The winter air was crisp and clean but could do nothing to calm Hikari's nerves. With her eldest daughter in tow, the pair headed onto the path that led to Harmonica Town just as they had done everyday for the past few weeks. The young girl, Cara, was bundled head to toe in her warmest clothes because a powerful storm was expected any day now. Cara shivered as the icy sea breeze hit her pale cheeks and pulled her beanie down over her head of long purple hair.
Hikari had no time to scope the strand of beach for items like she usually did. She walked there only to avoid any travelers that might pass. The fewer people knew of her and her daughter's comings and goings, the better. The woman hurried along the beach with her hand holding on tightly to her child's. She was filled with too many thoughts to talk and was so swarmed with them that she didn't notice that her hand was holding air.
"Cara!" Hikari turned around to find her child halfway down the beach, with her violet hair flowing behind her as she knelt down by the water's edge. "What are you doing?"
The girl looked back up at her mother and held up a seashell as an answer. Her mother sighed with relief and jogged over to embrace her child. There were tears in her eyes, the child noted.
Normally, when Cara would find a seashell she would give it to her mother to hold on to it until she could give it to her father. He liked the delicate pink shells and Cara was always happy to see him happy. But today Cara held on tightly to the shell as they walked into the edge of town. She had a special use for the shell today. It was a gift, but not for her father.
Once into town Hikari became even more paranoid. She held Cara close and pulled he own beanie over her head of short, wavy, brown hair. The mother led her child up the path passed the mayor's house and almost made it past the clinic when a soft voice called her name.
"Hello, Hikari," she the shy voice. If it was anyone else Hikari would have pretended not to hear. But it was Candace, her first and closest female friend. The mother had forgotten the blue haired woman would be around the area at this time.
"Hello, Candace!" Hikari called out as happily as she could muster. Beside her Cara nodded a greeting. "Cold outside today, don't you think?" Candace nodded and said, "And it's only the beginning. I can't wait for spring." Hikari rushed out her agreement. As guilty as she felt for pushing aside for timid friend, she had other priorities.
"Well, I'll see you around Candace!" Hikari called out as she walked away before the woman could say anything else. "Bye, bye Candace!" Cara yelled out behind her as her mother pulled her away. Candace watched the pair quickly walk away and couldn't help but wonder what a responsible mother like Hikari was doing outside with her daughter right before a storm.
Hikari's heart was still beating fast from her encounter with Candace. But luckily the duo had completed their journey. Outside, with delicate snowflakes dancing around them, mother and child stood in front of the green door of the white house. Cara fondled the shell in her young hands. The girl couldn't wait to deliver her gift, she wanted to see him smile. Meanwhile, Hikari took a deep breath and cast a silent prayer to the goddess. Please let no one else have seen us and please, don't let my husband find out.