Been a while

Special

The phone rang.

Sabrina grunted. It was six in the morning, and she finally had some alone time to meditate. Squinting at the bright digital screen, she realised it was her mother.

"What is it, mom?" She made no attempt to hide her annoyance. "Do you have any idea what time is it?"

"Hi dear, sorry for waking you up so early." Wherever her mom was, it was loud, and not in the same time zone. "I'm calling to tell you that I got your email. We'll be home very soon."

"The wedding is tomorrow, mom." She begrudging massaged the bridge of her nose. She felt largely indifferent about it, but she wasn't the primary instigator of this business. "I thought you'd be here already."

"I'm sending you a very special gift." She could hear indiscriminately loud yelling in the background, with sounds of ships and cargo transport.

"And you won't tell what it is, will you?"

"It's a surprise," Penny said. "It'll get to you soon, before me even."

Sabrina could practically see her mother smiling in anticipation.

"Of course, it is." She sighed. "Can you let me go now?"

"I love you too dear, stay safe." Penny made a kissing noise at the receiver, and Sabrina hanged up.

She stood up from the bed, stretching her muscles. She hasn't slept alone in so long, that the sensation of her once beloved resting place has become so invariably dreary. Meditating was an attempt to cope with this lonesome atmosphere, but she was now too distracted to do so. She had to admit that things had changed. She used to be an actual loner, keeping herself locked up in her study and explore the mind, yet she realised this was the first time she had been truly by herself for the last year. The apartment was per usual, light in decorations but heavy in plant-life, though they were mostly by the windows. She never understood botany, but she was willing to pour water into dirt for a few days.

She stared at her phone for a moment, strongly resisting the urge to place a call to anyone. She had no one to call. Her circle of friend was tiny, and it wasn't like her to just call to check up on people anyway. She had a wedding to attend in two days, what were people going to think when they hear how she called around to deal with her own personal problems. Why not her fiancée?

Why not indeed.

Sabrina collapsed back down to the bed, arms clutching the pillow. She could almost smell the faint sweet scent of her lovely bride-to-be. It was never part of her plan to grow up to become this emotionally dependent, yet here she was, desperately yearning for a warmth but a few days away. It clouded her thoughts, frighteningly so. She felt like crying. She didn't cry, because that wasn't something she did. She didn't even know why she wanted to cry.

The doorbell rang.

Sabrina jolted from the bed, embarrassed, though no one was there to see. She collected herself, and returned her complexion to the usual demeanour. It was unclear to her who it could be. Her mother mentioned a gift arriving soon, but it was hard to believe a delivery person would be arriving this time in the morning. After a moment to check her appearance, she came to get the door.

A man was at the door step. Dressed in dark green uniform and white gloves, he kept his military cap in hand. He was twenty some years her senior, with a rough, brooding complexion that rivalled her own. His eccentric crimson eyes were of the same as hers, as he took a slow, shallow nod.

"Father?" She caught herself in the middle of a gasp.

"Good morning, dear." His voice, stern and booming, rang across the hollow hallway.

"What are you doing here?"

"Your mother dropped in one day and said your wedding's tomorrow." His words were concise, as she remembered. "I had no choice but to rush here."

"I see." Sabrina told herself she should have expected something this crazy from her mom, but it was too late to back out. "Did mother tell you who I'm marrying?"

"Not a word." She cursed under her breath. "She was aloof about it all, as you might expect."

"I figured." She rubbed her head, trying to find something to say. "Please come in."

The apartment wasn't made for visitors, but it did have a living room. The lighting was dark and low-key, only reasonable compromise she could find that allowed her to meditate from time to time. The two sat across each other from the glass table, both sank awkwardly into the armchair. She would offer him tea, but she had not the slightest clue where it was located. It wasn't her who usually took care of that, and this house never get any visitor otherwise.

"I see you've changed," her father remarked.

"Guess you could say that."

Sabrina did remember wearing nothing but a conservative dark-red turtleneck to her gym every day, last time she and her father talked. Ever since her move, her wardrobe had been forcefully taken over by her darling and turned into a much more casual and revealing collection, citing hidden beauty as the reason. She understood, and has since genuinely grew to enjoy the liberation. To her father, however, she must have seemed like a completely different person.

"Sabrina," he began. "I understand that we haven't always seen things eye to eye."

"Yes."

"When you were young, I thought that this was just a phase." He sighed, placing his hands together. "However, when I received news that you were getting married without my even being aware, I realised that something has definitely gone wrong between us."

There was a hint of guilt in that mixed message.

"What do you expect to have happened, father?" she said. "We barely talked, and when we did we would growl at each other until the next time you leave for a week."

"Was that what it seemed like to you?"

"Yes, it was." She was surprised at how calm she kept herself. "It's fine, father. I've gotten over it long ago."

"You've grown a lot." He put his head down. There were careful words. "I'm proud of you, Sabrina, no matter what you think."

"I understand," she replied. "I'm sorry for not having said anything."

She nodded. At this moment, she thought of her mother. Penny was the only link between her and her father, and knowing her she probably meant for all of this to happen.

"This is quite a place you've moved to." He picked up the conversation, pointing to the pots by the windows. "I never knew you liked plants so much."

"Those aren't mine." A pause. "That's Erika's."

"Erika?" He thought for a moment. "Do you mean the gym leader of Celadon?"

"Yes." She felt her muscles tensing up.

"How did you come about being roommates with her?"

"She's my fiancée." She could feel her father's surprise gaze. "We're getting married tomorrow."

The man didn't have an immediate reply. He simply sat, and thought. Had he truly been this far removed from his flesh and blood that this could have come as such a shock to him? Was this how he thought his daughter would turn out? Did he even know if this was a good thing?

He inhaled harshly.

"Sabrina, I need to meet this woman."

"Father, it doesn't matter what you say. I'm not going to-"

"Sabrina." His thunderous voice stopped her protest. "I'm not here to make a decision for you." Exhale. "I just want to at least talk to who daughter is marrying. Alright?"

An uncomfortable silence.

"She's visiting her family." Sabrina conceded. "She'll be back today."

"My hotel room isn't available until noon. Do you mind if I stay until then?"

"It's fine."

That was the end of their conversation. Sabrina found out her heart had been waiting to pop out of her chest this whole time. Her memories, what little of it that's there, of her father gave the impression that he was an uncompromising man. It was hard to really know where he stood on things. Her mother, however, was sure of his commitment to this family as it was. For a long time, she had no choice but to trust that assessment, and perhaps she had made the right one nevertheless.

Time passed. Sabrina lay on the bed, while her father remained quiet on the armchair. This brought memories of those rare peaceful times between the two, simply tolerating each other to a point. It wasn't much, but it was how they preferred to spend their limited time together, whenever she could come visit. She didn't like to admit it, but no doubt his cynicism and general mood rubbed off on her. He didn't teach her much, or listened to her stories, but he insisted on her visits. At times, it felt like a chore, but she appreciated the breaks from her mother's bubbly personality.

Until the clock struck noon, it didn't occur to her just how much time had passed. A quick peek into the living room revealed her father to still be there, but asleep. He had the same posture in slumber as awake, but this was the only time she could see his hard-earned wrinkles relaxed.

The bell rang.

She knew who it was, and practically jumped at the door. It was Erika on the other side, as expected. What she didn't expect, however, was the state she was to find her lover in.

"Hi."

Erika smiled weakly. Her eyes were red and darkened with fatigue. Her dress was stained with dirt, and so were her shoes. She stood feebly, as if waiting for a strong wind to knock over.

"Erika?" Sabrina grabbed the distressed girl by the arm. "What's wrong?"

The botanist said not another word, instead fell into those waiting arms. She began to weep silently, until her emotions were too much to contain. She bawled with all her might, and Sabrina stood there and took everything she could. She wasn't sure whether to be sad on angry. This went on for another full minute, before Erika could catch her own breath.

"I'm sorry." Her voice quaked. "I shouldn't really be seen like this."

"It's fine, dear." Sabrina brought her closer to the heart. "Tell me what happened."

"Grandfather wanted nothing to do with me anymore." The pain in that voice seethed her blood. "I'm out of the family, forever."

"You're what?"

"I'm disowned."

Sabrina stood perfectly still. Her heart skipped a beat out of sheer rage. The more she realised there was nothing she could do about this situation, the angrier she became.

"Is this because you're marrying me?" She managed to ask.

"The signs were always there. He was just waiting for me to come around." Erika exhaled all that was left of her strength. Her body relied entirely on Sabrina to hold. "Yesterday, he found out I wasn't going to change."

"This is my fault," Sabrina said.

"No!" immediate protest. "You're the best that happened to me, please don't blame yourself."

Sabrina knew that Erika was merely trying her best to be strong. She knew enough of her lover to know that family values, whatever misguided definition of it that may be taken, was the cornerstone of her life. That time she snuck into the Tsuyo mansion, the family let her off easy. This was the culmination of everything that had happened, the least she could do was face it.

It was then the two noticed the heavy steps approaching them. Erika raised her eyes, to see an unfamiliar man, whose stance was fierce and eyes were boiling. She instinctively grabbed at Sabrina for protection, until she realised that her lover was not alarmed.

"Miss Erika, I take it?" he asked, voice calm.

"Yes," she answered sheepishly.

"Adam." He extended his hand. Seeing that the girl wasn't willing to shake it, he took a low bow instead. "I'm Sabrina's father."

"You're…" She looked to Sabrina for a confirmation, which she received in the form of a light nod. "Nice to meet you, I'm sorry you had to see me like this."

"I'm the one who must apologise. It seemed that I've unintentionally eavesdropped on a private conversation." He grabbed his hat, and headed for the outside. "I'll be leaving."

"Where are you going?" Sabrina asked.

"I'm sure Surge would love to catch up."

"Do you not need to talk to Erika?"

"I've seen enough, dear," he replied. "I'll see you at the wedding."

"Dad." His head turned. She took a moment. "Would you like to be with me during the procession tomorrow?"

"Of course, dear. It would be my pleasure." For the first time in fifteen years, she saw him smile.

The door shut, leaving the semi-distraught couple on the couch.

"How are you feeling?" Sabrina asked.

"Slightly better." There were still sniffles, but Erika managed to calm herself down. "It's great that your family accepts you so unconditionally."

"It does." Sabrina felt lucky for once in her life. She looked after where her father had left, and sighed. "I didn't believe it at first, but I should get used to being wrong."

"I wish mine hadn't-"

"Erika." She grabbed her lover by the shoulder and brought her close. "You are my family, and I'll never leave you."

"But the wedding hasn't-"

"It doesn't matter." Her grip was as firm as she could make. "A ceremony isn't going to change anything. I'm devoted to you, Erika, always. You can count on it."

The botanist sank into those loving arms. She knew what Sabrina said wasn't anything new, but it still gripped by the heart, and forced these restrained tears out of her eyes. The path she walked would not be easy, but nothing worth doing ever was. Not a mere hour ago, she was at the bottom of the world, distraught and frightened by the prospect of aimlessness. Right now, wrapped inside this endless embrace, she knew she made the right choice. Nothing was worth losing this. She belonged here, with her wife.