Names were being called out. As each name was said, a teenager on the cusp of adulthood stepped forward in the robes of ascension. They were entering the next stage of life. Only one of them really mattered.

Ruth's eyes were locked on Laura, finding her in the crowd and waiting for her turn to be called.

A hand brushed hers and she looked over sharply, but the tension abated. It was Mindy, lending a quiet presence. Mindy wasn't even looking at her, watching about the same point, likely waiting for Laura's turn.

"Laura Powers."

The crowd began to clap, but it wasn't enough for Ruth. She surged to her feet, clapping and cheering loud enough to be heard over the soft applause. Mindy had risen with her, clapping over her head and calling to Laura.

Laura's cheeks darkened as she stepped up towards the principal. She reached out a hand and soon a diploma rested in it. She showed it off to the crowd, getting a new wave of cheering before she fled to wait with the others who had gotten their turn.

Ruth took her seat and waited patiently.

"There sure are a lot of them." Mindy's eyes wandered over the crowd of young people waiting their moment of triumph.

"Yeah, high schools are like that." She shrugged softly. "We wait until they're done, then it's off to play some paintball."

"After we get Marge."

"Right."

It all happened so quickly. Her little girl had graduated, beat her at paintball, had a day of being a goofy little kid, then went off, just like that. "I have things worked out," Laura had assured. "I'll be with a friend 'till I get enough money for my own place."

"You… could stay here while you save?"

"I appreciate the sentiment." She patted her mother on the shoulder. "But it's time. Love you, alright?"

"Love you too." They embraced for what would be the last time for a little while. "You can always give me a call, alright?"

"You got it." She backed away, making gun motions. "Don't go crazy without me."

And, just like that, she vanished away to be an adult.

Ruth took slow breaths as she paced in the living room. She reached for her smokes, but they weren't there. The hand that had reached clenched tightly, shaking softly a moment before she put it to better use, grabbing the phone and dialing up a friend.

"Hello?" came the female voice.

"It's Ruth."

It was only two words, but Mindy could hear the pain in every word, the soft sniffle that was trying to be hidden away. "I'm on the way."

Ruth hung up, unsure at that moment what else to say. "Stop being stupid," she berated herself as she descended the stairs towards her equipment. "She's an adult, she gets to make her decisions… You did it. You parented."

She sat down and fell back into place. The bar already had some weights on it, good. She wrenched it free and began to pump it as if she could chase all her problems just by hitting enough repetitions.

Mindy's knock went entirely unheard. Fortunately, the door wasn't locked at that time and she came in on her own after a pause. "Ruth?" She closed the door behind herself and pressed further into the house, balancing a box of doughnuts in one hand as she went. "Ruth? Are you here?"

The sound of a bar coming to rest on the hook was her first clue and she began heading for the basement. "Ruth?"

"Yeah, I'm here." Ruth sat up, smiling a little as Mindy came into view on the way down the stairs. "Good to see you."

"What happened?" She popped open the box as she descended, soon in front of Ruth with the box open towards her in a silent offer of one.

Ruth picked a sugar frosted little knot of a thing and chomped off a piece. "She left. Just… like that, gone. She left and I'm being a weak little pussy about it."

"I think that's pretty normal." Mindy lifted her shoulders in an unsure display. "It's alright, this is a big, you know, thing."

"I hate this." She stormed past Mindy, taking another big bite of her sweet treat. "I hate this house. I hate everything right now."

"Do you hate me?" Mindy trailed after Ruth, but came up short as Ruth suddenly stopped and turned back towards her.

"No. Not you." She extended a pointer finger at Mindy. "You stay right there where I can see you."

"Well… if you're… feeling that way, how about we do that visit?" She hiked a thumb. "We can spend the day at my place instead."

Ruth suddenly grabbed Mindy by the shoulders. "You mad genius! Yes, let's do that. Forget all this. This house can go to hell." She let go just as suddenly, ascending the stairs. "I'll probably stop getting support soon."

"Support?" Mindy followed up to the ground floor. "What do you mean?"

"Child support. No child, no child support." She shrugged softly. "Of course, I'm also not paying for her stuff, so, you know, balance or whatever. I don't care, we're heading out?"

"Yeah sure." Mindy closed the box of pity doughnuts and tucked it under an arm. "Look, I'm… It's alright."

"It's not alright," hissed Ruth before she took a step back and put a hand over her face. "Sorry, sorry. God, what's wrong with me."

"Nothing." Mindy smiled gently. "You're a loving mother who's facing a hard time. Let's go."

"Yeah… Christ why did you make me quit right now? I could punch someone for a smoke."

"Not it." Mindy scooted from the home in perhaps little too much of a hurry. "Let's go."

One awkward drive later, they pulled in at the two-story apartment strip that was Mindy's home. "Here we are."

"Not big," noted Ruth as she got out, shrugging. "But you don't have a kid to make room for. Neither do I…"

"It's alright," gently repeated Mindy, leading the way towards her door. She got it open in a hurry and threw it wide. "Come on in!"

The inside showed her recent efforts of cleaning. It was presentable, arguably more than Ruth's own house. "Huh, nice." She casually flipped open the box that Mindy was holding and snatched a new doughnut. "Cozy."

"Cozy is actually the exact word I thought of." She closed the door and set the box down where anyone could reach it. "Look… I know you don't feel good right now, and you have every right to-"

"Where are you going with this?" Ruth crashed down on the couch, her arms wide over it. "Are you about to throw a speech at me?"

"Just a little one." Mindy held up two fingers close together with an unsure smile. "Look… one time I was with someone at… a perfect time, in a way… It didn't end well." She grabbed a doughnut for herself, chomping into it. "Not again."

Ruth hiked a brow up. "Are you… saying you aren't coming after me?"

"Nope." Mindy shook her head firmly. "I'm going to be a friend and help you get your pieces, um, back together. After that, maybe?" She flashed a little smile. "If that's alright?"

"Mindy."

"Mmhmm?"

"Shut up and kiss me." Ruth patted the couch beside herself.

Mindy's cheeks darkened even as a giggle escaped her. "Ruth…"

"You made me quit smoking. My daughter made me quit her. I'm not quitting anything else right now. So you sit down." Ruth's half-lidded gaze was on Mindy unwaveringly, nodding towards the empty spot.

"Yes, ma'am." Mindy sat down, her half-eaten treat still in hand. "I just don't-"

Ruth turned Mindy's head suddenly towards herself, her hands on her friend's cheeks. "I'm going to get addicted to you, then I won't ever stop. You up for getting a new addiction? I promise to be more fun than any can of beer."

Mindy giggled softly, an odd noise, nervousness rising in her. "I… Are you sure?"

Ruth could feel her tense. Mindy was waiting for a repeat, she felt certain. She was waiting for Ruth to realize she was making a mistake, that Mindy was that mistake, and to run away. "I've done worse." She leaned in, breath washing over Mindy's face.

"Mmm, sprinkles," complimented Mindy suddenly, smelling one of the doughnuts Ruth had recently eaten.

Ruth burst into laughter, shoving Mindy back suddenly. "You crazy broad!" But she didn't let Mindy fall alone, advancing on her and pressing lips to lips. They were kissing. It was a messy and uncoordinated moment, devoid of what one would call a 'movie-perfect kiss'. They were desperate, both of them, but they were finding what they wanted.

When they seperated for a moment, Ruth sitting up on Mindy, Mindy chomped the last of her doughnut. "We're serious, huh?"

"Deadly." Ruth put her hands on Mindy's shoulders. "Hope you're alright with that, because it's on."

"I wouldn't want it any other way." Mindy ran her fingers along Ruth's sides, tickling the stronger woman lightly along the way. "I can't be your daughter, but-"

"I can't be Homer, but-"

"Maybe better?" both said at once, smiling at each other. They burst into laughter at their moment of sync, settling into a warm cuddling session.

There would be no magic fixes for either of them, but at least they wouldn't face the future alone.