Conversation and eggs

The two sit at the table and eat, not saying much at first.

Ethan thinks she's waiting for him to speak first, so he decides to go for it. "So, about Charlie..."

Ashley glances up, frowning. "Yeah... Last night was..." she shakes her head. "We can't tell her."

Something in Ethan's stomach knots, and it isn't the eggs. "I don't really like the idea of lying to her..." Ethan pauses, considering that feeling.

"Yeah, me neither..." Ashley pushes some eggs around her plate. "Well, then I guess we have three options."

"Okay..." Ethan can think of two already.

"Option 1: We don't tell her. We don't lie to her either. We just... do what we're doing, whatever it is we are doing, and just don't tell her."

This wasn't one of his ideas. "What if she asks?"

"We tell her." Ashley shrugs. "But we wouldn't let it get to that point. We'd be discreet."

"So, we sneak around?"

"Basically."

Ethan frowns. "Next option?"

"Well, B is much simpler: We stop now. Cold turkey. No more...." she motions back and forth with her fork towards Ethan and herself. "This."

This was one Ethan considered. "Hmmmm," he scratches his head, "That seems a bit..."

"Yeah..." Ashley sighs. "But it would solve the problem. Nothing to ask about if nothing is going on."

"And the third option?" Ethan takes a bite of egg, listening intently.

"We... tell her... Mostly."

"Mostly?" Ethan thinks this might be his second idea.

"We... leave out the more adult details. And we kinda just," she shrugs "Ease her into the idea of..." she motions with her fork again, "This. Or whatever this... you know. Could be."

"Hm," and there's the second one, "I don't like any of them."

Ashley snorts. "Yeah, they all suck. I don't know who Charlie's going to kill first, you or me."

"Me," Ashley sighs. "She likes you too damn much."

"But, you're her sister..." Ethan shrugs, "She likes you more."

Tilting her head, Ashley gives Ethan a curious look. "So know she's in love with you, right?"