Episode 24: In A Perfect Moment

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*RING*RING*RING*

Marron: I awoke from the phone by my bed. Knocking things down as my hand searched its way to the phone.

"He-hello?"

"Took you long enough to answer don't you think?"

"Huh?"

"Happy Birthday Marron."

"Um, thank you. Who's this?"

"Sorry to wake you at this time, but I wanted to be the first one to say happy birthday."

I was still half asleep and couldn't recognize the voice, I looked at my clock... 3:54am. I had just gone to sleep 2 hours ago. Was it Sunday already? Oh it's just too early for me to think... let me recount: Goten and Paris, that happened on Friday, not much happened since then, Trunks is still missing, Pan is still with her parents, Oh but I remember I had Bra stay that night so she could talk to me about Goten... I worked yesterday then stayed for a couple hours with Goten to let him talk. Wow I guess it really is my birthday...

"It's 4 in the morning couldn't you have called me later in the day?"

"No otherwise I wouldn't be the first one to wish you a happy birthday."

"*Yawn* Who is this?"

"Have I been gone so long you can't even recognize my voice?"

"Trunks?"

"Again."

"Pan?"

"Does it sound like I'm a girl?"

"I'm too tired to guess here, I'm going to hang up and sleep ok... *Yawn* Good-night."

"Marron."

"What?"

"Before you sleep, do me a favor and open the front door."

"I'm too tired why?"

"Think of it this way, once you open the door and get this over with you can go back to bed ok."

"I'll do that ok good-night."

"Happy birthday, Goodnight, Marron."

I was SO tired, I just pushed the off button on the phone, put it down next to me and in a couple seconds I fell asleep. Only to wake up from a peaceful nap around 10am. I brushed my hair and put them into two low pigtails as I started to walk my way to the bathroom when I heard the doorbell. Lazily I dragged myself over there. Looked in the peep hole to see nothing but black.

"Yeah?"

"Open up birthday girl."

"Fine fine."

I opened it up to see a man covering his face with a medium sized pink bear that held about 6 flowers and a card.

"Happy Birthday to you..." He started singing the song and motioning the bear on his face like it was singing. I looked at him stupidly and took the bear to reveal his face.

"You're an idiot you know that, but thank you."

"Pigtails is legal how about that! Hey now you can hit the bars with me, you know a guy like me showing up with a girl like you. I'll be sure to catch all the ladies attention."

"Goten."

"What? Isn't it true?"

"Whatever. Why're you here so early? My party doesn't start for another couple of hours."

"I just came by to thank you again for last night and to try and help you prepare for today too." He started to make his way into the kitchen as I followed behind

"Oh, well thanks. I love the bear too, thank you. Except why a PINK BEAR Goten?" I said referring to the one Trunks gave me as I continued staring at it.

"Um, actually that's not from me." His head was covered by the refrigerator's door as he was searching for food.

"Sure Goten, that's why when I opened the door you were just magically holding it right?"

He shut the door and leaned against it as he continued eating an apple he pulled from the refrigerator and began shaking his head.

"Nope, not me pigtails. I got here and it was sitting outside of your door."

"Before you sleep, do me a favor and open the front door." Could it be? Wa-wa-Was that Trunks waiting at my front door for me to open? No, can't be, he told me to guess again when I said his name... but it's not Goten... but who else knows of Trunks giving me a pink b-- GEENO! I remember telling him when we were only friends. No that can't be. Why would--

"Pigtails!" I looked at him as he walked up to me

"You know you don't have to sit there and try to be a detective to figure out who it's from. There's a thing here that the bear is holding called a card. You should be little more observant next time."

He pulled the card from the bear's grip and tapped it on my forehead. I took it from him and just gave him an evil look as I began opening it. He stood beside me to read along as I pulled the card out. It had a picture of a bear sitting on a swing by himself while writing on a piece of paper. With the top of it saying "Although I'm alone, I did not forget..." I opened it up only to let something in a smaller envelope fall out while doing so.

"I got it Mar."

He picked it up as I began reading the rest of the card before reading the long note that covered the blank side of the card and around the already printed words that read "A birthday like yours, I'm sure you won't regret." How cheesy, I just smiled and shook my head. Goten opened the envelope and handed me what was in it.

"I think we know who the guy is."

I looked at the item that laid in my hand, a picture. The same picture I had. The beach, the dark jacket, his purple hair, his embrace, our smile. It was the picture I kept in his jacket of the two of us on that day. I ran into my room and grabbed the jacket to see if the picture was still there. I pulled mine out and it was all the same. I flipped the back of his picture as it had writting on it:

Marron,
Don't forget about this moment. I still haven't. It's probably the best picture I've ever taken. So keep it. Dende only knows when another perfect moment like that will take place...

~Trunks

I smiled and put the picture safely into the envelope

"'Dende only knows when another perfect moment like that will take place' Did he really think of that himself?"

I ignored Goten's comment as I started reading the card from the beginning

Dear Marron,
Happy 21st Birthday! I told you I'd be the first one to say it. Technically I'm the first one here too because I was at the door first. I hope these first 21 years of your life were your best, through all your experiences, may it bring out the best of you that I know lies inside. I'm sorry I didn't get to see you when I dropped this off myself, but I knew if I did I wouldn't be too sure if I'd be able to leave your sight again. I'm REAL sorry I haven't been around lately. I'm even more sorry for saying I was coming back and still haven't. I better stop, this isn't an apology card. This is my; Happy 21st Birthday card. Marron I wish I could be there with you right now to celebrate with you, but there's still a lot that needs to be done where I am. I will promise, no, no more promises, just one thing: Wait for me tonight, I WILL show up. When you make your wish, I'll be there. Bra has my present for you so make sure you get it. I'll be waiting on the other side Marron. By a push of a button, I'll come running. THAT I DO promise. Have a great and wonderful birthday party. Sorry I can't be there to help you out

~Trunks
P.S Oh yeah, and watch out for any of Goten's drinks please. I know you're legal now and you've drank with us before, but if Goten has a mixed one for you don't drink it. I have, trust me that will hit you like nothing you've had before. Oh and make sure Bra doesn't have any of Goten's wonders either. I want to make sure when I get back that you guys are in a condition where you'd recognize who I am when I see you.Happy 21st Birthday again.

I looked at Goten wondering if he knew what Trunks was talking about.

"What that was a long time ago ok?"

"Goten's wonders? What's that all about?"

"It's not as bad as he makes it out to be. I gave the boy 2 cups of that after telling him he should only have one and he was just really drunk the rest of the night. That was all he had too, just 2 of my drinks."

"When was this?"

"About a week or two before you came back from college. We were all at Paris' hotel. It was me, him, Paris, and Kirei."

"Get away girl was there?"

"Yeah, but Paris and Kirei only had 2 drinks so they weren't that bad."

"Well did--"

"No don't worry Marron nothing happened that night. By around 4 or 5am we all fell asleep. Paris and I on the bed and Kirei and Trunks on a cot. Paris and I were the last ones to go to bed so nothing happened between those two, just them acting like a couple through the whole night."

"Oh, ok."

"Pigtails, come on. It's your birthday, be happy. Besides it was one night, nothing happened after that. If it did why would Trunks even care to give you a pink bear, roses, a card, and a picture of the past?"

I kindly smiled as I was reminded of how much Trunks seemed to care for me. I closed my eyes and held the bear closer to my heart, like a part of Trunks was with it. I took a deep breath and held it, I could smell his sweet cologne, reminding me of everything that happened before he left...

"I don't lie when I compliment a woman"
"I wanted to kiss you at that moment and I don't regret that, either"
"You're everything any guy would want in a girlfriend, especially a wife: beautiful, caring, a good cook, everything. He just couldn't see that, he doesn't know you like I know you... The real you."
"Maybe that lucky man could be me huh Marron?"

"Um, Marron?"

I slowly exhaled and opened my eyes to Goten.

"Hey you weren't just thinking about Trunks just now, were you?"

"I- um."

He placed his finger on my forehead.

"There's no need to deny it. I know you are, there's nothing wrong with that... since you're in love with the boy"

"What are you talking about?" I cautiously asked with a clueless look on my face. "Besides, I have to change now so we can go buy some stuff for tonight."

"Right Marron, you can't say you aren't. JUST before you went to bed you told me you were afraid of falling in love with him and here you are wasting away just thinking about him."

I pushed him with the bear and talked with my back turned as I was walking to my room.

"Hmph! You're one to talk Goten. I'm going to changing now."

I closed the door behind me as I heard him lastly say

"HEY! What do you mean by I'm one to talk?"

If you want to get on the inside of Goten and Marron's talk about him and Paris go into this optional episode: Side-Episode 24: Insight Between Friends