From then on high school was a dream. We double dated almost every weekend. Even took summer trips together. Me and Fuuko were even living together. Mom was a real soft touch and Fuuko had a horrible relationship with her parents. I worried if mom would be ok when we left home and I worried we'd lose touch with Nanase and Yuki. We had all went to Osaka and to Disney World together just like Nanase had suggested. Though back then it was supposed to be a couples retreat not a double date weekend.
It was now the weekend after graduation I was in my bedroom leaning over Fuuko nibbling on her neck she moaned softly as she started to stir, "Yuni school is over. We don't have to leave for almost a week let me sleep in sweetie," Fuuko begged. She had adopted pet names when she moved in. I had returned her affection in kind, but as in the book she had developed a preference for one in particular and it almost always got me what I wanted.
"Momma Fuuko, we get our rings today and I even got you a gift."
She shoot upright at my urging. A radiant smile spread across her face, "Momma's up sexy girl. What did you get me."
I rolled my eyes and prayed my actual mom was still asleep. I presented a jewelry gift box to her and she opened it. The slightly metallic rock inside shimmered in the florescent light of our room. It was roughly polished and hung on a simple silver chain.
"it's a piece of a meteorite," I explained to her. She looked at me confused and amused as she patiently waited for me to explain. SHe loved astronomy, but there would have been plenty of other choices for that simple meaning, "It's hot," I started and chuckled slightly before continuing, "It's volatile, and it changes the world of everything it touches. You are my meteorite and even if this impact would end my world I'd endure it a million times over again," I kissed her and slid the necklace around her neck.
"Will you wear it?" She asked me. I was surprised and honestly a little hurt, "I got you a gift, selfishly for myself. It's kind of ironic."
She handed me a jewelry box and I opened it. I recognized it immediately and understood what she wanted, " Sure. Let me switch them for you," I removed her necklace and placed the moonstone necklace she had just gifted me around her neck. She in turn placed the meteorite around my neck and we kissed deeply. We got up and bathed together and after several hours of slowly getting ready we got dressed. Of course Fuuko had purchased matching outfits just for the day. They were simple casual skirts and blouses. Hers was black with white highlights and mine was white with black highlights. She did love stereotypes. We quickly found two identical low end engagement rings. We had them sized. Then we were on our way. There would be a dinner that night for a bunch of the girls from school. Fuuko had promised our attendance.
Me and Fuuko would be leaving the country in the middle of the week and Nanase and Yuki would be leaving town. Nanase was attending the collage the three of us had toured in the book. Yuki for her part was preparing a home for her and Nanase. Turned out what mattered most to her was being near Nanase. She had started volleyball on a whim and never stop because she knew Nanase never would. She kept in shape and they trained together allowing them to stay close, but what she wanted was a family. So she saved and prepared for the day when a surrogate would bring them a child. I was sure that would be aways away if they could make it work. They were loving the journey though and I was happy for them. Me and Fuuko were headed to America. She had a job lined up at an auction house as a rare book consultant. It was a low paying apprenticeship right now, but she had been obsessed with books since her grandmother's collection had been stolen from her so I didn't doubt she'd do well. I for my part still had no plans. I wanted to do something holly my own. My mom gave me some of her savings. So I could take some time to figure it out or I could take a risk and try to start something new. Whatever it was it would be by Fuuko's side. We had already signed a lease and had furniture delivered to our home.
We had decided not to pursue children. It was a short discussion honestly. Fuuko had brought it up after Yuki had explained their plans. I responded bluntly, "Fuuko I could never share your love with anyone. I am a selfish, selfish woman. Will you continue to love me anyways," She ravished me on the spot.
It was the night before we were leaving town and I sat alone at a table on a patio, at a small cafe. Nanase arrived a couple moments after my tea. She was wearing a suit. She had been interviewing for a part time job at a gym. I thought a suit was overkill for that sort of job, but it wasn't my world so I couldn't say how they perceived it. She seemed in good spirits. She had requested we get together an hour before our girlfriends were to meet us and when I told Fuuko she said, "I don't think that's a good idea. You are desirable and prone to cheating," she chuckled. She really did love to torment me, but for her joy I didn't mind in the least.
"I've never once cheated on you. In fact since the first time you said you loved me I've never slept with anyone else," you could see in her face that she was pleased and surprised. Then a dreadful thought occurred to me. Had Fuuko slept with someone else before we became a couple or worse since we've become a couple. I loved Fuuko, but clearly she viewed monogamy with shades of gray, "Judging by that look you're surprised. Did you assume I did because I was dating someone else or did you assume I did because you did?" I bit my lip as I finished the question and held my breath waiting for the answer.
she chuckled I could bear it no longer, "Momma Fuuko I have to know," I said in a whiny pathetic voice. It was a true low for me, but it was an answer I needed.
"Momma has only ever loved you," she sighed and locked eyes with me, "I haven't slept with anyone else since I found you."
My heart fluttered at the mere memory. Now it was actually here and was brimming with curiosity. What did Nanase want me alone for? She kissed me on the cheek and sat down.
"So, I love you. I've always wanted to clear the air about that. You wouldn't believe me back then and it hurt my feelings a little. Given time I understood why. Don't get me wrong I'm not settling for Yuki. I love her almost as much as volleyball. Most of all I love the fact that that is enough for her. I just needed you to know before you left for good. You might not feel the same way, but I love you and I love who you helped me become."
"How could I not love you? Without you I would have never found Fuuko. She is my world and I will never forget that you did that. Also when you had time for me we had fun. So yes I love you too and thanks for telling me. Why do you assume it's forever though?"
"You're leaving the country."
"We get vacations and in a couple years Fuuko will be traveling a lot."
"So you want to see each other again. That makes me so happy. I thought you were leaving your old life behind. I heard your mom is retiring and following you. So I figured you'd never be back," she was tearing up and came over to hug me.
I let her hug me I even gave her a gentle squeeze back and when she sat back down I explained it would be at least five years before my mother joined us. We had to settle and establish ourselves in America then she'd have to sell her business. Only then could she follow us. The girls showed up together which I can't say I was thrilled by, but I would choose to trust Fuuko.
"So, next July we are meeting in the tropics. You two gym rats can play volleyball and at night we can barbeque and watch the stars."
"That sounds great, but I'll be in college and Yuki will be working. I just don't know if..." Nanase started to politely decline but Yuki silenced her with a kiss. They had come a long way.
"I already agreed babe. You'll be on break and I'll make it work. Seeing the house runs smoothly is the wife's job after all," Yuki said, with a chuckle. She never missed an opportunity to drop a hint. She saw herself as Nanase's wife and she wanted to be her lawful wife as well.
We chatted for hours after that and the sun was starting to set. All of a sudden fireworks burst over head. I looked up, taking in the scene. I looked at Fuuko. Whenever I see something breathtaking I can't help, but search her out. She was staring at Yuki so my gaze followed hers to where Nanase was kneeling waiting for Yuki to see her.
"My best friend, will you stay with me forever, be my wife, and mother to my children."
Yuki tackled Nanase and they started to make out there on the patio ground.
"We'll you be my maid of honor, Fuuko?" Yuki asked when she finally rolled off of Nanase. Fuuko nodded.
"You'll be my best man right?" Nanase asked looking at me expectedly.
"Only if you'll be my maid of honor before you leave for school. It's in America, but unlike someone I'm not going to have you sell yourself to be there for me. Me and Momma Fuuko will cover the cost," I responded and then cringed at what I had just said. Fuuko chuckled and Nanase rolled her eyes.
"Ok, but um, do we have to listen to those disgusting nicknames. Does your mom know you call her that?" Now it was my turn to roll my eyes and admit I hoped not. The night went on for another hour and then we parted ways.
It took very little time for us to settle down into our new life and not much longer for me to come up with some kind of a plan. I would invest some of what my mother's money in traditional means and others in books or other items at Fuuko's work that went well below their values. Finally I saved enough to cover my half of expenses while I got the whole plan going. While Fuuko was at work I would study and plan. Working out the soundest investments possible. I was making headway and I was quite pleased by my portfolio by the time our wedding arrived.
It was a great occasion, but very small. I had next to no family and Fuuko had fallen out with hers. We had made new friends in our neighborhood and Fuuko invited everyone from work. We wore twin wedding dresses and Yuki was Fuuko's maid of honor. Afterwards we had an amazing and long honeymoon. The auction house had insisted and even agreed to pay if Fuuko would dig through a collection while we were in Europe. I had to stay on top of my investments but I was just watching to make sure I wasn't losing money. One month we were on honeymoon and two more weeks Fuuko went through a personal library. She found a couple gems at random stores that we bought.
I enjoyed my life and most days I forgot this was just a story and unfolding dream. Every once in awhile it would hit me and I would cry. Fuuko would console me and when I failed to explain shed whisper in my ear, "It's fine I've got you Momma doesn't need to know."
The unconditional love she showered me with made me quiver, but would it be the same if she knew the way I perceived this world. Would she have been happier when the really Yuni finally accepted her? I imagined it would make no difference. She would console me and tell me something like, "You're the one who was here and I love you for it," that's what I believed my Fuuko would say, but the didn't seem quite like the Fuuko I had fallen for in the manga. Don't get me wrong I still loved her, but she had certainly changed. So there was little point in over thinking it.
After the honeymoon and the money made from the collection Fuuko had secured her career quickly hit the fast track. She traveled almost year round now, but she never booked a trip without me. We made our vacation at least once a year with Nanase and Yuki. Nanase finished college before they got married. Though Yuki had bought a house the year before. Luckily Nanase had accepted a coaching possession upon graduation at the school in her second year so Yuki could start to plan ahead. The place she bought was run down so she got it for cheap and had been fixing it up largely on her own. We of course attended as agreed I wore a tux. Fuuko wore a dress that was too small to be appropriate for the occasion. I didn't know which one of them picked it out, but Fuuko was sexy and didn't seem to mind and it was their special day. So I said nothing but I did rip it off of her as soon as we got back to the hotel. It couldn't be repaired. A week before our fifth vacation with Nanase she called, "I don't think we can make it this year. Um, or next year honestly," I was worried. Something serious must have happened. I made if we had offended them she would of just said they never wanted to do it again.
"What's up," I asked, hoping maybe it was something we could help fix.
"Yuki's pregnant."
"O, well Fuuko already has the vacation at work. She wasn't doing business in the area anyway so we can just come to you."
With that we hung up and I began switching plans. We would stop back to see my mom first and Fuuko's family. She was ready to show them what she had achieved. She still wanted them to approve. Then we would spend a week with Nanase and Yuki.
Mom had survived and was working on handing over her business to the new owners. She still managed to spend most of the time we were there with us. I was glad she had accepted me and Fuuko so completely. I mused at how anxious Yuni had been of anyone finding out. It made me laugh. Fuuko's family refused to even see her. We spent the two days we were supposed to spend with them in bed while Fuuko cried it out. It was a relationship she could never get back. We went to go see Fuuko's first love. She had always supported us. Fuuko still had trouble seeing her though. As for me, I was grateful she had broken Fuukko's heart otherwise our pieces wouldn't fit together so well. Nanase wasn't playing volleyball anymore. She still exercised and she still looked fit, but she had quite the sport sometime in the last year when she failed to make the team for the Olympics. She seemed no worse for the wear, "It wasn't about making the team. It was about knowing whether or not I could," she told me when I asked about it.
I couldn't tell if it bothered her or not but I took comfort in knowing Yuki would be there to get her through it. She was running her own gym now on top of still coaching so she was busy while we were there, but we still had a great time. The baby was born before we knew it and we had arranged our next visit to coincide with their birth. She came a week early which just meant they had been discharged by the time we arrived. My mother was with us. She had moved to be near us a little while ago. A new maybe was enough to make anyone want to join in on a visit. My mother took the chance to probe for when we would have babies and every body instantly regretted.
"Momma Fuuko already has the best little baby and she does get so jealous."
"Fuuko. There are too many people here. Behave."
"I'll have to be sure to call before I come over from now on."
Everyone else looked equally disturbed, but Fuuko looked unfazed by my protest. I was reminded how this unfiltered wild side of Fuuko had to be what I loved most about her. We enjoyed the rest of our trip and the night before we were to leave I had dinner alone with Nanase.
"Do you and Fuuko mean you can't love anyone else or do you just prefer your own little world?" Nanase asked as she slipped on a glass of wine.
"Well I love you and Fuuko said she loves you both. So I wouldn't say we don't love others. We just like our peaceful world. Why do you ask? I'm not having a kid so our kids can be friends."
"No, but if something happened to us would you love our daughter in our place?" When she asked that I realized how much harder it was to have a family.
"I'll have to ask Fuuko, but I would be honored."
We talked as we finished dinner and eventually my mother escorted Yuki and Fuuko into the house with the baby in tow. I kept up and went over to kiss Fuuko. She was holding the baby and I already knew what momma Fuuko would say. If I had been willing to we would probably already have a family. Luckily though I was enough for Fuuko and she was plenty for me. We never wanted for more, but she had plenty of love to give.
"I told her yes, but they can't spend there after life judging how we raise her. She said they'll have to stick around as long as possible so she knows when not to listen to us. I'm a little nervous, but Nanase will probably outlive us all."
"Whatever you want," I told her and we kissed again. I should have known Yuki would have already asked Fuuko. They could be so predictable. We loved that trip and we took more frequent vacations and stopped in whenever we were in the area. For our ten year anniversary we renewed our vows in a double ceremony with Nanase and Yuki. Their daughter Jay was the flower girl. It was a lovely affair and again we took a long honeymoon. They joined us for the first week. We took a whole year off. Fuuko had become a consultant in the truest sense of the word. Working only when she wanted. Choosing to mostly handle estate libraries and high end transactions allowing her to work as little as possible. Her mother had fallen on hard times and started reaching out when she realized her daughter and built generational wealth. However after her two days in bed crying over her lost family Fuuko had declared them dead. A conviction she never relented.
It was another five years of wonderful memories when we heard Nanase and Yuki had died. It had been a car accident. Luckily Jay had tests coming up and was studying so she was not with them. We flew out for the funeral it was a small event. No one there we knew except for Jay and she was so happy to see us.
"Aunties, thank you for coming," she screamed as we entered the room. Running to us and wrapping one arm around each of our necks. We each kissed her cheek and then we silently stayed by her side for the whole day. We had dinner and stayed at her house. It was solemn with very little conversation. She was almost an adult now, thirteen. I didn't know what the will would say in three days, but I wondered if it was still right to take her to America.
The next day as I anxiously turned words in my head, Fuuko came in holding Jay's hand, "Momma Fuuko is going to take her girls shopping today."
Instantly I became annoyed with the whole situation. I loved my niece, but like I said my love for Fuuko was a jealous, greedy love, "Fuuko dear. Even if we take care of Jay..." I lost my nerve for a moment I didn't want to hurt either of there feelings but I had vowed to be honest with Fuuko in this life and to everything in my power to see we both were happy until I died or woke up, "Your her auntie and your baby girl is far to greedy to share momma's love."
"I understand. I spoiled you and now you're selfish. Momma loves you anyway," Fuuko soothed me. I thought it was funny that I was so protective of a roll I hadn't even wanted. Even so Fuuko was quick to accept my feelings and adjust the way she handled the situation. As for Jay I guess she had gotten used to me over the years. She looked completely unfazed.
We had a great day shopping and brought food home with us to enjoy as we talked. The three of us sat on the couch enjoying burgers. It was my turn to lead the conversation, but I was sure everyone had some idea as to the subject matter, "Jay, when you were born your parents asked us to watch over you if anything ever happened to them. If that is still there, we will happily take us to America with us. You will never want for anything. Your mom was my second best friend after all. If you want to stay here under our care we can provide a boarding school or something. Also we can talk to family and try to over turn your parents wishes if you want to be with family. Your thirteen now far more capable of making this decision then your parents had imagined when they asked us," I explained hoping my true feelings had been conveyed.
"Did you know that to her dying day you were Momma Nana's greatest regret? She knew you just wanted an even partner and she could never do that for you. She could never do it for mom either though, but mom was completely happy playing a supporting role in Momma Nana's life. Momma Nana said, 'Yuni gets what love is supposed to be. Don't let Fuuko corrupt you and those Aunties of yours will show you how to occupy the heavens.' So were could I go, but with my aunties. So you know mom loved you too. She said you gave her Momma Nana and me so you had to be the best person on the planet."
I was crying as she finished her story. She was a good girl. Five days later we flew back to America with Jay in tow. My mother helped us get her settled quickly and then we were back on the road. We had delayed a collection in order to attend the funeral.
Our life somehow slowed down after Jay came to stay with us. Trips got fewer and shorter. It wasn't something we consciously plan just we required more motivation to want to stray preferring to dote on Jay instead. I also started spending more time with my mother. I now understood how she felt and couldn't help but want to repay her kindness. Jay went to college got married and had kids of her own before we knew it. My mom was still hanging on, but barely. She had alzheimer's and required twenty four hour care. Fuuko had retired and we were still happy. Our sex drive had died some time ago and I worried about it at the time, but it turns out when you love someone as completely as we did you could devour them heart, body, mind, and soul with out a single touch. So sex or not our connection stayed strong. One day I woke up and Fuuko wasn't moving. I called Jay to the room and told her all four of her mothers and loved her much. I asked her to look after my mom, she wouldn't have long left. I told her everything we had was hers. Finally I told her not to mourn us we would be together forever and we'd be waiting with her parents. Then I laid back down, closed my eyes. I don't know how long I laid there, but eventually my body gave way and I was gone.
Afterwards I was with Fuuko, Nanase, and Yuki at a small cafe table set for tea. Guess it wasn't a dream.