Forever With You

Seven

"Do you have your favorite stuffy, baby?" Madoka asked her, trying to act and sound calm, but achieving none of it. She was worried, and trying hard not to cry as their carriage rushed to the docks.
"Yes, mama." Hitoka squished her favorite teddy bear to her chest. "Where are we going?"
"You're going to see your cousins, Hitoka. Remember? Now, you'll be there for a while, so be on your best behavior, alright?"
She was going through Hitoka's backpack for the hundredth time.
"Yes, mama." A beat later. "But... you're coming, too right?"
A slight pause. "No, baby. Mama needs to stay here and help care for grandpapa."
"Oh." Another few beats. "When am I coming home? Will you come pick me up?"
This time, her mother stayed silent, and her frantic rummaging slowed to a stop. Zipping the bag, she set it on the carriage's floorboard, and took Hitoka in her arms, bestowing a kiss on the top of her head.
"I'll come as soon as I can, okay. You just be the angel I know you are, and everything will be fine."
Her voice was shaky, like she was crying. Hitoka tried to look up at her, but her mom wouldn't let her. Not until they reached the docks, and Madoka helped her with her bags. They hurried to the ship that would take her to Japan, and to her cousins, whom she'd never even met. They found her cabin, and her mother made sure everything was perfect for the three day journey. Then she knelt down in front of Hitoka, and started straightening clothing that was already neat as a pin; toying with locks of hair into what she thought was perfection. There was such a look of sadness in her mother's eyes, that her own vision started blurring.
"Oh, please don't cry, baby! Be a good girl, okay? Remember, I love you very, very much, okay?"
Why does that sound like a goodbye, and not just a farewell?
"Mama?"
"I love you!"
"I love you, too, mama."

Her heart was racing, and she felt the tears streaming down her face. Her bed sheets and blanket were a tangled mess around her legs. How could she have had a bad dream, especially after the sweetest night she'd had in a long time?

Duke Semi was all that was charming and polite; his sense of humor was similar to that of the Princes, but a little more snarky, and she liked that. He was more handsome than her first impression of him, especially when he smiled. He even made a better cup of tea than she did! She knew she should be careful, though. Being charmed by a handsome, charming man had been her downfall, once. Maybe that's why the dream had resurfaced? But the two were so wildly unrelated to each other. How...? As she was trying to figure it out, she felt three pairs of eyes on her. All of them worried, and one a little scared. Like her mother's.

"I'm so sorry," she apologized, struggling to get out of bed without falling off it. She picked Aiko up from her cradle, and swayed gently, calming her down. Then, she knelt on the floor, and gestured for the boys to join her. "I didn't wake you up, did I?"
They nodded. She sighed, and checked the clock. 5:47am, and there was no telling how long they'd been standing in her doorway.

"I'm so sorry," she apologized again, gathering them up with her free arm.
"Mama screamed," Yuki whispered.
"Mama crying," Haru reached up to touch her still damp face, which now new tears fell, because of this.
"I'm alright now, my babies, thanks to you." She kissed all three of the children she loved so dearly. What would she ever do without them? She held them for a little while longer, and then let them go. "Come on. We need to get washed up before the visitors come."
"Papa's party!" Haru was already smiling and moving around, doing his little happy dance.
"That's right," she said. Yuki was still clinging to her, unwilling to let go. She ran her hand through his hair and smiled at him. "I'm okay, Yuki. Don't worry, it was just a bad dream."
"Mama screamed."

Oh dear. When Yuki was concerned about someone, he stuck to them like glue until he was satisfied they were okay, and there was no set time frame, either. It could take a few minutes, or all day, and already he was showing signs that it might be an all-day issue. This was going to be difficult, considering they had to be in the reception hall with their dads to help welcome all their guests. And she had Aiko to consider as well. She couldn't carry both, Yuki was too big. She had Aiko's sling, but then Aiko would need that...