Author's Mutterings: Wuaha. This chapter is for those lovely pink featherballs, Klutzy, who likes to bites my fingers, and Archie, who can say 'scratch.' And be assured, they will get cameos in the next chapter. :3
Gomen na if anyone thinks this chapter is boring. .-. There is rather alot of dialogue, isn't there?
;-standard disclaimer inserted here-
Chapter five: Silver Mistake
"And Meryl…" the chief continued as Meryl scribbled her signature down on the custom maternity leave form.
"Yes?" Meryl looked up, respect in her eyes.
"Congratulations, Meryl," he said.
"Oh, thank you." Meryl flushed scarlet.
"Did you enjoy the party?" he asked.
"Oh yes. It was nice…"
"You be sure to take care of yourself," he told her.
"Oh, I will! And don't worry, I'll be very efficient with my routine repor—"
"Meryl, does it ever occur to you why you sometimes feel terribly tired and over-worked?" he laughed.
"Sir?" Meryl posed, confused.
"Maternity leave is maternity leave, Meryl. You can discontinue your reports until the end of next February," he explained for the third time.
"Oh," Meryl registered sullenly. "Okay."
Her chief laughed again.
"Meryl, I do admire your enthusiasm in your work but try to take it easy, okay?"
Meryl nodded.
"That's an order!" he exclaimed and they both chuckled.
"Thank you, sir. I'll be in touch."
"You're not staying in Bernardelli?" He shot Meryl a puzzled look.
"Oh. No. I have to return to Milly and Va—Mister Vash," Meryl corrected herself. She hadn't so far told anyone that Vash was the father of her child, and the use of his name without formalities could suggest something, even if it was just the slightest hint of friendship. No, she intended to keep it her own secret how very fond of Vash she was.
"Meryl, I'm sure Milly can handle it," said the chief. "As you've said countless times in your reports, he is not so deadly. And haven't I just been explaining to you for the past half hour what maternity leave is?"
Meryl made something close to a wince.
"Well…yes," she conceded. God, how could she explain it? "But I feel I would rather be with Milly, anyway. Just to be safe," she added quickly. "And I feel safer around Milly, as well."
"I understand. Well, good luck."
"Thank you, sir."
-
Sleep eluded the weary male that night. When he did finally drift away into the confines of darkness, he was disturbed by a dream, or rather a nightmare.
-
"Meryyyyyyyyyl!" squealed a bunch of Meryl's giggly uniformed workmates as she departed from the chief's office.
"I can't believe it, Meryl!" cried Meryl's friend Karen, her honey-on-toast coloured locks bobbing up and down as she and the others flitted towards her.
"Hi, Karen," Meryl said weakly. "Hi, everyone," She gave a docile wave as they crowded around her. "How've you all been?"
"Who cares about us? What about you!" giggled Meghan, her own brown hair swaying as she did, her cheeks red.
"Yeah! Give us all the goss!" Bonnie shouted, almost tackling Meryl over.
"Ahah! What… do you mean?" Meryl stammered.
"Meryl, I'm so psyched that you're p-pregnant! It's just so cool! You know I've always looked up to you!" simpered Natalie, clamping onto Meryl's arm, her arctic blue eyes sparkling. Veronica and Jill chuckled, big, cheesy grins on their faces.
"Er, thank you," Meryl said, smiling uneasily. "Hey, guys, I'm really thirsty—"
"Great idea!" Karen intercepted loudly. "Let's all go to the tearoom!"
"Yay!" they all shouted and scuffled Meryl up the stairs into the recreation room.
-
A figure wreathed in shadow stood triumphantly over the small, limp body of another. The figure's eyes stood luridly out from the darkness that consumed them both. They shone like two great moons, but with an icy blaze of malice and cruelty. A high, cold laugh expelled from the figure's lips…
-
"So…!" Karen began with an uncharacteristic titter as everyone made themselves comfy on the sofas and recliners in the tearoom, beverages and snacks in their hands.
"So…" she reiterated. "What's he like?"
Meryl stared blankly as they all shifted closer in their seats into greater earshot, grinning like hyenas.
"Umm…Who?" she asked, feeling very stupid. Bonnie made a preppy, fake cough.
"Who else, Meryl?" she said, setting her teacup back on its saucer and crossing one black stocking-clad leg over the other.
"No, really," Meryl said hopelessly.
"Your boyfriend, of course!" Natalie giggled shrilly. Veronica put a black hand over her mouth, hiding a smirk.
"Is he cute?" Meghan asked with a dreamy look swathing her face. Meryl flushed, at a total loss for speech.
"Well…I…uh…" Meryl stuttered, averting their gawking eyes. God, was there any way at all for her to get out of this? She thought frantically for anything that could prevent her from having to divulge her secrets, or worse lie about them.
"Uh…Hey, guys, it was really nice of you to throw me a party!" she said brightly. "I guess…"
They all shrugged.
"Come on, Meryl! Tell us about your flame!" coaxed Jill, shooting Meryl a furtive glance. The others nodded and grinned. Meryl sighed wearily.
"Well…" she began, deciding there was no other way. She would have to be as vague as possible. "Well…he's very…"
"Ye-es?" prodded Bonnie.
"…nice," Meryl said quietly and sipped embarrassedly at her coffee.
"Auuugh…" Veronica groaned. "Is that all?" she said wryly.
"Tell us more, Meryl!" whined Meghan. "Get to the good parts!" Meryl looked woefully at her lap. Natalie snuggled up beside her.
"How long have you been together, Meryl?" she asked politely. Meryl thought about this.
"About four years," she replied. This was partly true. She had met Vash nearly four years previously, though it wasn't true that they had sparked straight away.
"Gawd! That long? And you never told me?" Karen wailed. "You never tell me anything, Meryl!"
"We were separated for nearly two years, though," Meryl added.
"Oh, that must have been hard for you," Natalie empathized.
"Wait! Four years ago?" Veronica suddenly spoke up. "Wasn't that the time when you and Milly started stalking Vash the Stampede?"
'Shitshitshit,' Meryl cussed mentally.
"Oh yeah! Wouldn't that have clashed with your dating, Meryl?" Jill pointed out.
"Well, we weren't stalking Vash the Stampede, Veronica," Meryl said, avoiding Jill and the subject at hand.
"Fine. Whatever. But Jill's right. How could you have dated someone while you were assigned to pursue Vash the Stampede?" Veronica asked.
"Well…" 'Shit.' "We met him on the way!" Meryl said the first lie that came to mind.
"Ah," everyone said slowly. Meryl heaved a psychological sigh of relief.
"So it seems he doesn't really believe in 'wasting time'?" Bonnie enquired, smirking.
Meryl blushed, folding her hands protectively over her bulgy middle.
"Well, I think it's wonderful that Meryl's gonna be a mummy!" exclaimed Natalie affably, clicking her tongue in a gnat-like way. Everyone nodded their agreement.
"Indeed," said Bonnie.
"Congratulations to Meryl!" announced Karen, raising her teacup, proposing a funny sort of toast.
"Here, here!" said Meghan brightly. They all raised their cups and giggled. Meryl apprehensively elevated her coffee mug a little and followed suit as everyone took a neat sip. Meghan suddenly gasped, accidentally inhaling her tea and spluttering.
"Oh my!" she coughed. "What a gorgeous ring!"
Meryl looked up. "Huh?" she mumbled.
"You're engaged, too?" Karen exclaimed.
"What?" Meryl said incredulously. "I never said that!"
"Oh my goodness!" Veronica lauded. "Look at that diamond!"
"What?" Meryl repeated. They were all staring at her left hand, their mouths agape.
"Oh, can I have a closer look, please, Meryl?" Natalie whined.
"What are you idiots talking about!" Meryl shouted, making Natalie scuttle onto the opposite couch in fright.
"We are not idiots! Look at your hand, stupid!" Bonnie retorted, jabbing her finger at Meryl's hand. Meryl glanced down and stared. There on her finger was a beautiful engagement ring. The design was simple, yet notably elegant. It was a band of pure, shining silver with three neat diagonal etches left of center where a bluish diamond was embedded and twinkling. On the whole, it looked exceptionally expensive.
"Your boyfriend—or should I say fiancé—must be loaded!" said Jill.
"I wish my boyfriend would propose to me," sighed Meghan. "That would be so dreamy."
Meryl continued to stare at her hand, mouth agape, and a million unfathomable questions running through her head at once.
"Uh…Meryl?" Karen probed after what seemed like an eternity. Meryl jerked out of her stupor and gasped, realizing she had not breathed for several moments.
"Are you okay?" Karen said gently.
"Uh…" Meryl was choking on information and the questions in her head. Everything she heard was slipping in one ear, muddling her thoughts and following out the other ear. 'Get out!' she became aware of her mind shrieking.
"Uh…No," Meryl managed, her eyes glazing over. She had to make a phone call. "No, I'm not okay. I feel a little sick. I…I think I'll go." She stood up, absently dropping her mug onto the coffee table and splashing the last of its contents over a distraught Bonnie.
"Ack! Meryl! What's up with you?" she growled.
"Where are you going?" Natalie asked in a whiney tone.
"I…" Meryl thought for a moment. It was difficult. "…I think I left my doctor's certificate in the chief's office," she lied shrewdly and pretended to rummage about for it in her satchel. She retrieved her wallet and, opening it, inadvertently dropped a small document of some sort.
"Snnnnatch!" Bonnie said and seized the paper before it hit the floor that was damp with coffee. "Ooh! Is this him? Your fiancé?" she asked. Meryl's blood instantaneously chilled in her veins. 'Oh god…not the photo.' The girls crowded around Bonnie, eager looks on their faces.
"Oh, how cute! He's all sleepy!"
"Cool! A blonde!"
"That's a lotta man!"
"Talk about cutting a slice of hunk!"
"He looks like a real backstreet boy."
"Can I see?" Karen posed, leaning over Meghan's shoulder. Meryl experienced a quaking, unexplainable sense of dread.
"Oh dear lord, that's no hunk! That's! That's! Meryl, why do you have a picture of Vash the Stampede!" Karen gaped at Meryl, her eyes full of accusing skepticism. The others gasped, turned and all gave Meryl stares of sheer bewilderment. Meryl opened her mouth then closed it and then opened it again.
"Meryl? Is there something you're no—" Meryl didn't allow Natalie time to complete her sentence. She promptly grabbed the photograph from them and fled the tearoom; all the while her eyes were spilling over with embarrassed tears. She sped away down the stairs and did not halt until she was on the first floor and safely locked in her private office. She stood with her back to the door, panting heavily and gingerly laying a hand over her stomach, her other hand scrunching the photo in desperation. She sunk to the floor, letting out a great sigh and sobbed into her knees. It was a mistake coming back, she conceded to herself. She sighed again, wiping her eyes with the heels of her palms and ignored the feminine voices issuing from the floor above, inquiring if anyone had seen where Meryl had fled. She took up the photo and smoothed it out as best she could, gazing into Vash's faintly open eyes. She would have done anything to just be safely wrapped and protected in his arms then. A little whimper escaped her lips and she laid her head on her knees, her cheeks becoming soggy with a wave of fresh tears. What had she done to deserve this kind of humiliation from hyenas like them? Meryl lifted her head and held out her hand, gazing at the audaciously shining diamond.
-
"LAVENDER!" Vash the Stampede awoke with a jolt, a chill snaking down his spine and his body beaded in cold sweat. He sat bolt upright, panting heavily, the fragmented images of the nightmare replaying in his mind. He shivered, hugging himself and resting his forehead consolingly in his palm. He released a tiny, shaky sigh. This was not the first time he had been awoken so cruelly by that vision.
-
Meryl sighed plaintively and swabbed away the last of her tears. She picked herself up from the floor and sat at her desk, sinking low into her shoulders. Dog-eared sheets and documents scattered the surface of her desk and she had to shove copious notices onto the floor, not bothering to plant them in the bin, to locate her telephone. She grabbed up the receiver and made to dial a number but paused, suddenly realizing she did not know the number on which to contact Milly and Vash, let alone whether that house even had a telephone. She thought for a moment over the telephone numbers she knew by heart and whether the people associated with them would still go by those numbers. She swallowed back some more tears and jabbed in a few numbers. The dial tone trilled and it was a minute or so before someone picked up.
"Yes? Hello?" said a woman's smooth, voice.
"Uh…" Meryl struggled to grasp something to say.
"Meryl? Is that you, sweet pea? Gosh, it's been so long since I've heard from you, darling!"
"Uh…Hi…How are you, mum?"
Oh, where did she get that ring? I wonder. :3
I know I say this every chapter, buuuut...Review?