The foreign sensation of morning sunlight falling across her face caused Adagio to awaken in a mild panic. She blinked, slowly, allowing her heart to settle, and began looking around in a bleary haze at the unfamiliar room. Brushing an orange strand of hair from her face, she yawned loudly before clumsily wiping her eyes. Where was she?
Slowly, her sleep-addled mind began to piece together the events of the previous day, until sudden recollection slapped her across the face. Paper Cut’s office. Losing her job. The dismal bus ride…
Rarity. Adagio fell back onto the couch with a groan and threw her hands over her face. Heat crept into her cheeks as she remembered pouring her heart out to the girl, weeping onto her shoulder, having her hair brushed as she fell asleep on the girl’s lap. Why? Why had everything gone wrong? Why did she have to be so vulnerable in front of one of them?
A sobering thought caused her to bolt upright. Her sisters! She had not talked to them at all since yesterday morning. They would be worried sick! She scrambled for her phone, nearly having another panic as she failed to find it in the pockets of her robe or wrapped up in the blankets. Where could it be? She checked on top of the short refrigerator by the couch bit it was not there. She wracked her brain, trying to remember where she had left it, but came up blank.
Eyes roaming the bedroom desperately, she finally noticed her purse sitting on the bed. It had to be in there! Clumsily she leapt off the couch, stumbling toward the massive four-post to find all her things from the previous day laid out quite neatly. Beside her purse, her clothes had been washed and folded, and looked as if they may have been pressed as well. And, much to her relief, her cell phone was set neatly atop the small pile, a red light flashing intermittently to inform her of all the messages she had missed. Wincing, she picked up the device and swiped her finger across the screen. Four missed calls, 15 messages.
She only had three numbers saved in her phone, and there were texts from all of them. One each was from Sunset and Sonata, but the rest were all from Aria. Wincing, Adagio began scrolling through the messages.
Sunset (1):
-Hey Adagio, everything alright? Your sisters were trying to get ahold of you.
Sonata (1):
-Dagi, were r u? Hury back, we miss u.
Aria (13):
-Yo Dag, good news, we got the hot water fixed.
-You’re welcome.
-When are you getting home? Sonata wants pizza.
-Hello? Pizza?
-The fuck Dag, answer the phone.
-Adagio, seriously, this isn’t funny, pick up the damn phone.
-You’d better be in a ditch or be getting some serious dick, you hear me?
-I will find you, damnit!
-Dag? Seriously, are you fucking okay? Sonata is having a panic attack.
-Godsfuckingdamnit. Really? With Rarity?
-Well, congrats I guess. I did say you’d better be getting some.
-I’m still pissed though.
-Don’t be late for work.
Adagio took a deep, albeit shaky breath after reading Aria’s lengthy diatribe. Despite the hostile tone, it was clear that her sister had been worried for her. A pang of guilt pierced her heart at the thought that she had caused even more trouble for her younger siblings. She was supposed to be protecting them, but she just kept screwing up.
Cursing herself, Adagio finally noticed the little white note resting on top of her stack of clothes. It was handwritten, in a glittery purple ink. The script was neat and elegant, precise and easy to read.
Good morning, dar Adagio,
I hope Sweetie and I did not disturb you this morning as we were preparing for school. A lady can only be so quiet when she is in a rush, you know. If you are reading this note then I am sure you noticed your clothes on the bed. They are clean and pressed, and I took the liberty of charging your phone overnight as well.
I would like to apologize in advance for what may have been a grievous invasion of your privacy. Your phone rang several times after you fell asleep, and I could not help but notice that it was your sister Aria’s name on the caller ID. After the third or fourth call I could not help but suspect that something was the matter, so I answered for you. It seems she was quite worried about you, as she did not know where you were. I suppose that is partially my fault; I did not mean to keep you so long.
I am sorry I was not there to greet you when you got up this morning, but needs must, I fear, and I did not want to wake you early after the rough day you had yesterday. If you are hungry you are welcome to anything in the kitchen. My parents will not be home, so do not worry about overstaying your welcome, you are welcome to use the house as long as you need.
Sorry, I seem to be rambling. I hope today is better for you than yesterday, and hope to see you soon.
Love, Yours, Regards,
Rarity
P.S. Here is my phone number, in case you need to reach me:
Adagio found herself smiling as she finished the note. Rarity was such a sweetheart. She had had no shortage of lovers that could have used the lesson in how to treat a lady on the morning after. A blush crept over her face at the thought, and she had to shake her head violently to dispel the notion. None of that now! She had things to do.
A second glance at the note answered her questions about the sudden change in the tone of Aria’s messages. She must have mistaken (or intentionally misconstrued) whatever it was that Rarity said to her.
Adagio frowned. She would have to address the misunderstanding quickly, before it got out of hand. Sunset had made it clear what she thought about her dating one of the Rainbooms, and she wanted to avoid unnecessary complications with her new friends. Besides, after so long… She was still unsure if she was ready for another relationship.
Aside from that, Aria deserved to hear from her. She needed to let her sisters know that she was alright, that there was nothing to worry about. Even if it was a lie.
She knew she would have to come clean about the whole thing eventually, but not yet. With luck, she could find a replacement job long before that point. If she was lucky, it would pay the same as the one she lost and the whole thing would be a non-issue. Taking another deep breath, much steadier that time, she steeled herself to make the call. It only rang once before Aria answered.
“Took you long enough, Adagio.” She said coldly.
“And good morning to you too,” Adagio snipped back. “I trust you managed to survive the night without burning down the apartment.”
“Yeah, wasn’t too difficult. I assume you saw my texts."
“Yes,” Adagio said in a teasing voice, “It’s good to know you two were so worried about me.”
“Sonata was worried,” Aria answered gruffly, “I couldn’t care less if you ditch us for a roll in the hay.”
Adagio sucked in her breath. Her disappearance had definitely struck a nerve with Aria. Not that she could blame her, they had both reacted poorly when Sonata disappeared the week before. Still, it was odd for her to feel she had to be accountable to anyone. She had to make it right, as well as set the record straight about her and Rarity. Hopefully without letting anything slip about her job situation. Easy. She hoped. “I wouldn’t do that to you on purpose, you know. And nothing happened between me and Rarity. I merely had a trying day at work, and did not feel like trekking all the way home so late, so I crashed here for the night.”
“Right, because you two are so close,” Aria replied sarcastically. “I can tell you’ve got a thing for her, and she has a pretty nice ass, but have you even talked to her outside the party?”
“Well… no,” Adagio admitted, “I had not, but I wanted to get to know her better.”
“And you decided the best time for that was right after a long, hard day at work? I’m not buying it.”
Adagio huffed. “Well, it’s the truth. Nothing happened between us last night, besides a simple heart-to-heart. What did she even say to you?”
“Not much,” Aria growled, “Just that there was no need to worry and you were asleep in her bedroom.”
“Ah,” Adagio said, “Yes, I can see how that could be misconstrued. But I give you my word as your older sister that nothing like that happened between us. You know I would never jeopardize our safety for personal gratification.”
“Yeah,” Aria begrudgingly admitted. “Fine, I’ll buy it. But it’s still damn obvious you have a thing for her.”
“I do not!” Adagio replied indignantly. “She is a beautiful young woman I admit, but I have more self-control than to fall for someone just like that. You should know.”
Aria laughed derisively. “Yeah, I guess you learned your lesson pretty hard after your last relationship went up in flames.”
“Too far, Aria,” Adagio growled, clenching her jaw, “Way too damn far.”
“Shit, you’re not-? Damn, I thought by now-” Aria backpedaled urgently.
“No, Aria, I am not ‘over it.’” Adagio seethed. “That’s why it was my last relationship.”
“Well, yeah but, it’s been forever, I thought-”
“I am fully aware how long ago it was.”
“Stop interrupting me, damnit!” Aria snapped. “And get over it! Some of us would kill to have a hot piece of ass throwing herself at us like that!”
“I told you, Rarity is a friend! Nothing more! Nothing happened between us, and if I hear you talk about her that way there will be serious consequences.” Adagio huffed, feeling short of breath after her tirade. She held the phone away from her face, glaring at Aria’s picture on the screen.
Her sister’s voice still faintly reached her. “Dagi? I’m s-” Adagio closed out the call with a vicious swipe of her thumb.
She continued to stare at the screen, long after it had gone black. Her free hand was clenched into a fist, and her entire arm was shaking. Why was her sister so damn abrasive? Why did she have to try so hard to get under her skin? Why could she not just think before speaking sometimes?
Adagio felt her knees wobble as her anger was rapidly replaced with guilt. She was supposed to be protecting her sisters. She was supposed to be their rock, a safe harbor in stormy weather, and she had snapped at Aria so cruelly. So what if the joke had struck a nerve? Adagio was stronger than that! She could not let her feelings run wild just because she lost her job. She had to do the opposite! It would take a cool head and a sharp mind to get her out of the mess she had made for herself.
At least she had not had to lie, she thought derisively.
Glancing at Rarity’s note, she decided that it was time to remove herself from her friend’s home. She did not want to test the girl’s hospitality, however generous it might seem. Shoving the note into her purse alongside the phone, she tossed the bag onto the bed. Carefully disrobing, she folded the plush garment and set it on the couch where she had slept before donning her outfit from the day before.
Only after she had dressed did Adagio briefly consider grabbing a shower, but a quick check in the mirror told her that she looked fine. She had just taken one the night before anyway. Best to just leave as soon as possible. She only regretted not having a way to brush her teeth, and hoped Rarity would not miss the single dose of mouthwash she borrowed.
On her way out the door, she noticed the spare key lying on the counter. She swiped it up on her way out so she could lock the door behind her, then dropped it into her purse as well. Like Tartarus would she leave it in such a vulnerable place as under the mat.
As her heels clicked down the sidewalk she considered her options. Obviously she could not simply return home, or she would have to explain the job situation before she was ready. Besides, she was not quite prepared to make up with Aria just yet. She may have overreacted, but her sister’s joke had stung, and the brief shouting match afterword had done little to help. The fact that she had hung up on her sister just as she was probably apologizing made it worse.
Adagio hated apologies. Trying to hide mistakes behind words just felt so hollow. Actions were far better than words for correcting one’s mistakes. Most humans spent their entire lives dropping an “I’m sorry” after every mistake, as if that made it any better. And yet, it was so rare to hear anything like regret from Aria. From her, it really did mean something, and Adagio had thrown it in her face. She sighed. Just another mistake she would have to fix.
Unfortunately, she did not have the luxury of spending the day moping about. Nodding resolutely, she made her way toward the bus stop so she could head back into the city. She opted to avoid the central business district, where she had worked before, as it was dominated by corporations and Canterlot’s major companies. They would not be interested in hiring someone off the street without so much as a resume, and would likely require a lengthy background check and series of interviews besides. She had managed it once, but only with Aria’s help. Without aid, and with a limited window of time, obtaining a job like that was unlikely at best. But even so, she had been looking after herself and her sisters for hundreds of years! Surely she could do something so simple as finding a job on her own.
Canterlot’s Main Street was, as always, abustle with activity. It and the surrounding streets formed the heart of the city’s downtown, where hundreds of shops and restaurants lined the streets. Colorful awnings shaded the sidewalks, alongside small trees inside massive concrete planters. Only a few blocks away was the city’s central park, where a week ago her sister had performed with the Pony Tones for the first time. The sight granted Adagio a spark of hope. With so many people moving about on a constant basis, new jobs had to open up left and right. It should be easy enough to find one. She hoped.
Fortunately for Adagio, as busy as it was the activity was nowhere near the level of more densely packed places like Manehattan or Detrot. Adagio was able to find a relatively quiet alcove to pause and work out a strategy. She could not very well just go around and into every business on the street to ask for a job. It would be too time consuming, and as busy as it gets on the main drag she doubted most businesses would appreciate the interruption. No, she needed a plan.
A nearby newsstand caught her eye, and she wandered over. A local paper might have something in it. Before the internet she vaguely recalled that that was one method people used to seek employment, but she was not sure if that was still the case. She prayed it was, as she purchased a copy and tucked it under her arm.
She was just casting about for a place to sit and study the newspaper when her stomach growled. Cringing, she realized that she had forgotten to eat at Rarity’s, despite the girl’s offer. Checking the street, she decided to duck into one of the nearby bistros and maybe solve two problems at once. The place was quiet enough that she could likely get away with using a table for a few hours, but the food was a bit pricey and she once again found herself regretting her choice to skip breakfast. After agonizing over the weight of the cost versus her now limited funds, she eventually settled on a plain toasted bagel and a glass of water. The butter, at least, was free, even if it was that fake margarine stuff the humans had developed.
Claiming a small corner table as her own, Adagio sat down and unfolded the paper, flipping through it until she found the classified section. To her immense relief, she found that there was indeed a sizeable section devoted to help-wanted advertisements. Retrieving a pen from her purse, she set to work, reading through each blurb with a critical eye. She absently nibbled on the bagel, idly acknowledging the decent taste. Perhaps later, when she was less busy and had a more stable income, she would visit again and try some of their other flavors. With that thought in mind, she once again turned her full attention to the paper.
Night shift janitor. Not exactly a glamourous position, but not terrible. It was not like anyone would see her dressed in overalls, and she’d be able to work at her own pace, and the pay did seem reasonable. She could live with cleaning a toilet or two, she had been around before they were even invented after all. Not to say that she wanted to, but…
Unfortunately, the schedule was off. While the night hours suited her, her previous office closed in the evening. If she changed shift so drastically, her sisters would know immediately that something was up. Ideally she could at least keep her failure a secret until her first paycheck. Begrudgingly, she crossed it off the list.
Translator. A definite possibility, as she had picked up a number of languages over the years. Oceans, Equish was not even the common tongue when they first passed through the mirror. But the job required an extensive background check. Also, like the last one, the schedule would not match up. The position was an on-call, which meant she would have to be available at any time, and the pay would vary as well. Sighing, she crossed it out.
Forklift operator. Requires three years’ experience and an operator’s license. Crossed off the list.
Bank secretary. Extensive background check and at least a bachelor’s degree. Off the list.
Substitute teacher for Canterlot High School. Ha, no. Off the list.
Fashion model for a local boutique. Excellent starting pay. Flexible hours. No prior experience necessary. The job sounded perfect, and Adagio allowed herself to fantasize about it. She would start as a local sweetheart, and gain a small following of fans. She could spend a few months building a portfolio, before moving on to a real studio. She could become famous, the envy of every girl and an object of desire for every boy. Glitz, glam, and glory, it would all be hers, along with the adoration of the crowd…
But alas it would never be. It would be easy enough for someone of her looks and talent to get in, but what then? She could not afford to draw that kind of attention to herself, not now. Even at the local level, having her image plastered on advertisements all over town would be dangerous. With a wistful look, she crossed it off as well.
As the day wore on, she found herself considering and rejecting more and more positions. She could not afford to be picky, and was giving each one fair consideration, but each and every one fell through in some way. This one needed a background check, this one a degree. Another demanded at least five years’ experience in the field. Degree. Degree. Diploma. Experience. References. No. No. NO!
Scowling, she shoved the paper away and put her head in her hands. The page was covered in black ink, marking out every last listing. “One thousand years old, and not an hour relevant experience,” She laughed bitterly. Straightening in her chair, she took a deep breath. “Optimism, Adagio. Always optimism. You’ve been through worse.” Her hand instinctively gripped her knee. “Much worse.”
A sudden buzzing sound startled her from her reverie. A quick check of her phone revealed a message from Aria.
-You actually coming home tonight, or what?
A knife seemed to twist in her chest as she read the text. Aria…
Looking outside, Adagio realized that it was well past sundown. She checked the time, sighing in relief when she realized it was not too far past the time her shift would have ended. It would not do to push her luck with her sisters any farther. Aria already suspected something, and Sonata was much sharper than she let on. If either of them knew…
Adagio paused. Why was she so worried about her sisters finding out? She had made mistakes in the past, they all had. But they always recovered. What was so different this time?
She clutched the spot on her neck where her pendant used to be. Magic. Back then, they had always relied on their magic as a safety net, an infallible force that would shield them from any harm. Without it, they were vulnerable to the whims of fate, and without the support system that normal people had built up over entire lifetimes. Sometimes, she wondered how Sunset managed it so well.
Her job had been her lifeline, her assurance that everything would be alright. Without it, she was terrified of what might come. She wanted to turn to her sisters for help, to confide in them, but they did not deserve that. They deserved to feel safe and secure in their own home, and she would be damned if she took that from them.
Feeling dejected, Adagio rolled up the newspaper, throwing it in the trash on her way out of the restaurant. Grabbing her phone, she typed a quick message to her sister.
-I’m on my way now.
Aria:
-K. Bring pizza?
Adagio sighed, pocketing her phone without answering. Some things never changed at least.
==O==
The street that led behind Adagio’s apartment building was dark as usual. Few cars had reason to turn there, and the city had long since stopped bothering with maintaining such a disused area. The only illumination came from the sporadic flash of passing headlights behind, and a lone, weak bulb spilling over from near the back door around the corner.
Carrying a mushroom and pepperoni pizza, now long cold, Adagio made her way around the lone car in the modest parking lot. Balancing the box in one hand, she reached into her purse and began fumbling for her keys.
“Hey,” A voice said, startling her.
“Ah, Miss Shimmer,” Adagio said, recovering. She finally noticed the girl leaning against the side of the building. Her leather jacket was zipped up against the chill, and the light glow of a cigarette danced between her fingers near her mouth. “I wasn’t aware you smoke.”
“Not often,” Sunset admitted, releasing a small cloud. She flicked what remained to the ground, grinding it out with her boot. “I normally use the roof.”
“Hmm,” Adagio said. “And I don’t suppose I’m the reason for the change?” She teased. “Don’t tell me you’re bored with Sparkle already.”
Sunset rolled her eyes. “All that flirting is going to get you in trouble,” She chuckled. Then her expression fell. “Actually, that may be what I want to talk to you about.”
Adagio quirked an eyebrow. “May be? You aren’t sure?” She laughed.
Sunset smiled, but it was an awkward, unsure expression. “Well, Rarity called me after school today, wondering if I knew where you were. We all have a pretty good idea of how busy your job keeps you, and I told her that at that point you were probably at work. She seemed almost surprised by that. And I gathered from your sisters that you didn’t come home last night. That, combined with the fact that Rarity was apparently expecting to see you when she got home from school, makes it sound an awful lot like you spent the night there.”
Adagio shrugged. The pizza box was getting heavy. “So? I’d rather not spread it around, but it’s not really a secret.”
Sunset looked into Adagio’s face, biting her lip. “Adagio, I want you to know that I’m not attacking you, even if what I’m about to say may seem accusatory. To me, it sounds like you skipped work yesterday to be with Rarity, and for whatever reason she thought you would have skipped work today. I know for a fact her parents aren’t home, and I’m pretty sure I saw Sweetie go home with the Apples this afternoon. And no offence, but we both know you’re a shameless flirt.”
Adagio nodded, smirking. “You look beautiful when you’re in detective mode.”
Sunset glared. “Please, this is serious. Rarity is a very sensitive person. She’d be heartbroken if she saw you flirting with another girl so soon after last night.”
Adagio blinked in confusion. “After last night? I... what?”
Tilting her head, Sunset looked back at her, now just as confused as the siren. “Didn’t you two… you know, do it?”
“Wha- no!” Adagio spluttered. She could not be sure, thanks to the dim lighting, but it looked to Sunset like the siren’s cheeks had darkened by several shades.
“Then… wait, what were you doing at her house last night?” Sunset asked.
“Nothing like that,” Adagio growled. “I remember your warnings against starting anything with your friends. I wouldn’t do that and jeopardize our relationship, not when we are still so powerless.”
Sunset flinched, and her face fell. “That’s not… Adagio I’m sorry, I was joking about that. I know you wouldn’t hurt one of my friends on purpose. I was just teasing you about how much of a flirt you can be sometimes. It wasn’t a threat.”
“Then what’s this whole thing about Rarity?” Adagio shot back, a bit of edge in her voice.
“Nothing, I promise. I shouldn’t have assumed you were together like that. It’s just, after everything I’ve done in the past, I don’t want to see my friends get hurt.” She placed a hand on Adagio’s shoulder and looked her in the eye. “Any of my friends. Including you. If you were seeing Rarity, I wouldn’t have wanted to see that damaged by a misunderstanding.”
“I see,” Adagio said, her expression softening. “I suppose… I was a little hasty, assuming you meant harm. I’m s- Ah, I suppose I was in the wrong as well. There is some truth to what you said. I’ve had a trying time with work lately, and I needed someone to talk to. I did not want to concern my sisters with it, and she was the first person who came to mind. I- I hope you aren’t offended that I didn’t think of you first.”
“No, it’s okay,” Sunset said with a small smile. “I’m glad you feel like you can trust my friends, and not just me.”
Adagio chuckled. “Don’t get too far ahead of yourself. We’ve only been getting along for a month or so. At this point, the only friend of yours I can honestly say trust completely is George.”
“But…” Sunset said, “George is a cactus.”
“Exactly,” Adagio laughed. “No mouth, no spilling secrets,” She said with a wink.
Sunset found herself laughing as well. “That’s true, and he’s a great listener!”
“Indeed.” Adagio smiled. “Well, if that was all-”
“Not quite,” Sunset said. “The reason Rarity contacted me is that she wanted me to get in touch with you. She says you have her number, but you never messaged her so she doesn’t have yours. I offered to just give it to her, but she said it would be ‘terribly uncouth’ and ‘a grievous breach of trust.’”
Adagio nodded. “Ah, she does seem a stickler for that kind of thing. I can’t say I disapprove.” Glancing down at the pizza box, she gave a rueful expression. “Um, my hands are kind of full. I trust you won’t be angry if I don’t drop everything to message her right now.”
“No, of course not! Take your time. Just, you know, not too much time. She really wanted to hear from you.”
Adagio rolled her eyes. “Yes, Miss Shimmer, thank you for the friendship lesson. Can you please get the door?”
Sunset chuckled, before grabbing the heavy door and following her friend inside.
==O==
“I’m home,” Adagio said, carefully nudging the apartment door open with her foot.
“Dagi!” Sonata cried excitedly, jumping up from the couch and racing over to give her sister a big hug.
“Pizza,” Aria said, rescuing it from its precarious position over Sonata’s head. “It’s cold,” She griped.
“Boo-hoo,” Adagio said sarcastically, “Just throw it in the microwave.”
“So,” Sonata said, releasing her grip and looking at Adagio excitedly, “How was she!?”
“Black waters, Sonata! How many times am I going to have to explain this today? Rarity and I did not have sex. And you,” Adagio said, shifting her glare to Aria, who was tossing three slices of pizza onto a paper plate, “What was with telling Sunset that?”
Aria snickered. “Serves you right for disappearing like that, right after all that horse shit with Sonata last weekend.”
“I… admit I may have deserved that,” Adagio grumbled.
“Well,” Aria started, “You may not have deserved what I said earlier though.”
Adagio held up her hand. “No apologies. We were both short on tempers, and both in the wrong.”
“Yeah, I’ll take that I guess. So what was the deal with work, anyway?” Aria asked, putting her meal in the microwave. “You finally kick that asshole’s teeth in or what?”
“I’d really rather not talk about it, if you don’t mind.”
“But you’ll talk to Rarity, is that it?” Aria shot back accusingly.
“Ariee, be nice,” Sonata whined. “She just got home, don’t start another fight.”
Aria sighed. “Fine, I’ll let it slide for now. But Adagio, you’re going to tell me eventually.”
Adagio rolled her eyes. “It’s no big deal, I promise. Just leave it alone.”
“Whatever,” Aria said petulantly, “Just, don’t be a stubborn ass, you can talk to us you know?”
“I know,” Adagio said. “Thank you, Aria. You too, Sonata. I think I’m going to bed.” She tossed a slice of cold pizza onto a napkin and grabbed a bottle of wine before shuffling tiredly to her room. Locking the door behind her, she immediately tossed the pizza in the trash and popped the cork off the wine. Taking a swig, she soon found herself slumped against the wall, feeling drained to the point of exhaustion. She slid down until she was sitting on the floor, before taking another drought of her wing. The day’s search had been fruitless and exhausting, and keeping a calm façade in front of her sisters had nearly been her undoing.
Still, the day was not a total loss. She at least had an idea of where to focus her search in the coming days, and she knew she had at least one more friend she could rely on if things stayed rough. Her eyes flicked toward her purse, and the crumpled slip of paper within. She reached in and retrieved it. Rarity’s note. For some reason, seeing it put a smile on her face. Bracing against the wall, she levered herself to her feet. Above her desk was a small quark board, with a calendar and a few post-its pinned up haphazardly. Smoothing out the note, she grabbed an unused tack and pinned it up alongside a pressed rose in a protective sleeve.
It had been a long day, but tomorrow was a fresh start. Roan was not built overnight, after all. She could do this. All it would take was a bit of patience and determination. And maybe the help of a friend. It was likely past the time when Rarity would be asleep, since tomorrow was a school day. She would text her in the morning instead. With that thought in mind, she felt she was ready to face whatever came.
As she got undressed for bed, she idly noted that she was wearing stockings, not tights.