"She does know today is Sunday morning, right? Very early on Sunday morning - I may not even be able to reach Brianna."
"I don't know. You heard my side of the conversation - Ame was just delivering a message."
Indi sighed, not really liking where this was going. "Personal or professional?"
"Personal," Opal said with a grimace that Indi matched. "But she said it was urgent."
"All I can do is try and set it up. Time?"
"One-thirty. According to Ame, Charisma will probably be running late this morning. She was up late last night reading the letters Brianna wrote her."
"Well hallelujah - progress," Ruby said with a hint of snark. She looked around at the others who were staring at her in disbelief. "What?" she whined plaintively. "Every one of you were thinking it as well, and since Saphira isn't awake yet to say it aloud, I figured someone needed to."
"Speaking of... do you think we need to wake them - let Es know what's going on?"
"No," Ruby replied instantly. "Nothing is going to change what's already happened, so we can wait until they get up on their own. We'll all still be here when they do - it's not like we have to be in a rush to be anywhere this morning."
"Who's rushing where?" Amber asked as she stepped into the kitchen. "What?" she asked when everyone turned and looked at her. "I didn't do anything."
"But you did have an interesting evening, didn't you?" Ruby queried, even as she eased Amber into her chair. "Did Ame send you home?"
"Pretty much. Since she stayed the night, I made sure she slept; so we decided I'd come home now to let Es know what happened last night," accepting the coffee cup Ruby put in front of her with a smile and a grateful nod. "Are they still...?" jerking her head towards the bedroom door.
"Yes."
"Well, I'm gonna wake them - Es needs to know... what?" looking at Ruby when the older woman put a restraining hand on her arm. "Ruby?"
"Amber, don't you think it can wait a little while?"
"What can wait?" Esmeralda asked as she rubbed her eyes. "Good morning," she greeted as she made a beeline for the coffeepot. "What are we waiting on?"
Amber smirked. "You," she teased. "It's been busy since you went to bed."
"Seriously?" Esmeralda looked at the clock. "Is that why you're home so early? Where's Coral? And Ame?"
"That's part of the story, Es. Pull up a chair and I'll bring you up to date on what happened last night."
"And we'll tell you about the phone call this morning," Opal added.
Esmeralda dropped into the chair Amber held for her and looked around expectantly. "All right," she conceded with a nod. "Let's hear it."
************
They all sat silently when Amber finished recounting the events of the previous day at Charisma's home. Esmeralda held her gaze for a moment longer, then turned to Opal who shared the details of Ame's phone call earlier. When she was done, Esmeralda closed her eyes and ran her hands through her hair. After a few minutes of silence, Esmeralda looked up.
"I thought I'd call Brianna about nine," Indi offered. "It's not so early that she'd resent being woken up if she's still in bed but it's not so late that she can't make plans to meet Charisma if she wants to do so." Indi met Esmeralda's eyes. "Would you like to listen in?"
"If you wouldn't mind, yes. I'd like to hear her reaction and her tone as much as what's being said. Sometimes those are more telling than the actual words that are being used." Esmeralda looked around the table. "Thank you, ladies. I know this mission has gone well beyond the scope of anything we've ever done before. Just keep me posted as things happen - I'd hate to be caught unaware if we were suddenly called home."
"Do you think you'll get called, Es?" Ruby asked.
Esmeralda shrugged. "I dunno - I've learned not to try and second-guess Him. But I'd like to be prepared... just in case."
"I don't blame you there," Ruby replied with a smile. "There's nothing worse than being blindsided by something." She turned to Amber. "I'm sorry about earlier. I know you usually function as Es' second, but I... I guess I'm still in mothering mode."
Amber's lips twitched and she wrapped an arm around Ruby's shoulders. "You're *always* in mothering mode, Ruby - it's what you do. That's not a bad thing. Heaven knows we all need it from time to time, and it's probably a big part of what helped Es get back on her feet. We're square, okay?"
"Okay."
"Now that *that's* all settled, I think we all have things to take care of. I'm going to wake up Saphira; Indi, I'll meet you back here just before nine." Without another word, Esmeralda stood and went to the sink to rinse out her coffee cup. Then she moved back to the bedroom and entered it without a backwards glance, closing the door firmly behind her.
Everyone waited until the door was shut, then they moved off to get their day started.
************
"Problems?" Saphira mumbled from her spot with her face still half-buried in her pillow. Esmeralda shook her head and crossed to the bed, crawling to lean against the headboard as she sat beside Saphira. Saphira immediately took advantage and slid her head from the pillow to Esmeralda's lap, sighing in contentment when Esmeralda' started combing her hands through long, dark locks. Saphira purred and Esmeralda gazed down on her fondly.
"Comfortable?" she asked with an indulgent smile.
"Perfect," Saphira rumbled. "No place else I'd rather be," squeezing the thigh her arm was wrapped around before allowing her fingertips to stroke the smooth skin beneath them. "So... problems?" she asked again.
"Progress, actually," Esmeralda replied wryly. "Charisma finally read Brianna's letters."
Saphira went perfectly still for a long moment before she turned enough to look up into Esmeralda's eyes. "Did she?" waiting for Esmeralda to nod. "And...? C'mon, Es... that might be considered progress, but I can't believe that's all that happened."
Esmeralda chuckled and ruffled Saphira's bangs, pushing them out of her eyes. "Actually, that's significant progress, all things considered. Baby steps, remember? But Charisma came to some sort of decision - she had Ame call Opal to set up lunch with Brianna." Esmeralda held up her hand. "All we know is that it's for personal reasons and Charisma deemed it urgent."
"And Brianna?"
"Indi hasn't called her yet. It's still early."
"But if it's urgent...?"
"I think Brianna's definition of urgent is going to differ greatly from Charisma's. Besides, if it was truly urgent, Charisma would have called Brianna directly... or gone to see her. She wouldn't be trying to set up lunch."
"Do you think Brianna will be receptive?"
Esmeralda shrugged. "It's hard to say at this point. If this had happened even a week or two ago, I would have said absolutely. Now?" She shrugged again and absently began combing her fingers through Saphira's hair once more. "I think she's pulled away sufficiently to allow her to begin rebuilding the defenses she set up against Charisma so long ago. Only this time, I'm not sure she'll let them come down... even if it's Charisma doing the breaking."
Saphira held Esmeralda's eyes for another long moment, but instead of making a smart remark, she simply closed her eyes and rolled back over, butting her head against Esmeralda's stomach until she felt the light scraping of fingernails against her scalp. Saphira brushed her lips over Esmeralda's thigh. "I hope they figure it out. I can't imagine choosing to be without you."
"Neither can I," Esmeralda whispered. Then there was no more talking as they simply absorbed the peace surrounding them, appreciating the fact that they were alone together. Both knew their day would have to start for real very soon and that circumstance would change, so they enjoyed it while they could.
Sure enough, sometime later a knock sounded at the door and Esmeralda blinked open eyes that had unexpectedly closed in sleep during their peaceful interlude. She shifted when she felt Saphira do the same, biting her lip to keep from giggling. Saphira turned her head and frowned.