Gunter POV
"Do you really think that it is a good idea for you to act like this around his highness?" I ask as the two of us ride together. This time without a hat since the last one had created a bit of a stir.
"It's just a little silent treatment. Believe me it will not last long. After a few hours the both of us will be on better terms again. It's been that way between us for a long time. We have a hard time staying angry with each other."
"Yes, his highness is the type to make right the wrongs that he believes he has made and has actually made in some cases."
"True enough. But let us talk of other things. For example why don't you tell me something about yourself?" She says as she looks up at me. A smile decorated upon such sweet a face. She looks so elegant upon her cream colored horse. A perfect vision of pale blue cloth that flowed about her like a cloud as it moved with the well trained walk of her horse. Had I been born a painter I would have attempted a portrait this instant. As my thoughts went to this image of great beauty for our country's art history I failed to answer her question. OH I AM A TERRIBLE PERSON!
"Are you alright Gunter?" Keep it together Gunter.
"I am fine Jena. I was just thinking deeply about something."
"Is it something about your past?"
"No, just something else." I swear that my heart had reacted when our eyes caught each other's eyes again. "As for my past there is not much to tell."
"Why don't you tell it anyway?" She teased lightly as if knowing that I would tell her without a fuss.
"Well I was born into the Von Christ family, thus I was born into privilege and given many lessons and learned many things. One of those being well adapt at sword play. I became an instructor at a military academy and even became a teacher to Conrart."
"Really?"
"Oh yes. He was a rather good student when he first came under my wing and grew to became better than that while I taught him. And after that I adopted Gisela, a great joy in my life. The next great thing to happen was King Yuuri's appearance in the kingdom and becoming his teacher." We took a break from riding and began to dismount from the horses. Then we tied them to a tree near the edge of a stream so that they may have water as well as fresh grass. "The next great joy was meeting you." I clasp my hand over my mouth. I had just said something that should not have said aloud. I quickly look over at Jena to see her reaction. She blushes in her innocent form, but soon a smile breaks through.
"That's actually nice of you to say that. It's great to think of making a new friend as a great event in your life."
"Yes. It is." I smile back relieved to see that she had not guessed the hidden meaning behind the words I had just let slip from my lips. She walks to the edge of the stream and kicks off her shoes so that her feet could cool in the moving water. "I wonder how Sara is doing?"
"Why do you worry about him?"
"Because he is far away from the love of his life." She said this and my heart nearly dropped. Could it be…that he is in fact in love with…and she too… "Now before you get a heart attack Gunter I will have you know that I am not referring to me as the one he loves. I speak of his fiancé, the soon to be queen Wilhelmina."
"Wilhelmina?" Soon to be queen Wilhelmina?
"Oh." She huffed more than said. She looked about before she decided to speak again as if she were about to give me the secrets to an army's whereabouts. "Look I made a promise to Sara to keep this as low key as possible, but considering that if I don't tell you, you may try to find out for yourself and get everyone else involved. I need you to swear that what I tell you will not be said to anyone else, can you do that?
"I swear that I shall keep what it is that you are to tell me in the deepest confides of secrecy, my Lady Jena." She accepts this and begins to explain.
"On the trip here King Sara met a young lady named Wilhemina Greenburg. Since the two were traveling most of the way together, the two grew closer and closer resulting in a whirlwind romance. The two planned to be married as soon as he was done with his business here."
"Then why did he appear to flirt and try to seduce you or was that to part of his business?"
"His business was simply to gain favor with Yuri in order to forge stability for his country. He believed that his best chance was to be forthright with me about the past. Then in confidence he spoke to me of his love for the lady Wilhemina. For a big favor he did give me this information for."
"What favor is it that he has asked of you?" If he tried to pull something may Yuuri forgive me for using violence!
"In order to keep the marriage under wraps I was to keep up the illusion of him being more than that of friends. Basically it meant that I just had to do close to nothing other than talking with him. It is enough to send you into thinking that he had any interest in me." I couldn't help but admit that she was right.
"Then why tell me about all of this?" She then unexpectedly sighed with a romantic twinkle in her eye. "Is something the matter your highness?"
"Nothing is the matter. In a few short hours Sara will be married to Wilhemina and there will be nothing anyone can do to stop it. To think that they almost were separated due to status, him a king and her the daughter of a simple merchant."
"That still doesn't exactly answer my question your highness."
"Oh sorry. I should explain. The reason that I told all of this to you is due to the fact that out of everyone here that I am speaking to you are the most trustworthy and…you have a romantic side to you. I know that you can see how wonderful it is that two people who are overcoming boundaries in order to be together truly is something that is worthwhile. I mean don't you think that?" She asked me looking at me with eyes pleading to agree. And I agreed with her on a scale deeper than the one that she would ever know. But I can't tell her just how deep that feeling of agreement is. At least for now I won't. I will just say to her that I agree and then we shall gather the horses and ride back to the castle where she and his highness will reconcile.
Yuuri POV At dinner
"And that's when the Madame Felksien told me that she saw a wedding ring upon the young lady's finger. So she went into the chapel and found out that the couple did have a whirlwind romance and were just married! King Sara is now a married man and his wife's name is Wilhimina Greenburg, Now Queen Whileimina of Small Shimaron." Lady Celi said enthusiastically as she went on and on about how it was so romantic and this and that. It was still pretty interesting to find out that Sara left so abruptly to get married. I wonder how Jena feels about this? They did spend a bit of time together and they did seem to have gotten close. I look over the table at her, glad that we are now on speaking terms. I see her smiling…Hey wait a minute that's not a smile it's a smirk. That means….is she…did she know about all of this? Did she know that Sara was going to get married? Ah what am I thinking? Jena is probably just happy to hear about Sara getting married.
"It's such a shame really that they didn't have a big wedding. I would actually have liked to attend such a party." Lady Celi said pouting a little at the news.
"Don't look so down mother. I'm sure they will have some kind of party to celebrate the union of the two lovers. And don't forget the coronation of the new queen will also be the cause of a grand party." Conrad said cheering Lady Celi greatly. She then began to yammer away about how grand it would be to see such a party and what outfits she would wear that would surely bring her closer to her quest of love. Finally a nice dinner without an issue coming up destroying the good mood everyone is having.
Conrart POV
I followed Jena out into the garden with the roses in bloom and the moon lite up in splendid beauty. I knew she would come here to enjoy the jubilee she felt over the romantic event that has just taken place. When I had caught up to her I had to step back in order to breathe. She looked so beautiful that I had to take a minute to look upon her before I could think of approaching her. Her yellow gown with its flounced and trimmed overskirt decorated with ribbon, lace and silk roses allowed my eyes a treat to travel as they scaled higher to see. How her long hair flowed over occasionally allowing the pink flesh of her shoulders to peek out and tease me so. The off shoulder sleeves that went to her elbows did tease and taunt me with great strength. How I desired to allow my hands to travel softly along that same flesh and if fate allowed me to do more than that.
"Lady Jena." I call out to her. She in surprise at having someone call out to her thinking that she was alone turns sharply in my direction. Her sweet face that had once been of surprise now looked on with distaste. She turned away from me to look at a single rose that now held all her attention. I start my way towards her and she takes steps away from me and out to the rose bush on the other side. "Lady Jena, please allow me to speak with you. There is something that I must tell you."
"I don't wish to speak with you Conrart. I ask that you please leave me so that I may enjoy the night." She does not look at me as she talks.
"I need to tell you something that I believe you should know. And it is the true extent of my feelings towards you." I can hear her sigh from what I can't tell before she turns around to face me. I go on with what I have to say to her. "I love you Jena, of that I am sure." She looked uncertain about what she should say next, so I take the chance to go on. "How I know is as simple as that which makes day and night. As a warrior I was trained to keep the beat of my heart from reaching my ears. For it meant that fear had taken hold of me, concentration, ability of movement all of it would become lost. Thus the sound has never reached my ears due to fear. That was before I met you. A woman so beautiful and strong with a mind of her own. She is the one that I think of enough to send my heart racing. You are that woman and you are the one that I wish to have as my wife."
"Conrart that sounds lovely and really sweet, but…" She sighs deeply and this time she looks into my eyes. "I don't love you. I can't return feelings that I don't have. It would be the bitchest thing I ever did if I did that. I barely know you and our experiences haven't been the best. I can't just marry like that. It's for the better. You will find someone who will return those feelings Conrart." Just like that she walked away as if she was walking out of life for the rest of time. I could have chased after her then and there making things worse between us. Enforcing this image of what she may see as an insane and desperate move. I suppose that I could have also done nothing and accepted that she and I would never be. But instead I will choose another path. One that will bring us together. I pray to all that there is to pray to that I will be able to succeed.
Jena POV
Through the night I pondered on Conrart's words. How can I look at him again? Knowing that I broke his heart? And flat out refused his love when it was obvious that he had to strum up his nerve to do it? I had to be honest with him. I couldn't hurt him with false words. It would be worse than stealing from a homeless person who helps others in his spare time. I just wish that it didn't make me feel like a wretch to have said that to him. I suppose that I could have been a bit gentler in my approach. But he hasn't exactly had the best track record with me. Most of the time I get annoyed seeing him but that does not mean that he has exactly been a total jerk. The night is a verbal game of volleyball on whether or not I had been too harsh or just at the right tone. Till morning comes and then I just feel tired. Still I get up and get dressed heading to the dining room for breakfast. I took the long way through the gardens and fountains hopping that the splashing water would do a better job of perking me up.
"Hey Jena!" Yuuri comes walking over looking at odds.
"Conrart told you what happened last night didn't he?"
"He did. He came and told me everything last night after he talked with you. Said that you said no to him."
"And how do you feel about that?" I ask him as he looks closer at me.
"Shouldn't I be the one to ask you that very question?" He gives a weak laugh. But it dissolves quickly so that he can answer. "I felt angry that he would do something I asked him not to do. Upset that he looked down about the rejection. Happy about you saying no and then a little sad that you said no to him. I guess part of me felt that he wasn't that bad a guy for you. But I respect your decisions and know that you did your best not to hurt his feelings too badly." I look at him in surprise. "A rejection still hurts a guy no matter how soft you make it and how hard they try to brush it off. Still it does help that you didn't say no like a drill sergeant." I shove Yuuri playfully creating a string of giggles and pushes amongst the two of us. Till one of us pushed the both of us off balance. Both of us try to steady ourselves and then each other till it was too late and we went crashing into the fountain.
"Lady Celi is going to kill me for ruining this gown." I said vainly trying to wring the water out of the dress.
"Don't think that she won't punish me for my part in ruining it." Yuuri said wiping pond scum from his brow. Missing a huge chunk of the slime on the side of his neck. When we take the time to look around the area we notice something that brings up a good attention getter. The way the water was moving. It wasn't the friendly ripple of a fountain spray but the swirling whirling destruction of a whirlpool. My senses flooding with adrenaline I begin to swim as fast as I could away from its pull. Failing in the process and going under where the last thing I saw was the reflection of the sun on water.
Yuuri POV
Why is it that just can't give us a memo or a notice on the day that we are being sent home? It's not like it's much too much to ask. I think as I float on the surface of the water. Before I am surprised by the splashes of Jena finally making it to the surface. In a flash I help swim her over to the shore so she could calm down.
"Hey there you two are!" It was Murata who had shouted out to us as we climbed onto the beach. We had been sent back home and I was relieved to be back. By the time I had made it onto the sand I could see Murata was helping Jena to get up. I can say only one thing about this scene and that is…she needs all the help she can get. I'm not joking. The dress she was wearing was weighing her down and was twisted around her legs causing her to fall down easily and struggle to get back up. That was even with my help. By the time we made it off the beach she was basically covered with sand and defiantly ready for a change of clothes.
"Sorry Murata I don't think we are up for the day out."
"Hey it's okay I understand. Guess it's a good thing we didn't by any wristbands yet." He laughed it off and walked with us the rest of the way home. Leaving a trail of sand I might add. I took Jena to my house first. Mom took one look and already had her heading to the shower for a quick rinse and change of clothes. A few minutes later Mom came downstairs with Jena's dress and other laundry.
"Yu chan, Jena's guardians came over while the two of you were out and I took the liberty of asking them if Jena could stay the night. They said yes, by the way. I hope that is alright with you Yu chan."
"That actually sounds like a nice idea mom."
"It actually feels like a little family reunion. Your brother will be so happy to see how she's grown up."
"Hey that's right Shouri hasn't seen her yet. I bet he will be surprised."
"Yes, hopefully everything will be going according to plan. Once Shouri sees Jena again; he'll ask her to marry her, she will accept and then they will move in across the street and have five or six children and maybe they will be born with wings." Oh no Mom not you too. "That way the two of you will be related as brother and sister for real. Sadly not by blood, but at least by marriage that can happen."
There really is no point in arguing with her on this point she's way too deep in her dream phase. But why is it the moment Jena comes home the first thing I have to put up with is so many of my friends wanting to date her? Can't they just see her as a friend or something like that? I'm turning into an old man with the way that I keep wishing it were the past again. Back when we were kids and all we cared about were the sweet simple things in life. Like playing games in the park, amusement park trips we couldn't wait for, the amount of Christmas presents we got and other things like that. Back when I didn't have to be a king and could just be her plain little brother. Back when her smile was just for me…
"ACH!" I found myself the victim of a noogie attack and I also found the culprit to be my sister. "What the heck was that for?!"
"You were so deep in thought that I just couldn't resist Yuri." She laughs before falling down beside me on the couch. "So what were you thinking about so deeply?"
"Nothing really, I guess, just things. So did Mom tell you that she asked your guardians if you could stay the night?"
"No she didn't. I take it they said yes." She didn't need me to answer she already knew. "Well I should head home and get a bag together. I promise not to be too long and will be back with a movie."
"You'll bring A League of their Own?"
"And you'll have Sandlot ready to go. Of course I wouldn't forget our classics. Besides we can't forget the great lesson of…." Together we say the line.
"There's no crying in baseball!"
"Ahh. That never gets old. Okay I'll be back in a bit. See ya soon Yu chan!"
"Don't call me Yu chan!" I shout back at her just as she closes the door. About thirty minutes later Shouri came home. "Hey Shouri, are you staying for dinner tonight or going out with your college friends?"
"I'm staying in tonight. Mom wouldn't let me go out tonight. What is going on that Mom would insist so much for a family dinner?" I didn't say anything but went on looking through the videos for the copy of Sandlot. Shouri again asks me what is it that is so special about this dinner and I refuse to tell him. He attempts to get it out of me with offers of rides to and back from practice or allowing me to hang with his college friends. I kept to my guns since I actually wanted to see his reaction to Jena's return as well as my mom. I just hope that he doesn't go into his brother complex. He use to when we were kids and I spent more time with her than him. But I think he may have gotten better…oh wait the issue with Conrad….they did get along better…later….maybe this time…Just one nice night please!
"Shouri, your home!"
"Good to see you too, Mom. What's with this mandatory dinner?"
"Oh you will find out later. Right now I need you to go to the store and pick up a few things. I need you to get flour, eggs, rice, sausage, tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, bread, curry powder, chicken, icing, sugar, carrots, and butter and oh what was it again? Oh right strawberries and raspberries. Do you think you can get all of that?"
"If that is what you think that is only a few things then I would hate to see what you think of as a lot of things. But sure it shouldn't be too hard to get those things and be back before dinner."
"Excellent!" Mom jumps and claps her hands and then starts to shove Shouri out the door. "Get going and be quick, don't forget that you shouldn't talk to strangers and be sure to put the change in the change jar when you get back!"
"Mom, are you trying to get him out of the house?"
"Well I do need him to go to the store and be quick with getting those items back soon so I can make a really nice dinner for tonight. Your Dad has even called to say that tonight he will be home for dinner. Oh this is going to be so wonderful!"
"I can tell by your enthusiasm. I'm going to go make up the guest bed."
"Aw aren't you just so thoughtful Yu chan! Be sure to open the window so that it can air out the room. Okay?" She waves cheeringly at me.
"Alright I will Mom." A few minutes later the doorbell rings and there's Jena with a duffel bag under her arm, a Rockford Peach baseball cap on her head, I sent her that for her birthday a few years ago and her mitt in her side pocket.
"I thought we could pitch to each other before dinner. If we have time that is."
"I'm sure that we can spare a few minutes." I bolt through the house. "Race you to the back yard!"
"Hey! You got an unfair head start!" I beat her to the backyard and instantly we start a game of catch. It's dusk when we get called in for dinner.
"Have we really been out here that long?" Jena asks looking at the now dark sky.
"I guess we have been. Come on lets head inside. By the way your pitching has gotten worse over the years." She slings her arm around my neck and ruffles my hair.
"Hey not all of us have been able to play baseball for as long as you have. Besides you fumbled on a few throws yourself."
"I didn't fumble as bad as you!"
"Tell that to the cat you startled off the fence." She teases me as we enter the house. Inside Dad was in the living room looking at the paper while Mom was putting the table together. Shouri was nowhere to be found. He must have been upstairs playing one of his games. Dad looks up from his paper.
"Yuuri did you get yourself a girlfriend? Is that why your Mom had to have this big dinner?"
"Mr. Shibyua, have you really forgotten who I am?" Dad looks blank for a minute. "It's me Jena Price! Your unofficially adopted daughter." She strikes a pose and Dad finally dawns upon realization.
"Jena? Little Jenny is that really you!" He comes in to get a closer look. "God you have grown up. Time sure has flown by hasn't it? What brings you back to Japan?"
"We moved back here. Isn't that great! I get to be a big sis to Yuuri again."
"Well that's great, just watch out for Shouri. Hey wait a minute has Shouri seen you yet?"
"No, not yet. Why should I start running?"
"Oh no! We will have none of that attitude at dinner tonight. I want us to have a nice family dinner tonight. With pleasant conversation and a good meal filled with happiness. I do not want to have Shouri and Jena start to argue about who is the real sibling of Yuuri or something equally silly as that." Mom said from the kitchen as she placed the meal on the table. "That being said. Shouri! Get down here please! It's time for dinner! That goes for all of you as well." Dad, Jena and I take our seats and start the conversation with things like weather and other small talk saving the big stuff for the actual meal when Shouri came into the room. Man did his eyes light up! I'm not sure if that is a good sign. The lighting could have been caused by a glare you know.
"Jena?" He said simply looking at her. Dad I could see was wondering if he was the only one that didn't recognize her from the start.
"Yep, it's me. Wow you look a little more mature since we were kids."
"Thanks. You didn't grow up badly yourself." Mom choose that time to start serving everyone dinner. Chicken curry, salad and bread with garlic butter. "Everything looks great Ms…"
"Don't call me Ms. Shibyua. I want you to start calling me Momma from now on. Is that understood?"
"Yes Momma."
"Good girl. Now eat up I made sure to make plenty. Oh but don't eat too much or you won't be able to have the special desert I made. I made cake with chocolate icing and fresh raspberries and strawberries."
"Sounds like you went all out on this dinner. I hope it wasn't just on my account and that didn't work too hard on it."
"Oh it's your first meal back with us. I just wanted it to be special is all. Besides it's not every night that Shouma gets off work early as well or that Shouri doesn't have plans these days."
"Well you did make this dinner mandatory for me Mom. Not that I mind with the surprise you had in store." He smiles towards Jena. "It's not every day I get to see the girl I had my first kiss with."
"PFFFFFfffffffff!" My milk went everywhere as I spat it out in shock. Okay. What did he just say?!
"Would you mind repeating that Shou chan?" Mom asks with her face practically frozen. Dad's mimicked Mom's, but his hand at the time was pouring his drink and was threatening to overflow. Not that he noticed.
"Jena was my first kiss. I thought you knew that." Everyone looks to him and then Jena waiting for her to add something to this bit of news.
"It wasn't really a big deal. It was more of a…well…What I mean to say is that we were just kids when this happened and it was because of something…I just can't remember what it was exactly…"
"It was when we were at the temple for your last winter with us. Someone had left some mistletoe up in one of the trees that we were standing under. You were the first one to notice it."
"Oh yeah. I remember it now. I thought it was a weird looking plant and I asked you what it was and then when you told me what it was…" Her face takes on a dark comedic look. "Now that I think about it you scared me into it."
"I scared you into it?" Shouri replies sarcastically.
"Yeah, you told me that those who do not get kissed under the misletoe get bad luck in return. I started to freak out because of it and then you kissed me. So this kiss was more of a way to calm me down than romance."
"I recall you kissing me instead of me kissing you, but either way it ended all the same. I was your first kiss and you were my first kiss. Yuuri, could you pass the curry please?"
"What?!" I shout out loud startling everyone out of the frozen looks they had.
"Alright fine I will get it myself. There is no need for you to be dramatic I mean there is plenty of chicken curry to go around."
"You…You think I'm shouting because of chicken curry?!"
"I don't see why not I mean this is very good chicken curry. Why not shout about it." Jena says taking a large bite out of her plate of chicken curry and smiling about it.
"Enough about the curry and about how it tastes! When were the two of you going to tell me about this kiss that you two had?!"
"To be honest Yuuri it isn't that big a deal and I actually forgot about it until Shouri brought it up just now." Jena said starting to blush at the now uncomfortable feeling that she was getting.
"I doubt that you have forgotten it completely. I thought girls thought on these things all the time."
"Does that mean that you are a girl since you obviously remembered it?" Shouri looks over to Jena with a smile and just said cute. Dad feeling something wet start to trip on to him looked down to notice that his glass was over filled. He got up to get some napkins and Mom…well Mom had this wired smile on her face. That started to get bigger and bigger.
"Oh my, it is already starting. My perfect family planning has already been set into motion. I can already see my future grandchildren." Now this was enough to shock both Jena and Shouri. Shouri then says maybe I should have kept that to myself. Jena replied ya think? By the time Dad came back Mom was ready to serve dessert everyone was ready to stuff their faces with cake to avoid any more talk about the kiss. So I steered the conversation towards something else.
"Jena knows about the Demon Kingdom." This time it was Dad's turn to burst out with something to shout.
"Yuuri! You told her? She may be like a sister to you but that doesn't mean…."
"She got sucked into a whirlpool with me and came with me to the demon kingdom."
"Don't worry Mr. Shibuya I won't tell anyone. I don't think anyone would believe me anyway if I thought about telling them. But I do have a very important question that I think we should address. Can we eat cake while we watch the movies?" Everyone went into the living room with our desserts and we put in a League of Their Own in first. Dad made a comment about how we only seem to have baseball on the brain. Mom said at least it's a good movie. Shouri stayed for the movie instead of heading up to his room to play one of his dating games. After the movies were over Jena and I helped Mom with cleaning up the kitchen and then went up to bed. I couldn't seem to get sleep though. It felt like I had forgotten something. But for the life of me I just couldn't remember what it could be.
The next morning Mom made a breakfast of eggs on toast with tomatoes and octopus sausage.
"Morning Yu-chan, how'd you sleep last night?"
"Not so good."
"Well that's not good. Don't you have to meet Murata today for a school project or something?" Crap that's what I forgot! The mandatory school meeting for our homeroom!
"Mom, what time is it?"
"It's almost nine o'clock."
"I have to be there in thirty minutes!" I ate quickly and then ran out the door. There was no way I can be late for this!
Jena POV
After eating breakfast and finding out that it might be awhile till Yuuri came back since he had school related thing to do. I packed my overnight bag and headed home. I did have to start decorating my room not to mention getting ready for school. Sadly I wasn't going to go to Yuuri's school. Instead I was being put into a different school that I had to wear a uniform for. The pleaded skirt was light green with a blue border; it had a dark blue blazer, white shirt and a green ribbon tie. Black socks with one horizontal white stripe and a pair of white shoes with crossing ties. Not a bad look really, but I'm not use to wearing the same outfit for school every day. I guess I can accessorize it up. I wonder if they have any rules about back pack charms?
"Jena, do you need any help up there?"
"No I got it. How about you and Uncle Charles?"
"Right now we are having a discussion about the walls in the dining room. We're not sure if we want a new paint job or go with wallpaper."
"Are you making it a formal or laid back sort of dining room?"
"Formal." She shouts out.
"Go with a new paint job. Something like a cranberry red to enhance the color of the wooden table and chairs." I shout down to Aunt Kena.
"Thank you for your input. Do you want to change the color in your room?"
"You think lavender would be a bad idea?"
"I can't see why not. You're not a fan of the buttercream yellow?"
"Not really. It hurts my eyes when the sun shines in."
"I'll talk with the painters. Don't take too much out of the boxes then. Just stick with what you need for the past few days."
"Okay." I say heading down stairs towards her. Uncle Charles was looking at paint swatches and holding them up to the rooms. Aunt Kena was doing something similar with wall paper samples. Were they going to redecorate the whole house? "Is it just the dining room you want to change or will we have to stay at a hotel for a while?"
"It's just a few things we're thinking of changing." Uncle Charles says holding up a blue swatch in the living room that Aunt Kena didn't agree with.
"It's too light we should be thinking of a darker shade for the room something calming and won't blend into the couch too much."
"What about this one?" He holds up a dark blue. Aunt Kena doesn't like this one either. Uncle Charles turns to me thinking that I would like the color.
"Maybe just a smidge lighter. It's kind of a depressing blue." Uncle Charles then tries to turn the conversation around.
"Hey Jena have you seen the backyard yet?" I shake my head no. "Well you should. There's a nice little garden with a plot ready for whatever you would like to put in it and a nice koi pond. In fact why don't you go take a look? Get some ideas and then afterwards you and I will go to the hardware store and pick up a few things for it."
"If you just wanted to get rid of me for a few minutes all you had to do was say so." I say sticking my tongue out at him to which he playfully smacks my head with the thin paint swatches. I take my leave and head out to the backyard and browse around. Thinking up ideas for what we could add. Perhaps a little bird bath or a few stepping stones. When I came upon the koi pound I looked into it and watched the little fish swimming around. There were a few water lilies in bloom. And one of them I just wanted to touch so I leaned forward and reached for it when I felt like I was leaning in too fast. I try to pull back but it was too late I was heading straight into the pond.