Chapter Text
The room is cold and bear save for the single coffin and the endless rows of empty chairs. The preacher that has been leading her to the room pulls out a small podium from a nearby closet and places it in front of the alter. The preacher waits for a few moments as to allow more time for others to arrive. It doesn’t take long for him to realize that no one else will be attending save for the lone woman that he entered with draped in black that is now seated in the front row. He clears his throat as he begins.
“Sometimes, God taketh away what God hath given. A mother who bears us with her loins... bears us always...and lives forever in our hearts.” He clears his throat again before continuing. “We are gathered here today to mourn the loss of Odalia Blight. Wife, Mother, Business Woman….”
The preacher drones on about Odaila’s many accomplishments and achievements before he wraps up. Amity Blight the youngest daughter of Odaila makes her way up to the green statin lined coffin. Her hands tremble as she gets one final look at the woman she was finally free from.
“Goodbye Mother.”
…………
Hours after the services were done and Odaila Blight had long been buried next to her beloved Alador. Amity sits alone in her house, the mansion she grew up in looking through old tarnished photos of her parents, of her siblings, of her childhood, of the life she lived. The life her mother allowed her to live.
Amity looks through each photo critically before she stumbles across an old photo her mother kept. The image immediately makes her frown. Amity’s 23 in a white dress head bowed her long white veil hiding her tears as she stands across a man with a swarmy smile and greasy slick back hair in an ugly brown tailored suit. Her parents Odaila and Alador look on with big smiles.
She always hated that picture. She was surprised her mother had kept it all these years. Perhaps it was because it was the closest Amity actually got to getting married. She was sure running away from her own wedding would have caused enough shame for Odaila to not want to keep the photo as a memento.
The doorbell rings for a moment before a man and woman both in their early 60’s begin entering the home and notice Amity sitting on the couch in the large foyer.
“Let's just go talk to her now. Just sit next to her.” He whispers.
“Amity?” the woman calls gently.
Looking up at the people addressing her Amity Smiles wryly, “Oh, hey Em, Ed.” She quickly shuts the photo album and gets up as fast as her 57 year old body will allow her to. Her body creaks and protests but she’s up in no time. She may be old but she can still get around just fine.
Edric nods, “Hey, sis. How you holding up?”
“I'm holding up. Supposed to be holding up, so I'm holding up. It’s just weird you know. Her being gone… I mean she was 97 so it wasn’t unexpected, but at the same time…” Amity tapers off.
“Hey, you know, it was her time right. I know she wasn’t mother of the year…” Emira clicks..
“We're all pretty devastated?” Edric interrupts as Emira rolls her eyes.
“Well maybe not devastated more like relieved.” He chuckles as Amity grimaces before muttering, “Is that why you and Em didn’t show up to the funeral?”
Emira frowns, “ Come on Mittens, you know Odaila wouldn’t have wanted us there. You were her favorite.”
“Sure.” Amity scoffs before turning away and sitting back down on the black leather couch.
Edric sighs, “Anyways, Emira and I were thinking that maybe now that Odaila’s gone you could move out and get your own place in the city close to your job and everything. You wouldn't have to ride the ferry anymore or stay in a huge mansion all by yourself.”
Emira smiles warmly before continuing, “Yay you've really earned this Amity. I mean you've been living in Mom's house, taking care of her all these years. That was so noble of you. I don't know how you did it... “
“So noble.” , Edric rushes to agree.
…and we were thinking that, you know, once we cleared out Odaila’s junk, sold everything of real value that we should think about maybe selling the house too.” Emira breathes.
Amity takes a moment to process what the twins were asking of her before she slowly replies, “Ed, Em, all my stuff is here.”
“Yeah. All right. Here. “Edric says with a hint of irritation in his voice as he hands her over a white and green business card. “Her name is Lilith Clawthorne she’s a therapist and we think she could really help you.”
Amity’s brows furrowed, “Help me with what?”
“Please, sis, just meet with her. We don’t want to see you spiraling.”
Bile rose to Amity’s throat as she quickly shot up from the couch hands trembling in anger. Shaking her head vehemently, She refuses to take the card. “I am NOT spiraling! And even if I was how would you two even know about it? How would you guys even know how I was feeling? Huh? You guys never call! Never Visit! That is of course unless you guys want money. That’s it huh? Mom’s dead and you guys wanna see what you can get out of her, out of me!
“NO! It’s not like that Amity!” Emira barked. “We just want what’s best for the family, for all of us Mittens. Mom; she didn’t leave us anything! Nothing! Everything went to you. The Mansion, the investments, Blight Industries remaining shares, she left us with nothing! And why? Because she didn’t like that we were free spirits, we didn’t let her control our lives like you did, because we married for love, because we’re gay! Not everyone can be straight little miss perfect like you Amity! We deserve a piece. A cut after everything that witch put us through. How she kept me away from my wife for 2 years before Viney and I could finally escape from her clutches. Or Edric with his boyfriend. Amity there is 3 of us! Don’t be greedy! There’s enough to go around.
“Get out,” Amity whispered biting her lip as she turned away from her siblings.
Edric held up his hand, “Amity, we…”
“GET OUT!” The youngest Blight Shouted.
“Fine.” Emira huffed as she began walking away.“ I told you she was gonna do this.” She stared pointedly at Edric before turning back to her sister. “See you in court Mittens.”
And with that the twins left slamming the door shut. Leaving their youngest sister to drop to her knees and burst into tears. Bitter thoughts swirling in her head, “They never really cared about me. Did they?”
……
“I like your glasses.”
“Huh?”
“I said I like your glasses.” The little girl giggled.
“Oh.” Amity shook her head. She was supposed to be reading to the kids at the local public library not replaying that horrible fight she had with her siblings this morning. “They're cat eyeglasses.” Amity replied as she pushed them up the bridge of her nose.
“Really do cats wear them?” The young one crooned.
“No.” She laughed, “That’s just what they’re called.”
“Oh.” The little girl smiled bashfully. “I really like them Ms. Amity they’re really pretty.”
“They're cool.” Braxus shouted from back of the group of kids that Amity found herself surrounded by.
“Yeah.” She smirked at the group.
“Yeah!” They cheered.
Somewhere in the building a loud , “Shhhh!” could be heard echoing across the library. Amity couldn’t help but roll her eyes.
“Okay, okay. Let’s settle down and practice our quite voices. Okay.” She whispered gingerly.
“Okay.” The kids quietly agreed.
“Alright where were we? Ah yes. Azura had just met her rival Hecate in the bogs of immediate regret when suddenly…”
…….
It was 2:30 and Amity was late. She should have been in the office over an hour ago. As a Blight she was brought up to know that tardiness was unacceptable. But the kids really wanted to hear another chapter and she just couldn’t say no. She enjoyed reading to them. It brought her great joy.
Although Amity Blight didn’t have any children of her own she was great with them. She never wanted any kids, but she still liked them. She enjoyed the way their eyes lit up when she read to them, their playful laughter, and their sweet naïve outlook on the world.
Oh how Amity wished she could still see the world as they could. For Amity the world had been a lot colder; a scary place, with no one to trust or care about. Sometimes Amity would watch as the kids packed up after story time and would feel a twinge of envy. She had been reading at her local library to kids since she was 14 and even then she would feel it. Envy.
She would envy their warm caring homes, the hugs and kisses, and safety their families provided. She envied the childhood they had that she had never been granted. As the years flew by Amity found she had new things to envy, or new people.
The Parents.
As time went on she began to envy the love their parents shared, the flirty banter, the loving embraces, the kisses, the openness of such affection. Eventually she even began envying their age. For Amity her youth was long gone now and her once attractive young face was now marred with wrinkles and lines no one bothered to take a second glance at.
There had been time when she was much younger, when both men and woman would openly gawk at her beauty. Not that Amity even let anyone close enough to appreciate it.
Amity never had a real partner; No one to hold or kiss or embrace. And even if she had found one, times were different then, she was different. She would never have been able to lather such affection onto another in public. Not at that time. Now times are different same-sex couples are more accepted and can even marry now, but Amity felt that she was too old for that now. She supposed it was too late to hope for such a thing. It was too late for a lot of things.
Amity wasn’t bitter, no not really. She was happy enough. She had a job, plenty of money, good health, and a best friend. Family, love it was all so over rated. Sure she was a tad envious at times but overall she was happy for other people, the kids, and their parents.
She rushed to the elevator to get to the 6th floor. Her cubical sat there in the far left corner marked with a small sign with the words Data Entry engrained.
As she began stepping inside, there was a sudden rush or people following suit. Soon Amity found herself being pressed against a corner.
“Great.” She thought bitterly.
Young people could be so rude. “So rude.”
Turning around to face the awaiting exit, a tall brunette woman stumbled in and was immediately pushed back into the same offensive little corner Amity found herself in. Their fronts both tightly pressed together. Amity couldn’t help the blush that now adorned her face. She had never been that close to anyone before. It happened all too quickly before she even had a chance mentally adjust to the young woman now invading her space. She gazed up at the mocha skinned woman eyes briefly locking before turning away. She looked so young. Maybe 22? 23? She had never seen her before.
“Was she new?”
Amity bit her lip, discreetly taking note of the noticeable height difference. She was the shorter of the two. The young woman’s chocolate flowing hair was long in the front but shorter in the back “… an overgrown pixie cut,” she quietly observed.
Amity couldn’t help but take in every detail, from the tint of her skin, to those deep soulful eyes, to the lean muscles clearly outlined in her blue suit.
“Dear God.”
Her blushed intensified, The woman firmly pressed against her was very very attractive. Amity’s eyes quickly raked over the woman's form before her eyes finally settled on her face. She blinked slowly breathing out harshly as their gazes locked.
Amity suddenly felt a wave of embarrassment wash over her and quickly averted her gaze. The young woman in front of her seemed to only chuckle in response.
“Sorry… it’s kind of packed in here. Don’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable ma’am. Hope I’m not squishing you too much” the brunette smiled trying to make the situation less awkward. Amity shook her head in response. “No your fine…I mean it’s fine. She laughed awkwardly. The woman smiled and nodded before trying to maneuver herself so that she could face the exit with no luck. They really were pack in there.
The brunette chuckles and promptly resigns herself to being stuck in that position for the remainder of the ride.
Not that Amity notices. Nope.
“I like your glasses.” The woman suddenly says startling Amity out of her own thoughts as the woman’s eyes rake over her.
Amity suddenly feels like shrinking further into the elevator as she squeaks out a timid, “Thank you. “
The brunette hums as she tries once again to gain some space by shuffling around to no avail.
However, the moment doesn’t last long as the elevator dings and their bodies are quickly released no longer being pressed together.
The woman soon laughs, “Oh man finally, I was wondering when we would be able to move again” while rotating her shoulders turning around facing her back towards Amity. She begins to prepare to walk out with the crowd.
Amity slowly releases a shaky breath as she now finds herself eying the nice messenger bag slung over the woman’s right shoulder. Pens and Pencils sticking out from an open side pocket begin to catch her gaze as the woman begins to walk out.
In the heat of the moment, Amity could not explain it, she quickly takes a pencil and tucks it into her own pocket with a slightly satisfied look as she too now exits the elevator.
---------------------
Amity is comfortably working in her cubicle, immersed in her work. Data entry may have been boring to some but she loved it. It gave her a reason to get up every morning. And at her age she was running out of reasons to.
“Hey, Amity?” A young woman with dark skin and grey hair approached her. ‘Kids these days.” Amity thought.” Dying their hair gray while I’m still trying to keep mine from turning it.”
“Hum?”
“Boscha’s replacing all our chairs with these posture balls. She's got a whole truckload. So I'm gonna ….huh need your chair.”
“I like my chair. It has a back.” Amity glares. “This is ridicules.” she grimaces. Boscha Potions somehow manage to convenience corporate to allow her to use their funds to order a bunch of stupid posture balls for the entire office from a company her parents conveniently own. The 24 year old woman sure knew how to play the system.
God how she hated that woman.
“You know I don't make the rules, right? I'm just the muscle.” Skara jokes.
Boscha suddenly appears, “Everyone gather around. Over here.” She calls over. Everyone rises and begins walking to the center of the floor were Boscha stands next to someone.
Amity walks over to see the same woman from moments ago. “The woman from the elevator! That’s her. Of course it’s her we just got off on the same floor.”
"I would like to introduce everyone to Luz Noceda.” Boscha claps.
“Luz.”
Boscha continues, “Luz is the new art director. She joins us after a successful stint in the L.A. office. We're very happy to have her. So let's give Luz a big New York welcome.”
“So she does work here? How…nice.”
Speech!
Speech!
Speech!
The room chants.
“Okay, uh, I'll give it a shot.” Luz rasps out while rubbing the back of her neck, “So I know it's a far cry from my small town in Connecticut... but, um, it's really great to be here in the city that never sleeps. So that's it. Th-Th-That's all, folks.”
“You're so funny, Luz.” Boscha smiles playfully leaning a little to closely to Luz. “Ugh flirting with the new girl already.” Amity sneers internally.
‘Why does Boscha always think she can do whatever, whoever she wants?”
Boscha looks Luz up and down one last time before waving everyone off and turning sharply the red dress she’s wearing glides, “Okay, everyone back to work.”
“Okay.”
Just as Amity was about to head back to her desk Luz abruptly speaks up again.
“Actually, wait. There's one last thing that I need to say to the woman I met in the elevator this morning.” Amity furrows her brows confusion etching her face. “I know we hardly exchanged more than a few words......but you made a big impression on me. Look, lady, I don't even know your name......but you set off a fire inside of me. I have not been able to put out......since the moment I laid eyes on you. Can we explore this?” She gestures between them.
Speechless Amity’s face paints a fiery red blush across her face. Luz walks up to her eyes holding a smoldering gaze as she gently lifts her left hand up to Amity cheek caressing her as she gently tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
“What’s your name you beautiful goddess?” Luz whispers out reverently. Everyone in the office is now staring with rapt interest at the scene unfolding in front of them. Boscha is fuming arms crossed glaring daggers at Amity.
“Whah? Huh?” Amity Stammers out clutching the hem of her blouse as she pushes up her glasses.
“I asked you what’s your name gorgeous.” Luz smirks while leaning in.
“Its…Its…” the old woman splutters.
“Amity?”
“Huh”
“Amity?”
“Amity?” Skara snaps.
Abruptly Amity is forced out of her little fantasy to see everyone including Ms. Noceda has left.
“Who’s Amity?”
Skara brows furrows as she looks at Amity confused before she shakes her head and speaks, “Oookay, yeah. Sorry to interrupt…whatever that was, but like I said I’m gonna need that chair. Soooo…”
……
“It’s Just me and the cat now Will.” Amity Sighs, “I hope I don't end up like one of those weird old New Yorkers that chokes on a peanut and dies and no one even misses me until the smell of my decomposing body seeps through the walls.” She says as they circle the indoor track at the local community Rec Center. A place both women liked to frequent even though both of their homes had fully equipped gyms and tracks that happen to be much better quality than the one they were currently circling.
“Oh, honey, I would miss you. You know I would.” Willow speaks reassuringly.
The woman sighs before lightly patting her companion’s shoulder, “I know. You simply can’t live without me gracing you with my esteemed presence.” She jokes.
“You know it Amity.” Willow grins in return as she adjusts the huge round spectacles that adorn her face. “Now let’s go get changed and I’ll order us some take out. My treat.”
Willow Park had been Amity Blight’s best friend since preschool. Her mother had instantly taken a dislike of the friendship and had been furious when she found out. “ We Blights don’t associate with the lower classes Amity.” Her mother sneered. Her mother demanded she brake off the friendship at once. Amity avoided Willow for a few days before the cheery child showed up to her birthday party unannounced. Just as Alador and Odaila Blight planned to send the girl packing Willow announced her parents had invented some medical device that hospitals went nuts for and her parents became nearly as wealthy as hers overnight. Amity was thrilled her parents were pleased. Amity had been so sure she would never be allowed to see Willow again, but luckily for her the Park’s new found wealth gained her friendship approval from her own mother instantly.
Stepping into the ladies locker room the women go over their respective days and plans for the evening before quickly changing into their more casual attire. Willow in a billowy green blouse and dark slacks. Amity nearly ripping off the disgusting grey sweats she had been wearing swiftly changing into her usual black flowery printed shirt and maroon pants as she continues discussing her day.
….and then after that, Luz says, Th-Th-That's all, folks. You know, like Bugs Bunny.” Amity laughs smiling as deep wrinkles form in the corners of her eyes.
“Oh yeah?” Willow says while grabbing her bag. Amity closes her locker as she nods swiftly trailing behind her. The cool air hits both of them as they exit the building both women smelling a like funky, but neither commenting. They both knew they were too old to use the community showers and wouldn’t feel comfortable using said facilities anyways. They’d bathe once each got to their respective homes.
“Yes!” Amity shouts. “Then Boscha goes, Ooh!.” Amity continues before scoffing, “I don't even think she got the reference.”