"What Christmas cake would you like to have this for Christmas Eve Ojii-san? I'm planning to bake a vanilla butter cake with fluffy wintry white icing and sparkling peppermint candy." Honoree said while flipping through the pages of a cake recipes book. She had gone shopping for their Christmas dinner, including the ingredients for a Christmas cake, but she's ready to make changes if her grandfather suggests any.
"I am too old for that much sweets, child."
Honoree chuckles. She was not expecting Takao to celebrate Christmas for her sake so maybe she'll just sleep the Christmas Eve later.
Earlier that morning, Honoree received a package from her mother, so when the phone rings while she's lying on bed, she knew it was her. It's been four months since she heard her mother's voice and every ring of the phone while she ran downstairs made her nervous and excited.
"Joyeux Noel, lemiel." ("Merry Christmas, honey.") The sound of her voice on the other line brought Honoree a hint of sadness and at the same time made her wonder if her mother was smiling when she greeted her.
"Joyeux Noel, Mere. Merci pour la carte et cadeaux." ("Merry Christmas, Mom. Thanks for the card and gifts.")
She raises the personalize card made by her step-brother and smiles at their family picture attached in the front of the card. Unlike her, her brothers inherited their mother's blonde hair and Uncle Jules sea green eyes. The only thing she shares with them is the smile. That naughty smiling lips and eyes. Honoree felt a pang of loneliness as she stares at the picture.
The night before, she sent her latest picture to her mother and brother's email and struggles if she will send one too to her father in Tokyo. In the end, she decided not to send one to him because if he wanted to see her, he would have done so. They are living in the same country but all he did for her this Christmas is send her a gift through Uncle Hideki.
"Ce est--- dans l'image qu'ils se developpent rapidement!"(Is this---in the picture, they grow fast!) Honoree continued, referring to her siblings. She heard her mother's soft laugh then just as she opens her mouth to say that she misses her, a baby cries on the other line.
"Ne pleure pais bebe," ("Please don't cry baby,") her mother said, hushing and cooing her baby brother. "Je duis partir ma intenant... prende suin de miel" ("I have to go no, take care, honey) and the line went dead.
Honoree remains standing at the table with the phone still press on her ear, wishing that her mother will call again.
----
"It's almost three years, Brother!" Toshi said, irritated. "It's equivalent to thirty three days in her world!"
"We've been enduring her absence for almost three freaking years now Yuuji-sama!" Kenta added in between sobs.
Yuuji bite his lower lip and face them. "Shut up! I'm the one dying here for not being with her!" he yelled.
"But we want to see Ojou-sama too!"
"You only want her candies," Toshi teased, his hands intertwined at the back of his head. "You know Inari-sama made her decision right? We couldn't disobey her."
Yuuji slammed hard his hand on the table in frustration. Inari denied his petition to be human, saying its plain impossible. He stood up and ran a hand and tails on the kimono hanging beside the closet. It was the kimono Honoree's supposed to wear on his birthday three years ago. He walked to the balcony and creates a small whirlwind on his palm then blew it towards his favorite sakura tree. He watches the leaves fall on the ground before breaking the spell in just a snap of his fingers.
----
"Hono-chan, your father is on the line."
Father.
YOU ARE READING
MARRIED TO A KITSUNE
Teen FictionFour years of living with her Ojii-san had been a roller coaster ride for sixteen year old half french-half japanese Honoree Ishirama. She would spend her weekdays at school and weekends helping him maintain a shinto shrine. When all the works were...
