Sound of Silence
I still remember that day. The day my handsome, strong, heroic son came home to me after having been in the past for a little over a couple weeks. He was so excited that he, along with the others, were able to defeat the androids and another one of earth's threats.
I was working in my lab, wearing one of my jumper work uniforms. It was basically all I owned, since I gave up on looking good a long time ago. Right after Vegeta died, I believe. With the androids continuously attacking, I wasn't about to risk being caught off guard in a mini skirt and tube top. My hair was pulled back in a ponytail, though my thick mane was still causing sweat to drip from my forehead and into my eyes. I thought about cutting it short again, but my long hair was basically the only thing that kept me feeling like a woman.
"Mom! Mom!" I heard Trunks enter Capsule Corp. from a couple halls down. A huge smile plastered my lips. His voice…something in it sounded excited, and not distressed. That alone made me know that this nightmare was almost over.
"Trunks? Honey?" I called, dropping my needle nose pliers and screwdriver. I pushed myself from the ground and ran to the entrance of my lab, just in time to run into his muscular chest.
He didn't even give me a chance to catch my bearings. He placed his hands on my hips and lifted me from the ground, spinning me around about three or four times. We both laughed joyously, his smile being contagious though I still didn't know quite what had him so enthusiastic.
It wasn't until he finally put me down that he told me, "Mom, everything is going to be okay from now on. I promise!"
"Oh yeah?" I put my hands on my hips, cocking my head to the side and winking, "You were able to save the past, huh?"
"Yeah, but it gets even better than that! I just defeated the androids in this timeline, too!" He smirked proudly, the Vegeta in him shining through. Though I could see in his eyes, that even if it had been someone else that defeated 17 and 18, he would have been just as happy to see the nightmare end.
Tears brimmed my eyes, but my smile stayed, "Oh Trunks…we're finally free?"
He nodded, taking my hands in his, "You can finally have your like back, Mother."
"Me?" I swallowed my tears, playfully taking my hands away and pushing his shoulder, "Trunks, don't worry about me. I lived my life and was always happy just knowing that I still had you. But you…oh honey, you're finally going to see what living is. You'll meet a nice girl, she'll show you the time of your life, you'll eventually get married…"
"Mom…" he blushed, my poor son still not used to the topic of girls with me, "I'm sure that all that is still a long ways away…"
I giggled, almost surprised at the immaturity in my voice, "It'll happen sooner than you think."
"Anyway," he began, his blush still apparent, "do you mind if I go back to the past one more time to tell the others I defeated the androids in this time and everything is right again?"
"Of course not! I'm sure Goku would love to know what you did."
He nodded, already turning and heading toward the exit, "I'll tell everyone you said hi. I should only be gone a couple hours, Mom." He grinned at me as he walked backwards, "Have dinner ready when I get home?"
"Sure, Honey," my heart pounding loudly just seeing that look on his face…the look I was never able to see before. I knew there was always something driving me forward…always having that small hope for the future. And it was because of my son…and all the promises that came with him. I may not have anyone else, ever since Chi-Chi passed away all those years ago upon receiving the news of Gohan's death, but Trunks was all I needed. And one day, I just knew he would get married and give me grandchildren to spoil.
He put his hand on the doorknob, about to head off for his last mission.
"Trunks," I called, stopping him in his tracks. He looked over his shoulder, his eyes peering at me over the high collar of his CC jacket. I paused, enjoying the look of him, "I love you."
The grin he was hiding reached his eyes, "Love you, too." And then he was gone.
That was three weeks ago.
At first, I thought maybe my old friends convinced him to stay for a couple days for a big celebration. I remembered how they were and didn't let it worry me too much. He deserved to have a few more fun days with all his new friends before coming home to see my wrinkled face. Speaking of which, I managed to pull myself together a little more.
With earth's threats not roaming around anymore, it was due time for me to show my beautiful side. I did my duty for the world by working so many years on that time machine. I owed it to myself to perm my hair, apply my mascara and lipstick, and put on clothes that were just a little too tight.
Each night, I had a big dinner ready just in case that was the day Trunks would return to me.
But he never did. When he first left, I kept dinner on the stove to keep it warm, not wanting to eat without him. Then I began putting his serving and mine on plates and setting it on the table, hoping that maybe he would come unexpectedly and the joke would be on me for serving him a cold dinner. Then it got to the point that I began eating my own serving right away. I would look over at the empty seat, never thinking that Trunks wouldn't come home.
I walked the halls of Capsule Corp. silently. I didn't want to risk turning on the TV or radio and miss hearing my son. I spent so many years listening to the blasts and destruction of the androids on the city's outskirts that the silence seemed louder than usual.
One night, I walked to his bedroom and leaned against the doorway, staring at his perfectly made bed. Normally, the sheets would be every which way. I never got into the habit of making my bed and never forced it upon Trunks either. I never understood what the point of it was if it was just going to get messed up again. But boredom can make you do crazy things.
I crossed my arms over my chest as my eyes wandered over to the connecting bathroom. My mind roamed back to the day after Gohan's death and how much misery Trunks was in.
He came out of the bathroom, bandages wrapped around his head and his shoulders. His eyes were puffy, but he was trying so hard to sniff back his tears so I wouldn't see.
"Trunks, you should still be in bed," I told him, my voice low and sympathetic.
"I had to walk around for a minute," he mumbled, slumping down on his bed. He hung his head low and his shoulders slumped forward, still breathing in deep to keep his tears in. I wanted to cry too. God, how bad I wanted to cry. Gohan and Trunks were everything to me ever since the death of the rest of the warriors, and I felt like I lost a whole part of me.
Biting my bottom lip, I made my way into his room and sat down beside him, pulling him against me. He didn't even fight it. He laid his head on my shoulder and released all his emotions right away. And I couldn't hold it in myself any longer. I sat beside my little boy and cried with him.
My mind snapped back to the present, the emptiness of the bedroom mimicking that of my heart.
Where are you, Trunks…?
I walked in and laid down on his bed. It smelled like him. I pulled one of his pillows to my chest and curled up into a ball.
Even after all these years, I never felt so completely alone…