On Friday afternoon Takara ran into the kitchen excitedly where she spotted Tohru, Kaye, and Sakura were all gathered, Kaye and Tohru cooking while Sakura sat at the table reading a book.
"Hey Princess" Kaye replied surprised, "What's the rush?"
"Aunt Tohru" Takara replied, "I found Kyoko."
"Oh really" Tohru said happily for her cat had disappeared for some reason from their sight for about three weeks, "Well, where is she?" she moved forward.
"She's in the backyard right now" Takara replied, "But you won't believe it. C'mon!" she called running back out with Kaye, Sakura, and Tohru right behind her as they walked to the backyard.
Kyoko the cat was sitting by the large tree and looked up with a meow.
"Oh Kyoko" Tohru cooed, "You silly kitty" she picked her up, "Kyo will be happy to see you" she rubbed her fur against her cheek.
"How did she get so fat?" Sakura said.
"I do believe that she's pregnant" Kaye replied.
"That's what I was trying to tell you" Takara said with a grin.
"Oh you goofy cat" Tohru replied with a giggle, "Well it's not the first time."
"What do you mean mom? Kaye said, "I don't remember her ever being pregnant before."
"Yea me neither" Sakura shook her head.
"Oh it was when the two of you were about two years old. She disappeared around that time too. I wonder if she hooked up with that cat again. I had my suspicions. Oh well" she stood up cradling her cat, "We'll just deal with it like we did last time."
"What will we do with the kittens mom?" Kaye asked.
"Oh we'll just find good homes for them" she replied, "Hmm. I wonder if Stephanie would like to have one when they come."
"I don't know" Kaye grinned at the fact that his mother was thinking of her, "But I'll ask her" he stood along with Sakura as Takara excitedly followed her Aunt back into the house asking all sorts of questions about Kyoko and her pregnancy.
"Amazing" Sakura shook her head with a smile, "That cat is as old as she is and can still have babies."
Katsuya chuckled as they walked back inside still laughing at the thought.
(Next Scene)
On Saturday morning at school Kaye told Stephanie about the news of Kyoko's pregnancy and asked her about his mother's suggestion so she enthusiastically walked home, told Sophie about it and then the two of them went to talk to Sam. Since Sam was the only one who kept in contact with their mother and their new stepfather more than anyone he would be the one to ask. When Stephanie told him the idea he smiled and nodded his head.
"That might be a great idea" he smiled, "In fact I've been thinking about that for some time now."
"Huh?" Stephanie replied stunned.
"What do you mean?" Sophie added.
"Well you know I like cats just as much as the two of you do. But I wasn't sure how the two of you felt about having them around here. I think it's a great idea."
"Of course we're gonna have to wait a while" Stephanie said, "Till they're born."
"Not necessarily. You see my thought was this, you wait for the kitten you want to be born by your boyfriend's cat while Sophie and I can each go pick one at the shelter."
"Three cats?" Sophie's eyes became wide.
"You want that many?" Stephanie added stunned.
"It would be the fair thing. Each one of us has our own individual pet to take care of and mom always did say once we moved here that we could get one."
"That's true" Stephanie nodded, "But we don't really know how Keiichi's going to feel about it."
"You leave that to me" Sam replied as Sophie cheered and ran out of the room to go and call her friends, "I'll talk to him."
"Okay" Stephanie nodded again a little somberly.
"What's the matter Steph?" he asked concerned.
"Well it just seems kind of silly doesn't it? You always having to talk to him and mom about what we need or our problems? Sophie and I have been here as long as you have and we have never sat down to talk to him about anything. We've met the guy maybe twice and not since. Heck we don't even live on the same side of the house."
"That's true" Sam nodded, "It does seem a little bit impersonal. Hmm?" he stroked his chin, "I tell you what let me go and talk to them about this, and then we'll think of a way we can fix the situation" he stood from his chair.
"Okay" she nodded as he departed the room, "How are we going to do that?" she wondered, "Keiichi and mom are always so busy that they don't have time for us" she lowered her head a little, "I thought it didn't bother me but it really does."
(Next Scene)
Sam walked downstairs and then behind the steps to a door he had gone through very rarely. The Kamiya residence was divided into two parts. On the side where the kids resided there was a kitchen, a sitting room, and all their bedrooms, one for each kid. And on the other side of the house, once you went through that door, there was also a large sitting room for business meetings, a large kitchen where most of the servants stayed when they weren't running around cleaning, and a lot of other rooms that were used for mainly the adult's needs, such as a gym, a library, and Keiichi's office. But Stephanie and Sophie had never been on the other side of the door. When they had moved to Kyoto Keiichi had asked Sam to handle all issues dealing with his and the girls needs but as he walked to his stepfather's office he realized what a ridiculous thing that really was and that it was really unnecessary that he had went along with it. I mean why shouldn't his sister's have a relationship with their stepfather too right?
He walked down the hall passing some servants as he moved, quite certain he would find his stepfather in his office since it was Saturday. He knocked once on the door as he had been told to do and then walked in. Keiichi Kamiya, a tall dark haired man with glasses that he only used for reading was sitting behind his mahogany wood desk and smiled as Sam entered the room. He put his pen down and smiled as Sam crossed over and stood in front of his desk.
"Good afternoon Sam" Keiichi replied, "What brings you here? Hope everything's all right?"
"Oh yes everything is fine" Sam nodded as he sat down, "Everything is great. I just wanted to ask you two things."
"Sure" Keiichi agreed with a nod of his own as he removed his reading glasses, "What's going on?"
"Well first of all, the girls and I have been talking and we would like to ask your permission for us to each get a pet cat for our side of the house."
"Oh is that all. I don't see why not" Keiichi smiled, "I mean your mother did say it would be all right and you're all very responsible children so I am sure you can handle it. Sure" he nodded, "We could use some animals around here."
"Thanks. The girls will be thrilled" Sam smiled back.
"So there was another thing?"
"Yea" Sam nodded, "Keiichi I think it's time that maybe there was a little bit of a change."
"What kind of a little bit of change?" Keiichi raised his eyebrows.
"I know you're very busy, you and mom but I got the feeling from Stephanie today that maybe they feel a little left out that I know you and they don't."
"Oh" Keiichi said surprised.
"I mean, you are their stepfather and I realize that your position is very demanding but I also think that maybe it would be time for you to try to reach out to them. To get to know them a little."
"You really think they want to know me?"
"How can they not? You married mom. And to be honest, just between us, they have never known what it's like to have a suitable father figure in their life. And I think it's something they both need."
Keiichi nodded sadly and sighed.
"Well I have to admit I have felt guilty that I haven't really gotten to know them yet. But how would I start?"
"Just come over. Spend a couple hours with them. I know they would love that."
"All right" Keiichi smiled, "How does tonight sound?"
"Great" Sam grinned, "I won't tell them you're coming. We can make it a surprise."
"Okay" Keiichi nodded, "I'll see you tonight."
Sam nodded also as he stood and walked over to the door and then turned his head slightly.
"Thanks Keiichi" he replied, "This means a lot to me. And I know it will mean a lot to them. It's a step in the right direction."
"Absolutely" Keiichi nodded once more as Sam departed the room and he went back to his work a little bit leery of how the evening would go.
(Next Scene)
That night after dinner had been served Stephanie and Sophie were sitting in the sitting room playing a game of Uno when Keiichi crossed into their section of the house. Sam came out of the kitchen and led him over to the sitting room and cleared his throat.
"Hey you guys!" he called making them look up, "Someone's here to see ya!"
The girls stared stunned as Keiichi came over.
"Hello girls" he replied with a smile, "What are you two up to?"
"We're just playing a game of Uno" Sophie was the first to speak, "Do you want to play?" she asked eagerly.
"Uh" he stammered and looked back at Sam who nodded encouragingly, "Sure. But you'll have to teach me how to play."
"Okay" Stephanie nodded and they began as Sam smiled to himself satisfactorily and walked back upstairs to leave them alone.
After a few games of Uno the three of them sat on the couch and the girls told him about school and their lives so far in Kyoto and he listened laughing and smiling every now and then. Stephanie and Sophie found him to be a very nice and laid back kind of guy and now they could see why their mother had fallen in love with him in the first place.
"So you kids are going to get a cat huh?" he asked as he drank the tea that Stephanie had made for him.
"Three cats" Sophie said energetically, "That is if it's all right?" she added a bit warily.
"It's perfectly fine with me. In fact I don't think your brother has mentioned it to you yet, but this is your section of the house. The kitchen, the sitting room, the rooms upstairs therefore you can have free rein on what you want them to look like."
"Huh?" Stephanie said surprised, "You mean we can decorate them anyway we want to?"
"Yes exactly" he nodded, "This is your section of the house to do whatever you want with."
"Really?" Sophie replied happily.
"Yes. Feel free to do whatever you want with it."
"Thank you" Sophie jumped up and hugged the surprised man but he merely chuckled.
"You're welcome. I'm sorry we haven't spent a whole lot of time together since you moved here, but that is all going to change very soon."
"It is?" Stephanie said.
"Yes. Your mother and I have been discussing it. We think it's high time that this family starts setting time aside every week so we can spend time with the family that we have."
"That's a great idea!" Stephanie grinned.
"I thought you might like that" he smiled and saw the clock above the mantle, "Oh my is italready that time?"
"Oh wow" Sophie said standing up, "It's late. Thanks for coming over Keiichi. I hope you come over again?"
"You can count on it" he grinned as she giggled and ran from the room as the two of them stood up, "I had a very good time."
"So did we" Stephanie nodded, "Thanks again for coming."
"Well you're important to your mother so therefore you are important to me too. I've never had a daughter and now I have two. Two very remarkable young girls."
"Thanks" she blushed.
"Oh" he added as they walked over to the staircase, "I want you also to feel free if you want, you and Sophie to come over to the other side anytime if you want to talk. After all in a way you're my daughters now."
Stephanie nodded again and then unexpectedly felt herself wrapping her arms around him in a gentle embrace. He smiled kindly and embraced her back as Sam came downstairs. She smiled one more time and then departed upstairs. Sam grinned turning to his stepfather.
"I take it went well?"
"Yes" Keiichi nodded, "I should have done it before. Thanks for drawing my attention to it Sam."
"Hey no problem. And thanks again for doing this. It meant the world to them."
"Well they are wonderful girls. And I really did enjoy myself. But I must get back, so I will see you later" he added departing to the door behind the steps.
"See ya" Sam nodded again and then walked upstairs where he saw Stephanie come out of the bathroom after brushing her teeth, "Hey. So you guys had a good time?"
"Yes. Thanks for doing that Sam. I know you put the idea in his head."
"Nah. He said he was going to do it anyway."
"Well I tell you this much, it was a step in the right direction."
"You know what" he grinned with a chuckle, "That was exactly what I said" they both laughed and then departed to their rooms for the night.
(Till Next Time)
Authors Note: Okay that's the last chapter of the week! I'll see you all again on Tuesday for the next chapter!
Next Time on Curse Renewed:
Chapter Five: The Enemy Moves In
The students in Kaye's class are divided into groups for a class project putting Stephanie and Reiji in the same group as the mysterious Seitarou Naoki who might be more than he seems. Find out what happens next time!
And
Chapter Six: Alone with a Conspirator
Not telling!