Someone Out There
Chapter Twenty Nine: Someone Out There
"What are you talking about Sango?" asked Sandy urgently. "You're not leaving again are you?" Sango winced as her cousin continued rambling loudly on the phone at 100 miles an hour. "But-" she objected. "No buts at all, you better leave your ass where it is or I'll come and duct tape your door shut," cut in Sandy, "And your windows too!" he added for good measure.
Sango looked at the phone as if it could give an explanation to why her cousin was overreacting to her leaving for a week on vacation to her dad's place. "It's only for a week Sandy, and I'm actually coming back this time," she pleaded. Sandy twirled the phone cord nervously, racking his brain of something to say. Miroku was planning something big this week, but wouldn't tell Sandy exactly what. He had a feeling it was something important and if Sango left now for Canada, there's no telling what Miroku might think.
Especially since he told him a lie saying Sango's dad wanted her to marry the 'favorable bachelor.' "I'm going unless you give me a good reason to stay," yelled Sango. Sandy paced back and forth around the phone. He had no idea what to say without ruining everything.
"No reason? Good, I'm leaving the day after tomorrow," said Sango simply, hanging up the phone before he could say anything else. Sandy opened and shut his mouth like a fish, cursing himself for not thinking of something to say. He instantly used speed dial and phoned up Miroku.
"Miroku?" he said as soon as someone picked up. "Yeah, who is this?" asked Miroku. Sandy didn't bother to spend the time answering such trivial things. "Sango is leaving the day after tomorrow!" he yelled. Miroku couldn't quite register what he was hearing. "Wha…?"
"You heard me," Sandy said in a sharp tone, "She's going to leave this week to Canada." "She's coming back right?" Miroku asked casually. He didn't understand why Sandy was so worked up about it. "Listen man, Sango is going to CANADA." Sandy growled into the phone. Why is he still so calm about the situation. Sandy guaranteed he was going to freak out…but he wasn't.
Miroku frowned, "What's with the riddles again Sandy?" Miroku thought over all the possibilities and things that Sandy might be talking about. She's not pregnant this time that's for sure, he laughed inwardly. "Favorable bachelor…" muttered Sandy purposely. A light bulb lit up on Miroku's head. Oh. "Shit," Miroku mumbled. "There we go," said Sandy sarcastically.
"Wait a minute, why are you telling me this?" asked Miroku suddenly confused. Sandy sighed. How dense can a person be? "Well I want you guys together." Miroku nodded even though there was no way Sandy could see him nod on the other end of the phone. Sandy continued, "So it all started when David said I should play matchmaker…"
… … … … …
Sango looked at the pink envelope lying on her glass coffee table. It was one of those ridiculously overpriced hallmark cards, except when she opened inside it had a small handmade card, the size of a business card, with the address of the ice cream parlor she always went to back then. She looked confused so she dug around the envelope to see if there was anything else…none. She flipped the card around and there were two words: please come.
Sango held the envelope and card in one hand and put the other one on her hip, deciding whether to go or not. She could really get some packing done tonight and it left tomorrow to make sure she has everything and go out to buy the stuff that's missing. Or, she can go to the ice cream parlor and see who this is from and pack tomorrow.
"I can't get much packing done without Tommy anyways…he never likes what I pick out for him to wear," she negotiated with herself. Tommy wasn't home right now because Sandy said he was going to bring him out to play. Sango was free for the evening.
She put down the envelope and went up to her room to change. "I'll pack tomorrow," she mumbled into her closet, picking out what to wear. She picked a small white t-shirt and some khaki capris to go with her orange flip-flops. She double-checked her ponytail, grabbed her keys and left for the ice cream parlor. Her packing can wait, ice cream amongst other things can't.
… … … … …
Sango parked her car in front of the ice cream parlor. The shop looked closed since inside was very dim except for a few lights near the entrance. She walked up and peeped inside. On the door there was a piece of paper and it said "Someone Out There," in the same printing as the words on the back of the business card. Sango's heart thumped, recognizing the words as more than just three words on a paper. She pressed her hand on the handle of the door, deciding whether to go in or not. A voice inside her head urged her to go in, while another pulled her back.
Through the dilemma, Sango gripped the handle bar and swung it open. The ice cream parlor looked the same was five years ago. The floors looked a bit older, but still gleamed from a recent polish. The entire room was dim except for a few small lights that resembled the Christmas lights you put on your tree. The incandescent light made the room glow as if it was light up by candles. Sango looked around and saw the parlor was empty. The echo of the door closing sounded the room as turned her head round and round to see who this person was.
There was only one person she hoped it was, but she kept pushing the thought away not wanting to disappoint herself. "Hello?" she asked the empty room, hearing the echoes bounce off the walls. The parlor was cold as always since there were tons of fridges to keep the ice cream from melting. It wasn't an icy freeze-to-death sort of cold, more like a comfortable cold that was hard to describe but feels just right.
Sango turned to leave when a voice stopped her and glued her feet to the floor. "Sango?" said the voice. Sango grew roots, not able or wanting to leave at all. She turned around and looked up to the second floor. There was Miroku, standing there all dressed up in a white dress shirt and black slacks. His hair was tousled as always, the way Sango remembered and loved them. He stood there leaning on the railway looking at Sango below.
"I knew it was you," she breathed. Miroku grinned sheepishly, "My writing still the same huh?" he said. Sango just nodded even though it wasn't the reason why. "I heard you were leaving," he said seriously as he walked down the stairs. Sango's tongue was stuck to the roof of her mouth.
"I didn't want you to go and watch my chance slip away from me," he continued, looking at her square in the eye as he walked. "I let you go the first time but not this time," he smiled. He was five steps away from her. Sango tilted her head in bewilderment. "I'm coming back you know," she croaked out.
Miroku nodded his head, "I'm not taking any chances." Sango didn't know what to say. "What brought on the serious confessions," she joked softly. Miroku laughed, "Because…" He trailed off not knowing how to finish. "Because time is not promised, we are not promised with a tomorrow and I want to take a chance before I regret."
Sango smiled, feeling less confused but not sure where this was going. Miroku smiled eagerly and took Sango's hand and dragged her over the ice cream display. He got a hat, plopped it on and went behind the counter. "What are you doing?" asked Sango, "Are we even allowed here at this time?"
Miroku said reassuringly, "Don't worry about it, trust me." Sango stood in front of the ice cream window, looking at all the flavors. "Sango, did know Sandy was the one that brought us back together again?"
Sango's head snapped up. "What do you mean?" Miroku took a deep breath and started to explain, "I talked to Sandy on the phone yesterday, he was telling me that you were leaving the day after tomorrow to Canada. I was confused why he would be telling me all this stuff, and I knew that it was more than just him wanting us together. He then told me that the day he found out you returned from Canada, he pulled some strings with David, who is in school board, to switch me to an elementary school to teach for a week. He made sure that I was teaching in Tommy's class. And from then on...well you know the story."
Sango stood there trying to absorb everything. "So, Sandy did this for me…for us?" Miroku nodded, "Great man he is." Sango stood there looking at Miroku expectantly.
Miroku blinked his eyes and remembered what he was going to do next. "I have a question for you, Sango." Sango laughed at the sudden mock-seriousness in his voice. "Ask away Miroku." "Will you, Sango, go out on a date with me?" Miroku grinned madly as he looked at Sango's expression.
"I uh…" stammered Sango. She wanted it, that's for sure. The short kiss a few nights ago was not forgotten. She found herself (even in love maybe) all over again with Miroku. Butterflies fluttered around in her stomach. Miroku held up a finger to stop her response.
"If you say yes, point to the chocolate ice cream, if you say no, point to the vanilla ice cream." Sango laughed weakly, adoring how cute Miroku looked with his grin. Like a little kid at a candy shop. Without hesitating for too long, she pointed to…
"Chocolate ice cream it is," said Miroku gleefully. He scooped her a cone and handed it to her. Sango took it and licked the flavor. Sweet and familiar, just like him. Miroku laughed inwardly at how cheesy she sounded. She stopped licking and frowned. What was this thing her tongue kept on hitting? She dug her fingers into the ice cream and pulled out…
"A ring," she breathed holding the tiny gold object. Miroku smiled warmly as she took the ring from her, wiped it clean on his dress shirt and held it up in front of her.
"This ring is not an engagement ring," he said, "It's a promise ring. I know you don't want to move so quickly, and I will wait for you. I promise you I will. Do you…accept?" Miroku bit his lip slightly, his eyes sparkled in hope. Sango walked away to throw away the ice cream cone. Miroku stood there waiting, still smiling, still hoping.
Sango stared at him, touched by everything he went through to ask her out on one date. He truly has changed, she looked in awe. "I remembered Sandy once told me to love like it's never going to hurt," said Sango suddenly.
"You know Sango …Mother Teresa once said, 'I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.'" Sango smiled at his words, confirming whatever doubts were left. She held her hand out signifying a yes. Miroku slid it on her finger and wrapped her into a tight hug.
"Miroku," she murmured. "You're my someone out there," he whispered into her ears, his cheeks brushing hers. Tears rimmed at his eyes. Sango pulled apart slightly and looked at him. "Are you crying?" she asked touching his face. Miroku shook his head and chuckled, "Maybe." Miroku kissed her eyelids softly. Butterfly kisses. Sango felt the tear slid off his face and landed on her cheek. Sango felt warmth spread all over her, a feeling of friendship and a feeling of love. Miroku stooped down slightly and caught her lips in a kiss.
Sango wriggled out in protest, "Let me wipe the chocolate off my lips!" Miroku laughed kissing her anyways. "I don't care," he whispered tasting the familiar sweet taste of chocolate ice cream.