Life's Lessons on Stress

  ~*~

  Zell grabbed my bag and led the way from the station. Quistis and I followed close behind.

  "Will your parents have enough room for the three of us?" Quistis inquired, adjusting her duffel on her shoulder.

  "We always stay with Zack," Zell tossed over his shoulder. "He’s the one with the swank house."

  I watched Quistis’ expression. It didn’t change. She met my gaze. "Mom and Dad have a spare room you can use, if that makes you feel better."

  "Don’t do it, Quis," Zell warned. "Zack’s pad is totally spacious. Mega rooms, a pool, big-screen T.V., the works! You’ve got to stay there with us."

  Quistis slightly smiled. "If you’re sure he won’t mind."

  "Zack? He’ll probably barely be there long enough to notice," Zell stated.

  I nodded. "He’s always really busy at the station, especially during sports season lining up interviews, halftime reports, and stuff like that. We’ll be lucky to share a meal with him."

  "Doesn’t he have an assistant?" she asked, surprised.

  "He did, once, but they weren’t very good at it. He fired them a couple months ago and hasn’t ever filled the position."

  "Surely it can’t be that difficult to find a good assistant manager."

  Zell scoffed. "Zack’s kind of like Seifer; major hard-ass when it comes to the station."

  Quistis smirked. "I see. Takes his duties seriously."

  "Way serious," Zell agreed.

  I nodded. "That’s why the station is doing so well, more than likely." We stopped outside the pet shop. "Let’s go inside and say ‘hello’. Then I’ll see if they can give us a lift to Zack’s, so we can drop off our stuff."

  "Can’t we just stow it here?" Zell asked. "I kind of wanted to grab a bite. I’m starved."

  "Oh sure. I don’t mind. I’m getting a bit hungry myself." I looked to Quistis. "What about you?"

  "I could go for a beer."

  I smiled. "Okay, then let’s say ‘hi’ and head on over to the pub."

  We stepped inside to be greeted by both my folks, exchanging introductions and plans and then stowing luggage before leaving the store with promises to not stay out too late. Then the three of us struck out for the pub.

  "Say," Zell spoke up as we descended the stairs to the mall area of the pub, "we should stop by the station and see if Zack can get us into C.K. like he did last time."

  I smiled over at him. "Zell, we can just as easily drop off the submission at the front desk. If we have Zack keep using his special privileges, he’ll lose them."

  "Yeah, I guess you’re right." Zell grinned. "Too bad. I wanted to use their gym to show off."

  I heard Quistis chuckle as she followed behind us. "Then I guess you should definitely write them about starting a tournament."

  "Looks like. Will you help out with it? My spelling sucks worse than my grammar."

  I giggled. "Of course, sweetie."

  Zell opened the door for us. "Sweet!" He ushered us in and then let the door close after. He came to stand beside me, taking my hand in his. "You want to sit at a table or at the bar?" Zell gestured to the back. "Looks like there’s a table over there."

  I looked over at Quistis. "Is that okay?"

  "Whatever is fine," she said, slightly smiling. "As long as I get that beer."

  So we trekked over to the table, catching the bartender’s eye as we did.

  "Two beers and a cream soda," Zell ordered.

  Quistis lowered herself into the seat in the farthest corner of the room while sending a curious glance toward Zell. "Cream soda?"

  Zell sat beside me, smiling as he draped an arm across the back of my chair. "What’s the matter with that? Sally likes cream soda."

  I sent Quistis a timid smile. "I don’t drink. Never cared to start."

  The bartender brought the bottles, received payment from Zell, and then left after getting our order of hamburgers and potato wedges.

  "You’re not old enough anyway," Zell reminded. "Not until next year."

  "Oh. You’re not twenty?" Quistis asked.

  I shook my head. "Not until next spring."

  "Anything special planned?"

  Zell and I exchanged shocked expressions. "Dude. I never even thought about it." He faced me fully. "Meg, we should rig a party at the hotel in Balamb!"

  My expression brightened. "A birthday party? A big birthday party? Could we?"

  "Sure! We’ll have a band and food and beer and champagne--Dude! It’ll rock!"

  Quistis chuckled, slightly shaking her head as she leaned back in her chair. She motioned toward us with her bottle. "You two hash out the details. I’ll enjoy my beer."

  I faced Quistis, smiling. "That’s okay. We can do it later."

  "Why?" She took a drought, and then she motioned to us again. "Might as well do it now, Sally. We haven’t anything else to talk about."

  "She’s got a point."

  "Okay. I don’t mind. I’ve never planned a really big party before."

  Zell rested both arms on the table in an adorable expression of complete attention. "Okay, first things first. Who you gonna invite?"

  My smile vanished. "I don’t know. Maybe I should make it an open invitation? I mean, everyone at Garden has helped me at some point, so shouldn’t they--"

  "Sally," Zell interrupted in a serious tone, "this is your birthday party. You invite the people who actually care."

  I flushed and focused on my hands clasped in my lap. "I know."

  "All right then, who would you invite? Me?"

  I giggled and looked up. "Of course, silly."

  Zell smiled. "Whew. Who else?"

  "Um, Zack, Mom and Dad, Selphie, Quistis," I said while motioning to her.

  She accepted the invitation with a nod and a lopsided smile. "Thank you."

  "Your ma," I added with a smile at Zell. "Rinoa, Val, Francine, Mark, Marshal, Seifer--"

  Zell sat up. "Seifer? Why Seifer?"

  I sent Zell a wide-eyed expression. "Because he’s my boss and he deserves to be invited. I was going to invite Commander Squall, too."

  Zell smiled. "Hey. Whatever. No skin off my butt." He leaned forward again. "You want a band, a D.J., or what?"

  "A band. One of those that plays really bright, loud, and danceable music," I said, smile returning.

  "Sure. I’ve got just the band in mind. What about food--Dude. We should leave that up to the hotel. Have them cater it, huh?"

  "Oh, this is going to be so much fun!"

  "Hell yeah! I can hardly wait."

  Quistis shook her head. "You two are beyond belief."

  The bartender came with our food, brought more drinks, and then left us alone--after giving Quistis yet another sidelong glance. She ignored it. Then we cheerily chatted about parties, and submissions, and SeeD missions long over while we munched and crunched good food and sipped cool drinks.

  Quistis had a lot of great stories.

  "Hey, Sal," an unexpected voice greeted. "What are you doing here?"

  I looked up to meet Zack’s curious and surprised expression as he approached from the pub’s back exit. "Hi, Zee. We came to spend the weekend. Remember? We emailed you."

  Zack came to stand beside me and Quistis. He sent her a smile and then focused on me. "Was that this weekend? Man! Time flies, doesn’t it?" He motioned to Zell and me. "Your gear stowed?"

  "I was hungry," Zell said by way of a ‘no’.

  Quistis and I laughed.

  Zack smirked. "I hear ya." Then he turned toward Quistis and produced a hand. "Zackary Regal."

  Quistis accepted the hand and briefly shook it. "Quistis Trepe." She retrieved her hand and her bottle.

  Zell motioned to a free chair. "Pull up. Wanna beer?"

  Zack’s smirk blossomed to a smile. "It’s been a day, so I think I’ll take you up on that."

  Zell caught the bartender’s gaze and then looked back to Zack. "A day, huh? What with?"

  Zack came to sit in the chair to Zell’s right an
d leaned back with crossed arms. "You name it and it probably went wrong. Screwed up time schedules, old ads, lost connections." Zack shook his head. "The day from hell."

  Quistis regarded him in her normally cool and collected fashion. "It sounds as if you need some managerial help to take up the slack," she observed.

  Zack met her gaze as he scoffed. "You find me an assistant manager who can pull his or her head out of his or her own ass and get the job done right, and I’ll hire them."

  One side of her lips tilted upward. "I’ll keep my eyes open."

  "Are you going to have interviews again?" I asked. "You should at least give it another shot, Zack. You never know. You might find just who you’re looking for."

  Zack accepted his bottle from the bartender and shook his head. "Not yet. I’m still pissed from the last guy. I need to get some things squared away with schedules and crap before doing anything different."

  "When you do," Quistis spoke up again, drawing Zack’s attention, "I would recommend beginning an Internship program. That way you can train them to be what works best for your station."

  Zack blinked. "You know what? That’s a damn good idea. Don’t know why I didn’t think of it before." He smiled wide and motioned to Quistis with his bottle. "Want a job? I have an immediate opening for Office Manager."

  Quistis chuckled. "No. Thank you. While it’s tempting, I enjoy instructing at Garden."

  "Too bad. Just know that anytime you want to try your hand at civilian life, the door is open."

  Zell and I exchanged a glance and a ‘this is good’ expression.

  Quistis adjusted her position in the chair as well as her hold on her beer. "I’ll keep that in mind, but I think 21 is a little young to retire. Don’t you?"

  Zack shrugged. "I’m rich enough to retire any day of the week. I don’t because I love the rat race of working." He sent her a smile and a wink. "I’m thinking it’s the same with you?"

  She smirked. "Something like that."

  Zell suddenly stood. "Dude!" He turned to me, eyes wide. "Meg, we’ve got to submit the work-up before C.K. closes!"

  My eyes widened, and I smacked my forehead as I stood to follow. "Oh my gosh! We better hurry. See you at Mom and Dad’s, Quistis," I called over my shoulder.

  The door to the pub closed after us. We stood on the threshold and grinned at each other. We shared a high five.

  "Fast thinking," I complimented as Zell took my hand. We headed toward the stairs leading to the main part of Timber. "I would never have thought of that."

  Zell grinned. "I only did because it’s true."

  I giggled. "It still worked great, and now we just have to wait."

  Zell glanced over his shoulder toward the pub. "That would be a trip if she actually did drop Garden for T.V."

  I nodded. "Yeah it would. Quistis loves Garden."

  "No doubt."

  I sighed, releasing Zell’s hand to wrap my arm around his waist. He did the same. "But we don’t have to worry about it. Quistis will do what Quistis will do."

  "Yep." Zell gave me a squeeze. "Good for you."

  I sent him a smile. "I like your world of no worries."

  He grinned. "Why don’t you stay a while? Plenty of room." His expression grew serious. "’Course, you’ll have to pay rent."

  I giggled. "And what’s that?"

  Zell stopped and withdrew his arm, turning to face me as he wiggled his eyebrows. "Guess."

  I stepped away and raised my hands. "Now, Zell."

  "Heh heh heh. Better run, beach bunny."

  I gasped and turned with a slight hop, running while squealing "Zell, no!" as he darted after me.

  I’m sure everyone in Timber thought we were more than a little odd, but what did I care?