(no subject)
ED: Hmmm... Senium is right. I seem to have broke canon. I'm going to have to fix that. *sigh* I have thoughts. The easiest is to make this PGSM, but that follows the manga so closely most of the time it would feel kinda like a cop-out. I have another idea, but it will require more work. *amused smile* Which will make you two happy 'cause more to read, but... No worries. I like this little series the way it is, so even if I need to mark it AU I'm not gonna change it much.
And now, off to church (yes again) and then to my concert. Here's hoping the weather clears up! ^-^
Title: Announcement
Author: Raya
Theme: All in the Family / Announcement
Genre: Drama
Version: Manga
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: ~1327
Disclaimer: Saeko Mizuno was created by Takeuchi Naoko. I have merely borrowed her for a short while.
Canon, spelling, grammar, and punctuation corrections are appreciated. So is constructive criticism and general comments. Please let me know if you see something that you like or that should be corrected. Thanks! - Raya
Continued from Small Acts of Kindness
Announcement
“The sakura are just about ready to pop open,” Yuki announced to her family as she put the rice on the table and sat down. “We should think about when we want to go out for hanami.”
“Itadakimasu!” everyone chorused as they clapped their hands in front of them.
“This looks really good,” her husband, Ichiro, exclaimed as he snagged some sukiyaki for his plate. From the corner of his eye, he watched as his daughter, Saeko, quietly spooned some rice into her bowl. “How about next week?” he added as he switched his gaze back to his wife. “I think I might be able to slip out of the office next Saturday...”
Yuki nodded as she added some pickled vegetables to her plate. “Saturday should be good. How about you, Saeko? Do you have a test coming up that you need to study for? Or can you come with us Saturday, too?”
Saeko's hand tightened on her chopsticks. 'Here it is... Tell them now...' “No... I do not think I have a test,” she said instead.
“Wonderful! Next Saturday it is,” Yuki exclaimed brightly. “I can hardly wait... And I hope the sakura do!” She laughed gaily at her joke as her husband smiled indulgently at her. Her face dimmed, however, when she saw Saeko bow her head. She exchanged a worried look with her husband, and then tried to continue with their efforts to make their daughter relax and cheer up. “What shall we have?”
“How about your wonderful udon noodles?” Ichiro suggested. “You like those best, right, Saeko-san?” Saeko nodded silently as she lifted some rice to her mouth. He waited for her to make a suggestion herself, and then turned to smile at his wife. “And odango. What would hanami be without your odango?”
Saeko ate quietly, cursing herself for her inability to reassure them. They were trying so hard; they had to know that something was bothering her. But when she told them... Her stomach clenched nervously. She hated to disappoint them, and they were going to be very disappointed when she finally got the courage up to make her announcement.
When they had finished their meal and the plans for the hanami party had given way to gossip about the neighbors, Saeko knew that she could not put it off any longer. Their voices were getting a little desperate now.
“Mother... Father...” she said, interrupting her mother's story about some laundry that had flown away. “I... I have something... I must tell you.”
Yuki and Ichiro stilled instantly and gave her their full attention. “Yes, Saeko-san, what is it?” her father asked.
She took a deep breath, placing her hands over her churning abdomen. “I... I am temporarily dropping out of medical school,” she said rapidly. She kept her eyes fixed on the table, but she could easily imagine the shock and disbelief on their faces. “I will go back, I promise, but I cannot... not for a few years at least.”
“Saeko... But why?” her mother asked softly.
“It doesn't matter,” her father replied. “If that is what you want to do, that is what you want to do.” He paused, and then continued a little bitterly. “It's that Henri-san, isn't it. You still can't get over him.” Saeko saw his hand curl into a fist as she winced away. “I wish you had never met that boy!”
“Dear! Don't say that!” Yuki exclaimed as she reached a soothing hand towards him. “You don't mean it. Henri-san was a wonderful man.”
Saeko bit her inner lip, and then slowly looked up to meet her father's gaze. “No, sir,” she managed to choke out around the lump in her throat. “It's not about Henri. At least... Not directly.” She knew that he was just being protective of her, but it still hurt to hear him speak so angrily about the man she loved. “It's...”
“What, darling?” her mother asked encouragingly as her voice faded away. “What is the matter? You can tell us.”
Saeko swallowed, and opened her mouth. She opened and shut it wordlessly several times, and then blurted out the worst of the news. “I'm pregnant!” Her blue eyes flew to her mother's brown ones, begging for forgiveness.
Yuki stared back at her in shock at the unexpected announcement. “You're...”
“Pregnant?” Ichiro exclaimed in disbelief. “Who? How? When? When did this happen?!”
“Oh, honey,” Yuki breathed as several things suddenly began to make sense. “Oh, honey!” Quickly, she got up from the table and moved to hug her daughter.
“Who's the father?” Ichiro asked angrily. “Has he turned you out? How dare he use you like that...”
“Dear, hush!” Yuki said sharply. When she turned back to her daughter, her voice and expression gentled again. “It's all right, Saeko. It really is all right.”
“Mama...” Saeko collapsed into the loving embrace and felt the tears finally begin to fall. “Mama, I'm so scared...”
“I know, honey, I know,” Yuki cooed as she rocked her daughter back and forth. “But it will be all right. We're here for you. How far?”
“Three or four months,” Saeko choked out. “I found out... that day...”
Yuki winced in sympathy, and then hugged her daughter tighter. “And you have kept it to yourself all this time? You poor thing... You should have told us. We could have helped more...”
Saeko shook her head and slowly straightened up, wiping at the tears on her face. “You have been wonderful,” she whispered. “You helped me to keep going... And you helped me to take care of it with your support and good food.”
“Three or four months...” Ichiro said in a thoughtful voice. “Then the father is...”
Saeko nodded. “He... Henri.” She gave him a sorrowful look. “I didn't know... I didn't tell him... I thought I was just studying too hard...”
He shook his head as Yuki gave her another strong squeeze. “That's all right, then.” When she blinked at him in surprise, he nodded. “He was a good man. One that I would have happily welcomed into the family.” He smiled a little at her. “And after four years, it was a little obvious that that was likely to happen.” His look became a little more stern. “Is that the reason you wish to drop out of medical school?”
Saeko nodded uncertainly. His frown deepened. “Why? Because you think that this would bring shame on our family?” As she blushed and ducked her head, he huffed at her and shook his head. “There is no shame. You cannot leave school.”
“Yes, she can,” Yuki said as Saeko stiffened. She lowered her eyes submissively as her husband glared at her, but continued. “Think about it, Dear. She is about four months pregnant. The morning sickness is already starting. And the school is extremely competitive. She will be even more exhausted as the months wear on.”
Saeko nodded, and then interrupted. “I could handle that, I think. But the next step is residency. That means working long hours on my feet, intermittent meals... None of that would be healthy for my baby.” She slid her hand protectively over her abdomen once more. “And then I would have to take off for maternity leave in the middle of it...”
Ichiro's face relaxed slowly as he listened to their arguments. “Maybe so... Maybe so... But you cannot drop out yet.” He gave his women a stern look as they started to protest again. “You will finish this semester. And you will take your final exams. Then, you may take leave just before residency starts.” When Saeko blinked uncertainly at him, he smiled at her. “You will not let your hard work go to waste. Mama and I will be here to help you however we can. But you will show your professors that you are not weak.”
Saeko looked at him for a long moment, and then slowly began to smile. “Yes, sir.”
Just one left to go I think... Well, one that is plotted at any rate.
grrrr... Not only do I have to contend with Firefox 3 crashes and IE that lets all the ads through (*shudder*), but the internet itself is having problems. *bang head* I tried to post this before church... About 5 hours ago. No luck. Ah, but you get it now, so things are looking brighter, ne? ^-^ Enjoy!
And now, off to church (yes again) and then to my concert. Here's hoping the weather clears up! ^-^
Title: Announcement
Author: Raya
Theme: All in the Family / Announcement
Genre: Drama
Version: Manga
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: ~1327
Disclaimer: Saeko Mizuno was created by Takeuchi Naoko. I have merely borrowed her for a short while.
Canon, spelling, grammar, and punctuation corrections are appreciated. So is constructive criticism and general comments. Please let me know if you see something that you like or that should be corrected. Thanks! - Raya
Continued from Small Acts of Kindness
Announcement
“The sakura are just about ready to pop open,” Yuki announced to her family as she put the rice on the table and sat down. “We should think about when we want to go out for hanami.”
“Itadakimasu!” everyone chorused as they clapped their hands in front of them.
“This looks really good,” her husband, Ichiro, exclaimed as he snagged some sukiyaki for his plate. From the corner of his eye, he watched as his daughter, Saeko, quietly spooned some rice into her bowl. “How about next week?” he added as he switched his gaze back to his wife. “I think I might be able to slip out of the office next Saturday...”
Yuki nodded as she added some pickled vegetables to her plate. “Saturday should be good. How about you, Saeko? Do you have a test coming up that you need to study for? Or can you come with us Saturday, too?”
Saeko's hand tightened on her chopsticks. 'Here it is... Tell them now...' “No... I do not think I have a test,” she said instead.
“Wonderful! Next Saturday it is,” Yuki exclaimed brightly. “I can hardly wait... And I hope the sakura do!” She laughed gaily at her joke as her husband smiled indulgently at her. Her face dimmed, however, when she saw Saeko bow her head. She exchanged a worried look with her husband, and then tried to continue with their efforts to make their daughter relax and cheer up. “What shall we have?”
“How about your wonderful udon noodles?” Ichiro suggested. “You like those best, right, Saeko-san?” Saeko nodded silently as she lifted some rice to her mouth. He waited for her to make a suggestion herself, and then turned to smile at his wife. “And odango. What would hanami be without your odango?”
Saeko ate quietly, cursing herself for her inability to reassure them. They were trying so hard; they had to know that something was bothering her. But when she told them... Her stomach clenched nervously. She hated to disappoint them, and they were going to be very disappointed when she finally got the courage up to make her announcement.
When they had finished their meal and the plans for the hanami party had given way to gossip about the neighbors, Saeko knew that she could not put it off any longer. Their voices were getting a little desperate now.
“Mother... Father...” she said, interrupting her mother's story about some laundry that had flown away. “I... I have something... I must tell you.”
Yuki and Ichiro stilled instantly and gave her their full attention. “Yes, Saeko-san, what is it?” her father asked.
She took a deep breath, placing her hands over her churning abdomen. “I... I am temporarily dropping out of medical school,” she said rapidly. She kept her eyes fixed on the table, but she could easily imagine the shock and disbelief on their faces. “I will go back, I promise, but I cannot... not for a few years at least.”
“Saeko... But why?” her mother asked softly.
“It doesn't matter,” her father replied. “If that is what you want to do, that is what you want to do.” He paused, and then continued a little bitterly. “It's that Henri-san, isn't it. You still can't get over him.” Saeko saw his hand curl into a fist as she winced away. “I wish you had never met that boy!”
“Dear! Don't say that!” Yuki exclaimed as she reached a soothing hand towards him. “You don't mean it. Henri-san was a wonderful man.”
Saeko bit her inner lip, and then slowly looked up to meet her father's gaze. “No, sir,” she managed to choke out around the lump in her throat. “It's not about Henri. At least... Not directly.” She knew that he was just being protective of her, but it still hurt to hear him speak so angrily about the man she loved. “It's...”
“What, darling?” her mother asked encouragingly as her voice faded away. “What is the matter? You can tell us.”
Saeko swallowed, and opened her mouth. She opened and shut it wordlessly several times, and then blurted out the worst of the news. “I'm pregnant!” Her blue eyes flew to her mother's brown ones, begging for forgiveness.
Yuki stared back at her in shock at the unexpected announcement. “You're...”
“Pregnant?” Ichiro exclaimed in disbelief. “Who? How? When? When did this happen?!”
“Oh, honey,” Yuki breathed as several things suddenly began to make sense. “Oh, honey!” Quickly, she got up from the table and moved to hug her daughter.
“Who's the father?” Ichiro asked angrily. “Has he turned you out? How dare he use you like that...”
“Dear, hush!” Yuki said sharply. When she turned back to her daughter, her voice and expression gentled again. “It's all right, Saeko. It really is all right.”
“Mama...” Saeko collapsed into the loving embrace and felt the tears finally begin to fall. “Mama, I'm so scared...”
“I know, honey, I know,” Yuki cooed as she rocked her daughter back and forth. “But it will be all right. We're here for you. How far?”
“Three or four months,” Saeko choked out. “I found out... that day...”
Yuki winced in sympathy, and then hugged her daughter tighter. “And you have kept it to yourself all this time? You poor thing... You should have told us. We could have helped more...”
Saeko shook her head and slowly straightened up, wiping at the tears on her face. “You have been wonderful,” she whispered. “You helped me to keep going... And you helped me to take care of it with your support and good food.”
“Three or four months...” Ichiro said in a thoughtful voice. “Then the father is...”
Saeko nodded. “He... Henri.” She gave him a sorrowful look. “I didn't know... I didn't tell him... I thought I was just studying too hard...”
He shook his head as Yuki gave her another strong squeeze. “That's all right, then.” When she blinked at him in surprise, he nodded. “He was a good man. One that I would have happily welcomed into the family.” He smiled a little at her. “And after four years, it was a little obvious that that was likely to happen.” His look became a little more stern. “Is that the reason you wish to drop out of medical school?”
Saeko nodded uncertainly. His frown deepened. “Why? Because you think that this would bring shame on our family?” As she blushed and ducked her head, he huffed at her and shook his head. “There is no shame. You cannot leave school.”
“Yes, she can,” Yuki said as Saeko stiffened. She lowered her eyes submissively as her husband glared at her, but continued. “Think about it, Dear. She is about four months pregnant. The morning sickness is already starting. And the school is extremely competitive. She will be even more exhausted as the months wear on.”
Saeko nodded, and then interrupted. “I could handle that, I think. But the next step is residency. That means working long hours on my feet, intermittent meals... None of that would be healthy for my baby.” She slid her hand protectively over her abdomen once more. “And then I would have to take off for maternity leave in the middle of it...”
Ichiro's face relaxed slowly as he listened to their arguments. “Maybe so... Maybe so... But you cannot drop out yet.” He gave his women a stern look as they started to protest again. “You will finish this semester. And you will take your final exams. Then, you may take leave just before residency starts.” When Saeko blinked uncertainly at him, he smiled at her. “You will not let your hard work go to waste. Mama and I will be here to help you however we can. But you will show your professors that you are not weak.”
Saeko looked at him for a long moment, and then slowly began to smile. “Yes, sir.”
Just one left to go I think... Well, one that is plotted at any rate.
grrrr... Not only do I have to contend with Firefox 3 crashes and IE that lets all the ads through (*shudder*), but the internet itself is having problems. *bang head* I tried to post this before church... About 5 hours ago. No luck. Ah, but you get it now, so things are looking brighter, ne? ^-^ Enjoy!