Chapter One: A spark is lit.
Kasumi walks into her old kitchen. She notices all the changes that have been made to it. The biggest changes that she notices is the dishwasher, the top of the line microwave, the subzero double door refrigerator with a LCD screen in the right door. The old wood countertops were replaced with black marble. Even the pea green laminated floor was also replaced with sky blue tiles. In her mind the kitchen was a work of art.
She walks around her old domain. Her hand brushes across the cool stone counter. In her other hand holds a half full balloon wine glass of plum wine. She remembers a time when this room was hers, not her baby Akane's. Suddenly burst laughter makes its way into the kitchen. The sound grates on her nervous. Bring the glass up to her lips and gulps down the rest of the plum wine to calm her.
'She the baby and the baby always gets the attention.' Kasumi thinks to herself. She leans back letting her bottom rest on the corner next to the refrigerator. Kasumi closes her eyes trying to force the negative thoughts out of her head, but fails. 'She gets to live her dreams married to an exciting man that supports her, while I am stuck in a world of boredom.'
"The more thing change, the more they stay the same." Male voice says snapping Kasumi her out of her thoughts. She turns to see her brother-in-law standing in the doorway smiling. His smile seems to lighten up the room even more. Kasumi see the smile and her heart starts to race.
"And why do you say that, little brother?" Kasumi asks after getting her heart to calm down. 'He's my sister husband.' She repeats to herself in her head. A small smirk parts her lips.
Ranma chuckle a little. "It's been years since you been in this kitchen even with the remodeling I had done, you still fit perfectly." He comments.
Kasumi blushing a little at Ranma's comment. She watches as walks over to the refrigerator and opens it. Her heart drops a little seeing take out two bottle of champagne and sits on the island that's in the middle of the room. "Just in here for those." she thinks to herself but said it out loud. She starts to take a sip out of the wine glass, then remembers that finish it already.
Ranma just smile and reach back into the refrigerator and pulls out a bottle plum wine. He twists the cap off the fresh bottle. "The two bottles are just an excuse to come and check on my sister when she seem upset during the party and left the room."
A small smile forms on Kasumi. "So you're telling me that a man that hasn't seen his wife for eight months would leave her side to check on his sister-in-law?"
"I will make it up to her later." Ranma says with a wink. "Everybody else at the party may not have notice, but I did." He pause, "So are you going to tell me what's up?"
Kasumi takes a gulp of the plum wine to help with her nerve. "Whatever do you mean, Ranma? Everything is okay." She makes the mistake and looks at Ranma's eyes, heart beat quickens. Never breaking eye contact he sits the bottle down on the counter next to her. He positions himself in front of her while he leans back on the island. Kasumi could fell Ranma focus on her. She felt a rabbit being watch by a wolf, ready to eat her. The feeling excite her. Her body starts to tangle. 'I will not be able to lie to him.' She thinks.
Ranma soften his glaze to a look of concern. "I know that I am just your brother-in-law, but I hope that you would see a more as a friend."
"Kasumi takes another gulp of the wine. "Ranma, you are more than just my brother-in-law. You have done so much for this family."
"Then tell me what is wrong so I can help." Ranma says. Kasumi again looks into Ranma deep blue eyes. Her resolve becomes to crumble.
"Ranma, I am jealous of my baby sister. I am happy for her, but look at me. I am almost thirty and I haven't been anything more than a housewife. That is all I have been that since I was nine years old." She comments. "I thought that once I was out of this house I would start my life finally. Go to college, have a family of my own." Kasumi pause and takes a sip from the glass. "I married Tofu thinking that he would support me, but no I just jump from one cage to another. I do I work in the clinic with him? No. All he expects of me is to be happy taking care of the house. Like that is going to fulfill me." Kasumi looks at Ranma with tears in her eyes. "But do you want to know the worst part is?" Kasumi laughs, "He hasn't even touched me more than a peck on the cheek. I've been married for almost ten years and I am still a virgin. I have asked him to make love to me on a regular basis." She lets out an anger snort. "Do you want to know what he says to me? That I am too pure for such an act, he won't let me dirty myself with an act."
Ranma listen to Kasumi pour her heart out to him, and her rant squeezes his heart. 'She deserves more than the life she has. I thought she was happy, but now.' He thinks. For the first time Ranma looks at Kasumi as a woman. He starts at her feet. Her toe nails that were painted light pink looked delicate in the wedge sandals unlike he is used to with Akane. His eyes moved up her calves. They're tone be not muscle. He could see that the rest of her legs shared the same tone. They were longer then Akane's. 'I wander what would look like if she wear short instead of those long dresses.' Ranma glaze continue up to her waist, then her breast, neck, lips, and then her nose. The thing that took his breathe was her almond brown eyes looking back at him. "She's beautiful."
She knew what Ranma was doing. 'He's looking at me as a woman.' The idea excited and even more so that it's Ranma. The next thing she know she's being pulled into a hug. The sudden embrace surprises her. She could feel the warmth coming off Ranma's body. It's been years since she felt this way. She let herself relax into the embrace, wrapping her arms around him. 'I feel so safe here.'
"I am sorry." Ranma whispers in her ear. "If there anything I can do for you, just let me know." He steps back out of the embrace, but still holds on to her. "I will always be here for you." He says then kisses her on her forehead and hugs her one more time. He lets go of her and picks up the two bottles. "It's about time we return to the party. You take a few minutes to get yourself back together."
Ranma starts to make his way out of the kitchen back to the party. "Thank you, Ranma for listening to me." Kasumi says to Ranma.
"Any time 'Sumi." Ranma replies and with that he walk out the door.
Kasumi don't want the embrace to end. She could feel the sensation on the kiss that he places on her forehead. She wishes that small kiss was on her lips. At that moment a spark lit inside of her. "I shouldn't have let her have him." She says. "Well baby sister don't make any mistakes; because if you do, I will be waiting and I will take Ranma away from you." When she finishing straighten herself up she walks out of the kitchen back to the party.
Outside of the door a person leans against the wall not seen. Nabiki was about to go and comfort Kasumi, but Ranma beat her to it. 'Always protecting this family, Ranma?' She hears the conversation between them and hears the vow Kasumi makes thinking that no one could hear her. The Spark that Ranma lit in her was now a full blown blaze. "Yes little sister you have him, for now." She says in a whisper with that fire in her eyes.