This will be the last chapter involving Ume and Airi, and then we'll return to some Yuzu and Mei stuff.
There might be a party chapter, Yuzu's whole thing with Ito-sensei, and some more chapters to handle dangling threads. After that, who freaking knows. I am still determining where we're going from here, but I'm sorting that out with my fantasy novel. Hurray!
If you're wondering where I've been, the wife and I had to move. We're about to get into a legal situation with our old apartment complex because they are gouging us on things we shouldn't be charged for. And another place is screwing us by not mailing us the deposit we gave them to hold an apartment we didn't get approved for, and it's just been a mess.
Also, I was playing Dnd again, which ate into writing time, but once again, I left because of some bullcrap, so Sundays will be writing days again while my wife is off running the game.
I also need to raise commission money for some Hazbin crossovers with this group of characters from these stories.
"Hurry up, Grandma," said Airi as she adjusted the bouquet of chrysanthemums and sweet peas in her arms. "We gotta get this done so before dinner."
"I'm coming, Airi," chuckled Ume as she filled the water bucket and thanked the attendant. "We have time, and keep your voice down. We need to be respectful of the other people paying their respects."
Airi groaned but kept quiet as an older couple walked by. They chuckled at her holding such a large bouquet while Ume apologized to the attendant for Airi's impatience.
Smiling, the attendant said, "She's not that loud, but I appreciate your consideration. Is it your first time here? If so, I can check the registration if you need help finding your family's site."
"I appreciate it, but I'll be fine," sighed Ume, feeling her heart flutter while she picked up a broom and dustpan. "It's been a while since I visited, but I remember the way. Thank you for offering."
"Of course." The man nodded his head and smiled at her. "Please take your time and let me know if you require anything else. I'll be here for a little while before making my rounds."
Ume thanked the man again before picking up her bag and the bucket and walking toward Airi.
"Okay," groaned Ume, adjusting her bag and pointing in the direction they needed to go. "Are you ready to visit Grandpa and tell him what's been going on?"
"Yeah," said Airi, her hair bobbing as she nodded before turning and walking down the path. Are you going to tell Grandpa Okogi anything?"
"Of course I am," answered Ume as they turned. "Not a lot, but I have a few things I need to tell him while we're here. What about you? Do you have anything special you want to tell him?"
"I got lots of things I wanna tell him," said Airi as they made a turn. "But do I have to say it out loud? Or can I tell him in my head?"
"You can tell him in whatever way you're most comfortable with, Airi," explained Ume. "When you visit with your Mom and Mama, how do they do it?"
"Ummmm, Mommy doesn't say anything, and neither does Hideki, but Mama always talks out loud while praying. So I don't know if Mommy and Hideki are telling him anything, and I don't want to do it wrong."
"Yeah, it can be tough sometimes," said Ume, nodding. "But as long as you whisper while you pray, I don't see why you can't."
"Got it."
They walked silently for a few moments, only exchanging polite greetings with a few people as they navigated the headstones.
A couple of people did a double take when they saw Airi and gave Ume a questioning look but said nothing of it before returning the greeting.
The only time this didn't happen was when they greeted a young couple with a newborn baby, smiled and greeted them warmly, and asked Airi if she wanted to meet their baby.
Airi's face lit up, and after handing Ume the flowers, she approached the stroller to get a good look at the sleeping child.
"What's the baby's name?" asked Airi as she looked at the baby, her fingers gripping the side of the stroller.
"Her name is Yuno," said the mother while the father held onto the stroller. "What's yours?"
"I'm Aihara Airi," said Airi quietly. That's my grandma. We're here to visit my grandpa. Is that why you brought your baby?"
"It is," said the woman gently. "We came to introduce her to my side of the family before we visit her dad's family."
"That sounds like fun," said Airi, grinning at the woman. "Grandma, did I do the same thing when I was a baby?"
"Almost," answered Ume, trying to figure out how much she could say. "A lot of people came to visit you since they live so close. But we did bring you here and then to your mom's family grave a while later."
Airi nodded, looked back at the woman, and asked, "Can I tell Grandpa I met Yuno-chan today?"
The woman nodded while the man said, "Of course you can. It'd make him happy to know you met someone new today."
Airi's smile grew. After stepping away and thanking them, the couple said their goodbyes and wished them a pleasant visit before Ume ushered them toward the grave.
When they arrived, Airi didn't waste a second walking up to the grave and greeting her grandfather and the rest of the family.
Ume's hand stiffened around the bucket's handle as she approached, and Airi's voice drifted toward her.
"Guess what, Grandpa," said Airi as she looked around for the flower holder, "I just met a baby while coming to visit you. Her name was Yuno, and she was tiny, huh Grandma?"
"She was," confirmed Ume while setting the bucket down, spilling a little due to her hand shaking.
"Are you okay, Grandma," asked Airi when Ume cursed quietly under her breath.
"Yes," Ume said after a deep, calming breath before setting down the other items. "I'm fine, Airi."
"You sure?" asked Airi as she grabbed the small bag they had brought for trash.
"Yes," repeated Ume before grabbing the broom and dustpan. "I'm sure. Come on, it's getting late, and if you want to tell your grandpa everything, we'd better get started."
With that, it was almost as if a fire was lit under Airi's feet, and soon, the girl was chatting away quietly but happily at the gravestone, picking up all the leaves and weeds while Ume swept up.
Once that was done, Airi, her conversation with her grandfather still not over, scrubbed the grave while Ume poured water over it, smiling as Airi told him about the song she was learning.
"It's a song from a pirate manga," said Airi happily. "We had to pick it along with two other songs. I'm playing backup piano while an older kid plays the harder stuff, but I get to sing with them. The teacher said it's because I'm doing better on piano than on violin and guitar. But I like guitar more, so I'll practice extra hard to get to play that next time."
"That sounds fun," said Ume, trying to keep the conversation going while she handled placing the flowers while Airi vigorously scrubbed the gravestone. "Are you going to dress up like you did at Christmas?"
"No," said Airi disappointedly, finally satisfied with her scrubbing. "We gotta wear normal clothes, but I get to wear a top hat like the guy does in the show because I'm playing piano. Can we take a picture so I can set it next to Grandpa and Great-Grandpa's pictures on the shrine at home?"
"You need to ask your moms," Ume said, winking. "But I'm sure they'll be fine with it if you don't keep it up there. It's a shrine, and it's meant to honor the dead, so it can't stay up there."
Airi nodded, looking serious, before dropping the sponge in the bucket and running towards Ume's bag. Grabbing the incense from inside it, Airi ran back to her, holding it up just as Ume finished arranging the flowers.
"Is it time to light the incense," she asked, pointing at the holder.
"It is," Ume said, her voice shaky. "Do you have anything else you want to say out loud to Grandpa, or is it stuff you need to tell him in your heart?"
"Heart stuff," said Airi quietly. "What about you, Grandma? Aren't you going to tell Grandpa something?"
"I will in my heart," said Ume, her heartbeat quickening. "If I need to talk to him out loud, I'll do it after you're in bed or when I'm alone."
"Is it sad stuff?" asked Airi, walking toward the incense holder and placing the bundle into it while Ume grabbed an antique gold butane lighter from her bag and flipped open the lid.
"I'm not sure," Ume sniffed as she fumbled with the wheel. "Come on, you stupid..."
"What's that?" Airi pointed at the lighter, jumping a little when Ume's thumb finally turned the wheel, causing it to spark.
"It's a lighter," said Ume, smirking at seeing Airi's eyes widen. "An old lighter."
Ume held the lighter out to Airi and began pointing at parts to show her how it worked, "You know how your moms use lighters that you push the button on or that small blowtorch Mama uses when she makes creme brulee for dessert?"
"Yeah," said Airi, nodding and licking her lips. "I like those. I hope she makes them soon."
"I do, too," agreed Ume, remembering the last time Yuzu had made them and managed to burn the sugar just enough to make a slight cracking noise when they punctured the top with their spoons. "Well, this is kind of like those, but unlike those, it uses this wheel and a few other things inside to make the flame. Also, this one will keep burning unless you close the lid or blow it out, so you cannot play with it. Understood?"
Airi nodded quietly, her gaze focused on the lighter as she asked, "Where'd you get it?"
"It was your grandpa's," Ume explained after taking a deep, calming breath, "and it was his dad's before he had it."
"Where'd his daddy get it," asked Airi, shifting her gaze to Ume.
"He got it in France," explained Ume as she returned to trying to get it to ignite the lighter. "Your great-grandpa went there when he was young and bought it as a souvenir because he liked to smoke cigars and had a lot of extra money to burn."
"Smoking's yucky," said Airi before her eyes went wide at the sight of the flame. "It makes stuff smell weird, and people make gross noises and spit a lot."
"Well, a lot of things do that," chuckled Ume while she began lighting the incense. "But I agree with you that it's yucky. But this lighter is one of the few things I have left of your grandpa, so can we give great-grandpa a pass?"
"I guess," giggled Airi.
Ume smiled tiredly and watched to ensure the sticks caught just enough before blowing them out.
When she was satisfied that they were burning sufficiently, Ume handed Airi the sticks and lifted her so she could place them in the bowl before setting her down.
"It's time to pray, right?" asked Airi after stepping away from the grave.
"It is."
Airi raised her hands and began to push them together but stopped when she felt Ume's hand on her shoulder and asked, "Airi, can you do me a favor before we start?"
"Sure," said the girl, her eyes darting to the incense as if she were on a timer. "What is it?"
"Do you think you can wear your headphones and listen to a song while we pray?" Ume asked shyly. "It's okay if you don't want to, but it'd help me because I need to say things out loud, but they're tough to say, and I don't want you to worry about it."
"It's not bad stuff, is it?" Airi fidgeted, clutching the straps of her backpack.
"Why would you think it's bad," inquired Ume.
"Because sometimes when Mama and Mommy ask me to do that, it's about stuff they don't want me to hear, and sometimes it's bad stuff, like when they fight."
Ume sighed and stroked Airi's hair, asking, "Do they ask you to do it often?"
"No," said Airi, shaking her head, "but I get scared whenever they do, and it's not always bad; I just get scared it's going to be."
"I understand," said Ume, smiling sadly. "It's difficult to do something when you know that sometimes a bad thing can happen."
Airi nodded and said, "Yeah, but if you promise nothing bad will happen, I'll do it."
"I promise," said Ume, rubbing a little harder, making Airi giggle. "But if I start crying, it's nothing bad, and it's not because you did something. It's just hard coming here for me, and I might end up crying, so if that happens, can you help me by giving me the best hug you can?"
"Yeah," said Airi, nodding enthusiastically. "I can do that. Can you hug me if I cry?"
"You didn't even have to ask," said Ume. Airi undid her bag, pulled out her headphones, and handed her tablet to Ume, who began going through the Yuzu and Mei approved playlists.
"This one," said Airi once Ume had landed on the song with the picture of a skeleton with an afro. "This is the song I gotta practice when we get home."
"Oh, okay," said Ume, handing the tablet to Airi and watching as she pressed a button. "Airi, what did you just press?"
"The repeat button," Airi said, turning the tablet around and showing her grandmother the screen. "See? This way, I can listen to it a lot and learn the words."
"Smart," was all Ume said before taking the tablet back and slipping it into Airi's bag, hearing the faint sound of people singing through the headphones while Airi's head moved with the beat while she mouthed the words.
Gesturing toward the grave, Ume chuckled as the mouthing turned to whispers. While Airi closed her eyes, Ume stared at the grave, her throat tight as her hands gripped her jeans, and she tried to figure out what to say.
"H...hi," she finally choked out after what sounded like the first round of the song finished.
"That was kind of silly, wasn't it?" she chuckled dryly as her grip on her pants relaxed, though her heart continued to pound in her chest. "After all this time and stressing over what to say to you, that's the best I could come up with. Considering how easy it was to talk with you when we were together, it's pretty stupid."
Ume felt a sting in her eye, but she ignored it, instead focusing on swallowing to keep her mouth from going dry.
"I'm sorry it's been so long since I last visited," Ume took another deep breath, but it did little to calm her. "I'd like to say it's because of partly true. I mean, I've had a few big projects I'm finishing, and I've been training people. It's pretty exhausting, but I'm having fun, and there are days I wonder if you're proud of me for getting as far as I have. I know you would be, and I'm certain you'd be proud of Yuzu for how far she's come, but I can't help but wonder."
Ume's face lit up in a smile as her vision of the grave grew blurry.
"She's flourishing," sniffed Ume, finally rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand. "Never in my wildest dreams did I think she'd run a restaurant, but she's doing it. And she's also working on opening a third location, an izakaya if you could believe it."
Ume sniffed again and laughed as she felt Airi's arm slip around hers and squeeze it.
"Kind of funny, considering she can barely hold her liquor, and I can't drink anymore." Ume laughed dryly and shrugged. "I bet you're laughing about that, but it's true. Thanks to my meds, I can't drink more than half a beer or a cup of sake now. Meanwhile, our daughter's opening a bar. What are the odds?"
Ume shook her head and shifted her position so Airi could sit in her lap. She could still hear the music in Airi's headphones, but the girl kept them on, and Ume held her tight.
"She's so much like you," Ume began, her lip quivering. "Her spirit, kindness, everything reminds me of you, and I'm so sorry that I didn't do more to tell her about you."
"She was so young." Ume's voice cracked as the words finally came out. "I was young too. You were the love of my life, and I lost you, and our little girl just had me to rely on. She could barely understand what was happening, and it was all I could do to keep myself from falling apart; I didn't know what to do."
"I'm so sorry," she added after a few gulping breaths. "I'm sorry I didn't tell her more about you. I wish I could know if you were angry with me or if you understood. I promise I'll do better because she deserves to know, and the kids do, too. But I'm scared that if I tell her more, I'll hurt Sho, and I don't want to hurt him because, for all his faults, he's been nothing but good to us."
Ume fell silent and chewed on her lip before saying, "I know I shouldn't feel guilty, but I can't help it. He's made my life and Yuzu's life better, and he acts like he doesn't mind talking about you, but I can't help but think I'm hurting him, and I don't want to do that. And Mei, I wish you could meet her too. She's incredible, and she's made Yuzu so happy, and I love her like she's my own. But I know that one of the only reasons we even have her or the kids is because you...if you hadn't..."
Slowly, the words shifted to sobs, and through them, Ume felt something in her arms turn, a small pair of arms wrap around her, and a voice whisper, "It's okay, Grandma. You can hug me as long as you want."
Ume managed a small laugh, but it didn't last, and she found herself clutching Airi like she had the first time Yuzu had tried to dye her hair.
Everything hurt, and she knew that Airi was probably scared, but she couldn't stop. All she could do was let the tears fall, and by the time she managed to regain any composure, her nose was plugged, and she could barely see Airi.
Despite her best efforts, she couldn't stop the tears.
"Ma'am," came a voice behind Ume, but she barely registered it. "Ma'am, are you okay?"
"My grandma's sad," said Airi defensively, stepping away to grab her bag and pulling out her handkerchief so Ume could use it. "We're visiting my grandpa, and her heart hurts."
"I understand that," said the voice, calm and relaxed. "I don't like coming here either, but I promised my parents I'd do it for them, and I wanted to say 'hi' to my grandma, so I'm a bit sad, too."
Ume heard the sound of shoes on the gravel and pulled Airi a little closer and away from where she heard the footsteps while she did her best to clean up.
"I'm sorry if I made a scene," she said after blowing her nose in Airi's handkerchief before switching to her own to dab her eyes with the cool water from Airi's bottle. "I didn't disturb you, did I?"
"No," answered the woman, smiling politely. Ume noticed something familiar about her dark hair and voice. "My family grave is a bit further away. I was on my way out when I saw you and this little one here and thought I'd better check on you."
The woman turned her attention, closed her eyes, and offered a little prayer before opening her eyes again. Then, she read out loud, "Okogi? Huh, that's funny. I knew a girl with that same last name in middle school but lost contact with her shortly after starting high school. I hope she's doing all right."
"I'm sure she's doing just fine," answered Ume after dabbing her eyes again and finally getting a good look at the woman.
Now that Ume could properly see her, she was amazed at how pretty she was and how she carried herself had an air of confidence that reminded her a little of Mei.
"I appreciate you offering a prayer; it was very kind. I'm Aihara Ume; this is my granddaughter Airi. Thank you for coming to check on me. Again, I'm sorry for..."
Ume gestured at her face, and the woman chuckled, saying, "You don't have to apologize; it's only natural. But now that I know your name, you wouldn't happen to have a daughter named Yuzu, would you?"
"Y...yes," said Ume, shifting uncomfortably and moving closer to Airi. "Is that a problem? Did she do something to you?"
"No." The woman chuckled again and stood up, offering a hand to Ume. "It just makes sense now why you'd be praying here. You might not remember me, but my name's Manami. I used to hang out with Yuzu."
"Manami-chan," whispered Ume, her eyes hurting as they widened in surprise. Yes, I remember you. You and Kana-chan used to come over often and get into trouble with Yuzu for only sometimes doing your homework. I remember you guys going on and on about boys and fashion. Do your parents still own that small restaurant? I used to enjoy going there after work; I haven't been by in ages. Is it still open? How's Kana-chan?"
"Yeah, we're still open." Manami's smile grew at Ume remembering her. "I took over a few years ago since my parents are getting up there, and Kana's doing good. Has a kid who's in college now, and if this little one's your granddaughter, that must mean Yuzu finally snagged a husband."
"No, she didn't."
Manami looked down at Airi, who glared at her, while Ume pulled her close and said, "Airi, lower your voice. Remember, we need to be respectful."
"I remember," huffed Airi, crossing her arms and glowering at Manami, who looked amused. "But Mama doesn't have a husband. Mama married Mommy, so she has a wife. She didn't marry my daddy, but he's nice and talks to me all the time. He lives in America and makes video games, which he sometimes gives Hideki and me as presents. Hideki says he doesn't like them but still plays them."
"Airi," whispered Ume, her head and eyes still pounding from her crying. "That's not something we tell people we just met. I'm sorry, Manami-chan. Airi gets very... defensive about Yuzu."
Manami nodded and gave a slight shrug before saying, "That's fine. I'm glad Yuzu's doing well. I mean, it wasn't what I expected, but..."
Manami's voice trailed off, and Ume saw a look of deep thought form on her face and asked, "Is something wrong, Manami?"
"Oh, no," answered Manami, smiling and waving a hand. "I was just wondering if you could give me Yuzu's contact information, or do you think it would be inappropriate?"
"I don't know," sniffled Ume before wiping her nose with the handkerchief. "It would be safer if you gave me your information, and I can tell her when I see her tonight. I don't think she'd appreciate it if I started giving out her information. I'm sure she'll love hearing from you, but she's busy. Oddly enough, she's running a restaurant now and is doing a catering event in Yokohama and will probably be too tired to talk when she gets home."
"I get it." Manami nodded and shook her head. "Yuzu running her own joint? That's news for sure."
"She shocked me and my husband when she decided to quit her old job," said Ume, smirking. But I'm sure she'd love to talk shop once she contacts you; maybe you can visit the restaurant."
"I'd love to see it," Manami agreed, pointing at the cleaning supplies. "But how about we get out of here first? I can take those for you if you want."
"I can do it," said Airi, running over and grabbing the bucket. Her eyes narrowed at Manami before growling, "I'm Grandma's helper, not you."
"Airi," grumbled Ume, her headache worsening while Manami giggled.
"It's fine," she whispered to Ume while Airi struggled between the bucket and her backpack. "Kana's kid was the same way when she was little, so don't worry about me. Instead, I'll offer to help walk you out since you're still recovering as a compromise. Does that work?
"It's much appreciated," said Ume, taking Manami's arm and taking a slow, unsteady step.
After ensuring she could walk, Ume took it slow and was grateful that Manami was there to help her. She hadn't taken her medicine and was beginning to feel a little unsteady.
Eventually, they reached the entrance and returned the supplies to the attendant, who inquired about Ume's condition. Once she stated that she was okay with Manami's help and that Sho would be meeting them shortly, he left it at that. After thanking him, they exited the cemetery and found a bench nearby, where Ume sat while Airi handed her the water bottle.
"You're well prepared," Manami commented as she fished in her bag for something. Do you always keep that bottle on hand?"
"Yeah." Airi focused on Ume, who was using the water to wash down some pills. "I have snacks too, in case I get hungry, but Grandma needs to take medicine sometimes, so I share it with her. And my mommy, Mama, and big brother."
"That's very sweet of you," said Manami, finally pulling out what she needed from her purse and looking at Airi, taken aback by the cold look she was getting before writing something down.
"I know," huffed Airi, taking the bottle back from Ume and taking a sip while Ume rolled her eyes.
"Ignore her," said Ume with a sigh. "She's a bit difficult regarding people she doesn't know."
"I can see that." Manami gave Airi a wary look but still smiled, not trying to let the girl win. "Well, I'd rather she be overly cautious than not cautious at all. Here's my card, by the way; it's got my personal number on the back as well, so Yuzu doesn't have to worry about interrupting business. Just tell her to call any time or leave me a text or voicemail."
Ume was ready to thank Manami when she heard someone shouting at them and turned to see a familiar man running up to them, smiling and waving.
"Grandpa!" shouted Airi, putting her water bottle down and running to Sho, who scooped her up and spun her around.
"Hey, Princess," he exclaimed, though winded after exerting himself. "Did you enjoy your visit with Grandma?"
"Yeah," giggled Airi after Sho put her down and walked up to Ume, holding her grandfather's hand tightly. "We cleaned up the grave, and I told Grandpa Okogi all about my next concert, my friends sleeping over soon, and what everyone's been doing, even the party Hideki is going to."
"That's a lot to tell him," chuckled Sho, stopping and blinking at Manami, who bowed politely.
"Oh, hello," said Sho, returning the bow. "Sorry to interrupt; I'm Aihara Sho."
"Good evening. I'm Manami, an old friend of Yuzu's. It's nice to meet you finally."
"An old friend of Yuzu's," said Sho, looking at Ume and noticing her bloodshot eyes moments before she turned away. "Did Yuzu ask you to come with my wife?"
"No, sir." Manami brushed some hair back and shook her head. "I was here on personal business and saw Ume-san having a tough time, so I offered my condolences and figured out who she was after talking. I'm happy she's doing well, but she did have a little trouble walking and just took her medicine, so I'll leave that to you and Airi-chan. Also, Ume-san, you're welcome to visit the restaurant any time. No reservation is necessary, and feel free to bring Airi the next time you come."
"I'll keep that in mind," said Ume, bowing from her seat. "Thank you for talking with me earlier and helping us. I'll be sure to come by soon and give Yuzu your information. Be safe getting home."
Manami said she would and excused herself.
When they were alone, Airi climbed back into her seat and held Ume's hand while Sho sat on the other side and held the other while reaching up and stroking Ume's face.
"Rough visit," he asked, seeing how red and raw her eyes were.
"Yes," she said, squeezing his hand and sighing. "I didn't expect it to be so tough after so long."
"Well, some wounds never fully heal," Sho said quietly but kindly. "Do you want to talk about it?"
"Not right now," said Ume, smiling sadly and lowering his hand. "We need to get Airi home. She has to practice, bathe, and do other things before Yuzu gets home."
"I'll handle all that," said Sho, kissing the back of Ume's hand. "You rest, okay? You had a tough day, so when we get to Yuzu and Mei's, I'll run you a bath and take care of the little one and dinner."
"Sho," sighed Ume, a little annoyed at his consideration, "I can help with dinner."
"I know." He smiled and stood up, pulling Ume with him. "But you had her all afternoon and had to do this. You deserve a chance to clear your head and relax."
"Fine," she said, too tired to argue with him. "But do me a favor and check on me while I'm in the bath. I should be fine, but I'm worried about what'll happen if I'm left alone, especially with these meds."
"You got it," he said with a grin. "Come on, I had an idea for dinner, and I'm sure you and Airi will love it."
"Is it pizza," asked Airi, wedging between her grandparents and holding their hands. "Or chicken?"
"Naw, not those," said Sho with a grin. "But I stopped by the house and store before coming here and figured out what I'm going to make, so you'll just have to wait and see."
Airi booed, and Ume smirked down at her and then at Sho and asked, "Can you give me a hint?"
"Sure," he said, picking Airi up with Ume and swinging her between them. "I know I've had to cut back to make it easier on you, but I can tell you, it'd go great with beer."
"Okay, Princess," said Sho after dropping some of Airi's toys into the bath. "Ya got everything you need?"
"Yep." Airi's hair bounced limply as she nodded and began playing with an old, faded submarine and a bright blue shark.
"And you're sure you're going to be okay by yourself? It's not too late for me or Grandma to join you."
"I'll be fine," said Airi as she slammed the toys into the water, nearly drenching Sho.
"Cute," he said, rolling his eyes while Airi laughed loudly. "It's okay if you want one of us to stay in here. We don't have to climb in, but we can sit on the stool and play with you."
"I wanna try a grown-up bath," said Airi while she ran her toys through the water and made noises and screams. "Honoka doesn't have baths with her mommy, and neither does Momiji-chan, so why can't I?"
"Okay." Sho sighed and leaned on the tub's edge while Airi continued playing. "But if you're going to do this, there will be some rules, so I need you to stop playing and listen."
"Sure." Airi let go of her toys and looked up at Sho, her head moving back and forth while her feet kicked gently under the tub.
"So first, Grandma and I are going to be in the living room, and we're going to keep the door open a bit so we can hear you. Okay?"
"Yep."
"Second, we're going to come in every or call out to you every few minutes to check on you to make sure you're still doing okay, and you need to let us know you're doing okay if we don't come in."
"Got it."
Sho rolled his eyes at Airi's enthusiasm but smiled at her eagerness.
"Third, you are not to stand up and jump around or put your head under the water. Those are the most important. Do you understand?"
"Yeah," Airi nodded, a serious look on her face. "I saw a kid do that at the pool once, and he fell in and couldn't swim, so the lifeguard had to jump in and save him. I don't want that to happen."
"Smart girl." Sho leaned over and kissed her on the forehead. "I'm going to check on Grandma. "You have fun and remember what I told you."
Airi groaned and said, "I know, Grandpa," before returning to playing with her toys and making noises.
"She's a handful," laughed Ume from the couch, flipping aimlessly through a book she'd brought with her. "I'm going to miss taking baths with her."
"So am I," said Sho, walking into the kitchen and pouring himself a soda. "But she's at that age."
"I know," grumbled Ume, closing her book, looking over Sho, and eyeing his soda. "Can I have a sip?"
"That's why I brought the bottle," said Sho, holding up the container and handing Ume the glass so she could sip before taking it back. "You enjoy dinner?"
"Oh yeah," sighed Ume as she sunk into the softness of the couch, rubbed her stomach, and handed the glass back to Sho. "It helped after the day I had."
"I know, right," Sho laughed as he sipped his soda and sat beside her. "Nothing beats yakiniku after a long day. I mean, I used prepped sauces, and the meat was on sale, and it didn't get the char you get with charcoal, but that electric grill of theirs did the job."
"It did." Ume patted Sho's forearm, her body hurting less after the bath and meal. "And don't be so hard on yourself. You did all the prep, let it marinade a bit, seasoned it, and were entertaining, acting like one of those chefs with the fan and everything. Airi and I had fun, and it tasted great. You did good, Sho."
"Thanks," Sho said, handing her his soda and wrapping an arm around her. "But I think using the fan might have been overkill and made it take longer. Let's try it on a hibachi next time. We can show Airi and her friends how to grill fish skewers the next time she has a sleepover.
"Only if Mei and Yuzu say so," exhaled Ume after holding back a burp. "But it'd be fun, and you can have a beer if you want."
"You sure," asked Sho, putting the glass on a coaster.
"Yeah," Ume scooted closer to him and held his arm. "You don't have to quit just because I can't have much anymore."
"We'll split it," said Sho, pressing play on a movie he'd found on the television. "I don't mind sharing it with you. I like not feeling bloated and do not miss the hangovers."
"That is a net positive," laughed Ume, nuzzling Sho's shoulder, focusing on the movie and how warm Sho was while Airi played and gave them semi-regular reports that she was still okay.
"Are you feeling any better?" Sho asked once there was a lull in the action, and Ume relaxed into him. "It must have been a rough visit if you were crying that bad."
"Yeah, I am," she admitted cautiously. "But I'm still a little drained. I'm sorry if I made you worry."
"There's nothing to be sorry about," Sho said, kissing her head. "I know how much he meant to you, and I'm happy you finally visited him and gave Yuzu's back a break. Poor kid, she's going to mess up her back even more if she's not careful."
"She's off the next few days after this," said Ume, blushing at the affection he was showing her. "And do you mean it when you say you're happy that I went to visit the grave?"
"What are you talking about?" Sho asked, pausing the movie and sitting back enough to look at his wife. "Why wouldn't I be?"
"Well," said Ume, rubbing her hands together as she tried to find the words, "it just seems like a lot of people would be mad or jealous if they saw their spouse or lover having a breakdown like I did. You're saying you aren't?"
"Maybe a little," Sho said after a few moments of quiet thought. "I'm not going to lie and say I'm not a little jealous that you still love him as much as you do. But that's not something I can control."
Ume shifted in her seat but relaxed slightly when Sho pulled her close to him.
"That's what I was afraid of," sighed Ume, her shoulders limp.
"Why would you think that?" he asked, a little surprised. "Have I ever made you think I didn't want you to go? I'm sorry if I did."
"You haven't," whispered Ume, staring at the ceiling. "I just feel bad because I spent so long taking care of Yuzu and worrying about her that I didn't go for a long time. Then, when she was old enough, she took over so I could work. Then, on top of everything else that happened, I met you, and before I knew it, I was happy with you and our life, but then the guilt started to build and..."
"You started stressing out?"
"That's putting it lightly," Ume retorted, crossing her arms and shaking her head. "He meant so much to me, and we were happy, and I just pushed him to the back of my mind like some errand I'd get to. Who does that?"
"A lot of people," offered Sho, earning a skeptical look from Ume.
"I mean, look at it like this," said Sho, getting into a more comfortable position and taking Ume's hand. "He died, and you were left with Yuzu, and from what you've told me, you didn't have any support. You went into survival mode and did what you thought was best, and if Yuzu's any indication, you did a hell of a job given everything. Way better than how I handled my divorce and Mei."
"I wasn't trying to make you feel bad about that," consoled Ume, squeezing his hand.
"You didn't," said Sho, smiling sadly. "I'm just carrying around my guilt about stuff. I mean, my ex and I didn't have what you had. Sure, we cared about each other, but it was more like being married to a business partner than anything else. Probably because that's all it was, a business arrangement."
"I'm sorry." Ume took his hand and held it. "I hope it was at least you guys parted on good terms."
"Not really," sighed Sho, running his hand through his hair. We weren't cruel to each other when we were together. We tried to put on the happy family thing for Mei, but you've seen how well that worked out."
"It's better than leaving her to learn that you weren't happy," offered Ume, but Sho snorted at that.
"Maybe. But in the end, I ended up getting on my dad's bad side and having a midlife crisis, leaving my daughter to think she had to put herself through his bullshit to make me happy."
Sho shook his head and sighed, saying, "She deserved better, and if I hadn't been so stupid, I could have seen it, and then she wouldn't have been so miserable, or if I'd had the courage to stand up to my dad earlier, maybe she wouldn't have had to wait so long for the love she needed."
They sat quietly for a moment, listening to the sound of Airi's splashing.
After her latest update, Sho quietly said, "You also deserved better, Ume. It wasn't your responsibility to clean up my mess, and I'm sorry I did that to you."
"I'm over it," said Ume, hugging him. "She's my daughter, and nothing will change that, and I love her, Sho."
"I know." Sho returned the hug and squeezed Ume tightly. "But I'm still sorry for everything and for being a little jealous that he still holds such a big part of your heart. But I can't control that and won't ever try to take that from you. He's Yuzu's dad. I can't replace him. I don't want to. I want to be the best dad I can be for her and the best husband I can be for you. Plus, I knew you'd leave me if I tried replacing him."
"That's true," snorted Ume, chuckling in his ear. "I would have left you in a heartbeat if you'd tried something like that. But I'm still here, and I love you. I hope you know that."
"I don't doubt that. " Sho smiled, relieved to hear her laugh. "And I admire that about you. After I heard about how torn up you were when Mei left to go live with my dad shortly after we got married, I knew I made the right call. You're much stronger than me, Ume, and I'm grateful you could find a place for Mei and me in your life."
"Well, it took longer with you than Mei, but you got there eventually." Ume chuckled when she saw Sho faking like she'd wounded him. "But marrying you was one of the best decisions I made. I appreciate everything you've given Yuzu and me and all the hard work you've done trying to help them. And I want to talk about him for the sake of the kids and Yuzu, but I don't want to do it if it hurts you, Sho."
"I don't know why you're so worried about that," teased Sho. "If it bothered me, I wouldn't sit with Airi while she talks to him and my dad. Why else would I ask you to join us?"
"Because you're trying to be nice," guessed Ume, causing Sho to smack his forehead and her to giggle.
"I mean, yeah, you're right about that," he laughed. "I am trying to show my more magnanimous side."
"I knew it," said Ume, causing Sho to stick his tongue out at her and make a face.
"Oh, Ha ha," Sho teased, earning him a poke in the rib but shrugging it off and returning to hugging Ume. "If you want to keep visiting him, I'll support you, okay? And if you need me to, I'll go with you next time, so you don't have to go through that alone or rely on our granddaughter for emotional support."
"That's a good idea," sniffled Ume, hugging Sho tightly. "I hope I didn't scare her."
"I don't think you did," Sho said, smirking. "She's a tough kid, but we should let the girls know so they can keep an eye on her."
"Good idea."
Ume leaned back and pressed her forehead to Sho's, nuzzling it and saying, "Thank you for being here Sho."
"No problem," he replied before leaning in and kissing her gently. Despite the previous tension, he was glad she accepted and even pushed into it a little.
Separating, Sho opened his eyes and saw Ume blushing. He smiled as he brushed some hair from her eyes and said, "I love you, Ume."
"I love you too," replied Ume, her face red as Sho smiled and leaned in for another kiss.
Ume was more than willing to return it, but both she and Sho nearly fell off the couch when Airi appeared out of the bath in nothing but a towel. Her arms raised as she shouted, "I'm done!"
"We can see that," chuckled Ume nervously while Sho sipped his soda in an attempt to keep from laughing. "But uhh, Airi, sweetie, where are your clothes?"
"I don't know," she said, shrugging. "Grandpa didn't put them on the chair Mommy and Mama put them on, so I came here to ask where they were. What were you guys doing?"
"We were talking," explained Ume, standing up and using Sho's head as a support, making him almost spill his drink.
"What was that for," he asked, sounding frustrated, but Ume could hear the laughter in his voice.
"You know why," Ume countered, winking at him before going to help Airi locate her clothes and failing.
"She's right, Sho," Ume said as Airi began making exaggerated shivering noises. "You didn't put her clothes in there."
"Crap," he groaned before draining his glass and standing up. "Okay, that's on Grandpa. Airi, let's head upstairs and get you dressed, and then we'll do your hair. Do you want me or Grandma to help?"
Airi opened her mouth, prepared to say something, only to be interrupted by a voice shouting, "Hello? Mama?! Papa?! I'm back; you guys here?"
Before Sho and Ume could stop her, Airi was off like a rocket, screaming, "Mama," her towel falling to the floor unceremoniously.
"Hi, Sweet...Airi, why are you naked?"
"She just got out of the bath," explained Ume, scooping up the towel, walking to the entrance, and wrapping it around her granddaughter, who was clinging to Yuzu's leg while Yuzu tried to find something to cover the girl with. "She just got out of the bath, and your dad forgot to put her clothes out. We were about to help her dress for bed and do her hair when you came in."
"Oh, that explains a lot." Yuzu chuckled and pat Airi's head, feeling her pant leg grow wet from the towel and her daughter's hug. "Airi, you need to let Mama go so you can get dressed."
"Can you help me?" asked Airi, separating from Yuzu's leg and holding her towel tight while following Yuzu and Ume into the living room.
When they entered, Sho was waving at her, looking apologetic.
"Sorry about that, Yuzu," he said, scratching his head. "It's been a busy day, and I was rushing to clean up after dinner and get her in the bath that I must have forgot to get her clothes."
"It's fine," laughed Yuzu while Airi looked up at her, expecting an answer. "Thanks for taking care of her today; it was a big help, but if you want, you can head home, and I can take over."
"We already planned on staying the night," said Ume, doing her best to hug Yuzu. "So tomorrow, you can sleep in, and we'll take care of getting Airi to school and stay up to make sure Hideki comes home. I was thinking of making a Japanese-style breakfast for tomorrow. Is there anything you want?"
"No natto," cried Airi, running toward the stairs, only to get scooped up by Sho and begin giggling.
"I know that," snorted Ume, waving a hand at her cackling husband and squealing granddaughter. "I was asking your Mama if there's anything she'd want."
"I'm fine with anything, Mama," yawned Yuzu before rubbing her eyes. "I just want to go to bed, so whatever you decide is fine."
"Can you do my hair and read me a story, Mama," asked Airi breathlessly once Sho had set her on the bottom step.
"Airi," Sho warned quietly. "Mama just got home. She's tired and needs rest."
"I know," whined Airi, pulling her towel tighter. "But Mommy said when she called during dinner, she couldn't read my story, so I thought Mama could."
"I can do one or the other, Airi," said Yuzu, cutting off Sho but giving him an appreciative look. "Mama's too tired to do both, so you must pick one."
"But..."
"Airi," said Yuzu sternly. "You get one from me tonight. I've had a long couple of days, and I'm not in the mood, so you need to pick."
"If I pick the story, can I sleep in your bed?" asked Airi, knowing the answer.
Knowing it would come to this, Yuzu shook her head and said, "Yes, if I read you your story, I'll read it in my and Mommy's bed so you can sleep with me."
"Then I want the story," said Airi, beaming at her mother before running up the stairs. "Thanks, Mama!"
"You're welcome," said Yuzu, rolling her eyes and giving Sho a quick hug before he followed up after her.
"I guess that means he's going to be doing her hair," laughed Ume, following Yuzu into the kitchen. You spoil that girl, just like you spoiled Hideki."
"It's only a story," Yuzu countered as she filled the electric kettle and began heating some water. Besides, if she was in bed, I was going to carry her into my room anyway, so this cuts out my having to lift her."
While Yuzu gathered the stuff she'd need to make her tea, Ume noticed a slight limp in her daughter's step and asked, "Did you hurt yourself?"
"Nah," said Yuzu, filling an infuser with loose leaves and warming a teacup with hot water. "I'm just sore after working, and it took us forever to drive back, so I'm a bit stiff. Udagawa-san is dropping off the van at the restaurant, and the morning crew will empty it for us. We'll have to pay a little overtime, but it was worth it to get home early, and thankfully, we did most of the cleanup at the hotel they rented for us, so most of the hard stuff is done."
"Do you need to take a bath?" Ume asked, noticing the tired look on her daughter's face. "Airi just got out, and I can run you a fresh one if the water's too cold."
"I'll take a shower when I wake up." Yuzu flashed a tired grin as she dried her mug, filled it with hot water, and added the tea. "I just want to climb into bed and read Airi her story."
"Sorry about the naked ambush incident," said Ume, her face bright red. "She had a tough time this afternoon, and on top of Mei calling to say she wouldn't be able to read to her due to a last-minute meeting, she was a little upset, but as you can see, she's gotten over it."
"Yeah, I can understand her being upset about Mei," chuckled Yuzu before taking a sip and sighing loudly. "Man, that's good. But yeah, Airi and Hideki always preferred Mei reading to them. Although, for Hideki, I think it was because he got a kick out of watching Mei struggle to try and be entertaining."
"Just goes to show how much she's improved."
Ume and Yuzu both chuckled, and after downing half her cup, Yuzu asked, "What happened this afternoon? Did something happen at school or while you were out? I know she was with Mei because the teachers had meetings, but she should have been fine with her."
"It had nothing to do with Mei," began Ume before explaining what happened at the cemetery.
By the time she finished, Ume was amazed that she wasn't as troubled as she'd been with Sho and was happy when Yuzu pulled her into a hug after recounting what had happened.
"I'm sorry, Mama," whispered Yuzu while Ume hugged and patted her back.
"It's okay, Yuzu. I'm fine, and your dad and I talked it over just before you came home. He'll come with me next time, and we'll figure it out. You didn't do anything wrong, and I needed to go, so don't be sorry, okay?"
"Are you sure," asked Yuzu, holding onto her mother. "I can go if you don't want to. I'll figure out a way to make time for it."
"I appreciate that, Yuzu." Ume gave Yuzu another gentle pat on the back before pushing her away and kissing her daughter on the cheek. "But it's time I start going. You've taken care of it for so long, so it's time I start doing my share. But if you want to come, I'd like the extra company."
"I'll try," said Yuzu, stepping away and smiling at her mom. "I'm glad Papa was there to help you, and that Airi's okay."
"She was a big help," said Ume, patting Yuzu's forearm. "She's a good girl but could be a little more polite to people."
"What'd she do this time," sighed Yuzu, pouring herself another glass. "She mouth off to the attendant?"
"Not the attendant," laughed Ume, reaching into her pocket and pulling out the card Manami had given her. "We ran into your old friend, Manami-chan, while we were there, and Airi went into that defensive, guard-dog mode she has when meeting people she doesn't trust. Are you okay?"
Ume walked up and began rubbing Yuzu's back as she coughed and rubbed her chest, barely managing to ask, "You saw Manami?"
"Yes," answered Ume, surprised at her daughter's reaction. "She gave me her card and her information so you could contact her and get in touch. She asked if I could give her your information, but I thought this would be better."
"That was smart," said Yuzu, finally catching her breath, though her chest hurt.
Taking the card from her mother, Yuzu said, "I'll think about it, Mama. I appreciate it."
"Are you sure?" Ume asked, her eyebrow raised. "That reaction felt extreme for me just telling you an old friend wanted to hear from you."
"I'll tell you about it later," exhaled Yuzu, trying to control her heart rate. "But, seriously, I appreciate you doing this instead of just giving out my phone number. I'll consider contacting her once everything's calmed down at the restaurant, and I get to talk to Mei."
"Okay."
While Yuzu cleaned up her tea, Ume could tell that there was something her daughter wasn't telling her, but she held back on pushing her, knowing that if she did, it would probably end badly.
"Is there anything else you need to tell me?" asked Yuzu after she had put her cup on the drainboard. "Anything Airi said or did or stuff about Dad?"
"Not tonight," said Ume before holding up a hand, heading to her bag, and removing the lighter. "But I figured it's about time I gave you this."
She pressed the cool metal into Yuzu's hand and watched as her daughter's face screwed up in confusion when she saw what it was.
"Where'd you get this from?"
"It was your dad's," explained Ume. "Your birth dad's, I mean. He got it from your grandfather, and it's one of the few things he brought with us when we left home. I figured you'd want it since Airi will probably tell you about it soon, and when we're both ready, I can tell you some stories about him. It's real gold, by the way, so don't lose it. Also, I just had it cleaned, but next time, I'll take you to the specialist I use, so you don't have to worry about it."
"I remember this," Yuzu whispered as she fiddled with the lid. "You used to light my birthday candles with it. This was Dad's? Where's it been?"
"I did, and it was." Ume took a deep breath and exhaled loudly. "I thought I lost it until last year when I was cleaning up mine and Sho's place. It was in some random box and must have been shuffled around over the years, but I lost track of it. Luckily, it didn't break, but I had to do minor repairs and cleaning. If I'd known where it was, I'd have given it to you when Hideki was born. I'm sorry it took so long."
"It's okay, Mama," said Yuzu, wiping a tear away. "Thank you. I mean, I don't smoke or anything but thank you. I'll take good care of it."
"I know you will." Ume leaned in and kissed Yuzu's cheek before waving her toward the stairs.
"Now get going. You don't want to keep Airi waiting."
Nodding, Yuzu kissed her mother's cheek and thanked her again before walking up the stairs.
A moment later, Ume heard Airi roar, followed by a surprised shout from Yuzu and Sho's laughter.
This was followed by Airi squealing in delight, her feet thundering as Yuzu chased her upstairs.
Closing her eyes, Ume leaned against the counter, smiling as the happy sounds of her family filled the house.