A Party Invitation and a Lost Battle
"You think I'm useless." It was more a statement than a question.
"Your suggestion has deeply wounded me, love."
"Stop pretending Duchess; you know I was never good at it anyway."
Dorothy took the yarn and needles away from her husband and resisted the urge to laugh out loud at his crooked attempt of a scarf…or was it a sweater?
"Finally," she said.
"And what do you mean by that?" he asked, kneeling before her and looking up to her down-casted, but proud eyes.
"I was getting irritated at how you seemed to be good at anything: surviving in the desert for days, piloting a Gundam, swimming, fencing, cooking, painting, playing the violin… but you definitely cannot knit."
"Well excuse me, Duchess, I was never taught." Quatre said, frowning slightly.
"Yes I know. I've won. Finally those days of female-only schools have proven worthy!" she dramatized with a hand over her forehead, and her husband just rolled his eyes, "I saw you Mister Winner, such a rude gesture. I wonder what happened to the sweet innocent boy I once met."
"Oh, sadly he lost his innocence by marrying a wicked-" Dorothy glared at him, but he kept on going, "and capricious duchess." She stood up from the rocking chair and walked to the garden. He followed close.
"Of course, I remember now. Poor boy." Her sarcasm was his cue. He slipped his arms from behind her, and caressed her swollen belly, sweetly kissing her exposed neck.
"But he has been the happiest man ever since," he whispered to her ear, and she slightly frowned, trying to conceal the rosiness blossoming in her pale cheeks.
"Your sweet-talking has improved."
"I've learnt from you."
She turned in his arms and chastely kissed his lips, before smiling sweetly at him.
"Can I have my paperwork back?"
Quatre smiled back and bent to kiss her, "No. Ow!"
She had grown back her nails...
"How is she now? Are the vitamins working?" asked a woman's voice from the monitor, and Quatre gave her his old boyish smile.
"She's totally recovered, Sally." With all her aristocratic ferocity intact, if my poor arm can say so… "I must thank you for what you did."
"Don't thank me, it's my job. Besides, I've been in her same situation. When I was pregnant with Ling, Wu Fei and I had to travel back and forth from Earth to colonies. I became very unstable."
"Wu Fei must have been desperate."
"Oh, he went ballistic! Calling me a weakling and such…" Sally rolled her eyes and chuckled, "but he was very sweet when he thought I wasn't looking."
Now it was the Arabian's turn to laugh, "I can imagine. He's always been like that."
"Dad? Are you busy?" came Halim's voice from behind the monitor and Quatre gestured for his son to come over. When both father and son were visible at the screen, Sally's cherry red lips smiled widely.
"Is that you Halim? You've grown quite a lot!"
"T-Thank you, Mrs. Chang." Came the boy's flustered reply, "H-how's Xiao Zhi? And Mei? Has Ling recovered from his bruises?"
"They are quite well, sweetie. Ling says he hasn't lost yet haha. The girls miss you and your sister, and hope to see you next week. Oh by the way, Quatre, I almost forgot! Relena is planning a little party for her son, he's turning five next sunday."
"So soon? Time really goes by! Last month was full of sand storms, so I don't wonder why we haven't got the invitation yet. It was a miracle this call got through. Thank you for the news, I'll tell Dorothy, she'll be delighted."
"We hope to see you there."
"We'll be there, don't worry. Say goodbye Halim."
"I-It was a pleasure, Mrs. Chang. Good evening."
"Oh, you're such a gentleman," the Chinese woman giggled, "Good evening, Halim. Quatre."
"Good evening Sally, see you soon. Give my regards to Wu Fei."
Quatre turned the screen off, and then looked curiously at his son. "So…what is it? Fadilah hasn't climbed into the fountain again, has she?"
"Uhh…no. Well, she tried…but I caught her on time."
"You did well, Halim."
"…She scratched me."
The blond man sighed. That was a specific defensive trait his daughter had gotten from her mother. His Duchess loved to physically retaliate whenever he did something she didn't quite like… especially when in public, be it a conference, during a ball, or shopping at a boutique…
"Did she cry?"
"No. She stormed off to her room."
So Dorothy like, more and more with each passing day… "She'll be over it by the end of the day. What else?"
"Dinner is ready."
"Ok, let's go." He stood from his leather chair and ruffled his son's blond hair, "Have you told your mother you're back from the base?"
"Yes, Dad."
"Good."
They had just gotten into the dinning area when Halim reluctantly spoke,
"Dad?"
"Yes?"
"Mom found her briefcase."
This time, the head of the Winner Corp. couldn't suppress a groan. "Fine, she has won."
Halim's face was graced by a very Dorothy like smirk. "That's what she said."
Yay! I did it! Next chapter, the rest of the pilots make an appearance! (:
Hope you liked. :D
