Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ Keeping up with the Elrics, Searching for Love ❯ Hughes’ Kept Secret ( Chapter 2 )

Chapter 2:Hughes' Kept Secret

 

Hughes woke to the scent of sausage. He stepped into his slippers and let the delicious smell carry him to the kitchen. Gracia beamed at him from beside the stove. What a picture, Hughes thought. Gracia spoils me with her cooking.

”Good morning, sweetie,” Gracia said. Hughes kissed her cheek.

”What a little chef! This isn't all for me is it?”

Gracia grinned. “Well of course not. I've got my boyfriend and secret family in the closet to feed too!” She joked.

Hughes pouted. “Oh Gracia, you promised to leave them for me. When are you going to forget about them?” Maes played along.

Gracia fixed a plate and sat at the table. “Quit your whining or I'll eat your breakfast too!” She threatened.

Hughes piled eggs, sausage, and toast on his plate and sat next to Gracia. “Delicious!” He brown nosed.

”Thanks, I thought if you had a late night and work in the morning you ought to have a full belly.” Hughes' wife smiled.

Hughes nodded. “Not to worry, I should be home at a decent time today.”

”I'll be out most of the day, so I might not be home when you get back. I have errands to run this morning.” Gracia announced. “And My friend Jan is having her baby shower this afternoon.”

”Tell her congratulations for me.” That's good to know. I can do some shopping without worrying about running into her. Hughes thought as he cleaned his plate.

”You better get ready dear.” Gracia said as she took his plate. Hughes kissed Gracia goodbye and hurried upstairs. As he was lacing up his boots, he heard Gracia leave. Hughes leapt down stairs to the basement and paused midway on the stairs. Roary was still tucked in on the couch fast asleep. He smiled at the precious little girl and quietly tiptoed down the last stairs. Hughes knelt down to brush stray hairs away from Roary's face.

She's been through so much, Hughes thought. I don't even know the beginning of it yet. She's so young too. He stood and left for his car. As the engine revved, he wondered what toys he should buy. He forgot to ask what Roary liked.

”I guess I'll just give Roary a surprise. Maybe a teddy bear bigger than her! That would be nice.” Hughes chuckled as he imagined the look on Roary's face if he did get her that huge bear.

 

 

Hughes checked his watch. He still had an hour before Gracia would get home from the baby shower. Hughes drove down the street full of military men and their families and pulled into a driveway in front of a house similar to the others. He popped open the trunk and turned off the engine. Hughes unloaded his car and walked inside.

”Gracia?” Hughes called out experimentally. He held his breath. If Gracia was home, he would have trouble. No answer greeted Hughes so he continued to the basement door and down the stairs. The room was empty. Hughes set the bags on the table and peered around. He couldn't tell if Roary was there or not.

”Roary? Where are you?” Hughes' heart began to hammer against his ribcage. What if she ran away? Did someone brake in? The house didn't look broken into.
Then, from under the table, Roary emerged still clinging to the blanket from his car. Hughes let out a breath.

”You scared me,” Hughes said. Roary looked down. “I was worried something happened to you.” Hughes added and knelt down next to her. “Don't get upset Kitten! Look at all these toys I bought for you!”

Roary turned and saw the large pile of shopping bags. There was so much, Hughes must have gone through a lot of trouble. She threw her arms around him. She hadn't been treated like a child since her parents died. How would she ever pay him back for such kindness? He was such a caring man and he bought all these things without her asking. Hughes treated her more than just a child; he treated her like he was her father. She made up her mind. There's only one thing I can do. I have to tell him.

”Hughes… papa,” Roary looked at Hughes and felt a little braver. “I want to tell you what happened.”

Hughes nodded. He felt affection in Roary's voice when she said `papa'. It was only a joke when he told her she could call him dad but it made him feel good when Roary did call him that. He offered her to sit on the couch and there he listened to everything she had to say.

 

___________________________Months Later___________________________

 

Roary sat in her room, board. Hughes had slowly bought her everything, from a canopy bed to cute clothes and plenty of entertainment. He had totally transformed the dark, musty den in the basement into a colorful, playful little girl's room. Yet with all these things, Roary was board. She still had no one to play with. Suddenly the most beautiful sound in the world came to her ears, Hughes' car. “Papa Hughes!” Roary gleefully sang and ran to the end of the stairs. She stood there impatiently for about ten minutes listening to Hughes greet his wife and then tell Gracia he's going to his den. Then finally the basement door opened.

 

Roary wanted to yell `Papa' but knew she had to stay fairly quiet; when Hughes got to her she glomped him. “Miss me much?” Hughes chuckled.

 

Roary nodded. “I did Papa!” She smiled with a big smile.

 

“Maes! What on earth are you always doing down there?” Gracia's voice came from the top of the stairs; Hughes had told her he made a den in the basement. “It always sounds like your talking to yourself. Anyway dinner's ready!”

 

“Uh, nothing dear, just checking on something!” Hughes replied. “I'll be up in a minute.” He then turned to a frowning Roary. “Don't worry Kitten. I'll be right back down after dinner to give you yours.” Hughes kissed her on the check, making Roary smile, and went up for dinner.

 

 

Gracia waited until she heard her husband's car drive away. “I have to find out what he's doing in that basement!” She proclaimed.

 

Roary heard movement by the basement door. `Papa' She thought. `But he just left for work. Oh no, what if Mama Hughes sees me?!' Roary then went and hid in the darkest part of the basement, her heart racing as she heard Gracia open the door.

 

Gracia walked down the stairs and her eyes went wide seeing the basement den made into a little girl's room. Tears came to Gracia's eyes. “Oh Maes, what's going on?”

 

“Hello?! Gracia?!” Hughes called and ran down the basement stairs to his wife after not seeing her upstairs and the door open. “Are you alright?! What are you doing down here? I forgot my briefcase and found you missing upstairs.” Hughes rambled on truly concerned for his wife and also worried for Roary's sake.

 

“What…. What is all this?” Gracia trembled as she gestured to the done up girl's room.

 

Hughes wrapped his arms around his wife. “I guess I just got carried away.” He smelled her hair. “I'm just so ready for kids but knowing you aren't… I saw all these cute girl things on sale and I couldn't help myself.” Hughes hoped his wife would buy his made up story, he was eccentric after all. “I thought you might get mad at me if I told you.”

 

Gracia leaned into him, trying to convince herself that her husband was that eccentric to do something like this. “I'm not mad just… don't scare me like that. We're married now, you should tell me everything. For a spilt second I thought maybe you were keeping some girl down here.”

 

“Don't be absurd!” Hughes laughed nervously. “Come on dear, lets get you back upstairs.” He led his wife to the stairs looking back over his shoulder to glance at Roary. He felt so bad keeping this secret from Gracia and keeping Roary from her `mother' but Hughes feared Gracia just wouldn't understand. `I'm gonna have to treat them both to a present.' Hughes thoughtfully said to himself.

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