Second Ave Series: Ac-Counting on You (WLW)

Dotted I's, Crossed T's

Brook settled the new sign she ordered along the arch above her coffee shop and peered down over the back of her shoulder at Hersh who stood at the base of the ladder on which she stood. "Straighter, or not enough?"

"Tip it a bit further to the left." She did and stopped when he held out both of his palms. "There! That's perfect! Too bad we couldn't find the level."

"It should be fine.' Looking past him as she took the hammer he held up to her, she grinned when she saw a familiar, welcome face. "Yellow, stranger."

Derrick, Hersh's long-term partner, walked up to them and hugged him from behind with a peck laid on his cheek. "Yellow, dork. Always with the yellow."

As he snickered and ran his hand through the side of Hersh's unbundled hair, she replied, "Force of habit. Did you get off early today?"

"No, I just took an early lunch. Not much was happening and the boss said it was alright. I'm starved." Derrick bit down on Hersh's shoulder, making him shriek before he jumped out of his arms.

Left with his arms held out as he aimlessly searched them for the person meant to reside there, Brook laughed at Derrick before she descended the steps of the ladder. As she spotted Hersh scurrying inside with his boyfriend quickly in-tow, she shook her head at the ease of their actions. They'd been together for nearly eight years at this point and Derrick spent more time at Brook and Hersh's apartment above the bookstore and coffee shop, which was really more of a condo after the renovations they had done. Regardless, as Brook watched their lovey-dovey display once Derrick caught up to Hersh and hooked an arm around his waist, she found herself growing more winsome by the second.

First of all, Hersh would be leaving soon. Brook really couldn't blame him as he'd desired moving in with Derrick for the last two years, talking about it incessantly, but she was sad to lose her best friend and roommate. Her home would become too quiet once the stores were closed for the night and Derrick had picked Hersh up since he still refused to drive. He was a bit too apprehensive behind the wheel, so she was thankful he never actually perched there anymore, though she knew it would grow more difficult the longer he departed from the home they'd shared for nearly six years.

She would miss their late night chats and movie marathons she could have with no one else. She'd miss his little quips and the random singing he wailed through the condo. She would just greatly and so very sadly miss having her best friend with her everyday, all day. They hadn't really been apart for more than a few days here and there when he visited his extended family in other cities or states, or when he spent the night at Derrick's house. Brook wasn't sure she was ready to give that up, yet she knew it was Hersh's dream and it wasn't as if he hadn't invited her to go along with him.

In fact, that had been Derrick's idea as he didn't like the idea of her being alone, but she also wasn't about to move into a house with what would basically be a newlywed couple.

Speaking of and onto the second, Brook also knew this yearning sensation came from her lack of a real love connection since she was in college. Bridgette had dated her for nearly two years, but they ultimately split when they just stopped talking. Sitting late into the night right next to one another, they were either busy reading their separate books, or doing their own projects. Perched at their foldable dinner table in their small dorm room, they ate, but didn't speak about their days or their feelings. There was nothing there by the end of their relationship aside from their shared love for books and they both decided to split up and focus on their professions once they graduated.

They planned on meeting up again months, maybe even years down the line if things fell into place for them, yet that day never came. Placing a hand on her chest, Brook felt absolutely no sputter or heat. It just wasn't there when she thought of Bridgette and hadn't been for so many years. As much as she cared about her even till this day, she couldn't see the two of them ever reconnecting and that was for the best. From what she'd seen on social media, Bridgette was better off for it as well as she'd found a guy she really liked, remaining in a steady relationship with him according to her bio.