Hahaue and the baby are coming home today!
I did all of my chores extra good so hahaue knows that we took care of our house while she was gone and doesn’t have to worry!
I guess everyone worried. Eiji-san has been very quiet!
Oh! And I made a sign for the front! I put it up on the engawa! It says “welcome home hahaue and Ai-chan!” I had my teacher at school help me practice and practice to get her name right. Tsutomi-niisan said that I still need more practice…
Also there IS a cake! I told Tsutomu-niisan that it smells SO good.
(OOC – anyone can enter. FYI this would be on the 5th day)
Yuki-ko:
I’m so glad Eiji-kun was with us. Uncle had spent most of the nights in the hospital and some days at work it seems. But Eiji and I were able to take care of the kids without much trouble and was able to take care of the shopping particularly the cake. It’s a rather elaborate “celebration” cake which Uncle told me to get the biggest one we could find. Thankfully there is a European cake shop and the owner had put many pink and red roses and wrote “Welcome Baby” and a big “1” candle in the middle.
It’s just mid morning and thankfully it’s the weekend so the children are all here. I make sure there’s enough seating at the kitchen table for the 6 of us. I smile, now there’ll be 7…
“Is this what you were looking for?” Eiji asks and holds up a handwoven baby bamboo basket. I nod.
“Uncle bought it the other day.” I say and put the linens and pillow in for the baby. “He seems always in a hurry these days.”
“Well he must be excited for the baby.” Eiji says but he doesn’t seem even remotely happy about it.
“Where do we put it?” He asks.
“I guess on the table?” I laugh. I really don’t know. I hope Yagi-san doesn’t mind? I don’t want to put the baby on the floor after all.
“Why don’t you take the baby basket outside so Yagi-san can see it right away?”
“Oh Tomu! I didn’t realize you were there.”
“Once they get here, I’m sure they’ll want to put Ai-chan in the basket. The baby will be tired and will want to sleep.” He sighs, “They’ll probably be tired too.”
He looks around, “Didn’t that come with a stand?”
“Oh yes!” I think that was left in the tatami room. I’ll go get it.” Eiji shakes his head. And I watch as he goes off and gets the stand. I just realized even Eiji, didn’t really have younger siblings. He came to the Fujita family when both Tomu and Yoshi were already grown. Only Tomu remembers having a baby in the house.
“Well why don’t we all go outside then?” I tell Tomu and we see Makoto waiting on the engawa.
“Here you go I got the stand. You can put the baby basket on here.” Eiji says a bit sheepishly but I smile at him. Maybe this baby will brighten up all our days.
“Ready to see your sister Makoto?” Tomu grins at her.
I go and look at the cake one more time. It’s so big!
Once they get here, I’m sure they’ll want to put Ai-chan in the basket. The baby will be tired and will want to sleep. They’ll probably be tired too.
Oooh! “Niisan you know a lot about babies!” I’m going to have to stick close to him so I’ll know a lot, too. Hahaue told me that she was just a little girl when she had to take care of my uncles but she said that I still get to go to school…
But thanks to Tsutomu-niisan, the baby now has a good place to sleep! He knows just how to set it up.
Hahaue said that in Ito, I used to sleep in a basket next to her when she did her work at the ryokan. But I don’t remember that – just the nice ladies in the kitchen who always had sweets and other goodies.
Eiji-san has a funny look and I run over and give him a hug and a big smile. Maybe he’s worried about hahaue and the baby too? It’s a -lot- of changes!
Ready to see your sister Makoto?
“Yes!” They even got a telegram today from Kyoto! But Yukiko-san said that they would have to open it, even though I bet it’s from my uncles!
The gate is opening. I grab Tsutomu-niisan’s hand. “They’re here!”
Maybe she will be cuter than me? But a big sister is important too!
Tsutomu:
Makoto grabs my hand and drags me closer to the gate. While Eiji-nii and Yukiko-nee-chan properly waits on the engawa. I wonder what our new sister looks like?
“She’ll probably be cuter than all of us.” I say matter of factly. After all everyone was wondering how cute the baby was. Well it’s a baby… It’s supposed to be cute.
Hajime:
After thanking the driver he leaves. I’ll have to make sure to put in a good word for him.
Hide holds our little one so tenderly, it’s a good sight to see. Our little one is fully wrapped in linens and you can only see part of her face.
“You’ll be in nice beddings soon Ai-chan.” I say and touch her cheek. Shifting the bag that Hide used in the hospital, I open the gates. And of course as soon as it opens I hear chattering and our two children right by the gates.
“Tadaima.” I tell both of them and let Hide and the baby in, locking the gates behind them.
(OOC: You can walk them in)
Makoto:
She’ll probably be cuter than all of us
“Oh don’t worry you’re cute too Tsutomu-niisan,” I giggle and I jump and try to tousle his hair but I can’t reach all the way up there.
Then the gates open and I see all of them! Chichiue has a bag and Hahaue has a bunch of white blankets! “Is there a baby in there?”
(Hide)
This carriage ride is a contrast… a stately pace compared to the last time. I hold Ai-chan carefully and I find Hajime’s eyes on us… as always careful.
You’ll be in nice beddings soon Ai-chan
And then he so softly touches her cheek and she just -looks- at him, her little mouth open. I love to see this… I’ve seen how good of a father he can be, but he’s so tender with this little one.
It feels like forever since we’ve been home, but since coming back from Ito, only the trip to Aizu took me away longer and I long for this place. It’s not just a house, but it’s the place where we found each other and started our family. And then, it became our home again, with a larger family than I had ever imagined.
Both Makoto and Tsutomu-kun wait right by the gate and I look over to see Yukiko-san and Eiji-san over on the engawa, along with a beautiful baby basket. I look back at the two children – Makoto, radiating energy and excitement, while Tsutomu-kun is more restrained but… interested? I smile softly at the two of them.
Is there a baby in there?
“Yes, and she can’t wait to see her big brother and sister. How about I sit on the engawa and we can all have a look?”
“Hahaue your tummy is still big!” Makoto chimes in…
I laugh as I walk to the engawa. “I was so big, with your sister in there. It will take some time to get back in shape.”
Finally I sit down, and beckon the children to sit closely, as I support the baby’s head in the crook of my arm, and I pull down some of the blankets. And there she is, alert and awake. “Ai-chan, this is your big sister, Makoto-neesan, and your big brother, Tsutomu-niisan. They’re going to take good care of you.”
(Makoto)
“Can I touch her?”
Hahaue nods.
I reach for one of her little hands – they’re so little! “Chichiue she does have your eyes!” Okay I wanted eyes like his… but they are cute on her!
(OOC: will reply tom)
We walk back to the engawa and I notice he keeps looking at Yagi-san and the baby. It’s like he can’t take his eyes off them. Wasn’t he with them all week already? But I guess that’s nice.
“Hahaue your tummy is still big!”
I can’t help but snicker a little at Makoto-chan’s comment to her mother. I watch to see his reaction but he just smiles at Makoto. Of course Yagi-san seems a little unsettled by the question and just -had- to say something as we get back to the engawa.
“I was so big, with your sister in there. It will take some time to get back in shape.”
“Ah whatever your mother’s shape will be fine Makoto.” He answers without being asked! He lights up. “If your mother looked like she was still so young, someone might think she’s available and that would be troublesome.”
Suddenly Eiji-san coughs and looks away and father suddenly has a wry look on his face. What was that about? He wasn’t making a comment about him. But as soon as he notices Eiji-san, he wipes off the wry look and instead turns to Ai-chan and Makoto-chan with a happier face.
Can I touch her?
Makoto seems really excited. I’m glad she’s over that worry about having a little sister as she takes Ai-chan’s little hands.
“Chichiue she does have your eyes!”
He grins proudly. “Ai-chan has my eyes…” He looks at Makoto-chan, “And you’ve always had my hair. You two are my treasures.” He tells them.
Oh. That’s right… They’re his treasures now.
I look at Ai-chan, she looks sleepy. I wish these people would just put her in the basket and let her go to sleep!
“Congratulations Uncle and… Umm Auntie?” Yukiko-nee-san finally aproaches. That’s the first time I heard her refer to Yagi-san as an Aunt. I was going to tell her she’s got it wrong, you only call someone an Aunt if the woman is the wife of your Uncle.
Suddenly he flicks his cigarette away and surrounds Yagi-san and the baby with an arm. “Thank you Yukiko. Your Aunt and I are very happy and very -thankful- for all your help.” He looks at the baby again, “I’m glad we have another addition to the Yamaguchi family.”
Wait that’s wrong… He’s not a Yamaguchi. He’s the head of the Fujita family. “Isn’t Ai-chan supposed to be in the Fujita house?” I ask suddenly alarmed. Looking at the baby. The Yamaguchi family ends with Yukiko-nee-san.
(Hide)
There’s a little too much discussion about my figure… and I catch Eiji-san’s expression when Hajime mentioned someone thinking that I was available.
Ai-chan has my eyes… And you’ve always had my hair. You two are my treasures.
“Ah, but your boys have the same dark, dark hair, as does Yukiko-san. Eiji-san, we’re the ones with this light hair,” I laugh – we are all Japanese so “lightness” is rather relative. But I’m a little worried about the “treasure” comment. Doesn’t he realize that his son is right here?
Congratulations Uncle and… Umm Auntie
I smile over at Yukiko-san. This is the first time she’s called me Aunt. “Thank you. And it’s thanks to you for helping out so much with household chores that I was able to rest and be healthy for this little one.” Hajime thanks her as well.
I’m glad we have another addition to the Yamaguchi family.
Isn’t Ai-chan supposed to be in the Fujita house?
I’m a little surprised… no, rather surprised but it’s Tsutomu-kun’s reaction… adding to his comment about “treasures” a moment ago, I wonder if Tsutomu-kun’s feeling erased… or that another sibling is being cleaved away from him.
That, and I assumed “Yamaguchi” was a temporary one, and that the goal was Fujita. It would seem strange to have the name, the one that was -hers-… but aren’t the children supposed to be of his house?
Makoto gets up and -pulls- Tsutomu-kun closer. “Look! At her little hands!” She places Ai-chan’s little hands in his and Ai-chan wraps her fingers around one of his. She then -stares- at him like she does Hajime, and then starts making happy baby noises.
“Ai-chan, this is your big brother Tsutomu-niisan. He’s been a very good big brother to Makoto-neesan… he’s always been a good big brother.” After all there’s a child missing here today. I smile at him. “Would you like to hold her?” I’ll let Makoto do it later, when she’s calmed down.
“Oh! I bet she’s hungry!” Makoto chimes in. “I’ll go get her some cake!” She stands up.
Hajime:
Hide thanks Yukiko and just as we’re all in this rather pleasant situation. Leave it to my son to blurt out something inappropriate.
Isn’t Ai-chan supposed to be in the Fujita house?
I cough, “Once I come back from Aizu next week then yes.” I didn’t want anyone to be reminded of the situation we found ourselves in, so I stare hard at my son but what’s done is done. “For now she’s of Yamaguchi blood.”
Thankfully Makoto pulls him towards Ai-chan. That boy will never understand.
Tsutomu:
“For now she’s of Yamaguchi blood.”
I was just about to ask him what -that- means but Makoto-chan pulls me over.
“Look! At her little hands!
I hold my pinky for Ai-chan to hold. “Hi Baby Ai.” I smile at the baby but it stares back at me instead. “What? Do i have something on my face? You weird baby.” I tell it and shake the little pinky a little.
“Would you like to hold her?”
“Umm no.” I shake my head at Yagi-san. “She looks tired. You should put her to bed soon.”
Standing up I see Makoto leave saying something about cake. “Babies can’t eat cake! They need milk.” But she’s gone. I shrug and stand off to the side.
“Otou-san, now that you’re back. I’ll be taking my leave.” Eiji-nii-san tells him.
“So soon?” He lights up.
“Well it’s been several days and I no longer have a change of clothes.”
“You sure?”
“Yes sir.”
“Fine.”
Eiji-nii bows to him and then to Yagi-san but I notice he doesn’t meeet their eyes. “Congratulations again Yagi-san for having such a beautiful child.”
(OOC: Eiji will exit unless something else happens.)