"Ooof. That was good." One boy says as he pats his stomach as he lean back on his chair, happy with the meal.
"It's been so long since I had an omelette sandwich." Yoko says with a smile on her face.
"No one makes them like you do Zoro." Akihiro says looking at Zoro. The marimo just smiles. He'll take that as a compliment.
"I have to say, you have gotten faster and better at cooking." Mama points out.
"A friend taught me how to cook better." Zoro answers. Mama nods. Good thing he learned, it must have been for Megumi.
"So whose turn is it to clean the kitchen?" Mama aks the kids.
"I think Michael and Hoichael should clean up. They not only left us to do all the work they even mugged some kids." Yoko says frowning at the two older boys. Mama nods.
"Good point. Michael and Hoichael are going to be doing kitchen duties for a week."
"What!"
"For a week?"
"Make that two weeks." She says. That silences the up real quick. They sigh but get up and collect everyone's plates. Akihiro and another boy his age high fived each other. If Zoro and Sanji were to guess they'd say they were on dish duty. Yoko stands up.
"Thanks for the meal Zoro." She grabs Megumi's hand with a smile. "Come on." She says draggin Megumi to the backyard. The other boys following.
Leaving the kids to play, Zoro and Sanji follow mama into the living room to talk more. Now seem like a good time to tell her. Zoro and Sanji sit next to each other on the couch as she sat across, on the side on a recliner. "So anything interesting happening in your life?" She asks. Zoro looks at Sanji as the blonde looks at him.
"Well, we moved in with each other. I found my friends again. And we're getting married." Zoro says. Her jaw hit the floor at that.
"What?" She asks not believing it. She looks down to see a ring on Zoro's finger.
"Yeah. The wedding is in two months."
"And I'm just learning this now?" She asks, a little upset she was told so late, she crosses her arms over her chest.
"Actually, we got engaged three weeks ago." Zoro says.
"Oh, well congratulations." She gives them a smile. Zoro smiles back.
"Would you like to attend?" Sanji asks.
"What? Me?" She points to herself, not thinking she would be invited.
"Yes. Zoro needs someone to walk him down the aisle. Maybe you and the kids can come." Sanji says. Zoro didn't even think of that. Zoro looks at Mama and nods, he would like that.
"Wow. It's all very sudden." She says.
"That's fine, if you need time to think about it. We haven't sent the invitations out yet." Sanji says. Mama nods.
If she does attend with the kids she's got a lot to work on.
Zoro hugged mama before taking Megumi's hand. They said their last goodbyes then walked to the car. Waving some more and telling each other they will see them again soon. They all got into the car and Sanji drove off.
Mama and the others watched as the car went down the street, then disappeared around the corner. They stayed there in the dark for a while before finally getting back inside. All happy to have seen Zoro again, well almost all.
"Who was that?" One of the three younger ones finally asked. A year older than Megumi. Mama just smiled as the older kids laughed.
"You don't remember but when you first came here Zoro would take care of you. Change your diaper, feed you, put you to sleep, take you baths." Mama says.
"Really." The who asked blushed, to think some random person he's never meet before did that.
"Yes. All three of you were taken care of by him." She adds pointing at the other two. They all start to blush too.
"You aren't the only ones he took care of. He use to take care of all of us." Yoko says as they join together on the couch in the living room. "He use to do my hair. He wasn't the best but he tried hard to make me happy. I caught him learning how to do hair in secret." She gives the a big grin, warmed by the memory.
"It's because of him that we are all here together." Mama says. "So who wants to attend his wedding?" She looks at the older kids who do remember him.
"What, he's getting married!" Most of them shout shocked.
"To the man who was with him today." She adds.
"There was someone like that, wasn't there." One kid says vaguely remembering someone standing next to Zoro and Megumi.
"So?"
Megumi smiled, having had fun at the place. Megumi rubbed her eyes. She was tired. She let out a yawn. "Had fun you two." Sanji asks, watching Megumi and Zoro yawn at the same time.
"A lot of fun. But who were they?" Megumi asks, still not having a clue on who those people were.
"That's where mommy use to live." Sanji answers.
"From the story I told you." Zoro adds.
"Oh." Megumi says looking out the window. That made sense, that's why the lady knew Zoro. "You lived with all of them?" She asks.
"Yup. Even the boys your age. But they don't remember me." Zoro answers.
"Really?" Sanji asks, they were young, around Megumi's age so he thought they showed up after Zoro left.
"Yeah, they were babies when I was taking care of them. I left before they turned one though. Mama had some pictures of me holding them on the wall." Zoro says, remembering all those pictures on the walls he looked at. They made his childhood seem normal.
"Will we see them again?" She asks.
"Did you like them?" Sanji asks. Megumi nods.
"They were fun and nice." Megumi answers.
"Then we'll visit again." Zoro answers this time. He wanted to go back to. He wants to see Mama again. Also the others. Glad to see they haven't changed since the last time he saw them. They'll see them again, but he knows not that soon. They've still got the wedding to plan.
Zoro groans. Tomorrow is going to be filled with more wedding stuff.