manga girl 08: If you get a chance maybe you'll read the rest? Nevertheless, thank you for reading and reviewing. It is always a treat to have a new reader.
Inner Beauty: At first it was longer, much too long I thought. I know that there are a few readers who will not read a chapter just because of it's length so I have cut it down to three chapters. The previous, the one you are about to read and the one to follow. I'm glad I did. I reviesed this chapter and I hope everyone likes it because if you don't…you would had dreaded the first draft. So much I believe that I would have turned you away from the story completely! So, timing and patience on my part may be rewarding to everyone. Oh, thank you for keeping me on my toes about my other story. I do want to finish it, the problem is that it became difficult for me but I am not finishi yet, I will compelet it!
wolf's lament: I'm glad I made his discomfort show. I wanted to show him still as a child. Thank you for your review.
FallenArchangelDD & Digi-Girl101 & JyouraKoumi: As always, thank you for sticking this out and continuing to read my story even though it may not be the best chapter(s). You three are the greatest! Cheers!
Broken Angel01: This chapter is the beginning of a new relationship for Matt and his mother. I hope you enjoy it by and by…I am waiting for an update in your story!
Stained In Negativity: I have to thank you. I believe this next chapter will be better then the last because I took your advice as well as another authors. I had this chapter written but I had changed a great deal of it, almost completely deleting and starting from scratch. The problem I am facing is that I'm not a 'baby' person. I have a hard time communicating with infants and I am afraid it is showing up in my work. You may have noticed that Matt has not spent time alone with the child. Lol, together matt and I are trying to get the courage to be alone I suppose. But this chapter I am happy with and I owe it to you. Thank you.
Curtis Zidane Ziraa: Yes I will take your information and store it where I can review. Perhaps, the way this story is going, I may need it for other use. Thank you for understanding and being a good sport.
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With her parents still visiting from France, juggling work between spending time with them as well with her own son, Nancy found herself exhausted and very little time for herself. Even though she had requested last week a holiday week far in advance, as usual, plans changed and her co-worker came down with food poisoning. Much to her disappointment, Nancy was called into work her desired week off..
Her parents were upset as well but as always, they pulled through and decided to stay longer. Now, finally she had time to enjoy herself. She made sure she was up to see Tk off to school. He told her in his groggy morning voice that he was meeting Matt for breakfast before dragging his feet into the bathroom. After brushing his teeth and giving up on his hair staying flat, Tk threw on his hat and gave Nancy a quick kiss on the cheek before rubbing his eyes and leaving the apartment.
Still clad in a red nightdress and robe, Nancy busied herself into making a cup of coffee and some eggs, it had been awhile since she had eaten breakfast at home, or anywhere for that matter and this morning she planed on enjoying a quiet meal by herself. She hummed to herself as she moved her morning feast into the living room and carefully placed her tray on the sofa stand. She took a piece of toast off the tray and picked up a book by the lamp stand before settling down on the sofa. She pulled her legs under her and leaned her back against the sofa allowing the over abundance of pillows to nestle her into a warm, comfortable position.
The book was one that Tk picked out for her to read. He had found it to be interesting and thought she might enjoy it herself. The story took place in the nineteen hundreds and the major characters were an ex-detective and an orphan boy trying to solve mysteries. She rapidly came involved in the story and left the rest of her meal untouched. Even though a few hours had passed, it seemed all too quickly that the doorbell had interrupted her moment of solitude.
Her eyes went to the black vine clock that hung on the wall across from the sofa. It was early yet; Tk should have just arrived at school. Her slender eyebrows knitted together as thoughts ran through her mind.
Could it be the police to report an accident? She wondered. Is Tk all right? Maybe Hiroaki fell ill again. No the boys would had called. Tk would have called.
She threw the book beside her and rushed to the door. Pausing at the door, she took a few deep breathes and finally listen to reasoning. It could be anyone at the door, anyone at all. It could be the postal worker or any one of her neighbours ringing the doorbell. She calmed herself and stood up on the tips of her toes to look through the peek-hole.
Instead of police officers, she saw her husband standing behind the door. No, her ex-husband. He didn't seem nervous or at least his face did not show anything amiss but he always wore a mask when it came to facial expressions.
She placed her right hand flat against the door to balance herself as she secretively gazed at her ex-husband. Had he always been that tall? His shoulders seem wider then she remembered. He looks paler, of course had had been ill. He looks thinner also, or maybe his jacket made him look thinner. His eyes were just as dark as she remembered, like looking into a black mirror. Small creases deepen around the corner of his eyes and small hints of grey strains of hair faded with black alongside his temples.
Nancy jumped back as Hiroaki rang the doorbell once again. She looked over her shoulders at the door her parents were currently staying in before quickly turning to the handle of the door.
"Hiroaki!" She soon stood face to face with her ex suddenly. The door held open wide.
"Nancy." He smiled gently at her, looking down at her with roaming eyes.
She grew self-conscious, wrapping her robe closer to her body. Had she known Hiroaki would visit, she would have worn something more…well something prettier then a robe. Even after all these years of separation, she still wanted to look attractive in his eyes.
"Is everything okay?" She searched his eyes for some kind of hint that his face refuse to show, but as always, his eyes held hidden emotions that he could never express to her.
"Everything is fine." Hiroaki glanced at his side. "We thought that an over due visit was in order."
Hiroaki held out his arm and Matt walked closer in order for his mother to see that he too, waited outside her door.
"Matt." Nancy gasped and her right hand went over her chest. She quickly looked over at her ex-husband uncertainty filling her eyes. Could it be true? He had come to see her. She had hope this day would come, she envision this moment in her mind for so long, she had even rehearsed everything she would say when her oldest son would finally come to her, but now it was all lost. She could only stand there and stare in disbelief.
"Can we come in, Nancy?" Hiroaki asked, helping her out of her astonished zone.
"Oh." She stepped aside, feeling a blush rush to her cheeks. She didn't look up at the two men as they passed by her. She instead kept her eyes on the doorknob as she slowly closed the door softly, taking that time to regain her deposer.
Hiroaki stopped only a few feet inside the apartment and turned ready to meet Nancy once she closed the door. He quickly glanced over at Matt, who not only stood by his side but also did so as though he would become nauseous any moment.
Hiroaki quickly turned his attention on his ex-wife's back. She was presently wearing a pink fuzzy robe that came down to her knees but her nightdress peeked through the half-closed robe revealing a red silky dress. Garnishing her feet, she wore slippers to match her rope. No make-up could be seen on her face and the faint blush he had seen only moments ago was natural glow, one that brought back memories of times they had once shared…
Matt felt the tiny human stir in his arms and his eyes drifted down to the infant's blanket. From the soft white folds of material a little fist pulled away and a large yawn warned Matt of the child's awakening. Matt quickly looked at his father, which Hiroaki nodded his head and cleared his throat.
"Matt wanted to introduce you to someone. Someone very special." Hiroaki watched her slowly turn around. She usually wore her golden hair in a bun twisted in the back of her neck but this morning, the golden strains of hair fell loose around her shoulders and swayed softly as she turned her head towards her oldest son.
"Oh." Nancy covered her mouth as noticed an infant blanket in her son's arms.
Slowly, Matt pulled the edge of the blanket slowly from the small infant in his arms.
"This is Ryoko." Hiroaki beamed with pride, "Our grandson."
Matt looked over at his father with the same proud smile on his face. He loved how his father beamed with pride every time he said his grandson's name.
Nancy glanced over at Hiroaki with eyes filling up with tears. She reached out her hand, hesitant afraid that Matt would pull back as he done so often in the pass.
Matt still had not made eye contact with his mother; he would either look at his father or he kept his eyes on his child but as he did so, watched Nancy from the corner of his eyes or through his eyelashes like a nervous animal. Her fingers lightly traced the infant's round face, so lightly that the baby did not even stir from his nap.
"Can I hold him?" Nancy whispered to Matt, looking up at him. He had grown tall, taller then his father, Nancy noticed. Now longer was he a small child she once held in her arms. Sadly, she felt like a stranger under his deep azure eyes. Matt nodded his head, strains of blond hair swept over his eyes as he leaned down and placed the baby gently in her arms.
Tears finally fell from Nancy's blue eyes as she stared down at her grandson. "Ryoko." She whispered the baby's name. "So beautiful." She quickly looked up at Hiroaki. "Do you know who he looks like?"
Hiroaki nodded his head.
"Oh, it was so long ago." Nancy held the baby close to her neck for a brief hug. She took in the fragrance of baby powder, a smell she would never forget and forever love.
Turning towards the sofa and sitting back down, she cradle the child close in her arms. The child's face was pale except for a small healthy pink glow that gently covered his cheeks. Slowly the child opened his eyes to peek at his grandmother for the first time. With a soft touch, she feathered his hair back and smiled as he raised a small fist and wrinkled his face to give cry. However, the cry was silent and promise of a child's tantrum was replaced with a yawn and drifting eyes.
"He takes after his uncle," Matt grinned, "Not a morning person."
Nancy gave a toothy grin at Matt but not for his joke but that he spoke to her. There was hesitation in his deep voice but there was no anger she had often heard.
"Honey…" Matt's grandmother emerged from the visitor's room. "Have you seen your father's socks? The plaid ones that I hate so much? He is having a fit that he cannot find his lucky sock. Lucky socks, he says! Old man does not know what he is talking about. Last week the blue ones were lucky and the week before last, why that week they were brown!" The elderly woman stopped when she saw her daughter's guest. "Matt. Hiroaki." She quickly looked at her daughter.
"Mum, come here!" Nancy giggled and Hiroaki's head titled. He had been over sixteen years since he heard her giggle. "Come and meet Ryoko!"
"Ryoko?" She looked puzzled as she moved closer to the sofa and like her daughter, she quickly covered her mouth. "Is it?" She turned to look at her ex-son-in-law.
"Congratulations. You are now a great-grand mother." Hiroaki gave a small chuckle as he placed a firm grip on Matt's arm as his son looked for an escape route.