Sadness glanced at the clock again, nerves showing through her eyes. Sighing, she gave up on trying to read her book and instead went to the kitchen to prep a snack. She didn't really like Joy and Disgust's "Girl's Night" or bar hopping party. But she also knew that Joy needed to get out and live her life. She knew that if she asked, the taller woman would gladly stay in with her, but Joy would start to go insane in all the stillness and quiet. She needed to be somewhere loud and flashy every now and then to match her own speed. Clubs were the most logical option, but Joy steadfastly refused to set foot in one. She wouldn't say why, just that "She wasn't interested." Sadness and Disgust didn't push it. So it was settled that bars were the best choice. Sadness looked at the microwave clock against her own wishes. They were never out this late though. 'Where are you guys?'
Joy staggered down the sidewalk, surprised she hadn't fallen over or at least been stopped by an officer for barely being able to stand she was so smashed. She had had ten too many, and shouldn't even have been able to see, much less walk herself home. But Lady Luck must have been smiling down upon her. 'Unlike earlier today' she thought to herself, her face twisting into a self-depreciating grin. 'I'm staying at a hotel tonight.' Her very inebriated mind said. But her legs still had their common sense, and instead carried her home, no matter how hard she protested.
Sadness didn't hear the key scratching against the doorknob over the sound of her carrots crunching in her ears. But she definitely heard the BANG of the door hitting the wall behind it with tremendous force. Quickly swallowing, she rushed out to the entryway hoping to see Joy in the doorway. She wasn't disappointed. But she also knew something was up. Joy was leaning so heavily on the door you'd think it was a live preserver in an ocean. And her eyes were clouded over, not focusing on anything. "Joy!" Sadness said, rushing over to help. Or trying. Joy put her hand up, stopping Sadness in her tracks. Leveraging herself off the door, she mumbled "Hey Sadness" on her way past, intent on getting into bed and passing out. "Joy what happened?" Sadness asked, worried about her girlfriend's condition.
"'S nothing. Stayed out a little later. Had a little more."
"A little later? Joy it's three hours later! Please tell me what happened."
Even in her current state, Joy new that she was at a crossroads in their relationship. If she didn't bite this bullet now, things between her and Sadness would never be the same again. And she wasn't going to let that happen.
Sadness knew that it was biologically impossible to get alcohol out of your system any other way then time, but she could swear she was witnessing otherwise. Joy stood up straighter and her eyes sharpened up. She wasn't totally sober, but there was vast improvement from just a few seconds ago.
"I came by your job today."
"I didn't se-"
"Ssshhh." Joy said, attempting to put her finger over Sadness's mouth. She instead put her palm on Sadness's face, but the idea was clear.
"I came by, to give you this." Joy said, pulling something out of her pocket. Sadness looked at it and her eyes immediately fogged up. It was a bracelet made of plastic beads. Nothing expensive, Joy probably could've made it at a hotel gift shop, but it was beautiful, and only Joy could put so much feeling into a little thing. The beads were one color, blue (her favorite), but each shade of blue varied from bead to bead, creating a stunning gradient effect on the overall piece. Joy put it in Sadness's hands, but kept talking.
"I wanted to surprise you, but as I was walking by a window, I saw you. I saw you talking with some guy. He was tall and skinny and you were laughing and smiling."
Fear. She was working with Fear that day, and he told her lots of stories of how he was afraid of many things, many of the stories comedic in their foolishness. Like the time he sprinted a block and a half to get away from a pigeon.
"Oh Joy-"
"Shhh sh sh! I know," Joy swallowed, pushing through her shame. "I know, logically, that's not who you are. I know you'd never do that. But I got so" she clenched her fists "JEALOUS. I wanted to punch that guy. How dare he make my girlfriend smile? No one else was allowed to do that." She looked up at Sadness. "And I knew that I couldn't be that person. The jealous, possessive asshole. So I left and I went out to drink early and when Disgust called in sick, I still didn't head home. I don't know why, I was just afraid that…" She could t finish the thought. "I was afraid."
"Oh Joy." Sadness said, putting the bracelet on and wrapping her arms around Joy. "It's OK. I love this gift, and I accept your apology." She wiped the tears that had somehow found their way onto Joy's face off, saying "I'll never think of Fear that way. He's not my type."
Joy, cracking a smile, said "Tall and skinny isn't your type?" making a play at her own fairly tall, lanky frame. "No. Non-Joys aren't my type." Sadness said, kissing Joy's nose, helping her to her feet and leading her down the hall to their room.
"That was the smooth af dear."
"I cannot believe you just said af. That was a phrase that came out of your mouth. You're going to have to live with that for the rest of your life."
Joy giggled again, laying down in their bed and mumbling "Goo'night…dea. Love….ou…"
Sadness smiled at her, then went to go put her carrots back in the fridge.
She never took that blue bracelet off.