A.N.: I'm sorry it's taken so long for me to get this next bit posted. I have my reasons. And I'm even foolish enough to believe they are good reasons. If you've made it this far, or are familiar with my work at all you'll understand that I work from experience. Many of the things that I write have happened to me. I did work at a chocolate factory. There is a man that I want, that I have given chocolate to, and for whom I was waiting for a response before I posted this next bit.
I do want to let you know though, that regardless of whether I was personally rejected or not on the chocolate, this story will end fluffily. In fact, success or failure on the lovefront may not be completely known until the end of my final college quarter (which is approximately mid-March).
I'm more than certain that more of my experiences will fuel a few fanfics. So you can keep up-to-date with my (nonexistent) love-life that way. I'm not a drama-queen. I don't create dram in my own or in others' lives and I certainly don't enjoy it when it rears it's ugly head in my personal life. However, I do know how to take advantage of it when it happens to me. Drama, even the small, insignificant tension created in my own world, due to my own insecurity is terrific literary fodder. We can all relate to, or learn from the experiences of others. And that my friends, is the true value of reading. Plus it's so much safer to read about things than to have them happen to you! It is only by first coping with the ordinary that we can live the extraordinary.
Chocolate Scented – Chapter 3
By Magawa
This was it. The whole reason she'd begun to work. She'd slave everyday during the week to hit this payoff. But now, looking at the check held firmly between her trembling hands made all the work seem like just a dream. Time she'd just floated through somehow. Her mind glittered with the possibilities of the things she could buy. She'd never had this kind of money at her fingertips. And for all of a minute she felt powerful; secure in her ability to buy for those she loved.
Reality reasserted itself only a few moments afterwards. She ought to save some if she could, and the total amount when divided was only enough to buy a "moderately nice" gift for each of her friends. Nothing "extremely nice" as she would have liked to give her loved ones. She did still have about a week and a half of working and she'd receive that paycheck after Christmas.
She'd have to make due with what she had.
Although she could tell you straight-up who would be at the top of her "extremely nice" gift list had she been able to afford it. Affording it though, was in her opinion fairly dubious.
Anything worth getting at all was fairly expensive.
So doing some simple practical math (with a calculator) Usagi figured that if she divided her paycheck equally among the 12 most loved people in her life (her 8 senshi, him, and her little family of 3) then she'd be able to buy something worthwhile. But if she didn't get started soon she'd never be able to find the perfect gifts. And time was running out.
But she was tired, and she had an "appointment" directly after work that she just couldn't miss…
She was at the right place, at the right time; but where was he? She had come right after work and yet he was nowhere to be seen.
Frowning at the sight of his empty seat she let out a huff of irritation before hoisting herself up and onto the barstool. Swinging her legs in a childish fashion she motioned to the waiter who smiled before fixing a cup of coffee and placing it before her.
"You know," the waiter put in conversationally, "you're quite early today."
Usagi sputtered her coffee a little in surprise. "What?"
"You're early," he repeated patiently. "Mamoru doesn't normally get here until just a few minutes before you do and today," he paused for dramatic effect, "you're fifteen minutes early."
The effect was instantaneous. Usagi's eyes widened and then dropped to her mug. "Then I have to wait fifteen minutes for him to show up?"
The waiter's eyes were kind and amused. "Mmm no, I don't think so. Maybe five. And it's not as if there weren't other guys here who wouldn't mind entertaining you for a few minutes…"
Usagi giggled lightheartedly. "That's ridiculous. No one's interested in me."
"No one?" asked the waiter in astonishment. "I think you'd be surprised."
"Well, come on. Stop being silly. I'm not beautiful or smart or funny or anything else that is normally attractive. I'm just me."
"And that is beautiful. So you stop being silly."
Usagi scrunched her nose at the waiter. "I will if you will!"
At which point Mamoru broke in, "I'm not interrupting anything am I?"
Usagi turned at the sound of his voice and lit up like a firefly, her smile reaching her eyes. "No of course not. This silly baka and I were having a discussion on beauty."
Mamoru turned to cast an appraising eye upon the waiter. "Must be a slow night Motoki because that sounds dangerously like flirting."
"So what if it was? Jealous much?" Motoki threw back.
Usagi rolled her eyes as she took a sip of her coffee before pushing it over to her Mamoru. "All right, now you're both being silly."
"Yeah you're right," Mamoru answered. "Reika'd be furious if she knew Motoki were flirting with his customers, so it was probably just a normal conversation…"
"And here I was, just trying for a push in the right direction," Motoki answered. "If this is what I get for being a nice guy I'll just..."
"…go away?" Mamoru asked helpfully.
Usagi snorted. Motoki laughed. Even Mamoru cracked a grin at his own audaciousness.
"Well I can see you two want to be alone," Motoki stated loudly. "I'll just be over here…"
Usagi laughed outright and Mamoru smiled while turning warm eyes on the girl sitting at his normal place at the counter.
"I beat you here today."
"So I see. Must have not had to do much today at the candy company, eh?"
"No, we were busy. But its payday so…do you want to help me spend it?"
"Huh?" Usagi giggled at his intelligent statement before expounding.
"I need to go Christmas shopping… for my friends and family. Do you want to go with me?"
"Oh yeah. That sounds like fun. I hadn't pegged you as the type to put off shopping til the last minute though."
"I know, I know," Usagi sighed in mock exasperation. "Never put off til tomorrow a sale you can get today…"
Mamoru laughed outright, so Usagi grinned. She hadn't meant to be funny.
"Well I've been so busy lately working and all. I just haven't had time."
"I know it. Of course I'll go." Mamoru took a long pull of their coffee before placing it back on the countertop empty. Digging into his pocket for change to pay for the coffee, Mamoru called out, "Hey Motoki! We're leaving. Got a hot date you know…"
Motoki laughed at his grinning friend as he waved them off. Usagi debating the fact that she was 'hot date' material the whole way.
They had a lot of fun that night. She was cute and endearing the way she'd get so excited over the littlest things. He let her shop, watching her move from store to store with energetic anticipation. Eternally an optimist, she knew, just knew that the perfect gifts were there waiting for her to discover them.
She found a few right off; mostly articles of jewelry or clothing for the many women in her life. Her best friends all got matching necklace and earring sets. He admired the chosen gifts with her and, in a brilliant move that should be copied by men worldwide, complimented her taste.
For her part she could never remember being so relaxed and happy in his presence. He was sweet and funny and charming. He said all the right things. He even helped her find a gift for her dad. The wristwatch was both tasteful and manly and something she knew her dad would appreciate. Although he'd probably think it highly amusing that his ever-late daughter would buy him something so on-time oriented.
It was drawing near to closing time when turning a corner in a toy isle Usagi heard the soft whimpers of a lost and alone child. Immediately dropping the baseball bat and glove she had been buying for her little brother she knelt in front of the child and gently asked if she was okay.
Mamoru hadn't been far behind Usagi but held back to watch her and the little girl.
"Come on honey. What's wrong? Can I help you out?"
Sniffles. "I… don't… know… where my mommy… is!" Ending on a wail and getting louder by the second, Usagi was quick to put out her hands and place them on the child's shoulders and rubbing them reassuringly.
"Oh it's all right. She can't be very far away and I'm sure she's looking for you right now. She must miss you."
More sniffles. "Maybe. But she sounded an..ang…angry with me!" More wailing.
"Oh baby. It's okay. I'm sure she didn't really mean it. How could anybody stay angry at you very long? You're too cute!"
A hopeful upturning of the eyes. "Really?"
"Really, really. Now let's go find your momma. By the way, my name's Usagi. What's yours?"
"I'm Aiko!" she chirped, feeling much better now that she wasn't alone and had someone to look out for her. "I'm four-years-old!"
"Really? My goodness you're practically all grown up!"
"Kiyosh says I'm just a baby. But then he's a boy." Usagi laughed a little at this logic. Obviously from little Aiko's point of view, being a boy heavily discredited his opinion.
Usagi held out her hand for Aiko to grab a hold of and turned to find Mamoru watching them with amused eyes.
"You know," he said conversationally, "I'm pretty sure that that little doll's not for sale."
"I am not for sale! I'm momma's!"
"I know. I am Usagi's friend. Looks like we need to find your momma, huh?"
"Yeah she got lost. Just wandered off."
Mamoru and Usagi stifled a laugh at her serious tone. At least there was no emotional damage sustained…
"I'm Mamoru," he said by way of introduction. "Where do you think she wandered off to?"
"Hmmm… dunno. Knowing momma maybe to shoes. Or earrings. No, maybe shoes. Yeah, maybe shoes."
Mamoru laughed a little at this. "Your momma sounds like my bunny!" he exclaimed.
Aiko turned serious eyes on Usagi before whispering conspiratorially in her ear, "I wish I was someone's bunny." Usagi's laugh was unexpected and merry. Aiko was adorable.
And she was adorable with bright curly brown hair and serious brown eyes. She looked like one of the china dolls in the toy store until she laughed and then she was anything but doll-like. She was emotional and all smiles, skipping and singing and telling knock-knock jokes all at the rapid-fire pace of someone using up the last of her energy before bedtime.
Before they'd even reached the information desk to page her mother, Aiko was drooping and Mamoru asked her if she'd liked to be carried. Shaking her head a vicious 'no' she reached up her tiny arms for Usagi. Glancing at Mamoru, Usagi bent to lift the girl into her arms. Aiko immediately wrapped her little legs around Usagi's middle and threaded her arms around her neck before dropping her head onto Usagi's shoulder with a tired sigh. It had been a long day for her.
Mamoru watched the whole thing with soft eyes. His bunny, so like the little vivacious four-year old, was now quiet and gentle; mindful of the precious cargo she bore so patiently on her slim frame. Usagi's face was different than normal too. She looked happy in a serene, adult sort of way, as if holding a sleeping child was the most natural and wonderful thing in the world. He'd never seen her look so beautiful.
They continued walking towards the information desk, but at a slower pace. As light and fluttery as she seemed when awake, she was very quick to become heavy with sleep.
As soon as he was sure Aiko had really fallen asleep Mamoru lifted her from Usagi's arms to relieve her of her burden. Aiko hardly protested before mumbling something about her 'touchan (father) and settling right back into sleep. Usagi was both relieved and disappointed to have Aiko taken from her. She was happy that she was no longer carrying the girl's weight, but saddened to lose the child's warmth and easy love. Looking at Mamoru holding Aiko, she felt some of her sadness ebb away. Mamoru looked happy and at peace with the world. He looked like a father the way he held her so gently and close to his chest. She couldn't ever remember seeing him look so handsome and manly. She smiled. They must look like a family.
When they finally did reach the information desk, Aiko's mother was already there. She raced up to them with tears streaming down her face.
"Oh my baby! I'm so glad you found her I was so worried…" she paused to breathe, "Thank you so much for finding my little Aiko!"
At this point Aiko woke up and rolled over in Mamoru's arms. "Mommy! We found you! I thought you'd be losted forever!" Leaping from Mamoru's arms to her mother's with faith only a child could have, Aiko wrapped her arms around her mother's neck placing wet baby kisses all over her cheeks and forehead.
Leaving Aiko and her mother to themselves, Usagi and Mamoru began to walk away. Aiko stopped them before they got too far.
"Mamo-chan! Bunny! Wait!"
With smiles on their faces they turned, waiting for little Aiko to run up to them. When she got them down to her level she gave them each a baby kiss on their cheeks and told them that they made real good mommy finders and if her momma ever got lost again she would know who to call. Aiko said it with such seriousness that they could only smile and nod before wishing her goodnight.
"Well that was certainly different," Mamoru stated.
"Yes, but I'm glad we could help her. It's no fun to get lost and not know where your parents are."
"Yes I know."
"But she was so cute. I love little kids. They're sweet and funny. Completely open."
Mamoru chuckled a little. "Sounds familiar."
"Oh shut up." Mamoru continued to laugh.
"Well at least I got most of my shopping done. Thanks for coming with me Mamoru."
"No problem. I enjoyed it - even our little adventure. I liked her too. She was just very sweet and she definitely needed your help."
"Well I definitely needed your help. She got really heavy!"
He snorted. "I know. I was afraid you might drop her after she got too heavy."
"I wouldn't have dropped her!" Usagi defended herself.
"I know. I'm teasing. You looked like you enjoyed holding her, but I thought my little Energizer Bunny might run out of energy if you'd have kept it up. I hope you don't mind me taking her."
"No, of course not. I did need the help."
Silence: the companionable kind with no awkwardness.
"Mamoru…I…"
"Usagi… I…"
Nervous laughter and slight head-shaking, as if to clear their thoughts.
"You go first Mamoru."
"Well, uh, thanks really. Just… thank you for inviting me out shopping with you and just… everything. Thank you."
Usagi smiled. "That's exactly what I was going to say to you. Thank you Mamo-chan."
A.N.: This isn't over yet. I have more fluff in mind. By the way, the chocolate was accepted gratefully. The one I want cut his hair and now he is even more devastatingly attractive. And last but not least, we have classes together every Monday and Wednesday. We've had some fair quality conversations and I look forward to more of the same. He knows how to make me laugh and he certainly takes advantage of it. I hope there will be more to tell next time I get a chapter out.
One last thing: No one answered if they'd like to know the website of the candy company where I worked. It's www. aglamesis .com. Just remove the spaces and you're there. Click on the link at the top titled 'The Sweet Process' to find out what exactly I did and how I did it. Be warned though, if you plan on trying some: the chocolate is both really good and really expensive. More chocolate in the next chapter. Cheers! 1/15/05