Riding Life's Currents
Chapter 4:"Well ladies, ready for one hell of a ride?"
By Kiyoko
7-27-02
Relena Peacecraft was fidgeting behind her heavy, polished desk of dark redwood. She unconsciously smoothed her silk skirt with delicate hands and fingers. Normally she was quiet calm and collected, never battering a nervous eyelash, but not when it came to her children.
"Heero, we have to do something! This is Toshiro's third arrest in two months! One of these days we won't be able to get him out of these situations." Relena said looking sadly at her husband who was leaning against her office wall, arms crossed over his toned chest.
"I know Relena. We could always send him to military school." Heero said lightly. His wife's eyes flared and he suddenly wished he could melt in to the wall behind him with the light blue floral print.
"NO Heero, NO fighting." Relena said, her lips reduced to thin lines, "I think you have taught him enough. Perhaps he wouldn't be in this mess if you hadn't taught him how to fight."
"Don't blame this on me. If I hadn't taught him he'd probably be running around with a sword. I believe you insisted her learn how to fence. I think you said ,'It is an aristocratic sport. He should learn.'" Relena glared back at her husband for a moment before her aquamarine eyes softened. She let out a little sigh, her hand coming up to support her head on the desk.
"We shouldn't be blaming each other." Heero smiled at his wife and walked over to the desk, then pulled Relena out of her plush chair, taking her into his embrace.
"I love you." He murmured in her ear. Relena smiled tenderly then kissed Heero softly on the lips. After a moment she tried to pull away but Heero held her close deepening the kiss. His hands began roaming around her petite figure, one of his hands wandering down the back of her skirt. Relena brought a hand down from it's position around his neck and began unbuttoning Heero's dress shirt. The two lovers were so caught up in the moment they didn't notice the white office door creak open slowly.
"Eeewwwww! That is so gross! Get a room!" Toshiro said, a repulsive look on his handsome features. Relena and Heero stopped their ministrations on each other to look at the intruder.
"Don't you know how to knock!" His mother chided him.
"I didn't exactly expect you two be going at it in here. I'll come back later." Toshiro said trying to quickly escape the scene.
"It's ok son, I was just leaving." Heero said doing up the buttons on his shirt that Relena had undone, leaving when he was done.
"What do you want sweetheart?" Relena asked fixing her shirt back into her gray pin-stripped skirt.
"Oh I just wanted to know what time you expected Uncle Millardo back from Italy."
"He should be back by now, if you need him he is most likely in the family quarters with Lucrezia." Relena replied with a smile.
"I was actually inquiring if Lavender had returned yet. Thanks mom, I'll see you later." Toshiro said before he turned toward the door to the hallway.
"Could you wait a moment ? I wanted to speak with you about that unfortunate incident that took place yesterday." the boy stopped and slowly turned around to face his mother, fear rushing through him in heavy waves.
'Here it comes. I wish I could turn into a bug and scuttle away.' He thought to himself.
"This had been the third time in two months you have gotten arrested. I don't know what sort of actions I can take to make sure this doesn't happen again. Don't worry, I'm not going to send you away. That isn't an option." Relena said then sighed. Dealing with this sort of thing was not something she wanted to do. Wasn't Heero supposed to be the strict one?
"If your aggressive behavior continues, I will be forced to assign you a pair of body guards." Toshiro's mouth hung open in surprise. He never thought his mother would resort to something like that.
"You're, you're kidding right? Mom, that would ruin everything."
"If that is what it will take I will do it. I can't accept your ruthless behavior any longer." Toshiro was steaming on the inside, this was not fair at all!
"I know I'm not the son you've always wanted," he said clenching his hands into tight fists at his sides, " I can't help being who I am. I can't help standing up for the people I love and care about. I hold up our family name the only way I can. I'm not good at using fancy speeches like you to solve conflicts. I can't be who you want me to be." Silent tears began to slowly tumble down his face as anger turned to sorrow. Relena just stood there staring at her crying child, guilt coursing through her veins. She had made him feel the way he did, she made him feel as if he were nothing. Tears began to well up in her eyes.
In an instant she gathered her son into her eager arms holding him tight.
"Oh Toshiro," she said, " I never meant for you to feel this way, I love you with all my heart. You are perfect the way you are. I don't want you to change for anything, not even me."
"Really?" He said as he stared into his mother's beautiful aquamarine eyes.
"Yes really. Just try not to get into anymore trouble."
"I'll try my best." He said smiling at his mom. A moment later he opened the door into the wide hallway, his converse occasionally squeaking on the black marble floor. As he walked down the hall, he looked into the many rooms that were open. Each room held a small office, some with people typing away furiously, others chatting on the phone. One man was trying to smash the phone against the wall.
'I'm glad I don't visit mom's office often, her employee's are insane.'
He reached the end of the hall, then began to ascend the staircase at the end. After two flights of stairs he reached the fifth floor then began to head for Lavender's quarters. He arrived in front of a soft lavender door that looked quite out of place among the few redwood doors in the hall. Toshiro rapped his knuckled on the door a few times then waited a few moments before hearing a barely audible 'come in.' Turning the silver door handle, then pushing the door in he saw a girl dressed in a baby blue tank top and blue jeans with waist long lavender hair swirling around her as she moved her body. The girl was currently unpacking a large suitcase situated on her massive bed.
"Hey Lav, how was your trip?" Toshiro asked looking around her meticulously clean bedroom. She slipped the maids an extra twenty a day to keep it that way. Like him, she was a complete mess. The girl turned around and smiled to see the boy standing a few feet from her.
"Toshiro!" she said as she bounded over to him and gave him a tight hug. When she stood up completely she was a good two inches taller than him. At seventeen he barely stood at 5'8", while Lavender, eighteen, stood at 5'10". It didn't help that his dad was at a pathetic 5'9", but that was expected as a Japanese man. He barely stood taller than his mother. Toshiro prayed that some of his European blood would kick in and cause him to grow another couple inches. I mean look at Lavender's dad, Millardo was a staggering 6'5". Poor Aya would probably be stuck at 5'2" or something. She hadn't grown since she was 13.
"Italy was so much fun! Although we didn't get to see much , we spent most of the time in conferences and obligatory dinners. There was this really cute boy at the party, he was like this tall, dark, Italian babe! I wanted to take him home with me, but alas! Life is cruel." Toshiro was watching Lavender drool as she gave her rendition of this 'hot babe' she met, trying to suppress a laugh. She was so boy crazy. Lavender began twisting one of her long strands of hair between her fingers once she realized her babbling.
Toshiro looked at his older cousin and just smiled. He honestly didn't mind her talking about whatever she had on her mind. They were really close, they had grown up together. Not only were they cousins, they were best friends ever since Lavender appointed herself his guardian when he was two. Toshiro was even closer to Lavender than he was to his own sister. When they were younger most people believed them to be twins. They spent every waking hour together when they were little when their parents gave them the chance even through the good times and the bad. Like that one time they got into Lavender's fourth birthday cake and ate the entire thing before the party had even begun. They were denied any sweets for two weeks! Two weeks for a couple of toddlers feels like an eternity to them.
"Did you get his number or anything?" Toshiro asked. Lavender gave him a malicious smile and pulled out a rumpled napkin from out of the front pocket of her jeans. She flipped the napkin over in her hand and held it out for Toshiro to observe.
"You more than anyone should know better than to ask." Toshiro gave his cousin a small grin and shook his head. Lavender hastily shoved the napkin back into her pocket, turned back to the suitcase on her bed and began to unpack again. Toshiro tucked his hands into the back pocket of his dickies and began to shuffle his right foot against the lavender carpet.
"You're not the only person who met someone." Lavender gave a snort as she tucked a pair of pants into her wooden dresser drawer. She turned around to face him and placed her hands on her tiny hips.
"Listen Toshiro, its no surprise when you meet a girl. As a matter of fact, its no surprise when I meet a guy… anyway what is she like?" Toshiro moved over to her bed and sat down on it cause the springs in the bed to creak quietly. His grin faded into a slight smile and his face turned into one of great contemplation.
"Honestly Lav, she is unlike any other girl I have met. When I'm with her, its like I can't think straight! And I've only known her for one day!!!" Toshiro threw up his arms and flopped down on his back, covering his eyes with the crook of his elbow.
"And the worst part is that I only have four more days with her!" Toshiro said. Lavender rolled her eyes as she continued to unpack her suitcase.
"Calm down Mr. Dramatic, its not like you're never going to see her again. Where does she live anyway?" Toshiro sat up from his position on the bed and stared Lavender in the face.
"She lives on L4-17774. I guess its not that far away."
"You know," Lavender said pointing her index finger at her cousin, "Quatre lives on that colony, I'm sure you could always hop a transport with him and chill at his place for a couple weeks." Toshiro thought that over in his head for a moment. That could work, but that would mean being the perfect child to convince his mom to let him go. Going with a pair of insensitive body guards would do him no favors.
"And it's not like you couldn't jack one of your mother's planes." Toshiro shook his head in agreement.
"That's true, I could always do that. Anyway the reason I came was to see if you wanted to go ice blocking tonight." Lavender gave her cousin a wide grin which meant she was in.
"Awsome, I'll swing by your room around eleven fifty then we have to get Jordan around 12. Oh yeah, um I guess Aya all of a sudden wants to tag along too, can you help her find something suitable to wear?" Toshiro said then got up and headed toward the lavender door.
"Sure bro, don't be late." Lavender said and gave Toshiro a smile over her shoulder from her position over the suitcase, "Later." Toshiro stepped out into the empty hallway and closed the lavender door behind him then proceeded down the hall.
"Daddy I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself. Besides it's just a sleepover. I'll be fine." Kira said to her worried father. He was so overprotective because she was his only girl and he loved her to death. She had not seen most of the world because of this. Kira had to beg him for a week just to let her come along on the trip. As if staying in a palace wouldn't provide the needed protection. The palace had ten times the security her own home did.
"Well if you need anything I'm just a phone call away." Quatre said to his anxious daughter who wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible.
"Ok daddy, goodbye." Kira said to her father while quickly walking out the door. Kira took her small white suitcase and headed toward the palace gates, her blue satin sundress swishing against her thighs, her matching blue slippers quietly tapping against the black marble floor. When she arrived to the front doors Jordan was already there talking to one of the guards.
"Hello Jordan." Kira said as she approached the dark purple haired girl who was wearing a pair of flared jeans with a studded belt looped through the holes, a pair of black converse and a black tank top. Her arms were adorned with two studded bracelets, one on each wrist with black plastic bracelets behind them. Around her neck sat a studded collar with one and a half inch spikes. Jordan had always worn that necklace for as long as Kira could remember. The girl never left home without it.
"Hey Kira what's up? Ready to go?" Jordan walked up to Kira and took her white suitcase and headed out the huge front doors. Kira smiled at her friend and followed her out. Parked out front was a black vintage convertible with red and black vinyl interior. Jordan tossed Kira's suitcase into the back seat of the car then hopped over the door while Kira opened the passenger side door and gracefully sat down in the car, swung her legs in, and shut the door. She then pulled out a matching blue, satin ribbon out of her purse then proceeded to pull her hair back away from her face and secure it at the base of her neck with the ribbon. Following that she pulled out a pair of black sunglasses and put them on at the same time Jordan was doing the same thing.
"Ready?" Jordan said.
"More than ever, lets go." Kira smiled at her friend then watched as a huge grin broke out over her friend's cute features. The car lurched forward harshly as Jordan hit the gas pedal full force causing the wheels to screech on the pavement below. The black car bolted out the front gates onto the street outside. Jordan made a hard left, the car turning with her like the wheels were on rails. Kira laughed before saying, "You drive just like your dad Jordan, a real bat outta hell!"
"I learned from the best!" Jordan replied as they headed down the street. Ten minutes later they pulled up to a beautiful two story mansion on a two acre plot of land. Lush grass and trees surrounded the property giving the land plenty of privacy. Jordan turned off the car then hopped out of the car grabbing Kira's suitcase on the way.
"Your house is beautiful as ever Jordan." Kira said as she got out.
"Yeah my dad repainted it blue. It looks much better than that gross brown it used to be." Jordan led the way into the house through the large, white, French doors and into the foyer of the house.
"Mom! We're here!" Jordan yelled then made her way into the doorway on her left which opened up into a huge living room. A huge couch took up much of the far side of the room with an impressive entertainment center facing it. Jordan turned and walked through another doorway on her right which led into a large dining room with a table large enough to fit twelve people. She kept walking straight through another doorway ahead of her which led into the kitchen that occupied the entire back of the house. The two girls walked in to see Hilde stirring a pot over the stove, wooden spoon and all.
"Kira! It's so nice to see you again. It has been a while hasn't it? Can I get you girls anything to drink. Dinner will be ready in an hour." Hilde said smiling and wiping her hands onto her apron that was tied around her waist.
"It's very nice to make your acquaintance again. It is very kind of you to let me stay over for the evening." Kira replied bending slightly at the waist and nodding her head. She jerked back when she heard Hilde laughing with a wide smile on her face.
"There's no need to be so formal dear! I'm not some stuffy politician, though I could use some respect like that from my children… anyway come give me a hug!" Kira smiled shyly and moved into Hilde's outstretched arms.
"That's more like it." Hilde said while embracing the tiny girl in her arms, swaying slightly back and forth. When Kira pulled back she was able to get a better look at the woman she hadn't seen in years. Hilde's purple hair had grown out the middle of her back and was pulled back at the nape of her neck with a silver clip. Her long bangs framed her face making her look younger than she already was.
It wasn't soon before Jordan dragged Kira out of the kitchen and up to her bedroom.
"She is SO embarrassing! Why did I have to get such a nutcase for a mom!" Jordan said once they were safely in the confines of her room. Kira smiled at her friend's distress.
"Are you kidding me Jordan? You have a great mom. At least she has time for you, my mom is always so busy." Kira sighed. You can't have everything.
"Yeah I guess you're right, but still, she is embarrassing. Did I tell you that one time when I went on a date with that one guy with the green hair?" Kira shook her head 'no' and Jordan's eyes widened. " I didn't tell you! Oh my god, it was so embarrassing. Ok, so the door rings and I'm still getting ready right? My mom let him in and showed him into the living room, you know the one with all the embarrassing bath tub pictures? Anyway, she decided to give him a nice tour of our fireplace mantle where they are. When I came down you know what he said to me? He said 'You look cute in the tub, maybe I can see it for myself sometime.' and then my mom just laughs and starts talking about all the fun bubble bath she has had with my dad. I had to literally drag him out of there just to save myself from more embarrassment." By now Kira was cracking up and holding her sides nearly rolling off the bed she was sitting on. Jordan made a sour face at her friend who provided no sympathy for her.
"Go ahead laugh it up." Kira's laughing finally died down and became semi-serious.
"Consider yourself lucky, when I went out on my first date my mom threatened the poor guy with a rapier. She even went as far as to cut the sleeve of his shirt." Jordan gave a snort in response. She knew Kira's mom was crazy even if no one said it out loud . That was one woman you did not want to mess with. Even her own husband was afraid of her.
***
Later that evening everyone piled into the large dinning room at the far end of the table away from the kitchen entrance. The head of the table was empty since Duo hadn't come home yet with reasons Hilde couldn't fathom since she warned him to be home in time for dinner. Jordan and Kira were seated next to each other on the right side while Jordan's two younger sisters, Seraphina and Crescentia, sat across from them. Seraphina was two years younger than Jordan with dark brown hair it almost looked black. She had soft feminine features and the attitude of a lady to boot. Crescentia was six years younger than Jordan and had the same deep purple colored hair that Jordan had but her hair was cut shorter and styled in two French braids with black ribbons at the bottom. Jordan and Crescentia's looks were so similar it was uncanny. The little girl sitting across from Jordan looked exactly like herself six years ago, not to mention that Crescentia wanted to be just like her big sister.
A few minutes later Hilde had finished bringing dinner to the table. The five females were about to begin when Duo walked in followed by a young man who looked very much like Duo. Duo gave his wife a sheepish grin before sitting down at the head of the table.
"Sorry I'm late, Nikolaus asked me to pick him up at the gym after work." Duo said. Nikolaus took a seat on the other side of Kira. Jordan scrunched up her nose in disgust.
"Ugh! That would explain why you smell like a pig!" Jordan said. Nikolaus's eyes narrowed at his sister and said, "You'd better watch it LITTLE sister, you never know when an accident might occur." He grinned at his sister who rolled her violet eyes at him. Nikolaus turned his attention to the blonde sitting next to him and took in her beautiful features and creamy skin.
"So to what do we owe the honor to have such a beautiful lady join us for dinner?" Nikolaus said suavely. Kira smiled at him sweetly before replying, "Cut it out Niko your charm doesn't work on me." Niko looked at the girl curiously trying to figure out how she knew him, scrunching his eyebrows in thought.
"Let me spell it out for you genius, this is Kira. You met her a few years ago. Oh and don't even think of using one of your tactless pick up lines, she's already taken." Jordan said matter-of-factly as she shoved a large spoonful of mashed potatoes on her vacant plate. Niko looked at his sister venomously. God she is such a smart ass.
"And who pray tell has stolen the lovely lady's heart?" He asked curious. Jordan snorted at him while smothering her potatoes in gravy.
"A far better man than you'll ever be." She replied. Duo looked on amused while Hilde was fuming. Kira only visited once in a blue moon and here her children were ruining her lovely dinner! And poor Kira! What must she be thinking?
"Enough you two! I've had it with your bickering! I'm so sorry Kira, these two cretins must seem so uncivilized to you." Hilde said smiling gently at the young blonde girl. Kira finished chewing the mouth full of salad she had shoved in her mouth before replying, "Oh not at all, its nice to have a nice family dinner. It seems I've had so few lately." Smiling at the older woman she took another bite of her salad then dabbing the side of her mouth with a napkin wiping off the bit of ranch dressing that had not made it into her mouth. The rest of dinner went by rather uneventfully and the family retreated to other rooms and such after.
"C'mon Kira, we have some planning to do." Jordan told Kira as they two girls walked up the staircase that lead up the second story where her bedroom was located. Once they were in Kira stepped around a few scattered items laying about on the floor and made her way to the bed.
"What sort of planning do we have to do?" Kira asked her friend who was in the closet tossing out random pieces of clothing.
"Well you most certainly can't go the way you are dressed now. Did you bring any other clothes like I told you?" Jordan asked from inside the massive closet. Kira moved over to her white suitcase at the end of the bed and pulled out a pair of jeans and a shirt.
"Of course I did. I packed like you instructed me to. Is this ensemble alright?" she asked holding up the jeans and a rather dressy shirt. Jordan peaked her head out of the closet to take a look.
"That shirt is far too nice." Kira frowned at what Jordan had to say.
"Sorry Jordan, but it's the most casual shirt I brought. I didn't exactly plan on going down any hills on a block of ice." Jordan's mouth curved into a smile before popping back into the closet.
"Its ok Kira, I'm sure I have something you can wear. Ah ha! This is it!" Jordan shouted before emerging from the closet holding a white t-shirt. She tossed the shirt to Kira who looked at the script written on the front.
"New Port County Fair?" she read out loud also noticing the dancing starfish on the front, the county's official mascot. Kira took both her pants and the shirt into the bathroom to change. A minute later Jordan heard a groan come from the bath room followed by 'I'm not wearing this!'
"What's wrong Kira?" Jordan asked moving toward the bathroom door.
"I am not wearing this! The shirt is far to tight!"
"Oh please, I know you are exaggerating! Come out and let me see!" Slowly the bathroom door opened and Kira came out. The jeans she was wearing rested low on her hips while the shirt came down to the top of her belly button. Her curves were obviously noticeable because the shirt clung to her body like a second skin.
"Oh my gosh Kira you look so cute! You have to wear that shirt, Toshiro would shit a brick." Kira looked over at Jordan doubtfully while her friend looked back at her with a wide grin exactly like Duo's. While Kira was in the bathroom Jordan had changed into a pair of black dickies and a red tank-top and currently holding a Operation Ivy sweatshirt. Jordan shuffled a few items around on the bed until she found what she was looking for. She tossed the item to Kira who caught it easily. She gratefully pulled on the black jacket thankful that is covered her a bit.
A couple hours later they heard a slight tap at Jordan's window before it slowly crept open. Moments later Toshiro jumped in wear his usual black converse, dickies, studded belt and all.
"Well ladies, ready for one hell of a ride?"
A/N: yay! I'm finally done with chapter 4! I had the hardest time writing this. I hope it was worth the wait! Read and review if u want. I don't own Gundam Wing.