Chapter Fifty-Seven
Kotoko admired her ring across the dining room table during breakfast. It might've been weeks since I'd given it to her, but it was like she'd gotten it only a moment ago.
My mother sat in her chair next to Kotoko, eating her breakfast in peace but eyeing me.
"Yes?" I said. She folded her hands together.
"What are your plans for today?" She grinned.
"I was planning on going to the bookstore to get the next volume of my medical books." I said. My mother averted her gaze to Kotoko.
"And you, Kotoko?"
She stopped eating and bit her lip, thinking, "No, I don't think I have any plans."
"I have to work today." Mr. Aihara said.
"And I was planning on going down to Pandai and…" My father began but, with a disapproving look from my mother, stopped himself.
"Cancel it." She said. My father squinted his eyes at her.
"What?"
"Why?" I said.
"Everyone, cancel your plans. We're doing something today as a family." My mother said.
"Where is this coming from?" My father asked, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose.
"We have somewhere to be. All of us." She finished the sentence with a wicked smile and I wondered what she was up to.
"It's the first I've heard of it." I said. She pursed her lips.
"That's because it's supposed to be a surprise." She said, "So, cancel your plans. We're doing something. Trust me, you'll like it." My mother crossed her arms, not about to be hearing any rebuttals.
"If you say so, honey. I suppose I could put it off until tomorrow." My father caved, and so did I. No point in arguing since it was only a trip to the bookstore.
"Fine." I said. She turned to Mr. Aihara who took a minute before answering.
"The restaurant will fare fine without me today." He agreed.
My mother clapped her hands together, "That settles it!" She zipped from her chair to the kitchen with her plate, "Hurry and eat so we can leave in an hour. And make sure you look good. We're going somewhere nice!"
Kotoko looked to me as if to ask if I knew what was going on, but I shook my head. Knowing my mother, though, it seemed like this surprise was important to her. That was all I had to go on.
A short while later, my mother called Kotoko over, having filled the bath for her. After that, she went about helping Yuuki and my father get ready to leave. I did well enough on my own before she buzzed up the stairs to be sure I had.
When Kotoko came out of the bathroom fully bathed, she came right for me.
"What do you think she's going to have us doing?" She said and watched my mother bumble through the house from the top of the stairs.
"I don't know. She's really hard to predict." I watched from behind her.
"I guess we won't know until we get there." Kotoko scrunched her face up in a twinge of nerves.
"It can't be anything too bad," I assured her, "I wouldn't worry about it."
We descended the stairs to meet my mother's eager glances.
"Are you ready to go?" She said as she seemed to try to hold back on her excitement levels.
"Yes, we are." Kotoko smiled.
"Great!" My mother swung the front door open, "Let's go." She said in English and skipped out into the driveway like a child on the way to a festival. Kotoko and I followed suit, her father, my father, and Yuuki right behind us.
The six of us began a walk straight into town, my mother humming to herself. Kotoko stumbled over a crack in the sidewalk and I caught her by the shoulder. It happened again a few moments later. This time, I couldn't stifle a laugh.
"Careful. Keep tripping and you won't make it there alive."
She sighed.
It was around this time that Yuuki began to complain, since my mother had had yet to tell us where we were going and we'd been walking for almost half an hour.
He made his way to the front of the group, "Mom, are we there yet?"
"Soon." She said.
"Why so early on a Sunday morning?" My father said from the back.
"Will you at least tell us where we're going?" I asked in one final attempt. She faced me directly.
"To a wedding." The way she said it and the way she looked at me rubbed me the wrong way. I had a thought.
Oh, God.
Still, I said nothing and hoped that I was wrong. But there was something about all this, and it seemed like something my mother might do. I brushed it off and told myself I'd misinterpreted it.
My mother stopped dead in her tracks and pointed to a church across the street, "We're here!"
She led us to the entrance and blew the church doors open with a huge grin. I found myself facing Kotoko's two friends.
My mother danced over to where Kotoko stood admiring the inside of the church and took her by the hands, "This way," She brought her to her friends, "Now, go get ready. Everyone will be here soon."
"Wait, ready for what?" Kotoko said, as bewildered as she could have been. But, more than just bewildered, I was annoyed.
"Your wedding, of course." My mother started down the aisles, placing flowers and decorations.
"My wedding?" Kotoko's eyes rounded like saucers and her friends proceeded to lead her away.
"Mom…" I said, "How come we were never toldabout this?"
"Oh, don't be angry. It was supposed to be a nice surprise. I know how nervous I got the night before my wedding, and I couldn't help thinking it would be nice if you two didn't have to go through that," She stopped arranging, "You go get ready, too. I have a suit ready for you in one of the back rooms. Go on." She shooed me away. I took to the hall she directed me down and found a partially open door at the end of it. Sure enough, there hung a suit on the window. I took an irritated breath, feeling rushed and in the dark about this whole wedding.
I brought the suit down off the window and dressed in it. While I still wasn't very happy with this situation, my own nervousness distracted me. I was so unprepared for this.
I opened the window and sat on the couch at the far end of the room. There was a knock at the door, to which I said, "Come in."
My father entered and shut the door behind him.
"How are you doing?" He joined me on the couch, "Nervous?"
"No." I said.
"That's good. Your mother says she only invited a select group of close friends and family members." He rubbed his hands together.
"It's funny how the guests knew about it before the actual bride and groom." I said, careful to try to not work myself up.
"Your mother means no harm. I hope you know that." My father patted my shoulder with a firm grip.
"Yeah." Matter of fact, I did know that. I could see that her reasoning for not telling anyone had us in mind, but it would've been nicer to have known, to be ready.
"Almost everyone is here now and the priest is waiting. You should get out there." He stood and opened the door for me.
"I'll be right there."
I gathered my thoughts alone for another minute, putting myself in a better frame of mind, and wandered back out into the main part of the church where twenty to thirty people sat waiting and a priest up at the altar. I glanced around at the faces on my way up, figuring out who was here.
To my total surprise, Kinnosuke sat perfectly still with his arms crossed beside Jinko. He could've looked happier, but that he was here meant he'd made progress and Kotoko could possibly stop feeling so badly.
Catching my look, he nodded his head once at me, his way of approval. A couple of seats ahead of him sat Watanabe who held a smirk that said he told me so.
When I arrived at my place before the altar, my mother with her camera in hand, a series of flashes blinded me and she beamed from behind the lens. It intensified my displeasure. Across the room, she motioned for me to smile.
The church doors opened to reveal Kotoko in her wedding gown, a veil over her face, and shrouded in morning light. She was beautiful. Everyone in their seats stood, and I myself stood taller. My previous vexation made itself seldom.
On her father's arm, they bowed at the entrance and came forward down the middle of the church. He gave her over to me with watery eyes. She clung to my arm as we made the rest of the way down the aisle.
"I can't believe we weren't told about this," I said as we were almost there, "But since you look so beautiful, I'll let it go."
Kotoko smiled at the floor.
At the altar, the priest cleared his throat, "Friends, we have joined here today with Naoki and Kotoko to share with them this most joyous moment. If any person can show just cause why they may not be joined together, let them speak now or forever hold their peace." He held for a moment, "Then we shall continue."
"You will respect, comfort, and help each other. You will remain faithful to your principals and be good to each other for better or for worse. Naoki, do you take this woman as your bride?"
"I do." I said. Kotoko's smile became wider.
"And Kotoko, do you take this man as your groom?"
"I do." She said and admired me through her veil.
The priest brought forward a pillow with two rings laid on it, "Now you may exchange rings, a declaration of your loyalty to each other."
We slipped the rings onto each other's fingers in the finality of this ceremony.
"I now pronounce you husband and wife. Groom, you may now lift your bride's veil."
I lifted the veil over her head slowly and swept the train behind her shoulders. Kotoko giggled.
"You loved me from a while ago, didn't you?" She whispered.
I almost felt my soul leave my body, "What?" She giggled again, "Are you getting carried away again?"
"I heard about the second time you kissed me. Yuuki told me." She said. This time I actually felt my soul leave my body.
I turned to shoot a look at my younger brother, "That Yuuki…"
When I turned back, she sprung herself forward and pressed her lips into mine, surprising me. I kissed back. When she pulled away and grinned up at me, I smiled back. Our lives would begin now.
A/N: And that's the end of part one. So commences my break, as I'm focusing on writing my book now. I don't know how long it'll be until I pick up for part two, but I hope you've enjoyed. ;D
