REI'S CORNER: All smiles! I'm really happy with the quality of feedback that I'm getting for this story. I should have put it out sooner! Hee! Well I won't bore you with any long story of my personal life, even though I AM really bored right now. (Sounds like a personal problem, ja?)

Oh, and thanks to all of you that review. I wish I could tell you who Shippo's dad is right now, but, alas, sorry I can't because that would ruin the surprise. And yes, Calpurnia was one of the characters in To Kill A Mockingbird, By Harper Lee. And it was also the name of Julius Caesar's wife...Like I said, the name of a loyal woman.

It's Cliche

Chapter 3

" Mom, you forgot to take the soda off the hood of the car." Shippo pointed out.

The car screeched to a halt and orange soda spilled all over the side window. Kagome cursed silently, wondering why she decided to go through with this.

"It's okay, Kagome. You can share my soda." Sango said. Kagome nodded and continued driving toward the airport.

All month long she had been preparing for this trip. At first she was so excited. She couldn't wait to see all of her old friends, and her family. It had been years since she'd seen her little brother, let alone her mother.

"...Green light. Green light! Kagome, green light!" Sango yelled.

Kagome snapped out of her daze and stepped onto the gas. She chuckled nervously at the glare she received from her best friend and tried to shrug it off.

"Are you alright, Mom?" Shippo asked.

"Oh, I'm fine, Honey, just thinking about some things." she replied.

"...Well you had better stop thinking about 'things' before you get us all killed!" Sango yelled and grabbed the wheel as they just barely missed hitting an old woman.

"Okay, we have are tickets..."

"Check!"

"Carry ons including any snacks and entertainment for the plane..."

"Check!"

"Money..."

"Check!"

"Sango..."

"Check!"

"Shippo..."

"Check!"

"Kagome...uh oh where is Kagome?"

"You're right there, Mom!" Shippo laughed. Kagome laughed with him as they boarded the plane.

"Welcome aboard, we will be departing shortly..." the flight attendant went on with the safety regulations and the rules and codes for the flight. Kagome was already starting to feel a little nervous. Her first flight was a bit bumpy, and she did her best not to get onto another one. Yet here she was, boarded on a plane back home. Home. She had forgotten how home-like her mother's house had been. She had been away for so long. She hoped that it still felt like that.

"Mom! Look, we're moving!" Shippo wiggled about excitedly.

Kagome groaned and slid down into her seat. 'Why am I doing this?'

"Oh Kagome it's so nice to see you in the flesh after so long!" Mrs.Higurashi hugged her daughter. "Oh, look at my handsome grandson!"

"Mom, calm down they'll be here for the whole week, remember?"

Mrs.Higurashi gave her son a playful glare. "Oh you hush. Oh It's so nice to meet you Sango!"

Everyone was swept up into a hug by Mrs.Higurashi. She was overly excited to see her daughter and grandson. "I can't believe how much you've grown." she sighed.

Souta rolled his eyes and went to go claim the luggage. He knew that he would be the one who ended up dragging the luggage. And to think, he was the one who agreed to drive!

"Uncle Souta! I wanna help too!" Shippo pouted behind him. Souta smiled at his nephew. 'I knew I would like this kid.' he told himself.

Souta lifted little Shippo onto his back and together they went to the baggage claim.

"So this reunion starts tomorrow?" Mrs. Higurashi said as she cleared the plates away from the dinner table.

"Yup. I registered and everything. You sure you don't want to come?" Kagome replied.

"Oh, goodness no. I have no business at a high school reunion."

Kagome laughed with her mother.

"Besides, you-know-who might be there." her mother taunted.

"Who?" Kagome wondered.

"You know."

"Um, no I don't, Mother otherwise I wouldn't be asking you who you are talking about."

"You know."

Kagome sighed. She wasn't going to get anything out of her mom.

"You know that I'm very proud of you, dear. It would take lots of bravery to do what you're doing."

"What am I doing, Mom?"

"Why, you're going man hunting of course!" Her mom laughed. Kagome blushed ten shades of red before replying.

"Mother!"

"Alright, alright. But I'm just saying. It wouldn't be that bad for you if you were to start dating again..."

"I really don't need to get into this right now."

"Fine, fine. But what about that one fellow, what was his name...Erin?"

"MOTHER!"

"Okay, okay."

"Or was it Darren?"

"..."

"Darren then!"

Kagome sighed and began to wash the dinner plates.

Sorry for the wait folks, oh and have y'all noticed that Kagome's mom says oh a lot! Lol.