Hi guys!Here's another chapter!Have you got any interesting holiday stories you might want to share? Or some crazy Christmas presents you received over the years? If you do, don't hesitate to include them in your reviews and I'll try to post them in the next chapter so we can share it to others too! It'll be nice towrite something from my readers, right! LOLZ
Thanks for all the people who reviewed chapter 11! I really appreciate it!
Chapter Twelve: The Sunflower Act
"I don't see any kids around," Mimi said, looking at the beautifully landscaped frontyard that were totally children-free. "Are you sure you got the rigth address, Sora?"
"I'm perfectly sure. She probably gathered them all inside for the big surprise."
Mimi wasn't convinced. The exclussive two-story house in a high-class private compound didn't look like a place for young families. "It doesn't feel right. Besides, the call was made yesterday, such a short notice. Maybe it's some black joke."
"Who cares? The fee was paid in full. We're here, so we must go in," Sora declared, dismissing Mimi's doubts. She checkedher watch. "Ten fifty. Ten minutes to showtime. Let's put on our hats and costumes."
They were already wearing their green bodysuits and yellow petal skirts that very much resembled a sunflower. Mimi reached over the back seat of the car and collected the rest of their costumes.
"There's a woman coming out of the house now," Sora informed her. "Better be quick, Mimi. She's probably the one hosting the party and looks to be the right age to be the mother of toddlers."
Mimi didn't even bother to look at the woman. She was relieved that the they were at the right place. Sora was out of the car first, ready to greet their client. Mimi hurried to line up with her, pausing to pick up the portable sound system which they needed for their act.
"Hi! I'm so glad you're on time," the mother was saying. "The children are all gathered in the family room donwstairs with their parents looking after them. I wanted you to be a surprise for them."
It must be a spli-level house, Mimi thought, although that wasn't obvious from the outside.
"Mrs. Ishida?" Sora asked.
"Yes, I'm Kari Ishida. Toshi and Neeka are my children."
"I'm Sora Takeneuchi and this is my partner..."
Mimi, too busy to listen to their conversation, turned around to join Sora and smiled at their client.
"...Mimi Tachikawa."
The smile froze on Mimi's face as recognition hit. Kari Ishida was Kari Kamiya , Tai'ssister andMatt's sister-in-law, wife of his younger brother Takeru! She'd been sweet and kind when they were younger. Her looks didn't change that much, she still had the same hairstyle only longer and her clothes were very stylish and coordinated.
"Mimi Tachikawa?" Kari repeated. "You're not...?" Her eyes stared searchingly at her face. "Yes, you are! Mimi Tachikawa, after all this years..." She shook her head in amazement. "I was Kari Kamiya, remember? We used to hang out together and go to the same school?"
"Kari..." Mimi repeated numbly, her heart sinking like a stone in a river.
"Oh my goodness! It must be, what? Seven years? The last time I saw you was at Yamato's twenty-first birthday, and you sang for him, didn't you?" Her face beamed with pleasure. "I can't believe you've made a career of singing!"
"One of my careers," Mimi mumbled, barely able to speak over the shock of being confronted by a member of Matt's family, and her identity revealed by Sora's introduction.
"How wonderful!" Kari excalimed, delight and avid curiosity in her eyes. She laughed when she noticed what Mimi was wearing. "I must say you make a beaituful sunflower." Her gaze turned to Sora in sparkling pleasure. "Both of you."
"Than you," Sora quickly returned. "I hope the children think so, too. If you'll show us the way...?"
"Yes, of course." Kari flashed an apologetic smile. "No time for memory lane right now." As she turned to lead them down the path to the front door, she looked appealingly at Mimi. "Maybe afterwards you'll stay for cake and drinks? I'd love to catch up on your news."
"We...we have another gig this afternoon," Mimi lied, desperate for any excuse to get away.
"Not a good idea anyway, Mrs. Ishida," Sora broke in. "It would spoil the illusion for the children. It's best that we come and go."
"Oh...I guess so." Kari looked disappointed.
"You didn't say whose birthday it was, Toshi's or Neeka's," Sora continued, taking the limelight off Mim.
"Neither, Toshi is three and Neeka's eighteen months old. Toshi was sick last weekend and he wasn't able to go to play-school. I thought I'd throw him a party to cheer him up..."
That explained the short notice, Mimi thought, still in turmoil by the terrible conicidence of coming face to face with Matt's sister-in-law. And this meeting could very well blow her cover as Maruko Iratoshi. Kari will surely tell this to everyone she knows, and that includes Matt.
"His sickness prevented us from going to Matt's 28th party. Which reminds me..."
"These things happen," Sora cut in sympathetically, waving to the front door. "Before we go in and since the children are in the family room out of sight, I think the best idea is for you to take our casette, Mrs. Ishida, and go ahead of us and plug it in all ready to play. That way we can really make a surprise entrance."
Mimi was grateful for the timely distraction. She offered the casette to Kari who took it and looked down at the control panel as Sora explained what had to be done.
"Yes, fine," she agreed. "It's okay for you to wait in the hall for a minute while I go ahead and switch it on. Don't worry, they won't see you from there." She lead them inside the house and left them waiting at the hall just above the stairs that led to the family room where the children were gathered.
"Get yourself together, Mimi," Sora whispered warningly. "I can't do this act alone."
She took a deep breath, needing the oxygen to clear her head. "Thanks for taking the heat off me, Sora."
"You lookedliked you've seen a ghost or something back there. Just forget her and concentrate on the toddlers. The show must go on."
"I won't let you down."
"You'd better not or else I'll kick you."
"I'm ready."
"Then let's do it and get out of here."
They did it. From the moment they showed their faces a dozen or so toddlers were all goggle-eyed, repeating phrases of the song, following the simple dance steps, clapping in tune with the sunflowers, and beaming with joy. With her attention all focused into the children, Mimi was barely aware of the people who sat watching her. She couldn't risk a look at Kari, and to her much surprise, TK! Matt's brother was actually watching her! Is this the end of the world? After forty minutes of excruciating, but highly amusing entertainment, she and Sora took their bows and hurriedly exited the room.
Kari, along with her husband, had to follow them to give them back their sound system. "That was absolutely marvelous!" Kari said once they were outside. "My husband and our friendsthought so, too."
"Great!" Sora replied, took out a bundle of business cards she tucked under her sleeve. "Please pass these around. It's lovely tp work from recomendations."
As Kari took them, Sora turned to TK. "Thank you so much for your help with the music. Perfect timing. Why don't you go back to thekids now? We'll see ourselves off."
"Yes, nice seeing you again Kari andTK," Mimi quickly put in, desperately hoping Matt's brother and sister-in-law would take the hint and let her escape without further questions. Unfortunately it didn't work. "No, I'll walk you to your car while my wife take care of the kids. Mimi, I've been thinking..."
Please don't! Somehow she forced her mouth into a polite smile as they started walking towards their car. "It's my mother's fiftieth birthday this coming weekend," he went on, "and my wife and I are throwing a party for her on Saturday night. It's going to be a big family and friends get-together. Much like Matt's twenty-first birthday. It would really be nice if you could come..."
The reminder of Matt's twenty-first birthday lit fire inside her. Words spilled out before she could even begin to relate the invitation to her current situation with him. "That's very kind of you, TK, but I'm not free."
"Oh! Well, it would have been a great surprise to have you sing 'Happy Birthday' to mom. She always liked you, you know. She always said you have a beautiful voice."
The sheer insensitivity of that comment made Mimi grind her teeth. "I get paid for doing that now, Takeru."
TK was struck by her outburst. "I didn't mean for to only come because of that. I'm sorry if it sounded..." He sighed, his eyes begging for forgiveness. "Our families used to be close. I just thought maybe it would be nice to..."
"Maybe another time."
"Mimi, please, I wasn't asking for a...a professional freebie. We want your company. And there will be other old friends for you to catch up with."
It took another huge effort for her to force her mouth into another stiff smile, but Mimi managed it as her hand reached for the handle to the passenger door of the car. "Well, it sounds like your mother will have a wonderful party. I hope you all have a wonderful time together."
Hearing Sora open the driver's door - the cue fora fast getaway - Mimi nodded farewell. "Thanks again for the invitation. I'm afraid we must go now."
"Yes, thank you," Sora echoed. "And mayI say, Mr. Ishida, you're lucky to have a wonderful family. Your children are beautiful."
That was the best exit line Mimi has ever heard in her career. It held TK silent while Sora started the engine and they were off. Mimi lifted her hand in a last salute, wishing she hadn't said what she said. It would make the next meeting with Matt's brother awkward...IF there was a next meeting. One thing was certain though, she couldn't play the Maruko Iratoshi cover up much longer.
"I'm guessing Matt didn't ask you to this big family event?" Sora inquired sardonically.
"No, not yet."
"He didn't even mention this when you guys talked last night?"
The mocking emphasis on 'talked' lead her into a heated defence. "Why should he? We just met. He doesn't kow I know his family."
Sora raised an eyebrow. "He's been fooling you all along just to get what he wants, and I bet you spent more time in bed with him than anywhere else."
"That's my private business!" Mimi clenched herhands at her friend's cynical attitude.
"Then at least open your eyes, Meems," Sora replied in exasperation. "By the end of your night with him, it wasn't Maruko Iratoshi Matt has in his head. He knows who you are, or suspects strongly enough to put it to the test. What do you think that gig we did was about?"
Thrown into confusion by Sora's certainty, Mimi lost the final line of logic thrown at her. "I don't know what you mean."
"The call came from Kari just an hour after you talked to Matt yesterday. If you can't put two and two together, I can. Before this day ends, I bet Matt knows who you really are."
"It could have been a coincidence," Mimi cried, trying to deny Sora's point.
"And pigs might fly."
"Matt couldn't have told her," Mimi argues frantically. "Kari didn't it was me until you intorduced me."
"She'll remember you eventually since you'd been friends. And I bet Matt did too. You think he's that stupid to not put two and two together?"
Her stomach started twisting.
"Face it!" Sora continued. "The game is over. He used his brother andsister-in-law to check on your real identity and they're probably on the phone right now talking to him. So, for goodness sake, don't make a fool of yourself by trying to continue this crazy lie when he turns up tonight!"
A fool of herself? Sora didn't know half of it. Mimi wished she could curl up and die.
"You know, that part TK was talking about could be the party Tai invited me to," Sora muttered. "It's this Saturday night." She shot Mimi a worried look. "What are you going to do?"
She shook her head in distress. "I don't know, Sora."
"Well, I don't suppose you want to her I told you so. At least you've got the rest of the day to work it out."
Mimi closed her eyes, feeling too sick to talk.
"I hope you can think of something good," Sora said in a softer voice.
The sweetest revenge, Mimi thought, was also the path to hell.
AN: Poor Mimi, she's in so much trouble. I hope you guys learned a lesson here...ehem... Will Matt find out the truth about Mimi? What will he do when he does? Find out on the next chapter! Don't forget to review! Thanks!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!