Somewhere on Autumn Woods Drive

By Rikku Minouke

Disclaimer: I don't own YYH

AN: I seriously meant to post this like... three days ago, but I got sooo busy! I went to The Fray concert and got briefly meet the frontman and won tickets to a special screening of Transformers before it hits theaters. Then I went to the big amusement park around here the next day. On top of that I've had work and family crap. This weekend might be tricky to post too, the in-laws are coming up for a visit so stick with me there!

Chapter forty six

Sometimes the realizations of love or loss can change a person. When I found out I was pregnant, I went through a lot of changes. But I think over all it made me a happier person than I had been in a long time.

I stood next to Juri at the bar in Grounds. We had been standing in that spot for a few minutes now watching a man I vaguely recognized and his daughter. Giggling, the little girl looked up at him and handed the man a thin white rope. Shaking his head with a small smile, he refused to take it.

Shaking her head to out-do his movements, she jumped back a few steps. I assumed she was maybe five. The blonde in her hair shined under the fluorescent lights.

Flicking the rope, the little stuffed animal on the other end sprang into the air. Landing on its bottom, the girl giggled again. "Look daddy! He's sitting." Pressing my lips together I tried not to laugh. The stuffed animal was made to appear like it was always sitting. "Good kitty." She flicked the rope again. "Now sit!" The animal most definitely was sitting. She gave a high pitched laugh that made Juri cringe. "He's sitting."

I looked away with a broad smile on my face. It was so cute how excited she was getting over the cheap toy. "Are you ready for one of those?"

Glancing at Juri, I turned to gather a few of our metal steaming cups to bring to the back. "Yeah, I'm getting there. I mean I really had never thought I'd want to be a mother. But I'm starting to get really excited."

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Juri shake her head. "I can't believe you are gonna have a little you."

Laughing I turned to face her. With one free hand I motioned to my belly. "Believe this. It's really happening."

The bell over the door rang as I watched Keiko walk through the entryway. "Hey girls," she smiled at us behind the bar. "Hello Midori." Keiko waved at the child who flashed her teeth in response. Walking passed the customers, Keiko stood at the end of the bar. "How's it going over here?"

Juri yawned and I shrugged behind her. "Same old, same old," I told her.

"You're glowing," Keiko laughed. "So I know that's not true."

"It's probably just the pregnancy glow," I comment, waving it off. Do I tell her about my realization from the other day?

"Sure," she eyed me suspiciously.

"Here, I'll take those in the back," Juri took the cups from my hands and walked through the swinging door.

"You caught me," I laughed. "I've been in a great mood. The last week has been amazing. Kurama's been reading to the baby and I've actually been getting some sleep for once."

"He's reading to the baby?" Keiko asked, slightly taken back. "I hope it's not that book Yusuke bought you guys the other day."

I laughed. Yusuke had purchased a book and CD that went with it for Kurama and I. It was called 'Go the Fuck to Sleep' and the CD had Samuel L. Jackson reading the book. It was rather cute. "No, he's been reading 'A Study in Scarlet'."

"You mean Sherlock Holmes?" Keiko's eyebrows furrowed. "Isn't that… advanced?"

"Well, the baby can't decipher what we are actually saying at this point. It's just getting used to the sounds of our voices," I explained to her. "It's not like he's going to understand that Sherlock Holmes was a cocaine addict. He hears my voice all day, and I think it's great that Kurama's reading to him at night."

"So about this not putting Kurama in the father position….?" Keiko let her sentence die off. Her look was very expectant and I didn't know what to say. I guess I had kind of let him slip into that role.

"Keiko…" I took a deep breath. I was going to tell her. Who cares how hard it was to say out loud, it had to be done.

The bell over the door rang and I glanced over only to feel my muscles stiffen. It was her. I hadn't seen her since I'd found out. From across the bar I heard Keiko let out a deep breath. "I guess this is my queue. I'll let you get back to work. Am I going to see you tomorrow? Wednesday? Like usual?"

I nodded to her before walking over to the register. "Hello Maya," I smiled as kindly as I could. "What can I get for you today?"

As Keiko passed behind her, it wasn't difficult to feel the tension between the three of us. Keiko looked so much more guarded then I'd seen her in a long time. Her chin was high and eyes dark, shoulders back, and hands clenched. Maya on the other hand looked pissed off and disgusted at the same time. I really couldn't stop myself, I really couldn't.

"Have a good night Keiko," I called before she hit the door. Turning, she waved with a small smile. "I'll call you tomorrow to set up a time for lunch."

Her smile only widened slightly. I wasn't going to hide my friendship with Keiko or my relationship with Kurama because this girl had issues. Using the small of her back to push open the door, Keiko left the store.

"What can I get for you; sorry about that?" I asked again and this time when I looked at her, I could see the fire in her eyes and the stress in her cheek muscles.

"Maybe I should take my business elsewhere," she mumbled and I raised an eyebrow. Koenma would be pissed on some level.

"Is there something wrong with our coffee?" I asked sweetly.

She took a deep breath through her nose. "No. Just the customer service."

"I'm very sorry you feel that way," I told her, honestly.

Shaking her head, Maya turned and quickly exited the building. I had no doubt she would return. In this town, there really wasn't another coffee shop. She would have to drive ten minutes to Eden Prairie to get her coffee or go to the gas station. I assumed she'd be back.

AN: I really don't know much about Maya, just the basics. Sorry if I'm making her seem like a big B. However to me, she's a blank slate I can play with.