There's a little bit of drama in here…just a conversation between Mimi & Elena…about Matt. So I say this is one of those 'what-really-happened-in-past' moments. Enjoy!

Chapter Fourteen

The following days passed quietly for Mimi. She had always loved the country life & she relished the peace she found at Laurel House…and especially enjoyed the warm afternoons spent outdoors when she would lie on a chaise in the shade & dream dreams of her coming bay.

She & Matt had settled into a routine that was casual & comfortable on the surface. But underneath there shimmered a constant sexual tension, & Mimi did her best to avoid any physical contact with him because even the merest brushing of his shoulder against hers could set explosions of sensation dancing across her skin.

It might have been easier if they hadn't been alone together so much, but their only visitor was Elena, & she often comes by during the day…she worked evening shifts as housekeeper at Sandforfd's Inn, & was kept busy between times in her position as Beautification chairman in the town center.

Mimi liked Matt's mother, & the old woman seemed to like her, too. Although Elena always had a purpose when she came…usually to vacuum, garden, or deliver casserole…she invariably took time to sit & share a pot of tea with Mimi, before scooting away on her bicycle. And it was on one such visit that she mentioned to Mimi that Sora had been down with flu.

"The boys had it first," she said as Mimi reached over the patio table to refill her teacup. "And then Sora got it. She's up & about again, and when I talked to her yesterday, she said to let you know she'd be in touch soon." Elena sat back in her chair. "And how are you feeling? When do you see Dr. Joe for your next checkup?"

"Tomorrow, I'm feeling really well. The morning sickness has passed, thank goodness. And Matt has been doing such a good job of looking after me…he's treating me as if I'm made of glass crystal!"

"Just enjoy it." Elena's eyes were warm with affection. "Being pregnant is a special time in a woman's life & you have always been very special to Matt."

Oh, sure, Mimi mused cynically; she'd always been very special to him…so special that when she told him eight years ago that she was pregnant with his child, he looked at her as if she'd grown three extra heads.

"Mimi?" Elena's tone was questioning. "Does it bother you that Matt wants to look after you?"

Mimi liked the other woman too much to lie to her. "What bothers me is that he seem to think that if he looks after me this time around, it'll make up for his rejection of me when I was expecting his child. It won't. He should have been there to support me through what was a very difficult pregnancy; he should have been there to share the sorrow when our baby was stillborn. Instead he took all pleasure & suffered none of the pain. He walked away, Elena. He got off scot-free."

"Oh, no, Mimi, he…" Elena swallowed back whatever she'd been going to say, & clamped her lips together as if to stop the words from coming out themselves. She gazed entreatingly at Mimi, as if asking for something.

But asking for what, understanding? But Mimi didn't understand…couldn't understand, unless Matt's mother explained.

"Elena?"

Elena shook her head. "Please forget what I said."

"But you didn't say anything!"

"I'm sorry." Obviously distressed, Elena added, "I can't say anymore. But…I would ask you one thing, Mimi. Please…will you try not to be too hard on Matt? You really are very special to him & always have been. It took years for him to get over losing you. And I sometimes wonder if he ever did."

"He didn't lose me. He…made his choice…and he chose…"

"He panicked," Elena said softly. "And in that moment of initial panic, he thought he had to make a choice…and in not wanting to hurt me, he ended up hurting you."

"But…how could he have hurt you?"

"I said he thought he had to make a choice."

"I don't understand…"

"Let me explain. When Matt's father died, I was left with a six & two year old sons. I had no money & no training. I took two jobs, waitressing & housecleaning, and saved every penny I could for Matt & TK's education. As soon as Matt was old enough to work after school, he did in every chance he got. His dream was to become a lawyer & help his brother get into a nice university. When TK got a letter from Oxford, Matt & I made sure that we were going to make it happen. Since TK was in London, Matt stayed close by just so he can take care of me. He went away to law school, but he always managed to come back just so he could see me. Then…he was just beginning his third year when you told him you were pregnant. He knew he couldn't support you unless he…"

"Unless he dropped out & got a job. I know that, Elena, & I know it would have been a sacrifice to give up his dreams but in life there are consequences…"

"Matt wasn't thinking of himself, Mimi, he was thinking of me. Of the sacrifices he believed I had made for him. What he didn't realize was that I never looked on it that way, everything I did for him I did out of love. All I wanted was to see him happy. If he hadn't panicked & he brought you to me instead…we'd somehow have managed. We would have been a family."

Mimi's throat suddenly felt painfully constricted. She swallowed, but when she spoke, her voice still came out huskily. "I wish…that could have happened. I never really had that kind of family…not after my parents got divorced. My father…well, he didn't know much about bringing up children."

"You're father wasn't as easy man, Mimi. But I'm sure he did love you…in his own way."

When Matt's mother left about ten minutes later, Mimi stood at the front door watching her cycle away. Leaning back against the doorjamb, she let her thoughts drift back to their conversation…& in particular, to Elena's protesting "Oh, no!" after Mimi had said Matt got off scot-free. What had his mother been about to say before she cut herself off? Whatever it was, she seemed really upset, but about what? No matter how Mimi tried to come up with some answer, an explanation eluded her.

Eventually she went inside & as she crossed the foyer, she felt the waistband of her shorts digging into her stomach. Unfastening the button to relieve the pressure, she reflected that all her clothes were beginning to feel too tight. She needed to go shopping for maternity clothes.

But Matt still hadn't put gas in her car. He made no secret of his reason: he wanted to control her movements & keep her from doing too much. But she was feeling a lot better now. Maybe tomorrow, after she sees the doctor, she could do some shopping. She went through to the kitchen & called Matt's office. Yolei put her through right away.

"What's wrong?" Matt's tone was sharp with concern.

"Nothing's wrong," Mimi said with exaggerated patience. "I'm just calling to ask you to bring home a can of gas tonight for my car."

"Why?"

"I want to go shopping tomorrow for maternity clothes."

"I'll drive you."

"Matt, it's not necessary for you to take time off work. I know how busy you are. If you don't bring home gas, I'll walk into town & carry a can home myself!"

"No way! Tell you what, Mimi. Today's Thursday, the South center Mall & most of the other stores in Odaiba are open tonight till nine. I'll come home early, we'll have a leisure drive there, have a nice dinner out & then I'll look around in a bookstore while you do your shopping."

Before she could argue, he added in a pathetic mock-whine, "I nid the break, Miz Tachikawa. I bin cookin' & slavin' for ya for weeks, don't I deserve a night out?"

Mimi chuckled, but said, "Matt, I really am able to drive myself around. I don't need any more chauffer!"

"I'll make a deal." His voice had reverted to its usual baritone. "If you let me drive you to the mall tonight, we'll drop by the gas station tomorrow after you visit the doctor, & then you'll be mobile again."

She could see he wasn't about to give in; & it was tempting to have someone else do the driving. "All right," she said. "You've got yourself a deal."

"Great, now don't forget to have a nap this afternoon & I'll be there to pick you up around four thirty."


It was around two in the after noon & Mimi was about to go upstairs for her nap, when someone rang the door bell. She crossed the foyer & opened the door to find Sora standing there. Looking trim & attractive in blue jeans & a navy t-shirt, the perky red-head beamed at her.

"Hi, there, Mimi!" She gave Mimi a hug, enveloping her in her light floral perfume.

"Sora, come in! Are you feeling better?"

"Perfect." Sora walked into the foyer. "How about you? I believe you're expecting a happy event!"

Elena told Mimi days ago that her pregnancy was now common knowledge in town.

Flashback

"How…what?" she asked.

"Not that Matt & I spilled the beans," Elena confided, "but Matt's receptionist, Yolei, is a friend of Sora's & when Yolei told Sora you fainted in Matt's office, it apparently confirmed what Sora had already guessed…that you are pregnant…and Sora said as much to Yolei. And though Yolei's the only soul of discretion when it comes to her work, when it come to local gossip…well, her lips are a wee bit loose."

End of Flashback

"I'm feeling fine," Mimi said to Sora. "I'm getting better every day!" She gestured toward the sitting room. "Let's go in here. Can I offer you a cup of tea? Juice?"

"No, thanks," Sora said as they wandered into the room. "I just had lunch." She dropped into the sofa & looked rather wistfully across at Mimi. "There's nothing quite like that first pregnancy. I envy you, because it's all so…new. You have so much to look forward to…have you felt the baby move yet?"

"Yes, I have."

"Isn't it thrilling, the first time you notice it? But the first time for everything's exciting, whereas in the second pregnancy, it's almost old hat. I've always wanted a big family," Sora burbled on. "Do you remember that? When we were kids, we used to tell each other all our secrets."

"Yeah, you thought four was the perfect number."

"I still do! And…I know Matt loves kids. He's been like a dad to TJ & Tom-Tom since Tai died." Sora's auburn eyes glowed. "Oh, I just feel I can still confide in you, Mimi, it's as if all those years between had just melted away. I just can't tell you how wonderful it is to have someone like Matt. I thought, when Tai died, that I'd never want to be with anyone else…but now…"

"I'm happy for you, Sora." Mimi was astounded that she managed to sound so calm. "And for Matt, too."

"Mimi-chan, are you sure you're feeling okay? You look awfully pale. Oh, I'm so selfish, going on & on about how wonderful everything is for me…and never even asking you about your baby's father. Is he…will he be coming here, to Odaiba?"

"No, I'm on my own, Sora."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"There's nothing to say, really. Michael didn't want this baby. We've been together for almost five years & we parted amicably enough…I stayed on for a while to tie up all the loose ends & then…I came home, to make a new life here."

"I hope it works out for you." Sora got to her feet. "Listen, Mimi-chan, you do look tired. I'm going to leave now & let you have your rest. You do take naps every afternoon, don't you? It's very important."

"Yes, I do."

Mimi walked Sora to the front door, & as they stood in front of the door, Sora said, "I'm so glad you came back, Mimi. I know we're going to be great friends again. And while it's good of Matt to let you stay on here till you're feeling stronger, once you move out I hope you find a nice place not too far from Laurel House, so that we'll find it easy to visit each other whenever we feel like it."

So Matt hadn't told Sora about her own claim to Laurel House. It would surely jolt her…just as it now jolted Mimi to realize that Sora was planning on living here with Matt…as his wife. Mimi hadn't thought that far ahead.

"Oh!" Sora clapped a hand to her forehead. "I almost forgot the reason I came up to see you! I wanted to invite you for dinner tomorrow evening. I'm going to try out a new lasagna recipe…and I'd like you to meet my boys."

Mimi didn't really want to go, it was hard to put on a happy face when Sora spoke bout herself & Matt…but how could she refuse without being rude?

"That would be lovely, Sora. What time?"

"Around five."

"Where do you live?"

"You don't have to worry about that." Sora patted Mimi's arm & then walked away toward her car.

"Why not?"

"Matt knows where I live," she called back gaily. "Heavens, he spends half his time at my place! He's also coming…you can drive over together."

As Sora drove away, Mimi stared frustratedly after the car. The last thing she wanted was to spend an evening with Matt & Sora, watching them drool & coo over each other. But now she committed herself to it.


AN: The next chapter will be the Mall scene, and I assure you it's gonna be fun! Please review! lol

Riven – thanks! I'm glad you're also reading my other story! PnkSaKuRaSyAoRaNS2 – you're pretty awesome, too! Matt STILL loves Mimi, but she thinks he loves Sora. Thanks for all the reviews, I really appreciate it! Amelia-Black – hi, welcome to my world of Mimato fic! I'm glad you enjoyed it. This story is not actually connected to the digiworld. Thanks for the amazing review! keep R&R! Koumi – I'm not saying I'll stop writing Mimato. Can you be a little bit compassionate coz I'm trying to be nice here! Anyways, I have this story in mind about koumi, but it'll take time before I finish it.