Chapter two: When daddy's not around

I hear daddy walking into my room.

"Ushio?" he called out. I didn't answer. I laid there waiting for him to come over. He sat down next to me and rubbed my forehead, then he kissed it.

"Daddy, is mommy sick again?"

"I'm afraid so. But you know what that means?"

"Yupp!" I said, as I sat up joyfully, "I get to be a big girl, and take care of mommy while you're at work."

"That's right. I'll stop by the daycare and let your teacher know you won't be attending today, is that alright?"

"No!" I yelled as I rolled over. "I want to call her, and talk to her, and maybe let her talk to mommy."

"Alright, how about this; I'll stop by and tell her to give you and mommy a call just to check up on you."

"OK!" I said. I hopped out of bed and ran into the bathroom, and shut the door loudly. I picked up my toothbrush and started brushing my teeth. I smiled widely and showed my pearly whites to the mirror.

I heard daddy calling mommy's name and I ran to the bathroom door and opened it just a crack. I could see daddy holding mommy. Mommy started to undress and that's when I shut the door. I went back to the mirror and looked at myself. I looked like mommy. My brown eyes and short brown hair made mommy and I identical. When I thought it was safe, I ran over to the door and opened it. I walked into my room and got dressed. I put on my blue shorts and white and green striped shirt.

"Hey mommy."

"Hi Ushio. Sorry I'm making you miss your big day."

"It's OK, Ms. Fujibashi would understand. I can always do my presentation later. Or do a private presentation with her."

"Oh I see." She said. She reached up and touched my face. She smiled and laid back down.

"Mommy what do you want to do today?"

"Well I would like to get a little rest Ushio if you don't mind."

"Oh, OK." I said. I slumped my head between my knees. I could feel her looking at me, and then she said,

"How about you call Fuko over and you guys play together."

"OK, that sounds fun." I smiled at mommy and she smiled back.

"What if she's busy?"

"Then I will take you for ice cream, and we can take a walk through the park."

"Are you sure mommy?"

"Yes."

"OK! I'd like that better than playing with Fuko."

"Well maybe, if I get some rest, we can go after a small nap."

"OK," I said, "In the mean time I'll prepare you some breakfast and a hot bath."

"Oh I think a hot bath would be nice."

"OK." I said. I got up and went to daddy.

"Ushio, you know Sanae's number, she'll be here in a heart beat if you need her. Try not to make a lot of noise so mommy can sleep; and make sure you tend to mommy. I'll stop by on my break OK?"

"OK, daddy. I love you."

"I love you too. Bye now." I got up and ran over to the door and snatched it open. Dad was walking down the stairs.

"Bye DADDY!" He snapped around and smiled. He threw a wave and turned on his way. I watched as far as I could, he slowly disappeared into the parking lot.

I walked back into the house and shut the door.

"Mommy, can I call, umm uhh?" Mommy was sleep already. I ran over to the kitchen and put on my apron.

My small apron matched mommy's. I turned and looked at mommy, she was rolling over. I ran over to the empty space between the wall and the stove. My stool sat there. I picked it up and dropped it onto the floor by the stove.

"Oops!" I quickly whirled around to see mom still asleep.

"Phew." I wiped my head.

I pulled out a set of pots and pans and laid them on the table. I pulled out a chopping board too. I went to fridge and pulled; fresh broccoli and carrots; tomatoes; potatoes; celery, and a green and red pepper. From the freezer, I pulled out two pork chops, and a lamb rack. In the cabinets I took out the seasonings, and angel hair noodles.

"Alright I'm ready." I said placing my hands on my hips.

I picked up the chopping board and laid it down. I started with the peppers. I diced them into very small squares, and semi circled the celery. After I'd chopped up all the vegetables, I put on a pot of water. I put the veggies in their own individual containers, and flipped the copping board over. I picked up the lamb rack and started cutting them into individuals. I cut the meat off the bone and placed the bone into the garbage. I then started to season the lamb meat, when a knock on the door came. I stepped down off the counter and ran over to see if mommy was awake; she wasn't. I ran to the door with my stool and stood on it. I peeked into the peek hole to see a short haired lady standing there. She looked identical to Ms. Fujibashi.

"Hello, who is it?"

"Um, yes, my name is Ryou Fujibashi…" My heart pumped with excitement. I immediately jumped off the stool and pushed it behind the umbrella holder, and pulled open the door.

"Oh!" Ryou said. She was pretty. She had short purple hair, and large purple eyes.

"Hi, ."

"Oh hi, may I ask who you are?" Her voice was sweet, but extra raspy.

"I'm the owner of this house." I said buffing up my chest.

"Of course, well owner, may I come in and take a look at your mommy?"

"Well she's napping right now, and she doesn't want to be bothered. Sorry." She smiled and patted my head.

"I'm the new nurse your daddy hired to come and check on you and your mom when he's not able too."

"What happened to the old nurse?"

"Well she's just a little on the flower side."

"What do you mean?"

"May I come in?"

"Oh sure." She walked into the house with such an odd look on her face.

"Well you know how when someone doesn't wake up from sleeping they, go and stay with a lot of flowers."
"Will she ever wake up?"

"Umm, you know, that I'm not too sure of."

"Oh, me either." She slowly sat down by mommy. She quickly turned around and gawked at me for a very long time.

"Do you need something?"

"What's your name?"

"Ushio."

"I mean what's your last name?"

"Okazaki. Ushio Okazaki."

"Okazaki? So this means that this is the…." She turned away and rubbed mommy's face.

"Ushio, do you know who I am?"

"Yes, you're Ryou Fujibashi, you just told me that. You look like Ms. Fujibashi, she's my third grade teacher." She didn't say anything, neither did I.

I went back to the counter to finish preparing mommy some lunch. I watched Ms. R, she sat by mommy, just holding her hand. I liked the other nurse, she wasn't weird. Ms. R, finally started to pull out her tools. She did a lot of testing on mommy, I didn't want to watch, taking tests on mommy always scared me.

"Ushio, I'm going to need you to do something for me."

"What is it?" I said untying my apron.

"I need you to go to the store and buy green tea. Can you remember that?"

"Yes, but who will watch mommy's lunch?"

"I'll watch it. The stores right at the corner, I'll watch you from the window, OK?"

"OK." I hopped down off the stool, and stepped into my pink shoes and put on my pink hat. I grabbed my small green change purse, and walked out.

"Be careful."

"I will!" I danced down the street singing, "Dango, Dango, Diazuko…!" I was almost to the store when I turned around to look back at the apartment building. I could see Ms. R, she waved, and so did I. I turned and kept dancing and singing all the way. I grabbed onto the door handle and started to pull, when I noticed a field of yellow and black flowers.

"Wow." I let go of the door and went to the field. I picked up four of the flowers, and ran into the store. I was excited, too excited to look, so I didn't. I ran out of the store and down the street as fast as I could.

I ran up the stairs and tripped on my shoe lace.

"Oof!" I hit the concrete stairs hard. My lip bust and so did my nose. My lip was stuck in between my teeth, and it hurt. I sat there and cried really loudly.

"My, my my li-!" I couldn't get any of the words out. My lip was keeping my mouth sealed. Trying to talk made it worse.

I grabbed onto the railing and tried to stand up.

"Ow!" My knee and leg was bleeding. I'd scraped my knee all the way down my leg.

I got up anyway and kept running. I had four more flights of stairs before I could reach the top. I held the flowers stiff in my hands. I finally made it up the stairs, my lip and mouth and knee and leg hurt. Both of my hands had a scrape on it, and my elbow had a scrape too. I pulled open the door, and mommy was awake.

"Monti!" I ran in and hugged her.

"Oh honey, hey. Fujibashi here was just saying that you were being such a big girl and trying to take care of me. Thank you Ushio. Ushio what happened!" She yelled out. Mommy grabbed my face and held it tightly in her hands.

"Oh my gosh, Ushio. Are you alright." I shook my head no, and she hugged me tightly, I still held the flowers tightly in my hand.