Somewhere on Autumn Woods Drive

By Rikku Minouke

Disclaimer: Don't own YYH

AN: It's my birthday! So as a birthday present to myself, I am going to update a chapter for you guys. (Because three yesterday wasn't quite enough I guess)

Chapter fifteen

The further along in the pregnancy I got, the more people I wanted to tell. It started to just feel wrong to be keeping this a secret. I shouldn't feel ashamed, even if there was no man in the picture. A lot of successful families have only one parent.

"I have to admit," Keiko told me after we had sat down. "I definitely thought you were going to cancel on me."

"Nope," I smiled at her. "I made sure not to be late, even."

That got a small giggle from her. Keiko looked at me a sparkle in her eyes. "Okay, so tell me what is going on? I feel like after we moved you in… things escalated."

"Well…." I played with my fingers, watching my forefingers leisurely battled each other.

"Oh my god," Keiko said after I took too long to respond. "You guys are hooking up, aren't you?"

"No, no, no," I shook my head, placing my hands on the edge of the table. "Nothing like that. I mean we aren't 'hooking up'."

"Ok, Botan," Keiko rolled her brown eyes. "Then what is it? Will you just tell me? Come on, you are taking him to meet the parents."

"Yeah he is coming with me," I confirmed. "But he's going only as moral support."

"Is that what they are calling it nowadays?" she laughed and I couldn't help the snicker.

"No," I said. "He really is just going to help me deal with being around my dad."

"Hello girls," we turned to see a waitress standing in front of our table. "What can I get you girls to drink?"

"I would love a raspberry long island, right now," Keiko smiled and handed the woman her ID.

"How about you, hun?" she asked after handing Keiko back the card.

"Just a lemon water please," I told her.

"Alright, I'll go get those for you two." She walked away and I turned to Keiko. The girl in front of me was giving me a weird look.

"No drink?"

"Nah," I shrugged.

"Alright," Keiko eyed me for a moment, before shaking her brown locks. "So anyways, is Kurama still visiting you every day?"

I knew that the longer I sat here, the harder it would be not to tell Keiko what was really going on. Honestly, I was shocked she hadn't figured it out by now. "Umm, probably four out of five days tops."

"And you are sure you guys aren't together?"

I sighed. "I don't know, Keiko. The question hasn't ever come up. Some days I really want to be with him and then other days I know he deserves better than me. I am so damaged. You guys don't even understand the half of it."

"Must I remind you of who I am with?" Keiko smile reassuringly.

"You're right," I shook my though as I talked. "But still. Kurama is … wonderful. I don't know why he's even around me half the time. He told me once that his mom raised him that way."

"I get the feeling that I'm missing part of that story," Keiko narrowed her eyes in suspicion for a moment. "But she was a wonderful woman."

"Did you meet his mom?" I asked. At that moment our waitress came back to drop off our drinks.

"I'll be right back to take your order." With that she left again.

"I did once," Keiko nodded, looking down at the pink drink. "Right before she went to the hospital. A really sweet woman. Very polite, amazing with people. I liked her and I know Kurama looked up to her. His dad died when he was a kid so his mom raised him."

"What was her name?" I asked quietly.

"Shiori," Keiko told me and the waitress came back.

"Alright girls!" she all but chirped. "What can I get for you?" Keiko ordered one of the lunch burgers and I was seriously salivating at the thought of it. The doctor said that was normal, the extra saliva. When I told her all I wanted was a chicken Caesar salad, I knew Keiko was going to question that as well. The waitress left again to put our order in.

"Seriously? A salad?" Keiko asked. "Is Kurama making you go on a diet? I will have to call him immediately and complain."

"No!" I almost lunged across the table to grab her bag.

"Woo," Keiko gave me a weird look. "Please explain what is going on? I'm not an idiot. I know when something is up. Yusuke has taught me well, unknowingly, over the last fifteen years."

"Keiko…" I had to force myself to look at her face. "I can't…tell you."

"Is …he… back?" Keiko practically whispered.

"No, that's not it," I exhaled a deep breath.

"Good, because I might have had to figure out how to buy a gun," Keiko made me laugh at that. "And I really don't think very many people would be ok with that."

"I'm pretty sure a lot of people would run for the hills the day you buy a gun," I told her.

"Probably," Keiko shrugged before looking at me with a serious expression. "I can tell you're scared, but it is me. I am not going to use anything against you. I'm not going to through it back in your face. I am your friend and I want… need to help you. Botan, you have been there for me when Yusuke went missing, hit by a car, went into basic training. How could I not be there when you need me?"

"Keiko," I closed my eyes for a moment. "It's hard for me to say it. It's like my throat closes up trying to block the words."

"Please try," Keiko took a sip of her drink. My eyes followed the frosted glass until it returned to the table.

"I…" I took a deep breath. "I'm pregnant."

"What?" Keiko leaned backwards, making her back flush with the padded seat. "You are…. pregnant?"

My eyes slid to the surface of the table. "Yes, I am."

"Is it … Kurama's?" It sounded like there was a little bit of hope in her voice until I shook my head. "Oh my god, Botan. How long have you known?"

"I found out a few days before you guys moved me in," I explained. "But I was hoping it was a false positive. It's not, by the way."

"Does Kurama know?" she asked and leaned forward again, this time grabbing my hands.

"Yeah, he found out a week and a half… maybe two weeks ago," I shrugged and let her squeeze my hands. "I thought he was going to kick me out, Keiko. I was so scared."

"He would never!" She said, but it seemed as if she were referring to what would happen if he did with her tone. "That explains the water and salad. How far along are you then?"

"I am about ten weeks," I told her and it was so much easier to talk, now that she knew. "I'm planning on keeping it from my parents for as long as I can. Which is partially why Kurama is coming."

"So…. Is Kurama taking the place of the dad?" Keiko raised her eyebrows but narrowed her eyes. It looked like she was as confused as I was.

"No," I said. "I wasn't kidding, I don't know what's going on between us. He is over the top helpful. Making sure I eat the right foods, at the right time, he holds my hair when I puke. He's reading baby books with me, Keiko."

"So, why is this a 'no'?" Keiko asked.

"Foods up!" Our waitress returned with our lunch before leaving again.

Unrolling my silverware, I sighed. "I think it's my fault. I am very damaged from St Cloud and I think that puts a big barrier between us. He's questioning what he can do around me without me having a panic attack. But he also seems pretty relaxed about that stuff. I don't know. We seem to have fallen into a pattern, it's very cozy but I'm not sure where that leaves us."

"You guys seriously need to sit down and talk about this," Keiko picked up her burger and bit down. I watched her eat for a moment before picking up my fork. I was really happy that my morning sickness was almost gone or this would be very difficult to eat. "I want to know everything, by the way. And! And can I throw you a baby shower?" Shaking my head as I laughed, I leaned forward to eat my food before telling her a little bit more about the last few weeks.