Bab 334: Do You Mean, Signaling Our New Life Together?
"What is this for?"
Tsubaki took the box when Ren handed it to her. Seeing that he didn't have an objection, she carefully opened the lid. Her pupils enlarged at the sight of what she found inside the wooden box.
"Darling... this is..." Tsubaki's voice was a bit dumb. She looked up from the box to her husband, then to the box again.
"Hehe," Ren awkwardly scratched his head, "The engraving isn't too delicate but, this is the best I can do."
"What? This is already the best!" Tsubaki retorted with her eyes twinkling, "Darling! You're great!"
There was nothing on the base of the wooden box but, at the backside of the lid, there were words carved on the surface. The words themselves were simple but Tsubaki loved them a lot.
'Till the end of our lifetime - Your forever darling'
"Sweetheart, do you remember that one time you asked about what I want to do after leaving the company to Takuma?" Ren cautiously brought up the subject.
"Ah," Tsubaki's mind went blank for a second before she nodded, "Yes, yes, I remember. I asked you about that."
They were talking about the path their small family would take after Ren stepping down from his position. As they already had a new home in the suburbs, Tsubaki planned to open a small bakery there while Ren still didn't tell her about his plan.
She knew her own husband. Even though he didn't lack money even without working, he was not an idle person. He would continue to work to support their family.
"Haha, didn't I tell you, you should use my face to attract more customers to your new bakery?" Ren made a joke.
Tsubaki gave him an eye-roll, "Like I would do that. What do I do if the young girls are fascinated with you? I have to save them from falling into your trap. It's for their own good."
Ren narrowed his eyes, feeling displeased, "Why does it sound like I'm some sort of a predator that you people have to beware of?"
"Of course you are~ And I'm your prey~" Tsubaki replied cutely while making a heart shape by meeting her thumbs and index fingers together.
Ren didn't know whether to laugh or be angry at his adorable wife.
Aye, he still enjoyed her cuteness a lot.
"Cough, so what I want to say, I already have my plan," Ren coughed to mask his giddy heart, "It's something I wanted to do before but, the plan fell through."
Tsubaki lowered her eyes to the wooden box. She silently contemplated his words.
This wooden box...
Ah!
"You! Didn't you say you want to learn to be a carver before?"
Ren smiled. He gently pinched her cheek, "Yes, sweetheart. I'm glad you remember."
"Oh... How could I forget," Tsubaki pursed her lips. She felt guilty all of a sudden.
During the time when Ren lived with her and Satsuki in the village, he grew fond of wood carvings. Even though it started as a hobby when he saw Satsuki did it once, he voiced out his plans to her.
Ren wanted to learn from one of the carpenters in their village. At first, he was reluctant because he thought his age had already passed the standard age for an apprenticeship but, Tsubaki encouraged him to go for it, regardless of his age.
But, before he could start, that happened.
Tsubaki lightly shook her head. She didn't want to dwell on her sadness and ruin this moment between them.
"Then, did your hands get injured because of this? Since when did you start?"
Tsubaki remembered there were times when Ren's hands got scratches or even small wounds. When she thought of them, she was sure Ren had started to carve this box long ago.
Ren coughed again. He didn't expect her to be so sharp.
"Err, yes. Before, I have a collaboration with an arts and craft company. I asked the head to find someone to teach me. Because I have left it for years, it's hard to pick up my skills back."
The company was led by Mr. Saito, the one Ren met during a summer festival at Spring Garden a few months ago.
Ren asked if the company was interested in venturing into the education section, especially in opening a learning center in the suburbs. Mr. Saito was glad about the idea because he did intend to open such a center in the future once the company stabilized.
With a promised startup funds from Ren, Mr. Saito finally agreed to the idea. The center would be opened in the same suburb where the couple would live in the future.
"I love it, really," Tsubaki continued gushing over the wooden box, "Hehe, I could put so many things inside but, let's fill it with our mementos?"
"En? What do you mean?"
"Why don't we start by putting our babies' ultrasound photo in it?" Tsubaki gave a suggestion.
"Do you mean... signaling our new life together?"
"Yup!"
Ren laughed out loud. He cupped her face and left a long smooch on her lips. Tsubaki giggled once he let her go.
"Okay, you have the final say, sweetheart," His voice was laced with tenderness as his eyes softened.
"Humph! Mark your word," Tsubaki won't let him off easily if one day he wanted to take back his words.
Ren laughed again. It was funny when his wife acting this way.
Even though the early part of their honeymoon trip was disrupted by the incident, the husband and wife still could taste the sweetness of the trip at the end of the trip.
Soon, they returned to the city. The first thing that Tsubaki did was to go visit her mother and Granny Sumiko at the sanatorium.
"Tsubaki! You've gone for a short while but look at you! Your tummy is so huge already!" Masami exclaimed with joy in her eyes once she saw her daughter.
"Haha, yes, Mom," Tsubaki sat on a couch opposite her mother's wheelchair, "I'm having difficulty bending down to wear my socks now. Ren has to help me."
"Let your husband pamper you," Granny Sumiko smiled softly as she looked at Tsubaki's bulging tummy, "While you're so tired carrying his children, he has to do his share of work."
"Ren's great," Tsubaki only had praises for her husband, "Hehe, even though he often has to deal with my crankiness or sudden cravings at midnight, he didn't say anything about it."
Tsubaki felt a bit guilty when she was reminded of what happened last night.
At one o'clock, she woke up and had an urge to eat the skewers sold at the street stalls. But, where she could find them at such a time? In the end, Ren got out of bed and grilled a few meat skewers for her. He could just make do with the limited ingredients in the kitchen.
Even though the skewers didn't taste as great as from the street stalls as they had been marinated for hours, Tsubaki was still happy because she could at least ease her cravings.
While she was happily eating the skewers, Ren's head kept on drooping as he waited for her to finish.
Urgh... Thank goodness she didn't have late-night cravings every night. If she did, Tsubaki didn't know how Ren could cope with her whims.
"Mom feels good to hear that," Masami laughed in glee, "Pay more attention to your pregnancy. I remember when I was carrying you and your sister. It was hard work but, once I could hold both of you, everything was worth it."
Seeing her own daughter on the path of pregnancy reminded Masami of her own days more than two decades ago.
She didn't have family or her lover by her side.
There were times when she almost gave up but, she persevered to the end.
She never regretted it.
Tsubaki smiled sadly at her mother's words. Unlike her who got full care and support from her husband and her loved ones, her mother had to depend on herself.
"Mom," Tsubaki held both of her hands. She forced herself to not cry in front of her mother, "I want you to be able to see my children. So, don't think that something bad would fall on you. I still need you."
If not for Granny Sumiko, Tsubaki wouldn't know that her mother's condition deteriorated. Her mother didn't want to disturb her during the honeymoon trip so she insisted on hiding it. Granny Sumiko only told her on the last night she was at the villa.
Masami returned a smile to her daughter. It was tiring even to lift a finger but she persisted. She slowly raised up a hand and placed her palm on Tsubaki's face.
"Mom will stay until Mom is able to see my grandchildren," She solemnly vowed.
Masami didn't know how long her body could cope but, she would do her best to fulfill the promise.
She had seen her daughter's wedding.
If possible, she wanted to see her giving birth next.
A bit more... Just a bit more...
Please.
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
hansora
hansora I'll upload more once I got time, maybe together with my new book? I've kept it with me for months. I only plan to release it after one of my books has been completed, so since The Ocean Beneath Her Feet is completed, I'd make way for the new book ;)
Enjoy!
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone