Intermission - Simple happiness.

There are moments in life, perhaps few and far in between, where a person is keenly aware of how happy they are. It’s a rare thing, as we’re all most likely to realize we were happy after it has ed, once trouble comes and distress takes over. It’s not about the momentary, euphoric high, but about the silent satisfaction of everyday life. The little moments that make everything worth it.

That morning, feeling the joy in their boyfriend’s heart, Noelle also became keenly aware of their own satisfaction.

A night of deep pleasure followed by a warm, lazy morning. Noelle sat at the table with everyone else, waiting and watching Oliver place a third pancake on a stack and send it over to the table with Fern’s help.

“Where the hell were you hiding this skill?” Sarah asked him, crossing her arms.

“Where and why?” Grace asked, licking her lips as she stared at the plate Fern put in front of her.

“I like sweets. Is it that weird that I learned to make pancakes? They’re super easy,” Oliver said. “And I wasn’t hiding it. There just hadn’t been a chance to make them until now.”

He finished another stack of three large near-perfectly round pancakes and Fern brought them to Noelle. The redhead gave her an appreciative smile, then looked excitedly at her plate.

This just felt so… normal, but in a strangely exciting way. It was an oxymoron, really, but it made sense to her. It was just like seeing her toothbrush in the bathroom beside Alice’s and Diana’s, like seeing her towel drying outside along with six others, like realizing that, after a few days living here and without saying a word, everyone had their own spot at the table.

This was… living together. Not just being in the same house, but LIVING together. It may seem strange to get excited over such simple things, but Noelle couldn’t help it. Oliver felt it, too, and that only made her happier.

“True,” Alice said, chuckling. “We’ve been leaving the house at just the right time. There’s no time to make this many pancakes.”

“Mila, we have to start leaving even earlier from tomorrow on,” Noelle said. “Our classes start at 8:00 am from this week forward.”

“Yours still start at 9:00,” Grace said. “So if you want to drive yourself, you can sleep that extra hour.”

Mila pouted. “I’ll go with you…”

“Um… Your classes start so early?” Fern asked, sitting down with her own plate. “Mine start at 11:00 am tomorrow.”

“We picked our schedule so we’ll start at 8:00 am and end as close to 4:00 pm as possible,” Sarah said. “It makes it easier to coordinate among us.”

Fern nodded. “That makes sense. My own schedule is kind of all over the place the rest of the week.”

“If you start at 11:00 am, why don’t you stay with us until tomorrow?” Diana said. “I’ll be leaving for work at around 10:00 am, too. I’ll drive you.”

“I… Would that be okay?” Fern asked, looking at Oliver.

“Of course. I was about to ask at what time you’d need me to drive you home, but I’d much rathered you stayed another night.

Fern looked around, and with pretty much everyone else in agreement, she smiled. “Then… Yes, I’d like to stay.

Oliver smiled, too, then turned to Diana. “So your day shifts are supposed to start this week? I thought it would be the next one,” Oliver said, also sitting down with his own plate of pancakes. Noelle noticed that, while his plate had five instead of three, his were slightly uncooked, burnt or badly-shaped ones. The screw-ups, basically. Meanwhile, everyone else got perfectly round, perfectly golden-brown pancakes.

“Yes, I start this week,” Diana said. She pursed her lips and took a deep breath. “I need to make this work. If we can sell even slightly more than the night shift, we can make this change permanent and living here with you will be a lot easier.”

“Don’t put so much pressure on yourself,” Alice told her. “People don’t drink as much during the day, especially not during weekdays.”

Diana shook her head. “Not many will visit the bar, but the restaurant is always busy.”

“Workers going there for their lunch break?” Grace asked.

“Some, but it’s not that kind of place. The food is great, but not particularly fast.”

“Why not suggest that the waiters suggest your non-alcoholic drinks?” Oliver said. “ my classmate? Luna? She really liked what you made for her.”

Diana nodded. “Yes, that’s what I was thinking, too.” She sighed again. “Still, whether it works out or not, I’m… still moving in. So… I’ll start packing and bringing some of my stuff when I can.”

“We’ll help,” Mila said. “You probably have a lot to pack, right?”

“Not as much as you’d think, but I do have old glasses and vases I’d like to bring. Also some furniture. Would that be okay?” Diana asked.

Oliver nodded. “That’s what we have the van for. A lot more useful than a 240 horsepower two-seater, right?”

“Hey!” Alice exclaimed, pouted and crossed her arms.

Everyone laughed.

“I’d… also like to bring my plants,” Diana continued. “But if that’s an issue…”

“Issue?” Sarah asked, looking around. “Woman, we could use some more green in here.”

“True,” Grace agreed. “But now that I think about it… Didn’t you say something about going to Japan for training? When’s that happening?”

“The date’s not settled yet, but it’ll probably be in a month or two.”

“Wait, you’re going to Japan? That’s so cool,” Fern said. “I’ve always wanted to go.”

“Yes, me too,” Noelle agreed. “I’d ask to tag along, but you’re going there for work…”

“I’ll bring you a souvenir,” Diana said, smiling. “Anything you have in mind?”

“Oh! Art supplies!” Fern said, grinning. “I hear they have some incredible art stores there. Ah, but nothing too expensive. Really, I’d be happy even with a sketchbook.”

“Ugh, I can’t think of anything now…” Noelle said, mulling it over and coming up with nothing. Her first answer would’ve been manga, but she couldn’t read Japanese, so what was the point then?

Breakfast was lively. And delicious. Lively and delicious. But that was the end of their lazy morning. Oliver, reliable as he was, had gone ahead and cleaned up most of last night’s mess, but there was still more to do. It was time to do laundry. Laundry for six people.

Yep, that would take them the rest of the morning.

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