Page 42 of Semantics

“A job, Violet.”

“I have a job, Sarai. We all have jobs here.”

“It’s not like we’re making any real money. We’ve got investors, yes, but only a few, and they’re small. You’ve been keeping us afloat for years. You’re our main investor, Violet. We all know it. It wouldn’t be surprising if one day you decide not to keep putting money into this venture we’ve been trying to get off the ground in one way or another for ten years without much luck. Enya said she actually felt bad because this was her idea, and maybe ten years ago, it was a great one, but now, it’s just standard because there are other apps. Ours is good and can be better, but we wouldn’t blame you for jumping ship.”

“I’m not jumping ship, Sarai. I didn’t have an interview last night.”

“Would your dad make you interview? My theory was that he’d invited you to dinner after you asked to join one of his many companies, and he told you that you’d have to start from the ground up, so you were considering it but not sure just yet.”

“No, I haven’t talked to anyone, including members of my family, about a job. This is my job, Sarai. I’m not leaving unless we all get to a point where it’s over and we admit it out loud that we’re throwing in the towel.”

“Is that wise? Vi, you’re a Russell. I’m sure you can get a job anywhere with your name alone, but you’re also incredibly smart and good at your job.”

“If I were good at my job, we’d be making real money right now and not all crammed in this four-bedroom house, working out of the garage.”

“That’s not on you. It’s mostly on me,” Sarai said and looked down at her feet, which were in red flip-flops, Sarai’s preferred shoes whenever they were at home. “I’m in charge of marketing, and we’re not a brand name yet.”

“In your defense, you didn’t have much to market until about two years ago.”

“Still, that’s two years, Vi.”

“Sarai, we’re all doing the best we can.”

“I know. But I feel like I’m letting you all down by not being better at this for us.”

“You’re great at your job, Sarai. Sometimes, you just get stuck in your head in the same way Enya does. You question yourself a lot, so you take longer to make something we need because you don’t think it’ll work, and then, it usually does. Even if it doesn’t get us a ton of downloads or purchases, it still gets a lot of clicks or some downloads. We have to keep improving the product to separate us from the other ones on the market, but that’s not your job. That’s Arlowe’s, Enya’s, and mine as well.”

“I know. I just want things to get better. I don’t want to have to get another job, Vi. I love working with you three, even in the cramped garage with no air-conditioning while we’re all living in the same house to save money. I mean, I’d love to meet a nice girl, fall in love, and move out of here to live with her one day, but until then, I’m good here, you know?”

“I do know. I feel the same way.”

She gave Sarai a soft smile.

“Hey, if you weren’t at an interview or at dinner with your dad and not telling us that he was in town, where were you?”

“I slept with Stella Ross,” she said very quickly, blurting it all out practically in one word and then covering her mouth with both hands.

“I’m sorry; did you just say you slept with Stella Ross?”

She nodded with wide eyes aimed at Sarai and without removing her hands from her mouth.

“I only know one Stella Ross, Violet, and you hate her. You can’t stand the woman.”

Violet nodded again, and Sarai leaned in.

“You had hate sex with Stella Ross?”

Violet nodded a third time.

“Oh, my God! Enya!”

“What are you doing?” she asked, finally removing her hands from her face.

“Enya!” Sarai stood up and hurried over to the garage. “Arlowe!” She made a motion with her hands like she was taking off headphones, and Violet knew that she was telling Arlowe to remove her own. “Get in here. Big news!”

“Sarai, I’m working,” Arlowe said.

“Yeah, okay. Fine. Keep working. Never mind. Don’t worry about it. Violet only had sex with her mortal enemy, Stella Ross. No big deal. Keep coding.”