Day's child series; Tuesday by Lady Aliena

stories can be read independently or you can read them as a series. They're each

their own seperate entity, though. Oh yeah - stay tuned for an important

question about this fic following the story. I'd love your input! So, with that

being said...

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Monday's child is fair of face,

Tuesday's child is full of grace,

Wednesday's child is full of woe,

Thursday's child has far to go,

Friday's child is loving and giving,

Saturday's child works hard for a living,

And the child that is born on the Sabbath day

Is bonny and blithe and good and gay.

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TUESDAY'S CHILD - RINOA HEARTILLY

"Honey, it's time," Julia Caraway called her husband at the office.

"What?" he sputtered, "Now?"

"Now," she said, "The baby's coming. I'm taking a cab to the hospital, ok?"

"OK, I'll meet you there as soon as I can!"

Julia put the phone down on the receiver, gathered up her overnight bag and ran

out to catch a cab.

Six hours later, she was lying in the hospital bed, the contractions getting

worse. "Where is he?" she demanded. Her husband had still not come. He was

always so busy with work.

The doctor felt her belly and said, "The baby hasn't turned. We're going to have

to perform a C-section for your own safety."

Julia nodded. As the nurses bustled about her to get her prepared for the

surgery, she closed her eyes, sadly. Her thoughts turned to another. HE would

have come if it had been HIS child. She smiled to herself as she remembered

singing in that lounge. He'd always try to approach her, but his leg would spasm

and she noticed every time. Though he was humiliated, it made him even more

endearing in her eyes. Finally, she thought, 'Enough of these silly games!' and

approached him herself. That night, they talked about their dreams. Oh how she

had loved him! But he was a soldier and was pulled away on assignment and she

was never to see him again. John Caraway was a nice man and he took care of her,

but she still kept her memories of Laguna Loire in a special place in her heart.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a baby's cry. The doctor proudly held up the

healthy, red baby up. "Congratulations, Mrs. Caraway. You have a daughter." He

cut the umbilical cord and placed the baby in her arms.

"My Angel!" she smiled.

At that moment, a man ran into the room, huffing.

"Julia!"

"John, here's your daughter." You missed the birth of your own child!, she

thought bitterly.

He picked her up and cooed at her. On that Tuesday evening, Rinoa Caraway

entered the world.

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15 years later...

"Lily! Have you seen my black shorts?"

Lily peeked her head in my room, "Yes, they're in your top drawer. Are you sure

you want to go through with this?"

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Lily's been my Nanny since my Mom died. She basically raised me because my

Father was never there.

I am what you might call a "priveleged child." My Father was a General, so I

always had the best clothes, the finest education, a huge house, and we even had

servants! I remember being really happy when I was younger. Mom and I were so

close. She'd always sing to me and take me to the zoo and stuff. She'd kiss me

on my forehead and call me her "Angel." Father was around a little more back

then too. He used to always bring me presents and tuck me into bed at night. I

know he was an important man and his job kept him out late many nights, but I

knew he still loved me.

I took after my mother in looks, but I was a bit of a tomboy, I'm afraid. While

all the other little girls my age were playing with dolls, I always wanted to go

outside and play with the servants' kids. There was one little boy a couple of

years older than me that I used to always wrestle with. I always won, too! His

name was Christopher. Father would say, "Rinoa, why can't you act like a young

lady?" but Mom stuck up for me. She told him that children would be children.

One day, right before my sixth birthday, everything changed. Mom made a run to

the store to buy me a birthday present. It was to be a surprise. I was at home

when the doorbell rang. One of the servants answered the door. I was playing in

the next room, but I peeked through the doorway to see several policeman

standing on the porch.

"Is this the residence of Mrs. Julia Caraway?"

"Yes," the servant answered.

"Is Mr. Caraway here?"

"No sir. He's at work."

The policeman looked troubled. "I need a message delivered to him, ok? There's

been a terrible accident. I'm afraid Mrs. Caraway didn't make it."

The servant whirled his head around to see where I was, hoping I hadn't heard,

and sighed with relief when he didn't see me. But, I was eavesdropping, and I

had heard everything. With tears streaming down my face, I knew my life had

changed.

When Father came home that evening, he was unsually quiet. We ate in silence,

just the two of us. He didn't tuck me into bed. Lying in bed, I heard the

tinkling of piano keys. Mom? I jumped out of bed and tiptoed to the music room.

Opening the door a crack, I saw Father sitting at the piano, his face in his

hands, weeping. Feeling like I had somehow seen something I shouldn't have, I

creeped back to my room and swore I'd never mention it to anyone.

The next day, Father dismissed all the servants. My heart was broken when

Christopher came up to tell me goodbye. He was my favorite playmate. His mother

explained that "Mr. Caraway just needed a change." I couldn't understand,

though. I was incredibly hurt! Apparently, he couldn't handle seeing people

associated with Mom. He hired an entirely new staff in order to distance himself

from the tragedy.

Later that week, he called me to the parlor. "Rinoa, I'd like you to meet

someone. This is Lily Branwen and she's going to be your Nanny."

I studied Miss Branwen warily. She was tall and skinny, kind of pretty with long

straight dark hair and hazel eyes. She smiled at me and I immediately felt at

ease. Such kindness emanated from her.

"I'm pleased to meet you, Miss Branwen," I curtsied.

"Oh please, Rinoa, call me Lily," she stooped down to where we were eye to eye.

I grinned up at her, grabbed her hand, and pulled her away to show her my room.

We became very close very fast.

My relationship with my father was a different story. He seemed to distance

himself from me as well. I realize now that maybe it's because I looked so much

like my mom. Maybe it was too painful to look at me. I don't know. He became

more and more strict, however. That is, when he was actually home. He had always

been a hard worker, but now seemed to bury himself in his job. As I grew up, he

insisted on making me attend the society parties. Afterall, he was an important

man and I was his only daughter. I was supposed to be the perfect child -

beautiful, smart, full of grace...but I just wanted to be myself.

"Father, I don't WANT to go!"

"Rinoa Caraway! You are going to that party and I don't CARE if you want to or

not! You are MY daughter living under MY roof and you will do what I say!" he

slammed the door.

Flinging myself onto my bed, I pouted. Lily crept into my room and shut the

door, "Aww, Rinoa. It won't be SO bad."

"I'm just tired of him trying to make me into something I'm NOT! I'll never be

clever. I'll never be graceful."

"You already are!" Lily sat down beside me. "It was very hard for your father

when your mother died. He coped the only way he knew how."

"I don't even know who he is!" I cried.

"Give him time. As he sees you get older and older, he sees more of Julia in

you. He's a man, honey. You can't always understand why they do what they do."

she grinned and poked me in the ribs. Sure enough, she brought a smile to my

face. She always did.

That night at the party, I was standing at the refreshment table drinking some

punch and feeling bored out of my mind when my jaw dropped. Christopher! I ran

up to the young, red-haired man who had just brought out a new tray of food.

"Hey stranger!" I looked at him coyly.

"Rinn, is that you?" his eyes widened.

"None other!"

"Wow! You look...different. I mean, great! Hey, when I get a break, can we talk?

You know, catch up on things?"

Hmmm...I thought to myself, wouldn't Father hate that! Me, talking to a servant.

"Absolutely, Chris. Just find me."

"You got it, beautiful." he winked and ran back to the kitchen, shouting orders.

About half an hour later, I felt a tap on my shoulder. Chris motioned for me to

follow him. He took me to one of the back rooms where we wouldn't be disturbed.

I told him all about Lily and how Father was forcing me to be a "lady" and he

filled me in on how my father's great recommendation landed his mother a job at

the house of another prominant Deling City family. They had been well-provided

for ever since. He was helping out tonight because one of the servants here had

fallen ill and they were short-staffed. He also began to tell me things I had

never heard before. Being the General's daughter, I was shielded from

unfavorable politics. However, he told me all about the president and how he had

taken over Galbadia. He spoke to me of the tyranny with which Deling ruled. He

told me of two of his friends, Zone & Watts, and how their fathers had been

executed right in front of their own eyes. I couldn't believe it. Not by

President Deling! He had been over to the house a million times. Chris told me

that if anything he had said bothered me, to come seek him out. He wrote his

address down on a napkin that he had stuffed in his pocket and then laughed, "I

better get back. You know how those rich, snotty people are about their caviar!"

His face fell, "I'm sorry, Rinn. I didn't mean that...I guess I just never

thought of you that way."

I put my hand on his shoulder, "No offense taken. I've never felt like I belong

in that crowd anyway." We both stood up and he opened the door for me.

"Take care, Rinn, and remember what I've told you. Promise you won't say

anything to your dad."

"I promise. We never talk anyway." He led me back to the dance hall and then

quietly slipped away.

Father found me immediately, "Rinoa! Where have you been? There's someone I'd

like you to meet." As he whisked me away to show me off like a trophy once more,

all I could think about was what Chris had told me.

That night, lying in bed, I dreamed about those two men - the fathers of Chris's

friends, Zone & Watts. I saw them brought out before a large crowd, with their

heads held high before being shot by Galbadian soldiers. President Deling

stepped forward. Holding a large gun over his head, he shouted to the masses,

"Let this be a lesson for everyone!" He lowered the gun, and fired at the dead

bodies. I heard myself screaming and then all was silent.

Lily rushed into my room, "Rinoa! Are you alright?"

Sweating, I looked around the room, "Umm...yeah...I guess I was just having a

nightmare." She leaned over and kissed me on the forehead. I was fifteen years

old, but never grew tired of that. It reminded me of when my mother had done it

so long ago.

The next day, I told Lily I wanted to get some exercise and I was going running.

As soon as I left the house, I pulled out the address Chris had written down and

noted that it wasn't far. I wasn't sure how I was going to do this. I mean,

everyone knew I was the General's daughter. I didn't think there was a subtle

way of asking to visit with a servant. Wracking my brain for a possible

solution, I slowly walked up the steps of the huge mansion. I was about to knock

on the door when I heard, "Rinn! Over here!" I saw Christopher standing at the

side of the house with a hoe. Apparently, he had been working in the yard.

"Chris, it bothered me. Everything you said. Everything. I dreamt of those two

who got executed. Chris, I SAW it!"

"I've talked to a couple of people. They want you to speak to your father.

Afterall, he's influential. Maybe he can put a stop to things."

"No, not Father. He'll never listen to me."

"Rinoa, just try! If anyone can make a difference, you can."

I sighed, "I'll try, but I doubt it..."

"Come tell me tonight. Tap three times on that third window over there," he

pointed. "I'll be waiting."

That night at dinner, I brought up how I had heard some things about President

Deling. Father exploded. "Who told you these things, Rinoa? It's traitorous, I

tell you!"

"I-I don't know! I just overheard it while jogging downtown today."

"If you EVER hear anything like that again, tell me. Do you understand??"

"Yes sir."

I snuck out and ran to Christopher's house. Tapping on the window three times, I

nervously looked around. If anyone caught me here...

"Rinoa!" he pulled the window open.

I shook my head, "It's no good. He won't listen. Christopher, I want to do

something! I can't just sit back anymore."

"Meet me in two days at this location," he scribbled on a piece of paper, "I'll

take you to the Forest Owls."

"Forest Owls?"

"The resistance group led by my buddy, Zone. Are you sure you want to do this."

"As sure as I've ever been about anything!"

"Alright, then. We're counting on you, Rinoa. Two days. 4:00."

That night, I told Lily I was leaving. I couldn't just walk out on her.

Afterall, she had raised me. She treated me as if I was her own daughter. She

was sad, but said, "I understand. You're not a child anymore. I've watched you

grow up and you have become such a wonderful young woman. Just be careful."

"I will, I promise."

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"Rinoa!"

I snapped my head up to look at Lily. I had become so absorbed in my thoughts

that I didn't hear what she had just said.

"I'm sorry, Lily. What was that?"

"I asked you if you're sure you want to go through with this?"

"I HAVE to."

"I know. I'm just going to miss you!"

"And I'll miss you too."

She suddenly smiled. "I got you something." She rushed out of the room and a few

seconds later returned holding something little and furry.

"What is that?"

"It's a puppy. I was at the Timber Pet Shop the other day and I fell in love

with her. Look after her and she'll look after you."

I took the little dog into my arms and she eagerly licked my face. "What's her

name?"

"Well, that's up to you, but I was going to name her Angelo, after my Angel."

I looked up at Lily. How I was going to miss her! "That's a perfect name," I

whispered. I glanced at the clock. 3:47. "Uh oh, I better get going. I don't

want to be late. Take care, Lily."

"Take care, my Angel."

With one last look at my room, I turned off the lights and walked away. I was

finally saying goodbye to this life that I didn't belong in. As part of that

goodbye, I decided to part with my name. No longer could I associate with my

father or anything he belonged to. I thought of my mother, long laid to rest.

Heartilly. Rinoa Heartilly. That has a nice ring to it.

Goodbye.

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Author's note: Squaresoft owns all the characters except for Christopher, Lily,

the servants, and the policemen. Mother Goose owns the rhyme. I tried to

research this story as best as I could. Afterall, with Rinoa's past being

somewhat known, I wanted to get the info as accurate as possible. It'll be the

same way when I do Squall's story. The others, you have a little more liberty

with. Anyway, if there are any facts I messed up, please let me know so I can

fix it.

*****IMPORTANT QUESTION -- I was putting out these stories separately since they

are not really continuing chapters - they can be read individually. However, my

question is, should I chapter them up into one big story? What do ya'll

think?*****

Coming soon...Wednesday's Child. Who will it be?

Maintained by:

d Galloway (Insert Image Here)