To Believe Is To Love: Taking Chances

Disclaimer: I don’t own DBZ, and if I did, I could think of doing things with certain saiyan characters that wouldn’t be put into the words of a fanfic.


Chapter 7

Laina sighed inwardly and rolled her eyes. *Great! Now I have to deal with this!* Funny, though. She had thought that seeing Ronald again and with his new woman, no less, would cause her to feel pain. Hmm.

She stared at him. Ronald had golden brown hair and green eyes and was tall and lanky. Her total opposite in every way. Had she always thought that he was handsome? Had she thought that her world once revolved around him? True, he had a heart melting smile and a way of charming people into looking at things his way. But now, there wasn’t the heart searing pain that she usually felt when she thought of him or at the thought of ever seeing him again. No, wait, there was pain, but it was for her children.

Lily broke out of her stupor and ran up to Ronald. “Dad!” She wrapped her arms around his waist and Ronald hugged her back but with less enthusiasm than his daughter did.

Trunks moved over to Laina’s side. Ronald noticed. He stared at them while he spoke to Lily.
“Hey, honey. How’ve you and your brother been? Staying out of trouble?” He released Lily and eyed Trunks. “And who is..this?”
“I’ve been all right. He’s mom’s friend. He’s from out of town.”
“Friend from out of town, huh? That’s funny, Laina, I don’t remember you mentioning a friend before. Especially one who’s so much younger.” Ronald replied with a smirk.
Laina thought that she heard Trunks growling softly. She placed her hand on his arm to calm him. Ronald’s eyes narrowed at her gesture.
Laina sighed. “Ronald, this is neither the time or the place to discuss our friends-,” she looked pointedly at his girlfriend, “ or others we associate with. Just call me later.” With that being said she turned and walked out of the aisle, Trunks and Lily following behind her.

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After getting through the checkout line without any further altercations, the ride home was very quiet, each person lost in their own thoughts.

Laina couldn’t help thinking about the phone call that will be coming later that night. She knew Ronald well, so she would be very surprised if he did bother to wait until later that night to call her.

Trunks could feel the tension in Laina. From what he could gather from her thoughts, the man at the store was Laina’s former mate. Trunks didn’t really think of the man as her mate in truth, because of the fact that she was alone, raising their offspring, while he was with another woman. The man was still possessive of Laina though. That was something that Trunks would have to remedy. Laina was “his” now. He glanced sideways at Laina, and she gave him a small smile. He smiled back and then looked out at the passing scenery.

Something started metallically ringing from Laina’s purse. Trunks looked down at her purse and then glanced at Laina. She grimaced and rolled her eyes. “ I knew he couldn’t wait.” She mumbled.
“Do you want me to answer that?” Trunks asked.
“ No. Let him stew.”
Laina reached into her purse and pulled out her cell phone. She turned it off in mid-ring. She placed the phone back into her purse and sighed. “How about a little music?” she asked. She reached over and turned on the stereo. One or far favorite songs was on and she started singing along. Lily started whining. “ Mom? Please, please stop!”
Trunks laughed as Laina only started to sing louder and was goading Lily to join along. Lily sighed and then reluctantly joined her mother in singing. By the time they returned home, both mother and daughter were singing and laughing again, the awkward moment at the store forgotten for now.

As Laina pulled into the driveway, she noticed Jayce’s car was back. She wondered if Jayce was still pouting about this morning. *Of course he is, duh. It’s all he does anymore.* She parked the car and they all got out and started grabbing grocery bags to take inside.

Laina could hear Jayce’s voice coming from the living room. He was talking on the phone. She had a sneaking suspicion that she knew who he was speaking to, which was confirmed when she heard him say, “I don’t know the guy all that well. Look, you called here to ask about mom’s friend and you don’t even ask about me and Lily and if everything’s okay or if we need anything? What the fuck, dad!? If you want to know about the guy, ask mom. And...FUCK YOU!!” Jayce clicked the phone off and threw it at the couch. He let out a primal yell and fisted his hands at his eyes, his shoulders shaking with rage and pain.

“Jayce?” asked Laina softly. Her heart was aching for her son and she wanted to hug him and let him cry, like when he was younger. Jayce went still at the sound of Laina’s voice. He lowered his fists but kept them clenched at his sides. He stared into Laina’s eyes and she saw the pain in them. Then he glared at something behind her, and she knew that Trunks had come into the room. Jayce turned his head away, staring at anything else but her and Trunks. He started walking out of the room, towards his bedroom.
“ FUCK ALL OF YOU!” he shouted before he slammed his door violently.
Laina gasped and brought her hand up to cover her heart, as ifkeepkeep it from shattering from Jayce’s hateful, spiteful words. She felt the tears spilling down her cheeks and all she wanted to do was sob and go after Jayce to apologize or kick his ass.
She felt a hand rest on her shoulder and Lily’s arms wrap around her waist.
“I’m sorry mom.” Lily said. Laina wrapped an arm around Lily and kissed the top of her head.
“Thank you, baby.”
Trunks moved to her side and looked down the hall, a thoughtful expression on his face. At first he was pissed that her son would speak to his own mother in such a way. Then he realized that it was only his pain speaking out and what better way to relieve it, then to hurt someone that you love?
“Laina, Jayce is hurting deeply. Do not take what he says personally. I’m sure that even now he regrets what he said. Give him a little time to himself. I will speak to him.”
Laina wasn’t sure if that was a good idea, considering the hate she saw when Jayce looked at Trunks.
“ I don’t know, Trunks. Would that be wise? You saw his reaction to you.”
Trunks gave a sad smile when he replied. “You forget that Vegeta is my father.”
She had forgotten. With the reality of Trunks and their recent lovemaking, she had forgotten that he was from another kind of reality altogether.
She swiped away the rest of her tears, sighed and then nodded. “Okay. Why don’t we put away the groceries?”
Trunks gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze and she smiled softly then they went into the kitchen.