The chapel was brightly lit and filled with the freshest roses she had ever seen. As if an outsider who witnessed her own wedding, Julia could not help but question herself as she stole a glance at the man beside her. Am I making the right choice? The answer gnawed inside her chest. Uncertainly, yes.
Theirs was a union founded on uncertainty. She was uncertain if she could truly love him. She was uncertain if their relationship or their marriage would work, most especially when the ghost of Laguna stood in between them.
Despite the uncertainties, she knew it was a risk Fury Caraway was willing to take in the name of love.
For the name of love, huh?
As the veil was removed from her face, Julia glimpsed the visage of the man she was married to. Fury Caraway's striking features were softened with happiness. In fact, it was the happiest expression she had seen on his face. His lips softly descended upon hers, triggering the memories of the past few months during her first trimester.
Julia had no idea how to break her decision to Hugo. She knew the longer she waited, the more she would hesitate to make her choice. One afternoon, Hugo was inside his office flipping through pages of reports. He simply took one glance at her to know her intent.
"You want to quit?"
He wasn't surprised. He knew the gossip that would follow the famous young singer who got herself pregnant by an "unknown" man.
Julia rubbed her faintly rounded belly. "I'll be temporarily staying with my parents until I give birth. I already wrote to them about my arrival."
"What happens after you give birth?"
"I'll ask my parents to take care of my child and I'll resume my career." She replied smoothly.
Hugo was amused. "You can't be that cold-hearted to abandon your baby. Are you sure you're going to leave your child with them?" he prodded.
"Of course I am. What makes you think I will return here with a baby?" She didn't want any reminder of her night with Caraway. The night she betrayed Laguna's memory.
"I've heard having a child changes a woman." he answered. "You're confident of leaving your child with your parents, but I wonder if you'll sing the same tune after giving birth."
She sighed. "I don't know Hugo."
"Have you told him?" he knew she hadn't.
She shook her head. "He doesn't need to know."
"He's the father of your child, Jul. I think he has a right to know."
"But I'm the one carrying the baby inside." She frowned. "I have the right to decide for me and my baby, and I do not want to involve him."
So with finality, Julia had left Deling City on the notice she was going to take a vacation, without the rumors of pregnancy following her.
Her parents did not question the sudden vacation Julia took. She seldom took holidays. Days passed and they could hardly ignore the swelling of her abdomen. It had finally dawned to them that their darling girl was going to have a baby…and they had no idea who the father was.
Julia was in the middle of her notes, composing another song, when her father sat beside her. "Are you going to tell us who the father of your child is?"
Julia looked up at her father. She was already four months into her pregnancy. "I do not want to talk about the circumstances of my pregnancy, nor the father of my baby."
Afraid of upsetting her and their unborn grandchild, Julia's parents refrained from questioning her again. The child's father was a forbidden topic that no one should talk about. Julia sensed that her parents desperately wanted to learn of the father's identity. It was too bad. She had no plans of telling them. It was better that they never discover her unborn child's paternity.
She spent her days sewing baby clothes when her mother came to her room. To Julia's immense surprise, she was informed of a visitor waiting in the lobby room.
"Who is it, mother?"
"He didn't tell us his name, but he told us that you were friends in Deling City."
"What does he look like?"
Her mother closed her eyes, "He looks like a soldier, dear."
Could it be… Laguna? Her heart lurched. This must be the best news I've heard for months! She set aside the unfinished baby clothes and hurried downstairs. Her joy was short-lived and was immediately replaced with bitter disappointment. It was not the long-haired soldier with soulful green eyes that inspired her to compose her run-away hit.
The eyes that stared at her were a brown filled with hope and relief. "Julia."
Fury. "What are you doing here?"
Her parents were startled at the ruthless tone their daughter used. "Why are you so rude to your guest? He even visited you all the way from Deling City."
"He's unwelcome here." She turned her back when his response froze her.
"I know I'm the father of your baby."
She heard her parents gasp. With clenched teeth, Julia whirled and glared at him. "Did Hugo tell you?"
"No. I had my resources."
Julia snorted. "Of course, how could I forget? You're a man with connections. Now that you've found me, please go away. I do not want to see nor talk to you ever again. The sight of you sickens me."
"We have to talk-"
Julia cut him. "There is nothing to talk about." She hurried back to her room and slammed the door.
Left with her parents, they had profusely apologized to him. "We apologize, General. Our daughter is a gentle soul… she's not like this,"
"I know. I understand her situation."
"Julia refused to tell us what happened. But now that you're here, as the father of our grandchild, please enlighten us how both of you got into this situation."
"It's a long story." Caraway entertained her parents and told his version of the story, carefully crafting a story how Julia captivated him and how hard he tried to win her affections.
"I met her at The Galbadia Hotel. It was love at first sight for me. But she never felt the same way, as she fell in love with one of my soldiers. He was a young Captain who captured her heart. Unfortunately their relationship did not progress. Mr. Laguna Loire was deployed to inspect a ruin near Esthar, but he never returned. Your daughter became very depressed after that."
"So when did you come together?"
"Believe it or not, I'm sure Julia will not deny it, but I helped her come out from her depression. After that, she and I would frequently go out… and then one day, it happened." Of course, Caraway was not going to play the stupid fool and inform them how he drugged and seduced her. He wasn't a fool. He was a man who had to play his cards wisely.
"I understand if she's mad at me. I knew she still loved Loire, and would have preferred him to be the father of her child."
"But for Julia not to tell you…"
"I understand her."
"You're an understanding man, Mister….Oh dear, we don't even know you name."
"Fury." He smiled. "Fury Caraway."
"Well, Mr. Caraway, our daughter can be quite stubborn."
"I'm willing to wait, Mr. Heartilly. I'm determined to marry your daughter, after all. "
He saw their eyes lit with delight, and at that moment, he knew he had played his cards right.
Caraway was a man who got used to what obtain he wanted. And he would get her to marry him, even if it meant he had to spin some lies.
Julia stared at the Promise Ring Laguna had given her. How foolish of me. He's dead.
She had expected to see Laguna, not the father of her child. But if it had actually been Laguna who appeared, how would he react if he knew she was pregnant with another man's child?
Calm down, Julia. Calm down.
She wasn't expecting him to appear, yet deep down in her heart, she knew he would. She knew he would chase after her. Lovestruck fool that he was.
Could I love him?
No, as long as you're wearing his Promise Ring. As long as you think of him. As long as you put Fury under Laguna's shadow. Never.
Truth was, she was tired of hating him. She had no idea what propelled her to hate Fury with such passion and intensity. Hadn't he been kind to her? Hadn't he been patient? Hadn't he helped her when she was at her lowest point in her life?
Is this how I repay him?
She was tired. Julia closed her eyes and dreamt of the good old times when Laguna was still alive, and wished she had never lain in the arms of General Fury Caraway.
Winning her parents was easy. Winner her was a different story.
The Heartillies had immediately given their blessing, hoping to legitimize their first grandchild and promised to help win her for him. Despite the tactics he used and the lies he told, he asked them not to interfere with his courtship.
From that day, he had been a constant presence around their household. In the Heartilly household, he was not the powerful soldier who had climbed the ranks of the Galbadia Militia, but a man who was ensnared by this thing called love.
Julia continued to ignore him and he was beginning to lose hope.
No. I've come this far. I will win her. I will.
Fate had finally shown his kindness when Julia addressed him ever since he arrived. She stopped watering the flowers as she spoke, "Why can't you understand what I said? Didn't I tell you to go away?"
"Why can't you understand that I will never give up on you?"
Julia drew a deep breath. "You were always a stubborn man. That's probably the reason why you become a general."
He flashed her a smile, "and the stubbornness of this general won't allow himself to be swayed by the love of his life."
"Laguna is the love of my life."
"Laguna Loire was once the love of your life." he countered. "and he's gone now Julia. You have to accept it. I'm the only one standing right in front of you. I'm the one who put the child in your belly. And I'm the one who's offering my love and my life to be with you. I can live with the idea that you might never love me. But I want to marry you. I want to give you and our unborn child a name. I want to provide for the both of you. Please, Julia. Open your heart for me. "
"I do not want to marry you out of convenience, Fury." She backed away so he wouldn't see the tears forming in her eyes, and he was starting to see hope. Her defenses were crumbling. "No. Not like this. Not in this way. You deserve better, Fury"
With ferocity, he embraced her. She could feel his trembling body, and felt the sincerity of his confession. He held her as it began to rain.
Wasn't it drizzling when he asked her to come inside his car? Wasn't it drizzling when he showed how kind and compassionate he could be? Wasn't he Gentle Fury, who had always been beside her to support her in her highest and lowest moments of her life.
It was true. She never if she could love again. If she could love the way she had loved Laguna. She frowned. What did she share with Laguna anyway? Love, or infatuation? She had only spent a chaste night with him. She knew her feelings were true the night she spent with him in their room, talking about dreams.
Am I holding on to a ghost, and denying myself a chance for happiness?
For the first time, she considered what her future would be with Caraway. He would be a gentle with her. She blushed when she remembered how he made her scream in pleasure. He would love her and her baby. He would provide her with material wealth and comfort. She would lack nothing. Yes, and he was incredibly patient with her despite her rotten attitude. And there was her baby to think of….
"Fury…." She whispered. "I cannot assure you that… I may be able to love you."
"I will earn your love, my dear." He promised. "I will work hard for it."
After a long period of silence, Julia broke away from him and slowly removed her necklace she wore. She could feel Caraway's gaze on the ring Laguna gave to her. He knows what it means. Julia put the ring in her pocket as she looked at him directly, "Yes, Fury, I will marry you."
The joy that lit his face was unbearable. He was so unbearably happy that it hurt her. "You have made me the happiest man alive!" and he embraced and carried her in her arms. Looking into her gaze, she shyly knew what he wanted. Caraway pressed his lips unto hers, the familiar soft pressure coaxing her to respond. With shyness, she responded to him, responded to a future that she was willing to enter, and saying goodbye to the one that filled her with hope, and left her with despair.
Farewell, Laguna. Farewell, my love.
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Alright! Chapter 12 has finally been uploaded after almost 2 months.
To be honest, I procrastinated on writing this chapter.
My number one challenge was to depict how Julia agreed to marry Caraway, considering how she didn't like him.
If I allowed myself to be stuck, I would have never finished this chapter.
If I allowed myself to be stuck, I would never finish this story.
If I never finish this story, I can't start on Raine X Laguna and a dark romance Final Fantasy 7 fic.
A writer has to write.
Thank you for the readers who have been following this story.
There are 3 more chapters to go before I end "Your Eyes on Me."
Until then, please bear with the sluggish updates. I promise to finish the story by August 2016.