AUTHOR'S NOTES: I know, I know...I should be strung up and shot for how long it's taken me to write another chapter of this fic. Gomen nasai.
***
She'd decided she hated Fridays more than any other day of the week. It didn't used to be that way, she used to love Fridays, Fridays were the days when she was in college that Shiro was most likely to be able to scare up a chance for them to play a gig. And any opportunity to play had been the driving motivation in their lives as musicians. Nowadays Shiro ALWAYS had a gig for them, every weekend, without fail. Marron was teetering on the brink of burnout. Her whole life had become secrets and music - with little bits of Trunks thrown in for variety whenever they could get more than a few hours together at a stretch. If she wasn't rehearsing with the band or performing, she was at the studio. Sometimes both things in the same day, like today. Friday.
She sighed and adjusted the headphones she wore as she waited for the technician to start the playback for the track she was laying. She hoped she could get it right in only a few takes - it was the piece she'd been practicing on the roof the other night - luckily she'd gotten a reprieve and hadn't had to record it the next day. Which was fortunate, considering Trunks had kept her up the rest of the night and she'd gone into work like a zombie. Not that she was complaining...well not *that* loudly anyway. She'd much rather be kept up all night making love with Trunks, than staring at the ceiling worrying like she did most nights lately. No contest.
A knock on the glass of the recording booth brought her out of her reverie and she looked up to see Harmon, their drummer and her co-worker indicating she had a phone call. She pulled off her headphones and put her guitar down before slipping out of the booth. It must be important if Harmon was willing to interrupt a recording session...after all...time was money.
"It's a Sally, from Dr. Yamada's office. You hadn't started recording yet so I thought you might want to take it." Harmon said, and handed her the phone. Not even noticing the way her breath caught as he walked away. Marron felt her stomach lurch.
"This is Marron." She said into the receiver when she could get her voice back.
"Hi Marron! This is Sally from Dr. Yamada's office. How are you doing today?" She chirped, far to happily for Marron's taste. Her hands shook as she held the phone.
"Pretty crappy so far...we'll see how the rest of it turns out." Marron muttered. The nurse didn't even seem to notice.
"That's good. I have the results of your pregnancy test back, and the doctor has reviewed it." Sally said. Marron's knuckles were white as she gripped the phone hard enough to make the plastic creak. She bared her teeth at the wall. If this woman didn't hurry up and tell her what she wanted to know she was going to reach through the phone and throttle her.
"And?" Marron growled through gritted teeth.
"The test came back positive. Congratulations! You're pregnant. The doctor estimates approximately five weeks, but won't know for certain until he can do an ultrasound in a few more weeks." Sally told her. Marron's head reeled. Pregnant. She'd been sure she was, she'd had a feeling. But to hear it confirmed out loud was a little overwhelming. And five weeks! That meant she must have gotten pregnant practically the first time they had slept together. She didn't know whether to laugh or cry...or both. She barely heard the nurse as she told Marron that the doctor would want to see her for her first prenatal visit and she made an appointment for herself without even registering she'd done it.
She hung up the phone and slid down the wall, sitting on the floor in the studio hallway with her head in her hands. What was she going to do? And how was she going to tell Trunks?
"Good news or bad news?" She heard Harmon say. She looked up at him standing next to her offering her a can of ginger ale. He looked so fierce and threatening most of the time with his shaved head and scowling countenance, but now he merely looked concerned. She shook her head absently.
"Just...news." She said quietly. Harmon sat down next to her still offering her the drink.
"You should drink it...it'll help settle your stomach." Harmon told her. She heard the tendons in her neck creak as she turned her head and looked at him. She took the soda can from him...how did he know her stomach was queasy?
"How...?" She started. Harmon gave her a crooked grin that transformed him into a baby-faced teddy bear. A two hundred and fifty pound baby faced teddy bear with tattoos.
"I have four kids of my own remember? I know pregnant when I see it, trust me. Besides, my wife goes to Yamada. He's a good doctor." Harmon told her. Marron nodded. It was easy to forget that Harmon had a whole other life away from the band and studio. He was such a private guy; Marron didn't even know his wife's name. She opened the ginger ale and sipped it. Harmon was right; it soothed her stomach right away.
"What am I going to do?" She whispered, half to herself and the soda can. Harmon patted her on the knee and stood up.
"That's for you and your man to decide. But I know what you're not doing...and that's recording right now. I'll reschedule your sessions for today. Go home and get some rest. You look like hell."
"But what about the gig tonight?" She asked. Harmon waved a hand at her dismissively.
"Don't worry about it. I'll take care of it." He said. Marron looked panicked.
"Harmon please! Don't tell Shiro about this...you know how he gets." Marron pleaded. Harmon grinned and picked up the phone. Marron watched him curiously as he dialed. Giving Marron a thumbs up.
"Shiro? Harmon here. Hey man, I have some bad news. I was moving some equipment here at work today and I hyper extended my elbow. Thanks man, yeah it hurts like a bitch. I don't think I'm gonna be able to play tonight though, probably not tomorrow either. Yeah, I know. Well I'm bummed too man, but what can you do? If I make it worse I won't be able to do my job and feed my family. Uh huh... You'll call and cancel? That's great. I'll let Marron know since she's recording today. I appreciate it... I will, I've got it on ice right now. Yeah man, you take care too. Later." Harmon said and hung up the phone.
"Problem solved. I just got you the weekend off. Go home and take care of things, rest, and get some perspective." Harmon said, offering his hand to help her up. She gave him a grateful smile.
"Thanks Harmon, I really appreciate you doing this for me." Harmon gave her a grin and a hug, patting her on the back. His gesture of kindness making her, the slave to her hormones that she was, tear up. Harmon rolled his eyes at her when he let her go, as she wiped hers with the back of her hand. "Sorry..." She said with a rueful smile.
"Crying emotional pregnant women...that takes me back." He joked as he started shooing her toward the exit. "And I'm confiscating your guitar until Monday too young lady, you need a break. Now get out of here before I throw you out." He said fondly.
***
"You did WHAT?"
Trunks held the receiver of the phone away from his ear at the outraged tone of the man on the other end. He scowled faintly. He'd thought his idea was a damn good one.
"I set it up so that Marron's band will play at the company party next month. Why? What's wrong with that?" Trunks asked. Yamucha sighed on the other end of the line.
"Not that part. What you said before." The older man said patiently, rubbing the bridge of his nose. On his end, Trunks leaned back in his desk chair and idly walked a pen end over end between his fingers from index to pinky and back again.
"I've invited everyone to the company party, you should get your invitation any day." Trunks told him matter of factly, as the pen continued its endless cycle up and down his hand. He looked out his office window at the lovely sky, wishing he could just take off into it. Go to the studio, grab Marron and the two of them could just disappear for a while and be together...no band, no Capsule Corporation, no responsibilities...just the two of them alone. Trunks sighed. Maybe one day they would - if she ever forgave him for this that is.
"I hope you know what you're doing Trunks...betraying her trust like this." Yamucha was saying in his ear. Trunks took the glasses he didn't need to wear off and tossed them on the desktop along with the pen as he leaned forward.
"I'm doing this for HER, Yamucha. You haven't seen her, she's not sleeping, she's barely eating... These secrets are eating her up inside. I can't stand to see her like this. I'd rather she hate me and never forgive me than see her suffer any longer." Trunks said urgently. He didn't need to tell the other man that seeing Marron so stressed and unhappy was tearing him apart too. Ever since he'd found her on the roof in the middle of the night earlier in the week he'd been watching her more closely. She seemed almost as if she was making herself sick.
"I don't doubt that your intentions are good Trunks. But to go behind her back...I just can't condone it, even if I understand it." Yamucha said, sighing heavily. "I think you're making a mistake."
"Well, it's my mistake to make." Trunks said a little stiffly. His tone didn't slip past Yamucha however.
"You're playing with her life too Trunks, remember that." Yamucha said quietly. Trunks blew upwards into his bangs. The older man had a point. But all Trunks could think of was Marron, sobbing on the roof in her nightgown, asking him if what they had was real. It had to be. He'd never felt about anyone the way he did about Marron - her unhappiness caused him pain. This has to be love, he thought. It can't be anything else.
"I just don't know what else to do for her Yamucha. To make her happy." Trunks admitted finally. Yamucha smirked a bit to himself, Trunks was just as hopeless now as he'd always been. But he was Marron's hearts desire, therefore...
"You love her?" He asked. Trunks didn't even hesitate.
"More than anything. I told you that." He replied.
"Yes, but does *she* know that?" Yamucha asked him. Trunks frowned and opened his mouth to answer and then shut it with a snap as he wondered: Did Marron know? Had he said it out loud to her ever? Yamucha chuckled softly on the other end at Trunks' silence. He knew from his phone conversations with Marron he hadn't. He shook his head sadly, he was too old to play cupid for these two...but he would. "I'll take that as a no." He told the younger man.
"I'm thinking!" Trunks said defensively.
"The only advice I can give you Trunks is this: If you love her, tell her."
Before Trunks could respond his secretary beeped him on the intercom, telling him he had another call. Putting Yamucha on hold for a minute he answered.
"It's me. I just wanted to let you know that I was home...I uh, wasn't feeling well so Harmon rescheduled my sessions for today." Marron said.
"You okay?" He asked, concerned. Marron was quiet on her end a moment.
"I just have a headache. I'm going to lie down for a while. Oh, before I forget, the gigs this weekend have been cancelled so I have the whole thing off." She told him. Trunks felt a huge grin spread across his face. This would be perfect...a weekend alone with Marron. Maybe his dream of taking off with her to be alone could come true after all.
"That's the best news I've heard all week." Trunks grinned, and let her go to get some rest. He reconnected with Yamucha on the other line.
"A perfect opportunity has just presented itself for me to prove to Marron how I feel about her, so I have to run. I have shopping to do and arrangements to make. Thanks for the advice and I'll see you at the party next month." Trunks said quickly. On his end, Yamucha was getting a bad feeling. Trunks' batting average with plans wasn't great. Dende only knew what he had up his sleeve for Marron.
"What opportunity? Trunks! What are you planning?" Yamucha asked him. Trunks' mind was already on what he would need to do to show Marron that she was the girl of his dreams. If he swept her off her feet there would be no way she would be able to stay angry at him for booking the band for the company party without asking her first. If she knew he did it because he loved her, then everything would be okay - he just knew it. And what better way to show his intentions? The concept had a kind of thrilling appeal to it once he'd gotten his mind over the initial shock. It was like something clicked in him, and he knew it was the right decision as he pushed his paperwork around on his desk clearing it up to finish on Monday. He almost forgot the phone in his hand as he smiled, imagining Marron's face when he surprised her.
"Trunks!" Yamucha said in his ear again, pulling him out of his musing. "What are you going to do?" Yamucha asked him warily.
"Marry her of course." Trunks told him, and with a quick goodbye hung up to rearrange his afternoons schedule. He had a lot to do: buy an engagement ring, make dinner reservations, and get flowers... This would be a weekend they would remember forever, he thought with a smile as he called for his secretary.
Yamucha stared at the dead receiver in his hand. Trunks was going to propose...and Trunks had gone behind her back to expose her secret to her folks. He scowled. What was the younger man thinking? That one would cancel the other out? And what about Marron's career? Would Trunks just sit idly by and let his wife become a rock star and tour the world while he ran Capsule Corporation? Somehow Yamucha doubted it. He replaced the receiver with a heavy sigh.
"Puar!" He called. The little blue cat floated in from the other room with a curious expression at the urgency she heard in her human's voice.
"What is it Yamucha? What's wrong?" She asked.
"Pack the car...we're going back to the city." He told her. She cocked her head at him.
"Why Yamucha? Is Marron in trouble?" She asked concerned. Yamucha nodded sagely.
"She might be Puar...either way I have a feeling she's going to need us."
***
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Okay. I promise, promise, promise to update this story much sooner than I did this last time. I am working on four stories right now so I am going to be rotating through them. Your patience, as well as your reviews and comments are always appreciated.
Jaa ne minna!
***
She'd decided she hated Fridays more than any other day of the week. It didn't used to be that way, she used to love Fridays, Fridays were the days when she was in college that Shiro was most likely to be able to scare up a chance for them to play a gig. And any opportunity to play had been the driving motivation in their lives as musicians. Nowadays Shiro ALWAYS had a gig for them, every weekend, without fail. Marron was teetering on the brink of burnout. Her whole life had become secrets and music - with little bits of Trunks thrown in for variety whenever they could get more than a few hours together at a stretch. If she wasn't rehearsing with the band or performing, she was at the studio. Sometimes both things in the same day, like today. Friday.
She sighed and adjusted the headphones she wore as she waited for the technician to start the playback for the track she was laying. She hoped she could get it right in only a few takes - it was the piece she'd been practicing on the roof the other night - luckily she'd gotten a reprieve and hadn't had to record it the next day. Which was fortunate, considering Trunks had kept her up the rest of the night and she'd gone into work like a zombie. Not that she was complaining...well not *that* loudly anyway. She'd much rather be kept up all night making love with Trunks, than staring at the ceiling worrying like she did most nights lately. No contest.
A knock on the glass of the recording booth brought her out of her reverie and she looked up to see Harmon, their drummer and her co-worker indicating she had a phone call. She pulled off her headphones and put her guitar down before slipping out of the booth. It must be important if Harmon was willing to interrupt a recording session...after all...time was money.
"It's a Sally, from Dr. Yamada's office. You hadn't started recording yet so I thought you might want to take it." Harmon said, and handed her the phone. Not even noticing the way her breath caught as he walked away. Marron felt her stomach lurch.
"This is Marron." She said into the receiver when she could get her voice back.
"Hi Marron! This is Sally from Dr. Yamada's office. How are you doing today?" She chirped, far to happily for Marron's taste. Her hands shook as she held the phone.
"Pretty crappy so far...we'll see how the rest of it turns out." Marron muttered. The nurse didn't even seem to notice.
"That's good. I have the results of your pregnancy test back, and the doctor has reviewed it." Sally said. Marron's knuckles were white as she gripped the phone hard enough to make the plastic creak. She bared her teeth at the wall. If this woman didn't hurry up and tell her what she wanted to know she was going to reach through the phone and throttle her.
"And?" Marron growled through gritted teeth.
"The test came back positive. Congratulations! You're pregnant. The doctor estimates approximately five weeks, but won't know for certain until he can do an ultrasound in a few more weeks." Sally told her. Marron's head reeled. Pregnant. She'd been sure she was, she'd had a feeling. But to hear it confirmed out loud was a little overwhelming. And five weeks! That meant she must have gotten pregnant practically the first time they had slept together. She didn't know whether to laugh or cry...or both. She barely heard the nurse as she told Marron that the doctor would want to see her for her first prenatal visit and she made an appointment for herself without even registering she'd done it.
She hung up the phone and slid down the wall, sitting on the floor in the studio hallway with her head in her hands. What was she going to do? And how was she going to tell Trunks?
"Good news or bad news?" She heard Harmon say. She looked up at him standing next to her offering her a can of ginger ale. He looked so fierce and threatening most of the time with his shaved head and scowling countenance, but now he merely looked concerned. She shook her head absently.
"Just...news." She said quietly. Harmon sat down next to her still offering her the drink.
"You should drink it...it'll help settle your stomach." Harmon told her. She heard the tendons in her neck creak as she turned her head and looked at him. She took the soda can from him...how did he know her stomach was queasy?
"How...?" She started. Harmon gave her a crooked grin that transformed him into a baby-faced teddy bear. A two hundred and fifty pound baby faced teddy bear with tattoos.
"I have four kids of my own remember? I know pregnant when I see it, trust me. Besides, my wife goes to Yamada. He's a good doctor." Harmon told her. Marron nodded. It was easy to forget that Harmon had a whole other life away from the band and studio. He was such a private guy; Marron didn't even know his wife's name. She opened the ginger ale and sipped it. Harmon was right; it soothed her stomach right away.
"What am I going to do?" She whispered, half to herself and the soda can. Harmon patted her on the knee and stood up.
"That's for you and your man to decide. But I know what you're not doing...and that's recording right now. I'll reschedule your sessions for today. Go home and get some rest. You look like hell."
"But what about the gig tonight?" She asked. Harmon waved a hand at her dismissively.
"Don't worry about it. I'll take care of it." He said. Marron looked panicked.
"Harmon please! Don't tell Shiro about this...you know how he gets." Marron pleaded. Harmon grinned and picked up the phone. Marron watched him curiously as he dialed. Giving Marron a thumbs up.
"Shiro? Harmon here. Hey man, I have some bad news. I was moving some equipment here at work today and I hyper extended my elbow. Thanks man, yeah it hurts like a bitch. I don't think I'm gonna be able to play tonight though, probably not tomorrow either. Yeah, I know. Well I'm bummed too man, but what can you do? If I make it worse I won't be able to do my job and feed my family. Uh huh... You'll call and cancel? That's great. I'll let Marron know since she's recording today. I appreciate it... I will, I've got it on ice right now. Yeah man, you take care too. Later." Harmon said and hung up the phone.
"Problem solved. I just got you the weekend off. Go home and take care of things, rest, and get some perspective." Harmon said, offering his hand to help her up. She gave him a grateful smile.
"Thanks Harmon, I really appreciate you doing this for me." Harmon gave her a grin and a hug, patting her on the back. His gesture of kindness making her, the slave to her hormones that she was, tear up. Harmon rolled his eyes at her when he let her go, as she wiped hers with the back of her hand. "Sorry..." She said with a rueful smile.
"Crying emotional pregnant women...that takes me back." He joked as he started shooing her toward the exit. "And I'm confiscating your guitar until Monday too young lady, you need a break. Now get out of here before I throw you out." He said fondly.
***
"You did WHAT?"
Trunks held the receiver of the phone away from his ear at the outraged tone of the man on the other end. He scowled faintly. He'd thought his idea was a damn good one.
"I set it up so that Marron's band will play at the company party next month. Why? What's wrong with that?" Trunks asked. Yamucha sighed on the other end of the line.
"Not that part. What you said before." The older man said patiently, rubbing the bridge of his nose. On his end, Trunks leaned back in his desk chair and idly walked a pen end over end between his fingers from index to pinky and back again.
"I've invited everyone to the company party, you should get your invitation any day." Trunks told him matter of factly, as the pen continued its endless cycle up and down his hand. He looked out his office window at the lovely sky, wishing he could just take off into it. Go to the studio, grab Marron and the two of them could just disappear for a while and be together...no band, no Capsule Corporation, no responsibilities...just the two of them alone. Trunks sighed. Maybe one day they would - if she ever forgave him for this that is.
"I hope you know what you're doing Trunks...betraying her trust like this." Yamucha was saying in his ear. Trunks took the glasses he didn't need to wear off and tossed them on the desktop along with the pen as he leaned forward.
"I'm doing this for HER, Yamucha. You haven't seen her, she's not sleeping, she's barely eating... These secrets are eating her up inside. I can't stand to see her like this. I'd rather she hate me and never forgive me than see her suffer any longer." Trunks said urgently. He didn't need to tell the other man that seeing Marron so stressed and unhappy was tearing him apart too. Ever since he'd found her on the roof in the middle of the night earlier in the week he'd been watching her more closely. She seemed almost as if she was making herself sick.
"I don't doubt that your intentions are good Trunks. But to go behind her back...I just can't condone it, even if I understand it." Yamucha said, sighing heavily. "I think you're making a mistake."
"Well, it's my mistake to make." Trunks said a little stiffly. His tone didn't slip past Yamucha however.
"You're playing with her life too Trunks, remember that." Yamucha said quietly. Trunks blew upwards into his bangs. The older man had a point. But all Trunks could think of was Marron, sobbing on the roof in her nightgown, asking him if what they had was real. It had to be. He'd never felt about anyone the way he did about Marron - her unhappiness caused him pain. This has to be love, he thought. It can't be anything else.
"I just don't know what else to do for her Yamucha. To make her happy." Trunks admitted finally. Yamucha smirked a bit to himself, Trunks was just as hopeless now as he'd always been. But he was Marron's hearts desire, therefore...
"You love her?" He asked. Trunks didn't even hesitate.
"More than anything. I told you that." He replied.
"Yes, but does *she* know that?" Yamucha asked him. Trunks frowned and opened his mouth to answer and then shut it with a snap as he wondered: Did Marron know? Had he said it out loud to her ever? Yamucha chuckled softly on the other end at Trunks' silence. He knew from his phone conversations with Marron he hadn't. He shook his head sadly, he was too old to play cupid for these two...but he would. "I'll take that as a no." He told the younger man.
"I'm thinking!" Trunks said defensively.
"The only advice I can give you Trunks is this: If you love her, tell her."
Before Trunks could respond his secretary beeped him on the intercom, telling him he had another call. Putting Yamucha on hold for a minute he answered.
"It's me. I just wanted to let you know that I was home...I uh, wasn't feeling well so Harmon rescheduled my sessions for today." Marron said.
"You okay?" He asked, concerned. Marron was quiet on her end a moment.
"I just have a headache. I'm going to lie down for a while. Oh, before I forget, the gigs this weekend have been cancelled so I have the whole thing off." She told him. Trunks felt a huge grin spread across his face. This would be perfect...a weekend alone with Marron. Maybe his dream of taking off with her to be alone could come true after all.
"That's the best news I've heard all week." Trunks grinned, and let her go to get some rest. He reconnected with Yamucha on the other line.
"A perfect opportunity has just presented itself for me to prove to Marron how I feel about her, so I have to run. I have shopping to do and arrangements to make. Thanks for the advice and I'll see you at the party next month." Trunks said quickly. On his end, Yamucha was getting a bad feeling. Trunks' batting average with plans wasn't great. Dende only knew what he had up his sleeve for Marron.
"What opportunity? Trunks! What are you planning?" Yamucha asked him. Trunks' mind was already on what he would need to do to show Marron that she was the girl of his dreams. If he swept her off her feet there would be no way she would be able to stay angry at him for booking the band for the company party without asking her first. If she knew he did it because he loved her, then everything would be okay - he just knew it. And what better way to show his intentions? The concept had a kind of thrilling appeal to it once he'd gotten his mind over the initial shock. It was like something clicked in him, and he knew it was the right decision as he pushed his paperwork around on his desk clearing it up to finish on Monday. He almost forgot the phone in his hand as he smiled, imagining Marron's face when he surprised her.
"Trunks!" Yamucha said in his ear again, pulling him out of his musing. "What are you going to do?" Yamucha asked him warily.
"Marry her of course." Trunks told him, and with a quick goodbye hung up to rearrange his afternoons schedule. He had a lot to do: buy an engagement ring, make dinner reservations, and get flowers... This would be a weekend they would remember forever, he thought with a smile as he called for his secretary.
Yamucha stared at the dead receiver in his hand. Trunks was going to propose...and Trunks had gone behind her back to expose her secret to her folks. He scowled. What was the younger man thinking? That one would cancel the other out? And what about Marron's career? Would Trunks just sit idly by and let his wife become a rock star and tour the world while he ran Capsule Corporation? Somehow Yamucha doubted it. He replaced the receiver with a heavy sigh.
"Puar!" He called. The little blue cat floated in from the other room with a curious expression at the urgency she heard in her human's voice.
"What is it Yamucha? What's wrong?" She asked.
"Pack the car...we're going back to the city." He told her. She cocked her head at him.
"Why Yamucha? Is Marron in trouble?" She asked concerned. Yamucha nodded sagely.
"She might be Puar...either way I have a feeling she's going to need us."
***
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Okay. I promise, promise, promise to update this story much sooner than I did this last time. I am working on four stories right now so I am going to be rotating through them. Your patience, as well as your reviews and comments are always appreciated.
Jaa ne minna!