Crummy Letter (Part 2)

Duo Maxwell and Hilde Schbeiker's Temporary Residence

6:30 PM

"I just want to lie around all night long, my feet are killing me," Hilde said as she opened the door to their little apartment. The lights came on illuminating the room. It wasn't a large place, but a decent one. It had what they needed. A bathroom with a decent shower, a kitchen, a TV, and their definite assortment of games they collected. "When people want their food, they want it now."

"At least you aren't in the back with the fryer," Duo said as he hung his hat on the small nook behind the front door as he closed it. "That was hot. I'd rather be doing the back and forth. Game or TV? And who gets which?"

"Ooh, I was on level two reaching level three . . ." She budged. "I'm too tired to concentrate on the game. Fridays are a big pain. At least we get Saturday off. I'll catch up then."

"Yeah, TV then. I'm not in the mood either." Maybe a good show was on. "We have the crockpot from last night for supper or order out?"

"Oh, it's Friday. We can live a little. Crockpot Saturday," Hilde said as she took off her shoes and curled up on the couch with her socks.

Duo did the same thing. "I don't know whose is worse. Yours or mine."

She wrinkled her nose as a slight tease as she grabbed the remote and turned it on. They both propped their feet up to watch the TV. "Oh, mail. Duo, it was your day today."

"I just spent the whole minute getting comfy, Hilde-Babe." But he got up and walked his socked feet over toward the mail slot. "Let's see." He bent over toward it to see the offerings. "Coupons? Furniture. Pass." Like they had anymore room or wanted anymore? The couch was fine and a table to eat at. Anything else would clutter the small place up. "More coupons. Food. Buy more food to get more food kind. Pass." Bills at all? "No bills."

"Then no problems," Hilde said from the couch.

Duo continued to come over, bringing the rest of the junkmail. It's like they had a sign outside that said 'insert junkmail here'. "Ooh, a letter. Addressed to little me?" Duo looked at Hilde. "Good or bad you think?"

"Is it ever good?" Hilde questioned him.

Duo ripped it open. "Well, you never know? Maybe someone's writing to greet us to the neighborhood? Or maybe Trowa decided to write a letter saying how much he appreciates us being here on Earth?" Yeah, no, it wouldn't be that. It was always bad. "What do you think the level of bad is?"

"Three?" Hilde hazarded a guess.

"Mach four? Maybe just a two." Duo started to read it, then looked away. He stared at Hilde, his expression different. "It's a ten." A full blown ten. He read one line of it and already knew. Hilde came closer as he revealed the letter to both of them.

A woman code-named Jewel, just revealed when and how Hilde had become pregnant. She also revealed a ton of other things that were, frankly? "We need to call the guys." As he said that, he quickly gripped her hand gently. "You okay?" Hilde was staring ahead at the TV now. "BFF's forever. Hell of a necklace between us."

"That's not funny, Duo!" Hilde was losing it as she got off the couch, jerking his hand away. She sought solace over by the window, resting her hands on its sill. She didn't say much else. Duo didn't know what to say either. After a few minutes, she spoke again. "Obligatory just turned mandatory. This is. This."

"This doesn't change anything," Duo said to her. "Still pregnant. Still on Earth. Still going back." He tried to loosen up and relax. "Just instead of Uncle Duo it's . . . Papa Duo. Or Father? Nah, not Father, not Father . . . Dad Duo?" His brain felt scrambled. Even working out that little bit of the piece of the puzzle. What he should let it call it? That should be on the lowest end of concern too. "We're okay."

"It was just me," Hilde said, staring out the window. She was looking at the stars, like they would somehow take her away. Maybe back to their colony. To life before it started to change again. "It was just me wrapped up in this huge mess, and now it's you. You got dragged down, by that-that- Girl!" She went over to the letter, grabbed it and shook it violently. "This Jewel!" She slammed it back down again.

"Yeah. I'm used to getting screwed over." Still. "It's okay, Hilde," he encouraged her. "This Jewel did the right thing." Oh yeah, he wasn't happy. How did anyone even have that on him? And who? But. Hilde was his concern right now.

"She was a stupid girl. Stupid. Stupid girl." Hilde pointed to the letter, half crying, like she could zap it away. "Stupid code name. You can't go after her."

"Yeah." He knew that. It was clear from the letter she was scared Duo would come after her again. That again meant he probably had taken out a family member. It wasn't right what she did, and he definitely wasn't going out of his way to find her and tell her she had nothing to fear. But he wasn't going out of his way to deal with her either. "Everyone makes stupid mistakes." He glanced back at Hilde. "I didn't grow up with a Dad, Hilde. I'll probably still end up being Uncle Duo." She nodded her head, understanding. "I'll try." There wasn't much more he could say. "You know I have to contact the others?" She nodded again. "Why don't you find something on the TV you want? Order something even, your choice. When I get back in, we'll watch it. I'll still order out for food too. What is it you want, Hilde?" He'd do the ordering for the food before he came back.

Once the other guys found out. They would want to get every scrap out of him they could, but all he really had was a crummy letter to scan them.

Now? Whose life did he ruin first tonight?