Control.
Everything about Chi-Chi emitted control.
Good ol' reliable, overprotective Chi-Chi.
She glanced down at her shopping list. Spaghetti Sauce.
Frowning, she scanned the shelves, looking for a suitable brand. She finally decided on some Prego, and tossed it into the cart.
See? Total control.
All through her life she had controlled people. Her family, mostly. She ran her household military-style. Dinner was at seven, and everyone had an early bedtime. She was the perfect image of a perfectionist. Her house sparkled; family problems never left the family, and to everyone who saw her she was always the same old Chi-Chi she'd always been.
But she'd felt so alone.
She looked at the shelves, this time looking for yams. She found some and put that into the cart too, looking down to see what was next.
All around her people bustled about, too involved in their own lives to look at her. Next to her an old couple walked slowly past her, heading toward another section of the market. A man in his late 20's grabbed some Raman noodles. A woman down the aisle struggled to restrain two screaming kids.
Chi-Chi smiled fondly. She remembered those days.
She reached up to grab a jar of jelly. Putting it into the cart, she instinctively reached for another one. Her hand stopped midway, and she grabbed it gently, smiling sadly. There was no one else to shop for. Just her, plain old Chi-Chi alone in her house, no more children to take care of, no more husband to worry over, nothing. Just her, and no one else.
She wished Goku would come back.
She'd been alone in the house ever since Goten had left for college. He'd been there for a year now, probably breaking every rule she'd ever set for him. Goten, while he was not usually disobedient, wasn't too fond of his mother's strictness either. Ever since he was little, it was clear that all he really wanted to do was fight. But Chi-Chi refused to let any such thing happen. She had pushed him, prodded him, done everything in her power squelch all thoughts of fighting and mold him into another Gohan. But Chi-Chi knew in her heart that he would never become the kind of son she wanted him to be, that she had really been pushing him too far.
Goten had never really tried to be smart. He'd had ho-hum grades, and had never hoped for higher than the occasional B+ .He had never tried to be as smart as his brother and Chi-Chi knew it was all her fault. She'd always prized Gohan, highest above all things. She'd put him onto a pedestal that Goten could never reach, held him in such high regard that no matter how far Goten flew he'd never reach him. Goten simply wasn't good enough to match up to his brother. So, instead of trying harder, he'd just stopped trying all together. There was really no point in going on when you knew you would never be good enough. Goten had left for college with high hopes, overjoyed to finally be able to make his own decisions. Chi-Chi often wondered if she'd ever see him again. Would he come home for thanksgiving, or would he go off with his friends? She didn't know, but she wished he'd come home.
Chi-Chi walked into the parking lot and climbed into the car, putting her bags into the backseat. She climbed in the front, and backing out the space, she slowly drove out of the parking lot.
After Goku had died fighting Cell, Chi-Chi decided to learn how to drive. She could have easily had Goten fly her, of course, but she liked to be independent. Besides, flying was one of the things on her no-no list. She bought herself a nice car, an air-minivan. Her kids had protested, claiming it was too much of a family car. But then again, in those days Chi-Chi was still fantasizing about her perfect family, with her boys becoming doctors and scientists while she and Goku grew old together, sitting by the fire and enjoying each other's company.
How had she come to be with Goku? Ah yes, she remembered. She had been a young girl, at the Boudakai. She fought Goku, and lost. But just before the tournament ended, she reminded him of his promise to marry her that he had made long ago. Even then, he'd shown signs of doubt, but poor Goku, he was so honest he couldn't deny having made it. They'd married soon after, and Chi-Chi thought she'd die of happiness. How foolish she'd been.
She pulled up to the front of her house and climbed out of the car. She arranged the two grocery bags on her arm and walking carefully up to the front door, she pulled out her key and opened it. She walked into the kitchen and set the bag onto the table.
A can fell from the bag and onto the floor. She leaned down to pick it up, and was stunned as a bigger, stronger hand landed on top of hers.
Terror gripped her heart. A robber! She raised her eyes slowly, prepared for he worst.
"Goku!" She yelped, falling back.
He husband smiled down at her and offered his hand.
"Konnichiwa, Chi-Chi-chan! How have you been?"
Chi-Chi, still stunned stood up on her own, ignoring Goku's hand. She dug through one of the grocery bags for a minute, before pulling out a head of lettuce. She walked over the counter, pulled her chopping board off a hook and began to pull lettuce leaves off. Goku frowned slightly.
"Chi-Chi-chan?"
Chi-Chi pulled a knife from a drawer and began to chop up the leaves she'd pulled. Her frame shook slightly, and she reached up to wipe her eyes.
Goku frowned even more. She was crying. Gently, he reached over to embrace her. "Chi-Chi…what's-"
Chi-Chi whirled around and smacked him with all her might. It didn't hurt him, but there was still a faint red mark on his face.
Goku looked stunned. "Chi-Chi…"
"Just leave Goku," Chi-Chi said, lowering her face so that her bangs covered her eyes. "And don't come back. Ever."
Goku let go of her. He walked slowly out the door, not stopping once. As he got outside he turned though, and looked at her sadly. He looked like he wanted to say something, but thought better of it. Instead he took off into the sky, heading west for Kami knows where.
Chi-Chi watched him go. He'd left the same way he always did. Heading off to his secret hideout where he had spent the last few years with Uub. But in her heart, she knew he wasn't coming back.
She returned to her lettuce. She pulled off more leaves, and began to chop those too. She continued this way for a few moments, before she heard a voice behind her.
"So you two finally broke it off eh?"
She whirled around, surprised. Who else could that be but…
"You knew?" She asked Vegeta softly. He smirked and walked into the kitchen, looking around it, noticing the food on the table with some interest.
"Of course I knew. Actually, I was expecting it to happen sooner. You two never really were compatible, you know."
"Yeah well, thanks for the news update." Chi-Chi muttered. Vegeta smirked and walked back outside, prepared to leave.
As he was leaving, he turned to look at her. She had her back to him, hand already on the knife, prepared to go back to preparing her food.
"Oh yeah, and Chi-Chi?"
She looked at him over her shoulder.
"You won't be missed."
He took off into the sky, disappearing in the direction Goku had gone.
She turned back to her board and began again. She glanced up from the board briefly, looking around the room. Her eyes happened to land on the telephone, sitting on its little stand next to the kitchen table.
She walked over to it and picked up the address book that sat next to it, and began to flip through furiously, looking for someone, anyone, to call.
She finally landed on R. Her eyes scrolled down the page and she happened to notice the name Richard.
He was a nice man she'd met one day at the grocery store. He was smart. He was dependable. He could make her laugh, and being with him lifted Chi-Chi up in a way Goku never had. She'd gone out with Richard a quite few times, actually. But she'd never let the relationship get too far, for fear that Goku would come home every minute and she would have to once again assume her role as the loyal housewife.
She put the phone to her ear and raised her finger to start dialing. But it hung there, suspended above the keypad.
Goku. She could still bring him home. She could make it work.
Vegeta's words drifted to her: You won't be missed.
Smiling, Chi-Chi dialed Richard's number.