Narumayo Day 7: The Original Shipper
Miss Trucy really wanted to see the big ball on TV, and she wasn’t going to go to sleep until she did. Mr. Nick kept trying to tell her that she was too young to stay up that late, but Trucy wouldn’t change her mind, so he and Mystic Maya finally agreed to let them stay up.
Pearl really admired how Miss Trucy could talk like that to her father. Her mother would never let her stay up late, even if she really wanted to, even if Mystic Maya promised that she’d take care of her. Sometimes she’d get in trouble just for asking, so Pearl never asked.
Mr. Nick and Mystic Maya weren’t like her mother, though Pearl knew that. They never yelled at her for doing things wrong or for talking too loudly when she wasn’t supposed to. But she still didn’t feel comfortable asking them to stay up for the fireworks because she knew they would want some ‘alone time’ and she didn’t want to get in the way.
She was okay with just hearing Mystic Maya tell stories about New Years in the big city, picturing the beautiful fireworks and the big ball on the TV in her head. And of course she pictured Mystic Maya and Mr. Nick kissing right when the New Year came, because that was what people in love did.
But now that she thought about it, Pearl was so happy that Miss Trucy asked to stay up, because the night had been so fun so far. They played hide-and-seek and ate a lot of ice cream and watched all of her and Trucy’s favorite movies. She especially loved the one with the princess with the long hair, because she reminded Pearl of Mystic Maya, and the cool thief who rescues the princess from her tower reminded her of Mr. Nick. And whenever it got to the part of the movie with all the lanterns, Mystic Maya and Mr. Nick would sing along like they were the princess and the thief. It made Pearl’s heart leap.
And it was so fun to stay up with Miss Trucy, because she would always think of something new to do, like make up some game for them all to play, or pass notes back and forth with Pearl about how Mr. Nick and Mystic Maya kept looking at each other all night. Looking at Miss Trucy now, Pearl frowned a bit. It looked like she was about to fall asleep. Pearl couldn’t have that. Trucy had to stay up to see the big ball like she wanted.
“How much longer, Mystic Maya?”
“Just a few minutes, Pearly.”
Pearl could see her cousin looking over at Mr. Nick again. She’d been doing that a lot lately, even more than usual, and Pearl thought she could see something in her eyes that wasn’t there before. Could it be that they’d fallen even more deeply in love? Pearl’s heart skipped a beat at the thought.
“Hey Maya, don’t you think we should start pouring the grape juice for the New Year?” said Mr. Nick, causing Miss Trucy to spring awake. Pearl smiled and bounced a little in Mystic Maya’s lap. Trucy loved grape juice. Mr. Nick knew just how to wake her up.
“You mean the juice in the kitchen?” Mystic Maya replied. Pearl looked back and forth between the two adults. They were talking kind of funny. Could they be making plans for a little ‘alone time’?
“Yeah, do you think you can give me a hand pouring it while the girls wait patiently in the living room?”
Pearl’s breath hitched. It was true! They wanted to be alone together in the kitchen!
“Sure, Nick. Do you girls think you can hold down the fort while we’re in there?”
Pearl quickly gave an excited nod, prompting Trucy to make a salute. Mystic Maya laughed happily and she and Mr. Nick got up.
“Remember to let us know when the countdown gets close to zero, okay?”
After the adults disappeared into the kitchen, Pearl locked eyes with Miss Trucy, who was smiling wide.
“I didn’t know we were getting grape juice!”
Pearl nodded. “It’s a tradition. Only Mystic Maya and Mr. Nick get a kind of juice that we’re not supposed to drink.”
Trucy frowned a bit, apparently not liking the idea of juice that she couldn’t drink, but she quickly went back to smiling and scooched herself next to Pearl on the couch. On the TV the people were getting super excited. The numbers above the big ball were getting really low.
“It’s almost time!” Trucy exclaimed.
Pearl couldn’t help but eye the kitchen door, wondering what Mystic Maya and Mr. Nick were doing in there. She heard some laughing and a little talking. Or were they…kissing?
“What’s taking them so long? It’s almost time!” Trucy said with her arms folded and her legs bouncing.
“Uh, maybe they spilled the juice? Mr. Nick can be clumsy sometimes.”
Trucy jumped off the couch in response.
“Daddy said to tell him when the countdown’s almost done. I’m gonna tell him now.”
Pearl gasped. She didn’t want Miss Trucy to interrupt any ‘private moments’. She put herself in her friend’s way.
“Wait, I can do it! I, uh, can help clean up if they spilled!” Pearl bit her thumb, hoping Miss Trucy believed her.
“Okay!” she chirped. Pearl breathed a sigh of relief and rushed to the kitchen door, slowly opening it up a crack.
Her eyes went wide. Mystic Maya had her arms around Mr. Nick and was reaching up to obviously give him a kiss. It was happening! They were in love! Without even thinking, Pearl let loose an excited squeal.
“I knew it! I knew it I knew it I knew it!”
And as it turned out, she always had.