As a childhood violin prodigy, she had engaged private tutors while going on concerts. She had even received an invitation to play in Vienna. She had been able to see the world and to hone her talent. It was too bad that her violin was locked away in her bedroom at home. She hadn't touched it since Hotaru came into their lives. Having a toddler curiously plucking at a Stradivarius was the last thing she wanted.
She lifted the seashell to her ear. The waves rolled gracefully to the shore. The night was gentle and serene, the moon casting a glow upon the white sands of the beach. When she was in the city all she did was think about nights like this, as her tiny, sable-haired daughter slept in the next room over. Her husband often worked late nights at the office.
She wasn't as likely to wear the Chanel and Dior and Gucci dresses that hung in dry cleaning bags in the back of her closet. Nor was she to paint her nails, or to elaborately design hairstyles. What mother had that kind of time? Instead she shopped the mall. It was easier to navigate when pushing a baby stroller and driving an SUV.
But still, she would have liked to play right now, as the sea foam brushing against her ankles, and the breeze casting an accompaniment to the sweet, sad music.
She set the seashell down. She had to remember to put it with Hotaru's seashell collection. Hotaru liked to collect things. She liked to collect seashells because they reminded her of her mother, as well as lamps. Sometimes, Michiru felt like a dull woman. She was young to be a mother, after all.
But Michiru didn't see the way eyes followed her from across the street. Traffic slowed to have a better look at the beautiful aqua-haired woman who didn't look old enough to be holding the tiny five-year-old's hand. Many still seemed captivated by the deep ocean color of her eyes, or the clutch of a cardigan or dress to her dainty figure.
Except her husband. Her full lips slipped into a frown as she thought about him. He was a kind man, handsome, and taller than most. After trying to have a child together for a year, his suggestion had been to adopt from an orphanage. She thought he was generous, even after some of her neighborhood friends had said they would have preferred a child of their own blood. Hotaru had come to live with them when she was one year old. They had been married for two years.
She was sitting on the front porch of their beach house. A few miles outside Tokyo, it was quiet here, away from the busy buzz of the city that never slept, and everyone slept peacefully tonight. Except her. She liked to watch the waves roll gracefully to shore. They gave her a quiet serene feeling that soothed her like a balm. Not that her life was so hard. In fact, it was easy, too easy sometimes, she thought. Thoughts she would never voice aloud.
She was happy, though, sitting here in her porch chair with the sea so close at hand. For the first time in quite some time.
Ryuji, her husband, had a firm hand at the wheel. He guided their car safely back to their home in the suburbs of Tokyo. It was a comfortable, two-story home, easily afforded by Ryuji, a corporate executive. Summer was coming to an end.
Hotaru would be starting kindergarten in a short manner of time. There was nothing Michiru liked more than spoil her daughter, and anything Hotaru wanted in preparation for her first year of school, Michiru was glad to give. Ryuji approved of his beautiful wife and daughter's accumulation of many charming dresses for their daughter, and was happy to hand over the yen needed to afford it, provided that his wife buy something lovely for herself as well.
He was a generous man. Michiru wished beyond the shadow of a doubt that she loved him.
Hotaru's first day of school came sooner than anyone realized. It was a joy to Michiru, as well as a heartbreak, that she had to drop Hotaru off for her first day. She dressed the raven-haired child in a deep violet dress with a darkgarnet red sash, and added mary janes and a little ribbon for Hotaru's hair.
"You look lovely, hime-chan," she announced, dropping a kiss on her daughter's head.
"Thank you, mama," Hotaru answered sweetly, twirling in her pretty dress. "I'm very excited to go to school."
"If you're so excited," Michiru smiled, "let's go get your new things and go to school."
Hotaru ran to her room, and Michiru gathered her handbag and car keys. She had a Mercedes SUV that she was excited to drive Hotaru to school in. Hotaru's new school was a school for gifted youngsters.
They got in the car and Michiru made sure Hotaru was buckled up. They drove to the school, Michiru remaining a calm driver throughout the morning commute. Soon enough they pulled in front of the school building. Several other cars, though not as nice as Michiru's, were parked outside as well.
"Alright darling," Michiru turned to Hotaru, "here is your stop. I will collect you this afternoon, so have a wonderful day and be a very brave girl." She smiled though her eyes were watering up. Was it only yesterday Hotaru had come into their lives?
"I think you're more upset about this than I am," Hotaru patted Michiru's hand gently. "I'll be home this evening, mama. Try not to miss me too much."
Hotaru kissed her on the cheek, and climbed from the car, her dark hair a contrast to the morning light. Michiru watched her go and knew that Hotaru would be alright, as self-sufficient and intelligent as she was.
After a while she shifted the car from 'park' to 'drive' and the Mercedes SUV slid easily into heavy morning traffic. She rolled down the window, enjoying the fresh morning breeze combing through her soft aqua tresses, and disappeared into the morning.
Time both flew and stood still that first day. Michiru didn't hardly know what to do with herself, given all the free time. She brought out her violin. The maid who came every morning enjoyed the sweet musical offerings of the former famous violinist.
When Hotaru's school let out Michiru was right there to pick her up, and the little black-haired girl gravitated toward the sleek Mercedes. Hotaru's backpack, complete with a label for a designer children's shop, was full of interesting things, as Hotaru told it.
"And then we went outside for lunch, but we had to stay close to the teacher, Inokawa-sensei, and the birds were chirping so loudly-I wonder if it was the first day of bird school as well," she rambled, "and I met so many new people, and I have my very own set of art supplies, just like you! Oh, and there's a music teacher who's supposed to be really famous, not as famous as you mama, but she used to be a race car driver! Tenoh-sensei is so tall, taller than papa even-"
As Hotaru paused for breath Michiru smiled, her sapphire eyes gleaming as she regarded her daughter. "I'm glad your first day was good, hime-chan. Let's go home, and see what sorts of things you've brought home."