Hi everybody! Thanks for coming back!
I'm now surfing for stuff on labor…….that should tell you guys something! Ivillage.com has three or four pregnancy sites stringed together that proved very helpful.
Back to our first couple!
(reformatted)
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The new year came in, announcing the sixth month of pregnancy for Kaoru. She was eating as much pickles as before---well, maybe not as much as before. After a serious dialogue between husband and wife, considering all angles and calculating all expenses, Kaoru settled with eating 2 jars worth of pickles a week. To balance the contract, Kenshin agreed to bring home a large slice of cake from the bakery every Friday. Both parties were happy. Kaoru got what she wanted, and her husband was glad that it did not take as much out of their savings.
As life returned to normal, the chores were assigned again as they were. Kaoru did the general housecleaning in the mornings. Kenshin did the laundry in the afternoons after coming home from work. He cooked breakfast, and she prepared dinner --- still usually with her husband's help. On market day, she held the money, and he carried the groceries. And every so often, the couple would just stroll along the river, talking about their plans for the future.
Sanosuke continued to stay in Japan, and made himself useful to the general public by being Tae's delivery man. Oftentimes, also by being everyone else's delivery man. The poor rooster head found himself bringing an order, then asked to take a package to another house, on the way to delivering another order. He did all these favors for everyone, though, as he was well compensated for his troubles. Tae both paid and fed him well. While he continued to eat for free at the Kamiya dojo, he did not ask for any other financial help from the couple.
And yes, he did keep his promise to Megumi. He wrote her at the end of the first month of the year. He reported to the doctor how Kenshin was faring, and how Kaoru's baby moved more with each new week that passed.
The training sessions at the precinct resumed for the chief trainer. He was welcomed with many handshakes on the first day of his return. They were excited to see him back, and were elated to see that he was back in full form. The former afternoon teacher was not missed.
During that sixth month, filled with new resolve, Kaoru decided to make something for Kenshin. A little gift out of season never hurt anyone, she told herself. One morning, she went out to market. There she bought a pair of knitting needles, a few balls of yarn, and an instruction book on simple knitting.
"Are you serious, Kaoru?!" Yahiko asked apprehensively when she got home. "I mean, the only thing that you can do well is swing a bokken!"
"Don't worry about me, Yahiko!" she reassured. "I've learned a thing or two about cooking, right? So why can't I learn how to knit?"
"But you had Kenshin's help, learning how to cook!"
"Don't worry! I can do this! I can make a scarf, at least, by myself. Just don't tell Kenshin, alright?" Kaoru made Yahiko promise.
"That guy will know, even if I don't tell him……." Yahiko reminded her.
Thus, Kaoru struggled to understand the illustrations and the instructions in the little book, and learned how to make the basic stitches. Being a beginner, her stitches were far from even, and many times she undid the yarn and started over. It was after two weeks of learning and practicing, that she felt she was ready. She began working on the scarf pattern at the end of her book, using a new ball of yarn.
One afternoon, Kenshin returned from the precinct and found his wife fiddling with some yarn and two long bamboo sticks. "Koishii, what are you doing, de gozaru ka?"
Kaoru suddenly hid the sticks and yarn behind her back. "Oh, it's nothing, anata, nothing at all!" she sheepishly replied. Kenshin merely shrugged his shoulders and walked on to the kitchen, as Kaoru sighed with relief.
"What is that thing Kaoru-dono is doing with two long sticks, Yahiko?" Kenshin asked the boy, munching on a rice ball in the kitchen.
"I'm not supposed to tell you," Yahiko answered mischievously. "But it 's one of those weird girl things my master could never handle."
"Oro."
"You're quite right."
Kenshin peered behind bushes and through corners, to find out for himself what Kaoru was doing with the long sticks. He did not like surprises, and he used his skills and instincts to investigate the mystery. Nonetheless, he did not comprehend what it was that his wife was making. Whenever he would ask her directly, though, she would simply deny knowledge of her work with a blush. Kaoru was never one to keep a secret well. Still, the subterfuge was confusing him.
When he asked Tae about it, and described his findings, she replied, "Oh, she's knitting! How many baby boots or bibs had she made already?"
"Oro? That thing she is making does not look like it's for a child," he replied in wonder.
Tae simply shrugged. "Then she's probably making something else. Don't worry about it!"
Kenshin scratched his auburn head.
Everything was normal for the couple and for the Kamiya dojo, as the sixth month made way for the seventh. Half of the scarf had been completed by then.
Kenshin was about to turn the corner to the dojo gate, coming home from work one afternoon. Suddenly he felt a flurry of movement, a slender arm choking his neck, then a sharp edge of a blade on his cheek.
"Hands up! Don't turn around!" a high-pitched and girlish voice demanded. "You will answer any and all my questions, or you die!"
Feisty little girl, Kenshin mused, and I do think I remember that voice. Might as well humor her for now. He raised his hands over his head, and said. "I offer no resistance."
"A wise decision," the voice breathing down his neck approved. "Now tell me, who lives in the house beside us?"
"Anou………. I do," Kenshin replied as he raised an eyebrow.
"You're lying!" and the blade was brought closer to his cheek. "Answer truthfully! What is this place?"
"The Kamiya dojo, and I am not lying," Kenshin coolly answered, and wondered where this line of questioning was leading.
"Good, I am where I am supposed to be. Now, one last question. Do not lie to me, I warn you!" The voice tightened its grip on his neck. "Where do I find Himura Kenshin?"
"ORO?!"
"A small man with red hair and a cross-scar on his left cheek! Where do I find him? Answer me!"
"A-a-anou, Misao-dono…………" and he pointed with one of his raised hands to his fiery red tresses. The voice quickly wrenched her arm from around his neck in surprise and in alarm. She then swooped up to face her hostage, and revealed to him that his guess was perfectly correct.
"Himura!" Misao bounded and wrapped her lean arms around the redhead, then twirled him round and round, Kenshin oro-ing with bulged eyes. "Sorry about that, Himura, but am I so glad to see you! I was afraid I got the wrong address again! Yippee! I'm going to see Kaoru again! I'm going to see Kaoru again!"
Kenshin only had to smile at this bundle of talent and energy. She had a fuller figure around the waist than previously, but for all intents she was still the same ninja he knew. She still wore the characteristic thin and short black outfit, and still wore the same boundless, joyful smile. Before he could even utter another word, Misao had opened the dojo gate, and let herself in with a hop and a skip. She dropped a large duffel bag at the gate and loudly called for Kaoru through the front porch.
Kenshin, still standing at the corner, stupefied by the sudden turn of events, was tapped on the shoulder. "I take it that Misao had found your house, Himura?" A very masculine baritone asked from behind him.
"Aoshi!" Kenshin happily greeted the tall man in the trenchcoat. "Yes, she has. Come in, come in!"
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"WHAT?!"
Kenshin and Kaoru looked at Misao, then at each other, completely bewildered. The four of them, as well as Sanosuke and Yahiko, were all assembled in the kitchen, sipping hot tea. A few drops spilled on the table when the cups quaked, as Misao threw down her hands, straightened her elbows, and eyed the couple.
"You mean to tell me, Himura, that it's Kaoru's seventh month, and you two haven't bought ANYTHING for the baby yet?!" Misao asked, dumbfounded. Even stoic Aoshi raised an eyebrow.
"Should we, Misao-dono?" Kenshin inquired innocently.
"You two are hopeless!" Misao raised her hands to the heavens in exasperation. "What about a crib? Diapers? Sheets? Baby clothes? Toys? Don't ANY of those things ring a bell?!"
Kenshin put on his clueless-rurouni face. "Oh, those things! I never thought about those! I was of the impression that they were bought after the baby was born?"
"Like you would have time to do that after the baby is born, when it starts crying at all hours of the day and night!" Misao shook her little head. "Why didn't you ask him about them, Kaoru-san?" she pointed at Kaoru in accusation. "And how come you're not knitting booties yet?"
Kaoru only sweatdropped and scratched her head. "I guess I forgot………" She answered with embarrassment. "I was knitting…….." she gave Kenshin a sideglance, "……..something else. Then there's this affair about the pickles, the cake, the kimono………..you won't understand, Misao-chan……."
"And you two!" Misao pointed to Sanosuke and Yahiko. "You never told them?"
"How should we know?" Sanosuke shrugged and kept chewing on a fishbone. "We're not married yet! And I was too young to notice those baby things then!"
"Isn't there ANYBODY else you could ask?" Misao demanded with irritation.
"Well, would you want to be asking shopkeepers or the chief of police?! We don't know any married people that well!" Kaoru spoke for the defense before their angry judge. She could not be made to listen to reason.
Misao leaned her head on her left hand. "Oh, great…….." Suddenly she stood up with chest protruding, arms akimbo, and head held high, in a very patriotic stance. "But that's where I, Makimachi Misao, proud member of the Oniwabanshuu, come to the rescue!"
"Oro?"
Misao retrieved her duffel bag and took out a book. It was thumbed through and dogeared. A few water marks lined the edges. She thrust the book almost into Kenshin's face, and kept it there until he took it himself.
"What to Expect When You're Expecting," Kenshin read the book's title for Kaoru's benefit. Kaoru quickly grabbed it from him and eagerly flipped through the pages, reading haphazardly. Kenshin, however, did not understand why.
Sanosuke impudently asked, "Misao, WHY are you reading this book, if you are not even married?"
Aoshi's face had not changed appearance, save for a very small smirk. Misao blushed as she looked at Aoshi, then faltered. "No reason, just interested about these things." Afterward she regained her composure and resumed the harassment. "But it seems like I know more than some people here about having a baby, so I might as well help them while I'm around! How much have you got saved, Himura?"
Kenshin gave her a figure. He checked his balance at the foreign bank yesterday.
"Withdraw half of it tomorrow, Himura. Kaoru-san and I are going shopping!"
"HALF?! Misao-dono!"
"Well, what do you think you were saving for, Himura, you miser?" Misao retorted. "Now, withdraw half tomorrow!"
"OROooooooo……….."
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Misao always, always, addresses Kenshin as "Himura". This little quirk has been maintained in the three languages (yes, three!) that I have seen "Samurai X", and I am absolutely sure. ^^
Also, major disclaimer, I've only seen the book What to Expect When You're Expecting, but I don't personally have it. So please don't expect things taken from that book. I'll check their website if they have one, though. ^_^
Please wait a while for the next installment. Prelims are up, and we have an assignment. And I don't know yet what havoc Misao is going to add to this crazy situation!
Oh, and reviews about this chappie would be nice, too. Comments and suggestions, please! ^_^