If it wasn't for her common sense, Amethyst would have thought that she was in the middle of a horror movie. The growing darkness during late evening, the threatening rolls of thunder in the distance, and the premature pattering of raindrops on the windows set the scene for a clawed hand to scratch a path down the glass. Not that it would happen anyway, but she had a handy lamp nearby at the ready, just in case. She almost reflexively put it to good use when the microwave signaled that her food was ready made her jump.
Amethyst relaxed, put the lamp down, and chuckled at her own wild reaction. Stress from work must definitely be getting to her, she noted. A night of relaxation was well needed. Rising from her armchair, she made her way over to the kitchen. After opening up the small black microwave door, she pulled out a piping hot bowl of leftover takeout and immediately regretted doing so upon feeling the intense heat from the plate burn her hands. The plate was immediately placed on the counter.
It was a good thing she had set the plate down, because a frantic and hurried knock at the door made her freeze up with terror. She glanced at the clock: 10:58. Her immediate reaction was to stay as still as possible and wait until they went away, but the knocking became more insistent. Making sure the lamp was in sight, she slowly stepped towards the door and put a shaky hand on the doorknob. She opened the door and saw a drenched figure, still heavily shadowed by the fast-approaching night. "Hello?' she questioned uncertainly.
No answer came. She took a deep breath, ignoring the instinct that told her to do otherwise, and swung the door wide open. Her blood ran cold at the sight before her. In her doorway stood a tall, lanky woman in her early thirties. She wasn't the same as when Amethyst saw her last. Her strawberry blonde hair had faded into lighter, less intense tones. Dark circles rested underneath those steely blue eyes that now stared at her intently.
Amethyst gawked at the woman before her, hardly able to believe what she saw. She squinted at her before testing her next word carefully, not having been said for many years.
"Pearl?"
The woman nodded, clutching her coat to her thin body tightly. "It's… been a long time, Amethyst."
"What're you even- but how are you- how?!"
"I'll explain everything to you, I promise. Could I step in for a minute? It's quite rainy out here." Despite her growing shivers, she still managed to keep her composure, something Amethyst always remembered about her. The shorter woman stepped to the side and allowed Pearl to walk into the apartment. Amethyst hurried to take her coat off before she could do it herself, to which Pearl responded to with a smile warmer than how she felt.
"Uhm, you can just... sit there." Amethyst loosely gestured to the sofa. "Do you want some coffee? Tea? I'll go make tea." Before Pearl could get a word in edgewise, Amethyst was already bound for the kitchen. Her seemingly cool demeanor quickly began to fade behind the wall separating the two of them. What in the actual fuck was going on? Her head was swimming. All she needed to do right now was distract herself. Everything was going to be fine- at least, that's what she told herself.
After a few minutes, Amethyst had a kettle of water boiling on the stove. She couldn't just hide out in here. Well, of course she could, but now that Pearl was sitting in her living room, the confrontation was inevitable. With her heartbeat pounding in her ears and her hands becoming clammy, Amethyst emerged from the kitchen. Pearl was staring at the floor with her hands folded neatly in her lap.
"So, uh, wanna explain how you all of a sudden died and then decided to waltz on up to my doorstep like nothing happened?" Amethyst sat across from Pearl, leaning back nonchalantly while she felt anger begin to bubble in her chest, amongst her feelings of shock and sadness.
"I understand you must be terribly upset with me, Amethyst." Pearl's hands twisted in her lap. "It's been so long, but you-"
"Upset? Me? Oh noooo," Amethyst said, voice rising with angry sarcasm.. "Why would I be upset? I mean, it's not like I'd be mad about my own girlfriend disappearing in a fucking cloud of smoke for ten years. Why would I ever be upset about that, Pearl? I'm peachy!" Amethyst gave Pearl and bitter smile. "I've been peachy for ten years!"
The gentle sound of tiny footsteps made its way to Pearl and Amethyst's ears. A little girl, no older than about five, was holding a small stuffed crocodile and rubbing her eyelids. Her little curly brown hair was a mess.
"Mommy? Why is there so much noise?" Her drowsy voice drifted into the room. Amethyst quickly composed herself and wiped the tears from her eyes. Sniffling a bit, she put on a broad smile for the little one.
"That's just the storm, babe. Go on back to bed, okay?" She snuck a glance at Pearl, whose eyes were as wide as dinner plates now.
"Okayyyyy." The little girl shuffled sleepily back into her room. When the door shut behind her, Amethyst's face quickly fell again.
"You… you have a… child." Pearl commented after a long bout of silence between the two. She felt something in the pit of her stomach drop, and a creeping feeling of sadness began to fill her instead. "Um, congratulations."
"Thanks…" Amethyst avoided Pearl's gaze, scratching the back of her head.
"Is the um- father, here? Should I just-"
"That scrub? Hell no."Amethyst scoffed. "I haven't seen him since Melody was conceived."
"Oh, I see." Pearl looked down at her hands. So much had changed since she had left, too much had changed. She offered a small smile. "It's a bit funny. Hearing a child call you 'mommy' is something I thought I'd never hear in my life."
Amethyst smiled despite her anger. "Yeah, me neither. But shit happens, and all of a sudden you're waddling up and down a staircase every day and throwing your guts up every morning. But she was worth it. Every minute of it." Amethyst laid her head in her hand, leaning against the back of the couch.
"I'm happy for you, Amethyst. Truly." Pearl glanced at Amethyst for the first time in a while, keeping her smile. "And she has such a beautiful name."
"Thanks." The fire that was burning inside of her had left Amethyst now. Memories of the two of them together began to spill forth in her mind, and she began to recall things she hadn't thought of in years. There was anger present still, but it was longing that she felt the strongest now. "Now, do you want to explain to me what the fuck exactly happened with you?"
"It's a long story."
"I've got time."
The wailing of the kettle in the kitchen began to sound.