Kasumi carefully covered those leftovers from lunch that could be stored for consumption later, and regretfully disposed of that which would spoil before she could decently slip it into a later meal. She understood her sister’s dark look at the space left for Mr Saotome at the table, and while she didn’t have quite the same aversion to waste, neither did Nabiki share her desire for her efforts to be appreciated.
Not that Mr Saotome really appreciated her work. He grumbled if he had to so much as move a foot out to make way for her cleaning, and as for food – well. He didn’t so much consume it as guzzle it, and she was sure he wouldn’t taste anything short of some heavily spiced jalapeno peppers.
His daughter was such a contrast. Her manners were rough-and-ready, and she ate nearly as quickly as her father, but she went out of her way to say ‘thank you’ afterwards and was quite happy to help with the chores. In fact, completely without prompting, she had virtually taken over the care the dojo needed.
Sighing, the young woman accepted why she was still pottering in the kitchen more than half an hour after the meal finished. The absence of Ranma and Akane somehow sapped a vital part of the spirit of the house, and tidying was her futile attempt to fill the void. Deliberately she stopped straightening her spice rack and made her way to her bedroom to indulge in a little embroidery.
She was just threading her needle when she heard a knock at the door.
She turned back to the door as he heard light footfalls approaching from the other side, politely muting her smile of appreciation for the traditional garden and house. A little bubble of excitement escaped her control, and she bounced on her toes like a puppy promised a treat.
Her little girl was here!
The doorlock clicked, and the door opened. Nodoka smiled up at the brown-haired woman revealed, noting the expression of polite welcome fading slightly to perplexed recognition.
“Welcome to the Tendo Dojo. May I help you?”
“Hello,” she returned with a friendly smile, “I am Saotome Nodoka.”
“Oh, my! Ranma’s mother?” exclaimed the young woman. Returning the smile, she urged, “Do come in, please. This is a surprise.”
Nodoka took the invitation happily, thinking, ’Oh, she wanted to surprise everyone – or perhaps just her father.’ She followed her hostess’s gesture, swiftly exchanging her shoes for a pair of uwabaki from the row against the wall. Interestingly, the kanji for her husband’s name were on a plaque over the gap at the end of the row, but Ranma’s was on the opposite wall with the ones labelled for the sisters she had mentioned in her letter.
“I’m Tendo Kasumi, I hoped you would come ever since Ranma said she’d been writing to you.”
“Oh, she mentioned you and your sisters in her letter,” said Nodoka, “but she didn’t tell me very much.”
“I think she’d only been here a couple of days when she wrote to you. But I still haven’t spent enough time with her to give anyone a long description. Would you like tea?”
“Yes, please,” said Nodoka, pausing at the entry to the living room and looking around hopefully. The only person present was a man her husband’s age but quite obviously not related to the rather barrel-shaped man she had married. He was rather obviously waiting to be introduced to the guest.
“Would you like something to eat? I’m afraid we just finished lunch…”
“No thank you, I have eaten. I have reservations at a restaurant for Ranma and I this evening, too, so do be sure not to prepare anything for us.”
“Oh, my. Oh dear.” Kasumi reappeared at the kitchen door, wringing her apron. “I’m sorry, I should have said straight away…”
“Has something happened?” asked Nodoka, instantly more worried than Kasumi appeared to be. “Is Ranma alright?” ‘It would be just my luck…’
“Oh, yes, she’s fine. It’s just…” Kasumi twisted her apron particularly emphatically. “She went on a camping trip with Akane this weekend. They left straight from school. They won’t be back until Sunday night. And Mr Saotome hasn’t come back from his errand this morning either…”
Conflicting emotions warred in Nodoka. Relief that her daughter was safe. Dismay that they missed each other. Brief hope that they might have a mobile phone, so they could be recalled, quickly dismissed. Substantial disinterest in her husband’s activities. Worry…
“Didn’t she get my letter?”
“Letter?” repeated Kasumi blankly. “Ranma hasn’t received any letters. I sort them when they arrive…” she explained, gesturing into the kitchen at the letter rack.
“Oh, dear,” sighed the auburn-haired woman. “I so hoped… I really wonder why Genma didn’t come home if he’s in Tokyo…”
A sneeze shook his body.
Suddenly sober (or at least, less drunk) thanks to the increased bodymass, he regarded the wasted beer now soaking into his fur with some dismay. Of course, a sneeze was just a sneeze – nothing to that silly folk tale at all, totally inconsequential – except for the spilled beer, of course…
[Hot water, please] flip [and more beer!]
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(Posted Sat, 04 Aug 2007 10:09)
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らんま1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi
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