Office Mates

Graham and Robin's Origin Story

Graham and Kris are drinking awkwardly at a booth. They both sip the drink before them and occasionally stop to look around the room. They have been avoiding eye contact for the entire time here. Marian is supposed to arrive to save Kris. Kris pulls out her phone to check the time. It's later than Marian said she would be. 

Kris looks awkwardly towards Graham again. They make eye contact for a moment, and then Kris looks off around the bar again. A few minutes later, Marian strolls in. She sees Kris and starts walking in her direction. Kris notices Marian and gets excited. She stands up and jumps towards her, "Hey, Marian. I am so glad you came."

Then she looks at Graham and says, "I hope you don't mind that I asked someone else to join us?" Graham starts laughing and says, "We had the same idea." He looks at his phone, and Robin notices that Robin should arrive any minute. 

A few moments later, Robin also walks into the bar. He searches for Graham and then gets more awkward when he realizes Kris and Marian are here. He walks towards the group. Marian makes eye contact with Robin and smiles at him. She immediately notices that both Graham and Kris must have called for backup. Graham immediately starts towards his friend and says, "Robin!" while tapping him on the back. Robin shrugs off this attempt at physical contact.

Robin sees Marian and asks Graham, "If Marian is here, do I need to stay?" Graham nods his head yes. Robin shakes his head no. Graham grabs Robin's shoulders and says, "Besides, I need to buy you housewarming drinks. Or apartment warming." Graham smiles at Robin. Robin is considering his options. It's not often that Graham offers to pay when they go out. Marian walks up behind Robin, pats his back, and clarifies, "Technically, Robin didn't move into a new place. Just Aurora." Kris, who was mid-drink, choked on her drink. "Oh my gosh! You guys are moving in together?!" She looks at Robin with wide eyes.

He pushes back his hair and says, "Yes. And I would much rather spend tonight with her." He looks around the bar. It is not a bar he would normally visit. Graham picked it out. It was a typical sports bar with giant screens with games on them. Graham, who is still feeling nervous, looks at Robin and pleadingly says, "Only one beer. Then you are free to go home." 

Robin takes a moment to weigh the choices in his mind. Graham asked him to come, so it wouldn't be just Kris and Graham, but that is not the case with Marian here. He and Aurora just moved in together, and Aurora still has many boxes to unpack. But it has been a while since he went out with Marian and Graham, so he does want to spend time with them. He will go home after one beer to help Aurora. He sits next to Graham at the bar. "Fine."

Graham and Robin sit next to each other on one side of the table, and Marian and Kris are on the other. The two women look at each other, and Marian smirks. She knew Kris would not normally put herself in this type of situation. Kris likes to stay home on the weekends. Marian looks from Graham to Robin and back to Kris. Maybe this is the perfect way to get Kris more comfortable with going out with others. 

Kris finally looks at the group and says, "Alright. Well, I guess I am buying the first round for everyone. I owe Graham, and he owes Robin. And Marian came to hang out with me, so I will get you a drink too. I hope everyone is okay with whatever is on tap?" Robin nods, Graham gives a little, "yep," and Marian smiles and nods. Kris takes off to the bar. With her friend out of range, Marian looks at Graham and says playfully, "Not that I am judging Graham, but how did this weird arrangement happen?"

Graham sits back and puts his hands up to his face in a thinking pose. He reflects for a minute and then remembers, "I don't know. I bought her dinner the other night when we had to work late, and she thinks she needs to pay me back. I didn't buy her dinner because I expected something from her. I just felt bad that I had made fun of her." Marian starts nodding. It's all falling into place. She says, "Classic Kris. She hates feeling indebted to someone."