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Pearl would have never thought in a million years she would be sitting on a couch with her wife and their daughter sitting between them, but here she sat, watching the flicker of the television screen on a Friday night. Friday night was movie night. It was a household law, set by Sardonyx.
“That’s enough popcorn for now,” said Garnet to Sardonyx, gently taking the bowl out of her daughter’s little hands. “You’ll be too full if you eat all of that.”
“But it’s so scrumptious!” Sardonyx said. She tried her sweetest grin on Garnet. “Please may I have more?”
Pearl smiled. Even at a young age Sardonyx had developed an advanced vocabulary and now conversations with her sometimes ran like purple prose.
“No,” said Garnet, not unkindly. “I’d like some popcorn, too.”
It wouldn’t be long before Sardonyx managed to sneak a handful or two from Garnet, but for now, she paid attention to the television.
Pearl stifled a yawn and looked at her watch. In the dim lighting it was hard to read the face, but a helpful flash of light from the screen informed her it was 8:45. It was a little early for her to be tired, but then again, a local fencing competition was a good source of exhaustion. Fencing was Pearl’s sport. She had started in her late teens and the thrill of wielding the domesticated equivalent of a sword had never left her since.
In fact, Pearl had been the captain of her college’s fencing team. It had been on the day of a tournament, too, that she’d met Garnet. Oh, what a meeting. Pearl’s mind drifted from the television to that morning, seven years ago—
Pearl sprinted down the stairs, fencing bag on shoulder. It was heavy but at least she wasn’t racing upstairs. Two hours until the competition and she had to snag a spot for her bag, check in, get her team established, and warm up…there was more to it, but Pearl’s perfectionist mind was already creating a few checklists for the whole event.
There were a few other people travelling in the same direction as her but most of the tournament audience would be arriving later. Pearl looked at her watch. In that brief glance, she had taken her eyes off the path ahead, and didn’t notice the runner coming towards her.
There was a thump, the rattle of metal, and both parties hit the ground rolling. Pearl landed on her bag and felt various equipment pieces poke her through the thick material of the carrier. She exhaled sharply and lifted herself up, staggering under the weight of the bag.
“Oof,” said a voice, and Pearl looked down.
“Oh, my!” she exclaimed. “Did I hit you? I apologize—are you all right? I’m sorry, I wasn’t looking—”
“I’m fine,” said the other young woman. “Just a little dazed.”
She smiled good-naturedly and sat up, fixing her sunglasses. “You seem to be in a hurry.”
“I’m the captain of the school fencing team,” said Pearl. “I have to be at the gymnasium.”
“Fencing?” the woman glanced at the bag. “That explains a lot.”
“Are you sure you’re all right? The bag is quite heavy.”
“I’m in excellent form.” She stood up. “A few scrapes never bothered me anyway.”
Pearl blinked and let out a little sigh of relief. “That’s good.”
“I’m Garnet,” said the young woman, extending her hand. “Junior.”
“Pearl,” said the owner of the name, shaking Garnet’s hand. “Also a junior.”
“I’ve seen you in one of my classes before, haven’t I?”
“Perhaps. Now that you mention it—”
“Ceramics class?”
“That must be it. I keep associating you with some art form.” Pearl smiled.
“Well, Pearl, I won’t keep you any longer from your grand fencing escapades,” said Garnet. “I have breakfast to catch, anyways.”
“Right!” Pearl looked at her watch. “Well, I’ll be going. See you around campus some time.”
“Definitely,” Garnet agreed.
Pearl began to head towards the gym again at a quick pace and Garnet jogged towards the dining hall, waving back to her new acquaintance as she went. The former managed to twist around and wave goodbye back, smiling again.
It wasn’t long before they ran into each other again, this time off-campus. Pearl was sitting down with a drink at the local café when she noticed Garnet sitting a few tables away, writing something down on a napkin.
Pearl weighed going to say hello and decided to do so. She stood up, and butterflies began to dance in her stomach. She froze for a second, inhaled, picked up her drink with a firm hand, and strode over to Garnet.
“Hello again, Pearl,” said Garnet, looking up from her pen-marked napkin. “Do you frequent this place, too?”
“Yes, it’s one of my favorites,” Pearl said. “Can I sit with you?”
“Sure.”
Pearl sat and took a tentative sip of her iced beverage. “What are you writing?”
“Lyrics,” Garnet said. “I write and sing my own songs. It’s a bit of a hobby.”
“That’s interesting,” said Pearl. “Quite the talent.”
“You have fencing, I have songwriting and singing.”
“We all do have an interest that exceeds the others.”
“Actually, my moms used to sing together in the house a lot. I would join in sometimes. They thought I was good and took me to classes. Decade and a half later, here I am.” Garnet grinned and looked at the napkin. “I sing about whatever I like. It tends to be very…from the heart.”
“You must be very good.”
“Thanks, but you haven’t heard me yet.”
“Your lyrics look good.” Pearl stiffened. “Sorry. I was curious…”
“It’s fine,” said Garnet. “I tend to revise a lot anyways.”
Pearl took another few drinks of her beverage. “Perhaps you can give me a demonstration someday?”
“I’d love to.”
They stayed in the café until both of them had finished their drinks and Garnet’s napkin was, to Pearl, an indecipherable lyric sheet. Garnet took the napkin and folded it up gently and put it in her bag. She and Pearl strolled back to the campus, the afternoon already beginning to fade to twilight’s soft hues.
“You fence very well,” Garnet said, leaning against the wall of the gymnasium. “At least, from what I can tell.”
“Thanks,” Pearl said, taking several gulps of her water. She wiped the sweat off her brow. “It’s too hot to continue fencing, though.”
“I’m glad I caught some of it.” Garnet pushed her sunglasses up further on her brow. “You two looked like white whirlwinds.” She nodded at Pearl’s opponent, who was sitting, in a melted slump, on a nearby bench. He managed to wave a couple of fingers at the pair.
“Lots of years of practice. I’ve always found a calling in this sport.” Pearl unzipped her lamé and jacket, hanging them up on a hanger. “Keeps me busy in my free time.”
Garnet picked up her mask. “Does it get stuffy in this cramped helmet?”
“You learn to breathe easily. Took me a while.”
Garnet tried to fit it on her head, but couldn’t quite seem to work it out. Pearl reached over and adjusted it so that the other young woman could put it on.
“Nice view,” said Garnet. “It’s hot in here. How do you get it off?”
“Let me help,” Pearl said, and assisted her friend again. “It’s a bit tricky.”
“There’re a few things in the back that make it difficult to pull on and off.”
“Those are there to protect your head and also make sure the mask doesn’t fly off when you are hit in the head.”
“You’re allowed to hit people in the head?”
“That’s sabre and epee for you.” Pearl put her mask away and hefted her weapon. “I prefer foil. More rules. Order works for me.”
Garnet raised her eyebrows. “Three kinds of fencing. This is an interesting sport.”
“Now that you’ve seen me fence,” Pearl said, zipping up her bag, “I think you owe me a song.”
“Is that how it is?” Garnet folded her arms. “All right. Do you want to meet in that gazebo on the south side of the campus? It’s a lovely place to rest in the evening.”
“I think that’d be a great spot.” Pearl nodded. “What time?”
“Just text me.”
“Actually…I don’t have your number.”
“What? Unbelievable. I should have foreseen this.” Garnet recited her number to Pearl, who dutifully made a contact for her.
“I have to go shower and change, so I’ll let you know when I’m ready,” said Pearl.
“I’ll wait however long you need.”
They walked back to the dormitories together. Pearl continued to talk about the different kinds of fencing and Garnet listened with a mixture of fascination and curiosity. They parted ways at Pearl’s building, and Garnet went to collect her things.
The gazebo was tucked away in a little dip on the rolling grounds of the campus. Not many other people roamed the softly lit lawns and paths. Garnet sat on one of the cushioned benches and watched as Pearl approached, dressed in light clothing that fluttered as the evening breezes brushed the air.
“I like your outfit,” Garnet said, shifting the guitar in her lap.
“Thank you!” said Pearl, stepping up the stairs. “Sorry I’m late. I managed to weasel some food out of the dining hall earlier and as much as I dislike cheating the system, they have some good desserts.” She pulled a little Tupperware out of her bag. “Here.”
“Are we sharing or are these all for me?” Garnet asked, accepting the container with one hand. “Our dining hall does have exceptionally good desserts.”
“I’ll open it. You have your hands full.” Pearl pried the lid off. “What did I get? A couple brownie bites…that’s a sugar cookie…oh and a small thing of jello.”
“I’ll have some after the mini-concert,” said Garnet. She picked up the guitar and strummed a few chords. “This is the song I wrote in the café, just so you know.”
“Ooh.”
Pearl had never quite heard a voice like Garnet’s and she was sure she’d never hear a voice like it again. The sound of the guitar and her voice blended into one harmonious swirl and when the song came to a quiet end, Pearl could hear the last few notes echoing in her mind.
“Well?” Garnet asked, smiling.
“That was…amazing,” said Pearl. “You don’t just have a talent, you have a gift.”
“Thank you.” Garnet picked up a brownie bite and ate it in one go. “I’m really proud of this song. I think it’s one of my best so far.”
“You should be.” Pearl nodded. “I do believe I’m going to have that song stuck in my head for a while.”
“Is that a compliment?”
“By all means, yes.”
Garnet let out a mellow laugh. “Good, good.”
Pearl’s stomach became fluttery again and she realized how close she was to Garnet. They were alone now in the nearby campus grounds, except for the occasional security cart. Lights out wasn’t for another couple of hours and the twilight was once again tranquil. Pearl felt her pulse speed up into an unwanted allegretto and she took a deep breath, trying to control her suddenly skittish nerves.
“Are you all right?” asked Garnet.
“I’m fine,” said Pearl. She looked at Garnet and noticed, for the first time, that her eyes were different colors. “Your eyes are heterochromatic!”
“Oh! You noticed,” said Garnet. “Even in the dim lighting.”
“They’re lovely.”
“Thanks. Most people don’t really notice…it’s quite subtle.”
“Still beautiful.”
They were quite close together now, well within several inches of each other’s face, despite the guitar. Pearl’s cheeks were becoming warm. Garnet leaned forward a bit and then stopped herself and blinked.
“Sorry,” she said.
Pearl took a second to regain speech. “It’s…fine…”
The distance increased and they were back to the beginning. Pearl took the sugar cookies and bit into it. Small crumbs fell off and she brushed them out of her lap.
“Evening’s nice,” said Garnet.
“Yes.”
“Maybe we should head back now.”
“Let’s finish dessert first.” Pearl pushed the Tupperware over. “You can have the last brownie bite.”
“Thanks,” said Garnet.
When the container was empty except for the lone jello cup, the two of them ambled back to the housing buildings. The way there was quiet, but not a tense quiet. Pearl thought it to be a reflective quiet.
“You really ought to go! Your talent would absolutely awe the judging panel,” Pearl insisted, trying to pass the flyer to Garnet. “It’s free to sign-up, too.”
“I don’t know, Pearl,” said Garnet, finally accepting the flyer, “I’ve never done one of these…competitions before.”
“I’m sure you’ll be amazing! Just how you’re amazing when you sing when we’re not around anyone else.”
“Yes, but that’s different.”
“Will you at least give it some thought?” Pearl asked.
Garnet exhaled and managed a smile. “All right. I’ll consider it.”
“That’s all I needed.” Pearl beamed back at her companion.
The text had been simple:
Garnet 3 min. ago
come to the auditorium ASAP
Pearl had rushed over from her studying session in the library, hoping that Garnet was telling her to come for one specific reason. She could hear cheering as she grew closer. The concert competition was definitely in full swing.
She took one of the few seats near the front that were still empty. There was a small band on stage right now, but Pearl figured bands were being judged differently from individuals. A minute or so later, right after the band concluded, a judge got up onstage and announced the beginning of the individual portion of the competition. Garnet’s name was called first and Pearl couldn’t help but giving a small shout of encouragement when her friend walked up on stage.
The song was a new one to Pearl, but it was just as wonderful and passion-filled as the others. When Garnet had finished, the audience gave a thundering applause and some even stood up. Pearl smiled to herself.
Several more participants sang and played but none came close to Garnet’s performance in Pearl’s eyes. She was not the least bit surprised when the judge announced that the first place in the individual portion would go to Garnet.
“I knew you’d do it!” Pearl said, giving Garnet a hug afterwards. “You were, by far, the best in the individual portion.”
“You’re just saying that because we’re close,” Garnet said.
“No, I mean it. You have the winnings to prove it.”
“Winning this doesn’t mean anything.” Garnet put a hand on Pearl’s shoulder. “Your support and enthusiasm do, though.”
The next few moments became a blur. Pearl turned towards Garnet and they were close, closer than in the gazebo, and then she could feel Garnet’s lips against hers in a sudden breathtaking moment. The world seemed to spin endlessly and stay still at the same time. The allegretto piece playing in Pearl’s heart was going into the crescendo and when they pulled away from each other it was as if everything had changed.
Someone clapped, the noise sounding faraway in Pearl’s ears. All that was in focus right now was Garnet.
“I think I’ve wanted to do that for a while,” she said softly and almost giggled at the ridiculousness of the phrase.
“Me, too,” said Garnet.
It was the start of their relationship, and everything had changed.
“My moms are very excited to finally meet you,” said Garnet, pulling up to the curb in front of a small, lavender-painted house.
“I’m excited to meet them,” said Pearl. “A little nervous, too.”
Garnet and Pearl walked up the small brick path to the porch. Pearl looked at the windows and noticed someone peering at her through the blinds. Garnet gave the door a firm set of knocks.
“Is that you Garnet?” asked a voice.
“Yes,” said Garnet.
The door opened on a short sturdy woman. “Garnet! You came for a visit!” She looked at Pearl and grinned. “Is this who I think it is?”
“Mum, this is Pearl. Pearl, this is my mum.” Garnet said, gesturing at each person in turn.
“You can call me mum or Ruby,” the woman said. “Frankly I don’t care, as long as you’re a decent person.”
“Garnet?” asked another woman, taller than Ruby but not quite as tall as Pearl or Garnet. “Oh, hello, dear!”
“Hello, Mom.” said Garnet. “Can we actually step inside?”
Pearl kept a smile on her face as they stepped inside. It was smaller on the inside and everything was cozily arranged. Ruby went into the room that looked like the kitchen.
“This is my mom. Or Sapphire,” said Garnet. “Mom, Pearl. She’s my girlfriend.”
“Hello,” said Pearl. “You have a very nice house.”
Sapphire smiled broadly. “Thank you. Ruby and I decorated it ourselves.”
“It’s been like this since I was a kid,” Garnet whispered to Pearl.
“I heard that,” said Sapphire.
“It’s not bad-looking, though,” Garnet said. “It gives me memories of my childhood. Good memories.”
Everyone gathered at the table and Ruby and Sapphire brought out little sandwiches and cups of water for everyone. Pearl soon realized Garnet’s moms knew a lot more about her than she initially thought.
“Garnet’s told us many stories about you,” Ruby said. “She says you fence. Now there’s a sport I’d enjoy. Nothing like old-fashioned swordfighting.”
“It’s not quite swordfighting,” said Pearl. “It’s very close, though. Gives off a very medieval vibe.”
“So,” said Sapphire after their plates were cleared, “any plans for the future?”
“I’d like grandkids, y’know,” Ruby said.
“Well, we’re just a year or so into this,” Garnet said. “Kids will come later.”
“You two remind me of Ruby and me when we were younger,” Sapphire said. “We weren’t supposed to be together by the laws of social grouping—she was the ‘bad girl’ and I was more of the stressed but not showing studious type. Not that I’m saying either of you fit those tropes…just…good memories. Those were some of the best years of my life.”
“College has been a wonderful experience so far,” Pearl commented. “Garnet just makes it better.”
It was a cheesy thing to say but Pearl meant it. She gave Garnet a small smile which was promptly returned. Ruby and Sapphire whispered something between themselves and the conversation resumed, this time revolving around some of Garnet’s hobbies. Pearl mentioned that Garnet had won a competition for singing, and both of the older women had seemed surprised.
“You’re too modest, Garnet,” Ruby said. “Take pride in yourself. You’re an excellent singer.”
“I didn’t want to brag about it,” Garnet said. “I am happy about it, though.”
The entire visit was a success and on Garnet and Pearl’s way out, Ruby repeated: “I’d still like a grandkid! No pressure.” She grinned again and gave both of them a firm hug. Even for her age she was still strong. Sapphire’s hugs were a little less rib-squeezing and more of an embrace. Pearl waved goodbye from the curb before she stepped back into the car.
The wedding brought tears to Ruby’s eyes and although she insisted she was using the tissue for cleaning purposes, everyone could see she was quite moved by the ceremony. Pearl and Garnet sat with the latter’s parents for the dinner and the whole atmosphere was jovial and loving.
“We’re thinking of adopting,” Garnet said.
Ruby’s face lit up. “That’s wonderful!”
“I hope all goes well,” said Sapphire. “I’m sure whoever they are, they will be the perfect addition to your household.”
Garnet nodded. “We’ll be sure to bring the whole family over for visits to the grandparents.”
Pearl could have sworn she saw Ruby beginning to cry again, but said nothing. The prospect of adding a child to their budding household was daunting, especially financially, but if she and Garnet both landed steady jobs, it would be an easier task. No matter what, though, it would be worth it.
“Mama!” Sardonyx’s voice sounded very close in Pearl’s ear.
“Hm?” she asked, blinking.
“You had fallen asleep and were missing the climatic part of the movie where the protagonist shoots the villain!” Sardonyx said, evidently concerned that her mother was missing out on very important entertainment.
“I’m sorry,” said Pearl. “I was quite sleepy.”
“It’s all right, Sardonyx,” Garnet said. “I was watching for Pearl. We can tell her about it when she’s a little more awake.”
“All right,” said Sardonyx. “But I’m sure mama would enjoy this part of the movie! They are even staging swordfights! Like what mama did today.”
Pearl didn’t have the heart or energy to argue that point. She dozed off again despite the flickering of the television.
Sometime later it was quiet. She woke up, still on the couch, with a light blanket draped over her. Sardonyx must have been put to bed. Garnet, however, was nowhere in sight.
Then the kitchen light went on and Garnet stepped out. “Hey, sleepy-head.”
“Garnet,” said Pearl. She yawned again. “Sardonyx asleep?”
“Like a rock.” Garnet came over and sat next to Pearl. “You want to go to our bed or do you prefer the couch?”
“As long as I’m asleep and you’re nearby.”
Garnet smiled and kissed Pearl’s cheek. “C’mon. I’ll carry you to bed if I have to.”
“I’m not going to convince you otherwise, but I should change before sleeping.”
“I’ll take you to the bed, how about that?” Garnet lifted Pearl up in her arms. “This reminds me of the time I carried you down the aisle.”
Pearl smiled and nestled herself against Garnet’s neck. “Love you.”
“Love you, too.”
Pearl was certain no feeling could top the happiness she felt when surrounded by her family. Not even in a million years.