Chapter Three

By Heartfire

~*~

Whoever said that happiness never last was so right. The moment they got back, they saw their secretary, frantically trying to keep a bunch of engineers from entering their offices and talking over the phone at the same time.

“Mr. Maxwell! Ms. Schebecker! Thank God you’re back! There’s a problem at the GC- 651 colony and these engineers are from the GC- 545 colony.”

Without looking at each other, Hilde and Duo went to work.

“I’ll take the engineers.” Hilde whispered as she took the messages from their secretary.

“I’ll take care of the plant.”

He watched as Hilde calmly led the men into their conference room and then faced his secretary, a bit angered that their day was so unduly interrupted. “Save me a flight for GC- 651.”

“Yes sir.”

He glanced back at her closed door and couldn’t stop the feeling of admiration that she could easily straighten problems with people in a snap.

“Flight reserved, sir. Airport No. 34 in about an hour.”

Duo nodded. “Okay. I’m going.”

That was the last they saw each other until two days later… well… Three, actually… Hilde wasn’t sure whether to feel thankful that he left so she could get a hold on her feelings once again or to be angry that he had to go away so soon… Just when everything was turning out… Ah heck… whatever.

She slapped the wad of papers on her desk and smiled at the good, sharp sound. He came in just before dawn so she wasn’t expecting until well after lunch. He didn’t even knock on her door to tell her that he got home! The fact that he probably thought she was sleeping didn’t penetrate her mind as she gritted her teeth together and she shook her head.

“Okay Schebecker, you’re acting like a wife.” She breathed in and out and finally got her nerves calmed.

Outside, Duo stopped in front of Therese. “Hey, she’s in, right?”

Therese nodded. “Yes sir.”

“Thanks.” He walked to Hilde’s door and breathed in deeply. He was nervous- again! He shouldn’t be. Those two days away from her made him realize that he became a sappy romantic and he shouldn’t do that to her. She didn’t deserve to be played. Besides, he does not feel anything physical for her. The only reason why he asked her to marry him was so he could get those girls off his back, right? Nothing more, right?

He entered her office and found her immersed in the usual thick papers on her neat desk- ‘Oh yeah… clean my desk later…’ The note was safely tucked at the back of his head just as Hilde looked up and met his eyes.

His heart did a good, hard kick and he had to blink a couple of times to get himself back in action.

“Oh… I didn’t know that you were back.” Play it safe… She didn’t want to tell him that she’d been awake these past few days, worrying herself to insanity all because the stupid person in front of her never called! Dimwit.

“I came around five…” Why did she have to look so cute when strands of hair fall over her eyes like that? “Uh… I was wondering if its okay for us to go get something to eat at Fritz’s.”

Hilde frowned. He never asked her to do that before- except during…

“You know… so we could start murdering some hoping girl’s feelings.” He thought he said that in a funny way but… guessed not as Hilde glared at him.

‘Murdering some hoping girl’s feelings, was it? Well… she was one of those girls. Damn him.’ She stood up and started for him. “Fine. Let’s start with this sorry business then.”

Duo frowned. Was it him or… did it suddenly become too cold for comfort just now?

“The usual game?” Usual game meaning: Duo will put his arm around her shoulder and introduce her to whoever passes by as his girlfriend.

Duo could only nod as he followed her. Why was it that she’s so… frosty today? ‘I just hope that she’d be better afterwards.’

Minutes later, they were given their usual table, eating their ordered food. Hilde was beginning to smolder. Lunch had gone off without a hitch. No blondes, no redheads or even green heads that showed up-

“Hi Duo, darling.”

‘Spoke too soon.’ Hilde’s nerves went to a very taut line as she caught the ‘Oh no! Not her!’ look on Duo and at the same time, the look that said- ‘It’s time.’

“I didn’t know that you were going to eat here today.”

The buxom woman leaned forward on the table, showing off more flesh than Hilde had ever shown in public her whole life! The obvious gulp Duo took was enough to tell her to begin the play. Hilde cleared her throat.

“Excuse me if I’m intruding… should I leave the two of you alone?”

The woman turned to give her a cursory glance while Duo gave her the ‘What the heck are you doing?!’ look. Hilde just sweetly smiled at him as a reply.

“Oh my! Who do we have here?”

Hilde rolled her eyes. ‘Not another one!!!’

“Where have you been hiding Duo-hun?”

‘Another one…’ Hilde’s hands fisted as she watched that blonde play with her Duo’s hair. If she didn’t know Duo, she’d have thought he was enjoying it. But you could see the telltale goose bumps on his arms, and the way he turned a shade paler… ‘Well let him rot. He was the one who got himself in this situation.’ She crossed her arms over her chest and decided to start the play before those women get their hands where it shouldn’t be. “Sweetheart, who are these… girls?”

The two turned to glare at her and Duo took that chance to move away from them and nearer to Hilde. “Uhm… Abigail, Tania… I… I want you to meet uh, my… uh… wife.” He finally said it. ‘That wasn’t so bad.’ Actually, that nice feeling came over him again.

“Wife?” Both of them parroted as they stared from Duo to Hilde as if this was all a joke.

Hilde reached out and grabbed Duo’s hand then brought it over the table, hands entwined, ring finger against ring finger. “Yes. Wife.” The murderous glare she gave them wasn’t even planned.

“Definitely wife.” Duo added as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her in closer. Her wonderful shampoo hit him full force and he decided right there and then to kiss her—just to make it more believable. He tilted Hilde’s chin, leaned down, and their lips touched.

Hilde’s eyes widened. Never in the entire time they’ve been together had they ever kissed. She had only dreamed of it and now- her eyes fluttered close and she became boneless in his arms.

He took her mouth slowly, wanting to savor every taste and texture- or was it so that the girls would just leave them alone? He could taste the sweet chocolate and strawberry dessert she ate only a few minutes ago and he wanted more. Her lips parted and he slipped his tongue between them. He took his time. Why hadn’t he kissed her before when she was this delicious? He shifted angles and drew the kiss deeper.

She couldn’t think. Her body was doing all the thinking for her and God! How she wanted him… How she ached for him. His tongue touched the top of her lower lip once more, and then slowly, he drew away.

It cost him to do that because he hadn’t wanted to end the kiss but the fact of the matter was… he was starting to think of stripping Hilde bare and laying her flat on the table to- Duo quickly shook his head to rid him of the images he created. He shouldn’t think like that! This is Hilde. His pal! His best friend. His housemate. His partner. His… wife… He could see stars in her eyes or maybe it was just him, and just to get them talking once again, he looked around and noted that the girls had left. “They’re gone.” A sigh of relief left his lips. “Thank God!”

Hilde’s spinning world halted at those words. Anger sparked. He used her. He used her in the lowest possible way! She was so mad that she could… she could-

Duo suddenly felt a blow on his jaw that made him stagger to the other side of the half circle seat. His hand grabbed his aching jaw. “Ow! Hilde! What was that for?!” He started to rotate his jaw just to make sure it wasn’t misaligned while he glared at her. He saw that she was angry as a pitbull!

“That was not part of our agreement! No physical contact except for short hugs and half embraces!” Hilde grabbed her bag and started to slide off to the other side. She had to get out of there before she starts to bawl!

“Aw heck Hilde. It wasn’t as if I wanted to kiss you.”

Hilde turned to stare at him with wide eyes. It was enough to know that she wasn’t one of his types but to hear him say that after all she did for him?!

Duo’s eyes widened as he realized his mistake. “No! I mean-”

“I don’t care what you mean!!!” Hilde stood up and couldn’t stop herself as she pushed Duo’s dessert over his lap and then stalked off the restaurant, uncaring of the stares people sent them.

“Hilde! Wait!” Duo stood up. The piece of cake fell down his pants and onto the floor, the white icing right on top where his manhood would be and he quickly placed a napkin over it. He looked around and saw customers staring at him and he bit his lip. “I… er… uh…” What could he say?! What could he say?! “We’re going through a divorce.” He smiled his apologetic smile and it seemed as if everyone understood as they nodded and went back to eating their food and minding their own business.

Duo sat back down as he motioned for the waiter. He didn’t mean what he said to her. What he wanted to say was that he needed to kiss her and later on he wanted to kiss her then he didn’t want to kiss her because she was supposed to be his friend then- “Aw hell! Maxwell, shut up. Big mess your big mouth got yourself into.”