"Playing House" -chapt three

              by shevey




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"I guess we'll have to sleep in the car. I can't keep my eyes open any longer and neither can you."  It took me a moment to make logic of that Heero just said. Me, him, car, small, all night, sleeping, heat, alone. My eyes widen. Oh, no way.

"Heero, why don't we..."

"What? Sleep out in the field?" I paused and smiled.

"Well there's that as well." He sighed and stared out in front of the door once again.

"It's too cold out Relena and you know that. There is no where to stay out here. Only a farm every mile or so."  I snapped my head
towards him. The answer was right there! He side glanced at me long enough to see my expectation before his careless feature turned into a whiney melt. "No way Relena. That's crazy to ask total strangers to stay the night."

"Ten bucks they know who I am."

"Yeah, and come after you with a pitch fork." I smacked him on the arm and glared. I learned from the best. He shrugged
apologetically and I strained myself. Heero was acting too normal for me to be mad for too long. I kind of liked it. It was a new level
of humanized conversation. Not that that made any sense. Just big words that made me sound smart; even though I'm talking to myself.

"Listen Heero, it's too cramp in here. I'm doing this for you anyhow. Can we please just try the next farm?" I nodded to the dim
light in the distance and fire smoke. He glanced me over once more and I put on the fakest pout there was.

Sure I'm begging. However, I'm cold, I'm tired, I'm cramped. Give me a bed and I'll shut up. No doubt.

I practically screamed with glee when he turned into the hard gravel road that led up to the practical farm house. I was astound.

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"I cannot believe we're doing this." Heero mumbled behind me as I knocked. That struck me as odd. Heero Yuy, ex-gundam, afraid to ask for a room to stay, afraid of his mother, just plain old afraid. Perhaps there really was a lonesome boy inside that skull of his.

"Yes?" I plump lady answered the door. Her hair was frizzy red that was pinned down with bobby-pins. Her face was pale and wrinkled but her lips were stained red with thick lipstick. It was her prime feature. "May I help you this late at night?"

Time to test my charm. "I'm sorry Ma'am. Me and my husband need a place to stay for the night." Okay, so that was blunt, and Heero jolted besides me when I said husband, but I was enjoying the game. Time to bid riskly.

"Husband?" She looked Heero over and smiled at me.
"My, what a sweet couple. Please, do come in. Howard would be thrilled to see you. He's my husband. Farmer for nearly
forty years, can you believe that? Wheat is all we got. Wheat is all you see for miles around. Would you like a cup of coffee?"

She had taken my coat and picked up my bag. Heero kept his safe in his arms locked. We shared a glance with each other before I answered her. "I'd love some." Heero simply nodded no.

"Good thing your married, I only one extra room and that couch over there is as bad as sleeping on hay." I saw Heero's mouth open to protest but I shot him a glare. We weren't going to blow this. The women stopped in front of a green chipped door before opening it. "Oh I'm so excited. We haven't had guess since Christmas! And Sunday church hardly counts for entertainment."

I suppressed my laugh. She was just so amusing to watch. The way her eyes perked up with word, the way her fingers tapped about her apron. She was quite round in a way, but only made her seem more homier. "I hope you like it. It's our only guest room not that
any one visits." She opened up to reveal a small bedroom, painted a creamy yellow with a seventies flora print cover sprawled over the twin bed. A quilted pillow snugged the head bored and a bathroom was on the far side. The moon sparked in and out of the tree
branches just outside the window and you could see the rows of wheat beyond the stump.

It was something out of a book. Somehow I had a feeling we'd have eggs for breakfast with bacon on the side. That made me smile.

"Please settle down. I'll have the coffee done in ten or so minutes. Help yourself. Kitchens down the hall.  Towels are under the sink." She nudged us both inside and threw her hands up. "I'm so excited! Wait till Howard comes home tonight!"

"Tonight?" I found myself saying. "So late?"

"Oh, four o clock in the morning. Can you believe that? He works himself so hard tying the wheat together. Buyers show up at seven in the morning. Pity, isn't it? Now, you two settle right in."

Before either of  us could say thank you the door was shut and her humming voice was carried down the hall.

I took a step forward and felt the quilt with my hand. Beautiful. I sat down and felt the firm bed resist my weight. The idea of one bed, and a twin one at that made me blush.

"You told her we were married." I smiled.

"You told your mother we were dating."  I laid back on my back and studied the ceilin. "She seems very nice. What do you think of her?" I held my head in my hand and put my weight on my elbow. He shrugged and put his bag in the corner.

"Practical women."

"Why is that?"

"Talks a lot." Without thinking I took the pillow and flung it at his head which he promptly caught. "Ha-ha." And that's when my shoe hit him smack in  the middle of his forehead. "Relena..."

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"You two seem very much in love." Now I wasn't quite to sure to nod in agreement or say it was an arranged marriage. I noticed Heero blushing from the couch.

"It was an arranged marriage." Heero and both the lady gaped at me.

"Oh you poor thing." She shook her sadly and poured the cup. "You two get along well?"

"Superb." I mumbled before sipping the hot bitter coffee.

This would be a long night. No, a long trip. I side glanced at Heero. I still had the nagging feeling. Hilde was right.

The pieces didn't fit and I would put them all together if it killed him. I was dying to know what picture they made.

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Author/Notes

Um, right. Next chapter will come out in a week or so. For those of you who are waiting for A New Day to come
back, please hold on. I'm having trouble getting it to open let alone sending it in. Thanks for the encouragement (even though only ONE person has written me...)