"The Other Wife" by: E. Marie E-mail: Emw712@aol.com

Author's Note: June 11, 2003: Wow! What a difference a few days make, huh? When I left to be "orientated" for my freshman year at the university, my review counter was at a nice round number -zero- thanks to my technical ineptitude. Thanks for all the wonderful reviews! Selfish endeavors-like writing (and architecture, for all you Ayn Rand fans out there)-are very good for the soul; but if writing chapters is soul food, the reviews are the soul dessert! And, boy, does my inner child like dessert! Keep reading! Keep writing! Keep up my inner child's addiction to verbal sugar (and spice)!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the rights to having a bad day. I don't own the rights to the phrase "manic Monday". To reiterate, I own neither "Inuyasha" nor the first few chapters of "Rebecca". There.now, let's all play nice..

Chapter Nine: A Question Answered in the Bungalow
The bags were packed. The last bellhop, bearing the last overflowing hatbox, had made his journey to the waiting automobile almost a half an hour before. Even my beaten little travel chest had been loaded, crushed under the sheer volume of Lady Yura's ten large pieces of baggage and a cascade of boxes and random souvenirs.
At that particular moment, my mind was nowhere near the thought of the likelihood of my baggage being destroyed under all of milady's nonsense. Standing just inside the lobby, as I had been ordered, I awaited my mistress with a heavy heart. While my motions were slowed by a sense of shock, my mind whirled. Desperation took control of my will for the second time in those few days, and, knowing my disobedience would probably mean my dismissal, I made my way quickly across the lobby to the concierge, demanding he tell me the whereabouts of a certain Mr. Inuyasha. To impress upon him that I was a member of the elite and had every right to make such a demand, I practiced Lady Yura's signature sneer on him, emphasizing my impatience. The polished concierge actually looked slightly terrified and, after a moment of stuttering in amazement, waved a finger toward the pool.
The crème de la crème of society never swim before morning tea: this was a basic principle of ignorant principle Lady Yura had impressed upon me. Of course, this meant that Inuyasha would take his dip in the hotel's famed pool just after breakfast, to avoid the points and stares his presence always seemed to draw. I looked a little odd, standing at the edge of the water in a hideous brown duster and travel hat, but to spare me the embarrassment of others seeing my appearance and my purpose, Fate had kept even the cabana boys away from the swimming pool. I was alone, just me and the white form, swimming laps in the cool water.
Even though my destiny was being decided by the events of but a few minutes, I could not hold my breath in wonder. Water rippled across Inuyasha's toned body as he continued in his exercise. His face was almost completely submerged, but his queue of silver-white hair still snaked its way down his back. His beauty held me transfixed, even as the fear gripped my heart that at any moment, Lady Yura would become aware of my absence and send an unwitting bellboy in search of me.
Finished with his last lap, Inuyasha emerged from the water on the side of the pool opposite from me. Still unaware of my presence, or teasing me yet again, he gingerly picked up his towel and, after drying his long hair for a few moments, turned to leave, without saying a word.
"Inuyasha!" I called out, afraid that this foolishness would ruin my chance. Pivoting on his heel, Inuyasha tossed the towel aside, giving me a rather exaggerated look of surprise. Trying to stifle a giggle, I congratulated myself on knowing he would have detected me long before and was playing another of his games with me.
"Why, Kagome," he began, tossing his towel aside and rushing to embrace me with his wet arms. "What a pleasant surprise!"
No matter how grave my situation seemed, I couldn't help but laugh aloud as I dodged his falsely amorous onslaught, moving quickly away from Inuyasha and the edge of the pool, to stave off any temptations.
"Don't even try to soil my traveling ensemble! Lady Yura picked it out with her own hand, because she liked the drab color and rough texture!"
Stopping in his charade to look at me more closely, Inuyasha's smile faded as he realized the implications of the words "traveling ensemble". At that moment, some very large women in bathing suits began to appear. The morning's tea was finished, and an audience of soulless bathers was about to witness the death of my romantic ideals. Noting my expression, Inuyasha took my hand and urged me to follow him.
"C'mon, Kagome, obviously we have a lot to discuss alone. The bungalow will give us some privacy."
The bungalow was little more than some kind of maintenance shed, housing all of the supplies necessary to create the sparkling waters of the hotel pool. My nose crinkled at the pungent odor of chlorine as Inuyasha pushed open the rusty door and urged me to sit on the nearest empty barrel as he took his usual stance, leaning irreverently against the wall. I had fully ended to tell him the contents of my heart while standing, looking him straight in the eyes, unafraid; but as they say, the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. My legs shook underneath me, and I realized that I had, once more, in my trepidation, forgone taking any food since the evening before. Easing myself onto the barrel as I was bidden, I took a breath, and my courage failed me. My admission came in a rambling manner, and all I could bring myself to divulge was the events of the morning: the telegram, Lady Yura's command, the steamer leaving within the hour for America, the purloined good-bye.
Having revealed all in practically one breath, I fell completely silent at the end, too exhausted and too afraid of his response to continue. Realizing I had had my say, Inuyasha turned himself away from me and stared pensively out the window. There was a pregnant pause between us; all I could hear was my own ragged breathing and the distant cries of the large women, splashing in the pool. He remained completely taciturn, which sent the chills of fear once more up my spine. That tiny voice that had plagued me since the moment I met him began another taunting chorus.
'Oh, well', he will say, 'nice to have met you, have a nice trip!'
'Poor, pitiful Kagome, all alone again! Say good-bye, dear, you're losing your Inuyasha! But wait, foolish girl, he was never even yours to lose, ne?'
I balled my hands into fists, making red, crescent indentions in the palms of my hands. With all the inner resolve I had left, I fought back that voice and the overwhelming urge to cry.
'I will be strong,' I thought, 'when he rejects me, when he casts me once more to that demon, Yura. I will take my destiny with my head held high, as my grandfather taught me. But, gods, if he were to just-'
"Damn!" cried Inuyasha, striking his fist against the wall, finally shattering the silence. My brow wrinkled in worry; cursing was definitely a poor omen. I held my tongue and, with baited breath, I allowed Inuyasha to continue at his will, neither encouraging him nor begging him to stop.
Turning slowly to face me, that devilish grin, that spark of humor, returned to his handsome features, relieving a portion of my worry. Hitching his thumbs in the top of his swimmers, Inuyasha cocked his head to the side and said with a laugh.
"Well, I'll grant this much to your horrible lady: she certainly does know how to make herself a terrible inconvenience, even if it's an unconscious impulse. Feh, nothing's ruined, but this does make everything more complicated, ne?"
I could not control the confused expression that crept into my eyes and contorted my face. What Inuyasha was saying to me at that moment was certainly not the glowing, romantic embrace I had dreamed of nor the crushing rejection I feared. Noticing my puzzlement, Inuyasha gave a short laugh before he crouched down in front of me. Grabbing me by the shoulders he held me with his gaze and, in a commanding tone, he asked:
"Marry me tomorrow?"