"Are you ready to go to the beach?" Ryou and Ichigo asked once they were set up and changed into their swimsuits.
"Yeah!" Mai happily exclaimed, bouncing up and down.
"I'm ready." Kai calmly answered.
Sakura stood there, smiling while Shintaro just watched everyone.
"Well, let's go then." Ichigo instructed as Ryou picked Mai up as Kai went rushing downstairs.
"Kai, wait by the door; do not go out on your own!" Ryou called, walking downstairs with everyone else behind him.
"Ok!" Kai called back, waiting at the bottom of the stairs.
Five Minutes Later:
Ryou set Mai down; she immediately ran to the water. However, as soon as the water hit her legs, she turned right back around and ran back to Ryou.
"Daddy, it's cold!" Mai cried, tripping and falling in front of Ryou's legs.
If it weren't for the fact that she was sitting on her knees, looking up at him without any tears, Ryou would've asked if she were ok.
"Yeah? Do you want to try to get used to it?" Ryou asked, kneeling in front of her.
"Umm… Ok." Mai replied, unsure, looking back at the water.
"Come on; I'll take you." Ryou told Mai, picking her up; he carried her to the water.
"Kai?" Ichigo asked, looking at Kai.
"Sure." Kai replied, raising his hands in the air.
"Yay!" Ichigo happily exclaimed, picking Kai up before running to the water.
"Ahhh! This water is freaking cold!" Kai yelled as Ichigo held onto him.
"Daddy!" Mai cried, holding onto Ryou.
"I know. But you'll get used to it." Ryou promised, rubbing her back.
"How are they doing?" Sakura asked, walking into the water with Shintaro right behind her.
"Is cold…" Mai spoke up, shivering.
"It's freezing!" Kai complained.
"You'll survive." Shintaro stated, looking at Kai.
After about five minutes of swimming, the water had warmed up a little and Kai and Mai were enjoying swimming around.
Even though they could swim decently, Ryou, Ichigo, Sakura, Shintaro, stayed close to Kai and Mai just in case.
Half an Hour Later:
"Daddy, look what I can do." Mai happily announced before she dunked herself under the water and then popped up.
"That's amazing, Baby." Ryou praised Mai with a smile while Ichigo watched Kai.
"Can we go inside now?" Kai asked, becoming bored.
"No! I wanna swim more!" Mai cried, having one of her rare outbursts.
"Mai, calm down; we still have two days to swim. Besides, it looks like it's going to rain. It's time to get out." Ryou firmly told Mai.
"Ok… Sorry…" Mai mumbled, looking at the water.
"We'll swim again, I promise." Ryou promised as they began to swim to shore.
As soon as they got out of the water, it started raining—hard.
"It looks like it's going to storm." Sakura noted as they made their way back to the beach house.
"Indeed." Shintaro plainly agreed.
"Daddy!" Mai cried, hiding her face in his shoulder.
"It's ok, Baby; we're almost home." Ryou gently told Mai, holding onto her.
Once inside, Ryou handed Mai to Ichigo before getting clothes for her and Kai while Ichigo bathed them.
Two Hours Later:
Kai and Mai just went down for their nap. Good thing too. Neither one of them like storms, and it had just started storming.
"What are we doing for dinner?" Ichigo asked, looking at Ryou.
"I was going to go out and get dinner at that small Pizza restaurant up the road. I'm going to place an order in about an hour and then pick it up in an hour and a half." Ryou responded.
"Can I go with?" Sakura asked right away.
"Sure." Ryou calmly replied but was wondering why.
"Do we get a say in what we get?" Shintaro asked, sitting down to watch the news.
"Of course. I've already asked the twins what they wanted: Mai wants Chicken Alfredo pasta with breadsticks and cheese sauce. Kai wants meat lover's pizza with cheese stuffed crust and cheese bread. What would you all like?" Ryou answered and then asked, getting his pen and paper.
"Meat lovers supreme with garlic bread." Shintaro spoke up first.
"I'd like a cheese pizza with extra cheese and olives." Sakura politely answered.
"Can I get meaty marinara pasta with breadsticks and cheese sauce?" Ichigo asked, looking at Ryou.
"Of course." Ryou replied with a smile, writing everything down.
"What are you getting?" Ichigo and Sakura asked.
"I'm getting a sausage pizza with extra cheese, olives, and onions." Ryou answered, setting his pad on the counter.
"Yuck… Onions." Ichigo replied, sticking her tongue out.
"Now, I know where Mai gets that from; she hates onions. Same with cheese sauce; you both love that stuff." Ryou stated, looking at Ichigo.
"Cheese sauce is amazing—especially with breadsticks, nachos, and pretzels." Ichigo stated, teasing Ryou.
"Nachos, yes. Breadsticks with marinara sauce, and pretzels with mustered." Ryou playfully argued, causing Ichigo to stick her tongue out again.
"I'll give you marinara sauce, but not mustered." Ichigo replied, going to sit in a chair.
Just then, lightning flashed across the sky and thunder was heard ten seconds later.
"It's a good thing the twins are asleep; they don't seem to like storms." Sakura stated, listening to the weather outside.
"No, they do not." Ichigo replied, making a face.
"And Kai knows exactly what thunder and lightning are." Ryou sighed.
"Well, they are still just kids." Sakura told Ryou with a smile.
"Yes, this is true." Ryou replied with a slight smile.
An Hour & A Half Later:
"Ok, we'll be back." Ryou informed Ichigo and Shintaro as he and Sakura left, just seconds before Mai came scooting down the stairs on her butt—Kai right behind her.
"Where are Daddy and Gramma going?" Mai asked, rubbing her eyes, sitting on the bottom step.
"They went to get dinner, Sweetie." Ichigo answered, going to pick Mai up.
"What about us?" Mai asked, confused, causing Kai to shake his head.
"Kai…" Ichigo warned, giving Kai that look.
"Sorry…" Kai apologized.
"They went to pick up dinner for all of us; they'll be back with food for everyone." Ichigo explained to Mai.
"Ok." Mai softly replied, laying her head on Ichigo's shoulder when a clash of thunder clash went off.
"What are you watching?" Kai asked Shintaro, noticing the TV was on a commercial.
"I'm watching a fishing show." Shintaro answered in a bored tone of voice.
"If you don't like it, why watch it?" Kai asked, confused.
"There's not a lot on right now; there are only a few channels available due to the storm. And the news is over." Shintaro calmly answered, looking at Kai.
"Do you want to go see Grandpa?" Ichigo asked, walking over to her father.
"Where are you going, Mommy?" Mai asked, looking back at Ichigo while Shintaro took her.
"I'm just going to step outside for a few minutes." Ichigo calmly answered.
"Mommy, no!" Mai hysterically cried, panicking.
"Are you crazy?" Kai asked in shock.
"I'll be fine; I'm just going to stand on the porch, under the roof. I'll be right back." Ichigo calmly replied.
"Mommy!" Mai cried again.
"Just go; I've got them." Shintaro instructed, holding onto Mai.
"Thanks." Ichigo thanked her dad, getting her shoes on before going outside.
With Ryou & Sakura:
"So, why did you want to come along?" Ryou questioned after about ten minutes of awkward silence.
"I just needed to get away from Shintaro for a little while." Sakura admitted.
"Are you two ok?" Ryou asked, concerned.
"We will be. He lost his job a few weeks ago. At first, it was just supposed to be a few days—but then they called and told him they didn't need him as they could use computers for what he did—whatever that was. I tried to be understanding of what he was going through. And at first I was." Sakura started explaining.
"But?" Ryou asked, listening to her.
"He hasn't tried to find a new job, and I can't stand being around him all the time anymore. I love him, but he's driving me crazy." Sakura admitted as they waited for their food.
"Well, at least you still love him." Ryou calmly stated. However, deep down, he felt this wasn't going to end well.
"Yes. I just wish he'd get a job or something." Sakura sighed.
"Would you like to get a job or do something out of the house?" Ryou asked, looking at Sakura.
"Honestly, I love being a stay at home grandma, but I would love to get out and do something." Sakura answered.
"Shirogane, Ryou?!" One of the staff called with their food.
"Over here!" Ryou called, getting the person's attention.
"Here you go. Have a good night and stay dry." The server/deliverer was a teenaged guy around Ichigo's age.
"Thank you. You as well." Ryou replied, handing the kid a five dollar tip before he and Sakura left.
"You like to bake and sew; why not take classes?" Ryou suggested once they got in the van.
"I don't have that kind of money and I couldn't ask you for any; you've already done so much. Just allowing Ichigo and us to be part of the twins' lives. That's more than enough for us. Even if they weren't Ichigo's; you were going to allow her to adopt them. You have no idea of how much that means to Ichigo and us." Sakura sincerely and emotionally told Ryou.
"Nonsense. It's the least I can do with all the help that you've done for me, Ichigo, and the twins. I know: Ichigo is your daughter, and the twins are your grandchildren. But you're family to me as well. And I would do anything for my family. And I've said it before—and I'll keep saying it; Kai and Mai are just as much Ichigo's as they are mine." Ryou sincerely told Sakura.
"You're so sweet; I'll think about it." Sakura replied with a smile.
When they got back to the summer house, Ichigo was standing outside, under the awning, watching the rain and lightning.
"What are you doing out in this weather?!" Sakura called from the van.
"What?!" Ichigo called back, not understanding what her mom asked.
"She asked what you're doing out here." Ryou informed, walking over with the food; Sakura was right behind him.
"I just wanted to stand outside and watch the storm." Ichigo answered, taking some of the food.
"Ok. How is that going for you?" Sakura asked, smiling a little.
"Just fine." Ichigo replied before they heard screaming and crying.
"Now, that is enough! Mom's right out front and is just fine! Your dad and grandma will be back with food in just a little bit! Now, just calm down!" They heard Shintaro yell and Mai screaming and crying.
"What's going on in there?" Ryou asked, walking the door.
"I'm not sure. I mean, I know Mai wasn't happy when I came outside, but I would've figured she'd calm down by now." Ichigo answered just before Ryou opened the door.
"Daddy! Mommy! Gamma!" Mai cried from a stool in a corner while Kai sat on a different stool.
"Uh-oh…" Sakura sighed, looking from one child to the other before looking at her husband.
"What's going on? What happened here?" Ryou asked, setting food on the table along with Ichigo and Sakura.
"Ichigo wanted to go outside, but the kids were freaking out. I said I'd watch the kids; that's no problem. Kai eventually calmed down, but Mai wouldn't stop screaming, crying, or trying to run to the door to beg Ichigo come in. No matter how many times I told Ichigo would be fine and that you two would be home in a little bit. While I was dealing with her, Kai got up and disappeared; he went upstairs to get a stuffed animal for Mai. While I appreciate him wanting to help his sister; I didn't know where he was. So, he's on timeout. It's been ten minutes; he has five to go. And I just put her on timeout; she has fifteen minutes." Shintaro informed Ichigo.
"Mai… I told you I'd be fine. What do we do now?" Ichigo told Mai, kneeling in front of her before asking Ryou; she couldn't believe how scared she looked.
"They sit on timeout." Shintaro plainly stated.
"I was asking their father, Dad." Ichigo informed Shintaro, annoyed.
"Kai, you may come off timeout, but you need to apologize to Grandpa for going upstairs without asking or even telling him. Thank you for trying to help your sister, but when we're not home, we need to know where you are at all times. Mai, you may come out of timeout in seven minutes. I know trust is hard for you still, but you need to trust when we tell you we're going to be ok. Ok? Mommy was just standing on the porch; she never stepped off. Everything is just fine; we're all just fine. Do you need to use the bathroom?" Ryou answered Ichigo's question by letting Kai off and giving Mai a time limit. However, he noticed Mai rocking back and forth a little.
"No… I don't has to potty. I'm sorry." Mai softly answered and then apologized.
"Are you sure?" Ryou calmly but firmly asked; Mai just nodded her head.
"Ok… I'm going to help set the table for dinner then." Ryou sighed before standing up.
"Oh. And thank you for apologizing." Ryou told Mai with a gentle smile.
"Grandpa spanked Mai." Kai informed, causing Ichigo to swallow her gum and Sakura to spit her water into the kitchen sink out of shock.
Ryou just stood there, shocked; he was trying to go over in his head the reasons to spank a child—his child.
"Dad!" Ichigo exclaimed, bringing Ryou back to reality.
"What? There's nothing wrong with a spanking. Both my parents, and my grandparents spanked me growing up, and I turned out just fine. Growing up, I spanked you, and look how you turned out. A simple spanking ain't hurt nobody. Some kids need to be spanked." Shintaro insisted, watching his daughter.
"Oh, I remember your spankings—and Mom's. Sure, growing up I was a brat and deserved a spanking. However, your spankings were never just a spanking; they were never a swat on the butt. I will say, your spankings weren't as bad as Grandpa's, but still. If you needed help or whatever, you should've just come to get me. Come on, Sweetie." Ichigo lectured her dad before carefully picking Mai up.
"And what would that have done? All's that would've done—and what you're doing now, is teaching her that if she screams and cries, she'll get her way." Shintaro told his daughter.
"No, it wouldn't have! You would've come to get me, and I would've delt with it accordingly. She is my daughter, Dad. Mine, not yours! You don't just spank my or Ryou's children without letting one of us know—especially with what they've already been through with all the abuse! Yes, if either of them misbehave, they need a consequence. But if Ryou or I are here, that's up to us. I may not have been inside, but I was just outside!" Ichigo yelled at her dad, holding Mai close; she was going to continue, but was interrupted.
"Ichigo, I understand you're upset. But could you at least stop yelling in Mai's ears—and squeezing the life out of her?" Ryou asked, watching Ichigo.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, Mai! Come on; let's go see. I swear to God—if her butt has a bruise…" Ichigo apologized to Mai, panicking a little before growling at her dad.
Ten Minutes Later:
Ichigo came back downstairs with Mai in a pair of pajamas with bears on them.
"Any bruises?" Ryou asked, looking at Ichigo.
"No." Ichigo asked, a little calmer now.
"Ichigo, I'm sorry for spanking Mai behind your back." Shintaro apologized.
"Thank you. But never again." Ichigo informed.
"And Shintaro—you have to remember; Ichigo used to be the same way when she was their age." Sakura sternly stated.
"Yes, I know…" Shintaro sighed.
"Come on; it's time for dinner." Ryou insisted, changing the subject, picking Kai up to place him in his booster seat while Ichigo sat Mai in hers.
"Daddy, what did you get me?" Mai softly asked.
"I got you what you asked for: your Chicken Alfredo. And I got your brother his meat lovers pizza with cheese stuffed crust." Ryou answered, digging through bags to find Kai and Mai's food while Sakura and Shintaro sat down.
"What about breadsticks and cheese sauce?" Mai asked right away.
"And cheese bread?" Kai asked after Mai.
"I got those as well. Just relax." Ryou calmly instructed, looking through the boxes.
"Thank you, Daddy." Mai thanked as they waited.
"Thanks." Kai thanked.
"You're both welcome." Ryou replied, finally finding their food.
Half an Hour Later:
"They are going to be impossible to put to bed tonight. Between their late nap and how late they slept." Shintaro stated once they were all done eating.
"Yeah. But we did keep them out in the lake late." Ichigo calmly replied.
"They slept in the van as well." Shintaro stated, looking at Ichigo.
"Almost all kids sleep in moving vehicles; you know this. Ichigo always slept in the car when we traveled a long ways away." Sakura interjected, staring directly at her husband.
"Gramma, do you wanna play tea party?" Mai asked, looking at Sakura with her hand outstretched.
"I'd love to." Sakura happily obliged, taking Mai's hand.
"Hey Grandpa, fishing is back on." Kai informed, looking at Shintaro.
"Yes, I see." Shintaro noted, going to sit with Kai.
"Can we go fishing sometime?" Kai asked, looking from Shintaro to Ryou.
"I don't see why not." Ryou replied, looking at Kai.
"What about the girls?" Shintaro asked.
"Yucky; I don't wanna go fishing." Mai immediately gave her opinion, sticking her tongue out.
"We girls will spend that time together." Sakura and Ichigo suggested.
"Yay! Guys time!" Kai excitedly exclaimed.
"Mommy, Gramma, and me time!" Mai happily cried.
Ryou, Ichigo, and Sakura smiled warmly at the twins before watching TV and playing tea party. At the same time, Ichigo and Ryou snuck away to have their own private sexy time.
Five Hours Later: 11:05 PM:
"Well, they're finally out." Ryou and Ichigo sighed as they sat down.
"Do you think they'll sleep in?" Shintaro asked, looking at Ryou and Ichigo.
"Mai might. Kai on the other hand…" Ichigo answered, trailing off.
"Hopefully, it's nice weather tomorrow." Sakura spoke up, changing the subject; she could see her husband was going to complain about something.
"Yeah. Well, I'm going to head to bed. Night Mom, Dad, Ryou." Ichigo informed, getting up and kissed each of them on the cheeks before heading upstairs.
"Goodnight, Dear." Sakura replied with a smile.
"Night, Baby girl." Shintaro called, embarrassing Ichigo.
"I'll be right up." Ryou called after her.
"Night Ryou." Sakura and Shintaro told Ryou as he got up.
"Night." Ryou replied with a smile as he quickly went upstairs.
"Ok… What's going on?" Shintaro asked as soon as Ryou was upstairs.
"What do you mean?" Sakura asked, looking at Shintaro.
"Why do you keep avoiding me?" Shintaro straight out asked.
Sakura just sighed before answering him, "I love you, but I can't stand being around you 24/7 anymore. You need to get a job or something."
"Why should I have to get a job? Why should either of us have to get a job anymore? We're grandparents now; we should be retired. And we have a really nice house now. Granted, I really did love our last home. But now we're set." Shintaro gave his opinion, pissing Sakura off.
"We're not that old yet! I love Mai and Kai, and being a grandmother to them more than anything, but we shouldn't be yet. Those two are miracles and I'm glad they're both here, but we're not that old. We can both still work—or at least you can. I agreed to be a stay-at-home-mom and now a stay-at-home-grandma; I love it, I really do. But I can't be with you all the time anymore. Ryou offered me baking or sewing classes; I think I'm going to take him up on that offer. And as for the house: it's Ryou's and Ichigo's, not ours." Sakura snapped.
"Really, now? You really feel that way?" Shintaro questioned, looking at Sakura.
"I do." Sakura honestly answered, crossing her arms across her chest.
"I think we need a break. We'll work together to make this a good weekend for the kids. But when we get home, I'll get a hotel or something for a while. I'll grab my pillows and a blanket and sleep down here." Shintaro told his wife.
"Fine." Sakura agreed, annoyed as she went upstairs.
They were unaware that Ryou and Ichigo heard them fighting and that Ryou was now comforting a frustrated Ichigo…
