There are certain things in life we cannot escape. Laundry. Money. Our parents.
After much internal debate, Sophie decides she has to tell X about Diego. MJ realizes she can’t keep avoiding Dr. Storm, since, you know, she works in his lab and all. And Claudia comes to the unfortunate conclusion that she has no willpower whatsoever…
# # #
“How much did you write today?” Eli asks as they’re settling into bed.
“Uh…” Claudia turns away quickly, ostensibly to put away her glasses and set their alarm. “You know, the usual.” It was sort of true.
“What’s the usual? Five pages? Ten pages? A chapter?”
She swallows. “I… I don’t really know. I jump around, so the pages aren’t always consecutive.”
“Estimate,” Eli says.
She closes her eyes and sighs. “Like, a few paragraphs?”
Eli chuckles and continues to watch her expectantly. Suddenly his expression sours. “You’re serious!”
She winces. “There are a lot of things I do for my career that don’t contribute to a word count.”
“Like what?”
“Like networking. Researching. Building an audience.”
“Building an audience with what? Legos?”
“My blog.”
Eli shakes his head. “So what you’re telling me is that you spend eight hours a day, five days a week, surfing the internet?”
Claudia is quiet. “When you put it like that…”
Eli turns off the lamp on the night stand and burrows under the covers. “I’m going to sleep. Don’t wake me up until you’ve written the next great American novel.”
# # #
On Monday morning, Sophie heads for the elevator.
“What are you doing?” Reggie asks incredulously. He’s already halfway into the stairwell.
“Why would I take the stairs when there’s an oh-so-convenient elevator that will carry my oh-so-lazy butt up to the second floor for me?” she asks with a grin.
After a moment’s hesitation, Reggie hurries over to join her. “Now that’s what I’m talkin’ ’bout! You know I’ve always got your back, but I’ve already lost like two whole pounds. I was starting to worry my jeans would fall off or something.”
“Don’t worry,” Sophie says. “Your ass will keep them up.”
He glares at her as they wait for the elevator to come down. “What made you change your mind, anyway?”
Sophie smiles. “I talked to X about Diego, and he approves.”
Forget his pants falling down; Reggie’s jaw drops straight to the floor. “X approves? He does realize that this Latino lover is trying to get loco all over your lips, right?”
She sends him an odd look. “I don’t even know what to say to that…” They step into the elevator. “No, what X realizes is that at the end of the day, no one means more to me than he does.”
“But someday someone could.”
Sophie shakes her head. “I don’t think so.”
“But you don’t know for sure, and neither does he.”
She shrugs. “I guess we just trust each other.”
“And you, you think you’re ready for a new relationship?”
“I honestly don’t know. The thought of being with someone new after so many years with X… yeah, it makes me nervous. But you know what? I’ll never know if I don’t give it a try.”
Reggie shakes his head. “You’re crazy.”
“Maybe.”
The elevator opens on the second floor. Diego’s cube is immediately on the right. He waves to Sophie.
“Excuse me,” she says to Reggie. “It’s time to get loco.”
# # #
Felix sighs and shuffle-steps over to a supply cabinet. From behind him, MJ reaches out for a beaker. Then they shuffle-step back to their work station.
“You know, as much as I love being connected to you 24/7, I’m pretty sure the other lab members are gonna think we’re weird.”
MJ peeks over Felix’s shoulder. The other grad students are, in fact, staring. She sighs and comes out from hiding. “I just don’t want to see Dr. Storm.”
“Why? Because he remembered you from the coffee shop?”
“No, worse! Because he didn’t remember me from the coffee shop. Do you know how embarrassing that is? I thought we shared a moment.”
“Sorry.” Felix pulls down his safety goggles and prepares to mix a compound. “But you do share a lab, so you better find a way to work with him professionally.”
Reluctantly, MJ nods. “You’re right.”
“Good. I’m glad you think so, because he’s coming right now.”
Her eyes go wide with panic. Instinctively she takes one step behind Felix, then stops herself. “I can do this.”
“You go, girl!” Felix whispers. She punches him in the shoulder.
“MJ,” Dr. Storm says. “I haven’t seen you in a while. Your hair looks nice today.” He flashes her a friendly smile, and she smiles up at him happily, hopefully. She feels like she might melt. “It reminds me of my girlfriend’s, actually.”
Behind her, Felix chokes on a laugh. She stiffens, her spine turning to ice. “Was there something you needed, Dr. Storm?”
“Please, call me Jake.” There’s a genuine warmth in his eyes. “And no, not right now. Although I did look over your report last night, and it was very good work. I appreciate your sensitivity and… your clinical mind.”
Hot, cold, hot, cold. MJ felt like a faucet being turned one way then the other. “Thanks,” is all she can think to say.
“No, thank you.” He winks at her. “Carry on,” he says cheerfully. As Dr. Storm walks away, Felix comes up next to MJ. “See? That wasn’t so bad.”
“Not so bad like having your teeth pulled without novacaine isn’t so bad?”
Felix pats her on the shoulder. “No pain, no gain.”
“That’s just what people who aren’t in pain say.” She sighs. “But you were right about one thing: I have to be professional. We met once in a coffee shop, and he doesn’t even remember. It’s not like we were involved. Plus he’s my superviser. And he’s ten years older than me. And he could be a model.”
“Don’t forget his girlfriend!”
“Thanks, Felix. Thanks a lot.” Resigned, MJ turns back to the work station. “Please tell me something we’re doing today involves chemical explosions. I need to blow off some steam.” Before he can make a joke, MJ holds up a hand. “No pun intended.”
# # #
Yes, some things in life are difficult to avoid, like your boss, awkward romantic situations, and/or the hard work you have to put in to achieve your lifelong dream. But the best stories aren’t about people who successfully elude these challenges. They’re about people who meet them head-on, who face life’s tests with determination and optimism, who are not afraid to lose in the short-term so that they can succeed in the long run.
Even if that means reining in your emotions, jumping headfirst into the unknown, or just typing a few more words every day.
