I grab a cold can out of the fridge to combat the seasonal warmth that filtered through the building. It’s early June and Home is taking shape all around us. It looks really good already; thousands of homeless Al Bhed flock here to help build it, and now it’s a shell of a building. It’s a matter of decorating now, and buying furniture and stuff. I weave back down a corridor, and spot Kaoru walking the opposite way, carrying a large piece of machina. “Hi!” he shouts happily, “you been eating too much?” I laugh happily. “So, how long ‘til it’s due again?” I smile. “About 7 weeks now.” He grins and carries on walking, and I look down at my baby, running one hand over the now very large bump. I keep walking, and finally I get back to Jasper, his hair shoved back and a roller in his hand.
“Look!” I call to catch his attention, “I learned a new trick!” While he watches with a silly smile, I carefully balance the drink I got for him on top of my baby bump. He chuckles and walks over, taking the drink from me and putting it on the floor so that he can envelope me in a hug. It isn’t as tight a hug as it used to be, but the baby sort of gets in the way, now. He lets go of me and snaps his drink open, taking a deep gulp, while I pick up my discarded paintbrush. “Oh!” I exclaim softly as I remember, and slide the white gold band off of my ring finger, placing it almost reverentially on the windowsill. “I don’t want to get paint on my engagement ring,” I explain to Jasper so he doesn’t get offended, who nods. I notice now that he has already done the same.
I’ve only done a few strokes of cream paint when a voice behind me distracts me. “Lunch is ready,” Steven proclaims, and I drop my brush and grin at him. “Oh! Hi! Um…who are you?” I ask pleasantly to a stranger standing with Steven who blushes as I silently curse my bluntness. Steven puts down the tray of dainty sandwiches, crisps, drinks and fruit to take his hand comfortingly. I raise my eyebrows at Steven teasingly, before slipping my ring back on. Jasper shakes the stranger’s hand, introducing himself, while I giggle at his formality. “I’m Charlotte,” I say, more politely, with a nod. He shuffles around nervously before stammering out his own introduction.
“I’m Harry”, he says, and smiles. I blush slightly, “He’s my… well, you know I got that jacket a few days ago? That’s… kind of his.” Charlotte smiled and raised her eyebrows, “Oh really? Well, as long as you take care of my brother’s heart I’ll let you do whatever you want. And yes, that means in the bedroom too.” I gently hit Charlotte’s shoulder, giving her a “Not now!” kind of look, and look at Harry, blushing once more. Harry slid his hand back in mine and we both looked back to Charlotte and Jasper. “That thing I told you about? That’s Harry. The lake… and the snow, all him.”
Charlotte smiled as if she knew more than she was letting on, turning to Jasper and walking him away, looking back to me and winking. Harry bit his lip, “Was that okay?” I nodded and kissed him gently, “That was perfect. She loves you, too.” We laughed and begun walking, avoiding the looks from the others around us, focusing purely on one another. Forget what the rest of the world thinks. Me, Charlotte, Jasper and Harry… Rin, Rikku, Brother, George, Julian, we were ALL looking to the future with new resolve and determination. Home was nearly done, and everyone’s hearts were mended. Our journey, for now, was over. Or was this the beginning, the beginning of a new, brighter future? I think so. So does Charlotte. And soon, her baby will see the happiness we share. And that, according to Rin, is “A very Al Bhed way of thinking indeed.”
