Everlasting and Real

By Chrismery Portorreal

I don't know if my apologies will do any good at this moment, but I want to apologize anyways. I am sorry everyone that it has taken me so long to write the next chapter. I have read all the reviews this story has received and it makes me so happy that you guys enjoy it. That's the reason why I wanted to write it. I have been bombarded with the stresses of life and I felt myself emotionally drained along with my creativity. I will be taking a 1 week vacation before summer school starts and that is when I am planning to finally finish this story. I refuse to let this one stay idle. So finally after a much long sabbatical here is chapter 3 of Everlasting and Real

The mid-afternoon rays of the sun washed over her room, the warmth of the day enveloping her senses and embracing her skin, she yawned and stretched lazily and unconsciously across her bed. Her body tingled, her feet were restless under the covers, and her mind begun to wander with the thoughts of a new day.

Finally, today is the day I meet with the bankers to sign up for the loan of my new restaurant. Do I want to call it a restaurant? Maybe I should call it a café? Yes, a café is obviously more me. I wonder if Ichigo will come in the afternoons for lunch and share a biscuit and coffee with me? I wonder what he is doing right this instant….I hope not getting too angry with Renji. Renji can be a pain in the…wait what time is it?

Inoue sat up on her bed and grabbed for her the alarm on the bedside table.

"Oh my gosh, I'm late!" she screamed as she pulls the covers back and rushes out of bed running to the bathroom.

"Kami, how in the world did I sleep in so late? " she mutters to herself as she starts her shower and starts putting up her hair. Before going into the shower a small bark tried to grab her attention. Orihime looks down and smiles, she bends and picks up Sugarplum.

"Good afternoon my little darling! You must be angry with me for forgetting to feed you and take you out. What will you do with me?" Orihime giggled as Sugarplum gives her wet kisses with her tongue. Orihime quickly places Sugarplum on top of the marble toilet seat and jumps into her shower.

Everywhere a person looks in the Kurosaki residence money and influence is obvious. Once Ichigo graduated from medical school and started working with his father, family and friends quickly realized that both of them were a business power house. While Isshin is more on the entrepreneur side with the creativity and ideas, Ichigo considers himself the planner and realistic thinker of the duo. The family clinic was no longer large enough for father and son with their endeavors. They bought a much larger piece of property where they built a much larger private clinic funded by the fast food chains and small restaurants that were housed in the cafeteria, and the small specialty stores featured inside the hospital. Along with the stores and better food selection than any hospital in Japan, the hospital featured its own spa, relaxation park, physical therapy department headed by Renji, and a branch of the infamous Chado Gym. Now the hospital didn't have to be a place of dread when visiting the sick or when staying, and people were definitely paying the high price to live the high life while they were sick.

After making his first big paycheck the first thing that Ichigo did was take his wife around town and told her to pick whichever house she wanted. When Inoue first laid eyes on the 5 bedroom 4 ½ bath home she completely fell in love with it. It wasn't the location (even though it is a very prominent location), it wasn't the state of the art appliances or the marble through out the house that caught her attention. This particular house had a nursery. The nursery was connected to the master bedroom through an arch entry way, it was spacious, the room was pastel yellow with wooden floors, a large bay window that looked out to their backyard, and a small bookshelf that was built into the walls. The room was modest compared to the rest of the house, yet to Orihime it was tranquil, a place that harbored love. After walking into the room Inoue imagined herself sitting on a rocking chair in front of the large bay window singing softly to the baby that she and Ichigo would create. It's been 4 years since that day she walked into that room. Since then Orihime covered the entry way with a chic curtain that matched the rest of her interior in her master bedroom. It was in a way a border for her symbolizing what she still has not been able to attain, or better said give to Ichigo.

Orihime quickly rushed out of the shower and grabbed Sugarplum and placed him on top her rumpled bed. She rushed around the room looking for her outfit and shoes. After a few moments of rushing from one side to the room and then back again to her oversized indoor closet she decided on a pair of black slacks and a light pink blouse with her pearl necklace and matching pearl studs.

As she was running down the stairs another wave of nausea just like the one earlier this morning hit her, she grabbed a hold of the stair banister and held on to dear life.

I cant throw up here. No way can I throw up here I just bought this stair carpet runner!

Orihime gingerly sat down on the stair as Sugarplum came to sit beside her. After a few moment of deep breathing she got up with Sugarplum in towed and went to the kitchen and had a glass of water and some toast with jelly. Sitting down on the counter feeling much better she cursed as she completely forgot to call Rukia and Rangiku about their lunch date.

Darn, I wont have enough time to meet up with the girls and still be on time with my meeting with the bank executives. Maybe we can have a dinner date? Orihime thought as she downed the last of her water.

As soon she was done she placed Sugarplum in her cage not wanting the dog to take advantage and make a mess while she was gone, and grabbed the keys to her Lexus all the while trying to get a hold of Rukia on her cell phone.

On the open road on the way to the bank and after listening to the busy signal to Rukias phone for so long, she finally got a hold of her.

"Darn woman get yourself a cell phone! Do you know how many times I have tried calling you in the last 5 minutes?" Orihime chastised Rukia who answered the phone with a very happy tone that annoyed Orihime.

"Hello, Orihime! Sorry about that I was on the internet looking at some wedding gowns, they are so pricey yet so beautiful, I just can't decide they all catch my attention."

Orihime smiled while listening to Rukia talk about her dream wedding and dress.

I'm so happy for Rukia and who would have thought she would be so excited about this. Oh! Who am I kidding I was recklessly happy during my day and even usually neutral-faced Ichigo has the biggest grin on Earth.

Orihime's day was magical to say the least. Knowing that Ichigo would have really wanted for his mother to see his special day and she wanted in a way to do something special for her brother, she picked a beautiful garden park that was a few blocks away from the cemetery they were buried. It made her feel that somehow bringing the celebration closer to them they would be able to see it and share with them their joy. The ceremony and reception was held outside, the colors of the wedding was ivory with gold. Candles flickered everywhere from the table displays to the candle chandeliers that were hanged from the silk tents. Both Orihime and Ichigo decided on the silk tents so that when they danced in the night, the saw the stars. Just thinking about that day brought a smile and a tear to her face.

Wait? Why am I crying? thought Orihime who was brought back from her daydream by her own gasps. Without even realizing it she even made it all the way to bank, she even parked the car without her consciously knowing.

"Hey, Orihime are you still there?" asked Rukia who heard the little gasps from her friend.

"Are you okay?"

"Oh my! Rukia I'm so sorry I don't know what has come over me. I guess hearing you talk about your special day made me think about mine and then the tears started coming.. I'm"

"Oh Orihime you really love Ichigo, that's why your crying. You just can't believe he is completely, devotedly yours." interrupted Rukia.

"Look no worries. Anyways you never even told me why you called?"

"Oh I completely…anyways I won't be able to get together for lunch but I wanted to see if dinner sounded good to you?"

"Yeah, dinner sounds great actually. Since Renji is not here I don't see the point in cooking a whole meal just for one person to enjoy it."

"Okay, great. Let me just get a hold of Rangiku and I guess we will meet up at Tessiers at…How does six sound?"

"Tessiers, huh? What is the special occasion?"

"Your engagement of course, and I have some great news to tell you ladies!" Orihime smiled into the phone.

"Well alright, six it is."

After hanging up the phone with Rukia Orihime quickly called Rangiku and told her about the change of plans.

Thank goodness that call didn't go as eventful as Rukias. I would have been late as it is.

Orihime wasn't really late she ever rarely was late for anything. One of the things that Ichigo always admired about his wife is how well organized she was. Orihime was the one that made sure both Ichigo and Isshin were on time to all of their community functions.

Orihime walked into the bank and was escorted by one of the tellers to the 4th floor of the bank to sit in a conference room to await the executives that will be handling the final papers.

I wonder what Ichigo is doing at this instance? Oh, I just realized I'm kind of hungry. Actually very hungry. That toast didn't do anything for me. And these pants are kind of tight on me today. Oh my gosh, maybe I have to go on a diet. All those days sitting in front of the TV shopping and eating. I read somewhere that when you get depressed you gain weight, but this is ridiculous.

Orihime thoughts were then interrupted by the opening of the conference room doors. Orihime looked up to see two men walk in followed by an older woman. One of the men was definitely over the hill he must have been over 65 years old. His white hair and smelling of medicine and prune juice gave him away. The older woman you can tell was over her prime but not as much as the older man, she must have been 50 or so. Her dark hair has already been stricken with white and she smelled of the very strong almost husky perfume older women for some reason like to wear. Orihime stood up and it was when her eyes finally got a good look at the man standing next to the older one. He was older than her but not by too much, maybe 31 or 32 she couldn't really figure it out and he smelled gloriously compared to his colleagues. He had a distinct smell that she knows she smelled it before but really couldn't place it.

Where in the world did my super sense of smell come from?

He gave her a dazzling smile and she shyly smiled back.

They shook each other hands and sat down. After the initial introductions she learned his name was Lucas Johnson. Mr. Henshi, the older man, started on about the loan amount and all the other information that Orihime guessed was important.

I'm so hungry. I can't believe I didn't stop to get anything to eat before coming here. I should have known I would have to sit through something like this. Why isn't Mrs. Kirichi saying anything?

As Orihime looked from each executive her mind still wandering, her body was giving her the weirdest sensations. As Orihime looked upon the gentleman named Mr. Johnson her tummy made a small flip.

Why is he looking at me even more intently than Mrs. Kirichi, especially with that warm weird face.

"So Ms. Kurosaki?"

Orihime jumped at her name "Mrs." she corrected the elderly man quickly, all the while looking at Mr. Lucas Johnson.

Was that astonishment that I saw in his eyes? she wondered. But as quickly she thought it he hid his thoughts to her behind another warm smile.

There goes my stomach again she thought as she blanched. She soon realized that they were all looking at her for an answer.

"I'm sorry" she said ending the silence, she hoped she looked as if she was contemplating.

"I really was not paying attention. I know this is completely un-business like but can we take a lunch break? I'm absolutely starving" she giggled uncomfortably.

Mr. Lucas Johnson gave her a grin, while Mr. Henshi pouted his face and was looking as if he was thinking on finding the right word to give her a suitable tongue lashing. Thank goodness Mrs. Kirichi interrupted him before he said anything.

"That is fine Mrs. Kurosaki. We will meet again in an hour."

"I'll just be going to café at the corner so it should not take.."

"Hey, I'll join you! I always wanted to stop in and try out the food" exclaimed Lucas interrupting Orihime.

Orihime was taken back, she didn't expect him to invite himself along to lunch with her.

"If that's alright with you?" he gave her another dazzling smile.

The elderly two people just looked back at Orihime wondering what she would say since she was making it obvious that she was a bit uncomfortable with the situation.

Orihime laughed nervously "Of course you can join me."

"Well then Mr. Johnson since you will be lunching with Mrs. Kurosaki I expect you to detail all the benefits that will be at her disposal." Mr. Henshi said as he stepped out with Mrs. Kirichi.

"It will be my pleasure." Lucas said without even taking his eyes off of her.

Orihime nervously smiled back when she had a realization.

So did is how it feels when the tiger stares down it prey…

Well everyone I hope I made it worthwhile for you after all, you guys waited so long for this update. Since I am back home I will take the time tonight to go back into chapter 1 and chapter 2 and edit those chapters like I promised many months before. Thank you again all who take the time to review. I read them and appreciate them all!

I finally realized the path that I want this story to take.

And I finally researched the whole name ordeal that I was going through on Wikipedia.

Orihime is her first name! LOL And I will go back and change all the Matsumoto to Rangiku.

Look out for Chapter 4 tomorrow!!!