It was about ten minutes before nine when Keiko bent down kissing her sleepy Raimondo on the forehead. Raimondo smiled up at her. She turned off his lamp. She had already given kisses to Ambrogio in his room. Keiko left the door cracked open as she stepped out. She made sure the hallway light was turned on. She headed downstairs grabbing the cordless phone. She sat down on the couch with a pencil and paper. She called long distance to America. Botan had moved there about a year ago. She married Silvermane a demon who was part werewolf. The phone rang a few times before it was answered.
"Hello," a mumbled voice came over the phone.
"Hey Silver," Keiko said.
"Um…Keiko hey…here."
He handed the phone to Botan. She was laughing over the phone.
"Hey sweet, give me just a minute, wolf boy is tired," Botan said.
Keiko heard Botan close a door.
"He just came in from a tournament so he is out of it right now," Botan said.
"That's okay," Keiko said.
"Hey we need to talk," Botan said, sounding serious.
"Alright."
"I saw the sign up sheet today, most of the demons signed up, including Yusuke."
Keiko's heart shattered, her worst fear was coming true.
"I'm sorry, but there's no way we can keep him out of the tournament," Botan said.
Keiko laid her head on her knees.
"Please don't be angry," Botan said.
"I'm not," Keiko said, her voice cracked.
"No tears, this might be a good thing," Botan said.
"Good thing?"
"Yes, now this heavy burden will be lifted off your shoulders."
Botan had a point Keiko thought, now she could contact her old friends.
"Maybe, but what if he wants back in our lives?" Keiko asked.
"The way he treated you that night I would say he doesn't," Botan said.
Keiko realized that Botan was right.
"Keiko I'll get Sammy on if you…" Botan said.
"No I wont let him worry," Keiko said. "I'll deal with it if it comes up."
Keiko cleared her throat.
"Tell me some details so I can go ahead and get the banners up and going," Keiko said.
Botan gave her details of what they would need and who could qualify. After that, Botan told her about some of the things that were happening in America, and then about Enki's new wife. They said their goodbyes and Keiko hung up.
She lay down on the couch. She curled up in a ball, her head rested on a pillow. She kept remembering how Yusuke just dismissed her out of the locker room. Tears dripped down her cheeks, for so long she had kept everything bottled up. She wasn't going to give in. If he tried to walk into their life she would send him away. She was not about to give her heart back to him and have him step all over it again. She turned over looking up at the ceiling, remembering back to when she had first arrived in Italy.
Lizzy sat on the couch arm looking at Keiko. She held a phone in her hand. It had been two days since she arrived in Italy. A black cat purred beside her. The house was big enough for a family. Keiko looked at Lizzy asking her to call her parents for her. Lizzy shook her head. Keiko dialed her phone number. The phone ring only twice and before it was picked up. Lizzy put a blanket around her shoulders. Keiko was wearing shorts and a T-shirt, but the air had become colder since it was night time.
"Hello?"
It was her mom. Keiko couldn't get the right words.
"Is someone there?"
"Mom."
"Keiko, dear God!" she shouted. "Where are you? We'll come and get you."
She was crying which started Keiko crying.
"Are you hurt? Did Yusuke hurt you? Did something happen? Were you kidnapped?"
"Baby," her father's voice said, sounding weary.
"Hi daddy," she said softly.
"Tell me where you are and what's going on," he said, trying to stay calm.
"Daddy I'm in Italy," Keiko said.
She heard him curse up a storm.
"I'm sorry, I panicked," Keiko said.
"Panicked, why?"
"Daddy I'm pregnant."
Another mouthful of curses left him. Keiko laid her head on her knees.
"Keiko what were you thinking?"
She didn't want to say anything.
"Did you think we would cast you out? Hell no, we wouldn't! We would have stood by you and Yusuke."
Keiko started to cry.
"Yusuke doesn't want me in his life," Keiko said. "And I remembered that scholarship that was in Italy."
Her father was whispering something to her mom, who gasped at what she heard.
"Well at least I can become a nurse," Keiko said.
"No, what you are going to do is get your butt back home."
"I don't want to go back"
"You're coming home!"
"Daddy for once listen to me. I don't want to become a teacher or college professor!"
Her father was silent.
"I want to become a nurse," Keiko sad. "If I'm here, there are no distractions."
He slammed his fist on a table.
"So you're alone in Italy?"
"No, I met someone on the plane, she's really nice."
There was ruffling in the background then something shut.
"A stranger."
"Daddy I didn't get a bad vibe from her."
"Put her on the phone."
Keiko got up, walking into the hospital. She went to the second door on the right and knocked. The door opened and Lizzy stood looking at her. She gave the phone to her and then walked to the next room and sat on her bed. So many thoughts were going through her mind. Lizzy walked back into her room. She held out the phone and kissed her on the top of her head. She smiled at her and left. Keiko put the phone to her ear.
"Hello?"
"Listen to me," her farther said, his voice strong. "You made a mistake by running away, I'm going to get a plane ticket and come see you in two days. We will discuss this situation, until then go ahead and sign up for college. Are you sure you want to stay there?"
"Yes daddy, please let me stay here and become a nurse."
"Alright, I need to go meditate for now."
"Yes Sir."
"Keiko?"
"Yes?"
"I love you, you are still my baby girl."
She broke down.
Keiko blinked, looking around the room. She got up turning off the lights downstairs it was bedtime for her. She had a busy morning before her date and she needed to grab some sleep. She walked down the hallway to her bedroom. She changed and crawled into bed, pulling up the covers around her. She fell asleep quickly.
(Next: Keiko has to get the banners and sign up sheets for the tournament before dinner. But when dinner comes Ambrogio does his hardest to ruin the dinner)