Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Strays ❯ Chapter 6 ( Chapter 6 )

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Strays

Part 6

“I'm home.” Relena kicked off her shoes outside the door. It had been cold and gloomy all day long, typical October weather. And to top it off it had started to rain while she was out shopping.

Mister Scruff came running to greet her, nearly knocking her over in the process. The teen laughed as she petted the large dog's head. “Easy there, big fellow.”

“Where have you been?” Milliardo's voice came from the living room. The young man was sitting by the fireplace, reading a newspaper.

“At the market. I was going to make spaghetti and garlic bread and realized we were out of parmesan cheese.”

“Why didn't you call me? I would have picked some up on the way home. You didn't have to go on foot in the rain.”

Relena shrugged as she set the shopping bag down on the kitchen table. “It wasn't raining when I left. Besides I'm not made from sugar, you know. I won't melt away when I get wet. And why are you home already anyway? Shouldn't you be in school right now?”

“Professor Kline got sick. No classed this week.” Milliardo explained.

“I see.” Relena reached for her apron. She popped her head into the living room as he tied the strings behind her back. “There was a message on the machine… from Treize…did you see?”

“Oh, was there?” Milliardo kept his voice deliberately disinterested, and didn't even look up from the paper.

“You erased it, again, without even listening to it, did you?” Relena frowned at her brother. He didn't answer, pretending to be too enthralled in the article he was reading. Her frown deepened. With a few large strides she was next to his chair and snatched the paper away from him.

“Milliardo, I'm talking to you. Why are you doing this? I know you are angry with Treize right now, and for good reason. But I don't understand why you won't even give him a chance to apologize. The fact that he is calling and trying to talk to you…”

“That's enough,” Milliardo snapped. “I've had enough of this nonsense. I don't need you or anybody else to tell me what to do. Keep your nose out of my personal life, alright.” The moment the words had slipped from his lips he regretted them. He didn't mean to sound so harsh.

Relena stared at him with an expression of surprise and hurt. “I'm sorry, I didn't…”

He closed his eyes momentarily as he heaved a quiet sigh. Then he rose and wrapped his arms around his sister. “No, I'm sorry. I should not have reacted so harshly. That was uncalled for.”

She returned his embrace, hugging him tightly. “I was only trying to help, Milliardo. Why don't you want to listen to what Treize has to say? You like him… a lot…don't you?”

Milliardo didn't answer, but he could feel himself blush. So she had noticed after all. Perhaps she was more observant then he was giving her credit for.

“I'll take that as a yes.” Relena smiled softly as she freed herself from her brother's arms. She looked up at him firmly. “Then why don't you want to give him another chance?”

If only it was that easy. Milliardo gave another sigh. “Lena, trust me, things are best left the way they are. Treize and I are just not mean for one another.”

“Why?” she asked, sounding very much like a nosy, little child.

“Because…,” he plopped back unto his chair. “For one, Treize owns his own company. He is rich, successful and had a lot of influence. I on the other hand am only a college drop out, working on minimum wage. I have nothing to offer him. And of course there is also the fact that he is engaged, to a woman of his own social status; someone who is much better suited for him.”

“A woman of his own social status?” Relena echoed. “Do you hear yourself talking? Milliardo, wake up and join us in the 20th century, will you? Maybe this comes as a surprise to you, but most people nowadays choose their partner out of love and not for their `social status'. Besides, why are you belittling yourself? Just because someone is born with a silver spoon in his mouth it doesn't make him a superior person. And you do have a lot to offer.”

Her brother smirked wryly. “Thanks.”

“Does this mean you will call Treize back?”

“No!”

“Why not? I just don't understand you.” She frowned.

“Okay, let me put it this way… You remember Snowball, don't you?”

Relena nodded. Of course she did. Snowball was a white Persian they had rescued from the fangs of a wild coyote a few years back. The cat has stayed with them for almost four weeks, and she had gotten rather attached to him, when his owners showed up. It turned out that the family was in progress to relocating overseas, and Snowball had been put into quarantine at a vet's office where he somehow managed to escape. But what had that to do with Treize?

“You remember how you felt when the Darlian's took him back home? And how they offered you to come by and see him one last time before they left the country?”

She gave another nod. Yes, she remembered. She had declined their offer, because the thought of seeing Snowball just to say good buy again was just too painful.

“Well, then I think you do understand.”

#####

Treize tapped his fingertips restlessly against the desktop as he listened to a report on structural stability. He was sitting, together with Une, in his office in a videoconference. The man on the other end of the camera was the head architect of the company that was going to build the new OZ headquarters.

The construction of a new office building had been carefully planned for the past eight months, or so he was told. Treize Khushrenada still hadn't regained all of his memories. Although there were a lot of things he could recall now, even little things like childhood memories, there were still a lot of gaps that needed to be filled. Sometimes it was frustrating to say the least.

“By the way, what did you think about those plans I sent you back in September, Mister Khushrenada?” the architect asked after he had finished his report. “Does the design suit you?”

Plans? What plans? Did I look at them; I'm not sure.

“It's funny you ask,” Miss Une spoke up. “Mister Khushrenada and I were just talking about them this morning. I think we will need a little longer to make a definite decision though. We really like the basic design idea, but there a few details we still need to talk about. You don't mind do you?”

“Not at all. Take all the time you need. I'll be waiting to hear from you.”

A few minutes later they ended the conference and Treize turned off the camera and terminated the phone connection.

“You look tired. Are you alright?” Une asked sympathetically.

“I'm fine,” he assured her. “Thanks for covering.”

“My pleasure. Those plans are on you desk by the way.” She gestured at a green plastic binder. “You might want to look at them.”

“I really should, shouldn't I? But not today.”

Treize pushed one of the buttons on the intercom system. “Miss Webster, could you please come in for a moment?”

A moment later the door to his office opened and his secretary stepped in. “You wanted to see me, Sir?”

“Yes! Please cancel all my appointments for the rest of the day. I'm going home,” he told her.

“Even the meeting with Mister Anderson?”

“I said `all', didn't I?”

“I'm sorry,” she apologized. “I just thought…because you already postponed the meeting twice.”

“Well, they say the third time is the charm, don't they?”

“Yes, Sir. If you say so.”

“Don't worry about it, Miss Webster,” Une intervened. “I'll call Mister Anderson personally. You just reschedule the rest of the appointments.”

“Yes, Ma'am. Is there anything else?”

“No thank you. That's it.”

Une waited until the secretary had closed the door behind herself before she turned to Treize. “Are you sure you are alright?”

“Yes, I'm just tired. That's why I'm going home.”

“Perhaps we should cancel our dinner arrangements for tonight. You should rest.”

“It's your birthday, Anne. I wouldn't cancel it for anything in the world.”

#####

Une was about fifteen minutes late for dinner. She had told Treize not to pick her up at her house because she had some things to take care off beforehand, and they agreed to meet at the `Alexandria' instead.

The metre d' greeted her with a respectful bow as she entered the restaurant. “What a pleasure to see you again, Miss Une. Mister Khushrenada arrived already. May I take you to your table?”

The young woman nodded. “Thank you.”

She followed him through the dining room to one of the semi-private niches along the west wall. Treize liked sitting there not only for the privacy, but also because of the wonderful view onto the bay.

“I'm sorry I'm late,” she apologized. “Traffic was a nightmare.”

“Don't worry about it,” Treize rose to greet her. “I only arrived a short while ago myself.”

“You look lovely tonight,” he remarked as he, always the gentleman, pulled out the chair for her to sit down.

She was wearing a little black dress with deep-purple velvet trimmings, very stylish and very elegant.

“Thank you.” A fair hue of pink stained her cheeks. Even after all these years his compliments got to her.

“Would you like to hear tonight's specials?” the metre d' asked after they had settled down.

“No thank you,” Treize declined politely. “I think we'll have the champagne first and eat a little later.”

“As you wish, Sir.” He left and a few moments later the waiter came with the bottle of `Dom Perignon' Treize had ordered earlier.

“Your champagne.” He filled their glasses and left the rest of the bottle on the table. “Enjoy. If there is anything else I can do for me, let me know.”

As the waiter bowed and retreated, Treize pulled a little rectangular gift box from his pocket, presenting it to Une. “Happy birthday, Anne.”

“Thank you. Should I open it now?”

“I insist.”

“Very well then.” She meticulously untied and removed the large bow and the red and gold paper. Beneath it lay another box.

Treize watched her carefully as she opened it.

“Oh…,” she exclaimed. “A calculator?!”

“Yours broke, didn't it?” he said. “This one has a memory function and the batteries charge through solar energy. What's wrong? You don't like it?”

“No, no,” she assured him quickly. “It's … uhm…very thoughtful of you.”

Treize managed to keep a straight face for a few more moments before bursting out in laughter. He handed her another present. “Here, I think you might like this one better.”

“Treize Khushrenada!” she huffed as she glared at him playfully. “You really had me there for a moment.”

“Sorry, I just couldn't help it.” He chuckled.

Une gasped as she opened the second box and removed a diamond bracelet. “It's lovely. Thank you. Will you help me put it on?”

“With pleasure.” He fastened the bracelet around her wrist, then raised his champagne glass for a toast. “To a wonderful woman, a fantastic business partner, and a great friend…”

“Thank you.” She replied quietly.

“Is something the matter?” Treize asked. He knew her for long enough that he could read her like a book.

“Well… Truth is I have something to give you as well.” She reached into her purse, pulled out a small, square jewelry box and set it onto the table in front of him.

Treize hesitated a moment before opening it. Inside the silk lined box lay the ring he had given her when he proposed to her less than three months earlier. It didn't really come as a huge surprise. He had noticed a few days ago already that she had stopped wearing the ring.

“You are breaking off the engagement?”

“I believe it is the best, for you, for me, for Oz.”

“I really messed up, didn't I?”

“No actually, think we both made a mistake; you, when you asked me to marry you, and I, when I accepted your proposal. Try to be honest and ask yourself if you really proposed to me for the right reasons.”

Treize's eyes widened slightly. He had been asking himself that same question more than once of late. Somehow he still couldn't figure it out. Back then he had been convinced that he was doing the right thing, but now he wasn't so sure anymore.

His family had been on his case, insisting that he was old enough to get married and start a family on his own. Even though he had always been open about his sexual preferences, they didn't seem to take it serious. His mother thought of it as more of `a phase he was going through'. And of course he saw the necessity of producing an heir who would carry on the family name and eventually take over OZ in the future. But even though he liked to party and socialize, he had never been much into dating. More than once he had found the high-society women his mother had tried to set him up with, to be utterly dull and dim-witted. Anne however was a totally different story. She was witty and intelligent, and very much his equal. He was comfortable around her and they could convert without him having to worry about talking over her head. So, was it possible that he proposed to her just out of… convenience?

“I know this seems like an odd timing you break off our engagement. But I want you to know that I'm not bitter about this. And you shouldn't be either. I think we should be grateful that we realized our mistakes before we actually got married.”

“Anne…”

“However…” she continued. “I believe it would be best to wait with an official announcement until after the contract with the Irving Company is signed.”

Treize huffed in a mixture of humor and sarcasm. “Always 100% business, aren't you?”

“Are you complaining?” she asked. “I told you I'm not bitter. I'm more than happy with the two of us remaining just good friends. And as a friend I'd like to give you some advice.”

“Advice?” he echoed.

“Yes. Try calling him again.”

She didn't have to use Milliardo's name. Treize knew anyway who she was referring to.

“No!” There was not room for argument in his voice. “I did that already and he has yet to return any of my calls. If he wants to cut all ties, so be it. I'm not going to beg. I'm not that desperate.”

“No, not desperate,” she agreed. “Just stubborn.”

“I beg your pardon?! I'm not stubborn.”

“No? My apologies then. I wonder what gave me that impression.” With an expression of perfect innocence Une picked up her menu card and started to read it.

Treize frowned as he reached for his own menu. What was that supposed to mean?

 

#####

“Miss Peacecraft?”

Relena was standing just outside the school gate, talking with her friends, when a red Lamborghini had pulled up at the curb. She turned her head.

“Oh, Miss Une.” For a moment there she almost didn't recognize the woman, without glassed and with here hair loose.

“What can I do for you?” she asked as she took a few steps toward the sports car.

“I was wondering if I could talk to you…somewhere a little more private.”

Relena hesitated. Her first inclination was to decline, but then she reminded herself that, whatever happened between Treize and her brother, it wasn't Une's fault. The young woman was nothing but an `innocent victim' in this whole mess.

“Well, there is a little ice-cream parlor just down the street. I can meet you there in about ten minutes if you wish.”

Miss Une nodded. “Sounds good. I'll see you then.”

The Lamborghini drove off, turning quite a few heads, and Relena walked back to her friends, wondering what Treize's fiancée wanted to talk to her about.

“Who was that?” one of the girls asked. “Your brother's new girlfriend?”

“Oh, no no, nothing like that,” Relena laughed. “Just an acquaintance. I've got to go. See you guys tomorrow morning.”

“Sure. See you.”

###

Une was waiting for her outside the ice-cream parlor. The settled down at a small table in the back of the room where they could be relatively undisturbed. When the waitress came Relena ordered a strawberry milkshake while the older woman opted for a cup of coffee.

“Miss Peacecraft, thank you for taking the time to talk to me.”

“No problem. How is Treize by the way? Has he fully recovered yet?”

Une shook her head. “Not all of his memories have returned yet. But it seems like he is improving every day. Stubborn as he is he is refusing to see a doctor though. We are in the midst of a bidding war over some land he wants to buy to expend OZ. He is convinced that out rivals would use it against us if they found out about, what he calls his `questionable mental state'.

“So, he really owns that company?”

“He does,” she confirmed. “It's been in his family for generations.”

Relena had a hard time to stop herself from chuckling.

The older woman raised one eyebrow. “That seems funny to you?”

“No, it's just …we figured that he worked in a restaurant, being a chef or head-chef or something, because of his cooking skills.”

“Yes, Treize really loves to cook. He says it helps him relax. I remember our first big business meeting/dinner. We were still trying hard to be taken serious as a newly reformed company. A few days before, he invited me to his house. I assumed that he wanted to talk shop and go over the minutes for the meeting. Instead he wanted to show me the catering menu. Not only had he put the whole menu together himself, but he also had cooked samples of every course. At that moment I was convinced he had lost his mind under the pressure. But anyway…the reason I wanted to talk to you is…I know that Treize had been trying to call your brother a few times since he returned home.”

Relena's brows furrowed. “Just a minute; if you are here to ask for my help to keep Milliardo and Treize apart you have come to the wrong person.”

Une took a sip from her coffee. She looked at the teen from over the rim of her cup, a mysterious smile curving her lips. “You are misunderstanding. What I want is for you to help me bring the two of the together; at least into the same room to give them a chance to talk things out.”

“Huh?” Relena's yaw almost dropped. “Are you sure you know what you are talking about? You know that Treize and Milliardo….I mean…um…”

“Yes,” Une nodded. “Treize told me anything. Not that that was necessary. I am a woman. I have eyes and I can out two and two together.”

“Yet you want to bring the two of them together again? Treize is your fiancée, don't you love him?”

For an instant Relena could see a flash of pain in the older woman's eyes. “Of course I do…Enough so to want to see him happy. Right now he is plain miserable. I'm afraid if this goes on I might loose more than just my fiancée. - So,” She looked firmly at the teenager. “Can I count on you?”

“I'll do what I can, but I don't think it will be easy. My brother seems hell-bend on staying away from Treize. He won't even talk to him on the phone. Maybe if Treize would come by our house…”

“He wouldn't do that.” Une shook her head. “He is too proud. - Men,” she huffed. “Once they feel that their `male ego' has been hurt they start acting like little stubborn children.”

“I guess that's why they say that every great man needs a woman to lead him.” Relena chuckled.

“Then perhaps we should take the `lead' in this situation as well,” the older woman suggested.

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T.B.C.

 

Author's Note: 

 

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