Secrets and Lullabies
Chapter Seven: The Biggest Secret of All
By Oblivious-Bystander
Shaking the key a series of times, kicking it, and calling it profane names obviously do nothing to open a stubborn apartment door. Now, when you figure out you're using the wrong key, maybe there will be more progress. Maybe.
After a few embarrassing, yet just as aggravating, minutes, Relena swung open her apartment door, ushering me and Josh inside with a tight jaw and a continuous opening and closing hand at her side.
Ignoring it, walking in, I was surprised at how clean it truly was. With a five year old in the house, you would only expect it to at least be a little messier. The carpets looked sponged, everything was put away, everything was straight, and it smelled nice. I think it was baked apple though I didn't see a candle anywhere. Maybe it was febreze.
"You can set down the bags in here" her voice drifting from what I assumed to be the kitchen with a hint of minor irritation. It was the only place that was in the direction the voice came from. And, I only assumed it was her, considering, she was the one irritated at the moment, probably for more than one reason. I imagined at least one of those reasons was me and my talent to get what I want, what a helpful talent indeed.
Looking, I was right, "I would have excepted you're place to be dirtier" I admitted, walking slowly to her, watching her unpack a bag and fold the brown sack neatly into a square before stuffing it in the cabinet by her feet. I could see that she was organized.
"Why would you think that?" absently putting the things away as I started unpacking the other two bags, "Do you have a history with messy women or something" giving me a tiny suspicion that she was calling me a player. It probably didn't help that I called my previous relationship a 'sex thing' so I brushed it off.
Shaking my head, I tried to mimic her folding technique, failing horribly to only make an uneven wrinkled rectangle instead, "No, I just assumed that with having a son-" unfolding the bag to try again.
Taking the bags away from me when I failed a second time, our hands brushing, she folded the bags effortlessly with rosy cheeks, stuffing them again in the cabinet at her feet, "You thought Josh would be messy?" walking away from the kitchen and to the couch, pulling off the cushions, setting them aside against the wall behind it.
Not exactly knowing what to do with the remaining products on the counter, I tried to figure out where she kept what, opening cabinet after the other, "I thought all kids were messy" feeling slightly uncomfortable at how empty the cabinets were. For her sake, I didn't say anything.
Looking up at me, seeing my pathetic struggle with putting groceries away, she traded me jobs, "Pull the bed out, I'll put those away" dodging me at all costs this time, "And, no, Josh isn't messy" she called with a bit of a bite over her shoulder. Why she did that, I didn't know.
"Who thought I was messy" said a small voice from the hallway, clad in Elmo PJ's that were cutely backwards.
"Heero did" Relena answered, putting away the last spice and bag of candy, picking up Josh's dart gun and shoes, "Did you brush your teeth?" eyeing him accusingly when his eyes went wide.
Immediately, Josh bolted down the hallway to the one room at the end, slamming the door, Relena chasing after him, "brush your teeth!" her hair bouncing in protest to her running.
With a second slam, the apartment settled into silence, leaving me to pull the folded bed from the depths of the couch. It was a fairly large bed, stripped of sheets or any other recommended sleeping accessories, but I assumed Relena had that somewhere else. Or, I hoped she did.
Glancing down the hallway a moment, making sure the coast was clear, I kicked off my shoes, dropped my pants, and pulled my shirt over my head, revealing red plaid boxers and white ankle socks. Walking the short distance to my abandoned back, I stuffed my clothes in, perching myself on the arm of the couch. I didn't want to be caught taking my clothes off. But, being caught without clothes, I didn't care about that.
As soon as my rear hit the fabric, the front door flew open, banged against the wall and fell back shut, making me jump up a couple feet. I could have sworn I saw that girl Hilde…
Then, again, the door was rapidly opened, and on the other side was a group of people, all just as shocked as me upon seeing the other. In fact, it was everyone from lunch, minus Daniel and plus two extra women. The first to speak was Duo, though, not to my surprise.
"Heero, my man, I didn't know you and Relena had this in mind when you left!" eyeing my wardrobe of boxers and socks, grinning slightly. Quatre and Wufei remained silent behind him. Trowa glared.
With another bang, Relena ran from the hallway with a grumpy Josh in her arms, jumping back when she saw the crowd in her doorway. I was surprised she didn't hear the series of bangs from when they opened the door, "Oh my god… Hilde?" throwing a hand over her heart, "What are you doing?"
Hilde remained silent for a moment, giving me a once over before looking back at Relena, "I was worried about you. But, "looking back at me, "I can come back"
Following her gaze, Relena's face burned bright pink, eyeing me for a long moment before tearing her eyes away. I was a little flattered she looked so long. She could look all damn day if she wanted.
"Oh, uh, he bought me groceries and it was late…and, he isn't friends with Erin anymore…and, he's going to…" sighing heavily, reliving her defeat, "live…here" pointing down at the floor to fuller express 'here'
When nobody answered, or moved, Relena put Josh down and ushered them all inside before closing the door, eyeing my empty bed, "I'll get you your sheets in a moment" pushing the women down the hallway and into her bedroom, closing the door. It reminded me of a chick flick.
Silence, again, drifted around the room before Josh eyed the couch, confused, "What happened to the couch?" pointing at the bed filling the living room. I guess he never knew about that handy feature.
Glancing down, smirking, I turned back to him, "It got sick and threw up a bed instead" earning an expression of awe. It didn't matter that it didn't make sense, it amazed him anyway.
"Heero…" Quatre's voice said from the kitchen table, when I looked at him, he looked almost like a proud but disapproving brother "What happened after you left the restaurant?" taking in my almost nude body a moment, confused as everyone else but even more curious
Sighing, running my fingers through my hair, I looked back them all, a little disappointed to say that it wasn't what it looked like "We left, went to the store, I bought her groceries, it was late and I didn't feel like walking her home and walking back to your place so I was just going to stay here, went to get clothes from Erin's, broke up with Erin, and now I'm living here", like Relena, pointing down at the floor.
Trowa, who I kept forgetting was here, walked over and plopped down on the bed below me, "She let you buy her groceries?" confused. It was the first thing that he had said to me in quite a few years. I guess we didn't need a 'hello' or 'how are you'.
"Yeah, why?" looking down at him, remembering he had known Relena longer, and first. Another wave of jealously, like from the restaurant, splashed down on me.
"She hardly ever takes charity…from anyone" he replied, looking up at Josh a moment, smiling, "I was at the hospital when you were born, Josh"
It was a random statement.
Josh stood there a moment, eyeing him, "You're not my dad, right? It's the other guy" keeping distance till he saw Trowa nod, "Can you tell me about it?" suddenly excited, running to sit at his feet, an instant change of mood.
"Tell you about what?" resting his elbows on his knees, looking down at the grown boy on the floor. He looked like a father figure, and I didn't like it.
"About when I was born!" Josh said, inching closer.
Trowa paused a moment before smiling again, "I was there with Hilde, holding Relena's hand as she brought you into the world. It took twelve long hours of labor but the time finally came, "pausing to look around the room, everyone was listening, "And, when you did, you screamed and screamed until they gave you to your mom, then, you were completely silent"
It felt like story time, really. All that I could see in my head was Relena, sweating in a delivery bed, holding Trowa's hand, and giving birth. The beauty of it all was faded by yet another wave of jealousy.
Nonetheless, Josh beamed, smiling up at me before continuing, "Where was my dad?"
Stiffening slightly, I noticed, Trowa shook his head, "Your mom didn't tell him that you were coming. She didn't want him there" ignoring my intense stare.
Duo cut in, "I thought Hilde said she was the only one there" a little uneasy at being lied to.
"Nobody was supposed to know that I was there. I was friends with Josh's dad so if word got back to him about Relena, it would have ruined everything" brushing off my curious gaze again, as for everyone else's
Before anything more was said, the women emerged into the living room, ushering Trowa and I away from the couch and ignoring the tense air. The only thing I really noticed was Relena's PJ's: black sweatpants and a navy blue hoodie, absent of any makeup
The two women I didn't know put the sheets on my bed; it was like they were synced. Hilde went back to Relena's room and brought out a big comforter and some pillows, dropping them on the bed so the other girls could straighten up, venturing back to Duo. I assumed they were officially dating now, if not, they were going to be.
Looking around for Relena when she was suddenly gone, I found her in the hallway entrance with Trowa, nodding her head at everything he said, looking deathly pale times. I was dying to know what they were saying. When I started to join them, the conversation ended.
With a hug, a big one, Trowa walked away from her and to the door, calling back to her, "We brought your food that you left at the restaurant, it's in the fridge" and looking at me, "Yours too", disappearing into the hallway outside the door.
One by one, the group followed him out: Quatre, Wufei, the two girls I didn't know, Duo, and lastly Hilde. They all gave their respects to Relena, the not so hosty host, in different ways, some hugged, and some shook hands. Wufei only nodded. I didn't expect anything more from him though. I was surprised he even did that much.
After a few moments, once the door was closed and silence yet again settled around the room, Relena look up at me with a sad smile, "Can those questions wait till another time, Heero?" gently guiding Josh down the hallway, pausing at the entrance to wait for my answer.
Nodding, taking in her exhausted expression, I glanced around the room, "Are there any rules I need to know about? Anything I can't do?" grinning at her, trying to put a smile on her face. I had come to like those.
Thinking for a short moment, Relena pointed down the hallway, smiling softly, "The only bathroom is in my room, I don't normally close my bedroom door but if it is, knock before you come in." her expression enforcing the rule, "The bathroom is always open if nobody is in it, there isn't any rule to when you can and can't use it…" looking around again, away from me "If you're hungry, eat. If you're thirsty, drink. I have a laundry bag in my room by the right nightstand; you can put your dirty clothes in there.
"On Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, I work till three in the afternoon at a Pizza Inn. Hilde normally comes over to watch Josh, but if you can or want to, you can watch him instead. You're welcome to move to my bed after I leave in the mornings, and on Tuesday and Friday I work the night shift at a diner." Again, she smiled down at me sadly.
I just stared at her a few moments, before nodding. I didn't know she worked so much. Today must have been her only extra day off in a good couple of months, and what a day it had been…
Pulling down the sheets to my new bed, I slipped under, trying to not let her see my pity. Trowa had said she didn't like charity, "I'll write you my work schedule tomorrow so that we can get things organized." Thinking a moment before adding, "I can watch Josh tomorrow, I don't mind" dropping my head to my feathered pillow
Watching a moment with a blank expression on her face, she walked over to me. Bending down and kissing my forehead, she brushed my hair out of my face with a soft smile, before straightening and walking back to the hallway "Goodnight, Heero."
Flicking off a lamp, engulfing the room with darkness, she disappeared from my vision. I laid there stunned in my bed, still remembering just how close she was. Her hair had caressed my face; her lips had touched my skin…
In my mind, I fought to figure out if she had kissed me out of habit of saying goodnight to Josh or… I mentally begged for a latter.
Suddenly, a sound drifted to my ears from the hallway, soft and sweet, ending all and any thoughts.
Slipping out of the sheets, standing silently, I crept to the hallway entrance that I could barely make out due to lack of light. Edging along the wall, I peeked around her bedroom doorway, as nothing but a shadow along the wall.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, blue and green stars glowing on the ceiling from a turtle nightlight, Relena sang softly to the little boy beside her. Smoothing back his brown clumps of hair, she drifted him gently to sleep, her voice quivering every now and then.
Stopping abruptly, turning away, her face lit in cool colors, she slide to the floor, burrowing her face into her hands on her knees, sobbing softly. She looked so small and weak, huddled crying on the floor for reasons I could only guess.
My heart fell to my stomach, watching her break down. She was just one person taking on what probably felt like the world. A single mother, struggling to get by and still raise her son, she had so many secrets resting heavily on her shoulders. The biggest secret of all was the one sleeping soundlessly in her bed. I had been so oblivious to all her suffering…
Tiptoeing away, lowering myself to the edge of my bed, I gazed blindly at what I assumed to be the hallway entrance. She worked day and night. She was fighting to keep her son. She was running from a man and there was no telling what he was capable off. But, she pushed it all way, and kept a smile on her face for her son.
She could just as easily lose everything in a blink of an eye, trying to take care of him. Though, I was sure she could hardly truly deny him anything.
Not even a simple lullaby
Okayyy, chapter seven! So, we're getting somewhere. This chapter was actually pretty difficult to write and might have gotten sloppy towards the end, my apologies. But, I hope you enjoyed it. I might even write the next chapter tomorrow. I'm going back to school Thursday so I'm trying to write as much as possible till then. I'm done with my summer assignments...well except for some vocab but thats not required. I personally think this is more important ;)
If there are mistakes, I'm sorry. I tried to read slowly to catch them all and I'm looking for songs to use as lullabies. I think i found one but still looking for anything better. Thank you for your patience...and love you all for reading.. *hugs!* I love the reviews =} so please continue R&R
