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Bunny's Trinkets
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Chapter Four
Conspiring Teddy Bear
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Darien peered through the gray seeming day at the head stone with silent emotion: 'Anthony Saotome... beloved husband and friend....'
Lita bent over and laid upon the damp grass a single red rose, then looked up at her cousin. She tried to depict the what he was feeling, searching his midnight blue eyes with her emerald ones, but they were masked with cloudy indifference. The widow knew, however, that the emotionless feelings that resided in those eyes were not what he was experiencing. What he was feeling was confusion.
"I have to go visit someone else," she said softly, still trying to read his face, "I'll be back soon."
Left alone, Darien tried to sort through his emotions. He seemed to do five million things at once, feeling that would be the only way to get through the strain on his heart. What should he do? Cry? No, that didn't seem to be an option; years at the home had robbed him of all of his tears, or so he felt. He had heard of people speaking to the dead, like in prayer. Should he do that? Did it make them feel better? Anything was better than him just standing there, chest hurting.
"Anthony... it's me, Darien," okay, that was a nice start, "I'm sorry... I should have been here for you and Lita, but I was too caught up in myself and my work to see what was most important... family."
All at once the grief that seemed to mutely weigh on his heart was washed away with a warm embrace. Then, his heart felt a slight coldness that he had ignored for several years, a certain emotion that he had barred his heart against. It was loneliness, but why was it returning now?
He had left his only relatives the year he was legally able to support himself. Determined to make a name for himself in the cruel world that thrashed the young man around one to many times, he began an internship with an old man that Darien respected with unshakeable loyalty. He was taught everything that the man had to offer in his impossibly long life and when he passed, the young Chiba was once again reminded why he distanced himself from people. With the old man's teachings in life and business emblazoned in his persona, Darien scratched and clawed his way up to the top of Ogonishou in a whirling speed while attending night school. There was no time for a life when he had a world to conquer.
A single, hidden tear fell rolled down his face slowly and in hearing someone walking up behind him, he brashly wiped it away; even if he was lonely, his foolish pride wouldn't allow him to show it and become a burden to the people around him.
"Okay, ready?"
He turned to see Lita standing in the dewy humidity smiling softly. Earlier, he noted, she had left with a yellow rose in hand but now returned empty handed. Who was it that she had visited in that quaint resting place?
Answering with a nod, the two left the Glenbrooke Cemetery.
***
Ami retrieved her purse from under the counter, making Bunny look up from her catalog, "Leaving now?"
Pulling on her white knit sweater on over her light blue sun dress, the young woman nodded, "Yes. My doctor's appointment is in a half hour."
The owner of the shop smiled gently as her friend walked towards the front door, "I hope it's nothing serious."
"Thank you."
*Twinkle*
"Lita, right on time!" Just as Ami walked out, Lita and Darien walked into the shop. Bunny, just as her friend had moments ago, got her purse out from underneath the counter, "Could you watch the counter for me while I'm gone? Rei's working in the shop, Mina's in a meeting, and I have to go pick up Rini from school."
"Oh really?" Seeing a golden opportunity to lift Darien's spirits, she pushed him forward, "Why don't you take Darien with you? I've been working him too hard and he needs a break."
He was about to protest but when his eyes met the blonde's, some strange emotion within him made him change his mind, "Uh-- that is if you don't mind...."
Bunny thought about it and smiled, "Okay. She'll be pleased to see you."
Lita watched the two leave the shop with a conniving smirk on her face.
Walking through Gleenbrooke, Bunny pointed out the many different shops to Darien and other items of conversation.
"That's Mr. and Mrs. Hikari's store. Rini and I do all of our grocery shopping there," the mother smiled fondly at the old-timely styled shop, "It's quiet adorable to see them together. They've been married for over fifty years now and their store was one of the first to be built on this street."
"That's amazing," Darien watched a wizened old man with snow white hair walk out of the store to sweep the porch while a boy whose hair was as vivid as the display of tomatoes he was restocking.
"And that's Bryan. They never had children, so a couple years back they adopted him. It's heartwarming to see."
He didn't make a comment to that. The boy seemed to be around fourteen. Did he have the same views on life that Darien had when he was that age? No, it didn't seem so as Byran and Mr. Hikari waved at Bunny joyously as she returned their warm greeting.
"Oh, that's Hime Floral." Bunny's melodic voice brought him from his pessimistic thoughts, "My sister owns it."
"Your sister?" Darien asked interested.
"Well, sort of my sister. It's complicated," she flushed, "But you really can't miss her. She has this bright red hair and she's about nine months pregnant. Her husband Taylar is a doctor at the local hospital and is always trying to get her to take her leave."
"She's still working?!" He was aghast; what woman in her right mind would work until their delivery day?
Bunny laughed, "I've tried to convince her as well, but she swears up and down that it's nothing compared to her first pregnancy. She had twins-- Star and Say. Star wants to be a ballet dancer, opposed to a professional wrestler like she wanted to be a week ago, while her brother wants to be a doctor like his father; they're only a year older than Rini."
Darien chuckled. The two continued to walk down the shop-packed streets keeping light conversation among them while they came upon the building of Glenbrooke Elementary. The bells rang for school dismissal and children came pouring out. The two, among other adults, peered into the crowds looking for a certain pink head among them.
Bunny spotted her daughter walking with her best friend Helen, and waved to her smiling. Rini and Helen began to run over to the blonde mother but when they spotted smiling Darien next to the woman, they stopped in their tracks and seemed to be thinking about something. The two friends exchanged mischievous glances and continued their trek.
"How was your day?" Bunny asked as she hugged her daughter.
"It was great!"
"Helen?"
"Satisfactory," the second girl beamed.
"Hello Rini, Helen," Darien greeted.
"Hello, Darien Chiba of Tokyo!" The two girls sang out together.
The three laughed at their 'inside' joke. Helen spotted her father, a tall, handsome man with white hair, among the throng and bid her best friend goodbye. After Bunny, standing on tippy toes, saw the girl was safely with Mr. Meioh, she said, "Okay, let's go back to the shop now."
At some point in the walk back up the hilly streets, Rini conned Darien into a piggyback ride. Bunny told him that he didn't have to, but he reassured her that he didn't mind, making her heart beat in a strange way.
"And tonight, I get to be in a play!" Rini exclaimed, "I'm a little girl who finds the Teddy Bears."
"Really?" Darien looked up at her, sounding truly fascinated.
"Yeah! Do you wanna come?"
Bunny tripped over her own feet, causing the man carrying her daughter to look at her. She listened intently for his answer.
"Well, I'm not sure if--"
"Pleeeeeeaaaase! Pretty please with sugar on top!" The girl on his shoulders pouted.
"Okay, I'll be there," he said, looking at her mother who seemed to be affected by his answer; in what kind of way, he did not know.
"Can you come with us?"
"What?"
"Come with me and my mom?"
Bunny looked up at her daughter with an exasperated expression on her face, "I'm sure that Mr. Chiba--"
He cut her off, "Please, call me Darien."
"From Tokyo!"
She tried again, "Okay. I'm sure that Darien wouldn't want--"
"Why wouldn't I?"
Her face grew hot. The man wasn't helping at all, shooting down all of her attempts to keep a safe distance from him. Whenever she was near him she felt like her feet had wings and it frightened her senseless.
As they came to Bunny's Trinkets, Darien placed Rini back onto the ground and she ran inside to tell everyone else about her play, leaving her mother and the business tycoon alone. He looked down at her, "I'm sorry if I imposed."
"No, no you didn't. I just didn't think that you would want to be bothered by Rini's and my company," she faltered under his hot gaze.
"Does Rini not like me?" He asked, concerned.
"Uh-- well, no. She adores you--"
Darien smirked as she began to fidget, "Your company then. Do I upset you? I really am sorry for being rude the other day."
"No, I just thought that...." Her voice trailed off for a loss of what to say.
Obviously there wasn't a husband to be dealt with or this awkward situation wouldn't be happening. That made him happy, strangely enough. The most likely situation was divorce. It happened more often than anyone like to admit.
"You're a very charming person and I hope to get to know you better." Seeing that she was struck by his compliment and possible pick up line, his face own face grew slightly red at his own forwardness, "What time is the play?"
"Seven...." She mumbled, face fuming. "But Rini has to be there a little sooner."
"Then how about I pick you up around six twenty? That is... if you don't mind." Damn! What was wrong with him?! He felt like a little schoolboy; a feeling he didn't appreciate. It wasn't as if he'd never dated anyone. Hell, he dated plenty enough to be labeled a playboy by any magazine that interviewed him. So why was he so nervous?
"No, I don't mind. That's fine...." A moment of awkward silence passed between the two. When they made eye contact finally, the two began to laugh at their nervousness. It wasn't a date for goodness sakes... was it? Their laughter was cut short and Darien opened the door for Bunny.
"And he's going to pick us up tonight!" Rini whispered, although giggling at her ouw audacity.
Her older cousin and Lita winked at the girl, "Good girl Rini!"
She beamed.
*Twinkle*
As quick as thunder strikes, the three shot up from their suspicious huddle and smiled at the two walking in. Immediately sensing that something was up, Bunny eyed the group through slitted eyes, "What's going on?"
"Nothing," Mina said all too unnaturally.
"Yeah, nothing," Rini echoed.
Darien tried not to smile. He wasn't that oblivious to see what had been going on-- between the three before them and between the mother and him. The attractions wasn't only from her side he knew, but his as well, and it wasn't just a product of lust, the major factor in all of his past relationships. The thought of her having a child didn't repel him was proof of that. In fact, he was almost completely smitten with the pink-haired firecracker. Those sudden realizations made him dizzy, causing him to blink several times to regain his equilibrium.
Bunny folder her arms across her chest, "Serinity Himeno Kou, you better have not just told a fib. You are up to something."
Darien looked down at the blonde and had to work to hide the smirk that he felt creeping across his face; she wasn't completely angry with her daughter-- she was still too flustered from moments before and even in Rini had fibbed (which is was pretty obvious that the child had), it was a pretty small and insignificant one. Not to mention, Bunny didn't really seem to want to know what they had been talking about.
The girl cringed; using one's full name meant one was in a full amount of trouble. Helpless, she looked up a Mina. The young woman, in turn, saw that her younger cousin was about to break and came to the rescue, "Of course she didn't and we're not. We were just talking about her big role."
It was halfway true, Rini saw. Her eyes twinkled; so she wasn't really lying to her mother. Aren't loopholes the greatest?
"Yes, she plays Karen. Right?" Lita chimed in.
The child nodded vigorously, if not suspiciously over enthusiastic.
"All right. I believe you," Bunny, giving in willingly, said and walked over to the counter, "Did you ask if Helen could come over afterwards?"
Rini smiled as her mother played with her hair out of habit, "Yeah."
"Any homework?"
"Nope. It's Friday, remember?"
"That's right."
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Tr- OMG! I am sooo sorry minna-san! It's been way to long, but this chapter gave me so MUCH trouble b/c I went on trying to describe the play and what not and always screwed it up. Ug. Hee, Teddy Bear's picnic. I was in that play when I was little. I had construction paper ears, a painted nose, a little blue dress on, and my hair was curled. After the play my parents took me to Baskin Robins to get ice cream and my dad teased me saying that they couldn't take me inside b/c the door said 'no pets allowed.' I begged to differ that I wasn't a real bear, but a little girl. Hee! Such memories. I'll try to get the next chapter out, I PROMISE, and for those of you who are interested in 'Letters from Serenity' (which is a lot of you, yay!) I'm working on that chapter as well. Ug. So much to write. Happy 4th minna-san!
7-4-03
(unedited)