PURPLE SLUSHES AND WHITE LINOLEUM
OLIVIA SQUINTS AT THE BAGS OF DINOSAUR CHICKEN NUGGETS, TRYING TO DECIDE WHICH BRAND TO PICK. She doesn’t really know anything about chicken nugget brands. Does it… even matter?
She glances again at the shopping list Bruce texted her. All it says is ‘chicken nuggets’. She doesn’t want to spoil the surprise by asking him which brand of dino nuggets are his favorite, so she shrugs and picks the cheaper one. If they taste like cardboard, that’s not on her.
As she whirls her cart around towards the produce section, she almost slams it straight into another person. Her eyes widen.
“Hannah,” she stares blankly, blinking twice in shock. Her nerves jump-start suddenly, and she pushes her cart out of the way a little. “Hey, wow. Sorry I almost checked you with my cart, I didn’t know you were there.” Hannah laughs.
“Don’t worry about it,” she dismisses with a light smile, “no harm, no foul. How have you been, anyway?” Olivia tilts her head from side to side, shifting in place a little.
“I’ve been okay,” she shrugs. “Not much going on these days.” Hannah’s grin stretches a little, as if that were funny for some reason.
“Right, of course,” she agrees, “me neither. I actually have to run right now, but I did want to meet up and talk to you about something whenever you have time. Give you my number?” Olivia nods readily, fishing into her pocket for her phone.
“Sure, yeah,” she agrees. “Here.” She hands it over, and Hannah easily inputs her phone number. Olivia tucks it straight back into her pocket.
“Alright, well, text me later and we can set something up,” Hannah nods, turning with her basket of groceries— actually, is that shampoo? What was she even doing in this aisle?
“Sure thing,” Olivia agrees, watching Hannah leave before she turns her focus back to shopping. Where was she going again?
Right. Produce.
***
Olivia steps through the automatic doors into Bruce and Tony’s lab, her shoes squeaking against the linoleum floor in a way that makes her feel like she’s in high school again. Both men look up at her entrance.
“Ollie!” Tony greets, immediately earning himself a face of disgust from the woman in question. “Did you bring coffee?”
“Not for you,” she snorts, taking a sip of her Starbucks. “Also, this is the last time I will ever respond to Ollie, and you’d better remember that. I am petty enough to ignore a dying man calling me a gross nickname.”
“Where’d you put the groceries?” Bruce inquires, cutting straight to the chase. He doesn’t really want to get caught in a loop of useless but comedic banter if his milk is getting warm.
“Left the dry foods on the counter, put the cold stuff up,” she replies easily, quirking up her brows at him. “I’m not an amateur.”
“Did you remember to put the dip in the fridge? It’s fine to leave it out if it’s unopened, but—,” he starts, only for Olivia to cut him off.
“You prefer it cold,” she finishes. “I know. I remember. You told me four times.” He turns a little red at that, clearing his throat.
“Well, um, as long as you remembered,” he mumbles, turning back to his work. An amused smile crosses her face.
“I did,” she repeats simply, letting that reassurance sit unembellished.
“So why’d you come down anyway? You could’ve texted— not that I don’t appreciate the visit,” Bruce tacks on quickly. Olivia nods, recalling.
“Wait, let me guess,” Tony interjects quickly. “You just couldn’t wait to see us again, you missed us so much.” Olivia rolls her eyes.
“You borrowed my Tupperware last week for a lab picnic or something. You told me you finished sanitizing it, but I didn’t see it anywhere upstairs. Thought you might’ve left it here,” she states, directing her words at Bruce. He nods quickly, pointing behind himself with a thumb.
“Third cabinet from the right, bottom shelf. Should have a sticker with your name on it,” he replies. Tony pouts as Olivia crosses the lab for her Tupperware.
“You wound me, Ollie. Really, you do. You never spend any time with me; I’m going to start thinking you don’t like me,” he sighs. As promised, Olivia completely ignores him, grabbing her Tupperware.
“Thanks Bruce,” she hums, putting particular emphasis on his name and not saying Tony’s. “See you later.” He nods, shooting her a thumbs up.
“See you,” he agrees. Not sparing so much as a glance at Tony, she turns and exits the room. There’s a brief silence.
“You know, if I didn’t know any better, I’d think she didn’t like that nickname,” Tony quips.
***
“Wait,” Lacey interrupts, choking on her slushy. She coughs for a minute, holding up a finger. Olivia waits patiently. “You saw Hannah?” she finishes, once her throat has cleared up enough for words.
“Yeah, I did,” Olivia confirms. “It was pretty weird; she cut her hair up to her shoulders.” Lacey blows out a surprised breath.
“Damn,” she remarks. “I haven’t seen Hannah since you guys broke up.” Olivia hums in solidarity.
“Me neither,” she agrees. “She was acting kind of different, too. A little peppier than she used to be, I guess. She wants to meet up sometime to talk.” Lacey hums skeptically, scrunching up her face in doubt.
“I don’t know about that,” she remarks. “I mean, I can see why you’d wanna hear her out and see what she wants. Still, I mean— even if she wants to apologize, I don’t know if it’s worth it.” Olivia glances at Lacey with amusement.
“You make it sound like she shot me or something,” she muses. “I’m really not even looking for an apology from her. I have no idea what she wants, but I really doubt it’s that.”
“Then why even go?” Lacey shrugs. “You don’t owe her anything. Maybe just lose the number and move on.” Olivia purses her lips indecisively. Lacey’s front door opens suddenly, and the two women turn to see a third enter. She doesn’t take off her shoes or drop her purse.
“Hey babe,” Lacey greets, grinning. Mira waves hello to the two of them, turning to rummage through a side table drawer. After a moment, she pulls something out, tucking it into her purse.
With that squared away, Mira checks the time and decides she has a minute to say hi to her fiancée and friend.
Nice to see you, she signs to Olivia. Turning to address both of them a little better, she inquires, you guys having fun?
“Oh yeah, for sure,” Lacey confirms, snatching Olivia’s slushy to take a sip. “Liv’s ex popped up on Tuesday, wants to meet up. I don’t know if it’s worth the energy, but Liv is on the fence about it ‘cause she wants to see what she wants.” Mira nods, shooting Olivia a sympathetic glance.
It’s up to you if you meet her, she advises Olivia in ASL, but you can always just leave if she says something you don’t like.Maybe it’ll be worth it.
Olivia hums thoughtfully.
“That’s true,” she agrees. “Thanks Mira; I thought you had work ‘till 7 though?” Mira nods emphatically, holding up a flash drive. All the explanation she gives is the sign for forgot.
“Oh, that’s probably my bad,” Lacey pipes in. “I moved it; thought it was one of mine. Sorry.” Mira shoots her a playful glare.
You’re gonna have to make it up to me, she signs back to her fiancée. You’re cooking tonight.
“Deal,” Lacey agrees. Mira glances at her watch, then does a double take. She taps it twice, offering the two women in the living room an apologetic smile and a wave, turning to leave.
“Bye,” Olivia and Lacey chorus in unison. The door shuts behind Mira, and for a long second there’s silence.
“Not that I don’t like cooking,” Lacey sighs, “but when she said I was gonna have to make it up to her, I was hoping for something else.”
Olivia laughs.