Chapter Text
“I’m home, Rina.”
The front door of the penthouse closed gently. Marina looked up from her novel, noticed 9:47 PM on their digital clock, mounted on the wall of their living room and saw Pearl entering the living room. Pearl took off her trench coat and dropped her briefcase by the coat hanger.
“You sure your secretaries aren’t goofing off when you’re not there? You really had that much work leftover because you took a day off yesterday?”, Marina said with a smirk on her face, taking her reading glasses off.
Pearl laughed. “Nah, I had to pass up a meeting because of it and there was a lot of paperwork that needed my approval left over. On top of everything else.” She sauntered over to Marina. “Is our lost child asleep already?”
Marina nodded, giggling at the phrase. “She is. Apparently Zoe’s calling her up early, like six, or something.”
“Ah well, she deserves the rest. She said anything to you yet?” Pearl asked.
“No, not yet. Don’t think she’s ready yet,” Marina said.
“Oh well. Guess we’ll just have to be patient,” Pearl said as she bent forward and kissed Marina on the forehead.
Marina got up. “Alright, princess, I saved you some leftovers, in case you’re still hungry.”
“Yeah, I’d like something warm,” Pearl said, following her to the kitchen. “Donuts only get you so far.”
“With how many of those you chow down and how little you move, I’m surprised you’re not gaining weight.”
“You’re one to talk,” said Pearl, playfully jabbing Marina in her paunch, making her giggle.
“OK, ok, you got me,” Marina confessed, putting her hands up in mock surrender. Pearl knew very well how ticklish she was.
Marina pulled a plate from the fridge and reheated it. She looked out the kitchen window at the twilight, turning to night as Pearl made a coffee for herself. "Pearl...I know you love your job.”
Pearl looked up. “Huh?”
“And you’re good at it. You care about your employees, you’re a great businesswoman… you’re a great CEO.”
Pearl sipped from her coffee. “Y’know, my dad used to say that everything before the word ‘but’ doesn’t matter.”
Marina laughed. “But…” she met eyes with Pearl playfully, then cast them down “...I miss you. The concert...brought back memories of back then, when we had all day to mess around. Nowadays...I mean, this isn’t the first time you’re home this late. You’re rarely here for dinner, half the time you keep working on weekends...and I don’t want to be greedy, I know it’s not out of spite...but I miss spending time with you. Yesterday’s concert was the best thing you could have done for our anniversary and I’m eternally grateful you did it...but I’m concerned you’re overworking yourself and I miss spending time with you.”
Pearl nodded, walked up and joined Marina in leaning against the counter. “I get it, Rina. I do. And I...kinda want those days back too. But I…” Pearl didn’t have a response ready. She sighed. “What would you suggest I do?”
“If you didn’t love your job the way you do, I’d say retire. We have more money than we could spend, we don’t...we don’t need it. But I know you don’t want to, so...maybe you need someone to...lighten your workload?” Marina suggested.
Pearl thought on it. “I guess. But I don’t know anyone I’d give those responsibilities. At least this way it’s on me if something goes wrong. And I sure wouldn’t give anyone else from the board that responsibility. You know what they’re like.”
Marina put her arms around Pearl’s shoulders and gently hugged her. “I do, but still...you don’t have to carry the weight of the world by yourself, Pearlie. There’s things you can leave to other people. I mean, for the anniversary, you left your department heads alone for a day, and did anything go wrong?”
“Well, no…” Pearl started.
“And besides, you can’t do this forever. We’re not getting any younger, Pearl, you need to start thinking about...a successor. Like your dad. He did a great job preparing you, and now you need to do that for someone else.” She felt Pearl nod as she held her against her chest. Marina knew how much Pearl’s father had meant to her.
“You’re right, Marina,’ Pearl said, smiling up at her love. “As you always are.” Pearl put her arms around Marina’s waist and squeezed a bit.
“Just, try to work on it, Pearlie, okay?”, Marina asked.
“I will. And I’ll try to take it easier. For you,” Pearl booped Marina’s nose, making them both giggle.
Then the microwave beeped and Marina took out Pearl’s dinner. “Hope you enjoy it,” Marina said.
“Have I ever not?”, Pearl asked with a smile.