you can leave dishes out. It's your house, and we aren't exactly royalty."

Maeve frowned, standing near her father, "Aw dad, but you're not random people. We love having you over, and we want you to be proud of us."

He hugged her, pulling her down to sit on his lap.

"I am proud of you, Curly."

Maeve smiled at the mention of her old nickname as their Dad ruffled her afro-like curls, rubbing her arm in encouragement. Raegan's ensuite toilet flushed, and everyone looked towards it.

"Girls, stay here. I think someone's in your house."

Before the girls could explain, he stood up silently, holding up a finger back at them. He slowly crept towards the bedrooms, clenching his fist. He wrenched open the door, revealing Aspen scrolling on his phone. He held up his hands in surrender, showing he meant no harm.

"Wait, please. I mean no harm!"

"Who are you, boy?"

"My name's Aspen Huddi, Raegan and I just started dating."

"Aspen!" Raegan whispered harshly.

"Look, please don't beat me up for dating your daughter. I'm not just here to get in her pants, I promise."

"I thought you were a burglar or something. I won't beat you up if you're making Raegan happy." Dad wrapped his arm around Aspen, looking like a twig against him.

"Oh, yeah." he laughed, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

They walked back over to the lounge, all sitting down again on the two sofas and continuing their small talk. A few minutes later, Maeve's phone rang. She answered it, not bothering to look at the caller ID this time.

"Hey, Maeve, it's Tai! Are you free?" Tai's voice came through Maeve's phone's speaker.

"I'm with my parents right now at mine." Maeve smiled at her family, walking into the kitchen.

"Oh, I'm outside, I just wanted to give you something before I went home."

Maeve frowned, "Oh? You can come in if you like, it's just me and my family."

He laughed, "It's alright, I need to get home anyway," She made her way to the front door, opening it and revealing a grinning Tai, holding a bunch of flowers. "Tai, you didn't have to."

He grinned, handing them to her and kissing her cheek.

Before he pulled away he whispered in her ear, "Night, Maeve, I'll see you tomorrow if you're free."

She nodded, kissing his cheek back and inhaling his cologne. He withdrew, walking away once more. Inhaling the scent of the flowers, she closed her door and made her way to the kitchen again.

"Oh? Where did the flowers come from?" Her mother asked, noticing the flowers in her arms with a knowing smile.

"Tai, the guy I've just started dating. Which reminds me Raegan, you need to put that onesie on. I got the message before you started doing the nasty with Aspen." Both parents' heads turned slowly to Raegan, and Maeve grinned evilly at her. "Payback, sister."