HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!! This is dedicated to all the mothers of the world that support us writers on this wonderful site. And remember...REVIEW!
Mai Shibuya heard whispering when she stopped in front of SPR's office. She frowned, wondering if a new client had come in while she was out getting medicine for her five year old daughter, Arielle. The girl had complained that her nose was running so Mai had made a dash to the pharmacy to get her some medication. Mai opened the door and the sight that greeted her eyes caused her to stop.
Her husband and daughter were sitting in the floor with paper surrounding them and when she cleared her throat they looked up and saw her standing there with the plastic bag in her hands. Arielle screamed before she took all the papers that she and her father had scattered and she rushed into her father's office and Mai blinked as she heard the lock click.
"She's making you something and she doesn't want you to see." Naru said as he stood up gracefully. Mai wondered how he could stand up without any support whatsoever. He was almost twenty-six, even though he didn't look any older than when she had first met him.
"I see…so she really isn't sick is she?" Mai asked and Naru shrugged and she shook her head before she put her shopping bag on her desk and gave her husband a smile. "Tricky little thing. She had me thoroughly convinced that she was sick." Mai said before squeaking as Naru wrapped his arms around her waist and he nuzzled at her neck.
"What can I say? She takes after me." he whispered and Mai pushed him away and gave him her 'that's-a-good-thing' look. He shrugged and she laughed.
"I suppose that is a good thing. It means she'll be able to take good care of mommy and daddy when we're old because she'll be just as intelligent as her daddy." Mai said and she could see how Naru took the compliment. Father or not, he was still very self aware and knew exactly how looked and what he was like. At least some things hadn't changed with their marriage and entry into parenthood while other things had. Like Naru's cold heart? Mostly gone, unless someone threatened his family.
"Daddy?" Arielle's head stuck out of his office and Naru immediately let go of his wife and he turned to look at his daughter who was peering at them. "Make mommy go in the…ki…tchen…" Mai couldn't help but smile as her daughter attempted the big word.
"Do you need help?" Naru asked and Arielle nodded with a big smile. Naru gave Mai a look and she went into the kitchen of the SPR office. She loved how Naru interacted with Arielle.
She had been afraid that he wouldn't do well. He had avoided Arielle the first few days that the baby was with them. He had used every excuse in the book so that he wouldn't have to hold the newborn and when Mai had confronted him about it he had looked rather sheepish.
"I don't want to harm her. She's so fragile." he'd replied and Mai remembered laughing at him before kissing him firmly and telling him that they were learning together to be parents. After that the only person he would let hold Arielle besides himself was Mai.
Mai rolled her eyes as she boiled water. She waited patiently for Naru and Arielle to tell her she could reenter the office. She had already drank her cup of tea by the time that Naru entered the kitchen and went over to her and gently took the cup from her eyes.
"Alright, close your eyes. Arielle wants this to be a surprise." Mai sighed softly before she closed her eyes and Naru took her hand and led her out into the main room and Mai kept her eyes closed until told otherwise.
"Open your eyes, mommy!" Mai did and gasped at what she saw. In a small vase were several tissue paper flowers that Mai realize Arielle had made. Mai kneeled down in front of her daughter who handed her a card and Mai opened it and read it.
'For my mommy. I love you!' is said in Arielle's messy handwriting and underneath it in Naru's handwriting it read; 'Happy Mother's Day' and Mai felt tears in her eyes.
"Oh, Arielle…I love it. Thank you so much." Mai hugged her daughter before looking up as Naru held out a wrapped package. Mai blinked before she went to the couch and Arielle scrambled onto her lap.
"That is from myself and Lin…and Madoka. Tell her I told you that. I don't need her yelling at me." Naru said and Mai giggled before nodding. With Arielle's help she unwrapped the package and she felt her eyes widen as tears did roll down her cheeks as she looked at the picture she held in her hands. The picture was of her and her mother and father when she had been about three years old. She looked at Naru as he sat down beside her.
"How did you find this?" she whispered and Naru shrugged before he wiped her tears away.
"Arielle asked me where your mother was and I told her. She said that it wasn't fair that you didn't get to see your mom and dad. So I called Madoka and she decided that we should get you a picture of them.
"Arielle loved the idea." Naru was interrupted by his daughter.
"Now mommy can see her mommy and daddy all the time!" Arielle jumped out of her mother's lap and ran to Lin's office and disappeared within the office. Mai smiled as she held the picture in the lap.
"He's going to load her up on chocolate." she whispered and Naru gave her the smile he reserved only for her and she managed to return it.
"Don't cry, Mai." he advised and Mai nodded. She rested her head on his shoulder and he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and held her tightly as she traced the faces of her parents.
"I have you and Arielle now. I'm crying because I have the most wonderful people in the world. Thank you so much, Naru." she whispered and they both watched as Arielle exited Lin's room with a chocolate bar trapped in her hands.
"LIN! Oh, put that chocolate down! Right now, Arielle Senata Davis!" Mai jumped up and chased after her daughter who seemed determined to keep her chocolate. Naru smiled before taking refuge in his office. If a client came in…well god help them. His daughter had chocolate and Mai…well Mai was Mai.
Naru dialed a familiar number and waited for someone to answer. He was anxious for someone to pick up. Finally someone did and he let out a slow breath.
"Davis residence. Luella speaking." Naru smiled at the sound of his mother's voice.
"Hello, mother. Happy Mother's Day." he said into the phone.