Chapter Thirty-Eight: Surprise-

I smiled awkwardly at the warm welcome Ushio and I received as we approached Glory to God church; everyone acted like we were neighbors – even though we'd only attended one service – and I was surprised at how many people remembered my name. Not only that, none of them got on my case for not being there for several weeks.

"It's so good to see you again," many of them said, and it felt like each of them truly meant it.

Ushio and I shared a smile as we entered the sanctuary, and it didn't take us long to find Kappei and his family. "Hey, you made it!" he called as he waved at us.

As we approached I was surprised to find Mom and Dad Fujibayashi as well as Mom and Dad Furukawa along with my dad sitting at a neighboring table. "Good morning, son," Dad Fujibayashi greeted with a cautious look toward my dad. "I hope the morning finds you well."

"Thank you; you as well," I said as I bowed respectfully.

"Goodness, you two," Mom Fujibayashi gushed as she giggled along with Mom Furukawa. "Tomoya-san; you'll have to excuse your father; he's pretty anxious this morning," she told me as she patted her husband's shoulder. For his part, Dad simply grunted.

"How come?" I asked, mildly concerned. "Are you okay, Dad?"

He looked around the room before tugging at his collar. "I have never been at a temple, let alone a Western church before; I'm not sure how to act."

"It's like I told you before, Dad," Kappei called from the neighboring table. "Just be yourself."

"This place isn't for perfect people, Grandfather," Tadashi added. "As Ashton-sensei has said: This place is for those who wish to be made perfect."

Dad simply murmured something before tugging at his collar again.

"Tomoya!" a happy voice called out, and I turned in time to receive an armful of Mika. "I'm so glad you could make it!"

"Wouldn't…miss it for anything," I replied, a little confused. "I mean, we're meeting with Jeff after the service, right?"

"Of course!" she chirped, beaming up at me. "I guess I was needlessly worried. Sorry."

"Don't worry about it," I said, smiling at her exuberance. "Where are we sitting?"

"Right over here," she said as she took my hand and pulled me over to her parents' table and sat me down in my usual spot, to the right of her dad.

"That's right!" Kappei boomed, then ducked his head as several people looked our way. "I've really gotta work on my volume when we're here," he said at a more normal volume and with a self-conscious smile.

"No one faults you your enthusiasm," Ryou said consolingly as she patted her husband's arm.

"Okazaki-sama; it is good to see you as always," Tadashi greeted.

"Thank you; it's good to see you as well," I returned with a smile; no matter how many times I saw it I was amazed at the young man's unusual maturity.

He nodded before directing his attention to my daughter, who sat next to him with the reddest blush I thought I'd ever seen on her as she stared at the table. "Okazaki-senpai; it is good to see you as always, but…are you unwell?"

"I-I'm fine!" she squeaked with a shake of her head.

"May I get you a cup of water?" he offered, then looked to me. "With your approval, of course."

"Sweetie? You okay?" I asked, knowing full well what was going on with my daughter. "Tadashi-san's offered to get you water; would you like some?"

She said nothing, but nodded several times.

"I shall return shortly," the Hiiragi boy announced as he rose from his seat. "Please excuse me."

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Kappei motioning to get my attention as his son left the room. When I saw his expression of concern, I gave him an awkward nod, hoping he'd understand. When his mouth opened in an 'ah' I figured nothing needed to be said.

Tadashi returned a minute later, cup in hand. "Here you go, Okazaki-senpai," he said as he set it in front of her. "I hope you feel better soon."

"Th-Thank you," she replied as she timidly took hold of the cup to take several sips.

Fortunately the service was less eventful than the events leading up to it; Jeff did his usual call for announcements and then we talked as groups again. Then we ended with the closing prayer and people started to leave the sanctuary, though some stayed to talk quietly in small groups.

I felt more than saw Jeff sidle up to me. "We'll talk after the sanctuary clears," he murmured to me. "I'll try to encourage the others to leave, but it might take a while."

"Understood," I murmured back. "Hey, I'm just grateful for the time; thanks."

He said nothing, but I felt him clap me a couple of times on the back, and I looked up into his smiling face just as he turned to head toward the nearest group of stragglers.

"Are you excited, Tomoya?" I heard Mika ask, and I looked over to my other side to see my companion glowing up at me.

"Uh, yeah…" I managed, then shook my head. "Sorry, that wasn't quite truthful."

"What's the matter?"

"Nothing, I think," I said, shaking my head again. "I'm just anxious, I guess." I gestured to her grandparents. "Do you know why they're here? I thought they weren't religious people."

"They aren't," she said, but something about the way she said it… "They're here for me."

"For you? How come?"

She opened her mouth, then quickly shut it with an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, Tomoya. The truth is; I'm keeping something from you."

"Why?"

She averted her gaze as she started tapping the floor with the toe of her shoe. "It's…a surprise."

"O-Okay," I replied, suddenly feeling nervous. "Is that why-"

"P-Please don't ask me any more questions," she said, grabbing my arm with a look of regret. "I can't lie to you, so if you ask me…. Just, please."

It took only a brief moment of studying her expression for me to relent. "Okay, Mika; we'll do this your way."

"Th-Thank you," she stammered. "I'm so sorry."

"Don't worry about it," I said gently as I covered her hand with one of mine. "I'm sorry for putting you in such an awkward position. Just…understand that all this secrecy makes me a little uneasy."

"I do understand," she told me. "Do…Do you trust me?"

"Absolutely," I replied, grateful for the easy question. "All right; I get your point." I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I'll be-"

"Hey, Tomoya-san!" Jeff called, interrupting my train of thought as he came up to us. "I've cleared everyone out, but…could I talk with you for a minute before we get started?"

I looked from him to Mika a back with more than a little confusion. "Well, you'll be talking to us in a bit, won't you? Couldn't we talk about it then?"

"Not this time," he said with a shake of his head. "This is between us men."

I looked back to my companion. "You okay with this?"

"Sure," she replied with a warm smile, though the sparkle in her eyes that accompanied her smile made her seem…eager? "I'll be fine while you two talk."

I studied her for a moment longer before redirecting my attention to the pastor. "Um, okay; lead the way."

He led me down familiar hallways to his office. I hadn't been there in quite a while but I thought I noticed some differences, like the somewhat prominently displayed photo of Kyou on his desk, along with photos of the Hiiragis and one of Mom and Dad Fujibayashi. "Have a seat," he said, gesturing to the armchairs in front of his desk.

"Thanks," I said as I claimed a seat, and I found my gaze lingering on the photo of the Hiiragis, Mika in particular. "What's up?"

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his desk and his chin on his clasped hands. He opened his mouth, only to snap it shut again before chuckling awkwardly. "I'm sorry, Tomoya-san, I…"

"Is this about Mika's surprise?" I asked, experiencing a rare bout of insight.

"Yeah," he chuckled again. "I'm supposed to keep you busy while they set it up. Sorry, I..." He leaned back in his seat. "I just have a real problem with engaging in deceptive behavior."

"For what it's worth, I don't see that as a bad thing," I replied with an understanding smile. "How's the wedding planning going?"

"W-Wedding?" He briefly looked alarmed before quickly regaining his composure. "Oh! Uh, really well," he recovered with a broad smile, apparently grateful for the change of topic as well as my cooperation. "Kyou's dress is coming along nicely, and of course my tux is ready…"

"Tux?" I interrupted, albeit unintentionally. "Are you going for a Western-style wedding?"

"It's not as 'Western' as it used to be," he said with a hint of resignation. "It saddens me to see this, but more and more Japanese are having Western-style weddings."

"Why does it make you sad?"

He leaned forward in his chair again. "I've seen plenty of those kinds of weddings – officiated over quite a few of them myself, actually – and one of the things that I've loved about Japan is how differently things are done over here."

"Like weddings…"

"Exactly… And I don't mean to sound like your culture is simply a source of fascination for me, but I feel like I've been enriched through my exposure to Japanese philosophies, as well as other Asian philosophies in general."

"No, I think I get it," I said, nodding in understanding. "Western stuff seems so foreign to someone like me, whereas Japanese stuff is just…how things are."

"Exactly."

"So it must be kinda tough seeing familiar stuff in a foreign land," I concluded.

He chuckled, his eyes crinkling with his smile. "We really need to talk more; you're one of the most philosophical men I think I've ever had the pleasure of knowing."

"Thanks," I chuckled, warmed by his words.

His smile faded as he looked down at his desk. "Listen, I want to thank you for taking care of Kyou after Sato-san kicked her out."

I bristled at the name of Kyou's ex-tormentor. "You're welcome," I growled but immediately softened at Jeff's comparatively serene expression. "Sorry, just hoping that that guy gets what's coming to him."

"I understand." He sighed heavily. "I don't see any point in dwelling on that now, though; at this point, Kyou's just glad to be free to live her life as she sees fit. I'm sure she'll always grieve her lost time, but I haven't seen any sign that she's going to dwell on it at length."

"From the way she's been talking, you're the one to thank for that," I said, breathing a sigh of relief as my annoyance shifted to something more positive. "She's talked a lot about how good you've been for her."

He smiled humbly. "Thanks, but I think I've said before that I only introduced her to God; he's the one who's done the heavy lifting."

"Well, whatever it is, being with you has been good for her…in many ways," I said; I still wasn't quite ready to give his god the credit, but-

Any further musings were interrupted by a knock at the door. "Come in, please," Jeff called while giving me an apologetic look.

The door opened, and Tadashi stuck his head in the room. "Uncle Jeff, Okazaki-sama; we are ready."

"Already?" Jeff exclaimed, and I looked back to see him with an expression of surprise. "Well, if that's the case…" He looked to me, then gestured to the door as he rose from his seat. "Shall we then?"

"S-Sure," I replied, feeling a little anxious at what was to come as I got up as well. "Lead the way."

I felt more than a little apprehensive as he led me back to the sanctuary; since it involved Mika I was sure that it would be intense and emotional, and I had a feeling that I would have to make an important decision shortly. The very thought made me want to run for the exit. Before I knew it I was passing through the lobby, where Kappei briefly stopped me with a hand on my shoulder and a solemn expression; very unusual for my typically-chipper friend. "She's really putting herself out there, man," he told me. "Keep that in mind, okay?"

"O-Okay," I replied, my anxiety spiking in spite of his encouraging smile and a clap of his hand on my shoulder. He gave me another clap before releasing me, and I followed Jeff again as he led me into the sanctuary. The tables had been rearranged, similar to my 'last' counseling session; one table in the middle, with the others arranged in a semicircle around it. Everyone was still there, with Mom and Dad Furukawa at one table, Mom and Dad Fujibayashi at another, and I saw Kappei join his son at a third table. Dad and Ushio sat at yet another table. I noticed that a couple of people were missing, though. "Where're Mika and her mother? And Kyou, for that matter?" I asked, my apprehension increasing.

"They'll be along shortly," Jeff said as he moved to stand behind the central table so that he faced the others.

I moved to stand across the table from him. "Where am I supposed to be?"

"Right where you are," he replied with a smile, gesturing to me as I stood in front of his table and slightly to one side. "That's perfect."

I rubbed my hands together nervously and looked around the room as we waited; Mom Furukawa smiled serenely at me while Dad Furukawa sat leaned back in his chair with his arms crossed and a smile as well. Mom and Dad Fujibayashi both looked a little uneasy, with Dad's arms crossed as well, but they both managed anxious smiles when I looked their way. My dad and Ushio appeared to be chatting quietly, but she gave me a wave and a huge smile while I studied the two of them, and I gave her an awkward wave in return.

Mika's family showed an interesting contrast; while Kappei had a huge grin that looked almost mischievous, Tadashi was his usual self, sitting straight in his chair with his hands folded before him and what appeared to be an expression of curiosity.

Apparently I was pretty caught up in my thoughts, because I jumped when one of the side doors opened and Kyou poked her head in. "Is he here-Oh, there you are!" she said when she saw me.

"We're as ready as I think we're going to be," Jeff replied.

"Okay; sorry to take so long," she replied before ducking behind the door again, letting it close. It opened again a moment later and Kyou came in followed by Ryou, followed by… My eyes widened and my jaw dropped.

Mika entered the room, dressed in a kimono, dark blue with what appeared to be small white snowflakes on it. Her lengths of purple had been pulled up into twin buns that looked Chinese, and even though her face was downturned I could see a hint of sparkly purple makeup around her eyes and lipstick in some shade of red.

I watched, transfixed as she moved to stand before me, with her mother and her aunt just behind her and to each side. "Wh-What's going on?" I nearly demanded; I had a pretty good idea of what was about to happen but I didn't want to make any wrong assumptions.

Mika said nothing to me but turned her head to nod solemnly at her aunt, who smiled before stepping away to stand next to her fiancé. Then she turned and embraced her mother, and I thought I heard Ryou tell her 'good luck'. My companion then turned back toward me, finally looking up into my eyes. "Tomoya?"

"Y-Yeah?" I said, trying to not fall into her deep blue eyes. "Mika, wh-what's going on?"

She looked up at me for a moment longer before taking a step back, and my eyes widened in stunned surprise as she lowered herself to her knees to touch her fingertips to the floor in a bow. "Okazaki Tomoya; I, Hiiragi Mika, pledge myself to you. I vow to support you as a wife should, preparing healthy, delicious meals and working hard to maintain a happy, healthy home. I will bear children for you and raise them with you, loving them as I love you. This I promise until death claims me."

I was floored though only partly surprised. I looked over to Jeff, who simply watched me with one of his typical gentle smiles. "Did you know about his?" I asked quietly.

"I did," he replied with a voice as gentle as his expression. "Right now, though, you have a young lady waiting for a reply."

"But-" I was about to counter that I wasn't ready, that I needed time to think about it, but as I looked back down at Mika, still bowing, I knew that all my concerns had been nothing but sheer cowardice. I remembered the hug that she had offered early on, the chocolates that she had to have made for me as well as her confession at the festival, our picnic, our awkward card game…

"Have you decided whether you want to remarry or not?"

"I'm still…struggling with that. I think I've grieved Nagisa a little, but I'm satisfied with the way life is right now."

"With Mika as part of it?"

I chuckled softly at the memories as I smiled down at her. "This is so like you, woman."

I still couldn't see her face, but I thought I heard her giggle.

I tried to recall her words as I got down on my knees to bow as well; I felt a little awkward since I was in more casual clothes, but it occurred to me that she'd likely accounted for that. "I, Okazaki Tomoya, pledge myself to you, Hiiragi Mika." I started to think about what I wanted to say next, only to find the words coming surprisingly easily. "I vow to lead and guide our family with knowledge and wisdom, and I will continue to seek wisdom for our benefit, as well as the benefit of our…" I swallowed hard, "…our future family. I promise you this until death." I wanted to say more, but nothing more came to mind.

A moment later Jeff spoke: "Tomoya, Mika; please stand." As I got to my feet I caught a glimpse of tear-tracks on Mika's cheeks, though her solemn expression remained. After we were both facing the pastor he continued: "Okazaki Tomoya, Hiiragi Mika: you have pledged yourselves to each other in the witness of family and in the witness of God. Be firm in your commitment to one another; do not give evil a chance to take root in your marriage. Choose each day to love each other, for love is more than just a feeling; it is a choice, one that must be made day by day, action by action, thought by thought. May He hold you both to account, and may those present also hold you to account in order to maintain and enrich this most holy of unions."

"Let it be as you have said," Mika replied, causing me to blink in surprise; I understood that what we were doing wasn't a joking matter, but I was still surprised at how serious she sounded…until my mind went back to our times spent together, picnicking, playing, laughing…

"Tomoya?" I blinked again as I looked to Jeff, who was watching me with a slightly amused expression. "I know we've caught you off-guard, but…" he trailed off as he looked over at Mika.

It took me a moment to realize what he meant. "Oh! Yeah… Let it be as you've said," I managed, trying to not feel self-conscious as I heard Kyou snicker.

He smiled broadly at the two of us. "Congratulations, you two. May your lives together be richly blessed."

"Thanks," I murmured; the whole situation still felt surreal…just a little.

He watched us for a moment longer before giving us a knowing smile. "It's okay now."

"What's oka-MMPH!" My words were cut off by my new bride grabbing hold of me to nearly mash her lips to mine.

Fortunately, she didn't hold me hostage for long, and I could hear appreciative chuckling as we pulled away, though we still held each other. "I'm sorry, Tomoya," Mika said as she carefully wiped her tears away with a finger. "It's just that I've been waiting to do that for a very long time."

"Don't worry about it," I replied, surprisingly at peace about the whole thing. Actually, no; not so surprisingly. "Sorry to keep you waiting."

She simply giggled as she drew me into another embrace.

"Is this really okay?" We looked over to Dad Fujibayashi, who studied us with a concerned look. "I don't mean to be a party pooper, but isn't this all too fast? My granddaughter's so young, and she hasn't known Tomoya that long…"

"Dear!" Mom hissed while elbowing him in the side. "She's eighteen!"

"If you're worried about his character or anything, Sanae and I can vouch for him," Dad Furukawa offered.

"It's not that, but thank you," Dad Fujibayashi replied as he spread his hands. "Rinko and I have known him for years. It's just…"

"G-Grandpa…?" Mika said with a worried expression, though she still held on to me. "T-Tomoya's the 'boy' I had the crush on when I was eight."

"Come on, Daddy," Kyou said teasingly. "This is Tomoya we're talking about. I can't think of anyone who'd be better for Mika than him."

"I…I-I agree," Ryou murmured, her voice barely above a whisper; I was surprised that Kappei didn't chime in first. "Were it anyone else, I'd be concerned. But Tomoya-san is a good man."

"Yes, and I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact that you both had a crush on him back in high school," he humphed as he crossed his arms.

"Whoa, Dad," Kappei said with his hands raised. "I don't mean any disrespect, but is that really called for?"

"For what it's worth, he has our approval as well," Mom Furukawa chimed in.

Dad Fujibayashi blinked in surprise at her words. "…and you're the mother of his late wife, so…" Finally, he uncrossed his arms with a sigh. "I'm sorry; I guess I don't know what my real problem is, but if you two are happy then I'll just have to learn how to deal with it."

"If you need a sounding board, my door's always open," Jeff offered.

Dad studied the pastor for a moment before 'humphing' with a slight smile. "I might take you up on that."

"Well!" Kappei exclaimed with a clap of his hands, startling me. "Now that that's settled, we need to make arrangements to get you two living together!"

"Are you that eager for our daughter to move out?" Ryou asked, and I thought I saw an impish grin on her face.

Kappei's face fell as he turned toward his wife. "Aw, Ryou; don't be like that. I'm really happy for her, and I'm kinda excited to see what her life will be like from now on, too."

"She's just pulling your leg, bro," Kyou said with a grin that nearly matched her younger twin's.

"Oh." Kappei looked over at his wife, who quickly averted her gaze to her lap. "Well, then… Anyone up for lunch? Since it's a special occasion, it's our treat!"

It didn't take any convincing for everyone to agree. "Rinko and I will pay our own way, though," Dad Fujibayashi told us, then sent me a wink. "We'd also like to pay for the newlywed's lunch, if no one objects."

"No problem here!" Kappei said as well all started to our feet. "You cool with that, newlyweds?"

"I-" I caught myself and looked into the twinkling blue eyes of my bride, who gave me a nod along with a slight squeeze to my arm. "We're cool with that."

"Go on ahead," Kyou told us as she took my bride's arm and started toward the side door, presumably so Mika could change back into her casual clothes. "We'll catch up."

"You go on ahead," I told Kappei as we shook hands. "I'll wait for my comp-…for Mi-" I took a deep breath. "For my wife."

"All right," he laughed, releasing my hand to clap me on the shoulder. "See you later, then…son-in-law."

"Kappei!" Ryou exclaimed, whapping her husband on the arm before encircling it with her own.

I chuckled to myself as I watched the Hiiragis – now minus Mika – leave the sanctuary and head out the main doors. "He's started already…"

"Tomoya."

I jerked slightly in surprise and looked to find Dad Fujibayashi standing next to me. "Yeah, Dad?"

He grunted a sigh, and I noticed that Mom Fujibayashi wasn't with him; a quick search found her talking with Nagisa's parents near the sanctuary exit. "Are you sure you're okay with this? I know that Mika's mature for her age – she was pretty precocious when she was little, after all – but you're still eighteen years apart."

"It's…a bigger gap than I would have expected," I admitted, then grinned. "I guess we could say that she's mature for her age and I'm immature for my age; would that work?"

He chuckled, a smile breaking through his serious expression. "I suppose, but I really don't think you're immature at all." He sighed again. "Look, I'm seven years older than your mother, so it's not as though I don't think that a difference in age is necessarily a deal-breaker, it's just that…"

"Is it because I'm a salaryman, and you were hoping for more for her?" A look of horror crossed his face so I quickly added, "I don't mean to say that you're some kind of snob or anything! I just mean that we want the best for our families, and I know that my…field…doesn't provide a whole lot. I wasn't trying to say anything bad about you, honest."

"That's a relief," he breathed. "For a moment there I was afraid that I'd given you reason to believe that I looked down on you."

"No way!" I said, letting the love I felt for my extended family show in my smile. "You and Mom have been nothing but good to me and Ushio."

"That's a relief," he repeated with another sigh then looked over my shoulder, and I followed his gaze to Jeff, who was busy rearranging the tables back to the way they were. "He's been so good for Kyou. Or his god, or whatever."

"Yeah," I agreed as we returned the wave the pastor sent our way.

"You know that Mika was conceived while her mother was still in high school, didn't you?"

I wasn't sure what had caused him to bring that up, but I had been curious about it, so… "I figured that had to be the case. Were you mad when you found out?"

"Furious," he admitted with a chuckle that somehow sounded nostalgic. "After all, she and Kappei weren't married at the time; any father would feel…nonplussed at the idea. Wouldn't you agree?" he asked with a knowing look.

It didn't take much for me to get his meaning, and I reflexively imagined Ushio coming home from school and announcing her pregnancy. "Yeah, I'd be pretty…nonplussed," I replied with a wry grin.

"They quickly rectified the marriage situation, so Mika was born into a stable family setting…though it took a while for the family to stabilize," he explained. "Fortunately the two of them were more than ready by the time Mika was born."

"That's good," I said, not sure how else to respond.

I heard another sigh, then I felt Dad clap his hand on my shoulder. "See you two at lunch, son," he said before heading over to his wife, who stood waiting for him; apparently the Furukawas had already left for the restaurant.

"Tomoya?"

I reflexively bristled at the familiar voice but turned to face my father, who had come up behind me. "Yeah, Dad?"

He studied me for a moment before stepping forward to wrap me in his arms. "I am so happy for you…s-son."

It took several seconds for his words to register due to the unexpected embrace. "Th-Thanks…" I managed as I returned the hug; I hadn't hugged him in years, so the sensation felt kinda weird.

He released me, stepping back to wipe at his eyes with the back of his hand. "And thank you…for being such a positive example to your old man."

I blinked. "What do you mean?"

He took a deep breath. "I have seen how you have dealt with your losses. For a while, I was concerned that you would end up like me; a bitter, broken old man. But with friends like Kyou-san and the Hiiragis, and now Jeff-san, you have come much farther than I have." He reached out and took hold of my shoulder. "I cannot tell you how happy I am for you."

"I'm…glad I could help. Thanks."

He studied me for a moment longer before averting his gaze to the floor between us. "I...hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me for the way I treated you when you were a boy. I may have been hurting, but that does not excuse my treatment of you."

My mouth fell open as his words replayed themselves in my head; had my dad just apologized to me?! Maybe there was a god out there like Jeff's. As one who had abandoned his own daughter for five years, though… "I'm in no position to forgive you," I said humbly. "After Nagisa died I abandoned Ushio, leaving her with Nagisa's parents for five years while I felt sorry for myself."

"You might have handled it better had I handled my grief better," Dad countered, fixing his gaze on mine. "To my understanding, Ushio has forgiven you for…doing what you did."

I thought back to what Ushio had done to try to 'make up' for her mother's death. "I suppose she has; she's never said it directly, though."

"Hm." He studied me for a moment longer before giving me a tender smile. "Well, whether you choose to forgive me or not, just know how sorry I am and that I regret my poor choices and how they've affected you."

"O-Okay," I said, humbled by his…well, humility. "I'll…work on that."

"Thank you," he said before patting me on the shoulder. "If you are willing, I would like us to start over; maybe you won't let me be your father anymore, but I'd like to be in your life if you'll allow it."

"I…really would like that," I admitted; truth was, I'd wanted my dad back for decades. "Let's just take this one step at a time, okay?"

"Of course," he said, beaming. "I will see you at the restaurant?"

"Sure," I replied, returning his smile.

He patted me a couple more times before heading to the door.

I sighed, my smile fading as I watched him leave. I really wanted to be on good terms with him, but I wasn't sure that forgiving him would fix everything.

"Well, this has been an interesting chapter in your life, hasn't it?" Jeff said with a chuckle as we sat around the restaurant table. We'd ordered our food and had been making small talk as we waited.

"Feels like several, actually," I agreed with a chuckle of my own. "It's amazing what a difference just a few months can make."

"It sure is," Mika agreed as she snuggled my arm. "I can't believe it was only last May that I confessed to you; it seems a lot longer."

"You two have been through a lot," Jeff said, resting his elbows on the table and folding his hands. "As individuals and as a couple…so to speak."

"Speaking of couples," I said as I nudged my bride off my arm so I could look into her face, "are you really okay with the 'wedding' that we just had? Wouldn't you have wanted a larger one? With a cake and all that kind of stuff?"

"But that would have meant waiting even longer!" she pouted cutely.

"Besides, we've got a party planned for Sat-URP!" Kappei yelped as his wife elbowed him. "Damn, I was supposed to keep that a secret."

"A party?" Mika chirped, perking up. "I didn't know about that."

"Of course not," Kyou griped as she stared daggers at Kappei. "It was supposed to be a surprise, but Big Mouth here couldn't keep it to himself."

"Sorry, sorry," Big Mouth said while waving his hands. "I spoke before I thought, okay? I'll work on that."

"Be sure that you do, or Ryou will punish you," she added with a smirk.

"Onee-chan!"

"Let's not forget why we're here," Jeff said before standing with his glass. "To Tomoya and Mika; I know I said this earlier, but may your lives be richly blessed."

"Hear, hear," Kappei cheered, raising his mug.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Kyou lean across the table toward her niece. "I'm jealous again, Mika; you got married before I did."

"I-I'm sorry, Aunt Kyou…"

"Nah, don't worry about it," Kyou replied, waving her hand as she straightened again. "I'm just giving you a hard time. I'm really happy for you. Both of you," she said, sending a wink my way. "And you, Tomoya; you take good care of my niece, you got it?"

"Yes, ma'am," I replied, ducking my head with a fake look of submission. My face fell, however, when I thought about my financial situation; Mika was used to living in a house and being able to afford all sorts of nice things. Would I be able to do anything like that for her?

"Are you okay, Tomoya?" Jeff's kind voice broke through my musings. "You look like something's bothering you."

"I-It's nothing," I said, casting a nervous glance toward my bride.

"It doesn't look like nothing, Daddy," Ushio said gently.

I couldn't get the stupid financial stuff out of my head, so I started up from the table. "I'm sorry, Mika; excuse me for just a few minutes. I'm going to try to clear my head; I don't want to be a party pooper."

"That's Daddy's job," Kyou quipped, earning herself a dirty look from her father.

"I'll be back shortly," I chuckled as I headed toward the washrooms; I hoped that some cold water on my face would flush the sobering thoughts from my mind. Once inside I beelined it to the sink and started splashing.

A couple of minutes later I heard the washroom door open and sensed someone next to me. "What's the matter?" I heard Jeff ask. "I want to help if I can."

I bobbed my head a few times as I considered his offer. "I'm…just worried that I won't be able to provide the life she's used to," I said, shame welling up within me.

"I don't understand," he replied, and I could see him shaking his head in the mirror's reflection. "She doesn't want the life she's used to; she wants one with you."

"I'm talking about money," I said through gritted teeth. "Ushio and I live okay, but bringing a third person into the home?" I lifted my hands in a shrug. "An accountant only brings home so much money."

"I don't think she's worried about that," he suggested.

"Of course she isn't!" I hissed, smacking the cool porcelain with the palm of my hand. "She's a sweet, caring girl! And that's why I'm worried!"

"Are you concerned that she'd let herself suffer rather than make you feel bad as a provider?"

"Yeah, that's it," I said, waving a hand at him. "Thanks; I was having a hard time finding the words."

I heard rustling and looked over to see him pulling a pamphlet out of his inside coat pocket. "I actually meant to give this to the two of you at the church, but…" he held out the pamphlet, which I accepted. "One or both of you could do this to bring in some extra income."

"What is it?" I asked as I scanned the front of the flyer.

"It's a course series that teaches online trading," he replied. "It's run by another believer, and I know a few people back in the States who do this to supplement their income."

I studied the pamphlet more seriously. "Have you tried it?"

"It's…not for everyone," he said, sounding a little awkward. "Kyou's shown some interest, though."

I sighed as I briefly gnawed on my lower lip. "Can I keep this? I'd like to talk with Mika about it."

"Of course," he replied, gesturing toward me. "I brought it for you, after all."

"Thank you." I tucked it in my coat pocket, then sighed again. "Well, ready or not, I'd better get back; I don't need my new wife worrying about me."

"It's a little late for that," he said with a lopsided smile, which I mirrored. "But you're right; you should head back."

As expected, Mika fussed over me until I promised to talk to her about 'it' later. "I'm not trying to keep secrets from you," I explained. "I just don't want to bring down the mood; we're supposed to be partying, after all."

"Okay," she said, finally giving in. "I'm sorry for harassing you about it."

I opened my mouth to reply but thought better of it, so I simply gave her a pat on the hand along with what I hoped was a reassuring smile.

"I don't want to go," Mika pouted as we held each other outside the restaurant; everyone else had already started for home. "I want to go home with you. To our home."

"You'll be there soon enough," I said encouragingly, though I couldn't help but chuckle as I carefully rested my chin on the top of her head.

The plan was for my bride to bring a few things over, day by day, as she came over for dinner. On Saturday, though, Ushio and I would head over to the Hiiragi's to help move whatever was left that Mika wanted to bring to her new home. A few things would be left behind - like her bed – with the understanding that we'd be collecting them when we eventually moved into a larger place.

"I know," she replied, still sounding pouty, "but Saturday seems so far away."

"I…understand."

I felt her pull away so I looked down to find her with concern in her eyes. "Are you okay?" she asked. "You sounded distracted just now."

I sighed noisily. "I'm not sure. To be honest, I'm a little worried about the finances; all of this went so quickly that I never thought about it."

"I'm sorry…"

"It's not your fault," I told her as I gave her a squeeze. "I should've been paying attention. Let's just get you moved in and go from there; it may not be as severe a problem as I think."

"Okay."

I smiled down at her before giving her a kiss on the top of her head; the sweet smell of her hair was oddly comforting. "You know, the sooner you start bringing stuff over, the sooner Saturday will get here."

She giggled softly as we broke the embrace, and I shivered slightly as her warmth left me. "You're so silly. But I guess working on packing will keep me busy." Her smile faded as she looked into my eyes. "See you this evening…husband."

"See you later, wifey," I replied, as the solemn expression on her face reminded me of the weight of our new relationship.

"'Wifey'," she giggled, her dazzling smile making a return. "I like that."

"Do you want me to see you to the station?" I offered, stopping her as she turned to head away.

"Go home and rest," she replied with a shake of her head, and a fond smile along with a twinkle in her eyes. "It's going to be a busy week, and I'll be seeing you later."

My heart felt unusually light all the way home.