Engagement Party

January 19th, 2010.

Michiko and Hideki threw a party to celebrate their second engagement. Their children put on brave faces. Just make it through this evening and then work on slowing down the wedding plans.

“Any ideas yet?” Ryo whispered in their room. Kagome shook her head.

“Not yet,” she said. He held her hand as she gritted her teeth.

“We’ll figure something out,” Ryo said. He kissed her on the cheek. Kagome breathed hard through her nose.

“Kids, could you come down and help out?” Hideki asked.

“Yes!” Kagome and Ryo said. The young couple headed downstairs.

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The party began at noon. Hideki and Michiko greeted their guests at the door.

“Welcome!” Michiko said. She proudly showed off her ring. Her friends whistled at the fat rock.

“Wow!” one of them said. Hideki kissed his fiancée on the cheek. Their children sat in the living room. This was their parents’ day. Save the scheming for tomorrow. But yet…

“Kagome-chan,” Ryo whispered.

“Yeah?” she asked.

“What will we do with us?” her boyfriend asked. Kagome turned her head.

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“Will we get married before they do?” he asked. “If they go through this now…”

“I know,” Kagome said.

“So what will we do?” Ryo asked. Kagome pressed her forehead against his.

“We will work through that,” she whispered. Her words sounded uneasy. Ryo had to force himself to smile. Hideki and Michiko walked back into the living room.

“Welcome!” Hideki said as he held his fiancée. “Thank you for coming out our party.” He kissed Michiko on the cheek. Kagome rolled her eyes as her mother giggled.

“You’re being icky!” she shouted, half-jokingly.

“Oh hush!” Michiko shouted. The whole room laughed. She kissed Hideki on the cheek.

The party buzzed with life. Hideki and Michiko answered many questions. Their children decided to socialize for a short time to be convincing. Ryo looked around for someone to talk to. He happened to notice a woman with her dark blue hair pinned back and dressed in a black kimono. The boy tilted his head.

Is that…

Ryo pushed his way through the crowd. The woman on the other side of the room looked up.

“Ryo-kun?” she asked. The boy made it over to her.

“Grandma?” he asked. The woman narrowed her brown eyes.

“It is you!” she said.

“When do you get into Osaka?” he asked.

“This morning.”

“Wow.” Ryo couldn’t remember the last time he saw his grandmother. When Hideki and Michiko divorced, she went back to Sapporo. She only called around Christmastime.

“When are your dad and Michiko marrying again?” his grandmother asked.

“Don’t know,” Ryo said.

“I really liked them together. I hope it really lasts this time.”

“Me too.” Just not yet!

“And how are you and Kagome-chan?” the old lady asked. Ryo nodded.

“Good,” he said. The boy stopped himself from saying anymore. Instead, he asked, “How long are you in town for?”

“I haven’t decided yet,” the old lady said after much thought.

“Mom, you made it!” they heard in the distance. She turned in time to see Hideki pushing his way over.

“But of course,” his mother said. “What kind of mother would I be if I missed my son’s engagement party?” Hideki kissed her on the cheek.

“Michi-chan will be over in a couple of minutes,” he said.

“Alright,” his mother said. “Hana will be here shortly. She had to stop by and pick up a gift.” Hideki nervously laughed.

“You don’t say,” he said.

“Oh, don’t be like that. She’s my best friend and Michi’s mother.”

“I know. But still…”

“I’m sure she’ll get you something nice.”

“Of course she will…”

Ryo slipped away to find Kagome. With both grandmothers in town, the slow-down plans faced a potential headache.

Time to regroup and think this out more.