Disclaimer: Enjoy! This chapter has some more humor in it.
The kitchen is big enough for the island to set dead center. The cabinets are contemporary and stained with a medium color. The appliances are stainless steel as Kenji had been adamant that Ikuko have the best. Very little had to do with the fact he once burnt eggs and set the fire alarm off in the process. Ikuko had not been happy to wake up at 6:30 am. The walls are covered half in white paneling and dark green wallpaper, almost teal. There are also two entries into the kitchen, one leads to the main hallway and the other is behind the kitchen and leads to a formal dining room.
"He is certified douche." Rei bluntly states before shoving a bite of french toast in her mouth. "Why the hell would he try saying you're delusional? You know what you saw!"
Rei handled preparing the french toast while Ami put on some coffee. Usagi just sits on a stool at the island in the middle of the kitchen, watching them. She attempted to help but Ami assured her they had everything under control.
Usagi had never been the greatest cook, needless to say the girls don't believe a word when Usagi says she can cook and start a pot of coffee.
"I should've listened to you two when you said he was trouble." Usagi says admitting she had been wrong all along. Rei and Ami look at here then at each other. Usagi watches them and narrows her eyes on them. "What is it?"
"Mamoru isn't all that bad, Usagi. I've worked with him for a little over a year at the hospital. He's really good at his job and extremely good with patients."
Usagi frowns at Ami, "So, I'm supposed to forgive him because he is good at his job?"
"We didn't really hang out with him back in high school. Do you think there may be more to it?" Ami hesitantly suggests, sipping her coffee. Rei finishes up her plate of food and listens to them.
"No, I think he's an asshole. He always picked on me. You both witnessed it." Usagi points out as she shoves another bite of food in her mouth.
"We did. Don't you remember that Anne stopped following him after that night?"
"I stopped paying attention, Rei." Usagi answers as she lays her fork down. "I saw enough of them that night to last me a lifetime. Why are you suddenly taking up for him, Rei?"
Rei purses her lips together and looks to Ami. They share a look which doesn't go unnoticed by Usagi who is becoming increasingly nervous. What aren't they telling her. After a minute, Rei finally looks back at Usagi and starts to speak, " Once it became clear that you cut us off, we talked to Mamoru. We hung out with him several times and he explained it to us."
Usagi feels her temperature drop and her eyebrows knit together. Bile rises in her throat at Rei's admission. They got mad at her for cutting them off but discussed the whole incident with the enemy? "You what?!"
"We didn't think you were ever coming back." Ami says, aware of Usagi's demeanor changing rapidly. "We were mad at him, but his explanation made sense." Ami picks the plates up from the table and walks over to the kitchen sink and turns on the water, allowing the sink to fill with warm water and she adds soap.
Usagi hangs her head and slumps her shoulders. "I know what I saw. I'm sorry you guys. I didn't want to ignore either of you, but he would have asked questions if you knew anything about what was happening."
"He did ask us, so I suppose you weren't wrong about that." Rei leans back on the chair and looks apologetically to Usagi, "I'm sorry."
"You have nothing to be sorry for. Just don't expect me to talk to him."
The front door squeaks, causing them to jerk around and look toward the main hall as they hear someone walk in. Ikuko appears in the doorframe and she smiles warmly at them. "You're awake. I see you all had breakfast already."
"Yes, mama. How is dad?" Usagi asks hopefully.
"He woke up and the doctor will evaluate him in a few hours. He fell back asleep, he's cranky. He should be able to come home before dinner." Ikuko giggles at her husband's antics as she hangs her coat on the coat rack. "Also, I invited Mamoru for dinner tomorrow evening. You went to school with him, didn't you?"
The world begins spinning around her. Mamoru Chiba in her childhood home? Usagi's breathing suddenly becomes hitched in her throat as she stares at her mother, inwardly asking, 'how could you do this to me?' Why would she think that's a good idea? She looks to Rei and Ami who both shrug their shoulders before turning back to her mother.
"Is something wrong about inviting him?" Ikuko picks up on the change of attitude in the kitchen, she used to be a young woman once. She walks over to the table and sits opposite of Usagi looking at her with worry. "Did he do something, Usagi?"
How does she tell her mother about it? She never kept secrets from her. Ikuko had always been on her side, in her own way. "How well do you actually know Mamoru?"
"He worked for your father for the longest time until a few days after you left for college. He's always been kind to us. Your father gave him the reference he needed for medical school. You'd know all this if you hadn't stopped visiting your father at work."
"I got busy." Usagi says flatly, although she did find it interesting that he stopped working for her father after she left for college. It was another factoid she didn't want to dig into any deeper. "Mamoru and I were not friends in high school, mama."
"Funny, he had the highest regard for you." Ikuko tells her. "Why didn't you ever go after Mamoru? He's certainly a fine man, Usagi."
Usagi frowns hearing as she listens. Ikuko has lost her marbles. Go after him? She did and it backfired! It didn't sound like Mamoru was telling her parents the truth. He left a lot out probably to stay on her father's good side. If Kenji knew what nickname he had given her, he would be after him.
"I never noticed him, mama." Usagi lies, causing Rei and Ami to roll their eyes knowingly. Ikuko didn't see it but kept studying her daughter carefully. "Honestly, it never crossed my mind. Don't you meddle in my love life."
"I didn't plan on it, Usagi but honestly, I want grandchildren." Ikuko sighs as she stands and walks back out toward the staircase, "That cot wasn't comfortable, I'm going to shower and nap for awhile. Again, thank you girls for keeping Usagi company."
As she leaves them and they hear her bedroom door close, Rei loses it. She throws her head back and chuckles while crying. Ami manages to hold the laughter in by fake coughing. Usagi's frown deepens and she shakes her head.
"You're all hopeless. I'm not telling my mom about high school. Nor am I going to ask Mamoru for his sperm just to give her grandchildren."
"I don't believe she expects you to just show up at the hospital with a specimen cup." Rei says between fits of laughter.
"She wants you to ask him in a particular way to make a deposit in your bank." Ami says quietly as she attempts to cover her laughter with coughing.
"You're disgusting." Usagi groans and rolls her eyes.