Page 56 of Derivation

“So, I shouldn’t make breakfast?”

Sarai turned and only then realized that Gabi was standing in front of the stove. This whole conversation had started because she’d asked them all if they wanted her to make pancakes again, like she’d done the previous week. Then, Violet had mentioned the appointment that she’d made for them to look at the office, Arlowe had argued about having to leave the house so early, and off they’d gone, forgetting all about Gabi, who was still standing there, holding a spatula.

“Oh. I’m sorry, Gabi,” Violet replied. “I think we only have time for cereal or granola bars. I don’t want to be late.” Violet sat down in her old chair. “So, Arlowe, either eat up, or let’s go,” she added as she pushed a box of cereal in front of Arlowe, who was sitting in her usual chair.

Enya had been in the garage when Violet had arrived, so she was still standing in the doorway leading out to it, and Sarai had just walked in when Gabi had asked her question. She’d immediately earned herself a glare followed by Gabi’s quick turn away from her, and it had been like that for much of the week. Sarai hadn’t predicted that the woman would be that upset about her introducing her as a roommate and not her friend, but she’d clearly been wrong. Gabi could hold a grudge. It had now been nearly a week of her working at her company’s office until after six each night, bringing her own dinner home or having dinner elsewhere every night, and she would only say quick hellos to Sarai before disappearing into her bedroom.

Even Arlowe hadn’t been able to get Gabi out of the funk she’d been in, and when Arlowe had asked Sarai what was going on with Gabi, Sarai had told her that she didn’t know. Needless to say, it had been a little tense around their house, but it had been tense for more than just that reason.

Arlowe clearly had an issue with them getting an office space. She liked things the way they were before Violet had moved out. She’d just started coming around on that part, and now, they’d be moving their whole setup into an office, which meant the garage they’d called home for years would no longer be. They’d park cars in there, which was something that Sarai was excited about, but even she was struggling with all the changes that seemed to be coming in hot, so she could understand Arlowe’s position.

First, Violet and Stella had just been having sex, which never really worked, so Sarai had been somewhat prepared when they had announced that they were officially dating. Then, they’d all started a countdown to when Violet would move out because she seemed so happy with Stella, so they’d known it was coming. When it had, though, Sarai had put on a brave face. She’d already gotten used to only seeing Violet for work, and well, the few parties, too, which had helped to lessen the blow, she supposed.

Moving out of the garage wasn’t something she’d ever thought they’d get to do. Violet had always made it seem like they only had enough money to get by and were sometimes month to month, but then, investors showed up, and now, they could get an office. It seemed to have come out of nowhere, but once Violet was onto something and determined about it, there really was no stopping her, so it was best to hold on for dear life.

Sarai looked back at Gabi, who had set down the spatula and moved over to the pantry where she seemed to be looking for something, probably to make just for herself since the rest of them would be leaving very soon. It had to be weird for Gabi, living in this house. Violet still had a spot on the sofa shaped like her butt from sitting there for so long. She still sat in her old chair whenever she came over. She had a key, so she just walked right in, got to work, and left at the end of the day now, but still. On top of that, they all worked together. Worse still, they had more than a decade of friendship behind them now, and Sarai had lost track of the number of inside jokes they all had. Because of all of those reasons, when she noticed Gabi looking sad while pulling out a sleeve of crackers, an odd choice for breakfast, she decided to invite her to go with them.

“Five minutes, and we’re out the door,” Violet said. “So, put that granola bar into your mouth and chew, Enya.”

Gabi then headed down the hallway with those crackers and also without saying a word to the rest of them about leaving, so Sarai stood up and followed her.

“Hey,” she said as Gabi walked into her bedroom.

“Hey,” Gabi replied and moved to lie down on her bed before opening the crackers.

“So, it’s kind of cool that the lawyer gave the all-clear for you to design the hardware, huh?”

“Yeah. I just had to sign about a million pieces of digital paper,” Gabi replied and took a cracker from the sleeve.

“What happened to pancakes?” she asked, leaning into the open doorway of Gabi’s room.

“I decided against them,” Gabi said and ate the cracker in her hand.

“Hey, we’re about to head out to see that office.”

“I know. I was in the kitchen. Heard the whole thing.”

“You should come with us.”

“Why?”

“Because you’ll get to watch Arlowe and Violet argue about it again. If you want, I can bring popcorn. We can sit there and watch the fireworks. Arlowe will argue that it’s both too big and too small. Violet will–”

“Continue to remind you all that you need a business address that doesn’t have a door that rolls up to let the cars in?”

Sarai laughed a little and replied, “Something like that, yes. Come on, Gabs.”

Gabi looked over at her as she finished chewing on another cracker and said, “You haven’t called me Gabs since–”

“You told me that that was your childhood nickname that you hated when we first met,” Sarai said, smiling. “Does it still annoy you?”

“Yes,” Gabi answered.

“I remember you trying to act so mature and telling my friends to call you Gabrielle and not Gabi when you first met them. That lasted all of six minutes,” Sarai teased.

“Yeah, well… Gabi’s fine, and Gabrielle’s a mouthful.”

“Come on. We’re grabbing lunch after.”