Nude Portfolio
"Do you have a reservation, madam?" the maitre d' asked politely.
"Yes, table for two, Mr. and Mrs. Hiiragizawa," Tomoyo answered with equal politeness while removing her coat and scarf. Even after living in London for a full year she still can't get used to the added bite of the city's chilly nights. Thank Kami-sama she has a husband to keep her from freezing her butt off at times like these, she thought naughtily.
The maitre d' scanned his list and smiled, "Right this way, Mrs. Hiiragizawa. Your husband is already waiting."
"Thank you," Tomoyo said and followed him.
Eriol was reading the menu when he caught sight of his wife walking towards their table. He stood up to kiss her in the cheek, "Right on time, my dear."
"Have you been here long?" she asked as she sat on the chair he pulled up for her. "Gomen, I got swamped altering the dresses for the show."
Eriol beamed at her, "Just a few minutes ahead of you. All set for the big day?" Meaning Tomoyo's fashion show. For London fashion week, she was one of the chosen designers to showcase her summer collection. The last week proved to be the most stressful of all the weeks since she began the preparations.
She exhaled, "Almost. Wish me luck, anata."
"You'll blow them away," he praised and kissed her palm.
A blissful Tomoyo giggled like a schoolgirl. "Is the tour going to push through?" she asked, as she was experiencing success in her chosen career, the same thing could be said about Eriol as a concert pianist. Opportunity smiled upon him when he was given the privilege to perform with the London Philharmonic Orchestra.
"January next year, I believe."
Disappointment evident in her violet eyes, "Then you'll be leaving before our second anniversary?"
"I asked Mikhal to move the tour at the end of the month." Eriol patted his wife's hand. He was rewarded with a sweet kiss.
In the middle of the main course, "Ne Eriol, Stella's looking for new male models and I'm thinking…"
He knew where the conversation was headed and thought to end it prematurely, "Oh no, count me out, To-chan. You were one model short that time." During Tomoyo's fashion show a few months ago, one of her male models was unfortunate enough to have contracted chicken pox. Out of the goodness of his heart and love for his stressed out wife, he volunteered to take the sick model's place. Luckily, the clothes fit him perfectly.
The former Miss Daidouji touched her husband's smooth cheek and replied, "And I love you for it but this could be a good opportunity and Stella is adamant she gets you after seeing last year's show."
"As much as I love you too, I'm saying no," the husband firmly declared.
Tomoyo opened her mouth then closed it again and mumbled, "Hmm."
His cerulean eyes narrowed to examine her further, "Darling, I have a feeling your 'hmm' does not bode well for me."
"Well, you see Eriol, husband dear, I might have told her that you'll agree."
"Might have?" he was sure there was more to it.
"Oh all right I gave her the thumbs up," she gave in to his calm-enough-until-you-crack look.
He sighed dejectedly, "Tomoyo."
"There's nothing to worry sweetheart you'll be in good hands. I'll hand your portfolio to her tomorrow."
"Portfolio? I don't remember having a portfolio."
"Oh just a collection of your pictures over the years."
"Tomoyo," he warned as good-naturedly as he could.
"It will be fun I promise. I'll even guarantee your success as a model when they see your nudes."
Eriol choked on his wine, "Nudes?!"
She nodded and whispered to his ear, "Remember the pictures I took of you during our honeymoon?"
Eriol loosened his tie. For some reason, the place became too warm for him. "As I recall, I was fully clothed in every shot."
She leaned her chin on her palm and laughed wickedly, "Oh I forgot, you were asleep when I took them," Then she sighed with her eyes in a dreamy haze, "Your gorgeous butt will be a constant in all my fantasies."
He groaned, "When we took our vows, the only person I gave permission to see my naked butt is my wife, meaning you and not the rest of the free world."
"Okay, since you feel so strongly about them I won't include those anymore."
"Thank you. But I could appreciate it more if you don't send the 'portfolio' at all," refusing to call it his.
She sighed unhappily, "Fine, then I…" then gave a troubled, "Oh dear,"
"What?"
"I think I might have already sent it."
"Nani?!" if he thought he is too healthy to be experiencing a fatal heart attack, he was sorely mistaken. "You sent it?"
"I'm not sure, I asked Nakuru-chan to mail some documents for me this morning and I might have included that in the bunch." She gave give him an apologetic look and bit her lower lip. If only he was not in a state of aggravation, he would have found her lip biting adorable. But Eriol was close to hyperventilating. He was sure he must have been dreaming, no wait, make it a nightmare. How was this possible? Nude pictures? He then closed his eyes and breathed deeply. Calm down, he told himself before raising a finger to signal a waiter for the check. Service was impeccable and the bill arrived after a minute or two have passed. Eriol carelessly threw a few hundred pounds on top of the bill and stood up, offering his hand to his wife.
"But we haven't had ice cream," she pouted.
"To-chan, you've been eating ice cream for three weeks aren't you fed up with it yet?"
"Not at all." She smiled sweetly, "Eriol, the change?"
"My dear for this kind of emergency, money is not an issue," and almost dragged Tomoyo out with him. Thankfully, they live a few blocks away from the restaurant and got home in record time. Spinel was in the parlor reading Keats when he heard the door slam. He barely got the chance to welcome them when he noticed a tensed Eriol-sama darting up the stairs and a composed Tomoyo-sama hanging their coats in the rack.
He fluttered close to the mistress, "Is he all right?" Never has he seen his master this wound up since Nakuru joked that Tomoyo-sama was kidnapped on their wedding day. Eriol-sama almost conjured up a tornado until Sakura-sama assured him the bride was safely changing in the church.
"Oh he's just worried about something."
"Where was it the last time?" Eriol edgily asked Tomoyo.
"Mmm, it was in a manila envelope on our bed."
Eriol heard Spinel ask Tomoyo, "Is this about the honeymoon nudes?"
The magician stopped halfway and faced his wife, "Spinel saw it?"
"Well, he found me arranging them," she justified with a serene smile.
Her exasperated husband rolled his eyes and exhaled loudly then continued going up while muttering about capricious female minds. Guardian and lady exchanged knowing looks and went their separate ways, the Sun guardian back to his reading and the missus trailing after the sorcerer.
Tomoyo discovered him sitting on the bed holding a few black and white blown-up pictures.
He gave an involuntary sigh of relief when he saw no pictures of him, nude or otherwise. But his brows knit together, examining the, hmm, abstract pictures? They do look like it until he saw DEPARTMENT OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY written above. These weren't abstract pictures they were ultrasound images, Eriol thought. He glanced at his wife who was giving him a knowing smile. "You forgot something inside," she hinted, leaning against the bedpost.
He reached for the manila envelope and palpated inside, he took out a ten-millimeter thick white card with a small well where two big red lines evidently gaped at him. His jaw dropped after realizing what those lines meant, "Pregnancy test." Tomoyo nodded then Eriol grinned at her and rectified his statement, "Positive pregnancy test."
"For five weeks," she informed quietly.
Eriol chuckled to himself, comprehending her sudden ice cream fixation. Tomoyo yelped when Eriol pulled her to the bed and buried his face in her hair as they laughed. "I love you so much," he told her.
"Happy anniversary, anata." she whispered in his ear.
But he drew her away, Tomoyo frowned at the worried look he gave her, "To-chan, about those nudes…"
She put a finger on his lips to silence him, "Don't worry they're safe in my secret stash."
THE END