Normal by Francine Pascal Page B

tall glass in one hand. The lamplight shone from his golden yellow hair. Gaia could see the wet frost beading the sides of his glass and the lime and ice. He’s drinking vodka with soda, Gaia realized. She wasn’t sure she’d ever seen anyone under thirty have a vodka and soda.
    â€œThat’s so funny, ” Megan gasped. “That’s just so funny.”
    Megan, Tina, and Laura were perched on the soft carpet near Chris. They all had drinks. All of them were laughing as if Chris had made the single most humorous remark in the entire history of human civilization. Gaia thought that Megan was going to pass out, she was laughing so hard.
    â€œElizabeth Rodke!” Chris yelled out. “’Bout time you made it.” When he saw Gaia, he threw his arms around her, then gave her an air kiss on each cheek. “Ga-yah bay-bee,” he sang, elongating each syllable.
    â€œHi, Gaia!” Megan said, far too brightly. “I’m so glad you’re here!”
    â€œRight on,” Laura squealed.
    Gaia blinked two long blinks. So . . . the attitudes are reversible, just like the Burberry raincoats.
    â€œGaia, how the hell are ya?” Chris asked.
    â€œI have no idea,” Gaia replied. Too honest, perhaps. She was still working on this stuff. But somehow she’d made Chris smile.
    â€œOh, Christ, neither do I.” Chris laughed. He turned to his sister. “This one’s a keeper.”
    Gaia suddenly realized that the FOHs were watching her like hawks.
    â€œGaia, come sit with us,” Megan suddenly suggested as she tapped a spot on the carpet next to her. Gaia didn’t even respond. She could only muster a raised eyebrow of confusion.
    â€œHere,” Jake said quietly. He was up close to her, handing over a glass of ice water he’d brought from the bar. He’d gotten himself one, too. “You want to sit down?”
    â€œSure,” she said, moving as far as possible from the disturbing smiles of the FOHs.
    â€œLiz, let’s do this every day!” Chris called out. “New party, new hotel.” He was finishing his drink—the ice clattered loudly in his glass.
    â€œOh, great idea,” Tina squeaked. “Yeah!”
    Gaia sat down in an expensive-looking leather chair halfway across the room. Jake dropped onto the carpet beside her.
    â€œSo, you live on Fifth?” Megan asked, staring up worshipfully at the Rodkes. She was pivoting on the floor, looking back and forth between the two of them. It must have been hard to decide which one’s ass to kiss first. “Do you love it?”
    Liz made a face, nodding while she cracked open a beer and sat down. “It’s cool. I mean, it’s fine. We justgot there. Dad’s like that—suddenly it’s, ‘New York, right now, ’ and we have to jump. But the place is nice.”
    â€œRight on,” Laura said. That seemed to be the sum total of her vocabulary for the day.
    Jake slouched on the floor, leaning his head against Gaia’s next to her knee.
    â€œ I love the house,” Chris said. “I think it’s got great potential.”
    â€œDo you have a balcony?” Megan asked. “Overlooking the park?”
    â€œWe do,” Chris replied.
    â€œHuh. Your place sounds really nice,” Megan said. It was fairly obvious that she was fishing for an invite.
    â€œI’m still unpacking boxes,” Liz said. It was the perfect answer: a polite refusal to invite anyone anywhere.
    Jake pivoted his head, looking up at Gaia. “How are you?” he asked. His hair brushed her knee, making her feel a mild tingle. He was quiet enough that the others didn’t seem to hear.
    â€œFine.” Gaia smiled at him. “I’m fine.”
    He sat up and turned to face her, moving closer.
    â€œI mean . . . do you feel like finishing that conversation?”
    Here we go, Gaia thought. She could feel her calm,