Kyoko sat on the window sill and stared out into the distance. Three months had gone by since she lost the baby. The world still seemed colorless and bare and Kyoko felt alone in it. Ren had been unfailingly kind to her all this while - "Take your time to recover Kyoko - Yashiro has informed all the parties that you are taking some time off to recover from 'food poisoning'. So take all the time you need." he had said.

She had been thankful that she didn't have to see anyone, meet anyone. She could be alone - alone with her grief. That was then. Now she wondered if taking more of a break was going to affect her career - but she didn't think she could ask Ren. And there was no one else to ask. Ren was working double time and Yashiro had his hands full managing his schedule. No one else had visited since she had asked Ren to tell everyone not to. Maybe she could call someone now. Maybe later. She sighed and continued staring out the window.

The doorbell rang. Outside stood two women.

"Saena-san, Moko-san, boy am i glad to see you." Kyoko said. Kyoko had stopped calling her mother 'Okaasan' long back and even though they were on better terms than before, the habit had stuck.

"I called Kotonami-san to see if she wanted to visit you. And we both met up and came." Saena said. 'They both must have been scared to come on their own when Ren had asked them not to.' thought Kyoko

They came in and sat and Kyoko poured some tea for the three of them. Conversation ebbed and flowed about desultory topics. They avoided any talk of the baby or acting or TV or movies. Weather and politics seemed safe topics for the moment.

And then Saena asked, "How are you and Ren doing?"

"I have mostly recovered health wise and Ren, well he is busy. He has a busy schedule as always. But he still manages to cook everyday for me."

Kanae winced,"I feel for you. I have tasted his cooking. Once was enough" she said making a face.

Kyoko laughed, "It has actually gotten better since he has had so much practice. He doesn't let me do anything. "

"Kyoko." Saena interrupted, "I asked how are you both doing? Not your health or Ren's work. Your married life."

Kyoko gave a surprised 'Hik' and Kanae appeared shocked. Saena realizing the meaning they had interpreted frowned and corrected herself, "I mean your relationship. You know Kyoko, 90% of marriages do not survive a lost child."

"Don't quote statistics at me mother. Ren and I are not a statistic. And it is not like.. " Kyoko wanted to say 'it was a child yet' but she couldn't.

"Then why won't you answer my question?" Saena continued.

"He is doing so much for me after the incident. I really cannot find fault."

"Yet you do." stated Saena.

"What is it Kyoko?" Kanae also asked noting her friend's face.

"Well, I feel terrible when I think about that day. I really should have been careful about what I ate. I fully expected Ren to be annoyed with me. Angry, hateful, blaming me. But nothing. Not a peep about what happened. Instead he is unfailingly good and smiling. Its like that smile is plastered on his face." Kyoko said bitterly.

There was a sound at the door and Ren walked in carrying a bag of groceries.

"How about pasta today?" he asked and then stopped noticing the other women. "Mogami-san, Kotonami-san. Thank you for visiting us. Isn't it good Kyoko, that your mother and friend came to visit you."

Kyoko searched Ren's face for any trace of sarcasm. Finding none she replied simply , "Yes."

Kanae said, "I brought some dinner over for the two of you. Please enjoy."

"MOKO-SAN! Thank you so much" cried Kyoko hugging her. Ren paused and looked at them both.

When he spoke, his face was a mask. "Thank you. You really shouldn't have. Although it is a good break for Kyoko from my cooking." he laughed. It sounded just a tad mirthless.

"If you don't mind" Ren continued. "I would like to go rest a bit. Pretty tired today." He walked into the bedroom closing the door behind him. Kyoko felt like he has shut the door on her, and the whole world.

"Kyoko." Kanae said, "I should go. Take care." Once she has left, Saena said.

"That man is not ok. I can see it so clearly. He is struggling like a shook up champagne bottle. Its only a matter of time before it comes bursting out. Kyoko, you have to do something,"

But what? wondered Kyoko.

Kyoko woke up early one morning and prepared a wonderful breakfast for Ren. She took a tray to the bedroom dressed up as Bo the chicken.

Ren woke up at the noise and looked over at her.

"Ah its you." he said smiling in a way that once again seemed a tad weary to Kyoko but at least it was a smile.

"Tsuruga-kun, here is some breakfast for you. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, dontcha know?" Bo said.

Ren moved as if to say something but changed his mind taking the tray. As he was eating, Bo looked at him.

"Is there something you want?" Ren asked still eating and not looking at Bo.

"You know your wife, she is a great actress, don't cha think?"

"Yes. Perhaps better than me." replied Ren.

"Don't cha think she should start acting again?"

Ren stopped eating and put his fork down slowly. A look of intense hatred came over him and Kyoko realized that that look in the hospital was not imagined. Not a dream.

"Corn" she whispered but the look was gone.

"You know Bo, there is no reason for her to act. I can provide for both of us."

"It is not a question of providing. It is a question of what makes her happy don't cha know?"

"So she is not happy just being my wife is it?"

"It's not that. You know it is not that. " Kyoko replied and got depressed on the floor. Ren laughed to see her. Kyoko felt that that laugh was a tad better than his usual mirthless laughs and hopefully looked back at him.

"I was just pulling your leg Bo. I don't have any problem with her going back to acting. Just that..."

"Just that what?"

"She has a tendency to overdo it. She overdoes everything."

Bo nodded, "Yes. I do know. But isn't that why you love her too."

A look came over Ren that Kyoko did not understand. A complicated look.

"You are right." he got off the bed, put the tray down and faced her.

Kyoko also stood suddenly feeling a chill down her spine. Ren's face had a hardness about it. Not the evil look of Kuon but something ominous.

"But you know for all that overdoing, she still isn't a very good actress." Ren said.

"What makes ya say that?" Kyoko was shocked and surprised but she could not break character from Bo.

"She couldn't hide the truth from me that one time."

"What truth? What'cha talking about?"

"Now I see it." Ren sneered. "All this while, I have been thinking that Kyoko has also been feeling the same grief I have over the loss of our child. I did my best to not burden her with my grief. But that is not true. Kyoko has just been biding her time. Waiting for the appropriate time to end her pretend grief so she can go back to what she really loves."

Kyoko could not stand it anymore.

"Ren stop it. It's not a joke anymore."

"And I am not joking. I can never live down what happened to us. And you, you come laughing and smiling like nothing happened and say you want to go back to acting. This is what you wanted all along isn't it? I did not for one instant want you to think I blamed you for what happened, not realizing of course that you were to blame and it did not happen by chance. I should have known when you pulled that 'You said you didn't want to impede my career' ploy on me. I should have gone with you and taken care of you. You wouldn't have been able to fool me as easily as you did Yashiro-san. Conveniently, you send him back and then you went and deliberately jeopardized our child's life by eating crap. "Oh I got food poisoning in a first world country by mistake especially when I was pregnant and nobody was around'. Who does that? After I told you umpteen times to take care."

"Ren please... don't say that. You don't mean that."

"I do mean it Kyoko. You killed him. You killed our child. Because acting was so much more important to you. So you got rid of the one thing that was stopping you."

"I didn't. I am sorry. I didn't do it on purpose. Please Ren." Kyoko had her eyes closed and hands in front of her as though Ren were physically attacking her instead of just using words.

"I am done playing the good husband, Kyoko." Ren said softly, as though defeated. "You don't deserve a loving husband or a loving family. You put your career above everything. Well you are free now. Free to be the best goddamn actress in all of Japan with no interference from me. Goodbye."

And Ren walked out of Kyoko's life forever.