Of Course It's A Lie

Mothers

"Hello? Fumina?"

"Yes, Akiko! Sorry, I've got a baby in tow here," Fumina laughed.

"Yes, I called about the baby!" Akiko's own peal of laughter rang across the line, and Fumina could hear a cry in the background that could only belong to Sumire.

"Listen, it's only natural that the girls should meet, right?"

"Only natural," Fumina scoffed. "You're just trying to make sure your daughter has a friend when she starts going to school. It was only lucky I was there in your school days."

"Seeing as I'm here trying to ensure my child's happiness, you do well to comply," Akiko said scathingly back. Then both women laughed, and, as though through a telepathic connection, both shifted the toddlers they were carrying from one hip to another, although neither mother knew the other had mimicked her action.

"You're absolutely right. I'm certain our daughters will be the best of friends," Fumina finally said, a smile discernable even in her voice.

"They sure will. I mean, my Sumi is just three months younger than your Nunoe."

"Nuno-chhi," Fumina cooed at her toddler, who was staring out the balcony window with her fingers stuffed in her mouth. "What do you say, Nuno-chhi?"

A wail responded from across the telephone line. "Sumi-tan! Are you excited?" Akiko chuckled. Both women laughed.

"What a perfect summer," Fumina sighed.

Across the line, Akiko grinned. "Truly."

The evening sun was setting over the broken-down apartment complex Nunoe and her mother lived in. The little girl's eyes were almost alight as the last pink and orange rays burned into her young retinas.

She stuffed another chubby little finger into her mouth.