Chapter 1: Introduction
Marla's footsteps echoed through the empty corridors of the lab building. The cinderblock walls were sterile and cold, just like the science that went on inside. Marla shivered and held herself tighter. The lab coat did little to protect her from the chill. It was already eleven in the evening, but Serika was still hard at work in her office on the fifth floor.
The relationship between Serika and Marla was never ordinary, even by liberal Austin standards. Serika was a world-class chemical engineer, a brilliant scientist with an equally brilliant mind.
She was a tall Japanese woman with short black hair, glasses that amplified her intelligent almond-shaped eyes, and an assertive, commanding presence that exuded confidence and dominance. Marla, on the other hand, was the polar opposite. She was a thin, shy American woman with long brown hair and glasses she hid behind. She was meek, timid, and lacked self-confidence. Marla had always been content in the shadow of Serika's glowing achievements.
She admired Serika and loved her with all her heart. But as the days turned into weeks and the weeks into months, doubts began to creep into Marla's mind. The late nights spent in the lab, the unending experiments, the elusive compound that Serika had been working on – it was starting to take its toll.
Serika was becoming distant, caught up in the wonders of her research, and Marla was beginning to feel neglected. Marla wanted more than just late-night conversations about complex chemical reactions and abstract theories. She wanted personal time with the woman she loved.
She wanted to see the Serika who laughed and joked, the Serika she had fallen in love with. But all that seemed to be a distant memory now. The arguments over Serika's work had become a common occurrence in the couple's relationship.
Marla knocked gently on the door of the lab, which was slightly ajar. "Serika, honey, it's getting late. Don't you think it's time to call it a night?" she said, trying to sound as gentle as possible.
Serika didn't look up from her work.
A single desk lamp bathed the lab in a warm, yellow glow. Its light reflected off the countless lab equipment that filled the room - towering racks of test tubes, beakers, and microscopes, and a hodgepodge of scientific equipment that Marla couldn't even begin to identify. The air was thick with the scent of antiseptic, and Marla fought the urge to cough.
"Just a few more minutes, Marla. I think I'm on to something here," Serika said, without looking away from her microscope.
"I just need to run a few more tests to be sure."
Marla sighed and leaned against the door frame. She had heard this so many times before. Serika's dedication was one of the things that Marla loved most about her, but it had also become a source of tension between them.
"You know, you've been spending an awful lot of time in this lab lately," Marla said, taking a cautious step forward. "I feel like I barely see you anymore."
Serika finally looked up from her microscope, her eyes tired but determined.
"I know I've been spending more time in the lab, Marla. But this compound I'm working on... I feel like I'm onto something revolutionary here. I have to see it through."
Marla hesitated before speaking, choosing her words carefully. "I understand how important your work is to you, Serika. But you also have a life outside of the lab.
You have me." Marla blurted out, then instantly regretted it. She had promised herself that she wouldn't bring this up tonight, but the words just came out.
Serika fixed her eyes on Marla, as if surprised for a moment, before sighing heavily. "I know, Marla. I don't mean to neglect you. But this work is my life.