When the Sun Comes Up

Gabe woke up to the sound of Tyler and Ryland talking. He got off the air mattress and folded the blanket he had been using. He then walked towards the kitchen and spotted Tyler pouring himself coffee while telling a story from his and Ryland’s college days; while Ryland nodded and laughed adding details. He then noticed a girl sitting at the table with her back to him. He tried to back out unnoticed, but Tyler noticed him and gave a small nod causing the girl to turn.

“Gabriel! You finally woke up” Claudia smiled.

He stared at her was he still asleep or was she really here? He scratched his chin, “What are you doing here?”

She took a sip of her coffee, “It’s Christmas.”

“I’m a Jew.”

She rolled her eyes, “I know. I just didn’t want to be alone on Christmas. So um I came out here to hang out with you, I mean we can do the stuff you normally do, like no holiday stuff.”

Gabe smiled at the fact that she was willing to fly across the country to spend a holiday, he didn’t celebrate, with him. “Alright I’m gonna go change.”

She smiled before turning back to Tyler, “So um do you have any more awesome stories I can use to blackmail Alex?”

Ryland laughed loudly, “I doubt there’s anything Alex will be ashamed of”

Gabe picked up a pair of jeans and walked to the bathroom.

Tyler chucked, “well there was this one time when we-“

Gabe shut the door, took a piss, washed his hands, then he washed his face and changed into his jeans. He brushed his teeth and combed his fingers through his curls. He approved of his appearance and exited the bathroom.

He pulled on clean socks and stuffed his feet into his brightly colored sneakers. He then dug through his suitcase. He picked out his flannel button up and his coat; he left them on the couch.

He walked back into the kitchen and found Claudia washing the dishes; while Ryland picked at a bagel.

“Where’s Tyler?”

“Huh? Oh um he had to leave,” Ryland replied before taking a bite of his bagel.

Gabe nodded and picked up a new mug, and poured himself a cup of coffee. He sat at the table and took a sip.

“Do you want a bagel?” Claudia asked drying her hands, “I bought some because I thought it’d be weird to show up empty handed.” Without waiting for a reply she went through the bag on the counter and handed Gabe a chocolate chip bagel before taking a seat at the table.

He smiled at her before taking a bite.

“So why didn’t you go with the kid’s friend again?”

“He and his parents are okay again, so he’s spending Christmas with them.”

Gabe nodded and took another bite of the bagel, “What about the kid?”

“I’m pretty sure he’s with the Smith family again. What about the guys are they all with their families?”

“Yeah-“
Ryland cut him off “Vicky was trying to convince us to go home with her; ya know apparently she’s real big on Christmas.”

Claudia laughed, “Yeah she’s really big on it, it’s like her favorite time of the year. Well, ya know other than Halloween”

“Yeah no kidding, she was driving everyone crazy with her Christmas carols and she decorated this place with tacky Christmas decorations and shit.”

“Seriously? And what happened to all the stuff.”

“Well we waited until she left and then we took it down, I mean Tyler doesn’t celebrate it and I don’t either, and Ryland didn’t really care either way.”

“I kept a couple pairs of reindeer antlers” Ryland added through a mouthful of bagel.

Claudia nodded, “nice, wait why did you have multiple reindeer antlers?”

Gabe shrugged, “she forced us to take a holiday picture, I’m fairly certain it’ll be waiting for you when you get home.”

She laughed and stood reaching for Ryland’s empty cup. She shook it in his face he, shook his head. She nodded and took the cup to the sink.

“You don’t have to do that I’ll-“

She cut Gabe off, “My mom raised me to aways be helpful, especially in someone else’s home. So shush.”

Gabe rolled his eyes and watched her wash the mug. Ryland stood and jerked a thumb towards the living room. Gabe nodded.

He watched Claudia dry the mug and set it on the counter next to the ones she had already washed. She opened the cabinets until she found where each dish belonged.

Claudia sat in one of the chairs, “it’s nice of Tyler to let you guys stay in his place.”

Gabe nodded, “yeah.”

He watched her pick at her nail polish. He rolled his eyes and stood, and placed the mug in the sink. Something was obviously bothering her. “Why didn’t you spend Christmas with your boyfriend?”

She scrunched up her nose, “eww don’t call him that.”

“Isn’t that what he is though?”

“Yeah,” she looked up for a moment, “technically. . .but it just sounds weird.”
Gabe stared at the lukewarm dregs of coffee at the bottom of his mug. He couldn’t decide if he should get more or not, “then what am I supposed to call him?”

She shrugged, “your boss? Nah but I don’t know he’s just Pete.” She looked down at the table and her voice got quieter, “he’s my Pete.”

He smiled at how awkward she was when it came to talking about relationships. “okay then why didn’t you spend Christmas with Pete?”

“He went home to be with his family, and well I am so not ready for that. So uh yeah.” She took her phone out of her pocket and looked at the screen for a few seconds before tucking it back into her pocket. “so umm. . .about those reindeer antlers?”

Gabe laughed, “I thought you said no Christmas stuff?”

“Maybe a little Christmas stuff,” She replied holding her index finger and thumb an inch apart, as if showing the amount of Christmas she was going to allow.

As if on cue Ryland walked into the kitchen wearing the Christmas sweater Vicky made them wear for the picture, and donning his antlers. He held out a pair to Claudia she smiled and slid the headband into her hair.

“Alright let’s go” Gabe said setting his mug in the sink.

“Where are we going?”

He went back to the living room and put on his flannel shirt, he slowly buttoned it up, “I don’t know, out? You just seem bummed so yeah.”

She buttoned up her coat and pulled a pair of gloves out of her pocket, “you know as much as I love New York I hate the fucking winters here.”

He smiled and pulled his coat on, “come on. Ry you coming?”

“Where are we going?” Ryland asked getting his coat off the floor.

“I don’t know, do I really have to come up with everything?”

“Well if you guys want we could go back to my hotel I brought everyone presents. I just didn’t bring them because I didn’t want to carry them in case you guys weren’t here.”

Ryland’s face lit up, “You got me a present?”

She smiled, “yeah I mean they’re not big gifts or anything but y’know it’s always nice to get something right?”

“Alright so where ya staying?

“The Sherry-Netherland”

Gabe smiled, “swanky"

She gave a halfhearted shrug, “yeah Pete booked it, he's coming out here in a few days, he's got some interviews and he's DJaying a party for new years, or something.”

Ryland smiled, "so you're staying til then?"

she nodded, "yeah sort of a mini break from my life. Maybe I could come down to the studio and listen to you guys record one day?"

Gabe caught the sadness in her voice and wondered what was wrong, "yeah sure, any day is fine. We should get going though Ry's can't wait to see what you got him."