Wallet Love

Prologue

Sometimes all it takes is a moment. A flicker of doubt or defiance, A decision to trust or to run. Sometimes, a moment is all it takes to fall in love. A moment of bravery and insane courage.

A single moment, to change it all.

He examined the expensive sports car that was parked outside. It wasn't excessively fancy which he liked. The last thing he wanted was to look like a tool driving in it.

It was a sleek silver colour and looked as if it was only a couple years old. Not a single scratch was present. From the outside it was ordinary, well a spectacular-ordinary. But on the inside the seats were a smooth leather, the interior was impeccable. He could imagine taking his girlfriend out for a Sunday drive in such a car. The top would be pulled down and her hair would fly about in the wind as she lifted her arms into the air as is rushed past. Like she was flying. His eyes flickered at the fantasy of it all. This offer was becoming more and more tempting.

The young man walked up the cobblestone path to the front porch of the house. There were children's toys littered all over the place. A tricycle was leaning against the door and a chalkboard was centered on the little deck, sporting some very abstract chalk drawings.

He smiled at this. This little scene depicted the kind of suburban life he'd like to settle down with when he eventually had kids of his own, with his girlfriend who, if he was lucky, would become his wife. He'd always wanted to have a family. He wasn't the type of person who thought he needed to live a life of youthful foolishness first. Ironically, he was interested in purchasing a car that reflected the interests of a splurging young fool but 'oh well.'

After a couple of stern knocks, a young woman opened the door to have the tricycle fall on her feet. Her blonde hair was tied into a messy poly tail and her face had no makeup. Her clothes were selected for comfort not style, all loose fitting with the appearance of water stains most likely due to a cleaning spree. Everything about this woman screamed 'MOM!'

"Oh my gosh, I swear I tell those kids to put their toys away all the time," she softly complained as she picked the tricycle off the floor and set it upright to the side. She smiled warmly when her eyes caught his, "Hello there, lovely to meet you." She extended her hand.

"It's a pleasure," he replied, "My name is Uub Papaya, I spoke to you on the phone."

"Oh that's right, yes you did. I'm Mary Pratt, you're interested in the car right?" she shook his hand respectfully. Her sky blue eyes flickered over to the sporty silver vehicle in the front yard.

"That's correct. I've just had a bit of a look at it and I'm wondering, Are you sure you want to be selling it for such a low price. It seems to be worth much more than 25,000 zeni? I don't want to be taking advantage of you," Uub chuckled. The car looked to be worth at the very least 100,000 zeni.

"Oh no, thank you for your concern," she laughed warmly, "My husband actually won that car. One of those supermarket raffles you know. But it's only two doors and it's not really appropriate for a growing family," she explained as she rubbed at her slightly swollen stomach, "We just really want to get rid of it."

"I see," Uub stated with a shrug. If that was the case then he didn't have to feel bad about ripping this poor woman off.

"Would you mind just waiting here for a minute whilst I grab the paperwork. I'd invite you in but my husband is very particular about allowing men into the house when I'm alone with the kids."

"I understand, that's completely fine," Uub had to smile at her charm. The manner in which she presented herself was quite sweet. She reminded him of his own mother in a lot of ways.

As she left into the house, Uub couldn't help glancing inside the front room. There were even more baby toys all over the place. It was a mess of colours and stuffed smiling animals.

'Boy, kids look like a lot of work,' he thought to himself.

She returned to the front door holding the paperwork, "Sorry about the mess, I promise I cleaned all of this up the morning," she sighed, a little embarrassed.

"No troubles," Uub smiled.

"So just so you know, I've had a lot of people interested in the car. There's actually a few coming to look at it later this afternoon," she stated apologetically.

Uub's face fell, he was a little disappointed he may not be able to get it.

"But I guess, I kinda like you," she smiled again, "So if you want, I'll just have to take a 200zeni cash deposit and get you to sign here then you can come collect it at 6pm tonight when my husband returns."

"Really, you'd do that for me?" he asked.

She shot him that killer smile for a final time to seal the deal.

"Where do I sign," Uub grinned.

"Karina, don't do this," Trunks whined. He leaned against the doorway to their bedroom as she frantically threw things into her suitcase, "We can work this out," he pleaded.

"No Trunks, no we can't, I'm done trying to work this out. It's clear this will never work out. Let's just save ourselves the pain and end it now," she shot at him. She was angry and it was justified.

Trunks Briefs had yet again missed something important to her due to his own work commitments at Capsule Corporation.

"Just tell me what I need to do to fix this and I will do it," Trunks offered. He wasn't pleading for it, in fact he sounded almost indifferent which really got on Karina's nerves.

She stopped and glared at him. The eyebrows above her blue-speckled green eyes knitted together. She wasn't as pretty when she was mad. Trunks noted that. And he seemed to make her mad often.

"Do you have a time machine Trunks?" she asked him, almost seriously.

"Do I what?" he asked in disbelief.

"Do, you, have, a, Time Machine?"

"No I don't have a time machine, don't be stupid," he growled at her insolence. He understood that he needed to change but she needed to meet him half way. He didn't have the time or energy to deal with these riddles and games.

"So clearly you can't fix this Trunks," she spat, and the pain in her heart was obvious at this point. She tried to hold back her tears.

"You can't go back to all those nights I've been left waiting at restaurants for hours because you've been at work," she sobbed.

"You can't go back to all the family functions my parents have held that you couldn't find the time to attend"

"You can't go back to the moment I told you I got my promotion and actually act like you gave a damn," she growled now reaching for a paperweight situated on a fancy bedside cabinet. She threw it at him with all her force. He dodged effortlessly.

"And you certainly can't go back and actually have FUN with me!" she screeched.

Trunks understood that he deserved all of this. He knew that he put work before her. He knew that that needed to change. That HE needed to change. He just thought that if he had enough time he could work on it. He could find a balance between home and work. He could make room for her. He could... He could... did she just say he wasn't fun?

That stung.

She pushed passed him out of the bedroom of his penthouse. She kept loading the few things she owned from the kitchen into her suitcase.

"I know I screwed up Karina, but please... I love you. Just give me another chance," he begged. He was an optimist. If he was the kind of guy that gave up when things got even a little ugly the company would be nowhere near the caliber it is today. He and Karina had to get passed this. There as no other option.

"I know that you think you love me," she said, as she took a deep breath, "But I don't think you really know what love is. If you loved me you would be dying to spend time with me... It wouldn't be just another job to you."

Trunks was taken aback by her words. She had never been so blunt and put him in his place. This was seeming more and more serious. Maybe this was really ending. Desperate times were calling for desperate measures.

"I missed your niece's birthday, I know that meant a lot to you and I'm sorry I couldn't be there. Just because I couldn't doesn't mean I didn't want to. So please, I'll do anything. I'll send you and her on a trip to anywhere you want, my treat. Please just don't leave yet, give me another chance"

"You think you can buy yourself some time Trunks, but you can't. Love me with your heart not your wallet," she cried and shoved a photo frame into his chest.

He clutch a photo depicting two lovers seated in front of the most luxury view of West City. She looked at him adoringly with half lidded eyes. He looked off camera view, with that same bored, indifferent look in his eyes...

The imagery was mortifying, now that he thought about it.

"Karina…I-"

The red haired beauty he had called his girlfriend for the past 2 years turned her back to him. Slammed the door of his penthouse, his life and his heart in one swift motion.

*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*

"LADY, YOU BETTER OPEN UP RIGHT NOW!" a man yelled as he stood in front of Mary Pratt's door

Uub exited his taxi arriving at Mary's home, excited to pick up his new car. As he approached the house what he found was 25 other people standing around looking quite peeved. The fancy sports car was nowhere to be seen.

"What's going on?" Uub asked an elderly man amongst the small crowed.

"You pay the woman 200zeni too?" he questioned.

"Yeah, she said she would hold the car for me, why what's going on?" Uub asked, confused.

"It looks like she said that to all of us," the man replied.

Uub's eyes widened. It was all... a trick?

And he fell for it so easily. The house was closed up now, there were no toys left outside. No chalk board, no tricycle and the property seemed to be noticeably vacant.

It was likely she had simply hired the car for the day to put on this rouse. The temptation of such a bargain had clouded everyone's judgement. Uub especially.

Uub didn't receive any forms from her nor could he remember the license plate number on the vehicle. All he had was her name and this address.

What else was wrong with the scene? She probably had no kids and no husband. Just a common thief, a clever crook. He couldn't believe he fell for it. He had a weakness when it came to young mothers. His own mother raised him on her own and she was the person he admired most in this world. How many others would so easily trust a pretty young mother?

Mary Pratt was a genius.

"NATASHA WATLEY, YOU BETTER GET YOUR BLONDE ASS OUT HERE! NOW, I HAVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AND I'M CALLING THE COPS!" the man yelled through the door.

"Natasha Watley?" Uub questioned the man as he walked up the steps, "She told me her name was Mary"

"She told me it was Susan" another victim piped in.

"God Damn it!" the man cursed, realizing her real name was probably neither.

"I'll bet she doesn't even live here, it looks like a public housing unit," another woman spat, "That lying bitch, I can't believe I gave her 200zeni cash!"

"We better call the police!" the man suggested, disgust was evident in his voice.

Uub sighed, partially hoping a small crater would erupt in the Earth below his feet so he could fall in.
"I am the police," he admitted ashamed as he pulled his badge out of his pocket. It was dim times when West City's own police force was falling at the hands of mere con artists.

The bystanders began letting their frustration out on him, demanding to know what their tax dollars were being wasted on when they had cops as incompetent as he. Uub made a mental note, he would find this 'Mary Pratt' and bring her to justice.

She would regret the day she stepped foot into West City.

A/N: *Edited 9/8/14*

Special thanks to Writer'sFantasy for putting my cover photo together, it's amazing :)