Chapter 35: More News
April 16, 0008
Jack and Sumner Balen were put on trial on August 16 for inciting the storming of the Shinra Mansion. The trial began at 9, and ended at 4:30. It was a short trial, but all the video evidence was there. Very few witnesses were called.
The Balens accused everything of being a kangaroo court, but it all fell on deaf ears. The evidence was everywhere. They were convicted with the greatest of ease.
Eight jurors were needed to impose the death penalty on Jack and Sumner; both got seven, keeping their lives by one vote.
Both were sentenced to Corel Prison for life plus eighty-five.
As for the Downings: they never stepped foot in the Shinra Mansion, so none of them were arrested. Their show continued, where they often put Tifa down, mainly for being a woman in power.
Amusingly, their ratings slowly dropped.
THAT NIGHT…
Cloud entered the Shinra Mansion he now called home. I felt sorry for him then; he had spent five years as a prisoner here, made a daring escape, and now he was back to stay. Of course, he wasn't sealed up in a tube, but the memories still haunted him.
The door echoed loudly as it closed behind him. As it was nighttime, there was no light from the windows. It was, as mentioned before, a basement above the ground. He wondered if it was haunted. There were also probably bugs here and there that needed to be cleaned.
He knew neither himself nor his wife had a choice of living here. He was the first gentleman, and had to be with the president, who in turn had to live in the official residence.
Looking up, he could see the grand staircase. To the right led to the dungeon he had been imprisoned in. The tubes were still down there, as were dead bodies that continued to rot. He hoped it would be sealed off soon.
To the left, he could see a faint light. That was his destination. That was the living quarters he would stay in until the mansion was renovated. As he mounted the stairs, he focused not on what was up there, but who. It healed any fears of this place to think of her.
He reached the top and turned to the left, not daring to look back toward the dungeon, nor even the musty, unfurnished downstairs. He walked with direction toward the light as the open doorway presented itself to him. He stepped over the threshold, and, soon, found himself in the light of the room.
It was the kitchen he was in. It was temporary, but it had painted walls, tile floor, a refrigerator, oven, cupboards, and a table and chairs. Most importantly, there was light and heating. It was where he had breakfast with the most powerful woman in the world every morning.
Cloud looked behind himself, and felt uneasy. The doorway was a gaping return to the cold, musty mansion. He wanted to be as far away from that as he could. Facing forward again, he spotted the open doorway to the next room on the left, and walked through it.
He was now in the makeshift dining-room. It was furnished with burgundy-painted walls and red carpet, and complete with a dining-room table and china hutch. There were candles on the table, and a window to the outside. Still, he felt as if something was missing. He looked to his left again, and found another open doorway to walk through.
He was now in the parlor. The burgundy walls and red carpet remained. A sofa and loveseat were there, as was a TV mounted into the wall. The deeper into the living space he got, the safer he felt. But, still, he didn't feel complete.
The room had been the conservatory before the living space had been built, and Cloud imagined that it would be again, once the renovations were complete. It was still circular, and was the largest room in the living space. There was also a desk with a laptop on it for the president to work from; she had been sitting there recently.
And then, Cloud turned his attention to the final doorway. This one led into the bedroom. He knew it was his destination. The bedroom had no door, and he could easily see the blue wall and dark carpet. He then stepped into the bedroom.
She was laying on her stomach in her pajamas. But these were not the shimmering blue ones she usually wore. She was wearing a white tank top and black and purple bottoms. She was now the most powerful woman in the world, yet she looked like a college sophomore with her boyfriend over while her roommate was away.
"Hey, you!" she greeted with a smile on her face.
She then sat up.
"How was your day?" Cloud asked as he sat down next to her.
"Easy," she replied. "I got to appoint my ambassador to the Northern Continent today."
"Was it who you said it would be?"
Tifa nodded.
"She'll do fine," Cloud assured her.
Tifa shifted her body so it was next to Cloud's, and rested her head on his shoulder.
"The dungeon was sealed this afternoon," she announced.
A wave of relief filled Cloud.
"Thank you," he said.
"Happy to do it," Tifa assured him. "You know I want you comfortable here."
She then sat up and became silent. She clearly had something on her mind.
Cloud wondered what it was; her vibe seemed quieter than usual. Of course, Tifa hated being probed for answers, so he decided to keep making conversation until she fleshed it out.
"You're birthday's coming up," he continued.
"That's right," she said. "The big two-one."
"How do you want to celebrate?" he asked. "We could go to a bar or a brewery. Or maybe a fancy restaurant that's also a brewery. Or a winery, perhaps?"
Tifa's expression didn't change.
"None of that," she solemnly replied. "I won't be drinking. Not at all."
"Not at all?" Cloud asked in surprise. "Why not?"
Tifa was silent for a moment. Then, she looked at him with the sincerest eyes she had ever looked at him with before.
Something is up, he realized.
"Cloud," she began softly, "I was thinking of the best way to tell you, but I just realized the only was is just to tell you."
Cloud felt his mouth dry. Whatever it was, it sounded quite serious.
"W-what is it?" he asked. "Why won't you be drinking?"
Tifa, whose eyes were now moist, placed her hand on his.
"Because I'm pregnant," she replied.
He suddenly felt lightheaded. He had figured they would eventually have children, but not that soon.
"Are you sure?" he finally asked, in a shaky voice.
"I peed on the stick," she replied. "I'm quite sure."
Cloud was silent. It was a change to the timeline he never saw coming. He should have, though. When he and Tifa ended up together, he needed to expect everything that went with that. Then again, in the old timeline, the prime timeline, Tifa had married another man and was struggling to get pregnant. Obviously, he was the infertile one.
"So I'm going to resign," Tifa continued.
"What?!" Cloud exclaimed in surprise. "No!"
"Yes," she replied as she closed her eyes. "What matters is that Jack Balen lost the election and is going to spend the rest of his life in jail. The victory wasn't the fact that I was elected president. It was that Jack Balen wasn't."
Cloud couldn't believe his ears.
"It's not that I plan on being a full time mother," she continued. "But the demand of the presidency won't allow us both to split our baby and our endeavors."
"Tifa…" he protested.
"Cloud, we talked about this when I was running," she gently said. "Family will always come before the office. I'll get a nine-to-five job. That way we can make it work."
Cloud was silent.
He did not like the idea the least bit. The presidency was a position Tifa had risked her life to achieve. Now she was prepared to relinquish it.
Of course, she had a point; the presidency was multiple full-time jobs. There would be no way they could take care of their son or daughter if she was president and Cloud was working as well.
But what would the history books say? She had been president for less than a month. Jack Balen, who had been a mayor for years, was a has-been. But Tifa was about to become a never-was.
There was only one other way to make it work. It was a sacrifice for sure, but worth it nonetheless.
"I'll stay home," he finally said. "And take care of him full time. Or her. If it means you staying in office."
Tifa's eyes widened. She was surprised.
"I can't do that to you," she said.
"You're not," he insisted. "I'm doing this for all three of us. I can go back to work when the baby is older."
Tifa sighed; she realized that this was an argument that Cloud would not give up easily.
"Cloud," she said softly, "is this really what you want?"
"One hundred percent," he said.
"That would put an end to your heroic days," she cautioned. "That means no more adventures. Cloud…are you sure?"
Cloud nodded.
"I want this," he assured her. "The Western Continent needs you. Besides, being the first gentleman is a full time job anyway."
"Cloud…" she began, but she couldn't think of what to say next.
He was giving up his adventures, so it would be hard to find the right words.
"Follow your dreams, Tifa," he said.
Tifa's eyes began to tear. She stood up, and pulled Cloud up as well.
"Promise me you'll resume your dreams when the baby's older," she pleaded.
He nodded.
"I promise."
"Give me a hug," she commanded.
Cloud wrapped his arms around her and held her close.
She then kissed him deeply.
Finally, she looked down at her midriff and placed her left hand on it.
"And I'd kiss you, too, if I could!" she said happily.