A/N: Got one paper down. One more to go. And much thanks to eriesalia for our discussions on Megumi's inner turmoil about her new condition. *grins* And I TRIED to keep Aoshi out of this chapter, but he wants to be heard. *shakes head*
Part 3: Thoughts and Tentative Conclusions
San Diego, California
How could she have been so careless? It wasn't like her. In her mind, she tried to remember situations when she hadn't been so cautious.
And it came in a flash.
Megumi groaned, grasping the edge of her sink countertop, falling to her knees on the fluffy black rug of her bathroom floor. Christmas Eve. Megumi pressed her hand to her belly, her lungs taking in a deep breath.
She bit her lip, her eyes filling with hot tears. What was she going to do? What would her family say? What would Aoshi say? And at the heart of all the tumultuous emotions firing back and forth inside of her…she knew she wasn't ready to be a mother. She'd envisioned herself settled down, married for at least a few years before she became a mother.
If she was pregnant, how was she going to tell Aoshi? Knowing the man, he'd want to do the right thing. He'd have no trouble settling down, he had done it already. He'd want to get married right away and familiarize himself with child raising…again…in preparation for the baby. But…Megumi swallowed. Was she ready to settle down? Aoshi had mentioned marriage before…a few times, and she'd always avoided it. She wasn't ready to get married. She loved the man, but the timing just didn't seem right to her. And what about his amnesia? Had all his memories returned?
If she was pregnant, she had to consider where Aoshi would fit in. While she wasn't quite ready to get married, she would never deny Aoshi his rights as a father. Not that she could keep him away from his child even if she tried. The man could be as persistent and stubborn as…well…her. Aoshi would be a wonderful father. He would be firm in his discipline, but loving at the same time.
And what about her family? Her father would insist that she get married. A single mother was common in this day and age, but he was stubbornly traditional. He had a hard time enough believing that she and Aoshi were intimate. She recalled with mortification one morning he had come for breakfast, only to see Aoshi leaving her apartment in the morning. If he didn't like the man so much, he would have raised hell. Her aunts would probably be delighted. Her aunts never had children of their own…they always looked to her mother for hope in that. And if they were going to be grandaunts…
Megumi placed a hand over her belly.
If she and Aoshi had created a baby, then that was something she was going to have to deal with. She had to be responsible for her actions. She also knew that Aoshi would take responsibility for his, as well. Even if he didn't remember their relationship.
What was she going to do? Should she say anything to anyone now?
No.
She couldn't very well tell Kaoru. As well-meaning as her friend was, Kaoru had a way of talking. No doubt Misao would find out, and then immediately tell Aoshi.
She couldn't very well tell Misao. Even though she knew the teenager would be thrilled.
And as much as she liked Kaoru's husband, she wasn't that comfortable in telling him about her situation.
Her father? No…he'd break down the Shinomori/Makimachi household the instant he'd find out and order Aoshi to marry her. Then he'd cool down, but still insist they get married.
Her aunts? They sided with her too many times when she was younger, so while she didn't have to worry about them telling her father…her aunts were romantics at heart…they'd also push her to get married.
Which left no one. Perhaps it was best not to say anything right at the moment, anyway.
Megumi swallowed. First thing she would do would be to schedule an appointment at the naval hospital. They'd perform some lab work and by the end of the week, she'd know for sure.
But in the meantime…
Megumi got to her feet and picked up the phone, dialing a number.
"Hello?"
"Chase, it's me."
"Megumi? Are you all right?"
"Yes…I'm feeling a little sick so I might have to cancel lessons until I get better…"
"That's fine." She could hear the concern in his voice. "Anything I can do?"
She smiled weakly, touched by his concern. "No, but thank you…"
Megumi blew out a breath. Well, there was one advantage to being far from home. No one could tell that something was wrong. Her family in Hawaii, as well-meaning as some could be, they were the last people to talk to. Pushing back her hair, she thought she could call Sanosuke, but that would seem…strange. And awkward. She felt like she would be betraying Aoshi somehow.
Megumi sighed.
~
Pearl Harbor – Oahu, Hawaii
Aoshi's eyes surveyed the room once he got off the elevator on his floor at Naval Intelligence Operations.
The doctor this morning had said that he'd recovered completely. It didn't seem like it. There were a couple things that seemed hazy in his mind after his injury, but for the most part, he could remember everything. It was hard to believe that he'd had amnesia in the first place. Most of the time during the past four weeks, he remembered feeling slightly confused, but events he could clearly remember. The Himuras' move-in day, for example, into their new house that was located fairly close to their dojo.
So, he had shown up at NIO headquarters, in khaki uniform, ready to report to work.
Some people were surprised to see him, but for the most part, everyone welcomed him back. So when he entered Commander Hajime Saitou's office, his commanding officer, seated at his plush leather chair, merely raised an eyebrow at his appearance.
"Well, well. Took you long enough," Saitou commented.
Aoshi stood in front of his desk, feet apart, arms braced behind his back, his military training still influencing the way he carried himself.
"You feeling better?"
"I was never sick," Aoshi corrected.
Saitou studied him for a few moments. "Doctor faxed me an okay to put you back on active duty. This isn't going to be a routine, is it? Tragic accidents once a year?"
His commanding officer's sarcastic humor obviously hadn't faded at all. "I hope not."
Saitou smirked. "Same here." He waited for a moment. "Commander Andrea Kendall is coming in later today. Do you know who she is?"
At that, Aoshi grimaced ever so slightly. The name was fairly notorious within NIO. " 'The Black Widow of the southwest region', as I believe she is called."
Saitou nodded. "We and other officers in your division have a meeting with her at fourteen hundred."
Aoshi tried to not show his exasperation.
Saitou said, his expression indicating his own displeasure, "She'll only be here for a week."
"Far too long, in my opinion."
At that, Saitou nodded in agreement. "Meet back here by then. Dismissed."
As Aoshi closed the door to Saitou's office, he let his features fully display the reluctance of his meeting later that day. Commander Andrea Kendall was known…particularly around male officers…to have pushed the lines of flirtation to the red light zone. She was smart, she was aggressive, and she was persistent. Her advances tended to make most male officers edgy…and excited. In his opinion, behavior like that hindered one's thinking…he hoped that the officers in his unit wouldn't succumb to such behavior. If she was there to evaluate the progress of the weapons security division, she might cause a stir. No one ever challenged her behavior…she was very good at her job and she was very good at making the inappropriate appropriate. He'd never met her personally, but he had heard that for a short time, she'd had Commander Saitou as her target. Before she found out he was married.
He settled at his desk, turning the computer on. His blue gray eyes shifted to a photograph on his desk, of a beautiful woman he hadn't seen in close to a month. Her dark eyes shone, and her lips were turned up in a genuine smile – that moment of happiness captured on camera.
Megumi.
He sighed, his hand reaching for his desk phone before retreating. He knew that she left to work in San Diego temporarily, but he also knew that she had needed time to herself for a while. He felt partially responsible for that. Even though he knew she would never blame him for that. Amnesia couldn't be pinpointed at one person. The last few weeks had been a difficult time for everyone. From what he understood, he hadn't even remembered their relationship.
It was as if he woke up one day and everything seemed normal. He'd been a little disoriented at first, but Misao had taken a good two and a half hours to explain what had happened. And he had called the doctor to confirm what had happened and gone for a checkup. It was as if nothing happened.
Misao had written Megumi's new phone number down on the white board pasted on the fridge at home. He'd had it memorized within seconds. But she was at work, and he'd prefer to hear her, not a machine recording.
He leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling. Misao told him that she was keeping herself busy, enjoying her new life in Southern California. Megumi always had an independent streak, but chances are, with her life now, it was growing wider by the minute. She'd call her family and friends once a week, but that was it. She hadn't called him at all since she had been gone. Not that he blamed her. She probably didn't know what to say. And he probably wouldn't have been very responsive.
Now was a different story.
Several hours later, Aoshi and two other officers, Lt. Martelli and Lt. McGraw, both men who had been in the same class at the academy, met in Saitou's office. In one of the chairs at his small conference table sat a blonde woman of average height, her hair cut short just to her chin. She was dressed in khaki uniform, her skirt reaching her knees.
"Gentlemen," Saitou spoke up, once they stepped in. "This is Commander Andrea Kendall."
Everyone exchanged greetings. She had a firm handshake, and her demeanor clearly said that she took business seriously.
"Have a seat, gentlemen," Commander Kendall gestured to the seats near her. Her blue eyes were sharp and assessing. But her voice was unique. Low and throaty, completely different than most women's. She glanced at the three officers before saying. "As you know…I will be conducting an evaluation of the Pacific region's projects so far. This will involve inquiries not only at this facility, but also at the harbor."
What she was saying was all formality. Aoshi knew the routine.
"My findings will be sent to Naval Intelligence headquarters, and they will ultimately determine what needs to be done in order to speed up the process, if needed." She studied each officer for a few moments before giving a brief smile. "I will also be reporting my findings to your commanding officer, as well as any recommendations I might make."
Aoshi could sense Saitou was surveying the reactions of the officers.
"If there are no more questions…"
"No, ma'am," McGraw spoke up.
"All right." She straightened out her paperwork. "I will start tomorrow, immediately, at zero eight-hundred hours. And I would also like to request that Lt. Commander Shinomori serve as my liaison for this evaluation."
Aoshi looked up, his eyes narrowing slightly, and the other two officers glanced at each other.
Not missing a beat, Saitou said, "Shinomori has been on medical leave for almost a month. He isn't up to date."
"Regardless," Kendall responded, "He is the most senior officer in weapons security. He possesses knowledge not just of the projects this base has conducted, but also of the Hawaiian region. Having been assigned to NIS previously, he could provide additional information."
Saitou's eyes narrowed slightly. "Fine."
Kendall smiled. "Thank you for your cooperation, Commander." She turned to Aoshi, a flash of triumph in her eyes. "I will see you in your office tomorrow at eight hundred."
"Yes, ma'am." He kept his voice neutral.
"Shinomori, you stay. The rest of you are dismissed," Saitou stated.
Once Kendall and the officers left, Saitou sat back, studying his junior officer for a moment.
"You wanted to say something?" Aoshi prompted.
"Looks like you have some reading to catch up on from the past month." He rose and moved over to his file cabinet, pulling out several folders and placing them on his desk in front of Aoshi.
"It would seem so," Aoshi agreed.
"Transparent, isn't she?"
Aoshi frowned. "Meaning?"
Saitou shook his head. "Kendall doesn't need a liaison."
Then why would she ask for one? Aoshi let that sink in. "I see…"
~
San Diego, California
"Thanks for dinner, Sylvia," Chase said as he put his plate in the sink.
"Your salmon's always the best. Even after fifty years…" Walter commented before giving her a kiss on top of her head.
Sylvia smiled at her two favorite men in the world. They were always so pleasant to be around. She was fortunate to have Walter, the most loving husband. Even after all these years, he was so appealing to her in so many levels. She was proud to have shared her life with him. Even if they hadn't been able to have children. He had understood and they had taken to being surrogate parents for the children around their neighborhood. They had given relationship advice, life advice, and career advice. They had helped high school students express interest in their sweethearts. They had even seen some of those high school students grow and eventually get married. They had seen burned out blue collar workers change to satisfying careers. Always because they made themselves available to the young people around them.
Including the young man who stood at the sink, staring out the window at something that had caught his attention. Or someone.
Sylvia smiled. She'd caught on fairly early Chase's interest in Megumi. However, Chase was a man, and it was obvious what had caught his interest in the beginning. But as they had both gotten to know the woman who lived just across the courtyard, it was obvious that Megumi was more than just a beautiful woman. She was intelligent, spirited, and had a passion for life. Reminded Sylvia of herself when she was younger.
But Sylvia sensed something else…Megumi was a private person. And while Megumi was friendly and kind, she sensed that there was a part of the young woman that was locked away. She briefly wondered what kind of life she had in Hawaii. It was obvious that her family loved her. Megumi had received gift packages of Hawaiian snacks and macadamia nut candy over the past few weeks. Often with catchy notes.
The girl kept herself locked away too much. Which was why she encouraged Chase to pursue her. Sylvia remembered what it was like to be young, in a new place…nothing like a handsome young suitor to make a city seem a little more interesting. And besides, Chase was a nice boy. She'd seen the airheaded false women he dated. Sylvia sniffed. Full of plastic, all of them. However, the other woman hadn't really shown much interest in the young man. Which was quite unusual.
"Has Megumi been acting strange to you?" Chase asked suddenly.
Walter frowned slightly. "She seems all right."
Sylvia smiled. Walter, the dear man, was too busy doing his senior volunteer patrol that he rarely picked up on the moods of his neighbors.
"She has been unusually distant," Sylvia offered.
"She told me she was sick a couple days ago…" Chase declared.
"Hmm. Not sick enough to be skipping work…" Sylvia murmured.
"Yeah…"
Sylvia moved to his side, where he was looking through the window blinds, watching as Megumi stood at her door, digging into her purse for her keys. A white piece of paper fluttered to the ground. Megumi bent slightly to pick it up before sticking it into her purse. A slender hand reached up to tuck her hair behind her ear before ever so slightly, brushing her stomach before dropping to her side.
Sylvia narrowed her eyes slightly.
Hm.
"Are we going to start this game?" Walter asked, chessboard ready with pieces in place. The dining room table had been cleared off, leaving Walter to his game with Chase. It was a tradition the two men had once a week.
"You two go ahead…" Sylvia stated. "I'm going to check and see if Megumi needs anything…"
It had taken several knocks before Megumi answered the door. She had changed out of her work clothes to a red sweater and drawstring pants. Her eyes, normally sparkling, were dull and weary. Sylvia felt sympathy spread inside of her. Something was clearly bothering the young woman.
She feigned a smile. "Sylvia…hi…"
"May I come in?"
"Of course…"
Sylvia stepped inside and Megumi closed the door behind her. The girl's features were tired, slightly pale. She wondered if Chase was right…if she had been sick.
"Are you all right, dear?" Sylvia asked. "You look so tired."
Megumi nodded. "Today was a long day…"
"I meant in general. You…haven't been yourself the last few days…"
Megumi's eyes widened slightly. "I…haven't?"
Sylvia shook her head. "There's something wrong…I wish you would tell me. It's…difficult for me to see you like this. You're so different than the vibrant woman I first met nearly a month ago…"
"What…makes you say that?"
"I can sense it."
Megumi sighed, looking away. "Well…honestly, I haven't been getting enough sleep. I don't know why that is…"
Sylvia reached for her hands. "Then perhaps I should leave you alone. But do get some rest. Walter, Chase and I want you to take care of yourself."
Megumi smiled at that. "I will. Thank you for your concern."
"I have to look out for the young people here," Sylvia quipped, patting her hand.
~
The next day, an hour after work, Chase was surprised to see Megumi at his doorstep.
"Hey, come on in," he greeted. "You feeling better?"
"A little," she admitted, stepping inside as he closed the door behind her.
She certainly looked different. Less…energetic. Still beautiful. Her hair was loose around her shoulders. She had changed out of her work clothes, wearing a jean jacket over a white sweater and hip hugging blue jeans that hung below her navel. Her outfit gave him a view of the creamy skin of her midriff. And while the sight of mere skin was starting to do funny things to his insides, he focused on her because it looked as if something was weighing her down.
She spoke up, distracting his thoughts. "I need to go to the grocery store…was wondering if you'd like to come with me."
Was she feeling up to it? She looked so worn out. "…Sure."
She waited while he pulled on a jacket over his long-sleeved T-shirt and blue jeans.
"So-" The instant he began conversation, Megumi swayed slightly, and she grabbed his arm. "Whoa." He steadied her. "Are you all right?"
"Yes," she answered. Her voice sounded confused. "I don't know what happened…that was strange. Lost my footing."
He frowned, glancing down at the carpet. "Weird. The carpet's set on the ground."
Just after he opened his door, he felt Megumi's grip on his arm go slack. Instantly, he caught her before she slid to the floor. He felt a sliver of fear go through him at the sight of Megumi's unconscious form.
"Megumi?" What happened? He bent slightly and lifted her in his arms, moving so that he could settle her on the couch. His fingers circled her wrist, finding the slow beat of her pulse. He shook her arm. Nothing.
"Megumi." Chase reached up, patting her cheek gently to wake her up.
What was wrong with her? One minute she was talking, the next…
He immediately went for the phone.
"Hello?"
"Sylvia, it's Chase."
"Hi-"
He skipped pleasantries. "Megumi just fainted."
"What?"
"She was standing in my living room, and she fainted."
"I'll be there right away. Lie her down, keep her feet elevated, and use cold compresses on her face. I'll be right there."
He released a breath. "Thanks."
Chase quickly retrieved a washcloth from his bathroom, wet it with cold water and came back to the living room, placing it on her forehead. His fingers brushed the soft skin of her cheek before he sat back, waiting for Sylvia to come through his open door.
It didn't take very long. Sylvia rushed in, her breathing rapid. Chase immediately felt guilty for making her rush over.
Sylvia immediately moved to where Chase once sat, facing Megumi, her fingers checking Megumi's pulse before checking her temperature, laying the back of her hand against Megumi's cheek.
"I didn't know what else to do," he said softly.
"You did fine," she assured him. "Her temperature's okay…What happened?"
"We were just talking when she seemed to lose her balance. Next thing I know, she's out."
Slowly, Megumi's eyes fluttered open. He released a sigh of relief he hadn't known that he was holding.
"Megumi, dear, are you all right?" Sylvia asked.
"Yes…I…I think so…" she whispered. The faint sound tugged at something inside of him. She sounded so weak. Unlike her. At least the Megumi he knew.
"Don't sit up," Sylvia said gently. "Just lie back for a few minutes."
Megumi nodded.
"What happened?" Chase asked, sinking to his knees by the couch. Not caring how much his next statement would say, he pressed on, "You scared me for a few minutes."
Unconsciously, her hand seemed to find his. The touch of her fingers was soft and heavenly. In spite of the situation, he let himself revel in the fact that she had reached for him. It was probably the closest contact he'd ever get from her.
"Sorry…" she murmured.
"That's okay…" His hold on her tightened.
He glanced at Sylvia, whose eyes were on their joined hands. Then she glanced at him before turning to Megumi.
Slowly, Megumi sat up, much to Sylvia's protest.
"Megumi-"
"I'm fine," Megumi assured, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. She had pushed herself up with her right hand and had carefully extracted her left hand from his.
He let her go, watching as she seemed determined to sit up and focus. He and Sylvia looked at each other before looking back at the young woman, who know sat with her eyes opened.
Sylvia pursed her lips slightly in thought. She opened her mouth, then closed it. Curious, Chase saw her perform the action again.
"Megumi…you haven't been looking well at all these past few days…" Sylvia commented. "And this fainting spell…"
"I…guess I'm more tired than I thought," Megumi explained weakly.
Sylvia's eyes widened with concern before she turned to him. "Chase, I just made a batch of chicken soup on the stove…could you bring some over? It might need some heating up, though. Megumi might need some food in her system…"
"Sure…"
And with one last look to Megumi, he headed out of his apartment.
~
Sylvia sighed. When the boy was gone, she closed the door. She'd needed to get rid of him, even for just a few minutes.
She then joined Megumi on the couch, grasping her hand. "Megumi, dear…I'm going to ask you something…you don't have to answer unless you absolutely want to, all right?"
The girl looked at her warily before nodding.
Sylvia waited one moment. "Are you pregnant?"
A flash of emotion entered the girl's eyes. She was.
"I…I think so," Megumi answered softly. "I won't know until end of the week…when the results come in. But…I'm almost sure I am. I've…been showing the signs. I took a home pregnancy test already, and it says I am…"
Sylvia nodded. "Does the father know?"
Megumi bit her lip. "…No."
Megumi had only been in San Diego for under a month. How could she become…? Unless…
"Is the father in Hawaii?" she asked gently.
Megumi nodded, and in an instant, her eyes had gone moist. "Sylvia…I…I…ever since I took that home test…I…I've been wondering what I should do…" Her grip tightened on hers. "I wanted to tell someone, but I didn't know who to talk to…"
Poor girl. She must have been torn up inside…
Her voice wavered. "I'm not sure I'm ready to be a mother, but I needed to know for sure if I was pregnant, and I wasn't sure who I could talk to…all this waiting has me so…"
Sylvia shook her head, patting her hand. "I'm glad you told me. But your family…"
"I haven't told anyone in Hawaii," Megumi whispered. "I can't."
"Not even the father?"
"Especially him."
That caused Sylvia's eyebrows to rise. "Megumi…what…happened before you came here?"
The girl choked on a laugh. "What didn't happen?"
Sylvia remained silent.
Megumi looked away. "New Year's Day…he got into an accident and when…he woke up…he…had amnesia…."
Sylvia swallowed at the heartbroken sound of her voice.
"He didn't remember our relationship…I couldn't do anything but wait while I was in Hawaii…but then I came here…"
"Has he remembered anything?"
"I…I don't know…no one's called me yet to update me…"
Sylvia took a deep breath. "This man…if he had never been diagnosed with amnesia, would you have told him?"
"The instant I got the results of the home pregnancy test," she answered firmly.
Her heart went out to the girl. "Megumi…it's obvious to me that you love this man…you should be sharing your anticipation with him…" Sylvia spoke up, shaking her hand slightly. "Regardless if he doesn't remember what you two shared."
"I can't. You don't know what he's like, Sylvia. The past couple weeks…he's just been…polite. And I can't blame him for that, that's not his fault…but I can't bear to hear him sound so…so…" Megumi bit her lip.
"Hey, I got the soup," Chase announced, freezing in his tracks at the sight of them obviously in deep conversation.
Much later, when they had escorted Megumi to her unit, Sylvia had taken to cleaning up her kitchen. Chase hovered around in her living room, obviously worried about his friend. He hadn't asked, and Sylvia admired him for that. But she knew he was eager to find out.
"Think she'll be okay?" he asked.
Sylvia looked up from wiping the counter. "She'll be fine. She just…has a lot to handle."
Chase blew out a breath, his cheeks puffing slightly as air passed through, before combing his hair back with his fingers.
Sylvia cleared her throat. "Megumi…might be pregnant."
Chase froze in shock. "What? She's…" He frowned. "Has she told anyone?"
"Other than myself? No."
"Well…what about her father? Her aunts?"
"No."
"What about the baby's father?"
"She hasn't told the father yet because he doesn't remember her."
"What?" he blinked in surprise.
"From what she told me, he has amnesia and hasn't fully recovered his memories yet."
He winced. "Poor Megumi…"
Sylvia sighed. "She won't know for sure about her pregnancy until later this week…"
"Is…there anything we can do to help her out?" he asked after a long moment.
"Well…" Sylvia beamed. "We've been good friends to her so far…so that seems to be the best thing for now…"
~
Megumi closed the patient file before giving it to the receptionist. Balboa Hospital was similar to Pearl Harbor – the strong rapport between hospital personnel. Officer, enlisted, it didn't matter.
Dr. Abigail Tristan, one of the officers in charge on the floor, came up to her, a clipboard tucked into her arm.
"Hi, Megumi."
Megumi turned, smiling in greeting. "Hello…"
"I haven't been able to see how you're doing…Although I hear that you've adjusted to the program pretty well," she commented sincerely.
"I have. It's a unique experience for me," Megumi admitted.
Abigail nodded, smiling. "That's wonderful. I'm glad it's going well. You know…one of our physicians is moving out of state…so there will be a general practitioner position available soon. You might want to consider it."
Megumi's eyes widened. "A permanent position?"
Abigail nodded. "I'd refer you in a minute."
Megumi bit her lip. "I…never really thought about staying. I always thought I'd just be…visiting."
"It's something to think about," Abigail coaxed. "You've got time. You're not set to leave until March, and she'll be gone first week of April. This hospital needs more female physicians."
"I'll consider it. Thank you."
"No problem."
Megumi blew out a breath. Stay…permanently? It was an interesting thought. The city was starting to grow on her. Funny, though…she always imagined that she'd grow up and grow old in Hawaii. Was there something about this place that made a person think about staying there permanently?
~
After work, Chase knocked on Megumi's door. The last few days had been pretty quiet. Megumi primarily kept to herself. Which was understandable.
He wished that there was something he could do. But his experience with potentially pregnant women was limited.
One thing was for sure…he liked this woman a lot. Seeing her sometimes…it got to him. But he wasn't going to push. Especially now. She needed a friend. He wasn't too sure, but based on what Sylvia said, it seemed like Megumi and the man she had been seeing were pretty close.
Megumi opened the door, wearing a long sleeved fleece and blue jeans. "Hi."
He held up a paper bag. "I came with a bribe."
A brief smile lifted the corners of her lips. "Oh really?"
"Mexican. The best in San Diego."
She laughed. "Come on in."
They set up dinner on the kitchen counter. She retrieved two glasses of water for them.
"Thanks." He set a white foam box in front of her.
They ate quietly for a few minutes.
"Anything yet?" he asked.
Megumi sighed. "Sylvia told you?"
Chase stated, "I was worried."
Her eyes met his before smiling ruefully. "Sorry. I won't know until Friday."
"Does…the father know?"
She shook her head, sitting back in her chair. "No…I…haven't told him."
Chase studied her for a minute. "Do you mind if I ask what happened to make you not want to say anything?"
Megumi picked up her napkin and began to rip it into tiny shreds. "He has amnesia right now."
He already knew that. But hearing her say it…that was a whole different story. It confirmed everything. "And he doesn't remember you."
"That's right."
"Sorry." It must be hard on her. No wonder she seemed to be such a private person.
She shrugged. "Nothing can be done about his memory." Then she released a sigh. "If I told him…he'd probably want to do the honorable thing and insist we get married."
He took a drink of water. "So he's responsible. Not many people these days are like that…that's a good thing."
"If I marry him, it won't be because of that." Her eyes saddened.
So she and the man were probably involved when he got amnesia. He paused in thought. If she married him? Did that mean she wasn't sure she wanted to yet?
He tried to think what he'd prefer if he had been in that situation. He'd always preferred honesty. Most people did.
"I think he should know about the baby. Even before you get the definite okay," Chase said frankly. "Even if he has amnesia."
She shook her head. "That's the same thing Sylvia said."
"Makes sense, doesn't it?" He frowned. "I'm wondering…"
"Yes?"
He waited a moment. "You don't have to answer. But…if you had told him…and he never had amnesia…how would he react?" She opened her mouth, but he cut her off, "And based on that…is it still a good idea to keep him in the dark?"
Her eyes lowered. "I'd rather wait until the hospital gives me a definite yes..."
A/N: So much for LESS drama….And to do something kinda fun…Who can tell me one of two female characters who inspired me to have Megumi take up fencing? One is from a movie, the other a TV series that only aired for about one season, and they both fence. Although unrelated, both are set in California during 1800s. I'd be surprised if someone gets BOTH…First to email me the answer(s), I'll do a fanart (AU, Meiji), let you read the next chappie before I upload or something.