Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket or the song 'All By Myself'.

Easily Amused: Celery Is Not A Comfort Food

New Orleans, Louisiana

I propose a theory that all girls mope after a horrible heartbreak with food. The forbidden fruit in Eden must've had whipped topping that enticed Eve so much after a fight with Adam that she ate it all up. Okay, she wasn't the only one who ate the forbidden fruit, but I must say at this point that the entire male species just sucks. Don't get me wrong, I love men.....but at this moment in time, I despise anything without ovaries. Since I have returned to America, I have done nothing but lounge in my room watching 'Pretty Woman' and 'The Wedding Planner' again and again, or until I feel like my eyeballs are about to pop out. I just don't know where I went wrong. I had the witty remarks down and the ever so great personality. Right? Oh Humphrey, could it have been the sex?! I shouldn't really be blamed for something like that though.
Even now, as I lay down on my bed, I can't help but wonder what went horribly wrong that he couldn't even say goodbye. I reach over my beside table and pull out the headphones connected to my stereo. I knew for a fact, thanks to my bra covered clock, that it was well after lunch time and judging by the warming smells wafting through the house, I would soon be listening to my mother's eating lectures. The moping was quite different than before. The first time I had left without Shigure, my diet consisted of ice cream and normal food. But now, my diet was nothing more than a daily dose of compressed sugar. Sugar and fats. I'd start off the morning with a double dose of cold strawberry Pop-Tarts. Some would consider this odd but the crust is softer when they haven't been tossed in the toaster. For lunch, i'd make myself a mocha shake and top it off with a healthy helping of whipped cream. I'd waste half of the can on my shake and then empty the rest of the whipped goodness in an aerosol can in my mouth. For dinner, I would eat whatever my mother provided and finish off the day with a hefty spoonful of peanut butter, complete with nuts. Of course, I'd mix up the junk food diet and sometimes squeeze in a box of left over chocolates or twinkies or even a half tub of Rocky Road. Now this was strange, because I hate marshmallows and the stuff was filled with the tiny Ghost Buster villians.
I hear a few doors open and slam shut downstairs and figure that it was only Meredith. She still hadn't quite learned that the door should only be slammed if you're angry and hurt like me. But she was young, she would figure it out later on in life. I turned up the volume and rested my head on my arms. I hadn't been out much, considering it took alot out of me just to use the bathroom. This could may have well been because of my injuries, but i'm betting on the depression. There was a soft knock at my bedroom door and I yelled out that they could come in. I expected the person to be my mother telling me dinner was ready or Meredith parading in to lighten me up, courtesy of Henry. But instead, I found a maroon clad Becky peering down at my saddened form. Dangit Beck! I'm mourning a loss of vegetables!! Can't you see that?! I kept only one silver eye open and watched her tap her foot in annoyance. Friends usually pick their battles and I refused to enter World War III.
"What do you want?" I didn't mean to sound so....eh. But it was freaking me out to be stared down at like that.
"To talk." Her statement was simple and sincere. She was dressed for the occasion, in burgundy leisures and an equally crimson shirt that sported some golden slogan. It fit her perfectly. Now when did she wear figure flattering clothes? I gazed at my best friend for a moment with my one eye before closing it and making myself more comfortable.
"Can't. Busy."
"You're listening to music."
"See? I'm busy." I could feel her moving around and turned over so she wouldn't decide to belly flop me on my bed.
"This is crap, Dusty! What ever song it is, it can wait! What ARE you listening to anyway?!" I sighed as she yanked the cord connecting the headphones to the stereo, releasing the melody of a sorrowful song. '...And love's so distant and obscure,Remains the cure, All by mysellllllllf, Don't wanna be all by myselllllf...Anymore'
"Dusty Lynn!!" I winced at the use of my middle name. I began to wrap the headphone's cord around the portable ear pieces and stuck them in a nearby box. It was one of those clear boxes that also served to hold clothing and what nots. I hated them for one of the damn things served as my underwear box and let's just say i'd like to keep my pink undies to myself.
"What Beck? What do you expect me to listen to? ABBA? 'Cause I know Momma has one laying around here somewhere!!" Her features softened as she turned the knob down to lower the volume.
"You're really shaken up about him, aren't you?" Was she talking about Akito, Shigure, or Eric Carmen, the guy who sings the cursed song? I quirked an inquiring eyebrow at my friend.
"What do you think?" She sat beside me on my glitterfied comforter and embraced me with one arm. Oh, come on Beck! I need lovin' from a guy thousands of miles away, not a Full House moment!!
"I think that it's not always the guy who should return to the love lost." Well, duh! I'm pretty sure it isn't. But it's always better when the guy does it!! After a few minutes of sarcastic silence, Becky spoke again. "Shakespeare once penned 'To thine ownself be true.'" I finally turned to my partner in crime.
"Thoust thinkest thine have losteth thy noggin.....eth." I poked her forehead to emphasize my point.
"Dusty!! Listen to the man! Do what YOU feel is right!! You wanna go back to him, fine. If not, then get out and have some fun while you still can!" I stood up to face her completely.
"Okay, first of all - the guy is dead. Second, I have neither the funds nor the emotional capacity to go back to Shigure. And thirdly..."
"Thirdly?"
"There is no thirdly. That's all I got." I collapsed on the blue bean bag chair next to the bedroom door.
"I just hate seeing you like this. I mean, I barely know you anymore. All you do is sit around and munch on Pixie Stix or Cracker Jacks." I gave my friend a demeaning glare. I was insulted! How could someone think such an awful, berating, low,......I stiffened as she opened up my desk drawer and pulled out a sugary treat. "Dusty....a Ding-Dong? Of all things...."
"It's not a problem. I can stop at any point in time." Becky crossed her arms over her chest defiantly as I grabbed the factory wrapped chocolaty bliss.
"Prove it."
I waved a lazy hand goodbye as Becky backed out of the drive way. Munching on my celery stick, provided by Beck herself, I decided right then and there that perhaps it WAS time to move on. I began my agonizing walk back upstairs, only to be stopped by the sound of envelopes pushing their way through our mail slot. I shoved the vegetable to the side of my mouth and scampered over to the fallen mail. Let's see here, bill, bill, bill, coupons, junk, dear resident, junk, ooh! A magazine! Junk, junk....Dusty Lynn LaFayette. A letter to me? I tore open the thin seal and checked the address in the corner. It was from the college program I wanted to get into. I quickly skimmed over the paper, a smile playing at my mouth. I fell back, the wall catching my ungraceful body. This was going to take some thinking. My stomach began to growl and I covered the demonic growls with my hand. I would think after dinner.
Nana had spent a good month with us since my return and I thought it best to take the problem at hand to her. Nana was cool like that. How Pops bagged her, i'll never know. But she was wise and knew that today's generation consists of new rules. I found my grandmother in the guest bedroom dancing to Ella Fitzgerald with Pops. I could only wish that I would find someone to grow old with. Nana spotted me resting on the doorframe and grinned at me.
"Button! I didn't know you were watching." Pops was still trying to dance with a still partner. "Andrew....Andrew! We have company." He followed her gaze to the doorway and I suddenly found myself growing embarrassed. "What can we help you with, Button?" I eased myself into the guest room's recliner and brought my knees up to my chest. Pops retreated to the bed and a light snore soon followed.
"It's.....about my future." Nana pulled a chair up in front of me, sandy curls draping the outline of her face. Nana had the coolest hair. It was a light blonde, like my mother's and you couldn't spot a grey hair throughout the wild mane. You could only tell Nana's age by the thin lines around her eyes from years of laughing and smiling. She is what people like to call a classic beauty. Not only can she sport red lipstick like there was no tomorrow and get away with it, but her teeth were the whitest things I had ever laid eyes upon. And they're real, too.
"What about it, Dusty?" I handed her the letter from earlier and she yelped in glee. "That's wonderful Dusty!! And here I thought you weren't interested in college. "
"It's only until I receive the certificate. I mean, they pay for the trip and all, but I..." I began to tug at my lip, worry digging its way into my features. I caught Nana's piercing green eyes turn into thin slits and then returning to normal. I knew what she was doing. She was reading me. It was probably the most terrifying thing a person can endure. I once brought Becky to Nana and Pops' place to spend the summer in the boondocks. At the time, Becky was scared about her parents getting a divorce. At dinner, during fried shrimp Friday, Nana threw the gaze upon her. Becky gawked at my grandmother before for breaking under the stare. That night she told me that she thought Nana was about to shove her into Pops' recliner and turn on the interrogation light. But Nana knows when something bugs you. What's even scarier is that she knows the problem. Freaky.
"You know I almost didn't marry your grandfather?" Whoa! Turn the boat around Nana! She noted my surprise and continued. "Oh yeah! He went to fight in Vietnam and I, being the peace loving woman I am, tried my damnest to stop him." Nana? A peace loving woman? This coming from the same lady who threatened to shove an alligator up a sheriff's ass if he didn't take back the speeding ticket he gave her. Real peaceful...animal cruelty and endangering a man of the law."So he proposed to me and I denied his proposal." A little harsh Nana. I mean it's Pops! Sure, he's not a looker and it more than likely took a few repeating words for Nana to understand that he was asking her for her hand in marriage.
"Geez, Nana."
"I know, I know. But I was so fretful during his time away and feared that I had lost him forever. But one night, he showed up on my doorstep soaking wet but alive. I knew right then and there that this man was sent to me for a reason and I vowed never to leave his side from that day on." My vision began to blur. That was...so ...friggin beautiful.
"So you're saying that if Shigure and I are meant for each other than he'll show up on my doorstep soaking wet?"
"No, Button. I'm saying that if you love him and he loves you, ya'll will find a way back to each other." I nodded, glancing back at my grandfather's snoring form. Salt and pepper hair graced his head while the mustache he bore still remained a dirty charcoal. He could almost pass for a Rhett Butler if it wasn't for the hair poking out of his ears. Oh well, different strokes for different folks. Pops was still in great physical condition, however, and I guessed that Nana fell in love with him while he was in uniform. Course, anything bearing a uniform is appealing. A small snort escaped his mouth. But then they grow old....
I thought hard and long on what Nana said. I remained at the bottom of the doorsteps, grasping the letter in my hand. The other hand became a resting spot for my head. I hated thinking. It was just too difficult. I preferred to keep my mind blank. No info goes and only nonsense comes out. I cringed at the slam of the backdoor and watched Meredith waddle into the living room. Her overalls were two sizes too big and I was astonished that she didn't trip over them. Her light curls were scrunched up into a high ponytail. She obviously got her cuteness from me. Underneath her left arm was a large stuffed animal. Almost bigger than her, it was. She skipped over to me, pushing the toy up at my face. Eh, she wanted me to kiss the filthy thing. I raised a palm and shoved the creature away from me.
"Not now Meredith. I'm thinking at the moment." I knew she found that hard to believe, so she persisted in the action of pecking the thing.
"Uhn!!!" Son of a biznitch....
"Fine." I finally took notice of what she was holding. In her small grip, lay a black stuffed dog with perky ears. "Awww dammit, Meredith." I peeked at the letter and then at the pup, racing back and forth between the two images in my mind. I finally managed to take a deep breath and stood up at my full height. "Momma, Dad? Can I talk to you two for a moment?" I took a final look at Meredith before bracing myself for the confronation between my mother and the man who has been more of a father to me in two years than the sperm donor, Fred, had for nineteen years.
Maggie DeMurr stirred her latte while reading the latest issue of her magazine. It had been a week since her daughter broke the news that she was going to pursue her career. The only college recruit Dusty had talked to, and they had chosen her to take advantage of their exclusive program. A program that would take her daughter back to Japan. The deal was, they would pay for the expenses if she would take weekly trips to highschools and such and give speeches on American traditions. The college Dusty wanted to attend had several campuses all over the world and would choose certain students to experience this if they did the small seminars. In return, the students in Japan would teach Dusty the language and customs. All the while, Dusty could attend college. Maggie also learned that Dusty had taken a part time job teaching American self defense in return for some Japanese techniques. She was quite proud of her daughter. At first, she refused to partake in any of it. She thought that Dusty only wanted to return to the country for the man who let her almost get beaten to death but Dusty assured her that she was doing it for herself. 'Whatever happens, happens. But at least i'll prepared for it, Momma.'
Maggie continued to read her magazine and began to munch on a celery stick. Dusty had practically begged her not to turn to junk food after she left. Of course, Dusty said this after working out at the gym for five days in a row. But celery is definetly not a comfort food. She jumped slightly at the sound of someone banging at the front door. She hopped off the chair and sprinted towards the door. In front of her, stood a young, attractive young man gasping for breath. Maggie took back the attractive part. The man was absolutely gorgeous. It were times like this that she wished she was her daughter's age again.
"Can I help you, sir?" The man rested his arm against the door frame.
"I'm....looking for....Dusty LaFayette." Maggie furrowed her brow. This was strange. Everyone knew that Dusty had gone back to Japan for college.
"Oh dear Lord what did she do now? Don't tell me she started a damn war in less than a week. Last thing we need is a World War III." The man gave her a questioning stare.
"What are you talking about? Do you mean Dusty doesn't live at this residence? I was told that she lived at the DeMurr household." Maggie leaned against the door and smirked.
"Were you now? Yes, she used to live here."
"Becky told me.....wait, did you say used to?"
"Well if Becky sent ya then put your rear in gear and get in here, sugar!" The dark haired stranger entered the house and immediately set his shoes at the side. Maggie was about to question his motives but decided to trust Becky's intentions. She motioned towards the kitchen table and offered him a cup of cofee. Upon accepting the cup, the young man began to inquire about Dusty.
"Could I have an address at where she resides now?" Maggie chuckled. "What's so funny?"
"Darlin', you're going to have to travel an awful long way to find her. Silly me, i've forgotten my manners. I'm Maggie DeMurr, and you?"
"Sohma Shigure." Maggie's eyes widened. This...THIS was the man who had stolen her daughter's heart and had almost gotten her killed for it. Shigure noted her sudden look of anger. "Is everything alright Mrs. DeMurr?"
"Get the hell out of my house! I don't know what you want with my Dusty Lynn but you're not getting it!! Understood!!!? Now get out of my house before I call the cops!!"
"Please, I have to find her!!" Shigure felt the floor give out beneath him. He had traveled all this way and had finally reached a breakthrough when he spotted Becky at a local burger joint. If he had stayed and listened instead of rushing off when he was given the address, he wouldn't be standing there, receiving the greatest lecture of all time.
"You have caused her nothing but pain!!"
"And i'm trying to correct that!! Just...please. I need her." He slumped down in the chair and cradled his head with his hands. "I can't live without her...I...I love her." A piece of paper was shoved in his lap and he picked it up, reading the scribbled letters.
"She hasn't written us yet, so I don't know where she's stayin. But if you go to the office at that address, i'm sure they'll tell you."
"Thank you. May I use your phone?" She nodded with a bit of hesitation. After a few moments, he slammed the plastic down in frustration.
"Something go wrong?" Maggie sipped at her coffee in a calm manner.
"Flights are booked until Thursday." He rubbed the bridge of his nose. Maggie sighed, knowing she would regret what she was about to say later on.
"Well.....you're welcome to stay with us, Dusty's family, for those two days."

A/N: Not that much waff....but i'm trying, here! I wanted to tie up loose ends. Next chapter will have some akward family moments and hopefully the reunion between Shigure and Dusty! Hopefully. I'm trying to make this into an even twenty chapters.