“Which is why I offered to go sleep outside!”

I piped up, "Can I say something?"

Both girls turned to me to deliver in stereo, “NO!”

I shut up.

Belle sat up, brushed her bangs back from her eyes, and tucked them behind her ears. On the other side of me, Mari sat up as well. My eyes ping-ponged back and forth between the girls, briefly dropping down to ogle their naked breasts before forcing myself to concentrate on their faces.

Neither of them spoke for a minute, both of them frowning and pondering their next words. I was still not completely sure about what was going on, and unable to keep it in, I finally Looked at Belle and began, "I'm sorry if it feels Like I've been too busy for you lately. There's just so much going on right now and--"

“Please don't apologize,” she cut me off. "I am fully aware that I still get more alone time with you than anyone else.”

I raised both eyebrows.

“But it's still less than we used to have.”

“Not really. I mean, I went over the math and nothing's really changed.

Every weekday the girls go home before dinner and I get you all to myself until after the meal. We're actually spending MORE Saturdays together than we used to. Truly, I have nothing to complain about."

"Then why does it sound Like you're complaining?”

“Because there's a finite amount of Matty to go around,” Mari interjected, “and while she used to get like eighty percent of you, now it feels Like she's getting twenty percent.”

"It's not twenty percent," Belle insisted.

Mari shrugged. "Fifty? Forty? Either way, it's not eighty anymore."

“Even if it's fifty, by definition that’s still more than anybody else gets," Belle reasoned.

“But it still feels like you're going backwards. You said so yourself."

“We are NOT having this conversation again." Belle folded her arms across her chest, took a deep breath, and turned to face me.

“I love you, Matty, that's no secret. And I love the time we spend together. Do

I wish I could spend all day with you every day? Absolutely. Do I have a problem sharing you with our friends? Absolutely NOT. Like tonight.

Tonight was amazing!"

“Even though you barely got to play with him?" Mari asked.

“Are you saying you wouldn't have rather had him all to yourself?"

Belle's eyes narrowed.

“I think you're trying to use ME as a proxy to complain that YOU'D rather have him all to yourself."