Chapter 7: Starts With an L...

I know this chapter is on the short side, but the stopping point was so perfect, and this way I upload a new episode faster, right? So...here goes. ^_^; -Rei.

Chapter 7: Starts With an L...

"Oh, dear..." Esarene looked at herself in the mirror. "What have you done with me?" She reached for her glasses, placed them on her nose.

"Wow, you look great, Esarene!" Selphie said. "Don't you like it?"

"I don't know what to say. Thank you, Rinoa." The girls were in Esarene's room, preparing for the party that night. Rinoa had styled Esarene's hair and helped with her makeup.

"Do me next," Jochana said to Rinoa. "Come on, I wanna look like that!"

Her little sister elbowed her. "Squall's her boyfriend, you know..."

"Shut up! It doesn't have anything to do with that!" Jochana hissed in reply.

"I can help one of you," offered Ellone.

Esarene couldn't help but keep glancing at herself in the mirror. It always seemed so silly to get all dressed up and made up for something, she thought. But I guess it is kinda fun.

Ellone began pulling Jeina's hair back from her face. "I invited Lotus, but I don't think she's coming. I guess I'm not really surprised, but..."

"Lotus?" echoed Selphie.

"The girl that Matron adopted," explained Ellone.

"You'd better have lots of food there, I'm starving," Esarene said.

"We'll head down there soon enough," Selphie teased. "As much as I know you want to show off your beauty..."

Esarene shrugged. "I'm just hungry."

"Oh yeah, sure. I bet his jaw is going to hit the floor when he sees you," Jochana piped up. Esarene froze.

"What? Who?" Her face was quite red. "I haven't a clue what you're talking about..." The girls laughed at her overdone innocence.

"Hmm...his name starts with an L and ends with an aguna!" Jeina laughed. She and her sister found this funnier than any of the others in the room.

I'm old enough to be all these girls' mother, Esarene thought with a bit of a shudder. They make it easy to forget, though. Well, I guess it's due to my own immaturity...but hey, it's fun. And, she smiled to herself, I'm just as pretty as any of them.

*

Selphie had put together quite an affair. There was food and wine in abundance, a large dance floor, and the professional quality of the decorations was up to even Dania's standards. The music left something to be desired, though...the band called themselves "Laser Eye", but they felt more like the sort of thrown-together ensemble invited to play at a wedding because the drummer was the bride's cousin and would have felt insulted if anyone else were asked to play.

Laguna looked handsome and uncomfortable in a suit that must've taken a lot of coaxing to convince him to wear. At least he hadn't adapted Estharian dressing styles. In a suit, his hair brushed neatly back into a ponytail, he looked presidential for the first time. Esarene was quite impressed. He was talking to someone and hadn't noticed Esarene yet, and she smiled a tiny smile.

Irvine seemed to have some difficulty handling the fact that he was at a party with his mother. He seemed nervous, like he was afraid he might be scolded if he stepped out of line. Esarene noticed, and tried to stay out of his way, so he didn't feel like she was breathing down his neck. It still seemed odd-even though they'd only met a short while ago, he was already acting like she was really his mother. I guess that means I'm supposed to act like his mother, or something. Let me think. She thought about how her own mother had behaved, and couldn't really see herself acting like that. Her mother...Esarene wished that Irvine could know his grandparents. Her own family had been very close, and she and her parents had shared a mutual trust that most of the other teenagers she'd known had lacked.

Um...god, how would I have felt if my mom came to a party I was at, though? I probably would've been so embarrassed...if I'd ever went to parties...sheesh. I guess I've got to give him his space. She watched as he joked with Selphie. Heh. And I've got my own target.

And looked to see where the president had gone. Finally, she caught his eye across the room. He was talking to Cid and Edea, and when he saw her, he blinked a couple of times, and smiled at her. Esarene returned the smile from the other side of the room, and he began to cough. Esarene could feel her cheeks turning red. I think I'm flirting, she thought, her eyes dancing. She made her way over to the table to get a drink.

"It's been a while!" Esarene turned to see Rinoa, who had caught her arm. "How are you doing?"

"I'm pretty good," Esarene said with a polite smile. "How are you?"

"Oh, I'm doing good," Rinoa replied. Squall was standing a couple paces behind her. Esarene poured herself a glass of wine, and offered another to Rinoa, then Squall.

"Get over there and talk to him," Rinoa said.

"Huh? Who?"

Rinoa shook her head and elbowed her. "You know."

"He's busy," Esarene said, her face bright red.

Squall looked at the two of them questioningly for a moment, then passed it off with a small shrug. Rinoa kissed his cheek and whispered something in his ear, and he smiled a little bit.

"Appropriate," he said.

It's rewarding to make someone smile, thought Esarene. She excused herself to go after Laguna. Oh, she didn't say that, of course, but...where is he going?

Esarene started after him and grabbed his ponytail, and Laguna yelped.

"Just where do you think you're sneaking off to?" she demanded.

"Ah..."

Esarene smiled at him, and saw him turning red. "Would you like to dance?" she asked him. Laguna seemed to have something caught in his throat, but he took her hand. Esarene liked the feel of his hand, his warm palm and fingers...with the colder band of a ring on one of them. She hardly noticed it as they went out to the dance floor. He put his hand on her waist awkwardly, and she rested hers on his shoulder, then giggled. It seemed that Jeina had convinced Irvine to dance with her.

"Ow." It was the first thing Laguna said, and Esarene apologized for stepping on his foot.

"Sorry, I guess I'm not the most graceful person in the world." Would her face ever stop burning? It's not like I'm some little teenager!

"It's all right," Laguna replied. Esarene leaned in closer against him. She could see a few beads of sweat forming on his neck.

"Kind of hot in here, isn't it?" she asked him. She felt fine, but then she was wearing a short dress with no sleeves, and he was in a suit...

"I...guess..."

He seems to have swallowed a whole pond full of frogs, Esarene noted. But I feel so happy now...I wish I could tell how he felt. "Is there any reason why we can't go outside for a little bit?" she wondered.

"We can go out on the balcony," Laguna suggested, seeming to regain his voice. Esarene nodded, still holding onto his hand as they walked out to the balcony. They found a place to lean against the railing, and Esarene looked up at Laguna. The wind blew her hair into her face, and she kept having to brush it aside.

"Laguna..." she began. He smiled a bit at her. His smile was a bit like Squall's, somewhat shy, but still so pure and handsome...though perhaps not as cute as his grin, thought Esarene, and she blushed. God, it's a good thing no one can read my mind.

"It's a nice night, isn't it," Laguna commented. Esarene nearly rolled her eyes in frustration. Instead, she smiled.

"Yes," she said. "I wouldn't mind just standing out here with you all night," she added casually. Her curls blew into her face again, and this time Laguna reached out to gently push her hair behind her ear, his fingers brushing across her cheek. I haven't ever felt like this, thought Esarene. I could fall into his arms right now...

"I don't think I'd mind, either," Laguna replied.

"You look really nice. I was so surprised to see you, all dressed up," Esarene noted. Laguna grinned and shrugged.

"Well, I guess I've got to look the part occasionally," he said. "I think...you look really beautiful, tonight. I mean, not that you aren't usually pretty, but, Esarene--"

"You should call me Reney," Esarene interrupted him. She leaned in closer to him. "No one's called me that in a long time."

"All right, Reney." Laguna sounded uncomfortable again. A pain shot through Esarene's shoulder, and she made a face. "You all right?"

"Just my stupid shoulder," Esarene sighed. She began to rub it with her right hand, and felt Laguna's hand over hers. He began to rub her shoulders, and she sighed happily and leaned back against him. Now Laguna's leg began to cramp up, and he stumbled. She turned around and caught him. And they realized that they had each been alone for a very long time.

So they stood there, staring at each other, waiting for the other to make a move.

*

"Go get your mom, Irvine. She likes this song."

"But I don't know where she went."

"Out on the balcony to get some fresh air, I bet."

"Um...all right..."

*

I guess it's up to me, then.

And they both leaned forward eagerly, and their noses collided, and they pulled apart again, laughing softly. They tried again, slower, more delicate this time, not closing their eyes until their lips met.

And they heard a strangled shout and a thump.

*

"He's out. Like a light."

"The shock was too much for him."

"Completely unconscious."

"Irvine, speak to me! Irvine?"

"Somebody get a phoenix down!"

*

Esarene wiped Irvine's forehead with a cool wet cloth, and he finally opened his eyes. "How do you feel?" Esarene asked.

"Odd," Irvine replied. He rubbed his head, his sight still a bit blurry. He watched as his mother's face came into focus.

"Was the Esthar wine too strong for you?" she asked him gently. Her voice was so soft...she was his mother, taking care of him. But she had been...

"I still can't believe it--you were making out--"

Esarene pulled back. Don't tell me he fainted because he saw me and Laguna...oh, man... "Am I not allowed to, then?"

"I...uh, you...I don't know," Irvine said. His head ached. Perhaps the wine had been a bit stronger than he'd expected. "But...but you're..."

"I'm your mother? Is that what you're trying to say?"

"...Yeah."

"You fainted from the shock of seeing your mother kissing someone." Esarene shook her head. "Obviously, I've done more than that, or you wouldn't be here."

Irvine couldn't imagine--didn't want to imagine. In the eyes of anyone else, she was just a pretty, single woman--she didn't even look that old. And he liked Laguna well enough, but--she was his mother!

"It's funny," Esarene said, smiling a bit. "I'm the one who's supposed to be worried about you kissing girls and getting into trouble like that."

Irvine was mortified. He'd lived most of his life without a mother instructing him, worrying about him, waiting for him to get home at night. And now, now that he had a mother all of a sudden, he was the one who had to look after her! It gave him a headache.

I think she's been drinking, too, Irvine thought. But moms aren't supposed to drink!

"I just don't want you to get hurt, Mom," he said, sitting up.

"Are you all right, then?" Esarene asked. He just called me "mom"...

"Yeah...I think...no damage done." He flipped his legs off the side of the cot and looked into his mother's eyes. "How much do you know about Laguna?" he asked.

Esarene thought about it. "He's forty-five years old, he's the president of Esthar, he likes kids, and he wears a size eleven shoe." She smiled. "I've been spending a little too much time with Selphie, I guess."

"No, I mean about his past. What do you know about his past?"

"Why do you ask?"

"I don't want you to get hurt," Irvine insisted. "Laguna--he's been in love before."

Esarene thought of the ring she'd felt on his hand. "I figure, one doesn't usually reach the age of forty-five without--"

"They were married," Irvine continued. "And she died. Laguna's a nice guy, and I know he wouldn't do it on purpose, but he might just be looking through you and thinking of the woman he lost. And when he realizes you're not Raine, it'll be too late."

"Raine...?" echoed Esarene.