Chapter 10
Odd One Out

A knock came at the door all too early. Haru broke out of her deep, dreamless sleep and sat up in bed, listening to a rapping on the front door beyond. With only a few hours of sleep, Haru could barely see straight as she left Griffin sleeping peacefully and fought her way through grogginess and haze to her front door. She somehow had a small prediction about who would be there and when she opened the door in a stupor, still in her pink pajamas, she found she was right.

As soon as she saw her mother, Haru braced herself. Yuko rushed forward and pulled Haru into a tight hug while moaning with disdain.

"Oh… my little Haruka… You've been ignoring me for so long!! Phillip has just told me the nastiest rumor regarding you! I couldn't believe it was true, so I had to come and confirm it before it gets too widespread, yes?" Yuko let go of her daughter and shut the door primly, then took a careful seat on the green sofa. She pulled off her elaborate hat and began fanning herself, waiting for Haru to respond. Haru stumped around, rubbing her eyes and trying to think of a way to break it to her easily.

"Want some coffee?" Haru croaked, wanting some badly herself but knowing it wouldn't be good for her baby.

"Coffee will be fine, dear. Thank you." Yuko replied with a bit of a stuffy nature. Haru busied herself in the kitchen, trying to get her sleepy brain to work. All was silent except for her clinking around the kitchen haphazardly.

"Where's um… that man…?" Yuko looked around with her nose in the air slightly. Haru sighed.

"Griffin is still asleep…and don't you go waking him up… he's got to work late…"

Yuko sniffed somewhat indignantly.

"Well. Don't you want to know what Phillip told me?" She chided as the strong smell of black coffee began floating around the kitchen and into the living room. Haru fumlbed with the silver star necklace that Griffin had given her as she worked. She always felt stronger and more collected when she touched it.

"No, but I bet you're going to tell me anyway." Haru said softly. As if she hadn't heard Haru speak, Yuko continued on with a grievous note in her voice.

"It was the oddest thing… He told me that you were… with child!" Yuko gasped dramatically as Haru handed her a mug full of steaming coffee and set down a small pitcher of cream and a porcelain container of sugar. "Thank you, dear."

Haru sighed, her hands on her hips. She was still not feeling properly awake, but there was no avoiding this.

"Well… I'd be lying if I said it wasn't true." Haru admitted finally, suddenly wishing that she'd listened to Muffy's advice long ago. Yuko's face screwed up with a look of horror and she set her mug down on the table that lay before the sofa.

"Haruka…" She shook her head slowly, as if she were underwater. She was beginning to tear up slightly as she gaped with her large, shiny eyes that were the same color as Haru's. Haru shrugged and sat down beside her.

"Now you know. Sorry if I disappointed you… I couldn't help it, really." Haru lamely explained, staring at her knees. Yuko made small gasping sounds.

"You could have used protection, dear!" She choked out finally. Haru laughed a little shyly and scratched at her head.

"Look on the bright side! You'll be a grandmother soon!" Haru tried to cheer her up, but this was obviously not the thing to say. A glistening tear rolled down Yuko's cheek and she sighed. Haru frowned slightly.

"Come on, mother. I'm twenty-seven…" Haru tried to console her slightly. "Besides this way, you'll get to see the kid grow up. Won't you like that…?"

Yuko perked up slightly and shrugged.

"I suppose it will be nice… but how do I know it won't turn out to look like Griffin?" She asked woefully. Haru squinted slightly and bit her lip to stop herself from lashing out.

"Mom… can't you understand… I love hi-"

"What's wrong with Phillip, anyway? Why isn't he good enough?" Yuko interjected. Haru knew that this was a moot point.

"Phillip is a nice guy, but I'm not in love with him… I only want Griffin." It was like talking to a very noisy and temperamental wall.

"We're onto him, by the way! He believed my theory that that man has abused you! We'll catch him at it one of these days, mark my words!" She waved her finger around wildly. Haru shook her head and stood up.

"That's great mom… I've got to get to ready for work, okay? It's really nice talking to you…" Haru lied as she opened the door and Yuko went out, her nose high in the air.

"Well, I never! Kicking your own mother out, again! Well, I'll go… but it's not like I'm leaving out of my own will, keep in mind… I'm meeting with Phillip's father today… he says he's got an interesting business proposition, or so he says. Isn't that exciting-"

"Bye, mom!" Haru shut the door hastily, drowning out her mother's words.

How can she still want me to leave Griffin for that silly Phillip Worthington… Haru thought angrily as she got dressed and ready for the day. As she slid on her favorite orange and white T-shirt, she noticed that her stomach indeed had grown some. She admired her new shape in the mirror of her bedroom while Griffin snored softly in the bed. She giggled, stroked his hair gently so as not to wake him up, then set out for another day of hard work on her farm. As she was going out she grabbed her rucksack from the table and knocked 'Sacred Rituals Unraveled' underneath the bed and well out of sight… and mind…

"This is starting to get ridiculous!" Griffin cried out with a laugh. "Ahh!! Hey, hey! Watch it there!"

"Sorry, Mr. Bartender! I just got a little surprised!" Skye explained after almost knocking his entire vat of curry onto the floor when he heard Gustafa explain the news moments before. The summer heat was quickly dying down and the inside of the bar was no longer stifling. Pale, early evening light shone delicately in the windows of the bar, caressing the orange and brown trees beyond. Autumn was well on it's way again and in the past few weeks many exciting things had happened. It appeared as though Nami had gotten over her fear of commitment shortly after the talk with Haru and Griffin and not a week later, she had finally tied the knot with Gustafa. Soon after this, there had been two more announcements… and Griffin was beginning to think that there really was some sort of epidemic going around the valley.

Griffin looked around his bar… it was the same old worn wood and dark amber lighting as always, but things seemed different. The world was seeming lighter and easier from where he stood. It was fascinating to watch Haru's stomach grow larger and larger with every week that went by… and breathtaking to think that his own child was growing inside of her…

Haru wasn't the only girl who was growing in size. With autumn's arrival, Flora was hardly able to walk. Her child was due to be born at the tail end of the season and her and Carter had never been busier. The house that they had commissioned back in the spring was finally done. The archaeologist had invited Griffin and Haru down to see it after it had been properly finished and Griffin had to say he was impressed. A small, cute little cottage not much smaller than Haru's house now stood where only a measly tent had before. Flora was very proud.

Gustafa laughed, his face red and his expression lopsided.

"It's going to get crazy in this valley… in just a few months!" He was getting quite intoxicated. Muffy shook her head, looking quite downtrodden.

"So… here it is…. Everyone…. EVERYONE…. Is now pregnant…" She said with exasperation, her hands flopping to her sides. Skye's hand jerked a little as he stirred the curry when she said the word 'pregnant.' Griffin furrowed his brow at Muffy.

"What are you so upset about…? Shouldn't you be happy for Celia and Nami…?" He asked her. And Haru…. and Lumina… and Fl-"

"OKAY, I get it!" She fumed, crossing her arms and turning away from everyone. Gustafa's expression changed from dewy happiness to concern.

"Muffy… is something wrong?" He slurred his words slightly. Muffy scoffed.

"It's just all these weddings… and all these pregnancies!!" She was looking almost tearful. "I can barely take it!"

"I know what you mean…" Skye mumbled nervously from where he stirred his curry.

"B-but Muffy… I thought you loved that kind of stuff…" Griffin was beginning to feel a bit worried. He knew she had looked forlorn and forgotten when the village wives got together and talked about the changes that each of them were going through… or how he and the rest of the recently married men went on about their new life's joys or problems… but he had no idea it was really affecting her. Muffy turned towards the wall and sniffled slightly.

"It's just not fair…. Why is everybody but ME married…" She mumbled to herself quietly. Skye looked up with a devilish smile.

"Have you forgotten…? I'm not married either, Muffy-cakes…" He winked at her, tossing his silver hair about and giving her a somewhat seductive look.

"Hey!" Griffin shoved Skye a little and he grimaced. Although the thief had won his trust over the weeks he'd worked for him, he wasn't going to sit and let him harass Muffy.

What Skye had said, apparently, did not go over well with Muffy. With her back to everyone, she gave a little sob and darted away from where she stood, flinging the bar door open and stamping out side. She pulled something out of her pocket and threw it down with distaste to the floor before running away from the bar.

"Now you've done it!" Griffin growled at Skye, stepping over to the doorway where the door swung gently on it's hinges. He bent down and picked up whatever it was that Muffy had discarded so violently on the floor.

"What is it?" Gustafa asked timidly, craning his neck to try and see. As Griffin looked into his palm he gave a great sigh, his own heart sinking. It was the necklace Akira had given Muffy last year on Valentine's day.

In all of my newfound joy… I've ignored my friend's pain… how could I have been so blind…

--

Haru sat luxuriously on the couch, rubbing her protruding belly as she watched the television. On the table in front of the sofa she had a jar of sugar and another of pickles sitting side by side. Every so often she removed a moist pickle from the jar and dipped it into the sugar so that it was properly covered, then ravenously downed the entire thing. It tasted utterly delicious.

Suddenly and without warning, Haru's front door was violently flung open and Muffy exploded into the room, looking overwhelmingly distraught. Haru immediately shut off the television and sat up.

"M-muffy!? What's the matter?" Haru asked, a worry line between her brows. Muffy looked at the half-eaten, sugar coated pickle in Haru's hand and froze.

"A-are you having weird cravings?" She barely whispered, looking heartbroken. Haru nodded vaguely, suddenly realizing that it was an odd combo. When Muffy saw her nod she burst into tears and flung herself onto Haru.

"It's not faiiir!!" She wailed. Haru was more than bewildered but managed to toss her pickle onto the table and pat Muffy on the back, "I-I wanna h-have weird cravings t-too!!" Muffy moaned into Haru's shoulder. Haru was beginning to understand.

"Muffy…" Haru's voice was soft and kind. Muffy sat up and wiped the tears from her streaming, watery green eyes.

"I want a husband who loves me, and a cute house that's just a bit too small! I want to be fat and pregnant, too!!" She wept, "Why does everyone but me get to be happy!?" Muffy cried into her hands. Haru hugged Muffy tenderly and stroked her hair until she stopped hiccupping and sobbing.

"Has this been bothering you all this time?" Haru asked, in disbelief she didn't notice it sooner. Muffy nodded into Haru's shoulder. "You'll get it soon enough, Muffy! I'm sure Akira is going to propose to you any day now…" Haru knew she was being insincere, but she had to cheer her best friend in some way... But it didn't work…

Muffy rose again with ire and looked absolutely miserable.

"You know that's not true…! He doesn't love me anymore…" She moaned as if her heart were aching.

Muffy whispered as if her heart were breaking as they spoke. Haru couldn't deny that this seemed like the truth to her.

"Wh-what makes you say that?" Haru wouldn't allow Muffy to think, however. Muffy sighed and ran her fingers through her glossy blonde hair.

"He just… he doesn't want me any more… he didn't even come around for the fireworks this year…" She wallowed. Haru was beginning to feel a little frustrated with her brother's actions. He had been distant with her as well, lately. He barely even wanted to talk and hardly ever answered her calls. He did not even know that he as going to be an uncle soon. Akira seemed as dejected and heartbroken as Muffy did… it was perplexing.

"Did something happen between you two? It just doesn't make any sense… one day you two are in love… and the next…" Haru shrugged a little. Muffy looked at Haru with a dire sort of urgency, and her eyes darted back and forth. She opened her mouth to speak, her face pale and streaked with tears.

"Th-there…was… this…" She choked this out softly, Haru hanging on every word. As the barmaid tried to continue, a loud voice made both of them jump.

"Haaaa-ru!!" A cheerful voice called from the front door, "Your door is open!" Haru's attention snapped from Muffy to the doorway where a exuberant Lumina tiptoed happily inside. Her tummy had nearly grown to the size of a small basketball, but she still managed to keep her petite, feminine form.

"Lumina…" Haru spoke a little solemnly.

"Oh, Muffy's here too! I haven't seen you in a while!" Lumina called in her bubbly voice.

"Hello…" Muffy said with her surliest of voices, not looking up from the sofa. Lumina looked slightly taken aback, but quickly regained her airy disposition.

"Well, I came here to tell you about the meeting tomorrow, Haru!" Lumina told her in a businesslike manner.

"Meeting? What meeting?" Haru wasn't aware of any sort of meeting that was being conducted.

"It's about something my grandmother is planning. It starts at seven at night tomorrow… and make sure to bring Griffin too… This is for all the parents and soon-to-be parents of the valley!" She told Haru explicitly, a look of bliss on her face. Haru nodded carefully, chancing a look at Muffy. She looked as if she was nearing her breaking point.

"We'll be there for sure… thanks, Lumina…" Haru said delicately, waving at Lumina to try and let her know that she did not have time to chat idly. Lumina nodded briskly, waved goodbye to Haru and Muffy and trotted out of the door humming to herself.

Muffy looked as if something had broken inside of her. Her usually bright and sparkling green eyes were dull and lifeless.

"Muffy…? Are you okay…?" Haru tried to get some sort of reaction from her.

"Yup." Muffy replied in a monotone voice. She rose from the couch, her red dress fluttering around her knees. She had a stony expression and looked past Haru when she spoke. Haru felt extremely concerned for Muffy and wished desperately that there was something she could do for her.

"Muffy… weren't you just going to tell me something?" Haru braved, her voice barely above a murmur. Muffy shook her head automatically and turned stiffly towards the door.

"No… It's nothing… Goodnight, Haru… I gotta get back to work… thanks for being there for me…" Muffy's voice was totally without emotion. Haru called out and tried to comfort her best friend as she stepped out, but there was nothing she could say to make Muffy's smile come back. It seemed to have become lost for good.