Pearl's pov

I was so happy for Peridot! After the scene at the airport, I was immediately understanding of why she'd asked me to go home. It wasn't every day you met your mother.

However, as the first week of April vacation drew on, I felt left out.

Of course I felt guilty for feeling left out. My girlfriend was finally bonding with her mother, and I wanted to be a part of that.  I decided to call her to see how the bonding was going.

"Hello, Peridot?"

"Pearl! Did you know that my mom enjoys peanut butter-banana sandwiches too?" I could hear Peridot's grin in her words.

"That's great!" I hesitated for  moment. "Would you mind if I... perhaps came to talk to your mother more? I'd love to get to know her." I waited, terrified. After a moment, Peridot responded.

"Yeah, yeah, sure! She says she'd love to meet you!" I sighed in relief.

"Thank you. I'll see if Opal can give me a ride!"

"I'll see you when you get here!" 

When I arrived I let myself in. Headmistress Diamond had become accustomed to me entering the house unannounced, and I had acquired a habit of frightening Yellen with my presence. 

"Peridot, I'm-" I stopped. Peridot and her birth mother sat on the floor of the family room with large pieces of  paper in front of them, finger painting. Peridot laughed like a small child and Em followed suit.

"She's not going to answer you. She's been non responsive to anyone but Em for an hour." A jumped as Yellen appeared beside me, seemingly from nowhere, holding a glass of lemonade. "I'm surprised she even answered the phone." She took a sip from her glass.

"She must be really excited to finally meet her birth mother." i thought aloud.

"Yeah. I guess so." Yellen turned around and paced slowly to the staircase.

"Wait," I called out, following her. "How long has it been since she's seen Peridot?" Yellen turned around briskly.

"Eleven years.  Almost twelve. The story goes she dropped in to tell mom that she was moving to Ohio and left." She continued up the stairs.

"But if she truly missed Peridot, why stay away? Why not remain in contact?" I asked, following her.

"Don't know, don't care. She asked mom not to tell Peridot she was adopted." I paused, confused.

"But Peridot told me she was adopted when I asked why you went to different schools until this year." Yellen's face turned red with shame.

"She found out a few years ago... how's not important."

"Why did you go to seperate schools?" Yellen cleared her throat.

"I went to a prestigious all girls academy that my mother atended. Only the children of alumni are accepted and try as she might, she couldn't get the school board to accept Peridot." She looked down.

"Oh. Is that why you're..." Yellen snickered.

"Of course. You probably didn't notice, but most popular people at Crystal Prep also attended private schools in the past. Not neccesarily mine, but there's quite a few." I nodded.

"Did Em go to school with your mother?"

"She went to college with her, but that's all I know. They were best friends, that's why mom raised Peridot." I blinked in disbelief.

"But why didn't Em raise her?" Yellen turned around and started back up the stairs.

"I don't know. Mom doesn't talk. Not everyone's mom starts talking with a bottle of wine, you know." Dirgarding the comment about my mother, I dug deeper.

"Then how did you find out?" I questioned. Yellen turned back to me.

"Listen Pearl. I'm not just a pretty face. My mother has three  degrees, she wouldn't raise an idiot. I knew smething was up. Peridot's birthday is a week after mine. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. So I asked some questions, learned some things." I nodded.

"You're a lot smarter than you seem, Yellen. Why do you put on this act?" She sighed and shook her head.

"Listen, Pearl. These days a pretty face is worth more to most people than an intelligent brain. I could have twice the experience of a man and get paid half as much. Sometimes being a people pleaser gets you further." She explained. "And don't you dare think I don't use my intelligence to my advantage. I have these girls eating out of the palm of my hand. I'm a manipulator, Pearl. And this act puts me right in my element.