Priyanka hadn’t shown up to meet Pearl.

This isn’t like her, Pearl thought. Ever since the accident, Priyanka had made a habit of coming to see Pearl. They would have tea (another thing Pearl had started to enjoy despite her reservations about ingesting), talk about what was going on. She would always ask how Steven was doing.

Sometimes Priyanka would talk about Doug or Connie and her voice would start to crack, which Pearl pretended not to notice even though she always noticed. But even though Pearl was never quite sure what to say, Priyanka would usually end up leaving more content than when she arrived. Pearl liked to think their talks truly helped.

Pearl thought Priyanka thought so too; she would always make a point to suggest their next get-together before leaving the beach house. Before today, she had never broken an agreement.

So it was such a shock to Pearl that Priyanka had never arrived. She had heard nothing. Granted, Pearl did not have a phone, but it seemed unlike the methodical Priyanka to simply not show up, knowing there was no other way to reach Pearl.

Pearl waited in the beach house for Priyanka, alone. Garnet and Amethyst had taken Steven to Funland today to attempt to cheer him up. Today had, unfortunately, been one of Steven’s “bad days” since Connie’s accident. They were becoming less frequent, but they were always still present. It made Pearl hurt to see Steven like that because she knew days like that would never truly go away.

Pearl knew this because she still had days like that. Days where she thought too much of Rose ...

Pearl stopped herself from starting towards that train of thought. She looked out the window; it was getting dark.

It’s probably nothing, Pearl told herself. She was probably called into work and had no way to reach me. Everything is probably fine.

Everything is probably fine.

Pearl thought this over and over again, telling herself she really believed that.

But as it got even darker, she believed it less and less. And once it got dark enough to see stars, Pearl rose to her feet and walked out of the house.
--
There was no answer when Pearl knocked on the door of Priyanka’s house.

Priyanka’s car was still in the driveway. She had to be here. Pearl felt her breath quickened without her even realizing it.

She knocked again. No answer.

Pearl looked around the house. There weren’t any signs anyone had forced their way into the house. Everything appeared fine ...

Pearl knocked again. No answer.

She turned the doorknob. The door was unlocked. She went inside.

When she walked in, she saw Priyanka on the couch, her face in her hands. She was sitting upright. There was a bottle of wine and an empty glass on the coffee table in front of her.

She was alive.

Pearl tried to pretend she wasn’t terrified that was not the case only a few moments before.