Page 85 of Abdominal Snowman

“I don’t think staying with you two lovebirds will do me any good right now,” Gabi admitted, tone reluctant.

Sage’s celebration settled down. Gabi was hurting, and being there for her was important. “I understand. Good thing I can call Brian and see if you can stay at the SnowBnB. It’s right down the road from Soren, so we can still have coffee in the mornings, but you’ll have your space. It’s magical here, Gab.”

“You keep saying that,” Gabi pointed out, exasperated.

“It’s because it’s true,” she insisted. “You should seriously come visit. I know you have unused vacation too.” Sage finally shut up, crossing the two fingers holding the dye bowl. It was up to Gabi, and Sage didn’t want to crowd her, but already a tentative hope was growing at the possibility of seeing her best friend again.

“What’s the use of vacationing when I love my job?” Gabi groaned and went silent as she chewed on the thought for a moment before huffing a breath. “You know what? Fuck Damien. When should I be there?”

Sage squealed over the line, startling Soren, and he jumped in place, knocking his head into the dye brush she’d had poised over an unpainted section of his hair.

Well, now there was a new section of his face streaked.

Soren glared as she handed him the towel she’d used on the first glop and began dabbing at his face.

“I can look for flights and send you the details in like, twenty minutes. When can you get off work?”

“I just need a few days’ notice, and it should be fine,” Gabi promised.

“Hell, you could be here next weekend,” Sage exclaimed.

Soren paused suddenly, the towel millimeters from his face. “Oh skies above, there’ll be two of you,” he whispered.

Sage grinned as her heart flipped over with happiness. “You’re gonna love it, Gab, I promise. I cannot wait to see you,” she whispered.

“I know, I know,” Gabi agreed quietly. “I guess I should start packing, hm?”

Sage was about to fill the silence with something along the lines of, “Hey, don’t remember to bring your swimsuit,” when Gabi’s voice broke the quiet first.

“Hey, Sage?” Her voice was so quiet, so unlike her friend, that it made Sage’s heart hurt. Where was the bubble at so she could wrap all her people in it?

“Yeah, what’s up?” she asked gently, trying to put all of her heart in the simple question. She wanted to reach through the phone and pull Gabi into her arms, but she couldn’t, and Sage hated it.

A beat of silence.

“Ah… Never mind. I love you. I’ll start packing.”

“I love you too, Gab. See you soon,” she emphasized.

After they hung up, Soren took the phone and sat it on the counter for her.

Sage replayed their conversation in her head, felt that anxiety climb up her throat. Gabi had never been this closed off. She was exuberant and bright and shiny and all that was good in the world. Never like this.

She was going to hunt down this Damien and cut his balls off. After, of course, making sure Gabi was okay.

“Remind me not to piss you off,” Soren muttered, crossing his arms.

Sage smiled sweetly. “Been there, done that.”

Soren groaned, and with a giggle, Sage leaned down for a kiss. She popped Soren one on the lips in a silly apology for the tease, and he pulled her back in for more.

“Hair, the hair!” she mumbled through the kiss. Soren let her up for air, and she dipped the brush into the bowl again.

Carefully, she painted his beautiful white hair with dark brown dye. It was sad, because she loved his white hair, but he had a point when he said it would attract too much attention.

In the meantime, Sage bought plane tickets for Gabi, did more research, compiled her information, and prepared for the festival. All between interruptions by her irresistible abominable… boyfriend?

Boyfriend.