Mornings After
by hye kyo
Disclaimer: Nope, Rurouni Kenshin isn't mine, as well as all its characters.
Author's Notes: So this is the fifth chapter. I told most of you guys I'd be posting this by mid-November but I managed to finish it earlier so here it is. A lot would be happening here as well as hints as to what could happen in the future so do read between the lines. Anyway, thanks to all those who read and reviewed last time and I am very thankful to all of you. Hope to hear more from you guys.
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Chapter Five: the tests and all that stuff
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Somehow Kenshin was doubting what he was doing. He stared at Kaoru and then at the forgotten chicken dish. "I guess…I guess we just couldn't be sure. If you are not pregnant as you said then…then we need a way to prove it. Besides, we couldn't rely on pregnancy tests. And I doubt you know how to use one." He swallowed hard.
She arched a brow, "You're making all of this complicated."
He shook his head, "You are not getting my point."
"Like you're the one to talk Kenshin," Kaoru looked away. "I told you to drop it but here you are still so damn persistent about it."
"Because I should be persistent about it. It's about you, about me…us."
She frowned. So what got into him this time? "You're weird you know."
He shrugged, ignoring her comment. It was so like Kaoru to comment on his weirdness whenever she was losing an argument, "Kaoru try to understand."
"Honestly Kenshin," Kaoru said, leaning closer, "Why are you so persistent on getting married?"
He bit his lower lip and said, "Don't you want to get married?"
"Not with you that's for sure."
He ignored the answer again, "Aunt Misako's asking about it."
Alright, using Aunt Misako was a valid reason because she really was asking about it. About five months ago when she last saw her, Aunt Misako asked her about it. All she did was to shrug and to laugh.
"If we do this…If we do this we'd be doing Aunt Misako a favor."
"Kenshin—"
"She wanted me to get married. She wanted you to get married. But I couldn't find someone suitable and so do you." He looked directly at her before concluding, "So what's the next best thing to do? I suggest we get married."
Kaoru frowned and leaned back on her seat, "Kenshin don't play dumb with me. I know that it isn't just about Aunt Misako."
He gave her a shocked look and after realizing what she meant he quickly looked away.
"See, I am right," she smiled, felt a ridiculous amount of smugness as she hit his landmine this time.
"Kaoru…this is not about it."
"Kenshin, I've known you for like forever and you still dare lie to me," she laughed, and being determined to win this argument she said sharply "What if –" then she dropped it. She wouldn't want to get on his nerves that way.
"What?" he arched a brow, suddenly having a feeling that it was what she was talking about.
She shook her head and looked away.
He turned sharply to her. He was sure of it. She was talking about it. Maybe it could partly be counted as a reason, but it wasn't the real driving force behind his want…his need to marry her.
"Kenshin—" she started.
"I told you already."
"Kenshin."
"Kaoru I told you already."
She shrugged, realizing that it was a futile argument. She totally lost her appetite.
"Okay, the reason doesn't really matter now Kaoru. What matters is that we know whether you really are pregnant or not," he cleared his throat, putting the discussion back on track.
She looked at her clock, felt tired and craved for some sleep. She stood up and looking at him directly she said with finality, "Alright, we'll go to the doctor. If I am pregnant then we'll get married. But if I am not, which I sure am, we'll both forget this ever happened."
Kenshin looked at her as she turned and leave. So, always with the final say. He shrugged.
---
Kaoru forked pasta into her mouth. She turned to Megumi, "The place is quite fine."
"Really?" Megumi asked, sipping her iced tea. "Kenshin offered you a job didn't he? I guess you should've just accepted it."
"You know I don't go for charity, especially if its from him."
"Well…I don't know Kaoru."
Kaoru arched a brow, "Are you on the way?" she asked, changing the topic.
"A couple of months more then it's mommy time for me," Megumi laughed.
"Really?" she smiled. "Have you planned it?"
"This?" Megumi smiled and looked at her tummy. She affectionately ran a hand through it, "Of course. Sano and I had been wanting this child for so long."
Kaoru couldn't help but smile. Sano was lucky he found Megumi. "That's good to hear."
"Aren't you getting married?" she asked in response.
"Nope. That isn't on my mind yet."
Megumi laughed, "When would that be on your mind? When you're on your thirties?"
"I don't really care," she snickered at her. "Besides, I haven't find the right man yet."
"Maybe he's just around the corner," she took another sip and finished her plate.
Kaoru bit from her bread, thought of leaving a bite-size for the last forkful but reacted contrary to what she contemplated about. She finished her plate neatly. "Funny," she finally replied, her mouth full. "I'm still hungry."
"You are always hungry," Megumi snorted.
"You think so?" she pondered and asked, "I think I'm getting a bit fatter."
"Yeah," Megumi said, "You seem to be eating too much lately. Have you been working out? Or have you been tiring yourself at work?"
"Nope, hadn't time for a workout. And nope, work is a bit light actually, surprisingly."
"Then why are you always hungry?" Megumi asked and suddenly laughed and joked, "If I didn't know you I'd say you might be pregnant."
That caused bile to rise into her throat which she quickly coughed down and made her scramble for her drink. She downed the contents and felt sweat percolating down her forehead. It took her a while to finally regain her composure. "What?"
"I'm just joking," Megumi laughed heartily, "Or is there any reason why my joke should cease to be a joke?"
"Stop it," she nervously laughed, "Of course not. I am not pregnant." Her voice cracked a little and Kaoru ignored this. She knew Megumi was just joking, and it was just a coincidence that Megumi made mention of the pregnant thing.
Megumi wouldn't stop laughing. When finally she did there were tears on the corners of her eyes. She wiped them and remarked, "You're very gullible aren't you?"
Kaoru's face was red with nervousness and upon hearing Megumi's words she suddenly felt a bit relieved, "Yeah…maybe I'm just gullible." She forced herself to laugh and it sounded dry, and nervous.
---
Misao had a bad feeling about this. Her brother had allowed her on a late night date with Aoshi. Of course she was glad about it, but the lenience on her brother's part made her felt nervous, clammy, just like the feeling she has after watching Halloween specials on moonless nights. It was that feeling.
"Are you sure?" she asked again, just to ascertain that it wasn't at all a hallucination of some sort.
"Of course," Kenshin said with a smile on his face. He was typing something on his laptop and wouldn't even bother to look at her.
"There is something wrong with you," she bravely concluded.
Kenshin stopped typing and turned to her, "And what could that be?"
"I don't really know."
Kenshin smiled, "Now, now my dear sister don't worry about me. I've never felt this better in my whole life."
She stood up from having sat across him. She went to the door and turned the knob. "I'd kiss Aoshi alright?"
"Sure," he said, now skimming through a file folder.
She narrowed her brows. Something is really wrong with him. By now he would be telling her to not see the refrigerator iceman anymore. She took in a sharp intake of breath and dared him by saying, "I'd French him and do stuff with him."
That made him stop. He looked at her for a while and as Misao was suddenly feeling triumphant he suddenly smiled, "That would be fine as long as you promise me you'd still get home before one in the morning."
She frowned deeper, disbelieving what she was hearing. Of course her brother knew she wouldn't be doing things that would have negative repercussions in the future. That was what being Kenshin's little sister meant. His uptightness, his conservativeness, his straight perfect life taught her to do proper things.
"Don't forget to tell him to bring you here before one okay?"
She didn't respond, feeling vexed. She shot him a glare as she pulled the door open and stepped out and finally banged it close.
---
Kaoru had read Misao's e-mail last night and had agreed to meet her in a café two blocks from the university.
"I can't believe him," she said, ignoring her espresso.
"Maybe he was just realizing that he has to let you go," she said, not really wanting to talk about the redhead. She might spill out the beans unnecessarily and that would mean the death of her.
"Alright I'm a big girl now but that doesn't mean that he could…he could…" Misao look away and pouted, "Really I hate him."
"I don't quite get you. Before you complain about his being overprotective. Now that he's allowing you to do things you still complain." She looked at her watch. She has at least half an hour to finish this talk and her tuna turnover.
"I envy you," she said looking at Kaoru, "You are independent yet you get this sort of brother's protection from Enishi."
She cleared her throat. Last time Megumi almost choked her by hinting on her alleged pregnancy, now Misao brings Enishi back to the forefront. "I haven't told you something yet."
Misao's ear perked up. This was gossip. And to gossip she was all ears, "What?"
"Enishi…Actually…he," she cleared her throat again and said, "He left already."
"Left?" Misao's eyes widened, "What do you mean left?"
"Remember when I got fired," okay, saying that she was fired still hurt but hey she got a new job already and she has no reason to sulk about it.
"Yes so?"
"I told him before that that I like him," saying it now wasn't as hard as what she expected it to be.
"And?" Misao was getting impatient.
"And he dumped me. There." The last word sounded as an afterthought as if it was meant to signal the end of the story.
"Really?" Misao could only gasp.
"Yes. But don't worry. I'm over him now."
"But—"
"I'd find someone new soon." She forced a smile. Assuring Misao that she was alright was much more difficult that accepting Enishi was forever gone.
---
Kaoru had eaten the tart which Sekihara-san gave her. It was a mango tart and it made her feel full. But that was an hour ago. It was now eleven in the morning and she was still hungry and by lunchtime she went out to eat something European.
---
On Tuesday early morning she was called to Sekihara-san's office. Kaoru was feeling a bit sick, her stomach doing some somersaults. She began thinking what she had eaten.
"Are you okay Kaoru-san?" Sekihara-san asked, handing her a sheet of paper, "You're looking pale."
Kaoru forced a smile, felt a churning in the pit of her stomach. Her hands were a bit clammy so she wiped them unceremoniously on her skirt and accepted the sheet of paper, "Maybe I ate something bad." The milk she had used for her cereals might be the reason. But it didn't taste sour. So what was it?
"Do you want to go to the clinic?"
She shook her head, feeling something sour going up into her throat. She swallowed hard. "No, I'm fine Sekihara-san."
Sekihara-san looked worried but she accepted Kaoru's reassurance, "Alright, but if you feel something give me ring or go to the clinic. I'd tell Yamada-san to keep an eye on you."
She smiled weakly, "Yes, thank you so much though I wouldn't need Yamada-san's oversight." She laughed. And then she turned towards the door and felt her eyes blurring. Something must be wrong about her.
---
It was a Tuesday morning and he had just finished signing a couple of documents. He filed them back inside an envelope and went to the door to hand it to Megumi.
"Busy?" he asked Megumi as he opened the door.
Megumi smiled at him and nodded, "I am just cleaning out your schedule and listing several important things and reminders. I know how foolish you could get with such things."
He laughed, "I guess it can't be helped." He handed her the envelope. "Please call Misao later and tell her I'd be coming home late."
"Sure," she said as she listed it down.
Kenshin was about to go back when he remembered something. "Uhmm, Megumi…"
Megumi looked up at him, "Yes Himura-san?"
"I am just curious," right, the disclaimer first, "How did…how did you know you were pregnant?"
Megumi put a finger on her chin and thought for a while. "Let's see…"
Kenshin stared eagerly at her.
"Ah, okay," Megumi placed a hand on her cheek and had a dreamy look on her face as if she was recalling something special. "It wasn't until my baby was two months old when we knew I was pregnant."
He nodded and acted as if he was about to put all that in paper.
"I was nauseous every morning and was usually feeling dizzy."
"Okay, nausea and dizziness. Are those the usual symptoms?"
"Yes," Megumi said, still looking somewhere far, "One time I woke up feeling sick and went straight to the bathroom. I felt like I was going to vomit but every time I tried doing so nothing comes out."
He nodded.
"We knew I was pregnant because I went dizzy and collapsed one time. I just could remember Sano's face. He was in panic and hysterical while rushing me to the hospital." Megumi laughed.
"Really?"
Megumi opened her mouth to continue when upon realizing how queer the situation was she gave him a sheepish look and asked, "Why are you asking all of a sudden?"
Kenshin suddenly took a step back and waved his hands, "Nothing…nothing really…I am just curious…Didn't I tell you that I am just curious?" He faked a laugh.
Megumi smiled and said, "Okay…well then what I told you were general symptoms. Most women might experience some other things."
"I see," he said, now he knew something about it. He just needed to watch out for those symptoms on Kaoru.
"By the way, you have a meeting this afternoon at three."
He could only nod, his mind wandering already.
---
She had coffee that afternoon. Her mind was a bit hazy from her stomachache. She had been to the bathroom feeling like she was about to vomit. She was feeling nauseous and had been feeling drained ever since.
"Kaoru-san," it was Yamada-san, a part of the team, "Are you alright?"
She slowly looked up at him, her vision becoming blurred. She was getting dizzy and the coffee hadn't even helped a bit. She felt like she was about to fall.
"Kaoru-san?"
"Yes," she managed to say and in that instant felt herself collapsing on the table. She knew something is definitely wrong with her.
---
Kenshin had been trying to call Kaoru the whole afternoon but her mobile phone just kept on ringing. He was about to give up when finally someone picked it up.
"Kaoru," he said impatiently.
"This is Kamiya-san's phone," the voice said.
He was taken aback. Who was it? he panicked. Does Kaoru have the habit of getting drunk all the time and leaving her tuff to the care of others? He cleared his throat and said, "Ah yes, could I speak to Kaoru please?"
"She's in the clinic right now. I'd tell her you called, who is on the other line please?"
He narrowed his brows. Clinic? "Who is this?" he asked back.
"Sekihara Tae, Kamiya-san's immediate superior. She wasn't feeling well since morning. She suddenly collapsed this afternoon."
"I see. I am Kenshin Himura." His mind was racing. So Kaoru collapsed. What more? "Was she nauseous or something?"
"Her officemate Yamada-san said she vomited, other than that we don't know anything about her condition."
He nodded to himself. She vomited. She collapsed. What could that mean? He had that conversation with Megumi earlier…could it be?
"Do you have any message which you want me to relay to her Himura-san?"
He was jolted back, "Ah…ah yes, please. Kindly tell her to meet me at your building's lobby after office hours. Would that be okay?"
"Of course Himura-san."
"Thank you Sekihara-dono," he said and hanged up after hearing the tone. He was already looking at the possibilities. Could this be it? He was enthusiastic.
---
Kaoru woke up. She blinked a few times to adjust her eyes to the light and found Tae Sekihara a couple of feet from the bed. She was reading something from the file folder. "Sekihara-san," Kaoru said.
She looked at Kaoru and smiled, "Good you're awake. How are you?"
Kaoru managed to sat up though she was still feeling a bit drained. "I think I'm feeling much better."
"Good. Yamada-san said you vomited?"
She gave Tae a weak smile, "I went to the bathroom twice feeling nauseous, but every time nothing comes out."
"Really?" Tae pulled a near stool and sat down. "You're pale."
Kaoru smiled again, "But I feel much better now really."
"It must've been something you ate."
"Yeah, I was actually feeling nauseous since yesterday."
"You've been eating a lot." Tae told her and then laughed.
Kaoru reddened, "It must really be something I ate."
"Must be," Tae looked at her watch and suddenly remembered the message she was supposed to relay to Kaoru, "By the way someone called you."
"Who?" she asked, running her fingers through her hair. It was only three in the afternoon and she still have a couple of hours left for work.
"Kenshin…Himura? Kenshin Himura. Right?"
"Right," Kaoru said now starting to feel ill. She doesn't want to hear his name right now. "So what did he say?"
"Meet him at the lobby after office hours, that's what he said."
"Why? Didn't he say why?"
Tae shook his head, "Who is he? Your boyfriend?" Tae eyed her suspiciously. "He has such nice voice. How does he look?"
Kaoru frowned at her. So Tae was her immediate boss but right now she wasn't acting like it, though of course it is understandable since Tae told her already that outside of work they should be acting as friends and not as employees and employers which Kaoru really liked. But right now Tae was really getting nosy and they're still within the company premises.
"So?"
Kaoru frowned deeper, "He isn't my boyfriend. And he looks okay."
"Really?" Tae poked her in the ribs, "But he sounded so worried."
"He's always like that. I've known him since we were little that's why he was acting like that, besides he's like an older brother to me." She lied, she doesn't think of him as an older brother. He was way too grumpy to be just an older brother, a grandfather perhaps but not an older brother.
"I don't believe you," Tae laughed as she stood up from the stool.
Kaoru smirked as she stood up too and put on her shoes.
---
Kenshin was at the lobby of Kaoru's office building by seven. He had just spotted Kaoru, an entirely not pleased Kaoru. He cleared his throat. "How are you?"
"Why are you here?" she asked him coldly.
"I thought we should go see a doctor…especially…" he trailed off.
"Couldn't this wait?" she asked, okay so she promised him they'd see a doctor but it's quite late already and she was feeling tired. Besides, though she was certain the results would be favorable to her, she was still a bit nervous about it.
"It couldn't," Kenshin flipped open his mobile, "I scheduled an appointment at a general practice near the hospital a couple of blocks from here."
Kaoru frowned, so Kenshin was deciding on his own.
"Come on, it's almost eight."
There was nothing to lose, was there? She swallowed hard, "Alright, since I am very certain that I am not pregnant after all."
Kenshin smiled.
"Why are you smiling?" she asked on the way to his car. He was starting to annoy her again.
"Nothing." He smiled again to himself, "What if you're wrong?"
"I couldn't be." She ignored. Okay, she wasn't wrong, was she?
---
Kaoru frowned. Kenshin was a bit talkative with the doctor. She let her eyes wander. It was a private general practice clinic right beside the hospital. Dr. Akai works at the hospital in shifting schedules, in the pediatrics in particular. Kaoru stared at her. She was probably in her middle fifties, a warm woman with round face and black hair, with streaks of gray every now and then. In other circumstances she might have liked the doctor.
"Yes Dr. Akai," Kenshin said, "I don't know but she had been nauseous early today."
"That could probably be a manifestation but we can't be sure. A lot of other sicknesses, both common and rare, manifest in this way," the doctor adjusted her glasses to look at Kaoru. She smiled when their eyes met and asked, "How long have you been together if I may ask?"
Kaoru looked at Kenshin and reddened.
Kenshin cleared his throat and said, "Actually…it's a bit complicated…"
"As I could see," the doctor laughed.
Kenshin laughed too, though awkwardly. He turned to look at Kaoru who was still blushing. "You did collapse this afternoon didn't you?"
Now Kenshin was telling her to talk to Dr. Akai. She turned to her and said, "Ah…yes…but I think it was just something from what I have eaten…"
Kenshin frowned at her, "But don't you think—"
"We'd do some general check up and some pregnancy tests. It'd take about an hour or so."
"When do we get the results?" Kenshin eagerly asked.
"It's as quick as the do-it-yourself pregnancy test," she winked at Kaoru and laughed.
"Okay," Kenshin smiled broadly and stood up, "It means I should wait outside right?"
The doctor smiled heartily at him and said, "Hopeful and eager, aren't we?"
Kaoru prayed hard for this day to end.
---
Kaoru watched as the Dr. Akai removed the cap of her pen, stared at the blank information sheet in front of her and frowned. She looked up and called her secretary, "Miki, come over here for a while."
Kaoru looked at the door as the person called Miki stepped in. She looked young probably straight out of college, with cropped black hair and eyeglasses. She glanced shyly at Kaoru and went straight to the doctor.
"Yes Dr. Akai?" Miki asked.
The doctor frowned at her and pointed to the sheet, "Didn't I tell you to discard these old ones? Please get me the other."
The girl bowed reddening. She darted out of the room quickly.
"Sorry for that," the doctor said as she smiled at Kaoru.
Kaoru nodded and smiled.
"She just started. You know how beginners are."
"She's a bit shy," Kaoru commented.
"Very. But she's an intelligent girl, just a bit sloppy sometimes."
Kaoru smiled.
"I wouldn't be surprised if one day a patient comes back complaining that the diagnoses I gave him or her are wrong." Then the doctor laughed.
Kaoru laughed too, sourly though.
---
"How about your monthly cycle?" the doctor asked.
Kaoru sat on the edge of the bed and thought for a while, "I'm irregular."
"It's hard to have irregular periods," she commented. She scribbled something and said, "Newly weds?"
Kaoru furrowed her brows, "Pardon?"
"I'm sorry, but I want to get to know my patients better," the doctor smiled, "You seem to be a bit hesitant about getting pregnant."
She looked away.
"It's alright, many women are. But once you see your baby all those hesitations disappear."
"I hope so."
"Your hubby seems so eager."
Kaoru frowned. She wanted to tell her she is in no way related to him but she kept that to herself, "Yeah."
"That's good actually. I think he'd make a good father."
Kaoru looked at her and the doctor winked, making Kaoru red. She and Kenshin? Quite impossible.
---
Kaoru met a young couple as she went out. They were probably consulting about the same thing. Her tests were all done and she was looking for Kenshin.
"Hey," he came suddenly just as Kaoru was about to ask the doctor's secretary.
She glared at him.
"Let's eat while we wait for the results."
"I don't have an appetite."
"Come on," he said, slipping a hand through hers.
It took her aback and her mind went blank so Kenshin managed to pull her into a 24-hour fast food chain.
---
The doctor sat there looking at a couple of papers when Kenshin and Kaoru walked back in. She looked up and beamed at them, "Good you're here."
Kaoru nodded and turned to Kenshin who was looking so excited and so nervous he quickly took a seat. Kaoru followed suit.
The doctor smiled and looked at him and then at Kaoru. Finally she said, "I have to congratulate you two."
Kenshin's eyes widened in anticipation.
"Huh?" Kaoru muttered. So what does that mean?
She turned to Kaoru, "Giving birth to a child is the fulfillment of most women's dreams. To bear a child and to carry it with you is both an obligation and a privilege."
"Wait," Kaoru panicked. What is happening? What the hell was that all bout? She swallowed hard and tried to calm herself. Breathe Kaoru, breathe Kaoru. So maybe after that litany she would be telling them that she was sorry but the tests said it was negative. And it would be a happy ever after for her.
Kenshin started to speak, "Dr. Akai you mean to say…"
The doctor smiled, turned to Kaoru and opened her mouth to speak, "Congratulations, you are pregnant."
Kaoru couldn't believe her ears. It was a bad dream. Just a bad dream. She wanted to make the doctor say it again, to prove that she had just misheard. But her throat apparently went dry and she felt it hard to speak.
Kenshin asked it for her, "Could you repeat that doctor?"
The doctor beamed at them and said, "You two are going to be parents in a matter of seven months, no six months and a week to be exact."
Kenshin's worried face brightened up as he shook hands with the doctor. He turned to Kaoru and smiled at her and gave her a look that meant to say "I told you so."
Kaoru, on the other hand, knew her world was now shattered. It meant she was two months and three weeks pregnant. Counting the days since that happened, it would be exactly two months and three weeks since then. So would this be the end of her?
---
A/n: So how was it? It was a tad bit longer than usual ne? Actually I have thought of cropping it until the scene after Kenshin speaks with Tae, but I realized I should finish the chapter until the announcement since you guys have been really nice. Anyway, tell me what you think about it and please do read and review. Thanks a lot in advance.