Disclaimer: Same old, same old.
Author's Notes: Thanks for the reviews;) I even appreciate the ones that bet money on how the story is going to go, cause at least you care enough to try to figure it out. But I try very hard to keep my readers on their toes; I trust my beta-reader to tell me if I'm getting predictable and so far, her lips have been sealed. I hope yall continue to enjoy!
****
Some Kind of Wonderful
by Kristen Elizabeth
****
"This generation got no destination to hold, pick up the cry. Now it's time for you and me, got a revolution, got to revolution...we are volunteers of America." -Jefferson Airplane
****
November, 1965
North Carolina State University
"Do you have any questions, Relena?"
After thinking for a moment, Relena shook her head and gave the student health center nurse a weak smile. "I can't think of any. Beyond keeping my roommate from seeing them."
The older woman chuckled as she handed her a circular object. "I'll give you an instruction sheet in case you need it, but really, it's fairly simple. One a day, two the next day if you miss a dose. By the time your next period comes, if you've been taking them properly, they should be in effect."
Relena nodded as she accepted it. "That's good." She paused. "I think."
"Remember, Relena. Even if you are protected, if you don't feel ready for intimacy, don't do it. Your body...your life."
Still nodding, Relena opened the pink plastic compact and examined the rows of tiny, white pills. "My body, my life." She closed it up with a loud snap. "I won't forget."
Twenty minutes later, as she walked back across the campus grounds towards her dorm, the little brown bag in her hand the only sign of her trip to the health center, Relena contemplated the consequences of what she had just done. She had put herself on the new Pill. But had she done it for herself, for her life, her body, or for Heero's life, his body...his needs?
Suddenly, the bag in her hand felt heavier than lead. She stopped in the middle of the quad and looked down at the cold, browning grass beneath her loafers. Her heart rate sped up as she tossed the same thoughts over and over in her mind. Saving her virginity until she and Heero were married...or making love with him as soon as he got home. It was a choice that was going to end up torturing her...if she let it.
A frigid fall wind swept over her, compelling her to keep walking for warmth. Unfortunately, her eyes failed to lift from the ground until she ran into something solid.
Relena looked up, shocked and embarrassed. "Oh! I'm so sorry. I wasn't..."
A pair of sparkling aquamarine eyes looked back at her. "It's all right. I wasn't really paying attention either."
She blinked. The man she had bumped into was easily the most handsome man she had seen so far on campus. His blond hair was brilliant against the grey sky and when he smiled, even his teeth shone. "I was just...it's getting colder...and I was rushing..." Relena closed her mouth, to prevent further babbling.
The man, who she determined to be at least a sophomore, nodded. "It is getting colder." There was a moment's pause. "I'm sorry; I don't know where my manners are. I'm Quatre Winner."
Relena awkwardly took the hand he offered her. "Relena Peacecraft."
"Freshman, right?"
"Is it that obvious?"
Quatre laughed. "No. It's just that I was sure I'd met every beautiful woman on campus. So, you must be fairly new."
A blush colored Relena's cheeks. "Thank you."
Another pause followed. "This might sound incredibly forward..." Quatre finally began. "But what are you doing tomorrow?"
Relena's throat closed up. "Um...nothing. But I'm not...I mean, I have a...he's not here, but I do have..."
"A group I belong to is having a meeting tomorrow afternoon in the Music Hall. I was just wondering if you'd be interested." Quatre reached into his bag for a flier. "Here."
She gave the paper a quick once-over. "SDS?"
"Students for a Democratic Society," he answered. "I'm sort of in charge of our chapter."
"What do you all do?"
"Well..." Quatre zipped up his bag. "We get together and discuss ways to enlighten America." He smiled at the puzzled look on her face. "About the war in Vietnam."
Relena looked back down at the paper. "You're against it?"
"Very definitely," Quatre replied. "Our government is sending American soldiers to Southeast Asia to fight a civil war that has nothing to do with us. But that's only a cover for what's really going on."
"What's really going on?"
Quatre pointed to the flier. "Come tomorrow and find out."
"I don't know..." Relena folded up the paper. "My boyfriend...he's at boot camp right now..."
"Ah, then you owe it to him to find out the truth. He's certainly not going to get it from his superiors. And by the time he figures it out on his own...it might be too late." The wind blew Relena's hair around her face. "Just think about it." Quatre took a step back. "I hope to see you there. If not...it was lovely to meet you, Relena."
She looked up. "You, too. Quatre."
He smiled over his shoulder as he walked off, towards the Political Science building. Relena tucked the flier into the pocket of her sweater. SDS. It sounded intriguing. And any information on Heero's potential future was worth finding out. She looked back down at the bag in her hand. Now if only she could figure out the rest of her life.
****
December, 1965
Quincy, Oklahoma
"Attention!" Heero looked out at the blank faces of the newly arrived enlisted Marines. Lifting his chin, he nodded firmly. "Dismissed!"
The fatigue-clad men in front of him relaxed with a great wave of enthusiasm. Heero let some of the tension out of his own shoulders. His recent promotion to Corporal, the highest rank for an enlisted Marine in training, had been hard-earned, but was even harder to carry out. Being in charge of the entire barracks...it was a responsibility he had never expected.
He felt a hand on his shoulder, and turned around to see the other barracks Corporal, his friend Wufei. The Asian-American man crossed his arms over his uniform. "So, you're out of here tomorrow?"
"For two weeks," Heero replied. "It's about damn time."
"Going home for a white Christmas."
Heero started towards the barracks. "That's the idea."
"With Relena."
"Okay." Heero stopped and turned on Wufei. "Just what are you getting at, Chang?"
"You haven't seen her in what...nearly eight months?"
Heero grimaced. "Believe me, I know. But what's your point?"
"She's been at school, learning big things." Wufei's lip curled up. "Women in college....it'll go to her head, man. She'll start thinking she knows more than you, just because she..."
"You don't know Relena," Heero cut his friend off. "First of all, she didn't need college to be smarter than me. Secondly, she's nothing like the women you seem to despise so much. She isn't like anyone, actually. Got it?"
Wufei rolled his eyes skyward. "If you say so."
Heero resumed his course with Wufei only a step behind him, but he was soon stopped by his superior officer, Major Roberts. "Corporal Yuy?"
He froze and saluted; Wufei followed suit. "Sir, yes sir!" Heero barked.
"At ease, Corporal." The older man reached into the breast pocket of his uniform coat. "Your assignment came in this morning." He handed a white envelope to Heero. "Good luck."
"Thank you, sir." Heero took the envelope and saluted again, relaxing only when the Major moved on. He took a deep breath. "I wonder what it is."
"Why don't you open it and find out?" Wufei re-folded his arms. "I got mine yesterday."
"And?"
"Vietnam," Wufei replied, nonchalantly. "I ship out in January."
Heero tapped the envelope against his palm. "I'm sorry, man."
"I'm not. Vietnam is where the action is. It's where we can do the most good." Wufei backed up. "Think about it. Did you really go through eight months of this place just to sit in a comfy, domestic base while the men you trained with and helped train are across the world, giving their lives and serving the cause? Think about it while you're relaxing with your woman, Yuy. Think about it."
****
Peacecraft
"Where is it, Duo?!" Relena rocked up onto the balls of her feet and peered down the empty train track. "I can't believe it's late!! Heero's train, of all trains. Late!!"
Duo stamped his feet on the ground for warmth. "Don't ask me, princess. I'm just here to drive."
She bit her lip and looked back at him. "I'm sorry. You've been so wonderful and I'm just being...annoying."
"Nah, you're fine. I can't blame you for getting excited. If it were Hilde coming home..." He stopped, suddenly way too interested in brushing snow out of his bangs.
Relena spoke softly. "You're sure she won't be coming home for Christmas?"
Duo lifted his shoulders. "I wouldn't know. I haven't heard from her since August."
"I'm so sorry, Duo."
He forced a huge smile onto his face. "I'm fine, princess. I promise." A loud whistle cracked the cold air around them. "Well, looks like they're here."
The twenty minutes it took for the train to pull into the station and the passengers begin to step onto the station platform was nearly unbearable for Relena. Finally, just as she was about to start pulling out her hair, a pair of familiar Prussian blue eyes met hers through the thick crowd.
Neither of them spoke as they waded through the people, stopping inches away from each other. A moment later, when Heero had dropped his duffel bag and gathered her up in his arms, every one of Relena's doubts melted. She buried her face in Heero's neck, sobbing and in between sobs, breathing in his wonderful scent.
"Heero...you're here." Relena kissed his neck; his skin was so warm. "I've missed you...so much. But you're here now."
Her hair smelled like roses. The scent had haunted his dreams for eight months. He held onto her, rocking her gently back and forth, taking comfort in her body pressed against his. "Relena..." Heero pulled back and took her lips.
Duo let them kiss for a few minutes until his hands began to go numb from the cold, despite his gloves. "Hey you two. It's a nice show and all, but there's a little old man down there watching you and it's kind of creepy."
They broke their kiss, Heero giving Duo a hard look. It quickly cleared up and he reached for his old friend's hand. Duo shook it with a smile. "Good to have you back, Yuy."
Heero returned his attention to Relena. "It's good to be back." He kissed her again, this time ignoring Duo completely when he tried to distract them.
As she re-familiarized herself with the wonderful warmth and sweetness of Heero's mouth, Relena was suddenly very glad she had been taking the Pill exactly as it had been prescribed to her.
****
Hollywood, California
"So, where exactly are we going again?" Hilde glanced into the rearview mirror of her new friend and temporary housemate, Mindy Valletta's, car as she applied a second coat of pink lipstick.
"It's a Christmas party," the platinum blonde replied as she drove. "The guy throwing it knows a guy who works on the Paramount lot."
Hilde rolled the tube of lipstick back down. "You're shitting me."
"Nope." Mindy fluffed her hair with one hand. "And I hear there's going to be some amazing stuff there."
"I don't know, Min. The last time I tried those kind of party favors, I couldn't think straight for two days. And I'm going to this casting call the day after Christmas..."
Mindy rolled her eyes. "C'mon, Hilde. It's a party! It won't be any fun if you insist on being a party-pooper."
Hilde laughed. "All right. We'll see."
Nodding, Mindy pulled into a wide driveway. "Here we are." She turned off the engine and twisted the mirror to see herself. "How do I look?"
"About as fabulous as I do," Hilde replied. "And that's saying a lot."
Mindy opened her car door and grabbed her hand bag. "You and me, Hilde. We make one fucking sexy duo."
A moment passed before Hilde climbed out of the car. Duo. She swallowed, suddenly feeling anything but in the mood for a party. The feeling passed when Mindy grabbed her hand, dragging her towards the Hollywood Hills house. She plastered a smile onto her face as they sauntered through the front door.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Hilde announced to the crowded front hall, dropping her coat on the floor and revealing her short, silver mini-skirt and go-go boots. "The party can now get started!"
****
December 24, 1965
"Relena..." Millardo wiped his mouth on a linen napkin and set it down onto the festively dressed dining room table. "What's wrong with your dinner?"
His little sister set down her fork. "Nothing. I'm not particularly hungry, that's all."
"You need to eat."
"Millardo, I'm a grown woman in college. It's no longer necessary for you to make sure I eat all my green beans."
He smiled sadly. "You're right. I'm sorry." There was a pause. "But you are fidgeting."
Relena sighed. "I wanted to have Christmas Eve dinner with Heero."
"I'm sure his mother appreciates having this time with him, Relena. You'll see him all day tomorrow."
She bit her lip. Little did Millardo know, she planned to see Heero much sooner than that. "I suppose."
Her brother stood up and reached for her half-full plate. "Are you sure you won't come to Midnight Mass?"
"No, thank you. It's been an emotional few days. I need to get some sleep." She snuck a peek at Millardo as he walked into the kitchen. "Won't you be going with that woman you've mentioned so much in your letters?"
"Lucrezia?" In the kitchen, her brother cleared his throat. "Yes. Why?"
"I don't know. She sounded nice. Where did you meet her again?"
"She teaches at the high school. I'm on the education board." Millardo came back into the dining room for another handful of dishes. "And she is nice."
Relena smiled and sipped her water. "Good. You need nice in your life."
"All right, enough about me." Millardo wiped his hands on a dish towel before handing it to her. "Can you clean up the rest of this? I have to go pick up Lucrezia."
"Of course." Relena stood up and kissed her brother's cheek. "I can't wait to meet her."
She waited only fifteen minutes after Millardo left the house to don her coat, mittens, hat and scarf. After carefully locking up, she crossed the frosty grass to Heero's house. He was already waiting for her by his car, his breath visible in the air around his handsome face.
Relena shivered, but it wasn't the temperature. This was it. By the end of the evening, she and Heero would be lovers in every sense of the word. He opened the car door for her and she slid inside. When he joined her a moment later, they sat in the driveway for a minute.
"Where are we going?" Relena asked, trying to keep her teeth from chattering.
"I...um..." He ran a hand through his hair. "I asked Duo to rent us a room...at a hotel. Is that all right?"
She nodded. "I'm glad. The car is too cold to..."
"I'd never make love to you like that, Relena." He took her hand, rubbing it through the wool of her mitten. "So...should we go?"
"Yes." Relena smiled at him. "I've been thinking about this night for a long time. And I'm ready." As she spoke the words, she realized they were true. "I'm ready."
****
To Be Continued
Author's Notes: Thanks for the reviews;) I even appreciate the ones that bet money on how the story is going to go, cause at least you care enough to try to figure it out. But I try very hard to keep my readers on their toes; I trust my beta-reader to tell me if I'm getting predictable and so far, her lips have been sealed. I hope yall continue to enjoy!
****
Some Kind of Wonderful
by Kristen Elizabeth
****
"This generation got no destination to hold, pick up the cry. Now it's time for you and me, got a revolution, got to revolution...we are volunteers of America." -Jefferson Airplane
****
November, 1965
North Carolina State University
"Do you have any questions, Relena?"
After thinking for a moment, Relena shook her head and gave the student health center nurse a weak smile. "I can't think of any. Beyond keeping my roommate from seeing them."
The older woman chuckled as she handed her a circular object. "I'll give you an instruction sheet in case you need it, but really, it's fairly simple. One a day, two the next day if you miss a dose. By the time your next period comes, if you've been taking them properly, they should be in effect."
Relena nodded as she accepted it. "That's good." She paused. "I think."
"Remember, Relena. Even if you are protected, if you don't feel ready for intimacy, don't do it. Your body...your life."
Still nodding, Relena opened the pink plastic compact and examined the rows of tiny, white pills. "My body, my life." She closed it up with a loud snap. "I won't forget."
Twenty minutes later, as she walked back across the campus grounds towards her dorm, the little brown bag in her hand the only sign of her trip to the health center, Relena contemplated the consequences of what she had just done. She had put herself on the new Pill. But had she done it for herself, for her life, her body, or for Heero's life, his body...his needs?
Suddenly, the bag in her hand felt heavier than lead. She stopped in the middle of the quad and looked down at the cold, browning grass beneath her loafers. Her heart rate sped up as she tossed the same thoughts over and over in her mind. Saving her virginity until she and Heero were married...or making love with him as soon as he got home. It was a choice that was going to end up torturing her...if she let it.
A frigid fall wind swept over her, compelling her to keep walking for warmth. Unfortunately, her eyes failed to lift from the ground until she ran into something solid.
Relena looked up, shocked and embarrassed. "Oh! I'm so sorry. I wasn't..."
A pair of sparkling aquamarine eyes looked back at her. "It's all right. I wasn't really paying attention either."
She blinked. The man she had bumped into was easily the most handsome man she had seen so far on campus. His blond hair was brilliant against the grey sky and when he smiled, even his teeth shone. "I was just...it's getting colder...and I was rushing..." Relena closed her mouth, to prevent further babbling.
The man, who she determined to be at least a sophomore, nodded. "It is getting colder." There was a moment's pause. "I'm sorry; I don't know where my manners are. I'm Quatre Winner."
Relena awkwardly took the hand he offered her. "Relena Peacecraft."
"Freshman, right?"
"Is it that obvious?"
Quatre laughed. "No. It's just that I was sure I'd met every beautiful woman on campus. So, you must be fairly new."
A blush colored Relena's cheeks. "Thank you."
Another pause followed. "This might sound incredibly forward..." Quatre finally began. "But what are you doing tomorrow?"
Relena's throat closed up. "Um...nothing. But I'm not...I mean, I have a...he's not here, but I do have..."
"A group I belong to is having a meeting tomorrow afternoon in the Music Hall. I was just wondering if you'd be interested." Quatre reached into his bag for a flier. "Here."
She gave the paper a quick once-over. "SDS?"
"Students for a Democratic Society," he answered. "I'm sort of in charge of our chapter."
"What do you all do?"
"Well..." Quatre zipped up his bag. "We get together and discuss ways to enlighten America." He smiled at the puzzled look on her face. "About the war in Vietnam."
Relena looked back down at the paper. "You're against it?"
"Very definitely," Quatre replied. "Our government is sending American soldiers to Southeast Asia to fight a civil war that has nothing to do with us. But that's only a cover for what's really going on."
"What's really going on?"
Quatre pointed to the flier. "Come tomorrow and find out."
"I don't know..." Relena folded up the paper. "My boyfriend...he's at boot camp right now..."
"Ah, then you owe it to him to find out the truth. He's certainly not going to get it from his superiors. And by the time he figures it out on his own...it might be too late." The wind blew Relena's hair around her face. "Just think about it." Quatre took a step back. "I hope to see you there. If not...it was lovely to meet you, Relena."
She looked up. "You, too. Quatre."
He smiled over his shoulder as he walked off, towards the Political Science building. Relena tucked the flier into the pocket of her sweater. SDS. It sounded intriguing. And any information on Heero's potential future was worth finding out. She looked back down at the bag in her hand. Now if only she could figure out the rest of her life.
****
December, 1965
Quincy, Oklahoma
"Attention!" Heero looked out at the blank faces of the newly arrived enlisted Marines. Lifting his chin, he nodded firmly. "Dismissed!"
The fatigue-clad men in front of him relaxed with a great wave of enthusiasm. Heero let some of the tension out of his own shoulders. His recent promotion to Corporal, the highest rank for an enlisted Marine in training, had been hard-earned, but was even harder to carry out. Being in charge of the entire barracks...it was a responsibility he had never expected.
He felt a hand on his shoulder, and turned around to see the other barracks Corporal, his friend Wufei. The Asian-American man crossed his arms over his uniform. "So, you're out of here tomorrow?"
"For two weeks," Heero replied. "It's about damn time."
"Going home for a white Christmas."
Heero started towards the barracks. "That's the idea."
"With Relena."
"Okay." Heero stopped and turned on Wufei. "Just what are you getting at, Chang?"
"You haven't seen her in what...nearly eight months?"
Heero grimaced. "Believe me, I know. But what's your point?"
"She's been at school, learning big things." Wufei's lip curled up. "Women in college....it'll go to her head, man. She'll start thinking she knows more than you, just because she..."
"You don't know Relena," Heero cut his friend off. "First of all, she didn't need college to be smarter than me. Secondly, she's nothing like the women you seem to despise so much. She isn't like anyone, actually. Got it?"
Wufei rolled his eyes skyward. "If you say so."
Heero resumed his course with Wufei only a step behind him, but he was soon stopped by his superior officer, Major Roberts. "Corporal Yuy?"
He froze and saluted; Wufei followed suit. "Sir, yes sir!" Heero barked.
"At ease, Corporal." The older man reached into the breast pocket of his uniform coat. "Your assignment came in this morning." He handed a white envelope to Heero. "Good luck."
"Thank you, sir." Heero took the envelope and saluted again, relaxing only when the Major moved on. He took a deep breath. "I wonder what it is."
"Why don't you open it and find out?" Wufei re-folded his arms. "I got mine yesterday."
"And?"
"Vietnam," Wufei replied, nonchalantly. "I ship out in January."
Heero tapped the envelope against his palm. "I'm sorry, man."
"I'm not. Vietnam is where the action is. It's where we can do the most good." Wufei backed up. "Think about it. Did you really go through eight months of this place just to sit in a comfy, domestic base while the men you trained with and helped train are across the world, giving their lives and serving the cause? Think about it while you're relaxing with your woman, Yuy. Think about it."
****
Peacecraft
"Where is it, Duo?!" Relena rocked up onto the balls of her feet and peered down the empty train track. "I can't believe it's late!! Heero's train, of all trains. Late!!"
Duo stamped his feet on the ground for warmth. "Don't ask me, princess. I'm just here to drive."
She bit her lip and looked back at him. "I'm sorry. You've been so wonderful and I'm just being...annoying."
"Nah, you're fine. I can't blame you for getting excited. If it were Hilde coming home..." He stopped, suddenly way too interested in brushing snow out of his bangs.
Relena spoke softly. "You're sure she won't be coming home for Christmas?"
Duo lifted his shoulders. "I wouldn't know. I haven't heard from her since August."
"I'm so sorry, Duo."
He forced a huge smile onto his face. "I'm fine, princess. I promise." A loud whistle cracked the cold air around them. "Well, looks like they're here."
The twenty minutes it took for the train to pull into the station and the passengers begin to step onto the station platform was nearly unbearable for Relena. Finally, just as she was about to start pulling out her hair, a pair of familiar Prussian blue eyes met hers through the thick crowd.
Neither of them spoke as they waded through the people, stopping inches away from each other. A moment later, when Heero had dropped his duffel bag and gathered her up in his arms, every one of Relena's doubts melted. She buried her face in Heero's neck, sobbing and in between sobs, breathing in his wonderful scent.
"Heero...you're here." Relena kissed his neck; his skin was so warm. "I've missed you...so much. But you're here now."
Her hair smelled like roses. The scent had haunted his dreams for eight months. He held onto her, rocking her gently back and forth, taking comfort in her body pressed against his. "Relena..." Heero pulled back and took her lips.
Duo let them kiss for a few minutes until his hands began to go numb from the cold, despite his gloves. "Hey you two. It's a nice show and all, but there's a little old man down there watching you and it's kind of creepy."
They broke their kiss, Heero giving Duo a hard look. It quickly cleared up and he reached for his old friend's hand. Duo shook it with a smile. "Good to have you back, Yuy."
Heero returned his attention to Relena. "It's good to be back." He kissed her again, this time ignoring Duo completely when he tried to distract them.
As she re-familiarized herself with the wonderful warmth and sweetness of Heero's mouth, Relena was suddenly very glad she had been taking the Pill exactly as it had been prescribed to her.
****
Hollywood, California
"So, where exactly are we going again?" Hilde glanced into the rearview mirror of her new friend and temporary housemate, Mindy Valletta's, car as she applied a second coat of pink lipstick.
"It's a Christmas party," the platinum blonde replied as she drove. "The guy throwing it knows a guy who works on the Paramount lot."
Hilde rolled the tube of lipstick back down. "You're shitting me."
"Nope." Mindy fluffed her hair with one hand. "And I hear there's going to be some amazing stuff there."
"I don't know, Min. The last time I tried those kind of party favors, I couldn't think straight for two days. And I'm going to this casting call the day after Christmas..."
Mindy rolled her eyes. "C'mon, Hilde. It's a party! It won't be any fun if you insist on being a party-pooper."
Hilde laughed. "All right. We'll see."
Nodding, Mindy pulled into a wide driveway. "Here we are." She turned off the engine and twisted the mirror to see herself. "How do I look?"
"About as fabulous as I do," Hilde replied. "And that's saying a lot."
Mindy opened her car door and grabbed her hand bag. "You and me, Hilde. We make one fucking sexy duo."
A moment passed before Hilde climbed out of the car. Duo. She swallowed, suddenly feeling anything but in the mood for a party. The feeling passed when Mindy grabbed her hand, dragging her towards the Hollywood Hills house. She plastered a smile onto her face as they sauntered through the front door.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Hilde announced to the crowded front hall, dropping her coat on the floor and revealing her short, silver mini-skirt and go-go boots. "The party can now get started!"
****
December 24, 1965
"Relena..." Millardo wiped his mouth on a linen napkin and set it down onto the festively dressed dining room table. "What's wrong with your dinner?"
His little sister set down her fork. "Nothing. I'm not particularly hungry, that's all."
"You need to eat."
"Millardo, I'm a grown woman in college. It's no longer necessary for you to make sure I eat all my green beans."
He smiled sadly. "You're right. I'm sorry." There was a pause. "But you are fidgeting."
Relena sighed. "I wanted to have Christmas Eve dinner with Heero."
"I'm sure his mother appreciates having this time with him, Relena. You'll see him all day tomorrow."
She bit her lip. Little did Millardo know, she planned to see Heero much sooner than that. "I suppose."
Her brother stood up and reached for her half-full plate. "Are you sure you won't come to Midnight Mass?"
"No, thank you. It's been an emotional few days. I need to get some sleep." She snuck a peek at Millardo as he walked into the kitchen. "Won't you be going with that woman you've mentioned so much in your letters?"
"Lucrezia?" In the kitchen, her brother cleared his throat. "Yes. Why?"
"I don't know. She sounded nice. Where did you meet her again?"
"She teaches at the high school. I'm on the education board." Millardo came back into the dining room for another handful of dishes. "And she is nice."
Relena smiled and sipped her water. "Good. You need nice in your life."
"All right, enough about me." Millardo wiped his hands on a dish towel before handing it to her. "Can you clean up the rest of this? I have to go pick up Lucrezia."
"Of course." Relena stood up and kissed her brother's cheek. "I can't wait to meet her."
She waited only fifteen minutes after Millardo left the house to don her coat, mittens, hat and scarf. After carefully locking up, she crossed the frosty grass to Heero's house. He was already waiting for her by his car, his breath visible in the air around his handsome face.
Relena shivered, but it wasn't the temperature. This was it. By the end of the evening, she and Heero would be lovers in every sense of the word. He opened the car door for her and she slid inside. When he joined her a moment later, they sat in the driveway for a minute.
"Where are we going?" Relena asked, trying to keep her teeth from chattering.
"I...um..." He ran a hand through his hair. "I asked Duo to rent us a room...at a hotel. Is that all right?"
She nodded. "I'm glad. The car is too cold to..."
"I'd never make love to you like that, Relena." He took her hand, rubbing it through the wool of her mitten. "So...should we go?"
"Yes." Relena smiled at him. "I've been thinking about this night for a long time. And I'm ready." As she spoke the words, she realized they were true. "I'm ready."
****
To Be Continued