Chapter 5.
Things got much more hectic after Ranma found out she was having twins. Ranma was obsessively protective of herself, refusing to do much of anything; She would not even get out of bed for anything but doctor's appointments. No housework. No cooking. No shopping. This marked a short lived return to the old days of fights echoing throughout the neighborhood from morning until the wee hours of the night. And so it happened, about the fourth month of Ranma's pregnancy, that Akane took Ranma in to see a psychiatrist, later she'd wonder why she hadn't done this in the first place, musing that the pain to their income was much less than the pain to her throat, and the neighbors' complaining.
"I guess..." Ranma said, sighing fairly deeply, messing nervously with a button on her stretched maternity blouse. "I'm just worried about my babies. I'd die if anything happened, to them, you have to understand that."
The psychiatrist scribbled a few notes on his clipboard, stroked at his beard thoughtfully, then spoke up. "Mrs. Saotome... I applaud your devotion to your growing family, however, this is most definitely not healthy for you or your children. You need to be up, you need to be active. You have to live an even better life than you had been living before. How have your checkups been progressing?"
Ranma was blushing an embarrassed red at this point, thinking about that she could actually be doing the exact opposite of what she was intending. "Good, really... My doctor says that everything is going normally, I'm healthy, the babies are healthy." Ranma said, her voice lowering to a mere whisper at this point. "My marriage is in a little trouble though, over this... All I wanted was to protect... them... I didn't see what I was doing, I guess... Doc, what if something happens to me? Or to my babies? What then?" Ranma's eyes filled quickly with tears, her mind racing over all the "what if" scenarios that had played out in her mind.
"Ranma... May I call you that?" The doctor said, receiving a confirming nod before continuing, "There is risk in everyone's life, every day, surely you should know that from being a martial artist. You can't hide yourself away from all of this, it's only hurting you. If something happens to you or your children, you will deal with it as another part of life. A sad part, to be sure, but still a part. You have to make things right again with your wife. You need to get out of bed in the morning, and do the things you need to do in your day. It's not healthy, Ranma, to stay in bed all the time. Your body will weaken over time, and you need all of your strength for this pregnancy."
A visibly shaken Ranma laid on the expensive looking leather couch, tears streaming forth liberally from wide, pained eyes. "Doc... But... Akane... I've been such a stubborn ass... How am I ever going to make it up to her? I suppose.. I could just tell her, but with the way things have been, I don't know if she'd listen to me."
"You have to try, Ranma. It would hurt your children more than anything they could ever physically experience, if their parents were... Unhappy with each other for long periods of time." Saying this, the doctor carefully stayed away from the word "divorce", although this was certainly where it seemed to him that Ranma and Akane were headed, without serious repair. "I want you to start doing more things. Take it slow at first, only what you're comfortable with, but it has to be something. Every day I want you to do a little more, but if you start to feel overwhelmed, I don't think it would be a bad thing to take a day off every once in a while. Enjoy moving around while you still can, because trust me, in a few months' time, you'll be wishing you had the energy to do all the things you want." The doctor removed his glasses, breathing a puff of air on each lens, wiping them off soon after. "I suggest you have a long talk with your wife as well. Try not to over do it, and it's probably not a wise idea to shower her with gifts either, no matter how much you think, or thought, it would be a good idea."
Ranma put her head in her hands, laughing nervously as she said, "So, don't get her those flowers and candy, huh?"
The doctor smiled, and said, "I think that would probably be a nice gesture, but that in itself wont change anything, Ranma. You need to talk to her. Most of all though, you need to be up and active, not spending all day in bed."
"Sure... I-I think I can try that, Doc... I am going to take it slow, like you said, though." Ranma said, sitting up on the couch before slowly standing and moving over to the door, getting her purse from the coat hooks. "And I'll talk to Akane." Ranma walked out the door of the office, to the waiting room, where Akane was, very appropriately, waiting.
"You went over a little, Ranma, Talking about me?" Akane said, a hint of annoyance in her voice.
"N-No, Akane... Talking about me..." Ranma said, taking her wife into her arms, seeing that the waiting room was otherwise empty, and gave her a soft hug. "Akane... I'm so sorry for how I've been acting. I want to talk with you about this when we get home."
At this, Akane was broken from her annoyed mood sharply, nearly losing it as several tears formed in her eyes. "Sure, Ranma.. We can talk.. Let's just go home for now." She said.
The two of them had saved money for quite some time, and just recently became able to buy, and bought, a small car to get them around places. Akane found herself in the drivers' seat now, being that Ranma's swollen, pregnant, stomach prevented proper operation, besides Ranma's concerns for the children, in the event of a crash. The car was fairly old, and tended to be unreliable at times, but for now it was the best they had, and they were thankful. The two of them made their way out to the car, and as expected, Ranma got into the passenger side, Akane into the driver's. They both buckled their seatbelts, Ranma's taking a little more time than Akane's, then they were off. Halfway on the trip home, Ranma finally spoke up.
"We decided... That is, me and the Doc decided that I need to start... getting back to my life... I'm sorry, Akane... I've been so scared of what could happen that I wasn't even noticing what *was* happening. I was being really short sighted and selfish, Akane... Can you forgive a silly girl her insecurities?" Ranma said, smiling faintly, but with a certain sparkle to her eyes that lent sincerity to every word.
"Oh... Ranma..." Akane sniffled, not being able to take her eyes off the road, although still sensing the sincerity behind the words as she drove along. "Ranma... You really hurt me when you refused to do anything around the house, even when I tried to reassure you that nothing was going to happen. I... I... Of course I forgive you, but we still need to talk when we get home." The car continued on the route back to their house, taking only about fifteen minutes to reach the destination. After pulling into the driveway, shutting off the car, and helping Ranma out and into the house, Akane spoke up again. "Ranma... Why did it take a psychiatrist to make you see what I'd been telling you the whole time?"
"I... I'm not sure, Akane..." Ranma said, sitting down slowly onto the couch, blushing, embarrassed. "Akane, I'm going to start to... get out again. I think I'm going to go grocery shopping tomorrow. I have to take it slow so I can... make sure that I'm comfortable again. Can you support me with this, despite how I've acted? I know I was a little overboard... but I was just worried."
Akane sat down next to her husband, wrapping her arms around the shoulders of the rather large lady beside her, "Ranma... You silly... woman... Get your act together, huh?" A giggle slipped out as Akane said this, planting a romantic kiss on the lips of her partner. "Ranma... I didn't enjoy fighting so often... It reminded me of when we were still back at home. I didn't like it, Ranma, it was uncomfortable."
"It was uncomfortable for me too, Akane." Ranma said, smiling at the kiss. "This is much better though... I... Don't want to fight with you anymore, Akane. Tomorrow... I'm going to get out. No more laying in bed all day." Blushing brightly, Ranma looked into Akane's eyes. "I... wouldn't mind spending all night in bed though..."
"Oh... Ranma..." Akane said, blushing just as deeply. "W-What are you... Suggesting?"
Ranma simply smiled, rising, taking Akane's hand. "I'm suggesting... That my wife... Go with her husband... And spend the night together in each other's arms. Do you think that sounds like a good plan, dear?" She said.
"Yes. A very good idea, Ranma..." Akane looked down to hide her brilliant red blush, being lead into the bedroom to carry out Ranma's plans.
The two lay there for some time, entwined in each other's loving embrace, releasing all of their feelings about the way Ranma had been acting. They cried, hugged, kissed, and simply held each other, into the very late evening when finally the two of them gave in to exhaustion and simply fell asleep as they were, a tangled mass of femininity, clothed in warm pajamas, laying upon the top of the sheets and blankets.
In a matter of hours, as is the law of nature, sunbeams broke through the darkness and eventually pierced their way in through the curtains of the Saotome's bedroom, forcing open and stinging the eyes of the room's occupants. Akane would be the first to awaken, blushing lightly at the realization of the position she'd fallen asleep in. Akane nudged Ranma gently in the side, trying to wake her as well. "Ranma... Wake up... It's morning... I have to get ready for work..." Akane said, eyes half shut, voice wavering sleepily.
Ranma's eyes fluttered half open eventually, and she too blushed at the position they were in. "So... am I forgiven, dear?" Ranma said, with a grin.
Akane blushed deeper still, and swatted playfully at Ranma's shoulder. "You could say that... I suppose." Akane said, lovingly snuggling up to her husband again.
Ranma grinned a bit wider, placing a delicate kiss upon Akane's forehead. "With all we've been through... I knew we'd make it through this too, Akane. I suppose you have to be off to work though." Ranma sighed, wrapping her arms around her wife.
"Yeah... I wish I didn't have to." Akane said, reluctantly pulling herself away from Ranma, although not before kissing her back in the same way on the forehead. "You... Are going to go shopping today, aren't you, Ranma? We're in need of groceries..."
Ranma smiled, watching Akane move about the room in preparation for the day, taking special interest in when Akane undressed and moved to the shower. "Of course, Akane." Ranma shouted, over the running shower water.
Fifteen or so minutes passed, and Akane emerged from the bathroom, blue towel wrapped rather tightly around her slender form. "That's what I'd thought, Ranma, and I sincerely hope you actually do get up and do it... I'd hate to have to yell at you following our... romantic evening last night.." Akane said, a hint of disappointed hopefulness in her voice.
"I will, Akane. Trust me, please..." Ranma said, looking down to see the clothes she'd had on the day before. "Suppose I need to get cleaned up too, hmm, What a chore. I'm getting somewhat large for this." She wandered into the bathroom, taking off her clothes and stepping into the shower. As she did, Akane peeked her head in to blow a kiss and say goodbye.
"Goodbye, Dear, I'll probably be home at the usual time, and I might even get to come home for lunch.' Akane said, blowing a kiss to the nearly naked figure who was stepping into the shower.
"Bye, Akane... I love you." Ranma said, turning on the water as Akane left, shutting the door behind her. Ranma then turned her attentions to washing the rather grown form she saw before her. "I'm huge..." She said, taking the shampoo into her hands, squirting a little on her head, and working it around, before rinsing and repeating, oddly accurate to the directions. Next, she took the soap and a washcloth, carefully washing off her swelling pregnant belly, along with her chest, arms, legs, and any other miscellanious part she may have missed. Afterwards, she carefully stepped out and dried herself off, going back into the bedroom and getting dressed again, plain cotton underclothes followed by a baggy, elastic waisted, maternity dress. "Very cute, Ranma." She said, in a very mocking tone. Ranma then slipped on her shoes, grabbed her purse, and headed out the door, slowly, to go grocery shopping.
As she walked along the small distance to the grocery store, a beautiful woman peeked out of a shop. This woman was none other than Ukyou, but it would take Ranma a few seconds to realize it, even with Ukyou's calling to him. "Ranma! Hey, Ranma!" She said.
Ranma blinked a few times, then smiled, calling back, "Oh, Hey, Ukyou. Guess I didn't recognize you. New hairstyle? New wardrobe? What is it, huh?"
Ukyou blushed a bit, only serving to further accent her new looks. "Both." She said, giggling some. "I have to get ready for my wedding, you know. You want to meet him, Ranma?"
"Nah... Don't want to break up the wedding, you know how guys get around me, Ukyou." Ranma said, smirking.
"Oh, get your butt in here..." Ukyou said, giggling more, dragging Ranma into the store by the hand. "There he is, isn't he just absolutely gorgeous?" Ukyou said.
"Yeah, Gorgeous." Ranma said, laughing, looking over the man Ukyou was pointing to, perhaps more as a female even than her usual cursed personality would have.
"Oh, you're just married, that's your problem. You can't see how beautiful my future husband is." Ukyou said.
"Sure, that's it. Or i'm really a guy." Ranma smirked and hugged Ukyou briefly, kissing her cheek lightly, saying, "I've got to be getting to the grocery store, it sure was nice running into you though. Maybe... I could help with some of the wedding preparations, if you needed me to."
"All i need to know," Ukyou said, "Is if i should put you down for a bridesmaid gown or a tuxedo, Ranma."
Ranma blushed a cute shade of pink, to which Ukyou giggled rather loudly. Ranma responded softly, "It... Depends on the dresses."
"You are *such* a girl." Ukyou smiled, teasing her a little. "Better go on to the grocery store though. We can dress shop another day. I'll give you a call, ok?"
"Ok." Ranma said, smiling faintly as she walked back to the sidewalk. She continued on to the grocery store without further incident, although when she got there, several people called out their greetings to her.
"Nice to see you today, Mrs. Saotome." The produce manager called out, as Ranma was picking out her vegetables and fruits.
"Good Morning, Mrs. Saotome, How're the little ones?" Said the kind older woman behind the bakery counter, as Ranma picked out a fresh loaf of bread, before her eyes fell on a cheese danish.
"Oh, they're doing great." Ranma smiled, looking hungrily at the danish in front of her. "Mmm.. You know what would be great with this? Chocolate chips. And raspberry sauce..."
The clerk giggled, overhearing, assuming that Ranma was going through the period in her pregnancy that often produced cravings. "How're you doing with the cravings, Mrs. Saotome?" The clerk said.
Ranma blushed, realizing she'd been talking outloud. "Pretty good, actually. They're not usually bad. I do need to get a few of those danish though. They're really calling to me." Ranma said, giggling a little towards the end.
"Here," The clerk said, sprinkling some chocolate chips, and drizzling some raspberry syrup from the cake decorating supplies behind the counter. "Have a good day, Mrs. Saotome, tell Akane I said hello."
"Sure. You have a good day too, alright?" Ranma said, taking the danish, and moving on to the meat department.
"Good morning, Ma'am." The rather stocky butcher said, standing behind the meat counter. "What can I get for you today?"
Ranma smiled, not noticing that her cheeks tinted pink at being called 'ma'am'. She then went through her mental list, telling each item to the butcher, and getting the white paper wrapped packages, placing them in her cart. Ranma took about another hour going through the various aisles, picking up the rest of the groceries she needed, or suddenly got cravings for. As she stood in the checkout line, a wave of relief washed over her, seeing that nothing had happened besides a bunch of people being amazingly nice to her. She got checked out, and payed for her groceries. A young bagboy put her sacked-up groceries into a cart with one notable, chocolate and raspberry covered, exception, and followed her home.
As she was walking home, Ranma smiled to herself, thinking over how it had actually felt good to get so much attention, the kind of attention one tends to miss when lying in bed all day. Leisurely, Ranma completed her walk home, opened the door, and slipped inside, plopping down on the couch, exhausted, as the grocery boy carried the bags in.
"Man... I'm really tired." Ranma said, looking down at her stomach. "You know, kids, your mom is usually very energetic. Carrying around you two must just eat her strength though. Speaking of eating...." Ranma opened the bag that contained the danish, and in a few moments, it had vanished. She reflected on her day, and smiled, even if it was a bit tiring, she'd gotten out, and she would be getting called by Ukyou later to go shopping. The day had been good so far, there was no reason why it wouldn't continue to get better.
Things got much more hectic after Ranma found out she was having twins. Ranma was obsessively protective of herself, refusing to do much of anything; She would not even get out of bed for anything but doctor's appointments. No housework. No cooking. No shopping. This marked a short lived return to the old days of fights echoing throughout the neighborhood from morning until the wee hours of the night. And so it happened, about the fourth month of Ranma's pregnancy, that Akane took Ranma in to see a psychiatrist, later she'd wonder why she hadn't done this in the first place, musing that the pain to their income was much less than the pain to her throat, and the neighbors' complaining.
"I guess..." Ranma said, sighing fairly deeply, messing nervously with a button on her stretched maternity blouse. "I'm just worried about my babies. I'd die if anything happened, to them, you have to understand that."
The psychiatrist scribbled a few notes on his clipboard, stroked at his beard thoughtfully, then spoke up. "Mrs. Saotome... I applaud your devotion to your growing family, however, this is most definitely not healthy for you or your children. You need to be up, you need to be active. You have to live an even better life than you had been living before. How have your checkups been progressing?"
Ranma was blushing an embarrassed red at this point, thinking about that she could actually be doing the exact opposite of what she was intending. "Good, really... My doctor says that everything is going normally, I'm healthy, the babies are healthy." Ranma said, her voice lowering to a mere whisper at this point. "My marriage is in a little trouble though, over this... All I wanted was to protect... them... I didn't see what I was doing, I guess... Doc, what if something happens to me? Or to my babies? What then?" Ranma's eyes filled quickly with tears, her mind racing over all the "what if" scenarios that had played out in her mind.
"Ranma... May I call you that?" The doctor said, receiving a confirming nod before continuing, "There is risk in everyone's life, every day, surely you should know that from being a martial artist. You can't hide yourself away from all of this, it's only hurting you. If something happens to you or your children, you will deal with it as another part of life. A sad part, to be sure, but still a part. You have to make things right again with your wife. You need to get out of bed in the morning, and do the things you need to do in your day. It's not healthy, Ranma, to stay in bed all the time. Your body will weaken over time, and you need all of your strength for this pregnancy."
A visibly shaken Ranma laid on the expensive looking leather couch, tears streaming forth liberally from wide, pained eyes. "Doc... But... Akane... I've been such a stubborn ass... How am I ever going to make it up to her? I suppose.. I could just tell her, but with the way things have been, I don't know if she'd listen to me."
"You have to try, Ranma. It would hurt your children more than anything they could ever physically experience, if their parents were... Unhappy with each other for long periods of time." Saying this, the doctor carefully stayed away from the word "divorce", although this was certainly where it seemed to him that Ranma and Akane were headed, without serious repair. "I want you to start doing more things. Take it slow at first, only what you're comfortable with, but it has to be something. Every day I want you to do a little more, but if you start to feel overwhelmed, I don't think it would be a bad thing to take a day off every once in a while. Enjoy moving around while you still can, because trust me, in a few months' time, you'll be wishing you had the energy to do all the things you want." The doctor removed his glasses, breathing a puff of air on each lens, wiping them off soon after. "I suggest you have a long talk with your wife as well. Try not to over do it, and it's probably not a wise idea to shower her with gifts either, no matter how much you think, or thought, it would be a good idea."
Ranma put her head in her hands, laughing nervously as she said, "So, don't get her those flowers and candy, huh?"
The doctor smiled, and said, "I think that would probably be a nice gesture, but that in itself wont change anything, Ranma. You need to talk to her. Most of all though, you need to be up and active, not spending all day in bed."
"Sure... I-I think I can try that, Doc... I am going to take it slow, like you said, though." Ranma said, sitting up on the couch before slowly standing and moving over to the door, getting her purse from the coat hooks. "And I'll talk to Akane." Ranma walked out the door of the office, to the waiting room, where Akane was, very appropriately, waiting.
"You went over a little, Ranma, Talking about me?" Akane said, a hint of annoyance in her voice.
"N-No, Akane... Talking about me..." Ranma said, taking her wife into her arms, seeing that the waiting room was otherwise empty, and gave her a soft hug. "Akane... I'm so sorry for how I've been acting. I want to talk with you about this when we get home."
At this, Akane was broken from her annoyed mood sharply, nearly losing it as several tears formed in her eyes. "Sure, Ranma.. We can talk.. Let's just go home for now." She said.
The two of them had saved money for quite some time, and just recently became able to buy, and bought, a small car to get them around places. Akane found herself in the drivers' seat now, being that Ranma's swollen, pregnant, stomach prevented proper operation, besides Ranma's concerns for the children, in the event of a crash. The car was fairly old, and tended to be unreliable at times, but for now it was the best they had, and they were thankful. The two of them made their way out to the car, and as expected, Ranma got into the passenger side, Akane into the driver's. They both buckled their seatbelts, Ranma's taking a little more time than Akane's, then they were off. Halfway on the trip home, Ranma finally spoke up.
"We decided... That is, me and the Doc decided that I need to start... getting back to my life... I'm sorry, Akane... I've been so scared of what could happen that I wasn't even noticing what *was* happening. I was being really short sighted and selfish, Akane... Can you forgive a silly girl her insecurities?" Ranma said, smiling faintly, but with a certain sparkle to her eyes that lent sincerity to every word.
"Oh... Ranma..." Akane sniffled, not being able to take her eyes off the road, although still sensing the sincerity behind the words as she drove along. "Ranma... You really hurt me when you refused to do anything around the house, even when I tried to reassure you that nothing was going to happen. I... I... Of course I forgive you, but we still need to talk when we get home." The car continued on the route back to their house, taking only about fifteen minutes to reach the destination. After pulling into the driveway, shutting off the car, and helping Ranma out and into the house, Akane spoke up again. "Ranma... Why did it take a psychiatrist to make you see what I'd been telling you the whole time?"
"I... I'm not sure, Akane..." Ranma said, sitting down slowly onto the couch, blushing, embarrassed. "Akane, I'm going to start to... get out again. I think I'm going to go grocery shopping tomorrow. I have to take it slow so I can... make sure that I'm comfortable again. Can you support me with this, despite how I've acted? I know I was a little overboard... but I was just worried."
Akane sat down next to her husband, wrapping her arms around the shoulders of the rather large lady beside her, "Ranma... You silly... woman... Get your act together, huh?" A giggle slipped out as Akane said this, planting a romantic kiss on the lips of her partner. "Ranma... I didn't enjoy fighting so often... It reminded me of when we were still back at home. I didn't like it, Ranma, it was uncomfortable."
"It was uncomfortable for me too, Akane." Ranma said, smiling at the kiss. "This is much better though... I... Don't want to fight with you anymore, Akane. Tomorrow... I'm going to get out. No more laying in bed all day." Blushing brightly, Ranma looked into Akane's eyes. "I... wouldn't mind spending all night in bed though..."
"Oh... Ranma..." Akane said, blushing just as deeply. "W-What are you... Suggesting?"
Ranma simply smiled, rising, taking Akane's hand. "I'm suggesting... That my wife... Go with her husband... And spend the night together in each other's arms. Do you think that sounds like a good plan, dear?" She said.
"Yes. A very good idea, Ranma..." Akane looked down to hide her brilliant red blush, being lead into the bedroom to carry out Ranma's plans.
The two lay there for some time, entwined in each other's loving embrace, releasing all of their feelings about the way Ranma had been acting. They cried, hugged, kissed, and simply held each other, into the very late evening when finally the two of them gave in to exhaustion and simply fell asleep as they were, a tangled mass of femininity, clothed in warm pajamas, laying upon the top of the sheets and blankets.
In a matter of hours, as is the law of nature, sunbeams broke through the darkness and eventually pierced their way in through the curtains of the Saotome's bedroom, forcing open and stinging the eyes of the room's occupants. Akane would be the first to awaken, blushing lightly at the realization of the position she'd fallen asleep in. Akane nudged Ranma gently in the side, trying to wake her as well. "Ranma... Wake up... It's morning... I have to get ready for work..." Akane said, eyes half shut, voice wavering sleepily.
Ranma's eyes fluttered half open eventually, and she too blushed at the position they were in. "So... am I forgiven, dear?" Ranma said, with a grin.
Akane blushed deeper still, and swatted playfully at Ranma's shoulder. "You could say that... I suppose." Akane said, lovingly snuggling up to her husband again.
Ranma grinned a bit wider, placing a delicate kiss upon Akane's forehead. "With all we've been through... I knew we'd make it through this too, Akane. I suppose you have to be off to work though." Ranma sighed, wrapping her arms around her wife.
"Yeah... I wish I didn't have to." Akane said, reluctantly pulling herself away from Ranma, although not before kissing her back in the same way on the forehead. "You... Are going to go shopping today, aren't you, Ranma? We're in need of groceries..."
Ranma smiled, watching Akane move about the room in preparation for the day, taking special interest in when Akane undressed and moved to the shower. "Of course, Akane." Ranma shouted, over the running shower water.
Fifteen or so minutes passed, and Akane emerged from the bathroom, blue towel wrapped rather tightly around her slender form. "That's what I'd thought, Ranma, and I sincerely hope you actually do get up and do it... I'd hate to have to yell at you following our... romantic evening last night.." Akane said, a hint of disappointed hopefulness in her voice.
"I will, Akane. Trust me, please..." Ranma said, looking down to see the clothes she'd had on the day before. "Suppose I need to get cleaned up too, hmm, What a chore. I'm getting somewhat large for this." She wandered into the bathroom, taking off her clothes and stepping into the shower. As she did, Akane peeked her head in to blow a kiss and say goodbye.
"Goodbye, Dear, I'll probably be home at the usual time, and I might even get to come home for lunch.' Akane said, blowing a kiss to the nearly naked figure who was stepping into the shower.
"Bye, Akane... I love you." Ranma said, turning on the water as Akane left, shutting the door behind her. Ranma then turned her attentions to washing the rather grown form she saw before her. "I'm huge..." She said, taking the shampoo into her hands, squirting a little on her head, and working it around, before rinsing and repeating, oddly accurate to the directions. Next, she took the soap and a washcloth, carefully washing off her swelling pregnant belly, along with her chest, arms, legs, and any other miscellanious part she may have missed. Afterwards, she carefully stepped out and dried herself off, going back into the bedroom and getting dressed again, plain cotton underclothes followed by a baggy, elastic waisted, maternity dress. "Very cute, Ranma." She said, in a very mocking tone. Ranma then slipped on her shoes, grabbed her purse, and headed out the door, slowly, to go grocery shopping.
As she walked along the small distance to the grocery store, a beautiful woman peeked out of a shop. This woman was none other than Ukyou, but it would take Ranma a few seconds to realize it, even with Ukyou's calling to him. "Ranma! Hey, Ranma!" She said.
Ranma blinked a few times, then smiled, calling back, "Oh, Hey, Ukyou. Guess I didn't recognize you. New hairstyle? New wardrobe? What is it, huh?"
Ukyou blushed a bit, only serving to further accent her new looks. "Both." She said, giggling some. "I have to get ready for my wedding, you know. You want to meet him, Ranma?"
"Nah... Don't want to break up the wedding, you know how guys get around me, Ukyou." Ranma said, smirking.
"Oh, get your butt in here..." Ukyou said, giggling more, dragging Ranma into the store by the hand. "There he is, isn't he just absolutely gorgeous?" Ukyou said.
"Yeah, Gorgeous." Ranma said, laughing, looking over the man Ukyou was pointing to, perhaps more as a female even than her usual cursed personality would have.
"Oh, you're just married, that's your problem. You can't see how beautiful my future husband is." Ukyou said.
"Sure, that's it. Or i'm really a guy." Ranma smirked and hugged Ukyou briefly, kissing her cheek lightly, saying, "I've got to be getting to the grocery store, it sure was nice running into you though. Maybe... I could help with some of the wedding preparations, if you needed me to."
"All i need to know," Ukyou said, "Is if i should put you down for a bridesmaid gown or a tuxedo, Ranma."
Ranma blushed a cute shade of pink, to which Ukyou giggled rather loudly. Ranma responded softly, "It... Depends on the dresses."
"You are *such* a girl." Ukyou smiled, teasing her a little. "Better go on to the grocery store though. We can dress shop another day. I'll give you a call, ok?"
"Ok." Ranma said, smiling faintly as she walked back to the sidewalk. She continued on to the grocery store without further incident, although when she got there, several people called out their greetings to her.
"Nice to see you today, Mrs. Saotome." The produce manager called out, as Ranma was picking out her vegetables and fruits.
"Good Morning, Mrs. Saotome, How're the little ones?" Said the kind older woman behind the bakery counter, as Ranma picked out a fresh loaf of bread, before her eyes fell on a cheese danish.
"Oh, they're doing great." Ranma smiled, looking hungrily at the danish in front of her. "Mmm.. You know what would be great with this? Chocolate chips. And raspberry sauce..."
The clerk giggled, overhearing, assuming that Ranma was going through the period in her pregnancy that often produced cravings. "How're you doing with the cravings, Mrs. Saotome?" The clerk said.
Ranma blushed, realizing she'd been talking outloud. "Pretty good, actually. They're not usually bad. I do need to get a few of those danish though. They're really calling to me." Ranma said, giggling a little towards the end.
"Here," The clerk said, sprinkling some chocolate chips, and drizzling some raspberry syrup from the cake decorating supplies behind the counter. "Have a good day, Mrs. Saotome, tell Akane I said hello."
"Sure. You have a good day too, alright?" Ranma said, taking the danish, and moving on to the meat department.
"Good morning, Ma'am." The rather stocky butcher said, standing behind the meat counter. "What can I get for you today?"
Ranma smiled, not noticing that her cheeks tinted pink at being called 'ma'am'. She then went through her mental list, telling each item to the butcher, and getting the white paper wrapped packages, placing them in her cart. Ranma took about another hour going through the various aisles, picking up the rest of the groceries she needed, or suddenly got cravings for. As she stood in the checkout line, a wave of relief washed over her, seeing that nothing had happened besides a bunch of people being amazingly nice to her. She got checked out, and payed for her groceries. A young bagboy put her sacked-up groceries into a cart with one notable, chocolate and raspberry covered, exception, and followed her home.
As she was walking home, Ranma smiled to herself, thinking over how it had actually felt good to get so much attention, the kind of attention one tends to miss when lying in bed all day. Leisurely, Ranma completed her walk home, opened the door, and slipped inside, plopping down on the couch, exhausted, as the grocery boy carried the bags in.
"Man... I'm really tired." Ranma said, looking down at her stomach. "You know, kids, your mom is usually very energetic. Carrying around you two must just eat her strength though. Speaking of eating...." Ranma opened the bag that contained the danish, and in a few moments, it had vanished. She reflected on her day, and smiled, even if it was a bit tiring, she'd gotten out, and she would be getting called by Ukyou later to go shopping. The day had been good so far, there was no reason why it wouldn't continue to get better.
