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The rain was coming down in heavy sheets making it near impossible to see the water slick road ahead of Steven, the steady thrumming of the rain drowning out the music he had blasting from his speakers. With every passing minute, the rumble of thunder became louder followed by a bright flash of lightning slashing through the dark clouds and briefly illuminating the landscape around him. If the weather didn’t lighten up soon he’d have to find a place to bunker down until the storm blew over, Pearl would not be happy if she heard he had been driving in such treacherous weather. “What the-?” Steven muttered to himself and squinted out his windshield, his wipers hypnotically swiping back and forth, at a dark spot on the road up ahead. A moment later he heard a loud pop and his car started hydroplaning.
He tightened his grip on the wheel and overcorrected careening off the road with a squeal of tires and crashing into a ditch with an unpleasant crunch, the impact whipping his head back against the headrest. Steven groaned and rubbed the back of his aching neck as he pushed the door of his car open and stepped out into the rain which soaked him in minutes as he took stock of the damage to his car. He slowly walked a circle around it, noting any damage, and was relieved to find besides a dent in the front bumper the only major damage was a blown-out tire which could easily be replaced. Thunder rumbled and lightning flashed encouraging him to move faster as he rummaged through the trunk of his car for the spare. After looking everywhere he could think he realized that that blowout tire was the spare.
He groaned, annoyed with himself for forgetting to buy a new spare when he had a chance. He ran a hand down his face and took a deep breath. Alright, Steven, think. What do you need to do first? He needed to call a tow truck. He got back into his car and closed the door behind him then pulled his phone out of his pocket and searched for the nearest tow truck company, Showne Towing. He called the number and after a few rings a lady answered, “Showne Towing, what can we do for you?”
“Oh, um, my tire blew out and I crashed into a ditch.”
“Alright, sir, can you tell me where you are?”
“I think I’m just north of the off-ramp from Delmarva. I can’t tell where precisely it’s hard to see with all this rain.”
“I can send someone to your location in about 20 minutes.”
“Sounds great, thanks!” Steven sighed and set his phone in the center console, turned his hazards on, and started blasting the heater before letting his eyes drift close. Even with the heater at full blast a biting cold was settling into him from his wet clothes causing him to shiver and his teeth to chatter. He was sure he was going to catch a cold from this. The steady thrumming of the rain and the scent of petrichor soon soothed him into a half-conscious state.
Just when Steven was beginning to accept the fact that he’d never know what it’d feel like to be warm again headlights slashed through the darkness pulling him from his thoughts. He turned in his seat to look out the back window and saw a tow truck pulling up to the side of the road. A burly man wearing brown coveralls and a baseball cap stepped out of the truck and approached the driver's side window. The man knocked on the window and Steven rolled it down. “You the one that called?” The man asked.
“Yeah, my tire blew out and I got stuck in this ditch. Can you help?”
The man nodded, “Shouldn’t be a problem. Mighty bad weather to be caught in, son. You can wait in my car while I get this all hitched up.”
Steven smiled, grateful for the man’s kindness. “Thank you, sir. My name's Steven, what’s yours?”
“Beauford but you can call me Ford.”
Steven grabbed his phone and got out of his car. Ford helped him through the sucking mud, the howling wind whipping the rain against him so hard each raindrop felt like a needle against his skin, to the passenger seat of his tow truck.
Steven sat in the truck, shivering, drenched, and muddy, while Ford hooked up Steven’s car. Steven glanced at the truck's clock, 11:00 pm. He hadn’t realized how late it was, the storm having blocked out any chance of sunshine for most of the day.
By the time Ford had Steven’s car all hitched up he could hardly feel his fingers. Ford opened the driver's side door, the wind catching it and nearly tearing it off its hinges with the sheer force of the gusts. Ford climbed in and with a grunt slammed the door closed behind him. Water dripped from the rim of his hat, his clothes just as soaked and muddy as Steven’s were. Ford cleared his throat and as the truck roared to life he asked, “Do you have a place I can drop you off at? We won’t be able to fix your car ‘til mornin’ and that’s if the weathers feeling generous.”
Steven frowned to himself and thought for a moment, there was someone he knew who lived nearby but they didn’t exactly know he existed. They might be his only option right now, though, every other business would be shut down for the night. He sighed to himself and nodded, “Yeah, I have a place. Could you drop me off at 7933 Chickadee Hill?”
~*~*~*~
“Thanks, Ford, drive safe!” Steven said as Ford started driving away leaving Steven alone on the sidewalk in front of a two-story house. The first story of the house had gray stucco walls with a large picture window with white shutters on the left side. To the right of the window was a white door with a half-circle window in the top half of it with a white porch light next to it. The right side of the first floor had a white garage door. The second story of the house had white and a small overhang from over the first story with two picture windows with black shutters. The roof had black shingles and a chimney on the left of the roof. The front of the house was dotted with shrubs, two cone-shaped topiary bushes stood on either side of the front door. Stairs lead off from the driveway to the front door.
Steven took a deep breath and readied himself as he approached the front door, his finger hovering over the doorbell for a moment before pressing it. He crossed his shivering arms over his chest, rubbing them for warmth, his teeth chattering, rain pouring down around him. His thoughts raced as he wondered what he should say or how it would go. He hoped well. A light came on in an upstairs window and he could hear muffled voices coming from inside getting closer then the front door swung open pouring warm light onto the porch.
In the doorway stood an old married couple in their pajamas. The man had thick, dark, eyebrows, green-framed glasses, a bushy gray handlebar mustache, and gray hair in a horseshoe hairline. The woman had dark, thin, eyebrows, and brown hair streaked with gray cut short. Both wore pajamas and looked like they had just been woken up which Steven supposed they had.
“Who are you? What do you want?” The man snapped in annoyance. Steven tried for a smile but it was difficult with how frozen everything felt, “Sorry to bother you so late, my name's Steven and... I'm your grandson.”
“We have no grandchildren.” The man scowled and went to close the door but the woman stopped him.
“What are you saying? Are you our Gregory's boy?” The woman looked him up and down, a sparkle of hope in her eyes.
Steven nodded, “Yes, I am.”
The woman gasped, her hands flying to cover her mouth as tears glistened in her eyes. The man seemed less moved as he scrutinized Steven with a stern glare. Steven sneezed and rubbed his cold nose, the woman shook her head and quickly blinked the tears from her eyes. “Well, come on in! You’ll catch your death out there!” The woman pushed her husband to the side and ushered Steven in, closing the door behind him. “Shoes off, please. Laurence, can you get a kettle going? We need to warm this poor boy up quickly! I’ll show you to the bathroom so you can get yourself cleaned up and bring you a change of clothes.”
“Athena, I don’t know about this…” Laurence grumbled, giving Steven a skeptical glance. The lady, Athena, waved her husband off. “Nonsense, family is family.”
Steven was relieved that Athena had believed him and slid his sodden shoes off, leaving them by the front door, before following Athena up the stairs. The cloying scent of potpourri filled the air, following him up the stairs. The stairwell walls were adorned with a gallery of family photos and other kinds of homey wall decor. So far everything was exactly how he remembered it from when he and his dad had broken in all those months ago to retrieve a Kerry Moonbeam CD. At the top of the stairs, she gestured to the door on her left, “That’s the bathroom. You can shower and get yourself all cleaned up there. If you leave your clothes in there I’ll throw them in the wash for you. Let me know if you need anything, I’ll just be downstairs in the kitchen.”
“Thank you, ma’am, I appreciate it.”
Athena waved off his thanks, “Anything for family, dear. Now off you get!”
Steven smiled gratefully and entered the bathroom, once the door closed behind him he slumped in relief and exhaustion against the door. The bathroom wasn't very large but like much of the house was decorated with pictures, this time of beaches, and an assortment of knick knacks. The wallpaper was a faded yellow floral design on the top half with pale blue tiles on the bottom. The floor tiles were white with plush pale yellow bath mats by the sink and the bathtub. A towel rack hung on the wall next to the bathtub with plush white towels neatly folded on it ready for use. A yellow and blue floral shower curtain separated the bathtub from the rest of the room.
Steven quickly changed out of his clothes and hung them on a hook on the back of the door. A soft knock on the door followed by receding footsteps caught his ear, he waited for a beat then cracked the door open enough to snatch the nicely folded pile of clothes left outside the door for him before closing it again. Steven took his time with his shower luxurating in the steady flow of warm water against his frozen skin as steam filled the air. More than once he almost fell asleep standing there but quickly shook himself awake. The shampoo and conditioner he used smelled like lavender and the soap smelled like citrus.
Steven finished his shower and dried himself off with one of the towels before changing into the clothes they had provided for him, the name 'Gregory' was written on the tag for the matching blue and white striped pajama shirt and pants and they had a crease from where they'd been folded for over a decade. Steven felt a pange of sympathy for the couple, they must care for his dad if they had held onto his things for so long so they couldn't be nearly as bad as his dad had made them seem. He slipped the pajamas on and they fit perfectly. He hung his used towel up next to his soaked clothes and made sure to send a quick text to Connie so she wouldn’t worry, she was going to be so mad that he missed their nightly video chats, before going downstairs to the kitchen where he found Athena making tea.
The kitchen was cozy, the wallpaper was a yellow gingham with wood paneling on the bottom half, and the cabinets were painted green and had a ceramic chef pig holding a chalkboard with their grocery list on it. On the wall across from him was a picture window looking out to the backyard which was just as nicely landscaped as the front of the house. Yellow floral curtains were pulled to either side of it. Next to the window was a white fridge covered with magnets from all the places they've visited, postcards, and a stick figure drawing of a family that looked like it had been drawn by a child with the name 'Gregory' shakily written in the corner. On top of the fridge was a line of cookbooks and a ceramic clown cookie jar. Next to the fridge was a line of countertops with a sink in the middle. A black stove stood at the end of the line of cabinets. To Steven's right was a small table with four padded yellow chairs and a vase of flowers in the center and to his left was a china cabinet displaying antique plates and other tchotchkes.
When Athena saw Steven she beamed, her eyes crinkling in the corners. "Oh my, I'm so glad Gregory's old clothes fit you! Here, have a nice cup of chamomile tea, and tell me how it is you showed up at our doorstep at such a late hour." Athena placed the teacup on the table and Steven graciously accepted it and took a seat, Athena took the seat next to him and watched him attentively. He took a sip of the tea, deciding on how much he should share, before starting to explain, "I've been on a road trip these past few months and I blew a tire out near here. Don't worry! I wasn't hurt or anything. When I realized how close I was to you guys I thought now would be a good time as any to introduce myself."
Athena chuckled, "That's one way to put it! I'm so glad you decided to, though, we have so much to catch up on!"
Steven nodded in agreement as he took another sip from his tea, the chamomile already taking effect making his eyes feel heavier by the minute. He tried to stifle a yawn to no avail and shook his head. "Sorry, I'm a little tired. Um, where did Laurence go?"
"Hmm? Oh, he went back to bed. Don't mind him, he's skeptical of everyone at first. He'll warm up to you when he gets to know you. And no need for such formality, dear, you can call me Nonna and Laurence Nonno."
Steven nodded sleepily and didn't even try to stifle his yawn this time. Athena- no, Nonna- gently took his cup from him, "Poor thing, you must be exhausted. Come on, off to bed with you. You can sleep in Gregory's room."
Nonna guided a halfawake Steven up the stairs to Greg's childhood bedroom and tucked the boy into bed. The last thing Steven heard before he fell asleep was the click of the door closing.
~*~*~*~
The next day Steven woke up feeling more well-rested than he had in a while, he’d been sleeping in his car most nights which didn’t make for the most comfortable night's rest. He yawned and stretched then reached for his phone, which had fallen on the floor while he was sleeping, and was surprised to see it was 9 in the morning. He didn’t usually deep in this late, he must’ve been pretty exhausted. He also had a lot of texts from Connie, Pearl, and one from Amethyst. He scrolled through their texts quickly, most of Connie and Pearls were to check in on him.
Jam Bud 💕
Your tire blew out?!? Are you okay? What happened? Do you need me to warp to you with a spare?
Pearl
Dear Steven,
My weather application says there’s a big storm coming your way! Please be careful and DO NOT drive in it!
Love, Pearl
Amethyst
Look what I found in the fridge
Amethyst had texted him a picture of something so gross and moldy it was impossible to tell what it had once been. He snorted in amusement and texted Pearl back assuring her that he was alright and sent a nauseous emoji to Amethyst before responding to Connie’s.
Steven
I’m good, I got a pothole on the road is all. I got a towing company to take it and you’ll never guess where I’m staying while they repair it!
Connie responded insanely fast.
Jam Bud 💕
Oh? Is it a hotel?
Steven
Nope, try again.
Jam Bud 💕
Okay is it … a fancy hotel?
Steven
One more try.
Jam Bud 💕
Oh, I’ve got it! You ran into a circus on the side of the road and they took you in for the night out of the kindness of their hearts .
Steven
Not even close! I’m staying with my grandparents!
Jam Bud 💕
You have grandparents? How come you never brought them up?
Steven
I didn’t know about them until recently myself! My dad doesn’t get along with them so if he asks don’t tell him, I don’t want him freaking out over this. I’ll tell him after I leave.
Jam Bud 💕
I don’t know about this Steven … your dad must have a pretty good reason for not getting along with them.
Steven
Please? I won’t be hearing long, just until my tire gets fixed. They seem nice so far!
Jam Bud 💕
Alright … but keep me posted on everything!
Steven
I will, I promise! Love you! Xoxoxo
Steven's phone alerted him that it had a low battery so he finally got himself out of bed and went down to the kitchen. As he descended the stairs the smell of potpourri was replaced with the smell of bacon and he could hear the telltale crackle of it cooking. His stomach growled in response reminding him that he hadn’t eaten since lunch the day before and his mouth salivated in anticipation. As he entered the kitchen he noticed that Laurence- no, Nonno he reminded himself- was sitting at the kitchen table reading the newspaper and drinking a black cup of coffee with a half-eaten frittata on the plate in front of him while Nonna was over by the stove cooking. “Steven, you’re up! Would you like a frittata?”
“Yes, thank you. And thanks for letting me stay here while my car is getting fixed I really appreciate it.” Steven took a seat at the kitchen table across from his Nonno, Nonno glanced up from the article he was reading but didn’t say anything. Steven wasn’t sure if that was an improvement. “Do you happen to have a phone charger I could use? I forgot mine in my car and my phone’s almost dead.”
Nonna paused in her frittata-making and thought for a second, “Let me think… We might have one in the closet upstairs but I’d have to check to be sure.”
“Thanks, so what do you guys usually do during the day?”
“Hmm? Oh, nothing too exciting. Laurence works during the week and participates in a variety of clubs. Oh, speaking of which I have book club today you should come! The girls will love you!”
“I’d love to, it sounds fun!”
“Then I can’t wait!” Nonna finished making the frittata and slid it onto a plate before setting it in front of him with a fork and knife. “Would you like any bacon or coffee with that?”
“I’m good, thanks though. This looks fantastic!” Steven hungrily dug into his frittata and in that moment it was the best thing he had ever eaten.
“Elbows off the table and sit up straight you don’t want to get a hunchback!” Nonna chided, pressing a firm hand against Steven’s spine forcing him to sit up straighter. Once satisfied with his posture she set about cleaning up the kitchen. When she finished cleaning she turned back to Steven.
“While you finish eating I’m going to pick out an outfit for you to wear, we want you to make a good impression today!” She beamed and headed upstairs leaving Steven and Nonno to stew in the awkward silence that settled between them. Steven cleared his throat, “So, what do you do for work?”
“I’m an accountant.”
“Oh? What does an accountant do?”
Nonno raised an eyebrow at him but said nothing as the awkward silence once again lapsed over them. Steven inwardly cringed at himself for asking the question, he knew what an accountant does he had just been trying to make conversation. He finished his frittata and after putting his dishes in the sink went back upstairs to his dad's childhood bedroom where Nonna was laying out an outfit for him on the bed. He wondered if this was something grandparents often did, choosing their grandchildren's outfits for them, he didn’t have anything to compare them to. Nonna saw him and smiled, "Steven, I hope you enjoyed your breakfast. Now, hurry and get dressed then come to the backyard you can help me set up for the book club! Oh, and I found a phone charger. I think it's the right kind. If it doesn't work just let me know!" Nonna patted him on the shoulder as she passed and closed the door behind her.
Steven picked up the outfit she had chosen for him, a white polo shirt with khaki pants, a brown leather belt, and brown loafers with white socks. It wasn't something he would've picked and he couldn't imagine his dad ever wearing an outfit like this but if this was what she wanted him to wear to meet her friends he saw no harm in doing so. He quickly changed and left his phone to charge in his dad's room then met Nonna in the backyard. They spent the next hour or so cleaning the back patio, setting up chairs, and putting out refreshments. As Nonna was adding the finishing touches the doorbell rang. She clapped her hands together and enthused, "They're here! Oh, I can't wait for them to meet you!" She disappeared inside only reappearing a few minutes later with five other ladies whose ages ranged from middle-aged to elderly who were so busy chatting with each other they hadn't noticed him yet.
Nonna clapped her hands together, "Abbastanza giù, ladies, abbastanza giù. There'll be plenty of time to chat! Everyone, I'd like to introduce you to my nipote Steven. He's visiting us from out of town and will be staying with us! Where was you said you were from, Caro?"
"Oh, I'm from Beach City in Delmarva. It's not that far from here just about a day's drive."
All at once the woman surged forward, bombarding him with questions and compliments, pinching his cheeks, poking his stomach, and touching his hair. It was quite overwhelming.
"What a handsome young man you are! You must be a real heartbreaker!"
"And so skinny! Are your parents feeding you enough?"
"Athena, you didn't tell us you had a grandson! You've been holding out on us!"
"Do you have a girlfriend? I think you'd like my granddaughter!"
"Why haven't you visited sooner?"
Steven chuckled nervously and took a step back trying to separate himself from their prodding while remaining polite, "Thanks, I think. It's nice to meet all of you."
Nonna seemed to sense his discomfort and broke in, "Alright that's enough ladies, you're overwhelming him. Let's get back to the reason we're all here."
Grumbling, the ladies took a seat in a circle. Nonna patted the seat next to her for Steven to sit in which he gladly accepted. He was happy that Nonna was so eager to tell people about him even if they didn't know how to respect his personal space. After a couple of glasses of wine, which Steven passed on, the book club quickly devolved into a gossip club.
“-It’s Alanzander Hamletton, no debate.”
“Over Warrington?”
“And Jesserson?”
“Direct, proud, that chin and those blazing eyes.”
Nonna leaned towards Steven and clarified, “They’re discussing the forefathers.”
“Choosing, to be more accurate.”
“Which one was the greatest?” Steven asked.
“Lover.”
“Oh dear.” Steven suddenly became very interested in the ground, the conversation heading in a direction he didn’t like.
“Girls please, he’s just a child!” Nonna playfully chided.
“Most of us picked Warrington or Jesserson. There was one vote for Jones Maddingson.”
“Two abstentions.”
“And I chose the stud on the ten dollar bill.”
The group dissolved into laughter as if it were some kind of inside joke. When they settled down again, giddy tears in their eyes, one of them cleared her throat and turned to Steven. "So, Steven, we've heard so little about you. Tell us more about yourself. Who's your mother?"
Oof, straight to the complicated stuff. "My mother? That's a bit of a tricky question. When my dad met her she was Rose Quartz but before that, she was Pink Diamond."
"Oh? And how did she meet your father?"
"My dad was performing in a concert on the beach, she was the only one who showed up to it. They hit it off from there."
"What was it your mother did?"
"She protected Earth."
Steven shifted in his seat, uncomfortably aware of all the attention that was on him. One of the ladies leaned over to the other and whispered just loud enough for Steven to catch, "Sounds like she was one of those lady of the night types. I mean, what kind of name is 'Rose Quartz' or 'Pink Diamond'? No wonder we've never heard about him before!"
"And it sounds like she was a hippie, too!"
Steven clenched his fists, his nails biting into his palms as he tried to ignore them.
"And what was their wedding like?" Another asked, pulling his attention away from the gossiping pair.
"Oh, they didn't get married."
"See? I told you, hippie!" The gossiping pair sniggered.
Steven quickly stood and excused himself, he couldn't listen to this any longer. “As lovely as this has been, I think I'm going to head in. It was nice meeting you all. Nonna, I’ll be inside if you need me.”
“Oh, alright Caro.”
Steven hurried inside, he could feel Nonna's gaze watching him leave and tried to steady his breathing. He was starting to see pink and he didn't want to lose control here, not now. He hated to admit it but despite his many, many, complex feelings about his mother he still loved her and didn't want to hear her disparaged like that. Instead of heading upstairs to his dad’s bedroom he went straight through the house to the front yard and laid on the grass. He could still faintly hear the sounds of their laughter drifting from the front yard but it was quiet enough that when he looked up at the sky he could almost pretend he was back home in Beach City, he realized with a pange of homesickness. He took a deep breath reveling in the smell of freshly cut grass and blossoming azaleas as he watched the clouds slowly drift through the sky, any sign of the storm that had started this long since passed. With each breath, he felt his anger fade. He began reflecting on the day and comparing what he’d experienced so far to what his dad had described them as.
His Nonno was a bit… aloof but that could be expected when a random kid shows up on your doorstep claiming to be your grandson and his Nonna seemed to have accepted him. So far they seemed like good people so why did his dad hate them so much? Steven sighed and let his eyes drift shut. His peace and quiet didn’t last long as he felt a shadow block out the sunlight. He half-opened one eye and nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw someone leaning over him. “Gah!” He yelped and quickly sat up nearly butting heads with the person.
“Sorry! Didn’t mean to scare you!” The person apologized, a girl about his age with blonde hair that looked like she had cut it herself dyed blue at the tips, a spray of freckles across her cheeks, hazel eyes, and a stud nose ring on the right side. She wore a faded black t-shirt with a logo for a band he hadn't heard of on it, olive green cargo pants, and a pair of worn sneakers covered with doodles.
She offered him a hand and he took it. She pulled him to his feet and then took a step back. “My name’s Mona. So you’re the mysterious stranger that turned up in the middle of the night last night? What’s your story, stranger?”
“My name’s Steven. I’m just visiting my grandparents while my car gets fixed, nothing too exciting.” Steven explained while he dusted himself off.
The girl snorted, “Are you kidding? I’ve lived here my whole life and you’re the most exciting thing that’s ever happened here. Where you from, Steven?”
“Beach City, Delmarva.”
“No shiz? I’ve heard that place is cursed or something.”
“What do you mean by ‘cursed’?”
“Like, strange things are always happening there. Extraterrestrial activity, strange natural phenomena, things like that. I mean, just a few months ago there were reports of a giant pink animal just off the coast of Beach City!”
Steven stiffened and nervously laughed, "Ya, that's so crazy."
"Since you're new in town I could show you around if you want, I don't have anything else to do today."
"Really? That'd be great!"
"Awesome! Just one question, how good is your balance?"
~*~*~*~
"When you asked how good my balance I didn't think you meant this!" Steven tried to yell from where he stood on the pegs of Mona's bike but the wind whisked his words away. Mona whizzed through the neighborhood only slowing down enough to point something out to Steven before she sped back up again. It took Mona less than an hour to give Steven a full tour of Showne if that's what you could call it. Mona finally skidded to a stop and Steven practically fell off the bike and collapsed onto the grass in front of the house they had stopped at. His limbs felt like spaghetti and his stomach felt like it had been turned inside out. Through all his years of space travel, he had never gotten motion sick but riding with Mona was like the world's most insane rollercoaster. He was grateful she had at least given him a helmet to wear, not that he needed it with his superhealing but he felt safer with it on. Mona snickered and leaned her bike against the chain link fence before offering him a hand, "Sorry Steven, I didn't know you had such a weak stomach. Next time I'll go slower."
Steven took her hand and for the second time that day, she helped him up despite his protesting body. The house they had stopped at was the only one on the block that looked abandoned, the windows were all shattered, the grass was yellow and dead, a worn red eviction was stapled to the front door, and toys were left abandoned in the yard. "Mona, why did you bring me here?"
Mona started making her way towards the house, "For some fun, silly! C'mon, don't tell me you've never done this before!"
"Can't say I have." Steven gulped and followed Mona to the nearest broken window. "Give me a boost," She instructed reaching for the window edge.
Steven took a step back, "Are you sure this is okay? Isn't this like breaking and entering?"
"We're not breaking in if everything is already broken. Besides, everyone does it. Now hurry up and give me a boost!"
Steven sighed and lifted Mona to the window, she squealed in surprise. "Whoa! You're stronger than you look! Yeesh, you nearly sent me flying there." With a grunt, she pulled herself through the window and fell with a thunk inside. "I'm alright! Now wait just a second I'll go open the front door-" Steven didn't give her a chance to finish her sentence and floated up to the window and climbed in after her, landing much more gracefully on the floor than she did. The inside of the house was just as creepy and worn down as the outside, colorful graffiti was spray painted all over the walls, glass bottles were left discarded on the floor, and dust thickly coated every surface. Mona gaped at Steven in befuddlement, "Wha-? How-? You know what, never mind. Let's go explore!"
Steven noticed that Mona had a gash on her arm, blood was trickling down it and dripping onto the floor. "Mona, you're hurt!"
Mona looked down at her arm in surprise then shrugged, "Hmm? Oh, it's just a little glass cut it'll be fine."
"At least let me take a look at it," Steven pleaded. Mona rolled her eyes at him but relented, "Fine, but I'm telling you it's fine." Steven took her arm and examined the cut, fortunately, it wasn't deep. A little magic spit and she'd be as good as new! Mona wasn't paying attention so Steven quickly licked his finger and wiped it on the cut. Mona squawked in alarm and pulled her arm away, "What the heck, Steven? I don't know what kind of kinky stuff they're into over in Beach City but here you ask before licking people!"
Steven raised his hands defensively, "I was healing you! Look, your cut's gone now!"
"What are you talking about? My cut's still-" Mona looked down at where her cut had been and her eyes widened in surprise. "Would you look at that, it is healed! Huh, thanks. Sorry for yelling at you."
Steven shrugged, "It's fine, people usually react that way. Sort of."
"So are you like a witch or something?"
"Or something."
"Cool. Cool. Cool, cool, cool, cool, cool. So, uh, anything else you should tell me?"
Steven paused for a moment, deciding if he wanted to share any more of his powers with her, then shook his head, "No, I think that's all."
"Then let's explore!"
~*~*~*~
Steven had been hesitant at first about exploring the house but Mona had quickly convinced him that it was safe. They spent the next couple of hours there until it started to get dark and decided it was time to go home. Mona didn't go as fast this time, which Steven was grateful for, and when they stopped in his grandparent's driveway Nonna threw open the door and rushed down the steps. "Steven Demayo, where have you been? Get inside right now, young man. Young lady, you should head home. I'm sure your parents are worried about you." Nonna's words were short and clipped like she was trying to contain her anger. Steven was confused, what had he done to make her mad? He said a quick farewell to Mona then followed Nonna inside. As soon as the door shut behind him she whirled around and started yelling, "Where have you been? I have been worrying myself sick! I thought the worst had happened! And then I find you galavanting with some... girl heaven knows where doing heaven knows what! And what did you do to your shirt, it's a mess!"
Steven took a step back, surprised by her angry outburst, "Nonna I-"
"No! No excuses! Go to your room and think about what you did! And no supper! We'll talk about it in the morning."
"But I-"
"Ottenere!"
Steven held his tongue and rushed up the stairs, anger and confusion burning in him. He was grateful he at least had his dad's room to take refuge in. He shut the door closed behind him and fell face down onto the bed with a frustrated groan. Was this why his dad had left? Why was Nonna so mad? Back in Beach City he could come and go as he pleased whenever with whoever he wanted. He sighed and turned onto his back, maybe Connie had had a better day than him. He picked up his phone, which he had forgotten to grab before his spontaneous adventure with Mona, from the nightstand and quickly scanned through his messages. Lapis had texted him a picture of her new morp, Pearl had sent him a very long text about the dangers of the road, and Connie had sent him one text asking for an update. Nothing from the towing company, though, which was odd. It was just a tire, how long could it possibly take to replace it? He ran a frustrated hand through his hair and curled into himself. Maybe it was time to tell his dad.
Steven decided to update Connie on the situation first.
Steven
Update on the grandparent's situation... Nonno still won't acknowledge me and Nonna sent me to bed without dinner. On the bright side, I made a new friend today! Her name is Mona. She took me to an abandoned house today and we explored inside it!
Jam Bud 💕
Wait what? Steven, she can't do that! You need to eat! And isn't that breaking and entering???
Steven
It's fine, I'm not even hungry! I asked Mona the same thing and she said that everyone does it. It was pretty cool!
Jam Bud 💕
I'm glad you had a good time then. Has your tire been fixed yet?
Steven
No yet, I haven't even gotten a call from the towing company. It doesn't usually take this long to replace a tire does it?
Jam Bud 💕
Definitely not , you should call the company in the morning and get an update.
Steven
Agreed. Alright, enough about me. How's high school going?
Jam Bud 💕
It's been great! Patricia and Daniel have a lot of the same classes as me so we get to see each other all the time! They keep asking when we're all going to hang out again , I think they really liked hanging out with you!
Steven
Haha, I'm glad they had a good time! I had a lot of fun too!
Jam Bud 💕
I've got to get to bed , talk tomorrow?
Steven
Can't wait! Love you!
Jam Bud 💕
Love you too, Jam Bud. And please take care of yourself! Sometimes you just gotta know when to bail.
Steven
I will.
Steven's stomach growled as hunger gnawed at him. He sighed and tried to fall asleep, too tired to bother changing out of his dusty, grass-stained clothes. His slumber was restless as he spent the whole night tossing and turning, trying to ignore the hunger in his belly until eventually he fell asleep. The next day he was awakened by the sound of something small hitting his window. He groaned in annoyance and ignored it, pulling the sheets over his head. A minute later another ting followed by two more followed by someone whisper-yelling his name. He tossed the sheets aside, marched over to the window, and threw it open just as another pebble sailed through the air and bounced off his forehead.
"Oops! Sorry, Steven!" Mona whisper-yelled up to him.
He scowled and rubbed his forehead, "What is it, Mona?"
"I just wanted to check in on you, your grandma seemed pretty upset. I hope I didn't get you into any trouble!"
"Nah, she was just worried. Thanks for the concern, though."
"Oh thank goodness. In that case, I'm going to a party tonight. You wanna come?"
"I don't know... I think I should stay nearby for a bit. Don't want to worry her any more than I already have."
"Alright. Well, if you change your mind here's my number. Feel free to text me anytime!" Mona picked up another rock and wrote her phone number down on it with a black Sharpie then tossed the rock up to Steven who caught it easily.
Mona waved goodbye, hopped onto her bike, and zipped off down the street just as fast and haphazardly as ever. Steven watched Mona disappear around the corner then pocketed the rock and braced himself before going downstairs for what he was sure was going to be a very stern lecture. He paused in his descent down the stairs when he heard Nonna talking to someone. He deliberated whether he should eavesdrop or not but his curiosity won. He pressed himself against the stairwell and strained to hear what she was saying.
"-We can't let him leave. It's obvious Greg isn't taking proper care of him. The poor boy needs structure in his life, something it obviously lacks!"
"I agree but how exactly do you suggest we do that, Athena?"
"I've called the towing company, and they forwarded me to the mechanic, and asked them to stall for as long as they can. For now, he's stuck here. We can sort the rest out later."
"As you wish, amore mio."
Steven stood there shocked as he took in what she had just said. Soon his shock turned to anger as red hot as a poker stick burning inside him. He was beginning to understand why his dad had left. He pulled Mona’s rock out of his pocket and texted the number.
Steven
I’m in.
Before pocketing his phone and the rock again. He clenched his fists, took a deep breath, and counted down from ten. He repeated this until his anger was just a smoldering ember of what it once was then he continued down the stairs. When he entered the kitchen the energy was very different from the day before, instead of cooking at the stove Nonna stood in the middle of the kitchen with her arms crossed over her chest, scowling, while Nonno sipped his coffee at the kitchen table sans newspaper.
"Sit," Nonna commanded shortly and Steven complied. His stomach clenched but from hunger or anxiety, he couldn't tell.
"It's becoming abundantly clear after the events of yesterday that we need to set some ground rules. From now on curfew will be at 7 pm sharp, not a minute later. I expect you to be washed and ready for bed before then. You will clean up after yourself. You will not talk back, it is disrespectful. You may not leave this house without asking permission first. I want to know where you are and who you're with at all times. Your door must remain open. And I don't want you hanging out with that girl anymore, I think she's a bad influence on you."
Steven felt his anger flare up again but he swallowed it down, going pink wouldn't help the situation. "Fine." He agreed evenly. He would play the part of the perfect grandson for now but once he got his car back he'd leave and never look back. His dad had been right, this place was a prison. He understood that now more than ever and couldn't imagine being raised like this. No wonder his dad had run away. Nonna looked surprised by his agreeance and straightened her clothes, "Alright, good. I'm glad we're on the same page. Now onto more pleasant matters, what would everyone like for breakfast?"
~*~*~*~
Steven spent the rest of the day doing whatever his Nonna asked. He let her choose his clothes, helped clean the house, gardened, and even went on her evening power walk around the neighborhood with her. By dinner, she was gushing to Nonno about how good Steven had been. After dinner, he politely excused himself and went to bed. There he waited until he was sure his grandparents were asleep before quickly changing into his own clothes, he had made sure they were clean earlier in the day in preparation for this, and sneaking out the window.
He floated to the ground and ran over to where he and Mona had agreed to meet. Mona was waiting for him on her bike at the side of her house which was just down the street and around the corner, fortunately, and they rode it to the party. Steven stood on the pegs while Mona drove. Mona wore a glittery teal tube top, booty shorts, teal glittery eyeshadow, and black sneakers, and her hair was wavy with small braids here and there. Steven had chosen to wear his usual outfit of a pink varsity jacket over his black t-shirt with a yellow star on it, jeans, and red flip-flops. The party was in full swing when Steven and Mona arrived. Loud music poured from every window, some of which were broken, and a group of rowdy teens chanted "Chug! Chug! Chug!" as another guzzled down whatever was in his red solo cup. Mona took Steven by the arm and led him into the house, "Come on! I want to introduce you to everyone!"
Mona led him over to a group of people and introduced him, "Guys! This is Steven, the guy I've been telling you about! Steven, this is Frankie, Splenda, and my ex-boyfriend Kyle." When Mona said Kyle she said it through gritted teeth, her grip on Steven's arm got slightly tighter, and her nails starting to dig uncomfortably into his skin.
"It's nice to meet you." Steven greeted politely as he looked around. This party was different from others he'd been to, more wild. He wasn't sure he liked it but he decided to give it a chance, just because something was different didn't mean it was bad.
As the night wore on Steven's patience was beginning to wear thin and it was becoming increasingly obvious that most, if not all, of the other guests at this party were drunk. He excused himself for a moment from whoever was talking to him, he hadn't caught their name and they didn't seem invested in the conversation anyway, to try and find a room without anyone in it. He was starting to get a headache from all the noise and just needed a moment to himself. The first door he opened was just a linen closet, the next a pantry with a couple making out in it, and the third was a bedroom with a couple doing a little more than making out. He quickly returned to Mona's side after that one, ready to head home. Mona was talking to some girl he didn't know and frankly didn't care to know. He tapped Mona's shoulder to get her attention and she turned, a smile on her face. "Stevie! There's the man of the hour!" She slurred the smell of alcohol on her breath. "I was just telling Kyle's new girlfriend here all about what a great boyfriend you are and how we do it, like, all the time."
Steven furrowed his brow in confusion, "What-?"
"Ah, it's okay. He's a little shy about it. He's such a generous lover he practically worships my body."
Steven's cheeks pinkened. Okay, now he was mad. They needed to leave before she said something that set him off. "Mona, I think it's time to go." He snipped. Before she could argue he grabbed her arm and started leading her towards the exit. They didn't get very far when someone in the front yard yelled, "It's the cops!"
The party erupted into chaos with people screaming and scrambling to get out of there. The music was cut off and the lights went out leaving the red and blush flashing lights of a cop car to illuminate the dark house. Steven pulled Mona close to him and bubbled them until all that was left was them and anyone too drunk to run. He let the bubble fall and looked down at Mona who had gotten suspiciously quiet throughout the whole thing, she looked pale and sweaty. "Mona are you okay?" he asked but before he could get a response a flashlight landed on them and a cop yelled, "Freeze! You are under arrest!" At that moment Mona threw up all over her shoes. Steven sighed to himself, great just when this night couldn't get any worse.
~*~*~*~
Steven sat on a bench and held Mona's hair back as she continued throwing up in the drunk tank toilet. She looked horrible but at that moment Steven couldn’t find it in him to feel bad for her, not after the stunt she had just pulled back at the party. All he could think about was how was he going to explain this to the Gems? His dad? Or Connie? Pearl was going to freak out when he told her, Amethyst would probably find it funny, Garnet- well he wasn't sure how she would react. She might split over this! His dad would be overly supportive and try to make him feel better. Connie would be reasonably considered and ask how he was doing.
Mona slumped to the ground and despite her disheveled appearance, she was more sober than she was an hour ago. She wiped her mouth against the back of her hand and cleared her throat, “Thanks, Steven.”
He didn’t say anything, just nodded. Mona sighed and pulled her feet close to her as some of her hair fell over her face covering it, “I’m so sorry for what happened back at the party, I don’t know what I was thinking. I guess I was so hurt and angry that Kyle moved on so quickly after our breakup I wanted him to see that I had moved on as well. Then you showed up and I thought 'What better way to show him I'm fine than to show up at his party with the mysterious new guy?' Things kinda spiraled out of control from there and I ended up hurting you. I’m sorry. What I did was wrong and super shizzy. I understand if you don’t want to speak to me again after tonight.”
Steven sighed and leaned back against the wall as he felt his anger towards her start to dissipate and get replaced with exhaustion, “I guess I get it. Back in Beach City my girlfriend, Connie, and I used to hate this guy, Kevin, but we realized that by reacting we were just giving him what he wanted so we stopped letting him get under our skins. When we did that, not only did we feel better but it drove Kevin nuts!”
Mona chuckled weakly, “I’ll have to try that.”
The door to the cell block buzzed open and a cop walked in, “Universe, you’re free to go.” The cop unlocked the cell door and held it open for him. “You gonna be okay by yourself?” Steven asked Mona, Mona gave an unconvincing thumbs up. Steven groaned, “Then wish me luck.”
“Luck.”
Steven took a bracing breath and followed the cop out to the front of the police station where Nonna was anxiously pacing in her nightgown, a robe hastily thrown on top and her hair still in curlers. Steven cringed and prepared himself for the lecture he was sure he was about to get. When Nonna saw him she had a thunderous expression but didn’t say anything all the way to her car. Only once they were both in it and had started driving did she speak. “Steven Demayo, what in the world has gotten into you? What were you thinking? Sneaking out? Going to a party? Getting arrested! Never in my days have I seen such insolence! We took you in, we fed you, we bathed you, and this is how you repay us? By embarrassing us? We have a reputation to uphold and you've squandered it in a single night!"
Steven scoffed, "The only reason I snuck out is because your rules are so stifling! I'm beginning to see why my dad never talked about you!"
“I’m not liking this tone of yours,” Nonna warned as they pulled into the driveway.
“Well, you’re forcing the tone, Nonna. I said I’ll talk to you later but right now I’m going to my room.” Steven yelled as he got out of the car and stormed towards the front door, Nonna followed close behind him.
“What has gotten into you? Why are you being so difficult?”
“I don't know what you're talking about.”
“Do not use that tone with me.”
“I want to be very clear-“
“You are becoming more like your father with every passing day.”
“And you are becoming more like a Diamond with every passing day!”
“That’s it! That’s it!”
“What’s ‘it’?”
“You’re grounded!”
Steven guffawed, “Grounded?”
“Yes.”
“I’m not your son you can’t ground me!”
“When your father gets home we’re going to talk about this and have this sorted out once and for all!”
“You mean my Nonno?”
“You know what I meant!” Nonna snapped.
“Well I’d have to be living at the house for that!“
“What does that mean?”
“Excuse me.” Steven stormed up the stairs, his skin starting to glow pink.
“Young man do not walk away from me!” He heard Nonna yell after him. He slammed the door behind him and jammed a chair under the doorknob effectively locking it. He started pacing around the room. Things had escalated a lot faster than he had anticipated. He couldn't stay here but where could he go? He had some money for the repairs but not a motel, he'd usually just camp in his car but that wasn't an option right now. He groaned in frustration and ran a hand through his curls. What had he been thinking? Coming here had been a horrible idea to begin with! The doorknob in the bedroom began to jiggle. "Steven! Steven, did you lock this door? Let me in right now young man! We aren't done talking yet!" Nonna yelled.
Steven searched the dusty desk in the corner of the room for a pen and paper to write with and quickly scribbled down a note for his grandparents.
Nonna,
This isn't how I wanted things to go. I'm sorry.
Sincerely,
Your grandson Steven Universe
Steven left the note on the desk, quickly made sure he had everything he had brought and escaped out the bedroom window. He floated down to the ground then took off in a sprint and ran. As he ran any anger he had left with replaced with disappointment and sadness. He ran back to the abandoned house. The house looked even creepier at night, the wind whistling through the broken windows and darkness shrouding every corner. Steven nervously made his way up the walkway and nearly leaped out of his skin when a black cat bolted from the shadows across his path.
His heart pounding in his chest he floated up to one of the windows and climbed into the house. He was suddenly very grateful that Mona had shown him this place as he climbed up the creaking stairs to the master bedroom. He sat on the bed and a puff of dust flew off the covers sending him into a coughing fit until the dust settled again. He sighed and rested his head in his hands for a moment then pulled out his phone to update Connie, the time flashed on his screen; 1 am. Hopefully, she was still awake.
Steven
So... a lot has happened since this morning...
Connie responded almost immediately.
Jam Bud 💕
What? What happened? Are you okay?
Steven
Yeah, I'm fine except I may have gotten arrested then got in a huge fight with Nonna and ran away and now I'm hiding out in an abandoned house.
Steven waited for Connie to respond. He watched the three dots, waiting, and then they stopped. A second later she was calling to video chat with him. He cringed but accepted and Connie's face appeared on his screen. "Steven what the heck is going on?!? Please tell me you're kidding and didn't actually get arrested!"
Steven sighed and fell back against the bed, sending more dust into the air. "I wish I was kidding. Things have spiraled out of control here and I don't know what to do."
"Okay, well you can start by telling me what happened then I can help you figure out what to do next."
"Alright, well it all started this morning..."
~*~*~*~
Once Connie was all caught up she tapped her fingers thoughtfully against her desk and hummed. "I think... we need to tell your dad."
"What? No way! He'll make me come home and I'm not ready to come back yet! There's still so much for me to see and experience!"
"Steven..."
"No, no way. Maybe I could have yesterday before I got arrested but it's too late now. There's got to be another way."
Connie sighed and said with contempt, a dark look in her eyes. "What about that girl, Mona? Maybe you could talk to her about this? She might be able to help, she knows this town better than you."
"That's a great idea! I'll go to her house in the morning, hopefully, her parents aren't too mad at her. Thanks, Connie!"
Connie mumbled something about Mona he didn't quite catch. "What was that Connie?"
"Hmm? Oh, nothing. Just wanted to say I love you and be careful, we don't know what kinds of tricks your grandparents could have up their sleeves."
"I will and I love you too! Thanks for always being there, Connie, I appreciate it. You're the best girlfriend ever! Now tell me about your day."
This seemed to lift Connie's mood and she sat up straighter as she enthusiastically told him about her day until her mom came in to tell her to go to bed. They said their goodbyes then hung up. Steven let his phone fall to his side on the dusty bed and tried to fall asleep.
~*~*~*~
Steven woke to the sound of birdsong, he groaned and groggily sat up. He hadn't slept well, and it ended up that old abandoned houses aren't exactly conducive to a good night's rest. Warm sunlight spilled across the floor from the broken window, a gentle breeze caused the faded and torn curtains to dance in the wind. He stood and stretched, almost every bone in his body popping as he did, then he pocketed his phone and made his way to Mona's house. He made sure to keep his head down and stuck to the shadows just in case his grandparents were out looking for him.
He made it to Mona's without incident and hesitated for a moment before pressing the doorbell. Mona's home was a small single-story house painted a faded yellow with at least three older car models in the driveway in various states of restoration. He waited anxiously on the porch for someone to answer the door. After what felt like an appropriate amount of time he raised his fist to knock on the door just as it swung open. "Whoa!" Mona exclaimed in surprise, Steven let his hand fall to his side.
"Mona, I need your help." He pleaded.
Mona's brown furrowed, "I'm sorry Steven, I wish I could help you but I'm already in some really hot water with my dad. If he sees me talking to a guy so soon after the party he's gonna ground me for another lifetime!"
"Please, Mona. I just need-"
"Mona? Who's at the door?" A man called from somewhere in the house.
Mona looked over her shoulder and said sweetly, "Just a friend, Dad. They were just leaving."
"What friend? I thought I knew them all?" A second later a familiar burly man appeared behind Mona. Ford's eyes widened in surprise, as did Steven's, then he cleared his throat and asked, "Steven, was it? What are you doing at my house?"
"I was actually looking for Mona, I need to talk to her."
Ford frowned and crossed his muscular arms over his barrel chest as he towered over Steven, "Oh yeah? And what business do you have with my daughter?"
"Dad!" Mona whined, her cheeks flushing in embarrassment.
Steven gulped, his mouth suddenly dry, "I was just going to ask her where the mechanic was so I could get my car. It
ended up that my Nonna had called them and asked them to stall so I couldn't leave. Long story short I very much want to leave now."
Ford scratched his stubble thoughtfully, "Well that's no good. C'mon in while I make a call." Ford stepped back from the door to let Steven in, Steven quickly glanced around and then stepped into the house. "Make yourself comfortable," Ford said offhandedly as he pulled out his phone and made a call, walking into another room. Steven sat on their worn brown leather couch and Mona sat next to him. "Wait, so, what's going on?"
Steven sighed and leaned back onto the couch, "I overheard my Nonna talking to my Nonno about how I 'need more structure in my life' and that she called the mechanic and asked them to stall so I would be stuck here."
Mona gasped, "Oh my gosh that's so messed up! That's, like, abduction!"
"Yeah, I guess it is."
Ford walked back into the room as he was finishing the call, "Thanks, we'll be there soon. Steven, I talked to Murray. We'll pick up your car and I'll swap the tire for you then you can hit the road. Shouldn't take more than an hour."
A knot of anxiety that he didn't know had been there loosened in his chest as he let out a breath of relief. "Thank you, Ford. How can I repay you?"
"Think of it as a parting gift."
~*~*~*~
An hour later Steven's car was repaired, Ford even got the dent out of the bumper which Steven was grateful for. One less thing he had to worry about. Steven was doing a final supply check to make sure he had everything before hitting the road when Mona sidled up to him. "So... where you off to next?"
Steven shrugged and leaned against the side of his car, "Not sure. Where ever the road the road takes me, I guess. How long did your dad ground you for?"
"Oh, you know, just until I graduate from college. I can't blame him though, I did some pretty stupid stuff that night." Mona blew a lock of hair out of her face, "If you're ever around feel free to call. You're a pretty cool dude, Steven Universe."
Steven chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck self-consciously, "I don't know about that, but I do hope I get to see you again. I had fun exploring that abandoned house together."
Ford called for Mona from inside the house. "Coming Dad!" She called over her shoulder. She gave a sad smile and a small wave, "So long, Steven."
"Bye, Mona."
As Mona ran into her house, the door closing behind her, Steven got into his car and finally left the town of Showne behind him. As he was merging onto the highway he got a call from Pearl. He answered it on speaker and Pearl's shrill voice yelled from his phone, "STEVEN QUARTZ CUTIE PIE DEMAYO UNIVERSE DID YOU GET ARRESTED?!?"