Well, here's the second chapter I promised to post today!
Hope you guys send me your comments, if you're still not really mad with me! =)
Enjoy!
Chapter 7 - An Enjoyable Lunch
The next day seemed to pass in a blur. Kagome left her son at school early and got back home to do the cleaning the house needed. When it was 11h30 she left home for her lunch with Kouga, which turned out to be exactly what she needed to lift her spirits and make her forget about Inuyasha. She wasn't wearing anything special, only a white shirt, a jeans skirt that hugged her forms graciously and a pair of black shoes. She had even put on makeup, but it was so light it was barely noticeable because in truth she didn't need it.
She learned that Kouga was two years older than her and that he wanted to be a police inspector and was already studying for it. He lived in an apartment downtown with two other wolf youkais named Ginta and Hakaku, also policeman and his friends from the time when he was a little cub. Since they were for other place in the country, living together and splitting expenses was the best way to live in the city.
Kouga was funny, intelligent, mature and pretty forward in his moves. They talked a lot and he was able to put her at ease around him, making her talk to him and somehow, forget her problems for a little while. Kagome merely lifted her barriers back again when he was flirting with her, in what turned out to be quite humorous situations. She hadn't laughed like that in a long time and it felt good to be able to be happy once more.
She ended up telling Kouga about her son, how Hiroyuki had come to be and how Hiroyuki's father didn't knew that he existed, how Kikyo had turned him against her and how she had raised Hiroyuki with help from her mother and friends. Kouga called Inuyasha an "insensible bastard" and a "blind fool" for exchanging Kagome for an "iceberg viper" like Kikyo, as he called her. Kagome laughed at that nickname that fit her opponent perfectly, even without him knowing her.
Kouga had to return to his post at 15h30, after two annoyed calls from his boss and a bunch of messages that Kagome could hear coming in, even in vibration mode. He was reluctant to go, saying that it might be the last time he would see her.
- Don't worry about things like that. You have my phone number so, when you feel like having another lunch or coffee, you're free to call.
- Seriously? – he asked.
- Yes, I had a good time today. I haven't laughed like that in ages and it felt good doing it again.
- If it depended on me, you'd smile and laugh all the time…
Kagome blushed, but sighed and said:
- Kouga, there is something I want to warn you about.
- Say it. Though I probably already know what it is…
- Do you? – she mocked.
He faced her, deadly serious and she gulped hard at the strong look in his bright blue eyes.
- I do. – he said. – You are going to tell me that you're not prepared for a relation, if that's what I want so I'm better if I start looking for someone else. That you'd need time for a relation to happen… that you have a kid from another demon or half demon or whatever…
- Do you read minds?
- No. – he said, smirking. – But I think I might understand how your mind works. Wasn't I right?
- In part, yes.
- Where did I miss?
- Kouga, I have a son so I can't involve myself in a relationship without considering him. Not now, not…
- Don't! – he said, covering her mouth with his hand and still looking at her seriously. – Don't say you can never go into a relation again! You don't know what might happen… and besides, having a kid isn't a problem, at least not for me…
She stared at him, her eyes wide open as he let her go.
After that, they didn't touch that subject anymore and Kouga left. Kagome decided to pay her friend Sango a visit, since it was still early to pick up Hiroyuki from school. She needed someone to talk with and Sango was her best friend and listener.
Sango was making pastries when she arrived at their small residence, a two floors house outside the city. She invited her in as she said:
- I'm baking, so come in and close the door! We have to talk, miss!
Kagome laughed as her friend walked into the kitchen, her protuberant belly making its way amidst the kitchen's mess. She closed the door behind her and followed her friend.
- Need help?
- You can help, if you want. Anyway, what are you doing here? I thought you'd still be on your date… - Sango said with a mischievous glint in her eyes.
- I don't know what your husband told you but it wasn't a date! – Kagome said, picking up a spoon and started to place the moisture of chocolate and cream over the small cups in front of her.
- Yeah, right. Then what was it?
- A friend's lunch. I'm sorry if your husband has too much of a "forward" mind to always see me married and with more kids. This reminds me, I have little time, for I'm going to pick Hiroyuki at school after this.
- Do you want me to ask Miroku if he can pick him? – Sango offered, as she washed some of the plates in the sink.
- Your husband is doing the afternoon and night shift, you silly! He told me yesterday when he dropped Hiroyuki at my house, for the third time this week…
- Oh, so that's why he called and said he wasn't coming to dinner… - her friend told her, suddenly looking guilty and rosy.
- What did you think he was doing, then? Singing karaoke? – Kagome said, laughing but stopping quickly as her friend turned to the other side. Sango lowered her eyes, ashamed and Kagome understood quite quickly.
- Oh, no. Not again?
- It wasn't a fight… properly…
- Sango…
- What? I didn't think he was having a double shift today…
- That seems to be your problem… you don't think before you act!
Sango's eyes turned to water as she placed her hands above the sink and turned around.
- You don't understand!
- Oh, no? What is it that I don't understand?
- Miroku is all alone, at that hospital… when I'm there is one thing, but without me… those nurses will eat him alive! I know how they look at him, even when I'm there!
- You have to trust him, you know? If you keep being suspicious of him, even he will get hurt and take drastic measures!
Sango turned around once again, her eyes open and crying:
- What measures?
- I don't know! – Kagome said exasperated. She hated seeing Sango crying and knew that it was all her hormones fault! – But you have to trust him, Sango! He loves you!
- That's easy for you to say! You're not the one who is big and round and fat and ugly and pregnant!
Kagome smiled sadly and said softly:
- I know, but I was pregnant, fat and ugly and all that before you were and I was all alone, with no one to love me… you're lucky to have Miroku with you because he loves you deeply, even big and round as you are!
Sango seemed to notice what she had said:
- I'm sorry, Kagome! I'm so sorry! I don't know what… oh, God… I'm such a jerk… I'm a terrible friend…
- It's alrigth, I understand! Hormones…
Sango gave a small smile and said:
- That's what Miroku always says, when I say those stupid things to him…
- See? He loves you so much, Sango. You have to trust him more…
- I know…
- Well, let's turn our attention to your pastries or they'll end up rotten in here…
- You're right. You still have to tell me about your "friend's lunch"… - Sango said as she cleaned away her eyes.
- It was a friend's lunch. You have nothing to imagine…
- And?
- And what?
- How is he? What does he do? How did you guys met?
- Well, - Kagome said, as she placed cherries on top of the pastries – he's 29, so he's two years older than me. He's a policeman and we met not two days ago, when I was sent to the ER, because they needed more stitching hands. He was one of the wounded officers that I treated…
- And you gave him your phone number? Just like that?
Remembering why and how Kouga had attained her phone number made her flinch and Sango noticed this:
- What are you hiding from me, Kagome Higurashi?
- Nothing.
- Don't lie to me!
- Well, I didn't tell Miroku too…
- What is it? – said Sango, making her let go of the unfinished pastries and bringing her to the couch in the living room.
Kagome proceed to tell her about how Kikyo and she had met after 5years apart, along with everything that Kikyo had said, but without telling Sango what the viper had said about her and her deceased brother. She preserved her friend from that, seeing her already so altered because of the hormones.
- That stupid cow!
- I know…
- Miroku didn't tell me she was working there…
- He probably didn't want to upset you. You are, after all, at the end of your pregnancy…
- I know. He often says that stress is no good for me and all that. And how did you manage to…?
- Jakotsu called Rin and she took me home. That's why Jakotsu gave my number to Kouga, when he appeared at the floor, later; he wanted to know if I was ok.
- So kind…
- He is, really. – Kagome said with a small smile, under her friend's soft gaze. – He's kind and funny and mature… he is pretty forward in his moves and always says what he thinks. He called Kikyo an "iceberg viper"!
Sango laughed and Kagome completed her thoughts:
- Kouga is everything a girl could ask for. He's the kind of guy a girl could easily fall for…
- But?
- Hum?
- There's a "but" in the middle of it, isn't there?
- …
- Kagome, don't you think it's already time to be happy? I mean, you've already suffered enough. You've went through pregnancy and motherhood all alone, but I think it's already time you have a male presence beside you… and Hiroyuki needs that too.
- I know but… I'm not ready. I'm still not ready…
Sango eyed her suspiciously and calmly said:
- You're still in love with Inuyasha.
As usual, Sango knew her too well. There was nothing that she could hide from her best friend, because somehow she always seemed to be able to draw it from her. Kagome jerked away from her, turning around and saying:
- Look at the time! I have to pick Hiroyuki at school!
- Kagome! – Sango said, imperatively. Kagome stopped, her back still turned against her friend. – You can't run forever…
- I know! – she said, trembling. – I know I can't!
- You have to forget him… he's with Kikyo now… he left us… he left you… - Sango said in a more soothing voice.
There was a soft sob, from Kagome's direction and Sango looked surprised as her friend turned around, an anguish expression in her face and said softly:
- I know… but what do I do with my heart? – she said, as new sobs rocked her body and fresh fat tears descended from her chocolate orbs. – How do I make him love anyone else? How?
Sango opened her arms and Kagome walked in their direction, as she sobbed into Sango's chest and her friend's arms locked themselves behind her back.
- Oh, honey… I'm so sorry… I really am… but you have to forget, Kagome… you have to try… - muttered Sango as Kagome wept her soul out, something she hadn't done in years now.
Kagome left Sango's house a few hours after, to pick up Hiroyuki at school.
The garden in front of the school was full of children, both demons and humans playing together. Here and there, there were also half-demons playing too. Kagome smiled as she saw a familiar silver haired hanyou jumping and doing a mortal above other kids that laughed, awed and clapped enthusiastically at his acrobatics.
- Hiroyuki! – she called, her voice in a low tune that she knew he would easily hear. As she expected, a pair of silver ears at the top of his head turned in her direction as a pair of golden globes opened in recognition.
- Mom! – he shouted, jumping in her direction as Kagome opened her arms and her smile. Shortly after, he was clasped against her, holding her tightly as Kagome giggled when she felt his little nose sniffing her neck and her all over, making sure she was his real mother, not some kind of imitation.
- Hello, dear.
- Hi, mom! Did you see me? Did you?
- What, you making that awesome mortal?
- Yeah! I did two, today. I'm the best in class in acrobatics!
- Of course you are! – she said, smiling at him. – Mom was the best gymnast in her class when she was at school.
- Really? – he said, sounding amazed.
- Yeah. One day I'll show you some tricks, if my back allows me.
- Promise?
- Promise. Are you ready to go?
- I'll pick up my bag. – he said, disappearing inside the school.
Kagome waited for him to return, as she looked around; there were more and more couples arriving to pick up their children and she almost missed when her son shouted her name.
- How was your day, mom?
- It was good. – she said, while walking towards the car. Hiroyuki was carrying his bag on his back and listening attentively to what she said. – Mom had lunch with a friend, you know?
- Was he a wolf?
- How'd you know? – she asked surprised. Hiroyuki sniffed in her direction and she smirked. – Oh, I forgot about your nose!
- So? Was he a wolf, mom?
- Yes, he was.
- Was he nice?
- Yes, he was.
- Did you kiss?
- What? – asked Kagome, surprised. – Where did that come from?
- People who like each other kiss. – he said, as if it was a matter of fact. Kagome couldn't help but smile. – That's what we do, mom.
- Oh, right. And no, we didn't kiss.
- Why?
- Well, because that's something I only do with a person that I like very much. Like you.
- Oh… mom?
- What?
- Can we go get ice cream?
- Ice cream? Today? But it's cold…
- Please!- he asked, making those adorable puppy eyes that Kagome knew were just like hers.
- Okay. – she said, smiling. – But just one and then we'll get home.
- In a cone! Two balls.
- One. – Kagome said as she placed his school bag in the car and closed it.
- Two!
- One.
- Two!
- Okay then. If you want two balls, it has to be in a cup. And you get to eat your vegetables later!
- … Promise. – he said, deadly serious but a bit disappointed to have to be in a cup.
They walked into the selling man and Kagome asked for two ice creams, with two balls each. Hiroyuki grabbed his and waited for his mother to follow him into the nearest available bench. Under Kagome's playful eye, he ate his ice cream at a surprising speed and asked to go play in the swings. Kagome allowed and watched him go, happily jumping into the other kids direction.
After watching him for a few moments, Kagome turned around to watch the park. Still looked the same; the same old trees and flowers, the same old slide, where she remembered to have played in too. There were young couples sitting in the nearby branches, some playing with their kids, others simply hanging with each other's and flirting and kissing…
And still, the park looked like he had changed, as if there was something missing. She sighed. Sango was right, she needed to forget Inuyasha. That was the reason she felt like the park was different: that was the park where they used to hang around when they were younger, where they had their most philosophical conversations as friends. Looking back, this was also the place where she had properly spoken to him and where they had parted their ways…
Well, what did you guys think?
Please, tell me your honest opinions!
See you next chapter!