Pearls

Chapter 8

"Edgeworth?" 

He sounded quite concerned when he mentioned Edgeworth. Did something bad happen between them?

"Well, it's not so much about Edgeworth. It's more me than anything, but it's what Edgeworth does that makes me feel...feel..."

I grin, understanding where this was going.

So it's like that, is it?

I lean forward in my chair. "Care to go into more detail about what it is that he does to you?"

Phoenix's mouth wavered. He looked completely helpless. "Please, Maya, don't you understand? Don't you know what I'm trying to say?"

"Pretend I don't and explain nice and loud for me."

"Maya..." He let out and exasperated sigh. Composing himself, he sat up a little bit straighter. "I...like..."

"You like what? Come on, Nick, spit it out."

"I...like Edgeworth." The words slowly came out of his mouth, almost a whisper.

"Sorry, what was that?" I cupped a hand behind my ear. "You're going to have to speak louder, my ears aren't what they used to be."

"Maya!"

"You got to say it louder for me."

He collapsed in his chair, slouching his shoulders and placing his head in his hands. "Why must you be like this?" He took a deep breath. "Fine. I like Edgeworth."

"Louder."

He glared at me. "I like Edgeworth."

"Louder!"

"I like Edgeworth!"

"I still can't hear you!"

"I LIKE EDGEWORTH!" 

Phoenix had got up from his chair and was panting. The adrenaline from his outburst was quickly leaving him as he realised what he just said. A new surge of energy flowed through him and his face turned a bright red, none like I'd ever seen before. He clasped his hands over his mouth.

"Oh god, I did not just do that. I did not just say what I think I said, did I?" He was shaking so much he looked as though he was about to fall. I stood up and guided him back to his seat.

"You sure did, Nick. You definitely said what you think you just said."

"Oh no..." He still had a hand over his mouth as he spoke. All that was heard was low mumbling. 

"Don't worry about it, okay? I'm proud of you." I moved his hand away and turned his face to look me in the eyes. "What you did was no easy feat and I understand that, but more than anything I'm glad you finally came to your senses."

"Came to my senses?" Phoenix was confused. "What do you mean by that? And what do you mean 'finally'?"

Seriously? He's going to be like this now?

"I mean that you like Edgeworth! Pearl and I have been trying to fix you two up since forever!"

"S-since forever?!"

"Actually, more like this morning, but that's beside the point." I waved at him carelessly. "Now we can get you two together a lot quicker since you'll be helping us!"

Phoenix was, and without exaggeration, flabbergasted. He had sunk right into the back of his chair watching me get excited over what he presumably thought was a petty notion. "I-I'm not too sure about this, Maya. What if he doesn't like me?"

I smiled widely at him. "Oh, don't worry about that! I guarantee that he'll like you." 

That's a lie. He already does like him and I know it! 

"Now follow me. There is much you need to be filled in on about our plans for you two!" I took his hand and pulled him out of his chair, dragging him out of the room.

"Agh! Maya, slow down! You shouldn't be running indoors!"

"There's no time to waste! Pearl needs to know everything that just happened. She's probably come up with a new plan right now too!"

"Sh-she has?" The colour in Phoenix's face disappeared. "What exactly does she have in mind?"

I snickered. "Oh, she's been planning something big! I'm sure you and I will both like it once we hear it."

Sweat formed on his forehead. Regret and fear flashed across his face as he shook his head in disbelief. "This can't be happening."

"Oh, but it is. Nick, I promise you that you'll love every minute of it. Every. Single. Minute."

We soon made it to the front room. Pearl was furiously drawing away on the paper, sometimes flying off the page and onto the table. As we walked in, she gasped and rushed over to us, dropping the crayons where she had been working.

"Mr. Nick! Mr. Nick! I heard everything. Everything! You were so loud, Mr. Nick. I think that's what's so great about you. You're not shy to tell anyone how you feel." She seemed so happy with her hands on either side of her face and her eyes dancing wildly with excitement.

"You heard everything?" Phoenix, once again, turned pale.

"Yep! Every last word, especially 'I LIKE EH-JI-WORTH'!" Pearl giggled and dragged the dumbfounded attorney to the table. "Come look, Mr. Nick, I drew a picture of what we should do next!"

I walked over to view what she had drawn. I gasped at the artistic endeavour that was on both the paper and table.

Oh my...

I couldn't help but stare, as did Phoenix. We couldn't believe what we were seeing.

"Pearly, did you really come up with this?"

"Yeah, Pearls, was this all really you?" Phoenix's voice was faint. A lot of his energy had been used up and despite it being early evening, he sounded pretty tired.

Pearl just nodded, her face one big smile. "Yep! I thought of it all by myself! Well, nearly all by myself."

"Nearly?" I questioned.

"I got some help from other people too. They gave me plenty of ideas."

"I, I see." I was still astounded by her drawing that I didn't think to ask who these other people were. "Well, then. Should we start putting this into action? Based on what you have here, Pearly, it doesn't seem like we have much time to work with."

"I know, but it doesn't work any other time of year. We need to complete this before then so we should start as soon as possible." She rolled up her sleeves in an act of determination. "Mr. Nick, what do you think of my plan? Mr. Nick?"

I looked down at Phoenix to see what was wrong. His body had relaxed into the couch and his head hung to one side. A soft snoring sound came from him as he slept peacefully.

I chuckled. "He's fallen asleep, the poor thing."

Pearl grew upset. "Did...he not like my idea?"

"Of course he liked it! Didn't you see the amazement in his face? You could just tell that he loved it!"

"Oh, okay."

I smile at Phoenix's restful body. "Pearly, he's had a tiring day what with being so close to Edgeworth, admitting that he likes him and now this. Not to mention he was writing a report just before. It's only natural that he is tired."

I moved towards Pearl and sat her down on the couch next to me. She nodded her head and picked up her drawing. "Do you think it'll work?"

"Of course I do. Nothing is impossible if we work together, right?"

Her smile had returned. "Right!"

We sat in silence for a while, taking in the ambient sounds of the room including the gentle snores from the passed out attorney. I soon got bored of it. 

"Hey, Pearly. Want to watch a rerun of Steel Samurai?"

"Okay!"