After presents were opened and the mess cleaned up, the kids were left to play around with their new things, while the men went out to get a few last minute things for the women, who were busy with stuff in the kitchen.
"You mean he didn't even tell you 'Happy Anniversary'?" Akiya asked, wide eyed.
Sayuri said, as she kept shaping the rice balls, for the pups' sake.
"That's not like him to forget stuff…" Kagome said.
"But it's the holidays…"
"Which just so happened to be the time when you and Sesshomaru got together…" Kagome added slyly.
Sayuri turned a light pink at the mere memory of that first intimate moment.
"Um… well…"
"I can kick his butt for you if you want…" Akiya said with a grin on her face.
Sayuri went wide eyed.
"It's not that big of a deal!" Sayuri said defensively.
Liar…Kagome and Akiya thought.
Sayuri shrugged as she went into the pantry, noticing that Akiya was running low on sugar for the cookies.
When she reached up for the sugar container, her hand reached for instead, for a white package with a golden ribbon. Sayuri stared at the package for a little bit, before reaching back up for the sugar. She carried both items back into the kitchen.
"What cha' got there Sae?" Akiya asked, after taking the sugar container and pointing at the package.
"I don't know…" Sayuri said, taking another look at the package. "But it's a little heavy…"
"Well, open it…" Kagome said, waving her hand.
Sayuri opened the package.
"Oh good grief…" Sayuri said smiling.
Akiya and Kagome cocked an eyebrow and the looked at the present in Sayuri's hands.
The Top 50 International Breakfast Dishes
"Breakfast?" Akiya and Kagome said confused.
"Inside joke…" Sayuri said playfully, knowing full well about the first meal that Sesshomaru finally mastered.
She flipped through it real fast, until she came to a page that had an envelope inside it, book marking the page.
I'd say that you're sweeter than this…
Sayuri took a look at the recipe.
"Cinammonrolls…" She muttered.
"Hey! That sounds good!" Akiya said.
"You keep at those cookies, and Kagome, you with the pies. I'm going to make the rolls, as that's what seems to be the hint…"
While Sayuri and the others had their backs turned, getting back to their projects, Sesshomaru, Rin and Karei peeked in from the doorway, all three with smirks on their faces.
"Good idea dad…" Rin said.
"Mommy makes the best cinnamon rolls." Karei added.
"Did you two get the other one ready?"
"Ryusei's taking care of it…"
"Well, thanks for the lend on the kitchen. Inari would have had my ass if I just showed up at the house with no gingerbread cookies…" Akiya said.
"Don't forget to tell her I said hi." Sayuri replied.
"Where are you guys off to now?" Akiya asked, after Karei zoomed by in her coat, getting into the car.
"The grandparents' house…" Sayuri replied.
"Oh… now you have that present session too?"
"Not just that, my sister and her family, and my parents are coming down too so it's gonna be a big group and Inutashio and Izayoi have all the room…"
"Well, good luck with that!" Akiya said with a smirk.
"Oh yes… before I forget…" Sayuri said, before getting into the car.
"Your Aunt Chole still owes me that 50 bucks for trying the gin without the coke chaser…"
"I told you you're never gonna see that."
Sayuri smirked.
"Oh well, it was worth a try…"
"Where did Ryusei and Lili take off to anyway?" Sayuri asked, as they continued down the road.
"Ryusei wanted to treat Lili to breakfast, just the two of them…" Rin replied quietly.
"Ryusei said they'll meet up at grandpa and grandma's…"
"And what did I tell you about the cell phone, miss?" Sayuri asked, turning her eyes on the small object in Rin's hand.
"I was just asking Kohaku how his trip to the Bahamas was so far. Plus, did Miroku get in trouble with Sango yet about all the women in swimsuits there…"
"Cell phone away now Rin…" Sesshomaru said sternly. Rin shrugged and placed her cell phone away.
Karei just sat there, humming along to the March of the Nutcracker.
Sayuri stared out the window again.
Sesshomaru still hasn't mentioned anything about their anniversary.
All I want is just two little words. Well…three if he adds darling or honey or whatever…plus, the jerk didn't even notice that I'm wearing the little cashmere sweater that he likes so much…
Sayuri growled. She's been dropping hint here and there all day and still no response. It was starting to get her frustrated, let alone annoyed at the little game he set up.
Karei and Rin noticed that something was off with Sayuri.
"Why does mommy look like she's gonna explode?" Karei quietly asked Rin.
"Because she doesn't like the game dad set up for her…" Rin replied.
"But isn't it the point that she doesn't find out till the end?"
"Yup. So keep your mouth shut kid…"
When they pulled into the driveway, Sayuri stormed off inside. Ryusei was almost pushed to the ground when Sayuri went in, after he opened the door.
"She's still guessing?" Ryusei asked.
"Just like we planned…" Rin said with a smirk.
"Wait Mommy! I have to go too!" Karei said, running after her mother.
"You first…" Sayuri said, opening the bathroom door for Karei.
Not even a minute when by when…
"Mommy! There's an Eeyore on the seat!"
"There's a what?" Sayuri asked, following after her daughter.
"Look!" Karei said, picking up the stuffed animal.
Sayuri couldn't help but giggle at the stuffed animal version of her favorite Disney character in a Santa hat.
"There's a note too…" Karei said, tilting her head in confusion.
Sayuri opened it and read it to herself.
Quit with the scowls already and smile. And you say that I don't pay attention…
Sayuri rolled her eyes at the comment. It was almost as if he literally planned the reactions out to his little game.
"Mommy…" Karei spoke up. "Can you leave so I can do business?"
"Opps! Sorry!" Sayuri said, walking out of the bathroom.
Sayuri hugged the stuffed animal.
"Kawaii!" she said with a smile.
"That was a weird place to put the gift…" Ryusei said to Sesshomaru, who was busy helping Rin place more gifts under the tree.
"But she always takes off to the bathroom when we get somewhere…" Sesshomaru said.
"I think it's pretty cute what you're doing!" Lili said. "It's fun to mess with Sayuri's mind…"
"But what the overall goal of this?" Izayoi asked who just came in with a tray of brownies.
Sesshomaru smirked.
"That is a secret."
The day wore on. Karei became more hyperactive after unwrapping more gifts.
"Our kid is spoiled…" Sayuri said with a sigh.
"I wonder where she gets that from…." Sesshomaru commented, taking a look at Rin.
"Don't look at me…" Rin said with the very thing she passed on to Karei…. The puppy look.
"Sayuri! Could you here for a moment?" Izayoi called from the kitchen.
Sayuri got up from her side of the couch and went to the kitchen.
Inukimi and Izayoi were talking amongst themselves when Sayuri entered.
"What is it?" Sayuri asked.
"Do you know when your charming sister's going to be here?" Inukimi asked.
"Well, she and Aaron were supposed to be flying out of Honolulu yesterday, but I haven't heard from them yet…" Sayuri said.
"So, you think they might be here sometime after dinner?" Izayoi asked.
"Most likely. Chiyo doesn't have the best reputation to being on time. She gets it from our dad.
"I heard that!" a voice called out, making all three women jump.
"Grandpa!" Karei cried out, running into the waiting arms of Nobu Satome.
"That's sad. I don't count…" Kai said, coming in from behind.
"Hi dad!" Sayuri said, exiting the kitchen after hearing all the commotion in the living room.
"How's the hotel?"
"Great as usual, Sae…" Kai said. "And that Nutcracker performance was amazing!"
"Nutcracker performance?"
"So… liked your seats that much!?" Sesshomaru asked, cutting in.
Sayuri gave him a deadly glare.
"The Nutcracker was in town huh?"
"It was on the same day as Karei's school thing…"
"Oh sure… well, I'm going into the living room…" Sayuri said with a huff.
She stormed off.
"You're playing a mind game with her, aren't you?" Kai asked Sesshomaru.
"Aunt Yuri…" Akane said, getting onto Sayuri's lap, after she noticed that her aunt looked a little depressed just sitting there.
"Could you read your gift to me?"
"What gift Kane- chan?" Sayuri asked.
"This one…" Akane said, handing Sayuri a brown hard covered leather book.
You honestly cannot ignore a classic… The message on the first page said.
When Sayuri turned to the cover page…
A Christmas Carol
Sayuri smiled. Childhood memories of Chiyo and herself cuddling close to their father, all three in their matching pajamas, reading aloud from the classic story.
"Aunt Yuri…" Akane said. "Are you ok?"
"I'm fine, Akane- chan…" Sayuri said.
"What cha doin'?" Karei asked, who just came into the room.
"Aunt Yuri's gonna read a story!" Akane said.
"Wait for me! Wait for me!" Karei said, taking Sayuri's left side, while Akane moved to the right.
Sayuri smiled, as she turned to chapter one and began reading.