CHAPTER 14
"Hungry babe?" Yuzu caressed Meis cheek as she spoke.
Mei melted into Yuzu's touch as she replied to her wife. "Yes, actually im starving"
Yuzu slowly got up and made her way to the kitchen.
"Yuzu, I can cook for us"
Yuzu turned and looked at Mei and gave her a smile "You have been through a lot, just relax and let me take care of you"
Before Mei could say anything Yuzu was already in the kitchen and putting an apron on.
Mei sat outside while the scent of Yuzu's cooking was starting to fill the air around her.
She closed her eyes as she listened to Yuzu happily humming a tune as she cooked.
After a little while, Lily came out and started to set the outside entertainment table.
"Lily, what are you doing?"
Before Lily could answer, Ume came from inside and answered for her twin sister.
"Mama said that we will have breakfast outside today, because its a beautiful day"
Mei gave the 2 little girls a kiss each as she went to head inside.
Hiro quickly stopped his Mum. "Sorry Mommy, but you are not allowed inside"
Mei tried to get a glimpse of Yuzu, she was sure that she would be laughing to herself right now.
Hiro gestured for Mei to turn around and take a seat.
After a few more minutes, Yuzu made her way out with all the food, she quickly sat down next to Mei.
Mei couldn't believe her eye's, it had been years since Yuzu had cooked a meal like this.
There were all of Mei's favourites, all cooked to perfection, her mouth was watering from the smell.
Her head shot over to Yuzu as she felt a hand on her thigh.
"Thank you for bringing me back my love" Yuzu lent over and gave Mei a soft and sweet kiss.
As they both pulled back, Yuzu happily spoke to her family "o.k lets dig in before it gets cold"
The family enjoyed the delicious breakfast together, moments of laughter could be heard from the verandah of the Aihara house.
After they finished eating, everyone cleaned up together.
The kids were playing outside as Yuzu and Mei sat and watched them happily. Mei lent into Yuzu as she had her arm wrapped around her side.
Yuzu spoke softly as she kept her eyes on the 3 happy children.
"Are you happy Mei?"
Mei looked up at Yuzu, her eyes showing nothing but love and warmth as she caressed Yuzu's cheek.
"More than I ever thought I could be"
They shared a passionate kiss.
Over the years Yuzu and Mei had shared so many precious memories, Yuzu had opened up the world to Mei and to Mei Yuzu was her entire world.
Mei shifted herself to lay on Yuzu's lap as she read a book while Yuzu seemed quite content watching the kids as she ran her hand through Mei's long black silky hair.
The rest of the day was pretty peaceful for the Aihara family. Before they knew it, it was bed time.
"Awwwww one more please"
All 3 children groaned as their mothers tried to put them to bed.
Yuzu closed the bedtime book and went to return it to the shelf.
She returned with another book and a bright smile on her face.
"o.k, one more. and i mean it this time"
Mei smiled as she sat down next to her wife and lent her head on her shoulder.
She closed her eyes as she let Yuzu's soft and gentle voice carry her away with the story she was reading.
They were all in their mothers room as the kids wanted to be with their Mama and mommy for the night.
Usually the answer would be no, but considering all the events that have happened recently, they decided to let the children stay in their bed one more night.
Yuzu looked up after the 3rd page, a smile grew on her lips as she looked at her family.
All 3 children and Mei were fast asleep.
Yuzu carefully pulled the blankets over her family, after making sure that Mei was comfortable she placed a quick kiss on her cheek then laid down on her back. She stared at the ceiling as thoughts were running through her mind, sleep slowly overtook her.
FEW HOURS LATER
-Gasp-
Yuzu shot up, her breathing was uneven and she was covered in sweat.
She quickly turned to her side to see her entire family sleeping peacefully.
She caressed Mei's cheek and gave her a quick kiss on the forehead.
After removing herself from Mei's grip she slowly made her way out of the room and to the kitchen.
She grabbed a glass then started to go through the cupboard looking for something.
"Aha here you are"
Yuzu placed the bottle of Vodka and soda water on the bench.
She mixed herself a drink then placed a lime wedge in and gave it a stir.
Yuzu looked up at the clock, it was 2am. She sighed to herself and decided to sit outside for a little bit.
Mei heard the bedroom door close, she laid there for a little bit waiting for Yuzu to return.
After about 15 minutes she got a bit concerned and decided to go look for her wife.
She quickly double checked that the kids were all tucked in comfortably before she got up and wrapped a small throw blanket around herself.
Mei made her way into the living room which had no Yuzu in it.
She then made her way to the kitchen where she saw the bottle of Vodka and Soda water.
She frowned as she looked outside to see Yuzu leaning on the rails sipping her drink.
She had her hand on the handle but just before she slid the door open the sound of Yuzu's sweet laugh hit her ears.
She just stood there as she stared at the back of Yuzu's head.
"Ohhhhh come on, hahahaha"
Mei closed her eyes tight as she listened to Yuzu's laugh, she hadn't heard her laugh like that in a long time.
'Probably her and Taniguchi-san talki-'
Mei was quickly brought out of her thoughts as she heard Yuzu say a name.
"Thanks Suna"
Mei's grip on the door tightened, she looked at the bedside clock.
'2am?! what could they possibly be talking about at this time!?'
Mei wanted to slide the door open and talk to Yuzu, but something was stopping her. She waited to hear what else Yuzu had to say.
"Yeah, I know. I just feel like something is missing, i've been feeling like this for a while now"
Mei grabbed her necklace as she listened, she couldn't believe what she was hearing right now.
"I know what it is now, thanks to you"
Mei felt like her whole world was starting to crumble around her.
"I better try and get back to sleep, ill see you in the morning. goodnight Suna"
Mei quickly made her way back to their bedroom, she slid back into bed and had her back facing Yuzu's side. She tried to stop the tears from falling as she lay as still as possible.
She steadied her breathing as she heard Yuzu open the door then close it.
Yuzu started to feel tired, she looked at her family one last time as she let out a sigh.
"what am i doing?" She spoke softly.
Mei still lay there, she held back a sob as she heard Yuzu's words.
Yuzu fell asleep after a few minutes, Mei couldn't get back to sleep after that. She laid there looking at their beautiful children as she felt her heart starting to break in 2.
The next morning Yuzu woke up to an empty bed. She stretched her body before she made her way out to the living room.
She smiled as she saw the 3 kids happily eating breakfast together, her smile quickly disappeared as she walked around the corner to see Mei and Sai cleaning some dishes together laughing.
"Morning Mama" The three children all beamed huge smiles at their mama. Mei and Sai both looked up, Mei greeted her wife first, Yuzu noticed the lack of emotion in Mei's greeting.
"We saved you some food Yuzu" Sai gave Yuzu a small smile as he spoke.
"It's fine, i'm not that hungry" Yuzu made her way into the kitchen and gave Mei a kiss on the cheek, Yuzu knew that Sai didn't like it when they showed each other public affection.
"Is there something wrong Sai?"
He quickly composed himself as he spoke "Everything is fine, thank you Yuzu"
"Did you not have a good sleep Mama?" Hiro looked at Yuzu with his soft emerald eyes. She walked over to him and messed his hair up as she answered him "I couldn't get to sleep for a while son"
Mei bit her bottom lip as she watched Yuzu head over to the sofa and sit down.
-Knock Knock-
Everyone looked surprised at getting a visitor early in the morning. Mei quickly went over and opened the door.
"What are you doing here?"
Yuzu shot up as she heard Mei, she made her way to the door to see Asuna standing eye to eye with her wife.
"I was asked to come here" Asuna moved her head to the right to make eye contact with Yuzu.
Mei instantly turned around and gave Yuzu a glare as she went to speak.
"Yuzu why would you invite her here when you know how I feel about her?"
Yuzu could see the hurt in Mei's eyes, she went to speak but Mei cut her off as she turned to Asuna.
"Please excuse us, I need to have a word with my wife"
Mei grabbed Yuzu by the hand pulled her back inside towards their bedroom. As they passed the kids and Sai, Mei spoke to them while she didn't stop walking
"Kids, make sure you wash up and get ready, Mama and I wont be long"
All three kids jump a little as Mei spoke in her Chairwoman voice.
Mei dragged Yuzu into the room and closed the door.
Yuzu could see that Mei was shaking, she didn't know if it was from anger or frustration.
She went to say something but Mei spoke up first.
"Why?"
Yuzu looked at Mei confused, she quickly asked her own question.
"What do you mean, why?"
Mei took in a breath as she tried to keep her voice down, she didn't want the kids or their visitors to hear them arguing.
"Why do you keep hurting me?"
Yuzu was shocked from hearing Meis words
"What!? what are you talking about? im not hurti-"
Mei clenched her fists as she cut in on Yuzu's sentence.
"Her, it has always been her, hasn't it?"
Yuzu could see Mei's entire body shaking more violently as she spoke again
"Its exactly like back then as it is now"
Tears were falling, Yuzu was truly lost, she had no clue what Mei was talking about.
"I just thought that I would get Suna to pick me up so that you wouldn't have to worry about me"
Mei sat on the bed as she covered her face with both her hands. Yuzu sat down next to her wife, she slowly moved Mei's hands so that she could look at her face.
"You could have called anyone, Kushna, mother even father to come pick you up, but you had to ask her. Even after what happened the other day"
-BANG-
"LIAR!"
Mei and Yuzu both looked at each other as they heard a loud noise coming from the living room. they made their way outside to see Asuna on top of Sai, holding him up by his shirt ready to punch him. His nose was already bleeding from what both women guessed sounded like a first punch just a few seconds ago.
"Asuna!" Yuzu quickly went over and pulled the multi coloured Fashion beauty off the Vice Principle.
"Mama? Mommy?" All three children stood in the hallway, Mei quickly locked eyes with Hiro as she spoke "Son please take your sister's into your room and dont come out till i say"
Not another word had to be spoken, Hiro grabbed his twin sisters by the hand and pulled them into his room and closed the door.
Mei then grabbed some tissues and handed them to Sai in an attempt to stop the bleeding.
"I think she broke my nose" Sai slowly got up onto his feet.
"Your lucky thats all thats broken" Asuna spoke as an injured Yuzu was still trying to hold her back.
"Tell them the truth!" Yuzu could see the anger in Asuna's eyes, she knew that this would not end well if her anger continued to raise, but the answer that Sai gave didn't help the situation.
"I dont know what your talking about" Sai looked to Mei with pleading eyes.
That was it for Asuna though, she broke free from Yuzu's grip and made her way to Sai as she spoke "If thats how you wanna play it then fine, i'll beat i-"
Asuna stopped mid-way as Mei stood in front of Sai.
Meis eyes showed pure anger as she stared straight through her wives ex lover.
Both women went to speak, but it was the blonde in the room that spoke first. She quickly stood in front of Mei and faced Asuna. She had a soft and caring expression as she spoke.
"Suna please, thats enough. Not in my home"
Tears started to fall from Asuna's eyes as she spoke "I am not a marriage breaker" She took in a long breath as she spoke again "I have worked so hard to get Mei to trust me" Yuzu took a step forward and pulled Asuna into a hug.
"I know"
Mei was feeling 100 different emotions right now, but one thing she knew for sure was that she didn't want this woman in her house another second.
"Get out!" She quickly composed herself as she spoke again "I told you the other day and i meant it"
Yuzu let go and turned around to look at her wife as she spoke "Mei I-"
Mei cut her off "You are never to step foot in my house again" Mei's eyes quickly got caught in Yuzu's, she could see pain in those emerald eyes, but she held the gaze as she watched the pain quickly change into anger.
"No Mei, we need to talk about this properly, just because you say thats it doesn't mean its over"
Yuzu shot a glance at Sai who was still holding the tissues on his nose.
"We still haven't resolved the fight from the other day"
"I have" was Meis response. But that wasn't good enough for Yuzu.
"Well I haven't" She took in a deep breath as she looked deep into her lovers eyes trying to get her to see things from her point of view. "So without any questions your just going to believe him?" Yuzu pointed to the Vice Principle.
"He has never given me a reason to not trust him Yuzu" Yuzu felt so frustrated right now as she spoke back to her wife.
"And I have? what about me Mei? Doesn't my opinion mean anything to you?"
Mei wanted to say that Yuzu's opinion was the only one that she cared about, but flashes of the early morning played in her mind and clouded her judgement.
Mei ignored what Yuzu had just said and placed her eyes back on the brown haired beauty as she spoke "Dont make me call the authorities"
Yuzu's eyes went wide as she heard her wife speak. Asuna went to turn around, Yuzu quickly grabbed her hand and turned her so that they were both facing Mei.
"If she's leaving then im leaving to Mei" Mei looked straight into Yuzu's eyes, they held that same determination as they always did whenever Yuzu was more then sure about doing something or believing in something.
Without thinking she replied to her wife "Fine"
Yuzu felt like a knife was being stabbed straight into her chest, she took a second to calm herself down. Yuzu turned and made her way to the front door with Asuna behind her.
Mei stood there as she heard the front door.
'What am I doing?' Mei quickly went to run after Yuzu, she didn't want to fight like this and deep down inside she knew that Yuzu was right, they should talk about this properly.
She took a step forward but a hand grabbed her and pulled her back.
"I think I need a Hospital Mei" Mei looked at Sai as he still had blood running down his face.
Yuzu got into the car and looked up to the front door, she secretly hoped that Mei would come running out to her.
"You dont have to come Yuzu" Asuna spoke soft to her ex lover as she watched her looking at that closed door.
Yuzu let out a sigh as she spoke "Its probably best to let her cool off"
After calming the kids down, Mei organised her step mother to pick the kids up for school.
Mei was now in the waiting room as Sai was being seen by a doctor.
"Why hello Mei"
Mei turned to see Heshi with his attendant nurse. She gave a small smile as she greeted him.
Heshi looked around before he spoke again "Where is Yuzu? Is everything o.k?"
Mei felt her heart ache at hearing Yuzu's name. She kept her neutral expression as she spoke
"Shes not here, i'm actually here as a colleague is injured"
Heshi quickly nodded before he spoke "I see, dont forget that Yuzu has her checkup on Friday"
Mei nodded to the man as he started to make his way down the hall. He quickly stopped and turned around to face Mei before he spoke "Please give my thanks to the lovely lady that helped out with Yuzu the other day"
He then turned and left, Mei clenched her hands into fists as she sat there in complete silence.
"Mei"
Mei looked over to see Sai with his nosed bandaged up, he gave her a warm smile as he spoke.
"It looks like it was broken but they said it should heal fine"
Sai saw how lost Mei looked as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Mei are you o.k?"
Mei nodded as she stood up and went to exit the building.
She drove them to the school, she told Sai to take the rest of the week of but he insisted that he was fine and wanted to stay and help her out.
Mei stopped the car to let Sai get out, as he stepped out of the car her gave Mei a questioning look.
"I just have something I need to do Sai, please take care of everything until I get back"
Mei had no idea where she was going but she knew she had to keep moving. After 20 minutes of driving she found herself at Yuzu's office building. She turned the car off and looked up at the huge building. Mei felt as though her body was moving on its own and before she knew it she was in the elevator heading up to Yuzu's floor.
As the elevator door opened she was greeted by Yuzu's co-workers, they all gave her a warm smile as she made her way to Yuzu's office door.
She went to knock but before she could the door swung open.
"Ahhh Mei-san, how are you?" Kushna bowed as she greeted the raven haired woman.
"I'm well, thank you Kushna" Mei returned the gesture.
"If your looking for Yuzu, she still isn't in yet" Mei let out a small sigh as she looked the young woman in the eyes.
"Do you know when she will be in?" Mei spoke in her Chairwoman voice as she really wanted to see her blonde wife right this minute.
"No I don't, but I really need her here soon to sign her resignation papers"
Mei's eyes widened as she kept her eyes on Kushna as she spoke
"Resignation?" Kushna could hear the confusion in Mei's voice, she quickly covered her mouth as she went to speak.
"Oh no, I wasn't meant to say that, Yuzu wanted it to be a surprise for you"
Kushna quickly grabbed Mei's hands and gave her a pleading look as she spoke "Please dont tell Yuzu I told you"
-Ring-
Mei looked at her phone as the Academy came up on her I.D.
"Hello Ahiara speaking"
"Yes , Madam Chairwoman we need you at the school immediately"
Mei recognised the voice as the school nurse.
"Yes, whats the problem?"
Her mind was racing as different scenarios were going through her mind.
"Its Hiro Madam, it seems he got in a fight, he is in the nurse office right now b-"
Mei quickly cut the nurse off as she spoke "I'll be right there"
After hanging up the phone Mei turned her attention back to Kushna "Sorry there has been an incident at the Academy, i must go"
Mei made her way back down to the ground and drove back to the school.
As soon as the car was parked Mei walked as fast as she could to the nurses office.
"Hiro?"
As she opened the door she saw her son sitting on the bed with a small cut on the side of his cheek.
She inspected the cut before she spoke "What happened?"
Hiro looked straight into his mothers eyes with his bright and honest green eyes.
They are exactly as her wifes, it brought a smile to Meis face as she saw so much of Yuzu in their son.
She waited patiently for him to tell his story.
"Sorry Mommy but….."
Hiro then put his head down as he spoke in a low whisper "I heard Mr Suahi talking with Mr Uzumi, they were saying that you and Mama don't really love each other and that we will be separated soon"
Meis eyes started to water as she listened to her son. She reached out and lifted his head so that she could look him back in the eyes as he continued to speak.
"I couldn't stand hearing them talking about you 2 like that so I confronted them and…"
Hiro then placed his hand on his injured cheek as he kept his Mother in his gaze.
"They said that we should settle it like men and fight.
Mei felt rage take over her as she lent in and held her and Yuzu's son in a loving hug.
She pulled back and stood up as she made her way to the door.
"Mommy where are you going?" Mei held onto the door handle as she spoke.
"To sort this out, stay here" Meis voice was clear and authoritative.
TO BE CONTINUED….
Hi everyone, I hope you all enjoy this chapter, I think the next chapter will be the last one :(
I do have another Citrus Fanfic i'm thinking of writing. With citrus ending soon I hope that you will all continue to read my stories.
Thanks again and as usual Happy ready :)