Part 5: Important Conversations
San Diego, California
Megumi stared at her ceiling from her position on her leather sofa. She wasn't sure how she had gotten through the day. It all seemed like a blur.
She swallowed.
What was she going to do?
She told herself that she wouldn't worry about it until she had her answer. She'd worried anyway, even so far as to tell Sylvia about her potential pregnancy. Sylvia and Chase had been very supportive. But they also respected her wishes when she wanted space.
She told herself she wouldn't worry about anything until she had her answer.
And now she had her answer.
She wasn't ready to be a mother. There was too much else going on in life right now. Megumi turned her head to the side, closing her eyes. Actually, motherhood scared her. She always imagined she'd have her major life points mapped out…not spontaneous like this.
The phone rang.
Slowly, Megumi got up to answer it. The walk from her couch to the phone's position near the kitchen seemed to take forever. She picked it up, pressing the talk button.
"Hello?"
Pause.
She frowned. "Hello?"
"Megumi."
Suddenly, she felt lightheaded at the sound of his baritone voice. She had to brace herself against the wall that divided her kitchen and living room.
"Megumi, are you there?"
"Ye…Yes, it's me. I'm here."
Silence. He was finally returning her phone calls? She knew that he had been at work all day, but it usually didn't take him long to return her call…especially when it was important.
"You…wanted to talk?" he prompted.
This had to be the most awkward conversation ever. Probably even worse than after Aoshi had solved the case at the hospital.
"Yes," she answered. "I…" Wait. Don't snowball him with the news. "How…How are you?"
"Good. I went back to work several days ago."
"I'm glad everything's working out." Had she been right? Once his memories returned, she'd just be part of his past that he looked back on once in a while? "Is…everything okay?"
"I can't remember several things. Mostly what happened on New Year's Day. But it doesn't affect my work that much…"
The man was talking about work. Of course.
"That was…busy for everyone," Megumi offered. "I barely remember it."
That was a lie if she ever told one.
Silence. Megumi bit her lip.
"I miss you," he finally said, his voice soft in her ear, almost as if he was standing right next to her.
She felt lightheaded again, and this time, she sank to the carpet, her back against the wall.
She heard him sigh over the phone line. "I…haven't been very attentive since the beginning of the year…you were busy…" Megumi bowed her head, taking several deep breaths. He remembered. "Are you crying?"
Megumi smiled, laughing softly as she felt tears of relief slide down her cheeks. She never cried so much until this week. She'd been so emotional this past week. Hormones. "No…" Her hold tightened on the phone. "Aoshi…I understand what happened…I didn't expect you to remember everything all at once…"
"I should have known better," he admitted quietly. "I had all the evidence in front of me…Even looking at you…I knew…but I still refused to-"
"It's okay," she reassured him. Only her logical, practical boyfriend. All that time, even though his head had been trying to convince him one thing, his heart knew another.
"You won't be back for another five weeks, correct?" he inquired.
"That's right."
"So what happens now?"
"For what?" She frowned.
"Us."
He wanted to pick up where they left off? She bit her lip. As much as she wanted to, something had changed, and she couldn't avoid it any longer. Might as well go now. "Well…There's…something…I have to tell you." Megumi closed her eyes. "I…I…"
"What is it?" Although his voice remained calm, she could tell he was concerned.
"I…" She bit her lip. "I'm…I'm pregnant."
Megumi swore he must have been quiet for ten whole seconds. Those seconds seemed like minutes.
"You're…pregnant?"
She nodded, bracing herself for his reaction. "Yes."
"…I wish I was there right now."
Even she could hear the wistful tone in his voice. "Does that mean you're happy?"
"Of course I'm happy."
There was no mistaking the conviction in his voice. "I'm glad one of us is…"
"What's wrong?" he pressed. "You don't want-"
"I don't know what to think," Megumi admitted, her voice rising. "I found out last weekend when I took a home pregnancy test…and I wasn't sure if it was accurate, so they ran some tests at the hospital…and I just found out today a few hours before I got off work, and I…"
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I…I needed to know for myself," she explained, her hand going to her belly protectively.
"You should have told me as soon as you suspected you were pregnant," he said.
Megumi closed her eyes. "Aoshi, please…you didn't remember our relationship-"
"It wouldn't have mattered," he responded.
"It would have to me," she argued.
"I don't think you should have to go through waiting alone. But I do understand why you wanted to wait." Sincerity echoed in his voice before he said in amazement, "I'm going to be a father…"
"Pretty amazing, isn't it?"
"Yes. Did you tell your family yet?"
"No…I…I will, though." She sighed.
"What are we going to do?"
"I…I don't know," she admitted. Not just about them, but the baby, too. They had someone else to consider now. "This…isn't something I like talking over the phone."
He then said quickly, "I'm going to be in San Diego next week for a few days of work. We can talk then."
"What?"
"I'm supposed to fly in Tuesday or Wednesday…I should know by Monday."
He was coming here?
"Where are you staying?" she immediately asked.
"You tell me..."
Her breath caught as her heart began to kick in an excited rhythm.
Honolulu – Oahu, Hawaii
Aoshi sat back in shock in the den of his home after hanging up the phone. He was going to be a father. He wanted to shout, he wanted to laugh, he wanted to take the next flight out and take Megumi into his arms. Jumping to his feet, he got up, staring out the window.
What would be the most logical step now? Most likely begin making plans around the baby.
He frowned at that. During their conversation, she hadn't said anything about marriage. In fact…she had avoided the issue since it first came up over a month ago.
Why was Megumi so resistant to marriage? Unless he was mistaken, she loved him…but…she never made any indications about having a future together. Unless she didn't see one.
He sighed.
He knew he wanted Megumi in his life. But did she want him in hers?
He could only imagine what she was going through at the moment. She had sounded relieved to hear from him, scared about her pregnancy, possibly lonely…so many things…He felt so guilty that things turned out the way they did. While he didn't regret that they'd conceived a child, he only wished that he'd been able to remember what she was earlier. Maybe she wouldn't have sounded the way she had. And while she was glad to hear that he'd be coming to California, he sensed a distance in her.
She had been tired and after telling him that he was welcome to stay at her apartment, she had hung up the phone. They'd have plenty of time to talk later.
Misao had found him drinking tea in the kitchen when she had returned from her date. He found himself watching her, amazed that he was going to be given the opportunity to be a father again.
"What?" She gave him an odd look as she took off her shoes.
"Nothing." He could barely keep quiet. He had to tell someone the news. Who better than Misao? "I talked to Megumi today."
Misao immediately grinned. "That's great! She's been missing you."
He was counting on that.
"So how's she doing?" Misao made her way to the kitchen to grab a glass.
"She's good." He paused. "Megumi…is pregnant."
Misao's eyes went blank and she set her glass on the counter. "She…She's pregnant?"
Aoshi nodded.
"Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, that's great!" Misao squealed, immediately hugging his torso asking quickly, "Is she excited? When did she find out? How far along is she? Oh my gosh, I'm going to be a big sister!"
Amused at her excited questions, his arms came around her, one hand ruffling her hair. "She found out today…and I don't think she's that far along yet." Aoshi closed his eyes. "I think she's scared."
Misao pulled back slightly to look up at him. "A…Are you?"
His eyes opened and he gave her a small grin. "No."
She grinned back.
Pearl Harbor – Oahu, Hawaii
"Call me as soon as you have that," Aoshi instructed, cradling the phone against his ear. "Before four p.m….Yes…Bye."
The instant he hung up his office phone, no one other than Captain Takani strolled into his office, closing the door with an effective bang. Aoshi rose to his feet, unflinching.
"Captain," he greeted politely.
"Commander, perhaps you can enlighten me on something…" Megumi's father moved forward, his eyes narrowed slightly.
She told him. Aoshi already knew where this was going. He never tried to bend over backwards to please Megumi's father just because he was a higher ranking officer. And the captain seemed to appreciate that. Aoshi had always been direct and to the point with him, and the captain had always been the same. Which was why the captain's next statement hadn't shocked him.
"I want to know why my daughter is pregnant and unmarried," Captain Takani said bluntly. "I refuse to have my grandchild born in this world to single parents."
Aoshi grit his teeth. At the moment the captain spoke, an assistant had opened the door.
Letting everyone in the division hear the captain's unmuffled bellow.
A sea of various workers were staring into his office like hawks.
"What…is it?" Aoshi directed his question to the personnel who opened his door.
The young man, no older than twenty, swallowed and said meekly, "I…wanted to tell you that I couldn't let you know in time about Captain Takani's arrival…he just walked in and wouldn't stop and-"
"I can see that," Aoshi shot back.
The young man seemed to tremble beneath both Aoshi and the captain's glare.
"Get out of my office," Aoshi ordered.
"Yes…Yes, sir."
"Now."
When the man quietly closed the door, Aoshi shook his head, covering his eyes with his hand. Then he looked at the captain, whose features clearly displayed disgust at the worker.
Aoshi cleared his throat. "Regarding our marital status…I'm working on it."
"Are you?" Dark eyes turned back to him, narrowed in suspicion.
"I've brought up marriage a few times already. Before I found out about her condition," Aoshi offered.
"You have? That's wonderful." The older man beamed at that before his features turned serious again. "But…"
"Your daughter's very evasive," Aoshi declared.
"She what?" Captain Takani exclaimed in disbelief.
"She's not ready to marry me yet," Aoshi admitted.
"Is she out of her mind?" Captain Takani shook his head. "She's going to be thirty soon…and now that she's pregnant…she should start thinking about a family, not thinking…whatever it is she thinks about." He frowned. "What are your plans?"
Aoshi could understand the captain's curiosity. He had stayed out of Megumi and Aoshi's personal life since they started dating nearly a year ago…but now that he had a grandchild coming, he was probably going to ask a lot more questions now.
"Tomorrow, I leave for San Diego for work," Aoshi informed. "That should give us some time to discuss things."
"What you should be doing is getting married," the captain insisted. "There has to be some way she'd agree to it."
Aoshi couldn't help the wry smile tugging at his lips. The captain was certainly old-fashioned. But then again, so was he. He had been a single father too, so he could understand why the captain felt that two parents should be raising a child together. Especially if they had a compatible relationship.
"Just a lot of persuasion on my part," Aoshi assured.
The captain nodded. "If you need any persuasive arguments, her aunts and I have plenty."
"I'll remember that," Aoshi promised. "How did they take the news?"
"They're already coming up with names," the captain's face darkened.
At that, Aoshi lifted a brow.
The captain shrugged. "Two old women who haven't had children of their own and who both adore children…just let them be…Besides, they've wanted Megumi to get married as much as I have."
"So you approve?" While Aoshi would never let disapproval stop him, as a father, he could understand how important parental approval could be.
The captain grinned.
That was answer enough.
"Yes, you have my approval, Aoshi. The aunts, too." Captain Takani declared. "So if that girl still hasn't agreed to marrying you by the time she comes back…we'll be here with full ammunition."
He wondered if the captain originally chose medicine as his career. He would have made an excellent strategist in war exercise. "That's good to know I have reinforcements."
The older man's brow furrowed slightly. "What about Misao? Misao will be the one most affected by your marriage since she will be living with you. Unless…she plans to go away to college…"
Aoshi shook his head. "Misao has already accepted Megumi as part of the family."
"Good." Then he cleared his throat. "A little advice?"
He blinked. "Of course..."
"Megumi's a lot like her mother… Chances why Megumi is resistant is because she believes marriage is the end all of everything. If you can convince her that life doesn't end there, she'll be more inclined to listen to what you have to say."
Aoshi's eyes widened slightly.
"I need to get back to work," the captain said, ending their conversation. "So let me know how everything turns out."
"Thank you."
Once he exited the building, Saitou came by his office, leaning in the doorjamb. Aoshi braced himself for his CO's jibe. And after an outburst like the captain's…there was bound to be one.
"I knew hiring you was a good idea," Saitou commented. "Things are never boring around here…"
Aoshi shook his head. "I'm sure everyone had their entertainment for today."
"It'll help tide us over until you come back," Saitou declared. "Congratulations, by the way."
"Thank you…"
A/N: I had thought of several different ways on how their conversation would go, and I was most satisfied with this one.