Marceau and Lucy had talked about it before Marceau left for the training mission. Her family always went on vacation and this year they were going to a set of Carribbean islands, Saint Kitts and Nevis. They had discussed going to the botanical garden together and made plans. Presumably they’d be leaving almost right after Marceau’s last finals, because Lucy’s finals finished two days earlier than the Academy finals.

Now, she’d come to his dorm and dropped a bomb on him: He could go, but only if he paid his own way… Which they both knew he couldn’t do. So he couldn’t go. Not only that, since he couldn’t go anyway, Lucy was leaving two days before he finished school for the year, during the second to last day of finals. Lucy was dead set on seeing the gardens though, and she still desperately wanted to go. “We could stay here and watch movies or play games,” Marceau suggested. “Or, if you really want to go somewhere, we could drive to Mexico.” Lucy would have to drive though, Marceau had never learned how and had no desire to do so.

“But Marcyyy…” Lucy gave him that cute look, the one that meant she wanted him to agree with her, or let her do something. “I’ve wanted to see the botanical gardens forever! And my mom says it’s supposed to one of the prettiest places, we’ll get so many pictures.”

“Yes. Pictures they can show you when they get back.” Marceau sighed, “Lucy, you were upset about my Academy mission, I have barely been back three days, and you’re leaving?”

“That was different! You were gone longer.” The argument went on for a while. Finally, Marceau gave in, unhappily. He let out a French curse and then, “Lucy, fine! Vaz-y.” (Go on.) “Go and leave me for two weeks, when I finally have time to spend with you.”

“Yay! Merci!” Lucy did not yet know french, but she had looked up some beginner phrases. She hugged him and then gave him a kiss, both of which he returned. “Je t’,aime,” he said softly, but tersely, and then shortly after Lucy headed out. She had packing to do after all.

The next day after their classes (all sitting tests that day), Marceau was with Helena. “Lucy visited last night.” Usually, at least since coming back from the mission, he had always been happy to talk about Lucy and spoke excitedly about her. Now he seemed frustrated and a little bummed. “Her parents won’t take me with them to the Carribbean,” he’d already told her about the trip, and that Lucy had promised he could go. “And she’s going without me.”

Maybe it was a little childish, but he’d just gotten back from a challenging training mission and he had really wanted to spend time with her. He’d never been anywhere in the Carribbean, so that would have been cool too, but the spending time with her part was more important than the destination. He was quite hurt she’d rather see a garden her parents would probably take her to see some other time, than spend time with him, and that would be clear to Helena.

~ Marceau