Magical Remedies (Pearlnet)

Note: Little Sardonyx has been given the name of Nina in this one-shot. And there is no set thing as to what Pearl and Garnet are arguing about. I have left it somewhat up to the readers’ interpretations of what Pearl may have lied about and did behind Garnet’s back, (plus I couldn’t think of a reason, lol!).

              Screams and shouts had enveloped the entire proximity of the tiny three bedroom home. Poor little Nina sat in the corner of her room, with her tiny hands over her ears, trying to muffle the screams. It had been like that for the past week, constant screaming and arguing the minute her two mothers came in contact with each other. She wasn’t sure why they were arguing. Whatever it was, she didn’t like it.

              Today the argument started when her Mom, Pearl was preparing dinner for tonight, and little Nina was sitting quietly at the table perfecting her latest magic trick that she had learned. Then Garnet came home from a long day of work at the hospital; her red hospital scrubs were stained with unknown substances and possibly some ink from a busted pen in the pocket, also her box braids were thrown all over her head.

              “Welcome home Garnet, how was work?”

              “Was alright,” she grumbled as she made a beeline for her and Pearl’s shared bedroom, a scowl settling on her face. Nina didn’t even have time to welcome her Momma home. The young girl looked to her Mom, Pearl, who still hovered over the stove, and she seemed to be upset. Seeing her parents like this made Nina upset, so she excused herself to her room until dinner was done.

              Twenty minutes passed before Pearl had called Nina down for dinner. The little girl made her way to the kitchen, and noticed her Momma, Garnet already seated at the table with a plate of spaghetti in front of her. She had traded her work clothes for a pair of grey sweatpants and a dark red tank top along with her braids pulled back in a ponytail.

              “Hi Momma, did you have a good day at work?” asked Nina as she approached Garnet. Her demeanor seemed to have changed completely in the blink of an eye the minute Nina came in.

              “It was fine sweetie. What about you, how was school today?”

              “We had fun, Miss Quartz taught us how to make origami flowers during arts and crafts. And my friend Opal showed me her gem collection that she brought.”

              A giggle escaped Garnet’s lips, “Seems like you enjoyed yourself, didn’t you?” Nina nodded yes in response.

              The family soon sat to dinner at the table, Garnet’s demeanor instantly returning to its previous state the minute Pearl had seated herself. The whole meal was eaten in silence, not a single word exchanged between the two women. However, Nina did break the silence a few times by asking some questions to each of her mothers, both of which responded.

              Soon dinner was done, and Garnet stood with her dishes in hand and made her way to the sink to drop them off before making her way to her and Pearl’s room. Pearl sat at the table in silence with her fork dug deep into a meatball of the spaghetti, and her eyes downcast upon the table.

              “Mommy, are you ok?”

              Pearl perked up at the sound of her daughter’s voice. “Oh Nina, I’m sorry. Mommy’s ok, so don’t worry. Are you done? I’ll take your plate.” Pearl proceeded with taking the remaining dishes and clearing off of the table. She excused Nina to her room upstairs where the little one decided to practice her magic tricks once more.

              Later on that night, a loud crash was heard from downstairs, in the living room. Pearl and Garnet were at it again, arguing and yelling. Apparently one of them had accidentally knocked over the vase that was sitting on the coffee table, which is where the crash came from.

              “Garnet, would you just listen to me for once. I..”

              “How can I, you lied to me Pearl, and that’s something I can’t just let slide!”

              “But I only did it because I knew you would be mad if I told you!”

              “And you didn’t think I would find out? I am your wife Pearl! It’s not like we’re kids! You should have been comfortable enough to come and tell me, but instead you go behind my back and lie about it!”

              “I’m sorry, I just didn’t want this to happen.”

              “I don’t want to hear your excuses Pearl. “

              Nina was huddled against the abundance of stuffed animals that sat in the corner of her room, her little ears trying to muffle the screams once again and tears brimming at the corner of her eyes.

              “Why won’t they stop, I don’t like it when they fight.” Nina noticed one particular plush that sat by her side. She took hold of the stuffed bear and gazed at its lifeless face.

              “Oh Mc Bear Bear, what would you do to make Mommy and Momma stop fighting?”

              The bear gave no response, but somehow Nina knew exactly what he said.

              “You’re right, I should do that.”

              The next morning, little Nina had woke up early before her mothers, prepping her plan in the living room. Today she was going to put on a spectacular magic show for them, and hopefully stop the arguing between them. A few minutes passed before Nina could hear the beeps of her parents’ alarm clock and the shuffling of feet soon afterwards. Soon, both mothers descended the stairs and into the living room where little Nina waited with her surprise.

              “Nina dear, what is all this?” Pearl questioned the state of the living room. It was decorated with streamers all over the couches, and a little sign that read, “Magic Performance” in bright red font. Little Nina had put on her best, wearing a cute magicians outfit with a top hat and scarlet bowtie.

              “I wanted to put on a show for you guys, to cheer you up in the morning!”

              “All this for us Nina, you shouldn’t have,” stated Garnet as she adjusted the dark red robe that she wore. “But first, I think Momma needs some food before this performance.”

              “Don’t worry, I made you and Mommy breakfast!” The young girl skipped into the kitchen where, sitting upon the counter were two bowls filled with Cap’n Crunch and milk.

              “Since I can’t use the stove or any knives, I made something easy.” The two mothers glanced at one another before shrugging and grabbing a bowl of cereal each. They then made their way into the living room with little Nina following behind, so she could begin her performance.

              Both Garnet and Pearl plopped on the couch just as Nina began. Each sat on separate ends away from eachother.

“Ladies, and…umm ladies,” both mothers giggled, “I would like to present a magical performance starring Nina Finley-Jones and her amazing costars,” she gestures to her plushies that sat behind her on the coffee table.

“For my first trick, I am going to need a volunteer!” The little one turns on her heel and overlooks her co-star crowd on the table before plucking one away and turning back around.

“My lovely assistant, McGuffins is going to disappear from under this hanky before your very eyes.” She places the royal blue hankerchief over McGuffins who sat in her right hand. And with a wave of her other, a few words and a pull of the hanky, the toy had easily vanished, causing her mothers to erupt in applause.

“Thank you, thank you! Now for my next trick, I am going to do the simple pulling a rabbit out of my hat.” She grabs for the hat that sits upon her head, and once again recites a few magical words before reaching in the empty void of the hat. But inside, it felt as if nothing was there.

“That’s weird, my bunny should be here.” Nina recites the words once again before reaching in and somehow grabbing a hold of something, but it seemed to be wedged.

“It’s stuck,” she cried as she forcefully tried to remove the object.

“Be careful sweetheart,” Pearl said.

“Almost got it,” she placed all of her little strength into that one pull and managed to pull out her stuffed blue bunny with a great force, which sent her toppling over and hitting her head against the coffee table on the way down.

“Nina!” cried both Pearl and Garnet as they abruptly got up to check on their daughter.

“Oh dear sweetie, I hope it’s not going to cause any damage to her head,” Pearl stammered. Garnet checked to make sure there weren’t any bruises and noticed that there was only a slight bump on the back of Nina’s head.

“I’m fine Mommy,” the little girl stated as she still laid upon the floor with her head held in Garnet’s hands.

“Are you sure, I mean that was a really nasty fall and all.”

“Pearl, I checked her and she’s fine. And even she said she’s fine, calm down.”

“But she hit it pretty hard and..”

“Pearl, would you please shut up!”

“Excuse me?”  And once again an argument had started, with little Nina sitting in the fray of it.

“Stop! Would you guys please stop!” Both women were startled from their daughter’s outburst. They instantly put their argument on hold and looked towards Nina; tears brimming from her eyes.

“I don’t want to see you guys fight! It makes me sad that my mommies are fighting!”

“Nina..” Pearl stammered.

“It’s been going like this all the time, and it makes me think if I made you guys mad or something.”

“Oh Nina, no, no. You did nothing of the sort,” said Garnet, who held Nina close to her chest.

“Are you and Momma going to get a divorce?”

“No, no. What made you think that?”

“Well, a friend of mine said that her mom and dad yelled a lot, and then they got a divorce.”

“Oh honey, just because we’re yelling doesn’t mean we’re getting a divorce. It’s just that me and Mommy are having some complications that we need to work out,” stated Garnet.

“By yelling? Wouldn’t talking be better?” Both women stared at one another in shock, Nina did have a point.

“Y you’re right sweetie,” chimed Pearl, “yelling isn’t going to make it better, talking will.”

“That’s right,” chided Nina.

“We’re sorry if we made you upset sweetie. We promise we won’t yell again.”

“Promise?” She looks to both mothers for reassurance, and they both nod in agreement.

“Promise.”

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Later on that night, after Nina was put to sleep, both Garnet and Pearl retired to their own bedroom. Pearl was situated on her side of the bed, a thick novel in her grasp and her reading glasses on, while Garnet was pulling her hair up in a ponytail.

“Pearl, I don’t want us to keep doing this.” Pearl laid her book within her lap and looked towards her wife.

“Neither do I Garnet, and I greatly apologize for not telling you the truth.”

“Pearl, you should have no reason to go behind my back like that. If there was something you wanted to do, you should have told me.”

Pearl rose from bed, and was now standing behind Garnet with her arms wrapped around the others waist, and her face buried in her back. “I understand that now.”

“You know that hurt me,” Garnet grabbed for Pearl’s hands that were grazing her abdomen, “you’ll have to earn back my trust.”

Pearl began to sob in Garnet’s back. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. I don’t want to destroy this marriage.”

Garnet turned to face Pearl and wrapped her arms around the other. “Maybe we need to see a marriage counselor about this.”