"Damn, you're fat," Amaya said as she entered the den where Shaundra was standing, leafing through some movies.
"Thank you," Shaundra replied trying to ignore her, especially since Yori eyes pleaded with her not to kill his wife.
"Where the hell have you been? If I were Ichiro, I would be wondering if he's the babies' father."
Shaundra glared at her. Pregnant or no she'd take her ass out. "True, they could even be Yori's."
Amaya's mouth opened like a carp and then closed.
"Nonsense. My husband would not touch you with a ten-foot pole."
Yori nodded that he would behind Amaya's back.
"I think I better get back to my room before I do something I won't regret. Make yourself at home Amaya, or go back to your own. There's food in the kitchen."
Yori stopped her. "How are you feeling?"
"Bitchy," Shaundra replied. "What are you guys doing here?"
"Brainstorming with the fellows. We need to come up with our next career move."
"I don't know about your next career move but if I were you I'd get her pregnant as soon as possible and work some of that venom out of her system."
Yori chuckled. "Amaya does not want any kids at the moment."
Shaundra sighed. "Poor choice. You need some kids and she needs to get that stick out her butt."
"At least my butt is not spreading all across Japan," Amaya shot back just as bitchy.
"Yori doesn't think it too big, do you, Yori?" Shaundra asked him.
"No, it's exemplary."
"What are you doing?" Ichiro asked Shaundra as he walked into the den.
"Fucking with Amaya."
He pushed her gently toward the door. "Hormones," he explained to Yori.
Yori looked at her and she winked to get his attention and to piss Amaya and Ichiro off. There was nothing wrong with her hormones and just because she was pregnant she still refused to be a punching bag for Amaya.
"I'll give your advice considerations," Yori said to her bowing. "Try not to tire yourself out."
"I'm cool," Shaundra said looking back at him as Ichiro led her out.
"Why are you screwing with Yori's head?" Ichiro asked her.
"Because I'm bored. I just came down for a movie and Amaya started in on me."
"I know you can take her but don't."
A cold shower hadn't done a damn thing for him. Ichiro was still packing one serious erection. One she chose to ignore. She hadn't forgotten that argument. Some things could not go unpunished. She planned to let him squirm for a while.
"Do you need me to do anything for you before I go back downstairs?" Ichiro asked.
"No, I'm cool," she said sitting in her computer chair. "I have to get back to work."
"Do you think you might try to eat something later?"
"I know my way to the kitchen," Shaundra replied. "You go brainstorm with Aomori." She actually meant it. She still did not want to be a burden to him or come between him and his music.
Ichiro bowed to her and left.
Shaundra slipped her glasses on her eyes and turned her laptop back on.
Ichiro shook his head and walked back downstairs. Yori and Amaya were in a heated discussion. He was just about to walk past the den door and head for the recording studio when he heard his name.
"How does he know he's even the father? For all he knows they could be Harper's babies," Amaya said. "Or Satoshi's or even yours."
Ichiro waited for Yori to deny the allegation.
"They are Ichiro's babies."
"How can you be so sure? All of you are forgetting that she walked out on him. Why? Because she found out that she was pregnant with another man's child."
"Even if it is true it is none of your business. Regardless of what you think, Shaundra is not that kind of woman."
"Oh, yes she is. She strung both you and Ichiro along for months. And you see the way she eyes Satoshi. My money is on him. Why did he let a perfectly good woman like Cristal get away? Because he knows those can be his babies. He used to be the biggest womanizer in Japan and had women going in and out of his bedroom like ants at a picnic. Think about it. When was the last time he went out on a date or had a woman in his life? Not since he met Shaundra."
"He dated her daughter in the United States," Yori answered in Satoshi's defense.
"All a show," Amaya replied. "If those babies come here blond, they're Harpers. If they come here with blue eyes, they are Ichiro's. But if they come here with chocolate brown eyes, spiky hair and trying to look down the nurses blouse then they're Satoshi's."
"What if they come out looking like me?" Yori asked.
"Then you're going to find yourself single," Amaya answered.
Ichiro tipped past the den and hurried to the recording studio. Amaya was crazy. Shaundra would never cheat on him. He paused outside the door. But she had left him without a good reason. Could Satoshi be the babies' father?"
A memory jumped into his mind. That smile at the hospital when she woke up. Him, hiring an investigator to find her.
Her stroking his brow tenderly while he lay next to her in bed.
Her crying herself to sleep the last time he tried to get romantic with her. He sighed. He would strangle them both it this turned out to be the truth.
What a horrible flight, Cristal thought as she unbuckled her seatbelt and got out of her seat. For the first time she could appreciate Shaundra's fear. For a moment there she didn't think they would make it over the sea for all the turbulence.
Add a less than pleasant visit with Yi-jun who most of the time was too busy to spend time with her and she could rate this vacation two out of a possible ten. Getting to see her parents made up the two points.
Cristal grabbed her bag and moved into the aisle to disembark with the rest of the passengers. A quick stop at customs and then to the baggage pickup area to claim her luggage. She saw crowds gathering near door. Shit. She slipped on her sunglasses. Fans. They were carrying signs with her name on it like she was a celebrity.
"How is Yi-jun?" one asked.
"Fine," Cristal replied.
"How was your trip to the United States?"
"Did you and Yi-jun elope?"
"No," Cristal answered. They didn't whatever either.
A tall pony-tailed Asian guy in a business suit and dark glasses approached. "Welcome home, Cristal."
Another man, a tad taller and more muscular and clothed in black leather and sunglasses, sauntered over. "Welcome home, princess." He bowed and kissed her hand. The crowd went wild instantly recognizing them.
"It's Satoshi and Takumijo of Aomori," someone shouted.
"I think that is our cue to leave," Satoshi said, taking her hand while Takumijo grabbed her luggage.
"Where's the security?" Cristal asked as Satoshi hurried her through the terminal and outside into the limousine where Kenshin waited.
"Home guarding precious cargo," Satoshi replied as he and Takumijo climbed in. "Let's get out of here, Kenny."
Kenshin maneuvered the black limousine from the curve and headed toward Osaka.
"What precious cargo?" Cristal asked as soon as she got her seatbelt secured.
"Shaundra," Satoshi replied.
"What? You've found her?"
Satoshi nodded. "She was in a hospital in Tokyo."
"Is she okay? How badly is she injured?"
"She's more than okay," Satoshi said. "She was rescued and flown to a hospital where she lay in a coma until a couple of weeks ago."
"How's Ichiro? I bet he's excited?"
Takumijo chuckled.
"Why is he laughing?" Cristal asked.
"It's a secret. One you will find out when we arrive at the farmhouse. Now tell us about your trip to the United States."
"Horrible. Seeing mom and dad was great even though they tried to talk me into returning home permanently. It was hot and I had to use sunscreen lotion every time I went out."
"Noticed the tan," Satoshi replied. "Very becoming. How was Yi-jun and don't spare any of the juicy details."
"No juicy details," Cristal said with a sigh. "I barely saw him. I don't think he realized how busy he was going to be when he invited me to join him in California. We had lunch once and I talked with him on the phone twice for about ten minutes."
"Poor princess," Takumijo replied. "Not exactly what you were expecting when you left us a month ago?"
"No," Cristal replied. "And the flight back home was horrible. We hit so much turbulence. Now I understand what Shaundra went through. I thought I was going to die several times along the way."
"Well I'm glad you didn't die. We've missed you," Satoshi said squeezing her hand gently.
"Really?" Cristal asked. With Satoshi she could never be sure if he was serious or not.
"Yes, very much so. I'm sorry I was so busy before you left but I was preoccupied with finding Shaundra. None of us could go on until we had closure."
"Why was she in a coma?" Cristal asked noticing that he still held her hand.
"I haven't told anyone yet so the four of you are sworn to secrecy. It was from the earthquake and tsunami. Apparently she saw some pretty horrific stuff so the doctor thinks she just shut her body down because she wasn't able to digest what she saw. So try not to ask her about it. She's still very delicate."
"So there's not physiological damage?" Cristal asked.
"Not as far as I can tell," Takumijo replied. "She's as feisty as ever."
"Good. Did you guys ever find out why she left in the first place?"
"She and Ich were having some problems but they seem to have worked things out."
"I'm afraid to ask about our other married couple."
"They're adjusting to married life and their new home,"
Takumijo said. "But we do get to see Yori about once a day.
He claims he's just coming over to check on us but we know he's taking a break from Amaya."
"I bet," Cristal said. "How is he taking Shaundra's return?"
"Pretty good since he drove us to Tokyo to get her,"
Satoshi answered.
"What? And Amaya didn't complain?"
Takumijo laughed. "He didn't tell her. She was at work."
Cristal laughed. "I don't understand him. He's married but for some reason he drops everything to go to Shaundra's rescue."
"We would do the same thing for you," Takumijo replied.
"We protect our womenfolk."
Cristal smirked. "I'll remember that if I ever get into a fistfight in a bar."
"We didn't interfere that time because it was common sense," Takumijo explained. "We had to let Yori fix things since he screwed them up."
"And the fans have forgiven him?" Cristal asked.
Satoshi nodded. "He's lucky and none of them expects his marriage to Amaya to last. So there is always hope that he will get with one of them."
"And Ichiro's marriage?"
"Holding its own for the moment," Satoshi replied.
"But our poor maknae is suffering. Shaundra has cut him off in the bedroom," Takumijo explained.
"What? That is so uncharacteristic of her. Usually she's all over him."
"Don't be surprised if he tries to take you up on your kind offer to be the center of our cookie."
Cristal blushed at Satoshi's words.
"What are you talking about?" Takumijo asked.
"Cristal once volunteered to be the female in our menage if Ich and I decide to take our relationship to the next level,"
Satoshi explained.
"What? When did this happen and why wasn't I informed?"
Takumijo asked playfully. "You know I've been after Ichiro for year. Heck I was even thinking about taking him out on a date this weekend."
Cristal started to laugh. "I missed you guys so much with your joking."
"Who's joking?" Takumijo asked pushing back in his seat.
Cristal continued to laugh. These guys were incorrigible.
"So that brings me to you two. Have you been staying out of trouble?"
"Yes," Satoshi said.
"No," Takumijo answered. "We came to the airport without security. Masaaki is bound to get hysterical."
"I don't know," Satoshi said. "He's been pretty busy since he has someone special in his life. He's mellowed some now that he's dating."
"She's really pretty too," Kenshin replied from the front seat.
"Spill it, Kenny," Takumijo told him.
"She's a little older than he is and the daughter of an important CEO of some electronics company. He takes her to dinner and dancing and occasionally to the movies."
"I wonder if he's getting any," Takumijo said rudely.
"I can vouch that Masaaki stays at her place at least once a week and get this, he doesn't wear a suit on those nights,"
Kenshin told them.
"Definitely getting some," Satoshi replied. "This means he's serious about her. I don't think I've seen him without a suit since we were younger."
"Looks like we'll be making room for another female in the farmhouse," Takumijo said.
"Speaking of that aren't you guys supposed to be moving out?" Cristal asked.
"The matter has been broached a couple of times but it will have to wait for a while. Ich needs us there," Satoshi told her.
"To help care for Shaundra?" Cristal asked.
"Yes, for the time being. And we don't mind because we like cramping Ich's style."
Cristal smiled. Unfortunately her plans did not include camping out at the farmhouse permanently. She wanted her own place, and she needed her privacy. She'd find an apartment first and then tell Mr. Niigata.
Kenshin drove up to the gate. A security guard walked up to the window and checked them all out.
"Why the drama?" Cristal asked Satoshi.
"I told you earlier. They're protecting precious cargo."
"Aren't these the same guys who let Shaundra and Amaya fight without stopping them?"
"Yes," Takumijo answered. "They knew Shaundra could protect herself and they didn't want to have to deal with Ichiro. You saw what he did when he entered that club. Our baby is a trained assassin when it comes to martial arts. None of the security is foolish enough to mess with him or Shaundra. Plus their main priority is to watch over my delicate form."
"You don't need any protecting," Cristal replied. "Not with all those muscles."
"You'd be surprised," Satoshi said as the security allowed Kenshin to continue on into the compound. He stopped the limousine at the front door and everyone got out.
Kenshin brought in Cristal's luggage while Takumijo and Satoshi escorted her inside.
"It is so good to be home," Cristal said removing her glasses. She let them lead her into the den. She spotted Ichiro immediately and he was talking to some woman.
Cristal looked closer. "Shaundra?"
Shaundra and Ichiro looked up.
Cristal continued into the den. "It is you?" She couldn't stop the tears.
"Oh, oh, another hormonal woman," Ichiro said moving away from the sofa where Shaundra sat.
"I thought you were dead."
"So did everyone, but you know it's not my time yet?" She pushed the blanket aside and tried to stand.
Ichiro and Satoshi dashed over to help her.
Cristal blinked. "What?"
"Shaundra's pregnant," Satoshi answered. "Surprise!"
"I never saw this coming," Cristal said to Shaundra once the men in their lives disappeared from the room.
"Me either," Shaundra confessed. "Believe me it wasn't planned."
"But I thought..."
"I thought so too," Shaundra admitted. "But apparently Ichiro has friends in high places. He said he prayed for a miracle."
"From the looks of things I would say he did more than pray."
Shaundra nodded in agreement. "Yeah and his prayers were answered with not only one but two little bundles of joy."
"Twins?" Cristal asked.
"Yes, hopefully only twins. With my luck we'll probably get quadruplets or something. But so far they are two distinct heartbeats."
"Why do I have the feeling you're less than excited,"
Cristal said settling back in a chair in Shaundra's room and sipping tea.
"Because I'll be fifty-one by the time I deliver."
"But you'll have plenty of help."
"They say that now but it never really works out that way.
Ich will be on the road most of the time or at the restaurants and I'll be home pulling my hair out with colicky babies."
"You can hire a nanny," Cristal suggested.
"True, but they're going to need me the first couple of months of their lives. And honey, I can barely take care of myself."
Cristal chuckled. "Stop the jokes. You'll be perfect and you have a husband who adores you."
"My first husband adored me too, but I can count on my fingers the number of times he got up to help me with the babies. And I don't think my body is going to bounce back this time."
"So you worried that Ichiro won't find you desirable after the babies are born?"
"Yes, but I don't think he finds me desirable now. I've gained so much weight and it's just six months into the pregnancy."
"But the weight looks good on you and your skin is glowing."
"And he's had to hold my hair back while I puke my guts out every morning since I've returned. Real sexy."
Cristal frowned. "At least you have a man."
"Last time I checked you had two."
"Technically one possible and one maybe, but neither thinks enough of me to put me number one in their life. So if I was smart I should give up on both of them," Cristal said.
"I don't think so, Shaundra said. "One of them, unfortunately, is Mr. Right."
"Yeah, which one?" Cristal asked.
Shaundra shrugged. "Only you can decide that."
"I don't know how you do it, knowing they're all in love with you."
Shaundra chuckled. "Well, that's easy because I'm only in love with one of them. The rest are just pretty eye candy who I fantasize about but respect enough not to hurt them."
"Well put," Cristal said. She paused. "Then why did you leave?"
"Because he deserves better...not that I think I'm the worse woman in the world, but I got the feeling that one day he'll wake up and discover that there are better and younger women out there."
"So what made you come back?"
"I made the mistake of not leaving Japan as soon as I woke up from a coma."
"You mean if they hadn't found you, you wouldn't have returned?"
Shaundra nodded.
Satoshi pulled Ichiro away from this bedroom door. Who'd thought that the two of them would stoop so low as to eavesdrop on their womenfolk?
"She didn't want to come back," Ichiro said.
"You're missing the point here, Ich. She feels she's doing it for you. She was stepping aside so you could experience the world and not wrap your entire life around her."
"But she is my life," Ichiro said as they entered the music room.
"Yes, but she doesn't know that. Do you remember how it was before she left? The two of you weren't even speaking.
You called her a horrible name and you hadn't slept at home for a week. She didn't even know you were going out of town before we left for China. Put yourself in her shoes. Perhaps she thought you found someone else."
"But isn't that what she wants?" Ichiro asked.
"Now, but not then. Shaundra's a real classy lady. She told me once that she hoped you'll be man enough to tell her if you found someone else and she said she would step aside and let you go." He walked over to the piano and sat down.
Ichiro followed him over. "How come you know so much about my wife? How come you know what makes her happy?"
Satoshi lifted his eyes. "Because she trusts me enough to speak what's in her heart."
"And she doesn't trust me?" Ichiro asked.
Satoshi shrugged.
"One more question. Is it possible that you can be the father of those twins in her oven?"
"Anything is possible, Ich. But the question is how well do you know you wife? Would she cheat with someone who is like a brother to you?"
Ichiro sighed. To come out and ask him if he slept with Shaundra would be rude. "Do you love her?"
"Very much so," Satoshi replied as he began to play. "But I cherish her friendship more."
What did that mean? Still no real reason. How well did he really know Shaundra?
"Why don't you just ask her?"
"I couldn't do that," Ichiro said. "That would be rude."
"Could you take being the father of someone else's kids?"
Ichiro sat down next to him on the piano bench. "I don't know." Please God let them be mine.
"Three months is a long time to wait."
Damn Satoshi. He would have to throw that part in.
Takumijo and Yori entered the room to practice a new song Ichiro had written for their new album. Masaaki had gotten them a commercial gig, and in less than a week they would be going to Tokyo to film a music video.
Ichiro looked over at Yori. Could he be daddy to Yori's twins? Probably after he killed Yori first and he didn't have to be in the picture. He sighed. And he hadn't registered their marriage yet. Once he did, these babies would legally be his.
Maybe he would just put it off until after they were born.
"We're waiting, Ich," Takumijo said. "Where is your mind?"
"Far away," Satoshi answered for him.
"Is Shaundra still putting on the restraints in the bedroom?" Takumijo asked.
Satoshi nodded.
Yori looked at Ichiro and raised a curious eyebrow. "What you done this time?"
"Nothing," Ichiro said quickly. "Why do you assume I've done something?"
"Because you used to have to beat her off you."
Takumijo and Satoshi laughed.
"She's pregnant and probably not in the mood," Ichiro said.
Yori shook his head. "That's where you're wrong. She's probably more in the mood now than ever with all those raging hormones and growing body parts."
"More in the mood?" Ichiro asked. Her sex drive before the pregnancy was already over the charts.
"Maybe I need to go upstairs and check on her." Yori straightened his tie. He was looking especially kawaii in a dark suit and a white shirt.
"You make one move toward those stairs and you're a dead man," Satoshi said, shocking both him and Yori. "She is not a piece of meat."
Satoshi's on the defense, Ichiro thought. Why? More and more it kept looking that maybe Amaya was right. Did his beautiful wife not find him desirable anymore? True, Satoshi was as cute as a baby panda and he was a more experienced lover, but could he be the one she wanted after all these months?
"Let's get this practice over with you guys," Yori said. "I'm meeting with the in-laws for dinner but before then, Amaya and I are going to look at drapes."
All three of the others chuckled.
"Whipped," Takumijo mumbled.
"Say what you like, pretty boy but at least I'm getting it regularly."
Ichiro frowned. Amaya had moved the stick out of her butt. To hell with this. Tonight he was taking his wife out on a date. He took out his cell phone and texted her asking her if she felt like going to Kyoto for the weekend. He sent the message. It came back. "Yes, baby." Ichiro put the phone away.
"Why are you smiling?" Satoshi asked.
"Because I got a date," Ichiro replied.
The three men looked at him oddly.