Even though she had steeled herself for what might be on the other side of the door, Pearl's heart still managed to beat just a few times faster when she finally caught sight of Jasper hunched over on the edge of her bed. The t-shirt was clearly thrown on last second since she could spy parts of it still rolled up and lop sided to reveal the skin beneath. "One moment, please!" Almost tripping over herself as she backed up, Pearl managed to find the bathroom and shut herself inside before her face turned beat red. Slowly, she sank to the ground and covered her face in her hands. Just what was she even doing over here? It was one thing to play the good Samaritan and bring a friend some dinner while they were down, but a whole 'nother thing entirely to have the image she had in her head the moment she saw Jasper looking all sick and weak and adorable. Pearl took in a deep breath, rationalizing it as just something that happened when parted from a loved one for a while. It was nothing to feel guilty over so long as nothing came of it. When she'd composed herself, she flushed the toilet to complete the ruse and exited after washing her hands.<br/><br/>"Apologies. I just got... lightheaded... for a moment." A grand excuse, certainly. After having spent a month off and on with the larger woman, however, Pearl knew she was oblivious to all of this anyway. Her daughter, Mala, was another matter entirely and Pearl couldn't help but frown at how wide the girl was grinning at her. She eyed the child cautiously and entered the room, kneeling herself on the floor and going through the bag she brought with her. "I do have a few over the counter prescriptions here if you end up needing anything. I didn't know what you were sick with so I brought a little of everything..." Saying it out loud made the woman realize how sheepish such an action was. Jasper was sick, not dying; she didn't need this level of care, but it was in Pearl's nature to do so. She'd sooner put everything aside for another, if need be, than ever do the same for herself.<br/><br/>She smiled up at the couple as Mala smooched herself into her mother's hair. There was a small flash of jealousy that shot through her when she thought how easy it was for Mala to just crawl into the bed and immerse herself in Jasper's luscious mane. The woman shook her head and sighed softly, disappointed in herself. Instead, she reached for the soup Mala had set down in favor of bugging her mother and presented it to Jasper. "I also had some homemade leftovers I thought you might like. There's a little more in the crockpot in the kitchen if you end up needing more." She smiled at them both before remembering something Mala had mentioned over the phone. "And... is Mala taking a taxi to school every day? If you're having issue getting her to school, I can take her to class in the morning. I'm... not so sure about afternoons, but perhaps I could think of something... I just think a taxi is way too dangerous for her, don't you think, Jasper?" She was rubbing the back of her neck by the end of her commentary, finding herself feeling a little out of bounds here suggesting what a mother do with her child, but to some fraction, Mala had started to feel like her own kid too. All the kids in her classes did.<br/><br/>"And if not that..." she added while slowly rising from the floor and meticulously brushing herself off, "At least let me take her to classes. Picking her up and dropping her off from the gym isn't an issue now that I know where you two live. Which, by the way, is<i>fabulous</i>." Pearl glanced around the room, noticing even how spacious the bedroom was and recalling the rest of the apartment. "I've never seen such a lovely home. I live downtown a ways, myself. I'm happy to know Mala is well taken care of, though." She smiled at the child still playing in Jasper's hair despite her warnings.