'Dad, where have you been?!' Trunks demanded the second I came back to the table.

'What?'

'Where did you go?'

'Restroom, champagne goes right through me.'

'How many glasses is that? 7?'

'6 and a half.'

'I didn't see you in there.'

'In where?'

'The restroom, I didn't see you.'

'I went outside for a smoke right after.'

'How many packs did you go through today?'

'Two, maybe three- did you want something?'

'Oh, yes.'

'Well?'

'No need to get snippy.'

'Trunks, I'm losing my patience.'

'Alright, alright. I just wanted to know if...?'

'If?'

'If mom can stay over tonight?'

'She kind of sick.'

'Grandpa and Grandma can take care of her.'

'Don't want to impose your grandparents.'

'But they said-'

'I said no!'

Trunks returned to his meal when the ceremony ended; he went to his beloved mother. She ruffled his hair and hugged him tightly, then turned to Goku and whispered something in his ear. He reddened at her words and rushed over to Chi-Chi.

He's probably spent the night bugging her to spar.

How easy she can get over not spending time with her only child.

Vegan turned to my mother and said something; mom frowned and began digging in her handbag. When mom found what she was looking for, she gave it to Vegan, who glided out of the room; Trunks went over to dad. Vegan returned wearing her armor; mom and dad went over to her. They embraced as Trunks stomped out the room, Vegan sighed, and my dad said something. Mom said something too, and Vegan nodded, kissed both of them, and walked out of the room, kissing Eighteen and Krillin on the way.

No kiss goodbye for me then.

We took the children back to Capsule Corp; Goten and Marron kissed and wished their parents a good night.

Trunks stormed past me without so much as a good night.

I stormed after him, calling his name. He rushed to his room, slamming the door and locking it behind him.

'Trunks!'

'Go away!'

'Trunks!'

'I don't want to talk to you!'

He sounded like he was crying.

Great, just great.

'Trunks!'

'Just leave me alone!'

There was no talking to him when he got like this; he was stubborn, just like his mother.

I signed and threw up my hands in defeat; I would have to make peace with Vegan if I wanted my son to talk to me again.

I sauntered past mom, who had Krillin and Eighteen's little girl, Marron, in her lap. She often informed us, Vegan and me, that she wanted more grandchildren.

The scene made me think back to when Vegan had just given birth to Trunks. We were showing him off, and Roshi asked how many more she wanted.

'A hundred.' She proclaimed.

A hundred children?!

She wanted to birth a hundred of my children, a hundred children!

Honestly, I would have liked to have two more, maybe three.

'What's wrong, dear?' Mom asked.

'You look so sad.' Marron concurred.

'Trunks is mad at me.' I lamented, not wanting to admit that I was thinking about Vegan.

'Why?'

'He wanted his mom to come over,' mom replied, scowling at me.

'Why didn't she come?'

'Sick, she was sick.' I stammer.

'But, she's coming to our house to talk to mommy.'

'When?!'

'Tomorrow.'

'Bloomer.' Mom said sternly.

'Trunks wants to be with her, and she needs to stop being childish!'

'She's not alone in that regard.'

'She avoided me for two years, and I'm being childish?!'

'You wouldn't let her stay with her son because she bruised your ego.'

'What about me?'

'You said that you never wanted to hear from her again.'

'She wasn't supposed to take it literally!'

'She didn't let it get the way of her relationship with Trunks.'

'She was the wrong one.'

'You weren't a saint in this either.'

'I was better than her!'

'Not by much.'

'What do you want me to, forgive her?!'

'I want you to show compassion.' Mom sighed. 'If you don't want to forgive your ex-girlfriend, then don't. You have to make peace with the mother of your child.'

'She should be one making peace with me.'

'Maybe that's what she was trying to do.' I pouted at the realization of that. 'I can call her if you like; I can tell her you had a change of heart or that your father and I guilted

You into changing your mind. Which do you prefer?'

'The latter.'

Goku stared at me all night like he actually glared at me.

What was his problem?

Did he hate dressing up that much?

And he appeared as if he was in a hurry to leave.

He wants to take off so he can meet up with Vegan.

I couldn't help but think about Vegan; all those thoughts and feelings I suppressed during the tournament's aftermath began to peck at the bitterness.

My son is more important than the bitterness I feel.

Vegan and I used to be good at talking about how we made the other feel.

She crosses my mind more often than I like to admit, usually during the full moon.

She wanted her tail back, but she told me that she liked being able to admire the moon without destroying the city.

Oh, god, how could she betray us all?

How could she betray Trunks and me?

I often interrogated the full moon; I couldn't interrogate her.

She was gone and had taken all our photos with her. No social media updates; she only did that when we were together.

I couldn't even rip up old photos and throw all the gifts she gave me.

Those were my memories, too; I had the right to keep them too.

Maybe she destroyed them when she took them.

Maybe she didn't want memories of our lives together of me.

Maybe she was unhappy with me.

Maybe she never was.

She closed her heart to me.

She said it herself.

It burns more than the shot of whiskey I downed.

'Bloomer?'

I looked up and saw everyone staring at me; I didn't know who had asked the question.

I'm sorry, what did you say?'

'We were congratulating you on your award.' Chi-Chi said.

'Oh.'

'What's wrong?' Yamcha whined, locking me in a vice grip.

'Yamcha, please.' I struggle against her embrace. 'I don't want to be hugged.'

'Why not?'

'I just don't!'

'I bet it's that woman who made you mad.'

'Can we please change the subject?'

'I am tired of her hanging over us.'

'She's been gone for years.'

'Her presence lingers like a bad smell.'

'Bloomer's right; let's change the subject.' Chi-Chi said.

'The only thing Vegan left is my son! Are you saying that you don't want him hanging around?!'

'No! No!' She insisted. 'I like Trunks.'

She liked Trunks; we had been together for three years, and she only liked him.

'I just am so sick of her ruining our lives-'

'Well, if you'd never cheated on me, then maybe she wouldn't be in the position to ruin our lives.'

Yamcha's jaw dropped, and her grip loosened.

'Everyone, calm down.' Krillin said, standing.

'She hovered around us, waiting for the opportunity to steal you away from me!'

'Well, she hit the jackpot when you cheated on me.'

'Let's stop before one of you says something you can't take back.' Chi-Chi said.

'Bloomer,' Goku said as he stood, 'you're drunk. I'll take you home.'

'I just want her out of our lives!'

'Vegan and I have a child together! She's a part of our lives forever! If you don't like it, then leave! I don't need you!'

'Bloomer,' Eighteen said calmly, 'just breathe.'

'I'll take you home.' Goku said, taking my arm.

'I'm not ready to go.'

I was; I wanted to know if Vegan was there.

'She's not even here, and she still ruined our night! Why can't you see that she is a plague!'

'Vegan will be Trunks' mother until the day she dies,' I said through gritted teeth, 'she and I will be forever entwined. Regardless of what she's done!'

'She's a monster!'

'She's the mother of my child!'

'I just want to be number 1 in your life!'

'Bloomer!'

'You want to be number one in my life?'

'Yes!'

'You can't mean that.'

'Why can't I?! Why can't I be number one in your life?! Tell me!'

'You're behaving like a child!'

'Why?! Because I want you to care about me more than her!'

'Yamcha-'

'Tell me!'

'You're making a scene.'

'I'm tired of being second to her!'

'I never asked you to wait; you choose to!'

'We've been together since we were 16; what else was I supposed to do?!'

'You could have married me when I asked you.'

'I wasn't sure if I was ready then!'

'We were together since we were 16; how could you not know!'

'You were the only guy I'd been with-'

'The first time you cheated on me was when we were 17.'

'Because I wasn't ready!'

'We were together until you cheated on me for the fifth time when we 31. Vegan gave birth when we were 33.'

'i wasn't ready then!'

'I knew what I wanted when I was 18. I was ready to spend my life until my son was born.'

'Because you love Vegan?!'

The answer was on the tip of my tongue.

'Because the love of my life was in her arms, I have to do what's best for him.'

'You being happy is what's for him! And being with me-'

'You are too volatile to be around my son.'

'Now, hold on!' Chi Chi stood between us. 'Everyone, just calm down.'

'Bloomer,' Goku tugged on my collar, 'let's go outside.'

'What do you mean?!' Yamcha whined.

'Yamcha.'

'No, Goku, I want him to explain-'

'I think we should break up.'

It felt like I was releasing a breath I had been holding since...

Everyone turned to me; I avoided their eyes while putting out my cigarette.

Vegan was trying to wean me off cigarettes and had me down to one bottle of wine a month when we were together.

'I don't want to do this anymore.' I said, fishing my keys out of my pockets. I gave them to Eighteen. 'I can't do this anymore.'

'Bloomer!'

'I'm going home.'