Bulma

It's been a week since that day you left me, rejecting my very existence and child…our child. My stomach was not huge yet, still flat. But every morning, I stood in the mirror, looking at my belly. I tried to imagine myself with a big belly…

I was going to become a woman that I used to tell myself I would never be…a single mother with a child who has no father…I used to watch mothers in the streets with their child as they went for a simple stroll. I wouldn't know if it was just them or if they had a father or husband waiting for them at home. Occasionally, I would overhear conversations between mothers and their child…

"When's daddy going to come home?" he or she would ask. In response, the mother would nervously looked around to see if anyone heard and then look at her child and tell them they would speak of the matter later. I guessed they wouldn't though; I guessed she'd buy something for her child just to take his or her mind off of it. I don't know if it works or not, but I guess now that I'm pregnant I'll soon find out…

Watching shows with single mothers with children that were abandoned by their father always made me question why some adults didn't want to take the responsibility of raising their child. I mean, the child is part of their body so why do they reject it? In a way, it's like they're rejecting themselves… And it's not only men who abandon children; it's also women. It's these kinds of women who give us shame…

I had promised myself that when I give myself to someone, I know whoever he may be would be someone I trust to be there. I never took these things lightly because I know divorces and annulments could be given out so easily. I don't think I would able to stand it if that happened to me. Maybe that's why Yamcha and I have been dating for so many years but never got married. I find it ironic how I ended up pregnant with your child. Now with a child, I don't think I'll ever marry. It is indeed rare to find someone who is willing to marry someone who has a child with someone else…And to be honest…I don't think I'd want to marry anyone else but you…

But with your silent regret every time you glance at me, marriage is and forever will be, out of the picture. And even if it hurts so much…even if your hatred hurts, the thing that hurts the most is that I can't seem hate you at all. What kills me is that I still love you, and I still want you here with me. Oh, Kami…

"Bulma, dear?" a voice called me. I turned and looked at my mother. "You haven't eaten anything."

I looked down at my breakfast as it looked cold and plastic…like rubber. I wasn't hungry. I gave her a weak smile, "I guess this whole morning sickness isn't giving me much of an appetite."

"But dear!" she gasped. "You need to eat if you want that baby to be healthy." She chuckled as she waved her hand. "I was like you when I was pregnant, you know. My appetite always changed from not having anything to wanting to eat a cow! Sometimes I'll want certain things, and then I'm willing to eat anything!!! I used…"

The voice of my mother trailed away from my mind as I started to think of something else. I began to think of myself and how hard it would be to raise a child. I am one of the richest people on Earth, but even I know raising a child wouldn't be so easy. There's the matter of feeding it, changing its diapers, washing it…so many things. I would have to leave my work at times to simply nurse my baby. Even if I have to wake up in the middle of the night…

"Honey," my mother called again, returning me back to reality, "I know something is up. You've bent one of the spoons!"

I looked down at the utensil in my hands. It was bent into a shape of an L. I threw away the weak spoon into the trashcan, missing it horribly. I laughed as I got up, "Don't worry about it, mom." I said with a light voice to eliminate any worry in her. As I bent down to pick up the bent object, my eyes fell upon two white and black sneakers. My eyes trailed up over tan muscular legs, up muscular thighs and black spandex, a slim waist, strong abs, a broad chest, broad shoulders, a thick neck…and then…your face…

I paused in my action as you simply stared at me with your nose in the air. Well, it wasn't necessarily pointed up like a snob, it was just from my point of view down here, you looked like--

You simply walked past me and slumped into a seat.

"Why, hello, Vegeta!" my mother said very excitedly. You grunted in response, filling your plate with food. "Are you excited, sweetie? I am! I can't wait to see your child! I'm sure he'll look handsome like you! And if it's actually a she, I hope you agree with me that she'll look just as beautiful as Bul--"

Chair legs scraped against the tiled floor as you stood up. With your plate, you simply walked away. My mother could only gape in confusion at your retreating form.

How dare you?! Such audacity at the table! How dare you walk away from my mother in a conversation! Even if it was a conversation you hated to discuss!

I straightened my back, dropping the spoon into the trash bin. You jerk…you ass hole…

It's been decided. You are not worth crying about. Those lonely nights of questioning what was wrong with me will be no more. The only question to ask is why you are such an asshole, but this will be a question that I will not ask because at this point, I don't care. I don't care that you live in my house; I don't care about how you scorn me and our child.

No more moping. I have a child growing in me that I would love to take care of. This child will be my reason to wake up in the mornings, not you. This child will be my reason to smile, not you. And your loss is that you will not be here to raise and love this strong child.

Vegeta

After that encounter, after abruptly leaving the table at breakfast…you changed. I used to watch you die inside as you seem to become paler and paler…and for a moment, something in me told me to return to you because…I didn't like state you were in…I was worried…I was worried about you…But then when I realized that I was worrying, I only hated myself even more because I found myself falling with you…

At nights I would clench my eyes shut when the sounds of you throwing up in the bathroom echoed through out the house. I had no doubt that your parents heard it, too. But they found it perfectly normal. They knew it was just because you were pregnant. But I knew there something else too…sorrow was eating at you…

Now, you seemed to have…seemed to have recovered as you stood tall and straight, emitting an air of high self-esteem and self-recovery. If anything, you were better than before. You did not walk, you bounced; you didn't smile, you grinned. You must have discovered something that made you much happier with life…and it did not involve me.

I found you humming to yourself as you washed the dishes. "What are you so happy about?" I asked rather harshly. You didn't jump, you didn't shriek…you simply looked over your shoulder and grinned.

"Hello," you greeted. It was a greeting you gave strangers in the street, with polite courtesy, and it made me angry. I am not a stranger…I am…I am… "Why am I happy? You didn't hear?" you said as you turned back to your chore, "I'm pregnant. I'm going to have a wonderful baby!"

My heart dropped into my ribs at your words. I knew you were pregnant, but the way you told me these 'news' made it sound like you were telling a stranger who asked you why you were happy. You know I know…so why are you acting like this?

You only continued, "Of course, I don't know if it's a boy or a girl, but honestly I hope it's a boy," My ears twitched. "So that when I have a daughter, there will be someone older to protect her. I'll make sure to grow a strong son."

"Oh?" I asked, raising an eyebrow, "What makes you think you'll have two children, eh?"

"A husband will give it to me," you said brightly as you looked over your shoulder once again, throwing me a wide grin. You dried the last plate and placed it in the cabinet. You took off your strawberry apron and hung it on a hook. You turned to leave the kitchen. Curious as to whom your husband would be, I followed you into a living room. You sat on a sofa and turned on the TV. I stood next to it, waiting to get your attention, but you simply didn't look at me. You laughed at something on the TV.

Angrily, I punched a hole in the wide screen TV, breaking it completely. With satisfaction, I watched the screen go black as sparks from the wires flashed. I turned to look at you, but you were already leaving the room, humming to yourself.

Curse you. I ran after you, easily keeping step with your quick pace. But when I walked beside you and looked at your face, expecting to see annoyance, you were simply smiling, and not once did you cease your humming.

Was I nothing? Can I not inflict any sort of emotion whether it is anger, sorrow, or happiness in you? Was I just someone you smiled and then walked away in the street like a stranger? Am I nothing but that in your life now?

I stopped in my tracks and you were about to turn the corner. Before thinking, I blurted out, "How do you expect to find a husband when no one wants to raise a bastard?"

You paused as you reached for the rails. Ah…I still have it. You slowly turned to look at me, pure anger and hatred reflecting in your eyes. You walked away from the stair case and towards me. "Excuse me?" you said in a whisper that sounded almost suffocated.

"You can't find anyone else," I said confidently. If I was nothing, then what I was saying wouldn't affect you. I am something in your life and you won't be able to forget it.

"What makes you think that? It's not like you're the only man out there."

"You're right, I'm not. But in your life, I'm the only man." I inched my face forward, taunting you to slap me. I saw your struggle to keep your control. Suddenly, you exhaled for a moment, and then straightened your back. That infuriating smile came back on your face and I found myself wanting to wipe it away.

"You're wrong, Vegeta." You chuckled. "You're nothing in my life right now, and you'll never be anything more." You threw your head back and gave out a maddening laugh. "So once you're done trying to beat the androids but fail miserably, you can live here or not. It doesn't matter. In fact, you might not even have to leave the house! Goku would fight them and win quickly. He is, after all, the strongest guy out there."

You knew where to hit me. You knew what to say to hurt me. And, dammit, it's bull's eye for you! I found myself gathering air in big heaps.

"And while you're nothing to me and everyone else, you'll be nothing to our child, too!" you clapped your hands ecstatically. "Who knows? Maybe Yamcha'll take the child as his own--"

I had to hit something. I just had too. But it couldn't be you. I lifted my arm and slammed my fist into the wall, causing a huge hole and cracks to run from it like spider legs. You jumped, pulling your hands to your mouth. You could only stare at my arm that protruding through the wall, and I could finally feel my sense returning to me…

I looked into your eyes, but I saw no fear. Instead, there was a fiery anger that seemed to burn my very soul. Your eyes began to tear up and I could feel my body melting…becoming weaker…and weaker…