Soun tapped his own cup against the other man's and grinned. "Finally, the promise will go through, and our families will be joined."
"It's been a long time in coming, hasn't it?"
"Ever since those dark days, I've been waiting for it, and now that it has come about...."
"It seems to be too good to be true."
"But it is so wonderful.... I only wish that her mother could see it!" the Tendo patriarch bawled as only a drunk man could.
"There, there, old friend. You could think about it in another way."
"What way?"
"Well, think of it this way. Your wife is probably watching over everything, and is pleased that your daughter is doing her duty to her family."
"You're right...."
"Of course I am," Genma replied, stumbling over his words. "It's the only logical answer."
"You're right about that," Soun agreed, going down to sniffles.
"But instead of focusing in on who isn't here, we should pay attention to who will be. I mean, I obviously did a wonderful job in raising my son."
"He did seem to be welcoming the engagement...."
"Of course he would! I raised him so that he would know what his duty towards his father would be. And now, because of what I have done for him, he will have your lovely daughter as his wife."
"I'm so happy to have her settled and happy. You don't know what a load it will take off of my shoulders to know that she will have your son to support her."
The portly man took a sip of his sake. "Is she that bad?"
"Oh, no! Absolutely not. Nabiki is a very intelligent girl who is very responsible. She's just... never seemed ready to settle down before."
"Oh?"
"She's had plenty of dates, but for some reason, even though the boys seem to like her, she has never had a regular boyfriend. It's rather strange, to tell the truth. And what was even odder was the fact that after going out to meet dates for some time, she hasn't really gone on any lately."
"Well, that is fortunate for my son, isn't it?"
"I would think so. After all, it means that we can have a nice ceremony where he could marry her," Soun responded.
"A small one though."
"Would we have to? I mean, I want to have my little girl to have as big a wedding that we can give her."
"That would be nice, but if we go too big, then we have to wait that much longer."
"Then why don't we go as big as we can?"
"We can try."
"I hope we succeed. My little girl deserves the best that we can give her."
"Soun? I don't know if you want to hear this," Genma murmured. "But your daughter isn't so little...."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean.... My son will be a very happy person on his wedding night."
"You can't mean...."
"Oh, come now. You have to realize that she's going to be the mother of my son's children," the Saotome patriarch said, weaving a bit as he poured himself more sake.
"My baby? A mother?"
"Before you know it, she'll be giving you grandchildren."
"She will?"
"Most likely. And given enough of a push, they could start up sooner than we might realize."
"They would?"
"But shouldn't we try to nudge them into going on to the path that we want?" Genma asked.
"What would we get from that?"
"Think, old friend. If we manage to make them want to move on this, they will let us, and nature, take more charge of the situation, and we will be able to make it so that they will do things as we will like."
"I see...."
"And if we succeed, they will be sharing their marriage bed soon."
"It's Soun...."
"And Genma's...."
"Operation 'Push The Couple Forward'!" they chorused, made a toast, and gulped down their sake.... with so much enthusiasm that they fell over in their drunken stupors.
Not that either of them cared as they pulled themselves back up and Soun gave his friend a bleary eyed look. "There is one thing that I do have to wonder about."
"What is that, old friend?" Genma replied.
"Where is your wife?"
The other man just smiled weakly and laughed nervously while:
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(Posted Wed, 15 Mar 2006 03:27)
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