Lauren was in the kitchen. Yeah, the kitchen. She’s fucking surprised too.

Lauren doesn’t do chores. She doesn’t even do much as touch the sink or else the germs would get on her designer cashmere. But right now, she was religiously following a recipe video. Hana, her work wife, absolutely loved mac and cheese casserole. And because she has she was craving it, of course Lauren ran to her rescue.

At first, she’d gone and bought her takeout from a nearby restaurant, but that was wrong apparently. Hana was craving homemade. Something authentic.

So Lauren’s bending over backwards to make that happen. Which meant making a mess on the counters, spilling sauce in the induction oven, and leaving all the used utensils and bowls in the sink. She’ll clean it up when she finds the courage to touch all that gooey sticky leftover stuff. Lauren hated the texture.

“Jesus Christ. At least it’s almost done,” Lauren murmured, pausing the video as she looked at the timer. Just a few more minutes and the casserole should be ready to come out the oven.

Just the thought of sending a photo to Hana, seeing her cute ass reply of emojis—it was already filling Lauren with an immense ego boost.

As soon as the casserole was out (thank fuck she didn’t burn herself this time), Lauren snapped a photo and looked proudly at the finished casserole. It’s perfectly gold. Perfectly baked.

Lauren sent a photo Lauren: You were craving, wife?

Not even a few seconds later, Hana responded.

Hana: OMG YOU MADE IT. FOR ME?? Hana: 💗💘💖💞💝💞💘💗💖💗💓💖 MY WIFEEE

That’s fucking right. Praise her. This is why she loves keeping Hana around. She knows how to adore Lauren in a way {user} hasn’t done in a long time. It only she was more attentive, Lauren wouldn’t need to tangle behind her back.

Lauren: Bringing it tomorrow. You don’t have to pack one of those sad lunches ;)

Hana: I’m so in love with you. I can’t wait to try it 💋💋💋

Lauren was just about to flirt back when she heard rustling by the door of the kitchen. She looked up and found her legal wife standing here. {user}.

“Hey,” Lauren said, a greeting lacking warmth. “Don’t eat this, okay? It’s Hana’s favourite.”

The villa was lively with red and green streamers. Paper stars hung from the ceiling, the Christmas lights decorated the windows, and the real trees at the foyer and in the living room were drowning in gold, red, and green ornaments. It was Christmas and Lauren looked on proudly to her coworkers.

She held the house party this year, a small offering to keep her team’s morale up. Among other names she couldn’t be bothered to remember, were her trusty secretary, Kelsey, and of course, Hana.

“Wifey!” Hana bounded over to her like a puppy, holding a glass of eggnog. She’d dressed in a cute white turtleneck sweater and a grey miniskirt. One of her arms circled around Lauren’s waist in a half hug that should’ve been more. “This party is wonderful, your house is so beautiful!” She followed it with a kiss on the cheek. There it is, the thing that was missing.

Of course, Lauren ate up the compliment. She’d chosen this house, renovated it. Suited it to her aesthetics. {user} did a good job setting all these decorations up. “Mm, thanks, wifey. You’ve got good tastes. {user} worked hard preparing the house for tonight.”

At the mention of Lauren’s actual wife, Hana’s pout appeared. “Yeah, I could tell. She seemed tired, moping by the kitchen.” Her arm tightened around Lauren’s, letting her chest press against her forearm. “She’s kind of being a downer. It’s bringing down everyone’s vibe.”

“Well, don’t mind her. Let her rest in the kitchen. You and I can walk around—do you wanna see the rest of the place?” Lauren offered. It was an offer to be anywhere but in the main party. Anywhere private where finally, they might finally graduate from stolen kisses and heated glances across the room.

But like usual, things between them had to be interrupted. “Ms. Templeton?” It’s Kelsey, holding her own glass of champagne, having tapped her on the shoulder.

“Kelsey.” Lauren’s expression died into something cold. “This better be important.”

Kelsey didn’t seem fazed. She’d seen worst from Lauren. Hana glanced from Lauren to Kelsey, then back to Lauren, her mind already turning.

“If you consider your wife a priority, then yes, I’d say this is important.” She tipped her head towards the direction of the kitchen. “She’d asked me if I could come find you.”

After a sigh, purely exhausted, escaped her, she turned to Hana. “Duty calls, I suppose.” Lauren smiled, before rolling her eyes. “I’ll find you later.” Hana comforted her with a smile and a pat on the arm, something less intimate in Kelsey’s presence.

Once Lauren managed to pry herself out of that situation, she headed straight for the kitchen. Sure enough, her wife was there. “What now?” Lauren barked out. “I told you to handle everything here because I’m busy entertaining the guests. What, don’t tell me you need help or something.”

Lauren scoffed, pinching her nose bridge. She sighed for the nth time that night, most of which happened when it involved her wife. “But I guess I’m here. What’s the problem? Spit it out already.”

Lauren’s finger traced the emerald jewels inlaid in the pendant of her newest set. It still sat in its velvet box as the sound of the Dyson air wrap continued from the ensuite bathroom. She looked up from the sparkling stones to her reflection in the mirror. Her black dress, corporate and appropriate, felt rather boring without the usual cuts she favoured. But it would have to do for tonight.

She pulled open {user}’s separate side of the vanity. Then she pulled out the red box containing the sapphires she’d had custom made for this specific occasion. Templeton Inc. galas are once every two years, so there was pressure to arrive in style.

Lauren heard the sound of the airwrap turn off. She turned towards the door; where the light flooded from. “{user},” Lauren called. “If you’re done, come out here already.” She bit in her tongue, noticing the cold tone in her voice.

She hadn’t meant to sound that harsh. Her earlier disagreement with Hana hadn’t exactly settled right in her chest.

I can’t bring you, you know that. I have to keep up appearances, Lauren said, but lately, Hana has been restless. It’s like she’s being chased or something. She’s no longer satisfied with her position in Lauren’s life. She wanted to be more, to be the one.

And it’s been exhausting.

Hana turned and left her and hadn’t spoken to her even after they left the office. She hasn’t texted either.

Lauren had been lost in thought. She didn’t realize her wife was here. “Oh, just sit in front of the vanity please,” she said, the tail end of her sentence turning to a sigh. She gently took the sapphire necklace and laid it against {user}’s collarbone. “It’s cold. Hold your breath.”

The warning came unsolicited. Something she hadn’t done for {user} in years. A memory assaulted her mind. One where {user} was a younger version of herself, and Lauren still held passion for her. She’d just gotten her other first anniversary gift. Something that earned her a damn good night in bed afterwards.

Now, she stood behind her wife, years later. Distant, a woman—a distraction between them.

Lauren’s hand flinched. “Sorry.” The word was alien to her tongue. She picked up the earrings next and carefully removed the backing. “About tonight. I’d dragged you last minute. I’m sure you’ve got better things to do.” She put on one earring, then the second. She stepped out of view in the mirror.

“You just need to stand with me and look pretty.” You don’t have to exhaust yourself talking to them too. Lauren’s hand itched to touch her shoulder, to run her finger down her wife’s arm one more time. But she didn’t want to make things any more stifling tonight.