Happy Anniversary, Baby
Chichi sat unexpectantly at the quaintly-set table. Not extremely special, but the breakfast had taken longer and the rose in a vase made it seem brighter. A wrapped gift was being felt over in her small fingers with a tiny tag flitting off. "Happy Anniversary". Nothing too extravagant. Just a carved figurine of her and Gohan small enough to fit in a sash knot.
Donīt expect too much, Chichi, she told herself, looking at her nervous hands. It IS Goku, after all.
The hallway door to the kitchen creaked open and in bounded the very person of her thoughts. She smiled up at him, hoping he'd remembered.
"Mornin' Chichi!" he smiled, his regular effervescent self, and kissed her cheek ritually. He took his normal seat and began eating. She sighed rather loudly.
He didn't remember. I knew he wouldn't. Don't be too disappointed, she told herself internally.
"Honey? Do you remember what day it is?" she asked, hoping it just slipped his mind momentarily. He had to have known all along. He looked into her eyes for a few moments....
"Tuesday?... OH! Thanks for reminding me!" he finished off his breakfast faster than usual. "I have sparring with Vegeta! I'm gonna be up at Capsule Corp till about three, hon! See you then!" And he bustled out of the house with a final kiss on her forehead.
I knew he wouldn't remember. It's just any other day. That's that... And she started to do whatever she did when she was upset. Clean.
Gohan stumbled down stairs rubbing sleep from his eyes a few hours later. He stared at his mother for a moment.
"Why did you let me sleep so late?" She knew why. She had HOPED Goku would have stuck AROUND a little longer...
"I'm giving you today off," she said as politely as possible. Gohan returned it with a grin.
"THANKS! Wow! And happy anniversary to you and daddy!" the nine year old said with much enthusiasm.
Well, at least HE remembered. She sighed and went back to breaking -erm- cleaning dishes.
Later that afternoon, Chichi found her duster and started fighting the dirt off the mantel, dwelling on the day and morning:
Our TENTH Anniversary! But, the again, he's always gone. If he's not training, he's off "saving the universe" or deliquinizing our son or...! Oh, I know he's a good man, but I wonder how I ever got myself into a marriage like this. It's no wonder he's forgotten today. He's not too bright and always busy. I wonder how Gohan ever got to be as smart as he is! It's just another minor event in his life. Between vanquishing Piccolo Jr. and the birth of his son. I wonder if he even remembers that I was there for that...
The door slammed shut, and she had barely heard it open in the first place.
"Chiiiiiiiichiiiiiiii, I'm hooooooome!"
She just continued to clean the little knick knacks off and called an, "All right!"
"Hey, can you come here a minute?"
"Goku, I'm a little busy right now and I..."
"No, seriously! Come here!" he said with slight impatience.
"I can't come there. I'm busy!" she sighed loud enough for him to hear even in the next room.
She could suddenly feel him behind her. Gods, he moves fast! She dropped a knick knack and it clattered to the floor. She could tell SOMETHING broke off of it, as she had a housewife's intuition for it.
"Oh, Goku! Look what you made me do!" she moaned. He only slipped a strip of blue cloth over her eyes. She gave a little cry of protest, "I'm really in no mood for any of your silly games..."
"Shh," was his only reply as he started to lead her down the hall.
"The house is an absolute mess and I have no-"
"Be quiet. Just for now?" his tone as sweet as could be. Chichi frowned and let herself be led outside.
She felt a slight breeze of air and a whooshing noise as the door (obviously to an air car or something) opened. Where'd he get a car from.... Bulma? She waited momentarily and suddenly felt herself on her husband's lap just before the door shut again. His arm brushed past hers as he pressed some buttons and a woman's voice replied:
"Coordinates set. Have a nice trip."
She felt the velocity grow faster than she had ever been. A strange change in gravity almost and the quick replacement of it that followed. Her curiosity over-came her annoyance with the man taking her away from her work.
"Goku, where are we? Where are we going?"
"You'll see. Just one more minute." She heard the smile in his voice.
"Maybe he DID remember! We're going out to eat! Oh, he's taking me to a NICE restaurant! Ohhhhh, Goku...."
The minute came and passed and she felt the vehicle slow. Were they THERE already?
"Keep your eyes closed. Just a second, while I take off the blindfold." The cloth loosened from her vision and she realized they weren't in an air car at all. It was a spherical room with one seat and her on his lap. A bubblish, blue-tinted window protruded directly in front of her vision.
A Saiyan Ship!!!
Chichi's line of sight was caught by the vision just outside of the window. She was in space! But that was not what made her gasp in surprise. The entire Earth, just a little smaller than the window, was wrapped in a huge golden bow and a large tag floating in the stillness of space reading:
"To Chichi, From Goku. Happy 10th Anniversary."
"Oh, Goku," breathed Chichi, glad she wasn't standing, lest she'd fall.
"I once promised you I'd give you the Earth if you asked for it."
"I never asked!" she said, tears welling up in her eyes. He wiped away the first to fall and gave her the first meaningful kiss of the day.
"You deserve it. For putting up with me and my selfishness, you deserve the entire UNIVERSE, but I just couldn't find a bow big enough..."