A Solid Foundation

by thedarkprep

1 - The Home Inspection

“So, are you finished packing yet?”

Maud Pie suppressed the urge to sigh, but only barely. Instead, she took a small breath, the smell of the aging apartment building filling her lungs, unmasked even by the vanilla-scented candles that currently burned in the room. 

Her eyes traced over her half-filled luggage bag, which was resting open upon her chair, surrounded by piles of clothes, organized by categories: shirts, pants, underwear, socks, and the like—sorted yet unfolded. Her eyes then turned to the shirt she was currently holding, suspended in the air, mid-fold, before finally shifting their gaze in the direction of her roommate.

“No,” she replied, testily. “I still have a little bit left to go.”

“Tsk,” Sandstone replied without looking up from her phone. “You’d better get on that then. Don’t want to miss your flight.”

Maud chose to say nothing, silently fuming instead and taking a few deep breaths to calm down, as her roommate continued to idle atop Maud’s bed without a care in the world. Afterall, she didn’t need to respond to every inane comment her roommate made, right?

Apparently, she did. “Really? Don’t know what I’d do without you,” she snarked in reflex.

“I’m just trying to be nice.”

“No, you’re bored,” Maud said, rolling her eyes. “And possibly jealous that you’re stuck here while I’m off on break. You know, it might help you to go for a walk somewhere? Get your mind off of not getting to go home? I’ll call you when I’m done.”

“No can do,” Sandstone replied, turning her head to face Maud as she did. “It’s not like I’m just lying around watching videos or anything, I’m refreshing my email. I’m supposed to be hearing back from Grounded Heat Industries today and I want to respond as soon as possible.”

Ah, so that’s what’s happening, Maud thought, as she placed the name of the geothermal plant Sandstone had applied to three weeks ago within her memories.

“Don’t you have notifications on?” Maud asked, finishing the fold on her shirt. She sniffed it before placing it in the luggage bag, the scent of the detergent causing her to smile briefly as she did so. “It’s not like you have to reply within the day either. They’ll wait to hear from you until tomorrow, probably longer.”

“Probably,” Sandstone agreed, shaking her head regardless. “I just want to know, and refreshing will help me make sure I don’t miss it. It’s the anxiety. Silly, I know. You wouldn’t understand.”

I would, actually, understand, Maud thought. She bit her tongue anyway, unwilling as she was to enter that particular conversation. 

“So, you think you’ve got the job, then?” Maud asked instead.

“Yeah. I mean, more than likely. The guy said that barring someone coming in at the last minute and blowing my credentials out of the water, I’m the best interview they had and, with a doctorate geology degree from here on the way… well—that’s not going to happen.”

Maud nodded in agreement, a smile on her face. “Congratulations,” she cheered softly. “I’m sure you’ll do great.” 

“What about you?”

“What about me?”

“Don’t be dense,” Sandstone said, unamused. “Same degree, whatcha thinking of doing with it? Any prospects?”

Maud took a moment before answering, choosing instead to examine a dress she was considering packing into her bag. She ran her thumb along the seam, the scratchy wool texture catching on her fingernail as she went. The fabric was warm to the touch, if plain to look at.

Perfect for winter, she thought, avoiding the issue at hand for a few more seconds. She frowned.

The truth was that she had no prospects, no leads or offers to follow, or at least none that were readily apparent. Sandstone was right, of course. Her pending degree opened plenty of doors. Too many, if one were to ask her. And now, spoiled for choices, Maud was struck with indecision.

Working in a university lab had sounded appealing, as had the geothermal lab that Sandstone would now be working in. She had also looked into excavating rock quarries and doing carbon dating for museums. Choices and choices to consider had flown by, and she had considered them, and was still considering them. Yet, she was no closer to a decision and it was hard not to feel a pang of envy at her fellow graduate.

She at least seemed to have her life together.

“I’m still weighing my options,” Maud said softly. “There’s a few things I’m looking into, but nothing definitive.”

“Maud…”

“I know ok!” Maud snapped, regretting it as soon as the words left her mouth. Her roommate only meant well after all. 

Sandstone seemed unperturbed by the interruption. “I know you know,” she said, biting her thumb. “But it doesn’t change the fact that time is passing by, does it? Your degree won’t help you get a job you don’t apply for, and it’ll be pretty hard to pay it off without one. You really should try to get something lined up before graduation.” 

“I know,” Maud growled.

“I just don’t want you to get stuck without a job. Things can get pretty competitive.”

Maud cleared her throat. “That won’t happen, at least. Worst case scenario, I’ll work at my dad’s coal mine. I worked there before I came here so I have a guaranteed job there, if I need it.”

She could hear as her roommate readjusted on her bed to better be able to face her, a worried frown upon her face.

“A mining job with a graduate degree?” she asked, keeping none of the disbelief from her tone. “Really?”

Maud flinched. She had a point after all. It wasn’t so much that she hated working at her family’s coal mine, but… after everything she’d learnt? After everything she’d studied? After everything she knew was out there? Going back would certainly feel like a failure on her part. No, she hadn’t hated working at her family’s coal mine, but she certainly would hate it now. She knew there was no life for her there. 

No reason to let Sandstone know that though.

“It’s more of a last resort than anything else,” Maud mumbled in embarrassment. “As I said, there’s plenty of other things I could do. But if nothing else comes up, it’s still a thing that’s definitely an option, no matter what.”

“Right…” Sandstone was unsure, though Maud couldn’t really blame her for that. “Just make sure you think it through before settling, ok? And don’t take too long to make a decision either. You sound like you know what you’re talking about, but—”

“Yeah,” Maud agreed absentmindedly. “Half the reason I’m taking this trip is to get some clarity. I’m hoping going back home and getting away from things here will help me make some decisions about the future.”

“Don’t tell your family that,” Sandstone suggested. “I’m pretty sure they think you’re going because you miss them.”

“I do miss them!” Maud exclaimed, closing her bag at last and zipping it up with a satisfied grin. “Pinkie’s letters are fine and all, but it’s been almost five years since I’ve last been home. Three since I’ve seen anyone in person. I’m just really excited to see everyone again.”

“I can tell,” Sandstone droned, nonplussed. “Are they all as expressive as you?”

Maud frowned at the sarcasm for a moment before managing to shrug it off. There had been a time where such comments probably would have gotten to her for longer. She was older now though, more experienced. She had long since come to terms with the fact that most people would never pick up on her emotions at any given time. She couldn’t hold that against them. It was just the way things are.

“My parents are,” Maid responded, taking the question at face value. “Stoic is probably the best word to describe them. Next to them would probably be Marble. She and Pinkie are my younger sisters. They’re twins but could not be more different. Marble is super shy and reserved. Never leaves the house, always needs someone to speak for her, scared of people. She doesn’t let on a lot of what’s on her mind, but she can be very expressive when she’s scared or upset. My other sisters are nothing like me though.”

“...Is that a bad thing?”

Maud smiled fondly at the thought of her sisters. “Not at all. Pinkie is always smiling and nothing ever gets her down. She’s got this unbreakable joy that spreads to everyone around her, so I’m sure that Marble is happy as well just from having Pinkie around. Meanwhile, my other sister, Limestone, is always tough and direct with everyone. Makes her come off as mean, but it's her way of being honest and strong. Makes her good at caring for people. She’s basically taken over as the foundation of my family since I left, making sure everything stays together and that everyone is taken care of.”

“Yikes,” Sandstone cringed. “Seems like a lot to put on a person. Especially when this should really be your parents’ responsibility.”

“My parents aren’t the best at being ‘nurturing,’” Maud admitted. “They try, sure, but it’s not in their nature. It used to be my job to take care of everyone. It’s thanks to Limestone that I was able to leave and come here. I wouldn’t have if I didn’t think she could handle it. I know that she’s making sure Marble is ok, and she has Pinkie to help her. It’s not as bad as it sounds.”

“I guess it’s lucky that your family is so tightly knit.” 

“Indeed,” Maud replied, gathering her bags and placing them by the bedroom door. “We all take care of each other. We’re all always there for each other. It’s the one thing my parents managed to drill into us above everything else, the importance of family. Now, if you’re done lounging on my bed, I could use that ride to the airport.”

Sandstone sat up from the bed and stretched dramatically. “About time. So! Excited to see what all has changed in the last five years?”

“Pinkie emails me weekly,” Maud said, shaking her head. “She writes me a letter every month. And she texts me randomly throughout the week. I’m pretty aware of everything going on back home and nothing really has changed. I’d say it’s a bad thing, but honestly, it’s probably for the best.”

“You could still pretend to be excited. It’s not like any of us would be able to tell the difference anyway.”

“My family could tell,” Maud replied. “I’m sure you could too if you paid attention.”

“Maud,” Sandstone began, stepping up to her and placing her hands on Maud’s shoulders. “No. Now let’s go.”

The airport was fairly empty as Maud grabbed her bag from the baggage claim carousel, a definite improvement from the cacophony that had surrounded her as she had waited to depart. Here, she could actually hear the soft music coming through the airport speakers, an instrumental meant to put visitors at ease, which she found she quite liked.

Definitely a perk to a middle of the night arrival, she mused.

Through the airport windows she could see the darkened sky, some slight cloud cover sifting the available moonlight. A few stars were visible overhead, as well as some planes preparing to land or on their way out from the airport. And yet, late as the night was, Maud found herself getting more and more excited as she neared the doors at the end of the hallway. As soon as she stepped through the doors, she wasted no time, looking around for her sisters, a huge grin on her face. 

Which promptly shifted to a look of confusion.

Her quick scan had indeed found someone from her family, Pinkie. The exuberant girl was exactly who Maud had been looking for as she was always the easiest to spot in a crowd. However, when Maud looked around her for the rest of her siblings, she found them missing. Instead, Pinkie was accompanied by a guy who was holding her hand and checking his phone. 

This was not the welcome she’d expected.

“Maud! Maud, over here!” 

Pinkie’s yells in the mostly empty receiving area snapped Maud from her stupor just in time to open her arms as Pinkie barreled into her with a crushing hug.

“Maud, it’s me! I missed you so much!”

The scent of vanilla flooded Maud’s senses, causing a warmth to spread through her body as she returned the hug. “I missed you too, Pinkie. I’m very glad to see you.”

They held each other for a while before Maud noticed the guy standing awkwardly off to the side. Memories clicked from some of Pinkie’s emails.

“And you must be Caramel,” Maud said with a smirk. “You’ve been dating Pinkie for two years and you can’t even introduce yourself to her big sister. I’m not sure I approve.”

Though she had used as playful a tone as possible, Caramel’s face flushed at the comment. “Oh, I’m so sorry. I’m Caramel. But you already knew that. And you’re Maud. But you probably knew that too. I’m sorry. It’s very nice to meet you!”

Typical, Maud thought, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. Thankfully, Pinkie stepped in before the boy could become too panicked.

“Relax, Mellie,” Pinkie giggled. “She’s messing with you. She’s approved of us for two years, she’s not going to change her mind because you were letting us hug first, silly.”

“Pinkie is right,” Maud concurred, a soft smile on her face. “Everything I’ve heard about you leads me to think that you’ve been nothing but nice to my sister. I’m actually looking forward to getting to know you a bit while I’m here, but you have nothing to be afraid of. I already approve.”

“Okay…” Caramel said, eyeing her warily. “Um… In any case, we should probably get you two home. It’s super late and, after all that flying, I bet you can’t wait to get back to a comfortable bed. My car’s this way.”

Maud and Pinkie followed behind him as he led them out of the airport. As they walked, the couple politely asked Maud how the flight went, the small talk carrying them to a copper SUV. Caramel got in the driver’s seat and Pinkie took the passenger seat, leaving Maud the backseat along with her luggage. While she was very curious about a lot of things, Maud decided to spend the first bit of the trip just watching Caramel and Pinkie interact.

The couple was admittedly cute. Caramel exuded a cool calm that seemed to redirect all of Pinkie’s zaniness, which did a lot to explain the duo's dynamic. Plus Caramel was making Pinkie laugh, which was always a plus. Overall, Maud was glad he had come to pick her up with Pinkie, though it did bring to mind the obvious absentees.

“Hey, Pinkie. Were Limestone and Marble busy or...”

“Oh, they’re just sleeping,” Pinkie answered with her usual cheer. “Your plane did come in at like three in the morning. Most people are asleep by now, Maud. You can’t really hold it against them.”

“Oh right,” Maud mumbled, feeling foolish. I guess that makes sense.

“But I thought—” Caramel started to say, before stopping rapidly, snapping Maud from her thoughts.

“What was that?”

Maud looked up front where Caramel and Pinkie stared at each other for a second, before Caramel had to look back at the road. When he spoke again, his voice was strained and stilted. “Nothing, I was just wrong about something, apparently.”

And bitter about it, Maud noted with surprise. Sure, no one liked being corrected, but this was not at all like the person she had thought Caramel to be. Then again, it’s late. And I don’t know all his pet peeves. I probably shouldn’t read too much into that.

The rest of the car ride continued with a strange tension that Maud couldn’t quite place. Thankfully, it wasn’t long at all until they arrived in front of a familiar homestead. Stepping out, Maud couldn’t help but smile at the nostalgia evoked by the front lawn, unchanged as it was in her memory. Well… except for maybe one thing.

“Where is Limestone’s car?” It was an innocuous question. At least Maud thought so. She just didn’t see it parked out front of the house, nor did she see it in the driveway, which was weird due to the late hour. The silence that answered her, however, hinted at it being a more complicated question than she first gave it credit for.

Pinkie bit her lower lip before speaking. “Well... You, see—”

“You’re going to have to tell her,” Caramel interjected, placing a hand on Pinkie’s shoulder. When Pinkie turned to face him, he continued. “You should probably tell her everything.”

Maud couldn’t see Pinkie’s face from where she was standing, but there was no missing the whine that followed. Still, Caramel did not seem dissuaded by the display. If anything, he tightened his grip on her shoulder. Pinkie sighed. “...Fine. You’re right.”

“He’s right about what?”

“Hold on a second,” Pinkie told Maud, before hugging Caramel. “You should go home. Thank you so much for driving us. Are we still on for the show?”

“Wouldn’t miss it. And Trixie wouldn’t let me live it down if I did.”

“Really? I don’t think she’d mind that much.”

“I’m sure she’d prefer it,” Caramel chuckled. “Doesn’t mean she wouldn’t still hold it over my head. Don’t worry, I’ll be there.”

It was nice, Maud noted, to see the two have a normal conversation—free from the tension that had plagued them since early on in the car ride. It almost distracted her from the dread she felt at the thought of whatever conversation she was about to have with Pinkie. There was something she didn’t know. Something involving Limestone. And it had been kept from her deliberately.

She was unsure how to feel about that.

Still, she’d have to deal with that later. Caramel was walking up to her.

“It was nice to meet you,” he said. “I’m sure I’ll see you again before you head back, so this isn’t goodbye. I guess, see you later?”

Though she tried to keep her feelings from her voice, Maud had never been good at controlling her emotions. “...Yeah. You too. It’s nice to meet you after all Pinkie has, you know, told me.”

Maud cringed. She hadn’t meant to sound so bitter or accusatory towards Pinkie just then. Caramel, though, smiled and shook her hand, seemingly unaware of any of it. Right, he can’t tell. He can’t read my emotions.

As Caramel stepped away and made his way into his car, Maud turned to look at Pinkie, who was avoiding eye contact. It seemed she hadn’t missed her slip.

Once the car drove off, the two made their way inside in silence, Maud thinking of how to best address the issue. It seemed now clear that Limestone wasn’t in any type of danger, so whatever had happened wasn’t extremely serious. It probably wasn’t even that big. But with how often Pinkie messaged, there was no chance for it to have just slipped her mind. She would have just told her on the car ride here then, Maud figured.

And so, she lied to me on purpose.

Maud closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

This is important, Maud thought. Even if whatever is going on with Limestone isn’t, necessarily. Pinkie needs to know that keeping me out of the loop isn’t ok. Once that’s clear, everything else can be dealt with, then everything can go back to normal.

“Well, here you are.”

Maud looked up. They had arrived at the doorway to her old bedroom. It looked like it had been recently cleaned, which she definitely appreciated. Stepping through brought forth another wave of nostalgia as she looked at each piece of furniture, eventually fixing her gaze upon a photograph of her and her family which was placed on top of her night stand. 

Her whole family.

“Well, it’s pretty late, so I think I’ll just—”

“Pinkie… Where is Limestone’s car?”

Maud could hear the creak of wood as Pinkie rocked back and forth on her heels. A moment later, there were footsteps as she stepped closer and into the room. “Probably at her house? She lives with her girlfriend now.”

“She what?”

“And she’s gay. And she doesn’t really work at the mine anymore. And mom and dad don’t talk to her anymore. They’re kind of fighting? It’s… It’s been a lot.”

Maud felt her breath leave her lungs, taking a seat on her bed as her mind raced to make sense of everything Pinkie had just told her—of all the implications. “What…?”

“Look. I know it’s a lot. I didn’t want you to worry about it while you weren’t here. We’ll talk about it tomorrow, ok? During breakfast. I promise. You’ve had a long day, though, so just rest? Please?”

Rest. Maud repeated in her mind. Yes, that makes sense.

She nodded numbly.

Pinkie gave her a smile, but it wasn’t her usual one. Not the one from her memories. Not the one from the picture. It was smaller. Softer. Frail.

Maud wanted to ask about it, but Pinkie had already walked away, closing the door behind her and leaving her older sister to her thoughts.

Limestone’s gone?

That couldn’t be right. The idea of Limestone moving away, leaving her family behind seemed so ridiculous, so impossible, that Maud was having a hard time processing it. The Pies put family before everything. Limestone would never leave.

You did.

Maud looked back at the picture on the nightstand. A happy family, all together, posing in the front yard of the house on a hot summer day. Smiling. Happy. Together.

Pinkie’s smile flashed in her mind. Then the empty space where Limestone’s car had been. And Pinkie had said they’re fighting?

They certainly didn’t seem happy, smiling, and together anymore.

Maud laid back on her bed and closed her eyes, not bothering to change into something more comfortable, a final thought crossing her mind before drifting off to sleep.

Breakfast tomorrow is definitely going to be something.