The next few days were a blur. Chi-Chi was completely confused about the weekend, so she threw herself into work. It was at least a legitimate way to get her mind off things.
But she still found herself checking her phone.
For what, she wasn't sure.
A flirty text from Lapis?
Or something else from Goku?
But Chi-Chi was too much of a coward to confront either men as she had no idea what she even wanted any more. She was beginning to resent Bulma for bringing up her sex life — or lack thereof — and essentially putting her into the tailspin that she was in now.
So when Wednesday rolled around and Bulma demanded her presence just before noon at an address Chi-Chi didn't recognize downtown, she was not in a good mood with her blue-haired friend. And as she walked into the building, she slowly realized she was in a giant studio.
After speaking to the receptionist of the generally nondescript building, she was led down a hall to a massive room filled with lights, backdrops and laptops. People milled about with clipboards and headsets; some were wearing what looked to be painting aprons, but they were clearly makeup artists. She recognized Zarbon off to the side by a mobile mirror station, arranging his tools.
As she came closer, she realized there was a makeshift kitchen in front of the backdrop. It had all been obscured by the people and equipment.
Almost like Moses parting the red sea, people began to move aside and revealed Bulma in the middle, barking something into a phone.
Did drama just follow Bulma wherever she went? She couldn't even stand still talking on a phone without making it look like an entrance.
As if realizing Chi-Chi's presence, Bulma abruptly cut off her call and lifted her arms in welcome.
"Chi! You made it!" Bulma exclaimed, rushing to kiss her on both cheeks as welcome.
"You told me to come here," Chi-Chi said bemusedly.
"Yes, of course. Oh, what do we have here?" Bulma asked, pointing to the cooler slung against Chi-Chi's hip.
"You also told me that this was going to be a food shoot. These were some of the items on my menu… Bulma, what the hell is this? What's going on?'
"Your photo shoot, silly," Bulma said, waving an assistant to take Chi-Chi's cooler from her. "But it's not just going to be food. It's going to be you, too. I said headshots, remember?"
Chi-Chi waved around in disbelief. "This doesn't look like headshots."
"Oh, we're going to test some conceptual shots, too. We have some ideas about how we want to market your brand, but we're not a hundred percent sure which direction to go. I know you're busy with the business and the kids, so we thought it'd be more efficient to try it all on one go. Save everyone time," Bulma said smoothly. She snapped her fingers and pointed at Chi-Chi.
Zarbon suddenly appeared on one side, while an exotic looking woman with a perfectly painted face appeared on the other.
"Now, Zarbon, he has to fix your hair. And that's your makeup artist, Helles," Bulma explained, already waving them off.
"Bulma, what about what she's wearing? She should change before we do our magic," Helles protested.
Bulma nodded. "Right right. Chi, the changing room is over there. I already picked an outfit for you."
Chi-Chi's head bounced back and forth between all the million things that was happening, completely confused. "What?"
"Go go. Just change. Come back here and we'll take care of you, all right? We're on a schedule."
Chi-Chi felt completely steamrolled but did as she was told, changing into the clothes left behind in the room. She was pleasantly surprised to see it was a sleeveless, white linen button up top with maroon wool cropped trousers speckled with gray. She was expecting something crazy, but this was definitely something she would wear herself. Though, this did fit better than most of her clothes.
As she walked out she was smiling toward Bulma who looked to be ordering more people about. But before she could reach her friend, Zarbon and Helles rounded on her.
Chi-Chi whipped around, panicked.
"What look are we going for?" Helles asked Zarbon, as if she wasn't standing directly in front of her.
"I'm going to texturize her hair. We're going to go for slight bed head, but still controlled. I think Bulma said she needs to look sun-kissed, natural. Skin has to look flawless. But still look like a mom."
"I am a mom," Chi-Chi said.
"Yes, darling," Helles drawled placatingly but was clearly not even listening.
Chi-Chi tried to say something but she found herself whisked into a chair, and soon, Zarbon was spritzing and primping, and Chi-Chi tried not to flinch as her face was slapped with who knew what.
By the time they were done, Chi-Chi felt like she was having an out-of-body experience, unsure of what was going on. She was shoved a hand mirror and whirled around, so she could check the back of her head as well as her face.
"What do you think, darling?" Helles asked.
Chi-Chi blinked, surprised at her own reflection.
She looked like herself.
Like she just had a full twelve-hours of sleep. Like she had just turned back ten years. Her makeup was subtle but perfect, highlighting all her best features, her deep wrinkles softened and freckles tamed. Her hair wasn't overdone, with a perfectly styled "just so" mess.
Sun-kissed.
Happy.
Pretty.
Without warning, tears sprang to her eyes.
"Oh, darling, glad you love it, but don't ruin your makeup," Helles said, already dabbing at the corners to make sure there were no mistakes.
"Oh my god, Chi-Chi, this is perfect," Bulma trilled from the side, her hands at her mouth. "You are perfect. I think you're ready for the spotlight now."
"Bulma, I—" Chi-Chi was overwhelmed with gratefulness. She had come here feeling so annoyed and now she was ashamed. Bulma only ever wanted the best for her friend and she had come in so ungrateful.
"I know, I know," Bulma said her eyes soft. "I'm the best. Now, listen to Helles. No crying. We want happy shots, you hear?"
An older gentleman with a long, dark pony tail walked by, holding a substantive DSLR in his hand. Bulma turned and waved to him.
"Chi, this is Daiz, your photographer. He'll be taking all the shots today. He is a genius, and he's going to make you look gorgeous for us," Bulma said.
"We'll make this fun," the man said with a friendly smile.
Chi-Chi decided that she had been worrying for nothing.
.
Chi-Chi wanted to kill Bulma. This was torture.
What once started as pleasant quickly turned sour as an hour ticked by. Both Daiz and Bulma seemed rather frustrated at Chi-Chi, as she posed with the strawberry short cake she made.
"She is just so stiff," Daiz said. "Everything looks and feels unnatural."
"I am not a model, okay," Chi-Chi huffed mortified.
Both Bulma and Daiz ignored her, musing together.
"We've tried everything. By herself. With the food," Daiz went on. "She is too self-conscious."
"Maybe we just need to take a break?" Bulma said, tiredly. "This is her first time doing something like this." She turned to the crowd and declared loudly. "Everyone, let's take ten."
Chi-Chi huffed in frustration, almost slamming the strawberry short cake on the stone counter. She had tried smiling, not smiling, holding something, nothing, several things. Her cheeks ached with the effort, and she felt like a prize pony with her hair being tugged at every interval between shots. Her hands were positioned oddly and even standing straight had begun to feel unnatural.
This was tiring and she was getting hot under the glare of these lights. And yet, apparently, none of it was enough.
She suddenly had a lot more respect for Lazuli and Lapis for doing something like this for a living.
"Hey ladies, how's it going?"
She had not been expecting that cheerful voice any time soon.
To Chi-Chi's shock, she saw Goku walk casually to the set, waving a hand.
He had on a pale orange button up shirt on top of tailored navy slacks today for work. He looked more delicious than all the food that was styled for the shoot. And judging from the admiring looks from the rest of the set, she wasn't the only one who thought so.
"Goku! What're you doing here?" Chi-Chi gasped as he approached fake kitchen counter.
"Ooh, strawberries, my favorite," Goku exclaimed, rounding behind her before reaching to pluck one from her shortcake.
She immediately grabbed his offending wrist, annoyed. "Goku, that was for the shoot!"
Abruptly, she realized exactly how close they were both were, their arms entangled. A frisson of awareness rippled through her, and the memory of the kiss by her jaw flashed, unbidden.
A flush stole across her cheeks.
A camera shutter snapped, unnoticed.
"Sorry, Chi," Goku said mischievously, but still popped the strawberry into his mouth. Chi-Chi growled, but her annoyance was slipping. He was such a brat, but how could she resist that playful twinkle?
Another shutter snapped.
"Yes, yes, that's it," someone muttered quietly, followed by more camera shutter noises.
"You haven't answered why you're here," Chi-Chi said slightly breathless, oblivious to others' observation.
"My office is just down the road. Bulma told me you were down here doing something for your catering business, so I thought I'd stop by at lunch to see why I have the kids today," Goku explained.
He was already hovering over the other goodies out on display, as if choosing what to take next.
"They're not edible," Chi-Chi said quickly.
"Liar," Goku said, rubbing his hands in anticipation. Chi-Chi shoved him half-heartedly, and Goku nudged her back.
Snap, snap, snap.
"Get out of here, this is a professional photo shoot," Chi-Chi said exasperatedly, trying to shoo him away with another gentle shove. He ducked his head and shrugged.
"Okay, okay. Can I have the leftovers?"
Chi-Chi laughed. "Yes, fine. Go."
"No!"
Chi-Chi and Goku jumped at Bulma's thunderous voice.
Bulma laughed delicately behind her hand as if realizing how forceful she'd been. "Sorry, I mean… Goku. Chi-Chi. We'd like to try something. Goku, can you stick around for a bit?"
"Just a few test shots," Daiz added, his pony tail bobbing.
Goku looked at them, then back at Chi-Chi, confused. He scratched his head, mussing up his office-perfect hair into how it normally looked. "… Sure? I have to get back to the office, soon though."
"Of course, just… can you stand… over there?" Bulma asked pointing just off to Chi-Chi's side. He shuffled stiffly to do just that.
"Okay, great. Chi, can you put your back to him… hold the cake. Perfect. Okay. Now, look at Goku over your shoulder," Bulma directed. Chi-Chi did as she was told, moving uncertainly.
"Like… this?" Chi-Chi asked.
"Hold her hips," Daiz barked suddenly, causing Goku to start and do just that.
Chi-Chi swallowed, craning her head up at her ex who was looking down at her with a mixture of confusion and amusement. What was going on?
Chi-Chi heard a dozen camera shots and then:
"Yes, yes, look at each other, perfect… okay, Goku, try to grab the cake, but don't actually grab— okay, good. Chi-Chi look annoyed. Ha! Perfect, perfect!" Bulma squealed.
Goku burst out laughing at the absurdity of it all, and Chi-Chi found herself following suit.
This was ridiculous!
"Ok, now turn toward him, Chi-Chi, good. Good. Look at him. Look like you want to have him for dessert, darling," Daiz said.
Chi-Chi looked up, stricken, but Goku was wiggling his eyebrows in such a comically suggestive manner that she broke into a peal of giggles.
"Grab that plate of strawberries. Yes, good. Now, try to feed him," Daiz went on. "Come on, yes, yes, slowly… yes. That's sexy. Great, great!"
Chi-Chi felt her face flame as she offered Goku the strawberries, his eyes slowly losing its twinkling humor to be replaced with… something much more complex. His pupils were blown wide, his breaths shallow as the strawberry neared his mouth. His lips brushed against the tips of her fingers as she softly offered the fruit, electricity jolting up her arm.
"Oh wow, hot, perfect!"
Chi-Chi felt herself burning up. She wasn't sure if it was the lights or because Goku was radiating so much heat. Her skin prickled with anticipation, her belly tightening with a certain type of hunger.
She was starving.
She saw his eyes lower, looking contemplatively at her mouth. Her throat ran dry, so she darted her tongue slowly past her lips, her chin lifting as they inched closer together.
"Yes, yes, that's great. I think we're good!" Daiz exclaimed.
Chi-Chi jumped back as if burned, the photographer's delighted shouts jolting her back to reality. She looked up and saw Bulma staring at them slack-jawed. She had never seen the heiress look so stunned.
And if Bulma looked stunned, Chi-Chi wondered how she looked.
She forced herself to regard the man who was running his hand through his hair, laughing nervously, his own cheeks blooming with color. She was glad she wasn't the only one affected by what just happened. Or almost happened.
Or… whatever that was!
"That was interesting," he said, finally.
"Yeah," was all Chi-Chi could manage. Her face was probably as red as her slacks.
"I can still have the leftovers, right?" Goku asked with a half smile as he made his way towards her.
Her next laugh sounded more like a whoosh of air. "Yes, you pig."
"Okay, I should head back," he said, looking reluctant. "I just wanted to say hi and see how things are going. I hope I helped."
"You were great Goku!" Bulma called, flashing him a thumbs up. He laughed and mirrored the gesture. Chi-Chi found herself chuckling.
What a ridiculous afternoon indeed.
He turned back to her. "Don't worry about the kids, I'll just pick them up straight after school if that works for you? And they might as well stay the night. You can just pick them up after school tomorrow."
Chi-Chi nodded, grasping his forearm as he moved past her. "Thank you for watching them."
"They're my kids, too," he said with a half-smile. He nodded towards Bulma, who was already focused on the images Daiz was showing her through the camera's LCD screen. She must have seen him through her periphery since she lifted her hand to wave.
A familiar text notification on a table just off stage broke her reverie.
"Oh, Goku, since you're close— that's my phone. Can you hand it to me?" she asked, arm outstretched.
Goku glanced at its direction, recognizing the device, and nodded. He jogged lightly to grab it, looking down as he did so.
Chi-Chi was distracted with re-arranging the food on the counters so when she looked up at Goku's face next, she was startled to see his eyes blazing.
… he was angry?
His lips were drawn into a semblance of a smile, but his movements were jerky as he practically threw the phone at her. She glared at him, irritated at the rudeness.
"What…?"
"Here." His tone was clipped. He abruptly turned and stalked away without a backward glance.
"Go… ku…?" Chi-Chi frowned wondering what in the world got into him all of a sudden.
Then she looked down at her locked screen.
A notification message blared:
Want another go around this weekend? You can be on top this time. xxx —Lapis
A full five minutes after, when Chi-Chi learned with dawning horror that Goku had read the text, her phone pinged again:
Kidding. —Lapis
.
