PROMISE ME TOMORROW
-Never Had A Dream Come True-
CHAPTER THREE
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She'd planned to visit her college friend Samantha, also a teacher, later in the summer. But somehow she was ending up in San Diego one month early, giving Sam a surprise visit. Sam was a preschool teacher and teaching two blocks down from where she was standing.
As she walked toward the gate, she thought someone would stop and tell her to leave. But there was no one at the gate and the office building was closed. Then she saw bans on the walls along the hallway, congratulating the graduating class. No wonder, the school appeared to be deserted. She heard rounds of applause and followed them, which led her out to the football field. At the entrance to the field, a middle aged man in a custodian outfit glanced her way, planning to say something. But he stopped and greeted her with a smile as she walked closer to him.
"Congratulations, miss," said the custodian.
"Thank you, sir."
She greeted him back with a nod and smile, wondering why he'd congratulated her. He probably mistook her for a relative of one of the graduates. She sat down on one of benches and looked on, enjoying the refreshing view before her. She stayed like that for good ten minutes then stood up. She walked around while staying away from the crowd's attention. She just wanted to get the feel of walking school ground as a teacher. It felt great. She was about to turn for the opposite direction when the graduating students, who were walking in two lines toward the field, caught her attention. She thought she saw someone she'd met before. She went through her memories but found no one she knew matched the descriptions. Hence, she went on her way, thinking nothing of it. And yet, she'd felt a very strange feeling, walking by the small girl, whose back was to her. The girl was too small to be graduating.
Half an hour later, she found her gaze search for that small girl in the crowd. And when she saw that girl's back from a distance, she knew she had to find out more about her. Something pulled and pushed her toward that girl. Standing behind the stage where teachers sat on their designated chairs and the principal gave his speech to the graduating class. She had a clear view of the lower stage where that year class was, sitting on folding chair. They were listening attentively and excitedly. The kids must be excited as their graduation was the beginning of another stage in life. Many children believed high school was the gateway to their freedom.
All were excited and acted accordingly but one. Only one student stood out because of her posture. Back straight and head held high, the girl looked up at the podium, following the principal's each and every word. Her cap and gown were different too. Other students were in blue cap and gown while she was in gold. When the principal called a name and asked that student to give her class a speech, the little girl stood up with a dignity that she thought many grown-ups would admire and envy.
"And now the valedictorian, Rukia Kuchiki has a few words to share with us on this joyous day."
The principal stepped back from the podium. He stretched out an arm toward the valedictorian as she walked the stairs up the stage. "May I present to you Miss Rukia Kuchiki, the valedictorian of the class…"
Hisana didn't hear the rest for she had the first real look at the little girl. She hadn't seen her baby sister since she'd been nine and her sister less than one year old. She felt she was back in that red brick house years ago. She saw her younger self standing by a crib and in it a baby with blue violet eyes. Those big, innocent eyes had looked up and smiled at her, hands clapping wanting to be picked up. She reached down and realized she was reaching air as the first sound of a voice, which she'd thought she would never have a chance to hear again, spoke.
"Hello my fellow graduates, my name is Rukia Rosemary Kuchiki. It's an honor to be up here today…"
Cheers from other students crowded out Rukia's voice yet all she heard was Rukia's voice. The voice wasn't of a baby learning how to say her big sister's name but couldn't have and had settled with Na. The voice she was hearing was of a girl. Rukia looked healthy and strong, standing before hundreds of students, not wavering. Her baby sister had grown up and she was with her on this important day of her life. Although grown up, the baby was still in her with that dark hair and small frame like Grandma. Mama and Grandma must have been watching over them both from above and had led her to Eleanor Roosevelt Middle School.
Mama, Grandma, I found our violet rose and she's all grown up now. She said in her heart while her gaze on the valedictorian, who was on stage.
"First of all, I would like to thank our principal and teachers for the long hours and wonderful things they had taught us. Don't forget all the headache we gave them when we said 'Sorry, teacher, my dog ate my homework'."
Everyone laughed and a few boys even whistled, agreeing with her. The valedictorian continued. "Also, many thanks to all the staff at Eleanor Roosevelt for making us breakfast and lunch."
Rukia swept her gaze over the row of seats reserved for teachers then the backstage. Seeing a stranger, who shared strikingly similar features and had no relation, would be very disturbing. Thus, she moved back a step lest to be seen. When Rukia gazed back at the other students and carried on the speech, she sighed her relief.
"Thank you, Mr. Chavez and Mr. Francis. Thank you for cleaning up after us while we were back at home, in our comfortable bed reading comics or chatting the hours away, or watching our favorite TV shows…"
Listening to Rukia's speech, she wanted to run up and tell her that she was a great public speaker, not alienating anyone and making usually boring speeches fun. And she wanted to say thank you to the family who had adopted her sister. Rukia went on after pausing to let another round of cheers to die down.
"I also want to say thank you to my family for loving and supporting me." Another pause. Pretending to be whispering, she moved closer to the microphone but didn't lower her voice. "I would like to thank my big brother, who often says all the food that he feeds me has gone to waste. Brother always says I share my food with the worms I keep in books for company. He even said I look more like my company than a little girl."
Teachers and students all laughed at her stance and joke, seeing how true her words were. Rosemary or rather Rukia had the looks of a bookworm, all serious and in her valedictorian cap and gown. Hisana laughed as well. She laughed at the joke and out of happiness. She was happy to witness the fun side to her sister. Her sister's childhood had to be happy one for her to be that comfortable and tell joke in public as she just had.
The graduation ceremony eventually had ended and most students and their family had left. She worried that her little sister had come alone, looking around for Rukia's adoptive family. She saw a lone male in a suite walking toward her direction. She'd seen that lone man earlier. He hadn't left the bleachers to congratulate like the others. He'd stood and waited for the crowd to disperse. As he came closer, she thought her heart had stopped beating. She wished she'd watched him more closely. She really wanted to know if there had been recognition in his eyes.
Had those eyes changed and now showed some emotion? Did he remember the small, clumsy girl who had run into him while searching for school supplies aisle at a certain Staples? Perhaps he'd forgotten. If he hadn't, his gaze wouldn't have glanced her way then turned away. Perhaps he wasn't her sorcerer after all. Disheartened, she momentarily lost track of time and where she was. She'd been pressed back by a group of excited graduates and almost lost her balance. Fortunately there was a fence behind her, she searched the school ground as soon as her balance regained. And her gaze found the valedictorian standing beside a man, whose face had imprinted itself in her memory years before. She moved back and stood behind a group of students to observe.
"Big Brother, I'm glad you could make it."
So the kindhearted family that had adopted her little sister was his. She hadn't been one hundred percent sure that girl was the baby sister she had thought lost to her forever. Not until she saw the Kuchiki brother gave his little sister a white fluffy animal. Little Rose still loved bunnies. She was the same although different. Her eyes weren't violet blue but brown like her own. Undecided as what to do, she missed her chance when the Kuchiki siblings made for the gate.
"Excuse me, sir." She didn't know she'd run after siblings. She was glad that she'd had the courage to. "I think we met before. A few years ago at a Staples in Los Angeles."
Again, her nerve endings were cracking to have him look at her the way he'd done during their first encounter. She almost lost the nerve and yet she couldn't back down. Her baby sister was standing there, right in front of her. She had to do or even say something else to keep them.
"I only wanted to ask if you were all right after I ran into you."
She felt stupid. It'd been three years and she wasn't a hippo to have caused him any harm. Perhaps he'd forgotten her for he made no intention to move, standing there with her little sister. Her little sister!
Come on, please say something, she pleaded.
Byakuya had recognized her at the first glance and wanted to step forward to introduce himself. He'd envisioned the day they would have crossed path again yet it'd left him speechless. His fairy still looked the same and the resemblance between her and Rukia had become more noticeable. He didn't want to admit but he had to. Was there a connection between the two? But his parents hadn't said anything about Rukia having a sibling. They had only told that Rukia's entire family had met a tragic end. That might have been her biological family's end, it'd been a beginning of her own tragedy. And yet, the fairy had found him. This was a sign for another beginning, a better one for his little sister. And for him as well.
Furthermore, he owed it to his late parents since he'd promised to protect their little Rukia at all cost. They had saved the baby from her own father. They had signed their death warrant when they had listened to the poor grandmother to take her baby granddaughter with them. He also knew his parents had never regretted adopting their violet rose, he didn't regret taking over the responsibilities either. He only wish he'd known what to do to help Rukia recover. Maybe his fairy could help with that task. Yes, she must be really his fairy for she'd found him.
As he'd promised himself to live out his remaining dream, he turned to his sister. "Rukia, wait for big brother here, OK?"
Rukia nodded and so he moved his way toward his fairy, who seemed to be looking at his direction tentatively. Once he was two feet from their observer, he said, "Fairies do exist."
"I'm sorry?"
Blankly, Hisana asked the man standing before her. She was lost for words since she hadn't thought he would have come forward and talked to her. Moreover, she'd been studying the little girl next to him, wondering why her little sister had brown eyes like hers instead of her natural violet ones.
"Brother, is she the lady you told me about," asked her little sister, coming up after her sorcerer.
"Yes, she's the one."
"I like you, miss." The little girl lost the cautious look she'd detected earlier and smiled. A genuine, beautiful smile. "You smell nice like Mommy."
Her sorcerer said apologetically. "I'm sorry. My little sis misses our mom. She was Mom's little girl. I used to wonder if she intentionally chose to stay small so she could attach herself to Mom's apron. She was such a baby."
"I was not."
"You were too."
"I was not."
"Alright. Alright, children." She interrupted the siblings' playful fight. "One at a time for I can't hear either of you when you both talk at once."
The siblings turned to look at her, dumbstruck. "Are you a teacher by any chance?"
"I'm Hisana Urahara and a teacher in training." She smiled, stretching a hand. "It's nice to meet you two."
Her sorcerer reached for her outstretched hand with one of his own. "You're not only a fairy but also a teacher. You'll make some lucky guy a perfect wife."
She knew her face was turning tomato red since it felt hot and her ears burned as well.
"Miss Hisana, please accept my sincerest apology on my brother's behalf." Rukia took both of her hands in her own and in a low voice, "Mommy always said Brother's coldness and straightforward comments will ruin his chances at getting a girlfriend, Sis. May I call you Sis?"
She didn't know what to make of the odd pair of siblings. The brother looked too serious and not the type of guys who would flirt to have said what he'd said to her. The younger sibling on the other hand had looked guarded minutes before, now held her hands and talked behind her brother's back.
Baffled, she only nodded. "Of course, little Ro- I mean Rukia. It's an honor. May I call you little sis in return?"
Rukia let go of her hands then clapped. "Oh, great. Isn't it, Brother? I have a big sister now. I can ask Sis lots of questions and I'm sure Sis will answer all of them. Unlike someone, who always tells me I'm too young to understand."
"I'm going to be in junior high next year," said Rukia. Not giving her brother any time to stop her, Ruki whispered, "Brother still tells me to read stories like Snow White. There is no such as Prince Charming rescuing the damsel in distress. I only see evil."
Rukia's high spirit was gone all of a sudden and her eyes shadowed for a very brief time. Then Rukia was back to normal, but her features had lost some of their natural blush and excitement.
"Please excuse me, Sis." Rukia nodded to her brother. "Brother. I think Renji is waving at me. He probably came to say goodbye."
Then Rukia walked off, pace quick but even. Left alone with Byakuya, she had not a clue as what to say. The silence wasn't uncomfortable yet it was nerve cracking. Why did she feel this way only around him? She almost jumped when her companion commented.
"Rukia loves those maples when they change colors in fall."
"I know." She agreed then remembered she wasn't supposed to know. "I think most girls like them. Their shape and colors are almost enchanting."
"You like them too, Miss Urahara?"
"Yes. Mama liked them as well." She added the latter under her breath then to him. "Please call me Hisana."
"Hisana, I like your name." He'd wanted to say he liked her and her name. Name. Yes, he hadn't introduced himself. "I'm sorry. My name is Byakuya Kuchiki and Rukia is my baby sister."
"Baby sister. I have a baby brother." She smiled. "Please don't tell him I still call him baby brother."
Like her name, her smile was beautiful. "Will I get a chance to meet him?"
"If you like," said Hisana after a long pause.
"Thank you."
He silently thanked her for giving his little sister back to him. Perhaps, another mother figure was what Rukia needed to come out of her shell. And he could live his dream too.
"May I call you Byakuya?"
His fairy's request brought him out of his dreamland. "Yes, I insist."
He'd said with a smile and she smiled back. Another smile lurked at the corners of her mouth when she complimented. "You don't like an evil sorcerer when you smile like that."
"I beg your pardon?"
She covered her mouth as if she hadn't meant to say that. Looking embarrassed, she said apologetically. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know your name and so I named you whatever came to mind at that moment."
"Don't be sorry." He liked her nickname for him. It was unique and supernatural, just like his nickname for her. "I have a secret to share as well. You see, I gave you a nickname too. You're a fairy."
She didn't respond. He didn't need a response since she looked pleased with his revealed secret. And so he decided to share the rest to see how she would react. "You're my fairy, Hisana Urahara."
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Like every other Saturday, Yoruichi and her two best friends visited one another with their families tag along. Currently Retsu and she and their families were visiting Soi Fon and her family in Culver. Everyone was out in the backyard getting ready for their BBQ. Shuuhei's grandpa and Fon's dad had also come down from Oxnard. The two elderly men had decided to be housemates and were running Shuuhei's grandpa's ranch together. They had said it was better for two old men to share a house and let the young married couple be themselves. Both Grandpa and dad had said with obvious hinting that they would like hear more feet running and childish chatters.
Fon wanted the same and so did Shuuhei. The couple had started to try for another baby soon after Karin. Judging from Fon's satisfied smiles, she knew Shuuhei had been taking his job seriously. Sadly, Fon had yet conceived. That was the only dent in the couple's perfect marriage. She knew Fon was hurting too. Like herself, Fon wanted to give the man she loved more babies but circumstances didn't let them. Maybe it was fate being fair. Fate had given them perfect love in return taken one important wish from that love. She didn't like how fate worked but had to make do for her life was filled with enough happiness to cover that small void. Only if her son Shihoin hadn't left so early, she would have had two boys to present to her love.
At the thought of her first baby, she left the others for the living room. As she stood in the living room, memories from her past came rushing back. She'd felt joy in this room and also faced loss. After losing her firstborn, she'd come here to seek comfort from the similar place and scent of her baby's father. She'd sat on that sofa then gone to lie down on the carpet trying to ease the pain of loss. Sitting down on the sofa, she smiled a bittersweet smile then slid down to sit on the floor. It'd been over a decade and yet that October evening was still fresh in her mind. Delving deep into her memory bank, she could almost feel Kisuke was with her like he'd been then. And so she hadn't heard someone come up behind her, until a voice spoke up.
"Yoruichi, why are you sitting on the carpet not on the sofa? Are there gold nuggets or coins hidden in it and you don't want to crush them?"
She stroked the sofa then carpet, telling her friend. "This is where I conceived my Shihoin."
"I'm sorry."
"Thank you. This house and this room had given me happy memories. It's good to be here again and Kisuke shares my feelings. That's why he was reluctant to part from it. He used to say this was our secret meeting place." She smiled at her friend, who was now the lady of the former Urahara house. "You might want to give this room a try as well if you hadn't already."
Her friend laughed and Yoruichi loved the sound. She counted herself blessed for both of her good friends were happy with their love and husband. Soi Fon laughed more often if not always. It seemed Shuuhei's wife had swallowed both Sun and Mars to have that glow around her. She glowed even more when Shuuhei was in the room with her.
"Shuuhei wouldn't have missed the opportunity." Soi Fon was smiling from ear to ear. "I have you and Kisuke to thank for. And my niece Hisana too. If it wasn't for you and your family, Shuuhei and I couldn't have that much time alone for each other. And this house too. It radiates warmth. Now I understand why you always wanted to come over here after school and on weekends. Still, I can't understand how you two were able to keep your hands off each other. If Shuuhei and I had been in your place, I believe I would have had Dad tie Shuuhei up and drag him to the registrar. I would have made him marry me against his will. I wouldn't have minded to make him my man by force either."
"Fon." She joined Soi Fon, laughing. "I hope Karin is like you and Shuuhei. I'm afraid my son will be like my husband when he grows up. He'll make our poor Karin wait forever as Kisuke had let me."
"Don't worry. Karin's dad won't let that happen if she really likes Toshiro. Karin is her daddy's little princess and princesses get what they desire."
She just hoped she shared Soi Fon's confidence. Even as young as Karin was now, she could tell Karin would be a lot like her mommy, stubborn and closemouthed when it came to deeper emotions. Little Karin's saving grace in the matter of the heart was from her daddy and granddad. So maybe there was still be hope for her own stubborn as well as serious young son Toshiro. Karin wouldn't take a no for an answer if she was set on something.
"Well, my friend, I just hope your Karin will like our Toshiro." She heaved an exasperated sigh before sharing another worry with Soi Fon. "Let future take its course. What I'm worried about is our Hisana."
"What about my niece? Is she in some kind of trouble?"
"Yes, heart trouble. She's as stubborn as you were in love."
Soi Fon looked at her as if she had been hallucinating. "Isn't that what you and her protective daddy have always want? Uncle and you two wanted her to focus on her studies and career before falling in love and the rest of the stuff."
"Yes and yes. She hasn't shown any interest in the matter of the heart." Another sigh. "She's not even curious. I think you've found yourself a dedicated pupil and fan. You might as well hand your badge over to her."
"Maybe she's secretly with someone."
"I hope so."
Soi Fon chuckled. "Why is a protective mommy like you wants her only daughter to date?"
"Because she's got to move on."
"Move on? Did I hear it right? And it was from you who couldn't move on after decades of waiting. It's like the pot calling the kettle black."
"I agree with you that I'm not being logical. But Fon, my little girl is pining for a boy she met just once. She doesn't even know his name."
"Really? When?"
"It was before college. She ran into a young man while we were shopping at Staples."
"Wow!"
"Wow what? My poor little girl stared into space for days after their encounter and only stopped when she started college. But now, she's finished with school and soon to be a teacher." She chuckled at her own vision of Hisana standing in front of the students who might be taller than their petite teacher. "Can you imagine Hisana teaching? I can and find it hilarious."
Soi Fon laughed aloud before agreeing. "I know what you mean. She's so small. I hope the boys won't mistake her for a fellow female student and give her the eye."
Punching Soi Fon on the shoulder, she went back to her worry earlier. "That's why I want her to date and get married. Her matured beyond their year students would take the hint and back off."
"Is there no way to find out who the young man was?"
"Yes, there is."
The moment she said that, Soi Fon sat upright. "We can look for him then."
"I suggested that and she disagreed. She said she doesn't want to trouble him."
"It sounds like she already knew who he is."
"I have my doubts. But the hint I mentioned earlier is the portrait of that young man she drew from memory." She smiled, recalling the afternoon after their shopping trip. "She drew his portrait as soon as we got home from that trip. I wish I saw the portrait when I came to call her down for dinner."
"You mean you didn't see it?"
"I did see but only his back. Hisana drew two, one of his face and the other of his back, which was when he left and she watched from behind." Proud of her daughter's talent, she said to Soi Fon. "I was there before he left the store and only saw his back. My little girl is really talented and got him right down to colors of his outfit. Even I recognized his back."
"Where is our little girl now?"
"Maybe daydreaming again."
"At least the little girl wasn't drooling while daydreaming like her mommy did."
Soi Fon teased her about the time she'd been sick. It'd been the first anniversary of Kisuke's leaving. She'd missed him and gone to the pier to refresh her mind. She hadn't meant to stay there for too long or ignored the rain. She'd simply forgotten everything but her misery. Her cold might have been worse if Soi Fon hadn't come look for her in time.
"I wasn't drooling from daydreaming. I always drool when I get sick." She baited, "Unlike some fallen angel, who drools when she isn't in bed with her devil."
"He's my husband. I don't see any problem with that," said the fallen angel, shrugging her shoulders.
They laughed. She suggested, "Why don't we go look for our Hisana and find a remedy for her heart problem?"
"Let's go," said Soi Fon linking arms with hers and they headed outside.
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Hisana was by the flowerbed when she heard Mom and Auntie's chatter. She didn't look up and kept caressing the pansies or what was left of them, waiting for them to reach her. When they did, she turned to them, smiling broadly. "I found Mama's pansy, Mom."
"You did?" Mom went down and hugged her. "That's great news. How does she look all grown up now?"
"She looked a lot like me." Proud, she couldn't her teeth from showing. "She graduated middle school with highest honors, Mom. Little Rosemary was a valedictorian. And her speech, it was just perfect."
Auntie smiled and shared her happiness. "She's like you, then she's just as beautiful. And her eyes, I think you have to keep big sticks nearby to run boys off her."
"When can we meet her?"
Mom asked while Auntie looked excited. She herself was excited too but felt anxious at the same time. She inhaled deeply then let it out quickly. "I don't know if we'll meet again. Rukia and her big brother caught their flight out right after her graduation. They moved to live out of state."
She thought she'd mentioned her baby sister's elder brother normally. She guess she hadn't succeeded since Mom looked at her, eyes twinkling. And like a child that had been presented with a favorite puzzle, Mom glanced up at Auntie.
"Fon, did you hear what I heard? I think I heard some young heart skipped a beat while mentioning someone's little sister's big brother."
Auntie, who had used to be so against love had transformed after meeting and marrying her husband, Uncle Shuuhei. As years went by, Auntie had joined with Mom and occasionally Aunt Restu to tease their own husband and whoever were unlucky enough to tell the trio their love story. She herself was one among those unlucky individuals. Mom and Aunties wanted to play matchmaker and Cupid. They had said they wanted to spread the love and hoped to see their children and friends to be happy in love. The way they had said it as if all love stories would turn out well as their own had. Perhaps. Hope flared up in her, perhaps Mom and Aunties could help.
"Mom, do you think you can go with me to D.C.? Rosemary moved there."
"My child, are you giving up on your mystery guy and sorcerer finally?"
She was thankful when Auntie cut in. "What does that young man do with this? Our Hisana only wanted to see her little sister."
"Oh, is that so?"
She'd heard mothers knew best and couldn't agree more. Mom could see straight through her easily as the back of her own hand. In spite of that knowledge, Mom respected others' privacy and said nothing further. Actually, words weren't necessary since Auntie had been friends with Mom for decades and could read Mom's eyes almost as easily as Mom had read her own.
"You don't mean our Hisana fell for her sister's brother?"
"No, I didn't, Auntie." Her face felt hot. She didn't know how but her face got hotter under Mom's knowing gaze. Then it dawned on her that Mom had waited for her to spill the beans. She wasn't going to. Well, not the whole barrel of beans. "Rosemary's adoptive brother and the person I ran into a few years back are the same."
Whew! What a relief. She couldn't have withheld the truth from Mom much longer. She was glad to finally let her secret out, it felt like tons of weight had been lifted off her.
"Well, my friend, your niece is in love." Mom told Auntie and turned to her. "You see? Look at her eyes. There is no mistaking about it."
"What's with my eyes?" She blushed but acted offended. "My eyes have been like this, right Auntie?"
Mom chuckled then laughed, teasing her and Auntie. "My child, you've asked the right person. You just asked the one person, who denied her love for her devil even though she was pregnant with his baby. I'm sorry, Fon, but you must admit that you have your late father-in-law to thank for. If he hadn't passed on the knowledge that the man has to go after the girl he loves and marry her first then make her love him. If your Shuuhei had been like you, he would have given up and you cried rivers of tears."
She'd thought Auntie would take Mom's words as an offense, she'd been wrong. Auntie hadn't and gave as good as Mom had given. "Or had been like your Kisuke. Kisuke led you on a merry chase."
"Yes, or he'd been like my Kisuke. I let him off easily when I chased after him like that. I'm going to make him pay." Mom turned toward the backyard while threatening. And yet her eyes only showed love. "Regardless, I love the man."
"That's enough of history." Auntie moved her hands together. "Now it's time for future, our Hisana's future. I can go with her to D.C. if you can't. But I'll need someone to babysit my Karin."
"No, we can all go. It's summer and the kids studied really hard. Let's award them. What do you say, Fon?"
"I agree, but what about the men?"
"They can survive without us for a few days. I'm not sure about Shunsui though."
"He's still the same?"
"Like always, he can't sleep without Retsu by his side. Serve him right."
"What did Uncle do, Mom?"
"Let's just say your Uncle Shunsui was a natural flirt and didn't curb his old ways. Even when your aunt was pregnant with Tatsuki. Your Auntie couldn't take it anymore and left." Mom thought of something and corrected. "Well, he didn't know she was pregnant at the time. Still, cheating is cheating. Didn't matter if he only flirted."
"But Dad said Uncle flirted to make Auntie jealous and show her love for him."
"Show her love? What other proof did he need when she already married him?"
"Men. I just don't know what they think. Just like Shuuhei. How could he ever think that I didn't love him if I married him after five days? And I'd never been with anyone else."
That was Auntie who inputted the tidbit. Hisana found it interesting hearing Mom and Aunties talk.
"Alright, let's get back to our BBQ." Mom pushed Auntie and her gently toward the door. "I'll speak with Retsu then we can talk to the men tonight. I want to see my little girl's sorcerer."
"He's not mine, Mom."
"Not yet, but he'll be." Mom winked at Auntie. "Unless our little girl really is going to D.C. to see her little sister and not that young man."
"Alright, I admit I'm going to see him too."
"That's better. Always be honest with oneself, my child."
Auntie linked arms with her, saying. "You're better off telling your mom everything. She was like that with me before I ran into my devil in Sin."
"Yes, I remember. I heard Mom telling Dad about your heart thief."
"You three."
Aunt Restu waved a hand, telling them BBQ was ready. Suddenly, she felt hungry and left Mom and Aunt Fon behind, heading for the grill.
"Uncle Shuuhei, I'm so hungry. Saved anything good for me?"
She asked, standing by the grill. She heard Mom's comment to Aunties. "She told an hour ago that she was stuffed and couldn't eat another morsel. But there she is, devouring the steak like she's been starved for months. It must be the power of love."
Mom had spoken low and Dad was standing at the far end of the yard, roasting something with the outdoor grill. They were lucky that only Uncles had heard. Uncles wouldn't say anything to Dad without consulting with Aunties first. She smiled, looking at the two big men. It was indeed the power of love.
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