AN: I was inspired to write this back in April after I did the Susan G. Komen race for the cure. Also, a reference to one of my favorite Dinsey movies, see if you can guess it. It is unbetaed, so sorry about any mistakes.
~Think Pink~
Rei was not a pink person. No, she thought pink was much too innocent and happy a color for her. Pink was a color for people like Usagi. But once a year, she pulled out the only article of pink clothing she owned and wore it proudly. It was a pink and white dress, a little old fashion, but it was perfect for its purpose.
Today was the day for Rei to think pink. Today was for remembrance, because on this day 10 years ago Rei's mother lost her battle with breast cancer.
Rei remembered her mother's battle with cancer like yesterday. She did not understand much it, at the time. Like why her mother was always sick after going to the doctor. To her young mind, the doctor was supposed to make you better, not worse. When her mother's beautiful raven hair fell out, she cried harder than her mother. The day of her mother's funeral was cold and wet, and she remembered trembling at the gravesite. After the funeral, her father promptly dropped her off with her grandfather for the rest of her childhood.
Today, however, was not about remembering the awful times. No, today was about remembering the best of times, before the cancer began to eat away at her beautiful mother. So, clad in a pink and white dress, Rei set out for the park.
"One ticket please," Rei requested to the old man in the booth.
The man winked at her as he handed her the ticket. "I recommend the unicorns today."
"Thanks," Rei called as she headed for the carousel.
She took the old man's advice, and took her place on one of the unicorns. The music began and the carousel started its dance. Rei soaked it all in, remembering how her mother brought her here every Saturday that the weather was nice. Her mother would weave fantastical stories about the creatures they rode on. Rei enjoyed the slight breeze through her and thought about the tales she could tell her mother now.
Rei's next stop was her mother's favorite bakery. As a child, Rei and her mother would come here the first Friday of the month, and buy four cookies, two for her and two for her mom. If the weather was nice, they would sit by the lake, and her mother would read to her.
The bell chimed as she entered the bakery. The older woman behind the counter looked up and smiled at her.
"Rei, it is good to see you again," the woman greeted her.
"Hello Mrs. Hasagawa," Rei responded.
"The usual?" the older woman asked.
Rei nodded. Mrs. Hasagawa placed two chocolate chip and two sugar cookies in a bag and gave it to Rei. She took the bag and headed for her favorite spot by the lake.
At the lake, Rei placed a blanket on the ground in the shade of a large willow tree. She settled herself on the blanket, and pulled out the cookies and her favorite childhood book out of her messenger bag. She read the booking, remembering how her mother changed her voice for each character. When she finished, she closed the book and sighed. Her next destination was the hardest, but the memories she relieved today had given her the strength to face her task.
Rei stood before a well tended grave. In her hands was a banquet of Casablanca lilies to be placed before the headstone.
"Hello mom," Rei reached forward to trace the name of the headstone. "I miss you. Remember how I told you about meeting Usagi and the girls, and how it helped to ease the part of me I felt was missing. I, still, felt something was missing, that my soul was not quite complete. Well, I found that missing part; I found my soulmate. At first, I didn't want to believe it was true. I tried my hardest to push him away, but he is awfully persistent.
Mom, he is wonderful. Everything I hoped for and more. My only regret is your not being here to meet him."
A tear slide from Rei's violet eye as she reached up to wipe it away another hand stilled hers. A blond man leaned forward and kissed the tear from her face.
"Rei, baby, are you ok?" he asked.
She gave him a watery smile and nodded. She turned him to face the headstone. "Jadeite, I would like you to meet my mother, Hino Ren."
Jadeite bowed to the stone, and murmured. "It is an honor."