After the night of the dinner and Sanji's bachelor party, two weeks had passed by. Sanji was now a married man, Nami had sealed the deal and formed a collaboration with Hiyori for her last collection called 'Wano'. Zoro had moved back in with Tashigi again now that they were on good terms and Nami was finally done with the outfits of her first collection Dressrosa. All that was left was the fashion show this week. As for Luffy, the unknown number was actually the bank calling on delayed payments with his credit card.
Nami paced back and forth in her office, she was hosting a fashion show for the very first time as the new CEO of Graced By Belle. There were so many things she had to do this week with little to no time. In the past few weeks, she experienced frequent urination, headaches, and cramps. She didn't think much of it as the cramps and headaches were common signs as an approaching period and the frequent bathroom visits were due to the amount of water she'd been consuming.
Nami stops in her steps to lean on her desk and drink from her bottle of water. The models were being fitted in their outfits this week which she has to attend, an interview with Wanda on the late-night Wanda show, a doctor's appointment to get tested for an STD like Nojiko said and a spa appointment with her masseuse Nico Robin today. First things first, she needed to sit down, Nami's been mentally and physically exhausted these days. She knew it'd take work to run a company, but it was really taking a toll on her. Good thing she was getting a deep tissue massage to relieve all the stress she's been working up.
There's a knock at the door, "enter." Nami exhaustingly commands. Nojiko pokes her head inside to see her sister slumped over the desk.
Nojiko smiles warmly at her sister before coming in and closing the door behind her. "I got some good news."
Nami looks up to see her sister beaming at her.
"I managed to book four television stations, more the merrier!" Nojiko shares.
Nami's eyes enlarge at the sound of good news. She mirrors her sister's beaming smile.
"Saturday is the day, are you excited? I know I am!"
"I'm nervous and excited, but I'm so nervous I could throw up right now." Nami sighs.
"What are you doing here anyway? Shouldn't you be-"
"Checking out the venue? Yes, I know. I'll head down there as soon as this Tylenol kicks in. I'm having a headache again." Nami lays her head on the desk.
"Poor thing. You've been working so hard. You're stressed to the brim. Did Chiffon make that appointment with Nico Robin as I recommended?" Nojiko asks curiously.
"Yeah, I'm meeting with her later today."
"Good. She can relieve your stress with her magic hands. When I was pregnant with Belle, she was one of the few people on my speed dial list."
"Yeah, I usually have irregular periods, so mine might come later this week. The headaches and cramps are signs." Nami groans at her headache.
"Does it go in a pattern like a Rollercoaster?" Nojiko motions her arm like a wave.
"Yup. One month it comes, the next month it doesn't. Last month it didn't come, but it sure is coming this month...I hope. I really hope."
000
Once Nami's headache subsided. She met
with Chiffon at the venue where she would be hosting her first fashion show for her Dressrosa collection. Nami dressed down in a beige fur coat with thigh-high boots and a mini dress, her hair styled into a side bun leaving a few strands out to frame her face. She had taken her shades off to take a better look at the place.
"Oh, the stage looks absolutely gorgeous," Nami comments while walking towards Chiffon and a snazzy man dressed in a tuxedo with gloves on his hands.
"Oh, Nami, this is Vander Decken. He's the event planner." Chiffon introduces.
"Nice to meet you." She smiles at him.
"Likewise, Ms. Karlsson. I was just telling your assistant here we could move the seats to a certain degree so it'll look better on camera."
"No, keep them the way they are. I don't want my guests having to twist around trying to see the models."
"R-right." Decken nervously agrees.
"Where will the refreshments be?" Nami asks.
"Through those doors, there's a hall that's going to serve refreshments. Now we can either do a self-serve buffet-style refreshment table or hire some private chefs." Decken explains.
"Hm...what do you think, Chiffon?" Nami asks her.
"Private chefs give off a better impression than a self-serve." Chiffon inputs.
"You heard her Decken, a private chef it is."
"I will get on that, lastly, entertainment. We have two options-"
"Use both. One for opening and one for closing." Nami interrupts.
"As you wish." Vander chuckles nervously.
"Show me the lights," Nami asks.
Decken motions for his employee in the control booth to dim the lights. The venue goes dark and the runway is lit.
"Okay, it's way too dark in here. The venue needs to have a little more light to it."
"Well Ms. Karlsson there isn't much we can do about that, either the lights stay on or turn completely off," Decken informs.
"You can get floor lights, those little candle lights that people use for proposal decorations or something, and have them arranged neatly in the audience. What price am I looking at Decken?"
"Sixty-six thousand."
"Alright, I'll write you a check. I want everything prepared on Saturday. Make sure you and your l crew are here early so we can set up and do a walk-through."
Nami takes her checkbook out of her bag and signs Decken a check for sixty-six thousand dollars.
"You won't be disappointed, Ms. Karlsson. I'm sorry for your loss. You have my condolences."
Nami smiles at him as he leaves the venue with the check.
"Are you okay Nami? You seem a bit tense? I know it's been a couple of stressful days, you have your appointment with Ms. Nico in the next hour. Should I call your driver?" Chiffon suggests.
"Yes, call him." Nami sighs. "I just want everything to be perfect, I want to make my mother proud, Nojiko proud, my employees, and myself."
"You're doing a splendid job running the company Nami. Your mother couldn't be more proud." Chiffon reassures her with a hand on her back.
000
Later, at the fire station, Luffy is in the lounge cooling off in the air conditioning while drinking a bottle of water. After Sanji's wedding, he had taken Nami off of his mind. She ended up not calling him so his hope of hearing from her went away little by little as the days passed by. He had other priorities right now than chasing after some woman whom he had no chances with.
The door to the lounge opens and in walks the chief of this particular station.
"Hey, chief." Luffy welcomes. "I've been meaning to ask." Luffy finishes his water.
"Can it wait? I'm a bit occupied right now with YOUR paperwork." Smoker grits his teeth.
"Oh right, I meant to finish them yesterday." Luffy rubs the back of his head.
"What do you want?"
"Um..how are my chances of getting a promotion? I'm a bit behind on my credit card payments and my rent is coming up pretty soon." Luffy asks.
Smoker stares at Luffy. Then looks at the papers in his hands. "If it's a promotion you want then you better start taking care of these first!" Smoker shoves the papers to Luffy. "Have them on my desk by the end of the day."
Smoker turns to leave the lounge just as Kidd enters.
"Chief." Kidd acknowledges him.
"Kidd." Smoker says, then leaves.
Kidd smirks at Luffy cockily. "You got paperwork?"
"No shit," Luffy says sarcastically.
"Hey listen, I have a dilemma. So this girl I knocked up a few months ago suddenly calls me and says she's pregnant and is positive I'm the father. I told her I'm not and she keeps insisting that it is."
"So? What's the problem?"
"Problem is, the bitch is crazy! I told her to have an abortion and I'll pay for it, but she refuses. So now, she's gonna try to suck some child support money out of me for a baby that I don't even want."
"Dude, I'd be happy if I was having a baby. I'm getting older and want to start a family, I want people to come home to...instead of coming home to my empty apartment all the time."
"Yeah well, You and I are obviously different." Kidd rolls his eyes.
"Just don't-" Luffy began, but was interrupted by the fire bell. Luffy tosses his papers onto the lounge coffee table and runs out the back after Kidd, sliding down the pole and suiting up.
"We got us an elevator situation at the Hana spa on 43rd Avenue." Smoker informs his team. "Kidd, Luffy you two head there since you're here already. Kidd, take truck number three."
"You got it." Kidd answers.
Luffy sat in the passenger seat and allowed Kidd to drive to their emergency.
000
Hours earlier, at Hana spa. Nami had arrived at her appointment. She traveled up to the third floor where Ms. Nico awaited.
"Are you...Nico Robin?" Nami asks after entering the private room.
"Yes, you must be Nami Karlsson. You're sister Nojiko said she'd recommend me to you. I guess she stuck to her words."
"She brags all the time saying how your hands are magic so I thought why not and see for myself. These past few days have been entirely exhausting for me and I'm stressed out. It's starting to mess up my menstrual cycle too." Nami sighs in defeat.
"Hopefully my 'magic hands' can bring relief to your tired body. If you want there is a bathroom where you can change into a robe." Robin gestures toward the bathroom.
Nami nods her head and goes to change into a robe that was already hung up waiting for her. Once Nami was in the bathroom she stripped into her underwear, before she changed into her robe, she used the toilet to release her bladder. After washing her hands she saw her reflection in the mirror. She noticed there were visible blue veins on her breast. "They weren't there this morning." She says to herself.
Nami whips out her phone to search why she has blue veins appearing on her breast. Several conclusions strike fear into Nami's heart. Disease, cancer, and pregnancy. Nami disregarded the first two conclusions and did the math for her menstrual cycle. "If I was ovulating two weeks ago and my period hasn't come yet...then I might be." Nami's eyes enlarge at the assumption of her being pregnant.
"Is everything alright in there?" Robin asks.
"O-oh, yes, I'm getting dressed right now." Nami lies. She puts her phone down to slip into the robe. Her hands were shaking in fear.
"The frequent urination wasn't because of the constant water drinking…" She says softly. Nami closes her eyes and lets out a soft sigh.
Nami comes out of the bathroom with a fake smile on her face. "Alright, I'm ready."
After an hour and several minutes, Nami was finished with her massage. She and Robin had a lovely conversation and talked as if they had been close friends for a long time.
"I feel much better already."
"I'm glad I could relieve your stress and tension."
"You said to soak in some Epsom salt right?" Nami asks, sitting on the massage bed tying her robe together.
"Yes, it has many benefits. You can pick it up at the store or you can buy some downstairs in our quick purchase shop."
"I'll grab a bag from downstairs. Do I pay you here or downstairs?"
"Here is fine."
"Alright, I'll just get changed." Nami hops off the bed and heads back to the bathroom to get changed into her coat, boots, and dress.
After Nami gets dressed and pays Robin she heads for the door, "Thanks again, Robin. I'll make sure to keep in contact."
"I'll be looking forward to hearing from you." Robin waves her goodbye.
000
Now in the present time, Nami paces back and forth in the elevator waiting for the fire department to arrive. Robin stood outside the elevator trying to keep Nami calm. "They'll be here any moment now," Robin reassures.
"I really should've taken the stairs today." Nami whines.
"I'm sorry the doors had to get stuck. I'll have my husband take a look at it once you're free."
"I guess I can check getting stuck in an elevator off of my things to do before I die list." Nami jokes.
"Do you have somewhere important to be today? I know you're on a tight schedule."
"No, I was going to head home today. I've been feeling really drained these days. Some days I just want to crawl up and stay in bed all day eating ice cream and snacking on tangerines."
"I hear you, my only off days are holidays."
"From CEO to CEO, I can't wait until I retire."
Robin chuckles at Nami's comment.
Footsteps can be heard running up the staircase, Robin looks over to see two firemen with their hats off. One black-haired man and a red-haired man. "Oh good, you're here." Robin smiles at them.
"Are the firemen here?!" Nami asks frantically.
"Ma'am we're gonna get you out in just a second," Kidd reassures.
"Good, my feet are killing me in these boots. I chose the wrong day to wear heeled boots." Nami complains.
"Alright, we're gonna pull apart the doors and try to pry it open. Can you step back a bit?" Luffy instructs. He recognized the voice he heard and so did Nami.
"O-okay," Nami says softly. She walks over into the corner of the elevator away from the doors.
Nami watches as the firemen pull apart the doors slightly and wedge a tool between the doors. She had no idea what was going on, but the door finally opened. Nami stood in shock to see her savior be the same guy who waited outside her headquarters and slept with her. He seemed to also be in shock as he looked at her staring right back at him.
"You can come out now ma'am," Kidd instructs.
Nami hesitates at first then slowly walks out of the elevator. She knew he was attractive, but seeing a man in uniform does something to her. She was still stunned in disbelief.
"Are you okay?" Luffy asks her.
"Y-yeah, I'm fine," Nami answers him.
Kidd goes over to talk to Robin about the maintenance of the elevator, leaving Luffy and Nami to themselves.
"I'm sorry for not calling you, it's been quite hectic these days," Nami tells him.
"It's okay, I heard you've been through a lot. You have my condolences."
"Thanks…"
An awkward silence falls between them, Nami looks away then looks back. "I'm free for the rest of the day...maybe we can get dinner? My treat."
Luffy thinks to himself. He needed promotion and had to stop slacking off on his job if he wanted an increase in pay and move out of the rural area. Then again, this is the same woman who he'd been desperate to see again. Whatever he decided, he hoped he wouldn't regret it.
