SUNDAY - DECEMBER 24 - LATE EVENING
As Rtisuko reached the bottom of the flight of stairs, she was greeted by a mixture of smells that were coming from the kitchen. Dinner was nearly done, and her mother was calling for Ritsuko to come help set the table. Ritsuko hesitated, taking in the scents which helped to lift her spirits, before heading towards the kitchen. Her mother Mutsumi, with her hair pulled into a bun and an apron tied around her, was busy at work preparing several dishes that were nearing perfection. A tall man stood in the kitchen, using the counter to prop himself up. He was Mutsumi's current boyfriend. Ritsuko didn't know much about him other than he was supposedly humorous (Ritsuko didn't find him very funny at all). It was his first time at their house, as Mutsumi usually went to his house as was her way with past boyfriends. Bringing them to her home made Mutsumi feel older with Ritsuko around.
The man was talking to Mutsumi when Ritsuko entered the room, and her mother was laughing and telling him to stop. He leaned towards Mutsumi and swiftly gave her bottom a soft smack causing her to protest meekly, enjoying the raunchy attention. Ritsuko gave them a look that was between shock and disgusted as she quickly grabbed the dinnerware that they would be using tonight. She headed into the small dining room with the sunken table positioned in the center of the room. It was taking everything in her to push back the negative thoughts that kept creepy on to the edge of her mind. She felt like such a loser, and everything today was just the punctuation to her thoughts. Here it was Christmas Eve, and she was stuck being the third wheel to her mother and that man. Christmas Eve was supposed to be romantic and spent between lovers, yet here she was, intruding on her mother's romantic dinner. She glanced back in disdain at the kitchen just in time to witness a kiss between the couple. She rolled her eyes and turned her attention back towards the table.
She missed him. There wasn't a day that he wasn't in her head, invading her fantasies. She often wondered if he had already moved on. He was a nice guy, of course he would have already found someone. 'I'll bet she's beautiful, too,' she thought depressed. 'And she's got the one thing that I have to live without.' For a fleeting moment, she thought about calling him. She wanted to hear his voice again. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and looked at the glossy screen. Maybe she could email him...
She placed the phone back into her pocket, forcing back the tears. She had to move on, no matter how painful it was. She couldn't just follow him around pathetically, especially when it was her fault they broke up in the first place. She had to let go.
Her mother's shrill laughter broke her trail of thoughts. Ritsuko hurried to finish setting the table. "Mom~ I'm going out. I'll only be a minute. Go ahead and eat without me," she called into the kitchen as she headed towards the stairs, not waiting for her mom's response. Just a walk was all she needed. Plus, her mom deserved a romantic dinner with just the guy. Within minutes she was back down the stairs and heading out the door, the cold night air nipping her face. She welcomed it.
The man was talking to Mutsumi when Ritsuko entered the room, and her mother was laughing and telling him to stop. He leaned towards Mutsumi and swiftly gave her bottom a soft smack causing her to protest meekly, enjoying the raunchy attention. Ritsuko gave them a look that was between shock and disgusted as she quickly grabbed the dinnerware that they would be using tonight. She headed into the small dining room with the sunken table positioned in the center of the room. It was taking everything in her to push back the negative thoughts that kept creepy on to the edge of her mind. She felt like such a loser, and everything today was just the punctuation to her thoughts. Here it was Christmas Eve, and she was stuck being the third wheel to her mother and that man. Christmas Eve was supposed to be romantic and spent between lovers, yet here she was, intruding on her mother's romantic dinner. She glanced back in disdain at the kitchen just in time to witness a kiss between the couple. She rolled her eyes and turned her attention back towards the table.
She missed him. There wasn't a day that he wasn't in her head, invading her fantasies. She often wondered if he had already moved on. He was a nice guy, of course he would have already found someone. 'I'll bet she's beautiful, too,' she thought depressed. 'And she's got the one thing that I have to live without.' For a fleeting moment, she thought about calling him. She wanted to hear his voice again. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and looked at the glossy screen. Maybe she could email him...
She placed the phone back into her pocket, forcing back the tears. She had to move on, no matter how painful it was. She couldn't just follow him around pathetically, especially when it was her fault they broke up in the first place. She had to let go.
Her mother's shrill laughter broke her trail of thoughts. Ritsuko hurried to finish setting the table. "Mom~ I'm going out. I'll only be a minute. Go ahead and eat without me," she called into the kitchen as she headed towards the stairs, not waiting for her mom's response. Just a walk was all she needed. Plus, her mom deserved a romantic dinner with just the guy. Within minutes she was back down the stairs and heading out the door, the cold night air nipping her face. She welcomed it.